international piano series 2012/13
international piano series 2012/13 ‘Mercurial’, ‘one in a million’, ‘poetry of feeling’ – just some of the acclaim heaped on artists appearing at this season’s International Piano Series. This is your chance to experience the piano world’s brightest new talents alongside some of its best-loved stars. Highlights include Mitsuko Uchida, Stephen Kovacevich, Angela Hewitt and Yundi. New talent includes the celebrated Benjamin Grosvenor, aged just 19, and recent winners of international competitions including the Tchaikovsky Competition and the Queen Elisabeth Competition. From Bach to the ecstatic modern mysticism of Messiaen, from Prokofiev’s War Sonatas to the aching beauty of Schubert and Brahms, this series demonstrates the huge expressive possibilities which composers have uncovered using the piano. Jude Kelly, OBE Southbank Centre Artistic Director
How to book Tickets
Series Savings
southbankcentre.co.uk* 0844 847 9929* 9am – 8pm (daily)
Book 3 – 4 concerts and save 10% Book 5 or more concerts and save 20%
* Transaction fees apply. No transaction fees for Southbank Centre Members.
(Not available on Premium seats)
In person
20% discount for groups of ten or more. Call 0844 875 0070
Royal Festival Hall Ticket Office, 10am – 8pm (daily) Hayward Gallery Ticket Office, 10am – 6pm (daily) Pre-concert talks
Discover more about the music and performers in our free pre-concert talks (subject to availability). For more details see southbankcentre.co.uk/classical
Benjamin Grosvenor © Briony Campbell tickets 0844 847 9929
Group Discounts
Concessions
A limited allocation of half-price tickets is available for recipients of Jobseekers Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit, those aged 16 and under, and full-time students. Appropriate cards to be shown and discounts cannot be combined. Students’ platform seats
Seats are available on the stage for students on a production of a student card at Royal Festival Hall concerts . Not available online. southbankcentre.co.uk/classical
international piano series 2012/13 ‘Mercurial’, ‘one in a million’, ‘poetry of feeling’ – just some of the acclaim heaped on artists appearing at this season’s International Piano Series. This is your chance to experience the piano world’s brightest new talents alongside some of its best-loved stars. Highlights include Mitsuko Uchida, Stephen Kovacevich, Angela Hewitt and Yundi. New talent includes the celebrated Benjamin Grosvenor, aged just 19, and recent winners of international competitions including the Tchaikovsky Competition and the Queen Elisabeth Competition. From Bach to the ecstatic modern mysticism of Messiaen, from Prokofiev’s War Sonatas to the aching beauty of Schubert and Brahms, this series demonstrates the huge expressive possibilities which composers have uncovered using the piano. Jude Kelly, OBE Southbank Centre Artistic Director
How to book Tickets
Series Savings
southbankcentre.co.uk* 0844 847 9929* 9am – 8pm (daily)
Book 3 – 4 concerts and save 10% Book 5 or more concerts and save 20%
* Transaction fees apply. No transaction fees for Southbank Centre Members.
(Not available on Premium seats)
In person
20% discount for groups of ten or more. Call 0844 875 0070
Royal Festival Hall Ticket Office, 10am – 8pm (daily) Hayward Gallery Ticket Office, 10am – 6pm (daily) Pre-concert talks
Discover more about the music and performers in our free pre-concert talks (subject to availability). For more details see southbankcentre.co.uk/classical
Benjamin Grosvenor © Briony Campbell tickets 0844 847 9929
Group Discounts
Concessions
A limited allocation of half-price tickets is available for recipients of Jobseekers Allowance, Income Support, Pension Credit, those aged 16 and under, and full-time students. Appropriate cards to be shown and discounts cannot be combined. Students’ platform seats
Seats are available on the stage for students on a production of a student card at Royal Festival Hall concerts . Not available online. southbankcentre.co.uk/classical
Benjamin Grosvenor © Briony Campbell
WEDNESDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2012
FRANCESCO PIEMONTESI
Francesco Piemontesi © Marco Borggreve
Mozart Sonata in D, K.284 Schubert Sonata in A minor, D.537 Debussy Préludes, Book 2 TUESDAY 2 OCTOBER 2012
WEDNESDAY 31 OCTOBER 2012
ANGELA HEWITT
BENJAMIN GROSVENOR
Bach arr. Wilhelm Kempff Chorale-prelude, Nun komm’ der Heiden Heiland, BWV.659; Siciliano in G minor from Flute Sonata, BWV.1031; Sinfonia in D from Cantata No.29 ‘Wir danken dir, Gott’ Beethoven Sonata in A, Op.101 Bach Contrapunctus 1 – 10 from The Art of Fugue
Bach Partita No.4 in D, BWV.828 Chopin Polonaise in F sharp minor, Op.44 Chopin Andante spianato & Grande Polonaise brillante, Op.22 Scriabin Selection from Mazurkas, Op.3 Scriabin Valse in A flat, Op.38 Granados Valses poeticos Schulz-Evler Concert arabesque on themes by Johann Strauss from Blue Danube
Angela Hewitt is renowned for her interpretations of Bach on the modern piano, and this is the first of two recitals that focus on the composer’s final masterpiece, The Art of Fugue. Left unfinished on Bach’s death, the work’s wonderfully intricate contrapuntal puzzles elegantly demonstrate a kind of spiritual and mathematical unity. Hewitt continues the concert with Beethoven’s late Sonata Op.101, a work that shows the powerful influence of Bach’s fugues.
