Strauss: Zarathustra im Wiener Musikverein
Vienna, Wiener Musikverein — Großer Saal
About the Event
Who doesn't know the monumental C major fanfare with which Richard Strauss begins his tone poem “Thus Spoke Zarathustra”? It seems to catapult you straight out of the concert hall and into space, as suggested by its use as film music in Stanley Kubrick's “2001: A Space Odyssey.” Yet it is only the beginning of a gripping work loosely based on Friedrich Nietzsche, in which Gregorian chants, natural sounds, waltzes, and archaic symbols create a fascinating musical pandemonium. Jun Märkl needs no introduction to the audience he has been one of the most popular guests at the Tonkünstler podium since 2010. This time, he and the orchestra paint a portrait of Richard Strauss in a triptych of works. The large, multifaceted tone poem with philosophical references is accompanied by an absolutely musical argument: Strauss' Burlesque is a brilliant, highly virtuosic piece in which the piano enters into ever‐changing dialogues with the orchestra and, not least, with the solo timpani – a wonderful debut piece for Ukrainian pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk. With the dance suite after François Couperin, Jun Märkl also presents Strauss as a tongue‐in‐cheek classicist: pure pleasure.
Wiener Musikverein
The Wiener Musikverein is one of the world's great concert halls. The home of the Vienna Philarmonic Orchestra and the centre of Viennese musical life, the building was opened in 1870 as a part of an ambitious plan to create an elegant cultural boulevard along the Ringstrasse. Designed in the Neo‐Classical style to resemble an Ancient Greek temple, the Great Hall of the Musikverein is deemed to be one of the best music halls in the world thanks to its impeccable acoustics.
In 2004 four new halls were added to the building. The Austrian architect Wilhelm Holzbauer recognised the aesthetic importance of the existing building and sought out ways to echo the style in a modern language of form. Each of the four New Halls focuses on a different material — glass, metal, stone, and wood.
Program
- Richard Strauss – Tanzsuite nach Klavierstücken von François Couperin für kleines Orchester
- Richard Strauss – Burleske für Klavier und Orchester d‐Moll
- Richard Strauss – «Also sprach Zarathustra» Tondichtung op. 30
Artists
| Conductor: | Jun Märkl |
|---|---|
| Orchestra: | Tonkünstler‐Orchester Niederösterreich One of Europe's finest orchestras, the TON can trace its musical history back to the days of Mozart and Haydn. Dividing their time between Vienna, where they play in the Musikverein's 'Golden Hall' and Sankt‐Pölten, the orchestra has long been prized by Austrian audiences for its regular Sunday afternoon concerts, and has been the resident orchestra of the Grafenegg Festival since the latter's founding in 2007. The Tonkünstler is renowned for its adaptability — a trait reflected by the variety of world and Austrian premieres it has played, including Schönberg's immense 'Gurrelieder' and was the first Austrian orchestra to establish a division exclusively dedicated to music education.. Yukata Sado has been the orchestra's chief conductor since 2013 but will stand down in 2025, with French conductor Fabien Gabel set to take over from the 25‐26 season. |
| Piano: | Alexander Gavrylyuk |
Address
Wiener Musikverein, Bösendorferstraße 12, Vienna, Austria — Google Maps
