Schedule

On the occasion of her 80th birthday, Argentinian pianist Martha Argerich explored chamber music repertoire in this wonderful concert, recorded at Château de Chantilly, France. The ‘Grande Dame’ of the piano is joined by various renowned artists, including pianists Lily Maisky and Iddo Bar-Shaï, violinists Tedi Papavrami and Akiko Suwanai, her daughter Lyda Chen-Argerich on viola, and cellist Mischa Maisky. On the program are Felix Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 49; Leoš Janáček’s Violin Sonata; Franz Schubert’s Rondo in A major, D. 951; and Johannes Brahms’s Piano Quartet No. 3 in C minor, Op. 60. These performances were recorded on May 4 and June 13, 2021.

Marin Alsop conducts the Britten-Pears Orchestra in a performance of Benjamin Britten’s The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra. This performance took place at Snape Maltings Concert Hall, Snape Bridge in the UK in 2017. The Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme was founded over 40 years ago by the composer and Peter Pears, to provide high-level performance training for the world’s best emerging professional musicians. Ever since the 1946 the educational film ‘Instruments of the Orchestra’, generations have been inspired by Britten’s much-loved classic. It is one of the best-known pieces by the composer and is often associated with two other works in the context of children's music education: Saint-Saëns' The Carnival of the Animals and Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf.

Mezzo-soprano Valerie Eickhoff (Germany, 1996) performs ‘Deh, per questo istante solo’ from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s opera La clemenza di Tito; ‘Vois sous l’archet frémissant’ from Jacques Offenbach’s opera Les contes d'Hoffmann; and ‘Una voce poco fa’ from Gioachino Rossini’s opera Il barbiere di Siviglia, during the final round of the Aria division of the Concours musical international de Montréal 2022 (CMIM). She is accompanied by the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under the baton of Jacques Lacombe. This performance was recorded at Montreal Symphony House.

From the Barockschloss in Rammenau the Gewandhaus-Quartett plays Mozart’s String Quartet No. 19 in C-major, KV. 465. This work is nicknamed "Dissonance" due to its unusual slow introduction with dissonant notes before the harmony resolving in the key of C-major, starting the bright Allegro section. It is perhaps the most famous of Mozart’s quartets and the last of a set of six quartets composed between 1782 and 1785 which the composer dedicated to colleague and friend Joseph Haydn. The Gewandhaus-Quartett is the longest established string quartet in the world. Founded in 1808, it can be seen as a remarkable part of the western history of music, having continued its concert activity uninterrupted from generation to generation with great success for almost 200 years. In this performance, it consists of Frank Michael Erben (1st violin), Conrad Suske (2nd violin), Volker Metz (viola), Jürnjakob Timm (cello) and Steffen Adelmann (doublebass).

Armagh is one of the oldest cities of Ireland and also the place St-Patrick choose to build his first stone church. Nowhere in the world is the connection with Saint-Patrick more meaningful than in this city and the neighbouring counties in which he lived. This program brings the viewers to places most associated with Saint-Patrick and brings highlights of the annual concert, held in the cathedral that bears his name. Join composer and presenter John Anderson as he conducts a celebratory and reflective event honoring Saint-Patrick. A range of choirs unite in a unique evening of music and spoken words in the beautiful cathedral setting. Recorded March 9th, 2019.

Mikhail Pletnev leads the Russian National Orchestra (RNO) in a performance of Maurice Ravel's Piano Concerto No. 1 with Lucas Debargue as the soloist. The concert opens with a selection of music by Georges Bizet based on Alphonse Daudet's play 'L'Arlésienne'. The music is compiled by Mikhail Pletnev. The first movement of Ravel's Piano Concerto No. 1 contains five distinctive themes, of which three are reminiscent of jazz. Debargue's performance of Ravel's concerto is followed by Gabriel Fauré's Barcarolle No. 4. The performance was recorded at Tchaikovsky Concert Hall in Moscow as part of the Ninth RNO Grand Festival.

