Close-up Concertgebouworkest: From the Old World
About the event
For European composers, America was once truly 'the land of the free'. Musicians from the Concertgebouw Orchestra perform exciting pieces written in the United States by Dvořák, Korngold, Eisler, and others. Dvořák, Korngold and Eisler
250 years ago, the Declaration of Independence of the United States was signed, which, with its emphasis on freedom and equality, formed the blueprint for new democracies. To celebrate this, musicians from the Concertgebouw Orchestra perform works by composers who, for various reasons, temporarily exchanged old Europe for the New World, the land of unlimited possibilities. The Czech Dvořák trained composers in New York by invitation and drew inspiration from the people and the landscape, which is clearly evident in his 'American' String Quintet. The Frenchman Varèse sought and found artistic freedom there in 1915 – and inspired American innovators. Korngold, Toch, and Eisler fled the antisemitism and National Socialism of the 1930s and made careers in the States. The music they wrote there vibrates with newfound energy, optimism – and hope for a free future for Europe.
Close-up
In the Close-up chamber music series, musicians from the Concertgebouw Orchestra perform self-composed programs in the Small Hall. Each one is a unique, one-off concert that cannot be heard anywhere else. The perfect way to experience the individual qualities of the orchestra musicians! The intimate concerts are organized by the Friends of the Concertgebouw and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra.
