The worldwide renowned singer-conductor Barbara Hannigan and the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra perform a gripping concert full of love with   Debussy’s impressionist flute, Haydn’s crystal clear Viennese classicism, Schönberg’s spine-chilling Verklärte Nacht, and Gershwin’s irresistible Girl Crazy. 

"Everything I have written to date can be destroyed. With Carmina Burana, my collected works begin.” said Carl Orff. Fascinated by medieval texts, he composed a very popular and powerful music based on 24 poems, conducted here by Santtu-Matias Rouvali, new conductor of the London Philharmonia (for 2021-2022). After conducting the orchestras of New York, Berlin, Munich, Amsterdam and Gothenburg, in 2019, he brings a new energy in classical music in 2020 to London and Tokyo.

The concert was shot in the Gothenburg Concert Hall.

Alice Sara Ott, German-Japanese pianist plays Ravel’s piano concerto in G major together with the Gothenburg Symphony (Sweden), conducted by Santtu-Matias Rouvali, new conductor of the London Philharmonic (for 2021-2022), one of the youngest and most famous worldwide, after conducting the orchestras of New York, Berlin, Munich, Amsterdam and Gothenburg in 2019. They perform as a dessert, Stravinsky's masterpiece The Rite Of Spring, perhaps the most important and famous orchestral piece of the 20th century. He composed this innovative orchestral explosion inspired by the violence of the Russian revolution.

Programme:

Ravel's Piano Concerto in G Major (30', no interview)

Stravinsky's Rite Of Spring (38', with interview)

The concert was shot in the Gothenburg Concert Hall, Sweden.

Two rising stars, Fumiaki Miura, Japanese violin soloist and Rouvali, new conductor of the London Philharmonia (for 2021-2022) after conducting the orchestras of New York, Berlin, Munich, Amsterdam and Gothenburg in 2019, meet to perform fantastic music composed in the former Soviet Union. At a time when many composers had troubles with those in power, the virtuoso Violin Concerto n. 1 was composed by Shostakovich in 1948 but didn’t premiere until 1955, two years after Stalin’s death.

Programme: 

PART 1: Shostakovich' Special (90')

With 90, conductor Herbert Blomstedt has a baffling mental and physical presence on stage. He discovered Mahler in Dresden in the 1970s: “I read a lot there about the history and traditions of European Jews, about the village musicians and the songs that expressed both longing and grief. Mahler’s 1st symphony has a theme from a Jewish folksong, which I perceived as an equivalent of Beethoven’s picture of folk life, adapted for a symphonic context.” In this concert, he conducts with the right understanding Symphony n. 1 by Mahler after the Symphony n. 104 by Haydn.
 

Programme:

Haydn's Symphony 104 with Herbert Blomstedt (30')   

Mahler's 1st Symphonie with Herbert Blomstedt (55' with interview)

The concert was shot in the Gothenburg Concert Hall.

Beethoven delivers his first symphony, in full maturity, at the age of thirty in the Burgtheater and his second at thirty-three at the Theater an der Wien (Vienna, Austria). These works are innovative eventhough still influenced by Haydn and Mozart. Who else than Rouvali, conductor of now thirty-three years could conduct them faithfully to the classic aesthetics of the end of the eighteenth century whilst giving it a new breath?

The concert was shot in the Gothenburg Concert Hall.

This concert has the great originality to start with a contemporary Swedish work composed by Daniel Nelson, entitled "Steampunk Blizzard", revealing the versatility of Rouvali's talent as a conductor and to continue with the very emotional Tchaikosky's Symphony n. 6, "la pathétique", in which the composer was striving for perfection, while reaching the end of his life. In this performance, the score written by Tchaikovsky for bassoon, usually performed by a bass clarinet is played by a bassoon, to recover his original intention of deepness.

The interviews led by Gramophone Magazine's Editor in chief, James Jolly, of the conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali and composer Daniel Nelson are available upon request.

The concert was shot in the Gothenburg Concert Hall.

