Iceland Symphony Wind Ensemble

The wind players of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra are the stars of this Friday concert, performing three captivating works for woodwind and brass ensemble. Two of those works are by Richard Strauss, whose father, Franz Strauss, was among the finest horn players of his time. The young Richard Strauss was deeply drawn to beautiful brass music, likely influenced by his father's exquisite horn playing. Many believe that the alluring melodies in the Serenade, Op. 7, which Strauss composed aged 17, are inspired by his father's artistry. In contrast, the Sonatina No. 1 was written more than six decades later when Richard Strauss was in his eighties, coping with serious illness. In reference to his circumstances, he humorously subtitled the work "From an Invalid's Workshop." The piece is filled with joyful exuberance mixed with tenderness and poignancy — the work of an artist who, despite his failing health, was unmistakably still at the height of his compositional powers.

Igor Stravinsky's Octet for Wind Instruments marks the beginning of the composer's neoclassical period. It came as a surprise to many that this revolutionary figure and author of "The Rite of Spring" should unexpectedly alter his course, finding new creative inspiration within the refined forms of earlier musical eras. The beguiling tension between the old and the new is an important part of this work's enduring magic .

Conducting the concert is Andreas Ottensamer, the principal clarinetist of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, who has in recent years established himself as a brilliant and thoughtful conductor.