8. Philharmonic Concert »Collectively«

Hector Berlioz, Edward Elgar and Béla Bartók are regarded as masters of orchestration, outstanding soundscapes and particularly innovative in their use of the orchestra. All three dared to be unconventional and broke with traditional musical forms. Bartók employed a modern musical language, Berlioz revolutionised the programme symphony, and Elgar developed his own, often enigmatic melodic language, which became a reflection of his sensitive soul.

This was particularly evident in his last major orchestral work: the Cello Concerto in E minor. It is the key of mourning, but also of tenderness and melancholy. A touchingly autumnal atmosphere, delicate gentleness and wonderful, passionate melodies permeate this cello concerto. Alongside the cello concertos by Robert Schumann and Antonín Dvořák, it ranks among the most beautiful in the history of music.

The solo part is performed by rising cellist Philipp Schupelius. In 2024, Classic FM named him one of the 30 most exciting young musicians in the world. In 2023, he won the German Music Competition and has been a prize-winner at numerous other competitions.

In addition to Elgar’s piece, we will also be performing Bartók’s last completed orchestral work this evening: his Concerto for Orchestra. Here, he blends various influences from the European musical tradition and modernism with Hungarian folk music. He treats the orchestra as a group of highly virtuosic soloists. The ever-changing accents between the individual instrumental sections are particularly captivating.

The concert is conducted by one of Germany’s finest and most renowned conductors. Markus Stenz has already held numerous prominent positions with international orchestras and opera houses, including as Chief Conductor of the Radio Filharmonisch Orkest, General Music Director of the City of Cologne and Gürzenich Kapellmeister, and as Chief Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. This is Markus Stenz’s third appearance as a guest conductor with the Brandenburg State Orchestra Frankfurt in the space of just a few years.