The most beautiful requiem of the 20th century

Sol per te / The most beautiful operas by Georg Friedrich Händel

“Sol per te” is the most famous love duet between Flavia and Lepido from Georg Friedrich Händel's opera Silla – and just one of the many famous duets by the master of the genre – which will be performed this evening by outstanding female soloists: Olga Pasiecznik and Anna Radziejewska with Early Instrument Ensemble of the Polish Royal Opera Capella Regia Polona. In the emotional Io t'abbraccio from the opera Rodelinda, the title character confesses her feelings for Bertarid, as do Cleopatra and Caesar in Caro! Bella! from the opera Giulio Cesare, while in the dramatic duet Per le porte dell tormento, Rosmene and Tirinto confront turbulent passions in the opera Imeneo. This last one Händel wrote humorously, in the style of a musical comedy, in which he treated the dramatic dilemmas between heart and duty with a wink. This, in turn, influenced the music, balancing pathos and playfulness, which is rare in Händel's operas. The programme for the evening will be complemented by outstanding instrumental compositions by the German-British Baroque master. Alexandra KozowiczConcert duration: approximately 80 minutes

The power of brass, the might of the manuals

Although the organ is traditionally associated with sacred music and grand concerts, it can also be a fascinating complement to less typical chamber settings. The untypical combinations in this year’s organ concert series provide unique sounds and new, unexpected combinations. The result? We become more open to new interpretational possibilities and free experimenting. The programme of the concert, including pieces by Petr Eben, Otto Hoser, Thierry Escaich and Craig Phillips, shows how well the organ can sound paired with brass instruments and percussion. Hear it for yourselves: a fascinating richness of new possibilities! [Alexandra Kozowicz] Concert duration: approximately 50 minutes

Schubert's most beautiful choral and piano music

The Sunday Morning Concert brings you wonderful and much-loved compositions, performed by top musicians from the Netherlands and abroad. Enjoy the most beautiful music in the morning! You can make your Sunday complete by enjoying a delicious post-concert lunch in restaurant LIER.The Royal Concertgebouw is one of the best concert halls in the world, famous for its exceptional acoustics and varied programme. Attend a concert and have an experience you will never forget. Come and enjoy inspiring music in the beautiful surroundings of the Main Hall or the intimate Recital Hall.

Gembalski / Organ improvisations / From the baroque to the present day

What did his principals most frequently reprimand Johann Sebastian Bach for? For his musical improvisations between parts of a service being too long. Such improvised organ interludes, fantasias and capriccios provided inspiration for the creation of organ concertos. Today, we also enjoy improvised jazz concerts – let us remember that it all began with the baroque, and musicians such as Leszek Możdżer owe Bach more than we might think. Prof. Julian Gembalski’s recital is such a return to the improvised organ roots and to a spontaneous expression of genius. It is a tribute to the rich tradition, transporting listeners to times, when music was created here and now, before the audiences’ very eyes and in their ears. [Alexandra Kozowicz]Concert duration: approximately 80 minutes

What do the alpine horn and the organ have in common? / Torlontano / Di Lernia

Although the organ is traditionally associated with sacred music and grand concerts, it can also be a fascinating complement to less typical chamber settings. The untypical combinations in this year’s organ concert series provide unique sounds and new, unexpected combinations. The result? We become more open to new interpretational possibilities and free experimenting. True to its "geographical" name, the alpine horn was often used in the Alps as a shepherd's instrument, its sound echoing through mountain valleys, serving both as a means of communication and in folk music. Hence the presence of such pieces as the traditional melody In den Alpen in the programme. This will be completed by the pastoral compositions by Leopold Mozart and Anton Zimmermann, Arcangelo Corelli’s baroque concerto arranged by Francesco Di Lernia, and contemporary compositions by Arvo Pärt and Giovanni D’Aquila. This diverse repertoire will take listeners on a journey across eras and musical styles, towards discoveries of new, surprising sounds. Alexandra KozowiczConcert duration: approximately 80 minutes

NOSPR / Alsop / Requiem as a tribute

“It is with greatest ease and willingness that I am working on this Concerto and, nota bene, I feel that this is going to be a first-class trick” – these words from a letter by Karol Szymanowski are proof of how important the Symphony No. 4 was for the composer. It was his unfulfilled dream of a “true” piano concerto. One of a pianistic tour de force, the first sketches of which he dropped to focus on the Stabat Mater he was working on back then. The moving „Peasant Requiem” (such was the title Szymanowski had originally intended for the work), born out of the pain he experienced after his niece’s death, it brings together religious ecstasy and a note of the Polish folklore to be heard in a recollection of the popular Bitter Lamentations resonating in the composer’s memory.How different was that world from the instrumental Chaconne by Krzysztof Penderecki! The latter is an expressive musical tribute to the memory of the late Polish Pope. It was this piece that provided a symbolic closure for the Polish Requiem, which Penderecki had been working on for a quarter of a century – a monumental chronicle of Poland’s modern history, the melancholic finale of which contains both a nostalgia for the baroque tradition and emotions of a surprisingly romantic nature.Róża ŚwiatczyńskaConcert duration (intermission included): approximately 90 minutes

Organ concert at the turn of the year

JazzKLUB / “Laborka”, or the showpiece of jazz Krakow (canceled)

This band has more than half a century of history if we don't count the break of a dozen years arranged by Janusz Grzywacz and Marek Stryszowski at the turn of the century. They debuted in 1971 at Gitariada '71, a festival they organised in Nowa Huta, Krakow, which introduced fusion and jazz-rock elements to the Polish scene. Over the years, they have developed their style, which has been compared to that of the American group Weather Report, consisting, especially in the early period, of experimenting with instrumentation and combining different types of sound. Laborka ("Lab"), as they are colloquially called, is undoubtedly a showpiece of jazz Krakow and, simultaneously, a top spot on the list of Polish bands of all time. Maria Wilczek-Krupa Concert duration: approximately 90 minutes

Lorenzo Viotti and the Choir of The National Opera: Verdi’s Requiem

The Netherlands Philharmonic is one of the most versatile cultural organisations in The Netherlands. The orchestra organises a diverse concert program in The Royal Concertgebouw Amsterdam and is a welcome guest on foreign stages and festivals. The Netherlands Philharmonic brings classical music to life at the highest level and collaborates closely with international guest soloists and conductors. It takes great pleasure in welcoming and developing new musical talent. Lorenzo Viotti is the principal conductor of Dutch National Opera and the Netherlands Philharmonic.