Ring in 2009 with a traditional Viennese celebration. Imagine the elegant ball gowns, crystal chandeliers and dancing all night to the royal court orchestra. Now imagine being part of the festivities, with the rousing sounds of Strauss waltzes, polkas and more, including Pizzacato Polka, Radetzky March and Emperor Waltzes. A wonderful introduction to the rhythms of dance and the history of this grand holiday.
MARC-ANDRÉ HAMELIN
piano
JÄRVI AND THE KEYBOARD
"Paris: Fantasy & Discovery," Week 1
Celebrate the French joie de vivre in the opening program of the 2009 Winter Festival. Applauded by The San Francisco Chronicle for his “breathtaking display of fiery virtuosity and interpretive subtlety,” Marc-André Hamelin treats you to a double bill of Ravel’s awe-inspiring Concerto for the Left Hand and Saint-Saëns’s Africa Fantasy, which offers an exciting tour of exotic lands and oriental undertones. Finally, Saint-Saëns’s “Organ” Symphony will blow the roof off with its sheer power and exploding colors.
In the second week of the 2009 Winter Festival, Paul Dukas’s Sorcerer’s Apprentice will amuse you with images of magical mischief and themes you will remember from Disney’s Fantasia. Fauré’s Pavane is a serene palate-cleanser that will provide a pleasant contrast. Ravel’s Shéhérazade casts a sensuous spell and takes you to a world of exotic fantasy and mystery. Finally, César Franck’s Symphony in D Minor evokes the grandeur of European tradition.
In the tranquil Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun, Debussy portrays the hazy desires and dreams of a faun in the heat of the afternoon. Milhaud’s music is a raucous romp of popular Brazilian tunes that was originally written to be the score for a silent Charlie Chaplin film. Revel in the height of impressionism as the carnal tale of Daphnis and Chloe unfolds. With pirates, nymphs and bird songs all painted in a veil of impressionistic colors, this love story builds to an erotic tumult you won’t soon forget.
* Classical conversations with guest conductors begin one hour before the concert and are free to all ticket holders.
American conductor and soloist join forces to capture the essence of our homeland with works by two American composers. Copland’s Appalachian Spring evokes an ideal America—one of open fields, endless possibilities and freedom. Barber’s Violin Concerto shows both sides of the composer: delicate and refined, but also stormy and complex. Kodály and Dvořák round out the program and paint a vivid picture of their homelands with brushstrokes of lively folk dances, Slavic rhythms and gypsy melodies.
Sponsored by Herbert and Evelyn Axelrod
* Classical conversations with guest conductors begin one hour before the concert and are free to all ticket holders.
