2014/15 Season Catalog by Chicago Symphony Orchestra

2014 /15 Global Sponsor of the CSO

Welcome! The 2014/15 season marks my fifth as Music Director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Together with you, our subscribers, we continue our dedication to sharing world-class music with all of Chicago, and we reaffirm our commitment to serve our community as citizen musicians—to generously use and promote the power of music to enhance our culture and the lives of others. Thank you, Chicago, for supporting your orchestra. I look forward to seeing you at Symphony Center next season. Riccardo Muti Music Director

SEASON HIGHLIGHTS

Muti Conducts the Complete Tchaikovsky Symphonies

Masterworks from Bach to Brahms

From Berlioz to Boulez: Color and Sensuality

2015 Reveries and Passions Festival

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CSO Series Main Series......................................................................................... 12 Afterwork Masterworks ®....................................................................... 32 Beyond the Score ®.............................................................................. 33 CSO at the Movies............................................................................... 34 CSO Family Matinees / Once Upon a Symphony ®................................ 35 Symphony Ball........................................................................................... 24 Symphony Center Presents Chamber Music................................................................................... 36 Piano.................................................................................................. 38 Orchestras.......................................................................................... 40 MusicNOW and New Music................................................................. 41 Pixar in Concert and Jazz.................................................................... 42 Welcome Yule!.......................................................................................... 43 Special Concerts........................................................................................ 44 How to Renew Guide.................................................................. Center insert Season Grid & Calendar........................................................... Center fold-out CSO Media.............................................................................. Center fold-out

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | RICCARDO MUTI Music Director | 312-294-3000 | CSO.ORG

“The combination of elegance and brilliance Muti inspires in these musicians is something to behold.” —Chicago Tribune

Muti Conducts the Complete Tchaikovsky Symphonies CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA RICCARDO MUTI conductor — SEPTEMBER 25–30 TCHAIKOVSKY 4 Series: Thursday A and F, Friday D, Saturday A and E, Tuesday A

OCTOBER 2–4 TCHAIKOVSKY 3 (Polish) Series: Thursday C and D, Friday A, Saturday B and G

JANUARY 15 –17 TCHAIKOVSKY 1 (Winter Daydreams) Series: Thursday B and H, Friday A, Saturday B and G

JANUARY 22–24 SCRIABIN 1 Series: Thursday A and G, Friday D, Saturday C

JANUARY 27 SCRIABIN The Divine Poem Series: Tuesday B

FEBRUARY 26–MARCH 3 TCHAIKOVSKY 6 (Pathétique) SCRIABIN 2 Series: Thursday B and I, Friday A, Saturday D, Tuesday B

MARCH 5 –7 TCHAIKOVSKY 2 (Little Russian) Series: Thursday A and F, Friday B, Saturday A and E

JUNE 11–13 TCHAIKOVSKY Manfred Symphony SCRIABIN The Poem of Ecstasy Series: Thursday C and E, Friday C, Saturday A and F

JUNE 18–20 TCHAIKOVSKY 5 Series: Thursday A and G, Friday B, Saturday B and H

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | RICCARDO MUTI Music Director | 312-294-3000 | CSO.ORG

he music of Tchaikovsky inhabits a world of melody and dreams that reaches westward for its form, but mines the riches of the composer’s inner life and Russian homeland for its emotional strength and distinctive color. Music Director Riccardo Muti leads all seven of Tchaikovsky’s monumental symphonies. Sweeping in scale and imbued with heartbreakingly beautiful melodies, these masterpieces journey from bold proclamations of epic consequence to whispered confidences of drawing-room intimacy. These passionate, reflective pillars of the Romantic repertoire are brought into provocative conversation with early 20th-century works by fellow genius Alexander Scriabin. (See the Season Highlight on page 18 for more about Scriabin.)

Riccardo Muti

Taking a Snowy Town, Vasily Surikov, 1891

From the great Austro-German musical heritage

Masterworks from Bach to Brahms CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA — SEPTEMBER 18 –23 FEBRUARY 19–24 MUTI CONDUCTS MUTI CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN 9 MOZART REQUIEM

SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS — NOVEMBER 9 BACH The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1

Series: Thursday B and H, Sunday A, Tuesday B, Symphony Ball

Series: Thursday C and D, Friday B, Saturday B and G, Tuesday A

Pierre-Laurent Aimard piano Series: SCP Piano

NOVEMBER 7 and 8 BRAHMS HUNGARIAN DANCES

MARCH 5–7 MUTI CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN TRIPLE CONCERTO

Series: Friday C and Saturday D

NOVEMBER 20 –25 BACH BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS

Series: Thursday A and F, Friday B, Saturday A and E

MARCH 1 BACH COMPLETE VIOLIN SONATAS and PARTITAS Gil Shaham violin David Michalek visual artist Series: SCP Chamber Music

MARCH 26–29 BRAHMS 3

MARCH 8 BEETHOVEN, MOZART AND MORE

Series: Thursday C and D, Saturday C, Beyond the Score ®

András Schiff piano Series: SCP Piano

DECEMBER 11–16 BEETHOVEN 7

APRIL 2– 4 UCHIDA PLAYS MOZART

Series: Thursday A and F, Friday A, Saturday D, Tuesday A

Series: Thursday A and F, Friday A, Saturday A and F

APRIL 19 BEETHOVEN WALDSTEIN SONATA

JANUARY 7–10 BEETHOVEN EMPEROR CONCERTO

APRIL 23–26 BRUCKNER 8

Series: Thursday B and H, Friday D, Saturday B and H, Sunday A, Tuesday A

Series: Thursday C and D, Friday C, Saturday A and F, Afterwork Masterworks ®

JANUARY 15 –17 BRAHMS PIANO CONCERTO No. 2 Series: Thursday B and H, Friday A, Saturday B and G

FEBRUARY 5– 8 BEETHOVEN 5 Series: Thursday C and E, Saturday C, Sunday A

Series: Friday A, Saturday B and G, Sunday A, Afterwork Masterworks ®

APRIL 30–MAY 2 BACH ORCHESTRAL SUITE No. 3 Series: Thursday B and I, Friday C, Saturday A and F

MAY 28 & 30 BEETHOVEN 3 (EROICA) Series: Thursday C and D, Saturday C

Evgeny Kissin piano Series: SCP Piano

MAY 31 BACH, BRAHMS AND MORE Orli Shaham piano Series: SCP Piano

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | RICCARDO MUTI Music Director | 312-294-3000 | CSO.ORG

he symphonic repertoire from the Austro-German tradition lies at the very of heart Western classical music. The astonishing depth and arresting beauty of J.S. Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos set the stage for the great tradition to come. From Mozart’s Requiem to Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, from Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 to Bruckner’s Eighth Symphony, these performances celebrate the works of the German and Austrian masters in whom we hear, even today, the enduring efflorescence of Bach’s irrepressible invention. Generations of audiences have been endlessly enchanted by these masterpieces. Join us as Music Director Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus open the 2014/15 season with Muti’s first-ever Chicago performances of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony.

Riccardo Muti conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Photos top to bottom: Mitsuko Uchida, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Gil Shaham, András Schiff Liszt at the Piano, Josef Danhauser, 1840

A kaleidoscopic journey through nearly 200 years of dazzling French repertoire

From Berlioz to Boulez: Color and Sensuality CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA — SEPTEMBER 25–30 MARCH 12–17 MUTI CONDUCTS Dutoit Conducts Ravel AND D’INDY BERLIOZ AND DEBUSSY Series: Thursday A and F, Friday D, Saturday A and E, Tuesday A

NOVEMBER 13 –15 DEBUSSY AND BOULEZ Series: Thursday A and G, Friday A, Saturday C

NOVEMBER 14 and 16 Beyond the Score ® BOULEZ AT 90 Provisionally definitive

Featuring works by Ravel, D’Indy and Franck Series: Thursday B and H, Saturday B and H, Tuesday A

MARCH 19 –21 YO-YO MA PLAYS LALO Featuring works by Ravel, Debussy, Saint-Saëns and Lalo Series: Thursday A and G, Friday C, Saturday A and E

Series: Beyond the Score

APRIL 30 – MAY 2 POULENC Concert champêtre Series: Thursday B and I, Friday C, Saturday A and F

JUNE 4 and 6 RAVEL La valse Series: Thursday B and I, Saturday B and G

JUNE 5 and 7 Beyond the Score ® RAVEL: A PORTRAIT Complex but never complicated Series: Beyond the Score

SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS — OCTOBER 16 FEBRUARY 20 TAKÁCS QUARTET with ROTTERDAM PHILHARMONIC MARC-ANDRÉ HAMELIN ORCHESTRA Program includes: Debussy String Quartet in G Major Franck Piano Quintet Series: SCP Chamber Music

Yannick Nézet-Séguin conductor Hélène Grimaud piano Program includes: Ravel Piano Concerto in G Major Series: SCP Orchestras

MAY 3 CÉDRIC TIBERGHIEN piano Program includes works by Ravel and Debussy Series: SCP Piano

MAY 10 ALEXANDRE THARAUD piano Program includes works by Satie and Ravel Series: SCP Piano

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | RICCARDO MUTI Music Director | 312-294-3000 | CSO.ORG

hese programs comprise an array of composers who liberally suffused their music with the fresh, expansive splendor of France. Spanning two centuries, this evocative journey treks from the intoxicating romanticism of Hector Berlioz to the modernist landmarks of Pierre Boulez and traces a proud nation’s search for her musical identity in the face of ongoing social and political upheaval. These unquestionably Gallic works, with their sensual vitality and noble wit, are startling in their refinement, yet vividly convey the colors and landscapes of an alluring France. As you listen, you’ll find your mind’s eye conjuring the gentle pastures of verdant Normandy, the lavender fields of sun-soaked Provence, the windswept shores of stormy Bordeaux and the rambling peaks of the storied Pyrenees.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Photos top to bottom: Riccardo Muti, Yo-Yo Ma, Charles Dutoit, Hélène Grimaud The Promenade, Woman with a Parasol, Claude Monet, 1875

A three-week festival celebrating French operatic and symphonic landmarks, led by Esa-Pekka Salonen

Reveries and Passions May 2015 CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ESA-PEKKA SALONEN conductor — MAY 14, 16 and 19 MAY 7– 9 and 15 DEBUSSY RAVEL Pelléas et Mélisande L’enfant et les sortilèges

MAY 21– 23 MESSIAEN Turangalîla-symphonie

Series: Thursday C and E, Friday B and D, Saturday D

Series: Thursday B and H, Saturday B and H, Tuesday B

Series: Thursday A and F, Friday A, Saturday A and E

Cast led by: Chloé Briot soprano (Child)

Stéphane Degout baritone (Pelléas) Christine Rice mezzo-soprano (Mélisande) Eric Owens bass-baritone (Golaud) Willard White bass-baritone (Arkel) Felicity Palmer mezzo-soprano (Geneviève) Chloé Briot soprano (Yniold)

Jean-Yves Thibaudet piano

Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Ravel Mother Goose Suite Debussy La damoiselle élue Ravel L’enfant et les sortilèges Ravel’s lyrical fantasy L’enfant et les sortilèges (The Child and Magic Spells) tells the story of a child learning compassion from objects and animals that come to life around him. The work’s phantasmagorical whimsy climaxes with an extended duet for “meowing cats” that enchants and mesmerizes. See the Season Highlight on page 21 for more information about this program.

