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Beethoven | Deutsche Welle
DW.DE | Deutsche Welle
Beethoven's most famous symphonies performed by excellent young orchestras and new compositions by award-winning composers: a free musical experience offered by Deutsche Welle
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Beethoven's "Historical Sonata Cycle" was a special highlight of the Beethovenfest 2009. In eight concerts, six interpreters played all 32 of Beethoven's piano sonatasThe first concert in the series was given by Andrea Lucchesini in the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn. The Italian pianist is not among the fortepiano specialists in the historical performance scene. For his concert, he played both on a fortepiano - a copy of an instrument built in 1824 by the piano maker Conrad Graf - and a Steinway grand. The latter was not used for Beethoven's music, but for a piano sonata by the composer Luciano Berio, who died six years ago; Lucchesini premiered the piece in Zurich in 2001. With and Without the Fortepiano: Historical and Modern Instruments In this concert, two different worlds of piano sound confronted each other to great effect. In the Sonata in F-sharp Major, Op. 78, Lucchesini made the fortepiano sing with his tender, expressive playing. The conductor Hans von Buelow said once of the four-bar adagio introduction to this piece: "If Beethoven had written nothing else but these four bars, he would be immortal." The change to the Steinway grand for Berio's piano sonata came almost as a shock. New tone colors and sounds filled the room, and the volume and explosive dynamics of the modern grand piano seemed to overshadow the intimacy of the fortepiano. But this intimacy returned with Beethoven's "Hammerklavier" Sonata, the most radical and innovative work of the sonata cycle at the time of its composition. When Beethoven, by this time almost completely deaf, composed it in 1817/18, he told his pupil Carl Czerny: "I am writing a sonata that is to be my greatest." Many pianists still stand in fear of the final movement, in which Beethoven shows no consideration for the fact that a pianist has only two hands to cope with its technical demands. Program: Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Sonata No. 24 in F-sharp Minor Op. 78 Piano Sonata No. 29 in B-flat Major Op. 106 ("Hammerklavier Sonata") Luciano Berio Piano Sonata Performed by: Andrea Lucchesini (piano, fortepiano) Performed on September 14, 2009 in the Beethoven-Haus Bonn and recorded by Deutsche Welle. Norbert Hornig/gz/kjb
3 years ago | |
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Ingo Metzmacher opens the Beethovenfest with Beethoven's Eroica, a touching Berg violin concerto and a world premiere by young German composer Moritz Eggert.

For a Beethoven festival to begin with a work commissioned from a contemporary composer says a lot about this particular series of events, which has set itself the task of demonstrating the enduring influence of the composer born in Bonn.

Fitting this year's festival motto "In the Light," investigating the myth of the artist, a highly inspired young composer was awarded the commission. Moritz Eggert's "Number Nine VIII: Timed Work" is a retrospective of the 60-year history of the Federal Republic of Germany, including sampled statements by famous people from Konrad Adenauer, the country’s first chancellor, to American President John F. Kennedy to Andreas Baader, a leftist terrorist during the 1970s. To driving, sometimes jazzy rhythms from the orchestra, the composer himself plays solo piano, operates a synthesizer resembling a colorful toy instrument placed atop the grand piano and performs a couple of gags such as launching a paper airplane into the audience.

Considerably more serious in mood is Alban Berg's Violin Concerto, written in memory of the life and death of a young girl the composer was acquainted with. In the second half of the concert: Beethoven’s "Eroica" Symphony, rendered by conductor Ingo Metzmacher with eloquence, nearly no bombast and with extreme clarity.

Program:

Moritz Eggert (1965-):

"Number Nine VIII: Timed Work" for soloist and orchestra (world premiere, commissioned by the Beethovenfest Bonn)

Alban Berg (1885-1935):

Violin Concerto ("To the Memory of an Angel")

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827):

Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 ("Eroica")

Performed by:

Moritz Eggert (piano, sampler)

Christian Tetzlaff (violin)

German Symphony Orchestra, Berlin

Conductor: Ingo Metzmacher

Performed on Sept. 4, 2009 in the Beethoven Hall, Bonn and recorded by Deutsche Welle.

