Sunday, May 3, 2025

3:00pm
Pre-concert talk 2:00pm

James D’León, piano

Arizona Philharmonic
Peter Bay, conductor
Laura Arganbright, oboe

Maestro Peter Bay leads the final concert of our season with a cast of musical characters—each piece offering a distinct role, from playful and lyrical to quietly defiant and boldly inventive. Thurber’s Dogs opens the program with musical portraits drawn from James Thurber’s cartoon sketches—short, colorful pieces that capture the quirks and charm of a parade of imaginary dogs, composed by Peter Schickele, best known for his satirical alter ego, P.D.Q. Bach. Oboe Concerto by Marie Clémence de Grandval, written in 1877, introduces a more elegant voice: poised, expressive, and understated, with our principal oboist Laura Arganbright giving the solo line clarity and warmth from start to finish. In contrast, Farewell to Stromness by Peter Maxwell Davies speaks in a quiet, unwavering tone—its gentle melody shaped like a walk through a threatened landscape, a peaceful yet pointed protest against environmental destruction. The program ends with Symphony No. 1 by Ludwig van Beethoven, a bold and youthful entry into the symphonic tradition—playful in its turns, grounded in Classical form, and already brimming with the personality of a composer stepping into view.

Schickele is the final American composer featured in our season celebrating American voices in recognition of America’s 250th year.

PETER SCHICKELE Thurber’s Dogs (1994) 🇺🇸

MARIE CLÉMENCE DE GRANDVAL Oboe Concerto in D Minor, Op. 7 (1877) 🇫🇷

PETER MAXWELL DAVIES Farewell to Stromness (1980) 🇬🇧

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21 (1800) 🇩🇪

Program subject to change due to unforeseen circumstances.