Frank Dupree plays Gershwin’s Piano Concerto

Mark Forrest showcases superb performances from the UK and beyond.

All this week, we’re spending time on the banks of Lake Lucerne in Switzerland, hearing concerts given at this year’s Lucerne Festival. There’s a distinct American flavour today thanks to music by Copland, Gershwin and Ives as Riccardo Chailly conducts a programme marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, including pianist Frank Dupree as the soloist in Gershwin’s Piano Concerto.

We visit another Swiss music festival to hear French ensemble Les Kapsber’girls in concert at the International Sacred Music Festival, Fribourg, and there’s more from violinist Vilde Frang and her band as they explore the folk roots of Bartok’s music in a recital at this year’s Edinburgh International Festival.

From Lucerne Festival 2026:
Aaron Copland
Fanfare for the Common Man
Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Riccardo Chailly (conductor)

George Gershwin
A Cuban Overture
Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Riccardo Chailly (conductor)

Robert Schumann
String Quartet in A minor, Op. 41 No. 1
Dover Quartet

From Lucerne Festival 2026:
George Gershwin
Piano Concerto in F major
Frank Dupree (piano)
Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Riccardo Chailly (conductor)

From the 2026 International Sacred Music Festival, Fribourg:
Johannes Hieronymous Kapsberger
Passacaglia
Les Kapsber’girls

Francesca Campana
Voi luci altere
Les Kapsber’girls

From Lucerne Festival 2026:
Charles Ives
Symphony No. 1 in D minor
Lucerne Festival Orchestra
Riccardo Chailly (conductor)

From the Edinburgh International Festival 2026:
Music by Béla Bártok interspersed with folk tunes
Vilde Frang (violin)
Olli Mustonen (piano)
Benjamin Eredics (trumpet)
Salamon Eredics (accordion, recorder)

To listen to this programme (using most smart speakers), just say "Ask BBC Sounds to play Classical Live".