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Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Eine kleine Nachtmusik Allegro Romanze: Andante Menuetto e Trio Rondo: Allegro One might wonder if there is a more beautifully crafted and polished gem than Eine kleine Nachtmusik - so appealing, so perfect. Nachtmusik is German for "serenade", and when it was composed, Mozart had already composed twelve serenades. Compared to the earlier serenades, it truly lives up to its name - a little one. It becomes a miniature, a simple, classically pure and easily accessible trifle, in terms of scope. The earlier serenades could be 45 minutes long. A serenade should also be intended to be played outdoors, but that does not work at all with Eine kleine Nachtmusik with its lovely and intimate string music. Mozart included Eine kleine Nachtmusik in his own catalogue of compositions in Vienna on August 10, 1787, and listed it as having five movements. There was another minuet - but this movement disappeared early in the work's history and has never been found. It has also not been possible to find out why Mozart wrote this lovely entertainment music. In any case, it does not seem to have been a commission, but that he wrote music out of his own interest. It has been surprising that the mature master of cosmopolitan Vienna interrupted the demanding work of orchestrating the exciting nighttime moods of the opera Don Giovanni in favor of this delicacy. Was it the contrast he needed? Was the inspiration pressing?

Peter Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) Symphony No. 6 Pathetique Op 74 Adagio;Allegro non troppo - Allegro con grazia - Allegro molto vivace - Finale:Adagio lamentoso Few symphonies contain as many outbursts of emotion and sudden mood swings as Tchaikovsky's Sixth, with the telling title Pathétique ("passionate suffering"). It reflects his manic-depressive personality, he suffered throughout his life from crises and often struggled with illness and depression. Tchaikovsky's death in Saint Petersburg, just nine days after he conducted the premiere, also gave the work a tragic aura right from the start. It was even said that the music deliberately foreshadowed his own death, which occurred after he drank cholera-tainted water. Even today, musicologists disagree whether it was an accident or a forced suicide, to avoid public scandal as a homosexual. Is the sixth symphony really a self-composed requiem? This theory is fueled by the "dark" key of B minor, which stands for great passion and tragedy, and by the unusual structure. The main motif that runs throughout the work consists of a plaintive, descending second interval. The gloomy character of the symphony is clear already in the first movement, with its slow, dark introduction. The second movement is reminiscent of Don José's flower aria from Bizet's opera Carmen, which Tchaikovsky greatly admired. Towards the end of the movement there is a chorale-like funeral march, and even a quote from the Russian Orthodox funeral liturgy. The second movement provides some lightening, and Tchaikovsky wrote it in an elegant 5/4 time signature, which is a fairly common time signature in Russian folk music. The "limping" character makes the movement almost humorous, despite the loving waltz or minuet-like style. In the third movement he returns to the march as idea, but it begins as an cheerful scherzo that gradually unfolds in its full life-affirming power. The fourth movement is the most famous in the symphony, and is partly reminiscent of a mournful requiem. The main theme is characterized by sighing motifs, and at the end the music fades into a low string chord in B minor. Tchaikovsky considered the symphony to be his most important, most personal composition, but the premiere was received cautiously.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Peter Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) Symphony No. 6 Pathetique Op 74 Adagio;Allegro non troppo - Allegro con grazia - Allegro molto vivace - Finale:Adagio lamentoso Few symphonies contain as many outbursts of emotion and sudden mood swings as Tchaikovsky's Sixth, with the telling title Pathétique ("passionate suffering"). It reflects his manic-depressive personality, he suffered throughout his life from crises and often struggled with illness and depression. Tchaikovsky's death in Saint Petersburg, just nine days after he conducted the premiere, also gave the work a tragic aura right from the start. It was even said that the music deliberately foreshadowed his own death, which occurred after he drank cholera-tainted water. Even today, musicologists disagree whether it was an accident or a forced suicide, to avoid public scandal as a homosexual. Is the sixth symphony really a self-composed requiem? This theory is fueled by the "dark" key of B minor, which stands for great passion and tragedy, and by the unusual structure. The main motif that runs throughout the work consists of a plaintive, descending second interval. The gloomy character of the symphony is clear already in the first movement, with its slow, dark introduction. The second movement is reminiscent of Don José's flower aria from Bizet's opera Carmen, which Tchaikovsky greatly admired. Towards the end of the movement there is a chorale-like funeral march, and even a quote from the Russian Orthodox funeral liturgy. The second movement provides some lightening, and Tchaikovsky wrote it in an elegant 5/4 time signature, which is a fairly common time signature in Russian folk music. The "limping" character makes the movement almost humorous, despite the loving waltz or minuet-like style. In the third movement he returns to the march as idea, but it begins as an cheerful scherzo that gradually unfolds in its full life-affirming power. The fourth movement is the most famous in the symphony, and is partly reminiscent of a mournful requiem. The main theme is characterized by sighing motifs, and at the end the music fades into a low string chord in B minor. Tchaikovsky considered the symphony to be his most important, most personal composition, but the premiere was received cautiously.