Picture gallery

For the coming year-end celebration we can hear two of the most popular Hungarian Dances by Brahms, as well as three of the Slavonic Dances by Dvořák, both primitive and elegant rhythms from the geographical center of Europe, so rich in musical tradition. Not quite as well-known are the melodies from the ballet Gayaneh by the Soviet Armenian composer Aram Khachaturian – but at least one piece from this work – the famous “Sabre Dance” – is familiar to any music fan. An exciting counterpoint is the third movement of Paul Hindemith’s Symphonic Dances.

The programme will be complemented with Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No.3. After his New Year’s Eve concert performance in 2009, the very gifted pianist Lang Lang is now returning to the stage of Berlin’s Philharmonic Hall. His brilliant, sensitive piano playing – which always sounds spontaneous despite all his artistry – equally wows musician colleagues and the public.