Robert Schumann - Symphony No. 2 (Heinz Holliger)

Information

Composer: Robert Schumann

• Symphony No. 2 in C Major, Op. 61

Kammerorchester Basel

Heinz Holliger, conductor

Date: 2026

Label: Prospero Classical

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Renowned Swiss oboist, composer, and conductor Heinz Holliger has recorded Robert Schumann’s Symphonies Nos. 2 and 3 ("Rhenish") with the Basel Chamber Orchestra, set for release this autumn on Prospero Classical. Alongside the album, the innovative music education project "360° Schumann – from the Stadtcasino to care homes" utilizes virtual reality to bring Holliger’s performance of Symphony No. 2 directly to residents in local care facilities. By delivering immersive concert experiences to individuals unable to attend live venues, the initiative combines artistic excellence with community outreach, reimagining accessibility in classical music performance.

Heinz Holliger, born in 1939 in Langenthal, Switzerland, is an internationally renowned oboist, composer, and conductor. Trained in composition by Sándor Veress and Pierre Boulez, he has inspired numerous leading composers to write works for him while also championing neglected repertoire, notably music by Jan Zelenka. Holliger’s own compositions, extensively recorded by ECM, reflect a sustained exploration of the limits of sound and language, often informed by literary and biographical research. His opera Schneewittchen, premiered in 1998, received wide acclaim and won a GRAMMY Award in 2002, confirming his stature as a major creative voice.

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