Chamber Music at Bryggen is a brand-new initiative at Mogens Dahl Concert Hall. In collaboration with Trio con Brio Copenhagen, the very best elements of the Chamber Music at Lundsgaard festival are presented in a single, concentrated day. The unique setting will be used to its fullest: the Concert Hall, GARAGE, and especially the courtyard will overflow with music, offering a vibrant, summery festival atmosphere—complete with delicious food and a lounge area with an open bar. Participating artists include:Trio con Brio CopenhagenThe Marmén Quartet (string quartet) Violinist Andrej BielowViolist Hélène ClémentThe Ernö Kallai Kiss Gypsy BandCellist Jonathan SwensenViolinist Michael Germer. Program 16:00-18.00 Double concert En Blanc et Noir. Experience two vastly different concerts and feel how music and performance space interact when the two halves of the concert take place simultaneously in separate halls — and the audience switches rooms during the intermission. Here, the contrasts in atmosphere and sound world are striking: in the bright and sunlit Concert Hall, we will hear the heavenly tones of Schubert. In GARAGE, we shut out the light and immerse ourselves in the edgy, intense music of the 20th century. Concert HallEn BlancThe program features Schubert’s Piano Trio in B-flat major, introduced by Jens Elvekjær.GARAGE Et Noir The program includes Ravel’s Duo, a selection of Gypsy tunes, Britten’s Elegy, and Bartók’s String Quartet No. 3, with an introduction by Esben Tange. 18:00 to 19:00The Ernö Kallai Kiss Gypsy Band with guest artists takes over the courtyard with virtuosic and festive music from Hungary and Eastern Europe. During this time, food and drinks will be available in the courtyard and on the rooftop terrace. 19:00-19.20There will be a pre-concert talk by Esben Tange, preparing audiences to get the most out of the evening’s musical experience. 19:30-20.45The festive evening concert Carnival at Bryggen begins. The program includes Paganini’s Carnival of Venice, a new AI-composed piece by Lukawski created specifically for Chamber Music at Lundsgaard, Suk’s Piano Quartet, Georgi Zlatev-Cherkin’s Sevdana, and Enescu’s Octet. 21:00-22:30 The bar is open. String lights will be turned on, and a cozy lounge atmosphere will set the scene for guests to stay, chat with one another and the performers, and digest the day’s musical experiences.

8. september 2025, 8PMAnna Lucia Richter (mezzosoprano) & Ammiel Bushakevitz (piano)29. september 2025, 8PMMarianna Shirinyan (piano) & Torleif Thedéen (cello)12. oktober 2025, 8PMQuatuor Ébène4. november 2025, 8PMSabine Meyer (clarinet) Nils Mönkemeyer (bratsch) & William Youn (piano)16. novemebr 2025, 8PMMao Fujita (piano solo)

Join us for another beautiful Lied evening at the Mogens Dahl Concert Hall, as the young German star, mezzo-soprano Anna Lucia Richter, visits Islands Brygge to open our autumn concert series. The art of solo song with piano accompaniment is the very essence of Romantic chamber music — and it finds its perfect setting in the light, intimate surroundings of our concert hall.It was Franz Schubert who, at just 17 years of age, marked a turning point in the history of the Lied with his masterpiece Gretchen am Spinnrade, paving the way for a long line of predominantly German composers of the genre. Among them was Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, only slightly older, whose songs — though not as groundbreaking or varied as Schubert’s — are refined and marked by great clarity.A demanding career as a conductor meant that Gustav Mahler had to carefully prioritise his compositional efforts, which he focused primarily on songs and symphonies — often in dialogue with each other. His collection Des Knaben Wunderhorn, based on folk poetry, is a clear example, with themes that reappear in several of his symphonies.Where Mahler’s music often straddles the line between tradition and the early stirrings of modernism, Johannes Brahms openly embraced the legacy of Bach, Beethoven, and even Renaissance music. His nearly 200 Lieder with piano accompaniment represent a pinnacle of the genre — in many ways completing the arc that Schubert began.Anna Lucia Richter appears regularly on the world’s leading concert and opera stages, equally accomplished in both recital and operatic repertoire. She has collaborated with renowned pianists including Sir András Schiff and Mitsuko Uchida. For this concert, she will be joined by the young but highly accomplished pianist Ammiel Bushakevitz. PROGRAM Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809–1847): 6 Songs, Op. 34 Minnelied Auf Flügeln des Gesanges Frühlingslied Suleika Sonntagslied Reiselied   Franz Schubert (1797–1828): Selected Songs Der Einsame Gretchen am Spinnrade Wiegenlied Auf dem Wasser zu singen Der Wanderer an den Mond *** Gustav Mahler (1860–1911): From "Des Knaben Wunderhorn" Rheinlegendchen Urlicht Das irdische Leben Lob des hohen Verstandes Wer hat dies Liedlein erdacht Johannes Brahms (1833–1897): Selected Songs Vergebliches Ständchen Feldeinsamkeit Verzagen Die Mainacht Von ewiger Liebe