When Debussy attended the first performance of Maeterlinck’s play Pelléas et Mélisande in 1893, he was as intrigued by its elusive love story as he was spellbound by its profound humanity. He went on to compose an opera that captured and, ultimately, surpassed the play’s poetry by enriching all its magic, mystery and gossamer delicacy with his own diaphanous scoring.

Ravel Piano Concerto in G Major Messiaen Turangalîla-symphonie Messiaen’s Turangalîlasymphonie is an ambitious statement about sensual love inspired by the legend of Tristan and Isolde. Saturated with orchestral color, this vibrant work incorporates Indian ragas and the exotic sound of the Indonesian gamelan in its irrepressible, joyous music.

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | RICCARDO MUTI Music Director | 312-294-3000 | CSO.ORG

aestro Esa-Pekka Salonen returns to Chicago to conduct a collection of French masterpieces that brim with restive longing and improbable midnight enchantments. Weaving stories about the many facets of human love—forbidden, elusive, passionate, exuberant, motherly and comforting—these sumptuous gems will dazzle and delight.

Esa-Pekka Salonen

Photos top to bottom: Stéphane Degout, Chloé Briot, Willard White, Jean-Yves Thibaudet Reflection, Odilon Redon, c. 1900

THURSDAY A

10 concerts at 8:00 | 5–concert series: THU F or THU G SEP

8:30

NOV

DEC

JAN

MAR

APR

September 25 F 8:30 Note Special Time MUTI CONDUCTS TCHAIKOVSKY 4 Riccardo Muti conductor Berlioz Waverley Overture Debussy La mer Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4

November 13 G DEBUSSY AND BOULEZ Pablo Heras-Casado conductor Alice Sara Ott piano Stravinsky Fireworks Boulez Figures-Doubles-Prismes Bartók Piano Concerto No. 3 Debussy Ibéria

December 11 F BEETHOVEN 7 Manfred Honeck conductor Haydn Symphony No. 93 Strauss Don Juan Beethoven Symphony No. 7

January 22 G MUTI CONDUCTS PROKOFIEV AND SCRIABIN Riccardo Muti conductor Alisa Kolosova mezzo-soprano Sergey Skorokhodov tenor Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Prokofiev Alexander Nevsky Scriabin Symphony No. 1 Riccardo Muti conducts works by two Russian composers for whom he has a remarkable affinity. Scriabin’s First Symphony is a glorious six-movement work that culminates in a triumphant chorus, yet it also holds much tender lyricism. Prokofiev’s cantata Alexander Nevsky, by contrast, is full of fire and steel, its imaginative orchestration and rousing choruses evoking Russia’s medieval victory over invading Teutonic knights.

Photos top to bottom: Riccardo Muti, Stephanie Jeong, Dorothea Röschmann, Daniil Trifonov

APR

MAY

JUN

March 19 G CHARLES DUTOIT AND YO-YO MA Charles Dutoit conductor Yo-Yo Ma cello Robert Chen violin Ravel Valses nobles et sentimentales Debussy Symphonic Fragments from The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian Saint-Saëns La muse et le poète Lalo Cello Concerto

April 2 F UCHIDA PLAYS MOZART Mitsuko Uchida conductor Dorothea Röschmann soprano Mozart Piano Concerto No. 6 Schumann Frauenliebe und -leben Mozart Piano Concerto No. 26 (Coronation) “Mitsuko Uchida’s annual visits to Orchestra Hall rank among the most life-affirming experiences granted to local concertgoers” (Chicago Tribune). The Japanese pianist, renowned for her Mozart interpretations, returns to play and conduct two of Mozart’s most beautiful and uplifting concertos. Uchida also accompanies soprano Dorothea Röschmann in a Schumann song cycle which movingly traces the intimate thoughts of a woman about her beloved.

April 16 G SHOSTAKOVICH 8 Semyon Bychkov conductor Daniil Trifonov piano Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 1 Shostakovich Symphony No. 8

May 21 F SALONEN CONDUCTS MESSIAEN Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor Jean-Yves Thibaudet piano Ravel Piano Concerto in G Major Messiaen Turangalîla-symphonie This program is part of the 2015 Reveries and Passions Festival.

March 5 F MUTI CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN

June 18 G MUTI CONDUCTS TCHAIKOVSKY 5

Riccardo Muti conductor Stephanie Jeong violin Kenneth Olsen cello Jonathan Biss piano Ligeti Lontano Beethoven Triple Concerto Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 2 (Little Russian)

Riccardo Muti conductor Bates Anthology of Fantastic Zoology [World premiere, CSO commission] Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | RICCARDO MUTI Music Director | 312-294-3000 | CSO.ORG

THURSDAY B

10 concerts at 8:00 | 5–concert series: THU H or THU I SEP

OCT

NOV

DEC

JAN

FEB

MAR

JUN

Riccardo Muti conductor Camilla Nylund soprano Ekaterina Gubanova mezzo-soprano Christopher Ventris tenor Eric Owens bass Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Beethoven Symphony No. 9

Riccardo Muti conductor Scriabin Symphony No. 2 Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique)

November 20 H Bach Brandenburg Concertos Nicholas Kraemer conductor and harpsichord Bach Complete Brandenburg Concertos (Nos. 1– 6)

December 18 I Prieto and Yeh Carlos Miguel Prieto conductor Cynthia Yeh percussion Prokofiev Suite from Lieutenant Kijé MacMillan Veni, Veni, Emmanuel Revueltas Sensemayá Lutosławski Concerto for Orchestra Carlos Miguel Prieto fittingly opens winter in Chicago with Prokofiev’s Lieutenant Kijé Suite, which tells the musical story of a fictional Russian soldier, complete with romances, a wedding and a festive Troika sleigh ride. Featuring CSO Principal Percussionist Cynthia Yeh as soloist, James MacMillan’s Veni, Veni, Emmanuel is a riotous and exuberant showpiece based on the Advent plainchant of the same name. The concert ends with a blazing display of the full orchestra’s virtuosity in Lutosławski’s bracing and energetic Concerto for Orchestra.

January 15 H Muti and Bronfman

Denis Kozhukhin, Eric Owens

MAY

February 26 I Muti Conducts Tchaikovsky 6

Jaap van Zweden conductor Robert Chen violin Bartók Rhapsody Nos. 1 and 2 Mahler Symphony No. 5

Jaap van Zweden, Chicago Symphony Orchestra,

September 18 H Muti Conducts Beethoven 9

October 9 I Mahler 5

Photos top to bottom:

APR

Riccardo Muti conductor Yefim Bronfman piano Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 1 (Winter Daydreams)

March 12 H Dutoit Conducts Ravel AND D’INDY Charles Dutoit conductor Louis Lortie piano Ravel Rapsodie espagnole D’Indy Symphony on a French Mountain Air Franck Symphonic Variations Ravel Suite No. 2 from Daphnis et Chloé

April 30 I Bicket Conducts Bach Harry Bicket conductor Kristian Bezuidenhout harpsichord Rameau Dance Suite from Platée Poulenc Concert champêtre Bach, arr. Stravinsky Four Preludes and Fugues from The Well-Tempered Clavier Bach Orchestral Suite No. 3 Bach’s regal Orchestral Suite No. 3, most beloved for its Air “on the G string,” exudes 18th-century elegance. Almost 200 years later, Poulenc revived the unexpected mix of Baroque grace and humor in his Concert champêtre, which features a solo harpsichord part, played here by Kristian Bezuidenhout. The CSO completes this charming program with Stravinsky’s arrangement of preludes and fugues from Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier.

May 14 H Salonen Conducts Debussy Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor Cast led by: Stéphane Degout baritone (Pelléas) Christine Rice mezzo-soprano (Mélisande) Debussy Pelléas et Mélisande This program is part of the CSO’s 2015 Reveries and Passions Festival.

June 4 I Gershwin and Ravel Ludovic Morlot conductor Denis Kozhukhin piano Gershwin An American in Paris Ravel Piano Concerto for the Left Hand Stravinsky Jeu de cartes Ravel La valse

THURSDAY C

10 concerts at 8:00 | 5–concert series: THU D or THU E OCT

DEC

JAN

FEB

MAR

APR

October 2 D MUTI AND MARTIN Riccardo Muti conductor Christopher Martin trumpet Panufnik Concerto in modo antico Stravinsky Suite from The Firebird Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 3 (Polish)

December 4 E THE NUTCRACKER AND PETRUSHKA Ingo Metzmacher conductor Tchaikovsky Excerpts from The Nutcracker Stravinsky Petrushka Shostakovich Symphony No. 11 (The Year 1905) Encompassing some of Tchaikovsky’s most imaginative creations, The Nutcracker introduced audiences to the twinkling magic of the celesta. Hear excerpts from this beloved ballet alongside Stravinsky’s Petrushka, which depicts the misadventures of a hapless puppet in pursuit of a beautiful ballerina. Ingo Metzmacher combines these fantastical scores with Shostakovich’s vivid and searing portrait of fateful events in the winter of 1905, when the brutal response of Tsarist forces to peaceful demonstration led to near revolution.

Riccardo Muti conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Christopher Martin, Matthias Goerne, Rosa Feola, Jennifer Koh

MAY

JUN

February 19 D MUTI CONDUCTS MOZART REQUIEM Riccardo Muti conductor Rudolf Buchbinder piano Rosa Feola soprano Alisa Kolosova mezzo-soprano Saimir Pirgu tenor Michele Pertusi bass Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Mozart Piano Concerto No. 24 Mozart Requiem

March 26 D MOZART AND BRAHMS Edo de Waart conductor Orion Weiss piano Ippolito Nocturne Mozart Piano Concerto No. 25 Brahms Symphony No. 3

April 9 E HAITINK CONDUCTS MAHLER Bernard Haitink conductor Mahler Symphony No. 7

May 7 E SALONEN CONDUCTS RAVEL

Vasily Petrenko conductor Paul Lewis piano Elgar In the South (Alassio) Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor) Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances

February 5 E BEETHOVEN 5

May 28 D CLYNE AND BEETHOVEN 3

Jaap van Zweden conductor Matthias Goerne baritone Strauss and Schubert Selected Songs Beethoven Symphony No. 5 The opening “ba-ba-ba-BAH” of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony is among the most recognizable moments in symphonic music. Hear this thrilling and immensely treasured work as masterfully played by the CSO under the baton of maestro Jaap van Zweden. “Today’s foremost interpreter of German art song” (Chicago Tribune), acclaimed baritone Matthias Goerne joins the CSO to perform some of the greatest Romantic songs by Richard Strauss and Franz Schubert.

