The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra continues its cherished tradition of a Christmas Day matinee concert. In Decembre 2019, Franz Welser-Möst leads the prestigious ensemble in one of the greatest masterpieces of classical music: Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony!
A revolutionary composition that broke the boundaries of not just the symphonic repertoire (in particular with the addition of vocal soloists and a choir) but of Western art music in general, the legendary Symphony No. 9 in D Minor’s euphoric final movement sets Friedrich Schiller’s mellifluous poem “Ode to Joy”, a piece that has since become a favorite Christmas song the world over. For this performance Welser-Möst and the Concertgebouw are joined by the choir Groot Omroepkoor and a stellar group of soloists: soprano Tamara Wilson, mezzo-soprano Jennifer Johnston, tenor Norbert Ernst, and bass Franz-Josef Selig.
Photo: Franz Welser-Möst © Carl Juste