Conductor François-Xavier Roth is making his debut with the Konzerthausorchester. The programme features ‘Alaraph’ by our Artist in Residence, Unsuk Chin, composed in 2022, and Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 4, which premiered in 1881.

An “Alaraph” is what is known as a “heartbeat star” with a regular pulsation. These are “pulsating, variable binary star systems in eccentric orbits, whose oscillations are caused by tidal forces. The star’s light curve resembles the pattern of a heartbeat on an electrocardiogram when its brightness is recorded over time.“

It is safe to say that, during the composition of his Fourth Symphony – a process that, as was his custom, was rather long – Anton Bruckner’s background knowledge of cardiology played no part whatsoever. However, the so-called “Romantic” Symphony does make many hearts beat faster – particularly those of horn players: it begins with a famous horn call, and throughout the symphony the horn section – and, incidentally, all fans of this wonderful brass instrument in the audience – get their money’s worth.