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The Philadelphia Orchestra in Concert on WRTI: Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Pianist Emanuel Ax, and Organist Paul Jacobs in 2017

Chris Lee/The Philadelphia Orchestra
Yannick Nézet-Séguin in 2017.

Join us on Sunday, November 14th at 1 PM on WRTI 90.1 and Monday, November 15th at 7 PM on WRTI HD-2 for an unforgettable Philadelphia Orchestra In Concert broadcast from 2017 featuring music by Mozart, Tchaikovsky, and the East Coast premiere of an organ work by the Texan Wayne Oquin. Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts.

Yannick Nézet-Séguin talks backstage with WRTI's Susan Lewis.
WRTI’s Susan Lewis spoke with Yannick Nézet-Séguin in October 2017 about his curatorial philosophy. Yannick talked about how this first program of the 2017-2018 season, with a new piece for organ and orchestra and works by familiar masters—set the tone for what was to come.

This was the first concert of the Orchestra’s 2017-18 season that brought to the Verizon Hall stage Emanuel Ax, in Mozart's final piano concerto, the 27th; an exploration by Yannick and the Philadelphians of Wayne Oquin's work for organ and orchestra, Resilience, written for organist and Philadelphia audience favorite Paul Jacobs, who performs it in this concert; and Tchaikovsky's imposing Fourth Symphony to conclude the program.

Mr. Jacobs’ performance of the Oquin marked the beginning of the multi-season Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ Experience that featured the magnificent "King of Instruments" in various performances with the Philadelphia Orchestra throughout the 2017/2018 season.

The only organist ever to have won a GRAMMY, back in 2011, Paul Jacobs is an eloquent champion of his instrument, and he’s been an important influence in the revival of symphonic music that prominently features the organ. He’s also premiered many new works by such composers as Samuel Adler, Mason Bates, Michael Daugherty, Christopher Theofanidis, and Christopher Rouse, among many others.

Debra Lew Harder speaks with pianist Emanuel Ax.
Listen to WRTI's Debra Lew Harder speak with soloist Emanuel Ax in 2017.

Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony has been a staple of The Philadelphia Orchestra’s repertoire since Fritz Scheel conducted the first Orchestra performances of the work in November of 1905, and it’s sure to be an exciting finale to the first broadcast concert of the season.

During intermission, WRTI's Debra Lew Harder speaks backstage with Emanuel Ax, and Susan Lewis asks Yannick about his curatorial philosophy.

Listen on WRTI 90.1, the WRTI Mobile App, and streaming at wrti.org.

Detailed program notes from the concert

PROGRAM:

Oquin: Resilience

     Paul Jacobs, Organ

Mozart: Piano Concerto No. 27

     Emanuel Ax, Piano

INTERMISSION

Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 4

The Philadelphia Orchestra

     Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Conductor

Listen to The Philadelphia Orchestra in Concert broadcasts, every Sunday at 1 PM on WRTI 90.1, streaming online at WRTI.org, and on our mobile app! Listen again on Mondays at 7 PM on WRTI HD-2.

Gregg was the host of WRTI's morning drive show from 2012 until his retirement from WRTI in January, 2021. He began producing and hosting The Philadelphia Orchestra In Concert broadcasts in 2013, joining the Orchestra in Hong Kong for the first-ever live international radio broadcasts from that island in 2016, and in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem for two historic broadcasts in 2018. You can still hear Gregg as host of the Orchestra broadcasts every Sunday and Monday on WRTI.