On February 12-14, the Boston Symphony Orchestra presents the US premiere of Esa-Pekka Salonen’s Horn Concerto, conducted by the composer. Written for and performed by Berlin Philharmoic Prinicpal Horn Stefan Dohr, this concerto was commissioned by Lucerne Festival, Finnland-Institut and Berliner Festspiele / Musikfest Berlin, Elbphilharmonie Hamburg, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, and Fondazione Teatro alla Scala.
Salonen grew up playing the horn, and this concerto is something he has wanted to compose since his days as a student in Finland. The piece draws inspiration from many famous horn moments of the orchestral literature, including the opening solo of Bruckner’s Fourth Symphony. Over the course of the concerto’s three movements, the soloist is pushed to the limits of virtuosity, and is also given space to create a more introspective and nostalgic mood in tandem with the orchestra. Below, Salonen discusses the concerto with Michael Haefligeron the occasion of its August 2025 world premiere at the Lucerne Festival.
In Boston, Salonen has fittingly programmed his Horn Concerto alongside Bruckner’s Fourth Symphony. Beyond being a touchstone for the concerto, Bruckner’s Fourth is one of the most important pieces of music to Salonen across his entire life in music. Indeed, his first ever copy of the Symphony was an LP of Erich Leinsdorf conducting the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
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