Dialogue

Another three Beethoven pieces for the Beethoven Year 2027: the »Coriolan« overture from 1807 picks up on the ancient legend and the tragedy of the same name by Heinrich Joseph von Collin and is considered Beethoven’s most popular concert overture.

The 1806 violin concerto was originally a flop and not adopted into the repertoire until Joseph Joachim did so decades later. What was once considered a weakness is now its strength: lilting lines and a dialogue between solo voice and orchestra that takes the place of sheer virtuosity.

The Piano Concerto No 5 was written amid the racket of war in 1809 as Napoleon’s troops were encroaching on Vienna. It has heroic passages but also offers moments of intimacy – a far cry from the pathos of its byline »Emperor«.