Concerts with works by

Olivier Messiaen

Debussy and Strawinski

Composed in 1913, "Le Sacre du Printemps" (The Rite of Spring) is considered one of the key works of the 20th century. The premiere of the ballet in Paris caused a scandal. Only with great effort and by ignoring the boos from the audience, the music was able to be played to the end. The ballet music, which is mostly performed in concert today, shines with almost acrobatic rhythms and sonically exciting combinations of various instruments in a very large and elaborate orchestra. Alone, 20 woodwinds, eight horns, several trumpets and trombones, numerous percussion instruments, and a large string section create a tremendous sound impression. In contrast, Ligeti's "Lux Aeterna" seems to transport the choir alone to distant realms with its soundscapes. It is no wonder that Stanley Kubrick used this music in his monumental film "2001: A Space Odyssey."

Sebastian Heindl Fenster zur Ewigkeit

Icons in Eastern Orthodox churches are seen as windows to eternity, connecting worshippers with saints. Similarly, J.S. Bach's music is iconic. Sebastian Heindl, organist at Berlin's Gedächtniskirche, connects Bach's baroque with contemporary compositions, including his own. Messiaen builds a celestial church, Pärt revisits Catholic Mass tradition, and Glass works with expanding figurations.

Debussy and Strawinski

Composed in 1913, "Le Sacre du Printemps" (The Rite of Spring) is considered one of the key works of the 20th century. The premiere of the ballet in Paris caused a scandal. Only with great effort and by ignoring the boos from the audience, the music was able to be played to the end. The ballet music, which is mostly performed in concert today, shines with almost acrobatic rhythms and sonically exciting combinations of various instruments in a very large and elaborate orchestra. Alone, 20 woodwinds, eight horns, several trumpets and trombones, numerous percussion instruments, and a large string section create a tremendous sound impression. In contrast, Ligeti's "Lux Aeterna" seems to transport the choir alone to distant realms with its soundscapes. It is no wonder that Stanley Kubrick used this music in his monumental film "2001: A Space Odyssey."

Pierre-Laurent Aimard & Tamara Stefanovich

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.

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.

Sebastian Heindl Fenster zur Ewigkeit

Icons in Eastern Orthodox churches are seen as windows to eternity, connecting worshippers with saints. Similarly, J.S. Bach's music is iconic. Sebastian Heindl, organist at Berlin's Gedächtniskirche, connects Bach's baroque with contemporary compositions, including his own. Messiaen builds a celestial church, Pärt revisits Catholic Mass tradition, and Glass works with expanding figurations.

Jansen and Kozhukhin

With her dazzling technique and natural stage presence, Dutch violinist Janine Jansen has long been among the top tier of international star violinists. Pianist Denis Kozhukhin also combines outstanding technique with mature musicality and an ability to establish a close connection with the audience. They have both previously visited Konserhuset, individually and together.During their acclaimed visit in 2022, they performed, among other pieces, Brahms' third violin sonata. Now, we hear the first two: the "rain sonata," so named because its finale includes a quote from Brahms' own song "Regenlied," and the second, named "Thun" after the town in Switzerland where Brahms spent time when he composed it. There, he was inspired by the beautiful surroundings. "There are so many melodies here that one must be careful not to trample on any of them," he expressed it.Before Ravel's concluding violin sonata with its famous blues movement, we hear Eugène Ysaÿe's sensually dark-toned Poème élégiaque, a milestone in the violin repertoire, and Olivier Messiaen's Thème et variations, which in character resembles his most performed work, Quartet for the End of Time.

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.

Orgelstunde am Karsamstag

Dominik Susteck

When Dominik Susteck was 13, he discovered the organ and Olivier Messiaen's music, sparking his interest in contemporary music. Now a renowned organist, Susteck still returns to Bach and Messiaen. He plays Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D minor and two of Messiaen's works from the 1930s: "Meditations on the Ascension" and "Apparition de l’église éternelle".

