Adolf Reichel, born in 1816 in Tursnitz, was a prominent pianist, composer, and conductor who followed in the footsteps of Beethoven, Mendelssohn, and Siegfried Dehn. After studying in Dresden and Berlin, he spent several years in Paris, where he began a lifelong friendship with the anarchist Mikhail Bakunin. After stints in Meiningen and again in Berlin, he was appointed to Bern, where he assumed all leadership roles for the orchestra, various choirs, and the conservatory. Both symphonies were premiered in Bern (1869 and 1870). Elegance and contrapuntal virtuosity are complemented by original thematic development and a fundamental commitment to classical aesthetics. The Bern Symphony Orchestra performs the two symphonies by it's first chief conductor in a world-premiere recording under the baton of Christoph-Mathias Mueller.