A special New Year's Day treat awaits us on WRTI at 1 pm as Midori—one of the greatest violinists of her generation—teams up with The Philadelphia Orchestra in a performance of Beethoven's Violin Concerto in D, one of the towering masterpieces in the repertory. Listen on WRTI's new App!
On the podium to conduct not only Beethoven’s sublime masterpiece, but also Brahms's Symphony No. 2, is French conductor Louis Langrée, who has been music director of the Mostly Mozart Festival at Lincoln Center since 2002, and of the Cincinnati Symphony since the 2013-14 season. Maestro Langrée makes his eagerly awaited Philadelphia Orchestra debut in these performances.
The first Philadelphia Orchestra in Concert broadcast of the new year begins with Alfred Schnittke's ?very intriguing Moz-Art a la Haydn, a witty score for a dozen or so string players, at times sounding very modern, and at other times sounding like Mozart and Haydn—something Schnittke referred to as "polystylism." Based on some melodic fragments from an amusing composition Mozart wrote for Carnival in 1783, the work also incorporates theatrical elements, and, in fact, the first part is played in total darkness, while at other times the violinists and violists run around the stage while playing!
During intermission, WRTI's Susan Lewis speaks backstage with Midori.
Not to be missed, it's Beethoven, Brahms, and Midori on New Year's Day!
Detailed program notes from the concert
PROGRAM:
Schnittke: Moz-Art a la Haydn
Beethoven: Violin Concerto in D
Midori, violin
INTERMISSION
Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D
Louis Langrée, conductor
Gregg Whiteside is producer and host of The Philadelphia Orchestra in Concert broadcasts on WRTI 90.1 FM in Philadelphia and streaming online at WRTI.org, every Sunday from 1 to 3 pm.