Only those who overcome their pride will encounter true love. That, at least, is the message of Béla Bartók’s pantomime ballet The Wooden Prince. The ingeniously-orchestrated work, whose tonal language shifts between impressionistic sensuousness and modern objectivity, helped the Hungarian composer achieve his breakthrough. Another work included by Kirill Petrenko on this programme also marks a milestone in the career of its creator: Henri Dutilleux’s First Symphony is a work full of poetry. It is weightless, dreamlike and profound.
Berliner Philharmoniker
Kirill Petrenko conductor
Henri Dutilleux
Symphony No. 1
Béla Bartók
The Wooden Prince, Pantomime Ballet Music, Sz 60