The International Telekom Beethoven Competition Bonn opens the 10th edition of the renowned piano competition with the Prize-Winners Soirée. The two pianists Alexei Tartakovsky and Giorgio Lazzari, who emerged as prize winners in the finals of the last competition, return to Bonn and present themselves in a joint concert in the Chamber Music Hall of the Beethoven House Bonn. They will perform a programme of works by Beethoven and Robert Schumann.
The Six Bagatelles op. 126 by Ludwig van Beethoven, interpreted at the beginning by Giorgio Lazzari, show in short, varied piano pieces the multi-faceted forms of expression that characterized the composer in his late creative period. The following 15 Variations on a theme of his own op. 35, also known as the »Eroica Variations«, bear witness to Beethoven’s ability to present a musical theme in ever new forms, making use of various moods and tonal colors of the piano.
In the second half of the concert, Alexei Tartakovsky presents Robert Schumann’s »Ghost Variations«. They are considered a particularly emotional composition in Schumann’s late oeuvre, reflecting his psychological states on the one hand, while on the other, their technical challenges and melodic uniqueness have made them one of the most important piano works of the Romantic period. Beethoven’s 6th Symphony in Franz Liszt’s transcription played at the end of the concert is not only a technically challenging work, but also a creative interpretation that allows Liszt’s own tonal vision and understanding of Beethoven's music to be heard. Through his artistic arrangement, Liszt impressively conveys the beauty and richness of the Pastorale.
As the opening event of the 10th Edition of the Bonn Piano Competition, in addition to the music, the field of participants for the December competition will be announced for the first time during the concert. Tickets are available here.
