Hans Koessler: Symphony in B minor - Violin Concerto Fedor Rudin, Nürnberger Symphoniker & Rudolf Piehlmayer

• Hans Koessler (1853 - 1926): Passacaglia Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in A minor:
• 1 Koessler: Passacaglia Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in A minor 26:07
• Symphony in B minor:
• 2 Koessler: Symphony in B minor: Adagio maestoso – Allegro moderato 13:55
• 3 Koessler: Symphony in B minor: Scherzo 08:31
• 4 Koessler: Symphony in B minor: Adagio 09:36
• 5 Koessler: Symphony in B minor: Finale 11:55
• Total Runtime 01:10:04

Info for Hans Koessler: Symphony in B minor - Violin Concerto

Hans Koessler is one of those composers whose name is quite well-known, yet whose work has never been engaged with in any truly meaningful way. In this particular case, this semi-prominence stems from the fact that the Bavarian composer taught the next generation of Hungarian musicians (including Bartók, Kodály, and Dohnányi) in Budapest and was ultimately rewarded with a noble title, "von." While some students privately complained about his professorial strictness, Koessler's own works bear a very different witness to their author: To the great creative power, poetic sensitivity, and sonic assurance of his Symphony in B minor is added a remarkable formal originality in his Violin Concerto—there can't be many works of the genre that unfold their eloquence within the framework of a powerful passacaglia.

Fedor Rudin, violin
Nürnberger Symphoniker
Rudolf Piehlmayer, conductor

Fedor Rudin
A musician of striking versatility and artistic depth, Fedor Rudin has rapidly established himself as one of the most compelling violinists of his generation. Equally at home in the grand romantic repertoire, early music, and avant-garde works, he is acclaimed for his technical brilliance, stylistic sensitivity, and expansive musical vision.

Prizewinner at major international competitions, including the prestigious Premio Paganini and George Enescu Competitions, Rudin has performed as a soloist with a wide range of distinguished orchestras, including the Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin, SWR Symphonieorchester, Hamburg Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de chambre de Paris, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Petrobras Symphony Orchestra (Rio de Janeiro), Prague Philharmonia, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra, Sofia Philharmonic, Aarhus Symphony Orchestra, Danish Philharmonic Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Cape Town Philharmonic, Orchestre de Cannes and Orchestre de Bretagne, with many other orchestras across Europe and beyond.

Fedor Rudin has collaborated with an equally impressive list of conductors, among them Anja Bihlmaier, Eivind Gullberg Jensen, Vladimir Jurowski, Kirill Karabits, Dmitry Matvienko, Tomas Netopil, Andris Poga, Petr Popelka, Anna Rakitina, Emil Tabakov, Lorenzo Viotti, and Johannes Wildner.

His repertoire includes, in addition to all the common works by composers such as Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, or Korngold, both violin concertos by Shostakovich and Szymanowski, as well as works of the 20th century and contemporary compositions, including music by his grandfather, the prominent avant-garde composer Edison Denisov. As an active chamber musician, Fedor Rudin performs with renowned artists such as pianists Boris Kusnezow, Igor Levit, Julien Libeer, Alexander Melnikov, Florian Noack, and Alexandre Tharaud; cellists Julia Hagen, Ivan Karizna, Senja Rummukainen, and István Várdai; and ensembles like the Pavel Haas Quartet and the Signum Saxophone Quartet.

For a time, Rudin also served as concertmaster of the Vienna Philharmonic. Performing regularly under the direction of conductors such as Herbert Blomstedt, Riccardo Muti, Andris Nelsons, and Christian Thielemann gave him an inside view of orchestral performance at the highest level. This experience continues to inform his sense of musical structure, dynamic flexibility, and the fine nuances of ensemble communication—qualities that define his work as a soloist with orchestra, in chamber music, and in collaborative rehearsal settings.

Since 2022, he has served as Artistic Director of the Rencontres Musicales de Chaon chamber music festival in France. He is also co-founder of the Fratres Trio, an ensemble exploring the crossroads between classical music and jazz. Their programs feature works by Gershwin, Ravel, Milhaud, Poulenc, and Duke Ellington, among others.

Born in Moscow and raised in Paris, Rudin studied with Zakhar Bron in Cologne, Pierre Amoyal in Salzburg, and Boris Kuschnir in Graz. In parallel with his career as a violinist, Rudin is also an accomplished conductor and currently serves as Professor of Orchestral Education at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna, where he previously graduated as a conductor himself. His deep understanding of both traditions continues to inform his work on stage and in the classroom.

Fedor Rudin plays the 1712 “ex-Viotti” Antonio Stradivari violin, generously loaned by CANIMEX INC. (Drummondville, Québec, Canada), and a 2023 modern Storioni copy by Sylvain Tournaire (Paris). He is also a Larsen Strings Artist.

Booklet for Hans Koessler: Symphony in B minor - Violin Concerto