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Wishing a very happy seventy-fifth birthday to American pianist André Watts!
Watts was born in Nuremberg, Germany, to a Hungarian mother and an African American U.S. Army soldier. His mother was his first piano teacher, and by the age of nine, he had won a competition to perform on a children’s concert with the Philadelphia Orchestra. Watts became a part of the American musical fabric when, at the age of sixteen, he appeared on a nationally televised Young People’s Concert with the New York Philharmonic on January 15, 1963, performing Liszt’s First Piano Concerto under the baton of Leonard Bernstein. Two weeks later, an ailing Glenn Gould canceled with the Philharmonic, and Bernstein invited Watts to perform the same Liszt concerto on subscription concerts on short notice. Columbia Masterworks soon recorded Watts’s interpretation, and the release The Exciting Debut of André Watts won the 1963 Grammy Award for Most Promising New Classical Recording Artist.
Watts became a student of Leon Fleisher at the Peabody Conservatory, combining his studies with a packed concert schedule that quickly included as many as 150 concerts a year. He soon made his debut with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra at the Ravinia Festival in June 1965, one day before his nineteenth birthday. Since then, Watts has been a frequent guest, appearing with the Orchestra on many occasions, as follows:
June 19, 1965, Ravinia Festival
MACDOWELL Piano Concerto No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 23
Seiji Ozawa, conductor
May 7, 8, and 9, 1970, Orchestra Hall
BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major
Irwin Hoffman, conductor
July 14, 1970, Ravinia Festival
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58
István Kertész, conductor
May 20, 21, and 22, 1971, Orchestra Hall
TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23
Henry Mazer, conductor
December 2 and 3, 1971, Orchestra Hall
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 24 in C Minor, K. 491
Carlo Maria Giulini, conductor
July 18, 1972, Ravinia Festival
TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23
Seiji Ozawa, conductor
July 3, 1974, Ravinia Festival
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 (Emperor)
James Levine, conductor
August 3, 1975, Ravinia Festival
TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23
Lawrence Foster, conductor
July 15, 1976, Ravinia Festival
MACDOWELL Piano Concerto No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 23
James Levine, conductor
July 7, 1977, Ravinia Festival
FRANCK Symphonic Variations
LISZT Totentanz
James Levine, conductor
May 31 and June 1, 1979, Orchestra Hall
BRAHMS Concerto for Piano No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83
Sir Georg Solti, conductor
July 7, 1979, Ravinia Festival
RACHMANINOV Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18
James Levine, conductor
July 11, 1980, Ravinia Festival
FRANCK Symphonic Variations
SAINT-SAËNS Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22
James Levine, conductor
June 28, 1981, Ravinia Festival
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 (Emperor)
James Levine, conductor
August 7, 1982, Ravinia Festival
TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23
Maxim Shostakovich, conductor
July 13, 1984, Ravinia Festival
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58
James Levine, conductor
July 12, 1985, Ravinia Festival
RACHMANINOV Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18
James Levine, conductor
January 23, 24, and 26, 1986, Orchestra Hall
LISZT Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major
LISZT Totentanz
Sir Georg Solti, conductor
July 11, 1986, Ravinia Festival
SAINT-SAËNS Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22
James Levine, conductor
August 15, 1987, Ravinia Festival
BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83
