Philharmonia Orchestra: Europe tour with Esa-Pekka Salonen

Programme

The Philharmonia’s Conductor Laureate leads a European tour of pinnacles of the orchestral repertoire.

Revolutionary, legendary, electrifying: these are all words that have been used to describe Beethoven’s Third Symphony. And it’s not difficult to see why. Marking a turning point in the composer’s career, and heralding the Romantic period, it’s no surprise this musical triumph was voted the greatest symphony of all time in 2016.

The opening of Also sprach  Zarathustra might be one of the most recognisable in classical music. But there’s much more to this exhilarating work than its  2001: A Space Odyssey  fame. In its half-hour span, Strauss takes us on a philosophical journey exploring the meaning of life. With blazing brass and sumptuous strings, it’s a listening experience full of intense feeling, and gives the fantastic musicians of the Orchestra the chance to show off their renowned Philharmonia sound in Paris’s iconic Philharmonie.

In Zurich and Bern, the 2019 winner of the prestigious Carl Nielsen Competition, Swedish-Norwegian violinist Johan Dalene joins the orchestra for Lindberg’s Violin Concerto, a riveting work of technical agility and icy soundscapes. Sibelius’s sweeping Symphony No. 7 completes a programme that unites Scandinavia’s greatest composers with its artists on stage.