Beethoven’s beloved “Pastorale” Symphony is filled with imaginative musical depictions of birdsong, a flowing stream, a thunderstorm, and other sounds of country life. Edmonton-born Vivian Fung’s Parade, inspired by watching her 6-year old son in a parade following pandemic lockdowns, is a “celebration of community that also explores the journey from solitude to togetherness.” Camille Saint-Saëns often said, “form is the essence of art,” a principle that is eloquently realized in his compact Cello Concerto No. 1, featuring Montreal-born Jean-Guihen Queyras in his long overdue ESO debut.
Program
Beethoven, Symphony No. 6 “Pastoral”
Fauré, Élégie for Cello
Saint-Saëns, Cello Concerto No. 1
Fung, Parade