The Austro-Germanic tradition, which lies at the heart of Western classical music, is represented throughout the 2014/15 season in masterpieces of the core orchestral repertoire, including works by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Brahms, Bruckner and Mahler.

Beethoven’s mighty Symphony No. 9 launches the season in September, with Riccardo Muti conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus. In November, guest conductor Nicholas Kraemer, directing from the harpsichord, will lead the CSO in Bach’s complete Brandenburg Concertos.

Other highlights: Guest conductor Jaap van Zweden, joined by German baritone Matthias Goerne, in a selection of orchestrated songs by Schubert and Strauss, in February; Muti leading the Süssmayer completion of Mozart’s Requiem in February; Bernard Haitink, former principal conductor, returning in April to lead the CSO in Mahler’s Symphony No. 7, and Semyon Bychkov conducting the revised 1890 version of Bruckner’s Symphony No. 8.