In many ways, Haydn and Bruckner are polar opposites. Haydn was a natural talent, while Bruckner was a late bloomer; Haydn was a self-assured professional who wrote music for weddings and parties just as easily as he did for great noblemen, while Bruckner plodded along laboriously, often plagued by feelings of insecurity. Both produced outstanding music, however, as evidenced by Haydn’s energetic, sunny Cello Concerto, performed here by the leading Norwegian cellist Truls Mørk, and by Bruckner’s most well-balanced symphony, the ‘Romantic’. —— Program: Joseph HAYDN – Cello Concerto, Anton BRUCKNER – Symphony No.4 (‘Romantic’)
Requiem for Hieronymus Bosch
s-Hertogenbosch’s most famous son, the famed painter Hieronymus Bosch lived and worked at the town marketplace, portraying medieval life in his paintings brimming with symbolism, fantasy and riddles. With the international event Bosch 500, ’s-Hertogenbosch is commemorating the five hundredth anniversary of the artist’s death in a spectacular way. The RCO’s house composer Detlev Glanert has been commissioned by the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and Bosch 500 to write a requiem for soloists, choir, organ and orchestra. The composition translates the demonic nature of Bosch’s paintings with textual counterparts into music. Glanert combines traditional requiem texts with excerpts from the manuscript collection Carmina Burana – each movement of the Requiem is accompanied by a poem about the seven deadly sins.
Puccini: Il tabarro (Kerstmatinee 1998)
From the main hall of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam: Riccardo Chailly and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra perfoming Puccini’s opera in one act, ‘Il tabarro’. Joining them is a great cast of high-class singers. Amongst them star tenor José Cura.
Puccini: Suor Angelica (Kerstmatinee 1999)
Riccardo Chailly and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra with a highly acclaimed perfomance of Puccini’s opera in one act, ‘Suor Angelica’, at the legendary AVRO Kerstmatinee in 1999.
Puccini: Gianni Schicchi (Kerstmatinee 2000)
Puccini’s ‘Gianni Schicchi’ perfomed at the AVRO Kerstmatinee 2000 by Riccardo Chailly and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
Brahms: Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 1, Rachmaninov: Symphonic Dances op. 45 (Kerstmatinee 2004)
Daniel Barenboim is the soloist in this production of Brahm’s piano concert no. 1. Mariss Jansons conducts the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Also on the programme: Rachmaninov’s Symphonic Dances, op. 45.
Mozart: Symphony No. 35 ‘Haffner’ / Debussy: La mer
Multi-awarded conductor Bernard Haitink leads the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. On the programme: Mozart’s ‘Prague’ Symphony and Debussy’s impressionistic masterpiece ‘La mer’.
Janácek: Lasské´Tance
Daniel Harding, one of the most sought-after young conductors of our time, and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra performing Janácek’s Lachian Dances, which originally were titled Wallachian Dances, after the Moravian Wallachia region. The composition reflects folk songs from that specific area of Janácek’s home country.
Mahler: Songs from ‘Des Kaben Wunderhorn / Beethoven: Symphony No. 6 (Kerstmatinee 2009)
Bernard Haitink and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra performing Gustav Mahler’s stunning Songs from ‘Des Kaben Wunderhorn and Beethoven’s Pastorale. Joining them is the young Dutch mezzo-soprano Christianne Stotijn.
Mahler: Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen / Dvorák: Symphony No. 8 (Kerstmatinee 2007)
Star baritone Thomas Hampson is the soloist in this performance of Mahler’s ‘Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen’. Joining him are famous conductor Bernard Haitink and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Also on the programme: Antonín Dvorák’s Symphony No. 8.