Hrůša returns and Andsnes shows Beethoven mastery with CSO
It was one year ago this month that Jakub Hrůša led the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in a searing performance of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 11, a revelatory experience that topped CCR’s list of 2025’s finest performances.
The Czech conductor returned to town Thursday night for the first of his two nonconsecutive CSO subscription weeks this season. And while the repertoire was more conventional—centered on two German cornerstones—the performances were largely just as committed and rewarding.
With the seemingly endless winter weather, it was serendipitous timing for Robert Schumann‘s “Spring” Symphony (No. 1), heralding a season that can’t arrive quickly enough in Chicago.
At times one would have liked more of the genial qualities of Schumann’s engaging score to come across. Yet Hrůša led a bracing, vital performance, spirited in the outer movements, and flowing and gracious in the Larghetto, with the CSO woodwinds conveying the essential lyric charm.
Hrůša made his CSO debut in 2017 with Bedřich Smetana’s epic Má vlast. He returned to music of his Czech compatriot on Thursday with excerpts from Smetana’s most celebrated opera, The Bartered Bride. And compared to the bleak devastation at the end of Shostakovich’s Eleventh a year ago, one could hardly have imagined a greater contrast than Smetana’s joyous brilliance and high spirits.
The virtuosic Overture is no longer the repertory staple it was 75 years ago, and more’s the pity. A single early entrance apart, Hrůša led a fizzing performance with whirlwind violins in the vivacious main theme and rustic allure in the contrasting wind episodes, rounded off with a slam-bang coda.
The conductor likewise brought out the rhythmic vitality and bright hues of the lilting Polka and the mercurial Furiant with idiomatic Bohemian flavor. This de facto suite concluded with the “Dance of the Comedians,” thrown off with high-stepping exuberance and crackling bravura, Hrůša and the musicians making the most of Smetana’s witty false endings.
On the first half, Hrůša ceded the spotlight to the evening’s soloist, Leif Ove Andsnes in Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3.
Andsnes is one of those musicians whose art truly conceals art—a blend of intelligence, natural eloquence and complete technical command that is put entirely at the service of the music. His Carnegie Hall recital in January earned high praise and his 2023 Chicago recital still lingers in the memory.
He has recorded all of Beethoven’s piano concertos with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra— conducting from the keyboard, no less—and the Norwegian pianist’s innate sympathy in this repertoire was manifest in his rendering of Op. 37. (It’s too bad Andsnes, an artist of great integrity, was not the chosen soloist for the CSO’s cycle of complete Beethoven piano concertos next season.)
Andsnes firmly registered the minor-key drama of the opening movement while keeping the music in scale, never inflating it to Late Romantic dimensions. He phrased with a supple, singing line in contrasting episodes and his cadenza had both strength and an uncommon airy poetry.
The pianist spun a refined, intimate solo line in the slow movement, plaintive and expressive without undue lingering. In the finale, Andsnes gracefully bridged the insistent energy of the main theme with the unforced cheer of the second—the laughter of the rippling notes unmistakable—en route to a spirited and emphatic coda.
Apart from bringing the orchestra in too soon at the end of the first cadenza, Hrůša proved an alert and collegial accompanist, lending taut and incisive support while giving Andsnes ample breathing space for solo passages.
Repeated ovations brought Andsnes back out for an elegant, intimate encore of Chopin’s Mazurka in C sharp minor, Op. 30, no. 4, a finely judged petit four after the Beethoven main course.
The program will be repeated 1:30 p.m. Friday and 7:30 p.m. Saturday. cso.org
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4 Responses to “Hrůša returns and Andsnes shows Beethoven mastery with CSO”
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Posted Mar 13, 2026 at 11:11 am by Owen Youngman
Heading out to the Friday matinee soon. The C-sharp minor Mazurka was on his excellent recital Monday night at Northwestern, along with Chopin’s opus 28 Preludes. “On the Overgrown Path” (which he played at Symphony Center in 2000) and three more mazurkas. A typically great (and artistic) performance; today will be at least the 26th time we have heard him play.
Posted Mar 14, 2026 at 7:53 am by Laurel Prag
I want to commend you for diligently covering the classical music scene in Chicago. I am one of the many who does care about classical music, dance and opera and recognize that in these times we need the performing arts more than ever.
Posted Mar 14, 2026 at 11:11 am by Jeff R
Hrusa is fabulous. He was my preference for MD.
Hopefully he’ll continue as a recurring presence at Orchestra Hall. He brings out the best in the CSO.
Posted Mar 17, 2026 at 8:27 am by Mike T.
Hrusa has almost Bernstein-like charisma on the podium. The Beethoven and Schumann were both very nice, but the Smetana was mainly what I went for. I’d always wondered what the Bartered Bride overture and dances would like played as a “de facto suite,” as Mr. Johnson called it. I finally found out Saturday night; it was wonderful.