Shostakovich Lounge on the Barlach level afterwards.A summary from original text in German | Read the original
| Nikolaj Szeps-Snaider | Violin |
| Daniil Trifonov | Piano |
| 1. Sonate für Klavier D-Dur op. 12 | Dmitri Shostakovich |
| 2. Sonate für Klavier h-Moll op. 61 | Dmitri Shostakovich |
| Unvollendete Sonate für Violine und Klavier | Dmitri Shostakovich |
| Sonate für Violine und Klavier op. 134 | Dmitri Shostakovich |
These events are similar in terms of concept, place, musicians or the program.
A few years ago, Daniil Trifonov visited the Essen Philharmonic Hall. Moving swiftly through the building, he navigated with remarkable precision. Known for his exceptional piano skills and unique musicality, Trifonov's playing transcends mere technical brilliance, creating an enchanting experience that's best appreciated live.
»Yes, just love him, love him so much – but don’t forget that he achieved poetic freedom after years of study, go back to the foundation of his work, don’t prove his genius through the last symphony!« Schumann said this about Beethoven – and it is indeed the case that the Symphony No. 4, which Jakub Hrůša has chosen for this programme, is often treated somewhat like a Cinderella among the nine symphonies. Quite wrongly, because it is an equally masterful composition: it stands in B flat major, which is an expression of the »yearning for a better world« according to the symbolism of musical keys of a certain Mr Schubart, and is characterised by a friendly tone with many wonderful ideas. Our Chief Conductor combines it with an equally neglected piece from the pen of his beloved composer Dvořák. We will be playing the fascinating piano concerto together with the acclaimed pianist Daniil Trifonov: the wide-ranging work was premiered in Prague in 1878 and features a magnificent richness of deeply felt inspirations. We will first present the programme in Bamberg, but then also in Linz – and also travel to the birthplace of Jakub Hrůša, where we have something to celebrate: 1924 was the first time that the »Year of Czech Music« was celebrated.
Daniil Trifonov’s magic is hard to resist: the fact that his pianistic resources are almost limitless is unmistakable. He also surprises his audience time and again with his expressiveness and ability to reinterpret music. Trifonov is therefore definitely one of the most exciting pianists of our time. For his recital in May 2025, the pianist will bring a Romantic programme to the Laeiszhalle in which he will showcase all facets of his ability. In addition to piano sonatas by Samuel Barber and his compatriot Piotr I. Tchaikovsky, he will also focus on the genre of dance: although Chopin’s waltzes are not really danceable, the time signature and character of the music unmistakably point to this. Tchaikovsky’s ballet music for Sleeping Beauty, on the other hand, was written especially for dance – ballerinas, dancers and stage sets pass before your mind’s eye as you listen.
Three very different composers, but in Wellber’s hands, they’re all part of the same unforgettable story.When Omer Meir Wellber is conducting, there’s no such thing as a routine concert – every performance is a chance to make unexpected connections; to hear familiar pieces in new and fascinating ways. Haydn blows the roof off with one of his most explosive symphonies, and the teenage Mahler gets seriously emotional in a rarely-heard early gem. Add another artist who strikes sparks – violinist Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider – and Tchaikovsky’s hugely popular Violin Concerto will never have sounded more alive. Three very different composers, but in Wellber’s hands, they’re all part of the same unforgettable story.
Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider has met with approval as a violinist for a long time. But in recent years, the Danish musician has also built up an impressive career as a conductor. He now swaps his violin for the »huge paintbrush«, as he calls the conductor’s baton, and can be heard on the rostrum for the first time. For his debut at the head of an orchestra, Szeps-Znaider has chosen what is perhaps the most popular symphony written by Tchaikovsky, that epitome of grand emotion and passion unleashed in music. In his Fifth Symphony, the Russian composer takes the listener from »the complete surrender to Fate« in the first movement and melodies full of effusive love in the second movement to a mood of radiant triumph in the finale. »Subito con forza!« (suddenly with force!) we want to cry when the E minor symphony’s main motif, so dark and gloomy at the outset, is transformed into a triumphant hymn in E major in the final bars. Of course, it remains a matter of opinion whether Fate itself wins the day or whether these sounds manifest the happy overcoming of all providence.
The Gewandhausorchester, led by Andris Nelsons, opens its 2024/2025 season at the Essen Philharmonic. The program features Adès' "Shanty," Mozart's final "Viennese Concerto" with pianist Daniil Trifonov, and Bruckner's Symphony No. 6. The concert concludes with an encore: "Vals de Santo Domingo."
Daniil Trifonov, a pianist known for his intimacy and expressiveness, joins the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and conductor Andris Nelsons to perform Mozart's late C-major Concerto. This piece, characterized by a festive interplay of light and shadow, celebrates joy. The concert concludes with Bruckner's Sixth Symphony, a delicate work compared to the composer's other symphonies. The evening begins with Thomas Adès' enchanting "Shanty". Sponsored by Kuratorium KölnMusik e.V.
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