(PLAINFIELD, NJ) -- The Plainfield Symphony will close out their 103rd season on Saturday, April 29 at 7:00pm with “Tchaikovsky Festival” under the baton of Maestro Charles Prince. Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky is one of the most famous Russian composers; the first with an enduring international reputation. He is particularly well-known for his ballets, piano concertos, and five symphonies. The Plainfield Symphony will be performing two of his orchestral gems. The concert takes place at Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church.
The Romeo and Juliet Overture-Fantasy is based on William Shakespeare’s tragedy Romeo and Juliet but is not based on the sequence of events from the play but is more about the various characters and moods. The overall design is a symphonic poem with an introduction and an epilogue. The central love theme is often quoted in romantic scenes from film and television.
Composed in 1888, Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Op. 64 was written 10 years after his 4th symphony. It follows the classic four-movement form, but the movements are unified to some degree through reference to a “motto theme,” announced by the somber clarinets at the outset. Most commentators agree that this represents the idea of Fate. Noted program annotator, James M. Keller wrote: “If Beethoven’s Fifth is Fate knocking at the door,” wrote a commentator when the piece was new, “Tchaikovsky’s Fifth is Fate trying to get out.” The beautiful horn melody that dominates the famous slow movement is one of the triumphs of the symphonic literature that will linger in one’s memory.
Come be a part of this season ending celebration and join us at the Conductor’s Circle After Party immediately following the concert. Tickets for the concert and After Party may be purchased online. The Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church is located at 716 Watchung Avenue in Plainfield, New Jersey.
You may also view the livestream performance on the Symphony's website and on their YouTube channel.
As New Jersey’s oldest community symphony and the 3rd oldest continuously operating community symphony in the United States, the Plainfield Symphony Orchestra represents the highest standard in musical excellence in programs designed to educate and uplift local audiences. PSO is known for its masterful performances of rarely performed works by master composers, including Mahler and Shostakovich; the sparkling sophistication of the best of Broadway presented in collaboration with leading Broadway performers; and concerts designed for the entire family to create a new generation of symphonic music enthusiasts.
For over 100 years, PSO has been “the jewel in the crown of the Queen City,” interwoven with Plainfield’s rich history as one of New Jersey’s oldest and most substantial cities. Through the cultural leadership of the PSO, audiences have enjoyed collaborations with the Young Pianist Competition of New Jersey, the Crescent Choral Society, and the French School of Music. The annual Free Family Concert is PSO’s gift back to the community which has nurtured and supported it since its inception.
PSO has been led since 2009 by Charles Prince, who has led a wide range of international orchestras from the Moscow Symphony to the WDR Orchestra in Cologne and Essen, Germany, as well as the Munich Philharmonic and orchestras in Switzerland, Austria, Finland and Bulgaria. He is a regular guest conductor of orchestras such as the Oregon Sympony Orchestra, the Roanoke Symphony Orchestra, Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra and the Kuopi Symphony in Finland, as well as the Canadian Brass with the Lubbock Symphony Orchestra. He is equally comfortable with pops music, having served as Associate Conductor for the New York Pops from 1996 to 2003, leading that orchestra on numerous occasions at Carnegie Hall. Charles Prince continues to bring PSO to new and exciting heights of excellence.
PSO performs in the sanctuary of historic Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church, a Neo-Gothic styled church which features beautiful stained-glass windows, magnificent wood carvings, and a high arcing ceiling. The Sanctuary also houses an elaborate pipe organ built by Gilbert Adams and comprised of 5,124 pipes and a four-manual console.
This program is made possible by funds from the Union County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
