intro
vita
projects
general info
Ring Zurich
Beethoven/Bartók
concerts
2010
2011
discography
gallery
video
audio
images
press
contact
contact info
contact form
imprint

projects
Beethoven/Bartók: The Radicals
Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France
 15 concerts in the 2008/09/10 seasons,
including the complete Beethoven Piano Concertos and Sonatas

 Beethoven and Bartók were in every sense radical composers. Uncompromising in their dealings with society, they reinvented established musical forms, revitalising through revolution. Capable of addressing listeners forcefully or tenderly with equal conviction, they opened new channels of direct communication between composer and audience - perhaps nowhere more so than in their piano music, since both were compelling performers at the keyboard.

François-Frédéric Guy, Philippe Jordan and the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France will be presenting an ambitious series of concerts of the music of Beethoven and Bartók, to coincide with the release of their recordings of the complete Beethoven Piano Concertos. The Beethoven Concertos will be played in five concerts at the Salle Pleyel in Paris, juxtaposed with major orchestral works by Bartók including the Concerto for Orchestra, The Miraculous Mandarin and Duke Bluebeard's Castle. François-Frédéric Guy will play the complete Piano Sonatas in 10 concerts at the Cité de la Musique. This substantial and important project, to take place in the 2008/09 and 2009/10 seasons, will be available in whole or possibly in part to a limited number of other cities and festivals.

These concerts will feature some of the most arresting, inventive and exhilarating pieces in the repertoire, by two composers who broke new ground and changed the course of music history.

François-Frédéric Guy was launched on his international career when BBC Radio 3 selected him for their New Generation Artists scheme. Since then he has been heard throughout Europe and in North America and Japan, receiving generous plaudits for his performances, especially of core repertoire such as Beethoven, Schubert and Brahms. After his recital at the Berlin Philharmonie, the Berliner Morgen Post wrote: 'Guy is a pianist of astonishing expressiveness, with immaculate technique.' He has appeared with major orchestras including the Orchestre de Paris, Philharmonia and Munich Philharmonic, and the conductors Haitink, Tilson Thomas and Salonen. This October, BBC Radio 3's CD Review chose Guy's new Hammerklavier recording as the best of any currently available.

Contact: Van Walsum Management · Roderick Thomson
Direct tel: +44 (0)20 7902 0533 · Email: rthomson@vanwalsum.com

> page as pdf