Franz Schubert’s masterpiece “The Unfinished Symphony” will be on the program as the West Virginia University Symphony Orchestra kicks off a new season of concerts at the Creative Arts Center. Conducted by Mitchell Arnold, the concert will be held Thursday, Sept. 24 at 7:30 p.m. in the Lyell B. Clay Concert Theatre.
“Schubert’s B-minor Symphony is a great and well-known work, but an interesting part of the story is that Schubert stopped work on it in 1822, and it did not see the light of day until 37 years after his death,” Arnold said. “Furthermore, the work narrowly escaped accidental destruction during the years it remained unknown. Since 1865, it has become one of the most beloved works of the orchestral canon. Why Schubert left the work unfinished, after completing two movements, has been the subject of much speculation.
“Nevertheless, it is recognized for having charted new symphonic ground, and quickly became a favorite of audiences and musicians alike.”
The concert will also feature a quirky, dramatic symphony by Carl Philip Emmanuel Bach, Johann Sebastian’s second eldest and most famous and influential son; a powerful elegy for strings by Italian Giacomo Puccini, called “Crisantemi” (Chrysanthemums); and Johannes Brahms’s powerfully moving “Tragic Overture.”
“Brahms gave us no specific ‘story’ for his ‘Tragic Overture,’ but one cannot miss the musical depiction of a tragic hero’s struggles,” said Arnold, who is also director or orchestral studies at WVU. “It is music that is capable of conveying great drama and emotion.”
“With the talents of our fine students we are developing an impressive orchestra program here at WVU, one we hope will achieve the recognition it deserves not only within our Morgantown community but throughout the region,” he said.
Tickets for the Symphony Orchestra concert are available through the WVU Box Office. For tickets and information, call (304) 293-SHOW.
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CONTACT: Charlene Lattea, College of Creative Arts
304-293-4841 ext. 3108, Charlene.Lattea@mail.wvu.edu