Herbert Blomstedt, Gewandhausorchester – Nielsen 3 & Beethoven 7

Since his time as chief conductor of the Leipzig Gewandhausorchester between 1998 and 2005, Herbert Blomstedt – now its honorary conductor – has returned to Leipzig every year to conduct one or more always celebrated concerts. In May 2015, he conducted Carl Nielsen’s Symphony No. 3 and Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No.7 in three sold-out concerts at the Gewandhaus.

The combination of these two symphonies was also one of the first concerts Blomstedt conducted during his time in Leipzig, even then bringing the people in the audience to their feet and making them discover the music of Danish composer Carl Nielsen, whose works – until then – had only been rarely played in German concert halls. In 2015, 150 years after Nielsen’s birth, the combination and juxtaposition of his Third with Beethoven’s Seventh was again a big success.

The Beethoven 7 is included in the CD box with all Beethoven Symphonies with Herbert Blomstedt and the Gewandhausorchester, released in 2017 in celebration of Herbert Blomstedt’s 90^th birthday.

Carl Nielsen (1865-1931)
Symphony No. 3 op. 27 (“Sinfonia espansiva”)
For orchestra and two voices (Soprano and Baritone)
Katja Stuber, Soprano
Daniel Ochoa, baritone

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Symphony No. 7 in A-major op. 92

Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Herbert Blomstedt, conductor