Aus tiefster Seele

In general, Pyotr Tchaikovsky was a deep-seated sceptic – particularly when it came to himself. Time and again, he felt he was not creative enough, fearing he would fail to meet his own standards and those of others. His Fifth Symphony, too, was composed in the shadow of relentless self-criticism and all manner of agonising existential questions. Was the new work not, after all, a failure, a complete misstep? The rather modest success of the premiere in 1888 only reinforced the composer’s doubts. It was only after a triumphantly celebrated performance in Hamburg the following year that Tchaikovsky came to terms with his Fifth, which today ranks among the most popular works in the Romantic repertoire. This is probably also because the symphony deals with a theme that concerns each of us directly: fate in all its unpredictability. That is why the work is also known as the »Fate Symphony«. And indeed, the audience experiences a rollercoaster ride between gnawing unease, exuberant exuberance and deep resignation.

Edvard Grieg’s only piano concerto is a pianistic tour de force by a 25-year-old brimming with joie de vivre. A showpiece that made Grieg world-famous overnight and remains a staple in the repertoire of all great pianists to this day. The young piano star Eric Lu gazes into the clear light of the North and wanders at ease between mountain peaks and fjords. In his tribute to Norway’s sublime natural landscape, Grieg’s compatriot Eivind Groven provides material for the finest cinematic imagery, with the young Norwegian conductor Julie Røssland at the helm. The Gürzenich Orchestra’s charity concert is being held in aid of the »wir helfen« initiative of the Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger.