Also available on standard DVD

Andris Nelsons conducted the Lucerne Festival Orchestra for the third time in August 2015, the orchestra’s second summer without founder and guiding spirit Claudio Abbado. The first half of his concert was already a highlight: the baritone Matthias Goerne seemed completely at home in a selection of songs from Des Knaben Wunderhorn. His warm, dark voice allows him to capture the somber and tragic atmosphere of this music like no one else. Its shaded timbre is most perfectly suited to the work’s melancholy and nocturnal moods, where one can directly experience how an artist of this caliber can bring music to the edge of the abyss. The Lucerne Festival Orchestra, renowned for its unique Mahler sound, had last played Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 in the summer of 2004 with Abbado – a flowing, transparent, and ethereal interpretation. Nelsons finds a completely different approach to the work. His Mahler is fiery, expansive, and powerful. In spite of the introductory funeral march, his reading is more positive than tragic, radiating an intense vitality. It is breathtaking to observe the orchestra’s response to Nelsons’s energetic, physical, and emotional conducting style. The relationship between orchestra and conductor is one of giving and taking, nothing else.

Picture Format Blu?ray: NTSC 16:9, Full HD

Sound Formats Blu?ray: DTS HD Master Audio, PCM Stereo

Region Code: 0 (worldwide)

Running Time: 123:12 min

Disc Format: BD 25

Subtitles: German (Original), French, English, Japanese, Korean

Claudio Abbado-The Last Years features rarely released video recordings of the legendary conductor doing what he was known for in the final years of his life. This release has Abbado conducting the Lucerne Festival Orchestra and the Orchestra Mozart as they perform works from Mahler, Bruckner, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Schubert, and Shoenberg. His last-ever video recording is included, where he performs Brahms' Tragic Overture, Schoenberg's "Song of the Wood Dove," and Beethoven's Eroica Symphony. These recordings were made in two beautiful halls- the Concert Hall of the KKL Luzern and the Haus fur Mozart, Salzburg. Among the numerous awards and honors Claudio Abbado received during his long career are the Evening Standard Opera Award for his Boris Godunov at Covent Garden; the Legion d'Honneur from the French Ministry of Culture; the Gran Croce, the highest honor of Italy, and the highest civilian honor of Germany, the Bundesverdienstkreuz (1992). In 1985 he was awarded the Gold Medal by the International Gustav Mahler Society, presented in recognition of his service to the music of Gustav Mahler. He is an honorary member of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde in Vienna and received honorary degrees from the universities of Cambridge, Aberdeen and Ferrara. In 1994 Claudio Abbado was awarded the International Ernst von Siemens Music Prize, Germany's most prestigious music award.

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A CONCERT FOR NEW YORK
In Remembrance and Renewal – The Tenth Anniversary of 9/11

On September 10, 2011, The New York Philharmonic presented ‘A Concert for New York,’ a free performance led by Music Director Alan Gilbert of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 2, Resurrection. This performance, hailed by the New York Times as “intensely moving,” was given in remembrance and renewal of the tenth anniversary of September 11, 2001. Telecast in the US on Sunday, September 11, 2011 on PBS’ Great Performances, this musical tribute is now available on DVD and BluRay.

“Mahler’s Second Symphony, Resurrection, powerfully and profoundly explores the range of emotions provoked by the memories of 9/11,” said Alan Gilbert. “This great masterpiece has a very special place in the history and psyche of the New York Philharmonic, but its message of renewal and rebirth is universal. We offer it as a tribute to those lost ten years ago.”

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 2 in C minor, “Resurrection”

Dorothea Röschmann, soprano
Michelle DeYoung, mezzo-soprano
New York Choral Artists
New York Philharmonic Orchestra
Alan Gilbert, conductor

Recorded live at Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center, New York City, 10 September 2011.

