In an invigorating contrast to Ravel’s miraculously delicate orchestration of Le Tombeau de Couperin and Ma mère l'Oye, the barbed rhythms and sparkling orchestral colours of Petrouchka complete a program conceived as as a true hymn to the orchestra.
In a programme imagined as a true hymn to the orchestra, Le Sacre du printemps magnifies the telluric power of the orchestra in striking counterpoint to the miraculously delicate orchestration of Le Tombeau de Couperin and Ma mère l'Oye.
The Orchestre de Paris and its music director Klaus Mäkelä bring the flair of early 20th century Paris to Hamburg. They explore the tension between Impressionism and Modernism with works by Claude Debussy, Maurice Ravel and Igor Stravinsky. Debussy and Ravel are the figureheads of musical Impressionist music – their works are marked by ingenious orchestration and shimmering tone colour. Debussy found inspiration for his »Nocturnes«, in which the Vienna Singverein makes an appearance, in Impressionist painting. Ravel, on the other hand, combined Baroque dances with his own style in »Le tombeau de Couperin«. »Le sacre du printemps» triggered one of the most famous performance scandals in music history. The time was not yet ripe for Stravinsky’s pounding rhythms and sharp sounds, which he used to depict a pagan sacrificial ritual. Today »The Rite of Spring« is one of the most frequently performed works in the orchestral repertoire.
Klaus Mäkelä is a phenomenon. At the age of 28, the young Finn is already conducting the world’s great orchestras and has been working closely with the Orchestre de Paris for years. He has been Music Director of the top orchestra since 2021 – a time in which a very special relationship has developed between him and the musicians. The specially developed programmes are precisely tailored to the musical energy that Mäkelä and the Orchestre de Paris unleash together. For their concert in Hamburg, they will bring magnificent musical images by Maurice Ravel, Igor Stravinsky and Modest Mussorgsky to the Elbphilharmonie: fairytale-like and fantastic, timid and powerful – a programme that is not only made for the ears, but also for the inner eye.
Klaus Mäkelä praises the Orchestre de Paris - Philharmonie for their musical intelligence and ability to achieve their goals. He describes their sound as brilliant and transparent. In his last concert in Essen, Mäkelä focuses on tonal diversity, beginning with Ravel's "Mother Goose" and ending with Mussorgsky. He trusts his musicians, following the advice of his teacher Jorma Panula.
The Concertgebouw’s famous Main Hall is one of the best concert halls in the world, well-known for its exceptional acoustics and special atmosphere. In the Main Hall, you will feel history. Here, Gustav Mahler conducted his own compositions, as did Richard Strauss and Igor Stravinsky. Sergei Rachmaninoff played his own piano concertos in the Main Hall. This is also where musicians such as Leonard Bernstein, Vladimir Horowitz and Yehudi Menuhin gave legendary performances. Right up to now, the Main Hall offers a stage to the world’s best orchestras and musicians. Buy your tickets now and experience the magic of the Main Hall for yourself!
The Orchestre de Paris, led by Klaus Mäkelä, presents an evening of legendary Ballets Russes music. The program includes Stravinsky's scandalous "The Rite of Spring" and the grotesque story of "Petrushka," along with Ravel's luminous "Le Tombeau de Couperin."
Claude Debussy (1862–1918) write the tone poem Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, in English, Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, in 1894, inspired by Stéphane Mallarmé’s poem The Afternoon of a Faun. The work would become one of his most famous and a milestone in music history.In 1909, the impresario Serge de Diaghilev founded the ballet company Ballets Russes. In the years before, Diaghilev had created great interest in Russian culture in Paris, and the ballet company became a sensation. The young Russian composer Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) was central to the success.In his fire ballet, The Firebird, offered sounds and rhythms the audience had never heard the likes of. It was a huge success at the premiere in 1910 and a breakthrough for the composer. The action is a combination of different stories from Russian folk poetry. Debussy also wrote music for the 1912 ballet Jeux (Games) for Ballets Russes. The action is set on a tennis court, and when the ball disappears in the twilight, a young man and two young women follow. The games continue outside of the court, with hide-and-seek, fights and embrace.Christian Sinding (1856–1941) got his big international breakthrough with the piano piece Frühlingsrauschen in 1897. Danse Orientale is from a collection of piano pieces from the year before, and the orchestral version, arranged by the brit Charlie Piper in 2010, is performed at this concert.Edvard Grieg (1843–1907) released in total 66 piano works under the title Lyric Pieces. Conductor Anton Seidl orchestrated four of the pieces in the fifth volume from 1891, and Grieg revised them before his death - including the terrific piece March of the Trolls.
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