The powerful Prelude to Wagner’s final opera, Parsifal, begins this exclusive concert by the Vienna Philharmonic, recorded live from Vienna’s Musikverein. Conductor Franz Welser-Möst captures the music’s majesty with a beautiful sense of phrasing and drama. To avoid breaking the spell at the end of the Prelude, we continue straight through to Richard Strauss’ Death and Transfiguration, an epic depiction of the final hours of an artist’s life, from the anguish of death through to acceptance, and a triumphant vision of spiritual transcendence. Welser-Möst’s decision brings an extra poignant meaning to Wagner’s music, while the two works complement each other stylistically for a magical first half. An entirely contrasting work, Dvořák’s Symphony No. 8, makes up the second part of this concert. Composed in 1889, it’s one of the Czech composer’s most optimistic compositions, full of folk influences and some of his most memorable tunes. The Vienna Philharmonic brings a depth of colour and boundless character to this glorious score.