‘Hewitt has become almost synonymous with Bach on the piano’ (The Guardian)
Royal Festival Hall, 7.30pm £40, £33, £25, £20, £15, £10 Premium seats £52 Students’ platform seats £7
tickets 0844 847 9929
Following his runaway success at the 2011 BBC Proms, the young British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, described by The Independent as ‘one in a million – several million’, makes his debut in the International Piano Series with a concert based on the theme of dance. Opening with Bach’s Fourth Partita, filled with vivid Baroque dance rhythms, he continues with two sparkling Polonaises by Chopin. The second half focuses on the mazurka and the waltz, as evoked by composers from Russia, Spain and central Europe. Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
Francesco Piemontesi has garnered a string of accolades that mark him out as a rising star. His concert opens with Mozart’s lively Sonata in D, K.284, after which he explores an enchanting rarity, Schubert’s early A minor Sonata, D.537, which includes the germ of a melody the composer went on to use on several more occasions. The second half is devoted to Debussy’s second book of Preludes – subtle and evocative pieces that translate into music images from poetry, nature and literature.
‘This pianist reveals a powerful gift for intimacy. You have to stop and listen’ (The Observer)
Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
TUESDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2012
BEHZOD ABDURAIMOV
Behzod Abduraimov © Ben Ealovega
Schubert Sonata in A, D.664 Beethoven Sonata in F minor, Op.57 (Appassionata) Liszt Scherzo and March, S.177 arr. Horowitz; Bénédiction de Dieu dans la Solitude (Harmonies poétiques et religieuses, S.173 No.3); Mephisto Waltz No.1 This young pianist from Uzbekistan created tremendous excitement at the London International Piano Competition final in 2009, which he went on to win. He is now signed to Decca and this is his International Piano Series debut. His concert opens with the intimate world of Schubert’s A major Sonata and the heady drama of Beethoven’s Appassionata Sonata. In the second half he offers three contrasting works by Liszt.
‘Abduraimov’s artistry conferred its own magic, with seemingly effortless grace’ (The Independent)
Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
you book Save up to 20% when multiple concerts See opening page for details
southbankcentre.co.uk/classical
Benjamin Grosvenor © Briony Campbell
WEDNESDAY 7 NOVEMBER 2012
FRANCESCO PIEMONTESI
Francesco Piemontesi © Marco Borggreve
Mozart Sonata in D, K.284 Schubert Sonata in A minor, D.537 Debussy Préludes, Book 2 TUESDAY 2 OCTOBER 2012
WEDNESDAY 31 OCTOBER 2012
ANGELA HEWITT
BENJAMIN GROSVENOR
Bach arr. Wilhelm Kempff Chorale-prelude, Nun komm’ der Heiden Heiland, BWV.659; Siciliano in G minor from Flute Sonata, BWV.1031; Sinfonia in D from Cantata No.29 ‘Wir danken dir, Gott’ Beethoven Sonata in A, Op.101 Bach Contrapunctus 1 – 10 from The Art of Fugue
Bach Partita No.4 in D, BWV.828 Chopin Polonaise in F sharp minor, Op.44 Chopin Andante spianato & Grande Polonaise brillante, Op.22 Scriabin Selection from Mazurkas, Op.3 Scriabin Valse in A flat, Op.38 Granados Valses poeticos Schulz-Evler Concert arabesque on themes by Johann Strauss from Blue Danube
Angela Hewitt is renowned for her interpretations of Bach on the modern piano, and this is the first of two recitals that focus on the composer’s final masterpiece, The Art of Fugue. Left unfinished on Bach’s death, the work’s wonderfully intricate contrapuntal puzzles elegantly demonstrate a kind of spiritual and mathematical unity. Hewitt continues the concert with Beethoven’s late Sonata Op.101, a work that shows the powerful influence of Bach’s fugues.
‘Hewitt has become almost synonymous with Bach on the piano’ (The Guardian)
Royal Festival Hall, 7.30pm £40, £33, £25, £20, £15, £10 Premium seats £52 Students’ platform seats £7
tickets 0844 847 9929
Following his runaway success at the 2011 BBC Proms, the young British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor, described by The Independent as ‘one in a million – several million’, makes his debut in the International Piano Series with a concert based on the theme of dance. Opening with Bach’s Fourth Partita, filled with vivid Baroque dance rhythms, he continues with two sparkling Polonaises by Chopin. The second half focuses on the mazurka and the waltz, as evoked by composers from Russia, Spain and central Europe. Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
Francesco Piemontesi has garnered a string of accolades that mark him out as a rising star. His concert opens with Mozart’s lively Sonata in D, K.284, after which he explores an enchanting rarity, Schubert’s early A minor Sonata, D.537, which includes the germ of a melody the composer went on to use on several more occasions. The second half is devoted to Debussy’s second book of Preludes – subtle and evocative pieces that translate into music images from poetry, nature and literature.
‘This pianist reveals a powerful gift for intimacy. You have to stop and listen’ (The Observer)
Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
TUESDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2012
BEHZOD ABDURAIMOV
Behzod Abduraimov © Ben Ealovega
Schubert Sonata in A, D.664 Beethoven Sonata in F minor, Op.57 (Appassionata) Liszt Scherzo and March, S.177 arr. Horowitz; Bénédiction de Dieu dans la Solitude (Harmonies poétiques et religieuses, S.173 No.3); Mephisto Waltz No.1 This young pianist from Uzbekistan created tremendous excitement at the London International Piano Competition final in 2009, which he went on to win. He is now signed to Decca and this is his International Piano Series debut. His concert opens with the intimate world of Schubert’s A major Sonata and the heady drama of Beethoven’s Appassionata Sonata. In the second half he offers three contrasting works by Liszt.
