The small hall in the new study center has already been christened the Carl Bechstein Hall. At the inauguration concert, Raimund Trenkler, founder and chairman of the Kronberg Academy Foundation, emphasized: "It will be a very special hall in which not only pianists will feel comfortable when they play the wonderful grand pianos, but also the many outstanding string soloists who play here in Kronberg musician family."
Dénes Várjon, well-known pianist and lecturer at Kronberg Academy, as well as Julia Hamos, Martina Consonni and Julius Asal, three students from the "Sir András Schiff Performance Program for Young Pianists" at Kronberg Academy, performed at the festive opening concert. They played works by Chopin, Debussy, Bartók and Brahms and proved in the furious finale, two Slavonic Dances by Dvořák, that even eight hands on two C. Bechstein concert grand pianos do not acoustically overwhelm the 150-seat hall. On the contrary, it became clear in the opening concert that the new hall has excellent, very transparent, but nevertheless warm acoustics, in which the music can unfold wonderfully in terms of structure, tone color and dynamics.
Gregor Willmes, Chairman of the Carl Bechstein Foundation, warmly thanked Raimund Trenkler and the Board of Directors and Board of Trustees of the Kronberg Academy Foundation for naming the hall after the important piano maker. Willmes literally: "We supported the construction of the Casals Forum because the promotion of young, highly talented musicians is an important matter for the Kronberg Academy Foundation, as it is for us. Kronberg stands for artistic excellence. May the new Casals Forum and in particular the Carl Bechstein Hall continue to enrich our joint work.”
The Carl Bechstein Foundation was founded in 2012 by C. Bechstein Pianoforte AG and leading company representatives with the aim of promoting piano playing.
Willmes also pointed out that at the opening of the first Carl Bechstein Hall in Berlin in 1892, Hans von Bülow, Johannes Brahms performed with the violinist Joseph Joachim and Anton Rubinstein. In addition, a "Bechstein Hall" was inaugurated in Wigmore Street in London in 1901, which to this day stands for high-quality chamber music under the name "Wigmore Hall". The new Casals Forum with its Carl Bechstein Hall fits seamlessly into this great tradition.
Raimund Trenkler emphasized: "For me, the forthcoming opening of the Casals Forum and the inauguration of the Carl Bechstein Hall means that Kronberg Academy is finally getting a new home, a home for the music - and for the musicians."
C. Bechstein congratulates the Kronberg Academy Foundation on the new Casals Forum and especially on the Carl Bechstein Hall.
Pictures: © Andreas Malkmus
Official website Casals Forum
