Bernstein conducts Beethoven: Choral Fantasy – with Homero Francesch

Leonard Bernstein conducts the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra in one of Beethoven's most fascinating and experimental works: the Choral Fantasy, which is generally held to be a preliminary study for the Ninth Symphony, even though it was composed as early as 1808 – 16 years earlier. In the Choral Fantasy, Beethoven overcame confines and conventions of both form and orchestration, while the imposing piano solo with which the work opens was probably improvised by the composer at the premiere on 22 December 1808 in Vienna – a fascinating taste of Beethoven's skill as an improvisor. In this 1986 performance, the stylish Swiss-Uruguayan pianist Homero Francesch is the soloist, and the the Wiener Jeunesse-Chor completes the line-up.

Soloist: 

Homero Francesch (Piano)

Ensembles: 

Wiener Jeunesse-Chor, Wiener Philharmoniker

Conductor: 

Leonard Bernstein