Bonus:
- Interview with Alan Gilbert and Zarin Mehta

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: PCM Stereo / Dolby Digital 5.1 / DTS 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: German, English, French
Running time: 96 mins (concert) + 14 mins (bonus)
No. of DVDs: 1 (DVD 9)

When, on 26th August 2013 in the KKL Concert Hall, Claudio Abbado conducted a performance of Bruckner's Ninth with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, there was present in the room an inescapable sense of an ending. To this day, those present recall the conductor's gesture of gratitude and thanks at the final ovation: Abbado placed his right hand on his heart with that gently self-effacing yet friendly look which was so characteristic of this man who was a star conductor yet who was devoid of any lordly airs. The premonition that this could turn out to be the last concert of Abbado's could be felt in the atmosphere. And what a concert experience it was, this last concert and therefore also last concert recording of Claudio Abbado! One year before, in August 2012, the Lucerne Festival audience experienced Bruckner's groundbreaking Symphony No. 1 in Lucerne's concert hall in a similarly spectacular performance. For his interpretation with the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, Abbado had opted for thr less familiar "Vienna" version, which Bruckner himself considered to be the definitive one. In the taut, pared-down sound of the Lucerne Festival Orchestra, the tempestuous musical developments acquired an electrifying presence and urgency. At the same time, Abbado succeeded in bringing out the coherence of the work's formal design even in the midst of all it's angular awkwardness and quasi-volcanic innovative character.

After his debut solo album with music by Bach, Bart�k and Boulez, Michael Barenboim's second album is also dedicated to works for solo violin and features compositions by Salvatore Sciarrino, Giuseppe Tartini, Luciano Berio, and Niccol� Paganini, sketching a short history of Italian solo violin literature. The four works seem very heterogenous at first glance but what unites them is their rich technical and stylistic spectrum. The juxtaposition of traditional and contemporary music works creates an inimitable sound cosmos and makes the works by Tartini and Paganini sound incredibly modern alongside 20th-century music. Michael Barenboim creatively navigates the sometimes obsessive and diabolical elements of the works and creates an inspired and unique interpretation. This release was recorded at the Jesus-Christus-Kirche Berlin in June, 2017.

For the first time ever, a Chinese symphony orchestra is performing at Lucerne Festival. If yet more evidence that classical music has long since become a global language were needed, it would be this appearance by the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra under music director Long Yu. These musicians from Asia have planned a program of three Russian composers. Aaron Avshalomov, who was born in 1894, served as a professor at the Shanghai Conservatory, where he taught from 1919 on; he was one of the founders of China's Western musical tradition. His tone poem Hutongs of Peking captures the sounds and voices that once echoed through the narrow alleys of the Chinese capital. Tchaikovsky's immortal Violin Concerto will be performed by one of the leading virtuosos of our time, Maxim Vengerov. And the orchestra will demonstrate the degree to which a composer under Stalin had to wrestle with his own identity with Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony. Here the composer reacts to the political demand to be popular and monumental - which leads to an absurdly overstated "jubilant" conclusion.

Unlike any other composer Giuseppe Verdi illuminates the great emotions and opulent melodies of the Italian opera. Created exclusively for the occasion of the celebrated composer's 200th birthday, Beijing's most important opera house, the National Centre for the Performing Arts, presents an exceptional gala: Viva Verdi. It features stars from the opera world such as Dilb�r or Roberto Scandiuzzi as they perform the best moments from Verdi's operas and his Messa da Requiem in a visually stunning production by director Hugo de Ana. As the moderator of Viva Verdi actor Zhang Guoli sheds more light on the composer behind the brilliant music. An international festival for opera fans, which once again gives emphasis to the reputation of the National Centre for the Performing Arts as "the most prestigious venue of it's kind in China"

