Concerto Copenhagen presents the world premiere of New York City at Night – a newly composed work for baroque orchestra by American composer Victoria Bond, commissioned by Roskilde Musikforening.
Inspired by renowned artist Georgia O'Keeffe's distinctive New York paintings from the 1920s, Bond takes the listener on a musical journey through the vibrant life and iconic skyline of the big city.
The work consists of four movements, each of which is a musical interpretation of one of O'Keeffe's paintings. MON clearly MON the growth of the metropolis, the majestic towers of the skyscrapers, and the smallness of humans in the city's busy streets, where the lights from car headlights and windows form a living tapestry. O'Keeffe said that MON paint New York as it is, but as it feels – a project Victoria Bond takes up in her movements, which vary between painterly illustration, dramatic intensity and, in the fourth movement, a lively, dancing Charleston from a nightclub in 1920s New York. The entire work gives the impression of bringing the paintings to life as moving images, where Bond's musical tones become colorful brushstrokes.
For over 30 years, Concerto Copenhagen has been performing music from the early Baroque to the early Romantic periods, but the orchestra is also known for embarking on projects involving newly composed music. This happens when composers want to draw inspiration from older musical languages – or, as in this case, from the orchestra's unique instruments and playing style as a basis for modern musical expression. This evening will be a special experience, bringing 1920s New York to life in an exciting encounter between past and present.