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Peter Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) Symphony No. 6 Pathetique Op 74 Adagio;Allegro non troppo - Allegro con grazia - Allegro molto vivace - Finale:Adagio lamentoso Few symphonies contain as many outbursts of emotion and sudden mood swings as Tchaikovsky's Sixth, with the telling title Pathétique ("passionate suffering"). It reflects his manic-depressive personality, he suffered throughout his life from crises and often struggled with illness and depression. Tchaikovsky's death in Saint Petersburg, just nine days after he conducted the premiere, also gave the work a tragic aura right from the start. It was even said that the music deliberately foreshadowed his own death, which occurred after he drank cholera-tainted water. Even today, musicologists disagree whether it was an accident or a forced suicide, to avoid public scandal as a homosexual. Is the sixth symphony really a self-composed requiem? This theory is fueled by the "dark" key of B minor, which stands for great passion and tragedy, and by the unusual structure. The main motif that runs throughout the work consists of a plaintive, descending second interval. The gloomy character of the symphony is clear already in the first movement, with its slow, dark introduction. The second movement is reminiscent of Don José's flower aria from Bizet's opera Carmen, which Tchaikovsky greatly admired. Towards the end of the movement there is a chorale-like funeral march, and even a quote from the Russian Orthodox funeral liturgy. The second movement provides some lightening, and Tchaikovsky wrote it in an elegant 5/4 time signature, which is a fairly common time signature in Russian folk music. The "limping" character makes the movement almost humorous, despite the loving waltz or minuet-like style. In the third movement he returns to the march as idea, but it begins as an cheerful scherzo that gradually unfolds in its full life-affirming power. The fourth movement is the most famous in the symphony, and is partly reminiscent of a mournful requiem. The main theme is characterized by sighing motifs, and at the end the music fades into a low string chord in B minor. Tchaikovsky considered the symphony to be his most important, most personal composition, but the premiere was received cautiously.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Peter Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) Symphony No. 6 Pathetique Op 74 Adagio;Allegro non troppo - Allegro con grazia - Allegro molto vivace - Finale:Adagio lamentoso Few symphonies contain as many outbursts of emotion and sudden mood swings as Tchaikovsky's Sixth, with the telling title Pathétique ("passionate suffering"). It reflects his manic-depressive personality, he suffered throughout his life from crises and often struggled with illness and depression. Tchaikovsky's death in Saint Petersburg, just nine days after he conducted the premiere, also gave the work a tragic aura right from the start. It was even said that the music deliberately foreshadowed his own death, which occurred after he drank cholera-tainted water. Even today, musicologists disagree whether it was an accident or a forced suicide, to avoid public scandal as a homosexual. Is the sixth symphony really a self-composed requiem? This theory is fueled by the "dark" key of B minor, which stands for great passion and tragedy, and by the unusual structure. The main motif that runs throughout the work consists of a plaintive, descending second interval. The gloomy character of the symphony is clear already in the first movement, with its slow, dark introduction. The second movement is reminiscent of Don José's flower aria from Bizet's opera Carmen, which Tchaikovsky greatly admired. Towards the end of the movement there is a chorale-like funeral march, and even a quote from the Russian Orthodox funeral liturgy. The second movement provides some lightening, and Tchaikovsky wrote it in an elegant 5/4 time signature, which is a fairly common time signature in Russian folk music. The "limping" character makes the movement almost humorous, despite the loving waltz or minuet-like style. In the third movement he returns to the march as idea, but it begins as an cheerful scherzo that gradually unfolds in its full life-affirming power. The fourth movement is the most famous in the symphony, and is partly reminiscent of a mournful requiem. The main theme is characterized by sighing motifs, and at the end the music fades into a low string chord in B minor. Tchaikovsky considered the symphony to be his most important, most personal composition, but the premiere was received cautiously.

