Festival Musikdorf Ernen

The Musikdorf Ernen celebrates its anniversary! Who is behind the extensive programme? And who are the 50 concerts and readings by queer authors adressed to? A programme by and with Joseba Zbinden and Jonathan Inniger. Broadcast of 10 March

The big interview with Charl du Plessis. The South African pianist and his trio have firmly anchored the Jazz Concerts in the programme of the Musikdorf Ernen. Jazz Concerts on 22 / 23 / 31 July | Broadcast of 24 March

Queer literature in a small mountain village? Since 15 years, queer writers come to Ernen, talk about their newest publications and read excerpts from these. Joseba Zbinden interviews the german talk master Bettina Böttinger, leading the Queerlesen since it's beginning, and the austrian writer Dominik Barta, who is coming to the Musikdorf with his second novel "Tür an Tür". Queerlesen, 29 and 30 July | Broadcast of 21 April

The history of the Festival Musikdorf Ernen goes back to 1974. Back then, the world-famous hungarian pianist György Sebők had given master classes for piano and chamber music in Ernen for the first time, organised together with dedicated people from the village. Who, or how, was this György Sebők? Musicians and locals remember the founder of the festival, in this programme by Joseba Zbinden. Broadcast of 5 May

The Chiaroscuro Quartet will play 7 concerts at the Festival Musikdorf Ernen this year - all within 3 days. As a string quartet that plays the core repertoire from Haydn to Mendelssohn on gut strings and with classical bows, it has caused a sensation in recent years with its breathtaking interpretations. A radio programme by Joseba Zbinden and Jonathan Inniger about historically informed performance and quartet playing with old instruments. With music by Haydn and Mozart. Chamber Music Compact, 30 June–2 July 2023 | Broadcast of 19 May

What do the composers Komitas Vardapet and Johann Sebastian Bach have in common? And did Charles-Valentin Alkan and Frédéric Chopin really live next door to each other? And what does their music sound like? Works by these composers will be performed during the Piano Week from 8-14 July. Broadcast of 2 June

Who jumped out of the window and who got his thumb bitten off? Stories from the opening concert of the Baroque Weeks 2023. Baroque Concert 1 (16 July) | Broadcast of 31 March

What did love and friendship, hatred and anger sound like 300 years ago? Jonathan Inniger takes you through two stories with music by Handel: the love story of Acis and Galatea and the story of the faithful friendship between Jonathan and David (from the oratorio Saul). Baroque Concert 2 (19 July) | Broadcast of 17 March

Dancing in church? Right! Between exultant joy and restrained gentle swaying. Jonathan Inniger takes you into the dancing church music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Baroque Concert 3 (21 July)

What does music do to us? With music by Handel and Corelli, we explore the effect of music on our emotional states. Baroque Concert 4 (25 July)

Exciting music in ecclesiastical garb. George Frideric Handel's motet "Silete Venti", a piece about the nearly physical love for God. Also, music about modesty, inequality and wages - or: why Johann Sebastian Bach was perhaps not so "vergnügt mit seinem Glücke" ("pleased with his fortune"). Jonathan Inniger presents the two vocal works chosen by British soprano Julia Doyle for her Ernen debut. Baroque Concert 5 (27 July) | Broadcast of 28 April

With the 'Opus 1', composers in the pre-digital era made their first public appearance - these works are milestones for their respective careers. In the opening concert of the series "Chamber Music plus", four distinct 'Opus 1' compositions are on the program. Chamber Concert 1 (30 July) | Broadcast of 14 April

What happens when a person dies? What happens after death? Is something to follow? Is the heavenly paradise waiting for us, or does simply the nothingness begin? The three works by Johann Sebastian Bach, Guillaume Lekeu and Gustav Mahler each open up their own unique perspective on the transition from life to death. Orchestra Concert 1 (August 4)

29 songs in 29 European languages: The song cycle "Geisterlieder" (Ghost songs) for 4 soloists and chamber ensemble will be premiered on 5 August 2023. The conversation with Helena Winkelman, Composer in Residence 2022/23, gives a first insight into the new work. Introduction Chamber Concert 3 (5 August) | Broadcast of 7 April

The concert named "Hommage" commemorates the festival founder György Sebők: with music by his composition teacher Zoltán Kodály, with the piece "In Memoriam Sebők György", which György Kurtág wrote in 2000 shortly after Sebőks death, and with the piano trio by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. This was written "Á la mémoire d'un grand artiste", not for Sebők but for Nikolai Rubinstein, but Sebők played the work several times in Ernen. Chamber Concert 4 (6 August) | Broadcast of 11 May

"From the New World" is the motto of this programme, whose works all have something to do with the USA: Dvořák was to invent a national music for the USA and wrote his string quintet in Spilville (Iowa). Paul Hindemith and Arnold Schönberg found protection from Nazi repression and persecution in the USA, whereas the "Prelude" by the American composer Aaron Copland was composed in Paris. Chamber Concert 5 (7 August in Brig)

What work fits better into a programme under the motto "Landmarks" than Beethoven's String Quartet in C-sharp minor, Op. 131? The monumental 7-movement work is not only steeped in legend due to its proximity to Beethoven's death, it is also one of the most highly regarded pieces in the history of the string quartet. "Landmarks", albeit in different fields, are the other works of Mozart, Mahler and Britten. Chamber Concert 6 (9 August)

Many recurrent themes of the "Chamber Music Plus" series come together in the final Orchestra Concert: The Song as a key genre and source of inspiration, but also the string quartet, the oboe and the names of the composers Bach, Schubert and Mahler. Orchestra Concert 2 (11 August, also: 12 August in Martigny)