Herbert Blomstedt on Franz Berwald and Antonín Dvořák (19 min.)

In his performances with the Berliner Philharmoniker, the Swedish conductor Herbert Blomstedt has repeatedly enchanted audiences with interpretations of works of Beethoven and Bruckner. However, in February 2016, the programme included symphonies from the north and east of Europe: With Franz Berwald’s Third Symphony and Antonín Dvořák’s Seventh, Blomstedt presented both a rarity and, in his view, the Czech composer’s most important symphony. In this introduction, the conductor talks about among other things the eccentric personality of Berwald, who lived in Berlin for 12 years, and the originality and beauty of his symphonic music.