1001 Nacht

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's symphonic poem Scheherazade is richly orchestrated and imbued with oriental perfume. The composer drew inspiration for his dazzling music from the fantastic collection of stories known as One Thousand and One Nights. Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy, on the other hand, was inspired to write his Hebrides Overture by a trip to the wild coast of Scotland. You can literally feel the salty spray and the rough wind through the sounds. British composer Ethel Smyth also faced rough winds. However, these did not come from the sea, but from a conservative society that Smyth was only gradually able to convince of her talent. Her concerto for violin, horn and orchestra captivates with its powerful logic and an ingenious sense for the surprising tonal possibilities that arise from the unusual combination of these two solo instruments.