Great Pianists Series: Igor Levit

Igor Levit

'He is a political activist. His repertoire is enormous. And during the German lockdown, he streamed more than 50 performances from his home. He questioned standard concert practice.' This summary in The New Yorker immediately characterizes Igor Levit as one of the most remarkable pianists of his generation. When Levit enters the stage, there is no turning back and you can only listen breathlessly, from A to Z. Tonight's program includes works by composers with whom he repeatedly reaches high points.

Beethoven, Brahms and Bach

Liszt was a tireless propagandist for Beethoven. From 1830 onwards he performed his own piano versions of Symphonies 5, 6 and 7 in all corners of Europe. After his retirement from virtuosity, Liszt conducted a large number of Beethoven symphonies at the court orchestra in Weimar. Between 1863 and 1865 he completed the transcription of the complete cycle in a Roman monastery – on a bad piano with a missing low D. Together with Bach's BWV 903 and Brahms' Ballades , Liszt/Beethoven's Eroica shows the unlimited possibilities of the piano.