Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester
Jonathan Nott, conductor

Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 6 in F Major, Op. 68 Pastoral

Claude Debussy
La Mer, three symphonic sketches for orchestra L 109

Maurice Ravel
La Valse, choreographic poem for orchestra M 72

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The Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester (GMJO) is another of Claudio Abbado's creations and legacies. In 1987, the Maestro was not only eager to support young musicians and their work. He also wanted to encourage joint performances of young Austrian musicians and their colleagues from the then socialist republics of Czechoslovakia and Hungary. As a result, the GMJO became the first international youth orchestra to hold open auditions in the former Eastern Bloc countries. In 1992, the ensemble opened its doors to musicians up to 26 from all over Europe. Today, it benefits from the Council of Europe's patronage and is considered the world's first youth orchestra.

The musical programme conducted by Jonathan Nott features three masterpieces in a crescendo from Apollonian to Dionysian, starting with the naturalistic and pictorial suggestions of Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony No. 6. The theme of the sea in Debussy's three symphonic sketches takes on a meaning that differs from 19th-century naturalism. His music does not depict reality; it expresses the process of perception and senses. La Valse serves as an infallible tonic for listeners of all sorts, who can discover the infinite and precious timbre and harmonic wonders of Ravel's palette or simply give in to its enthralling effect.