A New Century

A rich, decadent string orchestra arrangement of Beethoven’s *Op. 132* string quartet kicks off the Cleveland Orchestra’s imaginative three-volume celebration of its centenary, a collection that also includes Richard Strauss’ majestic ode to Italy and the recorded premiere of Bernd Richard Deutsch’s bubbling, shimmering organ concerto, featuring soloist Paul Jacobs. One of America’s “Big Five” orchestras, the Cleveland and its conductor Franz Welser-Möst give one of the most thrilling recent performances of Prokofiev’s demonic *Symphony No. 3*. With Varèse’s riotous *Amériques*, they jolt New York City to manic life and bring into sharp relief the incredible orchestral textures of Johannes Maria Staud’s intense and dark *Stromab*.