The sheer quality of the Gewandhausorchester’s sound – rounded, velvety, entirely in unity.bachtrack

Few other ensembles have exerted such significant and enduring influence on the development of the symphonic music tradition as the Gewandhausorchester.intermusica

Possessing an antique sound colored darkest walnut, and throwing their whole bodies into communicating with one another and with the audience, the Leipzig players enthralled with their innate sense of phrasing, their use of every inch of hair on their bows, their ability to invest each bar with dramatic meaning.The New York Times

Nelsons injects a shot of adrenalin into the music, the unusually sprightly tempo and individual articulation revealing a genuinely playful side to music.THE CLASSIC REVIEW

The Gewandhausorchester, with a nearly 300-year heritage in European classical music, is one of the world's oldest and most legendary orchestras. It was the first orchestra to perform all nine symphonies of Beethoven, premiered works by Brahms and Wagner, with Mendelssohn serving as conductors. Known for its distinctive, velvety performance, the orchestra remains one of the largest professional orchestras globally. Andris Nelsons, becoming its 21st Music Director in 2018, injected a vibrant and energetic style. Nelsons also serves as the Music Director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 2013 and produced critically acclaimed recordings of complete Shostakovich symphonies that earned three Grammy Award, leaving an extraordinary musical legacy.

Richard Wagner: Prelude from Tristan und Isolde

Richard Wagner: ‘Liebestod’ from Tristan und Isolde

Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 9 in D minor, WAB 109

Conductor / Andris Nelsons

Born in 1978 into a musical family in Riga, Latvia, Andris Nelsons is currently the Music Director and Conductor of the Gewandhausorchester and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He is recognized as one of the most renowned and innovative conductors in the international music scene. Nelsons has received multiple Grammy Awards for his recordings of the complete symphonies by Shostakovich with the Boston Symphony Orchestra. He was Music Director of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra from 2008-2015, Principal Conductor of the Nordwestdeutsche Philharmonie in Herford, Germany 2006-2009 and Music Director of the Latvian National Opera 2003-2007.

Gewandhausorchester

The Gewandhausorchester, in Leipzig, Germany, is one of the world's renowned, historically significant, and largest professional symphony orchestras, boasting 185 full-time musicians. It has collaborated with maestros such as Mozart, Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Brahms, and Wagner. The orchestra holds the distinction of being the first to perform all nine symphonies of Beethoven. Brahms and Wagner conducted the premieres of their own works with this orchestra, and Mendelssohn served as its conductor. Andris Nelsons is the current 21st conductor of the Gewandhausorchester.