Once again this year, Mogens Dahl Chamber Choir closes the annual Copenhagen-based Golden Days Festival. Golden Days is a cultural-historical festival that explores themes of history, science, and culture. The 2025 edition of the festival is themed “Love,” and in response to this, Mogens Dahl Chamber Choir presents a beautiful programme of love-themed music by Johannes Brahms. There are few singers who have not performed Brahms’ choral music. He was an immensely prolific composer in the genre, and his choral works are of the highest artistic quality. The two collections Sieben Lieder, opus 62 and Fünf Gesänge, opus 104, are both written for unaccompanied choir and contain some of Brahms’ most beloved choral pieces – including Waldesnacht (in opus 62). While Sieben Lieder is written in a light folk-song style—though not true folk songs—Fünf Gesänge is more complex, composed later in life when Brahms had definitively chosen a life of bachelorhood and was reflecting on lost youth, the approaching autumn of life, and its inevitable end. The Liebeslieder, opus 52, consists of 18 short movements for four voices and piano four-hands. The texts are drawn from G.F. Daumer’s collection of folk songs and love poems. This flamboyant work may have been composed during the early realisation of Brahms’ deep longing for Clara Schumann — a love that was never fulfilled. Between the three choral collections, pianists Rikke Sandberg and Kristoffer Hyldig will perform Brahms’ Waltzes, opus 39, composed during his time in Vienna. According to Brahms himself, the waltzes were written both as a tribute to the genre that was so beloved in Vienna, and while his thoughts were filled with “Vienna and pretty girls.” Here, the hope of love’s fulfilment still lives on.PROGRAMME JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833–1897):Sieben Lieder, Op. 62 (1873–74)Waltzes, Op. 39 for piano four-hands, Nos. 1–8 (1865)Fünf Gesänge, Op. 104 (1888) ***Waltzes, Op. 39 for piano four-hands, Nos. 9–16Liebeslieder, Op. 52 (1869) Performers: Mogens Dahl Chamber Choir Piano: Rikke Sandberg and Kristoffer Hyldig Conductor: Mogens Dahl

