Symphonie op.20

Pioneer In the summer of 2025, chief conductor Ivor Bolton bids farewell to "his" orchestra, the Symphonieorchester des Bazels, with a complete French album. He passes the baton to his successor, Markus Poschner, for the new season. His farewell programme comprises orchestral music and vocal works by Ernest Chausson (1855-1899), who in Germany is all too often reduced to his admittedly charming Poème for violin and orchestra. Influenced by César Franck and Richard Wagner, the French composer is regarded as one of the pioneers of musical impressionism. The Symphony in B-flat major, composed in 1890, can be considered one of Chausson's masterworks, captivating with its typically French lyrical melodies and harmonic refinement that bridge the gap between Romantic expressivity and impressionistic sonorities. The work elevates Franck's concept of the three-part structure in cyclic form to a higher level by making it more dramatic and condensing the symphonic form. Fully influenced by the première of Wagner's Parsifal in Bayreuth, the early symphonic poem "Viviane," based on an episode from the Arthurian legend, is presented, yet it already displays its own elements. By comparison: the vocal works also presented here – two orchestral songs and an aria from his unfortunately incomplete drame lyrique "Hélène" (1883/84) – possess a more intimate, vocal quality that confidently exploits the human voice and perfectly reveals the accomplished song composer. These differences illustrate Chausson's versatility as a composer and his ability to combine fascinating instrumental craftsmanship with deep emotion in both instrumental and vocal music.