Beethoven Days with Concerto Budapest No 1 - Cancelled

In Honour of Annie Fischer

BEETHOVEN: Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 61
--- intermission ---
BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37
BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major, Op. 60

Featuring: Anthony Marwood violin, Evgeni Koroliov piano
Concerto Budapest Symphony Orchestra

Conductor: András Keller

“The radiant intensity of Marwood’s playing had extraordinary emotional power”; “played with blistering intensity and astonishing accuracy”; “awesome dexterity and passion”. These are some critics’ thoughts on the violin playing of Anthony Marwood, who we hear in the opening number of the concert, the Violin Concerto in D major. The launch of this work was not trouble-free: the 1806 premiere proved a flop, thus it was not made part of the repertoire until Joachim József took it up half a century later. The Piano Concerto No. 3 in C minor was the outcome of a lengthy compositional process dating from the beginning of the middle creative period of Beethoven. Anecdotally, Beethoven is said to have been out strolling once when he heard the strains of Mozart’s Piano Concerto in C minor (K. 491) at an outdoor performance, and turning to the pianist-composer he was with cried: “Cramer, Cramer! We shall never be able to do anything like that!” It is no surprise, therefore, that the opening part of the piano concerto echoes the melody of its musical forerunner. The soloist of the piece, Evgeni Koroliov, the well-known pianist, who is famous for his balanced interpretation has played several times with the orchestra and probably there is no need to introduce him to the audience in Budapest. The Symphony No. 4 in B-flat major was born in the Brunswick mansion in Martonvásár. Although it has been proven that Beethoven’s mysterious lover, the “Immortal Beloved”, was not, in fact, Theresa von Brunswick, many still today believe they can discern notes of affection in the symphony.