The concert opens with The Banks of Green Willow, George Butterworth’s idyllic work comprised of two English folk songs. The pastoral piece premiered just two years before the promising young composer’s demise in the trenches of World War I. German composer Max Bruch was similarly fascinated with folk song and captivated by Scottish traditions. He wove these melodies into his violin showpiece, Scottish Fantasy. The orchestration aurally paints many Scottish scenes for listeners as Bruch emulates bagpipes and war music. Meanwhile, in Brahms’ expressive Symphony No. 1, finely dubbed “Beethoven’s Tenth”—the composer set out to follow in the musical giant’s footprints after hearing his Ninth Symphony. While many Early-Romantic composers attempted to emulate Beethoven through stark contrasts and an abundance of stunning melodies, Brahms followed Beethoven’s precedent for allowing just a few musical ideas to undergo a journey and transformation throughout a piece. Through the development of these ideas, Brahms tells a story, rife with compelling drama. Due to his perfectionism, the piece gestated for twenty-two years before he allowed it to be heard by the public. Listeners will swing on the emotional pendulum as the movements progress, before the concert ends with a sweeping chorale and majestic final cadence.

JoAnn Falletta, conductor
Simone Porter, violin

BUTTERWORTH  The Banks of Green Willow
BRUCH  Scottish Fantasy
BRAHMS  Symphony No. 1 in C minor