Artur Rubinstein was one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century. Born in Lodz in 1887, he took piano lessons in his native city and at the Warsaw Conservatory. In Berlin he continued his training and debuted there in 1900 under the musical direction of Joseph Joachim. This was followed by appearances in America and many European countries. At the beginning of the First World War, he vowed never to play again in Germany. As a Pole and Jew, he renewed this vow and maintained it till the end of his life. After three decades of active concert activity, the bon-vivant Rubinstein made an artistic pause in 1932 and returned to public performance in 1937, at the age of 50. Rubinstein, the blessed virtuoso, as Thomas Mann once called him, worked with the most famous musicians of his time, made recordings and was celebrated all over the world as the “Pianist of the century.” Rubinstein’s interpretations are considered to this day as exemplary, and often unsurpassed. His multi-faceted repertoire, impeccable technique and irresistibly beautiful tone turned every performance into an event. Rubinstein played works from the German classic and romantic eras as well as Russian, Spanish and French piano works. He devoted himself particularly intensively to the works of his fellow countryman Chopin and set standards in Chopin interpretation with his unsentimental playing . Rubinstein dominated the concert halls of the world for three quarters of a century. In 1976 he withdrew from the concert stage in London with a farewell concert, and in December 1982 he died in Geneva at the age of 95.
Lang Lang at Schönbrunn
Lang Lang, Zubin Mehta, the Wiener Philharmoniker – the only thing that could make an outdoor orchestral concert more attractive would be a spectacular venue, such as a majestic Baroque palace. And here it is: Vienna’s Schönbrunn Palace, with its brightly lit facade on a resplendent summer evening! Held the day before the final match of the Euro 2008 football championship, this concert rallied both football fans and music lovers to Vienna’s most beautiful imperial palace. At 26, Lang Lang is already considered as one of the top pianists in the world. He made his international breakthrough at the age of 17, and has since been performing with all major orchestras and leading conductors. In this concert, the young Chinese artist – the “pop star” of the international piano elite – dazzled his way into the hearts of the audience with his rendition of Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2. “His mighty, lightning-fast finger acrobatics were virtuoso and technically perfect – amazing to the eyes and ears.” (Wiener Zeitung) Conductor Zubin Mehta, who had warmed up the Wiener Philharmoniker with Weber’s Oberon Overture before tackling the Chopin, led his musicians in a rousing performance of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony after the intermission. Now crisply outlined against the dark-blue sky, Schönbrunn Palace transformed itself into an expressive backdrop for Beethoven’s dramatic symphonic masterpiece. The excitement was not over with the last chord, however, as Lang Lang returned to give several encores, including Chopin’s A-flat major Polonaise, which “roused the audience to rapturous standing ovations.” (Wiener Zeitung)
Trifonov plays Chopin
Daniil Trifonov, the current Gramophone Artist of the Year and today’s top young classical pianist, offers Chopin’s two piano concertos in collaboration with his fellow pianist-composer Mikhail Pletnev, who conducts the Mahler Chamber Orchestra in his freshly re-orchestrated editions of Chopin’s piano concertos.
Nijinsky – A Ballet by John Neumeier
„Nijinsky“ is the title of this „choreographic approach“ to a dance phenomenon that has been part of Neumeier‘s life ever since the beginning of his career. During his approximately ten years as a dancer, Vaslav Nijinsky set a new standard both technically and expressively, while in his choreographic work he pointed the way towards modern dance. His personal fate and mental illness that forced him to spend the last 30 years of his life in various asylums and in the keeping of his wife gave his short artistic career an even more aweinspiring and sensational quality. All three aspects – the dancer, the choreographer and the person Nijinsky – form the starting point for John Neumeier‘s latest creation. Neumeier, who as early as 1979 presented a short ballet „Vaslav“, is regarded as one of the leading Nijinsky experts worldwide. Nevertheless, it was not without reluctance that he took up the task of honouring through dance a dance legend: „In creating a work about a historical person, what aspect should we concentrate on? Who was he truly: The man? The artist? Which witness, what information can we trust, which theories should one follow? What point of view can we take towards the complex puzzle Nijinsky? An instinctive choice must be made…“ and sensational quality.
Lang Lang in Versailles
Lang Lang & Chopin have long been a winning combination – already celebrated worldwide for his Chopin interpretation, Lang Lang selects the four virtuosic and well known “Scherzi” to display his interpretative ability and renowned technical command, as well as the rarer performed Tchaikovsky “The Seasons”. Filmed at the legendary Hall of Mirrors (Galerie des Glaces) in the Palace of Versailles “Château de Versailles”.
Jan Lisiecki – Night Music
Night: it can be dreamy or comforting, but sometimes it’s frightening, full of dark secrets. So it’s no great surprise that the long hours of darkness, often spent awake, have inspired so many composers to write some of their most touching works: Chopin’s dreamy Nocturnes, for example, Schumann’s dainty “Nachtstücke” or Ravel’s spinechilling cycle “Gaspard de la nuit”, populated by sinister figures and dark premonitions. In his piano recital at the Imperial Hall at the Würzburg Residence, the young Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki, brings the spirits of the night, both good and evil, to life; in his hands, Ravel’s goblin “Scarbo” dances and the water sprite “Ondine” swims through the waves, dangerously seductive.
Frédéric Chopin – The Anniversary Gala Concert
The internationally celebrated concert event from Warsaw on the occasion of Frédéric Chopin’s 200th birthday – two Russian piano stars in one program: Nikolai Demidenko with a marvelous performance of Chopin’s Concerto No. 1, Evgeny Kissin with a most thrilling interpretation of Concerto No. 2. The former wunderkind delights the audience, which still can not get enough even after three encores. A unique performance and truly a gift for Chopin lovers all over the world.
Daniel Barenboim plays Chopin – The Warsaw Recital
Chopin Year 2010 coincides with the 60th anniversary of Daniel Barenboim’s stage début, and as a pianist he has decided to devote this year to the great Romantic master of the keyboard. Chopin was born on 1 March 1810 in a small village near Warsaw, and on the eve of the 200th anniversary of this date Barenboim gave this wildly acclaimed Warsaw recital as part of an extensive European tour. The programme included some of the composer’s best-known works, including the great B flat minor Sonata with its famous Funeral March, which sounded to many ‘as the composer may well have imagined it.’
Programme: F. Chopin: Fantasy in F Minor Op. 49 · Nocturne in D Flat Major Op. 27/2 · Sonata No. 2 in B Flat Minor Op. 35 (Funeral March) · Barcarole in F Sharp Major Op. 60 · Waltz in F Major Op. 34 No. 3 · Waltz in A Minor Op. 34 No. 2 · Waltz in C Sharp Minor Op. 64 No. 2 · Berceuse in D Flat Major Op. 57 · Polonaise in A Flat Major Op. 53
Hélène Grimaud – Memory Recital
Hélène Grimaud presents the first part of a special two-part recital from the beautiful natural surroundings of south west Bavaria, a place which the pianist sees as one of her spiritual homes. “Memory” features music from her Deutsche Grammophon album of the same name: Grimaud brings her trademark sensitivity and poetic touch to a personal selection of reflective and atmospheric works by Satie, Debussy, Chopin and Valentin Silvestrov, the Ukrainian composer whose music has fascinated her for decades.
Bruce Liu plays Chopin
Pianist Bruce Liu is the winner of the prestigious 2021 Chopin Competition and has been on the path of a stellar career ever since. Influenced by different cultures, he developed into one of the most musically expressive and technically gifted pianists of his generation. Bruce Liu made his grand debut in his native Paris with a Chopin program at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.