National Symphony Orchestra: Langrée conducts Brahms's First / Hough plays Beethoven

Louis Langrée, conductor *
Stephen Hough, piano
J. Wolfe: Fountain of Youth
Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3
Brahms: Symphony No. 1

With its grand orchestration and stormy, romantic movements, Beethoven’s Third Piano Concerto is a vital precursor to the composer’s “heroic” middle-period style, which the NSO explores later this season in Beethoven at 250. Stephen Hough effortlessly conquers the concerto, which demands remarkable mastery and range of color from the soloist. Brahms’s radiant First Symphony and Julia Wolfe’s Fountain of Youth complete the program, making a thrilling NSO debut for conductor Louis Langrée, Music Director of the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra.

ForeWords
Beginning at 7 p.m. before the Apr. 18 performance
Before your concert, join us in the Justice Forum at the REACH for fascinating stories behind the music led by NPR’s Ted Libbey! Each ForeWords lasts 30 minutes and is free and open to the public. Look for even more of these offerings throughout the season.

Organ Postlude: the Apr. 16 performance is followed by a mini-recital on the Kennedy Center Concert Hall’s Rubenstein Family Organ, free with purchase of concert ticket.