Concerts of excellence

Mondi da Sogno – Dream Worlds | Vilde Frang II

Vilde Frang

Lawrence Power

Ilya Gringolts

Buy Tickets now

Date

Tuesday, 29.09

Hours 19:30

Location

Chiesa di S. Maria di Ponte, Brissago

6614 Brissago

Price categories

CHF 60 / 40 / 20

Chamber Music and Vocal Concerts

Concert information

Norwegian Nobel Prize-winning writer Bjørnstjerne Bjørnson once wrote of his homeland, “Norway is a country where nature is so powerful that man feels like only a guest in a dream.” Vilde Frang, an artist-in-residence from Oslo, invites listeners on a journey into musical dream worlds in this program. Eugène Ysaÿe’s Sonata for Two Violins, monumentally conceived, creates the illusion of an orchestral dreamscape with only two instruments. Dense motivic networks create a swirling stream of luminous sound colors. Norwegian composer Bjarne Brustad’s Caprices combine elements of Norwegian folk music with stylistic techniques from neoclassical music. Brustad translates the harsh, harmonically rich sound of the Hardangerfiedel through new 20th-century performance techniques.

Béla Bartók was deeply impressed by Zoltán Kodály’s Serenade for Two Violins and Viola and wrote, “This composition is an authentic modern product of Hungarian culture. It is extraordinarily rich in melody, exotic in character, and shaped by the strong rubato of ancient peasant music.”

Program

Vilde Frang, Violin
Artist in Residence 2026
Ilya Gringolts, Violin
Lawrence Power, Viola

Eugène Ysaÿe (1858-1931)
Sonata for 2 Violins in A minor op. posth.

[Piece for Solo Viola TBC]

Break

Bjarne Brustad (1895-1978)
Caprices for Violin and Viola

Zoltán Kodály (1882-1967)
Serenade for 2 Violins and viola op. 12

Duration: XX’ (break included)

The Artists

Vilde Frang

Violin

Is Vilde Frang a star? Judging by her successes, yes, yet on stage, she comes across as modest. She devotes herself entirely to the music – technically flawless, deeply felt, and full of life. Vilde Frang consistently plays what she finds artistically compelling – not what the audience or record company expects. She is regarded as one of the most courageous and expressive artists of her generation.

Lawrence Power

Viola

Lawrence Power is regarded as one of the leading violists and, as a co-founder of the Viola Commissioning Circle, is committed to promoting new works – viola concertos have been composed by MacMillan, Turnage, Adès, and Lindberg. He performs with orchestras such as the Chicago Symphony and the Royal Concertgebouw, teaches at the Zürcher Hochschule der Künste, and was an Associate Artist at Wigmore Hall.

Ilya Gringolts

Violin

Ilya Gringolts studied with Itzhak Perlman and won the Premio Paganini in 1998. He devotes himself to orchestral repertoire as well as contemporary and rare works; he is also enthusiastic about historical performance practice. Gringolts inspires with his highly virtuosic playing and his sophisticated interpretations. He teaches at the ZHdK and plays a Stradivarius from 1718.

Venue information: Chiesa di S. Maria di Ponte, Brissago

Brissago’s idyllic church, located directly on the lake’s shore, was built between 1526 and 1585, designed by architect Giovanni Beretta and later by his son Pietro. It is one of the most important Renaissance buildings in the region and features an octagonal dome with surrounding loggias, as well as a clear reference to the Lombard Bramante tradition. With its harmonious Latin-cross shape, dominant bell tower, and elegant interplay of windows and granite pillars, it offers a unique cultural and acoustic environment where music and architecture blend impressively.