Gala Concert: Power of Destiny

Matthias Achleitner & The Upper Austria Philharmonic

Admission: € 45.00
Tickets available at the Bad Schallerbach Tourist Office 07249/420710, info@quellenviertel.at or Ö-Ticket.

The concert begins with the 1st March from Edward Elgar's "Pomp and Circumstance," which is often associated with royal ceremonies as well as life-changing moments and transformations, allowing us to reflect on the countless positive effects of fate. We then turn our attention to one of the most fateful operatic characters of all time, Georges Bizet's "Carmen" – featuring the most popular melodies: from the prelude and intermezzo to the world-famous Habanera and the Toreador Song. Another association with fate is represented by the devil, and Joseph Hellmesberger Jr. has found an incredibly impressive musical language for this in his furious "Danse Diabolique." The crowning conclusion of the first half of the concert will be the overture to Giuseppe Verdi's "La forza del destino." With restless, very fast string figures, melancholic woodwind melodies, and powerful brass chorales, this overture impressively musically depicts the power of fate with great variety.

The highlight of the concert awaits in the second half with Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony in E minor. In this monumental work, the composer grapples with the questions of fate and faith, which is why it is often referred to as the "Fate Symphony." The four movements are interwoven with a common thematic motif – the "fate motif." The first movement begins with this very motif out of nowhere – complete dejection and doubt form the basic mood of this movement. The second movement features perhaps the most touching horn solo in music history, which Tchaikovsky described as a "ray of light." Several outbursts of intense passion are ultimately cruelly interrupted by the fate motif. Even at the end of the carefree 3rd movement – a slow waltz – that motif can be heard. In the finale, the fate motif is now transformed; it is no longer dejected but majestic, in major instead of minor. After the rapid main section, which is finally determined and confident, the motif sounds one last time as a bombastic triumphal march, and in a swirling frenzy, Tchaikovsky concludes his masterpiece.

Program

Pomp and Circumstance: March No. 1, op. 39 Edward Elgar
Excerpts from the opera Carmen Georges Bizet
Danse Diabolique ("Dance of the Devil") Joseph Hellmesberger Jr.
Overture to La forza del destino ("The Power of Fate") Giuseppe Verdi

Intermission

5th Symphony in E minor, op. 64 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky
• I: Andante – Allegro con anima
• II: Andante cantabile, con alcuna licenza
• III: Waltz. Allegro moderato
• IV: Finale. Andante maestoso – Allegro vivace