On May 2, 1893, Theodore Thomas—our founder and first music director—led the Exposition Orchestra (the Chicago Orchestra expanded to 114 players) in the World’s Columbian Exposition’s inaugural concert, which included Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony. The following day, the second concert opened with Beethoven’s Third Symphony, followed by Polish pianist Ignace Paderewski as soloist in Schumann’s Piano Concerto.
World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893
Playlist
Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 54, by Robert Schumann
Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Carlo Maria Giulini, conductor: Artur Rubinstein, piano
Symphony No. 8 in B Minor, D. 759 (Unfinished), by Franz Schubert
Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Seiji Ozawa, conductor
Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 (Eroica), by Ludwig van Beethoven
Chicago Symphony Orchestra; Sir Georg Solti, conductor