Classical Music

One percussionist, one small drum, supreme concentration. And then that hypnotic Spanish rhythm. Immediately a sigh of recognition passes through the hall. Yes, even before the flute starts that famous melody, you recognise Ravel's Bolero. One of the most beloved orchestral works of all time. Ravel wrote it as an experiment: one grand crescendo, increasingly rousing, culminating in an overwhelming symphonic burst of sound. 'Even the vegetable sellers in the street will whistle it,' the French composer predicted in 1928.

This performance is completely Dutch spoken and doesn't have an interval.

For those who have never fallen in love with Julia Fischer, here's another chance. The lovely German plays Ludwig van Beethoven's two romances. Two works in which the great Ludwig once showed himself from an light hearted side. Star violinist Fischer is the most appropriate interpreter for them. This time she play-conducts the legendary Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, named after that magnificent church in the heart of London where it all once began in 1959. The famous chamber orchestra of which many will have LPs, CDs or DVDs on their shelves.

A free introduction starts at 19h30, co-sponsored by the Muziekgebouw Eindhoven Friends Association.

Naples in the 17th century. The capital of music. The city where the opera was born and the commedia dell'arte. Its music academies strive to deliver the very best talent, musicians, composers but also the castrates who will turn out to become very famous. Tonight, the Italian ensemble L'Arpeggiata delves into this Naples of the seicento, playing the magnificent vocal repertoire that originated there. And thus a small war breaks out in the Gulf of Naples between small and big fish; the cause: a dodgy sardella sauce in which they are prepared. At the crib of the baby Jesus, shepherds sing "ninne nanne" lullabies; and in the streets of Naples, virtuosic, blazing dances are on display while in the palaces, castrati perform their virtuoso arias.

'Of course, my symphony has a story, but I cannot express it in words,' Tchaikovsky replied when asked about the content of his Fourth Symphony. Yet this passionate symphony has everything to do with his life. The impending doom in the opening fanfare, that string melody full of restlessness and longing, the returning light in the playful strumming of the scherzo. The year 1877 had great heights and deep valleys for the troubled composer. At this concert in collaboration with the Storioni Festival, the Storioni Trio itself cannot, of course, be missing. And what could be better than Beethoven's famous Triple Concerto. Three soloists and a symphony orchestra, that will be a feast of chamber music-like intimacy and symphonic brilliance.

'The perfect balance between baroque transparency and romantic rapture,' wrote La Place de l'Opéra. And the Volkskrant: 'Amazing pace and exuberance.' So the  Netherlanda Radio Choir gets great reviews. It sings a very diverse programme. 'Half monk, half rascal,' Frenchman Francis Poulenc called himself.

Ta-ta-ta-taa ... fate knocks on the door in Beethoven's Fifth. They are perhaps the most famous notes in all of music history. They were incorporated into disco hits and launched into space aboard Voyager as a human salute to extraterrestrial intelligence. In World War II, this fate rhythm (Morse code short, short, short, long) symbolized the V of victory.

Dive into the magic of the Storioni Festival 2024 one last time during the breathtaking final concert! We have embarked on an unforgettable journey through chamber music gems, unique locations in the city, and culinary delights, and now we are reaching the grand finale. The closing concert opens with Beethoven's playful opus 44, in which the young Ludwig challenges us with increasingly virtuosic variations on a very simple theme. Then we enter the realm of the nearly forgotten composer Rabl with his opus 1, a captivating discovery presented to us by Sharon Kam.

This project, Pynarello is venturing into Tchaikovsky's sixth, which the composer himself said was his best work. However, a mysterious atmosphere surrounds this last Tchaikovsky symphony, as the composer died nine days after conducting the premiere in 1893. Theories circulate about cholera, suicide, his hidden homosexuality, but nothing surrounding his death has ever been proven. This mysterious history is the starting point for Pynarello's journey of discovering Symphony Pathétique.

