Antonin Dvorak’s Ninth Symphony is as big a deal today as it was in 1893, when it premiered with huge fanfare at Carnegie Hall in New York. The Ninth was special. Major composer. Written in America. Inspired by African-American spirituals. No wonder it prompted one of the most elaborate music reviews in the history of newspapers, a 3,000-word essay. In Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola, the sublime middle movement is dipped in grief, but all sadness vanishes in the presto finale. The concert begins with Berlioz’s Roman Carnival Overture – full-throttled music, virtuosic and splashy – from a colorful composer who would make a delightful dinner party guest.
These program notes include music excerpts.

Masterworks 10 of the 23/24 Season
Performances April 12-14, 2024