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London Symphony Orchestra/Rattle & Krystian Zimerman

Beethoven Piano Concertos 4 & 5

Pianist Krystian Zimerman

Pianist Krystian Zimerman and Sir Simon Rattle reach the end of their Beethoven concerto cycle with the poetic Fourth and the majestic ‘Emperor’ Concerto.

Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto begins with a whispered chord for the piano alone. The Fifth begins with a mighty blast from the full orchestra. But then, Beethoven contains multitudes, and no living artist is better equipped to find them than the man ranked by BBC Music Magazine as one of the 20 greatest pianists of the last century.

Opportunities to hear Krystian Zimerman in the UK are rare, and chances to hear him play two of the greatest of all piano concertos in one concert are still rarer. That calls for a celebration, and Sir Simon has chosen to open with Hindemith’s joyous Symphonic metamorphoses – a complicated name for a piece that’s pure, unadulterated fun, written in the US, and ending with a real flag-waver of a carnival parade.

The performance is expected to finish around 9.30pm, including a 20 minute interval.

Part of Beethoven 250 at the Barbican

Barbican Hall