In 2027, it will be two hundred years since Beethoven passed away. The Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century is therefore putting him extensively in the spotlight. For 45 years, the renowned ensemble has stayed as close as possible to the Viennese music revolutionary, presenting Beethoven’s music exactly as he envisioned it. Under the direction of Jakob Lehmann, a young conductor rapidly making an international name for himself, the orchestra will perform Beethoven’s dance-like Symphony No. 7. Olga Pashchenko, one of the most versatile pianists of the moment, will join the orchestra before the intermission for a performance of his Piano Concerto No. 3. Together with the Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century, she is recording all of Beethoven’s piano concertos for the Alpha Classics label.

In 1812, Beethoven was working on two symphonies simultaneously: his Seventh and Eighth. He himself had a greater appreciation for the latter, but the public clearly felt differently. The second movement, the famous Allegretto, made such an impression that it had to be repeated immediately at the premiere in Vienna. And his Symphony No. 7 remains a crowd favorite to this day.

Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 was composed around 1800 and has a more powerful and dramatic character than his earlier concertos. You can hear this immediately in the opening, where the orchestra establishes a dark, tense atmosphere. The slow middle movement, on the other hand, is hushed and almost dreamy, while the final movement brings energy and playfulness once again.

Program

Emilie Mayer (1812-1883)
Overture No. 3 in C

Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Piano Concerto No. 3 in C, Op. 37

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Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Overture from Die Geschöpfe des Prometheus, Op. 43
Symphony No. 7 in A, Op. 92