APRIL/MAY 2016
The
Score
Noteworthy news from the Madison Symphony Orchestra
PROGRAM April 1, 2, 3
Pianist Garrick Ohlsson Plays Brahms
STEVEN STUCKY Symphony No. 1 RICHARD STRAUSS Don Juan JOHANNES BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 1 John DeMain Conductor Garrick Ohlsson Piano
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Photo by Pier Andrea Morolli
I’m thrilled to welcome back one of the world’s great pianists, Garrick Ohlsson, who will bring us Johannes Brahms’ virtuosic and fiery Piano Concerto No. 1. I can’t tell you how much the orchestra enjoyed collaborating with Garrick the last time he was here in 2012. During his last visit, Garrick and the MSO played Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 2, a lesser known work, for the first time. It was great putting a concerto together that he had never played before, and that experience provided even deeper insights into his artistry. His presentation of Brahms should be definitive. Richard Strauss’ great tone poem, Don Juan, precedes the Brahms. This is another work that challenges the prowess of symphony orchestras, and the strings and horns in particular.
John DeMain
Photo by Bill Fritsch/ HarperFritsch Studios
New music has significantly evolved in the 21st century, and we have a wonderful example of this with Steven Stucky’s emotionally affecting Symphony No. 1, composed in 2012. I'm sorry to report Mr. Stucky passed away in February. Steven, like many other composers of new music, strove for a relationship with his audience, similar to the composers of old. He had a long relationship with the Los Angeles and New York Philharmonic Orchestras, and his accolades included winning the 2005 Pulitzer Prize in Music. His Symphony No. 1 spans a broad landscape with wonderfully contrasting sections and challenging virtuosity for the orchestra. I can’t wait to conduct it and for you to experience it. I encourage you to listen to this work at madisonsymphony.org before hearing it live. After listening, I hope you will agree that this is a masterful and deeply satisfying piece.
MUSIC DIRECTOR
PRELUDE DISCUSSION Learn about the music one hour before each concert in Overture Hall. Speaker: Susan Cook UW-Madison School of Music Director & Professor of Musicology Major funding provided by
Diane Ballweg
Fred and Mary Mohs Additional funding provided by
Boardman & Clark LLP Dan and Natalie Erdman
J.H. Findorff & Son Inc. Nick and Judith Topitzes WPS Health Solutions
Buy Single Tickets at madisonsymphony.org, the Overture Center Box Office or (608) 258-4141
with funds from the Stat and the National Endow
with funds from the State of Wisconsin and the National Endowment for the Arts.
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