Lorenzo Viotti conducts Ein Heldenleben, Denis Kozhukhin plays Brahms

Denis Kozhukhin plays Brahms' Piano Concerto No. 2

The Netherlands Philharmonic presents a dazzling double bill featuring two German composers. One is Johannes Brahms, represented in this program by his Second Piano Concerto . A magnificent clash of the titans, in which piano and orchestra are perfectly matched. The challenging solo part is taken by Denis Kozhukhin, the Russian pianist who has enjoyed a brilliant career since winning the renowned Queen Elisabeth Competition in 2010.

Lorenzo Viotti conducts Strauss's Ein Heldenleben

The other is Richard Strauss, who considers himself a huge hero in Ein Heldenleben , albeit with a wink. In several entertaining scenes, he heroically battles his perceived adversaries and seeks true inner peace. But whether he succeeds… Fortunately, according to Strauss, true heroism lies in daring to put things into perspective. The concert is conducted by Lorenzo Viotti, who was the orchestra's inspiring conductor until last season.