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Tango Suite for 2 Guitars (1984) by Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) consists of three movements: Allegro, libero; Andante rubato, melancolico; and Allegro.
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Tango Suite for 2 Guitars (1984) by Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) consists of three movements: Allegro, libero; Andante rubato, melancolico; and Allegro.
»To play without passion is unforgivable.« Beethoven famously said – and under the spirited conducting of Jakub Hrůša, emotionally moving concerts happen regularly. In this programme, we delve into the depths of two moving pieces: We start with Beethoven’s last piano concerto, with which he opened the door wide for the incipient Romantic period. He wrote this popular masterpiece at a time of unfavourable circumstances, when Vienna was occupied by the Napoleonic troops. It was premiered in 1811 and features revolutionary, upbeat passages as well as a rich variety of complex emotions. As soloist we welcome the young South Korean artist Seong-Jin Cho, one of the most remarkable pianists of his generation. Our Chief Conductor is always in his element with Martinů’s colourful pieces. He has loved the visionary power of this composer since his childhood and is now President of the International Martinů Circle. The composer was an exceptionally prolific man – and with the Symphony No. 4 we are interpreting one of his impressive instrumental masterpieces: it was written in exile in America in 1945 and reflects his joy over the end of the war as well as his longing for his homeland with folkloristic episodes. Martinů’s Fourth is one of those fascinating pieces that fulfils what Jakub Hrůša once said about the appeal of his Czech compatriot: »It’s wonderful to play Martinů. He is one of those composers who speak directly to everyone – musicians and audience alike. As soon as you put his music on the programme, it’s a success.«
Since 2010, ensembles of the Staatskapelle have been performing in the Bode Museum. The concerts, lasting just over an hour, take place in the Gobelin Hall and feature music from past centuries. Visitors can combine the concerts with other museum activities, such as an exhibition visit or a meal at the museum café.
There’s no better way of facing difficult days than with a refreshing Rossini overture! Almost every one of them begins slowly, with many shuffling lazily at the start. Yet the overture to his »William Tell«, for example, unleashes so much energy after a few minutes that it’s almost impossible not to move to the music. Dmitri Shostakovich’s First Cello Concerto also contains plenty of dynamism, but it’s full of bitterness and sarcasm. Mischa Maisky has been performing the work for many decades – and yet he still finds new ways of approaching the not inaccessible concerto. It’s a highly personal piece in which the composer inscribed his own name in musical letters. And it goes surprisingly well with Rossini! A few years later, in his final symphony, Shostakovich would quote that galloping main theme from the fast part of Rossini’s overture. An erratic, dance-like motif that goes perfectly with Beethoven’s rousing Seventh Symphony! A few years after it was written, one critic (who surely did not imagine his words would be one of our absolute favourites two hundred years later) wrote: »It consists of four movements of almost 1/4 hour each, thus making the whole at least 3/4 hour, and it is a veritable quodlibet of tragic, comic, serious and trivial ideas, which stray here and there without context, are repeated ad nauseam, and almost burst because of the excessive noise of the timpani.« Why don’t you tell us what you really think, my friend!
Leoš Janáček (1854–1927) wrote the orchestral work Taras Bulba during the First World War, just before Czechoslovakia became independent from Austria-Hungary. He kept the theme to himself for a long time because the inspiration came from the other side of the war front, from a Russian writer. The Cossack Taras Bulba, the main character of Nikolai Gogol’s novel, loses his sons to war before he suffers a dramatic death. The music in Taras Bulba gradually builds from an enigmatic, subdued opening to an intensely powerful ending with a full orchestra, organ, and pipe bells.Bohuslav Martinů (1890–1959) combined the playful melodies and energetic rhythms of Czech folk music with inspiration from jazz, creating a distinctive tonal language that has been compared to Sergei Prokofiev’s and Béla Bartók’s music.Martinů wrote his Oboe Concerto in 1955 for the Czech-Australian oboist Jiří Tancibudek, who premiered the piece during the Olympics in Melbourne in 1956. The soloist at this concert is João Miguel Silva, the alternating solo oboist at the Oslo Philharmonic.During the 1870s, Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904) went from being completely unknown to musical Europe’s new favorite, with Johannes Brahms as an important supporter and role model. The great breakthrough came with Slavic Dances based on Czech folk music.Brahms’ second symphony was the model for Dvořák, who, in 1880, wrote a warm, bright, and summery symphony commissioned by the Vienna Philharmonic. Symphony No. 6 is rich in references, among others to Beethoven’s symphonies, Viennese dances, and Czech folk tunes.
