Concierto de verano

Stephanie Childress leads Schumann’s powerful and dramatic Symphony No. 4, a great example of Romantic (and romantic) music. It’s full of emotion, ranging from darkly brooding and mysterious to tender and melancholic. Schumann’s form is intricate and innovative, with the four movements fused together and various themes reappearing throughout. Also in a romantic vein, Principal Second Violin Polina Sedukh performs Beethoven’s Romance No. 2 with the Festival Orchestra, her violin singing the lovely melody. The concert opens with Arturo Márquez’s Danzon No. 2, a rhythmic and hypnotic dance tune made famous by its appearance in Mozart in the Jungle.

Here’s an all-Ravel program in honor of the great composer’s 150th birthday. The concert opens with two of Ravel’s Miroirs, pieces he dedicated to avant-garde artists who were also his friends. Next up: a set of seven waltzes and an epilogue under the title Valses nobles et sentimentales. Ravel acknowledged Schubert as his inspiration, but there’s no mistaking Ravel’s distinctive sound and elegant orchestration. The evening concludes with Stephanie Childress conducting Daphnis et Chloé Suite No. 2. Stravinsky called it “not only Ravel’s best work, but also one of the most beautiful products of all French music.” Sit back, relax, and let the arrival of dawn wash over you.