Concerts with works by

Leoš Janáček

Mitsuko Uchida / Mahler Chamber Orchestra

Mitsuko Uchida is one of the greatest Mozart interpreters of our time. The Classical composer’s piano concertos form the centrepiece of her collaboration with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, with which the Japanese pianist has been closely associated as an »Artistic Partner« since 2016. In their joint programmes, two of Mozart’s 27 piano concertos each frame the work of a different composer. In the Elbphilharmonie Grand Hall, the rhythmic 18th and the colourful 21st frame Leoš Janáček’s wind sextet Mládí (»Youth«). Mozart wrote these two piano concertos in the space of just one year. In 1784/1785, the composer in his late 20s was riding a wave of success as one of Vienna’s leading pianists, offering his public ample opportunity to marvel at his skills as a virtuoso and composer. The wind sextet by Czech composer Janáček, on the other hand, can be seen as »a kind of reminiscence of youth«. It was composed in 1924 during a three-week stay in his birthplace Hukvaldy, and looks back on his »youth» on the occasion of his 70th birthday.

Philharmonic Chamber Music Recital

The works in this chamber music concert are all about love and connection, in words and through sound: when Johannes Brahms set about composing »Zwei Gesänge«, he had his close friendship with his long-time companion in mind, the violinist Joseph Joachim. Brahms wanted to create a musical memorial to his love and composed the »Geistliches Wiegenlied« for his wedding, based on a text by Emanuel Geibel, but he withdrew the composition and revised it. Together with »Gestillte Sehnsucht« based on a text by Friedrich Rückert, the composer later published both songs on the occasion of another happy event: the christening of Joseph Joachim’s son – and Brahm’s godson.

Chamber concert: String quartet

This will be an emotionally powerful chamber concert centred around works that are close to the hearts of our four orchestra musicians. One of the composers will be on the podium himself: Gabriele Campagna has been a member of the Bamberg Symphony since 2022, but the violinist is a multi-talented musician who not only plays several instruments, but also passionately composes. His »Three Pieces« for string quartet are brand new and exciting music. Janáček’s magnificent first string quartet is entitled »Kreutzer Sonata« after Tolstoy’s novella, also taking a bow to Beethoven’s work of the same name and, in his words, revolving around »a woman, desperate, grief-stricken, exhausted to death«. He composed it in just one week in 1923 with almost searing vigour, driven by his love for Kamila Stösslová, 38 years younger than him: »note for note« fell »into his pen, glowing«. As a wonderful interlude, there is composing women’s power: the exciting artist Caroline Shaw was explicitly inspired by Haydn’s outstanding last string quartet in 2011, from which she quotes and catapults the whole into the musical world of the 21st century with »ludicrous, delicate, colourful transitions« – until a fading cello solo symbolises only the »memory of fragments of an old melody«. Finally, the dramatic quartet sounds of Schubert’s famous piece from 1824, a year of sorrow for him. It took its thematic material and name from his song of the same name to a poem by Matthias Claudius – and the central variations follow the poetic dialogue between »Death and the Maiden«. A thoroughly harrowing work, but as Schubert once said encouragingly: »Whoever loves music can never be completely unhappy.«

Stasevska conducts Ravel

For sheer sonic splendour, it’s hard to top Janáček’s Sinfonietta – but when Dalia Stasevska and Jean-Efflam Bavouzet perform Bartók and Ravel with the BBC SO, they’ll give it their best shot.

Seong-Jin Cho performs Beethoven’s Fifth Piano Concerto

Aleady as a child, artist in Residence Seong-Jin Cho was impressed by “the brilliant and dramatic expression” of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5. His view has since evolved, he says: “This music is not only fiery, but also lyrical, deep and broad”. He will perform the work with Jakub Hrůša, chief conductor of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. The Concerto for Orchestra, which shifts between melancholy and joie de vivre, is also one of Béla Bartók’s most popular works. Leoš Janáček’s folk suite from the opera Osud (Fate), on the other hand, is a rarely performed.

Seong-Jin Cho performs Beethoven’s Fifth Piano Concerto

Aleady as a child, artist in Residence Seong-Jin Cho was impressed by “the brilliant and dramatic expression” of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5. His view has since evolved, he says: “This music is not only fiery, but also lyrical, deep and broad”. He will perform the work with Jakub Hrůša, chief conductor of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. The Concerto for Orchestra, which shifts between melancholy and joie de vivre, is also one of Béla Bartók’s most popular works. Leoš Janáček’s folk suite from the opera Osud (Fate), on the other hand, is a rarely performed.

Seong-Jin Cho performs Beethoven’s Fifth Piano Concerto

Aleady as a child, artist in Residence Seong-Jin Cho was impressed by “the brilliant and dramatic expression” of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5. His view has since evolved, he says: “This music is not only fiery, but also lyrical, deep and broad”. He will perform the work with Jakub Hrůša, chief conductor of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra. The Concerto for Orchestra, which shifts between melancholy and joie de vivre, is also one of Béla Bartók’s most popular works. Leoš Janáček’s folk suite from the opera Osud (Fate), on the other hand, is a rarely performed.

Karina Canellakis conducts Janáček's From the House of the Dead

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!

