Musical Sunday

The genre of drama music experienced its great flowering in the 19th century. Composers such as Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn and Schumann made significant contributions. Not infrequently, this music developed a life of its own, detached from the stage, since particularly successful works were often subsequently adapted for concert use.

Edvard Grieg’s music for the play Peer Gynt by his compatriot Henrik Ibsen was probably the most enduringly successful in the concert hall. Pieces such as “Morning Mood” or “Solveig’s Song” are among the best-known orchestral pieces today, and they have been used many times in film and television.

Two enthusiasts in conversation: Marcus Imbsweiler, writer and musicologist, and Timo Jouko Herrmann, composer and guest conductor of the Heidelberg Symphony Orchestra.