Sir Donald with Brahms

Sir Donald with Holst

James MacMillan is Scottish, just like our chief conductor Sir Donald Runnicles. Both have known and respected each other for many years, so it is no wonder that MacMillan dedicated one of his symphonies to his friend. This symphony, the fourth of our Composer in Residence, contains everything that defines his composing style: opulent melodies stand alongside rich soundscapes, tight marches alongside harmonies reminiscent of Bach. The listeners are not safe from apparent coincidences - perhaps not surprising, considering MacMillan is a big football fan and loves the unpredictability of the game. In addition, one of the most popular symphonic works in English music, Holst's "The Planets," will be performed - continuing our British Festival with this concert.

Sir Donald with Debussy

Claude Debussy's "Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune" is a masterpiece of Impressionism. Inspired by a poem by the Symbolist Stéphane Mallarmé, the music paints the picture of a dreaming faun on a warm afternoon. With floating flute sounds and gentle harmonies, Debussy transports us into a world between dream and reality – a sensory delight in sound. Not many works of the 20th century are as naturally included in concert programs today as the music of Maurice Duruflé, who passed away in 1986. Particularly his sacred vocal music continues to enjoy enduring popularity, surely also due to its accessible musical language. Duruflé had little interest in breaking with tradition; in his 1947 Requiem, he engaged with the model of the two generations older Gabriel Fauré and let his enthusiasm for Gregorian chant run free. However, the work is not backward-looking: Contrary to the operatic settings of the Requiem in the 19th century, Duruflé focused less on the pains of the Last Judgment and more on the otherworldly redemption. Chief conductor Sir Donald Runnicles and the MDR Radio Choir infuse this work with a special intensity through their sensitivity and beauty of sound.

Sir Donald with Mahler

When Beethoven wrote his Fifth and final piano concerto in 1809, Vienna was besieged by Napoleon's troops. The sounds of war and economic uncertainty – his patron Archduke Rudolf had left the city – influenced the creation of the work. Beethoven composed a piano concerto with an exceptionally new form for the time, in which the soloist alternates between heroic and peaceful moments. Despite the difficult circumstances, the work does not reflect fatalism, but rather a solemn struggle for freedom and against oppression. Gustav Mahler's First Symphony also reflects intense personal experiences. His unhappy love for the singer Johanna Richter inspired him to create the "Songs of a Wayfarer," from which he incorporated motifs into the first and third movements of the symphony. In an emotional state of exception, Mahler completed the symphony in just six weeks. The premiere in Budapest in 1889 was met with incomprehension, prompting Mahler to revise the work multiple times. Today, it is among his most frequently performed symphonies.

Asia tour with Sir Simon Rattle

Asia tour with Sir Simon Rattle

Asia tour with Sir Simon Rattle

Asia tour with Sir Simon Rattle

Asia tour with Sir Simon Rattle

Asia tour with Sir Simon Rattle