‘Abduraimov’s artistry conferred its own magic, with seemingly effortless grace’ (The Independent)
Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
you book Save up to 20% when multiple concerts See opening page for details
southbankcentre.co.uk/classical
Tuesday 4 December 2012
Daniil trifonov
The soundtrack of the 20th century
Daniil Trifonov © Vadim Shults
Scriabin Sonata No.2 in G sharp minor, Op.19 (Sonata-fantasy) Liszt Sonata in B minor Chopin 24 Preludes, Op.28 Join us for the hotly anticipated Southbank Centre debut recital of Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov, winner of the 2011 International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow and third prize-winner in the 2010 International Chopin Competition in Warsaw.
In 2007 Alex Ross wrote the seminal book The Rest Is Noise – listening to the Twentieth Century. Throughout 2013 we create a live version of the book, looking at history and art through performances, films, talks and debates. The 20th century and beyond has been fraught with debate and schism about the worth of different music. There was virtually no consensus from the 1920s onwards as to what ‘music of merit’ meant. Concert goers have often been uninterested – even hostile towards many 20th-century works. The Rest Is Noise festival is an attempt to recalibrate this argument by viewing this music through the prism of 20th-century history with its revolutions and counter-revolutions, its major moral and philosophical upheavals around race, gender, faith, political credo and pacifism – and its new relationship to technology and artistic democracy. Jude Kelly OBE, Southbank Centre Artistic Director. tickets 0844 847 9929
TUESDAY 15 JANUARY 2013
MITSUKO UCHIDA
Mitsuko Uchida © Roger Mastroianni
Programme to include Schumann Waldscenen, Op.82 Schumann Gesänge der Frühe, Op.133 Schoenberg 6 Little pieces, Op.19 and music by Bach A chance to hear the great Mitsuko Uchida – regarded as one of today’s greatest pianists – explore some of Schumann’s most fascinating and beautiful piano works.
The concert opens with Scriabin’s intensely coloured Sonata No.2 and Liszt’s popular Sonata in B minor – virtuosic and unashamedly romantic, it is often regarded as his greatest composition for solo piano. The second half is devoted to Chopin’s exquisite miniatures, his 24 Preludes.
Waldscenen is an intimate hymn to nature and the Gesänge der Frühe (Songs of Dawn) were among the composer’s last works, pieces of touching purity and reflection. In contrast, Uchida performs Schoenberg’s Op.19, a set of short pieces in a suitably Schumannian format.
‘The way Daniil Trifonov played, you’d say he was a mature master, rather than a mere 20-year old... he’s already got it all’
‘[Uchida] always hears the music in Schumann’s bravura... Schumann the poet and virtuoso evoked in perfect balance’
Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
Royal Festival Hall, 7.30pm £40, £33, £25, £20, £15, £10 Premium seats £52 Students’ platform seats £7
(The Independent)
(The Sunday Times)
Southbank Centre’s The Rest Is Noise, inspired by Alex Ross’ book The Rest Is Noise
January – December 2013
southbankcentre.co.uk/classical
Tuesday 4 December 2012
Daniil trifonov
The soundtrack of the 20th century
Daniil Trifonov © Vadim Shults
Scriabin Sonata No.2 in G sharp minor, Op.19 (Sonata-fantasy) Liszt Sonata in B minor Chopin 24 Preludes, Op.28 Join us for the hotly anticipated Southbank Centre debut recital of Russian pianist Daniil Trifonov, winner of the 2011 International Tchaikovsky Competition in Moscow and third prize-winner in the 2010 International Chopin Competition in Warsaw.
In 2007 Alex Ross wrote the seminal book The Rest Is Noise – listening to the Twentieth Century. Throughout 2013 we create a live version of the book, looking at history and art through performances, films, talks and debates. The 20th century and beyond has been fraught with debate and schism about the worth of different music. There was virtually no consensus from the 1920s onwards as to what ‘music of merit’ meant. Concert goers have often been uninterested – even hostile towards many 20th-century works. The Rest Is Noise festival is an attempt to recalibrate this argument by viewing this music through the prism of 20th-century history with its revolutions and counter-revolutions, its major moral and philosophical upheavals around race, gender, faith, political credo and pacifism – and its new relationship to technology and artistic democracy. Jude Kelly OBE, Southbank Centre Artistic Director. tickets 0844 847 9929
TUESDAY 15 JANUARY 2013
MITSUKO UCHIDA
Mitsuko Uchida © Roger Mastroianni
Programme to include Schumann Waldscenen, Op.82 Schumann Gesänge der Frühe, Op.133 Schoenberg 6 Little pieces, Op.19 and music by Bach A chance to hear the great Mitsuko Uchida – regarded as one of today’s greatest pianists – explore some of Schumann’s most fascinating and beautiful piano works.
The concert opens with Scriabin’s intensely coloured Sonata No.2 and Liszt’s popular Sonata in B minor – virtuosic and unashamedly romantic, it is often regarded as his greatest composition for solo piano. The second half is devoted to Chopin’s exquisite miniatures, his 24 Preludes.
Waldscenen is an intimate hymn to nature and the Gesänge der Frühe (Songs of Dawn) were among the composer’s last works, pieces of touching purity and reflection. In contrast, Uchida performs Schoenberg’s Op.19, a set of short pieces in a suitably Schumannian format.
‘The way Daniil Trifonov played, you’d say he was a mature master, rather than a mere 20-year old... he’s already got it all’
‘[Uchida] always hears the music in Schumann’s bravura... Schumann the poet and virtuoso evoked in perfect balance’
Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
Royal Festival Hall, 7.30pm £40, £33, £25, £20, £15, £10 Premium seats £52 Students’ platform seats £7
(The Independent)
(The Sunday Times)
Southbank Centre’s The Rest Is Noise, inspired by Alex Ross’ book The Rest Is Noise
January – December 2013
southbankcentre.co.uk/classical
Karim said
Karim Said, the young Jordanian-born pianist and protégé of Daniel Barenboim, performs a trilogy of recitals tracing the progress of piano music through the first half of the 20th century.
