Beethoven, Brahms and Ravel: UMD Symphony Orchestra

The UMD Symphony Orchestra presents its season finale concert, celebrating with works by three of the most influential composers of all time.

Ludwig van Beethoven’s Overture to Coriolanus was written for Heinrich Joseph von Collin’s play based on one of Shakespeare’s less frequently performed tragedies. While Shakespeare’s original work depicts the story of a Roman general’s journey from brutality to tenderness, Beethoven did not want to give too much of the plot away with a single movement. He instead stressed the overarching moods through musical themes, capturing Coriolanus’ resolve and the compassionate pleadings of his mother in sound.

Maurice Ravel’s La valse sparked much debate when it premiered. While Ravel claimed that the waltz was meant to be a composition of “hallucinatory ecstasy,” listeners heard something more sinister: a struggle between life and death. Whirling instrumentation, coupled with the signature lilt of the waltz, make this piece an adrenaline rush reminiscent of the ballrooms of old.

The program concludes with Johannes Brahms’ third symphony, a poignant and rich composition that was written in just four months. Moments of tension and release throughout the piece, coupled with an unforgettable, bittersweet third movement, make this one of the composer’s most well-loved symphonies.