Organization

Conductor

John Storgårds

Orchestra

Berliner Philharmoniker

John Storgards and Matthew McDonald

Berlin

Germany

Berliner Philharmonie

John Storgårds belongs to the impressive group of conductors who have studied with the Finnish teacher Jorma Panula. The former chief conductor of the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, who currently holds management positions in London, Ottawa and Lapland and also performs as a violinist, has developed an unusually broad and stylistically diverse repertoire. This is also reflected in his debut program with the Berlin Philharmonic, which includes music from the Romantic period through early modernism to the present day.

Carl Nielsen, who conducted his own works with the Philharmoniker in 1903 and 1922, had his Helios-Overture inspired by a trip to Greece. Nielsen pays homage to the eponymous sun god at the beginning of his overture with the suggestive musical depiction of a sunrise over the Aegean Sea.

Bruckner's Sixth Symphony, which was first fully performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Gustav Mahler years after the death of its author, contains one of the most beautiful slow movements of the Romantic period. In addition, there is an unusual scherzo that manages without catchy melodic forms. Other highlights of the work are the harmonically bold coda of the first movement and the virtuoso merging of themes from different movements at the end of the finale.

In the middle of the program the world premiere of Gerald Barry's double bass concerto can be experienced. Barry, who achieved great success with his Oscar Wilde opera The Importance of Being Earnest , is considered one of the most accomplished and at the same time one of the most humorous composers of our time. Philharmonic solo bassist Matthew McDonald takes on the solo part.

Public

Concert

Approved

Anton Bruckner was a great doubter who kept revising his symphonies – but not his Sixth. We don't know what he liked so much about the work. Perhaps the relentless rhythmic pounding in the first movement? The oddly spooky scherzo? This performance is performed by a debutant: John Storgårds, Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Before that, the world premiere of a double bass concerto by Gerald Barry will be performed by Matthew McDonald, principal bassist of the Berlin Philharmonic. The work, according to Barry, resembles a dreamlike scene with actors whose language seems both familiar and alien.

English

John Storgards and Matthew McDonald by Various, From (2022/2022), Conductor John Storgårds, Berliner Philharmonie, Berlin, Germany

Performance credits (Cast & Crew )

Ensemble

Program, About & Synopsis

Photos

Further reading

Performance Dates & Venues

Venues