He was "tremendously" impressed, Arvo Pärt recalls of the moment he stood in front of Anish Kapoor's "Marsyas" for the first time at London's Tate Modern. "Suddenly I found myself in a position from where I saw my life in a different light. At that moment, I had the strong feeling that I wasn't ready to die yet," said then-67-year-old Arvo Pärt. This was the creative impulse for "Lamentate". Arvo Pärt, who celebrates his 85th birthday on September 11, 2020, seems to have often been inspired to compose by external circumstances. This is demonstrated in the selection of works for or with piano, which Onute Gražinyte chose for her first recording. "Für Alina" is particularly important to the Lithuanian pianist. In 1976, Pärt dedicated it to a young woman who had decided to leave the Soviet Union for England. "I know Alina's mother personally and can sympathize with her indescribable pain", says Onute Gražinyte. The pianist was baffled by Pärt's simple musical notation. "First you ask yourself: What is this?" Her playing reveals: She understands. "Arvo Pärt has reached the core. It's no coincidence that he dedicated many piano pieces to children and that he intended the 'Vater Unser' (Our Father) to be sung by a boy soprano. It's the ideal, the purity that children are born with and the composer has found it again."

Ludwig van Beethoven's 9th Symphony and the musical city of Leipzig are closely intertwined with each other: Felix Mendelssohn, Kapellmeister of the Gewandhausorchester, made the work an indispensable part of the concert hall repertoire and Arthur Nikisch, one of his successors, established in 1918 the worldwide tradition of performing this groundbreaking and pioneering work at the end of the year. The phenomenal Herbert Blomstedt, Gewandhaus-kapellmeister from 1998 to 2005, once again conducted Beethoven's Ninth in Leipzig for the 2016 New Year celebrations. With his former orchestra, of which he has been Conductor Laureate since 2005 and with whom he enjoys a close friendship, he achieves a gripping interpretation of this monumental work. Under the direction of Blomstedt, together with his excellent musicians, the choirs, and an outstanding quartet of soloists led by the magnificent voice of Christian Gerhaher, the utopia of global freedom and humanity in Friedrich Schiller's "Ode to Joy," penned in Leipzig in 1785, grows to overwhelming dimensions.

This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.

Also available on standard DVD

Shakespeare’s play “Romeo and Juliet” has inspired generations of artists to adaptations like scarcely any other work. In his colorful, passionate music, the Russian composer Sergei Prokofiev brilliantly captured the clash of love and hatred, and the proximity of tenderness and violence. Inspired by Prokofiev’s vivid music and the timeless quality of Shakespeare’s tragedy, choreographer Christian Spuck and the Ballet Zurich narrate the most famous love story in world literature using strong images that are full of enthralling theatricality and touching emotion. Michail Jurowski, a true Prokofiev expert, is at the rostrum of the Philharmonia Zurich.

This Blu-ray Disc is only playable on Blu-ray Disc players and not compatible with standard DVD players.

Also available on standard DVD
Nothing else that he wrote is as all-encompassing as the Mass in B minor, not even the great Passions,” says Herbert Blomstedt about Johann Sebastian Bach’s “Opus summum”. The Dresdner Kammerchor and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig under the musical direction of Herbert Blomstedt have merged ingeniously to conclude the Bachfest Leipzig with this unrivaled work – a work that bears close connections to choir and orchestra, as well as to Herbert Blomstedt himself. J. S. Bach Mass in B minor, BWV 232 Gewandhausorchester Leipzig. Performing this monumental work is the ever-capable Dresdner Kammerchor conducted by Herbert Blomstedt. Featured soloists include Christina Landshamer, soprano, Elisabeth Kulman, alto, Wolfram Lattke, tenor, and Luca Pisaroni, bass.

Onute Grazinyte and the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra under Modestas Pitrenas play P�rt's music - especially the main work Lamentate - very expressively and communicatively. It is a pure distillate of music that echoes and has an effect long after the last sounds have been heard" wrote pizzicato about the album that was released in September 2020 in honor of Arvo P�rt's 85th birthday and awarded it the "Supersonic." The Gramophone Magazine stated "This is a wondrously thought-provoking anthology of P�rt's work. [...] You cannot buy that kind of innocent beauty but you can, and should, buy this disc." The acclaimed recording of P�rt's "Lamentate" with which Onute Grazinyte marked her recording debut will now be released on vinyl in a limited and numbered 180g edition of 1.000 copies. It will supplemented with Grazinyte's wonderful interpretation of P�rt's piano works "Pari intervallo" and "F�r Anna Maria - Nachdenklich". About her playing, pizzicato added in their review: "The longer you listen to the pianist, the more you feel how well and safely she moves in P�rt's musical universe.

