Igor Stravinsky’s most famous composition is without a doubt the revolutionary Le sacre du printemps, written in 1913 for Sergej Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes. Though the terms of the composer’s will forbid any adaptation of Le sacre, the Dutch pianist and composer Maarten Bon nonetheless received permission from Stravinsky’s heirs to write an arrangement of this piece for four pianos.
Today, two Russian and two Dutch musicians perform this exclusive Russian-Dutch variation. Olga Kozlova and Vitaly Pisarenko won second prize (in 2011) and first prize (in 2008), respectively, at the International Franz Liszt Piano Competition; Maarten van Veen and Ralph van Raat are among the best Dutch pianists performing today. Playing eight-handed, these four pianists are ready to take on the Stravinsky challenge. Completing this programme is Claude Debussy’s Jeux, also written for the Ballet Russes in 1913.
his performance is part a partnership in the context of the Netherlands - Russia Year 2013.