Bamberg Symphony to deliver a masterful performance of works by Brahms, Schumann, and Wagner

With a musical lineage stretching back to the 18th and 19th centuries — to Mahler and Mozart — Germany’s Bamberg Symphony is a favorite around the world. The premier ensemble makes its Virginia debut at the Moss Arts Center on Friday, April 26, at 7:30 p.m. with an evocative program featuring works by Johannes Brahms, Robert Schumann, and Richard Wagner.

The program is inspired by New Yorker music critic and Pulitzer Prize finalist Alex Ross’ recent book “Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music,” which explores Wagner’s complicated, many-sided legacy and his colossal influence on music, art, and culture. Maestro Jakub Hrůša — renowned for his partnership with Bamberg Symphony as well as for his guest-conducting with orchestras such as the Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, and Chicago Symphony — leads a beautiful program that features Wagner’s “Lohengrin” Prelude I and “Tannhäuser” Overture. 

In addition to Wagner, the program features work from his German contemporaries, Brahms and Schumann. Acclaimed virtuoso pianist Hélène Grimaud joins the orchestra for Schumann’s dazzling "Piano Concerto in A minor."

The Bamberg Symphony is the only world-renowned orchestra that is not based in a major metropolis. The orchestra is known for its characteristically dark, somber, and warm sound, sharing the musical echo of its hometown with the world since 1946. With almost 7,500 concerts in over 500 cities and 64 countries, the symphony has become a cultural ambassador for Bavaria and the whole of Germany.

Bamberg Symphony revisits its historic roots more than 75 years after it was founded, with Czech-born Hrůša as its fifth chief conductor, leading the orchestra since September 2016. He also serves as principal guest conductor of both the Czech Philharmonic and the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia. He appears frequently as a guest with the world’s greatest orchestras, including the Berlin, Vienna, Munich, and New York philharmonics; the Bavarian Radio, NHK, Chicago, and Boston symphonies; the Leipzig Gewandhaus, Lucerne Festival, Royal Concertgebouw, Mahler Chamber, and the Cleveland orchestras; the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France; Dresden Staatskapelle; Orchestre de Paris; and Tonhalle Orchester Zürich.

Renaissance woman Grimaud is a deeply passionate and committed musical artist whose pianistic accomplishments play a central role in her life. Grimaud has received many prestigious awards for her work, including the Cannes Classical Recording of the Year, Choc du Monde de la Musique, Diapason d’or, Grand Prix du Disque, Record Academy Prize (Tokyo), Midem Classic Award, and the Echo Klassik Award. For her latest album, she has explored Silvestrov’s vocal music.

This performance is supported in part by Minnis and Louise Ridenour and David and Judie Reemsnyder.

Related events

Directly preceding the Bamberg Symphony’s performance on Friday, April 26, join New Yorker music critic Alex Ross for a discussion of the history and cultural context of Wagner’s works featured in the program. Co-presented by the Lifelong Learning Institute at Virginia Tech, the talk begins at 6:30 p.m. in the Moss Arts Center Cube. The event is free and open to the public, but registration is required.

Ross has been the New Yorker’s music critic since 1996. His first book, “The Rest Is Noise: Listening to the Twentieth Century,” won a National Book Critics Circle Award and the Guardian First Book Award and was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize. His third book, “Wagnerism: Art and Politics in the Shadow of Music,” was published in 2020. Ross has received the George Peabody Medal, an Arts and Letters Award from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and a MacArthur Fellowship.

Tickets

Tickets for the performance are $40-$85 for general audience and $10 for students and youth 18 and under. Tickets can be purchased online; at the Moss Arts Center's box office, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday; or by calling 540-231-5300 during box office hours. 

Venue and parking information

The performance will be held in the center’s Anne and Ellen Fife Theatre, located within the Street and Davis Performance Hall at 190 Alumni Mall. Convenient parking is available in the North End Parking Garage on Turner Street and in downtown Blacksburg. Find more parking details online.

If you are an individual with a disability and desire an accommodation, please contact Jamie Wiggert at least 10 days prior to the event at 540-231-5300 or email wiggertj@vt.edu during regular business hours.