BSO — 2009/03/05-07

Last week's BSO program booklet had an announcement of this week's program. It includes Sibelius' tone poem "Night Ride and Sunrise," Rachmaninoff's "Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini," and Charles Ives' "Symphony No. 4." The conductor will be Alan Gilbert, who is to become music director of the New York Philharmonic next season.

This concert is not included in my subscriptions, but I want to hear the Sibelius and Ives pieces. Amazingly, the Sibelius piece has not been performed by the BSO since 1918. I heard it not long ago, possibly during the recent WHRB Sibelius Orgy ®. It's good enough to warrant playing more than once every 90 years. And Ives is "interesting" — combining folk and hymn tunes with dissonant material. This symphony has a chorus taking part. The note says it was completed in 1916 and got its premiere performance in 1965.

So I went on line Monday and got a ticket for Thursday evening. My regular seat for one of my Thursday series was available, so I took it. It's on an aisle in the back row of the left balcony, so I can get out quickly when the applause is over, and get to the espresso stand before the line is too long.

As usual, I expect WGBH to broadcast the Friday matinee. The concert begins at 1:30 and their program begins at 1:00. They usually have pretty good introductory material and intermission features. The announcer is knowledgeable, and the producer conducts good interviews. WCRB will broadcast the Saturday evening performance, beginning at 8:00. They don't have the extras that you get on WGBH, but you get the music. (All times are Eastern.)

Additional info, including downloadable program notes from the program booklet, is available at the BSO website, www.bso.org if you're interested.