Mäkelä conducts two of history’s favourite orchestral works, Beethoven’s Pastorale Symphony and Debussy’s La mer. Both of these works musically paint scenes of nature, and take listeners of different, yet magical adventures. Opening with Beethoven’s Symphony No. 6 “Pastorale,” the Concertgebouw orchestra keeps the jollity and cheer alive from the Christmas season. This Symphony, subtitled “Pastorale” musically paints various scenes from the German countryside, including a scene by a brook, a thunderstorm and a shepherd’s song. Following Beethoven’s jovial symphony, Mäkelä takes us on a journey to the sea with Debussy’s La mer. Debussy is a master of colour, texture and creating scenery in his music. You can hear the shimmer of light reflecting off the surface of the ocean and the crashing of waves. This immersive series of “symphonic sketches” conjures a contrast of moods that the sea often embodies. PROGRAM: BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6 DEBUSSY La mer