ConcertPulse
Guest performance Homage to Keith Jarrett & Kurt Cobain
Philharmonie Berlin, Chamber Music Hall (Berlin)
Christoph Spangenberg plays Nirvana
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Christoph Spangenberg plays Nirvana
The idea of performing the songs of the legendary grunge band Nirvana on just the piano is obvious and unimaginable in equal measure. Two worlds that couldn’t be more different collide, yet they are emotionally far more similar than they may seem. Unlike Nirvana, Christoph Spangenberg will hopefully not be destroying any pianos, but he will be using all means at his disposal to bring classics such as »About a Girl«, »Come as You Are« and »Smells Like Teen Spirit« to the piano in his unique style. Without drums, bass or singing – but with years of experience in various musical fields, from jazz to hip-hop and techno. The music of the globally celebrated early-90s band with distorted guitar and screaming vocals is brimming with punk – and has a very different feel to the grand piano with its classical elegance. Imagine what would have happened had Kurt Cobain not only spat on Elton John’s piano at the 1992 MTV Video Music Awards, but sat down to play it. Presumably it would have fallen victim, just like all the band’s other instruments, to the musicians’ destructive nature.
Mischpoke take the audience on a journey through the highs and lows of life: joy, humour, tempo and charm, as well as depth and melancholy, characterise the Mischpoke sound. The klezmer band celebrated its 20th anniversary in 2020. There have been lots of exciting programmes over the years. One constant over all that time has been the motto »klezmer high life«. The five-strong Hamburg band are masters of all the nuances of klezmer music, and they mix traditional klezmer sounds with jazz, classical and world music with great virtuosity. As a result, the »old« sounds new, and the »new« contains the wonderful melodies of old.
A wildly dancing violin and a clarinet that can laugh and cry. A lilting piano and a bass that sometimes sounds like a train pulling up. With their inimitable mix of klezmer, jazz, tango, world music and classical music, the Hamburg band Mischpoke invites young and old to experience handmade music together, to clap, sing, dance and listen.