Ax Plays Brahms

Thursday
February 5, 2009, 7:00 p.m.- Laura Turner Concert Hall

Friday
February 6, 2009, 8:00 p.m.- Laura Turner Concert Hall

Saturday
February 7, 2009, 8:00 p.m.- Laura Turner Concert Hall

Nashville Symphony
Leonard Slatkin, conductor
Emanuel Ax, piano

Rob Mathes -  A Standing Ground: Concertino for Orchestra (after Poems of Wendell Berry) (World Premiere) *
Leanna Primiani -  Sirens
Cindy McTee -  Einstein's Dream
Brahms  -  Concerto for Piano No. 1 in D minor, Op. 15

* Nashville Symphony commission

In Brahms' First Piano Concerto, Ax is called on to display the poetic temperament and unsurpassed virtuosity that has earned him seven GRAMMY® Awards and a place among classical music's most elite soloists. Rounding out the program is a trio of new works by living American composers. Well known in the pop world for his string arrangements for Tim McGraw, Elton John, Sting and many others, Rob Mathes makes his foray into the classical world with his world premiere piece. Sirens and Einstein's Dream, by Leanna Primiani and Cindy McTee respectively, capture the musical and cultural energy of modern America.

Download the Program Notes (PDF)

Featured Instrument:
Piano

Interesting Facts:
> Composer Leanna Primiani has written music for reality TV, a horror movie and video games.
> The McTee piece Einstein's Dreams was inspired by Alan Lightman's book of the same name and reflects the composer's fascination with the artistic potential of the personal computer. It is scored for string orchestra, percussion and computer processed sounds played via CD.