Daniel Barenboim and the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra performing works by the Jordanian composer Saed Haddad (*1972) and the Israel-based “composer-in-residence” of Lucerne Festival 2013, Chaya Czernowin (*1957). The two world premieres were contrasted by works of the two great composers celebrating their 200th anniversary: Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner. —– PROGRAM: G. Verdi: Overture to Les Vêpres siciliennes; S. Haddad (*1972): Que la lumière soit (world premiere); G. Verdi: La traviata, preludes to act 1 and 3, Overture to La forza del destino; R. Wagner: Prelude to Parsifal; Ch. Czernowin (*1957): At the Fringe of Our Gaze (world premiere); R. Wagner: Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg
Lucerne Festival: Andris Nelsons conducts Brahms
Claudio Abbado himself chose Brahms’ Alto Rhapsody as the center of the opening concert 2014, and Andris Nelsons and the Lucerne Festival Orchestra probe its psychological depths – while further exploring the psychic landscape of this German Romantic’s music as expressed in the Second Serenade and the Second Symphony. —– PROGRAM: Brahms: Serenade No. 2 in D major op. 16 for Small Orchestra / Alto Rhapsody op. 53 for Alto, Male Chorus and Orchestra / Symphony No. 2 in D major op. 73. (Cat. No. UNITEL: A955500030000)
Barenboim conducts Mozart
In order to celebrate the declaration of the “Human Rights” Daniel Barenboim and his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra perform an all-Mozart programme at the heart of the United Nations in Geneva in the presence of the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-moon. The performance under the title Concert for the Understanding of Civilizations and Human Rights featured W.A. Mozart’s last three Symphonies, No. 39, No. 40 and No. 41 (Jupiter). The imposing setting of the Human Rights Hall at the Palace of Nations, which houses the Miquel Barceló dome, provides a stunning backdrop for the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in this concert that aimes at promoting peace efforts around the world and highlights the principles contained in the Universal Declaration.
WEDO and Barenboim: The Human Rights Concert
In order to celebrate the declaration of the “Human Rights” Daniel Barenboim and his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra perform at the heart of the United Nations in Geneva. The Orchestra, which was just recently designated as United Nations Global Advocate for Cultural Understanding by the UN is joined by rising cello virtuoso Kian Soltani in order to perform Joseph Haydn’s Concerto for Violoncello No. 1. This first part is followed by the Sinfonia Concertante for four winds by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, featuring four young soloists from Spain, Germany, Turkey and Israel. The imposing setting of the Human Rights Hall at the Palace of Nations, which houses the Miquel Barceló dome, provides a stunning backdrop for this concert highlighting the principles contained in the Universal Declaration.
Omer Meir Wellber conducts Bach and Schubert
American violinist Hilary Hahn – “one of the essential violinists of our time” (The New York Times) – appears for the first time at the Gstaad Menuhin Festival, Switzerland, with Johann Sebastian Bach’s Violin Concertos in A minor and E major. At the age of 17 she made a huge impression with the recording of Bach’s six sonatas and partitas. Twenty years later she still interprets Bach with the same ease and fascinates by her unaffected, brilliant playing. Together with Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, who later perform Schubert’s “Tragic” 4th Symphony, this results in an enchanting interplay in the beautiful Mauritius Church. The conductor is the Israeli Omer Meir Wellber, who also reaches for the bandoneon in Piazzolla’s rousing Oblivion encore.
Lucerne Festival 2021: Currentzis conducts Mahler No. 5
Meet the exceptionnal Teodor Currentzis at the helm of musicAeterna for a memorable concert at Luzern’s KKL! On the program: Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, a favorite of the ensemble, with its gorgeous Adagietto whose direction is a challenge to all conductors, the perfect opportunity for the maestro to showcase his style. Then, we move on to Anaphora by contemporary composer Alexey Retinsky, a work which plays on the contrasting sound textures between acoustic and electric instruments to create innovative and rich harmonic colors. PROGRAM Mahler: Symphony No. 5; Retinsky: Anaphora
Albrecht Mayer in Concert
Unlike the piano, the violin or even the flute, the oboe is a relatively rare instrument for a solo career. And when a soloist such as Albrecht Mayer plays the oboe, one wishes composers had written more works for this weetly mellow instrument. Critics write about the “divine spark” that inspires his playing, and about the “miraculous oboe” that turns into “an instrument of seduction.” With his particularly warm tone and exceptionally broad palette of nuances, it’s no surprise that Albrecht Mayer is one of today’s most sought-after international oboists.
Andris Nelsons at the Lucerne Festival
Dmitri Shostakovich’s Eighth Symphony, which was written in the pivotal months after the Battle of Stalingrad, follows the principle of triumph through adversity – ‘per aspera ad astra’ – not just musically, but also conceptually: Everything that is dark and shameful will perish; everything that is beautiful will triumph.’ This ‘triumph,’ though, is restrained. The Eighth is a large-scale work that ends in something like a pastoral mood, played pianissimo; poses of jubilation were not in Shostakovich’s nature. The concert opens with the delightful, lively Overture to ‘Rienzi.’ And the ‘Dance of the Seven Veils’ from ‘Salome’ shows the fin-de-siècle’s enigmatic penchant for decadence.
Dudamel conducts Mahler No. 2
Charismatic Venezuelan conductor Gustavo Dudamel returns to Palau de la Música Catalana, world heritage site and one of the most beautiful concert halls in the world, conducting Mahler’s existential Second Symphony with the outstanding Münchner Philharmoniker. Mahler was keen to emphasize life and death in all its terrible and stunning splendour in this overwhelming opus, also referred to as “Resurrection Symphony”: “In my two symphonies there is nothing except the complete substance of my whole life” he remarked on his all-embracing oeuvre American mezzo-soprano Tamara Mumford and Israeli soprano Chen Reiss as well as the seemingly weightless choirs of Orfeó Català and
Cor de Cambra del Palau de la Música Catalana perform “a mark-shattering finale with goosebumps” (Münchner Merkur). “The dynamic range is enormous. But most fascinating are the moments of absolute silence, in which you can feel how the dramaturgy of the evening comes together: An audience holds its breath” (Süddeutsche Zeitung).
The Beethoven Marathon
It was the sensation in the run-up to the Beethoven Year 2020: The complete Beethoven Symphony Cycle with the Danish Chamber Orchestra and its chief conductor Ádám Fischer. Renowned awards followed quickly: The CD set was named International Classical Music Award’s Recording of the Year 2020 and won the Opus Klassik as the best Symphonic recording / music 19th century. With their witty and volatile performances, Fischer and the DCO amaze the audience and set new standards for the critics – and are now available, recorded in Jean Nouvel’s stunning Koncerthuset in Copenhagen.