Brahms himself played the solo part at the world premiere of his Piano Concerto No. 2 in Budapest’s Redoutensaal on 9 November 1881. The work opens with a beautiful horn call which is like a magical summons to the other instruments. The Scherzo is of symphonic proportions and richness. The nocturne-like mood of the slow movement is based on the song of a solo cello, a simple eight-measure phrase. The finale has a bright, skipping figure for the piano as the principal rondo refrain. Maurizio Pollini was born in Milan to a family of artists in 1942. In 1960 he won the first prize at the Chopin Competition in Warsaw. Since then, he has been a leading protagonist at all major concert venues in Europe, as well as in America and Japan.
Mozart, Piano Concerto No.23 in A major, K. 488
The soloist in this concerto conducted by Karl Böhm and played by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is Maurizio Pollini, one of the most enigmatic figures in today’s musical world. Although he approaches the repertoire in a profoundly spiritual manner, Pollini does not ban brilliance and dazzling virtuosity from his playing. His lyrical and intense art makes him predestined for Mozart, whose works he has been interpreting in a completely new light for many years now. Mozart composed this work during a particularly fruitful period in Vienna in 1786, while he was working on “Figaro,” the Masonic Funeral Music and the concertos K. 482 and 491. The A major concerto is one of Mozart’s most beloved, perhaps because of its highly contrasting moods, which nevertheless produce an overal impression of Classical unity: the elegant and polished first movement, the poignantly beautiful “siciliano” slow movement and the exuberant Allegro assai finale. The Mozart interpretations of Karl Böhm (1894-1981) perfectly echo the naturalness and clarity of the maestro’s conducting. Although Wagner was one of his first loves, Böhm soon discovered Mozart’s operas thanks to Bruno Walter, who let him conduct “Die Entführung aus dem Serail” in Munich in the early 1920s. Later, Böhm’s friendship with Richard Strauss led to a still deeper knowledge and appreciation of Mozart. In his autobiography, Böhm wrote that “Richard Strauss revealed to me the ultimate secrets of this – in my opinion – greatest musical genius.” Böhm’s discovery of these secrets turned his Mozart interpretations, such as this one with the celebrated pianist Maurizio Pollini, into unforgettable events.
Mozart, Piano Concerto No.19 in F major, K. 459
The soloist in this concerto conducted by Karl Böhm and played by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is Maurizio Pollini, one of the most enigmatic figures in today’s musical world. Although he approaches the repertoire in a profoundly spiritual manner, Pollini does not ban brilliance and dazzling virtuosity from his playing. His lyrical and intense art makes him predestined for Mozart, whose works he has been interpreting in a completely new light for many years now. Mozart wrote his concerto K. 459 in 1784 as one of the six concertos written in that year for a series of subscription concerts in which he regularly played a new work of his own creation. Its first movement begins with a jaunty rhythm reminiscent of that used in the Symphonies K. 550 and 551. The orchestra claims equal partnership right away, the masterful interplay of the winds, strings and solo instrument revealing the full extent of Mozart’s innovative treatment of the concerto form. Maurizio Pollini first drew widespread attention when he won the first prize at the Chopin Competition in Warsaw in 1960 and was expressly praised by Arthur Rubinstein, the president of the jury. Surprisingly, he turned down the many offers of performances he then received in order to “listen” and meditate. It was only after working with Michelangeli that he launched his international career. A socially committed artist, he rejected all forms of elitism. He has played for workers in factories and given concerts to support political causes. In addition to the romantic repertoire, which he masters superbly, he has always shown a predilection for contemporary works, especially those of Stockhausen and Nono. He recorded this concerto at Vienna’s Musikvereinssaal in April 1976. Karl Böhm conducts the Vienna Philharmonic.
Beethoven, String Quartet in F major, op.59/1 “Rasumovsky Quartet”
Since its founding in 1946 in New York, the Juilliard Quartet has been synonymous with the genre of the string quartet. The repertoire of the ensemble comprises around 500 works – from J. S. Bach’s “Art of Fugue” to contemporary works which were written for the Juilliards. The four musicians have also trained generations of string quartets as teachers at the Juilliard School of Music in New York – from the Emerson Quartet to the Tokyo String Quartet. Robert Mann, the first violin, belonged to the founding members and retired in 1997 at the age of 77. Earl Carlyss was second violinist from 1966-1986 and was followed by Joel Smirnoff, who changed from the second to the first violin in 1997. Samuel Rhodes joined the ensemble as violist in 1969 and Joel Krosnick as cellist in 1974.
Beethoven, String Quartet in C sharp minor, op.131
Since its founding in 1946 in New York, the Juilliard Quartet has been synonymous with the genre of the string quartet. The repertoire of the ensemble comprises around 500 works – from J. S. Bach’s “Art of Fugue” to contemporary works which were written for the Juilliards. The four musicians have also trained generations of string quartets as teachers at the Juilliard School of Music in New York – from the Emerson Quartet to the Tokyo String Quartet. Robert Mann, the first violin, belonged to the founding members and retired in 1997 at the age of 77. Earl Carlyss was second violinist from 1966-1986 and was followed by Joel Smirnoff, who changed from the second to the first violin in 1997. Samuel Rhodes joined the ensemble as violist in 1969 and Joel Krosnick as cellist in 1974.
