Schedule

Conductor Herbert Blomstedt and the Gewandhausorchester take us on a musical journey to the Czech Republic in this 2020 concert from Leipzig’s Gewandhaus. The program opens with Bohemian composer Jan Václav Hugo Voríšek’s Symphony in D major, Op. 23 (1821). Although the composition – Voríšek’s only symphony – was never performed during the composer’s lifetime, it has become one of his most-performed works today. Also on the program is Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Symphony No. 38 in D major, K. 504. This work, which premiered while Mozart was visiting Prague in 1787, is often referred to as the ‘Prague Symphony’.

The sheer number of recordings and monographs about Franz Schubert's song cycle ‘Winterreise’ alone testifies to its magnificence. Even so, specialists are still undecided whether this work truly constitutes a song cycle. Its 24 songs, settings of texts by the poet Wilhelm Müller, were published on two separate occasions: one in February 1827, and one in October 1827. However, the narrative of Müller's poems appears straightforward: a young man is rejected, and wanders off on an aimless journey in the midst of winter. The music's atmosphere is gloomy and downcast. In this performance, baritone Thomas Quasthoff performs Schubert’s song cycle accompanied by Daniel Barenboim on piano. This performance was recorded at the Philharmonie in Berlin, Germany.

Pianist Jakub Kuszlik (Poland, 1996) performs Reflets dans l’eau from Claude Debussy’s Images (book I), and Frédéric Chopin’s Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58, during the first round of the Piano Edition of the Concours musical international de Montréal 2024 (CMIM). This performance was recorded at the Bourgie Hall of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.

The documentary Mozart in Vienna explores how the composer took charge of his own works by becoming the first freelance composer. After trips to Salzburg and Paris, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s career flourished in Vienna. Upon completing the opera Die Entführung aus dem Serail in 1782, he performed regularly as a pianist, and thrived as a composer. The opera was performed throughout German-speaking Europe, helping Mozart become an established and financially prosperous composer. After Mozart befriended Joseph Haydn in Vienna in 1784, he dedicated his six string quartets to the latter, who by then had already composed a great number of string quartets. We are fortunate to be able to still enjoy the great works Mozart composed during his days in Vienna.

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, Italian violinist Laura Marzadori and Italian pianist Andrea Bacchetti performed a wonderful concert at Teatro Sociale di Camogli, Italy. On the program are Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Sonata No. 18 in G major, K. 301; Ludwig van Beethoven’s Sonata No. 5 in F major, Op. 24; Manuel de Falla’s Suite Populaire Espagnole (transcription by Paul Kochaniski); Camille Saint-Saëns’ Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso in A minor, Op. 28; and ‘Méditation’ from Jules Massenet’s opera Thaïs. This performance was recorded on March 8, 2022.

In this exquisite 2016 concert from Moscow's Tchaikovsky Concert Hall, the Russian National Orchestra and star-pianist Boris Berezovsky are led by conductor Mikhail Pletnev in a performance of magnificent works by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Winner of the 1990 International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow, Berezovsky interprets the works of Rimsky-Korsakov with a virtuosic power. The programme features The Tale of the Invisible City of Kitezh and the Maiden Fevroniya, suite for orchestra, as well as The Tale of Tsar Saltan, musical pictures for orchestra. It is produced by the Moscow Philharmonic Society, which Saint Petersburg-born composer Dmitri Shostakovich himself once described as playing a significant role "in the development of musical life [in Russia]. It is a kind of university which is attended by millions of music lovers and thousands of musicians.” The Moscow Philharmonic Society was founded in 1922 by then-Commissar for Culture, Anatoly Lunacharsky, and has over the years come to be Russia's leading concert organizing institution.

Bass-baritone Matthias Hoffmann (Austria, 1991) and pianist Lisa Ochsendorf (Germany, 1991) perform ‘Il modo di prender morale’ from Franz Schubert’s Drei Lieder, Op. 83, D. 902; ‘Le faune’ from Claude Debussy’s Fêtes galantes II, L. 114; ‘Du alte Ananasbirne’ from Miroslav Srnka’s Dreizehn Lieder; Alphons Diepenbrock’s Simeons lofzang, RC 120; Carl Loewe’s Odins Meeresritt, Op. 118; ‘Nach dem Gewitter’ from Alexander von Zemlinksy’s Acht Lieder, Op. 5; ‘L’heure exquise’ from Reynaldo Hahn’s Sept chansons grises; ‘Silent noon’ from Ralph Vaughan Williams’ The house of life; ‘Ich mag euch alle nicht’ from Wolfgang Rihm’s Neue Alexanderlieder; ‘Betrunken’ from Viktor Ullmann’s Liederbuch des Hafis, Op. 30; and Robert Schumann’s Belsazar, Op. 57, during the final round of the International Vocal Competition 2021 – Lied Duo. This performance was recorded at De Verkadefabriek in ’s-Hertogenbosch, the Netherlands.

