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Ascona Music Festival 2021: Daniel Levy Celebrates Beethoven
DANIEL LEVY CELEBRATES BEETHOVEN
12th edition of the Ascona Music Festival: 23 June – 31 December 2021
A fully international event, the 2021 Ascona Music Festival crosses geographical borders in the name of Beethoven to spread the illuminating depth of the composer’s music and words in a new, completely online experience.
The Ascona Music Festival, born from the refined sensitivity of the pianist Daniel Levy, aims to reach a worldwide audience through highly original content focusing on the figure of Beethoven, a true beacon for music lovers. The Festival explores Beethoven’s music and teachings through the composer’s life experiences, which point to deep listening as a sure way to knowledge, freedom and harmony in the world.
In the Festival programme:
◊ Three online concerts – ‘Musical Moments with Beethoven’
Unmissable events that will give you the opportunity to listen, in the comfort and quiet of your own environment, to piano works by Beethoven that have never previously been performed in concert, others that have not been fully explored, and a concert of improvisations inspired by and dedicated to Beethoven, an unprecedented experience in the classical music world, emerging from the research and creativity of Levy, a pianist held in high esteem by international critics and audiences.
The first concert, which will take place on 23 September, is a world première and includes four Dances and Minuets from sketches found in Beethoven’s notebooks.
The second, on 7 October, offers a selection of the beautiful but little-performed Bagatelles, both those without opus numbers and some of op. 119 and op. 126, together with some Adagios from the Piano Sonatas, making the whole a rich fresco of Beethoven’s creativity.
The third, on 21 October, consists of ‘Improvisations’ for piano lovingly dedicated to Beethoven. The performance includes spontaneous, electrifying moments recorded during a profound effusion. A unique experience in the world of classical music!
◊ The book ‘Dialogue with Beethoven’ by Daniel Levy
In a new and original way, the author dialogues with Beethoven through the composer’s own words, gleaned from his writings, letters and diary and through conversations with the composer recollected by those who knew him. Levy brings us close to a Beethoven we never knew before!
For me it was a discovery!! I have known Beethoven for more than 30 years, but getting him back in this way opened a new perspective, it introduced me to him with ‘new eyes’. For this I thank Maestro Levy very much!
– Enrico Parola, music critic, Switzerland
The book is available in English, Spanish and Italian and also as an audiobook, which, for those who love listening, will give voice to Beethoven’s words.
◊ The Ascona Music Festival, in collaboration with the record company EDELWEISS EMISSION, presents three albums of Beethoven’s Sonatas, interpreted by Levy:
Six Sonatas in C for piano – no. 3, no. 5, no. 8 ‘Pathétique’, no. 14 ‘Clair de Lune’, no. 21 ‘Waldstein’ and no. 32, op. 111 (C Major, C minor and C sharp minor) – masterfully bring us back Beethoven’s glowing compositional art and his latest intuitions on the piano.
Levy fully justifies a further recording of these highly performed works (‘Moonlight’, ‘Pathétique’).
– Michael Church, BBC Music Magazine, UK
In the context of Beethoven’s latest and greatest contribution to the piano sonata genre (op. 111), Levy’s conception is truly magical!
– Bernard Jacobson, music critic, USA
◊ The Festival also offers Nine Art Prints inspired by the music of Beethoven, by Marga Baigorria.
These works emerged from deep listening and are a tribute to the Festival by the painter and photographer Marga Baigorria. Mixed artistic and technical photographs express emotions that reflect contemporary energy and currents through the artist’s vision of ‘Painting with Light’.
Anyone with an interest in following the concerts online and in owning the book, albums and prints will be able to take advantage of a special Premium Digital Pass that will allow them to fully enjoy the experience of this special, particularly creative edition that the Festival has prepared for its international audience. In addition, the Premium Digital Pass is offered at a special discounted price if booked before September 2021.
For more information, please visit www.asconamusicfestival.com
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The Festival is organised by
International Academy of Euphony www.academyofeuphony.com
in collaboration with Edelweiss Emission www.edelweissemission.com
Tickets for the individual online concerts:
Daniel Levy plays Beethoven I: Unheard Works – 23 September 2021
https://asconamusicfestival.ticketco.events/uk/en/e/daniel_levy_plays_beethoven_i
Daniel Levy plays Beethoven II: Bagatelles & Adagios – 7 October 2021 https://asconamusicfestival.ticketco.events/uk/en/e/daniel_levy_plays_beethoven_ii
Daniel Levy Musical Moments: Piano Improvisations – 21 October 2021
https://asconamusicfestival.ticketco.events/uk/en/e/daniel_levy_musical_moments_piano_improvisations
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