Contact: Allison Griffin
PR Associate
503-416-6347
April 6, 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Portland, Ore. … War. A topic that has become part of our daily lives. A topic that arouses emotion in the broadest sense. Dmitri Shostakovich’s expansive Symphony No. 8 will explore the realities of this phenomenon at the next Oregon Symphony classical concert, “Intense and Powerful,” on Saturday, May 5 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, May 6 at 7:30 p.m. at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.
“It is a huge piece to tackle,” said Music Director Carlos Kalmar. “From the explosive sounds in the first few minutes, the listener knows that he or she is in for an emotional roller-coaster ride.”
The rarely-programmed piece, more than an hour long, was the composer’s response to the tragic events of World War II. Although he was criticized for focusing on the tragedy of WWII rather than the Soviet triumph over the Nazi’s, Shostakovich responded, “In my opinion, the piece was quite in the order of things.”
The 26-minute first movement illustrates the emotional desolation of war, depicting anguish and a survivor wandering over a battlefield littered with the dead. The theme continues through the remaining movements, until the last, when Shostakovich uses a major key for the first time, which suggests a ray of hope: “I can describe the philosophical concept of my new symphony very briefly: Life remains beautiful. All that is dark and oppressive will disappear; all that is beautiful will triumph.” The final movement uncovers the triumph of that beauty over the forces of inhumanity and terror.
In addition, soloist Alban Gerhardt will be featured on Schumann’s Cello Concerto. Born in Berlin to a musical family, Gerhardt demonstrated musical talent on both cello and piano from the age of eight. After his career-launching debut in 1991 with the Berlin Philharmonic, concerts followed with more than 160 orchestras worldwide. Gerhardt nurtures a special mission that, by breaking time-worn conventions of listening to music and attending concerts, classical music may be opened up to a younger audience.
Schumann composed his Cello Concerto two years before his death, and the piece was not performed publicly during his lifetime. Its haunting lyricism and expressiveness are hallmarks of the composer’s styl.
The program will open with Scriabin’s five-minute Rêverie.
Tickets start at $20 and may be purchased at the Oregon Symphony Ticket Office, located at 923 S.W. Washington. Ticket office hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets can be charged by phone at (503) 228-1353 or (800) 228-7343, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets may also be purchased at Ticketmaster outlets or by calling (503) 224-4400. Discounted tickets for groups of eight or more are available through the group sales hotline at (503) 416-6380. Support for the concert is provided by the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation. Media support is provided by The Oregonian and KINK fm.
Images and guest artist bios are available at www.orsymphony.org/media.