York Symphony Orchestra To Present Beethoven And Bruckner

The York Symphony Orchestra will present Beethoven and Bruckner on Saturday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Appell Center for the Performing Arts in York. This Classical Series Concert will feature Beethoven's Overture to Leonore No. 3 and Bruckner's Fourth Symphony subtitled "Romantic" to create an evening of heroic adventure. Single tickets starting at $9 for adults and $5 for students are available online at www.YorkSymphony.org and by calling 717-846-1111.

"The upcoming March 9 concert is one that you do not want to miss," said Lawrence Golan, Conductor and Music Director of the York Symphony Orchestra. "Beethoven's Overture to Leonore No. 3 and Bruckner's Fourth Symphony both feature exciting moments that will entertain with a wide range of expression and adventure through stories of knights, heroism, triumph and romance."

The Beethoven and Bruckner concert will open with Overture to Leonore No. 3, Beethoven's only completed opera. The opera tells the story of Leonore, a woman who disguises herself as a prison guard to rescue her husband, Florestan, from death in a political prison. The overture begins with Florestan in the dark prison. Happy memories and hope are felt in a brighter section in the music. Leonore's efforts to disguise herself and get closer to rescuing her husband are gradually rewarded throughout the piece. Trumpet calls announce the approach and then the arrival of the governor who will give Florestan a reprieve, but Leonore must still save him from a desperate attack by the jailer who unjustly imprisoned him. Her husband is released and love triumphs again. Leonore's heroism is celebrated in true Romantic fashion, with beautiful singing melodies and loud fanfares to complete an exciting story of personal sacrifice, heroism, and eventual triumph.

The concert will also feature Bruckner's Fourth Symphony subtitled "Romantic." Bruckner was an Austrian composer and organist, best known for his symphonies and sacred music. Symphony No. 4 premiered in Vienna in 1881. Bruckner's work on the Symphony is reported to have begun as early as 1874, but periods of self-doubt, especially after lukewarm receptions of other works, led to long periods of revision. Even after its premiere, this Symphony received additional revisions as late as 1888. Symphony No. 4 is dedicated to Prince Konstantin of Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst and evokes images of the countryside with, in Bruckner's words, "medieval knights, castles, hunting, and other things." Symphony No. 4 was the first of Bruckner's symphonies to achieve significant public success and remains among his most popular and frequently performed works.

"Understanding the self-doubt that Bruckner faced makes Symphony No. 4 especially intriguing because the work conveys such confidence," adds Golan. "The talent of this humble composer is striking, and his vulnerability is a characteristic I think many performers and non-performers alike can relate to."

The York Symphony Orchestra will present on Beethoven and Bruckner on Saturday, March 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Appell Center for the Performing Arts in York. Single tickets starting at $9 for adults and $5 for students are available online at www.YorkSymphony.org and by calling 717-846-1111.

Made up of talented professional musicians from the greater York area and beyond, the York Symphony Orchestra has been engaging audiences with outstanding orchestral music for 85 years. Performing at the Appell Center for the Performing Arts under the leadership of Music Director Lawrence Golan, the orchestra presents an eclectic mix of classical masterworks and contemporary selections. The 2018-2019 season is sponsored by PeoplesBank; the Classical Series is sponsored by W. Dale Brougher Foundation; and the Pops Series is sponsored by The Anstadt Company. The York Symphony Orchestra is dedicated to music education, offering programs to engage youth and adults. For more information on the York Symphony Orchestra, visit www.YorkSymphony.org or find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/YorkSymphony/.

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