KW Symphony’s “Symphonie Fantastique”
I went to the KW Symphony’s performance titled “Symphonie Fantastique.”
The conductor was Alpesh Chauhan.
Here’s the program:
- Magnus Lindberg — Aventures
- This is a bit of a jumble — there are some interesting sections, but no unified whole. Some sections were quotations from composers such as Beethoven and Mozart.
- Ludwig van Beethoven — Concerto No. 4 in G major for Piano and Orchestra*
- Allegro moderato
- Andante con moto
- Rondo vivace
- I wasn’t familiar with this piece but it was full of Beethoven-y goodness. A historical tidbit: Its public premiere was the last time Beethoven played as a soloist with an orchestra.
- Hector Berlioz — Symphonie fantastique
- Reveries — Passions
- A Ball
- Scene in the Country
- March to the Scaffold
- Dream of a Witches’ Sabbath
- This might be the 1st time I’ve heard this piece live — it’s splendid to see/hear it in action. The 4th and 5th movements are the most fantastic parts. This is Berlioz’s 1st symphony but is masterful. A historical tidbit: Berlioz wrote the symphony as an expression of love for a woman who he later married but their marriage ended up being an unhappy one.
*The pianist was Angela Cheng, who was extravagantly into the music but did a terrific job. She played an encore which I was familiar with but can’t name.
I previously discussed the KW Symphony’s concert “Mozart & Dvorak’s New World.”