This Italian opera is about the girl Manon Lescaut who is deported from France to the United States in the late 18th century. A love drama with complications, and here we hear the symphonic intermezzo between the second and third act.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Wilhelm Stenhammar (1871-1927) Excelsior! Many have said that Stenhammar's Excelsior! is strongly influenced by Wagner, but there is undeniably much here that would prove to be genuine Stenhammar. The title can be interpreted as "rushing and striving", and the lecture description of the main theme is "passionately agitated". The score is dated Berlin 4 September 1896. It is known that Stenhammar saw a performance of Goethe's Faust in the German capital at this time and that he had purchased Goethe's collected works. The books have been preserved and it can be seen that the volume with Faust was read extensively. Although he clearly had Faust as a literary model, the drama has only helped to create the atmosphere. If any part of Faust has been the direct inspiration, it is the conversation between Faust and his valet Wagner immediately after the parts Prologue in Heaven and Night. The overture was dedicated to the Berlin Philharmonic, which may seem presumptuous for a 25-year-old composer who had written his very first orchestral work. When Stenhammar himself brought the work to his debut concert as conductor with the Royal Court Orchestra in Stockholm on 16 October 1897, it was a great success.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Wilhelm Stenhammar (1871-1927) Excelsior! Many have said that Stenhammar's Excelsior! is strongly influenced by Wagner, but there is undeniably much here that would prove to be genuine Stenhammar. The title can be interpreted as "rushing and striving", and the lecture description of the main theme is "passionately agitated". The score is dated Berlin 4 September 1896. It is known that Stenhammar saw a performance of Goethe's Faust in the German capital at this time and that he had purchased Goethe's collected works. The books have been preserved and it can be seen that the volume with Faust was read extensively. Although he clearly had Faust as a literary model, the drama has only helped to create the atmosphere. If any part of Faust has been the direct inspiration, it is the conversation between Faust and his valet Wagner immediately after the parts Prologue in Heaven and Night. The overture was dedicated to the Berlin Philharmonic, which may seem presumptuous for a 25-year-old composer who had written his very first orchestral work. When Stenhammar himself brought the work to his debut concert as conductor with the Royal Court Orchestra in Stockholm on 16 October 1897, it was a great success.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Wilhelm Stenhammar (1871-1927) Excelsior! Many have said that Stenhammar's Excelsior! is strongly influenced by Wagner, but there is undeniably much here that would prove to be genuine Stenhammar. The title can be interpreted as "rushing and striving", and the lecture description of the main theme is "passionately agitated". The score is dated Berlin 4 September 1896. It is known that Stenhammar saw a performance of Goethe's Faust in the German capital at this time and that he had purchased Goethe's collected works. The books have been preserved and it can be seen that the volume with Faust was read extensively. Although he clearly had Faust as a literary model, the drama has only helped to create the atmosphere. If any part of Faust has been the direct inspiration, it is the conversation between Faust and his valet Wagner immediately after the parts Prologue in Heaven and Night. The overture was dedicated to the Berlin Philharmonic, which may seem presumptuous for a 25-year-old composer who had written his very first orchestral work. When Stenhammar himself brought the work to his debut concert as conductor with the Royal Court Orchestra in Stockholm on 16 October 1897, it was a great success.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Wilhelm Stenhammar (1871-1927) Excelsior! Many have said that Stenhammar's Excelsior! is strongly influenced by Wagner, but there is undeniably much here that would prove to be genuine Stenhammar. The title can be interpreted as "rushing and striving", and the lecture description of the main theme is "passionately agitated". The score is dated Berlin 4 September 1896. It is known that Stenhammar saw a performance of Goethe's Faust in the German capital at this time and that he had purchased Goethe's collected works. The books have been preserved and it can be seen that the volume with Faust was read extensively. Although he clearly had Faust as a literary model, the drama has only helped to create the atmosphere. If any part of Faust has been the direct inspiration, it is the conversation between Faust and his valet Wagner immediately after the parts Prologue in Heaven and Night. The overture was dedicated to the Berlin Philharmonic, which may seem presumptuous for a 25-year-old composer who had written his very first orchestral work. When Stenhammar himself brought the work to his debut concert as conductor with the Royal Court Orchestra in Stockholm on 16 October 1897, it was a great success.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Wilhelm Stenhammar (1871-1927) Excelsior! Many have said that Stenhammar's Excelsior! is strongly influenced by Wagner, but there is undeniably much here that would prove to be genuine Stenhammar. The title can be interpreted as "rushing and striving", and the lecture description of the main theme is "passionately agitated". The score is dated Berlin 4 September 1896. It is known that Stenhammar saw a performance of Goethe's Faust in the German capital at this time and that he had purchased Goethe's collected works. The books have been preserved and it can be seen that the volume with Faust was read extensively. Although he clearly had Faust as a literary model, the drama has only helped to create the atmosphere. If any part of Faust has been the direct inspiration, it is the conversation between Faust and his valet Wagner immediately after the parts Prologue in Heaven and Night. The overture was dedicated to the Berlin Philharmonic, which may seem presumptuous for a 25-year-old composer who had written his very first orchestral work. When Stenhammar himself brought the work to his debut concert as conductor with the Royal Court Orchestra in Stockholm on 16 October 1897, it was a great success.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Wilhelm Stenhammar (1871-1927) Excelsior! Many have said that Stenhammar's Excelsior! is strongly influenced by Wagner, but there is undeniably much here that would prove to be genuine Stenhammar. The title can be interpreted as "rushing and striving", and the lecture description of the main theme is "passionately agitated". The score is dated Berlin 4 September 1896. It is known that Stenhammar saw a performance of Goethe's Faust in the German capital at this time and that he had purchased Goethe's collected works. The books have been preserved and it can be seen that the volume with Faust was read extensively. Although he clearly had Faust as a literary model, the drama has only helped to create the atmosphere. If any part of Faust has been the direct inspiration, it is the conversation between Faust and his valet Wagner immediately after the parts Prologue in Heaven and Night. The overture was dedicated to the Berlin Philharmonic, which may seem presumptuous for a 25-year-old composer who had written his very first orchestral work. When Stenhammar himself brought the work to his debut concert as conductor with the Royal Court Orchestra in Stockholm on 16 October 1897, it was a great success.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Wilhelm Stenhammar (1871-1927) Excelsior! Many have said that Stenhammar's Excelsior! is strongly influenced by Wagner, but there is undeniably much here that would prove to be genuine Stenhammar. The title can be interpreted as "rushing and striving", and the lecture description of the main theme is "passionately agitated". The score is dated Berlin 4 September 1896. It is known that Stenhammar saw a performance of Goethe's Faust in the German capital at this time and that he had purchased Goethe's collected works. The books have been preserved and it can be seen that the volume with Faust was read extensively. Although he clearly had Faust as a literary model, the drama has only helped to create the atmosphere. If any part of Faust has been the direct inspiration, it is the conversation between Faust and his valet Wagner immediately after the parts Prologue in Heaven and Night. The overture was dedicated to the Berlin Philharmonic, which may seem presumptuous for a 25-year-old composer who had written his very first orchestral work. When Stenhammar himself brought the work to his debut concert as conductor with the Royal Court Orchestra in Stockholm on 16 October 1897, it was a great success.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

