The concert begins by the sea, with Felix Mendelssohn’s visit to the Scottish archipelago: the imaginative concert overture Die Hebriden inspired by the ancient site of Fingal's Cave in the Inner Hebrides. Mezzo-soprano Ann-Kristin Jones sings Gösta Nystroem's beloved Songs by the Sea (Sånger vid havet), with lyrics by the poets Ebba Lindqvist, Edith Södergran, Hjalmar Gullberg and Ragnar Jändel.
“Thoughts magnetically revolve around the most essential questions, one ponders life and death, future and uncertainty. And one is enchanted by the monumental beauty of the sea, its unfathomable harmony and its terrifying demons.” Gösta Nystroem on meeting the sea
During the intermission we leave the sea behind us and head inland in Brahms's Second Symphony. Bright natural scenes are mixed with darkness, hope with melancholy. The symphony is said to be the composer's favorite, and it's easy to understand why.