George Cleve, conductor
July 2, 1989, Ravinia Festival
SAINT-SAËNS Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22
James Levine, conductor
July 20, 1991, Ravinia Festival
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 (Emperor)
Gennady Rozhdestvensky, conductor
July 17, 1992, Ravinia Festival
LISZT Piano Concerto No. 2 in A Major
James Conlon, conductor
February 25, 26, 27, and 28, 1993, Orchestra Hall
MENDELSSOHN Piano Concerto No. 1 in G Minor, Op. 25
David Loebel, conductor
July 23, 1993, Ravinia Festival
BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83
John Nelson, conductor
November 1, 1993, Orchestra Hall
RACHMANINOV Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18
Gerhardt Zimmermann, conductor
August 6, 1994, Ravinia Festival
TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23
Riccardo Chailly, conductor
June 30, 1995, Ravinia Festival
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 (Emperor)
Christoph Eschenbach, conductor
January 24 and 25, 1996, Orchestra Hall
LISZT Piano Concerto No. 2 in A Major
LISZT Totentanz
Daniel Barenboim, conductor
January 26, 1996, Orchestra Hall
LISZT Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major
LISZT Totentanz
Daniel Barenboim, conductor
January 27, 1996, Orchestra Hall
LISZT Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major
Daniel Barenboim, conductor
July 2, 1996, Ravinia Festival
BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15
MACDOWELL Piano Concerto No. 2 in D Minor, Op. 23
LUTOSŁAWSKI Variations on a Theme by Paganini
Hermann Michael, conductor
August 1, 1997, Ravinia Festival
RACHMANINOV Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18
Christoph Eschenbach, conductor
May 14, 15, 16, and 19, 1998, Orchestra Hall
BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83
Franz Welser-Möst, conductor
August 14, 1998, Ravinia Festival
FRANCK Symphonic Variations
SAINT-SAËNS Piano Concerto No. 2 in G Minor, Op. 22
Christoph Eschenbach, conductor
July 16, 1999, Ravinia Festival
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58
Claus Peter Flor, conductor
November 2, 1999, Orchestra Hall
TCHAIKOVSKY Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat Minor, Op. 23
William Eddins, conductor
January 11, 2000, Orchestra Hall
BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15
BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 83
Daniel Barenboim, conductor
August 4, 2000, Ravinia Festival
LISZT Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat Major
Roberto Abbado, conductor
April 19, 20, and 21, 2001, Orchestra Hall
LISZT Piano Concerto No. 2 in A Major
Daniel Barenboim, conductor
July 1, 2001, Ravinia Festival
SCHUBERT/Stein Fantasy in F Minor, D. 940
LISZT Totentanz
Christoph Eschenbach, conductor
July 29, 2005, Ravinia Festival
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
August 5, 2007, Ravinia Festival
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58
James Conlon, conductor
July 8, 2011, Ravinia Festival
LISZT Piano Concerto No. 2 in A Major
Christoph Eschenbach, conductor
Happy, happy birthday!
Wishing a very happy (and slightly belated) birthday to legendary Austrian pianist Alfred Brendel, who celebrated his ninetieth on January 5, 2021! A regular and favorite performer with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for nearly forty years, he has appeared with the ensemble in Orchestra Hall, at the Ravinia Festival, and in Carnegie Hall.
On Sunday, March 9, 2008, Brendel “sat down at the Steinway to play his final Chicago concert. At the end of the year, he will retire from the concert stage, closing the book on a distinguished sixty-year career,” wrote John von Rhein in the Chicago Tribune. “And what a concert it was. I’ve attended many of the nearly three dozen recitals the pianist has given in the city since his downtown debut . . . and can honestly say I’ve never heard him play better.”
A complete list of his performances is below.
