In the big hall of Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, where once Vladimir Horowitz gave his legendary concert, 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra celebrate their Russian premiere in a concert crowning the ensemble's 36-year history. They belong to the top orchestra of its class and are respected worldwide, and here they present a great program from Angel Dances and Dance Around the World as a part of the first international cello festival in Moscow, an event dedicated to the big "Slava," the cellist Mstislav Rostropovich.
Since 1972 the 12 Cellists of the Berliner Philharmoniker have been a prominent institution in international musical life. Whether they're playing classical music, jazz, tango or avant-garde, listeners around the world are invariably fascinated by the wide range of the unique and intoxicating timbres that these twelve cellos can produce. Their mixture of seriousness and humor, of depth and lightness, appeals to audiences of all ages. In this live recording from the Philharmonie Berlin, the 12 Cellists welcome Annette Dasch and Till Bronner. They performed works by Piazzolla, Faure, Legrand, Debussy, Ravel, Morricone, Ellington , to name only a few.
In November 2004 a new name caused listeners to prick up their ears on the international orchestral scene: under Claudio Abbado's artistic guidance the Orchestra Mozart came into being. It combines both young instrumentalists on the threshold of a first-rate career as well as eminent chamber musicians such as Danusha Waskiewicz, Alois Posch, Jacques Zoon, Michaela Petri, Ottavio Dantone, Mario Brunello, Alessio Allegrini, Jonathan Williams and Reinhold Friedrich. As with his famous Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Abbado hand-picked an ensemble to his liking, this time one of early- and Baroque-music specialists, all masters in their field. Recorded live in the handsome 19th-century Teatro Municipale Romolo Valli in Reggio Emilia in 2007, this video documents Bach's Brandenburg Concertos performed in all their delicate beauty by this very special orchestra. Each concerto is scored for different forces and, in total, the six concertos draw on virtually the entire range of instruments that existed during the High Baroque. The instrumental variety of these pieces, together with Bach's genius as a composer, ensured that the Brandenburg Concertos soon came to occupy a key position in the history of music, a position they continue to hold to this day. Claudio Abbado, violinist...
Elected by members of the Berlin Philharmonic as Principal Conductor and fifth Artistic Director in 1989, Claudio Abbado resigned from the post in 2002, but remains close to the orchestra, which cherishes the conductor to this day. Listening to the music, one hears how the Berlin Philharmonic transforms Abbado's musical intentions into sound ?EUR" there is a sense of unity that can only be achieved through many years of shared artistic experience and attention to detail. These live performances at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome in 2001 were an overwhelming success: each concert ended in standing ovations, and the critics spoke of seminal moments in the history of music. Abbado's Beethoven cycle will certainly become a milestone for contemporary interpretation and this recording pays tribute to his achievement.
Bonus feature:
- Multi-Angle Feature - Conductor Camera ( Symphony No. 6 )
Elected by members of the Berlin Philharmonic as Principal Conductor and fifth Artistic Director in 1989, Claudio Abbado resigned from the post in 2002, but remains close to the orchestra, which cherishes the conductor to this day. Listening to the music, one hears how the Berlin Philharmonic transforms Abbado's musical intentions into sound ?EUR" there is a sense of unity that can only be achieved through many years of shared artistic experience and attention to detail. These live performances at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome in 2001 were an overwhelming success: each concert ended in standing ovations, and the critics spoke of seminal moments in the history of music. Abbado's Beethoven cycle will certainly become a milestone for contemporary interpretation and this recording pays tribute to his achievement.
Bonus feature:
- Multi-Angle Feature - Conductor Camera ( Symphony No. 5 )
Elected by members of the Berlin Philharmonic as Principal Conductor and fifth Artistic Director in 1989, Claudio Abbado resigned from the post in 2002, but remains close to the orchestra, which cherishes the conductor to this day. Listening to the music, one hears how the Berlin Philharmonic transforms Abbado's musical intentions into sound ?EUR" there is a sense of unity that can only be achieved through many years of shared artistic experience and attention to detail. These live performances at the Philharmonie, Berlin in 2000 and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome in 2001 were an overwhelming success: each concert ended in standing ovations, and the critics spoke of seminal moments in the history of music. Abbado's Beethoven cycle will certainly become a milestone for contemporary interpretation and this recording pays tribute to his achievement. For the popular Symphony No. 9 in D minor , the Berlin Philharmonic were joined by high-ranking singers and choirs.
Bonus feature:
- Multi-Angle Feature - Conductor Camera ( Symphony No.3 )
Elected by members of the Berlin Philharmonic as Principal Conductor and fifth Artistic Director in 1989, Claudio Abbado resigned from the post in 2002, but remains close to the orchestra, which cherishes the conductor to this day. Listening to the music, one hears how the Berlin Philharmonic transforms Abbado's musical intentions into sound ?EUR" there is a sense of unity that can only be achieved through many years of shared artistic experience and attention to detail. These live performances at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome in 2001 were an overwhelming success: each concert ended in standing ovations, and the critics spoke of seminal moments in the history of music. Abbado's Beethoven cycle will certainly become a milestone for contemporary interpretation and this recording pays tribute to his achievement.
Bonus features:
- Multi-Angle Feature - Conductor Camera ( Symphony No. 7 )
- Documentary - Abbado on Beethoven
Brahm's Ein Deutsches Requiem , composed between 1861 and 1869, continues to inspire musicians and audiences to this day. His requiem is addressed to the living, who are to be offered comfort in this world freed from fear of death.
This outstanding performance of A German Requiem was recorded in the Grand Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna to mark the centenary of the death of Johannes Brahms.
Claudio Abbado, who first conducted his new Lucerne Festival Orchestra in this Debussy concert in 2003, realised a dream come true with this exclusive ensemble of handpicked orchestral musicians and exceptional soloists such as Kolja Blacher, Emanuel Pahud and Sabine Meyer. This recording pays tribute to Claudio Abbado's vision and the Lucerne Festival orchestra's triumphant rebirth during the summer festival 2003.
The Europa Konzert 1998 was performed at the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. The repertoire includes: Richard Wagner Overture to The Flying Dutchman , Peter Tchaikovsky The Storm , Claude Debussy Trois Nocturnes and Giuseppe Verdi's Quattro pezzi sacri .
The Berliner Philharmoniker's annual European Concerts are intended to recall the date on which the orchestra was founded, 1 May 1882, with a performance being given on this day in a different town or city of particular cultural and historical importance. In 2002 it was the turn of the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, one of Europe's most important opera houses both artistically and architecturally. This was also the last time in his twelve years as the orchestra's artistic director that the revered Italian maestro Claudio Abbado conducted a European Concert. In a programme of beloved pieces from the classical repertoire, with the celebrated Gil Shaham as soloist, Abbado once again demonstrated how he upheld the unsurpassed orchestral tradition of the Berliner Philharmoniker with his profound music-making.
The charismatic and inspiring Claudio Abbado and the mesmerising young pianist Yuja Wang, with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, hold the audience spellbound in this opening concert of the 2009 Lucerne Festival. Prokofiev's popular and vibrant Third Piano Concerto demonstrates the composer's sharp musical wit, and Yuja Wang is a brilliant exponent of the work. Following this, and chiming beautifully with the festival's theme of the relationship between art and nature, Mahler's First Symphony is given an illuminating and rapturously received performance.
"It would be hard to find anything greater, more significant or more moving anywhere in musical life today: total harmony of mind and heart, poetry and outcry, fear and consolation, knowing and feeling," declared the Berne paper Der Bund after this stunning performance of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony in August 2003 by the newly founded Lucerne Festival Orchestra. Claudio Abbado had formed this ensemble from famous instrumentalists, celebrated chamber-musicians and experienced soloists from the world's best orchestras, and the event was sold out months in advance. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung reported: "Once again the applause at the end was unequalled; the immense final chord...broke a tension that had lasted over 90 minutes without relaxing for a moment."
This Claudio Abbado recording captures a very special night at the 2007 Lucerne Festival with the massive Third Symphony by Gustav Mahler (1860-1911). Ever since its debut in 2003, the Lucerne Festival Orchestra has been enthusiastically received by public and press alike. The orchestra is the realisation of a dream for Claudio Abbado, who handpicked famous soloists, chamber recitalists and orchestral musicians to form this ensemble. Time and again it has been praised for its extraordinary sound and refined playing in the finest spirit of chamber music under the direction of the exceptional Italian conductor. The line-up includes such luminaries as Kolja Blacher and Sabine Meyer, alongside sundry members of the world's great orchestras. The cello section alone boasts Natalia Gutman, Clemens Hagen and Valentin Erben. On this video, the viewer can join in the imposing experience of a live performance of Mahler's No.3 with its awesome silences and towering climaxes recorded in the acoustically superb Congress and Concert Hall Lucerne in August 2007. Mahler completed the symphony in 1896 and it counts among the longest ever composed, with a performance lasting at least one and a half hours. The popular work became famous through Luciano Visconti's film Death in Venice , where...
Claudio Abbado has realised a dream with his new Lucerne Festival Orchestra. The orchestra, an exclusive ensemble of handpicked orchestral musicians, has set new standards in the field of classical music with exceptional soloists such as violinist Kolja Blacher, flutist Emanuel Pahud and clarinettist Sabine Meyer on the first desks. In August 2004 they performed in the Lucerne Festival Hall, presenting a programme that, once again, confirmed Claudio Abbado's fame as a supreme Mahler conductor. His long-time association with Mahler ensures a marvellous reading of the composer's Fifth and most popular Symphony, which became world-famous as the soundtrack to Visconti's film Death in Venice . An innovative special feature makes this audio-visually appealing video even more attractive. The film is shot using a multi-angle perspective, which enables the viewer to switch easily from the regular to the "Conductor" Camera thus experiencing Claudio Abbado from the orchestra's perspective. The is a wonderful homage to the interplay between orchestra and conductor celebrating the composer and a triumphant masterwork - Gustav Mahler's glorious Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor .
Bonus feautres:
- Multi-Angle Feature - Conductor Camera
Claudio Abbado has realised a dream with his new Lucerne Festival Orchestra. The orchestra, an exclusive ensemble of handpicked orchestral musicians, opens up new dimensions in the interpretation of symphonic music with exceptional soloists such as violinist Kolja Blacher, cellist Natalia Gutman and clarinettist Sabine Meyer filling the first desks. Claudio Abbado is undeniably a supreme Mahler conductor and his recordings with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra have set new standards in interpretation of works by Gustav Mahler (1860?EUR"1911). His long-time association with the composer ensures a marvellous reading of the Sixth Symphony , especially as he has long been the work's most respected interpreter. The sixth symphony ?EUR" first performed in 1906 and sometimes referred to as Tragic ?EUR" ends on a much sadder, almost nihilistic, note than most of the other Mahler symphonies. This imposing music is captured live in a performance marked by awesome silences and towering climaxes conjured by the Lucerne Festival Orchestra. Filmed in August 2006 using state-of-the-art equipment to take full advantage of the new and acoustically superb Concert Hall Lucerne.
Claudio Abbado, who first conducted his new Lucerne Festival Orchestra in the summer of 2003, realised a dream with this exclusive ensemble. Handpicked orchestral musicians and exceptional soloists such as violinist Kolja Blacher, flutist Emmanuel Pahud, clarinettist Sabine Meyer, oboist Albrecht Mayer, violist Wolfram Christ, cellist Natalia Gutman, the Hagen Quartet and members of the Alban Berg Quartet to name just a few, make the Lucerne Festival Orchestra a star-studded ensemble, while the core of the orchestra is provided by the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, itself an élite body of players. Claudio Abbado is undeniably a supreme Mahler conductor and his Mahler recordings with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra have set new benchmarks in Mahler interpretation. This wonderful performance of the impressive five movement Symphony No. 7 was recorded live at the new and acoustically superb Concert Hall Lucerne in August 2005.
The Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester was founded in 1986 at the initiative of Claudio Abbado and has since become the world's best youth orchestra. Named after the great composer, the programme is marked by the special relationship between the maestro and the young orchestra and their relationship to Gustav Mahler. Claudio Abbado is undeniably the supreme Mahler conductor of our time and his long-time association with this repertoire culminates in this stirring performance of Mahler's last Symphony, written shortly before the composer's untimely death. Recorded at Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome 2004, the film vividly shows the joy, talent and professionalism of the young musicians drawn from all over Europe and their devotion to Claudio Abbado. The is a wonderful homage to orchestra, conductor, composer and, last but not least, to a triumphant master work - Gustav Mahler's magnificent Symphony No. 9 in D major .
The Berliner Philharmoniker celebrate the last day of the 20th century with Grand Finales in the first part of this extraordinary concert, and herald the leap into 21st century with an explosion of sparkling music in the second half of the programme.
For the Grand Finales, Claudio Abbado conducts masterpieces like the final movement of Beethoven's 7th Symphony , excerpts from Stravinsky's Firebird and the last movement of Mahler's 5th Symphony . The world-famous actor Klaus Maria Brandauer narrates from Arnold Schoenberg's Gurrelieder
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's New Year's Eve Concert in 2000 set the mood for the centenary of Giuseppe Verdi's (1813-1901) death with a selection of the composer's most popular tunes. The orchestra presented excerpts from Rigoletto , La Traviata , Un ballo in maschera and Falstaff . The programme also included the ball scene from act III of Don Carlo ?EUR" a scene that is seldom staged. With singers Andrea Rost, Ramon Vargas, Alan Titus and Lucio Gallo, a cast of internationally celebrated Verdi singers gathered for this Gala Evening led by maestro Claudio Abbado. The outstanding Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the virtuoso Prague Radio Choir provided music of the highest order on this very special evening.
The outstanding and deeply touching performance of Verdi's Messa da Requiem was recorded at the Parco Ducale of Parma, within the 2020 Edition of Festival Verdi. The concert was dedicated to the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic and all the health workers engaged in the emergency.
Here are conductor Roberto Abbado's words to describe this Verdian masterpiece: "I think that Verdi felt the need to compose a sacred work to deal with some themes that, as he got older, he felt very strongly about. They are themes that every human being sooner or later asks themselves. Verdi is not afraid to show that he fears death, and therefore his approach is extremely humble and human, showing some of the frailties we all have. How does the Messa da Requiem end? It ends, in my opinion, with a huge question mark. Basically, I believe, Verdi, like many of us, cannot answer these questions. I, myself, cannot answer them."
Valery Gergiev , fresh from his appointment as chief conductor of the Munchner Philharmoniker in 2015, takes his new ensemble to the BBC Proms for a concert at the utmost in drama and vivid musicianship. The brilliant young Uzbek pianist Behzod Abduraimov performs Rachmaninov's thrillingly virtuosic Piano Concerto No. 3 , while the Russian stage and film actor Alexei Petrenko recites the text in Galina Ustvolkskaya's resonant and profound Symphony No. 3, "Jesus Messiah, Saves Us!" . The programme also features a hypnotic Ravel Bolero , an alternately tender, florid and witty Rosenkavalier Suite , and the rousing Hungarian March by Berlioz .
Christopher Hogwood founded the Academy of Ancient Music in 1973 and is one of the pioneers of historical performance practice as a harpsichordist conductor. His interpretations of the Baroque and Classical opera and concert literature have brought him international acclaim. The Academy of Ancient Music has taken as its goal the performance of the works of the Baroque and Classical eras on historic instruments. The ensemble, which has a varying amount of performers, boasts a number of outstanding specialists for historical performance practice.
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
For more than 20 years, the choir Accentus has performed choral music in all its diversity. For Christmas 2009, Accentus, Laurence Equilbey and their guests created the event with a programme featuring some of the most famous sacred music pieces at the Church of Saint Thomas in Strasbourg to hear the most beautiful Christmas songs interpreted by: Concerto Koln, Sandrine Piau (Soprano), Nathalie Stutzmann (Alto), Pavol Breslik (Tenor), Johannes Weisser (Bass), Sonia Wieder Atherton (Cello), Aurelie Saraf (Harp) and Daniel Maurer, organist of the Church of St. Thomas.
This recording commemorates the 50th anniversary of Joaquin Achucarro's debut with the London Symphony Orchestra after winning the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic International Competition in 1959. Recorded at Jerwood Hall, St Luke's, London, with Britain's eminent conductor Colin Davis at the helm, Achucarro delivers a consummate performance that brilliantly expresses his delicate and passionate style.
Bonus features :
- Joaquin Achucarro: 50 Years On - A documentary including interviews with Placido Domingo, Simon Rattle and Zubin Mehta.
- Achucarro at the Prado - performances of solo pieces by Brahms, Chopin, Scriabin and Albeniz filmed in the beautiful setting of the Prado museum.
In 2022, Musiques en fete celebrates love in music! with the 8,000 spectators at the Theatre Antique in Orange for an amazing show! Opera, operetta, musical comedy, classical music, film music, dance, as well as the greatest hits of French song... Through an eclectic programme, a tribute to love and to all music will be paid by prestigious soloists and more than 150 orchestral musicians and choral artists.
Stranded in Switzerland due to the events of the First World War and the October Revolution in Russia, Stravinsky was introduced to the Swiss novelist Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz in 1915 by their mutual friend and conductor Ernest Ansermet. This encounter would ultimately lead to a creative partnership that brought forth one of the most important works of the 20th century: L'Histoire du Soldat (The Soldier's Tale) . Based on a Russian folk tale, L'Histoire du Soldat unites a Faustian fable with Stravinsky's colourful and sweeping composition that includes elements of jazz and Russian folk music.
At the 2018 Deauville Easter Festival in the Normandy region of France, Pierre Dumoussaud leads a group of highly accomplished instrumentalists, as well as actors Didier Sandre, Maxime Coggio, and Gabriel Acremant, in this Stravinsky masterpiece. The colorful program is rounded out by Mahler's sole String Quartet in A Minor , which he never completed-though you'll hear the finished first movement alongside a later completion by Russian composer Alfred Schnittke of Mahler's partially sketched second movement - and Alban Berg's expansive and evocative Seven Early Songs , superbly performed by prizewinning mezzo Adele Charvet.
In celebration of the Mozart Year ?EUR" the anniversary of the composers 250th birthday would have been on 27 January 2006 ?EUR" EuroArts releases a video with Mozart's most famous works for string quartet and the serenade Eine kleine Nachtmusik for string quintet. Recorded at the beautiful baroque palace Rammenau, Saxony in May 2005, this video features the longest established string quartet in the world, the Gewandhaus Quartet. Founded in 1808, the Quartet can be seen as a remarkable part of the history of Western Music, having continued its concert activity uninterrupted from generation to generation with great success for almost 200 years. The current line-up has been playing together since 1993 and was formed, as the tradition goes, from the concertmasters, solo violist and solo cellist of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra.
Robert T. Gibson's setting of We Shall Overcome is dynamic and well-crafted. Attention has been paid to the construction of the vocals, which throughout the work act as accompaniment to the soloist. Requires an accomplished soloist and a strong choir. A beautiful sentiment for our times.
This video shows the history of two great Italian musicians in the period of their lives in which their activities took them to Vicenza, worldwide known as the city of Palladio .
Biagio Marini - whose works constitute a cornerstone in the history of violin technique - was choirmaster of the Vicenza Cathedral from 1655, while Antonio Vivaldi directed (and played the part of the principal violin in) his play Ottone in Villa and his oratorio La vittoria navale in Vicenza in 1713.
The performance on period instruments takes us back to the atmosphere of the time in the splendid setting of Palazzo Leoni Montanari, a masterpiece of Venetian late seventeenth century.
Recorded live in the Museum Quarter in Vienna in January 2006, this concert was inspired by the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose 250th birthday made this year a celebratory Mozart Anniversary all over the world. With artists like singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, rock flutist Ian Anderson (formerly of Jethro Tull), the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and conductor Andrey Boreyko, this musical event proved to be a true crossover experience. All outstanding musical personalities in their field, the performers interpret Mozart's compositions in their personal musical languages whilst preserving the fascinating original spirit of Mozart. They produce a rousing, electrifying melange of classical, jazz and pop culture that shows that the impact of Mozart's music reaches far beyond the boundaries of classical music and can still reach the broad public of the 21st century. This is a must for crossover enthusiasts in the Mozart Year!
Recorded live in the Museum Quarter in Vienna in January 2006, this concert was inspired by the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose 250th birthday made this year a celebratory Mozart Anniversary all over the world. With artists like singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, rock flutist Ian Anderson (formerly of Jethro Tull), the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and conductor Andrey Boreyko, this musical event proved to be a true crossover experience. All outstanding musical personalities in their field, the performers interpret Mozart's compositions in their personal musical languages whilst preserving the fascinating original spirit of Mozart. They produce a rousing, electrifying melange of classical, jazz and pop culture that shows that the impact of Mozart's music reaches far beyond the boundaries of classical music and can still reach the broad public of the 21st century. This is a must for crossover enthusiasts in the Mozart Year!
Spirits of Music is an unusual musical journey through centuries and cultures, featuring multiple Grammy Award winner Bobby McFerrin , violin virtuoso Nigel Kennedy , soprano Sibylla Rubens and the Gewandhaus Orchestra with music from Bach to Mozart and Verdi . Magnificent examples of religious music come from artists as Kroke the Kuumba Singers, Mari Boine, Bulgarian Voices Angelite and the Ensemble Al-Kindi one of the best formations devoted to classical Arab music. This extraordinary musical journey, which took place on one evening at the Leipzig Market Square is completed by the Cuban a capella group Vocal Sampling, consisting of musicians from Havana's National Superior Institute of arts, who are celebrating their very own interpretation of Afro-Cuban music.
World-renowned tenor Plácido Domingo is joined by Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna and a host of other international stars including Susan Graham, in the famously glittering 1996 Gala Concert on the stage of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Asher Fisch conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in a programme of many of the world's best-loved operatic arias with music by composers including Bizet, Massenet, Gounod, Mozart and Donizetti.
These recordings represent an overview of some of the headiest years of Mstislav Rostropovich's career. Introduced to Britten through Shostakovich, Rostropovich formed a close partnership with the British composer, who was inspired to write several major cello compositions by the Russian cellist. This special relationship is evident here in their collaborative performances from the opening concert of the new Snape Maltings Concert Hall, which includes rare audiovisual footage of the Maltings before it was destroyed by fire in 1969 and rebuilt.
On the eve of its 300th birthday, St. Petersburg, Russia's fabled "window to Europe", celebrates this anniversary presenting a gala of distinguished musical art featuring Anna Netrebko, Dimitri Hvorostovsky, Mischa Maisky and many others. Yuri Temirkanov conducts one of the oldest Russian symphonic ensembles: the St. Petersburg Philharmonic.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
The Europa Konzert 1998 was performed at the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. The repertoire includes: Richard Wagner Overture to The Flying Dutchman , Peter Tchaikovsky The Storm , Claude Debussy Trois Nocturnes and Giuseppe Verdi's Quattro pezzi sacri .
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 1: Music for the Theatre
The legendary impresario Sergei Diaghilev of the Ballet Russes commissioned from Stravinsky and Ravel some of the greatest music for the ballet. His influence stretched from St. Petersburg to Paris to the New York City Ballet founded by Diaghilev's collaborator George Balanchine. Former NYCB Composer in Residence Bright Sheng captures the beauty of the dance in Black Swan, inspired by a Brahms intermezzo.
Program 2: What Makes a Masterpiece?
This program is an exploration of the creative process, tracing the genesis of Beethoven's iconic symphony and the development of a new work by a modern master. Introductory features demonstrate how short rhythmic and melodic motives evolve into vast symphonic organisms. Interviews...
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 11: A Hero's Life in Music
Strauss' orchestral autobiography from 1899 is unique documentary in music, scored for extra-large orchestra - a sonic spectacular, and a showcase for the All-Star musicians. In this highly pictorial music, the listener follows the Hero as he asserts his independence, falls in love, confronts his critics, engages in battle, creates a legacy of peace, and eventually comes to life's end.
Program 12: Mozart and A World Premiere
Mozart's magical Posthorn Serenade is paired with the world-premiere of Samuel Jones' Violin Concerto with Anne Akiko Meyers performing on the legendary Vieuxtemps Guarneri del Gesu violin. This rare event showcases the collaboration between composer, soloist, and conductor in bringing a...
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 13: Russian Treasures
The beloved orchestral showpiece of Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition is a series of imaginative musical portraits, including The Gnome, the Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks in their Shells and the spectacular finale, The Great Gate of Kiev. Excerpts from Sergei Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet includes: Capulets and Montagues, the Dance of the Knights, Portrait of Young Juliet, Scene at the Ball, the Fight, and The Death of Tybalt.
Program 14: Northern Lights
A pinnacle of Nordic Romanticism is Jean Sibelius' Symphony No. 2 . The grand, expansive melodies and searing harmonies have been called the musical equivalents of fire and ice. This is the most famous of the Finnish composer's symphonies.
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 15: British Enigmas
Edward Elgar: Enigma Varations
The score is dedicated to "my friends picture within," and each Variation represents a real person. As he was finishing the work, Elgar wrote: "The enigma I will not explain - its 'dark saying' must be left unguessed, and I warn you that the apparent connection between the Variations and the Theme is often of the slightest texture." A musical mystery of great beauty and endless fascination.
Benjamin Britten: The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
The perennial family favorite that showcases - one by one - all the instruments in the orchestra. It is a perfect introduction to the symphony orchestra.
Program 16: Mysterious Mountain
Alan Hovhaness: Symphony No. 2, Op. 132, "Mysterious Mountain...
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 3: The New World and Its Music
Inspired by American dreams and legends, Dvorak created some of his greates works while living in the United States, above all the "New World" Symphony. This program illuminates the multiple stories and influences - Native American, African-American and Czech - that Dvorak transformed in his most beloved work. Ellen Taafe Zwilich's Avanti! offers a contemporary interpretation of the American archetype of "moving on".
Program 4: Politics and Art
Music has sometime reflected, and at other times challenged repressive ideologies. Shostakovich abandoned he premiere of his challenging 4th symphony for fear of reprisals from the Stalinist government. His triumphant 5th Symphony was next, and the authorities were pleased....
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 5: Relationships in Music
Robert Schumann's wife Clara was herself a gifted pianist and composer. She became a lifelong friend and source of inspiration for Schumann's protege Johannes Brahms. This program will explore the turbulent musical and emotional relationships between these three, and the masterpieces that they produced.
Program 6: The Living Art Form
This program explored the creation of new concertos and the artistic process. Outstanding young soloists and leading American composers are featured in performance and in interviews.
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 7: Music's Emotional Impact
This program delves into Tchaikovsky's dramatic personal life, his brief marriage, and his intense correspondence with his patroness Nadezhda von Meck, whom he never met, and to whom he dedicated is 4th Symphony. The dramatic brass fanfares that for Tchaikovsky symbolized Fate find a modern echo in David Stock's Blast!
Program 8: Mahler: Love, Sorrow and Transcendence
Mahler's turbulent passions are expressed through his music. His settings of poems by Friedrich Ruckert explore themes of love, nature, and otherworldliness. Mahler was haunted throughout his life by the premonition of his own death. The first movement of his 2nd Symphony, which Mahler called "Totenfeier" (Funerary Rites), draws stark contrasts between...
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 9: Visions of New York
Gershwin's immortal Rhapsody in Blue is featured in the rarely heard original jazz-orchestra version from the 1924 premiere, with rising-star pianist Lola Astanova. This iconic work is paired with Aaron Copland's 1925 jazz-age classic Music for the Theatre . Robert Beaser's Ground O offers a modern musical perspective of New York after 9/11.
Program 10: 1001 Arabian Nights - The Legend of Scheherazade
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's exotic orchestral showpiece Scheherazade is based on fantastical tales that - according to tradition - were told by the ingenious wife of a cruel Sultan so as to prolong her life for 1001 nights. Concertmaster David Kim conveys the voice of the wily heroine in virtuosic violin solos. Take...
Two of opera greatest British stars, Dame Felicity Lott and Sir Thomas Allen , sing songs and duets by Schumann, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Bizet, Duparc, Saint-Saens and Faure from the Wigmore Hall, London.
Dame Felicity Lott has always had a special love for the song repertoire. As well as expertise in the songs of Strauss, Schubert, Schumann and Brahms she is also a master of French Melodies.
This concert, therefore, is especially suited to her talents. Sir Thomas Allen is, perhaps, best known as a singer of great Mozart roles. He is a star of all the great Opera houses: La Scala, Vienna and the Metropolitan to name but a few. He brings his unique dramatic talent and flair to these songs.
Sir Thomas is a much-acclaimed recitalist worldwide and his warm voice, capable of immense tenderness, is shown to its full advantage in this recital.
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
These live performances from Snape Maltings Concert Hall present some of the most popular classical characterization, and, in three works, the use of spoken texts to illuminate the narrative. Whether composed to amuse, entertain or educate, each possesses marvelous vitality, lyricism and bravura. The performances are conducted and narrated by Marin Alsop, one of the world's most inspirational musical communicators.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
A star-studded gala from the royal Albert Hall in London, featuring some of the greatest names from the world's of opera, ballet, musicals and flamenco.
Featuring Tito Beltran, June Anderson, Michael Ball, Maria Friesman, Anastasia Volvchkova, Paco Pena and Montse Cortes performing a program of works that includes arias from Turandot, Hamlet, La Traviata and Rigoletto , hits from The Phantom of the Opera, Follies and showboat plus excerpts from Don Quixote and some stirring flamenco pieces.
David Bowie released Blackstar on his 69th birthday, January 8, 2016, two days before his death. It was his parting gift to the world, a self-eulogy, hinting at the sacred and reveling in the profane. Blackstar is a concept album, but the concept is unnamed, or is the Un-nameable itself: facing death, living in its shadow. There is no clear story line, no single alter ego, no Ziggy Stardust or Aladdin Sane. Instead Bowie inhabits a collection of characters, taking listeners through aspects of their lives, using a myriad set of images - hospital beds, death masks, possession, trance, acts of passion and violence - that evoke Death and Transfiguration.
Evan Ziporyn made Blackstar to honor Bowie and his influence, to immerse listerners in this amazing music, to live inside it and embody it. But also to transform it, in the spirit of Bowie and of the record itself. Even in these instrumental versions, the words and their meaning hover over the music, despite their absence, much like the 'spirit' figure in the first song: gone, but with a trace.
David Bowie's voice was unique and inimitable, his range matched by his stylistic breadth. Over his career, from album to album, but also within a single song, sometimes a single phrase, Bowie would shapeshift while always...
In 2022, Musiques en fete celebrates love in music! with the 8,000 spectators at the Theatre Antique in Orange for an amazing show! Opera, operetta, musical comedy, classical music, film music, dance, as well as the greatest hits of French song... Through an eclectic programme, a tribute to love and to all music will be paid by prestigious soloists and more than 150 orchestral musicians and choral artists.
Ton Koopman, a leading authority on Baroque music, gathered his favourite orchestra and eminent Baroque singers for a concert focusing on the Magnificat , the traditional prayer said by the Virgin Mary after hearing that she would bear God's son. Bach's Magnificat - his greatest choral work - is programmed together with one of his most beautiful cantatas and a lesser-known baroque gem by Bach's predecessor at St. Thomas' Church, Johann Kuhnau, to form a concert in honour of the spiritual power of Baroque music. The concert was performed at St. Thomas' in Leipzig, the church for which Bach conceived most of his works. The recording captures the atmosphere of the impressive church and shows the musicians "at work". The film also focuses on Ton Koopman, offering insights into his friendly and encouraging conducting style.
Ton Koopman, a leading authority on Baroque music, gathered his favourite orchestra and eminent Baroque singers for a concert focusing on the Magnificat , the traditional prayer said by the Virgin Mary after hearing that she would bear God's son. Bach's Magnificat - his greatest choral work - is programmed together with one of his most beautiful cantatas and a lesser-known baroque gem by Bach's predecessor at St. Thomas' Church, Johann Kuhnau, to form a concert in honour of the spiritual power of Baroque music. The concert was performed at St. Thomas' in Leipzig, the church for which Bach conceived most of his works. The recording captures the atmosphere of the impressive church and shows the musicians "at work". The film also focuses on Ton Koopman, offering insights into his friendly and encouraging conducting style.
A star-studded gala from the royal Albert Hall in London, featuring some of the greatest names from the world's of opera, ballet, musicals and flamenco.
Featuring Tito Beltran, June Anderson, Michael Ball, Maria Friesman, Anastasia Volvchkova, Paco Pena and Montse Cortes performing a program of works that includes arias from Turandot, Hamlet, La Traviata and Rigoletto , hits from The Phantom of the Opera, Follies and showboat plus excerpts from Don Quixote and some stirring flamenco pieces.
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The concert begins with Berlioz's Roman Carnival Overture , composed in 1844 and ends with Saint-Saens's 3rd Symphony in C minor . This Organ Symphony , dating from 1885-86, is dedicated to Franz Liszt , who had recently died.
Between these two works, the internationally celebrated Argentine pianist Martha Argerich and the equally talented American Nicholas Angelich join to interpret Francis Poulenc's Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra , a joyous score in the musical spirit of the 1930s.
The Korean conductor-pianist Myung-Whun Chung, aged 62, conducts the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, which he has shaped over many long years.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
In many ways Gustav Mahler's Seventh and Eighth Symphonies are the most unusual works that the late Romantic composer ever wrote. The Seventh was the last in a series of middle-period pieces that were purely instruments in character. Two movements headed Nachtmusik and the remarkable writing for a guitar and mandolin help to create a sequence of darkly Romantic visions. And even within Mahler's markedly eclectic output, the Eighth Symphony enjoys the status of an exotic outsider thanks not only to its two-movement form combining an early medieval hymn and the final scene from Goethe's Faust but also to the vast forces for which it is scored, earning it the title of Symphony of a Thousand
It is illusory to assume one can shoot a film about Jordi Savall which summarizes the complete fullness of his activities or gives a representative summary of the musical treasures raised by him with a profound expertise or to describe exactly how he manages to play the viola da gamba in his own unmistakable way that makes it sound like it sounds.
Katia and Marielle Labeque received their first piano tuition at ages three and five and the sisters are famous for their unusual duo precision, their great musicality and the breadth of their repertoire. In this concert they perform with Il Giardino Armonico, a leading Italian ensemble specializing in period performing practice. Katia and Marielle Labeque throw themselves into the works with their typical verve and enthusiasm, demonstrating symbiotic synchrony and facile (facile means inconsequential, shallow - negative word) technique. With its unmistakable sound Il Giardino Armonico is one of today's most notable Baroque ensembles. Colourful, individualistic and stylish, it has won an enthusiastic international following and truly excels in performing Baroque music for a 21st century audience. The programme includes a wide variety of music by three different composers, all performed on historical instruments at the Vienna Musik Verein. One of the unique elements of this performance - recorded in the Bach Anniversary year 2000 - is the use of the fortepiano for Bach's keyboard concertos. This instrument, which Bach undoubtedly knew, and probably owned, is rarely used in Bach performances, yet the sound it offers is far more interesting than a modern piano. Together with...
Lutoslawski's delicate lament serves as prelude to Berlioz's Requiem , a superlative work requiring an impressive cast of two orchestras and choirs, here under the direction of Pablo Heras-Casado.
An event not to be forgotten! The concert was recorded on February 20th, 2019 at the Philharmonie de Paris, a building designed by les Ateliers Jean Nouvel.
When the revered writer Alessandro Manzoni died in 1873, Verdi was unable to bring himself to attend the funeral. Instead he composed his monumental Messa de Requiem in Manzoni's memory and conducted its first performance on the first anniversary of the writer's death. In addition to its profound spirituality, the work also brings together all the finest qualities from Verdi's operas, qualities that include endless melodic lines and powerful musico-dramatic effects.
The present performance was recorded in Los Angeles' legendary Hollywood Bowl in August 2013 and brought together Ildebrando D'Arcangele, all of them at the top of their form.
"Gustavo Dudamel puts an intimate flourish on Verdi's Requiem", the Los Angeles Times writes about Dudamel's performance of Verdi's Requiem at the Hollywood Bowl. "A page was turned and a new chapter begun in the maturation of a music director." Dudamel is joined by a cast of high-class singers: Ildebrando D'Arcangelo, who regularly performs at La Scala, the Wiener Staatsoper, London's Royal Opera or the Salzburg Festival, the upcoming star tenor Vittorio Grigolo, who regularly guests at La Scala, Covent Garden, the MET etc., Michelle DeYoung, who performs with leading orchestras like the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra etc., and Julianna Di Giacomo, who regularly guests at the MET, the LA Opera an other international opera houses.
She is a piano legend, he has collaborated as a soloist with all leading conductors and orchestras around the world. Now Martha Argerich and Guy Braunstein come to the Pierre Boulez Saal with their first-ever duo program - an artistic encounter that promises to be an extraordinary musical experience.
The Argentine pianist Martha Argerich has been dazzling audiences for decades with what the New York Times has referred to as "prodigious technique with uncanny musicality." She is now a regular of the artistic family at the popular Verbier Festival in the Swiss Alps, engaging thousands of followers each summer. Argerich is accompanied in this live recording from the 2009 and 2010 festivals by he gifted Gabor Takacs-Nagy and the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra. Works by Beethoven, Scarlatti and Shostakovich take the audience on a whirlwind tour through a small selection of Argerich's extensive repertoire.
For its 14th edition, the Verbier Festival has once again brought together the most prestigious artists in classical music. This series of 12 TV programmes presents the highlights of Verbier 2007.
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The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This series present the highlights of the Verbier Festival 2011, featuring renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin, Lars Vogt, Yuja Wang, Renaud Capucon, Khatia Buniatishvili, and Nelson Goerner.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical usic events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season.
Yuja Wang, Leonidas Kavakos, and Gautier Capucon get the ball rolling with Mendelssohn's Piano Trio No. 2 , followed by Leonidas Kavakos and Joshua Bell performing a Ysaye Duo Sonata . Denis Matsuev, Julian Rachlin, and Roby Lakatos tackle Vittorio Monti's Csardas , transcribed for two violins and piano. Brahms' Piano Quartet follows, featuring Kissin, Repin, Bashmet, and Maisky. Finally, as the cherry on the cake, legendary pianists Martha Argerich and Evgeny Kissin bring Lutoslawski's Variations sur un theme de Paganini with head-spinning virtuosity.
The concert begins with Berlioz's Roman Carnival Overture , composed in 1844 and ends with Saint-Saens's 3rd Symphony in C minor . This Organ Symphony , dating from 1885-86, is dedicated to Franz Liszt , who had recently died.
Between these two works, the internationally celebrated Argentine pianist Martha Argerich and the equally talented American Nicholas Angelich join to interpret Francis Poulenc's Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra , a joyous score in the musical spirit of the 1930s.
The Korean conductor-pianist Myung-Whun Chung, aged 62, conducts the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, which he has shaped over many long years.
This video from the Classic Archive collection presents two unreleased performances filmed by BBC television in 1977: celebrated pianist Martha Argerich plays Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 and the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1. Both pieces are technically demanding and prove to be an ideal vehicle for Argerich's musical inspiration, demonstrating why she is hailed as one of the world's leading musicians. She is joined by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andre Previn, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Sir Charles Groves, in two powerhouse performances that offer a unique glimpse into our classical music heritage.
We are not a couple in the traditional sense. And that is exactly what is so paradoxical - a musical couple can become even more intimate with one another than a couple in love. This is how Gidon Kremer describes his long partnership with Martha Argerich.
In 2006, these two exceptional musicians set out on tour performing solos and duets by Bartok and Schumann . The last of the concert series at the Berliner Philharmonie has been recorded for this program, featuring a rare solo performance by Martha Argerich. A concert film with personal and moving commentary by Gidon Kremer.
Both come from Buenos Aires with global careers, Martha Argerich and Daniel Barenboim are not only fellow countrymen but alo began to give concerts in their youth, as soloists and with an orchestra. In addition, the two have a particular interest in chamber music in common - the repertoire spanning from the classics to modernism. Now, they appear together as two of the most eminent pianists of the past few decades and of the present, something which is well worth looking forward to.
A gem of a concert featuring two of the greatest pianists, friends, and musical collaborators of our time... in 1982, fellow South American pianists Nelson Freire and Martha Argerich shared a stage for a program of 19th and 20th century pianistic jewels.
Freire opens the program with Debussy's Estampes, Chopin's Trois nouvelles etudes and Scherzo in B-flat Minor. The Argentinian lioness then joins him for Ravel's two piano arrangement of his La Valse and Rachmaninov's Suite No. 2 for Two Pianos.
The 2009 Verbier Festival starred two generations of pianists: the "Argentinian lion" Martha Argerich and the young Chinese Yuja Wang. On the program, Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2 with Martha Argerich and two sonatas by Scarlatti with Yuja Wang. The soiree closes with the young pianist's incredible encore performance, the third movement of Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 11 (best known as the Turkish March or Alla Turca ) in an arrangement by Arcadi Volodos.
What if chamber music returned to its traditional venue: within well-loved artists' homes? Initially, chamber music was composed for the private sphere, but ended up losing part of its essence as this form started performing within venues that gradually expanded.
This program rekindles the origins of the genre by showing itself inside the living rooms of grand artists for original concerts, played in an intimate and privileged setting: at Martha Argerich's in Geneva, with Mischa Maisky . They invite us to hear masterpieces of the chamber repertoire in a new light: Ludwig van Beethoven, Robert Schumann, Frederic Chopin and Johannes Brahms and between each movement, the Argerich confide about her lives and her art to presenter, Annie Dutoit, who has known her since childhood. A tender musical lesson.
In summer 2006, the incomparable Martha Argerich presented an all-Schumann programme in honour of the great Romantic composer's anniversary year. Recorded live at the beginning of June 2006 at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, the programme comprised favourite works for piano and orchestra including the Piano Concerto in A minor, the Symphony No. 4, excerpts from Kinderszenen, and works by Schumann in orchestrations by famous composers such as Tchaikovsky and Ravel. The legendary Argentinean pianist was accompanied by the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig under its new "Kapellmeister" Riccardo Chailly. Martha Argerich has long been hailed as a uniquely imaginative pianist, and she is definitely the right person to honor Schumann on the 150th anniversary of his death, as she is especially well-known for her interpretations of the 19th-century repertoire. She has been surrounded by an impermeable, almost mystical aura since the start of her career in the fifties ?EUR" she is uncompromising in her music making, and yet she is generous and beautiful ?EUR" and this recording bears witness to the deep musicality of this incredible artist.
Martha Argerich and Lahav Shani meet the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Tel Aviv.
Piano legend Martha Argerich lends her ample virtuosity to Ravel's concerto in G , and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under Lahav Shani performs Stravinsky's masterpiece! An enthralling programme of German Romanticism from the IPO's homebase, the Lowy Concert Hall in Tel Aviv's Charles Bronfman Auditorium.
For the first time in ten years, Martha Argerich performed Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 . Argerich has been dominating the piano scene since the 1960s thanks to a wide and varied repertoire, never conformist. Her phenomenal technique and great sensitivity have allowed her to stamp her mark on the most demanding works of the repertoire. She is very familiar with the Verbier Festival, and she opened the 2014 edition with the famous Concerto for piano No. 1 by Tchaikovsky, with conductor Charles Dutoit, musical director of the Verbier Festival Orchestra. This milestone performance also presented Brahms's first symphony ( Beethoven's Tenth , according to Hans von Bulow).
The Verbier Festival, created in 1994, has rapidly acquired a reputation for artistic excellence and is now considered one of the major European music festivals. For a fortnight each summer, the greatest stars of the classical music world come together against the magical backdrop of the Swiss Alps. The Verbier Festival gives musicians the opportunity to perform original programmes with fellow musicians they admire, but with whom they may never have performed before. These world premiere performances produce innovative and exciting results, for artists and audiences. The 2007 edition gathered classical celebrities such as Martha Argerich, Helene Grimaud, Gabriela Montero, Renaud Capucon, Nelson Freire, Mischa Maisky, Thomas Quasthoff and Lars Vogt, and for the first time all 46 concerts were recorded. The state-of-art recordings featured two cameras on stage that were remote-controlled so as to not disturb the audiences and artists and one camera in the midst of the audience to recreate the viewer's perspective. This video assembles excerpts of the most remarkable concerts with exciting programmes including works by Bartok, Debussy, Lutoslawski, Schubert and Schumann. Lovers of classical music will very much enjoy this summit of high-profile artists!
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
Carl Maria Giulini was known for his unique way of interacting with an orchestra. He said of himself that it wasn't his intention to enforce authority, but to "arrive at human contact" with the musicians. It is this very spirit that makes the present recording a virtual treat for music lovers, uniting the legendary conductor, and the superb Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus and the four soloists, soprano Ilva Liguabue, mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry, tenor Sandor Konya and bass Raffaele Arie, in a wonderful and dramatic performance. Exquisite contrasts of the characters, divine voices of the singers, saturated and rich sound of the brass section and the perfectly blended harmony of the entire ensemble create an unforgettable and a true once-in-a-lifetime experience of Verdi's Messa da Requiem .
14 April 2009 witnessed the 250th anniversary of George Frideric Handel's death. On this unique occasion two of the world's leading Baroque orchestras, members of four distinguished choruses, three accomplished Handel interpreters as soloists, together with conductor and Handel-Preis winner Howard Arman paid homage to the composer by playing the repertoire of the historic first commemoration concert that took place in London's Westminster Abbey in 1784. This outstanding British-German performance in Halle's Marktkirche, where George Frideric was baptized, represents the media highlight of Handel Year 2009.
Four of the greatest singers of our time combine their talents and their artistry in an evening of beloved operatic numbers – rarely has a concert deserved the title "Opera Summit" as much as this one, recorded live at the Festspielhaus in Baden-Baden on 3 August 2007. Heading the quartet is soprano Anna Netrebko with her inimitable blend of glamour and simplicity, her enticing appearance and seductive singing, a musical powerhouse who tops the pop charts and sells out operas houses within hours.
Hardly less dazzling than her Russian colleague is Latvian mezzo Elina Garanca, whose crystal-clear voice and charismatic stage presence never fail to enthrall her audiences. She is a frequent guest of the Vienna State Opera and the Salzburg Festival, where she made her sensational debut as Annio in Mozart's La clemenza di Tito in 2003. Her international career has taken her to Covent Garden, the Met and other prestigious stages. She was awarded the European Cultural Prize in Dresden in 2006.
Replacing the indisposed Rolando Villazon is his fellow Mexican tenor Ramon Vargas, who began his career in Europe after winning the first prize in the Enrico Caruso Competition in Milan. His international breakthrough came in 1993 when he replaced Luciano Pavarotti as Edgardo in...
In the tradition of the original The Three Tenors, world-class singers Placido Domingo, Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon joined forces to entertain a live audience of 20,000 spectators on location and millions more around the world on TV. They sang the most famous arias and duets from the world of opera, accompanied by the orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin and its conductor Marco Armiliato. The event took place on 7 July 2006 at Berlin's legendary Waldbühne, a venue modeled after ancient amphitheaters that has hosted all the giants of the rock and pop world, such as Robbie Williams and the Rolling Stones.
Looking back on an extraordinary career that has been honored with 9 Grammys and 3 Latin Grammys, Plácido Domingo has become the very epitome of the operatic tenor, even among people who have no particular interest in classical music. He is a star who beguiles every audience with his virile charisma. Russian soprano Anna Netrebko's phenomenal career keeps her rushing from one highlight to the next. Her debut as Natasha Rostova in Prokofiev's War and Peace at New York's Metropolitan Opera had the critics hailing her as an "Audrey Hepburn with a voice." On stage, Anna's heart belongs to the Mexican breakout star Rolando Villazon, whom Placido Domingo sees as his...
Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 2 is the first of Mahler's symphonies to introduce voices - soprano, alto and chorus - into the orchestral texture, and the first to refer explicitly to his songs based on Des Knaben Wunderhorn. This it shares with the symphonies Nos. 3 and 4 as well, which stamps it as the first part of a trilogy. Mahler worked on it from 1888 to 1894 and conducted the first performance in Berlin on 13 December 1895.
Leonard Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major re-appreciation of Mahler's works.
A multitalented conductor, Previn leads the LSO in the first performance of Rachmaninov's The Bells at the BBC Proms with celebrated soloists Sheila Armstrong, Robert Tear and John Shirley-Quirk. All three performances on this video were recorded during Previn's eleven year tenure as Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, from which he received a Gramophone Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
These characteristic Viennese waltzes, polkas and overtures represent some of the best moments from Viennese Night Prom concerts spanning a vintage period in their history. Classics featured on this recording include the Blue Danube Waltz , Radetsky March and "Csardas" and "Laughing Song" from Die Fledermaus , all performed with exuberance, good humour and panache by three conductors well suited to the genre.
This festive celebration concert from Berlin's Gethsemanekirche on the Day of German Unity also marks the 60th anniversary of the RIAS Kammerchor. Founded in 1948, this choir today enjoys a worldwide reputation as one of the best ensembles of its kind. Under the baton of their new chief conductor, Hans-Christoph Rademann, the RIAS Kammerchor and the Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin perform famous motets by Johann Sebastian Bach, interspersed with some fine instrumental movements from his cantatas.
This Claudio Abbado recording captures a very special night at the 2007 Lucerne Festival with the massive Third Symphony by Gustav Mahler (1860-1911). Ever since its debut in 2003, the Lucerne Festival Orchestra has been enthusiastically received by public and press alike. The orchestra is the realisation of a dream for Claudio Abbado, who handpicked famous soloists, chamber recitalists and orchestral musicians to form this ensemble. Time and again it has been praised for its extraordinary sound and refined playing in the finest spirit of chamber music under the direction of the exceptional Italian conductor. The line-up includes such luminaries as Kolja Blacher and Sabine Meyer, alongside sundry members of the world's great orchestras. The cello section alone boasts Natalia Gutman, Clemens Hagen and Valentin Erben. On this video, the viewer can join in the imposing experience of a live performance of Mahler's No.3 with its awesome silences and towering climaxes recorded in the acoustically superb Congress and Concert Hall Lucerne in August 2007. Mahler completed the symphony in 1896 and it counts among the longest ever composed, with a performance lasting at least one and a half hours. The popular work became famous through Luciano Visconti's film Death in Venice , where...
Sparkling Chopin performances from Van Cliburn just one year after his triumph at the 1958 inaugural Tchaikovsky Competition are coupled with fiery intensity from Claudio Arrau in two of Beethoven's best loved piano sonatas. This video presents rare audiovisual material from two of the world's finest pianists.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
The Artis Quartet was founded at the Vienna Musikhochschule in 1980. The ensemble studied in Vienna and Cincinnati with the LaSalle Quartet. After many awards at the beginning of the 1980s, the group began its international career, which has taken it to the major musical venues of the world. The Artis Quartet has been giving its own concert series at the Vienna Musikverein since 1988.
This work was recorded at the Salzburg "Mozartwoche" 2001. Here the ensemble plays Haydn's String Quartet in G minor Hob. III:74 , one of the quartets which Haydn wrote for his second London visit in 1794. This work was conceived above all to show off the performers' skill and virtuosity rather than to explore innovative harmonies and structures.
In an introduction which lasts about 25 minutes, Ashkenazy introduces Rachmaninov's Corelli Variations with examples at the keyboard and with many revealing touches about his own attitude to Rachmaninoff and to this music. The film ends with a complete performance of the variations recorded at a public concert which Ashkenazy gave in Lugano, Switzerland. There are few, if any, pianists on the concert platform today who are able to surpass his mastery of this music.
The program showcases Ashkenazy at the peak of his powers as a pianist, performing Schubert's Impromptus D.946 Nos. 1 & 2 and the Wanderer Fantasy , alongside Schumann's widely-loved Arabeske and Piano Sonata No. 1 ?EUR" a piece that is certainly an unusual and interesting choice for such a recital. His calm exterior means that all of his energy is projected into infusing this performance with the variety each piece affords.
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 9: Visions of New York
Gershwin's immortal Rhapsody in Blue is featured in the rarely heard original jazz-orchestra version from the 1924 premiere, with rising-star pianist Lola Astanova. This iconic work is paired with Aaron Copland's 1925 jazz-age classic Music for the Theatre . Robert Beaser's Ground O offers a modern musical perspective of New York after 9/11.
Program 10: 1001 Arabian Nights - The Legend of Scheherazade
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's exotic orchestral showpiece Scheherazade is based on fantastical tales that - according to tradition - were told by the ingenious wife of a cruel Sultan so as to prolong her life for 1001 nights. Concertmaster David Kim conveys the voice of the wily heroine in virtuosic violin solos. Take...
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
Stranded in Switzerland due to the events of the First World War and the October Revolution in Russia, Stravinsky was introduced to the Swiss novelist Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz in 1915 by their mutual friend and conductor Ernest Ansermet. This encounter would ultimately lead to a creative partnership that brought forth one of the most important works of the 20th century: L'Histoire du Soldat (The Soldier's Tale) . Based on a Russian folk tale, L'Histoire du Soldat unites a Faustian fable with Stravinsky's colourful and sweeping composition that includes elements of jazz and Russian folk music.
At the 2018 Deauville Easter Festival in the Normandy region of France, Pierre Dumoussaud leads a group of highly accomplished instrumentalists, as well as actors Didier Sandre, Maxime Coggio, and Gabriel Acremant, in this Stravinsky masterpiece. The colorful program is rounded out by Mahler's sole String Quartet in A Minor , which he never completed-though you'll hear the finished first movement alongside a later completion by Russian composer Alfred Schnittke of Mahler's partially sketched second movement - and Alban Berg's expansive and evocative Seven Early Songs , superbly performed by prizewinning mezzo Adele Charvet.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
As performed by Richard Tognetti and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. This video contains footage and performances as the ACO take you on a trip through Europe.
As performed by Richard Tognetti and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. This video contains footage and performances as the ACO take you on a trip through Europe.
In December 1989, the artists came together to record some of the early chamber works of Brahms. Part I of each volume focuses on the preparation, rehearsal and re-takes with artists providing commentary for the rehearsal section of each programme, while Part II captures the final record performance. Emanuel Ax, Isaac Stern, Jaime Laredo, and Yo-Yo Ma performed the actual recording session at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall in Troy New York.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
Daniel Barenboim established the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra with the late Palestinian writer Edward Said in order to bring together young musicians from across the political divide in the Middle East. Their hope was that music would heal and help to bring understanding and tolerance of different beliefs and cultures.The award-winning documentary was produced and directed by Paul Smaczny. The Ramallah Concert was a live recording at the Place of Culture in Ramallah, 21 August 2005.
Charpentier's most famous Te Deum - he wrote four - overawes in exultant D Major, with an eight-part ensemble and show stealing trumpets and timpani. It is no great surprise then that this work - and especially its instrumental prelude - became a hit!
Together with B'Rock, resident artist Vox Luminis completes the programme with a triumphant ode to the patron saint of music: Cecilia . Commissioned by London's 'Gentlemen Lovers of Musick', Purcell composed a celebratory festival of colours that shines brighter than ever in this rendition by two of Europe's most exciting Baroque ensembles.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
These characteristic Viennese waltzes, polkas and overtures represent some of the best moments from Viennese Night Prom concerts spanning a vintage period in their history. Classics featured on this recording include the Blue Danube Waltz , Radetsky March and "Csardas" and "Laughing Song" from Die Fledermaus , all performed with exuberance, good humour and panache by three conductors well suited to the genre.
Known for enjoying live performances and having an affinity for late Mahler, Sanderling's reading of Das Lied von der Erde is inherently musical. Mitchinson's 'firm, heroic tone' is ideal for this role, with the BBC Philharmonic providing a sympathetic accompaniment. Schumann's Fourth Symphony makes an excellent filler.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
World premiere performance of Sir John Tavener's epic work written for the new millennium, recorded in St Paul's Cathedral, London, in January 2000. Richard Hickox conducts the City of London Sinfonia with Patricia Rozario, Michael Chance and Stephen Richardson, in a work which came to Tavener in a vision. The composer makes full use of the remarkable acoustics of St Paul's.
Bonus features:
- Introduction and interview with Sir John Tavener by Stephanie Hughes.
- The Eye of the Heart - Sir John Tavener talks about his beliefs and music.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
The winner of the 1970 Chopin Piano Competition and one of the leading exponents of Chopin's works, Ohlsson displays brilliance and depth of feeling in this recital performance, filmed only four years after he won first prize. He demonstrates both subtlety and warmth of sound in his performance of Brahms's Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, where his technical mastery is also evident. This video features exhilarating and spontaneous interpretations from a true master of the piano.
The prodigious Lionel Bringuier (boasting "good instincts [...] bolstered by good taste plus a strong technique": Financial Times), just 24 in this delightful 2010 recording, conducts the BBC Orchestra in a generous program that opens with Berlioz's lighthearted, cheeky Le Corsaire Overture , continues with Albert Roussel's Symphony No. 3 brimming with adventure, perhaps the fruit of the composer's long experience as a sailor across the Atlantic and in Southeast Asia - and closes with the enchanting impressionism of Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe . Don't miss this uniquely crafted concert guaranteed to stir the imagination!
Renowned for his interpretations of Bruckner's symphonies, Günter Wand had a great affinity for Bruckner's Fifth Symphony, as noted by the composer Bernd Alois Zimmermann. His first recording of the work became a great success, winning the German Record Prize in 1978. Wand's London concerts with the BBC Symphony as Principal Guest Conductor acquired legendary status in his later years, rewarding him with the recognition that was so greatly deserved.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on DVD for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
Bernstein's only engagement with the BBC Symphony Orchestra took place in April 1982. Although Bernstein and the orchestra got off to a rocky start, the partnership resulted in perhaps the most controversial and infamous and perhaps the most beautifully intense interpretation of Elgar's Enigma Variations . Most famously, under Bernstein's baton, 'Nimrod' (Variation IX) lasts five minutes and fifteen seconds ?EUR" nearly twice as long as most versions.
Bonus features:
The video also contains the rehearsal of the Enigma Variations at the BBC Studios, and an interview with Leonard Bernstein by Barry Norman about the themes relating to the variations.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
Performed during his tenure as Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony, the Proms performances featured on this recording represent Gennadi Rozhdestvensky at the highest point of his relationship with the orchestra. One of the premier conductors of Russian repertoire, Rozhdestvensky is well known for his interpretations of ballet music - this performance of the second act of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker perfectly demonstrates his affinity with the genre.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
Deeply-felt and masterful, Kempe's performance of Ein Heldenleben at the 1974 Prom concert was described by the critic Joan Chissell as winning him "a hero's ovation and rightly." She wrote that "no one now before the public is better able to transform Strauss from a plebeian into an aristocrat." The performance of Dvorak's "New World" Symphony one year later received equally glowing reviews and is an illuminating and compelling rendition of Dvorak's most popular symphony.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
These characteristic Viennese waltzes, polkas and overtures represent some of the best moments from Viennese Night Prom concerts spanning a vintage period in their history. Classics featured on this recording include the Blue Danube Waltz , Radetsky March and "Csardas" and "Laughing Song" from Die Fledermaus , all performed with exuberance, good humour and panache by three conductors well suited to the genre.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
Solti achieved great success with the first complete recording of Das Rheingold in 1958, after which his reputation for recording Wagner escalated. He was also known for his dramatic and expressive performances of works by Richard Strauss, demonstrated by this exciting rendition of Don Juan, with revealing bonus rehearsal material and an interview by John Culshaw. The 1985 performance of Beethoven's Fifth with the BBC Symphony Orchestra is equally thrilling, filmed during his tenure as Chief Conductor of the Chicago Symphony, with whom he recorded the full set of Beethoven symphonies.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
The Berlin Philharmonic's annual "Concert for Europe", an annual musical summit in important cultural cities, has been a brand name for excellence since 1991, when the Berlin Philharmonic gave their first European Concert. This all-Mozart concert took place in Prague on 1 May 2006. In honour of the composers 250th birthday, the Berlin Philharmonic invited the pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim to lead them through a concert featuring two masterpieces from the Mozart repertoire, the "Haffner" and "Linz" Symphonies. In his familiar dual role as soloist and conductor, he also performed the Piano Concerto No. 22 . The concert was performed and recorded in the Estates Theatre Prague, which is one of the most beautiful historical theatres in Europe. It was in this theatre that Mozart conducted the premier of Don Giovanni , a work written specially for Prague, in 1787 and for this concert recording, the orchestra sat in a reconstruction of the sets that had been used at the first performance of the opera.
Bonus feature:
- A Cultural Potrait of Prague
The choir and the orchestra of the Bach Collegium Japan perform the St John's Passion with a small ensemble - as was customary in the composer's time - under Masaaki Suzuki, former student of one of the nestors of authentic interpretation, Ton Koopman. One of the greatest musical treatments of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ receives a performance that is musically precise and stylistically close to what we now know of Bach's ideal. The Bach Collegium Japan has been regarded for some years now as a real discovery among baroque ensembles specialising in the performance of sacred music from the Baroque and Masaaki Suzuki, who conducts and plays the harpsichord, is a complete and thorough musician, deeply involved in the emotional overtones of the music as well as technical questions of tempo, balance, and phrasing. Recorded live from The Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Japan during the Bach Anniversary Year 2000 on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the death of J.S. Bach.
The choir and the orchestra of the Bach Collegium Japan perform the St John's Passion with a small ensemble - as was customary in the composer's time - under Masaaki Suzuki, former student of one of the nestors of authentic interpretation, Ton Koopman. One of the greatest musical treatments of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ receives a performance that is musically precise and stylistically close to what we now know of Bach's ideal. The Bach Collegium Japan has been regarded for some years now as a real discovery among baroque ensembles specialising in the performance of sacred music from the Baroque and Masaaki Suzuki, who conducts and plays the harpsichord, is a complete and thorough musician, deeply involved in the emotional overtones of the music as well as technical questions of tempo, balance, and phrasing. Recorded live from The Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Japan during the Bach Anniversary Year 2000 on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the death of J.S. Bach.
Elaine Comparone and her Queen's Chamber Band delve into the treasure chest of 17th century musical literature for this stellar performance of rare vocal and instrumental works by Biber, Buxtehude, Frescobaldi, Jacques de Gallot and Alessandro Piccinini .
This event recorded live in New York City is further enhanced by an in-depth, selectable, illustrated interview with Ms. Comparone, in which she discusses the composers, their music and performance practice of the day, as well as her own musical insights and the work of her highly acclaimed group, The Queen's Chamber Band.
This performance represents the only existing film of Sir Adrian Boult conducting The Dream of Gerontius filmed in Canterbury Cathedral in 1968. It features a stellar cast of soloists: Dame Janet Baker, a leading interpreter of The Angel and John Shirley Quirk who, with Boult, recorded a definitive interpretation of Peter in The Kingdom .
The film uses the original BBC master which is far superior to the poor copies which have been in circulation over the years. The video also features a 60-minute documentary on Sir Adrian Boult as a bonus and was produced in 1989 by the BBC to celebrate Sir Adrian Boult's 100th anniversary.
Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 2 is the first of Mahler's symphonies to introduce voices - soprano, alto and chorus - into the orchestral texture, and the first to refer explicitly to his songs based on Des Knaben Wunderhorn. This it shares with the symphonies Nos. 3 and 4 as well, which stamps it as the first part of a trilogy. Mahler worked on it from 1888 to 1894 and conducted the first performance in Berlin on 13 December 1895.
Leonard Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major re-appreciation of Mahler's works.
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
A star-studded gala from the royal Albert Hall in London, featuring some of the greatest names from the world's of opera, ballet, musicals and flamenco.
Featuring Tito Beltran, June Anderson, Michael Ball, Maria Friesman, Anastasia Volvchkova, Paco Pena and Montse Cortes performing a program of works that includes arias from Turandot, Hamlet, La Traviata and Rigoletto , hits from The Phantom of the Opera, Follies and showboat plus excerpts from Don Quixote and some stirring flamenco pieces.
The archival gems included here are taken from footage for the legendary 1948 Hollywood film "Concert Magic" (the first ever concert filmed for movie audiences). At nearly 25 minutes, Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto was too long for inclusion in the film, so although it is Menuhin's only filmed performance of the work it has only recently been discovered. To see one of the greatest ever violinists perform one of the greatest ever violin concertos is undoubtedly a compelling experience. The encore pieces that follow are superb documents of his seemingly effortless virtuosity. These performances by the 32-year-old Yehudi Menuhin show him at the height of his career. Yehudi Menuhin was one of the best-known violinists of the 20th century - he was universally popular and was frequently received as an ambassador of classical music. With "Concert Magic", which premiered in San Francisco in 1947, he made the first ever motion picture concert in film history. He also produced many short films for the cinema ?EUR" used to fill the space between the traditional "double features". An especially valuable rarity was found among these - Felix Mendelssohn's Violin concerto . Pianist Adolph Baller and the Symphony Orchestra of Hollywood conducted by Antal Dorati joined Yehudi Menuhin at the...
This concert features virtuoso violinist Yehudi Menuhin (1916?EUR"1999) at the Charlie Chaplin Studios in 1947. Together with various artists he performed classical and romantic works of famous composers such as Beethoven, Wieniawski, Bach, Paganini and others. Yehudi Menuhin in Concert Magic is the very first concert film produced by and for Hollywood. This concert was premiered at the Stage Door Cinema in San Francisco for movie audiences. Yehudi Menuhin was at the age of 32 and was at the pinnacle of his fame.
Bonus features:
- The Story behind "Concert Magic" - Yehudi Menuhin in conversation with Humphrey Burton
In only a few years, trumpeter Alison Balsom has shot forward to the topmost ranks of today's instrumental soloists, reaching untold popularity for her playing - and for the trumpet. Since her appearance in a live international broadcast of the Last Night of the Proms, she has become one of the best known UK artists of today, with sales of her CDs topping the charts. She won two Classical BRIT Awards, one in 2006 as best young British classical performer, and another in 2009 as female artist of the year - one of the rare brass players to win such acclaim. She was also the first female UK artist to win an ECHO Klassik Award as best young artist (2007). For her CD with trumpet concertos by Haydn and Hummel, she took home another ECHO Klassik award in 2009.
At the center of the documentary are two performances. One is a public performance of Haydn's celebrated Trumpet Concerto in E flat major with the Berlin Konzerthaus Orchestra under the Chinese conductor Xian Zhang, recorded in the classicistic hall of the Konzerthaus Berlin. The other is a "private" recording of Bach's Concerto in D major, BWV 792 with organist David Goode, Gigue, BWV 1008 and Debussy's Syrinx. The recording in the Sophienkirche was made with a RED One camera, a special HD camera that impressively...
Leonard Bernstein conducted the work at the Salzburg Festival in 1975 and shortly thereafter in Vienna's Konzerthaus, where it was recorded. The stage of the Konzerthaus was enlarged to make room for the unusually large orchestra, the two choruses, the children's choir and the soloists.
Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Götterdämmerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
The second of only two published DVDs featuring Rudolf Kempe, this is an important document of this great conductor's performances filmed at the height of his career. A subtle, sensitive Brahms Second Symphony ?EUR" a work that became a film favourite with Kempe and the orchestras he led ?EUR" is coupled with a majestic Tannhauser Overture from the Royal Festival Hall.
Truls Mørk was the first Scandinavian ever to win the Moscow Tchaikovsky competition, a triumph that marked the start of his musical career. He enjoys a close friendship with the principal conductor of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, Jonathan Nott. He played the Cello Concerto in B minor by Anton Dvořák with the entire orchestra at the conclusion of his time as "artist in residence."
"Extraordinary pieces of music transport me to another state of consciousness. I don't know if I can describe it any better. At least that is how playing the Dvořák cello concerto makes me feel."
The film visits Truls Mørk at his Scandinavian holiday home, accompanying him on his boat out at sea and on walks along the coast. The Cello Concerto by Anton Dvořák with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra and the Chopin interpretations are focal points of the story.
Unlike the piano, the violin or even the flute, the oboe is a relatively rare instrument for a solo career. And when a soloist such as Albrecht Mayer plays the oboe, one wishes composers had written more works for this sweetly mellow instrument. Critics write about the "divine spark" that inspires his playing, and about the "miraculous oboe" that turns into "an instrument of seduction." With his particularly warm tone and exceptionally broad palette of nuances, it's no surprise that Albrecht Mayer is one of today's most sought-after international oboists. In this documentary portrait of the oboist, we retrace the musician's impressive career and witness some of its many high points. Mayer embarked on a professional career in 1990, when he joined the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra as solo oboist. Two years later, he made the transition to the absolute top league with his appointment as solo oboist of the Berlin Philharmonic, and since then he has made countless international appearances, playing under such eminent conductors as Abbado, Rattle and Harnoncourt. In addition to his work as a soloist, Mayer also attaches great importance to chamber music. He is a permanent member of the Sabine Meyer Wind Ensemble and also plays with such partners as Thomas Quasthoff, Matthias Goerne and...
An exceptional concert from Brazil: the Orquestra Sinfonica do Estado de Sao Paulo proves its position as the most important orchestra in Latin America. Conducted by charismatic maestro John Neschling since 1997, the orchestra is defined by its emblematic interpretations of Latin American music. With Sao Paulo Samba, the orchestra yet again grips the listener with an electrifying selection of Brazilian and Latin American classics, including works by Alberto Ginastera, Astor Piazzolla, Heitor Villa-Lobos and Joao Bosco. The famous Banda Mantiqueira and celebrated singer Monica Salmaso complement the show.
This recording captures the Vienna Boys' Choir's fitting celebration of Mozart's 250th birthday in January 2006. Together with well known Mozart interpreters like Sandrine Piau, they sing Mozart's finest sacred works, including the Coronation Mass. The Choir is one of the best-known musical institutions in Vienna. Since its founding over 500 years ago, it has been a significant fixture in musical life worldwide. Many famous composers and musicians had close ties to the Vienna Boys' Choir - Joseph Haydn and Franz Schubert were even members of the choir as children and Mozart, while not a choirboy himself, did perform with the choir. The venue is St. Stephen's Cathedral, where Mozart and his wife were married, where one of their sons was christened and where the funeral ceremony after Mozart's death took place.
Bonus features:
- Mozart in Vienna - Mozart's most critical years in Vienna. Examining the authentic Mozart sites in Vienna such as the Mozart House at Domgasse 5 (Figaro-Haus), the Theater an der Wien and the Stephansdom helps put into focus Mozart's special connection to the city and the Viennese relationship to Mozart.
This opera gala, recorded live at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, on November 8, 2003, marked the 10th anniversary of the annual benefit for the German AIDS Foundation. Conducted by Kent Nagano, then Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Berlin Deutsche Symphony Orchestra founded 1923. This recording features an illustrious roster of international artists from Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, the United States and Canada.
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
In spring of 2020, concert halls fell silent. During those weeks, when people had to stay at home and musicians faced all their performances being canceled, a group of Berlin-based artists of international acclaim, in co-operation with awarded film producer Jan Schmidt-Garre and Naxos Audiovisual, set up a series of chamber music concerts performed and filmed at Schinkel Pavillon in Berlin. Pianist Iddo Bar-Shai performs a selection of the Pieces de Clavecin by Couperin, Chopin's Mazurkas and the Sonata in D Hob. XVI/24 by Haydn .
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
In 2022, Musiques en fete celebrates love in music! with the 8,000 spectators at the Theatre Antique in Orange for an amazing show! Opera, operetta, musical comedy, classical music, film music, dance, as well as the greatest hits of French song... Through an eclectic programme, a tribute to love and to all music will be paid by prestigious soloists and more than 150 orchestral musicians and choral artists.
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
Three giants of classical music come together on the stage of the Berliner Philharmonie for an All-Beethoven program that was destined to go down as one for the ages. Experience the incomparable Daniel Barenboim, Itzhak Perlman, and Yo-Yo Ma in masterpieces of the composer's oeuvre for soloists and orchestra.
Filmed in 1995 at the Berlin Philharmonie, this once-in-a-lifetime concert pairs two of Beethoven's less-performed works: the Concerto for Piano, Violin, Violoncello and Orchestra in C major (often simply referred to as the Triple Concerto ) and the Choral Fantasy for Piano, Choir and Orchestra in C Minor. Accompanied by the prestigious Berliner Philharmoniker and the Chor der Deutschen Staatsoper, the three musicians give these two works the sumptuous and virtuosic treatment they deserve.
The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra is one of those success stories that is almost too perfect to be true. The internationally respected orchestra was founded by Daniel Barenboim and the late Palestinian writer and scholar Edward Said with young, highly talented Israeli and Arab musicians. The ensemble works to establish dialogue between the cultures of the Middle East through the experience of playing music together, and has gained cultural and musical respect all over the world. The concert proves that it can bear comparison with veteran orchestras, even in familiar repertory staples. Combining technical polish and security, tonal beauty and transparency with youthful expression, passion and exuberance, the ensemble plays music by Beethoven, Brahms and others. The event was broadcast live from the Palacio de Carlos V, Alhambra in Spanish Granada, thus hundreds of thousands of viewers across Europe were able to experience Barenboim's conducting and this special orchestra. The Alhambra (Red Castle) in Granada, Spain ?EUR" a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site - was built and preserved over a period of social tolerance and cultural flowering, during the Moorish era, in which the three great religions lived together in an atmosphere of tolerance and mutual respect. Thus it provides...
On the afternoon of 19 August 1950, a young boy in short trouser climbed the steps to the stage of the Sala Beyer in Buenos Aires to make his piano debut. 50 years later, Daniel Barenboim returned "to the scene of the crime" to give an ecstatically received recital at Teatro Colon which will go down in history as one of the musical events of the 21st century.
The year 2006 come to a close with a spectacular musical event: a festival of Argentinean music broadcast live from Buenos Aires. At the height of the Argentinean summer, the Orquesta Filarmonica del Teatro Colon under Daniel Barenboim (conductor and soloist) join the excellent bandoneon virtuoso Leopoldo Federico and his Orquesta Tipica to present an extraordinary New Year's Eve show with popular tangos and Latin American orchestra classics. The old master of tango, Jose Carli, has created enchanting new arrangements of works by the Argentinean artists Astor Piazzolla , Carlos Gardel , Julio de Caro , Alberto Ginastera and Horacio Salgan . Performances by the leading tango dancers Mora Godoy and Junior Cervilla from Buenos Aires add atmosphere and round off the night.
In November 2007, Daniel Barenboim completed a cycle of Beethoven's piano concertos. Recorded live at the prestigious Klavier-Festival Ruhr in May 2007, this recording reflects both a very individual and special reading of Beethoven's music and the artist's life-long dedication to the composer. Daniel Barenboim is one of the most prolific and high-profile artists performing on international stages today and Beethoven's masterpieces have been a key part of his repertoire throughout his career, both as conductor and as pianist. Beethoven himself was a keyboard virtuoso of almost awesome abilities who created a sensation wherever he played. It is no wonder, therefore, that the piano was central to Beethoven's overall output. Daniel Barenboim, artistic personality and former wunderkind, long an essential part of the international musical scene both on the conductor's podium and at the piano, is the perfect match for this demanding music. Conducting and playing at the same time, Barenboim chose his orchestra of almost two decades, the Staatskapelle Berlin, which he has praised warmly for its exceptional, dark and warm sound. With a tradition reaching back to 1570, the Staatskapelle Berlin is one of the oldest orchestras in the world.
In this recording, seven-time GRAMMY Award-winning pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim tackles the so-called "New Testament" of music, Ludwig van Beethoven?EUR(TM)s thirty-two piano sonatas. Composed over twenty-five years and embodying the shift of musical taste from the Classic to the Romantic, their performance requires a musician of extraordinary versatility. Barenboim is one such pianist ?EUR" his recordings run the gamut from Bach and Mozart to Bruckner and Bartok. In following in the footsteps of such masters as Artur Schnabel, Barenboim truly shows himself to be among the greatest living musicians.
The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra was founded by Daniel Barenboim and the late Edward Said. It consists of young, highly talented Israeli and Arabian musicians and was founded to increase the dialogue between young people in the Middle East and represent the peaceful collaboration of the two cultures. In standard comparable to the most established orchestras, it combines tonal beauty and transparency with youthful expressiveness, passion and exuberance. This technically brilliant and incredibly enthusiastic orchestra brings out all levels of Beethoven's 9th symphony and we listen to Beethoven at his very best: exuberant, emotional, lucid, tender, clear, triumphant... simply magnificent! Needless to say, Daniel Barenboim conducts excellently and outstanding singers Angela Denoke, Waltraud Meier, Burkhard Fritz and Rene Pape contribute tremendously to this unforgettable concert. The standing ovations are well deserved!
Daniel Barenboim is the soloist in this production of Brahm's Piano Concerto No. 1. Mariss Jansons conducts the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Also on the programme, Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances, Op. 45.
Recorded live at the ancient Herodes Atticus Odeon in Athens 2004, this was the first European Concert that Sir Simon Rattle conducted in his new post as chief conductor of one of the most important orchestras of all times. Since 1991, when the Berlin Philharmonic gave their first European Concert, this annual musical summit in important cultural cities has become a brand name for excellence. This concert also represents the first musical encounter between Rattle and world-famous pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim. This all Brahms programme features the wonderful Piano Concerto No. 1 with the romantic Adagio which Brahms wrote in reverence for Clara Schumann and Schoenberg's successful arrangement of the Piano Quartet No. 1 for orchestra.
Bonus feature:
- The European Concert in Olympic Athens
The Berlin Philharmonic's annual "Concert for Europe", an annual musical summit in important cultural cities, has been a brand name for excellence since 1991, when the Berlin Philharmonic gave their first European Concert. This all-Mozart concert took place in Prague on 1 May 2006. In honour of the composers 250th birthday, the Berlin Philharmonic invited the pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim to lead them through a concert featuring two masterpieces from the Mozart repertoire, the "Haffner" and "Linz" Symphonies. In his familiar dual role as soloist and conductor, he also performed the Piano Concerto No. 22 . The concert was performed and recorded in the Estates Theatre Prague, which is one of the most beautiful historical theatres in Europe. It was in this theatre that Mozart conducted the premier of Don Giovanni , a work written specially for Prague, in 1787 and for this concert recording, the orchestra sat in a reconstruction of the sets that had been used at the first performance of the opera.
Bonus feature:
- A Cultural Potrait of Prague
May morning in Oxford, and the Berliner Philharmoniker join in the celebratory mood abroad in the university city's medieval streets with this concert in Sir Christopher Wren's glorious Sheldonian Theatre. For 20 years, the Philharmoniker have given a May Day concert in one of Europe's great historic cities, and here, under the baton of Daniel Barenboim, the Berlin players thrill the Oxford audience with the sonorous Prelude to Act III of Wagner's Die Meistersinger , a deeply-felt account of Elgar's autumnal Cello Concerto by the young American cellist Alisa Weilerstein, and a rousing performance of Brahms's life-affirming First Symphony .
The founding of the Berliner Philharmoniker on the first of May, 1882 is celebrated annually with a concert in a European city of cultural significance. In 2014 the Europakonzert took again place in Berlin. The concert was conducted by a man who has been associated with the Berliner Philharmoniker for 50 years: Daniel Barenboim .
Otto Nicolai's The Merry Wives of Windsor is based on William Shakespeare's comedy of the same name, and its lively overture has long since secured a place on the concert stage. Also inspired by a Shakespearean comedy hero is Edward Elgar's symphonic study Falstaff .
We then turn from comedy to the tragic twists of fate: the Fifth Symphony of Piotr Tchaikovsky is characterized by a sombre main theme that for the Russian composer symbolizes "a complete resignation before fate, which is the same as the inscrutable predestination of fate".
Berlin music lovers know there is no better way of celebrating the New Year than revisiting the most beautiful works in the history of music with the Berlin Philharmoniker. It comes as no surprise that the concerts are always sold out and that people all around the world are glued to their screens during the live transmissions. It is our pleasure to present you a particularly stunning programme which was created by Daniel Barenboim. "Invitation to the dance" is a journey through 300 years of dance which leaves the listener beaming with joy.
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the best orchestras in the world, celebrates its 60th Anniversary with a GALA Concert in 1996 conducted by Zubin Mehta and Daniel Barenboim. The Gala featuring world acclaimed soloists such as Isaac Stern Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhal Perlman and Shlomo Mintz.
Daniel Barenboim established the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra with the late Palestinian writer Edward Said in order to bring together young musicians from across the political divide in the Middle East. Their hope was that music would heal and help to bring understanding and tolerance of different beliefs and cultures.The award-winning documentary was produced and directed by Paul Smaczny. The Ramallah Concert was a live recording at the Place of Culture in Ramallah, 21 August 2005.
"Mahler created a new world with each of his symphonies (...) It is a fantastic journey for both of us". With these few words, Daniel Barenboim sums up the vast scope of a project undertaken with his friend Pierre Boulez: two very different world-class conductors tackle all nine completed symphonies of Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) with one orchestra, the Staatskapelle Berlin. Performed as a complete cycle in Berlin, Vienna and New York, the concerts were a tremendous success. The Financial Times even wrote: "New York is going Mahler mad".
In addition to being a fascinating insight into Mahler's symphonic oeuvre, which allows the viewer to uncover the essence of Mahler's music, "The Mahler Project" also features a complete concert recording from the Berliner Philharmonie of the colossal Ninth Symphony , which is considered as the culmination of the Austrian composer's works. Conductor Daniel Barenboim delivers an interpretation which The New York Times proclaimed "a milestone for the Staatskapelle Berlin".
The music of Mozart has been an essential driving force of Daniel Barenboim's entire life. It remains central to his performing career both as a pianist and as a conductor. These illuminating performances of Mozart's last eight great piano concertos admirably demonstrate Barenboim's dictum that even when a true musician has already performed a familiar work hundreds of times, he or she "never accepts that the next note will be played the same way as it was before."
Both come from Buenos Aires with global careers, Martha Argerich and Daniel Barenboim are not only fellow countrymen but alo began to give concerts in their youth, as soloists and with an orchestra. In addition, the two have a particular interest in chamber music in common - the repertoire spanning from the classics to modernism. Now, they appear together as two of the most eminent pianists of the past few decades and of the present, something which is well worth looking forward to.
For this private concert, maestro Daniel Barenboim leaves the big stage and invites an audience into his villa in Berlin to play the piano in a private atmosphere with his son Michael Barenboim and his friend Kian Soltani. They perform Beethoven's Ghost Trio . Daniel Barenboim has spent a lifetime working on the Viennese classic. For him, Beethoven is a source of inspiration and part of his musical life.
Between the individual movements, Daniel Barenboim talks to Annie Dutoit about his childhood in Argentina, family, idols, social values and, of course, music. Annie Dutoit, Swiss professor, actress, music journalist and daughter of Martha Argerich has known Daniel Barenboim since her childhood. This private concert is not just an occasion for an intimate chamber music concert, it is also an encounter with the private person Barenboim - a contemporary document that will remain unique in this form.
Put one of the world's greatest orchestras in the hands of one of the foremost specialists of 20th-century music, add a soloist who is one of today's leading pianists and conductors, and you are assured of a concert of superlatives that pays glowing tribute to three major works of the past century. The official Salzburg Festival opening concert of the Wiener Philharmoniker is conducted by Pierre Boulez, once the "enfant terrible" of the musical world, now a sensitive, analytical conductor of works from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Combining Béla Bartók's Piano Concerto No. 1 - Daniel Barenboim is the soloist - with Maurice Ravel's Valses nobles et sentimentales and Igor Stravinsky's Firebird ballet in its full-length version of 1910, Boulez weaves a compelling musical texture that uncovers the links among the three works and the three composers. The concert begins with a shimmering rendition of the Valses nobles et sentimentales , an homage to Schubert and a farewell to the waltz itself. This work of bold dissonances, abrasive harmonies and colorful chromaticism is followed by Bartók's concerto of 1926, which seems to animate Ravel's tonal language with a percussive fury. The nearly 50-minute-long Firebird , which a virtually unknown 28-year-old Stravinsky wrote for the...
For this private concert, maestro Daniel Barenboim leaves the big stage and invites an audience into his villa in Berlin to play the piano in a private atmosphere with his son Michael Barenboim and his friend Kian Soltani. They perform Beethoven's Ghost Trio . Daniel Barenboim has spent a lifetime working on the Viennese classic. For him, Beethoven is a source of inspiration and part of his musical life.
Between the individual movements, Daniel Barenboim talks to Annie Dutoit about his childhood in Argentina, family, idols, social values and, of course, music. Annie Dutoit, Swiss professor, actress, music journalist and daughter of Martha Argerich has known Daniel Barenboim since her childhood. This private concert is not just an occasion for an intimate chamber music concert, it is also an encounter with the private person Barenboim - a contemporary document that will remain unique in this form.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic set off fireworks of good humour and a contagious musical spirit at the traditional New Year's Eve Concert in 2002. Simon Rattle chose Leonard Bernstein's brilliant and entertaining musical comedy, Wonderful Town , for his first New Year's Eve Concert with the Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor and orchestra - both rank among the best in the world - joined forces with Broadway stars Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald and famous baritone Thomas Hampson. The audience enjoyed a great show full of dancing, choruses, fascinating light design and ?EUR" above all ?EUR" intoxicating music. The exuberant atmosphere of this event culminated in an overwhelming encore with the musicians and audience dancing through the hall! This video captures the atmosphere right in the middle of orchestra, singers and audience and recreates a wonderful night on the town.
On the closing day of the IC2017 Contemporary Song Festival, a special world premiere concert will be presented at Asia Society Hong Kong Center with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology featuring the critically acclaimed New York Festival of Song (NYFOS).
Artistic Director, Bright Sheng , will be joined by Judith Weir , Master of the Queen's Music; Michael Barrett , renowned pianist, conductor, and co-founder and associate artistic director of NYFOS; together with guest vocal artists of NYFOS, including soprano Amy Owens, mezzo-soprano Katherine Pracht, tenor Jonathan Blalock, and baritone Tobias Greenhalgh. Guest artists Amy Sze, pianist, and Isaac Droscha, baritone; and four Composer Fellows selected through an international call-for-scores.
This special program includes works inspired by Asian and Chinese literary themes as well as selections from Bright Sheng's acclaimed new opera, Dream of the Red Chamber (libretto by David Henry Hwang and Mr. Sheng), which receives its Asia Premiere at the 45th Hong Kong Arts Festival.
The ICA Classics Live series features performances from ICA's own artists recorded in prestigious venues around the world. The majority of the recordings are enjoying their first commercial release.
Antoni Wit's performances of Szymanowski's Third and Fourth Symphonies embody the distinguished and idiomatic conducting style for which he is widely recognised. An outstanding communicator, Wit exhibits exceptional attention to detail in his rendition of these two great works with his own orchestra and choir.
Ton Koopman, a leading authority on Baroque music, gathered his favourite orchestra and eminent Baroque singers for a concert focusing on the Magnificat , the traditional prayer said by the Virgin Mary after hearing that she would bear God's son. Bach's Magnificat - his greatest choral work - is programmed together with one of his most beautiful cantatas and a lesser-known baroque gem by Bach's predecessor at St. Thomas' Church, Johann Kuhnau, to form a concert in honour of the spiritual power of Baroque music. The concert was performed at St. Thomas' in Leipzig, the church for which Bach conceived most of his works. The recording captures the atmosphere of the impressive church and shows the musicians "at work". The film also focuses on Ton Koopman, offering insights into his friendly and encouraging conducting style.
For its 14th edition, the Verbier Festival has once again brought together the most prestigious artists in classical music. This series of 12 TV programmes presents the highlights of Verbier 2007.
An all Bartok programme featuring one of the leading violinists - Gidon Kremer - and one of the world's leading viola players - Yuri Bashmet. Accompanied by the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Pierre Boulez.
Bela Bartok's Dance Suite is an orchestral work composed in 1923 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the union between Buda, Pest and Obuda. At that time, three composers were commissioned new scores: Bela Bartok composed his Dance Suite, Erno Dohnanyi composed the Festival Overture and Zoltan Kodaly composed his Psalmus Hungaricus . Rejecting any kind of nationalism, Bartok draws freely his inspiration from Romanian, Arabian and Hungarian folk music for his piece.
Dedicated to the violinist Stefi Geye, the Violin and Orchestra Concerto No. 1 is one of the two concertos composed by Bela Bartok. The concerto avoids the traditional concerto's division in three movements and opts for a two-part division, the former being slow, the latter fast. Though the Violin Concerto No. 1 was composed in 1907, it was only published in 1959 thanks to Paul Sacher.
During July and August 1945, Bartok composed his Viola Concerto when he was in terminal leukemia. This concerto, unfinished at the composer's death, is the last work composed by Bartok. His pupil Tibor Serly...
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical usic events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season.
Yuja Wang, Leonidas Kavakos, and Gautier Capucon get the ball rolling with Mendelssohn's Piano Trio No. 2 , followed by Leonidas Kavakos and Joshua Bell performing a Ysaye Duo Sonata . Denis Matsuev, Julian Rachlin, and Roby Lakatos tackle Vittorio Monti's Csardas , transcribed for two violins and piano. Brahms' Piano Quartet follows, featuring Kissin, Repin, Bashmet, and Maisky. Finally, as the cherry on the cake, legendary pianists Martha Argerich and Evgeny Kissin bring Lutoslawski's Variations sur un theme de Paganini with head-spinning virtuosity.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This recording honors the great Antonin Dvorak with some of his most beloved pieces being performed by world class artists such as Daniil Trifonov.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
Live from the Kabelwerk Oberspree in Berlin, Simon Rattle is conductor to the Berlin Philharmonic on its 125th anniversary on May 2007. With superb acoustics and magnificent architecture, the building proved to be an ideal setting for the annual Europa-Konzert. This recording features the magnificent works of Wagner and Brahms to be amazingly performed by Rattle, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and featured artists Lisa Batiashvili (violinist) and Truls Mørk (cellist).
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
Johannes Brahms composed his Requiem in 1865/66, shortly after the death of his mother. A profoundly moving work for soprano and baritone solo, chorus and orchestra, it is the composer's largest single composition. No work did more to win Brahms international recognition and, after the first complete performance of the Requiem in Leipzig in 1869, he was regarded as one of the leading composers of his time. It was not the first requiem in German, but the first in which a composer pieced together his text from Bible passages in Martin Luther's German translation. It is an intensely personal selection which speaks to the living and seeks to offer hope and comfort. Through his subtle, almost surreal, affinity to Brahms's unorthodox, elusive worldview, conductor Christian Thielemann has crafted a performance that places him among the best interpreters of this work, such as Maazel, Furtwängler, Karajan, Klemperer... An acknowledged specialist of Romantic music, Thielemann "put forth a dignified account that offers considerable material for reflection. At the end, one understood all too well why the audience was requested to refrain from applauding at the end. For the seventh and last section is the solemn, meditative chorus "Selig sind die Toten" ... In Thielemann's hands, this...
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world’s greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
This film is a genuine premiere starring the greatest motion picture composer of the present day: Ennio Morricone. Morricone's music has been well known to moviegoers for decades and his name stands for warmly melodic soundtracks, superbly suited to the films they grace. Born in 1928 in Rome, he went to school with film director Sergio Leone, with whom he would later form one of the great director/composer partnerships. His sparse arrangements, unorthodox instrumentation and memorable tunes revolutionised the way music would be used in Westerns. He has written nearly 400 film scores and this programme contains a representative sample of his rich creative output including short clips from his most famous films. The Munich Philharmonic ?EUR" one of the best German symphony orchestras - invited Morricone to conduct his own music.
The composer Alban Berg (1885-1935), a pupil and associate of Schoenberg, lived in the mainstream of well-to-do Austrian society. His marriage to the beautiful Helene was thought to be made in heaven. But how can this doyen of Viennese respectability be reconciled with the composer who wrote the dark operas Wozzeck and Lulu?
Soprano Kirstine Ciesinki, who features in specially-staged extracts from Lulu and Wozzeck and sings "Nacht" from Seven Early Songs, travels to Vienna, Prague, the USA and German to investigate Berg's life.
Sir Colin Davis was a "maestro without airs and graces"(Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) and an interpretor of Mozart and Berlioz who enjoyed worldwide renown. This recording of Gustav Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde features Davis in fine form, brilliantly conducting the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, where he was principal conductor from 1983 to 1993.
This symphonic song cycle, which Leonard Bernstein described as Mahler's "greatest symphony", was never performed in Mahler's lifetime. Though completed in 1908, it was first premiered in 1911 in Munich. Doris Soffel is not only a celebrated opera singer: she has earned an international reputation as one of the finest interpreters of Mahler's works. The American tenor Kenneth Riegel has for decades been a regular performer on the world's opera stages, from New York and Paris to Vienna and Salzburg. The soloists deliver an impressive display of their mastery of lieder in this recording. After it was founded in 1949, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra soon began to build a highly respected international reputation. Shaped by a succession of great principal conductors including Rafael Kubelik, Lorin Maazel, Mariss Jansons and Sir Colin Davis, the orchestra possesses an unusually broad-ranging repertoire and an...
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
This concert features virtuoso violinist Yehudi Menuhin (1916?EUR"1999) at the Charlie Chaplin Studios in 1947. Together with various artists he performed classical and romantic works of famous composers such as Beethoven, Wieniawski, Bach, Paganini and others. Yehudi Menuhin in Concert Magic is the very first concert film produced by and for Hollywood. This concert was premiered at the Stage Door Cinema in San Francisco for movie audiences. Yehudi Menuhin was at the age of 32 and was at the pinnacle of his fame.
Bonus features:
- The Story behind "Concert Magic" - Yehudi Menuhin in conversation with Humphrey Burton
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
The Beaux Arts Trio performs two central pieces of their repertoire on this video. Filmed at the majestic Signet Library in Edinburgh, the ensemble demonstrates its mastery in bringing out the deeply lyrical romantic expressions that have made these trios two of Schubert's most cherished chamber works. With founding member Menahem Pressler on piano, Isidore Cohen on violin and Bernard Greenhouse on cello, the ensemble's distinguished heritage is apparent.
David Bowie released Blackstar on his 69th birthday, January 8, 2016, two days before his death. It was his parting gift to the world, a self-eulogy, hinting at the sacred and reveling in the profane. Blackstar is a concept album, but the concept is unnamed, or is the Un-nameable itself: facing death, living in its shadow. There is no clear story line, no single alter ego, no Ziggy Stardust or Aladdin Sane. Instead Bowie inhabits a collection of characters, taking listeners through aspects of their lives, using a myriad set of images - hospital beds, death masks, possession, trance, acts of passion and violence - that evoke Death and Transfiguration.
Evan Ziporyn made Blackstar to honor Bowie and his influence, to immerse listerners in this amazing music, to live inside it and embody it. But also to transform it, in the spirit of Bowie and of the record itself. Even in these instrumental versions, the words and their meaning hover over the music, despite their absence, much like the 'spirit' figure in the first song: gone, but with a trace.
David Bowie's voice was unique and inimitable, his range matched by his stylistic breadth. Over his career, from album to album, but also within a single song, sometimes a single phrase, Bowie would shapeshift while always...
The excitement is palpable at Paris' Théâtre des Champs-Elysées this 28 March 2007. Anna Netrebko is not only making her debut in France, but she is making it with Rolando Villazon. The "dream couple" of the opera world is about to bring its incomparable charm and magnetism to France's "melomanes," and the result is nothing less than phenomenal: "An unforgettable evening, rich in emotions, which many spectators will look back on with nostalgia one day and say: 'I was there!'" No matter where they appear, Netrebko and Villazon inevitably work their magic on the audience, whether it consists of hundreds or, when broadcast on TV, of millions.
For their Paris concert, the duo chose a broad selection of chiefly late Romantic works – the style for which their voices seem to be tailor-made. A tribute to France is offered with excerpts from Gounod's Romeo et Juliette and the little-known Polyeucte, along with the famous "duo de Saint-Sulpice" from Massenet's Manon. Not surprisingly, a Russian composer also graces the program; Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin and Iolantha are sung superbly by Netrebko. Villazon's Latin blood heats up Spanish songs by Sotullo-Otero, Vert, Moreno-Torroba and Penella. But it's in the Italian repertoire that the couple reaches heights of...
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical usic events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season.
Yuja Wang, Leonidas Kavakos, and Gautier Capucon get the ball rolling with Mendelssohn's Piano Trio No. 2 , followed by Leonidas Kavakos and Joshua Bell performing a Ysaye Duo Sonata . Denis Matsuev, Julian Rachlin, and Roby Lakatos tackle Vittorio Monti's Csardas , transcribed for two violins and piano. Brahms' Piano Quartet follows, featuring Kissin, Repin, Bashmet, and Maisky. Finally, as the cherry on the cake, legendary pianists Martha Argerich and Evgeny Kissin bring Lutoslawski's Variations sur un theme de Paganini with head-spinning virtuosity.
This series of the very best of the 16th Verbier Festival with worldwide renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Mischa Maisky, Rene Pape, Joshua Bell, and Philippe Jaroussky.
The Verbier Festival, created in 1994, has rapidly acquired a reputation for artistic excellence and is now considered one of the major European music festivals. For a fortnight each summer, the greatest stars of the classical music world come together against the magical backdrop of the Swiss Alps. The Verbier Festival gives musicians the opportunity to perform original programmes with fellow musicians they admire, but with whom they may never have performed before. These world premiere performances produce innovative and exciting results, for artists and audiences. The 2007 edition gathered classical celebrities such as Martha Argerich, Helene Grimaud, Gabriela Montero, Renaud Capucon, Nelson Freire, Mischa Maisky, Thomas Quasthoff and Lars Vogt, and for the first time all 46 concerts were recorded. The state-of-art recordings featured two cameras on stage that were remote-controlled so as to not disturb the audiences and artists and one camera in the midst of the audience to recreate the viewer's perspective. This video assembles excerpts of the most remarkable concerts with exciting programmes including works by Bartok, Debussy, Lutoslawski, Schubert and Schumann. Lovers of classical music will very much enjoy this summit of high-profile artists!
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
Celebrating Strauss brings into focus the greatest interpreters of Richard Strauss's compositions. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences uniting appealing and enjoyable performances by legendary artists as Irmgard Seefried, Hertha Topper, Rita Streich and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Lovingly restored and digitally remastered the Classic Archive series offers a unique glimpse into our classical heritage featuring performances by celebrated artists of the past including complete full-lengths programmes and comprehensive booklet information.
A star-studded gala from the royal Albert Hall in London, featuring some of the greatest names from the world's of opera, ballet, musicals and flamenco.
Featuring Tito Beltran, June Anderson, Michael Ball, Maria Friesman, Anastasia Volvchkova, Paco Pena and Montse Cortes performing a program of works that includes arias from Turandot, Hamlet, La Traviata and Rigoletto , hits from The Phantom of the Opera, Follies and showboat plus excerpts from Don Quixote and some stirring flamenco pieces.
In 2022, Musiques en fete celebrates love in music! with the 8,000 spectators at the Theatre Antique in Orange for an amazing show! Opera, operetta, musical comedy, classical music, film music, dance, as well as the greatest hits of French song... Through an eclectic programme, a tribute to love and to all music will be paid by prestigious soloists and more than 150 orchestral musicians and choral artists.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
We live in a "renaissance of the piano", as the New York Times so surprisingly put it in summer 2005. A new generation is reviving the piano's popularity as pianists with a passion for virtuosity and a willingness to expand their repertoire take to the concert stages. In addition to the standard classics they perform formerly disparaged works or discover neglected composers. LEGATO is a series dedicated to presenting some of this new movement's most fascinating pianists - their development, their ideas and, of course, their music. Each episode portrays an artist and explores an aspect of the world of piano music. Viewers meet the artists and get to know their styles, their methods of working and their personal idiosyncrasies. The sum of these portraits provides viewers with an overall picture of the art of piano playing today. Boris Berezovsky, intelligent, curious and strong-minded, has established a remarkable reputation, both as the most powerful of virtuoso pianists and as a musician of unique insight and sensitivity. In a stunning recital recorded live at the newly-built Philharmonie Essen in 2006, he balances virtuosity with an unfaltering musical integrity, playing works by Ludwig van Beethoven, Nikolai Medtner, Dafydd Llywelyn, Leopold Godowsky and Anatoly Liadov....
Gala in commemoration of the 150th birthday of Peter Tchaikovsky.
Philippe Herreweghe, principal conductor of the Royal Flemish Philharmonic, has devoted himself for over ten years to fresh and invigorating readings of the (pre-) Romantic repertoire. Together with the Collegium Vocale, founded in 1970 by Herreweghe himself, and superb soloists they will perform Dvorak's superb Requiem .
This festive celebration concert from Berlin's Gethsemanekirche on the Day of German Unity also marks the 60th anniversary of the RIAS Kammerchor. Founded in 1948, this choir today enjoys a worldwide reputation as one of the best ensembles of its kind. Under the baton of their new chief conductor, Hans-Christoph Rademann, the RIAS Kammerchor and the Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin perform famous motets by Johann Sebastian Bach, interspersed with some fine instrumental movements from his cantatas.
The award-winning Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin has become of the world's leading chamber orchestras on period instruments. These concerts reveal some of the foundations of Beethoven's genius, and capture vital performances from the 2020 SWR Schwetzingen Festival, the biggest radio festival for classical music in the world. These first two concerts of four see Beethoven's revolutionary development through his first three symphonies set against C.P.E. Bach's novel orchestration, Mozart's pre-echo of a theme from Eroica Symphony , and Paul Wranitzky's richly narrative Grande sinfonie caracteristique, a work banned by the Viennese authorities of the day for its provocative movement titles.
The award-winning Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin has become of the world's leading chamber orchestras on period instruments. These concerts reveal some of the foundations of Beethoven's genius, and capture vital performances from the 2020 SWR Schwetzingen Festival, the biggest radio festival for classical music in the world. These first two concerts of four see Beethoven's revolutionary development through his first three symphonies set against C.P.E. Bach's novel orchestration, Mozart's pre-echo of a theme from Eroica Symphony , and Paul Wranitzky's richly narrative Grande sinfonie caracteristique , a work banned by the Viennese authorities of the day for its provocative movement titles.
The award-winning Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin has become one of the world's leading chamber orchestras on period instruments. These concerts reveal some of the foundations of Beethoven's genius, and capture vital performances from the 2020 SWR Schwetzingen Festival, the biggest radio festival for classical music in the world. Robert Schumann pointed out similarities between Mehul's First Symphony and Beethoven's Fifth , and these third and fourth concerts in the series also include a tempest by Holzbauer that precedes Beethoven's by half a century, plus the little-known Le Portrait musical de la Nature by Justin Heinrich Knecht , a work that also anticipates Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony .
The award-winning Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin has become one of the world's leading chamber orchestras on period instruments. These concerts reveal some of the foundations of Beethoven's genius, and capture vital performances from the 2020 SWR Schwetzingen Festival, the biggest radio festival for classical music in the world. Robert Schumann pointed out similarities between Mehul's First Symphony and Beethoven's Fifth , and these third and fourth concerts in the series also include a tempest by Holzbauer that precedes Beethoven's by half a century, plus the little-known Le Portrait musical de la Nature by Justin Heinrich Knecht , a work that also anticipates Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony.
Three giants of classical music come together on the stage of the Berliner Philharmonie for an All-Beethoven program that was destined to go down as one for the ages. Experience the incomparable Daniel Barenboim, Itzhak Perlman, and Yo-Yo Ma in masterpieces of the composer's oeuvre for soloists and orchestra.
Filmed in 1995 at the Berlin Philharmonie, this once-in-a-lifetime concert pairs two of Beethoven's less-performed works: the Concerto for Piano, Violin, Violoncello and Orchestra in C major (often simply referred to as the Triple Concerto ) and the Choral Fantasy for Piano, Choir and Orchestra in C Minor. Accompanied by the prestigious Berliner Philharmoniker and the Chor der Deutschen Staatsoper, the three musicians give these two works the sumptuous and virtuosic treatment they deserve.
When, in the mid 1960s, Herbert von Karajan decided to record on film all nine Beethoven symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic, he began with the Fifth and asked the famous French movie director Henri-Georges Clouzot (Quai des Orfèvres) to direct. Recognizing in the music-loving director a kindred soul and master of the symbolic image, Karajan found an inspired partner. In another of Karajan's first efforts, he asked six directors to "stage" one movement each of a Beethoven symphony. For a full week, the directors had the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von Karajan – all in full dress – at their disposal, with all the 35mm film, cameras, lighting and technical assistance they needed. Karajan's most controversial production was Hugo Niebeling's highly personal interpretation of the Pastorale , with its abstract shots of instruments, rapid rhythms, fade-ins and symbolically arranged colors. Some critics raved: "This music film could have been made by Antonioni, Fellini or Godard." Karajan pursued his plan with tenacity, and the result is a milestone in the history of music on film: all nine Beethoven symphonies recorded at the peak of Karajan's powers, unified by the performers but varied through the artistic vision of different directors.
This opera gala, recorded live at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, on November 8, 2003, marked the 10th anniversary of the annual benefit for the German AIDS Foundation. Conducted by Kent Nagano, then Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Berlin Deutsche Symphony Orchestra founded 1923. This recording features an illustrious roster of international artists from Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, the United States and Canada.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
This opera gala, recorded live at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, on November 8, 2003, marked the 10th anniversary of the annual benefit for the German AIDS Foundation. Conducted by Kent Nagano, then Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Berlin Deutsche Symphony Orchestra founded 1923. This recording features an illustrious roster of international artists from Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, the United States and Canada.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
In the tradition of the original The Three Tenors, world-class singers Placido Domingo, Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon joined forces to entertain a live audience of 20,000 spectators on location and millions more around the world on TV. They sang the most famous arias and duets from the world of opera, accompanied by the orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin and its conductor Marco Armiliato. The event took place on 7 July 2006 at Berlin's legendary Waldbühne, a venue modeled after ancient amphitheaters that has hosted all the giants of the rock and pop world, such as Robbie Williams and the Rolling Stones.
Looking back on an extraordinary career that has been honored with 9 Grammys and 3 Latin Grammys, Plácido Domingo has become the very epitome of the operatic tenor, even among people who have no particular interest in classical music. He is a star who beguiles every audience with his virile charisma. Russian soprano Anna Netrebko's phenomenal career keeps her rushing from one highlight to the next. Her debut as Natasha Rostova in Prokofiev's War and Peace at New York's Metropolitan Opera had the critics hailing her as an "Audrey Hepburn with a voice." On stage, Anna's heart belongs to the Mexican breakout star Rolando Villazon, whom Placido Domingo sees as his...
The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra was founded by Daniel Barenboim and the late Edward Said. It consists of young, highly talented Israeli and Arabian musicians and was founded to increase the dialogue between young people in the Middle East and represent the peaceful collaboration of the two cultures. In standard comparable to the most established orchestras, it combines tonal beauty and transparency with youthful expressiveness, passion and exuberance. This technically brilliant and incredibly enthusiastic orchestra brings out all levels of Beethoven's 9th symphony and we listen to Beethoven at his very best: exuberant, emotional, lucid, tender, clear, triumphant... simply magnificent! Needless to say, Daniel Barenboim conducts excellently and outstanding singers Angela Denoke, Waltraud Meier, Burkhard Fritz and Rene Pape contribute tremendously to this unforgettable concert. The standing ovations are well deserved!
In only a few years, trumpeter Alison Balsom has shot forward to the topmost ranks of today's instrumental soloists, reaching untold popularity for her playing - and for the trumpet. Since her appearance in a live international broadcast of the Last Night of the Proms, she has become one of the best known UK artists of today, with sales of her CDs topping the charts. She won two Classical BRIT Awards, one in 2006 as best young British classical performer, and another in 2009 as female artist of the year - one of the rare brass players to win such acclaim. She was also the first female UK artist to win an ECHO Klassik Award as best young artist (2007). For her CD with trumpet concertos by Haydn and Hummel, she took home another ECHO Klassik award in 2009.
At the center of the documentary are two performances. One is a public performance of Haydn's celebrated Trumpet Concerto in E flat major with the Berlin Konzerthaus Orchestra under the Chinese conductor Xian Zhang, recorded in the classicistic hall of the Konzerthaus Berlin. The other is a "private" recording of Bach's Concerto in D major, BWV 792 with organist David Goode, Gigue, BWV 1008 and Debussy's Syrinx. The recording in the Sophienkirche was made with a RED One camera, a special HD camera that impressively...
Three giants of classical music come together on the stage of the Berliner Philharmonie for an All-Beethoven program that was destined to go down as one for the ages. Experience the incomparable Daniel Barenboim, Itzhak Perlman, and Yo-Yo Ma in masterpieces of the composer's oeuvre for soloists and orchestra.
Filmed in 1995 at the Berlin Philharmonie, this once-in-a-lifetime concert pairs two of Beethoven's less-performed works: the Concerto for Piano, Violin, Violoncello and Orchestra in C major (often simply referred to as the Triple Concerto ) and the Choral Fantasy for Piano, Choir and Orchestra in C Minor. Accompanied by the prestigious Berliner Philharmoniker and the Chor der Deutschen Staatsoper, the three musicians give these two works the sumptuous and virtuosic treatment they deserve.
For a stage production of Goethe's Egmont planned for spring 1810, the Vienna Burgtheater commissioned Beethoven to compose incidental music to Goethe's tragedy. Although Beethoven was a great admirer of Goethe and was profoundly flattered by this commission, he did not complete the music by the time the play was given its premiere on 24 May 1810. Only at the third performance of the play on 15 June was Beethoven's music heard for the first time. Like the Leonore overtures, the Egmont also foreshadows the events to come. In Egmont , they are encapsulated in the main theme of defiance of tyranny, which gives the music its explosive power.
Music for the masses! This could have been the war cry of both Beethoven and Karajan. For this they had in common: the wish to reach out to millions and ensure the survival of their art. Beethoven, at the dawn of the romantic era, no longer wrote exclusively for titled patrons, but for the middle classes. To reach them, he needed new means of popularizing and distributing his works, such as concerts for paying audiences and the publication of arrangements for everything from piano to brass band. In the mid 20th century, Herbert von Karajan also saw a new way of reaching out to greater numbers of people through the combination of...
Elected by members of the Berlin Philharmonic as Principal Conductor and fifth Artistic Director in 1989, Claudio Abbado resigned from the post in 2002, but remains close to the orchestra, which cherishes the conductor to this day. Listening to the music, one hears how the Berlin Philharmonic transforms Abbado's musical intentions into sound ?EUR" there is a sense of unity that can only be achieved through many years of shared artistic experience and attention to detail. These live performances at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome in 2001 were an overwhelming success: each concert ended in standing ovations, and the critics spoke of seminal moments in the history of music. Abbado's Beethoven cycle will certainly become a milestone for contemporary interpretation and this recording pays tribute to his achievement.
Bonus feature:
- Multi-Angle Feature - Conductor Camera ( Symphony No. 6 )
Elected by members of the Berlin Philharmonic as Principal Conductor and fifth Artistic Director in 1989, Claudio Abbado resigned from the post in 2002, but remains close to the orchestra, which cherishes the conductor to this day. Listening to the music, one hears how the Berlin Philharmonic transforms Abbado's musical intentions into sound ?EUR" there is a sense of unity that can only be achieved through many years of shared artistic experience and attention to detail. These live performances at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome in 2001 were an overwhelming success: each concert ended in standing ovations, and the critics spoke of seminal moments in the history of music. Abbado's Beethoven cycle will certainly become a milestone for contemporary interpretation and this recording pays tribute to his achievement.
Bonus feature:
- Multi-Angle Feature - Conductor Camera ( Symphony No. 5 )
Elected by members of the Berlin Philharmonic as Principal Conductor and fifth Artistic Director in 1989, Claudio Abbado resigned from the post in 2002, but remains close to the orchestra, which cherishes the conductor to this day. Listening to the music, one hears how the Berlin Philharmonic transforms Abbado's musical intentions into sound ?EUR" there is a sense of unity that can only be achieved through many years of shared artistic experience and attention to detail. These live performances at the Philharmonie, Berlin in 2000 and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome in 2001 were an overwhelming success: each concert ended in standing ovations, and the critics spoke of seminal moments in the history of music. Abbado's Beethoven cycle will certainly become a milestone for contemporary interpretation and this recording pays tribute to his achievement. For the popular Symphony No. 9 in D minor , the Berlin Philharmonic were joined by high-ranking singers and choirs.
Bonus feature:
- Multi-Angle Feature - Conductor Camera ( Symphony No.3 )
Elected by members of the Berlin Philharmonic as Principal Conductor and fifth Artistic Director in 1989, Claudio Abbado resigned from the post in 2002, but remains close to the orchestra, which cherishes the conductor to this day. Listening to the music, one hears how the Berlin Philharmonic transforms Abbado's musical intentions into sound ?EUR" there is a sense of unity that can only be achieved through many years of shared artistic experience and attention to detail. These live performances at the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome in 2001 were an overwhelming success: each concert ended in standing ovations, and the critics spoke of seminal moments in the history of music. Abbado's Beethoven cycle will certainly become a milestone for contemporary interpretation and this recording pays tribute to his achievement.
Bonus features:
- Multi-Angle Feature - Conductor Camera ( Symphony No. 7 )
- Documentary - Abbado on Beethoven
When, in the mid 1960s, Herbert von Karajan decided to record on film all nine Beethoven symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic, he began with the Fifth and asked the famous French movie director Henri-Georges Clouzot (Quai des Orfevres) to direct. Recognizing in the music-loving director a kindred soul and master of the symbolic image, Karajan found an inspired partner. In another of Karajan's first efforts, he asked six directors to "stage" one movement each of a Beethoven symphony. For a full week, the directors had the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von Karajan – all in full dress – at their disposal, with all the 35mm film, cameras, lighting and technical assistance they needed. Karajan's most controversial production was Hugo Niebeling's highly personal interpretation of the Pastorale , with its abstract shots of instruments, rapid rhythms, fade-ins and symbolically arranged colors. Some critics raved: "This music film could have been made by Antonioni, Fellini or Godard." Karajan pursued his plan with tenacity, and the result is a milestone in the history of music on film: all nine Beethoven symphonies recorded at the peak of Karajan's powers, unified by the performers but varied through the artistic vision of different directors.
When, in the mid 1960s, Herbert von Karajan decided to record on film all nine Beethoven symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic, he began with the Fifth and asked the famous French movie director Henri-Georges Clouzot to direct. Recognizing in the music-loving director a kindred soul and master of the symbolic image, Karajan found an inspired partner. In another of Karajan's first efforts, he asked six directors to "stage" one movement each of a Beethoven symphony. For a full week, the directors had the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von Karajan - all in full dress - at their disposal, with all the 35mm film, cameras, lighting and technical assistance they needed. Karajan's most controversial production was Hugo Niebeling's highly personal interpretation of the Pastorale , with its abstract shots of instruments, rapid rhythms, fade-ins and symbolically arranged colors. Some critics raved: "This music film could have been made by Antonioni, Fellini or Godard." Karajan pursued his plan with tenacity, and the result is a milestone in the history of music on film: all nine Beethoven symphonies recorded at the peak of Karajan's powers, unified by the performers but varied through the artistic vision of different directors.
When, in the mid 1960s, Herbert von Karajan decided to record on film all nine Beethoven symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic, he began with the Fifth and asked the famous French movie director Henri-Georges Clouzot to direct. Recognizing in the music-loving director a kindred soul and master of the symbolic image, Karajan found an inspired partner. In another of Karajan's first efforts, he asked six directors to "stage" one movement each of a Beethoven symphony. For a full week, the directors had the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von Karajan - all in full dress - at their disposal, with all the 35mm film, cameras, lighting and technical assistance they needed. Karajan's most controversial production was Hugo Niebeling's highly personal interpretation of the Pastorale , with its abstract shots of instruments, rapid rhythms, fade-ins and symbolically arranged colors. Some critics raved: "This music film could have been made by Antonioni, Fellini or Godard." Karajan pursued his plan with tenacity, and the result is a milestone in the history of music on film: all nine Beethoven symphonies recorded at the peak of Karajan's powers, unified by the performers but varied through the artistic vision of different directors.
When, in the mid 1960s, Herbert von Karajan decided to record on film all nine Beethoven symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic, he began with the Fifth and asked the famous French movie director Henri-Georges Clouzot to direct. Recognizing in the music-loving director a kindred soul and master of the symbolic image, Karajan found an inspired partner. In another of Karajan's first efforts, he asked six directors to "stage" one movement each of a Beethoven symphony. For a full week, the directors had the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von Karajan – all in full dress – at their disposal, with all the 35mm film, cameras, lighting and technical assistance they needed. Karajan's most controversial production was Hugo Niebeling's highly personal interpretation of the Pastorale , with its abstract shots of instruments, rapid rhythms, fade-ins and symbolically arranged colors. Some critics raved: "This music film could have been made by Antonioni, Fellini or Godard." Karajan pursued his plan with tenacity, and the result is a milestone in the history of music on film: all nine Beethoven symphonies recorded at the peak of Karajan's powers, unified by the performers but varied through the artistic vision of different directors.
When, in the mid 1960s, Herbert von Karajan decided to record on film all nine Beethoven symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic, he began with the Fifth and asked the famous French movie director Henri-Georges Clouzot (Quai des Orfèvres) to direct. Recognizing in the music-loving director a kindred soul and master of the symbolic image, Karajan found an inspired partner. In another of Karajan's first efforts, he asked six directors to "stage" one movement each of a Beethoven symphony. For a full week, the directors had the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von Karajan – all in full dress – at their disposal, with all the 35mm film, cameras, lighting and technical assistance they needed. Karajan's most controversial production was Hugo Niebeling's highly personal interpretation of the Pastorale , with its abstract shots of instruments, rapid rhythms, fade-ins and symbolically arranged colors. Some critics raved: "This music film could have been made by Antonioni, Fellini or Godard." Karajan pursued his plan with tenacity, and the result is a milestone in the history of music on film: all nine Beethoven symphonies recorded at the peak of Karajan's powers, unified by the performers but varied through the artistic vision of different directors.
The 2010 tour by the Berliner Philharmoniker and their Artistic Director Sir Simon Rattle concluded in Singapore, their very first visit there. They presented Mahler's unique and breathtaking First Symphony, which once briefly enjoyed the title "Titan" in homage to the Romantic novelist Jean Paul. They also performed Rachmaninov's late Symphonic Dances, highly evocative pieces that originally bore the titles "Noon," "Twilight," and "Midnight," and which were conceived as ballet numbers. In this concert, the Berliner Philharmoniker beautifully captures Mahler's love of nature and Rachmaninov's nostalgic memories of the old Russia he had left behind.
Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic set off fireworks of good humour and a contagious musical spirit at the traditional New Year's Eve Concert in 2002. Simon Rattle chose Leonard Bernstein's brilliant and entertaining musical comedy, Wonderful Town , for his first New Year's Eve Concert with the Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor and orchestra - both rank among the best in the world - joined forces with Broadway stars Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald and famous baritone Thomas Hampson. The audience enjoyed a great show full of dancing, choruses, fascinating light design and ?EUR" above all ?EUR" intoxicating music. The exuberant atmosphere of this event culminated in an overwhelming encore with the musicians and audience dancing through the hall! This video captures the atmosphere right in the middle of orchestra, singers and audience and recreates a wonderful night on the town.
A true celebration, ushering in the New Year with one of the finest orchestras and greatest conductors in the world. The 2007 Gala from Berlin features the Berlin Philharmonic and Sir Simon Rattle in Alexander Borodin's Second Symphony , a richly lyrical work of immense poetic grandeur and fairytale magic, in a programme that also includes one of the greatest classical hits ever: Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition .
An all Bartok programme featuring one of the leading violinists - Gidon Kremer - and one of the world's leading viola players - Yuri Bashmet. Accompanied by the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Pierre Boulez.
Bela Bartok's Dance Suite is an orchestral work composed in 1923 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the union between Buda, Pest and Obuda. At that time, three composers were commissioned new scores: Bela Bartok composed his Dance Suite, Erno Dohnanyi composed the Festival Overture and Zoltan Kodaly composed his Psalmus Hungaricus . Rejecting any kind of nationalism, Bartok draws freely his inspiration from Romanian, Arabian and Hungarian folk music for his piece.
Dedicated to the violinist Stefi Geye, the Violin and Orchestra Concerto No. 1 is one of the two concertos composed by Bela Bartok. The concerto avoids the traditional concerto's division in three movements and opts for a two-part division, the former being slow, the latter fast. Though the Violin Concerto No. 1 was composed in 1907, it was only published in 1959 thanks to Paul Sacher.
During July and August 1945, Bartok composed his Viola Concerto when he was in terminal leukemia. This concerto, unfinished at the composer's death, is the last work composed by Bartok. His pupil Tibor Serly...
Brahm's Ein Deutsches Requiem , composed between 1861 and 1869, continues to inspire musicians and audiences to this day. His requiem is addressed to the living, who are to be offered comfort in this world freed from fear of death.
This outstanding performance of A German Requiem was recorded in the Grand Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna to mark the centenary of the death of Johannes Brahms.
The Europa Konzert 1998 was performed at the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. The repertoire includes: Richard Wagner Overture to The Flying Dutchman , Peter Tchaikovsky The Storm , Claude Debussy Trois Nocturnes and Giuseppe Verdi's Quattro pezzi sacri .
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's European Concerts not only represent the Berlin Philharmonic's commemoration of its founding date but also emphasize the cultural life of the new European order. Each year the orchestra performs at a place of special significance in cultural history, always in a different country. This, the eleventh European Concert, took place in the city of Istanbul's oldest church, St. Irine (Hagia Irini) or the Church of the Holy Peace, which is magnificently situated on the promontory washed by the Bosporus and the Sea of Marmara. At the helm of this concert, Mariss Jansons, is one of today's most sought-after conductors. Since 1997, he has been principal conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; in 2003, he will assume the directorship of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. The flautist Emmanuel Pahud has won numerous international competitions and is a laureate of the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation and UNESCO's International Tribune for Musicians. At the age of 22, he became principal flautist of the Berlin Philharmonic under Claudio Abbado, having previously held that position with the Basle Radio Symphony Orchestra under Nello Santi and the Munich Philharmonic under Sergiu Celibidache.
The Berliner Philharmoniker's annual European Concerts are intended to recall the date on which the orchestra was founded, 1 May 1882, with a performance being given on this day in a different town or city of particular cultural and historical importance. In 2002 it was the turn of the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, one of Europe's most important opera houses both artistically and architecturally. This was also the last time in his twelve years as the orchestra's artistic director that the revered Italian maestro Claudio Abbado conducted a European Concert. In a programme of beloved pieces from the classical repertoire, with the celebrated Gil Shaham as soloist, Abbado once again demonstrated how he upheld the unsurpassed orchestral tradition of the Berliner Philharmoniker with his profound music-making.
The marvellous Portuguese pianist Maria Joao Pires was joined by Pierre Boulez and the Berlin Philharmonic for the European Concert 2003. Since 1991, when the Berlin Philharmonic gave their first European Concert, this annual musical summit in important cultural cities has become a brand name for excellent musicianship. This concert came from Lisbon and took place in a spectacular location, the 'Mosteiro dos Jeronimos' - an impressive monastery built in the early 16th century and a UNESCO-accredited World Heritage Site. The programme included Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra and Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 - a perfect programme choice, as Maria Joao Pires is a sought-after Mozart pianist and Pierre Boulez enjoys an excellent reputation as one of the greatest Bartok conductors ever.
Bonus features:
- A Portrait of Lisbon
- Picture Gallery: At Rehearsals
Recorded live at the ancient Herodes Atticus Odeon in Athens 2004, this was the first European Concert that Sir Simon Rattle conducted in his new post as chief conductor of one of the most important orchestras of all times. Since 1991, when the Berlin Philharmonic gave their first European Concert, this annual musical summit in important cultural cities has become a brand name for excellence. This concert also represents the first musical encounter between Rattle and world-famous pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim. This all Brahms programme features the wonderful Piano Concerto No. 1 with the romantic Adagio which Brahms wrote in reverence for Clara Schumann and Schoenberg's successful arrangement of the Piano Quartet No. 1 for orchestra.
Bonus feature:
- The European Concert in Olympic Athens
The Berlin Philharmonic's annual "Concert for Europe", an annual musical summit in important cultural cities, has been a brand name for excellence since 1991, when the Berlin Philharmonic gave their first European Concert. This all-Mozart concert took place in Prague on 1 May 2006. In honour of the composers 250th birthday, the Berlin Philharmonic invited the pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim to lead them through a concert featuring two masterpieces from the Mozart repertoire, the "Haffner" and "Linz" Symphonies. In his familiar dual role as soloist and conductor, he also performed the Piano Concerto No. 22 . The concert was performed and recorded in the Estates Theatre Prague, which is one of the most beautiful historical theatres in Europe. It was in this theatre that Mozart conducted the premier of Don Giovanni , a work written specially for Prague, in 1787 and for this concert recording, the orchestra sat in a reconstruction of the sets that had been used at the first performance of the opera.
Bonus feature:
- A Cultural Potrait of Prague
Live from the Kabelwerk Oberspree in Berlin, Simon Rattle is conductor to the Berlin Philharmonic on its 125th anniversary on May 2007. With superb acoustics and magnificent architecture, the building proved to be an ideal setting for the annual Europa-Konzert. This recording features the magnificent works of Wagner and Brahms to be amazingly performed by Rattle, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and featured artists Lisa Batiashvili (violinist) and Truls Mørk (cellist).
The Berliner Philharmoniker's European Concert, held each year on 1 May, is invariably an international highlight. Performing in 2008 in Moscow's renowned Tchaikovsky Conservatory, the orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle presented outstanding performances of works by Beethoven, Stravinsky and Bruch, whose Violin Concerto featured one of today's most fascinating artists, the Russian violinist Vadim Repin.
With the European Concert the Berliner Philharmoniker celebrate the anniversary of their founding in 1882. Performed each year in another European city, this year's concert takes place in Naples. Together with charismatic conductor Riccardo Muti and Violeta Urmana, one of the leading sopranos in the Italian dramatic genre, they present the overture of Verdi's magnificent opera La forza del destino and La canzone dei ricordi by Giuseppe Martucci, who died in Naples. Schubert's "Great" C major Symphony completes this memorable concert at the awe-inspiring Teatro San Carlo.
May morning in Oxford, and the Berliner Philharmoniker join in the celebratory mood abroad in the university city's medieval streets with this concert in Sir Christopher Wren's glorious Sheldonian Theatre. For 20 years, the Philharmoniker have given a May Day concert in one of Europe's great historic cities, and here, under the baton of Daniel Barenboim, the Berlin players thrill the Oxford audience with the sonorous Prelude to Act III of Wagner's Die Meistersinger , a deeply-felt account of Elgar's autumnal Cello Concerto by the young American cellist Alisa Weilerstein, and a rousing performance of Brahms's life-affirming First Symphony .
For twenty years the Berliner Philharmoniker has celebrated its 1882 founding with a concert at a major European venue, and the 2011 event takes place at the magnificent Teatro Real in Madrid. The renowned orchestra, under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle, performs Joaquín Rodrigo's beloved Concierto de Aranjuez, Emmanuel Chabrier's exuberant España, and Sergei Rachmaninov's dramatic Second Symphony. It is joined for the Concierto by the famous flamenco guitarist Cañizares, whose virtuosity and sensitivity are given full opportunity to shine in this multi-faceted and subtle work.
The EUROPAKONZERT is the annual celebration of the founding day of the Berliner Philharmoniker on May 1st. The purpose of this unique series is to perform concerts at places which have a special cultural history and compel through their stunning architecture. The EUROPAKONZERT has lead the Berliner Philharmoniker all over Europe to some of the most beautiful sceneries. This remarkable concert, performed at the historical Spanish Hall at Prague Castle on 1st May 2013 features Sir Simon Rattle and Czech mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kozena performing Ralph Vaughn William's Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 Pastoral and Antonin Dvorak's Biblical Songs .
The founding of the Berliner Philharmoniker on the first of May, 1882 is celebrated annually with a concert in a European city of cultural significance. In 2014 the Europakonzert took again place in Berlin. The concert was conducted by a man who has been associated with the Berliner Philharmoniker for 50 years: Daniel Barenboim .
Otto Nicolai's The Merry Wives of Windsor is based on William Shakespeare's comedy of the same name, and its lively overture has long since secured a place on the concert stage. Also inspired by a Shakespearean comedy hero is Edward Elgar's symphonic study Falstaff .
We then turn from comedy to the tragic twists of fate: the Fifth Symphony of Piotr Tchaikovsky is characterized by a sombre main theme that for the Russian composer symbolizes "a complete resignation before fate, which is the same as the inscrutable predestination of fate".
The Berliner Philharmoniker celebrate their founding day (May 1st, 1892) in a European city of cultural significance every year. In 2016, they travelled to Roros in Norway, to play in the town's beautiful baroque church. Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang made her debut with the Berliner Philharmonker at this year's concert, joining them for Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor .
Pianist Menahem Pressler has made recording and interpretation history for more than half a century with the Beaux Arts Trio, which he founded in 1955. The grand seigneur of piano gave his long-overdue debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker in January 2014. The audience hailed Pressler with a standing ovation; the press raved about the "masterful exhilaration" of his musicality and his "unique tone, as full as it was intimate". For his appearance at this year's New Year's Eve Concert in Philharmonie, Berlin, Pressler has selected Mozart again: the Piano Concerto in A major, K. 488 , composed during Mozart's prime in Vienna and one of his most beautiful contributions to the genre.
The New Year's Eve concert opens with Sir Simon Rattle conducting music by Rameau : a suite of instrumental pieces from the opera-ballet Les Indes galantes show French Baroque music at its finest. Following the intermission, the musicians ring in the New Year in a lively way with Slavic strains: an orchestral suite from Zoltan Kodaly's charming folk opera Hary Janos as well as a selection from the popular Slavonic Dances by Antonin Dvorak .
Join Joyce DiDonato, the Berliner Philharmoniker and Sir Simon Rattle and enjoy virtuous and ravishing interpretations of Dvorak, Stravinsky, R.Strauss, Shostakovich, Brahms and of course Leonard Bernstein , thus heralding the Bernstein at 100 Centennial as it were.
A "triumph of remembrance," wrote the daily Die Welt in its online service following a stirring concert that left its audience hovering between hushed reverence and deafening exultation. The Golden Hall of Vienna's Musikverein was the dazzling venue for the live recording of one of four concerts given by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Seiji Ozawa and with Anne-Sophie Mutter. The series began in Berlin's Philharmonie before going on to Paris, Lucerne and Vienna, where it culminated on 28 January. And there, in Vienna, Karajan's "Berliner" never sounded better, evoking "a time which self-confidently sought the private and subjective in music, and believed it could find them in the mirror of the works" (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung).
The program begins with Beethoven's Violin Concerto, Op. 61 performed by Anne-Sophie Mutter, who was discovered by Karajan and first played with the Berlin Philharmonic under his direction at the Salzburg Easter Festival in 1977. Her performance glows with a sensuality and ethereal beauty that turn her interpretation into a memorial for two men whom she grew up with, Beethoven and Karajan. As an encore, Mutter plays Bach's Sarabande in D minor "in memoriam Herbert von Karajan," as she announces. Tchaikovsky's "Pathétique" is given a...
Berlin music lovers know there is no better way of celebrating the New Year than revisiting the most beautiful works in the history of music with the Berlin Philharmoniker. It comes as no surprise that the concerts are always sold out and that people all around the world are glued to their screens during the live transmissions. It is our pleasure to present you a particularly stunning programme which was created by Daniel Barenboim. "Invitation to the dance" is a journey through 300 years of dance which leaves the listener beaming with joy.
On 14 November 1987, a promising conductor made his Berliner Philharmoniker debut with Gustav Mahler's Sixth Symphony : Simon Rattle. In retrospect Rattle says, "I felt that I was finding my voice on that day." Mahler's multifaceted work is now again on the programme when Sir Simon appears for the last time as chief conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker in the Philharmonie. The wheel comes full circle.
The music of Mozart has been an essential driving force of Daniel Barenboim's entire life. It remains central to his performing career both as a pianist and as a conductor. These illuminating performances of Mozart's last eight great piano concertos admirably demonstrate Barenboim's dictum that even when a true musician has already performed a familiar work hundreds of times, he or she "never accepts that the next note will be played the same way as it was before."
The Berliner Philharmoniker celebrate the last day of the 20th century with Grand Finales in the first part of this extraordinary concert, and herald the leap into 21st century with an explosion of sparkling music in the second half of the programme.
For the Grand Finales, Claudio Abbado conducts masterpieces like the final movement of Beethoven's 7th Symphony , excerpts from Stravinsky's Firebird and the last movement of Mahler's 5th Symphony . The world-famous actor Klaus Maria Brandauer narrates from Arnold Schoenberg's Gurrelieder
The Berlin Philharmonic, under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle and with the Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves, usher in the New Year in style. In this gala concert, they present a programme of music by three of the twentieth century's most famous composers: Maurice Ravel, Gabriel Fauré and George Gershwin.
In 2011 the Berlin Philharmoniker and their musical director Sir Simon Rattle welcomed in the New Year with a gala concert entitled "Dances and Dreams." Spine-tingling and inspiring performances of music by Dvorak, Ravel, Richard Strauss, Stravinsky and Brahms are complemented by the extraordinary talent of multi-awarded Russian pianist Evgeny Kissin. Kissin's musicality, the depth and poetic quality of his interpretations, and his extraordinary virtuosity have placed him at the forefront of today's pianists, and his passionate performance of the renowned Piano Concerto in A minor by Edvard Grieg is mesmerising.
With standing ovations, bouquets and rave reviews, Simon Rattle started his debut as chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic. He launched his 10-year tenure mixing tradition with Gustav Mahler's Fifth Symphony and future with a contemporary piece by the young composer Thomas Ades , receiving an enthusiastic welcome. At the end of Mahler's Fifth Symphony, the audience cheered the conductor, calling him back five times to bows. The new chief conductor performed a miracle of transparency and ecstasy, sharpness of tone and ambiguity.
This concert may be called a meeting of musical giants: The Berliner Philharmoniker, Manfred Honeck and Yo-Yo Ma. But all superlatives aside, we may be absolutely sure that it is going to be an extraordinary concert when these artists take the stage at the 2016 Easter Concert in Baden-Baden.
Sol Gabetta's debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker at the Easter Festival 2014 in Baden-Baden stood under the sign of contrast: Beginning with Wagner's Lohengrin and Gyorgy Ligeti's orchestral piece Atmospheres they show how they both pursue similar objectives in different ways - that of an iridescent, otherworldly sound Elgar's warm and melodically charged Cello Concerto is contrasted with Stravinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps , an entirely progressive piece that pushes the conventional boundaries of classical music.
"Sol Gabetta's Elgar Concerto is one of the best around, a heartfelt, tonally rounded performance. Hers is a softly spoken presence, especially beautiful in those infinitely sad modulations that fall towards the end of the piece." - Gramophone magazine
In November 1957, while the Berliner Philharmoniker were on tour in Japan, Karajan proposed some of the best works in his repertoire, starting with the Prelude to Die Meistersinger by Wagner and continuing with Richard Strauss' Don Juan and Beethoven's Fifth Symphony - the "symphony" par excellence which he had on November 1954 for EMI with the Philharmonia Orchestra.
A joyful celebration welcoming the New Year, this Gala from Berlin presents the world-renowned Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, in Carl Orff's famous Carmina Burana , an intensely dramatic cantata that remains one of the most widely performed works from the twentieth century. With an exceptional vocal line-up ?EUR" soprano Sally Matthews, tenor Lawrence Brownlee and baritone Christian Gerhaher ?EUR" this is an energetic and thrilling performance. Beethoven's Leonore No. 3 overture and Handel's supreme Hallelujah Chorus are also included.
Mariss Jansons returns to direct the Berliner Philharmoniker, rekindling their long-standing relationship that began in 1976. Tokyo's Suntory Hall is alive to a programme of particular musical energy - sometimes overt and joyous, sometimes suppressed and intense. Jansons' fidelity to music composed during the Soviet era remains heartfelt: Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 1, featuring soloist Hilary Hahn, is rendered with poise, elegance and demoniac vigour. This piece is framed by two sprightly works: Weber's charming, zesty Overture to Oberon and Dvorak's Eighth Symphony, executed with Bohemian-esque lyricism and verve.
This debut concert performance with the Berliner Philharmoniker by the Japanese conductor Yutaka Sado was hailed in the press as a triumph. The musicians decided to raise funds for the relief efforts following the cataclysmic earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March 2011. The program consists of From me flows what you call time, a perfect blend of East and West, by Japan's most enduring composer Toru Takemitsu; and Dmitry Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony, which so successfully blends the demands of the Soviet authorities with the oppressed public's need for an emotional outlet.
Commanding the podium with his slender figure, theatrical shock of hair and penetrating blue eyes, Herbert von Karajan projected the hieratic image of the conductor as officiant of some quasi-mystic rite. And anyone who ever saw him conduct live or on his many audiovisual recordings will agree that in his performances, music did indeed become a religion and Karajan its high priest. Karajan (1908-1989) embodied classical music in the general consciousness as an epoch-making conductor, media star, opera producer, festival director and festival founder. But in spite of his Promethean and widely varied activities, he remained a superb conductor, with a grasp of the standard orchestral and operatic repertory from Mozart to Schoenberg that was unsurpassed among his peers. The "Pathetique" was recorded live at the Berlin Philharmonie in 1973.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's New Year's Eve Concert in 2000 set the mood for the centenary of Giuseppe Verdi's (1813-1901) death with a selection of the composer's most popular tunes. The orchestra presented excerpts from Rigoletto , La Traviata , Un ballo in maschera and Falstaff . The programme also included the ball scene from act III of Don Carlo ?EUR" a scene that is seldom staged. With singers Andrea Rost, Ramon Vargas, Alan Titus and Lucio Gallo, a cast of internationally celebrated Verdi singers gathered for this Gala Evening led by maestro Claudio Abbado. The outstanding Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the virtuoso Prague Radio Choir provided music of the highest order on this very special evening.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's annual summer concert at the Waldbühne in Berlin is legendary. Recorded live on 25 June 2000, the Millenium concert gathered more than 22,000 people in one of the most appealing outdoor amphitheatres in Europe for one of the most popular classical music concerts in the world. Kent Nagano named his programme of popular and rather unusual music from the 20th century "Rhythm and Dance." It turned out to be an inspiring combination of classical pieces, show tunes, pops, and Far Eastern music, all brought together in a tasty musical stew and rightly labelled as one of the most exciting programmes ever performed at the Waldbühne. It featured Gershwin classics with an outstanding performance by the American mezzo soprano Susan Graham, music by Ravel and the soundtrack to the successful Chinese film "Farewell My Concubine." Nagano injected the performance with so much sensuality and pulsing life that the audience rose to beat time with their feet and to gave him standing ovations.
This release forms part of the celebrations for the 125th anniversary of the Berlin Philharmonic, capturing an evening of Spanish music and themes recorded live in 2001 in the unique atmosphere of the Philharmonic's annual open-air summer concert at the Waldbühne, Berlin, a major event in the city's social calendar.
World-famous tenor Placido Domingo conducts the Berlin Philharmonic in works which have always been particularly close to his heart. The concert features fabulous violinist Sarah Chang performing virtuosic showpieces such as Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy and Zigeunerweisen. The programme also includes a collection of delightful zarzuela arias sung by Ana Maria Martinez, winner of the Placido Domingo Vocal Competition in Barcelona.
As the cameras reveal the scale of this open-air event, held at Berlin's Waldbuhne in 2002, it is not only the music that is transmitted but the extraordinary atmosphere. This is a full programme of musical bon-bons ?EUR" pieces regularly given as encores: it?EUR(TM)s as if the joyous moment following a successful performance has blossomed into a whole evening. Vadim Repin is clearly happy to indulge, performing here with all the appropriate showmanship and artistry alongside the first-class Berliner Philharmoniker and Mariss Jansons. There is a palpable satisfaction from all involved, musicians and crowd alike.
Recorded at the annual summer concert of the Berlin Philharmonic at the Waldbuhne in Berlin 2003, this video captures the atmosphere of an open-air Gershwin night in full while also allowing a closer look at the musicians and the conductor. With an audience of over 20,000 one of the world's best orchestras played the popular music of George Gershwin, including the famous Rhapsody in Blue and the popular film music suite An American in Paris . Conducted by Seiji Ozawa ?EUR" one of the longstanding stars in the classical world - the Berlin Philharmonic was joined by jazz pianist Marcus Roberts and his Trio, whose album "Gershwin For Lovers" stayed in the Top 10 on Billboard's jazz chart for half a year. Together they created a magical fusion of classical music and jazz bringing an imaginative mix of styles into the swing of Gershwin's music. In the bonus film Seiji Ozawa and Marcus Roberts talk about Gershwin and their music making.
Bonus feature:
Documentary - They Got Rhythm
The Waldbühne in Berlin, one of the most appealing outdoor amphitheatres in Europe, is the home of the Berlin Philharmonic's annual summer concert. With over 22,000 in attendance, these are some of the most popular classical music concerts in the world.
On this recording, Estonian conductor Neeme Järvi takes the audience on a trip through A Thousand and One Nights. Works by Grieg, Rimsky-Korsakov, Nielsen, Saint-Saëns and Massenet explore Arabian images in music. High-ranking soloists like rising star Dutch violinist Janine Jansen join the outstanding orchestra. Neeme Järvi can be counted as one of the world's leading musical personalities, having conducted more than 350 CD productions. Recorded live at the Waldbühne Berlin in 2006, Sheherazade offers a sensational concert to all those who want to relive the atmosphere of a this relaxed and high-quality open-air event.
Every year, the Berliner Philharmoniker hold a kind of classical music fete with a bright, cheerful concert to end the season. In 2009 about 22,000 people came together at the Berlin Waldbuhne to enjoy the traditional summer picnic concert. The theme of the evening was "Russian Rhythms," and star conductor Sir Simon Rattle, the Berliner Philharmoniker and Yefim Bronfman, one of the most famous pianists in the world today, presented a superb selection of Russian music.
The Waldbuhne Concert given by the Berliner Philharmoniker marks the end of the 2009/10 season. More recently visitors to the orchestra's Waldbuhne concerts have been regaled by some of the greatest opera singers of our age, including such operatic legends as Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti, the Mexican tenor Rolando Villazon and the wonderful Russian soprano Anna Netrebko. A further high point in the history of the Waldbuhne concerts was undoubtedly the appearance of the charismatic American soprano Renee Fleming, who brought to this "Night of Love" her soft-toned but richly coloured voice. "It?EUR(TM)s such a beautiful place," she told the Berliner Zeitung. "When you're standing there on the stage, you have the feeling that you can sing into the sky." Concert-goers must have been able to share this feeling when a singer described by the Daily Telegraph as the "queen of the Metropolitan Opera" sang the highly poetical "Song to the Moon" from Dvorak's opera Rusalka and gazed lovingly at the orbiting moon, which had just become visible in the night sky.
The Waldbuhne in Berlin, one of the most appealing outdoor ampitheatres on the European continent, is the home of the Berliner Philharmoniker's summer concerts. With audiences of more than 20,000, these are some of the most popular classical music concerts in the world. Riccardo Chailly is famous for having one of the broadest and most eclectic repertoires. Here, under his baton, the orchestra presents perennial favourites by Shostakovich, Rota and Respighi.
Under the baton of the young Latvian conductor Andris Nelsons, together with the 1st concertmaster Daishin Kashimoto as a soloist, the great Berliner Philharmoniker musically focused on Tchaikovsky . Along with Tchaikovsky's stirring Symphony No. 5 , the program included beguiling shorter works featuring violinist Daishin Kashimoto - the Serenade melancolique in B flat Minor, Waltz-Scherzo in C Major and Souvenir d'un lieu cher .
The charismatic conductor Nelsons has been Music Director of the City of the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra since 2008, enjoying a critically acclaimed first few seasons. Over the next seasons he will continue collaborations with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Wiener Philharmoniker, Het Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest, New York Philharmonic, and others.
First performed in Berlin in 1821, Weber's Der Freischutz quickly became one of the most celebrated German operas, and its overture one of the most popular in all of music literature. The overture follows a symphonic form that determines the thematic unity of the work. Surprisingly innovative for its time, it announces the programmatic works of Berlioz and Liszt, as well as Wagner's first overtures. The fresh and limpid music evokes the fairytale setting of the opera, with its ghosts, evil spirits, seven charmed bullets, loving couple, friendly hermit and happy ending. This recording of the Freischutz Overture dates from 1975 and is part of an overture special directed by Herbert von Karajan and produced with the Berlin Philharmonic for Unitel.
Brass concerts at Christmas are famous in Germany. In Soest, a historic city which once belonged to the Hanseatic League, Christmas music has been ringing from the city's tower on Christmas Day since the Middle Ages.
This is a film of pageantry which shows the full diversity of the world of mountains, with their proud peaks, deep valleys and gorges, forbidding fir forests, and the park of Linderhof, one of the castles built by Ludwig II, the fairytale king of Bavaria. The distant beauty of the mountains is just one of the moods which the film evokes, moods which recall to mind those conveyed by the Romantic artist Caspar David Friedrich, moods which quietly help us in our preparation for the joys of the festive days to come.
The path taken by the film leads us out of the barren isolation of remote upland valleys and the handful of remaining farms, down into the lush, colourful Baroque ornamentation of Bavarian churches, and then finally to the Bavarian National Museum, where some of the most beautiful mangers in the world have been collected.
The Berlin Philhamonic Brass Ensemble journeys through the countryside, from mountain peaks to fortress courtyards whose only illumination is provided by torches. The modern troubadours play rousing, ceremonial music as the spirit...
Brass concerts at Christmas are famous in Germany. In Soest, a historic city which once belonged to the Hanseatic League, Christmas music has been ringing from the city's tower on Christmas Day since the Middle Ages.
This is a film of pageantry which shows the full diversity of the world of mountains, with their proud peaks, deep valleys and gorges, forbidding fir forests, and the park of Linderhof, one of the castles built by Ludwig II, the fairytale king of Bavaria. The distant beauty of the mountains is just one of the moods which the film evokes, moods which recall to mind those conveyed by the Romantic artist Caspar David Friedrich, moods which quietly help us in our preparation for the joys of the festive days to come.
The path taken by the film leads us out of the barren isolation of remote upland valleys and the handful of remaining farms, down into the lush, colourful Baroque ornamentation of Bavarian churches, and then finally to the Bavarian National Museum, where some of the most beautiful mangers in the world have been collected.
The Berlin Philhamonic Brass Ensemble journeys through the countryside, from mountain peaks to fortress courtyards whose only illumination is provided by torches. The modern troubadours play rousing, ceremonial music as the spirit...
Brass concerts at Christmas are famous in Germany. In Soest, a historic city which once belonged to the Hanseatic League, Christmas music has been ringing from the city's tower on Christmas Day since the Middle Ages.
This is a film of pageantry which shows the full diversity of the world of mountains, with their proud peaks, deep valleys and gorges, forbidding fir forests, and the park of Linderhof, one of the castles built by Ludwig II, the fairytale king of Bavaria. The distant beauty of the mountains is just one of the moods which the film evokes, moods which recall to mind those conveyed by the Romantic artist Caspar David Friedrich, moods which quietly help us in our preparation for the joys of the festive days to come.
The path taken by the film leads us out of the barren isolation of remote upland valleys and the handful of remaining farms, down into the lush, colourful Baroque ornamentation of Bavarian churches, and then finally to the Bavarian National Museum, where some of the most beautiful mangers in the world have been collected.
The Berlin Philhamonic Brass Ensemble journeys through the countryside, from mountain peaks to fortress courtyards whose only illumination is provided by torches. The modern troubadours play rousing, ceremonial music as the spirit...
The Berliner Philharmoniker celebrate the last day of the 20th century with Grand Finales in the first part of this extraordinary concert, and herald the leap into 21st century with an explosion of sparkling music in the second half of the programme.
For the Grand Finales, Claudio Abbado conducts masterpieces like the final movement of Beethoven's 7th Symphony , excerpts from Stravinsky's Firebird and the last movement of Mahler's 5th Symphony . The world-famous actor Klaus Maria Brandauer narrates from Arnold Schoenberg's Gurrelieder
A joyful celebration welcoming the New Year, this Gala from Berlin presents the world-renowned Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, in Carl Orff's famous Carmina Burana , an intensely dramatic cantata that remains one of the most widely performed works from the twentieth century. With an exceptional vocal line-up ?EUR" soprano Sally Matthews, tenor Lawrence Brownlee and baritone Christian Gerhaher ?EUR" this is an energetic and thrilling performance. Beethoven's Leonore No. 3 overture and Handel's supreme Hallelujah Chorus are also included.
In November 2007, Daniel Barenboim completed a cycle of Beethoven's piano concertos. Recorded live at the prestigious Klavier-Festival Ruhr in May 2007, this recording reflects both a very individual and special reading of Beethoven's music and the artist's life-long dedication to the composer. Daniel Barenboim is one of the most prolific and high-profile artists performing on international stages today and Beethoven's masterpieces have been a key part of his repertoire throughout his career, both as conductor and as pianist. Beethoven himself was a keyboard virtuoso of almost awesome abilities who created a sensation wherever he played. It is no wonder, therefore, that the piano was central to Beethoven's overall output. Daniel Barenboim, artistic personality and former wunderkind, long an essential part of the international musical scene both on the conductor's podium and at the piano, is the perfect match for this demanding music. Conducting and playing at the same time, Barenboim chose his orchestra of almost two decades, the Staatskapelle Berlin, which he has praised warmly for its exceptional, dark and warm sound. With a tradition reaching back to 1570, the Staatskapelle Berlin is one of the oldest orchestras in the world.