The Estonian-born conductor Neeme Järvi is the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra's Principal Conductor Emeritus. He conducts many of the world's most prominent orchestras and works with soloists of the highest class. During his long career, he has made over 450 disc recordings. Under Neeme Järvi's direction from 1982-2004, the Gothenburg Symphony made a series of international tours and made around a hundred disc recordings and established itself among Europe's leading orchestras. Neeme Järvi became chief conductor of the Residentie Orkest in 2005, artistic director of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra in 2009 and music director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra in 2005. He has also been artistic director of the Orchester de la Suisse Romande. He holds the titles of Music Director Emeritus of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Conductor Laureate of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Throughout his career, Neeme Järvi has been honored with international honors and awards. In Estonia, these include an honorary doctorate at the Estonian Academy of Music in Tallinn, and the Order of the National Coat of Arms from the President of the Republic of Estonia. He has also received the Commander of the Order of the North Star from King Karl XVI Gustaf. He most recently guested with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in 2024 at the Hasselblad Concert, which was also recorded for GSOplay and Swedish Radio.

Urban Claesson is principal clarinetist in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra since 1995. He joined the orchestra in 1986 and has appeared as a soloist with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra on around 20 occasions, including Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and Sinfonia concertante for wind instruments, Bruch's Concerto for Clarinet, Viola and Orchestra and Corigliano's Clarinet Concerto. As a chamber musician, he has appeared with the Amadeus Quartet and the Britten Quartet, among others. Urban Claesson is also active as a teacher at the Gothenburg Academy of Music and Drama.

The choir was founded in 1917 by cousins Elsa and Wilhelm Stenhammar. Elsa Stenhammar was one of the driving forces in turn-of-the-century choir life in Gothenburg and became the choir's first rehearser. On December 8, 1917, the choir debuted in Beethoven's Choir Fantasy with Wilhelm Stenhammar as soloist at the grand piano. As the country's oldest symphonic choir, they were able to celebrate their 100th anniversary in 2017 with a big celebratory concert where Mozart and Brahms as well as Stenhammar, Elfrida Andrée and Björn & Benny were on the program. The Gothenburg Symphony Choir is a non-profit association that is linked to the Gothenburg Symphony. The choir participates in concerts and performances under both the orchestra's and its own auspices. The music is mixed and the repertoire extensive. The Gothenburg Symphony Choir has participated in concerts in, among other places, the Royal Albert Hall and Canterbury Cathedral in England, as well as participated with the Gothenburg Symphony in the annual music festival in the Canary Islands and on a tour to China.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Danish conductor Thomas Dausgaard was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the RTVE, Spanish Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2024. He is also Honorary Conductor of the Copenhagen Philharmonic. From 2016 to 2022 he was Chief Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and from 1997 to 2019 Chief Conductor of the Swedish Chamber Orchestra in Örebro. 2014-2022 he worked at the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. He has been awarded the Knight's Cross of Denmark and has been appointed an honorary doctor at Örebro University. Recent successes include returns to the Philharmonia Orchestra, Tokyo Metropolitan; the Brussels, Helsinki and Dresden Philharmonics; the Bamberg, Lucerne and Valencia Symphony Orchestras and the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris. He has also made his debuts with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, the Malmö Symphony Orchestra and the Brucknerhaus Orchester Linz. As a guest conductor, Dausgaard has worked extensively with most of the world's leading orchestras in Europe and the United States. He regularly appears at prestigious festivals worldwide and had a residency in Tokyo in 2019, where he presented the BBC Proms in Japan for the first time. Dausgaard studied piano and composition from an early age with a former student of Carl Nielsen. His international conducting career took off when he was appointed assistant conductor to Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He has visited Gothenburg several times with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra and was touring with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in 1998.

Urban Claesson is principal clarinetist in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra since 1995. He joined the orchestra in 1986 and has appeared as a soloist with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra on around 20 occasions, including Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and Sinfonia concertante for wind instruments, Bruch's Concerto for Clarinet, Viola and Orchestra and Corigliano's Clarinet Concerto. As a chamber musician, he has appeared with the Amadeus Quartet and the Britten Quartet, among others. Urban Claesson is also active as a teacher at the Gothenburg Academy of Music and Drama.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Danish conductor Thomas Dausgaard was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the RTVE, Spanish Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2024. He is also Honorary Conductor of the Copenhagen Philharmonic. From 2016 to 2022 he was Chief Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and from 1997 to 2019 Chief Conductor of the Swedish Chamber Orchestra in Örebro. 2014-2022 he worked at the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. He has been awarded the Knight's Cross of Denmark and has been appointed an honorary doctor at Örebro University. Recent successes include returns to the Philharmonia Orchestra, Tokyo Metropolitan; the Brussels, Helsinki and Dresden Philharmonics; the Bamberg, Lucerne and Valencia Symphony Orchestras and the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris. He has also made his debuts with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, the Malmö Symphony Orchestra and the Brucknerhaus Orchester Linz. As a guest conductor, Dausgaard has worked extensively with most of the world's leading orchestras in Europe and the United States. He regularly appears at prestigious festivals worldwide and had a residency in Tokyo in 2019, where he presented the BBC Proms in Japan for the first time. Dausgaard studied piano and composition from an early age with a former student of Carl Nielsen. His international conducting career took off when he was appointed assistant conductor to Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He has visited Gothenburg several times with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra and was touring with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in 1998.

