Unheard: Gregor A. Mayrhofer's "Recycling Concerto" for recycled percussion and orchestra. From plastic bottles, flower pots and coffee capsules – i.e. from household waste– new instruments arise for this challenging concert, which is also a lot of fun. But the throwaway society is a serious matter, its problems unsolved. Charles E. Ives asks "the eternal question of being" seven times in "The Unanswered Question"; four flutes search in vain for an answer. Consistent with his intentions, Ives' unanswered question motif is heard again and again in Mayrhofer's work.
Felix Mendelssohn was extremely impressed by the spectacular forces of nature during his journey to the Hebrides; he sketched this in 21 bars of music. This resulted in the concert overture "The Hebrides", which captures the atmosphere of water, wind and waves in an exemplary manner. No less masterfully, Smetana depicts the diversity of landscapes through which the Vltava flows in his tone poem of the same name.
