Xian Zhang Conductor
Monica Czausz Organ
Eötvös When It Hits the Ocean Below (world premiere—Philadelphia Orchestra commission)
Smetana “The Moldau,” from Má vlast
Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3 (“Organ”)
The sonorous melodies of Saint-Saëns’s “Organ” Symphony reverberate and glow in the hands of soloist Monica Czausz, known for her creative programming and innovative use of the organ. Verizon Hall’s Fred J. Cooper Memorial Organ, the world’s largest mechanical action concert hall pipe organ, adds its own grandeur to the French composer’s masterpiece. In his ode to the Moldau River, Smetana takes us on a journey through Prague and its surrounding countryside in this audience favorite. Composer Melody Eötvös evokes the thunderous cracking of melting icebergs with the world premiere of her organ work When It Hits the Ocean Below.