BSO/Classical New England — 2026/09/12

 This week's encore broadcast is from last October 24. Here's what WCRB says about it: https://www.classicalwcrb.org/show/the-boston-symphony-orchestra/2025-09-09/debussy-and-mahler-with-lorelei-and-the-bso

Saturday, September 12, 2026
8:00 PM

In an encore broadcast, the Boston Symphony Orchestra, joined by soprano Nikola Hillebrand, depict a child's view of heaven in Mahler’s Symphony No. 4. Before that, the Lorelei Ensemble brings Debussy’s impressionist Nocturnesto life.

Andris Nelsons, conductor
Nikola Hillebrand, soprano
Lorelei Ensemble 
Beth Willer, artistic director

Claude DEBUSSY Nocturnes
Gustav MAHLER Symphony No. 4

This concert was originally broadcast on October 4th, 2025, and is not available on demand.

In the second part of a three-part interview, BSO Concertmaster Nathan Cole describes the musical and technical challenges of the violin solo in Mahler's Symphony No. 4. To listen, use the player and read the transcript below.

INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT

Brian McCreath The second week of the season, as I mentioned, features Mahler's Fourth Symphony, a huge solo in this as well, but challenging in a very, very different way

nHere's how the BSO described it on their performance detail page: https://www.bso.org/events/oct-2-4-debussy-mahler?performance=2025-10-04-20:00

Boston Symphony Orchestra Andris Nelsons, conductor Nikola Hillebrand, soprano Lorelei Ensemble Beth Willer, Artistic DirectorDEBUSSY Nocturnes  MAHLER Symphony No. 4  

The BSO begins the exploration of Boston in 1900 with two pieces that were composed at the same time Symphony Hall was being built.

Influenced by impressionist painting and finished in 1899, Debussy’s three contrasting Nocturnes — Nuages (“Clouds”), Fêtes (“Holidays”), and Sirènes (“Sirens”) — paint magnificently colorful musical scenes, with Boston’s premier all-women vocal group the Lorelei Ensemble joining the orchestra in the haunting final movement.

Composed in 1900, Mahler's Symphony No. 4 lives on the sunnier side of his repertoire, but nonetheless vacillates between morbid and triumphant, seductive and serene. The final movement features solo soprano in a beguiling setting of the folk poem “Heavenly Life."

Go there for the arrows that link the performer bios and program notes, which are still available.

It could all make for enjoyable listening.