Kronberg Festival
“Courage!” – The Kronberg Festival 2026 invites audiences to the Casals Forum from 22 September to 4 October and poses a question that speaks to us all: Where do we find the courage to follow our inner voice?
Across some 30 concerts, music becomes a source of strength – telling stories of new beginnings and resistance, of hope, humanity and the boldness to forge new paths. Inspired by Pablo Casals, whose 150th birthday will be celebrated in 2026, the festival unfolds as an experience that touches, awakens and connects.
International artists, outstanding ensembles and young talents come together in this celebration of music to reveal just how much courage music can hold – and how deeply art can encourage us to act with conviction in our own lives.
Concert tickets Accompanying programme Festival Brochure
Concert
VORTRAG: HAYDNS CELLOKONZERTE
Participants
- Dr. Norbert Gertsch
Programme
Haydn’s Cello Concertos – A Challenge Not Only for the Performers
Haydn’s masterpieces for cello and orchestra present challenges not only for the musicians on stage. For centuries, scholars and editors have grappled with fundamental questions: How often has Haydn’s famous name been exploited for forgeries? And how reliable is the surviving musical text—are we really hearing what Haydn intended?
Join us in the search for possible answers.
The lecture will be presented in English.
Programme subject to change.
WIE KANN ICH MEIN INSTRUMENT OPTIMIEREN?
Participants
- Dr. Ing. Thomas Zwieg
Programme
Dr.-Ing. Thomas Zwieg, Chief Developer at the string manufacturer Larsen Strings A/S, offers insights into the interaction between instrument, strings, bow and bowing technique — and into what musicians can do themselves to influence the response, articulation, volume and timbre of their string instrument.
The lecture will be held in English and is intended for participants in the Cello Masterclasses as well as interested visitors.
Subject to change.
ZWISCHEN ARTENSCHUTZ UND KONZERTSAAL
Participants
- Thomas Gerbeth speaker
Programme
Between Conservation and the Concert Hall – Pernambuco Bows under New CITES Regulations
Pernambuco (*Paubrasilia echinata*) is a critically endangered tree species from Brazil. Its wood is prized for its stability, flexibility, and low weight, making it the primary material for crafting bows for string instruments.
Stricter CITES regulations for Pernambuco wood—which came into effect on March 5, 2026, following the most recent Conference of the Parties—have introduced new rules governing international trade and sales within the EU. However, the species' protection status remains unchanged; it has been under special protection since 2007. This presentation examines the implications for bow makers, musicians, the trade sector, and international travel. It focuses on the practical consequences regarding documentation, ownership, and transfer, as well as how species conservation can be reconciled with the responsible preservation of the art of bow making.
Master bow maker Thomas M. Gerbeth, who lives in his adopted home of Vienna, is committed to the conservation and sustainable future of Pernambuco. Through the International Pernambuco Conservation Initiative, he brings together species conservation, traditional bow making, and scientific research. His work focuses on projects in Brazil that promote the preservation, reforestation, and responsible use of this essential tree species for bow making.
The lecture will be held in German. Mr Gerbeth’s presentation (new CITES regulations) will be supplemented with English-language headings and brief explanatory notes, enabling English-speaking participants to follow the key content easily.
Subject change.
