So, I went all the way to Leipzig for this one. I was looking for something to do one Thursday evening, and I was advised that the Gewandhausorchester zu Leipzig was playing a concert that I had a high likelihood of enjoying. So I did my research and concluded that it was worth travelling there from Berlin. I am glad that I did.
There were three pieces on the program. The first one was Alfred Schnittke's Concerto for Viola and Orchestra (1985), with French violist Antoine Tamestit. I saw him once in early 2024, performing Widmann's Viola Concerto, which I learned he himself commissioned. And I was impressed with that, hence I thought that was another argument why I should see this one. And indeed, the Schnittke concerto was a fascinating piece. Written for Yuri Bashmet, this is a cornerstone of polystylism. It features a large orchestra (including a prominent harpsichord and piano, but mind you, no violins) but often feels chamber-like and claustrophobic. The music oscillates between haunting, slow-moving elegies and aggressive, "broken" marches. It uses a "DSCH-like" motif, which is common in Soviet era works, to create a sense of personal struggle. I definitely recognise the post-Soviet DNA, similar to works of Sofia Gubaidulina and Dmitri Shostakovich. It also shares the dissonant intensity of Krzysztof Penderecki’s concertos.
After the intermission, they played Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Symphony in G Minor, KV 183. Known as the "Little G minor" symphony, this is Mozart in his Sturm und Drang phase. It is scored for a modest orchestra (strings, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, and 4 horns). Unlike his later, more "perfect" symphonies, this one is jagged, featuring syncopated rhythms and wide melodic leaps that signify agitation and anxiety. However, this is the "classical music for the masses" I generally try to avoid. While it is more "edgy" than a standard Mozart divertimento, it remains firmly rooted in the 18th-century tonal tradition. Given my dislike for even some later Romantic works like Bruckner, this definitely felt too "tame" and predictable for my tastes.
However, the third piece was something I enjoyed. They played Arthur Honegger's Symphony No. 3 "Symphonie Liturgique". I actually know nothing about Honegger's works: he is a composer I still haven't explored. Written in the immediate aftermath of WWII, this symphony is a triptych based on the Catholic Mass: Dies irae, De profundis clamavi, and Dona nobis pacem. It is characterized by brutal, mechanical rhythms, massive orchestral swells, and a sense of "man against the machine." The orchestration is dense, often featuring a whirring or pounding quality. It had the rhythmic ferocity that puts me on the edge of my seat. It satisfies my craving for complexity and percussive energy. I enjoy the "industrial" pulse of composers like Iannis Xenakis and Steve Reich, and while Honegger is more tonal than Xenakis, the sheer physical force of the Liturgique resonates with me. Plus, my appreciation for Messiaen indicates that I am not allergic to "liturgical" themes as long as they are presented with modern sonic weight.
So yes, the Schnittke and Honegger are world-class matches for my specific interests in density, grit, and post-war history. The Mozart felt like a bit of a "palate cleanser" that I didn't actually ask for, but at least it was a short piece, and the strength of the other two pieces made this a concert very much worth my time.