For many, the Christmas holiday season would be incomplete without the resounding drum roll and trumpet fanfare that opens Bach's "Oratorium auf die Heilige Weynacht" ("Oratorio for the holy Christmas"). Ever since it was first performed by the Thomaskantor between Christmas Day in 1734 and Epiphany 1735 in Leipzig's two main churches of St. Thomas and St. Nikolai, Bach's six part musical masterpiece has become a cornerstone of the city's identity and musical heritage. The performance presented here, led by Bach's 17th successor Gotthold Schwarz together with the Thomanerchor and the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, features a lineup of renowned soloists, enabling one to experience the festive grandeur of what many consider the epitome of Christmas music in it's original setting. "Gotthold Schwarz transforms this into a Christmas Oratorio that is far more than a sum of it's parts... his musical rhetoric avoids cheap gimmicks and vain showmanship." (Peter Korfmacher, LVZ)

With 22 symphonies, 17 string quartets, 9 concertos, and 7 operas, the composer Mieczyslaw Weinberg left behind an extensive oeuvre. Musically, one can hear the composer's close friendship with Dmitri Shostakovich, although Weinberg's music is more lyrical and romantic in nature. Nevertheless, the composer was long forgotten and his music has only been rediscovered in the last ten years. Gidon Kremer has dedicated himself to the rediscovery and cultivation of Weinberg's music. In February 2020, he performed Weinberg's Violin Concerto op. 67 with the Gewandhausorchester Leipzig under the musical direction of Daniele Gatti as part of a series of concerts in honor of the composer's 100th birthday at the Leipzig Gewandhaus. Weinberg completed the concerto in 1959, the culmination of one of his most creative and successful phases of the 1950s. The work captivates with its large symphonic structure and its four movements, which are rather atypical for a concerto. Also in 1959, Weinberg composed the Sonata for Two Violins op. 69, which Kremer recorded with the Latvian violinist Madara Petersone, concert master of the Kremerata Baltica.

REVIEW:

The live performance of the Concerto crackles with excitement as Kremer traces the unusual quasi-dramatic structure, quite unlike anything Shostakovich ever wrote. It is a passionate work, immensely appealing in Kremer’s hands. The concerto has been recorded from time to time before on small labels, but this feels like a performance that will carve out a permanent place for it in the repertory. Bringing down the curtain is a Sonata for two violins, Op. 69, of the same period, in which Kremer is ably joined by Kremerata Baltica violinist Madara Petersone, offers him opportunities to display his purring top register and is compelling and tight. This work has rarely been recorded. Accentus cleanly renders the Gewandhaus sound in the concerto, and the sonata was recorded at Lithuania’s ideal Paliesiaus dvaras. An exciting release that continues to advance Weinberg’s reputation.

– AllMusicGuide.com (James Manheim)

Next to the big choral works like the Mass in B minor or the St. John and St. Matthew Passions as well as his a-cappella motets, Johann Sebastian Bach’s over 200 preserved cantatas represent the corpus of his sacred choral and orchestral music. Written in an almost weekly cycle for every Sunday of the Christian year, their musical diversity and beauty is astounding. Among the cantatas, three are written for solo-bass, to which Michael Volle regularly lends his warm yet powerful voice in concerts all around Europe. In December 2016, he recorded them at the Christuskirche Berlin, together with the Akademie fur Alte Musik Berlin, one of the world’s leading orchestras specialized in historic performance. Michael Volle has established an international reputation as a singer through his long-term engagements at the opera-houses of Mannheim, Bonn, Dusseldorf and Cologne and has made guest appearances at major music festivals and opera houses throughout Europe. He is currently engaged at Zurich Opera.

