The monumental Piano Concerto No. 2 by Johannes Brahms, one of only two such works he composed, is a piece that masterfully combines symphonic grandeur with intimate chamber-like qualities. On May 10, 2025, at 18:00, it will be performed by Sergei Babayan – the winner of the Cleveland International Piano Competition – together with the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic. The concert will be conducted by Maestro Jacek Kaspszyk, who, in the second part of the concert, will lead the Wrocław Philharmonic through Mieczysław Weinberg’s 21st Symphony “Kaddish”.
The concert is part of an exchange between the Dresdner Philharmonie and the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. Thus, Weinberg’s 21st Symphony, a work dedicated to the victims of the Holocaust, has naturally found its place in the program.
The 21st Symphony, written five years before Weinberg's death, shares a connection with Brahms' work not only in being the final composition in their respective genres. There are similarities in the musical structure, with delicate sections juxtaposed against powerful orchestral tuttis. Completed in 1991, this work, full of references to other pieces, carries a distinctly tragic character. It is dedicated to the victims of the Warsaw Ghetto, and the title Kaddish refers to a Jewish prayer from the 13th century recited in mourning.
The soloist for this piece will be soprano Aleksandra Kubas-Kruk.
Media patronage: Polish Music Information Centre POLMIC
Ticket information: https://www.nfm.wroclaw.pl/component/nfmcalendar/event/11175
