NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra / Andris Poga
Wagner / Schostakowitsch
Childhood and heroism in quotation marks
Wagner and Shostakovich? How do they fit together? Better than you might think! In his final symphony, the Fifteenth of 1971, the Russian symphonic composer quoted a whole host of motifs from operas by the influential German composer. In a twentieth century characterised by war and terror, the heroism of past eras could only find a place as a »quotation in inverted commas«. With his usual subtle and ironic style, the 65-year-old Shostakovich, in his symphonic summary, took stock of life and music history – including a portrait of »childhood« with a »toyshop« and a »cloudless sky« in the first movement.
Sparing instrumentations, as Shostakovich favoured in his Fifteenth, were not exactly Richard Wagner’s trademark. The opera guru became famous in part because of his huge orchestras and oversized music dramas. But he did once employ the intimate form of the piano lied in order to pour very personal emotions and experiences into music: the songs incorporating poems by Mathilde Wesendonck to music are artistic testimonies to Wagner’s passionate feelings for the poet.
Performers
NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester
Nina Stemme soprano
conductor Andris Poga
Programme
Richard Wagner
Vorspiel zu »Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg« WWV 96
Fünf Gedichte für Frauenstimme und Klavier »Wesendonck-Lieder« WWV 91A
Dmitri Schostakowitsch
Sinfonie Nr. 15 A-Dur op. 141
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