Overview
On the Beautiful Blue Danube
Kevin John Edusei, conductor
Gabriel Preisser, narrator
J. STRAUSS On the Beautiful Blue Danube, Op. 314
H.K. GRUBER Frankenstein!!
BRAHMS Piano Quartet in G minor, Op. 25
Old meets new with this orchestral triathalon of Austrian-influenced pieces—lead by world-renowned conductor Kevin John Edusei—shedding light on the development of Austrian cultural identity through music.
We begin the program with Johann Strauss, whose waltzes are as patriotic to Austrians as John Philip Sousa is to Americans. On the Beautiful Blue Danube is arguably the most famous, not to mention a perfect example of the natural beauty to be celebrating on Earth Day. In contrast, narrator and vocalist Gabriel Preisser will lead you through H.K. Gruber's Frankenstein!!—a contemporary, dark comedy touching all areas of culture from Viennese cabaret and classical music to folk and pop. Concluding the program is Austrian-born composer Arnold Schoenberg's orchestral arrangement of Brahms' moving and expressive Piano Quartet—a timeless piece written and arranged over 75 years apart.
