Why are so many violin concertos written in D major? Because the most important notes in the key (G, D, A and E) each correspond to one of the instrument's open strings. The predecessor to Brahms's 1878 concerto was Beethoven's masterpiece from 1806: this is the source of the work's dignity, power, seriousness and solemnity. The Hungarian motifs in the finale, however, allude to the fact that the composer wrote the composition for his friend József Joachim. Although the D-major serenade is a rarely played youthful work, it deserves to be played more often - and it will be good to hear it at last. The originally scheduled soloist for the concerto, Dutch violinist Janine Jansen, is unable to travel to Budapest due to illness. Jumping in to replace her will be Russia's Alena Baeva: the internationally renowned violinist burst onto the music scene in the early 2000s with victories at several major competitions. The Hungarian audience has already had the opportunity to hear her play. The Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen formed - originally in Frankfurt - in 1980. It attained professional status in 1987 and moved its base of operations to Bremen in 1992. Just like with any other truly noteworthy chamber orchestra, its members are also steeped in the symphonic repertoire. A former student of Leonard Bernstein's, Paavo Järvi has demonstrated his skills with many orchestras around the world, from Cincinnati to Frankfurt and Paris. Today he serves as the artistic director for these musicians from Bremen.

Presented by: Müpa Budapest