Ludwig van Beethoven, revered as a titan of Viennese Classicism, began his career as a piano virtuoso. His encroaching deafness led him to focus on composing, paving the way for Romanticism and composers like Chopin. Pianist Sophia Pacini suggests the two composers may be closer than commonly thought.
Beethoven's 9th Symphony beautifully captures the joy of human connection. There's hardly a more atmospheric way to start the new year than with this famous masterpiece.
Bonn-born, award-winning pianist Fabian Müller considers Beethoven his musical compass. This influence is evident in his chamber music evening, where he joins violinist Bomsori and cellist Julia Hagen. They'll play Beethoven's Violin Sonata Op. 12, Brahms' Cello Sonata No. 1 (inspired by Beethoven), culminating in Mendelssohn's Piano Trio No. 2.
Fazıl Say's music, both as a composer and pianist, reflects life's vibrancy. His performances are unique, full of fresh ideas. Whether his own compositions or familiar pieces, he presents them in a new light. Say aims to connect with people through his music, creating a present and immediate experience.
For Augustin Hadelich, Mozart's music tells stories. He believes Mozart composed instrumental music with dramatic arcs and storylines. Hadelich will perform two violin concertos, showcasing these musical narratives. Beethoven's Eighth Symphony was initially conceived as a solo concerto, adding another intriguing story to the concert.
After the premiere of Ludwig van Beethoven’s 7th symphony, some contemporaries speculated that he must have been completely drunk or even insane when tossing it on paper. Indeed, what Beethoven brought forth and released unto his audience in his op. 92 is ecstatic and wild, excessive, and completely unchained. Three of the four movements can be described as nothing less than enormous elemental forces, furious storms, and it is up to the listener to decide whether the sounds resemble military activities or wild, frenzied dancing. In the legendary second movement, the great master insistently repeats one specific rhythmic pattern. A procession? A funeral march? In any case, many motion pictures have since been grateful users of this material. Composing and giving birth have a lot in common. Both the biological and the creative pregnancy are times which are deeply associated with great hopes, worries, and dreams. At some point the moment arrives, and what comes next is a process of breaking away, conquering the world, and starting a future of one’s own. In his violin concerto »Genesis« (origin, creation), the Japanese composer Toshio Hosokawa finds a fascinating perspective on this inherently human phenomenon. Growth and development towards unchained independence, those words might adequately describe the composed journey of the solo violin into musical life. An adventurous path between conflation, conflict and return to the harmony of sound. That’s life. The Gürzenich Orchestra has always been happy to act as musical midwife, and as such is eagerly awaiting a new work by York Höller, a composer who has followed his very own, multifarious path as an artist, always with open ears, and free of dogmatic restrictions.
After the premiere of Ludwig van Beethoven’s 7th symphony, some contemporaries speculated that he must have been completely drunk or even insane when tossing it on paper. Indeed, what Beethoven brought forth and released unto his audience in his op. 92 is ecstatic and wild, excessive, and completely unchained. Three of the four movements can be described as nothing less than enormous elemental forces, furious storms, and it is up to the listener to decide whether the sounds resemble military activities or wild, frenzied dancing. In the legendary second movement, the great master insistently repeats one specific rhythmic pattern. A procession? A funeral march? In any case, many motion pictures have since been grateful users of this material. Composing and giving birth have a lot in common. Both the biological and the creative pregnancy are times which are deeply associated with great hopes, worries, and dreams. At some point the moment arrives, and what comes next is a process of breaking away, conquering the world, and starting a future of one’s own. In his violin concerto »Genesis« (origin, creation), the Japanese composer Toshio Hosokawa finds a fascinating perspective on this inherently human phenomenon. Growth and development towards unchained independence, those words might adequately describe the composed journey of the solo violin into musical life. An adventurous path between conflation, conflict and return to the harmony of sound. That’s life. The Gürzenich Orchestra has always been happy to act as musical midwife, and as such is eagerly awaiting a new work by York Höller, a composer who has followed his very own, multifarious path as an artist, always with open ears, and free of dogmatic restrictions.
