We are kicking off the second half of our season with some great masterpieces of the Romantic and American music periods concluding what has been an exciting year! Our third Classics Series concert will begin with a familiar epic work of Johannes Brahms, his Academic Festive Overture. When one uses the title “Overture,” you expect either an opera or symphony to follow. Brahms, actually wrote this piece, sort of “tongue in cheek” as it was in recognition of his receiving an Honorary Doctorate from University of Breslau in philosophy. With his wit and charm in full force, he included several student drinking songs rather than the symphony which the University expected. The results were one of his most beloved shorter works. Cheers!
Gabriel Faure’s Requiem is a work that stands out as one of the few choral masterpieces of this era as well as one of the only choral compositions of his career. Faure’s mass for the dead, depicts the grandeur of heaven as a resting place of peace and comfort. Joining us for this concert will be guest soloists, Dalton Woody and Angela Pickering. This performance will be a memorial for our deceased violinist, Yu Gu, particularly fitting as it was to be scheduled to be performed on the concert last April when he passed.
We conclude this concert with a wonderfully romantic symphony by American composer, Howard Hanson. Filled with lush harmonies and a lyrically haunting melody, Hanson’s Second Symphony has provided the romantic background for movies, including Alien. So impressed, by the work, famous movie composer, John Williams, was influenced by Hanson’s opus to pattern his music for E.T. after it. Romanticism at its best, it is the perfect Valentine’s Day evening music with your SOST!
