Apart from its vivid, romantic melodies, what makes Felix Mendelssohn’s Overture to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” a remarkable work is the composer was just 17 and a half years old when he wrote it, making it the most youthful work in the orchestral repertoire that’s regularly heard today. Arnold Schoenberg and Ludwig van Beethoven, conversely, both were 32 and at turning points in their development when they made their contributions to this program. Schoenberg’s Chamber Symphony No. 1 for just 15 musicians not only was his first effort for chamber orchestra, it also came at a pivotal stage in his transition from late-Romantic to atonal music. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 – bold and energetic with touches of humor – was one of his final pieces in a purely classical style. Though the optimistic and innovative work has hints of Haydn and Mozart, it also foreshadows the Beethoven yet to come.
Apart from its vivid, romantic melodies, what makes Felix Mendelssohn’s Overture to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” a remarkable work is the composer was just 17 and a half years old when he wrote it, making it the most youthful work in the orchestral repertoire that’s regularly heard today. Arnold Schoenberg and Ludwig van Beethoven, conversely, both were 32 and at turning points in their development when they made their contributions to this program. Schoenberg’s Chamber Symphony No. 1 for just 15 musicians not only was his first effort for chamber orchestra, it also came at a pivotal stage in his transition from late-Romantic to atonal music. Beethoven’s Symphony No. 2 – bold and energetic with touches of humor – was one of his final pieces in a purely classical style. Though the optimistic and innovative work has hints of Haydn and Mozart, it also foreshadows the Beethoven yet to come.
| Date | Time | Tickets | Packages |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thursday, October 15, 2026 | 11:00 AM | N/A | View Packages |
Overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Op. 21
Chamber Symphony No. 1 for 15 Solo Instruments, Op. 9
Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36
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Your gift to the Phoenix Symphony keeps music alive — from powerful performances and education programs to hospice bedside visits that bring comfort and connection when words fail. Give today and help us reach our $250,000 year-end goal before midnight, December 31.