Keywords: Symphony Concert
| Bruce Liu | Piano |
| WDR Sinfonieorchester | Orchestra |
| Axel Kober | Director |
| Pelléas et Mélisande op. 80 Suite aus der Bühnenmusik zum Drama von Maurice Materlinck | Gabriel Fauré |
| Konzert G-Dur für Klavier und Orchester | Maurice Ravel |
| Sinfonie d-Moll | César Franck |
These events are similar in terms of concept, place, musicians or the program.
Forever Young – as a concert title, that could mean all sorts of things. It might refer to music which, even in the distant future, remains fresh and lively, music that never ceases to captivate and inspire people. Or it could refer to those mysteriously talented prodigies who were able to exhilarate our planet with the most incredible sounds, even though their star faded away much too early. Is it seriously possible to compose a matured late work in your early thirties? In Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s case, as always, anything is possible. Over the course of just a few weeks, in the summer of 1788, he put to paper his three last symphonic strokes of genius. Among them: his Symphony No. 39 in E-Flat Major, a piece that is flooded with light and filled to the brim with compositional artistry and magical melodies. Prepare to take home catchy tunes from the fast and furious finale. Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 is more than just one of the many ingenious pieces he produced in series, effortlessly, as it seems. In fact, this piece takes accompanied keyboard music to the next level. What unfolds is a veritable contest between the solo and tutti parts, at an eye level which is quite unprecedented. At the premiere, Mozart himself took to the piano. Today, we are almost equally lucky to welcome Alexander Melnikov on stage, one of the most fascinating pianists of our time. »Utterly consistent, and with spark and intelligence«. These were the words of a contemporary, describing Carl Maria von Weber’s first symphony. And they ring true: The piece shows joie de vivre and youthful exuberance, written by a young adult of just 20 years.
Alexandre Kantorow, winner of the 2019 Tchaikovsky Piano Competition, performs a grand romantic repertoire in Cologne. Featuring Liszt's virtuosic Piano Concerto No. 2 alongside Schumann's "Rhenish" Symphony and Wagner's rarely-heard Faust Overture.
Composer Fanny Hensel's work was long overshadowed by her famous brother Felix Mendelssohn, receiving proper recognition far too late. Robert Schumann's violin concerto suffered a similar fate, deemed a failed attempt and shelved by performers, with its release forbidden for 100 years. Today it's in the repertoire, and Brahms's Symphony No. 1 will form an impressive closing piece for the evening.
Composer Fanny Hensel's work was long overshadowed by her famous brother Felix Mendelssohn, receiving proper recognition far too late. Robert Schumann's violin concerto suffered a similar fate, deemed a failed attempt and shelved by performers, with its release forbidden for 100 years. Today it's in the repertoire, and Brahms's Symphony No. 1 will form an impressive closing piece for the evening.
Composer Fanny Hensel's work was long overshadowed by her famous brother Felix Mendelssohn, receiving proper recognition far too late. Robert Schumann's violin concerto suffered a similar fate, deemed a failed attempt and shelved by performers, with its release forbidden for 100 years. Today it's in the repertoire, and Brahms's Symphony No. 1 will form an impressive closing piece for the evening.
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