Latest news with #Mendelssohn
Times
23-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
OAE/Andras Schiff — a glorious night of Schumann and Mendelssohn
★★★★★Judging by his platform demeanour, Andras Schiff must be the politest, most civilised pianist on the planet. On he walks, hands clutched as if in prayer, the same hands soon to be seen wafting elegantly over the keyboard; or if he's also directing an orchestra (as he was here), alerting players with crisp finger wriggles, or twists of the wrist so refined that they make the royal waves of the Queen Mother seem positively uncouth. To make matters even more civilised, this Royal Festival Hall concert surrounded Schiff only with people and objects he loves and respects. One was the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, partners over many years, so skilled in shared musical conversations. Then there was music played: Schumann and Mendelssohn,
Spectator
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Spectator
A spate of re-releases suggests that Wolfgang Sawallisch was no B-lister
Grade: A It's clearance-sale time for the great classical labels of the 20th century. As streaming platforms drain the remaining value out of once-prestigious recorded catalogues, even B-listers are being pulled up from the vaults and remastered for one last re-release. Eleven-disc Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos edition? Walter Weller's complete Decca recordings? Now's your chance: everything must go! The Bavarian conductor Wolfgang Sawallisch, who died in 2013, was never exactly B-list. His name always commanded respect. But in the golden age of LP collecting he was regarded as a safe pair of hands rather than a blue-chip name. Listening to a mini spate of Sawallisch re-releases suggests that we underrated him. His Schumann symphonies are surely the best on record, and a live Munich recording of Mendelssohn's Elijah from 1984 offers a glimpse into a living tradition – a conductor and performers speaking a shared musical language as natives. But this new remastering of Schubert's Unfinished and Mendelssohn's Italian probably tells you all you need to know. The performances date from 1959-60, around the time that Sawallisch – typically – tied his destiny to Vienna's orchestral also-rans, the Symphony Orchestra, rather than the show ponies up the Ringstrasse at the Philharmonic. The unforced depth of tone in the Schubert, and the expressive weight in its tragic climaxes; the contrast between the glowing orchestral colours of the Mendelssohn and Sawallisch's exultant forward momentum… well, see what you think. And then marvel that there was ever a time when we took conducting like this for granted.
Qatar Living
18-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Qatar Living
Events this week : May 18
Doha, this week is buzzing with various entertainment to suit all ages and interests! From Qatar Economic Forums to moving performances by Michael Buble, who's performing for 2 nights, to thrilling races, Qatar has it all this week. Join in for an exciting week ahead and mark your calendars for the exciting line up of evens this week! Qatar Economic Forum The Qatar Economic Forum, powered by Bloomberg, returns for its 5th edition, under the theme 'The Road to 2030: Transforming the Global Economy,' this year's forum aligns with Qatar National Vision 2030, focusing on innovation, sustainable growth and economic resilience as key drivers of long-term prosperity. Date: May 20 – 22, 2025 Timings: 08:00 am - 04:45 pm Location: Fairmont Doha Michael Bublé live in Qatar This 2025, prepare to experience the magic of Michael Bublé live in Qatar, as he makes his long-awaited debut! The global music icon will take the stage for a two-night concert that promises an unforgettable showcase of soul-stirring ballads, smooth jazz-infused melodies and Bublé's signature charm. Mark your calendars! Date: May 23 – 24, 2025 Timings: 9.00 pm Location: Al Mayasa Hall, QNCC Access: Ticketed event QNB ONE RUN FOR ALL Join us for the 2nd edition of QNB ONE RUN FOR ALL at the F1 circuit in Lusail! ONE RUN is an annual large-scale running event, which first took place on May 21, 2017. Since then, we have expanded our geographical reach and rapidly increased our participant numbers. The half marathon has been included twice in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest half marathon with a synchronized start in the world in 2020 and 2021. Date: May 23, 2025 Timings: 7.00 pm Location: Lusail Circuit Access: Registration via QATAR SPORTS FOR ALL app. Journey toward health by Qatar Rail Through the DohaMetro network, you can directly access Msheireb Station, where the second edition of the public health awareness event Journey Toward Health organized by Qatar Rail in collaboration