Beethoven 9

Our Centennial Season begins with pieces of rich lyricism, fairy-tale wonders, and a virtuosic composition from our very first composer-in-residence, Eunike Tanzil. Hear the orchestra build from a whisper to a roar in Tanzil’s one-movement Ascending Creatures, inspired by a flock of birds in flight. Then, Beethoven’s poetically quiet Piano Concerto No. 4 that highlights enchanting exchanges between soloist Jean-Baptiste Doulect and the orchestra. Lastly, Rimsky-Korsakov’s legendary Scheherazade presents a gripping symphonic battle of wits, stormy seas, and fairy talks…

Pain and pleasure play out on stage in symphonic color across three vigorous works. Anna Clyne’s Masquerade welcomes listeners to the pleasure gardens of 17th and 18th century Europe where attendees enjoy song, dance, and drink along paths winding through a beautiful landscape. Pleasure transforms into fiery passion with Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto, the only such piece in his repertoire, full of bittersweet longing for new love which concludes with a breakneck exchange between the violin and orchestra. Complimented by Stravinsky’s…

What comes after journey’s end? This concert explores the restlessness of the human spirit, especially when confronted by a reality bigger than ourselves. Sibelius’s Lemminkäinen’s Return brings listeners to the end of a hero’s tumultuous journey and the task of moving on from adventure to build a new life. Kaija Saariaho’ Saarikoski Songs poetically dissects how human nature is implicated in the destruction of nature. Mahler’s Symphony No. 4 expands upon an innocent worldview: a child’s vision of heaven, the…

Unsuk Chin’s Cello Concerto sees the orchestra and soloist Hayoung Choi locked in a “psychological battle” in a surreal dreamscape where the listener is invited to make their own interpretation of what they hear. Bookending the concerto, two powerful pieces from Verdi and Tchaikovsky that speak to one another with profound emotional depth. Tchaikovsky’s final completed work, Symphony No. 6 “Pathetique,” debuted nine days prior to his death. Verdi’s masterful La forza del destino Overture adapts musical themes from his…

Nielsen’s Symphony No. 4 “The Inextinguishable” was not named for the symphony itself, but according to Nielsen refers to “the elemental will to live.” Composed during WWI, the piece appeals to a fight for life during a time where so many perished in trenches across Europe. This same elemental will to live persist not only in times of pain, but also during times of joy and struggles towards greatness. Svendsen’s “Norwegian Artist’s Carnival” welcomes listeners into springtime merriment while Sibelius’s…