Wa Sinfonietta "The Craft of Perfection: Mendelssohn and Brahms"

Mendelssohn, Overture for Winds, op. 24 Mendelssohn, Symphony No. 4 (Italian), Op. 90 ~1834RevisedVerston~ Brahms, Symphony No. 3, op. 90 This program continues our artistic exploration inspired by the legacy of the Meiningen Court Orchestra, an ensemble closely associated with Johannes Brahms. The evening will feature Brahms’s Symphony No. 3 in F Major, Op. 90, a work deeply connected to Meiningen. Although Brahms composed his Fourth Symphony for the orchestra, he spent considerable time in Meiningen in the preceding year revising and refining his Third Symphony, experimenting with different interpretations and structural adjustments. The program also includes two significant works by Felix Mendelssohn written in connection with the Philharmonic Society of London: the rarely performed Overture in C for Winds, Op. 24, and his beloved Symphony No. 4 in A Major, “Italian,” Op. 90. Notably, we will present the composer’s own 1834 revised version of the “Italian” Symphony rather than the standard 1833 edition. Dissatisfied with the original, Mendelssohn substantially rewrote the second, third, and fourth movements. To our knowledge, this 1834 revision has never been performed in New York. By bringing together cornerstone masterpieces and rarely heard repertoire, this program reflects the artistic vision of the WA Sinfonietta: to present familiar works in a new light while uncovering extraordinary music that deserves renewed attention.