New Jersey Symphony Presents Shaham Plays Grieg

Multiple performances by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra in March will offer audiences the opportunity to hear works by three esteemed composers whose music unites the 19 th and 20 th centuries.

Under the baton of Arild Remmereit, the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra will first present Stravinsky's Four Norwegian Moods. Originally composed in 1945 as the soundtrack for a Hollywood film about Norway, the music was reconceived as a suite for orchestra whose movements include, Intrada, Song, Wedding Dance and Cortége.

Four Norwegian Moods is juxtaposed in the first half of the concert with the familiar and haunting Piano Concerto in A Minor by Edvard Grieg. Written in 1868 by Norway's treasured musical son, the concerto was influenced both by Grieg's early European training in Leipzig, and by the works of German composer Robert Schumann. The concerto will be performed by Israeli born pianist, Orli Shaham.

The rich expressiveness of Robert Schumann's Symphony No. 4 clearly mark the Romantic period, which ultimately gave rise to modern works by such composers as Igor Stravinsky, among many others.

The five exclusive New Jersey performances will be presented on Thursday, March 22 at 8 pm at bergenPAC in Englewood, Friday, March 23 at 8 pm at Richardson Auditorium in Princeton, Saturday, March 24 at 8 pm at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, Sunday, March 25 at 3 pm at the Community Theatre in Morristown and Tuesday, March 27 at 1:30 pm in Prudential Hall at NJPAC in Newark. -- www.njsymphony.org