Premiere of Bent Sørensen's third piano concerto, La sera estatica

Bent Sørensen (Photo Lars Skaaning)

During lockdown, pianist Katrine Gislinge would perform concerts at home for her husband, Danish composer Bent Sørensen, thus enabling him to enjoy live music at a time when most of society was cut off from concerts. Gislinge and Sørensen have had a fruitful collaboration, with the composer writing a whole series of works for her, from solo piano works such as the 12 Nocturnes (2014) and Fantasia Appasionata (2017), to a series of works for piano and small ensemble. Now the fruit of their lockdown sessions is about to manifest itself.

On Friday 12 November, Katrine Gislinge is the soloist in the premiere of Bent Sørensen's third piano concert, La sera estatica which is performed by the Copenhagen Philharmonic, conductor John Storgårds at the Royal Danish Academy of Music in Copenhagen.

The music of the concerto is inspired directly by the music that Gislinge played for Sørensen during lockdown, he says of it, "It’s moulded into my music. There are quotes and short glimpses of other composers and works, but it’s painted over and melted together with my music." 

La sera estatica is Bent Sørensen’s third piano concerto. It follows La Notte (Piano concerto no.1, 1998) and La Mattina (Piano concerto no.2, premiered in 2009 and written for Leif Ove Andsnes). La Notte is about the night’s mysteries and dreams, and La Mattina is about the slow awakening towards the dancing day. La sera estatica is about the evening landscape, the falling darkness, but perhaps it’s a joyous darkness?

The concert also includes music by Clara Schumann, and Robert Schumann, full details from the Copenhagen Philharmonic's website.