In 2005, the Staatsoper Berlin and its orchestra, the Staatskapelle Berlin under musical director Daniel Barenboim, celebrated a series of events to celebrate the 80th birthday of French conductor and composer Pierre Boulez. Artistically associated for decades with Barenboim and Berlin, Pierre Boulez is one of today's most distinguished composers and conductors. As part of the celebration, Boulez conducted a performance of Mahler's "Resurrection" Symphony at the Berlin Philharmonie. With his uncompromising approach to the score, Pierre Boulez's Mahler readings have long fascinated critics and audiences alike. Boulez eschews the romanticized readings common in performance tradition and, instead, reveals the real joy and terror in Mahler's large-scale symphonies. The Berlin Staatskapelle, singers Diana Damrau and Petra Lang and the Berlin State Opera Chorus joined forces to bring his vision of this gargantuan piece to life. Watching Boulez conducting on his 80th birthday is truly an experience, and his interpretation presents a new perspective on a much-loved symphony.
"Mahler created a new world with each of his symphonies (...) It is a fantastic journey for both of us". With these few words, Daniel Barenboim sums up the vast scope of a project undertaken with his friend Pierre Boulez: two very different world-class conductors tackle all nine completed symphonies of Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) with one orchestra, the Staatskapelle Berlin. Performed as a complete cycle in Berlin, Vienna and New York, the concerts were a tremendous success. The Financial Times even wrote: "New York is going Mahler mad".
In addition to being a fascinating insight into Mahler's symphonic oeuvre, which allows the viewer to uncover the essence of Mahler's music, "The Mahler Project" also features a complete concert recording from the Berliner Philharmonie of the colossal Ninth Symphony , which is considered as the culmination of the Austrian composer's works. Conductor Daniel Barenboim delivers an interpretation which The New York Times proclaimed "a milestone for the Staatskapelle Berlin".
In 2005, the Staatsoper Berlin and its orchestra, the Staatskapelle Berlin under musical director Daniel Barenboim, celebrated a series of events to celebrate the 80th birthday of French conductor and composer Pierre Boulez. Artistically associated for decades with Barenboim and Berlin, Pierre Boulez is one of today's most distinguished composers and conductors. As part of the celebration, Boulez conducted a performance of Mahler's "Resurrection" Symphony at the Berlin Philharmonie. With his uncompromising approach to the score, Pierre Boulez's Mahler readings have long fascinated critics and audiences alike. Boulez eschews the romanticized readings common in performance tradition and, instead, reveals the real joy and terror in Mahler's large-scale symphonies. The Berlin Staatskapelle, singers Diana Damrau and Petra Lang and the Berlin State Opera Chorus joined forces to bring his vision of this gargantuan piece to life. Watching Boulez conducting on his 80th birthday is truly an experience, and his interpretation presents a new perspective on a much-loved symphony.
The program of this Lazar Berman recital recorded in Tokyo in 1988 collects some of the artists most authoritative performances. From Ii>Schumann's Sonata in F-Sharp Minor, Op. 11 to Liszt's Annees de pelerinage and transcription pieces of famous composers such as Wagner and Rachmaninov's Moments musicaux , Berman played a perfect and memorable performance.
Beethoven's Missa solemnis is the one work the composer admired above all his compositions. It was written for his great patron and friend Archduke Rudolf of Austria at around the same time that he embarked on his Ninth Symphony and as the writer Donald Tovey noted, 'there is no choral and no orchestral writing, earlier or later, that shows a more thrilling sense of the individual colour of every chord.
The Creatures of Prometheus , a ballet produced in Vienna in 1801, was not well received at its first performance. Today, aside from the overture, the ballet music is rarely heard. This work was composed during a time of intense personal crisis for Beethoven. In 1801 he wrote a friend, "I am leading a miserable life; for almost two years now I have been avoiding all social functions simply because I feel incapable of telling people that I am deaf." The ballet is based on the myth of the god Prometheus, who stole the fire from the heavens and gave it to mankind, along with the knowledge of arts and sciences. In writing the Prometheus score, Beethoven had to adhere to the conventions of ballet music, which required a chain of relatively short pieces.
This recording is part of Leonard Bernstein’s Beethoven cycle, recorded primarily with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in the early 1980s. Writing in The New York Times, critic John J. O'Connor stated: "As Mr. Bernstein says, there is 'no single body of work in the universe of orchestral music that is in any way comparable to this one.' Conducted with intense dedication and soaring spirits by Mr. Bernstein, these recordings are superb, both visually and aurally."
In the spring of 1810, the Vienna Burgtheater commissioned Beethoven to compose incidental music for a stage production of Goethe's tragedy Egmont. Although Beethoven was a great admirer of Goethe and was profoundly flattered by this commission, he did not complete the music by the time the play was given its premiere on 24 May 1810. Only at the third performance of the play on 15 June was Beethoven's music heard for the first time. Like the Leonore overtures, the Egmont foreshadows the events to come; they are encapsulated in the main theme of defiance of tyranny, which gives the music its explosive power.
Bernstein's impassioned renderings of Beethoven move audiences in a unique way. "Beethoven has always meant universality to me, ever since my early adolescence, when I first heard that unforgettable cry of 'Brüder!' From that moment on, every...symphony came to mean heart-to-heart communication, travelling satellite-fashion via the cosmos itself. I offer [this cycle] to all music-loving ears as a testament of faith and of my most profound reactions to this greatest of all composers" (Leonard Bernstein, 1980).
The Missa solemnis , scored for four solo voices, chorus, orchestra and organ, is one of the world's greatest choral works. It blends an age-old religious service with a musical outpouring of human emotions in an intensely personal manner. As with other musical forms, Beethoven altered, expanded and shaped the mass until it corresponded to his creative needs. Beethoven conceived the mass for a religious occasion, the installation of Archduke Rudolf as Archbishop of Olmütz in 1820. However, he did not complete it in time and the work was given its premiere in St. Petersburg on 7 April 1824. In his score, Beethoven wrote the words "From the heart... may it find its way to the heart" (vom Herzen - möge es wieder zu Herzen gehen!). Indeed, the work's dramatic, almost volcanic fervor never fails to go to the heart of all listeners.
This work is part of the complete cycle of Beethoven symphonic and choral works featuring the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam conducted by Leonard Bernstein. In this recording with the Dutch orchestra, Bernstein also conducts the soloists Edda Moser, Hanna Schwarz, René Kollo and Kurt Moll, along with the Chorus of Radio Hilversum.
The Fourth Symphony was first performed in Vienna in 1807 at the home of one of Beethoven's patrons, Prince Franz Joseph Lobkowitz. Compared with the Third Symphony , the Fourth is more modest and traditional; its style and structure are closer to the Second . The Fourth Symphony is not a monumental work; on the contrary, the orchestra is the smallest for any Beethoven symphony. The gentle harmony and placidity of this symphony prompted the French composer Hector Berlioz to comment about the second movement: "...the being who wrote such a marvel of inspiration... was not human."
This recording is part of Bernstein's complete cycle of Beethoven symphonies recorded with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra live in Vienna. The series won the Ace Award, the U.S. Cable TV Association's top award for outstanding quality and entertainment value. Bernstein's impassioned renderings of Beethoven move audiences in a unique way. "Beethoven has always meant universality to me, ever since my early adolescence, when I first heard that unforgettable cry of 'Brüder!'. From that moment on, every... symphony came to mean heart-to-heart communication, travelling satellite-fashion via the cosmos itself. I offer [this cycle] to all music-loving ears as a testament of faith and of my most...
Nature was often Beethoven's companion during his long solitary walks in the countryside near Vienna. His communion with nature brought forth the Pastoral Symphony , composed between in 1807/1808. Its first performance took place in Vienna on 22 December 1808. Each of the Pastoral 's five movements (it is Beethoven's only five-movement symphony) bears a descriptive title, suggesting a scene from country life. In the second movement, woodwinds imitate bird calls: flute (nightingale), oboe (quail)and clarinet (cuckoo). Beethoven's joy is expressed throughout the work: "How glad I am to be able to roam in woods and thickets, among the trees,flowers and rocks", he said. "No one can love the country as I do... my bad hearing does not trouble me here."
This recording is part of Bernstein's complete cycle of Beethoven symphonies recorded with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra live in Vienna. The series won the Ace Award, the U.S. Cable TV Association's top award for outstanding quality and entertainment value. Bernstein's impassioned renderings of Beethoven move audiences in a unique way. "Beethoven has always meant universality to me, ever since my early adolescence, when I first heard that unforgettable cry of 'Brüder!'. From that moment on, every... symphony came to mean...
The first performance of this work in 1813 was a spectacular event. The long awaited Seventh was completed in May 1812 when the Austrian capital was recovering from the French occupation. The defeat of Napoleon's armies made the concert an occasion for celebration, and this historical event helped ensure the work's enormous popularity and the composer's lasting fame. The Seventh Symphony is one of the best examples of how Beethoven used simple harmonies and filled them with energetic, repetitive rhythms, which never become monotonous because of the fresh harmonic progressions that accompany them.
This recording is part of Bernstein's complete cycle of Beethoven symphonies recorded with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra live in Vienna. The series won the Ace Award, the U.S. Cable TV Association's top award for outstanding quality and entertainment value. Bernstein’s impassioned renderings of Beethoven move audiences in a unique way. "Beethoven has always meant universality to me, ever since my early adolescence, when I first heard that unforgettable cry of 'Brüder!'. From that moment on, every symphony came to mean heart-to-heart communication, travelling satellite-fashion via the cosmos itself. I offer [this cycle] to all music-loving ears as a testament of faith and...
Between 1981 and 1984, Leonard Bernstein recorded nearly all of Brahms's orchestral works with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra to honor the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth in 1833. Today, the cycle is considered as a landmark in the interpretation of Brahms's music. For Bernstein, Brahms was "a true Romantic, containing his passions in classical garb," but also a "North-German classicist swept away to Vienna, and fired by Danubian, Carpathian and gypsy passions." Bearing this dualism in mind, Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic have underscored both the classicism and romanticism, the dramatic intensity and the sober restraint of Brahms's music. The venue was Vienna's Musikvereinssaal, where two of Brahms's symphonies were premiered and where Brahms himself conducted. For the concertos, Bernstein enlisted the services of some of the finest Brahms interpreters of the time: the violinist Gidon Kremer, the cellist Misha Maisky and the pianist Krystian Zimerman.
Between 1981 and 1984, Leonard Bernstein recorded nearly all of Brahms's orchestral works with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra to honor the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth in 1833. Today, the cycle is considered as a landmark in the interpretation of Brahms's music. For Bernstein, Brahms was "a true Romantic, containing his passions in classical garb", but also a "North-German classicist swept away to Vienna, and fired by Danubian, Carpathian and gypsy passions". Bearing this dualism in mind, Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic have underscored both the classicism and romanticism, the dramatic intensity and the sober restraint of Brahms's music. The venue was Vienna's Musikvereinssaal, where two of Brahms's symphonies were premiered and where Brahms himself conducted. For the concertos, Bernstein enlisted the services of some of the finest Brahms interpreters of the time: the violinist Gidon Kremer, the cellist Mischa Maisky and the pianist Krystian Zimerman.
Bernstein's only engagement with the BBC Symphony Orchestra took place in April 1982. Although Bernstein and the orchestra got off to a rocky start, the partnership resulted in perhaps the most controversial and infamous and perhaps the most beautifully intense interpretation of Elgar's Enigma Variations . Most famously, under Bernstein's baton, 'Nimrod' (Variation IX) lasts five minutes and fifteen seconds ?EUR" nearly twice as long as most versions.
Bonus features:
The video also contains the rehearsal of the Enigma Variations at the BBC Studios, and an interview with Leonard Bernstein by Barry Norman about the themes relating to the variations.
Just a few months before his final illness and death, Leonard Bernstein conducted three masterworks by Gustav Mahler in a concert at Vienna's Musikvereinssaal with the Vienna Philharmonic. The program consisted of the Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen , the Ruckertlieder and the Kindertotenlieder . The soloist was the American baritone Thomas Hampson. The trade publication Musik & Theater wrote: "I know of no other baritone today who can profess a similar mastery of these three Mahler song cycles on a vocal, emotional and textually sensitive level ... [It is] a singular vocal accomplishment and a worthy conclusion of Bernstein's extensive Mahler discography."
Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth) was one of Mahler's later symphonic works, written in 1908. Mahler often used the human voice as an adjunct to the orchestra in his symphonic writing. Das Lied von der Erde borrowed as a framework Hans Bethge's German translation of six poems by the 18th-century Chinese poet Li-Tai-Po. The songs have been described as "the valedictory of a man who loved life and nature and who knew the bittersweet nostalgia of passing youth and beauty." The work was recorded at the Frederic Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under Leonard Bernstein. The program's soloists are Christa Ludwig, alto, and René Kollo, tenor.
Just a few months before his final illness and death, Leonard Bernstein conducted three masterworks by Gustav Mahler in a concert at Vienna's Musikvereinssaal with the Vienna Philharmonic. The program consisted of the Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, the Ruckertlieder and the Kindertotenlieder. The soloist was the American baritone Thomas Hampson. The trade publication Musik & Theater wrote: "I know of no other baritone today who can profess a similar mastery of these three Mahler song cycles on a vocal, emotional and textually sensitive level... [It is] a singular vocal accomplishment and a worthy conclusion of Bernstein's extensive Mahler discography."
Just a few months before his final illness and death, Leonard Bernstein conducted three masterworks by Gustav Mahler in a concert at Vienna's Musikvereinssaal with the Vienna Philharmonic. The program consisted of the Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, the Ruckertlieder and the Kindertotenlieder. The soloist was the American baritone Thomas Hampson. The trade publication Musik & Theater wrote: "I know of no other baritone today who can profess a similar mastery of these three Mahler song cycles on a vocal, emotional and textually sensitive level... [It is] a singular vocal accomplishment and a worthy conclusion of Bernstein's extensive Mahler discography."
Leonard Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major re-appreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Gotterdammerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
Mahler's last symphony was begun in the summer of 1910, ostensibly during a serious conjugal crisis, and was left unfinished at the time of the composer's death in Vienna on 18 May 1911. The work was to have consisted of five movements, though it is possible that Mahler might have altered his original plan. And while several attempts have been made to complete the work on the basis of sketches, only the first movement, Adagio , was fully completed by the composer. It is an austere piece, with incisive sonorities and an ethereal beauty.
Leonard Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major re-appreciation of Mahler's works.
Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 2 is the first of Mahler's symphonies to introduce voices - soprano, alto and chorus - into the orchestral texture, and the first to refer explicitly to his songs based on Des Knaben Wunderhorn. This it shares with the symphonies Nos. 3 and 4 as well, which stamps it as the first part of a trilogy. Mahler worked on it from 1888 to 1894 and conducted the first performance in Berlin on 13 December 1895.
Leonard Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major re-appreciation of Mahler's works.
This production with Christa Ludwig, alto, the Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, the Vienna Boys' Choir and the Vienna Philharmonic was recorded at Vienna's Musikvereinssaal in 1972. Leonard Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video.
The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Gotterdammerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Gotterdammerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Gotterdammerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
Long considered as a particularly demanding and difficult work, the Symphony No. 6 in A minor was begun in 1903, completed the following year and premiered in Essen on 27 May 1906. Superficially, it is the most conventional in that it follows the traditional four-movement form and ends in the key in which it begins. Although this key, A minor, is a tragic one in Mahler's oeuvre, the work itself is not a song of despair, but a dense and forceful testimony of furious inner battles whose outcome remains unclear until the very end.
Leonard Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major re-appreciation of Mahler's works.
Leonard Bernstein conducted the work at the Salzburg Festival in 1975 and shortly thereafter in Vienna's Konzerthaus, where it was recorded. The stage of the Konzerthaus was enlarged to make room for the unusually large orchestra, the two choruses, the children's choir and the soloists.
Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Götterdämmerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
Leonard Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Götterdämmerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
Robert Schumann wrote his Cello Concerto in Düsseldorf in only two weeks. He himself did not play the cello, a fact which is immediately apparent from his treatment of the solo part. Passages of sweeping lyricism contrast sharply with excruciatingly difficult technical passages quite unsuited to the instrument. They make the concerto one of the most fearsome in all of cello literature. Schumann never heard the concerto played in public: the first performance did not take place until four years after his death. Recorded in 1985/86 at the Grosser Musikvereinssaal in Vienna, this recording features world-renowned cellist Mischa Maisky as the soloist accompanied by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Leonard Bernstein.
Following the cycles of orchestral works by Mahler, Beethoven and Brahms, Unitel chose to honor Robert Schumann in 1984/85 with this cycle performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein. Schumann's orchestral works are firmly established in the repertoire of the Vienna Philharmonic. The glowing, romantic sound of this orchestra and Leonard Bernstein's expressive interpretation complement each other in an ideal way to produce a perfect rendering of Schumann's symphonic oeuvre. Schumann's four symphonies, his Piano Concerto, the Violoncello Concerto and the Manfred Overture have been filmed and recorded in the "Golden Hall" of the Vienna Musikverein, held to rank acoustically among the world's best halls. The soloists are Justus Frantz, piano, and the cellist Misha Maisky.
Following the cycles of orchestral works by Mahler, Beethoven and Brahms, Unitel chose to honor Robert Schumann in 1984/85 with this cycle performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein. Schumann's orchestral works are firmly established in the repertoire of the Vienna Philharmonic. The glowing, romantic sound of this orchestra and Leonard Bernstein's expressive interpretation complement each other in an ideal way to produce a perfect rendering of Schumann's symphonic oeuvre. Schumann's four symphonies, his Piano Concerto, the Violoncello Concerto and the Manfred Overture have been filmed and recorded in the "Golden Hall" of the Vienna Musikverein, held to rank acoustically among the world's best halls. The soloists are Justus Frantz, piano, and the cellist Misha Maisky.
Following the cycles of orchestral works by Mahler, Beethoven and Brahms, Unitel chose to honor Robert Schumann in 1984/85 with this cycle performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein. Schumann's orchestral works are firmly established in the repertoire of the Vienna Philharmonic. The glowing, romantic sound of this orchestra and Leonard Bernstein's expressive interpretation complement each other in an ideal way to produce a perfect rendering of Schumann's symphonic oeuvre. Schumann's four symphonies, his Piano Concerto, the Violoncello Concerto and the Manfred Overture have been filmed and recorded in the "Golden Hall" of the Vienna Musikverein, held to rank acoustically among the world's best halls. The soloists are Justus Frantz, piano, and the cellist Misha Maisky.
Following the cycles of orchestral works by Mahler, Beethoven and Brahms, Unitel chose to honor Robert Schumann in 1984/85 with this cycle performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein. Schumann's orchestral works are firmly established in the repertoire of the Vienna Philharmonic. The glowing, romantic sound of this orchestra and Leonard Bernstein's expressive interpretation complement each other in an ideal way to produce a perfect rendering of Schumann's symphonic oeuvre. Schumann's four symphonies, his Piano Concerto, the Violoncello Concerto and the Manfred Overture have been filmed and recorded in the "Golden Hall" of the Vienna Musikverein, held to rank acoustically among the world's best halls. The soloists are Justus Frantz, piano, and the cellist Misha Maisky.
In early October 1986, Leonard Bernstein conducted a benefit concert
for the restoration of Vienna's Musikvereinssaal. In this program he led
the Vienna Philharmonic in Shostakovich's Sixth Symphony and Sibelius's Second Symphony.
In the mid 1980s, Unitel began recording a complete cycle of Sibelius symphonies with Leonard Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic. Bernstein's death in 1990 unfortunately cut short this project after the release of Symphonies Nos. 1, 2, 5 and 7. They were recorded live at Vienna's Musikvereinssaal and were the object of stellar reviews. Bernstein, in the words of a leading Austrian daily regarding Symphony No. 1, "painted a canvas of late-Romantic splendor with the Philharmonic's sound – the incomparable brilliancy of the strings, the glowing intensity of the brass – in a way that only the greatest conductors can." And in its review of the Second Symphony, a major Viennese newspaper wrote: "For the sake of Jean Sibelius, Leonard Bernstein leaps with fanatical zeal into the heaving waves of late Romantic emotions." It is not surprising that Leonard Bernstein felt so passionately about Sibelius's music. In many respects, it strikingly parallels that of Gustav Mahler. In fact, Sibelius's oeuvre is seen along with Gustav Mahler's as the most important symphonic legacy between late Romanticism and modernity. And as Mahler's glowing advocate, Bernstein was suited like none other to disseminate the music of his great colleague Jean Sibelius.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
This memorial concert took place at the Royal Albert Hall in April 1972 on the first anniversary of the death of Igor Stravinsky, 'that last great father-figure of Western music' (Leonard Bernstein). Bernstein called it an homage to Stravinsky's universality and chose the three featured masterpieces for their suggestion of 'the extraordinary range of his art'. Conducted by Bernstein, this electrifying, unique event is now being re-introduced to the public in DVD form.
These sensational accounts of The Rite of Spring and Sibelius's Symphony No. 5 were filmed for the BBC's historic Symphonic Twilight series, which introduced the British public to Leonard Bernstein's electrifying conducting. In performances that are thrilling and energetic, but also subtle and sensitive, Bernstein demonstrates his supreme understanding of these twentieth-century masterworks.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historical performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on here for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
Among the operas composed by Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826), only Der Freischutz still enjoys unbroken popularity on the world's stages today. Other operas, such as Euryanthe , which he worked on for about two years in the early 1820s, were popular in their day but did not establish themselves in the repertoires of major opera houses. Although the opera Euryanthe contains many musical gems, it is its overture that is most often played today, a rousing work with gallant tunes, lyrical melodies and even some early Romantic ghost music. Leonard Bernstein conducts the Vienna Philharmonic in this recording produced at the Grosser Musikvereinssaal in Vienna in 1983.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
This memorial concert took place at the Royal Albert Hall in April 1972 on the first anniversary of the death of Igor Stravinsky, 'that last great father-figure of Western music' (Leonard Bernstein). Bernstein called it an homage to Stravinsky's universality and chose the three featured masterpieces for their suggestion of 'the extraordinary range of his art'. Conducted by Bernstein, this electrifying, unique event is now being re-introduced to the public in DVD form.
The outstanding and deeply touching performance of Verdi's Messa da Requiem was recorded at the Parco Ducale of Parma, within the 2020 Edition of Festival Verdi. The concert was dedicated to the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic and all the health workers engaged in the emergency.
Here are conductor Roberto Abbado's words to describe this Verdian masterpiece: "I think that Verdi felt the need to compose a sacred work to deal with some themes that, as he got older, he felt very strongly about. They are themes that every human being sooner or later asks themselves. Verdi is not afraid to show that he fears death, and therefore his approach is extremely humble and human, showing some of the frailties we all have. How does the Messa da Requiem end? It ends, in my opinion, with a huge question mark. Basically, I believe, Verdi, like many of us, cannot answer these questions. I, myself, cannot answer them."
When, in the mid 1960s, Herbert von Karajan decided to record on film all nine Beethoven symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic, he began with the Fifth and asked the famous French movie director Henri-Georges Clouzot (Quai des Orfèvres) to direct. Recognizing in the music-loving director a kindred soul and master of the symbolic image, Karajan found an inspired partner. In another of Karajan's first efforts, he asked six directors to "stage" one movement each of a Beethoven symphony. For a full week, the directors had the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von Karajan – all in full dress – at their disposal, with all the 35mm film, cameras, lighting and technical assistance they needed. Karajan's most controversial production was Hugo Niebeling's highly personal interpretation of the Pastorale , with its abstract shots of instruments, rapid rhythms, fade-ins and symbolically arranged colors. Some critics raved: "This music film could have been made by Antonioni, Fellini or Godard." Karajan pursued his plan with tenacity, and the result is a milestone in the history of music on film: all nine Beethoven symphonies recorded at the peak of Karajan's powers, unified by the performers but varied through the artistic vision of different directors.
Little is known about the origin of the Mass No. 6 other than that Schubert wrote it in 1828, just a few months before his death. He does not seem to have had a specific performance in mind, and the work was only premiered in November 1829, a year after his death. Critics have since given the Mass an honored place among the composer's great works, many ranking it as his finest church composition. Although Schubert calls for five soloists (soprano, alto, two tenors and bass), the Mass is essentially a choral Mass. The composer calls for a large orchestra, including three trombones, but he omits the flutes and keeps the violins in their lower register, thereby giving the piece a dark, shaded tone.
Schubert's E flat major Mass was recorded at the Court Music Chapel (Hofmusikkapelle) in Vienna in June 1976. The eminent conductor Karl Böhm leads the Vienna Philharmonic and the male choir of the Hofmusikkapelle. The upper registers are provided by the world-renowned Vienna Boys' Choir. The distinguished soloists are Walter Berry, Peter Schreier and Hans Krenn.
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 11: A Hero's Life in Music
Strauss' orchestral autobiography from 1899 is unique documentary in music, scored for extra-large orchestra - a sonic spectacular, and a showcase for the All-Star musicians. In this highly pictorial music, the listener follows the Hero as he asserts his independence, falls in love, confronts his critics, engages in battle, creates a legacy of peace, and eventually comes to life's end.
Program 12: Mozart and A World Premiere
Mozart's magical Posthorn Serenade is paired with the world-premiere of Samuel Jones' Violin Concerto with Anne Akiko Meyers performing on the legendary Vieuxtemps Guarneri del Gesu violin. This rare event showcases the collaboration between composer, soloist, and conductor in bringing a...
The famous Thomanerchor Leipzig ?EUR" a traditional specialist in Bach's choral music ?EUR" is joined by the superb Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and excellent soloists to perform one of Bach's most acclaimed pieces of religious choral music, the Mass in B Minor .
Recorded in the Thomaskirche in Leipzig in summer 2000, this was one of numerous performances to celebrate the 250th anniversary of J.S. Bach's death in the church where he served as musical director. The artistry of the performers under the assured baton of conductor George Christoph Biller is exemplary and the state-of-the-art filming shows the serene gothic church in full splendour ?EUR" a fitting backdrop for the work that is generally regarded as the crowning glory of Bach's sacred choral music; a majestic work that showcases Bach's supreme craftsmanship and skill as a choral composer.
In Spring 2009, the year of Joseph Haydn , Xavier de Maistre was invited to the Esterhazy Castle in Eisenstadt, where the composer officiated nearly thirty years. After an introduction in which he plays a solo Fantasy on a Theme of Haydn by Marcel Grandjany , we find with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Bertrand de Billy performing the Haydn Concerto in D Major . The solo pieces Mandolin by Elias Parish-Alvars and Arabesque No. 1 by Claude Debussy complete this performance.
Bathed in the warm light of the setting sun, Vienna's imperial Schonbrunn Palace provides a romantic setting for this open-air concert held shortly before the final match of the Euro 2008 football championship. And shining even more brightly than the palace are the stars of the evening, Anna Netrebko, Rolando Villazon and Placido Domingo.
The trio's first joint concert, given at Berlin's Waldbuhne for the 2006 football World Cup, was awarded platinum status for sales of over 50,000 DVDs in Germany and over 100,000 worldwide. The Schonbrunn concert also broke records with 3.3 million viewers watching the concert live or deferred in Germany and Austria.
Netrebko "beguiles the audience" (Neue Kronen-Zeitung) with a heady rendition of a number from the operetta Csardasfurstin and lets herself be swept off her feet in a waltz with her duet partner Placido Domingo. The great tenor himself regales the audience with his "golden tones" (Die Presse) and "vocal youthfulness" (Suddeutsche Zeitung) in excerpts from Massenet and Wagner. Villazon "dazzles with bravura arias" (Wiener Zeitung), duets and a fiery zarzuela encore. In an emotional homage to Vienna, the trio performs the immortal "Wien, Wien nur du allein." Other gems include Rimsky-Korsakov's "The Rose and the Nightingale,"...
This recording captures the Vienna Boys' Choir's fitting celebration of Mozart's 250th birthday in January 2006. Together with well known Mozart interpreters like Sandrine Piau, they sing Mozart's finest sacred works, including the Coronation Mass. The Choir is one of the best-known musical institutions in Vienna. Since its founding over 500 years ago, it has been a significant fixture in musical life worldwide. Many famous composers and musicians had close ties to the Vienna Boys' Choir - Joseph Haydn and Franz Schubert were even members of the choir as children and Mozart, while not a choirboy himself, did perform with the choir. The venue is St. Stephen's Cathedral, where Mozart and his wife were married, where one of their sons was christened and where the funeral ceremony after Mozart's death took place.
Bonus features:
- Mozart in Vienna - Mozart's most critical years in Vienna. Examining the authentic Mozart sites in Vienna such as the Mozart House at Domgasse 5 (Figaro-Haus), the Theater an der Wien and the Stephansdom helps put into focus Mozart's special connection to the city and the Viennese relationship to Mozart.
Daniel Barenboim established the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra with the late Palestinian writer Edward Said in order to bring together young musicians from across the political divide in the Middle East. Their hope was that music would heal and help to bring understanding and tolerance of different beliefs and cultures.The award-winning documentary was produced and directed by Paul Smaczny. The Ramallah Concert was a live recording at the Place of Culture in Ramallah, 21 August 2005.
The Facebook Live Q&A event, with violinist Tianwa Yang and conductor Jun Markl moderated by Raymond Bisha , and it features the artists' recent Naxos release of Violin Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 by Prokofiev .
On the closing day of the IC2017 Contemporary Song Festival, a special world premiere concert will be presented at Asia Society Hong Kong Center with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology featuring the critically acclaimed New York Festival of Song (NYFOS).
Artistic Director, Bright Sheng , will be joined by Judith Weir , Master of the Queen's Music; Michael Barrett , renowned pianist, conductor, and co-founder and associate artistic director of NYFOS; together with guest vocal artists of NYFOS, including soprano Amy Owens, mezzo-soprano Katherine Pracht, tenor Jonathan Blalock, and baritone Tobias Greenhalgh. Guest artists Amy Sze, pianist, and Isaac Droscha, baritone; and four Composer Fellows selected through an international call-for-scores.
This special program includes works inspired by Asian and Chinese literary themes as well as selections from Bright Sheng's acclaimed new opera, Dream of the Red Chamber (libretto by David Henry Hwang and Mr. Sheng), which receives its Asia Premiere at the 45th Hong Kong Arts Festival.
The choir and the orchestra of the Bach Collegium Japan perform the St John's Passion with a small ensemble - as was customary in the composer's time - under Masaaki Suzuki, former student of one of the nestors of authentic interpretation, Ton Koopman. One of the greatest musical treatments of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ receives a performance that is musically precise and stylistically close to what we now know of Bach's ideal. The Bach Collegium Japan has been regarded for some years now as a real discovery among baroque ensembles specialising in the performance of sacred music from the Baroque and Masaaki Suzuki, who conducts and plays the harpsichord, is a complete and thorough musician, deeply involved in the emotional overtones of the music as well as technical questions of tempo, balance, and phrasing. Recorded live from The Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Japan during the Bach Anniversary Year 2000 on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the death of J.S. Bach.
Leonard Bernstein conducted the work at the Salzburg Festival in 1975 and shortly thereafter in Vienna's Konzerthaus, where it was recorded. The stage of the Konzerthaus was enlarged to make room for the unusually large orchestra, the two choruses, the children's choir and the soloists.
Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Götterdämmerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
One can vividly imagine the musical spectacle of the Abendmusiken, as it finds expression in the bass cantata Ich bin die Auferstehung und das Leben . Here Jesus is portrayed in the form of the bass singer in the St. John's Gospel's narrative of The Raising of Lazarus (Chapter XI, vv. 25-26), which is the reading for the 16th Sunday after Trinity.
Bearing in mind the Resurrection, this church concert may very well have been used to celebrate Christ's victory over death on Easter Sunday, as Buxtehude's use of the military instruments zink and trumpet could imply. Christ's words about the believer's life after death: "der wird leben, ob er gleich sturbe" (though he were dead, yet shall he live) is delivered rhetorically as recitative, after which the contrast between death and life is presented with imaginative dramatics in the following instrumental section.
Ich bin die Auferstehung und das Leben, like the great majority of Buxtehude's vocal music, has been preserved in the Duben Collection, into which it was copied in 1683. It was via Lubeck merchants and Baltic traders that the Swedish court kapellmeister Gustav Duben was supplied with manuscripts of music by, among others, Buxtehude to the court of Stockholm.
With this, his only Bach recording, Herbert Blomstedt pays homage to Bach and the city of Leipzig. The video was recorded in 2005 at the Leipzig Bach Festival, which is widely regarded as the world's leading festival celebrating Johann Sebastian Bach. This concert of Bach's masterwork, at the end of his tenure as the 18th Gewandhauskapellmeister did not really mark the end of Blomstedt's fruitful collaboration with the traditional orchestra. The Swedish conductor will continue to act as an honorary musical director to the ensemble. Performed with leading Bach singers at St. Thomas' Church, Leipzig, the church for which Bach conceived his works, this homage to Bach was a touching farewell to Herbert Blomstedt from his Leipzig audience.
Bonus feature:
- Bach and his B minor Mass: An introduction by Herbert Blomstedt
The special chemistry between the Swedish conductor Herbert Blomstedt and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra stems from one of the most outstanding artistic partnerships in the music life of Scandinavia. Blomstedt was the very first chief conductor of the Danish orchestra and is today its honorary conductor - and the partnership is now in its seventh decade!
This video celebrates Herbert Blomstedt's profound insight into the symphonic worlds of Franz Schubert and Anton Bruckner , unfolding in Denmark's historic Roskilde Cathedral. Blomstedt's dream of conducting in this dazzling acoustic came true at a memorable concert in 2007, now made available for fans of the conductor and his Danish orchestra to enjoy worldwide.
In 2022, Musiques en fete celebrates love in music! with the 8,000 spectators at the Theatre Antique in Orange for an amazing show! Opera, operetta, musical comedy, classical music, film music, dance, as well as the greatest hits of French song... Through an eclectic programme, a tribute to love and to all music will be paid by prestigious soloists and more than 150 orchestral musicians and choral artists.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world’s greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
The key of C minor was Beethoven's "Storm and Stress" key, that of some of his most dramatic and heroic works, such as the Fifth Symphony and the Pathetique Sonata . Composed around 1800, the Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37 displays an emotional intensity that marks it as one of the first of Beethoven's mature and individual major works. As if to show that the keyboard was too narrow for his ideas, Beethoven rewrote some of the piano part in 1804 to incorporate the extra notes that had been added to the keyboard in the first years of the century. The simple but assertive opening theme of the first movement is treated with bold imaginativeness. The Largo sets the stage for a true dialogue between the piano and the orchestra, which culminates in the almost aggressive earnestness of the Rondo .
Maurizio Pollini is one of the most distinguished pianists of our time, who has performed with the world's leading orchestras. A committed advocate of contemporary music, Pollini frequently performs works by Schoenberg, Berg, Webern, Nono, Boulez and Stockhausen. However, he has also given complete cycles of the Beethoven sonatas in Berlin, Milan, New York, Munich and other cities. On the occasion of a performance of the Beethoven concertos at New York's Carnegie Hall,...
Karl Bohm heads the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in this performance of the Minuet, K. 409, written in Vienna towards 1782. It was presumably composed for a performance of the Symphony in C major, K. 338 in Vienna's Augarten in May 1782. Let us recall that the autograph of the Symphony, K. 338, written in Salzburg, contained only the beginning of a minuet, which was then crossed out. The more progressive Viennese public preferred four-movement works, which might explain the origin of this minuet, one of Mozart's most imaginative and beguiling.
Karl Bohm was universally acclaimed for his Mozart interpretations. Though Wagner was one of Bohm's first loves, his friendship with Richard Strauss led to a deep knowledge and appreciation of Mozart. In his autobiography, Bohm wrote that "Richard Strauss revealed to me the ultimate secrets of this, in my opinion, greatest of all musical geniuses, Mozart." Bohm's discovery of these secrets transformed his Mozart interpretations into unforgettable events.
Karl Böhm leads the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in this little work
written by Mozart in Salzburg in January 1776. What sets this work apart from other serenades is its scoring for two small orchestras, which produces a deliberate echo effect. One can almost imagine the courtly guests bantering amidst the two groups of players at the opposite ends of a grand salon. Although the work begins with a march, called "Marcia maestoso," it soon gives up all martial pretenses for lightness and grace. The final Rondo is particularly spirited and frisky, with episodes of a nature that must have made more than one guest stop mid-conversation!
Karl Böhm was universally acclaimed for his Mozart interpretations. Though Wagner was one of Böhm's first loves, his friendship with Richard Strauss led to a deep knowledge and appreciation of Mozart. In his autobiography, Böhm wrote that "Richard Strauss revealed to me the ultimate secrets of this, in my opinion, greatest of all musical geniuses, Mozart." Böhm's discovery of these secrets transformed his Mozart interpretations into unforgettable events.
Filmed mainly in Vienna's splendid Musikvereinssaal, the Mozart symphonies conducted by Karl Böhm are all interpreted by one of the world's foremost orchestras, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, whose principal conductors have included Wilhelm Furtwängler, Bruno Walter, Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado and, of course, Karl Böhm. "Thanks to Bruno Walter's exemplary performances, particularly of Mozart's works, I grabbed on to Mozart and fell in love with him so much that I had only one wish: to conduct Mozart, Mozart, Mozart" (Karl Böhm).
Mozart wrote his first symphony in London in 1764/65 at the age of 8. The boy sought his inspiration above all in the works of a German composer who had settled in London: Johann Christian Bach, the youngest son of the great Johann Sebastian, who became a lifelong friend of Mozart and exerted a strong influence on his style. The work reflects the Italian opera buffa atmosphere of the young symphonic genre, and its freshness and experimental delight in sonorities anticipate the inventiveness and mastery of Mozart's later works.
Karl Böhm was universally acclaimed for his Mozart interpretations. Though Wagner was one of Böhm's first loves, his friendship with Richard Strauss led to a deep knowledge and appreciation of Mozart. In his...
Filmed mainly in Vienna's splendid Musikvereinssaal, the Mozart symphonies conducted by Karl Bohm are all interpreted by one of the world's foremost orchestras, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, whose principal conductors have included Wilhelm Furtwangler, Bruno Walter, Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado and, of course, Karl Bohm. "Thanks to Bruno Walter's exemplary performances, particularly of Mozart's works, I grabbed on to Mozart and fell in love with him so much that I had only one wish: to conduct Mozart, Mozart, Mozart" (Karl Bohm).
Like the "Little" G minor Symphony, K. 183, the Symphony in C major, K. 200 is also one of the early "Salzburg" symphonies. Its originality places it on a par with the G minor work. The onward-rushing, sharply profiled theme prefigured an evolution which led to a more individual characterization of the melodies and to a more thorough exploitation of their combinative possibilities. While the muted strings and "sigh" motifs of the Andante point to techniques Mozart was to perfect in later works, the final sprightly Presto recalls the structure of the opening movement, thus rounding off the work in an admirable fashion.
Karl Böhm was universally acclaimed for his Mozart interpretations. Though Wagner was one of Bohm's first loves, his...
Filmed mainly in Vienna's splendid Musikvereinssaal, the Mozart symphonies conducted by Karl Bohm are all interpreted by one of the world's foremost orchestras, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, whose principal conductors have included Wilhelm Furtwangler, Bruno Walter, Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado and, of course, Karl Bohm. "Thanks to Bruno Walter's exemplary performances, particularly of Mozart's works, I grabbed on to Mozart and fell in love with him so much that I had only one wish: to conduct Mozart, Mozart, Mozart" (Karl Bohm).
The G minor Symphony is undoubtedly Mozart's most popular work in this genre. What makes it so exciting to us – and what endeared this work to 19th-century audiences – are its relentless passion and romantic tension. The very first bars set the scene: above a nervous, pulsating viola accompaniment enters an equally agitated principal theme. There is nothing spectacular here, and yet the piano beginning – unusual for an 18th-century symphony – and the insistent rhythm are nothing less than gripping. The mastery with which Mozart then contrapuntally exploits the opening theme is simply breathtaking – particularly in the development section, which darts out into the most distant keys. After the profoundly...
Filmed mainly in Vienna's splendid Musikvereinssaal, the Mozart symphonies conducted by Karl Bohm are all interpreted by one of the world's foremost orchestras, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, whose principal conductors have included Wilhelm Furtwangler, Bruno Walter, Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado and, of course, Karl Bohm. "Thanks to Bruno Walter's exemplary performances, particularly of Mozart's works, I grabbed on to Mozart and fell in love with him so much that I had only one wish: to conduct Mozart, Mozart, Mozart" (Karl Bohm).
Mozart's last symphony is a solemn and formal work which looks back to the past more than its two fellow works K. 504 and 550. It contains strong reminiscences of Baroque forms like the fugue and the concerto grosso in its opposition of clear-cut themes and the interplay of solo and tutti groups. Particularly the last movement is one of the most impressive in symphonic literature because of its unique blend of melodic flow and "scholarly" fugal treatment. Although not truly a fugue, the movement incorporates some exciting imitative work. The theme was well known and often used in the 18th century. Mozart himself used it in two of his masses and in the Symphony, K. 319. The "Jupiter" Symphony, a truly Olympian work, must be viewed together...
Little is known about the origin of the Mass No. 6 other than that Schubert wrote it in 1828, just a few months before his death. He does not seem to have had a specific performance in mind, and the work was only premiered in November 1829, a year after his death. Critics have since given the Mass an honored place among the composer's great works, many ranking it as his finest church composition. Although Schubert calls for five soloists (soprano, alto, two tenors and bass), the Mass is essentially a choral Mass. The composer calls for a large orchestra, including three trombones, but he omits the flutes and keeps the violins in their lower register, thereby giving the piece a dark, shaded tone.
Schubert's E flat major Mass was recorded at the Court Music Chapel (Hofmusikkapelle) in Vienna in June 1976. The eminent conductor Karl Böhm leads the Vienna Philharmonic and the male choir of the Hofmusikkapelle. The upper registers are provided by the world-renowned Vienna Boys' Choir. The distinguished soloists are Walter Berry, Peter Schreier and Hans Krenn.
In the throes of his mortal illness, Franz Schubert (1797-1828) heroically succeeded in putting to paper his splendid last symphony, whose "divine lengths" are truly unique. Composed in 1825/26, Schubert's largest symphonic work lay nearly untouched for a decade after his death, finally catching the attention of Robert Schumann in 1838 and receiving its first performance one year later by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy in the Leipzig Gewandhaus. In marked contrast to the equally-beloved "Unfinished" Symphony, Schubert devises a labyrinth of harmonies in a piece full of artless directness and joyful dance-like rhythms. Echoes of the visionary secrets of Romanticism surface from the depths of the work, only to be washed away by the inexorable current of the melodies. Never did Schubert write with such a lavish and impetuous hand than in his Ninth Symphony: "...it bears the eternal seed of youth within it" (Robert Schumann).
Karl Böhm conducts the Wiener Symphoniker in this recording made in the mid 1960s.
The String Sextets Nos. 1 and 2 , composed in 1860 and 1864 were instrumental in cementing the composer's reputation, and they epitomize the melodic richness and compositional craftsmanship that would define all his chamber music. The first is full of life and colour; the second, with its beautiful Poco adagio at its heart, captures a characteristic chiaroscuro of texture and colour so typical of Brahms .
Spirits of Music is an unusual musical journey through centuries and cultures, featuring multiple Grammy Award winner Bobby McFerrin , violin virtuoso Nigel Kennedy , soprano Sibylla Rubens and the Gewandhaus Orchestra with music from Bach to Mozart and Verdi . Magnificent examples of religious music come from artists as Kroke the Kuumba Singers, Mari Boine, Bulgarian Voices Angelite and the Ensemble Al-Kindi one of the best formations devoted to classical Arab music. This extraordinary musical journey, which took place on one evening at the Leipzig Market Square is completed by the Cuban a capella group Vocal Sampling, consisting of musicians from Havana's National Superior Institute of arts, who are celebrating their very own interpretation of Afro-Cuban music.
Brahm's Ein Deutsches Requiem , composed between 1861 and 1869, continues to inspire musicians and audiences to this day. His requiem is addressed to the living, who are to be offered comfort in this world freed from fear of death.
This outstanding performance of A German Requiem was recorded in the Grand Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna to mark the centenary of the death of Johannes Brahms.
Recorded live in the Museum Quarter in Vienna in January 2006, this concert was inspired by the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose 250th birthday made this year a celebratory Mozart Anniversary all over the world. With artists like singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, rock flutist Ian Anderson (formerly of Jethro Tull), the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and conductor Andrey Boreyko, this musical event proved to be a true crossover experience. All outstanding musical personalities in their field, the performers interpret Mozart's compositions in their personal musical languages whilst preserving the fascinating original spirit of Mozart. They produce a rousing, electrifying melange of classical, jazz and pop culture that shows that the impact of Mozart's music reaches far beyond the boundaries of classical music and can still reach the broad public of the 21st century. This is a must for crossover enthusiasts in the Mozart Year!
On 10 October 2004, the Teatro Regio celebrated the birthday of Giuseppe Verdi by holding a concert featuring some of the most important artists and singers of the international music scene. The performance was part of an intended annual series in which extracts from each of Verdi's operas would be performed in chronological order to offer an analytic and comprehensive panorama of his output, and the concerts would bring to the stage the most acclaimed stars of the operatic world. The great baritone Leo Nucci and the famous tenor Jose Cura are featured in this video, and Renato Palumbo, musical director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, conducts.
On 10 October 2004, the Teatro Regio celebrated the birthday of Giuseppe Verdi by holding a concert featuring some of the most important artists and singers of the international music scene. The performance was part of an intended annual series in which extracts from each of Verdi's operas would be performed in chronological order to offer an analytic and comprehensive panorama of his output, and the concerts would bring to the stage the most acclaimed stars of the operatic world. The great baritone Leo Nucci and the famous tenor Jose Cura are featured in this video, and Renato Palumbo, musical director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, conducts.
Described as "the quartet world's most distinguished ensemble," the Borodin Quartet celebrated its 65th anniversary with a sold-out concert at the Wigmore Hall, London, a week before this live recording from the Cité de la Musique in Paris. Following the performance the Financial Times wrote that "today's Borodin Quartet has lost nothing of its old authority." The quartet plays with warmth, commitment and obvious enjoyment.
The ICA Classics Live series features performances from ICA's own artists recorded in prestigious venues around the world. The majority of the recordings are enjoying their first commercial release.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents an historic account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This video features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their music director, Charles Munch.
This performance of extracts from The Creatures of Prometheus is a rare one, Munch having only conducted the ballet at the BSO in one season. He breathes life into his performances of Symphonies Nos. 4 and 5, which are executed with excitement, exuberance and panache.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents an historic account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This recording features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their Music Director, Charles Munch.
Munch gave extensive performances of Brahms' Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2 during his time at the Boston Symphony, particularly during the orchestra's many national and international tours. His readings of both works exhibit his characteristic energy and enthusiasm, which, coupled with the BSO's distinctive sound, makes for a captivating recording.
A compelling performance of Bruckner's Symphony No. 8, this video presents Steinberg at his most majestic in a sympathetic interpretation of this mighty work. The Boston Symphony Orchestra is once again on top form, as testified by a rapturous Sanders Theatre audience.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents an historic account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This series features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their Music Director, William Steinberg.
While the material has been restored using the greatest care and state-of-the-art techniques, certain visual artefacts and distortions remain in some instances due to the age of the film. Despite this, it remains of exceptional musical interest and historic value and is released here for the first time.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This video features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their Music Director, Charles Munch.
Celebrated for his performances of French music, Munch was an authority on the works featured on this video, all of which were composed during his lifetime. More than fifty years later, his recordings of French music remain a permanent standard of reference.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents a historical account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This video features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their Music Director Charles Munch.
While the material has been restored using the greatest care and state-of-the-art techniques, certain visual artefacts and distortions remain in some instances due to the age of the film. Despite this, it remains of exceptional musical interest and historic value.
Programmed by Munch during his years at the Boston Symphony but never recorded, his renderings of the two works featured on this video are exciting and spontaneous with the kind of precision and flair we have come to expect from the BSO under the buoyant direction of their charismatic music director.
Leinsdorf's recordings of Mahler's symphonies on RCA Victor became benchmarks for both sound and performance quality. Intense, warm and expressive, this rendition of Mahler's First Symphony is a deeply personal account, whilst Till Eulenspiegel - a party piece during Leinsdorf's tenure - is performed with great precision and finesse by the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents an historic account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This video features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their Music Director, Erich Leinsdorf.
While the material has been restored using the greatest care and state-of-the-art techniques, certain visual artefacts and distortions remain in some instances due to the age of the film. Despite this, it remains of exceptional musical interest and historic value and is released here for the first time on DVD.
This rare audiovisual footage presents Klaus Tennstedt at the height of his very special relationship with the Boston Symphony Orchestra during his prime recording period. Joyous Mozart is combined with evocative Mahler, both performed with the greatest sensitivity and conviction.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents an historic account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This video features only the second public release of a full-length symphonic work with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Klaus Tennstedt and the third available with this mighty conductor.
While the material has been restored using the greatest care and state-of-the-art techniques, certain visual artefacts and distortions remain in some instances due to the age of the film. Despite this, it remains of exceptional musical interest and historic value.
Characteristically lively renditions, Charles Munch's interpretations of both Mendelssohn symphonies are energetic and precise with excellent articulation from the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents a historic account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This video features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their Music Director, Charles Munch.
While the material has been restored using the greatest care and state-of-the-art techniques, certain visual artefacts and distortions remain in some instances due to the age of the film. Despite this, it remains of exceptional musical interest and historic value and is released here for the first time on video.
The BSO's Music Director for seven seasons, Leinsdorf had a long and distinguished career, having worked at the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Cleveland Orchestra and Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra in addition to his tenure at the BSO. A particular favourite of Leinsdorf's, the Schumann is powerful and precise under his direction, whilst the "Good Friday Music" is a warm and sensitive rendition from a great Wagnerian conductor. Schubert's Ninth Symphony is a new addition to his discography.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents an historic account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This video features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their Music Director, Erich Leinsdorf.
While the material has been restored using the greatest care and state-of-the-art techniques, certain visual artefacts and distortions remain in some instances due to the age of the film. Despite this, it remains of exceptional musical interest and historic value and is released here for the first time on video.
A great admirer of Schumann's Second Symphony, Charles Munch programmed the work in four different Boston Symphony Orchestra seasons, taking it on tour on each occasion. He never recorded the symphony with the BSO nor with any other orchestra, which makes this exciting video a new addition to his discography.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents an historic account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This video features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their Music Director, Charles Munch.
While the material has been restored using the greatest care and state-of-the-art techniques, certain visual artefacts and distortions remain in some instances due to the age of the film. Despite this, it remains of exceptional musical interest and historic value and is released here for the first time.
This 1969 performance of Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony has been the object of some attention from internet bloggers, with one site
featuring an almost complete audio recording of the performance. Readers were astonished at the intensity and drive behind Erich Leinsdorf's interpretation.
Bonus features:
A live performance at Sanders Theatre, Harvard in 1963, Leinsdorf and the BSO performed the second movement of Mozart's Serenade No. 9 in D Major, K. 320 .
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents an historic account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This video features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their Music Director, Charles Munch.
All three works featured on this video are well suited to Munch and his Alsatian heritage. He received prolonged and enthusiastic applause from the Boston audience following the performance of Franck's Symphony in D minor, whilst the Faure Pelleas et Melisande shows him as a true master of French music.
The remarkable British tenor, Ian Bostridge , is one of the world's most sought-after Lieder singers. Pianist Roger Vignoles is his accompanist for this recital of Lieder by Franz Schubert and Hugo Wolf . The strength of feeling and individuality of voice and presence that Bostridge brings to composers settings of poetry by von Collin, Goethe, von Bruchmann and Morike, demonstrates why, in Germany, he is hailed as a true German singer. His command of the nuances of the texts is masterful.
This live performance from the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris is intercut with informal backstage interviews in which Bostridge and Vignoles introduce their choice of music. Their lively and informative comments are a real bonus, fostering an appreciation and understanding of the repertoire and giving an insight into the art of the recitalist.
It would be hard to imagine a more seductive hero, a more passionate performer, a more glorious interpreter of the great Romantic roles of Verdi and Puccini than Rolando Villazon. Yet the singer's temporary withdrawal from the spotlight in 2007 opened up a wealth of new possibilities for the singer. Among the "new paths" that Villazon envisioned for the future were "adventures" such as Baroque music. Next to a recording of works by the early Baroque composer Claudio Monteverdi, he now offers a selection of arias by George Frideric Handel.
This intimate concert featuring Villazon and the Gabrieli Players under Paul McCreesh was filmed in a setting that ideally suits the style of the music, St. Paul's Church in Deptford, near London, one of Britain's finest Baroque churches. It was built between 1712 and 1730, almost exactly when Handel was writing his most celebrated operas and oratorios.
Villazon proves that he is a master of dazzling coloratura, virtuoso runs and expressive cantabile melodies. Among the highlights of the concert – which also includes two purely orchestral works – are the beloved arioso "Ombra mai fu" from Serse , Grimoaldo's aria "Pastorello d'un povero armento" from Rodelinda , the lyrical, longing "Scherza infida" from Ariodante , and...
An all Bartok programme featuring one of the leading violinists - Gidon Kremer - and one of the world's leading viola players - Yuri Bashmet. Accompanied by the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Pierre Boulez.
Bela Bartok's Dance Suite is an orchestral work composed in 1923 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the union between Buda, Pest and Obuda. At that time, three composers were commissioned new scores: Bela Bartok composed his Dance Suite, Erno Dohnanyi composed the Festival Overture and Zoltan Kodaly composed his Psalmus Hungaricus . Rejecting any kind of nationalism, Bartok draws freely his inspiration from Romanian, Arabian and Hungarian folk music for his piece.
Dedicated to the violinist Stefi Geye, the Violin and Orchestra Concerto No. 1 is one of the two concertos composed by Bela Bartok. The concerto avoids the traditional concerto's division in three movements and opts for a two-part division, the former being slow, the latter fast. Though the Violin Concerto No. 1 was composed in 1907, it was only published in 1959 thanks to Paul Sacher.
During July and August 1945, Bartok composed his Viola Concerto when he was in terminal leukemia. This concerto, unfinished at the composer's death, is the last work composed by Bartok. His pupil Tibor Serly...
On the occasion of Bruckner's 100th day of death, Pierre Boulez conducts his eighth Symphony. The performance took place in the Stiftskirche of St. Florian where Bruckner was first exposed to the learnings of music. Boulez' much discussed interpretation is unique in its clarity of the musical structure without losing the rich expression of the symphony.
The marvellous Portuguese pianist Maria Joao Pires was joined by Pierre Boulez and the Berlin Philharmonic for the European Concert 2003. Since 1991, when the Berlin Philharmonic gave their first European Concert, this annual musical summit in important cultural cities has become a brand name for excellent musicianship. This concert came from Lisbon and took place in a spectacular location, the 'Mosteiro dos Jeronimos' - an impressive monastery built in the early 16th century and a UNESCO-accredited World Heritage Site. The programme included Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra and Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 - a perfect programme choice, as Maria Joao Pires is a sought-after Mozart pianist and Pierre Boulez enjoys an excellent reputation as one of the greatest Bartok conductors ever.
Bonus features:
- A Portrait of Lisbon
- Picture Gallery: At Rehearsals
In 2005, the Staatsoper Berlin and its orchestra, the Staatskapelle Berlin under musical director Daniel Barenboim, celebrated a series of events to celebrate the 80th birthday of French conductor and composer Pierre Boulez. Artistically associated for decades with Barenboim and Berlin, Pierre Boulez is one of today's most distinguished composers and conductors. As part of the celebration, Boulez conducted a performance of Mahler's "Resurrection" Symphony at the Berlin Philharmonie. With his uncompromising approach to the score, Pierre Boulez's Mahler readings have long fascinated critics and audiences alike. Boulez eschews the romanticized readings common in performance tradition and, instead, reveals the real joy and terror in Mahler's large-scale symphonies. The Berlin Staatskapelle, singers Diana Damrau and Petra Lang and the Berlin State Opera Chorus joined forces to bring his vision of this gargantuan piece to life. Watching Boulez conducting on his 80th birthday is truly an experience, and his interpretation presents a new perspective on a much-loved symphony.
Put one of the world's greatest orchestras in the hands of one of the foremost specialists of 20th-century music, add a soloist who is one of today's leading pianists and conductors, and you are assured of a concert of superlatives that pays glowing tribute to three major works of the past century. The official Salzburg Festival opening concert of the Wiener Philharmoniker is conducted by Pierre Boulez, once the "enfant terrible" of the musical world, now a sensitive, analytical conductor of works from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Combining Béla Bartók's Piano Concerto No. 1 - Daniel Barenboim is the soloist - with Maurice Ravel's Valses nobles et sentimentales and Igor Stravinsky's Firebird ballet in its full-length version of 1910, Boulez weaves a compelling musical texture that uncovers the links among the three works and the three composers. The concert begins with a shimmering rendition of the Valses nobles et sentimentales , an homage to Schubert and a farewell to the waltz itself. This work of bold dissonances, abrasive harmonies and colorful chromaticism is followed by Bartók's concerto of 1926, which seems to animate Ravel's tonal language with a percussive fury. The nearly 50-minute-long Firebird , which a virtually unknown 28-year-old Stravinsky wrote for the...
This performance represents the only existing film of Sir Adrian Boult conducting The Dream of Gerontius filmed in Canterbury Cathedral in 1968. It features a stellar cast of soloists: Dame Janet Baker, a leading interpreter of The Angel and John Shirley Quirk who, with Boult, recorded a definitive interpretation of Peter in The Kingdom .
The film uses the original BBC master which is far superior to the poor copies which have been in circulation over the years. The video also features a 60-minute documentary on Sir Adrian Boult as a bonus and was produced in 1989 by the BBC to celebrate Sir Adrian Boult's 100th anniversary.
Master of the baton and one of Britain's leading conductors, Sir Adrian Boult was renowned for his interpretations of English works, in particular music by Ralph Vaughan Williams, who was said to be "totally in favour of Sir Adrian's approach to his music" (John Culshaw). Job: A Masque for Dancing was dedicated to Sir Adrian, a fitting conductor for this magnificent centenary celebration.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic set off fireworks of good humour and a contagious musical spirit at the traditional New Year's Eve Concert in 2002. Simon Rattle chose Leonard Bernstein's brilliant and entertaining musical comedy, Wonderful Town , for his first New Year's Eve Concert with the Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor and orchestra - both rank among the best in the world - joined forces with Broadway stars Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald and famous baritone Thomas Hampson. The audience enjoyed a great show full of dancing, choruses, fascinating light design and ?EUR" above all ?EUR" intoxicating music. The exuberant atmosphere of this event culminated in an overwhelming encore with the musicians and audience dancing through the hall! This video captures the atmosphere right in the middle of orchestra, singers and audience and recreates a wonderful night on the town.
Ravello Records presents ANIMATED SOUNDS, a multimedia release from composer Gheorghe Costinescu . The album showcases works by Costinescu from a varied and illustrious career spanning more than half a century.
The first half features pieces such as the virtuosic Sonata for the Piano and Essay in Sound , performed by pianist Stephen Gosling, and the expressive Voices Within , performed by violinist Vesselin Gellev. Eric Huebner performs two inventions from the larger work Evolving Cycle of Two-Part Modal Inventions for Piano , which uses the Baroque invention to explore Romanian folk music. Soprano Lucy Shelton, with Costinescu and Gosling at the piano, performs the bilingual song Why Do You Wail and Te Legeni and the cycle Nine Portraits from the Wild , which includes gestural directions for the singer.
The second half showcases Costinescu's work and collaborations in multimedia. His One-Minute Tribute: 9/11/2001 for percussion quartet is paired with his poignant animation of a photograph by Dan Nguyen of the installation Tribute in Light. An abstract animation by Michele Gagne complements Costinescu's pioneering electronic work Dots, Lines, and Patches , responding to its crackling, spontaneous sound world. Tai Chi on the Hudson , performed by the Voxare...
Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic set off fireworks of good humour and a contagious musical spirit at the traditional New Year's Eve Concert in 2002. Simon Rattle chose Leonard Bernstein's brilliant and entertaining musical comedy, Wonderful Town , for his first New Year's Eve Concert with the Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor and orchestra - both rank among the best in the world - joined forces with Broadway stars Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald and famous baritone Thomas Hampson. The audience enjoyed a great show full of dancing, choruses, fascinating light design and ?EUR" above all ?EUR" intoxicating music. The exuberant atmosphere of this event culminated in an overwhelming encore with the musicians and audience dancing through the hall! This video captures the atmosphere right in the middle of orchestra, singers and audience and recreates a wonderful night on the town.
The Berliner Philharmoniker celebrate the last day of the 20th century with Grand Finales in the first part of this extraordinary concert, and herald the leap into 21st century with an explosion of sparkling music in the second half of the programme.
For the Grand Finales, Claudio Abbado conducts masterpieces like the final movement of Beethoven's 7th Symphony , excerpts from Stravinsky's Firebird and the last movement of Mahler's 5th Symphony . The world-famous actor Klaus Maria Brandauer narrates from Arnold Schoenberg's Gurrelieder
She is a piano legend, he has collaborated as a soloist with all leading conductors and orchestras around the world. Now Martha Argerich and Guy Braunstein come to the Pierre Boulez Saal with their first-ever duo program - an artistic encounter that promises to be an extraordinary musical experience.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
For more than 20 years, the choir Accentus has performed choral music in all its diversity. For Christmas 2009, Accentus, Laurence Equilbey and their guests created the event with a programme featuring some of the most famous sacred music pieces at the Church of Saint Thomas in Strasbourg to hear the most beautiful Christmas songs interpreted by: Concerto Koln, Sandrine Piau (Soprano), Nathalie Stutzmann (Alto), Pavol Breslik (Tenor), Johannes Weisser (Bass), Sonia Wieder Atherton (Cello), Aurelie Saraf (Harp) and Daniel Maurer, organist of the Church of St. Thomas.
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the best orchestras in the world, celebrates its 60th Anniversary with a GALA Concert in 1996 conducted by Zubin Mehta and Daniel Barenboim. The Gala featuring world acclaimed soloists such as Isaac Stern Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhal Perlman and Shlomo Mintz.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world’s greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
This video shows the history of two great Italian musicians in the period of their lives in which their activities took them to Vicenza, worldwide known as the city of Palladio .
Biagio Marini - whose works constitute a cornerstone in the history of violin technique - was choirmaster of the Vicenza Cathedral from 1655, while Antonio Vivaldi directed (and played the part of the principal violin in) his play Ottone in Villa and his oratorio La vittoria navale in Vicenza in 1713.
The performance on period instruments takes us back to the atmosphere of the time in the splendid setting of Palazzo Leoni Montanari, a masterpiece of Venetian late seventeenth century.
The prodigious Lionel Bringuier (boasting "good instincts [...] bolstered by good taste plus a strong technique": Financial Times), just 24 in this delightful 2010 recording, conducts the BBC Orchestra in a generous program that opens with Berlioz's lighthearted, cheeky Le Corsaire Overture , continues with Albert Roussel's Symphony No. 3 brimming with adventure, perhaps the fruit of the composer's long experience as a sailor across the Atlantic and in Southeast Asia - and closes with the enchanting impressionism of Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe . Don't miss this uniquely crafted concert guaranteed to stir the imagination!
Artist-in-residence for the 2022 season, pianist Yuja Wang meets the Czech Philharmonic, conducted by Semyon Bychkov.
The centrepiece of this exciting evening is the Glagolitic Mass , a late masterpiece by Leos Janacek . The programme opens with Agnus Dei for choir without orchestral accompaniment by Martin Smolka , followed by Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor.
This video presents Benjamin Britten at the height of his powers in an affectionately nuanced account of Mozart's Symphony No. 40 ?EUR" "surely the loveliest bit of music ever conceived," according to Britten ?EUR" and an intimate and evocative performance of his own Nocturne with Peter Pears. As a bonus, the video includes extracts from Mendelssohn's "Scottish" Symphony which Britten conducts with the utmost subtlety and style despite being gravely ill at the time. All three performances give fascinating insights into one of the finest musicians of the twentieth century.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historical performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on here for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
These recordings represent an overview of some of the headiest years of Mstislav Rostropovich's career. Introduced to Britten through Shostakovich, Rostropovich formed a close partnership with the British composer, who was inspired to write several major cello compositions by the Russian cellist. This special relationship is evident here in their collaborative performances from the opening concert of the new Snape Maltings Concert Hall, which includes rare audiovisual footage of the Maltings before it was destroyed by fire in 1969 and rebuilt.
These live performances from Snape Maltings Concert Hall present some of the most popular classical characterization, and, in three works, the use of spoken texts to illuminate the narrative. Whether composed to amuse, entertain or educate, each possesses marvelous vitality, lyricism and bravura. The performances are conducted and narrated by Marin Alsop, one of the world's most inspirational musical communicators.
The ICA Classics Live series features performances from ICA's own artists recorded in prestigious venues around the world. The majority of the recordings are enjoying their first commercial release.
Antoni Wit's performances of Szymanowski's Third and Fourth Symphonies embody the distinguished and idiomatic conducting style for which he is widely recognised. An outstanding communicator, Wit exhibits exceptional attention to detail in his rendition of these two great works with his own orchestra and choir.
Celebrating the 85th birthday of the birth of the great Russian conductor Evgeny Svetlanov (1928-2002). This event was filmed in the magnificent room of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Evgueny Svetlanov has spent 35 years leading the Symphony orchestra of the Russian Federation, today nicknamed The Svetlanov .
Conducted by Vladimir Jurowski, its new Director, the concert gathers some of the most acclaimed artists: Yefim Bronfman, Tatiana Pavlovskaya, Vsevolod Grivnov, Serguey Leiferkus.
Every year, the Berliner Philharmoniker hold a kind of classical music fete with a bright, cheerful concert to end the season. In 2009 about 22,000 people came together at the Berlin Waldbuhne to enjoy the traditional summer picnic concert. The theme of the evening was "Russian Rhythms," and star conductor Sir Simon Rattle, the Berliner Philharmoniker and Yefim Bronfman, one of the most famous pianists in the world today, presented a superb selection of Russian music.
Since 1972 the 12 Cellists of the Berliner Philharmoniker have been a prominent institution in international musical life. Whether they're playing classical music, jazz, tango or avant-garde, listeners around the world are invariably fascinated by the wide range of the unique and intoxicating timbres that these twelve cellos can produce. Their mixture of seriousness and humor, of depth and lightness, appeals to audiences of all ages. In this live recording from the Philharmonie Berlin, the 12 Cellists welcome Annette Dasch and Till Bronner. They performed works by Piazzolla, Faure, Legrand, Debussy, Ravel, Morricone, Ellington , to name only a few.
Claudio Monteverdi's Fourth Book of Madrigals (1603) explores differing emotional states of abandoned lovers through the most dramatic and amazingly modern music for vocal ensemble. The Full Monteverdi follows the simultaneous break-up of six couples through shocking revelation, vengeful anger and erotic longing for reconciliation. Vulnerable and disarming, this ensemble film will draw you into its emotional journey and intensely moving portrait of contemporary love.
Award-winning composer and trumpet player Hannibel Lokumbe is a leader in expressing the Aprican-American experience through his orchestral and choral music, with a special focus on civil rights leaders. Can You Hear God Crying? is a spiritatorio which takes us on a journey from hardship and suffering to healing and celebrations of courage and peace, told through the forced migration aboard a slave ship endured by Lokumbe's great-grandfather Silas Burgess. Combining jazz, gospel and chamber music together with West African prayers and songs, this is both a moving commemoration and a spectacularly festive event which faces past and present with honesty and deep spiritual understanding.
The String Sextets Nos. 1 and 2 , composed in 1860 and 1864 were instrumental in cementing the composer's reputation, and they epitomize the melodic richness and compositional craftsmanship that would define all his chamber music. The first is full of life and colour; the second, with its beautiful Poco adagio at its heart, captures a characteristic chiaroscuro of texture and colour so typical of Brahms .
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
A joyful celebration welcoming the New Year, this Gala from Berlin presents the world-renowned Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, in Carl Orff's famous Carmina Burana , an intensely dramatic cantata that remains one of the most widely performed works from the twentieth century. With an exceptional vocal line-up ?EUR" soprano Sally Matthews, tenor Lawrence Brownlee and baritone Christian Gerhaher ?EUR" this is an energetic and thrilling performance. Beethoven's Leonore No. 3 overture and Handel's supreme Hallelujah Chorus are also included.
Frans Brüggen and his Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century reinvent the classical masterpieces of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and other 18th-century composers by playing them on period instruments and interpreting the music as if it were written yesterday. After almost 30 years of traveling all around the globe they now, in their 99th world tour, play Mozart with the spirit, freshness and eagerness of their first concert. On the programme are Mozart's final three symphonies, including No. 40, the first symphony ever played by Frans Brüggen and his band.
The ICA Classics Live series features performances from ICA's own artists recorded in prestigious venues around the world. The majority of the recordings are enjoying their first commercial release.
This outstanding performance of Mahler's Sixth Symphony formed part of Hartmut Haenchen's Mahler Cycle with the La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra. Haenchen is renowned and respected for his interpretations of Mahler and Wagner and has had a significant presence in many of the world's leading opera houses. An expressive and dramatic rendition of the Tragische , Haenchen's high intellect and musical integrity are apparent.
In 2022, Musiques en fete celebrates love in music! with the 8,000 spectators at the Theatre Antique in Orange for an amazing show! Opera, operetta, musical comedy, classical music, film music, dance, as well as the greatest hits of French song... Through an eclectic programme, a tribute to love and to all music will be paid by prestigious soloists and more than 150 orchestral musicians and choral artists.
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
This rare audiovisual footage presents Klaus Tennstedt at the height of his very special relationship with the Boston Symphony Orchestra during his prime recording period. Joyous Mozart is combined with evocative Mahler, both performed with the greatest sensitivity and conviction.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents an historic account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This video features only the second public release of a full-length symphonic work with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Klaus Tennstedt and the third available with this mighty conductor.
While the material has been restored using the greatest care and state-of-the-art techniques, certain visual artefacts and distortions remain in some instances due to the age of the film. Despite this, it remains of exceptional musical interest and historic value.
In the scope of the Czech Philharmonic's pre-Christmas series, Manfred Honeck conducts a selection of suites from Peer Gynt by Edward Grieg . The programme is completed by Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 played by Rudolf Buchbinder, as well as Beethoven's First Symphony in celebration of the composer's 250th birthday.
Completed in 1894, Gustav Mahler's Second Symphony counts amongst his most popular compositions.
It took the composer six years to complete this large-scale work which was started under very unusual circumstances. In 1886, Mahler had a vision of his own funeral; the dream inspired what was to become the Symphony's first movement, which he entitled Todtenfeier (Funeral Rite).
Unable to decide whether the work should be a separate tone poem or the first movement of a full symphony, he did not resume composition until 1893, finishing all but the last movement. For the conclusion of his Symphony, Mahler wanted to incorporate the human voice. The inspiration for this came when he attended the memorial service for the conductor Hans von B?low, which included a religious ode Auferstehung (Resurrection) by the German poet Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (1724-1803).
This performance of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony is performed by Ivan Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra. Fischer is known for his superlative interpretations of Mahler with an attention to detail and a musicianship which are served by some of the finest European instrumentalists gathered in 'his' orchestra.
The year 2006 come to a close with a spectacular musical event: a festival of Argentinean music broadcast live from Buenos Aires. At the height of the Argentinean summer, the Orquesta Filarmonica del Teatro Colon under Daniel Barenboim (conductor and soloist) join the excellent bandoneon virtuoso Leopoldo Federico and his Orquesta Tipica to present an extraordinary New Year's Eve show with popular tangos and Latin American orchestra classics. The old master of tango, Jose Carli, has created enchanting new arrangements of works by the Argentinean artists Astor Piazzolla , Carlos Gardel , Julio de Caro , Alberto Ginastera and Horacio Salgan . Performances by the leading tango dancers Mora Godoy and Junior Cervilla from Buenos Aires add atmosphere and round off the night.
Described as 'the great Verdian bass'(Le Figaro) and a 'Mefistofele who stood out over all the others' (Der Neue Merker), Carlo Colombra brings some of the most famous bass roles to life in this wide-ranging programme. Emotions range from the pride of Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen , through the terrors of Verdi's Attila , to the tender recollections of Rachmaninov's Aleko . Mephistopheles strides powerfully through both Gounod and Boito's operas, and Rossini's comic with contrasts with the darkness of Mussorgsky's Boris Godonov
Spirits of Music is an unusual musical journey through centuries and cultures, featuring multiple Grammy Award winner Bobby McFerrin , violin virtuoso Nigel Kennedy , soprano Sibylla Rubens and the Gewandhaus Orchestra with music from Bach to Mozart and Verdi . Magnificent examples of religious music come from artists as Kroke the Kuumba Singers, Mari Boine, Bulgarian Voices Angelite and the Ensemble Al-Kindi one of the best formations devoted to classical Arab music. This extraordinary musical journey, which took place on one evening at the Leipzig Market Square is completed by the Cuban a capella group Vocal Sampling, consisting of musicians from Havana's National Superior Institute of arts, who are celebrating their very own interpretation of Afro-Cuban music.
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
This opera gala, recorded live at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, on November 8, 2003, marked the 10th anniversary of the annual benefit for the German AIDS Foundation. Conducted by Kent Nagano, then Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Berlin Deutsche Symphony Orchestra founded 1923. This recording features an illustrious roster of international artists from Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, the United States and Canada.
Carl Maria Giulini was known for his unique way of interacting with an orchestra. He said of himself that it wasn't his intention to enforce authority, but to "arrive at human contact" with the musicians. It is this very spirit that makes the present recording a virtual treat for music lovers, uniting the legendary conductor, and the superb Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus and the four soloists, soprano Ilva Liguabue, mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry, tenor Sandor Konya and bass Raffaele Arie, in a wonderful and dramatic performance. Exquisite contrasts of the characters, divine voices of the singers, saturated and rich sound of the brass section and the perfectly blended harmony of the entire ensemble create an unforgettable and a true once-in-a-lifetime experience of Verdi's Messa da Requiem .
Grace Bumbry is universally acclaimed as one of the great musicians of our time. Her vocal versatility and dramatic instincts have made her an unparalleled singing actress, not only in opera, but in recital as well. Ms. Bumbry's talent was spotted by the legendary Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976), one of operas most-loved sopranos, famed for the radiance and warmth of her full-bodies voice. Bumbry was still in her teens when Lehmann took responsibility for her studies and helped launch her professional career. Her stunning operatic debut as Amneris in Paris in 1960 assured international fame.
Grace Bumbry's programme for this recital is a homage to Lotte Lehmann. It includes songs which she knows Lehmann would have like to hear her sing; pieces she worked on with her; particular favourites of her mentor; on ones by the composers she love best - Schumann, Schubert and Berlioz . Pianist Helmut Deutsch is her accompanist.
Grace Bumbry is universally acclaimed as one of the great musicians of our time. Her vocal versatility and dramatic instincts have made her an unparalleled singing actress, not only in opera, but in recital as well. Ms. Bumbry's talent was spotted by the legendary Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976), one of operas most-loved sopranos, famed for the radiance and warmth of her full-bodies voice. Bumbry was still in her teens when Lehmann took responsibility for her studies and helped launch her professional career. Her stunning operatic debut as Amneris in Paris in 1960 assured international fame.
Grace Bumbry's programme for this recital is a homage to Lotte Lehmann. It includes songs which she knows Lehmann would have like to hear her sing; pieces she worked on with her; particular favourites of her mentor; on ones by the composers she love best - Schumann, Schubert and Berlioz . Pianist Helmut Deutsch is her accompanist.
Grace Bumbry is universally acclaimed as one of the great musicians of our time. Her vocal versatility and dramatic instincts have made her an unparalleled singing actress, not only in opera, but in recital as well. Ms. Bumbry's talent was spotted by the legendary Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976), one of operas most-loved sopranos, famed for the radiance and warmth of her full-bodies voice. Bumbry was still in her teens when Lehmann took responsibility for her studies and helped launch her professional career. Her stunning operatic debut as Amneris in Paris in 1960 assured international fame.
Grace Bumbry's programme for this recital is a homage to Lotte Lehmann. It includes songs which she knows Lehmann would have like to hear her sing; pieces she worked on with her; particular favourites of her mentor; on ones by the composers she love best - Schumann, Schubert and Berlioz . Pianist Helmut Deutsch is her accompanist.
Grace Bumbry is universally acclaimed as one of the great musicians of our time. Her vocal versatility and dramatic instincts have made her an unparalleled singing actress, not only in opera, but in recital as well. Ms. Bumbry's talent was spotted by the legendary Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976), one of operas most-loved sopranos, famed for the radiance and warmth of her full-bodies voice. Bumbry was still in her teens when Lehmann took responsibility for her studies and helped launch her professional career. Her stunning operatic debut as Amneris in Paris in 1960 assured international fame.
Grace Bumbry's programme for this recital is a homage to Lotte Lehmann. It includes songs which she knows Lehmann would have like to hear her sing; pieces she worked on with her; particular favourites of her mentor; on ones by the composers she love best - Schumann, Schubert and Berlioz . Pianist Helmut Deutsch is her accompanist.
Grace Bumbry is universally acclaimed as one of the great musicians of our time. Her vocal versatility and dramatic instincts have made her an unparalleled singing actress, not only in opera, but in recital as well. Ms. Bumbry's talent was spotted by the legendary Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976), one of operas most-loved sopranos, famed for the radiance and warmth of her full-bodies voice. Bumbry was still in her teens when Lehmann took responsibility for her studies and helped launch her professional career. Her stunning operatic debut as Amneris in Paris in 1960 assured international fame.
Grace Bumbry's programme for this recital is a homage to Lotte Lehmann. It includes songs which she knows Lehmann would have like to hear her sing; pieces she worked on with her; particular favourites of her mentor; on ones by the composers she love best - Schumann, Schubert and Berlioz . Pianist Helmut Deutsch is her accompanist.
Grace Bumbry is universally acclaimed as one of the great musicians of our time. Her vocal versatility and dramatic instincts have made her an unparalleled singing actress, not only in opera, but in recital as well. Ms. Bumbry's talent was spotted by the legendary Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976), one of operas most-loved sopranos, famed for the radiance and warmth of her full-bodies voice. Bumbry was still in her teens when Lehmann took responsibility for her studies and helped launch her professional career. Her stunning operatic debut as Amneris in Paris in 1960 assured international fame.
Grace Bumbry's programme for this recital is a homage to Lotte Lehmann. It includes songs which she knows Lehmann would have like to hear her sing; pieces she worked on with her; particular favourites of her mentor; on ones by the composers she love best - Schumann, Schubert and Berlioz . Pianist Helmut Deutsch is her accompanist.
Grace Bumbry is universally acclaimed as one of the great musicians of our time. Her vocal versatility and dramatic instincts have made her an unparalleled singing actress, not only in opera, but in recital as well. Ms. Bumbry's talent was spotted by the legendary Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976), one of operas most-loved sopranos, famed for the radiance and warmth of her full-bodies voice. Bumbry was still in her teens when Lehmann took responsibility for her studies and helped launch her professional career. Her stunning operatic debut as Amneris in Paris in 1960 assured international fame.
Grace Bumbry's programme for this recital is a homage to Lotte Lehmann. It includes songs which she knows Lehmann would have like to hear her sing; pieces she worked on with her; particular favourites of her mentor; on ones by the composers she love best - Schumann, Schubert and Berlioz . Pianist Helmut Deutsch is her accompanist.
Grace Bumbry is universally acclaimed as one of the great musicians of our time. Her vocal versatility and dramatic instincts have made her an unparalleled singing actress, not only in opera, but in recital as well. Ms. Bumbry's talent was spotted by the legendary Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976), one of operas most-loved sopranos, famed for the radiance and warmth of her full-bodies voice. Bumbry was still in her teens when Lehmann took responsibility for her studies and helped launch her professional career. Her stunning operatic debut as Amneris in Paris in 1960 assured international fame.
Grace Bumbry's programme for this recital is a homage to Lotte Lehmann. It includes songs which she knows Lehmann would have like to hear her sing; pieces she worked on with her; particular favourites of her mentor; on ones by the composers she love best - Schumann, Schubert and Berlioz . Pianist Helmut Deutsch is her accompanist.
Grace Bumbry is universally acclaimed as one of the great musicians of our time. Her vocal versatility and dramatic instincts have made her an unparalleled singing actress, not only in opera, but in recital as well. Ms. Bumbry's talent was spotted by the legendary Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976), one of operas most-loved sopranos, famed for the radiance and warmth of her full-bodies voice. Bumbry was still in her teens when Lehmann took responsibility for her studies and helped launch her professional career. Her stunning operatic debut as Amneris in Paris in 1960 assured international fame.
Grace Bumbry's programme for this recital is a homage to Lotte Lehmann. It includes songs which she knows Lehmann would have like to hear her sing; pieces she worked on with her; particular favourites of her mentor; on ones by the composers she love best - Schumann, Schubert and Berlioz . Pianist Helmut Deutsch is her accompanist.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This series present the highlights of the Verbier Festival 2011, featuring renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin, Lars Vogt, Yuja Wang, Renaud Capucon, Khatia Buniatishvili, and Nelson Goerner.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
The outstanding and deeply touching performance of Verdi's Messa da Requiem was recorded at the Parco Ducale of Parma, within the 2020 Edition of Festival Verdi. The concert was dedicated to the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic and all the health workers engaged in the emergency.
Here are conductor Roberto Abbado's words to describe this Verdian masterpiece: "I think that Verdi felt the need to compose a sacred work to deal with some themes that, as he got older, he felt very strongly about. They are themes that every human being sooner or later asks themselves. Verdi is not afraid to show that he fears death, and therefore his approach is extremely humble and human, showing some of the frailties we all have. How does the Messa da Requiem end? It ends, in my opinion, with a huge question mark. Basically, I believe, Verdi, like many of us, cannot answer these questions. I, myself, cannot answer them."
Oceanic Verses meditates upon fading civilizations and an ancient environment continually transformed by waves of immigration. Donna Di Novelli's libretto leaps from Paola Prestini's own investigations to four archetypes caught in the clash between past and present. A journey through the folkloric landscape is led by an Archaeologist (improviser and vocalist Helga Davis), whose search for musical artifacts leads her to a Sailor (Italian folksinger and accordionist Claudio Prima), who offers a warning; a Peasant (soprano Hila Plitmann), who offers a meal; and a Soldier (baritone Christopher Burchett), who offers a critique. Along with these principal performers, the album features the 16-piece DeCoda orchestra and the eight-member Choir of Trinity Wall Street, conducted by Julian Wachner.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic set off fireworks of good humour and a contagious musical spirit at the traditional New Year's Eve Concert in 2002. Simon Rattle chose Leonard Bernstein's brilliant and entertaining musical comedy, Wonderful Town , for his first New Year's Eve Concert with the Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor and orchestra - both rank among the best in the world - joined forces with Broadway stars Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald and famous baritone Thomas Hampson. The audience enjoyed a great show full of dancing, choruses, fascinating light design and ?EUR" above all ?EUR" intoxicating music. The exuberant atmosphere of this event culminated in an overwhelming encore with the musicians and audience dancing through the hall! This video captures the atmosphere right in the middle of orchestra, singers and audience and recreates a wonderful night on the town.
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
In 2018, Pianomania! brought iconic, internationally renowned pianists to Lisbon for a keyboard extravaganza. These electrifying highlights show the performers' incredible variety in six first-class concerts from the Grand Auditorium of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, beginning with the moving Piano Concerto by Robert Schumann . For Daniil Trifonov, Schumann is "important in the heart of any pianist," to which his deeply felt and mature rendition attests.
Next up, Menahem Pressler, at age 94, brings a lifetime's worth of experience and emotion to the haunting second movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 , "the most intimate and the most heartwarming" Mozart work, capable of "elevating [a pianist] up to heaven."
Young star Beatrice Rana brings pyrotechnic panache to Stravinsky's Firebird before Elisabeth Leonskaja's Beethoven , brimming with passion, gives way to Mario Laginha's Concerto for Two Pianos with the composer himself as soloist, accompanied by Pedro Burmester.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
Baldassarre Galuppi's Mass for the Delivery of Slaves was written in 1765 for the choir of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, where the composer had recently been appointed music director. Written for soprano and alto solos, choir and orchestra, the Mass displays Galuppi's extraordinary (and previously largely unrecognized) contrapuntal mastery. Arguably, Galuppi's full talent as a composer is revealed more in his sacred works than those for the theatre. This is the world premiere recording of the work.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Mass in C Major KV317 , composed in 1779, needs little by way of introduction. The masterpiece here receives a fine interpretation by the Solisti Veneti conducted by Claudio Scimone.
This film is a genuine premiere starring the greatest motion picture composer of the present day: Ennio Morricone. Morricone's music has been well known to moviegoers for decades and his name stands for warmly melodic soundtracks, superbly suited to the films they grace. Born in 1928 in Rome, he went to school with film director Sergio Leone, with whom he would later form one of the great director/composer partnerships. His sparse arrangements, unorthodox instrumentation and memorable tunes revolutionised the way music would be used in Westerns. He has written nearly 400 film scores and this programme contains a representative sample of his rich creative output including short clips from his most famous films. The Munich Philharmonic ?EUR" one of the best German symphony orchestras - invited Morricone to conduct his own music.
Rediscover a classic of Czech music alongside a lesser-heard masterwork by experimental composer Luciano Berio ! The concert opens with the Italian's Sinfonia , interpreted with brio by the London Voices and a Czech Philharmonic in high form, under the baton of Maestro Semyon Bychkov. This fascinating choral symphony features eight amplified voices, singing and speaking texts extracted from Claude L?vi-Strauss, James Joyce, and Samuel Beckett - with a second movement in homage to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - and also quotes musical works by Beethoven, Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, Schoenberg , and many other composers in its highly allusive third movement.
The evening's second half is dedicated to the music of Dvorak , with his Symphony No. 7 in D Minor as the centerpiece. This passionate work, dedicated to the London Philharmonic Society who had commissioned it, was an unmitigated success at its premiere and has continued to enchant audiences through the centuries-including this one at the Rudolfinum in Prague, where Dvorak himself conducted the Czech Philharmonic's first ever concert in 1896. Two of the Bohemian composer's spirited Slavonic Dances serve as encores to round out the program, which also includes a nod to Frank Sinatra...
Artist-in-residence for the 2022 season, pianist Yuja Wang meets the Czech Philharmonic, conducted by Semyon Bychkov.
The centrepiece of this exciting evening is the Glagolitic Mass , a late masterpiece by Leos Janacek . The programme opens with Agnus Dei for choir without orchestral accompaniment by Martin Smolka , followed by Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor.
Celebrating democracy, freedom and non-violence, the Czech Philharmonic's concert to mark the Velvet Revolution will for the first time be presented in 2020. Taking place every year on 17 November - both the day the then Czechoslovak riot police brutally supressed a peaceful student demonstration in Prague and International Students' Day - the initiative also pays tribute to the Czech Philharmonic's support of the general strike of 1989.
Recorded at the atmospheric Academy of Sciences in Budapest, the Keller Quartet plays a version of Bach's unfinished masterpiece The Art of the Fugue for string quartet intertwined with works by renowned contemporary composer Gyorgy Kurtag - a programme that the four Hungarians developed and have successfully performed on international stages. Anner Bylsma, Dutch master cellist and world-renowned as a distinguished interpreter of Bach's cello music, plays the solo suites. The suites, on which he has also published an authoritative book, count among the most popular baroque chamber works. Anner Bylsma plays the famous Stradivarius "Servais" and the performance was recorded in the beautiful village church St. Bartholomew of Dornheim in Thuringia.
A star-studded gala from the royal Albert Hall in London, featuring some of the greatest names from the world's of opera, ballet, musicals and flamenco.
Featuring Tito Beltran, June Anderson, Michael Ball, Maria Friesman, Anastasia Volvchkova, Paco Pena and Montse Cortes performing a program of works that includes arias from Turandot, Hamlet, La Traviata and Rigoletto , hits from The Phantom of the Opera, Follies and showboat plus excerpts from Don Quixote and some stirring flamenco pieces.
The collection Classic Archive presents great performances by legendary artists, remastered using the latest digital technology and enhanced with commentary for today's audiences. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences - appealing and enjoyable performances, that offer a unique glimpse into our classical music heritage. This Classic Archive episode brings into focus the greatest performers of Giuseppe Verdi's compositions.
Recorded live in the Museum Quarter in Vienna in January 2006, this concert was inspired by the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose 250th birthday made this year a celebratory Mozart Anniversary all over the world. With artists like singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, rock flutist Ian Anderson (formerly of Jethro Tull), the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and conductor Andrey Boreyko, this musical event proved to be a true crossover experience. All outstanding musical personalities in their field, the performers interpret Mozart's compositions in their personal musical languages whilst preserving the fascinating original spirit of Mozart. They produce a rousing, electrifying melange of classical, jazz and pop culture that shows that the impact of Mozart's music reaches far beyond the boundaries of classical music and can still reach the broad public of the 21st century. This is a must for crossover enthusiasts in the Mozart Year!
Roger Norrington conducts one of Europe's leading chamber orchestra, the Camerata Academica Salzburg, in performances of Haydn's Symphonies Nos. 82-87 , known as the Paris Symphonies.
These expressive works really allow an ensemble to show off. Commissioned by the Comte d'Ogny, one of the financial backers of a Parisian concert society called 'Concert de la Loge Olympique', and written during 1785 and 1786, the symphonies are among Haydn's most scintillating. Freed from composing exclusively for Nikolaus Esterhazy in 1779, but constrained in what he was producing for publishers, he rose to the challenge of this commission and created music that was both personal and original.
The former Camerata Academica Salzburg was renamed simply Camerata Salzburg in 2001. It was founded in 1951 by Bernhard Paumgartner, who was its head and mentor for many years. From 1978 to 1997 its artistic director was Sandor Vegh and in 1997 Roger Norrington was appointed principal conductor of the ensemble. The Camerata Salzburg can be heard every year at the Salzburg Mozartwoche and Salzburg Festival.
Roger Norrington was born in Oxford and studied in Cambridge and London. From 1969 to 1984 he was musical director of the Kent Opera and conducted productions at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Milan's La Scala and the Teatro La Fenice in Venice. He founded the London Classical Players and is principal conductor of the Camerata Salzburg and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra.
Violinist Christian Tetzlaff was born in Hamburg and trained in Lubeck and Cincinnati. He has appeared with the world's leading orchestras, and as chamber musician he concertizes with prominent partners. Roger Norrington was born in Oxford and studied in Cambridge and London. From 1969 to 1984 he was musical director of the Kent Opera and conducted productions at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Milan's La Scala and the Teatro La Fenice in Venice. He founded the London Classical Players and is principal conductor of the Camerata Salzburg and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra.
The former Camerata Academica Salzburg was renamed simply Camerata Salzburg in 2001. It was founded in 1951 by Bernhard Paumgartner, who was its head and mentor for many years. From 1978 to 1997 its artistic director was Sandor Vegh and in 1997 Roger Norrington was appointed principal conductor of the ensemble. The Camerata Salzburg can be heard every year at the Salzburg Mozartwoche and Salzburg Festival.
Anne-Sophie Mutter chose to begin her homage to Mozart's 250th birthday with the violin concertos. The choice is certainly fitting, as the concertos have been a major pillar of her repertoire ever since her earliest days: she played the Second Concerto at her public debut when she was nine, and performed the G major Concerto K. 216 at her spectacular Salzburg debut under Herbert von Karajan when she was 13. She vigorously affirms that Mozart has since been present in her life on a daily basis.
Although she has already recorded Mozart's violin concertos in the past, Ms. Mutter is aware that her more recent interpretations bring a different perspective and greater maturity to her view of Mozart – while not diminishing the value of her earlier recordings. For this recording, which was filmed in Salzburg in December 2005, Ms. Mutter decided to conduct the ensemble herself. And with the Camerata Salzburg, she had at her disposal a supple and sensitive partner.
Mozart was not only a gifted pianist but also an accomplished string player, who enjoyed playing both the violin and the viola. His first violin concerto, K. 207 in B flat major , was written in 1773 and is possibly Mozart's very first concerto for solo instrument and orchestra. The other four works – K....
Anne-Sophie Mutter chose to begin her homage to Mozart's 250th birthday with the violin concertos. The choice is certainly fitting, as the concertos have been a major pillar of her repertoire ever since her earliest days: she played the Second Concerto at her public debut when she was nine, and performed the G major Concerto K. 216 at her spectacular Salzburg debut under Herbert von Karajan when she was 13. She vigorously affirms that Mozart has since been present in her life on a daily basis.
Although she has already recorded Mozart's violin concertos in the past, Ms. Mutter is aware that her more recent interpretations bring a different perspective and greater maturity to her view of Mozart – while not diminishing the value of her earlier recordings. For this recording, which was filmed in Salzburg in December 2005, Ms. Mutter decided to conduct the ensemble herself. And with the Camerata Salzburg, she had at her disposal a supple and sensitive partner.
Mozart was not only a gifted pianist but also an accomplished string player, who enjoyed playing both the violin and the viola. His first violin concerto, K. 207 in B flat major , was written in 1773 and is possibly Mozart's very first concerto for solo instrument and orchestra. The other four works – K....
Anne-Sophie Mutter chose to begin her homage to Mozart's 250th birthday with the violin concertos. The choice is certainly fitting, as the concertos have been a major pillar of her repertoire ever since her earliest days: she played the Second Concerto at her public debut when she was nine, and she performed the G major Concerto K. 216 at her spectacular Salzburg debut under Herbert von Karajan when she was 13. She vigorously affirms that Mozart has since been present in her life on a daily basis.
Although she has already recorded Mozart's violin concertos in the past, Ms. Mutter is aware that her more recent interpretations bring a different perspective and greater maturity to her view of Mozart – while not diminishing the value of her earlier recordings. For this recording, which was filmed in Salzburg in December 2005, Ms. Mutter decided to conduct the ensemble herself. And with the Camerata Salzburg, she had at her disposal a supple and sensitive partner.
Mozart was not only a gifted pianist but also an accomplished string player who enjoyed playing both the violin and the viola. His first violin concerto, K. 207 in B flat major, was written in 1773 and is possibly Mozart's very first concerto for solo instrument and orchestra. The other four works – K....
Anne-Sophie Mutter chose to begin her homage to Mozart's 250th birthday with the violin concertos. The choice is certainly fitting, as the concertos have been a major pillar of her repertoire ever since her earliest days: she played the Second Concerto at her public debut when she was nine, and she performed the G major Concerto K. 216 at her spectacular Salzburg debut under Herbert von Karajan when she was 13. She vigorously affirms that Mozart has since been present in her life on a daily basis.
Although she has already recorded Mozart's violin concertos in the past, Ms. Mutter is aware that her more recent interpretations bring a different perspective and greater maturity to her view of Mozart – while not diminishing the value of her earlier recordings. For this recording, which was filmed in Salzburg in December 2005, Ms. Mutter decided to conduct the ensemble herself. And with the Camerata Salzburg, she had at her disposal a supple and sensitive partner.
Mozart was not only a gifted pianist but also an accomplished string player who enjoyed playing both the violin and the viola. His first violin concerto, K. 207 in B flat major, was written in 1773 and is possibly Mozart's very first concerto for solo instrument and orchestra. The other four works – K....
Violinist Christian Tetzlaff was born in Hamburg and trained in Lübeck and Cincinnati. He has appeared with the world's leading orchestras, and as chamber musician he concertizes with prominent partners. Roger Norrington was born in Oxford and studied in Cambridge and London. From 1969 to 1984 he was musical director of the Kent Opera and conducted productions at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Milan's La Scala and the Teatro La Fenice in Venice. He founded the London Classical Players and is principal conductor of the Camerata Salzburg and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra.
The former Camerata academica Salzburg was renamed simply Camerata Salzburg in 2001. It was founded in 1951 by Bernhard Paumgartner, who was its head and mentor for many years. From 1978 to 1997 its artistic director was Sándor Végh and in 1997 Roger Norrington was appointed principal conductor of the ensemble. The Camerata Salzburg can be heard every year at the Salzburg Mozartwoche and Salzburg Festival.
Anne-Sophie Mutter chose to begin her homage to Mozart's 250th birthday with the violin concertos. The choice is certainly fitting, as the concertos have been a major pillar of her repertoire ever since her earliest days: she played the Second Concerto at her public debut when she was nine, and she performed the G major Concerto K. 216 at her spectacular Salzburg debut under Herbert von Karajan when she was 13. She vigorously affirms that Mozart has since been present in her life on a daily basis.
Although she has already recorded Mozart's violin concertos in the past, Ms. Mutter is aware that her more recent interpretations bring a different perspective and greater maturity to her view of Mozart – while not diminishing the value of her earlier recordings. For this recording, which was filmed in Salzburg in December 2005, Ms. Mutter decided to conduct the ensemble herself. And with the Camerata Salzburg, she had at her disposal a supple and sensitive partner.
Mozart was not only a gifted pianist but also an accomplished string player who enjoyed playing both the violin and the viola. His first violin concerto, K. 207 in B flat major, was written in 1773 and is possibly Mozart's very first concerto for solo instrument and orchestra. The other four works – K....
This concert features virtuoso violinist Yehudi Menuhin (1916?EUR"1999) at the Charlie Chaplin Studios in 1947. Together with various artists he performed classical and romantic works of famous composers such as Beethoven, Wieniawski, Bach, Paganini and others. Yehudi Menuhin in Concert Magic is the very first concert film produced by and for Hollywood. This concert was premiered at the Stage Door Cinema in San Francisco for movie audiences. Yehudi Menuhin was at the age of 32 and was at the pinnacle of his fame.
Bonus features:
- The Story behind "Concert Magic" - Yehudi Menuhin in conversation with Humphrey Burton
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
For twenty years the Berliner Philharmoniker has celebrated its 1882 founding with a concert at a major European venue, and the 2011 event takes place at the magnificent Teatro Real in Madrid. The renowned orchestra, under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle, performs Joaquín Rodrigo's beloved Concierto de Aranjuez, Emmanuel Chabrier's exuberant España, and Sergei Rachmaninov's dramatic Second Symphony. It is joined for the Concierto by the famous flamenco guitarist Cañizares, whose virtuosity and sensitivity are given full opportunity to shine in this multi-faceted and subtle work.
Baldassarre Galuppi's Mass for the Delivery of Slaves was written in 1765 for the choir of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, where the composer had recently been appointed music director. Written for soprano and alto solos, choir and orchestra, the Mass displays Galuppi's extraordinary (and previously largely unrecognized) contrapuntal mastery. Arguably, Galuppi's full talent as a composer is revealed more in his sacred works than those for the theatre. This is the world premiere recording of the work.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Mass in C Major KV317 , composed in 1779, needs little by way of introduction. The masterpiece here receives a fine interpretation by the Solisti Veneti conducted by Claudio Scimone.
Mozart is the most pervasively dramatic composer in history. The spirit of opera informs very nearly his every work. Themes are characters; characters interact; they change. András Schiff's alertness to the dialogue in Mozart is reflected both in his acute sense of characterisation and his immensely sophisticated use of articulation. Every line breathes. Not only that, every tone tells. Just as the voice in conversation subtly reflects the speaker's state of mind, so Schiff's deployment of sonority derives from an acute perception of the notes' psychological as well as their purely musical character. This recording from the historical and stunningly beautiful Teatro Olimpico affords us numerous insights into Schiff's approach to music and music-making, and more besides. Schiff's joy in performance is as evident to the eye as to the ear.
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The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This series present the highlights of the 19th edition of the Verbier Festival, featuring renowned artists such as Neeme Jarvi, Denis Matsuev, Menahem Pressler, Christoph Pregardien, and the Capucon brothers
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This series present the highlights of the Verbier Festival 2011, featuring renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin, Lars Vogt, Yuja Wang, Renaud Capucon, Khatia Buniatishvili, and Nelson Goerner.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical usic events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season.
Yuja Wang, Leonidas Kavakos, and Gautier Capucon get the ball rolling with Mendelssohn's Piano Trio No. 2 , followed by Leonidas Kavakos and Joshua Bell performing a Ysaye Duo Sonata . Denis Matsuev, Julian Rachlin, and Roby Lakatos tackle Vittorio Monti's Csardas , transcribed for two violins and piano. Brahms' Piano Quartet follows, featuring Kissin, Repin, Bashmet, and Maisky. Finally, as the cherry on the cake, legendary pianists Martha Argerich and Evgeny Kissin bring Lutoslawski's Variations sur un theme de Paganini with head-spinning virtuosity.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This recording honors the great Antonin Dvorak with some of his most beloved pieces being performed by world class artists such as Daniil Trifonov.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
First Concert (19 June 2020)
In the first concert with Renaud Capucon, we have three masterpieces, which, although they adopt the three-movement structure dear to Vivaldi and present features that bring them closer to the Italian models, are distinguished by their contrapuntal richness, their writing density and the breadth of their developments. These qualities are particularly evident in the BWV 1042 in E major , with its extremely powerful architecture.
In these works, where the solo violin is called upon to express itself through singing rather than virtuosic prowess, there are these wonderful slow movements that are enough to crack even the most hardened non-musician. Those in the concertos in A minor and E major "offer to the bass repeated figures whose seriousness brings out the sweetness of the solo violin all the more".
Second Concert (02 July 2020)
For the second concert with David Fray, Bach composed a concerti group for one, two, three and four harpsichords in Leipzig around 1730, and as director of the Collegium Musicum, he was to provide a large amount of music for an essentially worldly audience. All these concerti are transcriptions of earlier works.
Bach left us three concertos for two harpsichords BWV 1060 to 1062 , two for three harpsichords...
For its 14th edition, the Verbier Festival has once again brought together the most prestigious artists in classical music. This series of 12 TV programmes presents the highlights of Verbier 2007.
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The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This series present the highlights of the 19th edition of the Verbier Festival, featuring renowned artists such as Neeme Jarvi, Denis Matsuev, Menahem Pressler, Christoph Pregardien, and the Capucon brothers
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This series present the highlights of the Verbier Festival 2011, featuring renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin, Lars Vogt, Yuja Wang, Renaud Capucon, Khatia Buniatishvili, and Nelson Goerner.
Renaud Capucon - one of today's most sought-after violinists-joins prodigious pianist and conductor Lahav Shani, and Kian Soltani (described as "sheer perfection" by Gramophone) alongside the prestigious Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under Vasily Petrenko in this unmissable event, part of a marathon evening of favorites that opens with Pablo Ferrandez-Castro's passionate performance of Dvorak's monumental Cello Concerto (plus a transcription by the great Pablo Casals ) and closes out with a thrilling rendition of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony .
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This recording honors the great Antonin Dvorak with some of his most beloved pieces being performed by world class artists such as Daniil Trifonov.
In 2022, Musiques en fete celebrates love in music! with the 8,000 spectators at the Theatre Antique in Orange for an amazing show! Opera, operetta, musical comedy, classical music, film music, dance, as well as the greatest hits of French song... Through an eclectic programme, a tribute to love and to all music will be paid by prestigious soloists and more than 150 orchestral musicians and choral artists.
For its 14th edition, the Verbier Festival has once again brought together the most prestigious artists in classical music. This series of 12 TV programmes presents the highlights of Verbier 2007.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
The Verbier Festival, created in 1994, has rapidly acquired a reputation for artistic excellence and is now considered one of the major European music festivals. For a fortnight each summer, the greatest stars of the classical music world come together against the magical backdrop of the Swiss Alps. The Verbier Festival gives musicians the opportunity to perform original programmes with fellow musicians they admire, but with whom they may never have performed before. These world premiere performances produce innovative and exciting results, for artists and audiences. The 2007 edition gathered classical celebrities such as Martha Argerich, Helene Grimaud, Gabriela Montero, Renaud Capucon, Nelson Freire, Mischa Maisky, Thomas Quasthoff and Lars Vogt, and for the first time all 46 concerts were recorded. The state-of-art recordings featured two cameras on stage that were remote-controlled so as to not disturb the audiences and artists and one camera in the midst of the audience to recreate the viewer's perspective. This video assembles excerpts of the most remarkable concerts with exciting programmes including works by Bartok, Debussy, Lutoslawski, Schubert and Schumann. Lovers of classical music will very much enjoy this summit of high-profile artists!
For its 14th edition, the Verbier Festival has once again brought together the most prestigious artists in classical music. This series of 12 TV programmes presents the highlights of Verbier 2007.
The 22nd edition of the Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad hosted the great Portuguese pianist Maria Joao Pires and French violin virtuoso Renaud Capucon.
They performed a programme celebrating the sonata, keystone of the Classical era, beginning with Mozart's poignant Violin Sonata No. 21 written in 1778 while the composer was in Paris grieving the death of his mother, this moving sonata is Mozart's only instrumental work in the plaintive key of E Minor. Next up is another of Mozart's violin sonatas, composed three years later: Violin Sonata No. 27 , written in the lighter tonality of G Major but suffused nonetheless with an air of contemplative solemnity, one of the Salzburg-born genius's finest works.
The two virtuosos bring their program to a close with the Spring, Violin Sonata No. 5 in F Major by Beethoven , a thoroughly enchanting early work (1801) whose dazzling clarity endears first-time listeners as easily as those who already know and love it.
Highlights from Young Euro Classic 2022, live recorded at the Konzerthaus Berlin.
Baldassarre Galuppi's Mass for the Delivery of Slaves was written in 1765 for the choir of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, where the composer had recently been appointed music director. Written for soprano and alto solos, choir and orchestra, the Mass displays Galuppi's extraordinary (and previously largely unrecognized) contrapuntal mastery. Arguably, Galuppi's full talent as a composer is revealed more in his sacred works than those for the theatre. This is the world premiere recording of the work.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Mass in C Major KV317 , composed in 1779, needs little by way of introduction. The masterpiece here receives a fine interpretation by the Solisti Veneti conducted by Claudio Scimone.
In anticipation of the Mozart Year 2006, Hartmut Haenchen conducted his Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Chamber Orchestra in an all-Mozart Programme recorded live at the 19th century Konzerthaus Berlin in November 2005. The ensemble succeeded in bringing to life the music's manifold characteristics through the translucency achieved by a small chamber orchestra. Whether light-heartedness, song-like lyricism, drama or inspired polyphonic writing: every element of their performance breathes the spirit of Mozart. Critics have praised the orchestra's stylistic assurance, transparent textures and technical precision. Conductor Hartmut Haenchen is a highly dedicated artist, who can draw on broad experience. He exudes warmth and charm and Stefan Vladar's extraordinarily sensitive touch and stylistic assurance make the prize-winning pianist an ideal partner for Haenchen and his orchestra.
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
Highlights from Young Euro Classic 2022, live recorded at the Konzerthaus Berlin.
These magnificent interpretations of three Mendelssohn works - two orchestral and one chamber - are given by the phenomenally talented young Chinese pianist Yuja Wang and other young performers. Praised in BBC Music Magazine for her "keen intelligence" and "staggering technique," Yuja Wang has also been described by the San Francisco Chronicle as "the sort of musician whose combination of talents appears in the world only rarely." The Verbier Festival Orchestra consists of musicians hand-picked from every part of the world. Here they are directed by the doyen of German Mendelssohn conductors, Kurt Masur.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
Magic was created one starlit night in July 1990, when Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, and Jose Carreras met onstage at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome and became the Three Tenors. 800 million people attended this live event which caused the biggest hype ever in the history of classical music. They eschewed competitive instincts and cooperated in the spirit of mutual admiration to create one of the greatest musical events ever. This concert is an awe-inspiring orgy of greatest hits for the tenor voice.
Pixel is a stunning contemporary dance performance for 11 dancers in a virtual and living visual environment. A work on illusion combining energy and poetry, fiction and technical achievement, minimal music and hip-hop. It opens a dialogue between the synthetic world of digital projection and the real bodies of dancers. Pixel appeals to fans of contemporary dance, urban and hip-hop moves, with elements of circus too. Artistic Director and choreograper Mourad Merzouki, together with his Compagnle Kafig has elevated hip-hop to the world stage. In doing so he has created a multicultural contemporary dance form which takes equal place with modern dance and other idioms of the genre. He has incorporated circus elements, martial arts, contemporary dance and puppetry, and brought in performers from Algeria, Brazil and Taiwan in order to develop his ideas. The music was composed by French composer Armand Amar won a Cesar award for his original soundtrack.
On 10 October 2004, the Teatro Regio celebrated the birthday of Giuseppe Verdi by holding a concert featuring some of the most important artists and singers of the international music scene. The performance was part of an intended annual series in which extracts from each of Verdi's operas would be performed in chronological order to offer an analytic and comprehensive panorama of his output, and the concerts would bring to the stage the most acclaimed stars of the operatic world. The great baritone Leo Nucci and the famous tenor Jose Cura are featured in this video, and Renato Palumbo, musical director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, conducts.
Renaud Capucon - one of today's most sought-after violinists-joins prodigious pianist and conductor Lahav Shani, and Kian Soltani (described as "sheer perfection" by Gramophone) alongside the prestigious Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under Vasily Petrenko in this unmissable event, part of a marathon evening of favorites that opens with Pablo Ferrandez-Castro's passionate performance of Dvorak's monumental Cello Concerto (plus a transcription by the great Pablo Casals ) and closes out with a thrilling rendition of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony .
This opera gala, recorded live at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, on November 8, 2003, marked the 10th anniversary of the annual benefit for the German AIDS Foundation. Conducted by Kent Nagano, then Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Berlin Deutsche Symphony Orchestra founded 1923. This recording features an illustrious roster of international artists from Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, the United States and Canada.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
Award-winning composer and trumpet player Hannibel Lokumbe is a leader in expressing the Aprican-American experience through his orchestral and choral music, with a special focus on civil rights leaders. Can You Hear God Crying? is a spiritatorio which takes us on a journey from hardship and suffering to healing and celebrations of courage and peace, told through the forced migration aboard a slave ship endured by Lokumbe's great-grandfather Silas Burgess. Combining jazz, gospel and chamber music together with West African prayers and songs, this is both a moving commemoration and a spectacularly festive event which faces past and present with honesty and deep spiritual understanding.
The year 2006 come to a close with a spectacular musical event: a festival of Argentinean music broadcast live from Buenos Aires. At the height of the Argentinean summer, the Orquesta Filarmonica del Teatro Colon under Daniel Barenboim (conductor and soloist) join the excellent bandoneon virtuoso Leopoldo Federico and his Orquesta Tipica to present an extraordinary New Year's Eve show with popular tangos and Latin American orchestra classics. The old master of tango, Jose Carli, has created enchanting new arrangements of works by the Argentinean artists Astor Piazzolla , Carlos Gardel , Julio de Caro , Alberto Ginastera and Horacio Salgan . Performances by the leading tango dancers Mora Godoy and Junior Cervilla from Buenos Aires add atmosphere and round off the night.
Riccardo Chailly's inaugural concert as Kapellmeister of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in September 2005 was a feast of music by Mendelssohn, the orchestra?EUR(TM)s first conductor. Capturing the full atmosphere of this unique musical event, ths video includes an overwhelming performance of Mendelssohn's Second Symphony, "Lobgesang" with its celebratory choral last movement and the ever-popular overture A Midsummer Night's Dream ?EUR" both from critically revised new editions. Anne Schwanewilms and Peter Seiffert are the outstanding vocal soloists. The Gewandhaus Orchestra can look back on its history with pride - it has evolved into one of the world's most renowned orchestras working with the best international conductors. The bonus film Chailly in Leipzig: The Gewandhaus Orchestra welcomes its new Kapellmeister allows a glimpse into this new and fruitful relationship.
On the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the composer's death, crowds gathered at the Leipziger Gewandhaus to witness a world-class performance of one of Rossini's two large-scale, major choral works: The Petite Messe solennele. Riccardo Chailly - whose "genius for the Rossini style has ripened in the years" (Gramophone) - leads a spectacular ensemble of four internationally renowned singers, the combined forces of the Choir of the Leipzig Opera and the Gewandhaus Choir, and the Gewandhaus Orchestra; their harmonious, ethereal rendition receieves a heartfelt ovation that affirms the beguiling effect of the last of Rossini's "sins of old age."
In summer 2006, the incomparable Martha Argerich presented an all-Schumann programme in honour of the great Romantic composer's anniversary year. Recorded live at the beginning of June 2006 at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, the programme comprised favourite works for piano and orchestra including the Piano Concerto in A minor, the Symphony No. 4, excerpts from Kinderszenen, and works by Schumann in orchestrations by famous composers such as Tchaikovsky and Ravel. The legendary Argentinean pianist was accompanied by the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig under its new "Kapellmeister" Riccardo Chailly. Martha Argerich has long been hailed as a uniquely imaginative pianist, and she is definitely the right person to honor Schumann on the 150th anniversary of his death, as she is especially well-known for her interpretations of the 19th-century repertoire. She has been surrounded by an impermeable, almost mystical aura since the start of her career in the fifties ?EUR" she is uncompromising in her music making, and yet she is generous and beautiful ?EUR" and this recording bears witness to the deep musicality of this incredible artist.
The Waldbuhne in Berlin, one of the most appealing outdoor ampitheatres on the European continent, is the home of the Berliner Philharmoniker's summer concerts. With audiences of more than 20,000, these are some of the most popular classical music concerts in the world. Riccardo Chailly is famous for having one of the broadest and most eclectic repertoires. Here, under his baton, the orchestra presents perennial favourites by Shostakovich, Rota and Respighi.
The Tre Liriche includes Notte (Night), Nebbie (Fog) and Pioggia (Rain), which Respighi had originally set as separate works for mezzo and piano between 1906 and 1912. He then decided to orchestrate the three songs as a song cycle in 1913 for mezzo Chiarina Fino Savio, for the world premiere on 6 February 1914 with Orchestra dell'Augusteo (now the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia) in Rome under conductor Bernardino Molinari. Luciano Pavarotti championed two of the three songs in the 1970s, following their individual successes with singers in recitals. Potito Pedarra, the cataloguer of Respighi's works, then rediscovered the existence of the lost (incomplete) opus with all three songs in the 1990s, well after the publication of his Respighi works list. Pedarra subsequently numbered the rediscovered opus as Tre Liriche, P. 99a.
Di Vittorio completed Respighi's orchestration of the extant orchestral manuscript (pages), as provided by the Respighi family, for its first engraved critical edition in anticipation of its 100th anniversary in 2013. Tre Liriche is available for rental under publisher Casa Ricordi (Universal Music) in Italy in two versions: the original for mezzo-soprano (or baritone) and orchestra, and for soprano (or tenor) and orchestra...
The Berceuse for strings is a short lullaby composed in 1902. Similar to the Aria for strings, also edited by Di Vittorio and part of the Chamber Orchestra of New York's Naxos debut in 2011, the music shows the blossoming of Respighi's string and vocal-inspired writing as a prelude to such later works as his masterful Ancient Airs, Suites Nos. 1-3 , the third of which is for string orchestra. The premiere of the published work was given on 22 April 2022 at The DiMenna Center for Classical Music in New York, with the Italian premiere with the Orchestra of the Teatro Massimo Opera of Palermo, Italy - both performances under the direction of Di Vittorio.
The Lamento d'Arianna was given its world premiere in 1908 by the Berlin Philharmonic under conductor Arthur Nikisch. Respighi had gone to Berlin to accompany the singing class of Etelka Gerster, and his experiences as piano accompanist for opera singers evolved his sensibility for writing for the voice. This early choice of arranging the music of Claudio Monteverdi shows Respighi's innate interest in Early Music.
Not to be mistaken with other Monteverdi works of the same name, this Lamento is the only extant music from Monteverdi's lost second opera L'Arianna. Monteverdi later used the music, including the now famous Lasciatemi morire motif, in three other works of the same name, including the well-known madrigal Lamento d'Arianna which is part of his Madrigals, Book VI . This masterful orchestration of Monteverdi's Lamento was the first work that brought Respighi attention, garnering ecstatic reviews.
Il tramonto is scored for strings, and was also written in 1914 for the mezzo-soprano Chiarina Fino-Savio. The poem is based on the words of Percy Bysshe Shelley, and deals with a young woman's tragic story of passionate love and eventual despair over her lover's death. The work is very reminiscent of the music of Richard Wagner , and his Siegfried Idyll in particular, completed prior to the evolution of Respighi's compositional style away from selected
German influences.
Award-winning composer and trumpet player Hannibel Lokumbe is a leader in expressing the Aprican-American experience through his orchestral and choral music, with a special focus on civil rights leaders. Can You Hear God Crying? is a spiritatorio which takes us on a journey from hardship and suffering to healing and celebrations of courage and peace, told through the forced migration aboard a slave ship endured by Lokumbe's great-grandfather Silas Burgess. Combining jazz, gospel and chamber music together with West African prayers and songs, this is both a moving commemoration and a spectacularly festive event which faces past and present with honesty and deep spiritual understanding.
World premiere performance of Sir John Tavener's epic work written for the new millennium, recorded in St Paul's Cathedral, London, in January 2000. Richard Hickox conducts the City of London Sinfonia with Patricia Rozario, Michael Chance and Stephen Richardson, in a work which came to Tavener in a vision. The composer makes full use of the remarkable acoustics of St Paul's.
Bonus features:
- Introduction and interview with Sir John Tavener by Stephanie Hughes.
- The Eye of the Heart - Sir John Tavener talks about his beliefs and music.
Award-winning composer and trumpet player Hannibel Lokumbe is a leader in expressing the Aprican-American experience through his orchestral and choral music, with a special focus on civil rights leaders. Can You Hear God Crying? is a spiritatorio which takes us on a journey from hardship and suffering to healing and celebrations of courage and peace, told through the forced migration aboard a slave ship endured by Lokumbe's great-grandfather Silas Burgess. Combining jazz, gospel and chamber music together with West African prayers and songs, this is both a moving commemoration and a spectacularly festive event which faces past and present with honesty and deep spiritual understanding.
This release forms part of the celebrations for the 125th anniversary of the Berlin Philharmonic, capturing an evening of Spanish music and themes recorded live in 2001 in the unique atmosphere of the Philharmonic's annual open-air summer concert at the Waldbühne, Berlin, a major event in the city's social calendar.
World-famous tenor Placido Domingo conducts the Berlin Philharmonic in works which have always been particularly close to his heart. The concert features fabulous violinist Sarah Chang performing virtuosic showpieces such as Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy and Zigeunerweisen. The programme also includes a collection of delightful zarzuela arias sung by Ana Maria Martinez, winner of the Placido Domingo Vocal Competition in Barcelona.
Bathymetric Terrains muses on the ecology of oceans and tidal bays. Bathymetry is the measurement of water depths. This is a work about underwater terrains. It is a work which contemplates the fragile nature of underwater topographies and ecosystems, seeing the Minas Basin and Bay of Fundy from the house of composer Derek Charke in Nova Scotia.
The tides are dramatic. When the tide is out the seabed is exposed. The various layers of topography reveal themselves twice a day. For a while now he wanted to compose something about these hidden landscapes. The composition includes multiple flute, guitar, and voice parts. The solo parts are performed live while the backing tracks, processing, and soundscapes are projected through speakers. The work is technically challenging and exciting to perform. For live performances, a video of various seascapes from around Nova Scotia is projected on a screen.
Stranded in Switzerland due to the events of the First World War and the October Revolution in Russia, Stravinsky was introduced to the Swiss novelist Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz in 1915 by their mutual friend and conductor Ernest Ansermet. This encounter would ultimately lead to a creative partnership that brought forth one of the most important works of the 20th century: L'Histoire du Soldat (The Soldier's Tale) . Based on a Russian folk tale, L'Histoire du Soldat unites a Faustian fable with Stravinsky's colourful and sweeping composition that includes elements of jazz and Russian folk music.
At the 2018 Deauville Easter Festival in the Normandy region of France, Pierre Dumoussaud leads a group of highly accomplished instrumentalists, as well as actors Didier Sandre, Maxime Coggio, and Gabriel Acremant, in this Stravinsky masterpiece. The colorful program is rounded out by Mahler's sole String Quartet in A Minor , which he never completed-though you'll hear the finished first movement alongside a later completion by Russian composer Alfred Schnittke of Mahler's partially sketched second movement - and Alban Berg's expansive and evocative Seven Early Songs , superbly performed by prizewinning mezzo Adele Charvet.
Recorded in 1971, this film shows the CSO in their first ever concert outside the United States. As Solti himself explains in the bonus feature included here, the CSO are masters in German repertoire, to which they bring the American virtuosity. Solti summons tremendous power, elegance and clarity from the orchestra, and their subsequent performances of Brahms's First Symphony have been praised for their "dignity, energy and splendour," which led critic William Mann to write: "I am tempted to describe it as the United States' most completely accomplished orchestra."
The programme features Mozart's Symphony No. 39 , Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 , and an encore from Debussy's Nocturnes: No. 2. Fetes . All performed with the flair, passion and majestic artistry for which Solti was famed. His interpretation of Mozart has been hailed as arguably one of the greatest in history. "There are certain composers on whose work Solti has stamped his mark with a distinction that has never been equalled, nor probably ever will be, so that his conduit of their intentions has become integral to the experience of listening to them." (The Observer)
On January 27th, 2006 the Chinese piano-phenomenon Lang Lang celebrates the birthday of W.A. Mozart with a performance of the Piano Concerto No. 24 in the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing. The China Philharmonic Orchestra is conducted by Long Yu. The Forbidden City Concert Hall (formerly known as the Beijing Music Hall, Zhongshan Park) is situated inside the walls of the Forbidden City, among the well-manicured gardens of Zhongshan Park, directly adjacent to Tiananmen Square.
Highlights from Young Euro Classic 2022, live recorded at the Konzerthaus Berlin.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
In spring of 2020, concert halls fell silent. During those weeks, when people had to stay at home and musicians faced all their performances being canceled, a group of Berlin-based artists of international acclaim, in co-operation with awarded film producer Jan Schmidt-Garre and Naxos Audiovisual, set up a series of chamber music concerts performed and filmed at Schinkel Pavillon in Berlin. Pianist Zlata Chochieva performs a selection of Mendelssohn's Lieder Ohne Worte and Chopin's Etudes , the Mephisto Waltz No. 2 composed by Liszt , Rachmaninoff's Canon in E minor, Prelude in F, Fragments and Oriental Sketch , and Medtner's Canzona Serenata op. 38 .
In spring of 2020, concert halls fell silent. During those weeks, when people had to stay at home and musicians faced all their performances being canceled, a group of Berlin-based artists of international acclaim, in co-operation with awarded film producer Jan Schmidt-Garre and Naxos Audiovisual, set up a series of chamber music concerts performed and filmed at Schinkel Pavillon in Berlin. Jacquelyn Wagner (soprano) and Zlata Chochieva (piano) perform Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder and Mahler's Songs of a Wayfarer .
Lutoslawski's delicate lament serves as prelude to Berlioz's Requiem , a superlative work requiring an impressive cast of two orchestras and choirs, here under the direction of Pablo Heras-Casado.
An event not to be forgotten! The concert was recorded on February 20th, 2019 at the Philharmonie de Paris, a building designed by les Ateliers Jean Nouvel.
The Choir sings John Tavener's hauntingly beautiful unaccompanied choral music in a stunning virtual reality restoration of the ancient St. Sophia church in Constantinople. Orthodox ikons enrich the visual tapestry, enhancing the full richness of Tavener's mystic inspiration.
Bonus features:
- Manifestations of God - Sir John Tavener on his choral music and the parents of Athene talk about the inspiration behind Song for Athene
- The ikon chooses you - Robert J. Roozemond on a ikonographic art
This recording captures the Vienna Boys' Choir's fitting celebration of Mozart's 250th birthday in January 2006. Together with well known Mozart interpreters like Sandrine Piau, they sing Mozart's finest sacred works, including the Coronation Mass. The Choir is one of the best-known musical institutions in Vienna. Since its founding over 500 years ago, it has been a significant fixture in musical life worldwide. Many famous composers and musicians had close ties to the Vienna Boys' Choir - Joseph Haydn and Franz Schubert were even members of the choir as children and Mozart, while not a choirboy himself, did perform with the choir. The venue is St. Stephen's Cathedral, where Mozart and his wife were married, where one of their sons was christened and where the funeral ceremony after Mozart's death took place.
Bonus features:
- Mozart in Vienna - Mozart's most critical years in Vienna. Examining the authentic Mozart sites in Vienna such as the Mozart House at Domgasse 5 (Figaro-Haus), the Theater an der Wien and the Stephansdom helps put into focus Mozart's special connection to the city and the Viennese relationship to Mozart.
First Concert (19 June 2020)
In the first concert with Renaud Capucon, we have three masterpieces, which, although they adopt the three-movement structure dear to Vivaldi and present features that bring them closer to the Italian models, are distinguished by their contrapuntal richness, their writing density and the breadth of their developments. These qualities are particularly evident in the BWV 1042 in E major , with its extremely powerful architecture.
In these works, where the solo violin is called upon to express itself through singing rather than virtuosic prowess, there are these wonderful slow movements that are enough to crack even the most hardened non-musician. Those in the concertos in A minor and E major "offer to the bass repeated figures whose seriousness brings out the sweetness of the solo violin all the more".
Second Concert (02 July 2020)
For the second concert with David Fray, Bach composed a concerti group for one, two, three and four harpsichords in Leipzig around 1730, and as director of the Collegium Musicum, he was to provide a large amount of music for an essentially worldly audience. All these concerti are transcriptions of earlier works.
Bach left us three concertos for two harpsichords BWV 1060 to 1062 , two for three harpsichords...
Resplendent in his powdered wig and 18th-century garb, Maestro Handel (aka Director of the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir Ivars Taurins) leads Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir, a stellar casts of soloists - soprano Suzie LeBlanc, countertenor Daniel Taylor, tenor Rufus Muller, and baritoen Locky Chung - and a mass audience choir made up of more than 1000 Tafelmusik fans as they perform Handel's baroque masterpiece.
A Toronto tradition beloved by thousands, Tafelmusik's annual Sing-Along Messiah has become a revered family ritual for many Torontonians over the past 25 years. Toronto's largest sing-along event, Tafelmusik's Sing-Along Messiah sells out every years, and participants are genuinely moved by the experience of joining their voices with hundreds of others to make music.
The concert begins with Berlioz's Roman Carnival Overture , composed in 1844 and ends with Saint-Saens's 3rd Symphony in C minor . This Organ Symphony , dating from 1885-86, is dedicated to Franz Liszt , who had recently died.
Between these two works, the internationally celebrated Argentine pianist Martha Argerich and the equally talented American Nicholas Angelich join to interpret Francis Poulenc's Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra , a joyous score in the musical spirit of the 1930s.
The Korean conductor-pianist Myung-Whun Chung, aged 62, conducts the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, which he has shaped over many long years.
The concert begins with Berlioz's Roman Carnival Overture , composed in 1844 and ends with Saint-Saens's 3rd Symphony in C minor . This Organ Symphony , dating from 1885-86, is dedicated to Franz Liszt , who had recently died.
Between these two works, the internationally celebrated Argentine pianist Martha Argerich and the equally talented American Nicholas Angelich join to interpret Francis Poulenc's Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra , a joyous score in the musical spirit of the 1930s.
The Korean conductor-pianist Myung-Whun Chung, aged 62, conducts the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, which he has shaped over many long years.
In 2022, Musiques en fete celebrates love in music! with the 8,000 spectators at the Theatre Antique in Orange for an amazing show! Opera, operetta, musical comedy, classical music, film music, dance, as well as the greatest hits of French song... Through an eclectic programme, a tribute to love and to all music will be paid by prestigious soloists and more than 150 orchestral musicians and choral artists.
Fifty years to the day after its premiere, Andris Nelsons celebrates with his orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (which also gave that first performance), Benjamin Britten's War Requiem through a special anniversary performance given at Coventry Cathedral, the site of its first performance, starring Erin Wall, Mark Padmore and Hanno Muller-Brachmann. Coventry Cathedral was nearly completely destroyed by the German Luftwaffe at the beginning of World War II. After the war, next to the ruins of the old destroyed church, a new cathedral was built and the then already famous British composer Benjamin Britten was commissioned to compose a work for the consecration of the church.
Acclaimed pianist Andras Schiff performs Bela Bartok's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle. Throughout the stunning performance of this iconic work, Schiff and Rattle bring to life the intense emotion and passion of Bartok's music and showcase the full power and range of the orchestra and piano. The concert capture the energy and intensity of the live performance and provide a thrilling listening experience.
Fifty years to the day after its premiere, Andris Nelsons celebrates with his orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (which also gave that first performance), Benjamin Britten's War Requiem through a special anniversary performance given at Coventry Cathedral, the site of its first performance, starring Erin Wall, Mark Padmore and Hanno Muller-Brachmann. Coventry Cathedral was nearly completely destroyed by the German Luftwaffe at the beginning of World War II. After the war, next to the ruins of the old destroyed church, a new cathedral was built and the then already famous British composer Benjamin Britten was commissioned to compose a work for the consecration of the church.
Fifty years to the day after its premiere, Andris Nelsons celebrates with his orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (which also gave that first performance), Benjamin Britten's War Requiem through a special anniversary performance given at Coventry Cathedral, the site of its first performance, starring Erin Wall, Mark Padmore and Hanno Muller-Brachmann. Coventry Cathedral was nearly completely destroyed by the German Luftwaffe at the beginning of World War II. After the war, next to the ruins of the old destroyed church, a new cathedral was built and the then already famous British composer Benjamin Britten was commissioned to compose a work for the consecration of the church.
World premiere performance of Sir John Tavener's epic work written for the new millennium, recorded in St Paul's Cathedral, London, in January 2000. Richard Hickox conducts the City of London Sinfonia with Patricia Rozario, Michael Chance and Stephen Richardson, in a work which came to Tavener in a vision. The composer makes full use of the remarkable acoustics of St Paul's.
Bonus features:
- Introduction and interview with Sir John Tavener by Stephanie Hughes.
- The Eye of the Heart - Sir John Tavener talks about his beliefs and music.
EuroArts presents a veritable fireworks display of ambitious pieces for brass orchestra recently performed by a colourful and fascinating young ensemble in Berlin's prestigious Konzerthaus at the Gendarmenmarkt in the heart of the city. The Venezuelan Brass Ensemble is a highly-acclaimed group with nearly 50 young brass and percussion players drawn from the extraordinary Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela. The South American country has one of the most admired and amazingly effective music school systems in the world. Almost all children from the age of 2 get free music lessons in their neighbourhood. They learn to play in ensembles as soon as they can master their instruments. This so-called "sistema" enables most of the poor children in Venezuela to have a focus in life apart from being clothed and fed - thus fighting poverty-related problems at the roots. The results are astonishing, the ensemble playing is near perfect and the "sistema" has brought forth internationally successful musicians like the conductor Gustavo Dudamel. The repertoire of the Venezuelan Brass Ensemble is impressively varied and testifies to the high standard of this young ensemble. With their blend of classical and South American repertoire, these 50 youngsters not only bring audiences to...
Baldassarre Galuppi's Mass for the Delivery of Slaves was written in 1765 for the choir of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, where the composer had recently been appointed music director. Written for soprano and alto solos, choir and orchestra, the Mass displays Galuppi's extraordinary (and previously largely unrecognized) contrapuntal mastery. Arguably, Galuppi's full talent as a composer is revealed more in his sacred works than those for the theatre. This is the world premiere recording of the work.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Mass in C Major KV317 , composed in 1779, needs little by way of introduction. The masterpiece here receives a fine interpretation by the Solisti Veneti conducted by Claudio Scimone.
Paralleling Beethoven's Triple Concerto in C Major for piano, violin and cello, Insula Orchestra pays tribute to the French composer Louise Farrenc , a talented artist whose unjustly neglected work was nonetheless acclaimed by her contemporaries, musicians and critics alike: La Belgique musicale wrote "A woman may indeed successfully walk the rocky path laid down by Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven". This performance of her third symphony is an opportunity to rediscover an important work of the Romantic period.
Sparkling Chopin performances from Van Cliburn just one year after his triumph at the 1958 inaugural Tchaikovsky Competition are coupled with fiery intensity from Claudio Arrau in two of Beethoven's best loved piano sonatas. This video presents rare audiovisual material from two of the world's finest pianists.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
The Violin is a collaboration between composer Anna Clyne and visual artist Josh Dorman . Amy Kauffman and Cornelius Dufallo perform Clyne's seven compositions on violin with layers of sound and fragments of spoken poetry, performed by Clyne herself. Dorman's stop-motion animations vary from abstract to narrative, and incorporate materials such as graphite, tealeaves, paint, and collaged paper.
To mark the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth, Russian born arranger Paul Struck has arranged two of the composer's great mid-period chamber masterpieces for soloist and string ensemble. The Cello Sonata No. 3 equally succeeds in conceiving the piano part for ensemble, while exploring fullness of sound and maintaining transparency of texture.
Beethoven used an extended scherzo form in which the trio is heard twice in a contrasting major key between the three appearances of the scherzo section in a minor key. The scherzo theme acquires a rhythmic shift through syncopation, gaining enormous energy in the version for string ensemble.
Beethoven's most important chamber work for violin - allows the sonata's concertante quality to emerge in a new light. The Cello Sonata No. 3 equally succeeds in conceiving the piano part for ensemble, while exploring fullness of sound and maintaining transparency of texture. Beethoven achieved the greatest possible balance between cello and piano, which Paul Struck has transferred with a sensitive touch to his arrangement for solo cello and string ensemble.
Featuring the third movement, instead of a slow movement, Beethoven composed a short, dreamlike introduction to the lively final rondo, which spurred all participants to render a joyful performance.
Stranded in Switzerland due to the events of the First World War and the October Revolution in Russia, Stravinsky was introduced to the Swiss novelist Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz in 1915 by their mutual friend and conductor Ernest Ansermet. This encounter would ultimately lead to a creative partnership that brought forth one of the most important works of the 20th century: L'Histoire du Soldat (The Soldier's Tale) . Based on a Russian folk tale, L'Histoire du Soldat unites a Faustian fable with Stravinsky's colourful and sweeping composition that includes elements of jazz and Russian folk music.
At the 2018 Deauville Easter Festival in the Normandy region of France, Pierre Dumoussaud leads a group of highly accomplished instrumentalists, as well as actors Didier Sandre, Maxime Coggio, and Gabriel Acremant, in this Stravinsky masterpiece. The colorful program is rounded out by Mahler's sole String Quartet in A Minor , which he never completed-though you'll hear the finished first movement alongside a later completion by Russian composer Alfred Schnittke of Mahler's partially sketched second movement - and Alban Berg's expansive and evocative Seven Early Songs , superbly performed by prizewinning mezzo Adele Charvet.
Elaine Comparone and her Queen's Chamber Band delve into the treasure chest of 17th century musical literature for this stellar performance of rare vocal and instrumental works by Biber, Buxtehude, Frescobaldi, Jacques de Gallot and Alessandro Piccinini .
This event recorded live in New York City is further enhanced by an in-depth, selectable, illustrated interview with Ms. Comparone, in which she discusses the composers, their music and performance practice of the day, as well as her own musical insights and the work of her highly acclaimed group, The Queen's Chamber Band.
The full splendour of Baroque spatial and sonic drama is encountered in these performances of Heinrich Biber's polyphonic masterpiece, the Missa Salisburgensis , and the Venetian choral works of Claudio Monteverdi , from which it takes inspiration.
Composed in an astonishing 53 parts in 1682, the Mass celebrated the acoustic possibilities of the newly completed Cathedral in Salzburg, the very building in which it is performed in this recording. The authentic 360-degree surround sound sends the music ricocheting from platform and galleries in a dazzling display that exploits acoustics and architecture alike.
The full splendour of Baroque spatial and sonic drama is encountered in these performances of Heinrich Biber's polyphonic masterpiece, the Missa Salisburgensis , and the Venetian choral works of Claudio Monteverdi , from which it takes inspiration.
Composed in an astonishing 53 parts in 1682, the Mass celebrated the acoustic possibilities of the newly completed Cathedral in Salzburg, the very building in which it is performed in this recording. The authentic 360-degree surround sound sends the music ricocheting from platform and galleries in a dazzling display that exploits acoustics and architecture alike.
Johann Sebastian Bach's most famous Christmas work has been recorded live at the Salle Henry Le Boeuf in the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. Who would have thought, three centuries ago, that all six cantatas, written by Bach for services from Christmas to the Epiphany, would one day be performed as a single work presenting the Christmas story? Internationally-renowned Bach expert Philippe Herreweghe, who founded the Collegium Vocale in 1970, surrounded himself with superb soloists.
Philippe Herreweghe, principal conductor of the Royal Flemish Philharmonic, has devoted himself for over ten years to fresh and invigorating readings of the (pre-) Romantic repertoire. Together with the Collegium Vocale, founded in 1970 by Herreweghe himself, and superb soloists they will perform Dvorak's superb Requiem .
OMG! Van Eyck was here. Celebrating Jan van Eyck: Herreweghe and Collegium Vocale.
Commissioned by the City of Ghent and on the occasion of the Van Eyck Year, the Estonian composer Arvo Part wrote a new work with the world-famous altarpiece the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb as its starting point. Around this world creation, which was given the title Fur Jan van Eyck , Philippe Herreweghe and Collegium Vocale Gent present an exquisite programme of mass movements, motets and organ works by Claudio Monteverdi, Anton Bruckner and Olivier Messiaen .
Johann Sebastian Bach's most famous Christmas work has been recorded live at the Salle Henry Le Boeuf in the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. Who would have thought, three centuries ago, that all six cantatas, written by Bach for services from Christmas to the Epiphany, would one day be performed as a single work presenting the Christmas story? Internationally-renowned Bach expert Philippe Herreweghe, who founded the Collegium Vocale in 1970, surrounded himself with superb soloists.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
Described as 'the great Verdian bass'(Le Figaro) and a 'Mefistofele who stood out over all the others' (Der Neue Merker), Carlo Colombra brings some of the most famous bass roles to life in this wide-ranging programme. Emotions range from the pride of Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen , through the terrors of Verdi's Attila , to the tender recollections of Rachmaninov's Aleko . Mephistopheles strides powerfully through both Gounod and Boito's operas, and Rossini's comic with contrasts with the darkness of Mussorgsky's Boris Godonov
Pixel is a stunning contemporary dance performance for 11 dancers in a virtual and living visual environment. A work on illusion combining energy and poetry, fiction and technical achievement, minimal music and hip-hop. It opens a dialogue between the synthetic world of digital projection and the real bodies of dancers. Pixel appeals to fans of contemporary dance, urban and hip-hop moves, with elements of circus too. Artistic Director and choreograper Mourad Merzouki, together with his Compagnle Kafig has elevated hip-hop to the world stage. In doing so he has created a multicultural contemporary dance form which takes equal place with modern dance and other idioms of the genre. He has incorporated circus elements, martial arts, contemporary dance and puppetry, and brought in performers from Algeria, Brazil and Taiwan in order to develop his ideas. The music was composed by French composer Armand Amar won a Cesar award for his original soundtrack.
Elaine Comparone and her Queen's Chamber Band delve into the treasure chest of 17th century musical literature for this stellar performance of rare vocal and instrumental works by Biber, Buxtehude, Frescobaldi, Jacques de Gallot and Alessandro Piccinini .
This event recorded live in New York City is further enhanced by an in-depth, selectable, illustrated interview with Ms. Comparone, in which she discusses the composers, their music and performance practice of the day, as well as her own musical insights and the work of her highly acclaimed group, The Queen's Chamber Band.
Rafael Kubelik (1914-1996) was the son of the well-known Bohemian violinist Jan Kubelik. He studied music in Prague and made his conducting debut at 20 at the head of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. Later he became the principal conductor of this famous orchestra and founded the "Prague Spring" Festival. After the Communist takeover of the government, Kubelik emigrated to the West and returned to his native land only after the end of the Communist regime. From 1950 to 1953 he headed the Chicago Symphony, from 1955 to 1958 he was music director of the Covent Garden Opera in London. A period of great artistic successes began in 1961, when he was appointed principal conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Many recordings document Kubelik's mastery and sense of artistry, his enjoyment of music and his temperament. His connection with the Munich orchestra lasted 18 years; in between, he also briefly served as music director of New York's Metropolitan Opera. Kubelik retired from the concert staged in 1985. But on the occasion of the first Prague Spring Festival after the fall of Communism in 1990, he returned to the podium of the Czech Philharmonic after more than 40 years in exile and conducted Smetana's My Fatherland cycle. His profound bonds with his native land...
The Missa solemnis , scored for four solo voices, chorus, orchestra and organ, is one of the world's greatest choral works. It blends an age-old religious service with a musical outpouring of human emotions in an intensely personal manner. As with other musical forms, Beethoven altered, expanded and shaped the mass until it corresponded to his creative needs. Beethoven conceived the mass for a religious occasion, the installation of Archduke Rudolf as Archbishop of Olmütz in 1820. However, he did not complete it in time and the work was given its premiere in St. Petersburg on 7 April 1824. In his score, Beethoven wrote the words "From the heart... may it find its way to the heart" (vom Herzen - möge es wieder zu Herzen gehen!). Indeed, the work's dramatic, almost volcanic fervor never fails to go to the heart of all listeners.
This work is part of the complete cycle of Beethoven symphonic and choral works featuring the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam conducted by Leonard Bernstein. In this recording with the Dutch orchestra, Bernstein also conducts the soloists Edda Moser, Hanna Schwarz, René Kollo and Kurt Moll, along with the Chorus of Radio Hilversum.
Carlos Kleiber's all too rare concert appearances are always musical occasions to cherish and remember. The vitality and precision of his authoritative gestures never fail to generate excitement and inspire playing of great elan from orchestras throughout the world. When Carlos Kleiber conducts the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam in Beethoven, one can expect a performance of intense musical concentration and exceptional expressive power. Carlos Kleiber made this recording with the Dutch orchestra in 1983, conducting Beethoven's Fourth and Seventh Symphonies . The mesmeric command of this elusive conductor over his musicians is fascinating. With none of the excessive glamor of the star performer, Carlos Kleiber, with meticulous care for detail, creates clear instrumental textures, compelling rhythmic designs and magical moments of fine repose. This is spell-binding music-making. This is vintage Carlos Kleiber.
One can vividly imagine the musical spectacle of the Abendmusiken, as it finds expression in the bass cantata Ich bin die Auferstehung und das Leben . Here Jesus is portrayed in the form of the bass singer in the St. John's Gospel's narrative of The Raising of Lazarus (Chapter XI, vv. 25-26), which is the reading for the 16th Sunday after Trinity.
Bearing in mind the Resurrection, this church concert may very well have been used to celebrate Christ's victory over death on Easter Sunday, as Buxtehude's use of the military instruments zink and trumpet could imply. Christ's words about the believer's life after death: "der wird leben, ob er gleich sturbe" (though he were dead, yet shall he live) is delivered rhetorically as recitative, after which the contrast between death and life is presented with imaginative dramatics in the following instrumental section.
Ich bin die Auferstehung und das Leben, like the great majority of Buxtehude's vocal music, has been preserved in the Duben Collection, into which it was copied in 1683. It was via Lubeck merchants and Baltic traders that the Swedish court kapellmeister Gustav Duben was supplied with manuscripts of music by, among others, Buxtehude to the court of Stockholm.
This is Vivaldi for the 21st century featuring Spring second and third movements. At its heart, the album is a conversation between past and present, between classical composition and new discoveries, between composers over time spans. Danish composer Karl Aage Rasmussen has always been keen on exploring our experience of time and movement.
Building bridges between cultures and traditions, he here sheds new light on original compositions by Vivaldi and Respighi , written during his period as composer-inresidence for Danish National Baroque Orchestra Concerto Copenhagen.
For more than 20 years, the choir Accentus has performed choral music in all its diversity. For Christmas 2009, Accentus, Laurence Equilbey and their guests created the event with a programme featuring some of the most famous sacred music pieces at the Church of Saint Thomas in Strasbourg to hear the most beautiful Christmas songs interpreted by: Concerto Koln, Sandrine Piau (Soprano), Nathalie Stutzmann (Alto), Pavol Breslik (Tenor), Johannes Weisser (Bass), Sonia Wieder Atherton (Cello), Aurelie Saraf (Harp) and Daniel Maurer, organist of the Church of St. Thomas.
The young French countertenor Philippe Jaroussky is one of the most exceptional artists of our time. He is highly acclaimed by critics all over the world for his virtuoso coloratura technique, as well as for his compelling and lively interpretations of baroque cantatas and operas. Together with the Concerto Köln he embarks on a journey into the world of an almost forgotten composer. Antonio Caldara (1670-1736) was on one of the most renowned opera composers of his time. Philippe Jaroussky and the ensemble transfer selected arias of the composer into the 21st century. The film accompanies the musicians to rehearsals and to the concert at the Prinzregententheater in Munich.
Paralleling Beethoven's Triple Concerto in C Major for piano, violin and cello, Insula Orchestra pays tribute to the French composer Louise Farrenc , a talented artist whose unjustly neglected work was nonetheless acclaimed by her contemporaries, musicians and critics alike: La Belgique musicale wrote "A woman may indeed successfully walk the rocky path laid down by Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven". This performance of her third symphony is an opportunity to rediscover an important work of the Romantic period.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
In many ways Gustav Mahler's Seventh and Eighth Symphonies are the most unusual works that the late Romantic composer ever wrote. The Seventh was the last in a series of middle-period pieces that were purely instruments in character. Two movements headed Nachtmusik and the remarkable writing for a guitar and mandolin help to create a sequence of darkly Romantic visions. And even within Mahler's markedly eclectic output, the Eighth Symphony enjoys the status of an exotic outsider thanks not only to its two-movement form combining an early medieval hymn and the final scene from Goethe's Faust but also to the vast forces for which it is scored, earning it the title of Symphony of a Thousand
This concert film made in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles in 1976 captures a memorable performance conducted by the doyen of American composers, Aaron Copland . It includes some of his greatest and most attractive music, from the patriotic flourish of Fanfare of the Common Man and the spirited orchestral Fantasy El salon Mexico , to the colloquial warmth of his suite from the opera The Tender Land . Of particular importance is the collaboration with the great Benny Goodman in the masterwork he commissioned and premiered, the Clarinet Concerto .
A star-studded gala from the royal Albert Hall in London, featuring some of the greatest names from the world's of opera, ballet, musicals and flamenco.
Featuring Tito Beltran, June Anderson, Michael Ball, Maria Friesman, Anastasia Volvchkova, Paco Pena and Montse Cortes performing a program of works that includes arias from Turandot, Hamlet, La Traviata and Rigoletto , hits from The Phantom of the Opera, Follies and showboat plus excerpts from Don Quixote and some stirring flamenco pieces.
The Polish countertenor Jakub Jozef Orlinski is quickly gaining a reputation as a singer of striking vocal beauty and daring stage craft. He has been hailed by critics and audiences alike, prompting the New York Times to write: "Jakub Jozef Orlinski combined beauty of tone and an uncommon unity of color and polish across his range."
This concert recording reflects the greatly anticipated release of his debut album, Anima Sacra , a recital of 18th-century rediscovered sacred arias with the baroque ensemble Il Pomo d'oro.
Tan Dun's hypnotic three-movement Water Concerto is intoxicating, both visually and aurally. Using water as a musical instrument, this extraordinary piece uses innovative techniques to explore the musicality of the sounds of water. Virtuoso percussionist and soloist David Cossin displays remarkable genius as he deftly creates unique, sensuous, organic and sometimes celestial sounds using a range of water-based instruments. Conducted by the composer, the distinctive accompaniment of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, reflecting Dun's personal combination of Chinese and Western musical traditions, is carefully interwoven and combined with the water percussion to produce a uniquely enchanting performance.
Tan Dun has made an indelible mark on the world's music scene with a creative repertoire that spans the boundaries of classical, multimedia, Eastern and Western musical systems. His score for Ang Lee's film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon received Academy and Grammy Awards in 2000 and an Oscar Award for best original score in 2001. In 2008 he was selected by the International Olympic Committee to write the logo and award ceremony music for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and composed Internet Symphony No. 1, "Eroica," commissioned by Google/YouTube as the focal point...