Ludovic Morlot conductor Jennifer Koh violin Berlioz Les francs-juges Overture Clyne Violin Concerto [World premiere, CSO commission] Beethoven Symphony No. 3 (Eroica)

January 8 D LEWIS PLAYS BEETHOVEN EMPEROR

Photos top to bottom:

MAY

June 11 E MUTI CONDUCTS TCHAIKOVSKY MANFRED Riccardo Muti conductor Scriabin The Poem of Ecstasy Tchaikovsky Manfred Symphony

2014 /15 Season Highlight

MUTI CONDUCTS MOZART REQUIEM

“The performance Muti drew from his orchestra and the mighty Chicago Symphony Chorus combined dedicated musicality and deep religious feeling to produce one of the great musical events of the season.”—Chicago Tribune The once mysterious origins of Mozart’s Requiem are now common knowledge. The anonymous commission that arrived in July 1791 came from Count Franz von Walsegg-Stuppach, who already had a distasteful reputation for passing off other composers’ works as his own. Immersed in preparations for the premieres of his operas La clemenza di Tito and Die Zauberflöte, Mozart accepted the commission fees, but delayed working on the requiem until that fall. Mozart suddenly fell ill with fever in late November and died two weeks later, leaving the mass unfinished. His widow, Constanze, feared that she would lose the much-needed commission fees and hired one of Mozart’s students, Franz Xaver Süssmayr, to complete the requiem.

The music is a stunning testament to Mozart’s unparalleled talent and ingenuity. The opening’s imitative counterpoint and the Kyrie’s brilliant double fugue hearken back to the Baroque church music of Bach and Handel. Yet Mozart also weaves in moments that were boldly modern for the time. The words describing the call to the Last Judgment are accompanied by a solo trombone. In the Confutatis, the male voices thunder exhortations while the angelic sopranos plead, “call me to be with the blessed.” Hear Mozart’s beloved and final masterpiece in February 2015 with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus under the direction of Music Director Riccardo Muti. PERFORMED FEBRUARY 19–24 Series: Thursday C and D, Friday B, Saturday B and G, Tuesday A

FRIDAY A

8 concerts at 1:30 OCT

NOV

DEC

JAN

FEB

APR

February 27 Muti Conducts Tchaikovsky 6

Riccardo Muti conductor Christopher Martin trumpet Panufnik Concerto in modo antico Stravinsky Suite from The Firebird Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 3 (Polish)

Riccardo Muti conductor Scriabin Symphony No. 2 Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique) Tchaikovsky’s soul-stirring masterpiece, the Sixth Symphony, is among the greatest landmarks in the symphonic repertoire. The first movement’s tender love theme for strings and the scherzo’s electrifying march are just two highlights in a work of deep emotion. Scriabin’s Second Symphony presents an enticing mix of drama and lyricism that leads to a spectacularly triumphant ending.

Pablo Heras-Casado conductor Alice Sara Ott piano Stravinsky Fireworks Boulez Figures-Doubles-Prismes Bartók Piano Concerto No. 3 Debussy Ibéria Pablo Heras-Casado conducts a colorful program of 20th-century works, including Debussy’s sinuous Ibéria. Honoring the upcoming 90th birthday of CSO Helen Regenstein Conductor Emeritus Pierre Boulez, the CSO plays the musical maverick’s first work for full orchestra alone, Figures-Doubles-Prismes, while Alice Sara Ott joins the CSO for Bartók’s explosive Third Piano Concerto.

December 12 BEETHOVEN 7 Manfred Honeck conductor Haydn Symphony No. 93 Strauss Don Juan Beethoven Symphony No. 7

January 16 Muti and Bronfman Riccardo Muti conductor Yefim Bronfman piano Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 1 (Winter Daydreams)

Riccardo Muti, Yefim Bronfman, Alice Sara Ott, Manfred Honeck

October 3 MUTI AND MARTIN

November 14 DEBUSSY AND BOULEZ

Photos top to bottom:

MAY

April 3 Uchida Plays Mozart Mitsuko Uchida conductor Dorothea Röschmann soprano Mozart Piano Concerto No. 6 Schumann Frauenliebe und -leben Mozart Piano Concerto No. 26 (Coronation)

April 24 Bruckner 8 Semyon Bychkov conductor Bruckner Symphony No. 8

May 22 SALONEN CONDUCTS MESSIAEN Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor Jean-Yves Thibaudet piano Ravel Piano Concerto in G Major Messiaen Turangalîla-symphonie Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts two major 20th-century masterpieces for piano and orchestra. Prepare for dazzling fireworks from captivating French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet in Ravel’s Concerto in G Major, a virtuosic work shot through with brilliance and clarity. Messiaen’s unparalelled Turangalîla-symphonie is a life-affirming, exuberant celebration of love and passion. This program is part of the 2015 Reveries and Passions Festival.

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | RICCARDO MUTI Music Director | 312-294-3000 | CSO.ORG

FRIDAY B

8 concerts at 1:30 OCT

DEC

FEB

MAR

APR

MAY

October 10 Mahler 5

April 17 SHOSTAKOVICH 8

Jaap van Zweden conductor Robert Chen violin Bartók Rhapsody Nos. 1 and 2 Mahler Symphony No. 5 Chicago Symphony Orchestra concertmaster Robert Chen plays Bartók’s two Violin Rhapsodies, impassioned works filled with Hungarian folk music and demanding brilliant virtuosity. Mahler’s gorgeous Fifth Symphony reflects many moments of personal significance to the composer, including the ravishing Adagietto that was a musical love letter to his wife, Alma.

Semyon Bychkov conductor Daniil Trifonov piano Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 1 Shostakovich Symphony No. 8 Winner of the 2011 Tchaikovsky International Piano Competition, Daniil Trifonov excites critics and audiences worldwide: “He offers far more than mere virtuosity… he demonstrates an elegant touch, witty grace and poetic insight” (The New York Times). In this appearance with the CSO, he performs Rachmaninov’s youthfully exuberant First Piano Concerto. Conductor Semyon Bychkov pairs this work with Shostakovich’s most ferocious symphony, a 1943 work that reflects WWII in its relentless third-movement scherzo, punctuated with breathtaking squeals and crashes as if from flying missiles.

December 5 THE NUTCRACKER AND PETRUSHKA Ingo Metzmacher conductor Tchaikovsky Excerpts from The Nutcracker Stravinsky Petrushka Shostakovich Symphony No. 11 (The Year 1905)

December 19 Prieto and Yeh Carlos Miguel Prieto conductor Cynthia Yeh percussion Prokofiev Suite from Lieutenant Kijé MacMillan Veni, Veni, Emmanuel Revueltas Sensemayá Lutosławski Concerto for Orchestra

February 20 MUTI CONDUCTS MOZART REQUIEM Riccardo Muti conductor Rudolf Buchbinder piano Rosa Feola soprano Alisa Kolosova mezzo-soprano Saimir Pirgu tenor Michele Pertusi bass Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Mozart Piano Concerto No. 24 Mozart Requiem

March 6 MUTI CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN

Photos top to bottom: Ingo Metzmacher, Carlos Miguel Prieto, Cynthia Yeh, Robert Chen

JUN

Riccardo Muti conductor Stephanie Jeong violin Kenneth Olsen cello Jonathan Biss piano Ligeti Lontano Beethoven Triple Concerto Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 2 (Little Russian)

May 15 SALONEN CONDUCTS RAVEL Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor Cast led by: Chloé Briot soprano (Child) Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Ravel Mother Goose Suite Debussy La damoiselle élue Ravel L’enfant et les sortilèges This program is part of the 2015 Reveries and Passions Festival.

June 19 MUTI CONDUCTS TCHAIKOVSKY 5 Riccardo Muti conductor Bates Anthology of Fantastic Zoology [World premiere, CSO commission] Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 Riccardo Muti’s final installment in his cycle of the complete Tchaikovsky symphonies features the noble yet poignant Fifth, with its memorable horn solo and haunting waltz. This cherished masterwork is paired with the world premiere of Mead Composerin-Residence Mason Bates’ Anthology of Fantastic Zoology. Based on the book by Luis Borges, it promises music inspired by fantastic creatures like sprites, nymphs, sirens, banshees, and naga—to name only a few.

2014 /15 Season Highlight

MUTI CONDUCTS 4 SCRIABIN MASTERPIECES

“Mankind must be preached to. It must be led along new paths!” — Alexander Scriabin — One hundred years ago, in April 1915, the wildly controversial Russian composer and visionary Alexander Scriabin died, aged just 43. To mark his centennial and honor his remarkable achievements, Riccardo Muti, one of this great artist’s most passionate and celebrated interpreters, conducts a thrilling sequence of orchestral masterpieces. In addition to the famous Poem of Ecstasy, subscribers will hear the richly romantic Symphony Nos. 1 and 2 and the epic Third Symphony, The Divine Poem. Amazingly, all four pieces were written within nine years at the start of the 20th century. Scriabin’s First Symphony, from 1900, is almost operatic, its six movements culminating in a heavenly chorale for chorus and two solo voices. By contrast, the five-movement Second Symphony from the very next year is more classical and tragic, although it ends in a triumphant blaze of C major. In 1902, only one more year after the Second, Scriabin began his Third. By now numbered symphonies were less important to him than his rapidly developing spiritual ideas; therefore, he gave this new piece a suggestive French name—Le Divin Poème—and put explanatory titles at the top of each of the three main movements: “Luttes” (Struggles), “Voluptés” (Pleasures) and “Jeu divin” (Divine Play).

Le Poème de l’extase (The Poem of Ecstasy), composed between 1905 and 1908, was effectively Scriabin’s Fourth Symphony, though he never called it that. There are no separate movements; instead a single surging stream of music leads from a delicate introduction to one of the loudest and most overpowering climaxes in the entire orchestral repertoire. To accompany this mighty work, the composer wrote a poem in Russian which helps explain the music: in the darkness of chaos, the Male (represented by the trumpet) encounters the Female. The result is what Scriabin calls: “… a moment illuminating eternity… affirmation… ecstasy…” As well as being a symphonic composer, Scriabin is one of the most important composers for piano in the history of the instrument. To complement Maestro Muti’s orchestral journey, a number of Scriabin’s works will be included in the SCP Piano series, including his last major work in the medium, his Sonata No. 10 of 1913, music which Scriabin himself described as: “… born from the sun…“ SEE PAGE 4 FOR THE DATES AND SERIES LISTINGS FOR THESE WORKS.

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | RICCARDO MUTI Music Director | 312-294-3000 | CSO.ORG

FRIDAY C

5 concerts at 8:00 NOV

JAN

MAR

MAY

JUN

November 7 DvoŘák New World Symphony

March 20 CHARLES DUTOIT AND YO-YO MA

Cristian Macelaru conductor Elena Urioste violin Brahms, arr. Dvořák Hungarian Dance Nos. 17– 21 Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 Dvořák Symphony No. 9 (From the New World)

Charles Dutoit conductor Yo-Yo Ma cello Robert Chen violin Ravel Valses nobles et sentimentales Debussy Symphonic Fragments from The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian Saint-Saëns La muse et le poète Lalo Cello Concerto Revered cellist and CSO Judson and Joyce Green Creative Consultant Yo-Yo Ma joins concertmaster Robert Chen for a touching and tender duet in Saint-Saëns’ La muse et le poète, then returns as soloist in Lalo’s noble and lyrical Cello Concerto. In the first half of this program, Charles Dutoit conducts Debussy’s otherworldly Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian and Ravel’s poignant Valses nobles et sentimentales.

