KOROLJOV/KELLER A Zeneakadémia saját szervezésű programja

One of today’s most significant Bach performers, Russian-born Evgeni Koroliov, who lives and teaches in Hamburg, is a regular guest of the Liszt Academy and performs (not for the first time) with Concerto Budapest led by András Keller. This time he features in two piano concertos, the Bach G minor work originally for violin, and one of the most dramatic compositions by the young Beethoven, the Piano Concerto in C minor that echoes in many respects the Mozart work in the same key. The second half of the concert is given over to the meditative string orchestral composition Requiem (1957) by Toru Takemitsu, a key figure in 20th century Japanese music. During his visit to Japan in 1958, Stravinsky listened to Requiem and expressed his admiration for the piece (what’s more, the elderly and legendary parsimonious composer invited the young Takemitsu to lunch), after which Takemitsu’s name became universally recognized. The concert winds up with one of the emblematic works of European cultural history, the evergreen fifth symphony by Beethoven, which despite being ‘overplayed’ still has the power to stir up powerful emotions.