On May 30, 31 & June 1, the Houston Symphony closes its 2024–25 Season with a sonic wonder unlike anything else in music: Mahler’s Symphony No. 3. Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 radiates dynamism, charm and eloquence, and it closes with one of the most glowing slow movements in the orchestral repertoire. But let’s be … Continued
After Rachmaninoff fled Russia in 1917, he composed only six original pieces during the remaining twenty-five years of his life. Having lost nearly everything in the revolution, he was determined to restore his family to its former standard of living as quickly as possible, which meant giving up composing in favor of pursuing a career … Continued
Music is one of the most transcendent art forms that can take us back in time and evoke emotions we have never experienced. The fusion of music and history has unraveled mysteries worth exploring. The story behind Dmitri Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11, The Year 1905, is a fascinating example of how music can reflect a society’s … Continued
Best known for the famous Hallelujah Chorus, Handel’s Messiah is one of the most performed pieces of classical music in history. Get ready for the Houston Symphony’s annual presentation of this masterpiece. By the time George Frederick Handel began composing Messiah in 1741, he was at the height of his powers, recognized as one of London’s leading … Continued
The idea for a ballet based on Daphnis and Chloe (an ancient Greek love story attributed to Longus) originated with the Russian choreographer Michel Fokine. He first proposed the subject to the Director of the Russian Imperial Theaters, but it was not until Fokine became involved with Sergei Diaghilev’s groundbreaking Ballets russes in Paris that … Continued
For many, Fantasia and Fantasia 2000 were their first introduction to classical music. Through a combination of both widely-known and lesser-recognized pieces outside the classical music world with groundbreaking animation, these motion pictures are immortalized as part of Disney’s legacy. Read about the program below before seeing the stunning visuals and live music performed by the Houston Symphony … Continued