The Detroit Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Gilbert Varga, will light up the Orchestra Hall stage with fanciful, dance-inspired music of four influential European composers from the 18th and 19th centuries. Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major, performed by dexterous pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet, is the centerpiece of the concerts which also include Debussy's Danse, Kodály's Dances of Galantá and Bartók's The Miraculous Mandarin.
"Thibaudet Plays Ravel" concerts take place Friday, February 1 at 10:45 a.m. and 8 p.m. and Saturday, February 2 at 8:30 p.m.
Maurice Ravel was a French composer and pianist known for the richness and poignancy of his music. Like Debussy, he is considered one of the great composers of the Impressionistic period. His Piano Concerto in G major, however, is based on the Classical tradition: "It was written very much in the spirit as those of Mozart and Saint-Saëns. The music of a concerto should, in my opinion, be light hearted and brilliant." Performing Ravel's Piano Concerto will be Jean-Yves Thibaudet, a pianist who continues to captivate audiences worldwide with his compelling performances. A prolific artist in both the performance and recording arenas, he has been hailed by the press as "one of the best pianists in the world." Of special note were the September 2005 release of the Academy Award-nominated soundtrack to the major motion picture Pride and Prejudice, and his performance with the London Symphony Orchestra at André Previn's 75th Birthday Gala. Of German and French heritage, Thibaudet is a Grammy Award-nominated recording artist with over 30 Decca recordings.
Claude Debussy, a contemporary and rival of Ravel, was a central and influential figure in European music at the turn of the 20th century. Danse for solo piano was published in 1890 under the original title Tarantelle Styrienne and was reissued in 1903 under the present title. The lively rhythms of the work reflect the style of the Tarantelle, a wild dance that is supposedly performed to fight off drowsiness after being bitten by a tarantula. The work's quick and bold modulations and use of multiple chords and pitches foreshadow many of the radical ideas that the composer would explore in his maturity.
Zoltán Kodály was a Hungarian composer, linguist and educator, strongly influenced by the works of Debussy. Dances from Galánta provides a vivid example of a unique combination of Western classical music and Hungarian folk music. The piece is a love letter to Galánta, a village in western Hungary where Kodály spent "the best years of his childhood." At times playful and at times passionate, the work borrows material from the 150-year old style of verbunkos, a Hungarian popular music.
Béla Bartok wrote The Miraculous Mandarin based on a story that appeared in a Hungarian literary review magazine. The text appealed to him, despite its lewdness and violence, and he secured permission from the author to set it as a pantomime, or a combination of dance and silent acting with musical accompaniment. Because of the piece's scandalous content and tragic ending, Bartók struggled to find a theater willing to stage the work. When it finally did premiere, it was blasted by audiences and critics alike. To increase the chance of having the work performed, Bartók created a concert version in 1927. The Miraculous Mandarin combines elements of modern music, Impressionism and Hungarian folk music, reflecting the violent drama and also the turbulent political state of Europe at the time.
London-born Gilbert Varga is one of Europe's most sought-after conductors. Having extensive experience in both chamber orchestra and symphonic repertoire, Varga has held positions with several orchestras and guest conducted major orchestras throughout the world. After an accident brought an abrupt halt to a promising solo career he studied conducting and is now renowned for his exemplary baton technique. Since 1997, Varga has been Music Director of the Basque National Orchestra. -- www.detroitsymphony.com
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