In his own words, Vice President & Artistic Administrator Tony Nickle shares what he believes to be the high points of the program, but with a little edge and humor for good measure. Following an exciting season opener in which we featured the fantastic Daniel Hsu performing on our new Steinway, we turn the spotlight this week onto our wonderful … Read More
Program Notes: Bach to America
Concerto for Chamber Orchestra, “Dumbarton Oaks” (1938) Igor Stravinsky Born June 17, 1882 in Oranienbaum, near St. Petersburg, Russia Died: April 6, 1971 in New York City Dumbarton Oaks is an elegant estate in the District of Columbia that belonged to Mr. & Mrs. Robert Woods Bliss, wealthy patrons of the arts. On the occasion of their thirtieth wedding … Read More
Review: Mozart’s Romantic Side
The Jacksonville Symphony’s 2021/22 Florida Blue Classical Series season opened in great style on Friday evening with a program entitled, “Mozart’s Romantic Side: Piano Concerto No. 20.” The concert featured a Mozart concerto alongside Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 in C, Op. 21. Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466, was first on the program, and saw the debut of the Jacksonville Symphony’s beautiful new Steinway concert grand piano under the masterful … Read More
Program Notes: Mozart’s Romantic Side
Piano Concerto No.20 in D minor, K.466 Wolfgang Amadè Mozart Born: 27 January, 1756 in Salzburg, Austria Died: 5 December, 1791 in Vienna, Austria Brooding and chromatic, the D Minor Piano Concerto is a far cry from conventional Mozart. Listen for stormy outbursts, even in the slow movement. Mozart provided his Viennese audience with a sunny conclusion – but not until the coda of … Read More
Nickel for Your Thoughts: Mozart’s Romantic Side
In his own words, Vice President & Artistic Administrator Tony Nickle shares what he believes to be the high points of the program, but with a little edge and humor for good measure. Welcome back, everyone! We are incredibly excited to be back with what I think is our most exciting season since I arrived nearly six years ago. It’s … Read More
Nickel for Your Thoughts: Schubert’s Great Symphony
In his own words, Vice President & Artistic Administrator Tony Nickle shares what he believes to be the high points of the program, but with a little edge and humor for good measure. We’ve made it to the end of an historic and amazingly successful season, managing to bring you live music in Jacoby Symphony Hall and online nearly every weekend since September, and we … Read More
Nickel for Your Thoughts: Beethoven and Wagner
In his own words, Artistic Administrator Tony Nickle shares what he believes to be the high points of the program, but with a little edge and humor for good measure. The end of this unprecedented season is in sight, with only two classical weekends remaining. This weekend’s program has a couple of threads running through it: 1. The musical lineage that runs from … Read More
Nickel for Your Thoughts: Mahler’s Song of the Earth
In his own words, Artistic Administrator Tony Nickle shares what he believes to be the high points of the program, but with a little edge and humor for good measure. Boy, do we have a doozie for you this week: The Song of the Earth by Gustav Mahler may be the program I’ve been most excited about all season. I’ve never seen it performed live, and I’d venture … Read More
Nickel for Your Thoughts: Schumann and Bartók
In his own words, Artistic Administrator Tony Nickle shares what he believes to be the high points of the program, but with a little edge and humor for good measure. As I’ve been thinking about writing this week’s Masterworks blog, I keep coming back to this notion of people’s tastes. It’s a tricky thing, because so many things seem to inform our own. I’m … Read More
Schumann’s heartbreaking Second one of Lewis’ favorites
When I’m asked the impossible question, “What’s your favorite symphony”, I usually refuse to answer, but inside my head a voice always cries out: Schumann’s Second! Robert Schumann (1810-1856) was the archetypal Romantic: he loved poetry as much as music, couldn’t decide whether to be a musician or a writer, married another artist (the great pianist Clara Wieck), struggled with … Read More