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Dvořák Symphony No. 9 (From the New World)

Dvořák's New World Symphony is one of the most popular pieces of orchestral music ever written. We explore what this tells us about the shifting meanings of music, how this symphony grew out of Dvořák's abandoned opera based on Longfellow's Hiawatha epic, and how Longfellow's inspiration itself mixes North American and European stories and ideas. 63min

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Mark Elder conductor
Gerard McBurney creative director and narrator

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Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4

The most shattering personal crisis of Tchaikovsky's life-his ill-conceived marriage to a young student in 1877-coincided with one of the greatest periods of his composing career. Over a mere two years, he poured out a stream of masterpieces, culminating in his Fourth Symphony, a 19th-century Russian music drama to rival the great literary dramas of Pushkin and Tolstoy. 60min

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Alexander Polianichko conductor
Gerard McBurney creative director and narrator
Larry Yando actor

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Mozart Piano Concerto No. 27

Beneath the simplicity of Mozart's final piano concerto lies one of the most subtle and perfect architectural structures in music. Composed less than a year before Mozart's untimely death, this concerto evokes a variety of intensely personal and painful experiences. By turns mysterious, luminous and tragic, this kaleidoscope of sound is magically held together by a blend of elegance and poignancy. 63min

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Jeffrey Kahane conductor and piano
Gerard McBurney creative director and narrator
Susanna Phillips soprano
Tim Gregory actor

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Jeffrey Kahane on Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 27

Conductor and Pianist Jeffrey Kahane comments on the experience of playing and conducting a piano concerto.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Jeffrey Kahane conductor and piano
Gerard McBurney creative director and narrator
Susanna Phillips soprano
Tim Gregory actor

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Bartók The Miraculous Mandarin

Discover the drama and intrigue of Bartók's fiendish tale when Pierre Boulez and the CSO perform his pantomime The Miraculous Mandarin. In this Beyond the Score® program we survey the rich and fascinating complexity of Bartók's composition. By examining the music itself we see why this work had a difficult time achieving performances. 54min

Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Pierre Boulez conductor
Gerard McBurney creative director
Daniel Allar actor

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Major support for Beyond the Score® is provided by a grant from The Davee Foundation.