This concert pays a tribute to iconic electro music & industrial rock from the 50ies to the 80ies, from Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, NEU!, Einstürzende Neubauten, Rammstein, Can, Ash Ra Temple, Karlheinz Stockhausen, and more, with a symphonic orchestra and electro musicians on stage. It promises to be a unique listening experience, sensationally with a mesmerising staging and light plays. Get ready to embark!

The Gothenburg Symphony and electro musicians perform under Hans Ek's conduction.

The concert was shot in the Gothenburg Concert Hall, Sweden.

Pergolese's Stabat Mater (1736) is one of the most beautiful musical works: it is a meditation, a poem on the pain of the Virgin Mary in front of the Christ on the cross. David Bobée and Caroline Mutel bring a contemporary light to this score performed by Les Nouveaux Caractères by staging the pain of refugees who had no other choice than to leave their country. Their story is told by the dancer Bobie Mfoumou, who incarnates both the strength and fragility of the being and the acrobat Salvo Capello, who evokes with extreme sensitivity the souls of all those who have disappeared.
 

David Bobée is one of the most talented French directors, combining various disciplines, such as video, light, dance, circus and music, in collaboration with other artists. He was the assistant of Éric Lacascade. David Bobée collaborates in Russia with director/filmmaker Kirill Serebrennikov and in Congo with choreographer DeLaVallet Bidiefono.

Musical direction: Sébastien d'Hérin

Lars Danielsson, jazz bassist and Björn Bohlin, cor-anglais perform a truly creative self-composed work with the Gothenburg Symphony. Following up, the orchestra plays the chord and melody rich "Three Places in new England" by Charles Ives, eccentric composer, well known for refusing every conventions. A very dangerously attractive mix!

 

This concert is also available in 42' and 23': 

42': Danielsson Concerto for corno inglese and double bass | 23' Three Places in New England by Charles Ives
The concert was shot in the Gothenburg Concert Hall.

Sibelius' First Symphony  encountered with colossal success. Santtu-Matias Rouvali's distinctive interpretation opens new worlds in Sibelius' work. Followed by Strauss' sweeping and flourishing Rosenkavalier, the Gothenburg  Symphony rounds up the concert with Sibelius' Valse Triste as Encore.

As one of the most visionary British rock artist, Kate Bush broke through with the album "Wuthering Heights" in 1978, thanks to her unique voice and personality. This tribute concert with cover singers and a symphonic orchestra celebrates this album in a vibrant way.

The concert was shot in the Gothenburg Concert Hall, Sweden.

The concert was shot in the Gothenburg Concert Hall.

The Esbjörn Svensson Trio, the Swedish jazz band, composed of Dan Berglund (double-bass) and Magnus Öström (percussions) are playing with the Gothenburg Symphony an original arrangement by Hans Ek, conducting the whole concert. The third player, Esbjörn Svensson, former leader and main composer passed away on 14 June 2008. For the 10th anniversary of his death, this concert plunges us into the passion for jazz and classical music in a unique mix.

The concert was shot in the Gothenburg Concert Hall.

The French conductor, Lionel Bringuier conducts the Gothenburg Symphony to perform Hector Berlioz’s "symphonic poem", “Symphonie Fantastique”. This revolutionary work, dedicated to Nicolas I from Russia, blends inventive orchestral sounds creating a dream-like experience. The auditory pleasure is further increased by the unique sound of the specially crafted bells.

The concert was shot in the Gothenburg Concert Hall.. 

The Gothenburg Symphony performs Bedřich Smetana’s famous “The Moldau” under the conduction of the Finnish talented Santtu-Matias Rouvali. Smetana lived in Gothenburg from 1856 to 1862 as music teacher and choirmaster. It was during these years that he started writing his large-scale orchestral works. Those musical pieces were performed in Gothenburg 150 years ago. It is therefore in the continuation of the tradition that Smetana’s music resonates in the walls of the city.

The concert was shot in the Gothenburg Concert Hall.