Marianna Shirinyan is one of Denmark’s most beloved pianists, known for her vibrant and virtuosic playing. She performs worldwide as both a soloist and chamber musician. Together with Swedish cellist Torleif Thedéen — another of the Nordic region’s most distinguished soloists — she has formed a true power duo. For this concert, they present an exceptionally engaging programme. Dmitri Shostakovich is always a fascinating acquaintance, and here his music takes a new turn. His five piano preludes from 1919–21 are performed in a striking arrangement for piano and cello by composer Lera Auerbach (b. 1973). The American composer Samuel Barber wrote his Sonata for Cello and Piano at the age of just 22, marking his major breakthrough. Echoes of Brahms can be heard in this powerful work, which earned Barber both a Pulitzer travel grant and a prize from the American Academy in Rome. Edvard Grieg also wrote a Sonata for Cello and Piano, composed after a pause in his output due to illness and work pressures. The material draws on several of his earlier pieces, including a funeral march written in memory of Rikard Nordraak. A completely different sonic world awaits the listener in the music of Toru Takemitsu. Widely regarded as the most significant Japanese composer of his generation, Takemitsu merged traditional Japanese music with Western avant-garde techniques. His exploration of tone colour is central, using unconventional playing techniques and microtonality — heard here in the cello part — to extraordinary effect. Orion, his only work for cello and piano, is a reworking of an orchestral piece inspired by the symbolic significance of the three stars in Orion’s Belt. Finally, the programme includes two early works for cello and piano by Anton Webern, composed in a distinctly Romantic idiom — from before his later turn to atonality. PROGRAMME Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975): 5 Preludes (arranged by Lera Auerbach) Samuel Barber (1910–1981): Cello Sonata Anton Webern (1883–1945): Two Pieces for Cello and Piano ***Toru Takemitsu (1930–1996): Orion Edvard Grieg (1843–1907): Cello Sonata

The Ébène Quartet is arguably the most sought-after string quartet of the moment, and their tour repertoire is nothing short of impressive. The ensemble maintains an awe-inspiring level of performance, characterised by an almost electric presence on stage and a constant pursuit of connection with the audience. The programme opens with Mozart’s String Quartet No. 15, part of the set of six quartets, Opus 10, dedicated to his friend and mentor Joseph Haydn. While Haydn is often referred to as the father of the string quartet, Mozart can be seen as the composer who, inspired by Haydn’s own quartets, evolved the genre in ways that paved the path for Beethoven’s groundbreaking contributions. Haydn and Mozart held deep mutual admiration, and Haydn notably praised the six quartets of Opus 10 for their assured musicianship and unparalleled thematic richness. The evening concludes with Johannes Brahms’ String Quartet No. 2, composed in 1873. Brahms wrestled for many years with the form before feeling ready to publish and perform his quartets. He is said to have measured his efforts against Mozart’s six “Haydn” quartets, all while feeling overshadowed by Beethoven’s pioneering legacy in the genre. Only with his first and second string quartets did Brahms feel he had finally succeeded. There is, in other words, a clear line of connection between the quartets of Mozart and Brahms — a line that leads us toward Claude Debussy’s String Quartet, composed in 1892 when Debussy was 31 years old. Just twenty years separate the works of Brahms and Debussy, yet their musical language reveals an entirely different world. Debussy’s quartet (which the Ébène Quartet has recorded) is overtly impressionistic in its free treatment of tonal relationships. One of Debussy’s composer colleagues even remarked on a discernible Russian influence, particularly in the first two movements. The string quartet, as a form of expression, has continued to inspire and challenge composers to this day. This evening, we experience both its origins and a beautiful, vital step along its ongoing journey. PROGRAMME W.A. Mozart (1756–1791): String Quartet No. 15 in D minor, K. 421 Claude Debussy (1862–1918): String Quartet in G minor, Op. 10 *** Johannes Brahms (1833–1897): String Quartet in A minor, Op. 51 No. 2

