The music of conductor/composer Albert Dietrich (1829–1908) was largely ignored until 2008, when Germany’s Oldenburg Orchestra resurrected a number of his orchestral works to mark the centenary of the death of their former music director. Dietrich’s association with Schumann and Brahms goes further than being a footnote in history, as his works on this new album by Christoph König and the Solistes Européens, Luxembourg show. Lovers of the music of the period will appreciate the opportunity to extend their experience beyond the familiar repertoire of Schumann and Brahms to Dietrich himself, one of their greatest proponents.
Albert DIETRICH (1829–1908)
Symphony in D minor • Violin Concerto *
Overture in C major
Klaidi Sahatçi, Violin *Solistes Européens, Luxembourg
Christoph König
Albert Hermann Dietrich is best known through his association with the Schumanns and his friendship with Brahms, but as this recording shows, his contribution to this circle’s artistic activities went further than promoting their works as music director at the small grand-ducal court of Oldenburg. The Symphony in D minor has a strong kinship with Brahms and was one of the most frequently performed new symphonies of its day, while the originality and variety of orchestral colour in the Violin Concerto are impressive enough to have earned it a place in the concert repertory.
IV. Finale: Allegro
Christoph König has been principal conductor and music director of the Solistes Européens, Luxembourg since 2010, having previously served as principal conductor of the Malmö Symphony Orchestra and the Orquestra Sinfónica do Porto Casa da Musíca and principal guest conductor of the Orquesta Filarmonica de Gran Canaria. He has also been affiliated with many of the leading opera houses of the world, and in 2022/23 he was appointed artistic director and chief conductor of the RTVE Symphony Orchestra, Spain.
Violinist Klaidi Sahatçi studied both in Albania and at the Conservatorio di Musica ‘Giuseppe Verdi’ in Milan, and with Salvatore Accardo and Boris Garlitsky. He has served as first concertmaster of the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Orchestre National de Lyon, Zurich Chamber Orchestra, Orchestra Filarmonica della Scala of Milan and Solistes Européens, Luxembourg. He has performed as a soloist with orchestras across Europe, and is also a passionate chamber musician.
The Solistes Européens, Luxembourg (SEL) is made up of musicians from some of the finest orchestras in Europe. Founded in 1989, the orchestra meets regularly in Luxembourg for rehearsals, concerts and recordings. Another distinctive feature of the SEL is the originality of its programming, featuring major works of the classical repertoire alongside unfamiliar or unknown works in the same programme, creating surprising and thought-provoking connections.
Symphony No. 1
Overtures • Grand Variations on a Theme by Count Gallenberg
Muller
Solistes Européens, Luxembourg
König
– MusicWeb International
– BBC Music Magazine ★★★★
Contemporary Music, Vol. 1
Boumans • Pütz • Sanavia • Wiltgen • Zelianko
Solistes Européens, Luxembourg
König
– Fanfare
Contemporary Music, Vol. 3
Dartevelle • Grethen • Hammes • Kontz • Waltzing
Ernie Hammes Group
Solistes Européens, Luxembourg
König
– MusicWeb International