Jörg Widmann in conversation with Dominik Wollenweber (17 min.)

The flute and the violin concerto by Jörg Widmann had already been performed by the Berliner Philharmoniker when the orchestra premiered the first piano concerto by the composer under the direction of Simon Rattle in December 2014. To mark this event, Widmann was interviewed by Dominik Wollenweber, who has played cor anglais with the Berliner Philharmoniker since 1993. In the discussion between the two musicians who have known each other since their school orchestra days, Widmann talks about the genesis of his Piano Concerto, his respect for this tonally sensitive genre and his admiration for the soloist of the premiere, the Russian pianist Yefim Bronfman, who served as Artist in Residence of the Berliner Philharmoniker in the 2004/2005 season. Jörg Widmann is himself a globally successful clarinetist who creates his works from a precise knowledge of instrumental performance. Why he occasionally goes to the limits of the near impossible in his compositions, is also revealed in this conversation.