July 29, 1971, Ravinia Festival
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 (Emperor)
István Kertész, conductor
December 30, 1970, January 1 and 2, 1971, Orchestra Hall
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 19 in F Major, K. 459
Aldo Ceccato, conductor
March 9, 10, and 11, 1972, Orchestra Hall
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15
Dean Dixon, conductor
August 17, 1972, Ravinia Festival
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58
Uri Segal, conductor
April 5, 6, and 7, 1973, Orchestra Hall
LISZT Piano Concerto No. 2 in A Major
Sergiu Comissiona, conductor
August 8, 1973, Ravinia Festival
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 25 in C Major, K. 503
Lawrence Foster, conductor
August 10, 1973, Ravinia Festival
BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15
Lawrence Foster, conductor
May 9, 10, and 11, 1974, Orchestra Hall
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 (Emperor)
Sir Georg Solti, conductor
July 19, 1974, Ravinia Festival
SCHOENBERG Piano Concerto, Op. 42
James Levine, conductor
July 24, 1974, Ravinia Festival
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 24 in C Minor, K. 491
Kazimierz Kord, conductor
July 3, 1975, Ravinia Festival
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37
James Levine, conductor
July 14, 1977, Ravinia Festival
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 19
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37
James Levine, conductor
July 17, 1977, Ravinia Festival
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 (Emperor)
James Levine, conductor
April 27, 28, and 29, 1978, Orchestra Hall
BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15
Sir Georg Solti, conductor
May 8 and 10, 1978, Carnegie Hall
BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 1 in D Minor, Op. 15
Sir Georg Solti, conductor
July 13, 1979, Ravinia Festival
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat Major, Op. 19
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37
James Levine, conductor
July 15, 1979, Ravinia Festival
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 (Emperor)
James Levine, conductor
May 13, 1981, Orchestra Hall
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 12 in A Major, K. 414
Sir Georg Solti, conductor
May 14, 15, and 16, 1981, Orchestra Hall
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 12 in A Major, K. 414
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 9 in E flat Major, K. 271
Sir Georg Solti, conductor
May 18, 1981, Uihlein Hall, Milwaukee
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 12 in A Major, K. 414
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 9 in E flat Major, K. 271
Sir Georg Solti, conductor
June 27, 1982, Ravinia Festival
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, K. 466
James Levine, conductor
June 15 and 16, 1983, Orchestra Hall
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat Major, Op. 19
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37
James Levine, conductor
June 17 and 18, 1983, Orchestra Hall
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 (Emperor)
James Levine, conductor
The June 1983 performances were recorded live in Orchestra Hall. For Philips, Volker Straus was the producer and engineer.
July 13, 1986
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 24 in C Minor, K. 491
James Levine, conductor
July 18, 1986
HAYDN Piano Concerto in D Major, H.XVIII, No. 11
LISZT Piano Concerto No. 2 in A Major
Raymond Leppard, conductor
November 21, 22, and 23, 1991, Orchestra Hall
LISZT Piano Concerto No. 2 in A Major
Tsung Yeh, conductor
April 11, 13, and 16, 1996, Orchestra Hall
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58
Lawrence Foster, conductor
April 3, 4, and 5, 1997, Orchestra Hall
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major, Op. 73 (Emperor)
Lawrence Foster, conductor
April 10 and 11, 2003, Orchestra Hall
BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, Op. 37
Roberto Abbado, conductor
February 23 and 25, 2006, Orchestra Hall