SUNDAY 3 MARCH 2013
Order in the ’20s 1920-1925 Schoenberg 5 Pieces, Op.23 Webern Kinderstück (Children’s piece) Webern Piece (in the tempo of a minuet) Eisler 4 Pieces, Op.3 Schoenberg Suite, Op.25
‘Avdeeva strikes chords with precision, every note perfectly tempered’ (The Guardian)
The 1920s in Vienna was a period of vibrant artistic experimentation, diversity of style and potent musical adventure. During this time Schoenberg devised his system of so-called 12-tone composition as a means of bringing order to his radical musical language. Hear Schoenberg’s early explorations into this idiosyncratic sound world in the 5 Pieces Op.23, and also a later piece he devoted totally to this revolutionary method, the Suite Op.25. Purcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall, 1pm £12, £10
Yulianna Avdeeva © Harald Hoffmann
WEDNESDAY 23 January 2013
FREDDY KEMPF
Schoenberg’s Ghosts 1929-1950 Karim Said © Aiga Ozo
SUNDAY 20 January 2013
Romantics at heart 1903 – 1911 Berg Sonata, Op.1 Debussy Masques Schoenberg 3 Piece, Op.11 Janáček Sonata I.X.905 (From the Street) Schoenberg 6 Little Pieces, Op.19 Four composers who, at the start of the 20th century, were poised on the cusp between the old world and the new, each responding to this period of significant social and artistic change. Queen Elizabeth Hall, 1pm £12, £10
By the middle of the 20th century Schoenberg’s radical legacy had sparked a myriad reaction from composers of the next generation. Beginning with the concentrated, edgy Variations by Webern and two pieces by Schoenberg himself, Karim Said has chosen short works by five composers who each took Schoenberg’s influence on board in their own, different way. Purcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall, 1pm £12, £10
Freddy Kempf © Neda Navaee
Beethoven Sonata in E flat, Op.81a (Les Adieux) Liszt Miserere du Trovatore, S.433 transc. for piano Chopin Ballade No.3 in A flat, Op.47 Chopin Ballade No.4 in F minor, Op.52 Schumann Kreisleriana, Op.16 Operatic inspiration mixes with some of the mostpopular works from the Romantic piano repertoire in British pianist Freddy Kempf’s return to the International Piano Series. The concert opens with Beethoven’s Sonata Les Adieux, which conjures a potent tale of parting, absence and reunion. Liszt’s transcription from Verdi’s Il Trovatore succeeds in transferring grand opera to the piano. Epic poetic narratives are suggested in the two Chopin Ballades performed, and Schumann’s Kreisleriana is a series of imaginative dreamscapes inspired by the tales of ETA Hoffmann. Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
tickets 0844 847 9929
YULIANNA AVDEEVA Bach Partita (Overture in the French style) in B minor, BWV.831 Ravel Gaspard de la nuit Schumann Sonata No.1 in F sharp minor, Op.11
SUNDAY 9 JUNE 2013
Webern Variations, Op.27 Schoenberg Pieces, Op.33a & b Cage The Perilous Night Stefan Wolpe 3 Pieces for youngsters Roberto Gerhard 3 Impromptus Boulez Notations I – XII
TUESDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2013
Young Russian pianist Yulianna Avdeeva, first-prize winner in the Warsaw 2010 International Chopin Competition, performs a recital of contrasting key works by Bach, Ravel and Schumann. She opens with Bach’s French Overture, a substantial keyboard work which sees Bach writing in the French Baroque style, full of opportunities to display intricate fingerwork and clarity of texture. Next comes Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit, three musical scenes of macabre magic. Schumann’s Piano Sonata No.1 plunges the listener into a world of turbulent Romanticism: an impassioned musical love-letter to Clara Wieck, whom Schumann later married, it is by turns effusive, virtuosic and intensely poetic. Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
you book Save up to 20% when multiple concerts See opening page for details
southbankcentre.co.uk/classical
Karim said
Karim Said, the young Jordanian-born pianist and protégé of Daniel Barenboim, performs a trilogy of recitals tracing the progress of piano music through the first half of the 20th century.
