A peak musical experience

It might be the most famous four notes in all of classical music: The opening motif of Ludwig van Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 is stirring and evocative in ways that few other compositions are, and it’s so recognizable that it very nearly defines the classical genre as a whole.

The Spokane Symphony will perform Beethoven’s most iconic piece Wednesday evening, but leave your formal wear at home. The symphony’s short summer concert series Soiree on the Edge transplants the orchestra to the lawn of Arbor Crest Winery, 4705 N. Fruit Hill Road, where it will be situated on a ridge that offers a stunning view overlooking the city.

“The atmosphere is a crucial aspect of the success of this series,” said Symphony conductor Eckart Preu. ”Music and nature inspire each other, and the listening environment changes the entire perception of the composition. … It makes it more casual, yet upscale, relaxed. For us it is always a special experience to play at this gorgeous location.”

Next week’s program has been designed so that the Symphony will strike up Beethoven right around dusk, and the evening’s most famous piece should be perfectly complemented by the scenery behind the orchestra. As the composition unfolds, the sky burns orange and then dies down to red, until the sun is finally extinguished and the only lights the symphony is serenading are those of the houses hundreds of feet below.

“It’s one of the pinnacles of classical music, or music, or human culture in general,” Preu said of Beethoven’s Fifth. “Despite its familiarity, it requires full focus, control and emotional participation. Beethoven is one of those composers that you can play a thousand times, over and over again, and every time you discover something else in the music, in the way you hear it, the way you can play it. It’s a feast.”

Although Beethoven is the centerpiece of next week’s program, Preu has made certain to keep audiences on their toes with less-familiar selections: You’ll also hear the work of modern American composer Michael Gandolfi, as well as the world premiere of the orchestral version of Canadian composer Jan Jarvlepp’s “Pierrot Solaire.”

“One of the main features of this series is the juxtaposition of new and old, familiar and unfamiliar,” Preu said. “There are so many new composers out there that we don’t know. Maybe we miss out on the next Beethoven; maybe we’ll find him this time. Playing accessible, interesting and memorable new music has become one of my quests. It is a thrill to search for the future of music.”