Mozart, who was also an accomplished violinist, wrote all of his five violin concertos in Salzburg in 1775, apparently for his own personal use. Their style can best be described as cosmopolitan and reflects the many musical currents he had been exposed to while on his travels in Italy and elsewhere. Aristocratic, suave, witty, wonderfully melodious, they are dazzling gems that conceal an inner core of challenging material that can be truly mastered only by the very best violinists.
La Traviata
Within only a few years, Anna Netrebko has become one of the most acclaimed performers of our time, whose popularity transcends by far the boundaries of classical music. With her CDs garnering phenomenal sales and her stage appearances causing worldwide box-office stampedes, Anna Netrebko is on her way to becoming the new diva assoluta. This recording of Verdi’s “La Traviata” from the 2005 Salzburg Festival – the uncontested and hopelessly sold-out highlight of the festival season – captures the triumphal performance not only of Anna Netrebko as Violetta Valéry, but also of Rolando Villazón as her lover Alfredo. The glamorous Russian soprano and the heartthrob Mexican tenor have become the new dream team of the opera world.
Kennedy Live – Vivaldi at La Citadelle
Nigel Kennedy gave his first classical concert in France in 2004; the astonishing impact of this one show created both the best-selling classical CD in France since 2000 and two number one records. With Kennedy still at number 1 and 2 in the charts he returned to embrace his French triumph on a summer night in 2005 for this concert. This live performance is set in the stunning location of La Citadelle in Carcassonne, France; and showcases Nigel’s Vivaldi canon for which he has become so famous. Joined by the Polish Chamber Orchestra, Nigel plays Vivaldi’s Four Seasons and duets with the leader of the PCO, Jakub Haufa, on Vivaldi’s Concerto for 2 violins in C Major. The programme also features two excellent and very different encores; a take on Jimi Hendrix’s “Purple Haze” and a traditional celtic piece; both of which highlight Kennedy’s ability to interact with his audience.
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.
Documentary: Brahms, Symphony No.4 in E minor, op.98
Six great composers, six landmark symphonies, a top orchestra and its star conductor Kent Nagano – these are the components of an extraordinary classical-music television event. Shot in High Definition, it takes a bold and innovative approach to the recording of classical music. Boom and tracking shots, quick cuts, remote-controlled cameras – stylistic means previously used chiefly for pop music recordings give the programs an up-to-the-minute look and feel. A team of more than 30 specialists makes sure that viewers enjoy a truly cinematic experience. The programs also go new ways by featuring entertaining, historically founded animated sequences illustrating episodes from the lives of the composers. Backstage interviews with the musicians and excerpts from their rehearsals let us share in the spirit of their music-making. Conductor Kent Nagano also relates what is of special importance to him in each work, and offers fascinating insights on the origin and context of the work in question. Documentaries: Bruckner, Symphony No. 8 – Mozart, Symphony No.41 ‘Jupiter’ – Beethoven, Symphony No.3 ‘Eroica’ – Strauss, Alpensymphonie (An Alpine Symphony) – Schumann, Symphony No.3 – Brahms, Symphony No.4
Documentary: Schumann, Symphony No.3 in E flat major, op.97
Six great composers, six landmark symphonies, a top orchestra and its star conductor Kent Nagano – these are the components of an extraordinary classical-music television event. Shot in High Definition, it takes a bold and innovative approach to the recording of classical music. Boom and tracking shots, quick cuts, remote-controlled cameras – stylistic means previously used chiefly for pop music recordings give the programs an up-to-the-minute look and feel. A team of more than 30 specialists makes sure that viewers enjoy a truly cinematic experience. The programs also go new ways by featuring entertaining, historically founded animated sequences illustrating episodes from the lives of the composers. Backstage interviews with the musicians and excerpts from their rehearsals let us share in the spirit of their music-making. Conductor Kent Nagano also relates what is of special importance to him in each work, and offers fascinating insights on the origin and context of the work in question. Documentaries: Bruckner, Symphony No. 8 – Mozart, Symphony No.41 ‘Jupiter’ – Beethoven, Symphony No.3 ‘Eroica’ – Strauss, Alpensymphonie (An Alpine Symphony) – Schumann, Symphony No.3 – Brahms, Symphony No.4