SUNDAY 3 MARCH 2013
Order in the ’20s 1920-1925 Schoenberg 5 Pieces, Op.23 Webern Kinderstück (Children’s piece) Webern Piece (in the tempo of a minuet) Eisler 4 Pieces, Op.3 Schoenberg Suite, Op.25
‘Avdeeva strikes chords with precision, every note perfectly tempered’ (The Guardian)
The 1920s in Vienna was a period of vibrant artistic experimentation, diversity of style and potent musical adventure. During this time Schoenberg devised his system of so-called 12-tone composition as a means of bringing order to his radical musical language. Hear Schoenberg’s early explorations into this idiosyncratic sound world in the 5 Pieces Op.23, and also a later piece he devoted totally to this revolutionary method, the Suite Op.25. Purcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall, 1pm £12, £10
Yulianna Avdeeva © Harald Hoffmann
WEDNESDAY 23 January 2013
FREDDY KEMPF
Schoenberg’s Ghosts 1929-1950 Karim Said © Aiga Ozo
SUNDAY 20 January 2013
Romantics at heart 1903 – 1911 Berg Sonata, Op.1 Debussy Masques Schoenberg 3 Piece, Op.11 Janáček Sonata I.X.905 (From the Street) Schoenberg 6 Little Pieces, Op.19 Four composers who, at the start of the 20th century, were poised on the cusp between the old world and the new, each responding to this period of significant social and artistic change. Queen Elizabeth Hall, 1pm £12, £10
By the middle of the 20th century Schoenberg’s radical legacy had sparked a myriad reaction from composers of the next generation. Beginning with the concentrated, edgy Variations by Webern and two pieces by Schoenberg himself, Karim Said has chosen short works by five composers who each took Schoenberg’s influence on board in their own, different way. Purcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall, 1pm £12, £10
Freddy Kempf © Neda Navaee
Beethoven Sonata in E flat, Op.81a (Les Adieux) Liszt Miserere du Trovatore, S.433 transc. for piano Chopin Ballade No.3 in A flat, Op.47 Chopin Ballade No.4 in F minor, Op.52 Schumann Kreisleriana, Op.16 Operatic inspiration mixes with some of the mostpopular works from the Romantic piano repertoire in British pianist Freddy Kempf’s return to the International Piano Series. The concert opens with Beethoven’s Sonata Les Adieux, which conjures a potent tale of parting, absence and reunion. Liszt’s transcription from Verdi’s Il Trovatore succeeds in transferring grand opera to the piano. Epic poetic narratives are suggested in the two Chopin Ballades performed, and Schumann’s Kreisleriana is a series of imaginative dreamscapes inspired by the tales of ETA Hoffmann. Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
tickets 0844 847 9929
YULIANNA AVDEEVA Bach Partita (Overture in the French style) in B minor, BWV.831 Ravel Gaspard de la nuit Schumann Sonata No.1 in F sharp minor, Op.11
SUNDAY 9 JUNE 2013
Webern Variations, Op.27 Schoenberg Pieces, Op.33a & b Cage The Perilous Night Stefan Wolpe 3 Pieces for youngsters Roberto Gerhard 3 Impromptus Boulez Notations I – XII
TUESDAY 5 FEBRUARY 2013
Young Russian pianist Yulianna Avdeeva, first-prize winner in the Warsaw 2010 International Chopin Competition, performs a recital of contrasting key works by Bach, Ravel and Schumann. She opens with Bach’s French Overture, a substantial keyboard work which sees Bach writing in the French Baroque style, full of opportunities to display intricate fingerwork and clarity of texture. Next comes Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit, three musical scenes of macabre magic. Schumann’s Piano Sonata No.1 plunges the listener into a world of turbulent Romanticism: an impassioned musical love-letter to Clara Wieck, whom Schumann later married, it is by turns effusive, virtuosic and intensely poetic. Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
you book Save up to 20% when multiple concerts See opening page for details
southbankcentre.co.uk/classical
Tuesday 12 February 2013
Alice Sara Ott
Alice Sara Ott© Felix Broede
Liszt 2 Légendes, S.175 Beethoven Sonata in C, Op.53 (Waldstein) Liszt 6 Grandes études de Paganini, S.141 The young German pianist Alice Sara Ott first shot to fame performing Liszt whilst stepping in to replace Lang Lang at short notice. Since then, John Amis has declared: ‘During my life I have heard Gieseking, Cortot... and many other great pianists – added to them now is Alice Sara Ott, no doubt about that.’ (Classical Source) Liszt’s reflective and pictorial Légendes is performed with Beethoven’s Waldstein Sonata which overflows with galvanising energy. Liszt’s Paganini Etudes, a piece based on Paganini’s violin works, gives Ott ample scope to demonstrate her brilliant technical finesse. Royal Festival Hall, 7.30pm £40, £33, £25, £20, £15, £10 Premium seats £52 Students’s platform seats £7
SUNDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2013
KATIA & MARIELLE Labèque
Katia & Marielle Labèque © Brigitte Lacombe
Debussy En blanc et noir Ravel Ma mère l’oye (Mother Goose) Satie 3 Morceaux en forme de poire Ravel Rapsodie espagnole Widely recognised as the ‘best piano duo in front of an audience today’ (The New York Times), sisters Katia and Marielle Labèque turn their attention to a period when French music and art influenced culture all over the world – the early 20th century. For this recital the Labèques explore a French musical world characterised by a sense of intimacy and a lightness of touch. Satie’s lush and reflective duet Trois morceaux en forme de poire is juxtaposed with ever-popular keyboard works by Debussy and Ravel, including the fairytale beauty of Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite (Ma mère l’oye) and the musical painting of Debussy’s En blanc et noir, which was inspired by Goya and Velásquez. Queen Elizabeth Hall, 3pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
TUESDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2013
CHRISTIAN BLACKSHAW
Christian Blackshaw © Herbie Knott
Schumann Kinderszenen, Op.15 Schubert Sonata in A, D.959 Schumann Etudes symphoniques, Op.13 vers. Rarely heard in concert, British pianist Christian Blackshaw – ‘a musician’s musician’ (Pianist Magazine) – returns to the International Piano Series. His recital opens with Schumann’s exquisite depictions of childhood memories and continues with Schubert’s penultimate sonata, the A major D.959, in which Romantic expansiveness contrasts with moments of profound introspection. Finally there is Schumann’s Etudes symphoniques, an extended set of virtuoso variations involving a magnificent journey of character and contrast.