When Petr Popelka conducts the Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra in music by three of the most famous composers from his Czech homeland, that is a speciality in itself. And Dvořák’s »The Noon Witch« adds another rarity to the programme. In this symphonic poem, a witch appears on the scene at exactly noon and has a decisive influence on events in both the underlying fairy tale and the music. Of course, Dvořák did not miss the opportunity to incorporate the chimes of the church clock into his composition. We also hear a work by Dvořák’s son-in-law Josef Suk, who set four other fairy tale scenes to music in his orchestral piece »Pohádka«. But this Czech evening opens with music by Suk’s pupil Bohuslav Martinů. With his numerous echoes of folk music, Martinů enchanted not only his fellow countrymen, but also American culture-lovers in the 1940s and 1950s. It goes almost without saying that his Violin Concerto is performed by the exceptional Czech violinist Josef Špaček.
In Garmisch, August 1941, Richard Strauss completed his last opera "Capriccio", a one-act opera described as intellectual and witty, a stark contrast to the horrific events of its time. The opera features beautiful music. Bohuslav Martinů, a prolific Czech composer, left behind nearly 100 chamber music works. His String Sextet, composed in Paris in 1932, won the Coolidge Prize. Brahms' String Sextet No. 1, initially conceived as a septet, received widespread acclaim.
This year, two hundred years from the premiere of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, it is worth remembering the Name Day Overture. Initially, it was intended to contain a choir part with the text of Schiller’s Ode to Joy. The final result turned out to be different, yet no less interesting. All the more so, since the background for the piece is to be found in the name day of Emperor Francis I and II and its dedication is one for Prince Antoni Radziwiłł. It is quite a different story with Haydn’s Cello Concerto in D major. It is a popular piece, permanently present in the repertoire, though probably less frequently played than the Concerto in C major. Equally technically challenging and equally virtuosic, but more dreamy and melancholic, its narrative flowing lightly at a leisurely pace. Haydn’s melodies are easy to remember and not easy to forget, just like the theme from a Polish folk song quoted by Panufnik in his Lullaby, a virtuosic piece using quartertones. „A gem of talent, technique and taste” – that was how Stefan Kisielewski marvelled at the composition. Martinů’s Symphony No. 6, which the composer himself called Symphonic Fantasies,might seem both moving and surprising. It brings together modern oniric sounds and distinct neoclassical elements. „It is a work without form, and yet something holds it together, though I do not know what it is,” Martinů admitted openly. One may seek this “something” on one’s own, letting oneself be captivated by this music created by a Czech master who is still to find recognition in Poland.Piotr MatwiejczukConcert duration (intermission included): approximately 90 minutes
»If music be the food of love, play on!« William Shakespeare once wrote – and in the same spirit, Jakub Hrůša, as our musical »chef de cuisine«, has once again put together sumptuous treats for our audience that unmistakably carry his personal signature. And we start off with a delicacy: With Brahms’ concerto, composed in 1887, which is much more than just a small appetiser – and also follows a quote by Adelbert von Chamisso, that says: »Love is not a solo. Love is a duet.« For the two celebrated soloists Vilde Frang and Sol Gabetta, it was a heartfelt wish to perform this double concerto together at some point – and they will certainly add their artistic flavours to blend into a »giant eight-stringed violin« in accordance with the composer’s wishes. The musical menu also features works by two other favourite composers of our Chief Conductor: Martinů’s Symphony No. 3, which he wrote in 1944 while in exile in America, contains echoes of the folk music of his Czech homeland, as well as skilfully processing the zeitgeist of that time – and, most importantly, indulging in great emotions. After this mighty symphony, we serve Dvořák’s »Scherzo capriccioso«, because Jakub Hrůša loves to break with the conventions of a traditional concert programme time and again. The name already suggests a playfully tossed-together dish and this imaginative, lavishly orchestrated and skilfully crafted scherzo from 1883 is not so little, but it is still a charming nightcap: it is one of the many captivating works from Dvořák’s pen to win people’s hearts by storm.
