New Philharmonia Orchestra Celebrates 20 Years & Presents "Local & Imported: Lenny and Johannes"

BOSTON - Feb. 11, 2015 - PRLog -- Newton, MA--New Philharmonia Orchestra, under the direction of Ronald Knudsen, will present "Local & Imported:  Lenny and Johannes" on Saturday, February 28, 2015 at 8 pm and Sunday, March 1, 2015 at 3 pm at the First Baptist Church in Newton [848 Beacon Street, Newton, MA 02459]. The program will consist of Leonard Bernstein's Symphony No. 2, The Age of Anxiety with pianist Randall Hodgkinson and Symphony No. 2 in D, Opus 73 of Johannes Brahms.

Reserved seat tickets at $48.00, $37.00 (adults); $43.00, $34.00 (seniors) and $10.00 (students) are available on line at http://www.newphil.org or by calling: 617-527-9717. The First Baptist Church in Newton is wheelchair accessible. For more information about New Philharmonia, go to http://www.newphil.org.

Lawrence, Massachusetts native Leonard Bernstein composed Symphony No. 2: The Age of Anxiety in 1948 - 1949 and it was premiered by The Boston Symphony Orchestra in April of '49 with Bernstein himself at the piano.  W.H. Auden's extended poem The Age of Anxiety, subtitled “A Baroque eclogue,” is the basis for this composition. The "anxiety" in both the poem and the composition refers to World War II--in the poem's story, three men and a woman meet at a bar--and there is some jazz added to the symphony to indicate when they all decide to leave the bar and get together for a late night drinking party. Bernstein speaks about the piece and conducts it with the London Symphony (1986) on this wonderful YouTube Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-aU2Se1RHw.



Pianist Randall Hodgkinson, who will be the featured solo pianist in the Bernstein piece, won the International American Music Competition which was sponsored by Carnegie Hall and the Rockefeller Foundation. He has performed as a soloist with many orchestras including the Boston Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and orchestras in Italy and Iceland. He has also performed in recitals throughout the United States and Europe.

"Mr. Hodgkinson's technique and musicianship are such that the most difficult music seems not to faze him in the least. He tossed off Beethoven's Opus 101 as though it were child's play and dispatched the ''Hawthorne'' movement of Ives's Sonata No. 2 just as easily. And he had memorized the fantastic Ives score along with everything else!" noted critic Allen Hughes inThe New York Times in a recital review of Mr. Hodgkinson's performance at Alice Tully Hall in 1986.

Symphony No. 2 in D, Opus 73 of Brahms was composed in 1877, in Austria.  It is a well-known fact that Brahms put off allowing a symphony to be brought to performance until his forty-third year, so aware was he of the giant shadow of Beethoven. But once he had broken the ice, he did not hesitate to try again. This symphony is scored for two each of flutes, oboes, clarinets, and bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, and strings. "The miracle of the Second Symphony is that it sounds so easy and immediate, yet turns out to be so elaborately shaped, richly repaying the most concentrated study, yet offering immediate delight to the casual listener. Perhaps even Apthorp, back in the 1880s, eventually did put in his “year of severe intellectual work” and, with opened ears, heard what he was missing," writes musicologist Steven Ledbetter.

About New Philharmonia:

The New Philharmonia Orchestra, founded in 1995, is celebrating 20 years this season. The Newton-based organization is a 75 member non-professional regional orchestra conducted by former BSO violinist, Ronald Knudsen. “Music of, by and for the people” encapsulates the spirit of the organization and from the outset New Phil’s motto, MUSIC FOR ALL, has been its mission. The orchestra advances these ideals by presenting programs of diverse repertoire of classical and light classical music for the enjoyment of audiences of all ages and experiences from a variety of urban and suburban communities. At the same time, the orchestra strives to provide its non-professional players the opportunity to achieve a high level of ensemble performance not otherwise available. New Philharmonia Orchestra is a member of the League of American Orchestras and the New England Orchestra Consortium.

"Local & Imported:  Lenny and Johannes"

Bernstein:  Symphony No. 2: The Age of Anxiety

Randall Hodgkinson, piano

Brahms: Symphony No. 2 in D, Opus 73

Saturday, February 28,  8:00 PM

Sunday, March 1, 3:00 PM

First Baptist Church

848 Beacon Street, Newton, MA 02459

Tickets:  $48.00, $37.00 (adults)

$43.00, $34.00 (seniors); $10.00 (students)

http://www.newphil.org or call: 617-527-9717