Eduard Lalo: Symphonie Espagnole
Notes by violinist Yi-Chuan Li

Edouard Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole, although directly translated to, “Spanish Symphony”, is considered a violin concerto by today’s standards. It was written in 1874 for violinist Pablo de Sarasate, the composer of Zigeunerweisen. It contains many Spanish themes and motifs throughout, including gypsy-style gestures in the first theme. This piece sparked a period of Spanish themed music, such as Bizet’s opera Carmen. Symphonie Espagnole also had an influence on Tchaikovsky. After Tchaikovsky went through a rough period of his life, his student Iosif Kotek introduced him to Lalo’s Symphonie Espagnole. He enjoyed it so much that he set aside his ongoing compositions to write his violin concerto in D major

Camille Saint-Saens:  Cello Concerto No. 1
Notes by cellist Nick Jacques

Saint-Saëns’ first cello concerto is a piece with drama and operatic storytelling. I associate the first movement with a hero finding himself in a storm, followed by expansive themes in both the first and third movements where this character wrestles with doubt. By the time we get to the coda, our hero has come out victorious, signalled by the transition from A minor to A major. My favorite part of the piece is the deep F major theme in the third movement, which reminds me of a wise old man.

Felix Mendelssohn: Piano Concerto No. 1
Notes by pianist Max Tian

Mendelssohn’s First Piano Concerto shifts moods so quickly in the last two movements that it feels like a series of scenes in a film. The Andante, to me, is the warmest part of the piece. It feels like a song shared in a quiet space with the piano just floating over the strings in a calm, singing line. From there, the music does not really stop, since it connects straight into the finale, where the piano suddenly has a sparkling, rapid-fire energy that is flowing rather than heavy