Prom 74: Vienna Philharmonic 鈥� Brahms, Mozart and Beethoven

8 Sep 2017, Royal Albert Hall

19:30 Fri 8 Sep 2017 Next Event

Proms 2017 Prom 74: Vienna Philharmonic 鈥� Brahms, Mozart and Beethoven

19:30 Fri 8 Sep 2017 Royal Albert Hall

Pianist Emanuel Ax joins the Vienna Philharmonic for its second Prom this season, under Michael Tilson Thomas. Beethoven鈥檚 Seventh Symphony sits alongside Brahms鈥檚鈥楬aydn鈥� Variations and the quasi-operatic lyricism of Mozart鈥檚 Piano Concerto No. 14.

Performances & Interviews

02:14

Listen to Brahms's Variations on the St Anthony Chorale, Op 56a 鈥� excerpt (Prom 74)

Brahms's Variations transform Haydn's chorale tune into dance.

Sep '17麻豆社 Radio 3

02:11

Listen to Beethoven's Symphony No 7 in A major 鈥� excerpt (Prom 74)

Wagner called Beethoven's Symphony No.7 'the apotheosis of dance'.

Sep '17麻豆社 Radio 3

Programme

- - Johannes Brahms
  - Variations on the St Anthony Chorale(18 mins)
- - Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
  - Piano Concerto No 14 in E flat major, K449(23 mins)
- - interval
- - Ludwig van Beethoven
  - Symphony No. 7 in A major(40 mins)

Performers

Emanuel Ax
piano
piano
Vienna Philharmonic
Michael Tilson Thomas
conductor
conductor

Composers

About This Event

Michael Tilson Thomas and pianist Emanuel Ax join the Vienna Philharmonic for the orchestra鈥檚 second concert this season 鈥� a programme filled with song and dance.

Wagner famously described Beethoven鈥檚 Symphony No. 7 as 鈥榯he apotheosis of the dance鈥�, and it鈥檚 hard to hear the breathless Scherzo or exuberant finale without becoming swept up in the work鈥檚 restless energy.

That energy also invigorates Brahms鈥檚 Variations, taking a theme once thought to be by Haydn and transforming it by turns into a graceful sicilienne and a swaying, syncopated dance.

For Mozart it is song that offers the inspiration for his dramatic Piano Concerto No. 14, with its arching melodies and almost operatic musical dialogues between soloist and orchestra.

Image: Michael Tilson Thomas 漏 Chris Wahlberg