Jacksonville Symphony Blog

Program Notes: Handel’s Messiah George Frideric Handel’s Messiah:  World Premiere April 13, 1742; Dublin, Ireland (150 minutes)  George Frideric Handel’s Messiah holds a universal appeal not only because we associate it with the holiday season but also because Handel’s lovely arias and bubbling choruses do indeed lift us up.  They are, collectively, a cause for celebration. The joining together of such … Read More

Program Notes: Tchaikovsky & Barber Erich Wolfgang Korngold’s Dramatic Overture:  World Premiere December 14, 1911; Leipzig, Germany (16 minutes)  Erich Wolfgang Korngold was a child prodigy who was often compared to Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. His ballet The Snowman, composed when he was 11, became a Viennese sensation. He was already conducting major opera orchestras in his early 20s. Korngold moved … Read More

Program Notes: Mahler’s Symphony for Alma Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 in A minor, “Tragic:” World Premiere May 27, 1906; Essen, Germany (79 minutes) Gustav Mahler is best known for his gigantic, cosmic symphonies. He also composed songs on a symphonic scale. Mahler employed an enormous orchestra, often including unusual instruments like cowbells. Although he was a tonal composer, Mahler’s … Read More

Program Notes: Beethoven, Brahms & Dinnerstein  Nina Shekhar’s Lumina: World Premiere May 12, 2022; New York, New York (12 minutes) Nina Shekhar is a composer and multimedia artist who explores the themes and intersection of identity, vulnerability, love and laughter. She double majored in chemical engineering and composition at the University of Michigan. Currently, she is completing a PhD in … Read More

Program Notes: Beethoven, Schumann & Liebermann Ludwig van Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 2, Op. 72a: World Premiere November 20, 1805; Vienna, Austria (13 minutes)  Ludwig van Beethoven favored instrumental music: symphonies, sonatas and concertos. His vocal music includes songs, folk songs and some sacred masses. He labored on his only opera, Fidelio, for more than a decade. Leonore Overture No. … Read More

Program Notes: Conrad Tao Plays Prokofiev Sergei Prokofiev’s Piano Concerto No. 3 in C major, Op. 26: World Premiere: December 16, 1921; Chicago, Illinois (27 minutes) Though Sergei Prokofiev was from the Ukraine, his Third Piano Concerto has strong American connections. Prokofiev was the soloist in the first performance with the Chicago Symphony in 1921, under the direction of Frederick Stock. … Read More

Program Notes: Mozart, Brahms & Schumann Robert Schumann’s Overture, Scherzo & Finale, Op. 52:   (World Premiere: June 12, 1841; Leipzig, Germany)  (17 minutes) Literate and passionate, Robert Schumann was a quintessential composer of the Romantic Era.  Schumann often had feverish, intense bouts of composition. His wife, Clara Schumann, was one of the 19th-century’s greatest pianists. Schumann was also one of … Read More

Program Notes: The Magic Flute Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Magic Flute, K. 620 (World Premiere September 30, 1791; Vienna, Austria) (2 hours and 35 minutes) During the first scene of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Magic Flute, a fearsome serpent pursues Prince Tamino. Amid stormy and ominous music, the handsome, young nobleman cries for help but is knocked unconscious. Within moments, three … Read More

Program Notes: 1,001 Nights: Scheherazade Jacksonville Symphony 2022/23 Florida Blue Classical Series Franz Liszt’s Les Préludes, Symphonic Poem No. 3: (World Premiere February 23, 1854; Weimar, Germany) (16 minutes) Franz Liszt is celebrated as one of the 19th century’s greatest virtuoso pianists. He is credited with inventing the piano recital as we know it. Music historians also regard him as … Read More

Program Notes: Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody Jacksonville Symphony 2022/23 Florida Blue Classical Series Igor Stravinsky’s A Game of Cards (Jeu de cartes): Stravinsky was an international figure. He lived in France and Switzerland before settling in the United States. He was arguably the most important ballet composer of the 20th century. Traditional folk music remained a source of inspiration throughout his career. … Read More