Jubilant Sounds That Give Hope

Under the baton of young French conductor Samy Rachid, Symfonikerna takes on three generations of composers from France, Sweden and Germany - Lili Boulanger, Elfrida Andrée and Felix Mendelssohn. Three works that together form an evening of prayer, manifesto and jubilation.

The evening opens with Lili Boulanger's Pie Jesu for soprano, organ and harp - a heartfelt farewell written shortly before the composer's untimely death. Next comes Elfrida Andrée's powerful Organ Symphony No. 2, composed in the French symphonic tradition with Nordic clarity. The concert concludes with Felix Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 2, called Lobgesang: a monumental work for orchestra, choir and soloists, written to honour the inventor Gutenberg and as a tribute to the printed word.

Samy Rachid is assistant conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and is visiting Göteborg for the first time.

One hour before the concert, an introduction is held in Stora salen - approximately 30 minutes featuring the stories behind the works, information about the composers and personal reflections. The introduction is included in the ticket and has free seating.