The gala concert to celebrate the 475th anniversary of the foundation of the Sachsische Staatskapelle Dresden on September 22, 2023 After the introductory tones of Carl Maria von Weber's festive 'Jubel' Overture have died away, conductor Christian Thielemann turns round and addresses himself to the audience: not an official pronouncement with an edited manuscript but a spontaneous, deeply felt expression of commitment. The principal conductor praises the 'wondrous way' in which the orchestra's sound has remained true to itself over the centuries, recalling the great succession of it's Kapellmeisters 'from Hasse through Weber and Wagner to Busch and Bohm' and relating it to the exceptional artistic depth of the city. With a nice touch of irony he quotes Rousseau, who praised Dresden's 'splendid orchestra' at a distance in 1763, and Beethoven, who wrote half a century later: 'It is said to be the best in all Europe.' Finally Thielemann finds words that sound like a gentle reminder in this splendid hall: 'Take care of this orchestra of mine the way you take care of Meissen porcelain and your art collections! It is an appeal and an avowal of love too - for the musicians, for the city, for a 475-yearold tradition that never gathers dust but is constantly renewing itself. The gala concert of September 22, 2023 is more than a celebration of the past: it is an affirmation of what remains present - that Dresden light that streams forth from this recording.