Keywords: Symphony Concert
| Lorenzo Viotti | Conductor |
| Barbara Rett | Presentation |
| Wiener Symphoniker |
| Johann Sebastian Bach | Chaconne from the Partita No. 2 in d minor BWV 1004 (Arrangement for Orchestra: Hideo Saito) |
| Dmitri Shostakovich | Symphony No. 7 in C major op. 60 "Leningrad" |
These events are similar in terms of concept, place, musicians or the program.
The Fifth Symphony by Dmitri Shostakovich was composed in 1937 during a time of great personal and political tension. After facing criticism of his music from the Soviet government, he had to prove himself once again - and created a work that impressed both the regime and deeply moved his audience. Full of tragedy, hope, and subtle irony, Shostakovich's symphony reflects his courage and genius. Today, in this gripping masterpiece, one can hear the power of a composer who used music as the language of the soul. Equally captivating is the Violin Concerto by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Nordic expanses, passionate melodies, and virtuosic solos merge into an unparalleled auditory experience. The violin tells tales of longing and adventure, of quiet moments and powerful outbursts. This concerto is a celebration for the senses - captivating, touching, and unforgettable.
The Fifth Symphony by Dmitri Shostakovich was composed in 1937 during a time of great personal and political tension. After facing criticism of his music from the Soviet government, he had to prove himself once again - and created a work that impressed both the regime and deeply moved his audience. Full of tragedy, hope, and subtle irony, Shostakovich's symphony reflects his courage and genius. Today, in this gripping masterpiece, one can hear the power of a composer who used music as the language of the soul. Equally captivating is the Violin Concerto by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Nordic expanses, passionate melodies, and virtuosic solos merge into an unparalleled auditory experience. The violin tells tales of longing and adventure, of quiet moments and powerful outbursts. This concerto is a celebration for the senses - captivating, touching, and unforgettable.
Was it winter when Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov wrote his »Capriccio espagnol«? One can certainly vividly imagine the composer well warpped-up and seated before the fireplace as he dreamt his way to warmer regions. But whenever it was written, the work conjures up the flamenco, fiestas and mild nights under a southern sky. With their musical journey beyond the boundaries of space and time, the fantastic Vienna Philharmonic under the baton of young Swiss conductor Lorenzo Viotti once again show that their reputation as one of the world’s best orchestras is well-deserved. Sergei Rachmaninov’s »Toteninsel« (Isle of the Dead): is a strong contrast to Rimsky-Korsakov’s »Capriccio«. Inspired by an Arnold Böcklin painting, the composer depicts life after death in the swelling, rushing sound of infinity. And in his Seventh Symphony of 1884, Antonín Dvořák likewise portrays a different world: with dramatic conflicts and echoes of Bohemian folk songs, the music dreams of the political independence of the Czech Republic, which was still part of the Hapsburg Empire at the time.
Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt unfortunately had to cancel his participation in the two concerts due to an injury. We are pleased that we were able to secure Ivan Karizna as the soloist. Tchaikovsky was not known for self-praise, but in his Sixth Symphony he did not hold back, considering it highly successful - a judgment that can definitely be agreed upon today. It is a compositional masterpiece and at the same time so peculiar and unique. Tchaikovsky's brother Modest gave it the nickname "Pathétique". Indeed, it is pathetic. More so, the Sixth is tragic, dramatic, gripping, ominous. And it is Tchaikovsky's swan song: Nine days after the premiere, he died of cholera under circumstances that remain unclear to this day.
Wolfgang Emanuel Schmidt unfortunately had to cancel his participation in the two concerts due to an injury. We are pleased that we were able to secure Ivan Karizna as the soloist. Tchaikovsky was not known for self-praise, but in his Sixth Symphony he did not hold back, considering it highly successful - a judgment that can definitely be agreed upon today. It is a compositional masterpiece and at the same time so peculiar and unique. Tchaikovsky's brother Modest gave it the nickname "Pathétique". Indeed, it is pathetic. More so, the Sixth is tragic, dramatic, gripping, ominous. And it is Tchaikovsky's swan song: Nine days after the premiere, he died of cholera under circumstances that remain unclear to this day.
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