Beethoven - Fantasy in C minor for Piano, Chorus, and Orchestra, Op. 80

Conductor: Claudio Abbado Pianist: Evgeny Kissin Berliner Philharmoniker RIAS Kammerchor Cheryl Studer Kristina Clemenz Camille Capasso John Aler Hiroshi Oshima Friedrich Molsberger Date: 1991 The Choral Fantasy was written in just a couple of weeks during early-to-mid December, 1808. It had its first performance at the Akademie (benefit concert) of 22 December 1808, which also saw the premieres of the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies and the Fourth Piano Concerto as well as a performance of excerpts of the Mass in C major. To conclude this memorable concert program, Beethoven wanted a “brilliant Finale“ that would unite in a single piece the different musical elements highlighted in the concert night: piano solo, chorus and orchestra. The Fantasia, Op. 80, written shortly prior, was thus composed expressly to fulfil this role. Beethoven himself played the piano part and the opening solo offers an example of his improvisational style (at the premiere he did, in fact, improvise this section). The Choral Fantas