Recorded and broadcast in May 1982, Horowitz’s technique was begining to decline, though he retained all the fire of his playing. Introduction: Interview (00:05:30). Programm: Robert Schumann, Kinderszenen op.15, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, op. 36; Frédéric Chopin, Waltz in A-flat major, op. 69 No. 1
From Mao to Bach: Zhu Xiao-Mei performs the Goldberg Variations at the Bachfest Leipzig
Zhu Xiao-Mei occupies a unique place in the world of music: The program of her rare appearances is limited to a few works which are for her like “mountains of the soul”. Her famous recording of the Goldberg Variations by Johann Sebastian Bach, whom she described as the “reincarnation of a great Chinese sage,” has led the artist to her international breakthrough.
Kronos Quartet & Kimmo Pohjohnen – Uniko
Kimmo Pohjonen is one of the cutting-edge accordion virtuosi and composers of our time. After having heard a record of Pohjonen’s during their concert tour in Finland, Kronos Quartet – who is well known for breaking new musical grounds – decided to get in touch with him. The Kronos/Kluster project entitled “Uniko” is a mutually beneficial sonic/visual adventure with this goal: to create unique and never-before-heard-of sounds from accordion and strings. The Making-Of is a short documentary giving an insight into the collaboration between Kimmo Pohjonen, who has taken the accordion to new dimensions, his Kluster-partner Samuli Kosminen, Finland’s sampling guru, and the world’s most revolutionary string quartet – the Kronos quartet.
Yuja x Hockney at Lightroom London
One remarkable pianist, one remarkable artist: Yuja Wang presents a very special concert from London’s Lightroom. She performs music by composers ranging from Bach to Berio, carefully selected in response to a series of artworks by David Hockney, which are shown in stunning 360-degree projections as she plays. The result is an all-encompassing audio-visual experience that seeks out connections between the senses, between art and music, and between two major cultural figures of our time.
Hayato Sumino at Budokan
Taking the concert world by storm, pianist and composer Hayato Sumino breathes new life into the term virtuoso. He is not just a pianist; he is a real phenomenon. He plays the piano at a world-class level, has a degree in engineering, composes, arranges and improvises and is also a real YouTube star with over 1.3 million followers under the name »Cateen«. His passion and spontaneity draw his fans to the concert hall, he bridges the gap between the social media world and impressive performances on all the world’s major stages like no other. In the summer, an extensive sold-out 24-recital tour of Japan culminated at Budokan (Tokyo), where he performed for more than 13,000 fans. His unique style blends classical virtuoso tradition with an arranger’s ear and breathtaking improvisational skills, allowing Hayato to share not only classical masterworks, but also his original compositions and arrangements with audiences across the globe, including his rendition of Ravel’s Boléro on two pianos.
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.
Julius Asal plays Scriabin, Scarlatti and Brahms
Live from the Seoul Arts Center, pianist Julius Asal presents a recital juxtaposing repertoire from his acclaimed first album with one of the great piano sonatas of the Romantic repertoire. The first half sees him perform works by Scriabin and Scarlatti, woven together into a compelling musical whole through the inclusion of brief transitions created by Asal himself. For the second half, it’s the monumental Piano Sonata No. 3 by the 20-year-old Brahms. Cast in five movements it represents a powerful test of any performer’s technique, stamina as well as their sensitivity and musicianship – and promises to provide a rousing finale to this concert.
Bruce Liu Piano Recital
With a highly acclaimed performance, shooting star Bruce Liu thrilled as part of the 2024 Klavier-Festival Ruhr. The Chinese-Canadian pianist excelled in this concert evening with the full range of his stupendous playing technique, which he proved with an impressive performance of a stylistically wide-ranging series of works from Haydn, Chopin, and Beethoven to Prokofiev, touching on the variations of the Ukrainian Nicolai Kapustin, which are infused with a relaxed jazz feeling. Bruce Liu has made a name for himself by winning the Warsaw Chopin Competition in 2021, conquering his place in international music life. PROGRAM Haydn: Sonata No. 32; Chopin: Sonata No. 2, Op. 35; Kapustin: Variations Op. 41; Beethoven: Sonata No. 18, Op. 31/3 “The Hunt”; Prokofiev: Sonata No. 7
Yuja Wang & Víkingur Ólafsson: Live in Berlin
Two classical superstars and two of the most remarkable pianists of their generation join forces: Yuja Wang and Víkingur Ólafsson come together at the Philharmonie in Berlin for what promises to be an unmissable meeting of musical minds. As part of an extended tour that sees them performing together for the first time, they present a programme built around two classics of the four-hand repertoire – Schubert’s haunting Fantasie in F Minor and the two-piano version of Rachmaninoff’s powerful Symphonic Dances – alongside John Adams’s 1996 masterpiece Hallelujah Junction and further works by Adams, John Cage, Conlon Nancarrow and Arvo Pärt.
Vikingur Olafsson – Goldberg Variations from Harpa
Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson has made a profound impact with his remarkable combination of highest level musicianship and visionary programmes. His recordings for Deutsche Grammophon have captured the public and critical imagination. In October 2023, Ólafsson releases his anticipated new album on Deutsche Grammophon of J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations. Ólafsson has dedicated his entire 2023-24 season to a Goldberg Variations world tour, performing the work across six continents throughout the year. He brings Bach’s masterpiece to major concert halls of the world and in this recording from the Harpa Concert Hall in Reykjavik, Iceland, he is performing Goldberg Variations “at home”.