A war injury forced the talented conductor André Caplet to give up his post as musical director at the Paris Opera. The musician, born in Le Havre in 1878, soon devoted himself solely to composition. As a student of Claude Debussy, he overcame the impressionism demanded by his teacher and moved closer to the avant-garde - for example, by composing for the modern concert harp. In 1919, Caplet wrote a "Fantastic Tale" for harp and string quartet, inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's story "The Masque of the Red Death". The work musically captures the dark and ghostly atmosphere of the story and processes his own war expeiences.

4th Chamber Evening

Semperoper Dresden

Awartime injury forced the talented conductor André Caplet to give up his post as musical director at the Paris Opera. And so the musician, who was born in Le Havre in 1878, soon devoted himself entirely to composition. As a pupil of Claude Debussy, he abandoned his teacher’s Impressionism in favour of the avant-garde, for example in the music he composed for the modern concert harp. In 1919, Caplet wrote a »Fantastic Tale« for harp and string quartet inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s story »The Masque of the Red Death«. The work wonderfully captures both the dark and ghostly atmosphere of the tale while reflecting on the composer’s own experiences of war.

Chamber Music Evening N° 4

Only ten years separate the two main works at this concert, and yet Ottorino Respighi and Igor Stravinsky are truly worlds apart. The orchestral suite »Trittico botticelliano« was inspired by the paintings of the Renaissance artist Sandro Botticelli. Respighi breathes life into the picturesque scenes through his impressionistic colouring. With its gentle elegance, the suite is one of the composer’s most lyrical works. Stravinsky’s concerto »Dumbarton Oaks«, on the other hand, is influenced by Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos. In three movements, its clear structure and contrapuntal density combined with rhythmic energy conspire to create one of the composer’s most striking works for chamber orchestra.

Joachim Hans

Events

Upcoming events

Jan 23, 2025

4th Chamber Evening · Semperoper Dresden

Jan 23, 2025

Chamber Music Evening N° 4 · Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

Jan 30, 2025

Evening Recital N° 2 · Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

Future and recently performed repertoire

Bassoon in Sextet by Poulenc

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

Bassoon in Bassoon Concerto in A minor by Vivaldi

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

Bassoon in Bassoon Concerto in E-flat major by Vivaldi

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

Bassoon in Sextet for Piano and Woodwind Quintet by Thuille

Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden

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