Concert information
At the invitation of the Berliner Philharmoniker
Info
Diverse tonal colours, intense emotions: These qualities characterise the music of the Romantic period. This concert with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra shows just how broad an expressive spectrum could be encompassed by works from this period. Franz Schubert is featured, with his lyrical and intriguing “Unfinished” Symphony; also on the programme are Mendelssohn’s liltingly lively “Scottish” Symphony and Richard Wagner’s Siegfried Idyll: a tender declaration of love to his wife Cosima. Philipp von Steinaecker conducts, who steps in for Raphaël Pichon.
Artists
Mahler Chamber Orchestra
Philipp von Steinaecker conductor (replacing Raphaël Pichon)
Programme
Franz Schubert
Symphony No. 7 in B minor, D 759 “Unfinished”
Richard Wagner
Siegfried Idyll
Interval
Felix Mendelssohn
Symphony No. 3 in A minor, op. 56 “Scottish”
Additional information
Duration ca. 2 hours and 15 minutes (incl. 20 minutes interval)
Chamber Music Hall
21 to 49 €
Series O: International Chamber Orchestras
Of Foreign Lands and Peoples
Felix Mendelssohn as traveller
Mendelssohn went on a three-year educational trip in his early twenties and brought back a great deal of inspiration for his later works. The inspiration for the “Scottish” Symphony was only one of many fruits of his experiences.
Biographies
Philipp von Steinaecker
Philipp von Steinaecker has earned a reputation as an outstanding conductor, with a broad repertoire inspired by historically informed performance and spanning from German Romanticism to the Second Viennese School. He works regularly with ensembles such as the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, the SWR Symphony Orchestra, the Tokyo Metropolitan Orchestra, and the SWR Vocal Ensemble.
Mahler Chamber Orchestra
Thanks to its nuanced, transparent, and powerful sound, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra ranks among the world’s leading chamber ensembles. It was founded in 1997 by former members of the Gustav Mahler Youth Orchestra, with Claudio Abbado – then the orchestra’s chief conductor – playing a key role in guiding the ensemble during its formative years. The Mahler Chamber Orchestra is a free and self-governing ensemble that sees itself as a “nomadic collective,” coming together regularly for projects and tours across Europe and around the world. Its core is made up of 45 musicians from 20 different countries. The orchestra’s distinctive sound emerges from an intense artistic dialogue shaped by a chamber music approach to playing.
The orchestra maintains a long-standing artistic partnership with Daniel Harding, its current conductor laureate. Other artistic partners include violinist Pekka Kuusisto, pianist Mitsuko Uchida, and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. While the ensemble initially focused on Classical and Romantic repertoire, it has increasingly embraced contemporary music as well. In 2012, for example, George Benjamin composed his opera Written on Skin specifically for the orchestra’s unique sound; the work was performed at the Philharmonie Berlin in 2018. Today, the Mahler Chamber Orchestra is a regular guest in the concert programs of the Berliner Philharmoniker Foundation.
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