Originally published on Seen and Heard International
Having been captivated for years by Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony in F minor, I’ve attended countless performances, each offering their own insights. In my younger years, I found solace in the symphony’s emotionally charged melodies and the struggles against Fate they embodied. Growing older, however, I began to feel that Tchaikovsky’s histrionics sometimes missed their mark in concert. Yet, with the Chicago Symphony season barely a week old, Thursday’s performance, conducted by Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider — a frequent guest at the podium of Orchestra Hall — promised a compelling fresh perspective on this well-trodden classic by juxtaposing it with two seldom-performed works: Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Overture to The Wasps and William Walton’s Viola Concerto.
Continue reading Tension and drama abound in CSO’s performance of Tchaikovsky’s Fourth and Walton’s Viola Concerto
Gathering Note 