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Background
An invitation from Hamburg's famous Hotel Kempinski
Atlantik in 2001 began what was to become the ELBENQUINTETT.
Pianist Dirk Bleese, already widely known for his versatility,
was asked to prepare a program for a ten-day presentation
at the Plaza Hotel in New York, and was given a free
hand with regard to repertoire and ensemble. Soon five
top musicians from the shores of the Elbe had packed
their instruments and were on their way to the shores
of the Hudson River where the musical atmosphere for
culinary festivities celebrating their home city included
works from the Baroque, Classical and Romantic periods
as well as the 20th Century forms of Jazz, Swing, Chanson
and Pop - all from the pens of Hamburg composers! This
was followed by songs originally featured by famous
German divas Marlene Dietrich, Hildegard Knef and Zarah
Leander, embedded in Hamburg stories and anecdotes,
sung and told by Beate Rysopp.
And so began a unique program concept: Music from
Germany from Bach to Kaempfert, played and sung with
virtuosity
by a small, flexible and stylistically versatile ensemble.
Already the ELBENQUINTETT has been booked to represent
their city and their country at prestigious diplomatic
occasions in Moscow and Shanghai, in each case with
an individually crafted program.
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