Under the talented conducting of Serge Koussevitzky the Boston Symphony Orchestra will open the current musical season at Harvard this evening in Sanders Theatre with a varied program of classical and contemporary compositions.

Preeminent will be the Beethoven Seventh symphony in A major which exemplifies much of the Bonn master's power of orchestration. While it does not contain the majestic sweep of the Fifth or the magnitude of the Ninth it does carry the unmistakable seal of his genius for contrast, counter-point, and imitation.

Harmonic drama in all of its trappings will be furnished in the playing of Wagner's prelude to "The Master-singers of Nuremberg". In this opus a march theme is ingeniously woven into the theme which suggests the love of Walther and Eva. The score holds many surprises and, in all, is intensely stimulating.

Musical drollery, even horseplay, is found in the popular "Merry Pranks" of Till Eulenspiegel, a legendary figure in Germany. In this, Richard Strauss introduces many novel twists and at all times the comedy is good. Debussey's "Afternoon of a Faun" will add to the program sublety and charm.

An ode by Edward B. Hill of the Harvard music faculty will be the feature of the Symphony Hall programs this Friday and Saturday. The Harvard-Radcliffe chorus will assist in this poem which was written particularly for the fiftieth anniversary of the orchestra.