Chailly, Malofeev & La Scala Philharmonic

As a solemn prologue to the Bruckner Festival Linz 2026, Riccardo Chailly and his Filarmonica della Scala will present two famous fourth works on the occasion of Anton Bruckner's 202nd birthday. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's 4th Symphony was composed in 1877, simultaneously with Bruckner's Fourth, which Tchaikovsky regarded as one of the few "outstanding German composers." It is a work full of energy, drama, and biographical depth, oscillating between fate motifs and a lively 'festive' finale – a parallel to Bruckner's Fourth as well – which Tchaikovsky dedicated to his "best friend"; referring to his pen pal and patroness Nadezhda von Meck. In contrast, Sergei Rachmaninoff's brilliant 4th Piano Concerto stands out. Composed exactly 100 years ago as his first work after emigrating to the USA, it straddles the romantic tradition with one foot while the other is immersed in a modernity infused with expanded tonality, popular music, and jazz. The exceptional Russian pianist Alexander Malofeev will return to the Brucknerhaus as the soloist for this performance.