Event info

2024 marks a hundred years since the passing of one of the greatest pianists of all time, the Italian Ferruccio Busoni. In addition to being an incomparable soloist, Busoni was a magnificent composer and conductor. He is best known today for his beautiful piano transcriptions of works by Johann Sebastian Bach. But his own compositions are no less brilliant, and many felt that his music united the musical ideals of opposite camps of the 19th century – Brahms on the one hand, and Liszt and Wagner on the other. His piano concerto is one of the most epic and grand pieces of its kind and, in many ways, defies the laws of form. It is particularly exciting to witness one of the foremost pianists of our time, Britain's Benjamin Grosvenor, perform this piece with the ISO and the Fóstbæður Men's Choir. The presence of the choir is one of the unusual features of the piece. Setting the stage for the most extravagant piano concerto in history is the compact 'Classical' Symphony by Prokofiev. It harkens back to the aesthetics of the 18th century and is full of imagination and brilliant craftsmanship despite being only a quarter of an hour in length.

Sergei Prokofiev
Classical Symphony

Ferruccio Busoni
Piano Concerto

Kornilios Michailidis
conductor

Benjamin Grosvenor
piano

Fóstbræður Men's Choir

Árni Harðarson
choir director