January 9 LEWIS PLAYS BEETHOVEN EMPEROR Vasily Petrenko conductor Paul Lewis piano Elgar In the South (Alassio) Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor) Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances “One of the finest Beethoven interpreters of his generation” (The New York Times), Paul Lewis returns to the CSO for Beethoven’s most beloved and charming piano concerto. Vasily Petrenko has equally been acclaimed for his performances of 20th-century Russian repertoire, and this performance of Rachmaninov’s wryly apocalyptic Symphonic Dances is sure to be a roof-raiser.

June 12 MUTI CONDUCTS TCHAIKOVSKY MANFRED Riccardo Muti conductor Scriabin The Poem of Ecstasy Tchaikovsky Manfred Symphony Tchaikovsky’s Manfred Symphony, based on Byron’s dramatic semi-autobiographical poem, is among the composer’s most brilliant and affecting inspirations. Its themes of tender love and exquisite longing find a perfect complement in Scriabin’s fervid Poem of Ecstasy. The extraordinarily colorful orchestration reverberates with sensuality and intimate emotion.

May 1 Bicket Conducts Bach Harry Bicket conductor Kristian Bezuidenhout harpsichord Rameau Dance Suite from Platée Poulenc Concert champêtre Bach, arr. Stravinsky Four Preludes and Fugues from The Well-Tempered Clavier Bach Orchestral Suite No. 3

Photos clockwise from upper left: Riccardo Muti, Cristian Macelaru, Elena Urioste, Vasily Petrenko, Harry Bicket, Kristian Bezuidenhout

FRIDAY D

5 concerts at 8:00 SEP

NOV

JAN

APR

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September 26 MUTI CONDUCTS TCHAIKOVSKY 4

November 21 Bach Brandenburg Concertos

May 8 SALONEN CONDUCTS RAVEL

Riccardo Muti conductor Berlioz Waverley Overture Debussy La mer Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 Riccardo Muti begins this season’s journey through Tchaikovsky’s symphonies with the powerfully dramatic Fourth. A brilliant symphony that will display the CSO’s mastery of orchestral color, its fourth movement features an imaginative dialogue between pizzicato strings and sprightly woodwinds. Tchaikovsky’s Fourth is fittingly paired with works by two other masters of orchestration: Berlioz’s rarely-heard Waverley Overture and Debussy’s dazzling portrait of the sea in all its moods.

Nicholas Kraemer conductor and harpsichord Bach Complete Brandenburg Concertos (Nos. 1– 6)

January 23 MUTI CONDUCTS PROKOFIEV AND SCRIABIN Riccardo Muti conductor Alisa Kolosova mezzo-soprano Sergey Skorokhodov tenor Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Prokofiev Alexander Nevsky Scriabin Symphony No. 1

April 10 HAITINK CONDUCTS MAHLER Bernard Haitink conductor Mahler Symphony No. 7

Photos clockwise from upper left: Bernard Haitink, Duain Wolfe, Riccardo Muti, Chicago Symphony Chorus, Nicholas Kraemer

2014 /15 Season Highlight

L’enfant et les sortilèges Esa-Pekka Salonen conducts Ravel’s glittering jewel of a one-act opera One of French music’s greatest masterpieces, Ravel’s “lyric fantasy” L’enfant et les sortilèges (The Child and Magic Spells) tells the dreamlike story of a small child who rebels against the strictness of his mother only to find his whole world turned upside down by magical forces beyond his control.

Singing teapots, clocks, furniture, trees, birds and animals tumble over one another in a story which moves from the laughter and whimsy of a child’s nursery to the darkness and power of nature and—in the final bars—a deeply moving sense of reconciliation and forgiveness.

This astoundingly sumptuous score, written in the 1920s to a witty and provocative text by the scandalous French novelist Colette, shows Ravel’s orchestral mastery at its most flawless and virtuosic.

PERFORMED MAY 7–9 AND 15 Series: Thursday C and E, Friday B and D, Saturday D This work is part of the 2015 Reveries and Passions Festival.

SATURDAY A

10 concerts at 8:00 | 5–concert series: SAT E or SAT F SEP

DEC

JAN

MAR

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Riccardo Muti conductor Mendelssohn Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage Overture Debussy La mer Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4

December 20 E Prieto and Yeh Carlos Miguel Prieto conductor Cynthia Yeh percussion Prokofiev Suite from Lieutenant Kijé MacMillan Veni, Veni, Emmanuel Revueltas Sensemayá Lutosławski Concerto for Orchestra

January 10 F LEWIS PLAYS BEETHOVEN EMPEROR Vasily Petrenko conductor Paul Lewis piano Elgar In the South (Alassio) Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor) Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances “One of the finest Beethoven interpreters of his generation” (The New York Times), Paul Lewis returns to the CSO for Beethoven’s most beloved and charming piano concerto. Vasily Petrenko has equally been acclaimed for his performances of 20th-century Russian repertoire, and this performance of Rachmaninov’s wryly apocalyptic Symphonic Dances is sure to be a roof-raiser.

March 7 E MUTI CONDUCTS BEETHOVEN Riccardo Muti conductor Stephanie Jeong violin Kenneth Olsen cello Jonathan Biss piano Ligeti Lontano Beethoven Triple Concerto Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 2 (Little Russian)

Jonathan Biss, Esa-Pekka Salonen

MAY

March 21 E CHARLES DUTOIT AND YO-YO MA

Ingo Metzmacher conductor Tchaikovsky Excerpts from The Nutcracker Stravinsky Petrushka Shostakovich Symphony No. 11 (The Year 1905)

Riccardo Muti, Yo-Yo Ma, Kenneth Olsen,

September 27 E MUTI CONDUCTS TCHAIKOVSKY 4

December 6 F THE NUTCRACKER AND PETRUSHKA

Photos top to bottom:

MAY

April 4 F Uchida Plays Mozart Mitsuko Uchida conductor Dorothea Röschmann soprano Mozart Piano Concerto No. 6 Schumann Frauenliebe und -leben Mozart Piano Concerto No. 26 (Coronation)

May 2 F Bicket Conducts Bach Harry Bicket conductor Kristian Bezuidenhout harpsichord Rameau Dance Suite from Platée Poulenc Concert champêtre Bach, arr. Stravinsky Four Preludes and Fugues from The Well-Tempered Clavier Bach Orchestral Suite No. 3

May 23 E SALONEN CONDUCTS MESSIAEN Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor Jean-Yves Thibaudet piano Ravel Piano Concerto in G Major Messiaen Turangalîla-symphonie This program is part of the 2015 Reveries and Passions Festival.

June 13 F MUTI CONDUCTS TCHAIKOVSKY MANFRED Riccardo Muti conductor Scriabin The Poem of Ecstasy Tchaikovsky Manfred Symphony

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | RICCARDO MUTI Music Director | 312-294-3000 | CSO.ORG

SATURDAY B

10 concerts at 8:00 | 5–concert series: SAT G or SAT H OCT

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Bernard Haitink conductor Mahler Symphony No. 7

Riccardo Muti conductor Yefim Bronfman piano Brahms Piano Concerto No. 2 Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 1 (Winter Daydreams) Yefim Bronfman plays the sunniest of Brahms’ Piano Concertos, a massive work that showcases Brahms’ full compositional mastery. Bronfman is joined by Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, who continue this season’s Tchaikovsky cycle with the haunting First Symphony, “Winter Daydreams.”

February 21 G MUTI CONDUCTS MOZART REQUIEM Riccardo Muti conductor Rudolf Buchbinder piano Rosa Feola soprano Alisa Kolosova mezzo-soprano Saimir Pirgu tenor Michele Pertusi bass Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Mozart Piano Concerto No. 24 Mozart Requiem

March 14 H Dutoit Conducts Ravel AND D’INDY

Mason Bates

Riccardo Muti conductor Christopher Martin trumpet Panufnik Concerto in modo antico Stravinsky Suite from The Firebird Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 3 (Polish)

January 17 G Muti and Bronfman

Rudolph Buchbinder, Ludovic Morlot,

JUN

April 11 H HAITINK CONDUCTS MAHLER

Nicholas Kraemer conductor and harpsichord Bach Complete Brandenburg Concertos (Nos. 1– 6)

Chicago Symphony Orchestra,

October 4 G MUTI AND MARTIN

November 22 H Bach Brandenburg Concertos

Photos top to bottom:

MAY

Charles Dutoit conductor Louis Lortie piano Ravel Rapsodie espagnole D’Indy Symphony on a French Mountain Air Franck Symphonic Variations Ravel Suite No. 2 from Daphnis et Chloé

April 25 G Bruckner 8 Semyon Bychkov conductor Bruckner Symphony No. 8

May 16 H Salonen Conducts Debussy Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor Stéphane Degout baritone (Pelléas) Christine Rice mezzo-soprano (Mélisande) Eric Owens bass-baritone (Golaud) Willard White bass-baritone (Arkel) Felicity Palmer mezzo-soprano (Geneviève) Chloé Briot soprano (Yniold) Debussy Pelléas et Mélisande This program is part of the CSO’s 2015 Reveries and Passions Festival.

June 6 G Gershwin and Ravel Ludovic Morlot conductor Denis Kozhukhin piano Gershwin An American in Paris Ravel Piano Concerto for Left Hand Stravinsky Jeu de cartes Ravel La valse Gershwin’s An American in Paris captures the heady glamour and colorful sound world of 1920s Paris—complete with taxi horns and a sultry blues melody played by muted trumpet. Cocky and urbane, Stravinsky’s Jeu de cartes depicts the precipitous rise and fall of a social climber. Complementing the program’s “city slickers” theme are Ravel’s ravishing La valse and jazz-inflected Piano Concerto for Left Hand, featuring Russian pianist Denis Kozhukhin.

June 20 H MUTI CONDUCTS TCHAIKOVSKY 5 Riccardo Muti conductor Bates Anthology of Fantastic Zoology [World premiere, CSO commission] Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5

Join us for a magnificent celebration to launch the 2014 /15 season!

y n o h p m y S Ball Riccardo Muti leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in

BEETHOVEN’S NINTH SYMPHONY SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 20 6:00 Preconcert Reception 7:00 Concert Immediately followed by postconcert gala dinner and dancing at the Palmer House The Women’s Board of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association proudly presents Symphony Ball, a prestigious gala evening of music and celebration that launches the 2014/15 season. Enjoy a festive preconcert reception at Symphony Center, followed by a spectacular concert as Music Director Riccardo Muti leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in Beethoven’s jubilant Ninth Symphony. Gala patrons continue their evening with postconcert dinner and dancing at the Palmer House. Symphony Ball is one of Chicago’s not-to-be-missed parties. Purchase your tickets for this celebration today at cso.org or 312-294-3000!

