The end of the 18th and beginning of the 19th century marked a period of major changes in the history of European culture. In that uncertain context, the musical heritage was enriched by countless masterpieces of composers who are now part of the cultural canon of mankind - among those works, the musicians we will listen to on Thursday, 16^th of November, have chosen two works that are still well known today as fundamental works of Viennese classicism.

Ludwig van Beethoven's Concerto No. 4 Op. 58 in G major for piano and orchestra opens the evening's programme; a work that puts the soloist in the spotlight, intended for the first hearing, which took place with the Titan of Bonn himself in the role of soloist. At its premiere on 22 December 1808, the concerto was performed together with the Choral Fantasy, the Fifth Symphony and the Sixth Symphony from the same composer's oeuvre, so from the beginning it was paired with scores that turned the evening into a tour de force for musicians and music lovers too.

The second part of the evening will be dedicated to a work by another name that enjoys ubiquity in general culture: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. From his oeuvre, we will listen to Symphony No 41 KV 551 in C major Jupiter, the last work dedicated by the Salzburg composer to this genre. If, during his lifetime, rumor had it that Beethoven was unable to compose a fugue according to the rules of counterpoint, Mozart gave no one the opportunity to make such comments: the last part of this symphony is a famous fugue, and a valid argument against anyone who would treat counterpoint as a dead language.

Therefore, on Thursday evening, Beethoven and Mozart, starting at 8:30 pm, on Radio România Muzical, with an excellent orchestra, a famous pianist and one of the most important conductors of the last decades.

Photo credit: Raphael Faux