Under the direction of it's Chief Conductor Alexander Liebreich, the Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra has become the leading ensemble in the country and is one of Europe's major radio orchestras. As cultural ambassadors with a rich tradition, the orchestra has made it's mark through performances of Polish composers, as it is impressively seen in this cycle that features works by Karol Szymanowski and Witold Lutoslawski. The three-part cycle was unanimously praised by international reviews and received the International Classical Music Award 2017 as "Best Collection". Now, all three albums are available as a 3-release set, presented here.

Also available on Blu-ray

MEMORIAL CONCERT FOR CLAUDIO ABBADO

Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 3 in E-Flat Major, Op. 55, “Eroica”: II. Marcia funebre*

Franz Schubert: Symphony No. 8 in B Minor, D. 759, “Unfinished”: I. Allegro moderato

Friedrich Hölderlin: Brod und Wein

Alban Berg: Violin Concerto

Gustav Mahler: Symphony No. 3 in D Minor: VI. Adagio

Isabelle Faust, violin
Bruno Ganz, narrator

Lucerne Festival Orchestra
*Claudio Abbado, conductor
Andris Nelsons, conductor

Recorded live at the Concert Hall of KKL Luzern, August 2013
(Beethoven) and 6 April 2014 (all except Beethoven)

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: PCM Stereo
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Subtitles: German, English, French, Japanese, Korean
Running time: 98 mins
No. of DVDs: 1

The New York Philharmonic - America's preeminent symphony orchestra gave 'A Concert for New York' to mark the tenth anniversary of the events of 9/11. What work could be better suited to the occasion than Mahler's 'Resurrection' Symphony with it's 'evocation of every aspect of life' and 'it's profound sense of hope', as the Philharmonic's Music Director Alan Gilbert put it? This concert became an unforgettable event, a 'consistently impressive' performance with 'gripping playing', 'magnificent' soloists and an 'excellent' chorus (New York Times).

Also available on Blu-ray

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Anton Bruckner expanded the concept of the symphonic form in ways that have never been witnessed before or since. Daniel Barenboim and the Staatskapelle Berlin follow the harmonic development of Bruckner’s Symphonies Nos. 4-9, revealing the breathtaking musical panorama of these exceptional masterpieces. According to Der Tagesspiegel, this unforgettable Bruckner cycle sets new standards and guarantees the Staatskapelle Berlin and their principal conductor “a place in the Bruckner pantheon.”

Anton Bruckner
THE MATURE SYMPHONIES
(6-DVD Box Set)

Symphony No. 4 in E-Flat Major, WAB 104, “Romantic” (1881 version, ed. R. Haas)
Symphony No. 5 in B-Flat Major, WAB 105 (1878 version, ed. L. Nowak)
Symphony No. 6 in A Major, WAB 106 (ed. L. Nowak)
Symphony No. 7 in E Major, WAB 107 (1885 version, ed. L. Nowak)
Symphony No. 8 in C Minor, WAB 108 (ed. R. Haas from 1887 and 1890 versions)
Symphony No. 9 in D Minor, WAB 109

Berlin Staatskapelle
Daniel Barenboim, conductor

Recorded live at the Berlin Philharmonie, 20–27 June 2010

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: PCM Stereo / Dolby Digital 5.1 / DTS 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Running time: 7 hrs 8 mins
No. of DVDs: 6 (DVD 9)

On this new release, violinist Judith Ingolfsson and pianist Vladimir Stoupel present a lovely program of works by Poulenc, Ferroud, and Ravel. Judith Ingolfsson and Vladimir Stoupel are both soloists with strong profiles, who search passionately for new paths in the intimate atmosphere of the chamber music recital. Their dedication and musical curiosity leads to performances and recordings of repertoire ranging from the traditional to the unjustly forgotten or neglected. With a special focus on music of the 20th Century, the Duo Ingolfsson-Stoupel presents dynamic programs that explore the countless fascinating connections between composers, history and the power of musical communication. A recent world premiere performance of the Sonata for Violin and Piano by Paul Arma at the Konzerthaus Berlin was hailed as the “sensation of the evening” by Deutschlandfunk - “there was an intensity in the performance that no one in the audience could escape."