2014/15 Season

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OPEN HERE FOR OUR COMPLETE CSO 2014/15 SEASON-AT-A-GLANCE GRID AND CALENDAR

Our Sponsors The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association is grateful for the generous support of these leading corporate, foundation and government sponsors for the 2014 /15 season.

How to Renew Guide Contents Include: Subsriber Rewards ...........................................................2 Renewal Instructions ......................................................3 Payment Plans .....................................................................4 Julius N. Frankel Parking ..................................................................................... Foundation 5

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AN AGENCY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS

SATURDAY C

5 concerts at 8:00 NOV

JAN

FEB

MAR

MAY

November 15 DEBUSSY AND BOULEZ

February 7 BEETHOVEN 5

May 30 CLYNE AND BEETHOVEN 3

Pablo Heras-Casado conductor Alice Sara Ott piano Stravinsky Fireworks Boulez Figures-Doubles-Prismes Bartók Piano Concerto No. 3 Debussy Ibéria

Jaap van Zweden conductor Matthias Goerne baritone Strauss and Schubert Select Songs Beethoven Symphony No. 5

January 24 MUTI CONDUCTS PROKOFIEV AND SCRIABIN

Edo de Waart conductor Orion Weiss piano Ippolito Nocturne Mozart Piano Concerto No. 25 Brahms Symphony No. 3 Two brilliant young American artists feature prominently in this program led by Dutch conductor Edo de Waart. The concert opens with the eerie and whimsical Nocturne by Michael Ippolito (born 1985), followed by pianist Orion Weiss (born 1981) performing Mozart’s regal C-Major Concerto No. 25. Brahms’ impassioned and heartfelt Third Symphony rounds off what promises to be a memorable evening.

Ludovic Morlot conductor Jennifer Koh violin Berlioz Les francs-juges Overture Clyne Violin Concerto [World premiere, CSO commission] Beethoven Symphony No. 3 (Eroica) Berlioz’s brilliant Les francs-juges Overture opens a program featuring the world premiere of Mead Composer-in-Residence Anna Clyne’s Violin Concerto. The soloist is Chicago native Jennifer Koh, a violinist acclaimed for her “penetrating sound, myriad colorings and commanding technique” (The New York Times). The final work on this program, Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony, moves from its famous funeral march to a brilliant scherzo and extraordinarily inventive set of variations.

Riccardo Muti conductor Alisa Kolosova mezzo-soprano Sergey Skorokhodov tenor Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Prokofiev Alexander Nevsky Scriabin Symphony No. 1

March 28 MOZART AND BRAHMS

Photos clockwise from upper left: Pierre Boulez, Pablo Heras-Casado, Edo de Waart, Orion Weiss, Anna Clyne, Riccardo Muti

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | RICCARDO MUTI Music Director | 312-294-3000 | CSO.ORG

SATURDAY D

5 concerts at 8:00 NOV

DEC

FEB

APR

MAY

November 8 DvoŘák New World Symphony

December 13 BEETHOVEN 7

May 9 SALONEN CONDUCTS RAVEL

Cristian Macelaru conductor Elena Urioste violin Brahms, arr. Dvořák Hungarian Dance Nos. 17– 21 Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 Dvořák Symphony No. 9 (From the New World) Dvořák’s New World Symphony is among the most recognizable and well-loved orchestral works ever written, its passion and fire balanced with moving serenity. Rising young conductor Cristian Macelaru pairs this beautiful masterpiece with Brahms’ exhilarating Hungarian Dances and Bruch’s rapturous First Violin Concerto, played here by hypnotic and sensitive violinist Elena Urioste.

Manfred Honeck conductor Haydn Symphony No. 93 Strauss Don Juan Beethoven Symphony No. 7 Manfred Honeck returns to Chicago to conduct three masterpieces from the Austro-German tradition. The lilting dance-rhythms of Haydn’s Symphony No. 93 and the rambunctious rhythms of Beethoven’s Seventh, described by Wagner as “the apotheosis of the dance,” frame Richard Strauss’ Don Juan. In Strauss’ depiction of the legendary lover, a brazen horn call announces a swaggering Don Juan, whose numerous romantic conquests lead to a tragic finale.

Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor Cast led by: Chloé Briot soprano (Child) Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Ravel Mother Goose Suite Debussy La damoiselle élue Ravel L’enfant et les sortilèges In this first program of the 2015 Reveries and Passions Festival, Esa-Pekka Salonen couples an early Debussy work with two youth-centered pieces by Ravel. The Mother Goose Suite is a radiant collection of musical tales, from Tom Thumb to Beauty and the Beast, with considerable feeling behind its deceptively simple exterior. A fantasy opera in one act about childhood, L’enfant et les sortilèges (The Child and Magic Spells) presents an enchanting and poignant story about a rude child who learns compassion. This program is part of the 2015 Reveries and Passions Festival.

February 28 Muti Conducts Tchaikovsky 6 Riccardo Muti conductor Scriabin Symphony No. 2 Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique)

April 18 SHOSTAKOVICH 8 Semyon Bychkov conductor Daniil Trifonov piano Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 1 Shostakovich Symphony No. 8

Photos clockwise from upper left: Riccardo Muti, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, Manfred Honeck

SUNDAY A

5 concerts at 3:00 SEP

OCT

NOV

FEB

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September 21 Muti Conducts Beethoven 9

November 23 Bach Brandenburg Concertos

April 26 Bruckner 8

Riccardo Muti conductor Camilla Nylund soprano Ekaterina Gubanova mezzo-soprano Christopher Ventris tenor Eric Owens bass Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Beethoven Symphony No. 9

Nicholas Kraemer conductor and harpsichord Bach Complete Brandenburg Concertos (Nos. 1– 6) Among Bach’s most beloved and celebrated works, his six Brandenburg Concertos demonstrate some of the most daring and innovative instrumental scoring in the entire Baroque repertoire. Whether the groundbreaking blend of hunting horns and oboes with strings of No. 1, the bright piccolo trumpet of No. 2 (which inspired Paul McCartney’s Penny Lane) or the remarkable No. 5 in which the harpsichord strikes out alone above the orchestra for virtuosic glory, this flawless collection of gems is pure delight.

Semyon Bychkov conductor Bruckner Symphony No. 8 Bruckner’s Eighth Symphony is imbued with mystical passions and aesthetic glories. It rises from a doom-laden opening to a third movement containing the noblest, most ecstatic music the composer ever created. Semyon Bychkov, one of today’s most esteemed conductors, guides us through Bruckner’s final and most profound symphony.

October 12 Mahler 5 Jaap van Zweden conductor Robert Chen violin Bartók Rhapsody Nos. 1 and 2 Mahler Symphony No. 5

February 8 BEETHOVEN 5 Jaap van Zweden conductor Matthias Goerne baritone Strauss and Schubert Select Songs Beethoven Symphony No. 5 Photos clockwise from upper left: Riccardo Muti, Camilla Nylund, Ekaterina Gubanova, Christopher Ventris, Chicago Symphony Chorus, Jaap van Zweden

2014 /15 Season Highlight

MAHLER

A journey from darkness into light unfolds in one of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s signature works. Mahler wrote his Fifth Symphony in 1901 and 1902, a time of great change for the composer. He was enjoying numerous triumphs in his personal and professional life: he met and married his beloved wife Alma and held jobs with the Vienna Court Opera and Vienna Philharmonic. He also experienced dark trials. In 1901, he suffered a dangerous and nearly fatal hemorrhage, leaving him quite shaken. Mahler claimed that the Fifth Symphony represented a transformation in his orchestral writing, one that focused on orchestral technique and abandoned the programmatic music that typified his previous symphonies. However, there are several clear references to his life throughout the five-movement symphony. The unsettling opening begins with a trumpet fanfare and settles into an elegiac funeral march, similar in spirit to the first of the composer’s Kindertotenlieder. The following movement struggles between darkness and light, with a rough and wild theme juxtaposed by a striking chorale and some dance-like moments. The more

light-hearted Scherzo, based on a traditional Austrian ländler, contains one of the most difficult horn solos in the repertoire. The tender and breathtaking Adagietto is a love letter to his wife, Alma, prominently quoting the prelude from Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde. The Adagietto leads seamlessly to the jubilant Finale, during which Mahler summarizes the symphony with references to previous movements, leading to a triumphant coda. The entire work has gone from deep despair and anger to love, and then ends in pure joy. PERFORMED OCTOBER 9–12 JAAP van ZWEDEN conductor Series: Thursday B and I, Friday B and Sunday A

TUESDAY A

6 concerts at 7:30 SEP

NOV

DEC

FEB

MAR

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September 30 MUTI CONDUCTS TCHAIKOVSKY 4

November 25 Bach Brandenburg Concertos

Riccardo Muti conductor Tchaikovsky The Tempest Debussy La mer Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 Riccardo Muti begins this season’s journey through Tchaikovsky’s symphonies with the powerfully dramatic Fourth. A brilliant symphony that will display the CSO’s mastery of orchestral color, its fourth movement features an imaginative dialogue between pizzicato strings and sprightly woodwinds. Tchaikovsky’s Fourth is paired with The Tempest, which depicts characters from the Shakespeare play, and Debussy’s dazzling portrait of the sea in all its moods.

Nicholas Kraemer conductor and harpsichord Program features the complete Bach Brandenburg Concertos (Nos. 1– 6)

Photos clockwise from upper left: Louis Lortie, Riccardo Muti conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Charles Dutoit

December 16 BEETHOVEN 7 Manfred Honeck conductor Haydn Symphony No. 93 Strauss Don Juan Beethoven Symphony No. 7

February 24 MUTI CONDUCTS MOZART REQUIEM Riccardo Muti conductor Rudolf Buchbinder piano Rosa Feola soprano Alisa Kolosova mezzo-soprano Saimir Pirgu tenor Michele Pertusi bass Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Mozart Piano Concerto No. 24 Mozart Requiem

March 17 Dutoit Conducts Ravel AND D’INDY Charles Dutoit conductor Louis Lortie piano Ravel Rapsodie espagnole D’Indy Symphony on a French Mountain Air Franck Symphonic Variations Ravel Suite No. 2 from Daphnis et Chloé Charles Dutoit leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in a program brimming with Gallic charm, color and variety. Canadian pianist Louis Lortie is the soloist in Franck’s beguiling Symphonic Variations and D’Indy’s delightful Symphony on a French Mountain Air. Bookending these works are two of Ravel’s most ravishing scores: the sensuous Rapsodie espagnole and the Second Suite from his ballet, Daphnis and Chloé, with its glorious opening dawn music.

April 21 SHOSTAKOVICH 8 Semyon Bychkov conductor Daniil Trifonov piano Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 1 Shostakovich Symphony No. 8

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | RICCARDO MUTI Music Director | 312-294-3000 | CSO.ORG

TUESDAY B

6 concerts at 7:30 SEP

DEC

JAN

CSO Tuesday series concerts are sponsored by United Airlines.

