Symphony Orchestra of India: Mahler & Strauss

Jacek Kaspszyk, conductor
Benjamin Appl, baritone

Mahler: Blumine
Mahler: Songs of a Wayfarer
R. Strauss: An Alpine Symphony

The lush romantic scores of Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss are always a perfect pairing in concert. Mahler’s Blumine, a short, tuneful, sparsely scored piece featuring the solo trumpet is inspired by an unrequited love with soprano Johanna Richter, and sometimes appears as an additional movement in his Symphony No. 1 (Titan). A small vignette of perfection, it’s well placed with the Songs of a Wayfarer, the 1897 four-song cycle, ricocheting with grief, bound by near-perfect music, inspiration to his first symphony and the despair over the same lost love. The SOI is joined by internationally-renowned baritone Benjamin Appl. An Alpine Symphony by Richard Strauss is an altogether epic work not only for the scope of its orchestration and a tour-de-force for the orchestra, but for its pictorial vision. While on his deathbed, Strauss commented on his tone poem Death and Transfiguration – written when he was in his twenties – saying “…yes, it’s exactly how I wrote it.” We might have wondered on his uncanny ability to musically portray his vision. If you have never visited the Alps, never seen the golden sun appear through the wending fog, never seen the silvery glint of the icecaps, never felt the cold of the dark mountain turn to the warmth of the light, and never seen the majesty of the world from atop the peak, you will have done all these things after hearing this piece in concert. Don’t miss an opportunity to hear this work live – it’s life changing.

The concert will run for approximately 110 minutes including one intermission.

Box office opens on December 23 for Friends/Benefactors of the SOI, December 26 for NCPA Members, and December 29 for the public.

ARTIST CHANGE FOR CONCERTS ON FEBRUARY 11 & 16

Due to medical reasons, Antoni Wit has unfortunately been forced to withdraw from the forthcoming concerts with the Symphony Orchestra of India.
We are pleased to announce that Jacek Kaspszyk will take over both the concerts on February 11 & 16. We are very grateful to Maestro Kaspszyk for agreeing to alter his schedule at such short notice to take over these performances.
Both programmes remain unchanged.