Beethoven’s piano concertos impressively reflect the personality and creativity of the revolutionary composer. They are a challenge for each pianist. In this recording of the second and third concertos, the legendary pianist, conductor, and teacher Leon Fleisher and his star pupil Margarita Hohenrieder, who has also gained international recognition, show their personal relationship with Beethoven. At two unusual concert locations- the Zollverein World Heritage Site in Germany’s Ruhr area and the famous Max-Littmann-Saal in Bad Kissingen, which is known for its acoustics- the two discerning artists perform the two concertos together with the Kammerphilharmonie Amade and the Wurttemberg Chamber Orchestra Heilbronn. Also included is a bonus film of Leon Fleisher and Margarita Hohenrieder in rehearsal as well as speaking about these works.

Large industrial complexes, built of solid brick tell the story of industrialization of 19th century Leipzig. Where spinning wheels once rattled, chimneys smoked and thousands of workers carried out their daily work, new life has moved in over the past few years. Today, former factories are home to artists' studios, galleries and manufactories. The term "industrial culture" is taken literally here. The Kunstkraftwerk Leipzig is one of these buildings that tell the story of time and was now the chosen location for a very special audio and video production: the exceptional Korean pianist Sunwook Kim played Ludwig van Beethoven's last three Piano Sonatas op. 109-111 in an industrial setting framed by light projections that filled the brick hall. Beethoven's last three piano sonatas occupy a very special place within his oeuvre. Completely deaf by then, the composer puts three of his most intimate and personal works on paper, which at the same time radiate optimism and point musically into the future like hardly any other works.

Also available on Blu-ray

Recorded live at the Filharmonia Narodowa, Warsaw, 26-27 February 2010.

Picture format: NTSC 16:9
Sound format: PCM Stereo / Dolby Digital 5.1 / DTS 5.1
Region code: 0 (worldwide)
Running time: 97 mins
No. of DVDs: 1 (DVD 9)

R E V I E W:



CHOPIN Piano Concertos: No. 1 in e 1; No. 2 in f. 2 Mazurka in a, op. 17/4. 1 Etude in c, op. 10/12. 2 Waltz in e, op. posth. 2 • 1 Nikolai Demidenko, 2 Evgeny Kissin (pn); Antoni Wit, cond; Warsaw PO • ACCENTUS 20104 (DVD: 96:54) Live: Warsaw 2/27/2010

I would hate to have been a music critic for a newspaper sitting in the audience at this concert. Newspaper reviewers are allowed only one chance to hear the music and then get their story straight. I’ve watched this video four times, and just am beginning to appreciate what went on at the concert. In sum, it is a tale of two pianists, Nikolai Demidenko and Evgeny Kissin. The former receives a notable reception from the audience, while the latter elicits a roaring standing ovation and rhythmic applause. The two even are a contrast in their appearance: Demidenko with his grey beard and bald spot, the leonine Kissin every inch the romantic idol. Yet, on repeated listening, I find myself drawn at least as much to Demidenko’s performance as to Kissin’s. This video is a superb example of how completely differently one can approach Chopin, with equally satisfying results.

The First Concerto opens with refined playing in the orchestral tutti. Antoni Wit and his Warsaw forces only recently recorded both concertos with Eldar Nebolsin. Demidenko begins introspectively, with a lovely sonority. His romantic hero, as portrayed in the music, is a poet rather than an adventurer. The third subject is full of yearning and pathos. Elegance and passion characterize the subsequent filigree work. The return of the first theme sounds ruminative. When the second subject comes back, it is wistful and tentative. Throughout this movement, the Warsaw first chairs play beautifully, particularly the flute, bassoon, and horn.