rf/kjb

3 years ago | |
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Vocal artist Salome Kammer presents a wide range of old and new music as part of the Beethovenfest's "Path to Democracy" series, celebrating 60 years of the Republic of Germany.Last stop in the Beethovenfest concerts on the "Path to Democracy:" the "House of History," a museum of German history in Bonn that opened fifteen years ago. Performing there on Sept. 6, 2009, was vocal artist Salome Kammer. Accompanied by three members of the Ensemble Aventure, she began with "O quam praetiosa," a sacred song by Hildegard von Bingen written approximately 850 years ago and recently recorded for "Visions," a film by Margarethe von Trotta about von Bingen's life. Helmut Oehring and Iris ter Schiphorst set "Live or Die" by American poet Anne Sexton to music. The Pulitzer Prize-winning verse speaks of the longing for death on the part of the manic-depressive poet, who committed suicide in 1974, and makes breakneck demands on the voice. The piece "Die Alte" and its counterpart, "Emil" - both for solo voice - were written by Cologne composer Carola Bauckholt. Turning to popular music, Salome Kammer then sang three "Chansons bizarres" by Peter Ludwig, who also accompanied at the piano. By the time she got to "Tinnitus," whose text is the description of pharmaceutical items, it seemed that this remarkable singer and vocal artist could even do a fascinating vocal rendition of a telephone book. Concluding her enthusiastically applauded performance was a work commissioned by the Beethovenfest in Bonn: "Kanzlerwahl. BRD-Song," written by Peter Ludwig and dealing with everything from Germany’s constitution to national elections. Program Hildegard von Bingen (1098–1179) "O quam praetiosa" for voice accompanied by bordun Helmut Oehring (1961-) / Iris Schiphorst (1956-) "Live or Die" for voice, violin, cello, prepared piano/sample keyboard and live electronics Carola Bauckholt (1959) "Die Alte" for voice solo "Emil" for voice solo Peter Ludwig (1951) "Chansons bizarres:" 1) Loslassen, 2) Tinnitus, 3) Bordeaux "Kanzlerwahl. BRD-Song" for voice and piano (world premiere, commissioned by the Beethovenfest Bonn) Performed by: Salome Kammer (vocal artist) Ensemble Aventure: Friedemann Amadeus Treiber (violin) Beverly Ellis (cello) Akiko Okabe-Dierstein (piano, keyboard) Peter Ludwig (piano) Sebastian Schottke (sound direction) Recorded by Deutsche Welle in the House of History, Bonn, on Sept. 6, 2009.
3 years ago | |
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Performed at a location that was once at the center of power, pianist Stefan Litwin's concert made it clear that music can be light years ahead of politics. Probably the most beautiful site along the Path to Democracy is Schaumburg Palace, once the residence of a Prussian princess and later of five German chancellors. Here pianist Stefan Litwin had the task of depicting the decade from 1959-1969 in music. Listening to Gyorgy Ligeti’s "Poem symphonique" for 100 metronomes in the former office of Chancellor Konrad Adenauer was a fascinating experience. Stefan Litwin, born in Mexico, is known for devising concert programs that are full of variety and serious yet entertaining. This one included Leonard Bernstein’s captivating "Anniversaries," "Variations" by John Cage based on interview texts by Bob Dylan, an exciting early work by German composer Helmut Lachenmann and music by Karlheinz Stockhausen. Program Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990) Anniversaries John Cage (1912-1992) 2 Realizations of “Variations II“ (with texts by Bob Dylan) Helmut Lachenmann (1935-) “Wiegenmusik” (Cradle Music) Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928-2007) Klavierstück IX (Piano Piece IX) Mauricio Kagel (1931-2007) „MM 41“ for piano and metronome Gyorgy Ligeti (1923-2006) Poeme symphonique for 100 metronomes Performed by Stefan Litwin (piano) musikFabrik soloists Recorded by Deutsche Welle in Schaumburg Palace on Sept. 6, 2009. ab/kjb
3 years ago | |
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The Beethoven Trio Bonn takes a musical look at the 1980s in Germany with works by Wolfgang Rihm and Astor Piazzolla. What is now one of Europe's most modern multimedia facilities was originally designed as office space for Germany's parliamentarians. After the country's unification and the move of the government to Berlin, it became the Deutsche Welle headquarters. Two musicians who were born in Moscow and studied there - Mikhail Ovrutsky, 29, concert master of the Beethoven Orchester Bonn and Grigory Alumyan, 32, cello chair in the same orchestra - joined forces in 2005 with Japanese pianist Rinko Hama to found the Beethoven Trio Bonn. The centerpiece of their program dedicated to the 1980's was two works by Wolfgang Rihm. In his "Fremdszenen" (Foreign Scenes), the