This programme is made of dances from different styles - romantic, impressionistic and 20th Century styles.
The programme opens with 2 Polonaises by Chopin. The A Major Polonaise (The Military) is the perfect opening piece, strong and robust and full of energy. In contrary, the D Minor Polonaise is dreamier and more uncertain with a big range of timbres and a very special harmonic progression.
Schumann's Davidsbundler dances is an early composition (op. 6) in a form of a suite of 18 movements. This composition portrays two imaginary characters that Schumann created and had been using in his music extensively - Florestan and Eusebius. They are two extremes, - Florestan being a very spontaneous, passionate and robust and Eusebius a melancholic, doubtful and thoughtful type. Davidsbundlertanze is a very spiritual and non-realistic composition that brings the listener to a different world.
In the second half of the programme we have two orchestral masterpieces - Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet ballet suite and Ravel La Valse, both transcribed for piano by the authors.
Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet suite is a very characteristic music, sometimes grotesque, at times tragic and lyrical, its great expressivity and a vast range of characters takes a listener on a journey of this famous story and Romeo and Juliet.
Ravel La Valse is a choreographic poem showing Vienna after the first World War. A monumental composition combines elements of a Viennese Valse and a tragic poem.