Migros-Culture-Percentage-Classics 180°

It is considered one of the oldest orchestras in the world: the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, founded in 1548 by Elector Moritz. Its conductors include such illustrious names as Heinrich Schütz, Johann Adolph Hasse, Carl Maria von Weber and, more recently, Karl Böhm, Kurt Sanderling and Bernhard Haitink. The ensemble, which has developed its own unique sound over the course of its history, is traditionally active in both concert and opera programmes, as well as touring the USA, Asia and the Arab world. When it comes to the best orchestras in the world, the Staatskapelle's name is mentioned with regularity; Richard Wagner once called it a "marvellous harp". Daniele Gatti will take over as Chief Conductor in Dresden at the start of the 2024/25 season.

Daniele Gatti studied at the Conservatorio Giuseppe Verdi in Milan. From August 2024, he will be Chief Conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden. He is Music Director of the Orchestra Mozart, Artistic Advisor to the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Chief Conductor of the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino. He was Music Director of the Teatro dell'Opera di Roma and has previously held prestigious positions at important music institutions such as the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, the Orchestre National de France, the Royal Opera House of London, the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, the Zurich Opera House and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. The Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala are just some of the renowned symphonic institutions with which he has worked. He has made recordings for the Sony Classical, RCO Live and C Major labels.

He is regarded by many experts as one of the best violinists in the world, and has been for four decades now: Frank Peter Zimmermann. His artistic spectrum is breathtaking, ranging from baroque to classical and romantic to contemporary works; he is just as much in demand as a chamber musician as he is as a soloist. Music is always at the centre of his work. As present as Zimmermann is on the concert stages of the world, he is just as reserved when it comes to media presentation. In order not to be restricted in his artistic freedom, he only releases on smaller, independent music labels. He has, of course, received prizes and honours in spite of this, or precisely because of it, from the Annual German Record Critics' Award to the Federal Cross of Merit First Class.

The prejudice that Robert Schumann's last works were characterised by waning inspiration persists to this day. One of the particularly tragic cases is the Violin Concerto, composed at the end of 1853, which Schumann's wife Clara and dedicatee Joseph Joachim kept under wraps for a long time. It is a jewel in which Schumann consistently pursues the path he had taken with the concertos for violin and cello: poetry instead of virtuosity, depth of soul instead of outward brilliance. With its melodic searching movements and its very own temporal structure, this darkly glowing work points far into the future.

Even though Robert Schumann only composed four symphonies, his contribution to the history of the genre cannot be overestimated. Each of these works has its very own formal and thematic focus: No. 3, composed in the high spirits of the new phase of his life in Düsseldorf, extends the traditional number of movements to five and establishes thematic links between the movements. It also conjures up images for us as we listen: Right at the beginning, you can hear the Rhine rushing past, the 4th movement is reminiscent of a solemn ceremony in Cologne Cathedral - the symphony therefore rightly bears its nickname "Rhenish".