SIR JOHN ELIOT GARDINER AND THE LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

SIR JOHN ELIOT GARDINER AND THE LONDON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA TAKE ALL-BEETHOVEN CONCERTS TO EIGHT EUROPEAN CITIES

22 JANUARY - 7 FEBRUARY 2008

London * Basingstoke * Stuttgart * Munich * Frankfurt * Paris * Hamburg * Amsterdam


Sir John Eliot Gardiner is one of the most versatile conductors of our time and continues his ongoing work with the London Symphony Orchestra with 11 concerts covering eight European cities over 17 days at the beginning of 2008. The complete programme will be performed at the Barbican Centre across two London concerts to begin and end the tour.

Throughout the 07/08 season, each concert in the LSO’s Pure series has been focusing on the work of one composer. These 11 concerts with Sir John Eliot will focus entirely on Beethoven with: Symphonies Nos. 2, 3 and 8; Piano Concerto No 4, with pianist Maria João Pires; and the Prometheus and Leonore No 2 Overtures. These concerts also mark the beginning of a three-year Beethoven cycle with Sir John Eliot Gardiner and the LSO.

Premiered on 5 April 1803, Beethoven’s Second Symphony is one of his most cheerfully optimistic, for all that it was composed when he was confronting the approach of deafness. The Eighth, too, can seem like one of his lighter symphonies, yet it is characteristic to the core, full of strength, character and irresistible gruff humour. Leonore No 2 is one of three stirring but discarded overtures to the opera Fidelio.

Few Piano Concertos rival the sublime poetry of Beethoven’s Fourth, a tribute to the power of lyricism. A ballet on the theme of Prometheus stealing fire from the Gods was bound to appeal to Beethoven, and his overture bursts with energy. And maybe it was the Promethean composer himself who was the subject of the ’Heroic’ Third Symphony but whatever the case the radical masterpiece which emerged was to change the symphonic genre forever.


Tue 22 Jan 2008, 7.30pm

Barbican, London
BEETHOVEN Leonore Overture No 2
BEETHOVEN Symphony No 2
BEETHOVEN Symphony No 8

Sponsored by Takeda

Sat 26 Jan 2008, 7.45pm

The Anvil, Basingstoke
BEETHOVEN Overture: Prometheus
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No 4
BEETHOVEN Symphony No 3

Mon 28 Jan 2008, 8pm

Liederhalle, Stuttgart
BEETHOVEN Overture: Prometheus
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No 4
BEETHOVEN Symphony No 3

Tue 29 Jan 2008, 8pm

Philharmonie am Gasteig, Munich
BEETHOVEN Overture: Prometheus
BEETHOVEN Symphony No 8
BEETHOVEN Symphony No 3

Sponsored by Takeda

Wed 30 Jan 2008, 8pm

Alto Oper, Frankfurt
BEETHOVEN Overture: Prometheus
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No 4
BEETHOVEN Symphony No 3

Thu 31 Jan 2008, 8pm

Alto Oper, Frankfurt
BEETHOVEN Leonore Overture No 2
BEETHOVEN Symphony No 2
BEETHOVEN Symphony No 8

Sponsored by UBS

Sat 2 Feb 2008, 8pm

Salle Pleyel, Paris
BEETHOVEN Leonore Overture No 2
BEETHOVEN Symphony No 2
BEETHOVEN Symphony No 8

Sun 3 Feb 2008, 4pm

Salle Pleyel, Paris
BEETHOVEN Overture: Prometheus
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No 4
BEETHOVEN Symphony No 3

Sponsored by Takeda

Tuesday 5 Feb 2008, 7.30pm

Laeiszhalle, Hamburg
BEETHOVEN Overture: Prometheus
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No 4
BEETHOVEN Symphony No 3

Sponsored by UBS

Wed 6 Feb 2008, 8.15pm

Concertgebouw, Amsterdam
BEETHOVEN Overture: Prometheus
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No 4
BEETHOVEN Symphony No 3

Thu 7 Feb 2008, 7.30pm

Barbican, London
BEETHOVEN Overture: Prometheus
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No 4
BEETHOVEN Symphony No 3

Tickets: £6 - £30

Secure online booking at lso.co.uk

Box office: 020 7638 8891 open every day, 9am – 8pm (£2 booking fee)

In person at the Advance Box Office in the Barbican centre

(Mon-Sat 9am – 8pm; Sun 12pm – 8pm)

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