The conductor and composer Pierre Boulez is one of the most influential artists of our time. On the occasion of his 85th birthday, he conducts works from different stages of his creative development. ‘Messagesquisse’ for violoncello solo and six violoncelli. ‘Anthèms 2’ for violin solo and live electronics and ‘Le marteau sans maître’ for alto and six instruments. Boulez is joined by his friend Daniel Barenboim, the alto Hillary Summers and members of the West Eastern Divan Orchestra.
Bruckner, Symphony No.6 in A major
The performance of all six of Anton Bruckner’s mature symphonies on six nearly consecutive evenings is an accomplishment that can truly be called “superhuman” (Der Tagesspiegel). Daniel Barenboim – conductor, pianist, all-round musical genius – set himself this task in June 2010 with the Staatskapelle Berlin at the Berlin Philharmonie. What Barenboim and his orchestra – he has been its principal conductor since 1992 – achieve in this marathon is a new view of the Bruckner opus that opts for grandeur and the mighty theatrical gesture. Bruckner’s symphonies as “operas without words” (Der Tagesspiegel).
Season Opening Concert: Christian Thielemann & Staatskapelle Dresden
Hanns Eisler believed that “if you wish to possess the future you must first conquer the past”. And so it is with his “Ernste Gesänge” (Serious Songs), which are not only concerned with memory, but also with the hope of future happiness. 50 years after the Dresden premiere, Christian Thielemann and Thomas Hampson perform this final work by Eisler at the Season Opening Concert 2013/2014 of the Staatskapelle Dresden. Not untypically for Bruckner, his Fifth Symphony is a confrontation with the past, in this case resulting in a “polyphonal masterpiece”. —– PROGRAM: Hans Eisler: Ernste Gesänge for Baritone and String Orchestra / Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 5 in B flat major, WAB 105
Christian Thielemann – Brahms Cycle: Symphony No. 2 and Piano Concerto No. 2 with Maurizio Pollini
The third part of Christian Thielemann’s Brahms Cycle with the Staatskapelle Dresden. On the program: BRAHMS’ piano concerto no. 2 B major op.83, with Maurizio Pollini as soloist, and Brahms’ symphony no. 2 D major. The evening is completed by Ferruccio Busoni’s: “Lustspiel-Ouvertüre” op. 38
Daniel Barenboim – 70th Birthday Concert
Performing the solo parts of two of the great piano concertos in the concert repertoire – BEETHOVEN’s Piano Concerto no. 3 and TCHAIKOVSKY’s Piano Concerto no. 1 – in one sitting is a feat that few pianists can pull off apart from Daniel Barenboim. Pianist, conductor and chamber musician extraordinaire, Daniel Barenboim hands over the reins of “his” orchestra, the Staatskapelle Berlin, to his close friend and colleague Zubin Mehta. To honor his friend the composer Elliott CARTER, who passed away at the age of 103, Barenboim performs a work written especially for him by Carter. —– Program: BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 3; ELIOTT CARTER: Dialogues II for piano and orchestra; TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No. 1
Wolf, Songs for Soprano and Orchestra & Bruckner, Symphony No. 7
When conductor Christian Thielemann, master interpreter of the romantic repertoire, and Renée Fleming, late-romantic specialist par excellence, weave their talents into the orchestral tapestry unfolded by the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, one of the oldest and most revered orchestras in the world, they create, as put by the Süddeutsche Zeitung, “romantic music as magic for the ears”. For this special concert, the first concert of Christian Thielemann as the principal conductor of the Staatskapelle Dresden, they chose the orchestral songs by the Austrian composer HUGO WOLF and ANTON BRUCKNER’s Symphony No. 7.
Bruckner, Symphony No. 8 in c minor
Christian Thielemann’s Bruckner “is so mighty, and with such a depth of sound … that one would have to be hard-hearted not to be touched by this heartfelt music” wrote the Berlin daily Der Tagesspiegel after this concert featuring Anton Bruckner’s Eighth Symphony performed by the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden. The recording of this symphony shall start a cycle of Bruckner’s complete symphonies with the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden under their principal conductor Christian Thielemann that is to be produced over the course of several years – a living monument of musical architecture.
Honeck conducts Beethoven & Schmidt
Young Spanish violinist María Dueñas is currently conquering the concert stages of the world and performing with the most renowned orchestras and conductors of our time. Her technical skills, artistic maturity and interpretations full of character come together in her performances. Winner of several violin competitions, she was selected by BBC Radio 3 as one of the New Generation Artists 2021-23. In this concert with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra conducted by Manfred Honeck, she presents Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with her own cadenzas. “Her mixture of tautness and elasticity, verve and sensitivity was as enchanting as the focused, luminous tone of her violin” (Der Standard). The concert is rounded off with Franz Schmidt’s (1874–1939) Fourth Symphony.
Salzburg Festival 2013: Simon Rattle conducts Mahler 1
“When I first conducted the Infantil Orchestra three years ago in Caracas, I could not believe that children as young as nine and never older than 14 could not only play all the notes, but also could make such wonderful music. It is exhilarating and life-enhancing. This is, quite simply, the future of music. Those of you lucky enough to hear the concerts will see why.” Simon Rattle —– PROGRAM: Gershwin: Cuban Overture; Ginastera: Danzas de Estancia; Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 1
Salzburg Festival 2013: Britten, War Requiem
“Intensive, touching… a deeply moving plea for peace” (News) – Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem marks the composer’s 100th birthday with a stellar Salzburg Festival cast: Anna Netrebko, Ian Bostridge and Thomas Hampson in the solo parts, accompanied by the Orchestra dell’Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia under the baton of Antonio Pappano. A “truly moving” performance, according to La Stampa newspaper.