Concerts with works by

Francis Poulenc

Javus Quartett plays Poulenc and Beethoven

The Sunday Morning Concert brings you wonderful and much-loved compositions, performed by top musicians from the Netherlands and abroad. Enjoy the most beautiful music in the morning! You can make your Sunday complete by enjoying a delicious post-concert lunch in restaurant LIER.The Royal Concertgebouw is one of the best concert halls in the world, famous for its exceptional acoustics and varied programme. Attend a concert and have an experience you will never forget. Come and enjoy inspiring music in the beautiful surroundings of the Main Hall or the intimate Recital Hall.

Concert de Midi et Demi avec Hie ISHII, flûte – ARTIST DIPLOMA & Atsushi YAMANAKA, piano

John Storgårds, Lucas & Arthur Jussen

We are delighted that John Storgårds will be our guest again this season, as he is a highly valued member of our orchestra family. In addition to his regular appearances in Bamberg as a conductor, he was active in other roles last summer: as part of the jury in our Mahler Competition. As a conductor, he is known for his creative instinct in arranging programmes and will guide us through his rich selection of works with a keen sense of rhythm: We start with a waltz from a rarely heard gem – Shostakovich’s operetta, first performed in 1959, which revolves around everyday life in a Plattenbau housing estate. Poulenc could be a real »rascal« – as evidenced by his concerto written in 1932, despite some of its elegiac tones. We are pleased to welcome two young pianists, Lucas and Arthur Jussen, for their debut in Bamberg. The concert will also feature the Symphony No. 3 by Ukrainian composer Victoria Polevá: this haunting piece was written in 2003 and at times creates powerful sonic massifs, but is otherwise characterised by a melancholy tone. This austere mood suits our guest conductor wonderfully as a transition to the initially very pensive nature of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 6 – which, however, then ends in a sarcastic circus frenzy. This is sure to be a moving experience, as the press raved about our cordial collaboration with the likeable Finn on the podium: »John Storgårds allowed for highly emotional, exuberant, free and joyful music-making, which the superb Bambergers savoured to the full. Everything was just right – a great moment!«

John Storgårds, Lucas & Arthur Jussen

We are delighted that John Storgårds will be our guest again this season, as he is a highly valued member of our orchestra family. In addition to his regular appearances in Bamberg as a conductor, he was active in other roles last summer: as part of the jury in our Mahler Competition. As a conductor, he is known for his creative instinct in arranging programmes and will guide us through his rich selection of works with a keen sense of rhythm: We start with a waltz from a rarely heard gem – Shostakovich’s operetta, first performed in 1959, which revolves around everyday life in a Plattenbau housing estate. Poulenc could be a real »rascal« – as evidenced by his concerto written in 1932, despite some of its elegiac tones. We are pleased to welcome two young pianists, Lucas and Arthur Jussen, for their debut in Bamberg. The concert will also feature the Symphony No. 3 by Ukrainian composer Victoria Polevá: this haunting piece was written in 2003 and at times creates powerful sonic massifs, but is otherwise characterised by a melancholy tone. This austere mood suits our guest conductor wonderfully as a transition to the initially very pensive nature of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 6 – which, however, then ends in a sarcastic circus frenzy. This is sure to be a moving experience, as the press raved about our cordial collaboration with the likeable Finn on the podium: »John Storgårds allowed for highly emotional, exuberant, free and joyful music-making, which the superb Bambergers savoured to the full. Everything was just right – a great moment!«

Concert de Midi et demi avec Sohjun SHIM, Yao ZHANG et Spyros THOMAS

Le Printemps de la Mélodie – Voyage en Espagne

Trio à la française

Janine Jansen & Denis Kozhukhin: Brahms, Schumann and more

The Concertgebouw’s famous Main Hall is one of the best concert halls in the world, well-known for its exceptional acoustics and special atmosphere. In the Main Hall, you will feel history. Here, Gustav Mahler conducted his own compositions, as did Richard Strauss and Igor Stravinsky. Sergei Rachmaninoff played his own piano concertos in the Main Hall. This is also where musicians such as Leonard Bernstein, Vladimir Horowitz and Yehudi Menuhin gave legendary performances. Right up to now, the Main Hall offers a stage to the world’s best orchestras and musicians. Buy your tickets now and experience the magic of the Main Hall for yourself!

