Posted February 27, 2019
DAYTON, OH (February 27, 2019) – On Friday, March 22, 2019 and Saturday, March 23, 2019 at 8:00 pm in the Mead Theatre of the Schuster Center, Artistic Director and Conductor Neal Gittleman and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra will present the seventh concert in the 2018–2019 Premier Health Masterworks Series, A Brahms Treasury. Leadership Sponsor for this concert is the Dayton Philharmonic Volunteer Association.
Audiences will enjoy a variety of different expressions of Johannes Brahms’ genius, carefully gathered together like a rare collection of precious gemstones. Reflected in the vivid coloration are folk influences and the music of Joseph Haydn. Maestro Gittleman calls on the prodigious skills of the orchestra, alongside choral forces under the direction of Hank Dahlman, Director of the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra Chorus and Chamber Choir.
The program opens with a simple but deeply melodic piece, the St. Anthony Chorale, the origins of which are obscured by time but which may have started life as a traditional tune before it found its way into a wind ensemble composition attributed to Haydn. Whatever its origin, it was then picked up by Brahms and used as a theme for his first orchestral work, now known as Variations on a Theme by Joseph Haydn, also performed on this program. The theme is gorgeous, and the set of variations that Brahms creates are magnificent examples of his art.
Haydn created settings of The Seven Last Words of Christ in many different forms for both orchestra and chorus. Using five choice excerpts, Neal alternates orchestra with a cappella vocals to create a dramatic and compact narrative.
Next on the program is a return to Brahms for two works that explore his marvelous facility with voice.
Brahms’ Song of Destiny (Schicksalslied) is one of his finest choral works. It is followed here by what is very probably an expression of love to his dear, lifelong friend Clara Schumann. The texts for Liebeslieder Waltzes are from G. F. Daumer’s Polydora, a collection of folk songs and love poems. The previously mentioned Haydn Variations are next, transporting us to one of the most beloved works in all of the classical repertory: Brahms’ glorious Violin Concerto in D major.
Over the last several years, violinist Chad Hoopes has grown from amazing prodigy to full-fledged master of his art. Maestro Gittleman and the DPO are thrilled to have played a role in helping to usher this talented artist to the world stage. Hoopes returns to Dayton to take the lead on the Brahms masterpiece, a work that ranks with those of Beethoven, Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn, and Bruch as one of The Big Five all-time violin concertos—and rightly so, as it is replete with beautiful melody, rhythmic surprise and heartfelt emotion.
Come peek into this treasure chest of riches this March.
Tickets for A Brahms Treasury begin at $22 and are available at Ticket Center Stage (937) 228-3630 or online at www.daytonperformingarts.org. Senior, teacher and student discounts are available for both concerts at the box office. For more information or to order subscriptions, including flexible subscription types that include performances by Dayton Philharmonic, Dayton Opera and Dayton Ballet, visit www.daytonperformingarts.org.
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About the Dayton Performing Arts Alliance
The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance was formed in July 2012 as the result of a groundbreaking and innovative merger between the Dayton Ballet, the Dayton Opera, and the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra. Together, they are the largest performing arts organization in the community, offering a tremendous variety of performance and education programs and setting a new standard for artistic excellence. Dayton Performing Arts Alliance performances are made possible in part by Montgomery County and Culture Works, the single largest source of community funds for the arts and culture in the Miami Valley. The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance also receives partial funding from the Ohio Arts Council, a state agency created to foster and encourage the development of the arts and to preserve Ohio’s cultural heritage. Funding from the Ohio Arts Council is an investment of state tax dollars that promotes economic growth, educational excellence, and cultural enrichment for all Ohio residents. In 2013, The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance was thrilled to be one of five performing arts organizations in the country selected to receive a three-year “Music Alive” grant from New Music USA and the League of American Orchestras. The Dayton Performing Arts Alliance is the proud recipient of a 2017-2018 Art Works grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.