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Schubert, Mahler, Handel and Rameau

London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Simon Rattle

Photo of Simon Rattle and Kozena

Sir Simon Rattle collaborates with international opera star Magdalena Kožená, in a rare combination of great Romantics and Baroque masters.

Schubert’s ‘Unfinished’ Symphony is shrouded in mystery. Why the composer left only two movements is a great enigma; but what is certain is that the fragments that remain are like nothing heard before, with a pervading sense of nervousness reflecting the composer’s own personal turmoil. Mahler’s Rückert Lieder, too, goes against the grain – a cycle of songs with no clear structure, with each piece standing out for its individual beauty.

Combined with these works are two masters of the Baroque. In contrast to the intensely personal works of their Romantic successors, Rameau and Handel perfectly exploit the most delicate of textures, with lilting rhythms portraying mystical intrigues of courtly love, outdoor adventure and ancient legend.

Barbican Hall