A Musical Celebration for a Musical Icon: Brendel's 95th Birthday Honored in Joyful, Jocular Fashion
In a night that promised to be both reverent and revelatory, the music world gathered at the Barbican to pay tribute to pianist, poet, and polymath Alfred Brendel on what would have been his 95th birthday. The marathon concert was a testament to Brendel's enduring influence, celebrating his passions for classical repertoire while also embracing the lighter side of his personality.
Conducted by Simon Rattle, the orchestra – comprising Brendel's colleagues, proteges, and friends – delivered a performance that was at once both intellectually rigorous and joyfully silly. The evening opened with Haydn's Representation of Chaos from The Creation, but it was not long before the more humorous moments began to emerge. Brett Dean's turn as composer-reverting-to-viola-player persona added an extra layer of whimsy, while the orchestra's enthusiastic response to Rattle's conducting ensured that every surge of sound was met with equal fervor.
A sequence of Brendel's own drily humorous poems, interspersed with miniatures by Kurtág and Ligeti, showcased Harriet Walter's delivery and Pierre-Laurent Aimard's controlled silliness at the piano. Meanwhile, András Schiff's JS Bach made an unexpected appearance – initially as a page-turner in the audience before breaking into music – adding to the surreal atmosphere that pervaded much of the evening.
One highlight was undoubtedly the slow movement from Schubert's C major Quintet, played by the Takács Quartet and Brendel. This poignant work spoke directly to the human experience, its melody seeming almost to vanish in a beautifully rendered silence, only to re-emerge as a powerful expression of acceptance and gratitude.
Despite some missteps – particularly when Mauricio Kagel's Marches to Fall Short of Victory came on – the concert remained remarkably cohesive, thanks in large part to Rattle's skillful leadership. By embracing Brendel's contradictions – rigor and playfulness, intellect and humor – the evening created a truly unforgettable tribute to an artist whose legacy will continue to inspire for years to come.
The concert also did its job as a fundraiser, with proceeds going to support students through the Alfred Brendel Young Musician's Trust, which provides access to professional-standard pianos. But while this element of the event was undoubtedly noble, it was by no means the main attraction – rather serving to underscore the power of music to bring people together in celebration of a life and artistry that will be remembered for generations to come.
In a night that promised to be both reverent and revelatory, the music world gathered at the Barbican to pay tribute to pianist, poet, and polymath Alfred Brendel on what would have been his 95th birthday. The marathon concert was a testament to Brendel's enduring influence, celebrating his passions for classical repertoire while also embracing the lighter side of his personality.
Conducted by Simon Rattle, the orchestra – comprising Brendel's colleagues, proteges, and friends – delivered a performance that was at once both intellectually rigorous and joyfully silly. The evening opened with Haydn's Representation of Chaos from The Creation, but it was not long before the more humorous moments began to emerge. Brett Dean's turn as composer-reverting-to-viola-player persona added an extra layer of whimsy, while the orchestra's enthusiastic response to Rattle's conducting ensured that every surge of sound was met with equal fervor.
A sequence of Brendel's own drily humorous poems, interspersed with miniatures by Kurtág and Ligeti, showcased Harriet Walter's delivery and Pierre-Laurent Aimard's controlled silliness at the piano. Meanwhile, András Schiff's JS Bach made an unexpected appearance – initially as a page-turner in the audience before breaking into music – adding to the surreal atmosphere that pervaded much of the evening.
One highlight was undoubtedly the slow movement from Schubert's C major Quintet, played by the Takács Quartet and Brendel. This poignant work spoke directly to the human experience, its melody seeming almost to vanish in a beautifully rendered silence, only to re-emerge as a powerful expression of acceptance and gratitude.
Despite some missteps – particularly when Mauricio Kagel's Marches to Fall Short of Victory came on – the concert remained remarkably cohesive, thanks in large part to Rattle's skillful leadership. By embracing Brendel's contradictions – rigor and playfulness, intellect and humor – the evening created a truly unforgettable tribute to an artist whose legacy will continue to inspire for years to come.
The concert also did its job as a fundraiser, with proceeds going to support students through the Alfred Brendel Young Musician's Trust, which provides access to professional-standard pianos. But while this element of the event was undoubtedly noble, it was by no means the main attraction – rather serving to underscore the power of music to bring people together in celebration of a life and artistry that will be remembered for generations to come.
oh man I'm still reeling from this concert 
Brendel's 95th birthday was totally deserved and it felt like he was still with us, laughing & joking around the piano 
I loved how they did miniatures by Ligeti & Kurtág - so cool to see them showcased! The Takács Quartet's rendition of Schubert's C major Quintet was GORGEOUS 
especially the slow movement... it just sent chills down my spine 
and yeah, Brett Dean's turn as a viola player added this extra layer of whimsy that made me giggle 
Simon Rattle did an amazing job leading the orchestra - his energy & enthusiasm were infectious! 
. The concert was a reminder that sometimes it's okay to not take ourselves too seriously when we're talking about art, especially when you have someone as quirky as Brendel 
. Harriet Walter's poem delivery and Pierre-Laurent Aimard's piano antics were absolute highlights 
. And that final piece by Schubert? *sigh* gave me chills. It's a testament to Brendel's legacy – his music is like a warm hug for the soul 
, and we're lucky we got to experience it all last night.
harriet walter's poem delivery was so cool, reminded me of a poet reading at one of my fave coffee shops in the city. and takács quartet is amazing, never seen them live but loved their performance on that schubert piece 
felt like they were speaking directly to my soul 
, Brendel's 95th birthday concert was pretty cool. Simon Rattle did an amazing job as conductor, kept everything on track even when things got a bit silly 
Anyway, the Schubert quintet slow movement was seriously beautiful – gave me chills 
. And I'm all about the cause too, supporting students through the Alfred Brendel Young Musician's Trust is awesome 
!
was seriously lit! I mean, can you imagine celebrating a life spanning centuries (okay maybe not, but it felt like it) with such energy and joy? The whole orchestra thing was like one big party, but still somehow classy and elegant 
. Simon Rattle's conducting skills are insane – he brought out the best in everyone on stage. And Brendel's poems 
added this hilarious layer of whimsy. It's amazing how music can bring people together across generations and cultures. The part that really got me was when András Schiff came out as a page-turner and then started playing JS Bach - pure surrealism! And the slow movement from Schubert's C major Quintet... chills 
And Harriet Walter's poem recitation skills are straight fire 
. It's like they were speaking directly to my soul. Acceptance, gratitude, and all that jazz... 
and I'm still trying to figure out how to use it lol 
anyway, i love when they play those short poems by Brendel, harriet walter sounds like a total brainiac 
. the takács quartet and brendel together in schubert's c major quintet... chills 
.
. It was clear everyone had a blast up there, and that energy translated to the audience 
meanwhile, the takács quartet & brendel's JS bach moment was just... wow 
, Harriet Walter's dry wit at the piano, and Pierre-Laurent Aimard's goofy energy