composer, then 30 years old, explored the tonal idiom of Robert Schumann. Those pieces are framed by Astor Piazzolla's "Seasons," symbolizing the 1980's, when Piazzolla's "Tango Nuevo" style became enormously popular in Germany. Program Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) Tangos (arranged by Jose Bragato): Primavera Porteña Verano Porteño Wolfgang Rihm (1952-) "Fremde Szene II" for violin, cello and piano "Fremde Szene III" for violin, cello and piano Astor Piazzolla Tangos (arranged by Jose Bragato): Invierno Portena Otono Porteno Performed by Beethoven Trio Bonn: Mikhail Ovrutsky (violin), Grigory Alumyan (cello), Rinko Hama (piano) Recorded by Deutsche Welle on Sept. 6, 2009 at DW headquarters in Bonn. ab/kjb
3 years ago | |
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A concert combining swing and jazz with works by Karlheinz Stockhausen shows the two radically different worlds of music in the 1950's. One of the Beethovenfest's concerts on the "Path to Democracy" took place at the Museum Koenig in Bonn, a zoological research facility. Lacking a more suitable location, this is where members of the Parliamentary Council met on Sept. 1, 1948, to work out the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany. That early transitional period in the country’s history was given musical meaning through a selection of swing and jazz music, a style that had been scorned and prohibited during the 12-year period of National Socialism. The John Goldsby Quintet performed jazz favorites by Billy Strayhorn, Thelonius Monk and Ornette Coleman. Band leader and string bass player John Goldsby from Kentucky has been a member of the WDR Big Band for fifteen years. The quintet’s joy in music making was evident both visually and aurally. Their session was interrupted by two taped pieces by Karlheinz Stockhausen. At the electronic music studios of West German Radio in Cologne (WDR), Stockhausen created his first compositions of electronic music in 1953: "Studie I" and "Studie II," which completely revolutionized music. "Gesang der Juenglinge" (Song of the Youths) dates from 1956. Years after the first performance and under the enduring impression of the Nazi era, Stockhausen said he felt like a youth in a fiery oven, forced by Nebukadnezar to pray to false gods. Program: Billy Strayhorn (1915-1967) Take the A Train John Carisi (1922-1992) Israel Charlie Parker (1920-1955) Moose the Mooch Thelonius Monk (1917–1982) Epistrophy Round Midnight Ornette Coleman (1930-) Lonely Woman Program: Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928–2007) Studie II Gesang der Jünglinge Performed by: John Goldsby Quintet: Rich Perry (tenor saxophone) Hubert Nuss (piano) Joachim Schönecker (guitar) Hans Dekker (percussion) John Goldsby (bass) Sebastian Schottke (sound direction) Soloists of the Musik Fabrik Performed on Sept. 6, 2009 in the Museum König and recorded by Deutsche Welle cgz/kjb
3 years ago | |
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MusikFrabrik and Institut fuer Feinmotorik experiment with sound music in this concert, using everything from cutlery to record players as instruments. The former assembly hall of the Bundesrat (Germany's upper house of parliament) is luxuriously appointed with massive wooden tables. That thoroughly conservative space was the scene of what was probably the most extreme program of the full-day concert marathon, with experimental works by Dieter Schnebel, Richard Barrett and Thierry de Meye and improvised sound by the DJ formation "Institut für Feinmotorik." The works "Musik de tables" (Table Music) by Belgian composer Thierry de Mey and "Bauernszene" (Farmer's Scene) by German composer Dieter Schnebel are considered to be so-called "sound music." With Schnebel, the instruments are rolling plates and clattering cutlery, while in de Mey's piece it is six hands clapping, scratching and beating on the venerable tables. "Interference," a work by British composer Richard Barrett, explores the sound cosmos of the bass clarinet. It was written for clarinettist Carl Rosmann, a soloist of the Musikfabrik, who also performed it in this concert. The scholarly sounding name "Institut fuer Feinmotorik" (Institute for fine motor activity) is used by four Cologne DJ's whose main instrument, the record player, is complemented by every other kind of object and who clearly have fun at improvisation - to the great enjoyment of visiting classes of schoolchildren at the concert. Program Dieter Schnebel (1930-) Bauernszene Richard Barrett (1959-) Interference Thierry de Mey (1956-) Musique de Tables Institut für Feinmotorik Tracks from Minimal Techno to Rocking Grooves Performed by Soloists of the musikFabrik: Carl Rosman (clarinet), Thomas Meixner, Alban Wesly, Thomas Oesterdiekhoff und Dirk Rothbrust Institut fuer Feinmotorik: Daniel van den Eijkel, Mark Bruederle, Florian Meyer und Marc Matter. Recorded by Deutsche Welle on Sept. 6, 2009 in the Assembly Hall of the Bundesrat, Bonn. ab/kjb
