Concert

A day with the Pianists of Verbier II: Verbier Festival Essentials

Verbier Festival 2007-2020

Live
Certain chapters are not available.
Thank you for your understanding.
In partnership with

Cast

Denis Matsuev — Pianist

Verbier Festival Orchestra — Pianist

Valery Gergiev — Conductor

Emanuel Ax — Pianist

Leonidas Kavakos — Violinist

Gábor Takács-Nagy — Violinist

Antoine Tamestit — Violist

Gautier Capuçon — Cellist

Stephen Kovacevich — Pianist

Menahem Pressler — Pianist

Christoph Prégardien — Tenor

Nelson Freire — Pianist

Verbier Festival Orchestra

Charles Dutoit — Conductor

Program notes

Generously supported by Madame Aline Foriel-Destezet

Since its inaugural celebration in 1994, each edition of the Verbier Festival has been characterized by the presence of pianists of the highest caliber—the distinguished alpine festival spotlights instrumentalists, vocalists, and ensembles of all kinds, but boasts enough luminaries to rival any piano festival in the world. Today, a who’s-who of Verbier Festival pianists, all among the most awe-inspiring names in the business, come together for this one-of-a-kind event specially curated for piano lovers like you.

Solo highlights include Stephen Kovacevich's poetic rendering of Schumann's Kinderszenen, Richard Goode's stunning interpretation of Beethoven's astonishing late Sonata Op. 110, and Khatia Buniatishvili's soul-stirring take on Chopin's Ballade No. 4, as well as Nelson Goerner and Nikolai Lugansky in works by Rachmaninov and Chopin. In smaller ensembles, Menahem Pressler accompanies tenor Christoph Prégardien in Schubert's beloved song cycle Winterreise, and Emanuel Ax plays the piano role in a star-studded Schumann Piano Quintet with Leonidas Kavakos, Gábor Takács-Nagy, Antoine Tamestit, and Gautier Capuçon! As the featured instrument alongside a full orchestra, Denis Matsuev plays Strauss's Burleske, Nelson Freire and Yefim Bronfman split the movements of Brahms's Piano Concerto No. 2, and Sergei Babayan delights in Mozart's "Jenamy" Concerto. Three heavy hitters close out the evening: Elisabeth Leonskaya performs in Beethoven's Choral Fantasy, precursor to the Ninth Symphony; the brilliant Hélène Grimaud plays Ravel's exquisite Piano Concerto in G; and a veritable all-star lineup interprets Sitkovetsky multi-instrumental transcriptions of Chopin's 24 Preludes!

Credits

A closer look: featured composers

Further listening: featured works

Piano Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110

Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer)

Fantasy for Piano, Choir and Orchestra in C minor, Op. 80, "Choral Fantasy"

Ludwig van Beethoven (Composer)

Kinderszenen (Scenes from Childhood), Op. 15

Robert Schumann (Composer)

Winterreise, D. 911

Franz Schubert (Composer)

Piano Concerto in G Major

Maurice Ravel (Composer)

Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 52

Frédéric Chopin (Composer)

Preludes, Op. 23

Sergei Rachmaninov (Composer)

Études, Op. 10

Frédéric Chopin (Composer)

Piano Concerto No. 9 in E-flat Major, K. 271 "Jenamy" (a.k.a "Jeunehomme")

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Composer)

Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83

Johannes Brahms (Composer)

Preludes, Op. 32

Sergei Rachmaninov (Composer)

Piano Quintet in E-flat Major, Op. 44

Robert Schumann (Composer)

More info

Our partners