Alice Burla (Canada, 1996) performs J. S. Bach’s Overture in the French Style, BWV 831, Allegro energico, Spring Thaw, and Off-beat Waltz from John Burge’s Twenty-Four Preludes, Les fées sont d'exquises danseuses, Ondine, Minstrels, and Feux d'artifice from Claude Debussy’s Préludes, Books I and II, L. 125 and 131, and Samuel Barber’s Sonata in E-flat minor, Op. 26, during the finals of the 2021 Piano Edition of the Concours musical international de Montréal (CMIM). This performance was recorded at the Grosser Saal of the Musik-Akademie in Basel, Switzerland.

Can we get into Beethoven’s creative mind, especially in the last phase of his life, when he was coping with severe hearing loss? Tom Beghin’s new recording of Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas Opus 109, 110, and 111 is an artistic exploration of how Beethoven’s musicking was shaped by the work environment he created with the help of colleagues and friends. Not only does pianist Tom Beghin perform Beethoven’s trilogy of pianistic masterpieces on a magnificent new replica of Beethoven’s Broadwood piano, he uses a reconstruction of the Gehörmaschine that was mounted on the composer’s piano so he could continue to create music as his hearing declined. ‘You do hear better when you bring your head under this machine, don’t you?’ André Stein asked Beethoven. Two centuries later, we too can bring our heads under the machine and wonder: Do we hear Beethoven differently? Beghin draws us inside the hearing machine, where we feel as well as hear the essence of Beethoven’s rambunctious and irresistibly poetic musical vibrations. Inside the Hearing Machine invites us into the multisensory playground of a deaf composer for whom the machine was more than a hearing aid and who interacted with his instrument through much more than sound.

Italian pianist Costantino Catena performs Franz Liszt’s transcription of ‘Isoldens Liebestod’ from Richard Wagner’s opera ‘Tristan und Isolde’. This performance was recorded at the Church of the Jesuit College in Trapani, Italy.

Franz Welser-Möst conducts the Cleveland Orchestra in a performance of Bruckner's Symphony No. 7. The work occupies a singularly important place in the composer's output. It was with this piece that Bruckner finally achieved widespread recognition and it has remained one of his most popular works. The symphony adheres to the classical four-movement format. The heart of the work is a long and deeply felt Adagio, composed as a memorial to Wagner. The first movement begins with a soaring theme announced by cellos. The Scherzo relieves the somber atmosphere of the preceding Adagio and the Finale concludes the symphony on a note of unrestrained joy. Recorded in Severance Hall, Cleveland in 2008.

After a successful inaugural recital in 2016, pianist Misha Fomin returns to the stage in the intimate hall of the Concertgebouw Amsterdam on November 11, 2017. Celebrated by the local and international press for his natural virtuosity, the rich texture of his play and his great musical intelligence, Fomin interprets Fantasia, op. 17 by Schumann, Piano Sonata No. 30, op. 109 of Beethoven, as well as works by Tchaikovsky, including the plays "May", "June" and "October" from the Seasons, op. 37b, and a Liszt transcription of the "Polonaise", taken from the opera Eugene Onegin.

In this six-part documentary on the life and work of Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, director Liloye Boubli takes viewers on a journey through the life and work of this legend of Brazilian classical music. The composer, conductor, cellist, and classical guitarist was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1887. Growing up during a time of immense social change in Brazil – with the abolishment of slavery in 1888, this was a time of social revolution and far-reaching modernizations – Villa-Lobos went on to become one of South America's best-known composers of all time. This fourth episode dives deeper into the composer's "Bachianas brasileiras", particularly the "Ária (Cantilena)" from Bachianas Brasileiras No. 5, which is one of Villa-Lobos's most renowned pieces.

Young Euro Classic is the world’s most important platform for international young orchestra musicians in the European classical music tradition, and for its development. For 17 days every summer, orchestras from all over the world perform at Berlin’s Konzerthaus, on Gendarmenmarkt. This performance features some highlights of the Young Euro Classic edition of 2016. On the program are well-known classical pieces, like the third movement of Vivaldi’s “Summer” from Four Seasons, Mussorgky’s “Night on Bald Mountain,” and “Habanera” from Bizet’s Carmen. Tenor Alan Pingarrón sings “Gratia plena,” by Mario Talavera, and “Dime Que Si,” by Alfonso Oteo. On the program are also famous orchestral works like the Adagietto from Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, and the third movement of Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 3.