with @phccqatar. The event runs daily from 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM on May 18 and 19, 2025, offering free medical consultations and screenings to the public, along with a chance to win valuable prizes! Date: May 18 - 19, 2025 Timings: 4.00 pm – 9.00 pm Location: Msheireb Station Access: Free The Museum Storytelling at NMOQ Date: May 18, 2025 Timings: 5.00 pm – 6.00 pm Location: National Museum of Qatar Access: Free QPO Presents: Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor Experience musical brilliance as the Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra presents Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto in E Minor, under the baton of Elias Grandy. Acclaimed violinist Liya Petrova takes centre stage as soloist in this beloved masterpiece, complemented by Beethoven's dramatic Egmont Overture and his elegant Symphony No. 4 in B-flat Major. This captivating programme showcases exceptional talent and timeless compositions. Date: May 20, 2025 Timings: 7.30 pm onwards Location: Katara Cultural Village, Opera House Access: Ages 6+. Tickets available at ABAYA RALLY 2025 The Abaya Rally Qatar 2025 is set to make history as Qatar's first all-women drive, taking place on May 24 at the iconic Lusail International Circuit—the nation's ultimate motorsports destination. After four successful editions in Dubai, the rally is now bringing its empowering spirit to Qatar, celebrating women, culture, and the power of the Abaya. Date: May 24, 2025 Timings: 6.00 pm onwards Location: Lusail International Circuit Access: Ladies Only. Tickets available at World Table Tennis Championships Finals The ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Doha 2025 will take place at Lusail Sports arena and Qatar university sports complex from 17th to 25th May 2025. The matches include Men's Singles, Women's Singles, Men's Doubles, Women's Doubles and Mixed Doubles. Date: May 17 - 25, 2025 Timings: 9.00 am onwards Location: Lusail Sports Arena & Qatar University Sports Complex Access: Tickets on Q-Tickets Jazz Festival - Bagatelle Beach Club Get ready for an unforgettable musical experience as the Qatar Jazz Festival returns to Bagatelle Beach Club – Doha at Al Maha Island. Set in one of Doha's most iconic beachfront venues, this year's edition promises a sensational fusion of live jazz performances, elegant ambience, and elevated dining. Date: May 20 - 21, 2025 Timings: 8.00 am onwards Location: Bagatelle Beach Club - Doha Access: Tickets available at Virgin Megastore Lebnan Yoghani Concert Experience the spirit of Lebanon like never before at "Lebnan Yoghani", a one-night-only concert that brings the heart and soul of Lebanese music to Qatar. This exceptional evening features four of Lebanon's most celebrated vocalists, coming together to honor the nation's rich musical legacy. More than just a live performance, it's a captivating journey through timeless melodies, presented with sophistication and artistic flair—right in the heart of Qatar's dynamic cultural scene. Date: May 22, 2025 Timings: Doors open at 6pm Location: QNCC - Exhibition Hall 5 and 6 Access: Ages 7+ Tickets available at Junior's Ready, Set, Summer! Your Summer evenings are now booked at Junior's! 🏖️🍔 Gather the family for an exciting night of games, snacks, and good vibes Date: May 24, 2025 Timings: 6:00PM to 8:00PM Location: Junior's Ain Khaled, Wakrah and Al Sadd Immersive BOSS Kids Pop-Up Kick off the fun! Gather your friends and dive into the ultimate soccer experience at our immersive BOSS Kids Pop-Up — only for a limited time. Don't miss it! Date: Until May 27, 2025 Location: 1st Floor – Printemps Doha. Geekend Save the date for Geekend – a weekend full of fun! Date: May 22 – 24, 2025 Timings: 3.00 pm – 11.00 pm Location: Geekdom building – Lusail Boulevard Access: Tickets available at link in bio @ --- Make sure to check out our social media to keep track of the latest content. Instagram - @qatarliving X - @qatarliving Facebook - Qatar Living YouTube - qatarlivingofficial
New York Times
10-04-2025
- Entertainment
- New York Times
Making Sparks Fly at the New York Philharmonic
