Ravinia 2025 Issue 2

Felix Mendelssohn’s String Octet in E-flat major, op. 20 (1825) June 25: Juilliard and Isidore String Quartets No composer in classical music was a more accomplished prodigy than Mendelssohn, and much of that reputation derives from this work, written when he was just 16 years old. Typically, works by composers at that age tend to be “youthful essays” that are only inter- esting in how they presage later creations, but this is a fully mature composition in every regard. Indeed, it is one of the most celebrat- ed chamber works of the 19th century. Though there are prece- dents for a string octet, like Louis Spohr’s slightly earlier Double String Quartet No. 1, his is unquestionably the most influential example of the form, especially one, as he wrote, intended to “be played by all the instruments in a symphonic style.” Later composers who have written notable string octets include Max Bruch, George Enescu, and Dmitri Shostakovich, but none have achieved the fame of Mendelssohn’s timeless creation. Collab- orating here will be the still-emerging Isidore Quartet, which won 14th Banff International String Quartet Competition in 2022, and the famed, long-running Juilliard Quartet. Igor Stravinsky’s Le Sacre du Printemps ( The Rite of Spring ) (1911–13) July 11: CSO / Marin Alsop conductor In his 2000 book, First Nights: Five Musical Premieres , Thomas Forrest Kelly asserts that the landmark debut of The Rite in Paris might have been the most important moment in the history of 20th century music: “Probably nothing else is so clearly a focal point as Le Sacre ; no one would disagree that this is a seminal piece whose repercussions in the world of music are still being heard today and will continue into the future.” The ballet, subtitled Pictures of Pagan Russia , is still jarring more than 110 years after its creation with its rhythmic complexity, manic drive, and raw emotions. “You have to play this piece,” Alsop has said, “with real fervor and almost be maniacal about it. It’s not meant to be a beautiful piece. It’s meant to cause a reaction.” And that’s what it did at its 1913 premiere, which drew hisses, shouting, and catcalls, with some 40 rowdy attendees having to be ejected. The once-revolutionary work, which will be heard on the opening night of the Chicago Symphony’s 89th summer residency at Ravinia, has since become a mainstay of the symphonic rep- ertory. In 1962, Stravinsky oversaw a program of his works at Ravinia, his first of four consecutive seasons leading a Chicago Symphony concert at the festival. The evening included The Rite , though that work was conducted by Robert Craft, who was a close colleague and artistic partner to the composer. RAVINIAMAGAZINE • JUNE 6 – JUNE 15, 2025 14