FLEUR BARRON & KUNAL LAHIRY

In an extraordinary and highly personal program, mezzo­soprano Fleur Barron and pianist Kunal Lahiry explore the echoes of global colonial history in music and poetry. Artists who share dual Asian and Western heritages, they examine diverse perspectives of identity and belonging, repression and freedom, in both familiar and lesser­known works from the past 150 years.

Sharon Kam and Sitkovetsky Trio: Messiaen's Quatuor pour la fin du temps

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!

Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France / George Benjamin

Debussy’s shimmering, pictorial score finds resonance with the work of Olivier Messiaen, a great colourist of orchestral material, at his best in Chronochromie, rich with the sounds of nature.

Renouveau Kammerkonzert 8

Musicians of the Komische Oper Berlin present intensive listening experiences in special locations as part of their chamber concerts. From the festive ambience of the Schiller Theater to the monumental vastness of the old hangar at Tempelhof Airport, with new sound worlds at the Kindl site to enchanting experiences in a tent.

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Hanna-Elisabeth Müller | Daniel Ottensamer | Juliane Ruf

Hanna-Elisabeth Müller, a young and successful soprano, emphasizes the importance of song selection in her recitals. She appreciates the intimate atmosphere of Lieder, performing without the distractions of costumes or sets. In Cologne, she will perform with her long-time piano partner, Juliane Ruf, and clarinetist Daniel Ottensamer.

Close-up: Early birds

Musicians of the Concertgebouw Orchestra perform their own programmes in the Recital Hall as part of the Close-up chamber music series. Each of these concerts is unique and performed only once as part of the series. It’s the very best way to experience the individual qualities of the orchestral musicians! These intimate concerts are organised by the Friends of the Concertgebouw and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.

Hanna-Elisabeth Müller. Daniel Ottensamer. Juliane Ruf Aus allen Himmelsrichtungen

Much has happened since Hanna-Elisabeth Müller and her piano partner first collaborated at the 2011 Heidelberg Spring Music Festival, which developed into a highly successful song duo. The Mannheim-born soprano's brilliant career has taken her to the world's best opera houses, and she is also a regular soloist with top international orchestras. This exquisite program, spanning four languages, showcases Müller's love and intelligence for her Lieder evenings. Daniel Ottensamer, solo clarinetist of the Vienna Philharmonic, joins as a virtuoso guest.

Musik in der Sophienkirche: Orgelkonzert Maximilian Schnaus

Japanese organist Megumi Hamaya will perform a concert at Sophienkirche, featuring Olivier Messiaen's "Messe de la Pentecôte," alongside works by Martin Herchenröder and Johann Sebastian Bach. Her technical brilliance and sensitive playing are showcased in her recently recorded debut CD. The concert program combines mystical Pentecostal themes with modern organ music, including birdsongs and vibrant harmonies. Video projections in the nave will offer a close-up view of the organist's performance.

Symphoniker Hamburg / Jane Archibald / Szymon Nehring / Sylvain Cambreling

»That was my first work played by an orchestra and my first contact with a large audience. I was 22 years old at the time,« reports Olivier Messiaen. Les offrandes oubliées (The Forgotten Offerings) was composed in 1930 and premiered on 19 February 1931 at the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées by the Orchestre des concerts Straram under the direction of its chief and namesake Walther Straram. The »symphonic meditation« (the subtitle) is based on linguistically tangible yet abstract ideas. The texts were written by Messiaen himself. The themes of the three verses (Cross – Sin – Eucharist) can be understood as situations of contemplation, descent and rapture and form the three sections of the work.

Organo con stromenti

Symphoniker Hamburg / Joonas Ahonen / Sylvain Cambreling

From canyons to stars, Olivier Messiaen's composition, commissioned by Alice Tully for the US bicentennial, celebrates God's creations. Inspired by Utah's landscapes and birdsong, the piece blends nature's beauty with Messiaen's theological vision, incorporating birdsong from various regions. His longest work, it projects earthly beauty into a transcendental dimension, linking it with biblical names given to Utah locations by Mormons.