Lutoslawski Centenary 2013 | Philharmonia Orchestra

Tonight's concert opens the celebrations for the exact centenary of Lutoslawski's birth tomorrow. What better, therefore, than to open proceedings with his by, which the composer himself described as 'my first word in a new language.' The Piano Concerto is, by comparison, one of Lutoslawski's last completed works, a glorious summation of his creative achievement that belongs in the great tradition of Romantic piano concertos stretching all the way back to Chopin and Liszt. There is also a rare opportunity to hear Ravel's complete ballet score Daphnis et Chloé, which shares with Lutoslawski's distinctive soundworlds a meticulous attention to detail that is ravishing and utterly magical.