September 12, 1898, Royal Albert Hall
This exciting new work is sublime, made even more so by the skills of Abraham Lawson, widely considered the finest violinist in Britain and most likely the continent as well. The lush and exotic orchestration and fashionable oriental themes are a magnificent showcase for Lawson’s genius.
For those unfamiliar with the story of the One Thousand and One Nights, a cruel and jealous King marries a new woman every night and murders her every morning. A clever bride named Scheherazade tells him a story every night, leaving the tale unfinished so that he feels compelled to spare her life so that he might learn how the evening’s narrative ends. Eventually, he realizes that he has fallen deeply in love with the inventive storyteller.
A lurid tale, true. One may, of course, argue the moral merits of such a tale and whether such stories degrade the character of the listener, but one quite simply cannot argue the artistic merits of this performance! The music contains lush arrangements and a notably difficult violin solo, which of course Lawson executes with his usual heart-stopping grace. I’m not ashamed to say that I wept, as did many other members of the audience who share my passion for fine music.
I highly recommend this performance, especially if you are able to hear Lawson work his magic.