Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducts Weber, Schumann and Mendelssohn — With Isabelle Faust and Kristian Bezuidenhout
London Symphony Orchestra
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Cast
Program notes
Under the masterful baton of Sir John Eliot Gardiner, the extraordinary London Symphony Orchestra joins forces with stupendous soloists Isabelle Faust and Kristian Bezuidenhout for a world-class performance of Weber’s Euryanthe Overture, Mendelssohn’s Concerto for Piano, Violin, and Strings in D Minor, and Schumann’s Symphony No. 3 in E-flat.
First staged on October 25, 1823, Weber’s Euryanthe is a grand, three-act opera based on a 13th-century tale of chivalry and romance. Breaking the conventions of Singspiel by merging music and dialogue, the work is emblematic of the Germanic lyric style characterizing the early Romantic period. The orchestral overture is courtly and elegant, featuring a lively recurring motif that contrasts with the central, forlorn string passage—effectively depicting the mixed fortune of Euryanthe of Savoy.
In the same year as Euryanthe’s premiere, Mendelssohn composed his Double Concerto in D Minor, having only just turned 14. Deriving inspiration from Classical-era models and Weber’s own Konzertstück in F Minor, the concerto exhibits expressive modulations and virtuosic solo passages. Ending the program is Schumann’s Third Symphony (known as "Rhenish"), a lyrical and joyous work influenced by his peaceful trip to the Rhineland with his wife, Clara.
