Boston Philharmonic Orchestra: Mozart/Brahms/Bartok (Boston)

From Benjamin Zander:

A friend recently insisted that I listen to Alessandro Deljavan, a pianist of Persian and Italian extraction living in Italy. After spending hours listening to the 24 (!) CD’s he sent—ranging from Scarlatti to Scriabin to the complete piano music of Reynaldo Hahn, each rendered with tremendous artistry—I knew I had to bring this remarkable musician to Boston. But what concerto from his vast repertoire should we perform? I felt mastery such as his called for the king of piano concertos, the Brahms Second, which demands profound musicianship, power, command, free spirit, warmth, and poetry.

These are the same qualities required to perform Bartok’s ultimate test of virtuosity, the Concerto for Orchestra. Brahms and Bartok, though vastly different in many ways, make wonderful companions on a concert program. And both are works very close to my heart. The evening begins with the enchanting overture to that most enchanting of Mozart operas, The Magic Flute.