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Monterey Symphony performs Soul Force

March 15 - 16, 2025
Tickets & More Info
presenter:
Monterey Symphony
(831) 646-8511
info@montereysymphony.org
https://www.montereysymphony.org/
venue:
Sunset Center
San Carlos St.
Carmel-By-The-Sea, CA 93921 United States
+ Google Map
http://www.sunsetcenter.org/
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Jessie MONTGOMERY
Soul Force
[Running Time 8′]

GRIEG
Peer Gynt Suite
[Running Time 19′]

SIBELIUS
Finlandia
[Running Time 8′]

— intermission [20′] —

BEETHOVEN
Violin Concerto
[Running Time 42′]

Simone Porter, violin


The March concerts are a program of suppressed voices struggling to break free. With Soul Force, contemporary composer Jesse Montgomery pits a solo horn and serene strings against raucous percussion in a sonic drama inspired by the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: “We must respond to physical force with soul force.” Two Scandinavians endeavor to establish sovereign identities. Sweden’s Edvard Grieg captured the character of fairy-tale adventurer Peer Gynt in his imaginative music to Henrick Ibsen’s pioneering play. Finland’s Jean Sibelius composed his patriotic tone poem Finlandia in anticipation of his country’s fight for independence. In 1806 Ludwig van Beethoven was facing several health crises and crippling physical pain. Yet in that year he produced an astonishing array of works now widely-considered masterpieces – including his titanic Violin Concerto in D Major.

– Christopher Anderson-Bazzoli