Wiener Philharmoniker / Buchbinder / Altinoglu

The fusion of classical music and jazz is unique: one year after his »Rhapsody in Blue«, George Gershwin composed a piano concerto in classical form and orchestration at the request of the conductor Walter Damrosch, albeit featuring a large wind section and plenty of percussion. Nevertheless, it is clearly evident from the work that it is by Gershwin. As a soloist, Rudolf Buchbinder demonstrates that he, too, has a unique grasp of this blend of classical and jazz. The piano concerto provided a large part of the soundtrack for the film »An American in Paris«.

Ravel’s »Boléro«
Around the same time, Maurice Ravel composed »Boléro]!!!![ in France, a work that was later also frequently used as film music. Inspired by the Spanish dance of the same name, the composition places high demands on percussionists: they must play the same rhythm exactly 169 times with perfect uniformity.

Dutilleux’s »Métaboles«
The Vienna Philharmonic also perform Henri Dutilleux’s five-movement »Métaboles«, in which the various instrumental groups take centre stage in turn.