Daniele Gatti conducts the RCO in a special concert celebrating three Romantic heroes of the nineteenth-century: All works of the programme are related to dramatic choices and life determining decisions. All three depict the intensity of feelings of their romantic heroes, of their joy and grief about unfulfilled longing. “Daniele Gatti’s unconventionality is exiting” (NRC). “He took nothing for granted” (Trouw). “Triumphal!” (De Volkskrant) PROGRAM: Wagner, Overture to Tannhäuser; Liszt, Orpheus, Symphonic Poem No. 4; Berlioz, Symphonie fantastique
Staatskapelle Berlin – Christian Thielemann & Erin Morley
With the performance of all of Richard Strauss’s orchestral songs and all of Franz Liszt’s symphonic poems, Christian Thielemann and the Staatskapelle Berlin are dedicating themselves to a rarely performed but artistically significant repertoire. The response to the first concert in this new series has been promising: “A moment of happiness that one would like to hold on to” (Die Presse). “Morley took the audience by storm” (Das Opernmagazin)
Thielemann conducts Brahms, Tchaikovsky, Liszt
Lisa Batiashvili, Gautier Capuçon, Christian Thielemann and the Staatskapelle Dresden present a sophisticated programme about love and death from the perspective of three 19th century composers: The stages of life can be viewed as preludes to the melody of death, as Liszt proposed in Les Préludes. It is only at the very end that the inadequacies of life are resolved – the tragedy behind the love of Romeo and Juliet in Tchaikovsky’s Fantasy Overture. In the jaws of death, Eros enjoys his strongest impulse, one that transcends time. What results is the desire for the epic and heroic, which in Brahms’ final orchestral work, the Double Concerto, achieves a certain consummation. The Double Concerto forms part of Thielemann’s extensive Brahms cycle, containing symphonies and solo concertos performed to frenetic acclaim in Dresden and Tokyo.
Red Ribbon Celebration Concert 2016 – Orpheus and Eurydice
On the occasion of the Red Ribbon Celebration Concert, Vienna’s famous charity concert for the benefit of HIV and AIDS aid projects, some of the world’s greatest opera stars made their appearance at the venerable Burgtheater. Anna Netrebko, Piotr Bezcala, Juan Diego Flórez and Thomas Hampson took part in this festive concert evening which revolved around the legend of Orpheus and Eurydice. With excerpts from corresponding operas by Claudio Monteverdi and Christoph Willibald Gluck, works by W. A. Mozart and Franz Liszt, the audience is taken on Orpheus’ journey to the underworld, from where he desperately tries to take his love Eurydice back to the world of the living by the help of his singing.
BBC Proms 2022: Yuja Wang & Klaus Mäkelä
Superstar pianist Yuja Wang takes centrestage in the first Proms appearance of the Oslo Philharmonic under its new Chief Conductor Klaus Makëlä. Richard Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben ends the concert in roof-raising style. “Boundless imagination matched to phenomenal technique made something far more fascinating than usual of Liszt’s First Piano Concerto.” (The Arts Desk) / “It was all something of a revelation […] Stunning, all of it.” (The Guardian) PROGRAM: Sibelius: Tapiola; Liszt: Piano Concerto No. 1; Vladimir Horowitz: Variations on a Theme from Bizet’s Carmen; Gluck: Dance of the Blessed Spirits from Orfeo ed Euridice; R. Strauss: Ein Heldenleben; J. Strauss II: Csárdás from Ritter Pásmán.
BBC Proms 2018: Iván Fischer conducts an Hungarian Night
Hungarian folk tunes run through the veins of Iván Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra, while Gypsy rhythms set their pulses dancing. This concert – a true celebration of Hungary’s national music – traces the development of folk songs and dance, from their colourful, rough-hewn originals into virtuosic concert-hall reimaginings by Liszt, Brahms and Sarasate. In the second half comes Brahms’s dramatic First Symphony, whose darkness and drama eventually give way to an ending of transcendent musical triumph.“A masterclass. Oh, that concerts could all be like this!” (The Spectator) PROGRAM Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 1 & 3; Brahms: Hungarian Dance No. 1 & 11, Symphony No 1; Sarasate: Zigeunerweisen
Khatia Buniatishvili – Mind in the Wilderness
Khatia Buniatishvili’s playing has been described as having ‘an aura of elegant solitude and even melancholy. It’s a perfect characterization of the pianist with such a wide palette of expression. Khatia Buniatishvili commands a natural musicality. ‘Force of nature’, ‘Spiritedness’, or ‘Infinite freedom’ are frequently mentioned attributes on her interpretation. Buniatishvili’s artistic approach to making music is undoubtedly associated with the Romantic tradition, always maintaining a fine balance between unhinged wildness and lyrical introspection. The repertoire comprises cheerful moments, melancholic passages and nocturne-like episodes: virtuously brought to life throughout a concert experience with a great quality of intimacy and generous ardour. —- Works by Bach, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn Bartholdy, Kancheli, Brahms, Ravel, Grieg, Händel, Liszt, Dvorák, Buniatishvili, Pärt, Ligeti.
Horowitz in Moscow
A recording of Horowitz’s historic recital in Moscow, the program also includes highlights of his return to his native Soviet Union-his first visit in 61 years.On the programme works by Scarlatti, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, Liszt, Chopin, Schumann, Moszowski.
Horowitz in Vienna
One of Horowitz’s final performances, recorded at the Golden Hall of the Musikverein, Vienna/Austria in May 1987 including: Mozart, Rondo K.485, Piano Sonata No.13 K.333; Schubert, Impromptu D899-3; Liszt/Schubert, Soirees de Vienne: Valse-Caprice No.6; Schumann, Kinderszenen Op.15; Chopin, Mazurka Op.33, Polonaise Heroique Op.53; Liszt, Consolation No.3; Schubert, Moment musical D780; Moszkowski, Etincelles Op.36-6
Horowitz: A Reminiscence
After Horowitz’s death Wanda was interviewed for this production. Also included are segments of the 1974 footage including excerpts from Clementi’s Sonata in F-sharp minor and complete performances of Scriabin’s Vers la Flamme, op. 72 and Chopin’s Introduction and Rondo, op. 16) and segments from “The Last Romantic.”