October 15, 2021 (Ann Arbor, MI) — The Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra is excited to be bringing their October 23rd concert to the Michigan Theater, featuring Franz Josef Haydn’s Symphony No. 95 and Anton Bruckner’s Symphony No. 6, conducted by Perry So. So is one of the finalists in consideration to be the A2SO’s next music director, and will be reuniting with the orchestra after last working with them in April of this year.
When asked about his favorite aspects of Haydn’s 95th and Bruckner’s 6th symphonies, So cites the combination of historical significance alongside the surprising, almost humorous tone contained in the works. “(It’s) a celebration of the symphonic form, pure and simple,” So says. “The main curiosity for me in creating this program is a look at composers who have a sense of humor … it almost feels like these two composers are laughing at themselves as they write these two works.”
Haydn’s 95th was written towards the end of the composer’s career at a time when his international reputation garnered him a large following and populist appeal. However, much of his youth was spent writing for a much smaller audience at the court of Esterházy in a notably different compositional style. So points out that “the 95th symphony is really quite different from all of the other late works. It’s a flashback to a younger self, the images of a young composer, impetuous, full of passion and writing exactly what he feels, (without) second thoughts. The 95th symphony is a really wonderful and curious combination of the youthfulness that’s filtered through a lifetime of experience. All in all, this is just a symphony of great charm and inventiveness. Someone so late in his great career, revisiting a style of his youth; that to me is actually quite a rare thing.”
As for Bruckner’s 6th, So notes that its style can come as a surprise, with a whimsical tone that defies the sombre stereotypes commonly affixed to the composer. “The 6th symphony was one of the few symphonies he wrote in a major key, and Bruckner himself referred to it as his sauciest symphony — and I love that” So says. “For a man who unfortunately now has the reputation for being this very dower, religious, serious person sitting at his organ loft, the 6th symphony is so incredibly charming.” Despite this, the composer’s technical prowess and innovative sound world continue to be his signature. So speaks of “the incredible way with which Bruckner fastens these large chunks of sound using blocks of harmonic material, transforming them through repetition. (However), this is not a symphony of extremes … it’s in many ways really quite a classical work, but also vintage Bruckner in the incredible ways in which he uses these very very small motifs and builds gigantic structures with them.”
For So, these symphonies provide the perfect vehicle to highlight the A2SO’s prowess and the return to live performances in one of Ann Arbor’s finest concert venues. “I cannot be more excited about this program, and I really look forward to seeing our audiences and performing these two works for them.”