Göteborgs Konserthus Classical AW with Tchaikovsky

Pyotr Tjajkovskij (1840-1893) Symphony No 5 Pyotr Tchaikovsky had been financially independent for a long time when, in the summer of 1888, he set out on his fifth symphony. A wealthy widow, Nadezjda von Meck, had been so captivated by his compositions that she gave him a generously increased annual maintenance. After four months of work on the symphony, he wrote to Madame Meck that he was almost finished with his 'symphony of fate'. The motif of fate in the Fifth comes creeping in the low register of the clarinets. You are immediately captivated by the simplicity and harmony by sensitively placed wind solos. The second movement allows two emotionally charged motifs to alternate with each other. One is presented by the horn and the other by the oboe. But here too, the motif of fate comes into play. The third movement contributes contrast in the form of a well-polished elegant waltz, the dance form that so many times has drawn masterpieces from Tchaikovsky's pen. It begins as if it were a ballet scene and only gradually does the music take on a symphonic character. The dark thoughts do not escape even in the whirlwinds of the ball. In the finale, the fate theme undergoes a transformation. The tempo becomes more march-like and shifts in major - it gradually even becomes grandiose.

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.

Finnish conductor Kristian Sallinen is an exceptional young talent who is rapidly gaining international attention. The 2025/26 season features several notable engagements, including Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony Orchestra, Malmö Symfoniorkester and Oulu Sinfonia, as well as opera debut with Finnish National Opera in Tchaikovsky’s Iolanta. First-time collaborations include Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Gävle Symphony Orchestra as well as his Australian debut with Western Australian Symphony Orchestra, while return appearances include RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra, Latvian National Symphony Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, Tampere Philharmonic Orchestra, Turku Philharmonic Orchestra and Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Musica. Collaborations with internationally renowned soloists include Maxim Vengerov, Lawrence Power, Inmo Yang, Senja Rummukainen, Ava Bahari and Anu Komsi. Sallinen completed his Orchestral Conducting studies (with Sakari Oramo) at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki in Spring 2025. A former student of Jorma Panula, he has been mentored by Paavo Järvi, Esa-Pekka Salonen, Hannu Lintu, Jukka-Pekka Saraste and Susanna Mälkki. He was a member of the Seele String Quartet and has performed as solo violast.