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 25 in C Major, K. 503
Daniel Barenboim, conductor
March 8 and 10, 2007
MOZART Piano Concerto No. 17 in G Major, K. 453
Roberto Abbado, conductor
Under the auspices of Allied Arts and Symphony Center Presents, Brendel also has appeared in Orchestra Hall on numerous times in recital, as follows:
March 15, 1970*
BEETHOVEN Bagatelles, Op. 126
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 23 In F Minor, Op. 57 (Appassionata)
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 29 in B-flat Major, Op.106 (Hammerklavier)
February 7, 1971*
MOZART Nine Variations in D Major on a Minuet by J. P. Duport, K. 573
LISZT Hungarian Rhapsody No. 11
LISZT Hungarian Rhapsody No. 13
LISZT Hungarian Rhapsody No. 17
LISZT Funérailles from Harmonies poetiques et religieuses
LISZT Benediction de Dieu dans la Solitude from Harmonies poetiques et religieuses
SCHUBERT Sonata in A Major, D. 664
April 2, 1972*
HAYDN Sonata in C Major
SCHUBERT Sonata in G Major, D. 894
SCHOENBERG Six Little Pieces, Op. 19
LISZT Disaster
LISZT Bagatelle without Tonality
LISZT The Mournful Gondola
LISZT Saint Francis de Paul Marching on the Waves
LISZT Mephisto Waltz
March 11, 1973*
BEETHOVEN Sonata in C Major, Op. 53 (Waldstein)
SCHUBERT Sonata in A Minor, Op. 42
LISZT Années de Pèlerinage: Prèmiere année–Suisse
March 31, 1974*
HAYDN Sonata in C Minor
SCHUMANN Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110
March 16, 1975
SCHUBERT Moments Musicaux, D. 780, Nos. 1-6
SCHUBERT Fantasy in C Major, D. 760 (Wanderer)
BEETHOVEN Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 31, No. 3
MOZART Adagio in B Minor, K. 540
MOZART Sonata in A Major, K. 331
May 10, 1976*
BACH Fantasy-Prelude in A Minor, BWV 922
BACH Italian Concerto, BWV 971
LISZT Grand Variations on Bach’s Weinen Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen
LISZT Prelude and Fugue on BACH
BEETHOVEN Six Variations on an Original Theme in F Major, Op. 34
BEETHOVEN 32 Variations on an Original Theme in C minor, WoO 80
BEETHOVEN Seven Variations in F Major on Kind, willst du ruhig schlafen by Peter Winter, WoO 75
May 12, 1977*
BEETHOVEN Six Bagatellies, Op. 126
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111
March 25, 1979*
LISZT Three selections from Années de Pèlerinage: Troisième année–Suisse
LISZT Valse oubliée No. 1
LISZT Czardas macabre
SCHOENBERG Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19
BUSONI Toccata
BRAHMS Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel in B-flat Major, Op. 24
February 3, 1980
SCHUMANN Kinderszenen, Op. 15
SCHUMANN Carnaval, Op. 9
SCHUMANN Kreisleriana, Op. 16
February 7, 1982*
MOZART in A Minor, K. 310
SCHUMANN Fantasy in C Major, Op. 17
BERG Sonata, Op. 1
LISZT Funérailles from Harmonies poetiques et religieuses
LISZT Two Legendes
May 13, 1984*
BEETHOVEN Six Bagatelles, Op. 126
SCHUBERT Sonata in A Minor, D. 784
SCHUBERT Sonata in C Major, D. 840 (Unfinished)
BEETHOVEN Variations and Fugue in E-flat Major, Op. 35 (Eroica)
May 5, 1985
HAYDN Variations in F Minor, Hob. XVII/6
HAYDN Sonata in E-flat Major, Hob. XVI/52
SCHUBERT Fantasy in C Major, D. 760 (Wanderer)
MUSSORGSKY Pictures from an Exhibition
April 27, 1986
HAYDN Fantasia in C Major, Hob. XVII/4
HAYDN Sonata in E Minor, Hob. XVI/34
SCHUMANN Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13
LISZT Années de Pèlerinage: Prèmiere année–Suisse
May 8, 1988
SCHUBERT Three Pieces, D. 946
SCHUBERT Sonata in G Major, D. 894
SCHUBERT Four Impromptus, D. 935
May 22, 1988
SCHUBERT Sonata in C Minor, D. 958
SCHUBERT Sonata in A Major, D. 959
SCHUBERT Sonata in B-flat Major, D. 960
April 21, 1991
HAYDN Sonata in C Minor, Hob. XVI/20
SCHUMANN Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13
BEETHOVEN Six Variations in F Major, Op. 34
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110
December 1, 1991
HAYDN Sonata in E-flat Major, Hob. XVI: 49
HAYDN Andante with Variations in F Minor, Hob. XVI:6
HAYDN Sonata in C Major, Hob. XVI:50
LISZT Funérailles from Harmonies poetiques et religieuses
LISZT Sonata in B Minor
May 23, 1993
