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DETROIT SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
JADER BIGNAMINI , Music Director Music Directorship endowed by the Kresge Foundation
Pvs Classical Series
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BRAHMS’ FIRST PIANO CONCERTO & BARTÓK
Friday, February 3, 2023 at 10:45 a.m.
Friday, February 3, 2023 at 8 p.m.
Saturday, February 4, 2023 at 8 p.m. in Orchestra Hall
LEONARD SLATKIN, conductor GARRICK OHLSSON, piano
Igor Stravinsky Symphonies of Wind Instruments (1882 - 1971)
Béla Bartók Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta (1881 - 1945) I. Andante tranquillo
II. Allegro
III. Adagio
IV. Allegro molto
Intermission
Johannes Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15 (1833 - 1897) I. Maestoso
II. Adagio
III. Rondo: Allegro non troppo
Garrick Ohlsson, piano
Saturday’s performance will be webcast via our exclusive Live From Orchestra Hall series, presented by Ford Motor Company Fund and made possible by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
PROGRAM AT-A-GLANCE | BRAHMS’ FIRST PIANO CONCERTO & BARTÓK Stay True to Your Roots
One thing that Stravinsky, Brahms, and Bartók all had in common was an unshakeable sense of confidence. Although each composer dealt with occasional self-doubt, they never failed to honor their roots and remain true to themselves. Brahms’s Piano Concerto No. 1—played here by Garrick Ohlsson, who this season celebrates 50 years of performing with the DSO—masterfully demonstrates the composer’s ability to capture and convey deep, human emotions. The orchestral accompaniment is structured with an intention to “deepen and intensify his arguments” within the music. Although Bartók’s influences came almost exclusively from his Hungarian heritage, he was criticized by his home country for his modern interpretations. Nevertheless, he clung to these folk melodies and showcased them, especially in his Music for Strings, Percussion, and Celesta. Stravinsky’s Symphonies of Wind Instruments was not intended to please audiences, rather to pay tribute, in his own way, to composer Claude Debussy. Stravinsky was no stranger to criticism, and he knew that this piece would receive the respect and appreciation it deserved in due time. It is because of the strong conviction and determination of these composers that we are afforded the opportunity to perform and enjoy their masterful works today.
