Beethoven and Pejacevic

Beethoven was drawn to figures, fictional or real, who dared to stand up against injustices. Egmont in Goethe's drama of the same name was one such fictional but clearly influential figure for Beethoven. In the overture, he summarizes the drama, from the slow introduction through tragedy to a triumphant conclusion.

The orchestra is led by the young and increasingly renowned Czech conductor Jirí Rozen, who is making his debut with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra.

In Dora Pejacevic's music, traces of Wagner, Brahms, and Bruckner can be found, but it is also strongly personal with rich colors and profound seriousness. After a cautious, slow introduction, the contrastive and determined music of this symphony from 1918 unfolds, painting vivid natural scenes. The music also contains exuberant pirouettes that are swept away by dazzling outbursts towards the end. It is an impressive work by a composer who was long neglected.