«Beethoven – Update Nr. 6»

In the program:

"Beethoven – Update No. 6"

Franz Schubert – "Gesang der Geister über den Wassern," D. 714
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy – "Hebrides" Overture, op. 26
Ralph Vaughan Williams – "The Lark Ascending" for violin and orchestra
Intermission
Ludwig van Beethoven – Symphony No. 6 "Pastoral" in F major, op. 68

Ilya Gringolts – Violin
Gevorg Gharabekyan – Conductor
Knabenkantorei Basel and Alumni Choir
Chamber Orchestra I TEMPI

Program description: "Beethoven – Update No. 6"

The Chamber Orchestra I TEMPI opens this nature-inspired concert with Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy's Hebrides Overture. This energetic overture transports the audience to the rugged and mystical landscape of the Scottish Hebrides. Through powerful soundscapes and dynamic developments, Mendelssohn brings the majestic beauty of this landscape to life and takes listeners on a musical journey through an impressive scenery.

In his work "Gesang der Geister über den Wassern" for male choir, violas, cellos, and double bass, Franz Schubert sets to music the eponymous six-stanza poem by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The poem was written during Goethe's stay in Lauterbrunnen in the Bernese Oberland and describes the spirits hovering over a lake, merging with nature and the universe. While the male voices capture the mysterious and uplifting atmosphere, the strings complement the composition with a subtle shimmering carpet of sound.

Ralph Vaughan Williams' work "The Lark Ascending" for violin and orchestra captures the elegance and grace of a rising lark and its song. Inspired by George Meredith's poem about the lark, Vaughan Williams uses a pentatonic scale to free the violin from a strong tonal center, giving it a floating feeling. The cadenzas for the solo violin are written without bar lines, lending them a meditative quality.

In the Beethoven cycle of the Chamber Orchestra I TEMPI, this year features the sixth symphony: Ludwig van Beethoven captures a specific image of nature in each of the five movements of the "Pastoral." He masterfully describes his feelings upon arrival in the countryside, scenes by the brook, the joyful gathering of country folk, an approaching storm, and shepherds' song.