»If music be the food of love, play on!« William Shakespeare once wrote – and in the same spirit, Jakub Hrůša, as our musical »chef de cuisine«, has once again put together sumptuous treats for our audience that unmistakably carry his personal signature. And we start off with a delicacy: With Brahms’ concerto, composed in 1887, which is much more than just a small appetiser – and also follows a quote by Adelbert von Chamisso, that says: »Love is not a solo. Love is a duet.« For the two celebrated soloists Vilde Frang and Sol Gabetta, it was a heartfelt wish to perform this double concerto together at some point – and they will certainly add their artistic flavours to blend into a »giant eight-stringed violin« in accordance with the composer’s wishes. The musical menu also features works by two other favourite composers of our Chief Conductor: Martinů’s Symphony No. 3, which he wrote in 1944 while in exile in America, contains echoes of the folk music of his Czech homeland, as well as skilfully processing the zeitgeist of that time – and, most importantly, indulging in great emotions. After this mighty symphony, we serve Dvořák’s »Scherzo capriccioso«, because Jakub Hrůša loves to break with the conventions of a traditional concert programme time and again. The name already suggests a playfully tossed-together dish and this imaginative, lavishly orchestrated and skilfully crafted scherzo from 1883 is not so little, but it is still a charming nightcap: it is one of the many captivating works from Dvořák’s pen to win people’s hearts by storm.
»If music be the food of love, play on!« William Shakespeare once wrote – and in the same spirit, Jakub Hrůša, as our musical »chef de cuisine«, has once again put together sumptuous treats for our audience that unmistakably carry his personal signature. And we start off with a delicacy: With Brahms’ concerto, composed in 1887, which is much more than just a small appetiser – and also follows a quote by Adelbert von Chamisso, that says: »Love is not a solo. Love is a duet.« For the two celebrated soloists Vilde Frang and Sol Gabetta, it was a heartfelt wish to perform this double concerto together at some point – and they will certainly add their artistic flavours to blend into a »giant eight-stringed violin« in accordance with the composer’s wishes. The musical menu also features works by two other favourite composers of our Chief Conductor: Martinů’s Symphony No. 3, which he wrote in 1944 while in exile in America, contains echoes of the folk music of his Czech homeland, as well as skilfully processing the zeitgeist of that time – and, most importantly, indulging in great emotions. After this mighty symphony, we serve Dvořák’s »Scherzo capriccioso«, because Jakub Hrůša loves to break with the conventions of a traditional concert programme time and again. The name already suggests a playfully tossed-together dish and this imaginative, lavishly orchestrated and skilfully crafted scherzo from 1883 is not so little, but it is still a charming nightcap: it is one of the many captivating works from Dvořák’s pen to win people’s hearts by storm.
In 1982, Rafael Kubelík recorded Dvořák’s Slavonic Dances with the BRSO in Munich’s Herkulessaal. This is one of the reasons that this concert serves as Sir Simon Rattle’s homage to the former chief conductor. It begins with the colorful and somewhat gentler second series of Dvořák’s folk-inspired composition, in which melancholy and poetic nuances mingle with the world of exuberant dance. Violist Timothy Ridout then makes his BRSO debut in the extensively lyrical passages of Martinů’s Rhapsody-Concerto. And finally, the brass gets has a chance to shine: nine trumpets (sounding as if there were at least ninety) dominate Janáček’s Sinfonietta – a work that would have surely become popular even without its famous celebratory fanfare. But it wouldn’t take your breath away and have such an overwhelming impact otherwise.
