Andrew von Oeyen

Andrew von Oeyen, piano

J.S. Bach-Busoni — Nun komm’ der Heiden Heiland (BWV 659)

J.S. Bach — French Suite No. 5 in G Major

MacDowell— Rhapsodie: In ritmo tenebre (“Lasciate ogni Speranza Voi ch’entrate” Dante-Inferno)

Liszt — Mephisto Waltz No. 1

C. Massenet-von Oeyen —Méditation from Thaïs

C. Saint-Saëns — Danse Bacchanale from Samson et Dalila

O. Messiaen — Regard de l'Église d’amour (Gaze of the Church of Love) from Vingt Regard sur L’Enfant-Jésus (Twenty Regards on the Infant Jesus)

Delve into the warring realms of good and evil with piano virtuoso Andrew von Oeyen. The evening begins with the serene beauty of Bach’s Prelude from the Leipzig Chorale and the graceful elegance of his French Suite No. 5 in G Major. MacDowell’s darkly intense Rhapsodie, inspired by Dante’s Inferno, adds a dramatic turn, evoking the depths of despair. The program reaches a thrilling conclusion with Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz No. 1, a vivid portrayal of the devilish charm and frenetic energy of Mephistopheles. Von Oeyen’s insightful interpretations and technical brilliance promise a captivating performance, one that explores the full spectrum of the human condition through three centuries of beguiling music.

This presentation is part of the Grand Piano Series.

Program

Angels & Demons

An exciting glimpse into the proverbial bookends of the human condition: the good and the evil, angels and demons, darkness and light. Surrender to the catharsis of the beguiling music across 300 years.

“For Angels & Demons, I have brought together works of divine and demonic inspiration in keyboard, orchestral, operatic, and choral music spanning three centuries. It’s a journey into the darkest corners of human emotion, but also towards rapture and catharsis, confronting and contemplating the powerful forces that dwell above, below, among and within us.” – Andrew von Oeyen.

J.S. Bach/F. Busoni. Prelude from Organ Leipzig Chorale “Nun komm’ der Heiden Heiland,” BWV 659

J.S. Bach: French Suite No. 5 in G Major, BWV 816

E. MacDowell: Rhapsodie: In ritmo tenebre (“Lasciate ogni speranza Voi ch’entrate” Dante-Inferno) from First Modern Suite

F. Liszt: Mephisto Waltz No. 1, S. 514

Intermission

C. Massenet/A. von Oeyen: Méditation from Thaïs

C. Saint-Saëns: Danse Bacchanale from Samson et Dalila, transcribed for piano by the composer

O. Messiaen: Vingt Regards XX – Regard de l’Église d’amour

Andrew von Oeyen

Acclaimed internationally for his insightful, elegant artistry and brilliant technique, Andrew von Oeyen has established himself as one of the most captivating pianists of his generation.

Since his debut at age 16 with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and Esa-Pekka Salonen, von Oeyen has presented a wide range of concerto and solo repertoire at leading venues worldwide. He has appeared as a soloist with such ensembles as The Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Mariinsky Orchestra, Berlin Symphony, Prague Philharmonia, New Japan Philharmonic, Singapore Symphony Orchestra and many others.

His critically acclaimed solo and concerto albums include repertoire ranging from Bach and Beethoven to Debussy, Gershwin, Ravel and Saint-Saëns. Von Oeyen has reached broad audiences through televised performances, including PBS’s A Capitol Fourth, America’s largest live concert telecast to millions around the globe from the U.S. Capitol.

Von Oeyen began his piano studies at age 5 and made his solo orchestral debut at age 10. An alumnus of Columbia University and graduate of The Juilliard School, he won the prestigious Gilmore Young Artist Award in 1999 and also took First Prize in the Léni Fé Bland Foundation National Piano Competition in 2001. Von Oeyen lives in Los Angeles and Paris, where he holds both U.S. and French nationality.