Symphony No. 4 in F minor, Pyotr Tchaikovsky
Catfish Row: Suite from Porgy and Bess, George Gershwin
Our March Masterworks concert is full to bursting with wonderful melodies from Gershwin and Tchaikovsky. Tchaikovsky reached new heights of motivic invention and kaleidoscopic orchestration in his serious, empathic Symphony No. 4. From passion to despair to intimate reflection, Tchaikovsky pushes the form of the symphony to express an astounding range of human emotions.
Gershwin’s Catfish Row, a suite of symphonic excerpts arranged from his 1935 opera Porgy and Bess, is also emotionally complex yet tuneful, featuring orchestral versions of “Summertime,” “I Got Plenty o’ Nuttin,” and “Oh, Lawd, I’m on My Way.”
The Cambridge Symphony Orchestra thanks the Massachusetts Cultural Council for supporting our 2017-18 season.