BSO/Classical New England — 2025/09/13

 While we wait for live concerts from Symphony Hall, we are treated to an encore broadcast of a concert from last November.

Here's what WCRB says: https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2024-08-16/lisiecki-jordan-and-tchaikovskys-pathetique

Saturday, September 13, 2025
8:00 PM

In an encore broadcast, Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki is the soloist in Mozart’s mysterious and stormy Piano Concerto No. 20, infused with operatic drama and expressivity. Tchaikovsky said of his Symphony No. 6, the Pathétique, “I love it as I have never loved any of my musical children.” It was his last completed work, and he led the premiere less than two weeks before his death.

Philippe Jordan, conductor
Jan Lisiecki, piano

W.A. MOZART Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K.466
Pyotr Ilyich TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 6, Pathétique

This concert was originally broadcast on November 16, 2024, and is no longer available on demand.

In an interview at Symphony Hall, Jan Lisiecki describes the unique qualities and challenges of Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 20. Hear the interview using the player above, and read the transcript below.

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT (lightly edited for clarity):

Brian McCreath I'm Brian McCreath at Symphony Hall with Jan Lisiecki, who's back at the hall for the first time in a few years. I think, so Jan, thank you for a little of your time today. I appreciate it.

Jan Lisiecki It's a great

The BSO's program detail page doesn't have links to the program notes, just another sentence or two in the overview: https://www.bso.org/events/tchaikovsky-symphony-6?performance=2024-11-16-20:00

Philippe Jordan, Conductor Jan Lisiecki, Piano 

Philippe Jordan, conductor
Jan Lisiecki, piano

MOZART Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K.466
-Intermission-
TCHAIKOVSKY Symphony No. 6, Pathétique

Canadian pianist Jan Lisiecki is the soloist in Mozart’s mysterious and stormy Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, which owes much to the composer’s sensitivity to operatic drama and expressivity. This concerto was particularly admired by artists of the Romantic era. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky said of his poignant Symphony No. 6, Pathétique, “I love it as I have never loved any of my musical children.” It was his last completed work; he led the premiere less than two weeks before his death

Unfortunately, I didn't post about at that time, so I can't give you my opinion of the performance, nor can I find a review in the Globe or the Intelligencer. Perhaps the interview with Brian  McCreath on the WCRB page will give some insights. Apart from that, all I can say is the music is standard repertoire, so it should be worth hearing.