Last Christmas Miracle

Last Christmas 2025

Last but not least

Towards the end of his eventful life as a composer, Dmitri Shostakovich once again sets out to write a symphony, his fifteenth by now. It is bound to be his last, as the seriously ill Russian is fully aware of. Still, his decision stands: »I would like to write a cheerful symphony.« And indeed, his final symphonic endeavour begins with a twinkle in the eye, mischievously orchestrated. But by the second movement, the mood has already changed, and movement by movement, the score turns into what seems like a musical biography. A painful chorale, moments of eerie trembling, and sharp irony – Shostakovich creates a musical review of his own oeuvre and the horrors of his era. His life as an artist is still marked by panic, even though two decades have gone by since Stalin’s death. Thus it is not surprising that Shostakovich’s sense of humour, essential for survival, keeps drifting towards the grotesque and becomes terrifying. At the end, you can almost hear death itself coming towards you, bones rattling. The fifth and last piano concerto by Ludwig van Beethoven also reflects the political turmoil of the era. No tranquility to compose in early 1809. Instead: the sounds of war, gunfire, and Napoleon just outside of Vienna. Even though the first movement is marked by triumphant pathos, the weighty subtitle Emperor describes but a single facet of this extraordinary piano concerto which includes one of the most heavenly and tender slow movements Beethoven ever wrote: A dream sequence, far from this world, a divine melody that Leonard Bernstein later borrowed for his heart-wrenching Somewhere in the West Side Story. Without further ado, and using the effect of surprise he is known for, Beethoven charges into the finale which features a few innovative particularities: a duet for solo piano and timpani, for example, resembling a distant memory of the drums of war. The Gürzenich Orchestra looks forward to this musical adventure, and to two living legends: Eliahu Inbal as conductor, born 1936 in Jerusalem, and the magnificent Elisabeth Leonskaja at the piano.

Last but not least

Towards the end of his eventful life as a composer, Dmitri Shostakovich once again sets out to write a symphony, his fifteenth by now. It is bound to be his last, as the seriously ill Russian is fully aware of. Still, his decision stands: »I would like to write a cheerful symphony.« And indeed, his final symphonic endeavour begins with a twinkle in the eye, mischievously orchestrated. But by the second movement, the mood has already changed, and movement by movement, the score turns into what seems like a musical biography. A painful chorale, moments of eerie trembling, and sharp irony – Shostakovich creates a musical review of his own oeuvre and the horrors of his era. His life as an artist is still marked by panic, even though two decades have gone by since Stalin’s death. Thus it is not surprising that Shostakovich’s sense of humour, essential for survival, keeps drifting towards the grotesque and becomes terrifying. At the end, you can almost hear death itself coming towards you, bones rattling. The fifth and last piano concerto by Ludwig van Beethoven also reflects the political turmoil of the era. No tranquility to compose in early 1809. Instead: the sounds of war, gunfire, and Napoleon just outside of Vienna. Even though the first movement is marked by triumphant pathos, the weighty subtitle Emperor describes but a single facet of this extraordinary piano concerto which includes one of the most heavenly and tender slow movements Beethoven ever wrote: A dream sequence, far from this world, a divine melody that Leonard Bernstein later borrowed for his heart-wrenching Somewhere in the West Side Story. Without further ado, and using the effect of surprise he is known for, Beethoven charges into the finale which features a few innovative particularities: a duet for solo piano and timpani, for example, resembling a distant memory of the drums of war. The Gürzenich Orchestra looks forward to this musical adventure, and to two living legends: Eliahu Inbal as conductor, born 1936 in Jerusalem, and the magnificent Elisabeth Leonskaja at the piano.