Filharmonie Brno / Kružík / Dances, scherzos and the adventures of The Cunning Little Vixen

Music by the Czech composer Bohuslav Martinů is not appreciated enough today, though in the last century his oeuvre – particularly the 1940s New York period – was artistically celebrated. The dynamic and rapid 1945 scherzo for orchestra Thunderbolt P-47 H. 309 is a good case in point – rooted in the convention of a symphonic poem, it satisfies all the requirements of program music and leaves no doubt as to extramusical contexts. It is difficult not to hear the roar of American fighter aircraft, heralding the Allies’ victory.The master’s neoclassical style was taken up by one of his Moravian compatriots, whom Martinů met in New York in 1947: Jan Novák. Fascinated by his mentor’s clear message and musical discipline, in mid-1950s Novák wrote the Philharomonic Dances, in which he paid tribute to the composing techniques he learned in America and focused on the colour of the sound and formal clarity of the piece. Nevertheless, the Moravian line of composers subscribing to the program idea of composing and clear musical narration was born earlier. One of its leading representatives was Leoš Janáček, extremely well versed in Moravian folk music. His first mature work – the 1891 Lachian Dances – is a postromantic study of Moravian folklore. The Ancient Dance it begins with is based on the region’s endemic melodies, while the Blacksmith provides a sonic description of a blacksmith’s craft. Full of humour, the suite from the 1921 three-act opera The Cunning Little Vixen is, in turn, an expression of the composer’s adoration for nature, broadly understood. Maria Wilczek-KrupaConcert duration: approximately 70 minutes

Easter Festival Baden-Baden 2025

London Symphony Orchestra/Sir Simon Rattle

Janáček’s hilarious satire about art, lunar travel, nationalism – and sausages.

Konzerthaus Kammerorchester

Our musicians come together several times each season not only in large symphonic formations, but also as the Konzerthaus Chamber Orchestra - this time led by our first concertmaster Sayako Kusaka, who is also the ensemble's artistic director. They choose the pieces for their concerts themselves. A string quartet with „sonata“ in its nickname? To avoid any confusion: Tolstoy's story „The Kreutzer Sonata“, which is about Beethoven's famous violin sonata, inspired Leoš Janáček to write his first string quartet in 1923. Apparently the literature had a very inspiring effect, as he completed it within an astonishing nine days. Both works, Janáček's quartet and Beethoven's sonata, can also be heard in this larger instrumentation after Dvořák's short lyrical „Nachtstück“ for string orchestra.

Mahler Festival: pianist Thomas Beijer solo

In the Recital Hall this week, you will hear the 'other side' of Mahler: works for just a few musicians. In two Sunday Morning Concerts, these come together with those by contemporaries and friends. Today, Thomas Beijer plays a brand new work, his own arrangement of the serene slow movement from the Fourth Symphony.Thomas Beijer, winner of the Dutch Music Prize 2022, is a pianist as well as a composer. Moreover, he enjoys making arrangements of existing music to make it accessible to his instrument. In this Sunday Morning Concert, he performs his version of the 'Ruhevoll (poco adagio)' from the Fourth Symphony. In it, Mahler paints his picture of a peaceful journey from the earthly to the heavenly. A beautiful combination with Stimme des Abends by befriended composer Zemlinsky. This is one of the 4 Fantasien über Gedichte von Richard Dehmel that Beijer performs. Works by Brahms and Janáček will also be heard.

Hagen Quartett plays Haydn and Janáček

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!

Wiener Philharmoniker / Igor Levit / Thomas Adès

The classical prelude is a symphony by Joseph Haydn, followed by Thomas Adès’ piano concerto, which has already been performed around 60 times since its premiere in 2019 – a remarkable amount for a contemporary work. Given the fame that the multi-talented British composer enjoys, this success is hardly surprising. A New York Times critic wrote about the premiere of the concerto: »As ever, the craft is astounding, the orchestration ceaselessly brilliant. The voice is wholly his own — dissonant, offbeat, whiplash, wry — even as it whispers to musics past. This breathless concerto comes across as zesty and accessible. But don’t be fooled. Just below the surface, the music sizzles. I can’t wait to hear it again.« The classical prelude is a symphony by Joseph Haydn, followed by Thomas Adès’ piano concerto, which has already been performed around 60 times since its premiere in 2019 – a remarkable amount for a contemporary work. Given the fame that the multi-talented British composer enjoys, this success is hardly surprising. A New York Times critic wrote about the premiere of the concerto: »As ever, the craft is astounding, the orchestration ceaselessly brilliant. The voice is wholly his own — dissonant, offbeat, whiplash, wry — even as it whispers to musics past. This breathless concerto comes across as zesty and accessible. But don’t be fooled. Just below the surface, the music sizzles. I can’t wait to hear it again.« Adès, whose music is full of musical echoes from baroque to jazz yet refuses to follow any dogmas, sets the tone for the second half of the concert featuring Leoš Janácek, whose musical language around a century ago was equally undogmatic. His rhapsody »Taras Bulba« sets Nikolai Gogol’s tragic tale of the same name about a father and his two sons to music. So vividly that a film inevitably unfolds in the mind’s eye of the listener. By way of a prelude, two miniatures pay tribute to Pierre Boulez as the spotlighted composer of the International Music Festival.

Hagen Quartett plays Haydn and Janáček

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!

7th Soirée

Concert in Budapest