Pollini Perspectives – Composition commission issued to Salvatore Sciarrino

Lucerne Festival, Switzerland

Maurizio Pollini is one of the most outstanding pianists of our times. He not only devotes himself to superior interpretations of the classical-romantic repertoire but also, more specifically, to the Second Vienna School and the modern age (Nono, Boulez, Stockhausen and others). The close cooperation of the Lucerne Festival with Italian master pianist Maurizio Pollini culminates in a concert cycle starting in 2011 and extending over two summer festivals which will be entitled “Pollini Perspectives”. In four concerts Maurizio Pollini will combine a short Beethoven cycle, a chronological performance of Piano Sonata Nos. 21 to 32, with the latest piano music. For this the festival issued commissioned works to Giacomo Manzoni and, with the support of the Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation, to Salvatore Sciarrino. Maurizio Pollini asked the composers to combine the piano with other instruments. Which means Giacomo Manzoni composed a song cycle for soprano, piano, clarinet, viola and percussion in 2011; Salvatore Sciarrino is writing a new work for piano, vocal soloist and ensemble.

Premiere:
August 30th 2012 
Konzertsaal im KKL, Lucerne

Further Information:
www.lucernefestival.ch