MAR

APR

MAY

September 23 Muti Conducts Beethoven 9

April 14 Haitink Conducts Mahler

Riccardo Muti conductor Camilla Nylund soprano Ekaterina Gubanova mezzo-soprano Christopher Ventris tenor Eric Owens bass Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Beethoven Symphony No. 9 Join us for a rousing start to the 2014/15 season when Riccardo Muti conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in Beethoven’s most glorious and jubilant masterpiece. An exhilarating testament to the human spirit, Beethoven’s Ninth bursts with brooding power and kinetic energy and culminates in the exultant hymn, “Ode to Joy.”

Bernard Haitink conductor Mahler Symphony No. 7 Former CSO principal conductor Bernard Haitink leads one of Mahler’s most enigmatic yet enticing symphonies. Abandoning the programmatic stories of his early symphonies, Mahler presents a vividly orchestrated, magical tour following his own dictum: “A symphony must be like the world—it must embrace everything.” Unforgettable are the haunting horn calls which open the second movement’s “night music,” awakening a throng of animated sounds.

December 9 THE NUTCRACKER AND PETRUSHKA Ingo Metzmacher conductor Tchaikovsky Excerpts from The Nutcracker Stravinsky Petrushka Shostakovich Symphony No. 11 (The Year 1905)

January 27 Muti Conducts Scriabin Riccardo Muti conductor Mendelssohn Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage Overture Debussy La mer Scriabin The Divine Poem Scriabin’s highly dramatic symphony The Divine Poem is lavishly orchestrated with an exuberant sense of heroic striving. Riccardo Muti, a masterful Scriabin interpreter, combines this luscious piece with two portraits of the sea: Mendelssohn’s illustrative overture Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage and Debussy’s lustrous La mer, which captures the sea’s moods from mist-shrouded dawn through sun-dappled waves to the fury of a storm.

March 3 Muti Conducts Tchaikovsky 6 Riccardo Muti conductor Scriabin Symphony No. 2 Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique) Photos top to bottom: Esa-Pekka Salonen, Chicago Symphony Chorus, Christine Rice, Felicity Palmer

May 19 Salonen Conducts Debussy Esa-Pekka Salonen conductor Stéphane Degout baritone (Pelléas) Christine Rice mezzo-soprano (Mélisande) Eric Owens bass-baritone (Golaud) Willard White bass-baritone (Arkel) Felicity Palmer mezzo-soprano (Geneviève) Chloé Briot soprano (Yniold) Debussy Pelléas et Mélisande This program is part of the CSO’s 2015 Reveries and Passions Festival.

The music you love at the time you love | 4 WEEKNIGHTS AT 6:30

AFTERWORK MASTERWORKS ®

Explore epic masterpieces with the world’s best orchestra in four concerts perfectly designed to fit your schedule. These midweek programs feature glorious orchestral music, an early start time and no intermission. Concert length is approximately 75 minutes. Extend your experience after each concert with complimentary wine and an engaging Q&A session with the guest artists in the Grainger Ballroom. There’s no better way to spend your weekday evenings than with the CSO!

Wednesday, November 12 DEBUSSY AND BOULEZ

Thursday, April 23 Bruckner 8

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Pablo Heras-Casado conductor Alice Sara Ott piano Boulez Figures-Doubles-Prismes Bartók Piano Concerto No. 3 Debussy Ibéria Pablo Heras-Casado conducts a colorful program of 20th-century works, including Debussy’s sinuous Ibéria. Honoring the upcoming 90th birthday of CSO Helen Regenstein Conductor Emeritus Pierre Boulez, the CSO plays the musical maverick’s first work for full orchestra alone, FiguresDoubles-Prismes, while Alice Sara Ott joins the CSO for Bartók’s explosive Third Piano Concerto.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Semyon Bychkov conductor Bruckner Symphony No. 8 Bruckner’s Eighth Symphony is imbued with mystical passions and aesthetic glories. It rises from a doom-laden opening to a third movement containing the noblest, most ecstatic music the composer ever created. Semyon Bychkov, one of today’s most esteemed conductors, guides us through Bruckner’s final and most profound symphony.

Wednesday, January 7 LEWIS PLAYS BEETHOVEN EMPEROR

Top four photos, clockwise from upper left: Vasily Petrenko, Semyon Bychkov, Paul Lewis, Jennifer Koh

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Vasily Petrenko conductor Paul Lewis piano Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor) Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances “One of the finest Beethoven interpreters of his generation” (The New York Times), Paul Lewis returns to the CSO for Beethoven’s most beloved and charming piano concerto. Vasily Petrenko has equally been acclaimed for his performances of 20th-century Russian repertoire, and this performance of Rachmaninov’s wryly apocalyptic Symphonic Dances is sure to be a roof-raiser.

Tuesday, June 2 CLYNE and BEETHOVEN 3 Chicago Symphony Orchestra Ludovic Morlot conductor Jennifer Koh violin Clyne Violin Concerto [World premiere, CSO commission] Beethoven Symphony No. 3 (Eroica) Chicago native Jennifer Koh, acclaimed for her “penetrating sound, myriad colorings and commanding technique” (The New York Times), returns to the CSO for the world premiere of a violin concerto by Mead Composer-inResidence Anna Clyne. Beethoven’s Eroica Symphony moves from its famous funeral march to a brilliant scherzo and extraordinarily inventive set of variations.

Telling the stories of music | 3 FRIDAYS AT 7:30 | 3 SUNDAYS AT 3:00

GERARD McBURNEY creative director Designed for newcomers to classical music and longtime aficionados alike, each Beyond the Score program takes you on a dramatic exploration of a composer’s music. With live actors, stunning visual projections and musical excerpts played by the CSO, the compelling story of the composer’s life and art unfolds, illuminating the world that shaped the work’s creation.

November 14 & 16 Boulez AT 90 Provisionally definitive

June 5 & 7 RAVEL: A PORTRAIT Complex but never complicated

In 2015 Pierre Boulez turns 90, and Beyond the Score celebrates with a phantasmagorical acoustic and theatrical journey through a lifetime of musical adventures, innovations and discoveries. Performed within an extraordinary, specially commissioned design, this production will mix live performance with rare archival footage and new interviews with the composer and conductor who was, from the first, one of Beyond the Score’s most passionate champions.

In a season in which the CSO plays an especially large number of pieces by this most beloved of French composers, Beyond the Score responds with a musical and dramatic depiction of this complex, subtle, private, paradoxical and mysterious man who once declared: ‘’My teacher in composition was Edgar Allan Poe... He taught me that true art is a perfect balance between pure intellect and emotion.”

March 27 & 29 Brahms Symphony No. 3 Free but happy In the summer of 1883, vacationing in the ancient German spa town of Wiesbaden, Brahms celebrated his recent 50th birthday by composing one of his mellowest and most open-hearted orchestral works. When he showed the score to his lifelong friend Clara Schumann, she exclaimed: “One beat of the heart, every movement a jewel!”

Top three photos, clockwise from upper left: Pierre Boulez, Johannes Brahms, Maurice Ravel

Experience your favorite films in a whole new way | 3 FRIDAYS AT 8:00

e h t t a SO

C Movies

With our CSO at the Movies series, you’ll enjoy hits ranging from Hollywood’s Golden Age to today’s blockbusters accompanied live by the incomparable Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Save your seat for three thrilling nights of musical movie magic. This is one of our most popular series, and tickets sell out quickly. Add this package to your subscription order today!

November 28 PIXAR IN CONCERT Chicago Symphony Orchestra / Richard Kaufman conductor — Join us at Symphony Center for an unforgettable Thanksgiving weekend as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra plays music from your favorite Pixar movies. Memorable scores from Pixar’s 14 films including Up, the Toy Story trilogy and their latest release, Monsters University, will be played live with visually stunning clips of some of the most beloved characters in cinematic history. Presentation licensed by Disney Music Publishing © Disney/Pixar

Richard Kaufman

Additional programs for March 13 and May 29 will be announced in the coming months. Stay tuned for more information! All concerts in the CSO at the Movies series are recommended for ages 8 and up; infants will not be admitted.

Great music. Unforgettable moments. | 3 SATURDAYS AT 11:00 a.m A OR 12:45 p.m. B

CSO

FAMILY

Matinees PERFECT FOR AGES 5 AND UP!

Music is a universal language, transcending words and depicting people, places and experiences through melody, harmony and rhythm. Join us for three programs that explore the ways that music communicates, taking you to different places, vividly portraying characters and inspiring an amazing range of emotions. Enrich the child in your life through the one-of-a-kind experience of hearing the Chicago Symphony Orchestra playing orchestral masterpieces. Instill a lifelong love of music with these fun and engaging programs for the young and the young at heart. Extend the fun with FREE preconcert adventures in the Rotunda, featuring activities with partner organizations, colorful and engaging exhibits and interactive musical experiences.

November 22 Downtown Sounds

March 21 Carnival of the Animals

May 2 Tchaikovsky Spectacular

Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Program to include: Bernstein “Times Square 1944” from On the Town Copland Music for a Great City What does your neighborhood or town sound like? Many composers have written music about their favorite places, using melodies and rhythms to portray city streets and bustling neighborhoods. Be transported around the world without leaving Orchestra Hall in this program featuring music by Bernstein and Copland.

Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Program to include: Saint-Saëns Carnival of the Animals What instruments would you choose to create the sound of a massive elephant lumbering across the safari, an elegant swan in flight or a school of fish swimming with the current? Discover how members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra can conjure a zoo full of characters in this concert featuring Saint-Saëns’ popular Carnival of the Animals.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Edwin Outwater conductor Hubbard Street 2 guest artists Program to include excerpts from: Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 1 (Winter Daydreams) Symphony No. 6 (Pathétique) Fantasy Overture to Romeo and Juliet Experience all of the feelings Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky expressed through his music— triumph, sadness, humor, tragedy, love and more! Edwin Outwater, the CSO and guest dancers introduce you to the spectacular sounds of one of the greatest composers of all time.

PERFECT FOR AGES 3–5!

Start an engaging journey into the world of music for the preschooler in your life with Once Upon a Symphony. In 2014/15, we present two delightful programs, Little Red Riding Hood and Jack and the Beanstalk, featuring small ensembles of CSO musicians paired with vivid storytelling, sets, costumes and images created by Chicago Children’s Theatre. Presented in collaboration with

6 SATURDAYS AT 10:OO AND 11:45 a.m. BUNTROCK HALL DEC. 6 • JAN. 10 • FEB. 21 • APR. 11 • APR. 18 • APR. 25

Extraordinary artistry. Intimate collaborations. | 5–CONCERT SERIES

CHAMBER MUSIC Today’s leading interpreters of classical music take the stage at Orchestra Hall for five intimate recitals, exploring music ranging from timeless masterworks to bold new compositions. Hear these world-renowned artists in exciting programs that reveal the enchanting mysteries of musical collaboration.

Photo top: Takács Quartet Photo bottom: Marc-André Hamelin

SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS | 312-294-3000 | CSO.ORG

Thursday, October 16, 7:30 Takács Quartet with Marc-André Hamelin piano Haydn String Quartet in B-Flat Major, Op. 64, No. 3 Debussy String Quartet in G Minor Franck Piano Quintet The illustrious Takács Quartet opens the 2014/15 Symphony Center Presents Chamber Music series with Debussy’s only string quartet, a sensual and impressionistic tour de force of color and texture. The brilliantly precise ensemble, deftly matched by virtuosic Canadian pianist Marc-André Hamelin, returns in the second half for Franck’s exquisite and passionate Piano Quintet.

