Programme:
L. van Beethoven: Piano concerto No. 3 in C minor, Op. 37
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A. Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 in E Major, WAB107

Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouworkest returns to the Ljubljana Festival for the fourth time, on this occasion with acclaimed British conductor Daniel Harding, whose career began as an assistant to Sir Simon Rattle and Claudio Abbado. Founded 133 years ago, the orchestra today comprises 120 musicians from more than 25 different countries. The orchestra willbe joined by the artist in residence for season 2021/ 2022 piano soloist Yefim Bronfman, who began his international career in Montreal in 1975 under conductor Zubin Mehta. His first concerts with the New York Philharmonic came three years later, and since then he has appeared with leading orchestras and numerous outstanding artistes. Together they will perform Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto, in which the composer’s great talent was already prominent, since he crafted out of the simplest, classicism-focused elements a magnificent and inspired work with which he once again aroused great public respect. This was one of the first works in which the composer restored honour to the piano, bringing it out of salons and into the spotlights of concert halls. Bruckner’s Symphony No. 7 in E major is another magnificent work. After a performance of the work in 1884 with the Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Hans Richter, Johann Strauss the Younger sent the Austrian composer a telegram saying: “I am deeply moved. This was the musical experience of my life.”