Last but not least

Towards the end of his eventful life as a composer, Dmitri Shostakovich once again sets out to write a symphony, his fifteenth by now. It is bound to be his last, as the seriously ill Russian is fully aware of. Still, his decision stands: »I would like to write a cheerful symphony.« And indeed, his final symphonic endeavour begins with a twinkle in the eye, mischievously orchestrated. But by the second movement, the mood has already changed, and movement by movement, the score turns into what seems like a musical biography. A painful chorale, moments of eerie trembling, and sharp irony – Shostakovich creates a musical review of his own oeuvre and the horrors of his era. His life as an artist is still marked by panic, even though two decades have gone by since Stalin’s death. Thus it is not surprising that Shostakovich’s sense of humour, essential for survival, keeps drifting towards the grotesque and becomes terrifying. At the end, you can almost hear death itself coming towards you, bones rattling. The fifth and last piano concerto by Ludwig van Beethoven also reflects the political turmoil of the era. No tranquility to compose in early 1809. Instead: the sounds of war, gunfire, and Napoleon just outside of Vienna. Even though the first movement is marked by triumphant pathos, the weighty subtitle Emperor describes but a single facet of this extraordinary piano concerto which includes one of the most heavenly and tender slow movements Beethoven ever wrote: A dream sequence, far from this world, a divine melody that Leonard Bernstein later borrowed for his heart-wrenching Somewhere in the West Side Story. Without further ado, and using the effect of surprise he is known for, Beethoven charges into the finale which features a few innovative particularities: a duet for solo piano and timpani, for example, resembling a distant memory of the drums of war. The Gürzenich Orchestra looks forward to this musical adventure, and to two living legends: Eliahu Inbal as conductor, born 1936 in Jerusalem, and the magnificent Elisabeth Leonskaja at the piano.

Singing Christmas – Symphonic Christmas time

At this concert, the RSB is supported by two choirs from the Händelgymnasium. The audience is also cordially invited to sing along to the classics of the Christmas season: from festive and contemplative to classical and upbeat. You can look forward to a musical Advent with well-known and new Christmas compositions.To prepare for the sing-along concert, you can download the sheet music for the sing-along piece and listen to recordings here.Recordings with vocals:Il est né Ding-Dong Bells We wish you a merry christmas Stille Nacht In dulci jubiloPlayback:Il est né Ding-Dong Bells We wish you a merry christmas Stille Nacht In dulci jubiloEnjoy practicing!

Nordic Christmas

Weihnachten ist eine Zeit, in der man Ruhe findet und zuhört. Um zu hören, was im Leben wichtig ist. Weihnachten ist voller Traditionen, die Menschen über Altersgrenzen hinweg verbinden und die Gegenwart mit der Vergangenheit verknüpfen. Die Sängerin Helene Blum und der Geiger Harald Haugaard holen die besondere Atmosphäre des nordischen Winters in den Konzertsaal. Ihr Programm „Nordic Christmas“ feiert mit authentischen und liebevoll ausgewählten Stücken und Geschichten diese verheißungsvolle Zeit. Gekonnt erzählen das dänische Musikerpaar und seine wechselnden Gäste von den kleinen Momenten, und zwischen den Noten sieht das Publikum die Spuren im Schnee, hört die Kobolde kichern, Rentiere klappern. Die Zeit scheint still zu stehen - bis der nächste Trommelwirbel ertönt und ein munterer Tanz beginnt... Helene Blum und Harald Haugaard gehören zu den gefragtesten dänischen Namen des Modern Nordic Folk. Ihr ausgeprägtes Gespür für berührende Melodien, ihre Vielseitigkeit und musikalische Tiefe zeigen sie in eigenen Kompositionen und mit zeitgemäßen Arrangements traditioneller Stücke. Schwindlig schnelle Rhythmen oder zart schwebende Klänge, beides findet scheinbar mühelos zueinander. Haugaards virtuoses Violinspiel und der elegante Sound der Band umhüllen den hellen, klaren Gesang von Helene Blum dabei wunderbar stimmig. In diesem Jahr sind zwei schwedische Musiker zu Gast auf der Tour. Die Geigerin Lena Jonsson gibt ihr Debüt bei Blum & Haugaard. Sie ist eine der bedeutendsten Geigerinnen der schwedischen Folkmusik und tourt mit ihrem u.a. mit dem schwedischen Grammy ausgezeichneten „Lena Jonsson Trio“ durch die Welt. Mattias Pérez ist ein wahrer Zauberer auf der 12-saitigen Gitarre und vervollständigt zusammen mit der Cellistin Kirstine Elise Pedersen und dem Schlagzeuger Sune Rahbek, die beide aus Dänemark stammen und Mitglieder der Blum & Haugaard Band sind, das Nordic Christmas Ensemble 2024. Weihnachten und Advent sind voller Musik, die die Menschen in der Botschaft des Friedens auf Erden vereint, und alle sind herzlich zur Nordischen Weihnachten 2024 eingeladen.