Demidenko opens the second movement with a gorgeous, singing bel canto line. It is a love song with plenty of heart. Unlike in the first movement, the piano part now has a slightly naive quality. The solo bassoon plays wonderfully. Here and in the finale, Demidenko handles transitions magically. He performs the last movement very much in the style galant . His playing now is rhythmically subtle; he doesn’t attempt to be a powerhouse. The B section sounds like a mazurka. Demidenko’s left hand produces deftly judged harmonies. His soft playing is superbly virtuosic. As an encore, Demidenko plays a mazurka raptly and ravishingly, almost as a commentary on all that has gone before it.

Kissin first came to prominence in a concert of both Chopin concertos at age 12, conducted by Dmitri Kitaenko. At present, he plays the Second Concerto in the grand manner. His fingers are fascinating to watch, reminding me of tentacles. Kissin treats the first movement rhapsodically, rather freely in tempo. His soft passages are especially luminous. The program annotator for the DVD suggests that Kissin’s tactile connection to the keyboard is almost erotic. I prefer to say that Kissin’s performance possesses an animal quality. In the second movement, Kissin produces lush sonorities with almost heartbreaking phrasing. His playing in the string tremolo section seems tragic, evoking the pain of the lover. Following this outburst, the return of the initial theme sounds subdued. Kissin’s finale is a romp, with plenty of fire. Differences in dynamics are finely judged. The audience erupts on the orchestra’s final chord. For his first encore, Kissin gives us a stunning version of the last of the op. 10 etudes, with an almost supernatural left hand. It perhaps exemplifies the two pianists here that this encore is so virtuosic, while Demidenko’s is reflective. Kissin’s next encore is a somewhat Mendelssohnian treatment of a waltz, like fairy music. Kissin shows an endearingly light touch here.

The sound engineering on the DVD is very good, clear and full if a little monochromatic. Surround sound was unavailable to me. Occasionally the picture is out of sync with the music for a second or two. The director of the video does a satisfying job; nothing essential is overlooked in the camerawork. If you are looking for a CD of both concertos, I would recommend those by Annerose Schmidt, Janne Mertanen, and Janina Fialkowska. For an opportunity to experience two marvelous players in concert, this DVD probably will have great staying power. It is a true privilege to witness Demidenko and Kissin’s artistry up close.

FANFARE: Dave Saemann

When the Bamberg Symphony and their principal conductor Jakub Hruša went on tour in Germany with Mahler's Fourth Symphony in January 2020, no one would have thought that this symphony in particular would become a kind of "symphony of fate" of the year, for only two months later, the performance of major symphonic works was impossible for a long time after the "corona lockdown" in Germany, which hit cultural institutions particularly hard. The Bamberg Symphony were involved at an early stage in investigating the effects of making music together on the spread of the virus and helped to develop concepts for safe concert performances. This enabled their renowned Mahler Competition to take place in early July 2020, with Mahler's Fourth Symphony at its center. Even though it is the smallest Mahler symphony, these were the first symphonic performances after months, which then led to one of the first symphonic album recordings in times of the pandemic - seated apart, but musically closer than ever.

Ludwig van Beethoven's 9th Symphony and the musical city of Leipzig are closely intertwined with each other: Felix Mendelssohn, Kapellmeister of the Gewandhausorchester, made the work an indispensable part of the concert hall repertoire and Arthur Nikisch, one of his successors, established in 1918 the worldwide tradition of performing this groundbreaking and pioneering work at the end of the year. The phenomenal Herbert Blomstedt, Gewandhaus-kapellmeister from 1998 to 2005, once again conducted Beethoven's Ninth in Leipzig for the 2016 New Year celebrations. With his former orchestra, of which he has been Conductor Laureate since 2005 and with whom he enjoys a close friendship, he achieves a gripping interpretation of this monumental work. Under the direction of Blomstedt, together with his excellent musicians, the choirs, and an outstanding quartet of soloists led by the magnificent voice of Christian Gerhaher, the utopia of global freedom and humanity in Friedrich Schiller's "Ode to Joy," penned in Leipzig in 1785, grows to overwhelming dimensions.