Soprano Vassia Alati (the Netherlands/Greece, 1992) and pianist Yuto Kiguchi (Japan, 1989) perform ‘C’est l’extase langoureuse’ from Claude Debussy’s Arriettes oubliées, L. 63, and ‘Fantoches’ from Debussy’s Fêtes galantes, L. 86; Bart Visman’s Het goud van Vermeer; ‘Lerchengesang’ from Johannes Brahms’s Vier Gesänge, Op. 70; Franz Schubert’s Gruppe aus dem Tartarus, Op. 24, No. 1, D. 583; ‘Now the leaves are falling fast’ from Benjamin Britten’s On this island, Op. 11; and ‘I gria zoi’ (Old mother life) from Manolis Kalomiris’s Mayovotana (Magic herbs), during the semi-finals of the International Vocal Competition 2021 – Lied Duo. This performance was recorded at Het Noordbrabants Museum in ’s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands.

Omer Meir Wellber leads the Orchestra and Chorus of Teatro La Fenice in a performance of Vincenzo Bellini's tragic opera 'I Capuleti e i Montecchi'. Felice Romani's libretto is not based on William Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet' but on Luigi Scevola's 1818 play 'Giulietta e Romeo'. Teatro La Fenice commissioned Vincenzo Bellini's opera for the Venetian Carnival of 1830. Bellini composed 'I Capuleti e i Montecchi' in just a month and a half, recycling material from his previous opera 'Zaira', which enjoyed little popular success. In this production, English-born soprano Jessica Pratt performs the role of Giulietta, and Italian mezzo-soprano Sonia Ganassi performs the role of Romeo. Among the other soloists are Rubén Amoretti, Shalva Mukeria, and Luca Dall'Amico. This performance was recorded at Teatro la Fenice di Venezia in Venice, Italy, on January 18, 2015.

Beethoven’s last three sonatas – Opus 109, 110 and 111 – explore the intimate meanders of the human soul, from despair to transfiguration. At the time of their composition, Beethoven was already locked in himself by his deafness. This deeply affected his relationship to others and to the world. This "psychological framework" is explored by director Mariano Nante, setting pianist Alexandre Tharaud in a film inspired by the universe of Tarkovski. Filmed in abandoned castles, and lit by director of photography Yorgos Arvanitis, this work evokes solitude and introspection and offers an inner journey through images and music.

This 2016 concert at Chambord Castle in France under the direction of Hervé Niquet features 70 musicians that gave a spectacular performance of Handel‘s Water Music and Music for the Royal Fireworks. In between Le Concert Spirituel also plays Concerto Grosso’s No. 4 and No. 5 also by Georg Friedrich Handel. After that you can enjoy the celebrated movement of Marc- Antoine Charpentier’s Te Deum, now universally known as the signature tune of Eurovision. The music brings to mind the splendor at the court of King Louis XIV, who sojourned in Chambord on several occasions.

Les Dissonances is a collective of artists founded by violinist David Grimal in 2004. The conductorless ensemble consists of musicians from the most prestigious European orchestras, international soloists, and young talents. In this performance Les Dissonances perform Franz Schubert’s Symphony No. 8 in B minor, D. 759, also known as the ‘Unfinished Symphony’. Schubert started composing the work in 1822, but only completed the first two movements. The first movement, Allegro moderato, has a dark, mysterious mood, which contrasts with the beautiful second movement in E major, Andante con moto. Schubert only penned a couple of measures of the third movement, a Scherzo, in full score. It is not known why the composer never finished his symphony. Although it is not complete, it has become one of Schubert’s most popular compositions. This performance was recorded at Cité de la musique in Paris, France, in 2013.