The 12th Symphony, dubbed The Year 1917 was composed  by Dimitri Shostakovich in the memory of Vladimir Lenin. The Gothenburg Symphony conducted by non-other than the young talented Finnish Santtu-Matias Rouvali performs with passion the four movements describing the Russian Revolution before the dramatic intermezzo from Shostakovich’s masterpiece “Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk District”. This opera dates back to 1934 and is dedicated to his first wife. It is historically known for its censorship and the almost 30 year ban of the piece by the Russian communist party.

The concert was shot in the Gothenburg Concert Hall:

- The 12th Symphony /The Year 1917: 47'

- Passacaglia from Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk District: 9'

Mahler's Symphony no 6, performed by the Gothenburg Symphony conducted by the German conductor, Eschenbach reflects brilliantly the existential conditions. This fateful music with its heart-rending eruptions gives us a glimpse of death, but at the same time celebrates life. 

The concert was shot in the Gothenburg Concert Hall. 

Kullervo is one of Sibelius's early masterpieces, a symphonic suite performed by the Gothenburg Symphony and the renowned Orphei Drängdar men's choir (from Sweden), conducted by Santtu-Matias Rouvali (from Finland),  featuring the Finnish soprano,  Johanna Rusanen-Kartano and the Finnish Baritone, Ville Rusanen. The piece is structured in five parts telling the tragic story of Kullervo, a man who lost everything and only found solace in a woman, who later turns out to be his sister. 

The concert was shot in the Gothenburg Concert Hall. 

The Gothenburg Symphony performs three magnificent pieces of the Finnish composer, Jean Sibilius, conducted by the young Finnish prodigy Santtu-Matias Rouvali. The Wood Nymph is Sibilius’s musical interpretation of a poem by Swedish writer, Viktor Rydberg, while En Saga expresses a mental state which doesn't allow any literary interpretation according to Sibelius himself. To bring this concert to its rightful end, the Symphony No 5 will bless your ears with the National Orchestra of Sweden in Göteborg playing in full swing. Created in the troubled historical period of 1914, this symphony expresses a certain optimism in front of a wild nature.

The concert was shot in the Gothenburg Concert Hall, Sweden.

43': The Wood Nymph and En Saga 

33': Magic When Rouvali Conducts Sibelius Symphony No 5

Phenomenal pianist Marc-André Hamelin is a virtuoso in the true meaning of the word, paying as much attention to minute details as playing like thundering fireworks. Let’s enjoy his art in two sonatas by secretive Russian Samuil Feinberg, Beethoven’s finger-breaking Appassionata, an intimate nocturne by Maria Szymanowska, and in Schumann’s monumental Fantasy.

The concert was shot in the Gothenburg Concert Hall.

Marc-André Hamelin is held by many classical music aficionados as the world’s finest pianist. In this programme, he tackles Brahms’ colossal first piano concerto. The Gothenburg Symphony impresses with its virtuosity in Bartok’s sparkling Concerto for Orchestra, and in Katarina Leyman’s atmospheric study of the sun, Solar Flares.


 

Possibility to buy Brahms’ first piano concerto, 48' separately.

Conducted by the young Finnish phenomenon Santtu-Matias Rouvali.

The concert was shot in the Gothenburg Concert Hall. 

In this classical music concert of Peer Gynt (originally written by the Norwegian Henrik Ibsen, as a theater play) the lovely Solveig’s Song is interpreted by the soloist soprano, Klara Ek. This program including as well the famous In the Hall of the Mountain King is conducted by Alain Altinoglu, Music Director at La Monnaie in Brussels. Shot on The National Orchestra of Sweden in Goteborg’s stage, this concert unveils a Gothenburg’s Orchestra magnifying this Scandinavian story. 

The Gothenburg Symphony performs the Helios Overture by Carl Nielsen and Petrushka by Stravinsky conducted by the brilliant Finnish conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali.

Inteviews could be included.

