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With a glass of wine in hand, the evening at the Hagenhaus began – an intimate setting where the audience could ease into what promised to be an extraordinary musical experience. As Marius Preda, Eduard Preda, and Ratko Zjaca took the stage, it was immediately clear: this would be no ordinary jazz concert.

From the very first note, the trio ignited an electrifying energy that carried through the entire program. Classic jazz standards and original compositions flowed seamlessly together, always infused with a distinct personal touch. Marius Preda, a multi-instrumentalist bursting with joy and creativity, explored unexpected soundscapes, while his son Eduard mesmerized at the piano with breathtaking virtuosity and deep sensitivity. Ratko Zjaca’s masterful guitar playing tied it all together into a captivating musical dialogue.

A particularly special moment came with an original composition by Eduard Preda, which visibly moved the audience. His piece showcased not only his remarkable musicianship but also a depth of emotion that held the entire room in breathless silence – until thunderous applause and standing ovations erupted.

It was an evening where the lines between stage and audience blurred, where music was not just performed but celebrated. A concert to remember.

There are concerts that captivate through virtuosity, others because they open up new perspectives. And then there are evenings where both come together – like this duo recital with Asya Fateyeva and Severin von Eckardstein.

The evening began with Debussy’s Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune, foreshadowing that this was not just about playing music but about painting atmospheres. Fateyeva’s saxophone replaced the original flute with a mesmerizing softness, while von Eckardstein let the impressionistic colors of the piano float weightlessly through the room.

Brahms’ Clarinet Sonata in E-flat major, performed here in a version for saxophone and piano, felt surprisingly organic. The saxophone lent a warm, almost vocal quality to the first movement, while the Allegro appassionato showcased the musicians’ virtuosity. Particularly in the finale, they struck a compelling balance between intimacy and drama.

Hindemith’s Viola Sonata provided a stark contrast. Here, the music’s rugged and angular language took center stage, shaped by Fateyeva with cool precision and sharply defined articulation. Von Eckardstein brought out Hindemith’s signature motoric energy on the piano without losing the music’s natural flow.

Finally, Gershwin: The Three Preludes became a dazzling homage to jazz. Rhythmically buoyant, with dance-like ease and sparkling improvisational flair, they provided a brilliant conclusion to an evening that was much more than just a stylistic journey. Fateyeva and von Eckardstein proved that great music does not depend on instrumentation but on the intensity of interpretation. The audience responded with enthusiastic applause.

Sometimes, everything just falls into place: an intimate concert hall, four musicians with boundless enthusiasm, and a program that didn’t try to mediate between classical and jazz but instead created its own language. The Frank Dupree Trio and trumpeter Simon Höfele filled the Hagenhaus with a shimmering soundscape, seamlessly blending Leonard Bernstein’s lively Rondo for Lifey with Miles Davis’ melancholic Blue in Green.

At the piano, Frank Dupree demonstrated that he is not only a brilliant classical interpreter but also deeply attuned to the groove of jazz. With Jakob Krupp on double bass and Obi Jenne on drums, the rhythm section became the pulsing heart of the evening—light and airy one moment, explosive the next. Simon Höfele, on the other hand, proved that the trumpet is a chameleon: warm and velvety in Michel Legrand’s You Must Believe in Spring, fiery and percussive in Dizzy Gillespie’s Manteca.

And then came An American in Paris—Gershwin in a Dupree arrangement: virtuosity, improvisation, a dialogue between structured composition and spontaneous freedom. This was more than just music; it was storytelling. The audience? Enthralled. An encore? Of course. This is what happens when classical and jazz don’t clash but melt into one.

On January 30, 2025, the Hagenhaus in Nendeln was treated to a piano recital that combined brilliance, intensity, and musicality in a way that few could match. The young, internationally renowned pianist Robert Neumann delivered a program that captivated the audience not only with technical perfection but also with an emotional depth that left a lasting impression.

The first part of the evening opened with Chopin’s 12 Etudes op. 25. Neumann played these pieces with a sense of ease that perfectly highlighted their virtuosity, while also bringing out the emotional nuances of each etude. The technical demands of the work were handled with naturalness, and every note seemed to come effortlessly yet with immense expressiveness.

In the second half, Neumann turned to Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition, showing his remarkable ability not only to execute the intricate passages but also to evoke the vivid imagery contained within the music. His interpretations of The Old Castle and The Gnome stood out, capturing both the whimsical and dramatic elements of the piece with flair and precision.

The audience was entranced from start to finish, rewarding Neumann with prolonged applause and standing ovations. This evening was another shining moment in the Thursday at the Hagenhaus series, proving once again that Robert Neumann has the rare ability to captivate and transport his listeners.

On January 23, 2025, the Hagenhaus in Nendeln hosted another extraordinary musical evening. Violinist Chouchane Siranossian and harpsichordist Max Volbers captivated the audience with an exquisite journey through the world of Baroque music as part of the Thursday at the Hagenhaus - Unplugged series.