The Boy with the Wig - Kids on Mozart explores children’s fascination with the composer. The 30-minute film by Claus Wischmann features boys and girls aged between eight and eleven recounting his life through humour and serious interpretations of Mozart’s biography. Discover Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart through the eyes of children.

Jenny Chen (1994, Taiwan) performs Tchaikovsky/Liszt - Polonaise aus der Oper Jewgeny Onegin, S429, Rubinstein/Liszt - Zwei Lieder, S554 und Rapsodie Espagnole, S254 during the semi-final I (transcription) of the 11th International Franz Liszt Piano Competition, held in TivoliVredenburg, Utrecht, in 2017. The competition actively presents, develops, and promotes piano talents from around the world. In doing so, it has become one of the prominent gateways to the international professional classical music scene for young musicians. The International Franz Liszt Piano Competition was founded in 1986 in the Netherlands and has since built a reputation as one of the world’s most prestigious piano competitions.

Eímear Noone conducts the Danish National Symphony Orchestra and Concert Choir in a spectacular performance of some of the most well-known video game soundtracks of the last forty years. This programme showcases the depth and breadth of the video game music genre, featuring pieces from Nintendo legend Koji Kondo, DOOM veteran Mick Gordon and a whole host of contemporary game composers including Noone herself. Key soundtracks featured include Call of Duty, Final Fantasy, Assassin's Creed, Halo and World of Warcraft. Soloists for this performance are Tuva Semmingsen (mezzo) and Christine Nonbo Andersen (soprano). Recorded at the DR Koncerthuset in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2018.

In this six-part documentary on the life and work of Brazilian composer Heitor Villa-Lobos, director Liloye Boubli takes viewers on a journey through the life and work of this legend of Brazilian classical music. The composer, conductor, cellist, and classical guitarist was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, in 1887. Growing up during a time of immense social change in Brazil – with the abolishment of slavery in 1888, this was a time of social revolution and far-reaching modernizations – Villa-Lobos went on to become one of South America's best-known composers of all time. In this second episode, Liloye Boubli dives deeper into the oeuvre of Villa-Lobos, exploring his musical influences and scrutinizing the anatomy of some of his most famous compositions, particularly his early "Pequena Suíte" for cello and piano. This collection of dances and short pieces in six movements is indicative of the composer's heartfelt adoration for Johann Sebastian Bach.

On 18 December 2017, the Valerius Ensemble played a Christmas concert in Concordia, Enschede. The ensemble consists of Robert Windak (violin), Annemarie van Vliegen (violin), Eva Šušliková (viola) and Réne Geesing (cello). The program consists of “Das neugeborne Kindelein” from Bachs Cantata BWV 122, the Largo from Vivaldi’s Winter, the Allegro from Mozart’s Divertimento in D (KV. 136), Méditation from Massenet’s opera “Thaïs,” The Entertainer by Scott Joplin, the Vilja song from Léhars “Die Lustige Witwe” and the animated Romanian folk-tune Geampara. The Ensemble closes with Piazzolla’s Ave Maria (Tanti anni prima).

Considered to be one of the most unique ensembles to feature on the Czech scene in the last 25 years, the style of the Clarinet Factory hovers between contemporary and classical music, jazz and world music. As winners of the Classic Prague Awards in 2017 for 'Best Crossover Project', the quartet combines their classic music training and clarinet art with jazz, minimalism and improvisation to create their very own music without borders, capable of communicating directly with all audiences. The Clarinet Factory also experiment with electronics, both ambient and dance-oriented, and the four musicians remain ever fascinated with the possibilities of their instrument, considering their work as a music laboratory. Regularly collaborating with symphonic ensembles, vocalists, performance artists, the quartet have written music for film, theatre, ballet and contemporary dance. In this performance from 2019's Classical:NEXT!, the ensemble interprets their own works: "Bird Song", "Husa divoká", "B-A-C-H", "Hikari", "Luda's Dance" and "L'Amour". The Clarinet Factory is made up of Vojtěch Nýdl (clarinet and vocals), Luděk Boura (clarinet), Jindřich Pavliš (clarinet), and Petr Valášek (bass clarinet).