Lang Lang live in Berlin featuring Herbie Hancock

To celebrate Lang Lang’s 30th birthday, ‘the hottest pianist on the classical music planet’, and iconic jazz pianist, Herbie Hancock, joined forces together for an extraordinary performance at the famous O2 WORLD in Berlin, Germany in June 2012. Lang Lang and Herbie Hancock performed a program including Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue and Bernstein’s Tonight (from ‘Westside Story’) in arrangement for two pianos and orchestra, arrangements of classical hits like, Brahms’ Hungarian Dance No. 5 and Schubert´s Marche millitaire, where Lang Lang and Hancock were joined by the 50 children pianists. —— VERSION I (Total Length): Happy Birthday, Lang Lang! featuring Herbie Hancock – P. TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No. 1 / F. CHOPIN: Étude Op. 25, No. 1 A-flat major op. 25 / L. BERNSTEIN: Tonight from ‘West Side Story’ / F. Schubert: Marche militaire / J. BRAHMS: Hungarian Dance No. 5 / G. GERSHWIN: Rhapsody in Blue / Prelude No. 1 / LU WEN CHEN: Reflections of the Moon on the Calm Lake / M. & P. HILL: Happy Birthday, Length: 96’ min —— VERSION 2: Lang Lang – Live in Berlin! featuring Herbie Hancock – P. TCHAIKOVSKY: Piano Concerto No. 1 / F. CHOPIN: Étude Op. 25, No. 1 A-flat major op. 25 / L. BERNSTEIN: Tonight from ‘West Side Story’ / G. GERSHWIN: Rhapsody in Blue / Prelude No. 1 / LU WEN CHEN: Reflections of the Moon on the Calm Lake, Length: 82’ min.

RCO: Mäkelä conducts Ravel, Bartók, and Connesson

The Concertgebouw Orchestra, conductor Klaus Mäkelä and two of the orchestra’s soloists transport you to distant worlds. Fairy tales by Ravel and Bartók and two works by the contemporary sound wizard Guillaume Connesson: four pieces of music to take in visually. PROGRAM Ravel: Shéhérazade; Connesson: Les belles heures (oboe concerto, commission, Dutch premiere); Danses concertantes (flute concerto, commission, Dutch premiere); Bartók: music from ‘The Miraculous Mandarin’ 

Sibelius Symphony No. 1

It couldn’t be more authentic: the Philharmonic Orchestra Helsinki performs all seven symphonies by Jean Sibelius live in the spectacular concert hall of the Finnish capital’s modern Music Centre — the place where almost all of them had their premieres. Over a period of approximately 25 years, Jean Sibelius composed his seven symphonies. All of them, except for the seventh, were premiered in Helsinki under the composer’s own direction. Now, more than 100 years later, a symphony cycle by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by its chief conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste, offers a unique and moving experience.

Sibelius Symphony No. 2

It couldn’t be more authentic: the Philharmonic Orchestra Helsinki performs all seven symphonies by Jean Sibelius live in the spectacular concert hall of the Finnish capital’s modern Music Centre — the place where almost all of them had their premieres. Over a period of approximately 25 years, Jean Sibelius composed his seven symphonies. All of them, except for the seventh, were premiered in Helsinki under the composer’s own direction. Now, more than 100 years later, a symphony cycle by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by its chief conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste, offers a unique and moving experience.

Sibelius Symphony No. 3

It couldn’t be more authentic: the Philharmonic Orchestra Helsinki performs all seven symphonies by Jean Sibelius live in the spectacular concert hall of the Finnish capital’s modern Music Centre — the place where almost all of them had their premieres. Over a period of approximately 25 years, Jean Sibelius composed his seven symphonies. All of them, except for the seventh, were premiered in Helsinki under the composer’s own direction. Now, more than 100 years later, a symphony cycle by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by its chief conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste, offers a unique and moving experience.

Sibelius Symphony No. 4

It couldn’t be more authentic: the Philharmonic Orchestra Helsinki performs all seven symphonies by Jean Sibelius live in the spectacular concert hall of the Finnish capital’s modern Music Centre — the place where almost all of them had their premieres. Over a period of approximately 25 years, Jean Sibelius composed his seven symphonies. All of them, except for the seventh, were premiered in Helsinki under the composer’s own direction. Now, more than 100 years later, a symphony cycle by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by its chief conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste, offers a unique and moving experience.

Sibelius Symphony No. 5

It couldn’t be more authentic: the Philharmonic Orchestra Helsinki performs all seven symphonies by Jean Sibelius live in the spectacular concert hall of the Finnish capital’s modern Music Centre — the place where almost all of them had their premieres. Over a period of approximately 25 years, Jean Sibelius composed his seven symphonies. All of them, except for the seventh, were premiered in Helsinki under the composer’s own direction. Now, more than 100 years later, a symphony cycle by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by its chief conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste, offers a unique and moving experience.

Sibelius Symphony No. 6

It couldn’t be more authentic: the Philharmonic Orchestra Helsinki performs all seven symphonies by Jean Sibelius live in the spectacular concert hall of the Finnish capital’s modern Music Centre — the place where almost all of them had their premieres. Over a period of approximately 25 years, Jean Sibelius composed his seven symphonies. All of them, except for the seventh, were premiered in Helsinki under the composer’s own direction. Now, more than 100 years later, a symphony cycle by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by its chief conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste, offers a unique and moving experience.

Sibelius Symphony No. 7

It couldn’t be more authentic: the Philharmonic Orchestra Helsinki performs all seven symphonies by Jean Sibelius live in the spectacular concert hall of the Finnish capital’s modern Music Centre — the place where almost all of them had their premieres. Over a period of approximately 25 years, Jean Sibelius composed his seven symphonies. All of them, except for the seventh, were premiered in Helsinki under the composer’s own direction. Now, more than 100 years later, a symphony cycle by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by its chief conductor Jukka-Pekka Saraste, offers a unique and moving experience.

Concierto de Aranjuez

A perfect summer evening in the spectacular Palau de la Música València where the Orquesta de Valencia performs Joaquín Rodrigo’s “Concierto de Aranjuez”, under the direction of chief conductor Alexander Liebreich. The soloist on the classical guitar is the internationally acclaimed and multi-award-winning Croatian guitarist Ana Vidovic – one of the most impressive classical guitarists of our time. The Spanish composer Joaquín Rodrigo was always closely associated with València – it is the city where he grew up, studied, and later married. Since its foundation 80 years ago, the Orquesta de València has also identified with the heritage of Valencian culture, its composers, and the music of its homeland. The half-hour concert is a synthesis of the most diverse elements of Spanish music. It was quickly regarded abroad as the flagship of Spanish culture – and Joaquín Rodrigo as its ambassador. Interwoven with the concert recording, the documentary part of the program takes us to the Royal Gardens in Aranjuez, where Rodrigo was inspired to write his “Concierto de Aranjuez”. In interviews with conductor Alexander Liebreich, soloist Ana Vidovic and Cecilia Rodrigo, the composer’s daughter, we learn about the genesis of the work, how it was received and what the musicians associate with it.