Christmas Oratorio

Experience Johann Sebastian Bach's magnificent Christmas Oratorio! To the thunder of timpani and jubilant trumpets, it is proclaimed in the magnificent opening that Jesus is born.It's easy to be misled by the title Christmas Oratorio, as if it were a single work intended to be performed at one occasion, Christmas Eve. That's far from the case. In fact, the Christmas Oratorio consists of six different parts, intended to be performed at as many occasions around Christmas. Today, as in this concert, it's customary to perform the first three parts, which were first performed together at a concert in Leipzig, in the days around Christmas 1735.Delving into Bach's music is to venture into an unfathomable and fascinating musical universe. We constantly discover new things, and it never ends. Spend a few hours with Bach's Christmas Oratorio. It's a magnificent experience.The Italian baroque specialist and conductor Luca Guglielmi leads the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Eric Ericson's Chamber Choir, and the four soloists. Eric Ericson's Chamber Choir, formed in 1945, ranks among the top international professional ensembles. Since 2003, the choir has had a close collaboration with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Christmas Oratorio

Experience Johann Sebastian Bach's magnificent Christmas Oratorio! To the thunder of timpani and jubilant trumpets, it is proclaimed in the magnificent opening that Jesus is born.It's easy to be misled by the title Christmas Oratorio, as if it were a single work intended to be performed at one occasion, Christmas Eve. That's far from the case. In fact, the Christmas Oratorio consists of six different parts, intended to be performed at as many occasions around Christmas. Today, as in this concert, it's customary to perform the first three parts, which were first performed together at a concert in Leipzig, in the days around Christmas 1735.Delving into Bach's music is to venture into an unfathomable and fascinating musical universe. We constantly discover new things, and it never ends. Spend a few hours with Bach's Christmas Oratorio. It's a magnificent experience.The Italian baroque specialist and conductor Luca Guglielmi leads the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Eric Ericson's Chamber Choir, and the four soloists. Eric Ericson's Chamber Choir, formed in 1945, ranks among the top international professional ensembles. Since 2003, the choir has had a close collaboration with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

Christmas Concert

Elsa Benoit, photo: James Bellorini Christmas motifs have been written into numerous pages of Western classical music, and not only on the occasion of the festivities that open the carnival season. In the second movement of George Frideric Handel’s Concerto a due cori, one can easily recognise an excerpt of the joyful, punctuated rhythm of the chorus Lift up your heads from the Messiah’s second movement, which tells the story of the life, death and resurrection of Christ. Johann Sebastian Bach, fulfilling the demands of the Protestant liturgical calendar by the sweat of his brow, wrote many works for the Christmas season. In so doing, he also drew inspiration from Italian musicians, including the composer of the famous ‘Christmas Eve’ Concerto Grosso in G minor, Arcangelo Corelli. Bach’s showstopping solo cantata Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen suited a variety of festive occasions due to its universal, laudatory text. Its virtuosic coloratura parts require soprano and trumpet soloists of the highest calibre. Christmas themes can also be found in the text of the Credo. One of the most beautiful passages in Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Mass in C minor – not without reason referred to as the ‘Great’ – is the expansive, mellifluous aria ‘Et incarnatus est’ from the Credo. Mozart wrote it with his vocally gifted wife Constanze in mind, just as years before he had penned the showstopping motet ‘Exsultate, jubilate’ for the famous Italian soprano Venanzio Rauzzini.