As we conclude our season-long tribute to Beethoven’s 250th, we laud the genius who set the standard for perfection. We’ll go on a journey with Beethoven the man, the idealist, the revolutionary. Our brilliant principal string players will perform “Grosse Fuge,” one of the most visionary works for string quartet of the 19th century. This work is a daring emotional journey, titanic in scope and relentless in its energy. Pianist Mikael Darmanie will perform the shimmering “’Moonlight’ Sonata,” perhaps Beethoven’s most popular composition for the piano.

The pinnacle of our celebration is, of course, Beethoven’s very best: the towering Ninth Symphony. “Ode to Joy,” the final movement, is many things: a protest anthem, a celebration of music, a call for unity among all humankind. One of the reasons the Ninth is so special is that Beethoven was the first major composer to include the human voice in a symphony. Requiring a brilliant chorus, four outstanding soloists, and an enormous (and enormously talented) orchestra, Beethoven’s Ninth is perhaps the greatest triumph of Western classical music, and this performance will be a monumental experience!