Vienna in 1897 was one of the world’s great cultural capitals and the centre of a fractious empire divided along ethnic and linguistic lines. At the end of the century it was a rapidly expanding city moving towards more liberal attitudes with the emergence of an anti-commercial artistic movement led by Gustav Klimt. In musical circles, Mahler was appointed as Music Director at the Court Opera and Brahms remained a voice of authority. He had done much to promote Dvořák as his successor, although the Czech composer had resisted a permanent move.
Tonight’s event “reconstructs” the programme of a concert on 7 March 1897. It was the last time Brahms attended a public performance of his own music. That evening the Vienna Philharmonic, conducted by Hans Richter, were to play the three pieces here in what may seem like a curious order to modern audiences (particularly given the ending of ‘La Chasse’…)
