Spokane Symphony presents German Romantics -- A Valentine's Concert

Feb 4, 2005

For Immediate Release

Contact: Annie Matlow 509-326-3136

Spokane Symphony presents German Romantics A Valentine's Concert

SPOKANE: Cellist Alban Gerhardt and the Spokane Symphony under the direction of Music Director Eckart Preu will present a concert featuring the music of German Romantics on Friday, Feb. 11, 2005 at 8 p.m. at the Spokane Opera House.

The concert celebrates the glories of 19th Century German Romanticism with the Overture to Der Freischutz, Schumann's Cello Concerto with Gerhardt and the Brahms' Symphony No. 1 for a perfect Valentine's Day weekend event.

Often called the father of German Romanticism, Carl Maria von Weber established this intensely dramatic style in a series of operas like Der Freischutz that mingled German folklore with the shadows of the supernatural. The lyrical song style of German lieder animates Schumann's purely instrumental Cello Concerto. And Brahms' mighty First Symphony, with its titanic struggles and ultimate triumph, epitomizes the Romantic voice in full maturity.
Gerhardt's spellbinding performances have made him one of the most sought-after cellists in the world. After his career-launching debut with the Berlin Philharmonic in 1991, concerts followed on three continents. In Europe, he has appeared with Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra under Kurt Masur, the radio orchestras of Frankfurt, Hamburg, Leipzig and Munich, the Philharmonic Orchestras of London, Stuttgart, Hamburg, Prag, Manchester (BBC), Rotterdam, Helsinki, St. Petersburg, China, Nagoya and Hong Kong, Shinsei, Symphony Tokyo as well as the Baltimore and Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and more.
As a recording artist, Gerhardt was awarded the ECHO Classics Prize for his recording of Brahms sonatas 1998 and his recording of Rubinsteins First Cello concerto 2003. Other highly acclaimed CDs include Spanish Encores for EMI, the Dvorak Concerto and Brahms Double Concerto with the BBC Philharmonic and Lisa Batiashvili for the BBC Music Magazine, the Barber Concerto, Frank Bridges Orations and Michael Berkeleys Concerto with the Welsh BBC under Robert Hickox.
Gerhardt and Preu will appear on Classical Chat on City Cable 5 at 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 11. The taping is open to the public and a question and answer period follows. Preu will present the pre-concert lecture Friday at 7 p.m.

The concert is underwritten by Itron.

Tickets are available for $15 to $34 in advance without service charge at the Spokane Symphony ticket office, 818 W. Riverside, Suite 100, or by calling 509-624-1200. Tickets are also available at all TicketsWest outlets or by calling 1-800-325-SEAT or at spokanesympony.org.