1st Symphony Concert

Here, variation is not mere ornamentation, but movement.

Gerhard Markson guides us through an evening that conceives of sound as a living process: Johannes Brahms’s Haydn Variations open with focused energy—clear lines, springy rhythms, a constant glow beneath the surface. Music that transforms without losing its core.

The focus is on Sonja Villforth performing Gerald Finzi’s Clarinet Concerto. Her tone combines warmth and presence, suppleness and character. The clarinet tells its story in sweeping arcs, finding intimate hues while still setting striking accents—lyrical, yet never sentimental, agile, and always taut. Edward Elgar’s Enigma Variations for large orchestra conclude the evening as a multi-layered panorama: characters emerge, moods shift, dynamics intensify. Between subtle irony and grand gestures, a compelling pull takes hold. A concert full of definition, breath, and sonic intensity.

Johannes Brahms (1833–1897): Haydn Variations

Gerald Finzi (1901–1956): Clarinet Concerto

Edward Elgar (1857–1934): Enigma Variations

Freiburg Philharmonic Orchestra

Conductor | Gerhard Markson

INTRODUCTION | 6:45 p.m.