Beethoven 2020

Israeli violinist Itzhak Perlman and the Berlin Philharmonic perform the Violin Concerto, Op. 61 by Ludwig van Beethoven under the direction of Daniel Barenboim. Beethoven dedicated his Violin Concerto to his colleague Franz Clement, a prominent violinist of the time. The first of the piece was presented in Vienna in 1806. The piece was only interpreted a handful of times during the following decades. However, the work took a new lease of life in 1844, when the young violinist Joseph Joachim, barely 12 years old, performed with the London Philharmonic Society, under the direction of Mendelssohn. Since then, Beethoven's Violin Concerto has been one of the most important concertos in the classical repertoire. This work, renowned for its wide range of cadenzas, poses a great technical and intellectual challenge, brilliantly picked up by Perlman and the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra.

Italian pianist Riccardo Schwartz was born in Milan in 1986, and completed his studies at Conservatorio of Milan as a student of acclaimed musicians such as Riccardo Risaliti, Leonardo Leonardi, and Annibale Rebaudengo. He graduated with Honorable Mention and continued his piano studies at the Accademia Pianistica of Imola. Throughout his career, he has had the privilege of performing as a soloist under the baton of outstanding conductors, among the likes of Gustav Kuhn and Yuri Temirkanov. His acclaimed performances include recitals and concertos for piano and orchestra in many prestigious concert halls. One of his best-known successes is the acclaimed concert cycle of Beethoven's 32 Sonatas. It was recorded in March 2019, at the Fazioli Concert Hall in Sacile.

Lars Vogt is the soloist in a performance of Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 15. The Orchestre de Paris is conducted by Herbert Blomstedt. Recorded at the Salle Pleyel, Paris in 2013. Beethoven composed the work in 1795. Although it is listed as his first concerto, it was written multiple years after his Piano Concerto No. 2. The first piano concert was published in 1801 and has assimilates the styles of Beethoven's predecessors Mozart and Haydn. Vogt closes with two encores: Brahms Waltz Op. 38, No. 15 and Chopin's Nocturne No. 20 in C-sharp minor, Op. posth. The latter being composed in 1830 but only published in 1870, 26 years after the composer’s death. It is dedicated to Chopin’s sister Ludwika. The work gained popularity since it is featured in the Roman Polanski’s film The Pianist (2002), where it is played by protagonist Władysław Szpilman.

Fidelio (originally titled "Leonore, oder Der Triumph der ehelichen Liebe," which translates to "Leonore, or the Triumph of Marital Love"), Op. 72, is Ludwig van Beethoven's only opera. This 2018 opera film from the Swiss Theater St. Gallen is based on Jan Schmidt-Garre's highly acclaimed stage production of Beethoven's Fidelio. Otto Tausk conducts the Sinfonieorchester and choir of St. Gallen, as well as many wonderful soloists in a beautifully designed set by Nikolaus Webern. The producers carefully filmed and edited several performances, and by using additional footage of starring soloist Jacquelyn Wagner as Leonore, the captivating stage production is enhanced and transformed into a unique cinematic experience.