Gustavo Dudamel and the LA Philharmonic accent the colors, rhythms, and passion of music by leading composers from Argentina in this invigorating evening at the Hollywood Bowl: Astor Piazzolla, the master of Nuevo Tango, who´s four tangos feature on stage the dance company Tango Buenos Aires, known worldwide as the most authentic and uncompromising representative of the tango, Alberto Ginastera, one of the most important 20th-century classical composers of the Americas and Piazzolla´s first teacher, and Lalo Schifrin, who, beside his concert music, is the composer of the famous scores of Mission: Impossible and Dirty Harry. His “Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra”, a world premiere recording, is composed for Ángel Romero, an iconic master of the classical guitar.
El Sistema at Salzburg Festival
Rarely has an orchestra enchanted and thrilled ist audience as did the National Children’s Orchestra of Venezuela at the Salzburg Festival! This astonishing group was founded in 2010 by José Antonio Abreu as part of El Sistema, and Sir Simon Rattle conducted ist first-ever concert in Caracas. At the Salzburg Festival, it was Rattle on the podium again, conducting the children’s orchestra at its international debut.
A choir for hard-of-hearing and deaf youths? Sounds like a contradiction in terms, but the one-of-a-kind White Hands Choir of Venezuela proves the opposite, and this 60-mins film documents the choir’s first tour abroad following an invitation from the Salzburg Festival. The programme features Latin-American folk songs and Piazzolla arrangements as well as choral works by Mozart and Rutter.
Omer Meir Wellber conducts Bach and Schubert
American violinist Hilary Hahn – “one of the essential violinists of our time” (The New York Times) – appears for the first time at the Gstaad Menuhin Festival, Switzerland, with Johann Sebastian Bach’s Violin Concertos in A minor and E major. At the age of 17 she made a huge impression with the recording of Bach’s six sonatas and partitas. Twenty years later she still interprets Bach with the same ease and fascinates by her unaffected, brilliant playing. Together with Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, who later perform Schubert’s “Tragic” 4th Symphony, this results in an enchanting interplay in the beautiful Mauritius Church. The conductor is the Israeli Omer Meir Wellber, who also reaches for the bandoneon in Piazzolla’s rousing Oblivion encore.
Schubert, Quintet in C major, D.956 and Piazzolla, Oblivion (Mozartwoche 2002)
Born in Riga in 1947, Gidon Kremer is not only one of the leading violinists in the world, but also – thanks to his unquenchable curiosity and search for new impulses – one of the most fascinating musical personalities of our time. His repertoire ranges from Bach to the present, whereby a number of contemporary composers have achieved international recognition through his commitment. Since 1997 Kremer has devoted a large part of his activities to the chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica, which he founded. The ensemble consists of young musicians from the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. The average age is 25. The debut of the chamber orchestra in February 1997 corresponded with the 50th birthday of its founder Gidon Kremer. With this orchestral project, Kremer wants to pass on his artistic experiences to young musicians of his native country and to draw international attention to the outstanding musical situation of the Baltic nations. The Kremerata Baltica performs in all of the world’s major musical venues.
Piazzolla, The next Tango
Piazzolla, Concerto for Bandoneon and Orchestra
“I began my musical training with Alberto Ginastera. From him I learned the importance of grasping music. On this basis I began to make new arrangements. I composed even string quartets for the members of my tango orchestra. My arrangements were however, ahead of their time, and I soon had to realize that my music was not appreciated by all. This is the same today. In Argentina one can change everything, only not the tango. That was so back then, as if I had taken on another faith, as if I had converted from Christianity to Islam or Buddhism. But I had the idea, lucky for me, above all, of changing the tango¿ I enjoy composing. I do not limit myself to writing concertante or symphonic music, I write everything with pleasure¿ Whoever wants to write contemporary music must not lost his identity. I am Argentine and my music has to be Argentine. My music has to breathe the air of my country. Luckily one has always told me: Your music comes from Buenos Aires.” (Astor Piazzolla)
Piazzolla, Concerto for Bandoneon, Guitar and Orchestra – Adiós Nonino (Tango)
“I began my musical training with Alberto Ginastera. From him I learned the importance of grasping music. On this basis I began to make new arrangements. I composed even string quartets for the members of my tango orchestra. My arrangements were however, ahead of their time, and I soon had to realize that my music was not appreciated by all. This is the same today. In Argentina one can change everything, only not the tango. That was so back then, as if I had taken on another faith, as if I had converted from Christianity to Islam or Buddhism. But I had the idea, lucky for me, above all, of changing the tango¿ I enjoy composing. I do not limit myself to writing concertante or symphonic music, I write everything with pleasure¿ Whoever wants to write contemporary music must not lost his identity. I am Argentine and my music has to be Argentine. My music has to breathe the air of my country. Luckily one has always told me: Your music comes from Buenos Aires.” (Astor Piazzolla)
BBC Proms 2021: “The 8 Seasons” of Buenos Aires
From an icy Italian winter to the heady, sensual warmth of a South American summer: violinist Joshua Bell leads the Academy of St Martin in the Fields on a musical journey through the sights and sounds of two continents and four very different seasons. Inspired by Vivaldi’s bestknown work, Piazzolla, Argentina’s 20th-century tango king, created his own response, complete with musical quotations. While Vivaldi’s virtuosic concertos celebrate contrast – the freshness of spring, with its sudden thunderstorms, versus the languid heat of summer – Piazzolla’s musical landscape remains more constant, always swaying to the pervasive rhythm of the tango. PROGRAM Vivaldi: The Four Seasons; Piazzolla: The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires
Tango under the Stars at the Hollywood Bowl
Gustavo Dudamel accents the colors, rhythms, and passion of music by leading composers from Argentina in this invigorating evening under the stars. Featuring music by Astor Piazolla, Alberto Ginastera and the world premiere of Lalo Schifrins “Concerto for Guitar and Orchestra”, played by Ángel Romero. PROGRAM: PIAZZOLLA: A selection of Tangos; SCHIFRIN: Concierto de la Amistad (world premiere); VILLA-LOBOS: „The Little Train of Caipria” from Bachianas Brasileiras No. 2.
Erwin Schrott – Rojotango
After winning Placido Domingo’s International Voice Competition, Operalia, in 1998, Erwin Schrott became an operatic superstar, burning up the stages of all the important opera houses of the world like Milan, London, Vienna, Berlin and Paris. In “Rojotango”, recorded at the legendary Admiralspalast in Berlin, Erwin Schrott presents a musical journey through the wonderful world of Tango and the music of Latin America through the streets of Buenos Aires, where Tangos, Milongas and other popular melodies -are being played and sung. The programme features a varied and exciting selection of passionate tangos by Astor Piazzolla and Pablo Ziegler as well as evocative Argentinean and Brazilian folk songs. After the highly successful release of his “Rojotango” album, awarded with the German ECHO KLASSIK, Erwin Schrott now presents “Rojotango” live on stage.