#beethoven

#beethoven

Under the baton of Maestra Jessica Bejarano, the San Francisco Philharmonic launches its 2025-2026 season with an electrifying celebration of Beethoven's genius.

Viktoria Mullova began her cycle of the Beethoven violin sonatas partnered by Kristian Bezuidenhout, but Alasdair Beatson has been the pianist for the last three instalments. They end the series with a pairing of the second of the Op 12 set in A major with the last of the sonatas, in G. All of the performances use historical instruments, with Mullova playing her gut-strung 1750 Guadagnini and using a classical bow, while here Beatson plays a different keyboard for each sonata.

The concert opens with Canadian composer Samy Moussa's ethereal Elysium, for which the concert is named. Then, instead of a traditional single concerto, cellist Gabriel Cabezas joins the orchestra for two shorter pieces.

The sublime quality of his output is mind boggling, and the Crouch End Festival Chorus, accompanied by The Hanover Band, did it justice at their latest concert.