Together with Beethoven's Missa Solemnis , Verdi's Requiem ranks as one of the two supreme achievements in 19th-century liturgical music. Verdi reverred the great Italian author Alessandro Manzoni. When Manzoni died on 22 May 1873, Verdi wrote to his publisher expressing his desire to compose a Requiem Mass . It was premiered on the first anniversay of Manzoni's death. From the hushed reverence of the "Requiem aeternam" to the raging fury of the "Dies irae", and from the overwhelming power of the "Tuba mirum" to the sobbing grief of the "Lacrimosa", the Requiem is a highly dramatic and emotional - though not theatrical - work. Verdi specified that it "must not be sung the way an opera is sung". A work of awesome grandeur, it projects a compelling sincerity and honesty, even though Verdi was a non-observant Catholic.
Originally performed at La Scala in 1967 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Toscanini's death, this production with the orchestra and chorus of the Teatro alla Scala was presented in Moscow, Montreal and New York, in addition to Milan. It was recorded on film in 1967, now with the young Luciano Pavarotti replacing Carlo Bergonzi. One of Karajan's earliest film productions (and his first color film), it reflects his innovativeness especially through his...
Ravello Records presents ANIMATED SOUNDS, a multimedia release from composer Gheorghe Costinescu . The album showcases works by Costinescu from a varied and illustrious career spanning more than half a century.
The first half features pieces such as the virtuosic Sonata for the Piano and Essay in Sound , performed by pianist Stephen Gosling, and the expressive Voices Within , performed by violinist Vesselin Gellev. Eric Huebner performs two inventions from the larger work Evolving Cycle of Two-Part Modal Inventions for Piano , which uses the Baroque invention to explore Romanian folk music. Soprano Lucy Shelton, with Costinescu and Gosling at the piano, performs the bilingual song Why Do You Wail and Te Legeni and the cycle Nine Portraits from the Wild , which includes gestural directions for the singer.
The second half showcases Costinescu's work and collaborations in multimedia. His One-Minute Tribute: 9/11/2001 for percussion quartet is paired with his poignant animation of a photograph by Dan Nguyen of the installation Tribute in Light. An abstract animation by Michele Gagne complements Costinescu's pioneering electronic work Dots, Lines, and Patches , responding to its crackling, spontaneous sound world. Tai Chi on the Hudson , performed by the Voxare...
This opera gala, recorded live at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, on November 8, 2003, marked the 10th anniversary of the annual benefit for the German AIDS Foundation. Conducted by Kent Nagano, then Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Berlin Deutsche Symphony Orchestra founded 1923. This recording features an illustrious roster of international artists from Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, the United States and Canada.
Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic set off fireworks of good humour and a contagious musical spirit at the traditional New Year's Eve Concert in 2002. Simon Rattle chose Leonard Bernstein's brilliant and entertaining musical comedy, Wonderful Town , for his first New Year's Eve Concert with the Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor and orchestra - both rank among the best in the world - joined forces with Broadway stars Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald and famous baritone Thomas Hampson. The audience enjoyed a great show full of dancing, choruses, fascinating light design and ?EUR" above all ?EUR" intoxicating music. The exuberant atmosphere of this event culminated in an overwhelming encore with the musicians and audience dancing through the hall! This video captures the atmosphere right in the middle of orchestra, singers and audience and recreates a wonderful night on the town.
World-renowned tenor Plácido Domingo is joined by Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna and a host of other international stars including Susan Graham, in the famously glittering 1996 Gala Concert on the stage of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Asher Fisch conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in a programme of many of the world's best-loved operatic arias with music by composers including Bizet, Massenet, Gounod, Mozart and Donizetti.
Claudio Monteverdi's Fourth Book of Madrigals (1603) explores differing emotional states of abandoned lovers through the most dramatic and amazingly modern music for vocal ensemble. The Full Monteverdi follows the simultaneous break-up of six couples through shocking revelation, vengeful anger and erotic longing for reconciliation. Vulnerable and disarming, this ensemble film will draw you into its emotional journey and intensely moving portrait of contemporary love.
An exceptional concert from Brazil: the Orquestra Sinfonica do Estado de Sao Paulo proves its position as the most important orchestra in Latin America. Conducted by charismatic maestro John Neschling since 1997, the orchestra is defined by its emblematic interpretations of Latin American music. With Sao Paulo Samba, the orchestra yet again grips the listener with an electrifying selection of Brazilian and Latin American classics, including works by Alberto Ginastera, Astor Piazzolla, Heitor Villa-Lobos and Joao Bosco. The famous Banda Mantiqueira and celebrated singer Monica Salmaso complement the show.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
Solti achieved great success with the first complete recording of Das Rheingold in 1958, after which his reputation for recording Wagner escalated. He was also known for his dramatic and expressive performances of works by Richard Strauss, demonstrated by this exciting rendition of Don Juan, with revealing bonus rehearsal material and an interview by John Culshaw. The 1985 performance of Beethoven's Fifth with the BBC Symphony Orchestra is equally thrilling, filmed during his tenure as Chief Conductor of the Chicago Symphony, with whom he recorded the full set of Beethoven symphonies.
On 10 October 2004, the Teatro Regio celebrated the birthday of Giuseppe Verdi by holding a concert featuring some of the most important artists and singers of the international music scene. The performance was part of an intended annual series in which extracts from each of Verdi's operas would be performed in chronological order to offer an analytic and comprehensive panorama of his output, and the concerts would bring to the stage the most acclaimed stars of the operatic world. The great baritone Leo Nucci and the famous tenor Jose Cura are featured in this video, and Renato Palumbo, musical director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, conducts.
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
The Mahler Chamber Orchestra was Orchestra in Residence at the KlaraFestival 2013 which is known as a modern and international classical music festival far beyond Belgium's borders. The concerts of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra formed one of the highlights of this year's festival. Alongside young Greece conductor Teodor Currentzis , who is hailed as an "eccentric super-talented maestro", the orchestra dedicates its performance to the two composers, contemporaries and friends Benjamin Britten and Dmitri Shostakovich .
The programme includes Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No. 1 at whose world premiere in London 1960 the two composers met for the first time. The orchestra combines one of the most popular cello concertos of the 20th century with Britten's Sinfonietta and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 1 .
In this day and age, the rhythm of the earth is changing drastically. For this reason a suspension in time, a dialogue, is necessary before we can return to ourselves, to our connection with nature and the animal world. A chamber opera to feel the rhythm again, both our own and that of the world around us.
Il Ritmo della Terra ('The Rhythm of the Earth') is a chamber opera. The music, as it develops, takes the listener on a journey back to a spring-like state, a state of purity. The earth's needs, as well as our own, are rapidly changing and a suspension in time is necessary for an introspective dialogue before we can return to ourselves, to our connection with nature and the animal world. Mariangela Gualtieri's texts are precious gifts, reflections and reminiscences that lead the listener on his or her own journey.
On the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the composer's death, crowds gathered at the Leipziger Gewandhaus to witness a world-class performance of one of Rossini's two large-scale, major choral works: The Petite Messe solennele. Riccardo Chailly - whose "genius for the Rossini style has ripened in the years" (Gramophone) - leads a spectacular ensemble of four internationally renowned singers, the combined forces of the Choir of the Leipzig Opera and the Gewandhaus Choir, and the Gewandhaus Orchestra; their harmonious, ethereal rendition receieves a heartfelt ovation that affirms the beguiling effect of the last of Rossini's "sins of old age."
In many ways Gustav Mahler's Seventh and Eighth Symphonies are the most unusual works that the late Romantic composer ever wrote. The Seventh was the last in a series of middle-period pieces that were purely instruments in character. Two movements headed Nachtmusik and the remarkable writing for a guitar and mandolin help to create a sequence of darkly Romantic visions. And even within Mahler's markedly eclectic output, the Eighth Symphony enjoys the status of an exotic outsider thanks not only to its two-movement form combining an early medieval hymn and the final scene from Goethe's Faust but also to the vast forces for which it is scored, earning it the title of Symphony of a Thousand
Completed in 1894, Gustav Mahler's Second Symphony counts amongst his most popular compositions.
It took the composer six years to complete this large-scale work which was started under very unusual circumstances. In 1886, Mahler had a vision of his own funeral; the dream inspired what was to become the Symphony's first movement, which he entitled Todtenfeier (Funeral Rite).
Unable to decide whether the work should be a separate tone poem or the first movement of a full symphony, he did not resume composition until 1893, finishing all but the last movement. For the conclusion of his Symphony, Mahler wanted to incorporate the human voice. The inspiration for this came when he attended the memorial service for the conductor Hans von B?low, which included a religious ode Auferstehung (Resurrection) by the German poet Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (1724-1803).
This performance of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony is performed by Ivan Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra. Fischer is known for his superlative interpretations of Mahler with an attention to detail and a musicianship which are served by some of the finest European instrumentalists gathered in 'his' orchestra.
Rediscover a classic of Czech music alongside a lesser-heard masterwork by experimental composer Luciano Berio ! The concert opens with the Italian's Sinfonia , interpreted with brio by the London Voices and a Czech Philharmonic in high form, under the baton of Maestro Semyon Bychkov. This fascinating choral symphony features eight amplified voices, singing and speaking texts extracted from Claude L?vi-Strauss, James Joyce, and Samuel Beckett - with a second movement in homage to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - and also quotes musical works by Beethoven, Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, Schoenberg , and many other composers in its highly allusive third movement.
The evening's second half is dedicated to the music of Dvorak , with his Symphony No. 7 in D Minor as the centerpiece. This passionate work, dedicated to the London Philharmonic Society who had commissioned it, was an unmitigated success at its premiere and has continued to enchant audiences through the centuries-including this one at the Rudolfinum in Prague, where Dvorak himself conducted the Czech Philharmonic's first ever concert in 1896. Two of the Bohemian composer's spirited Slavonic Dances serve as encores to round out the program, which also includes a nod to Frank Sinatra...
For his first collaboration with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, the marvelous Sir Simon Rattle conducts works by two favorite composers, including the most famous compatriot of the esteemed ensemble, Antonin Dvorak ! His symphonic poem The Golden Spinning Wheel , based on a folk ballad recounting a story of deception, magic, and revenge, opens the evening before magnificent mezzo Magdalena Kozena and tenor Simon O'Neill join the festivities in Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth) .
Artist-in-residence for the 2022 season, pianist Yuja Wang meets the Czech Philharmonic, conducted by Semyon Bychkov.
The centrepiece of this exciting evening is the Glagolitic Mass , a late masterpiece by Leos Janacek . The programme opens with Agnus Dei for choir without orchestral accompaniment by Martin Smolka , followed by Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor.
As part of the Mozart celebrations for the composer's 250th birthday in 2006, the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Manfred Honeck, perform W.A. Mozart's most famous work related to or composed in Prague. The young clarinetist Sharon Kam, one of the most exciting players on the international scene and a frequent performer with many renowned orchestras all over the world ?EUR" plays the popular Clarinet Concerto in its original version on the lower range basset clarinet. The Prague Estates Theatre, where the concert was recorded on Mozart's birthday on the 27th January 2006, is one of the most beautiful historical theatres in Europe. Part of its charm, magic and value lies in its historical significance, which stretches from the theatre's role in Mozart's career to modern times. In 1787 Mozart conducted the premiere of Don Giovanni here and, his friend and inspiration the clarinettist Anton Stadler, premiered the Clarinet Concerto in this theatre in 1791.
In the scope of the Czech Philharmonic's pre-Christmas series, Manfred Honeck conducts a selection of suites from Peer Gynt by Edward Grieg . The programme is completed by Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 played by Rudolf Buchbinder, as well as Beethoven's First Symphony in celebration of the composer's 250th birthday.
Celebrating democracy, freedom and non-violence, the Czech Philharmonic's concert to mark the Velvet Revolution will for the first time be presented in 2020. Taking place every year on 17 November - both the day the then Czechoslovak riot police brutally supressed a peaceful student demonstration in Prague and International Students' Day - the initiative also pays tribute to the Czech Philharmonic's support of the general strike of 1989.
The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto was written in 1958 by He Zhanhao and Chen Gang while they were students at the Shanghai Conservatory and was first performed in May the following year. Musically the concerto is a synthesis of Eastern and Western traditions, although the melodies and overall style are adapted from traditional Chinese opera. The solo violin is used in a way that recalls the playing technique of the erhu, the Chinese two-string fiddle. It is a one-movement programmatic concerto with three sections that correspond to the three phases of the story - Falling in Love, Refusing to Marry and Metamorphosis.
The Yellow River Concerto was based on the famous Yellow River Cantata by Xin Singhai, a work dating from the period of the Sino-Japanese War, and devised by the committee of composers then found advisable for such a task, Yin Chengzong, Liu Zhuang, Chu Wanghua, Sheng Lihong, Shi Shucheng and Xu Feisheng.
Dacapo's CD recording of all Carl Nielsen's symphonies by the Danish National Symhpony Orchestra/DR conducted by Michael Schønwandt has already established itself as a reference recording on the international classical CD market. Now the same outstanding interpretation of all six symphonies can be experienced on video with new opportunities for in-depth study of the music and a stimulating 60-minute documentary that offers new perspectives on Denmark's national composer.
On 10 October 2004, the Teatro Regio celebrated the birthday of Giuseppe Verdi by holding a concert featuring some of the most important artists and singers of the international music scene. The performance was part of an intended annual series in which extracts from each of Verdi's operas would be performed in chronological order to offer an analytic and comprehensive panorama of his output, and the concerts would bring to the stage the most acclaimed stars of the operatic world. The great baritone Leo Nucci and the famous tenor Jose Cura are featured in this video, and Renato Palumbo, musical director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, conducts.
In 2005, the Staatsoper Berlin and its orchestra, the Staatskapelle Berlin under musical director Daniel Barenboim, celebrated a series of events to celebrate the 80th birthday of French conductor and composer Pierre Boulez. Artistically associated for decades with Barenboim and Berlin, Pierre Boulez is one of today's most distinguished composers and conductors. As part of the celebration, Boulez conducted a performance of Mahler's "Resurrection" Symphony at the Berlin Philharmonie. With his uncompromising approach to the score, Pierre Boulez's Mahler readings have long fascinated critics and audiences alike. Boulez eschews the romanticized readings common in performance tradition and, instead, reveals the real joy and terror in Mahler's large-scale symphonies. The Berlin Staatskapelle, singers Diana Damrau and Petra Lang and the Berlin State Opera Chorus joined forces to bring his vision of this gargantuan piece to life. Watching Boulez conducting on his 80th birthday is truly an experience, and his interpretation presents a new perspective on a much-loved symphony.
One of the warmest personalities on the opera and concert stage today, soprano Diana Damrau has put together a beguiling program for her recital at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden. The selection of Romantic to fin-de-siècle pieces not only underscores her own vocal artistry, but also pays tribute to her accompanist Xavier de Maistre and, in particular, to the diaphanous delicacy of his instrument, the harp.
The use of the harp to replace the piano in a voice recital is a truly unique and unexpected musical treat. De Maistre does more than simply transpose the piano part to his instrument; under the fingers of the Wiener Philharmoniker's solo harpist, the ethereal sound of this instrument melds consummately with the soprano's finely honed vocal part, so that the masterpieces by composers such as Schumann, Faure and Debussy sound as if they had been conceived for voice and harp.
The unrivalled intimacy of a chamber concert is conveyed by the placing of the soloists and public within touching distance on the stage of the Festspielhaus. This distinctly informal atmosphere is captured by Emmy Award winning director Brian Large. Discreetly highlighting the interpretative subtleties and spontaneous personality of Diana Damrau, he helps confirm her status as one of the most exciting,...
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
Fresh from their critically acclaimed series of the complete symphonies of Beethoven and Brahms , the Danish Chamber Orchestra and Adam Fischer turn to Haydn's late symphonies, beginning with the first three of the twelve London symphonies, composed during Haydn's first visit to the capital. Arguably his greatest achievements in the genre, they include the enduringly popular surprise in the slow movement of No. 94 . Fischer and his orchestra, who have performed together for over two decades, employ varied bowing and playing styles in the strings and innovative dynamic techniques in the winds that bring new levels of excitement to these masterpieces.
The second volume in Haydn's Late symphonies series is devoted to three more London symphonies. No. 96 in D major, The Miracle - so named, as the legend goes, after a falling chandelier narrowly missed the audience during its Hanover Square Rooms premiere - exemplifies the grandeur of these works. The structural surprises of No. 97 in C major and the hymnal slow movement of No. 98 in B flat major reinforce Haydn's inexhaustible compositional versatility and inventiveness. These programs are the product of a two-decade partnership between Adam Fischer and the Danish Chamber Orchestra during which they have explored the most effective technical solutions necessary for performing these works.
Joseph Haydn's last symphonies, first performed in 1794 and 1795, were created for his second visit to the British capital. He had captivated London during his first trip in 1791/92, with countless premieres and ensuing worldwide fame. The splendid monument to Haydn in the square of his birthplace, Rohrau, was erected as early as 1793, while he was still very much alive and well. Symphony No. 100 is often called The Military Symphony because of its grand second movement featuring both cymbals and triangle.
Franz Joseph Haydn's last great symphonies electrified his London audiences, and with these programs Adam Fischer and the Danish Chamber Orchestra recreate the powerful, stormy and exciting effects that caused such a sensation in the 1790s. The Symphony No. 101 in D major has long been nicknamed The Clock due to the ticking rhythm in the second movement for plucked strings and bassoons.
Pieces for orchestra are on their way to winning the same status as operas. Something as simple as a symphony can henceforth have artistic weight. Joseph Haydn's symphonies from his second visit to London thus stand as a milestone in the transition from Viennese Classicism to Romanticism.
No. 102 premiered at the King's Theatre under dramatic circumstances: a chandelier fell from the ceiling during the performance, apparently without causing injuries to the audience. For many years, scholars believed the work performed that evening was Symphony No. 96 - hence, the nickname The Miracle should be transferred from one symphony to the other!
Symphony No. 103 bears the nickname Drumroll due to the very first bar of the piece. Haydn did not write any details regarding the roll's volume or the like, thus leaving the actual execution up to the timpanist. The piece's surprising repetition of the motif from the slow introduction in several places in the first movement became a great inspiration for Beethoven a few years later.
An event on 30 March 1795 was downright irritating: the Freemasons were to entertain with 'one of my great symphonies' in their banquet hall. "But the orchestra did not want any rehearsals" he writes. "So I refused to participate. I was actually completely absent."
The demand for quality reflects not only his care for the works as such. His demand also expresses a new era. Pieces for orchestra are on their way to winning the same status as operas. Something as simple as a symphony can henceforth have artistic weight. Joseph Haydn's symphonies from his second visit to London thus stand as a milestone in the transition from Viennese Classicism to Romanticism.
Symphony No. 104 , sometimes designated The London Symphony , finally gathers the experiences through its pompous expression, its inspiration from folk music, and its general pre-Romantic sentiments.
Symphony No. 93 in D major was performed at the first of the second season of Salomon concerts in which Haydn was concerned, on 17 February 1792. The programme was of the usual variety, including concertos for oboe, for harp and for violin, songs and a new Grand Overture by Haydn, the first of his symphonies for London, acclaimed by one critic as 'grand, scientific, charming and original'. Scored for pairs of flutes and oboes, bassoons, horns, timpani and strings, the symphony was presumably written in London in the preceding year, relying now on Haydn's familiarity with the abilities of the players at his disposal. The work opens with a slow introduction, based on a figure derived from the descending notes of the triad.
Symphony No. 94 in G major was first performed at a subscription concert at the Hanover Square Rooms on 23 March 1792, the sixth of the new series, and proved to have an enduring popularity. The first movement opens with a slow introduction, followed by a gentle enough first subject and a double second subject. The well-known C major slow movement provides the surprise of a sudden burst of sound, interrupting the steady progress of the melody, which is then varied. The Menuetto is much quicker than is usually the case, its Trio opening with first violins and bassoon in octaves. The Finale is launched, as usual, by the strings, with a cheerful first subject, succeeded by a contrasting second subject in sonata form.
Haydn's Symphony No. 95 in C minor was also written in London in 1791, and was performed at some time during Haydn's first season there. The strong opening figure of the first movement is announced by woodwind and strings, followed by a gentler answer from the strings. The second subject, in E flat major, is derived from the descending arpeggio. The opening figure starts the central development, now used in transposition and contrapuntally. The gentle first subject appears in recapitulation, followed by the second theme, now in C major, with brief additions, as it proceeds, from a solo violin.
Franz Joseph Haydn's last great symphonies electrified his London audiences, and with these recordings Adam Fischer and the Danish Chamber Orchestra recreate the powerful, stormy and exciting effects that caused such a sensation in the 1790s.
Symphony No. 99 in E flat major was Haydn's first ever symphony to use clarinets; No. 100 in G major gained its 'Military' appellation due to its grand second movement featuring cymbals and triangle; and No. 101 in D major has long been nicknamed The Clock due to the ticking rhythm in the second movement for plucked
strings and bassoons.
Dacapo's CD recording of all Carl Nielsen's symphonies by the Danish National Symhpony Orchestra/DR conducted by Michael Schønwandt has already established itself as a reference recording on the international classical CD market. Now the same outstanding interpretation of all six symphonies can be experienced on video with new opportunities for in-depth study of the music and a stimulating 60-minute documentary that offers new perspectives on Denmark's national composer.
The special chemistry between the Swedish conductor Herbert Blomstedt and the Danish National Symphony Orchestra stems from one of the most outstanding artistic partnerships in the music life of Scandinavia. Blomstedt was the very first chief conductor of the Danish orchestra and is today its honorary conductor - and the partnership is now in its seventh decade!
This video celebrates Herbert Blomstedt's profound insight into the symphonic worlds of Franz Schubert and Anton Bruckner , unfolding in Denmark's historic Roskilde Cathedral. Blomstedt's dream of conducting in this dazzling acoustic came true at a memorable concert in 2007, now made available for fans of the conductor and his Danish orchestra to enjoy worldwide.
Katia and Marielle Labeque received their first piano tuition at ages three and five and the sisters are famous for their unusual duo precision, their great musicality and the breadth of their repertoire. In this concert they perform with Il Giardino Armonico, a leading Italian ensemble specializing in period performing practice. Katia and Marielle Labeque throw themselves into the works with their typical verve and enthusiasm, demonstrating symbiotic synchrony and facile (facile means inconsequential, shallow - negative word) technique. With its unmistakable sound Il Giardino Armonico is one of today's most notable Baroque ensembles. Colourful, individualistic and stylish, it has won an enthusiastic international following and truly excels in performing Baroque music for a 21st century audience. The programme includes a wide variety of music by three different composers, all performed on historical instruments at the Vienna Musik Verein. One of the unique elements of this performance - recorded in the Bach Anniversary year 2000 - is the use of the fortepiano for Bach's keyboard concertos. This instrument, which Bach undoubtedly knew, and probably owned, is rarely used in Bach performances, yet the sound it offers is far more interesting than a modern piano. Together with...
Since 1972 the 12 Cellists of the Berliner Philharmoniker have been a prominent institution in international musical life. Whether they're playing classical music, jazz, tango or avant-garde, listeners around the world are invariably fascinated by the wide range of the unique and intoxicating timbres that these twelve cellos can produce. Their mixture of seriousness and humor, of depth and lightness, appeals to audiences of all ages. In this live recording from the Philharmonie Berlin, the 12 Cellists welcome Annette Dasch and Till Bronner. They performed works by Piazzolla, Faure, Legrand, Debussy, Ravel, Morricone, Ellington , to name only a few.
Lutoslawski's delicate lament serves as prelude to Berlioz's Requiem , a superlative work requiring an impressive cast of two orchestras and choirs, here under the direction of Pablo Heras-Casado.
An event not to be forgotten! The concert was recorded on February 20th, 2019 at the Philharmonie de Paris, a building designed by les Ateliers Jean Nouvel.
The Verbier Festival, created in 1994, has rapidly acquired a reputation for artistic excellence and is now considered one of the major European music festivals. For a fortnight each summer, the greatest stars of the classical music world come together against the magical backdrop of the Swiss Alps. The Verbier Festival gives musicians the opportunity to perform original programmes with fellow musicians they admire, but with whom they may never have performed before. These world premiere performances produce innovative and exciting results, for artists and audiences. The 2007 edition gathered classical celebrities such as Martha Argerich, Helene Grimaud, Gabriela Montero, Renaud Capucon, Nelson Freire, Mischa Maisky, Thomas Quasthoff and Lars Vogt, and for the first time all 46 concerts were recorded. The state-of-art recordings featured two cameras on stage that were remote-controlled so as to not disturb the audiences and artists and one camera in the midst of the audience to recreate the viewer's perspective. This video assembles excerpts of the most remarkable concerts with exciting programmes including works by Bartok, Debussy, Lutoslawski, Schubert and Schumann. Lovers of classical music will very much enjoy this summit of high-profile artists!
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
The first two performances on this video feature David Oistrakh in one of his favourite performing partnerships, with his son, violinist Igor Oistrakh. Bach's Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 formed the duo's first foreign engagement whilst Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante was performed two years later in a sell-out performance at the Royal Albert Hall. Kirill Kondrashin, one of Oistrakh's preferred conductors, directs Brahms' Violin Concerto in D major, which has all the warmth and confidence one would expect from a classic Oistrakh recording.
The composer Alban Berg (1885-1935), a pupil and associate of Schoenberg, lived in the mainstream of well-to-do Austrian society. His marriage to the beautiful Helene was thought to be made in heaven. But how can this doyen of Viennese respectability be reconciled with the composer who wrote the dark operas Wozzeck and Lulu?
Soprano Kirstine Ciesinki, who features in specially-staged extracts from Lulu and Wozzeck and sings "Nacht" from Seven Early Songs, travels to Vienna, Prague, the USA and German to investigate Berg's life.
This recording commemorates the 50th anniversary of Joaquin Achucarro's debut with the London Symphony Orchestra after winning the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic International Competition in 1959. Recorded at Jerwood Hall, St Luke's, London, with Britain's eminent conductor Colin Davis at the helm, Achucarro delivers a consummate performance that brilliantly expresses his delicate and passionate style.
Bonus features :
- Joaquin Achucarro: 50 Years On - A documentary including interviews with Placido Domingo, Simon Rattle and Zubin Mehta.
- Achucarro at the Prado - performances of solo pieces by Brahms, Chopin, Scriabin and Albeniz filmed in the beautiful setting of the Prado museum.
Sir Colin Davis was a "maestro without airs and graces"(Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) and an interpretor of Mozart and Berlioz who enjoyed worldwide renown. This recording of Gustav Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde features Davis in fine form, brilliantly conducting the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, where he was principal conductor from 1983 to 1993.
This symphonic song cycle, which Leonard Bernstein described as Mahler's "greatest symphony", was never performed in Mahler's lifetime. Though completed in 1908, it was first premiered in 1911 in Munich. Doris Soffel is not only a celebrated opera singer: she has earned an international reputation as one of the finest interpreters of Mahler's works. The American tenor Kenneth Riegel has for decades been a regular performer on the world's opera stages, from New York and Paris to Vienna and Salzburg. The soloists deliver an impressive display of their mastery of lieder in this recording. After it was founded in 1949, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra soon began to build a highly respected international reputation. Shaped by a succession of great principal conductors including Rafael Kubelik, Lorin Maazel, Mariss Jansons and Sir Colin Davis, the orchestra possesses an unusually broad-ranging repertoire and an...
Oceanic Verses meditates upon fading civilizations and an ancient environment continually transformed by waves of immigration. Donna Di Novelli's libretto leaps from Paola Prestini's own investigations to four archetypes caught in the clash between past and present. A journey through the folkloric landscape is led by an Archaeologist (improviser and vocalist Helga Davis), whose search for musical artifacts leads her to a Sailor (Italian folksinger and accordionist Claudio Prima), who offers a warning; a Peasant (soprano Hila Plitmann), who offers a meal; and a Soldier (baritone Christopher Burchett), who offers a critique. Along with these principal performers, the album features the 16-piece DeCoda orchestra and the eight-member Choir of Trinity Wall Street, conducted by Julian Wachner.
Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic set off fireworks of good humour and a contagious musical spirit at the traditional New Year's Eve Concert in 2002. Simon Rattle chose Leonard Bernstein's brilliant and entertaining musical comedy, Wonderful Town , for his first New Year's Eve Concert with the Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor and orchestra - both rank among the best in the world - joined forces with Broadway stars Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald and famous baritone Thomas Hampson. The audience enjoyed a great show full of dancing, choruses, fascinating light design and ?EUR" above all ?EUR" intoxicating music. The exuberant atmosphere of this event culminated in an overwhelming encore with the musicians and audience dancing through the hall! This video captures the atmosphere right in the middle of orchestra, singers and audience and recreates a wonderful night on the town.
Oceanic Verses meditates upon fading civilizations and an ancient environment continually transformed by waves of immigration. Donna Di Novelli's libretto leaps from Paola Prestini's own investigations to four archetypes caught in the clash between past and present. A journey through the folkloric landscape is led by an Archaeologist (improviser and vocalist Helga Davis), whose search for musical artifacts leads her to a Sailor (Italian folksinger and accordionist Claudio Prima), who offers a warning; a Peasant (soprano Hila Plitmann), who offers a meal; and a Soldier (baritone Christopher Burchett), who offers a critique. Along with these principal performers, the album features the 16-piece DeCoda orchestra and the eight-member Choir of Trinity Wall Street, conducted by Julian Wachner.
When the revered writer Alessandro Manzoni died in 1873, Verdi was unable to bring himself to attend the funeral. Instead he composed his monumental Messa de Requiem in Manzoni's memory and conducted its first performance on the first anniversary of the writer's death. In addition to its profound spirituality, the work also brings together all the finest qualities from Verdi's operas, qualities that include endless melodic lines and powerful musico-dramatic effects.
The present performance was recorded in Los Angeles' legendary Hollywood Bowl in August 2013 and brought together Ildebrando D'Arcangele, all of them at the top of their form.
"Gustavo Dudamel puts an intimate flourish on Verdi's Requiem", the Los Angeles Times writes about Dudamel's performance of Verdi's Requiem at the Hollywood Bowl. "A page was turned and a new chapter begun in the maturation of a music director." Dudamel is joined by a cast of high-class singers: Ildebrando D'Arcangelo, who regularly performs at La Scala, the Wiener Staatsoper, London's Royal Opera or the Salzburg Festival, the upcoming star tenor Vittorio Grigolo, who regularly guests at La Scala, Covent Garden, the MET etc., Michelle DeYoung, who performs with leading orchestras like the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra etc., and Julianna Di Giacomo, who regularly guests at the MET, the LA Opera an other international opera houses.
New Brunswick Youth Orchestra, under the direction of Antonio Delgado, presents Mambo Potpourri by Damaso Perez Prado! Recorded in 2012 at the Wesleyan Celebration Centre in Moncton, NB (Canada), NBYO's performance of Mambo Potpourri went viral, reaching over 16M views on YouTube. Almost a decade later, this performance has been remastered and is available for viewing.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
This recording presents the most important work of the baroque keyboard repertoire ?EUR" The Well-Tempered Clavier - played by four world-class pianists. Each artist performs twelve Preludes and Fugues selected from this well-cherished collection of educational and yet artistically highly-strung pieces. The performances were recorded at four exceptionally charming venues: the Palazzo Labia in Venice, the Guell Palace in Barcelona, the Wartburg in Eisenach, Germany and the New Art Gallery in Walsall in England. The performances were impressively staged and skilfully filmed, thus - together with interpretations by four high-class clavichordists ?EUR" it opens up new perspectives on the work.
Claudio Monteverdi's Fourth Book of Madrigals (1603) explores differing emotional states of abandoned lovers through the most dramatic and amazingly modern music for vocal ensemble. The Full Monteverdi follows the simultaneous break-up of six couples through shocking revelation, vengeful anger and erotic longing for reconciliation. Vulnerable and disarming, this ensemble film will draw you into its emotional journey and intensely moving portrait of contemporary love.
The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra was founded by Daniel Barenboim and the late Edward Said. It consists of young, highly talented Israeli and Arabian musicians and was founded to increase the dialogue between young people in the Middle East and represent the peaceful collaboration of the two cultures. In standard comparable to the most established orchestras, it combines tonal beauty and transparency with youthful expressiveness, passion and exuberance. This technically brilliant and incredibly enthusiastic orchestra brings out all levels of Beethoven's 9th symphony and we listen to Beethoven at his very best: exuberant, emotional, lucid, tender, clear, triumphant... simply magnificent! Needless to say, Daniel Barenboim conducts excellently and outstanding singers Angela Denoke, Waltraud Meier, Burkhard Fritz and Rene Pape contribute tremendously to this unforgettable concert. The standing ovations are well deserved!
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
This recital by the distinguished lieder singer Hermann Prey, who died in 1998, features some of the songs in which Schubert set to music poems by the great romantic writer Friedrich Schiller.
Grace Bumbry is universally acclaimed as one of the great musicians of our time. Her vocal versatility and dramatic instincts have made her an unparalleled singing actress, not only in opera, but in recital as well. Ms. Bumbry's talent was spotted by the legendary Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976), one of operas most-loved sopranos, famed for the radiance and warmth of her full-bodies voice. Bumbry was still in her teens when Lehmann took responsibility for her studies and helped launch her professional career. Her stunning operatic debut as Amneris in Paris in 1960 assured international fame.
Grace Bumbry's programme for this recital is a homage to Lotte Lehmann. It includes songs which she knows Lehmann would have like to hear her sing; pieces she worked on with her; particular favourites of her mentor; on ones by the composers she love best - Schumann, Schubert and Berlioz . Pianist Helmut Deutsch is her accompanist.
Grace Bumbry is universally acclaimed as one of the great musicians of our time. Her vocal versatility and dramatic instincts have made her an unparalleled singing actress, not only in opera, but in recital as well. Ms. Bumbry's talent was spotted by the legendary Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976), one of operas most-loved sopranos, famed for the radiance and warmth of her full-bodies voice. Bumbry was still in her teens when Lehmann took responsibility for her studies and helped launch her professional career. Her stunning operatic debut as Amneris in Paris in 1960 assured international fame.
Grace Bumbry's programme for this recital is a homage to Lotte Lehmann. It includes songs which she knows Lehmann would have like to hear her sing; pieces she worked on with her; particular favourites of her mentor; on ones by the composers she love best - Schumann, Schubert and Berlioz . Pianist Helmut Deutsch is her accompanist.
Grace Bumbry is universally acclaimed as one of the great musicians of our time. Her vocal versatility and dramatic instincts have made her an unparalleled singing actress, not only in opera, but in recital as well. Ms. Bumbry's talent was spotted by the legendary Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976), one of operas most-loved sopranos, famed for the radiance and warmth of her full-bodies voice. Bumbry was still in her teens when Lehmann took responsibility for her studies and helped launch her professional career. Her stunning operatic debut as Amneris in Paris in 1960 assured international fame.
Grace Bumbry's programme for this recital is a homage to Lotte Lehmann. It includes songs which she knows Lehmann would have like to hear her sing; pieces she worked on with her; particular favourites of her mentor; on ones by the composers she love best - Schumann, Schubert and Berlioz . Pianist Helmut Deutsch is her accompanist.
Grace Bumbry is universally acclaimed as one of the great musicians of our time. Her vocal versatility and dramatic instincts have made her an unparalleled singing actress, not only in opera, but in recital as well. Ms. Bumbry's talent was spotted by the legendary Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976), one of operas most-loved sopranos, famed for the radiance and warmth of her full-bodies voice. Bumbry was still in her teens when Lehmann took responsibility for her studies and helped launch her professional career. Her stunning operatic debut as Amneris in Paris in 1960 assured international fame.
Grace Bumbry's programme for this recital is a homage to Lotte Lehmann. It includes songs which she knows Lehmann would have like to hear her sing; pieces she worked on with her; particular favourites of her mentor; on ones by the composers she love best - Schumann, Schubert and Berlioz . Pianist Helmut Deutsch is her accompanist.
Grace Bumbry is universally acclaimed as one of the great musicians of our time. Her vocal versatility and dramatic instincts have made her an unparalleled singing actress, not only in opera, but in recital as well. Ms. Bumbry's talent was spotted by the legendary Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976), one of operas most-loved sopranos, famed for the radiance and warmth of her full-bodies voice. Bumbry was still in her teens when Lehmann took responsibility for her studies and helped launch her professional career. Her stunning operatic debut as Amneris in Paris in 1960 assured international fame.
Grace Bumbry's programme for this recital is a homage to Lotte Lehmann. It includes songs which she knows Lehmann would have like to hear her sing; pieces she worked on with her; particular favourites of her mentor; on ones by the composers she love best - Schumann, Schubert and Berlioz . Pianist Helmut Deutsch is her accompanist.
Grace Bumbry is universally acclaimed as one of the great musicians of our time. Her vocal versatility and dramatic instincts have made her an unparalleled singing actress, not only in opera, but in recital as well. Ms. Bumbry's talent was spotted by the legendary Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976), one of operas most-loved sopranos, famed for the radiance and warmth of her full-bodies voice. Bumbry was still in her teens when Lehmann took responsibility for her studies and helped launch her professional career. Her stunning operatic debut as Amneris in Paris in 1960 assured international fame.
Grace Bumbry's programme for this recital is a homage to Lotte Lehmann. It includes songs which she knows Lehmann would have like to hear her sing; pieces she worked on with her; particular favourites of her mentor; on ones by the composers she love best - Schumann, Schubert and Berlioz . Pianist Helmut Deutsch is her accompanist.
Grace Bumbry is universally acclaimed as one of the great musicians of our time. Her vocal versatility and dramatic instincts have made her an unparalleled singing actress, not only in opera, but in recital as well. Ms. Bumbry's talent was spotted by the legendary Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976), one of operas most-loved sopranos, famed for the radiance and warmth of her full-bodies voice. Bumbry was still in her teens when Lehmann took responsibility for her studies and helped launch her professional career. Her stunning operatic debut as Amneris in Paris in 1960 assured international fame.
Grace Bumbry's programme for this recital is a homage to Lotte Lehmann. It includes songs which she knows Lehmann would have like to hear her sing; pieces she worked on with her; particular favourites of her mentor; on ones by the composers she love best - Schumann, Schubert and Berlioz . Pianist Helmut Deutsch is her accompanist.
Grace Bumbry is universally acclaimed as one of the great musicians of our time. Her vocal versatility and dramatic instincts have made her an unparalleled singing actress, not only in opera, but in recital as well. Ms. Bumbry's talent was spotted by the legendary Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976), one of operas most-loved sopranos, famed for the radiance and warmth of her full-bodies voice. Bumbry was still in her teens when Lehmann took responsibility for her studies and helped launch her professional career. Her stunning operatic debut as Amneris in Paris in 1960 assured international fame.
Grace Bumbry's programme for this recital is a homage to Lotte Lehmann. It includes songs which she knows Lehmann would have like to hear her sing; pieces she worked on with her; particular favourites of her mentor; on ones by the composers she love best - Schumann, Schubert and Berlioz . Pianist Helmut Deutsch is her accompanist.
Grace Bumbry is universally acclaimed as one of the great musicians of our time. Her vocal versatility and dramatic instincts have made her an unparalleled singing actress, not only in opera, but in recital as well. Ms. Bumbry's talent was spotted by the legendary Lotte Lehmann (1888-1976), one of operas most-loved sopranos, famed for the radiance and warmth of her full-bodies voice. Bumbry was still in her teens when Lehmann took responsibility for her studies and helped launch her professional career. Her stunning operatic debut as Amneris in Paris in 1960 assured international fame.
Grace Bumbry's programme for this recital is a homage to Lotte Lehmann. It includes songs which she knows Lehmann would have like to hear her sing; pieces she worked on with her; particular favourites of her mentor; on ones by the composers she love best - Schumann, Schubert and Berlioz . Pianist Helmut Deutsch is her accompanist.
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
When the revered writer Alessandro Manzoni died in 1873, Verdi was unable to bring himself to attend the funeral. Instead he composed his monumental Messa de Requiem in Manzoni's memory and conducted its first performance on the first anniversary of the writer's death. In addition to its profound spirituality, the work also brings together all the finest qualities from Verdi's operas, qualities that include endless melodic lines and powerful musico-dramatic effects.
The present performance was recorded in Los Angeles' legendary Hollywood Bowl in August 2013 and brought together Ildebrando D'Arcangele, all of them at the top of their form.
"Gustavo Dudamel puts an intimate flourish on Verdi's Requiem", the Los Angeles Times writes about Dudamel's performance of Verdi's Requiem at the Hollywood Bowl. "A page was turned and a new chapter begun in the maturation of a music director." Dudamel is joined by a cast of high-class singers: Ildebrando D'Arcangelo, who regularly performs at La Scala, the Wiener Staatsoper, London's Royal Opera or the Salzburg Festival, the upcoming star tenor Vittorio Grigolo, who regularly guests at La Scala, Covent Garden, the MET etc., Michelle DeYoung, who performs with leading orchestras like the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra etc., and Julianna Di Giacomo, who regularly guests at the MET, the LA Opera an other international opera houses.
The Tre Liriche includes Notte (Night), Nebbie (Fog) and Pioggia (Rain), which Respighi had originally set as separate works for mezzo and piano between 1906 and 1912. He then decided to orchestrate the three songs as a song cycle in 1913 for mezzo Chiarina Fino Savio, for the world premiere on 6 February 1914 with Orchestra dell'Augusteo (now the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia) in Rome under conductor Bernardino Molinari. Luciano Pavarotti championed two of the three songs in the 1970s, following their individual successes with singers in recitals. Potito Pedarra, the cataloguer of Respighi's works, then rediscovered the existence of the lost (incomplete) opus with all three songs in the 1990s, well after the publication of his Respighi works list. Pedarra subsequently numbered the rediscovered opus as Tre Liriche, P. 99a.
Di Vittorio completed Respighi's orchestration of the extant orchestral manuscript (pages), as provided by the Respighi family, for its first engraved critical edition in anticipation of its 100th anniversary in 2013. Tre Liriche is available for rental under publisher Casa Ricordi (Universal Music) in Italy in two versions: the original for mezzo-soprano (or baritone) and orchestra, and for soprano (or tenor) and orchestra...
The Berceuse for strings is a short lullaby composed in 1902. Similar to the Aria for strings, also edited by Di Vittorio and part of the Chamber Orchestra of New York's Naxos debut in 2011, the music shows the blossoming of Respighi's string and vocal-inspired writing as a prelude to such later works as his masterful Ancient Airs, Suites Nos. 1-3 , the third of which is for string orchestra. The premiere of the published work was given on 22 April 2022 at The DiMenna Center for Classical Music in New York, with the Italian premiere with the Orchestra of the Teatro Massimo Opera of Palermo, Italy - both performances under the direction of Di Vittorio.
The Lamento d'Arianna was given its world premiere in 1908 by the Berlin Philharmonic under conductor Arthur Nikisch. Respighi had gone to Berlin to accompany the singing class of Etelka Gerster, and his experiences as piano accompanist for opera singers evolved his sensibility for writing for the voice. This early choice of arranging the music of Claudio Monteverdi shows Respighi's innate interest in Early Music.
Not to be mistaken with other Monteverdi works of the same name, this Lamento is the only extant music from Monteverdi's lost second opera L'Arianna. Monteverdi later used the music, including the now famous Lasciatemi morire motif, in three other works of the same name, including the well-known madrigal Lamento d'Arianna which is part of his Madrigals, Book VI . This masterful orchestration of Monteverdi's Lamento was the first work that brought Respighi attention, garnering ecstatic reviews.
Il tramonto is scored for strings, and was also written in 1914 for the mezzo-soprano Chiarina Fino-Savio. The poem is based on the words of Percy Bysshe Shelley, and deals with a young woman's tragic story of passionate love and eventual despair over her lover's death. The work is very reminiscent of the music of Richard Wagner , and his Siegfried Idyll in particular, completed prior to the evolution of Respighi's compositional style away from selected
German influences.
Join Joyce DiDonato, the Berliner Philharmoniker and Sir Simon Rattle and enjoy virtuous and ravishing interpretations of Dvorak, Stravinsky, R.Strauss, Shostakovich, Brahms and of course Leonard Bernstein , thus heralding the Bernstein at 100 Centennial as it were.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's New Year's Eve Concert in 2000 set the mood for the centenary of Giuseppe Verdi's (1813-1901) death with a selection of the composer's most popular tunes. The orchestra presented excerpts from Rigoletto , La Traviata , Un ballo in maschera and Falstaff . The programme also included the ball scene from act III of Don Carlo ?EUR" a scene that is seldom staged. With singers Andrea Rost, Ramon Vargas, Alan Titus and Lucio Gallo, a cast of internationally celebrated Verdi singers gathered for this Gala Evening led by maestro Claudio Abbado. The outstanding Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the virtuoso Prague Radio Choir provided music of the highest order on this very special evening.
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
Butterfly Lovers is a music and dance film by director Marikki Hakola. A synthesis of the ever-popular Chinese violin concerto Butterfly Lovers and choreography inspired by Chinese martial arts and modern dance, the film is an imaginative interpretation of the ancient Chinese fairy tale A Love Story of Liang Shan Bo and Zhu Ying Tai. The film features violinist Takako Nishizaki, conductor James Judd, choreographer and dancer Dou Dou, dancer Ding Yue Hong and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
Bonus feature:
Butterfly Tones - a documentary featuring interviews with Chen Gang, Takako Nishizaki, James Judd, Zeng Kang Mei and Dou Dou.
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
Award-winning composer and trumpet player Hannibel Lokumbe is a leader in expressing the Aprican-American experience through his orchestral and choral music, with a special focus on civil rights leaders. Can You Hear God Crying? is a spiritatorio which takes us on a journey from hardship and suffering to healing and celebrations of courage and peace, told through the forced migration aboard a slave ship endured by Lokumbe's great-grandfather Silas Burgess. Combining jazz, gospel and chamber music together with West African prayers and songs, this is both a moving commemoration and a spectacularly festive event which faces past and present with honesty and deep spiritual understanding.
Artist-in-residence for the 2022 season, pianist Yuja Wang meets the Czech Philharmonic, conducted by Semyon Bychkov.
The centrepiece of this exciting evening is the Glagolitic Mass , a late masterpiece by Leos Janacek . The programme opens with Agnus Dei for choir without orchestral accompaniment by Martin Smolka , followed by Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor.
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
...
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
World-renowned tenor Plácido Domingo is joined by Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna and a host of other international stars including Susan Graham, in the famously glittering 1996 Gala Concert on the stage of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Asher Fisch conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in a programme of many of the world's best-loved operatic arias with music by composers including Bizet, Massenet, Gounod, Mozart and Donizetti.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
Magic was created one starlit night in July 1990, when Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, and Jose Carreras met onstage at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome and became the Three Tenors. 800 million people attended this live event which caused the biggest hype ever in the history of classical music. They eschewed competitive instincts and cooperated in the spirit of mutual admiration to create one of the greatest musical events ever. This concert is an awe-inspiring orgy of greatest hits for the tenor voice.
Bathed in the warm light of the setting sun, Vienna's imperial Schonbrunn Palace provides a romantic setting for this open-air concert held shortly before the final match of the Euro 2008 football championship. And shining even more brightly than the palace are the stars of the evening, Anna Netrebko, Rolando Villazon and Placido Domingo.
The trio's first joint concert, given at Berlin's Waldbuhne for the 2006 football World Cup, was awarded platinum status for sales of over 50,000 DVDs in Germany and over 100,000 worldwide. The Schonbrunn concert also broke records with 3.3 million viewers watching the concert live or deferred in Germany and Austria.
Netrebko "beguiles the audience" (Neue Kronen-Zeitung) with a heady rendition of a number from the operetta Csardasfurstin and lets herself be swept off her feet in a waltz with her duet partner Placido Domingo. The great tenor himself regales the audience with his "golden tones" (Die Presse) and "vocal youthfulness" (Suddeutsche Zeitung) in excerpts from Massenet and Wagner. Villazon "dazzles with bravura arias" (Wiener Zeitung), duets and a fiery zarzuela encore. In an emotional homage to Vienna, the trio performs the immortal "Wien, Wien nur du allein." Other gems include Rimsky-Korsakov's "The Rose and the Nightingale,"...
In the tradition of the original The Three Tenors, world-class singers Placido Domingo, Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon joined forces to entertain a live audience of 20,000 spectators on location and millions more around the world on TV. They sang the most famous arias and duets from the world of opera, accompanied by the orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin and its conductor Marco Armiliato. The event took place on 7 July 2006 at Berlin's legendary Waldbühne, a venue modeled after ancient amphitheaters that has hosted all the giants of the rock and pop world, such as Robbie Williams and the Rolling Stones.
Looking back on an extraordinary career that has been honored with 9 Grammys and 3 Latin Grammys, Plácido Domingo has become the very epitome of the operatic tenor, even among people who have no particular interest in classical music. He is a star who beguiles every audience with his virile charisma. Russian soprano Anna Netrebko's phenomenal career keeps her rushing from one highlight to the next. Her debut as Natasha Rostova in Prokofiev's War and Peace at New York's Metropolitan Opera had the critics hailing her as an "Audrey Hepburn with a voice." On stage, Anna's heart belongs to the Mexican breakout star Rolando Villazon, whom Placido Domingo sees as his...
This release forms part of the celebrations for the 125th anniversary of the Berlin Philharmonic, capturing an evening of Spanish music and themes recorded live in 2001 in the unique atmosphere of the Philharmonic's annual open-air summer concert at the Waldbühne, Berlin, a major event in the city's social calendar.
World-famous tenor Placido Domingo conducts the Berlin Philharmonic in works which have always been particularly close to his heart. The concert features fabulous violinist Sarah Chang performing virtuosic showpieces such as Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy and Zigeunerweisen. The programme also includes a collection of delightful zarzuela arias sung by Ana Maria Martinez, winner of the Placido Domingo Vocal Competition in Barcelona.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's annual summer concert at the Waldbühne in Berlin is legendary. Recorded live on 25 June 2000, the Millenium concert gathered more than 22,000 people in one of the most appealing outdoor amphitheatres in Europe for one of the most popular classical music concerts in the world. Kent Nagano named his programme of popular and rather unusual music from the 20th century "Rhythm and Dance." It turned out to be an inspiring combination of classical pieces, show tunes, pops, and Far Eastern music, all brought together in a tasty musical stew and rightly labelled as one of the most exciting programmes ever performed at the Waldbühne. It featured Gershwin classics with an outstanding performance by the American mezzo soprano Susan Graham, music by Ravel and the soundtrack to the successful Chinese film "Farewell My Concubine." Nagano injected the performance with so much sensuality and pulsing life that the audience rose to beat time with their feet and to gave him standing ovations.
The archival gems included here are taken from footage for the legendary 1948 Hollywood film "Concert Magic" (the first ever concert filmed for movie audiences). At nearly 25 minutes, Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto was too long for inclusion in the film, so although it is Menuhin's only filmed performance of the work it has only recently been discovered. To see one of the greatest ever violinists perform one of the greatest ever violin concertos is undoubtedly a compelling experience. The encore pieces that follow are superb documents of his seemingly effortless virtuosity. These performances by the 32-year-old Yehudi Menuhin show him at the height of his career. Yehudi Menuhin was one of the best-known violinists of the 20th century - he was universally popular and was frequently received as an ambassador of classical music. With "Concert Magic", which premiered in San Francisco in 1947, he made the first ever motion picture concert in film history. He also produced many short films for the cinema ?EUR" used to fill the space between the traditional "double features". An especially valuable rarity was found among these - Felix Mendelssohn's Violin concerto . Pianist Adolph Baller and the Symphony Orchestra of Hollywood conducted by Antal Dorati joined Yehudi Menuhin at the...
This concert features virtuoso violinist Yehudi Menuhin (1916?EUR"1999) at the Charlie Chaplin Studios in 1947. Together with various artists he performed classical and romantic works of famous composers such as Beethoven, Wieniawski, Bach, Paganini and others. Yehudi Menuhin in Concert Magic is the very first concert film produced by and for Hollywood. This concert was premiered at the Stage Door Cinema in San Francisco for movie audiences. Yehudi Menuhin was at the age of 32 and was at the pinnacle of his fame.
Bonus features:
- The Story behind "Concert Magic" - Yehudi Menuhin in conversation with Humphrey Burton
Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic set off fireworks of good humour and a contagious musical spirit at the traditional New Year's Eve Concert in 2002. Simon Rattle chose Leonard Bernstein's brilliant and entertaining musical comedy, Wonderful Town , for his first New Year's Eve Concert with the Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor and orchestra - both rank among the best in the world - joined forces with Broadway stars Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald and famous baritone Thomas Hampson. The audience enjoyed a great show full of dancing, choruses, fascinating light design and ?EUR" above all ?EUR" intoxicating music. The exuberant atmosphere of this event culminated in an overwhelming encore with the musicians and audience dancing through the hall! This video captures the atmosphere right in the middle of orchestra, singers and audience and recreates a wonderful night on the town.
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
Butterfly Lovers is a music and dance film by director Marikki Hakola. A synthesis of the ever-popular Chinese violin concerto Butterfly Lovers and choreography inspired by Chinese martial arts and modern dance, the film is an imaginative interpretation of the ancient Chinese fairy tale A Love Story of Liang Shan Bo and Zhu Ying Tai. The film features violinist Takako Nishizaki, conductor James Judd, choreographer and dancer Dou Dou, dancer Ding Yue Hong and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
Bonus feature:
Butterfly Tones - a documentary featuring interviews with Chen Gang, Takako Nishizaki, James Judd, Zeng Kang Mei and Dou Dou.
The 24 etudes for solo piano that make up Chopin's Opp. 10 and 25 cycles may be technical exercises, but their extra-musicality and picture painting has ensured their sustained popularity and place in the repertoire. Etude in E flat major, Op. 10, No. 11 , with its spread of undulating arpeggios, creates a gently rippling texture
that translates idiomatically to the soft, resonant tones of the marimba. By contrast, Etude in A minor, Op. 25, No. 4 , marked Agitato, is closer in character to a technical study but its syncopated staccato rhythm, which sets left-hand leaps against right-hand chords, creates a narrative of high drama.
Minoru Miki completed Marimba Spiritual between Christmas Day 1983 and 13 January 1984. The world premiere was given at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam two months later, after which Keiko Abe took it on a European tour. In 1988 the Safri Duo made a successful arrangement for two players; The DoubleBeats version featured here is for marimbas and a range of percussion: an odaiko, shime, bongo, bass drum, waterphone, spiral cymbal, caxixi (a shaker) and Asian gongs.
Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla wrote Histoire du Tango for flute and guitar in 1986, but over the years the work has proved equally effective in a number of different instrumental combinations, with the marimba often substituted for the guitar. The work acts as an entry point to the tango, detailing the history of the dance
in four movements.
Nightclub 1960 , the third movement takes account of the changes in Buenos Aires at the turn of that decade, notably the integration of tango with the Brazilian bossanova. The marimba duo builds up to to a thrilling finish.
Rachmaninov , like several other notable composers, wrote a set of his own Preludes. His 24 Preludes , one in each key, were originally published in installments, building on the popularity of his early Prelude in C sharp minor, Op. 3, No. 2 from 1892. The Prelude in G minor, Op. 23, No. 5 , completed in 1901, appears early in the cycle. Its percussive nature, with its ominous and obsessive 'rat-a-tat' rhythm heard in the lower right-hand, dominates the outer sections of the piece, while the flowing middle section divides naturally between the two marimbas. The ending disappears like a breath of air.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's New Year's Eve Concert in 2000 set the mood for the centenary of Giuseppe Verdi's (1813-1901) death with a selection of the composer's most popular tunes. The orchestra presented excerpts from Rigoletto , La Traviata , Un ballo in maschera and Falstaff . The programme also included the ball scene from act III of Don Carlo ?EUR" a scene that is seldom staged. With singers Andrea Rost, Ramon Vargas, Alan Titus and Lucio Gallo, a cast of internationally celebrated Verdi singers gathered for this Gala Evening led by maestro Claudio Abbado. The outstanding Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the virtuoso Prague Radio Choir provided music of the highest order on this very special evening.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
The 2018/2019 concert season is Michael Sanderling's eighth as Principal Conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic. His name is associated with a great musical and technical ambition, concentrated rehearsal work, and concert events of unforgettable intensity. The focus on Dmitri Shostakovich continues, both in concert and the recording project of the Shostakovich symphonies.
The new concert hall is the heart of the rebuilt Kulturpalast right in the city centre. Similar to the Philharmonie in Berlin and the Gewandhaus in Leipzig it was built in the so called Weinberg style which guarantees clear acoustics. The concert hall with its 1760 seats and mid-oriented stage offers the Dresdner Philharmonie optimum spatial and tonal conditions, for the first time in its 150 years old history.
With this festive concert the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden under the baton of Fabio Luisi celebrated the moving reopening of the Frauenkirche in Dresden. After the bombing of Dresden on February 13, 1945, the church burnt out and its dome, the "The Stone Bell", collapsed. The church was always very dear to the heart of the Dresdeners and just as its ruins were a constant reminder of the Second World War, the rebuilt church will remain a monument to and a symbol of hope and conciliation. Thus the reopening proved to be a touching event of great solemnity, which was perfectly matched by the Missa Solemnis . On this recording, Beethoven's overwhelming music blends wonderfully with the camera shots of the impressive space. The cast of soloists is excellent. It includes Camilla Nylund and Rene Pape, who are among the most outstanding singers of the younger generation. An informative bonus film features the reconstruction of the Frauenkirche.
Bonus features:
- The Reconstruction of the Frauenkirche, Dresden
Antonio Pappano together with the Sachsische Staatskapelle Dresden are presenting a symphonic work with particular relevance for Dresden: Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2 , which was written during the composer's years at the Saxon residency.
The premiere of his 1st symphony had received such harsh criticism that it took months of revision until Rachmaninoff was finall satisfied with his 2nd Symphony, which he conducted himself for the premiere and which received great applause. Because of its formidable length, Symphony No. 2 has been the subject of many revisions, particularly in the 1940s and 1950s, which reduced the piece from nearly an hour to as little as 35 minutes. On this recording, the work can be enjoyed in its entirety.
With this festive concert the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden under the baton of Fabio Luisi celebrated the moving reopening of the Frauenkirche in Dresden. After the bombing of Dresden on February 13, 1945, the church burnt out and its dome, the "The Stone Bell", collapsed. The church was always very dear to the heart of the Dresdeners and just as its ruins were a constant reminder of the Second World War, the rebuilt church will remain a monument to and a symbol of hope and conciliation. Thus the reopening proved to be a touching event of great solemnity, which was perfectly matched by the Missa Solemnis . On this recording, Beethoven's overwhelming music blends wonderfully with the camera shots of the impressive space. The cast of soloists is excellent. It includes Camilla Nylund and Rene Pape, who are among the most outstanding singers of the younger generation. An informative bonus film features the reconstruction of the Frauenkirche.
Bonus features:
- The Reconstruction of the Frauenkirche, Dresden
On the closing day of the IC2017 Contemporary Song Festival, a special world premiere concert will be presented at Asia Society Hong Kong Center with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology featuring the critically acclaimed New York Festival of Song (NYFOS).
Artistic Director, Bright Sheng , will be joined by Judith Weir , Master of the Queen's Music; Michael Barrett , renowned pianist, conductor, and co-founder and associate artistic director of NYFOS; together with guest vocal artists of NYFOS, including soprano Amy Owens, mezzo-soprano Katherine Pracht, tenor Jonathan Blalock, and baritone Tobias Greenhalgh. Guest artists Amy Sze, pianist, and Isaac Droscha, baritone; and four Composer Fellows selected through an international call-for-scores.
This special program includes works inspired by Asian and Chinese literary themes as well as selections from Bright Sheng's acclaimed new opera, Dream of the Red Chamber (libretto by David Henry Hwang and Mr. Sheng), which receives its Asia Premiere at the 45th Hong Kong Arts Festival.
Gustavo Dudamel, designated music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, is acknowledged to be one of the most important conductors of his generation. On October 2009 he conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at the Disney Concert Hall. On the programme was Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 1 in D major, "Titan" and the world premiere of City Noir, the latest work by Pulitzer Prize for Music winner John Adams.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is widely regarded as the most contemporary minded, forward thinking, talked about and innovative, venturesome and admired orchestra in America. Dudamel made his U.S. conducting debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl on September 13, 2005. In April 2007, during a guest conducting engagement with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Dudamel was named the LAP's next music director as of the 2009-2010 season, succeeding Esa-Pekka Salonen.
The concert given by the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela under its conductor Gustavo Dudamel at the Beethovenfest 2007 in Bonn was a highlight of the musical year. Over 200 young musicians between the ages of 10 and 24, many from underprivileged backgrounds, performed with nearly untamable energy under the baton of a young maestro destined to conduct the most fabled orchestras in the world.
Born in 1981, Gustavo Dudamel is a product of Venezuela's Sistema de Orquestas, which was founded by J. A. Abreu to allow children of all social milieus to learn an instrument and play in an ensemble. After winning a competition in 2004, Dudamel quickly went on to conduct several major orchestras. Critics try to capture Dudamel's effect on musicians and audiences with words such as "electricity," "vibrancy" and "magic," and Sir Simon Rattle has called him "the most astonishingly gifted conductor I have ever come across."
The concert program includes Beethoven's "Eroica" Symphony and pieces by Latin-American composers Moncayo, Márquez and Ginastera. At the end of the concert, when the youngsters rip loose in the encores and turn the Beethovenfest into a Latin fiesta, no one will be able to resist tapping the rhythms with their foot and joining in the unbridled and infectious...
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For the 2014/15 Opening Night Concert and Gala, the Los Angeles Philharmonic paid loving tribute to composer John Williams , long a champion and close friend of the LA Phil. Gustavo Dudamel, an awestruck fan of the musical icon, led the orchestra in a cross-section of Maestro Williams' matchless canon.
Unlike the piano, the violin or even the flute, the oboe is a relatively rare instrument for a solo career. And when a soloist such as Albrecht Mayer plays the oboe, one wishes composers had written more works for this sweetly mellow instrument. Critics write about the "divine spark" that inspires his playing, and about the "miraculous oboe" that turns into "an instrument of seduction." With his particularly warm tone and exceptionally broad palette of nuances, it's no surprise that Albrecht Mayer is one of today's most sought-after international oboists. In this documentary portrait of the oboist, we retrace the musician's impressive career and witness some of its many high points. Mayer embarked on a professional career in 1990, when he joined the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra as solo oboist. Two years later, he made the transition to the absolute top league with his appointment as solo oboist of the Berlin Philharmonic, and since then he has made countless international appearances, playing under such eminent conductors as Abbado, Rattle and Harnoncourt. In addition to his work as a soloist, Mayer also attaches great importance to chamber music. He is a permanent member of the Sabine Meyer Wind Ensemble and also plays with such partners as Thomas Quasthoff, Matthias Goerne and...
When the revered writer Alessandro Manzoni died in 1873, Verdi was unable to bring himself to attend the funeral. Instead he composed his monumental Messa de Requiem in Manzoni's memory and conducted its first performance on the first anniversary of the writer's death. In addition to its profound spirituality, the work also brings together all the finest qualities from Verdi's operas, qualities that include endless melodic lines and powerful musico-dramatic effects.
The present performance was recorded in Los Angeles' legendary Hollywood Bowl in August 2013 and brought together Ildebrando D'Arcangele, all of them at the top of their form.
"Gustavo Dudamel puts an intimate flourish on Verdi's Requiem", the Los Angeles Times writes about Dudamel's performance of Verdi's Requiem at the Hollywood Bowl. "A page was turned and a new chapter begun in the maturation of a music director." Dudamel is joined by a cast of high-class singers: Ildebrando D'Arcangelo, who regularly performs at La Scala, the Wiener Staatsoper, London's Royal Opera or the Salzburg Festival, the upcoming star tenor Vittorio Grigolo, who regularly guests at La Scala, Covent Garden, the MET etc., Michelle DeYoung, who performs with leading orchestras like the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra etc., and Julianna Di Giacomo, who regularly guests at the MET, the LA Opera an other international opera houses.
The Violin is a collaboration between composer Anna Clyne and visual artist Josh Dorman . Amy Kauffman and Cornelius Dufallo perform Clyne's seven compositions on violin with layers of sound and fragments of spoken poetry, performed by Clyne herself. Dorman's stop-motion animations vary from abstract to narrative, and incorporate materials such as graphite, tealeaves, paint, and collaged paper.
Stranded in Switzerland due to the events of the First World War and the October Revolution in Russia, Stravinsky was introduced to the Swiss novelist Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz in 1915 by their mutual friend and conductor Ernest Ansermet. This encounter would ultimately lead to a creative partnership that brought forth one of the most important works of the 20th century: L'Histoire du Soldat (The Soldier's Tale) . Based on a Russian folk tale, L'Histoire du Soldat unites a Faustian fable with Stravinsky's colourful and sweeping composition that includes elements of jazz and Russian folk music.
At the 2018 Deauville Easter Festival in the Normandy region of France, Pierre Dumoussaud leads a group of highly accomplished instrumentalists, as well as actors Didier Sandre, Maxime Coggio, and Gabriel Acremant, in this Stravinsky masterpiece. The colorful program is rounded out by Mahler's sole String Quartet in A Minor , which he never completed-though you'll hear the finished first movement alongside a later completion by Russian composer Alfred Schnittke of Mahler's partially sketched second movement - and Alban Berg's expansive and evocative Seven Early Songs , superbly performed by prizewinning mezzo Adele Charvet.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
Ton Koopman, a leading authority on Baroque music, gathered his favourite orchestra and eminent Baroque singers for a concert focusing on the Magnificat , the traditional prayer said by the Virgin Mary after hearing that she would bear God's son. Bach's Magnificat - his greatest choral work - is programmed together with one of his most beautiful cantatas and a lesser-known baroque gem by Bach's predecessor at St. Thomas' Church, Johann Kuhnau, to form a concert in honour of the spiritual power of Baroque music. The concert was performed at St. Thomas' in Leipzig, the church for which Bach conceived most of his works. The recording captures the atmosphere of the impressive church and shows the musicians "at work". The film also focuses on Ton Koopman, offering insights into his friendly and encouraging conducting style.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This series present the highlights of the 19th edition of the Verbier Festival, featuring renowned artists such as Neeme Jarvi, Denis Matsuev, Menahem Pressler, Christoph Pregardien, and the Capucon brothers
For the first time in ten years, Martha Argerich performed Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 . Argerich has been dominating the piano scene since the 1960s thanks to a wide and varied repertoire, never conformist. Her phenomenal technique and great sensitivity have allowed her to stamp her mark on the most demanding works of the repertoire. She is very familiar with the Verbier Festival, and she opened the 2014 edition with the famous Concerto for piano No. 1 by Tchaikovsky, with conductor Charles Dutoit, musical director of the Verbier Festival Orchestra. This milestone performance also presented Brahms's first symphony ( Beethoven's Tenth , according to Hans von Bulow).
For this private concert, maestro Daniel Barenboim leaves the big stage and invites an audience into his villa in Berlin to play the piano in a private atmosphere with his son Michael Barenboim and his friend Kian Soltani. They perform Beethoven's Ghost Trio . Daniel Barenboim has spent a lifetime working on the Viennese classic. For him, Beethoven is a source of inspiration and part of his musical life.
Between the individual movements, Daniel Barenboim talks to Annie Dutoit about his childhood in Argentina, family, idols, social values and, of course, music. Annie Dutoit, Swiss professor, actress, music journalist and daughter of Martha Argerich has known Daniel Barenboim since her childhood. This private concert is not just an occasion for an intimate chamber music concert, it is also an encounter with the private person Barenboim - a contemporary document that will remain unique in this form.
What if chamber music returned to its traditional venue: within well-loved artists' homes? Initially, chamber music was composed for the private sphere, but ended up losing part of its essence as this form started performing within venues that gradually expanded.
This program rekindles the origins of the genre by showing itself inside the living rooms of grand artists for original concerts, played in an intimate and privileged setting: at Martha Argerich's in Geneva, with Mischa Maisky . They invite us to hear masterpieces of the chamber repertoire in a new light: Ludwig van Beethoven, Robert Schumann, Frederic Chopin and Johannes Brahms and between each movement, the Argerich confide about her lives and her art to presenter, Annie Dutoit, who has known her since childhood. A tender musical lesson.
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
In spring of 2020, concert halls fell silent. During those weeks, when people had to stay at home and musicians faced all their performances being canceled, a group of Berlin-based artists of international acclaim, in co-operation with awarded film producer Jan Schmidt-Garre and Naxos Audiovisual, set up a series of chamber music concerts performed and filmed at Schinkel Pavillon in Berlin. Violinist Veronika Eberle and pianist Francesco Piemontesi perform Mozart's Sonata for Violin and Piano K. 454 and Schubert's Sonata D 850 .
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
In spring of 2020, concert halls fell silent. During those weeks, when people had to stay at home and musicians faced all their performances being canceled, a group of Berlin-based artists of international acclaim, in co-operation with awarded film producer Jan Schmidt-Garre and Naxos Audiovisual, set up a series of chamber music concerts performed and filmed at Schinkel Pavillon in Berlin. Pianist Severin von Eckardstein performs Prelude A L'Apres-midi d'un Faune by Debussy and Gryaznov , Chopin's Nocturne op. 27, Medtner's Elegy op. 59 and Fairy Tale op. 26 as well as Prokofiev's Sonata No. 8 .
Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 2 is the first of Mahler's symphonies to introduce voices - soprano, alto and chorus - into the orchestral texture, and the first to refer explicitly to his songs based on Des Knaben Wunderhorn. This it shares with the symphonies Nos. 3 and 4 as well, which stamps it as the first part of a trilogy. Mahler worked on it from 1888 to 1894 and conducted the first performance in Berlin on 13 December 1895.
Leonard Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major re-appreciation of Mahler's works.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
Philippe Herreweghe, principal conductor of the Royal Flemish Philharmonic, has devoted himself for over ten years to fresh and invigorating readings of the (pre-) Romantic repertoire. Together with the Collegium Vocale, founded in 1970 by Herreweghe himself, and superb soloists they will perform Dvorak's superb Requiem .
Singer, pianist and conductor Michel Legrand, a living film music legend, presents his most famous scores, jazz tunes and chansons on this video. Not many composers can claim to have written for both Edith Piaf and the James Bond films - and it's precisely this fusion of European romance and Hollywood dynamism that has made Legrand one of the soundtrack world's best known names. His career spans half-a-century and over 200 films, and he has received three Oscars and five Grammys. He has worked with many of the 20th century's greatest artists, including Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Barbra Streisand, Edith Piaf, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles and has collaborated with French Nouvelle Vague directors Jean-Luc Godard and Claude Chabrol as well as Hollywood masters Clint Eastwood and Orson Welles. Recorded live in Brussels in 2005, this recording features music from Yentl , The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg , The Three Musketeers , Summer of '42 , Never Say Never Again , Edith and Ray's Blues to name but a few.
Dacapo's CD recording of all Carl Nielsen's symphonies by the Danish National Symhpony Orchestra/DR conducted by Michael Schønwandt has already established itself as a reference recording on the international classical CD market. Now the same outstanding interpretation of all six symphonies can be experienced on video with new opportunities for in-depth study of the music and a stimulating 60-minute documentary that offers new perspectives on Denmark's national composer.
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
With this festive concert the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden under the baton of Fabio Luisi celebrated the moving reopening of the Frauenkirche in Dresden. After the bombing of Dresden on February 13, 1945, the church burnt out and its dome, the "The Stone Bell", collapsed. The church was always very dear to the heart of the Dresdeners and just as its ruins were a constant reminder of the Second World War, the rebuilt church will remain a monument to and a symbol of hope and conciliation. Thus the reopening proved to be a touching event of great solemnity, which was perfectly matched by the Missa Solemnis . On this recording, Beethoven's overwhelming music blends wonderfully with the camera shots of the impressive space. The cast of soloists is excellent. It includes Camilla Nylund and Rene Pape, who are among the most outstanding singers of the younger generation. An informative bonus film features the reconstruction of the Frauenkirche.
Bonus features:
- The Reconstruction of the Frauenkirche, Dresden
Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston the son of actors David and Elizabeth Poe. His father disappeared when he was three and his mother died a year later. He was adopted by a Richmond, Virginia family called Allan. When he was 17 he was disowned by his foster parents. He was determined to be a writer and through many difficulties he succeeded in becoming one of the first great imaginative writers in the United States. This program by Malcolm Hossick covers his extraordinary life and goes some way to explaining his remarkable and continuing success. It is followed by a brief overview of his work.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
This memorial concert took place at the Royal Albert Hall in April 1972 on the first anniversary of the death of Igor Stravinsky, 'that last great father-figure of Western music' (Leonard Bernstein). Bernstein called it an homage to Stravinsky's universality and chose the three featured masterpieces for their suggestion of 'the extraordinary range of his art'. Conducted by Bernstein, this electrifying, unique event is now being re-introduced to the public in DVD form.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
The first two performances on this video feature David Oistrakh in one of his favourite performing partnerships, with his son, violinist Igor Oistrakh. Bach's Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 formed the duo's first foreign engagement whilst Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante was performed two years later in a sell-out performance at the Royal Albert Hall. Kirill Kondrashin, one of Oistrakh's preferred conductors, directs Brahms' Violin Concerto in D major, which has all the warmth and confidence one would expect from a classic Oistrakh recording.
This video presents Benjamin Britten at the height of his powers in an affectionately nuanced account of Mozart's Symphony No. 40 ?EUR" "surely the loveliest bit of music ever conceived," according to Britten ?EUR" and an intimate and evocative performance of his own Nocturne with Peter Pears. As a bonus, the video includes extracts from Mendelssohn's "Scottish" Symphony which Britten conducts with the utmost subtlety and style despite being gravely ill at the time. All three performances give fascinating insights into one of the finest musicians of the twentieth century.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historical performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on here for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
These recordings represent an overview of some of the headiest years of Mstislav Rostropovich's career. Introduced to Britten through Shostakovich, Rostropovich formed a close partnership with the British composer, who was inspired to write several major cello compositions by the Russian cellist. This special relationship is evident here in their collaborative performances from the opening concert of the new Snape Maltings Concert Hall, which includes rare audiovisual footage of the Maltings before it was destroyed by fire in 1969 and rebuilt.
In a career now spanning more than a quarter of a century, Gidon Kremer has confirmed his reputation as an artist of international stature and as a markedly individual personality. Kremer was born in Riga, Latvia, in 1947. At the age of 18, he auditioned for David Oistrach and was one of the few pupils chosen by the maestro to study under him at the Moscow Conservatory. In 1967 Kremer won his first international prize at the Reine Elisabeth Competition in Brussels. This was followed by further awards in Montreal and Genoa, and culminated in the first prize at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1970. In 1981 Kremer founded the Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festival, where he gathers around him a varying, but always dynamic group of chiefly young musicians to discover new pieces and rediscover the standard works through new interpretations. Kremer is also actively committed to contemporary composers from Russia and Eastern Europe, such as Schnittke, Denisov, Gubaidulina and Pärt. In this recording, Kremer not only plays the solo part, but also leads the renowned English Chamber Orchestra. The recording was made in April 1981 in the splendid Baroque library of the monastery in Polling near Munich.
14 April 2009 witnessed the 250th anniversary of George Frideric Handel's death. On this unique occasion two of the world's leading Baroque orchestras, members of four distinguished choruses, three accomplished Handel interpreters as soloists, together with conductor and Handel-Preis winner Howard Arman paid homage to the composer by playing the repertoire of the historic first commemoration concert that took place in London's Westminster Abbey in 1784. This outstanding British-German performance in Halle's Marktkirche, where George Frideric was baptized, represents the media highlight of Handel Year 2009.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
This unusual Christmas video presents the musical encounter between soprano Angelika Kirchschlager and jazz trumpeter Tomasz Stanko. Recorded live in the picturesque Cistercian Gothic monastery Schulpforte in Saxony-Anhalt, the concert footage is combined with charming motifs of snowy mountain landscapes and cities decorated for Christmas. Favourite Christmas compositions from the classical repertoire are combined with popular carols and jazzy improvisations ?EUR" and it all sounds like Christmas! Angelika Kirchschlager currently ranks among the most sought-after sopranos worldwide for both opera and concert-hall performance and Tomasz Stanko enjoys a reputation as one of the most creative jazz trumpeters alive. The soloists are accompanied by the outstanding Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. The Leipzig a cappella ensemble Amarcord, former members of St. Thomas's Boys Choir, sing popular Christmas tunes.
Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707) is considered today one of the founding fathers of the 17th century German school, whose influence on composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, his spiritual son, cannot be overestimated. Not only was he an indisputable master of organ music, but also a most prolific composer whose oeuvre consists of more than 200 works.
Let's us join the Masques Ensemble and the Vox Luminis choir and discover 17th century baroque music and the composer Buxtehude through his vocal compositions, ranging from spiritual concert, choral, aria to cantata parties, many of which directly influenced Johann Sebastian Bach's compositions. It is to a journey in space and time, a journey in which violins, viola, viola da gamba, violone, harpsichord, canned organ and choral ensemble will share the legacy and influence of Dietrich Buxtehude who has transcended borders with us.
Paralleling Beethoven's Triple Concerto in C Major for piano, violin and cello, Insula Orchestra pays tribute to the French composer Louise Farrenc , a talented artist whose unjustly neglected work was nonetheless acclaimed by her contemporaries, musicians and critics alike: La Belgique musicale wrote "A woman may indeed successfully walk the rocky path laid down by Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven". This performance of her third symphony is an opportunity to rediscover an important work of the Romantic period.
For more than 20 years, the choir Accentus has performed choral music in all its diversity. For Christmas 2009, Accentus, Laurence Equilbey and their guests created the event with a programme featuring some of the most famous sacred music pieces at the Church of Saint Thomas in Strasbourg to hear the most beautiful Christmas songs interpreted by: Concerto Koln, Sandrine Piau (Soprano), Nathalie Stutzmann (Alto), Pavol Breslik (Tenor), Johannes Weisser (Bass), Sonia Wieder Atherton (Cello), Aurelie Saraf (Harp) and Daniel Maurer, organist of the Church of St. Thomas.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
Elected by members of the Berlin Philharmonic as Principal Conductor and fifth Artistic Director in 1989, Claudio Abbado resigned from the post in 2002, but remains close to the orchestra, which cherishes the conductor to this day. Listening to the music, one hears how the Berlin Philharmonic transforms Abbado's musical intentions into sound ?EUR" there is a sense of unity that can only be achieved through many years of shared artistic experience and attention to detail. These live performances at the Philharmonie, Berlin in 2000 and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome in 2001 were an overwhelming success: each concert ended in standing ovations, and the critics spoke of seminal moments in the history of music. Abbado's Beethoven cycle will certainly become a milestone for contemporary interpretation and this recording pays tribute to his achievement. For the popular Symphony No. 9 in D minor , the Berlin Philharmonic were joined by high-ranking singers and choirs.
Bonus feature:
- Multi-Angle Feature - Conductor Camera ( Symphony No.3 )
Brahm's Ein Deutsches Requiem , composed between 1861 and 1869, continues to inspire musicians and audiences to this day. His requiem is addressed to the living, who are to be offered comfort in this world freed from fear of death.
This outstanding performance of A German Requiem was recorded in the Grand Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna to mark the centenary of the death of Johannes Brahms.
The Europa Konzert 1998 was performed at the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. The repertoire includes: Richard Wagner Overture to The Flying Dutchman , Peter Tchaikovsky The Storm , Claude Debussy Trois Nocturnes and Giuseppe Verdi's Quattro pezzi sacri .
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
A traditional filming reproduces the perspective of an audience in its seat armed with opera glasses. This film shows just the opposite ?EUR" the spectator is placed in the orchestra among the musicians and in front of the conductor. We thus have the perspective of the musicians and the emotions they live with Cristoph Eschenbach. The effect of being in the very midst of these always surprising scores is nothing short of spectacular. For Harold in Italy , violist Tabea Zimmermann joins maestro Eschenbach and the Orchestre de Paris.
This entertaining video comprises the enjoyable dance performance A Night in Vienna, a one-hour celebration of the music of the Johann Strausses ?EUR" father and son. This recording recreates the beauty and atmosphere of the ballroom performances of 19th-century Vienna, charting the rise of the waltz craze. In the wonderful setting of the Hofburg in Vienna, the former residence of the Habsburg rulers, the period instrument orchestra Wiener Akademie plays favourites by the Strauss family and Joseph Lanner, and dance performances in historical costumes recreate the atmosphere of the first half of the 19th century.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world’s greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
In many ways Gustav Mahler's Seventh and Eighth Symphonies are the most unusual works that the late Romantic composer ever wrote. The Seventh was the last in a series of middle-period pieces that were purely instruments in character. Two movements headed Nachtmusik and the remarkable writing for a guitar and mandolin help to create a sequence of darkly Romantic visions. And even within Mahler's markedly eclectic output, the Eighth Symphony enjoys the status of an exotic outsider thanks not only to its two-movement form combining an early medieval hymn and the final scene from Goethe's Faust but also to the vast forces for which it is scored, earning it the title of Symphony of a Thousand
Highlights from Young Euro Classic 2022, live recorded at the Konzerthaus Berlin.
Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic set off fireworks of good humour and a contagious musical spirit at the traditional New Year's Eve Concert in 2002. Simon Rattle chose Leonard Bernstein's brilliant and entertaining musical comedy, Wonderful Town , for his first New Year's Eve Concert with the Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor and orchestra - both rank among the best in the world - joined forces with Broadway stars Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald and famous baritone Thomas Hampson. The audience enjoyed a great show full of dancing, choruses, fascinating light design and ?EUR" above all ?EUR" intoxicating music. The exuberant atmosphere of this event culminated in an overwhelming encore with the musicians and audience dancing through the hall! This video captures the atmosphere right in the middle of orchestra, singers and audience and recreates a wonderful night on the town.
Bernard Haitink is one of the most sought-after Mahler conductors of our day. In this concert of Mahler's Fourth Symphony , recorded live from the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, he conducts the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. The American Maria Ewing fascinates with her interpretation of the soprano solo featured in the work's finale. Bernard Haitink first conducted the Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1956. Beginning in 1963, Haitink was chief conductor for 25 years, during which time the orchestra developed significantly. Particularly Haitink's interpretations of Mahler and Bruckner made a worldwide impression. The Concertgebouw Orchestra was founded in 1888. On the occasion of its 100th anniversary in 1988, the orchestra officially received the appellation Royal .
This video is a documentary of Heinz Holliger, the leading oboist of our day. As a composer Holliger has become a classic exponent of musical modernism, while as an oboist and conductor he is one of the most inspirational figures on the contemporary music scene. Here too we encounter him here as an enthusiastic guide through each of the work that recorded with the Keller Quartet in a private concert for the home viewer recorded at the Musik-Akademie in Basel in 2005. The programme is made up of four exceptionally interesting works, starting with Mozart's Quartet for oboe, violin, viola and cello K 370 , a kind of crypto-concerto that the 25 year-old composer wrote in Munich in 1781. The next work is another early piece, Benjamin Britten's Phantasy op. 2 for oboe and string quartet, which was composed in 1932, when the composer was 19. Holliger too was only 17 when he wrote his own Oboe Sonata in 1956?EUR"7, a work that strikes up a strange conversation between the oboist and his instrument. Bohuslav Martinu's Fantasia for theremin, oboe, string quartet and piano is a mature work dating from 1945, when the composer was already 55 years of age. It was written for an instrument that is something like a pioneer of electronic instruments, invented by the engineer Lev...
On 10 October 2004, the Teatro Regio celebrated the birthday of Giuseppe Verdi by holding a concert featuring some of the most important artists and singers of the international music scene. The performance was part of an intended annual series in which extracts from each of Verdi's operas would be performed in chronological order to offer an analytic and comprehensive panorama of his output, and the concerts would bring to the stage the most acclaimed stars of the operatic world. The great baritone Leo Nucci and the famous tenor Jose Cura are featured in this video, and Renato Palumbo, musical director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, conducts.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's New Year's Eve Concert in 2000 set the mood for the centenary of Giuseppe Verdi's (1813-1901) death with a selection of the composer's most popular tunes. The orchestra presented excerpts from Rigoletto , La Traviata , Un ballo in maschera and Falstaff . The programme also included the ball scene from act III of Don Carlo ?EUR" a scene that is seldom staged. With singers Andrea Rost, Ramon Vargas, Alan Titus and Lucio Gallo, a cast of internationally celebrated Verdi singers gathered for this Gala Evening led by maestro Claudio Abbado. The outstanding Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the virtuoso Prague Radio Choir provided music of the highest order on this very special evening.
Claudio Monteverdi's Fourth Book of Madrigals (1603) explores differing emotional states of abandoned lovers through the most dramatic and amazingly modern music for vocal ensemble. The Full Monteverdi follows the simultaneous break-up of six couples through shocking revelation, vengeful anger and erotic longing for reconciliation. Vulnerable and disarming, this ensemble film will draw you into its emotional journey and intensely moving portrait of contemporary love.
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto was written in 1958 by He Zhanhao and Chen Gang while they were students at the Shanghai Conservatory and was first performed in May the following year. Musically the concerto is a synthesis of Eastern and Western traditions, although the melodies and overall style are adapted from traditional Chinese opera. The solo violin is used in a way that recalls the playing technique of the erhu, the Chinese two-string fiddle. It is a one-movement programmatic concerto with three sections that correspond to the three phases of the story - Falling in Love, Refusing to Marry and Metamorphosis.
The Yellow River Concerto was based on the famous Yellow River Cantata by Xin Singhai, a work dating from the period of the Sino-Japanese War, and devised by the committee of composers then found advisable for such a task, Yin Chengzong, Liu Zhuang, Chu Wanghua, Sheng Lihong, Shi Shucheng and Xu Feisheng.
Celebrated conductor Lorin Maazel, a young orchestra of outstanding musicians, four high-caliber soloists and one of the great choral works of musical literature – this alone would make this live recording of Verdi's Requiem a stand-out document of filmed music. But there is more: the venue of this grandiose performance is the Basilica of San Marco in Venice, with its shimmering golden Byzantine mosaics framed by mighty pillars and arches. Modeled on Constantine the Great's Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople, the 11th-century basilica has been the workplace of many a great musician in the past, such as Claudio Monteverdi, Adrian Willaert and Giovanni Gabrieli.
Lorin Maazel, Music Director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, is also the Music Director of the Symphonica Toscanini, a young orchestra founded in May 2006 that has performed under Zubin Mehta, Georges Prêtre and Kurt Masur. "In recent tours of Europe and the U.S., the musicians expressed their unique musical potential by playing so harmoniously and compellingly as a group that they conquered every audience," said Maazel. The recording also features distinguished soloists Norma Fantini, soprano; the young Anna Smirnova, mezzo-soprano; Francesco Meli, tenor; and Rafal Siwek, bass. The Chorus of...
Filmed in Chester Cathedral during the National Youth Orchestra of Spain's 2007 European tour, this concert features Leopold Stokowski's inimitable and colourful transcriptions of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhbition and "A Night on Bare Mountain," the latter made famous by its inclusion in the 1940 Walt Disney film Fantasia. Jose Serebrier's "Symphonie mystique," for strings, was written in the space of just one week in 2003. Serebrier's earlier recording of this work was hailed by FonoForum magazine as "a vital, elegant masterwork…a shimmering prism of tone…clearly formed and with a sure hand for reaching great heights of ecstasy."
Isabelle Faust and Alexander Melnikov have performed Beethoven's Sonatas for Violin and Piano in several concerts around the world but never before recorded them on period instruments. The immense care they have taken over documentation and performance has enabled them to get as close as possible to the composer's intention. Isabelle Faust plays the famous Stradivari Sleeping Beauty built in 1704, Alexander Melnikov performs on an original Graff piano from 1827 from his private collection.
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The year 2006 come to a close with a spectacular musical event: a festival of Argentinean music broadcast live from Buenos Aires. At the height of the Argentinean summer, the Orquesta Filarmonica del Teatro Colon under Daniel Barenboim (conductor and soloist) join the excellent bandoneon virtuoso Leopoldo Federico and his Orquesta Tipica to present an extraordinary New Year's Eve show with popular tangos and Latin American orchestra classics. The old master of tango, Jose Carli, has created enchanting new arrangements of works by the Argentinean artists Astor Piazzolla , Carlos Gardel , Julio de Caro , Alberto Ginastera and Horacio Salgan . Performances by the leading tango dancers Mora Godoy and Junior Cervilla from Buenos Aires add atmosphere and round off the night.
Robert T. Gibson's setting of We Shall Overcome is dynamic and well-crafted. Attention has been paid to the construction of the vocals, which throughout the work act as accompaniment to the soloist. Requires an accomplished soloist and a strong choir. A beautiful sentiment for our times.
A forest engaging in dialogue with the exuberant fauna. A restless river cascades towards the sea. One of the monuments of Brazilian symphonic music, Canticum Naturale , by Edino Krieger , is revisited fifty years after its premiere by means of digital art in Canticum Digitale (2022), an audiovisual piece of digital art, or visual music, in which rhythm, harmony, and melody are transposed into the domain of imagery.
Canticum Digitale is an immersive and synesthetic work, where sound and visual stimuli merge harmoniously to create a unique audiovisual experience for the viewer on the volumetric membrane of the eight screens in the Brazil pavilion at Dubai Expo. This performance features soprano Flavia Fernandes and the Goias Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Neil Thomson.
A forest engaging in dialogue with the exuberant fauna. A restless river cascades towards the sea. One of the monuments of Brazilian symphonic music, Canticum Naturale , by Edino Krieger , is revisited fifty years after its premiere by means of digital art in Canticum Digitale (2022), an audiovisual piece of digital art, or visual music, in which rhythm, harmony, and melody are transposed into the domain of imagery.
Canticum Digitale is an immersive and synesthetic work, where sound and visual stimuli merge harmoniously to create a unique audiovisual experience for the viewer on the volumetric membrane of the eight screens in the Brazil pavilion at Dubai Expo. This performance features soprano Flavia Fernandes and the Goias Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Neil Thomson in a multiscreen version.
Renaud Capucon - one of today's most sought-after violinists-joins prodigious pianist and conductor Lahav Shani, and Kian Soltani (described as "sheer perfection" by Gramophone) alongside the prestigious Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under Vasily Petrenko in this unmissable event, part of a marathon evening of favorites that opens with Pablo Ferrandez-Castro's passionate performance of Dvorak's monumental Cello Concerto (plus a transcription by the great Pablo Casals ) and closes out with a thrilling rendition of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony .
A unique collaboration: the All-Star Orchestra's Music Director Gerard Schwarz guest conducts the United States Marine Band. Founded by an Act of Congrass in 1787, it is America's oldest continually active musical ensemble. Three programs feature masterpieces for symphonic band and the history of the famed ensemble.
Program 1: Above and Beyond
The beloved folk melodies and lively dances of Percy Grainger's Lincolnshire Posy are followed by Maestro Schwarz's own Above and Beyond and Pulitzer Prize-winner Jennifer Higdon's Fanfare Ritmico . John Philip Sousa's march, Semper Fidelis , is led by the Director of the United States Marine Band, Col. Jason K. Fettig.
Program 2: New England Spirit
Revolutionary war melodies inspire William Schumann's New England Triptych including When Jesus Wept and the thrilling Chester (as heard at several Presidential inaugurations). Vincent Persichetti's colorful Masquerade shows off the Marine Band's amazing virtuosity. The program conclude with Sousa's The Stars and Stripes Forever .
Program 3: Classic Band Masterpieces
The masterful First Suite for Military Band by composer of the The Planets, Gustav Holst , is paired with the landmark Symphony for Band in B flat by the great Paul Hindemith . The splendor of Chinese...
It is illusory to assume one can shoot a film about Jordi Savall which summarizes the complete fullness of his activities or gives a representative summary of the musical treasures raised by him with a profound expertise or to describe exactly how he manages to play the viola da gamba in his own unmistakable way that makes it sound like it sounds.
The outstanding and deeply touching performance of Verdi's Messa da Requiem was recorded at the Parco Ducale of Parma, within the 2020 Edition of Festival Verdi. The concert was dedicated to the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic and all the health workers engaged in the emergency.
Here are conductor Roberto Abbado's words to describe this Verdian masterpiece: "I think that Verdi felt the need to compose a sacred work to deal with some themes that, as he got older, he felt very strongly about. They are themes that every human being sooner or later asks themselves. Verdi is not afraid to show that he fears death, and therefore his approach is extremely humble and human, showing some of the frailties we all have. How does the Messa da Requiem end? It ends, in my opinion, with a huge question mark. Basically, I believe, Verdi, like many of us, cannot answer these questions. I, myself, cannot answer them."
Franz Liszt was a unique personality in the musical world of the 19th century. He was a model and inspiration for many generations of musicians and was magnificently successful as a virtuoso pianist, education, composer and conductor. Presenting a cornucopia of musical delights, this selection of Liszt favourites includes works inspired by folklore and Italian culture, literary texts ad poetry, opera, the brilliance of Paganini and a sheer delight in a pianistic virtuosity.
Philippe Herreweghe, principal conductor of the Royal Flemish Philharmonic, has devoted himself for over ten years to fresh and invigorating readings of the (pre-) Romantic repertoire. Together with the Collegium Vocale, founded in 1970 by Herreweghe himself, and superb soloists they will perform Dvorak's superb Requiem .
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world's greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors EUR" all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two-season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world's greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
"Ich will euch trosten" (I will comfort you), sings the soprano in Brahms's Ein deutsches Requiem. Indeed, this is music of comfort, not of lamentation. With this work, Mariss Jansons is continuing the Requiem ritual started in 2011 to allow listeners to contemplate the transience of life at the beginning of autumn. Rather than using the standard Latin mass text, however, Brahms selected his own text from the Bible. He completed the work after the death of his mother. Following the premiere, the music critic Hanslick wrote, "Since Bach's Mass in B Minor and Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, nothing in this vein has been written which is comparable to Brahms's Ein deutsches Requiem. " It was this work, which became immensely popular, that truly established Brahms as a composer.
Celebrated conductor Lorin Maazel, a young orchestra of outstanding musicians, four high-caliber soloists and one of the great choral works of musical literature – this alone would make this live recording of Verdi's Requiem a stand-out document of filmed music. But there is more: the venue of this grandiose performance is the Basilica of San Marco in Venice, with its shimmering golden Byzantine mosaics framed by mighty pillars and arches. Modeled on Constantine the Great's Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople, the 11th-century basilica has been the workplace of many a great musician in the past, such as Claudio Monteverdi, Adrian Willaert and Giovanni Gabrieli.
Lorin Maazel, Music Director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, is also the Music Director of the Symphonica Toscanini, a young orchestra founded in May 2006 that has performed under Zubin Mehta, Georges Prêtre and Kurt Masur. "In recent tours of Europe and the U.S., the musicians expressed their unique musical potential by playing so harmoniously and compellingly as a group that they conquered every audience," said Maazel. The recording also features distinguished soloists Norma Fantini, soprano; the young Anna Smirnova, mezzo-soprano; Francesco Meli, tenor; and Rafal Siwek, bass. The Chorus of...
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
Magic was created one starlit night in July 1990, when Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, and Jose Carreras met onstage at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome and became the Three Tenors. 800 million people attended this live event which caused the biggest hype ever in the history of classical music. They eschewed competitive instincts and cooperated in the spirit of mutual admiration to create one of the greatest musical events ever. This concert is an awe-inspiring orgy of greatest hits for the tenor voice.
World-renowned tenor Plácido Domingo is joined by Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna and a host of other international stars including Susan Graham, in the famously glittering 1996 Gala Concert on the stage of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Asher Fisch conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in a programme of many of the world's best-loved operatic arias with music by composers including Bizet, Massenet, Gounod, Mozart and Donizetti.
Fresh from their critically acclaimed series of the complete symphonies of Beethoven and Brahms , the Danish Chamber Orchestra and Adam Fischer turn to Haydn's late symphonies, beginning with the first three of the twelve London symphonies, composed during Haydn's first visit to the capital. Arguably his greatest achievements in the genre, they include the enduringly popular surprise in the slow movement of No. 94 . Fischer and his orchestra, who have performed together for over two decades, employ varied bowing and playing styles in the strings and innovative dynamic techniques in the winds that bring new levels of excitement to these masterpieces.
The second volume in Haydn's Late symphonies series is devoted to three more London symphonies. No. 96 in D major, The Miracle - so named, as the legend goes, after a falling chandelier narrowly missed the audience during its Hanover Square Rooms premiere - exemplifies the grandeur of these works. The structural surprises of No. 97 in C major and the hymnal slow movement of No. 98 in B flat major reinforce Haydn's inexhaustible compositional versatility and inventiveness. These programs are the product of a two-decade partnership between Adam Fischer and the Danish Chamber Orchestra during which they have explored the most effective technical solutions necessary for performing these works.
Joseph Haydn's last symphonies, first performed in 1794 and 1795, were created for his second visit to the British capital. He had captivated London during his first trip in 1791/92, with countless premieres and ensuing worldwide fame. The splendid monument to Haydn in the square of his birthplace, Rohrau, was erected as early as 1793, while he was still very much alive and well. Symphony No. 100 is often called The Military Symphony because of its grand second movement featuring both cymbals and triangle.
Franz Joseph Haydn's last great symphonies electrified his London audiences, and with these programs Adam Fischer and the Danish Chamber Orchestra recreate the powerful, stormy and exciting effects that caused such a sensation in the 1790s. The Symphony No. 101 in D major has long been nicknamed The Clock due to the ticking rhythm in the second movement for plucked strings and bassoons.
Pieces for orchestra are on their way to winning the same status as operas. Something as simple as a symphony can henceforth have artistic weight. Joseph Haydn's symphonies from his second visit to London thus stand as a milestone in the transition from Viennese Classicism to Romanticism.
No. 102 premiered at the King's Theatre under dramatic circumstances: a chandelier fell from the ceiling during the performance, apparently without causing injuries to the audience. For many years, scholars believed the work performed that evening was Symphony No. 96 - hence, the nickname The Miracle should be transferred from one symphony to the other!
Symphony No. 103 bears the nickname Drumroll due to the very first bar of the piece. Haydn did not write any details regarding the roll's volume or the like, thus leaving the actual execution up to the timpanist. The piece's surprising repetition of the motif from the slow introduction in several places in the first movement became a great inspiration for Beethoven a few years later.
An event on 30 March 1795 was downright irritating: the Freemasons were to entertain with 'one of my great symphonies' in their banquet hall. "But the orchestra did not want any rehearsals" he writes. "So I refused to participate. I was actually completely absent."
The demand for quality reflects not only his care for the works as such. His demand also expresses a new era. Pieces for orchestra are on their way to winning the same status as operas. Something as simple as a symphony can henceforth have artistic weight. Joseph Haydn's symphonies from his second visit to London thus stand as a milestone in the transition from Viennese Classicism to Romanticism.
Symphony No. 104 , sometimes designated The London Symphony , finally gathers the experiences through its pompous expression, its inspiration from folk music, and its general pre-Romantic sentiments.
Symphony No. 93 in D major was performed at the first of the second season of Salomon concerts in which Haydn was concerned, on 17 February 1792. The programme was of the usual variety, including concertos for oboe, for harp and for violin, songs and a new Grand Overture by Haydn, the first of his symphonies for London, acclaimed by one critic as 'grand, scientific, charming and original'. Scored for pairs of flutes and oboes, bassoons, horns, timpani and strings, the symphony was presumably written in London in the preceding year, relying now on Haydn's familiarity with the abilities of the players at his disposal. The work opens with a slow introduction, based on a figure derived from the descending notes of the triad.
Symphony No. 94 in G major was first performed at a subscription concert at the Hanover Square Rooms on 23 March 1792, the sixth of the new series, and proved to have an enduring popularity. The first movement opens with a slow introduction, followed by a gentle enough first subject and a double second subject. The well-known C major slow movement provides the surprise of a sudden burst of sound, interrupting the steady progress of the melody, which is then varied. The Menuetto is much quicker than is usually the case, its Trio opening with first violins and bassoon in octaves. The Finale is launched, as usual, by the strings, with a cheerful first subject, succeeded by a contrasting second subject in sonata form.
Haydn's Symphony No. 95 in C minor was also written in London in 1791, and was performed at some time during Haydn's first season there. The strong opening figure of the first movement is announced by woodwind and strings, followed by a gentler answer from the strings. The second subject, in E flat major, is derived from the descending arpeggio. The opening figure starts the central development, now used in transposition and contrapuntally. The gentle first subject appears in recapitulation, followed by the second theme, now in C major, with brief additions, as it proceeds, from a solo violin.
Franz Joseph Haydn's last great symphonies electrified his London audiences, and with these recordings Adam Fischer and the Danish Chamber Orchestra recreate the powerful, stormy and exciting effects that caused such a sensation in the 1790s.
Symphony No. 99 in E flat major was Haydn's first ever symphony to use clarinets; No. 100 in G major gained its 'Military' appellation due to its grand second movement featuring cymbals and triangle; and No. 101 in D major has long been nicknamed The Clock due to the ticking rhythm in the second movement for plucked
strings and bassoons.
Completed in 1894, Gustav Mahler's Second Symphony counts amongst his most popular compositions.
It took the composer six years to complete this large-scale work which was started under very unusual circumstances. In 1886, Mahler had a vision of his own funeral; the dream inspired what was to become the Symphony's first movement, which he entitled Todtenfeier (Funeral Rite).
Unable to decide whether the work should be a separate tone poem or the first movement of a full symphony, he did not resume composition until 1893, finishing all but the last movement. For the conclusion of his Symphony, Mahler wanted to incorporate the human voice. The inspiration for this came when he attended the memorial service for the conductor Hans von B?low, which included a religious ode Auferstehung (Resurrection) by the German poet Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (1724-1803).
This performance of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony is performed by Ivan Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra. Fischer is known for his superlative interpretations of Mahler with an attention to detail and a musicianship which are served by some of the finest European instrumentalists gathered in 'his' orchestra.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two-season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world's greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
This video features a series of recitals dedicated to the German Lied, performed by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Hartmut Höll between the mid 1980s and late '90s in the Hans Rosbaud studio in Baden. Two of these evenings were devoted to the songs by Robert Schumann.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities of the world. In this program, Renee Fleming and Dmitri Hvorostovsky will explore the most spectacular corners of the city that was born in the remarkable mind of Peter the Great. On this occasion, they will be singing operatic duets and arias by Verdi, Tchaikovsky, Ambroise Thomas and Bellini, accompanied by Constantine Orbelian and the State Hermitage Orchestra. They will be leading us through the city and will perform in the Golden Ballroom of Peterhof Palace, as well as the White Columns Room and extraordinary baroque Theater of the Yusupov Palace where they will also sing romances by Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky, accompanied by pianists Olga Kern and Ivary Ilja.
The Waldbuhne Concert given by the Berliner Philharmoniker marks the end of the 2009/10 season. More recently visitors to the orchestra's Waldbuhne concerts have been regaled by some of the greatest opera singers of our age, including such operatic legends as Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti, the Mexican tenor Rolando Villazon and the wonderful Russian soprano Anna Netrebko. A further high point in the history of the Waldbuhne concerts was undoubtedly the appearance of the charismatic American soprano Renee Fleming, who brought to this "Night of Love" her soft-toned but richly coloured voice. "It?EUR(TM)s such a beautiful place," she told the Berliner Zeitung. "When you're standing there on the stage, you have the feeling that you can sing into the sky." Concert-goers must have been able to share this feeling when a singer described by the Daily Telegraph as the "queen of the Metropolitan Opera" sang the highly poetical "Song to the Moon" from Dvorak's opera Rusalka and gazed lovingly at the orbiting moon, which had just become visible in the night sky.
Singer, pianist and conductor Michel Legrand, a living film music legend, presents his most famous scores, jazz tunes and chansons on this video. Not many composers can claim to have written for both Edith Piaf and the James Bond films - and it's precisely this fusion of European romance and Hollywood dynamism that has made Legrand one of the soundtrack world's best known names. His career spans half-a-century and over 200 films, and he has received three Oscars and five Grammys. He has worked with many of the 20th century's greatest artists, including Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Barbra Streisand, Edith Piaf, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles and has collaborated with French Nouvelle Vague directors Jean-Luc Godard and Claude Chabrol as well as Hollywood masters Clint Eastwood and Orson Welles. Recorded live in Brussels in 2005, this recording features music from Yentl , The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg , The Three Musketeers , Summer of '42 , Never Say Never Again , Edith and Ray's Blues to name but a few.
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
The award-winning Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin has become of the world's leading chamber orchestras on period instruments. These concerts reveal some of the foundations of Beethoven's genius, and capture vital performances from the 2020 SWR Schwetzingen Festival, the biggest radio festival for classical music in the world. These first two concerts of four see Beethoven's revolutionary development through his first three symphonies set against C.P.E. Bach's novel orchestration, Mozart's pre-echo of a theme from Eroica Symphony , and Paul Wranitzky's richly narrative Grande sinfonie caracteristique, a work banned by the Viennese authorities of the day for its provocative movement titles.
The award-winning Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin has become of the world's leading chamber orchestras on period instruments. These concerts reveal some of the foundations of Beethoven's genius, and capture vital performances from the 2020 SWR Schwetzingen Festival, the biggest radio festival for classical music in the world. These first two concerts of four see Beethoven's revolutionary development through his first three symphonies set against C.P.E. Bach's novel orchestration, Mozart's pre-echo of a theme from Eroica Symphony , and Paul Wranitzky's richly narrative Grande sinfonie caracteristique , a work banned by the Viennese authorities of the day for its provocative movement titles.
The award-winning Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin has become one of the world's leading chamber orchestras on period instruments. These concerts reveal some of the foundations of Beethoven's genius, and capture vital performances from the 2020 SWR Schwetzingen Festival, the biggest radio festival for classical music in the world. Robert Schumann pointed out similarities between Mehul's First Symphony and Beethoven's Fifth , and these third and fourth concerts in the series also include a tempest by Holzbauer that precedes Beethoven's by half a century, plus the little-known Le Portrait musical de la Nature by Justin Heinrich Knecht , a work that also anticipates Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony .
The award-winning Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin has become one of the world's leading chamber orchestras on period instruments. These concerts reveal some of the foundations of Beethoven's genius, and capture vital performances from the 2020 SWR Schwetzingen Festival, the biggest radio festival for classical music in the world. Robert Schumann pointed out similarities between Mehul's First Symphony and Beethoven's Fifth , and these third and fourth concerts in the series also include a tempest by Holzbauer that precedes Beethoven's by half a century, plus the little-known Le Portrait musical de la Nature by Justin Heinrich Knecht , a work that also anticipates Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony.
Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707) is considered today one of the founding fathers of the 17th century German school, whose influence on composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, his spiritual son, cannot be overestimated. Not only was he an indisputable master of organ music, but also a most prolific composer whose oeuvre consists of more than 200 works.
Let's us join the Masques Ensemble and the Vox Luminis choir and discover 17th century baroque music and the composer Buxtehude through his vocal compositions, ranging from spiritual concert, choral, aria to cantata parties, many of which directly influenced Johann Sebastian Bach's compositions. It is to a journey in space and time, a journey in which violins, viola, viola da gamba, violone, harpsichord, canned organ and choral ensemble will share the legacy and influence of Dietrich Buxtehude who has transcended borders with us.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This recording honors the great Antonin Dvorak with some of his most beloved pieces being performed by world class artists such as Daniil Trifonov.
The Berliner Philharmoniker celebrate their founding day (May 1st, 1892) in a European city of cultural significance every year. In 2016, they travelled to Roros in Norway, to play in the town's beautiful baroque church. Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang made her debut with the Berliner Philharmonker at this year's concert, joining them for Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor .
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
In many ways Gustav Mahler's Seventh and Eighth Symphonies are the most unusual works that the late Romantic composer ever wrote. The Seventh was the last in a series of middle-period pieces that were purely instruments in character. Two movements headed Nachtmusik and the remarkable writing for a guitar and mandolin help to create a sequence of darkly Romantic visions. And even within Mahler's markedly eclectic output, the Eighth Symphony enjoys the status of an exotic outsider thanks not only to its two-movement form combining an early medieval hymn and the final scene from Goethe's Faust but also to the vast forces for which it is scored, earning it the title of Symphony of a Thousand
Gustav Mahler spent 1909 and 1910 working on his final two symphonies. The Ninth has gone down in history as the culmination of his symphonic output and a prophetic anticipation of musical modernism. But owing to his declining health, he had to stop work on the Tenth after a few months and was unable to resume it before his death.
Only the first movement, included here, was orchestrated to a point where it can be performed without non-authorial additions. The Mahler cycle, performed by the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra under Paavo Jarvi has already been internationally acclaimed as one of the most important Mahler projects of the new millennium.
First Concert (19 June 2020)
In the first concert with Renaud Capucon, we have three masterpieces, which, although they adopt the three-movement structure dear to Vivaldi and present features that bring them closer to the Italian models, are distinguished by their contrapuntal richness, their writing density and the breadth of their developments. These qualities are particularly evident in the BWV 1042 in E major , with its extremely powerful architecture.
In these works, where the solo violin is called upon to express itself through singing rather than virtuosic prowess, there are these wonderful slow movements that are enough to crack even the most hardened non-musician. Those in the concertos in A minor and E major "offer to the bass repeated figures whose seriousness brings out the sweetness of the solo violin all the more".
Second Concert (02 July 2020)
For the second concert with David Fray, Bach composed a concerti group for one, two, three and four harpsichords in Leipzig around 1730, and as director of the Collegium Musicum, he was to provide a large amount of music for an essentially worldly audience. All these concerti are transcriptions of earlier works.
Bach left us three concertos for two harpsichords BWV 1060 to 1062 , two for three harpsichords...
This series of the very best of the 16th Verbier Festival with worldwide renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Mischa Maisky, Rene Pape, Joshua Bell, and Philippe Jaroussky.
When Bach was in the service of Prince Leopold in Cöthen, he had his own orchestra and was contracted to compose a great deal of instrumental music. This gave him an opportunity to try new techniques and to develop his own instrumental style. The six Brandenburg Concertos belongs to these masterpieces for a small ensemble. This joyously infectious performance of these famous landmarks in the history of music by the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra demonstrates both the musical satisfaction and the high professional standard that can be reached with period instruments. The performance was given in the Bach Anniversary Year 2000 ?EUR" 250 years after his death ?EUR" in the elegant Hall of Mirrors at Cöthen Castle. The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra?EUR(TM)s members all have virtuoso skills. They take the spotlight gracefully for solos but also play with the true ensemble spirit required by the music. Their decision to perform without a conductor revives an eighteenth century practice.
Bonus features:
Cello Suite No.5, BWV 1011: Sarabande
Hille Perl, viola da gamba
Coffee Cantata, BWV 211: Die Katze lässt das Mausen nicht
Madeleine Vogt, soprano
Matthias Schubotz, tenor
Holger Krause, bass
Members of the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Back(h) in Cöthen
This unusual Christmas video presents the musical encounter between soprano Angelika Kirchschlager and jazz trumpeter Tomasz Stanko. Recorded live in the picturesque Cistercian Gothic monastery Schulpforte in Saxony-Anhalt, the concert footage is combined with charming motifs of snowy mountain landscapes and cities decorated for Christmas. Favourite Christmas compositions from the classical repertoire are combined with popular carols and jazzy improvisations ?EUR" and it all sounds like Christmas! Angelika Kirchschlager currently ranks among the most sought-after sopranos worldwide for both opera and concert-hall performance and Tomasz Stanko enjoys a reputation as one of the most creative jazz trumpeters alive. The soloists are accompanied by the outstanding Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. The Leipzig a cappella ensemble Amarcord, former members of St. Thomas's Boys Choir, sing popular Christmas tunes.
The prodigious Lionel Bringuier (boasting "good instincts [...] bolstered by good taste plus a strong technique": Financial Times), just 24 in this delightful 2010 recording, conducts the BBC Orchestra in a generous program that opens with Berlioz's lighthearted, cheeky Le Corsaire Overture , continues with Albert Roussel's Symphony No. 3 brimming with adventure, perhaps the fruit of the composer's long experience as a sailor across the Atlantic and in Southeast Asia - and closes with the enchanting impressionism of Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe . Don't miss this uniquely crafted concert guaranteed to stir the imagination!
A gem of a concert featuring two of the greatest pianists, friends, and musical collaborators of our time... in 1982, fellow South American pianists Nelson Freire and Martha Argerich shared a stage for a program of 19th and 20th century pianistic jewels.
Freire opens the program with Debussy's Estampes, Chopin's Trois nouvelles etudes and Scherzo in B-flat Minor. The Argentinian lioness then joins him for Ravel's two piano arrangement of his La Valse and Rachmaninov's Suite No. 2 for Two Pianos.
The Verbier Festival, created in 1994, has rapidly acquired a reputation for artistic excellence and is now considered one of the major European music festivals. For a fortnight each summer, the greatest stars of the classical music world come together against the magical backdrop of the Swiss Alps. The Verbier Festival gives musicians the opportunity to perform original programmes with fellow musicians they admire, but with whom they may never have performed before. These world premiere performances produce innovative and exciting results, for artists and audiences. The 2007 edition gathered classical celebrities such as Martha Argerich, Helene Grimaud, Gabriela Montero, Renaud Capucon, Nelson Freire, Mischa Maisky, Thomas Quasthoff and Lars Vogt, and for the first time all 46 concerts were recorded. The state-of-art recordings featured two cameras on stage that were remote-controlled so as to not disturb the audiences and artists and one camera in the midst of the audience to recreate the viewer's perspective. This video assembles excerpts of the most remarkable concerts with exciting programmes including works by Bartok, Debussy, Lutoslawski, Schubert and Schumann. Lovers of classical music will very much enjoy this summit of high-profile artists!
A star-studded gala from the royal Albert Hall in London, featuring some of the greatest names from the world's of opera, ballet, musicals and flamenco.
Featuring Tito Beltran, June Anderson, Michael Ball, Maria Friesman, Anastasia Volvchkova, Paco Pena and Montse Cortes performing a program of works that includes arias from Turandot, Hamlet, La Traviata and Rigoletto , hits from The Phantom of the Opera, Follies and showboat plus excerpts from Don Quixote and some stirring flamenco pieces.
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra was founded by Daniel Barenboim and the late Edward Said. It consists of young, highly talented Israeli and Arabian musicians and was founded to increase the dialogue between young people in the Middle East and represent the peaceful collaboration of the two cultures. In standard comparable to the most established orchestras, it combines tonal beauty and transparency with youthful expressiveness, passion and exuberance. This technically brilliant and incredibly enthusiastic orchestra brings out all levels of Beethoven's 9th symphony and we listen to Beethoven at his very best: exuberant, emotional, lucid, tender, clear, triumphant... simply magnificent! Needless to say, Daniel Barenboim conducts excellently and outstanding singers Angela Denoke, Waltraud Meier, Burkhard Fritz and Rene Pape contribute tremendously to this unforgettable concert. The standing ovations are well deserved!
This is Vivaldi for the 21st century featuring Spring second and third movements. At its heart, the album is a conversation between past and present, between classical composition and new discoveries, between composers over time spans. Danish composer Karl Aage Rasmussen has always been keen on exploring our experience of time and movement.
Building bridges between cultures and traditions, he here sheds new light on original compositions by Vivaldi and Respighi , written during his period as composer-inresidence for Danish National Baroque Orchestra Concerto Copenhagen.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
This is Vivaldi for the 21st century featuring Spring second and third movements. At its heart, the album is a conversation between past and present, between classical composition and new discoveries, between composers over time spans. Danish composer Karl Aage Rasmussen has always been keen on exploring our experience of time and movement.
Building bridges between cultures and traditions, he here sheds new light on original compositions by Vivaldi and Respighi , written during his period as composer-inresidence for Danish National Baroque Orchestra Concerto Copenhagen.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's annual summer concert at the Waldbühne in Berlin is legendary. Recorded live on 25 June 2000, the Millenium concert gathered more than 22,000 people in one of the most appealing outdoor amphitheatres in Europe for one of the most popular classical music concerts in the world. Kent Nagano named his programme of popular and rather unusual music from the 20th century "Rhythm and Dance." It turned out to be an inspiring combination of classical pieces, show tunes, pops, and Far Eastern music, all brought together in a tasty musical stew and rightly labelled as one of the most exciting programmes ever performed at the Waldbühne. It featured Gershwin classics with an outstanding performance by the American mezzo soprano Susan Graham, music by Ravel and the soundtrack to the successful Chinese film "Farewell My Concubine." Nagano injected the performance with so much sensuality and pulsing life that the audience rose to beat time with their feet and to gave him standing ovations.
Paper, normally a utilitarian material, becomes a solo instrument in Tan Dun's ingenious and inventive Paper Concerto , fusing orchestral music and organic sounds to create accessible, even melodious, music that is almost beyond imagination. Intriguing sounds are created by all manner of different papers, so that they appear elemental rather than simplistic, tapping into something basic in the fabric of our lives. In a remarkable and unforgettable concert experience, Tan Dun directs the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and soloist Haruka Fujii in a vivid demonstration of his belief that orchestral music, far from being static and traditional, still has the capacity for experimentation and the power to stimulate in extraordinary ways.
Bonus features :
- Paper: The Song of Nature
- Tan Dun demonstrates Paper Music
- Tan Dun teaches Paper Instruments
Paper, normally a utilitarian material, becomes a solo instrument in Tan Dun's ingenious and inventive Paper Concerto , fusing orchestral music and organic sounds to create accessible, even melodious, music that is almost beyond imagination. Intriguing sounds are created by all manner of different papers, so that they appear elemental rather than simplistic, tapping into something basic in the fabric of our lives. In a remarkable and unforgettable concert experience, Tan Dun directs the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and soloist Haruka Fujii in a vivid demonstration of his belief that orchestral music, far from being static and traditional, still has the capacity for experimentation and the power to stimulate in extraordinary ways.
Bonus features :
- Paper: The Song of Nature
- Tan Dun demonstrates Paper Music
- Tan Dun teaches Paper Instruments
Tan Dun's hypnotic three-movement Water Concerto is intoxicating, both visually and aurally. Using water as a musical instrument, this extraordinary piece uses innovative techniques to explore the musicality of the sounds of water. Virtuoso percussionist and soloist David Cossin displays remarkable genius as he deftly creates unique, sensuous, organic and sometimes celestial sounds using a range of water-based instruments. Conducted by the composer, the distinctive accompaniment of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, reflecting Dun's personal combination of Chinese and Western musical traditions, is carefully interwoven and combined with the water percussion to produce a uniquely enchanting performance.
Tan Dun has made an indelible mark on the world's music scene with a creative repertoire that spans the boundaries of classical, multimedia, Eastern and Western musical systems. His score for Ang Lee's film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon received Academy and Grammy Awards in 2000 and an Oscar Award for best original score in 2001. In 2008 he was selected by the International Olympic Committee to write the logo and award ceremony music for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and composed Internet Symphony No. 1, "Eroica," commissioned by Google/YouTube as the focal point...
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world’s greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
14 April 2009 witnessed the 250th anniversary of George Frideric Handel's death. On this unique occasion two of the world's leading Baroque orchestras, members of four distinguished choruses, three accomplished Handel interpreters as soloists, together with conductor and Handel-Preis winner Howard Arman paid homage to the composer by playing the repertoire of the historic first commemoration concert that took place in London's Westminster Abbey in 1784. This outstanding British-German performance in Halle's Marktkirche, where George Frideric was baptized, represents the media highlight of Handel Year 2009.
The recital featured on this video dates back to 1984 and photographs a Renata Scotto in her full artistic maturity. At the time of the singer was 50 years old, 32 of which she spent on stage. The programme is vast and varied in epochs, styles and composers and shows the elasticity of an artistic of solid technique gifted with absolutely extraordinary musicality.
Alongside famous pages of opera, like Lascia ch'io pianga from Handel's Rinaldo or Tu che la vanita from Verdi's Don Carlo , Renata Scotto tackles lesser-known pages, like the beautiful Petrarchan sonnets by Franz Liszt in 1844/45. Here perhaps the artist gives the best of herself, exhibiting a palette of colours that is truly rich in nuances and dazzling control of vocal emission. At the end of this demanding programme, based chiefly on chamber music, Renata Scotto offers four encores, tow of which are dedicated to Puccini operas Tosca and Butterfly shrewdly kept back for a grand finale.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
These characteristic Viennese waltzes, polkas and overtures represent some of the best moments from Viennese Night Prom concerts spanning a vintage period in their history. Classics featured on this recording include the Blue Danube Waltz , Radetsky March and "Csardas" and "Laughing Song" from Die Fledermaus , all performed with exuberance, good humour and panache by three conductors well suited to the genre.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's New Year's Eve Concert in 2000 set the mood for the centenary of Giuseppe Verdi's (1813-1901) death with a selection of the composer's most popular tunes. The orchestra presented excerpts from Rigoletto , La Traviata , Un ballo in maschera and Falstaff . The programme also included the ball scene from act III of Don Carlo ?EUR" a scene that is seldom staged. With singers Andrea Rost, Ramon Vargas, Alan Titus and Lucio Gallo, a cast of internationally celebrated Verdi singers gathered for this Gala Evening led by maestro Claudio Abbado. The outstanding Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the virtuoso Prague Radio Choir provided music of the highest order on this very special evening.
These magnificent interpretations of three Mendelssohn works - two orchestral and one chamber - are given by the phenomenally talented young Chinese pianist Yuja Wang and other young performers. Praised in BBC Music Magazine for her "keen intelligence" and "staggering technique," Yuja Wang has also been described by the San Francisco Chronicle as "the sort of musician whose combination of talents appears in the world only rarely." The Verbier Festival Orchestra consists of musicians hand-picked from every part of the world. Here they are directed by the doyen of German Mendelssohn conductors, Kurt Masur.
After her remarkable Lucerne Festival debut in 2014, the Argentinian cellist Sol Gabetta returned to the idyllic Swiss city in 2018 for a performance of Martini's First Cello Concerto , one of her favorite virtuosic works for her instrument, accompanied by the Mahler Chamber Orchestra under Francois-Xavier Roth's baton. As she describes it, "The orchestral writing is opulent, the themes - which draw on superb popular Czech melodies - and a very interesting rhythmic structure." Martinu's masterpiece is framed by the folk melodies of Bartok's Divertimento , Haydn's Parisian Symphony "The Hen" (listen for the oboe's unmistakable pecking sounds!), and the carefree delights of dolls, spinning tops, and soap bubbles in Bizet's Jeux d'enfants .
Sol Gabetta's debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker at the Easter Festival 2014 in Baden-Baden stood under the sign of contrast: Beginning with Wagner's Lohengrin and Gyorgy Ligeti's orchestral piece Atmospheres they show how they both pursue similar objectives in different ways - that of an iridescent, otherworldly sound Elgar's warm and melodically charged Cello Concerto is contrasted with Stravinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps , an entirely progressive piece that pushes the conventional boundaries of classical music.
"Sol Gabetta's Elgar Concerto is one of the best around, a heartfelt, tonally rounded performance. Hers is a softly spoken presence, especially beautiful in those infinitely sad modulations that fall towards the end of the piece." - Gramophone magazine
It would be hard to imagine a more seductive hero, a more passionate performer, a more glorious interpreter of the great Romantic roles of Verdi and Puccini than Rolando Villazon. Yet the singer's temporary withdrawal from the spotlight in 2007 opened up a wealth of new possibilities for the singer. Among the "new paths" that Villazon envisioned for the future were "adventures" such as Baroque music. Next to a recording of works by the early Baroque composer Claudio Monteverdi, he now offers a selection of arias by George Frideric Handel.
This intimate concert featuring Villazon and the Gabrieli Players under Paul McCreesh was filmed in a setting that ideally suits the style of the music, St. Paul's Church in Deptford, near London, one of Britain's finest Baroque churches. It was built between 1712 and 1730, almost exactly when Handel was writing his most celebrated operas and oratorios.
Villazon proves that he is a master of dazzling coloratura, virtuoso runs and expressive cantabile melodies. Among the highlights of the concert – which also includes two purely orchestral works – are the beloved arioso "Ombra mai fu" from Serse , Grimoaldo's aria "Pastorello d'un povero armento" from Rodelinda , the lyrical, longing "Scherza infida" from Ariodante , and...
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's New Year's Eve Concert in 2000 set the mood for the centenary of Giuseppe Verdi's (1813-1901) death with a selection of the composer's most popular tunes. The orchestra presented excerpts from Rigoletto , La Traviata , Un ballo in maschera and Falstaff . The programme also included the ball scene from act III of Don Carlo ?EUR" a scene that is seldom staged. With singers Andrea Rost, Ramon Vargas, Alan Titus and Lucio Gallo, a cast of internationally celebrated Verdi singers gathered for this Gala Evening led by maestro Claudio Abbado. The outstanding Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the virtuoso Prague Radio Choir provided music of the highest order on this very special evening.
In Why Beethoven Threw the Stew , renowned cellist Steven Isserlis sets out to pass on to children a wonderful gift given to him by his own cello teacher - the chance to people his own world with the great composers by getting to know them as friends.
Witty and informative at the same time, Isserlis introduces us to six of his favourite composers: the sublime genius Bach, the quicksilver Mozart, Beethoven with his gruff humour, the shy Schumann, the prickly Brahms and that extraordinary split personality, Stravinsky. Isserlis brings the composers alive in an irresistible manner that can't fail to catch the attention of any child whose ear has been caught by any of the music described, or anyone entering the world of classical music for the first time.
The lively black and white line illustrations provide a perfect accompaniment to the text, and make this book attractive and accessible for children to enjoy on their own or share with an adult.
This opera gala, recorded live at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, on November 8, 2003, marked the 10th anniversary of the annual benefit for the German AIDS Foundation. Conducted by Kent Nagano, then Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Berlin Deutsche Symphony Orchestra founded 1923. This recording features an illustrious roster of international artists from Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, the United States and Canada.
Verdi wrote his Messa da Requiem in 1873-1874 for Alessandro Manzoni, a poet whom he much admired. Like Brahm's German Requiem , Verdi's Mass for the Dead is not intended for liturgical use but for the concert hall. In addition to its profound spirituality, this masterpiece brings together the finest qualities from Verdi's operas: endless melodic lines and captivating musico-dramatic effects.
Four of the greatest singers of our time combine their talents and their artistry in an evening of beloved operatic numbers – rarely has a concert deserved the title "Opera Summit" as much as this one, recorded live at the Festspielhaus in Baden-Baden on 3 August 2007. Heading the quartet is soprano Anna Netrebko with her inimitable blend of glamour and simplicity, her enticing appearance and seductive singing, a musical powerhouse who tops the pop charts and sells out operas houses within hours.
Hardly less dazzling than her Russian colleague is Latvian mezzo Elina Garanca, whose crystal-clear voice and charismatic stage presence never fail to enthrall her audiences. She is a frequent guest of the Vienna State Opera and the Salzburg Festival, where she made her sensational debut as Annio in Mozart's La clemenza di Tito in 2003. Her international career has taken her to Covent Garden, the Met and other prestigious stages. She was awarded the European Cultural Prize in Dresden in 2006.
Replacing the indisposed Rolando Villazon is his fellow Mexican tenor Ramon Vargas, who began his career in Europe after winning the first prize in the Enrico Caruso Competition in Milan. His international breakthrough came in 1993 when he replaced Luciano Pavarotti as Edgardo in...
The year 2006 come to a close with a spectacular musical event: a festival of Argentinean music broadcast live from Buenos Aires. At the height of the Argentinean summer, the Orquesta Filarmonica del Teatro Colon under Daniel Barenboim (conductor and soloist) join the excellent bandoneon virtuoso Leopoldo Federico and his Orquesta Tipica to present an extraordinary New Year's Eve show with popular tangos and Latin American orchestra classics. The old master of tango, Jose Carli, has created enchanting new arrangements of works by the Argentinean artists Astor Piazzolla , Carlos Gardel , Julio de Caro , Alberto Ginastera and Horacio Salgan . Performances by the leading tango dancers Mora Godoy and Junior Cervilla from Buenos Aires add atmosphere and round off the night.
This entertaining video comprises the enjoyable dance performance A Night in Vienna, a one-hour celebration of the music of the Johann Strausses ?EUR" father and son. This recording recreates the beauty and atmosphere of the ballroom performances of 19th-century Vienna, charting the rise of the waltz craze. In the wonderful setting of the Hofburg in Vienna, the former residence of the Habsburg rulers, the period instrument orchestra Wiener Akademie plays favourites by the Strauss family and Joseph Lanner, and dance performances in historical costumes recreate the atmosphere of the first half of the 19th century.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two-season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world's greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
This recording presents the most important work of the baroque keyboard repertoire ?EUR" The Well-Tempered Clavier - played by four world-class pianists. Each artist performs twelve Preludes and Fugues selected from this well-cherished collection of educational and yet artistically highly-strung pieces. The performances were recorded at four exceptionally charming venues: the Palazzo Labia in Venice, the Guell Palace in Barcelona, the Wartburg in Eisenach, Germany and the New Art Gallery in Walsall in England. The performances were impressively staged and skilfully filmed, thus - together with interpretations by four high-class clavichordists ?EUR" it opens up new perspectives on the work.
Christoph Prégardien is one of the most established singers of our time and has especially excelled in his interpretations of German Romantic Lieder. He has won the Orphée d'Or of Académie du Disque Lyrique - Prix Georg Solti, Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik, Edison Award, Cannes Classical Award and Diapason d'Or. This is easy to understand when one hears his controlled, beautifully-phrased yet emotional and tender singing.
Bonus feature:
- Christoph Pregardien on Schubert and Die Schone Mullerin
Ravello Records presents ANIMATED SOUNDS, a multimedia release from composer Gheorghe Costinescu . The album showcases works by Costinescu from a varied and illustrious career spanning more than half a century.
The first half features pieces such as the virtuosic Sonata for the Piano and Essay in Sound , performed by pianist Stephen Gosling, and the expressive Voices Within , performed by violinist Vesselin Gellev. Eric Huebner performs two inventions from the larger work Evolving Cycle of Two-Part Modal Inventions for Piano , which uses the Baroque invention to explore Romanian folk music. Soprano Lucy Shelton, with Costinescu and Gosling at the piano, performs the bilingual song Why Do You Wail and Te Legeni and the cycle Nine Portraits from the Wild , which includes gestural directions for the singer.
The second half showcases Costinescu's work and collaborations in multimedia. His One-Minute Tribute: 9/11/2001 for percussion quartet is paired with his poignant animation of a photograph by Dan Nguyen of the installation Tribute in Light. An abstract animation by Michele Gagne complements Costinescu's pioneering electronic work Dots, Lines, and Patches , responding to its crackling, spontaneous sound world. Tai Chi on the Hudson , performed by the Voxare...
As he matured as a composer, Martucci returned to genres with much more depth, as the Nocturne in G flat major, Op. 70, No. 1 shows. This is probably the most famous of Martucci's piano pieces, not least because he later transcribed it for orchestra. Here we find the composer developing highly embellished, fast-flowing melodic lines, their strong singing quality pervaded by a melancholic tone, which are paired with a constantly syncopated accompaniment that gives the sense of endless forward movement.
Giuseppe Martucci was one of the formative figures in the re-establishment of the Italian instrumental music in the second half of the 19th century. His orchestral music had advocates as powerful as Mahler and Toscanini , and his piano concertos won admirers. His solo piano music was performed mostly by him, and today remains virtually unknown. These compositions offers verdant, colourful melodies, striking dance themes, and elegant music crafted for the salon. There are also some flamboyant and virtuoso challenges, tracing a lineage back to Scarlatti
In 2022, Musiques en fete celebrates love in music! with the 8,000 spectators at the Theatre Antique in Orange for an amazing show! Opera, operetta, musical comedy, classical music, film music, dance, as well as the greatest hits of French song... Through an eclectic programme, a tribute to love and to all music will be paid by prestigious soloists and more than 150 orchestral musicians and choral artists.
The famous Thomanerchor Leipzig ?EUR" a traditional specialist in Bach's choral music ?EUR" is joined by the superb Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and excellent soloists to perform one of Bach's most acclaimed pieces of religious choral music, the Mass in B Minor .
Recorded in the Thomaskirche in Leipzig in summer 2000, this was one of numerous performances to celebrate the 250th anniversary of J.S. Bach's death in the church where he served as musical director. The artistry of the performers under the assured baton of conductor George Christoph Biller is exemplary and the state-of-the-art filming shows the serene gothic church in full splendour ?EUR" a fitting backdrop for the work that is generally regarded as the crowning glory of Bach's sacred choral music; a majestic work that showcases Bach's supreme craftsmanship and skill as a choral composer.
With this, his only Bach recording, Herbert Blomstedt pays homage to Bach and the city of Leipzig. The video was recorded in 2005 at the Leipzig Bach Festival, which is widely regarded as the world's leading festival celebrating Johann Sebastian Bach. This concert of Bach's masterwork, at the end of his tenure as the 18th Gewandhauskapellmeister did not really mark the end of Blomstedt's fruitful collaboration with the traditional orchestra. The Swedish conductor will continue to act as an honorary musical director to the ensemble. Performed with leading Bach singers at St. Thomas' Church, Leipzig, the church for which Bach conceived his works, this homage to Bach was a touching farewell to Herbert Blomstedt from his Leipzig audience.
Bonus feature:
- Bach and his B minor Mass: An introduction by Herbert Blomstedt
The Easter Festival is an internationally renowned event among classical music lovers, traditionally opened in Moscow on Easter Sunday. Each year the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra and its musical director Valery Gergiev travel across Russia - for the past 10 years.
The Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Valery Gergiev performs the complete cycle of Sergei Prokofiev's symphonies and piano concerti - a composer with whom Maestro Gergiev and the orchestra seem particularly in tune.
For this concert, three Russian pianists came together: Valery Gergiev, Daniil Trifonov and Denis Matsuev. They opened the performance with Mozart's Concerto for 3 pianos . Gergiev then exchanged the piano for the baton, conducting the Verbier Festival Orchestra in an interpretation of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 .
The energy and excitement of performances under the baton of maestro Valery Gergiev are thrilling. This performance, with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, was recorded live at the city's Doelen Hall. The programme includes Debussy's Fragments Symphoniques for D'Annunzio's mystery play Le Martyre de St Sebastien, Prokofiev's Scythian Suite , Stravinsky's Fireworks and his Piano Concerto. The soloist for Stravinsky's Piano concerto is the Georgian virtuoso Alexander Toradze, a singularly imposing figure at the keyboard.
Valery Gergiev , fresh from his appointment as chief conductor of the Munchner Philharmoniker in 2015, takes his new ensemble to the BBC Proms for a concert at the utmost in drama and vivid musicianship. The brilliant young Uzbek pianist Behzod Abduraimov performs Rachmaninov's thrillingly virtuosic Piano Concerto No. 3 , while the Russian stage and film actor Alexei Petrenko recites the text in Galina Ustvolkskaya's resonant and profound Symphony No. 3, "Jesus Messiah, Saves Us!" . The programme also features a hypnotic Ravel Bolero , an alternately tender, florid and witty Rosenkavalier Suite , and the rousing Hungarian March by Berlioz .
The blind up-and-coming Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii , an astonishing genius on his instrument, is playing for the first time ever under the Russian conductor Valery Gergiev at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg. During the White Nights Festival ?EUR" dedicated to the season of midnight sun ?EUR" he interprets works by the Russian composers Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Shostakovich , including Tchaikovsky's famous Piano Concerto No. 1 and Shostakovich's gloomy Symphony No. 14 . As a bonus Nobuyuki Tsujii performs his own elegy for the victims of the tsunami in 2011, a stirring and moving piece dedicated to his home country Japan. Nobuyuki Tsujii piano, Olga Sergeyeva soprano, Yuri Vorobiev bass, Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, Valery Gergiev conductor. Live recording from the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, 8 July 2012.
In 2014 the World Orchestra for Peace returned with its conductor Valery Gergiev for their fourth appearance at the BBC Proms, to play a special concert marking the centennial of the outbreak of World War I. The concert also celebrated the 150th anniversary of Richard Strauss's birth with the colourful, fairy-tale soundscapes of the Fantasia from his operatic masterpiece Die Frau ohne Schatten, Roxanna Panufnik's Three Paths to Peace , commissioned by the orchestra and Mahler's Sixth Symphony . The World Orchestra for Peace, founded in 1995 by Sir Georg Solti to reaffirm, in his words, "the unique strength of music as an ambassador for peace" is a classical supergroup made up of leading players from the world's finest orchestras. The concert is introduced by an illuminating documentary with Solti and Gergiev, marking the orchestra's 20th anniversary.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
Johannes Brahms composed his Requiem in 1865/66, shortly after the death of his mother. A profoundly moving work for soprano and baritone solo, chorus and orchestra, it is the composer's largest single composition. No work did more to win Brahms international recognition and, after the first complete performance of the Requiem in Leipzig in 1869, he was regarded as one of the leading composers of his time. It was not the first requiem in German, but the first in which a composer pieced together his text from Bible passages in Martin Luther's German translation. It is an intensely personal selection which speaks to the living and seeks to offer hope and comfort. Through his subtle, almost surreal, affinity to Brahms's unorthodox, elusive worldview, conductor Christian Thielemann has crafted a performance that places him among the best interpreters of this work, such as Maazel, Furtwängler, Karajan, Klemperer... An acknowledged specialist of Romantic music, Thielemann "put forth a dignified account that offers considerable material for reflection. At the end, one understood all too well why the audience was requested to refrain from applauding at the end. For the seventh and last section is the solemn, meditative chorus "Selig sind die Toten" ... In Thielemann's hands, this...
A joyful celebration welcoming the New Year, this Gala from Berlin presents the world-renowned Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, in Carl Orff's famous Carmina Burana , an intensely dramatic cantata that remains one of the most widely performed works from the twentieth century. With an exceptional vocal line-up ?EUR" soprano Sally Matthews, tenor Lawrence Brownlee and baritone Christian Gerhaher ?EUR" this is an energetic and thrilling performance. Beethoven's Leonore No. 3 overture and Handel's supreme Hallelujah Chorus are also included.
The German Brass Ensemble presents some of Bach's most popular tunes in breathtakingly brilliant and virtuoso arrangements for brass instruments. Recorded live in "Bach's church" ?EUR" the wonderful St Thomas's Church in Leipzig - the programme includes immortal pieces such as Toccata and Fugue in D minor , Adagio on a G string , Jesus bleibet meine Freude (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring) and more.
German Brass counts among the most successful brass ensembles of our time and draws musicians from the best German orchestras, such as the Berliner Philharmoniker and the Munich Philharmonic. Filmed with a full view of the church for which Bach conceived most of his works and making use of the amazing acoustics, the state-of-the-art recording is a visual and aural feast and a most fitting celebration of Bach's music.
Johannes Moser is the name to watch among today's young violoncello virtuosos. Born in 1979, he has already performed with many of the world's leading orchestras, such as the New York Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, with which he made his U.S. debut under Pierre Boulez. His agenda is packed with appearances ranging from concerto soloist to chamber music partner to interpreter of avant-garde music on an electric cello.
In this concert of late Romantic music with the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, the 2008 Echo Classic Award winner boldly infuses Hans Pfitzner's Cello Concerto in A minor with a jolt of adrenaline that could very well boost this rarely heard work – which was long thought to be lost – into the concert repertoire. Written in 1883, Richard Strauss' Romance in F major for cello and orchestra is an early work from the pen of this orchestral master, and another showcase for the talent of Johannes Moser.
The concert also features another rising star of the classical music scene, the young Slovak conductor Juraj Valcuha, the principal conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Doing full justice to the refined atmosphere of the German late Romantic works on the program, which also includes a Wagner...
With this, his only Bach recording, Herbert Blomstedt pays homage to Bach and the city of Leipzig. The video was recorded in 2005 at the Leipzig Bach Festival, which is widely regarded as the world's leading festival celebrating Johann Sebastian Bach. This concert of Bach's masterwork, at the end of his tenure as the 18th Gewandhauskapellmeister did not really mark the end of Blomstedt's fruitful collaboration with the traditional orchestra. The Swedish conductor will continue to act as an honorary musical director to the ensemble. Performed with leading Bach singers at St. Thomas' Church, Leipzig, the church for which Bach conceived his works, this homage to Bach was a touching farewell to Herbert Blomstedt from his Leipzig audience.
Bonus feature:
- Bach and his B minor Mass: An introduction by Herbert Blomstedt
In celebration of the Mozart Year ?EUR" the anniversary of the composers 250th birthday would have been on 27 January 2006 ?EUR" EuroArts releases a video with Mozart's most famous works for string quartet and the serenade Eine kleine Nachtmusik for string quintet. Recorded at the beautiful baroque palace Rammenau, Saxony in May 2005, this video features the longest established string quartet in the world, the Gewandhaus Quartet. Founded in 1808, the Quartet can be seen as a remarkable part of the history of Western Music, having continued its concert activity uninterrupted from generation to generation with great success for almost 200 years. The current line-up has been playing together since 1993 and was formed, as the tradition goes, from the concertmasters, solo violist and solo cellist of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra.
World-renowned tenor Plácido Domingo is joined by Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna and a host of other international stars including Susan Graham, in the famously glittering 1996 Gala Concert on the stage of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Asher Fisch conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in a programme of many of the world's best-loved operatic arias with music by composers including Bizet, Massenet, Gounod, Mozart and Donizetti.
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
Together with Beethoven's Missa Solemnis , Verdi's Requiem ranks as one of the two supreme achievements in 19th-century liturgical music. Verdi reverred the great Italian author Alessandro Manzoni. When Manzoni died on 22 May 1873, Verdi wrote to his publisher expressing his desire to compose a Requiem Mass . It was premiered on the first anniversay of Manzoni's death. From the hushed reverence of the "Requiem aeternam" to the raging fury of the "Dies irae", and from the overwhelming power of the "Tuba mirum" to the sobbing grief of the "Lacrimosa", the Requiem is a highly dramatic and emotional - though not theatrical - work. Verdi specified that it "must not be sung the way an opera is sung". A work of awesome grandeur, it projects a compelling sincerity and honesty, even though Verdi was a non-observant Catholic.
Originally performed at La Scala in 1967 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Toscanini's death, this production with the orchestra and chorus of the Teatro alla Scala was presented in Moscow, Montreal and New York, in addition to Milan. It was recorded on film in 1967, now with the young Luciano Pavarotti replacing Carlo Bergonzi. One of Karajan's earliest film productions (and his first color film), it reflects his innovativeness especially through his...
Described as 'the great Verdian bass'(Le Figaro) and a 'Mefistofele who stood out over all the others' (Der Neue Merker), Carlo Colombra brings some of the most famous bass roles to life in this wide-ranging programme. Emotions range from the pride of Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen , through the terrors of Verdi's Attila , to the tender recollections of Rachmaninov's Aleko . Mephistopheles strides powerfully through both Gounod and Boito's operas, and Rossini's comic with contrasts with the darkness of Mussorgsky's Boris Godonov
Katia and Marielle Labeque received their first piano tuition at ages three and five and the sisters are famous for their unusual duo precision, their great musicality and the breadth of their repertoire. In this concert they perform with Il Giardino Armonico, a leading Italian ensemble specializing in period performing practice. Katia and Marielle Labeque throw themselves into the works with their typical verve and enthusiasm, demonstrating symbiotic synchrony and facile (facile means inconsequential, shallow - negative word) technique. With its unmistakable sound Il Giardino Armonico is one of today's most notable Baroque ensembles. Colourful, individualistic and stylish, it has won an enthusiastic international following and truly excels in performing Baroque music for a 21st century audience. The programme includes a wide variety of music by three different composers, all performed on historical instruments at the Vienna Musik Verein. One of the unique elements of this performance - recorded in the Bach Anniversary year 2000 - is the use of the fortepiano for Bach's keyboard concertos. This instrument, which Bach undoubtedly knew, and probably owned, is rarely used in Bach performances, yet the sound it offers is far more interesting than a modern piano. Together with...
A star-studded gala from the royal Albert Hall in London, featuring some of the greatest names from the world's of opera, ballet, musicals and flamenco.
Featuring Tito Beltran, June Anderson, Michael Ball, Maria Friesman, Anastasia Volvchkova, Paco Pena and Montse Cortes performing a program of works that includes arias from Turandot, Hamlet, La Traviata and Rigoletto , hits from The Phantom of the Opera, Follies and showboat plus excerpts from Don Quixote and some stirring flamenco pieces.
The great Russian pianist Emil Gilels was universally acclaimed for his breathtaking performances of the most demanding concertos and most challenging pieces of piano literature. But he was also a master of the miniature form, and his interpretations of Songs Without Words and other little pieces by Mendelssohn, Schumann, Chopin, Grieg and others were nothing short of mesmerizing. A specialist of the German repertoire, Gilels gave an all German-Austrian program at the 1971 Carinthian Summer Festival in Austria, where Mozart's Variations were recorded.
The great Russian pianist Emil Gilels was universally acclaimed for his breathtaking performances of the most demanding concertos and most challenging pieces of piano literature. But he was also a master of the miniature form, and his interpretations of Songs Without Words and other little pieces by Mendelssohn, Schumann, Chopin, Grieg and others were nothing short of mesmerizing. A specialist of the German repertoire, Gilels gave an all German-Austrian program at the 1971 Carinthian Summer Festival in Austria, where Mozart's D minor Fantasy was recorded.
The great Russian pianist Emil Gilels was universally acclaimed for his breathtaking performances of the most demanding concertos and most challenging pieces of piano literature. But he was also a master of the miniature form, and his interpretations of Songs Without Words and other little pieces by Mendelssohn, Schumann, Chopin, Grieg and others were nothing short of mesmerizing. A specialist of the German repertoire, Gilels gave an all German-Austrian program at the 1971 Carinthian Summer Festival in Austria, where Schumann's Nachtstücke was recorded.
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
To mark the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth, Russian born arranger Paul Struck has arranged two of the composer's great mid-period chamber masterpieces for soloist and string ensemble. The Cello Sonata No. 3 equally succeeds in conceiving the piano part for ensemble, while exploring fullness of sound and maintaining transparency of texture.
Beethoven used an extended scherzo form in which the trio is heard twice in a contrasting major key between the three appearances of the scherzo section in a minor key. The scherzo theme acquires a rhythmic shift through syncopation, gaining enormous energy in the version for string ensemble.
Beethoven's most important chamber work for violin - allows the sonata's concertante quality to emerge in a new light. The Cello Sonata No. 3 equally succeeds in conceiving the piano part for ensemble, while exploring fullness of sound and maintaining transparency of texture. Beethoven achieved the greatest possible balance between cello and piano, which Paul Struck has transferred with a sensitive touch to his arrangement for solo cello and string ensemble.
Featuring the third movement, instead of a slow movement, Beethoven composed a short, dreamlike introduction to the lively final rondo, which spurred all participants to render a joyful performance.
To mark the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth, Russian born arranger Paul Struck has arranged one of the composer's great mid-period chamber masterpiece for soloist and string ensemble. Expanding the sonorities of the Kreutzer Sonata - Beethoven's most important chamber work for violin - allows the sonata's concertante quality to emerge in a new light together with the passionate eagerness of the young musicians of the LGT Young Soloists. They have set out to express the freshness and vivacity that is inherent to Beethoven's music.
After a quarrel with virtuoso violinist George Bridgetower, Beethoven dedicated Sonata No. 9 to the French violinist Rodolphe Kreutzer, who is known to players as the author of the Kreutzer Etudes. Unfortunately, Rodolphe Kreutzer never performed the Sonata: to him, a famous violin teacher, it seemed unplayable.
Featuring the second movement, which unfolds multi-faceted variations with an underlying pastoral mood. In the first variation the string ensemble is dominant, while the solo violinist shines in the second, a pizzicato accompaniment from the strings adding charming tonal colour. The third variation plays out in a minor key, while in the fourth, the theme dissolves into figures and trills, to an intricate accompaniment by the string ensemble.
Presto , the final movement is the starting point for the creation of the Kreutzer Sonata . It was the first of the three movements to be composed, and the vivacity of its tarantella rhythm is fascinating. Through skillful contrapuntal interweaving between the solo violin and the strings, it generates a power that is positively explosive.
Beethoven's Sonatas Op. 2 were his calling card in Vienna as a composer. At that point - 1795 - he was already famous as a keyboard virtuoso, but the transition to fame as a composer was not obvious, and he took great care with the first works he published, a set of three trios (Op. 1) and three sonatas (Op. 2).
The F minor sonata , opening the opus, is laconic in its musical language and form, but highly expressive in its emotional content. The first movement sets the tone: very personal and sincere; but reserved, its emotional outbursts never overpowering. It is followed by a serene second movement showing Beethoven already on a quest for lyrical, poetic beauty. The third movement is a hybrid minuet and scherzo, starting off as a melancholy, somewhat stylized dance, which changes its character drastically towards the end. And it is the finale which is perhaps the most striking movement of the four. Beethoven takes the closing chords of the first movement and puts them above a stormy whirlwind of sound, at times furious, at times impassioned, at times haunted and driven. A beautiful middle section, repeated twice, serves as a point of calm, but can only delay the inevitable return of the storm and the final collapse.
