The high art of Viennese classical music
Grandiose concert with Paul Gulda and the Ensemble Europa
The ensemble opened the concert evening with the Piano Quartet in E flat major, op. 16 by Ludwig van Beethoven. As Paul Gulda explained in his charmingly entertaining presentation, the young Beethoven was able to borrow much from Mozart. While Mozart's tone was rather early romantic and rapturous, the young Beethoven set brusque accents. In its interpretation, the Ensemble Europa made the difference to Mozart palpable through energetic moments, characterised by multi-faceted piano playing and expressive strings.
Christoph Ehrenfellner's "Kahlenberger Ländler", op. 62 is a tongue-in-cheek take on ländler, polka and polonaise and at the same time a homage to the great Viennese dance music tradition. The piece won over the concert guests with its marvellous dissonances and its homage to Richard Strauss. Ensemble Europa member Christoph Ehrenfellner was honoured with the Classical Music Award for Best Contemporary Composer of the Year in Düsseldorf in 2025.
Franz Schubert's "Trout Quintet" after the interval was the highlight of the evening. The centrepiece of the quintet is the fourth movement. Here, Schubert takes up the melody from his own song "Die Forelle" (The Trout), which gave the work its name. An undertone of longing for harmony is mixed into the sunny tone of the piece.
The musician and musicians varied this longing and fulfilment in an imaginative way, with the instruments swapping roles several times. No guest could escape the teasing charm of this music, performed at the highest musical level. You could literally see and hear the trout jumping. As an encore, the musicians bid farewell with Robert Schumann's Andante cantabile from op. 57.