DOUBLE CONCERTO

Having already announced his retirement, Johannes Brahms crowned his career as an orchestral composer with an expression of solidarity. Tired of the triumphal procession of lonely virtuosos, he composed his last orchestral work for colleagues without whom his voice would never have risen so high in the world of music. This spirited but serene double concerto for soloists of equal stature became a heartfelt celebration of friendship and collaboration. Today it is interpreted by Otto Antikainen and Senja Rummukainen, a well-established duo who have already delighted many times over with their interpretations of Brahms.

Anton Bruckner’s Second Symphony is rarely heard in concert. A noble, cathedral-like monument lasting more than an hour, the work evokes the lush valleys and sharp peaks of the Alps. Former principal conductor Okko Kamu returns to the Lahti Symphony Orchestra after several years.