May 25, 2025

The F major Quartet op. 135 is the final work in the famous series of Beethoven‘s late string quartets. In it, Ludwig van Beethoven conceals compositional complexity behind a façade of serene composure, just as his teacher Joseph Haydn often did decades earlier. The charming finale is entitled "Der schwer gefasste Entschluss": "Must it be?" reads the text in the notes, underpinned by a painstakingly gloomy motif - and the answer resounds cheerfully: "It must be, it must be!" The harpsichord or piano concerto by Polish composer Henryk Górecki, a manic, restless, fascinatingly relentless work from 1980, also plays an intelligent game with must and can, as well as with the past and present. And in her concerto for piano, timpani and strings, Russian composer Galina Ustvolskaya returned to her teacher Shostakovich in 1946, but through him also to Beethoven: an early, dramatic work of confession. Once again, unity in abundancetakes center stage at this matinee - and another brilliant opportunity to get to know the versatility of the pianist and Keys to Heaven´s artistic director Maria Radutu as well as that of the Klangkollektiv Wien under Rémy Ballot, an ensemble that draws on the best orchestras in Vienna and sets off for new shores.