BSO — 2025/02/15

 WCRB says:

Saturday, February 15, 2025
8:00 PM

Herbert Blomstedt, one of the masters of the art of conducting for over seven decades, returns to lead the BSO in Franz Schubert's light-hearted, cheerful Symphony No. 6, as well as the First Symphony by Johannes Brahms.

Herbert Blomstedt, conductor

Franz SCHUBERT Symphony No. 6
Johannes BRAHMS Symphony No. 1

To hear Herbert Blomstedt in a conversation with GBH's Arun Rath, use the player above, and read the transcript below.

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT: 

Arun Rath This is GBH is All Things Considered. I'm Arun Rath. This shimmering, gorgeous music is Brahms's First Symphony, conducted by one of Brahms's most profound advocates. Herbert Blomstedt.

We get a fuller synopsis on the BSO's own performance detail page:

Boston Symphony Orchestra

Symphony Hall, Boston, MA 

Herbert Blomstedt, conductor

SCHUBERT Symphony No. 6
-Intermission-
BRAHMS Symphony No. 1

Herbert Blomstedt, celebrating a seven-decade conducting career, returns to lead the BSO in Franz Schubert's light-hearted, cheerful Symphony No. 6, composed when he was 20 and notable as a satisfyingly classical work preceding his more searching later symphonies. Brahms was strongly influenced by Schubert but more so still by Beethoven, whose symphonic shadow apparently kept Brahms from completing his First Symphony until he was 43 years old. A prominent theme in its finale is a direct nod to Beethoven’s Ninth.

There are links on that page to a performer bio and the program notes for the two symphonies.

The Boston Musical Intelligencer has an enthusiastic review with a good picture of the maestro seated at the podium and applauding the musicians, which he did upon attibal and after each piece. Thus far nothing in the Globe.

I was there on Friday afternoon. Maestro Blomstedt conducted with economy of gesture, rarely raising his hNDS bove his shoulders. It was a little concerning to see that he required assistance to walk to and from the podium, but he needed no assistance to conduct: he never even turned a page on the open score in front of him. I definitely enjoyed what I heard.

This concert is highly recommended.

This was ready to go before 8:00, but I got distracted listeening to the  interview with Maestrro Blomstedt, and only realized in the middle of the Schubert that I hadn't posted it. I'll point out that you can hear it all when WCRB rebroadcasts the concert ar 8:00 p.m. Boston Time on February 24.