Program

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Overture, Op. 21

Samuel Barber, Symphony in One Movement, Op. 9

Jean Sibelius, Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 43

1. Allegretto – Poco allegro – Tranquillo, ma poco a poco ravvivando il tempo all'allegro – Poco largamente – Tempo I – Poco allegro

2. Tempo andante, ma rubato – Poco allegro – Molto largamente – Andante sostenuto – Andante con moto ed energico – Allegro – Poco largamente – Molto largamente – Andante sostenuto – Andante con moto ed energico – Andante – Pesante

3. Vivacissimo – Lento e soave – Tempo primo – Lento e soave – (attacca)

4. Finale: Allegro moderato – Moderato assai – Meno moderato e poco a poco ravvivando il tempo – Tempo I – Largamente e pesante – Poco largamente – Molto largamente

Johannes Brahms/Bright Sheng, Black Swan (after Brahms's Intermezzo Op. 118, No. 2)

Michael Stern conducts Mendelssohn, Barber, and Sibelius

Farewell concert with the Kansas City Symphony

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Cast

Kansas City Symphony

Michael Stern — Conductor

Program notes

After two decades at the helm of the Kansas City Symphony, maestro Michael Stern brings his tenure to a memorable close in this eclectic and satisfying program. After opening with the sprightly Overture to A Midsummer Night's Dream by a 17-year-old Felix Mendelssohn, Stern and his KCS move on to Samuel Barber's intensely dramatic and finely orchestrated Symphony No. 1 in One Movement. Their fittingly grand finale is Sibelius's Symphony No. 2, which the composer called a "confession of the soul," and which traverses a wide array of tempi, moods, and colors before arriving at a soul-stirringly triumphant conclusion.

A closer look: featured composers

Felix Mendelssohn-Bartholdy

Jean Sibelius

Samuel Barber

Johannes Brahms