The historical costumes of the ballet Spartacus were an allusion to the Russian Revolution, which – like the heroic uprising of the ancient slaves – was supposed to bring freedom but in the end only ushered in a new form of enslavement. Fortunately, the author of the piece, the outstanding Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian, managed to avoid propaganda clichés and the shortcomings of the libretto by focusing mostly on the emotions of the protagonists – the eponymous Spartacus, his wife Phrygia, consul Crassus and his concubine Aegina. The work, choreographed by Leonid Jakobson, premiered in Leningrad in 1956. Spartacus was initially received half-heartedly, before eventually becoming a mainstay of the ballet repertoire, especially in Russia. The composer also arranged orchestral suites for various concerts, and individual sections, thanks to their beauty and striking orchestration, often lead an independent concert life.

Rachmaninov is primarily associated with virtuoso piano music and wonderful concertos that are among his most popular pieces; however, his legacy also includes a number of major symphonic works. His Symphony No. 2 in E Minor, premiered in 1908, remained under the strong influence of Tchaikovsky (in terms of its lyrism, nostalgia, and a predilection for extensive, melodious themes); however, it also displayed many individual features that resulted from his earlier experience with the orchestral apparatus, acquired while composing his two piano concertos.

During this February concert, the music of our century will be represented by one of the most recent works of Piotr Moss – his fascinating Concerto for Flute, Organ and Orchestra inspired by Hans Memling’s famous vision of the Last Judgment.