Schwetzingen SWR Festival: Olive Tree

The concert brings together works by Richter, Hoffmann, El-Turk, and Brahms. The young cellist Lionel Martin has been promoted as a New Talent by SWR. A cello tells a story – with dedication and poise. The young cellist Lionel Martin, who was recently supported by SWR as a New Talent, presents two works that could hardly be more contrasting: Ludwig Hoffmann's D-major concerto – a classical discovery full of joy in playing, elegance, and charm. In stark contrast is the new piece written for him by Bushra El-Turk: the British-Lebanese composer intertwines European and Middle Eastern musical traditions with electronic soundscapes. At the heart of her piece is the olive tree – a symbol of steadfastness, rootedness, and hope amidst the Middle East conflict. The Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra frames this concert with a symphony by the Mannheim composer Franz Xaver Richter and concludes with the orchestral version of Brahms' late G-major quintet – music full of warmth, nostalgia, and the typical Brahmsian eye for the essential.