WE CELEBRATE THE MASTER OF THE CELLO: MIKLÓS PERÉNYI - Vivaldi / Kodály / Erkel / Elgar L/6.

The figure of Coriolanus, the tragically doomed Roman general, must have impressed Beethoven, who saw himself as a similarly lonely hero. Although the Austrian play that inspired the composer has not stood the test of time (at best we hear of Shakespeare's drama of the same title), Beethoven's Overture to Coriolanus is eternal. As is Symphony No. 8, a masterpiece of serenity reflecting Haydn, premiered in 1814, and a secret favourite of the composer because of its light, playful tone. 'My little F major', he referred to it in one of his notes. Gábor Takács-Nagy is one of the most innovative Beethoven conductors of our time; he can show something new with even a well-known piece like Symphony No. 5, which is now forever stamped with the adjective "fate", arbitrarily chosen by the composer's secretary.

Apollo and Dionysus, idyll and rampant celebration: such pairs of opposites could be used to describe Beethoven's two symphonies, the Symphony No. 6 and Symphony No. 7. The first is one of the most beautiful examples of music depicting nature, in which we hear birdsong, the murmur of a stream, a shepherd's horn. The second, which – after Richard Wagner’s often quoted remark – has been called 'the Apotheosis of the Dance itself', was a resounding success in its day in the imperial city. It contains the popular Allegretto, which was applauded by the audience at its premiere and on occasion has been performed as a stand-alone piece. The fourth evening in Gábor Takács-Nagy's Beethoven series features works by the composer from his "Promethean" period.