Franz Liszt

Grande fantaisie di bravura sur La clochette de Paganini, Op. 2 (1834)

Grandes Etudes de Paganini, S141/R3b
No. 3 in G sharp minor, “La campanella” (1851)

Franz Liszt
credit: http://americanlisztsociety.net/

by Georg Predota

The 3rd Hong Kong International Piano Competition, held over roughly 2 weeks in the fall of 2011, has come and gone. Organised by the Chopin Society of Hong Kong and financially supported by various business interests and taxpayer money, this event once again succeeded in assembling a highly distinguished panel of jurors, not merely world-class performers, but simultaneously exceptional musicians, first-class teachers and educators. For the first time, the Hong Kong Philharmonic graciously agreed to participate and Howard Blake — of flying snowman fame — was expressly commissioned to provide a competition piece. Yet at the end of the day, the only thing that distinguished this event from countless such gatherings of aspiring keyboard acrobats — which have invaded musical stages worldwide with the ferocity of pedal fungus — is the fact that it was held in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, somebody forgot to tell the organizers.
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by Nick Frisch

For Westerners who wonder aloud whether Asia might save classical music’s declining fortunes in the West, Friday night is the sort of thing they have in mind. When the Berlin Philharmonic kicked off Taipei’s weekend with a gripping rendition of Mahler’s 9th Symphony, the spectacle was not limited only to those with tickets to the National Concert Hall, the downtown venue where Sir Simon Rattle wielded his expert baton. In an unusual act of public outreach, the Berlin Philharmonic allowed a live simulcast of the performance to stadium-style venues across Taiwan, including the near-capacity 15,000-seat Taipei Arena (臺北小巨蛋).
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by Nick Frisch

Warren Mok and Yuki Ip (from right) as Sun Yat-sen and his first wife Lu Muzhen in the opera Dr. Sun Yat-sen. Credit: Opera Hong Kong

Hong Kong made history this month, hosting the world premiere of the former colony’s first homegrown grand opera, “Dr. Sun Yat-sen.” Not only is its namesake Cantonese; so were the composer, librettist, and much of the cast. Opera Hong Kong’s first-ever original commission, “Dr. Sun” was accompanied by the Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra, an ensemble of traditional instruments known for tackling contemporary works.
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Oct 10, 2011

Karol Szymanowski

Nocturne and Tarantella, Op. 28 (arr. M. Skoryk) – Nocturne

Szymon Laks

String Quartet No. 3 – I. Allegro quasi presto

Concerts in Hong Kong

Oct 8, 2011
Szymanowski String Quartet No.2
Mozart Divertimento K.136
Laks String Quartet
Beethoven String Quartet Op.18, No.2

Oct 9, 2011
Szymanowski Nocturne & Tarantella
Ravel String Quartet
Chopin Etude
Beethoven String Quartet Op.59, No.2

Andrej Bielow – Violin I
Grzegorz Kotów – Violin II
Vladimir Mykytka – Viola
Marcin Sieniawski – Cello

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