Beethoven, String Quartet in C minor, op.18/4
Since its founding in 1946 in New York, the Juilliard Quartet has been synonymous with the genre of the string quartet. The repertoire of the ensemble comprises around 500 works – from J. S. Bach’s “Art of Fugue” to contemporary works which were written for the Juilliards. The four musicians have also trained generations of string quartets as teachers at the Juilliard School of Music in New York – from the Emerson Quartet to the Tokyo String Quartet. Robert Mann, the first violin, belonged to the founding members and retired in 1997 at the age of 77. Earl Carlyss was second violinist from 1966-1986 and was followed by Joel Smirnoff, who changed from the second to the first violin in 1997. Samuel Rhodes joined the ensemble as violist in 1969 and Joel Krosnick as cellist in 1974.
Haydn, Cello Concerto No.2 in D major, Hob.VIIb:2
Hailed as the finest cellist in the world, the ebullient “Slava” Rostropovich was an unabashed romantic who seemed to pour his Russian soul into every phrase, bowing long, songful lines with a subtle eloquence and purity of tone. Instead of constantly repeating the warhorses, he prodded composers into creating new works for him. Given his flawless technique and his sincere commitment to contemporary music, composers were more than willing to comply. Many works were written for him by some of the 20th century’s leading composers, including Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Britten, Bernstein, Penderecki and Lutoslawski. In addition to playing the cello, he was also a pianist and often accompanied his wife, the former Bolshoi prima donna Galina Vishnevskaya, at the piano. He made his conducting debut at the Bolshoi Theater in 1967 and first led the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington DC in 1975. He became Music Director of this orchestra in 1977 and remained at its head for 17 years. He is credited with having immensely raised both the standard and the status of the orchestra. Human rights were always a major concern for Rostropovich – and a major source of trouble. His troubles with the Soviet government began in 1968 after he and his wife showed support for the author Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Rostropovich and his wife suddenly became “invisible”, their engagements were cancelled, their names disappeared from their recordings, from program notes, from the annals of Russian music. The couple was allowed to leave the country in 1974 following the intervention of Leonard Bernstein. After playing at the Berlin Wall in November 1989, Rostropovich made his triumphal return to Russia in 1990 with the National Symphony Orchestra, and he returned several times to show his solidarity with his beleaguered country. Rostropovich died in Moscow on 27 April 2007.
Haydn, Cello Concerto No.1 in C major, Hob.VIIb:1
Hailed as the finest cellist in the world, the ebullient “Slava” Rostropovich was an unabashed romantic who seemed to pour his Russian soul into every phrase, bowing long, songful lines with a subtle eloquence and purity of tone. Instead of constantly repeating the warhorses, he prodded composers into creating new works for him. Given his flawless technique and his sincere commitment to contemporary music, composers were more than willing to comply. Many works were written for him by some of the 20th century’s leading composers, including Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Britten, Bernstein, Penderecki and Lutoslawski. In addition to playing the cello, he was also a pianist and often accompanied his wife, the former Bolshoi prima donna Galina Vishnevskaya, at the piano. He made his conducting debut at the Bolshoi Theater in 1967 and first led the National Symphony Orchestra of Washington DC in 1975. He became Music Director of this orchestra in 1977 and remained at its head for 17 years. He is credited with having immensely raised both the standard and the status of the orchestra. Human rights were always a major concern for Rostropovich – and a major source of trouble. His troubles with the Soviet government began in 1968 after he and his wife showed support for the author Alexander Solzhenitsyn. Rostropovich and his wife suddenly became “invisible”, their engagements were cancelled, their names disappeared from their recordings, from program notes, from the annals of Russian music. The couple was allowed to leave the country in 1974 following the intervention of Leonard Bernstein. After playing at the Berlin Wall in November 1989, Rostropovich made his triumphal return to Russia in 1990 with the National Symphony Orchestra, and he returned several times to show his solidarity with his beleaguered country. Rostropovich died in Moscow on 27 April 2007.
Saint-Saëns, Piano Concerto No.2 in G minor, op.22
At 88, Arthur Rubinstein showed no trace of losing that quality of “joie de vivre” that had so fascinated audiences for almost three quarters of a century. The true Rubinstein sound, full and sonorous at every pitch, was always one of the distinctive marks of his playing ever since he began appearing in public. Rubinstein’s performance of Saint-Saëns’s Piano Concerto No. 2, accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra under André Previn, is a perfect testimony of his notion of a “singing tone”. With playing that is by turns vital and poetic, extrovert and reflective, rhapsodic and poised, this performance, filmed in April 1975 at Croydon’s Fairfield Hall, is Rubinstein at his warm-hearted, lyrical best. Incidentally, Rubinstein made his New York debut with the Saint-Saëns Concerto at Carnegie Hall on 8 January 1906.
Grieg, Piano Concerto in A minor, op.16
At 88, Artur Rubinstein showed no trace of losing that quality of “joie de vivre” that had so fascinated audiences for almost three quarters of a century. The true Rubinstein sound, full and sonorous at every pitch, was always one of the distinctive marks of his playing ever since he began appearing in public. Rubinstein’s performance of Grieg’s ever-popular piano concerto, accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra under André Previn, is a perfect testimony of his notion of a “singing tone”. With playing that is by turns vital and poetic, extrovert and reflective, rhapsodic and poised, this performance, filmed in April 1975 at London’s Fairfield Hall, is Rubinstein at his warm-hearted, lyrical best.