The four seasons

PROGRAMME

Sturm und Drang – Music Full of Passion

Dramatic minor keys, stark contrasts and driving rhythms shape the world of Sturm und Drang. Johann Christian Bach, Joseph Haydn and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart reveal how a new and immediate expressive power emerged in the 18th century. Haydn’s Symphony No. 39 in G minor impresses with its unusual scoring for four horns, while Mozart’s Symphony No. 25 in G minor combines youthful fire with a sense of fateful drama.

Vivaldi – The Four Seasons

Birdsong, thunderstorms, dance and wintry cold: in Antonio Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons, nature becomes music. The four violin concertos are among the best-known works of the Baroque era, combining virtuosic solo passages with vivid musical imagery. Spring brings birdsong and festive melodies, summer oppressive heat and a dramatic thunderstorm, autumn leads into a world of dance and celebration, while winter comes alive through cold, movement and sharp contrasts. Few works demonstrate more impressively how directly music can evoke images and emotions.

Mozart – Between Drama and Perfection

Mozart’s Symphonies Nos. 25 and 40 in G minor are among his most striking works in this key. The early Symphony K. 183 is filled with youthful restlessness and dramatic energy, while the later K. 550 unfolds a deeper world of tension and expression. The famous Jupiter Symphony, K. 551, ultimately demonstrates Mozart’s unique ability to combine melodic richness with formal clarity and masterful counterpoint.

Beethoven – Expression and Musical Power

Ludwig van Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is one of the most influential works in classical music. From a short, unmistakable motif, a great musical arc unfolds – driven by tension, rhythmic force and the liberating progression from C minor to C major.

The Romance for Violin and Orchestra in F major reveals a very different side of his musical language: its lyrical melody and intimate dialogue between solo violin and orchestra open up a delicate, song-like world of expression.

Mendelssohn – Early Masterpieces

The Symphonic Movement in C minor (1823) and the posthumously published Violin Concerto in D minor (1822) offer a glimpse into Mendelssohn’s early creative years. Both works reveal a young composer who already knew how to combine classical form with melodic inventiveness and expressive use of sound.