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The other sonata of the pair, No. 10 in G major , is a real hidden gem. The outpouring of loving emotion in the first movement - outwardly tender, yet full of inner ardour - presents a Beethoven haven't really encountered so far in the cycle. The personal nature of the music is reflected in the parlando ('speaking') effect - music which seems to imply spoken words - particularly in the second theme, with its many repeated, entreating notes. None of those were necessarily new or original, but the sincerity of emotion and the lack of theatricality make the music particularly endearing.
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Looking back at the sonatas Nos. 8-11, the Sonata No. 11, Op. 22 is the grandest of the four in its scope, probably the most challenging one technically, but curiously also the most conservative in its spirit and musical language. The elegant minuet and the easy-flowing, good-natured finale are even reminiscent of the sonatas Opp. 2 and 7 , written 4-5 years earlier.
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If Sonata No. 11 was a closing, summarising chapter of Beethoven's early sonatas, then Sonata No. 12 is a door leading to exciting, hitherto unexplored musical worlds. Th structural innovation is easy to point out: out of the Sonata's four movements, none are in actual sonata form. Instead, Beethoven brings together a moderately slow opening movement (a theme with variations), a blazing scherzo, a funeral march and a quicksilver finale to form a fascinating story arc.
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Whatever depths of evocative storytelling we encountered in Sonata No. 12 , they come to a glorious culmination in the sister-sonatas Op. 27, Nos. 1 and 2 . They create two worlds, as opposing as they are complementary, similarly rich in atmosphere, and possessing a similar power to transport us elsewhere immediately upon hearing their opening bars.
Beethoven's critics had previously reproached him for writing sonata forms too close to fantasies, too irregular, too free. With Op. 27, it is as if Beethoven decided to show what he could achieve when explicitly attempting to meld a sonata and a fantasy. Both works in that opus are subtitled Sonata quasi una fantasia - sonata in the spirit (or manner) of a fantasy. A fantasy was a free-form musical composition, commonly consisting of several loosely linked sections with abrupt shifts of tempo, mood and key. Interestingly, it is the less famous, unnicknamed Sonata No. 13 which adheres more closely to this ideal. Its four movements, performed without a break, show the ease of transition we might expect from an improvisation, or free associative thinking - or a dream.
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It was the true hidden gem of the cycle, Boris Giltburg wrote about Sonata No. 13 . The fault for its being a 'hidden' gem lies at least partially with its sister, the incommensurably more popular 'Moonlight' Sonata, Op. 27, No. 2 . The nickname was coined by Ludwig Rellstab, a German poet and influential music critic, some five years after Beethoven's death, but its colossal popularity certainly dated back to Beethoven's lifetime. Even without a nickname, the starkly painted landscape of its first movement, the forlorn melody, the quiet grief embodied in the accompanying triplets, the fateful descent of the bass line - all those gripped the imagination of the listeners. A middle movement of exquisite, fragile beauty, and a dark whirlwind of a finale with its rage and despair strengthened the impact that much more. And the fact that the first movement is relatively technically undemanding could only increase the work's popularity.
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A freshness emanates from the opening of the 'Pastoral' Sonata ; its pulsing bass is akin to a beating heart, bearing the promise of a continuous, unstoppable flow.
Whether or not the nickname Pastoral was approved by Beethoven himself, it is wonderfully fitting - the music strongly evokes nature, especially in the first and last movements. There is an unhurried gentleness throughout, climaxes are broad and harmonious, and the many 'simple' chords (triads and their inversions) lend the music an aura of stability and calmness which we rarely associate with Beethoven.
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There are, in Beethoven's cycle, numerous sonatas that grab you immediately, whether as a performer or as a listener. Prior to this project, Sonata No. 16 was not one of those for me. I was offered the chance to play it as a teenager; I read through it briefly, decided with typical teenage cockiness that it wasn't 'that awesome', and asked to play Sonata No. 28 instead.
Today, I can both understand my initial reaction and see how superficial it was, and, ultimately, how wrong. Sonata No. 16 is a delight, but a delight perhaps more cerebral than emotional. It is akin to a pocket universe, where rules apply that might not apply elsewhere, and discovering and accepting these rules is a prerequisite to enjoyment. Like great science fiction writing often arises from a simple 'what if' question, the outer movements of the Sonata explore two musical worlds where something fundamental has been altered.
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'Just read The Tempest!' Beethoven allegedly told his sometime secretary Anton Schindler, in reply to a request to provide the key to Sonata No. 17 . This connection with one of Shakespeare's last plays was the source of the Sonata's nickname. But the problem with this story is twofold: first, in Schindler's account, Beethoven's reply applied to both Sonata No. 17 and Sonata No. 23. The latter, by the time of the story's publication, already had a nickname - Appassionata - and so the Tempest nickname only stuck to the sonata that was still unnamed. Secondly, today we know that Schindler was a forger and a fabricator - many of his entries in the written conversation books with Beethoven were inserted by him long after Beethoven's death (as shown by research in the 1970s and '80s), and thus it is impossible to say whether any reply which he had attributed to Beethoven was true or falsified.
In the end, perhaps it doesn't matter. The nickname wouldn't have held, had listeners and performers not felt it reflected some true part of the music's core. Whether or not we link it to the play, the opening of the Sonata is breathtakingly strong. With one simple broken chord, Beethoven creates so much atmosphere and promises so much magic that the music transports us elsewhere...
The two previous trilogies in Beethoven's sonata cycle - the three sonatas, Op. 2 and the three sonatas, Op. 10 - both had the third sonata in the group as their focal point and climax. Whether this is the case in the Op. 31 is less certain. On the one hand, Sonata No. 18 is the only one in the opus to be written in four movements, like most of Beethoven's Grandes Sonates (Opp. 7, 22, 26 and 28). On the other, the Sonata is so easy-going, so light-spirited, so full of sunshine, that it feels much more like a release after Tempest's dark tension than a further intensification.
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Based on sketches in one of Beethoven's notebooks, Sonata No. 20, Op. 49, No. 2 was probably composed immediately before Sonata No. 4, Op. 7, while Sonata No. 19, Op 49, No. 1 is likely to date from 1797 or early 1798, around the time of composition of the Sonatas, Op. 10, and before the Pathetique.
The manuscripts then lay unpublished for years until in 1802, Beethoven's brother Kaspar Karl, serving as part-time secretary to Beethoven, included them in an offer to a publisher. They are mentioned almost as an afterthought: 'two little easy sonatas of two movements each', following a list of more major works available for publication: a symphony (No. 2) , a grand piano concerto (No. 3) and two 'adagios for violin with complete instrumental accompaniment' (the violin Romances Nos. 1 and 2). Considering the very long delay since their composition, it is probable that Beethoven never intended these 'two little easy sonatas' to be published at all. To quote Ferdinand Ries, Beethoven's friend and pupil, 'all trivial pieces and many things which he never wanted to publish, because he did not regard them as worthy of his name, secretly came into the world through his brothers?EUR? even small compositions which he had written down in notebooks were thus stolen and engraved.'...
If the first sonata of Op. 2 showed an laconic, tense and passionate Beethoven , here in the A major sonata he is charming, good natured, outgoing, eloquent. The form, too, is gradually becoming larger, the textures more generous, the writing more pianistic. The first movement, energetic and at places blazingly virtuosic, contains an unexpected and inspired second subject in the minor key, lending a personal, urgent note to the music. (It also contains a fiendishly difficult canon-like section in the development). The second movement is a stately procedure, with a very slow, yet steady pulse. There's a feeling of great depth and awe there, but also of elegance and beauty. The third movement is a lovely minuet, gentle and, apart from the more animated trio, carefree. The rondo finale contrasts a wonderfully flowing refrain with more ebullient episodes as well as a highly dramatic middle section. The repeats of the refrain (five in number!) become increasingly varied and ornamented, showing Beethoven's easy ingenuity and delight in exploring the material in an improvisatory way.
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As Boris Giltburg wrote, the two sonatas Op. 49 were not, in fact, written at the time their numbers (19 and 20) would suggest - that is, between Sonata No. 18 (1802) and Sonata No. 21 (1804). Instead, they are much earlier works. Based on sketches in one of Beethoven's notebooks, Sonata No. 20, Op. 49, No. 2 was probably composed immediately before Sonata No. 4, Op. 7 , while Sonata No. 19, Op 49, No. 1 is likely to date from 1797 or early 1798, around the time of composition of the Sonatas, Op. 10 , and before the Pathetique .
The manuscripts then lay unpublished for years until in 1802, Beethoven's brother Kaspar Karl, serving as part-time secretary to Beethoven, included them in an offer to a publisher. They are mentioned almost as an afterthought: 'two little easy sonatas of two movements each', following a list of more major works available for publication: a symphony (No. 2), a grand piano concerto (No. 3) and two adagios for violin with complete instrumental accompaniment' (the violin Romances Nos. 1 and 2 ). Considering the very long delay since their composition, it is probable that Beethoven never intended these 'two little easy sonatas' to be published at all. To quote Ferdinand Ries , Beethoven's friend and pupil, 'all trivial pieces and many...
From two of Beethoven's lesser sonatas (Nos. 19-20) to one of his greatest - Sonata No. 21, Op. 53 , known as Waldstein , after its dedicatee, Count von Waldstein, a close friend and early patron of Beethoven. It is very tempting to talk of watershed moments ?EUR" perhaps only visible to us in hindsight - but the Waldstein, its every note radiant with inspiration, is surely a landmark in Beethoven's development, as well as in the development of the sonata genre in Beethoven's hands.
Nestled between two titans - the Waldstein and the Appassionata - is an unusual, enigmatic two-movement work. Beethoven's contemporaries and later generations of critics didn't think much of it, and it remains seldom performed today. The Sonata was Beethoven's first serious look at the possibilities of a two-movement form (if we disregard the two 'for the drawer' Sonatas, Op. 49 ), which he went on to explore in the increasingly poetic Opp. 78, 90 and finally 111.
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Beethoven , in his core, is a composer of light, his music uplifting and life-affirming. But in a few works he addressed the darkness with a mastery just as absolute, giving us within the sonata cycle the Pathetique, Moonlight , and perhaps most vivid of all, the Appassionata . These three are without doubt among the most popular of his works, attesting to some irresistible attraction these dark soundscapes must exert on us. Perhaps it is also an attestation to Beethoven's mastery of dramaturgy and his profound, relatable humanity: he knows how to grip us in a dark narrative, but we constantly feel that he lived through the same experience as us, felt the same emotions, possibly more strongly than we do. Trusting him, we willingly lower our defences and submit ourselves to this white-knuckle ride.
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The darkness which held us in its grip in the Appassionata could not be counteracted more completely than it is by the sound of Sonata No. 24's opening. Like a hymn rising above the deep octaves in the left hand, these four bars seem to come directly from the heart, devout and almost in awe of being in the presence of something exceedingly pure and beautiful.
The sonata's nickname, A Therese , is a simple reflection of its dedicatee, the Countess Therese von Brunsvik, Beethoven's former piano student. Beethoven was much attached to the family: Therese's brother, Franz, was a close friend and the dedicatee of both the Appassionata and the later Fantasy, Op. 77 , while Therese's younger sister, Josephine, has often been suggested as the addressee of Beethoven's letters to an 'Immortal Beloved'. (While this hypothesis remains unproved - and perhaps unprovable, barring a discovery of additional documents - we do know that Beethoven was passionately in love with Josephine, writing her at least 14 love letters between 1804 and 1810, in which he called her 'angel', 'my everything', and his 'only love'.)
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The genesis of this sonata is closely tied with that of Sonata No. 24 , as both were commissioned by Muzio Clementi , an Italian-born, London-based pianist, composer and publisher. The contract for those and other works was signed on 20 April 1807, with Beethoven agreeing to compose the two sonatas 'in an unspecified time and at his leisure'. This finally happened in the second half of 1809, and both sonatas were published by Clementi in mid-1810.
The G major sonata, Op. 79 , is a work light both in spirit and in technical difficulty, recognized as such by Beethoven, who asked the German publisher to call it Sonata facile ('Easy Sonata') or Sonatine .
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Sonata No. 26 is the only programmatic one of the entire cycle. It was created during the War of the Fifth Coalition in 1809, in which the Austrian Empire and its allies (Britain, Portugal and Spain) fought the French Empire under Napoleon and its German allies, chiefly Bavaria. It depicts the departure, absence and return of Archduke Rudolph, Beethoven's longtime patron and student, who together with much of the Viennese aristocracy fled Vienna at the approach of Napoleon in May 1809. Beethoven may have begun the sonata before that (it might even not have been planned with Rudolph in mind, but rather meant to depict a more universal emotion), but it was definitely completed during Rudolph's absence, and presented to him as a gift upon his return to Vienna in early 1810.
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Over four years separate this short two-movement sonata from its predecessor, Les Adieux, Op. 81a . These years saw the creation of the Seventh and Eighth Symphonies, the Archduke piano trio, Violin Sonata No. 10 and the overtures to Egmont and Fidelio , among other works, but none for piano solo. The sonata was dedicated to Beethoven's friend and patron Count Moritz von Lichnowsky, and was for a long time believed to contain an extra-musical narrative, similar to Les Adieux - namely the story of the count's marriage to the opera singer Josepha Stummer, after the death of his first wife, against the wishes of his family.
This belief was based on an entry in Beethoven's conversation book dating from 1823, in which his part-time secretary Anton Schindler noted that 'Lichnowsky played the Sonata, Op. 90 containing the story of his marriage.' In later years Schindler elaborated on the story, writing that upon being questioned by Count Lichnowsky about the idea behind the music, Beethoven burst out laughing and told him it was the love story between the count and his wife. The first movement, he suggested, could be titled 'Struggle between mind and heart' and the second 'Conversations with the beloved'. Today we know that the original entry from 1823 was falsified by...
The beautiful opening phrase conceals an unexpected fact: Beethoven starts the sonata off-key, on the dominant (E major). This start in medias res contributes to the openness and questioning character of many of the phrases, and later in the movement Beethoven develops this idea, systematically avoiding a resolution into the home key of A major. This turns out to be part of the sonata's design - Beethoven masterfully builds up a subconscious need for a resolution throughout the movements and manages to delay the appearance of a strong A major until much later in the sonata - the opening of the finale. This also fits with the development of the sonata form in Beethoven's late period, with the last movement increasingly becoming the main weight-bearer and focal aim of the entire work.
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The sonata is conceived on a symphonic scale, with a four movement structure that could be viewed from two different perspectives. On one hand, the narrative flows in one direction - we go from the light of the grand opening movement and the impish Scherzo into the deepest darkness of the slow third movement, gradually re-emerging from it in the connecting Largo, and fully triumphing in the final fugue, which is our goal and aim. On the other, the Hammerklavier's form shows an exquisitely measured symmetry of proportions - both outer movements are eleven to twelve minutes long; going inward from the edges, we find the Scherzo and Largo at three minutes each; finally, at the centre, we reach the slow movement - which, at closer examination, exhibits the same five-part symmetry itself! The heart of this central movement, and thus the heart of the sonata, is the passage at 23:30, one of Beethoven's most powerful personal musical utterances. Both views co-exist, supporting the vast musical tapestry, and helping unite the movements into one cohesive, albeit very complex, whole.
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As with the 3 Trios Op. 1 , also among the 3 Sonatas Op. 2 , it was the final, third work which was to be the culmination of the opus. After the passion and darkness of the F minor sonata , and the easy, warm eloquence of the A major sonata , Beethoven turned to C major for a work of explosive brilliance. Virtuosity is the core trait of the music, whether serious or humorous, thundering or quick-fingered. One can imagine Beethoven proclaiming with happy self-assuredness: 'look what I can do at the piano, no holds barred!' And yet there's nothing empty or ostentatious here: the technical brilliance rests upon a glowing musical foundation, and there's so much atmosphere, colour and narrative throughout to complement the passage work. The slow movement, too, stands out in its emotional maturity and often exquisite beauty - its deep musicality wonderfully balancing the fireworks of the fast movements.
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The last three sonatas were neither the last piano pieces Beethoven would write - he followed them with the Diabelli Variations, Op. 120 and the 6 Bagatelles, Op. 126 - nor were they his final works in the sonata form - those would be the late string quartets. But after Op. 111 Beethoven's path did not lead him back to the piano sonata genre. In strong contrast to the Hammerklavier , where the bulging, straining creative muscles are evident in every note, the last three sound like an uninhibited stream of inspiration, captured mid-flow by Beethoven and shaped and moulded by him until they appear to us as near-miraculous acts of effortless creation. Whereas the Hammerklavier feels probing, exploring, challenging, the last three are completely at ease with themselves, reflecting not the struggles of a creative genius trying to unfetter himself from all convention, but the poetic utterances of a composer who has gone so far ahead of us that one cannot but feel awe facing these inimitable musical worlds, and gratitude at having been granted access to them.
Much unites the three sonatas, besides the overall sense of transcendence suffusing the music. Structurally, they all lead towards their respective finales. All three incorporate large vocally-imagined movements or...
In 1796, a year after the successful publication of the three sonatas Op. 2, Beethoven composed the Grande Sonata for Pianoforte , Op. 7. By the 'Grande' designation, Beethoven wanted to single it out as a special work, which didn't need other sonatas to be published as an opus. Later, he would give the same epithet to the Pathetique , the Waldstein and the Hammerklavier .
And the grandness totally applies to the music. It is a tangible evolution from the earlier three works, with extra richness in its textures and timbres (the E-flat major key lending itself to glowing brilliance - think the 'Emperor' concerto years later!), and a more organic integration of virtuosity and music. But perhaps the biggest shift is in Beethoven's imagination - the very concept of what a sonata could be seems expanded; it is as if a previously two-dimensional painting began to acquire depth. A bravura first movement, overflowing with effervescent energy and good-natured humour, presents an abundance of melodies and motives. Beethoven's writing is almost orchestral - one could easily hear horns in the opening, jolly oboes and bassoons in the bridge section and multi-layered string tremolos in the codetta. The exposition is so chock-full of material that Beethoven keeps the development to a...
C minor: by far the most iconic Beethoven key. It's the key of the Fifth Symphony , the Third Piano Concerto , the Coriolan Overture , the Pathetique , etc., etc. - so much, in fact, that 'C minor mood' became a semi-official term in Beethoven literature. It's temptingly easy for to connect the brooding scowl on Beethoven's portraits and busts to the dramatic, stormy, high-intensity music he wrote in this key: works full of deep pathos and possessed by a relentless, sometimes demonic drive.
It's also temptingly easy to compare the C minor sonata, Op. 10 No. 1 , with its younger sister, the Pathetique, Op. 13 . The two are but a year or two apart and have a similar structure: a lyrical slow movement in A-flat major surrounded by an energetic first movement and finale. Perhaps, though, dubbing Op. 10 No. 1 'the small Pathetique' isn't that helpful. The earlier sonata may not possess the same catchiness or plumb the depths of human emotion to the same degree as Op. 13, but surely it has more than enough individuality to be loved for what it is, and not just as a precursor to a later work.
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The F major sonata, Op. 10 No. 2 , is the short, bright, fun-infused interlude between the dark passion and enchanted lyricism of the C minor sonata, Op. 10 No. 1 , on one side and the mature masterpiece which is the D major sonata, Op. 10 No. 3 , on the other.
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Similar to the trios Op. 1 and the sonatas Op. 2 , it's the third work of the sonatas Op. 10 - the sonata No. 7 in D major - which Beethoven intended as the high point of the trilogy. He returns there to the expanded, four-movement structure of his first four sonatas, and abandons - perhaps with the exception of the finale - the concise, sometimes even abrupt manner of composition he used in the fast movements of sonatas Nos. 5 and 6.
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The Pathetique! One of Beethoven's most-loved and most popular works, it sent shock waves throughout the music world of the late 18th century, and its gripping power hasn't diminished in the 220 years since. The immediacy and intensity of emotion is staggering, right from the opening C minor chord. And just in the first-page introduction we are confronted with pain and pathos, nobility and hope, despair and crushing of said hope - a cry straight out of Beethoven's heart and soul, hurled at us without any protective barriers. I can barely imagine the impact this music must have had on its first listeners.
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Op. 14 - the utterly lovely, fresh, charming couple of short sonatas, are not just an antithesis but an antidote to the Pathetique , as if Beethoven needed to cleanse his spirit with limpid tones after the extreme dark intensity of the preceding sonata. Both are chamber works in nature, content with a restrained emotional and aural palette, for once not straining against the boundaries of the instrument. Beethoven seems more relaxed here, softer, at times genuinely happy.
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Welcome to Naxos' 30th Anniversary Gala Concert! The gala concert features Naxos' house artists Boris Giltburg, Gabriel Schwabe, Tianwa Yang and Nicholas Rimmer. Recorded live at Allerheiligen-Hofkirche, Munich on May 16, 2017
The Isle of the Dead employs Georgy Kirkor's 1957 transcription which Boris Giltburg has revised significantly. Giltburg's authority in Rachmaninov has been universally acknowledged, with his performances termed 'characterful, sensitive and technically dazzling' by BBC Music Magazine.
Symphonic in scale and with great dramatic power, Rachmaninov's Piano Sonata No. 1 in D minor is an underappreciated masterpiece, depicting a tremendous range of human emotions.
The turbulent and brilliant Piano Sonata No. 2 in B flat minor is heard in the 1931 revised version which clarifies textures and streamlines the work, heightening its emotional impact.
Highlights from Young Euro Classic 2022, live recorded at the Konzerthaus Berlin.
This concert features virtuoso violinist Yehudi Menuhin (1916?EUR"1999) at the Charlie Chaplin Studios in 1947. Together with various artists he performed classical and romantic works of famous composers such as Beethoven, Wieniawski, Bach, Paganini and others. Yehudi Menuhin in Concert Magic is the very first concert film produced by and for Hollywood. This concert was premiered at the Stage Door Cinema in San Francisco for movie audiences. Yehudi Menuhin was at the age of 32 and was at the pinnacle of his fame.
Bonus features:
- The Story behind "Concert Magic" - Yehudi Menuhin in conversation with Humphrey Burton
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's New Year's Eve Concert in 2000 set the mood for the centenary of Giuseppe Verdi's (1813-1901) death with a selection of the composer's most popular tunes. The orchestra presented excerpts from Rigoletto , La Traviata , Un ballo in maschera and Falstaff . The programme also included the ball scene from act III of Don Carlo ?EUR" a scene that is seldom staged. With singers Andrea Rost, Ramon Vargas, Alan Titus and Lucio Gallo, a cast of internationally celebrated Verdi singers gathered for this Gala Evening led by maestro Claudio Abbado. The outstanding Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the virtuoso Prague Radio Choir provided music of the highest order on this very special evening.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This series present the highlights of the Verbier Festival 2011, featuring renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin, Lars Vogt, Yuja Wang, Renaud Capucon, Khatia Buniatishvili, and Nelson Goerner.
The collection Classic Archive presents great performances by legendary artists, remastered using the latest digital technology and enhanced with commentary for today's audiences. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences - appealing and enjoyable performances, that offer a unique glimpse into our classical music heritage. This Classic Archive episode brings into focus the greatest performers of Giuseppe Verdi's compositions.
Carl Maria Giulini was known for his unique way of interacting with an orchestra. He said of himself that it wasn't his intention to enforce authority, but to "arrive at human contact" with the musicians. It is this very spirit that makes the present recording a virtual treat for music lovers, uniting the legendary conductor, and the superb Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus and the four soloists, soprano Ilva Liguabue, mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry, tenor Sandor Konya and bass Raffaele Arie, in a wonderful and dramatic performance. Exquisite contrasts of the characters, divine voices of the singers, saturated and rich sound of the brass section and the perfectly blended harmony of the entire ensemble create an unforgettable and a true once-in-a-lifetime experience of Verdi's Messa da Requiem .
Legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitz, conductor Carlo Maria Giulini and The Orchestra of La Scala perform Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major in a studio setting. The film also includes discussions, playback sessions and interviews.
The collection Classic Archive presents great performances by legendary artists, remastered using the latest digital technology and enhanced with commentary for today's audiences. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences - appealing and enjoyable performances, that offer a unique glimpse into our classical music heritage. This Classic Archive episode brings into focus the greatest performers of Giuseppe Verdi's compositions.
The year 2006 come to a close with a spectacular musical event: a festival of Argentinean music broadcast live from Buenos Aires. At the height of the Argentinean summer, the Orquesta Filarmonica del Teatro Colon under Daniel Barenboim (conductor and soloist) join the excellent bandoneon virtuoso Leopoldo Federico and his Orquesta Tipica to present an extraordinary New Year's Eve show with popular tangos and Latin American orchestra classics. The old master of tango, Jose Carli, has created enchanting new arrangements of works by the Argentinean artists Astor Piazzolla , Carlos Gardel , Julio de Caro , Alberto Ginastera and Horacio Salgan . Performances by the leading tango dancers Mora Godoy and Junior Cervilla from Buenos Aires add atmosphere and round off the night.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This series present the highlights of the Verbier Festival 2011, featuring renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin, Lars Vogt, Yuja Wang, Renaud Capucon, Khatia Buniatishvili, and Nelson Goerner.
This series of the very best of the 16th Verbier Festival with worldwide renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Mischa Maisky, Rene Pape, Joshua Bell, and Philippe Jaroussky.
One of today's most sought-after performers, the Argentine pianist Nelson Goerner brings his love of Beethoven and Chopin to the Verbier Festival in Switzerland, and presents very personal interpretations of two most important sonatas and two etudes. His rare talent was spotted by Martha Argerich, thanks to whom he was awared a grant for further study in Argentina and Europe. He is now established as one of the most remarkable pianists of his generation.
A forest engaging in dialogue with the exuberant fauna. A restless river cascades towards the sea. One of the monuments of Brazilian symphonic music, Canticum Naturale , by Edino Krieger , is revisited fifty years after its premiere by means of digital art in Canticum Digitale (2022), an audiovisual piece of digital art, or visual music, in which rhythm, harmony, and melody are transposed into the domain of imagery.
Canticum Digitale is an immersive and synesthetic work, where sound and visual stimuli merge harmoniously to create a unique audiovisual experience for the viewer on the volumetric membrane of the eight screens in the Brazil pavilion at Dubai Expo. This performance features soprano Flavia Fernandes and the Goias Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Neil Thomson.
A forest engaging in dialogue with the exuberant fauna. A restless river cascades towards the sea. One of the monuments of Brazilian symphonic music, Canticum Naturale , by Edino Krieger , is revisited fifty years after its premiere by means of digital art in Canticum Digitale (2022), an audiovisual piece of digital art, or visual music, in which rhythm, harmony, and melody are transposed into the domain of imagery.
Canticum Digitale is an immersive and synesthetic work, where sound and visual stimuli merge harmoniously to create a unique audiovisual experience for the viewer on the volumetric membrane of the eight screens in the Brazil pavilion at Dubai Expo. This performance features soprano Flavia Fernandes and the Goias Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Neil Thomson in a multiscreen version.
When Bach was in the service of Prince Leopold in Cöthen, he had his own orchestra and was contracted to compose a great deal of instrumental music. This gave him an opportunity to try new techniques and to develop his own instrumental style. The six Brandenburg Concertos belongs to these masterpieces for a small ensemble. This joyously infectious performance of these famous landmarks in the history of music by the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra demonstrates both the musical satisfaction and the high professional standard that can be reached with period instruments. The performance was given in the Bach Anniversary Year 2000 ?EUR" 250 years after his death ?EUR" in the elegant Hall of Mirrors at Cöthen Castle. The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra?EUR(TM)s members all have virtuoso skills. They take the spotlight gracefully for solos but also play with the true ensemble spirit required by the music. Their decision to perform without a conductor revives an eighteenth century practice.
Bonus features:
Cello Suite No.5, BWV 1011: Sarabande
Hille Perl, viola da gamba
Coffee Cantata, BWV 211: Die Katze lässt das Mausen nicht
Madeleine Vogt, soprano
Matthias Schubotz, tenor
Holger Krause, bass
Members of the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Back(h) in Cöthen
This unusual Christmas video presents the musical encounter between soprano Angelika Kirchschlager and jazz trumpeter Tomasz Stanko. Recorded live in the picturesque Cistercian Gothic monastery Schulpforte in Saxony-Anhalt, the concert footage is combined with charming motifs of snowy mountain landscapes and cities decorated for Christmas. Favourite Christmas compositions from the classical repertoire are combined with popular carols and jazzy improvisations ?EUR" and it all sounds like Christmas! Angelika Kirchschlager currently ranks among the most sought-after sopranos worldwide for both opera and concert-hall performance and Tomasz Stanko enjoys a reputation as one of the most creative jazz trumpeters alive. The soloists are accompanied by the outstanding Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. The Leipzig a cappella ensemble Amarcord, former members of St. Thomas's Boys Choir, sing popular Christmas tunes.
Recorded live in the Museum Quarter in Vienna in January 2006, this concert was inspired by the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose 250th birthday made this year a celebratory Mozart Anniversary all over the world. With artists like singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, rock flutist Ian Anderson (formerly of Jethro Tull), the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and conductor Andrey Boreyko, this musical event proved to be a true crossover experience. All outstanding musical personalities in their field, the performers interpret Mozart's compositions in their personal musical languages whilst preserving the fascinating original spirit of Mozart. They produce a rousing, electrifying melange of classical, jazz and pop culture that shows that the impact of Mozart's music reaches far beyond the boundaries of classical music and can still reach the broad public of the 21st century. This is a must for crossover enthusiasts in the Mozart Year!
Anton Webern's Langsamer Satz for string quartet was performed as part of the "My GAIA" concert during the Festival's 2012 edition. Composed in 1905, Langsamer Satz is in traditional sonata form and in the key of C Major; it would be another twenty years before Webern turned to twelve-tone technique. Langsamer Satz premiered in 1962, seventeen years after Webern's death, and has the longest playing time of any piece in his body of work.
In only a few years, trumpeter Alison Balsom has shot forward to the topmost ranks of today's instrumental soloists, reaching untold popularity for her playing - and for the trumpet. Since her appearance in a live international broadcast of the Last Night of the Proms, she has become one of the best known UK artists of today, with sales of her CDs topping the charts. She won two Classical BRIT Awards, one in 2006 as best young British classical performer, and another in 2009 as female artist of the year - one of the rare brass players to win such acclaim. She was also the first female UK artist to win an ECHO Klassik Award as best young artist (2007). For her CD with trumpet concertos by Haydn and Hummel, she took home another ECHO Klassik award in 2009.
At the center of the documentary are two performances. One is a public performance of Haydn's celebrated Trumpet Concerto in E flat major with the Berlin Konzerthaus Orchestra under the Chinese conductor Xian Zhang, recorded in the classicistic hall of the Konzerthaus Berlin. The other is a "private" recording of Bach's Concerto in D major, BWV 792 with organist David Goode, Gigue, BWV 1008 and Debussy's Syrinx. The recording in the Sophienkirche was made with a RED One camera, a special HD camera that impressively...
This concert film made in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles in 1976 captures a memorable performance conducted by the doyen of American composers, Aaron Copland . It includes some of his greatest and most attractive music, from the patriotic flourish of Fanfare of the Common Man and the spirited orchestral Fantasy El salon Mexico , to the colloquial warmth of his suite from the opera The Tender Land . Of particular importance is the collaboration with the great Benny Goodman in the masterwork he commissioned and premiered, the Clarinet Concerto .
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
Ravello Records presents ANIMATED SOUNDS, a multimedia release from composer Gheorghe Costinescu . The album showcases works by Costinescu from a varied and illustrious career spanning more than half a century.
The first half features pieces such as the virtuosic Sonata for the Piano and Essay in Sound , performed by pianist Stephen Gosling, and the expressive Voices Within , performed by violinist Vesselin Gellev. Eric Huebner performs two inventions from the larger work Evolving Cycle of Two-Part Modal Inventions for Piano , which uses the Baroque invention to explore Romanian folk music. Soprano Lucy Shelton, with Costinescu and Gosling at the piano, performs the bilingual song Why Do You Wail and Te Legeni and the cycle Nine Portraits from the Wild , which includes gestural directions for the singer.
The second half showcases Costinescu's work and collaborations in multimedia. His One-Minute Tribute: 9/11/2001 for percussion quartet is paired with his poignant animation of a photograph by Dan Nguyen of the installation Tribute in Light. An abstract animation by Michele Gagne complements Costinescu's pioneering electronic work Dots, Lines, and Patches , responding to its crackling, spontaneous sound world. Tai Chi on the Hudson , performed by the Voxare...
Susan Graham is praised for her "radiant voice" and her ability to convey the subtle nuances of what seems like "her second native language." Her present programme offers a "tasting menu" of the French melodie tradition - a varied selection of songs ranging from the youthful charm of Bizet's Chanson d'avril to the high drama of Poulenc's La dame de Monte Carlo, and the barbed irony of Ravel's Le paon to the sensuous beauty of Faure's Vocalise-Etude.
World-renowned tenor Plácido Domingo is joined by Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna and a host of other international stars including Susan Graham, in the famously glittering 1996 Gala Concert on the stage of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Asher Fisch conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in a programme of many of the world's best-loved operatic arias with music by composers including Bizet, Massenet, Gounod, Mozart and Donizetti.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's annual summer concert at the Waldbühne in Berlin is legendary. Recorded live on 25 June 2000, the Millenium concert gathered more than 22,000 people in one of the most appealing outdoor amphitheatres in Europe for one of the most popular classical music concerts in the world. Kent Nagano named his programme of popular and rather unusual music from the 20th century "Rhythm and Dance." It turned out to be an inspiring combination of classical pieces, show tunes, pops, and Far Eastern music, all brought together in a tasty musical stew and rightly labelled as one of the most exciting programmes ever performed at the Waldbühne. It featured Gershwin classics with an outstanding performance by the American mezzo soprano Susan Graham, music by Ravel and the soundtrack to the successful Chinese film "Farewell My Concubine." Nagano injected the performance with so much sensuality and pulsing life that the audience rose to beat time with their feet and to gave him standing ovations.
OMG! Van Eyck was here. Celebrating Jan van Eyck: Herreweghe and Collegium Vocale.
Commissioned by the City of Ghent and on the occasion of the Van Eyck Year, the Estonian composer Arvo Part wrote a new work with the world-famous altarpiece the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb as its starting point. Around this world creation, which was given the title Fur Jan van Eyck , Philippe Herreweghe and Collegium Vocale Gent present an exquisite programme of mass movements, motets and organ works by Claudio Monteverdi, Anton Bruckner and Olivier Messiaen .
On the closing day of the IC2017 Contemporary Song Festival, a special world premiere concert will be presented at Asia Society Hong Kong Center with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology featuring the critically acclaimed New York Festival of Song (NYFOS).
Artistic Director, Bright Sheng , will be joined by Judith Weir , Master of the Queen's Music; Michael Barrett , renowned pianist, conductor, and co-founder and associate artistic director of NYFOS; together with guest vocal artists of NYFOS, including soprano Amy Owens, mezzo-soprano Katherine Pracht, tenor Jonathan Blalock, and baritone Tobias Greenhalgh. Guest artists Amy Sze, pianist, and Isaac Droscha, baritone; and four Composer Fellows selected through an international call-for-scores.
This special program includes works inspired by Asian and Chinese literary themes as well as selections from Bright Sheng's acclaimed new opera, Dream of the Red Chamber (libretto by David Henry Hwang and Mr. Sheng), which receives its Asia Premiere at the 45th Hong Kong Arts Festival.
When the revered writer Alessandro Manzoni died in 1873, Verdi was unable to bring himself to attend the funeral. Instead he composed his monumental Messa de Requiem in Manzoni's memory and conducted its first performance on the first anniversary of the writer's death. In addition to its profound spirituality, the work also brings together all the finest qualities from Verdi's operas, qualities that include endless melodic lines and powerful musico-dramatic effects.
The present performance was recorded in Los Angeles' legendary Hollywood Bowl in August 2013 and brought together Ildebrando D'Arcangele, all of them at the top of their form.
"Gustavo Dudamel puts an intimate flourish on Verdi's Requiem", the Los Angeles Times writes about Dudamel's performance of Verdi's Requiem at the Hollywood Bowl. "A page was turned and a new chapter begun in the maturation of a music director." Dudamel is joined by a cast of high-class singers: Ildebrando D'Arcangelo, who regularly performs at La Scala, the Wiener Staatsoper, London's Royal Opera or the Salzburg Festival, the upcoming star tenor Vittorio Grigolo, who regularly guests at La Scala, Covent Garden, the MET etc., Michelle DeYoung, who performs with leading orchestras like the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra etc., and Julianna Di Giacomo, who regularly guests at the MET, the LA Opera an other international opera houses.
For its 14th edition, the Verbier Festival has once again brought together the most prestigious artists in classical music. This series of 12 TV programmes presents the highlights of Verbier 2007.
The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung wrote of this recital pianist Helene Grimaud at the Kammer Musiksaal of the Berlin Philarmonie, "She doesn't only play the piano - she feels it and she lives it. Every single note proves her devotion to perfection, her unconventional style captivates everyone in the audience."
Arguably one of the very top pianists of her generation, her concert career took off in 1987 when she was in her early twenties and she now performs with major orchestras around the world as well as being in demand for recital appearances. The spontaneity of her playing is breathtaking. Not to be afraid of taking risks and always to play as though it is the first time is Helene Grimaud's album.
For its 14th edition, the Verbier Festival has once again brought together the most prestigious artists in classical music. This series of 12 TV programmes presents the highlights of Verbier 2007.
The Verbier Festival, created in 1994, has rapidly acquired a reputation for artistic excellence and is now considered one of the major European music festivals. For a fortnight each summer, the greatest stars of the classical music world come together against the magical backdrop of the Swiss Alps. The Verbier Festival gives musicians the opportunity to perform original programmes with fellow musicians they admire, but with whom they may never have performed before. These world premiere performances produce innovative and exciting results, for artists and audiences. The 2007 edition gathered classical celebrities such as Martha Argerich, Helene Grimaud, Gabriela Montero, Renaud Capucon, Nelson Freire, Mischa Maisky, Thomas Quasthoff and Lars Vogt, and for the first time all 46 concerts were recorded. The state-of-art recordings featured two cameras on stage that were remote-controlled so as to not disturb the audiences and artists and one camera in the midst of the audience to recreate the viewer's perspective. This video assembles excerpts of the most remarkable concerts with exciting programmes including works by Bartok, Debussy, Lutoslawski, Schubert and Schumann. Lovers of classical music will very much enjoy this summit of high-profile artists!
A beloved combination: Cello, violin and piano. For their concert at the Verbier Festival 2015, Truls Mork, Ilya Gringolts and Daniil Trifonov chose works by Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms - thus showcasing how three famous German composers from the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century wrote for and perceived these three instruments.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
Celebrating the 85th birthday of the birth of the great Russian conductor Evgeny Svetlanov (1928-2002). This event was filmed in the magnificent room of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Evgueny Svetlanov has spent 35 years leading the Symphony orchestra of the Russian Federation, today nicknamed The Svetlanov .
Conducted by Vladimir Jurowski, its new Director, the concert gathers some of the most acclaimed artists: Yefim Bronfman, Tatiana Pavlovskaya, Vsevolod Grivnov, Serguey Leiferkus.
This video from the Classic Archive collection presents two unreleased performances filmed by BBC television in 1977: celebrated pianist Martha Argerich plays Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 and the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1. Both pieces are technically demanding and prove to be an ideal vehicle for Argerich's musical inspiration, demonstrating why she is hailed as one of the world's leading musicians. She is joined by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andre Previn, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Sir Charles Groves, in two powerhouse performances that offer a unique glimpse into our classical music heritage.
Virtuoso Music of the 19th Century
The 19th century brought astonishing developments in instrumental skill, marking, with Paganini and his innovations in violin technique, the true age of the virtuoso. Earlier periods had seen great performers, but it was now combined with changes in technique and with the development of particular instruments, notably the piano, with which Liszt at first set out to rival Paganini. A distinctive feature of the age was the pre-eminence of performer-composers. Bach, Handel, Mozart and Beethoven had all been players, but now, changing technical demands and possibilities opened a new world of virtuosity, the world of Liszt and his successor Busoni, and of Sarasate, Ernst, Joachim and Ries.
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
Olena Tokar (soprano) and Igor Gryshyn (piano) perform a lieder and piano program, recorded at Schinkel Pavillon in Berlin on March 30, 2020. The program opens with five songs by Pauline Garcia-Viardot : Two Roses, On Georgia's Hills, Evening Song, The Gardener , and The Mermaid's Song . Grishin performs some solo piano works: Franz Schubert's Impromptu, Op. 90 , Nos. 2 and 3, and Alexander Scriabin's Piano Sonata No. 4, Op. 30 . The program continues with Antonin Dvorak's Gypsy Songs, Op. 55 , and closes with four songs by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Op. 57 No. 1, Op. 63 No. 2, Op. 38 No. 2, and Op. 47 No. 6 .
Recorded at the annual summer concert of the Berlin Philharmonic at the Waldbuhne in Berlin 2003, this video captures the atmosphere of an open-air Gershwin night in full while also allowing a closer look at the musicians and the conductor. With an audience of over 20,000 one of the world's best orchestras played the popular music of George Gershwin, including the famous Rhapsody in Blue and the popular film music suite An American in Paris . Conducted by Seiji Ozawa ?EUR" one of the longstanding stars in the classical world - the Berlin Philharmonic was joined by jazz pianist Marcus Roberts and his Trio, whose album "Gershwin For Lovers" stayed in the Top 10 on Billboard's jazz chart for half a year. Together they created a magical fusion of classical music and jazz bringing an imaginative mix of styles into the swing of Gershwin's music. In the bonus film Seiji Ozawa and Marcus Roberts talk about Gershwin and their music making.
Bonus feature:
Documentary - They Got Rhythm
The Argentine pianist Martha Argerich has been dazzling audiences for decades with what the New York Times has referred to as "prodigious technique with uncanny musicality." She is now a regular of the artistic family at the popular Verbier Festival in the Swiss Alps, engaging thousands of followers each summer. Argerich is accompanied in this live recording from the 2009 and 2010 festivals by he gifted Gabor Takacs-Nagy and the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra. Works by Beethoven, Scarlatti and Shostakovich take the audience on a whirlwind tour through a small selection of Argerich's extensive repertoire.
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
From the Gasteig in Munich: Germany's most popular tenor Jonas Kaufmann presents an evening with the most famous German operatic arias. Amongst them are "Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön" from W.A. Mozart's The Magic Flute, "In fernem Land" from Wagner's Lohengrin and "Winterstürme" from Die Walküre. With this repertoire Kaufmann goes back to his roots: "I grew up with this music. It is embedded in my genes."
The String Sextets Nos. 1 and 2 , composed in 1860 and 1864 were instrumental in cementing the composer's reputation, and they epitomize the melodic richness and compositional craftsmanship that would define all his chamber music. The first is full of life and colour; the second, with its beautiful Poco adagio at its heart, captures a characteristic chiaroscuro of texture and colour so typical of Brahms .
Johann Sebastian Bach's most famous Christmas work has been recorded live at the Salle Henry Le Boeuf in the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. Who would have thought, three centuries ago, that all six cantatas, written by Bach for services from Christmas to the Epiphany, would one day be performed as a single work presenting the Christmas story? Internationally-renowned Bach expert Philippe Herreweghe, who founded the Collegium Vocale in 1970, surrounded himself with superb soloists.
In 2018, Pianomania! brought iconic, internationally renowned pianists to Lisbon for a keyboard extravaganza. These electrifying highlights show the performers' incredible variety in six first-class concerts from the Grand Auditorium of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, beginning with the moving Piano Concerto by Robert Schumann . For Daniil Trifonov, Schumann is "important in the heart of any pianist," to which his deeply felt and mature rendition attests.
Next up, Menahem Pressler, at age 94, brings a lifetime's worth of experience and emotion to the haunting second movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 , "the most intimate and the most heartwarming" Mozart work, capable of "elevating [a pianist] up to heaven."
Young star Beatrice Rana brings pyrotechnic panache to Stravinsky's Firebird before Elisabeth Leonskaja's Beethoven , brimming with passion, gives way to Mario Laginha's Concerto for Two Pianos with the composer himself as soloist, accompanied by Pedro Burmester.
Austrian piano virtuoso Friedrich Gulda plays works by Chopin , including the Nine Preludes, Op.28, Nocturne, Op. 62, No. 1, Barcarolle, Op. 60 and Berceuse, Op. 57 , in a live recording from the Munich Philharmonie.
Recorded live from the Amerikahaus, Munich, Gulda plays Mozart's Sonata No. 4 in E flat K282 , and Sonata No. 9 in D K311 for Vol. 1 and in Vol. 2, he plays Mozart's Sonata No. 12 in F K332, Sonata No.14 in C minor K457 and Fantasia in C minor K475 .
One of today's foremost Mozart interpreters, pianist Friedrich Gulda plays an all-Mozart concert. The programme includes the Fantasia in D Minor, K. 397, Piano Sonata No. 12 in F K. 332, Fantasia C Minor K. 475 and Piano Sonata No. 14 in C Minor, K 457 .
Gulda's mastery of the classical repertoire is demonstrated as he plays a programme of compositions by Mozart , including, among others, the Sonatas K. 333 and K. 576 and the Fantasia, 397 .
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
The Gustav Mahler Jugendorchester was founded in 1986 at the initiative of Claudio Abbado and has since become the world's best youth orchestra. Named after the great composer, the programme is marked by the special relationship between the maestro and the young orchestra and their relationship to Gustav Mahler. Claudio Abbado is undeniably the supreme Mahler conductor of our time and his long-time association with this repertoire culminates in this stirring performance of Mahler's last Symphony, written shortly before the composer's untimely death. Recorded at Accademia di Santa Cecilia in Rome 2004, the film vividly shows the joy, talent and professionalism of the young musicians drawn from all over Europe and their devotion to Claudio Abbado. The is a wonderful homage to orchestra, conductor, composer and, last but not least, to a triumphant master work - Gustav Mahler's magnificent Symphony No. 9 in D major .
Claudio Abbado, who first conducted his new Lucerne Festival Orchestra in this Debussy concert in 2003, realised a dream come true with this exclusive ensemble of handpicked orchestral musicians and exceptional soloists such as Kolja Blacher, Emanuel Pahud and Sabine Meyer. This recording pays tribute to Claudio Abbado's vision and the Lucerne Festival orchestra's triumphant rebirth during the summer festival 2003.
"It would be hard to find anything greater, more significant or more moving anywhere in musical life today: total harmony of mind and heart, poetry and outcry, fear and consolation, knowing and feeling," declared the Berne paper Der Bund after this stunning performance of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony in August 2003 by the newly founded Lucerne Festival Orchestra. Claudio Abbado had formed this ensemble from famous instrumentalists, celebrated chamber-musicians and experienced soloists from the world's best orchestras, and the event was sold out months in advance. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung reported: "Once again the applause at the end was unequalled; the immense final chord...broke a tension that had lasted over 90 minutes without relaxing for a moment."
Henry Gwiazda's world, as represented in these three new audiovisual works, couldn't be more uneventful or normal. A lot of everyday stuff happens as characters move through an urban landscape. But the remarkable thing is in the details; every link, join, gap, and connection turns the viewer's attention to the negative space surrounding the action, the silence between events, the rhythm of life, the blank area around these words. There is an inverted, Zen rhythm that makes you notice more; he out-Cages Cage.
These are virtual worlds where humans, light, text and sound conspire to shift your perspective on life and how we live in the world. Gwiazda's contemplative approach produces a new kind of multimedia choreography that is as likely to enlighten as it is to disturb.
Henry Gwiazda is a new media artist/composer whose artistic trajectory has taken him from downtown New York to Fargo, from sampling, sound effects, and immersive technologies to his current work with integrating new media with a focus on sound and movement. Gwiazda's works are regularly screened in festivals and galleries throughout the world including New York, Paris, Madrid, Cairo, Amsterdam, Beijing, Berlin, Naples, Marseilles, Damascus, Athens, Istanbul and many others. He also won First Prize at...
This is one of those 'in between' moments.
Henry Gwiazda doesn't want to be thought of as a composer anymore; the three animated video works on this recording may put the kibosh on that once and for all. The former guitar-and-sampler guru has gone anything but Hollywood.
These are sparse Zen studies of everydayness: houses on a suburban street, a downtown outdoor restaurant, or a guitarist practicing in the living room. Just enough sound and gesture to catch your attention without rattling your Cage.
"They’re the most trivial little happenings, and somehow Gwiazda makes us start eagerly anticipating them. What he hopes is, that once we turn away from his art and go back to our lives, we’ll take that same attitude to the sensuous details around us. It works for me." [Kyle Gann]
"Perhaps we should focus our attention on the vast majority of time in which we live, those times 'in between' where nothing is going on- those empty spots, while we're waiting for what we believe are the events of our life." [Henry Gwiazda]
Described as 'the great Verdian bass'(Le Figaro) and a 'Mefistofele who stood out over all the others' (Der Neue Merker), Carlo Colombra brings some of the most famous bass roles to life in this wide-ranging programme. Emotions range from the pride of Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen , through the terrors of Verdi's Attila , to the tender recollections of Rachmaninov's Aleko . Mephistopheles strides powerfully through both Gounod and Boito's operas, and Rossini's comic with contrasts with the darkness of Mussorgsky's Boris Godonov
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
Virtuoso Music of the 19th Century
The 19th century brought astonishing developments in instrumental skill, marking, with Paganini and his innovations in violin technique, the true age of the virtuoso. Earlier periods had seen great performers, but it was now combined with changes in technique and with the development of particular instruments, notably the piano, with which Liszt at first set out to rival Paganini. A distinctive feature of the age was the pre-eminence of performer-composers. Bach, Handel, Mozart and Beethoven had all been players, but now, changing technical demands and possibilities opened a new world of virtuosity, the world of Liszt and his successor Busoni, and of Sarasate, Ernst, Joachim and Ries.
This debut concert performance with the Berliner Philharmoniker by the Japanese conductor Yutaka Sado was hailed in the press as a triumph. The musicians decided to raise funds for the relief efforts following the cataclysmic earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March 2011. The program consists of From me flows what you call time, a perfect blend of East and West, by Japan's most enduring composer Toru Takemitsu; and Dmitry Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony, which so successfully blends the demands of the Soviet authorities with the oppressed public's need for an emotional outlet.
The ICA Classics Live series features performances from ICA's own artists recorded in prestigious venues around the world. The majority of the recordings are enjoying their first commercial release.
This outstanding performance of Mahler's Sixth Symphony formed part of Hartmut Haenchen's Mahler Cycle with the La Monnaie Symphony Orchestra. Haenchen is renowned and respected for his interpretations of Mahler and Wagner and has had a significant presence in many of the world's leading opera houses. An expressive and dramatic rendition of the Tragische , Haenchen's high intellect and musical integrity are apparent.
In anticipation of the Mozart Year 2006, Hartmut Haenchen conducted his Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Chamber Orchestra in an all-Mozart Programme recorded live at the 19th century Konzerthaus Berlin in November 2005. The ensemble succeeded in bringing to life the music's manifold characteristics through the translucency achieved by a small chamber orchestra. Whether light-heartedness, song-like lyricism, drama or inspired polyphonic writing: every element of their performance breathes the spirit of Mozart. Critics have praised the orchestra's stylistic assurance, transparent textures and technical precision. Conductor Hartmut Haenchen is a highly dedicated artist, who can draw on broad experience. He exudes warmth and charm and Stefan Vladar's extraordinarily sensitive touch and stylistic assurance make the prize-winning pianist an ideal partner for Haenchen and his orchestra.
Mariss Jansons returns to direct the Berliner Philharmoniker, rekindling their long-standing relationship that began in 1976. Tokyo's Suntory Hall is alive to a programme of particular musical energy - sometimes overt and joyous, sometimes suppressed and intense. Jansons' fidelity to music composed during the Soviet era remains heartfelt: Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 1, featuring soloist Hilary Hahn, is rendered with poise, elegance and demoniac vigour. This piece is framed by two sprightly works: Weber's charming, zesty Overture to Oberon and Dvorak's Eighth Symphony, executed with Bohemian-esque lyricism and verve.
Apres un reve (1878) is one of Faure's most popular songs, a longing for dreams of a mysterious night, and an elusive, ecstatic love that withers in the light of day.
The instrumental song-without-words omits the text by Romain Bussine, who adapted an anonymous Italian poem. Faure's Papillon was published
in 1898, but commissioned fourteen years earlier. This short encore piece oscillates between virtuosic moto perpetuo writing, the butterfly wings flapping in flight, and a soaring melody in the cello accompanied by a descending bass line in the piano.
Concert on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Bernard Haitink's collaboration with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
On occation of his 80th birthday, legendary conductor Bernard Haitink leads "his" Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in this great production of Beethoven's 7th Symphony .
Bernard Haitink is one of the most sought-after Mahler conductors of our day. In this concert of Mahler's Fourth Symphony , recorded live from the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, he conducts the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. The American Maria Ewing fascinates with her interpretation of the soprano solo featured in the work's finale. Bernard Haitink first conducted the Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1956. Beginning in 1963, Haitink was chief conductor for 25 years, during which time the orchestra developed significantly. Particularly Haitink's interpretations of Mahler and Bruckner made a worldwide impression. The Concertgebouw Orchestra was founded in 1888. On the occasion of its 100th anniversary in 1988, the orchestra officially received the appellation Royal .
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world’s greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world’s greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
Luonnotar is a music film based on the symphonic poem composed by Jean Sibelius for soprano and symphony orchestra. The music composition is an interpretation of the first song of Kalevala, a myth about the birth of the world.
The film Luonnotar tells about "the time before beginning." The story conveys in a parallel manner two different creation stories: the Kalevalan mythology about the birth of the world is compared with naturalistic ideas about the birth of Earth and life.
The virtual stage, realized through computer animation, paints a spectrum of fierce natural powers, a convulsing scene where the mythical figures of the story travel, telling the story sung for thousands of years to new generations.
Sibelius modelled the Kalevala poetry to suit his modern music and for the soprano to sing.
Bonus feature:
- Sibelius and Luonnotar - the documentary Sibelius and Luonnotar (28 min.) shows the background of the symphonic poem via expert and musician interviews and concert recording.
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
14 April 2009 witnessed the 250th anniversary of George Frideric Handel's death. On this unique occasion two of the world's leading Baroque orchestras, members of four distinguished choruses, three accomplished Handel interpreters as soloists, together with conductor and Handel-Preis winner Howard Arman paid homage to the composer by playing the repertoire of the historic first commemoration concert that took place in London's Westminster Abbey in 1784. This outstanding British-German performance in Halle's Marktkirche, where George Frideric was baptized, represents the media highlight of Handel Year 2009.
14 April 2009 witnessed the 250th anniversary of George Frideric Handel's death. On this unique occasion two of the world's leading Baroque orchestras, members of four distinguished choruses, three accomplished Handel interpreters as soloists, together with conductor and Handel-Preis winner Howard Arman paid homage to the composer by playing the repertoire of the historic first commemoration concert that took place in London's Westminster Abbey in 1784. This outstanding British-German performance in Halle's Marktkirche, where George Frideric was baptized, represents the media highlight of Handel Year 2009.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
These characteristic Viennese waltzes, polkas and overtures represent some of the best moments from Viennese Night Prom concerts spanning a vintage period in their history. Classics featured on this recording include the Blue Danube Waltz , Radetsky March and "Csardas" and "Laughing Song" from Die Fledermaus , all performed with exuberance, good humour and panache by three conductors well suited to the genre.
14 April 2009 witnessed the 250th anniversary of George Frideric Handel's death. On this unique occasion two of the world's leading Baroque orchestras, members of four distinguished choruses, three accomplished Handel interpreters as soloists, together with conductor and Handel-Preis winner Howard Arman paid homage to the composer by playing the repertoire of the historic first commemoration concert that took place in London's Westminster Abbey in 1784. This outstanding British-German performance in Halle's Marktkirche, where George Frideric was baptized, represents the media highlight of Handel Year 2009.
Making Place is a poetic exploration of place, and place making, for one or two performers and live interactive processing of animation, text and audio. It can be performed by any instrument capable of realising a version of the semi-improvisatory score.
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
Award-winning pianist Megumi Masaki's innovation and breadth of her artistic activity, dynamic temperament and "riveting and mind expanding" performances have earned her a reputation as a leading interpreter of contemporary music. She specializes in exploring how sound, image, text and movement can be integrated in love performances of multimedia works.
The Music 4 Eyes and Ears project presents new solo electronics video works written for Megumi Masaki. These works are designed to explore diverse concepts, performances techniques and technologies in live piano multimedia performance. Central to this project is how interaction of image, movement, text and sound can create new expressive potentials as a whole
We live in a "renaissance of the piano", as the New York Times so surprisingly put it in summer 2005. A new generation is reviving the piano's popularity as pianists with a passion for virtuosity and a willingness to expand their repertoire take to the concert stages. In addition to the standard classics, they perform formerly disparaged works or discover neglected composers. LEGATO is a series dedicated to presenting some of this new movement's most fascinating pianists - their development, their ideas and, of course, their music. Each episode in this series presents an artist and explores an aspect of the world of piano music. Viewers meet the artists and get to know their styles, their methods of working and their personal idiosyncrasies. The sum of these portraits provides viewers with an overall picture of the art of piano playing today. Montréal native Marc-André Hamelin is a perfect representative of this new group of pianists. Internationally renowned for his musical virtuosity and refined pianism, he operates on a level of virtuosity that "is simply way beyond mental reach," as The Times once wrote about one of his concerts. This video portrays Marc-André Hamelin in concert and interview. He presented works by Joseph Haydn, Frédéric Chopin, Claude Debussy, and...
Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic set off fireworks of good humour and a contagious musical spirit at the traditional New Year's Eve Concert in 2002. Simon Rattle chose Leonard Bernstein's brilliant and entertaining musical comedy, Wonderful Town , for his first New Year's Eve Concert with the Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor and orchestra - both rank among the best in the world - joined forces with Broadway stars Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald and famous baritone Thomas Hampson. The audience enjoyed a great show full of dancing, choruses, fascinating light design and ?EUR" above all ?EUR" intoxicating music. The exuberant atmosphere of this event culminated in an overwhelming encore with the musicians and audience dancing through the hall! This video captures the atmosphere right in the middle of orchestra, singers and audience and recreates a wonderful night on the town.
From the sound outside his bedroom window - a kind of sonic goulash of military marches, ethnic dance bands, church bells, ritual prayer, and nature itself, Gustav Mahler created an entire universe of emotion in music. In an astonishingly productive twenty-five years, he fashioned ten symphonies and 45 songs of cosmic scale, great beauty, and jarring emotional twists and turns. And he did it all in the brief moments he could spare from his day jobs as one of Europe's preeminent conductors.
In Gustav Mahler: Origins and Legacy , Michael Tilson Thomas returns to the provincial Austro-Hungarian city of Mahler's childhood, and bears witness to his grand achievements, great sorrow, and daring musical explorations into the dephths of the human sould. Join MTT and the San Francisco Symphony as they trace Mahler's rise as a young conductor, and show how his stormy inner life inspired new and ever-more heartbreaking heights of creativity.
Just a few months before his final illness and death, Leonard Bernstein conducted three masterworks by Gustav Mahler in a concert at Vienna's Musikvereinssaal with the Vienna Philharmonic. The program consisted of the Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen , the Ruckertlieder and the Kindertotenlieder . The soloist was the American baritone Thomas Hampson. The trade publication Musik & Theater wrote: "I know of no other baritone today who can profess a similar mastery of these three Mahler song cycles on a vocal, emotional and textually sensitive level ... [It is] a singular vocal accomplishment and a worthy conclusion of Bernstein's extensive Mahler discography."
Just a few months before his final illness and death, Leonard Bernstein conducted three masterworks by Gustav Mahler in a concert at Vienna's Musikvereinssaal with the Vienna Philharmonic. The program consisted of the Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, the Ruckertlieder and the Kindertotenlieder. The soloist was the American baritone Thomas Hampson. The trade publication Musik & Theater wrote: "I know of no other baritone today who can profess a similar mastery of these three Mahler song cycles on a vocal, emotional and textually sensitive level... [It is] a singular vocal accomplishment and a worthy conclusion of Bernstein's extensive Mahler discography."
Star baritone Thomas Hampson is the soloist in this performance of Mahler's Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen . Joining him are famous conductor Mariss Jansons and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Also on the programme: Antonín Dvorák's Symphony No. 8.
Just a few months before his final illness and death, Leonard Bernstein conducted three masterworks by Gustav Mahler in a concert at Vienna's Musikvereinssaal with the Vienna Philharmonic. The program consisted of the Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, the Ruckertlieder and the Kindertotenlieder. The soloist was the American baritone Thomas Hampson. The trade publication Musik & Theater wrote: "I know of no other baritone today who can profess a similar mastery of these three Mahler song cycles on a vocal, emotional and textually sensitive level... [It is] a singular vocal accomplishment and a worthy conclusion of Bernstein's extensive Mahler discography."
The most spectacular homage to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on his 250th birthday in 2006 was incontestably the presentation of all of his operas and operatic fragments at the Salzburg Festival, "Mozart 22." Recorded on film, this monumental project has been preserved for posterity as a benchmark of Mozart interpretation in the early 21st century. The Mozart Gala held at the Felsenreitschule on 30 July 2006, in the first days of the 2006 Salzburg Festival, presents a kind of microcosm of the Mozart festivities, with a selection of arias and orchestral music performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Daniel Harding and featuring some of the top vocalists of the 2006 Salzburg Festival.
A sampling of exquisite hors d'oeuvres prepared by the most outstanding musical chefs! Internationally celebrated soprano Anna Netrebko lives up to her reputation as a fiery, dramatic diva in her passionate rendition of Elettra's aria "D'Oreste, d'Aiace" from Idomeneo. Thomas Hampson, one of the greatest baritones of our time, burnishes Guglielmo's aria "Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo" from Cosi fan tutte with his full, rich, mellow tone. Leading Mozart tenor Michael Schade appears twice, in arias from Don Giovanni and La clemenza di Tito. A particularly bright moment awaits listeners when Rene...
...
Thomas Hampson is regarded in some circles as a successor to Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau for his mastery of a wide repertory to which he is drawn by an intellectual curiosity of astonishing breadth. Equally at home on the opera stage and the recital platform, Hampson is known for his passion for song and for the research he undertakes on account of this.
In this recital, accompanied by pianist Wolfram Rieger, he sings ongs by Gustav Mahler , most of them settings from the immensely popular collection of folk texts titled Des Knaben Wunderhorn (The Boy's Magic Horn) . His choice is impressively wide, from the mournful Das irdische Leben (Earthly Life) to the witty Lob des hohen Verstandes (In Praise of Higher Understanding) .
Hampson's performance, recorded live from te Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, is inter-cut with informal back-stage interviews in which he introduces the works by Mahler. He gives a fascinating insight into the music and is a compelling and cogent advocate of the power of song.
14 April 2009 witnessed the 250th anniversary of George Frideric Handel's death. On this unique occasion two of the world's leading Baroque orchestras, members of four distinguished choruses, three accomplished Handel interpreters as soloists, together with conductor and Handel-Preis winner Howard Arman paid homage to the composer by playing the repertoire of the historic first commemoration concert that took place in London's Westminster Abbey in 1784. This outstanding British-German performance in Halle's Marktkirche, where George Frideric was baptized, represents the media highlight of Handel Year 2009.
14 April 2009 witnessed the 250th anniversary of George Frideric Handel's death. On this unique occasion two of the world's leading Baroque orchestras, members of four distinguished choruses, three accomplished Handel interpreters as soloists, together with conductor and Handel-Preis winner Howard Arman paid homage to the composer by playing the repertoire of the historic first commemoration concert that took place in London's Westminster Abbey in 1784. This outstanding British-German performance in Halle's Marktkirche, where George Frideric was baptized, represents the media highlight of Handel Year 2009.
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway´s best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
Virtuoso Music of the 19th Century
The 19th century brought astonishing developments in instrumental skill, marking, with Paganini and his innovations in violin technique, the true age of the virtuoso. Earlier periods had seen great performers, but it was now combined with changes in technique and with the development of particular instruments, notably the piano, with which Liszt at first set out to rival Paganini. A distinctive feature of the age was the pre-eminence of performer-composers. Bach, Handel, Mozart and Beethoven had all been players, but now, changing technical demands and possibilities opened a new world of virtuosity, the world of Liszt and his successor Busoni, and of Sarasate, Ernst, Joachim and Ries.
Daniel Harding, one of the most sought-after young conductors of our time, and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra performing Janáček's Lachian Dances, which originally were titled Wallachian Dances after the Moravian Wallachia region. The composition reflects folk songs from that specific area of Janáček's home country.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two-season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world's greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors EUR" all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
The most spectacular homage to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on his 250th birthday in 2006 was incontestably the presentation of all of his operas and operatic fragments at the Salzburg Festival, "Mozart 22." Recorded on film, this monumental project has been preserved for posterity as a benchmark of Mozart interpretation in the early 21st century. The Mozart Gala held at the Felsenreitschule on 30 July 2006, in the first days of the 2006 Salzburg Festival, presents a kind of microcosm of the Mozart festivities, with a selection of arias and orchestral music performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Daniel Harding and featuring some of the top vocalists of the 2006 Salzburg Festival.
A sampling of exquisite hors d'oeuvres prepared by the most outstanding musical chefs! Internationally celebrated soprano Anna Netrebko lives up to her reputation as a fiery, dramatic diva in her passionate rendition of Elettra's aria "D'Oreste, d'Aiace" from Idomeneo. Thomas Hampson, one of the greatest baritones of our time, burnishes Guglielmo's aria "Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo" from Cosi fan tutte with his full, rich, mellow tone. Leading Mozart tenor Michael Schade appears twice, in arias from Don Giovanni and La clemenza di Tito. A particularly bright moment awaits listeners when Rene...
Beethoven's Missa solemnis is the one work the composer admired above all his compositions. It was written for his great patron and friend Archduke Rudolf of Austria at around the same time that he embarked on his Ninth Symphony and as the writer Donald Tovey noted, 'there is no choral and no orchestral writing, earlier or later, that shows a more thrilling sense of the individual colour of every chord.
Claudio Abbado, who first conducted his new Lucerne Festival Orchestra in this Debussy concert in 2003, realised a dream come true with this exclusive ensemble of handpicked orchestral musicians and exceptional soloists such as Kolja Blacher, Emanuel Pahud and Sabine Meyer. This recording pays tribute to Claudio Abbado's vision and the Lucerne Festival orchestra's triumphant rebirth during the summer festival 2003.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt first appeared with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1975. His interpretations have contributed greatly to its performance tradition of Over the years, he steadily expanded his repertoire of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert to include Schumann, Brahms, Dvorak, Smetana and Bruckner. He was appointed honorary guest conductor of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in October 2000. With the exceptional performance on this video, Mr. Harnoncourt bid farewell to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra after a collaboration spanning thirty-eight years and 276 concerts.
The Violin Concertos K. 211, 216, 218 and 219 were all composed within a few months, between June and December 1775, while Mozart was in the employ of the Archbishop of Salzburg. The Violin Concerto No. 2 radiates a distinctly galant atmosphere reminiscent of the French style of violin playing. Dazzling and elegant, it gives the soloist luminous passages such as the minor-key melody in the first movement and the main melody of the Andante. The concluding Rondo again recalls the brilliance of the French style. After having devoted himself to Baroque music for many years, Nikolaus Harnoncourt began turning increasingly to the orchestral works of Mozart in the 1980s. Here, too, Harnoncourt's views differed radically from those of traditional Mozart reception. For him, Mozart is "the most romantic composer of all," his music "dramatic, dynamic, often strikingly and exceedingly emotional."
In Gidon Kremer, Harnoncourt found a partner who shared his views. The German-Russian violin virtuoso has also sought his own path in his Mozart interpretations. In 1970 the then 23-year-old virtuoso attained the first peak of his career by winning the first prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. He has since become one of the most sought-after violinists in the world. It...
The opening of the Salzburg Festival, for many regarded as the world's most renowned music festival, is by tradition a high-profile event. In 2009, this first concert given by the Wiener Philharmoniker was conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt. The program is, in honor of the 80th birthday of the great Austrian conductor (6 Dec. 2009), purely Austrian.
Though it may seem unusual at first glance, under Harnoncourt's direction the disparate works fuse into a moving, slightly melancholy portrait of the Viennese dance in the early 19th century. The concert opens with Anton Webern's delicate orchestration of Schubert's Six German Dances, which segues into two polkas and a waltz by Josef Strauss, the younger – and bolder – composer brother of "Walzerkönig" Johann Strauss, Jr. With this alternation of bittersweet and brassy dances, the stage is set for Harnoncourt's staggering reading of Schubert's "Great" C major Symphony, in which the dance of death – so Viennese yet so universal – seems to have served as the composer's model.
One of the world's foremost violinists, Anne-Sophie Mutter is a musical celebrity known even by countless people who rarely listen to classical music. The artist and teacher, who promotes young musicians and commissions new works from contemporary composers, made her spectacular breakthrough under Herbert von Karajan at the 1977 Salzburg Easter Festival. She has since concertized at every major venue throughout the world. In 2008 she was awarded not only the prestigious Ernst von Siemens Music Award, but also the Leipzig Mendelssohn Award. The award ceremony in March 2008 was crowned by a gala concert at Leipzig's Gewandhaus with the Gewandhaus Orchestra under Kurt Masur, at which Mutter performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 presented here.
Mutter has performed the Violin Concerto several times in her career. Joining her in Mendelssohn's Violin Sonata is pianist Andre Previn, who is also an internationally renowned conductor and composer. Previn accompanied Mutter in several Mozart Trios that are part of her "Mozart Project." He and cellist Lynn Harrell now interpret the D minor Trio with her. This is a stunning anthology of chamber and orchestral music from one of the most vibrant composers of the early Romantic Era, performed by top artists of today!
Recorded live in the wonderful Teatro Accademico Bibiena in Mantua, which was praised by Mozart as one of the best acoustics he experienced, TANGO INTIMO is performed by Finnish Violinist Linda Hedlund and Italian Harpist Floraleda Sacchi. Their emotionally intense playing and bravura is underlined by the enthusiastic answer of the Italian audience and by two special guest dancers: Roberto Herrera and Laura Legazcue. Music by Astor Piazzolla, Carlos Gardel, Richard Galliano , and Ennio Morricone arranged by Floraleda alternates lyrical and rhythmical passages. Roberto Herrera's solo with the Argentinian Boleadoras brings back the most lively folkloristic aspects of Tango.
Floraleda won a Latin Grammy in 2018 for her project with Claudia Montero Magica y Misteriosa dedicated also to Argentinian music. Linda Hedlund is one of the most renowned Finnish Violinists of her generation.
This festive celebration concert from Berlin's Gethsemanekirche on the Day of German Unity also marks the 60th anniversary of the RIAS Kammerchor. Founded in 1948, this choir today enjoys a worldwide reputation as one of the best ensembles of its kind. Under the baton of their new chief conductor, Hans-Christoph Rademann, the RIAS Kammerchor and the Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin perform famous motets by Johann Sebastian Bach, interspersed with some fine instrumental movements from his cantatas.
In many ways Gustav Mahler's Seventh and Eighth Symphonies are the most unusual works that the late Romantic composer ever wrote. The Seventh was the last in a series of middle-period pieces that were purely instruments in character. Two movements headed Nachtmusik and the remarkable writing for a guitar and mandolin help to create a sequence of darkly Romantic visions. And even within Mahler's markedly eclectic output, the Eighth Symphony enjoys the status of an exotic outsider thanks not only to its two-movement form combining an early medieval hymn and the final scene from Goethe's Faust but also to the vast forces for which it is scored, earning it the title of Symphony of a Thousand
The programme which Martin Helmchen devised for his recital at the 2011 Verbier Festival is like a statement of probity: a carefully constructed selection of works by three composers, Bach, Liszt and Beethoven. The chosen compositions place demands on the pianist in terms of keyboard control, whilst not actually being virtuoso showpieces per se. The challenge they impose on the performer lies in the mastery of sound and form, whether in short pieces which offer "no place to hide" such as Nuages gris and the rarely performed Vexilla regis prodeunt, or in the daunting "Hammerklavier" Sonata, Beethoven's most revered piano sonata which is also his longest, culminating with a stupendously difficult fugue.
Master Class with Hermann Prey recorded at the Richard-Strauss-Tage Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1997. Exclusively covered were Lieder by Richard Strauss . Piano accompaniment by Fritz Schwinghammer.
Pianist Peter Waters and his ensemble, the Treya Quartet , garnered widespread praise for their performance of exquisitely sensitive jazz arrangements of songs by Gabriel Faure (1845-1924). This beautifully-shot studio recording of the Quartet playing some of their arrangements also features internationally-acclaimed soprano Barbara Hendricks singing original versions. The performances are punctuated by Waters and Hendricks considering Faure's music and its compatibility with jazz.
The concert begins with Berlioz's Roman Carnival Overture , composed in 1844 and ends with Saint-Saens's 3rd Symphony in C minor . This Organ Symphony , dating from 1885-86, is dedicated to Franz Liszt , who had recently died.
Between these two works, the internationally celebrated Argentine pianist Martha Argerich and the equally talented American Nicholas Angelich join to interpret Francis Poulenc's Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra , a joyous score in the musical spirit of the 1930s.
The Korean conductor-pianist Myung-Whun Chung, aged 62, conducts the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, which he has shaped over many long years.
With this, his only Bach recording, Herbert Blomstedt pays homage to Bach and the city of Leipzig. The video was recorded in 2005 at the Leipzig Bach Festival, which is widely regarded as the world's leading festival celebrating Johann Sebastian Bach. This concert of Bach's masterwork, at the end of his tenure as the 18th Gewandhauskapellmeister did not really mark the end of Blomstedt's fruitful collaboration with the traditional orchestra. The Swedish conductor will continue to act as an honorary musical director to the ensemble. Performed with leading Bach singers at St. Thomas' Church, Leipzig, the church for which Bach conceived his works, this homage to Bach was a touching farewell to Herbert Blomstedt from his Leipzig audience.
Bonus feature:
- Bach and his B minor Mass: An introduction by Herbert Blomstedt
Lutoslawski's delicate lament serves as prelude to Berlioz's Requiem , a superlative work requiring an impressive cast of two orchestras and choirs, here under the direction of Pablo Heras-Casado.
An event not to be forgotten! The concert was recorded on February 20th, 2019 at the Philharmonie de Paris, a building designed by les Ateliers Jean Nouvel.
This film is a genuine premiere starring the greatest motion picture composer of the present day: Ennio Morricone. Morricone's music has been well known to moviegoers for decades and his name stands for warmly melodic soundtracks, superbly suited to the films they grace. Born in 1928 in Rome, he went to school with film director Sergio Leone, with whom he would later form one of the great director/composer partnerships. His sparse arrangements, unorthodox instrumentation and memorable tunes revolutionised the way music would be used in Westerns. He has written nearly 400 film scores and this programme contains a representative sample of his rich creative output including short clips from his most famous films. The Munich Philharmonic ?EUR" one of the best German symphony orchestras - invited Morricone to conduct his own music.
Recorded live in the wonderful Teatro Accademico Bibiena in Mantua, which was praised by Mozart as one of the best acoustics he experienced, TANGO INTIMO is performed by Finnish Violinist Linda Hedlund and Italian Harpist Floraleda Sacchi. Their emotionally intense playing and bravura is underlined by the enthusiastic answer of the Italian audience and by two special guest dancers: Roberto Herrera and Laura Legazcue. Music by Astor Piazzolla, Carlos Gardel, Richard Galliano , and Ennio Morricone arranged by Floraleda alternates lyrical and rhythmical passages. Roberto Herrera's solo with the Argentinian Boleadoras brings back the most lively folkloristic aspects of Tango.
Floraleda won a Latin Grammy in 2018 for her project with Claudia Montero Magica y Misteriosa dedicated also to Argentinian music. Linda Hedlund is one of the most renowned Finnish Violinists of her generation.
Johann Sebastian Bach's most famous Christmas work has been recorded live at the Salle Henry Le Boeuf in the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. Who would have thought, three centuries ago, that all six cantatas, written by Bach for services from Christmas to the Epiphany, would one day be performed as a single work presenting the Christmas story? Internationally-renowned Bach expert Philippe Herreweghe, who founded the Collegium Vocale in 1970, surrounded himself with superb soloists.
Philippe Herreweghe, principal conductor of the Royal Flemish Philharmonic, has devoted himself for over ten years to fresh and invigorating readings of the (pre-) Romantic repertoire. Together with the Collegium Vocale, founded in 1970 by Herreweghe himself, and superb soloists they will perform Dvorak's superb Requiem .
OMG! Van Eyck was here. Celebrating Jan van Eyck: Herreweghe and Collegium Vocale.
Commissioned by the City of Ghent and on the occasion of the Van Eyck Year, the Estonian composer Arvo Part wrote a new work with the world-famous altarpiece the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb as its starting point. Around this world creation, which was given the title Fur Jan van Eyck , Philippe Herreweghe and Collegium Vocale Gent present an exquisite programme of mass movements, motets and organ works by Claudio Monteverdi, Anton Bruckner and Olivier Messiaen .
Recorded live in Amsterdam's historic, 17th Century, Portuguese Synagogue, the concert features three of the world's greatest cantors in a program of inspiring Jewish secular and religious song. Performing with a 46 piece orchestra and 16 voice choir are Alberto Mizrahi of the renowned Anshe Emet Synagogue, Chicago, Naftali Herstik of Great Synagogue Jerusalem and Benzion Miller of Young Israel Beth-El of Borough Park, New York.
It is illusory to assume one can shoot a film about Jordi Savall which summarizes the complete fullness of his activities or gives a representative summary of the musical treasures raised by him with a profound expertise or to describe exactly how he manages to play the viola da gamba in his own unmistakable way that makes it sound like it sounds.
Recorded live in Amsterdam's historic, 17th Century, Portuguese Synagogue, the concert features three of the world's greatest cantors in a program of inspiring Jewish secular and religious song. Performing with a 46 piece orchestra and 16 voice choir are Alberto Mizrahi of the renowned Anshe Emet Synagogue, Chicago, Naftali Herstik of Great Synagogue Jerusalem and Benzion Miller of Young Israel Beth-El of Borough Park, New York.
This recording presents the most important work of the baroque keyboard repertoire ?EUR" The Well-Tempered Clavier - played by four world-class pianists. Each artist performs twelve Preludes and Fugues selected from this well-cherished collection of educational and yet artistically highly-strung pieces. The performances were recorded at four exceptionally charming venues: the Palazzo Labia in Venice, the Guell Palace in Barcelona, the Wartburg in Eisenach, Germany and the New Art Gallery in Walsall in England. The performances were impressively staged and skilfully filmed, thus - together with interpretations by four high-class clavichordists ?EUR" it opens up new perspectives on the work.
World premiere performance of Sir John Tavener's epic work written for the new millennium, recorded in St Paul's Cathedral, London, in January 2000. Richard Hickox conducts the City of London Sinfonia with Patricia Rozario, Michael Chance and Stephen Richardson, in a work which came to Tavener in a vision. The composer makes full use of the remarkable acoustics of St Paul's.
Bonus features:
- Introduction and interview with Sir John Tavener by Stephanie Hughes.
- The Eye of the Heart - Sir John Tavener talks about his beliefs and music.
For the 2014/15 Opening Night Concert and Gala, the Los Angeles Philharmonic paid loving tribute to composer John Williams , long a champion and close friend of the LA Phil. Gustavo Dudamel, an awestruck fan of the musical icon, led the orchestra in a cross-section of Maestro Williams' matchless canon.
World premiere performance of Sir John Tavener's epic work written for the new millennium, recorded in St Paul's Cathedral, London, in January 2000. Richard Hickox conducts the City of London Sinfonia with Patricia Rozario, Michael Chance and Stephen Richardson, in a work which came to Tavener in a vision. The composer makes full use of the remarkable acoustics of St Paul's.
Bonus features:
- Introduction and interview with Sir John Tavener by Stephanie Hughes.
- The Eye of the Heart - Sir John Tavener talks about his beliefs and music.
Artist-in-residence for the 2022 season, pianist Yuja Wang meets the Czech Philharmonic, conducted by Semyon Bychkov.
The centrepiece of this exciting evening is the Glagolitic Mass , a late masterpiece by Leos Janacek . The programme opens with Agnus Dei for choir without orchestral accompaniment by Martin Smolka , followed by Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor.
Virtuoso Music of the 19th Century
The 19th century brought astonishing developments in instrumental skill, marking, with Paganini and his innovations in violin technique, the true age of the virtuoso. Earlier periods had seen great performers, but it was now combined with changes in technique and with the development of particular instruments, notably the piano, with which Liszt at first set out to rival Paganini. A distinctive feature of the age was the pre-eminence of performer-composers. Bach, Handel, Mozart and Beethoven had all been players, but now, changing technical demands and possibilities opened a new world of virtuosity, the world of Liszt and his successor Busoni, and of Sarasate, Ernst, Joachim and Ries.
Johann Sebastian Bach's most famous Christmas work has been recorded live at the Salle Henry Le Boeuf in the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. Who would have thought, three centuries ago, that all six cantatas, written by Bach for services from Christmas to the Epiphany, would one day be performed as a single work presenting the Christmas story? Internationally-renowned Bach expert Philippe Herreweghe, who founded the Collegium Vocale in 1970, surrounded himself with superb soloists.
Beethoven's Missa solemnis is the one work the composer admired above all his compositions. It was written for his great patron and friend Archduke Rudolf of Austria at around the same time that he embarked on his Ninth Symphony and as the writer Donald Tovey noted, 'there is no choral and no orchestral writing, earlier or later, that shows a more thrilling sense of the individual colour of every chord.
Christopher Hogwood founded the Academy of Ancient Music in 1973 and is one of the pioneers of historical performance practice as a harpsichordist conductor. His interpretations of the Baroque and Classical opera and concert literature have brought him international acclaim. The Academy of Ancient Music has taken as its goal the performance of the works of the Baroque and Classical eras on historic instruments. The ensemble, which has a varying amount of performers, boasts a number of outstanding specialists for historical performance practice.
This video features a series of recitals dedicated to the German Lied, performed by Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau and Hartmut Höll between the mid 1980s and late '90s in the Hans Rosbaud studio in Baden. Two of these evenings were devoted to the songs by Robert Schumann.
This video is a documentary of Heinz Holliger, the leading oboist of our day. As a composer Holliger has become a classic exponent of musical modernism, while as an oboist and conductor he is one of the most inspirational figures on the contemporary music scene. Here too we encounter him here as an enthusiastic guide through each of the work that recorded with the Keller Quartet in a private concert for the home viewer recorded at the Musik-Akademie in Basel in 2005. The programme is made up of four exceptionally interesting works, starting with Mozart's Quartet for oboe, violin, viola and cello K 370 , a kind of crypto-concerto that the 25 year-old composer wrote in Munich in 1781. The next work is another early piece, Benjamin Britten's Phantasy op. 2 for oboe and string quartet, which was composed in 1932, when the composer was 19. Holliger too was only 17 when he wrote his own Oboe Sonata in 1956?EUR"7, a work that strikes up a strange conversation between the oboist and his instrument. Bohuslav Martinu's Fantasia for theremin, oboe, string quartet and piano is a mature work dating from 1945, when the composer was already 55 years of age. It was written for an instrument that is something like a pioneer of electronic instruments, invented by the engineer Lev...
Claudio Monteverdi's Fourth Book of Madrigals (1603) explores differing emotional states of abandoned lovers through the most dramatic and amazingly modern music for vocal ensemble. The Full Monteverdi follows the simultaneous break-up of six couples through shocking revelation, vengeful anger and erotic longing for reconciliation. Vulnerable and disarming, this ensemble film will draw you into its emotional journey and intensely moving portrait of contemporary love.
Award-winning composer and trumpet player Hannibel Lokumbe is a leader in expressing the Aprican-American experience through his orchestral and choral music, with a special focus on civil rights leaders. Can You Hear God Crying? is a spiritatorio which takes us on a journey from hardship and suffering to healing and celebrations of courage and peace, told through the forced migration aboard a slave ship endured by Lokumbe's great-grandfather Silas Burgess. Combining jazz, gospel and chamber music together with West African prayers and songs, this is both a moving commemoration and a spectacularly festive event which faces past and present with honesty and deep spiritual understanding.
The archival gems included here are taken from footage for the legendary 1948 Hollywood film "Concert Magic" (the first ever concert filmed for movie audiences). At nearly 25 minutes, Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto was too long for inclusion in the film, so although it is Menuhin's only filmed performance of the work it has only recently been discovered. To see one of the greatest ever violinists perform one of the greatest ever violin concertos is undoubtedly a compelling experience. The encore pieces that follow are superb documents of his seemingly effortless virtuosity. These performances by the 32-year-old Yehudi Menuhin show him at the height of his career. Yehudi Menuhin was one of the best-known violinists of the 20th century - he was universally popular and was frequently received as an ambassador of classical music. With "Concert Magic", which premiered in San Francisco in 1947, he made the first ever motion picture concert in film history. He also produced many short films for the cinema ?EUR" used to fill the space between the traditional "double features". An especially valuable rarity was found among these - Felix Mendelssohn's Violin concerto . Pianist Adolph Baller and the Symphony Orchestra of Hollywood conducted by Antal Dorati joined Yehudi Menuhin at the...
This concert features virtuoso violinist Yehudi Menuhin (1916?EUR"1999) at the Charlie Chaplin Studios in 1947. Together with various artists he performed classical and romantic works of famous composers such as Beethoven, Wieniawski, Bach, Paganini and others. Yehudi Menuhin in Concert Magic is the very first concert film produced by and for Hollywood. This concert was premiered at the Stage Door Cinema in San Francisco for movie audiences. Yehudi Menuhin was at the age of 32 and was at the pinnacle of his fame.
Bonus features:
- The Story behind "Concert Magic" - Yehudi Menuhin in conversation with Humphrey Burton
The famous Thomanerchor Leipzig ?EUR" a traditional specialist in Bach's choral music ?EUR" is joined by the superb Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and excellent soloists to perform one of Bach's most acclaimed pieces of religious choral music, the Mass in B Minor .
Recorded in the Thomaskirche in Leipzig in summer 2000, this was one of numerous performances to celebrate the 250th anniversary of J.S. Bach's death in the church where he served as musical director. The artistry of the performers under the assured baton of conductor George Christoph Biller is exemplary and the state-of-the-art filming shows the serene gothic church in full splendour ?EUR" a fitting backdrop for the work that is generally regarded as the crowning glory of Bach's sacred choral music; a majestic work that showcases Bach's supreme craftsmanship and skill as a choral composer.
As part of the Mozart celebrations for the composer's 250th birthday in 2006, the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Manfred Honeck, perform W.A. Mozart's most famous work related to or composed in Prague. The young clarinetist Sharon Kam, one of the most exciting players on the international scene and a frequent performer with many renowned orchestras all over the world ?EUR" plays the popular Clarinet Concerto in its original version on the lower range basset clarinet. The Prague Estates Theatre, where the concert was recorded on Mozart's birthday on the 27th January 2006, is one of the most beautiful historical theatres in Europe. Part of its charm, magic and value lies in its historical significance, which stretches from the theatre's role in Mozart's career to modern times. In 1787 Mozart conducted the premiere of Don Giovanni here and, his friend and inspiration the clarinettist Anton Stadler, premiered the Clarinet Concerto in this theatre in 1791.
In the scope of the Czech Philharmonic's pre-Christmas series, Manfred Honeck conducts a selection of suites from Peer Gynt by Edward Grieg . The programme is completed by Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 played by Rudolf Buchbinder, as well as Beethoven's First Symphony in celebration of the composer's 250th birthday.
This concert may be called a meeting of musical giants: The Berliner Philharmoniker, Manfred Honeck and Yo-Yo Ma. But all superlatives aside, we may be absolutely sure that it is going to be an extraordinary concert when these artists take the stage at the 2016 Easter Concert in Baden-Baden.
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
This selection of music for Christmas brings together East and West in the collaboration of Winchester College Chapel Choir and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Recorded live in Hong Kong in December 2004, this disc features a selection of perennial favourites from the Baroque period, including Bach cantatas and Handel's Messiah , and three exquisite modern carols.
The Intimacy of Creativity is excited to collaborate with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HKPhil) as 2016 IC ensemble-in residence. Selected composers will present and revise their orchestral compositions before and after in-depth on-campus Open Discussions between Artistic Director and conductor, Bright Sheng, members of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, and librarian staff. The revised compositions will be formally presented at a Preview Concert on the campus of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and a World Premiere Concert at the iconic Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall.
Ravello Records presents ANIMATED SOUNDS, a multimedia release from composer Gheorghe Costinescu . The album showcases works by Costinescu from a varied and illustrious career spanning more than half a century.
The first half features pieces such as the virtuosic Sonata for the Piano and Essay in Sound , performed by pianist Stephen Gosling, and the expressive Voices Within , performed by violinist Vesselin Gellev. Eric Huebner performs two inventions from the larger work Evolving Cycle of Two-Part Modal Inventions for Piano , which uses the Baroque invention to explore Romanian folk music. Soprano Lucy Shelton, with Costinescu and Gosling at the piano, performs the bilingual song Why Do You Wail and Te Legeni and the cycle Nine Portraits from the Wild , which includes gestural directions for the singer.
The second half showcases Costinescu's work and collaborations in multimedia. His One-Minute Tribute: 9/11/2001 for percussion quartet is paired with his poignant animation of a photograph by Dan Nguyen of the installation Tribute in Light. An abstract animation by Michele Gagne complements Costinescu's pioneering electronic work Dots, Lines, and Patches , responding to its crackling, spontaneous sound world. Tai Chi on the Hudson , performed by the Voxare...
Recorded and broadcast in May 1982, Horowitz's technique was beginning to decline, though he retained all the fire of his playing.
A recording of Horowitz's historic recital in Moscow, the program also includes highlights of his return to his native Soviet Union - his first visit in 61 years.
Legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitz, conductor Carlo Maria Giulini and The Orchestra of La Scala perform Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major in a studio setting. The film also includes discussions, playback sessions and interviews.
Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston the son of actors David and Elizabeth Poe. His father disappeared when he was three and his mother died a year later. He was adopted by a Richmond, Virginia family called Allan. When he was 17 he was disowned by his foster parents. He was determined to be a writer and through many difficulties he succeeded in becoming one of the first great imaginative writers in the United States. This program by Malcolm Hossick covers his extraordinary life and goes some way to explaining his remarkable and continuing success. It is followed by a brief overview of his work.
Ravello Records presents ANIMATED SOUNDS, a multimedia release from composer Gheorghe Costinescu . The album showcases works by Costinescu from a varied and illustrious career spanning more than half a century.
The first half features pieces such as the virtuosic Sonata for the Piano and Essay in Sound , performed by pianist Stephen Gosling, and the expressive Voices Within , performed by violinist Vesselin Gellev. Eric Huebner performs two inventions from the larger work Evolving Cycle of Two-Part Modal Inventions for Piano , which uses the Baroque invention to explore Romanian folk music. Soprano Lucy Shelton, with Costinescu and Gosling at the piano, performs the bilingual song Why Do You Wail and Te Legeni and the cycle Nine Portraits from the Wild , which includes gestural directions for the singer.
The second half showcases Costinescu's work and collaborations in multimedia. His One-Minute Tribute: 9/11/2001 for percussion quartet is paired with his poignant animation of a photograph by Dan Nguyen of the installation Tribute in Light. An abstract animation by Michele Gagne complements Costinescu's pioneering electronic work Dots, Lines, and Patches , responding to its crackling, spontaneous sound world. Tai Chi on the Hudson , performed by the Voxare...
Within just a few years, the Hugo Wolf Quartet has transformed itself from an insider's tip to one of the most sought-after ensembles of the younger generation. "New stars in the quartet firmament" was the headline of a review of the quartet's debut in the Vienna Musikverein in 1995. Tours have taken the ensemble to the most important concert halls of the world: Concertgebouw Amsterdam, Philharmonie in Cologne, Megaron in Athens, Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, Symphony Hall in Birmingham and Carnegie Hall in New York. Moreover, the Hugo Wolf Quartet has also guested at the Edinburgh Festival, the Schubertiade Feldkirch, the Carinthian Summer, the Salzburg Mozarteum, the Herkules-Saal in Munich and Suntory Hall in Tokyo. The basis for this international success was laid by four students who got together in 1993 in Vienna and devoted themselves to a joint training with the Alban Berg Quartet, members of the Amadeus Quartet and Walter Levin (LaSalle Quartet). They then won the first prize at the String Quartet Competition in Cremona and made their highly acclaimed debut at the Vienna Konzerthaus. Further awards have confirmed their exceptional artistic status. Today, the Hugo Wolf Quartet consists of the founding members Jehi Bahk (Violin I), Régis Bringolf (Violin II),...
In 2018, Pianomania! brought iconic, internationally renowned pianists to Lisbon for a keyboard extravaganza. These electrifying highlights show the performers' incredible variety in six first-class concerts from the Grand Auditorium of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, beginning with the moving Piano Concerto by Robert Schumann . For Daniil Trifonov, Schumann is "important in the heart of any pianist," to which his deeply felt and mature rendition attests.
Next up, Menahem Pressler, at age 94, brings a lifetime's worth of experience and emotion to the haunting second movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 , "the most intimate and the most heartwarming" Mozart work, capable of "elevating [a pianist] up to heaven."
Young star Beatrice Rana brings pyrotechnic panache to Stravinsky's Firebird before Elisabeth Leonskaja's Beethoven , brimming with passion, gives way to Mario Laginha's Concerto for Two Pianos with the composer himself as soloist, accompanied by Pedro Burmester.
The Berlin Philharmonic, under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle and with the Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves, usher in the New Year in style. In this gala concert, they present a programme of music by three of the twentieth century's most famous composers: Maurice Ravel, Gabriel Fauré and George Gershwin.
On the eve of its 300th birthday, St. Petersburg, Russia's fabled "window to Europe", celebrates this anniversary presenting a gala of distinguished musical art featuring Anna Netrebko, Dimitri Hvorostovsky, Mischa Maisky and many others. Yuri Temirkanov conducts one of the oldest Russian symphonic ensembles: the St. Petersburg Philharmonic.
St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities of the world. In this program, Renee Fleming and Dmitri Hvorostovsky will explore the most spectacular corners of the city that was born in the remarkable mind of Peter the Great. On this occasion, they will be singing operatic duets and arias by Verdi, Tchaikovsky, Ambroise Thomas and Bellini, accompanied by Constantine Orbelian and the State Hermitage Orchestra. They will be leading us through the city and will perform in the Golden Ballroom of Peterhof Palace, as well as the White Columns Room and extraordinary baroque Theater of the Yusupov Palace where they will also sing romances by Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky, accompanied by pianists Olga Kern and Ivary Ilja.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities of the world. In this program, Renee Fleming and Dmitri Hvorostovsky will explore the most spectacular corners of the city that was born in the remarkable mind of Peter the Great. On this occasion, they will be singing operatic duets and arias by Verdi, Tchaikovsky, Ambroise Thomas and Bellini, accompanied by Constantine Orbelian and the State Hermitage Orchestra. They will be leading us through the city and will perform in the Golden Ballroom of Peterhof Palace, as well as the White Columns Room and extraordinary baroque Theater of the Yusupov Palace where they will also sing romances by Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky, accompanied by pianists Olga Kern and Ivary Ilja.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
Paper, normally a utilitarian material, becomes a solo instrument in Tan Dun's ingenious and inventive Paper Concerto , fusing orchestral music and organic sounds to create accessible, even melodious, music that is almost beyond imagination. Intriguing sounds are created by all manner of different papers, so that they appear elemental rather than simplistic, tapping into something basic in the fabric of our lives. In a remarkable and unforgettable concert experience, Tan Dun directs the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and soloist Haruka Fujii in a vivid demonstration of his belief that orchestral music, far from being static and traditional, still has the capacity for experimentation and the power to stimulate in extraordinary ways.
Bonus features :
- Paper: The Song of Nature
- Tan Dun demonstrates Paper Music
- Tan Dun teaches Paper Instruments
Tan Dun's hypnotic three-movement Water Concerto is intoxicating, both visually and aurally. Using water as a musical instrument, this extraordinary piece uses innovative techniques to explore the musicality of the sounds of water. Virtuoso percussionist and soloist David Cossin displays remarkable genius as he deftly creates unique, sensuous, organic and sometimes celestial sounds using a range of water-based instruments. Conducted by the composer, the distinctive accompaniment of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, reflecting Dun's personal combination of Chinese and Western musical traditions, is carefully interwoven and combined with the water percussion to produce a uniquely enchanting performance.
Tan Dun has made an indelible mark on the world's music scene with a creative repertoire that spans the boundaries of classical, multimedia, Eastern and Western musical systems. His score for Ang Lee's film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon received Academy and Grammy Awards in 2000 and an Oscar Award for best original score in 2001. In 2008 he was selected by the International Olympic Committee to write the logo and award ceremony music for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and composed Internet Symphony No. 1, "Eroica," commissioned by Google/YouTube as the focal point...
The Six Quintettos are one of Kreusser's several compositions for a wind instrument and strings. Compared to the more common flute quartet genre, they are one of the few works composed for this particular instrumentation and feature characteristics of both the Baroque and Classical eras.
The Six Quintettos are one of Kreusser's several compositions for a wind instrument and strings. Compared to the more common flute quartet genre, they are one of the few works composed for this particular instrumentation and feature characteristics of both the Baroque and Classical eras.
Paralleling Beethoven's Triple Concerto in C Major for piano, violin and cello, Insula Orchestra pays tribute to the French composer Louise Farrenc , a talented artist whose unjustly neglected work was nonetheless acclaimed by her contemporaries, musicians and critics alike: La Belgique musicale wrote "A woman may indeed successfully walk the rocky path laid down by Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven". This performance of her third symphony is an opportunity to rediscover an important work of the Romantic period.
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
Ton Koopman, a leading authority on Baroque music, gathered his favourite orchestra and eminent Baroque singers for a concert focusing on the Magnificat , the traditional prayer said by the Virgin Mary after hearing that she would bear God's son. Bach's Magnificat - his greatest choral work - is programmed together with one of his most beautiful cantatas and a lesser-known baroque gem by Bach's predecessor at St. Thomas' Church, Johann Kuhnau, to form a concert in honour of the spiritual power of Baroque music. The concert was performed at St. Thomas' in Leipzig, the church for which Bach conceived most of his works. The recording captures the atmosphere of the impressive church and shows the musicians "at work". The film also focuses on Ton Koopman, offering insights into his friendly and encouraging conducting style.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
Renaud Capucon - one of today's most sought-after violinists-joins prodigious pianist and conductor Lahav Shani, and Kian Soltani (described as "sheer perfection" by Gramophone) alongside the prestigious Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under Vasily Petrenko in this unmissable event, part of a marathon evening of favorites that opens with Pablo Ferrandez-Castro's passionate performance of Dvorak's monumental Cello Concerto (plus a transcription by the great Pablo Casals ) and closes out with a thrilling rendition of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony .
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the best orchestras in the world, celebrates its 60th Anniversary with a GALA Concert in 1996 conducted by Zubin Mehta and Daniel Barenboim. The Gala featuring world acclaimed soloists such as Isaac Stern Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhal Perlman and Shlomo Mintz.
Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth) was one of Mahler's later symphonic works, written in 1908. Mahler often used the human voice as an adjunct to the orchestra in his symphonic writing. Das Lied von der Erde borrowed as a framework Hans Bethge's German translation of six poems by the 18th-century Chinese poet Li-Tai-Po. The songs have been described as "the valedictory of a man who loved life and nature and who knew the bittersweet nostalgia of passing youth and beauty." The work was recorded at the Frederic Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under Leonard Bernstein. The program's soloists are Christa Ludwig, alto, and René Kollo, tenor.
Martha Argerich and Lahav Shani meet the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Tel Aviv.
Piano legend Martha Argerich lends her ample virtuosity to Ravel's concerto in G , and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under Lahav Shani performs Stravinsky's masterpiece! An enthralling programme of German Romanticism from the IPO's homebase, the Lowy Concert Hall in Tel Aviv's Charles Bronfman Auditorium.
The Mahler Chamber Orchestra was Orchestra in Residence at the KlaraFestival 2013 which is known as a modern and international classical music festival far beyond Belgium's borders. The concerts of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra formed one of the highlights of this year's festival. Alongside young Greece conductor Teodor Currentzis , who is hailed as an "eccentric super-talented maestro", the orchestra dedicates its performance to the two composers, contemporaries and friends Benjamin Britten and Dmitri Shostakovich .
The programme includes Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No. 1 at whose world premiere in London 1960 the two composers met for the first time. The orchestra combines one of the most popular cello concertos of the 20th century with Britten's Sinfonietta and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 1 .
In Why Beethoven Threw the Stew , renowned cellist Steven Isserlis sets out to pass on to children a wonderful gift given to him by his own cello teacher - the chance to people his own world with the great composers by getting to know them as friends.
Witty and informative at the same time, Isserlis introduces us to six of his favourite composers: the sublime genius Bach, the quicksilver Mozart, Beethoven with his gruff humour, the shy Schumann, the prickly Brahms and that extraordinary split personality, Stravinsky. Isserlis brings the composers alive in an irresistible manner that can't fail to catch the attention of any child whose ear has been caught by any of the music described, or anyone entering the world of classical music for the first time.
The lively black and white line illustrations provide a perfect accompaniment to the text, and make this book attractive and accessible for children to enjoy on their own or share with an adult.
A star-studded gala from the royal Albert Hall in London, featuring some of the greatest names from the world's of opera, ballet, musicals and flamenco.
Featuring Tito Beltran, June Anderson, Michael Ball, Maria Friesman, Anastasia Volvchkova, Paco Pena and Montse Cortes performing a program of works that includes arias from Turandot, Hamlet, La Traviata and Rigoletto , hits from The Phantom of the Opera, Follies and showboat plus excerpts from Don Quixote and some stirring flamenco pieces.
When, in the mid 1960s, Herbert von Karajan decided to record on film all nine Beethoven symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic, he began with the Fifth and asked the famous French movie director Henri-Georges Clouzot (Quai des Orfèvres) to direct. Recognizing in the music-loving director a kindred soul and master of the symbolic image, Karajan found an inspired partner. In another of Karajan's first efforts, he asked six directors to "stage" one movement each of a Beethoven symphony. For a full week, the directors had the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von Karajan – all in full dress – at their disposal, with all the 35mm film, cameras, lighting and technical assistance they needed. Karajan's most controversial production was Hugo Niebeling's highly personal interpretation of the Pastorale , with its abstract shots of instruments, rapid rhythms, fade-ins and symbolically arranged colors. Some critics raved: "This music film could have been made by Antonioni, Fellini or Godard." Karajan pursued his plan with tenacity, and the result is a milestone in the history of music on film: all nine Beethoven symphonies recorded at the peak of Karajan's powers, unified by the performers but varied through the artistic vision of different directors.
This series of the very best of the 16th Verbier Festival with worldwide renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Mischa Maisky, Rene Pape, Joshua Bell, and Philippe Jaroussky.
The Waldbühne in Berlin, one of the most appealing outdoor amphitheatres in Europe, is the home of the Berlin Philharmonic's annual summer concert. With over 22,000 in attendance, these are some of the most popular classical music concerts in the world.
On this recording, Estonian conductor Neeme Järvi takes the audience on a trip through A Thousand and One Nights. Works by Grieg, Rimsky-Korsakov, Nielsen, Saint-Saëns and Massenet explore Arabian images in music. High-ranking soloists like rising star Dutch violinist Janine Jansen join the outstanding orchestra. Neeme Järvi can be counted as one of the world's leading musical personalities, having conducted more than 350 CD productions. Recorded live at the Waldbühne Berlin in 2006, Sheherazade offers a sensational concert to all those who want to relive the atmosphere of a this relaxed and high-quality open-air event.
Celebrating the 125th birthday of the RCO, the album entitled Horizon 6 comes with a bonus live performance and world premiere of Louis Andriessen's Mysterien (Mysteries) performed by RCO's very own orchestra and conducted by Mariss Jansons.
"Ich will euch trosten" (I will comfort you), sings the soprano in Brahms's Ein deutsches Requiem. Indeed, this is music of comfort, not of lamentation. With this work, Mariss Jansons is continuing the Requiem ritual started in 2011 to allow listeners to contemplate the transience of life at the beginning of autumn. Rather than using the standard Latin mass text, however, Brahms selected his own text from the Bible. He completed the work after the death of his mother. Following the premiere, the music critic Hanslick wrote, "Since Bach's Mass in B Minor and Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, nothing in this vein has been written which is comparable to Brahms's Ein deutsches Requiem. " It was this work, which became immensely popular, that truly established Brahms as a composer.
Daniel Barenboim is the soloist in this production of Brahm's Piano Concerto No. 1. Mariss Jansons conducts the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Also on the programme, Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances, Op. 45.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's European Concerts not only represent the Berlin Philharmonic's commemoration of its founding date but also emphasize the cultural life of the new European order. Each year the orchestra performs at a place of special significance in cultural history, always in a different country. This, the eleventh European Concert, took place in the city of Istanbul's oldest church, St. Irine (Hagia Irini) or the Church of the Holy Peace, which is magnificently situated on the promontory washed by the Bosporus and the Sea of Marmara. At the helm of this concert, Mariss Jansons, is one of today's most sought-after conductors. Since 1997, he has been principal conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; in 2003, he will assume the directorship of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. The flautist Emmanuel Pahud has won numerous international competitions and is a laureate of the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation and UNESCO's International Tribune for Musicians. At the age of 22, he became principal flautist of the Berlin Philharmonic under Claudio Abbado, having previously held that position with the Basle Radio Symphony Orchestra under Nello Santi and the Munich Philharmonic under Sergiu Celibidache.
Mariss Jansons and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra with Arthur Honegger's Third Symphony, "Liturgique" from the main hall of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
Star baritone Thomas Hampson is the soloist in this performance of Mahler's Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen . Joining him are famous conductor Mariss Jansons and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Also on the programme: Antonín Dvorák's Symphony No. 8.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world's greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors EUR" all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two-season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world's greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world’s greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
Mariss Jansons returns to direct the Berliner Philharmoniker, rekindling their long-standing relationship that began in 1976. Tokyo's Suntory Hall is alive to a programme of particular musical energy - sometimes overt and joyous, sometimes suppressed and intense. Jansons' fidelity to music composed during the Soviet era remains heartfelt: Shostakovich's Violin Concerto No. 1, featuring soloist Hilary Hahn, is rendered with poise, elegance and demoniac vigour. This piece is framed by two sprightly works: Weber's charming, zesty Overture to Oberon and Dvorak's Eighth Symphony, executed with Bohemian-esque lyricism and verve.
As the cameras reveal the scale of this open-air event, held at Berlin's Waldbuhne in 2002, it is not only the music that is transmitted but the extraordinary atmosphere. This is a full programme of musical bon-bons ?EUR" pieces regularly given as encores: it?EUR(TM)s as if the joyous moment following a successful performance has blossomed into a whole evening. Vadim Repin is clearly happy to indulge, performing here with all the appropriate showmanship and artistry alongside the first-class Berliner Philharmoniker and Mariss Jansons. There is a palpable satisfaction from all involved, musicians and crowd alike.
The young French countertenor Philippe Jaroussky is one of the most exceptional artists of our time. He is highly acclaimed by critics all over the world for his virtuoso coloratura technique, as well as for his compelling and lively interpretations of baroque cantatas and operas. Together with the Concerto Köln he embarks on a journey into the world of an almost forgotten composer. Antonio Caldara (1670-1736) was on one of the most renowned opera composers of his time. Philippe Jaroussky and the ensemble transfer selected arias of the composer into the 21st century. The film accompanies the musicians to rehearsals and to the concert at the Prinzregententheater in Munich.
In 2022, Musiques en fete celebrates love in music! with the 8,000 spectators at the Theatre Antique in Orange for an amazing show! Opera, operetta, musical comedy, classical music, film music, dance, as well as the greatest hits of French song... Through an eclectic programme, a tribute to love and to all music will be paid by prestigious soloists and more than 150 orchestral musicians and choral artists.
The Waldbühne in Berlin, one of the most appealing outdoor amphitheatres in Europe, is the home of the Berlin Philharmonic's annual summer concert. With over 22,000 in attendance, these are some of the most popular classical music concerts in the world.
On this recording, Estonian conductor Neeme Järvi takes the audience on a trip through A Thousand and One Nights. Works by Grieg, Rimsky-Korsakov, Nielsen, Saint-Saëns and Massenet explore Arabian images in music. High-ranking soloists like rising star Dutch violinist Janine Jansen join the outstanding orchestra. Neeme Järvi can be counted as one of the world's leading musical personalities, having conducted more than 350 CD productions. Recorded live at the Waldbühne Berlin in 2006, Sheherazade offers a sensational concert to all those who want to relive the atmosphere of a this relaxed and high-quality open-air event.
In many ways Gustav Mahler's Seventh and Eighth Symphonies are the most unusual works that the late Romantic composer ever wrote. The Seventh was the last in a series of middle-period pieces that were purely instruments in character. Two movements headed Nachtmusik and the remarkable writing for a guitar and mandolin help to create a sequence of darkly Romantic visions. And even within Mahler's markedly eclectic output, the Eighth Symphony enjoys the status of an exotic outsider thanks not only to its two-movement form combining an early medieval hymn and the final scene from Goethe's Faust but also to the vast forces for which it is scored, earning it the title of Symphony of a Thousand
Gustav Mahler spent 1909 and 1910 working on his final two symphonies. The Ninth has gone down in history as the culmination of his symphonic output and a prophetic anticipation of musical modernism. But owing to his declining health, he had to stop work on the Tenth after a few months and was unable to resume it before his death.
Only the first movement, included here, was orchestrated to a point where it can be performed without non-authorial additions. The Mahler cycle, performed by the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra under Paavo Jarvi has already been internationally acclaimed as one of the most important Mahler projects of the new millennium.
The very first video recording of Joaquin Rodrigo's solo cello piece Como una fantasia his only composition for solo violoncello.
This production was recorded at the basilica of San Francisco el Grande in Madrid, and is performed by Michael Kevin Jones. British cellist Michael Kevin Jones has found a unique place for himself among today's performers. While a student at the Royal College of Music in London he was chosen to play for the Royal family and awarded a German government scholarship for further study in Koln where he quickly became solo cellist and toured the world with top musical groups. He has developed a non conventional career incorporating multi-musical activities and he is also an avid teacher and coach.
Highlights from Young Euro Classic 2022, live recorded at the Konzerthaus Berlin.
Butterfly Lovers is a music and dance film by director Marikki Hakola. A synthesis of the ever-popular Chinese violin concerto Butterfly Lovers and choreography inspired by Chinese martial arts and modern dance, the film is an imaginative interpretation of the ancient Chinese fairy tale A Love Story of Liang Shan Bo and Zhu Ying Tai. The film features violinist Takako Nishizaki, conductor James Judd, choreographer and dancer Dou Dou, dancer Ding Yue Hong and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
Bonus feature:
Butterfly Tones - a documentary featuring interviews with Chen Gang, Takako Nishizaki, James Judd, Zeng Kang Mei and Dou Dou.
Celebrating the 85th birthday of the birth of the great Russian conductor Evgeny Svetlanov (1928-2002). This event was filmed in the magnificent room of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Evgueny Svetlanov has spent 35 years leading the Symphony orchestra of the Russian Federation, today nicknamed The Svetlanov .
Conducted by Vladimir Jurowski, its new Director, the concert gathers some of the most acclaimed artists: Yefim Bronfman, Tatiana Pavlovskaya, Vsevolod Grivnov, Serguey Leiferkus.
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
Paralleling Beethoven's Triple Concerto in C Major for piano, violin and cello, Insula Orchestra pays tribute to the French composer Louise Farrenc , a talented artist whose unjustly neglected work was nonetheless acclaimed by her contemporaries, musicians and critics alike: La Belgique musicale wrote "A woman may indeed successfully walk the rocky path laid down by Haydn, Mozart or Beethoven". This performance of her third symphony is an opportunity to rediscover an important work of the Romantic period.
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
As part of the Mozart celebrations for the composer's 250th birthday in 2006, the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Manfred Honeck, perform W.A. Mozart's most famous work related to or composed in Prague. The young clarinetist Sharon Kam, one of the most exciting players on the international scene and a frequent performer with many renowned orchestras all over the world ?EUR" plays the popular Clarinet Concerto in its original version on the lower range basset clarinet. The Prague Estates Theatre, where the concert was recorded on Mozart's birthday on the 27th January 2006, is one of the most beautiful historical theatres in Europe. Part of its charm, magic and value lies in its historical significance, which stretches from the theatre's role in Mozart's career to modern times. In 1787 Mozart conducted the premiere of Don Giovanni here and, his friend and inspiration the clarinettist Anton Stadler, premiered the Clarinet Concerto in this theatre in 1791.
In spring of 2020, concert halls fell silent. During those weeks, when people had to stay at home and musicians faced all their performances being canceled, a group of Berlin-based artists of international acclaim, in co-operation with awarded film producer Jan Schmidt-Garre and Naxos Audiovisual, set up a series of chamber music concerts performed and filmed at Schinkel Pavillon, Berlin. Sharon Kam (clarinet), Jacquelyn Wagner (soprano) and Matan Porat (piano) perform Debussy's First Rhapsody, Poulenc's Sonata and Brahms's Sonata for Clarinet and Piano , Ravel's Une Barque Sur L'Ocean , and Schubert's The Shepherd On The Rock for Clarinet, Soprano and Piano.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
The String Sextets Nos. 1 and 2 , composed in 1860 and 1864 were instrumental in cementing the composer's reputation, and they epitomize the melodic richness and compositional craftsmanship that would define all his chamber music. The first is full of life and colour; the second, with its beautiful Poco adagio at its heart, captures a characteristic chiaroscuro of texture and colour so typical of Brahms .
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
For a stage production of Goethe's Egmont planned for spring 1810, the Vienna Burgtheater commissioned Beethoven to compose incidental music to Goethe's tragedy. Although Beethoven was a great admirer of Goethe and was profoundly flattered by this commission, he did not complete the music by the time the play was given its premiere on 24 May 1810. Only at the third performance of the play on 15 June was Beethoven's music heard for the first time. Like the Leonore overtures, the Egmont also foreshadows the events to come. In Egmont , they are encapsulated in the main theme of defiance of tyranny, which gives the music its explosive power.
Music for the masses! This could have been the war cry of both Beethoven and Karajan. For this they had in common: the wish to reach out to millions and ensure the survival of their art. Beethoven, at the dawn of the romantic era, no longer wrote exclusively for titled patrons, but for the middle classes. To reach them, he needed new means of popularizing and distributing his works, such as concerts for paying audiences and the publication of arrangements for everything from piano to brass band. In the mid 20th century, Herbert von Karajan also saw a new way of reaching out to greater numbers of people through the combination of...
When, in the mid 1960s, Herbert von Karajan decided to record on film all nine Beethoven symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic, he began with the Fifth and asked the famous French movie director Henri-Georges Clouzot (Quai des Orfevres) to direct. Recognizing in the music-loving director a kindred soul and master of the symbolic image, Karajan found an inspired partner. In another of Karajan's first efforts, he asked six directors to "stage" one movement each of a Beethoven symphony. For a full week, the directors had the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von Karajan – all in full dress – at their disposal, with all the 35mm film, cameras, lighting and technical assistance they needed. Karajan's most controversial production was Hugo Niebeling's highly personal interpretation of the Pastorale , with its abstract shots of instruments, rapid rhythms, fade-ins and symbolically arranged colors. Some critics raved: "This music film could have been made by Antonioni, Fellini or Godard." Karajan pursued his plan with tenacity, and the result is a milestone in the history of music on film: all nine Beethoven symphonies recorded at the peak of Karajan's powers, unified by the performers but varied through the artistic vision of different directors.
When, in the mid 1960s, Herbert von Karajan decided to record on film all nine Beethoven symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic, he began with the Fifth and asked the famous French movie director Henri-Georges Clouzot to direct. Recognizing in the music-loving director a kindred soul and master of the symbolic image, Karajan found an inspired partner. In another of Karajan's first efforts, he asked six directors to "stage" one movement each of a Beethoven symphony. For a full week, the directors had the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von Karajan - all in full dress - at their disposal, with all the 35mm film, cameras, lighting and technical assistance they needed. Karajan's most controversial production was Hugo Niebeling's highly personal interpretation of the Pastorale , with its abstract shots of instruments, rapid rhythms, fade-ins and symbolically arranged colors. Some critics raved: "This music film could have been made by Antonioni, Fellini or Godard." Karajan pursued his plan with tenacity, and the result is a milestone in the history of music on film: all nine Beethoven symphonies recorded at the peak of Karajan's powers, unified by the performers but varied through the artistic vision of different directors.
When, in the mid 1960s, Herbert von Karajan decided to record on film all nine Beethoven symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic, he began with the Fifth and asked the famous French movie director Henri-Georges Clouzot to direct. Recognizing in the music-loving director a kindred soul and master of the symbolic image, Karajan found an inspired partner. In another of Karajan's first efforts, he asked six directors to "stage" one movement each of a Beethoven symphony. For a full week, the directors had the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von Karajan - all in full dress - at their disposal, with all the 35mm film, cameras, lighting and technical assistance they needed. Karajan's most controversial production was Hugo Niebeling's highly personal interpretation of the Pastorale , with its abstract shots of instruments, rapid rhythms, fade-ins and symbolically arranged colors. Some critics raved: "This music film could have been made by Antonioni, Fellini or Godard." Karajan pursued his plan with tenacity, and the result is a milestone in the history of music on film: all nine Beethoven symphonies recorded at the peak of Karajan's powers, unified by the performers but varied through the artistic vision of different directors.
When, in the mid 1960s, Herbert von Karajan decided to record on film all nine Beethoven symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic, he began with the Fifth and asked the famous French movie director Henri-Georges Clouzot to direct. Recognizing in the music-loving director a kindred soul and master of the symbolic image, Karajan found an inspired partner. In another of Karajan's first efforts, he asked six directors to "stage" one movement each of a Beethoven symphony. For a full week, the directors had the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von Karajan – all in full dress – at their disposal, with all the 35mm film, cameras, lighting and technical assistance they needed. Karajan's most controversial production was Hugo Niebeling's highly personal interpretation of the Pastorale , with its abstract shots of instruments, rapid rhythms, fade-ins and symbolically arranged colors. Some critics raved: "This music film could have been made by Antonioni, Fellini or Godard." Karajan pursued his plan with tenacity, and the result is a milestone in the history of music on film: all nine Beethoven symphonies recorded at the peak of Karajan's powers, unified by the performers but varied through the artistic vision of different directors.
When, in the mid 1960s, Herbert von Karajan decided to record on film all nine Beethoven symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic, he began with the Fifth and asked the famous French movie director Henri-Georges Clouzot (Quai des Orfèvres) to direct. Recognizing in the music-loving director a kindred soul and master of the symbolic image, Karajan found an inspired partner. In another of Karajan's first efforts, he asked six directors to "stage" one movement each of a Beethoven symphony. For a full week, the directors had the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von Karajan – all in full dress – at their disposal, with all the 35mm film, cameras, lighting and technical assistance they needed. Karajan's most controversial production was Hugo Niebeling's highly personal interpretation of the Pastorale , with its abstract shots of instruments, rapid rhythms, fade-ins and symbolically arranged colors. Some critics raved: "This music film could have been made by Antonioni, Fellini or Godard." Karajan pursued his plan with tenacity, and the result is a milestone in the history of music on film: all nine Beethoven symphonies recorded at the peak of Karajan's powers, unified by the performers but varied through the artistic vision of different directors.
In November 1957, while the Berliner Philharmoniker were on tour in Japan, Karajan proposed some of the best works in his repertoire, starting with the Prelude to Die Meistersinger by Wagner and continuing with Richard Strauss' Don Juan and Beethoven's Fifth Symphony - the "symphony" par excellence which he had on November 1954 for EMI with the Philharmonia Orchestra.
Commanding the podium with his slender figure, theatrical shock of hair and penetrating blue eyes, Herbert von Karajan projected the hieratic image of the conductor as officiant of some quasi-mystic rite. And anyone who ever saw him conduct live or on his many audiovisual recordings will agree that in his performances, music did indeed become a religion and Karajan its high priest. Karajan (1908-1989) embodied classical music in the general consciousness as an epoch-making conductor, media star, opera producer, festival director and festival founder. But in spite of his Promethean and widely varied activities, he remained a superb conductor, with a grasp of the standard orchestral and operatic repertory from Mozart to Schoenberg that was unsurpassed among his peers. The "Pathetique" was recorded live at the Berlin Philharmonie in 1973.
Together with Beethoven's Missa Solemnis , Verdi's Requiem ranks as one of the two supreme achievements in 19th-century liturgical music. Verdi reverred the great Italian author Alessandro Manzoni. When Manzoni died on 22 May 1873, Verdi wrote to his publisher expressing his desire to compose a Requiem Mass . It was premiered on the first anniversay of Manzoni's death. From the hushed reverence of the "Requiem aeternam" to the raging fury of the "Dies irae", and from the overwhelming power of the "Tuba mirum" to the sobbing grief of the "Lacrimosa", the Requiem is a highly dramatic and emotional - though not theatrical - work. Verdi specified that it "must not be sung the way an opera is sung". A work of awesome grandeur, it projects a compelling sincerity and honesty, even though Verdi was a non-observant Catholic.
Originally performed at La Scala in 1967 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Toscanini's death, this production with the orchestra and chorus of the Teatro alla Scala was presented in Moscow, Montreal and New York, in addition to Milan. It was recorded on film in 1967, now with the young Luciano Pavarotti replacing Carlo Bergonzi. One of Karajan's earliest film productions (and his first color film), it reflects his innovativeness especially through his...
First performed in Berlin in 1821, Weber's Der Freischutz quickly became one of the most celebrated German operas, and its overture one of the most popular in all of music literature. The overture follows a symphonic form that determines the thematic unity of the work. Surprisingly innovative for its time, it announces the programmatic works of Berlioz and Liszt, as well as Wagner's first overtures. The fresh and limpid music evokes the fairytale setting of the opera, with its ghosts, evil spirits, seven charmed bullets, loving couple, friendly hermit and happy ending. This recording of the Freischutz Overture dates from 1975 and is part of an overture special directed by Herbert von Karajan and produced with the Berlin Philharmonic for Unitel.
Completed in 1894, Gustav Mahler's Second Symphony counts amongst his most popular compositions.
It took the composer six years to complete this large-scale work which was started under very unusual circumstances. In 1886, Mahler had a vision of his own funeral; the dream inspired what was to become the Symphony's first movement, which he entitled Todtenfeier (Funeral Rite).
Unable to decide whether the work should be a separate tone poem or the first movement of a full symphony, he did not resume composition until 1893, finishing all but the last movement. For the conclusion of his Symphony, Mahler wanted to incorporate the human voice. The inspiration for this came when he attended the memorial service for the conductor Hans von B?low, which included a religious ode Auferstehung (Resurrection) by the German poet Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (1724-1803).
This performance of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony is performed by Ivan Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra. Fischer is known for his superlative interpretations of Mahler with an attention to detail and a musicianship which are served by some of the finest European instrumentalists gathered in 'his' orchestra.
This opera gala, recorded live at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, on November 8, 2003, marked the 10th anniversary of the annual benefit for the German AIDS Foundation. Conducted by Kent Nagano, then Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Berlin Deutsche Symphony Orchestra founded 1923. This recording features an illustrious roster of international artists from Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, the United States and Canada.
Under the baton of the young Latvian conductor Andris Nelsons, together with the 1st concertmaster Daishin Kashimoto as a soloist, the great Berliner Philharmoniker musically focused on Tchaikovsky . Along with Tchaikovsky's stirring Symphony No. 5 , the program included beguiling shorter works featuring violinist Daishin Kashimoto - the Serenade melancolique in B flat Minor, Waltz-Scherzo in C Major and Souvenir d'un lieu cher .
The charismatic conductor Nelsons has been Music Director of the City of the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra since 2008, enjoying a critically acclaimed first few seasons. Over the next seasons he will continue collaborations with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Wiener Philharmoniker, Het Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest, New York Philharmonic, and others.
Beethoven's Missa solemnis is the one work the composer admired above all his compositions. It was written for his great patron and friend Archduke Rudolf of Austria at around the same time that he embarked on his Ninth Symphony and as the writer Donald Tovey noted, 'there is no choral and no orchestral writing, earlier or later, that shows a more thrilling sense of the individual colour of every chord.
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
For the first time in Europe, Katia and Marielle Labeque, who are sibling pianists renowned for their incredible synchronicity and energy, present Philip Glass's Double Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra . Philip Glass composed the Concerto especially for this duo in the Autumn and Winter of 2014-15 as a work commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, Goteborgs Symfoniker and the Orquesta Nacional de Espana. Other acclaimed works by Philip Glass, one of today's mosprominent composers, include the opera Einstein on the Beach (1967) and a grand Violin Concerto (1987).
Philip Glass's Double Concerto is followed by Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony . Probably the composer's most performed symphony, the work was composed in 1937 in Leningrad and proved to be an unprecedented triumph for its creator. Its emotional intensity reflects the horrors of the Great Terror. Under the baton of Jaap van Zweden, the Orchestre de Paris offers an interpretation infused with precision and passion.
The Violin is a collaboration between composer Anna Clyne and visual artist Josh Dorman . Amy Kauffman and Cornelius Dufallo perform Clyne's seven compositions on violin with layers of sound and fragments of spoken poetry, performed by Clyne herself. Dorman's stop-motion animations vary from abstract to narrative, and incorporate materials such as graphite, tealeaves, paint, and collaged paper.
From the Gasteig in Munich: Germany's most popular tenor Jonas Kaufmann presents an evening with the most famous German operatic arias. Amongst them are "Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön" from W.A. Mozart's The Magic Flute, "In fernem Land" from Wagner's Lohengrin and "Winterstürme" from Die Walküre. With this repertoire Kaufmann goes back to his roots: "I grew up with this music. It is embedded in my genes."
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
A promising concert featuring two of the Verbier Festival's most iconic artists performing chamber music works by Brahms together! Now praised on the whole classical music planet, the Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos took the world by storm in 1985 when he became the youngest winner of the prestigious Sibelius Competition. Acclaimed for his phenomenal virtuosity and musicality, he here joins forces with the pianist Yuja Wang, an accomplished artist at only 26!
This programme features three sonatas by Brahms . The first one, the Regensonata , is written after the composer's Rain Song (Regenlied) . The second one, the Thuner-Sonata is about the peaceful landscapes of the Swiss lake of Thun, and contrasts with the third and last sonata played here, the Sonata No. 3 , characterized its by great, passionate and fiery themes.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical usic events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season.
Yuja Wang, Leonidas Kavakos, and Gautier Capucon get the ball rolling with Mendelssohn's Piano Trio No. 2 , followed by Leonidas Kavakos and Joshua Bell performing a Ysaye Duo Sonata . Denis Matsuev, Julian Rachlin, and Roby Lakatos tackle Vittorio Monti's Csardas , transcribed for two violins and piano. Brahms' Piano Quartet follows, featuring Kissin, Repin, Bashmet, and Maisky. Finally, as the cherry on the cake, legendary pianists Martha Argerich and Evgeny Kissin bring Lutoslawski's Variations sur un theme de Paganini with head-spinning virtuosity.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
Recorded live in the Museum Quarter in Vienna in January 2006, this concert was inspired by the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose 250th birthday made this year a celebratory Mozart Anniversary all over the world. With artists like singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, rock flutist Ian Anderson (formerly of Jethro Tull), the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and conductor Andrey Boreyko, this musical event proved to be a true crossover experience. All outstanding musical personalities in their field, the performers interpret Mozart's compositions in their personal musical languages whilst preserving the fascinating original spirit of Mozart. They produce a rousing, electrifying melange of classical, jazz and pop culture that shows that the impact of Mozart's music reaches far beyond the boundaries of classical music and can still reach the broad public of the 21st century. This is a must for crossover enthusiasts in the Mozart Year!
Recorded at the atmospheric Academy of Sciences in Budapest, the Keller Quartet plays a version of Bach's unfinished masterpiece The Art of the Fugue for string quartet intertwined with works by renowned contemporary composer Gyorgy Kurtag - a programme that the four Hungarians developed and have successfully performed on international stages. Anner Bylsma, Dutch master cellist and world-renowned as a distinguished interpreter of Bach's cello music, plays the solo suites. The suites, on which he has also published an authoritative book, count among the most popular baroque chamber works. Anner Bylsma plays the famous Stradivarius "Servais" and the performance was recorded in the beautiful village church St. Bartholomew of Dornheim in Thuringia.
This video is a documentary of Heinz Holliger, the leading oboist of our day. As a composer Holliger has become a classic exponent of musical modernism, while as an oboist and conductor he is one of the most inspirational figures on the contemporary music scene. Here too we encounter him here as an enthusiastic guide through each of the work that recorded with the Keller Quartet in a private concert for the home viewer recorded at the Musik-Akademie in Basel in 2005. The programme is made up of four exceptionally interesting works, starting with Mozart's Quartet for oboe, violin, viola and cello K 370 , a kind of crypto-concerto that the 25 year-old composer wrote in Munich in 1781. The next work is another early piece, Benjamin Britten's Phantasy op. 2 for oboe and string quartet, which was composed in 1932, when the composer was 19. Holliger too was only 17 when he wrote his own Oboe Sonata in 1956?EUR"7, a work that strikes up a strange conversation between the oboist and his instrument. Bohuslav Martinu's Fantasia for theremin, oboe, string quartet and piano is a mature work dating from 1945, when the composer was already 55 years of age. It was written for an instrument that is something like a pioneer of electronic instruments, invented by the engineer Lev...
Master Class with Hermann Prey recorded at the Richard-Strauss-Tage Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1997. Exclusively covered were Lieder by Richard Strauss . Piano accompaniment by Fritz Schwinghammer.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
The second of only two published DVDs featuring Rudolf Kempe, this is an important document of this great conductor's performances filmed at the height of his career. A subtle, sensitive Brahms Second Symphony ?EUR" a work that became a film favourite with Kempe and the orchestras he led ?EUR" is coupled with a majestic Tannhauser Overture from the Royal Festival Hall.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
Deeply-felt and masterful, Kempe's performance of Ein Heldenleben at the 1974 Prom concert was described by the critic Joan Chissell as winning him "a hero's ovation and rightly." She wrote that "no one now before the public is better able to transform Strauss from a plebeian into an aristocrat." The performance of Dvorak's "New World" Symphony one year later received equally glowing reviews and is an illuminating and compelling rendition of Dvorak's most popular symphony.
Spirits of Music is an unusual musical journey through centuries and cultures, featuring multiple Grammy Award winner Bobby McFerrin , violin virtuoso Nigel Kennedy , soprano Sibylla Rubens and the Gewandhaus Orchestra with music from Bach to Mozart and Verdi . Magnificent examples of religious music come from artists as Kroke the Kuumba Singers, Mari Boine, Bulgarian Voices Angelite and the Ensemble Al-Kindi one of the best formations devoted to classical Arab music. This extraordinary musical journey, which took place on one evening at the Leipzig Market Square is completed by the Cuban a capella group Vocal Sampling, consisting of musicians from Havana's National Superior Institute of arts, who are celebrating their very own interpretation of Afro-Cuban music.
St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities of the world. In this program, Renee Fleming and Dmitri Hvorostovsky will explore the most spectacular corners of the city that was born in the remarkable mind of Peter the Great. On this occasion, they will be singing operatic duets and arias by Verdi, Tchaikovsky, Ambroise Thomas and Bellini, accompanied by Constantine Orbelian and the State Hermitage Orchestra. They will be leading us through the city and will perform in the Golden Ballroom of Peterhof Palace, as well as the White Columns Room and extraordinary baroque Theater of the Yusupov Palace where they will also sing romances by Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky, accompanied by pianists Olga Kern and Ivary Ilja.
This recording captures the Vienna Boys' Choir's fitting celebration of Mozart's 250th birthday in January 2006. Together with well known Mozart interpreters like Sandrine Piau, they sing Mozart's finest sacred works, including the Coronation Mass. The Choir is one of the best-known musical institutions in Vienna. Since its founding over 500 years ago, it has been a significant fixture in musical life worldwide. Many famous composers and musicians had close ties to the Vienna Boys' Choir - Joseph Haydn and Franz Schubert were even members of the choir as children and Mozart, while not a choirboy himself, did perform with the choir. The venue is St. Stephen's Cathedral, where Mozart and his wife were married, where one of their sons was christened and where the funeral ceremony after Mozart's death took place.
Bonus features:
- Mozart in Vienna - Mozart's most critical years in Vienna. Examining the authentic Mozart sites in Vienna such as the Mozart House at Domgasse 5 (Figaro-Haus), the Theater an der Wien and the Stephansdom helps put into focus Mozart's special connection to the city and the Viennese relationship to Mozart.
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 11: A Hero's Life in Music
Strauss' orchestral autobiography from 1899 is unique documentary in music, scored for extra-large orchestra - a sonic spectacular, and a showcase for the All-Star musicians. In this highly pictorial music, the listener follows the Hero as he asserts his independence, falls in love, confronts his critics, engages in battle, creates a legacy of peace, and eventually comes to life's end.
Program 12: Mozart and A World Premiere
Mozart's magical Posthorn Serenade is paired with the world-premiere of Samuel Jones' Violin Concerto with Anne Akiko Meyers performing on the legendary Vieuxtemps Guarneri del Gesu violin. This rare event showcases the collaboration between composer, soloist, and conductor in bringing a...
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 9: Visions of New York
Gershwin's immortal Rhapsody in Blue is featured in the rarely heard original jazz-orchestra version from the 1924 premiere, with rising-star pianist Lola Astanova. This iconic work is paired with Aaron Copland's 1925 jazz-age classic Music for the Theatre . Robert Beaser's Ground O offers a modern musical perspective of New York after 9/11.
Program 10: 1001 Arabian Nights - The Legend of Scheherazade
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's exotic orchestral showpiece Scheherazade is based on fantastical tales that - according to tradition - were told by the ingenious wife of a cruel Sultan so as to prolong her life for 1001 nights. Concertmaster David Kim conveys the voice of the wily heroine in virtuosic violin solos. Take...
Atlantic Canadian composer Sandy Moore's three Nocturnes, written in 1974 while awaiting the birth of his first child, echo the Flower Moon (May), Strawberry Moon (June), and Sturgeon or Berry Ripening Moon (August). Although inherently classical in style, the pieces have the temperament of shifting thematic and variation statements, underscored by murmurs of calm and agitation.
Featured in this program is Nocturne 3 is like a dream-listlessly lyrical at first, then surges of splendour and lurking uncertainty, always settling back to the calmer dreamy state, and simply ending. Performed by Jennifer King and filmed a music video at Birch Cove, Blue Mountain Wilderness Area and Lucky Penny Cafe, HRM, Nova Scotia.
This opera gala, recorded live at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, on November 8, 2003, marked the 10th anniversary of the annual benefit for the German AIDS Foundation. Conducted by Kent Nagano, then Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Berlin Deutsche Symphony Orchestra founded 1923. This recording features an illustrious roster of international artists from Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, the United States and Canada.
This unusual Christmas video presents the musical encounter between soprano Angelika Kirchschlager and jazz trumpeter Tomasz Stanko. Recorded live in the picturesque Cistercian Gothic monastery Schulpforte in Saxony-Anhalt, the concert footage is combined with charming motifs of snowy mountain landscapes and cities decorated for Christmas. Favourite Christmas compositions from the classical repertoire are combined with popular carols and jazzy improvisations ?EUR" and it all sounds like Christmas! Angelika Kirchschlager currently ranks among the most sought-after sopranos worldwide for both opera and concert-hall performance and Tomasz Stanko enjoys a reputation as one of the most creative jazz trumpeters alive. The soloists are accompanied by the outstanding Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. The Leipzig a cappella ensemble Amarcord, former members of St. Thomas's Boys Choir, sing popular Christmas tunes.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical usic events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season.
Yuja Wang, Leonidas Kavakos, and Gautier Capucon get the ball rolling with Mendelssohn's Piano Trio No. 2 , followed by Leonidas Kavakos and Joshua Bell performing a Ysaye Duo Sonata . Denis Matsuev, Julian Rachlin, and Roby Lakatos tackle Vittorio Monti's Csardas , transcribed for two violins and piano. Brahms' Piano Quartet follows, featuring Kissin, Repin, Bashmet, and Maisky. Finally, as the cherry on the cake, legendary pianists Martha Argerich and Evgeny Kissin bring Lutoslawski's Variations sur un theme de Paganini with head-spinning virtuosity.
This series of the very best of the 16th Verbier Festival with worldwide renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Mischa Maisky, Rene Pape, Joshua Bell, and Philippe Jaroussky.
In 2011 the Berlin Philharmoniker and their musical director Sir Simon Rattle welcomed in the New Year with a gala concert entitled "Dances and Dreams." Spine-tingling and inspiring performances of music by Dvorak, Ravel, Richard Strauss, Stravinsky and Brahms are complemented by the extraordinary talent of multi-awarded Russian pianist Evgeny Kissin. Kissin's musicality, the depth and poetic quality of his interpretations, and his extraordinary virtuosity have placed him at the forefront of today's pianists, and his passionate performance of the renowned Piano Concerto in A minor by Edvard Grieg is mesmerising.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
The Verbier Festival, created in 1994, has rapidly acquired a reputation for artistic excellence and is now considered one of the major European music festivals. For a fortnight each summer, the greatest stars of the classical music world come together against the magical backdrop of the Swiss Alps. The Verbier Festival gives musicians the opportunity to perform original programmes with fellow musicians they admire, but with whom they may never have performed before. These world premiere performances produce innovative and exciting results, for artists and audiences. The 2007 edition gathered classical celebrities such as Martha Argerich, Helene Grimaud, Gabriela Montero, Renaud Capucon, Nelson Freire, Mischa Maisky, Thomas Quasthoff and Lars Vogt, and for the first time all 46 concerts were recorded. The state-of-art recordings featured two cameras on stage that were remote-controlled so as to not disturb the audiences and artists and one camera in the midst of the audience to recreate the viewer's perspective. This video assembles excerpts of the most remarkable concerts with exciting programmes including works by Bartok, Debussy, Lutoslawski, Schubert and Schumann. Lovers of classical music will very much enjoy this summit of high-profile artists!
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
Carlos Kleiber's all too rare concert appearances are always musical occasions to cherish and remember. The vitality and precision of his authoritative gestures never fail to generate excitement and inspire playing of great elan from orchestras throughout the world. When Carlos Kleiber conducts the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam in Beethoven, one can expect a performance of intense musical concentration and exceptional expressive power. Carlos Kleiber made this recording with the Dutch orchestra in 1983, conducting Beethoven's Fourth and Seventh Symphonies . The mesmeric command of this elusive conductor over his musicians is fascinating. With none of the excessive glamor of the star performer, Carlos Kleiber, with meticulous care for detail, creates clear instrumental textures, compelling rhythmic designs and magical moments of fine repose. This is spell-binding music-making. This is vintage Carlos Kleiber.
Brahms's sunny Second Symphony is as warm and lyrical as his First had been stormy and dramatic. It quite possibly reflects the idyllic nature around Lake Wörth in Austria, where Brahms composed it in the summer of 1877. Brahms himself, however, called attention to the melancholy current that undermines the pastoral serenity ("You’ve never heard anything as world-weary as this", he wrote to his friend Schubring). Despite the apparent simplicity of the symphonic writing, the work is strengthened and enriched by many thematic threads that run from one movement to another. It has been a special favorite among music lovers since its premiere in Vienna on 30 December 1877. The celebrated 19th-century music critic Eduard Hanslick wrote that it was for “all who long for good music, whether they understand its complexity or not”. Carlos Kleiber was born in Berlin on 3 July 1930, the son of the celebrated conductor Erich Kleiber. He was raised in Argentina after his family fled Nazi Germany. After the war, Kleiber went to Switzerland to study chemistry. His musical talent carried the day, however, and he made his conducting debut in Potsdam in 1954. He worked his way through the ranks of provincial opera houses, making longer stops in Düsseldorf, Zurich,...
Celebrating Strauss brings into focus the greatest interpreters of Richard Strauss's compositions. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences uniting appealing and enjoyable performances by legendary artists as Irmgard Seefried, Hertha Topper, Rita Streich and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Lovingly restored and digitally remastered the Classic Archive series offers a unique glimpse into our classical heritage featuring performances by celebrated artists of the past including complete full-lengths programmes and comprehensive booklet information.
A joyful celebration welcoming the New Year, this Gala from Berlin presents the world-renowned Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, in Carl Orff's famous Carmina Burana , an intensely dramatic cantata that remains one of the most widely performed works from the twentieth century. With an exceptional vocal line-up ?EUR" soprano Sally Matthews, tenor Lawrence Brownlee and baritone Christian Gerhaher ?EUR" this is an energetic and thrilling performance. Beethoven's Leonore No. 3 overture and Handel's supreme Hallelujah Chorus are also included.
In this day and age, the rhythm of the earth is changing drastically. For this reason a suspension in time, a dialogue, is necessary before we can return to ourselves, to our connection with nature and the animal world. A chamber opera to feel the rhythm again, both our own and that of the world around us.
Il Ritmo della Terra ('The Rhythm of the Earth') is a chamber opera. The music, as it develops, takes the listener on a journey back to a spring-like state, a state of purity. The earth's needs, as well as our own, are rapidly changing and a suspension in time is necessary for an introspective dialogue before we can return to ourselves, to our connection with nature and the animal world. Mariangela Gualtieri's texts are precious gifts, reflections and reminiscences that lead the listener on his or her own journey.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world’s greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's New Year's Eve Concert in 2000 set the mood for the centenary of Giuseppe Verdi's (1813-1901) death with a selection of the composer's most popular tunes. The orchestra presented excerpts from Rigoletto , La Traviata , Un ballo in maschera and Falstaff . The programme also included the ball scene from act III of Don Carlo ?EUR" a scene that is seldom staged. With singers Andrea Rost, Ramon Vargas, Alan Titus and Lucio Gallo, a cast of internationally celebrated Verdi singers gathered for this Gala Evening led by maestro Claudio Abbado. The outstanding Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the virtuoso Prague Radio Choir provided music of the highest order on this very special evening.
Apres un reve (1878) is one of Faure's most popular songs, a longing for dreams of a mysterious night, and an elusive, ecstatic love that withers in the light of day.
The instrumental song-without-words omits the text by Romain Bussine, who adapted an anonymous Italian poem. Faure's Papillon was published
in 1898, but commissioned fourteen years earlier. This short encore piece oscillates between virtuosic moto perpetuo writing, the butterfly wings flapping in flight, and a soaring melody in the cello accompanied by a descending bass line in the piano.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's annual summer concert at the Waldbühne in Berlin is legendary. Recorded live on 25 June 2000, the Millenium concert gathered more than 22,000 people in one of the most appealing outdoor amphitheatres in Europe for one of the most popular classical music concerts in the world. Kent Nagano named his programme of popular and rather unusual music from the 20th century "Rhythm and Dance." It turned out to be an inspiring combination of classical pieces, show tunes, pops, and Far Eastern music, all brought together in a tasty musical stew and rightly labelled as one of the most exciting programmes ever performed at the Waldbühne. It featured Gershwin classics with an outstanding performance by the American mezzo soprano Susan Graham, music by Ravel and the soundtrack to the successful Chinese film "Farewell My Concubine." Nagano injected the performance with so much sensuality and pulsing life that the audience rose to beat time with their feet and to gave him standing ovations.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's annual summer concert at the Waldbühne in Berlin is legendary. Recorded live on 25 June 2000, the Millenium concert gathered more than 22,000 people in one of the most appealing outdoor amphitheatres in Europe for one of the most popular classical music concerts in the world. Kent Nagano named his programme of popular and rather unusual music from the 20th century "Rhythm and Dance." It turned out to be an inspiring combination of classical pieces, show tunes, pops, and Far Eastern music, all brought together in a tasty musical stew and rightly labelled as one of the most exciting programmes ever performed at the Waldbühne. It featured Gershwin classics with an outstanding performance by the American mezzo soprano Susan Graham, music by Ravel and the soundtrack to the successful Chinese film "Farewell My Concubine." Nagano injected the performance with so much sensuality and pulsing life that the audience rose to beat time with their feet and to gave him standing ovations.
Beethoven's Missa solemnis is the one work the composer admired above all his compositions. It was written for his great patron and friend Archduke Rudolf of Austria at around the same time that he embarked on his Ninth Symphony and as the writer Donald Tovey noted, 'there is no choral and no orchestral writing, earlier or later, that shows a more thrilling sense of the individual colour of every chord.
This video is a documentary of Heinz Holliger, the leading oboist of our day. As a composer Holliger has become a classic exponent of musical modernism, while as an oboist and conductor he is one of the most inspirational figures on the contemporary music scene. Here too we encounter him here as an enthusiastic guide through each of the work that recorded with the Keller Quartet in a private concert for the home viewer recorded at the Musik-Akademie in Basel in 2005. The programme is made up of four exceptionally interesting works, starting with Mozart's Quartet for oboe, violin, viola and cello K 370 , a kind of crypto-concerto that the 25 year-old composer wrote in Munich in 1781. The next work is another early piece, Benjamin Britten's Phantasy op. 2 for oboe and string quartet, which was composed in 1932, when the composer was 19. Holliger too was only 17 when he wrote his own Oboe Sonata in 1956?EUR"7, a work that strikes up a strange conversation between the oboist and his instrument. Bohuslav Martinu's Fantasia for theremin, oboe, string quartet and piano is a mature work dating from 1945, when the composer was already 55 years of age. It was written for an instrument that is something like a pioneer of electronic instruments, invented by the engineer Lev...
The Missa solemnis , scored for four solo voices, chorus, orchestra and organ, is one of the world's greatest choral works. It blends an age-old religious service with a musical outpouring of human emotions in an intensely personal manner. As with other musical forms, Beethoven altered, expanded and shaped the mass until it corresponded to his creative needs. Beethoven conceived the mass for a religious occasion, the installation of Archduke Rudolf as Archbishop of Olmütz in 1820. However, he did not complete it in time and the work was given its premiere in St. Petersburg on 7 April 1824. In his score, Beethoven wrote the words "From the heart... may it find its way to the heart" (vom Herzen - möge es wieder zu Herzen gehen!). Indeed, the work's dramatic, almost volcanic fervor never fails to go to the heart of all listeners.
This work is part of the complete cycle of Beethoven symphonic and choral works featuring the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam conducted by Leonard Bernstein. In this recording with the Dutch orchestra, Bernstein also conducts the soloists Edda Moser, Hanna Schwarz, René Kollo and Kurt Moll, along with the Chorus of Radio Hilversum.
Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth) was one of Mahler's later symphonic works, written in 1908. Mahler often used the human voice as an adjunct to the orchestra in his symphonic writing. Das Lied von der Erde borrowed as a framework Hans Bethge's German translation of six poems by the 18th-century Chinese poet Li-Tai-Po. The songs have been described as "the valedictory of a man who loved life and nature and who knew the bittersweet nostalgia of passing youth and beauty." The work was recorded at the Frederic Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under Leonard Bernstein. The program's soloists are Christa Ludwig, alto, and René Kollo, tenor.
Singer, pianist and conductor Michel Legrand, a living film music legend, presents his most famous scores, jazz tunes and chansons on this video. Not many composers can claim to have written for both Edith Piaf and the James Bond films - and it's precisely this fusion of European romance and Hollywood dynamism that has made Legrand one of the soundtrack world's best known names. His career spans half-a-century and over 200 films, and he has received three Oscars and five Grammys. He has worked with many of the 20th century's greatest artists, including Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Barbra Streisand, Edith Piaf, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles and has collaborated with French Nouvelle Vague directors Jean-Luc Godard and Claude Chabrol as well as Hollywood masters Clint Eastwood and Orson Welles. Recorded live in Brussels in 2005, this recording features music from Yentl , The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg , The Three Musketeers , Summer of '42 , Never Say Never Again , Edith and Ray's Blues to name but a few.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
The first two performances on this video feature David Oistrakh in one of his favourite performing partnerships, with his son, violinist Igor Oistrakh. Bach's Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 formed the duo's first foreign engagement whilst Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante was performed two years later in a sell-out performance at the Royal Albert Hall. Kirill Kondrashin, one of Oistrakh's preferred conductors, directs Brahms' Violin Concerto in D major, which has all the warmth and confidence one would expect from a classic Oistrakh recording.
