Víkingur Ólafsson © Ari Magg
Víkingur Ólafsson © Ari Magg
Danish String Quartet | Víkingur Ólafsson

Performers

  • Danish String Quartet:  Frederik Øland, violin | Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen, violin | Asbjørn Nørgaard, viola | Fredrik Schøyen Sjölin, cello
  • Víkingur Ólafsson piano

Program

22.00
Morton Feldman (1926–1987)
Piano and String Quartet
This concert has no intermission.
The concert is expected to end at 23.30 

Description

Could this be what eternity sounds like? A performance of Piano and String Quartet, a late work by the American composer Morton Feldman (1926–87), lasts some 80 minutes — yet in all that time we hear little more than delicate, endlessly resonating piano arpeggios and sustained string chords. This crystalline study in pianissimo seems to have no beginning and no end, no sense of direction — there is only surrender to the present moment of sound. Listening to it is a paradoxical experience: in its radical stillness, Feldman’s slow-motion music exerts a powerful pull. “The first 30 minutes feel a little bit slow because the piece is made of these surreal, beautiful, slow moving — or almost not moving — harmonies,” Víkingur remarks. “It’s just this way of being. The next 30 minutes go by so much faster. And the last 30 minutes, believe it or not, go by in a flash.” He was especially eager to return to this “one-of-a-kind” piece, which he last performed a decade ago. The setting will add to the magic, with the audience seated onstage, close to the five performers.


Event Venue

KKL Luzern, Concert Hall

Kultur- und Kongresszentrum Luzern
Europaplatz 1
CH-6005 Luzern

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  • Arrival | Parking Facilities

    The KKL Luzern is located right next to Lucerne railway station. On account of the traffic and parking situation, it is recommended during Festival season that visitors use public transportation. 

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  • Cloakroom

    There are coat checkrooms not only in the basement, but also on the 2nd and 4th floors. Handbags up to a size of 42 x 29.7 x 29.7 cm (A3) may be taken into the concert hall. All larger bags and luggage as well as other bulky items must be checked for a fee of CHF 5.00 per item. For security reasons, coats and jackets may also not be taken into the concert hall and can be left at the checkroom free of charge.

  • Wheelchair seating

    The main concert hall of the KKL Lucerne has six wheelchair spaces available on special terms. Accompanying persons cannot be assured of obtaining a seat in the same price range or in the general vicinity.

    To reserve wheelchair spaces please call our ticket sales office directly at +41 (0)41 226 4480. Wheelchair spaces are always made available as soon as online ticket sales begin but can only be reserved by telephone.

  • Access to venues | Late admission

    The main KKL Concert Hall opens 30 minutes before the beginning of the concert. For the sake of the musicians and the audience, latecomers will not be admitted until intermission or at the discretion of the Concert Hall staff. In certain instances concerts will have no intermission and allow no latecomers.

    If the concert is missed on account of late arrival, tickets will not be refunded.

  • Gastronomy

    In the KKL Luzern
    In the mood for a cocktail at the Seebar? Coffee and fine pastries at the Le Piaf? Or would you prefer a multi-course menu in the Gault MiIlau-rated restaurant Lucide? The culinary possibilities in the KKL Luzern are many and varied. Before the concert begins, you can reserve your drinks and snacks for intermission at the KKL information desk in the main lobby of the KKL Luzern. Overview of the restaurants

    In Lucerne
    Within walking distance of all event venues you can find a wide variety of restaurants, bars, and cafés. The Lucerne Tourism office will gladly assist you in making your selection. Overview of Lucerne Tourism