Ohlsson Plays Brahms

As the season turns, cozy up in the elegance and passion of the Romantic era. Lush orchestration and expressive melodies in rarely performed works by Dvořák and Emilie Mayer are richly satisfying and instantly welcoming. At the heart of the program is Brahms’s monumental Second Piano Concerto, performed by Garrick Ohlsson, one of the world’s most revered pianists.

• Johannes Brahms’ Piano Concerto No. 2 is his largest concerto and one of the few in the repertoire written on a truly symphonic scale, unfolding across four movements.
• Garrick Ohlsson is especially associated with Brahms, bringing long architectural clarity to works that demand both stamina and restraint.
• Emilie Mayer was a prolific 19th-century symphonist whose Faust Overture reflects the dramatic scope of German Romantic orchestral writing; this performance marks its BSO Classical debut.
• Antonín Dvořák’s The Golden Spinning Wheel belongs to a late group of symphonic poems inspired by Czech folklore, showcasing his gift for vivid orchestral color and narrative pacing.

• Approximate run time: 2 hours with a 20-minute intermission.
• Late seating is not guaranteed, and will happen at the discretion of the front of house manager.
• Many Classical concerts include brief onstage remarks from the conductor and select performances feature pre-and post-concert talks.
• Come as you are. You'll see everything from casual to cocktail attire.
• This weekend's Symphony at Six Series offers special pre-concert beverages and tapas, with an earlier start time.