At this year’s traditional All Saints’ Concert, the Mogens Dahl Chamber Choir will celebrate the light of hope that can only be seen in darkness. Classical music began in the Middle Ages as an attempt to imitate the heavenly song of angels, and the belief that eternity holds a music beyond understanding has always offered comfort and inspiration. The programme for this concert is drawn from that tradition — a musical reflection on life and death in the light of eternity. Bach’s music was a major inspiration for Johannes Brahms, who in 1877 dedicated his choral work Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Müseligen to the great Bach scholar Philipp Spitta. The entire motet turns around the profound question: “Why?” — If God is almighty and merciful, why is there so much suffering in the world? The piece concludes with a chorale text based on Simeon’s Song of Praise, as paraphrased by Martin Luther. Here, the struggle has ended, and the weary soul finds rest and comfort in the belief that death does not have the final word. Herbert Howells composed his Requiem for unaccompanied a cappella choir (occasionally divided into double choir) in 1933 for King’s College, Cambridge. The music of the English composer Howells is far more intricate than much other choral music of the period, which still largely followed the Austro-German tradition that had dominated English music for two centuries. His long, unfolding melodies are seamlessly woven into richly layered textures. The harmonic language is modal, chromatic, and frequently dissonant; the overarching style is free, impassioned, and impressionistic — altogether giving Howells’ music a distinctly visionary quality. The concert concludes with Gabriel Fauré’s radiant Requiem in D minor from 1893: a Romantic masterpiece that gently and confidently sings of eternal peace and the song of angels, with luminous melodies and pure harmonies.PROGRAMME Johannes Brahms (1833–1897): Warum ist das Licht gegeben dem Müseligen, Op. 74 No. 1 (1878)Herbert Howells (1892–1983): Requiem (1936)G. Fauré (1845–1924): Requiem, Op. 48 (1887)Performers:Mogens Dahl Chamber Choir Organ: Jakob Lorentzen Violin: Jon Gjesme Viola: Iben Teilmann & Ida Speyer Grøn Cello: Henrik Brendstrup & Øystein Sonstad Double Bass: Katrine Øigaard Conductor: Mogens Dahl

The German clarinettist Sabine Meyer became internationally renowned at a young age when, as the first woman, she won the position of solo clarinettist with the Berlin Philharmonic under Herbert von Karajan. Since then, she has toured the world extensively. Now, she has decided to retire from her career, but will undertake a final farewell tour in 2025. For this concert, she is joined by two additional star musicians: Nils Mönkemeyer on viola and William Youn on piano. The evening's programme is framed by two works written for the ensemble of clarinet, viola, and piano – an ensemble for which Mozart was the first to compose a piece in 1786, significantly contributing to the establishment of the clarinet as a classical instrument. At the time, the clarinet was a relatively new instrument, but it quickly found its place as a fully integrated and widely used instrument in both orchestral and chamber music. Schumann’s Clarinet Trio was one of the last works he completed, and he himself wrote that he was inspired by the "picturesque and imaginative," but otherwise gave no indication of which fairy tales the work might allude to – this is for the listener to interpret. Max Bruch was a (late) Romantic composer who has since somewhat faded into obscurity, aside from his popular first violin concerto. Therefore, it is a great addition to the evening’s programme to include Bruch’s contribution to the clarinet trio repertoire. The work, written late in his career and dedicated to his son Max Felix, a young professional clarinettist, consists of 8 short movements. In these movements, Bruch explores various constellations of the three instruments, dressed in lyrical melodies and refined Romantic harmony. In between these two works, the three musicians will perform Bartók's Romanian Folk Dances for viola and piano, Ravel’s Une barque sur l’océan from Miroirs for solo piano, and a movement from Mendelssohn’s Sonata in E-flat major for clarinet and piano. PROGRAMME Robert Schumann (1810 – 1856): Märchenerzählungen (Fairy Tales) for Clarinet Trio Maurice Ravel (1875 – 1937): Une barque sur l’océan (A Boat on the Ocean) from "Miroirs" for solo piano Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809 – 1847): Sonata in E-dur – 2nd movement ‘Andante’, for Clarinet and Piano Béla Bartók (1881 – 1945): Romanian Folk Dances for Viola and Piano ***Max Bruch (1838 – 1920): Eight Pieces, Opus 83, for Clarinet Trio

