Bernstein's music inspired by a poem, "Age of Anxiety," Wed 4/9 @ 8pm (Cleveland O)

Classical 91.5 WXXO-FM

Published March 31, 2025 at 11:18 AM EDT

The plot of Auden’s extravagant, book-length poem The Age of Anxiety: A Baroque Eclogue (1947) is briefly summarized by four strangers at a bar in New York City one night during World War II and what transpires during their encounter. Auden's poem began to stir Bernstein’s musical imagination, and between 1947 and 1949, he would compose an unconventional symphony for piano and orchestra based on it.

Painting of four people at a 1940s style bar in New York City

4/2 Allison Loggins-Hull: Can You See? Barber: Cello Concerto Prokofiev: Symphony No. 4 (Alisa Weilerstein, c; Franz Welser-Möst, cond)

4/9 Bernstein: Symphony No. 2, The Age of Anxiety Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5 (Jean-Yves Thibaudet, p; Rafael Payare, cond)

4/16 Brahms: Piano Concerto No. 1 Rameau: Allemande Prokofiev: Symphony No. 6 (Daniil Trifonov, p; Franz Welser-Möst, cond)

4/23 Mozart: Symphony No. 29 Staud: Whereas the Reality Trembles Goisern: Improvisation on the song Jodler für Willi Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 2, Ukrainian (Christoph Sietzen, per; Franz Welser-Möst, cond)

4/30 Mahler: Frühlingsmorgen and Hans und Grethe from Lieder und Gesänge aus der Jugendzeit; Ablösung im Sommer, Revelge, Urlicht and Rheinlegendchen from Des Knaben Wunderhorn; Symphony No. 7 (Simon Keenlyside, bar; Franz Welser-Möst, cond)