Paavo and Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen to Appear at Beethovenfest

Paavo will be appearing this fall with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen at Beethovenfest Bonn 2005. There is an evening concert on September 11 featuring Beethoven's Coriolan Overture, Op. 62 in C Minor; Albert Roussel's Symphony No. 3,op.42 in G Minor; and Beethoven's Symphony No. 5, op. 67 in C Minor.

According to the Agence France Presse, the annual Beethovenfest that Bonn holds in honour of its most famous son, composer Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827), will this year focus on Beethoven's relations with France and French music.

"Under the motto Liberte (Freedom), the Beethovenfest Bonn 2005 will stage a total 64 concerts -- including orchestra and chamber concerts, piano and song recitals and even performances of jazz and French chansons -- at 25 venues in and around Beethoven's native city between September 8 and October 2.

"The focus of this year's festival will be the huge impact that the ideas and turmoil of the French Revolution had on Beethoven and his musical language, festival manager Ilona Schmiel said.

"The most famous example is perhaps Beethoven's Third Symphony written in 1803, which the composer dedicated to Napoleon under the subtitle "Eroica". Later he angrily scratched out that dedication when Napoleon declared himself Emperor in 1804.

"The concerts will also explore Beethoven's influence on later French composers such as Hector Berlioz (1803-1869), Claude Debussy (1862-1918) and Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)."

The concert will be held in Beethovenhalle, Wachsbleiche 17, 53111 Bonn. Take Busline # 630 or 638 to the Beethovenhalle stop.

Paavo and the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen are recording the entire cycle of Beethoven's symphonies for future release over the next several years.