Under the direction of its chief conductor, the Konzerthausorchester builds musical bridges across the Atlantic and shows how Europe and America have discovered and celebrated each other in symphonic works: George Gershwin sent his compatriot through the capital of the French in 1928, which in his case sparkles with the jazz-drunk energy of the “Années folles” or “Roaring Twenties”.

Maurice Ravel composed his Piano Concerto in G major at the end of the 1920s after returning from a tour of America, where he had come into contact with jazz. This work reflects the fact that he was deeply impressed by its rhythmic diversity and harmonic color palette. Joana Mallwitz has known the soloist and current Artist in Residence Alice Sara Ott since she was a child: "Back then, we even studied with the same teacher. She is an absolute virtuoso. I have always been particularly impressed by the care and narrative arc with which she creates her programs. I feel very close to her in that respect."

Not only the Frenchman Ravel, but also the Bohemian Dvořák was inspired by local melodies and rhythms during an extended stay in the USA. The result, his Symphony No. 9 “From the New World”, has been a worldwide success story since its premiere in Carnegie Hall in 1893. The elegiac introduction to the slow movement by the cor anglais, which is allowed to sing its heart out, is particularly well-known.

Following the concert, there will be a post-concert discussion with Joana Mallwitz, Alice Sara Ott, and Artistic Director Tobias Rempe in the Great Hall.