BEETHOVEN Sonata in A-flat Major, Op. 26
BEETHOVEN Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 1
BEETHOVEN Sonata in C-sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2
BEETHOVEN Sonata in F Major, Op. 54
BEETHOVEN Sonata in C Major, Op. 53 (Waldstein)
April 29, 1994
BEETHOVEN Sonata in F Minor, Op. 2, No. 1
BEETHOVEN Sonata in C Major, Op. 2, No. 3
BEETHOVEN Sonata in A Major, Op. 2, No. 2
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 23 In F Minor, Op. 57 (Appassionata)
April 23, 1995
BEETHOVEN Sonata in G Major, Op. 79
BEETHOVEN Sonata in F-sharp Major, Op. 78
BEETHOVEN Sonata in D Major, Op. 28 (Pastorale)
BEETHOVEN Sonata in E Minor, Op. 90
BEETHOVEN Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 7
April 8, 1996
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 32 in C Minor, Op. 111
April 8, 1997
BUSONI Elegy No. 3: My soul longs and hopes for you (Chorale Prelude)
LISZT Canzonetta by Salvator Rosa
LISZT The Thinker
LISZT At the Lake of Wallenstadt
LISZT Dark Clouds
LISZT At the Cypresses of the Villa d’Este, No. 1
LISZT Eclogue
LISZT Sonnet No. 104 by Petrarch
BUSONI Elegy No. 6: A Vision (Nocturne)
SCHUMANN Fantasy in C Major, Op. 17
HAYDN Sonata in G Major, Hob. XVI:40
April 5, 1998
MOZART Fantasy in C Minor, K. 396
SCHUBERT Sonata in G Major, D. 894 (Fantasy)
MOZART Sonata in B-flat Major, K. 570
HAYDN Sonata in E-flat Major, Hob. XVI: 52
April 4, 1999
HAYDN Sonata in E Minor, Hob. XVI:34
SCHUBERT Four Impromptus, D. 935
SCHUMANN Kinderszenen, Op. 15
MOZART Rondo in A Minor, K. 511
MOZART Fantasy in C Minor, K. 475
April 6, 1999
MOZART Piano Quartet in G Minor, K. 478
MOZART Piano Quartet in E-flat Major, K. 493
MOZART Piano Quintet in A Major, K. 414a
Katharine Gowers, violin
Lucy Jeal, violin
Douglas Paterson, viola
Adrian Brendel, cello
April 30, 2000
HAYDN Sonata in E-flat Major, Hob. XVI:49
MOZART Sonata in B-flat Major, K. 333
SCHUBERT Sonata in A Minor, D. 845
April 15, 2001
HAYDN Sonata in G Minor, Hob. XVI:44
MOZART Fantasy in D Minor, K. 397
MOZART Sonata in A Minor, K. 310
BEETHOVEN Thirty-Three Variations in C Major on a Waltz by Diabelli, Op. 120
April 28, 2002
MOZART Sonata in D Major, K. 311
SCHUBERT Sonata in C Minor, D. 958
BRAHMS Four Ballades, Op. 10
MOZART Sonata in F Major, K. 533 (with Rondo, K. 494)
April 13, 2003
BEETHOVEN Bagatelle, Op. 33, No. 1
BEETHOVEN Bagatelle, Op. 119, No. 2
BEETHOVEN Bagatelle, Op. 126, No. 2
BEETHOVEN Bagatelle, Op. 126, No. 4
BEETHOVEN Bagatelle, Op. 33, No. 4
BEETHOVEN Rondo in C Major, Op. 51, No. 1
BEETHOVEN Rondo in G Major, Op. 51, No. 2
MOZART Sonata in A Major, K. 331
SCHUBERT Sonata in C Major, D. 840 (Reliquie)
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 1 in B-flat Major, Op. 22
April 18, 2004
MOZART Fantasy in C Minor, K. 396
MOZART Sonata in B-flat Major, K. 281
MOZART Sonata in E-flat Major, K. 282
SCHUBERT Three Piano Pieces, D. 946
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 30 in E Major, Op. 109
March 27, 2005
MOZART Nine Variations in D Major on a Minuet by J. P. Duport, K. 573
SCHUMANN Kreisleriana, Op. 16
SCHUBERT No. 1 in C Major: Moderato from Moments Musicaux, D. 780
SCHUBERT No. 2 in A-flat Major: Andantino from Moments Musicaux, D. 780
SCHUBERT No. 4 in C-sharp Minor: Moderato from Moments Musicaux, D. 780
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 15 in D Major, Op. 28 (Pastorale)
February 5, 2006
HAYDN Sonata in D Major, Hob. XVI: 42
SCHUBERT Sonata in G Major, D. 894
MOZART Fantasy in C Minor, K. 475
MOZART Rondo in A Minor, K. 511
HAYDN Sonata in C Major, Hob. XVI: 50
March 4, 2007
HAYDN Sonata in C Minor, H. XVI:20
BEETHOVEN Sonata No. 31 in A-flat Major, Op. 110
SCHUBERT Impromptu No. 1 in F Minor, D. 935
SCHUBERT Impromptu No. 3 in B-flat Major, D. 935
MOZART Sonata in C Minor, K. 457
March 9, 2008
HAYDN Variations in F Minor, Hob. SVII/6
MOZART Sonata in F Major, K. 533/K. 494
BEETHOVEN Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 1 (Quasi una fantasia)
SCHUBERT Sonata in B-flat Major, D. 960
*No program on file; repertoire culled from advertisements and reviews.
