“It’s many people’s favorite Beethoven symphony, and while I shouldn’t play favorites, let’s just say there’s no Beethoven symphony I love more than the Seventh,” said DPO artistic director and conductor Neal Gittleman. “It was certainly the first of the nine I really fell hard for. The piece’s rhythmic energy is infectious, which is probably what (composer Richard) Wagner, who hardly had anything nice to say about anyone’s music other than his own, to call it ‘the apotheosis of the dance.’ And he’s kind of right. Every one of the piece’s four movements has a dance-y quality to it, even the slow movement, which is more ‘stately’ than ‘slow.’”
Gittleman also has fond memories of the piece being included in his debut program with the DPO in September 1995.
“It was the closer on my first concert as DPO music director,” he said. “This will be my fifth time around on the piece with the Philharmonic, so obviously it’s one of my faves.”
German composer Richard Strauss’ Oboe Concerto was composed at the end of World War II for John de Lancie, a young U.S. Army corporal and principal oboe of the Philadelphia Orchestra in civilian life and father of “Star Trek” actor John de Lancie, Jr. The concerto, which will showcase DPO principal oboist Eileen Whalen, was one of the last works Strauss wrote before his death. Interestingly, the 1948 U.S. premiere of the work spotlighted a future TV star.
“Strauss wanted John de Lancie to play the U.S. premiere, but de Lancie was the second oboist of the Philadelphia Orchestra at the time and the orchestra’s rule was ‘only first-chair players can play concertos,’” Gittleman noted. “So, the U.S. premiere was played by another oboist, Mitch Miller of ‘Sing Along with Mitch’ fame. And it’s wonderful that Eileen Whalen will be appearing as soloist in this delightful piece.”
In addition, as a postlude to St. Patrick’s Day, the DPO will perform Charles Villiers Stanford’s “Irish Rhapsody No. 1,” which incorporates the traditional “Londonderry Air,” better known as the iconic “Danny Boy.”
“It’s a super piece, a vigorous Celtic dance with a lovely slow middle section based on everybody’s favorite Irish folk song,” Gittleman said.
HOW TO GO
What: “Beethoven 7 and Strauss”
When: March 18-19; 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Where: Schuster Center, Second and Main Streets, Dayton
Cost: $5-$68
Tickets: Visit daytonlive.org
Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
Credit: CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
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