CSO Audio Program Notes Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association
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- Music
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Chicago Symphony Orchestra Audio Program Notes are accessible, interesting, and full of information about the works being performed by the CSO as well as the history and personalities behind the music.
Download Program Note PDFs at cso.org/ProgramNotes.
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CSO Program Notes: Sheherazade
Elim Chan leads Rimsky-Korsakov’s sumptuous symphonic suite Sheherazade, inspired by the legendary heroine and tales of One Thousand and One Nights. Paul Jacobs, “a virtuoso of dazzling technical acumen” (The New York Times), performs Barber’s Toccata festiva, an exuberant showcase for organ containing echoes of J.S. Bach.
Learn more: cso.org/performances/23-24/cso-classical/sheherazade -
CSO Program Notes: CSO x Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
Two mighty orchestras present a rousing, jazz-meets-classical event. Discover selections from Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet, alternating between the original orchestral version performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and imaginative new jazz arrangements presented by the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. Both ensembles join forces for a selection from Wynton Marsalis’ Swing Symphony, which The Telegraph calls “a journey through jazz history and the sounds of America itself.”
Learn more: cso.org/performances/23-24/cso-classical/cso-x-jazz-at-lincoln-center-orchestra -
CSO Program Notes: Chopin & Tchaikovsky
Tugan Sokhiev conducts Tchaikovsky’s youthful First Symphony, nicknamed Winter Dreams for its cozy evocation of Russian winters. Chopin’s exuberant Piano Concerto No. 1 features Russian pianist Yulianna Avdeeva, described by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as “a one-woman powerhouse” who “stole the show.” Andrzej Panufnik’s Heroic Overture, composed in 1952, is a tribute to the courageous spirit of the Polish people.
Learn more: cso.org/performances/23-24/cso-classical/chopin-and-tchaikovsky -
CSO Program Notes: Mendelssohn Elijah
The 19th century’s most enduring oratorio, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, sung here in English, depicts the story of the biblical prophet Elijah, complete with his ascent to heaven on a flaming chariot. James Conlon leads the assembled forces, including Chicago favorite Lucas Meachem in the mighty title role and the Chicago Symphony Chorus performing the work’s pensive and ecstatic ensembles.
Learn more: cso.org/performances/23-24/cso-classical/mendelssohn-elijah -
CSO Program Notes: Klaus Mäkelä & Sol Gabetta
Sol Gabetta, whose “enthusiastic music-making and animated style are completely infectious” (Classical Voice), makes her CSO debut in Shostakovich’s captivating Cello Concerto No. 1 — a riveting journey through themes of defiance, sorrow and triumph. Electrifying conductor Klaus Mäkelä frames the program with Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony, a searing portrait of the composer’s tormented life in Stalinist Russia, and the U.S. premiere of Sauli Zinovjev’s vibrant Batteria.
Please note: Pianist Yuja Wang, who was scheduled to perform Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 2 on this program, has withdrawn from these concerts.
Learn more: cso.org/performances/23-24/cso-classical/klaus-makela-and-sol-gabetta -
CSO Program Notes: The Music of Bach
Be transported to Zimmermann’s Coffee House, the Leipzig café where J.S. Bach introduced many of his instrumental works. CSO Concertmaster Robert Chen leads the dazzling Third Brandenburg Concerto, kaleidoscopic Violin Concerto in E Major and buoyant and graceful Orchestral Suite No. 1. Chen also teams up with Principal Oboe William Welter in Bach’s exquisite Concerto for Oboe and Violin.
Learn more: cso.org/performances/23-24/cso-classical/music-of-bach
Customer Reviews
Love these audio concert notes!
Love being able to listen to the concert notes, they are always so interesting and well written and I somehow get more out of listening than reading them. Thank you for this option CSO!
Great podcast
Really enjoy the history and anecdotes behind each piece on the performance schedule. A good listen even if you're not attending the concert.
Informative Podcast
This podcast is a great way to learn about an upcoming concert or just learn more about the world of music. It's written with a lot of historical context and good for any music lover or someone who just wants to learn more.