Event info

This concert at the Iceland Symphony features works by Strauss, Bottesini and Brahms under the baton of Bjarni Frímann Bjarnason, who is currently Conductor-in-Residence at the Iceland Symphony. "Brahms must be honoured with a dedication, by a waltz of my composition. In due course I want to present him with this waltz, popular, yet spicy and peppered, without sacrificing the purpose of a waltz... He must, however, be told nothing about it!" Thus wrote Johann Strauss to his publisher in 1891, about his intention to write a waltz dedicated to Johannes Brahms. The title comes from Schiller's Ode to Joy, but the music is completely Strauss´s own.

The premiere of Johannes Brahms's Third Symphony in Vienna in 1882 was one of the composer's greatest successes. It was certainly deserved, for the music is particularly powerful and impressive, built upon the motive F-A-F, which Brahms said stood for the words frei aber froh – free but happy. The Iceland Symphony's double bassist Jacek Karwan is soloist in a true rarity, the Italian Romantic Giovanni Bottesini's concerto in B minor.

Listen to the concert live on Channel 1 (Rás 1) of the Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (RÚV).

Ticket sales and concertgoer's guide
In accordance to local health regulations and to ensure the safety of our patrons, the Eldborg concert hall in Harpa has been divided into several areas, each with a maximum capacity of 100 guests. To ensure space between guests, one empty seat will be reserved between each ticket order. We also offer seats that ensure a distance of 2 meters on all sides, but these tickets must be booked through the Harpa ticket office, tel. 528-5050. Read our concertgoer's guide here.

PROGRAM
Giovanni Bottesini: Double Bass Concerto No. 2
Johannes Brahms: Symphony no. 3

CONDUCTOR
Bjarni Frímann Bjarnason

SOLOIST
Jacek Karwan