Milwaukee Symphony Opens 2013-14 Season with TCHAIKOVSKY'S FOURTH, 9/20-22

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra opens the 2013.14 Classics series with Tchaikovsky's Fourth on September 20-22, 2013, led by Conductor Laureate Andreas Delfs. The performances also include renowned pianist Jeremy Denk in Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 1 and Aaron Jay Kernis's Musica Celestis.

All concerts include Meet the Music, an interactive pre-concert discussion beginning one hour prior to concert start time in the Anello Atrium. Following Friday's concert, join guest artists for Friday Talkback, a Q&A session in the Anello Atrium.

Patrons may join Maestro Andreas Delfs and the musicians of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra for an Opening Weekend Reception at the InterContinental Hotel with dessert and champagne following the Friday and Saturday night performances. Tickets are $23 per person, and discounted parking at the Milwaukee Center may be added for an additional $7. For more information, visit mso.org.

Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Op. 36, was composed in 1877-78. The symphony represents a turning point in Tchaikovsky's work, exhibiting the composer's emotional and compositional maturity. Tchaikovsky eventually dedicated the symphony to Madame von Meck, one of his benefactors, who referred to the piece in correspondence with the composer as "our symphony." The symphony begins with one of the most famous fanfares in Western music, often referred to as the "fate theme." Tchaikovsky wrote: "The introduction is the seed of the whole Symphony: this is Fate, the decisive force which prevents our hopes of happiness from being realized."

Liszt's Piano Concerto No. 1 in E-flat major was composed in 1849, though Liszt began work on the piece in 1830, roughly 25 years before the work would ultimately be premiered. Following the premiere of Beethoven's groundbreaking "Eroica" symphony in 1805, composers had to grapple with the new direction of music. Liszt consistently and thoughtfully considered how musical form could be re-imagined. Though the standard for concertos at the time was three movements, this concerto features four movements which are all strung together into one cohesive unit.

Aaron Jay Kernis's Musica Celestis, or "Heavenly Music," was composed in 1990 and is drawn from the slow movement of the composer's first String Quartet. The inspiration comes from the medieval idea of "heavenly music," which he describes as "the singing of the angels in heaven in praise of God without end." In the original program note for the work, Kernis goes on to write: "I don't particularly believe in angels, but found this to be a potent image that has been reinforced by listening to a good deal of medieval music."

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Andreas Delfs currently holds the position of conductor laureate of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra where during twelve seasons as music director he was instrumental in the orchestra's rise to national prominence. He has held chief artistic posts with several orchestras both in North America and Europe. He led the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra as music director and artistic consultant. He served as general music director of Hannover, Germany, conducting the symphony orchestra and opera company. Prior to his time in Hannover, Delfs was music director of the Bern Opera, resident conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony (during the tenure of Lorin Maazel) and music director of the Orchestre Suisse des Jeunes.

Over the years, Andreas Delfs has led numerous distinguished ensembles. He has conducted orchestras such as the Frankfurt Radio, Danish National, and Taipei symphony orchestras; London, Netherlands, and Los Angeles philharmonics; Leipzig Gewandhaus and Philadelphia orchestras; San Francisco and Sydney symphonies; and the Tonhalle Orchestra of Zurich.

Among Andreas Delfs's most notable operatic achievements has been his highly praised debut with the New York City Opera, conducting performances of Carmen and a production of the uncut version of Hans Werner Henze's monumental König Hirsch for the Württemberg State Theatre in Stuttgart. He led four productions at the Aspen Music Festival and gave the Swiss premiere of György Ligetis Le Grand Macabre, which received special praise from the composer.

Jeremy Denk has established himself as one of America's most thought-provoking, multi-faceted, and compelling artists. He has appeared as soloist with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Philadelphia Orchestra, and the symphony orchestras of Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, and London. He regularly gives recitals in New York, Washington, Boston, Philadelphia, and throughout the United States. This season includes a return to Carnegie Hall in recital, as part of thirteen-city tour of the United States, as well as a performance of Bach's complete set of six keyboard concertos in a single evening with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Upcoming engagements include tours with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, and the Academy of St. Martin in the Field.

In 2012, Mr. Denk made his debut as a Nonesuch Records artist with a pairing of masterpieces old and new: Beethoven's final Piano Sonata and György Ligeti's Etudes. The disc was named one of the best discs of 2012 by the The New Yorker, NPR, and the Washington Post. Later this year, he will release a disc of the Goldberg Variations. Mr. Denk has a long-standing attachment to the music of American visionary Charles Ives, and his recording of Ives's two Piano Sonatas was selected for many "best of the year" lists. Last season, he was invited by Michael Tilson Thomas to appear as a soloist in the San Francisco Symphony's "American Mavericks" festival, and he recorded Henry Cowell's Piano Concerto with the orchestra. Denk has cultivated relationships with many living composers, and has several commissioning projects currently in progress. He lives in New York City, and his website and blog are at jeremydenk.net.

ABOUT THE PERFORMANCE

Tchaikovsky's Fourth

Andreas Delfs, conductor

Jeremy Denk, piano

Uihlein Hall, Marcus Center for the Performing Arts

Friday, September 20 | 8:00 p.m.

Saturday, September 21 | 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, September 22 | 2:30 p.m.

Tickets start at $25. For more information, please call 414.291.7605 or visit mso.org. Tickets may also be purchased through the Marcus Center Box Office at 414.273.7206.

ABOUT THE MSO
Ranked among the top orchestras in the country, the MSO is the largest cultural institution in Wisconsin. Since its inception in 1959, the orchestra has received critical acclaim for artistic excellence. The orchestra's 80 full-time professional musicians perform more than 135 concerts each season. A cornerstone organization in Milwaukee's arts community, the MSO provides enrichment and education activities for audiences of every age, economic status, and background.