Carl Maria Giulini was known for his unique way of interacting with an orchestra. He said of himself that it wasn't his intention to enforce authority, but to "arrive at human contact" with the musicians. It is this very spirit that makes the present recording a virtual treat for music lovers, uniting the legendary conductor, and the superb Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus and the four soloists, soprano Ilva Liguabue, mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry, tenor Sandor Konya and bass Raffaele Arie, in a wonderful and dramatic performance. Exquisite contrasts of the characters, divine voices of the singers, saturated and rich sound of the brass section and the perfectly blended harmony of the entire ensemble create an unforgettable and a true once-in-a-lifetime experience of Verdi's Messa da Requiem .
Johann Sebastian Bach's most famous Christmas work has been recorded live at the Salle Henry Le Boeuf in the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. Who would have thought, three centuries ago, that all six cantatas, written by Bach for services from Christmas to the Epiphany, would one day be performed as a single work presenting the Christmas story? Internationally-renowned Bach expert Philippe Herreweghe, who founded the Collegium Vocale in 1970, surrounded himself with superb soloists.
Ton Koopman, a leading authority on Baroque music, gathered his favourite orchestra and eminent Baroque singers for a concert focusing on the Magnificat , the traditional prayer said by the Virgin Mary after hearing that she would bear God's son. Bach's Magnificat - his greatest choral work - is programmed together with one of his most beautiful cantatas and a lesser-known baroque gem by Bach's predecessor at St. Thomas' Church, Johann Kuhnau, to form a concert in honour of the spiritual power of Baroque music. The concert was performed at St. Thomas' in Leipzig, the church for which Bach conceived most of his works. The recording captures the atmosphere of the impressive church and shows the musicians "at work". The film also focuses on Ton Koopman, offering insights into his friendly and encouraging conducting style.
Dutch organist and harpsichordist Ton Koopman is one of the most distinguished Bach interpreters of our time. On this video, he is featured interpreting Johann Sebastian Bach's greatest organ works, including the popular Toccata in D minor and the Fugue in G minor . He plays on the world-famous Silbermann Organ in Freiberg (Saxony). The organ was completed in 1714 and thoroughly restored in 1982/1983 and it closely retains its original condition. Bach adored his contemporary Gottfried Silbermann's organs for their exquisite sound and the recording allows the listener to enjoy this sound to the full while offering a closer look at this marvellously crafted instrument. In the second part of this video Ton Koopman is "At Home with Bach!" He plays favourite harpsichord pieces and accompanies the eminent Bach singer Klaus Mertens in popular arias. This programme was filmed in the enchanting Gohlis Castle near Leipzig, a late baroque jewel built in 1755.
This "intermezzo giocoso" for bass and orchestra by Domenico Cimarosa features Maurizio Muraro in the solo part. The conductor is Ton Koopman. The Dutch musician was born in 1944 and ranks among the outstanding specialists in the field of historical performance practice. He studied organ, harpsichord and musicology in Amsterdam and turned to conducting during his training. From the very beginning, he used original instruments and combined theory and practice into a fascinating, historically well-founded interpretation of the works. In 1979 he founded the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. He is the principal conductor of the Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra. As a performing artist and teacher, Koopman has made decisive contributions to the renaissance of the music of the 17th and 18th centuries. He has published many books and articles, teaches at the Conservatory of The Hague and is an honorary member of the Royal Music Academy in London. The Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg goes back to the "Dom-Musik-Verein und Mozarteum" founded in 1841. Since 1938 it has been an independent institution with professional musicians. It has been the orchestra of the city and the Land of Salzburg since 1958 and, in addition to its activity as opera and concert orchestra, it also performs regularly...
Luba Orgonasova hails from Slovakia and sings at all the major opera houses of the world. She is one of the most sought-after interpreters of the lyrical and coloratura parts of opera and concert literature. She was one of Herbert von Karajan's last discoveries: in 1990 she sang the part of Marzelline (Fidelio) at the Salzburg Festival – a role that marked the beginning of her meteoric career.
The Dutch musician Ton Koopman was born in 1944 and ranks among the outstanding specialists in the field of historical performance practice. He studied organ, harpsichord and musicology in Amsterdam and turned to conducting during his training. From the very beginning, he used original instruments and combined theory and practice into a fascinating, historically well-founded interpretation of the works. In 1979 he founded the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. He is the principal conductor of the Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra. As a performing artist and teacher, Koopman has made decisive contributions to the renaissance of the music of the 17th and 18th centuries. He has published many books and articles, teaches at the Conservatory of The Hague and is an honorary member of the Royal Music Academy in London. The Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg goes back to the Dom-Musik-Verein und...
The Dutch musician Ton Koopman was born in 1944 and ranks among the outstanding specialists in the field of historical performance practice. He studied organ, harpsichord and musicology in Amsterdam and turned to conducting during his training. From the very beginning, he used original instruments and combined theory and practice into a fascinating, historically well-founded interpretation of the works. In 1979 he founded the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. He is the principal conductor of the Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra. As a performing artist and teacher, Koopman has made decisive contributions to the renaissance of the music of the 17th and 18th centuries. He has published many books and articles, teaches at the Conservatory of The Hague and is an honorary member of the Royal Music Academy in London.
The Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg goes back to the Dom-Musik-Verein und Mozarteum founded in 1841. Since 1938 it has been an independent institution with professional musicians. It has been the orchestra of the city and the Land of Salzburg since 1958 and, in addition to its activity as opera and concert orchestra, it also performs regularly at the Salzburg Festival and the Mozartwoche.
After his trip to Paris in 1778, Mozart spent only two and a half more years in...
Koroliov's performances of Bach's music usually arouse great excitement and his rendering of Bach's famous 30 variations is no exception. Koroliov is a consummate artist and he captivates his listeners with an enormous spiritual understanding of the works he performs and in whose service he sets the wide range of his artistic and interpretive abilities. It is the constant switch between tension and relaxation in dynamic and tempo and the breathtaking intensity of his interpretation that makes the listener truly understand Bach.
Artist-in-residence for the 2022 season, pianist Yuja Wang meets the Czech Philharmonic, conducted by Semyon Bychkov.
The centrepiece of this exciting evening is the Glagolitic Mass , a late masterpiece by Leos Janacek . The programme opens with Agnus Dei for choir without orchestral accompaniment by Martin Smolka , followed by Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor.
Kimmo Pohjonen is one of the cutting-edge accordion virtuosi and composers of our time. After having heard a record of Pohjonen's during their concert tour in Finland, Kronos Quartet – who is well known for breaking new musical ground – decided to get in touch with him. The Kronos/Kluster project entitled Uniko is a mutually beneficial sonic/visual adventure with this goal: to create unique and never-before-heard sounds from accordion and strings. "The Making of Uniko" is a short documentary giving an insight into the collaboration between Kimmo Pohjonen, who has taken the accordion to new dimensions, his Kluster partner Samuli Kosminen, Finland's sampling guru, and the world's most revolutionary string quartet – the Kronos Quartet.
The Waldbühne in Berlin, one of the most appealing outdoor amphitheatres in Europe, is the home of the Berlin Philharmonic's annual summer concert. With over 22,000 in attendance, these are some of the most popular classical music concerts in the world.
On this recording, Estonian conductor Neeme Järvi takes the audience on a trip through A Thousand and One Nights. Works by Grieg, Rimsky-Korsakov, Nielsen, Saint-Saëns and Massenet explore Arabian images in music. High-ranking soloists like rising star Dutch violinist Janine Jansen join the outstanding orchestra. Neeme Järvi can be counted as one of the world's leading musical personalities, having conducted more than 350 CD productions. Recorded live at the Waldbühne Berlin in 2006, Sheherazade offers a sensational concert to all those who want to relive the atmosphere of a this relaxed and high-quality open-air event.
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
In 1974, the Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition was inaugurated in Tel Aviv, and for this event Tansman composed a two-movement work which he called Hommage a Arthur Rubinstein in honour of his famous Polish compatriot and old friend.
Four decades after bursting onto the European musical scene, American pianist Stephen Kovacevich remains one of the great living soloists. He has appeared on concert stages worldwide, esteemed for his interpretative mastery of the classical canon. His extensive repertoire includes works spanning from the Baroque to the modern era.
For his first collaboration with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, the marvelous Sir Simon Rattle conducts works by two favorite composers, including the most famous compatriot of the esteemed ensemble, Antonin Dvorak ! His symphonic poem The Golden Spinning Wheel , based on a folk ballad recounting a story of deception, magic, and revenge, opens the evening before magnificent mezzo Magdalena Kozena and tenor Simon O'Neill join the festivities in Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth) .
The EUROPAKONZERT is the annual celebration of the founding day of the Berliner Philharmoniker on May 1st. The purpose of this unique series is to perform concerts at places which have a special cultural history and compel through their stunning architecture. The EUROPAKONZERT has lead the Berliner Philharmoniker all over Europe to some of the most beautiful sceneries. This remarkable concert, performed at the historical Spanish Hall at Prague Castle on 1st May 2013 features Sir Simon Rattle and Czech mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kozena performing Ralph Vaughn William's Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 Pastoral and Antonin Dvorak's Biblical Songs .
The most spectacular homage to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on his 250th birthday in 2006 was incontestably the presentation of all of his operas and operatic fragments at the Salzburg Festival, "Mozart 22." Recorded on film, this monumental project has been preserved for posterity as a benchmark of Mozart interpretation in the early 21st century. The Mozart Gala held at the Felsenreitschule on 30 July 2006, in the first days of the 2006 Salzburg Festival, presents a kind of microcosm of the Mozart festivities, with a selection of arias and orchestral music performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Daniel Harding and featuring some of the top vocalists of the 2006 Salzburg Festival.
A sampling of exquisite hors d'oeuvres prepared by the most outstanding musical chefs! Internationally celebrated soprano Anna Netrebko lives up to her reputation as a fiery, dramatic diva in her passionate rendition of Elettra's aria "D'Oreste, d'Aiace" from Idomeneo. Thomas Hampson, one of the greatest baritones of our time, burnishes Guglielmo's aria "Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo" from Cosi fan tutte with his full, rich, mellow tone. Leading Mozart tenor Michael Schade appears twice, in arias from Don Giovanni and La clemenza di Tito. A particularly bright moment awaits listeners when Rene...
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
Playing on Fritz Kreisler's own 'Bergonzi' violin (from c.1740), the brilliant young violinist Henning Kraggerud presents a programme of Kreisler's compositions for violin. Filmed in the intimate surroundings of Oslo's historic Old Lodge, this is a world premiere recording of many of these arrangements for violin and orchestra. Kraggerud introduces the works himself, and leads the Oslo Camerata in a sparkling, thrilling concert.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote his Violin Concertos in 1775 while still living in his home town of Salzburg and in service to Prince-Archbishop Hieronymus Colloredo. Mozart had already toured internationally and found his parochial environment restricting, but as ever he rose above circumstances to create sublime and thrillingly unconventional masterpieces filled with wit and charm. The finely sustained melodic expression of each concerto's slow centre provides the perfect foil for Inventive sparkle in outer movements that include a cheeky reference to the opera Il re pastore, K. 216 , and an exotic moment in the finale of Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major, K. 219, "Turkish"
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
Recorded live in the Museum Quarter in Vienna in January 2006, this concert was inspired by the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose 250th birthday made this year a celebratory Mozart Anniversary all over the world. With artists like singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, rock flutist Ian Anderson (formerly of Jethro Tull), the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and conductor Andrey Boreyko, this musical event proved to be a true crossover experience. All outstanding musical personalities in their field, the performers interpret Mozart's compositions in their personal musical languages whilst preserving the fascinating original spirit of Mozart. They produce a rousing, electrifying melange of classical, jazz and pop culture that shows that the impact of Mozart's music reaches far beyond the boundaries of classical music and can still reach the broad public of the 21st century. This is a must for crossover enthusiasts in the Mozart Year!
Appalachian Journey Live in Concert captures three of the world's most extraordinary musicians and some very special guests at their sold out performance at New York City's Avery Fisher Hall. The unique and compelling trio of cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Mark O'Connor and bassist Edgar Meyer reaches a whole new level of artistic and technical prowess as they weave their way through a wide variety of musical genres.
When Bach was in the service of Prince Leopold in Cöthen, he had his own orchestra and was contracted to compose a great deal of instrumental music. This gave him an opportunity to try new techniques and to develop his own instrumental style. The six Brandenburg Concertos belongs to these masterpieces for a small ensemble. This joyously infectious performance of these famous landmarks in the history of music by the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra demonstrates both the musical satisfaction and the high professional standard that can be reached with period instruments. The performance was given in the Bach Anniversary Year 2000 ?EUR" 250 years after his death ?EUR" in the elegant Hall of Mirrors at Cöthen Castle. The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra?EUR(TM)s members all have virtuoso skills. They take the spotlight gracefully for solos but also play with the true ensemble spirit required by the music. Their decision to perform without a conductor revives an eighteenth century practice.
Bonus features:
Cello Suite No.5, BWV 1011: Sarabande
Hille Perl, viola da gamba
Coffee Cantata, BWV 211: Die Katze lässt das Mausen nicht
Madeleine Vogt, soprano
Matthias Schubotz, tenor
Holger Krause, bass
Members of the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Back(h) in Cöthen
The composer Alban Berg (1885-1935), a pupil and associate of Schoenberg, lived in the mainstream of well-to-do Austrian society. His marriage to the beautiful Helene was thought to be made in heaven. But how can this doyen of Viennese respectability be reconciled with the composer who wrote the dark operas Wozzeck and Lulu?
Soprano Kirstine Ciesinki, who features in specially-staged extracts from Lulu and Wozzeck and sings "Nacht" from Seven Early Songs, travels to Vienna, Prague, the USA and German to investigate Berg's life.
An all Bartok programme featuring one of the leading violinists - Gidon Kremer - and one of the world's leading viola players - Yuri Bashmet. Accompanied by the Berlin Philharmonic conducted by Pierre Boulez.
Bela Bartok's Dance Suite is an orchestral work composed in 1923 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the union between Buda, Pest and Obuda. At that time, three composers were commissioned new scores: Bela Bartok composed his Dance Suite, Erno Dohnanyi composed the Festival Overture and Zoltan Kodaly composed his Psalmus Hungaricus . Rejecting any kind of nationalism, Bartok draws freely his inspiration from Romanian, Arabian and Hungarian folk music for his piece.
Dedicated to the violinist Stefi Geye, the Violin and Orchestra Concerto No. 1 is one of the two concertos composed by Bela Bartok. The concerto avoids the traditional concerto's division in three movements and opts for a two-part division, the former being slow, the latter fast. Though the Violin Concerto No. 1 was composed in 1907, it was only published in 1959 thanks to Paul Sacher.
During July and August 1945, Bartok composed his Viola Concerto when he was in terminal leukemia. This concerto, unfinished at the composer's death, is the last work composed by Bartok. His pupil Tibor Serly...
We are not a couple in the traditional sense. And that is exactly what is so paradoxical - a musical couple can become even more intimate with one another than a couple in love. This is how Gidon Kremer describes his long partnership with Martha Argerich.
In 2006, these two exceptional musicians set out on tour performing solos and duets by Bartok and Schumann . The last of the concert series at the Berliner Philharmonie has been recorded for this program, featuring a rare solo performance by Martha Argerich. A concert film with personal and moving commentary by Gidon Kremer.
Gidon Kremer celebrates his 60th birthday in 2007 - he is, and has always been, one of the most headstrong and original artists in the music business. His return to J. S. Bach's partitas is a major event as Kremer's first recording of these works was released almost a quarter of a century ago, and he hasn't played the partitas in public for over twenty years. Those who have followed Gidon Kremer's artistic development over the past 25 years will note how much his tone and articulation have changed. The new rendering displays Kremer's very personal sense of spontaneity and a readiness to take risks. In the early 1980s, after being declared persona non grata in the Soviet Union, Kremer moved to the West and made a recording of the solo partitas. The record went down in music history and for decades was a benchmark in the music guild. The young virtuoso was catapulted to fame virtually overnight in the Western world and hailed as the world's best violinist by Herbert von Karajan. This recording features the Violin Partita Nos.1, 2, and 3 , recorded at the Pfarrkirche Lockenhaus in 2002 and the documentary Back to Bach . The film includes rare archival footage and tells in a very personal way of Gidon Kremer's encounters with Bach's music, accompanying the famous violin virtuoso...
Born in Riga in 1947, Gidon Kremer is not only one of the leading
violinists in the world, but also - thanks to his unquenchable curiosity and search for new impulses - one of the most fascinating musical personalities of our time. His repertoire ranges from Bach to the present, whereby a number of contemporary composers have achieved international recognition through his commitment. Since 1997 Kremer has devoted a large part of his activities to the chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica, which he founded. The ensemble consists of young musicians from the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; the average age of its members is 25. The debut of the chamber orchestra in February 1997 corresponded with the 50th birthday of its founder. With this orchestral project, Kremer wants to pass on his artistic experiences to young musicians of his native country and to draw international attention to the outstanding musical situation of the Baltic nations. The Kremerata Baltica performs in all of the world's major musical venues.
This little work was written by Mozart in Salzburg in January 1776. What sets this work apart from other serenades is its scoring for two small orchestras, which produces a deliberate echo effect. One can almost imagine the courtly guests bantering...
Born in Riga in 1947, Gidon Kremer is not only one of the leading violinists in the world, but also – thanks to his unquenchable curiosity and search for new impulses – one of the most fascinating musical personalities of our time. His repertoire ranges from Bach to the present, whereby a number of contemporary composers have achieved international recognition through his commitment. Since 1997 Kremer has devoted a large part of his activities to the chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica, which he founded. The ensemble consists of young musicians from the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; the average age of its members is 25. The debut of the chamber orchestra in February 1997 corresponded with the 50th birthday of its founder. With this orchestral project, Kremer wants to pass on his artistic experiences to young musicians of his native country and to draw international attention to the outstanding musical situation of the Baltic nations. The Kremerata Baltica performs in all of the world's major musical venues.
The Violin Concertos K. 211, 216, 218 and 219 were all composed within a few months, between June and December 1775, while Mozart was in the employ of the Archbishop of Salzburg. The Violin Concerto No. 2 radiates a distinctly galant atmosphere reminiscent of the French style of violin playing. Dazzling and elegant, it gives the soloist luminous passages such as the minor-key melody in the first movement and the main melody of the Andante. The concluding Rondo again recalls the brilliance of the French style. After having devoted himself to Baroque music for many years, Nikolaus Harnoncourt began turning increasingly to the orchestral works of Mozart in the 1980s. Here, too, Harnoncourt's views differed radically from those of traditional Mozart reception. For him, Mozart is "the most romantic composer of all," his music "dramatic, dynamic, often strikingly and exceedingly emotional."
In Gidon Kremer, Harnoncourt found a partner who shared his views. The German-Russian violin virtuoso has also sought his own path in his Mozart interpretations. In 1970 the then 23-year-old virtuoso attained the first peak of his career by winning the first prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. He has since become one of the most sought-after violinists in the world. It...
Born in Riga in 1947, Gidon Kremer is not only one of the leading violinists in the world, but also – thanks to his unquenchable curiosity and search for new impulses – one of the most fascinating musical personalities of our time. His repertoire ranges from Bach to the present, whereby a number of contemporary composers have achieved international recognition through his commitment. Since 1997 Kremer has devoted a large part of his activities to the chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica, which he founded. The ensemble consists of young musicians from the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; the average age of its members is 25. The debut of the chamber orchestra in February 1997 corresponded with the 50th birthday of its founder. With this orchestral project, Kremer wants to pass on his artistic experiences to young musicians of his native country and to draw international attention to the outstanding musical situation of the Baltic nations. The Kremerata Baltica performs in all of the world's major musical venues.
In a career now spanning more than a quarter of a century, Gidon Kremer has confirmed his reputation as an artist of international stature and as a markedly individual personality. Kremer was born in Riga, Latvia, in 1947. At the age of 18, he auditioned for David Oistrach and was one of the few pupils chosen by the maestro to study under him at the Moscow Conservatory. In 1967 Kremer won his first international prize at the Reine Elisabeth Competition in Brussels. This was followed by further awards in Montreal and Genoa, and culminated in the first prize at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1970. In 1981 Kremer founded the Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festival, where he gathers around him a varying, but always dynamic group of chiefly young musicians to discover new pieces and rediscover the standard works through new interpretations. Kremer is also actively committed to contemporary composers from Russia and Eastern Europe, such as Schnittke, Denisov, Gubaidulina and Pärt. In this recording, Kremer not only plays the solo part, but also leads the renowned English Chamber Orchestra. The recording was made in April 1981 in the splendid Baroque library of the monastery in Polling near Munich.
Born in Riga in 1947, Gidon Kremer is not only one of the leading
violinists in the world, but also - thanks to his unquenchable curiosity and search for new impulses - one of the most fascinating musical personalities of our time. His repertoire ranges from Bach to the present, whereby a number of contemporary composers have achieved international recognition through his commitment. Since 1997 Kremer has devoted a large part of his activities to the chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica, which he founded. The ensemble consists of young musicians from the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; the average age of its members is 25. The debut of the chamber orchestra in February 1997 corresponded with the 50th birthday of its founder. With this orchestral project, Kremer wants to pass on his artistic experiences to young musicians of his native country and to draw international attention to the outstanding musical situation of the Baltic nations. The Kremerata Baltica performs in all of the world's major musical venues.
This little work was written by Mozart in Salzburg in January 1776. What sets this work apart from other serenades is its scoring for two small orchestras, which produces a deliberate echo effect. One can almost imagine the courtly guests bantering...
Born in Riga in 1947, Gidon Kremer is not only one of the leading violinists in the world, but also – thanks to his unquenchable curiosity and search for new impulses – one of the most fascinating musical personalities of our time. His repertoire ranges from Bach to the present, whereby a number of contemporary composers have achieved international recognition through his commitment. Since 1997 Kremer has devoted a large part of his activities to the chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica, which he founded. The ensemble consists of young musicians from the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; the average age of its members is 25. The debut of the chamber orchestra in February 1997 corresponded with the 50th birthday of its founder. With this orchestral project, Kremer wants to pass on his artistic experiences to young musicians of his native country and to draw international attention to the outstanding musical situation of the Baltic nations. The Kremerata Baltica performs in all of the world's major musical venues.
Born in Riga in 1947, Gidon Kremer is not only one of the leading violinists in the world, but also – thanks to his unquenchable curiosity and search for new impulses – one of the most fascinating musical personalities of our time. His repertoire ranges from Bach to the present, whereby a number of contemporary composers have achieved international recognition through his commitment. Since 1997 Kremer has devoted a large part of his activities to the chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica, which he founded. The ensemble consists of young musicians from the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; the average age of its members is 25. The debut of the chamber orchestra in February 1997 corresponded with the 50th birthday of its founder. With this orchestral project, Kremer wants to pass on his artistic experiences to young musicians of his native country and to draw international attention to the outstanding musical situation of the Baltic nations. The Kremerata Baltica performs in all of the world's major musical venues.
Little is known about the origin of the Mass No. 6 other than that Schubert wrote it in 1828, just a few months before his death. He does not seem to have had a specific performance in mind, and the work was only premiered in November 1829, a year after his death. Critics have since given the Mass an honored place among the composer's great works, many ranking it as his finest church composition. Although Schubert calls for five soloists (soprano, alto, two tenors and bass), the Mass is essentially a choral Mass. The composer calls for a large orchestra, including three trombones, but he omits the flutes and keeps the violins in their lower register, thereby giving the piece a dark, shaded tone.
Schubert's E flat major Mass was recorded at the Court Music Chapel (Hofmusikkapelle) in Vienna in June 1976. The eminent conductor Karl Böhm leads the Vienna Philharmonic and the male choir of the Hofmusikkapelle. The upper registers are provided by the world-renowned Vienna Boys' Choir. The distinguished soloists are Walter Berry, Peter Schreier and Hans Krenn.
One of the foremost British ensembles, the Kreutzer Quartet specializes in new music and has already made many recordings for Metier and other labels. This superb film is not only the record of brilliant performances of major modern quartets and fine entertainment, it is also a valuable and rewarding tool for observing how the layers of an ensemble communicate and interact, especially in works like that of Lutoslawski which allow performers a degree of choice. Above all it is a demonstration that music very often should be seen as well as heard.
The Kreutzer Quartet is one of the premier quartets in Europe and every year gaining more of a reputation for the championing of contemporary composers while not ignoring the classical and Romantic repertoire.
Kreutzer Quartet are Peter Sheppard Skaerved (violin); Mihailo Trandafilovsky (violin); Morgan Goff (viola); Neil Heyde (cello)
Spirits of Music is an unusual musical journey through centuries and cultures, featuring multiple Grammy Award winner Bobby McFerrin , violin virtuoso Nigel Kennedy , soprano Sibylla Rubens and the Gewandhaus Orchestra with music from Bach to Mozart and Verdi . Magnificent examples of religious music come from artists as Kroke the Kuumba Singers, Mari Boine, Bulgarian Voices Angelite and the Ensemble Al-Kindi one of the best formations devoted to classical Arab music. This extraordinary musical journey, which took place on one evening at the Leipzig Market Square is completed by the Cuban a capella group Vocal Sampling, consisting of musicians from Havana's National Superior Institute of arts, who are celebrating their very own interpretation of Afro-Cuban music.
Kimmo Pohjonen is one of the cutting-edge accordion virtuosi and composers of our time. After having heard a record of Pohjonen's during their concert tour in Finland, Kronos Quartet – who is well known for breaking new musical ground – decided to get in touch with him. The Kronos/Kluster project entitled Uniko is a mutually beneficial sonic/visual adventure with this goal: to create unique and never-before-heard sounds from accordion and strings. "The Making of Uniko" is a short documentary giving an insight into the collaboration between Kimmo Pohjonen, who has taken the accordion to new dimensions, his Kluster partner Samuli Kosminen, Finland's sampling guru, and the world's most revolutionary string quartet – the Kronos Quartet.
Over fifty years ago, an isolated landscape on the edge of the Pacific in Sonoma County became the site of The Sea Ranch, a great experiment in land development and intentional community planning. The Sea Ranch Songs is an immersive evening of cinema and live performance by Kronos Quartet that pays tribute to the spirit, nature, and architecture of this magical place.
Commissioned in celebration of The Sea Ranch's 50th birthday (2014-2015), The Sea Ranch Songs is a lush contemporary composition by composer Aleksandra Vrebalov that features documented sounds from the coastal community and is coupled with an evocative cinematic exploration by videographer Andrew Lyndon. Reaching far beyond the visible landscape, the multimedia work delves into The Sea Ranch's metaphysical geography and considers this rare place where people and nature are harmoniously intertwined.
Rafael Kubelik (1914-1996) was the son of the well-known Bohemian violinist Jan Kubelik. He studied music in Prague and made his conducting debut at 20 at the head of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. Later he became the principal conductor of this famous orchestra and founded the "Prague Spring" Festival. After the Communist takeover of the government, Kubelik emigrated to the West and returned to his native land only after the end of the Communist regime. From 1950 to 1953 he headed the Chicago Symphony, from 1955 to 1958 he was music director of the Covent Garden Opera in London. A period of great artistic successes began in 1961, when he was appointed principal conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Many recordings document Kubelik's mastery and sense of artistry, his enjoyment of music and his temperament. His connection with the Munich orchestra lasted 18 years; in between, he also briefly served as music director of New York's Metropolitan Opera. Kubelik retired from the concert staged in 1985. But on the occasion of the first Prague Spring Festival after the fall of Communism in 1990, he returned to the podium of the Czech Philharmonic after more than 40 years in exile and conducted Smetana's My Fatherland cycle. His profound bonds with his native land...
Rafael Kubelik was a full-blooded musician. Every performance of his radiated a feeling of spontaneity, impulsiveness and joy. Kubelik died in Lucerne in August 1996 at the age of 82 after a long illness. Bruckner’s Fourth had a tortuous history, beginning with a first version in 1874 and leading to a number of revisions, both major and minor, culminating in a heavily cut first publication of the score in 1889. This first edition, however, violated Bruckner’s express wishes that the score be printed in its entirety. After World War II, a new scholarly edition was published and is generally used for performances to this day. Rafael Kubelik leads the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in this recording.
Rafael Kubelik (1914-1996) was the son of the well-known Bohemian violinist Jan Kubelik. He studied music in Prague and made his conducting debut at 20 at the head of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. Later he became the principal conductor of this famous orchestra and founded the Prague Spring Festival. After the Communist takeover of the government, Kubelik emigrated to the West and returned to his native land only after the end of the Communist regime. From 1950 to 1953 he headed the Chicago Symphony, and from 1955 to 1958 he was music director of the Covent Garden Opera in London. A period of great artistic successes began in 1961, when he was appointed principal conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Many recordings document Kubelik's mastery and sense of artistry, his enjoyment of music and his temperament. His connection with the Munich orchestra lasted 18 years; in between, he also briefly served as music director of New York's Metropolitan Opera. Kubelik retired from the concert stage in 1985, but on the occasion of the first Prague Spring Festival after the fall of Communism in 1990, he returned to the podium of the Czech Philharmonic after more than 40 years in exile and conducted Smetana's My Fatherland cycle. His profound bonds with his native land...
Master Class with Hermann Prey recorded at the Richard-Strauss-Tage Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1997. Exclusively covered were Lieder by Richard Strauss . Piano accompaniment by Fritz Schwinghammer.
"Ich will euch trosten" (I will comfort you), sings the soprano in Brahms's Ein deutsches Requiem. Indeed, this is music of comfort, not of lamentation. With this work, Mariss Jansons is continuing the Requiem ritual started in 2011 to allow listeners to contemplate the transience of life at the beginning of autumn. Rather than using the standard Latin mass text, however, Brahms selected his own text from the Bible. He completed the work after the death of his mother. Following the premiere, the music critic Hanslick wrote, "Since Bach's Mass in B Minor and Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, nothing in this vein has been written which is comparable to Brahms's Ein deutsches Requiem. " It was this work, which became immensely popular, that truly established Brahms as a composer.
The Kuijken Ensemble, made up of the three Belgian Kuijken brothers on flute, violin and viola da gamba and the harpsichordist Robert Kohnen count among the most distinguished of all present-day early-music specialists. They have long since branched out into conducting and other far-reaching ways of propagating authentic Baroque style. But they are each masters of a different set of instruments, so their occasional reunions for concerts become genuine occasions. With The Musical Offering , played here in a rigorously reduced scoring, they demonstrate their great flair for style and their long-standing experience and although they don?EUR(TM)t look at all alike, their shared musical heritage is audible. Bach?EUR(TM)s late masterpiece The Musical Offering (1747) is a musical homage written on the occasion of Bach?EUR(TM)s visit to King Frederick the Great of Prussia in Potsdam. Recorded in the beautiful setting of the historical Old Town Hall in Leipzig during the Bach anniversary year in 2000, the film captures some of the atmosphere of Bach?EUR(TM)s times.
Completed in 1894, Gustav Mahler's Second Symphony counts amongst his most popular compositions.
It took the composer six years to complete this large-scale work which was started under very unusual circumstances. In 1886, Mahler had a vision of his own funeral; the dream inspired what was to become the Symphony's first movement, which he entitled Todtenfeier (Funeral Rite).
Unable to decide whether the work should be a separate tone poem or the first movement of a full symphony, he did not resume composition until 1893, finishing all but the last movement. For the conclusion of his Symphony, Mahler wanted to incorporate the human voice. The inspiration for this came when he attended the memorial service for the conductor Hans von B?low, which included a religious ode Auferstehung (Resurrection) by the German poet Friedrich Gottlieb Klopstock (1724-1803).
This performance of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony is performed by Ivan Fischer and the Budapest Festival Orchestra. Fischer is known for his superlative interpretations of Mahler with an attention to detail and a musicianship which are served by some of the finest European instrumentalists gathered in 'his' orchestra.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 5: Relationships in Music
Robert Schumann's wife Clara was herself a gifted pianist and composer. She became a lifelong friend and source of inspiration for Schumann's protege Johannes Brahms. This program will explore the turbulent musical and emotional relationships between these three, and the masterpieces that they produced.
Program 6: The Living Art Form
This program explored the creation of new concertos and the artistic process. Outstanding young soloists and leading American composers are featured in performance and in interviews.
Spirits of Music is an unusual musical journey through centuries and cultures, featuring multiple Grammy Award winner Bobby McFerrin , violin virtuoso Nigel Kennedy , soprano Sibylla Rubens and the Gewandhaus Orchestra with music from Bach to Mozart and Verdi . Magnificent examples of religious music come from artists as Kroke the Kuumba Singers, Mari Boine, Bulgarian Voices Angelite and the Ensemble Al-Kindi one of the best formations devoted to classical Arab music. This extraordinary musical journey, which took place on one evening at the Leipzig Market Square is completed by the Cuban a capella group Vocal Sampling, consisting of musicians from Havana's National Superior Institute of arts, who are celebrating their very own interpretation of Afro-Cuban music.
To mark the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth, Russian born arranger Paul Struck has arranged two of the composer's great mid-period chamber masterpieces for soloist and string ensemble. The Cello Sonata No. 3 equally succeeds in conceiving the piano part for ensemble, while exploring fullness of sound and maintaining transparency of texture.
Beethoven used an extended scherzo form in which the trio is heard twice in a contrasting major key between the three appearances of the scherzo section in a minor key. The scherzo theme acquires a rhythmic shift through syncopation, gaining enormous energy in the version for string ensemble.
Beethoven's most important chamber work for violin - allows the sonata's concertante quality to emerge in a new light. The Cello Sonata No. 3 equally succeeds in conceiving the piano part for ensemble, while exploring fullness of sound and maintaining transparency of texture. Beethoven achieved the greatest possible balance between cello and piano, which Paul Struck has transferred with a sensitive touch to his arrangement for solo cello and string ensemble.
Featuring the third movement, instead of a slow movement, Beethoven composed a short, dreamlike introduction to the lively final rondo, which spurred all participants to render a joyful performance.
To mark the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth, Russian born arranger Paul Struck has arranged one of the composer's great mid-period chamber masterpiece for soloist and string ensemble. Expanding the sonorities of the Kreutzer Sonata - Beethoven's most important chamber work for violin - allows the sonata's concertante quality to emerge in a new light together with the passionate eagerness of the young musicians of the LGT Young Soloists. They have set out to express the freshness and vivacity that is inherent to Beethoven's music.
After a quarrel with virtuoso violinist George Bridgetower, Beethoven dedicated Sonata No. 9 to the French violinist Rodolphe Kreutzer, who is known to players as the author of the Kreutzer Etudes. Unfortunately, Rodolphe Kreutzer never performed the Sonata: to him, a famous violin teacher, it seemed unplayable.
Featuring the second movement, which unfolds multi-faceted variations with an underlying pastoral mood. In the first variation the string ensemble is dominant, while the solo violinist shines in the second, a pizzicato accompaniment from the strings adding charming tonal colour. The third variation plays out in a minor key, while in the fourth, the theme dissolves into figures and trills, to an intricate accompaniment by the string ensemble.
Presto , the final movement is the starting point for the creation of the Kreutzer Sonata . It was the first of the three movements to be composed, and the vivacity of its tarantella rhythm is fascinating. Through skillful contrapuntal interweaving between the solo violin and the strings, it generates a power that is positively explosive.
Katia and Marielle Labeque received their first piano tuition at ages three and five and the sisters are famous for their unusual duo precision, their great musicality and the breadth of their repertoire. In this concert they perform with Il Giardino Armonico, a leading Italian ensemble specializing in period performing practice. Katia and Marielle Labeque throw themselves into the works with their typical verve and enthusiasm, demonstrating symbiotic synchrony and facile (facile means inconsequential, shallow - negative word) technique. With its unmistakable sound Il Giardino Armonico is one of today's most notable Baroque ensembles. Colourful, individualistic and stylish, it has won an enthusiastic international following and truly excels in performing Baroque music for a 21st century audience. The programme includes a wide variety of music by three different composers, all performed on historical instruments at the Vienna Musik Verein. One of the unique elements of this performance - recorded in the Bach Anniversary year 2000 - is the use of the fortepiano for Bach's keyboard concertos. This instrument, which Bach undoubtedly knew, and probably owned, is rarely used in Bach performances, yet the sound it offers is far more interesting than a modern piano. Together with...
Katia and Marielle Labeque received their first piano tuition at ages three and five and the sisters are famous for their unusual duo precision, their great musicality and the breadth of their repertoire. In this concert they perform with Il Giardino Armonico, a leading Italian ensemble specializing in period performing practice. Katia and Marielle Labeque throw themselves into the works with their typical verve and enthusiasm, demonstrating symbiotic synchrony and facile (facile means inconsequential, shallow - negative word) technique. With its unmistakable sound Il Giardino Armonico is one of today's most notable Baroque ensembles. Colourful, individualistic and stylish, it has won an enthusiastic international following and truly excels in performing Baroque music for a 21st century audience. The programme includes a wide variety of music by three different composers, all performed on historical instruments at the Vienna Musik Verein. One of the unique elements of this performance - recorded in the Bach Anniversary year 2000 - is the use of the fortepiano for Bach's keyboard concertos. This instrument, which Bach undoubtedly knew, and probably owned, is rarely used in Bach performances, yet the sound it offers is far more interesting than a modern piano. Together with...
This selection of music for Christmas brings together East and West in the collaboration of Winchester College Chapel Choir and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Recorded live in Hong Kong in December 2004, this disc features a selection of perennial favourites from the Baroque period, including Bach cantatas and Handel's Messiah , and three exquisite modern carols.
In 2022, Musiques en fete celebrates love in music! with the 8,000 spectators at the Theatre Antique in Orange for an amazing show! Opera, operetta, musical comedy, classical music, film music, dance, as well as the greatest hits of French song... Through an eclectic programme, a tribute to love and to all music will be paid by prestigious soloists and more than 150 orchestral musicians and choral artists.
In 2018, Pianomania! brought iconic, internationally renowned pianists to Lisbon for a keyboard extravaganza. These electrifying highlights show the performers' incredible variety in six first-class concerts from the Grand Auditorium of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, beginning with the moving Piano Concerto by Robert Schumann . For Daniil Trifonov, Schumann is "important in the heart of any pianist," to which his deeply felt and mature rendition attests.
Next up, Menahem Pressler, at age 94, brings a lifetime's worth of experience and emotion to the haunting second movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 , "the most intimate and the most heartwarming" Mozart work, capable of "elevating [a pianist] up to heaven."
Young star Beatrice Rana brings pyrotechnic panache to Stravinsky's Firebird before Elisabeth Leonskaja's Beethoven , brimming with passion, gives way to Mario Laginha's Concerto for Two Pianos with the composer himself as soloist, accompanied by Pedro Burmester.
To mark the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth, Russian born arranger Paul Struck has arranged one of the composer's great mid-period chamber masterpiece for soloist and string ensemble. Expanding the sonorities of the Kreutzer Sonata - Beethoven's most important chamber work for violin - allows the sonata's concertante quality to emerge in a new light together with the passionate eagerness of the young musicians of the LGT Young Soloists. They have set out to express the freshness and vivacity that is inherent to Beethoven's music.
After a quarrel with virtuoso violinist George Bridgetower, Beethoven dedicated Sonata No. 9 to the French violinist Rodolphe Kreutzer, who is known to players as the author of the Kreutzer Etudes. Unfortunately, Rodolphe Kreutzer never performed the Sonata: to him, a famous violin teacher, it seemed unplayable.
Featuring the second movement, which unfolds multi-faceted variations with an underlying pastoral mood. In the first variation the string ensemble is dominant, while the solo violinist shines in the second, a pizzicato accompaniment from the strings adding charming tonal colour. The third variation plays out in a minor key, while in the fourth, the theme dissolves into figures and trills, to an intricate accompaniment by the string ensemble.
Presto , the final movement is the starting point for the creation of the Kreutzer Sonata . It was the first of the three movements to be composed, and the vivacity of its tarantella rhythm is fascinating. Through skillful contrapuntal interweaving between the solo violin and the strings, it generates a power that is positively explosive.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical usic events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season.
Yuja Wang, Leonidas Kavakos, and Gautier Capucon get the ball rolling with Mendelssohn's Piano Trio No. 2 , followed by Leonidas Kavakos and Joshua Bell performing a Ysaye Duo Sonata . Denis Matsuev, Julian Rachlin, and Roby Lakatos tackle Vittorio Monti's Csardas , transcribed for two violins and piano. Brahms' Piano Quartet follows, featuring Kissin, Repin, Bashmet, and Maisky. Finally, as the cherry on the cake, legendary pianists Martha Argerich and Evgeny Kissin bring Lutoslawski's Variations sur un theme de Paganini with head-spinning virtuosity.
The French pianist Adam Laloum, winner of the 2009 Clara Haskil competition, is quickly becoming an international star, described by Le Monde as "a young pianist, yet already a great artist and poet." Age is certainly no barrier for Laloum, who has already played at many of the major venues in Europe. His impressive debut at the 2010 Verbier Festival is shared here in a live recording. Laloum's sensitive and expressive playing is perfect for this programme of nineteenth- and early twentieth-century works for solo piano, which includes pieces by Schubert, Schumann, Brahms and Debussy.
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra presents a magical journey to the meeting places of baroque art and music - visit five European homes where exquisite works by Bach, Handel, Vivaldi and Marais are played against a backdrop of gorgeous paintings by Vermeer, Canaletto and Watteau . Beautifully filmed in Toronto, at the Handel House in London UK and in the gondolas, historic buildings and cafes of Venice, Italy. This is a totally memorized performance by the virtuoso players of Tafelmusik.
Against the backdrop of St Petersburg's beautiful Court Capella, Eldar Nebolsin performs the piano concertos of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov with a passion and sincerity as palpable on screen as live in the hall. With such evident pleasure and seemingly with ease, he transforms the familiar into something fresh and wonderful. He is seen live with Vladimir Lande and the St Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra. Bonus material shows Nebolsin as soloist in an intimate and equally engaging performance of Beethoven's Fourth Piano Sonata.
This is the accomplished and stylish Russian debut of Tianwa Yang - one of the most unusual and energetic violinist of our time. To an enthusiastic audience within the walls of the beautiful Court Capella in St Petersburg, she performs the much-loved concertos of Tchaikovsky and Brahms with the St Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra under the sensitive direction of Vladimir Lande. The remarkable intensity of her playing is just as apparent in both her encore - Ysaye's Violin Sonata No. 3 - and her separate performance of Bach's solo Partita No. 2.
Claudio Monteverdi's Fourth Book of Madrigals (1603) explores differing emotional states of abandoned lovers through the most dramatic and amazingly modern music for vocal ensemble. The Full Monteverdi follows the simultaneous break-up of six couples through shocking revelation, vengeful anger and erotic longing for reconciliation. Vulnerable and disarming, this ensemble film will draw you into its emotional journey and intensely moving portrait of contemporary love.
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Since going on sale in November 2012, tickets for classical pianist Lang Lang's solo recital at the Royal Albert Hall on November 15th 2013 sold out within 48 hours, a record for a recital by any classical musician at the venue in recent times. C Major is delighted to be able to preserve his performance for the screen, so his many worldwide fans have a chance to experience the programme. His repertoire includes Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 5 in G major, KV 283 - Piano Sonata No. 4 in E flat major, KV 282 EUR" Piano Sonata No. 8 in A minor, KV 310 ; Frederic Chopin's Ballade No. 1 Op 23 in G minor EUR" Ballade No. 2 Op 38 in F Major EUR" Ballade No. 3 Op 47 in A flat EUR" Ballade No. 4 Op 52 in F minor. and many more.
"The most popular pianist on the planet" (CNN) performs at the
stunning Musikverein in Vienna, recorded for the first time at a special TV recital!
"For me, there are few halls around the globe that have the same
prestige as Carnegie Hall and the Musikverein. Of course there are
other great halls, but I always feel these two have a unique place in
people's hearts. So I felt that after Carnegie Hall, the Musikverein
would be the place where I should do another live recordings." (Lang
Lang)
The programme also includes special backstage features, interviews
and much more.
"To his millions of fans worldwide the 27-year-old Chinese musician is
a God-like star, whose skill and energetic performance style put him
in a league of his own."(CNN)
On January 27th, 2006 the Chinese piano-phenomenon Lang Lang celebrates the birthday of W.A. Mozart with a performance of the Piano Concerto No. 24 in the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing. The China Philharmonic Orchestra is conducted by Long Yu. The Forbidden City Concert Hall (formerly known as the Beijing Music Hall, Zhongshan Park) is situated inside the walls of the Forbidden City, among the well-manicured gardens of Zhongshan Park, directly adjacent to Tiananmen Square.
Legendary pianist Lang Lang performs Beethoven, Chopin, Prokofiev and Albeniz in his very unique way. In personal interview situations he explains his individual access to the different pieces. Original and extraordinary - these words describe both the artist and the setting of the shooting: Berlin, Europe's current capital of underground culture and music with spectacular locations. Shot using state-of-the-art 3D technology the audience will experience a fascinating concert-like experience and see and hear the famous artist like they've never done before. It will be an unforgettable half hour where performing art in perfection meets modern technology.
World-famous Chinese pianist Lang Lang had barely celebrated his 21st birthday at the time of his 2003 Carnegie Hall debut recital.
The young pianist from Shenyang, China first gained international attention for his performance of a Tchaikovsky piano concerto at the Ravinia Festival gala in 1999, when he replaced soloist Andre Watts at the last minute. With a flamboyant style and virtuosic technique, Lang Lang's early performances quickly rocketed him to the top, and while his showmanship has sometimes led to mixed critical reception, he has since risen above those early antics to become a confirmed darling of the international classical music world.
In 2005, the Staatsoper Berlin and its orchestra, the Staatskapelle Berlin under musical director Daniel Barenboim, celebrated a series of events to celebrate the 80th birthday of French conductor and composer Pierre Boulez. Artistically associated for decades with Barenboim and Berlin, Pierre Boulez is one of today's most distinguished composers and conductors. As part of the celebration, Boulez conducted a performance of Mahler's "Resurrection" Symphony at the Berlin Philharmonie. With his uncompromising approach to the score, Pierre Boulez's Mahler readings have long fascinated critics and audiences alike. Boulez eschews the romanticized readings common in performance tradition and, instead, reveals the real joy and terror in Mahler's large-scale symphonies. The Berlin Staatskapelle, singers Diana Damrau and Petra Lang and the Berlin State Opera Chorus joined forces to bring his vision of this gargantuan piece to life. Watching Boulez conducting on his 80th birthday is truly an experience, and his interpretation presents a new perspective on a much-loved symphony.
This festive celebration concert from Berlin's Gethsemanekirche on the Day of German Unity also marks the 60th anniversary of the RIAS Kammerchor. Founded in 1948, this choir today enjoys a worldwide reputation as one of the best ensembles of its kind. Under the baton of their new chief conductor, Hans-Christoph Rademann, the RIAS Kammerchor and the Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin perform famous motets by Johann Sebastian Bach, interspersed with some fine instrumental movements from his cantatas.
In December 1989, the artists came together to record some of the early chamber works of Brahms. Part I of each volume focuses on the preparation, rehearsal and re-takes with artists providing commentary for the rehearsal section of each programme, while Part II captures the final record performance. Emanuel Ax, Isaac Stern, Jaime Laredo, and Yo-Yo Ma performed the actual recording session at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall in Troy New York.
With this, his only Bach recording, Herbert Blomstedt pays homage to Bach and the city of Leipzig. The video was recorded in 2005 at the Leipzig Bach Festival, which is widely regarded as the world's leading festival celebrating Johann Sebastian Bach. This concert of Bach's masterwork, at the end of his tenure as the 18th Gewandhauskapellmeister did not really mark the end of Blomstedt's fruitful collaboration with the traditional orchestra. The Swedish conductor will continue to act as an honorary musical director to the ensemble. Performed with leading Bach singers at St. Thomas' Church, Leipzig, the church for which Bach conceived his works, this homage to Bach was a touching farewell to Herbert Blomstedt from his Leipzig audience.
Bonus feature:
- Bach and his B minor Mass: An introduction by Herbert Blomstedt
Concert on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Bernard Haitink's collaboration with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
"It would be hard to find anything greater, more significant or more moving anywhere in musical life today: total harmony of mind and heart, poetry and outcry, fear and consolation, knowing and feeling," declared the Berne paper Der Bund after this stunning performance of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony in August 2003 by the newly founded Lucerne Festival Orchestra. Claudio Abbado had formed this ensemble from famous instrumentalists, celebrated chamber-musicians and experienced soloists from the world's best orchestras, and the event was sold out months in advance. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung reported: "Once again the applause at the end was unequalled; the immense final chord...broke a tension that had lasted over 90 minutes without relaxing for a moment."
This Claudio Abbado recording captures a very special night at the 2007 Lucerne Festival with the massive Third Symphony by Gustav Mahler (1860-1911). Ever since its debut in 2003, the Lucerne Festival Orchestra has been enthusiastically received by public and press alike. The orchestra is the realisation of a dream for Claudio Abbado, who handpicked famous soloists, chamber recitalists and orchestral musicians to form this ensemble. Time and again it has been praised for its extraordinary sound and refined playing in the finest spirit of chamber music under the direction of the exceptional Italian conductor. The line-up includes such luminaries as Kolja Blacher and Sabine Meyer, alongside sundry members of the world's great orchestras. The cello section alone boasts Natalia Gutman, Clemens Hagen and Valentin Erben. On this video, the viewer can join in the imposing experience of a live performance of Mahler's No.3 with its awesome silences and towering climaxes recorded in the acoustically superb Congress and Concert Hall Lucerne in August 2007. Mahler completed the symphony in 1896 and it counts among the longest ever composed, with a performance lasting at least one and a half hours. The popular work became famous through Luciano Visconti's film Death in Venice , where...
A live concert from Olivier Latry, the current holder of the Great Organ of Notre Dame. This performance of his, showcasing pieces of Bach, Vierne and Daquin , was recorded in 2015, at Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world’s greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto was written in 1958 by He Zhanhao and Chen Gang while they were students at the Shanghai Conservatory and was first performed in May the following year. Musically the concerto is a synthesis of Eastern and Western traditions, although the melodies and overall style are adapted from traditional Chinese opera. The solo violin is used in a way that recalls the playing technique of the erhu, the Chinese two-string fiddle. It is a one-movement programmatic concerto with three sections that correspond to the three phases of the story - Falling in Love, Refusing to Marry and Metamorphosis.
The Yellow River Concerto was based on the famous Yellow River Cantata by Xin Singhai, a work dating from the period of the Sino-Japanese War, and devised by the committee of composers then found advisable for such a task, Yin Chengzong, Liu Zhuang, Chu Wanghua, Sheng Lihong, Shi Shucheng and Xu Feisheng.
Resplendent in his powdered wig and 18th-century garb, Maestro Handel (aka Director of the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir Ivars Taurins) leads Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir, a stellar casts of soloists - soprano Suzie LeBlanc, countertenor Daniel Taylor, tenor Rufus Muller, and baritoen Locky Chung - and a mass audience choir made up of more than 1000 Tafelmusik fans as they perform Handel's baroque masterpiece.
A Toronto tradition beloved by thousands, Tafelmusik's annual Sing-Along Messiah has become a revered family ritual for many Torontonians over the past 25 years. Toronto's largest sing-along event, Tafelmusik's Sing-Along Messiah sells out every years, and participants are genuinely moved by the experience of joining their voices with hundreds of others to make music.
In a career now spanning more than a quarter of a century, Gidon Kremer has confirmed his reputation as an artist of international stature and as a markedly individual personality. Kremer was born in Riga, Latvia, in 1947. At the age of 18, he auditioned for David Oistrach and was one of the few pupils chosen by the maestro to study under him at the Moscow Conservatory. In 1967 Kremer won his first international prize at the Reine Elisabeth Competition in Brussels. This was followed by further awards in Montreal and Genoa, and culminated in the first prize at the Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow in 1970. In 1981 Kremer founded the Lockenhaus Chamber Music Festival, where he gathers around him a varying, but always dynamic group of chiefly young musicians to discover new pieces and rediscover the standard works through new interpretations. Kremer is also actively committed to contemporary composers from Russia and Eastern Europe, such as Schnittke, Denisov, Gubaidulina and Pärt. In this recording, Kremer not only plays the solo part, but also leads the renowned English Chamber Orchestra. The recording was made in April 1981 in the splendid Baroque library of the monastery in Polling near Munich.
Award-winning pianist Megumi Masaki's innovation and breadth of her artistic activity, dynamic temperament and "riveting and mind expanding" performances have earned her a reputation as a leading interpreter of contemporary music. She specializes in exploring how sound, image, text and movement can be integrated in love performances of multimedia works.
The Music 4 Eyes and Ears project presents new solo electronics video works written for Megumi Masaki. These works are designed to explore diverse concepts, performances techniques and technologies in live piano multimedia performance. Central to this project is how interaction of image, movement, text and sound can create new expressive potentials as a whole
A star-studded gala from the royal Albert Hall in London, featuring some of the greatest names from the world's of opera, ballet, musicals and flamenco.
Featuring Tito Beltran, June Anderson, Michael Ball, Maria Friesman, Anastasia Volvchkova, Paco Pena and Montse Cortes performing a program of works that includes arias from Turandot, Hamlet, La Traviata and Rigoletto , hits from The Phantom of the Opera, Follies and showboat plus excerpts from Don Quixote and some stirring flamenco pieces.
Recorded live in the wonderful Teatro Accademico Bibiena in Mantua, which was praised by Mozart as one of the best acoustics he experienced, TANGO INTIMO is performed by Finnish Violinist Linda Hedlund and Italian Harpist Floraleda Sacchi. Their emotionally intense playing and bravura is underlined by the enthusiastic answer of the Italian audience and by two special guest dancers: Roberto Herrera and Laura Legazcue. Music by Astor Piazzolla, Carlos Gardel, Richard Galliano , and Ennio Morricone arranged by Floraleda alternates lyrical and rhythmical passages. Roberto Herrera's solo with the Argentinian Boleadoras brings back the most lively folkloristic aspects of Tango.
Floraleda won a Latin Grammy in 2018 for her project with Claudia Montero Magica y Misteriosa dedicated also to Argentinian music. Linda Hedlund is one of the most renowned Finnish Violinists of her generation.
Baldassarre Galuppi's Mass for the Delivery of Slaves was written in 1765 for the choir of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, where the composer had recently been appointed music director. Written for soprano and alto solos, choir and orchestra, the Mass displays Galuppi's extraordinary (and previously largely unrecognized) contrapuntal mastery. Arguably, Galuppi's full talent as a composer is revealed more in his sacred works than those for the theatre. This is the world premiere recording of the work.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Mass in C Major KV317 , composed in 1779, needs little by way of introduction. The masterpiece here receives a fine interpretation by the Solisti Veneti conducted by Claudio Scimone.
Singer, pianist and conductor Michel Legrand, a living film music legend, presents his most famous scores, jazz tunes and chansons on this video. Not many composers can claim to have written for both Edith Piaf and the James Bond films - and it's precisely this fusion of European romance and Hollywood dynamism that has made Legrand one of the soundtrack world's best known names. His career spans half-a-century and over 200 films, and he has received three Oscars and five Grammys. He has worked with many of the 20th century's greatest artists, including Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Barbra Streisand, Edith Piaf, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles and has collaborated with French Nouvelle Vague directors Jean-Luc Godard and Claude Chabrol as well as Hollywood masters Clint Eastwood and Orson Welles. Recorded live in Brussels in 2005, this recording features music from Yentl , The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg , The Three Musketeers , Summer of '42 , Never Say Never Again , Edith and Ray's Blues to name but a few.
In this day and age, the rhythm of the earth is changing drastically. For this reason a suspension in time, a dialogue, is necessary before we can return to ourselves, to our connection with nature and the animal world. A chamber opera to feel the rhythm again, both our own and that of the world around us.
Il Ritmo della Terra ('The Rhythm of the Earth') is a chamber opera. The music, as it develops, takes the listener on a journey back to a spring-like state, a state of purity. The earth's needs, as well as our own, are rapidly changing and a suspension in time is necessary for an introspective dialogue before we can return to ourselves, to our connection with nature and the animal world. Mariangela Gualtieri's texts are precious gifts, reflections and reminiscences that lead the listener on his or her own journey.
Ravello Records presents ANIMATED SOUNDS, a multimedia release from composer Gheorghe Costinescu . The album showcases works by Costinescu from a varied and illustrious career spanning more than half a century.
The first half features pieces such as the virtuosic Sonata for the Piano and Essay in Sound , performed by pianist Stephen Gosling, and the expressive Voices Within , performed by violinist Vesselin Gellev. Eric Huebner performs two inventions from the larger work Evolving Cycle of Two-Part Modal Inventions for Piano , which uses the Baroque invention to explore Romanian folk music. Soprano Lucy Shelton, with Costinescu and Gosling at the piano, performs the bilingual song Why Do You Wail and Te Legeni and the cycle Nine Portraits from the Wild , which includes gestural directions for the singer.
The second half showcases Costinescu's work and collaborations in multimedia. His One-Minute Tribute: 9/11/2001 for percussion quartet is paired with his poignant animation of a photograph by Dan Nguyen of the installation Tribute in Light. An abstract animation by Michele Gagne complements Costinescu's pioneering electronic work Dots, Lines, and Patches , responding to its crackling, spontaneous sound world. Tai Chi on the Hudson , performed by the Voxare...
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
Celebrating the 85th birthday of the birth of the great Russian conductor Evgeny Svetlanov (1928-2002). This event was filmed in the magnificent room of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Evgueny Svetlanov has spent 35 years leading the Symphony orchestra of the Russian Federation, today nicknamed The Svetlanov .
Conducted by Vladimir Jurowski, its new Director, the concert gathers some of the most acclaimed artists: Yefim Bronfman, Tatiana Pavlovskaya, Vsevolod Grivnov, Serguey Leiferkus.
Leinsdorf's recordings of Mahler's symphonies on RCA Victor became benchmarks for both sound and performance quality. Intense, warm and expressive, this rendition of Mahler's First Symphony is a deeply personal account, whilst Till Eulenspiegel - a party piece during Leinsdorf's tenure - is performed with great precision and finesse by the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents an historic account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This video features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their Music Director, Erich Leinsdorf.
While the material has been restored using the greatest care and state-of-the-art techniques, certain visual artefacts and distortions remain in some instances due to the age of the film. Despite this, it remains of exceptional musical interest and historic value and is released here for the first time on DVD.
The BSO's Music Director for seven seasons, Leinsdorf had a long and distinguished career, having worked at the Metropolitan Opera, New York City Opera, Cleveland Orchestra and Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra in addition to his tenure at the BSO. A particular favourite of Leinsdorf's, the Schumann is powerful and precise under his direction, whilst the "Good Friday Music" is a warm and sensitive rendition from a great Wagnerian conductor. Schubert's Ninth Symphony is a new addition to his discography.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents an historic account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This video features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their Music Director, Erich Leinsdorf.
While the material has been restored using the greatest care and state-of-the-art techniques, certain visual artefacts and distortions remain in some instances due to the age of the film. Despite this, it remains of exceptional musical interest and historic value and is released here for the first time on video.
This 1969 performance of Tchaikovsky's Fifth Symphony has been the object of some attention from internet bloggers, with one site
featuring an almost complete audio recording of the performance. Readers were astonished at the intensity and drive behind Erich Leinsdorf's interpretation.
Bonus features:
A live performance at Sanders Theatre, Harvard in 1963, Leinsdorf and the BSO performed the second movement of Mozart's Serenade No. 9 in D Major, K. 320 .
Riccardo Chailly's inaugural concert as Kapellmeister of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in September 2005 was a feast of music by Mendelssohn, the orchestra?EUR(TM)s first conductor. Capturing the full atmosphere of this unique musical event, ths video includes an overwhelming performance of Mendelssohn's Second Symphony, "Lobgesang" with its celebratory choral last movement and the ever-popular overture A Midsummer Night's Dream ?EUR" both from critically revised new editions. Anne Schwanewilms and Peter Seiffert are the outstanding vocal soloists. The Gewandhaus Orchestra can look back on its history with pride - it has evolved into one of the world's most renowned orchestras working with the best international conductors. The bonus film Chailly in Leipzig: The Gewandhaus Orchestra welcomes its new Kapellmeister allows a glimpse into this new and fruitful relationship.
On the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the composer's death, crowds gathered at the Leipziger Gewandhaus to witness a world-class performance of one of Rossini's two large-scale, major choral works: The Petite Messe solennele. Riccardo Chailly - whose "genius for the Rossini style has ripened in the years" (Gramophone) - leads a spectacular ensemble of four internationally renowned singers, the combined forces of the Choir of the Leipzig Opera and the Gewandhaus Choir, and the Gewandhaus Orchestra; their harmonious, ethereal rendition receieves a heartfelt ovation that affirms the beguiling effect of the last of Rossini's "sins of old age."
The famous Thomanerchor Leipzig ?EUR" a traditional specialist in Bach's choral music ?EUR" is joined by the superb Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and excellent soloists to perform one of Bach's most acclaimed pieces of religious choral music, the Mass in B Minor .
Recorded in the Thomaskirche in Leipzig in summer 2000, this was one of numerous performances to celebrate the 250th anniversary of J.S. Bach's death in the church where he served as musical director. The artistry of the performers under the assured baton of conductor George Christoph Biller is exemplary and the state-of-the-art filming shows the serene gothic church in full splendour ?EUR" a fitting backdrop for the work that is generally regarded as the crowning glory of Bach's sacred choral music; a majestic work that showcases Bach's supreme craftsmanship and skill as a choral composer.
With this, his only Bach recording, Herbert Blomstedt pays homage to Bach and the city of Leipzig. The video was recorded in 2005 at the Leipzig Bach Festival, which is widely regarded as the world's leading festival celebrating Johann Sebastian Bach. This concert of Bach's masterwork, at the end of his tenure as the 18th Gewandhauskapellmeister did not really mark the end of Blomstedt's fruitful collaboration with the traditional orchestra. The Swedish conductor will continue to act as an honorary musical director to the ensemble. Performed with leading Bach singers at St. Thomas' Church, Leipzig, the church for which Bach conceived his works, this homage to Bach was a touching farewell to Herbert Blomstedt from his Leipzig audience.
Bonus feature:
- Bach and his B minor Mass: An introduction by Herbert Blomstedt
To celebrate his 80th birthday, Kurt Masur led "his" Gewandhaus Orchestra in a special gala concert in June 2007. For his birthday concert, Masur, currently principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestre National de France, chose a varied, celebratory programme with works by composers highlighting his conducting career in the United States, France and Germany. The night progressed with works by Bernstein, Bizet and Brahms and ?EUR" as a special present - a song from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess , sung by entertainer Harald Schmidt. At Kurt Masur's wish, the popular German TV entertainer, a former church musician, hosted the show, demonstrating his quick-witted humour and general knowledge of all aspects of music. Abounding in energy, alert as ever, Masur has been untiringly lending new impulses to the entire orchestral repertoire. From 1970 until 1996 he did so as Gewandhaus Kapellmeister of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, a position that has almost come to be identified with his name. He is still Conductor Laureate of the ensemble; the fact that he chose the orchestra for his birthday celebration expresses his gratitude and respect for the orchestra that accompanied him during momentous and troubled times. Kurt Masur had an eventful life - he was...
Riccardo Chailly's inaugural concert as Kapellmeister of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in September 2005 was a feast of music by Mendelssohn, the orchestra?EUR(TM)s first conductor. Capturing the full atmosphere of this unique musical event, ths video includes an overwhelming performance of Mendelssohn's Second Symphony, "Lobgesang" with its celebratory choral last movement and the ever-popular overture A Midsummer Night's Dream ?EUR" both from critically revised new editions. Anne Schwanewilms and Peter Seiffert are the outstanding vocal soloists. The Gewandhaus Orchestra can look back on its history with pride - it has evolved into one of the world's most renowned orchestras working with the best international conductors. The bonus film Chailly in Leipzig: The Gewandhaus Orchestra welcomes its new Kapellmeister allows a glimpse into this new and fruitful relationship.
One of the world's foremost violinists, Anne-Sophie Mutter is a musical celebrity known even by countless people who rarely listen to classical music. The artist and teacher, who promotes young musicians and commissions new works from contemporary composers, made her spectacular breakthrough under Herbert von Karajan at the 1977 Salzburg Easter Festival. She has since concertized at every major venue throughout the world. In 2008 she was awarded not only the prestigious Ernst von Siemens Music Award, but also the Leipzig Mendelssohn Award. The award ceremony in March 2008 was crowned by a gala concert at Leipzig's Gewandhaus with the Gewandhaus Orchestra under Kurt Masur, at which Mutter performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 presented here.
Mutter has performed the Violin Concerto several times in her career. Joining her in Mendelssohn's Violin Sonata is pianist Andre Previn, who is also an internationally renowned conductor and composer. Previn accompanied Mutter in several Mozart Trios that are part of her "Mozart Project." He and cellist Lynn Harrell now interpret the D minor Trio with her. This is a stunning anthology of chamber and orchestral music from one of the most vibrant composers of the early Romantic Era, performed by top artists of today!
On the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the composer's death, crowds gathered at the Leipziger Gewandhaus to witness a world-class performance of one of Rossini's two large-scale, major choral works: The Petite Messe solennele. Riccardo Chailly - whose "genius for the Rossini style has ripened in the years" (Gramophone) - leads a spectacular ensemble of four internationally renowned singers, the combined forces of the Choir of the Leipzig Opera and the Gewandhaus Choir, and the Gewandhaus Orchestra; their harmonious, ethereal rendition receieves a heartfelt ovation that affirms the beguiling effect of the last of Rossini's "sins of old age."
In summer 2006, the incomparable Martha Argerich presented an all-Schumann programme in honour of the great Romantic composer's anniversary year. Recorded live at the beginning of June 2006 at the Gewandhaus in Leipzig, the programme comprised favourite works for piano and orchestra including the Piano Concerto in A minor, the Symphony No. 4, excerpts from Kinderszenen, and works by Schumann in orchestrations by famous composers such as Tchaikovsky and Ravel. The legendary Argentinean pianist was accompanied by the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig under its new "Kapellmeister" Riccardo Chailly. Martha Argerich has long been hailed as a uniquely imaginative pianist, and she is definitely the right person to honor Schumann on the 150th anniversary of his death, as she is especially well-known for her interpretations of the 19th-century repertoire. She has been surrounded by an impermeable, almost mystical aura since the start of her career in the fifties ?EUR" she is uncompromising in her music making, and yet she is generous and beautiful ?EUR" and this recording bears witness to the deep musicality of this incredible artist.
Spirits of Music is an unusual musical journey through centuries and cultures, featuring multiple Grammy Award winner Bobby McFerrin , violin virtuoso Nigel Kennedy , soprano Sibylla Rubens and the Gewandhaus Orchestra with music from Bach to Mozart and Verdi . Magnificent examples of religious music come from artists as Kroke the Kuumba Singers, Mari Boine, Bulgarian Voices Angelite and the Ensemble Al-Kindi one of the best formations devoted to classical Arab music. This extraordinary musical journey, which took place on one evening at the Leipzig Market Square is completed by the Cuban a capella group Vocal Sampling, consisting of musicians from Havana's National Superior Institute of arts, who are celebrating their very own interpretation of Afro-Cuban music.
When Bach was in the service of Prince Leopold in Cöthen, he had his own orchestra and was contracted to compose a great deal of instrumental music. This gave him an opportunity to try new techniques and to develop his own instrumental style. The six Brandenburg Concertos belongs to these masterpieces for a small ensemble. This joyously infectious performance of these famous landmarks in the history of music by the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra demonstrates both the musical satisfaction and the high professional standard that can be reached with period instruments. The performance was given in the Bach Anniversary Year 2000 ?EUR" 250 years after his death ?EUR" in the elegant Hall of Mirrors at Cöthen Castle. The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra?EUR(TM)s members all have virtuoso skills. They take the spotlight gracefully for solos but also play with the true ensemble spirit required by the music. Their decision to perform without a conductor revives an eighteenth century practice.
Bonus features:
Cello Suite No.5, BWV 1011: Sarabande
Hille Perl, viola da gamba
Coffee Cantata, BWV 211: Die Katze lässt das Mausen nicht
Madeleine Vogt, soprano
Matthias Schubotz, tenor
Holger Krause, bass
Members of the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Back(h) in Cöthen
14 April 2009 witnessed the 250th anniversary of George Frideric Handel's death. On this unique occasion two of the world's leading Baroque orchestras, members of four distinguished choruses, three accomplished Handel interpreters as soloists, together with conductor and Handel-Preis winner Howard Arman paid homage to the composer by playing the repertoire of the historic first commemoration concert that took place in London's Westminster Abbey in 1784. This outstanding British-German performance in Halle's Marktkirche, where George Frideric was baptized, represents the media highlight of Handel Year 2009.
To celebrate his 80th birthday, Kurt Masur led "his" Gewandhaus Orchestra in a special gala concert in June 2007. For his birthday concert, Masur, currently principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestre National de France, chose a varied, celebratory programme with works by composers highlighting his conducting career in the United States, France and Germany. The night progressed with works by Bernstein, Bizet and Brahms and ?EUR" as a special present - a song from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess , sung by entertainer Harald Schmidt. At Kurt Masur's wish, the popular German TV entertainer, a former church musician, hosted the show, demonstrating his quick-witted humour and general knowledge of all aspects of music. Abounding in energy, alert as ever, Masur has been untiringly lending new impulses to the entire orchestral repertoire. From 1970 until 1996 he did so as Gewandhaus Kapellmeister of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, a position that has almost come to be identified with his name. He is still Conductor Laureate of the ensemble; the fact that he chose the orchestra for his birthday celebration expresses his gratitude and respect for the orchestra that accompanied him during momentous and troubled times. Kurt Masur had an eventful life - he was...
On the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the composer's death, crowds gathered at the Leipziger Gewandhaus to witness a world-class performance of one of Rossini's two large-scale, major choral works: The Petite Messe solennele. Riccardo Chailly - whose "genius for the Rossini style has ripened in the years" (Gramophone) - leads a spectacular ensemble of four internationally renowned singers, the combined forces of the Choir of the Leipzig Opera and the Gewandhaus Choir, and the Gewandhaus Orchestra; their harmonious, ethereal rendition receieves a heartfelt ovation that affirms the beguiling effect of the last of Rossini's "sins of old age."
The famous Thomanerchor Leipzig ?EUR" a traditional specialist in Bach's choral music ?EUR" is joined by the superb Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and excellent soloists to perform one of Bach's most acclaimed pieces of religious choral music, the Mass in B Minor .
Recorded in the Thomaskirche in Leipzig in summer 2000, this was one of numerous performances to celebrate the 250th anniversary of J.S. Bach's death in the church where he served as musical director. The artistry of the performers under the assured baton of conductor George Christoph Biller is exemplary and the state-of-the-art filming shows the serene gothic church in full splendour ?EUR" a fitting backdrop for the work that is generally regarded as the crowning glory of Bach's sacred choral music; a majestic work that showcases Bach's supreme craftsmanship and skill as a choral composer.
These live performances from Snape Maltings Concert Hall present some of the most popular classical characterization, and, in three works, the use of spoken texts to illuminate the narrative. Whether composed to amuse, entertain or educate, each possesses marvelous vitality, lyricism and bravura. The performances are conducted and narrated by Marin Alsop, one of the world's most inspirational musical communicators.
Gala in commemoration of the 150th birthday of Peter Tchaikovsky.
Gala in commemoration of the 150th birthday of Peter Tchaikovsky.
In 2018, Pianomania! brought iconic, internationally renowned pianists to Lisbon for a keyboard extravaganza. These electrifying highlights show the performers' incredible variety in six first-class concerts from the Grand Auditorium of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, beginning with the moving Piano Concerto by Robert Schumann . For Daniil Trifonov, Schumann is "important in the heart of any pianist," to which his deeply felt and mature rendition attests.
Next up, Menahem Pressler, at age 94, brings a lifetime's worth of experience and emotion to the haunting second movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 , "the most intimate and the most heartwarming" Mozart work, capable of "elevating [a pianist] up to heaven."
Young star Beatrice Rana brings pyrotechnic panache to Stravinsky's Firebird before Elisabeth Leonskaja's Beethoven , brimming with passion, gives way to Mario Laginha's Concerto for Two Pianos with the composer himself as soloist, accompanied by Pedro Burmester.
This opera gala, recorded live at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, on November 8, 2003, marked the 10th anniversary of the annual benefit for the German AIDS Foundation. Conducted by Kent Nagano, then Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Berlin Deutsche Symphony Orchestra founded 1923. This recording features an illustrious roster of international artists from Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, the United States and Canada.
Carl Maria Giulini was known for his unique way of interacting with an orchestra. He said of himself that it wasn't his intention to enforce authority, but to "arrive at human contact" with the musicians. It is this very spirit that makes the present recording a virtual treat for music lovers, uniting the legendary conductor, and the superb Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus and the four soloists, soprano Ilva Liguabue, mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry, tenor Sandor Konya and bass Raffaele Arie, in a wonderful and dramatic performance. Exquisite contrasts of the characters, divine voices of the singers, saturated and rich sound of the brass section and the perfectly blended harmony of the entire ensemble create an unforgettable and a true once-in-a-lifetime experience of Verdi's Messa da Requiem .
In many ways Gustav Mahler's Seventh and Eighth Symphonies are the most unusual works that the late Romantic composer ever wrote. The Seventh was the last in a series of middle-period pieces that were purely instruments in character. Two movements headed Nachtmusik and the remarkable writing for a guitar and mandolin help to create a sequence of darkly Romantic visions. And even within Mahler's markedly eclectic output, the Eighth Symphony enjoys the status of an exotic outsider thanks not only to its two-movement form combining an early medieval hymn and the final scene from Goethe's Faust but also to the vast forces for which it is scored, earning it the title of Symphony of a Thousand
This recital with the Lindsay String Quartet was recorded live at the Wigmore Hall, London and includes Haydn's Quartet, "The RIder", Tippett's Quartet No. 3 (premiered at Wigmre Hall on October 19, 1946) and Elgar's Quartet in E Minor, Op. 83 (premiered at Wigmore Hall)
The Lindsaus have a special relationship with the music Sir Michael Tippett and have recorded all his string quartets. They gave the world premiere of the Fourth in 1979, and commissioned and premiered the Fifth in Sheffield in May 1992.
The quartet plays on a remarkable set of instruments: Peter Cropper on a Stradivarius from the Golden Period and Robin Ireland on a Mori Costa viola c. 1810, while Ronald Birks and Bernard-Gregor Smith are fortunate to be loaned the Campo Selice Stradivarius of 1694 and a Ruggieri cello of the same year.
In 2018, Pianomania! brought iconic, internationally renowned pianists to Lisbon for a keyboard extravaganza. These electrifying highlights show the performers' incredible variety in six first-class concerts from the Grand Auditorium of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, beginning with the moving Piano Concerto by Robert Schumann . For Daniil Trifonov, Schumann is "important in the heart of any pianist," to which his deeply felt and mature rendition attests.
Next up, Menahem Pressler, at age 94, brings a lifetime's worth of experience and emotion to the haunting second movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 , "the most intimate and the most heartwarming" Mozart work, capable of "elevating [a pianist] up to heaven."
Young star Beatrice Rana brings pyrotechnic panache to Stravinsky's Firebird before Elisabeth Leonskaja's Beethoven , brimming with passion, gives way to Mario Laginha's Concerto for Two Pianos with the composer himself as soloist, accompanied by Pedro Burmester.
In this day and age, the rhythm of the earth is changing drastically. For this reason a suspension in time, a dialogue, is necessary before we can return to ourselves, to our connection with nature and the animal world. A chamber opera to feel the rhythm again, both our own and that of the world around us.
Il Ritmo della Terra ('The Rhythm of the Earth') is a chamber opera. The music, as it develops, takes the listener on a journey back to a spring-like state, a state of purity. The earth's needs, as well as our own, are rapidly changing and a suspension in time is necessary for an introspective dialogue before we can return to ourselves, to our connection with nature and the animal world. Mariangela Gualtieri's texts are precious gifts, reflections and reminiscences that lead the listener on his or her own journey.
Award-winning pianist Megumi Masaki's innovation and breadth of her artistic activity, dynamic temperament and "riveting and mind expanding" performances have earned her a reputation as a leading interpreter of contemporary music. She specializes in exploring how sound, image, text and movement can be integrated in love performances of multimedia works.
The Music 4 Eyes and Ears project presents new solo electronics video works written for Megumi Masaki. These works are designed to explore diverse concepts, performances techniques and technologies in live piano multimedia performance. Central to this project is how interaction of image, movement, text and sound can create new expressive potentials as a whole
World-renowned tenor Plácido Domingo is joined by Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna and a host of other international stars including Susan Graham, in the famously glittering 1996 Gala Concert on the stage of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Asher Fisch conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in a programme of many of the world's best-loved operatic arias with music by composers including Bizet, Massenet, Gounod, Mozart and Donizetti.
This performance represents the only existing film of Sir Adrian Boult conducting The Dream of Gerontius filmed in Canterbury Cathedral in 1968. It features a stellar cast of soloists: Dame Janet Baker, a leading interpreter of The Angel and John Shirley Quirk who, with Boult, recorded a definitive interpretation of Peter in The Kingdom .
The film uses the original BBC master which is far superior to the poor copies which have been in circulation over the years. The video also features a 60-minute documentary on Sir Adrian Boult as a bonus and was produced in 1989 by the BBC to celebrate Sir Adrian Boult's 100th anniversary.
This performance represents the only existing film of Sir Adrian Boult conducting The Dream of Gerontius filmed in Canterbury Cathedral in 1968. It features a stellar cast of soloists: Dame Janet Baker, a leading interpreter of The Angel and John Shirley Quirk who, with Boult, recorded a definitive interpretation of Peter in The Kingdom .
The film uses the original BBC master which is far superior to the poor copies which have been in circulation over the years. The video also features a 60-minute documentary on Sir Adrian Boult as a bonus and was produced in 1989 by the BBC to celebrate Sir Adrian Boult's 100th anniversary.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
This performance of Elgar's "Enigma" Variations forms an historic account of the first concert Sir Georg Solti conducted as chief conductor of the LPO in 1979. It is also the first video release with Solti performing Elgar's Symphony No. 2. Solti, who prepared new works by listening to Elgar's own recordings, identified closely with his music. The virtuoso playing of the orchestra combined with his fresh, energetic approach make for an exciting, uplifting experience.
Klaus Tennstedt (1926-1998), a renowned Mahlerian, conducted this live performance at the Royal Festival Hall a year after stepping down as the LPO's Principal Conductor.
Issued here for the first time on video, this live performance was hailed as "legendary" by Michael Manus in the Gramophone and has been released on CD by EMI.
Tennstedt's 1978 studio recording of Mahler's Fifth Symphony is described in one edition of the Penguin Guide as "an outstanding performance, thoughtful on the one hand, warm and expressive on the other."
This 1988 live performance is described in a later edition of the same guide as "more daring and more idiosyncratic than Tennstedt's earlier studio recording, but the tension is far keener. The experience hits one at full force. The emotional tension of the occasion is vividly captured."
This performance was the last time Tennstedt returned to Mahler 5 with the LPO and the highly personal and passionate interpretation justifies his reputation for outstanding live performances. According to Michael Manus, "The phenomenon that was Tennstedt in concert will never, can never, be recreated."
Master of the baton and one of Britain's leading conductors, Sir Adrian Boult was renowned for his interpretations of English works, in particular music by Ralph Vaughan Williams, who was said to be "totally in favour of Sir Adrian's approach to his music" (John Culshaw). Job: A Masque for Dancing was dedicated to Sir Adrian, a fitting conductor for this magnificent centenary celebration.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
A multitalented conductor, Previn leads the LSO in the first performance of Rachmaninov's The Bells at the BBC Proms with celebrated soloists Sheila Armstrong, Robert Tear and John Shirley-Quirk. All three performances on this video were recorded during Previn's eleven year tenure as Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, from which he received a Gramophone Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
This recording commemorates the 50th anniversary of Joaquin Achucarro's debut with the London Symphony Orchestra after winning the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic International Competition in 1959. Recorded at Jerwood Hall, St Luke's, London, with Britain's eminent conductor Colin Davis at the helm, Achucarro delivers a consummate performance that brilliantly expresses his delicate and passionate style.
Bonus features :
- Joaquin Achucarro: 50 Years On - A documentary including interviews with Placido Domingo, Simon Rattle and Zubin Mehta.
- Achucarro at the Prado - performances of solo pieces by Brahms, Chopin, Scriabin and Albeniz filmed in the beautiful setting of the Prado museum.
The collection Classic Archive presents great performances by legendary artists, remastered using the latest digital technology and enhanced with commentary for today's audiences. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences - appealing and enjoyable performances, that offer a unique glimpse into our classical music heritage. This Classic Archive episode brings into focus the greatest performers of Giuseppe Verdi's compositions.
This video from the Classic Archive collection presents two unreleased performances filmed by BBC television in 1977: celebrated pianist Martha Argerich plays Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 and the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1. Both pieces are technically demanding and prove to be an ideal vehicle for Argerich's musical inspiration, demonstrating why she is hailed as one of the world's leading musicians. She is joined by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andre Previn, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Sir Charles Groves, in two powerhouse performances that offer a unique glimpse into our classical music heritage.
At 88, Artur Rubinstein showed no trace of losing that quality of joie de vivre that had so fascinated audiences for almost three quarters of a century. The true Rubinstein sound, full and sonorous at every pitch, was always one of the distinctive marks of his playing ever since he began appearing in public. Rubinstein's performance of Grieg's ever-popular piano concerto, accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra under Andre Previn, is a perfect testimony of his notion of a "singing tone." With playing that is by turns vital and poetic, extroverted and reflective, rhapsodic and poised, this performance, filmed in April 1975 at London's Fairfield Hall, is Rubinstein at his warm-hearted, lyrical best.
Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 2 is the first of Mahler's symphonies to introduce voices - soprano, alto and chorus - into the orchestral texture, and the first to refer explicitly to his songs based on Des Knaben Wunderhorn. This it shares with the symphonies Nos. 3 and 4 as well, which stamps it as the first part of a trilogy. Mahler worked on it from 1888 to 1894 and conducted the first performance in Berlin on 13 December 1895.
Leonard Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major re-appreciation of Mahler's works.
A multitalented conductor, Previn leads the LSO in the first performance of Rachmaninov's The Bells at the BBC Proms with celebrated soloists Sheila Armstrong, Robert Tear and John Shirley-Quirk. All three performances on this video were recorded during Previn's eleven year tenure as Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, from which he received a Gramophone Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
Michael Tilson Thomas is an exceptional artist ?EUR" Music Director of the San Francisco and the New World Symphony Orchestras, Principal Guest Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra and winner of ten Grammy Awards, he is dynamic, stimulating and innovative. He is well known for his ability to make music accessible and appealing to wide audiences, and these two exciting performances are combined with extensive rehearsal footage and educational insight from a master communicator.
The ICA Classics Live series features performances from ICA's own artists recorded in prestigious venues around the world. The majority of the recordings are enjoying their first commercial release.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
This memorial concert took place at the Royal Albert Hall in April 1972 on the first anniversary of the death of Igor Stravinsky, 'that last great father-figure of Western music' (Leonard Bernstein). Bernstein called it an homage to Stravinsky's universality and chose the three featured masterpieces for their suggestion of 'the extraordinary range of his art'. Conducted by Bernstein, this electrifying, unique event is now being re-introduced to the public in DVD form.
These sensational accounts of The Rite of Spring and Sibelius's Symphony No. 5 were filmed for the BBC's historic Symphonic Twilight series, which introduced the British public to Leonard Bernstein's electrifying conducting. In performances that are thrilling and energetic, but also subtle and sensitive, Bernstein demonstrates his supreme understanding of these twentieth-century masterworks.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historical performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on here for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
Rediscover a classic of Czech music alongside a lesser-heard masterwork by experimental composer Luciano Berio ! The concert opens with the Italian's Sinfonia , interpreted with brio by the London Voices and a Czech Philharmonic in high form, under the baton of Maestro Semyon Bychkov. This fascinating choral symphony features eight amplified voices, singing and speaking texts extracted from Claude L?vi-Strauss, James Joyce, and Samuel Beckett - with a second movement in homage to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. - and also quotes musical works by Beethoven, Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, Schoenberg , and many other composers in its highly allusive third movement.
The evening's second half is dedicated to the music of Dvorak , with his Symphony No. 7 in D Minor as the centerpiece. This passionate work, dedicated to the London Philharmonic Society who had commissioned it, was an unmitigated success at its premiere and has continued to enchant audiences through the centuries-including this one at the Rudolfinum in Prague, where Dvorak himself conducted the Czech Philharmonic's first ever concert in 1896. Two of the Bohemian composer's spirited Slavonic Dances serve as encores to round out the program, which also includes a nod to Frank Sinatra...
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
...
This concert film made in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles in 1976 captures a memorable performance conducted by the doyen of American composers, Aaron Copland . It includes some of his greatest and most attractive music, from the patriotic flourish of Fanfare of the Common Man and the spirited orchestral Fantasy El salon Mexico , to the colloquial warmth of his suite from the opera The Tender Land . Of particular importance is the collaboration with the great Benny Goodman in the masterwork he commissioned and premiered, the Clarinet Concerto .
When the revered writer Alessandro Manzoni died in 1873, Verdi was unable to bring himself to attend the funeral. Instead he composed his monumental Messa de Requiem in Manzoni's memory and conducted its first performance on the first anniversary of the writer's death. In addition to its profound spirituality, the work also brings together all the finest qualities from Verdi's operas, qualities that include endless melodic lines and powerful musico-dramatic effects.
The present performance was recorded in Los Angeles' legendary Hollywood Bowl in August 2013 and brought together Ildebrando D'Arcangele, all of them at the top of their form.
"Gustavo Dudamel puts an intimate flourish on Verdi's Requiem", the Los Angeles Times writes about Dudamel's performance of Verdi's Requiem at the Hollywood Bowl. "A page was turned and a new chapter begun in the maturation of a music director." Dudamel is joined by a cast of high-class singers: Ildebrando D'Arcangelo, who regularly performs at La Scala, the Wiener Staatsoper, London's Royal Opera or the Salzburg Festival, the upcoming star tenor Vittorio Grigolo, who regularly guests at La Scala, Covent Garden, the MET etc., Michelle DeYoung, who performs with leading orchestras like the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra etc., and Julianna Di Giacomo, who regularly guests at the MET, the LA Opera an other international opera houses.
Gustavo Dudamel, designated music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, is acknowledged to be one of the most important conductors of his generation. On October 2009 he conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra at the Disney Concert Hall. On the programme was Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 1 in D major, "Titan" and the world premiere of City Noir, the latest work by Pulitzer Prize for Music winner John Adams.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic is widely regarded as the most contemporary minded, forward thinking, talked about and innovative, venturesome and admired orchestra in America. Dudamel made his U.S. conducting debut with the Los Angeles Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl on September 13, 2005. In April 2007, during a guest conducting engagement with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Dudamel was named the LAP's next music director as of the 2009-2010 season, succeeding Esa-Pekka Salonen.
This concert film made in the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles in 1976 captures a memorable performance conducted by the doyen of American composers, Aaron Copland . It includes some of his greatest and most attractive music, from the patriotic flourish of Fanfare of the Common Man and the spirited orchestral Fantasy El salon Mexico , to the colloquial warmth of his suite from the opera The Tender Land . Of particular importance is the collaboration with the great Benny Goodman in the masterwork he commissioned and premiered, the Clarinet Concerto .
For the 2014/15 Opening Night Concert and Gala, the Los Angeles Philharmonic paid loving tribute to composer John Williams , long a champion and close friend of the LA Phil. Gustavo Dudamel, an awestruck fan of the musical icon, led the orchestra in a cross-section of Maestro Williams' matchless canon.
When the revered writer Alessandro Manzoni died in 1873, Verdi was unable to bring himself to attend the funeral. Instead he composed his monumental Messa de Requiem in Manzoni's memory and conducted its first performance on the first anniversary of the writer's death. In addition to its profound spirituality, the work also brings together all the finest qualities from Verdi's operas, qualities that include endless melodic lines and powerful musico-dramatic effects.
The present performance was recorded in Los Angeles' legendary Hollywood Bowl in August 2013 and brought together Ildebrando D'Arcangele, all of them at the top of their form.
"Gustavo Dudamel puts an intimate flourish on Verdi's Requiem", the Los Angeles Times writes about Dudamel's performance of Verdi's Requiem at the Hollywood Bowl. "A page was turned and a new chapter begun in the maturation of a music director." Dudamel is joined by a cast of high-class singers: Ildebrando D'Arcangelo, who regularly performs at La Scala, the Wiener Staatsoper, London's Royal Opera or the Salzburg Festival, the upcoming star tenor Vittorio Grigolo, who regularly guests at La Scala, Covent Garden, the MET etc., Michelle DeYoung, who performs with leading orchestras like the New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra etc., and Julianna Di Giacomo, who regularly guests at the MET, the LA Opera an other international opera houses.
Two of opera greatest British stars, Dame Felicity Lott and Sir Thomas Allen , sing songs and duets by Schumann, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Bizet, Duparc, Saint-Saens and Faure from the Wigmore Hall, London.
Dame Felicity Lott has always had a special love for the song repertoire. As well as expertise in the songs of Strauss, Schubert, Schumann and Brahms she is also a master of French Melodies.
This concert, therefore, is especially suited to her talents. Sir Thomas Allen is, perhaps, best known as a singer of great Mozart roles. He is a star of all the great Opera houses: La Scala, Vienna and the Metropolitan to name but a few. He brings his unique dramatic talent and flair to these songs.
Sir Thomas is a much-acclaimed recitalist worldwide and his warm voice, capable of immense tenderness, is shown to its full advantage in this recital.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
The winner of the 1970 Chopin Piano Competition and one of the leading exponents of Chopin's works, Ohlsson displays brilliance and depth of feeling in this recital performance, filmed only four years after he won first prize. He demonstrates both subtlety and warmth of sound in his performance of Brahms's Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, where his technical mastery is also evident. This video features exhilarating and spontaneous interpretations from a true master of the piano.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
These characteristic Viennese waltzes, polkas and overtures represent some of the best moments from Viennese Night Prom concerts spanning a vintage period in their history. Classics featured on this recording include the Blue Danube Waltz , Radetsky March and "Csardas" and "Laughing Song" from Die Fledermaus , all performed with exuberance, good humour and panache by three conductors well suited to the genre.
The String Sextets Nos. 1 and 2 , composed in 1860 and 1864 were instrumental in cementing the composer's reputation, and they epitomize the melodic richness and compositional craftsmanship that would define all his chamber music. The first is full of life and colour; the second, with its beautiful Poco adagio at its heart, captures a characteristic chiaroscuro of texture and colour so typical of Brahms .
Claudio Abbado, who first conducted his new Lucerne Festival Orchestra in this Debussy concert in 2003, realised a dream come true with this exclusive ensemble of handpicked orchestral musicians and exceptional soloists such as Kolja Blacher, Emanuel Pahud and Sabine Meyer. This recording pays tribute to Claudio Abbado's vision and the Lucerne Festival orchestra's triumphant rebirth during the summer festival 2003.
The charismatic and inspiring Claudio Abbado and the mesmerising young pianist Yuja Wang, with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, hold the audience spellbound in this opening concert of the 2009 Lucerne Festival. Prokofiev's popular and vibrant Third Piano Concerto demonstrates the composer's sharp musical wit, and Yuja Wang is a brilliant exponent of the work. Following this, and chiming beautifully with the festival's theme of the relationship between art and nature, Mahler's First Symphony is given an illuminating and rapturously received performance.
"It would be hard to find anything greater, more significant or more moving anywhere in musical life today: total harmony of mind and heart, poetry and outcry, fear and consolation, knowing and feeling," declared the Berne paper Der Bund after this stunning performance of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony in August 2003 by the newly founded Lucerne Festival Orchestra. Claudio Abbado had formed this ensemble from famous instrumentalists, celebrated chamber-musicians and experienced soloists from the world's best orchestras, and the event was sold out months in advance. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung reported: "Once again the applause at the end was unequalled; the immense final chord...broke a tension that had lasted over 90 minutes without relaxing for a moment."
This Claudio Abbado recording captures a very special night at the 2007 Lucerne Festival with the massive Third Symphony by Gustav Mahler (1860-1911). Ever since its debut in 2003, the Lucerne Festival Orchestra has been enthusiastically received by public and press alike. The orchestra is the realisation of a dream for Claudio Abbado, who handpicked famous soloists, chamber recitalists and orchestral musicians to form this ensemble. Time and again it has been praised for its extraordinary sound and refined playing in the finest spirit of chamber music under the direction of the exceptional Italian conductor. The line-up includes such luminaries as Kolja Blacher and Sabine Meyer, alongside sundry members of the world's great orchestras. The cello section alone boasts Natalia Gutman, Clemens Hagen and Valentin Erben. On this video, the viewer can join in the imposing experience of a live performance of Mahler's No.3 with its awesome silences and towering climaxes recorded in the acoustically superb Congress and Concert Hall Lucerne in August 2007. Mahler completed the symphony in 1896 and it counts among the longest ever composed, with a performance lasting at least one and a half hours. The popular work became famous through Luciano Visconti's film Death in Venice , where...
Claudio Abbado has realised a dream with his new Lucerne Festival Orchestra. The orchestra, an exclusive ensemble of handpicked orchestral musicians, has set new standards in the field of classical music with exceptional soloists such as violinist Kolja Blacher, flutist Emanuel Pahud and clarinettist Sabine Meyer on the first desks. In August 2004 they performed in the Lucerne Festival Hall, presenting a programme that, once again, confirmed Claudio Abbado's fame as a supreme Mahler conductor. His long-time association with Mahler ensures a marvellous reading of the composer's Fifth and most popular Symphony, which became world-famous as the soundtrack to Visconti's film Death in Venice . An innovative special feature makes this audio-visually appealing video even more attractive. The film is shot using a multi-angle perspective, which enables the viewer to switch easily from the regular to the "Conductor" Camera thus experiencing Claudio Abbado from the orchestra's perspective. The is a wonderful homage to the interplay between orchestra and conductor celebrating the composer and a triumphant masterwork - Gustav Mahler's glorious Symphony No. 5 in C sharp minor .
Bonus feautres:
- Multi-Angle Feature - Conductor Camera
Claudio Abbado has realised a dream with his new Lucerne Festival Orchestra. The orchestra, an exclusive ensemble of handpicked orchestral musicians, opens up new dimensions in the interpretation of symphonic music with exceptional soloists such as violinist Kolja Blacher, cellist Natalia Gutman and clarinettist Sabine Meyer filling the first desks. Claudio Abbado is undeniably a supreme Mahler conductor and his recordings with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra have set new standards in interpretation of works by Gustav Mahler (1860?EUR"1911). His long-time association with the composer ensures a marvellous reading of the Sixth Symphony , especially as he has long been the work's most respected interpreter. The sixth symphony ?EUR" first performed in 1906 and sometimes referred to as Tragic ?EUR" ends on a much sadder, almost nihilistic, note than most of the other Mahler symphonies. This imposing music is captured live in a performance marked by awesome silences and towering climaxes conjured by the Lucerne Festival Orchestra. Filmed in August 2006 using state-of-the-art equipment to take full advantage of the new and acoustically superb Concert Hall Lucerne.
Claudio Abbado, who first conducted his new Lucerne Festival Orchestra in the summer of 2003, realised a dream with this exclusive ensemble. Handpicked orchestral musicians and exceptional soloists such as violinist Kolja Blacher, flutist Emmanuel Pahud, clarinettist Sabine Meyer, oboist Albrecht Mayer, violist Wolfram Christ, cellist Natalia Gutman, the Hagen Quartet and members of the Alban Berg Quartet to name just a few, make the Lucerne Festival Orchestra a star-studded ensemble, while the core of the orchestra is provided by the Mahler Chamber Orchestra, itself an élite body of players. Claudio Abbado is undeniably a supreme Mahler conductor and his Mahler recordings with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra have set new benchmarks in Mahler interpretation. This wonderful performance of the impressive five movement Symphony No. 7 was recorded live at the new and acoustically superb Concert Hall Lucerne in August 2005.
Unlike the piano, the violin or even the flute, the oboe is a relatively rare instrument for a solo career. And when a soloist such as Albrecht Mayer plays the oboe, one wishes composers had written more works for this sweetly mellow instrument. Critics write about the "divine spark" that inspires his playing, and about the "miraculous oboe" that turns into "an instrument of seduction." With his particularly warm tone and exceptionally broad palette of nuances, it's no surprise that Albrecht Mayer is one of today's most sought-after international oboists. In this documentary portrait of the oboist, we retrace the musician's impressive career and witness some of its many high points. Mayer embarked on a professional career in 1990, when he joined the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra as solo oboist. Two years later, he made the transition to the absolute top league with his appointment as solo oboist of the Berlin Philharmonic, and since then he has made countless international appearances, playing under such eminent conductors as Abbado, Rattle and Harnoncourt. In addition to his work as a soloist, Mayer also attaches great importance to chamber music. He is a permanent member of the Sabine Meyer Wind Ensemble and also plays with such partners as Thomas Quasthoff, Matthias Goerne and...
When, in the mid 1960s, Herbert von Karajan decided to record on film all nine Beethoven symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic, he began with the Fifth and asked the famous French movie director Henri-Georges Clouzot (Quai des Orfèvres) to direct. Recognizing in the music-loving director a kindred soul and master of the symbolic image, Karajan found an inspired partner. In another of Karajan's first efforts, he asked six directors to "stage" one movement each of a Beethoven symphony. For a full week, the directors had the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von Karajan – all in full dress – at their disposal, with all the 35mm film, cameras, lighting and technical assistance they needed. Karajan's most controversial production was Hugo Niebeling's highly personal interpretation of the Pastorale , with its abstract shots of instruments, rapid rhythms, fade-ins and symbolically arranged colors. Some critics raved: "This music film could have been made by Antonioni, Fellini or Godard." Karajan pursued his plan with tenacity, and the result is a milestone in the history of music on film: all nine Beethoven symphonies recorded at the peak of Karajan's powers, unified by the performers but varied through the artistic vision of different directors.
Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth) was one of Mahler's later symphonic works, written in 1908. Mahler often used the human voice as an adjunct to the orchestra in his symphonic writing. Das Lied von der Erde borrowed as a framework Hans Bethge's German translation of six poems by the 18th-century Chinese poet Li-Tai-Po. The songs have been described as "the valedictory of a man who loved life and nature and who knew the bittersweet nostalgia of passing youth and beauty." The work was recorded at the Frederic Mann Auditorium in Tel Aviv with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under Leonard Bernstein. The program's soloists are Christa Ludwig, alto, and René Kollo, tenor.
This production with Christa Ludwig, alto, the Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, the Vienna Boys' Choir and the Vienna Philharmonic was recorded at Vienna's Musikvereinssaal in 1972. Leonard Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video.
The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Gotterdammerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
Nikolai Lugansky, already a major artist, has been hailed by his former teacher Tatiana Nikolajeva as the "next" in a line of great Russian pianists. He has been described as "a pianistic phenomenon of exceptional class" by the Netherlands' NRC Handelsblad and as "riveting" and making his playing"stand out" by London's Daily Telegraph.
The Verbier Festival, created by Martin T:son Engstroem in 1994, rapidly acquired a reputation for artistic excellence and is now considered to be among the major European music festivals. During a fortnight each July, the greatest stars of the classical music world come together against the magical backdrop of the Swiss Alps. The Verbier Festival gives musicians the opportunity to perform original programmes with fellow musicians they admire, but with whom they may never have performed before. These world premiere performances produce innovative and exciting results, as much for artists as for audiences.
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
With this festive concert the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden under the baton of Fabio Luisi celebrated the moving reopening of the Frauenkirche in Dresden. After the bombing of Dresden on February 13, 1945, the church burnt out and its dome, the "The Stone Bell", collapsed. The church was always very dear to the heart of the Dresdeners and just as its ruins were a constant reminder of the Second World War, the rebuilt church will remain a monument to and a symbol of hope and conciliation. Thus the reopening proved to be a touching event of great solemnity, which was perfectly matched by the Missa Solemnis . On this recording, Beethoven's overwhelming music blends wonderfully with the camera shots of the impressive space. The cast of soloists is excellent. It includes Camilla Nylund and Rene Pape, who are among the most outstanding singers of the younger generation. An informative bonus film features the reconstruction of the Frauenkirche.
Bonus features:
- The Reconstruction of the Frauenkirche, Dresden
The full splendour of Baroque spatial and sonic drama is encountered in these performances of Heinrich Biber's polyphonic masterpiece, the Missa Salisburgensis , and the Venetian choral works of Claudio Monteverdi , from which it takes inspiration.
Composed in an astonishing 53 parts in 1682, the Mass celebrated the acoustic possibilities of the newly completed Cathedral in Salzburg, the very building in which it is performed in this recording. The authentic 360-degree surround sound sends the music ricocheting from platform and galleries in a dazzling display that exploits acoustics and architecture alike.
Robert T. Gibson's setting of We Shall Overcome is dynamic and well-crafted. Attention has been paid to the construction of the vocals, which throughout the work act as accompaniment to the soloist. Requires an accomplished soloist and a strong choir. A beautiful sentiment for our times.
Highlights from Young Euro Classic 2022, live recorded at the Konzerthaus Berlin.
Three giants of classical music come together on the stage of the Berliner Philharmonie for an All-Beethoven program that was destined to go down as one for the ages. Experience the incomparable Daniel Barenboim, Itzhak Perlman, and Yo-Yo Ma in masterpieces of the composer's oeuvre for soloists and orchestra.
Filmed in 1995 at the Berlin Philharmonie, this once-in-a-lifetime concert pairs two of Beethoven's less-performed works: the Concerto for Piano, Violin, Violoncello and Orchestra in C major (often simply referred to as the Triple Concerto ) and the Choral Fantasy for Piano, Choir and Orchestra in C Minor. Accompanied by the prestigious Berliner Philharmoniker and the Chor der Deutschen Staatsoper, the three musicians give these two works the sumptuous and virtuosic treatment they deserve.
Appalachian Journey Live in Concert captures three of the world's most extraordinary musicians and some very special guests at their sold out performance at New York City's Avery Fisher Hall. The unique and compelling trio of cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Mark O'Connor and bassist Edgar Meyer reaches a whole new level of artistic and technical prowess as they weave their way through a wide variety of musical genres.
In December 1989, the artists came together to record some of the early chamber works of Brahms. Part I of each volume focuses on the preparation, rehearsal and re-takes with artists providing commentary for the rehearsal section of each programme, while Part II captures the final record performance. Emanuel Ax, Isaac Stern, Jaime Laredo, and Yo-Yo Ma performed the actual recording session at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall in Troy New York.
This concert may be called a meeting of musical giants: The Berliner Philharmoniker, Manfred Honeck and Yo-Yo Ma. But all superlatives aside, we may be absolutely sure that it is going to be an extraordinary concert when these artists take the stage at the 2016 Easter Concert in Baden-Baden.
Gala in commemoration of the 150th birthday of Peter Tchaikovsky.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two-season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world's greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
Who would have thought it? An American orchestra performing in North Korea! Hundreds of millions watched this historic New York Philharmonic concert on television in February 2008 and for a few hours the cold war hostilities seemed to be forgotten. Music became diplomacy when conductor Lorin Maazel and the New York Philharmonic, the USA's most eminent orchestra, opened the concert in East Pyongyang's Grand Theatre with both the American and the North Korean national anthems. The programme included music by Wagner, Dvorák, Gershwin, Bizet and Bernstein and prompted the North Korean audience to standing ovations. This courageous musical project also united Korean and American musicians, who together produced a technically brilliant performance. The musicians barely spoke to one another, communicating in exchanged glances and body language, and when Lorin Maazel raised his baton at the end of the concert and the orchestra embarked on Arirang , a lilting folk song emblematic of the North and South Korean people, the audience was obviously touched.
A previously unreleased documentary with 53 minutes of exclusive material shows members of the New York Philharmonic on their historic trip to North Korea's capital. Many concerns and doubts arose before departing to the most...
Celebrated conductor Lorin Maazel, a young orchestra of outstanding musicians, four high-caliber soloists and one of the great choral works of musical literature – this alone would make this live recording of Verdi's Requiem a stand-out document of filmed music. But there is more: the venue of this grandiose performance is the Basilica of San Marco in Venice, with its shimmering golden Byzantine mosaics framed by mighty pillars and arches. Modeled on Constantine the Great's Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople, the 11th-century basilica has been the workplace of many a great musician in the past, such as Claudio Monteverdi, Adrian Willaert and Giovanni Gabrieli.
Lorin Maazel, Music Director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, is also the Music Director of the Symphonica Toscanini, a young orchestra founded in May 2006 that has performed under Zubin Mehta, Georges Prêtre and Kurt Masur. "In recent tours of Europe and the U.S., the musicians expressed their unique musical potential by playing so harmoniously and compellingly as a group that they conquered every audience," said Maazel. The recording also features distinguished soloists Norma Fantini, soprano; the young Anna Smirnova, mezzo-soprano; Francesco Meli, tenor; and Rafal Siwek, bass. The Chorus of...
This recording presents the most important work of the baroque keyboard repertoire ?EUR" The Well-Tempered Clavier - played by four world-class pianists. Each artist performs twelve Preludes and Fugues selected from this well-cherished collection of educational and yet artistically highly-strung pieces. The performances were recorded at four exceptionally charming venues: the Palazzo Labia in Venice, the Guell Palace in Barcelona, the Wartburg in Eisenach, Germany and the New Art Gallery in Walsall in England. The performances were impressively staged and skilfully filmed, thus - together with interpretations by four high-class clavichordists ?EUR" it opens up new perspectives on the work.
The choir and the orchestra of the Bach Collegium Japan perform the St John's Passion with a small ensemble - as was customary in the composer's time - under Masaaki Suzuki, former student of one of the nestors of authentic interpretation, Ton Koopman. One of the greatest musical treatments of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ receives a performance that is musically precise and stylistically close to what we now know of Bach's ideal. The Bach Collegium Japan has been regarded for some years now as a real discovery among baroque ensembles specialising in the performance of sacred music from the Baroque and Masaaki Suzuki, who conducts and plays the harpsichord, is a complete and thorough musician, deeply involved in the emotional overtones of the music as well as technical questions of tempo, balance, and phrasing. Recorded live from The Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Japan during the Bach Anniversary Year 2000 on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the death of J.S. Bach.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
The collection Classic Archive presents great performances by legendary artists, remastered using the latest digital technology and enhanced with commentary for today's audiences. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences - appealing and enjoyable performances, that offer a unique glimpse into our classical music heritage. This Classic Archive episode brings into focus the greatest performers of Giuseppe Verdi's compositions.
Celebrating Strauss brings into focus the greatest interpreters of Richard Strauss's compositions. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences uniting appealing and enjoyable performances by legendary artists as Irmgard Seefried, Hertha Topper, Rita Streich and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Lovingly restored and digitally remastered the Classic Archive series offers a unique glimpse into our classical heritage featuring performances by celebrated artists of the past including complete full-lengths programmes and comprehensive booklet information.
This selection of music for Christmas brings together East and West in the collaboration of Winchester College Chapel Choir and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Recorded live in Hong Kong in December 2004, this disc features a selection of perennial favourites from the Baroque period, including Bach cantatas and Handel's Messiah , and three exquisite modern carols.
As performed by Richard Tognetti and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. This video contains footage and performances as the ACO take you on a trip through Europe.
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
The Mahler Chamber Orchestra was Orchestra in Residence at the KlaraFestival 2013 which is known as a modern and international classical music festival far beyond Belgium's borders. The concerts of the Mahler Chamber Orchestra formed one of the highlights of this year's festival. Alongside young Greece conductor Teodor Currentzis , who is hailed as an "eccentric super-talented maestro", the orchestra dedicates its performance to the two composers, contemporaries and friends Benjamin Britten and Dmitri Shostakovich .
The programme includes Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No. 1 at whose world premiere in London 1960 the two composers met for the first time. The orchestra combines one of the most popular cello concertos of the 20th century with Britten's Sinfonietta and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 1 .
After her remarkable Lucerne Festival debut in 2014, the Argentinian cellist Sol Gabetta returned to the idyllic Swiss city in 2018 for a performance of Martini's First Cello Concerto , one of her favorite virtuosic works for her instrument, accompanied by the Mahler Chamber Orchestra under Francois-Xavier Roth's baton. As she describes it, "The orchestral writing is opulent, the themes - which draw on superb popular Czech melodies - and a very interesting rhythmic structure." Martinu's masterpiece is framed by the folk melodies of Bartok's Divertimento , Haydn's Parisian Symphony "The Hen" (listen for the oboe's unmistakable pecking sounds!), and the carefree delights of dolls, spinning tops, and soap bubbles in Bizet's Jeux d'enfants .
The String Sextets Nos. 1 and 2 , composed in 1860 and 1864 were instrumental in cementing the composer's reputation, and they epitomize the melodic richness and compositional craftsmanship that would define all his chamber music. The first is full of life and colour; the second, with its beautiful Poco adagio at its heart, captures a characteristic chiaroscuro of texture and colour so typical of Brahms .
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical usic events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season.
Yuja Wang, Leonidas Kavakos, and Gautier Capucon get the ball rolling with Mendelssohn's Piano Trio No. 2 , followed by Leonidas Kavakos and Joshua Bell performing a Ysaye Duo Sonata . Denis Matsuev, Julian Rachlin, and Roby Lakatos tackle Vittorio Monti's Csardas , transcribed for two violins and piano. Brahms' Piano Quartet follows, featuring Kissin, Repin, Bashmet, and Maisky. Finally, as the cherry on the cake, legendary pianists Martha Argerich and Evgeny Kissin bring Lutoslawski's Variations sur un theme de Paganini with head-spinning virtuosity.
This series of the very best of the 16th Verbier Festival with worldwide renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Mischa Maisky, Rene Pape, Joshua Bell, and Philippe Jaroussky.
On the eve of its 300th birthday, St. Petersburg, Russia's fabled "window to Europe", celebrates this anniversary presenting a gala of distinguished musical art featuring Anna Netrebko, Dimitri Hvorostovsky, Mischa Maisky and many others. Yuri Temirkanov conducts one of the oldest Russian symphonic ensembles: the St. Petersburg Philharmonic.
What if chamber music returned to its traditional venue: within well-loved artists' homes? Initially, chamber music was composed for the private sphere, but ended up losing part of its essence as this form started performing within venues that gradually expanded.
This program rekindles the origins of the genre by showing itself inside the living rooms of grand artists for original concerts, played in an intimate and privileged setting: at Martha Argerich's in Geneva, with Mischa Maisky . They invite us to hear masterpieces of the chamber repertoire in a new light: Ludwig van Beethoven, Robert Schumann, Frederic Chopin and Johannes Brahms and between each movement, the Argerich confide about her lives and her art to presenter, Annie Dutoit, who has known her since childhood. A tender musical lesson.
Robert Schumann wrote his Cello Concerto in Düsseldorf in only two weeks. He himself did not play the cello, a fact which is immediately apparent from his treatment of the solo part. Passages of sweeping lyricism contrast sharply with excruciatingly difficult technical passages quite unsuited to the instrument. They make the concerto one of the most fearsome in all of cello literature. Schumann never heard the concerto played in public: the first performance did not take place until four years after his death. Recorded in 1985/86 at the Grosser Musikvereinssaal in Vienna, this recording features world-renowned cellist Mischa Maisky as the soloist accompanied by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Leonard Bernstein.
For its 14th edition, the Verbier Festival has once again brought together the most prestigious artists in classical music. This series of 12 TV programmes presents the highlights of Verbier 2007.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
The Verbier Festival, created in 1994, has rapidly acquired a reputation for artistic excellence and is now considered one of the major European music festivals. For a fortnight each summer, the greatest stars of the classical music world come together against the magical backdrop of the Swiss Alps. The Verbier Festival gives musicians the opportunity to perform original programmes with fellow musicians they admire, but with whom they may never have performed before. These world premiere performances produce innovative and exciting results, for artists and audiences. The 2007 edition gathered classical celebrities such as Martha Argerich, Helene Grimaud, Gabriela Montero, Renaud Capucon, Nelson Freire, Mischa Maisky, Thomas Quasthoff and Lars Vogt, and for the first time all 46 concerts were recorded. The state-of-art recordings featured two cameras on stage that were remote-controlled so as to not disturb the audiences and artists and one camera in the midst of the audience to recreate the viewer's perspective. This video assembles excerpts of the most remarkable concerts with exciting programmes including works by Bartok, Debussy, Lutoslawski, Schubert and Schumann. Lovers of classical music will very much enjoy this summit of high-profile artists!
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
In Spring 2009, the year of Joseph Haydn , Xavier de Maistre was invited to the Esterhazy Castle in Eisenstadt, where the composer officiated nearly thirty years. After an introduction in which he plays a solo Fantasy on a Theme of Haydn by Marcel Grandjany , we find with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Bertrand de Billy performing the Haydn Concerto in D Major . The solo pieces Mandolin by Elias Parish-Alvars and Arabesque No. 1 by Claude Debussy complete this performance.
One of the warmest personalities on the opera and concert stage today, soprano Diana Damrau has put together a beguiling program for her recital at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden. The selection of Romantic to fin-de-siècle pieces not only underscores her own vocal artistry, but also pays tribute to her accompanist Xavier de Maistre and, in particular, to the diaphanous delicacy of his instrument, the harp.
The use of the harp to replace the piano in a voice recital is a truly unique and unexpected musical treat. De Maistre does more than simply transpose the piano part to his instrument; under the fingers of the Wiener Philharmoniker's solo harpist, the ethereal sound of this instrument melds consummately with the soprano's finely honed vocal part, so that the masterpieces by composers such as Schumann, Faure and Debussy sound as if they had been conceived for voice and harp.
The unrivalled intimacy of a chamber concert is conveyed by the placing of the soloists and public within touching distance on the stage of the Festspielhaus. This distinctly informal atmosphere is captured by Emmy Award winning director Brian Large. Discreetly highlighting the interpretative subtleties and spontaneous personality of Diana Damrau, he helps confirm her status as one of the most exciting,...
Highlights from Young Euro Classic 2022, live recorded at the Konzerthaus Berlin.
The Waldbuhne Concert given by the Berliner Philharmoniker marks the end of the 2009/10 season. More recently visitors to the orchestra's Waldbuhne concerts have been regaled by some of the greatest opera singers of our age, including such operatic legends as Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti, the Mexican tenor Rolando Villazon and the wonderful Russian soprano Anna Netrebko. A further high point in the history of the Waldbuhne concerts was undoubtedly the appearance of the charismatic American soprano Renee Fleming, who brought to this "Night of Love" her soft-toned but richly coloured voice. "It?EUR(TM)s such a beautiful place," she told the Berliner Zeitung. "When you're standing there on the stage, you have the feeling that you can sing into the sky." Concert-goers must have been able to share this feeling when a singer described by the Daily Telegraph as the "queen of the Metropolitan Opera" sang the highly poetical "Song to the Moon" from Dvorak's opera Rusalka and gazed lovingly at the orbiting moon, which had just become visible in the night sky.
The Facebook Live Q&A event, with violinist Tianwa Yang and conductor Jun Markl moderated by Raymond Bisha , and it features the artists' recent Naxos release of Violin Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 by Prokofiev .
Recorded at the annual summer concert of the Berlin Philharmonic at the Waldbuhne in Berlin 2003, this video captures the atmosphere of an open-air Gershwin night in full while also allowing a closer look at the musicians and the conductor. With an audience of over 20,000 one of the world's best orchestras played the popular music of George Gershwin, including the famous Rhapsody in Blue and the popular film music suite An American in Paris . Conducted by Seiji Ozawa ?EUR" one of the longstanding stars in the classical world - the Berlin Philharmonic was joined by jazz pianist Marcus Roberts and his Trio, whose album "Gershwin For Lovers" stayed in the Top 10 on Billboard's jazz chart for half a year. Together they created a magical fusion of classical music and jazz bringing an imaginative mix of styles into the swing of Gershwin's music. In the bonus film Seiji Ozawa and Marcus Roberts talk about Gershwin and their music making.
Bonus feature:
Documentary - They Got Rhythm
Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic set off fireworks of good humour and a contagious musical spirit at the traditional New Year's Eve Concert in 2002. Simon Rattle chose Leonard Bernstein's brilliant and entertaining musical comedy, Wonderful Town , for his first New Year's Eve Concert with the Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor and orchestra - both rank among the best in the world - joined forces with Broadway stars Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald and famous baritone Thomas Hampson. The audience enjoyed a great show full of dancing, choruses, fascinating light design and ?EUR" above all ?EUR" intoxicating music. The exuberant atmosphere of this event culminated in an overwhelming encore with the musicians and audience dancing through the hall! This video captures the atmosphere right in the middle of orchestra, singers and audience and recreates a wonderful night on the town.
The Berlin Philharmonic, under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle and with the Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves, usher in the New Year in style. In this gala concert, they present a programme of music by three of the twentieth century's most famous composers: Maurice Ravel, Gabriel Fauré and George Gershwin.
Susan Graham is praised for her "radiant voice" and her ability to convey the subtle nuances of what seems like "her second native language." Her present programme offers a "tasting menu" of the French melodie tradition - a varied selection of songs ranging from the youthful charm of Bizet's Chanson d'avril to the high drama of Poulenc's La dame de Monte Carlo, and the barbed irony of Ravel's Le paon to the sensuous beauty of Faure's Vocalise-Etude.
Two of opera greatest British stars, Dame Felicity Lott and Sir Thomas Allen , sing songs and duets by Schumann, Brahms, Mendelssohn, Bizet, Duparc, Saint-Saens and Faure from the Wigmore Hall, London.
Dame Felicity Lott has always had a special love for the song repertoire. As well as expertise in the songs of Strauss, Schubert, Schumann and Brahms she is also a master of French Melodies.
This concert, therefore, is especially suited to her talents. Sir Thomas Allen is, perhaps, best known as a singer of great Mozart roles. He is a star of all the great Opera houses: La Scala, Vienna and the Metropolitan to name but a few. He brings his unique dramatic talent and flair to these songs.
Sir Thomas is a much-acclaimed recitalist worldwide and his warm voice, capable of immense tenderness, is shown to its full advantage in this recital.
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This release forms part of the celebrations for the 125th anniversary of the Berlin Philharmonic, capturing an evening of Spanish music and themes recorded live in 2001 in the unique atmosphere of the Philharmonic's annual open-air summer concert at the Waldbühne, Berlin, a major event in the city's social calendar.
World-famous tenor Placido Domingo conducts the Berlin Philharmonic in works which have always been particularly close to his heart. The concert features fabulous violinist Sarah Chang performing virtuosic showpieces such as Sarasate's Carmen Fantasy and Zigeunerweisen. The programme also includes a collection of delightful zarzuela arias sung by Ana Maria Martinez, winner of the Placido Domingo Vocal Competition in Barcelona.
A production of a series dedicated to the classical guitar. Each volume will be dedicated to a period starting with the Renaissance. Every chapter will be filmed in a special venue, in this case it's the beautiful Romanesque church of Santa Eufemia de Cozollos in Palencia, Spain.
The programme features music by Milan, Narvaez, Sanz , and Chilesotti arrangements of Italian lute composers. This top quality production is performed by Agustin Maruri on the guitar. Hailing from Madrid, Agustin Maruri has performed concerts in five continents in the world's finest concert halls, has received numerous prestigious awards, and has been a visiting professor at several universities across the globe. Several composers have dedicated new works to him, and he has made countless premieres of contemporary guitar music.
In 2022, Musiques en fete celebrates love in music! with the 8,000 spectators at the Theatre Antique in Orange for an amazing show! Opera, operetta, musical comedy, classical music, film music, dance, as well as the greatest hits of French song... Through an eclectic programme, a tribute to love and to all music will be paid by prestigious soloists and more than 150 orchestral musicians and choral artists.
Award-winning pianist Megumi Masaki's innovation and breadth of her artistic activity, dynamic temperament and "riveting and mind expanding" performances have earned her a reputation as a leading interpreter of contemporary music. She specializes in exploring how sound, image, text and movement can be integrated in love performances of multimedia works.
The Music 4 Eyes and Ears project presents new solo electronics video works written for Megumi Masaki. These works are designed to explore diverse concepts, performances techniques and technologies in live piano multimedia performance. Central to this project is how interaction of image, movement, text and sound can create new expressive potentials as a whole
This entertaining video comprises the enjoyable dance performance A Night in Vienna, a one-hour celebration of the music of the Johann Strausses ?EUR" father and son. This recording recreates the beauty and atmosphere of the ballroom performances of 19th-century Vienna, charting the rise of the waltz craze. In the wonderful setting of the Hofburg in Vienna, the former residence of the Habsburg rulers, the period instrument orchestra Wiener Akademie plays favourites by the Strauss family and Joseph Lanner, and dance performances in historical costumes recreate the atmosphere of the first half of the 19th century.
Claudio Monteverdi's Fourth Book of Madrigals (1603) explores differing emotional states of abandoned lovers through the most dramatic and amazingly modern music for vocal ensemble. The Full Monteverdi follows the simultaneous break-up of six couples through shocking revelation, vengeful anger and erotic longing for reconciliation. Vulnerable and disarming, this ensemble film will draw you into its emotional journey and intensely moving portrait of contemporary love.
To celebrate his 80th birthday, Kurt Masur led "his" Gewandhaus Orchestra in a special gala concert in June 2007. For his birthday concert, Masur, currently principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestre National de France, chose a varied, celebratory programme with works by composers highlighting his conducting career in the United States, France and Germany. The night progressed with works by Bernstein, Bizet and Brahms and ?EUR" as a special present - a song from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess , sung by entertainer Harald Schmidt. At Kurt Masur's wish, the popular German TV entertainer, a former church musician, hosted the show, demonstrating his quick-witted humour and general knowledge of all aspects of music. Abounding in energy, alert as ever, Masur has been untiringly lending new impulses to the entire orchestral repertoire. From 1970 until 1996 he did so as Gewandhaus Kapellmeister of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, a position that has almost come to be identified with his name. He is still Conductor Laureate of the ensemble; the fact that he chose the orchestra for his birthday celebration expresses his gratitude and respect for the orchestra that accompanied him during momentous and troubled times. Kurt Masur had an eventful life - he was...
One of the world's foremost violinists, Anne-Sophie Mutter is a musical celebrity known even by countless people who rarely listen to classical music. The artist and teacher, who promotes young musicians and commissions new works from contemporary composers, made her spectacular breakthrough under Herbert von Karajan at the 1977 Salzburg Easter Festival. She has since concertized at every major venue throughout the world. In 2008 she was awarded not only the prestigious Ernst von Siemens Music Award, but also the Leipzig Mendelssohn Award. The award ceremony in March 2008 was crowned by a gala concert at Leipzig's Gewandhaus with the Gewandhaus Orchestra under Kurt Masur, at which Mutter performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 presented here.
Mutter has performed the Violin Concerto several times in her career. Joining her in Mendelssohn's Violin Sonata is pianist Andre Previn, who is also an internationally renowned conductor and composer. Previn accompanied Mutter in several Mozart Trios that are part of her "Mozart Project." He and cellist Lynn Harrell now interpret the D minor Trio with her. This is a stunning anthology of chamber and orchestral music from one of the most vibrant composers of the early Romantic Era, performed by top artists of today!
These magnificent interpretations of three Mendelssohn works - two orchestral and one chamber - are given by the phenomenally talented young Chinese pianist Yuja Wang and other young performers. Praised in BBC Music Magazine for her "keen intelligence" and "staggering technique," Yuja Wang has also been described by the San Francisco Chronicle as "the sort of musician whose combination of talents appears in the world only rarely." The Verbier Festival Orchestra consists of musicians hand-picked from every part of the world. Here they are directed by the doyen of German Mendelssohn conductors, Kurt Masur.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
Dacapo's CD recording of all Carl Nielsen's symphonies by the Danish National Symhpony Orchestra/DR conducted by Michael Schønwandt has already established itself as a reference recording on the international classical CD market. Now the same outstanding interpretation of all six symphonies can be experienced on video with new opportunities for in-depth study of the music and a stimulating 60-minute documentary that offers new perspectives on Denmark's national composer.
The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Gotterdammerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical usic events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season.
Yuja Wang, Leonidas Kavakos, and Gautier Capucon get the ball rolling with Mendelssohn's Piano Trio No. 2 , followed by Leonidas Kavakos and Joshua Bell performing a Ysaye Duo Sonata . Denis Matsuev, Julian Rachlin, and Roby Lakatos tackle Vittorio Monti's Csardas , transcribed for two violins and piano. Brahms' Piano Quartet follows, featuring Kissin, Repin, Bashmet, and Maisky. Finally, as the cherry on the cake, legendary pianists Martha Argerich and Evgeny Kissin bring Lutoslawski's Variations sur un theme de Paganini with head-spinning virtuosity.
For this concert, three Russian pianists came together: Valery Gergiev, Daniil Trifonov and Denis Matsuev. They opened the performance with Mozart's Concerto for 3 pianos . Gergiev then exchanged the piano for the baton, conducting the Verbier Festival Orchestra in an interpretation of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 .
A joyful celebration welcoming the New Year, this Gala from Berlin presents the world-renowned Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, in Carl Orff's famous Carmina Burana , an intensely dramatic cantata that remains one of the most widely performed works from the twentieth century. With an exceptional vocal line-up ?EUR" soprano Sally Matthews, tenor Lawrence Brownlee and baritone Christian Gerhaher ?EUR" this is an energetic and thrilling performance. Beethoven's Leonore No. 3 overture and Handel's supreme Hallelujah Chorus are also included.
Elected by members of the Berlin Philharmonic as Principal Conductor and fifth Artistic Director in 1989, Claudio Abbado resigned from the post in 2002, but remains close to the orchestra, which cherishes the conductor to this day. Listening to the music, one hears how the Berlin Philharmonic transforms Abbado's musical intentions into sound ?EUR" there is a sense of unity that can only be achieved through many years of shared artistic experience and attention to detail. These live performances at the Philharmonie, Berlin in 2000 and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome in 2001 were an overwhelming success: each concert ended in standing ovations, and the critics spoke of seminal moments in the history of music. Abbado's Beethoven cycle will certainly become a milestone for contemporary interpretation and this recording pays tribute to his achievement. For the popular Symphony No. 9 in D minor , the Berlin Philharmonic were joined by high-ranking singers and choirs.
Bonus feature:
- Multi-Angle Feature - Conductor Camera ( Symphony No.3 )
The young French countertenor Philippe Jaroussky is one of the most exceptional artists of our time. He is highly acclaimed by critics all over the world for his virtuoso coloratura technique, as well as for his compelling and lively interpretations of baroque cantatas and operas. Together with the Concerto Köln he embarks on a journey into the world of an almost forgotten composer. Antonio Caldara (1670-1736) was on one of the most renowned opera composers of his time. Philippe Jaroussky and the ensemble transfer selected arias of the composer into the 21st century. The film accompanies the musicians to rehearsals and to the concert at the Prinzregententheater in Munich.
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 7: Music's Emotional Impact
This program delves into Tchaikovsky's dramatic personal life, his brief marriage, and his intense correspondence with his patroness Nadezhda von Meck, whom he never met, and to whom he dedicated is 4th Symphony. The dramatic brass fanfares that for Tchaikovsky symbolized Fate find a modern echo in David Stock's Blast!
Program 8: Mahler: Love, Sorrow and Transcendence
Mahler's turbulent passions are expressed through his music. His settings of poems by Friedrich Ruckert explore themes of love, nature, and otherworldliness. Mahler was haunted throughout his life by the premonition of his own death. The first movement of his 2nd Symphony, which Mahler called "Totenfeier" (Funerary Rites), draws stark contrasts between...
Unlike the piano, the violin or even the flute, the oboe is a relatively rare instrument for a solo career. And when a soloist such as Albrecht Mayer plays the oboe, one wishes composers had written more works for this sweetly mellow instrument. Critics write about the "divine spark" that inspires his playing, and about the "miraculous oboe" that turns into "an instrument of seduction." With his particularly warm tone and exceptionally broad palette of nuances, it's no surprise that Albrecht Mayer is one of today's most sought-after international oboists. In this documentary portrait of the oboist, we retrace the musician's impressive career and witness some of its many high points. Mayer embarked on a professional career in 1990, when he joined the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra as solo oboist. Two years later, he made the transition to the absolute top league with his appointment as solo oboist of the Berlin Philharmonic, and since then he has made countless international appearances, playing under such eminent conductors as Abbado, Rattle and Harnoncourt. In addition to his work as a soloist, Mayer also attaches great importance to chamber music. He is a permanent member of the Sabine Meyer Wind Ensemble and also plays with such partners as Thomas Quasthoff, Matthias Goerne and...
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
Leonard Bernstein conducted the work at the Salzburg Festival in 1975 and shortly thereafter in Vienna's Konzerthaus, where it was recorded. The stage of the Konzerthaus was enlarged to make room for the unusually large orchestra, the two choruses, the children's choir and the soloists.
Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Götterdämmerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
It would be hard to imagine a more seductive hero, a more passionate performer, a more glorious interpreter of the great Romantic roles of Verdi and Puccini than Rolando Villazon. Yet the singer's temporary withdrawal from the spotlight in 2007 opened up a wealth of new possibilities for the singer. Among the "new paths" that Villazon envisioned for the future were "adventures" such as Baroque music. Next to a recording of works by the early Baroque composer Claudio Monteverdi, he now offers a selection of arias by George Frideric Handel.
This intimate concert featuring Villazon and the Gabrieli Players under Paul McCreesh was filmed in a setting that ideally suits the style of the music, St. Paul's Church in Deptford, near London, one of Britain's finest Baroque churches. It was built between 1712 and 1730, almost exactly when Handel was writing his most celebrated operas and oratorios.
Villazon proves that he is a master of dazzling coloratura, virtuoso runs and expressive cantabile melodies. Among the highlights of the concert – which also includes two purely orchestral works – are the beloved arioso "Ombra mai fu" from Serse , Grimoaldo's aria "Pastorello d'un povero armento" from Rodelinda , the lyrical, longing "Scherza infida" from Ariodante , and...
Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic set off fireworks of good humour and a contagious musical spirit at the traditional New Year's Eve Concert in 2002. Simon Rattle chose Leonard Bernstein's brilliant and entertaining musical comedy, Wonderful Town , for his first New Year's Eve Concert with the Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor and orchestra - both rank among the best in the world - joined forces with Broadway stars Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald and famous baritone Thomas Hampson. The audience enjoyed a great show full of dancing, choruses, fascinating light design and ?EUR" above all ?EUR" intoxicating music. The exuberant atmosphere of this event culminated in an overwhelming encore with the musicians and audience dancing through the hall! This video captures the atmosphere right in the middle of orchestra, singers and audience and recreates a wonderful night on the town.
Spirits of Music is an unusual musical journey through centuries and cultures, featuring multiple Grammy Award winner Bobby McFerrin , violin virtuoso Nigel Kennedy , soprano Sibylla Rubens and the Gewandhaus Orchestra with music from Bach to Mozart and Verdi . Magnificent examples of religious music come from artists as Kroke the Kuumba Singers, Mari Boine, Bulgarian Voices Angelite and the Ensemble Al-Kindi one of the best formations devoted to classical Arab music. This extraordinary musical journey, which took place on one evening at the Leipzig Market Square is completed by the Cuban a capella group Vocal Sampling, consisting of musicians from Havana's National Superior Institute of arts, who are celebrating their very own interpretation of Afro-Cuban music.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
EuroArts presents a veritable fireworks display of ambitious pieces for brass orchestra recently performed by a colourful and fascinating young ensemble in Berlin's prestigious Konzerthaus at the Gendarmenmarkt in the heart of the city. The Venezuelan Brass Ensemble is a highly-acclaimed group with nearly 50 young brass and percussion players drawn from the extraordinary Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela. The South American country has one of the most admired and amazingly effective music school systems in the world. Almost all children from the age of 2 get free music lessons in their neighbourhood. They learn to play in ensembles as soon as they can master their instruments. This so-called "sistema" enables most of the poor children in Venezuela to have a focus in life apart from being clothed and fed - thus fighting poverty-related problems at the roots. The results are astonishing, the ensemble playing is near perfect and the "sistema" has brought forth internationally successful musicians like the conductor Gustavo Dudamel. The repertoire of the Venezuelan Brass Ensemble is impressively varied and testifies to the high standard of this young ensemble. With their blend of classical and South American repertoire, these 50 youngsters not only bring audiences to...
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's New Year's Eve Concert in 2000 set the mood for the centenary of Giuseppe Verdi's (1813-1901) death with a selection of the composer's most popular tunes. The orchestra presented excerpts from Rigoletto , La Traviata , Un ballo in maschera and Falstaff . The programme also included the ball scene from act III of Don Carlo ?EUR" a scene that is seldom staged. With singers Andrea Rost, Ramon Vargas, Alan Titus and Lucio Gallo, a cast of internationally celebrated Verdi singers gathered for this Gala Evening led by maestro Claudio Abbado. The outstanding Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the virtuoso Prague Radio Choir provided music of the highest order on this very special evening.
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the best orchestras in the world, celebrates its 60th Anniversary with a GALA Concert in 1996 conducted by Zubin Mehta and Daniel Barenboim. The Gala featuring world acclaimed soloists such as Isaac Stern Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhal Perlman and Shlomo Mintz.
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Magic was created one starlit night in July 1990, when Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, and Jose Carreras met onstage at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome and became the Three Tenors. 800 million people attended this live event which caused the biggest hype ever in the history of classical music. They eschewed competitive instincts and cooperated in the spirit of mutual admiration to create one of the greatest musical events ever. This concert is an awe-inspiring orgy of greatest hits for the tenor voice.
The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra was founded by Daniel Barenboim and the late Edward Said. It consists of young, highly talented Israeli and Arabian musicians and was founded to increase the dialogue between young people in the Middle East and represent the peaceful collaboration of the two cultures. In standard comparable to the most established orchestras, it combines tonal beauty and transparency with youthful expressiveness, passion and exuberance. This technically brilliant and incredibly enthusiastic orchestra brings out all levels of Beethoven's 9th symphony and we listen to Beethoven at his very best: exuberant, emotional, lucid, tender, clear, triumphant... simply magnificent! Needless to say, Daniel Barenboim conducts excellently and outstanding singers Angela Denoke, Waltraud Meier, Burkhard Fritz and Rene Pape contribute tremendously to this unforgettable concert. The standing ovations are well deserved!
Celebrated conductor Lorin Maazel, a young orchestra of outstanding musicians, four high-caliber soloists and one of the great choral works of musical literature – this alone would make this live recording of Verdi's Requiem a stand-out document of filmed music. But there is more: the venue of this grandiose performance is the Basilica of San Marco in Venice, with its shimmering golden Byzantine mosaics framed by mighty pillars and arches. Modeled on Constantine the Great's Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople, the 11th-century basilica has been the workplace of many a great musician in the past, such as Claudio Monteverdi, Adrian Willaert and Giovanni Gabrieli.
Lorin Maazel, Music Director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, is also the Music Director of the Symphonica Toscanini, a young orchestra founded in May 2006 that has performed under Zubin Mehta, Georges Prêtre and Kurt Masur. "In recent tours of Europe and the U.S., the musicians expressed their unique musical potential by playing so harmoniously and compellingly as a group that they conquered every audience," said Maazel. The recording also features distinguished soloists Norma Fantini, soprano; the young Anna Smirnova, mezzo-soprano; Francesco Meli, tenor; and Rafal Siwek, bass. The Chorus of...
Verdi wrote his Messa da Requiem in 1873-1874 for Alessandro Manzoni, a poet whom he much admired. Like Brahm's German Requiem , Verdi's Mass for the Dead is not intended for liturgical use but for the concert hall. In addition to its profound spirituality, this masterpiece brings together the finest qualities from Verdi's operas: endless melodic lines and captivating musico-dramatic effects.
Isabelle Faust and Alexander Melnikov have performed Beethoven's Sonatas for Violin and Piano in several concerts around the world but never before recorded them on period instruments. The immense care they have taken over documentation and performance has enabled them to get as close as possible to the composer's intention. Isabelle Faust plays the famous Stradivari Sleeping Beauty built in 1704, Alexander Melnikov performs on an original Graff piano from 1827 from his private collection.
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
The first two performances on this video feature David Oistrakh in one of his favourite performing partnerships, with his son, violinist Igor Oistrakh. Bach's Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 formed the duo's first foreign engagement whilst Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante was performed two years later in a sell-out performance at the Royal Albert Hall. Kirill Kondrashin, one of Oistrakh's preferred conductors, directs Brahms' Violin Concerto in D major, which has all the warmth and confidence one would expect from a classic Oistrakh recording.
The archival gems included here are taken from footage for the legendary 1948 Hollywood film "Concert Magic" (the first ever concert filmed for movie audiences). At nearly 25 minutes, Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto was too long for inclusion in the film, so although it is Menuhin's only filmed performance of the work it has only recently been discovered. To see one of the greatest ever violinists perform one of the greatest ever violin concertos is undoubtedly a compelling experience. The encore pieces that follow are superb documents of his seemingly effortless virtuosity. These performances by the 32-year-old Yehudi Menuhin show him at the height of his career. Yehudi Menuhin was one of the best-known violinists of the 20th century - he was universally popular and was frequently received as an ambassador of classical music. With "Concert Magic", which premiered in San Francisco in 1947, he made the first ever motion picture concert in film history. He also produced many short films for the cinema ?EUR" used to fill the space between the traditional "double features". An especially valuable rarity was found among these - Felix Mendelssohn's Violin concerto . Pianist Adolph Baller and the Symphony Orchestra of Hollywood conducted by Antal Dorati joined Yehudi Menuhin at the...
This concert features virtuoso violinist Yehudi Menuhin (1916?EUR"1999) at the Charlie Chaplin Studios in 1947. Together with various artists he performed classical and romantic works of famous composers such as Beethoven, Wieniawski, Bach, Paganini and others. Yehudi Menuhin in Concert Magic is the very first concert film produced by and for Hollywood. This concert was premiered at the Stage Door Cinema in San Francisco for movie audiences. Yehudi Menuhin was at the age of 32 and was at the pinnacle of his fame.
Bonus features:
- The Story behind "Concert Magic" - Yehudi Menuhin in conversation with Humphrey Burton
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world's greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors EUR" all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
This film is a genuine premiere starring the greatest motion picture composer of the present day: Ennio Morricone. Morricone's music has been well known to moviegoers for decades and his name stands for warmly melodic soundtracks, superbly suited to the films they grace. Born in 1928 in Rome, he went to school with film director Sergio Leone, with whom he would later form one of the great director/composer partnerships. His sparse arrangements, unorthodox instrumentation and memorable tunes revolutionised the way music would be used in Westerns. He has written nearly 400 film scores and this programme contains a representative sample of his rich creative output including short clips from his most famous films. The Munich Philharmonic ?EUR" one of the best German symphony orchestras - invited Morricone to conduct his own music.
Ton Koopman, a leading authority on Baroque music, gathered his favourite orchestra and eminent Baroque singers for a concert focusing on the Magnificat , the traditional prayer said by the Virgin Mary after hearing that she would bear God's son. Bach's Magnificat - his greatest choral work - is programmed together with one of his most beautiful cantatas and a lesser-known baroque gem by Bach's predecessor at St. Thomas' Church, Johann Kuhnau, to form a concert in honour of the spiritual power of Baroque music. The concert was performed at St. Thomas' in Leipzig, the church for which Bach conceived most of his works. The recording captures the atmosphere of the impressive church and shows the musicians "at work". The film also focuses on Ton Koopman, offering insights into his friendly and encouraging conducting style.
The famous Thomanerchor Leipzig ?EUR" a traditional specialist in Bach's choral music ?EUR" is joined by the superb Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and excellent soloists to perform one of Bach's most acclaimed pieces of religious choral music, the Mass in B Minor .
Recorded in the Thomaskirche in Leipzig in summer 2000, this was one of numerous performances to celebrate the 250th anniversary of J.S. Bach's death in the church where he served as musical director. The artistry of the performers under the assured baton of conductor George Christoph Biller is exemplary and the state-of-the-art filming shows the serene gothic church in full splendour ?EUR" a fitting backdrop for the work that is generally regarded as the crowning glory of Bach's sacred choral music; a majestic work that showcases Bach's supreme craftsmanship and skill as a choral composer.
Dutch organist and harpsichordist Ton Koopman is one of the most distinguished Bach interpreters of our time. On this video, he is featured interpreting Johann Sebastian Bach's greatest organ works, including the popular Toccata in D minor and the Fugue in G minor . He plays on the world-famous Silbermann Organ in Freiberg (Saxony). The organ was completed in 1714 and thoroughly restored in 1982/1983 and it closely retains its original condition. Bach adored his contemporary Gottfried Silbermann's organs for their exquisite sound and the recording allows the listener to enjoy this sound to the full while offering a closer look at this marvellously crafted instrument. In the second part of this video Ton Koopman is "At Home with Bach!" He plays favourite harpsichord pieces and accompanies the eminent Bach singer Klaus Mertens in popular arias. This programme was filmed in the enchanting Gohlis Castle near Leipzig, a late baroque jewel built in 1755.
Singer, pianist and conductor Michel Legrand, a living film music legend, presents his most famous scores, jazz tunes and chansons on this video. Not many composers can claim to have written for both Edith Piaf and the James Bond films - and it's precisely this fusion of European romance and Hollywood dynamism that has made Legrand one of the soundtrack world's best known names. His career spans half-a-century and over 200 films, and he has received three Oscars and five Grammys. He has worked with many of the 20th century's greatest artists, including Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Barbra Streisand, Edith Piaf, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles and has collaborated with French Nouvelle Vague directors Jean-Luc Godard and Claude Chabrol as well as Hollywood masters Clint Eastwood and Orson Welles. Recorded live in Brussels in 2005, this recording features music from Yentl , The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg , The Three Musketeers , Summer of '42 , Never Say Never Again , Edith and Ray's Blues to name but a few.
These magnificent interpretations of three Mendelssohn works - two orchestral and one chamber - are given by the phenomenally talented young Chinese pianist Yuja Wang and other young performers. Praised in BBC Music Magazine for her "keen intelligence" and "staggering technique," Yuja Wang has also been described by the San Francisco Chronicle as "the sort of musician whose combination of talents appears in the world only rarely." The Verbier Festival Orchestra consists of musicians hand-picked from every part of the world. Here they are directed by the doyen of German Mendelssohn conductors, Kurt Masur.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707) is considered today one of the founding fathers of the 17th century German school, whose influence on composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, his spiritual son, cannot be overestimated. Not only was he an indisputable master of organ music, but also a most prolific composer whose oeuvre consists of more than 200 works.
Let's us join the Masques Ensemble and the Vox Luminis choir and discover 17th century baroque music and the composer Buxtehude through his vocal compositions, ranging from spiritual concert, choral, aria to cantata parties, many of which directly influenced Johann Sebastian Bach's compositions. It is to a journey in space and time, a journey in which violins, viola, viola da gamba, violone, harpsichord, canned organ and choral ensemble will share the legacy and influence of Dietrich Buxtehude who has transcended borders with us.
Charpentier's most famous Te Deum - he wrote four - overawes in exultant D Major, with an eight-part ensemble and show stealing trumpets and timpani. It is no great surprise then that this work - and especially its instrumental prelude - became a hit!
Together with B'Rock, resident artist Vox Luminis completes the programme with a triumphant ode to the patron saint of music: Cecilia . Commissioned by London's 'Gentlemen Lovers of Musick', Purcell composed a celebratory festival of colours that shines brighter than ever in this rendition by two of Europe's most exciting Baroque ensembles.
Appalachian Journey Live in Concert captures three of the world's most extraordinary musicians and some very special guests at their sold out performance at New York City's Avery Fisher Hall. The unique and compelling trio of cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Mark O'Connor and bassist Edgar Meyer reaches a whole new level of artistic and technical prowess as they weave their way through a wide variety of musical genres.
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 11: A Hero's Life in Music
Strauss' orchestral autobiography from 1899 is unique documentary in music, scored for extra-large orchestra - a sonic spectacular, and a showcase for the All-Star musicians. In this highly pictorial music, the listener follows the Hero as he asserts his independence, falls in love, confronts his critics, engages in battle, creates a legacy of peace, and eventually comes to life's end.
Program 12: Mozart and A World Premiere
Mozart's magical Posthorn Serenade is paired with the world-premiere of Samuel Jones' Violin Concerto with Anne Akiko Meyers performing on the legendary Vieuxtemps Guarneri del Gesu violin. This rare event showcases the collaboration between composer, soloist, and conductor in bringing a...
Recorded live in the Museum Quarter in Vienna in January 2006, this concert was inspired by the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose 250th birthday made this year a celebratory Mozart Anniversary all over the world. With artists like singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, rock flutist Ian Anderson (formerly of Jethro Tull), the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and conductor Andrey Boreyko, this musical event proved to be a true crossover experience. All outstanding musical personalities in their field, the performers interpret Mozart's compositions in their personal musical languages whilst preserving the fascinating original spirit of Mozart. They produce a rousing, electrifying melange of classical, jazz and pop culture that shows that the impact of Mozart's music reaches far beyond the boundaries of classical music and can still reach the broad public of the 21st century. This is a must for crossover enthusiasts in the Mozart Year!
Singer, pianist and conductor Michel Legrand, a living film music legend, presents his most famous scores, jazz tunes and chansons on this video. Not many composers can claim to have written for both Edith Piaf and the James Bond films - and it's precisely this fusion of European romance and Hollywood dynamism that has made Legrand one of the soundtrack world's best known names. His career spans half-a-century and over 200 films, and he has received three Oscars and five Grammys. He has worked with many of the 20th century's greatest artists, including Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Barbra Streisand, Edith Piaf, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles and has collaborated with French Nouvelle Vague directors Jean-Luc Godard and Claude Chabrol as well as Hollywood masters Clint Eastwood and Orson Welles. Recorded live in Brussels in 2005, this recording features music from Yentl , The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg , The Three Musketeers , Summer of '42 , Never Say Never Again , Edith and Ray's Blues to name but a few.
Johann Sebastian Bach's most famous Christmas work has been recorded live at the Salle Henry Le Boeuf in the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. Who would have thought, three centuries ago, that all six cantatas, written by Bach for services from Christmas to the Epiphany, would one day be performed as a single work presenting the Christmas story? Internationally-renowned Bach expert Philippe Herreweghe, who founded the Collegium Vocale in 1970, surrounded himself with superb soloists.
Legendary pianist Vladimir Horowitz, conductor Carlo Maria Giulini and The Orchestra of La Scala perform Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 in A Major in a studio setting. The film also includes discussions, playback sessions and interviews.
Together with Beethoven's Missa Solemnis , Verdi's Requiem ranks as one of the two supreme achievements in 19th-century liturgical music. Verdi reverred the great Italian author Alessandro Manzoni. When Manzoni died on 22 May 1873, Verdi wrote to his publisher expressing his desire to compose a Requiem Mass . It was premiered on the first anniversay of Manzoni's death. From the hushed reverence of the "Requiem aeternam" to the raging fury of the "Dies irae", and from the overwhelming power of the "Tuba mirum" to the sobbing grief of the "Lacrimosa", the Requiem is a highly dramatic and emotional - though not theatrical - work. Verdi specified that it "must not be sung the way an opera is sung". A work of awesome grandeur, it projects a compelling sincerity and honesty, even though Verdi was a non-observant Catholic.
Originally performed at La Scala in 1967 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Toscanini's death, this production with the orchestra and chorus of the Teatro alla Scala was presented in Moscow, Montreal and New York, in addition to Milan. It was recorded on film in 1967, now with the young Luciano Pavarotti replacing Carlo Bergonzi. One of Karajan's earliest film productions (and his first color film), it reflects his innovativeness especially through his...
Described as 'the great Verdian bass'(Le Figaro) and a 'Mefistofele who stood out over all the others' (Der Neue Merker), Carlo Colombra brings some of the most famous bass roles to life in this wide-ranging programme. Emotions range from the pride of Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen , through the terrors of Verdi's Attila , to the tender recollections of Rachmaninov's Aleko . Mephistopheles strides powerfully through both Gounod and Boito's operas, and Rossini's comic with contrasts with the darkness of Mussorgsky's Boris Godonov
Recorded live in Amsterdam's historic, 17th Century, Portuguese Synagogue, the concert features three of the world's greatest cantors in a program of inspiring Jewish secular and religious song. Performing with a 46 piece orchestra and 16 voice choir are Alberto Mizrahi of the renowned Anshe Emet Synagogue, Chicago, Naftali Herstik of Great Synagogue Jerusalem and Benzion Miller of Young Israel Beth-El of Borough Park, New York.