Documentary: Strauss, Alpensymphonie (An Alpine Symphony), op.64
Six great composers, six landmark symphonies, a top orchestra and its star conductor Kent Nagano – these are the components of an extraordinary classical-music television event. Shot in High Definition, it takes a bold and innovative approach to the recording of classical music. Boom and tracking shots, quick cuts, remote-controlled cameras – stylistic means previously used chiefly for pop music recordings give the programs an up-to-the-minute look and feel. A team of more than 30 specialists makes sure that viewers enjoy a truly cinematic experience. The programs also go new ways by featuring entertaining, historically founded animated sequences illustrating episodes from the lives of the composers. Backstage interviews with the musicians and excerpts from their rehearsals let us share in the spirit of their music-making. Conductor Kent Nagano also relates what is of special importance to him in each work, and offers fascinating insights on the origin and context of the work in question. Documentaries: Bruckner, Symphony No. 8 – Mozart, Symphony No.41 ‘Jupiter’ – Beethoven, Symphony No.3 ‘Eroica’ – Strauss, Alpensymphonie (An Alpine Symphony) – Schumann, Symphony No.3 – Brahms, Symphony No.4
Documentary: Beethoven, Symphony No.3 in E flat major, op.55 “Eroica”
Six great composers, six landmark symphonies, a top orchestra and its star conductor Kent Nagano – these are the components of an extraordinary classical-music television event. Shot in High Definition, it takes a bold and innovative approach to the recording of classical music. Boom and tracking shots, quick cuts, remote-controlled cameras – stylistic means previously used chiefly for pop music recordings give the programs an up-to-the-minute look and feel. A team of more than 30 specialists makes sure that viewers enjoy a truly cinematic experience. The programs also go new ways by featuring entertaining, historically founded animated sequences illustrating episodes from the lives of the composers. Backstage interviews with the musicians and excerpts from their rehearsals let us share in the spirit of their music-making. Conductor Kent Nagano also relates what is of special importance to him in each work, and offers fascinating insights on the origin and context of the work in question. Documentaries: Bruckner, Symphony No. 8 – Mozart, Symphony No.41 ‘Jupiter’ – Beethoven, Symphony No.3 ‘Eroica’ – Strauss, Alpensymphonie (An Alpine Symphony) – Schumann, Symphony No.3 – Brahms, Symphony No.4
Documentary: Mozart, Symphony No.41 in C major, K.551 “Jupiter”
Six great composers, six landmark symphonies, a top orchestra and its star conductor Kent Nagano – these are the components of an extraordinary classical-music television event. Shot in High Definition, it takes a bold and innovative approach to the recording of classical music. Boom and tracking shots, quick cuts, remote-controlled cameras – stylistic means previously used chiefly for pop music recordings give the programs an up-to-the-minute look and feel. A team of more than 30 specialists makes sure that viewers enjoy a truly cinematic experience. The programs also go new ways by featuring entertaining, historically founded animated sequences illustrating episodes from the lives of the composers. Backstage interviews with the musicians and excerpts from their rehearsals let us share in the spirit of their music-making. Conductor Kent Nagano also relates what is of special importance to him in each work, and offers fascinating insights on the origin and context of the work in question. Documentaries: Bruckner, Symphony No. 8 – Mozart, Symphony No.41 ‘Jupiter’ – Beethoven, Symphony No.3 ‘Eroica’ – Strauss, Alpensymphonie (An Alpine Symphony) – Schumann, Symphony No.3 – Brahms, Symphony No.4
Beethoven, Symphony No.3 in E flat major, op.55 “Eroica” (Kent Nagano Conducts Classical Masterpieces)
Six great composers, six landmark symphonies, a top orchestra and its star conductor Kent Nagano – these are the components of an extraordinary classical-music television event. Shot in High Definition, it takes a bold and innovative approach to the recording of classical music. Boom and tracking shots, quick cuts, remote-controlled cameras – stylistic means previously used chiefly for pop music recordings give the programs an up-to-the-minute look and feel. A team of more than 30 specialists makes sure that viewers enjoy a truly cinematic experience.