Beethoven & Tchaikovsky

Beethoven’s Emperor commands a sense of awe, joy and optimism, while Tchaikovsky’s symphony embodies fate and the quest for happiness.

The season closes in a dramatic and triumphant fashion with some of the greatest orchestral music ever written. Jennifer Higdon’s brief but striking fanfare sets the tone before Beethoven’s Emperor Concerto opens with a commanding, majestic flourish, instantly igniting a sense of awe. After a moment of lyrical reverie that seems to suspend time, the music propels forward with irrepressible joy and optimism. In contrast, Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4 delves deep into the human experience, embodying the struggle between fate and the quest for happiness. From its powerful brass fanfare—fate’s ominous call—to the electrifying energy of the finale, the symphony is a deeply cathartic journey through anguish, resilience and eventual exhilaration.    

Program

Jennifer Higdon Fanfare Ritmico
Ludwig van Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5, Emperor
Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4

Artists

Roderick Cox conductor
Stephen Hough piano