Klassik Extra: Schumann and Tchaikovsky

Classical Extra: this is the popular program that offers added value, as the works are explained and explored in an engaging way. As always, NDR Kultur host Friederike Westerhaus is in charge of the commentary, while Principal Conductor Stanislav Kochanovsky is responsible for the musical direction of this Classical Extra concert, the closing concert of the Schumann-Tchaikovsky Festival.

Concert Piece for Four Horns

It’s strange, really—just about everyone who knows the concert piece for four horns raves about it. The Romantic era’s instrument of longing has probably never been showcased more beautifully than here. Yet Schumann’s Op. 86 is rarely heard. That’s because you first have to find four excellent horn players—but the NDR Radio Philharmonic has them right in its own ranks.

Hamlet

"You can recognize Tchaikovsky's style from the very first note," says Stanislav Kochanovsky. In the fantasy overture “Hamlet,” it takes only a few bars for the somber atmosphere of the Danish royal court to envelop us. And even after that, the music proves to be a faithful companion through the plot: from Hamlet’s inner turmoil to Ophelia’s love and the fatal conclusion. A drama without words, in the Russian composer’s unmistakable style.

Program

Robert Schumann
Concert Piece for Four Horns and Orchestra in F Major, Op. 86

Peter Tchaikovsky
"Hamlet" Fantasy Overture after Shakespeare, Op. 67

Cast

Stanislav Kochanovsky, conductor
; Johannes-Theodor Wiemes, horn
; Ivo Dudler, horn
; Susanne Thies, horn
; Johannes Otter, horn
; Friederike Westerhaus, presenter
; NDR Radio Philharmonic Orchestra

 Schumann-Tchaikovsky Festival 2026