Brahms’ Symphony No. 2

Take a trip with the Charleston Symphony through lush Spanish musical themes via Rimsky-Korsakov and Joaquín Rodrigo, with a detour to Austria for Brahms’ inviting and intricate Symphony No. 2. Conductor José Luis Gomez returns to the podium with Grammy nominated guitarist Mak Grgic for the CSO’s final Masterworks concert of the 2024-2024 season.

Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 with Conductor José Luis Gomez

A truly Russian composer in most instances, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov infused Spanish folk melodies into his Capriccio espagnol. Inspired by the extensive and picturesque grounds of the Royal Palace in his home country of Spain, Joaquín Rodrigo’s gorgeous Concierto de Aranjuez has become the most popular concerto ever written for guitar and orchestra.

Johannes Brahms wrote his Second Symphony during a lakeside summer retreat in Austria. Following his serious and grand First Symphony, it’s a composition with beautiful melodies and complex moods that seemingly reflect the relaxed yet focused mindset of Brahms at the time. Listeners find that the surprisingly bold finale is energizing and elating, resulting in absolute delight throughout the symphony, from start to finish.

MORE ON THE MUSIC & ARTISTS:

• Rodrigo explained his guitar concerto with a description that Charlestonians can likely relate to: “In its melody the perfume of magnolias lingers, the singing of birds and the gushing of fountains.”
• José Luis Gomez is Music Director of the Tucson Symphony Orchestra and a highly accomplished conductor. He has recorded Bela Fleck’s Second Concerto for Banjo and Orchestra with the Colorado Symphony Orchestra, and he won First Prize at the International Sir Georg Solti Conductor’s Competition in Frankfurt in September 2010.
• Rimsky-Korsakov said of his Capriccio espangol: “It is intended as a brilliant composition for the orchestra… The Spanish themes of dance character furnished me with rich material for putting in use multiform orchestral effects.”

Please note: Thursday’s performance is part of the Masterworks Friday package and Friday’s performance is part of the Masterworks Saturday package.

PROGRAM

Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov
Capriccio espagnol

Joaquín Rodrigo
Concierto de Aranjuez

Johannes Brahms
Symphony No. 2

ARTISTS

José Luis Gomez, conductor
Mak Grgic, guitar