ConcertPulse
London Philharmonic Orchestra / Víkingur Ólafsson / Edward Gardner
Elbphilharmonie, Großer Saal (Hamburg)
This man is unstoppable! After his fascinating journey around the world with Bach’s Goldberg Variations, Víkingur Ólafsson has set himself a programme of contrasts for this season: solitude and contemplation – a pianist alone with 88 keys in 88 concertos – is followed by big sounds, big orchestras, big emotions. Both piano concertos by Johannes Brahms accompany him and us through this season. The passionate first, which the young Brahms initially conceived as a symphony, kicks off the programme. Accordingly, the piano part is closely linked to the orchestral parts. It’s good to have such accomplished partners as the London Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of Edward Gardner at your side! The British orchestra complements the programme with Bartók’s »The Miraculous Mandarin« and a work by its current composer-in-residence, the Cuban-American composer Tania León.