Bartók, Janácek, Debussy | London Symphony Orchestra

The course of true love never does run smooth in these four fascinating vignettes.

Bartók dedicated his First Violin Concerto to the famed musician Stefi Geyer, but she refused it, unable to return his adoration. It wasn’t performed until 1956, when listeners discovered an unusual musical portrait of Geyer, exploring Bartók’s dreamy admiration and his crush’s quick wit.

Janácek’s Taras Bulba tells a rousing tale of Cossack warriors, featuring another doomed romance. Lamenting horns and tender oboes introduce a pair of lovers on opposing sides of a battle.

Chausson’s sensuous Poème was inspired by a short story about two men in love with the same woman, while Debussy’s scintillating evocation of the sea was written in the midst of an adulterous affair.

Duncan Ward and the LSO set out to sweep you off your feet in this performance, while Isabelle Faust offers sensitive insights into the music of Bartók.