Urban Claesson is principal clarinetist in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra since 1995. He joined the orchestra in 1986 and has appeared as a soloist with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra on around 20 occasions, including Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and Sinfonia concertante for wind instruments, Bruch's Concerto for Clarinet, Viola and Orchestra and Corigliano's Clarinet Concerto. As a chamber musician, he has appeared with the Amadeus Quartet and the Britten Quartet, among others. Urban Claesson is also active as a teacher at the Gothenburg Academy of Music and Drama.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Danish conductor Thomas Dausgaard was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the RTVE, Spanish Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2024. He is also Honorary Conductor of the Copenhagen Philharmonic. From 2016 to 2022 he was Chief Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and from 1997 to 2019 Chief Conductor of the Swedish Chamber Orchestra in Örebro. 2014-2022 he worked at the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. He has been awarded the Knight's Cross of Denmark and has been appointed an honorary doctor at Örebro University. Recent successes include returns to the Philharmonia Orchestra, Tokyo Metropolitan; the Brussels, Helsinki and Dresden Philharmonics; the Bamberg, Lucerne and Valencia Symphony Orchestras and the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris. He has also made his debuts with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, the Malmö Symphony Orchestra and the Brucknerhaus Orchester Linz. As a guest conductor, Dausgaard has worked extensively with most of the world's leading orchestras in Europe and the United States. He regularly appears at prestigious festivals worldwide and had a residency in Tokyo in 2019, where he presented the BBC Proms in Japan for the first time. Dausgaard studied piano and composition from an early age with a former student of Carl Nielsen. His international conducting career took off when he was appointed assistant conductor to Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He has visited Gothenburg several times with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra and was touring with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in 1998.

Urban Claesson is principal clarinetist in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra since 1995. He joined the orchestra in 1986 and has appeared as a soloist with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra on around 20 occasions, including Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and Sinfonia concertante for wind instruments, Bruch's Concerto for Clarinet, Viola and Orchestra and Corigliano's Clarinet Concerto. As a chamber musician, he has appeared with the Amadeus Quartet and the Britten Quartet, among others. Urban Claesson is also active as a teacher at the Gothenburg Academy of Music and Drama.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Danish conductor Thomas Dausgaard was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the RTVE, Spanish Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2024. He is also Honorary Conductor of the Copenhagen Philharmonic. From 2016 to 2022 he was Chief Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and from 1997 to 2019 Chief Conductor of the Swedish Chamber Orchestra in Örebro. 2014-2022 he worked at the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. He has been awarded the Knight's Cross of Denmark and has been appointed an honorary doctor at Örebro University. Recent successes include returns to the Philharmonia Orchestra, Tokyo Metropolitan; the Brussels, Helsinki and Dresden Philharmonics; the Bamberg, Lucerne and Valencia Symphony Orchestras and the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris. He has also made his debuts with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, the Malmö Symphony Orchestra and the Brucknerhaus Orchester Linz. As a guest conductor, Dausgaard has worked extensively with most of the world's leading orchestras in Europe and the United States. He regularly appears at prestigious festivals worldwide and had a residency in Tokyo in 2019, where he presented the BBC Proms in Japan for the first time. Dausgaard studied piano and composition from an early age with a former student of Carl Nielsen. His international conducting career took off when he was appointed assistant conductor to Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He has visited Gothenburg several times with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra and was touring with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in 1998.

Urban Claesson is principal clarinetist in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra since 1995. He joined the orchestra in 1986 and has appeared as a soloist with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra on around 20 occasions, including Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and Sinfonia concertante for wind instruments, Bruch's Concerto for Clarinet, Viola and Orchestra and Corigliano's Clarinet Concerto. As a chamber musician, he has appeared with the Amadeus Quartet and the Britten Quartet, among others. Urban Claesson is also active as a teacher at the Gothenburg Academy of Music and Drama.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Danish conductor Thomas Dausgaard was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of the RTVE, Spanish Radio Symphony Orchestra in 2024. He is also Honorary Conductor of the Copenhagen Philharmonic. From 2016 to 2022 he was Chief Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and from 1997 to 2019 Chief Conductor of the Swedish Chamber Orchestra in Örebro. 2014-2022 he worked at the Seattle Symphony Orchestra. He has been awarded the Knight's Cross of Denmark and has been appointed an honorary doctor at Örebro University. Recent successes include returns to the Philharmonia Orchestra, Tokyo Metropolitan; the Brussels, Helsinki and Dresden Philharmonics; the Bamberg, Lucerne and Valencia Symphony Orchestras and the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris. He has also made his debuts with the Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, the Malmö Symphony Orchestra and the Brucknerhaus Orchester Linz. As a guest conductor, Dausgaard has worked extensively with most of the world's leading orchestras in Europe and the United States. He regularly appears at prestigious festivals worldwide and had a residency in Tokyo in 2019, where he presented the BBC Proms in Japan for the first time. Dausgaard studied piano and composition from an early age with a former student of Carl Nielsen. His international conducting career took off when he was appointed assistant conductor to Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He has visited Gothenburg several times with the Swedish Chamber Orchestra and was touring with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in 1998.

