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«The Lucerne Symphony Orchestra LSO has commissioned me to write a double concerto for piano, cello and orchestra. The soloists will be Martha Argerich and Mischa Maisky, both of whom I admire very much. The two are great artists and play fantastically well. They are outstanding musicians of our time.»
With a commission from the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra for the Double Concerto for Piano and Cello «Romantic Offering», the Russian composer Rodion Shchedrin took on the delightful task of entering an uncharted territory of composition. And with a cast that is second to none. First, the Argentine pianist Martha Argerich, who has shown musical empathy for the works of great Russian composers many times in concert, and says: «I have a particular sympathy for the Russian composers, who express a special something.» Second, the Latvian cellist Mischa Maisky, world famous for his romantic interpretations: «Rodion Konstantinovich Shchedrin wrote a short piece for me for my sixtieth birthday in 2008. And now the Double Concerto. This will certainly be wonderful. I am looking forward to it enormously, as he is a wonderful composer and – incidentally – a very fine gentleman.»
Although a double concerto for piano, cello and orchestra is a first in the history of music, Rodion Shchedrin sets himself once again firmly within major traditions of Western classical music. The title alone, «Romantic Offering», builds on Bach's late work «The Musical Offering» and alludes, with stress on the word «romantic» to music that
appeals to concepts of love, the infinite, and desire – qualities that have always been
central to Rodion Shchedrin's musical creation: «Sometimes there is too much talk about which compositional technique was used. These details must be left in the studio of the composer. The music itself must go out into the world – it must flow through the heart, soul and nervous system of the listener.»
One is also reminded of the connection of the piano and cello in the Double Concerto for Violin and Cello in A minor, Op 102 by Johannes Brahms – a double concerto in which the performers toss thematic balls back and forth. In 2004, Rodion Shchedrin himself, with his Concerto parlando created the first double concerto for violin and trumpet with string orchestra.
For «Romantic Offering» Rodion Shchedrin put to good use his many years of knowledge of the musical characteristics of the piano and cello, incorporating the artistic in-
dividuality of both instruments into his musical descriptions and the piece itself. The work is divided into three parts. The first two movements de-velop the drama, while the third serves as an echo, a summation of the first two. The reaction of the soloists, the conductor of the orchestra and the audience to the newly created work is critical to the composer: «For me it is so important to look at the first performance, to see what about the piece interests the performers. Are the soloists engaged? How does the audience react? The «Romantic Offering» should inspire new thoughts and experiences. Music is not only the product of experiment. It should move your soul and touch your heart. It must absolutely be a pleasure and one of the great joys of life.» The Double Concerto «Romantic Offering» is dedicated to Martha Argerich and Mischa Maisky.