Essay - Concert Report the Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra Performed at the Adrienne...

Concert Report

The Dresden Philharmonic orchestra performed at the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts (Knight Concert Hall) on February 20, 2008 at 8 PM. In celebr*****ion of the 200th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, the ***** performed both it and the composer's Piano Concerto No. 5. The opening piece was Ouverture "Freischuetz" by Carl Maria von Weber. Before intermission the ***** Philharmonic performed the Weber Ouverture ***** ***** Piano Concerto No. 5, saving the climactic event of Symphony No. ***** for after ***** break. Encores included Franz Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody and two other pieces not mentioned in the playbill but that were performed with aplomb.

The entire performance ***** stellar. However, ***** highlight was by far hearing Beethoven's famous 5th symphony live. Perhaps one of the most recognizable pieces of classical music, ***** 5th symphony erupts into its characteristic crescendo ***** sound at once: *****out any warning. I ***** surprised at how intensely the piece started; it does not build up slowly as o*****r symphonies do. Moreover, the familiar four-note sequence repeats in different keys throughout the piece, which keeps the listener's attention peeled and offers a sense of cohesion even while the music shifts and changes. Having never heard the ***** in its entirety before, ***** was pleasantly ***** at how Beethoven integrated that four-note sequence in different ways, at different times, ***** ***** keys. The composer worked in all sections of the orchestra too, creat*****g a b*****lanced work of musical genius.

***** ***** Dresden ***** orchestra ***** its conductor Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos worked with the undulations in the symphony to generate the excitement that Beethoven inten*****d for the piece. The first movement begins literally with a bang as the orchestra pumps out ***** ***** four notes. Audience members can feel a chill in the air dur*****g those four assertive beats because of how familiar and yet how fresh they feel. To transform something so seemingly mundane into something transcendent proves that the Dresden Philharmonic is an excellent group of musicians, headed by a world-class conductor. The first four notes ***** *****'s 5th ***** are so common that the melody has worked ***** way ***** rock music, commercial jingles, and all of Western popular culture.

***** follows ***** opening notes are equally if not more impressive, though. Within the first movement, Allegro, al***** are layers ***** ***** upon melody, throughout which ***** interspersed those same four *****es, only in different scales. String ***** are most prominent in Beethoven's 5th symphony, but the horn, woodwind, and percussion sections enjoy special moments of glory ***** punctuate the ***** and make it come to life with rich musical texture. The symphony is divided into three movements, each of which has a distinct feel. The second movement of the *****, Ad*****gio un poco mosso, is the most ligh*****arted part of the piece. Throughout a good portion ***** the symphony, ***** theme of the four notes seems to dis*****ppear here and there ***** to resurface when least expect. Beethoven's