January 11–18, 2001

six pick

Miklós Rózsa

Hungarian composer Miklós Rózsa immigrated to the U.S. in 1940, the same year as the immortal Béla Bartók. But whereas Bartók lived out his final days in abject poverty and ill health, Rózsa made a career writing film scores and schmoozing with celebrities out in Hollywood. But judging Rósza’s career by his film music for The Jungle Book (1942) or Ben Hur (1959) is like judging Orson Welles by his TV ads for cheap wine. Like that of Bartók and every subsequent Hungarian composer, Rozsa’s compositions are richly steeped in the folk music idioms of the Carpathian basin. His Viola Concerto is almost never performed live, and Roberto Díaz, Principal Violist of the Philadelphia Orchestra, promises a rich and vibrant rendition. Under conductor Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, the Orchestra will also perform Falla’s El amor brujo and two pieces certain to please the audience’s blue-haired contingency, Respighi’s Fontane di Roma (The Fountains of Rome) and Pini di Roma (The Pines of Rome).

—Andrew Ervin

The Philadelphia Orchestra conducted by Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos, Fri. Jan. 12, Sat. Jan. 13 and Tue. Jan. 16, 8 p.m., The Academy of Music, Broad and Locust Sts., 215-893-1999.