Die Jahreszeiten
Crowing cockerels, stifling heat, melting snow, chirping birds, burbling streams, lowing cattle and a storm overhead: The Seasons show trusty old Haydn would have made a first-rate film composer. The rhythm of the seasons within the oratorio can be read as mirroring the stages of life, from youth (spring) to adulthood (summer), maturity (autumn), old age and death (winter). There is also an unmistakeably religious side to the allegory in Haydn’s masterpiece: the cycle of the seasons, with the annual resurgence of spring, symbolises faith in eternal life after death. Supported by a cast of powerful voices, principal guest conductor Philippe Herreweghe delves deep into the lavish symbolism of Haydn’s classic oratorio to extract its rich vein of musical gold.
Programme
Haydn The Seasons, Hob XXI:3
Performers
Maximilian Schmitt
tenor
Florian Boesch
bass
Collegium Vocale Gent
choir
Christina Landshamer
soprano