Janine Jansen | Denis Kozhukhin

Exceptional violinist Janine Jansen, known for her numerous performances of Brahms' violin concerto, now focuses on his violin sonatas with award-winning pianist Denis Kozhukhin. Their exploration extends into the 20th century, encompassing Ravel, Messiaen, and Poulenc's distinct contributions to the genre. Jansen and Kozhukhin share a passion for chamber music and a dedication to shaping its emotional depths.

Benjamin Appl and James Baillieu: Forbidden Fruit

For lovers of chamber music the Recital Hall is the venue of choice. You can hear the musicians breathe and you can practically touch them. This hall is also cherished by musicians for its beautiful acoustics and direct contact with the audience. In the Recital Hall you can hear the best musicians of our time. Buy your tickets now and experience the magic of the Recital Hall for yourself!

Drama, Dreams and Charm

The American composer Amy Beach (1867–1944) was a trailblazer and the first woman in the United States to compose a symphony. Her Piano Quintet in F-sharp minor, written in 1907, is an emotionally charged and dramatic work with influences from Brahms.We also hear Amfortas’ Dream for winds and piano, composed by Johan Ullén, who himself takes part as pianist. The music is inspired by the character Amfortas from Wagner’s Parsifal – an opera with deeply religious and philosophical themes.Francis Poulenc was a member of the French group Les Six, and his Sextet for winds and piano is a true burst of joy. Here, elegance, humour, and captivating melodies come together. It showcases Poulenc’s typically neoclassical style, infused with unmistakable French charm.Since 2016, the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra has hosted an ”Orchestra Academy”. The international RSPO Orchestra Academy is a one-year, advanced academic programme for young musicians. Under the guidance of the section leaders from the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and the Piteå School of Music, the musicians receive intensive training individually, in chamber music, and orchestral playing. They also showcase their talents through a series of public chamber music concerts – such as this one featuring this year’s academy musicians.

Janine Jansen spielt Brahms

Award-winning pianist Denis Kozhukhin and Dutch violinist Janine Jansen team up to perform Romantic works. Jansen, praised by The Times for her ability to revitalize repertoire pieces, feels connected to every piece she plays. The successful Jansen-Kozhukhin duo creates music with existential depth and emotional tension, making their performances unforgettable.

La Voix humaine

As usual—yet always exceptional—Canadian soprano and conductor Barbara Hannigan embodies music through both voice and gesture. Here, she performs with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, with whom she shares strong artistic ties.

Janine Jansen / Denis Kozhukhin

The duo formed by Janine Jansen and Denis Kozhukhin in a programme juxtaposing Brahms—a composer particularly close to their hearts—with a selection of 20th-century French chamber music.

Rising Stars: Carlos Ferreira

For lovers of chamber music the Recital Hall is the venue of choice. You can hear the musicians breathe and you can practically touch them. This hall is also cherished by musicians for its beautiful acoustics and direct contact with the audience. In the Recital Hall you can hear the best musicians of our time. Buy your tickets now and experience the magic of the Recital Hall for yourself!

Rising Stars / Carlos Ferreira - Pedro Emanuel Pereira

Carlos Ferreira, age 31 and Principal Clarinet of the Orchestre National de France, has achieved enviable repute in his young career. His programme features some of the finest scores ever written for his instrument, by Debussy, Poulenc and Schumann.