To judge by its marketing materials, the New York Philharmonic is uncomfortable with its leaderless state, created by the gap between the departure last summer of the music director Jaap van Zweden and the arrival of Gustavo Dudamel, who takes over in 2026. Dudamel's likeness is already splashed all over Lincoln Center, as if the mere promise of him were the orchestra's best hope for selling tickets. But the parade of visiting conductors passing through Geffen Hall has had its own rewards, shaking the ensemble from its routine and injecting a vital note of unpredictability. Week by week, the orchestra sounds different. The energy in the hall fluctuates. And when a firebrand soloist joins a smoldering conductor, sparks fly. This was the case on Wednesday in an electrifying concert that drew tumultuous ovations. The Czech conductor Jakub Hrusa teamed up with the flamboyant violinist Patricia Kopatchinskaja, who shredded the Stravinsky Violin Concerto — and more than a few bow hairs — on a program that opened with the world premiere of Jessie Montgomery's sumptuous 'Chemiluminescence' and ended with a glowing reading of the Symphony No. 1 by Brahms. The previous week had featured another ferociously expressive soloist in another world premiere when the cellist Alisa Weilerstein performed a Thomas Larcher concerto, 'Returning Into Darkness,' on a program bookended by Mendelssohn and Schumann. There, it was Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider who conducted, drawing chiseled playing from the orchestra that brought out the wit in selections from Mendelssohn's 'Midsummer Night's Dream' and the intricate flow of Schumann's Second Symphony. Under Hrusa, the collective sound seethed and simmered. Larcher's one-movement concerto grows out of a single gesture, a swooping glissando across multiple octaves on the solo cello. On a string instrument, glissando results from the player's finger sliding up or down the fingerboard, drawing an elastic line through all available pitches. Because it blurs the distinction between individual notes, it evokes extra-musical sounds: sirens, moans, the lowing of a wounded animal. In 'Returning Into Darkness,' the swooping lines that recur in the solo cello part, interspersed with bouts of frenetic activity, convey a state of emotional emergency and a certain neurotic rootlessness, unmoored but also unwilling to commit. A similar fluidity governs the ensemble sound, which swells and tapers like a swarm of insects that can build to menacing proportions. Moment by moment, Larcher's command of color and Weilerstein's forceful performance were compelling, though over the course of 25 minutes, the constant slaloms induced little more than emotional whiplash. High glissandos also made an appearance in Montgomery's 'Chemiluminescence' for string orchestra, where they function like sonic will-o'-the-wisps glinting through the oceanic churn. This nine-minute piece wears its neo-Romantic heart on its sleeve from the first strains, reminiscent of Strauss's 'Metamorphosen,' that proceed in tender, halting motion. Ardent melodies in the violas, then cellos, are nearly submerged in the luscious ensemble. A choppy section whips up rhythmic excitement before leading into an ambiguous ending with gleaming violins undercut by a restive repeated figure in the lower strings. From Kopatchinskaja's first double-stopped notes on Wednesday, it was clear that glossy tone and full-bodied violin-ness would be a low priority in her reading of Stravinsky's neo-Classical Violin Concerto. And a good thing, too: The rough, scratchy sounds she drew from her instrument with punishing bow strokes suited the abrasive brilliance of the first movement, in which Stravinsky sets the soloist and individual wind players in gleeful competition against one another. In the inner two movements, Kopatchinskaja allowed brief glimpses of a more songful side, including a memorably tender duet with a solo bassoon. But her approach to the score is that of a character actor unconcerned with favorable optics. When the drama demands it, Kopatchinskaja is more than happy to dig for ugly sounds including squeals, rattles and the kind of fuzzy whistles called wolf tones that can result from competing sound oscillations inside a string instrument and which players usually work hard to avoid. The entire last movement, played with toneless fury at dizzying speed, might have been called 'Dances With Wolves.' Dressed in a gown that paid homage to the folklore-inspired costumes worn in Ballets Russes' 'The Rite of Spring,' Kopatchinskaja crouched, bobbed and weaved in what sometimes looked like a sacrificial dance of her own. At the final, explosive note the audience sprang to its feet. Kopatchinskaja's first encore lasted all of 90 seconds: a Dadaistic miniature, 'Crin' by Jorge Sánchez-Chiong, in which she vocalized a virtuosic stream of nonsense while performing acrobatics up and down the fingerboard. She followed it with a cadenza that she wrote, distilling themes from Stravinsky's concerto along with ghostly echoes of Bach; it ended in a vertiginous pas de deux with the orchestra's concertmaster, Frank Huang. In duet, their wildly different sounds — his impeccably polished, hers raspy and urgent — came together in an unexpectedly moving demonstration of how much diversity can fit into classical music and how much of it seems to be thriving at this institution, even, and perhaps especially, in this season's no-man's-land between leaders.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
