Xian Zhang conductor
Francesca Dego violin
New Jersey Symphony
Anton Webern Im Sommerwind
A lovingly lush hymn to the charms of summer, written just before Webern helped stand traditional classical music on its head.
Sergei Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2
It opens with a wisp of melancholy Russian folksong and closes with castanets and Spanish flair, creating fireworks for a world-class violinist and orchestra.
Richard Strauss Ein Heldenleben
Orchestras love this ode to “A Hero’s Life” for its bold, voluptuous sweep, created by Strauss as a musical pat on his own back.