I present to you the new album by conductor Gustavo Gimeno, musical director of the Royal Theatre in Madrid this season. He holds the same position at the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, with which he has made numerous recordings of modern works, the most recent being this record, released by Harmonica Mundi on February 13, which includes works by Bela Bartok - The Miraculous Mandarin Suite and Concerto for Orchestra, alongside a contemporary score by Canadian composer Emilie Cecilia LeBel.

Renowned Spanish conductor Gustavo Gimeno notes in the introduction to this album: "After half a decade as artistic director of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, I have come to understand how remarkable this ensemble is, which is why I felt it appropriate to highlight the collective talents of our musicians by programming a series of seven concerts for orchestra, to be performed throughout the 2024-2025 season. The most famous contribution to this musical genre, Bartók's Concerto for Orchestra, opened the event we recorded live for this album, followed by the score of the pantomime The Miraculous Mandarin. These two works were conceived 25 years apart, yet both embody the color and complexity that make the Hungarian composer's work so unique."

The Toronto Symphony Orchestra, one of the most prestigious ensembles on the North American continent, has a history spanning over a century. Over the years, the orchestra has been led by conductors such as Walter Susskind, Seiji Ozawa, Sir Andrew Davis, and Jukka Pekka Saraste. Since 2020, the ensemble's music director has been Spanish conductor Gustavo Gimeno, under whose leadership this recent album of orchestral works by Bela Bartok was recorded. The interpretation of the Concerto for Orchestra, one of Bela Bartok's best-known creations, composed in 1943, is remarkable. Conductor Gustavo Gimeno says of this piece: "The concerto is classical in its five-movement structure, but the content is specific to Bartók's creation, with its mysterious harmonies, moments of virtuosity, influences of traditional music, and the captivating rhythmic character of the work. The concerto for orchestra impresses with its ample dimensions and beautiful sound."