Urban Claesson is principal clarinetist in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra since 1995. He joined the orchestra in 1986 and has appeared as a soloist with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra on around 20 occasions, including Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and Sinfonia concertante for wind instruments, Bruch's Concerto for Clarinet, Viola and Orchestra and Corigliano's Clarinet Concerto. As a chamber musician, he has appeared with the Amadeus Quartet and the Britten Quartet, among others. Urban Claesson is also active as a teacher at the Gothenburg Academy of Music and Drama.

Carl Orff (1895-1982) Carmina Burana Fortuna imperatrix mundi - Primo vere - In taberna´- Cour d'amours - Blanziflor et Helena - Fortuna imperatrix mundi During the 1930s, Carl Orff was one of the most noted composers in Germany. Much of his fame came with Carmina burana which was composed in 1935-1936. Its subtitle reads "secular songs for soli and choir accompanied by orchestra and with magical images" - a scenography of a medieval kind where evocative paintings and decorations in concert with the large choir create an overwhelming impression. Carmina burana was first performed in Frankfurt am Main in 1937, given at La Scala in 1942 and shortly afterwards also in Vienna, but despite this Orff only became more widely known as a composer after the war. The music was not like anything else, it felt original and stood outside contemporary trends and schools. His musical inspiration can be said to have its roots in the dramatic imagery, with Greek tragedy and Italian baroque opera as two major sources of inspiration. Musically, there is a closer influence: Stravinsky's dramatic cantata Oedipus Rex and above all Les noces - rhythmically marked music of a deliberately simple style with a sparse orchestral movement (lots of percussion) and the choir as basic elements. Orff's work often grew out of a combined vision of the scenic and the musical - everything he created reveals a lush, visible imagination. Most of what he produced is intended for the stage, including Carmina burana. But the piece has shown its strength even without stage arrangements and is just as often performed in the concert hall with great success.

Hugo Alfvén (1872-1960) Suite from The Prodigal Son With a music that can be said to be characterized by the musical aftermath of Romanticism, the composer and conductor Hugo Alfvén left his mark on Swedish musical life during the first half of the 20th century. The ballet The Prodigal Son, or more precisely: the orchestral suite from it, would become Alfvén's last major composition. The ballet depicts the biblical story of the son who leaves his father, squanders his inheritance, but who then returns in repentance and through reconciliation is given a picture of what is genuinely human. The music can be said to reflect this inner journey – we travel from the lyrical to the dramatic. From the youthful to the thoughtful of age. In between we hear evidence of Alfvén's soft spot for folk melody and the rhythmic danceable. Several of the melodies are also found in the many songs that Alfvén had arranged and composed for choir Orphei Drängar, which he over many years turned into the notorious male choir it still is today.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

The Estonian-born conductor Neeme Järvi is the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra's Principal Conductor Emeritus. He conducts many of the world's most prominent orchestras and works with soloists of the highest class. During his long career, he has made over 450 disc recordings. Under Neeme Järvi's direction from 1982-2004, the Gothenburg Symphony made a series of international tours and made around a hundred disc recordings and established itself among Europe's leading orchestras. Neeme Järvi became chief conductor of the Residentie Orkest in 2005, artistic director of the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra in 2009 and music director of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra in 2005. He has also been artistic director of the Orchester de la Suisse Romande. He holds the titles of Music Director Emeritus of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra and Conductor Laureate of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. Throughout his career, Neeme Järvi has been honored with international honors and awards. In Estonia, these include an honorary doctorate at the Estonian Academy of Music in Tallinn, and the Order of the National Coat of Arms from the President of the Republic of Estonia. He has also received the Commander of the Order of the North Star from King Karl XVI Gustaf. He most recently guested with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra in 2024 at the Hasselblad Concert, which was also recorded for GSOplay and Swedish Radio.

Urban Claesson is principal clarinetist in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra since 1995. He joined the orchestra in 1986 and has appeared as a soloist with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra on around 20 occasions, including Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and Sinfonia concertante for wind instruments, Bruch's Concerto for Clarinet, Viola and Orchestra and Corigliano's Clarinet Concerto. As a chamber musician, he has appeared with the Amadeus Quartet and the Britten Quartet, among others. Urban Claesson is also active as a teacher at the Gothenburg Academy of Music and Drama.

The choir was founded in 1917 by cousins Elsa and Wilhelm Stenhammar. Elsa Stenhammar was one of the driving forces in turn-of-the-century choir life in Gothenburg and became the choir's first rehearser. On December 8, 1917, the choir debuted in Beethoven's Choir Fantasy with Wilhelm Stenhammar as soloist at the grand piano. As the country's oldest symphonic choir, they were able to celebrate their 100th anniversary in 2017 with a big celebratory concert where Mozart and Brahms as well as Stenhammar, Elfrida Andrée and Björn & Benny were on the program. The Gothenburg Symphony Choir is a non-profit association that is linked to the Gothenburg Symphony. The choir participates in concerts and performances under both the orchestra's and its own auspices. The music is mixed and the repertoire extensive. The Gothenburg Symphony Choir has participated in concerts in, among other places, the Royal Albert Hall and Canterbury Cathedral in England, as well as participated with the Gothenburg Symphony in the annual music festival in the Canary Islands and on a tour to China.