15 Largest Cities in Germany, Ranked by Population
Germany, a country with a rich history, cutting-edge innovation and vibrant culture, is home to some of Europe's most dynamic cities. Each of the largest cities in Germany reflects the nation's blend of historical significance, modern development and regional uniqueness. From the bustling streets of Berlin to the picturesque charm of Munich, Germany's urban centers showcase its diversity and global influence. The capital and largest city of Germany, Berlin is a global hub for politics, culture and history. Known for landmarks like the Brandenburg Gate, Berlin Wall Memorial and Museum Island, the city is steeped in history. Its thriving arts scene, nightlife and diverse culinary offerings make it a vibrant metropolis. As Germany's second-largest city and a major port, Hamburg is known for its maritime heritage and bustling harbor. The Speicherstadt — a UNESCO World Heritage Site — and the modern Elbphilharmonie concert hall are standout attractions. Its lively nightlife and scenic waterways make it a must-visit. The capital of Bavaria, Munich is famous for its beer culture, Oktoberfest and stunning architecture. Iconic landmarks like Marienplatz, Nymphenburg Palace and the Englischer Garten showcase its charm. Munich is also a global tech and business hub. Cologne, the capital of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, is known for its impressive Cologne Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and its lively carnival celebrations. Located along the Rhine River, the city is a cultural hotspot with museums, galleries and a thriving art scene. Frankfurt is Germany's financial center, home to the European Central Bank and a striking skyline. The city's blend of modern skyscrapers and historic sites, like Römer Square and Goethe House, offers a unique charm. Frankfurt's international airport makes it a key global gateway. The capital of Baden-Württemberg, Stuttgart is the heart of Germany's automotive industry, with headquarters for Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. The city is surrounded by vineyards and features cultural highlights like the Stuttgart State Opera and Wilhelma Zoo and Botanical Garden. Düsseldorf is a cosmopolitan city known for its fashion industry, modern architecture and lively Rhine promenade. The city's Altstadt, dubbed "the longest bar in the world," and its vibrant arts scene make it a cultural hub. Leipzig is renowned for its rich musical heritage, being home to composers like Bach and Mendelssohn. The city's historic center, dynamic arts scene and landmarks such as St. Thomas Church make it a cultural jewel in Saxony. Located in the Ruhr region, Dortmund is a former industrial city that has reinvented itself as a hub for technology and culture. Known for its football club, Borussia Dortmund and green spaces like Westfalenpark, the city offers a mix of innovation and recreation. Essen, another key city in the Ruhr region, is known for its industrial heritage and transformation into a cultural hub. The Zollverein Coal Mine Industrial Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, highlights its history. The city also boasts vibrant arts and shopping districts. Bremen is a historic city with a picturesque old town and iconic landmarks like the Bremen Town Musicians statue and St. Peter's Cathedral. As a major port city, it has a strong maritime heritage and a vibrant cultural scene. Dresden, often called the Florence on the Elbe, is known for its stunning Baroque architecture and rich cultural history. The rebuilt Frauenkirche and Zwinger Palace are must-see landmarks. The city's mix of historical charm and modern energy makes it quintessentially German. Hanover is a key trade fair city, hosting events like Hannover Messe. The city is the capital of Lower Saxony, a German state, and is known for its green spaces, including the Herrenhausen Gardens and its strong cultural institutions like the Sprengel Museum. Nuremberg is steeped in history, from its medieval Old Town to its role in post-World War II trials. The Nuremberg Castle, Christkindlesmarkt (Christmas Market), and vibrant arts scene highlight its cultural richness. Located at the confluence of the Rhine and Ruhr rivers, Duisburg is known for having one of the world's largest inland ports. The city offers a blend of industrial history and modern cultural attractions, including the Duisburg-Nord Landscape Park and its industrial-themed green spaces. We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor. Original article: 15 Largest Cities in Germany, Ranked by Population Copyright © 2025 HowStuffWorks, a division of InfoSpace Holdings, LLC, a System1 Company
