An American cornucopia from Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony

Abraham Lincoln approves!

F Murray Abraham, Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony

Matthias Goerne, Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony

By Sam Jacobson, 14 June 2026

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“his dramatic oration and resonant voice lent dignity and gravitas to Copland’s enduring portrait”

Reviewed at Heinz Hall, Pittsburgh on 12 June 2026

Tower, Tambor

Adams, The Wound-Dresser

Bach, Ich habe genug - Cantata, BWV82

Bernstein, Chichester Psalms

Copland, Lincoln Portrait

Matthias Goerne, Baritone

F. Murray Abraham, Actor

Mendelssohn Choir of Pittsburgh

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra

Manfred Honeck, Conductor

Edward Gardner makes a distinctive debut at the Pittsburgh Symphony

Sam Jacobson, 17th May

Edward Gardner’s Pittsburgh Symphony debut brings freshness and intensity to Beethoven and Tchaikovsky, alongside a sparkling tribute to Michael Tilson Thomas.

****1

Artistry at full throttle: Rafael Payare and the Pittsburgh Symphony

Sam Jacobson, 10th April

Can one be artful and musical while playing at maximum volume? In a program of López, Prokofiev and Stravinsky, Rafael Payare and the Pittsburgh Symphony answer a resounding yes.

*****

Manfred Honeck and the Pittsburgh Symphony captivate in Bruckner

Sam Jacobson, 20th February

Honored by the Bruckner Society of America, Manfred Honeck conducts a majestic and architecturally assured account of Bruckner’s Eighth, paired with Samy Moussa’s evocative Adgilis Deda.

*****

Piquant Poulenc, solemn Sibelius at the Pittsburgh Symphony

Sam Jacobson, 16th January

Dima Slobodeniouk returns to Pittsburgh for works by Finnish composers, and the Jussen brothers delight with Poulenc.

****1

Honeck and Pittsburgh Symphony make a strong Shostakovich statement

No’a L. bat Miri, 3rd December

Carnegie Hall's visit from the Steel City's Symphony demonstrates a thoughtful ensemble's ability to make music speak clearly, even without words.

*****

Grimaud’s glittering Gershwin highlights Pittsburgh Symphony program

Sam Jacobson, 7th November

Domingo Hindoyan’s Pittsburgh Symphony debuts spans sharp contrasts from Gershwin’s piano concerto to Franck’s symphony.

***11

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Sam Jacobson

Sam Jacobson has been writing for Bachtrack since 2015 and is currently in Pittsburgh, having previously lived throughout the Midwest. A keen traveler, he endeavors to see all the great orchestras and opera houses across the US and abroad. Outside of music, he works as a software engineer. He also maintains a blog which can be read here.