Happy, happy birthday!
This week Riccardo Muti leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Mahler’s First Symphony, almost exactly one hundred years since Frederick Stock first conducted it in Chicago.
Program page for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s first performances of Mahler’s First Symphony
That first performance of the symphony (sandwiched between Handel’s Concerto grosso, op. 6, no. 2 and Schumann’s Piano Concerto with Josef Hofmann) on November 6, 1914, left Ronald Webster of the Chicago Daily Tribune a bit puzzled: “The Mahler symphony is less important but more interesting to talk about because it is strictly earthy. There is a suggestion in the program notes that Mahler was not wholly serious in this symphony. It was obvious yesterday that he was not serious at all. Even the finale is not serious, though it is tiresome, being too long. But it is the quality of the humor which is likely to cause people to turn up their noses. The humor is a little coarse, definitely ironical, of a barnyard kind and healthy. Mahler is himself partly to blame for such ideas about him. Definite conceptions such as his (though he may not have been serious about them either) are death to all mystic attitude toward this work. . . . He suggests that the first movement is nature’s awakening at early morning. One suspects that Mahler included in nature the cows and chickens as well as the cuckoo and the dewy grass.” The complete review is here.
Despite that critic’s early apprehensions, the symphony soon became a staple in the Orchestra’s repertoire and has been led—at Orchestra Hall, the Ravinia Festival, and on tour—by a vast array of conductors, including: Roberto Abbado, Claudio Abbado, Daniel Barenboim, Pierre Boulez, James Conlon, Christoph von Dohnányi, Gustavo Dudamel, Christoph Eschenbach, Adam Fischer, Carlo Maria Giulini, Bernard Haitink, Irwin Hoffman, Paul Kletzki, Kirill Kondrashin, Rafael Kubelík, James Levine, Lorin Maazel, Igor Markevitch, Henry Mazer, Eugene Ormandy, Seiji Ozawa, George Schick, Leonard Slatkin, Sir Georg Solti, William Steinberg, Klaus Tennstedt, Michael Tilson Thomas, Edo de Waart, Bruno Walter, and Jaap van Zweden.
And the Orchestra has recorded the work six times, as follows:
Carlo Maria Giulini, conductor
Recorded by Angel at Medinah Temple in March 1971
Christopher Bishop, producer
Carson Taylor, engineer
Giulini’s recording won the 1971 Grammy Award for Best Classical Performance—Orchestra from the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.
Claudio Abbado, conductor
Recorded by Deutsche Grammophon at Orchestra Hall in February 1981
Rainer Brock, producer
Karl-August Naegler, engineer
Sir Georg Solti, conductor
Recorded by London at Orchestra Hall in October 1983
James Mallinson, producer
James Lock, engineer
Klaus Tennstedt, conductor
Recorded by EMI at Orchestra Hall in May and June 1990
John Fraser, producer
Michael Sheady, engineer
Pierre Boulez, conductor
Recorded by Deutsche Grammophon at Orchestra Hall in May 1998
Karl-August Naegler, producer
Rainer Maillard and Reinhard Lagemann, engineers
Bernard Haitink, conductor
Recorded by CSO Resound at Orchestra Hall in May 2008
James Mallinson, producer
Christopher Willis, engineer
For more information on Muti’s performances of Mahler’s First this week, please visit the CSO’s website.
from the archives 