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Scottish Chamber Orchestra and Nikita Naumov Give the UK Premiere of Peter Eötvös's Aurora

Mar. 01, 2020

The Scottish Chamber Orchestra, led by Thomas Zehetmair and featuring soloist Nikita Naumov, gives the UK premiere of Peter Eötvös's double-bass concerto, Aurora on March 19 with additional performances on March 20 and 22. The work was premiered last December at the Herbert von Karajan Academy of the Berlin Philharmonic, under the composer's baton with Matthew McDonald as soloist. Peter Eötvös describes his new work:

"In 1971, I was flying over Anchorage in Alaska when I saw an incredible light effect through the aeroplane window: it was the aurora borealis. I have never ever seen anything so powerful or such a blaze of color in motion. It was not only beautiful, but also extremely powerful, almost threatening and simply monumental. In my composition Aurora, I have attempted to reproduce my own impressions of this moment when I felt myself as an element of this cosmos.

Aurora is my first piece for solo double bass. Up until now, I have always used the lower registers of this instrument and was astounded that the double bass could also soar up into the highest ranges, sounding as powerful and colorful as the aurora borealis itself. Accompanying the solo double bass is a small string orchestra and an accordion, as well as two additional orchestral double basses, which are are placed in the concert hall to form a triangle with the soloist."

Listen to Peter Eötvös's The Gliding of the Eagle in the Skies (2011, rev. 2016):

(The Gliding of the Eagle in the Skies/Peter Eötvös/Frankfurt Radio Symphony/Peter Eötvös, conductor)

For more information on Peter Eötvös, visit schott-music.com

Peter Eötvös
Aurora (2019)
for double-bass and string orchestra
19'

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