Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra - December 2-3 'Sylvain Cambreling's Debussy and Ravel'
Featuring 20th Century and Later French Works by Debussy, Ravel, and More
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] Sylvain Cambreling, a master of contemporary French music, will perform on a Korean stage for the first time.
The Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra announced on the 30th that it will hold "Sylvain Cambreling's Debussy and Ravel" at Lotte Concert Hall on December 2 and 3. French conductor Sylvain Cambreling and pianist Roger Muraro will present a program featuring French repertoire from the 20th century, including works by Debussy, Ravel, and Dutilleux.
Sylvain Cambreling first attracted worldwide attention in 1976 when he was appointed principal guest conductor of the Ensemble InterContemporain by the French composition master Pierre Boulez. From 2010 to 2019, he served as the principal conductor of the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra and currently holds the title of honorary conductor. Since the 2018/19 season, he has been the chief conductor of the Hamburg Symphony Orchestra in Germany. He is widely recognized as a conductor known for creative program planning and persuasive interpretations of contemporary music.
Roger Muraro will also meet the Seoul Philharmonic and Korean audiences for the first time. On this occasion, he will perform Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major and the Piano Concerto for the Left Hand. It is a great opportunity to enjoy both of Ravel's piano concertos. Muraro has won awards at the Tchaikovsky Competition and the Liszt Competition, and he has recorded Ravel's works with the French National Radio Orchestra under the baton of former Seoul Philharmonic artistic director Chung Myung-whun.
The first piece, Debussy's "The Martyrdom of Saint Sebastian," is based on the original ballet composed by Debussy in 1911 and will be presented in a four-movement "symphonic fragment" version that rearranges the orchestral parts.
Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major is modeled after Mozart and Saint-Sa?ns, featuring a neoclassical structure. At the same time, it incorporates elements of jazz into a lively atmosphere. Particularly, the third movement impresses with the piano's brilliant and fast playing, while the wind instruments display witty and free tonal colors.
Ravel's Piano Concerto for the Left Hand was composed at the request of Austrian pianist Paul Wittgenstein, who lost his right arm during World War I. While this concerto shares the incorporation of jazz elements with the Piano Concerto in G major, it differs in its solemn and serious character. It features a larger woodwind and brass section, portraying the orchestra in a more heroic manner.
Dutilleux's "M?taboles" was composed as a commissioned work to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Cleveland Orchestra led by George Szell. "M?taboles," meaning "changes," is characterized by gradual transformations of harmony and timbre, which is the charm of this piece. The five movements offer opportunities to showcase the skills of each section, and especially in the string parts, one can feel the distinctive French color and beauty.
Tickets can be purchased on the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra's website. The Seoul Philharmonic offers a special 50% discount on all seat categories for examinees who present their exam admission tickets at this performance.
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