Concert Two

'Johann Sebastian Bach is inextricably tied to the city of Leipzig, where he was Cantor of the St Thomas School from 1723 until his death in 1750, during which time he led performances of his own cantatas each Sunday. Musicians from the Gewandhaus Orchestra continue this tradition to this day, performing Bach cantatas with the St Thomas Choir in the St Thomas Church Leipzig every week. 

Mozart’s Serenade in C minor was composed shortly before the composer travelled to Leipzig to perform in the Gewandhaus in 1789. The defiantly dark and mysterious character of this work for wind octet introduces Richard Strauss’ contemplative study, “Metamorphosen”. Originally for 23 solo strings and performed here in the version for string septet, Strauss, who regularly conducted the Gewandhaus Orchestra in performances of his own operas from 1915 onwards, explores the idea of metamorphosis in this dramatic and moving work, composed in the aftermath of World War II.'

– Tahlia Petrosian, Curator

Yun-Jin Cho
Violin

Karl Heinrich Niebuhr
Violin

Tahlia Petrosian
Curator and Viola

Axel von Huene
Cello

Burak Marlali
Double Bass

Edgar Hesske
Clarinet

Axel Benoit
Bassoon

Simen Fegran
Horn

Johann Sebastian Bach
Ricercar a 6 from Musikalisches Opfer, BWV 1079 (8′)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Serenade in C minor, K. 388 (25′)

Richard Strauss
Metamorphosen (arr. for string septet by Rudolf Leopold) (26′)