The program opens with Brahms’ vibrant and lively Hungarian Dances. The dances are diverse in their musical inspiration, as they draw from the aural histories of Eastern Europe, and were inspired by the cherished traditional heritage of a long-time friend, a Hungarian violinist. The pieces encapsulate the spirit of Hungarian folk dances while combining them with the Western tradition of music that Brahms composed in. This piece is followed by Robert Schumann’s passionate Fourth Symphony, emblematic of his joyful marriage to Clara—one of the happiest marriages of music history. It is through-composed, meaning that each of the four movements blend seamlessly into one another. The work languished for ten long years before final publication, but the time allowed Schumann to hone the composition into the exact form he envisioned for it. The evening concludes with Grieg’s heroic Piano Concerto, the longest concert work of Grieg’s entire compositional output. The piece is full of dramatic contrasts of style and mood, and shines with rich Norwegian folk melodies, virtuosic cadenzas, and majestic flourishes. Pianist Adam Golka masters the solo line in this performance.

Program

Eric Jacobsen, conductor
Adam Golka, piano

BRAHMS  Hungarian Dances
No. 10 in F major
No. 6 in D major
No. 4 in F-sharp minor
No. 21 in E minor

SCHUMANN  Symphony No. 4 in D minor, Op. 120
I. Ziemlich langsam – Lebhaft
II. Romanze: Ziemlich langsam
III. Scherzo: Lebhaft
IV. Langsam – Lebhaft

INTERMISSION

GRIEG  Concerto in A minor for Piano and Orchestra, Op. 16
I. Allegro molto moderato
II. Adagio
III. Allegro moderato molto e marcato

The Classics Series is presented by the