Bamberg, Germany - Bamberger Symphoniker - Martinů, R. Strauss

Semyon Bychkov Conductor
Katia Labèque Piano
Marielle Labèque Piano
Bamberger Symphoniker

Bohuslav Martinů Concert for Two Pianos and Orchestra
Richard Strauss An Alpine Symphony

Richard Strauss once gave a beautiful description of one of the tricks he used in his composition process: “If I get stuck at a certain point in the evening while composing, and it does not seem possible to produce anything decent, no matter how hard I think, then I close the piano or my sketchbook, go to sleep, and when I wake up in the morning, I know how to continue!” His Alpine Symphony, premiered in 1915, was composed in a mere 100 days. Inspired by Nietzsche’s polemical book “The Antichrist”, Strauss created an opulent musical portrait of the various stations and scenes of an adventurous hike through the mountains, with an orchestral line-up including cowbells, an organ, and thunder and wind machines. This tone poem is a sonorous journey through nature and its creations – which is why a contemporary said admiringly of Strauss: “He has learned that music should not just illuminate our nights for all eternity, but that it should be like the sun.” Before this musical ascent to the mountain peaks, conducted by Semyon Bychkov, our orchestra and the gifted pianists Katia and Marielle Labèque will perform the Double Concerto by Bohuslav Martinů, who was considered one of the most original Czech composers of the 20th century and described as “a creator who performs magic with new worlds.” Jazz influences have left their mark on this work, but delightful tunes from Czech folk music also make an appearance. This truly stirring piece is proof that great creations are possible even under adverse circumstances: Martinů wrote it during the Second World War after fleeing to the United States, where he grappled increasingly with existential questions about the meaning of human life.