Klassik Forum Chur: Martin Fröst & Christoph Koncz

He is currently one of the most sought-after clarinetists, touring the world's major concert halls and the New York Times praises his virtuosity and musicality, which "has never been surpassed by any clarinetist – let alone instrumentalists". Now Martin Fröst makes his debut with the Musikkollegium Winterthur with HK Gruber's FINTango. Gruber sees this clarinet concerto as a homage to Finnish tango, which developed into a folk dance, especially during the Second World War as a way of expressing resistance without words. The piece is tailor-made for Martin Fröst, who repeatedly combines his clarinet playing with movement, choreography and
dance elements.
After the interval, Schubert's "Great" C major Symphony, which he completed in 1827, will be heard. With a playing time of almost an hour – almost as long as Beethoven's 9th Symphony, written three years earlier – the work was unusually long and technically demanding for its time. It was not until eleven years after Schubert's death that Robert Schumann discovered the symphony in his estate and Felix Mendelssohn brought
it premiered in Leipzig, albeit in an abridged version. Schumann was enthusiastic about their "magnificent lengths", these elongated cantilenas that give the work a permanent place in the symphonic repertoire today.


Ensemble:
Musikkollegium Winterthur

Head:
Christoph Koncz (Head)

Soloist:
Martin Fröst (clarinet)

Program:

HK Gruber (*1943) 23′
FINTango for clarinet and big music
Chamber Orchestra (2025)

Intermission 20′

Franz Schubert (1797–1828) 60′
Symphony No. 8 in C major, D 944 Great (1825/1828)