“I have never known him to give less than a fully committed performance. Is there a more physically engaged fiddle virtuoso before the public?” – Chicago Tribune, 2017
A lively Bach Prelude prepares our ears for the complex simplicity of Alban Berg’s Violin Concerto, dedicated “to the memory of an Angel”. Berg’s heart wrenching 1935 masterpiece, with its echoes of Bach’s chorale “Es ist genug”, is a perfect artistic vehicle for German violinist Christian Tetzlaff.
Known equally for his intimate solo recitals and for his riveting collaborations with orchestras, Tetzlaff’s approach to his craft reflects a deeply curious intellect, a brilliant technique and remarkable respect for the composer’s intent.
The program closes with Schubert’s Symphony No. 9, the last and greatest symphony by the Austrian composer, who did not live to hear it performed. Composer Robert Schumann declared that Schubert’s symphony “…reveals to us something more than beautiful song, mere joy, and sorrow; it leads us into regions which--to our best recollection-- we had never before explored.”