Rolf Liebermann: Geigy Festival Concerto | Sinfonieorchester Basel & Ivor Bolton

A Fantasy on Basel Themes is the subtitle of the “Geigy Festival Concerto“ for Basel Drums and Large Orchestra by the Swiss composer Rolf Liebermann. This whimsical piece is performed by the Sinfonieorchester Basel under its principal conductor Ivor Bolton at the concert marking the re-opening of the Stadtkasino Basel in the year 2020. Listening to this piece feels rather like being at the Basel Carnival, known as “Basler Fasnacht”. Liebermann‘s Geigy Festival Concerto treats the listener to a variety of themes and musical characters; at times calling to mind the Symphonie fantastique by Hector Berlioz. But by using the two Basel Drums, Rolf Liebermann ensured the Geigy Festival Concerto would have a very special personality. These large drums, played at official events for centuries, are bound up with the musical traditions of the City of Basel. The Geigy Festival Concerto was written in the year 1958 when celebrations were being held to mark the 200th anniversary of a major Basel chemical company fou