On Friday, March 28th, on European Stage, we will broadcast the concert performed by the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra, which will take place at the Frankfurt Radio Concert Hall. The soloist and conductor will be the Swiss recorder (blockflöte) virtuoso Maurice Steger. This will be a journey back in time to the Baroque era, dominated by the genius of Johann Sebastian Bach-arguably the greatest composer of his time and beyond, as suggested by Max Reger's famous words: "Bach is the beginning and end of all music."

The Brandenburg Concertos, cataloged in Bach's works as numbers 1046 to 1051, will be performed by one of Germany's most accomplished radio symphony orchestras. Founded in 1929, the Frankfurt Radio Symphony Orchestra boasts a history of over 95 years, along with a modern interpretative approach and the versatility to tackle any musical repertoire.

Maurice Steger is well known to the public for his numerous collaborations with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, the Academy for Ancient Music Berlin, The English Concert, Europa Galante, Les Violons du Roy, I Barocchisti, the Zurich Chamber Orchestra, the Théâtre du Châtelet Orchestra in Paris, and the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in Rome. He has also released several CDs with Harmonia Mundi, Deutsche Grammophon, and Claves.

The "Six Concertos for Various Instruments," as Bach himself titled this renowned series, are neither traditional soloist-centered concertos nor concerti grossi designed to showcase the orchestra's prowess. Instead, they are compositions in which Bach explored all the possible combinations of instruments playing together.

Christian Ludwig, Prince of Brandenburg-Schwedt, a member of the Hohenzollern imperial house, was the dedicatee of these six multi-instrument concertos in 1721. This dedication is the reason why they have been known throughout history as the Brandenburg Concertos. The series represents, in a way, Bach's final statement on the concerto, the most significant instrumental genre of all time. Bach examines every facet of the concerto form, from instrumentation to structural treatment, featuring a diverse range of solo instruments-including strings, winds, and harpsichord-while incorporating elements of courtly dances and fugues. Additionally, the interaction between soloists and "tutti" evolves continuously, showcasing all the expressive possibilities of virtuosity.

We invite you to join us on Friday, March 28th, 2025, at 9:00 PM to listen to these undisputed masterpieces of music history!