Göteborgs Konserthus Salonen Sinfonia Concertante

We are pleased to welcome Esa-Pekka Salonen back to the podium as conductor and composer. In his Concerto for Organ and Orchestra, he uses every imaginable register – true to his multifaceted artistry. We also hear the dazzling Poème de l’Extase by Scriabin.

It is time once again for a large organ concert at the Concert Hall! This time, conductor Esa-Pekka Salonen is on site to conduct his own composition, Sinfonia Concertante – a concerto for organ and orchestra. Salonen is a multifaceted artist, and a recent recipient of a Grammy Award for his recording of Kaija Saariaho’s opera Adriana Mater. His own compositions are powerful, often with a touch of humour, and not infrequently with electronic elements.

Sinfonia Concertante began to grow in spring 2020, when the world was stunned by the emerging pandemic. Esa-Pekka Salonen has explained that he initially struggled with the fact that a concert hall organ covers the entire spectrum of what an orchestra can produce in terms of sound, colour and dynamics.

The solution was to occasionally separate the organ and orchestra, so that the organ sometimes plays alone and sometimes plays as a small part of the orchestra.

As organ soloist in Salonen’s concerto, we have the pleasure to welcome back Olivier Latry, who has captivated audiences in Gothenburg before.

We also hear dazzling music by Alexander Scriabin. His tribute to ecstasy took inspiration from theosophy, a popular New Age trend of the early twentieth century. The tonal language leaves no room for doubt that the orchestra will reach an apex of emotion.

We hear Esa-Pekka Salonen in this concert thanks to the generous support of the Sten A. Olsson Foundation.

Introduction to the concert

Take a seat in the Great Hall one hour before the concert begins and learn more about the music you will soon experience! You will get the stories behind the music, knowledge of the composers and own reflections about the classical pieces. The introduction last for about 30 minutes, it is free and free seating in the hall. Welcome!