Recorded in May 2011 in the gorgeous Gewandhaus Leipzig, this concert demonstrates a powerful orchestra as well as a perfect mastery in singing. Once more, Riccardo Chailly reaches a peak with the Gewandhausorchester. His love for Mahler, whose symphonies he has conducted many times (notably during the 2010-2011 season, when the world was commemorating the hundredth anniversary of the composer's death), give Chailly an incredible amount of energy, a transcendantal power of communication with the musicians. Mahler's Symphony No. 2 was also one of Claudio Abbado's most beloved symphonies – and Riccardo Chailly served as Abbado's assistant at La Scala when he was 20.
In this recording, Chailly is joined by Sarah Connolly in "Urlicht." The last movement gathers three choirs (the Rundfunkchor Berlin, the MDR Rundfunkchor Leipzig and the GewandhausChor) as well as soprano Christiane Oelze and mezzo-soprano Sarah Connolly.
The long relationship between Riccardo Chailly and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig started in 1986 with a highly acclaimed concert at the Salzburg Festival. Riccardo Chailly currently assumes the position of Gewandhauskapellmeister. He has recorded many albums with the orchestra, notably the complete Brahms symphonies, which was recently awarded the BBC Music Magazine Orchestral Award.
