February sees two premières of Jörg Widmann’s work. On 8 February, his 9th String Quartet (Beethoven-Studie IV) premieres at Muziekgebouw Amsterdam by the Ruysdael Quartet. Jörg Widmann says about this new work: “The sacred musical number 9 inspired me to create an especially substantial and intense composition. This 9th Quartet has a particular focus on Beethoven’s still unattainable Quartet No.14 in C# minor op.131″.Since his 6th String Quartet ‘Study on Beethoven’, dedicated to Anne-Sophie Mutter, Jörg Widmann has devoted himself to studying Beethoven’s String Quartets diving into Beethoven’s world, evoking snatches of recognition and then continuing this in his own brilliant way. The cycle comes to an end with Cavatina, his 10th String Quartet (Beethoven-Studie V), written for the Juilliard String Quartet.
On 18 February, Jörg Widmann conducts the première of Variacions sobre El cant dels ocells/Fantasy for choir and organ (2022) commissioned by the Palau de la Música Catalana in Barcelona with Orfeó Català and Juan de la Rubia, organ. In this programme, Jörg Widmann also conducts Beethoven’s Symphony No.7, his own Violin Concerto No.2 (2018) with Carolin Widmann, and his famous Concert Overture Con brio (2008), which is a tribute to Beethoven referring to Beethoven’s Symphonies No.7 and 8.
Earlier this month Jörg Widmann received an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Limerick due to the “extraordinary contribution” he made during his time as Principal Conductor of Irish Chamber Orchestra, which is resident at the University Limerick.
