Olli Mustonen en leden van Amsterdam Sinfonietta in Elgars Pianokwintet

Amsterdam Sinfonietta and Olli Mustonen

The musicians of Amsterdam Sinfonietta maintain a warm relationship with the Concertgebouw; they know the halls like the back of their hand. The string orchestra previously performed in a Spotlight series. Now, a select group from the ensemble is playing in the Small Hall with the idiosyncratic pianist and composer Olli Mustonen. For this occasion, the five have chosen an original program: they will perform Mustonen's own Piano Quintet , as well as that of Elgar. Mustonen's style of making music is unorthodox, extremely sparkling, and a joy to watch.

Elgar's Piano Quintet

Elgar's Piano Quintet is no 'Rule Britannia' music, but rather a pot of strong Earl Grey on a gloomy morning. The First World War raged on in 1917 and Elgar's wife Alice was in poor health. In this atmosphere, Elgar drew inspiration from ghostly legends set in the woods around his home in Sussex. He called his quintet 'Spooky material' in a letter to Ernest Newman, to whom the piece was dedicated – and you can hear it. Only in the final movement does the mist dissipate and a faint sun break through.