Mariss Jansons to perform with Bayern Radio Symphony Orchestra

Mariss Jansons / Courtesy of Vincero

By Yun Suh-young

Mariss Jansons will conduct the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (BRSO) on Dec. 4 and 5 at Seoul Arts Center.

It is his third visit to Seoul in four years since his 2012 and 2014 visits with the BRSO and his sixth visit in total since his Korea debut in 1992. This is also his second performance in Korea with violinist Gil Shaham following their 2010 collaboration with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Gil Shaham will be performing on Dec. 4.

The Dec. 4 repertoire includes Beethoven Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61 and Stravinsky Firebird Suite No. 3 (1945 version). On Dec. 5, Jansons will stage Haydn Symphony No. 100 in G Major, Hob.I:100 "Military" and R. Strauss' An Alpine Symphony (Eine Alpensinfonie), Op. 64.

Shaham who will be playing on Dec. 4 has performed several times with the Latvian conductor and retains the same high quality in his performances in comparison to violinists of similar age. He has released 30 albums but has never recorded a Beethoven Violin Concerto and the live performance will be a unique opportunity.

Firebird, the main repertoire for Sunday, is one of the most noted works by Stravinsky that brought him fame. For the audience, it will be an interesting opportunity to compare BRSO's performance with the Stravinsky performances of other German philharmonic orchestras.

Through the previous two performances in Korea, the BRSO proved to Korean audiences that the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra is not the only great orchestra from Germany. The BRSO's bright resonance, a unique color of southern Germany, distinguishes them from orchestras from other regions of Germany.

"Military" by Haydn, a composition that boasts softness and wit, has been released as an album by Jansons and the BRSO. Strauss' "Alpine Symphony" maximizes the technical skills of the BRSO and shows the conducting mastery of Jansons.

Jansons is known as a Strauss expert for his unique approach of seeing the big picture instead of focusing on details. Jansons mentioned in a previous interview with the media that Strauss is one of the composers he respects most and that he feels excited every time he performs Strauss.

Jansons joined the BRSO as a permanent conductor in 2003 and is still active in the global arena at the age of 73. He also worked with Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (2004-2015), Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (1997-2004), London Philharmonic Orchestra (1992-1997), and Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra (1979-2002).

Jansons completed his musical education at the Leningrad Conservatory in violin, piano and conducting and studied in Vienna under Hans Swarowsky and in Salzburg under Herbert von Karajan. In 1971, he won second prize at the Karajan International Conducting Competition and the same year was appointed to assistant conductor of the Leningrad Philharmonic with recommendation from Evgeny Mravinsky. Since then he took up several posts within the Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra.