Osmo Vänskä and Beethoven’s Symphony no. 5

This program celebrates Beethoven with two works that demonstrate his forward-looking artistic vision: the Fourth Piano Concerto and the towering Symphony no. 5, with its universally familiar opening motif. South Korean composer Unsuk Chin drew inspiration from Beethoven’s extreme and dramatic contrasts in her piece Subito con forza, while a serene glow envelops Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho’s Ciel d’hiver.