Poznań Philharmonic Orchestra/Borowicz/Stadfeld/Nad Renem

The concert programme of the Poznań Philharmonic Orchestra follows the banks of the Rhine — from Bonn, Ludwig van Beethoven's hometown, to the landscapes that inspired Robert Schumann's imagination half a century later. Both works are also connected by a somewhat confusing numbering, which makes their proper placement in the catalog of works of both creators not particularly intuitive.

Beethoven's Piano Concerto in C major Op. 15 was in fact the composer's third approach to this form, however, he was the first to see a release. The first sketches for the 2nd Piano Concerto in B major had already been written about eight years earlier, and the youthful concerto in E major was not released during the composer's lifetime and has not been preserved in its entirety. After moving from Bonn to Vienna, Beethoven needed a striking “calling card” that would cement his fame as a virtuoso pianist. In the Piano Concerto in C major, Beethoven speaks mainly the language of the Haydn and Mozart eras. However, unexpected harmonic phrases appear, which betray the temperament of the author and direct his thoughts towards musical romanticism.

Symphony No. 3 in E flat major is chronologically the last one Schumann composed. The Fourth, which appears in the catalogue of works, was created almost a decade before the Third, but it was published last, after extensive corrections. When Robert Schumann arrived in Düsseldorf in 1850 to take up the post of city music director, the Rhineland landscape and the warm welcome of the locals filled him with new energy. He created the Third Symphony in just five weeks, wishing — as he said — for the folk element to prevail in it.

However, the Rhine is not a sound postcard, but a record of the fascination with the life of the region: its nature, dances and monuments. Its five parts lead from exuberant joy, through a melody stylized as a folk ländler and lyrical intermezzo. The dense trombone sound of the fourth part of Feierlich (“Solemnly”) was to be inspired by the elevation of the cathedral in nearby Cologne. However, here, as in the whole work, Schumann finally abandoned precise programmatic terms, not wanting to impose interpretations on the audience. Finally, the composer returns to the joyful Lebhaft (“Live”).

The arrival in Düsseldorf opened up for Schumann the prospect of happiness and stability. Ironically, it will be in the waters of the Rhine that his deep psychological crisis will become apparent — just over three years after the completion of the Rhine Symphony, the composer will plunge into the waves of the river that so captivated him. He was rescued, but a few days later he was taken to a medical facility, which he did not leave until his death.

Szymon Maliszewski

Duration of the concert (including the break): approx. 90 minutes

Performers: Poznań Philharmonic Orchestra; Martin Stadtfeld — piano

Program: Ludwig van Beethoven — Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15; Robert Schumann — Symphony No. 3 in E flat major, Op. 97