The program was as diverse as it was demanding, showcasing the richness of Baroque composition. The evening opened with Francesco Rognoni’s Vestiva i colli, an intricate and expressive piece that set the tone for the night. Giovanni Antonio Pandolfi Mealli’s spirited Sonata La Cesta and Heinrich Ignaz Franz von Biber’s playful Sonata representativahighlighted Siranossian’s technical mastery and emotional depth. Soloing with Michelangelo Rossi’s Toccata settima, Volbers demonstrated the harpsichord’s surprising versatility and vivid expressiveness.

The pinnacle of the evening came with Giuseppe Tartini’s Le Trille du Diable. Siranossian delivered this devilishly challenging sonata with breathtaking virtuosity, her trills and cascades leaving the audience spellbound. François Francœur’s Violinsonata op. 2 No. 6 enchanted with its graceful dance-like movements, while Johann Sebastian Bach’s Violinsonata BWV 1023 provided the ideal framework to showcase the duo’s impeccable chemistry.

Siranossian’s deeply expressive yet delicate violin playing was perfectly complemented by Volbers’ rhythmic precision and dynamic command of tone. Together, they created moments of profound beauty and electrifying intensity.

The audience responded with thunderous applause, underscoring the impact of this remarkable performance. This evening was a vivid reminder that Baroque music is far from being confined to history – it remains as captivating, moving, and inspiring as ever.

On Thursday evening, the Hagenhaus in Nendeln transformed into a place of musical magic. Celebrated trumpeter Lucienne Renaudin Vary and accordion virtuoso Félicien Brut took the audience on a journey through diverse soundscapes – from classical virtuosity and French chansons to rhythmic ecstasy.

The program offered a captivating arc of tension: from Carl Höhne's Fantaisie Slave and Rafael Méndez’s Romance to Fabien Waksman’s Suite Perfect Match, premiered in 2023, the repertoire impressed with its variety and emotional depth. Félicien Brut captivated as a soloist with a finely nuanced arrangement of Michel Legrand’s Les Parapluies de Cherbourg, before the duo brought the evening to a musical climax with Leonard Bernstein’s *Tonight* and Richard Galliano’s Tango pour Claude.

Lucienne Renaudin Vary, with her unparalleled trumpet tone and charismatic stage presence, demonstrated in every note why she is among the most sought-after musicians of her generation. Félicien Brut complemented her perfectly: his accordion playing felt like an extension of his soul – intense, virtuosic, and full of passion.

The audience was overwhelmed. The standing ovations at the end of the concert were not only a sign of enthusiasm but also a mark of respect for the outstanding performance of these two artists.

The concert was more than a musical evening – it was an unforgettable experience. Lucienne Renaudin Vary and Félicien Brut proved that music can transcend boundaries and touch the heart directly.

On Thursday evening, the Hagenhaus in Nendeln became the stage for a musical exceptional event: to inaugurate the new concert series and celebrate Maurice Ravel’s 150th birthday, pianist Seong-Jin Cho presented all of the composer’s piano works—a program of almost superhuman ambition.

Cho captivated the audience with technical perfection and interpretative depth. From the playful humor of Sérénade grotesque to the poetic melancholy of Tombeau de Couperin, he immersed the audience in Ravel’s dazzling soundscapes. It was an evening that not only honored Ravel but also brought him to life.

Long Review
Maurice Ravel’s 150th Birthday: Seong-Jin Cho Launches Concert Series in Nendeln with a Masterwork Marathon

With Seong-Jin Cho and Ravel: The Hagenhaus in Nendeln transformed on Thursday evening into the venue for a historic piano concert. To kick off the new concert series, not only did Ravel’s compositions take center stage, but they were also brought to life by one of today’s finest pianists.

Seong-Jin Cho took on the seemingly impossible task of performing all of Maurice Ravel’s piano works in a single evening. The program was monumental yet never overwhelming, thanks to Cho’s ability to explore Ravel’s complexity in all its colors, textures, and emotions.

The evening began with the early works: in Sérénade grotesque, the young Ravel sparkled with humor, while Pavane pour une Infante défunte gave Cho the opportunity to showcase his lyrical sensitivity. With Jeux d'eau and the Sonatine, the first part reached an interpretative climax, where Cho’s technical brilliance made the shimmering water games truly shine.

After a short intermission, Miroirs and Gaspard de la Nuit followed as the central highlights of the evening. Here, Cho became a storyteller: the birds in Oiseaux tristes seemed to sing, while the dark drama of Scarbo left the audience breathless.

The second intermission provided a moment of respite before the final section offered an intimate glimpse into Ravel’s elegance and sophistication. Valses nobles et sentimentales danced between delicacy and irony, while Le Tombeau de Couperin concluded the evening with a homage to French Baroque music—a reflection of both sorrow and beauty.

Cho’s performance showcased not only technical precision but also a deep connection to Ravel’s sonic world. It was as if he was unfolding the facets of Ravel’s personality right before our ears: the dreamer, the perfectionist, the ironic humorist.

The audience in the sold-out Hagenhaus responded with standing ovations. An evening like this demonstrates that world-class artists like Seong-Jin Cho can fill not only grand concert halls but also intimate venues like Nendeln with magical moments. A spectacular start to the concert series—and a tribute to Ravel that is unparalleled.