A Symphonic Programme Between the Cosmic and the Sacred
On 5 March 2027, Sala Iturbi at the Palau de la Música de Valencia will host a concert blending symphonic grandeur with the power of the organ. The Valencia Orchestra, under the baton of Pablo González, will perform two iconic works: The Planets, a suite for large orchestra by Gustav Holst, and the Symphonie concertante for organ and orchestra in B-flat major, op. 81 by Joseph Jongen, featuring organist Juan de la Rubia as soloist.
The Planets: A Sonic Journey Through the Solar System
Composed between 1914 and 1916, Holst’s The Planets is one of the most popular symphonic works of the 20th century. Each of its seven movements evokes a planet in the solar system (excluding Earth) and its corresponding Roman deity: from the warlike Mars to the mystery of Neptune, passing through the dance of Jupiter or the void of Saturn. The version performed in Valencia is the original for large orchestra, without choirs or later additions.
Jongen and the Organ as Protagonist
Joseph Jongen’s Symphonie concertante for organ and orchestra, composed in 1926, is a lesser-known but highly virtuosic work. Written for the organ of the New York Philharmonic, it explores the instrument’s technical and expressive possibilities, from intimate passages to moments of great intensity. Juan de la Rubia, principal organist of the Sagrada Família in Barcelona, is one of Spain’s most prominent interpreters of this repertoire.
Concert Details
- Date and time: 5 March 2027, 19:30 (doors open 30 minutes before).
- Duration: Approximately 90 minutes, no intermission.
- Tickets: Available on the Palau de la Música website. No information on sold-out seats.
- Cycle: Part of the Valencia Orchestra’s 2026-2027 symphonic season.
