Gürzenich Orchestra of Cologne

The Gürzenich Orchestra of Cologne is one of Germany's leading orchestras and can look back on a great tradition. Its roots extend all the way back to the founding of the Domkapelle (cathedral orchestra) in the 15th century. Since 1857 the orchestra has been presenting its 'community concerts' of the Cologne Concert Society at the Gürzenich, the gothic festival hall of the city which is reflected in the orchestra's name to the present day. The ensemble's level of excellence has always attracted the leading soloists, conductors and composers of the respective period, including Hector Berlioz, Richard Wagner and Igor Stravinsky. Important works such as Johanes Brahms's Double Concerto, and Richard Strauss's Till Eulenspiegel and Don Quixote as well as Gustav Mahler's 5th Symphony were entrusted to the Gürzenich Orchestra for their world premieres.

Since 1986, the ensemble's home has been at the Cologne Philharmonie, where it presents about 50 concerts annually, simultaneously giving over 160 performances a year at the Cologne Opera. The current music director, whose title is Gürzenich Kapellmeister, is Markus Stenz. Under his aegis the orchestra introduced the internationally unique project 'GO live!' and the '3rd Act': nearly all the concerts of the Gürzenich Orchestra at the Cologne Philharmonie are recorded live and sold immediately afterwards as 'instant CDs' or for storage on the MP3 player. The '3rd Act' is an item on the programme at the end of the symphony concerts during which unknown works are performed. The numerous CD recordings of the orchestra have received awards on many occasions, a prime example being the complete recordings of the symphonies of Dmitri Shostakovich and Sergei Prokofiev with Dmitri Kitajenko, Conductor Laureate of the Gürzenich Orchestra. The recording of the 5th Symphony of Gustav Mahler, from the complete recording now being made under the direction of Markus Stenz, was included in the top list of the German Recording Prize. The new CD-Release with Strauss I and The Merry Pranks of Till Eulenspiegel has set new standards and has already been chosen by the BBC Music Magazine as 'Disc of the Month'. The orchestra gives regular guest performances under the direction of Markus Stenz on international concert podiums, including those in Vienna, Athens, Thessaloniki, at the Edinburgh International Festival, in London at the BBC Proms as well as at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.

The Gürzenich Orchestra also invests a great deal of its energies in the 'Ohren auf!' ('Open your ears!') program: working with children and young people, the program offers special children's and family concerts for every age group throughout the year. In 2007 the Gürzenich-Orchestra, under the baton of Markus Stenz, went on a highly acclaimed tour of China including concerts in Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou and Guangzhou. In 2010 they were invited with the Opera Cologne for the first complete performance of Richard Wagner's cycle of operas “Ring des Nibelungen' during the EXPO in Shanghai, including an open-air concert. Guest conductors and soloists of the recent seasons included names such as Fabio Luisi, Sir Mark Elder, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Katia & Marielle Labeque, Hélène Grimaud, Truls Mork, Nelson Freire, Martin Grubinger and Sabine Meyer.

Programme

Overture to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

Clarinet Concerto in A major, K. 622

1. Allegro

2. Adagio

3. Rondo: Allegro

Clarinet: Sabine Mayer

——Intermission——

An Alpine Symphony, Op. 64

1. Nacht (Night)

2. Sonnenaufgang (Sunrise)

3. Der Anstieg (The Ascent)

4. Eintritt in den Wald (Entry into the Wood)

5. Wanderung neben dem Bache (Wandering by the Stream)

6. Am Wasserfall (At the Waterfall)

7. Erscheinung (Apparition)

8. Auf blumigen Wiesen (On Flowering Meadows)

9. Auf der Alm (On the Alpine Pasture)

10. Durch Dickicht und Gestrupp auf Irrwegen

(Straying through Thicket and Undergrowth)

11. Auf dem Gletscher (On the Glacier)

12. Gefahrvolle Augenblicke (Dangerous Moments)

13. Auf dem Gipfel (On the Summit)

14. Vision (Vision)

15. Nebel steigen auf (Mists rise)

16. Die Sonne verdustert sich allmahlich

(The Sun gradually darkens)

17. Elegie(Elegy)

18. Stille vor der Sturm (Calm before the Storm)

19. Gewitter und Sturm, Abstieg

(Thunder and Storm, Descent)

20. Sonnenuntergang (Sunset)

21. Ausklang (Final Sounds)

22. Nacht (Night)

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