Looking for Beethoven – On the Paths of the Beethoven String Quartets

What seems to be the predominant impulse driving this music,” explains viola player Krzysztof Chorzelski of the Belcea Quartet, “is man’s yearning for freedom, the unquenchable desire to expand his limits and to learn the truth about himself in this process Beethoven inspires us as performers to take up this challenge.” The Belcea Quartet’s response to this challenge took place in the Vienna Konzerthaus. The ensemble embarked on the complete cycle of Beethoven string quartets, playing the whole program within twelve days, each concert featuring one work from the early, middle and late quartets.

“La Chasse – The Hunt” – Music from Paris and Vienna

The Bläserphilharmonie Mozarteum is one of the leading wind ensembles in the world. The musicians are members from the great symphony orchestras from all over the world. Once a year they come together for a special concert at the Großes Festspielhaus in Salzburg, which is always dedicated to a specific theme. “La chasse – The Hunt” builds a bridge from Vienna to Paris; hunting music of the 17th and 18th century from France and Austria is performed – on historical Parforce horns – as well as great entertaining music of the 19th and early 20th century, from Jaques Offenbach’s Cancan to Johann Strauss’s Radetzky March – original works as well as sensitively balanced stylistic arrangements for symphonic winds. It’s all about the hunt – in terms of content and music and with all its diversity and tradition. After all, people have always been hunting – deer, hares, but also happiness, success and love… . Also available is the documentary Huntsman’s Sound by Chris Kurt Weisz (A04550007 – 25′ min).

Verdi & Wagner – 6 part documentary series

“Wagner vs. Verdi” illuminates the two composers, the Italian Giuseppe Verdi and the German Richard Wagner from different and very personal angles: Six episodes that explore various aspects of live and work of the two titans of opera: politics, love, music and emotions. Big names of the classical music scene such as conductor Christian Thielemann and singer Rolando Villazón are being interviewed as well as music experts and designated Verdi and Wagner fans and haters. A diverse and entertaining documentary series for newcomers and connoisseurs alike. PART 1: … and the Effects of their Music – Director: Christian Kugler (Length: 26′ – A045500090001) / PART 2: The Chant – Director: Thomas Macho (Length: 27′ – A045500090002) / PART 3: The Revolutionairies – Director: Pepe Pippig (Length: 27′ – A045500090003) / PART 4: …and the Women – Director: Martin Betz (Length: 27′ – A045500090004) / PART 5: The Wagner Religion – Director: Daniel Gerlach (Length: 27′ – A045500090005) / PART 6: Verdi’s World – Director: Anna Schmidt (Length: 27′ – A045500090006) // ALSO AVAILABLE: Wagner Madness! – Director: Martin Schneider (Length: 43′ – A04550010)

Salzburg Festival 2012: Ouverture Spirituelle – Nikolaus Harnoncourt

Nikolaus Harnoncourt places the emphasis on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in the Ouverture Spirituelle, featuring sacred music within the Salzburg Festival, by choosing two seldom heard works by the Salzburg-born composer. Together with the Arnold Schoenberg Choir and his Concentus Musicus Wien ensemble, the Mozart specialist conducts the Litaniae de venerabili altaris sacramento K. 243 and the Missa longa in C major K. 262 in the unique venue that is Salzburg Cathedral, a jewel of Baroque architecture. These two highly expressive works, written by the virtuoso composer when he was a mere twenty years old, were first performed in that very building. “Harnoncourt revealed the historic richness of Mozart’s Litanei … in the finest colours and dynamic shading”, wrote Die Kleine Zeitung. The Austrian baritone Florian Boesch and mezzosoprano Elisabeth von Magnus delivered their parts in especially sensitive manner. Jeremy Ovenden’s vocal line is truly elegant coupled with that of the ambitious Spanish soprano Sylvia Schwatz. “Ovenden’s attractive, bright tenor … his rhythm, diction and easy flexibility of voice are exemplary”, according to The Sunday Times. Rarely revealed tapestries from the prince-archbishop’s treasury were hung in the cathedral especially for this concert, in order to give a better impression of how the works might have sounded in Mozart’s day.

Salzburg Festival 2012: Opening Concert

The Opening Concert of Salzburg Festival 2012 builds a bridge to the Ouverture spirituelle: Valery Gergiev conducts STRAVINSKY’s Symphony of Psalms, a work that is as unusual as it is haunting, setting three psalms from the Old Testament to music. Modest MUSORGSKY’s Songs and Dances of Death are performed in a version for high voice, with the Russian tenor Sergei Semishkur. The programme closes with Sergey PROKIFIEV’s Symphony No. 5.

Beethoven – The Complete String Quartets

“What seems to be the predominant impulse driving this music,” explains viola player Krzysztof Chorzelski of the Belcea Quartet, “is man’s yearning for freedom, the unquenchable desire to expand his limits and to learn the truth about himself in this process. Beethoven inspires us as performers to take up this challenge.” The Belcea Quartet’s response to this challenge took place in the Vienna Konzerthaus in May 2012. The ensemble embarked on the complete cycle of Beethoven string quartets, playing the whole program within twelve days, each concert featuring one work each from the early, middle and late quartets. Described as “a world-class ensemble” in The Guardian, this quartet brings a freshness to their interpretation of Beethoven’s string quartets, and draws forth a great range of colours, from sweetness to strength, from solemnity to impetuous force, while the cameras capture with great clarity the changing emotions of the players. Also available: DOCUMENTARY “On the Paths of the Beethoven String Quartets”. Directed by Jean Claude Mocik. Length approx. 52′.

The World Of The Ring

Christian Thielemann, the most soughtafter Wagner conductor of our time, looks into the story behind one of the most ambitious opera projects of music history: the genesis and reception of Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen” – in a four-part documentary by film director Eric Schulz.

Salzburg Festival 2012: Mariss Jansons

With four opera productions and its concert cycle, the Vienna Philharmonic once again forming the centre of the Salzburg Festival. Furthermore, in 2012, its concerts bring the musicians not only to the Grosses Festspielhaus, where they are heard under the baton of four of the most important conductors of our times, but – with smaller forces – also to the Main Auditorium of the Mozarteum. With a programme dedicated to the second half of the 19th century, Mariss Jansons, the Vienna Philharmonic and soprano Nina Stemme offer a “superlative concert experience.” (Kurier).

Salzburg Festival 2012: Zurich Ballet and the Hagen Quartet

A singular project is staged at the Salzburg Festival with the famous Felsenreitschule as a backdrop: for the first time the renowned Hagen Quartet appears at the festival accompanied by a dance company. The Swiss grand master of dance Heinz Spoerli presents three works he choreographed for his Zurich Ballet set to three of the great works of the quartet literature: Leos Janácek’s string quartet “Intimate Letters”, Antonín Dvorák’s “American Quartet” and Franz Schubert’s string quartet “The Death and the Maiden”.