Henk de Graaf (clarinet), Herre-Jan Stegenga (cello), Beverley Lunt (violin), Reinette Thiadens (violin), Richard Wolfe (viola), and Hans Krul (double bass) perform works for clarinet and string instruments: Bernhard Henrik Crusell’s Clarinet Quartet No. 4, Heinrich Joseph Baermann’s Adagio for Clarinet and String Quintet, and Louis Spohr’s Fantasy and Variations, Op. 81. This performance was recorded at Radboud Castle in Medemblik, the Netherlands.

Despite his motto ‘Aultre n’auray’ (‘I shall never have another’), Philip the Good was known for his passion for the fairer sex. Could this explain why Le Champion des Dames – Martin le Franc’s monumental poem about famous women – was dedicated to Philip? From the Virgin Mary to Joan of Arc to Christine de Pisan: in this programme medieval woman appears in all her guises, in music by Baude Cordier, Gilles Binchois and Johannes Ghiselin, among others.

Polish conductor Marta Gardolińska conducts the London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) in a concert program consisting of Lili Boulanger’s D’un Martin de Printemps, Marc-André Dalbavie’s Concerto for Flute, and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36. The luminous optimism of the young Boulanger is poles apart from the raw passion and white-hot melodies of Tchaikovsky’s semi-autobiographical symphony. LSO principal flute Gareth Davies brings out all the dazzle and daring of Dalbavie's 21st-century classic. The program closes with Prayer for Ukraine by composer Valentin Silvestrov. This concert was recorded at LSO St Luke’s in London, UK, on May 18, 2022.

Bruckner's Fifth Symphony has been called the "Medieval" because of its multi-layered, Baroque, contrapuntal tonal textures and the "Catholic" because of its solemn majesty. These designations are uniquely fitting to the work, Bruckner himself called it his "Fantastic," especially when it is performed at the Monastery of St. Florian, as on this recording. It is not without reason that Bruckner also called the Fifth his "contrapuntal masterpiece." Indeed, the incredible prominence of the finale arises from an almost fanatical contrapuntal interplay that bundles together the structures of the entire symphony into one homogeneous form and leads them together into a grandiose double fugue that is unique even for Bruckner. Franz Welser-Möst, Music Director of both The Cleveland Orchestra and the Zurich Opera, brought his U.S. ensemble to St. Florian in September 2006 for performances at the Linz Brucknerfest. Bruckner wrote the Fifth in 1875/76, but the work was not premiered until 1894, after it had undergone many revisions by the composer.

In 2006, Gidon Kremer and Martha Argerich set out on tour performing solos and duets by Bartók und Schumann. The last of the concert series at the Berliner Philharmonie has been recorded for this film, featuring a rare solo performance by Martha Argerich. A concert film with personal and moving commentary by Gidon Kremer. Program: Schumann's Violin Sonata No. 1, Op. 10, Violin Sonata No. 2, Op. 121; Kinderszenen, Op. 15; Bartók: Violin Sonata No. 1 Sz 75; Violin sonata No. 2 Sz 76.

The extraordinarily talented pianist Elena Bashkirova has been president of the Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy Foundation in Leipzig since October 2020, succeeding legendary conductor Kurt Masur. In this concert at the Mendelssohn House in Leipzig, Bashkirova is joined by soprano Juliane Banse, flutist Emmanuel Pahud, cellist Claudio Bohórquez, clarinettist Karl-Heinz Steffens, and pianist Ohad Ben-Ari in a chamber music program dedicated to the music of Mendelssohn and his sister Fanny Hensel. The program opens with Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio in D minor, Op. 49. This is followed by a selection of songs: Mendelssohn’s Schilflied ‘Auf dem Teich, dem regungslosen’, Op. 71 No. 4, and Reiselied ‘Der Herbstwind rüttelt die Bäume’, Op. 34 No. 6; Hensel’s Vorwurf, Op. 10 No. 2; Verlust, Op. 9 No. 10; and Sehnsucht, Op. 9 No. 7; Mendelssohn’s ‘Allnächtlich im Traume seh ich dich’, Op. 86 No. 4; ‘Die Liebende schreibt’, Op. 86 No. 3; and Nachtlied ‘Vergangen ist der lichte Tag’, Op. 71 No. 6. The program continues with Mendelssohn’s Seven Songs without Words, for piano four-hands (Op. 62 Nos. 1-6, and Op. 67 No. 1), and comes to a close with Mendelssohn’s Three pieces for clarinet, violoncello and piano (arr. Ernst Naumann), comprising Prelude, Op. 35 No. 4, Songs without Words, Op. 53 No. 2, and Duet, Op. 38 No. 6. This performance was recorded in November 2020.

