One of the greatest evenings in the Golden Hall of the Vienna Musikverein in 2017 was without any doubt the festive concert for the 90th birthday of Paul Badura-Skoda on 15 October. The standing ovation in the audience's welcome to Badura-Skoda was a prelude to a pianistic moment of glory for all those involved, something they had hardly ever experienced before in this intimacy. The following piano marathon, which Paul Badura-Skoda mastered with flying colours, would have demanded the utmost respect from the audience even with a half-old pianist.

The programme featured six Bagatelles and the three last piano sonatas by Beethoven, a programme which by means of Paul Badura-Skoda’s interpretation allowed in addition to a demonstration of his stupendous technique for a spiritual and emotional penetration of this crowning Beethovenian piano music, enthusing the audience.

The evening ended as it had begun – with unanimously standing ovation of an audience that bid its darling farewell with a storm of applause and flower greetings, and that itself was walking out into this October night with blessed and overflowing hearts, an October which was one of the warmest since weather records began.

Luckily, this unique concert on 15 October 2017 was recorded, so this DVD also conveys the atmospheric impetus of this great evening in the Wiener Musikverein. And maybe the warmth of this starry October night is still to be felt.

Paul Badura-Skoda’s teacher was Edwin Fischer; his discoverer Wilhelm Furtwängler. His composer friend, Frank Martin, composed a piano concerto for him and he shared a long professional friendship with the great Russian violinist David Oistrakh.

Paul Badura-Skoda has long been a symbol of the cultivation of Viennese classical music. The holder of the prestigious Bösendorfer-Ring, he is a celebrated guest at major international music festivals.

Bonus: Interview with Paul Badura-Skoda by Gerhard Kanzian

Video format: PAL
Aspect ratio: 16:9
Region code: 0
Audio: 2.0 Stereo
Total time: 81:22