Grimaud Tickles The Ivories During Beethoven's 4th
Possessed of a fiercely independent, pioneering spirit, piano virtuoso Helen Grimaud showed prodigious from a young age, defying conventions with her affinity for more muscular composers like Brahms, Beethoven and Schumann. Her willingness to take creative chances with reinterpretations has won much praise since her well received 1987 debut recital in Tokyo. Special guest conductor James Gaffigan and the San Francisco Symphony welcome the celebrated performer to the stage during the sonorous serenity of Beethoven's Fourth Piano Concerto.
Written in 1806, the concerto is often overshadowed by the composer's other works for the instrument, including the epic Emperor concerto that followed. Whilst not as bold, the piece is quietly revolutionary in its own right thanks to a trailblazing blend of lush instrumental textures, tonal weight, subtle harmonies and experimentation with from - specifically the confrontational relationship between the string section and the solo piano. The piano's calm lyricism prevails, making way for a boisterous finale that'll leave listeners in high spirits.
Program
Wagner - Good Friday Spell from Parsifal
Beethoven - Piano Concerto No. 4
Mozart - Symphony No. 31, Paris
Barber - Symphony No. 1