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’ string quartet – consisting of David Grimal (violin), Hans Peter Hofmann (violin), David Gaillard (viola), and Xavier Phillips (cello) – performs Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s String Quartet No. 19 in C major, K. 465, ‘Dissonance’ (Op. 10 No. 6). The String Quartet is the last in the set of six quartets that were dedicated to Joseph Haydn. Written between 1782 and 1785, these are also known as the Haydn Quartets (Op. 10). String Quartet No. 19 is remarkable for its slow, dissonant introduction, giving the piece its nickname. This ominous passage suddenly gives way to the bright Allegro in C major. This performance was recorded at Opéra Comique in Paris, France, in 2015.

This visually stunning production of Nutcracker is a graceful and timeless adventure on a grand scale. From the lovely Waltz of the Flowers to the crystalline beauty of the stunning Snowflake Waltz, each scene is more breathtaking than the last, bringing to life all the well-known and beloved characters with fresh sparkle and compelling originality. It is Christmas Eve and we are brought to a party at which Drosselmeyer gives young Clara a nutcracker doll - beginning a night that includes a magically growing Christmas tree, a midnight battle of toy soldiers at which the Nutcracker defeats the villainous Mouse King and his army of mice, and a headlong pas de deux in which Clara and Hans-Peter meet and celebrate their triumph before being enveloped in a magical snowstorm. Act II whisks the young pair off to the Kingdom of the Sweets, where they are entertained by the Sugar Plum Fairy with her handsome Prince and her glittering court in a series of dazzling dances. Under the direction of Andreas Morell, Valery Gergiev conducts the Mariinsky Orchestra and Choir. Soloists are Mikhail Makarov, lldar Abdrazakov, Anna Markarova, Sergei Skorokhodov, Timur Abdikeyev, Vladislav Sulimasky. This production was recorded at the Mariinsky Theatre in 2012.

The 2017 Reate Festival in Rieti, Italy staged two short operas composed by Nino Rota. Known chiefly for his cinema soundtracks and his lifelong relationship with iconic directors such as Federico Fellini, Francis Ford Coppola and Luchino Visconti (to name but a few), Rota was a musical enfant prodige who composed sacred music as well as operas from a very young age. Endowed with a streak of freedom, creativity and imagination that allowed him to forge his own unique style, he succeeded in merging the great Italian operatic tradition of Rossini, Puccini and Verdi with a contemporary musical language, setting himself apart from his contemporaries in the process. I due timidi was broadcast by Milan’s RAI in 1950 and first staged in London in 1952. Based on a text by the Italian screen writer Suso Cecchi D’Amico, it’s a comedy of errors. Although it lacks the usual happy ending, the pace of the musical action and the skills of the young actor-singers make the performance most enjoyable. “The pace of the narration changes continuously: frenzied rhythms suddenly shift to broad vocal declamations à la Puccini, with interludes reminiscent of jazz and the buffo style. Despite the richness and heterogeneity of the musical material, the singers always manage to stay vocally balanced, showing great acting abilities, as well… Conductor Gabriele Bonolis and his orchestra received midperformance applause for an energetic, fresh and brilliant performance.” This version was performed by the Reate Festival Orchestra.

Azerbaijan-born artist Seljan Nasibli moved to England at an early age, where she was encouraged to take up music. Although Nasibli chose to sing jazz, her Oxford teachers heard an operatic tendency in her voice and advised to train classically. Nasibli completed her studies at The Royal College of Music, where she graduated with a master's degree in Vocal Performance. In this episode of Stingray Originals, Nasibli performs three of Giacomo Puccini's most beautiful arias: 'Signore, ascolta!' and 'Tu, che di gel sei cinta' from the opera Turandot, and 'Quando m'en vo' (Musetta's Waltz) from the opera La bohème.

Pianist Carter Johnson (Canada, 1996) joins the CMIM ensemble, consisting of three principal strings players of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, in a performance of the first movement, Sostenuto assai – Allegro ma non troppo, of Robert Schumann’s Piano Quartet in E-flat major, Op. 47. This performance took place during the chamber music round of the two-part semi-final of the Piano Edition of the Concours musical international de Montréal 2024 (CMIM). It was recorded at the Bourgie Hall of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.