Keywords: Symphony Concert
| Nicholas Collon | Conductor |
| Anna Lapwood | Organ |
| Dresdner Philharmonie |
| Lili Boulanger | "Of a Spring Morning" |
| Francis Poulenc | Concerto for Organ, Strings, and Timpani |
| Carl Nielsen | Symphony No. 5 |
These events are similar in terms of concept, place, musicians or the program.
The Concertgebouw’s famous Main Hall is one of the best concert halls in the world, well-known for its exceptional acoustics and special atmosphere. In the Main Hall, you will feel history. Here, Gustav Mahler conducted his own compositions, as did Richard Strauss and Igor Stravinsky. Sergei Rachmaninoff played his own piano concertos in the Main Hall. This is also where musicians such as Leonard Bernstein, Vladimir Horowitz and Yehudi Menuhin gave legendary performances. Right up to now, the Main Hall offers a stage to the world’s best orchestras and musicians. Buy your tickets now and experience the magic of the Main Hall for yourself!
George Gershwin wrote his Concerto in F in 1925 amidst the pulsating New York City. The work combines the elegance of classical forms with the exuberant energy of jazz – a music reflecting the city itself: loud, vibrant, full of surprises. From the first drumbeat to the final cadenza, the concerto sparkles with joy of life. Gershwin knew how to tell stories – and Boris Giltburg, Artist in Residence, brings them to life. With his delicate balance of virtuosity and sensitivity to nuances, he unfolds the full color spectrum of this extraordinary work. With his First Symphony composed in 1935, William Walton holds up a mirror to its time of creation: between urgent rhythms and sonic depths, one can feel the restlessness of the 1930s – intense, dark, but also overwhelmingly beautiful. In the first three movements, a gripping blend of energy, drama, and melancholy unfolds – from dark intensity to delicate, lyrical moments. The final movement, completed later, brings about the triumphant resolution. The symphony is considered one of the most significant works in British music, impressing with its emotional depth and orchestral power.
Bruckner's Second Symphony is often referred to as the "Symphony of Pauses." But do not worry: these pauses are not silent, but full of tension and give the music room to breathe. A music that was initially considered unplayable by contemporaries. The Vienna Philharmonic initially rejected the work, deeming it far too long. Bruckner shortened it, rented the large hall at the Musikverein at his own expense, rehearsed thoroughly with the orchestra - and was successful. And what a success it was, the applause of the premiere audience on October 26, 1773, seemed never-ending. Bruckner himself later referred to it as the "most memorable day of my life." Today, the symphony is somewhat overshadowed by its successors, but unjustly so. Everything that Bruckner enthusiasts appreciate: the grand arcs of tension, the delicate as well as the powerful moments, the abrupt pauses and new beginnings - they are all already present here. Christoph Eschenbach is considered a Bruckner specialist; that is why we have invited him to conduct it.
Bruckner's Second Symphony is often referred to as the "Symphony of Pauses." But do not worry: these pauses are not silent, but full of tension and give the music room to breathe. A music that was initially considered unplayable by contemporaries. The Vienna Philharmonic initially rejected the work, deeming it far too long. Bruckner shortened it, rented the large hall at the Musikverein at his own expense, rehearsed thoroughly with the orchestra - and was successful. And what a success it was, the applause of the premiere audience on October 26, 1773, seemed never-ending. Bruckner himself later referred to it as the "most memorable day of my life." Today, the symphony is somewhat overshadowed by its successors, but unjustly so. Everything that Bruckner enthusiasts appreciate: the grand arcs of tension, the delicate as well as the powerful moments, the abrupt pauses and new beginnings - they are all already present here. Christoph Eschenbach is considered a Bruckner specialist; that is why we have invited him to conduct it.
A Mozart symphony, a clarinet concerto by Parisian Jean Françaix with soloist Jochen Tschabrun, and Gershwin's jazzy postcard greetings from Paris. Perfect ingredients for a Quick & Classy season opener. Enjoy Mozart's subtle wit, experience French charm, and dive into a musical contest between old and new worlds. 70 minutes, no break, followed by a Meet & Greet.
Helena Munktell’s romantic Suite for large orchestra is a piece that the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra has never before performed in its entirety. The music was composed in 1895, and like the now often performed Bränningar, this suite was premiered in Monte Carlo in the late 19th century.Next, we hear the young Swedish soprano Jessica Elevant tackle Wagner's Wesendonck Songs – music filled with burning longing and celestial beauty. Jessica Elevant has recently gained attention for her participation in Daniel Nelson's opera Pride and Prejudice at the Norrlandsoperan. This marks her debut with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.Another debutant is Sergej Bolkhovets – as a conductor, that is. He has previously been a violin soloist with the orchestra. He leads the orchestra in Shostakovich's first symphony. Already in this symphony, Shostakovich demonstrates his phenomenal ability to handle the orchestra. It's personal music with humorous twists and great finesse. A remarkable symphonic debut by a 19-year-old composer.
Herbert Blomstedt is Sweden's internationally most recognized conductor – ever. Among the orchestras he has worked with are the Gewandhaus Orchestra in Leipzig, the Berlin Philharmonic, the Orchestre de Paris, and notably the San Francisco Symphony, where Blomstedt was chief conductor for ten years. Blomstedt has also conducted the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra on well over 200 occasions, and on the occasion of his 90th birthday in 2017, Konserthuset named its grand conductor's dressing room after him.It has been 70 years since Herbert Blomstedt first conducted the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra at a public concert, and already two years before that, in 1952, he conducted the orchestra during a radio broadcast.As he makes another cherished visit to the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, it is with two favorites, Franz Berwald and Brahms. Memories from the Norwegian mountains came to him after a visit to Norway, and Berwald described the Nordic-sounding music as orchestral tonal painting. The restlessly bustling Sinfonie capricieuse is surrounded by mystique, for shortly after Berwald's death, the score disappeared under mysterious circumstances. The music was later reconstructed by Nils Castegren based on Berwald's remaining sketches.Johannes Brahms's first symphony is undoubtedly a masterpiece. The symphony was crafted over many years, with Brahms at times almost paralyzed by the performance demands of his idol Beethoven. However, the end result is magnificent and shaped with precision, intense emotion, and great beauty.
With this concert, Sir Donald Runnicles assumes his position as chief conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic and simultaneously opens our British Festival. The evening, full of European and British music history, begins with Ralph Vaughan Williams' "Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis," a deeply emotional and majestic piece that highlights the beauty of the English music tradition. William Walton's Concerto for Viola and Orchestra puts the larger sister of the violin in the spotlight. With virtuosic solo passages and dynamic orchestral accompaniment, this piece creates goosebump moments and showcases the viola in all its versatility and expressiveness. The crowning finale is Johannes Brahms' Fourth Symphony, a masterpiece that initially faced challenges at its inception. Its beginning appeared too abstract to contemporaries. Today, 140 years after its creation, the poetry of this beginning, the exuberance of the third movement, and the solemnity of the finale make Brahms' Fourth one of the most beloved symphonies of all time.
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