Koussevitzky as Festival Organizer: Celebrating Beethoven at Symphony Hall
Inscribed into the proscenium itself, Beethoven has been a foundational part of Symphony Hall since its completion in 1900. Though he had already spent two seasons promoting works by living composers, nevertheless, Koussevitzky decided to organize a festival to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Beethoven's death in March 1927. The festival featured a week of performances and a lecture, and included a Saturday evening broadcast throughout New England, during the second season in which BSO concerts were broadcast live from Symphony Hall.
Promotional flyer and advance invitation for the Beethoven Centenary Festival, March 1927
Though in-person tickets to the Saturday evening performance on March 26, 1927, were limited to subscribers only, the concert was broadcast over WBZ, giving audiences throughout New England the opportunity to hear Beethoven’s sixth and seventh symphonies exactly 100 years after the composer’s death.
1900: Beethoven at the Opening of Symphony Hall
Architectural detail of Symphony Hall Proscenium with Beethoven medallion, McKim Mead & White
As one can see from the architectural plans, the proscenium that frames the Symphony Hall stage was meant to be decorated with the names of several composers. However, only Beethoven’s name was ever completed, as disagreements arose about which composers would have the same staying power as the composer from Bonn.
Score of Beethoven’s Mass in D Major, Missa Solemnis
The Missa Solemnis was performed as part of Symphony Hall’s inaugural concert, October 15, 1900, with Wilhelm Gericke conducting. This particular score held such historical gravitas to Leonard Bernstein that he “permanently borrowed” it from the BSO library following a performance in 1975 and it ended up in The New York Philharmonic Archives. They graciously returned the score to the BSO just in time for the 100th anniversary of Symphony Hall in 2000.
1927: Celebrating 100 years after Beethoven's death
Boston Symphony Orchestra portrait with conductor Serge Koussevitzky and the Harvard-Radcliffe combined choruses, March 1927
Flanking BSO conductor Serge Koussevitzky (on the podium) are the director of the Harvard Glee Club, Archibald Davison (left), and the director of the Radcliffe Choral Society, G. Wallace Woodworth (right). The orchestra engaged the two choruses to create a full 350-voice choir to support the BSO’s performances of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and Missa Solemnis during the March 1927 Beethoven Centenary Festival.
Photograph by Waid Studio
Photographic spread announcing the BSO’s upcoming Beethoven Festival celebrating the 100th anniversary of Beethoven’s death (Boston Herald, March 13, 1927)
To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Beethoven’s death in 1827, Serge Koussevitzky organized a festival that would showcase all nine symphonies (whose opening measures are depicted here against the portrait of the orchestra), the Missa Solemnis, and selected chamber works. The orchestra would employ the assistance of the Harvard-Radcliffe choruses, as well as eight soloists.
Flyer depicting the program schedule for the Beethoven Centenary Festival, March 1927
In addition to performing all nine symphonies and the Missa Solemnis, the festival also included chamber concerts and a lecture. Presented during the week of March 22 to March 29, 1927, the event commemorated the 100th anniversary of the death of Beethoven on March 26, 1827.
Audience Response and Still Novel Radio
Reviews of the Beethoven Centenary Festival, March 1927
At the opening concert on March 22, which featured Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis, Koussevitzky gave his first public speech in English: “Ladies and Gentlemen. It is easier for me to play nine symphonies of Beethoven than to speak nine words of English. Thank you.” Reviews demonstrated that the conductor did not need to be profuse in order to please Boston audiences, which cheered at the conclusion of the mass. The concert from Saturday (March 26) was also broadcast on WBZ.
Reviews of the Beethoven Centenary Festival, March 1927
The concert from Saturday (March 26) was also broadcast on WBZ.