By Tom Mullaney
Most Americans know only one work by Antonin Dvorak,
his New World Symphony.
Yet, this Czech composer wrote over 100 other works, including 8 symphonies (the New World was his 9th), 10 operas, choral works, chamber music and a violin and cello concerto.
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra will devote the final three weeks of its season to the life and music of this lesser known composer, relative to the superstar status enjoyed by Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart or Mahler.
Starting Saturday, May 30 and running through June 20, the orchestra is programming a rich assortment of 10 CSO concerts and pre-concert conversations, a film screening, poetry reading, a performance by the Chicago Jazz Ensemble (Duke Ellington’s teacher studied with Dvorak), and two chamber ensembles.
The festival conductor is Sir Mark Elder, music director of the Halle Orchestra in Manchester, England.
Heading the stellar roster of solo artists are two young women with extremely promising futures, Dutch violinist Janine Jansen and American cellist Alisa Weilerstein (pictured above). Both women, who began playing at ages 6 and 4, respectively, are known for intense performance styles that elicit rave reviews. One New York critic asserted that Weilerstein is “arguably Yo-Yo Ma’s heir as sovereign of the American cello.”
Other featured performers include violinist Rachel Barton Pine, pianist Jeffrey Kahane, opera star Patricia Racette and the Emerson String Quartet.
Dvorak came to America in 1892 to lead the National Conservatory of Music in New York where he wrote “From the New World” in the Spring of 1893. That summer, his trip to the Czech community of Spillville, Iowa had a great influence on his music which draws upon Czech folk melodies. Strongly influenced by the music of Native as well as African-Americans, Dvorak gives symphonic voice to America’s evolving national identity.
Tickets for the festival are available at www.cso.org. Download Dvorak festival concert guide (pdf).
Image of cellist Alisa Weilerstein courtesy of the CSO/Christian Steiner
Related: Grant Park Music Festival - 2009 Schedule
Most Americans know only one work by Antonin Dvorak,
his New World Symphony.
Yet, this Czech composer wrote over 100 other works, including 8 symphonies (the New World was his 9th), 10 operas, choral works, chamber music and a violin and cello concerto.
The Chicago Symphony Orchestra will devote the final three weeks of its season to the life and music of this lesser known composer, relative to the superstar status enjoyed by Beethoven, Brahms, Mozart or Mahler.
Starting Saturday, May 30 and running through June 20, the orchestra is programming a rich assortment of 10 CSO concerts and pre-concert conversations, a film screening, poetry reading, a performance by the Chicago Jazz Ensemble (Duke Ellington’s teacher studied with Dvorak), and two chamber ensembles.
The festival conductor is Sir Mark Elder, music director of the Halle Orchestra in Manchester, England.
Heading the stellar roster of solo artists are two young women with extremely promising futures, Dutch violinist Janine Jansen and American cellist Alisa Weilerstein (pictured above). Both women, who began playing at ages 6 and 4, respectively, are known for intense performance styles that elicit rave reviews. One New York critic asserted that Weilerstein is “arguably Yo-Yo Ma’s heir as sovereign of the American cello.”
Other featured performers include violinist Rachel Barton Pine, pianist Jeffrey Kahane, opera star Patricia Racette and the Emerson String Quartet.
Dvorak came to America in 1892 to lead the National Conservatory of Music in New York where he wrote “From the New World” in the Spring of 1893. That summer, his trip to the Czech community of Spillville, Iowa had a great influence on his music which draws upon Czech folk melodies. Strongly influenced by the music of Native as well as African-Americans, Dvorak gives symphonic voice to America’s evolving national identity.
Tickets for the festival are available at www.cso.org. Download Dvorak festival concert guide (pdf).
Image of cellist Alisa Weilerstein courtesy of the CSO/Christian Steiner
Related: Grant Park Music Festival - 2009 Schedule
Comments