Bronfman Plays Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4
Fri Jun 7 — Sat Jun 8, 2024
Orchestra Hall
“He can roar, but he also can whisper,” said the Chicago Sun-Times about Yefim Bronfman’s performance of Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto. On either side of Bronfman’s astonishing performance, David Robertson leads symphonic works by Adolphus Hailstork and John Adams, two contemporary American composers who are currently shaping the orchestral world as we watch (and listen!).
A Few Things to Know
- In collaboration with the St. Louis Symphony, conductor David Robertson was honored with a 2014 Grammy Award for Best Orchestral Performance for a recording of another of John Adams’ compositions, City Noir.
- Doctor Atomic Symphony is a concert version of John Adams’ 2005 opera that tells the story of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and the creation of the atomic bomb. Oppenheimer is also the central subject of the 2023 film named after him directed by Christopher Nolan.
- Yefim Bronfman first performed as a soloist with the Minnesota Orchestra in 1979, when he was just 21 years old. It has been nearly 20 years since his most recent concert here, when he performed Beethoven’s Emperor Piano Concerto.
Program
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HAILSTORK
Symphony No. 1
1 min noteOne Minute Note
Adolphus Hailstork’s First Symphony brings an array of influences from diverse cultural backgrounds—including subtle incorporations of music from Guyana, where he had recently studied—to the traditional four-movement format of classical symphonies. Hailstork himself conducted the premiere in New Jersey in 1988.
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BEETHOVEN
Piano Concerto No. 4
1 min noteOne Minute Note
Ludwig van Beethoven’s lyrical Fourth Piano Concerto begins with the soloist rather than the orchestra, foreshadowing the work’s soft-spoken mood. Most striking is the second movement, in which harsh strings are calmed by the gentle piano.
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ADAMS
Doctor Atomic Symphony
1 min noteOne Minute Note
John Adams’ Doctor Atomic Symphony comprises music drawn from the composer’s 2005 opera exploring the weeks leading up to the first atomic bomb test in 1945—a narrative that overlaps at times with last year’s hit film Oppenheimer. We hear a laboratory’s tension, wartime panic and a countdown to the test, as well as a poetic aria in which Oppenheimer’s vocal line is reassigned to solo trumpet.
Artists
Minnesota Orchestra
David Robertson
conductor
Yefim Bronfman
piano
The Grammy Award-winning Minnesota Orchestra, now in its second century, ranks among America’s top symphonic ensembles, with a distinguished history of acclaimed performances in its home state and around the world; award-winning recordings, broadcasts and educational engagement programs; and a commitment to intentionally build concert programs to feature more works by composers of color, exploring music both contemporary and historic. In September 2024, Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård begins his second season as music director.
David Robertson—conductor, artist, composer, thinker and American musical visionary—occupies the most prominent podiums in opera, orchestral and new music. He is a champion of contemporary composers and an ingenious programmer who has served in leadership positions with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre National de Lyon, BBC Symphony Orchestra and, as protégé of Pierre Boulez, the Ensemble intercontemporain.
Yefim Bronfman, one of today’s most acclaimed and admired pianists, stands among a handful of artists regularly sought by festivals, orchestras, conductors and recital series. His commanding technique, power and exceptional lyrical gifts are consistently acknowledged by the press and audiences alike.
Plan your visit
- Pre-concert activities
- Valet Parking
- Pre-order Beverages
- Directions & Parking
- Helpful Tips
Pre-concert lecture
With Nicholas Landrum
When: June 7 - 8 | 45 Minutes Prior
Where: Target Atrium
“Batter my heart, three person'd God”; John Adams, Oppenheimer, and the birth of a New American Opera
Nicholas Landrum explores the origins of John Adams’s opera Doctor Atomic and the symphonic recreation Doctor Atomic Symphony.
Know Before You Go
An engaging performance awaits, and the fun doesn’t stop there. Make this visit your own with food and activity options. Browse these helpful tips, and when your concert date arrives, all you have to do is sit back and enjoy.
Directions & Parking
All the information you need to know for getting to and from Orchestra Hall. Parking is just steps away from Orchestra Hall in the city-owned and skyway-connected 11th and Marquette Ramp.
Pre-order beverages
Skip the lines at the bar! Pre-order your intermission beverage via the Minnesota Orchestra App when you arrive at Orchestra Hall.
Accessibility Services
- Armless & Bariatric Chairs
- Assistive Listening Devices
- Large-Print Programs
- Noise-Cancelling Headphones
- Service Animals
- Wheelchair & Accessible Seating
Additional services are available upon request.
With this concert we honor the memory of James P. Callahan
SPONSORED BY
The 2023-2024 Classical Season is presented by Ameriprise Financial.