Tomas von Brömssen is one of our most popular actors. He has been a prominent figure on the Gothenburg theatre scene since the 1970s and is known from countless film and television productions. Through television series such as Albert & Herbert and Saltön, he has won a place in the hearts of the Swedish people. In 1995 he received a Guldbagge for his role in Bo Widerberg's Lust och fägring stor. In the same year he was named Gothenburger of the Year. Tomas von Brömssen is also a musician, including in the orchestra Majornas Tredje Rote. At Gothenburg City Theatre he has appeared in Påklädaren, Pygmalion and Karl Gerhard, and in Gisslan 1994 at Backa Teater, all directed by Eva Bergman. In 2022 he had great success with the performance Kontrabasen.

Urban Claesson is principal clarinetist in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra since 1995. He joined the orchestra in 1986 and has appeared as a soloist with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra on around 20 occasions, including Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and Sinfonia concertante for wind instruments, Bruch's Concerto for Clarinet, Viola and Orchestra and Corigliano's Clarinet Concerto. As a chamber musician, he has appeared with the Amadeus Quartet and the Britten Quartet, among others. Urban Claesson is also active as a teacher at the Gothenburg Academy of Music and Drama.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Urban Claesson is principal clarinetist in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra since 1995. He joined the orchestra in 1986 and has appeared as a soloist with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra on around 20 occasions, including Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and Sinfonia concertante for wind instruments, Bruch's Concerto for Clarinet, Viola and Orchestra and Corigliano's Clarinet Concerto. As a chamber musician, he has appeared with the Amadeus Quartet and the Britten Quartet, among others. Urban Claesson is also active as a teacher at the Gothenburg Academy of Music and Drama.

The choir was founded in 1917 by cousins Elsa and Wilhelm Stenhammar. Elsa Stenhammar was one of the driving forces in turn-of-the-century choir life in Gothenburg and became the choir's first rehearser. On December 8, 1917, the choir debuted in Beethoven's Choir Fantasy with Wilhelm Stenhammar as soloist at the grand piano. As the country's oldest symphonic choir, they were able to celebrate their 100th anniversary in 2017 with a big celebratory concert where Mozart and Brahms as well as Stenhammar, Elfrida Andrée and Björn & Benny were on the program. The Gothenburg Symphony Choir is a non-profit association that is linked to the Gothenburg Symphony. The choir participates in concerts and performances under both the orchestra's and its own auspices. The music is mixed and the repertoire extensive. The Gothenburg Symphony Choir has participated in concerts in, among other places, the Royal Albert Hall and Canterbury Cathedral in England, as well as participated with the Gothenburg Symphony in the annual music festival in the Canary Islands and on a tour to China.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Urban Claesson is principal clarinetist in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra since 1995. He joined the orchestra in 1986 and has appeared as a soloist with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra on around 20 occasions, including Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and Sinfonia concertante for wind instruments, Bruch's Concerto for Clarinet, Viola and Orchestra and Corigliano's Clarinet Concerto. As a chamber musician, he has appeared with the Amadeus Quartet and the Britten Quartet, among others. Urban Claesson is also active as a teacher at the Gothenburg Academy of Music and Drama.

The choir was founded in 1917 by cousins Elsa and Wilhelm Stenhammar. Elsa Stenhammar was one of the driving forces in turn-of-the-century choir life in Gothenburg and became the choir's first rehearser. On December 8, 1917, the choir debuted in Beethoven's Choir Fantasy with Wilhelm Stenhammar as soloist at the grand piano. As the country's oldest symphonic choir, they were able to celebrate their 100th anniversary in 2017 with a big celebratory concert where Mozart and Brahms as well as Stenhammar, Elfrida Andrée and Björn & Benny were on the program. The Gothenburg Symphony Choir is a non-profit association that is linked to the Gothenburg Symphony. The choir participates in concerts and performances under both the orchestra's and its own auspices. The music is mixed and the repertoire extensive. The Gothenburg Symphony Choir has participated in concerts in, among other places, the Royal Albert Hall and Canterbury Cathedral in England, as well as participated with the Gothenburg Symphony in the annual music festival in the Canary Islands and on a tour to China.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Urban Claesson is principal clarinetist in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra since 1995. He joined the orchestra in 1986 and has appeared as a soloist with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra on around 20 occasions, including Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and Sinfonia concertante for wind instruments, Bruch's Concerto for Clarinet, Viola and Orchestra and Corigliano's Clarinet Concerto. As a chamber musician, he has appeared with the Amadeus Quartet and the Britten Quartet, among others. Urban Claesson is also active as a teacher at the Gothenburg Academy of Music and Drama.