In 1982, Rafael Kubelík recorded Dvořák’s Slavonic Dances with the BRSO in Munich’s Herkulessaal. This is one of the reasons that this concert serves as Sir Simon Rattle’s homage to the former chief conductor. It begins with the colorful and somewhat gentler second series of Dvořák’s folk-inspired composition, in which melancholy and poetic nuances mingle with the world of exuberant dance. Violist Timothy Ridout then makes his BRSO debut in the extensively lyrical passages of Martinů’s Rhapsody-Concerto. And finally, the brass gets has a chance to shine: nine trumpets (sounding as if there were at least ninety) dominate Janáček’s Sinfonietta – a work that would have surely become popular even without its famous celebratory fanfare. But it wouldn’t take your breath away and have such an overwhelming impact otherwise.
At the finale of the Teatime Classics series, cellist LiLa presents works by Johannes Brahms, Leoš Janáček and Bohuslav Martinů. The 21-year-old Chinese musician is accompanied by the American-Hungarian pianist Julia Hamos, a fellow student at the Kronberg Academy. LiLa had her first music lesson on the piano at the age of four, before she switched to the cello three years later. In 2016 she enrolled at New York’s Juilliard School as a pre-college student. Awarded many prizes at international competitions, she became the youngest prize-winner at the 2014 International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. LiLa has already appeared at the Verbier Festival, and has appeared with various orchestras, among them the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra. Pianist Julia Hamos is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music in London and of the Mannes College of Music in New York. Since 2019 she himself been continuing her studies at the Barenboim-Said Academy, where her teacher is Sir András Schiff. Ms Hamos has won international awards and scholarships, and is in demand both as a soloist and a chamber musician. The versatile artist also cooperates closely with other fields of art such as dance and theatre.
Beethoven’s works »give everyone an optimistic mood, elevate them out of loneliness, grief, bundle their strengths scattered in day-to-day life and make them imagine what they were actually born to do«. This is the way Beethoven’s music was once described. As a benefit for the spirit, we have two of his wonderful emotional creations: The »Coriolan« Overture from 1807 is a sonorous monument full of »reflecting poetry« and entwines itself around the story of a tragic hero exiled from his homeland. One year later, he wrote his Fifth Symphony, with its many twists and turns leading up to its final triumph – whose name, »Fate Symphony«, was not coined by him. But because of its ingenious »per aspera ad astra« spirit, it certainly matches his words: »I will reach into the jaws of fate, it shall certainly not bow me down.« Both the famous motif from the Fifth and references to the »Coriolan« overture appear in the exciting work, »subito con forza«: The South Korean Unsuk Chin composed it in 2020 on the occasion of the Beethoven Year – and was inspired for it by Beethoven‘s wavering states of mind and a line from his conversation books: »Major and minor. I am a winner.« Martinůs second symphony was written in 1943 in America, where terrible news such as the brutal annihilation of the village of Lidice reached him from his dearly missed homeland. Melancholic overtones testify to his pain, but otherwise the work, including a quote from the »Marseillaise«, is widely life-affirming – possibly because of what he believed: »Music should always be full of joy, even if it is tragic.«
Late romantic confessions! Dvořák was keen to breathe fresh life into Catholic church music in his native Bohemia. For him, religiousness was a necessary prerequisite for his creative work, and he said: "Don't be surprised that I am so devout – an artist who is not devout will not achieve such things". As he grew older, the setting of liturgical texts became increasingly important for him – possibly as a way of expressing his thoughts about the end of life. He wrote his "Biblical Songs” in 1894, while living in New York. Shortly beforehand, news had reached him of the deaths of his contemporaries Tchaikovsky and Gounod, as well as the news from home that his father had passed away. These ten songs, which set texts from the Book of Psalms, range in expression from laments and prayers of intercession, fear and confidence to the praise of God and trust in his help – moving pieces written in a state of grief far from his beloved Bohemia. The concert will close with Bohuslav Martinůs first symphony.
Bohemia and Moravia are home to music, and this concert showcases large-scale wind chamber music by two talented natives. Bohuslav Martinů, influenced by his time in Paris, contributes a lively septet and grotesque ballet music featuring dancing kitchen utensils. Leoš Janáček's wind sextet "Youth," written for his 70th birthday, is witty, vital, and full of personal experiences.
