Göteborgs Konserthus Autumn mood with Poulenc’s Stabat Mater

Allegretto Tempo andante ma rubato Vivacissimo - Finale: Allegro moderato After completing his higher studies in Berlin and Vienna, Sibelius wrote the choral work Kullervo on his return to Helsinki. The work's success earned him the position of Finland's leading composer, a position he retained for the rest of his life. A series of symphonic poems based on themes from Finnish mythology followed, and Sibelius came to play an important role in shaping Finnish national identity. He also became the driving force in the development of the Nordic symphony. Sibelius had worshiped Tchaikovsky since childhood, but his schooling had forced him into a more Germanic tradition. Tchaikovsky's influence is nevertheless fully audible, not least in the first two symphonies. Especially in the second, like the idol, he builds up highlights with broad melodic lines and slowly shifting harmonics, and lets the music grow organically. The motifs are often built up gradually, where the theme repeats itself towards its final goal. This method he came to develop, and mastered it fully in the later third symphony. Like Beethoven, he renews his personal compositional technique and style with each new work. The second symphony was begun in the spring of 1901 during a year's stay with the family in Rapallo outside Genoa, Italy. It is partly inspired by Dante's Divine Comedy but also by the fate of Don Giovanni in Mozart's opera of the same name. This gives it a dramatic-heroic character, which is clearly audible not least in the last movement. In the slow second movement, he even directly borrows the Commendatore's theme from Don Giovanni and also uses the same dark key that is the basic key of the opera, D minor. But the symphony also carries traces of Italy's warmth and sun in its tonality, and with a little imagination you can also sense an undertone of longing for the homeland of Finland, for the bright summer nights and the lifelong love of nature in the Nordics. Despite Sibelius' habit of breaking down his themes into smaller components, something that sounded unusual at first to contemporary listeners, the symphony was nevertheless received with great enthusiasm. The work's underlying streak of patriotic pathos appealed to the Finns who thirsted for freedom from Tsarist rule. Friend and conductor Robert Kajanus said of the work that he heard "the most heartbreaking protest against all the injustices that threaten our time" but also that it promised new possibilities in the future. Officially, Sibelius opposed this interpretation, possibly out of fear of censorship and reprisals, but it is very possible that the intention was there anyway. In the finale, an echo from Mussorgsky's opera Boris Godunov is heard in the viola and cello part, from the scene where the monk Pimen enumerates the crimes of Tsar Boris. The ending is characterized by brilliance and rapture, and the music is lifted to bright heights - an ending that has few musical counterparts. Andreas Konvicka

The Gothenburg Symphony was formed in 1905 and today consists of 109 musicians. The orchestra's base is Göteborgs Konserthus, the funk gem at Götaplatsen that has gathered music lovers since 1935. Since the 2017-2018 season, Santtu-Matias Rouvali has been Chief conductor of the Gothenburg Symphony. 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. 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 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 Vocal Ensemble (GSVE) was formed in 2016 and consists of 12 professional singers. The ensemble works both as part of the Gothenburg Symphony Choir in major symphonic works performed together with the Gothenburg Symphony, and as an independent ensemble under the direction of Katie Thomas. GSVE is a group of experienced and versatile singers, who perform varied programs and explore a wide repertoire, from medieval music to newly commissioned works. The ensemble has previously collaborated with, among others, the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra and the Barockakademin Göteborgs Symfoniker and performs regular vocal programs both in Gothenburg's Concert Hall and around the Västra Götaland region.

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.