September 19, 2025
Atlanta Symphony Hall, Woodruff Arts Center
Atlanta, Georgia – USA
Atlanta Symphony Orchestra; Gemma New, conductor; Lang Lang, piano.
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART: Eine Kleine Nachtmusik, K.525
Wolfgang Amadeus MOZART: Symphony No. 35 in D major.K.385
Ludwig van BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 5 in ea♭ Major (“Emperor”), Op. 73
Mark Gresham | 24 SEP 2025
Two weeks in advance of its official season-opening concerts, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra presented a one-night-only program last Friday at Atlanta Symphony Hall, pairing two Mozart works with Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5, drawing a full house eager to hear superstar pianist Lang Lang. Equally compelling was guest conductor Gemma New, whose crisp, energetic direction kept both the music and the audience fully engaged.
Gemma New (credit: Benjamin Ealovega)
In her most recent appearance on te ASO podium on February 1 & 3, 2024, New led the orchestra in a performance of Gustav Holst’s The Planets, part of a program that also included works by Saline Fisher and Adam Schoenberg.
On Friday, New and the ASO opened with a crisp, buoyant Eine kleine Nachtmusik, K. 525, composed in 1787. The familiar serenade sparkled with clear articulation, lively energy, and graceful balance, setting a celebratory tone that carried through the evening.
That festive spirit flowed naturally into Mozart’s Symphony No. 35 (“Haffner”). Under New’s direction, the symphony’s bright melodies and tight rhythmic drive felt like a bolder extension of the serenade’s charm. Written in 1776 to honor the ennoblement of Salzburg patrician Sigmund Haffner and originally intended for outdoor performance, its opening “Allegro” radiates grand celebration. Together with Eine kleine Nachtmusik, it showcased Mozart’s gift for blending lyrical warmth with rhythmic vitality—whether for an intimate gathering or a full-hall fanfare.
From start to finish in the first half of the program, New and the ASO imbued both works with crisp precision, infectious energy, and a joy that made the familiar music feel vividly alive.
After intermission came what the audience was waiting for: Lang Lang as soloist, as the program moved into Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, Op. 73 (“Emperor”). True to form, he brought both dazzle and personality: commanding entrances gave way to moments of quiet introspection, particularly in the slow second movement, where his singing tone drew hushed attention. His expressive rubato occasionally risked drawing focus solely to his part, at one point, in the transition to the last movement, throwing a curve ball to New—and even prompting a brief glance of uncertainty among the orchestra musicians. Yet New’s steady baton soon brought the ensemble fully back into focus. The vigorous rondo finale surged with energy, matched by the orchestra’s full-throated collaboration, earning the evening an extended standing ovation.
The climax of the evening came not only in Beethoven’s final rondo but also in Lang Lang’s encores, which showcased his flair for bridging classical and popular idioms. He offered two Disney-inspired solo piano arrangements: a rendition of “Can You See the Love Tonight” from The Lion King and an energetically playful arrangement of “The Big Bad Wolf.” Not entirely surprising given his promotional Disney connection, the selections delighted the audience, earning enthusiastic applause from his fans on par with the Beethoven. Such is the gravity—and the glamour—of stardom. ■
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- Atlanta Symphony Orchestra: aso.org
- Gemma New: gemmanew.com
- Lang Lang: langlangofficial.com
Read more by Mark Gresham.
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