The young Japanese piano sensation Mao Fujita is only 25 years old, yet he has already attracted significant international attention. In recent years, he has made his debut with many of the world’s leading symphony orchestras and most renowned conductors. In 2023, he was awarded the Opus Klassik prize for his recording of the complete Mozart piano sonatas for Sony. On this occasion, Fujita will not be performing Mozart, but instead opens the evening with an early Beethoven sonata as the start of a rich and varied solo recital. Beethoven’s piano sonatas are among the great monuments not only of the piano repertoire, but of classical music as a whole. At his concert in Mogens Dahl Concert Hall, Fujita will perform Beethoven’s First Piano Sonata — a work that still draws inspiration from Haydn and Mozart, yet foreshadows the bold innovations to come. The piano sonata is a form that most composers have wished to explore. This includes Johannes Brahms, himself a highly accomplished pianist. It is therefore somewhat paradoxical that he wrote only three sonatas — all youthful works. His Sonata No. 1, opus 1, like Beethoven’s, is in four movements and was praised by Robert Schumann, who also recommended it to his publisher. It is a work that radiates youthful daring and a desire to display virtuosity, drama, and technical finesse. The programme also includes two shorter pieces by Richard Wagner: an early Albumblatt dedicated to Princess Metternich, and Franz Liszt’s famous transcription of Isolde’s Liebestod from the opera Tristan und Isolde — a tribute from friend and father-in-law. Alban Berg’s Variations on an Original Theme is not a typical work for the composer — its tonality and melodic development are distinctly classical in nature. The theme-and-variations form is a familiar one, which Felix Mendelssohn also embraced in his Variations sérieuses, comprising 17 variations on an original theme.PROGRAMMELudwig van Beethoven (1770–1827): Piano Sonata No. 1 in F minor, Op. 2 No. 1 Richard Wagner (1813–1883): "Ein Albumblatt" WWV 94 Alban Berg (1885–1935): 12 Variations on an Original Theme for piano (1908) Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy (1809–1847): Variations sérieuses, Op. 54 ***Johannes Brahms (1833–1897): Piano Sonata No. 1, Op. 1 Richard Wagner / Franz Liszt: Isolde’s Liebestod

Once again this year, Mogens Dahl Chamber Choir presents exquisite performances of Handel’s seemingly indestructible classic Messiah, in collaboration with the outstanding British ensemble, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and a lineup of international soloists. For Mogens Dahl and his Chamber Choir, performing Messiah has, over the years, become a journey — a process of gradually drawing closer to the essence of the work. The choice of the renowned Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment was a natural one. Since its founding in 1986, this British orchestra has been driven by a curiosity to approach music in new and more open ways. Their name reflects this spirit, inspired by the Enlightenment’s relentless desire to question, explore, and discover. The orchestra performs on period instruments, closely matching those used at the time the works were composed—an essential step toward achieving a more authentic sound. This approach is mirrored by the Chamber Choir, which performs with a far smaller ensemble than is often heard today. Historical sources suggest that just 32 singers took part in the original Dublin performance in April 1742. Even in Handel’s own lifetime, Messiah was performed in a variety of versions, shaped by circumstances and experience. As such, it is nearly impossible to know precisely what a performance would have sounded like in Handel’s day. One must let the music speak — and with this performance, Mogens Dahl Chamber Choir and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment come as close as possible to an authentic Messiah.PERFORMERSInternational soloists Mogens Dahl Chamber Choir Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Conductor: Mogens Dahl

Once again this year, Mogens Dahl Chamber Choir presents exquisite performances of Handel’s seemingly indestructible classic Messiah, in collaboration with the outstanding British ensemble, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and a lineup of international soloists. For Mogens Dahl and his Chamber Choir, performing Messiah has, over the years, become a journey — a process of gradually drawing closer to the essence of the work. The choice of the renowned Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment was a natural one. Since its founding in 1986, this British orchestra has been driven by a curiosity to approach music in new and more open ways. Their name reflects this spirit, inspired by the Enlightenment’s relentless desire to question, explore, and discover. The orchestra performs on period instruments, closely matching those used at the time the works were composed—an essential step toward achieving a more authentic sound. This approach is mirrored by the Chamber Choir, which performs with a far smaller ensemble than is often heard today. Historical sources suggest that just 32 singers took part in the original Dublin performance in April 1742. Even in Handel’s own lifetime, Messiah was performed in a variety of versions, shaped by circumstances and experience. As such, it is nearly impossible to know precisely what a performance would have sounded like in Handel’s day. One must let the music speak — and with this performance, Mogens Dahl Chamber Choir and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment come as close as possible to an authentic Messiah.PERFORMERSInternational soloists Mogens Dahl Chamber Choir Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Conductor: Mogens Dahl