The Malta Philharmonic Orchestra will team up with Spanish conductor Pablo González and renowned flamenco guitarist Cañizares in a concert featuring some of the finest examples of Spanish and Czech classical music.

Joaquín Turina’s Danzas Fantasticas, arguably his most famous work, was originally written for solo piano, but the orchestral version was the first to be performed in public. The work, featuring three movements showcasing different Spanish dance forms, was inspired by José Más’ novel La Orgía.

Joaquín Rodrigo’s Concierto Aranjuez is one of the most notable examples of a guitar concerto, and its success even earned him a noble title – he was made Marquis of the Gardens of Aranjuez in 1991. Its mournful adagio is particularly well known, with the composer stating that it was written as a response to the miscarriage of his first child.

The programme also includes Antonín Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7 in D minor, Op. 70.

Dvořák was one of the first Czech composers to achieve worldwide recognition, and his work frequently sought to highlight his homeland’s musical traditions.

In his Seventh Symphony, he sought to express the political struggles of the Czechs, whose land was then part of the Austro-Hungarian empire. This may not have endeared him to the work’s German publisher, who insisted on using a German title and a Germanised version of the composer’s name on the cover and who originally offered a derisory sum for such a major work.

The concert takes place at the Manoel Theatre in Valletta on Friday at 8pm. For more information visit http://teatrumanoel.com.mt .