Dear friends,

One of the powerful things about music is the way it expresses and illuminates aspects of the human experience.  During the 2007-08 season, The Philadelphia Orchestra explores some of the largest and most impressive works in the symphonic repertoire.  These pieces deal with such themes as immortality, nature, triumph, suffering, and the joy of life. 

These themes can be found in many of the season’s works, but especially in the music of Mahler. His Eighth Symphony, called the “Symphony of a Thousand,” is something of a novelty.  It uses 125 orchestra musicians, three choruses, and eight vocal soloists to relate its message of grace and healing.  The Symphony has a special place in the history of The Philadelphia Orchestra: Leopold Stokowski led the Orchestra in the first U.S. performances of the work.  It is a thrill for me – over 90 years later – to lead it here again. 

Other works during the season require large forces as well: Orff’s Carmina burana, a joyous celebration of life, and Richard Strauss’s An Alpine Symphony, which depicts the wonder of nature.  Janá?ek’s Sinfonietta features a triumphant fanfare, and Schumann’s Das Paradies und die Peri tells a story of redemption.  Night of the Mayas is a colorful film suite by Mexican composer Silvestre Revueltas, and The Rite of Spring is Stravinsky’s most famous and revolutionary ballet score, also introduced to the U.S. by The Philadelphia Orchestra. 

I am very excited to lead a festival in 2008 celebrating the great composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein.  His work as a musician and educator embodied his love for music, life, and humanity.  Alongside his works, we will present two commissions by Philadelphia composer Jennifer Higdon, who captures much of Bernstein’s vibrant spirit in her writing. 

As we explore these monumental works, I hope that this season will bring you to an even greater appreciation of the power, beauty, and depth of symphonic music. 

Sincerely,

Christoph Eschenbach