Gewandhausorchester 275th Anniversary Gala: Bruckner Symphony No. 7

Only a few weeks into his new role as musical director, Andris Nelsons conducted a gala concert to mark the 275th anniversary of the founding of the Gewandhausorchester in Leipzig. One of the most important recent projects between the orchestra and Nelsons was a cycle of Anton Bruckner’s symphonies and it was the Austrian composer's Seventh Symphony that was chosen to mark the special occasion. Arguably his most famous composition, it was premiered in Leipzig in 1884. The slow movement was composed during the time of Richard Wagner's final illness – and Wagner died while Bruckner was still working on it – and makes memorable use of Wagner tubas, instruments which the older composer had developed for use in his Ring cycle.

Ensemble: 

Gewandhausorchester Leipzig

Conductor: 

Andris Nelsons