Upper Austrian Philharmonic Orchestra - Gala concert

The power of destiny

In this concert series, the OBERÖSTERREICH PHILHARMONIE - the orchestra launched by founder and conductor Matthias Achleitner in 2021 - musically explores the omnipresent and central question of fate.

We begin with the first march from Edward Elgar's "Pomp and Cirumstance", which is usually directly associated with royal ceremonies and life-deciding moments or changes and allows us to look at the countless positive effects of fate. We then turn our attention to one of the most fateful operatic figures par excellence, Georges Bizet's "Carmen" - the most popular melodies can be heard: from the prelude and intermezzo to the world-famous Habanera and the torero song. Another association with fate is the devil, and Joseph Hellmesberger junior has found an incredibly impressive tonal language for it in his furious "Danse Diabolique". The crowning finale of the first half of the concert is the overture to Giuseppe Verdi's "La forza del destino". With restless, very fast string figures, melancholy woodwind melodies and powerful brass chorales, this overture presents the power of fate in an impressive musical way with great variety.
The highlight of the concert awaits in the second part with Tchaikovsky's 5th Symphony in E minor. In this monumental work, the composer explored the question of fate and faith, which is why it is often referred to as the "Symphony of Fate". The 4 movements are permeated by a common leitmotif - the "fate motif". The first movement begins with precisely this motif out of nowhere - utter despondency and doubt form the basic mood of this movement. The second movement contains what is probably the most moving horn solo in music history, described by Tchaikovsky as a "ray of light". Several outbursts of the highest passion are ultimately cruelly interrupted by the motif of fate. This motif is also heard at the end of the light-hearted 3rd movement - a slow waltz. In the finale, the fate motif is now different; it is no longer despondent but majestic, in a major instead of a minor key. After the fast-paced main section, which is finally determined and confident of victory, the motif is heard one last time as a bombastic triumphal march and Tchaikovsky ends his masterpiece in a whirling frenzy.