A7 Brahms. Mendelssohn

Felix Mendelssohn and Johannes Brahms: two natives of Hamburg and key figures of 19th century German music. The composers shared similar outlooks and often sought inspiration from the great works of the Classical era. Mendelssohn was also interested in his predecessors’ music from the perspective of an organizer. He was directly responsible for the re-introduction of Bach’s St Matthew Passion and the renewed interest in the music of Mozart. His own musical language was very much part of early Romanticism. However, he was unable to fulfil his incredible potential: he died aged only 38. 

He did, though, manage to write five outstanding symphonies, including Symphony No. 3 in A minor “Scottish”. The composer was fascinated by England and Scotland, visiting the landscapes there several times. His symphonies reflect the atmosphere of specific places rather than the melodies of the local folk music. The Concerto for Piano and Orchestra No. 2 in B flat major is one of Brahms’s two piano concertos. Within the context of the genre it is a particularly large work (due to its unusual four-movement layout it stretches to nearly fifty minutes) and was premiered by Brahms himself.

At our concert you will hear it played by the world-famous pianist Garrick Ohlsson, a winner of the International Chopin Piano Competition and a Grammy Award.