The Cleveland Orchestra
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
Peter Otto, violin

ADÈS The Exterminating Angel Symphony*
WALTON Violin Concerto
SIBELIUS Symphony No. 5 in E-flat major
Walton was recuperating in Italy after surgery, and this concerto is clearly inspired by the sights and sounds of the countryside: the idyllic sunny vistas, bel canto opera and Italian popular song, as well as Latin volatility.

Sibelius also was influenced by the natural world around him, and the Fifth is evocative of the grandeur and isolation of his native Finland. In the finale, the sweeping “swan hymn” was inspired by his observance of a formation of sixteen swans flying overhead. “One of my greatest experiences! Lord God, that beauty! They circled over me for a long time. Disappeared into the solar haze like a gleaming, silver ribbon…”

*Not included on March 11