Sir Mark Elder and the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra present a concert experience on the highest level at the Grote Zaal of Rotterdam’s famous De Doelen Concerthouse, performing Edward Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E minor, together with the internationally acclaimed German cellist Daniel Müller-Schott. Elgar’s Cello Concerto, his last notable work, is a cornerstone of the solo cello repertoire and, according to Müller-Schott, one of the composer’s most personal works. It is passionately performed by this “fearless player with technique to burn” (The New York Times), considered “one of the finest cellists before the public today” (The Sunday Times).
Being a passionate admirer of Jean Sibelius, Sir Mark Elder completes his programme with the Finnish composer’s Symphony No. 1.
The inaugural concert of Daniele Gatti as the new music director of Amsterdam’s fabled Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra – only the seventh in its 128-year history. Together with baritone Christian Gerhaher, Gatti presented a bouquet of works including Mozart arias and the Wayfarer Songs by Gustav Mahler, with whom the “world’s best orchestra” (Gramophone international music critics’ poll) has a unique tradition going back to the composer himself – who called Amsterdam his “second musical home”. The programme also includes Respighi’s Fountains of Rome as well as overtures by Verdi and Beethoven – with 30 members of the Netherlands Youth Orchestra joining the RCO musicians for the Overture to Egmont.
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s annual Kerstmatinee (Christmas Day Matinee) has become a beloved holiday tradition. For the second time, this matinee has been entirely dedicated to Bach’s inspirational Christmas Oratorio: The RCO presents the cantatas IV to VI, conducted by Trevor Pinnock, a renowned authority on eighteenth-century music. He leads the RCO in this masterpiece of Baroque music, accompanied by German coloratura soprano Marlis Petersen as well as Ursula Eittinger, Daniel Behle, Michael Nagy, and the “top ensemble” (Volkskrant) of the Nederlands Kamerkoor. The first three sections of the Christmas Oratorio, performed by the RCO under the baton of Jan Willem de Vriend, are also available: J.S. Bach: Christmas Oratorio (Cantatas I-III), Cat. No.: A 865 50025 0000.
Daniele Gatti is conducting three works all connected by the theme of nature and embodying the great musical changes taking place around 1900: Claude Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune and La mer and Igor Stravinsky’s Le sacre du printemps. In 1914, Debussy himself led the Concertgebouw Orchestra in his Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune and was met at the stage door by an applauding crowd after the performance. Stravinsky made his first guest appearance with the orchestra in 1924, after which he returned regularly. He conducted his Sacre twice in a single day in 1926 to long and loud ovations – a striking contrast to the premiere which caused a scandal. Under the baton of Maestro Gatti, the orchestra is performing these three groundbreaking classics on the same programme for the very first time. “What a mesmerizing playing level! The RCO was again incredibly good, with a level of detail and refinement that no other conductor achieves.” (Het Paarol)
With its festive RCO Opening Night, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra kicks off the new season with a hall full of loyal listeners and new music lovers. The RCO is joined by celebrated conductor Thomas Hengelbrock and – for the first time ever – by German star soprano Diana Damrau. Together they perform well-loved arias and orchestral works by W.A. Mozart, as well as Antonín Dvorák’s Symphony No. 8. Dedicated to the genius of Mozart, the first half of the concert kicks off with the overture to Don Giovanni, played with gusto by the RCO and Thomas Hengelbrock, an expert in historically informed performance practice. Diana Damrau’s “L’amerò, sarò costante” is a sincere declaration of love while the concert aria “Bella mia fiamma, addio” is a dramatic farewell letter to a loved one which the singer performs with great passion. The programme is rounded off by Antonín Dvorák’s Symphony No. 8, an exuberant ode to the great outdoors.
The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra’s annual Kerstmatinee (Christmas Day matinee) has become a beloved holiday tradition, yet this concert was the first matinee the occasion has been dedicated entirely to Bach’s inspirational Christmas Oratorio. In presenting this historically informed performance of the first three parts, Baroque specialist Jan Willem de Vriend adopts suitably buoyant tempi and opts for the jubilant opening chorus’s original and more apt text, “Tönet, ihr Pauken” (Timpani resound! Trumpets ring out!). The elite orchestra’s players are joined by a superb 28-voice chamber choir, Cappella Amsterdam, and international soloists. As the Evangelist, Swiss tenor Fabio Trümpy “was a fabulously beautiful story-teller” (Het Parool).
European premiere of his new “dramatic symphony for violin and orchestra”, Scheherazade.2, with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Leila Josefowicz as soloist. Composer–conductor John Adams is known the world over as a pioneering composer of operas based on current and recent historical events. Adams has distilled a turbulent symphony from his opera Doctor Atomic, in which Robert Oppenheimer, the ‘father of the atomic bomb’, filled with excitement and doubt, anticipates the very first atomic bomb test in 1945. He also draws inspiration from current events in his instrumental works, as in his new violin concerto Scheherazade.2, written for Leila Josefowicz. Moved by TV footage of oppressed and abused women, Adams juxtaposes the masculine power of the orchestra with a strong woman, an empowered Scheherazade: ‘This one hits back!’ Tromba Lontana is a short, gentle fanfare marking the 150th anniversary of the declaration of independence with which Texas seceded from Mexico in 1836.
Th e Concertgebouw was officially inaugurated on 11 April 1888. Public interest was so great that Amsterdam experienced its very first traffic jam (of carriages). Now, 125 years later, the RCO and the Concertgebouw are organising an anniversary concert together. Under the baton of its chief conductor Mariss Jansons, the orchestra is welcoming three popular guest soloists: Janine Jansen, Thomas Hampson and Lang Lang. This festive programme features Mahler and Strauss, both of whom conducted the orchestra on several occasions. Musicians from the RCO, the Vienna and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestras are joining forces for a performance of the Elégie from Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings. —— WAGNER: Prelude to ‘Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg’ // MAHLER: ‘Ging heut’ morgens über Feld’, ‘Rheinlegendchen’, ‘Lob des hohen Verstandes’ // PROKOFIEV: Piano concerto Nr 3 in C major, op. 26, 3rd movement // TCHAIKOVSKY: Serenade for strings: Élégie // SAINT-SAËNS: Introduction et Rondo capriccioso // R. STRAUSS: Suite from ‘Der Rosenkavalier’. (75′ / 90′ / 102′) (A865500020000)
On 3 November 1888, the Concertgebouw Orchestra officially presented itself to the public when it gave the opening concert of the first subscription year of Het Concertgebouw N.V.. Exactly 125 years later, the orchestra is giving its Anniversary Concert, featuring a new work – a gift from the Concertgebouw to the RCO – Mysteriën (Mysteries) by Louis Andriessen, the Netherlands’ most famous living composer. Also on the programme is Richard Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben, dedicated in 1898 to the orchestra, which celebrated its tenth anniversary that year, and to Willem Mengelberg, its chief conductor at the time (Unitel Cat. A865500040000).
Latvian conductor Andris Nelsons made his first appearance with the RCO to great acclaim in 2008 and has returned regularly ever since. The soloist is the celebrated tenor Ian Bostridge, who is sure to shine brightly in the exceptionally beautiful Les illuminations by BRITTEN, who was born 100 years ago. Britten’s work makes for a fascinating contrast with the Slavic energy of RACHMANINOFF’s Symphonic Dances. Also on the programm Claude DEBUSSY’s Six épigraphes antiques (UNITEL Cat. No. A865500050000)
