«A world premiere awaits you in this concert: The first cello sonata by Alfred Schnittke in an arrangement for strings, harpsichord and solo cello by my good friend and colleague Martin Merker. As successor to Shostakovich, Schnittke, who was often referred to as a ‹polystilist›, was, above all, aware of his own individuality. The cello sonata was composed shortly after his sensational Concerto grosso No. 1, which he also described as ‹a 100% guaranteed Corelli, made in the USSR› (to be heard in our fifth subscription concert ‹Geheimnis›).
The seemingly perfect harmony of Corelli and Bach is contrasted with the passionate and extraordinarily progressive music of Carlo Gesualdo, to whom Alfred Schnittke even dedicated an opera a few years before his late last string quartet».
Thomas Kaufmann
Programm
Carlo Gesualdo (1566–1613)
From the madrigal books 5 and 6
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Grant us peace graciouslychoral from the cantata On the evening, however, of the same Sabbath BWV 42
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975)
String Quartet No 7 in F Sharp Minor, Op. 108, version for string orchestra by Alexander Raskatov
Alfred Schnittke (1934–1998)
Prelude In Memoriam Dmitri Shostakovichfor two violins
Alfred Schnittke (1934–1998)
Sonata for Violoncello and Piano No. 1 Version for violoncello, strings and harpsichord by Martin Merker (2020)
Largo / Presto / Largo
Arcangelo Corelli(1653–1713)
Concerto grosso No. 4 in D Major, Op. 6
Alfred Schnittke (1934–1998)
Variations for string quartet
