Gewandhausorchester, Petr Popelka: Dvorak, Mahler, Brahms at Gewandhaus
About the Event
In Leipzig's beloved Gewandhaus, hear the Gewandhaus Orchestra and baritone Andrè Schuen under the baton of Petr Popelka for a captivating performance of works by Dvorak, Mahler and Brahms.
Dvořák's tone poem begins with a funeral march. A young widow follows the coffin of her husband, whom she has poisoned. Under vital, Bohemian folk‐inspired sounds, the murderess marries a harp‐infatuated lover in the middle section. The cooing of the wood pigeon finally drives her to suicide, gnawed by remorse. The solo violin laments the tragic event in solitude.
As a happy father, Mahler set five Kindertotenlieder by Friedrich Rückert to music. In the summer of 1907, reality caught up with the composer of Kindertotenlieder. Mahler's eldest daughter passed away in agony.
The connection to Brahms runs as a constant through all of Schönberg's teaching and creative phases. At the time of the composition of the quartet arrangement in 1937, the emigrant in Los Angeles was annoyed not to find his works on the programs of American orchestras. The Brahms arrangement may have been part of a strategy to gently introduce concertgoers in the New World to Schoenberg.
Practical Information
Due to its history, the Gewandhaus Orchestra stands for civic engagement in a special way. With a view to the challenges of the present and the community‐building, inspiring and transformative potential of music, it has launched a democracy initiative in 2022. On pressing issues of justice, resources, media, institutions, education, identity, resilience and faith, public and cultural figures engage in dialogue with each other, with the audience and with musical performances.
'Resonance' is the motto above the musically inspired, culturally initiated discussion of basic values, understanding of democracy and social togetherness. We invite you to join in the discussion at round tables and to experimentally explore and musically experience political, sociological, acoustic and interpersonal facets of resonance in workshops and performances. Inspired by musical artworks, we open spaces for voices of the present and for ideas that strengthen the common good — in exchange between all those who want to help shape society.
