Mendelssohn’s Reformation

“When you’re named after one of the biggest constellations in the night sky, the pressure is on to display a little star power — and the young pianist Orion Weiss did exactly that,” proclaims The Washington Post; Weiss joins the MSO for piano variations by Dohnányi. Music Director Ken-David Masur conducts Mendelssohn’s Fifth Symphony, known as the “Reformation” for its celebration of the Protestant church; its music turns Martin Luther’s hymn “Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott” (“A mighty fortress is our God”) into a triumphant oratorio without words.

What to Expect:

“Twinkle, twinkle, little star…” — honestly! Dohnányi wrote his 11 playful variations on this recognizable tune “for the enjoyment of friends of humor, to the annoyance of others”
More play with music: Brahms's eight variations cleverly reimagine a theme called the “Chorale St. Antoni” (hear the theme)
Mendelssohn’s symphony based on a German hymn (hear the hymn or read the lyrics)

The MSO Steinway piano was made possible through a generous gift from Michael & Jeanne Schmitz

ABOUT THIS PERFORMANCE

Mendelssohn’s Reformation

Start Time

conductor

piano

Brahms

Dohnányi

Mendelssohn

CONCERT DETAILS

MEET THE MUSIC

Sound Bites

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