Classical Concert Reviews Cinci

@cincysymphony concluded its 2025-26 subscription season with a wonderful program combining two of the most well-known works in the classical repertoire with one of today’s most acclaimed pianists.
Under the direction of guest conductor Roderick Cox, music director of the Opéra Orchestre National de Montpellier Occitanie, the orchestra opened with an exciting performance of Jennifer Higdon’s Fanfare Ritmico, composed on commission from the Womens Philharmonic in San Francisco in 2000. Praise goes to the propulsive force brought forth from the brass and percussion.
Pianist Stephen Hough then joined for a performance of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Fifth Piano Concerto, the ‘Emperor’. While it is perhaps the most virtuosic of Beethoven’s piano concertos, Hough’s performance somehow became a little too virtuosic. This was particularly true in the back half of the first movement and ending of the finale resulting in some small technical oddities, but became much more focused in the slow movement. Hough nonetheless delighted with Anton Rubinstein’s Opus 3 Melody in F as an encore, tying in with Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony.
Written in 1877-78, this symphony has seemed to become a favorite among the CSO’s musicians, and Maestro Cox certainly demonstrated why. His leadership was exciting, tightly controlled and lyrical, wonderfully demonstrated in the first and third movements.
The 2025-26 CSO season was one full of exciting music making, wonderfully creative programming and great opportunities to showcase rising talent,?while also marking the start of a new chapter under music director Cristian Măcelaru that will thrill audiences and critics such as myself for years to come. Bravi tutti!