‘His performances reveal all the old virtues – elegance, inwardness, delicacy of touch, poetry of feeling’ (The Financial Times) Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
TUESDAY 19 MARCH 2013
STEPHEN KOVACEVICH
Stephen Kovacevich © David Thompson
Beethoven Sonata in C minor, Op.10 No.1; Sonata in E, Op.109 Schubert Klavierstücke in E flat, D.946 No.2; Impromptus in G flat, D.899 No.3 & in F minor, D.935 No.4 Brahms Intermezzo in A, Op.76 No.6; Intermezzo in A minor, Op.76 No.7; Rhapsody in G minor, Op.79 No.2; Capriccio in D minor, Op.116 No.7; Rhapsody in E flat, Op.119 No.4 Stephen Kovacevich has been described by The Telegraph as ‘a resolute defender of the musical high ground, and someone who keeps returning to the great works and finding something new in them.’ At this concert he presents two contrasting masterpieces from among Beethoven’s sonatas – the dazzling and dramatic early Sonata in C minor, Op.10 No.1 and Sonata in E, Op.109, a late work full of structural originality and mystical reflectiveness. Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
you book Save up to 20% when multiple concerts See opening page for details
tickets 0844 847 9929
southbankcentre.co.uk/classical
Tuesday 12 February 2013
Alice Sara Ott
Alice Sara Ott© Felix Broede
Liszt 2 Légendes, S.175 Beethoven Sonata in C, Op.53 (Waldstein) Liszt 6 Grandes études de Paganini, S.141 The young German pianist Alice Sara Ott first shot to fame performing Liszt whilst stepping in to replace Lang Lang at short notice. Since then, John Amis has declared: ‘During my life I have heard Gieseking, Cortot... and many other great pianists – added to them now is Alice Sara Ott, no doubt about that.’ (Classical Source) Liszt’s reflective and pictorial Légendes is performed with Beethoven’s Waldstein Sonata which overflows with galvanising energy. Liszt’s Paganini Etudes, a piece based on Paganini’s violin works, gives Ott ample scope to demonstrate her brilliant technical finesse. Royal Festival Hall, 7.30pm £40, £33, £25, £20, £15, £10 Premium seats £52 Students’s platform seats £7
SUNDAY 17 FEBRUARY 2013
KATIA & MARIELLE Labèque
Katia & Marielle Labèque © Brigitte Lacombe
Debussy En blanc et noir Ravel Ma mère l’oye (Mother Goose) Satie 3 Morceaux en forme de poire Ravel Rapsodie espagnole Widely recognised as the ‘best piano duo in front of an audience today’ (The New York Times), sisters Katia and Marielle Labèque turn their attention to a period when French music and art influenced culture all over the world – the early 20th century. For this recital the Labèques explore a French musical world characterised by a sense of intimacy and a lightness of touch. Satie’s lush and reflective duet Trois morceaux en forme de poire is juxtaposed with ever-popular keyboard works by Debussy and Ravel, including the fairytale beauty of Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite (Ma mère l’oye) and the musical painting of Debussy’s En blanc et noir, which was inspired by Goya and Velásquez. Queen Elizabeth Hall, 3pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
TUESDAY 26 FEBRUARY 2013
CHRISTIAN BLACKSHAW
Christian Blackshaw © Herbie Knott
Schumann Kinderszenen, Op.15 Schubert Sonata in A, D.959 Schumann Etudes symphoniques, Op.13 vers. Rarely heard in concert, British pianist Christian Blackshaw – ‘a musician’s musician’ (Pianist Magazine) – returns to the International Piano Series. His recital opens with Schumann’s exquisite depictions of childhood memories and continues with Schubert’s penultimate sonata, the A major D.959, in which Romantic expansiveness contrasts with moments of profound introspection. Finally there is Schumann’s Etudes symphoniques, an extended set of virtuoso variations involving a magnificent journey of character and contrast.
‘His performances reveal all the old virtues – elegance, inwardness, delicacy of touch, poetry of feeling’ (The Financial Times) Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
TUESDAY 19 MARCH 2013
STEPHEN KOVACEVICH
Stephen Kovacevich © David Thompson
Beethoven Sonata in C minor, Op.10 No.1; Sonata in E, Op.109 Schubert Klavierstücke in E flat, D.946 No.2; Impromptus in G flat, D.899 No.3 & in F minor, D.935 No.4 Brahms Intermezzo in A, Op.76 No.6; Intermezzo in A minor, Op.76 No.7; Rhapsody in G minor, Op.79 No.2; Capriccio in D minor, Op.116 No.7; Rhapsody in E flat, Op.119 No.4 Stephen Kovacevich has been described by The Telegraph as ‘a resolute defender of the musical high ground, and someone who keeps returning to the great works and finding something new in them.’ At this concert he presents two contrasting masterpieces from among Beethoven’s sonatas – the dazzling and dramatic early Sonata in C minor, Op.10 No.1 and Sonata in E, Op.109, a late work full of structural originality and mystical reflectiveness. Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
you book Save up to 20% when multiple concerts See opening page for details
tickets 0844 847 9929
southbankcentre.co.uk/classical
THURSDAY 4 APRIL 2013
KIRILL GERSTEIN
TUESDAY 7 MAY 2013
THURSDAY 18 April 2013
ANGELA HEWITT
YUNDI
Bach Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV.582 arr. Eugen d’Albert; Beethoven Sonata in A flat Op.110 Bach Contrapunctus 11 – 14; Canon per augmentationem in contrario motu; Canon alla ottava; Canon alla decima contrapuncto alla terza; Canon alla duodecima in contrapuncto alla quinta from The Art of Fugue In the second of her two recitals this season, Angela Hewitt returns to Bach’s The Art of Fugue, the composer’s fascinating and intricate journeys in high-Baroque counterpoint. Her recital begins with a transcription of Bach’s C minor Passacaglia written in the grand Romantic style by the 19th-century composer-pianist Eugen d’Albert. Kirill Gerstein © Marco Borggreve
Haydn Variations in F minor, Hob.XVII/6 (Un Piccolo divertimento) Brad Mehldau Variations on a melancholy theme Brahms 28 Variations on a theme by Paganini, Op.35 Brahms 3 Intermezzi, Op.117 Stravinsky 3 Movements from Petrushka transc. for piano Kirill Gerstein, acclaimed as ‘brilliant, perceptive and stunningly fresh’ (The New York Times), comes to Southbank Centre with a vivid programme showcasing the contrasting styles in which he excels – ranging from the classical era to contemporary jazz. His recital features the world premiere of a new work written specially for him by jazz musician Brad Mehldau and extracts from Stravinsky’s kaleidoscopic ballet Petrushka transcribed for solo piano.
