Boston Philharmonic to Open 2013-14 Season with BEETHOVEN 9th, 10/4

Scheduled for the final concert of last season, but cancelled because of the Marathon lock-down, the BEETHOVEN 9th will open the Boston Philharmonic 2013-14 season on October 4th in Symphony Hall. Benjamin Zander will conduct, with the Chorus Pro Musica and soloists Michele Johnson, Sarah Heltzel, Yeghishe Manucharyan and Robert Honeysucker.

Because last season's performance was sold-out more than a month in advance, an additional performance has been added. The performance on Monday September 30th in Symphony Hall will be dedicated to the victims of the Marathon bombings and their families, all of whom have been invited to attend as guests of the orchestra. Governor Patrick will be in attendance, as will be several first responders. An additional performance in Worcester's acoustically perfect Mechanics Hall will take place on October 3rd. All performances will begin at 8 p.m. and will be preceded by a talk at 6. 45 in which Maestro Zander will explain some of the background and significance of "The Ninth" and provide a guide to the performance designed for those with little or no musical background.

Mr. Zander says "The Beethoven Ninth remains after two hundred year's music's ultimate affirmation of the indomitable human spirit. No other work delivers this particular powerful message in music that is understandable by everyone, everywhere. Perhaps its sublime messagewill be even more meaningful to us now that the tragedy is in the past, and we have seen, and played our own part in, the extraordinary heroism, compassion and healing that has been our city's response to an act of terror."

The concert will open with Beethoven's Overture to Coriolan. The tragic, annihilated ending of this overture - unique in Beethoven's works - provides a powerful counterweight to the joyous resolution of the Ninth.

Mr. Zander's interpretation of the Ninth is well-known for its radical approach to the tempi, taking the composer at his word as regards the metronome marks. In 1992, after a performance by the Boston Philharmonic of the Ninth in Carnegie Hall, which startled many listeners, the Music Critic of the New Yorker Magazine wrote "If Mr. Zander is right we have been hearing the music of the greatest composer only in misrepresentation." Though other conductors have since followed Maestro Zander's lead, his interpretation, not heard in Boston for 23 years, remains uncompromising and revolutionary in its spirit.

Pictured: Benjamin Zander. Photo by Jesse Weiner.

To post a comment, you must register and login.