| Anja Bihlmaier | Conductor |
| Kian Soltani | Cello |
| Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra in B minor, Opus 104 | Antonín Dvořák |
| »beyond the beyond« (German premiere) | Sarah Gibson |
| Piano Quartett No. 1 G minor Opus 25 (Orchestrated by Arnold Schönberg) | Johannes Brahms |
These events are similar in terms of concept, place, musicians or the program.
"I spent such happy hours in your wonderful creation. One is enveloped by its mysterious spell from beginning to end!" Clara Schumann wrote these enthusiastic words about Brahms' Third Symphony, which he completed during his 1883 summer vacation in the area around Wiesbaden. His holiday routine was to go for an early morning walk or swim and then sit down at his desk or the piano. This creative process left its mark on the charming symphony, whose emotional beauty was praised by Dvořák, too: “It is pure love and makes your heart soar." Brahms in turn commented enviously on his colleague and close friend's inventiveness: “That fellow has more ideas than any of us. Everyone else could assemble their main themes from the scraps he has rejected." Dvořák's magnificent Eighth Symphony thus also features on our programme. In this work, composed in 1889 at his Czech country estate, he gave his creative imagination free rein – the outcome is a fascinating and multifaceted score that one biographer described as “brimming with vivid colour”. These two symphonies frame an ethereal piece by this year's jubilarian György Ligeti, who once said: "I have a vision, not a dogma, not a finished system. I don't want to achieve a result and then stop. I keep myself open to influences." His febrile 1967 composition "Lontano" is a journey into a utopian metaphysical realm of gradually evolving soundscapes. Ligeti suggested that listeners should imagine walking out of the bright sunlight into a dark room, where they would only gradually become able to perceive colours and contours.
Dvořák's American symphony, composed in 1893, is considered a masterpiece, blending Native American and gospel tunes with a Czech atmosphere. Brahms admired Dvořák's effortless creativity. Brahms's own symphonic peak, created in 1884/85, features themes in constant transformation. Ligeti's 1962 "Poème symphonique" stands as a unique creation, using 100 metronomes to create an effect of time and pulse.
"I spent such happy hours in your wonderful creation. One is enveloped by its mysterious spell from beginning to end!" Clara Schumann wrote these enthusiastic words about Brahms' Third Symphony, which he completed during his 1883 summer vacation in the area around Wiesbaden. His holiday routine was to go for an early morning walk or swim and then sit down at his desk or the piano. This creative process left its mark on the charming symphony, whose emotional beauty was praised by Dvořák, too: “It is pure love and makes your heart soar." Brahms in turn commented enviously on his colleague and close friend's inventiveness: “That fellow has more ideas than any of us. Everyone else could assemble their main themes from the scraps he has rejected." Dvořák's magnificent Eighth Symphony thus also features on our programme. In this work, composed in 1889 at his Czech country estate, he gave his creative imagination free rein – the outcome is a fascinating and multifaceted score that one biographer described as “brimming with vivid colour”. These two symphonies frame an ethereal piece by this year's jubilarian György Ligeti, who once said: "I have a vision, not a dogma, not a finished system. I don't want to achieve a result and then stop. I keep myself open to influences." His febrile 1967 composition "Lontano" is a journey into a utopian metaphysical realm of gradually evolving soundscapes. Ligeti suggested that listeners should imagine walking out of the bright sunlight into a dark room, where they would only gradually become able to perceive colours and contours.
One symphony isn't a symphony, while the other is among the most famous. Stravinsky's "Wind Symphony" may surprise. Dvořák's "New World" Symphony captivates with its Bohemian romanticism, influenced by New York. Its popular adagio features a catchy English horn solo. Stravinsky's work is rhythmically sharp and melodically cutting. Thierry Escaich's cello concerto is like a Bach-inspired aria. Concert duration: about 120 minutes including intermission.
One symphony isn't a symphony, while the other is among the most famous. Stravinsky's "Wind Symphony" may surprise. Dvořák's "New World" Symphony captivates with its Bohemian romanticism, influenced by New York. Its popular adagio features a catchy English horn solo. Stravinsky's work is rhythmically sharp and melodically cutting. Thierry Escaich's cello concerto is like a Bach-inspired aria. Concert duration: about 120 minutes including intermission.
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