This Christopher Nupen film belongs to a long line of memorable portraits of the great performers. It is the product of a close friendship between a dedicated filmmaker and one of the finest violinists of the twentieth century, and it contains the only portrait film ever made with Nathan Milstein. It was shot in the autumn of the longest career in the history of solo violin playing; seventy-three years lay between Milstein's first appearance with Glazunov conducting and his last recital in the Berwaldhallen in Stockholm in 1986. That legendary recital provides most of the music for this film. Milstein's partner was the French pianist Georges Pludermacher, with whom he had worked for more than twenty years.
Nathan Milstein was an astonishing eighty-two years old at the time of the recital, yet he still played as the grandest of grand masters, and as surely no other violinist has ever played at that age. This film will be of interest to virtually every student of the violin.
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the best orchestras in the world, celebrates its 60th Anniversary with a GALA Concert in 1996 conducted by Zubin Mehta and Daniel Barenboim. The Gala featuring world acclaimed soloists such as Isaac Stern Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhal Perlman and Shlomo Mintz.
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
Recorded live in Amsterdam's historic, 17th Century, Portuguese Synagogue, the concert features three of the world's greatest cantors in a program of inspiring Jewish secular and religious song. Performing with a 46 piece orchestra and 16 voice choir are Alberto Mizrahi of the renowned Anshe Emet Synagogue, Chicago, Naftali Herstik of Great Synagogue Jerusalem and Benzion Miller of Young Israel Beth-El of Borough Park, New York.
The Missa solemnis , scored for four solo voices, chorus, orchestra and organ, is one of the world's greatest choral works. It blends an age-old religious service with a musical outpouring of human emotions in an intensely personal manner. As with other musical forms, Beethoven altered, expanded and shaped the mass until it corresponded to his creative needs. Beethoven conceived the mass for a religious occasion, the installation of Archduke Rudolf as Archbishop of Olmütz in 1820. However, he did not complete it in time and the work was given its premiere in St. Petersburg on 7 April 1824. In his score, Beethoven wrote the words "From the heart... may it find its way to the heart" (vom Herzen - möge es wieder zu Herzen gehen!). Indeed, the work's dramatic, almost volcanic fervor never fails to go to the heart of all listeners.
This work is part of the complete cycle of Beethoven symphonic and choral works featuring the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam conducted by Leonard Bernstein. In this recording with the Dutch orchestra, Bernstein also conducts the soloists Edda Moser, Hanna Schwarz, René Kollo and Kurt Moll, along with the Chorus of Radio Hilversum.
Master Class with Hermann Prey recorded at the Richard-Strauss-Tage Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1997. Exclusively covered were Lieder by Richard Strauss . Piano accompaniment by Fritz Schwinghammer.
The Verbier Festival, created in 1994, has rapidly acquired a reputation for artistic excellence and is now considered one of the major European music festivals. For a fortnight each summer, the greatest stars of the classical music world come together against the magical backdrop of the Swiss Alps. The Verbier Festival gives musicians the opportunity to perform original programmes with fellow musicians they admire, but with whom they may never have performed before. These world premiere performances produce innovative and exciting results, for artists and audiences. The 2007 edition gathered classical celebrities such as Martha Argerich, Helene Grimaud, Gabriela Montero, Renaud Capucon, Nelson Freire, Mischa Maisky, Thomas Quasthoff and Lars Vogt, and for the first time all 46 concerts were recorded. The state-of-art recordings featured two cameras on stage that were remote-controlled so as to not disturb the audiences and artists and one camera in the midst of the audience to recreate the viewer's perspective. This video assembles excerpts of the most remarkable concerts with exciting programmes including works by Bartok, Debussy, Lutoslawski, Schubert and Schumann. Lovers of classical music will very much enjoy this summit of high-profile artists!
Claudio Monteverdi's Fourth Book of Madrigals (1603) explores differing emotional states of abandoned lovers through the most dramatic and amazingly modern music for vocal ensemble. The Full Monteverdi follows the simultaneous break-up of six couples through shocking revelation, vengeful anger and erotic longing for reconciliation. Vulnerable and disarming, this ensemble film will draw you into its emotional journey and intensely moving portrait of contemporary love.
Celebrating Strauss brings into focus the greatest interpreters of Richard Strauss's compositions. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences uniting appealing and enjoyable performances by legendary artists as Irmgard Seefried, Hertha Topper, Rita Streich and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Lovingly restored and digitally remastered the Classic Archive series offers a unique glimpse into our classical heritage featuring performances by celebrated artists of the past including complete full-lengths programmes and comprehensive booklet information.
In 2022, Musiques en fete celebrates love in music! with the 8,000 spectators at the Theatre Antique in Orange for an amazing show! Opera, operetta, musical comedy, classical music, film music, dance, as well as the greatest hits of French song... Through an eclectic programme, a tribute to love and to all music will be paid by prestigious soloists and more than 150 orchestral musicians and choral artists.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
Truls Mørk was the first Scandinavian ever to win the Moscow Tchaikovsky competition, a triumph that marked the start of his musical career. He enjoys a close friendship with the principal conductor of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, Jonathan Nott. He played the Cello Concerto in B minor by Anton Dvořák with the entire orchestra at the conclusion of his time as "artist in residence."
"Extraordinary pieces of music transport me to another state of consciousness. I don't know if I can describe it any better. At least that is how playing the Dvořák cello concerto makes me feel."
The film visits Truls Mørk at his Scandinavian holiday home, accompanying him on his boat out at sea and on walks along the coast. The Cello Concerto by Anton Dvořák with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra and the Chopin interpretations are focal points of the story.
Live from the Kabelwerk Oberspree in Berlin, Simon Rattle is conductor to the Berlin Philharmonic on its 125th anniversary on May 2007. With superb acoustics and magnificent architecture, the building proved to be an ideal setting for the annual Europa-Konzert. This recording features the magnificent works of Wagner and Brahms to be amazingly performed by Rattle, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and featured artists Lisa Batiashvili (violinist) and Truls Mørk (cellist).
A beloved combination: Cello, violin and piano. For their concert at the Verbier Festival 2015, Truls Mork, Ilya Gringolts and Daniil Trifonov chose works by Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms - thus showcasing how three famous German composers from the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century wrote for and perceived these three instruments.
This film is a genuine premiere starring the greatest motion picture composer of the present day: Ennio Morricone. Morricone's music has been well known to moviegoers for decades and his name stands for warmly melodic soundtracks, superbly suited to the films they grace. Born in 1928 in Rome, he went to school with film director Sergio Leone, with whom he would later form one of the great director/composer partnerships. His sparse arrangements, unorthodox instrumentation and memorable tunes revolutionised the way music would be used in Westerns. He has written nearly 400 film scores and this programme contains a representative sample of his rich creative output including short clips from his most famous films. The Munich Philharmonic ?EUR" one of the best German symphony orchestras - invited Morricone to conduct his own music.
One can vividly imagine the musical spectacle of the Abendmusiken, as it finds expression in the bass cantata Ich bin die Auferstehung und das Leben . Here Jesus is portrayed in the form of the bass singer in the St. John's Gospel's narrative of The Raising of Lazarus (Chapter XI, vv. 25-26), which is the reading for the 16th Sunday after Trinity.
Bearing in mind the Resurrection, this church concert may very well have been used to celebrate Christ's victory over death on Easter Sunday, as Buxtehude's use of the military instruments zink and trumpet could imply. Christ's words about the believer's life after death: "der wird leben, ob er gleich sturbe" (though he were dead, yet shall he live) is delivered rhetorically as recitative, after which the contrast between death and life is presented with imaginative dramatics in the following instrumental section.
Ich bin die Auferstehung und das Leben, like the great majority of Buxtehude's vocal music, has been preserved in the Duben Collection, into which it was copied in 1683. It was via Lubeck merchants and Baltic traders that the Swedish court kapellmeister Gustav Duben was supplied with manuscripts of music by, among others, Buxtehude to the court of Stockholm.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
The first two performances on this video feature David Oistrakh in one of his favourite performing partnerships, with his son, violinist Igor Oistrakh. Bach's Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 formed the duo's first foreign engagement whilst Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante was performed two years later in a sell-out performance at the Royal Albert Hall. Kirill Kondrashin, one of Oistrakh's preferred conductors, directs Brahms' Violin Concerto in D major, which has all the warmth and confidence one would expect from a classic Oistrakh recording.
The Missa solemnis , scored for four solo voices, chorus, orchestra and organ, is one of the world's greatest choral works. It blends an age-old religious service with a musical outpouring of human emotions in an intensely personal manner. As with other musical forms, Beethoven altered, expanded and shaped the mass until it corresponded to his creative needs. Beethoven conceived the mass for a religious occasion, the installation of Archduke Rudolf as Archbishop of Olmütz in 1820. However, he did not complete it in time and the work was given its premiere in St. Petersburg on 7 April 1824. In his score, Beethoven wrote the words "From the heart... may it find its way to the heart" (vom Herzen - möge es wieder zu Herzen gehen!). Indeed, the work's dramatic, almost volcanic fervor never fails to go to the heart of all listeners.
This work is part of the complete cycle of Beethoven symphonic and choral works featuring the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam conducted by Leonard Bernstein. In this recording with the Dutch orchestra, Bernstein also conducts the soloists Edda Moser, Hanna Schwarz, René Kollo and Kurt Moll, along with the Chorus of Radio Hilversum.
Leonard Bernstein conducted the work at the Salzburg Festival in 1975 and shortly thereafter in Vienna's Konzerthaus, where it was recorded. The stage of the Konzerthaus was enlarged to make room for the unusually large orchestra, the two choruses, the children's choir and the soloists.
Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Götterdämmerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
Johannes Moser is the name to watch among today's young violoncello virtuosos. Born in 1979, he has already performed with many of the world's leading orchestras, such as the New York Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, with which he made his U.S. debut under Pierre Boulez. His agenda is packed with appearances ranging from concerto soloist to chamber music partner to interpreter of avant-garde music on an electric cello.
In this concert of late Romantic music with the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, the 2008 Echo Classic Award winner boldly infuses Hans Pfitzner's Cello Concerto in A minor with a jolt of adrenaline that could very well boost this rarely heard work – which was long thought to be lost – into the concert repertoire. Written in 1883, Richard Strauss' Romance in F major for cello and orchestra is an early work from the pen of this orchestral master, and another showcase for the talent of Johannes Moser.
The concert also features another rising star of the classical music scene, the young Slovak conductor Juraj Valcuha, the principal conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Doing full justice to the refined atmosphere of the German late Romantic works on the program, which also includes a Wagner...
Elected by members of the Berlin Philharmonic as Principal Conductor and fifth Artistic Director in 1989, Claudio Abbado resigned from the post in 2002, but remains close to the orchestra, which cherishes the conductor to this day. Listening to the music, one hears how the Berlin Philharmonic transforms Abbado's musical intentions into sound ?EUR" there is a sense of unity that can only be achieved through many years of shared artistic experience and attention to detail. These live performances at the Philharmonie, Berlin in 2000 and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome in 2001 were an overwhelming success: each concert ended in standing ovations, and the critics spoke of seminal moments in the history of music. Abbado's Beethoven cycle will certainly become a milestone for contemporary interpretation and this recording pays tribute to his achievement. For the popular Symphony No. 9 in D minor , the Berlin Philharmonic were joined by high-ranking singers and choirs.
Bonus feature:
- Multi-Angle Feature - Conductor Camera ( Symphony No.3 )
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
This festive celebration concert from Berlin's Gethsemanekirche on the Day of German Unity also marks the 60th anniversary of the RIAS Kammerchor. Founded in 1948, this choir today enjoys a worldwide reputation as one of the best ensembles of its kind. Under the baton of their new chief conductor, Hans-Christoph Rademann, the RIAS Kammerchor and the Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin perform famous motets by Johann Sebastian Bach, interspersed with some fine instrumental movements from his cantatas.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
Resplendent in his powdered wig and 18th-century garb, Maestro Handel (aka Director of the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir Ivars Taurins) leads Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir, a stellar casts of soloists - soprano Suzie LeBlanc, countertenor Daniel Taylor, tenor Rufus Muller, and baritoen Locky Chung - and a mass audience choir made up of more than 1000 Tafelmusik fans as they perform Handel's baroque masterpiece.
A Toronto tradition beloved by thousands, Tafelmusik's annual Sing-Along Messiah has become a revered family ritual for many Torontonians over the past 25 years. Toronto's largest sing-along event, Tafelmusik's Sing-Along Messiah sells out every years, and participants are genuinely moved by the experience of joining their voices with hundreds of others to make music.
Fifty years to the day after its premiere, Andris Nelsons celebrates with his orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (which also gave that first performance), Benjamin Britten's War Requiem through a special anniversary performance given at Coventry Cathedral, the site of its first performance, starring Erin Wall, Mark Padmore and Hanno Muller-Brachmann. Coventry Cathedral was nearly completely destroyed by the German Luftwaffe at the beginning of World War II. After the war, next to the ruins of the old destroyed church, a new cathedral was built and the then already famous British composer Benjamin Britten was commissioned to compose a work for the consecration of the church.
When Anne-Sophie Mutter says that Mozart wrote his trios for violin, violoncello and piano for his own enjoyment, then this is not merely a conclusion derived from the artist's own pleasure in playing these works with talented colleagues. Mozart himself, in a letter of June 1788 to his friend Michael Puchberg, added this postscript: "When are we to have a little musical party at your house again? I have composed a new trio!" He was referring to the Piano Trio in E major, K. 542.
All three trios on this recording are not only late works, but were also published together in 1788, lending weight to the claim that they are the three finest and most exemplary works in this genre by Mozart. In the earliest of the three, K. 502, Mozart broke through the traditional predominance of the piano to give equal weight to the strings, whereby the violin is given ample opportunity to display the soloist's bravura.
The Trios K. 542 and 548 were both written in the astonishingly fruitful summer of 1788, during which Mozart wrote the great trilogy of his last symphonies. They show Mozart at the very height of his powers. Proof that Mozart thought highly of K. 542 emerges in the fact that he played it at the court of Dresden in 1789 when he was seeking an appointment there. Finally, K. 548 in C...
Claudio Monteverdi's Fourth Book of Madrigals (1603) explores differing emotional states of abandoned lovers through the most dramatic and amazingly modern music for vocal ensemble. The Full Monteverdi follows the simultaneous break-up of six couples through shocking revelation, vengeful anger and erotic longing for reconciliation. Vulnerable and disarming, this ensemble film will draw you into its emotional journey and intensely moving portrait of contemporary love.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents an historic account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This video features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their music director, Charles Munch.
This performance of extracts from The Creatures of Prometheus is a rare one, Munch having only conducted the ballet at the BSO in one season. He breathes life into his performances of Symphonies Nos. 4 and 5, which are executed with excitement, exuberance and panache.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents an historic account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This recording features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their Music Director, Charles Munch.
Munch gave extensive performances of Brahms' Symphonies Nos. 1 and 2 during his time at the Boston Symphony, particularly during the orchestra's many national and international tours. His readings of both works exhibit his characteristic energy and enthusiasm, which, coupled with the BSO's distinctive sound, makes for a captivating recording.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This video features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their Music Director, Charles Munch.
Celebrated for his performances of French music, Munch was an authority on the works featured on this video, all of which were composed during his lifetime. More than fifty years later, his recordings of French music remain a permanent standard of reference.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents a historical account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This video features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their Music Director Charles Munch.
While the material has been restored using the greatest care and state-of-the-art techniques, certain visual artefacts and distortions remain in some instances due to the age of the film. Despite this, it remains of exceptional musical interest and historic value.
Programmed by Munch during his years at the Boston Symphony but never recorded, his renderings of the two works featured on this video are exciting and spontaneous with the kind of precision and flair we have come to expect from the BSO under the buoyant direction of their charismatic music director.
Characteristically lively renditions, Charles Munch's interpretations of both Mendelssohn symphonies are energetic and precise with excellent articulation from the Boston Symphony Orchestra.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents a historic account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This video features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their Music Director, Charles Munch.
While the material has been restored using the greatest care and state-of-the-art techniques, certain visual artefacts and distortions remain in some instances due to the age of the film. Despite this, it remains of exceptional musical interest and historic value and is released here for the first time on video.
A great admirer of Schumann's Second Symphony, Charles Munch programmed the work in four different Boston Symphony Orchestra seasons, taking it on tour on each occasion. He never recorded the symphony with the BSO nor with any other orchestra, which makes this exciting video a new addition to his discography.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents an historic account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This video features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their Music Director, Charles Munch.
While the material has been restored using the greatest care and state-of-the-art techniques, certain visual artefacts and distortions remain in some instances due to the age of the film. Despite this, it remains of exceptional musical interest and historic value and is released here for the first time.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents an historic account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This video features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their Music Director, Charles Munch.
All three works featured on this video are well suited to Munch and his Alsatian heritage. He received prolonged and enthusiastic applause from the Boston audience following the performance of Franck's Symphony in D minor, whilst the Faure Pelleas et Melisande shows him as a true master of French music.
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas. Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his own...
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas. Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his own...
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas. Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his own...
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas. Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his own...
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas. Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his own...
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas. Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his own...
Born in Saxony in 1926, Karl Richter discovered his true musical vocation in Leipzig, where he studied under the great Karl Straube and Günther Ramin. The organ and the harpsichord were at the origin of his career, and his first performances were devoted to serving Bach through these keyboard instruments on which he was a virtuoso and a poet. Soon, however, Richter was swept up by a passion for the orchestra and the choral masses. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra in the 1950s, toured with his ensembles all over the world and made about 150 recordings.
Richter was perhaps at his most compelling when interpreting his two great fellow countrymen Bach and Handel. He was superb at translating Handel's monumental rhythms and vast soundscapes, the dynamic writing and sanguine spirit of his music. Although Richter saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his own style, which was considered revolutionary in the 1950s and 60s. This was a "de-romanticized" approach to the Baroque which was characterized, among other things, by a reduced body of performers more in keeping with the original forces. Richter's style also accented a cool, brisk, almost abstract attitude toward the music, which...
Born in Saxony in 1926, Karl Richter discovered his true musical vocation in Leipzig, where he studied under the great Karl Straube and Günther Ramin. The organ and the harpsichord were at the origin of his career, and his first performances were devoted to serving Bach through these keyboard instruments on which he was a virtuoso and a poet. Soon, however, Richter was swept up by a passion for the orchestra and the choral masses. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra in the 1950s, toured with his ensembles all over the world and made about 150 recordings.
Richter was perhaps at his most compelling when interpreting his two great fellow countrymen Bach and Handel. He was superb at translating Handel's monumental rhythms and vast soundscapes, the dynamic writing and sanguine spirit of his music. Although Richter saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his own style, which was considered revolutionary in the 1950s and 60s. This was a "de-romanticized" approach to the Baroque which was characterized, among other things, by a reduced body of performers more in keeping with the original forces. Richter's style also accented a cool, brisk, almost abstract attitude toward the music, which eschewed...
Johannes Brahms composed his Requiem in 1865/66, shortly after the death of his mother. A profoundly moving work for soprano and baritone solo, chorus and orchestra, it is the composer's largest single composition. No work did more to win Brahms international recognition and, after the first complete performance of the Requiem in Leipzig in 1869, he was regarded as one of the leading composers of his time. It was not the first requiem in German, but the first in which a composer pieced together his text from Bible passages in Martin Luther's German translation. It is an intensely personal selection which speaks to the living and seeks to offer hope and comfort. Through his subtle, almost surreal, affinity to Brahms's unorthodox, elusive worldview, conductor Christian Thielemann has crafted a performance that places him among the best interpreters of this work, such as Maazel, Furtwängler, Karajan, Klemperer... An acknowledged specialist of Romantic music, Thielemann "put forth a dignified account that offers considerable material for reflection. At the end, one understood all too well why the audience was requested to refrain from applauding at the end. For the seventh and last section is the solemn, meditative chorus "Selig sind die Toten" ... In Thielemann's hands, this...
Elemental, metaphysical, primordial – these are some of the terms used to describe Bruckner's nine symphonies and which fully apply to his Fourth Symphony, the "Romantic." Though Bruckner provided programmatic explanations to the music, one seeks in vain the "medieval city" and "leaping steeds" in this work, which disregards conventions and expectations. Monolithic blocks of sound derived from the simple horn melody of the opening measures, sweeping themes that hypnotically revolve around themselves, long build-ups that suddenly break off when a climax is imminent – the Fourth is a milestone in Bruckner's symphonic oeuvre. Bruckner originally wrote the Fourth Symphony in 1874 but revised it thoroughly in 1880 before its premiere in Vienna in 1881, which was a resounding success. Although he continued to revise it in later years, the version most often played today is the first revised version of 1880. This is also the version featured on this recording of a concert held at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, which was greeted with storms of applause. Leading the Munchner Philharmoniker in this concert is its principal conductor Christian Thielemann, a maestro internationally known and admired above all as a specialist of Romantic music. Having mastered the repertoire...
"Grandiose, unaffected, expansive, majestic, immovable..." – Christian Thielemann's description of Anton Bruckner's music vividly captures its essence and uniqueness. And he himself captures the soul of the great romantic composer in his interpretation of Bruckner's Seventh Symphony with the Munich Philharmonic. Recorded live at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden on 14 November 2006, the concert also features three orchestral preludes from the opera Palestrina by another late-romantic composer, Hans Pfitzner.
The preludes from Pfitzner's Palestrina , the composer's most well-known work, evoke the events about to transpire in the acts that follow them. While the subtle, refined nuances of the first prelude suggests the creative crisis of the opera's hero, the Renaissance composer Palestrina, the second reflects the turbulent atmosphere of the Council of Trent and the third the inner peace found at long last by Palestrina beneath the cupola of St. Peter's. Completed in September 1883, several months after the death of Richard Wagner, Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 7 in E major is a stunning homage to the composer of the Ring . A passionate admirer of Wagner, Bruckner claimed that he had the master's death in mind while writing the "Adagio" of this symphony. With its...
Valery Gergiev , fresh from his appointment as chief conductor of the Munchner Philharmoniker in 2015, takes his new ensemble to the BBC Proms for a concert at the utmost in drama and vivid musicianship. The brilliant young Uzbek pianist Behzod Abduraimov performs Rachmaninov's thrillingly virtuosic Piano Concerto No. 3 , while the Russian stage and film actor Alexei Petrenko recites the text in Galina Ustvolkskaya's resonant and profound Symphony No. 3, "Jesus Messiah, Saves Us!" . The programme also features a hypnotic Ravel Bolero , an alternately tender, florid and witty Rosenkavalier Suite , and the rousing Hungarian March by Berlioz .
This film is a genuine premiere starring the greatest motion picture composer of the present day: Ennio Morricone. Morricone's music has been well known to moviegoers for decades and his name stands for warmly melodic soundtracks, superbly suited to the films they grace. Born in 1928 in Rome, he went to school with film director Sergio Leone, with whom he would later form one of the great director/composer partnerships. His sparse arrangements, unorthodox instrumentation and memorable tunes revolutionised the way music would be used in Westerns. He has written nearly 400 film scores and this programme contains a representative sample of his rich creative output including short clips from his most famous films. The Munich Philharmonic ?EUR" one of the best German symphony orchestras - invited Morricone to conduct his own music.
From the Gasteig in Munich: Germany's most popular tenor Jonas Kaufmann presents an evening with the most famous German operatic arias. Amongst them are "Dies Bildnis ist bezaubernd schön" from W.A. Mozart's The Magic Flute, "In fernem Land" from Wagner's Lohengrin and "Winterstürme" from Die Walküre. With this repertoire Kaufmann goes back to his roots: "I grew up with this music. It is embedded in my genes."
This "intermezzo giocoso" for bass and orchestra by Domenico Cimarosa features Maurizio Muraro in the solo part. The conductor is Ton Koopman. The Dutch musician was born in 1944 and ranks among the outstanding specialists in the field of historical performance practice. He studied organ, harpsichord and musicology in Amsterdam and turned to conducting during his training. From the very beginning, he used original instruments and combined theory and practice into a fascinating, historically well-founded interpretation of the works. In 1979 he founded the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. He is the principal conductor of the Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra. As a performing artist and teacher, Koopman has made decisive contributions to the renaissance of the music of the 17th and 18th centuries. He has published many books and articles, teaches at the Conservatory of The Hague and is an honorary member of the Royal Music Academy in London. The Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg goes back to the "Dom-Musik-Verein und Mozarteum" founded in 1841. Since 1938 it has been an independent institution with professional musicians. It has been the orchestra of the city and the Land of Salzburg since 1958 and, in addition to its activity as opera and concert orchestra, it also performs regularly...
Award-winning composer and trumpet player Hannibel Lokumbe is a leader in expressing the Aprican-American experience through his orchestral and choral music, with a special focus on civil rights leaders. Can You Hear God Crying? is a spiritatorio which takes us on a journey from hardship and suffering to healing and celebrations of courage and peace, told through the forced migration aboard a slave ship endured by Lokumbe's great-grandfather Silas Burgess. Combining jazz, gospel and chamber music together with West African prayers and songs, this is both a moving commemoration and a spectacularly festive event which faces past and present with honesty and deep spiritual understanding.
With the European Concert the Berliner Philharmoniker celebrate the anniversary of their founding in 1882. Performed each year in another European city, this year's concert takes place in Naples. Together with charismatic conductor Riccardo Muti and Violeta Urmana, one of the leading sopranos in the Italian dramatic genre, they present the overture of Verdi's magnificent opera La forza del destino and La canzone dei ricordi by Giuseppe Martucci, who died in Naples. Schubert's "Great" C major Symphony completes this memorable concert at the awe-inspiring Teatro San Carlo.
A "triumph of remembrance," wrote the daily Die Welt in its online service following a stirring concert that left its audience hovering between hushed reverence and deafening exultation. The Golden Hall of Vienna's Musikverein was the dazzling venue for the live recording of one of four concerts given by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Seiji Ozawa and with Anne-Sophie Mutter. The series began in Berlin's Philharmonie before going on to Paris, Lucerne and Vienna, where it culminated on 28 January. And there, in Vienna, Karajan's "Berliner" never sounded better, evoking "a time which self-confidently sought the private and subjective in music, and believed it could find them in the mirror of the works" (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung).
The program begins with Beethoven's Violin Concerto, Op. 61 performed by Anne-Sophie Mutter, who was discovered by Karajan and first played with the Berlin Philharmonic under his direction at the Salzburg Easter Festival in 1977. Her performance glows with a sensuality and ethereal beauty that turn her interpretation into a memorial for two men whom she grew up with, Beethoven and Karajan. As an encore, Mutter plays Bach's Sarabande in D minor "in memoriam Herbert von Karajan," as she announces. Tchaikovsky's "Pathétique" is given a...
One of the world's foremost violinists, Anne-Sophie Mutter is a musical celebrity known even by countless people who rarely listen to classical music. The artist and teacher, who promotes young musicians and commissions new works from contemporary composers, made her spectacular breakthrough under Herbert von Karajan at the 1977 Salzburg Easter Festival. She has since concertized at every major venue throughout the world. In 2008 she was awarded not only the prestigious Ernst von Siemens Music Award, but also the Leipzig Mendelssohn Award. The award ceremony in March 2008 was crowned by a gala concert at Leipzig's Gewandhaus with the Gewandhaus Orchestra under Kurt Masur, at which Mutter performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 presented here.
Mutter has performed the Violin Concerto several times in her career. Joining her in Mendelssohn's Violin Sonata is pianist Andre Previn, who is also an internationally renowned conductor and composer. Previn accompanied Mutter in several Mozart Trios that are part of her "Mozart Project." He and cellist Lynn Harrell now interpret the D minor Trio with her. This is a stunning anthology of chamber and orchestral music from one of the most vibrant composers of the early Romantic Era, performed by top artists of today!
When Anne-Sophie Mutter says that Mozart wrote his trios for violin, violoncello and piano for his own enjoyment, then this is not merely a conclusion derived from the artist's own pleasure in playing these works with talented colleagues. Mozart himself, in a letter of June 1788 to his friend Michael Puchberg, added this postscript: "When are we to have a little musical party at your house again? I have composed a new trio!" He was referring to the Piano Trio in E major, K. 542.
All three trios on this recording are not only late works, but were also published together in 1788, lending weight to the claim that they are the three finest and most exemplary works in this genre by Mozart. In the earliest of the three, K. 502, Mozart broke through the traditional predominance of the piano to give equal weight to the strings, whereby the violin is given ample opportunity to display the soloist's bravura.
The Trios K. 542 and 548 were both written in the astonishingly fruitful summer of 1788, during which Mozart wrote the great trilogy of his last symphonies. They show Mozart at the very height of his powers. Proof that Mozart thought highly of K. 542 emerges in the fact that he played it at the court of Dresden in 1789 when he was seeking an appointment there. Finally, K. 548 in C...
Anne-Sophie Mutter chose to begin her homage to Mozart's 250th birthday with the violin concertos. The choice is certainly fitting, as the concertos have been a major pillar of her repertoire ever since her earliest days: she played the Second Concerto at her public debut when she was nine, and performed the G major Concerto K. 216 at her spectacular Salzburg debut under Herbert von Karajan when she was 13. She vigorously affirms that Mozart has since been present in her life on a daily basis.
Although she has already recorded Mozart's violin concertos in the past, Ms. Mutter is aware that her more recent interpretations bring a different perspective and greater maturity to her view of Mozart – while not diminishing the value of her earlier recordings. For this recording, which was filmed in Salzburg in December 2005, Ms. Mutter decided to conduct the ensemble herself. And with the Camerata Salzburg, she had at her disposal a supple and sensitive partner.
Mozart was not only a gifted pianist but also an accomplished string player, who enjoyed playing both the violin and the viola. His first violin concerto, K. 207 in B flat major , was written in 1773 and is possibly Mozart's very first concerto for solo instrument and orchestra. The other four works – K....
Anne-Sophie Mutter chose to begin her homage to Mozart's 250th birthday with the violin concertos. The choice is certainly fitting, as the concertos have been a major pillar of her repertoire ever since her earliest days: she played the Second Concerto at her public debut when she was nine, and performed the G major Concerto K. 216 at her spectacular Salzburg debut under Herbert von Karajan when she was 13. She vigorously affirms that Mozart has since been present in her life on a daily basis.
Although she has already recorded Mozart's violin concertos in the past, Ms. Mutter is aware that her more recent interpretations bring a different perspective and greater maturity to her view of Mozart – while not diminishing the value of her earlier recordings. For this recording, which was filmed in Salzburg in December 2005, Ms. Mutter decided to conduct the ensemble herself. And with the Camerata Salzburg, she had at her disposal a supple and sensitive partner.
Mozart was not only a gifted pianist but also an accomplished string player, who enjoyed playing both the violin and the viola. His first violin concerto, K. 207 in B flat major , was written in 1773 and is possibly Mozart's very first concerto for solo instrument and orchestra. The other four works – K....
Anne-Sophie Mutter chose to begin her homage to Mozart's 250th birthday with the violin concertos. The choice is certainly fitting, as the concertos have been a major pillar of her repertoire ever since her earliest days: she played the Second Concerto at her public debut when she was nine, and she performed the G major Concerto K. 216 at her spectacular Salzburg debut under Herbert von Karajan when she was 13. She vigorously affirms that Mozart has since been present in her life on a daily basis.
Although she has already recorded Mozart's violin concertos in the past, Ms. Mutter is aware that her more recent interpretations bring a different perspective and greater maturity to her view of Mozart – while not diminishing the value of her earlier recordings. For this recording, which was filmed in Salzburg in December 2005, Ms. Mutter decided to conduct the ensemble herself. And with the Camerata Salzburg, she had at her disposal a supple and sensitive partner.
Mozart was not only a gifted pianist but also an accomplished string player who enjoyed playing both the violin and the viola. His first violin concerto, K. 207 in B flat major, was written in 1773 and is possibly Mozart's very first concerto for solo instrument and orchestra. The other four works – K....
Anne-Sophie Mutter chose to begin her homage to Mozart's 250th birthday with the violin concertos. The choice is certainly fitting, as the concertos have been a major pillar of her repertoire ever since her earliest days: she played the Second Concerto at her public debut when she was nine, and she performed the G major Concerto K. 216 at her spectacular Salzburg debut under Herbert von Karajan when she was 13. She vigorously affirms that Mozart has since been present in her life on a daily basis.
Although she has already recorded Mozart's violin concertos in the past, Ms. Mutter is aware that her more recent interpretations bring a different perspective and greater maturity to her view of Mozart – while not diminishing the value of her earlier recordings. For this recording, which was filmed in Salzburg in December 2005, Ms. Mutter decided to conduct the ensemble herself. And with the Camerata Salzburg, she had at her disposal a supple and sensitive partner.
Mozart was not only a gifted pianist but also an accomplished string player who enjoyed playing both the violin and the viola. His first violin concerto, K. 207 in B flat major, was written in 1773 and is possibly Mozart's very first concerto for solo instrument and orchestra. The other four works – K....
Anne-Sophie Mutter chose to begin her homage to Mozart's 250th birthday with the violin concertos. The choice is certainly fitting, as the concertos have been a major pillar of her repertoire ever since her earliest days: she played the Second Concerto at her public debut when she was nine, and she performed the G major Concerto K. 216 at her spectacular Salzburg debut under Herbert von Karajan when she was 13. She vigorously affirms that Mozart has since been present in her life on a daily basis.
Although she has already recorded Mozart's violin concertos in the past, Ms. Mutter is aware that her more recent interpretations bring a different perspective and greater maturity to her view of Mozart – while not diminishing the value of her earlier recordings. For this recording, which was filmed in Salzburg in December 2005, Ms. Mutter decided to conduct the ensemble herself. And with the Camerata Salzburg, she had at her disposal a supple and sensitive partner.
Mozart was not only a gifted pianist but also an accomplished string player who enjoyed playing both the violin and the viola. His first violin concerto, K. 207 in B flat major, was written in 1773 and is possibly Mozart's very first concerto for solo instrument and orchestra. The other four works – K....
The collection Classic Archive presents great performances by legendary artists, remastered using the latest digital technology and enhanced with commentary for today's audiences. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences - appealing and enjoyable performances, that offer a unique glimpse into our classical music heritage. This Classic Archive episode brings into focus the greatest performers of Giuseppe Verdi's compositions.
This opera gala, recorded live at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, on November 8, 2003, marked the 10th anniversary of the annual benefit for the German AIDS Foundation. Conducted by Kent Nagano, then Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Berlin Deutsche Symphony Orchestra founded 1923. This recording features an illustrious roster of international artists from Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, the United States and Canada.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's annual summer concert at the Waldbühne in Berlin is legendary. Recorded live on 25 June 2000, the Millenium concert gathered more than 22,000 people in one of the most appealing outdoor amphitheatres in Europe for one of the most popular classical music concerts in the world. Kent Nagano named his programme of popular and rather unusual music from the 20th century "Rhythm and Dance." It turned out to be an inspiring combination of classical pieces, show tunes, pops, and Far Eastern music, all brought together in a tasty musical stew and rightly labelled as one of the most exciting programmes ever performed at the Waldbühne. It featured Gershwin classics with an outstanding performance by the American mezzo soprano Susan Graham, music by Ravel and the soundtrack to the successful Chinese film "Farewell My Concubine." Nagano injected the performance with so much sensuality and pulsing life that the audience rose to beat time with their feet and to gave him standing ovations.
In many ways Gustav Mahler's Seventh and Eighth Symphonies are the most unusual works that the late Romantic composer ever wrote. The Seventh was the last in a series of middle-period pieces that were purely instruments in character. Two movements headed Nachtmusik and the remarkable writing for a guitar and mandolin help to create a sequence of darkly Romantic visions. And even within Mahler's markedly eclectic output, the Eighth Symphony enjoys the status of an exotic outsider thanks not only to its two-movement form combining an early medieval hymn and the final scene from Goethe's Faust but also to the vast forces for which it is scored, earning it the title of Symphony of a Thousand
Filmed in Chester Cathedral during the National Youth Orchestra of Spain's 2007 European tour, this concert features Leopold Stokowski's inimitable and colourful transcriptions of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhbition and "A Night on Bare Mountain," the latter made famous by its inclusion in the 1940 Walt Disney film Fantasia. Jose Serebrier's "Symphonie mystique," for strings, was written in the space of just one week in 2003. Serebrier's earlier recording of this work was hailed by FonoForum magazine as "a vital, elegant masterwork…a shimmering prism of tone…clearly formed and with a sure hand for reaching great heights of ecstasy."
Against the backdrop of St Petersburg's beautiful Court Capella, Eldar Nebolsin performs the piano concertos of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov with a passion and sincerity as palpable on screen as live in the hall. With such evident pleasure and seemingly with ease, he transforms the familiar into something fresh and wonderful. He is seen live with Vladimir Lande and the St Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra. Bonus material shows Nebolsin as soloist in an intimate and equally engaging performance of Beethoven's Fourth Piano Sonata.
Fifty years to the day after its premiere, Andris Nelsons celebrates with his orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (which also gave that first performance), Benjamin Britten's War Requiem through a special anniversary performance given at Coventry Cathedral, the site of its first performance, starring Erin Wall, Mark Padmore and Hanno Muller-Brachmann. Coventry Cathedral was nearly completely destroyed by the German Luftwaffe at the beginning of World War II. After the war, next to the ruins of the old destroyed church, a new cathedral was built and the then already famous British composer Benjamin Britten was commissioned to compose a work for the consecration of the church.
Under the baton of the young Latvian conductor Andris Nelsons, together with the 1st concertmaster Daishin Kashimoto as a soloist, the great Berliner Philharmoniker musically focused on Tchaikovsky . Along with Tchaikovsky's stirring Symphony No. 5 , the program included beguiling shorter works featuring violinist Daishin Kashimoto - the Serenade melancolique in B flat Minor, Waltz-Scherzo in C Major and Souvenir d'un lieu cher .
The charismatic conductor Nelsons has been Music Director of the City of the Birmingham Symphony Orchestra since 2008, enjoying a critically acclaimed first few seasons. Over the next seasons he will continue collaborations with the Berliner Philharmoniker, Wiener Philharmoniker, Het Koninklijk Concertgebouworkest, New York Philharmonic, and others.
Pixel is a stunning contemporary dance performance for 11 dancers in a virtual and living visual environment. A work on illusion combining energy and poetry, fiction and technical achievement, minimal music and hip-hop. It opens a dialogue between the synthetic world of digital projection and the real bodies of dancers. Pixel appeals to fans of contemporary dance, urban and hip-hop moves, with elements of circus too. Artistic Director and choreograper Mourad Merzouki, together with his Compagnle Kafig has elevated hip-hop to the world stage. In doing so he has created a multicultural contemporary dance form which takes equal place with modern dance and other idioms of the genre. He has incorporated circus elements, martial arts, contemporary dance and puppetry, and brought in performers from Algeria, Brazil and Taiwan in order to develop his ideas. The music was composed by French composer Armand Amar won a Cesar award for his original soundtrack.
An exceptional concert from Brazil: the Orquestra Sinfonica do Estado de Sao Paulo proves its position as the most important orchestra in Latin America. Conducted by charismatic maestro John Neschling since 1997, the orchestra is defined by its emblematic interpretations of Latin American music. With Sao Paulo Samba, the orchestra yet again grips the listener with an electrifying selection of Brazilian and Latin American classics, including works by Alberto Ginastera, Astor Piazzolla, Heitor Villa-Lobos and Joao Bosco. The famous Banda Mantiqueira and celebrated singer Monica Salmaso complement the show.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world’s greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world’s greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
The Missa solemnis , scored for four solo voices, chorus, orchestra and organ, is one of the world's greatest choral works. It blends an age-old religious service with a musical outpouring of human emotions in an intensely personal manner. As with other musical forms, Beethoven altered, expanded and shaped the mass until it corresponded to his creative needs. Beethoven conceived the mass for a religious occasion, the installation of Archduke Rudolf as Archbishop of Olmütz in 1820. However, he did not complete it in time and the work was given its premiere in St. Petersburg on 7 April 1824. In his score, Beethoven wrote the words "From the heart... may it find its way to the heart" (vom Herzen - möge es wieder zu Herzen gehen!). Indeed, the work's dramatic, almost volcanic fervor never fails to go to the heart of all listeners.
This work is part of the complete cycle of Beethoven symphonic and choral works featuring the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam conducted by Leonard Bernstein. In this recording with the Dutch orchestra, Bernstein also conducts the soloists Edda Moser, Hanna Schwarz, René Kollo and Kurt Moll, along with the Chorus of Radio Hilversum.
"Ich will euch trosten" (I will comfort you), sings the soprano in Brahms's Ein deutsches Requiem. Indeed, this is music of comfort, not of lamentation. With this work, Mariss Jansons is continuing the Requiem ritual started in 2011 to allow listeners to contemplate the transience of life at the beginning of autumn. Rather than using the standard Latin mass text, however, Brahms selected his own text from the Bible. He completed the work after the death of his mother. Following the premiere, the music critic Hanslick wrote, "Since Bach's Mass in B Minor and Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, nothing in this vein has been written which is comparable to Brahms's Ein deutsches Requiem. " It was this work, which became immensely popular, that truly established Brahms as a composer.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world's greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors EUR" all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two-season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world's greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world’s greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
Recorded live in Amsterdam's historic, 17th Century, Portuguese Synagogue, the concert features three of the world's greatest cantors in a program of inspiring Jewish secular and religious song. Performing with a 46 piece orchestra and 16 voice choir are Alberto Mizrahi of the renowned Anshe Emet Synagogue, Chicago, Naftali Herstik of Great Synagogue Jerusalem and Benzion Miller of Young Israel Beth-El of Borough Park, New York.
The excitement is palpable at Paris' Théâtre des Champs-Elysées this 28 March 2007. Anna Netrebko is not only making her debut in France, but she is making it with Rolando Villazon. The "dream couple" of the opera world is about to bring its incomparable charm and magnetism to France's "melomanes," and the result is nothing less than phenomenal: "An unforgettable evening, rich in emotions, which many spectators will look back on with nostalgia one day and say: 'I was there!'" No matter where they appear, Netrebko and Villazon inevitably work their magic on the audience, whether it consists of hundreds or, when broadcast on TV, of millions.
For their Paris concert, the duo chose a broad selection of chiefly late Romantic works – the style for which their voices seem to be tailor-made. A tribute to France is offered with excerpts from Gounod's Romeo et Juliette and the little-known Polyeucte, along with the famous "duo de Saint-Sulpice" from Massenet's Manon. Not surprisingly, a Russian composer also graces the program; Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin and Iolantha are sung superbly by Netrebko. Villazon's Latin blood heats up Spanish songs by Sotullo-Otero, Vert, Moreno-Torroba and Penella. But it's in the Italian repertoire that the couple reaches heights of...
On the eve of its 300th birthday, St. Petersburg, Russia's fabled "window to Europe", celebrates this anniversary presenting a gala of distinguished musical art featuring Anna Netrebko, Dimitri Hvorostovsky, Mischa Maisky and many others. Yuri Temirkanov conducts one of the oldest Russian symphonic ensembles: the St. Petersburg Philharmonic.
The most spectacular homage to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on his 250th birthday in 2006 was incontestably the presentation of all of his operas and operatic fragments at the Salzburg Festival, "Mozart 22." Recorded on film, this monumental project has been preserved for posterity as a benchmark of Mozart interpretation in the early 21st century. The Mozart Gala held at the Felsenreitschule on 30 July 2006, in the first days of the 2006 Salzburg Festival, presents a kind of microcosm of the Mozart festivities, with a selection of arias and orchestral music performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Daniel Harding and featuring some of the top vocalists of the 2006 Salzburg Festival.
A sampling of exquisite hors d'oeuvres prepared by the most outstanding musical chefs! Internationally celebrated soprano Anna Netrebko lives up to her reputation as a fiery, dramatic diva in her passionate rendition of Elettra's aria "D'Oreste, d'Aiace" from Idomeneo. Thomas Hampson, one of the greatest baritones of our time, burnishes Guglielmo's aria "Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo" from Cosi fan tutte with his full, rich, mellow tone. Leading Mozart tenor Michael Schade appears twice, in arias from Don Giovanni and La clemenza di Tito. A particularly bright moment awaits listeners when Rene...
Four of the greatest singers of our time combine their talents and their artistry in an evening of beloved operatic numbers – rarely has a concert deserved the title "Opera Summit" as much as this one, recorded live at the Festspielhaus in Baden-Baden on 3 August 2007. Heading the quartet is soprano Anna Netrebko with her inimitable blend of glamour and simplicity, her enticing appearance and seductive singing, a musical powerhouse who tops the pop charts and sells out operas houses within hours.
Hardly less dazzling than her Russian colleague is Latvian mezzo Elina Garanca, whose crystal-clear voice and charismatic stage presence never fail to enthrall her audiences. She is a frequent guest of the Vienna State Opera and the Salzburg Festival, where she made her sensational debut as Annio in Mozart's La clemenza di Tito in 2003. Her international career has taken her to Covent Garden, the Met and other prestigious stages. She was awarded the European Cultural Prize in Dresden in 2006.
Replacing the indisposed Rolando Villazon is his fellow Mexican tenor Ramon Vargas, who began his career in Europe after winning the first prize in the Enrico Caruso Competition in Milan. His international breakthrough came in 1993 when he replaced Luciano Pavarotti as Edgardo in...
Bathed in the warm light of the setting sun, Vienna's imperial Schonbrunn Palace provides a romantic setting for this open-air concert held shortly before the final match of the Euro 2008 football championship. And shining even more brightly than the palace are the stars of the evening, Anna Netrebko, Rolando Villazon and Placido Domingo.
The trio's first joint concert, given at Berlin's Waldbuhne for the 2006 football World Cup, was awarded platinum status for sales of over 50,000 DVDs in Germany and over 100,000 worldwide. The Schonbrunn concert also broke records with 3.3 million viewers watching the concert live or deferred in Germany and Austria.
Netrebko "beguiles the audience" (Neue Kronen-Zeitung) with a heady rendition of a number from the operetta Csardasfurstin and lets herself be swept off her feet in a waltz with her duet partner Placido Domingo. The great tenor himself regales the audience with his "golden tones" (Die Presse) and "vocal youthfulness" (Suddeutsche Zeitung) in excerpts from Massenet and Wagner. Villazon "dazzles with bravura arias" (Wiener Zeitung), duets and a fiery zarzuela encore. In an emotional homage to Vienna, the trio performs the immortal "Wien, Wien nur du allein." Other gems include Rimsky-Korsakov's "The Rose and the Nightingale,"...
In the tradition of the original The Three Tenors, world-class singers Placido Domingo, Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon joined forces to entertain a live audience of 20,000 spectators on location and millions more around the world on TV. They sang the most famous arias and duets from the world of opera, accompanied by the orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin and its conductor Marco Armiliato. The event took place on 7 July 2006 at Berlin's legendary Waldbühne, a venue modeled after ancient amphitheaters that has hosted all the giants of the rock and pop world, such as Robbie Williams and the Rolling Stones.
Looking back on an extraordinary career that has been honored with 9 Grammys and 3 Latin Grammys, Plácido Domingo has become the very epitome of the operatic tenor, even among people who have no particular interest in classical music. He is a star who beguiles every audience with his virile charisma. Russian soprano Anna Netrebko's phenomenal career keeps her rushing from one highlight to the next. Her debut as Natasha Rostova in Prokofiev's War and Peace at New York's Metropolitan Opera had the critics hailing her as an "Audrey Hepburn with a voice." On stage, Anna's heart belongs to the Mexican breakout star Rolando Villazon, whom Placido Domingo sees as his...
Anton Webern's Langsamer Satz for string quartet was performed as part of the "My GAIA" concert during the Festival's 2012 edition. Composed in 1905, Langsamer Satz is in traditional sonata form and in the key of C Major; it would be another twenty years before Webern turned to twelve-tone technique. Langsamer Satz premiered in 1962, seventeen years after Webern's death, and has the longest playing time of any piece in his body of work.
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
New Brunswick Youth Orchestra, under the direction of Antonio Delgado, presents Mambo Potpourri by Damaso Perez Prado! Recorded in 2012 at the Wesleyan Celebration Centre in Moncton, NB (Canada), NBYO's performance of Mambo Potpourri went viral, reaching over 16M views on YouTube. Almost a decade later, this performance has been remastered and is available for viewing.
The collection Classic Archive presents great performances by legendary artists, remastered using the latest digital technology and enhanced with commentary for today's audiences. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences - appealing and enjoyable performances, that offer a unique glimpse into our classical music heritage. This Classic Archive episode brings into focus the greatest performers of Giuseppe Verdi's compositions.
The collection Classic Archive presents great performances by legendary artists, remastered using the latest digital technology and enhanced with commentary for today's audiences. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences - appealing and enjoyable performances, that offer a unique glimpse into our classical music heritage. This Classic Archive episode brings into focus the greatest performers of Giuseppe Verdi's compositions.
Who would have thought it? An American orchestra performing in North Korea! Hundreds of millions watched this historic New York Philharmonic concert on television in February 2008 and for a few hours the cold war hostilities seemed to be forgotten. Music became diplomacy when conductor Lorin Maazel and the New York Philharmonic, the USA's most eminent orchestra, opened the concert in East Pyongyang's Grand Theatre with both the American and the North Korean national anthems. The programme included music by Wagner, Dvorák, Gershwin, Bizet and Bernstein and prompted the North Korean audience to standing ovations. This courageous musical project also united Korean and American musicians, who together produced a technically brilliant performance. The musicians barely spoke to one another, communicating in exchanged glances and body language, and when Lorin Maazel raised his baton at the end of the concert and the orchestra embarked on Arirang , a lilting folk song emblematic of the North and South Korean people, the audience was obviously touched.
A previously unreleased documentary with 53 minutes of exclusive material shows members of the New York Philharmonic on their historic trip to North Korea's capital. Many concerns and doubts arose before departing to the most...
Butterfly Lovers is a music and dance film by director Marikki Hakola. A synthesis of the ever-popular Chinese violin concerto Butterfly Lovers and choreography inspired by Chinese martial arts and modern dance, the film is an imaginative interpretation of the ancient Chinese fairy tale A Love Story of Liang Shan Bo and Zhu Ying Tai. The film features violinist Takako Nishizaki, conductor James Judd, choreographer and dancer Dou Dou, dancer Ding Yue Hong and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
Bonus feature:
Butterfly Tones - a documentary featuring interviews with Chen Gang, Takako Nishizaki, James Judd, Zeng Kang Mei and Dou Dou.
Recorded live in Amsterdam's historic, 17th Century, Portuguese Synagogue, the concert features three of the world's greatest cantors in a program of inspiring Jewish secular and religious song. Performing with a 46 piece orchestra and 16 voice choir are Alberto Mizrahi of the renowned Anshe Emet Synagogue, Chicago, Naftali Herstik of Great Synagogue Jerusalem and Benzion Miller of Young Israel Beth-El of Borough Park, New York.
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
Butterfly Lovers is a music and dance film by director Marikki Hakola. A synthesis of the ever-popular Chinese violin concerto Butterfly Lovers and choreography inspired by Chinese martial arts and modern dance, the film is an imaginative interpretation of the ancient Chinese fairy tale A Love Story of Liang Shan Bo and Zhu Ying Tai. The film features violinist Takako Nishizaki, conductor James Judd, choreographer and dancer Dou Dou, dancer Ding Yue Hong and the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.
Bonus feature:
Butterfly Tones - a documentary featuring interviews with Chen Gang, Takako Nishizaki, James Judd, Zeng Kang Mei and Dou Dou.
The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto was written in 1958 by He Zhanhao and Chen Gang while they were students at the Shanghai Conservatory and was first performed in May the following year. Musically the concerto is a synthesis of Eastern and Western traditions, although the melodies and overall style are adapted from traditional Chinese opera. The solo violin is used in a way that recalls the playing technique of the erhu, the Chinese two-string fiddle. It is a one-movement programmatic concerto with three sections that correspond to the three phases of the story - Falling in Love, Refusing to Marry and Metamorphosis.
The Yellow River Concerto was based on the famous Yellow River Cantata by Xin Singhai, a work dating from the period of the Sino-Japanese War, and devised by the committee of composers then found advisable for such a task, Yin Chengzong, Liu Zhuang, Chu Wanghua, Sheng Lihong, Shi Shucheng and Xu Feisheng.
Singer, pianist and conductor Michel Legrand, a living film music legend, presents his most famous scores, jazz tunes and chansons on this video. Not many composers can claim to have written for both Edith Piaf and the James Bond films - and it's precisely this fusion of European romance and Hollywood dynamism that has made Legrand one of the soundtrack world's best known names. His career spans half-a-century and over 200 films, and he has received three Oscars and five Grammys. He has worked with many of the 20th century's greatest artists, including Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Barbra Streisand, Edith Piaf, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles and has collaborated with French Nouvelle Vague directors Jean-Luc Godard and Claude Chabrol as well as Hollywood masters Clint Eastwood and Orson Welles. Recorded live in Brussels in 2005, this recording features music from Yentl , The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg , The Three Musketeers , Summer of '42 , Never Say Never Again , Edith and Ray's Blues to name but a few.
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
Gala in commemoration of the 150th birthday of Peter Tchaikovsky.
Making Place is a poetic exploration of place, and place making, for one or two performers and live interactive processing of animation, text and audio. It can be performed by any instrument capable of realising a version of the semi-improvisatory score.
After their impressive interpretation of Mahler's symphonies, Michael Gielen and Roger Norrington now turn to the symphonies of Johannes Brahms. In this video, Norrington conducts the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra as they perform Brahms's four symphonies, and he gives a detailed introduction before each.
Roger Norrington conducts one of Europe's leading chamber orchestra, the Camerata Academica Salzburg, in performances of Haydn's Symphonies Nos. 82-87 , known as the Paris Symphonies.
These expressive works really allow an ensemble to show off. Commissioned by the Comte d'Ogny, one of the financial backers of a Parisian concert society called 'Concert de la Loge Olympique', and written during 1785 and 1786, the symphonies are among Haydn's most scintillating. Freed from composing exclusively for Nikolaus Esterhazy in 1779, but constrained in what he was producing for publishers, he rose to the challenge of this commission and created music that was both personal and original.
The former Camerata Academica Salzburg was renamed simply Camerata Salzburg in 2001. It was founded in 1951 by Bernhard Paumgartner, who was its head and mentor for many years. From 1978 to 1997 its artistic director was Sandor Vegh and in 1997 Roger Norrington was appointed principal conductor of the ensemble. The Camerata Salzburg can be heard every year at the Salzburg Mozartwoche and Salzburg Festival.
Roger Norrington was born in Oxford and studied in Cambridge and London. From 1969 to 1984 he was musical director of the Kent Opera and conducted productions at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Milan's La Scala and the Teatro La Fenice in Venice. He founded the London Classical Players and is principal conductor of the Camerata Salzburg and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra.
Violinist Christian Tetzlaff was born in Hamburg and trained in Lubeck and Cincinnati. He has appeared with the world's leading orchestras, and as chamber musician he concertizes with prominent partners. Roger Norrington was born in Oxford and studied in Cambridge and London. From 1969 to 1984 he was musical director of the Kent Opera and conducted productions at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Milan's La Scala and the Teatro La Fenice in Venice. He founded the London Classical Players and is principal conductor of the Camerata Salzburg and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra.
The former Camerata Academica Salzburg was renamed simply Camerata Salzburg in 2001. It was founded in 1951 by Bernhard Paumgartner, who was its head and mentor for many years. From 1978 to 1997 its artistic director was Sandor Vegh and in 1997 Roger Norrington was appointed principal conductor of the ensemble. The Camerata Salzburg can be heard every year at the Salzburg Mozartwoche and Salzburg Festival.
Violinist Christian Tetzlaff was born in Hamburg and trained in Lübeck and Cincinnati. He has appeared with the world's leading orchestras, and as chamber musician he concertizes with prominent partners. Roger Norrington was born in Oxford and studied in Cambridge and London. From 1969 to 1984 he was musical director of the Kent Opera and conducted productions at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Milan's La Scala and the Teatro La Fenice in Venice. He founded the London Classical Players and is principal conductor of the Camerata Salzburg and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra.
The former Camerata academica Salzburg was renamed simply Camerata Salzburg in 2001. It was founded in 1951 by Bernhard Paumgartner, who was its head and mentor for many years. From 1978 to 1997 its artistic director was Sándor Végh and in 1997 Roger Norrington was appointed principal conductor of the ensemble. The Camerata Salzburg can be heard every year at the Salzburg Mozartwoche and Salzburg Festival.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart wrote his Violin Concertos in 1775 while still living in his home town of Salzburg and in service to Prince-Archbishop Hieronymus Colloredo. Mozart had already toured internationally and found his parochial environment restricting, but as ever he rose above circumstances to create sublime and thrillingly unconventional masterpieces filled with wit and charm. The finely sustained melodic expression of each concerto's slow centre provides the perfect foil for Inventive sparkle in outer movements that include a cheeky reference to the opera Il re pastore, K. 216 , and an exotic moment in the finale of Violin Concerto No. 5 in A Major, K. 219, "Turkish"
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
Truls Mørk was the first Scandinavian ever to win the Moscow Tchaikovsky competition, a triumph that marked the start of his musical career. He enjoys a close friendship with the principal conductor of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, Jonathan Nott. He played the Cello Concerto in B minor by Anton Dvořák with the entire orchestra at the conclusion of his time as "artist in residence."
"Extraordinary pieces of music transport me to another state of consciousness. I don't know if I can describe it any better. At least that is how playing the Dvořák cello concerto makes me feel."
The film visits Truls Mørk at his Scandinavian holiday home, accompanying him on his boat out at sea and on walks along the coast. The Cello Concerto by Anton Dvořák with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra and the Chopin interpretations are focal points of the story.
On 10 October 2004, the Teatro Regio celebrated the birthday of Giuseppe Verdi by holding a concert featuring some of the most important artists and singers of the international music scene. The performance was part of an intended annual series in which extracts from each of Verdi's operas would be performed in chronological order to offer an analytic and comprehensive panorama of his output, and the concerts would bring to the stage the most acclaimed stars of the operatic world. The great baritone Leo Nucci and the famous tenor Jose Cura are featured in this video, and Renato Palumbo, musical director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, conducts.
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
Thirty years at La Scala: this is what Leo Nucci's recital commemorated, an event celebrated by the fact that it was sold out only a few days after the booking opened.
It was in 1977, and it was naturally the Barbiere by Rossini that opened in style the career at La Scala of a singer amongst the dearest in the heart of opera audiences, in particular in Milan.
From then onwards, Nucci has performed in the greatest theatres in the world. He has sung with the most famous opera singers and has worked with conductors such as Karajan, Solti, Giulini, Muti, Abbado, Maazel, Mehta, and Levine. In addition to numerous videos of live opera performances, he has participated in two "opera films": Macbeth and Il barbiere di Siviglia. Recently Nucci has added "popular" pieces to his opera repertoire and has performed many concerts in Italy and abroad, accompanied by the musical ensemble Salotto '800.
But for the recital at La Scala on Monday 15 January, Nucci did not neglect his "duty" as a great opera performer: he didn't sing any parlour romances nor surrogates, but only and exclusively arias from the highest and most renowned repertoire – precisely that for which he is universally appreciated and awaited.
Dacapo's CD recording of all Carl Nielsen's symphonies by the Danish National Symhpony Orchestra/DR conducted by Michael Schønwandt has already established itself as a reference recording on the international classical CD market. Now the same outstanding interpretation of all six symphonies can be experienced on video with new opportunities for in-depth study of the music and a stimulating 60-minute documentary that offers new perspectives on Denmark's national composer.
With this festive concert the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden under the baton of Fabio Luisi celebrated the moving reopening of the Frauenkirche in Dresden. After the bombing of Dresden on February 13, 1945, the church burnt out and its dome, the "The Stone Bell", collapsed. The church was always very dear to the heart of the Dresdeners and just as its ruins were a constant reminder of the Second World War, the rebuilt church will remain a monument to and a symbol of hope and conciliation. Thus the reopening proved to be a touching event of great solemnity, which was perfectly matched by the Missa Solemnis . On this recording, Beethoven's overwhelming music blends wonderfully with the camera shots of the impressive space. The cast of soloists is excellent. It includes Camilla Nylund and Rene Pape, who are among the most outstanding singers of the younger generation. An informative bonus film features the reconstruction of the Frauenkirche.
Bonus features:
- The Reconstruction of the Frauenkirche, Dresden
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world’s greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
Appalachian Journey Live in Concert captures three of the world's most extraordinary musicians and some very special guests at their sold out performance at New York City's Avery Fisher Hall. The unique and compelling trio of cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Mark O'Connor and bassist Edgar Meyer reaches a whole new level of artistic and technical prowess as they weave their way through a wide variety of musical genres.
Recorded live in the Museum Quarter in Vienna in January 2006, this concert was inspired by the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose 250th birthday made this year a celebratory Mozart Anniversary all over the world. With artists like singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, rock flutist Ian Anderson (formerly of Jethro Tull), the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and conductor Andrey Boreyko, this musical event proved to be a true crossover experience. All outstanding musical personalities in their field, the performers interpret Mozart's compositions in their personal musical languages whilst preserving the fascinating original spirit of Mozart. They produce a rousing, electrifying melange of classical, jazz and pop culture that shows that the impact of Mozart's music reaches far beyond the boundaries of classical music and can still reach the broad public of the 21st century. This is a must for crossover enthusiasts in the Mozart Year!
For his first collaboration with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, the marvelous Sir Simon Rattle conducts works by two favorite composers, including the most famous compatriot of the esteemed ensemble, Antonin Dvorak ! His symphonic poem The Golden Spinning Wheel , based on a folk ballad recounting a story of deception, magic, and revenge, opens the evening before magnificent mezzo Magdalena Kozena and tenor Simon O'Neill join the festivities in Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth) .
Recorded live in the Museum Quarter in Vienna in January 2006, this concert was inspired by the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose 250th birthday made this year a celebratory Mozart Anniversary all over the world. With artists like singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, rock flutist Ian Anderson (formerly of Jethro Tull), the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and conductor Andrey Boreyko, this musical event proved to be a true crossover experience. All outstanding musical personalities in their field, the performers interpret Mozart's compositions in their personal musical languages whilst preserving the fascinating original spirit of Mozart. They produce a rousing, electrifying melange of classical, jazz and pop culture that shows that the impact of Mozart's music reaches far beyond the boundaries of classical music and can still reach the broad public of the 21st century. This is a must for crossover enthusiasts in the Mozart Year!
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
The winner of the 1970 Chopin Piano Competition and one of the leading exponents of Chopin's works, Ohlsson displays brilliance and depth of feeling in this recital performance, filmed only four years after he won first prize. He demonstrates both subtlety and warmth of sound in his performance of Brahms's Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major, where his technical mastery is also evident. This video features exhilarating and spontaneous interpretations from a true master of the piano.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
The first two performances on this video feature David Oistrakh in one of his favourite performing partnerships, with his son, violinist Igor Oistrakh. Bach's Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 formed the duo's first foreign engagement whilst Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante was performed two years later in a sell-out performance at the Royal Albert Hall. Kirill Kondrashin, one of Oistrakh's preferred conductors, directs Brahms' Violin Concerto in D major, which has all the warmth and confidence one would expect from a classic Oistrakh recording.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
The first two performances on this video feature David Oistrakh in one of his favourite performing partnerships, with his son, violinist Igor Oistrakh. Bach's Concerto for Two Violins in D minor, BWV 1043 formed the duo's first foreign engagement whilst Mozart's Sinfonia Concertante was performed two years later in a sell-out performance at the Royal Albert Hall. Kirill Kondrashin, one of Oistrakh's preferred conductors, directs Brahms' Violin Concerto in D major, which has all the warmth and confidence one would expect from a classic Oistrakh recording.
On New Year's Eve 2009 Havana's legendary nightclub, Tropicana, celebrated its seventieth birthday with a colourful revue, and the evening's special guest was the world-famous Omara Portuondo. Together with her five-man band, which ranges in style from the Cuban guajira, bolero, mambo and son to elements of jazz, the grande dame of traditional Cuban singing offers a delightful contrast to the exuberant joy in dancing shown by the Tropicana Ballet. Recorded live at the Tropicana, Havana, 2009.
Bonus features:
- Omara Portuondo - an interview in which the singer gives a fascinating insight into her life as a musician.
- Equilibrists - feats of agility from the Tropicana.
Katia and Marielle Labeque received their first piano tuition at ages three and five and the sisters are famous for their unusual duo precision, their great musicality and the breadth of their repertoire. In this concert they perform with Il Giardino Armonico, a leading Italian ensemble specializing in period performing practice. Katia and Marielle Labeque throw themselves into the works with their typical verve and enthusiasm, demonstrating symbiotic synchrony and facile (facile means inconsequential, shallow - negative word) technique. With its unmistakable sound Il Giardino Armonico is one of today's most notable Baroque ensembles. Colourful, individualistic and stylish, it has won an enthusiastic international following and truly excels in performing Baroque music for a 21st century audience. The programme includes a wide variety of music by three different composers, all performed on historical instruments at the Vienna Musik Verein. One of the unique elements of this performance - recorded in the Bach Anniversary year 2000 - is the use of the fortepiano for Bach's keyboard concertos. This instrument, which Bach undoubtedly knew, and probably owned, is rarely used in Bach performances, yet the sound it offers is far more interesting than a modern piano. Together with...
St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities of the world. In this program, Renee Fleming and Dmitri Hvorostovsky will explore the most spectacular corners of the city that was born in the remarkable mind of Peter the Great. On this occasion, they will be singing operatic duets and arias by Verdi, Tchaikovsky, Ambroise Thomas and Bellini, accompanied by Constantine Orbelian and the State Hermitage Orchestra. They will be leading us through the city and will perform in the Golden Ballroom of Peterhof Palace, as well as the White Columns Room and extraordinary baroque Theater of the Yusupov Palace where they will also sing romances by Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky, accompanied by pianists Olga Kern and Ivary Ilja.
In November 2004 a new name caused listeners to prick up their ears on the international orchestral scene: under Claudio Abbado's artistic guidance the Orchestra Mozart came into being. It combines both young instrumentalists on the threshold of a first-rate career as well as eminent chamber musicians such as Danusha Waskiewicz, Alois Posch, Jacques Zoon, Michaela Petri, Ottavio Dantone, Mario Brunello, Alessio Allegrini, Jonathan Williams and Reinhold Friedrich. As with his famous Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Abbado hand-picked an ensemble to his liking, this time one of early- and Baroque-music specialists, all masters in their field. Recorded live in the handsome 19th-century Teatro Municipale Romolo Valli in Reggio Emilia in 2007, this video documents Bach's Brandenburg Concertos performed in all their delicate beauty by this very special orchestra. Each concerto is scored for different forces and, in total, the six concertos draw on virtually the entire range of instruments that existed during the High Baroque. The instrumental variety of these pieces, together with Bach's genius as a composer, ensured that the Brandenburg Concertos soon came to occupy a key position in the history of music, a position they continue to hold to this day. Claudio Abbado, violinist...
Described as 'the great Verdian bass'(Le Figaro) and a 'Mefistofele who stood out over all the others' (Der Neue Merker), Carlo Colombra brings some of the most famous bass roles to life in this wide-ranging programme. Emotions range from the pride of Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen , through the terrors of Verdi's Attila , to the tender recollections of Rachmaninov's Aleko . Mephistopheles strides powerfully through both Gounod and Boito's operas, and Rossini's comic with contrasts with the darkness of Mussorgsky's Boris Godonov
Frans Brüggen and his Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century reinvent the classical masterpieces of Mozart, Haydn, Beethoven and other 18th-century composers by playing them on period instruments and interpreting the music as if it were written yesterday. After almost 30 years of traveling all around the globe they now, in their 99th world tour, play Mozart with the spirit, freshness and eagerness of their first concert. On the programme are Mozart's final three symphonies, including No. 40, the first symphony ever played by Frans Brüggen and his band.
In 2022, Musiques en fete celebrates love in music! with the 8,000 spectators at the Theatre Antique in Orange for an amazing show! Opera, operetta, musical comedy, classical music, film music, dance, as well as the greatest hits of French song... Through an eclectic programme, a tribute to love and to all music will be paid by prestigious soloists and more than 150 orchestral musicians and choral artists.
Celebrating Strauss brings into focus the greatest interpreters of Richard Strauss's compositions. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences uniting appealing and enjoyable performances by legendary artists as Irmgard Seefried, Hertha Topper, Rita Streich and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Lovingly restored and digitally remastered the Classic Archive series offers a unique glimpse into our classical heritage featuring performances by celebrated artists of the past including complete full-lengths programmes and comprehensive booklet information.
Lutoslawski's delicate lament serves as prelude to Berlioz's Requiem , a superlative work requiring an impressive cast of two orchestras and choirs, here under the direction of Pablo Heras-Casado.
An event not to be forgotten! The concert was recorded on February 20th, 2019 at the Philharmonie de Paris, a building designed by les Ateliers Jean Nouvel.
A traditional filming reproduces the perspective of an audience in its seat armed with opera glasses. This film shows just the opposite ?EUR" the spectator is placed in the orchestra among the musicians and in front of the conductor. We thus have the perspective of the musicians and the emotions they live with Cristoph Eschenbach. The effect of being in the very midst of these always surprising scores is nothing short of spectacular. For Harold in Italy , violist Tabea Zimmermann joins maestro Eschenbach and the Orchestre de Paris.
For the first time in Europe, Katia and Marielle Labeque, who are sibling pianists renowned for their incredible synchronicity and energy, present Philip Glass's Double Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra . Philip Glass composed the Concerto especially for this duo in the Autumn and Winter of 2014-15 as a work commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, Goteborgs Symfoniker and the Orquesta Nacional de Espana. Other acclaimed works by Philip Glass, one of today's mosprominent composers, include the opera Einstein on the Beach (1967) and a grand Violin Concerto (1987).
Philip Glass's Double Concerto is followed by Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony . Probably the composer's most performed symphony, the work was composed in 1937 in Leningrad and proved to be an unprecedented triumph for its creator. Its emotional intensity reflects the horrors of the Great Terror. Under the baton of Jaap van Zweden, the Orchestre de Paris offers an interpretation infused with precision and passion.
Saraste directs the LEAD! Foundation, which aims to the support the next generation of conductors and aspiring orchestra leaders through technical and musical training, plus mentorship and guidance in navigating the classical music industry. At the Haute Ecole de Musique de Lausanne, Saraste helps instrumentalists and conductors-in training refine their interpretation of three monuments of the symphonic repertoire: Beethoven's Fourth, Sibelius's Third , and Stravinsky's Symphony in C .
First Concert (19 June 2020)
In the first concert with Renaud Capucon, we have three masterpieces, which, although they adopt the three-movement structure dear to Vivaldi and present features that bring them closer to the Italian models, are distinguished by their contrapuntal richness, their writing density and the breadth of their developments. These qualities are particularly evident in the BWV 1042 in E major , with its extremely powerful architecture.
In these works, where the solo violin is called upon to express itself through singing rather than virtuosic prowess, there are these wonderful slow movements that are enough to crack even the most hardened non-musician. Those in the concertos in A minor and E major "offer to the bass repeated figures whose seriousness brings out the sweetness of the solo violin all the more".
Second Concert (02 July 2020)
For the second concert with David Fray, Bach composed a concerti group for one, two, three and four harpsichords in Leipzig around 1730, and as director of the Collegium Musicum, he was to provide a large amount of music for an essentially worldly audience. All these concerti are transcriptions of earlier works.
Bach left us three concertos for two harpsichords BWV 1060 to 1062 , two for three harpsichords...
Lutoslawski's delicate lament serves as prelude to Berlioz's Requiem , a superlative work requiring an impressive cast of two orchestras and choirs, here under the direction of Pablo Heras-Casado.
An event not to be forgotten! The concert was recorded on February 20th, 2019 at the Philharmonie de Paris, a building designed by les Ateliers Jean Nouvel.
"It would be hard to find anything greater, more significant or more moving anywhere in musical life today: total harmony of mind and heart, poetry and outcry, fear and consolation, knowing and feeling," declared the Berne paper Der Bund after this stunning performance of Mahler's Resurrection Symphony in August 2003 by the newly founded Lucerne Festival Orchestra. Claudio Abbado had formed this ensemble from famous instrumentalists, celebrated chamber-musicians and experienced soloists from the world's best orchestras, and the event was sold out months in advance. The Neue Zürcher Zeitung reported: "Once again the applause at the end was unequalled; the immense final chord...broke a tension that had lasted over 90 minutes without relaxing for a moment."
The Slovakian soprano Luba Orgonasova sings at all the major opera houses of the world and numbers among the most sought-after interpreters of the lyrical and coloratura parts of opera and concert literature. She was one of the last discoveries of Herbert von Karajan: she sang the part of Marzelline (Fidelio) at the Salzburg Festival in 1990, which marked the beginning of her rapid rise to celebrity. The Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg has been the orchestra of the city and Land of Salzburg since 1958 and regularly concertizes at the Salzburg Festival and the Mozartwoche. The principal conductor is the Dutch-born Hubert Soudant, who led the Nouvel Orchestre Philharmonique de France in Paris from 1981 to 1983 and the Utrecht Symphony Orchestra from 1983 to 1986. In addition to his activities in Salzburg, Soudant is also the principal conductor of the Orchestra and Opera des Pays de Loire in Nantes and Angers, France.
Luba Orgonasova hails from Slovakia and sings at all the major opera houses of the world. She is one of the most sought-after interpreters of the lyrical and coloratura parts of opera and concert literature. She was one of Herbert von Karajan's last discoveries: in 1990 she sang the part of Marzelline (Fidelio) at the Salzburg Festival – a role that marked the beginning of her meteoric career.
The Dutch musician Ton Koopman was born in 1944 and ranks among the outstanding specialists in the field of historical performance practice. He studied organ, harpsichord and musicology in Amsterdam and turned to conducting during his training. From the very beginning, he used original instruments and combined theory and practice into a fascinating, historically well-founded interpretation of the works. In 1979 he founded the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. He is the principal conductor of the Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra. As a performing artist and teacher, Koopman has made decisive contributions to the renaissance of the music of the 17th and 18th centuries. He has published many books and articles, teaches at the Conservatory of The Hague and is an honorary member of the Royal Music Academy in London. The Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg goes back to the Dom-Musik-Verein und...
This highly original celebration of the work of Mozart (1756-91) gives rein to the inventiveness of six distinguished contemporary composers, who were each invited to collaborate with a top film-maker of their choice to produce a tribute to the maestro. These partnerships let their imaginations run riot and have produced a collection of programs which range from the hilarious, through the frankly baffling, to the deeply moving.
Eminent Dutch composer Louis Andriessen and Peter Greenaway have produced a conceit on the letter M, set in a grisly sixteenth-century anatomy theatre. It features dancer Ben Craft and jazz singer Astrid Seriese, with jazz/funk music played by the Dutch marching band De Volharding.
The Polish countertenor Jakub Jozef Orlinski is quickly gaining a reputation as a singer of striking vocal beauty and daring stage craft. He has been hailed by critics and audiences alike, prompting the New York Times to write: "Jakub Jozef Orlinski combined beauty of tone and an uncommon unity of color and polish across his range."
This concert recording reflects the greatly anticipated release of his debut album, Anima Sacra , a recital of 18th-century rediscovered sacred arias with the baroque ensemble Il Pomo d'oro.
Playing on Fritz Kreisler's own 'Bergonzi' violin (from c.1740), the brilliant young violinist Henning Kraggerud presents a programme of Kreisler's compositions for violin. Filmed in the intimate surroundings of Oslo's historic Old Lodge, this is a world premiere recording of many of these arrangements for violin and orchestra. Kraggerud introduces the works himself, and leads the Oslo Camerata in a sparkling, thrilling concert.
On the closing day of the IC2017 Contemporary Song Festival, a special world premiere concert will be presented at Asia Society Hong Kong Center with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology featuring the critically acclaimed New York Festival of Song (NYFOS).
Artistic Director, Bright Sheng , will be joined by Judith Weir , Master of the Queen's Music; Michael Barrett , renowned pianist, conductor, and co-founder and associate artistic director of NYFOS; together with guest vocal artists of NYFOS, including soprano Amy Owens, mezzo-soprano Katherine Pracht, tenor Jonathan Blalock, and baritone Tobias Greenhalgh. Guest artists Amy Sze, pianist, and Isaac Droscha, baritone; and four Composer Fellows selected through an international call-for-scores.
This special program includes works inspired by Asian and Chinese literary themes as well as selections from Bright Sheng's acclaimed new opera, Dream of the Red Chamber (libretto by David Henry Hwang and Mr. Sheng), which receives its Asia Premiere at the 45th Hong Kong Arts Festival.
A "triumph of remembrance," wrote the daily Die Welt in its online service following a stirring concert that left its audience hovering between hushed reverence and deafening exultation. The Golden Hall of Vienna's Musikverein was the dazzling venue for the live recording of one of four concerts given by the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra under Seiji Ozawa and with Anne-Sophie Mutter. The series began in Berlin's Philharmonie before going on to Paris, Lucerne and Vienna, where it culminated on 28 January. And there, in Vienna, Karajan's "Berliner" never sounded better, evoking "a time which self-confidently sought the private and subjective in music, and believed it could find them in the mirror of the works" (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung).
The program begins with Beethoven's Violin Concerto, Op. 61 performed by Anne-Sophie Mutter, who was discovered by Karajan and first played with the Berlin Philharmonic under his direction at the Salzburg Easter Festival in 1977. Her performance glows with a sensuality and ethereal beauty that turn her interpretation into a memorial for two men whom she grew up with, Beethoven and Karajan. As an encore, Mutter plays Bach's Sarabande in D minor "in memoriam Herbert von Karajan," as she announces. Tchaikovsky's "Pathétique" is given a...
Recorded at the annual summer concert of the Berlin Philharmonic at the Waldbuhne in Berlin 2003, this video captures the atmosphere of an open-air Gershwin night in full while also allowing a closer look at the musicians and the conductor. With an audience of over 20,000 one of the world's best orchestras played the popular music of George Gershwin, including the famous Rhapsody in Blue and the popular film music suite An American in Paris . Conducted by Seiji Ozawa ?EUR" one of the longstanding stars in the classical world - the Berlin Philharmonic was joined by jazz pianist Marcus Roberts and his Trio, whose album "Gershwin For Lovers" stayed in the Top 10 on Billboard's jazz chart for half a year. Together they created a magical fusion of classical music and jazz bringing an imaginative mix of styles into the swing of Gershwin's music. In the bonus film Seiji Ozawa and Marcus Roberts talk about Gershwin and their music making.
Bonus feature:
Documentary - They Got Rhythm
"For me, it's the utmost to play and work on the music of Bach!"
Violinist Frank Peter Zimmermann is one of the greatest artists of his generation. Accompanied by Enrico Pace, his pianist counterpart since 1998, he plays the unrivalled violin sonatas of Johann Sebastian Bach, recorded in one of Germany's most beautiful Baroque halls. And in the documentary Bach and Me he provides us with personal insights into his relationship with this famed Baroque composer as well as into his own life as an artist and human being.
Fifty years to the day after its premiere, Andris Nelsons celebrates with his orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (which also gave that first performance), Benjamin Britten's War Requiem through a special anniversary performance given at Coventry Cathedral, the site of its first performance, starring Erin Wall, Mark Padmore and Hanno Muller-Brachmann. Coventry Cathedral was nearly completely destroyed by the German Luftwaffe at the beginning of World War II. After the war, next to the ruins of the old destroyed church, a new cathedral was built and the then already famous British composer Benjamin Britten was commissioned to compose a work for the consecration of the church.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's European Concerts not only represent the Berlin Philharmonic's commemoration of its founding date but also emphasize the cultural life of the new European order. Each year the orchestra performs at a place of special significance in cultural history, always in a different country. This, the eleventh European Concert, took place in the city of Istanbul's oldest church, St. Irine (Hagia Irini) or the Church of the Holy Peace, which is magnificently situated on the promontory washed by the Bosporus and the Sea of Marmara. At the helm of this concert, Mariss Jansons, is one of today's most sought-after conductors. Since 1997, he has been principal conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra; in 2003, he will assume the directorship of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. The flautist Emmanuel Pahud has won numerous international competitions and is a laureate of the Yehudi Menuhin Foundation and UNESCO's International Tribune for Musicians. At the age of 22, he became principal flautist of the Berlin Philharmonic under Claudio Abbado, having previously held that position with the Basle Radio Symphony Orchestra under Nello Santi and the Munich Philharmonic under Sergiu Celibidache.
Max Raabe and his Palast Orchester give dance and film music from the 1920s and 1930s a rousing revival. They specialise in recreating the sound of the 1920s and 1930s, performing songs by the Comedian Harmonists, Robert Stolz, Friedrich Hollaender, Franz Lehar, Theo Mackeben and Irving Berlin. They evoke a nostalgic atmosphere that has captured imaginations for generations and still charms audiences worldwide by performing music from the golden age of songwriting in pre-war Germany. They also feature highlights of the excellent music entertainment tradition of the Americas in the same period. Max Raabe and his Palast Orchester are exquisite interpreters of these tunes, and they play them with such precision, jovial vitality and utter perfection that the 80-year-old songs sound as fresh and lively as they did when first performed. Max Raabe himself has a distinct and exceptional voice which, added to his looks, makes him seem like the reincarnation of a singer from the Golden Twenties. The songs and the show aren't simply remakes, but wonderful new interpretations which reveal the timeless modernity of these brilliant works. Recorded live at the Waldbuhne Berlin in August 2006, the tours in which they performed for excited audiences all over the world included concerts in New...
On the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the composer's death, crowds gathered at the Leipziger Gewandhaus to witness a world-class performance of one of Rossini's two large-scale, major choral works: The Petite Messe solennele. Riccardo Chailly - whose "genius for the Rossini style has ripened in the years" (Gramophone) - leads a spectacular ensemble of four internationally renowned singers, the combined forces of the Choir of the Leipzig Opera and the Gewandhaus Choir, and the Gewandhaus Orchestra; their harmonious, ethereal rendition receieves a heartfelt ovation that affirms the beguiling effect of the last of Rossini's "sins of old age."
On 10 October 2004, the Teatro Regio celebrated the birthday of Giuseppe Verdi by holding a concert featuring some of the most important artists and singers of the international music scene. The performance was part of an intended annual series in which extracts from each of Verdi's operas would be performed in chronological order to offer an analytic and comprehensive panorama of his output, and the concerts would bring to the stage the most acclaimed stars of the operatic world. The great baritone Leo Nucci and the famous tenor Jose Cura are featured in this video, and Renato Palumbo, musical director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, conducts.
With this festive concert the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden under the baton of Fabio Luisi celebrated the moving reopening of the Frauenkirche in Dresden. After the bombing of Dresden on February 13, 1945, the church burnt out and its dome, the "The Stone Bell", collapsed. The church was always very dear to the heart of the Dresdeners and just as its ruins were a constant reminder of the Second World War, the rebuilt church will remain a monument to and a symbol of hope and conciliation. Thus the reopening proved to be a touching event of great solemnity, which was perfectly matched by the Missa Solemnis . On this recording, Beethoven's overwhelming music blends wonderfully with the camera shots of the impressive space. The cast of soloists is excellent. It includes Camilla Nylund and Rene Pape, who are among the most outstanding singers of the younger generation. An informative bonus film features the reconstruction of the Frauenkirche.
Bonus features:
- The Reconstruction of the Frauenkirche, Dresden
The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra was founded by Daniel Barenboim and the late Edward Said. It consists of young, highly talented Israeli and Arabian musicians and was founded to increase the dialogue between young people in the Middle East and represent the peaceful collaboration of the two cultures. In standard comparable to the most established orchestras, it combines tonal beauty and transparency with youthful expressiveness, passion and exuberance. This technically brilliant and incredibly enthusiastic orchestra brings out all levels of Beethoven's 9th symphony and we listen to Beethoven at his very best: exuberant, emotional, lucid, tender, clear, triumphant... simply magnificent! Needless to say, Daniel Barenboim conducts excellently and outstanding singers Angela Denoke, Waltraud Meier, Burkhard Fritz and Rene Pape contribute tremendously to this unforgettable concert. The standing ovations are well deserved!
This opera gala, recorded live at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, on November 8, 2003, marked the 10th anniversary of the annual benefit for the German AIDS Foundation. Conducted by Kent Nagano, then Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Berlin Deutsche Symphony Orchestra founded 1923. This recording features an illustrious roster of international artists from Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, the United States and Canada.
The most spectacular homage to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on his 250th birthday in 2006 was incontestably the presentation of all of his operas and operatic fragments at the Salzburg Festival, "Mozart 22." Recorded on film, this monumental project has been preserved for posterity as a benchmark of Mozart interpretation in the early 21st century. The Mozart Gala held at the Felsenreitschule on 30 July 2006, in the first days of the 2006 Salzburg Festival, presents a kind of microcosm of the Mozart festivities, with a selection of arias and orchestral music performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Daniel Harding and featuring some of the top vocalists of the 2006 Salzburg Festival.
A sampling of exquisite hors d'oeuvres prepared by the most outstanding musical chefs! Internationally celebrated soprano Anna Netrebko lives up to her reputation as a fiery, dramatic diva in her passionate rendition of Elettra's aria "D'Oreste, d'Aiace" from Idomeneo. Thomas Hampson, one of the greatest baritones of our time, burnishes Guglielmo's aria "Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo" from Cosi fan tutte with his full, rich, mellow tone. Leading Mozart tenor Michael Schade appears twice, in arias from Don Giovanni and La clemenza di Tito. A particularly bright moment awaits listeners when Rene...
Antonio Pappano together with the Sachsische Staatskapelle Dresden are presenting a symphonic work with particular relevance for Dresden: Rachmaninoff's Symphony No. 2 , which was written during the composer's years at the Saxon residency.
The premiere of his 1st symphony had received such harsh criticism that it took months of revision until Rachmaninoff was finall satisfied with his 2nd Symphony, which he conducted himself for the premiere and which received great applause. Because of its formidable length, Symphony No. 2 has been the subject of many revisions, particularly in the 1940s and 1950s, which reduced the piece from nearly an hour to as little as 35 minutes. On this recording, the work can be enjoyed in its entirety.
Lutoslawski's delicate lament serves as prelude to Berlioz's Requiem , a superlative work requiring an impressive cast of two orchestras and choirs, here under the direction of Pablo Heras-Casado.
An event not to be forgotten! The concert was recorded on February 20th, 2019 at the Philharmonie de Paris, a building designed by les Ateliers Jean Nouvel.
The collection Classic Archive presents great performances by legendary artists, remastered using the latest digital technology and enhanced with commentary for today's audiences. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences - appealing and enjoyable performances, that offer a unique glimpse into our classical music heritage. This Classic Archive episode brings into focus the greatest performers of Giuseppe Verdi's compositions.
These live performances from Snape Maltings Concert Hall present some of the most popular classical characterization, and, in three works, the use of spoken texts to illuminate the narrative. Whether composed to amuse, entertain or educate, each possesses marvelous vitality, lyricism and bravura. The performances are conducted and narrated by Marin Alsop, one of the world's most inspirational musical communicators.
On 10 October 2004, the Teatro Regio celebrated the birthday of Giuseppe Verdi by holding a concert featuring some of the most important artists and singers of the international music scene. The performance was part of an intended annual series in which extracts from each of Verdi's operas would be performed in chronological order to offer an analytic and comprehensive panorama of his output, and the concerts would bring to the stage the most acclaimed stars of the operatic world. The great baritone Leo Nucci and the famous tenor Jose Cura are featured in this video, and Renato Palumbo, musical director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, conducts.
The outstanding and deeply touching performance of Verdi's Messa da Requiem was recorded at the Parco Ducale of Parma, within the 2020 Edition of Festival Verdi. The concert was dedicated to the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic and all the health workers engaged in the emergency.
Here are conductor Roberto Abbado's words to describe this Verdian masterpiece: "I think that Verdi felt the need to compose a sacred work to deal with some themes that, as he got older, he felt very strongly about. They are themes that every human being sooner or later asks themselves. Verdi is not afraid to show that he fears death, and therefore his approach is extremely humble and human, showing some of the frailties we all have. How does the Messa da Requiem end? It ends, in my opinion, with a huge question mark. Basically, I believe, Verdi, like many of us, cannot answer these questions. I, myself, cannot answer them."
Verdi wrote his Messa da Requiem in 1873-1874 for Alessandro Manzoni, a poet whom he much admired. Like Brahm's German Requiem , Verdi's Mass for the Dead is not intended for liturgical use but for the concert hall. In addition to its profound spirituality, this masterpiece brings together the finest qualities from Verdi's operas: endless melodic lines and captivating musico-dramatic effects.
On 10 October 2004, the Teatro Regio celebrated the birthday of Giuseppe Verdi by holding a concert featuring some of the most important artists and singers of the international music scene. The performance was part of an intended annual series in which extracts from each of Verdi's operas would be performed in chronological order to offer an analytic and comprehensive panorama of his output, and the concerts would bring to the stage the most acclaimed stars of the operatic world. The great baritone Leo Nucci and the famous tenor Jose Cura are featured in this video, and Renato Palumbo, musical director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, conducts.
Verdi wrote his Messa da Requiem in 1873-1874 for Alessandro Manzoni, a poet whom he much admired. Like Brahm's German Requiem , Verdi's Mass for the Dead is not intended for liturgical use but for the concert hall. In addition to its profound spirituality, this masterpiece brings together the finest qualities from Verdi's operas: endless melodic lines and captivating musico-dramatic effects.
For the 2014/15 Opening Night Concert and Gala, the Los Angeles Philharmonic paid loving tribute to composer John Williams , long a champion and close friend of the LA Phil. Gustavo Dudamel, an awestruck fan of the musical icon, led the orchestra in a cross-section of Maestro Williams' matchless canon.
Magic was created one starlit night in July 1990, when Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, and Jose Carreras met onstage at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome and became the Three Tenors. 800 million people attended this live event which caused the biggest hype ever in the history of classical music. They eschewed competitive instincts and cooperated in the spirit of mutual admiration to create one of the greatest musical events ever. This concert is an awe-inspiring orgy of greatest hits for the tenor voice.
Together with Beethoven's Missa Solemnis , Verdi's Requiem ranks as one of the two supreme achievements in 19th-century liturgical music. Verdi reverred the great Italian author Alessandro Manzoni. When Manzoni died on 22 May 1873, Verdi wrote to his publisher expressing his desire to compose a Requiem Mass . It was premiered on the first anniversay of Manzoni's death. From the hushed reverence of the "Requiem aeternam" to the raging fury of the "Dies irae", and from the overwhelming power of the "Tuba mirum" to the sobbing grief of the "Lacrimosa", the Requiem is a highly dramatic and emotional - though not theatrical - work. Verdi specified that it "must not be sung the way an opera is sung". A work of awesome grandeur, it projects a compelling sincerity and honesty, even though Verdi was a non-observant Catholic.
Originally performed at La Scala in 1967 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Toscanini's death, this production with the orchestra and chorus of the Teatro alla Scala was presented in Moscow, Montreal and New York, in addition to Milan. It was recorded on film in 1967, now with the young Luciano Pavarotti replacing Carlo Bergonzi. One of Karajan's earliest film productions (and his first color film), it reflects his innovativeness especially through his...
Celebrating the 85th birthday of the birth of the great Russian conductor Evgeny Svetlanov (1928-2002). This event was filmed in the magnificent room of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Evgueny Svetlanov has spent 35 years leading the Symphony orchestra of the Russian Federation, today nicknamed The Svetlanov .
Conducted by Vladimir Jurowski, its new Director, the concert gathers some of the most acclaimed artists: Yefim Bronfman, Tatiana Pavlovskaya, Vsevolod Grivnov, Serguey Leiferkus.
Claudio Monteverdi's Fourth Book of Madrigals (1603) explores differing emotional states of abandoned lovers through the most dramatic and amazingly modern music for vocal ensemble. The Full Monteverdi follows the simultaneous break-up of six couples through shocking revelation, vengeful anger and erotic longing for reconciliation. Vulnerable and disarming, this ensemble film will draw you into its emotional journey and intensely moving portrait of contemporary love.
Claudio Monteverdi's Fourth Book of Madrigals (1603) explores differing emotional states of abandoned lovers through the most dramatic and amazingly modern music for vocal ensemble. The Full Monteverdi follows the simultaneous break-up of six couples through shocking revelation, vengeful anger and erotic longing for reconciliation. Vulnerable and disarming, this ensemble film will draw you into its emotional journey and intensely moving portrait of contemporary love.
World premiere performance of Sir John Tavener's epic work written for the new millennium, recorded in St Paul's Cathedral, London, in January 2000. Richard Hickox conducts the City of London Sinfonia with Patricia Rozario, Michael Chance and Stephen Richardson, in a work which came to Tavener in a vision. The composer makes full use of the remarkable acoustics of St Paul's.
Bonus features:
- Introduction and interview with Sir John Tavener by Stephanie Hughes.
- The Eye of the Heart - Sir John Tavener talks about his beliefs and music.
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
This performance represents the only existing film of Sir Adrian Boult conducting The Dream of Gerontius filmed in Canterbury Cathedral in 1968. It features a stellar cast of soloists: Dame Janet Baker, a leading interpreter of The Angel and John Shirley Quirk who, with Boult, recorded a definitive interpretation of Peter in The Kingdom .
The film uses the original BBC master which is far superior to the poor copies which have been in circulation over the years. The video also features a 60-minute documentary on Sir Adrian Boult as a bonus and was produced in 1989 by the BBC to celebrate Sir Adrian Boult's 100th anniversary.
This video presents Benjamin Britten at the height of his powers in an affectionately nuanced account of Mozart's Symphony No. 40 ?EUR" "surely the loveliest bit of music ever conceived," according to Britten ?EUR" and an intimate and evocative performance of his own Nocturne with Peter Pears. As a bonus, the video includes extracts from Mendelssohn's "Scottish" Symphony which Britten conducts with the utmost subtlety and style despite being gravely ill at the time. All three performances give fascinating insights into one of the finest musicians of the twentieth century.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historical performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on here for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
These recordings represent an overview of some of the headiest years of Mstislav Rostropovich's career. Introduced to Britten through Shostakovich, Rostropovich formed a close partnership with the British composer, who was inspired to write several major cello compositions by the Russian cellist. This special relationship is evident here in their collaborative performances from the opening concert of the new Snape Maltings Concert Hall, which includes rare audiovisual footage of the Maltings before it was destroyed by fire in 1969 and rebuilt.
A star-studded gala from the royal Albert Hall in London, featuring some of the greatest names from the world's of opera, ballet, musicals and flamenco.
Featuring Tito Beltran, June Anderson, Michael Ball, Maria Friesman, Anastasia Volvchkova, Paco Pena and Montse Cortes performing a program of works that includes arias from Turandot, Hamlet, La Traviata and Rigoletto , hits from The Phantom of the Opera, Follies and showboat plus excerpts from Don Quixote and some stirring flamenco pieces.
On the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the composer's death, crowds gathered at the Leipziger Gewandhaus to witness a world-class performance of one of Rossini's two large-scale, major choral works: The Petite Messe solennele. Riccardo Chailly - whose "genius for the Rossini style has ripened in the years" (Gramophone) - leads a spectacular ensemble of four internationally renowned singers, the combined forces of the Choir of the Leipzig Opera and the Gewandhaus Choir, and the Gewandhaus Orchestra; their harmonious, ethereal rendition receieves a heartfelt ovation that affirms the beguiling effect of the last of Rossini's "sins of old age."
When Bach was in the service of Prince Leopold in Cöthen, he had his own orchestra and was contracted to compose a great deal of instrumental music. This gave him an opportunity to try new techniques and to develop his own instrumental style. The six Brandenburg Concertos belongs to these masterpieces for a small ensemble. This joyously infectious performance of these famous landmarks in the history of music by the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra demonstrates both the musical satisfaction and the high professional standard that can be reached with period instruments. The performance was given in the Bach Anniversary Year 2000 ?EUR" 250 years after his death ?EUR" in the elegant Hall of Mirrors at Cöthen Castle. The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra?EUR(TM)s members all have virtuoso skills. They take the spotlight gracefully for solos but also play with the true ensemble spirit required by the music. Their decision to perform without a conductor revives an eighteenth century practice.
Bonus features:
Cello Suite No.5, BWV 1011: Sarabande
Hille Perl, viola da gamba
Coffee Cantata, BWV 211: Die Katze lässt das Mausen nicht
Madeleine Vogt, soprano
Matthias Schubotz, tenor
Holger Krause, bass
Members of the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Back(h) in Cöthen
Three giants of classical music come together on the stage of the Berliner Philharmonie for an All-Beethoven program that was destined to go down as one for the ages. Experience the incomparable Daniel Barenboim, Itzhak Perlman, and Yo-Yo Ma in masterpieces of the composer's oeuvre for soloists and orchestra.
Filmed in 1995 at the Berlin Philharmonie, this once-in-a-lifetime concert pairs two of Beethoven's less-performed works: the Concerto for Piano, Violin, Violoncello and Orchestra in C major (often simply referred to as the Triple Concerto ) and the Choral Fantasy for Piano, Choir and Orchestra in C Minor. Accompanied by the prestigious Berliner Philharmoniker and the Chor der Deutschen Staatsoper, the three musicians give these two works the sumptuous and virtuosic treatment they deserve.
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the best orchestras in the world, celebrates its 60th Anniversary with a GALA Concert in 1996 conducted by Zubin Mehta and Daniel Barenboim. The Gala featuring world acclaimed soloists such as Isaac Stern Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhal Perlman and Shlomo Mintz.
For the 2014/15 Opening Night Concert and Gala, the Los Angeles Philharmonic paid loving tribute to composer John Williams , long a champion and close friend of the LA Phil. Gustavo Dudamel, an awestruck fan of the musical icon, led the orchestra in a cross-section of Maestro Williams' matchless canon.
Hosted by author Amy Tam and performed before an audience at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco on September 7, 2011, the San Francisco Symphony performs works by Copland, Mendelssohn, Britten and John Adams. Celebrating their 100 years with conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and guest violin Itzak Perlman, the program also includes vignettes documenting the Symphony's history.
Gala in commemoration of the 150th birthday of Peter Tchaikovsky.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two-season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world's greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
The most spectacular homage to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on his 250th birthday in 2006 was incontestably the presentation of all of his operas and operatic fragments at the Salzburg Festival, "Mozart 22." Recorded on film, this monumental project has been preserved for posterity as a benchmark of Mozart interpretation in the early 21st century. The Mozart Gala held at the Felsenreitschule on 30 July 2006, in the first days of the 2006 Salzburg Festival, presents a kind of microcosm of the Mozart festivities, with a selection of arias and orchestral music performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Daniel Harding and featuring some of the top vocalists of the 2006 Salzburg Festival.
A sampling of exquisite hors d'oeuvres prepared by the most outstanding musical chefs! Internationally celebrated soprano Anna Netrebko lives up to her reputation as a fiery, dramatic diva in her passionate rendition of Elettra's aria "D'Oreste, d'Aiace" from Idomeneo. Thomas Hampson, one of the greatest baritones of our time, burnishes Guglielmo's aria "Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo" from Cosi fan tutte with his full, rich, mellow tone. Leading Mozart tenor Michael Schade appears twice, in arias from Don Giovanni and La clemenza di Tito. A particularly bright moment awaits listeners when Rene...
This festive celebration concert from Berlin's Gethsemanekirche on the Day of German Unity also marks the 60th anniversary of the RIAS Kammerchor. Founded in 1948, this choir today enjoys a worldwide reputation as one of the best ensembles of its kind. Under the baton of their new chief conductor, Hans-Christoph Rademann, the RIAS Kammerchor and the Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin perform famous motets by Johann Sebastian Bach, interspersed with some fine instrumental movements from his cantatas.
Valery Gergiev , fresh from his appointment as chief conductor of the Munchner Philharmoniker in 2015, takes his new ensemble to the BBC Proms for a concert at the utmost in drama and vivid musicianship. The brilliant young Uzbek pianist Behzod Abduraimov performs Rachmaninov's thrillingly virtuosic Piano Concerto No. 3 , while the Russian stage and film actor Alexei Petrenko recites the text in Galina Ustvolkskaya's resonant and profound Symphony No. 3, "Jesus Messiah, Saves Us!" . The programme also features a hypnotic Ravel Bolero , an alternately tender, florid and witty Rosenkavalier Suite , and the rousing Hungarian March by Berlioz .
Renaud Capucon - one of today's most sought-after violinists-joins prodigious pianist and conductor Lahav Shani, and Kian Soltani (described as "sheer perfection" by Gramophone) alongside the prestigious Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under Vasily Petrenko in this unmissable event, part of a marathon evening of favorites that opens with Pablo Ferrandez-Castro's passionate performance of Dvorak's monumental Cello Concerto (plus a transcription by the great Pablo Casals ) and closes out with a thrilling rendition of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony .
The Philadelphia Orchestra is one of the world's most dynamic ensembles, with a reputation for maintaining the highest standards of traditional symphonic music while standing at the forefront of new repertories.
This concert was recorded live from Cologne during the Music Triennale and features the great Wolfgang Sawallisch conducting a program which opens with the European premiere of Einojuhani Rautavaara's Symphony No. 8, "The Journey" and is followed by Richard Strauss' Symphonia domestica, Op. 53 .
Carl Maria Giulini was known for his unique way of interacting with an orchestra. He said of himself that it wasn't his intention to enforce authority, but to "arrive at human contact" with the musicians. It is this very spirit that makes the present recording a virtual treat for music lovers, uniting the legendary conductor, and the superb Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus and the four soloists, soprano Ilva Liguabue, mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry, tenor Sandor Konya and bass Raffaele Arie, in a wonderful and dramatic performance. Exquisite contrasts of the characters, divine voices of the singers, saturated and rich sound of the brass section and the perfectly blended harmony of the entire ensemble create an unforgettable and a true once-in-a-lifetime experience of Verdi's Messa da Requiem .
Carl Maria Giulini was known for his unique way of interacting with an orchestra. He said of himself that it wasn't his intention to enforce authority, but to "arrive at human contact" with the musicians. It is this very spirit that makes the present recording a virtual treat for music lovers, uniting the legendary conductor, and the superb Philharmonia Orchestra and Chorus and the four soloists, soprano Ilva Liguabue, mezzo-soprano Grace Bumbry, tenor Sandor Konya and bass Raffaele Arie, in a wonderful and dramatic performance. Exquisite contrasts of the characters, divine voices of the singers, saturated and rich sound of the brass section and the perfectly blended harmony of the entire ensemble create an unforgettable and a true once-in-a-lifetime experience of Verdi's Messa da Requiem .
Celebrating Strauss brings into focus the greatest interpreters of Richard Strauss's compositions. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences uniting appealing and enjoyable performances by legendary artists as Irmgard Seefried, Hertha Topper, Rita Streich and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Lovingly restored and digitally remastered the Classic Archive series offers a unique glimpse into our classical heritage featuring performances by celebrated artists of the past including complete full-lengths programmes and comprehensive booklet information.
The Tallis Scholars perform the Missa de Sancto Donatiano , which more than five centuries later still is an astonishing masterpiece. The ensemble continues to develop their exclusive sound, praised by reviewers for its supple clarity and tone, and to bring fresh interpretations to music by contemporary as well as past composers, such as Part, Tavener, Whitacre, Muhly and Jackson .
For more than 20 years, the choir Accentus has performed choral music in all its diversity. For Christmas 2009, Accentus, Laurence Equilbey and their guests created the event with a programme featuring some of the most famous sacred music pieces at the Church of Saint Thomas in Strasbourg to hear the most beautiful Christmas songs interpreted by: Concerto Koln, Sandrine Piau (Soprano), Nathalie Stutzmann (Alto), Pavol Breslik (Tenor), Johannes Weisser (Bass), Sonia Wieder Atherton (Cello), Aurelie Saraf (Harp) and Daniel Maurer, organist of the Church of St. Thomas.
This recording captures the Vienna Boys' Choir's fitting celebration of Mozart's 250th birthday in January 2006. Together with well known Mozart interpreters like Sandrine Piau, they sing Mozart's finest sacred works, including the Coronation Mass. The Choir is one of the best-known musical institutions in Vienna. Since its founding over 500 years ago, it has been a significant fixture in musical life worldwide. Many famous composers and musicians had close ties to the Vienna Boys' Choir - Joseph Haydn and Franz Schubert were even members of the choir as children and Mozart, while not a choirboy himself, did perform with the choir. The venue is St. Stephen's Cathedral, where Mozart and his wife were married, where one of their sons was christened and where the funeral ceremony after Mozart's death took place.
Bonus features:
- Mozart in Vienna - Mozart's most critical years in Vienna. Examining the authentic Mozart sites in Vienna such as the Mozart House at Domgasse 5 (Figaro-Haus), the Theater an der Wien and the Stephansdom helps put into focus Mozart's special connection to the city and the Viennese relationship to Mozart.
This opera gala, recorded live at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, on November 8, 2003, marked the 10th anniversary of the annual benefit for the German AIDS Foundation. Conducted by Kent Nagano, then Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Berlin Deutsche Symphony Orchestra founded 1923. This recording features an illustrious roster of international artists from Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, the United States and Canada.
In spring of 2020, concert halls fell silent. During those weeks, when people had to stay at home and musicians faced all their performances being canceled, a group of Berlin-based artists of international acclaim, in co-operation with awarded film producer Jan Schmidt-Garre and Naxos Audiovisual, set up a series of chamber music concerts performed and filmed at Schinkel Pavillon in Berlin. Roman Trekel (baritone) and Francesco Piemontesi (piano) perform Gustav Mahler's Sieben Lieder Aus Letzter Zeit (1905), Bach / Busoni: Praeludium BWV 552 and Bach Transcriptions by Busoni and Kempff .
In spring of 2020, concert halls fell silent. During those weeks, when people had to stay at home and musicians faced all their performances being canceled, a group of Berlin-based artists of international acclaim, in co-operation with awarded film producer Jan Schmidt-Garre and Naxos Audiovisual, set up a series of chamber music concerts performed and filmed at Schinkel Pavillon in Berlin. Violinist Christian Tetzlaff and pianist Francesco Piemontesi perform Debussy's Images livre II and Franck's Sonata for Violin and Piano .
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
In spring of 2020, concert halls fell silent. During those weeks, when people had to stay at home and musicians faced all their performances being canceled, a group of Berlin-based artists of international acclaim, in co-operation with awarded film producer Jan Schmidt-Garre and Naxos Audiovisual, set up a series of chamber music concerts performed and filmed at Schinkel Pavillon in Berlin. Violinist Veronika Eberle and pianist Francesco Piemontesi perform Mozart's Sonata for Violin and Piano K. 454 and Schubert's Sonata D 850 .
In spring of 2020, concert halls fell silent. During those weeks, when people had to stay at home and musicians faced all their performances being canceled, a group of Berlin-based artists of international acclaim, in co-operation with awarded film producer Jan Schmidt-Garre and Naxos Audiovisual, set up a series of chamber music concerts performed and filmed at Schinkel Pavillon in Berlin. Tabea Zimmermann (viola) and Francesco Piemontesi (piano) perform Schumann's Phantasiestucke, Marchenbilder and Liszt's Romance Oubliee for Viola and Piano , as well as Liszt's 1st Legend for Piano and Reger's Suite No. 1 op. 131d for Viola .
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
The marvellous Portuguese pianist Maria Joao Pires was joined by Pierre Boulez and the Berlin Philharmonic for the European Concert 2003. Since 1991, when the Berlin Philharmonic gave their first European Concert, this annual musical summit in important cultural cities has become a brand name for excellent musicianship. This concert came from Lisbon and took place in a spectacular location, the 'Mosteiro dos Jeronimos' - an impressive monastery built in the early 16th century and a UNESCO-accredited World Heritage Site. The programme included Bartok's Concerto for Orchestra and Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20 - a perfect programme choice, as Maria Joao Pires is a sought-after Mozart pianist and Pierre Boulez enjoys an excellent reputation as one of the greatest Bartok conductors ever.
Bonus features:
- A Portrait of Lisbon
- Picture Gallery: At Rehearsals
The 22nd edition of the Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad hosted the great Portuguese pianist Maria Joao Pires and French violin virtuoso Renaud Capucon.
They performed a programme celebrating the sonata, keystone of the Classical era, beginning with Mozart's poignant Violin Sonata No. 21 written in 1778 while the composer was in Paris grieving the death of his mother, this moving sonata is Mozart's only instrumental work in the plaintive key of E Minor. Next up is another of Mozart's violin sonatas, composed three years later: Violin Sonata No. 27 , written in the lighter tonality of G Major but suffused nonetheless with an air of contemplative solemnity, one of the Salzburg-born genius's finest works.
The two virtuosos bring their program to a close with the Spring, Violin Sonata No. 5 in F Major by Beethoven , a thoroughly enchanting early work (1801) whose dazzling clarity endears first-time listeners as easily as those who already know and love it.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
Oceanic Verses meditates upon fading civilizations and an ancient environment continually transformed by waves of immigration. Donna Di Novelli's libretto leaps from Paola Prestini's own investigations to four archetypes caught in the clash between past and present. A journey through the folkloric landscape is led by an Archaeologist (improviser and vocalist Helga Davis), whose search for musical artifacts leads her to a Sailor (Italian folksinger and accordionist Claudio Prima), who offers a warning; a Peasant (soprano Hila Plitmann), who offers a meal; and a Soldier (baritone Christopher Burchett), who offers a critique. Along with these principal performers, the album features the 16-piece DeCoda orchestra and the eight-member Choir of Trinity Wall Street, conducted by Julian Wachner.
14 April 2009 witnessed the 250th anniversary of George Frideric Handel's death. On this unique occasion two of the world's leading Baroque orchestras, members of four distinguished choruses, three accomplished Handel interpreters as soloists, together with conductor and Handel-Preis winner Howard Arman paid homage to the composer by playing the repertoire of the historic first commemoration concert that took place in London's Westminster Abbey in 1784. This outstanding British-German performance in Halle's Marktkirche, where George Frideric was baptized, represents the media highlight of Handel Year 2009.
Kimmo Pohjonen is one of the cutting-edge accordion virtuosi and composers of our time. After having heard a record of Pohjonen's during their concert tour in Finland, Kronos Quartet – who is well known for breaking new musical ground – decided to get in touch with him. The Kronos/Kluster project entitled Uniko is a mutually beneficial sonic/visual adventure with this goal: to create unique and never-before-heard sounds from accordion and strings. "The Making of Uniko" is a short documentary giving an insight into the collaboration between Kimmo Pohjonen, who has taken the accordion to new dimensions, his Kluster partner Samuli Kosminen, Finland's sampling guru, and the world's most revolutionary string quartet – the Kronos Quartet.
The key of C minor was Beethoven's "Storm and Stress" key, that of some of his most dramatic and heroic works, such as the Fifth Symphony and the Pathetique Sonata . Composed around 1800, the Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37 displays an emotional intensity that marks it as one of the first of Beethoven's mature and individual major works. As if to show that the keyboard was too narrow for his ideas, Beethoven rewrote some of the piano part in 1804 to incorporate the extra notes that had been added to the keyboard in the first years of the century. The simple but assertive opening theme of the first movement is treated with bold imaginativeness. The Largo sets the stage for a true dialogue between the piano and the orchestra, which culminates in the almost aggressive earnestness of the Rondo .
Maurizio Pollini is one of the most distinguished pianists of our time, who has performed with the world's leading orchestras. A committed advocate of contemporary music, Pollini frequently performs works by Schoenberg, Berg, Webern, Nono, Boulez and Stockhausen. However, he has also given complete cycles of the Beethoven sonatas in Berlin, Milan, New York, Munich and other cities. On the occasion of a performance of the Beethoven concertos at New York's Carnegie Hall,...
Baldassarre Galuppi's Mass for the Delivery of Slaves was written in 1765 for the choir of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, where the composer had recently been appointed music director. Written for soprano and alto solos, choir and orchestra, the Mass displays Galuppi's extraordinary (and previously largely unrecognized) contrapuntal mastery. Arguably, Galuppi's full talent as a composer is revealed more in his sacred works than those for the theatre. This is the world premiere recording of the work.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Mass in C Major KV317 , composed in 1779, needs little by way of introduction. The masterpiece here receives a fine interpretation by the Solisti Veneti conducted by Claudio Scimone.
Daniel Barenboim established the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra with the late Palestinian writer Edward Said in order to bring together young musicians from across the political divide in the Middle East. Their hope was that music would heal and help to bring understanding and tolerance of different beliefs and cultures.The award-winning documentary was produced and directed by Paul Smaczny. The Ramallah Concert was a live recording at the Place of Culture in Ramallah, 21 August 2005.
The Polish countertenor Jakub Jozef Orlinski is quickly gaining a reputation as a singer of striking vocal beauty and daring stage craft. He has been hailed by critics and audiences alike, prompting the New York Times to write: "Jakub Jozef Orlinski combined beauty of tone and an uncommon unity of color and polish across his range."
This concert recording reflects the greatly anticipated release of his debut album, Anima Sacra , a recital of 18th-century rediscovered sacred arias with the baroque ensemble Il Pomo d'oro.
LEGATO is a video series dedicated to presenting some of the most fascinating of today's younger generation pianists - their development, their ideas and, of course, their music. Each video in this series presents an artist and explores an aspect of the world of piano music. Viewers meet the artists and get to know their styles, their methods of working and their personal idiosyncrasies. The sum of these portraits provides an overall picture of the art of piano playing today. We live in a "renaissance of the piano", as the New York Times so surprisingly put it in summer 2005. A new generation is reviving the piano's popularity as pianists with a passion for virtuosity and a willingness to expand their repertoire take to the concert stages. In addition to the standard classics, they perform formerly disparaged works or discover neglected composers.
The Swedish pianist Roland Pöntinen was born in 1963. He made his debut at 17 with the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic and has since performed with major orchestras worldwide. Thanks to an insatiable musical appetite and a stupendous technique he has acquired a vast repertoire, ranging from the Baroque period to contemporary music. This recording portrays Roland Pöntinen in concert and interview. Recorded live at the Folkwang...
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
In spring of 2020, concert halls fell silent. During those weeks, when people had to stay at home and musicians faced all their performances being canceled, a group of Berlin-based artists of international acclaim, in co-operation with awarded film producer Jan Schmidt-Garre and Naxos Audiovisual, set up a series of chamber music concerts performed and filmed at Schinkel Pavillon, Berlin. Sharon Kam (clarinet), Jacquelyn Wagner (soprano) and Matan Porat (piano) perform Debussy's First Rhapsody, Poulenc's Sonata and Brahms's Sonata for Clarinet and Piano , Ravel's Une Barque Sur L'Ocean , and Schubert's The Shepherd On The Rock for Clarinet, Soprano and Piano.
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
On the closing day of the IC2017 Contemporary Song Festival, a special world premiere concert will be presented at Asia Society Hong Kong Center with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology featuring the critically acclaimed New York Festival of Song (NYFOS).
Artistic Director, Bright Sheng , will be joined by Judith Weir , Master of the Queen's Music; Michael Barrett , renowned pianist, conductor, and co-founder and associate artistic director of NYFOS; together with guest vocal artists of NYFOS, including soprano Amy Owens, mezzo-soprano Katherine Pracht, tenor Jonathan Blalock, and baritone Tobias Greenhalgh. Guest artists Amy Sze, pianist, and Isaac Droscha, baritone; and four Composer Fellows selected through an international call-for-scores.
This special program includes works inspired by Asian and Chinese literary themes as well as selections from Bright Sheng's acclaimed new opera, Dream of the Red Chamber (libretto by David Henry Hwang and Mr. Sheng), which receives its Asia Premiere at the 45th Hong Kong Arts Festival.
Artist-in-residence for the 2022 season, pianist Yuja Wang meets the Czech Philharmonic, conducted by Semyon Bychkov.
The centrepiece of this exciting evening is the Glagolitic Mass , a late masterpiece by Leos Janacek . The programme opens with Agnus Dei for choir without orchestral accompaniment by Martin Smolka , followed by Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's New Year's Eve Concert in 2000 set the mood for the centenary of Giuseppe Verdi's (1813-1901) death with a selection of the composer's most popular tunes. The orchestra presented excerpts from Rigoletto , La Traviata , Un ballo in maschera and Falstaff . The programme also included the ball scene from act III of Don Carlo ?EUR" a scene that is seldom staged. With singers Andrea Rost, Ramon Vargas, Alan Titus and Lucio Gallo, a cast of internationally celebrated Verdi singers gathered for this Gala Evening led by maestro Claudio Abbado. The outstanding Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the virtuoso Prague Radio Choir provided music of the highest order on this very special evening.
Described as 'the great Verdian bass'(Le Figaro) and a 'Mefistofele who stood out over all the others' (Der Neue Merker), Carlo Colombra brings some of the most famous bass roles to life in this wide-ranging programme. Emotions range from the pride of Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen , through the terrors of Verdi's Attila , to the tender recollections of Rachmaninov's Aleko . Mephistopheles strides powerfully through both Gounod and Boito's operas, and Rossini's comic with contrasts with the darkness of Mussorgsky's Boris Godonov
Christoph Prégardien is one of the most established singers of our time and has especially excelled in his interpretations of German Romantic Lieder. He has won the Orphée d'Or of Académie du Disque Lyrique - Prix Georg Solti, Preis der Deutschen Schallplattenkritik, Edison Award, Cannes Classical Award and Diapason d'Or. This is easy to understand when one hears his controlled, beautifully-phrased yet emotional and tender singing.
Bonus feature:
- Christoph Pregardien on Schubert and Die Schone Mullerin
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
A unique collaboration: the All-Star Orchestra's Music Director Gerard Schwarz guest conducts the United States Marine Band. Founded by an Act of Congrass in 1787, it is America's oldest continually active musical ensemble. Three programs feature masterpieces for symphonic band and the history of the famed ensemble.
Program 1: Above and Beyond
The beloved folk melodies and lively dances of Percy Grainger's Lincolnshire Posy are followed by Maestro Schwarz's own Above and Beyond and Pulitzer Prize-winner Jennifer Higdon's Fanfare Ritmico . John Philip Sousa's march, Semper Fidelis , is led by the Director of the United States Marine Band, Col. Jason K. Fettig.
Program 2: New England Spirit
Revolutionary war melodies inspire William Schumann's New England Triptych including When Jesus Wept and the thrilling Chester (as heard at several Presidential inaugurations). Vincent Persichetti's colorful Masquerade shows off the Marine Band's amazing virtuosity. The program conclude with Sousa's The Stars and Stripes Forever .
Program 3: Classic Band Masterpieces
The masterful First Suite for Military Band by composer of the The Planets, Gustav Holst , is paired with the landmark Symphony for Band in B flat by the great Paul Hindemith . The splendor of Chinese...
Pianist Menahem Pressler has made recording and interpretation history for more than half a century with the Beaux Arts Trio, which he founded in 1955. The grand seigneur of piano gave his long-overdue debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker in January 2014. The audience hailed Pressler with a standing ovation; the press raved about the "masterful exhilaration" of his musicality and his "unique tone, as full as it was intimate". For his appearance at this year's New Year's Eve Concert in Philharmonie, Berlin, Pressler has selected Mozart again: the Piano Concerto in A major, K. 488 , composed during Mozart's prime in Vienna and one of his most beautiful contributions to the genre.
The New Year's Eve concert opens with Sir Simon Rattle conducting music by Rameau : a suite of instrumental pieces from the opera-ballet Les Indes galantes show French Baroque music at its finest. Following the intermission, the musicians ring in the New Year in a lively way with Slavic strains: an orchestral suite from Zoltan Kodaly's charming folk opera Hary Janos as well as a selection from the popular Slavonic Dances by Antonin Dvorak .
In 2018, Pianomania! brought iconic, internationally renowned pianists to Lisbon for a keyboard extravaganza. These electrifying highlights show the performers' incredible variety in six first-class concerts from the Grand Auditorium of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, beginning with the moving Piano Concerto by Robert Schumann . For Daniil Trifonov, Schumann is "important in the heart of any pianist," to which his deeply felt and mature rendition attests.
Next up, Menahem Pressler, at age 94, brings a lifetime's worth of experience and emotion to the haunting second movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 , "the most intimate and the most heartwarming" Mozart work, capable of "elevating [a pianist] up to heaven."
Young star Beatrice Rana brings pyrotechnic panache to Stravinsky's Firebird before Elisabeth Leonskaja's Beethoven , brimming with passion, gives way to Mario Laginha's Concerto for Two Pianos with the composer himself as soloist, accompanied by Pedro Burmester.
I have devoted my life to the piano and to music-making. Whether you acquire public fame or not, devoting one's existence to serving art provides a rich life and the healthiest form of fulfillment. I feel music is my religion, the hall is my temple and the composer is my god whose works I preach. It is no exaggeration to say that music saved my life.
Beethoven's Sonata, Op. 110 illustrates idealism in the first movement, hedonism in the second, and regret and pain in the last movement from which two fugues emerge triumphantly, as if saying, "Yes, life is worth living" - and this is what I feel. This is to be considered alongside Schubert's last sonata D. 960, which explores the emotions of a man who knows he has a limited time to live, and in which the slow movement resonates like a funeral march whilst also showing happiness and peace of mind.
- Menahem Pressler
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
This video from the Classic Archive collection presents two unreleased performances filmed by BBC television in 1977: celebrated pianist Martha Argerich plays Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 and the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1. Both pieces are technically demanding and prove to be an ideal vehicle for Argerich's musical inspiration, demonstrating why she is hailed as one of the world's leading musicians. She is joined by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andre Previn, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Sir Charles Groves, in two powerhouse performances that offer a unique glimpse into our classical music heritage.
At 88, Artur Rubinstein showed no trace of losing that quality of joie de vivre that had so fascinated audiences for almost three quarters of a century. The true Rubinstein sound, full and sonorous at every pitch, was always one of the distinctive marks of his playing ever since he began appearing in public. Rubinstein's performance of Grieg's ever-popular piano concerto, accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra under Andre Previn, is a perfect testimony of his notion of a "singing tone." With playing that is by turns vital and poetic, extroverted and reflective, rhapsodic and poised, this performance, filmed in April 1975 at London's Fairfield Hall, is Rubinstein at his warm-hearted, lyrical best.
One of the world's foremost violinists, Anne-Sophie Mutter is a musical celebrity known even by countless people who rarely listen to classical music. The artist and teacher, who promotes young musicians and commissions new works from contemporary composers, made her spectacular breakthrough under Herbert von Karajan at the 1977 Salzburg Easter Festival. She has since concertized at every major venue throughout the world. In 2008 she was awarded not only the prestigious Ernst von Siemens Music Award, but also the Leipzig Mendelssohn Award. The award ceremony in March 2008 was crowned by a gala concert at Leipzig's Gewandhaus with the Gewandhaus Orchestra under Kurt Masur, at which Mutter performed the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64 presented here.
Mutter has performed the Violin Concerto several times in her career. Joining her in Mendelssohn's Violin Sonata is pianist Andre Previn, who is also an internationally renowned conductor and composer. Previn accompanied Mutter in several Mozart Trios that are part of her "Mozart Project." He and cellist Lynn Harrell now interpret the D minor Trio with her. This is a stunning anthology of chamber and orchestral music from one of the most vibrant composers of the early Romantic Era, performed by top artists of today!
When Anne-Sophie Mutter says that Mozart wrote his trios for violin, violoncello and piano for his own enjoyment, then this is not merely a conclusion derived from the artist's own pleasure in playing these works with talented colleagues. Mozart himself, in a letter of June 1788 to his friend Michael Puchberg, added this postscript: "When are we to have a little musical party at your house again? I have composed a new trio!" He was referring to the Piano Trio in E major, K. 542.
All three trios on this recording are not only late works, but were also published together in 1788, lending weight to the claim that they are the three finest and most exemplary works in this genre by Mozart. In the earliest of the three, K. 502, Mozart broke through the traditional predominance of the piano to give equal weight to the strings, whereby the violin is given ample opportunity to display the soloist's bravura.
The Trios K. 542 and 548 were both written in the astonishingly fruitful summer of 1788, during which Mozart wrote the great trilogy of his last symphonies. They show Mozart at the very height of his powers. Proof that Mozart thought highly of K. 542 emerges in the fact that he played it at the court of Dresden in 1789 when he was seeking an appointment there. Finally, K. 548 in C...
A multitalented conductor, Previn leads the LSO in the first performance of Rachmaninov's The Bells at the BBC Proms with celebrated soloists Sheila Armstrong, Robert Tear and John Shirley-Quirk. All three performances on this video were recorded during Previn's eleven year tenure as Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, from which he received a Gramophone Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
Leonard Bernstein conducted the work at the Salzburg Festival in 1975 and shortly thereafter in Vienna's Konzerthaus, where it was recorded. The stage of the Konzerthaus was enlarged to make room for the unusually large orchestra, the two choruses, the children's choir and the soloists.
Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Götterdämmerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
This recital by the distinguished lieder singer Hermann Prey, who died in 1998, features some of the songs in which Schubert set to music poems by the great romantic writer Friedrich Schiller.
Master Class with Hermann Prey recorded at the Richard-Strauss-Tage Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1997. Exclusively covered were Lieder by Richard Strauss . Piano accompaniment by Fritz Schwinghammer.
Together with Beethoven's Missa Solemnis , Verdi's Requiem ranks as one of the two supreme achievements in 19th-century liturgical music. Verdi reverred the great Italian author Alessandro Manzoni. When Manzoni died on 22 May 1873, Verdi wrote to his publisher expressing his desire to compose a Requiem Mass . It was premiered on the first anniversay of Manzoni's death. From the hushed reverence of the "Requiem aeternam" to the raging fury of the "Dies irae", and from the overwhelming power of the "Tuba mirum" to the sobbing grief of the "Lacrimosa", the Requiem is a highly dramatic and emotional - though not theatrical - work. Verdi specified that it "must not be sung the way an opera is sung". A work of awesome grandeur, it projects a compelling sincerity and honesty, even though Verdi was a non-observant Catholic.
Originally performed at La Scala in 1967 to celebrate the tenth anniversary of Toscanini's death, this production with the orchestra and chorus of the Teatro alla Scala was presented in Moscow, Montreal and New York, in addition to Milan. It was recorded on film in 1967, now with the young Luciano Pavarotti replacing Carlo Bergonzi. One of Karajan's earliest film productions (and his first color film), it reflects his innovativeness especially through his...
Oceanic Verses meditates upon fading civilizations and an ancient environment continually transformed by waves of immigration. Donna Di Novelli's libretto leaps from Paola Prestini's own investigations to four archetypes caught in the clash between past and present. A journey through the folkloric landscape is led by an Archaeologist (improviser and vocalist Helga Davis), whose search for musical artifacts leads her to a Sailor (Italian folksinger and accordionist Claudio Prima), who offers a warning; a Peasant (soprano Hila Plitmann), who offers a meal; and a Soldier (baritone Christopher Burchett), who offers a critique. Along with these principal performers, the album features the 16-piece DeCoda orchestra and the eight-member Choir of Trinity Wall Street, conducted by Julian Wachner.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
Artist-in-residence for the 2022 season, pianist Yuja Wang meets the Czech Philharmonic, conducted by Semyon Bychkov.
The centrepiece of this exciting evening is the Glagolitic Mass , a late masterpiece by Leos Janacek . The programme opens with Agnus Dei for choir without orchestral accompaniment by Martin Smolka , followed by Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor.
In 2022, Musiques en fete celebrates love in music! with the 8,000 spectators at the Theatre Antique in Orange for an amazing show! Opera, operetta, musical comedy, classical music, film music, dance, as well as the greatest hits of French song... Through an eclectic programme, a tribute to love and to all music will be paid by prestigious soloists and more than 150 orchestral musicians and choral artists.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
The Verbier Festival, created in 1994, has rapidly acquired a reputation for artistic excellence and is now considered one of the major European music festivals. For a fortnight each summer, the greatest stars of the classical music world come together against the magical backdrop of the Swiss Alps. The Verbier Festival gives musicians the opportunity to perform original programmes with fellow musicians they admire, but with whom they may never have performed before. These world premiere performances produce innovative and exciting results, for artists and audiences. The 2007 edition gathered classical celebrities such as Martha Argerich, Helene Grimaud, Gabriela Montero, Renaud Capucon, Nelson Freire, Mischa Maisky, Thomas Quasthoff and Lars Vogt, and for the first time all 46 concerts were recorded. The state-of-art recordings featured two cameras on stage that were remote-controlled so as to not disturb the audiences and artists and one camera in the midst of the audience to recreate the viewer's perspective. This video assembles excerpts of the most remarkable concerts with exciting programmes including works by Bartok, Debussy, Lutoslawski, Schubert and Schumann. Lovers of classical music will very much enjoy this summit of high-profile artists!
In 2013, four talented musicians fresh out of the Paris Conservatory (Conservatoire National Superieur de Musique de Paris) decided to join forces-and thus the Quatuor Arod was born. In less than a decade, the young ensemble has racked up a host of prestigious awards - including first prize for string quartets in the ARD International Music Competition in Munich in 2016 - and has performed everywhere from Wigmore Hall and the Berliner Philharmonie to the Concertgebouw and Carnegie Hall!
For this 2017 concert the ensemble lend their talents to Schubert's perennially moving Rosamunde , as well as the second quartet from Mendelssohn's Op. 44 . The program also includes the world premiere of Al 'Asr , The Afternoon Prayer by the young French composer, conductor, and violinist Benjamin Attahir - a figure who, like the four accomplished musicians of the Quatuor Arod, proves that classical music is also a young person's game...
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
Stranded in Switzerland due to the events of the First World War and the October Revolution in Russia, Stravinsky was introduced to the Swiss novelist Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz in 1915 by their mutual friend and conductor Ernest Ansermet. This encounter would ultimately lead to a creative partnership that brought forth one of the most important works of the 20th century: L'Histoire du Soldat (The Soldier's Tale) . Based on a Russian folk tale, L'Histoire du Soldat unites a Faustian fable with Stravinsky's colourful and sweeping composition that includes elements of jazz and Russian folk music.
At the 2018 Deauville Easter Festival in the Normandy region of France, Pierre Dumoussaud leads a group of highly accomplished instrumentalists, as well as actors Didier Sandre, Maxime Coggio, and Gabriel Acremant, in this Stravinsky masterpiece. The colorful program is rounded out by Mahler's sole String Quartet in A Minor , which he never completed-though you'll hear the finished first movement alongside a later completion by Russian composer Alfred Schnittke of Mahler's partially sketched second movement - and Alban Berg's expansive and evocative Seven Early Songs , superbly performed by prizewinning mezzo Adele Charvet.
Elaine Comparone and her Queen's Chamber Band delve into the treasure chest of 17th century musical literature for this stellar performance of rare vocal and instrumental works by Biber, Buxtehude, Frescobaldi, Jacques de Gallot and Alessandro Piccinini .
This event recorded live in New York City is further enhanced by an in-depth, selectable, illustrated interview with Ms. Comparone, in which she discusses the composers, their music and performance practice of the day, as well as her own musical insights and the work of her highly acclaimed group, The Queen's Chamber Band.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
This festive celebration concert from Berlin's Gethsemanekirche on the Day of German Unity also marks the 60th anniversary of the RIAS Kammerchor. Founded in 1948, this choir today enjoys a worldwide reputation as one of the best ensembles of its kind. Under the baton of their new chief conductor, Hans-Christoph Rademann, the RIAS Kammerchor and the Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin perform famous motets by Johann Sebastian Bach, interspersed with some fine instrumental movements from his cantatas.
The Berliner Philharmoniker celebrate the last day of the 20th century with Grand Finales in the first part of this extraordinary concert, and herald the leap into 21st century with an explosion of sparkling music in the second half of the programme.
For the Grand Finales, Claudio Abbado conducts masterpieces like the final movement of Beethoven's 7th Symphony , excerpts from Stravinsky's Firebird and the last movement of Mahler's 5th Symphony . The world-famous actor Klaus Maria Brandauer narrates from Arnold Schoenberg's Gurrelieder
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
Max Raabe and his Palast Orchester give dance and film music from the 1920s and 1930s a rousing revival. They specialise in recreating the sound of the 1920s and 1930s, performing songs by the Comedian Harmonists, Robert Stolz, Friedrich Hollaender, Franz Lehar, Theo Mackeben and Irving Berlin. They evoke a nostalgic atmosphere that has captured imaginations for generations and still charms audiences worldwide by performing music from the golden age of songwriting in pre-war Germany. They also feature highlights of the excellent music entertainment tradition of the Americas in the same period. Max Raabe and his Palast Orchester are exquisite interpreters of these tunes, and they play them with such precision, jovial vitality and utter perfection that the 80-year-old songs sound as fresh and lively as they did when first performed. Max Raabe himself has a distinct and exceptional voice which, added to his looks, makes him seem like the reincarnation of a singer from the Golden Twenties. The songs and the show aren't simply remakes, but wonderful new interpretations which reveal the timeless modernity of these brilliant works. Recorded live at the Waldbuhne Berlin in August 2006, the tours in which they performed for excited audiences all over the world included concerts in New...
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical usic events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season.
Yuja Wang, Leonidas Kavakos, and Gautier Capucon get the ball rolling with Mendelssohn's Piano Trio No. 2 , followed by Leonidas Kavakos and Joshua Bell performing a Ysaye Duo Sonata . Denis Matsuev, Julian Rachlin, and Roby Lakatos tackle Vittorio Monti's Csardas , transcribed for two violins and piano. Brahms' Piano Quartet follows, featuring Kissin, Repin, Bashmet, and Maisky. Finally, as the cherry on the cake, legendary pianists Martha Argerich and Evgeny Kissin bring Lutoslawski's Variations sur un theme de Paganini with head-spinning virtuosity.
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
The outstanding and deeply touching performance of Verdi's Messa da Requiem was recorded at the Parco Ducale of Parma, within the 2020 Edition of Festival Verdi. The concert was dedicated to the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic and all the health workers engaged in the emergency.
Here are conductor Roberto Abbado's words to describe this Verdian masterpiece: "I think that Verdi felt the need to compose a sacred work to deal with some themes that, as he got older, he felt very strongly about. They are themes that every human being sooner or later asks themselves. Verdi is not afraid to show that he fears death, and therefore his approach is extremely humble and human, showing some of the frailties we all have. How does the Messa da Requiem end? It ends, in my opinion, with a huge question mark. Basically, I believe, Verdi, like many of us, cannot answer these questions. I, myself, cannot answer them."
This festive celebration concert from Berlin's Gethsemanekirche on the Day of German Unity also marks the 60th anniversary of the RIAS Kammerchor. Founded in 1948, this choir today enjoys a worldwide reputation as one of the best ensembles of its kind. Under the baton of their new chief conductor, Hans-Christoph Rademann, the RIAS Kammerchor and the Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin perform famous motets by Johann Sebastian Bach, interspersed with some fine instrumental movements from his cantatas.
The concert begins with Berlioz's Roman Carnival Overture , composed in 1844 and ends with Saint-Saens's 3rd Symphony in C minor . This Organ Symphony , dating from 1885-86, is dedicated to Franz Liszt , who had recently died.
Between these two works, the internationally celebrated Argentine pianist Martha Argerich and the equally talented American Nicholas Angelich join to interpret Francis Poulenc's Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra , a joyous score in the musical spirit of the 1930s.
The Korean conductor-pianist Myung-Whun Chung, aged 62, conducts the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, which he has shaped over many long years.
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 11: A Hero's Life in Music
Strauss' orchestral autobiography from 1899 is unique documentary in music, scored for extra-large orchestra - a sonic spectacular, and a showcase for the All-Star musicians. In this highly pictorial music, the listener follows the Hero as he asserts his independence, falls in love, confronts his critics, engages in battle, creates a legacy of peace, and eventually comes to life's end.
Program 12: Mozart and A World Premiere
Mozart's magical Posthorn Serenade is paired with the world-premiere of Samuel Jones' Violin Concerto with Anne Akiko Meyers performing on the legendary Vieuxtemps Guarneri del Gesu violin. This rare event showcases the collaboration between composer, soloist, and conductor in bringing a...
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
In 2018, Pianomania! brought iconic, internationally renowned pianists to Lisbon for a keyboard extravaganza. These electrifying highlights show the performers' incredible variety in six first-class concerts from the Grand Auditorium of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, beginning with the moving Piano Concerto by Robert Schumann . For Daniil Trifonov, Schumann is "important in the heart of any pianist," to which his deeply felt and mature rendition attests.
Next up, Menahem Pressler, at age 94, brings a lifetime's worth of experience and emotion to the haunting second movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 , "the most intimate and the most heartwarming" Mozart work, capable of "elevating [a pianist] up to heaven."
Young star Beatrice Rana brings pyrotechnic panache to Stravinsky's Firebird before Elisabeth Leonskaja's Beethoven , brimming with passion, gives way to Mario Laginha's Concerto for Two Pianos with the composer himself as soloist, accompanied by Pedro Burmester.
Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic set off fireworks of good humour and a contagious musical spirit at the traditional New Year's Eve Concert in 2002. Simon Rattle chose Leonard Bernstein's brilliant and entertaining musical comedy, Wonderful Town , for his first New Year's Eve Concert with the Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor and orchestra - both rank among the best in the world - joined forces with Broadway stars Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald and famous baritone Thomas Hampson. The audience enjoyed a great show full of dancing, choruses, fascinating light design and ?EUR" above all ?EUR" intoxicating music. The exuberant atmosphere of this event culminated in an overwhelming encore with the musicians and audience dancing through the hall! This video captures the atmosphere right in the middle of orchestra, singers and audience and recreates a wonderful night on the town.
As performed by Richard Tognetti and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. This video contains footage and performances as the ACO take you on a trip through Europe.
Acclaimed pianist Andras Schiff performs Bela Bartok's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle. Throughout the stunning performance of this iconic work, Schiff and Rattle bring to life the intense emotion and passion of Bartok's music and showcase the full power and range of the orchestra and piano. The concert capture the energy and intensity of the live performance and provide a thrilling listening experience.
The 2010 tour by the Berliner Philharmoniker and their Artistic Director Sir Simon Rattle concluded in Singapore, their very first visit there. They presented Mahler's unique and breathtaking First Symphony, which once briefly enjoyed the title "Titan" in homage to the Romantic novelist Jean Paul. They also performed Rachmaninov's late Symphonic Dances, highly evocative pieces that originally bore the titles "Noon," "Twilight," and "Midnight," and which were conceived as ballet numbers. In this concert, the Berliner Philharmoniker beautifully captures Mahler's love of nature and Rachmaninov's nostalgic memories of the old Russia he had left behind.
Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic set off fireworks of good humour and a contagious musical spirit at the traditional New Year's Eve Concert in 2002. Simon Rattle chose Leonard Bernstein's brilliant and entertaining musical comedy, Wonderful Town , for his first New Year's Eve Concert with the Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor and orchestra - both rank among the best in the world - joined forces with Broadway stars Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald and famous baritone Thomas Hampson. The audience enjoyed a great show full of dancing, choruses, fascinating light design and ?EUR" above all ?EUR" intoxicating music. The exuberant atmosphere of this event culminated in an overwhelming encore with the musicians and audience dancing through the hall! This video captures the atmosphere right in the middle of orchestra, singers and audience and recreates a wonderful night on the town.
A true celebration, ushering in the New Year with one of the finest orchestras and greatest conductors in the world. The 2007 Gala from Berlin features the Berlin Philharmonic and Sir Simon Rattle in Alexander Borodin's Second Symphony , a richly lyrical work of immense poetic grandeur and fairytale magic, in a programme that also includes one of the greatest classical hits ever: Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition .
For his first collaboration with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, the marvelous Sir Simon Rattle conducts works by two favorite composers, including the most famous compatriot of the esteemed ensemble, Antonin Dvorak ! His symphonic poem The Golden Spinning Wheel , based on a folk ballad recounting a story of deception, magic, and revenge, opens the evening before magnificent mezzo Magdalena Kozena and tenor Simon O'Neill join the festivities in Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde (The Song of the Earth) .
Recorded live at the ancient Herodes Atticus Odeon in Athens 2004, this was the first European Concert that Sir Simon Rattle conducted in his new post as chief conductor of one of the most important orchestras of all times. Since 1991, when the Berlin Philharmonic gave their first European Concert, this annual musical summit in important cultural cities has become a brand name for excellence. This concert also represents the first musical encounter between Rattle and world-famous pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim. This all Brahms programme features the wonderful Piano Concerto No. 1 with the romantic Adagio which Brahms wrote in reverence for Clara Schumann and Schoenberg's successful arrangement of the Piano Quartet No. 1 for orchestra.
Bonus feature:
- The European Concert in Olympic Athens
Live from the Kabelwerk Oberspree in Berlin, Simon Rattle is conductor to the Berlin Philharmonic on its 125th anniversary on May 2007. With superb acoustics and magnificent architecture, the building proved to be an ideal setting for the annual Europa-Konzert. This recording features the magnificent works of Wagner and Brahms to be amazingly performed by Rattle, the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and featured artists Lisa Batiashvili (violinist) and Truls Mørk (cellist).
The Berliner Philharmoniker's European Concert, held each year on 1 May, is invariably an international highlight. Performing in 2008 in Moscow's renowned Tchaikovsky Conservatory, the orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle presented outstanding performances of works by Beethoven, Stravinsky and Bruch, whose Violin Concerto featured one of today's most fascinating artists, the Russian violinist Vadim Repin.
For twenty years the Berliner Philharmoniker has celebrated its 1882 founding with a concert at a major European venue, and the 2011 event takes place at the magnificent Teatro Real in Madrid. The renowned orchestra, under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle, performs Joaquín Rodrigo's beloved Concierto de Aranjuez, Emmanuel Chabrier's exuberant España, and Sergei Rachmaninov's dramatic Second Symphony. It is joined for the Concierto by the famous flamenco guitarist Cañizares, whose virtuosity and sensitivity are given full opportunity to shine in this multi-faceted and subtle work.
The EUROPAKONZERT is the annual celebration of the founding day of the Berliner Philharmoniker on May 1st. The purpose of this unique series is to perform concerts at places which have a special cultural history and compel through their stunning architecture. The EUROPAKONZERT has lead the Berliner Philharmoniker all over Europe to some of the most beautiful sceneries. This remarkable concert, performed at the historical Spanish Hall at Prague Castle on 1st May 2013 features Sir Simon Rattle and Czech mezzo-soprano Magdalena Kozena performing Ralph Vaughn William's Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis, Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 6 Pastoral and Antonin Dvorak's Biblical Songs .
The Berliner Philharmoniker celebrate their founding day (May 1st, 1892) in a European city of cultural significance every year. In 2016, they travelled to Roros in Norway, to play in the town's beautiful baroque church. Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang made her debut with the Berliner Philharmonker at this year's concert, joining them for Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor .
Pianist Menahem Pressler has made recording and interpretation history for more than half a century with the Beaux Arts Trio, which he founded in 1955. The grand seigneur of piano gave his long-overdue debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker in January 2014. The audience hailed Pressler with a standing ovation; the press raved about the "masterful exhilaration" of his musicality and his "unique tone, as full as it was intimate". For his appearance at this year's New Year's Eve Concert in Philharmonie, Berlin, Pressler has selected Mozart again: the Piano Concerto in A major, K. 488 , composed during Mozart's prime in Vienna and one of his most beautiful contributions to the genre.
The New Year's Eve concert opens with Sir Simon Rattle conducting music by Rameau : a suite of instrumental pieces from the opera-ballet Les Indes galantes show French Baroque music at its finest. Following the intermission, the musicians ring in the New Year in a lively way with Slavic strains: an orchestral suite from Zoltan Kodaly's charming folk opera Hary Janos as well as a selection from the popular Slavonic Dances by Antonin Dvorak .
Join Joyce DiDonato, the Berliner Philharmoniker and Sir Simon Rattle and enjoy virtuous and ravishing interpretations of Dvorak, Stravinsky, R.Strauss, Shostakovich, Brahms and of course Leonard Bernstein , thus heralding the Bernstein at 100 Centennial as it were.
On 14 November 1987, a promising conductor made his Berliner Philharmoniker debut with Gustav Mahler's Sixth Symphony : Simon Rattle. In retrospect Rattle says, "I felt that I was finding my voice on that day." Mahler's multifaceted work is now again on the programme when Sir Simon appears for the last time as chief conductor of the Berliner Philharmoniker in the Philharmonie. The wheel comes full circle.
The Berlin Philharmonic, under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle and with the Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves, usher in the New Year in style. In this gala concert, they present a programme of music by three of the twentieth century's most famous composers: Maurice Ravel, Gabriel Fauré and George Gershwin.
In 2011 the Berlin Philharmoniker and their musical director Sir Simon Rattle welcomed in the New Year with a gala concert entitled "Dances and Dreams." Spine-tingling and inspiring performances of music by Dvorak, Ravel, Richard Strauss, Stravinsky and Brahms are complemented by the extraordinary talent of multi-awarded Russian pianist Evgeny Kissin. Kissin's musicality, the depth and poetic quality of his interpretations, and his extraordinary virtuosity have placed him at the forefront of today's pianists, and his passionate performance of the renowned Piano Concerto in A minor by Edvard Grieg is mesmerising.
With standing ovations, bouquets and rave reviews, Simon Rattle started his debut as chief conductor of the Berlin Philharmonic. He launched his 10-year tenure mixing tradition with Gustav Mahler's Fifth Symphony and future with a contemporary piece by the young composer Thomas Ades , receiving an enthusiastic welcome. At the end of Mahler's Fifth Symphony, the audience cheered the conductor, calling him back five times to bows. The new chief conductor performed a miracle of transparency and ecstasy, sharpness of tone and ambiguity.
Sol Gabetta's debut with the Berliner Philharmoniker at the Easter Festival 2014 in Baden-Baden stood under the sign of contrast: Beginning with Wagner's Lohengrin and Gyorgy Ligeti's orchestral piece Atmospheres they show how they both pursue similar objectives in different ways - that of an iridescent, otherworldly sound Elgar's warm and melodically charged Cello Concerto is contrasted with Stravinsky's Le Sacre du Printemps , an entirely progressive piece that pushes the conventional boundaries of classical music.
"Sol Gabetta's Elgar Concerto is one of the best around, a heartfelt, tonally rounded performance. Hers is a softly spoken presence, especially beautiful in those infinitely sad modulations that fall towards the end of the piece." - Gramophone magazine
A joyful celebration welcoming the New Year, this Gala from Berlin presents the world-renowned Berlin Philharmonic, conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, in Carl Orff's famous Carmina Burana , an intensely dramatic cantata that remains one of the most widely performed works from the twentieth century. With an exceptional vocal line-up ?EUR" soprano Sally Matthews, tenor Lawrence Brownlee and baritone Christian Gerhaher ?EUR" this is an energetic and thrilling performance. Beethoven's Leonore No. 3 overture and Handel's supreme Hallelujah Chorus are also included.
Every year, the Berliner Philharmoniker hold a kind of classical music fete with a bright, cheerful concert to end the season. In 2009 about 22,000 people came together at the Berlin Waldbuhne to enjoy the traditional summer picnic concert. The theme of the evening was "Russian Rhythms," and star conductor Sir Simon Rattle, the Berliner Philharmoniker and Yefim Bronfman, one of the most famous pianists in the world today, presented a superb selection of Russian music.
This film is a genuine premiere starring the greatest motion picture composer of the present day: Ennio Morricone. Morricone's music has been well known to moviegoers for decades and his name stands for warmly melodic soundtracks, superbly suited to the films they grace. Born in 1928 in Rome, he went to school with film director Sergio Leone, with whom he would later form one of the great director/composer partnerships. His sparse arrangements, unorthodox instrumentation and memorable tunes revolutionised the way music would be used in Westerns. He has written nearly 400 film scores and this programme contains a representative sample of his rich creative output including short clips from his most famous films. The Munich Philharmonic ?EUR" one of the best German symphony orchestras - invited Morricone to conduct his own music.
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
The Berlin Philharmonic, under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle and with the Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves, usher in the New Year in style. In this gala concert, they present a programme of music by three of the twentieth century's most famous composers: Maurice Ravel, Gabriel Fauré and George Gershwin.
Celebrating Strauss brings into focus the greatest interpreters of Richard Strauss's compositions. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences uniting appealing and enjoyable performances by legendary artists as Irmgard Seefried, Hertha Topper, Rita Streich and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Lovingly restored and digitally remastered the Classic Archive series offers a unique glimpse into our classical heritage featuring performances by celebrated artists of the past including complete full-lengths programmes and comprehensive booklet information.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's New Year's Eve Concert in 2000 set the mood for the centenary of Giuseppe Verdi's (1813-1901) death with a selection of the composer's most popular tunes. The orchestra presented excerpts from Rigoletto , La Traviata , Un ballo in maschera and Falstaff . The programme also included the ball scene from act III of Don Carlo ?EUR" a scene that is seldom staged. With singers Andrea Rost, Ramon Vargas, Alan Titus and Lucio Gallo, a cast of internationally celebrated Verdi singers gathered for this Gala Evening led by maestro Claudio Abbado. The outstanding Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the virtuoso Prague Radio Choir provided music of the highest order on this very special evening.
