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World Premiere of Daniel Kidane's Aloud with Julia Fischer, Edward Gardner, and the London Philharmonic Orchestra

Mar. 05, 2024

­Premiering on March 16 at Royal Festival Hall in London, Daniel Kidane's first violin concerto Aloud is an energetic and lively dialogue between violinist Julia Fischer and the London Philharmonic Orchestra, led by Edward Gardner. The concerto, commissioned by the London Philharmonic Orchestra, promises not just a musical performance but a narrative of current world events. Kidane, drawing from the tumultuous backdrop of the war between Russia and Ukraine, channels his familial connections to both nations into his composition. The choice of the Cossack folk song 'Чёрный Ворон' ('Black Raven') as an inspirational source adds a poignant layer to the concerto, exploring themes of loss, resilience, and hope.

Kidane expresses his thoughts about the genesis of his first violin concerto:

"Aloud was written with the want to explore drive and energy between the violin and orchestra. As a former violinist, I had the idea of writing something lively for the pairing for quite some time.

While writing Aloud, I was also disturbed by world events, namely the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine - countries that I have close familial links with.

With the latter on my mind, I was drawn to an old Cossack folk song 'Чёрный Ворон' (transliterated as 'Cherniy Voron', meaning Black Raven). The song begins with lyrics that describe a raven circling above an injured Cossack, who says to the raven: "Why are you circling over me? Ever will your prey elude you. Black Raven, I am not yours."

Apart from being a beautiful folk song, the fighting spirit of the words resonated with me, because the plight and suffering of ordinary people is so often lost to the noise of political rhetoric.

A veiled form of the folk tune, which is heard at the very start of Aloud, becomes the kernel within my work for the struggle for life, and an energetic musical opposition to the scourge of war."

To learn more about Daniel Kidane, visit schott-music.com.

Daniel Kidane
Aloud (2023-24)
for violin and orchestra
3.3.3.3-4.3.3.1-timp.2perc(mar, xyl, tub bells, crot, tam-t, sus cymbal, S.D., B.D., woodbl, tamb, rototom, whip, nut shell shaker)-cel.pno.hp-str
20'

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