ON THE AGENDA

Württemberg Philharmonic Orchestra Reutlingen’s Seasonal program 2025/2026

Have a look right now: The brand new program of the Württemberg Philharmonic Orchestra Reutlingen has been published. Book your evenings !

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RECORDINGS

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It took almost 100 years for Charles Koechlin's First Symphony to get a proper recording and over a year for Ariane Matiakh to prepare the material. After her highly praised recording of Koechlin's Seven Stars Symphony (C5449), this is a much-appreciated further foray into the largely unexplored symphonic world of this fascinating composer, a French Chameleon of sorts, who felt comfortable anywhere between Bachian counterpoint and the heights of French impressionism. The earlier Au loin, Poeme symphonique and 3 Melodies (orchestrated posthumously) round out the scintillating picture.

CompositeursCharles Koechlin (1867-1950), Ariane Matiakh, Patricia Petibon, Württembergische Philharmonie Reutlingen

Music by the marvelous, criminally underrated composer and “Aural Alchemist” Charles Koechlin is always a discovery and invariably. “Koechlin can daub with notes as Seurat daubed with bright pigments on canvas [he] could, whenever he wished, bathe his music in the impressionist glories of Debussy and Ravel or give it the delicacy of Fauré and then toughen it up with some Roussel-like grinding rhythms.” (Robert Reilly)

The Basel Symphony Orchestra’s performance under Ariane Matiakh has a wonderful lithe elegance, which matches the beauty and refinement of Koechlin’s writing in every respect.

The Guardian, May 26, 2022

There have been efforts over the years to attract significant attention to Koechlin. They’ve failed. Earlier recordings of “Seven Stars’,” by little-known conductors and orchestras, attracted only cult followings. The latest comes from Switzerland’s Basel Symphony Orchestra conducted by Ariane Matiakh on the Capriccio label, again seemingly outside the mainstream.
This time the performance is as colorful and charismatic as the subject matter, and the recorded sound is equally stellar.

Los Angeles Times, July 16, 2022