Sinfonieorchester Basel, Ivor Bolton - Live from the Stadtcasino Basel (2020)

Tracklist

01. Die Weihe des Hauses, Op. 124: I. Overture (Live)
02. Trois Gymnopedies: III. Lent et douloureux (orchestrated by Claude Debussy [Live])
03. Vier Lieder, Op. 27: IV. Morgen! (Orchestra version, 1897 [Live])
04. Symphony No. 9, Op. 95 "From the New World": I. Adagio-Allegro molto (Live)
05. Symphony No. 9, Op. 95 "From the New World": II. Largo (Live)
06. Symphony No. 9, Op. 95 "From the New World": III. Scherzo, molto vivace (Live)
07. Symphony No. 9, Op. 95 "From the New World": IV. Allegro con fuoco (Live)



With the reopening of the Stadtcasino, the music city of Basel is getting back its unique sound jewel. After an intensive renovation phase, the Basel Symphony Orchestra, as the orchestra in residence at the Stadtcasino Basel, celebrated its return in August 2020 to the music hall, which was completed in 1876 according to the plans of Basel architect Johann Jakob Stehlin. The historic music hall is acoustically one of the best concert halls in the world. The prominent architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron, who are headquartered in Basel and have already designed several famous buildings and concert halls, most recently the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, was commissioned with the extension of the Stadtcasino.

The program of the concert from 26. August 2020 was all about the new opening and the impression of a new musical world forming after the Corona lockdown. The present recording was made as a co-production with SRF, which recorded the first concert of the symphony orchestra at its headquarters, the Stadtcasino Basel. The lavishly designed booklet presents numerous recordings of the opulent concert hall as well as an essay by Elke Heidenreich, who has been associated with the orchestra for years.

The beginning was Beethoven's overture "The Consecration of the House", with which the Theater in der Josefstadt in Vienna was opened in 1822. The composer himself stood at the podium at the time - as conductor of his own premiere. With Debussy's orchestration of the 3. Gymnopédies floated a wealth of delicate timbres weightlessly into the restored concert hall. Satie described his music as "musique d "ameublement" a furnishing music, which can also be understood symbolically as the tonal furnishing of the music hall. In the orchestral song "Morgen" by Richard Strauss, soprano Christina Landshamer presented herself as Artist in Residence. Dvorak's 9th. Finally, the first symphony "From the New World" was symbolic of the very special start to a new chapter of music with the Basel Symphony Orchestra under the baton of its principal conductor Ivor Bolton. The evening was a highly acclaimed success for the orchestra, the soloists and the conductor. The Süddeutsche Zeitung praised "the wonderfully clear and fresh resonance", while the NZZ raved: "a wonderful concert hall". The Abendzeitung Munich simply stated: "When Swiss people dream". Now also for the coming visitors to Basel!

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