Programme:
JOSEPH HAYDN - Symphony No.49 in F minor "La Passione" (The Passion), Hob. 1/49
JACQUES IBERT - Concerto for Flute and Orchestra
JOHANNES BRAHMS - Symphony No.1 in C minor, Op. 68
"Christoph Eschenbach is a true phenom in the international league of conductors of the highest calibre. This is how the conductor and pianist, who represents and faithfully upholds the intellectual German tradition, is often presented. Eschenbach's name is heard wherever audiences are confronted with a breathtaking repertoire of music and interpretations marked by impressive depth of thought. Born in 1940 in war-torn Europe, the conductor's life path was marked by the fate of a war orphan. But under the tutelage of his aunt, pianist Wallydore Eschenbach, music became a refuge for the young man from an early age, winning prizes at prestigious piano competitions such as the ARD and the Concours Clara Haskil; he later turned to the world of conducting, with the legendary George Szell and Herbert von Karajan as his mentors. He has been invited to conduct some of the world's most important ensembles, has received awards from various countries and organisations, and his extensive discography includes some of the most highly acclaimed recordings of his career as a pianist and a conductor.
This legendary maestro of the baton will be coming to Lithuania in January to perform with the Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra. Also performing at the National Philharmonic is Stathis Karapanos, a young Greek artist who entered the flute world when he was just five years old. Karapanos says he grew up listening to and learning from Christoph Eschenbach's recordings, and the duo has gone on to give a number of memorable and critically acclaimed performances at venues around the world.
Tonight's symphony concert features scores by Viennese classical composer Joseph Haydn, and two Romantic figures, Jacques Ibert and Johannes Brahms.
