Orchestra Concert "Fate and the Faustian Bargain" on Oct. 26
Published Wednesday, October 22, 2025
The Southwest Minnesota Orchestra invites the community to an unforgettable afternoon of classical music on Sunday, October 26 at 4:00 p.m. at the Schwan Community Center for the Performing Arts. Under the baton of pianist and conductor Daniel Rieppel, the concert titled “Fate and the Faustian Bargain” will feature a compelling program of masterworks by Beethoven, Mozart, and Brahms.
A "Faustian bargain" is a deal in which a person gives up something of great moral or personal value, like their soul, for a temporary gain of power, knowledge, or wealth. The concept originates with Faust, a dramatic poem by Goethe, about Dr. Faust, a scholar who trades his soul to the devil for 24 years of worldly desires. In this concert, the selections reflect on the efforts and sacrifices that the composers give to their art in exchange for their immortal fame.
The performance opens with Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No. 3, Op. 72b, a dramatic and emotionally charged work that captures the spirit of heroism and liberation. The piece is the culmination of Beethoven's work on an opera to set himself on par with the great composers of his time. Beethoven felt that he needed to complete the cycle, so to speak, by composing an opera or he'd never be considered one of teh great.
Next, Dr. Daniel Rieppel will take center stage as both soloist and conductor in Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466—a piece renowned for its stormy intensity and lyrical beauty. Rieppel will perform his own cadenzas in the first and third movements, offering a personal and emotional interpretation of one of Mozart’s most profound concertos. Rieppel shared in an interview this week, that he wrote the cadenzas for the first movement in Panama in 1989 during the Panamanian Revolution, a time of equally stormy intensity.
Following intermission, the orchestra will present Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98. Brahms’ final symphony is a fitting conclusion to a program that explores the depths of human experience through music.
This concert promises to be a highlight of the cultural season in Southwest Minnesota, offering audiences a rare opportunity to experience these iconic works performed live by a talented regional orchestra.
Event Details:
• What: Southwest Minnesota Orchestra presents “Fate and the Faustian Bargain”
• When: Sunday, October 26, 2025 at 4:00 p.m.
• Where: Schwan Community Center for the Performing Arts, Marshall, MN
• Admission: $15 adults, $5 students
For more information, please contact the Communications and Marketing Office at Southwest Minnesota State University or visit https://www.southwestminnesotaorchestra.org/
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