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Chamber concert: String quintet
Attention: Change of programme and line-up
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Attention: Change of programme and line-up
A whole range of stops will be pulled out once again: This time, an experienced and acclaimed organist will be our guest at the keys and pedals of our concert organ, much loved by the audience. Together with strings from the Bamberg Symphony, he will present several works that are wonderfully fitting for this Advent Sunday. The first part is dedicated to baroque music: after three touching solo pieces by Bach, a long-lost concerto for organ and violin by Vivaldi is performed – a particularly melody-laden example of his boundless artistry. In the second part, Tomaž Sevšek offers a foray into other musical realms – including a work composed in 1951 by his compatriot Primož Ramovš, whose numerous organ pieces have only rarely been performed in Germany to date. Portuguese composer João Pedro Oliveira is a versatile and award-winning composer: »Persistent Particles« from 2021 experiments with the tonal and technical possibilities of the organ in a fascinating manner. Schumann rented a pedal keyboard for his grand piano in 1845, which gave him and his wife Clara »much delight«. One of the results was the intimate study for pedal piano – in which Schumann expressed his spiritual and compositional affinity with Bach. The French composer Alexandre Guilmant expressed his fondness for the German Romantic composer in his atmospheric work »Final alla Schumann« in 1893.
A splendidly interwoven sound tapestry! The chamber concerts do not require a conductor – because our musicians love to count on each other in a smaller setting. This programme starts with string playing and a key work of the string quartet genre. Ravel’s piece was premiered in 1904 and is an inspiring example of the vibrant spirit in France at that time – where Cocteau advised the young avant-garde: »Cultivate what the public accuses you of, because that’s exactly what you are.« This is exactly what Ravel, as a »master of musical masks«, did in his only string quartet: he veiled the traditional norms of composition in his own characteristic way and created music that is refined and relatable – which may be peculiar, but nevertheless captivates with its grandiose sound effects and deep emotional worlds. Schubert’s Octet then takes us right into the heart of Romanticism: it was written after a difficult phase in his life, which he sought to »make as beautiful as possible« through his imagination. And so, exactly 200 years ago, he wrote the opulent work in a true creative frenzy, with which he wanted to »pave his way to the great symphony« – and indeed, it widens the intimate chamber music sound to the limits of the orchestral. One of the emotional highlights is the Adagio, a »song without words« typical of Schubert with an elegiac melody and a flow of notes passing by. The finale begins with sombre sounds, but it then develops passionately – and leads to a spectacular conclusion to this gripping milestone, about which a contemporary wrote: »Mr Schubert’s composition is worthy of the author’s recognised talent, full of light, pleasant and intriguing.«
A colourful bouquet of musical pieces that are simply enjoyable, well-known melodies and a few folk tunes to sing along to: That’s the mix for this special »Cantabile« chamber concert. In close cooperation with the Alzheimer Stiftung Bamberg e. V., the programme and concept of the concert have been specially tailored to the needs of people with dementia. However, the concert is open to all people who are unable to visit a regular concert due to a disability or impairment. We welcome you and your accompanying persons to the Hegelsaal of the Bamberg Concert Hall for a diverse musical morning, moderated by Martin Timphus, violist and member of the Bamberg Symphony’s education team.