Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Piano Concerto in G major, K. 453Anton Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 in E-flat major (“Romantic”)Emanuel Ax’s performance is intimate, and calls attention to Mozart’s Piano Concerto in G major in a delicate and smart way. Bruckner’s symphony, on the other hand, loudly demands attention. Both approaches are worth following.“What Emanuel Ax builds out of musical notes is not an ostentatious castle, but a reserved and cosy home, which surprises visitors with each of its rooms opening into another,” Élet és Irodalom wrote about the pianist following his last performance with the BFO. Fischer and Ax understand each other perfectly, which paves the way for their staging of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 17 in G major (1784). Like Concerto No. 21 in C major, which will also be performed this season, it was composed at the peak of Mozart’s career. Both pieces conclude with a brilliant comic opera movement. However, No. 17 promises further surprises. The first movement is evocative of military marches, yet remains elegant and dainty, while the second is charged with exceptionally beautiful modulations and stunning dissonances. The pianist will be celebrating his 70th birthday with the piece.While Ax’s world is akin to a tiny house full of charming secrets, Bruckner’s music is a “romantic cathedral”, Iván Fischer says. According to the conductor, Symphony No. 4 is based on two elements: a solemn awe that can be compared to no other, and the most passionate romance following in the footsteps of Wagner. This is what gives rise to Bruckner’s exceptional magic, which is appreciated everywhere in the world. He relied on his creative logic to renew the symphony – and was thought to be either conservative or radical. Symphony No. 4 is one of the most popular pieces from this controversial Austrian composer, and the only one to which he gave a name. The “Romantic” Symphony starts out in a medieval town, moving from there to a forest filled with birdsong and the excitement of hunting, finally treating its audience to a grand meal shared afield.
Buy tickets
