Göteborgs Konserthus Songs of Hope and Joy

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Spirituality, humanism and symphonic magnificence. Under the baton of young French conductor Samy Rachid, the Gothenburg Symphony present three generations of composers from France, Sweden and Germany – Lili Boulanger, Elfrida Andrée and Felix Mendelssohn. Together, the work of these three composers forms an evening of prayer, manifesto and celebration.

The evening begins with Lili Boulanger’s Pie Jesu for soprano, organ and harp. It is a gripping and sincere farewell composed shortly before the composer’s far too early death. Next, we hear yet another female composer: one of Sweden’s pioneers of her time. Elfrida Andrée’s powerful Organ Symphony No. 2 was composed in the French symphonic tradition with Nordic clarity, and offers orchestral imagination and faith in the power of music.

The concert concludes with Felix Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 2, called Lobgesang – a monumental work for orchestra, choir and soloists. Composed in honour of the inventor Gutenberg, this is a symphony that becomes a hymn. It is a tribute to mankind’s creative ability and, not least, to one of the era’s most powerful tools: the printed word.

The evening’s conductor is Samy Rachid, who is now performing in Gothenburg for the first time. As soloists, we hear sopranos Elin Eriksson and Karin Torbjörnsdóttir and the prominent South African tenor Siyabunga Maqungo.

Come closer

Have a seat in the Great Hall an hour before the concert and let the introduction open the door to the stories behind the works, facts about the composers and personal reflections. The introduction is included in your ticket, lasts about 30 minutes and has free seating in the hall.