Vienna Philharmonic | Franz Welser-Möst

Vienna Philharmonic
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor

Wolfgang Amadé Mozart: Symphony in D major, K. 504 "Prague"
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 6 in B minor, Op. 74 "Pathétique"

Tchaikovsky's Sixth Symphony, his last work, is shrouded in myth. At the end of October 1893, the composer himself conducted the world premiere, but nine days later he was dead, a victim of the cholera which was rampant in St. Petersburg at the time. He had been infected by drinking unboiled water, and the question quickly arose as to whether he had perhaps drunk it intentionally – whether it might not have been a case of a veiled suicide. In any case, the ebbing finale of the Pathétique seems to anticipate Tchaikovsky's end. Many therefore believed that he had written his own requiem with this symphony. What is beyond doubt is that the music is moving. It is relentlessly honest and direct and never fails to make an impact on the audience. Franz Welser-Möst combines this poignant farewell with music by Tchaikovsky's great idol, Wolfgang Amadé Mozart — a completely different sound world. The Prague Symphony breathes the air of the stage, drawing on Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro and anticipating "Don Giovanni". The peppery final movement ignites musical fireworks that, simply put, will leave you in a good mood.

Photo © Peter Fischli / Lucerne Festival

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