Ravel Gaspard de la nuit Chopin 24 Preludes, Op.28 The young Chinese pianist Yundi brings to Royal Festival Hall a programme featuring two of the composers for whom he has received most acclaim, Ravel and Chopin. Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit places the pianist’s virtuosity at the service of powerful, poetic and supernatural imagery. Chopin’s 24 Preludes are a colourful sequence of intense musical imaginings.
She follows this with Beethoven’s penultimate Piano Sonata, Op.110 in A flat, in which Bach-influenced fugues meet the searching, philosophical world characteristic of Beethoven’s late compositions. Royal Festival Hall, 7.30pm £40, £33, £25, £20, £15, £10 Premium seats £52 Students’ platform seats £7
Yundi has been described by The Times as possessing ‘something beyond the dazzle of any new star... there is always an artist in firm control, sculpting both tone and phrasing.’ Royal Festival Hall, 7.30pm £40, £33, £25, £20, £15, £10 Premium seats £52 Students’ platform seats £7
Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
‘If you want the sheer joy of human creation and recreation, then go to a piano recital by Angela Hewitt’
you book Save up to 20% when multiple concerts See opening page for details
Angela Hewitt © Mark McNulty tickets 0844 847 9929
(The Times) southbankcentre.co.uk/classical
THURSDAY 4 APRIL 2013
KIRILL GERSTEIN
TUESDAY 7 MAY 2013
THURSDAY 18 April 2013
ANGELA HEWITT
YUNDI
Bach Passacaglia and Fugue in C minor, BWV.582 arr. Eugen d’Albert; Beethoven Sonata in A flat Op.110 Bach Contrapunctus 11 – 14; Canon per augmentationem in contrario motu; Canon alla ottava; Canon alla decima contrapuncto alla terza; Canon alla duodecima in contrapuncto alla quinta from The Art of Fugue In the second of her two recitals this season, Angela Hewitt returns to Bach’s The Art of Fugue, the composer’s fascinating and intricate journeys in high-Baroque counterpoint. Her recital begins with a transcription of Bach’s C minor Passacaglia written in the grand Romantic style by the 19th-century composer-pianist Eugen d’Albert. Kirill Gerstein © Marco Borggreve
Haydn Variations in F minor, Hob.XVII/6 (Un Piccolo divertimento) Brad Mehldau Variations on a melancholy theme Brahms 28 Variations on a theme by Paganini, Op.35 Brahms 3 Intermezzi, Op.117 Stravinsky 3 Movements from Petrushka transc. for piano Kirill Gerstein, acclaimed as ‘brilliant, perceptive and stunningly fresh’ (The New York Times), comes to Southbank Centre with a vivid programme showcasing the contrasting styles in which he excels – ranging from the classical era to contemporary jazz. His recital features the world premiere of a new work written specially for him by jazz musician Brad Mehldau and extracts from Stravinsky’s kaleidoscopic ballet Petrushka transcribed for solo piano.
Ravel Gaspard de la nuit Chopin 24 Preludes, Op.28 The young Chinese pianist Yundi brings to Royal Festival Hall a programme featuring two of the composers for whom he has received most acclaim, Ravel and Chopin. Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit places the pianist’s virtuosity at the service of powerful, poetic and supernatural imagery. Chopin’s 24 Preludes are a colourful sequence of intense musical imaginings.
She follows this with Beethoven’s penultimate Piano Sonata, Op.110 in A flat, in which Bach-influenced fugues meet the searching, philosophical world characteristic of Beethoven’s late compositions. Royal Festival Hall, 7.30pm £40, £33, £25, £20, £15, £10 Premium seats £52 Students’ platform seats £7
Yundi has been described by The Times as possessing ‘something beyond the dazzle of any new star... there is always an artist in firm control, sculpting both tone and phrasing.’ Royal Festival Hall, 7.30pm £40, £33, £25, £20, £15, £10 Premium seats £52 Students’ platform seats £7
Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
‘If you want the sheer joy of human creation and recreation, then go to a piano recital by Angela Hewitt’
you book Save up to 20% when multiple concerts See opening page for details
Angela Hewitt © Mark McNulty tickets 0844 847 9929
(The Times) southbankcentre.co.uk/classical
SUNDAY 12 MAY 2013
DENIS KOZHUKHIN
THURSDAY 23 MAY 2013
PIOTR ANDERSZEWSKI
WeDNESDAY 29 MAY 2013
STEVEN OSBORNE
WEDNESDAY 5 JUNE 2013
ELISABETH Leonskaja
Messiaen Vingt Regards sur l’enfant Jésus
Denis Kozhukhin © Marco Borggreve
Prokofiev Sonata No.7 in B flat, Op.83 Prokofiev Sonata No.8 in B flat, Op.84 Prokofiev Sonata No.6 in A, Op.82 Hear Prokofiev’s War Sonatas performed at the International Piano Series debut of prize-winning, young Russian pianist Denis Kozhukhin. Prokofiev’s Piano Sonatas Nos.6, 7 and 8, composed during World War II, are said to represent the composer’s true feelings against the Soviet regime under Stalin. Sometimes spiky and uncompromising, at others introverted and lyrical, these works find Prokofiev pushing at the boundaries of the piano’s ability to express the extremes of human experience.
‘This was remarkable; a performance of such rare quality it is difficult to light on vocabulary that might define the experience’ (The Scotsman)
Piotr Anderszewski © Robert Workman
Steven Osborne © Ben Ealovega
Programme to be announced
Messiaen Vingt Regards sur l’enfant Jésus
Polish-Hungarian pianist Piotr Anderszewski is an artist noted for exceptional musical intensity and originality – qualities that inspired the distinguished film director Bruno Monsaingeon to make three films about him.
