Hartmut Haenchen conducts the seventh symphony of Gustav Mahler. Symphony No. 7 in E minor was composed between 1904 and 1906 and is in five movements. Although the symphony is often described as E minor, its tonal scheme is more complicated. The first movement of the symphony moves from B minor (introduction) to E minor, and the work ends with a final rondo in C major. As Dika Newlin pointed out, “in this symphony Mahler returns to the ideal of ‘progressive tonality‘ that he had abandoned in the Sixth”. The complexity of the tonal scheme of the work has been analyzed in terms of “interlocking structures” by Graham George.
Even for the organic of this symphony Mahler’s composition includes unusual instruments, such as the guitar, mandolin, baritone flugelhorn and cowbell. Mahler finished the composition on August 15, 1905, while the orchestration was completed the following year; later he set aside the work to complete the orchestration of the Sixth Symphony whose first performance was scheduled for May 1906. The first performance of the Seventh Symphony took place on September 19, 1908 at the National Theatre in Prague, on the occasion of the jubilee celebrations of Emperor Franz Joseph (in the presence of Austrian composer Alban Berg and German conductor Otto Klemperer).
Hartmut Haenchen occupies a very first place in international musical life and is particularly known and appreciated for his interpretations of Richard Strauss, Wagner and Mahler. Born in Dresden, Germany, Hartmut Haenchen was principal conductor of the Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest and musical director of the Dutch National Opera. During his 13-year term, he conducted an extensive operatic repertoire, including works by Alban Berg, Georg Friedrich Händel, Modest Mussorgsky, Aribert Reimann and Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner. He directed the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, the Orchester Symphonique de la Monnaie, the New Japan Philharmonic, the Orchestra of the National Academy of Santa Cecilia, the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden and the Berlin Philharmonic. He also conducted “Parsifal” at the Bayreuth Festival, “Tristan and Isolde” at the Opéra de Lyon and “Cosi fan tutte” at the Grand Théâtre de Genève. In 2008 he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit of the Republic of Germany. “Opernwelt” magazine named him Director of the Year in 2017.
Website: www.teatrolafenice.it
Location: La Fenice Opera House, Venice
Schedule: December 12 – 13, 2020 – CONCERTS SUSPENDED
Hour: Sat 8 pm – Sun 5 pm