With this festive concert the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden under the baton of Fabio Luisi celebrated the moving reopening of the Frauenkirche in Dresden. After the bombing of Dresden on February 13, 1945, the church burnt out and its dome, the "The Stone Bell", collapsed. The church was always very dear to the heart of the Dresdeners and just as its ruins were a constant reminder of the Second World War, the rebuilt church will remain a monument to and a symbol of hope and conciliation. Thus the reopening proved to be a touching event of great solemnity, which was perfectly matched by the Missa Solemnis . On this recording, Beethoven's overwhelming music blends wonderfully with the camera shots of the impressive space. The cast of soloists is excellent. It includes Camilla Nylund and Rene Pape, who are among the most outstanding singers of the younger generation. An informative bonus film features the reconstruction of the Frauenkirche.
Bonus features:
- The Reconstruction of the Frauenkirche, Dresden
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical usic events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season.
Yuja Wang, Leonidas Kavakos, and Gautier Capucon get the ball rolling with Mendelssohn's Piano Trio No. 2 , followed by Leonidas Kavakos and Joshua Bell performing a Ysaye Duo Sonata . Denis Matsuev, Julian Rachlin, and Roby Lakatos tackle Vittorio Monti's Csardas , transcribed for two violins and piano. Brahms' Piano Quartet follows, featuring Kissin, Repin, Bashmet, and Maisky. Finally, as the cherry on the cake, legendary pianists Martha Argerich and Evgeny Kissin bring Lutoslawski's Variations sur un theme de Paganini with head-spinning virtuosity.
The Berliner Philharmoniker's European Concert, held each year on 1 May, is invariably an international highlight. Performing in 2008 in Moscow's renowned Tchaikovsky Conservatory, the orchestra under Sir Simon Rattle presented outstanding performances of works by Beethoven, Stravinsky and Bruch, whose Violin Concerto featured one of today's most fascinating artists, the Russian violinist Vadim Repin.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
As the cameras reveal the scale of this open-air event, held at Berlin's Waldbuhne in 2002, it is not only the music that is transmitted but the extraordinary atmosphere. This is a full programme of musical bon-bons ?EUR" pieces regularly given as encores: it?EUR(TM)s as if the joyous moment following a successful performance has blossomed into a whole evening. Vadim Repin is clearly happy to indulge, performing here with all the appropriate showmanship and artistry alongside the first-class Berliner Philharmoniker and Mariss Jansons. There is a palpable satisfaction from all involved, musicians and crowd alike.
Percussion masterworks meet art cinema in this state-of-the art production.
Multiple award-winning Danish percussionist Mathias Reumert sets a new standard with these performances, which are captured live without audience in various locations.
The seven works included are cornerstones of contemporary percussion music, and each becomes here a short film in its own right by director Christian Holten Bonke.
The famous Thomanerchor Leipzig ?EUR" a traditional specialist in Bach's choral music ?EUR" is joined by the superb Gewandhausorchester Leipzig and excellent soloists to perform one of Bach's most acclaimed pieces of religious choral music, the Mass in B Minor .
Recorded in the Thomaskirche in Leipzig in summer 2000, this was one of numerous performances to celebrate the 250th anniversary of J.S. Bach's death in the church where he served as musical director. The artistry of the performers under the assured baton of conductor George Christoph Biller is exemplary and the state-of-the-art filming shows the serene gothic church in full splendour ?EUR" a fitting backdrop for the work that is generally regarded as the crowning glory of Bach's sacred choral music; a majestic work that showcases Bach's supreme craftsmanship and skill as a choral composer.
On 10 October 2004, the Teatro Regio celebrated the birthday of Giuseppe Verdi by holding a concert featuring some of the most important artists and singers of the international music scene. The performance was part of an intended annual series in which extracts from each of Verdi's operas would be performed in chronological order to offer an analytic and comprehensive panorama of his output, and the concerts would bring to the stage the most acclaimed stars of the operatic world. The great baritone Leo Nucci and the famous tenor Jose Cura are featured in this video, and Renato Palumbo, musical director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, conducts.
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
World premiere performance of Sir John Tavener's epic work written for the new millennium, recorded in St Paul's Cathedral, London, in January 2000. Richard Hickox conducts the City of London Sinfonia with Patricia Rozario, Michael Chance and Stephen Richardson, in a work which came to Tavener in a vision. The composer makes full use of the remarkable acoustics of St Paul's.
Bonus features:
- Introduction and interview with Sir John Tavener by Stephanie Hughes.
- The Eye of the Heart - Sir John Tavener talks about his beliefs and music.
In many ways Gustav Mahler's Seventh and Eighth Symphonies are the most unusual works that the late Romantic composer ever wrote. The Seventh was the last in a series of middle-period pieces that were purely instruments in character. Two movements headed Nachtmusik and the remarkable writing for a guitar and mandolin help to create a sequence of darkly Romantic visions. And even within Mahler's markedly eclectic output, the Eighth Symphony enjoys the status of an exotic outsider thanks not only to its two-movement form combining an early medieval hymn and the final scene from Goethe's Faust but also to the vast forces for which it is scored, earning it the title of Symphony of a Thousand
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas. Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his own...
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas. Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his own...
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas. Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his own...
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas. Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his own...
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas. Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his own...
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas. Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his own...
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas.
Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he
studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his...
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas.
Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he
studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his...
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas.
Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he
studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his...
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas.
Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he
studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his...
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas.
Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he
studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his...
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas.
Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he
studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his...
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas.
Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he
studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his own...
For Johann Sebastian Bach, February 15, 1981 was no doubt one of the darkest days of his afterlife: on this day he lost one of his greatest champions in the 20th century, Karl Richter. Over the course of his long career as conductor, organist and harpsichordist, Richter had become synonymous with Bach. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra. He helped trigger the Bach revival in the 1950s. He was the spirit behind the Ansbach Bach Festival. He turned his adopted city of Munich into a Bach center. And he recorded all the major choral and orchestral works of Bach, including more than 100 cantatas.
Richter was born on October 15, 1926 in Plauen, Thuringia, the Bach family's native region. After his years as a choirboy at Dresden's Kreuzkirche ("I sang in virtually all the cantatas and passions"), he
studied in Leipzig with the St. Thomas cantors Günther Ramin and Karl Straube and was appointed organist at the Thomaskirche in 1949. He moved to Munich in 1951 and founded his choral and orchestral ensembles shortly thereafter.
Karl Richter absorbed the Bach tradition from the source, in the cities where the composer had lived and worked. Although he saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his...
Born in Saxony in 1926, Karl Richter discovered his true musical vocation in Leipzig, where he studied under the great Karl Straube and Günther Ramin. The organ and the harpsichord were at the origin of his career, and his first performances were devoted to serving Bach through these keyboard instruments on which he was a virtuoso and a poet. Soon, however, Richter was swept up by a passion for the orchestra and the choral masses. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra in the 1950s, toured with his ensembles all over the world and made about 150 recordings.
Richter was perhaps at his most compelling when interpreting his two great fellow countrymen Bach and Handel. He was superb at translating Handel's monumental rhythms and vast soundscapes, the dynamic writing and sanguine spirit of his music. Although Richter saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his own style, which was considered revolutionary in the 1950s and 60s. This was a "de-romanticized" approach to the Baroque which was characterized, among other things, by a reduced body of performers more in keeping with the original forces. Richter's style also accented a cool, brisk, almost abstract attitude toward the music, which...
Born in Saxony in 1926, Karl Richter discovered his true musical vocation in Leipzig, where he studied under the great Karl Straube and Günther Ramin. The organ and the harpsichord were at the origin of his career, and his first performances were devoted to serving Bach through these keyboard instruments on which he was a virtuoso and a poet. Soon, however, Richter was swept up by a passion for the orchestra and the choral masses. He founded the Munich Bach Choir and the Munich Bach Orchestra in the 1950s, toured with his ensembles all over the world and made about 150 recordings.
Richter was perhaps at his most compelling when interpreting his two great fellow countrymen Bach and Handel. He was superb at translating Handel's monumental rhythms and vast soundscapes, the dynamic writing and sanguine spirit of his music. Although Richter saw several dramatic shifts in Baroque performance practice during his lifetime, he remained true to his own style, which was considered revolutionary in the 1950s and 60s. This was a "de-romanticized" approach to the Baroque which was characterized, among other things, by a reduced body of performers more in keeping with the original forces. Richter's style also accented a cool, brisk, almost abstract attitude toward the music, which eschewed...
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
Sir Colin Davis was a "maestro without airs and graces"(Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) and an interpretor of Mozart and Berlioz who enjoyed worldwide renown. This recording of Gustav Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde features Davis in fine form, brilliantly conducting the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, where he was principal conductor from 1983 to 1993.
This symphonic song cycle, which Leonard Bernstein described as Mahler's "greatest symphony", was never performed in Mahler's lifetime. Though completed in 1908, it was first premiered in 1911 in Munich. Doris Soffel is not only a celebrated opera singer: she has earned an international reputation as one of the finest interpreters of Mahler's works. The American tenor Kenneth Riegel has for decades been a regular performer on the world's opera stages, from New York and Paris to Vienna and Salzburg. The soloists deliver an impressive display of their mastery of lieder in this recording. After it was founded in 1949, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra soon began to build a highly respected international reputation. Shaped by a succession of great principal conductors including Rafael Kubelik, Lorin Maazel, Mariss Jansons and Sir Colin Davis, the orchestra possesses an unusually broad-ranging repertoire and an...
Leonard Bernstein conducted the work at the Salzburg Festival in 1975 and shortly thereafter in Vienna's Konzerthaus, where it was recorded. The stage of the Konzerthaus was enlarged to make room for the unusually large orchestra, the two choruses, the children's choir and the soloists.
Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Götterdämmerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
...
Thomas Hampson is regarded in some circles as a successor to Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau for his mastery of a wide repertory to which he is drawn by an intellectual curiosity of astonishing breadth. Equally at home on the opera stage and the recital platform, Hampson is known for his passion for song and for the research he undertakes on account of this.
In this recital, accompanied by pianist Wolfram Rieger, he sings ongs by Gustav Mahler , most of them settings from the immensely popular collection of folk texts titled Des Knaben Wunderhorn (The Boy's Magic Horn) . His choice is impressively wide, from the mournful Das irdische Leben (Earthly Life) to the witty Lob des hohen Verstandes (In Praise of Higher Understanding) .
Hampson's performance, recorded live from te Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, is inter-cut with informal back-stage interviews in which he introduces the works by Mahler. He gives a fascinating insight into the music and is a compelling and cogent advocate of the power of song.
This film is a genuine premiere starring the greatest motion picture composer of the present day: Ennio Morricone. Morricone's music has been well known to moviegoers for decades and his name stands for warmly melodic soundtracks, superbly suited to the films they grace. Born in 1928 in Rome, he went to school with film director Sergio Leone, with whom he would later form one of the great director/composer partnerships. His sparse arrangements, unorthodox instrumentation and memorable tunes revolutionised the way music would be used in Westerns. He has written nearly 400 film scores and this programme contains a representative sample of his rich creative output including short clips from his most famous films. The Munich Philharmonic ?EUR" one of the best German symphony orchestras - invited Morricone to conduct his own music.
The Variations on Ein Madchen oder Weibchen from Mozart's Singspiel Die Zauberflote may have been written in connection with Beethoven's aforementioned trip to Berlin, and therefore possibly date from around the same time as the first two cello sonatas (they were published in September 1798). Even though he did not go as far in giving the instruments an equal footing as he did in his Op. 5 sonatas, it is clear that Beethoven used this set as a type of experimentation to formulate his ideas.
The Variations, WoO 45 on a melody from Handel's oratorio Judas Maccabaeus - the popular chorus 'See the conqu'ring hero comes' (also known today as the hymn 'Thine be the Glory') - may have been written in connection with Beethoven's trip to Berlin, and therefore date from around the same time as the Sonatas, Op. 5 . Published in 1797, this set of variations were very likely written after Beethoven had attended rehearsals of Judas Maccabaeus in Berlin and are designed to demonstrate the pianist's dexterity, while the cello generally takes a more subservient role.
Conversely, his second set of variations based on Die Zauberflote , which appeared in Vienna in 1802 and were probably composed the previous year, finds the two instruments essentially as equal partners. This takes the Act I duet Bei Mannern, welche Liebe fuhlen , as its basis, originally sung by the characters Pamina and Papageno, and Beethoven initially follows the dialogue of the duet, with the piano in the role of Pamina and the cello answering as Papageno. As in the Op. 5 sonatas , light-hearted playfulness and dramatic rivalry characterize the variations that follow, including - towards the very end - a gentle reprise of the original theme, before the brilliant conclusion.
It was in parallel with his work on the Fifth and Sixth symphonies (at a time when he was battling with increasing deafness) that Beethoven began composing the Sonata in A major, Op. 69 , completing it in the autumn of 1808. He dedicated it to Baron Ignaz von Gleichenstein, an amateur cellist and one of his closest supporters, who had helped him in various business matters. Beethoven is supposed to have included a Latin phrase on the dedication copy: 'Inter lacrimas et luctum' ('Amid tears and mourning'). Although this inscription cannot be confirmed (the score in question is now lost), the possibility of its inclusion on that dedication score is intriguing: was it perhaps a reference to the political situation of the time, namely the siege of Vienna by French troops in 1809; or does it refer to something more intimate about the composer's own disposition?
The shadow of the Op. 5 sonatas continues to be cast over the Sonata Op. 102, No. 1 , begun in late July 1815. Another two-movement work and the briefest of all five sonatas, Beethoven once again dispenses with a slow movement, but introduces each of the two movements marked Allegro vivace - the first in sonata form, the second a rondo ?EUR" with a section in a moderate tempo. Out of the calm C major introduction comes the stormy (but admittedly catchy) A minor first theme in the cello and piano together, while the second theme offers brief moments of repose. The slow introduction to the finale reveals Beethoven experimenting further with form: between the Adagio and the beginning of the Allegro vivace he inserts a seven-bar reminiscence of the Andante that opened the sonata (now in 6/8). This fusion of sonata form with elements of free fantasia style are the hallmarks of the work, and indeed Beethoven even called it Freye Sonate ('free sonata') in the autograph.
He began work on the second sonata of Op. 102 shortly after the first (both were completed by the autumn of 1815). It has the most conventional form of all the sonatas, comprising three movements with, for the first time, a slow middle movement. The opening Allegro con brio begins with one of the most immediately accessible and memorable themes in all Beethoven's chamber music, followed by a more lyrical theme. The life-affirming energy of this first subject, which dominates the development section, could not be more strongly contrasted with what follows in the second movement, which opens with sombre, almost funereal lament in D minor, shared in solemn dialogue between the two instruments. A gently flowing section in D major offers some respite before descending back to the minor, though the movement finishes with a hushed passage that explores completely unexpected tonal territory, from D minor to C sharp minor and back again, before leaving the listener hanging on a dominant chord. And even once the third movement begins, we're still left hanging, as the cello and piano tease with ascending scalic passages. It is only when the third of these phrases (in the cello) morphs into a fugal subject that the resolution is finally granted. Despite the traditional structure of the...
This was the context in which Beethoven hoped to build on the reputation he had developed in Vienna, and to establish contacts with new friends and patrons. Beethoven played the piano before the king many times, and on one of these occasions he was joined by one of the Duport brothers to introduce his two Sonatas for Piano and Cello, Op. 5, which he had just composed. When the composer left Berlin in the summer of 1796, Frederick William II gave him a gold snuffbox filled with Louis d'or, and Beethoven returned the favour by dedicating to the monarch the first edition of the sonatas, published in Vienna the following year.
When the famed double bassist Domenico Dragonetti performed the Cello Sonata, Op 5, No. 2 , accompanied by Beethoven himself, he surprised the composer with the level of his playing to such a degree that at the end, Beethoven immediately leapt up to embrace both player and instrument. Dragonetti must have possessed extraordinary skill, for the cello part of this sonata requires great dexterity at times - though it by no means compares with the nimble fingers demanded of the pianist. If the introduction to the first cello sonata might be considered an augmented upbeat to its first theme, it is harder to put forth such an argument for the second sonata. At twice the duration it is, in effect, a movement in its own right. In character too, this Adagio differs from its somewhat hesitant predecessor: it is full of dramatic gestures, from the dark opening chords to the delicate, rather tragic descending scales in the right hand of the piano. There's an achingly poignant melodic line from the cello, and at the end, extended pauses generate a sense of tension as to what will come next.
In spring of 2020, concert halls fell silent. During those weeks, when people had to stay at home and musicians faced all their performances being canceled, a group of Berlin-based artists of international acclaim, in co-operation with awarded film producer Jan Schmidt-Garre and Naxos Audiovisual, set up a series of chamber music concerts performed and filmed at Schinkel Pavillon in Berlin. Gabriel Schwabe (cello) and Nicholas Rimmer (piano) perform Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata D 821 and Chopin's Sonata op. 65 for Cello and Piano.
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
Welcome to Naxos' 30th Anniversary Gala Concert! The gala concert features Naxos' house artists Boris Giltburg, Gabriel Schwabe, Tianwa Yang and Nicholas Rimmer. Recorded live at Allerheiligen-Hofkirche, Munich on May 16, 2017
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway´s best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
Recorded at the annual summer concert of the Berlin Philharmonic at the Waldbuhne in Berlin 2003, this video captures the atmosphere of an open-air Gershwin night in full while also allowing a closer look at the musicians and the conductor. With an audience of over 20,000 one of the world's best orchestras played the popular music of George Gershwin, including the famous Rhapsody in Blue and the popular film music suite An American in Paris . Conducted by Seiji Ozawa ?EUR" one of the longstanding stars in the classical world - the Berlin Philharmonic was joined by jazz pianist Marcus Roberts and his Trio, whose album "Gershwin For Lovers" stayed in the Top 10 on Billboard's jazz chart for half a year. Together they created a magical fusion of classical music and jazz bringing an imaginative mix of styles into the swing of Gershwin's music. In the bonus film Seiji Ozawa and Marcus Roberts talk about Gershwin and their music making.
Bonus feature:
Documentary - They Got Rhythm
Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic set off fireworks of good humour and a contagious musical spirit at the traditional New Year's Eve Concert in 2002. Simon Rattle chose Leonard Bernstein's brilliant and entertaining musical comedy, Wonderful Town , for his first New Year's Eve Concert with the Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor and orchestra - both rank among the best in the world - joined forces with Broadway stars Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald and famous baritone Thomas Hampson. The audience enjoyed a great show full of dancing, choruses, fascinating light design and ?EUR" above all ?EUR" intoxicating music. The exuberant atmosphere of this event culminated in an overwhelming encore with the musicians and audience dancing through the hall! This video captures the atmosphere right in the middle of orchestra, singers and audience and recreates a wonderful night on the town.
The Berlin Philharmonic, under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle and with the Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Dianne Reeves, usher in the New Year in style. In this gala concert, they present a programme of music by three of the twentieth century's most famous composers: Maurice Ravel, Gabriel Fauré and George Gershwin.
Magic was created one starlit night in July 1990, when Luciano Pavarotti, Placido Domingo, and Jose Carreras met onstage at the Baths of Caracalla in Rome and became the Three Tenors. 800 million people attended this live event which caused the biggest hype ever in the history of classical music. They eschewed competitive instincts and cooperated in the spirit of mutual admiration to create one of the greatest musical events ever. This concert is an awe-inspiring orgy of greatest hits for the tenor voice.
This debut concert performance with the Berliner Philharmoniker by the Japanese conductor Yutaka Sado was hailed in the press as a triumph. The musicians decided to raise funds for the relief efforts following the cataclysmic earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March 2011. The program consists of From me flows what you call time, a perfect blend of East and West, by Japan's most enduring composer Toru Takemitsu; and Dmitry Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony, which so successfully blends the demands of the Soviet authorities with the oppressed public's need for an emotional outlet.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's New Year's Eve Concert in 2000 set the mood for the centenary of Giuseppe Verdi's (1813-1901) death with a selection of the composer's most popular tunes. The orchestra presented excerpts from Rigoletto , La Traviata , Un ballo in maschera and Falstaff . The programme also included the ball scene from act III of Don Carlo ?EUR" a scene that is seldom staged. With singers Andrea Rost, Ramon Vargas, Alan Titus and Lucio Gallo, a cast of internationally celebrated Verdi singers gathered for this Gala Evening led by maestro Claudio Abbado. The outstanding Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the virtuoso Prague Radio Choir provided music of the highest order on this very special evening.
These recordings represent an overview of some of the headiest years of Mstislav Rostropovich's career. Introduced to Britten through Shostakovich, Rostropovich formed a close partnership with the British composer, who was inspired to write several major cello compositions by the Russian cellist. This special relationship is evident here in their collaborative performances from the opening concert of the new Snape Maltings Concert Hall, which includes rare audiovisual footage of the Maltings before it was destroyed by fire in 1969 and rebuilt.
After her remarkable Lucerne Festival debut in 2014, the Argentinian cellist Sol Gabetta returned to the idyllic Swiss city in 2018 for a performance of Martini's First Cello Concerto , one of her favorite virtuosic works for her instrument, accompanied by the Mahler Chamber Orchestra under Francois-Xavier Roth's baton. As she describes it, "The orchestral writing is opulent, the themes - which draw on superb popular Czech melodies - and a very interesting rhythmic structure." Martinu's masterpiece is framed by the folk melodies of Bartok's Divertimento , Haydn's Parisian Symphony "The Hen" (listen for the oboe's unmistakable pecking sounds!), and the carefree delights of dolls, spinning tops, and soap bubbles in Bizet's Jeux d'enfants .
Master Class with Hermann Prey recorded at the Richard-Strauss-Tage Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1997. Exclusively covered were Lieder by Richard Strauss . Piano accompaniment by Fritz Schwinghammer.
The energy and excitement of performances under the baton of maestro Valery Gergiev are thrilling. This performance, with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, was recorded live at the city's Doelen Hall. The programme includes Debussy's Fragments Symphoniques for D'Annunzio's mystery play Le Martyre de St Sebastien, Prokofiev's Scythian Suite , Stravinsky's Fireworks and his Piano Concerto. The soloist for Stravinsky's Piano concerto is the Georgian virtuoso Alexander Toradze, a singularly imposing figure at the keyboard.
First Concert (19 June 2020)
In the first concert with Renaud Capucon, we have three masterpieces, which, although they adopt the three-movement structure dear to Vivaldi and present features that bring them closer to the Italian models, are distinguished by their contrapuntal richness, their writing density and the breadth of their developments. These qualities are particularly evident in the BWV 1042 in E major , with its extremely powerful architecture.
In these works, where the solo violin is called upon to express itself through singing rather than virtuosic prowess, there are these wonderful slow movements that are enough to crack even the most hardened non-musician. Those in the concertos in A minor and E major "offer to the bass repeated figures whose seriousness brings out the sweetness of the solo violin all the more".
Second Concert (02 July 2020)
For the second concert with David Fray, Bach composed a concerti group for one, two, three and four harpsichords in Leipzig around 1730, and as director of the Collegium Musicum, he was to provide a large amount of music for an essentially worldly audience. All these concerti are transcriptions of earlier works.
Bach left us three concertos for two harpsichords BWV 1060 to 1062 , two for three harpsichords...
Celebrating the 125th birthday of the RCO, the album entitled Horizon 6 comes with a bonus live performance and world premiere of Louis Andriessen's Mysterien (Mysteries) performed by RCO's very own orchestra and conducted by Mariss Jansons.
"Ich will euch trosten" (I will comfort you), sings the soprano in Brahms's Ein deutsches Requiem. Indeed, this is music of comfort, not of lamentation. With this work, Mariss Jansons is continuing the Requiem ritual started in 2011 to allow listeners to contemplate the transience of life at the beginning of autumn. Rather than using the standard Latin mass text, however, Brahms selected his own text from the Bible. He completed the work after the death of his mother. Following the premiere, the music critic Hanslick wrote, "Since Bach's Mass in B Minor and Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, nothing in this vein has been written which is comparable to Brahms's Ein deutsches Requiem. " It was this work, which became immensely popular, that truly established Brahms as a composer.
Daniel Barenboim is the soloist in this production of Brahm's Piano Concerto No. 1. Mariss Jansons conducts the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Also on the programme, Rachmaninov's Symphonic Dances, Op. 45.
Nikolaus Harnoncourt first appeared with the Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1975. His interpretations have contributed greatly to its performance tradition of Over the years, he steadily expanded his repertoire of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert to include Schumann, Brahms, Dvorak, Smetana and Bruckner. He was appointed honorary guest conductor of the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in October 2000. With the exceptional performance on this video, Mr. Harnoncourt bid farewell to the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra after a collaboration spanning thirty-eight years and 276 concerts.
Concert on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Bernard Haitink's collaboration with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
On occation of his 80th birthday, legendary conductor Bernard Haitink leads "his" Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra in this great production of Beethoven's 7th Symphony .
Mariss Jansons and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra with Arthur Honegger's Third Symphony, "Liturgique" from the main hall of the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam.
Daniel Harding, one of the most sought-after young conductors of our time, and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra performing Janáček's Lachian Dances, which originally were titled Wallachian Dances after the Moravian Wallachia region. The composition reflects folk songs from that specific area of Janáček's home country.
Star baritone Thomas Hampson is the soloist in this performance of Mahler's Lieder eines Fahrenden Gesellen . Joining him are famous conductor Mariss Jansons and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. Also on the programme: Antonín Dvorák's Symphony No. 8.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two-season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world's greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors EUR" all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world's greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors EUR" all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two-season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world's greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
Bernard Haitink is one of the most sought-after Mahler conductors of our day. In this concert of Mahler's Fourth Symphony , recorded live from the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, he conducts the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra. The American Maria Ewing fascinates with her interpretation of the soprano solo featured in the work's finale. Bernard Haitink first conducted the Concertgebouw Orchestra in 1956. Beginning in 1963, Haitink was chief conductor for 25 years, during which time the orchestra developed significantly. Particularly Haitink's interpretations of Mahler and Bruckner made a worldwide impression. The Concertgebouw Orchestra was founded in 1888. On the occasion of its 100th anniversary in 1988, the orchestra officially received the appellation Royal .
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two-season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world's greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two-season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world's greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two-season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world's greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world’s greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world’s greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
Philippe Herreweghe, principal conductor of the Royal Flemish Philharmonic, has devoted himself for over ten years to fresh and invigorating readings of the (pre-) Romantic repertoire. Together with the Collegium Vocale, founded in 1970 by Herreweghe himself, and superb soloists they will perform Dvorak's superb Requiem .
This video from the Classic Archive collection presents two unreleased performances filmed by BBC television in 1977: celebrated pianist Martha Argerich plays Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No. 3 and the Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1. Both pieces are technically demanding and prove to be an ideal vehicle for Argerich's musical inspiration, demonstrating why she is hailed as one of the world's leading musicians. She is joined by the London Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Andre Previn, and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, under the baton of Sir Charles Groves, in two powerhouse performances that offer a unique glimpse into our classical music heritage.
World-renowned tenor Plácido Domingo is joined by Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna and a host of other international stars including Susan Graham, in the famously glittering 1996 Gala Concert on the stage of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Asher Fisch conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in a programme of many of the world's best-loved operatic arias with music by composers including Bizet, Massenet, Gounod, Mozart and Donizetti.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
Solti achieved great success with the first complete recording of Das Rheingold in 1958, after which his reputation for recording Wagner escalated. He was also known for his dramatic and expressive performances of works by Richard Strauss, demonstrated by this exciting rendition of Don Juan, with revealing bonus rehearsal material and an interview by John Culshaw. The 1985 performance of Beethoven's Fifth with the BBC Symphony Orchestra is equally thrilling, filmed during his tenure as Chief Conductor of the Chicago Symphony, with whom he recorded the full set of Beethoven symphonies.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
The second of only two published DVDs featuring Rudolf Kempe, this is an important document of this great conductor's performances filmed at the height of his career. A subtle, sensitive Brahms Second Symphony ?EUR" a work that became a film favourite with Kempe and the orchestras he led ?EUR" is coupled with a majestic Tannhauser Overture from the Royal Festival Hall.
A star-studded gala from the royal Albert Hall in London, featuring some of the greatest names from the world's of opera, ballet, musicals and flamenco.
Featuring Tito Beltran, June Anderson, Michael Ball, Maria Friesman, Anastasia Volvchkova, Paco Pena and Montse Cortes performing a program of works that includes arias from Turandot, Hamlet, La Traviata and Rigoletto , hits from The Phantom of the Opera, Follies and showboat plus excerpts from Don Quixote and some stirring flamenco pieces.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
Deeply-felt and masterful, Kempe's performance of Ein Heldenleben at the 1974 Prom concert was described by the critic Joan Chissell as winning him "a hero's ovation and rightly." She wrote that "no one now before the public is better able to transform Strauss from a plebeian into an aristocrat." The performance of Dvorak's "New World" Symphony one year later received equally glowing reviews and is an illuminating and compelling rendition of Dvorak's most popular symphony.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
These characteristic Viennese waltzes, polkas and overtures represent some of the best moments from Viennese Night Prom concerts spanning a vintage period in their history. Classics featured on this recording include the Blue Danube Waltz , Radetsky March and "Csardas" and "Laughing Song" from Die Fledermaus , all performed with exuberance, good humour and panache by three conductors well suited to the genre.
Paper, normally a utilitarian material, becomes a solo instrument in Tan Dun's ingenious and inventive Paper Concerto , fusing orchestral music and organic sounds to create accessible, even melodious, music that is almost beyond imagination. Intriguing sounds are created by all manner of different papers, so that they appear elemental rather than simplistic, tapping into something basic in the fabric of our lives. In a remarkable and unforgettable concert experience, Tan Dun directs the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and soloist Haruka Fujii in a vivid demonstration of his belief that orchestral music, far from being static and traditional, still has the capacity for experimentation and the power to stimulate in extraordinary ways.
Bonus features :
- Paper: The Song of Nature
- Tan Dun demonstrates Paper Music
- Tan Dun teaches Paper Instruments
Tan Dun's hypnotic three-movement Water Concerto is intoxicating, both visually and aurally. Using water as a musical instrument, this extraordinary piece uses innovative techniques to explore the musicality of the sounds of water. Virtuoso percussionist and soloist David Cossin displays remarkable genius as he deftly creates unique, sensuous, organic and sometimes celestial sounds using a range of water-based instruments. Conducted by the composer, the distinctive accompaniment of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, reflecting Dun's personal combination of Chinese and Western musical traditions, is carefully interwoven and combined with the water percussion to produce a uniquely enchanting performance.
Tan Dun has made an indelible mark on the world's music scene with a creative repertoire that spans the boundaries of classical, multimedia, Eastern and Western musical systems. His score for Ang Lee's film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon received Academy and Grammy Awards in 2000 and an Oscar Award for best original score in 2001. In 2008 he was selected by the International Olympic Committee to write the logo and award ceremony music for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and composed Internet Symphony No. 1, "Eroica," commissioned by Google/YouTube as the focal point...
World premiere performance of Sir John Tavener's epic work written for the new millennium, recorded in St Paul's Cathedral, London, in January 2000. Richard Hickox conducts the City of London Sinfonia with Patricia Rozario, Michael Chance and Stephen Richardson, in a work which came to Tavener in a vision. The composer makes full use of the remarkable acoustics of St Paul's.
Bonus features:
- Introduction and interview with Sir John Tavener by Stephanie Hughes.
- The Eye of the Heart - Sir John Tavener talks about his beliefs and music.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
Performed during his tenure as Chief Conductor of the BBC Symphony, the Proms performances featured on this recording represent Gennadi Rozhdestvensky at the highest point of his relationship with the orchestra. One of the premier conductors of Russian repertoire, Rozhdestvensky is well known for his interpretations of ballet music - this performance of the second act of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker perfectly demonstrates his affinity with the genre.
Spirits of Music is an unusual musical journey through centuries and cultures, featuring multiple Grammy Award winner Bobby McFerrin , violin virtuoso Nigel Kennedy , soprano Sibylla Rubens and the Gewandhaus Orchestra with music from Bach to Mozart and Verdi . Magnificent examples of religious music come from artists as Kroke the Kuumba Singers, Mari Boine, Bulgarian Voices Angelite and the Ensemble Al-Kindi one of the best formations devoted to classical Arab music. This extraordinary musical journey, which took place on one evening at the Leipzig Market Square is completed by the Cuban a capella group Vocal Sampling, consisting of musicians from Havana's National Superior Institute of arts, who are celebrating their very own interpretation of Afro-Cuban music.
In this day and age, the rhythm of the earth is changing drastically. For this reason a suspension in time, a dialogue, is necessary before we can return to ourselves, to our connection with nature and the animal world. A chamber opera to feel the rhythm again, both our own and that of the world around us.
Il Ritmo della Terra ('The Rhythm of the Earth') is a chamber opera. The music, as it develops, takes the listener on a journey back to a spring-like state, a state of purity. The earth's needs, as well as our own, are rapidly changing and a suspension in time is necessary for an introspective dialogue before we can return to ourselves, to our connection with nature and the animal world. Mariangela Gualtieri's texts are precious gifts, reflections and reminiscences that lead the listener on his or her own journey.
Artur Rubinstein was one of the greatest pianists of the 20th century. Born in Lodz in 1887, he took piano lessons in his native city and at the Warsaw Conservatory. In Berlin he continued his training and debuted there in 1900 under the musical direction of Joseph Joachim. This was followed by appearances in America and many European countries. At the beginning of the First World War, he vowed never to play again in Germany. As a Pole and Jew, he renewed this vow and maintained it till the end of his life. After three decades of active concert activity, the bon-vivant Rubinstein took an artistic pause in 1932 and returned to public performance in 1937, at the age of 50. Rubinstein, the "blessed virtuoso" as Thomas Mann once called him, worked with the most famous musicians of his time, made recordings and was celebrated all over the world as the "pianist of the century."
Rubinstein's interpretations are considered to this day as exemplary and often unsurpassed. His multi-faceted repertoire, impeccable technique and irresistibly beautiful tone turned every performance into an event. Rubinstein played works from the German classic and romantic eras as well as Russian, Spanish and French piano works. He devoted himself particularly intensively to the works of his fellow...
At 88, Artur Rubinstein showed no trace of losing that quality of joie de vivre that had so fascinated audiences for almost three quarters of a century. The true Rubinstein sound, full and sonorous at every pitch, was always one of the distinctive marks of his playing ever since he began appearing in public. Rubinstein's performance of Grieg's ever-popular piano concerto, accompanied by the London Symphony Orchestra under Andre Previn, is a perfect testimony of his notion of a "singing tone." With playing that is by turns vital and poetic, extroverted and reflective, rhapsodic and poised, this performance, filmed in April 1975 at London's Fairfield Hall, is Rubinstein at his warm-hearted, lyrical best.
These magnificent interpretations of three Mendelssohn works - two orchestral and one chamber - are given by the phenomenally talented young Chinese pianist Yuja Wang and other young performers. Praised in BBC Music Magazine for her "keen intelligence" and "staggering technique," Yuja Wang has also been described by the San Francisco Chronicle as "the sort of musician whose combination of talents appears in the world only rarely." The Verbier Festival Orchestra consists of musicians hand-picked from every part of the world. Here they are directed by the doyen of German Mendelssohn conductors, Kurt Masur.
On the closing day of the IC2017 Contemporary Song Festival, a special world premiere concert will be presented at Asia Society Hong Kong Center with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology featuring the critically acclaimed New York Festival of Song (NYFOS).
Artistic Director, Bright Sheng , will be joined by Judith Weir , Master of the Queen's Music; Michael Barrett , renowned pianist, conductor, and co-founder and associate artistic director of NYFOS; together with guest vocal artists of NYFOS, including soprano Amy Owens, mezzo-soprano Katherine Pracht, tenor Jonathan Blalock, and baritone Tobias Greenhalgh. Guest artists Amy Sze, pianist, and Isaac Droscha, baritone; and four Composer Fellows selected through an international call-for-scores.
This special program includes works inspired by Asian and Chinese literary themes as well as selections from Bright Sheng's acclaimed new opera, Dream of the Red Chamber (libretto by David Henry Hwang and Mr. Sheng), which receives its Asia Premiere at the 45th Hong Kong Arts Festival.
On 10 October 2004, the Teatro Regio celebrated the birthday of Giuseppe Verdi by holding a concert featuring some of the most important artists and singers of the international music scene. The performance was part of an intended annual series in which extracts from each of Verdi's operas would be performed in chronological order to offer an analytic and comprehensive panorama of his output, and the concerts would bring to the stage the most acclaimed stars of the operatic world. The great baritone Leo Nucci and the famous tenor Jose Cura are featured in this video, and Renato Palumbo, musical director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, conducts.
Recorded live in the wonderful Teatro Accademico Bibiena in Mantua, which was praised by Mozart as one of the best acoustics he experienced, TANGO INTIMO is performed by Finnish Violinist Linda Hedlund and Italian Harpist Floraleda Sacchi. Their emotionally intense playing and bravura is underlined by the enthusiastic answer of the Italian audience and by two special guest dancers: Roberto Herrera and Laura Legazcue. Music by Astor Piazzolla, Carlos Gardel, Richard Galliano , and Ennio Morricone arranged by Floraleda alternates lyrical and rhythmical passages. Roberto Herrera's solo with the Argentinian Boleadoras brings back the most lively folkloristic aspects of Tango.
Floraleda won a Latin Grammy in 2018 for her project with Claudia Montero Magica y Misteriosa dedicated also to Argentinian music. Linda Hedlund is one of the most renowned Finnish Violinists of her generation.
14 April 2009 witnessed the 250th anniversary of George Frideric Handel's death. On this unique occasion two of the world's leading Baroque orchestras, members of four distinguished choruses, three accomplished Handel interpreters as soloists, together with conductor and Handel-Preis winner Howard Arman paid homage to the composer by playing the repertoire of the historic first commemoration concert that took place in London's Westminster Abbey in 1784. This outstanding British-German performance in Halle's Marktkirche, where George Frideric was baptized, represents the media highlight of Handel Year 2009.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two-season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world's greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
This debut concert performance with the Berliner Philharmoniker by the Japanese conductor Yutaka Sado was hailed in the press as a triumph. The musicians decided to raise funds for the relief efforts following the cataclysmic earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March 2011. The program consists of From me flows what you call time, a perfect blend of East and West, by Japan's most enduring composer Toru Takemitsu; and Dmitry Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony, which so successfully blends the demands of the Soviet authorities with the oppressed public's need for an emotional outlet.
Award-winning composer and trumpet player Hannibel Lokumbe is a leader in expressing the Aprican-American experience through his orchestral and choral music, with a special focus on civil rights leaders. Can You Hear God Crying? is a spiritatorio which takes us on a journey from hardship and suffering to healing and celebrations of courage and peace, told through the forced migration aboard a slave ship endured by Lokumbe's great-grandfather Silas Burgess. Combining jazz, gospel and chamber music together with West African prayers and songs, this is both a moving commemoration and a spectacularly festive event which faces past and present with honesty and deep spiritual understanding.
Pixel is a stunning contemporary dance performance for 11 dancers in a virtual and living visual environment. A work on illusion combining energy and poetry, fiction and technical achievement, minimal music and hip-hop. It opens a dialogue between the synthetic world of digital projection and the real bodies of dancers. Pixel appeals to fans of contemporary dance, urban and hip-hop moves, with elements of circus too. Artistic Director and choreograper Mourad Merzouki, together with his Compagnle Kafig has elevated hip-hop to the world stage. In doing so he has created a multicultural contemporary dance form which takes equal place with modern dance and other idioms of the genre. He has incorporated circus elements, martial arts, contemporary dance and puppetry, and brought in performers from Algeria, Brazil and Taiwan in order to develop his ideas. The music was composed by French composer Armand Amar won a Cesar award for his original soundtrack.
Daniel Barenboim established the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra with the late Palestinian writer Edward Said in order to bring together young musicians from across the political divide in the Middle East. Their hope was that music would heal and help to bring understanding and tolerance of different beliefs and cultures.The award-winning documentary was produced and directed by Paul Smaczny. The Ramallah Concert was a live recording at the Place of Culture in Ramallah, 21 August 2005.
An exceptional concert from Brazil: the Orquestra Sinfonica do Estado de Sao Paulo proves its position as the most important orchestra in Latin America. Conducted by charismatic maestro John Neschling since 1997, the orchestra is defined by its emblematic interpretations of Latin American music. With Sao Paulo Samba, the orchestra yet again grips the listener with an electrifying selection of Brazilian and Latin American classics, including works by Alberto Ginastera, Astor Piazzolla, Heitor Villa-Lobos and Joao Bosco. The famous Banda Mantiqueira and celebrated singer Monica Salmaso complement the show.
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This "intermezzo giocoso" for bass and orchestra by Domenico Cimarosa features Maurizio Muraro in the solo part. The conductor is Ton Koopman. The Dutch musician was born in 1944 and ranks among the outstanding specialists in the field of historical performance practice. He studied organ, harpsichord and musicology in Amsterdam and turned to conducting during his training. From the very beginning, he used original instruments and combined theory and practice into a fascinating, historically well-founded interpretation of the works. In 1979 he founded the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. He is the principal conductor of the Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra. As a performing artist and teacher, Koopman has made decisive contributions to the renaissance of the music of the 17th and 18th centuries. He has published many books and articles, teaches at the Conservatory of The Hague and is an honorary member of the Royal Music Academy in London. The Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg goes back to the "Dom-Musik-Verein und Mozarteum" founded in 1841. Since 1938 it has been an independent institution with professional musicians. It has been the orchestra of the city and the Land of Salzburg since 1958 and, in addition to its activity as opera and concert orchestra, it also performs regularly...
The Slovakian soprano Luba Orgonasova sings at all the major opera houses of the world and numbers among the most sought-after interpreters of the lyrical and coloratura parts of opera and concert literature. She was one of the last discoveries of Herbert von Karajan: she sang the part of Marzelline (Fidelio) at the Salzburg Festival in 1990, which marked the beginning of her rapid rise to celebrity. The Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg has been the orchestra of the city and Land of Salzburg since 1958 and regularly concertizes at the Salzburg Festival and the Mozartwoche. The principal conductor is the Dutch-born Hubert Soudant, who led the Nouvel Orchestre Philharmonique de France in Paris from 1981 to 1983 and the Utrecht Symphony Orchestra from 1983 to 1986. In addition to his activities in Salzburg, Soudant is also the principal conductor of the Orchestra and Opera des Pays de Loire in Nantes and Angers, France.
Luba Orgonasova hails from Slovakia and sings at all the major opera houses of the world. She is one of the most sought-after interpreters of the lyrical and coloratura parts of opera and concert literature. She was one of Herbert von Karajan's last discoveries: in 1990 she sang the part of Marzelline (Fidelio) at the Salzburg Festival – a role that marked the beginning of her meteoric career.
The Dutch musician Ton Koopman was born in 1944 and ranks among the outstanding specialists in the field of historical performance practice. He studied organ, harpsichord and musicology in Amsterdam and turned to conducting during his training. From the very beginning, he used original instruments and combined theory and practice into a fascinating, historically well-founded interpretation of the works. In 1979 he founded the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. He is the principal conductor of the Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra. As a performing artist and teacher, Koopman has made decisive contributions to the renaissance of the music of the 17th and 18th centuries. He has published many books and articles, teaches at the Conservatory of The Hague and is an honorary member of the Royal Music Academy in London. The Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg goes back to the Dom-Musik-Verein und...
The Dutch musician Ton Koopman was born in 1944 and ranks among the outstanding specialists in the field of historical performance practice. He studied organ, harpsichord and musicology in Amsterdam and turned to conducting during his training. From the very beginning, he used original instruments and combined theory and practice into a fascinating, historically well-founded interpretation of the works. In 1979 he founded the Amsterdam Baroque Orchestra. He is the principal conductor of the Netherlands Radio Chamber Orchestra. As a performing artist and teacher, Koopman has made decisive contributions to the renaissance of the music of the 17th and 18th centuries. He has published many books and articles, teaches at the Conservatory of The Hague and is an honorary member of the Royal Music Academy in London.
The Mozarteum Orchester Salzburg goes back to the Dom-Musik-Verein und Mozarteum founded in 1841. Since 1938 it has been an independent institution with professional musicians. It has been the orchestra of the city and the Land of Salzburg since 1958 and, in addition to its activity as opera and concert orchestra, it also performs regularly at the Salzburg Festival and the Mozartwoche.
After his trip to Paris in 1778, Mozart spent only two and a half more years in...
Anton Webern's Langsamer Satz for string quartet was performed as part of the "My GAIA" concert during the Festival's 2012 edition. Composed in 1905, Langsamer Satz is in traditional sonata form and in the key of C Major; it would be another twenty years before Webern turned to twelve-tone technique. Langsamer Satz premiered in 1962, seventeen years after Webern's death, and has the longest playing time of any piece in his body of work.
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
From the sound outside his bedroom window - a kind of sonic goulash of military marches, ethnic dance bands, church bells, ritual prayer, and nature itself, Gustav Mahler created an entire universe of emotion in music. In an astonishingly productive twenty-five years, he fashioned ten symphonies and 45 songs of cosmic scale, great beauty, and jarring emotional twists and turns. And he did it all in the brief moments he could spare from his day jobs as one of Europe's preeminent conductors.
In Gustav Mahler: Origins and Legacy , Michael Tilson Thomas returns to the provincial Austro-Hungarian city of Mahler's childhood, and bears witness to his grand achievements, great sorrow, and daring musical explorations into the dephths of the human sould. Join MTT and the San Francisco Symphony as they trace Mahler's rise as a young conductor, and show how his stormy inner life inspired new and ever-more heartbreaking heights of creativity.
Hosted by author Amy Tam and performed before an audience at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco on September 7, 2011, the San Francisco Symphony performs works by Copland, Mendelssohn, Britten and John Adams. Celebrating their 100 years with conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and guest violin Itzak Perlman, the program also includes vignettes documenting the Symphony's history.
Known for enjoying live performances and having an affinity for late Mahler, Sanderling's reading of Das Lied von der Erde is inherently musical. Mitchinson's 'firm, heroic tone' is ideal for this role, with the BBC Philharmonic providing a sympathetic accompaniment. Schumann's Fourth Symphony makes an excellent filler.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
The 2018/2019 concert season is Michael Sanderling's eighth as Principal Conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic. His name is associated with a great musical and technical ambition, concentrated rehearsal work, and concert events of unforgettable intensity. The focus on Dmitri Shostakovich continues, both in concert and the recording project of the Shostakovich symphonies.
The new concert hall is the heart of the rebuilt Kulturpalast right in the city centre. Similar to the Philharmonie in Berlin and the Gewandhaus in Leipzig it was built in the so called Weinberg style which guarantees clear acoustics. The concert hall with its 1760 seats and mid-oriented stage offers the Dresdner Philharmonie optimum spatial and tonal conditions, for the first time in its 150 years old history.
Stranded in Switzerland due to the events of the First World War and the October Revolution in Russia, Stravinsky was introduced to the Swiss novelist Charles-Ferdinand Ramuz in 1915 by their mutual friend and conductor Ernest Ansermet. This encounter would ultimately lead to a creative partnership that brought forth one of the most important works of the 20th century: L'Histoire du Soldat (The Soldier's Tale) . Based on a Russian folk tale, L'Histoire du Soldat unites a Faustian fable with Stravinsky's colourful and sweeping composition that includes elements of jazz and Russian folk music.
At the 2018 Deauville Easter Festival in the Normandy region of France, Pierre Dumoussaud leads a group of highly accomplished instrumentalists, as well as actors Didier Sandre, Maxime Coggio, and Gabriel Acremant, in this Stravinsky masterpiece. The colorful program is rounded out by Mahler's sole String Quartet in A Minor , which he never completed-though you'll hear the finished first movement alongside a later completion by Russian composer Alfred Schnittke of Mahler's partially sketched second movement - and Alban Berg's expansive and evocative Seven Early Songs , superbly performed by prizewinning mezzo Adele Charvet.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
An exceptional concert from Brazil: the Orquestra Sinfonica do Estado de Sao Paulo proves its position as the most important orchestra in Latin America. Conducted by charismatic maestro John Neschling since 1997, the orchestra is defined by its emblematic interpretations of Latin American music. With Sao Paulo Samba, the orchestra yet again grips the listener with an electrifying selection of Brazilian and Latin American classics, including works by Alberto Ginastera, Astor Piazzolla, Heitor Villa-Lobos and Joao Bosco. The famous Banda Mantiqueira and celebrated singer Monica Salmaso complement the show.
An exceptional concert from Brazil: the Orquestra Sinfonica do Estado de Sao Paulo proves its position as the most important orchestra in Latin America. Conducted by charismatic maestro John Neschling since 1997, the orchestra is defined by its emblematic interpretations of Latin American music. With Sao Paulo Samba, the orchestra yet again grips the listener with an electrifying selection of Brazilian and Latin American classics, including works by Alberto Ginastera, Astor Piazzolla, Heitor Villa-Lobos and Joao Bosco. The famous Banda Mantiqueira and celebrated singer Monica Salmaso complement the show.
For more than 20 years, the choir Accentus has performed choral music in all its diversity. For Christmas 2009, Accentus, Laurence Equilbey and their guests created the event with a programme featuring some of the most famous sacred music pieces at the Church of Saint Thomas in Strasbourg to hear the most beautiful Christmas songs interpreted by: Concerto Koln, Sandrine Piau (Soprano), Nathalie Stutzmann (Alto), Pavol Breslik (Tenor), Johannes Weisser (Bass), Sonia Wieder Atherton (Cello), Aurelie Saraf (Harp) and Daniel Maurer, organist of the Church of St. Thomas.
Saraste directs the LEAD! Foundation, which aims to the support the next generation of conductors and aspiring orchestra leaders through technical and musical training, plus mentorship and guidance in navigating the classical music industry. At the Haute Ecole de Musique de Lausanne, Saraste helps instrumentalists and conductors-in training refine their interpretation of three monuments of the symphonic repertoire: Beethoven's Fourth, Sibelius's Third , and Stravinsky's Symphony in C .
Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic set off fireworks of good humour and a contagious musical spirit at the traditional New Year's Eve Concert in 2002. Simon Rattle chose Leonard Bernstein's brilliant and entertaining musical comedy, Wonderful Town , for his first New Year's Eve Concert with the Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor and orchestra - both rank among the best in the world - joined forces with Broadway stars Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald and famous baritone Thomas Hampson. The audience enjoyed a great show full of dancing, choruses, fascinating light design and ?EUR" above all ?EUR" intoxicating music. The exuberant atmosphere of this event culminated in an overwhelming encore with the musicians and audience dancing through the hall! This video captures the atmosphere right in the middle of orchestra, singers and audience and recreates a wonderful night on the town.
It is illusory to assume one can shoot a film about Jordi Savall which summarizes the complete fullness of his activities or gives a representative summary of the musical treasures raised by him with a profound expertise or to describe exactly how he manages to play the viola da gamba in his own unmistakable way that makes it sound like it sounds.
It is illusory to assume one can shoot a film about Jordi Savall which summarizes the complete fullness of his activities or gives a representative summary of the musical treasures raised by him with a profound expertise or to describe exactly how he manages to play the viola da gamba in his own unmistakable way that makes it sound like it sounds.
It is illusory to assume one can shoot a film about Jordi Savall which summarizes the complete fullness of his activities or gives a representative summary of the musical treasures raised by him with a profound expertise or to describe exactly how he manages to play the viola da gamba in his own unmistakable way that makes it sound like it sounds.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
The Philadelphia Orchestra is one of the world's most dynamic ensembles, with a reputation for maintaining the highest standards of traditional symphonic music while standing at the forefront of new repertories.
This concert was recorded live from Cologne during the Music Triennale and features the great Wolfgang Sawallisch conducting a program which opens with the European premiere of Einojuhani Rautavaara's Symphony No. 8, "The Journey" and is followed by Richard Strauss' Symphonia domestica, Op. 53 .
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
The most spectacular homage to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on his 250th birthday in 2006 was incontestably the presentation of all of his operas and operatic fragments at the Salzburg Festival, "Mozart 22." Recorded on film, this monumental project has been preserved for posterity as a benchmark of Mozart interpretation in the early 21st century. The Mozart Gala held at the Felsenreitschule on 30 July 2006, in the first days of the 2006 Salzburg Festival, presents a kind of microcosm of the Mozart festivities, with a selection of arias and orchestral music performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Daniel Harding and featuring some of the top vocalists of the 2006 Salzburg Festival.
A sampling of exquisite hors d'oeuvres prepared by the most outstanding musical chefs! Internationally celebrated soprano Anna Netrebko lives up to her reputation as a fiery, dramatic diva in her passionate rendition of Elettra's aria "D'Oreste, d'Aiace" from Idomeneo. Thomas Hampson, one of the greatest baritones of our time, burnishes Guglielmo's aria "Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo" from Cosi fan tutte with his full, rich, mellow tone. Leading Mozart tenor Michael Schade appears twice, in arias from Don Giovanni and La clemenza di Tito. A particularly bright moment awaits listeners when Rene...
Johannes Brahms composed his Requiem in 1865/66, shortly after the death of his mother. A profoundly moving work for soprano and baritone solo, chorus and orchestra, it is the composer's largest single composition. No work did more to win Brahms international recognition and, after the first complete performance of the Requiem in Leipzig in 1869, he was regarded as one of the leading composers of his time. It was not the first requiem in German, but the first in which a composer pieced together his text from Bible passages in Martin Luther's German translation. It is an intensely personal selection which speaks to the living and seeks to offer hope and comfort. Through his subtle, almost surreal, affinity to Brahms's unorthodox, elusive worldview, conductor Christian Thielemann has crafted a performance that places him among the best interpreters of this work, such as Maazel, Furtwängler, Karajan, Klemperer... An acknowledged specialist of Romantic music, Thielemann "put forth a dignified account that offers considerable material for reflection. At the end, one understood all too well why the audience was requested to refrain from applauding at the end. For the seventh and last section is the solemn, meditative chorus "Selig sind die Toten" ... In Thielemann's hands, this...
This festive celebration concert from Berlin's Gethsemanekirche on the Day of German Unity also marks the 60th anniversary of the RIAS Kammerchor. Founded in 1948, this choir today enjoys a worldwide reputation as one of the best ensembles of its kind. Under the baton of their new chief conductor, Hans-Christoph Rademann, the RIAS Kammerchor and the Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin perform famous motets by Johann Sebastian Bach, interspersed with some fine instrumental movements from his cantatas.
Virtuoso Music of the 19th Century
The 19th century brought astonishing developments in instrumental skill, marking, with Paganini and his innovations in violin technique, the true age of the virtuoso. Earlier periods had seen great performers, but it was now combined with changes in technique and with the development of particular instruments, notably the piano, with which Liszt at first set out to rival Paganini. A distinctive feature of the age was the pre-eminence of performer-composers. Bach, Handel, Mozart and Beethoven had all been players, but now, changing technical demands and possibilities opened a new world of virtuosity, the world of Liszt and his successor Busoni, and of Sarasate, Ernst, Joachim and Ries.
Surely Bach's French Suites , which he composed during his years at Cothen (1717?EUR"1723), are among the finest inducements to practise that any teacher has ever made to a pupil. In this case Bach wrote them for his young wife, Anna Magdalena. The over-riding impression left by these suites is one of endearing tunefulness. Clavier-Ubung II is a later collection of didactic keyboard pieces. It comprises two greatly contrasted works: the Italian Concerto and the Overture in the French Style. These performances admirably demonstrate the thoughtful and persuasive approach that Andras Schiff adopts when performing Bach. Recorded live at the Bachfest 2010, Protestant Reformed Church of Leipzig, 11 June 2010.
Bonus features:
- Andras Schiff explains Bach
Johannn Sebastian Bach was undoubtedly the greatest musical thinker of his age. Dubbed 'the Old Testament of music' by the conductor and pianist Hans von Bulow, The Well-Tempered Clavier is acknowledged to be one of the most significant works ever written for the keyboard. Each of these 24 preludes and fugues encapsulates its own mood, and Bach's delight in mixing technical strictness with freedom of expression has made this work an indispensable element of Western culture for centuries. Sir Andras Schiff is heralded as one of the finest Bach interpreters today, and this first complete performance at the prestigious BBC Promms was summed up as 'stupendous' by The Independent.
Distinguished Bach specialist Sir Andras Schiff returned to the BBC Proms in 2018 to present Book II of the Well-Tempered Clavier . Extending the variety already evident in Book 1, Bach's effortless brilliance and new-found sonorities push harmony and counterpoint further than ever with a combination of ancient and modern styles, church austerity and galant lightness. Schiff has said that 'no-one combines the sacred and the secular as Bach does', and this is comprehensively demonstrated in Bach's fascinating and challenging sequence. This performance in the Royal Albert Hall was described as 'a musical meditation for our troubled times' by the Independent.
Acclaimed pianist Andras Schiff performs Bela Bartok's Piano Concerto No. 3 with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle. Throughout the stunning performance of this iconic work, Schiff and Rattle bring to life the intense emotion and passion of Bartok's music and showcase the full power and range of the orchestra and piano. The concert capture the energy and intensity of the live performance and provide a thrilling listening experience.
The Sonata 1905 is probably the most important work for piano by Czech composer Leos Janacek . In this work he expresses his deprecation for the violent death of a young worker who was killed in demonstrations short before.
In this program acclaimed pianist Andras Schiff performs the first part of the fifteen piece cycle On an Overgrown Path , written by Czech composer Leos Janacek . Inspired by his Moravian homeland, the music is filled with folk melodies and is highly evocative of the Czech countryside.
Mozart is the most pervasively dramatic composer in history. The spirit of opera informs very nearly his every work. Themes are characters; characters interact; they change. András Schiff's alertness to the dialogue in Mozart is reflected both in his acute sense of characterisation and his immensely sophisticated use of articulation. Every line breathes. Not only that, every tone tells. Just as the voice in conversation subtly reflects the speaker's state of mind, so Schiff's deployment of sonority derives from an acute perception of the notes' psychological as well as their purely musical character. This recording from the historical and stunningly beautiful Teatro Olimpico affords us numerous insights into Schiff's approach to music and music-making, and more besides. Schiff's joy in performance is as evident to the eye as to the ear.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
This debut concert performance with the Berliner Philharmoniker by the Japanese conductor Yutaka Sado was hailed in the press as a triumph. The musicians decided to raise funds for the relief efforts following the cataclysmic earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March 2011. The program consists of From me flows what you call time, a perfect blend of East and West, by Japan's most enduring composer Toru Takemitsu; and Dmitry Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony, which so successfully blends the demands of the Soviet authorities with the oppressed public's need for an emotional outlet.
Dacapo's CD recording of all Carl Nielsen's symphonies by the Danish National Symhpony Orchestra/DR conducted by Michael Schønwandt has already established itself as a reference recording on the international classical CD market. Now the same outstanding interpretation of all six symphonies can be experienced on video with new opportunities for in-depth study of the music and a stimulating 60-minute documentary that offers new perspectives on Denmark's national composer.
Johann Sebastian Bach's Goldberg Variations is an impressive example of the art of variation. Otherwise also known as Part Four of Bach's Clavier-Ubung 'consisting of an Aria and Diverse Variations' intended to 'refresh the spirits of connoisseurs'.
During the pandemic, the pianist Ragna Schirmer performed it for a small audience, mentally dedicating each variation to a different audience member. The result is a magnificent achievement that affords masterly proof of her passion for this work, a passion that has evolved over several decades.
This debut concert performance with the Berliner Philharmoniker by the Japanese conductor Yutaka Sado was hailed in the press as a triumph. The musicians decided to raise funds for the relief efforts following the cataclysmic earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March 2011. The program consists of From me flows what you call time, a perfect blend of East and West, by Japan's most enduring composer Toru Takemitsu; and Dmitry Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony, which so successfully blends the demands of the Soviet authorities with the oppressed public's need for an emotional outlet.
Recorded live in the Museum Quarter in Vienna in January 2006, this concert was inspired by the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose 250th birthday made this year a celebratory Mozart Anniversary all over the world. With artists like singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, rock flutist Ian Anderson (formerly of Jethro Tull), the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and conductor Andrey Boreyko, this musical event proved to be a true crossover experience. All outstanding musical personalities in their field, the performers interpret Mozart's compositions in their personal musical languages whilst preserving the fascinating original spirit of Mozart. They produce a rousing, electrifying melange of classical, jazz and pop culture that shows that the impact of Mozart's music reaches far beyond the boundaries of classical music and can still reach the broad public of the 21st century. This is a must for crossover enthusiasts in the Mozart Year!
To celebrate his 80th birthday, Kurt Masur led "his" Gewandhaus Orchestra in a special gala concert in June 2007. For his birthday concert, Masur, currently principal conductor of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and the Orchestre National de France, chose a varied, celebratory programme with works by composers highlighting his conducting career in the United States, France and Germany. The night progressed with works by Bernstein, Bizet and Brahms and ?EUR" as a special present - a song from Gershwin's Porgy and Bess , sung by entertainer Harald Schmidt. At Kurt Masur's wish, the popular German TV entertainer, a former church musician, hosted the show, demonstrating his quick-witted humour and general knowledge of all aspects of music. Abounding in energy, alert as ever, Masur has been untiringly lending new impulses to the entire orchestral repertoire. From 1970 until 1996 he did so as Gewandhaus Kapellmeister of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, a position that has almost come to be identified with his name. He is still Conductor Laureate of the ensemble; the fact that he chose the orchestra for his birthday celebration expresses his gratitude and respect for the orchestra that accompanied him during momentous and troubled times. Kurt Masur had an eventful life - he was...
Philippe Herreweghe, principal conductor of the Royal Flemish Philharmonic, has devoted himself for over ten years to fresh and invigorating readings of the (pre-) Romantic repertoire. Together with the Collegium Vocale, founded in 1970 by Herreweghe himself, and superb soloists they will perform Dvorak's superb Requiem .
Riccardo Chailly's inaugural concert as Kapellmeister of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in September 2005 was a feast of music by Mendelssohn, the orchestra?EUR(TM)s first conductor. Capturing the full atmosphere of this unique musical event, ths video includes an overwhelming performance of Mendelssohn's Second Symphony, "Lobgesang" with its celebratory choral last movement and the ever-popular overture A Midsummer Night's Dream ?EUR" both from critically revised new editions. Anne Schwanewilms and Peter Seiffert are the outstanding vocal soloists. The Gewandhaus Orchestra can look back on its history with pride - it has evolved into one of the world's most renowned orchestras working with the best international conductors. The bonus film Chailly in Leipzig: The Gewandhaus Orchestra welcomes its new Kapellmeister allows a glimpse into this new and fruitful relationship.
On the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the composer's death, crowds gathered at the Leipziger Gewandhaus to witness a world-class performance of one of Rossini's two large-scale, major choral works: The Petite Messe solennele. Riccardo Chailly - whose "genius for the Rossini style has ripened in the years" (Gramophone) - leads a spectacular ensemble of four internationally renowned singers, the combined forces of the Choir of the Leipzig Opera and the Gewandhaus Choir, and the Gewandhaus Orchestra; their harmonious, ethereal rendition receieves a heartfelt ovation that affirms the beguiling effect of the last of Rossini's "sins of old age."
Dacapo's CD recording of all Carl Nielsen's symphonies by the Danish National Symhpony Orchestra/DR conducted by Michael Schønwandt has already established itself as a reference recording on the international classical CD market. Now the same outstanding interpretation of all six symphonies can be experienced on video with new opportunities for in-depth study of the music and a stimulating 60-minute documentary that offers new perspectives on Denmark's national composer.
Peter Schreier, accompanied by Norman Shetler, presents a recital of Beethoven's Lieder at the Festhalle Bad Urach in 1987.
Peter Schreier is particularly well known for his interpretations of Lieder, German poems sung by a single voice. Trained as a member of the choir of Dresden's Kreuzkirche, he eventually became one of the most celebrated classical singers of East Germany. During the Cold War his talents enabled him to travel to the West on multiple occasions, performing at Covent Garden, la Scala, and even at the Metropolitan Opera. Over the course of his career he was honored time and again: in 1978, he was elected a member of Berlin's Academy of Arts, in 2009 he received the Bach Prize from the Royal Academy of Music, and in 2013 the Bach Medal from the city of Leipzig.
Little is known about the origin of the Mass No. 6 other than that Schubert wrote it in 1828, just a few months before his death. He does not seem to have had a specific performance in mind, and the work was only premiered in November 1829, a year after his death. Critics have since given the Mass an honored place among the composer's great works, many ranking it as his finest church composition. Although Schubert calls for five soloists (soprano, alto, two tenors and bass), the Mass is essentially a choral Mass. The composer calls for a large orchestra, including three trombones, but he omits the flutes and keeps the violins in their lower register, thereby giving the piece a dark, shaded tone.
Schubert's E flat major Mass was recorded at the Court Music Chapel (Hofmusikkapelle) in Vienna in June 1976. The eminent conductor Karl Böhm leads the Vienna Philharmonic and the male choir of the Hofmusikkapelle. The upper registers are provided by the world-renowned Vienna Boys' Choir. The distinguished soloists are Walter Berry, Peter Schreier and Hans Krenn.
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
When Bach was in the service of Prince Leopold in Cöthen, he had his own orchestra and was contracted to compose a great deal of instrumental music. This gave him an opportunity to try new techniques and to develop his own instrumental style. The six Brandenburg Concertos belongs to these masterpieces for a small ensemble. This joyously infectious performance of these famous landmarks in the history of music by the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra demonstrates both the musical satisfaction and the high professional standard that can be reached with period instruments. The performance was given in the Bach Anniversary Year 2000 ?EUR" 250 years after his death ?EUR" in the elegant Hall of Mirrors at Cöthen Castle. The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra?EUR(TM)s members all have virtuoso skills. They take the spotlight gracefully for solos but also play with the true ensemble spirit required by the music. Their decision to perform without a conductor revives an eighteenth century practice.
Bonus features:
Cello Suite No.5, BWV 1011: Sarabande
Hille Perl, viola da gamba
Coffee Cantata, BWV 211: Die Katze lässt das Mausen nicht
Madeleine Vogt, soprano
Matthias Schubotz, tenor
Holger Krause, bass
Members of the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Back(h) in Cöthen
In many ways Gustav Mahler's Seventh and Eighth Symphonies are the most unusual works that the late Romantic composer ever wrote. The Seventh was the last in a series of middle-period pieces that were purely instruments in character. Two movements headed Nachtmusik and the remarkable writing for a guitar and mandolin help to create a sequence of darkly Romantic visions. And even within Mahler's markedly eclectic output, the Eighth Symphony enjoys the status of an exotic outsider thanks not only to its two-movement form combining an early medieval hymn and the final scene from Goethe's Faust but also to the vast forces for which it is scored, earning it the title of Symphony of a Thousand
Elected by members of the Berlin Philharmonic as Principal Conductor and fifth Artistic Director in 1989, Claudio Abbado resigned from the post in 2002, but remains close to the orchestra, which cherishes the conductor to this day. Listening to the music, one hears how the Berlin Philharmonic transforms Abbado's musical intentions into sound ?EUR" there is a sense of unity that can only be achieved through many years of shared artistic experience and attention to detail. These live performances at the Philharmonie, Berlin in 2000 and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome in 2001 were an overwhelming success: each concert ended in standing ovations, and the critics spoke of seminal moments in the history of music. Abbado's Beethoven cycle will certainly become a milestone for contemporary interpretation and this recording pays tribute to his achievement. For the popular Symphony No. 9 in D minor , the Berlin Philharmonic were joined by high-ranking singers and choirs.
Bonus feature:
- Multi-Angle Feature - Conductor Camera ( Symphony No.3 )
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
The Variations on Ein Madchen oder Weibchen from Mozart's Singspiel Die Zauberflote may have been written in connection with Beethoven's aforementioned trip to Berlin, and therefore possibly date from around the same time as the first two cello sonatas (they were published in September 1798). Even though he did not go as far in giving the instruments an equal footing as he did in his Op. 5 sonatas, it is clear that Beethoven used this set as a type of experimentation to formulate his ideas.
The Variations, WoO 45 on a melody from Handel's oratorio Judas Maccabaeus - the popular chorus 'See the conqu'ring hero comes' (also known today as the hymn 'Thine be the Glory') - may have been written in connection with Beethoven's trip to Berlin, and therefore date from around the same time as the Sonatas, Op. 5 . Published in 1797, this set of variations were very likely written after Beethoven had attended rehearsals of Judas Maccabaeus in Berlin and are designed to demonstrate the pianist's dexterity, while the cello generally takes a more subservient role.
Conversely, his second set of variations based on Die Zauberflote , which appeared in Vienna in 1802 and were probably composed the previous year, finds the two instruments essentially as equal partners. This takes the Act I duet Bei Mannern, welche Liebe fuhlen , as its basis, originally sung by the characters Pamina and Papageno, and Beethoven initially follows the dialogue of the duet, with the piano in the role of Pamina and the cello answering as Papageno. As in the Op. 5 sonatas , light-hearted playfulness and dramatic rivalry characterize the variations that follow, including - towards the very end - a gentle reprise of the original theme, before the brilliant conclusion.
It was in parallel with his work on the Fifth and Sixth symphonies (at a time when he was battling with increasing deafness) that Beethoven began composing the Sonata in A major, Op. 69 , completing it in the autumn of 1808. He dedicated it to Baron Ignaz von Gleichenstein, an amateur cellist and one of his closest supporters, who had helped him in various business matters. Beethoven is supposed to have included a Latin phrase on the dedication copy: 'Inter lacrimas et luctum' ('Amid tears and mourning'). Although this inscription cannot be confirmed (the score in question is now lost), the possibility of its inclusion on that dedication score is intriguing: was it perhaps a reference to the political situation of the time, namely the siege of Vienna by French troops in 1809; or does it refer to something more intimate about the composer's own disposition?
The shadow of the Op. 5 sonatas continues to be cast over the Sonata Op. 102, No. 1 , begun in late July 1815. Another two-movement work and the briefest of all five sonatas, Beethoven once again dispenses with a slow movement, but introduces each of the two movements marked Allegro vivace - the first in sonata form, the second a rondo ?EUR" with a section in a moderate tempo. Out of the calm C major introduction comes the stormy (but admittedly catchy) A minor first theme in the cello and piano together, while the second theme offers brief moments of repose. The slow introduction to the finale reveals Beethoven experimenting further with form: between the Adagio and the beginning of the Allegro vivace he inserts a seven-bar reminiscence of the Andante that opened the sonata (now in 6/8). This fusion of sonata form with elements of free fantasia style are the hallmarks of the work, and indeed Beethoven even called it Freye Sonate ('free sonata') in the autograph.
He began work on the second sonata of Op. 102 shortly after the first (both were completed by the autumn of 1815). It has the most conventional form of all the sonatas, comprising three movements with, for the first time, a slow middle movement. The opening Allegro con brio begins with one of the most immediately accessible and memorable themes in all Beethoven's chamber music, followed by a more lyrical theme. The life-affirming energy of this first subject, which dominates the development section, could not be more strongly contrasted with what follows in the second movement, which opens with sombre, almost funereal lament in D minor, shared in solemn dialogue between the two instruments. A gently flowing section in D major offers some respite before descending back to the minor, though the movement finishes with a hushed passage that explores completely unexpected tonal territory, from D minor to C sharp minor and back again, before leaving the listener hanging on a dominant chord. And even once the third movement begins, we're still left hanging, as the cello and piano tease with ascending scalic passages. It is only when the third of these phrases (in the cello) morphs into a fugal subject that the resolution is finally granted. Despite the traditional structure of the...
This was the context in which Beethoven hoped to build on the reputation he had developed in Vienna, and to establish contacts with new friends and patrons. Beethoven played the piano before the king many times, and on one of these occasions he was joined by one of the Duport brothers to introduce his two Sonatas for Piano and Cello, Op. 5, which he had just composed. When the composer left Berlin in the summer of 1796, Frederick William II gave him a gold snuffbox filled with Louis d'or, and Beethoven returned the favour by dedicating to the monarch the first edition of the sonatas, published in Vienna the following year.
When the famed double bassist Domenico Dragonetti performed the Cello Sonata, Op 5, No. 2 , accompanied by Beethoven himself, he surprised the composer with the level of his playing to such a degree that at the end, Beethoven immediately leapt up to embrace both player and instrument. Dragonetti must have possessed extraordinary skill, for the cello part of this sonata requires great dexterity at times - though it by no means compares with the nimble fingers demanded of the pianist. If the introduction to the first cello sonata might be considered an augmented upbeat to its first theme, it is harder to put forth such an argument for the second sonata. At twice the duration it is, in effect, a movement in its own right. In character too, this Adagio differs from its somewhat hesitant predecessor: it is full of dramatic gestures, from the dark opening chords to the delicate, rather tragic descending scales in the right hand of the piano. There's an achingly poignant melodic line from the cello, and at the end, extended pauses generate a sense of tension as to what will come next.
In spring of 2020, concert halls fell silent. During those weeks, when people had to stay at home and musicians faced all their performances being canceled, a group of Berlin-based artists of international acclaim, in co-operation with awarded film producer Jan Schmidt-Garre and Naxos Audiovisual, set up a series of chamber music concerts performed and filmed at Schinkel Pavillon in Berlin. Gabriel Schwabe (cello) and Nicholas Rimmer (piano) perform Schubert's Arpeggione Sonata D 821 and Chopin's Sonata op. 65 for Cello and Piano.
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
Welcome to Naxos' 30th Anniversary Gala Concert! The gala concert features Naxos' house artists Boris Giltburg, Gabriel Schwabe, Tianwa Yang and Nicholas Rimmer. Recorded live at Allerheiligen-Hofkirche, Munich on May 16, 2017
This opera gala, recorded live at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, on November 8, 2003, marked the 10th anniversary of the annual benefit for the German AIDS Foundation. Conducted by Kent Nagano, then Principal Conductor and Artistic Director of the Berlin Deutsche Symphony Orchestra founded 1923. This recording features an illustrious roster of international artists from Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia, Bulgaria, the United States and Canada.
Riccardo Chailly's inaugural concert as Kapellmeister of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in September 2005 was a feast of music by Mendelssohn, the orchestra?EUR(TM)s first conductor. Capturing the full atmosphere of this unique musical event, ths video includes an overwhelming performance of Mendelssohn's Second Symphony, "Lobgesang" with its celebratory choral last movement and the ever-popular overture A Midsummer Night's Dream ?EUR" both from critically revised new editions. Anne Schwanewilms and Peter Seiffert are the outstanding vocal soloists. The Gewandhaus Orchestra can look back on its history with pride - it has evolved into one of the world's most renowned orchestras working with the best international conductors. The bonus film Chailly in Leipzig: The Gewandhaus Orchestra welcomes its new Kapellmeister allows a glimpse into this new and fruitful relationship.
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 1: Music for the Theatre
The legendary impresario Sergei Diaghilev of the Ballet Russes commissioned from Stravinsky and Ravel some of the greatest music for the ballet. His influence stretched from St. Petersburg to Paris to the New York City Ballet founded by Diaghilev's collaborator George Balanchine. Former NYCB Composer in Residence Bright Sheng captures the beauty of the dance in Black Swan, inspired by a Brahms intermezzo.
Program 2: What Makes a Masterpiece?
This program is an exploration of the creative process, tracing the genesis of Beethoven's iconic symphony and the development of a new work by a modern master. Introductory features demonstrate how short rhythmic and melodic motives evolve into vast symphonic organisms. Interviews...
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 11: A Hero's Life in Music
Strauss' orchestral autobiography from 1899 is unique documentary in music, scored for extra-large orchestra - a sonic spectacular, and a showcase for the All-Star musicians. In this highly pictorial music, the listener follows the Hero as he asserts his independence, falls in love, confronts his critics, engages in battle, creates a legacy of peace, and eventually comes to life's end.
Program 12: Mozart and A World Premiere
Mozart's magical Posthorn Serenade is paired with the world-premiere of Samuel Jones' Violin Concerto with Anne Akiko Meyers performing on the legendary Vieuxtemps Guarneri del Gesu violin. This rare event showcases the collaboration between composer, soloist, and conductor in bringing a...
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 13: Russian Treasures
The beloved orchestral showpiece of Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition is a series of imaginative musical portraits, including The Gnome, the Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks in their Shells and the spectacular finale, The Great Gate of Kiev. Excerpts from Sergei Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet includes: Capulets and Montagues, the Dance of the Knights, Portrait of Young Juliet, Scene at the Ball, the Fight, and The Death of Tybalt.
Program 14: Northern Lights
A pinnacle of Nordic Romanticism is Jean Sibelius' Symphony No. 2 . The grand, expansive melodies and searing harmonies have been called the musical equivalents of fire and ice. This is the most famous of the Finnish composer's symphonies.
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 15: British Enigmas
Edward Elgar: Enigma Varations
The score is dedicated to "my friends picture within," and each Variation represents a real person. As he was finishing the work, Elgar wrote: "The enigma I will not explain - its 'dark saying' must be left unguessed, and I warn you that the apparent connection between the Variations and the Theme is often of the slightest texture." A musical mystery of great beauty and endless fascination.
Benjamin Britten: The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra
The perennial family favorite that showcases - one by one - all the instruments in the orchestra. It is a perfect introduction to the symphony orchestra.
Program 16: Mysterious Mountain
Alan Hovhaness: Symphony No. 2, Op. 132, "Mysterious Mountain...
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 3: The New World and Its Music
Inspired by American dreams and legends, Dvorak created some of his greates works while living in the United States, above all the "New World" Symphony. This program illuminates the multiple stories and influences - Native American, African-American and Czech - that Dvorak transformed in his most beloved work. Ellen Taafe Zwilich's Avanti! offers a contemporary interpretation of the American archetype of "moving on".
Program 4: Politics and Art
Music has sometime reflected, and at other times challenged repressive ideologies. Shostakovich abandoned he premiere of his challenging 4th symphony for fear of reprisals from the Stalinist government. His triumphant 5th Symphony was next, and the authorities were pleased....
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 5: Relationships in Music
Robert Schumann's wife Clara was herself a gifted pianist and composer. She became a lifelong friend and source of inspiration for Schumann's protege Johannes Brahms. This program will explore the turbulent musical and emotional relationships between these three, and the masterpieces that they produced.
Program 6: The Living Art Form
This program explored the creation of new concertos and the artistic process. Outstanding young soloists and leading American composers are featured in performance and in interviews.
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 7: Music's Emotional Impact
This program delves into Tchaikovsky's dramatic personal life, his brief marriage, and his intense correspondence with his patroness Nadezhda von Meck, whom he never met, and to whom he dedicated is 4th Symphony. The dramatic brass fanfares that for Tchaikovsky symbolized Fate find a modern echo in David Stock's Blast!
Program 8: Mahler: Love, Sorrow and Transcendence
Mahler's turbulent passions are expressed through his music. His settings of poems by Friedrich Ruckert explore themes of love, nature, and otherworldliness. Mahler was haunted throughout his life by the premonition of his own death. The first movement of his 2nd Symphony, which Mahler called "Totenfeier" (Funerary Rites), draws stark contrasts between...
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 9: Visions of New York
Gershwin's immortal Rhapsody in Blue is featured in the rarely heard original jazz-orchestra version from the 1924 premiere, with rising-star pianist Lola Astanova. This iconic work is paired with Aaron Copland's 1925 jazz-age classic Music for the Theatre . Robert Beaser's Ground O offers a modern musical perspective of New York after 9/11.
Program 10: 1001 Arabian Nights - The Legend of Scheherazade
Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov's exotic orchestral showpiece Scheherazade is based on fantastical tales that - according to tradition - were told by the ingenious wife of a cruel Sultan so as to prolong her life for 1001 nights. Concertmaster David Kim conveys the voice of the wily heroine in virtuosic violin solos. Take...
A unique collaboration: the All-Star Orchestra's Music Director Gerard Schwarz guest conducts the United States Marine Band. Founded by an Act of Congrass in 1787, it is America's oldest continually active musical ensemble. Three programs feature masterpieces for symphonic band and the history of the famed ensemble.
Program 1: Above and Beyond
The beloved folk melodies and lively dances of Percy Grainger's Lincolnshire Posy are followed by Maestro Schwarz's own Above and Beyond and Pulitzer Prize-winner Jennifer Higdon's Fanfare Ritmico . John Philip Sousa's march, Semper Fidelis , is led by the Director of the United States Marine Band, Col. Jason K. Fettig.
Program 2: New England Spirit
Revolutionary war melodies inspire William Schumann's New England Triptych including When Jesus Wept and the thrilling Chester (as heard at several Presidential inaugurations). Vincent Persichetti's colorful Masquerade shows off the Marine Band's amazing virtuosity. The program conclude with Sousa's The Stars and Stripes Forever .
Program 3: Classic Band Masterpieces
The masterful First Suite for Military Band by composer of the The Planets, Gustav Holst , is paired with the landmark Symphony for Band in B flat by the great Paul Hindemith . The splendor of Chinese...
The Missa solemnis , scored for four solo voices, chorus, orchestra and organ, is one of the world's greatest choral works. It blends an age-old religious service with a musical outpouring of human emotions in an intensely personal manner. As with other musical forms, Beethoven altered, expanded and shaped the mass until it corresponded to his creative needs. Beethoven conceived the mass for a religious occasion, the installation of Archduke Rudolf as Archbishop of Olmütz in 1820. However, he did not complete it in time and the work was given its premiere in St. Petersburg on 7 April 1824. In his score, Beethoven wrote the words "From the heart... may it find its way to the heart" (vom Herzen - möge es wieder zu Herzen gehen!). Indeed, the work's dramatic, almost volcanic fervor never fails to go to the heart of all listeners.
This work is part of the complete cycle of Beethoven symphonic and choral works featuring the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and the Concertgebouw Orchestra of Amsterdam conducted by Leonard Bernstein. In this recording with the Dutch orchestra, Bernstein also conducts the soloists Edda Moser, Hanna Schwarz, René Kollo and Kurt Moll, along with the Chorus of Radio Hilversum.
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 5: Relationships in Music
Robert Schumann's wife Clara was herself a gifted pianist and composer. She became a lifelong friend and source of inspiration for Schumann's protege Johannes Brahms. This program will explore the turbulent musical and emotional relationships between these three, and the masterpieces that they produced.
Program 6: The Living Art Form
This program explored the creation of new concertos and the artistic process. Outstanding young soloists and leading American composers are featured in performance and in interviews.
Celebrating Strauss brings into focus the greatest interpreters of Richard Strauss's compositions. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences uniting appealing and enjoyable performances by legendary artists as Irmgard Seefried, Hertha Topper, Rita Streich and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Lovingly restored and digitally remastered the Classic Archive series offers a unique glimpse into our classical heritage featuring performances by celebrated artists of the past including complete full-lengths programmes and comprehensive booklet information.
Master Class with Hermann Prey recorded at the Richard-Strauss-Tage Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1997. Exclusively covered were Lieder by Richard Strauss . Piano accompaniment by Fritz Schwinghammer.
The recital featured on this video dates back to 1984 and photographs a Renata Scotto in her full artistic maturity. At the time of the singer was 50 years old, 32 of which she spent on stage. The programme is vast and varied in epochs, styles and composers and shows the elasticity of an artistic of solid technique gifted with absolutely extraordinary musicality.
Alongside famous pages of opera, like Lascia ch'io pianga from Handel's Rinaldo or Tu che la vanita from Verdi's Don Carlo , Renata Scotto tackles lesser-known pages, like the beautiful Petrarchan sonnets by Franz Liszt in 1844/45. Here perhaps the artist gives the best of herself, exhibiting a palette of colours that is truly rich in nuances and dazzling control of vocal emission. At the end of this demanding programme, based chiefly on chamber music, Renata Scotto offers four encores, tow of which are dedicated to Puccini operas Tosca and Butterfly shrewdly kept back for a grand finale.
The collection Classic Archive presents great performances by legendary artists, remastered using the latest digital technology and enhanced with commentary for today's audiences. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences - appealing and enjoyable performances, that offer a unique glimpse into our classical music heritage. This Classic Archive episode brings into focus the greatest performers of Giuseppe Verdi's compositions.
On the occasion of the 140th anniversary of the composer's death, crowds gathered at the Leipziger Gewandhaus to witness a world-class performance of one of Rossini's two large-scale, major choral works: The Petite Messe solennele. Riccardo Chailly - whose "genius for the Rossini style has ripened in the years" (Gramophone) - leads a spectacular ensemble of four internationally renowned singers, the combined forces of the Choir of the Leipzig Opera and the Gewandhaus Choir, and the Gewandhaus Orchestra; their harmonious, ethereal rendition receieves a heartfelt ovation that affirms the beguiling effect of the last of Rossini's "sins of old age."
Celebrating Strauss brings into focus the greatest interpreters of Richard Strauss's compositions. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences uniting appealing and enjoyable performances by legendary artists as Irmgard Seefried, Hertha Topper, Rita Streich and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Lovingly restored and digitally remastered the Classic Archive series offers a unique glimpse into our classical heritage featuring performances by celebrated artists of the past including complete full-lengths programmes and comprehensive booklet information.
Luonnotar is a music film based on the symphonic poem composed by Jean Sibelius for soprano and symphony orchestra. The music composition is an interpretation of the first song of Kalevala, a myth about the birth of the world.
The film Luonnotar tells about "the time before beginning." The story conveys in a parallel manner two different creation stories: the Kalevalan mythology about the birth of the world is compared with naturalistic ideas about the birth of Earth and life.
The virtual stage, realized through computer animation, paints a spectrum of fierce natural powers, a convulsing scene where the mythical figures of the story travel, telling the story sung for thousands of years to new generations.
Sibelius modelled the Kalevala poetry to suit his modern music and for the soprano to sing.
Bonus feature:
- Sibelius and Luonnotar - the documentary Sibelius and Luonnotar (28 min.) shows the background of the symphonic poem via expert and musician interviews and concert recording.
Elaine Comparone and her Queen's Chamber Band delve into the treasure chest of 17th century musical literature for this stellar performance of rare vocal and instrumental works by Biber, Buxtehude, Frescobaldi, Jacques de Gallot and Alessandro Piccinini .
This event recorded live in New York City is further enhanced by an in-depth, selectable, illustrated interview with Ms. Comparone, in which she discusses the composers, their music and performance practice of the day, as well as her own musical insights and the work of her highly acclaimed group, The Queen's Chamber Band.
Riccardo Chailly's inaugural concert as Kapellmeister of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra in September 2005 was a feast of music by Mendelssohn, the orchestra?EUR(TM)s first conductor. Capturing the full atmosphere of this unique musical event, ths video includes an overwhelming performance of Mendelssohn's Second Symphony, "Lobgesang" with its celebratory choral last movement and the ever-popular overture A Midsummer Night's Dream ?EUR" both from critically revised new editions. Anne Schwanewilms and Peter Seiffert are the outstanding vocal soloists. The Gewandhaus Orchestra can look back on its history with pride - it has evolved into one of the world's most renowned orchestras working with the best international conductors. The bonus film Chailly in Leipzig: The Gewandhaus Orchestra welcomes its new Kapellmeister allows a glimpse into this new and fruitful relationship.
Recorded live in the Museum Quarter in Vienna in January 2006, this concert was inspired by the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose 250th birthday made this year a celebratory Mozart Anniversary all over the world. With artists like singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, rock flutist Ian Anderson (formerly of Jethro Tull), the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and conductor Andrey Boreyko, this musical event proved to be a true crossover experience. All outstanding musical personalities in their field, the performers interpret Mozart's compositions in their personal musical languages whilst preserving the fascinating original spirit of Mozart. They produce a rousing, electrifying melange of classical, jazz and pop culture that shows that the impact of Mozart's music reaches far beyond the boundaries of classical music and can still reach the broad public of the 21st century. This is a must for crossover enthusiasts in the Mozart Year!
Filmed in Chester Cathedral during the National Youth Orchestra of Spain's 2007 European tour, this concert features Leopold Stokowski's inimitable and colourful transcriptions of Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhbition and "A Night on Bare Mountain," the latter made famous by its inclusion in the 1940 Walt Disney film Fantasia. Jose Serebrier's "Symphonie mystique," for strings, was written in the space of just one week in 2003. Serebrier's earlier recording of this work was hailed by FonoForum magazine as "a vital, elegant masterwork…a shimmering prism of tone…clearly formed and with a sure hand for reaching great heights of ecstasy."
The blind up-and-coming Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii , an astonishing genius on his instrument, is playing for the first time ever under the Russian conductor Valery Gergiev at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg. During the White Nights Festival ?EUR" dedicated to the season of midnight sun ?EUR" he interprets works by the Russian composers Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Shostakovich , including Tchaikovsky's famous Piano Concerto No. 1 and Shostakovich's gloomy Symphony No. 14 . As a bonus Nobuyuki Tsujii performs his own elegy for the victims of the tsunami in 2011, a stirring and moving piece dedicated to his home country Japan. Nobuyuki Tsujii piano, Olga Sergeyeva soprano, Yuri Vorobiev bass, Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, Valery Gergiev conductor. Live recording from the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, 8 July 2012.
This highly original celebration of the work of Mozart (1756-91) gives rein to the inventiveness of six distinguished contemporary composers, who were each invited to collaborate with a top film-maker of their choice to produce a tribute to the maestro. These partnerships let their imaginations run riot and have produced a collection of programs which range from the hilarious, through the frankly baffling, to the deeply moving.
Eminent Dutch composer Louis Andriessen and Peter Greenaway have produced a conceit on the letter M, set in a grisly sixteenth-century anatomy theatre. It features dancer Ben Craft and jazz singer Astrid Seriese, with jazz/funk music played by the Dutch marching band De Volharding.
Carlo Albanesi dedicated his Six Album Leaves , published in 1876, to his teacher Sabino Falcone (1845-1886), a composer of sacred and chamber music works. The Album Leaves are written as miniatures, mostly of a lyrical nature.
The prelude-like first album leaf Trattenimento (Conversation) in G minor features Baroque allusions such as a theme in canon form and an organ point.
Ruscelletto (Little Stream) in G major imitates the splashing and sparkling of water and retains the rhythmic motif of the theme, an inverted dotting over a quaver movement in the bass, for almost the entire piece.
Like the opening piece, the Romanza in E minor is characterized by imitations of the voices and is elegiac in tone. The main motif is used canon-like in the middle section and initiates a dialogue between the two voices.
The theme of the Novelletta in B flat major is slightly reminiscent of Schubert's Impromptu in the same key. The ornamentation of the melody with arpeggios and passagework contribute to its light-hearted and joyful character.
Also in B flat major is the Allegramente , whose dance-like, humorous character is reflected in the use of many staccatos, leaps, chains of thirds, chromaticism and motif changes between the different voices.
In the concluding...
The characteristics of the song without words , derived from Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy's works with this title, include a lyrical melody, often a narrative tone and a unity of character without strong contrasts. All this applies to Carlo Albanesi's Sei romanze senza parole , published in 1889 and dedicated to the wife of the painter Val Prinsep.
The Piano Sonata No. 6 in C major, published in 1913, is Albanesi's last sonata and is dedicated to his friend, the Italian pianist, conductor and composer Michele Esposito . Albanesi performed it himself in public.
Mr. Albanesi seems to have gone to Grieg for his inspiration both of melody and harmony, for, though, the Suite is Ritmi di danze antiche , it is only the rhythms that are ancient, the harmony is rather alarmingly modern...
In the 19th century, it was fashionable to draw on historical compositional forms and figures in order to reinterpret and revitalize them. Albanesi did this with his Suite, Op. 60 .
The Gavotta is a lively dance with small leaps, which with Albanesi alternates between major and minor as well as staccato and legato and contains the Baroque figure of the so-called passus duriusculus.
The Sarabanda , a slow stride dance, is composed almost entirely in four voices and is characterized by its typical syncopation on the second beat and dotting on the first beat.
The Pavana , a slow processional dance, is written in 4/4 time in a minor key and is characterized by a typical pizzicato accompaniment under an archaic, mournful melody, partly in chords.
Albanesi's Siciliana , characterized by its dotted notes and 6/8 time, is designated Andantino melanconico, which emphasizes its minor-key character. The theme appears in various voices, the culmination at the end is underlined with a diminished chord.
The Rigodone (from the French rigoler - to joke,...
The Berliner Philharmoniker's annual European Concerts are intended to recall the date on which the orchestra was founded, 1 May 1882, with a performance being given on this day in a different town or city of particular cultural and historical importance. In 2002 it was the turn of the Teatro Massimo in Palermo, one of Europe's most important opera houses both artistically and architecturally. This was also the last time in his twelve years as the orchestra's artistic director that the revered Italian maestro Claudio Abbado conducted a European Concert. In a programme of beloved pieces from the classical repertoire, with the celebrated Gil Shaham as soloist, Abbado once again demonstrated how he upheld the unsurpassed orchestral tradition of the Berliner Philharmoniker with his profound music-making.
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the best orchestras in the world, celebrates its 60th Anniversary with a GALA Concert in 1996 conducted by Zubin Mehta and Daniel Barenboim. The Gala featuring world acclaimed soloists such as Isaac Stern Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhal Perlman and Shlomo Mintz.
As their personal tribute to Mozart in his anniversary year 2006, Gil and Orli Shaham performed a selection of violin sonatas by the Austrian master in the Palais Daun-Kinsky in Vienna. Brimming with energy and bravery, tempered only by a deep understanding of the music, the siblings paid their respect to the composer on his 250th birthday. Violinist Gil Shaham is internationally recognized as a virtuosic and engaging classical artists by both audiences and critics alike. He is sought after throughout the world for concerto appearances with celebrated orchestras and conductors, as well as for recital and ensemble appearances on the great concert stages and at the most prestigious festivals. His sister Orli has established an impressive international reputation as a gifted pianist. Although they were born less than five years apart, the siblings seldom appear together in public. Apparently, their parents discouraged them from doing so, since Orli, as she explains, was "just ready to come out of the sandbox" when Gil was already having a big career.
As their personal tribute to Mozart in his anniversary year 2006, Gil and Orli Shaham performed a selection of violin sonatas by the Austrian master in the Palais Daun-Kinsky in Vienna. Brimming with energy and bravery, tempered only by a deep understanding of the music, the siblings paid their respect to the composer on his 250th birthday. Violinist Gil Shaham is internationally recognized as a virtuosic and engaging classical artists by both audiences and critics alike. He is sought after throughout the world for concerto appearances with celebrated orchestras and conductors, as well as for recital and ensemble appearances on the great concert stages and at the most prestigious festivals. His sister Orli has established an impressive international reputation as a gifted pianist. Although they were born less than five years apart, the siblings seldom appear together in public. Apparently, their parents discouraged them from doing so, since Orli, as she explains, was "just ready to come out of the sandbox" when Gil was already having a big career.
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the best orchestras in the world, celebrates its 60th Anniversary with a GALA Concert in 1996 conducted by Zubin Mehta and Daniel Barenboim. The Gala featuring world acclaimed soloists such as Isaac Stern Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhal Perlman and Shlomo Mintz.
The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto was written in 1958 by He Zhanhao and Chen Gang while they were students at the Shanghai Conservatory and was first performed in May the following year. Musically the concerto is a synthesis of Eastern and Western traditions, although the melodies and overall style are adapted from traditional Chinese opera. The solo violin is used in a way that recalls the playing technique of the erhu, the Chinese two-string fiddle. It is a one-movement programmatic concerto with three sections that correspond to the three phases of the story - Falling in Love, Refusing to Marry and Metamorphosis.
The Yellow River Concerto was based on the famous Yellow River Cantata by Xin Singhai, a work dating from the period of the Sino-Japanese War, and devised by the committee of composers then found advisable for such a task, Yin Chengzong, Liu Zhuang, Chu Wanghua, Sheng Lihong, Shi Shucheng and Xu Feisheng.
Renaud Capucon - one of today's most sought-after violinists-joins prodigious pianist and conductor Lahav Shani, and Kian Soltani (described as "sheer perfection" by Gramophone) alongside the prestigious Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under Vasily Petrenko in this unmissable event, part of a marathon evening of favorites that opens with Pablo Ferrandez-Castro's passionate performance of Dvorak's monumental Cello Concerto (plus a transcription by the great Pablo Casals ) and closes out with a thrilling rendition of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony .
Martha Argerich and Lahav Shani meet the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Tel Aviv.
Piano legend Martha Argerich lends her ample virtuosity to Ravel's concerto in G , and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under Lahav Shani performs Stravinsky's masterpiece! An enthralling programme of German Romanticism from the IPO's homebase, the Lowy Concert Hall in Tel Aviv's Charles Bronfman Auditorium.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra is one of those success stories that is almost too perfect to be true. The internationally respected orchestra was founded by Daniel Barenboim and the late Palestinian writer and scholar Edward Said with young, highly talented Israeli and Arab musicians. The ensemble works to establish dialogue between the cultures of the Middle East through the experience of playing music together, and has gained cultural and musical respect all over the world. The concert proves that it can bear comparison with veteran orchestras, even in familiar repertory staples. Combining technical polish and security, tonal beauty and transparency with youthful expression, passion and exuberance, the ensemble plays music by Beethoven, Brahms and others. The event was broadcast live from the Palacio de Carlos V, Alhambra in Spanish Granada, thus hundreds of thousands of viewers across Europe were able to experience Barenboim's conducting and this special orchestra. The Alhambra (Red Castle) in Granada, Spain ?EUR" a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site - was built and preserved over a period of social tolerance and cultural flowering, during the Moorish era, in which the three great religions lived together in an atmosphere of tolerance and mutual respect. Thus it provides...
Ravello Records presents ANIMATED SOUNDS, a multimedia release from composer Gheorghe Costinescu . The album showcases works by Costinescu from a varied and illustrious career spanning more than half a century.
The first half features pieces such as the virtuosic Sonata for the Piano and Essay in Sound , performed by pianist Stephen Gosling, and the expressive Voices Within , performed by violinist Vesselin Gellev. Eric Huebner performs two inventions from the larger work Evolving Cycle of Two-Part Modal Inventions for Piano , which uses the Baroque invention to explore Romanian folk music. Soprano Lucy Shelton, with Costinescu and Gosling at the piano, performs the bilingual song Why Do You Wail and Te Legeni and the cycle Nine Portraits from the Wild , which includes gestural directions for the singer.
The second half showcases Costinescu's work and collaborations in multimedia. His One-Minute Tribute: 9/11/2001 for percussion quartet is paired with his poignant animation of a photograph by Dan Nguyen of the installation Tribute in Light. An abstract animation by Michele Gagne complements Costinescu's pioneering electronic work Dots, Lines, and Patches , responding to its crackling, spontaneous sound world. Tai Chi on the Hudson , performed by the Voxare...
Gala in commemoration of the 150th birthday of Peter Tchaikovsky.
The Intimacy of Creativity is excited to collaborate with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HKPhil) as 2016 IC ensemble-in residence. Selected composers will present and revise their orchestral compositions before and after in-depth on-campus Open Discussions between Artistic Director and conductor, Bright Sheng, members of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, and librarian staff. The revised compositions will be formally presented at a Preview Concert on the campus of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and a World Premiere Concert at the iconic Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall.
On the closing day of the IC2017 Contemporary Song Festival, a special world premiere concert will be presented at Asia Society Hong Kong Center with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology featuring the critically acclaimed New York Festival of Song (NYFOS).
Artistic Director, Bright Sheng , will be joined by Judith Weir , Master of the Queen's Music; Michael Barrett , renowned pianist, conductor, and co-founder and associate artistic director of NYFOS; together with guest vocal artists of NYFOS, including soprano Amy Owens, mezzo-soprano Katherine Pracht, tenor Jonathan Blalock, and baritone Tobias Greenhalgh. Guest artists Amy Sze, pianist, and Isaac Droscha, baritone; and four Composer Fellows selected through an international call-for-scores.
This special program includes works inspired by Asian and Chinese literary themes as well as selections from Bright Sheng's acclaimed new opera, Dream of the Red Chamber (libretto by David Henry Hwang and Mr. Sheng), which receives its Asia Premiere at the 45th Hong Kong Arts Festival.
Peter Schreier, accompanied by Norman Shetler, presents a recital of Beethoven's Lieder at the Festhalle Bad Urach in 1987.
Peter Schreier is particularly well known for his interpretations of Lieder, German poems sung by a single voice. Trained as a member of the choir of Dresden's Kreuzkirche, he eventually became one of the most celebrated classical singers of East Germany. During the Cold War his talents enabled him to travel to the West on multiple occasions, performing at Covent Garden, la Scala, and even at the Metropolitan Opera. Over the course of his career he was honored time and again: in 1978, he was elected a member of Berlin's Academy of Arts, in 2009 he received the Bach Prize from the Royal Academy of Music, and in 2013 the Bach Medal from the city of Leipzig.
This performance represents the only existing film of Sir Adrian Boult conducting The Dream of Gerontius filmed in Canterbury Cathedral in 1968. It features a stellar cast of soloists: Dame Janet Baker, a leading interpreter of The Angel and John Shirley Quirk who, with Boult, recorded a definitive interpretation of Peter in The Kingdom .
The film uses the original BBC master which is far superior to the poor copies which have been in circulation over the years. The video also features a 60-minute documentary on Sir Adrian Boult as a bonus and was produced in 1989 by the BBC to celebrate Sir Adrian Boult's 100th anniversary.
A multitalented conductor, Previn leads the LSO in the first performance of Rachmaninov's The Bells at the BBC Proms with celebrated soloists Sheila Armstrong, Robert Tear and John Shirley-Quirk. All three performances on this video were recorded during Previn's eleven year tenure as Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, from which he received a Gramophone Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
For its 14th edition, the Verbier Festival has once again brought together the most prestigious artists in classical music. This series of 12 TV programmes presents the highlights of Verbier 2007.
The Verbier Festival, created in 1994, has rapidly acquired a reputation for artistic excellence and is now considered one of the major European music festivals. For a fortnight each summer, the greatest stars of the classical music world come together against the magical backdrop of the Swiss Alps. The Verbier Festival gives musicians the opportunity to perform original programmes with fellow musicians they admire, but with whom they may never have performed before. These world premiere performances produce innovative and exciting results, for artists and audiences. The 2007 edition gathered classical celebrities such as Martha Argerich, Helene Grimaud, Gabriela Montero, Renaud Capucon, Nelson Freire, Mischa Maisky, Thomas Quasthoff and Lars Vogt, and for the first time all 46 concerts were recorded. The state-of-art recordings featured two cameras on stage that were remote-controlled so as to not disturb the audiences and artists and one camera in the midst of the audience to recreate the viewer's perspective. This video assembles excerpts of the most remarkable concerts with exciting programmes including works by Bartok, Debussy, Lutoslawski, Schubert and Schumann. Lovers of classical music will very much enjoy this summit of high-profile artists!
Having provided us with magnificent examples of concertos for stringed and wind instruments, Mozart reaches the ideal conception of a concerto with his piano concertos. They are the high point and peak of his instrumental producing. In Mozart's piano concertos two equal forces are facing each other that are really able to compete. They are therefore essentially his very unique creation. The piano concertos K. 413 - 415 and K. 449 were the first in a row of 17 momentous concertos created in Vienna and consequently founding his fame as virtuoso to the Viennese audience. The double possibility given to the performance, of either playing full orchestra, with oboe and horn (in the C-Major also with timpani and trumpet) or just with string quartet shows the flexibility he wanted to produce.
The piano concertos by Mozart never seem to touch the border of the socially appropriate - how could it, being designed to be acclaimed. But even so, it opens the doors to tell about the dark and the bright, the serious and the cheerful, the deepest - to lead its audience to a higher level of knowledge. The audience that is to deal with Mozart's piano concertos is the best there is.
Having provided us with magnificent examples of concertos for stringed and wind instruments, Mozart reaches the ideal conception of a concerto with his piano concertos. They are the high point and peak of his instrumental producing. In Mozart's piano concertos two equal forces are facing each other that are really able to compete. They are therefore essentially his very unique creation. The piano concertos K. 413 - 415 and K. 449 were the first in a row of 17 momentous concertos created in Vienna and consequently founding his fame as virtuoso to the Viennese audience. The double possibility given to the performance, of either playing full orchestra, with oboe and horn (in the C-Major also with timpani and trumpet) or just with string quartet shows the flexibility he wanted to produce.
The piano concertos by Mozart never seem to touch the border of the socially appropriate - how could it, being designed to be acclaimed. But even so, it opens the doors to tell about the dark and the bright, the serious and the cheerful, the deepest - to lead its audience to a higher level of knowledge. The audience that is to deal with Mozart's piano concertos is the best there is.
The concert given by the Simón Bolívar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela under its conductor Gustavo Dudamel at the Beethovenfest 2007 in Bonn was a highlight of the musical year. Over 200 young musicians between the ages of 10 and 24, many from underprivileged backgrounds, performed with nearly untamable energy under the baton of a young maestro destined to conduct the most fabled orchestras in the world.
Born in 1981, Gustavo Dudamel is a product of Venezuela's Sistema de Orquestas, which was founded by J. A. Abreu to allow children of all social milieus to learn an instrument and play in an ensemble. After winning a competition in 2004, Dudamel quickly went on to conduct several major orchestras. Critics try to capture Dudamel's effect on musicians and audiences with words such as "electricity," "vibrancy" and "magic," and Sir Simon Rattle has called him "the most astonishingly gifted conductor I have ever come across."
The concert program includes Beethoven's "Eroica" Symphony and pieces by Latin-American composers Moncayo, Márquez and Ginastera. At the end of the concert, when the youngsters rip loose in the encores and turn the Beethovenfest into a Latin fiesta, no one will be able to resist tapping the rhythms with their foot and joining in the unbridled and infectious...
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Unlike the piano, the violin or even the flute, the oboe is a relatively rare instrument for a solo career. And when a soloist such as Albrecht Mayer plays the oboe, one wishes composers had written more works for this sweetly mellow instrument. Critics write about the "divine spark" that inspires his playing, and about the "miraculous oboe" that turns into "an instrument of seduction." With his particularly warm tone and exceptionally broad palette of nuances, it's no surprise that Albrecht Mayer is one of today's most sought-after international oboists. In this documentary portrait of the oboist, we retrace the musician's impressive career and witness some of its many high points. Mayer embarked on a professional career in 1990, when he joined the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra as solo oboist. Two years later, he made the transition to the absolute top league with his appointment as solo oboist of the Berlin Philharmonic, and since then he has made countless international appearances, playing under such eminent conductors as Abbado, Rattle and Harnoncourt. In addition to his work as a soloist, Mayer also attaches great importance to chamber music. He is a permanent member of the Sabine Meyer Wind Ensemble and also plays with such partners as Thomas Quasthoff, Matthias Goerne and...
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
The most spectacular homage to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on his 250th birthday in 2006 was incontestably the presentation of all of his operas and operatic fragments at the Salzburg Festival, "Mozart 22." Recorded on film, this monumental project has been preserved for posterity as a benchmark of Mozart interpretation in the early 21st century. The Mozart Gala held at the Felsenreitschule on 30 July 2006, in the first days of the 2006 Salzburg Festival, presents a kind of microcosm of the Mozart festivities, with a selection of arias and orchestral music performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Daniel Harding and featuring some of the top vocalists of the 2006 Salzburg Festival.
A sampling of exquisite hors d'oeuvres prepared by the most outstanding musical chefs! Internationally celebrated soprano Anna Netrebko lives up to her reputation as a fiery, dramatic diva in her passionate rendition of Elettra's aria "D'Oreste, d'Aiace" from Idomeneo. Thomas Hampson, one of the greatest baritones of our time, burnishes Guglielmo's aria "Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo" from Cosi fan tutte with his full, rich, mellow tone. Leading Mozart tenor Michael Schade appears twice, in arias from Don Giovanni and La clemenza di Tito. A particularly bright moment awaits listeners when Rene...
Celebrated conductor Lorin Maazel, a young orchestra of outstanding musicians, four high-caliber soloists and one of the great choral works of musical literature – this alone would make this live recording of Verdi's Requiem a stand-out document of filmed music. But there is more: the venue of this grandiose performance is the Basilica of San Marco in Venice, with its shimmering golden Byzantine mosaics framed by mighty pillars and arches. Modeled on Constantine the Great's Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople, the 11th-century basilica has been the workplace of many a great musician in the past, such as Claudio Monteverdi, Adrian Willaert and Giovanni Gabrieli.
Lorin Maazel, Music Director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, is also the Music Director of the Symphonica Toscanini, a young orchestra founded in May 2006 that has performed under Zubin Mehta, Georges Prêtre and Kurt Masur. "In recent tours of Europe and the U.S., the musicians expressed their unique musical potential by playing so harmoniously and compellingly as a group that they conquered every audience," said Maazel. The recording also features distinguished soloists Norma Fantini, soprano; the young Anna Smirnova, mezzo-soprano; Francesco Meli, tenor; and Rafal Siwek, bass. The Chorus of...
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
Claudio Monteverdi's Fourth Book of Madrigals (1603) explores differing emotional states of abandoned lovers through the most dramatic and amazingly modern music for vocal ensemble. The Full Monteverdi follows the simultaneous break-up of six couples through shocking revelation, vengeful anger and erotic longing for reconciliation. Vulnerable and disarming, this ensemble film will draw you into its emotional journey and intensely moving portrait of contemporary love.
Luonnotar is a music film based on the symphonic poem composed by Jean Sibelius for soprano and symphony orchestra. The music composition is an interpretation of the first song of Kalevala, a myth about the birth of the world.
The film Luonnotar tells about "the time before beginning." The story conveys in a parallel manner two different creation stories: the Kalevalan mythology about the birth of the world is compared with naturalistic ideas about the birth of Earth and life.
The virtual stage, realized through computer animation, paints a spectrum of fierce natural powers, a convulsing scene where the mythical figures of the story travel, telling the story sung for thousands of years to new generations.
Sibelius modelled the Kalevala poetry to suit his modern music and for the soprano to sing.
Bonus feature:
- Sibelius and Luonnotar - the documentary Sibelius and Luonnotar (28 min.) shows the background of the symphonic poem via expert and musician interviews and concert recording.
Celebrated conductor Lorin Maazel, a young orchestra of outstanding musicians, four high-caliber soloists and one of the great choral works of musical literature – this alone would make this live recording of Verdi's Requiem a stand-out document of filmed music. But there is more: the venue of this grandiose performance is the Basilica of San Marco in Venice, with its shimmering golden Byzantine mosaics framed by mighty pillars and arches. Modeled on Constantine the Great's Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople, the 11th-century basilica has been the workplace of many a great musician in the past, such as Claudio Monteverdi, Adrian Willaert and Giovanni Gabrieli.
Lorin Maazel, Music Director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, is also the Music Director of the Symphonica Toscanini, a young orchestra founded in May 2006 that has performed under Zubin Mehta, Georges Prêtre and Kurt Masur. "In recent tours of Europe and the U.S., the musicians expressed their unique musical potential by playing so harmoniously and compellingly as a group that they conquered every audience," said Maazel. The recording also features distinguished soloists Norma Fantini, soprano; the young Anna Smirnova, mezzo-soprano; Francesco Meli, tenor; and Rafal Siwek, bass. The Chorus of...
Concert on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Bernard Haitink's collaboration with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
After the two famous Mahler festivals in 1920 and 1995, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam is now presenting a special two season Mahler series, which includes ten large-scale symphonies plus Das Lied von der Erde , performed in chronological order by the world’s greatest orchestra under the direction of great conductors – all brought to life in the wonderful acoustics of the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw.
Sir Colin Davis was a "maestro without airs and graces"(Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung) and an interpretor of Mozart and Berlioz who enjoyed worldwide renown. This recording of Gustav Mahler's Das Lied von der Erde features Davis in fine form, brilliantly conducting the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, where he was principal conductor from 1983 to 1993.
This symphonic song cycle, which Leonard Bernstein described as Mahler's "greatest symphony", was never performed in Mahler's lifetime. Though completed in 1908, it was first premiered in 1911 in Munich. Doris Soffel is not only a celebrated opera singer: she has earned an international reputation as one of the finest interpreters of Mahler's works. The American tenor Kenneth Riegel has for decades been a regular performer on the world's opera stages, from New York and Paris to Vienna and Salzburg. The soloists deliver an impressive display of their mastery of lieder in this recording. After it was founded in 1949, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra soon began to build a highly respected international reputation. Shaped by a succession of great principal conductors including Rafael Kubelik, Lorin Maazel, Mariss Jansons and Sir Colin Davis, the orchestra possesses an unusually broad-ranging repertoire and an...
Described as 'the great Verdian bass'(Le Figaro) and a 'Mefistofele who stood out over all the others' (Der Neue Merker), Carlo Colombra brings some of the most famous bass roles to life in this wide-ranging programme. Emotions range from the pride of Escamillo in Bizet's Carmen , through the terrors of Verdi's Attila , to the tender recollections of Rachmaninov's Aleko . Mephistopheles strides powerfully through both Gounod and Boito's operas, and Rossini's comic with contrasts with the darkness of Mussorgsky's Boris Godonov
This series of the very best of the 16th Verbier Festival with worldwide renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Mischa Maisky, Rene Pape, Joshua Bell, and Philippe Jaroussky.
The Waldbühne in Berlin, one of the most appealing outdoor amphitheatres in Europe, is the home of the Berlin Philharmonic's annual summer concert. With over 22,000 in attendance, these are some of the most popular classical music concerts in the world.
On this recording, Estonian conductor Neeme Järvi takes the audience on a trip through A Thousand and One Nights. Works by Grieg, Rimsky-Korsakov, Nielsen, Saint-Saëns and Massenet explore Arabian images in music. High-ranking soloists like rising star Dutch violinist Janine Jansen join the outstanding orchestra. Neeme Järvi can be counted as one of the world's leading musical personalities, having conducted more than 350 CD productions. Recorded live at the Waldbühne Berlin in 2006, Sheherazade offers a sensational concert to all those who want to relive the atmosphere of a this relaxed and high-quality open-air event.
Having provided us with magnificent examples of concertos for stringed and wind instruments, Mozart reaches the ideal conception of a concerto with his piano concertos. They are the high point and peak of his instrumental producing. In Mozart's piano concertos two equal forces are facing each other that are really able to compete. They are therefore essentially his very unique creation. The piano concertos K. 413 - 415 and K. 449 were the first in a row of 17 momentous concertos created in Vienna and consequently founding his fame as virtuoso to the Viennese audience. The double possibility given to the performance, of either playing full orchestra, with oboe and horn (in the C-Major also with timpani and trumpet) or just with string quartet shows the flexibility he wanted to produce.
The piano concertos by Mozart never seem to touch the border of the socially appropriate - how could it, being designed to be acclaimed. But even so, it opens the doors to tell about the dark and the bright, the serious and the cheerful, the deepest - to lead its audience to a higher level of knowledge. The audience that is to deal with Mozart's piano concertos is the best there is.
Having provided us with magnificent examples of concertos for stringed and wind instruments, Mozart reaches the ideal conception of a concerto with his piano concertos. They are the high point and peak of his instrumental producing. In Mozart's piano concertos two equal forces are facing each other that are really able to compete. They are therefore essentially his very unique creation. The piano concertos K. 413 - 415 and K. 449 were the first in a row of 17 momentous concertos created in Vienna and consequently founding his fame as virtuoso to the Viennese audience. The double possibility given to the performance, of either playing full orchestra, with oboe and horn (in the C-Major also with timpani and trumpet) or just with string quartet shows the flexibility he wanted to produce.
The piano concertos by Mozart never seem to touch the border of the socially appropriate - how could it, being designed to be acclaimed. But even so, it opens the doors to tell about the dark and the bright, the serious and the cheerful, the deepest - to lead its audience to a higher level of knowledge. The audience that is to deal with Mozart's piano concertos is the best there is.
Baldassarre Galuppi's Mass for the Delivery of Slaves was written in 1765 for the choir of St. Mark's Basilica in Venice, where the composer had recently been appointed music director. Written for soprano and alto solos, choir and orchestra, the Mass displays Galuppi's extraordinary (and previously largely unrecognized) contrapuntal mastery. Arguably, Galuppi's full talent as a composer is revealed more in his sacred works than those for the theatre. This is the world premiere recording of the work.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart's Mass in C Major KV317 , composed in 1779, needs little by way of introduction. The masterpiece here receives a fine interpretation by the Solisti Veneti conducted by Claudio Scimone.
Renaud Capucon - one of today's most sought-after violinists-joins prodigious pianist and conductor Lahav Shani, and Kian Soltani (described as "sheer perfection" by Gramophone) alongside the prestigious Israel Philharmonic Orchestra under Vasily Petrenko in this unmissable event, part of a marathon evening of favorites that opens with Pablo Ferrandez-Castro's passionate performance of Dvorak's monumental Cello Concerto (plus a transcription by the great Pablo Casals ) and closes out with a thrilling rendition of Beethoven's Fifth Symphony .
For this private concert, maestro Daniel Barenboim leaves the big stage and invites an audience into his villa in Berlin to play the piano in a private atmosphere with his son Michael Barenboim and his friend Kian Soltani. They perform Beethoven's Ghost Trio . Daniel Barenboim has spent a lifetime working on the Viennese classic. For him, Beethoven is a source of inspiration and part of his musical life.
Between the individual movements, Daniel Barenboim talks to Annie Dutoit about his childhood in Argentina, family, idols, social values and, of course, music. Annie Dutoit, Swiss professor, actress, music journalist and daughter of Martha Argerich has known Daniel Barenboim since her childhood. This private concert is not just an occasion for an intimate chamber music concert, it is also an encounter with the private person Barenboim - a contemporary document that will remain unique in this form.
Recorded in 1971, this film shows the CSO in their first ever concert outside the United States. As Solti himself explains in the bonus feature included here, the CSO are masters in German repertoire, to which they bring the American virtuosity. Solti summons tremendous power, elegance and clarity from the orchestra, and their subsequent performances of Brahms's First Symphony have been praised for their "dignity, energy and splendour," which led critic William Mann to write: "I am tempted to describe it as the United States' most completely accomplished orchestra."
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
This performance of Elgar's "Enigma" Variations forms an historic account of the first concert Sir Georg Solti conducted as chief conductor of the LPO in 1979. It is also the first video release with Solti performing Elgar's Symphony No. 2. Solti, who prepared new works by listening to Elgar's own recordings, identified closely with his music. The virtuoso playing of the orchestra combined with his fresh, energetic approach make for an exciting, uplifting experience.
The programme features Mozart's Symphony No. 39 , Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 , and an encore from Debussy's Nocturnes: No. 2. Fetes . All performed with the flair, passion and majestic artistry for which Solti was famed. His interpretation of Mozart has been hailed as arguably one of the greatest in history. "There are certain composers on whose work Solti has stamped his mark with a distinction that has never been equalled, nor probably ever will be, so that his conduit of their intentions has become integral to the experience of listening to them." (The Observer)
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
Solti achieved great success with the first complete recording of Das Rheingold in 1958, after which his reputation for recording Wagner escalated. He was also known for his dramatic and expressive performances of works by Richard Strauss, demonstrated by this exciting rendition of Don Juan, with revealing bonus rehearsal material and an interview by John Culshaw. The 1985 performance of Beethoven's Fifth with the BBC Symphony Orchestra is equally thrilling, filmed during his tenure as Chief Conductor of the Chicago Symphony, with whom he recorded the full set of Beethoven symphonies.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
The Slovakian soprano Luba Orgonasova sings at all the major opera houses of the world and numbers among the most sought-after interpreters of the lyrical and coloratura parts of opera and concert literature. She was one of the last discoveries of Herbert von Karajan: she sang the part of Marzelline (Fidelio) at the Salzburg Festival in 1990, which marked the beginning of her rapid rise to celebrity. The Mozarteum Orchestra Salzburg has been the orchestra of the city and Land of Salzburg since 1958 and regularly concertizes at the Salzburg Festival and the Mozartwoche. The principal conductor is the Dutch-born Hubert Soudant, who led the Nouvel Orchestre Philharmonique de France in Paris from 1981 to 1983 and the Utrecht Symphony Orchestra from 1983 to 1986. In addition to his activities in Salzburg, Soudant is also the principal conductor of the Orchestra and Opera des Pays de Loire in Nantes and Angers, France.
Four of the greatest singers of our time combine their talents and their artistry in an evening of beloved operatic numbers – rarely has a concert deserved the title "Opera Summit" as much as this one, recorded live at the Festspielhaus in Baden-Baden on 3 August 2007. Heading the quartet is soprano Anna Netrebko with her inimitable blend of glamour and simplicity, her enticing appearance and seductive singing, a musical powerhouse who tops the pop charts and sells out operas houses within hours.
Hardly less dazzling than her Russian colleague is Latvian mezzo Elina Garanca, whose crystal-clear voice and charismatic stage presence never fail to enthrall her audiences. She is a frequent guest of the Vienna State Opera and the Salzburg Festival, where she made her sensational debut as Annio in Mozart's La clemenza di Tito in 2003. Her international career has taken her to Covent Garden, the Met and other prestigious stages. She was awarded the European Cultural Prize in Dresden in 2006.
Replacing the indisposed Rolando Villazon is his fellow Mexican tenor Ramon Vargas, who began his career in Europe after winning the first prize in the Enrico Caruso Competition in Milan. His international breakthrough came in 1993 when he replaced Luciano Pavarotti as Edgardo in...
World premiere performance of Sir John Tavener's epic work written for the new millennium, recorded in St Paul's Cathedral, London, in January 2000. Richard Hickox conducts the City of London Sinfonia with Patricia Rozario, Michael Chance and Stephen Richardson, in a work which came to Tavener in a vision. The composer makes full use of the remarkable acoustics of St Paul's.
Bonus features:
- Introduction and interview with Sir John Tavener by Stephanie Hughes.
- The Eye of the Heart - Sir John Tavener talks about his beliefs and music.
The Easter Festival is an internationally renowned event among classical music lovers, traditionally opened in Moscow on Easter Sunday. Each year the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra and its musical director Valery Gergiev travel across Russia - for the past 10 years.
The Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Valery Gergiev performs the complete cycle of Sergei Prokofiev's symphonies and piano concerti - a composer with whom Maestro Gergiev and the orchestra seem particularly in tune.
The blind up-and-coming Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii , an astonishing genius on his instrument, is playing for the first time ever under the Russian conductor Valery Gergiev at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg. During the White Nights Festival ?EUR" dedicated to the season of midnight sun ?EUR" he interprets works by the Russian composers Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Shostakovich , including Tchaikovsky's famous Piano Concerto No. 1 and Shostakovich's gloomy Symphony No. 14 . As a bonus Nobuyuki Tsujii performs his own elegy for the victims of the tsunami in 2011, a stirring and moving piece dedicated to his home country Japan. Nobuyuki Tsujii piano, Olga Sergeyeva soprano, Yuri Vorobiev bass, Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, Valery Gergiev conductor. Live recording from the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, 8 July 2012.
St. Petersburg is one of the most beautiful cities of the world. In this program, Renee Fleming and Dmitri Hvorostovsky will explore the most spectacular corners of the city that was born in the remarkable mind of Peter the Great. On this occasion, they will be singing operatic duets and arias by Verdi, Tchaikovsky, Ambroise Thomas and Bellini, accompanied by Constantine Orbelian and the State Hermitage Orchestra. They will be leading us through the city and will perform in the Golden Ballroom of Peterhof Palace, as well as the White Columns Room and extraordinary baroque Theater of the Yusupov Palace where they will also sing romances by Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky, accompanied by pianists Olga Kern and Ivary Ilja.
On the eve of its 300th birthday, St. Petersburg, Russia's fabled "window to Europe", celebrates this anniversary presenting a gala of distinguished musical art featuring Anna Netrebko, Dimitri Hvorostovsky, Mischa Maisky and many others. Yuri Temirkanov conducts one of the oldest Russian symphonic ensembles: the St. Petersburg Philharmonic.
Against the backdrop of St Petersburg's beautiful Court Capella, Eldar Nebolsin performs the piano concertos of Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninov with a passion and sincerity as palpable on screen as live in the hall. With such evident pleasure and seemingly with ease, he transforms the familiar into something fresh and wonderful. He is seen live with Vladimir Lande and the St Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra. Bonus material shows Nebolsin as soloist in an intimate and equally engaging performance of Beethoven's Fourth Piano Sonata.
This is the accomplished and stylish Russian debut of Tianwa Yang - one of the most unusual and energetic violinist of our time. To an enthusiastic audience within the walls of the beautiful Court Capella in St Petersburg, she performs the much-loved concertos of Tchaikovsky and Brahms with the St Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra under the sensitive direction of Vladimir Lande. The remarkable intensity of her playing is just as apparent in both her encore - Ysaye's Violin Sonata No. 3 - and her separate performance of Bach's solo Partita No. 2.
This unusual Christmas video presents the musical encounter between soprano Angelika Kirchschlager and jazz trumpeter Tomasz Stanko. Recorded live in the picturesque Cistercian Gothic monastery Schulpforte in Saxony-Anhalt, the concert footage is combined with charming motifs of snowy mountain landscapes and cities decorated for Christmas. Favourite Christmas compositions from the classical repertoire are combined with popular carols and jazzy improvisations ?EUR" and it all sounds like Christmas! Angelika Kirchschlager currently ranks among the most sought-after sopranos worldwide for both opera and concert-hall performance and Tomasz Stanko enjoys a reputation as one of the most creative jazz trumpeters alive. The soloists are accompanied by the outstanding Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. The Leipzig a cappella ensemble Amarcord, former members of St. Thomas's Boys Choir, sing popular Christmas tunes.
Celebrating the 85th birthday of the birth of the great Russian conductor Evgeny Svetlanov (1928-2002). This event was filmed in the magnificent room of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Evgueny Svetlanov has spent 35 years leading the Symphony orchestra of the Russian Federation, today nicknamed The Svetlanov .
Conducted by Vladimir Jurowski, its new Director, the concert gathers some of the most acclaimed artists: Yefim Bronfman, Tatiana Pavlovskaya, Vsevolod Grivnov, Serguey Leiferkus.
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
A compelling performance of Bruckner's Symphony No. 8, this video presents Steinberg at his most majestic in a sympathetic interpretation of this mighty work. The Boston Symphony Orchestra is once again on top form, as testified by a rapturous Sanders Theatre audience.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents an historic account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This series features some of the earliest televised concerts with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and their Music Director, William Steinberg.
While the material has been restored using the greatest care and state-of-the-art techniques, certain visual artefacts and distortions remain in some instances due to the age of the film. Despite this, it remains of exceptional musical interest and historic value and is released here for the first time.
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
In December 1989, the artists came together to record some of the early chamber works of Brahms. Part I of each volume focuses on the preparation, rehearsal and re-takes with artists providing commentary for the rehearsal section of each programme, while Part II captures the final record performance. Emanuel Ax, Isaac Stern, Jaime Laredo, and Yo-Yo Ma performed the actual recording session at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall in Troy New York.
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the best orchestras in the world, celebrates its 60th Anniversary with a GALA Concert in 1996 conducted by Zubin Mehta and Daniel Barenboim. The Gala featuring world acclaimed soloists such as Isaac Stern Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhal Perlman and Shlomo Mintz.
Recorded at the prestigious Studio Piccolo in the heart of Montreal, Quebec, Canadian duo Stick&Bow bring life and energy to 'Studio Piccolo Sessions'. This program release accompanies a series of five videos presenting works by: Sting, Pau Casals, Luis Naon, Jason Noble and Carlos Puebla . The dynamic duo highlight the technical finesse and energetic performance between cello and marimba.
Inspired by this tune, particularly in the first movement Tzigani , the ensemble's arrangement explores both instruments in unconventional ways. The first section is directly derived from the original tune with a clearly distinguishable gypsy melody, idiomatic embellishments and virtuosic cadence-like runs. In the rhythmic section, the marimba plays on the resonators to bring a percussive texture and the cello uses the "chop" technique, which originally comes from fiddle music.
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
Truls Mørk was the first Scandinavian ever to win the Moscow Tchaikovsky competition, a triumph that marked the start of his musical career. He enjoys a close friendship with the principal conductor of the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra, Jonathan Nott. He played the Cello Concerto in B minor by Anton Dvořák with the entire orchestra at the conclusion of his time as "artist in residence."
"Extraordinary pieces of music transport me to another state of consciousness. I don't know if I can describe it any better. At least that is how playing the Dvořák cello concerto makes me feel."
The film visits Truls Mørk at his Scandinavian holiday home, accompanying him on his boat out at sea and on walks along the coast. The Cello Concerto by Anton Dvořák with the Bamberg Symphony Orchestra and the Chopin interpretations are focal points of the story.
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
On 10 October 2004, the Teatro Regio celebrated the birthday of Giuseppe Verdi by holding a concert featuring some of the most important artists and singers of the international music scene. The performance was part of an intended annual series in which extracts from each of Verdi's operas would be performed in chronological order to offer an analytic and comprehensive panorama of his output, and the concerts would bring to the stage the most acclaimed stars of the operatic world. The great baritone Leo Nucci and the famous tenor Jose Cura are featured in this video, and Renato Palumbo, musical director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, conducts.
Celebrating Strauss brings into focus the greatest interpreters of Richard Strauss's compositions. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences uniting appealing and enjoyable performances by legendary artists as Irmgard Seefried, Hertha Topper, Rita Streich and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Lovingly restored and digitally remastered the Classic Archive series offers a unique glimpse into our classical heritage featuring performances by celebrated artists of the past including complete full-lengths programmes and comprehensive booklet information.
Beethoven's Missa solemnis is the one work the composer admired above all his compositions. It was written for his great patron and friend Archduke Rudolf of Austria at around the same time that he embarked on his Ninth Symphony and as the writer Donald Tovey noted, 'there is no choral and no orchestral writing, earlier or later, that shows a more thrilling sense of the individual colour of every chord.
After their impressive interpretation of Mahler's symphonies, Michael Gielen and Roger Norrington now turn to the symphonies of Johannes Brahms. In this video, Norrington conducts the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra as they perform Brahms's four symphonies, and he gives a detailed introduction before each.
For more than 20 years, the choir Accentus has performed choral music in all its diversity. For Christmas 2009, Accentus, Laurence Equilbey and their guests created the event with a programme featuring some of the most famous sacred music pieces at the Church of Saint Thomas in Strasbourg to hear the most beautiful Christmas songs interpreted by: Concerto Koln, Sandrine Piau (Soprano), Nathalie Stutzmann (Alto), Pavol Breslik (Tenor), Johannes Weisser (Bass), Sonia Wieder Atherton (Cello), Aurelie Saraf (Harp) and Daniel Maurer, organist of the Church of St. Thomas.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
These characteristic Viennese waltzes, polkas and overtures represent some of the best moments from Viennese Night Prom concerts spanning a vintage period in their history. Classics featured on this recording include the Blue Danube Waltz , Radetsky March and "Csardas" and "Laughing Song" from Die Fledermaus , all performed with exuberance, good humour and panache by three conductors well suited to the genre.
The choir and the orchestra of the Bach Collegium Japan perform the St John's Passion with a small ensemble - as was customary in the composer's time - under Masaaki Suzuki, former student of one of the nestors of authentic interpretation, Ton Koopman. One of the greatest musical treatments of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ receives a performance that is musically precise and stylistically close to what we now know of Bach's ideal. The Bach Collegium Japan has been regarded for some years now as a real discovery among baroque ensembles specialising in the performance of sacred music from the Baroque and Masaaki Suzuki, who conducts and plays the harpsichord, is a complete and thorough musician, deeply involved in the emotional overtones of the music as well as technical questions of tempo, balance, and phrasing. Recorded live from The Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Japan during the Bach Anniversary Year 2000 on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the death of J.S. Bach.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This series present the highlights of the 19th edition of the Verbier Festival, featuring renowned artists such as Neeme Jarvi, Denis Matsuev, Menahem Pressler, Christoph Pregardien, and the Capucon brothers.
The choir and the orchestra of the Bach Collegium Japan perform the St John's Passion with a small ensemble - as was customary in the composer's time - under Masaaki Suzuki, former student of one of the nestors of authentic interpretation, Ton Koopman. One of the greatest musical treatments of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ receives a performance that is musically precise and stylistically close to what we now know of Bach's ideal. The Bach Collegium Japan has been regarded for some years now as a real discovery among baroque ensembles specialising in the performance of sacred music from the Baroque and Masaaki Suzuki, who conducts and plays the harpsichord, is a complete and thorough musician, deeply involved in the emotional overtones of the music as well as technical questions of tempo, balance, and phrasing. Recorded live from The Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Japan during the Bach Anniversary Year 2000 on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the death of J.S. Bach.
Elected by members of the Berlin Philharmonic as Principal Conductor and fifth Artistic Director in 1989, Claudio Abbado resigned from the post in 2002, but remains close to the orchestra, which cherishes the conductor to this day. Listening to the music, one hears how the Berlin Philharmonic transforms Abbado's musical intentions into sound ?EUR" there is a sense of unity that can only be achieved through many years of shared artistic experience and attention to detail. These live performances at the Philharmonie, Berlin in 2000 and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome in 2001 were an overwhelming success: each concert ended in standing ovations, and the critics spoke of seminal moments in the history of music. Abbado's Beethoven cycle will certainly become a milestone for contemporary interpretation and this recording pays tribute to his achievement. For the popular Symphony No. 9 in D minor , the Berlin Philharmonic were joined by high-ranking singers and choirs.
Bonus feature:
- Multi-Angle Feature - Conductor Camera ( Symphony No.3 )
The Europa Konzert 1998 was performed at the Vasa Museum in Stockholm. The repertoire includes: Richard Wagner Overture to The Flying Dutchman , Peter Tchaikovsky The Storm , Claude Debussy Trois Nocturnes and Giuseppe Verdi's Quattro pezzi sacri .
Claudio Abbado, who first conducted his new Lucerne Festival Orchestra in this Debussy concert in 2003, realised a dream come true with this exclusive ensemble of handpicked orchestral musicians and exceptional soloists such as Kolja Blacher, Emanuel Pahud and Sabine Meyer. This recording pays tribute to Claudio Abbado's vision and the Lucerne Festival orchestra's triumphant rebirth during the summer festival 2003.
Celebrated conductor Lorin Maazel, a young orchestra of outstanding musicians, four high-caliber soloists and one of the great choral works of musical literature – this alone would make this live recording of Verdi's Requiem a stand-out document of filmed music. But there is more: the venue of this grandiose performance is the Basilica of San Marco in Venice, with its shimmering golden Byzantine mosaics framed by mighty pillars and arches. Modeled on Constantine the Great's Church of the Holy Apostles in Constantinople, the 11th-century basilica has been the workplace of many a great musician in the past, such as Claudio Monteverdi, Adrian Willaert and Giovanni Gabrieli.
Lorin Maazel, Music Director of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, is also the Music Director of the Symphonica Toscanini, a young orchestra founded in May 2006 that has performed under Zubin Mehta, Georges Prêtre and Kurt Masur. "In recent tours of Europe and the U.S., the musicians expressed their unique musical potential by playing so harmoniously and compellingly as a group that they conquered every audience," said Maazel. The recording also features distinguished soloists Norma Fantini, soprano; the young Anna Smirnova, mezzo-soprano; Francesco Meli, tenor; and Rafal Siwek, bass. The Chorus of...
On the closing day of the IC2017 Contemporary Song Festival, a special world premiere concert will be presented at Asia Society Hong Kong Center with the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology featuring the critically acclaimed New York Festival of Song (NYFOS).
Artistic Director, Bright Sheng , will be joined by Judith Weir , Master of the Queen's Music; Michael Barrett , renowned pianist, conductor, and co-founder and associate artistic director of NYFOS; together with guest vocal artists of NYFOS, including soprano Amy Owens, mezzo-soprano Katherine Pracht, tenor Jonathan Blalock, and baritone Tobias Greenhalgh. Guest artists Amy Sze, pianist, and Isaac Droscha, baritone; and four Composer Fellows selected through an international call-for-scores.
This special program includes works inspired by Asian and Chinese literary themes as well as selections from Bright Sheng's acclaimed new opera, Dream of the Red Chamber (libretto by David Henry Hwang and Mr. Sheng), which receives its Asia Premiere at the 45th Hong Kong Arts Festival.
Explore the fusion of the arts, science and culture in the 17th and 18th centuries in this imaginative performance commemorating Galileo's first public demonstration of the telescope. The Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra performs music by Monteverdi, Vivaldi, Bach and Handel to a backdrop of high-definition images from the Hubble telescope, NASA and Canadian astronomers.
Actor Shaun Smyth narrates a compelling script and the musicians, playing by memory, weave in and around a magical stage set. The Galileo Project was created, programmed and scripted by Alison Mackay, and filmed by the international award-winning 90th Parallel Productions.
Resplendent in his powdered wig and 18th-century garb, Maestro Handel (aka Director of the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir Ivars Taurins) leads Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir, a stellar casts of soloists - soprano Suzie LeBlanc, countertenor Daniel Taylor, tenor Rufus Muller, and baritoen Locky Chung - and a mass audience choir made up of more than 1000 Tafelmusik fans as they perform Handel's baroque masterpiece.
A Toronto tradition beloved by thousands, Tafelmusik's annual Sing-Along Messiah has become a revered family ritual for many Torontonians over the past 25 years. Toronto's largest sing-along event, Tafelmusik's Sing-Along Messiah sells out every years, and participants are genuinely moved by the experience of joining their voices with hundreds of others to make music.
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra presents a magical journey to the meeting places of baroque art and music - visit five European homes where exquisite works by Bach, Handel, Vivaldi and Marais are played against a backdrop of gorgeous paintings by Vermeer, Canaletto and Watteau . Beautifully filmed in Toronto, at the Handel House in London UK and in the gondolas, historic buildings and cafes of Venice, Italy. This is a totally memorized performance by the virtuoso players of Tafelmusik.
Resplendent in his powdered wig and 18th-century garb, Maestro Handel (aka Director of the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir Ivars Taurins) leads Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir, a stellar casts of soloists - soprano Suzie LeBlanc, countertenor Daniel Taylor, tenor Rufus Muller, and baritoen Locky Chung - and a mass audience choir made up of more than 1000 Tafelmusik fans as they perform Handel's baroque masterpiece.
A Toronto tradition beloved by thousands, Tafelmusik's annual Sing-Along Messiah has become a revered family ritual for many Torontonians over the past 25 years. Toronto's largest sing-along event, Tafelmusik's Sing-Along Messiah sells out every years, and participants are genuinely moved by the experience of joining their voices with hundreds of others to make music.
The outstanding and deeply touching performance of Verdi's Messa da Requiem was recorded at the Parco Ducale of Parma, within the 2020 Edition of Festival Verdi. The concert was dedicated to the victims of the COVID-19 pandemic and all the health workers engaged in the emergency.
Here are conductor Roberto Abbado's words to describe this Verdian masterpiece: "I think that Verdi felt the need to compose a sacred work to deal with some themes that, as he got older, he felt very strongly about. They are themes that every human being sooner or later asks themselves. Verdi is not afraid to show that he fears death, and therefore his approach is extremely humble and human, showing some of the frailties we all have. How does the Messa da Requiem end? It ends, in my opinion, with a huge question mark. Basically, I believe, Verdi, like many of us, cannot answer these questions. I, myself, cannot answer them."
The Argentine pianist Martha Argerich has been dazzling audiences for decades with what the New York Times has referred to as "prodigious technique with uncanny musicality." She is now a regular of the artistic family at the popular Verbier Festival in the Swiss Alps, engaging thousands of followers each summer. Argerich is accompanied in this live recording from the 2009 and 2010 festivals by he gifted Gabor Takacs-Nagy and the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra. Works by Beethoven, Scarlatti and Shostakovich take the audience on a whirlwind tour through a small selection of Argerich's extensive repertoire.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This recording honors the great Antonin Dvorak with some of his most beloved pieces being performed by world class artists such as Daniil Trifonov.
The 2009 Verbier Festival starred two generations of pianists: the "Argentinian lion" Martha Argerich and the young Chinese Yuja Wang. On the program, Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2 with Martha Argerich and two sonatas by Scarlatti with Yuja Wang. The soiree closes with the young pianist's incredible encore performance, the third movement of Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 11 (best known as the Turkish March or Alla Turca ) in an arrangement by Arcadi Volodos.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
Lars Vogt's performances at the 2011 Verbier Festival offer a thought-provoking and varied programme. Works by some of the leading composers of the classical repertoire - Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven and Brahms - receive a melancholic introduction with Janacek's In the Mists. The sense of unity delivered by Vogt's playing strikes equally in the subtle balance required of a Brahms Intermezzo and the boisterousness and elevation of Beethoven's last piano sonata. In Mozart's Piano Concerto, K. 451, Vogt proves himself to be equally skilled as a concerto soloist, blending in the orchestral writing with perfect ease.
The Tallis Scholars perform the Missa de Sancto Donatiano , which more than five centuries later still is an astonishing masterpiece. The ensemble continues to develop their exclusive sound, praised by reviewers for its supple clarity and tone, and to bring fresh interpretations to music by contemporary as well as past composers, such as Part, Tavener, Whitacre, Muhly and Jackson .
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
Paper, normally a utilitarian material, becomes a solo instrument in Tan Dun's ingenious and inventive Paper Concerto , fusing orchestral music and organic sounds to create accessible, even melodious, music that is almost beyond imagination. Intriguing sounds are created by all manner of different papers, so that they appear elemental rather than simplistic, tapping into something basic in the fabric of our lives. In a remarkable and unforgettable concert experience, Tan Dun directs the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra and soloist Haruka Fujii in a vivid demonstration of his belief that orchestral music, far from being static and traditional, still has the capacity for experimentation and the power to stimulate in extraordinary ways.
Bonus features :
- Paper: The Song of Nature
- Tan Dun demonstrates Paper Music
- Tan Dun teaches Paper Instruments
Tan Dun's hypnotic three-movement Water Concerto is intoxicating, both visually and aurally. Using water as a musical instrument, this extraordinary piece uses innovative techniques to explore the musicality of the sounds of water. Virtuoso percussionist and soloist David Cossin displays remarkable genius as he deftly creates unique, sensuous, organic and sometimes celestial sounds using a range of water-based instruments. Conducted by the composer, the distinctive accompaniment of the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, reflecting Dun's personal combination of Chinese and Western musical traditions, is carefully interwoven and combined with the water percussion to produce a uniquely enchanting performance.
Tan Dun has made an indelible mark on the world's music scene with a creative repertoire that spans the boundaries of classical, multimedia, Eastern and Western musical systems. His score for Ang Lee's film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon received Academy and Grammy Awards in 2000 and an Oscar Award for best original score in 2001. In 2008 he was selected by the International Olympic Committee to write the logo and award ceremony music for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and composed Internet Symphony No. 1, "Eroica," commissioned by Google/YouTube as the focal point...
Resplendent in his powdered wig and 18th-century garb, Maestro Handel (aka Director of the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir Ivars Taurins) leads Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir, a stellar casts of soloists - soprano Suzie LeBlanc, countertenor Daniel Taylor, tenor Rufus Muller, and baritoen Locky Chung - and a mass audience choir made up of more than 1000 Tafelmusik fans as they perform Handel's baroque masterpiece.
A Toronto tradition beloved by thousands, Tafelmusik's annual Sing-Along Messiah has become a revered family ritual for many Torontonians over the past 25 years. Toronto's largest sing-along event, Tafelmusik's Sing-Along Messiah sells out every years, and participants are genuinely moved by the experience of joining their voices with hundreds of others to make music.
Resplendent in his powdered wig and 18th-century garb, Maestro Handel (aka Director of the Tafelmusik Chamber Choir Ivars Taurins) leads Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra and Chamber Choir, a stellar casts of soloists - soprano Suzie LeBlanc, countertenor Daniel Taylor, tenor Rufus Muller, and baritoen Locky Chung - and a mass audience choir made up of more than 1000 Tafelmusik fans as they perform Handel's baroque masterpiece.
A Toronto tradition beloved by thousands, Tafelmusik's annual Sing-Along Messiah has become a revered family ritual for many Torontonians over the past 25 years. Toronto's largest sing-along event, Tafelmusik's Sing-Along Messiah sells out every years, and participants are genuinely moved by the experience of joining their voices with hundreds of others to make music.
Appalachian Journey Live in Concert captures three of the world's most extraordinary musicians and some very special guests at their sold out performance at New York City's Avery Fisher Hall. The unique and compelling trio of cellist Yo-Yo Ma, violinist Mark O'Connor and bassist Edgar Meyer reaches a whole new level of artistic and technical prowess as they weave their way through a wide variety of musical genres.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
Anton Webern's Langsamer Satz for string quartet was performed as part of the "My GAIA" concert during the Festival's 2012 edition. Composed in 1905, Langsamer Satz is in traditional sonata form and in the key of C Major; it would be another twenty years before Webern turned to twelve-tone technique. Langsamer Satz premiered in 1962, seventeen years after Webern's death, and has the longest playing time of any piece in his body of work.
A multitalented conductor, Previn leads the LSO in the first performance of Rachmaninov's The Bells at the BBC Proms with celebrated soloists Sheila Armstrong, Robert Tear and John Shirley-Quirk. All three performances on this video were recorded during Previn's eleven year tenure as Principal Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra, from which he received a Gramophone Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on video for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
On the eve of its 300th birthday, St. Petersburg, Russia's fabled "window to Europe", celebrates this anniversary presenting a gala of distinguished musical art featuring Anna Netrebko, Dimitri Hvorostovsky, Mischa Maisky and many others. Yuri Temirkanov conducts one of the oldest Russian symphonic ensembles: the St. Petersburg Philharmonic.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This series of TV programmes by Ideale Audience present the highlights of the Verbier Festival 2011, featuring renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin, Lars Vogt, Yuja Wang, Renaud Capucon, Khatia Buniatishvili, and Nelson Goerner.
The Verbier Festival, held each summer in the Swiss Alps, has developed over seventeen years into one of the most important classical music festivals in Europe, bringing together great musical talent and dedicated music lovers alike from across the globe. Yuri Temirkanov - born, bred and educated in Leningrad - directs the Festival's 100-strong orchestra-in-residence in this captivating performance of Shostakovich's Symphony No. 10, his interpretation inspired by a Russian heritage which the orchestra evokes with brilliance and vivacity.
Gala in commemoration of the 150th birthday of Peter Tchaikovsky.
Verdi wrote his Messa da Requiem in 1873-1874 for Alessandro Manzoni, a poet whom he much admired. Like Brahm's German Requiem , Verdi's Mass for the Dead is not intended for liturgical use but for the concert hall. In addition to its profound spirituality, this masterpiece brings together the finest qualities from Verdi's operas: endless melodic lines and captivating musico-dramatic effects.
This rare audiovisual footage presents Klaus Tennstedt at the height of his very special relationship with the Boston Symphony Orchestra during his prime recording period. Joyous Mozart is combined with evocative Mahler, both performed with the greatest sensitivity and conviction.
The ICA Classics Legacy series represents an historic account of performances by some of the world's greatest artists. This video features only the second public release of a full-length symphonic work with the Boston Symphony Orchestra under Klaus Tennstedt and the third available with this mighty conductor.
While the material has been restored using the greatest care and state-of-the-art techniques, certain visual artefacts and distortions remain in some instances due to the age of the film. Despite this, it remains of exceptional musical interest and historic value.
Klaus Tennstedt (1926-1998), a renowned Mahlerian, conducted this live performance at the Royal Festival Hall a year after stepping down as the LPO's Principal Conductor.
Issued here for the first time on video, this live performance was hailed as "legendary" by Michael Manus in the Gramophone and has been released on CD by EMI.
Tennstedt's 1978 studio recording of Mahler's Fifth Symphony is described in one edition of the Penguin Guide as "an outstanding performance, thoughtful on the one hand, warm and expressive on the other."
This 1988 live performance is described in a later edition of the same guide as "more daring and more idiosyncratic than Tennstedt's earlier studio recording, but the tension is far keener. The experience hits one at full force. The emotional tension of the occasion is vividly captured."
This performance was the last time Tennstedt returned to Mahler 5 with the LPO and the highly personal and passionate interpretation justifies his reputation for outstanding live performances. According to Michael Manus, "The phenomenon that was Tennstedt in concert will never, can never, be recreated."
Brahm's Ein Deutsches Requiem , composed between 1861 and 1869, continues to inspire musicians and audiences to this day. His requiem is addressed to the living, who are to be offered comfort in this world freed from fear of death.
This outstanding performance of A German Requiem was recorded in the Grand Hall of the Musikverein in Vienna to mark the centenary of the death of Johannes Brahms.
In spring of 2020, concert halls fell silent. During those weeks, when people had to stay at home and musicians faced all their performances being canceled, a group of Berlin-based artists of international acclaim, in co-operation with awarded film producer Jan Schmidt-Garre and Naxos Audiovisual, set up a series of chamber music concerts performed and filmed at Schinkel Pavillon in Berlin. Violinist Christian Tetzlaff and pianist Francesco Piemontesi perform Debussy's Images livre II and Franck's Sonata for Violin and Piano .