Richard Strauss once gave a beautiful description of one of the tricks he used in his composition process: “If I get stuck at a certain point in the evening while composing, and it does not seem possible to produce anything decent, no matter how hard I think, then I close the piano or my sketchbook, go to sleep, and when I wake up in the morning, I know how to continue!" His Alpine Symphony, premiered in 1915, was composed in a mere 100 days. Inspired by Nietzsche's polemical book "The Antichrist", Strauss created an opulent musical portrait of the various stations and scenes of an adventurous hike through the mountains, with an orchestral line-up including cowbells, an organ, and thunder and wind machines. This tone poem is a sonorous journey through nature and its creations – which is why a contemporary said admiringly of Strauss: "He has learned that music should not just illuminate our nights for all eternity, but that it should be like the sun." Before this musical ascent to the mountain peaks, conducted by Semyon Bychkov, our orchestra and the gifted pianists Katia and Marielle Labèque will perform the Double Concerto by Bohuslav Martinů, who was considered one of the most original Czech composers of the 20th century and described as “a creator who performs magic with new worlds." Jazz influences have left their mark on this work, but delightful tunes from Czech folk music also make an appearance. This truly stirring piece is proof that great creations are possible even under adverse circumstances: Martinů wrote it during the Second World War after fleeing to the United States, where he grappled increasingly with existential questions about the meaning of human life.
Richard Strauss once gave a beautiful description of one of the tricks he used in his composition process: “If I get stuck at a certain point in the evening while composing, and it does not seem possible to produce anything decent, no matter how hard I think, then I close the piano or my sketchbook, go to sleep, and when I wake up in the morning, I know how to continue!" His Alpine Symphony, premiered in 1915, was composed in a mere 100 days. Inspired by Nietzsche's polemical book "The Antichrist", Strauss created an opulent musical portrait of the various stations and scenes of an adventurous hike through the mountains, with an orchestral line-up including cowbells, an organ, and thunder and wind machines. This tone poem is a sonorous journey through nature and its creations – which is why a contemporary said admiringly of Strauss: "He has learned that music should not just illuminate our nights for all eternity, but that it should be like the sun." Before this musical ascent to the mountain peaks, conducted by Semyon Bychkov, our orchestra and the gifted pianists Katia and Marielle Labèque will perform the Double Concerto by Bohuslav Martinů, who was considered one of the most original Czech composers of the 20th century and described as “a creator who performs magic with new worlds." Jazz influences have left their mark on this work, but delightful tunes from Czech folk music also make an appearance. This truly stirring piece is proof that great creations are possible even under adverse circumstances: Martinů wrote it during the Second World War after fleeing to the United States, where he grappled increasingly with existential questions about the meaning of human life.
Beethoven’s works »give everyone an optimistic mood, elevate them out of loneliness, grief, bundle their strengths scattered in day-to-day life and make them imagine what they were actually born to do«. This is the way Beethoven’s music was once described. As a benefit for the spirit, we have two of his wonderful emotional creations: The »Coriolan« Overture from 1807 is a sonorous monument full of »reflecting poetry« and entwines itself around the story of a tragic hero exiled from his homeland. One year later, he wrote his Fifth Symphony, with its many twists and turns leading up to its final triumph – whose name, »Fate Symphony«, was not coined by him. But because of its ingenious »per aspera ad astra« spirit, it certainly matches his words: »I will reach into the jaws of fate, it shall certainly not bow me down.« Both the famous motif from the Fifth and references to the »Coriolan« overture appear in the exciting work, »subito con forza«: The South Korean Unsuk Chin composed it in 2020 on the occasion of the Beethoven Year – and was inspired for it by Beethoven‘s wavering states of mind and a line from his conversation books: »Major and minor. I am a winner.« Martinůs second symphony was written in 1943 in America, where terrible news such as the brutal annihilation of the village of Lidice reached him from his dearly missed homeland. Melancholic overtones testify to his pain, but otherwise the work, including a quote from the »Marseillaise«, is widely life-affirming – possibly because of what he believed: »Music should always be full of joy, even if it is tragic.«
