Andris Nelsons leads his two orchestras – the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Gewandhausorchester – in a groundbreaking transatlantic Richard Strauss project.

The 7-CD set presents three albums from each orchestra and their joint performance of the Festliches Präludium.

The anthology also features celebrated guest artists pianist Yuja Wang (Burleske) and cellist Yo-Yo Ma (Don Quixote).

As part of the multidimensional artistic alliance established between his two world-class orchestras, visionary conductor Andris Nelsons has recorded all the major orchestral works of Richard Strauss with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Leipzig Gewandhausorchester. The BSO is joined by legendary cellist Yo-Yo Ma in Don Quixote, while star pianist Yuja Wang appears with the Leipzig players in Burleske.

The two orchestras join forces on the recording of the Festliches Präludium for large orchestra and organ, made with organist Olivier Latry in Symphony Hall in November 2019 while the Gewandhausorchester was on tour in Boston.

“This joint Strauss project is very dear to my heart,” says Andris Nelsons. “Throughout the past few years, it has been a source  of hope and comfort. The music of Richard Strauss means so much to me in its great emotional scope, its story-telling powers and significant influence on the development of classical music. I am deeply grateful to have the opportunity to share it with our music communities in Boston and Leipzig and throughout the world. The collaborative efforts of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and the Gewandhausorchester are a dream come true for me, and I will be forever thankful to my dear colleagues at both orchestras and at Deutsche Grammophon for all they have done to achieve this unique project. Our hope is that these recordings will bring much joy and inspiration.”

The Boston Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig (GHO) have been working closely together since 2018. Their alliance project involves collaborative ventures on an organisational as well as artistic level and includes exchange programmes for the musicians, educational initiatives, shared commissions and complementary programmes on both sides of the Atlantic. Among these initiatives are an annual Boston Week in Leipzig and a Leipzig Week in Boston.