Bartók’s Music for Strings, Percussion and Celesta is a bone-chilling testament to the postwar period of the 20th century, and Schumann’s Second Symphony is inscribed with moody and rebellious sounds in response to the composer’s terminal illness. Follow Courtney Lewis as he leads the Symphony through this deep psychological exploration.
Hailed by many critics as The Beatles’ finest album, Abbey Road included such iconic songs as “Here Comes the Sun,” “Something” and “Come Together.” Classical Mystery Tour returns with a tribute to The Beatles’ early years, Abbey Road and many more timeless songs from the greatest band of all time.
Few symphonic pieces evoke American vistas like Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring. Centered on the Shaker hymn, “Simple Gifts,” this work’s spacious tonality defined the archetypical Americana sound. The program begins with Mendelssohn’s The Hebrides, a sound-world depicting the Scottish Highlands, and Manuel de Falla’s spicy dances from his ballet, The Three-Cornered Hat.
Sometimes referred to as Gustav Mahler’s tenth symphony, The Song of the Earth is no ordinary song cycle, titled by the composer “a Symphony for Tenor, Contralto and Orchestra.” Drawing from German adaptations of ancient Chinese poems, the songs explore themes of tragedy and the imminence of death, ultimately asserting a passionate delight in the beauty of living. Witness this narrative through a theatrical lens in this Jacksonville Symphony dramatic staging of Mahler’s profound testament to love and life.
