World Premier at Tanglewood this Weekend

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Sunday brings the Boston Symphony's 75th-anniversary Tanglewood season to a close. This same final concert did not occur last year due to the remnants of Hurricane Irene, which slammed into the region on that day -- August 28th -- canceling the concert for the first time in Tanglewood history. This year, the weather outlook is much improved. And Sunday's concert brings a traditional favorite, and a world premier. New England Public Radio's Helen Barrington has the story.

The work was commissioned for Tanglewood's 75th and written by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer, John Harbison. it's called, Koussevitsky:said. Serge Koussevitsky was the BSO's conductor for twenty-five years, beginning in 1924 and founded Tanglewood. Koussivitsky was larger-than-life and known for his unusual use of english. Harbison's initial plan was to set some of Koussivitsky's speeches to music for chorus and orchestra. but, Harbison soon realized, to do that, he'd really need more time to compose. Tony Gogg, the BSO's artistic administrator, picks up the story:

"He had a very cute alternative which was not to set some of Koussevitsky's grand proclamations, but some of the catch phrases that he used often in rehearsal. So the opening was one of Koussevitsky's apparently famous phrases which was: 'the next Beethoven will from Colorado come' and so on. So they are very, very light and amusing and John has written a choral scherzo for chorus and orchestra.

You can hear the world premier of Koussevitsky:said and Beethoven's ninth symphony, conducted by Rafael Frubeck de Burgos, starting Sunday afternoon at 2 on 88.5 WFCR. For New England Public Radio, I'm Helen Barrington.