Sagenhaft

Paths indicate movement. Movement encompasses very different possibilities: straight
ahead, of course, but also circular, in a spiral ever closer to the centre – or vice versa, always striving outwards toward infinity. Paths can be taken quickly or slowly, alone or by several people together. And once you start looking at various speeds of movement at the same time, things get exciting. A case in point is the Violin Concerto by the British composer and allround genius Thomas Adès, whose work is featured repeatedly by the Gürzenich Orchestra this season. In this brilliant work, Adès has soloist and orchestra, themes and tempos, styles and colours circle one another – ever more closely intertwining, with a virtuosity that makes this one of the most important Violin Concertos of our present time. No wonder that it has been performed more than a thousand times since its world premiere in 2005. That is quite an achievement. Sakari Oramo, Artistic Partner of the Gürzenich Orchestra, joins his Finnish compatriots Tami Pohjola and Jean Sibelius on an excursion into the world of Nordic sagas, recounting four legends from the distant past and letting the mysterious Swan of Tuonela float in its quiet circles.