The Philadelphia Orchestra

Take a vividly orchestrated musical journey through the Alps and experience a majestic sunrise, a violent storm, awe-inspiring views from the peaks, and more. With nearly 130 instruments on stage—including wind and thunder machines—Strauss’s vivid portrait of nature’s beauty has visceral power. While Strauss scales the heights, Bartók’s concerto looks inward with gentle folk melodies, chorale-like themes, and episodes of bird song, as well as moments of dazzling bravura.

The Philadelphia Orchestra

Four famous notes herald one of the most dramatic journeys in all orchestral music: Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5, a dramatic masterpiece with a tempestuous spirit that culminates in a rousing triumphant finale. There’s a tempest in the “Pastoral” Symphony too, a sudden thunderstorm that interrupts a gathering of country folk and their rowdy dancing, but there’s also bucolic pleasures like the gentle flow of a brook, sweet bird song, and the peaceful song of a shepherd.

The Philadelphia Orchestra

Enjoy a unique opportunity to hear Beethoven’s development as a symphonic composer in one evening with his first and last symphonies. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1 respects the traditions of his teacher Haydn, but surges with propulsive energy and intrigues with novel harmonies. The choral finale of Beethoven’s Ninth is revolutionary—it’s the first symphony to use voices—but its preceding movements also break new ground with their vast breadth and tremendous emotional power.