Gewandhausorchester: Beethoven's Piano Concerto No 4 & Symphony No 7

The Gewandhaus Orchestra played every Beethoven symphony in the composer’s lifetime. Hear them tackle the thrilling Seventh alongside the Piano Concerto No.4, with global favourite Lang Lang. The evening opens with the UK premiere of a Beethoven sketch for an orchestral overture, completed by the popular German composer Jörg Widmann. It’s Beethoven’s tribute to a favourite influence – made possible by the fact that in German musical notation, ‘B’ stands for B flat and ‘H’ stands for the note B. Lang Lang unlocks deep levels of emotion in the Piano Concerto No.4. In this profoundly moving piece, Beethoven’s most poetic and introspective thoughts are on display. Wagner said that listening to Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony was like visiting paradise. One of Beethoven’s most popular symphonies, it’s most famous for its moody, magical second movement. On its first performance, the audience immediately requested to hear it again. Programme Ludwig van Beethoven Overture on B-A-C-H (completion of the fragment by Jörg Widmann – UK premiere) Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No 4 Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No 7 Performers Gewandhausorchester Andris Nelsons conductor Lang Lang piano