Alexander Krichel

Clothes talk. Someone who whips out a sparkly dress instead of overalls looks completely different – even if it's the same person wearing it.

Musical variations function in a similar way: one and the same theme is always heard in a new costume, where even ancient pieces can be revamped in a modern way. Johannes Brahms, for example, dug out a simple, beautifully decorated Handel gem in 1861 and combined it with his romantic wardrobe: from velvety soft to extravagantly expansive – sturdy shoes in the bass promise sure footedness. Rachmaninoff, on the other hand, layers several garments in his “Variations on a Theme of Corelli”: sporty virtuosity, jazzy glamour, baroque ornamentation. So really any outfit is welcome at this opening concert in Göttingen!