The Firebird with The Royal Swedish Army Band

The Royal Swedish Army Band presents two masterpieces: Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder and Stravinsky’s The Firebird.

Gustav Mahler’s sorrowful song cycle, Kindertotenlieder for voice and orchestra, is based on Friedrich Rückert’s poems Songs on the Death of Children. Mahler’s beautiful late-romantic music reflects the resignation and sorrow that infuses the poems. As soloist, we hear the coveted English baritone Jeremy Carpenter. He has performed at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in London, is a regular guest at the Royal Swedish Opera, and has also performed as soloist at the Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Grand Théâtre de Genève and Angers Nantes Opéra.

Stravinsky composed the ballet The Firebird for the Russian ballet in Paris. It is based on a Russian folktale and the astonishingly beautiful, sometimes fearsome music was an immediate success at the premiere in 1910.

We also hear music by Swedish composer Jonas Olofsson. His Peal of Northern Winds was composed for the Royal Swedish Army Band and had its world premiere in Falun in 2023. The piece describes the magnificent landscape of Norrland, Sweden, but the inspiration is also from films that Olofsson grew up with, such as Star Wars, A Space Odyssey and music from various video games.

The Royal Swedish Army Band in Stockholm is Sweden’s biggest marching band and has an excellent reputation both nationally and internationally. The ensemble has 53 full-time musicians and is tasked with providing state ceremonial music. This includes the changing of the guard at Stockholm’s Royal Palace, state visits, audiences and royal ceremonies for the courts and government.