Myung-Whun Chung and Garrick Ohlsson in Weber. Barber’s Piano Concerto, and Tchaikovsky’s “Pathétique,” by Charles Warren
Boston Symphony Orchestra
November 10, 2011, Thursday 8:00 pm
Symphony Hall
Myung-Whun Chung, conductor
Garrick Ohlsson, piano
Weber ‑ Overture to Der Freischütz
Barber ‑ Piano Concerto
Tchaikovsky ‑ Symphony No. 6, Pathétique
Many things go toward the making of great conducting—knowledge of music and of how people play instruments; ability to communicate to orchestra musicians, through both technical and less tangible means; the inspiring of respect; a way with audiences and a sense of what will reach them. Much else, no doubt. Most important, in the end, is vision—a considered and impassioned sense of just how a work of music should sound and move and take shape, with a determination to elicit this from an orchestra and put it across to listeners. Here we go beyond the playing of a score, however expert and in however proper a style. The piece and the performance speak, every detail a part of the whole, and all proceeding from a deep human center. Myung-Whun Chung brought the Boston Symphony Orchestra to this level of performance with the Tchaikovsky "Pathétique" Symphony in the current series of concerts.