An opportunity to hear Steven Osborne’s critically acclaimed performance of Messiaen’s passionately spiritual meditations Vingt Regards sur l’enfant Jésus.
Critics have deemed him ‘breathtaking’ and ‘unforgettable’ (The Independent).
‘Anderszewski strolled to the piano like a guest at the party whose turn it was to play. He got a different kind of attention as a result, and a different quality of silence’ (The Independent)
Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
Osborne’s recording of this great piano work for Hyperion earned an ecstatic reception, with critics celebrating its ‘towering authority and technical achievement’ (Gramophone), as well as describing it as ‘outstanding’ (The Independent) and ‘awe-inspiring’ (The Sunday Times).
Elisabeth Leonskaja © Jo Schwartz
Ravel Valses nobles et sentimentales Enescu Sonata in F sharp minor, Op.24 No.1 Debussy Le vent dans la plaine (Préludes, Bk.1 No.3); La fille aux cheveux de lin (Préludes, Bk.1 No.8); Feux d’artifice (Préludes, Bk.2 No.12) Brahms Sonata No.3 in F minor, Op.5 Born in Georgia and trained in Moscow, Elisabeth Leonskaja was much influenced by the great pianist Sviatoslav Richter, with whom she often performed in a duo.
‘Osborne’s revelatory performance is a blinding tour de force of interpretive and pianistic incandescence’ (Classic FM Magazine)
She opens her recital by showcasing three very different composers from the early 20th century – Ravel, Enescu and Debussy – all of whom developed individual harmonic styles that could convey a range of atmospheres.
Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15 , £10 Premium seats £35
Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
Queen Elizabeth Hall, 3pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
you book Save up to 20% when multiple concerts See opening page for details
tickets 0844 847 9929
southbankcentre.co.uk/classical
SUNDAY 12 MAY 2013
DENIS KOZHUKHIN
THURSDAY 23 MAY 2013
PIOTR ANDERSZEWSKI
WeDNESDAY 29 MAY 2013
STEVEN OSBORNE
WEDNESDAY 5 JUNE 2013
ELISABETH Leonskaja
Messiaen Vingt Regards sur l’enfant Jésus
Denis Kozhukhin © Marco Borggreve
Prokofiev Sonata No.7 in B flat, Op.83 Prokofiev Sonata No.8 in B flat, Op.84 Prokofiev Sonata No.6 in A, Op.82 Hear Prokofiev’s War Sonatas performed at the International Piano Series debut of prize-winning, young Russian pianist Denis Kozhukhin. Prokofiev’s Piano Sonatas Nos.6, 7 and 8, composed during World War II, are said to represent the composer’s true feelings against the Soviet regime under Stalin. Sometimes spiky and uncompromising, at others introverted and lyrical, these works find Prokofiev pushing at the boundaries of the piano’s ability to express the extremes of human experience.
‘This was remarkable; a performance of such rare quality it is difficult to light on vocabulary that might define the experience’ (The Scotsman)
Piotr Anderszewski © Robert Workman
Steven Osborne © Ben Ealovega
Programme to be announced
Messiaen Vingt Regards sur l’enfant Jésus
Polish-Hungarian pianist Piotr Anderszewski is an artist noted for exceptional musical intensity and originality – qualities that inspired the distinguished film director Bruno Monsaingeon to make three films about him.
An opportunity to hear Steven Osborne’s critically acclaimed performance of Messiaen’s passionately spiritual meditations Vingt Regards sur l’enfant Jésus.
Critics have deemed him ‘breathtaking’ and ‘unforgettable’ (The Independent).
‘Anderszewski strolled to the piano like a guest at the party whose turn it was to play. He got a different kind of attention as a result, and a different quality of silence’ (The Independent)
Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
Osborne’s recording of this great piano work for Hyperion earned an ecstatic reception, with critics celebrating its ‘towering authority and technical achievement’ (Gramophone), as well as describing it as ‘outstanding’ (The Independent) and ‘awe-inspiring’ (The Sunday Times).
Elisabeth Leonskaja © Jo Schwartz
Ravel Valses nobles et sentimentales Enescu Sonata in F sharp minor, Op.24 No.1 Debussy Le vent dans la plaine (Préludes, Bk.1 No.3); La fille aux cheveux de lin (Préludes, Bk.1 No.8); Feux d’artifice (Préludes, Bk.2 No.12) Brahms Sonata No.3 in F minor, Op.5 Born in Georgia and trained in Moscow, Elisabeth Leonskaja was much influenced by the great pianist Sviatoslav Richter, with whom she often performed in a duo.
‘Osborne’s revelatory performance is a blinding tour de force of interpretive and pianistic incandescence’ (Classic FM Magazine)
She opens her recital by showcasing three very different composers from the early 20th century – Ravel, Enescu and Debussy – all of whom developed individual harmonic styles that could convey a range of atmospheres.
Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15 , £10 Premium seats £35
Queen Elizabeth Hall, 7.30pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
Queen Elizabeth Hall, 3pm £28, £21, £15, £10 Premium seats £35
you book Save up to 20% when multiple concerts See opening page for details
tickets 0844 847 9929
southbankcentre.co.uk/classical
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The International Piano Series is presented by Askonas Holt, HarrisonParrott, Ingpen & Williams, Intermusica, International Classical Artists, Terry Harrison Artist Management and Victoria Rowsell Artist Management, all in association with Southbank Centre. The International Piano Series is devised, coordinated and developed by HarrisonParrott.
tickets 0844 847 9929
The Rest Is Noise images. Clockwise from top left: © CSU Archives-Everett Collection-Rex Features © Corbis © Getty Images © DEA-A.DAGLI ORTI