Andris Nelsons leads the orchestra in performances of Mozart Piano Concerto No 24 and Strauss Alpine Symphony

Mozart Symphony No 33
Mozart Piano Concerto No 24
Strauss Alpine Symphony

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Andris Nelsons conductor
Martin Helmchen piano

When Strauss was a boy, he and a group of climbers got lost on their way up a mountain and then got caught in a storm on the way down. In 1915 he wrote his Alpine Symphony depicting an adventurous mountain journey, not dissimilar to the one he experienced. Made up of 22 sections, each illustrating a part of the journey, Strauss describes such experiences as ‘The Ascent’, identifiable by a march theme, ‘Entry in the Forest’, with sounds of birdsong, yodelling and even sheep, through to more exciting and rugged encounters – ‘Through Thicket and Brier to Wrong Paths’, and ‘Dangerous Moment’. Strauss employs a large orchestra with the organ to portray the spectrum of colours of nature; in particular the percussion section includes wind machine, thunder machine, glockenspiel and cow bells.

"I shall call my alpine symphony: Der Antichrist, since it represents: moral purification through one's own strength, liberation through work, worship of eternal, magnificent nature." Richard Strauss

This concert will finish at approximately 9.35pm

Pre-concert talk 6.45pm
Albert Room
Julian Rushton discusses the evening’s works.
Entry is free to ticket-holders for the concert but space is limited so please arrive early to avoid disappointment.

Read a review of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra when they performed at Leeds Town Hall on Saturday 25 April 2009

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