Beethoven’s Emperor Piano Concerto

We are honored to welcome Jon Nakamatsu back to perform Beethoven’s Piano ConcertoNo.5. Whenever lists are made, it is a safe guess that the <em>Emperor</em> will win the spot reserved for “most important piano concerto ever written.” Filled with innovation, looking forward to 19th century pianos not yet conceived, it was to be Beethoven’s last.<br> The concert opens in a mood of enchantment, with Ravel’s elegance, delicacy, shimmering colors and expressive melodies on full display. The mood shifts dramatically with Stravinsky’s brief, brilliant <em>Symphony</em>. Written just after WWII, it has the intensity of a newsreel.