Every year the President of Germany gives a charity concert featuring top-ranking orchestras, conductors and soloists. Part of the ticket proceeds always goes to social or cultural organisations. This tradition has existed since 1988, when it was set up by the German President of that time, Richard von Weizsäcker. The concert takes place in a different federal state each year, and in 2022 it's Hamburg's turn to host the event. This year the proceeds from the sale of tickets will be used to support medical care for the homeless.
The concert is available to stream here in the Mediathek from Sunday 27 February, 11.00, and is also being broadcast on the ARD channel. The programme is presented by Sandra Maischberger, who starts by interviewing German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the Mayor of Hamburg, Peter Tschentscher.
The Artists
NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester
Yuja Wang Klavier
Dirigent Alan Gilbert
PROGRAMME
Ludwig van Beethoven
Ouvertüre zu »Fidelio« op. 72
Franz Liszt
Konzert für Klavier und Orchester Nr. 1 Es-Dur S 124
- Pause -
Ludwig van Beethoven
Sinfonie Nr. 5 c-Moll op. 67
COMMITTED TO FREEDOM: LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN
The programme of the charity concert features two works by Ludwig van Beethoven, famous son of Germany's former federal capital, Bonn. With his opera »Fidelio«, Beethoven created a musical memorial to political freedom and against despotism – a message that has lost none of its relevance in 200 years. And in his world-famous Fifth Symphony too, the revolutionary hothead takes an optimistic stance: dark Fate that knocks on the door with the legendary opening »Ta ta ta taaa« turns into radiant joy at the end.
A GREAT EUROPEAN: FRANZ LISZT
Between the two Beethoven pieces we hear music by a great European: Franz Liszt was born in Hungary and grew up with German as his mother tongue; he regarded France as his native country, lived for a time in Switzerland, Italy and Germany, and visited many other countries on his concert tours. His First Piano Concerto shows him as both a virtuoso pianist and a visionary composer who was never content to stick to established structures.
Zum Konzert
- Elbphilharmonie Großer Saal
NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra / Yuja Wang / Alan Gilbert
Federal President’s Benefit Concert – 2G+ AND PHYSICAL DISTANCE
LivestreamPast Concert
