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An Alpine Symphony

Date & Time
Fri, Apr 25, 2025, 19:00
Franz Schubert was only around 17–18 years old when he wrote his second symphony. Yet it is an impressive work in the spirit of Beethoven. In other words, it is music full of contrasts and captivating melodies.The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra is led by Franz Welser-Möst, who in 2018 was awarded the title Eric Ericson Honorary Chair. Since 2020, he regularly conducts the orchestra. It is a collaboration that follows the bond that developed between the orchestra and conductor during... Read full text

Keywords: Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Symphony Concert

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Musicians

Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra
Franz Welser-MöstConductor

Program

Symphony No. 2Franz Schubert
Eine AlpensinfonieRichard Strauss
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Last update: Fri, Nov 22, 2024, 12:15

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An Alpine Symphony

Sat, Apr 26, 2025, 15:00
Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Franz Welser-Möst (Conductor)
Franz Schubert was only around 17–18 years old when he wrote his second symphony. Yet it is an impressive work in the spirit of Beethoven. In other words, it is music full of contrasts and captivating melodies.The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra is led by Franz Welser-Möst, who in 2018 was awarded the title Eric Ericson Honorary Chair. Since 2020, he regularly conducts the orchestra. It is a collaboration that follows the bond that developed between the orchestra and conductor during the initial concerts together, and has deepened over the years.A composer who holds a special place in Welser-Möst's heart is Richard Strauss. Here, he leads the orchestra in An Alpine Symphony, which, despite the title, is not a traditional symphony but a tone poem that depicts a dramatic journey up and down an Alpine mountain, with changing weather and nature immersions. To portray the adventure, Strauss prescribes an enormous orchestra – including cowbells, wind and thunder machines, and an extra-large brass section.
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An Alpine Symphony

Fri, Feb 21, 2025, 19:30
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Marquee TV: An Alpine Symphony

Sun, Mar 23, 2025, 19:00
Edward Gardner (Conductor), Alexandra Dovgan (Piano)
Waterfalls, glaciers, an ear-splitting storm – spectacular isn’t the word for Strauss’s Alpine Symphony.No composer tells a story quite like Richard Strauss – or paints a picture in more fabulous sounds. So when he set out to depict the majesty of the Bavarian Alps, the results are … well, hear for yourself as Edward Gardner and a specially-enlarged LPO conquer the summit of Strauss’s mighty Alpine Symphony. Waterfalls, glaciers, an ear-splitting storm – spectacular isn’t the word. But first, enjoy the fresh Nordic melodies of Grieg’s famous Piano Concerto, played by a true rising star.
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SOLD OUT: An Alpine Symphony

Thu, May 25, 2023, 20:00
Konzerthalle Bamberg, Joseph-Keilberth-Saal (Bamberg)
Semyon Bychkov (Conductor), Katia Labèque (Piano), Marielle Labèque (Piano)
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Fri, May 26, 2023, 20:00
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Semyon Bychkov (Conductor), Katia Labèque (Piano), Marielle Labèque (Piano)
Richard Strauss once gave a beautiful description of one of the tricks he used in his composition process: “If I get stuck at a certain point in the evening while composing, and it does not seem possible to produce anything decent, no matter how hard I think, then I close the piano or my sketchbook, go to sleep, and when I wake up in the morning, I know how to continue!" His Alpine Symphony, premiered in 1915, was composed in a mere 100 days. Inspired by Nietzsche's polemical book "The Antichrist", Strauss created an opulent musical portrait of the various stations and scenes of an adventurous hike through the mountains, with an orchestral line-up including cowbells, an organ, and thunder and wind machines. This tone poem is a sonorous journey through nature and its creations – which is why a contemporary said admiringly of Strauss: "He has learned that music should not just illuminate our nights for all eternity, but that it should be like the sun." Before this musical ascent to the mountain peaks, conducted by Semyon Bychkov, our orchestra and the gifted pianists Katia and Marielle Labèque will perform the Double Concerto by Bohuslav Martinů, who was considered one of the most original Czech composers of the 20th century and described as “a creator who performs magic with new worlds." Jazz influences have left their mark on this work, but delightful tunes from Czech folk music also make an appearance. This truly stirring piece is proof that great creations are possible even under adverse circumstances: Martinů wrote it during the Second World War after fleeing to the United States, where he grappled increasingly with existential questions about the meaning of human life.
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Artistic depiction of the event

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Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Johannes Gustavsson (Conductor), Torleif Thedéen (Cello)
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