STEVEN ISSERLIS / CLAUDIO MARTÍNEZ MEHNER
Inventive and curious, Steven Isserlis has crafted a recital in his own image. From Beethoven and Brahms, the program explores Holliger, one of Switzerland’s most renowned composers, and Kurtág, a direct heir of the Hungarian tradition, who will celebrate his 100th birthday in 2026.
Programme
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Twelve Variations on “Ein Mädchen oder Weibchen” from the Magic Flute Op. 66
HEINZ HOLLIGER (1939–)
Three Lieder for baritone and piano (arr. for cello and piano by H. Holliger)
JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Cello Sonata No. 1 in E minor Op. 38
Interval
ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Three Romances Op. 94
GYÖRGY KURTÁG (1926–)
Selection of pieces for solo cello
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)
Cello Sonata No. 5 in D major Op. 102 No. 2
Schumann: 5 Stücke im Volkston, Op. 102: No. 1, Vanitas vanitatum. Mit Humor at the Verbier Festival (Pletnev, Isserlis)
One of the world’s most illustrious cello virtuosos, Steven Isserlis is also impressive for the multiplicity of his activities: Artistic director of a concert series, pedagogue, and author of children’s books, he also stands out for his innovative choice of eclectic repertoires, focused on creation and historically informed research. From Beethoven’s seminal works for cello and piano, he takes us on a rediscovery of Brahms’s first Sonata, a tribute to Bach supported by quotations from the ‘Art of Fugue’. As for Schumann’s Romances, they revive the Baroque practice of arranging: originally conceived for oboe, these three charming pieces are now commonly played on violin, horn or clarinet. Isserlis’s appetite for the contemporary repertoire could not ignore the centenary of the most eminent composer still alive: Kurtág, whose style, halfway between Bartók and Webern, leaves a vibrant impression of solemnity.