Beethoven fans should be flocking to Bass Performance Hall this weekend for the Fort Worth Symphony’s three-day festival saluting the popular German composer. A different symphony will be heard each night: the Third, “Eroica,” on Friday; the Sixth, called the “Pastoral,” on Saturday; and the walk-away favorite, No. 5, on Sunday. A different concerto is also planned each evening. Young Texas pianist Adam Golka will perform the First Piano Concerto on Friday and the Second on Sunday. In between, violinist James Ehnes will explore Beethoven’s lone Violin Concerto on Saturday.
For the musically hardy, two all-Beethoven chamber music programs have been added to the festival: Wednesday and Thursday evenings in the Van Cliburn Recital Hall across from Bass Hall. Wednesday’s program surveys excerpts from four of the composer’s string quartets, featuring FWSO concertmaster Michael Shih and three of his colleagues from the orchestra: violinist Voirin DeCosta, violist Laura Bruton, and cellist Karen Basrak. Movements from the String Quartets Nos. 1, 3, 4, and 13 are scheduled.
FWSO staff pianist Shields-Collins Bray will take the spotlight on Thursday, accompanying mezzo-soprano Virginia Dupuy in a selection of Beethoven songs, in addition to performing the Quartet for Piano and Strings in E-flat major. He will also be joined by Golka for a performance of the rarely heard Sonata for Piano Four-Hands. –
The chamber programs are Wed-Thu at Van Cliburn Recital Hall, 330 E 4th St, FW. The orchestra programs are Fri-Sun at Bass Performance Hall, 555 Commerce St, FW. Tickets are $10-65. Call 817-665-6000.
