Revered conductor Riccardo Muti leads the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Mendelssohn’s Italian Symphony, Strauss’s Aus Italien, and a New York premiere by Philip Glass, inspired by Italy and written in honor of Muti. Mendelssohn’s sunny Fourth Symphony remains a beloved favorite, serving as a companion to Strauss’s rarely performed “symphonic fantasy,” last heard at Carnegie Hall nearly 50 years ago. In both works, these great German composers transform their eye-opening travels through Italy into vividly evocative music.
Philip Glass’s new work, dedicated to Maestro Muti, takes a different approach: rather than depicting a building itself, it evokes the imagination inspired by Castel del Monte. Built from sustained chords and rolling arpeggios instead of solid harmonic blocks, the piece honors Muti’s many achievements with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and his enduring contributions to the world of music.
10.5.2023
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Riccardo Muti, Conductor
Program
PHILIP GLASS The Triumph of the Octagon (NY Premiere)
FELIX MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 4, "Italian"
R. STRAUSS Aus Italien
Philip Glass – New Premiere Dedicated to Muti
Philip Glass composed a new work in honor of Maestro Riccardo Muti, focusing not on a building itself but on the imagination evoked by Castel del Monte. Structured with sustained chords and rolling arpeggios rather than solid blocks, Glass dedicates it to Muti in recognition of his many successes with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and contributions to music.
Mendelssohn – Italian Symphony and the Goethe Connection
Felix Mendelssohn described one of his works as the “most cheerful piece I have yet composed,” though Goethe showed little interest in Beethoven’s Fifth when Mendelssohn attempted to persuade him. After Mendelssohn’s premature death in 1847, several scores, including the “Italian” Symphony, were published, performed widely, and entered the repertoire. Unlike typical Mendelssohn finales, this symphony’s closing dance remains in the minor mode, offering a brilliant yet somber conclusion.
Richard Strauss – Aus Italien, Op. 16
Richard Strauss’ first tone poem, Aus Italien, reflects both traditional and innovative methods. Though initially resistant to Italian music, Strauss sketched this large-scale work during his 1886 trip to Italy. The premiere stirred controversy—applause and hissing mingled—but Strauss was proud of the outcome. His exposure to Wagner’s Tristan und Isolde and Parsifal on the return journey further influenced his evolving style.