In the Same Rhythm: Philharmonic Concert Connects Jazz, Dance, and Symphony
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In the Same Rhythm: A Philharmonic Concert Full of Rhythm and Connection
The 2nd Philharmonic Concert of the 2026/27 season leads the audience in the Great House of the Cottbus State Theatre through American dance traditions, jazz, swing, and symphonic soundscapes. Under the title In the Same Rhythm, the Philharmonic Orchestra Cottbus connects four works from different times and cultural backgrounds for an evening concert about unity, independence, and the pulse of shared movement.
When Rhythm Overcomes Boundaries
The concert opens with Florence Price's Colonial Dance from 1933. Afro-American dance rhythms meet late-Romantic orchestral culture and unfold a sound language, where tradition and personal handwriting come together immediately. The rhythmic impulse gives the evening its characteristic tension from the very start.
Gospel, Blues, and Jazz in Symphonic Sound
Carlos Simon's Four Black American Dances from 2020 carries this thread into the present. Gospel, blues, and jazz are transformed into a modern orchestration. Dance-like directness, precise synchronization, and compositional density create a concert moment that oscillates between pulsating energy and detailed sound work.
Clarinet Between Concert Hall and Swing
With Aaron Copland's Clarinet Concerto from 1948, the evening opens into a lyrical yet mobile sound world. Written for Benny Goodman, the piece combines classical clarity of form with jazz-like mobility. Clarinetist Alexander Muhr shapes the extended cadenza with improvisational freedom, while Johannes Zurl at the conductor's desk precisely leads the dialogue between solo instrument and orchestra.
Shostakovich Between Irony and Seriousness
The concert concludes with Dmitri Shostakovich's Symphony No. 9 in E-flat Major, op. 70 from 1945. Instead of the expected monumental victory piece, Shostakovich wrote a comparatively compact symphony full of lightness, irony, and surprising twists. Cheerful gestures and more serious undertones enter into a tense dialogue, giving the finale a special musical depth of field.
A Concert Evening with a Strong Shared Pulse
The musical direction is taken by Johannes Zurl. As a soloist, Alexander Muhr will be performing on the clarinet, accompanied by the Philharmonic Orchestra of the Cottbus State Theatre. A concert introduction begins at 7:15 PM in the 2nd tier of the foyer. The concert is expected to last until around 9:40 PM or 9:45 PM.
The audience can expect a multifaceted concert experience with distinctive rhythm, colorful orchestration, and a live atmosphere where American musical traditions meet European symphonic music. Anyone wanting to experience classical music with jazz impulses, dance energy, and a historical perspective should not miss this evening in the Great House.
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