The Bridgewater Hall marks 200 years since Beethoven’s death with a season-long celebration of one of classical music’s most revolutionary figures, bringing together world-class orchestras, conductors and soloists for a sweeping programme of his greatest works.
From the heroic grandeur of the ‘Emperor’ Concerto and Seventh Symphony to the aching intimacy of his piano sonatas, Beethoven: 200 Years of Sound traces the composer’s extraordinary impact across a thrillingly diverse programme at Manchester’s world-renowned classical music institution.
Read about The Bridgewater Hall’s International Concert Series HERE.
Next February, star British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor joins the London Philharmonic Orchestra for Beethoven’s magnificent ‘Emperor’ Concerto, one of the defining works of the piano repertoire, with Paavo Järvi leading the ensemble.
Grand, heroic and bursting with invention, it forms the centrepiece of an afternoon devoted to two towering composers, with Shostakovich’s gripping Tenth Symphony – a captivating paean to oppression understood as a musical portrait of life under Stalin – following the monumental piece.
The Ukrainian National Philharmonic Orchestra makes its International Concert Series debut with a programme spanning Mozart, Brahms and music by Ukrainian and contemporary composers, conducted by Theodore Kuchar with pianist Mark Bebbington.
The evening culminates in the irresistible rhythmic energy of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony, described by Wagner as ‘the apotheosis of dance’, uniting musical traditions and generations in a fitting celebration of his enduring legacy.
The BBC Philharmonic returns to the International Concert Series for a monumental performance of Beethoven’s revolutionary Ninth Symphony, conducted by Anja Bihlmaier and joined by soloists and the CBSO Chorus, pairing the iconic choral masterpiece with music by Pauline Oliveros, Roderick Williams and John Adams.
From its mysterious opening to its exhilarating choral finale, the Ninth transformed the possibilities of the symphony and remains one of Beethoven’s most enduring musical statements, a breathtaking exaltation of peace and brotherhood that transcends time itself.
A long time ICS favourite, world-renowned pianist Angela Hewitt brings the International Concert Series’ Beethoven celebrations to a sweeping yet intimate conclusion with an entire evening devoted to his piano music.
The programme travels from the compact early Op.49 sonatas through the dramatic ‘Tempest’ and beloved ‘Pathétique’, before reaching the profound beauty of the late Op.110.
The Beethoven celebrations extend across The Bridgewater Hall’s wider programme throughout the 2026/27 season, with the Hallé joined by Sir Stephen Hough for Beethoven’s ‘Emperor’ Concerto before returning to the composer’s iconic Fifth Symphony and Piano Concerto No.3 later in the schedule.
The BBC Philharmonic also performs the instantly recognisable Fifth Symphony in February, while Manchester Midday Music offers two opportunities to encounter Beethoven’s piano music at close quarters, with recitals by Julius Asal and Callum McLachlan.
From poignant sonatas to symphonies that changed the course of music, Beethoven: 200 Years of Sound commemorates two centuries since the composer’s death with an unmissable, eclectic tribute to one of the greatest composers in history.
Lower Mosley St, Manchester, M2 3WS
www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk
- Words:
- Wolf McFarlane
- Published on:
- Fri 18 Sep 2020
The Bridgewater Hall’s Beethoven celebrations begin in earnest this October with one of Germany’s leading radio orchestras, joined by acclaimed Argentine pianist Ingrid Fliter. Beethoven’s triumphant Egmont Overture opens the evening before Fliter takes on the beautifully lyrical Piano Concerto No.4.
Brahms’ monumental Fourth Symphony brings the concert to a powerful close, showcasing Beethoven’s peerless influence in one of the great symphonic works that followed in his wake.