The A Tempo Project, Swiss tour with Bernhard Ruchti, pianist, in GKB Auditorium, Chur

Tempo is the pulse of music. Since 2018, Swiss pianist Bernhard Ruchti has been exploring and interpreting this pulse - and uncovering surprising new ways of interpreting classical music. His work is based on historical research into one of the most important interpreters of the 19th century: Franz Liszt.

Ludwig van Beethoven's great Hammerklavier Sonata Opus 106 is the focus of Bernhard Ruchti's tour of Switzerland. He interprets it in the duration handed down by Franz Liszt himself: "presque une heure". That is noticeably longer than today's average. For the interpretation, it means one thing above all: more time, more breath and more richness of detail.

Experience Beethoven's Hammerklavier Sonata, one of the core works of the A Tempo project, in a new interpretation, complemented and contrasted with works by Franz Liszt and Bernhard Ruchti.

Franz Liszt - Saint François de Paule marchant sur les flots
Franz Liszt - Isolden's Liebestod from "Tristan and Isolde"
Bernhard Ruchti - Suite for piano (2021): Entrance - Sanctuary - Do you hear the Drums - At the Break of Dawn
Ludwig van Beethoven - Grand Sonata for the Hammerklavier in B flat major Op. 106

Bernhard Ruchti is a pianist, organist, composer and music researcher. Born in Berkeley (USA) in 1974, he grew up in Switzerland and now works in St. Gallen, where he directs several prominent concert series. His interpretative work focuses on 19th century performance practice with a particular focus on historical tempi. Since 2018, he has been conducting the internationally acclaimed “A Tempo Project”, a unique practical research and recording project on tempo, time and rhythm in classical piano and organ music. In 2021, his book on the performance practice of Franz Liszt was published: “...the most powerful thing I have ever heard on the organ” - Franz Liszt's Ad Nos as a gateway to a hidden performance practice of the 19th century.