Parlez-vous Français?

The Orion Ensemble continues its 31st season with "Parlez-vous français?", welcoming back guest violist Stephen Boe for a program showcasing French composers.

"This exciting performance highlights the colorful, exotic and mystical expressions of French and Belgian chamber music at its finest," said Kathryne Pirtle, Orion clarinetist and executive director.

Trio for Clarinet, Viola and Piano (1990)
Jean Françaix (1912-97)

Françaix creates music that is moody and atmospheric one moment and a boisterous roller coaster ride the next. This Trio offers these contrasting elements in just the first two movements and beautifully uses the darker, richer qualities of the viola and the exquisite, lilting tones of the clarinet to achieve a mixture of subtleties.

Sonata in A Major for Violin and Piano (1886)
César Franck (1822-90)

The 63-year-old Franck intended this Sonata as a wedding gift for the 28-year-old concert violinist Eugène Ysaÿe (1858-1931). Franck had earlier promised Liszt's daughter, Cosima von Bülow, a violin sonata, a promise he never fulfilled, but it is assumed that any work on the earlier sonata for Cosima was later repurposed for this work, hailed as one of the great violin sonatas. Franck clearly expresses highly lyrical writing for the violin from the first notes.

Commented Orion violinist Florentina Râmniceanu, "The Franck sonata is one of the greatest violin sonatas ever written-lyrical and expressive, full of beautiful melodies and tumultuous virtuosity, with the violin and piano equally featured. It's been many years since Diana and I performed it, and we are very much looking forward to playing it."

Capriccio in C minor for Solo Viola, "Hommage à Paganini," Op. 55
Henri Vieuxtemps (1820-81)

A violin prodigy who gave his first concert at age six, Vieuxtemps also aspired to achieve success as a composer, writing his acclaimed Violin Concerto No. 1 when he was 20. This "Hommage" is a highly expressive and stirring work for viola, featuring quadruple stops and rapid, florid passages. Paganini himself loved the viola and had acquired a superb instrument by Stradivarius. On this program, guest Stephen Boe performs an excerpt, the Capriccio in C minor.

Quartet in C minor for Violin, Viola, Cello and Piano, Op. 15
Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924)

After doing everything he could, Fauré finally won the hand of Marianne Viardot (daughter of the famed vocalist Pauline Viardot), but she broke off the engagement after only four months. Distressed, Fauré turned to this Quartet, a work he had started in 1876 when he was still engaged and completed in 1879. The final product displays the artistry of a masterpiece and the composer's range of emotions.