CARMINA BURANA
Program
SERGEI PROKOFIEV (1891-1953)
Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, Op. 26
Interval
CARL ORFF (1895-1982)
Carmina Burana
Artist(s)
- Verbier Festival Junior Orchestra
- James Gaffigan conductor
- Hera Hyesang Park soprano
- Sunnyboy Dladla tenor
- Johannes Kammler baritone
- Oberwalliser Vokalensemble
- Hansruedi Kämpfen conductor
- Cyrille Nanchen conductor
- Bruce Liu piano
Bruce Liu plays Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 1 In E Minor, Op. 11: 3. Rondo (Vivace)
Composed in 1921, Prokofiev’s Third Piano Concerto was an international triumph from its premiere. It must be said that Prokofiev had by then clearly defined the essential elements of his language, blending dreamy lyricism with grating, mocking rhythms. Performing from the age of 15 with the Cleveland Orchestra, First Prize winner and revelation of the 2021 Chopin Competition, Bruce Liu brings a breath of fresh air to the work that perfectly matches its audacious character.
Carl Orff, for his part, composed the famous Carmina Burana in 1936, despite the complex political context. This modern cantata sought stylistic effectiveness in both form and content, aiming for accessibility. Rejecting the contributions of Stravinsky, Bartók, and Schoenberg, he drew inspiration from early music, with Monteverdi at the forefront, at a time when many composers, such as Respighi and Richard Strauss, were unearthing Renaissance music, imbuing the work with an irresistible vitality.
