On the occasion of his 100th birthday, György Ligeti's early Concert Românesc, in which he artfully reflects on folkloric materials, will be performed. Inconceivable today, the work was banned as non-conformist under Hungarian socialism.
He composed Chopin's officially second, but chronologically first, piano concerto for his own use at the age of nineteen - even though the large concert stage caused him terrible stage fright. Here Chopin created a romantic piano concerto of a completely new kind, which, in addition to brilliant virtuosity, also fascinates with hitherto unknown tonal effects. Shagajegh Nosrati, born in Bochum in 1989, performs the solo part - an extremely versatile pianist who is celebrated internationally for the subtle nuances of her playing as well as for her musical temperament.
Despite their seemingly lightweight form, Rachmaninoff's Symphonic Dances belie the distorted image of the Russian "salon romantic". Written as his last work when he emigrated to America, they reflect the wistful memories of his homeland as if through a veil - sounds for which the USA, bursting with strength in search of heroes, had little understanding.