A musical conversation between the youngest ever Dutch Music Prize laureate and the queen of the baroque violin: that promises synergy at its finest! The recorder and violin find each other here in a relay game on baroque notes and timeless folk melodies. From Bach and Telemann to tunes from John Playford's handbook The English Dancing Master: seriousness and fun going hand in hand masterfully in this dance-like programme.

The world's smallest orchestra, it is called. The guitar! Because this modest instrument can produce an enormous variety of sounds. It lends a voice to every mood. Today we start with music from Spain, a country that has shaped the guitar like no other. Spirit, passion, wistful melodies by way of Albeniz and Rodrigo, known for the famous Concierto d'Aranjuez. Then we cross over to Italy. The guitar conveys the Italian 'bel canto' (literally: beautiful singing) in the best possible way.

In this master class, the world-famous English baroque violinist Rachel Podger will lift a corner of the veil and, who knows, reveal some of her secrets about the art of playing the baroque violin to the students and the audience. Sit back and enjoy, because a good master class is insanely captivating and also a great effort of concentration for the audience. Participants and repertoire will be announced nearer the time.

'Did you ever make anything happen? Anything you couldn't explain? You're a wizard, Harry...' Those who hear these words immediately envision images from the fantastic Harry Potter films. A snow-white little owl flitting silently through the night sky, a dizzying flight on a broomstick... But it's only when you also hear that famous melody by John Williams that you suddenly find yourself in the enchanted world of Hogwarts. Those soft tinkling bells, that swelling string orchestra, that mysterious atmosphere.

Shall we dive deep together? Philzuid opens this season in a very special way. Have you ever secretly dreamed of sitting among the musicians on stage during a concert? And experiencing the most beautiful symphonic music from the inside out? You can at these Philsurround concerts.
 

Shall we dive deep together? Philzuid opens this season in a very special way. Have you ever secretly dreamed of sitting among the musicians on stage during a concert? And experiencing the most beautiful symphonic music from the inside out? You can at these Philsurround concerts.
 

"All men become brothers," sings the choir in the exuberant finale of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. In this magnificent masterpiece, Ludwig van Beethoven outlined his vision of love and brotherhood. A grand musical ode to joy with 150 performers on stage. And for this, he truly pulled out all the stops.

"The most refined ensemble of them all. A cappella fans: this you must hear!" is what Record Review of BBC Radio 3 said about VOCES8.  Nothing but three women and five men in the spotlight on stage: you will breathlessly listen in the Hertog Jan Hall. The British singers of Voces8 sing purely and without accompaniment. They are often described as the Rolls-Royce of a cappella ensembles. "Ultimate control, crystal-clear sound, and tight harmonies," as described by the Volkskrant.

'Queues of fans at his soloist's room, one of the best pianists on earth'. The Parool reviewer was short of superlatives after Krystian Zimmerman's concert at the Concertgebouw in 2023. '... one big declaration of love to music, his instrument, everything,' she wrote, completely captivated by 'internalised expression, followed by a conclusion you could hardly recover from'.  This is your chance to see Krystian Zimmerman, one of the best pianists on earth, shine in our Hertog Jan Hall. And since he is inseparable from his grand piano and travels the world with it, he will play this performance on his own grand piano.

Dreaming of Spain. Dreaming of Spanish music. Not being here for a while... 'Bâtir un chateau en Espagne' is French for 'building castles in the air'. The Katona Twins help you with that. The illustrious Hungarian guitar duo has been coming to Eindhoven for years. A celebration that always stays with you. Now they bring along a violinist: the Belgian Noé Inui. The interaction of two guitars and violin in Sarasate's wildly virtuosic fantasy on themes from Bizet's opera Carmen promises to be a true spectacle.

Alpesh Chauhan was somewhat anxious on the evening his parents came to listen as he conducted Bruckner. They had only recently discovered classical music. Would they appreciate the majestic structures of his favorite composer? But afterwards, his father enthusiastically entered his dressing room and compared the symphony to a ride on the Orient Express.