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
Violinist Christian Tetzlaff was born in Hamburg and trained in Lubeck and Cincinnati. He has appeared with the world's leading orchestras, and as chamber musician he concertizes with prominent partners. Roger Norrington was born in Oxford and studied in Cambridge and London. From 1969 to 1984 he was musical director of the Kent Opera and conducted productions at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Milan's La Scala and the Teatro La Fenice in Venice. He founded the London Classical Players and is principal conductor of the Camerata Salzburg and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra.
The former Camerata Academica Salzburg was renamed simply Camerata Salzburg in 2001. It was founded in 1951 by Bernhard Paumgartner, who was its head and mentor for many years. From 1978 to 1997 its artistic director was Sandor Vegh and in 1997 Roger Norrington was appointed principal conductor of the ensemble. The Camerata Salzburg can be heard every year at the Salzburg Mozartwoche and Salzburg Festival.
Violinist Christian Tetzlaff was born in Hamburg and trained in Lübeck and Cincinnati. He has appeared with the world's leading orchestras, and as chamber musician he concertizes with prominent partners. Roger Norrington was born in Oxford and studied in Cambridge and London. From 1969 to 1984 he was musical director of the Kent Opera and conducted productions at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Milan's La Scala and the Teatro La Fenice in Venice. He founded the London Classical Players and is principal conductor of the Camerata Salzburg and the Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra.
The former Camerata academica Salzburg was renamed simply Camerata Salzburg in 2001. It was founded in 1951 by Bernhard Paumgartner, who was its head and mentor for many years. From 1978 to 1997 its artistic director was Sándor Végh and in 1997 Roger Norrington was appointed principal conductor of the ensemble. The Camerata Salzburg can be heard every year at the Salzburg Mozartwoche and Salzburg Festival.
Four of the greatest singers of our time combine their talents and their artistry in an evening of beloved operatic numbers – rarely has a concert deserved the title "Opera Summit" as much as this one, recorded live at the Festspielhaus in Baden-Baden on 3 August 2007. Heading the quartet is soprano Anna Netrebko with her inimitable blend of glamour and simplicity, her enticing appearance and seductive singing, a musical powerhouse who tops the pop charts and sells out operas houses within hours.
Hardly less dazzling than her Russian colleague is Latvian mezzo Elina Garanca, whose crystal-clear voice and charismatic stage presence never fail to enthrall her audiences. She is a frequent guest of the Vienna State Opera and the Salzburg Festival, where she made her sensational debut as Annio in Mozart's La clemenza di Tito in 2003. Her international career has taken her to Covent Garden, the Met and other prestigious stages. She was awarded the European Cultural Prize in Dresden in 2006.
Replacing the indisposed Rolando Villazon is his fellow Mexican tenor Ramon Vargas, who began his career in Europe after winning the first prize in the Enrico Caruso Competition in Milan. His international breakthrough came in 1993 when he replaced Luciano Pavarotti as Edgardo in...
This series of the very best of the 16th Verbier Festival with worldwide renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Mischa Maisky, Rene Pape, Joshua Bell, and Philippe Jaroussky.
Verdi wrote his Messa da Requiem in 1873-1874 for Alessandro Manzoni, a poet whom he much admired. Like Brahm's German Requiem , Verdi's Mass for the Dead is not intended for liturgical use but for the concert hall. In addition to its profound spirituality, this masterpiece brings together the finest qualities from Verdi's operas: endless melodic lines and captivating musico-dramatic effects.
Johannes Brahms composed his Requiem in 1865/66, shortly after the death of his mother. A profoundly moving work for soprano and baritone solo, chorus and orchestra, it is the composer's largest single composition. No work did more to win Brahms international recognition and, after the first complete performance of the Requiem in Leipzig in 1869, he was regarded as one of the leading composers of his time. It was not the first requiem in German, but the first in which a composer pieced together his text from Bible passages in Martin Luther's German translation. It is an intensely personal selection which speaks to the living and seeks to offer hope and comfort. Through his subtle, almost surreal, affinity to Brahms's unorthodox, elusive worldview, conductor Christian Thielemann has crafted a performance that places him among the best interpreters of this work, such as Maazel, Furtwängler, Karajan, Klemperer... An acknowledged specialist of Romantic music, Thielemann "put forth a dignified account that offers considerable material for reflection. At the end, one understood all too well why the audience was requested to refrain from applauding at the end. For the seventh and last section is the solemn, meditative chorus "Selig sind die Toten" ... In Thielemann's hands, this...
Elemental, metaphysical, primordial – these are some of the terms used to describe Bruckner's nine symphonies and which fully apply to his Fourth Symphony, the "Romantic." Though Bruckner provided programmatic explanations to the music, one seeks in vain the "medieval city" and "leaping steeds" in this work, which disregards conventions and expectations. Monolithic blocks of sound derived from the simple horn melody of the opening measures, sweeping themes that hypnotically revolve around themselves, long build-ups that suddenly break off when a climax is imminent – the Fourth is a milestone in Bruckner's symphonic oeuvre. Bruckner originally wrote the Fourth Symphony in 1874 but revised it thoroughly in 1880 before its premiere in Vienna in 1881, which was a resounding success. Although he continued to revise it in later years, the version most often played today is the first revised version of 1880. This is also the version featured on this recording of a concert held at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden, which was greeted with storms of applause. Leading the Munchner Philharmoniker in this concert is its principal conductor Christian Thielemann, a maestro internationally known and admired above all as a specialist of Romantic music. Having mastered the repertoire...
"Grandiose, unaffected, expansive, majestic, immovable..." – Christian Thielemann's description of Anton Bruckner's music vividly captures its essence and uniqueness. And he himself captures the soul of the great romantic composer in his interpretation of Bruckner's Seventh Symphony with the Munich Philharmonic. Recorded live at the Festspielhaus Baden-Baden on 14 November 2006, the concert also features three orchestral preludes from the opera Palestrina by another late-romantic composer, Hans Pfitzner.
The preludes from Pfitzner's Palestrina , the composer's most well-known work, evoke the events about to transpire in the acts that follow them. While the subtle, refined nuances of the first prelude suggests the creative crisis of the opera's hero, the Renaissance composer Palestrina, the second reflects the turbulent atmosphere of the Council of Trent and the third the inner peace found at long last by Palestrina beneath the cupola of St. Peter's. Completed in September 1883, several months after the death of Richard Wagner, Anton Bruckner's Symphony No. 7 in E major is a stunning homage to the composer of the Ring . A passionate admirer of Wagner, Bruckner claimed that he had the master's death in mind while writing the "Adagio" of this symphony. With its...
When, in the mid 1960s, Herbert von Karajan decided to record on film all nine Beethoven symphonies with the Berlin Philharmonic, he began with the Fifth and asked the famous French movie director Henri-Georges Clouzot (Quai des Orfèvres) to direct. Recognizing in the music-loving director a kindred soul and master of the symbolic image, Karajan found an inspired partner. In another of Karajan's first efforts, he asked six directors to "stage" one movement each of a Beethoven symphony. For a full week, the directors had the Berlin Philharmonic and Herbert von Karajan – all in full dress – at their disposal, with all the 35mm film, cameras, lighting and technical assistance they needed. Karajan's most controversial production was Hugo Niebeling's highly personal interpretation of the Pastorale , with its abstract shots of instruments, rapid rhythms, fade-ins and symbolically arranged colors. Some critics raved: "This music film could have been made by Antonioni, Fellini or Godard." Karajan pursued his plan with tenacity, and the result is a milestone in the history of music on film: all nine Beethoven symphonies recorded at the peak of Karajan's powers, unified by the performers but varied through the artistic vision of different directors.
Michael Tilson Thomas is an exceptional artist ?EUR" Music Director of the San Francisco and the New World Symphony Orchestras, Principal Guest Conductor of the London Symphony Orchestra and winner of ten Grammy Awards, he is dynamic, stimulating and innovative. He is well known for his ability to make music accessible and appealing to wide audiences, and these two exciting performances are combined with extensive rehearsal footage and educational insight from a master communicator.
The ICA Classics Live series features performances from ICA's own artists recorded in prestigious venues around the world. The majority of the recordings are enjoying their first commercial release.
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
Dacapo's CD recording of all Carl Nielsen's symphonies by the Danish National Symhpony Orchestra/DR conducted by Michael Schønwandt has already established itself as a reference recording on the international classical CD market. Now the same outstanding interpretation of all six symphonies can be experienced on video with new opportunities for in-depth study of the music and a stimulating 60-minute documentary that offers new perspectives on Denmark's national composer.
A forest engaging in dialogue with the exuberant fauna. A restless river cascades towards the sea. One of the monuments of Brazilian symphonic music, Canticum Naturale , by Edino Krieger , is revisited fifty years after its premiere by means of digital art in Canticum Digitale (2022), an audiovisual piece of digital art, or visual music, in which rhythm, harmony, and melody are transposed into the domain of imagery.
Canticum Digitale is an immersive and synesthetic work, where sound and visual stimuli merge harmoniously to create a unique audiovisual experience for the viewer on the volumetric membrane of the eight screens in the Brazil pavilion at Dubai Expo. This performance features soprano Flavia Fernandes and the Goias Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Neil Thomson.
A forest engaging in dialogue with the exuberant fauna. A restless river cascades towards the sea. One of the monuments of Brazilian symphonic music, Canticum Naturale , by Edino Krieger , is revisited fifty years after its premiere by means of digital art in Canticum Digitale (2022), an audiovisual piece of digital art, or visual music, in which rhythm, harmony, and melody are transposed into the domain of imagery.
Canticum Digitale is an immersive and synesthetic work, where sound and visual stimuli merge harmoniously to create a unique audiovisual experience for the viewer on the volumetric membrane of the eight screens in the Brazil pavilion at Dubai Expo. This performance features soprano Flavia Fernandes and the Goias Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Neil Thomson in a multiscreen version.
From the sound outside his bedroom window - a kind of sonic goulash of military marches, ethnic dance bands, church bells, ritual prayer, and nature itself, Gustav Mahler created an entire universe of emotion in music. In an astonishingly productive twenty-five years, he fashioned ten symphonies and 45 songs of cosmic scale, great beauty, and jarring emotional twists and turns. And he did it all in the brief moments he could spare from his day jobs as one of Europe's preeminent conductors.
In Gustav Mahler: Origins and Legacy , Michael Tilson Thomas returns to the provincial Austro-Hungarian city of Mahler's childhood, and bears witness to his grand achievements, great sorrow, and daring musical explorations into the dephths of the human sould. Join MTT and the San Francisco Symphony as they trace Mahler's rise as a young conductor, and show how his stormy inner life inspired new and ever-more heartbreaking heights of creativity.
Hosted by author Amy Tam and performed before an audience at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco on September 7, 2011, the San Francisco Symphony performs works by Copland, Mendelssohn, Britten and John Adams. Celebrating their 100 years with conductor Michael Tilson Thomas and guest violin Itzak Perlman, the program also includes vignettes documenting the Symphony's history.
The year 2006 come to a close with a spectacular musical event: a festival of Argentinean music broadcast live from Buenos Aires. At the height of the Argentinean summer, the Orquesta Filarmonica del Teatro Colon under Daniel Barenboim (conductor and soloist) join the excellent bandoneon virtuoso Leopoldo Federico and his Orquesta Tipica to present an extraordinary New Year's Eve show with popular tangos and Latin American orchestra classics. The old master of tango, Jose Carli, has created enchanting new arrangements of works by the Argentinean artists Astor Piazzolla , Carlos Gardel , Julio de Caro , Alberto Ginastera and Horacio Salgan . Performances by the leading tango dancers Mora Godoy and Junior Cervilla from Buenos Aires add atmosphere and round off the night.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's New Year's Eve Concert in 2000 set the mood for the centenary of Giuseppe Verdi's (1813-1901) death with a selection of the composer's most popular tunes. The orchestra presented excerpts from Rigoletto , La Traviata , Un ballo in maschera and Falstaff . The programme also included the ball scene from act III of Don Carlo ?EUR" a scene that is seldom staged. With singers Andrea Rost, Ramon Vargas, Alan Titus and Lucio Gallo, a cast of internationally celebrated Verdi singers gathered for this Gala Evening led by maestro Claudio Abbado. The outstanding Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the virtuoso Prague Radio Choir provided music of the highest order on this very special evening.
As performed by Richard Tognetti and the Australian Chamber Orchestra. This video contains footage and performances as the ACO take you on a trip through Europe.
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
Olena Tokar (soprano) and Igor Gryshyn (piano) perform a lieder and piano program, recorded at Schinkel Pavillon in Berlin on March 30, 2020. The program opens with five songs by Pauline Garcia-Viardot : Two Roses, On Georgia's Hills, Evening Song, The Gardener , and The Mermaid's Song . Grishin performs some solo piano works: Franz Schubert's Impromptu, Op. 90 , Nos. 2 and 3, and Alexander Scriabin's Piano Sonata No. 4, Op. 30 . The program continues with Antonin Dvorak's Gypsy Songs, Op. 55 , and closes with four songs by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky: Op. 57 No. 1, Op. 63 No. 2, Op. 38 No. 2, and Op. 47 No. 6 .
This selection of music for Christmas brings together East and West in the collaboration of Winchester College Chapel Choir and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Recorded live in Hong Kong in December 2004, this disc features a selection of perennial favourites from the Baroque period, including Bach cantatas and Handel's Messiah , and three exquisite modern carols.
This Claudio Abbado recording captures a very special night at the 2007 Lucerne Festival with the massive Third Symphony by Gustav Mahler (1860-1911). Ever since its debut in 2003, the Lucerne Festival Orchestra has been enthusiastically received by public and press alike. The orchestra is the realisation of a dream for Claudio Abbado, who handpicked famous soloists, chamber recitalists and orchestral musicians to form this ensemble. Time and again it has been praised for its extraordinary sound and refined playing in the finest spirit of chamber music under the direction of the exceptional Italian conductor. The line-up includes such luminaries as Kolja Blacher and Sabine Meyer, alongside sundry members of the world's great orchestras. The cello section alone boasts Natalia Gutman, Clemens Hagen and Valentin Erben. On this video, the viewer can join in the imposing experience of a live performance of Mahler's No.3 with its awesome silences and towering climaxes recorded in the acoustically superb Congress and Concert Hall Lucerne in August 2007. Mahler completed the symphony in 1896 and it counts among the longest ever composed, with a performance lasting at least one and a half hours. The popular work became famous through Luciano Visconti's film Death in Venice , where...
This unusual Christmas video presents the musical encounter between soprano Angelika Kirchschlager and jazz trumpeter Tomasz Stanko. Recorded live in the picturesque Cistercian Gothic monastery Schulpforte in Saxony-Anhalt, the concert footage is combined with charming motifs of snowy mountain landscapes and cities decorated for Christmas. Favourite Christmas compositions from the classical repertoire are combined with popular carols and jazzy improvisations ?EUR" and it all sounds like Christmas! Angelika Kirchschlager currently ranks among the most sought-after sopranos worldwide for both opera and concert-hall performance and Tomasz Stanko enjoys a reputation as one of the most creative jazz trumpeters alive. The soloists are accompanied by the outstanding Freiburg Baroque Orchestra. The Leipzig a cappella ensemble Amarcord, former members of St. Thomas's Boys Choir, sing popular Christmas tunes.
In Why Beethoven Threw the Stew , renowned cellist Steven Isserlis sets out to pass on to children a wonderful gift given to him by his own cello teacher - the chance to people his own world with the great composers by getting to know them as friends.
Witty and informative at the same time, Isserlis introduces us to six of his favourite composers: the sublime genius Bach, the quicksilver Mozart, Beethoven with his gruff humour, the shy Schumann, the prickly Brahms and that extraordinary split personality, Stravinsky. Isserlis brings the composers alive in an irresistible manner that can't fail to catch the attention of any child whose ear has been caught by any of the music described, or anyone entering the world of classical music for the first time.
The lively black and white line illustrations provide a perfect accompaniment to the text, and make this book attractive and accessible for children to enjoy on their own or share with an adult.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
This series of the very best of the 16th Verbier Festival with worldwide renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Mischa Maisky, Rene Pape, Joshua Bell, and Philippe Jaroussky.
For its 14th edition, the Verbier Festival has once again brought together the most prestigious artists in classical music. This series of 12 TV programmes presents the highlights of Verbier 2007.
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The Verbier Festival, created in 1994, has rapidly acquired a reputation for artistic excellence and is now considered one of the major European music festivals. For a fortnight each summer, the greatest stars of the classical music world come together against the magical backdrop of the Swiss Alps. The Verbier Festival gives musicians the opportunity to perform original programmes with fellow musicians they admire, but with whom they may never have performed before. These world premiere performances produce innovative and exciting results, for artists and audiences. The 2007 edition gathered classical celebrities such as Martha Argerich, Helene Grimaud, Gabriela Montero, Renaud Capucon, Nelson Freire, Mischa Maisky, Thomas Quasthoff and Lars Vogt, and for the first time all 46 concerts were recorded. The state-of-art recordings featured two cameras on stage that were remote-controlled so as to not disturb the audiences and artists and one camera in the midst of the audience to recreate the viewer's perspective. This video assembles excerpts of the most remarkable concerts with exciting programmes including works by Bartok, Debussy, Lutoslawski, Schubert and Schumann. Lovers of classical music will very much enjoy this summit of high-profile artists!
Celebrating Strauss brings into focus the greatest interpreters of Richard Strauss's compositions. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences uniting appealing and enjoyable performances by legendary artists as Irmgard Seefried, Hertha Topper, Rita Streich and Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Lovingly restored and digitally remastered the Classic Archive series offers a unique glimpse into our classical heritage featuring performances by celebrated artists of the past including complete full-lengths programmes and comprehensive booklet information.
The energy and excitement of performances under the baton of maestro Valery Gergiev are thrilling. This performance, with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, was recorded live at the city's Doelen Hall. The programme includes Debussy's Fragments Symphoniques for D'Annunzio's mystery play Le Martyre de St Sebastien, Prokofiev's Scythian Suite , Stravinsky's Fireworks and his Piano Concerto. The soloist for Stravinsky's Piano concerto is the Georgian virtuoso Alexander Toradze, a singularly imposing figure at the keyboard.
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
The collection Classic Archive presents great performances by legendary artists, remastered using the latest digital technology and enhanced with commentary for today's audiences. These jewels of music broadcasting have been salvaged from various archives and been made accessible for home viewing audiences - appealing and enjoyable performances, that offer a unique glimpse into our classical music heritage. This Classic Archive episode brings into focus the greatest performers of Giuseppe Verdi's compositions.
It would be hard to imagine a more seductive hero, a more passionate performer, a more glorious interpreter of the great Romantic roles of Verdi and Puccini than Rolando Villazon. Yet the singer's temporary withdrawal from the spotlight in 2007 opened up a wealth of new possibilities for the singer. Among the "new paths" that Villazon envisioned for the future were "adventures" such as Baroque music. Next to a recording of works by the early Baroque composer Claudio Monteverdi, he now offers a selection of arias by George Frideric Handel.
This intimate concert featuring Villazon and the Gabrieli Players under Paul McCreesh was filmed in a setting that ideally suits the style of the music, St. Paul's Church in Deptford, near London, one of Britain's finest Baroque churches. It was built between 1712 and 1730, almost exactly when Handel was writing his most celebrated operas and oratorios.
Villazon proves that he is a master of dazzling coloratura, virtuoso runs and expressive cantabile melodies. Among the highlights of the concert – which also includes two purely orchestral works – are the beloved arioso "Ombra mai fu" from Serse , Grimoaldo's aria "Pastorello d'un povero armento" from Rodelinda , the lyrical, longing "Scherza infida" from Ariodante , and...
In spring of 2020, concert halls fell silent. During those weeks, when people had to stay at home and musicians faced all their performances being canceled, a group of Berlin-based artists of international acclaim, in co-operation with awarded film producer Jan Schmidt-Garre and Naxos Audiovisual, set up a series of chamber music concerts performed and filmed at Schinkel Pavillon in Berlin. Roman Trekel (baritone) and Francesco Piemontesi (piano) perform Gustav Mahler's Sieben Lieder Aus Letzter Zeit (1905), Bach / Busoni: Praeludium BWV 552 and Bach Transcriptions by Busoni and Kempff .
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
On the eve of its 300th birthday, St. Petersburg, Russia's fabled "window to Europe", celebrates this anniversary presenting a gala of distinguished musical art featuring Anna Netrebko, Dimitri Hvorostovsky, Mischa Maisky and many others. Yuri Temirkanov conducts one of the oldest Russian symphonic ensembles: the St. Petersburg Philharmonic.
Pianist Peter Waters and his ensemble, the Treya Quartet , garnered widespread praise for their performance of exquisitely sensitive jazz arrangements of songs by Gabriel Faure (1845-1924). This beautifully-shot studio recording of the Quartet playing some of their arrangements also features internationally-acclaimed soprano Barbara Hendricks singing original versions. The performances are punctuated by Waters and Hendricks considering Faure's music and its compatibility with jazz.
The Easter Festival is an internationally renowned event among classical music lovers, traditionally opened in Moscow on Easter Sunday. Each year the Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra and its musical director Valery Gergiev travel across Russia - for the past 10 years.
The Mariinsky Theatre Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Valery Gergiev performs the complete cycle of Sergei Prokofiev's symphonies and piano concerti - a composer with whom Maestro Gergiev and the orchestra seem particularly in tune.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This series present the highlights of the 19th edition of the Verbier Festival, featuring renowned artists such as Neeme Jarvi, Denis Matsuev, Menahem Pressler, Christoph Pregardien, and the Capucon brothers.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This recording honors the great Antonin Dvorak with some of his most beloved pieces being performed by world class artists such as Daniil Trifonov.
For this concert, three Russian pianists came together: Valery Gergiev, Daniil Trifonov and Denis Matsuev. They opened the performance with Mozart's Concerto for 3 pianos . Gergiev then exchanged the piano for the baton, conducting the Verbier Festival Orchestra in an interpretation of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 .
A beloved combination: Cello, violin and piano. For their concert at the Verbier Festival 2015, Truls Mork, Ilya Gringolts and Daniil Trifonov chose works by Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms - thus showcasing how three famous German composers from the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century wrote for and perceived these three instruments.
In 2018, Pianomania! brought iconic, internationally renowned pianists to Lisbon for a keyboard extravaganza. These electrifying highlights show the performers' incredible variety in six first-class concerts from the Grand Auditorium of the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, beginning with the moving Piano Concerto by Robert Schumann . For Daniil Trifonov, Schumann is "important in the heart of any pianist," to which his deeply felt and mature rendition attests.
Next up, Menahem Pressler, at age 94, brings a lifetime's worth of experience and emotion to the haunting second movement of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 23 , "the most intimate and the most heartwarming" Mozart work, capable of "elevating [a pianist] up to heaven."
Young star Beatrice Rana brings pyrotechnic panache to Stravinsky's Firebird before Elisabeth Leonskaja's Beethoven , brimming with passion, gives way to Mario Laginha's Concerto for Two Pianos with the composer himself as soloist, accompanied by Pedro Burmester.
This piano recital given by the 21 year old virtuoso Daniil Trifonov gathers three pieces written during or in a souvenir of a love story. Scriabin dedicated his Sonata Fantasy No. 2 to his first love, Natalya Sekerina. Lizst wrote his unique sonata the Sonata in B minor - while he was sharing his life in Weimar with the Polish-Russian princess Carolyne zu Sayn-Wittgenstein. Eventually, the 24 Preludes by Chopin were composed during his vacation in Mallorca with George Sand and her children. To conclude this original recital recorded at the Verbier Festival in July 2013, the young Russian rising star of the piano performs one of his own compositions, Rachmaniana .
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
Oceanic Verses meditates upon fading civilizations and an ancient environment continually transformed by waves of immigration. Donna Di Novelli's libretto leaps from Paola Prestini's own investigations to four archetypes caught in the clash between past and present. A journey through the folkloric landscape is led by an Archaeologist (improviser and vocalist Helga Davis), whose search for musical artifacts leads her to a Sailor (Italian folksinger and accordionist Claudio Prima), who offers a warning; a Peasant (soprano Hila Plitmann), who offers a meal; and a Soldier (baritone Christopher Burchett), who offers a critique. Along with these principal performers, the album features the 16-piece DeCoda orchestra and the eight-member Choir of Trinity Wall Street, conducted by Julian Wachner.
Trio Kalysta was born in 2019 from a fruitful collaboration between Duo Kalysta - flutist Lara Deutsch and harpist Emily Belvedere - and Juno-nominated violist, Marina Thibeault, on the duo's debut album, Origins. Recognized both for their "polish" and their "mad skills" (Robert Rowat, CBC Music), the trio champions the lesser-known but incredibly colourful repertoire written for its rich instrumentation, highlighting works by female and Canadian composers whenever possible.
In this program, the ensemble presents music from Claude Debussy's Sonata for Flute, Viola, Harp and R. Murray Schafer's Trio for Flute, Harp and Viola .
These magnificent interpretations of three Mendelssohn works - two orchestral and one chamber - are given by the phenomenally talented young Chinese pianist Yuja Wang and other young performers. Praised in BBC Music Magazine for her "keen intelligence" and "staggering technique," Yuja Wang has also been described by the San Francisco Chronicle as "the sort of musician whose combination of talents appears in the world only rarely." The Verbier Festival Orchestra consists of musicians hand-picked from every part of the world. Here they are directed by the doyen of German Mendelssohn conductors, Kurt Masur.
The blind up-and-coming Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii , an astonishing genius on his instrument, is playing for the first time ever under the Russian conductor Valery Gergiev at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg. During the White Nights Festival ?EUR" dedicated to the season of midnight sun ?EUR" he interprets works by the Russian composers Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Shostakovich , including Tchaikovsky's famous Piano Concerto No. 1 and Shostakovich's gloomy Symphony No. 14 . As a bonus Nobuyuki Tsujii performs his own elegy for the victims of the tsunami in 2011, a stirring and moving piece dedicated to his home country Japan. Nobuyuki Tsujii piano, Olga Sergeyeva soprano, Yuri Vorobiev bass, Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, Valery Gergiev conductor. Live recording from the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, 8 July 2012.
When Nobuyuki Tsujii, the co-winner of the gold medal of the 2009 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, appeared on the stage for his Carnegie Hall debut, his dream had come true. The most important event in the career of any performer, for "Nobu" it was a miracle. Blind from birth, his handicap, if a drawback at all, never affected his ability to play the piano. This performance is an inspiration to all people who face disabilities, hurdles, or obstacles in life. Interviewed after Nobuyuki Tsujii's recital, Van Cliburn observed: "What a thrill to hear this brilliant, very gifted, fabulous pianist. You feel God's presence in the room when he plays. His soul is so pure, his music is so wonderful and it goes to infinity, to the highest heaven."
The choir and the orchestra of the Bach Collegium Japan perform the St John's Passion with a small ensemble - as was customary in the composer's time - under Masaaki Suzuki, former student of one of the nestors of authentic interpretation, Ton Koopman. One of the greatest musical treatments of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ receives a performance that is musically precise and stylistically close to what we now know of Bach's ideal. The Bach Collegium Japan has been regarded for some years now as a real discovery among baroque ensembles specialising in the performance of sacred music from the Baroque and Masaaki Suzuki, who conducts and plays the harpsichord, is a complete and thorough musician, deeply involved in the emotional overtones of the music as well as technical questions of tempo, balance, and phrasing. Recorded live from The Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Japan during the Bach Anniversary Year 2000 on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the death of J.S. Bach.
In many ways Gustav Mahler's Seventh and Eighth Symphonies are the most unusual works that the late Romantic composer ever wrote. The Seventh was the last in a series of middle-period pieces that were purely instruments in character. Two movements headed Nachtmusik and the remarkable writing for a guitar and mandolin help to create a sequence of darkly Romantic visions. And even within Mahler's markedly eclectic output, the Eighth Symphony enjoys the status of an exotic outsider thanks not only to its two-movement form combining an early medieval hymn and the final scene from Goethe's Faust but also to the vast forces for which it is scored, earning it the title of Symphony of a Thousand
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
The Verbier Festival, created in 1994, has rapidly acquired a reputation for artistic excellence and is now considered one of the major European music festivals. For a fortnight each summer, the greatest stars of the classical music world come together against the magical backdrop of the Swiss Alps. The Verbier Festival gives musicians the opportunity to perform original programmes with fellow musicians they admire, but with whom they may never have performed before. These world premiere performances produce innovative and exciting results, for artists and audiences. The 2007 edition gathered classical celebrities such as Martha Argerich, Helene Grimaud, Gabriela Montero, Renaud Capucon, Nelson Freire, Mischa Maisky, Thomas Quasthoff and Lars Vogt, and for the first time all 46 concerts were recorded. The state-of-art recordings featured two cameras on stage that were remote-controlled so as to not disturb the audiences and artists and one camera in the midst of the audience to recreate the viewer's perspective. This video assembles excerpts of the most remarkable concerts with exciting programmes including works by Bartok, Debussy, Lutoslawski, Schubert and Schumann. Lovers of classical music will very much enjoy this summit of high-profile artists!
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
Born in Riga in 1947, Gidon Kremer is not only one of the leading violinists in the world, but also – thanks to his unquenchable curiosity and search for new impulses – one of the most fascinating musical personalities of our time. His repertoire ranges from Bach to the present, whereby a number of contemporary composers have achieved international recognition through his commitment. Since 1997 Kremer has devoted a large part of his activities to the chamber orchestra Kremerata Baltica, which he founded. The ensemble consists of young musicians from the three Baltic states of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania; the average age of its members is 25. The debut of the chamber orchestra in February 1997 corresponded with the 50th birthday of its founder. With this orchestral project, Kremer wants to pass on his artistic experiences to young musicians of his native country and to draw international attention to the outstanding musical situation of the Baltic nations. The Kremerata Baltica performs in all of the world's major musical venues.
Claudio Monteverdi's Fourth Book of Madrigals (1603) explores differing emotional states of abandoned lovers through the most dramatic and amazingly modern music for vocal ensemble. The Full Monteverdi follows the simultaneous break-up of six couples through shocking revelation, vengeful anger and erotic longing for reconciliation. Vulnerable and disarming, this ensemble film will draw you into its emotional journey and intensely moving portrait of contemporary love.
For the 2014/15 Opening Night Concert and Gala, the Los Angeles Philharmonic paid loving tribute to composer John Williams , long a champion and close friend of the LA Phil. Gustavo Dudamel, an awestruck fan of the musical icon, led the orchestra in a cross-section of Maestro Williams' matchless canon.
The choir and the orchestra of the Bach Collegium Japan perform the St John's Passion with a small ensemble - as was customary in the composer's time - under Masaaki Suzuki, former student of one of the nestors of authentic interpretation, Ton Koopman. One of the greatest musical treatments of the suffering and death of Jesus Christ receives a performance that is musically precise and stylistically close to what we now know of Bach's ideal. The Bach Collegium Japan has been regarded for some years now as a real discovery among baroque ensembles specialising in the performance of sacred music from the Baroque and Masaaki Suzuki, who conducts and plays the harpsichord, is a complete and thorough musician, deeply involved in the emotional overtones of the music as well as technical questions of tempo, balance, and phrasing. Recorded live from The Suntory Hall in Tokyo, Japan during the Bach Anniversary Year 2000 on the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the death of J.S. Bach.
Elected by members of the Berlin Philharmonic as Principal Conductor and fifth Artistic Director in 1989, Claudio Abbado resigned from the post in 2002, but remains close to the orchestra, which cherishes the conductor to this day. Listening to the music, one hears how the Berlin Philharmonic transforms Abbado's musical intentions into sound ?EUR" there is a sense of unity that can only be achieved through many years of shared artistic experience and attention to detail. These live performances at the Philharmonie, Berlin in 2000 and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome in 2001 were an overwhelming success: each concert ended in standing ovations, and the critics spoke of seminal moments in the history of music. Abbado's Beethoven cycle will certainly become a milestone for contemporary interpretation and this recording pays tribute to his achievement. For the popular Symphony No. 9 in D minor , the Berlin Philharmonic were joined by high-ranking singers and choirs.
Bonus feature:
- Multi-Angle Feature - Conductor Camera ( Symphony No.3 )
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
With the European Concert the Berliner Philharmoniker celebrate the anniversary of their founding in 1882. Performed each year in another European city, this year's concert takes place in Naples. Together with charismatic conductor Riccardo Muti and Violeta Urmana, one of the leading sopranos in the Italian dramatic genre, they present the overture of Verdi's magnificent opera La forza del destino and La canzone dei ricordi by Giuseppe Martucci, who died in Naples. Schubert's "Great" C major Symphony completes this memorable concert at the awe-inspiring Teatro San Carlo.
World-renowned tenor Plácido Domingo is joined by Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna and a host of other international stars including Susan Graham, in the famously glittering 1996 Gala Concert on the stage of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Asher Fisch conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in a programme of many of the world's best-loved operatic arias with music by composers including Bizet, Massenet, Gounod, Mozart and Donizetti.
Johannes Moser is the name to watch among today's young violoncello virtuosos. Born in 1979, he has already performed with many of the world's leading orchestras, such as the New York Philharmonic, the London Symphony Orchestra and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, with which he made his U.S. debut under Pierre Boulez. His agenda is packed with appearances ranging from concerto soloist to chamber music partner to interpreter of avant-garde music on an electric cello.
In this concert of late Romantic music with the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, the 2008 Echo Classic Award winner boldly infuses Hans Pfitzner's Cello Concerto in A minor with a jolt of adrenaline that could very well boost this rarely heard work – which was long thought to be lost – into the concert repertoire. Written in 1883, Richard Strauss' Romance in F major for cello and orchestra is an early work from the pen of this orchestral master, and another showcase for the talent of Johannes Moser.
The concert also features another rising star of the classical music scene, the young Slovak conductor Juraj Valcuha, the principal conductor of the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra. Doing full justice to the refined atmosphere of the German late Romantic works on the program, which also includes a Wagner...
For the 2014/15 Opening Night Concert and Gala, the Los Angeles Philharmonic paid loving tribute to composer John Williams , long a champion and close friend of the LA Phil. Gustavo Dudamel, an awestruck fan of the musical icon, led the orchestra in a cross-section of Maestro Williams' matchless canon.
Leonard Bernstein conducted the work at the Salzburg Festival in 1975 and shortly thereafter in Vienna's Konzerthaus, where it was recorded. The stage of the Konzerthaus was enlarged to make room for the unusually large orchestra, the two choruses, the children's choir and the soloists.
Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Götterdämmerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
Four of the greatest singers of our time combine their talents and their artistry in an evening of beloved operatic numbers – rarely has a concert deserved the title "Opera Summit" as much as this one, recorded live at the Festspielhaus in Baden-Baden on 3 August 2007. Heading the quartet is soprano Anna Netrebko with her inimitable blend of glamour and simplicity, her enticing appearance and seductive singing, a musical powerhouse who tops the pop charts and sells out operas houses within hours.
Hardly less dazzling than her Russian colleague is Latvian mezzo Elina Garanca, whose crystal-clear voice and charismatic stage presence never fail to enthrall her audiences. She is a frequent guest of the Vienna State Opera and the Salzburg Festival, where she made her sensational debut as Annio in Mozart's La clemenza di Tito in 2003. Her international career has taken her to Covent Garden, the Met and other prestigious stages. She was awarded the European Cultural Prize in Dresden in 2006.
Replacing the indisposed Rolando Villazon is his fellow Mexican tenor Ramon Vargas, who began his career in Europe after winning the first prize in the Enrico Caruso Competition in Milan. His international breakthrough came in 1993 when he replaced Luciano Pavarotti as Edgardo in...
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's New Year's Eve Concert in 2000 set the mood for the centenary of Giuseppe Verdi's (1813-1901) death with a selection of the composer's most popular tunes. The orchestra presented excerpts from Rigoletto , La Traviata , Un ballo in maschera and Falstaff . The programme also included the ball scene from act III of Don Carlo ?EUR" a scene that is seldom staged. With singers Andrea Rost, Ramon Vargas, Alan Titus and Lucio Gallo, a cast of internationally celebrated Verdi singers gathered for this Gala Evening led by maestro Claudio Abbado. The outstanding Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra and the virtuoso Prague Radio Choir provided music of the highest order on this very special evening.
Artist-in-residence for the 2022 season, pianist Yuja Wang meets the Czech Philharmonic, conducted by Semyon Bychkov.
The centrepiece of this exciting evening is the Glagolitic Mass , a late masterpiece by Leos Janacek . The programme opens with Agnus Dei for choir without orchestral accompaniment by Martin Smolka , followed by Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor.
Thirty years at La Scala: this is what Leo Nucci's recital commemorated, an event celebrated by the fact that it was sold out only a few days after the booking opened.
It was in 1977, and it was naturally the Barbiere by Rossini that opened in style the career at La Scala of a singer amongst the dearest in the heart of opera audiences, in particular in Milan.
From then onwards, Nucci has performed in the greatest theatres in the world. He has sung with the most famous opera singers and has worked with conductors such as Karajan, Solti, Giulini, Muti, Abbado, Maazel, Mehta, and Levine. In addition to numerous videos of live opera performances, he has participated in two "opera films": Macbeth and Il barbiere di Siviglia. Recently Nucci has added "popular" pieces to his opera repertoire and has performed many concerts in Italy and abroad, accompanied by the musical ensemble Salotto '800.
But for the recital at La Scala on Monday 15 January, Nucci did not neglect his "duty" as a great opera performer: he didn't sing any parlour romances nor surrogates, but only and exclusively arias from the highest and most renowned repertoire – precisely that for which he is universally appreciated and awaited.
EuroArts presents a veritable fireworks display of ambitious pieces for brass orchestra recently performed by a colourful and fascinating young ensemble in Berlin's prestigious Konzerthaus at the Gendarmenmarkt in the heart of the city. The Venezuelan Brass Ensemble is a highly-acclaimed group with nearly 50 young brass and percussion players drawn from the extraordinary Simon Bolivar Youth Orchestra of Venezuela. The South American country has one of the most admired and amazingly effective music school systems in the world. Almost all children from the age of 2 get free music lessons in their neighbourhood. They learn to play in ensembles as soon as they can master their instruments. This so-called "sistema" enables most of the poor children in Venezuela to have a focus in life apart from being clothed and fed - thus fighting poverty-related problems at the roots. The results are astonishing, the ensemble playing is near perfect and the "sistema" has brought forth internationally successful musicians like the conductor Gustavo Dudamel. The repertoire of the Venezuelan Brass Ensemble is impressively varied and testifies to the high standard of this young ensemble. With their blend of classical and South American repertoire, these 50 youngsters not only bring audiences to...
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the best orchestras in the world, celebrates its 60th Anniversary with a GALA Concert in 1996 conducted by Zubin Mehta and Daniel Barenboim. The Gala featuring world acclaimed soloists such as Isaac Stern Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhal Perlman and Shlomo Mintz.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
The Argentine pianist Martha Argerich has been dazzling audiences for decades with what the New York Times has referred to as "prodigious technique with uncanny musicality." She is now a regular of the artistic family at the popular Verbier Festival in the Swiss Alps, engaging thousands of followers each summer. Argerich is accompanied in this live recording from the 2009 and 2010 festivals by he gifted Gabor Takacs-Nagy and the Verbier Festival Chamber Orchestra. Works by Beethoven, Scarlatti and Shostakovich take the audience on a whirlwind tour through a small selection of Argerich's extensive repertoire.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This series present the highlights of the 19th edition of the Verbier Festival, featuring renowned artists such as Neeme Jarvi, Denis Matsuev, Menahem Pressler, Christoph Pregardien, and the Capucon brothers.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This recording honors the great Antonin Dvorak with some of his most beloved pieces being performed by world class artists such as Daniil Trifonov.
The 2009 Verbier Festival starred two generations of pianists: the "Argentinian lion" Martha Argerich and the young Chinese Yuja Wang. On the program, Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2 with Martha Argerich and two sonatas by Scarlatti with Yuja Wang. The soiree closes with the young pianist's incredible encore performance, the third movement of Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 11 (best known as the Turkish March or Alla Turca ) in an arrangement by Arcadi Volodos.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
Lars Vogt's performances at the 2011 Verbier Festival offer a thought-provoking and varied programme. Works by some of the leading composers of the classical repertoire - Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven and Brahms - receive a melancholic introduction with Janacek's In the Mists. The sense of unity delivered by Vogt's playing strikes equally in the subtle balance required of a Brahms Intermezzo and the boisterousness and elevation of Beethoven's last piano sonata. In Mozart's Piano Concerto, K. 451, Vogt proves himself to be equally skilled as a concerto soloist, blending in the orchestral writing with perfect ease.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This series present the highlights of the 19th edition of the Verbier Festival, featuring renowned artists such as Neeme Jarvi, Denis Matsuev, Menahem Pressler, Christoph Pregardien, and the Capucon brothers
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This series of TV programmes by Ideale Audience present the highlights of the Verbier Festival 2011, featuring renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin, Lars Vogt, Yuja Wang, Renaud Capucon, Khatia Buniatishvili, and Nelson Goerner.
These magnificent interpretations of three Mendelssohn works - two orchestral and one chamber - are given by the phenomenally talented young Chinese pianist Yuja Wang and other young performers. Praised in BBC Music Magazine for her "keen intelligence" and "staggering technique," Yuja Wang has also been described by the San Francisco Chronicle as "the sort of musician whose combination of talents appears in the world only rarely." The Verbier Festival Orchestra consists of musicians hand-picked from every part of the world. Here they are directed by the doyen of German Mendelssohn conductors, Kurt Masur.
For this concert, three Russian pianists came together: Valery Gergiev, Daniil Trifonov and Denis Matsuev. They opened the performance with Mozart's Concerto for 3 pianos . Gergiev then exchanged the piano for the baton, conducting the Verbier Festival Orchestra in an interpretation of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 .
The Verbier Festival, held each summer in the Swiss Alps, has developed over seventeen years into one of the most important classical music festivals in Europe, bringing together great musical talent and dedicated music lovers alike from across the globe. Yuri Temirkanov - born, bred and educated in Leningrad - directs the Festival's 100-strong orchestra-in-residence in this captivating performance of Shostakovich's Symphony No. 10, his interpretation inspired by a Russian heritage which the orchestra evokes with brilliance and vivacity.
For the first time in ten years, Martha Argerich performed Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 1 . Argerich has been dominating the piano scene since the 1960s thanks to a wide and varied repertoire, never conformist. Her phenomenal technique and great sensitivity have allowed her to stamp her mark on the most demanding works of the repertoire. She is very familiar with the Verbier Festival, and she opened the 2014 edition with the famous Concerto for piano No. 1 by Tchaikovsky, with conductor Charles Dutoit, musical director of the Verbier Festival Orchestra. This milestone performance also presented Brahms's first symphony ( Beethoven's Tenth , according to Hans von Bulow).
Singer, pianist and conductor Michel Legrand, a living film music legend, presents his most famous scores, jazz tunes and chansons on this video. Not many composers can claim to have written for both Edith Piaf and the James Bond films - and it's precisely this fusion of European romance and Hollywood dynamism that has made Legrand one of the soundtrack world's best known names. His career spans half-a-century and over 200 films, and he has received three Oscars and five Grammys. He has worked with many of the 20th century's greatest artists, including Frank Sinatra, Miles Davis, Barbra Streisand, Edith Piaf, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles and has collaborated with French Nouvelle Vague directors Jean-Luc Godard and Claude Chabrol as well as Hollywood masters Clint Eastwood and Orson Welles. Recorded live in Brussels in 2005, this recording features music from Yentl , The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg , The Three Musketeers , Summer of '42 , Never Say Never Again , Edith and Ray's Blues to name but a few.
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
Pixel is a stunning contemporary dance performance for 11 dancers in a virtual and living visual environment. A work on illusion combining energy and poetry, fiction and technical achievement, minimal music and hip-hop. It opens a dialogue between the synthetic world of digital projection and the real bodies of dancers. Pixel appeals to fans of contemporary dance, urban and hip-hop moves, with elements of circus too. Artistic Director and choreograper Mourad Merzouki, together with his Compagnle Kafig has elevated hip-hop to the world stage. In doing so he has created a multicultural contemporary dance form which takes equal place with modern dance and other idioms of the genre. He has incorporated circus elements, martial arts, contemporary dance and puppetry, and brought in performers from Algeria, Brazil and Taiwan in order to develop his ideas. The music was composed by French composer Armand Amar won a Cesar award for his original soundtrack.
This entertaining video comprises the enjoyable dance performance A Night in Vienna, a one-hour celebration of the music of the Johann Strausses ?EUR" father and son. This recording recreates the beauty and atmosphere of the ballroom performances of 19th-century Vienna, charting the rise of the waltz craze. In the wonderful setting of the Hofburg in Vienna, the former residence of the Habsburg rulers, the period instrument orchestra Wiener Akademie plays favourites by the Strauss family and Joseph Lanner, and dance performances in historical costumes recreate the atmosphere of the first half of the 19th century.
This production with Christa Ludwig, alto, the Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, the Vienna Boys' Choir and the Vienna Philharmonic was recorded at Vienna's Musikvereinssaal in 1972. Leonard Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video.
The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Gotterdammerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
Leonard Bernstein conducted the work at the Salzburg Festival in 1975 and shortly thereafter in Vienna's Konzerthaus, where it was recorded. The stage of the Konzerthaus was enlarged to make room for the unusually large orchestra, the two choruses, the children's choir and the soloists.
Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Götterdämmerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
Little is known about the origin of the Mass No. 6 other than that Schubert wrote it in 1828, just a few months before his death. He does not seem to have had a specific performance in mind, and the work was only premiered in November 1829, a year after his death. Critics have since given the Mass an honored place among the composer's great works, many ranking it as his finest church composition. Although Schubert calls for five soloists (soprano, alto, two tenors and bass), the Mass is essentially a choral Mass. The composer calls for a large orchestra, including three trombones, but he omits the flutes and keeps the violins in their lower register, thereby giving the piece a dark, shaded tone.
Schubert's E flat major Mass was recorded at the Court Music Chapel (Hofmusikkapelle) in Vienna in June 1976. The eminent conductor Karl Böhm leads the Vienna Philharmonic and the male choir of the Hofmusikkapelle. The upper registers are provided by the world-renowned Vienna Boys' Choir. The distinguished soloists are Walter Berry, Peter Schreier and Hans Krenn.
This recording captures the Vienna Boys' Choir's fitting celebration of Mozart's 250th birthday in January 2006. Together with well known Mozart interpreters like Sandrine Piau, they sing Mozart's finest sacred works, including the Coronation Mass. The Choir is one of the best-known musical institutions in Vienna. Since its founding over 500 years ago, it has been a significant fixture in musical life worldwide. Many famous composers and musicians had close ties to the Vienna Boys' Choir - Joseph Haydn and Franz Schubert were even members of the choir as children and Mozart, while not a choirboy himself, did perform with the choir. The venue is St. Stephen's Cathedral, where Mozart and his wife were married, where one of their sons was christened and where the funeral ceremony after Mozart's death took place.
Bonus features:
- Mozart in Vienna - Mozart's most critical years in Vienna. Examining the authentic Mozart sites in Vienna such as the Mozart House at Domgasse 5 (Figaro-Haus), the Theater an der Wien and the Stephansdom helps put into focus Mozart's special connection to the city and the Viennese relationship to Mozart.
Bathed in the warm light of the setting sun, Vienna's imperial Schonbrunn Palace provides a romantic setting for this open-air concert held shortly before the final match of the Euro 2008 football championship. And shining even more brightly than the palace are the stars of the evening, Anna Netrebko, Rolando Villazon and Placido Domingo.
The trio's first joint concert, given at Berlin's Waldbuhne for the 2006 football World Cup, was awarded platinum status for sales of over 50,000 DVDs in Germany and over 100,000 worldwide. The Schonbrunn concert also broke records with 3.3 million viewers watching the concert live or deferred in Germany and Austria.
Netrebko "beguiles the audience" (Neue Kronen-Zeitung) with a heady rendition of a number from the operetta Csardasfurstin and lets herself be swept off her feet in a waltz with her duet partner Placido Domingo. The great tenor himself regales the audience with his "golden tones" (Die Presse) and "vocal youthfulness" (Suddeutsche Zeitung) in excerpts from Massenet and Wagner. Villazon "dazzles with bravura arias" (Wiener Zeitung), duets and a fiery zarzuela encore. In an emotional homage to Vienna, the trio performs the immortal "Wien, Wien nur du allein." Other gems include Rimsky-Korsakov's "The Rose and the Nightingale,"...
Little is known about the origin of the Mass No. 6 other than that Schubert wrote it in 1828, just a few months before his death. He does not seem to have had a specific performance in mind, and the work was only premiered in November 1829, a year after his death. Critics have since given the Mass an honored place among the composer's great works, many ranking it as his finest church composition. Although Schubert calls for five soloists (soprano, alto, two tenors and bass), the Mass is essentially a choral Mass. The composer calls for a large orchestra, including three trombones, but he omits the flutes and keeps the violins in their lower register, thereby giving the piece a dark, shaded tone.
Schubert's E flat major Mass was recorded at the Court Music Chapel (Hofmusikkapelle) in Vienna in June 1976. The eminent conductor Karl Böhm leads the Vienna Philharmonic and the male choir of the Hofmusikkapelle. The upper registers are provided by the world-renowned Vienna Boys' Choir. The distinguished soloists are Walter Berry, Peter Schreier and Hans Krenn.
The Creatures of Prometheus , a ballet produced in Vienna in 1801, was not well received at its first performance. Today, aside from the overture, the ballet music is rarely heard. This work was composed during a time of intense personal crisis for Beethoven. In 1801 he wrote a friend, "I am leading a miserable life; for almost two years now I have been avoiding all social functions simply because I feel incapable of telling people that I am deaf." The ballet is based on the myth of the god Prometheus, who stole the fire from the heavens and gave it to mankind, along with the knowledge of arts and sciences. In writing the Prometheus score, Beethoven had to adhere to the conventions of ballet music, which required a chain of relatively short pieces.
This recording is part of Leonard Bernstein’s Beethoven cycle, recorded primarily with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in the early 1980s. Writing in The New York Times, critic John J. O'Connor stated: "As Mr. Bernstein says, there is 'no single body of work in the universe of orchestral music that is in any way comparable to this one.' Conducted with intense dedication and soaring spirits by Mr. Bernstein, these recordings are superb, both visually and aurally."
In the spring of 1810, the Vienna Burgtheater commissioned Beethoven to compose incidental music for a stage production of Goethe's tragedy Egmont. Although Beethoven was a great admirer of Goethe and was profoundly flattered by this commission, he did not complete the music by the time the play was given its premiere on 24 May 1810. Only at the third performance of the play on 15 June was Beethoven's music heard for the first time. Like the Leonore overtures, the Egmont foreshadows the events to come; they are encapsulated in the main theme of defiance of tyranny, which gives the music its explosive power.
Bernstein's impassioned renderings of Beethoven move audiences in a unique way. "Beethoven has always meant universality to me, ever since my early adolescence, when I first heard that unforgettable cry of 'Brüder!' From that moment on, every...symphony came to mean heart-to-heart communication, travelling satellite-fashion via the cosmos itself. I offer [this cycle] to all music-loving ears as a testament of faith and of my most profound reactions to this greatest of all composers" (Leonard Bernstein, 1980).
The key of C minor was Beethoven's "Storm and Stress" key, that of some of his most dramatic and heroic works, such as the Fifth Symphony and the Pathetique Sonata . Composed around 1800, the Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37 displays an emotional intensity that marks it as one of the first of Beethoven's mature and individual major works. As if to show that the keyboard was too narrow for his ideas, Beethoven rewrote some of the piano part in 1804 to incorporate the extra notes that had been added to the keyboard in the first years of the century. The simple but assertive opening theme of the first movement is treated with bold imaginativeness. The Largo sets the stage for a true dialogue between the piano and the orchestra, which culminates in the almost aggressive earnestness of the Rondo .
Maurizio Pollini is one of the most distinguished pianists of our time, who has performed with the world's leading orchestras. A committed advocate of contemporary music, Pollini frequently performs works by Schoenberg, Berg, Webern, Nono, Boulez and Stockhausen. However, he has also given complete cycles of the Beethoven sonatas in Berlin, Milan, New York, Munich and other cities. On the occasion of a performance of the Beethoven concertos at New York's Carnegie Hall,...
The Fourth Symphony was first performed in Vienna in 1807 at the home of one of Beethoven's patrons, Prince Franz Joseph Lobkowitz. Compared with the Third Symphony , the Fourth is more modest and traditional; its style and structure are closer to the Second . The Fourth Symphony is not a monumental work; on the contrary, the orchestra is the smallest for any Beethoven symphony. The gentle harmony and placidity of this symphony prompted the French composer Hector Berlioz to comment about the second movement: "...the being who wrote such a marvel of inspiration... was not human."
This recording is part of Bernstein's complete cycle of Beethoven symphonies recorded with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra live in Vienna. The series won the Ace Award, the U.S. Cable TV Association's top award for outstanding quality and entertainment value. Bernstein's impassioned renderings of Beethoven move audiences in a unique way. "Beethoven has always meant universality to me, ever since my early adolescence, when I first heard that unforgettable cry of 'Brüder!'. From that moment on, every... symphony came to mean heart-to-heart communication, travelling satellite-fashion via the cosmos itself. I offer [this cycle] to all music-loving ears as a testament of faith and of my most...
Nature was often Beethoven's companion during his long solitary walks in the countryside near Vienna. His communion with nature brought forth the Pastoral Symphony , composed between in 1807/1808. Its first performance took place in Vienna on 22 December 1808. Each of the Pastoral 's five movements (it is Beethoven's only five-movement symphony) bears a descriptive title, suggesting a scene from country life. In the second movement, woodwinds imitate bird calls: flute (nightingale), oboe (quail)and clarinet (cuckoo). Beethoven's joy is expressed throughout the work: "How glad I am to be able to roam in woods and thickets, among the trees,flowers and rocks", he said. "No one can love the country as I do... my bad hearing does not trouble me here."
This recording is part of Bernstein's complete cycle of Beethoven symphonies recorded with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra live in Vienna. The series won the Ace Award, the U.S. Cable TV Association's top award for outstanding quality and entertainment value. Bernstein's impassioned renderings of Beethoven move audiences in a unique way. "Beethoven has always meant universality to me, ever since my early adolescence, when I first heard that unforgettable cry of 'Brüder!'. From that moment on, every... symphony came to mean...
The first performance of this work in 1813 was a spectacular event. The long awaited Seventh was completed in May 1812 when the Austrian capital was recovering from the French occupation. The defeat of Napoleon's armies made the concert an occasion for celebration, and this historical event helped ensure the work's enormous popularity and the composer's lasting fame. The Seventh Symphony is one of the best examples of how Beethoven used simple harmonies and filled them with energetic, repetitive rhythms, which never become monotonous because of the fresh harmonic progressions that accompany them.
This recording is part of Bernstein's complete cycle of Beethoven symphonies recorded with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra live in Vienna. The series won the Ace Award, the U.S. Cable TV Association's top award for outstanding quality and entertainment value. Bernstein’s impassioned renderings of Beethoven move audiences in a unique way. "Beethoven has always meant universality to me, ever since my early adolescence, when I first heard that unforgettable cry of 'Brüder!'. From that moment on, every symphony came to mean heart-to-heart communication, travelling satellite-fashion via the cosmos itself. I offer [this cycle] to all music-loving ears as a testament of faith and...
Between 1981 and 1984, Leonard Bernstein recorded nearly all of Brahms's orchestral works with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra to honor the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth in 1833. Today, the cycle is considered as a landmark in the interpretation of Brahms's music. For Bernstein, Brahms was "a true Romantic, containing his passions in classical garb," but also a "North-German classicist swept away to Vienna, and fired by Danubian, Carpathian and gypsy passions." Bearing this dualism in mind, Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic have underscored both the classicism and romanticism, the dramatic intensity and the sober restraint of Brahms's music. The venue was Vienna's Musikvereinssaal, where two of Brahms's symphonies were premiered and where Brahms himself conducted. For the concertos, Bernstein enlisted the services of some of the finest Brahms interpreters of the time: the violinist Gidon Kremer, the cellist Misha Maisky and the pianist Krystian Zimerman.
Brahms's sunny Second Symphony is as warm and lyrical as his First had been stormy and dramatic. It quite possibly reflects the idyllic nature around Lake Wörth in Austria, where Brahms composed it in the summer of 1877. Brahms himself, however, called attention to the melancholy current that undermines the pastoral serenity ("You’ve never heard anything as world-weary as this", he wrote to his friend Schubring). Despite the apparent simplicity of the symphonic writing, the work is strengthened and enriched by many thematic threads that run from one movement to another. It has been a special favorite among music lovers since its premiere in Vienna on 30 December 1877. The celebrated 19th-century music critic Eduard Hanslick wrote that it was for “all who long for good music, whether they understand its complexity or not”. Carlos Kleiber was born in Berlin on 3 July 1930, the son of the celebrated conductor Erich Kleiber. He was raised in Argentina after his family fled Nazi Germany. After the war, Kleiber went to Switzerland to study chemistry. His musical talent carried the day, however, and he made his conducting debut in Potsdam in 1954. He worked his way through the ranks of provincial opera houses, making longer stops in Düsseldorf, Zurich,...
Between 1981 and 1984, Leonard Bernstein recorded nearly all of Brahms's orchestral works with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra to honor the 150th anniversary of the composer's birth in 1833. Today, the cycle is considered as a landmark in the interpretation of Brahms's music. For Bernstein, Brahms was "a true Romantic, containing his passions in classical garb", but also a "North-German classicist swept away to Vienna, and fired by Danubian, Carpathian and gypsy passions". Bearing this dualism in mind, Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic have underscored both the classicism and romanticism, the dramatic intensity and the sober restraint of Brahms's music. The venue was Vienna's Musikvereinssaal, where two of Brahms's symphonies were premiered and where Brahms himself conducted. For the concertos, Bernstein enlisted the services of some of the finest Brahms interpreters of the time: the violinist Gidon Kremer, the cellist Mischa Maisky and the pianist Krystian Zimerman.
Rafael Kubelik was a full-blooded musician. Every performance of his radiated a feeling of spontaneity, impulsiveness and joy. Kubelik died in Lucerne in August 1996 at the age of 82 after a long illness. Bruckner’s Fourth had a tortuous history, beginning with a first version in 1874 and leading to a number of revisions, both major and minor, culminating in a heavily cut first publication of the score in 1889. This first edition, however, violated Bruckner’s express wishes that the score be printed in its entirety. After World War II, a new scholarly edition was published and is generally used for performances to this day. Rafael Kubelik leads the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in this recording.
On the occasion of Bruckner's 100th day of death, Pierre Boulez conducts his eighth Symphony. The performance took place in the Stiftskirche of St. Florian where Bruckner was first exposed to the learnings of music. Boulez' much discussed interpretation is unique in its clarity of the musical structure without losing the rich expression of the symphony.
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Just a few months before his final illness and death, Leonard Bernstein conducted three masterworks by Gustav Mahler in a concert at Vienna's Musikvereinssaal with the Vienna Philharmonic. The program consisted of the Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen , the Ruckertlieder and the Kindertotenlieder . The soloist was the American baritone Thomas Hampson. The trade publication Musik & Theater wrote: "I know of no other baritone today who can profess a similar mastery of these three Mahler song cycles on a vocal, emotional and textually sensitive level ... [It is] a singular vocal accomplishment and a worthy conclusion of Bernstein's extensive Mahler discography."
Just a few months before his final illness and death, Leonard Bernstein conducted three masterworks by Gustav Mahler in a concert at Vienna's Musikvereinssaal with the Vienna Philharmonic. The program consisted of the Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, the Ruckertlieder and the Kindertotenlieder. The soloist was the American baritone Thomas Hampson. The trade publication Musik & Theater wrote: "I know of no other baritone today who can profess a similar mastery of these three Mahler song cycles on a vocal, emotional and textually sensitive level... [It is] a singular vocal accomplishment and a worthy conclusion of Bernstein's extensive Mahler discography."
Just a few months before his final illness and death, Leonard Bernstein conducted three masterworks by Gustav Mahler in a concert at Vienna's Musikvereinssaal with the Vienna Philharmonic. The program consisted of the Lieder eines fahrenden Gesellen, the Ruckertlieder and the Kindertotenlieder. The soloist was the American baritone Thomas Hampson. The trade publication Musik & Theater wrote: "I know of no other baritone today who can profess a similar mastery of these three Mahler song cycles on a vocal, emotional and textually sensitive level... [It is] a singular vocal accomplishment and a worthy conclusion of Bernstein's extensive Mahler discography."
Leonard Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major re-appreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Gotterdammerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
Mahler's last symphony was begun in the summer of 1910, ostensibly during a serious conjugal crisis, and was left unfinished at the time of the composer's death in Vienna on 18 May 1911. The work was to have consisted of five movements, though it is possible that Mahler might have altered his original plan. And while several attempts have been made to complete the work on the basis of sketches, only the first movement, Adagio , was fully completed by the composer. It is an austere piece, with incisive sonorities and an ethereal beauty.
Leonard Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major re-appreciation of Mahler's works.
This production with Christa Ludwig, alto, the Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, the Vienna Boys' Choir and the Vienna Philharmonic was recorded at Vienna's Musikvereinssaal in 1972. Leonard Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video.
The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Gotterdammerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Gotterdammerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Gotterdammerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
Long considered as a particularly demanding and difficult work, the Symphony No. 6 in A minor was begun in 1903, completed the following year and premiered in Essen on 27 May 1906. Superficially, it is the most conventional in that it follows the traditional four-movement form and ends in the key in which it begins. Although this key, A minor, is a tragic one in Mahler's oeuvre, the work itself is not a song of despair, but a dense and forceful testimony of furious inner battles whose outcome remains unclear until the very end.
Leonard Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major re-appreciation of Mahler's works.
Leonard Bernstein conducted the work at the Salzburg Festival in 1975 and shortly thereafter in Vienna's Konzerthaus, where it was recorded. The stage of the Konzerthaus was enlarged to make room for the unusually large orchestra, the two choruses, the children's choir and the soloists.
Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Götterdämmerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
Leonard Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Götterdämmerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
The most spectacular homage to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart on his 250th birthday in 2006 was incontestably the presentation of all of his operas and operatic fragments at the Salzburg Festival, "Mozart 22." Recorded on film, this monumental project has been preserved for posterity as a benchmark of Mozart interpretation in the early 21st century. The Mozart Gala held at the Felsenreitschule on 30 July 2006, in the first days of the 2006 Salzburg Festival, presents a kind of microcosm of the Mozart festivities, with a selection of arias and orchestral music performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Daniel Harding and featuring some of the top vocalists of the 2006 Salzburg Festival.
A sampling of exquisite hors d'oeuvres prepared by the most outstanding musical chefs! Internationally celebrated soprano Anna Netrebko lives up to her reputation as a fiery, dramatic diva in her passionate rendition of Elettra's aria "D'Oreste, d'Aiace" from Idomeneo. Thomas Hampson, one of the greatest baritones of our time, burnishes Guglielmo's aria "Rivolgete a lui lo sguardo" from Cosi fan tutte with his full, rich, mellow tone. Leading Mozart tenor Michael Schade appears twice, in arias from Don Giovanni and La clemenza di Tito. A particularly bright moment awaits listeners when Rene...
Karl Bohm heads the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in this performance of the Minuet, K. 409, written in Vienna towards 1782. It was presumably composed for a performance of the Symphony in C major, K. 338 in Vienna's Augarten in May 1782. Let us recall that the autograph of the Symphony, K. 338, written in Salzburg, contained only the beginning of a minuet, which was then crossed out. The more progressive Viennese public preferred four-movement works, which might explain the origin of this minuet, one of Mozart's most imaginative and beguiling.
Karl Bohm was universally acclaimed for his Mozart interpretations. Though Wagner was one of Bohm's first loves, his friendship with Richard Strauss led to a deep knowledge and appreciation of Mozart. In his autobiography, Bohm wrote that "Richard Strauss revealed to me the ultimate secrets of this, in my opinion, greatest of all musical geniuses, Mozart." Bohm's discovery of these secrets transformed his Mozart interpretations into unforgettable events.
Karl Böhm leads the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in this little work
written by Mozart in Salzburg in January 1776. What sets this work apart from other serenades is its scoring for two small orchestras, which produces a deliberate echo effect. One can almost imagine the courtly guests bantering amidst the two groups of players at the opposite ends of a grand salon. Although the work begins with a march, called "Marcia maestoso," it soon gives up all martial pretenses for lightness and grace. The final Rondo is particularly spirited and frisky, with episodes of a nature that must have made more than one guest stop mid-conversation!
Karl Böhm was universally acclaimed for his Mozart interpretations. Though Wagner was one of Böhm's first loves, his friendship with Richard Strauss led to a deep knowledge and appreciation of Mozart. In his autobiography, Böhm wrote that "Richard Strauss revealed to me the ultimate secrets of this, in my opinion, greatest of all musical geniuses, Mozart." Böhm's discovery of these secrets transformed his Mozart interpretations into unforgettable events.
Filmed mainly in Vienna's splendid Musikvereinssaal, the Mozart symphonies conducted by Karl Böhm are all interpreted by one of the world's foremost orchestras, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, whose principal conductors have included Wilhelm Furtwängler, Bruno Walter, Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado and, of course, Karl Böhm. "Thanks to Bruno Walter's exemplary performances, particularly of Mozart's works, I grabbed on to Mozart and fell in love with him so much that I had only one wish: to conduct Mozart, Mozart, Mozart" (Karl Böhm).
Mozart wrote his first symphony in London in 1764/65 at the age of 8. The boy sought his inspiration above all in the works of a German composer who had settled in London: Johann Christian Bach, the youngest son of the great Johann Sebastian, who became a lifelong friend of Mozart and exerted a strong influence on his style. The work reflects the Italian opera buffa atmosphere of the young symphonic genre, and its freshness and experimental delight in sonorities anticipate the inventiveness and mastery of Mozart's later works.
Karl Böhm was universally acclaimed for his Mozart interpretations. Though Wagner was one of Böhm's first loves, his friendship with Richard Strauss led to a deep knowledge and appreciation of Mozart. In his...
Filmed mainly in Vienna's splendid Musikvereinssaal, the Mozart symphonies conducted by Karl Bohm are all interpreted by one of the world's foremost orchestras, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, whose principal conductors have included Wilhelm Furtwangler, Bruno Walter, Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado and, of course, Karl Bohm. "Thanks to Bruno Walter's exemplary performances, particularly of Mozart's works, I grabbed on to Mozart and fell in love with him so much that I had only one wish: to conduct Mozart, Mozart, Mozart" (Karl Bohm).
Like the "Little" G minor Symphony, K. 183, the Symphony in C major, K. 200 is also one of the early "Salzburg" symphonies. Its originality places it on a par with the G minor work. The onward-rushing, sharply profiled theme prefigured an evolution which led to a more individual characterization of the melodies and to a more thorough exploitation of their combinative possibilities. While the muted strings and "sigh" motifs of the Andante point to techniques Mozart was to perfect in later works, the final sprightly Presto recalls the structure of the opening movement, thus rounding off the work in an admirable fashion.
Karl Böhm was universally acclaimed for his Mozart interpretations. Though Wagner was one of Bohm's first loves, his...
Rafael Kubelik (1914-1996) was the son of the well-known Bohemian violinist Jan Kubelik. He studied music in Prague and made his conducting debut at 20 at the head of the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra. Later he became the principal conductor of this famous orchestra and founded the Prague Spring Festival. After the Communist takeover of the government, Kubelik emigrated to the West and returned to his native land only after the end of the Communist regime. From 1950 to 1953 he headed the Chicago Symphony, and from 1955 to 1958 he was music director of the Covent Garden Opera in London. A period of great artistic successes began in 1961, when he was appointed principal conductor of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra. Many recordings document Kubelik's mastery and sense of artistry, his enjoyment of music and his temperament. His connection with the Munich orchestra lasted 18 years; in between, he also briefly served as music director of New York's Metropolitan Opera. Kubelik retired from the concert stage in 1985, but on the occasion of the first Prague Spring Festival after the fall of Communism in 1990, he returned to the podium of the Czech Philharmonic after more than 40 years in exile and conducted Smetana's My Fatherland cycle. His profound bonds with his native land...
Filmed mainly in Vienna's splendid Musikvereinssaal, the Mozart symphonies conducted by Karl Bohm are all interpreted by one of the world's foremost orchestras, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, whose principal conductors have included Wilhelm Furtwangler, Bruno Walter, Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado and, of course, Karl Bohm. "Thanks to Bruno Walter's exemplary performances, particularly of Mozart's works, I grabbed on to Mozart and fell in love with him so much that I had only one wish: to conduct Mozart, Mozart, Mozart" (Karl Bohm).
The G minor Symphony is undoubtedly Mozart's most popular work in this genre. What makes it so exciting to us – and what endeared this work to 19th-century audiences – are its relentless passion and romantic tension. The very first bars set the scene: above a nervous, pulsating viola accompaniment enters an equally agitated principal theme. There is nothing spectacular here, and yet the piano beginning – unusual for an 18th-century symphony – and the insistent rhythm are nothing less than gripping. The mastery with which Mozart then contrapuntally exploits the opening theme is simply breathtaking – particularly in the development section, which darts out into the most distant keys. After the profoundly...
Filmed mainly in Vienna's splendid Musikvereinssaal, the Mozart symphonies conducted by Karl Bohm are all interpreted by one of the world's foremost orchestras, the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, whose principal conductors have included Wilhelm Furtwangler, Bruno Walter, Herbert von Karajan, Claudio Abbado and, of course, Karl Bohm. "Thanks to Bruno Walter's exemplary performances, particularly of Mozart's works, I grabbed on to Mozart and fell in love with him so much that I had only one wish: to conduct Mozart, Mozart, Mozart" (Karl Bohm).
Mozart's last symphony is a solemn and formal work which looks back to the past more than its two fellow works K. 504 and 550. It contains strong reminiscences of Baroque forms like the fugue and the concerto grosso in its opposition of clear-cut themes and the interplay of solo and tutti groups. Particularly the last movement is one of the most impressive in symphonic literature because of its unique blend of melodic flow and "scholarly" fugal treatment. Although not truly a fugue, the movement incorporates some exciting imitative work. The theme was well known and often used in the 18th century. Mozart himself used it in two of his masses and in the Symphony, K. 319. The "Jupiter" Symphony, a truly Olympian work, must be viewed together...
The Violin Concertos K. 211, 216, 218 and 219 were all composed within a few months, between June and December 1775, while Mozart was in the employ of the Archbishop of Salzburg. The Violin Concerto No. 2 radiates a distinctly galant atmosphere reminiscent of the French style of violin playing. Dazzling and elegant, it gives the soloist luminous passages such as the minor-key melody in the first movement and the main melody of the Andante. The concluding Rondo again recalls the brilliance of the French style. After having devoted himself to Baroque music for many years, Nikolaus Harnoncourt began turning increasingly to the orchestral works of Mozart in the 1980s. Here, too, Harnoncourt's views differed radically from those of traditional Mozart reception. For him, Mozart is "the most romantic composer of all," his music "dramatic, dynamic, often strikingly and exceedingly emotional."
In Gidon Kremer, Harnoncourt found a partner who shared his views. The German-Russian violin virtuoso has also sought his own path in his Mozart interpretations. In 1970 the then 23-year-old virtuoso attained the first peak of his career by winning the first prize at the International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow. He has since become one of the most sought-after violinists in the world. It...
Put one of the world's greatest orchestras in the hands of one of the foremost specialists of 20th-century music, add a soloist who is one of today's leading pianists and conductors, and you are assured of a concert of superlatives that pays glowing tribute to three major works of the past century. The official Salzburg Festival opening concert of the Wiener Philharmoniker is conducted by Pierre Boulez, once the "enfant terrible" of the musical world, now a sensitive, analytical conductor of works from the 19th and 20th centuries.
Combining Béla Bartók's Piano Concerto No. 1 - Daniel Barenboim is the soloist - with Maurice Ravel's Valses nobles et sentimentales and Igor Stravinsky's Firebird ballet in its full-length version of 1910, Boulez weaves a compelling musical texture that uncovers the links among the three works and the three composers. The concert begins with a shimmering rendition of the Valses nobles et sentimentales , an homage to Schubert and a farewell to the waltz itself. This work of bold dissonances, abrasive harmonies and colorful chromaticism is followed by Bartók's concerto of 1926, which seems to animate Ravel's tonal language with a percussive fury. The nearly 50-minute-long Firebird , which a virtually unknown 28-year-old Stravinsky wrote for the...
The opening of the Salzburg Festival, for many regarded as the world's most renowned music festival, is by tradition a high-profile event. In 2009, this first concert given by the Wiener Philharmoniker was conducted by Nikolaus Harnoncourt. The program is, in honor of the 80th birthday of the great Austrian conductor (6 Dec. 2009), purely Austrian.
Though it may seem unusual at first glance, under Harnoncourt's direction the disparate works fuse into a moving, slightly melancholy portrait of the Viennese dance in the early 19th century. The concert opens with Anton Webern's delicate orchestration of Schubert's Six German Dances, which segues into two polkas and a waltz by Josef Strauss, the younger – and bolder – composer brother of "Walzerkönig" Johann Strauss, Jr. With this alternation of bittersweet and brassy dances, the stage is set for Harnoncourt's staggering reading of Schubert's "Great" C major Symphony, in which the dance of death – so Viennese yet so universal – seems to have served as the composer's model.
Robert Schumann wrote his Cello Concerto in Düsseldorf in only two weeks. He himself did not play the cello, a fact which is immediately apparent from his treatment of the solo part. Passages of sweeping lyricism contrast sharply with excruciatingly difficult technical passages quite unsuited to the instrument. They make the concerto one of the most fearsome in all of cello literature. Schumann never heard the concerto played in public: the first performance did not take place until four years after his death. Recorded in 1985/86 at the Grosser Musikvereinssaal in Vienna, this recording features world-renowned cellist Mischa Maisky as the soloist accompanied by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra under the direction of Leonard Bernstein.
Following the cycles of orchestral works by Mahler, Beethoven and Brahms, Unitel chose to honor Robert Schumann in 1984/85 with this cycle performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein. Schumann's orchestral works are firmly established in the repertoire of the Vienna Philharmonic. The glowing, romantic sound of this orchestra and Leonard Bernstein's expressive interpretation complement each other in an ideal way to produce a perfect rendering of Schumann's symphonic oeuvre. Schumann's four symphonies, his Piano Concerto, the Violoncello Concerto and the Manfred Overture have been filmed and recorded in the "Golden Hall" of the Vienna Musikverein, held to rank acoustically among the world's best halls. The soloists are Justus Frantz, piano, and the cellist Misha Maisky.
Following the cycles of orchestral works by Mahler, Beethoven and Brahms, Unitel chose to honor Robert Schumann in 1984/85 with this cycle performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein. Schumann's orchestral works are firmly established in the repertoire of the Vienna Philharmonic. The glowing, romantic sound of this orchestra and Leonard Bernstein's expressive interpretation complement each other in an ideal way to produce a perfect rendering of Schumann's symphonic oeuvre. Schumann's four symphonies, his Piano Concerto, the Violoncello Concerto and the Manfred Overture have been filmed and recorded in the "Golden Hall" of the Vienna Musikverein, held to rank acoustically among the world's best halls. The soloists are Justus Frantz, piano, and the cellist Misha Maisky.
Following the cycles of orchestral works by Mahler, Beethoven and Brahms, Unitel chose to honor Robert Schumann in 1984/85 with this cycle performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein. Schumann's orchestral works are firmly established in the repertoire of the Vienna Philharmonic. The glowing, romantic sound of this orchestra and Leonard Bernstein's expressive interpretation complement each other in an ideal way to produce a perfect rendering of Schumann's symphonic oeuvre. Schumann's four symphonies, his Piano Concerto, the Violoncello Concerto and the Manfred Overture have been filmed and recorded in the "Golden Hall" of the Vienna Musikverein, held to rank acoustically among the world's best halls. The soloists are Justus Frantz, piano, and the cellist Misha Maisky.
Following the cycles of orchestral works by Mahler, Beethoven and Brahms, Unitel chose to honor Robert Schumann in 1984/85 with this cycle performed by the Vienna Philharmonic under Leonard Bernstein. Schumann's orchestral works are firmly established in the repertoire of the Vienna Philharmonic. The glowing, romantic sound of this orchestra and Leonard Bernstein's expressive interpretation complement each other in an ideal way to produce a perfect rendering of Schumann's symphonic oeuvre. Schumann's four symphonies, his Piano Concerto, the Violoncello Concerto and the Manfred Overture have been filmed and recorded in the "Golden Hall" of the Vienna Musikverein, held to rank acoustically among the world's best halls. The soloists are Justus Frantz, piano, and the cellist Misha Maisky.
In early October 1986, Leonard Bernstein conducted a benefit concert
for the restoration of Vienna's Musikvereinssaal. In this program he led
the Vienna Philharmonic in Shostakovich's Sixth Symphony and Sibelius's Second Symphony.
In the mid 1980s, Unitel began recording a complete cycle of Sibelius symphonies with Leonard Bernstein and the Vienna Philharmonic. Bernstein's death in 1990 unfortunately cut short this project after the release of Symphonies Nos. 1, 2, 5 and 7. They were recorded live at Vienna's Musikvereinssaal and were the object of stellar reviews. Bernstein, in the words of a leading Austrian daily regarding Symphony No. 1, "painted a canvas of late-Romantic splendor with the Philharmonic's sound – the incomparable brilliancy of the strings, the glowing intensity of the brass – in a way that only the greatest conductors can." And in its review of the Second Symphony, a major Viennese newspaper wrote: "For the sake of Jean Sibelius, Leonard Bernstein leaps with fanatical zeal into the heaving waves of late Romantic emotions." It is not surprising that Leonard Bernstein felt so passionately about Sibelius's music. In many respects, it strikingly parallels that of Gustav Mahler. In fact, Sibelius's oeuvre is seen along with Gustav Mahler's as the most important symphonic legacy between late Romanticism and modernity. And as Mahler's glowing advocate, Bernstein was suited like none other to disseminate the music of his great colleague Jean Sibelius.
Among the operas composed by Carl Maria von Weber (1786-1826), only Der Freischutz still enjoys unbroken popularity on the world's stages today. Other operas, such as Euryanthe , which he worked on for about two years in the early 1820s, were popular in their day but did not establish themselves in the repertoires of major opera houses. Although the opera Euryanthe contains many musical gems, it is its overture that is most often played today, a rousing work with gallant tunes, lyrical melodies and even some early Romantic ghost music. Leonard Bernstein conducts the Vienna Philharmonic in this recording produced at the Grosser Musikvereinssaal in Vienna in 1983.
In Spring 2009, the year of Joseph Haydn , Xavier de Maistre was invited to the Esterhazy Castle in Eisenstadt, where the composer officiated nearly thirty years. After an introduction in which he plays a solo Fantasy on a Theme of Haydn by Marcel Grandjany , we find with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra conducted by Bertrand de Billy performing the Haydn Concerto in D Major . The solo pieces Mandolin by Elias Parish-Alvars and Arabesque No. 1 by Claude Debussy complete this performance.
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
The Facebook Live Q&A event, with violinist Tianwa Yang and conductor Jun Markl moderated by Raymond Bisha , and it features the artists' recent Naxos release of Violin Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 by Prokofiev .
Recorded live in the Museum Quarter in Vienna in January 2006, this concert was inspired by the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, whose 250th birthday made this year a celebratory Mozart Anniversary all over the world. With artists like singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, rock flutist Ian Anderson (formerly of Jethro Tull), the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra and conductor Andrey Boreyko, this musical event proved to be a true crossover experience. All outstanding musical personalities in their field, the performers interpret Mozart's compositions in their personal musical languages whilst preserving the fascinating original spirit of Mozart. They produce a rousing, electrifying melange of classical, jazz and pop culture that shows that the impact of Mozart's music reaches far beyond the boundaries of classical music and can still reach the broad public of the 21st century. This is a must for crossover enthusiasts in the Mozart Year!
Bathed in the warm light of the setting sun, Vienna's imperial Schonbrunn Palace provides a romantic setting for this open-air concert held shortly before the final match of the Euro 2008 football championship. And shining even more brightly than the palace are the stars of the evening, Anna Netrebko, Rolando Villazon and Placido Domingo.
The trio's first joint concert, given at Berlin's Waldbuhne for the 2006 football World Cup, was awarded platinum status for sales of over 50,000 DVDs in Germany and over 100,000 worldwide. The Schonbrunn concert also broke records with 3.3 million viewers watching the concert live or deferred in Germany and Austria.
Netrebko "beguiles the audience" (Neue Kronen-Zeitung) with a heady rendition of a number from the operetta Csardasfurstin and lets herself be swept off her feet in a waltz with her duet partner Placido Domingo. The great tenor himself regales the audience with his "golden tones" (Die Presse) and "vocal youthfulness" (Suddeutsche Zeitung) in excerpts from Massenet and Wagner. Villazon "dazzles with bravura arias" (Wiener Zeitung), duets and a fiery zarzuela encore. In an emotional homage to Vienna, the trio performs the immortal "Wien, Wien nur du allein." Other gems include Rimsky-Korsakov's "The Rose and the Nightingale,"...
This recording captures the Vienna Boys' Choir's fitting celebration of Mozart's 250th birthday in January 2006. Together with well known Mozart interpreters like Sandrine Piau, they sing Mozart's finest sacred works, including the Coronation Mass. The Choir is one of the best-known musical institutions in Vienna. Since its founding over 500 years ago, it has been a significant fixture in musical life worldwide. Many famous composers and musicians had close ties to the Vienna Boys' Choir - Joseph Haydn and Franz Schubert were even members of the choir as children and Mozart, while not a choirboy himself, did perform with the choir. The venue is St. Stephen's Cathedral, where Mozart and his wife were married, where one of their sons was christened and where the funeral ceremony after Mozart's death took place.
Bonus features:
- Mozart in Vienna - Mozart's most critical years in Vienna. Examining the authentic Mozart sites in Vienna such as the Mozart House at Domgasse 5 (Figaro-Haus), the Theater an der Wien and the Stephansdom helps put into focus Mozart's special connection to the city and the Viennese relationship to Mozart.
This production with Christa Ludwig, alto, the Konzertvereinigung Wiener Staatsopernchor, the Vienna Boys' Choir and the Vienna Philharmonic was recorded at Vienna's Musikvereinssaal in 1972. Leonard Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video.
The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Gotterdammerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
Leonard Bernstein conducted the work at the Salzburg Festival in 1975 and shortly thereafter in Vienna's Konzerthaus, where it was recorded. The stage of the Konzerthaus was enlarged to make room for the unusually large orchestra, the two choruses, the children's choir and the soloists.
Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Götterdämmerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
Little is known about the origin of the Mass No. 6 other than that Schubert wrote it in 1828, just a few months before his death. He does not seem to have had a specific performance in mind, and the work was only premiered in November 1829, a year after his death. Critics have since given the Mass an honored place among the composer's great works, many ranking it as his finest church composition. Although Schubert calls for five soloists (soprano, alto, two tenors and bass), the Mass is essentially a choral Mass. The composer calls for a large orchestra, including three trombones, but he omits the flutes and keeps the violins in their lower register, thereby giving the piece a dark, shaded tone.
Schubert's E flat major Mass was recorded at the Court Music Chapel (Hofmusikkapelle) in Vienna in June 1976. The eminent conductor Karl Böhm leads the Vienna Philharmonic and the male choir of the Hofmusikkapelle. The upper registers are provided by the world-renowned Vienna Boys' Choir. The distinguished soloists are Walter Berry, Peter Schreier and Hans Krenn.
Ever since its founding in 1979, the Wiener Streichsextett (Vienna String Sextet) has ranked among the most distinguished chamber music ensembles in the international musical world. The six musicians – three of them are actually Viennese – discovered their enjoyment in making music together in their student days. The ensemble has been playing in the formation presented here since 1982. This live recording documents the debut of the ensemble at the Mozartwoche in Salzburg.
In the throes of his mortal illness, Franz Schubert (1797-1828) heroically succeeded in putting to paper his splendid last symphony, whose "divine lengths" are truly unique. Composed in 1825/26, Schubert's largest symphonic work lay nearly untouched for a decade after his death, finally catching the attention of Robert Schumann in 1838 and receiving its first performance one year later by Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy in the Leipzig Gewandhaus. In marked contrast to the equally-beloved "Unfinished" Symphony, Schubert devises a labyrinth of harmonies in a piece full of artless directness and joyful dance-like rhythms. Echoes of the visionary secrets of Romanticism surface from the depths of the work, only to be washed away by the inexorable current of the melodies. Never did Schubert write with such a lavish and impetuous hand than in his Ninth Symphony: "...it bears the eternal seed of youth within it" (Robert Schumann).
Karl Böhm conducts the Wiener Symphoniker in this recording made in the mid 1960s.
The remarkable British tenor, Ian Bostridge , is one of the world's most sought-after Lieder singers. Pianist Roger Vignoles is his accompanist for this recital of Lieder by Franz Schubert and Hugo Wolf . The strength of feeling and individuality of voice and presence that Bostridge brings to composers settings of poetry by von Collin, Goethe, von Bruchmann and Morike, demonstrates why, in Germany, he is hailed as a true German singer. His command of the nuances of the texts is masterful.
This live performance from the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris is intercut with informal backstage interviews in which Bostridge and Vignoles introduce their choice of music. Their lively and informative comments are a real bonus, fostering an appreciation and understanding of the repertoire and giving an insight into the art of the recitalist.
First Concert (19 June 2020)
In the first concert with Renaud Capucon, we have three masterpieces, which, although they adopt the three-movement structure dear to Vivaldi and present features that bring them closer to the Italian models, are distinguished by their contrapuntal richness, their writing density and the breadth of their developments. These qualities are particularly evident in the BWV 1042 in E major , with its extremely powerful architecture.
In these works, where the solo violin is called upon to express itself through singing rather than virtuosic prowess, there are these wonderful slow movements that are enough to crack even the most hardened non-musician. Those in the concertos in A minor and E major "offer to the bass repeated figures whose seriousness brings out the sweetness of the solo violin all the more".
Second Concert (02 July 2020)
For the second concert with David Fray, Bach composed a concerti group for one, two, three and four harpsichords in Leipzig around 1730, and as director of the Collegium Musicum, he was to provide a large amount of music for an essentially worldly audience. All these concerti are transcriptions of earlier works.
Bach left us three concertos for two harpsichords BWV 1060 to 1062 , two for three harpsichords...
World-renowned tenor Plácido Domingo is joined by Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna and a host of other international stars including Susan Graham, in the famously glittering 1996 Gala Concert on the stage of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Asher Fisch conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in a programme of many of the world's best-loved operatic arias with music by composers including Bizet, Massenet, Gounod, Mozart and Donizetti.
The excitement is palpable at Paris' Théâtre des Champs-Elysées this 28 March 2007. Anna Netrebko is not only making her debut in France, but she is making it with Rolando Villazon. The "dream couple" of the opera world is about to bring its incomparable charm and magnetism to France's "melomanes," and the result is nothing less than phenomenal: "An unforgettable evening, rich in emotions, which many spectators will look back on with nostalgia one day and say: 'I was there!'" No matter where they appear, Netrebko and Villazon inevitably work their magic on the audience, whether it consists of hundreds or, when broadcast on TV, of millions.
For their Paris concert, the duo chose a broad selection of chiefly late Romantic works – the style for which their voices seem to be tailor-made. A tribute to France is offered with excerpts from Gounod's Romeo et Juliette and the little-known Polyeucte, along with the famous "duo de Saint-Sulpice" from Massenet's Manon. Not surprisingly, a Russian composer also graces the program; Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin and Iolantha are sung superbly by Netrebko. Villazon's Latin blood heats up Spanish songs by Sotullo-Otero, Vert, Moreno-Torroba and Penella. But it's in the Italian repertoire that the couple reaches heights of...
The excitement is palpable at Paris' Théâtre des Champs-Elysées this 28 March 2007. Anna Netrebko is not only making her debut in France, but she is making it with Rolando Villazon. The "dream couple" of the opera world is about to bring its incomparable charm and magnetism to France's "melomanes," and the result is nothing less than phenomenal: "An unforgettable evening, rich in emotions, which many spectators will look back on with nostalgia one day and say: 'I was there!'" No matter where they appear, Netrebko and Villazon inevitably work their magic on the audience, whether it consists of hundreds or, when broadcast on TV, of millions.
For their Paris concert, the duo chose a broad selection of chiefly late Romantic works – the style for which their voices seem to be tailor-made. A tribute to France is offered with excerpts from Gounod's Romeo et Juliette and the little-known Polyeucte, along with the famous "duo de Saint-Sulpice" from Massenet's Manon. Not surprisingly, a Russian composer also graces the program; Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin and Iolantha are sung superbly by Netrebko. Villazon's Latin blood heats up Spanish songs by Sotullo-Otero, Vert, Moreno-Torroba and Penella. But it's in the Italian repertoire that the couple reaches heights of...
It would be hard to imagine a more seductive hero, a more passionate performer, a more glorious interpreter of the great Romantic roles of Verdi and Puccini than Rolando Villazon. Yet the singer's temporary withdrawal from the spotlight in 2007 opened up a wealth of new possibilities for the singer. Among the "new paths" that Villazon envisioned for the future were "adventures" such as Baroque music. Next to a recording of works by the early Baroque composer Claudio Monteverdi, he now offers a selection of arias by George Frideric Handel.
This intimate concert featuring Villazon and the Gabrieli Players under Paul McCreesh was filmed in a setting that ideally suits the style of the music, St. Paul's Church in Deptford, near London, one of Britain's finest Baroque churches. It was built between 1712 and 1730, almost exactly when Handel was writing his most celebrated operas and oratorios.
Villazon proves that he is a master of dazzling coloratura, virtuoso runs and expressive cantabile melodies. Among the highlights of the concert – which also includes two purely orchestral works – are the beloved arioso "Ombra mai fu" from Serse , Grimoaldo's aria "Pastorello d'un povero armento" from Rodelinda , the lyrical, longing "Scherza infida" from Ariodante , and...
Bathed in the warm light of the setting sun, Vienna's imperial Schonbrunn Palace provides a romantic setting for this open-air concert held shortly before the final match of the Euro 2008 football championship. And shining even more brightly than the palace are the stars of the evening, Anna Netrebko, Rolando Villazon and Placido Domingo.
The trio's first joint concert, given at Berlin's Waldbuhne for the 2006 football World Cup, was awarded platinum status for sales of over 50,000 DVDs in Germany and over 100,000 worldwide. The Schonbrunn concert also broke records with 3.3 million viewers watching the concert live or deferred in Germany and Austria.
Netrebko "beguiles the audience" (Neue Kronen-Zeitung) with a heady rendition of a number from the operetta Csardasfurstin and lets herself be swept off her feet in a waltz with her duet partner Placido Domingo. The great tenor himself regales the audience with his "golden tones" (Die Presse) and "vocal youthfulness" (Suddeutsche Zeitung) in excerpts from Massenet and Wagner. Villazon "dazzles with bravura arias" (Wiener Zeitung), duets and a fiery zarzuela encore. In an emotional homage to Vienna, the trio performs the immortal "Wien, Wien nur du allein." Other gems include Rimsky-Korsakov's "The Rose and the Nightingale,"...
In the tradition of the original The Three Tenors, world-class singers Placido Domingo, Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazon joined forces to entertain a live audience of 20,000 spectators on location and millions more around the world on TV. They sang the most famous arias and duets from the world of opera, accompanied by the orchestra of the Deutsche Oper Berlin and its conductor Marco Armiliato. The event took place on 7 July 2006 at Berlin's legendary Waldbühne, a venue modeled after ancient amphitheaters that has hosted all the giants of the rock and pop world, such as Robbie Williams and the Rolling Stones.
Looking back on an extraordinary career that has been honored with 9 Grammys and 3 Latin Grammys, Plácido Domingo has become the very epitome of the operatic tenor, even among people who have no particular interest in classical music. He is a star who beguiles every audience with his virile charisma. Russian soprano Anna Netrebko's phenomenal career keeps her rushing from one highlight to the next. Her debut as Natasha Rostova in Prokofiev's War and Peace at New York's Metropolitan Opera had the critics hailing her as an "Audrey Hepburn with a voice." On stage, Anna's heart belongs to the Mexican breakout star Rolando Villazon, whom Placido Domingo sees as his...
On the eve of its 300th birthday, St. Petersburg, Russia's fabled "window to Europe", celebrates this anniversary presenting a gala of distinguished musical art featuring Anna Netrebko, Dimitri Hvorostovsky, Mischa Maisky and many others. Yuri Temirkanov conducts one of the oldest Russian symphonic ensembles: the St. Petersburg Philharmonic.
The Tre Liriche includes Notte (Night), Nebbie (Fog) and Pioggia (Rain), which Respighi had originally set as separate works for mezzo and piano between 1906 and 1912. He then decided to orchestrate the three songs as a song cycle in 1913 for mezzo Chiarina Fino Savio, for the world premiere on 6 February 1914 with Orchestra dell'Augusteo (now the Orchestra dell'Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia) in Rome under conductor Bernardino Molinari. Luciano Pavarotti championed two of the three songs in the 1970s, following their individual successes with singers in recitals. Potito Pedarra, the cataloguer of Respighi's works, then rediscovered the existence of the lost (incomplete) opus with all three songs in the 1990s, well after the publication of his Respighi works list. Pedarra subsequently numbered the rediscovered opus as Tre Liriche, P. 99a.
Di Vittorio completed Respighi's orchestration of the extant orchestral manuscript (pages), as provided by the Respighi family, for its first engraved critical edition in anticipation of its 100th anniversary in 2013. Tre Liriche is available for rental under publisher Casa Ricordi (Universal Music) in Italy in two versions: the original for mezzo-soprano (or baritone) and orchestra, and for soprano (or tenor) and orchestra...
The Lamento d'Arianna was given its world premiere in 1908 by the Berlin Philharmonic under conductor Arthur Nikisch. Respighi had gone to Berlin to accompany the singing class of Etelka Gerster, and his experiences as piano accompanist for opera singers evolved his sensibility for writing for the voice. This early choice of arranging the music of Claudio Monteverdi shows Respighi's innate interest in Early Music.
Not to be mistaken with other Monteverdi works of the same name, this Lamento is the only extant music from Monteverdi's lost second opera L'Arianna. Monteverdi later used the music, including the now famous Lasciatemi morire motif, in three other works of the same name, including the well-known madrigal Lamento d'Arianna which is part of his Madrigals, Book VI . This masterful orchestration of Monteverdi's Lamento was the first work that brought Respighi attention, garnering ecstatic reviews.
Il tramonto is scored for strings, and was also written in 1914 for the mezzo-soprano Chiarina Fino-Savio. The poem is based on the words of Percy Bysshe Shelley, and deals with a young woman's tragic story of passionate love and eventual despair over her lover's death. The work is very reminiscent of the music of Richard Wagner , and his Siegfried Idyll in particular, completed prior to the evolution of Respighi's compositional style away from selected
German influences.
In anticipation of the Mozart Year 2006, Hartmut Haenchen conducted his Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach Chamber Orchestra in an all-Mozart Programme recorded live at the 19th century Konzerthaus Berlin in November 2005. The ensemble succeeded in bringing to life the music's manifold characteristics through the translucency achieved by a small chamber orchestra. Whether light-heartedness, song-like lyricism, drama or inspired polyphonic writing: every element of their performance breathes the spirit of Mozart. Critics have praised the orchestra's stylistic assurance, transparent textures and technical precision. Conductor Hartmut Haenchen is a highly dedicated artist, who can draw on broad experience. He exudes warmth and charm and Stefan Vladar's extraordinarily sensitive touch and stylistic assurance make the prize-winning pianist an ideal partner for Haenchen and his orchestra.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
The Verbier Festival, created in 1994, has rapidly acquired a reputation for artistic excellence and is now considered one of the major European music festivals. For a fortnight each summer, the greatest stars of the classical music world come together against the magical backdrop of the Swiss Alps. The Verbier Festival gives musicians the opportunity to perform original programmes with fellow musicians they admire, but with whom they may never have performed before. These world premiere performances produce innovative and exciting results, for artists and audiences. The 2007 edition gathered classical celebrities such as Martha Argerich, Helene Grimaud, Gabriela Montero, Renaud Capucon, Nelson Freire, Mischa Maisky, Thomas Quasthoff and Lars Vogt, and for the first time all 46 concerts were recorded. The state-of-art recordings featured two cameras on stage that were remote-controlled so as to not disturb the audiences and artists and one camera in the midst of the audience to recreate the viewer's perspective. This video assembles excerpts of the most remarkable concerts with exciting programmes including works by Bartok, Debussy, Lutoslawski, Schubert and Schumann. Lovers of classical music will very much enjoy this summit of high-profile artists!
Lars Vogt's performances at the 2011 Verbier Festival offer a thought-provoking and varied programme. Works by some of the leading composers of the classical repertoire - Mozart, Schubert, Beethoven and Brahms - receive a melancholic introduction with Janacek's In the Mists. The sense of unity delivered by Vogt's playing strikes equally in the subtle balance required of a Brahms Intermezzo and the boisterousness and elevation of Beethoven's last piano sonata. In Mozart's Piano Concerto, K. 451, Vogt proves himself to be equally skilled as a concerto soloist, blending in the orchestral writing with perfect ease.
When Bach was in the service of Prince Leopold in Cöthen, he had his own orchestra and was contracted to compose a great deal of instrumental music. This gave him an opportunity to try new techniques and to develop his own instrumental style. The six Brandenburg Concertos belongs to these masterpieces for a small ensemble. This joyously infectious performance of these famous landmarks in the history of music by the Freiburg Baroque Orchestra demonstrates both the musical satisfaction and the high professional standard that can be reached with period instruments. The performance was given in the Bach Anniversary Year 2000 ?EUR" 250 years after his death ?EUR" in the elegant Hall of Mirrors at Cöthen Castle. The Freiburg Baroque Orchestra?EUR(TM)s members all have virtuoso skills. They take the spotlight gracefully for solos but also play with the true ensemble spirit required by the music. Their decision to perform without a conductor revives an eighteenth century practice.
Bonus features:
Cello Suite No.5, BWV 1011: Sarabande
Hille Perl, viola da gamba
Coffee Cantata, BWV 211: Die Katze lässt das Mausen nicht
Madeleine Vogt, soprano
Matthias Schubotz, tenor
Holger Krause, bass
Members of the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig
Back(h) in Cöthen
A star-studded gala from the royal Albert Hall in London, featuring some of the greatest names from the world's of opera, ballet, musicals and flamenco.
Featuring Tito Beltran, June Anderson, Michael Ball, Maria Friesman, Anastasia Volvchkova, Paco Pena and Montse Cortes performing a program of works that includes arias from Turandot, Hamlet, La Traviata and Rigoletto , hits from The Phantom of the Opera, Follies and showboat plus excerpts from Don Quixote and some stirring flamenco pieces.
For the first time in over nine years, Arcadi Volodos has agreed to record an entire concert for TV again. Indeed, his recital at Vienna's Musikverein, for which he has chosen works by Scriabin, Ravel, Schumann and Liszt, features a line-up of Romantic to early 20th-century heavyweights, which Volodos renders with his inimitable blend of ethereal lightness and forceful vigor.
The recital begins with a selection of pieces by Alexander Scriabin, in which Volodos displays his phenomenal technique, culminating in the White Mass. Under Volodos' hands, Maurice Ravel's Valses nobles et sentimentales becomes "a kaleidoscope of transparent, gossamer colors" (Die Presse). While Volodos' account of Schumann's Waldscenen flashes with startling harmonic echoes of the Ravel piece, his rendition of Liszt's "Apres une lecture du Dante" from the Annees de pelerinage "radiates modernity" (Der Standard). The keyboard sensation provides a further example of his artistry in his encores, in which he demonstrates his talent for creating his own dazzling piano transcriptions of works by other composers. In an interview recorded on the occasion of the Vienna recital, Volodos discusses many aspects of his career, his playing, and his life.
Born in St. Petersburg in 1972, Arcadi Volodos burst...
The blind up-and-coming Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii , an astonishing genius on his instrument, is playing for the first time ever under the Russian conductor Valery Gergiev at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg. During the White Nights Festival ?EUR" dedicated to the season of midnight sun ?EUR" he interprets works by the Russian composers Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov and Shostakovich , including Tchaikovsky's famous Piano Concerto No. 1 and Shostakovich's gloomy Symphony No. 14 . As a bonus Nobuyuki Tsujii performs his own elegy for the victims of the tsunami in 2011, a stirring and moving piece dedicated to his home country Japan. Nobuyuki Tsujii piano, Olga Sergeyeva soprano, Yuri Vorobiev bass, Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, Valery Gergiev conductor. Live recording from the Concert Hall of the Mariinsky Theatre, St. Petersburg, 8 July 2012.
The concert grand piano is incontestably the king of instruments. We could now wax lyrical about its incomparable dynamics and go into its ability to go from the tenderest of sounds in a soft minor key to the magnificent power of a fortissimo, or I could rhapsodise about its impressive size and elegance. But what makes this instrument really fascinating is its individuality, since each one is unique in itself - created by a master. A concert grand has a life all of its own that a virtuoso can really "get into" and hence bring the work of the composer to life. In our Grand Piano Masters Series , we get into the character and soul of the concert grand piano and experience, during the performance itself, the dialogue between the instrument, the virtuoso and the performance space.
Dietrich Buxtehude (1637-1707) is considered today one of the founding fathers of the 17th century German school, whose influence on composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach, his spiritual son, cannot be overestimated. Not only was he an indisputable master of organ music, but also a most prolific composer whose oeuvre consists of more than 200 works.
Let's us join the Masques Ensemble and the Vox Luminis choir and discover 17th century baroque music and the composer Buxtehude through his vocal compositions, ranging from spiritual concert, choral, aria to cantata parties, many of which directly influenced Johann Sebastian Bach's compositions. It is to a journey in space and time, a journey in which violins, viola, viola da gamba, violone, harpsichord, canned organ and choral ensemble will share the legacy and influence of Dietrich Buxtehude who has transcended borders with us.
Charpentier's most famous Te Deum - he wrote four - overawes in exultant D Major, with an eight-part ensemble and show stealing trumpets and timpani. It is no great surprise then that this work - and especially its instrumental prelude - became a hit!
Together with B'Rock, resident artist Vox Luminis completes the programme with a triumphant ode to the patron saint of music: Cecilia . Commissioned by London's 'Gentlemen Lovers of Musick', Purcell composed a celebratory festival of colours that shines brighter than ever in this rendition by two of Europe's most exciting Baroque ensembles.
Ravello Records presents ANIMATED SOUNDS, a multimedia release from composer Gheorghe Costinescu . The album showcases works by Costinescu from a varied and illustrious career spanning more than half a century.
The first half features pieces such as the virtuosic Sonata for the Piano and Essay in Sound , performed by pianist Stephen Gosling, and the expressive Voices Within , performed by violinist Vesselin Gellev. Eric Huebner performs two inventions from the larger work Evolving Cycle of Two-Part Modal Inventions for Piano , which uses the Baroque invention to explore Romanian folk music. Soprano Lucy Shelton, with Costinescu and Gosling at the piano, performs the bilingual song Why Do You Wail and Te Legeni and the cycle Nine Portraits from the Wild , which includes gestural directions for the singer.
The second half showcases Costinescu's work and collaborations in multimedia. His One-Minute Tribute: 9/11/2001 for percussion quartet is paired with his poignant animation of a photograph by Dan Nguyen of the installation Tribute in Light. An abstract animation by Michele Gagne complements Costinescu's pioneering electronic work Dots, Lines, and Patches , responding to its crackling, spontaneous sound world. Tai Chi on the Hudson , performed by the Voxare...
Oceanic Verses meditates upon fading civilizations and an ancient environment continually transformed by waves of immigration. Donna Di Novelli's libretto leaps from Paola Prestini's own investigations to four archetypes caught in the clash between past and present. A journey through the folkloric landscape is led by an Archaeologist (improviser and vocalist Helga Davis), whose search for musical artifacts leads her to a Sailor (Italian folksinger and accordionist Claudio Prima), who offers a warning; a Peasant (soprano Hila Plitmann), who offers a meal; and a Soldier (baritone Christopher Burchett), who offers a critique. Along with these principal performers, the album features the 16-piece DeCoda orchestra and the eight-member Choir of Trinity Wall Street, conducted by Julian Wachner.
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
In spring of 2020, concert halls fell silent. During those weeks, when people had to stay at home and musicians faced all their performances being canceled, a group of Berlin-based artists of international acclaim, in co-operation with awarded film producer Jan Schmidt-Garre and Naxos Audiovisual, set up a series of chamber music concerts performed and filmed at Schinkel Pavillon, Berlin. Sharon Kam (clarinet), Jacquelyn Wagner (soprano) and Matan Porat (piano) perform Debussy's First Rhapsody, Poulenc's Sonata and Brahms's Sonata for Clarinet and Piano , Ravel's Une Barque Sur L'Ocean , and Schubert's The Shepherd On The Rock for Clarinet, Soprano and Piano.
In spring of 2020, concert halls fell silent. During those weeks, when people had to stay at home and musicians faced all their performances being canceled, a group of Berlin-based artists of international acclaim, in co-operation with awarded film producer Jan Schmidt-Garre and Naxos Audiovisual, set up a series of chamber music concerts performed and filmed at Schinkel Pavillon in Berlin. Jacquelyn Wagner (soprano) and Zlata Chochieva (piano) perform Wagner's Wesendonck Lieder and Mahler's Songs of a Wayfarer .
Fifty years to the day after its premiere, Andris Nelsons celebrates with his orchestra, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra (which also gave that first performance), Benjamin Britten's War Requiem through a special anniversary performance given at Coventry Cathedral, the site of its first performance, starring Erin Wall, Mark Padmore and Hanno Muller-Brachmann. Coventry Cathedral was nearly completely destroyed by the German Luftwaffe at the beginning of World War II. After the war, next to the ruins of the old destroyed church, a new cathedral was built and the then already famous British composer Benjamin Britten was commissioned to compose a work for the consecration of the church.
In many ways Gustav Mahler's Seventh and Eighth Symphonies are the most unusual works that the late Romantic composer ever wrote. The Seventh was the last in a series of middle-period pieces that were purely instruments in character. Two movements headed Nachtmusik and the remarkable writing for a guitar and mandolin help to create a sequence of darkly Romantic visions. And even within Mahler's markedly eclectic output, the Eighth Symphony enjoys the status of an exotic outsider thanks not only to its two-movement form combining an early medieval hymn and the final scene from Goethe's Faust but also to the vast forces for which it is scored, earning it the title of Symphony of a Thousand
Award-winning composer and trumpet player Hannibel Lokumbe is a leader in expressing the Aprican-American experience through his orchestral and choral music, with a special focus on civil rights leaders. Can You Hear God Crying? is a spiritatorio which takes us on a journey from hardship and suffering to healing and celebrations of courage and peace, told through the forced migration aboard a slave ship endured by Lokumbe's great-grandfather Silas Burgess. Combining jazz, gospel and chamber music together with West African prayers and songs, this is both a moving commemoration and a spectacularly festive event which faces past and present with honesty and deep spiritual understanding.
Renowned for his interpretations of Bruckner's symphonies, Günter Wand had a great affinity for Bruckner's Fifth Symphony, as noted by the composer Bernd Alois Zimmermann. His first recording of the work became a great success, winning the German Record Prize in 1978. Wand's London concerts with the BBC Symphony as Principal Guest Conductor acquired legendary status in his later years, rewarding him with the recognition that was so greatly deserved.
The ICA Classics Legacy series presents a collection of historic performances by some of the world's greatest artists. These performances are released on DVD for the first time, incorporating rare archive footage that has been expertly and lovingly restored.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's annual summer concert at the Waldbühne in Berlin is legendary. Recorded live on 25 June 2000, the Millenium concert gathered more than 22,000 people in one of the most appealing outdoor amphitheatres in Europe for one of the most popular classical music concerts in the world. Kent Nagano named his programme of popular and rather unusual music from the 20th century "Rhythm and Dance." It turned out to be an inspiring combination of classical pieces, show tunes, pops, and Far Eastern music, all brought together in a tasty musical stew and rightly labelled as one of the most exciting programmes ever performed at the Waldbühne. It featured Gershwin classics with an outstanding performance by the American mezzo soprano Susan Graham, music by Ravel and the soundtrack to the successful Chinese film "Farewell My Concubine." Nagano injected the performance with so much sensuality and pulsing life that the audience rose to beat time with their feet and to gave him standing ovations.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's annual summer concert at the Waldbühne in Berlin is legendary. Recorded live on 25 June 2000, the Millenium concert gathered more than 22,000 people in one of the most appealing outdoor amphitheatres in Europe for one of the most popular classical music concerts in the world. Kent Nagano named his programme of popular and rather unusual music from the 20th century "Rhythm and Dance." It turned out to be an inspiring combination of classical pieces, show tunes, pops, and Far Eastern music, all brought together in a tasty musical stew and rightly labelled as one of the most exciting programmes ever performed at the Waldbühne. It featured Gershwin classics with an outstanding performance by the American mezzo soprano Susan Graham, music by Ravel and the soundtrack to the successful Chinese film "Farewell My Concubine." Nagano injected the performance with so much sensuality and pulsing life that the audience rose to beat time with their feet and to gave him standing ovations.
The All-Star Orchestra gives you a front row seat to the world's greatest music, performed by top players chosen from over 30 great American orchestras, and conducted by Gerard Schwarz. The programs feature complete performances of popular masterpieces and world premieres of new works by leading American composers. Filmed in High-Definition with 19 cameras during a once-a-year 'summit' in New York's historic Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center, the All-Star Orchestra celebrates the symphonic experience in the 21st century.
Program 5: Relationships in Music
Robert Schumann's wife Clara was herself a gifted pianist and composer. She became a lifelong friend and source of inspiration for Schumann's protege Johannes Brahms. This program will explore the turbulent musical and emotional relationships between these three, and the masterpieces that they produced.
Program 6: The Living Art Form
This program explored the creation of new concertos and the artistic process. Outstanding young soloists and leading American composers are featured in performance and in interviews.
A promising concert featuring two of the Verbier Festival's most iconic artists performing chamber music works by Brahms together! Now praised on the whole classical music planet, the Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos took the world by storm in 1985 when he became the youngest winner of the prestigious Sibelius Competition. Acclaimed for his phenomenal virtuosity and musicality, he here joins forces with the pianist Yuja Wang, an accomplished artist at only 26!
This programme features three sonatas by Brahms . The first one, the Regensonata , is written after the composer's Rain Song (Regenlied) . The second one, the Thuner-Sonata is about the peaceful landscapes of the Swiss lake of Thun, and contrasts with the third and last sonata played here, the Sonata No. 3 , characterized its by great, passionate and fiery themes.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This series present the highlights of the Verbier Festival 2011, featuring renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin, Lars Vogt, Yuja Wang, Renaud Capucon, Khatia Buniatishvili, and Nelson Goerner.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical usic events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season.
Yuja Wang, Leonidas Kavakos, and Gautier Capucon get the ball rolling with Mendelssohn's Piano Trio No. 2 , followed by Leonidas Kavakos and Joshua Bell performing a Ysaye Duo Sonata . Denis Matsuev, Julian Rachlin, and Roby Lakatos tackle Vittorio Monti's Csardas , transcribed for two violins and piano. Brahms' Piano Quartet follows, featuring Kissin, Repin, Bashmet, and Maisky. Finally, as the cherry on the cake, legendary pianists Martha Argerich and Evgeny Kissin bring Lutoslawski's Variations sur un theme de Paganini with head-spinning virtuosity.
Artist-in-residence for the 2022 season, pianist Yuja Wang meets the Czech Philharmonic, conducted by Semyon Bychkov.
The centrepiece of this exciting evening is the Glagolitic Mass , a late masterpiece by Leos Janacek . The programme opens with Agnus Dei for choir without orchestral accompaniment by Martin Smolka , followed by Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 1 in F sharp minor.
The Verbier Festival is arguably one of the most prestigious classical music events in the world. The quality of the participating artists as well as the originality of the programmes has established the festival as a culminating point in the music season. This series of TV programmes by Ideale Audience present the highlights of the Verbier Festival 2011, featuring renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Evgeny Kissin, Lars Vogt, Yuja Wang, Renaud Capucon, Khatia Buniatishvili, and Nelson Goerner.
The charismatic and inspiring Claudio Abbado and the mesmerising young pianist Yuja Wang, with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, hold the audience spellbound in this opening concert of the 2009 Lucerne Festival. Prokofiev's popular and vibrant Third Piano Concerto demonstrates the composer's sharp musical wit, and Yuja Wang is a brilliant exponent of the work. Following this, and chiming beautifully with the festival's theme of the relationship between art and nature, Mahler's First Symphony is given an illuminating and rapturously received performance.
These magnificent interpretations of three Mendelssohn works - two orchestral and one chamber - are given by the phenomenally talented young Chinese pianist Yuja Wang and other young performers. Praised in BBC Music Magazine for her "keen intelligence" and "staggering technique," Yuja Wang has also been described by the San Francisco Chronicle as "the sort of musician whose combination of talents appears in the world only rarely." The Verbier Festival Orchestra consists of musicians hand-picked from every part of the world. Here they are directed by the doyen of German Mendelssohn conductors, Kurt Masur.
The 2009 Verbier Festival starred two generations of pianists: the "Argentinian lion" Martha Argerich and the young Chinese Yuja Wang. On the program, Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2 with Martha Argerich and two sonatas by Scarlatti with Yuja Wang. The soiree closes with the young pianist's incredible encore performance, the third movement of Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 11 (best known as the Turkish March or Alla Turca ) in an arrangement by Arcadi Volodos.
This series of TV programmes presents the very best of the 16th Verbier Festival with worldwide renowned artists such as Martha Argerich, Mischa Maisky, Rene Pape, Joshua Bell, Philippe Jaroussky, and Yuja Wang.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
The greatest artists of the classical music scene gather to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Verbier Festival. Be them regulars of the Verbier Festival or young artists coming there for the second time, they all share their extraordinary talents with and offer to the audience an memorable musical moment in the company of Schubert, Brahms, Schumann, Chopin, Prokofiev ... A guest of honor, Thomas Quasthoff presents this joyful tribute to what has indeed become one of the most prestigious events on the classical music planet.
The Verbier Festival has become one of the most prestigious classical music events, thanks to outstanding programming and its location in the gorgeous Swiss Alps. The 15th edition of the festival took place from 18 July to 3 August 2008, and a majority of the concerts presented in the Salle Medran (2000 seats) and the Verbier Church (500 seats) were filmed. Some of the best performers in the world of classical music came together there, including Martha Argerich, Nikolai Lugansky, rising star Yuja Wang, violinists Joshua Bell and Julian Rachlin, and cellist Mischa Maisky; this "best of" video offers the most amazing performances at the festival.
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
The ICA Classics Live series features performances from ICA's own artists recorded in prestigious venues around the world. The majority of the recordings are enjoying their first commercial release.
Antoni Wit's performances of Szymanowski's Third and Fourth Symphonies embody the distinguished and idiomatic conducting style for which he is widely recognised. An outstanding communicator, Wit exhibits exceptional attention to detail in his rendition of these two great works with his own orchestra and choir.
The ICA Classics Live series features performances from ICA's own artists recorded in prestigious venues around the world. The majority of the recordings are enjoying their first commercial release.
Antoni Wit's performances of Szymanowski's Third and Fourth Symphonies embody the distinguished and idiomatic conducting style for which he is widely recognised. An outstanding communicator, Wit exhibits exceptional attention to detail in his rendition of these two great works with his own orchestra and choir.
Pianist Peter Waters and his ensemble, the Treya Quartet , garnered widespread praise for their performance of exquisitely sensitive jazz arrangements of songs by Gabriel Faure (1845-1924). This beautifully-shot studio recording of the Quartet playing some of their arrangements also features internationally-acclaimed soprano Barbara Hendricks singing original versions. The performances are punctuated by Waters and Hendricks considering Faure's music and its compatibility with jazz.
World-renowned tenor Plácido Domingo is joined by Angela Gheorghiu, Roberto Alagna and a host of other international stars including Susan Graham, in the famously glittering 1996 Gala Concert on the stage of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Asher Fisch conducts the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House in a programme of many of the world's best-loved operatic arias with music by composers including Bizet, Massenet, Gounod, Mozart and Donizetti.
May morning in Oxford, and the Berliner Philharmoniker join in the celebratory mood abroad in the university city's medieval streets with this concert in Sir Christopher Wren's glorious Sheldonian Theatre. For 20 years, the Philharmoniker have given a May Day concert in one of Europe's great historic cities, and here, under the baton of Daniel Barenboim, the Berlin players thrill the Oxford audience with the sonorous Prelude to Act III of Wagner's Die Meistersinger , a deeply-felt account of Elgar's autumnal Cello Concerto by the young American cellist Alisa Weilerstein, and a rousing performance of Brahms's life-affirming First Symphony .
For more than 20 years, the choir Accentus has performed choral music in all its diversity. For Christmas 2009, Accentus, Laurence Equilbey and their guests created the event with a programme featuring some of the most famous sacred music pieces at the Church of Saint Thomas in Strasbourg to hear the most beautiful Christmas songs interpreted by: Concerto Koln, Sandrine Piau (Soprano), Nathalie Stutzmann (Alto), Pavol Breslik (Tenor), Johannes Weisser (Bass), Sonia Wieder Atherton (Cello), Aurelie Saraf (Harp) and Daniel Maurer, organist of the Church of St. Thomas.
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
This debut concert performance with the Berliner Philharmoniker by the Japanese conductor Yutaka Sado was hailed in the press as a triumph. The musicians decided to raise funds for the relief efforts following the cataclysmic earthquake and tsunami that struck Japan in March 2011. The program consists of From me flows what you call time, a perfect blend of East and West, by Japan's most enduring composer Toru Takemitsu; and Dmitry Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony, which so successfully blends the demands of the Soviet authorities with the oppressed public's need for an emotional outlet.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's annual summer concert at the Waldbühne in Berlin is legendary. Recorded live on 25 June 2000, the Millenium concert gathered more than 22,000 people in one of the most appealing outdoor amphitheatres in Europe for one of the most popular classical music concerts in the world. Kent Nagano named his programme of popular and rather unusual music from the 20th century "Rhythm and Dance." It turned out to be an inspiring combination of classical pieces, show tunes, pops, and Far Eastern music, all brought together in a tasty musical stew and rightly labelled as one of the most exciting programmes ever performed at the Waldbühne. It featured Gershwin classics with an outstanding performance by the American mezzo soprano Susan Graham, music by Ravel and the soundtrack to the successful Chinese film "Farewell My Concubine." Nagano injected the performance with so much sensuality and pulsing life that the audience rose to beat time with their feet and to gave him standing ovations.
The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra is one of those success stories that is almost too perfect to be true. The internationally respected orchestra was founded by Daniel Barenboim and the late Palestinian writer and scholar Edward Said with young, highly talented Israeli and Arab musicians. The ensemble works to establish dialogue between the cultures of the Middle East through the experience of playing music together, and has gained cultural and musical respect all over the world. The concert proves that it can bear comparison with veteran orchestras, even in familiar repertory staples. Combining technical polish and security, tonal beauty and transparency with youthful expression, passion and exuberance, the ensemble plays music by Beethoven, Brahms and others. The event was broadcast live from the Palacio de Carlos V, Alhambra in Spanish Granada, thus hundreds of thousands of viewers across Europe were able to experience Barenboim's conducting and this special orchestra. The Alhambra (Red Castle) in Granada, Spain ?EUR" a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site - was built and preserved over a period of social tolerance and cultural flowering, during the Moorish era, in which the three great religions lived together in an atmosphere of tolerance and mutual respect. Thus it provides...
The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra was founded by Daniel Barenboim and the late Edward Said. It consists of young, highly talented Israeli and Arabian musicians and was founded to increase the dialogue between young people in the Middle East and represent the peaceful collaboration of the two cultures. In standard comparable to the most established orchestras, it combines tonal beauty and transparency with youthful expressiveness, passion and exuberance. This technically brilliant and incredibly enthusiastic orchestra brings out all levels of Beethoven's 9th symphony and we listen to Beethoven at his very best: exuberant, emotional, lucid, tender, clear, triumphant... simply magnificent! Needless to say, Daniel Barenboim conducts excellently and outstanding singers Angela Denoke, Waltraud Meier, Burkhard Fritz and Rene Pape contribute tremendously to this unforgettable concert. The standing ovations are well deserved!
Daniel Barenboim established the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra with the late Palestinian writer Edward Said in order to bring together young musicians from across the political divide in the Middle East. Their hope was that music would heal and help to bring understanding and tolerance of different beliefs and cultures.The award-winning documentary was produced and directed by Paul Smaczny. The Ramallah Concert was a live recording at the Place of Culture in Ramallah, 21 August 2005.
Spirits of Music is an unusual musical journey through centuries and cultures, featuring multiple Grammy Award winner Bobby McFerrin , violin virtuoso Nigel Kennedy , soprano Sibylla Rubens and the Gewandhaus Orchestra with music from Bach to Mozart and Verdi . Magnificent examples of religious music come from artists as Kroke the Kuumba Singers, Mari Boine, Bulgarian Voices Angelite and the Ensemble Al-Kindi one of the best formations devoted to classical Arab music. This extraordinary musical journey, which took place on one evening at the Leipzig Market Square is completed by the Cuban a capella group Vocal Sampling, consisting of musicians from Havana's National Superior Institute of arts, who are celebrating their very own interpretation of Afro-Cuban music.
The Choir sings John Tavener's hauntingly beautiful unaccompanied choral music in a stunning virtual reality restoration of the ancient St. Sophia church in Constantinople. Orthodox ikons enrich the visual tapestry, enhancing the full richness of Tavener's mystic inspiration.
Bonus features:
- Manifestations of God - Sir John Tavener on his choral music and the parents of Athene talk about the inspiration behind Song for Athene
- The ikon chooses you - Robert J. Roozemond on a ikonographic art
Master Class with Hermann Prey recorded at the Richard-Strauss-Tage Garmisch-Partenkirchen 1997. Exclusively covered were Lieder by Richard Strauss . Piano accompaniment by Fritz Schwinghammer.
For more than 20 years, the choir Accentus has performed choral music in all its diversity. For Christmas 2009, Accentus, Laurence Equilbey and their guests created the event with a programme featuring some of the most famous sacred music pieces at the Church of Saint Thomas in Strasbourg to hear the most beautiful Christmas songs interpreted by: Concerto Koln, Sandrine Piau (Soprano), Nathalie Stutzmann (Alto), Pavol Breslik (Tenor), Johannes Weisser (Bass), Sonia Wieder Atherton (Cello), Aurelie Saraf (Harp) and Daniel Maurer, organist of the Church of St. Thomas.
Leonard Bernstein conducted the work at the Salzburg Festival in 1975 and shortly thereafter in Vienna's Konzerthaus, where it was recorded. The stage of the Konzerthaus was enlarged to make room for the unusually large orchestra, the two choruses, the children's choir and the soloists.
Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Götterdämmerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
Spirits of Music is an unusual musical journey through centuries and cultures, featuring multiple Grammy Award winner Bobby McFerrin , violin virtuoso Nigel Kennedy , soprano Sibylla Rubens and the Gewandhaus Orchestra with music from Bach to Mozart and Verdi . Magnificent examples of religious music come from artists as Kroke the Kuumba Singers, Mari Boine, Bulgarian Voices Angelite and the Ensemble Al-Kindi one of the best formations devoted to classical Arab music. This extraordinary musical journey, which took place on one evening at the Leipzig Market Square is completed by the Cuban a capella group Vocal Sampling, consisting of musicians from Havana's National Superior Institute of arts, who are celebrating their very own interpretation of Afro-Cuban music.
Claudio Monteverdi's Fourth Book of Madrigals (1603) explores differing emotional states of abandoned lovers through the most dramatic and amazingly modern music for vocal ensemble. The Full Monteverdi follows the simultaneous break-up of six couples through shocking revelation, vengeful anger and erotic longing for reconciliation. Vulnerable and disarming, this ensemble film will draw you into its emotional journey and intensely moving portrait of contemporary love.
Elaine Comparone and her Queen's Chamber Band delve into the treasure chest of 17th century musical literature for this stellar performance of rare vocal and instrumental works by Biber, Buxtehude, Frescobaldi, Jacques de Gallot and Alessandro Piccinini .
This event recorded live in New York City is further enhanced by an in-depth, selectable, illustrated interview with Ms. Comparone, in which she discusses the composers, their music and performance practice of the day, as well as her own musical insights and the work of her highly acclaimed group, The Queen's Chamber Band.
Tafelmusik Baroque Orchestra presents a magical journey to the meeting places of baroque art and music - visit five European homes where exquisite works by Bach, Handel, Vivaldi and Marais are played against a backdrop of gorgeous paintings by Vermeer, Canaletto and Watteau . Beautifully filmed in Toronto, at the Handel House in London UK and in the gondolas, historic buildings and cafes of Venice, Italy. This is a totally memorized performance by the virtuoso players of Tafelmusik.
For the 2014/15 Opening Night Concert and Gala, the Los Angeles Philharmonic paid loving tribute to composer John Williams , long a champion and close friend of the LA Phil. Gustavo Dudamel, an awestruck fan of the musical icon, led the orchestra in a cross-section of Maestro Williams' matchless canon.
Each year, the traditional Festive Opera Gala combines real musical delight and the joy of charity. The gala, which is organised for the benefit of the German AIDS Foundation, has for years been one of the social highlights on the German agenda. In the years 2005 and 2006 conductor Lawrence Foster was the responsible leader of the choir and the orchestra of the German Opera Berlin.
This selection of music for Christmas brings together East and West in the collaboration of Winchester College Chapel Choir and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Recorded live in Hong Kong in December 2004, this disc features a selection of perennial favourites from the Baroque period, including Bach cantatas and Handel's Messiah , and three exquisite modern carols.
Beethoven's Missa solemnis is the one work the composer admired above all his compositions. It was written for his great patron and friend Archduke Rudolf of Austria at around the same time that he embarked on his Ninth Symphony and as the writer Donald Tovey noted, 'there is no choral and no orchestral writing, earlier or later, that shows a more thrilling sense of the individual colour of every chord.
The ICA Classics Live series features performances from ICA's own artists recorded in prestigious venues around the world. The majority of the recordings are enjoying their first commercial release.
Antoni Wit's performances of Szymanowski's Third and Fourth Symphonies embody the distinguished and idiomatic conducting style for which he is widely recognised. An outstanding communicator, Wit exhibits exceptional attention to detail in his rendition of these two great works with his own orchestra and choir.
Finnish opera star Camilla Nylund sings masterpieces from the Great American Songbook in this unique collaboration with the ORF Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra under their music director Marin Alsop. The classic songs in this film were specially arranged to suit Nylund's performance style, vocals and personality, as if they had been written for her.
Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic set off fireworks of good humour and a contagious musical spirit at the traditional New Year's Eve Concert in 2002. Simon Rattle chose Leonard Bernstein's brilliant and entertaining musical comedy, Wonderful Town , for his first New Year's Eve Concert with the Berlin Philharmonic. Conductor and orchestra - both rank among the best in the world - joined forces with Broadway stars Kim Criswell and Audra McDonald and famous baritone Thomas Hampson. The audience enjoyed a great show full of dancing, choruses, fascinating light design and ?EUR" above all ?EUR" intoxicating music. The exuberant atmosphere of this event culminated in an overwhelming encore with the musicians and audience dancing through the hall! This video captures the atmosphere right in the middle of orchestra, singers and audience and recreates a wonderful night on the town.
The 1993 Winter Gala Concert from the stage of the Royal Opera House sees a stellar array of the world?EUR(TM)s greatest artists celebrate the music of Tchaikovsky ?EUR" composer of many of the all-time opera, concert and ballet favourites, including The Queen of Spades , the 1812 Overture and The Nutcracker .
In 2014 the World Orchestra for Peace returned with its conductor Valery Gergiev for their fourth appearance at the BBC Proms, to play a special concert marking the centennial of the outbreak of World War I. The concert also celebrated the 150th anniversary of Richard Strauss's birth with the colourful, fairy-tale soundscapes of the Fantasia from his operatic masterpiece Die Frau ohne Schatten, Roxanna Panufnik's Three Paths to Peace , commissioned by the orchestra and Mahler's Sixth Symphony . The World Orchestra for Peace, founded in 1995 by Sir Georg Solti to reaffirm, in his words, "the unique strength of music as an ambassador for peace" is a classical supergroup made up of leading players from the world's finest orchestras. The concert is introduced by an illuminating documentary with Solti and Gergiev, marking the orchestra's 20th anniversary.
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's annual summer concert at the Waldbühne in Berlin is legendary. Recorded live on 25 June 2000, the Millenium concert gathered more than 22,000 people in one of the most appealing outdoor amphitheatres in Europe for one of the most popular classical music concerts in the world. Kent Nagano named his programme of popular and rather unusual music from the 20th century "Rhythm and Dance." It turned out to be an inspiring combination of classical pieces, show tunes, pops, and Far Eastern music, all brought together in a tasty musical stew and rightly labelled as one of the most exciting programmes ever performed at the Waldbühne. It featured Gershwin classics with an outstanding performance by the American mezzo soprano Susan Graham, music by Ravel and the soundtrack to the successful Chinese film "Farewell My Concubine." Nagano injected the performance with so much sensuality and pulsing life that the audience rose to beat time with their feet and to gave him standing ovations.
Virtuoso Music of the 19th Century
The 19th century brought astonishing developments in instrumental skill, marking, with Paganini and his innovations in violin technique, the true age of the virtuoso. Earlier periods had seen great performers, but it was now combined with changes in technique and with the development of particular instruments, notably the piano, with which Liszt at first set out to rival Paganini. A distinctive feature of the age was the pre-eminence of performer-composers. Bach, Handel, Mozart and Beethoven had all been players, but now, changing technical demands and possibilities opened a new world of virtuosity, the world of Liszt and his successor Busoni, and of Sarasate, Ernst, Joachim and Ries.
Welcome to Naxos' 30th Anniversary Gala Concert! The gala concert features Naxos' house artists Boris Giltburg, Gabriel Schwabe, Tianwa Yang and Nicholas Rimmer. Recorded live at Allerheiligen-Hofkirche, Munich on May 16, 2017
The Facebook Live Q&A event, with violinist Tianwa Yang and conductor Jun Markl moderated by Raymond Bisha , and it features the artists' recent Naxos release of Violin Concertos Nos. 1 and 2 by Prokofiev .
This is the accomplished and stylish Russian debut of Tianwa Yang - one of the most unusual and energetic violinist of our time. To an enthusiastic audience within the walls of the beautiful Court Capella in St Petersburg, she performs the much-loved concertos of Tchaikovsky and Brahms with the St Petersburg State Symphony Orchestra under the sensitive direction of Vladimir Lande. The remarkable intensity of her playing is just as apparent in both her encore - Ysaye's Violin Sonata No. 3 - and her separate performance of Bach's solo Partita No. 2.
In 2022, Musiques en fete celebrates love in music! with the 8,000 spectators at the Theatre Antique in Orange for an amazing show! Opera, operetta, musical comedy, classical music, film music, dance, as well as the greatest hits of French song... Through an eclectic programme, a tribute to love and to all music will be paid by prestigious soloists and more than 150 orchestral musicians and choral artists.
The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto was written in 1958 by He Zhanhao and Chen Gang while they were students at the Shanghai Conservatory and was first performed in May the following year. Musically the concerto is a synthesis of Eastern and Western traditions, although the melodies and overall style are adapted from traditional Chinese opera. The solo violin is used in a way that recalls the playing technique of the erhu, the Chinese two-string fiddle. It is a one-movement programmatic concerto with three sections that correspond to the three phases of the story - Falling in Love, Refusing to Marry and Metamorphosis.
The Yellow River Concerto was based on the famous Yellow River Cantata by Xin Singhai, a work dating from the period of the Sino-Japanese War, and devised by the committee of composers then found advisable for such a task, Yin Chengzong, Liu Zhuang, Chu Wanghua, Sheng Lihong, Shi Shucheng and Xu Feisheng.
Ton Koopman, a leading authority on Baroque music, gathered his favourite orchestra and eminent Baroque singers for a concert focusing on the Magnificat , the traditional prayer said by the Virgin Mary after hearing that she would bear God's son. Bach's Magnificat - his greatest choral work - is programmed together with one of his most beautiful cantatas and a lesser-known baroque gem by Bach's predecessor at St. Thomas' Church, Johann Kuhnau, to form a concert in honour of the spiritual power of Baroque music. The concert was performed at St. Thomas' in Leipzig, the church for which Bach conceived most of his works. The recording captures the atmosphere of the impressive church and shows the musicians "at work". The film also focuses on Ton Koopman, offering insights into his friendly and encouraging conducting style.
Two men in love with the same woman. Two cities swept up by revolution. Narrated by Michael York , this thrilling live performance features members of the acclaimed Original Broadway Cast and award winning actors from LONDON'S WEST END in an epic romantic re-telling of the beloved Charles Dickens story. York narrates segments filmed on location in London and Paris and joins the company of 34 musicians and 30 performers live on stage for the final act of this once-in-a-lifetime theatrical event. Filmed at the Theatre Royal in Brighton, England on June 25, 2009.
Highlights from Young Euro Classic 2022, live recorded at the Konzerthaus Berlin.
On January 27th, 2006 the Chinese piano-phenomenon Lang Lang celebrates the birthday of W.A. Mozart with a performance of the Piano Concerto No. 24 in the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing. The China Philharmonic Orchestra is conducted by Long Yu. The Forbidden City Concert Hall (formerly known as the Beijing Music Hall, Zhongshan Park) is situated inside the walls of the Forbidden City, among the well-manicured gardens of Zhongshan Park, directly adjacent to Tiananmen Square.
On January 27th, 2006 the Chinese piano-phenomenon Lang Lang celebrates the birthday of W.A. Mozart with a performance of the Piano Concerto No. 24 in the Forbidden City Concert Hall in Beijing. The China Philharmonic Orchestra is conducted by Long Yu. The Forbidden City Concert Hall (formerly known as the Beijing Music Hall, Zhongshan Park) is situated inside the walls of the Forbidden City, among the well-manicured gardens of Zhongshan Park, directly adjacent to Tiananmen Square.
Celebrating the 85th birthday of the birth of the great Russian conductor Evgeny Svetlanov (1928-2002). This event was filmed in the magnificent room of the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. Evgueny Svetlanov has spent 35 years leading the Symphony orchestra of the Russian Federation, today nicknamed The Svetlanov .
Conducted by Vladimir Jurowski, its new Director, the concert gathers some of the most acclaimed artists: Yefim Bronfman, Tatiana Pavlovskaya, Vsevolod Grivnov, Serguey Leiferkus.
On 10 October 2004, the Teatro Regio celebrated the birthday of Giuseppe Verdi by holding a concert featuring some of the most important artists and singers of the international music scene. The performance was part of an intended annual series in which extracts from each of Verdi's operas would be performed in chronological order to offer an analytic and comprehensive panorama of his output, and the concerts would bring to the stage the most acclaimed stars of the operatic world. The great baritone Leo Nucci and the famous tenor Jose Cura are featured in this video, and Renato Palumbo, musical director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, conducts.
In 2001, during the Verdi commemorative year, some of the finest singers of our time assembled in Parma to honour the maestro's memory in a Gran Gala di Verdi. Placido Domingo, Jose Carreras, Jose Cura, Marcelo Alvarez, Barbara Frittoli and Leo Nucci, to name but a few, joined the Coro del Festival Verdi and the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino under Zubin Mehta to perform some of the most popular opera arias ever.
Giuseppe Verdi (1813?EUR"1901) wrote 28 operas in all, including La Traviata , Aida , Nabucco and Rigoletto . A considerable number of them were world successes and have remained fixtures in every opera house's repertory throughout the last century. This recording demonstrates - better than any single opera could do - the breadth of Verdi's genius and melodic talent as it features highlights of most of his operas.
Verdi wrote his Messa da Requiem in 1873-1874 for Alessandro Manzoni, a poet whom he much admired. Like Brahm's German Requiem , Verdi's Mass for the Dead is not intended for liturgical use but for the concert hall. In addition to its profound spirituality, this masterpiece brings together the finest qualities from Verdi's operas: endless melodic lines and captivating musico-dramatic effects.
This highly original celebration of the work of Mozart (1756-91) gives rein to the inventiveness of six distinguished contemporary composers, who were each invited to collaborate with a top film-maker of their choice to produce a tribute to the maestro. These partnerships let their imaginations run riot and have produced a collection of programs which range from the hilarious, through the frankly baffling, to the deeply moving.
Eminent Dutch composer Louis Andriessen and Peter Greenaway have produced a conceit on the letter M, set in a grisly sixteenth-century anatomy theatre. It features dancer Ben Craft and jazz singer Astrid Seriese, with jazz/funk music played by the Dutch marching band De Volharding.
Leonard Bernstein conducted the work at the Salzburg Festival in 1975 and shortly thereafter in Vienna's Konzerthaus, where it was recorded. The stage of the Konzerthaus was enlarged to make room for the unusually large orchestra, the two choruses, the children's choir and the soloists.
Bernstein was the first conductor ever to record all of Mahler's symphonies not only on disk, but also on video. The Mahler cycle was the first project in the more than 20-year-long association between Leonard Bernstein and Unitel. The leading Mahler interpreter of our time, Bernstein recorded all of Mahler's symphonies between 1971 and 1985, chiefly with the Vienna Philharmonic, producing a unique musical document and triggering a major reappreciation of Mahler's works. "All Mahler symphonies, all Mahler works for that matter, deal in extremes, extremes of dynamic, of tempo, of emotional meaning. When it is bare, it's extremely bare, when it is thick and rich, it's thicker and richer than anything in Götterdämmerung, and when it is suffering it suffers to a point that no music has ever suffered before" (Leonard Bernstein).
In only a few years, trumpeter Alison Balsom has shot forward to the topmost ranks of today's instrumental soloists, reaching untold popularity for her playing - and for the trumpet. Since her appearance in a live international broadcast of the Last Night of the Proms, she has become one of the best known UK artists of today, with sales of her CDs topping the charts. She won two Classical BRIT Awards, one in 2006 as best young British classical performer, and another in 2009 as female artist of the year - one of the rare brass players to win such acclaim. She was also the first female UK artist to win an ECHO Klassik Award as best young artist (2007). For her CD with trumpet concertos by Haydn and Hummel, she took home another ECHO Klassik award in 2009.
At the center of the documentary are two performances. One is a public performance of Haydn's celebrated Trumpet Concerto in E flat major with the Berlin Konzerthaus Orchestra under the Chinese conductor Xian Zhang, recorded in the classicistic hall of the Konzerthaus Berlin. The other is a "private" recording of Bach's Concerto in D major, BWV 792 with organist David Goode, Gigue, BWV 1008 and Debussy's Syrinx. The recording in the Sophienkirche was made with a RED One camera, a special HD camera that impressively...
The Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra's annual summer concert at the Waldbühne in Berlin is legendary. Recorded live on 25 June 2000, the Millenium concert gathered more than 22,000 people in one of the most appealing outdoor amphitheatres in Europe for one of the most popular classical music concerts in the world. Kent Nagano named his programme of popular and rather unusual music from the 20th century "Rhythm and Dance." It turned out to be an inspiring combination of classical pieces, show tunes, pops, and Far Eastern music, all brought together in a tasty musical stew and rightly labelled as one of the most exciting programmes ever performed at the Waldbühne. It featured Gershwin classics with an outstanding performance by the American mezzo soprano Susan Graham, music by Ravel and the soundtrack to the successful Chinese film "Farewell My Concubine." Nagano injected the performance with so much sensuality and pulsing life that the audience rose to beat time with their feet and to gave him standing ovations.
The Intimacy of Creativity is excited to collaborate with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra (HKPhil) as 2016 IC ensemble-in residence. Selected composers will present and revise their orchestral compositions before and after in-depth on-campus Open Discussions between Artistic Director and conductor, Bright Sheng, members of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, and librarian staff. The revised compositions will be formally presented at a Preview Concert on the campus of the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology (HKUST) and a World Premiere Concert at the iconic Hong Kong Cultural Centre Concert Hall.
With this, his only Bach recording, Herbert Blomstedt pays homage to Bach and the city of Leipzig. The video was recorded in 2005 at the Leipzig Bach Festival, which is widely regarded as the world's leading festival celebrating Johann Sebastian Bach. This concert of Bach's masterwork, at the end of his tenure as the 18th Gewandhauskapellmeister did not really mark the end of Blomstedt's fruitful collaboration with the traditional orchestra. The Swedish conductor will continue to act as an honorary musical director to the ensemble. Performed with leading Bach singers at St. Thomas' Church, Leipzig, the church for which Bach conceived his works, this homage to Bach was a touching farewell to Herbert Blomstedt from his Leipzig audience.
Bonus feature:
- Bach and his B minor Mass: An introduction by Herbert Blomstedt
"For me, it's the utmost to play and work on the music of Bach!"
Violinist Frank Peter Zimmermann is one of the greatest artists of his generation. Accompanied by Enrico Pace, his pianist counterpart since 1998, he plays the unrivalled violin sonatas of Johann Sebastian Bach, recorded in one of Germany's most beautiful Baroque halls. And in the documentary Bach and Me he provides us with personal insights into his relationship with this famed Baroque composer as well as into his own life as an artist and human being.
A traditional filming reproduces the perspective of an audience in its seat armed with opera glasses. This film shows just the opposite ?EUR" the spectator is placed in the orchestra among the musicians and in front of the conductor. We thus have the perspective of the musicians and the emotions they live with Cristoph Eschenbach. The effect of being in the very midst of these always surprising scores is nothing short of spectacular. For Harold in Italy , violist Tabea Zimmermann joins maestro Eschenbach and the Orchestre de Paris.
When lockdown was imposed in 2020 many artists began streaming performances from their own homes. In response, pianist Francesco Piemontesi and director Jan Schmidt-Garre launched a concert series to showcase artists living in Berlin, given in the renowed Schinkel Pavillon with an expert technical team assembled at short notice. Fourteen concerts were held, without audiences, under the name Home Music Berlin featuring some of the world's leading instrumentalists and singers. This collection of performances is testament to the resilience and solidarity of these artists during the pandemic.
The concerts reflect the wealth of the music city Berlin. Artists from Russia, Ukraine, the US, England, Israel, Switzerland, France, Denmark and Germany took part, including great musicians such as Alexander Melnikov, Christian Tetzlaff, Sharon Kam, Jacquelyn Wagner, Isabelle Faust, Iddo Bar-Shai and Tabea Zimmermann. It would never have been possible to gather all these artists in a row without the lockdown. Just like a hundred years ago, the city of Berlin showed its very own artistic profile. Anyone who wanted to hear Furtwangler, Nikisch, Wilhelm Kempff, Busoni or Horowitz back then, when musicians travelled much less than they do today, had to come to Berlin. In order to hear...
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
In spring of 2020, concert halls fell silent. During those weeks, when people had to stay at home and musicians faced all their performances being canceled, a group of Berlin-based artists of international acclaim, in co-operation with awarded film producer Jan Schmidt-Garre and Naxos Audiovisual, set up a series of chamber music concerts performed and filmed at Schinkel Pavillon in Berlin. Tabea Zimmermann (viola) and Francesco Piemontesi (piano) perform Schumann's Phantasiestucke, Marchenbilder and Liszt's Romance Oubliee for Viola and Piano , as well as Liszt's 1st Legend for Piano and Reger's Suite No. 1 op. 131d for Viola .
David Bowie released Blackstar on his 69th birthday, January 8, 2016, two days before his death. It was his parting gift to the world, a self-eulogy, hinting at the sacred and reveling in the profane. Blackstar is a concept album, but the concept is unnamed, or is the Un-nameable itself: facing death, living in its shadow. There is no clear story line, no single alter ego, no Ziggy Stardust or Aladdin Sane. Instead Bowie inhabits a collection of characters, taking listeners through aspects of their lives, using a myriad set of images - hospital beds, death masks, possession, trance, acts of passion and violence - that evoke Death and Transfiguration.
Evan Ziporyn made Blackstar to honor Bowie and his influence, to immerse listerners in this amazing music, to live inside it and embody it. But also to transform it, in the spirit of Bowie and of the record itself. Even in these instrumental versions, the words and their meaning hover over the music, despite their absence, much like the 'spirit' figure in the first song: gone, but with a trace.
David Bowie's voice was unique and inimitable, his range matched by his stylistic breadth. Over his career, from album to album, but also within a single song, sometimes a single phrase, Bowie would shapeshift while always...
The West-Eastern Divan Orchestra is one of those success stories that is almost too perfect to be true. The internationally respected orchestra was founded by Daniel Barenboim and the late Palestinian writer and scholar Edward Said with young, highly talented Israeli and Arab musicians. The ensemble works to establish dialogue between the cultures of the Middle East through the experience of playing music together, and has gained cultural and musical respect all over the world. The concert proves that it can bear comparison with veteran orchestras, even in familiar repertory staples. Combining technical polish and security, tonal beauty and transparency with youthful expression, passion and exuberance, the ensemble plays music by Beethoven, Brahms and others. The event was broadcast live from the Palacio de Carlos V, Alhambra in Spanish Granada, thus hundreds of thousands of viewers across Europe were able to experience Barenboim's conducting and this special orchestra. The Alhambra (Red Castle) in Granada, Spain ?EUR" a listed UNESCO World Heritage Site - was built and preserved over a period of social tolerance and cultural flowering, during the Moorish era, in which the three great religions lived together in an atmosphere of tolerance and mutual respect. Thus it provides...
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The Risør Festival of Chamber Music has firmly established itself as one of the most prestigious and recognized chamber music festivals in the world. Each year, international artists visit the small fishing town in southern Norway and join forces with some of Norway's best musicians for six days of chamber music making. The setting is amongst the most beautiful to be found in Norway, the exquisite coastline architecture and quintessential southern white houses providing an atmosphere of intimacy and calmness.
The founding artistic directors were violist Lars Anders Tomter and pianist Leif Ove Andsnes. In 2011 Andsnes handed over the co-artistic leadership to violinist Henning Kraggerud. The festival takes place in the last week of June each year. The films shown here are produced by Music in Motion (www.musicinmotion.no).
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, one of the best orchestras in the world, celebrates its 60th Anniversary with a GALA Concert in 1996 conducted by Zubin Mehta and Daniel Barenboim. The Gala featuring world acclaimed soloists such as Isaac Stern Pinchas Zukerman, Itzhal Perlman and Shlomo Mintz.
The Verbier Festival is one of classical music's greatest events. In celebration of the festival's 25th anniversary, this unique concert brings together 36 classical stars in an unprecedented evening of ingenious programming and captivating performances. The line-up includes the world's greatest violinists, violists, cellists and pianists as well as other other leading performers conducted by Valery Gergiev and Gabor Takacs-Nagy.
For the first time in Europe, Katia and Marielle Labeque, who are sibling pianists renowned for their incredible synchronicity and energy, present Philip Glass's Double Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra . Philip Glass composed the Concerto especially for this duo in the Autumn and Winter of 2014-15 as a work commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, Goteborgs Symfoniker and the Orquesta Nacional de Espana. Other acclaimed works by Philip Glass, one of today's mosprominent composers, include the opera Einstein on the Beach (1967) and a grand Violin Concerto (1987).
Philip Glass's Double Concerto is followed by Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony . Probably the composer's most performed symphony, the work was composed in 1937 in Leningrad and proved to be an unprecedented triumph for its creator. Its emotional intensity reflects the horrors of the Great Terror. Under the baton of Jaap van Zweden, the Orchestre de Paris offers an interpretation infused with precision and passion.
For the first time in Europe, Katia and Marielle Labeque, who are sibling pianists renowned for their incredible synchronicity and energy, present Philip Glass's Double Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra . Philip Glass composed the Concerto especially for this duo in the Autumn and Winter of 2014-15 as a work commissioned by the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Orchestre de Paris, Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra, Goteborgs Symfoniker and the Orquesta Nacional de Espana. Other acclaimed works by Philip Glass, one of today's mosprominent composers, include the opera Einstein on the Beach (1967) and a grand Violin Concerto (1987).
Philip Glass's Double Concerto is followed by Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony . Probably the composer's most performed symphony, the work was composed in 1937 in Leningrad and proved to be an unprecedented triumph for its creator. Its emotional intensity reflects the horrors of the Great Terror. Under the baton of Jaap van Zweden, the Orchestre de Paris offers an interpretation infused with precision and passion.
