Zum Licht

In the organizer's words:

"The symphony is wonderful, magnificent, quite overwhelming! Especially the last movement, [...] where your heart literally expands, like spring air refreshing you after long dreary days." If that's not praise! And then from the pen of Clara Schumann, honest critic, advisor and close friend of Johannes Brahms. What flows warmly and darkly into the hall, only to brighten more and more and end radiantly, jubilantly, triumphantly, was a difficult birth: Brahms struggled with his First Symphony for no less than 14 years, discarding, interrupting, doubting - above all himself. "I will never compose a symphony. You have no idea how we feel when we always hear such a giant marching behind us," the composer wrote to the conductor Hermann Levi. The giant is Ludwig van Beethoven, whom Brahms greatly admired as a role model, but whose genius intimidated him and inhibited his own creativity. In the end, everything worked out, and the First Symphony is one of the most magnificent masterpieces in music history. Andrés Orozco-Estrada continues the great tradition of the Gürzenich Orchestra, which is particularly closely associated with Brahms' symphonies. Also taking part in one of Brahms' most moving choral compositions is the Vienna Singverein, one of the best concert choirs in the world.

Rather less tormented by self-doubt was Leonard Bernstein, as a composer and conductor a brilliant phenomenon of the century full of power, surprises and never-ending creativity. His Chichester Psalms for boys' voices, mixed choir and a huge orchestra celebrate peace in a virtuoso bridge-building between Jewish musical tradition and "classical" Western music of the 20th century in an impulsive and rousing manner.

Program

Johannes Brahms
Song of Destiny op.54
1871

Leonard Bernstein
Chichester Psalms
1965

Johannes Brahms
Symphony No. 1 in C minor op.68
1862-77

Instrumentation

Soloist of the Tölzer Knabenchor
Wiener Singverein
Andrés Orozco-Estrada Conductor

Price information:

Tickets for young adults for €8 Prices €60/48/38/26/20/12