3 years ago | |
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A concert combining swing and jazz with works by Karlheinz Stockhausen shows two radically different worlds of music during the 1950's.One of the Beethovenfest concerts on the "Path to Democracy" took place at the Museum Koenig in Bonn, a zoological research facility. Lacking a more suitable location, this is where members of the Parliamentary Council met on September 1, 1948, to work out the constitution of the Federal Republic of Germany. That early transitional period in the country’s history was given musical meaning through a selection of swing and jazz music, a style that had been scorned and prohibited during the 12-year period of National Socialism. The John Goldsby Quintet performed jazz favorites by Billy Strayhorn, Thelonius Monk and Ornette Coleman. Band leader and string bass player John Goldsby from Kentucky has been a member of the WDR Big Band for 15 years. The quintet’s joy in music making was evident both visually and aurally. Their session was "interrupted" by two taped pieces by Karlheinz Stockhausen. At the electronic music studios of West German Radio in Cologne (WDR), Stockhausen created his first compositions of electronic music in 1953: "Studie I" and "Studie II," which completely revolutionized music. "Gesang der Juenglinge" (Song of the Youths) dates from 1956. Years after the first performance and under the enduring impression of the Nazi era, Stockhausen said he felt like a youth in a fiery oven, forced by Nebukadnezar to pray to false gods. Program: Billy Strayhorn (1915-1967) Take the A Train John Carisi (1922-1992) Israel Charlie Parker (1920-1955) Moose the Mooch Thelonius Monk (1917–1982) Epistrophy Round Midnight Ornette Coleman (1930-) Lonely Woman Program: Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928–2007) Studie II Gesang der Juenglinge Performed by: John Goldsby Quintet: Rich Perry (tenor saxophone) Hubert Nuss (piano) Joachim Schönecker (guitar) Hans Dekker (percussion) John Goldsby (bass) Sebastian Schottke (sound direction) Soloists of the Musik Fabrik Performed on Sept. 6, 2009 in the Museum König and recorded by Deutsche Welle cgz/kjb
3 years ago | |
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Enter the world Beethoven's in the 1800s and listen to the live recording of his First Symphony, performed by the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and Paavo Jarvi.For the musician, performing all of Beethoven's nine symphonies in four days is an endurance test, and for the listener, a revelation. As conductor Paavo Jarvi revealed to DW in an exclusive interview, "The aspect that the audience takes away from the experience is suddenly seeing a bigger picture of how the symphonies relate to one another. Hearing everything in a very concentrated, short period of time very intensely, even hearing the first three symphonies in one concert, there is a noticeable difference from the first symphony to the 'Eroica.' And for the players, one simply cannot underestimate the degree of understanding and the familiarity with the text thus achieved. You start to inhabit that world in a way that you could never do otherwise." We invite you to co-inhabit the world of Beethoven in this nine-part podcast series, each installment with a single movement from the respective symphony, beginning with the third movement from the First Symphony, dating from 1800. rf/kb
3 years ago | |
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Combining tradition and originality seems to be the recipe for success for the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen and Paavo Jarvi. Listen to the fourth movement of Symphony No. 2.Estonian-American conductor Paavo Jarvi began his intensive collaboration with this group of musicians in 2004. Roughly half the size of a traditional orchestra, it has an uncustomary seating arrangement, with first and second violins distributed equally to the left and the right, and cellos and other lower strings seated behind them. As Jarvi told DW, "This is an original seating of the orchestras of Beethoven's time.' Asked why he decided to record and perform the Beethoven cycle with the musicians from Bremen, he said, "I was immediately struck by the quality and energy of this orchestra. It has an incredibly strong point of view about these symphonies, which happens to coincide with how I hear them. I have a certain obsessive quest for details, obsessing about everything in order to try and find the truth." This live-recorded performance of Beethoven's Second Symphony, composed in 1802, is one valid version of the "truth." rf/kb
3 years ago | |
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