Wednesday, November 19, 7:30 ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER violin Mutter Virtuosi Roman Patkolo double bass Currier Ringtones Mendelssohn Octet Vivaldi The Four Seasons Exceptional violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter founded the Mutter Virtuosi to support and train the next generation of great artists. She joins current and former members of the program for two of chamber music’s most treasured works: Mendelssohn’s sparkling and animated Octet and Vivaldi’s delightful The Four Seasons. They open the concert with American composer Sebastian Currier’s Ringtones, a piece commissioned especially for the Mutter Virtuosi.

Sunday, March 1, 3:00 GIL SHAHAM violin David Michalek visual artist Bach Complete Sonatas and Partitas Bach’s sublime Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin are among the most technically demanding and emotionally penetrating works he ever composed. 2012 Musical America Instrumentalist of the Year Gil Shaham plays all six tremendous works in one afternoon, accompanied by projections of visual imagery created by artist David Michalek. “The Illinois-born, Israel-bred violinist could give the inimitable Jascha Heifetz a close race in the razzle dazzle department” (Chicago Tribune).

Sunday, May 17, 3:00 Yo-Yo Ma cello with Musicians from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Beloved cellist and CSO Judson and Joyce Green Creative Consultant Yo-Yo Ma combines forces with musicians from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in what is sure to be a warm-hearted and engaging afternoon of intimate musicmaking. “The concert’s atmosphere was spontaneous and congenial… The idea was to gather gifted musician friends and turn them loose on music they rarely get a chance to perform onstage” (Chicago Sun-Times).

Sunday, April 12, 3:00 Hilary Hahn violin Two-time Grammy® Award-winner Hilary Hahn returns to Symphony Center for her only Chicago appearance of the 2014/15 season. “Hahn started out as a prodigy of rare clarity and virtuosity and has developed into a daring, mature artist eager for new collaborations and repertory” (The New York Times).

Photos clockwise from upper left: Gil Shaham, Hilary Hahn, Anne-Sophie Mutter, Yo-Yo Ma with Musicians from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Virtuosity at its finest | SUNDAYS AT 3:00 |

10–concert series: E

5–concert series: A or B

PIANO Featuring the biggest names of the keyboard world, the Symphony Center Presents Piano series explores 300 years of thrilling repertoire with cherished masterpieces and modern classics. Artists this season include Chicago favorites Evgeny Kissin and Maurizio Pollini, along with series newcomers Alexandre Tharaud and Orli Shaham.

October 26 A Maurizio Pollini

November 9 B Pierre-Laurent Aimard

February 22 B Olli Mustonen

“Pollini’s playing is powerful and precise, driven by a probing intellect and executed with steely, virtually infallible fingers” (The New York Times). Hear this legendary piano master live in concert at Orchestra Hall as he opens the Symphony Center Presents Piano 2014/15 season.

Bach The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 Bach’s The Well-Tempered Clavier changed the world’s understanding of counterpoint, rhythm and thematic transformation forever. French pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard puts his unique stamp on the first book of this epic masterpiece. “This is Bach playing to listen to every day, fresh and spry” (Gramophone).

Tchaikovsky Album for the Young Chopin Mazurkas from Op. 59 and 56 Mustonen Sonata (Jehkin Iivana) Scriabin Sonata No. 10 Scriabin Vers la flamme “An extraordinary pianist for extraordinary music… Mustonen’s dazzling pianism is truly hypnotic” (Gramophone). Few artists today can equal the combination of glittering sonorities and awe-inspiring agility of Finnish pianist Olli Mustonen. This superb talent brings a program blending pieces by two Russian masters, Tchaikovsky and Scriabin, and Chopin with his own Jehkin Livana, a work inspired by mystical Nordic legends.

January 25 A Garrick Ohlsson Program to include works by Scriabin, Prokofiev and Rachmaninov A sublime interpreter with magisterial power and exquisite finesse, Garrick Ohlsson commands an enormous repertoire. Prepare for an astounding afternoon of fine musicmaking. “Mr. Ohlsson offers interpretations that blend the gossamer and the athletic” (The New York Times).

Special Add-on: AIMARD AND STEFANOVICH PLAY BOULEZ’S PIANO WORKS Save up to 10% when you add this to your renewal order. See page 47 for more details.

March 8 B András Schiff Haydn Sonata in C Major Beethoven Sonata No. 30 Mozart Sonata in C Major, K. 545 Schubert Sonata in C Minor, D. 958 András Schiff’s impeccable clarity of tone illuminates everything he plays, yielding fresh, pure insights from treasured masterworks. In this concert, he launches a three-part, multi-season exploration of the final three sonatas by each of the greatest composers of the Classical era: Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert.

SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS | 312-294-3000 | CSO.ORG

March 22 A Murray Perahia

May 3 A CÉDRIC TIBERGHIEN

May 31 A Orli Shaham

Each time he returns to Symphony Center, American pianist Murray Perahia combines his trademark balanced sense of phrasing with spirited musicality and crisp articulation. “The commanding insights Perahia brings to this repertory…breathe freshness and distinction into works we’ve heard many times before, but seldom played at this inspired level” (Chicago Tribune).

Ravel Gaspard de la nuit Debussy A selection of preludes and etudes Szymanowski Mask Debussy Masques Debussy D’un cahier d’esquisses Debussy L’isle joyeuse French pianist Cédric Tiberghien makes his Symphony Center Presents Piano series debut with a delightful, mostly Gallic program. “The highlight was brilliant pianist Cédric Tiberghien, who played with a rich, rounded tone and fleet, crisp articulation” (The New York Times).

Bach Partita No. 1 in B-flat Major Schoenberg Six Little Piano Pieces Brahms Six Piano Pieces, Op. 118 Schubert Impromptu in G-flat Major Adolphe Intermezzo, My Inner Brahms Brahms Four Piano Pieces, Op. 119 A pianist of grace and vitality, Orli Shaham is an extraordinarily gifted artist with flawless technique and remarkable musicality. Enjoy a delightful afternoon with her selection of keyboard gems by Bach, Brahms, Schubert and more in this Symphony Center Presents Piano debut!

April 19 B Evgeny Kissin Beethoven Sonata No. 21 (Waldstein) Prokofiev Sonata No. 4 in C Minor Rachmaninov Select Op. 23 and Op. 32 Preludes “The capacity crowd leapt to its feet at the end, roaring its appreciation, clearly hoping to hear another marathon of encores” (Chicago Tribune). Don’t miss Evgeny Kissin’s exceptional artistry and dazzling virtuosity in his annual visit to Symphony Center, certain to be one of the musical events of the year.

May 10 B Alexandre Tharaud Couperin Seven Pieces Rameau Movements from Suite in A Satie Avant-dernières Pensées Satie Gnossiennes Nos. 1, 3 and 4 Ravel Miroirs Magnetic French pianist Alexandre Tharaud makes his Symphony Center debut with a program pairing Baroque French works with pieces by Satie and Ravel. “Mr. Tharaud played with a subdued sensitivity and delicacy of touch that demanded close attention. He got it” (The New York Times).

Photos top row left to right: Maurizio Pollini, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Garrick Ohlsson, András Schiff, Murray Perahia Photos bottom row left to right: Evgeny Kissin, Olli Mustonen, Cédric Tiberghien, Alexandre Tharaud, Orli Shaham

Great orchestras. Revered maestros. Beloved masterworks. | 3–CONCERT SERIES

ORCHESTRAS Hear a selection of the world’s greatest orchestras in this thrilling three-concert series. From the high-octane energy of the London Philharmonic to the impassioned virtuosity of the Rotterdam Philharmonic to the bold brilliance of the Seoul Philharmonic, the 2014/15 season promises a sonic feast of symphonic music.

Saturday, October 18, 8:00 London Philharmonic Orchestra

Friday, February 20, 8:00 Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra

Friday, April 24, 8:00 Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra

Vladimir Jurowski conductor Jean-Efflam Bavouzet piano

YANNICK NÉZET-SÉGUIN conductor Hélène Grimaud piano

MYUNG-WHUN CHUNG conductor Sunwook Kim piano

Lindberg Chorale Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Shostakovich Symphony No. 8 Among the world’s most versatile orchestras, the London Philharmonic Orchestra brings its invigorating perspective to two works inspired by musical heroes. Lindberg’s richly textured Chorale reconceives a Bach cantata theme, and Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini invents 24 glittering piano variations on a melody by the famed violinist. Completing the program is Shostakovich’s Eighth Symphony, a profound work that explores sounds of light, darkness, loss and consolation.

Escher Musique pour l’esprit en deuil Ravel Piano Concerto in G Major Prokofiev Symphony No. 5 Acclaimed for his “commanding and kinetic conducting style” (The New York Times), Yannick Nézet-Séguin makes his Chicago debut, leading the electrifying Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra in Prokofiev’s magnificent Fifth Symphony. The composer wrote that this symphony celebrates “free and happy Man, his mighty powers, his pure and noble spirit.” French pianist Hélène Grimaud joins the orchestra for Ravel’s scintillating, jazz-inflected piano concerto.

Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 5 (Emperor) Brahms Symphony No. 4 Brahms’ beloved Fourth Symphony radiates with warm-hearted melodies and majestic, soaring emotions. Hear it as gloriously played by the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra under their revered maestro, Myung-Whun Chung. “Chung’s Seoul Philharmonic has a beefy, opulent sound… this is an ensemble Chung has obviously built himself from the ground up” (Los Angeles Times).

Photos left to right: Vladimir Jurowski, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Myung-Whun Chung

Chicago’s most vibrant new music scene | MONDAYS AT 7:00

MusicNOW

4 CONCERTS + PIZZA + DRINKS SEPTEMBER 29 • JANUARY 19 • MARCH 23 • JUNE 1 Harris Theater for Music and Dance, 205 E. Randolph Drive Regular $72 Student $28

Uniquely curated by Mead Composers-in-Residence Mason Bates and Anna Clyne, each MusicNOW concert is an audio/visual journey through groundbreaking repertoire with musicians from the CSO and Principal Conductor Cliff Colnot. Each Monday night features video program notes that play before each piece, pre- and postconcert entertainment from DJ collective illmeasures and a postconcert reception with free food and drink. MusicNOW receives funding through a leadership challenge grant from Irving Harris Foundation, Joan W. Harris. Major support is provided by Cindy Sargent and Sally Mead Hands Foundation.

Photos left to right: Anna Clyne and Mason Bates, Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Cliff Colnot

NEW MUSIC November 13–15 PIERRE BOULEZ Figures-Doubles-Prismes Figures-Doubles-Prismes is the first work Pierre Boulez (b. 1925) composed for full orchestra alone. Physically dispersing the woodwind and brass players among the strings on the platform, the work is filled with vividly imaginative textures and colors.

December 18 –20 JAMES MACMILLAN Veni, Veni, Emmanuel A devout Catholic, Scottish composer James MacMillan (b. 1959) based his exuberant percussion concerto on the Advent plainchant Veni, Veni, Emmanuel.

