Are you an armchair listener? Do you find that listening to music causes you to hear, see, smell and taste the aromas, sights, and sounds of a particular country or region of the world? Do certain musical pieces transport you to new exciting places or to a calming, peaceful sanctuary? The Norwalk Symphony Orchestra will wear their berets and present the music of France on Saturday, March 28, 2009, at 8:00 p.m. at the Norwalk Concert Hall.
Claude Debussy, known for his sumptuous, sonorous, tonal compositions, will appear on the program with his Petite Suite. César Franck, the nineteenth century French composer, teacher and organist, will be represented with his majestic Symphony in D minor.
The highlight of the evening will be Maurice Ravel's quintessential Piano Concerto in D Major, performed by renowned artist Gary Graffman, winner of the prestigious Leventritt Award in 1949. This work written for the left hand, was commissioned by the Austrian pianist, Paul Wittgenstein who had lost his right arm during World War I. There are several other piano concertos for the left hand, including pieces by Benjamin Britten, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Franz Schmidt, and Sergei Prokofiev. Due to an injury to his right hand in 1979, Mr. Graffman has become a specialist with the small but brilliant repertoire of concertos written for the left hand alone. His remarkable left hand pyrotechnics and innate musicality will be on display.
As the Norwalk Symphony notes, "Vive La France!"
