April 7th, 2006
It’s that time of year again when symphonies announce their programs for next season. Area orchestras have got some wonderful programs starting next fall. Let’s start close to home.
The Madison Symphony Orchestra’s 2006-2007 season begins on 8 September with a program that includes Also Sprach Zarathustra by Richard Strauss. No doubt most people are familiar with the opening which was made famous in one of my favorite films of all-time, 2001: A Space Odyssey. November features Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5 which, well, rocks! A few days before spring begins in 2007, the MSO presents a vernal showcase of Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons followed by Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. The Dulcinea and I will be seeing the latter in a couple months in Chicago. While we hope to incite a riot as did its premiere, but I’m thinking that may be difficult with all the sophistos from the northern ‘burbs in the audience. So join me in 11 months and we can give it the old college try here in Madtown. April brings Elgar’s Enigma Variations and the season closes with Orff’s Carmina Burana which The Dulcinea and I experienced in Milwaukee last fall. I was pleased to discover this program today as I’ve been listening to this piece in my car lately. If you see a car go by you and hear a guy singing, “Suzer rosenvarwer munt, chum un mache mich gesunt” loudly, that’s probably me.
To the east, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra has a great season ahead as well.
The first program of their season that catches my eye is second part of their Mozart Festival in early November which will feature Overture and 2nd Act Finale to The Magic Flute and Requiem. Skipping ahead to January, we find Uncle Igor’s The Rite of Spring once again. February brings Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 and Bela Bartok’s Concerto for Orchestra. In May, one can catch Elgar’s Enigma Variations if you cannot attend a performance here in Madison. Finally, in June they’ll be performing Copeland’s Appalachian Spring – a little American music, for a change.
To the south, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra has a wonderfully varied season ahead.
In September there’s a program with Ludwig van’s “Pastoral” symphony – No. 6 & Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 5. (Now where have I seen that before?) In early November, the CSO will be doing Bartok’s Violin Concerto No. 2 and Brahms’ 4th symphony. (Yes fans may recall that the 3rd movement of Brahms’ ditty was adapted by Rick Wakeman for their Fragile album.) Before all the blah Christmas programs in mid-December is another wonderful show with Ligeti’s Piano Concerto and Uncle Bela once again with his The Miraculous Mandarin. Moving into January, one can again hear Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring as well as a world premiere of a CSO-commissioned work by Turnage. The second week of February has a 2001-themed program with J. Strauss’ On the Beautiful Blue Danube, Richard Strauss’ Also Sprach Zarathustra, and Lontano & Atmospheres by Ligeti. (If we could only get them to do Ligeti’s Requiem!!) I will probably be taking a day off from work for this one. Finally, to close out the season in June, the CSO will be performing Ludwig van’s glorious 9th. Wunderbar! I’ll be seeing the Milwaukee Symphony doing this next month.
Lastly, I want to direct listeners to the Minnesota Orchestra which will be performing Edvard Grieg’s Peer Gynt next March in its entirety. Most folks are only familiar with the “In the Hall of the Mountain King” bit (described as a “can-can as danced by trolls”. So here’s your chance to see hear and see the whole piece.
If you’re interested in learning more about classical music, check out this Interactive Guide to the Symphony.
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