2016 Summer-night Concert from Vienna

MUSIC: Te Deum: Marche en rondeau by Marc-Antoine Charpentier

APPLAUSE

Hello and a very warm welcome to this summer night concert

from the magnificent gardens of the Schonbrunn Palace

overlooking the city of Vienna.

The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra is joined this year

by the Russian-born conductor Semyon Bychkov,

and we start with music by Bizet.

APPLAUSE

The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra getting our summer night

off to an energetic start there

with the Farandole from L'Arlesienne by Bizet.

Tonight's concert is a real selection of French fancies,

and there'll be a chance to get your dancing shoes on later too,

but first a short diversion to Hungary,

care of French composer Hector Berlioz and the Rakoczi March

from his Damnation Of Faust.

APPLAUSE

The Rakoczi March from Berlioz's Damnation Of Faust.

Semyon Bychkov has worked with most of the world's greatest orchestras,

and it was during his time as music director of the Orchestre de Paris

that he says he really began to appreciate French music.

It was also where he met his wife,

pianist Marielle Labeque, who - together with her sister Katia -

form arguably the most famous piano duo performing today.

And they join us now at the Schonbrunn Palace Gardens

to perform Poulenc's Concerto In D Minor

for two pianos, and orchestra.

The sisters love playing this piece. It's been in their repertoire

since the start of their careers,

and it's still a favourite after more than 40 years

of playing together.

It's a work that Marielle describes as "a very, very beautiful piece

"that gives me a lot of energy."

APPLAUSE

APPLAUSE

Concerto for two pianos

and orchestra played by the Labeque sisters

with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra,

conducted by Semyon Bychkov.

It is an extraordinary piece

and a real chance for the sisters to demonstrate their virtuosity.

Written in 1932, Poulenc combined many

influences from all over the world into the Concerto.

You may have detected a touch of French chanson,

a hint of Balinese gamelan,

a morsel of Mozart and a splash of Stravinsky amongst others.

The stunning dresses the sisters are wearing were designed

especially for this concert by Riccardo Tisci.

Every sequin individually sewn on by hand.

The audience here at the Schonbrunn Palace Gardens

don't seem to want the Labeque sisters to go,

and it looks as though we're going to hear a little more from them now.

APPLAUSE

Well, what a treat! An encore by Katia and Marielle Labeque

of that perennial favourite, the Finale from Carnival of the Animals

by French composer Camille Saint-Saens.

APPLAUSE CONTINUES

Semyon Bychkov joining his wife Marielle and her sister Katia

to receive the warm applause from the audience here

in the Schonbrunn Palace Gardens.

The Gardens are only open on this one night every year,

so this is a rare opportunity, not only to enjoy some wonderful music,

but to experience the park at night and be part of this great tradition.

Our next French composer is Maurice Ravel

and we're going to hear two of his best-loved works.

In a moment, the remarkable Bolero,

but first we'll hear a suite of music

from his ballet Daphnis And Chloe.

The story is about the love between the Grecian goatherd Daphnis

and the shepherdess Chloe, and Ravel's music is widely regarded

as his masterpiece for orchestra,

evoking the sun-baked Greek islands dreamingly overflowing

with the birds and nymphs.

APPLAUSE

Ravel's sublime music from his ballet Daphnis And Chloe.

A special call for flautist Karl-Heinz Schutz.

The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Semyon Bychkov.

I think you have to agree with Stravinsky's opinion

of that being one of the most beautiful products

of all French music.

Perfect for this lovely summer's evening in Vienna.

Now for one of the most instantly recognisable pieces of music

in the world.

Composed by Ravel in 1928 for his friend, the dancer Ida Rubinstein,

who'd asked him to write her a piece.

It was originally called Fandango,

but Ravel changed the name of the piece to Bolero.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Ravel's Bolero played there in all its rhythmic

and mesmerising splendour by the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra,

conducted by Semyon Bychkov.

Ravel was somewhat surprised by the success of Bolero,

joking to a friend that, "I've only written one masterpiece,

"but unfortunately there's no music in it."

But it is undoubtedly his most popular work,

certainly with the crowd here in the Schonbrunn Palace Gardens.

I think the orchestra enjoyed playing that too.

Conductor Semyon Bychkov acknowledging all the featured

members of the orchestra in their fantastic rendition.

He's worked with the Vienna Philharmonic before, of course,

but this is his first time at the Schonbrunn Palace Gardens,

and he is clearly loving every minute of it.

APPLAUSE CONTINUES

That sparkling performance brings to an end

the official Summer Night Concert from Vienna,

but I did promise you a chance to get out your dancing shoes,

and here we go,

with possibly the most exciting dance number ever composed.

Originally written for Offenbach's Orpheus In The Underworld,

the Galop Infernal has become one of the best known dance tunes ever.

We, of course, know it simply as the Can-Can.

Doesn't come much more French than this.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Featured in the final act of Orpheus In The Underworld

during a party scene in hell, the Can-Can by Offenbach.

Offenbach was actually born in Germany,

but he gained his French citizenship in 1860,

and Rossini famously referred to him as the Mozart of the Champs-Elysees.

Now for our final piece of the evening.

It simply wouldn't be a summer night in Vienna without a waltz.

CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Well, after our tour of the best

and brightest French classical tunes,

the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra,

under the baton of Semyon Bychkov, brings us back home

with the legendary Wiener Blut, Viennese Blood,

written by Johann Strauss Jr,

and closing this concert from the stunning Schonbrunn Palace Gardens.

Thank you so much for joining us on this summer's night in Vienna.

From me, Katie Derham, goodbye.

APPLAUSE CONTINUES

APPLAUSE CONTINUES

MUSIC: Te Deum: Marche en rondeau by Marc-Antoine Charpentier