Jakub Hrůša, Vilde Frang, Sol Gabetta

Jakub Hrůša, Vilde Frang, Sol Gabetta

»If music be the food of love, play on!« William Shakespeare once wrote – and in the same spirit, Jakub Hrůša, as our musical »chef de cuisine«, has once again put together sumptuous treats for our audience that unmistakably carry his personal signature. And we start off with a delicacy: With Brahms’ concerto, composed in 1887, which is much more than just a small appetiser – and also follows a quote by Adelbert von Chamisso, that says: »Love is not a solo. Love is a duet.« For the two celebrated soloists Vilde Frang and Sol Gabetta, it was a heartfelt wish to perform this double concerto together at some point – and they will certainly add their artistic flavours to blend into a »giant eight-stringed violin« in accordance with the composer’s wishes. The musical menu also features works by two other favourite composers of our Chief Conductor: Martinů’s Symphony No. 3, which he wrote in 1944 while in exile in America, contains echoes of the folk music of his Czech homeland, as well as skilfully processing the zeitgeist of that time – and, most importantly, indulging in great emotions. After this mighty symphony, we serve Dvořák’s »Scherzo capriccioso«, because Jakub Hrůša loves to break with the conventions of a traditional concert programme time and again. The name already suggests a playfully tossed-together dish and this imaginative, lavishly orchestrated and skilfully crafted scherzo from 1883 is not so little, but it is still a charming nightcap: it is one of the many captivating works from Dvořák’s pen to win people’s hearts by storm.

Joshua Weilerstein & Vilde Frang

Joshua Weilerstein & Vilde Frang

Kirill Petrenko and Vilde Frang

At times melancholic and rugged, at others with a dance-like lightness: Antonín Dvořák’s Seventh Symphony presents a broad spectrum of contrasting moods, infused with the unmistakable colouring of Czech folk music. Kirill Petrenko also conducts Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Violin Concerto with Vilde Frang as the soloist. Exiled from his native Vienna, Korngold brought his lush late romantic harmonic language to Hollywood; in this piece, his film music can be heard again and again. Sergei Rachmaninov’s mystical tone poem The Isle of the Dead takes us into yet another hypnotic sound world.

Kirill Petrenko and Vilde Frang

At times melancholic and rugged, at others with a dance-like lightness: Antonín Dvořák’s Seventh Symphony presents a broad spectrum of contrasting moods, infused with the unmistakable colouring of Czech folk music. Kirill Petrenko also conducts Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Violin Concerto with Vilde Frang as the soloist. Exiled from his native Vienna, Korngold brought his lush late romantic harmonic language to Hollywood; in this piece, his film music can be heard again and again. Sergei Rachmaninov’s mystical tone poem The Isle of the Dead takes us into yet another hypnotic sound world.

Kirill Petrenko and Vilde Frang

At times melancholic and rugged, at others with a dance-like lightness: Antonín Dvořák’s Seventh Symphony presents a broad spectrum of contrasting moods, infused with the unmistakable colouring of Czech folk music. Kirill Petrenko also conducts Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Violin Concerto with Vilde Frang as the soloist. Exiled from his native Vienna, Korngold brought his lush late romantic harmonic language to Hollywood; in this piece, his film music can be heard again and again. Sergei Rachmaninov’s mystical tone poem The Isle of the Dead takes us into yet another hypnotic sound world.

Oslo Philharmonic / Vilde Frang / Klaus Mäkelä

Both Klaus Mäkelä and Vilde Frang launched their international careers with the Oslo Philharmonic. The charismatic Finn was appointed chief conductor of the orchestra at the age of 22 and violinist Frang performed as a soloist in her native Oslo at the early age of twelve. Now they join forces in Hamburg to play Igor Stravinsky’s lively violin concerto. This is followed after the interval by Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony. The two pieces could not be more different. Stravinsky’s neoclassical concerto sparkles with humour and joy – it is often seen as a parody of the genre. Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony, on the other hand, deals with life’s great topics. As in the Beethoven, fate descends on listeners with a powerful fanfare at the very beginning. Tchaikovsky did not deny the parallels with his great idol and his »Fate Symphony«: »Basically, my symphony is an imitation of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony.«

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden / Sol Gabetta / Tugan Sokhiev

What do Shostakovich’s First Cello Concerto and Bruckner’s Seventh Symphony have in common? That’s right: they both have the catalogue number 107 and – and this is the real point – the cello can be heard at the beginning. One could assume that the similarities end here. While Bruckner focusses on long melodic lines and vocal arches, Shostakovich is much more rhythmic. Nevertheless, both composers pursue the same goal: the expression of the greatest and most intense emotions. With Tugan Sokhiev and the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, they are in the best of hands. With its unique sound – Herbert von Karajan compared it to the »lustre of old gold« – the venerable orchestra puts the two sound monoliths at the Elbphilharmonie in the perfect acoustic light. Star cellist Sol Gabetta provides the right pitch on the cello.

Gewandhausorchester, Jakub Hrůša Dirigent

The most valuable prize in music competitions is always the amazed and participating audience. This was no different 75 years ago, when the Bach world commemorated the 200th anniversary of the composer's death and the Bach Competition was held for the first time in Leipzig, the site of the central celebrations. Brahms, a connoisseur and admirer of Bach's music, paid homage to it in various ways. Honegger's Symphony No. 2, written during the occupation of Paris in 1941, reflects the composer's distress over the world war. The finale, infused with Bach-like polyphony, culminates in a trumpet fanfare and a chorale melody radiating hope and reconciliation.

Gewandhausorchester, Jakub Hrůša Dirigent

The most valuable prize in music competitions is always the amazed and participating audience. This was no different 75 years ago, when the Bach world commemorated the 200th anniversary of the composer's death and the Bach Competition was held for the first time in Leipzig, the site of the central celebrations. Brahms, a connoisseur and admirer of Bach's music, paid homage to it in various ways. Honegger's Symphony No. 2, written during the occupation of Paris in 1941, reflects the composer's distress over the world war. The finale, infused with Bach-like polyphony, culminates in a trumpet fanfare and a chorale melody radiating hope and reconciliation.