The choir was founded in 1917 by cousins Elsa and Wilhelm Stenhammar. Elsa Stenhammar was one of the driving forces in turn-of-the-century choir life in Gothenburg and became the choir's first rehearser. On December 8, 1917, the choir debuted in Beethoven's Choir Fantasy with Wilhelm Stenhammar as soloist at the grand piano. As the country's oldest symphonic choir, they were able to celebrate their 100th anniversary in 2017 with a big celebratory concert where Mozart and Brahms as well as Stenhammar, Elfrida Andrée and Björn & Benny were on the program. The Gothenburg Symphony Choir is a non-profit association that is linked to the Gothenburg Symphony. The choir participates in concerts and performances under both the orchestra's and its own auspices. The music is mixed and the repertoire extensive. The Gothenburg Symphony Choir has participated in concerts in, among other places, the Royal Albert Hall and Canterbury Cathedral in England, as well as participated with the Gothenburg Symphony in the annual music festival in the Canary Islands and on a tour to China.

Lars-Erik Larsson (1908-1986) Pastoral Suite Overture - Romance - Scherzo Lars-Erik Larsson made his debut in Stockholm at the age of 20 and became one of Sweden's most popular composers. The Pastoral Suite was composed in the autumn of 1938 for the programme "Moments of the Day" on Swedish Radio, where Larsson was conductor. He originally wrote six movements, three of which have been retained in the suite. The overture has a slow introduction and a subsequent longer allegro in the composer's typical easygoing, rhythmically varied style. Then the romance, the most frequently performed movement, which is singable with great melodic beauty. Finally, a lively and graceful scherzo. The suite is scored for double woodwinds, two horns, two trumpets, timpani and strings, while the middle movement is for strings only.

Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) Symphony No. 4 in A, Op 90 "The Italian" Allegro vivace Andante con moto Con moto moderato Saltarello Presto No other composer - Mozart not excluded - has written such magnificently gifted music already as a child. Between the ages of eleven and fifteen, Felix Mendelssohn composed thirteen string symphonies, four operas, five concertos and countless chamber music works, in addition to piano and organ pieces, solo songs and choirs. And a great deal of this is still in the standard repertoire worldwide. He was the son of the wealthy banker Abraham, in whose home artists and musicians were constant guests. On Sundays, the banker used to organize concerts at his home in Berlin. Court musicians and the siblings Felix and Fanny appeared as soloists, and in the audience you could not infrequently find the philosopher Hegel or the scientist Humboldt. So it is perhaps not surprising that the talented Felix made such progress already in his boyhood. When he was fifteen years old, he began his first symphony for a full orchestra. He managed to write four more symphonies before his premature death at the age of only 38.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

Urban Claesson is principal clarinetist in the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra since 1995. He joined the orchestra in 1986 and has appeared as a soloist with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra on around 20 occasions, including Mozart's Clarinet Concerto and Sinfonia concertante for wind instruments, Bruch's Concerto for Clarinet, Viola and Orchestra and Corigliano's Clarinet Concerto. As a chamber musician, he has appeared with the Amadeus Quartet and the Britten Quartet, among others. Urban Claesson is also active as a teacher at the Gothenburg Academy of Music and Drama.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.

In 1844, Robert Schumann had his first serious nervous breakdown, which was followed by several others. The family moved to the quieter Dresden. The Second Symphony became a kind of recovery project. Unusually, all four movements are written in C major or C minor. This can create problems. But Schumann skillfully avoids the work becoming static and harmonically monotonous by inserting contrasting elements - different rhythms, tempi and short key changes within each movement. The first movement begins with the trumpets playing a chorale-like fanfare over the strings. That fanfare returns in the brass in the second movement and also concludes the entire symphony. Like Beethoven, Schumann puts the fast scherzo movement in second place - an incredibly virtuoso perpetuum mobile in the strings and two slower trio sections with woodwinds. A funny two-note motif is repeated through almost the entire movement like an encouraging mantra. The Adagio movement is truly the symphony's emotional center, like a long, melancholic opera aria with poignant solos in the woodwinds. Schumann is said to have been so moved while writing it that he had to take a long break before tackling the joyful, grand final movement which, in addition to robust, march-like elements, uses a simple theme in solo oboe from Beethoven's song An die ferne Geliebte. It was Schumann's tribute to his wife Clara.

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Gothenburg Concert Hall at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2019-2020 season, Barbara Hannigan is Principal guest conductor. We are also a proud partner of Barbara Hannigan's Equilibrium mentoring program focusing on young singers at the start of their careers. The title Principal Guest Conductor is shared by Pekka Kuusisto from 2025. Wilhelm Stenhammar was the orchestra's chief conductor from 1907 to 1922. He gave the orchestra a strong Nordic profile and invited colleagues Carl Nielsen and Jean Sibelius to the orchestra. Under the direction of conductor Neeme Järvi from 1982-2004, the orchestra made a series of international tours as well as a hundred disc recordings and established themselves among Europe's leading orchestras. In 1996, the Swedish Riksdag appointed the Gothenburg Symphony as Sweden's National Orchestra. In recent decades, the orchestra has had prominent chief conductors such as Santtu-Matias Rouvali, Mario Venzago and Gustavo Dudamel, following Kent Nagano as Principal Guest conductor. Anna-Karin Larsson is CEO and artistic director, Gustavo Dudamel honorary conductor and Neeme Järvi chief conductor emeritus. The orchestra's owner is the Västra Götaland Region. The Gothenburg Symphony works regularly with conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Joana Carneiro, Jukka-Pekka Saraste, Christian Zacharias and Anja Bihlmaier.