For Augustin Hadelich, Mozart's music tells stories. "He was a composer who always thought dramatically, in terms of story arcs - and much of his instrumental music is composed in exactly this way."

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Augustin Hadelich

Museum Ludwig

"Rejoice, be glad!" sings the choir at the beginning, and for many, this heralds the start of Advent every year. With rousing choirs, atmospheric solos and contemplative chorales, Bach's Christmas Oratorio finds a tone and gesture that delights audiences and singers alike and has made the work a favorite at Christmas time. A star cast of soloists, the WDR Radio Choir, the WDR Symphony Orchestra and the charismatic conductor Simon Halsey allow the great music to unfold its full radiance and together tell a timeless story of peace on earth.

Bach: Weihnachtsoratorium

Once upon a time ... – Family Concert

He takes the audience to their limits because he pushes them himself. Music by and with Fazıl Say touches, entices, challenges. Whether as a composer or as a pianist: Say depicts life in all its vibrant color and thus makes each of his performances unmistakable.

Fazil Say

Marc-Antoine Charpentier not only composed the Eurovision anthem - he also wrote magical Christmas masses. They form the heart of an atmospheric Christmas concert with the outstanding singers and instrumentalists of the Ensemble Correspondances.

Correspondence Set | Sébastien Daucé

Christmas in Cologne. When the scent of mulled wine fills the old town, when Cologne's Romanesque churches shine in bright light and recipes for cookies and stollen make your mouth water, then festive melodies are a must.

Together in the Glow of Lights

He is a rising star with substance and stature. It is no wonder that four orchestras have already chosen 28-year-old Klaus Mäkelä as their chief conductor (Oslo, Paris, Chicago, and soon Amsterdam). Now he has received the accolade: an invitation from the Vienna Philharmonic!

Vienna Philharmonic | Klaus Mäkelä

The Christmas season – a symbol of the high points of the Baroque era: Vivaldi's Seasons, often heard and yet always rousing, and Handel's Water Music – magnificently and lavishly orchestrated: What better way to get in the mood for the Christmas holidays with the longing for harmony?

Vivaldi »The Four Seasons« | Handel »Water Music«

Staatskapelle on Tour

Philippe Jordan is better able to stage great symphonic drama than almost any other conductor of his generation. The music director of the Vienna State Opera is an expert in musical theater, but is also in demand as a guest conductor of international orchestras. When he conducts Anton Bruckner in his anniversary year, the music of the Austrian late romantic will be transformed into a great symphonic narrative, full of references to Richard Wagner, whom he admired so much. Bruckner's Eighth, his last completed symphony, was described by the composer himself as a "mystery." Jordan will surely reveal some of its secrets.

Mystery – Bruckner's Eighth

Fest versprochen - Sonderkonzert

Cologne Police Choir | Eugen Momot

The festive concertos by the Italians Locatelli, Manfredini and Torelli, along with Albinoni's tender Adagio, are an integral part of the Christmas season not only in Italy. In Austria, too, the high holidays in the Christian calendar were a busy time. Michael Haydn left behind more than thirty masses, including the Missa Sancti Aloysii composed in 1777 for his "dear choirboys" from the Salzburg Kapellhaus for the memorial day of the Holy Innocents on December 28th, as well as his last completed work, the Missa Sancti Leopoldi. The motet by the Spanish composer Tomás Luis de Victoria and the a cappella choir "The Angels and the Shepherds" by the Hungarian Zóltan Kodaly round off the program. "Developing one's own sound world and being able to express emotions in sounds" has been an important concern of the cellist Manuel Fischer-Dieskau for several years. The title of his new composition "He who sits on the throne laughs" comes from the 2nd Psalm and for him builds "a mental/visual bridge to the ever-laughing Franz Xaver Ohnesorg", to whom he dedicates this composition in loving memory.

Christmas is coming soon

A special tradition in the Cologne Philharmonic: This year, too, the Cologne concert choirs are inviting people to the "Festive Christmas Singing" on the day before Christmas Eve. They are getting in the mood for the coming holidays with Advent and Christmas choral music from five centuries. The choirs not only invite you to listen, but also to sing along. This year, the Cologne Concert Choir, the Cologne Oratorio Choir and the Cologne Philharmonic Choir are putting together the program.

Festive Christmas singing

We wait for Santa Claus

It will be a festive evening on Christmas Day in the Cologne Philharmonic Hall: With the radiance of her warm soprano, Marie-Sophie Pollak sings Christmas arias, Max Volbers conjures up shepherd's sounds from his recorder and Concerto Köln provides the original baroque sound.

Christmas Baroque Music

As Bonn-born pianist Fabian Müller, who has won numerous important awards, once admitted, Beethoven has always been a musical compass for him. It is no wonder that Beethoven also plays an important role in the chamber music evening, for which Müller joins forces with violinist Bomsori and cellist Julia Hagen to form an all-star trio.

Fabian Müller & Friends

Bach, Bach and Bach again: Francesco Tristano's career began around 20 years ago with an intensive study of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach. Since then, the pianist from Luxembourg has repeatedly returned to the work of the Thomaskantor, always trying to discover a new aspect of it.

Francis Tristan

For some, roasted almonds are an absolute must at Christmas time, for others it has to be hazelnuts - and exactly three of them. Fairy tale fans' eyes will probably light up now, as these nuts are the three most important magic utensils in one of the most beautiful fairy tale films in the world. Since its cinema premiere in what was then Czechoslovakia in 1973, "Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella" has been broadcast in over 50 countries around the world and brings a little fairy tale magic into our living rooms every year at Christmas time.

Three Hazelnuts for Cinderella

A musical trip to America at the end of the year - with the composers Leonard Bernstein and George Gershwin, in whose works the new sounds of the West and jazz are mixed with the traditions of European classical music. Between Bernstein's festival music "Divertimento" and Gershwin's Southern opera "Porgy and Bess" one of the strongest female voices in America has her say: the composer Jessie Montgomery, born in New York in 1981. Her "Freedom Songs" were written especially for the soprano Julia Bullock and are modern arrangements of traditional Afro-American music.

Events in Köln this month

Augustin Hadelich

Kölner Philharmonie

Bach: Weihnachtsoratorium...

Kölner Philharmonie

Once upon a time ... – Fa...

Kölner Philharmonie

Fazil Say

Kölner Philharmonie

Correspondence Set | Séba...

Kölner Philharmonie

Together in the Glow of L...

Kölner Philharmonie

Vienna Philharmonic | Kla...

Kölner Philharmonie

Vivaldi »The Four Seasons...

Kölner Philharmonie

Staatskapelle on Tour

Staatskapelle Halle

Mystery – Bruckner's Eigh...

Kölner Philharmonie

Fest versprochen - Sonder...

Kölner Philharmonie

Cologne Police Choir | Eu...

Kölner Philharmonie

Christmas is coming soon

Kölner Philharmonie

Festive Christmas singing...

Kölner Philharmonie

We wait for Santa Claus

Kölner Philharmonie

Christmas Baroque Music

Kölner Philharmonie

Fabian Müller & Friends

Kölner Philharmonie

Francis Tristan

Kölner Philharmonie

Three Hazelnuts for Cinde...

Kölner Philharmonie

New Year's Eve Concert – ...

Kölner Philharmonie