Photos clockwise from upper left: Pierre Boulez, James MacMillan, Michael Ippolito

March 26 & 28 MICHAEL IPPOLITO Nocturne A student of John Corigliano, American Michael Ippolito (b. 1985) drew inspiration for his Nocturne from Joan Miró’s 1940 painting of the same name.

May 28 & 30 ANNA CLYNE Violin Concerto [World premiere, CSO commission] See May 30 listing on page 24 for complete description.

June 18 –20 MASON BATES Anthology of Fantastic Zoology [World premiere, CSO commission] See June 19 listing on page 17 for complete description. These concerts are all part of the CSO subscription series. See the concert grid located in the center fold-out of this catalog for dates and series listings.

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | RICCARDO MUTI Music Director | SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS

SEASON HIGHLIGHT A Thanksgiving weekend of fun, laughter and music for your family with the CSO and Pixar Friday, November 28, 8:00 CSO at the Movies

Saturday, November 29, 8:00 Sunday, November 30, 3:00

PIXAR IN CONCERT Chicago Symphony Orchestra Richard Kaufman conductor Bring your family for an unforgettable Thanksgiving weekend as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra plays music from your favorite Pixar movies. Memorable scores from Pixar’s 14 films including Up, the Toy Story trilogy and their latest release, Monsters University, will be played live with visually stunning clips of some of the most beloved characters in cinematic history. Presentation licensed by Disney Music Publishing

Recommended for ages 8 and up. Infants will not be admitted.

SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS

JAZZ

SPECTACULAR ARTISTS. UNFORGETTABLE CONCERTS. Artists will be announced in April 2014. Stay tuned!

Chicago’s seasonal favorite returns for a festive 20-year celebration

“That chorus maestro Duain Wolfe carries the show is DECEMBER 13–23 an understatement. He merrily narrates from his podium, conducts the orchestra and leads the Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra sing-alongs with aplomb.” Duain Wolfe creative director and conductor —Chicago Sun-Times

Chicago Symphony Chorus Welcome Yule! Children’s Ensemble Welcome Yule! Dance Ensemble

“For high-spirited Christmas music and dancing, Orchestra Hall is the place to be.” Add this special celebration to your —Chicago Classical Review

subscription order and SAVE UP TO 10% off single ticket prices.

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | RICCARDO MUTI Music Director | SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS

SPECIAL CONCERTS

A jubilant celebration to launch the 2014 /15 season

The greatest mariachi in the world

Halloween fun for the whole family

Saturday, September 20, 7:00 Symphony Ball: Muti Conducts Beethoven 9

Sunday, September 28, 3:00 Mariachi Vargas de Tecalitlán

Saturday, October 25, 3:00 Hallowed Haunts Civic Orchestra of Chicago

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti conductor Camilla Nylund soprano Ekaterina Gubanova mezzo-soprano Christopher Ventris tenor Eric Owens bass Chicago Symphony Chorus Duain Wolfe chorus director Beethoven Symphony No. 9 The Women’s Board of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra proudly presents Symphony Ball, a prestigious gala evening of music and celebration that launches the 2014/15 season. Enjoy a festive preconcert reception at Symphony Center, followed by a spectacular concert as Music Director Riccardo Muti leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus in Beethoven’s jubilant Ninth Symphony. Gala patrons will continue their evening with postconcert dinner and dancing at the Palmer House.

Based in Mexico City, Mariachi Vargas is considered the greatest mariachi in the world. Their annual program at Symphony Center continues to delight audiences with infectious energy and joyful interaction. Don’t miss what is “without doubt the best display of mariachi virtuosity” (Los Angeles Times). —

Two Grammy ® Award-winning masters Friday, October 17, 8:00 Chris Thile & Edgar Meyer Bassist Edgar Meyer and mandolinist Chris Thile of Punch Brothers team up as composers/performers to cross traditional boundaries in a diverse program of original music. Expect an intelligent, entertaining performance from these two MacArthur Fellows, whose long history of collaborations will bring a soon-to-be-released recording of new material on Nonesuch.

We invite trick-or-treaters of all ages to get into the Halloween spirit at our annual Hallowed Haunts concert! This spook-tacular afternoon with the Civic Orchestra of Chicago is full of symphonic thrills and chills that will haunt and delight. Don your Halloween costume and join fellow ghosts and ghouls for preconcert activities from 1:30-2:30. Recommended for ages 5 and up.

312-294-3000 | CSO.ORG

Save up to 10% when you add these thrilling concerts to your subscription. Call 312-294-3000 or visit cso.org for prices.

Dynamic skill and artistry Sunday, November 2, 3:00 China NCPA Orchestra Lu Jia conductor Yuja Wang piano Qigang The Five Elements Suite for Orchestra Ravel Piano Concerto in G Major Dvořák Symphony No. 8 Established in March 2010, the NCPA Orchestra is the orchestra in residence at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing, China. Witness the dynamic skill and artistry of this ensemble and pianist Yuja Wang, “simply the most important pianist to appear in recent years, period” (The Detroit News), in a program featuring Ravel’s gorgeous Concerto in G Major and Dvořák’s songful Eighth Symphony.

Dazzling movement, vibrant color and stunning beauty

Experience your favorite Pixar movies as you never have before!

Wednesday, November 5, 7:30 Mazowsze

Saturday, November 29, 8:00 Sunday, November 30, 8:00 Pixar in Concert

Mazowsze, the magnificent State Song and Dance Ensemble of Poland, returns to Chicago. With 100 dancers, singers and musicians in 1,500 costumes, Mazowsze will astound you with an amazing kaleidoscopic display of dazzling movement, vibrant color and stunning beauty. See an unforgettable program that “makes tradition and the sheer love of dancing and music-making seem vital and enduring” (The New York Times). —

An afteroon of old-world holiday charm Saturday, November 29, 3:00 Vienna Boys Choir Christmas in Vienna Ring in the holiday season with the enchanting sounds of the Vienna Boys Choir when they return for their annual Thanksgiving performance! This legendary choir has captivated millions with their incredible musicianship and unique charm. Enjoy an afternoon filled with holiday favorites, secular music and popular folk songs.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Richard Kaufman conductor Bring your family for an unforgettable Thanksgiving weekend concert as the CSO plays music from your favorite Pixar movies. Memorable scores from Pixar’s 14 films including Up, the Toy Story trilogy and their latest release, Monsters University, will be played live with visually stunning clips of some of the most beloved characters in cinematic history. Presentation licensed by Disney Music Publishing © Disney/Pixar

—

An orchestra of voices Tuesday, December 2, 7:30 Wednesday, December 3, 7:30 A Chanticleer Christmas Fourth Presbyterian Church 126 E. Chestnut Street Chanticleer’s annual performances in Chicago are the perfect way to spark your holiday spirit. This Grammy® Awardwinning “orchestra of voices” will perform traditional Christmas music ranging from Baroque classics to 21st-century favorites in Chicago’s beautiful Fourth Presbyterian Church.

CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | RICCARDO MUTI Music Director | SYMPHONY CENTER PRESENTS

These concerts make a perfect addition to any concert series. Save up to 10% when you purchase by August 7, 2014.

A lively Irish holiday celebration

“A must-see holiday spectacle” — Chicago Sun-Times

Celebrating 15 years of international collaboration

Sunday, December 7, 3:00 THE Chieftains Christmas

Saturday, December 13, 3:00 Sunday, December 14, 1:30 & 5:30 Friday, December 19, 7:00 Saturday, December 20, 3:00 Sunday, December 21, 3:00 Monday, December 22, 3:00 Tuesday, December 23, 3:00 Welcome Yule! 20th Anniversary

Friday, March 6, 8:00 The Silk Road Ensemble with Yo-Yo Ma

Join the Chieftains, Ireland’s world-class musical ambassadors, for a spirited Christmas celebration. This magical program brings the warmth of an Irish pub to Orchestra Hall with ancient Irish melodies, lively dancing and craic, the Irish word for great fun. —

The glorious sounds of the CSO Brass Thursday, December 18, 3:00 THE Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass Witness the staggering power, amazing precision and brilliant virtuosity that make the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Brass the best in the world. These acclaimed musicians will present a program of traditional favorites and symphonic masterworks arranged for brass ensemble. This concert is presented in collaboration with the Midwest Clinic, an international band and orchestra conference.

Members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra Duain Wolfe creative director and conductor Chicago Symphony Chorus Welcome Yule! Children’s Ensemble Welcome Yule! Dance Ensemble Now entering its 20th season, Welcome Yule! has thrilled audiences of all ages with musical holiday magic featuring members of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. Save your spot in Orchestra Hall for this special milestone program that will feature new surprises and old favorites.

The Silk Road Ensemble, which brings together musicians and composers from more than 20 countries, comes to Symphony Center with founder and CSO Judson and Joyce Green Creative Consultant Yo-Yo Ma. These international all-stars celebrate their 15th anniversary with a diverse program of repertoire from around the world, new music by members of the group and commissions by acclaimed composers. Experience what Ma calls “the bond of mutual respect, friendship and trust that is palpable every time we’re on stage.”

312-294-3000 | CSO.ORG

SPECIAL CONCERTS

Celebrating over six decades of Pierre Boulez

Astounding strength and unmatched skill

Sunday, March 15, 3:00 Boulez: Piano Works

Monday, March 16, 7:30 Kodo

Pierre-Laurent Aimard piano Tamara Stefanovich piano Boulez Notations, for Piano Boulez Piano Sonata No. 1 Boulez Piano Sonata No. 2 Boulez Movements from Piano Sonata No. 3 Boulez Incises Boulez une page d’éphéméride Boulez Structures, Book II One of 20th-century music’s definitive voices and musical mavericks, Pierre Boulez has been actively involved in composition, conducting and music-making for over 60 years. His innovative approach to sound and structure radically transformed the landscape of modern music. A longtime collaborator and close associate of Boulez, Pierre-Laurent Aimard joins Tamara Stefanovich in this intimate celebration of the visionary composer’s keyboard works for his 90th birthday.

As the world’s premier taiko ensemble, Kodo is forging new directions for traditional Japanese drumming. Pounding out marvelous rhythms with thrilling ferocity, precision, dexterity and athleticism, these performers showcase absolute mastery of the drums. “Kodo can raise the roof” (The New York Times).

“Irresistible. The celebration of an era.”—L.A. Times Wednesday, April 8, 8:00 Max Raabe & Palast Orchester: Golden Age Max Raabe & Palast Orchester embody the high style and musical glory of the 1920s and ’30s, capturing the wit and flair of an era with suave modern chic. Max’s droll wit, understated lyrics and tenderly expressive baritone are matched by his stellar 12-piece band in virtuosic recreations of swing and cabaret hits.

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C S O . O R G

2014/15 Season Catalog

Articles inside

Piano

Special Concerts

MusicNOW and New Music

Afterwork Masterworks

Beyond the Score

CSO at the Movies

CSO Family Matinees / Once Upon a Symphony

Chamber Music