Rising Stars: Carlos Ferreira & Pedro Emanuel Pereira

Clarinetist Carlos Ferreira, winner of the 2021 Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Festival's soloist prize and principal clarinetist of the Orchestre National de France, showcases his passion for chamber music. He explores romantic works by Brahms and Schumann, 20th-century pieces by Poulenc and Boulez, and performs the soulful "Duas Igrejas" by Portuguese composer Pedro Emanuel Pereira, demonstrating the clarinet's heartfelt singing capabilities. Ferreira is a Rising Star nominated by Casa da Música Porto, Fundação Gulbenkian Lisbon, and The Sage Gateshead.

Ravel Poulenc Martin

Ravel Poulenc Martin

Claron McFadden & Claire Chevallier: American-French Connection

For lovers of chamber music the Recital Hall is the venue of choice. You can hear the musicians breathe and you can practically touch them. This hall is also cherished by musicians for its beautiful acoustics and direct contact with the audience. In the Recital Hall you can hear the best musicians of our time. Buy your tickets now and experience the magic of the Recital Hall for yourself!

Sheku & Isata

Our Artist in Residence, cellist Sheku, and his sister, pianist Isata, are the best-known of the musically highly gifted seven children of the British Kanneh-Mason family. Somebody who has grown up playing instruments together like these two will be more familiar with the other person's playing than almost anyone else - an excellent prerequisite for a top-class duo recital! In Francis Poulenc's cello sonata from 1948, “romanticism, neoclassicism and modernism join hands”. This is followed by the first of Gabriel Fauré's two cello sonatas. It was composed in 1917 during the highly productive late phase of the 72-year-old composer and director of the Paris Conservatoire, whom Debussy called “maître de charme” and whom d'Indy envied for his compositional freshness even a few years later. This is followed by a short piece by British composer, violinist and Menuhin pupil Natalie Klouda (*1984) and Felix Mendelssohn's first cello sonata, which Robert Schumann (presciently?) described as “the purest music...suitable for the finest family circles”.

Kammerkonzert 4

Beethoven's Trio op. 11 was nicknamed the "Gassenhauer Trio" due to its popular variation theme. The program spans Bruch's clarinet trio pieces and Poulenc's Duo to saxophonist Daniel Schnyder's "Worlds Beyond", blending classical, avant-garde, and jazz. Four bassoons feature in Wynton Marsalis' composition, showcasing this rarely solo instrument.

Sir Simon Rattle

Francis Poulenc’s cantata for double mixed choir Figure humaine creates an immense impression: the piece, which transforms poems by surrealist poet Paul Éluard into sound, rapturously culminates in a chord spanning over four octaves that requires the sopranos to sing a high E – an outcry serving as the overwhelming conclusion to this choral masterpiece, which is one of Sir Simon Rattle’s favorite works. With Maurice Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé (of which, regrettably, only the second suite is often performed), the BRSO chief conductor continues his musical journey through the Ballets Russes following Falla’s The Three-Cornered Hat. Rattle will also conduct Rituel in memoriam Bruno Maderna in honor of Pierre Boulez’s 100th birthday which falls this year: “My teacher, mentor, and friend, whom I miss dearly.”

Sir Simon Rattle

Francis Poulenc’s cantata for double mixed choir Figure humaine creates an immense impression: the piece, which transforms poems by surrealist poet Paul Éluard into sound, rapturously culminates in a chord spanning over four octaves that requires the sopranos to sing a high E – an outcry serving as the overwhelming conclusion to this choral masterpiece, which is one of Sir Simon Rattle’s favorite works. With Maurice Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé (of which, regrettably, only the second suite is often performed), the BRSO chief conductor continues his musical journey through the Ballets Russes following Falla’s The Three-Cornered Hat. Rattle will also conduct Rituel in memoriam Bruno Maderna in honor of Pierre Boulez’s 100th birthday which falls this year: “My teacher, mentor, and friend, whom I miss dearly.”

Oboe and the Human Voice

Guest performance