The Philharmonic Subscription Concerts

When Otto Nicolai left Vienna permanently in 1847, the young enterprise almost collapsed, having lost in one person not only its artistic but also its administrative leader. Twelve years of stagnation followed before a new innovation brought about the long-awaited change of fortune. On January 15, 1860, the first of four subscription concerts took place in the Kärntnertortheater under the baton of then opera director Carl Eckert, and since that time, the "Philharmonic Concerts" have been staged without interruption. The only significant change in all those years was to switch from having one conductor for a complete season of subscription concerts to the present system of having various guest conductors within a season.

He seems to pull off many things without requiring much effort. “Pope of the Piano” Joachim Kaiser called him “the greatest natural pianistic talent I’ve come across in my life.” And this is also apparent in technical matters. Even in the most difficult passages, Rudolf Buchbinder refrains from writing fingerings. “There are three types of fingerings: the ones you study, the ones you recommend to colleagues, and the ones you happen on during concerts,” as the Viennese pianist explained.Buchbinder’s interpretations grow and develop the more often he devotes himself to a cycle. When he plays Schubert, his interpretations are free from any false sentimentality. His early Haydn recordings were groundbreaking. Beethoven has accompanied him all his life. In great masterpieces, Buchbinder explains, there is always something new to discover. (Rainer Elstner, ORF - Ö1)

Program:

Johannes Brahms
Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15

Claude Debussy
La Mer. Trois Esquisses symphoniques

Maurice Ravel
La Valse, Poème chorégraphique pour orchestre


© 2016 Wiener Philharmoniker