“Seasons and the Sea” April 5

PORTLAND, Maine – The Portland Symphony Orchestra (PSO) under the direction of Music Director Robert Moody will present “Seasons and the Sea” Tuesday, April 5 at 7:30 PM. This Tuesday Classical concert features works by Mendelssohn, Piazzola, Brubeck and Debussy in an evening that celebrates the arrival of spring and the beauty of the seasons and the sea.

The program opens with Felix Mendelssohn’s Calm Sea and Prosperous Voyage, inspired by the composer’s first journey at sea and two poems by Goethe. The piece takes the listener out to sea on a voyage that begins with ominous calm before becoming more tumultuous, and concluding with an expression of relief at the sight of land and a celebration of a completed journey.

Astor Piazzolla’s Estaciones Porteñas (Four Seasons of Buenos Aires) follows. This little-known piece, deserving of greater recognition, is filled with great rhythm, humorous references to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons, and incredible beauty. This is a significant work, filled with complex arrangements and inspired by Piazzolla’s classical training as well as his love of the tango.

Guest violinist Corine Brouwer received high praised for her solo performances of Piazolla’s Estaciones Porteñas with the Winston-Salem Symphony, Robert Moody’s “other” orchestra where Brouwer serves as concertmaster. The two orchestras are holding an exchange program of sorts and PSO’s concertmaster, Charles Dimmick, performs as a guest soloist with the Winston-Salem Symphony this season.

Chris Brubeck’s Interplay for Three Violins and Orchestra incorporates varying musical styles of different cultures, exploring the relationship between folk music and classical. PSO audiences may remember Brubeck’s Travels in Time for Three performed earlier this season.

The program concludes with Claude Debussy’s La mer, a testament to Debussy’s lifelong love of the ocean that strongly evokes the sounds of wind, waves and even the ocean’s spray. The piece, which opened to poor reviews, has become the most popular and frequently performed of Debussy’s works.

Related activities:

•   Open Dress Rehearsal
Monday, April 4 at 7:00 PM at Merrill Auditorium
Free for students but space is limited. Please call (207) 773-6128 for reservations

•   Concert Conversation
With Robert Moody
Tuesday, April 5 at 6:15 PM in the Rehearsal Hall
Free to ticket holders

•   PostConcert Q&A
With the artists on stage immediately following the concert.

•    Afterglow
Mingle with the artists and PSO musicians at Restaurant Grace.

•   Broadcast
This concert will be broadcast statewide by MPBN on June 8.

For program notes, artist biographies, Online Insights and audio samples, as well as complete season information, visit PortlandSymphony.org.

The PSO’s 2010-2011 season is sponsored by IDEXX Laboratories and Wright Express, with additional support from Fairpoint Communications (Digital Enrichment Sponsor) and Jetblue Airways (Preferred Airline).

Tickets range from $20-$70 and are available through PortTIX at (207) 842-0800 or www.porttix.com. Phone and internet orders are subject to per-ticket handling fees. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office at 20 Myrtle St., Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. Special pricing for students, seniors, and groups may be available. Subscriptions (up to 20% off single ticket prices) and Compose Your Own packages (up to 10% off single ticket prices) are available all season long.

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Tags: violin