After the premiere of Ludwig van Beethoven’s 7th symphony, some contemporaries speculated that he must have been completely drunk or even insane when tossing it on paper. Indeed, what Beethoven brought forth and released unto his audience in his op. 92 is ecstatic and wild, excessive, and completely unchained. Three of the four movements can be described as nothing less than enormous elemental forces, furious storms, and it is up to the listener to decide whether the sounds resemble military activities or wild, frenzied dancing. In the legendary second movement, the great master insistently repeats one specific rhythmic pattern. A procession? A funeral march? In any case, many motion pictures have since been grateful users of this material. Composing and giving birth have a lot in common. Both the biological and the creative pregnancy are times which are deeply associated with great hopes, worries, and dreams. At some point the moment arrives, and what comes next is a process of breaking away, conquering the world, and starting a future of one’s own. In his violin concerto »Genesis« (origin, creation), the Japanese composer Toshio Hosokawa finds a fascinating perspective on this inherently human phenomenon. Growth and development towards unchained independence, those words might adequately describe the composed journey of the solo violin into musical life. An adventurous path between conflation, conflict and return to the harmony of sound. That’s life. The Gürzenich Orchestra has always been happy to act as musical midwife, and as such is eagerly awaiting a new work by York Höller, a composer who has followed his very own, multifarious path as an artist, always with open ears, and free of dogmatic restrictions.
Experience a small break from everyday life at the Cologne Philharmonic Hall – inspiring, touching, authentic. A place full of music, for an unusual lunch break, a break from the city noise or simply a break from everyday life. The Philharmonic Lunch is made possible by KölnMusik together with the WDR Symphony Orchestra and the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne.
Marie Jacquot, former Principal Conductor of Deutsche Oper am Rhein, returns to Cologne with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra, featuring rising star violinist María Dueñas performing Max Bruch's Violin Concerto and concluding with Beethoven's Symphony No. 5.
The Tetzlaff Quartet, composed of siblings Christian and Tanja Tetzlaff, Hanna Weinmeister, and Elisabeth Kufferath, celebrates its 30th anniversary in 2024. Their shared passion for chamber music brought them together in 1992, and they began performing publicly in 1994. Known for their fresh and detailed performances, they maintain a spirit of curiosity and deep friendship.
Tokyo-born pianist Mao Fujita, acclaimed for his Mozart interpretations and cyclic performances of piano sonatas, has quickly become a sought-after performer after winning prizes at renowned competitions like the Clara Haskil and Tchaikovsky. His Cologne solo debut will also feature music from his Japanese homeland.
Renaud Capuçon, artistic director of the Orchestre de Chambre de Lausanne since 2021, conducts and performs Mozart's A-major concerto and "Haffner" Symphony, showcasing his virtuosity and the orchestra's natural affinity for Mozart. The program also includes Beethoven's early Symphony No. 2, which still reflects Mozart's influence before Beethoven fully broke away with his "Eroica".
Estonia, especially its capital Tallinn, is renowned for its diverse music scene. The Estonian Sinfonietta, led by Maria Seletskaja, performs Mozart's Violin Concerto KV 216 and Beethoven's 1st Symphony alongside contemporary Estonian composer Arvo Pärt's poignant "Spiegel im Spiegel." This concert promises a captivating blend of classical and modern Estonian music.
Born in Siberia in 1989, Pavel Kolesnikov showed great talent in both violin and piano, despite not coming from a musical family. After winning the Honens International Piano Competition in 2012, he focused on piano. While celebrated in Asia and his adopted England, he remains relatively unknown in mainland Europe. He's also passionate about vintage perfumes, finding parallels between their balanced composition and music, especially Beethoven.
The Alinde Quartet, a captivating young chamber music ensemble, is embarking on a project centered around Franz Schubert, who inspired their name from a poem he set to music. Their #Schubert200 project, commemorating the composer's 200th death anniversary, includes recording all his quartets and other chamber works, alongside commissioning new pieces inspired by "Alinde." This project is supported by the Althafen Foundation.
Ludwig van Beethoven: genius, freethinker and troubled soul – as well as a master of coping with crises through music. In 1809, he lamented: »We have experienced a rather crowded misery. The entire course of events has affected my body and soul. What a destructive, desolate life around me! Nothing but drums, cannons, all kinds of human misery!« At that time, he was greatly distressed by the current situation, as Vienna was occupied by Napoleon's troops. Food shortages, the black market and inflation were making life difficult for the people. Beethoven often sought shelter in the cellar – and put pillows over his head to avoid hearing the noise. But despite these unfavourable conditions, he wrote his great Fifth Piano Concerto: a gigantic work that gives the impression as if he wanted to drown out the chaos of war with the power and splendour of his music. For long segments, it spreads a belligerent sound – but with the Adagio, a very contemplative movement is interwoven: Beethoven is said to have been thinking of the »chants of devout pilgrims«. These fragmented states of mind are already pervasive in his Fifth Symphony, which was premiered a year earlier and can certainly be understood as a statement on the political fate of Europe at that time. With its famous obsessive motif, the work is at first full of anxiety and emotional complexity over long stretches. But an astounding inner force is able to find its way out of the initial darkness and into the ever brightening light. Like Beethoven wrote in one of his conversation books, which he used because of his deafness and in which he also collected essential ideas: »With music I have transformed my suffering into hope«.
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