The Houston Symphony presents two contrasting musical journeys through nature, featuring Beethoven's Pastoral Symphony and Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring, conducted by Juraj ValÄuha.
The Houston Symphony is bringing Nature's Rhapsody Festival to Jones Hall from February 19 to 21, 2027, with Music Director Juraj ValÄuha leading the orchestra. The program pairs two starkly different takes on nature: Beethoven's Symphony No. 6, the Pastoral, and Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring. They're played back-to-back, and the contrast is the whole point.
Beethoven was a devoted nature lover, and he wrote the Pastoral as an open door to the outdoors. It's a piece that paints a scene: sparkling brooks, chirping birds, jolly country folk, a ferocious thunderstorm, and the restorative calm that follows. He put it in his own words, writing, "How happy I am to be able to wander among the bushes and grass, under trees and over rocks," and "no man can love the country as I love it." Stravinsky's The Rite of Spring is a different animal entirelyāa revolutionary, primal soundscape that trades Beethoven's gentle countryside for something far more raw. Hearing them in direct conversation is where the program gets its pull.
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The performance runs about 90 minutes with a 20-minute intermission, and it's recommended for ages 6 and up. There are three chances to catch it: Friday, Feb. 19 and Saturday, Feb. 20 both start at 7:30 PM, and Sunday, Feb. 21 is a 2:00 PM matinee. Doors open 60 minutes before the concert, and a prelude fills the 45 minutes before the first note, so you've got plenty of time to settle in before the music starts. Tickets start at $62, with 10% off when you buy 10 or more.
