Mitsuko Uchida
Mitsuko Uchida | Picture: Justin Pumfrey / Decca

Concert information

At the invitation of the Berliner Philharmoniker


Info

Mitsuko Uchida is the grande dame of the piano – and one of the Berliner Philharmoniker’s  close artistic companions. Her elegant, gripping and sensitive playing makes her an ideal interpreter of the piano works of Ludwig van Beethoven and Franz Schubert. In the final concert of our piano series, we will hear her perform Beethoven's Piano Sonata in E minor, which journeys between contemplative calm and passionate forward momentum, as well as Schubert's last sonata - a work full of intense emotions: sometimes rapturous and reflective, sometimes comforting; and at times, offering a terrifying glimpse into a psychological abyss. Arnold Schönberg and György Kurtág contribute poetic miniatures from the 20th and 21st centuries.


Artists

Mitsuko Uchida piano


Programme

Ludwig van Beethoven
Piano Sonata No. 27 in E minor, op. 90

Arnold Schoenberg
Three Piano Pieces, op. 11

Interval

György Kurtág
Márta ligatúrája

Franz Schubert
Piano Sonata in B flat major, D 960


Additional information

Duration ca. 2 hours and 15 minutes (incl. 20 minutes interval)



Chamber Music Hall

35 to 71 €

Series U: Piano

Seong-Jin Cho
Seong-Jin Cho | Picture: Stefan Höderath

Lightning-fast keyboard wizardry
Ludwig van Beethoven the pianist 

Ludwig van Beethoven was a piano prodigy; he enjoyed the greatest successes of his early career as a pianist. Because of this, he composed mainly for himself. However, as his hearing deteriorated, this changed.


Biography

Mitsuko Uchida

Mitsuko Uchida is the “grande dame” of poetic piano playing – a pianist known for her crystal-clear touch and interpretations that strike a perfect balance between intellect and emotion. Her guiding principle is that “playing the piano is not enough – it takes a lifetime to understand music.” In addition to her outstanding performances of works by Mozart, Schubert, Schumann, and Beethoven, she is deeply dedicated to the piano music of Berg, Schoenberg, Webern, Debussy, and Kurtág. Uchida has enjoyed a close artistic partnership with the Berliner Philharmoniker for nearly four decades, having made her debut with the orchestra in June 1984. As Artist in Residence, she performed all of Beethoven’s piano concertos under the baton of Sir Simon Rattle.

Mitsuko Uchida regularly appears with the world’s leading orchestras, gives solo recitals in Vienna, Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, London, New York, and Tokyo, and is a frequent guest at the Salzburg Mozart Week and the Salzburg Festival. Her numerous recordings have received many awards, including a Grammy Award. Uchida is a founding member of the Borletti-Buitoni Trust, which supports musicians worldwide, and she also serves as the director of the Marlboro Music Festival.