Classical concerts

Serge Rachmaninoff was strengthened by the success of Piano Concerto No. 2, which led him to attempt the symphonic form yet again – thank goodness. The brilliant Symphony No. 2 is deeply emotional, with a warm, overflowing flood of melodies. 

The Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra is led here by Fredrik Burstedt, who is also active as a violinist and first concertmaster with the Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra. He studied conducting with the legendary Jorma Panula, among others, and has conducted many Swedish orchestras as well as numerous opera productions, including at the Royal Swedish Opera and Vattnäs Konsertlada.

Dutch violinist Janine Jansen is a beloved and frequent performer at Konserthuset. With such empathy and intensity, few can captivate an audience like Jansen. At this concert, Janine Jansen and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra perform a new violin concerto by Britta Byström. 

Byström comments, “In this violin concerto, the soloist moves between ‘day music’ and ‘night music.’ The swirling and light day music becomes shorter and shorter as the night music lengthens – we hear all of the orchestral sounds that emerge as darkness falls. Composing for Janine Jansen has always been a dream for me and this piece is inspired by her expressive style.”

Spanish conductor Jaime Martín also leads the orchestra in Brahms’ Serenade No. 1. It would take time before Brahms presented a symphony, but the 25-year-old’s growing mastery of the orchestral form is evident here in this lyrical and heartfelt music. Jaime Martín was chief conductor of the Gävle Symphony Orchestra until recently and is now chief conductor of both the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland.

Dutch violinist Janine Jansen is a beloved and frequent performer at Konserthuset. With such empathy and intensity, few can captivate an audience like Jansen. At this concert, Janine Jansen and the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra perform a new violin concerto by Britta Byström. 

Byström comments, “In this violin concerto, the soloist moves between ‘day music’ and ‘night music.’ The swirling and light day music becomes shorter and shorter as the night music lengthens – we hear all of the orchestral sounds that emerge as darkness falls. Composing for Janine Jansen has always been a dream for me and this piece is inspired by her expressive playing.”

Spanish conductor Jaime Martín also leads the orchestra in Brahms’ Serenade No. 1. It would take time before Brahms presented a symphony, but the 25-year-old’s growing mastery of the orchestral form is evident here in this lyrical and heartfelt music. Jaime Martín was chief conductor of the Gävle Symphony Orchestra until recently and is now chief conductor of both the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra of Ireland.

Sibelius’ Violin Concerto is one of the most played of all violin concertos composed in the twentieth century. Sibelius, himself a violinist, may have composed the concerto he would have wanted to play himself – even if it was at a technical level that far exceeded his own – in a farewell to his youthful dream of a career as a violin virtuoso. With the unparalleled Dutch violinist Janine Jansen, we can await a captivating, intense and emotional adventure.

Before his departure to the “new world”, America, Antonín Dvorák composed his life-affirming Eighth Symphony. As ever with Sibelius, this music is naturalistic and filled with roaring energy. We hear plenty of Bohemian folk melodies and dancing movement here. Do we also hear a forest filled with birdsong, and nostalgic longing for home?

The concert opens with music by Swedish Andrea Tarrodi. Camelopardalis is the Latin name for the giraffe constellation. In the middle of Tarrodi’s piece, the giraffe’s theme is presented by the bassoon. 

It is our great delight to welcome the return of Austrian conductor Manfred Honeck to the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra. In recent years, he has established a close relationship with the orchestra and last conducted the Nobel Prize Concert in 2022. Honeck is chief conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and has been familiar to many listeners in Sweden over the years as chief conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra.