March 12, 2026 10:30 AM
Carl Maria von Weber’s opera Der Freischütz was a signal work in the emerging musical Romanticism of the 1820s and its celebrated Overture provides a marvelous distillation of its varied moods and themes. Weber evokes folklife in the forest through his use of horns and employs other effects to convey the supernatural world in which the opera’s hero forges magic bullets with which he hopes to win a shooting contest and gain the hand of his beloved.
At age 10 Franz Liszt moved to Vienna from his native Hungary in order to study with Antonio Salieri and Carl Czerny. During this time he was taken to meet Beethoven, a memory he cherished for the rest of his life. In the decades that followed he emerged as the greatest piano virtuoso of the century and his compositions for the instrument broke new ground, as is readily apparent in his dazzling Second Piano Concerto.
American composers began writing symphonies in the 19th century but without much success. Antonín Dvořák, the great Czech composer, was recruited to come to America and help. His “New World” Symphony proved both inspiring and controversial, sparking intense debate among leading composers. Amy Beach, a fabulously talented musician, agreed with some of Dvořák’s agenda, but felt it best to look to sources in English, Scottish, and Irish folk songs. The Boston Symphony Orchestra triumphantly premiered her “Gaelic” Symphony in 1896, the first major symphony by an American woman.
Rehearsal Thursday, March 12, 2026
PROGRAM
Yannick Nézet-Séguin Conductor
Marc-André Hamelin Piano
Weber Overture to Der Freischütz
Liszt Piano Concerto No. 2
Beach Symphony in E minor (“Gaelic”)
Program, rehearsal order, and artists are subject to change. The rehearsal includes a 20-minute break and is expected to conclude no later than 1:00 PM.
The full program will be presented in Marian Anderson Hall March 12 and 14, 2026.
Yannick Nézet-Séguin holds the Walter and Leonore Annenberg Chair.
For information about purchasing tickets, contact Audience Services at 215.893.1999 or audienceservices@ensembleartsphilly.org.
For more information about your membership with the Orchestra, please contact the Annual Fund office at 215.893.3151 or development@philorch.org.
Open Rehearsal Guidelines
This is a working rehearsal.
As a courtesy to the musicians, we kindly ask the following:
• Please turn off all cell phones and mobile devices.
• Photography and videography are prohibited.
• Please hold your applause until the Orchestra has completed work on each piece.
• The rehearsal will conclude at approximately 1:00 PM, with a break at approximately 11:30 AM. These times are subject to change at the conductor’s discretion.
Accessibility
• Assistive listening devices and large-print programs are available for this rehearsal. Please see any usher or staff member for assistance.
• Restrooms are located on the lower level (south side and north side), Tier 1, and Commonwealth Plaza. All restrooms are wheelchair accessible.
Thank you for your generous support of The Philadelphia Orchestra!
Please direct any questions or concerns to a Philadelphia Orchestra and Ensemble Arts staff member.