A twentieth birthday gift

  11.09.2019 Arts & Culture

“Martha Argerich is one of the greatest pianists in the world,” enthused Renaud Capuçon, artistic director of the Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad and a renowned violinist. This is a gift for the music festival, which will celebrate its twentieth birthday in 2020. The 78-year-old pianist from Argentina, who according to Capuçon plays with the ease of an eighteen-year-old, is one of the stars of the event.

Other highlights include the Orchestre du XVIIIème siècle, with the Ensemble Vocal de Lausanne under the direction of Daniel Reuss and the pianist, Bertrand Chamayou, just 20 years of age. The opening concert features works by Beethoven, performed by the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra and conducted by the Swiss conductor, Elena Schwarz.

The featured instrument of the anniversary concert is the piano, which is obvious when browsing through the rich programme. In total, there will be 18 concerts and a children’s musical, all taking place between 31 January and 8 February in the churches of Saanen, Rougemont and Gstaad.

“Coups de coeur”
Four concerts will take place in the Rougemont church, which Capuçon calls his favourites, his “coups de coeur”. Among these will be a new matinee concert with music by Johann Sebastian Bach. In the future, works by Bach will become a regular morning event.

Young talent
In addition to the commitment of top-class musicians, the organisers of the Sommets Musicaux place great importance on promoting young musical talent. Over the course of eight concerts in the Gstaad chapel, young pianists will prove their skills under their mentor Nicholas Angelich. They will each play a piece by the award-winning young composer in residence, Camille Pépin and the Thierry Scherz and André Hoffmann prizes will then be awarded.  

Tasting and other delicacies
Following the Annual General Meeting, the company met for a traditional English tea on the terrace of the Gstaad Palace and enjoyed delicious tartlets and pastries with wild berries. Back in the Salle Baccarat, pianist Jérémie Moreau, a young French talent who will also be playing at the Sommets Musicaux in the Gstaad chapel, gave an impressive sample of his skills. With Sonata No. 62 by Joseph Haydn and Trois Pièces Pour Piano by Franz Schubert, he moved the audience and inspired dreams. His piano recital culminated in a virtuoso finale of Frédéric Chopin’s Andante Spianato et Grande Polonaise Brillante.

Based on AvS/Martin Gurtner-Duperrex
Translated by Justine Hewson


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