INTERNATIONAL YOUNG ARTISTS AND WINNERS
„on these three CDs I am thrilled to present seven highly gifted young pianists who gave their début performances at the Ruhr Piano Festival 2019 – promising artists from whom we can expect and are sure to hear much more in the future. The most recent volumes of our Ruhr Piano Festival Boxed Edition mainly featured work of the 18th and 19th centuries, in accordance with each Festival edition’s chosen themes; this year, however, we can feature Baroque und Early Classical repertoire on almost two entire CDs. On CD 3 we then plunge headlong into the Romantic 19th century with major challenging works by Brahms and Liszt. ……“ (Excerpt from the forword by Franz Xaver Ohnesorg, Director)
“In 2019 the Ruhr Piano Festival once more ensured that a great number of inspiring piano recitals could take place in the region. Once musical highlight chased the other, practically from day to day, from May to June 2019. Over 50,000 music lovers attended 61 concerts on 34 podiums in 23 cities: the numbers speak for themselves. ……The choice of repertoire and interpreters directed our attention towards the biographies of performers and composers, revealing connections across generations and among human beings stemming from the most of divers cultural and national backgrounds. …We can create true marvels togerther, provided that our continent remains close-knits – knowing neither borders nor frontiers, especially not in our minds……“ (Excerpt from the foreword of the patron of the festival – Dr. Rolf Martin Schmitz, CEO of the RWE AG)
Johann Sebastian Bach was a German composer and musician of the Baroque period. He enriched established German styles through his skill in counterpoint, harmonic and motivic organisation, and the adaptation of rhythms, forms, and textures from abroad, particularly from Italy and France. Bach's compositions include the Brandenburg Concertos, the Goldberg Variations, the Mass in B minor, two Passions, and hundreds of cantatas. His music is revered for its technical command, artistic beauty, and intellectual depth.
Bach's abilities as an organist were highly respected during his lifetime, although he was not widely recognised as a great composer until a revival of interest in and performances of his music in the first half of the 19th century. He is now generally regarded as one of the greatest composers of all time.