Andreas Brantelid is a major Swedish-Danish cello soloist. He played his first concerto at the age of 14 and received Denmark’s biggest prize: the Carl Nielsen’s Scholarship. Accompanied by the skilled Swedish chamber orchestra Musica Vitae at the Gothenburg Concert Hall, he performs A Study in Scarlet by Britta Byström, the Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major by Joseph Haydn, Player from Jewish life by Ernst Bloch and Souvenir de Florence, a string sextet in D minor by Tchaikovsky.

The woodwinds quintet CARION, known as one of Europe’s finest woodwind quintet, interacts in a very unusual direct way. It plays here Beethoven's Woodwind Sextett (rearranged for quintet) but also Nielsen's Woodwind Quintet, Montague's Bolt from the Blue, Lizst Grand Etudes by Paganini and Ibert's Three short pieces. A memorable concert ending perfectly with a sweet “encore” with Italian flair. 

Canadian singer-conductor Barbara Hannigan belongs to the few who seem to have it all: a lovely voice, a sense of drama, a sensibility in shaping the phrase and a strong artistic ambition. One can’t resist her performances. 

Bouchapa by Nono Djamila: 04'
Symphony nr 49 "LA PASSIONE" by Joseph Haydn: 18'
Annes Aria Act 1 by Stravinsky: 10'
Symphony in three movements by Stravinsky: 24'

Born of a Japanese mother and a German father, both musicians, Arabella Steinbacher finds her passion for violin at the age of three. Since then, she impresses the classical music world with her talent and became one of today's  leading violonists on the international scene. Together with the German conductor Marc Albrecht and the Gothenburg Symphony, she performs the very inventive Mozart Violin Concerto n° 3, mastering expressivness.

Mozart Violin Concerto No 3: 27'30''
Encore: Fritz Kreisler, Recitivo and Scherzo-Caprice: 05'46''
Interview: 04'31

The Freiburger Barockorchester conquered the most famous international concert halls thanks to their mastery of historical instruments. The great Italian soloist Lorenzo Coppola plays Mozart's Clarinet Concerto on a replica of the clarinetto that Anton Stadler used for the Première. Christian Gerhaher, German Bariton, sings the well-known Mozart Arias, a vigorous version of Mozart's "Paris" symphony, No 31 and Contredance “Les filles des malicieuses”.

Renaud Garcia-Fons is one of the greatest double bass virtuosos, blending the influences of classical music with flamenco, jazz and Middle Eastern flavours. He brilliantly combines the highest level of dexterity with freedom and creativity. This outstanding musician is revolutionising the way the double bass is conceived, played and perceived. A documentary is also available.

Under Jean-Claude Casadesus’ conduction, the Lille National Orchestra, France performs Le Sacre du Printemps, Stravinsky (36’) in the 'Nouveau Siècle' concert hall in Lille, and a concerto by Brahms. 

Among all Frantz Liszt’s work, the "Years of Pilgrimage" is the piece depicting the best his Romantic inspiration. Bertrand Chamayou, piano rising star got awarded "Best soloist" in 2011 and "Best Recording” in 2012 for this stunning performance at the "Victoire de la musique classique".

Hervé Niquet, iconoclastic and jubilant choir master of the Opéra National de Paris, conducts the 40-voice Mass by Alessandro Striggio, never-performed since baroque times and mythical becaue of its 40 to 60 voices. The concert takes place in the Cité de l’architecture, Palais de Chaillot. A 52’ version of the documentary is available. 

Orchestra: Le Concert Spirituel

The Messiah is an atypical but famous Oratorio by Handel, a collage of biblical texts evoking the figure of Christ, from his birth to his resurrection. Handel's work lends itself to the most excessive scenic daring. That of Oleg Kulik (visual conception and costumes), the Russian artist who designed a striking spatial of Vespers of the Virgin by Monteverdi in 2009, is again unusual. 

Shot in Théâtre du Châtelet.

Orchestre philarmonique de Radio France, Coeur du Châtelet.