Jan Vogler presents a revealing reading of Schumann’s Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129 with his own orchestra, the Dresden Festival Orchestra, that consists of more than 50 members from Europe’s most renowned early music ensembles, under the baton of its musical director Ivor Bolton. Exploring Schumann’s “original sound”, Jan Vogler plays on gut strings and the orchestra on period instruments. The concerto connects the Dresden Music Festival and its orchestra to the productive Dresden period of Schumann’s work (1844-50) since Schumann composed the cello concerto immediately after he had left the city.
Ivor Bolton conducts the Dresden Festival Orchestra
This glamerous concert opened the prestigious Dresden Music Festival 2019. Together with Dresden-born singer René Pape the Dresden Festival Orchestra under the baton of Ivor Bolton dived deeply into the romantic repertoire. Highlight of the evening was the world premiere of songs by Franz Schubert arranged for bass and orchestra, including “Prometheus“ D 674 as well as songs from the cycle “Schwanengesang“: Das Fischermädchen, Am Meer, Die Stadt, Der Doppelgänger, Ihr Bild, Der Atlas and An die Musik. Preceeding is Carl Maria von Weber’s overture to his opera “Euryanthe”, which during his lifetime had no easy lot: the music was greatly praised, the libretto however was laughed at. The spring-like first symphony by Robert Schumann was drafted in only four days and written out in three weeks – in a blissful stage of his life shortly after his marriage to Clara Wieck.