(lively orchestral music) - Feel the power of music a it captivates and connects us.

(lively orchestral music) - Music is love.

(lively orchestral music) Music is passion.

(lively orchestral music) - [Speaker] Music belongs to eve (lively orchestral music) This is Minnesota Orchestra.

(lively orchestral music) (audience cheers and applauds) - That's a Friday night Minneapo (audience laughs) Good evening and welcome t "This is Minnesota Orchestra."

I'm your host, Ariana Kim.

We're elated that you've joined for tonight's distinctive progra here at Orchestra Hall in Minnea Tonight, we share with you program of lesser known works, yet arguably masterpieces from the 20th century, taking a leap into the world of Andre Jolivet's pantonal and imaginative concerto for bassoon performed by Minnesota orchestra own principal bassist Fei Xie, and Enescu's triumphant, and motivically-driven First Sym In the Jolivet, we hear a blend of inspirations from Arnold Scho and jazz idioms to the form itself being borrowed from the Baroque era.

Finishing tonight's program will be introduced to Enescu's brilliant orchestral in this of his first symphonic w Hearing the youth of his only 24 years at the time of its composition.

We opened tonight's program with selections from Wynton Marsalis's Blues Symphony a piece not yet two decades old.

It takes us on a journe through the world of the blues from Ragtime stomps to the birth of jazz in New Orleans and the sounds of a bustling cit symbolizing the Great Migration.

Marsalis says about his piece, "The Blues helps you remember ba before the troubles on hand and and they carry you on the wings to a timeless higher ground."

Our guest conductor for tonight's performance, Grammy award-winning artist Cristian Macelaru conducted the first recording of the Blues Symphony in 2019 with a Philadelphia orchestra.

His firsthand experience working with Marsalis on its debut recor has undoubtedly given him insigh and expertise second to none.

We now welcome to the stage, Concert Master Erin Keef and Maestro Cristian Macelaru to begin tonight's performance.

Receiving now its Minnesota Orchestra Premier, we hope you enjoy Wynton Marsalis's Blues Symphony.

(audience applauds) (gentle orchestral music) (audience applauds) ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Swimming in Sorrow") ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" ("Danzon y Mambo, Choro y Samba" (audience applauds) - You heard a couple o movements from the Blue Symphony by Wynton Marsalis, the second m "Swimming in Sorrow" and the sixth, "Danzon y mambo, choro y samba."

Cristian Macelaru led the Minnesota Orchestra.

Quite a few solo bouts tonight for Gabriel Campos Zamora, clari Douglas Wright, trombone, Manny Laureano, trumpets.

Jaclyn Rainey played some beautiful horn parts, Greg Milliren, flute.

And in that last section, you heard a lot at the beginning from Concert Master Erin Keef and Principal Cello Tony Ross.

(audience cheers and applauds) There were also sections that featured various subsets of the woodwinds.

By the way, if you're wondering, why not the rest of the symphony Well, the entire symphony is in seven movements and it clocks in at just over an I'm Melissa Ousley in the NPR ra and we are live at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis.

For those of you watching on Twin City's PBS or the orchestra's website, your host is Ariana Kim and she's backstage now.

Hey there, Ariana.

- Hi Melissa.

- What did you think of that Blue Symphony?

- Wow.

For me that piece is like, it's like a love letter to American and Afro-American musical history.

I was listening to an interview where Marsalis described hi approach to composing the piece and I loved learning how he wanted to pay homage to certain eras or languages.

For example, Black churc music or a country fiddle tune.

But he did so with his own stamp by inserting twisted or unorthodox harmonies.

And that sixth movement with nods to Latin dance music, it totally lit up the hall here at Orchestra Hall.

- Yeah, yeah.

I love how his music traces part of America's history as in this seen through the idiom of jazz.

Super fun.

So we're gonna switch gears to a wildly virtuoso bassoon con It's from the 1950s by th French composer Andre Jolivet.

- Right.

- And of course, step one with any concerto is to make sure that you can hear the soloist.

And while some instruments soar over the orchestra, that is not the case with the ba So Jolivet leaves out certain se brass and woodwinds, he leaves them out entirely and his solution is to have an o of strings, piano, and harp.

- Right.

It's a pretty unique practice to title a piece with such precision.

Concerto for bassoon string orchestra, harp and piano.

For me, it really illustrates how important each member of the ensemble is.

To me, it might even b something akin to chamber music.

- Oh yeah, for sure.

And of course, the musical language of Jolivet is not familiar to most of us.

In the first half of the 20th century, he went through a phase that many compos where he abandoned tonality.

- Right.

- And then in the 1930s he was part of this group that I wanna read this.

"Promoted spiritual values and human qualities in what they viewed as a mechanical and impersonal world."

Okay, Professor Kim, what does that mean?

(chuckles) - Yeah, that stood out to me too And I think it might be a calling for people to step away from maybe that industrialization that was happening during that time period, reminding themselves of what kinda connects us through humanity.

Much like today as we might stri to get away from our phones and social media accounts to acknowledge the more personal connections in art and life itself.

- Yeah, that makes a lot of sens and thank you for, you know, con to the 21st century.

- Right.

- So then moving on to the 1940s, Jolivet publishes this article saying that true French music owes nothing to Stravinsky.

Referring of course to th Russian composer Igor Stravinsky But Stravinsky spent a bunch of bunch of time in France.

In fact, his early ballets that were so successful, the Firebird, Petrushka, The Rite of Spring had the premieres in Paris.

And I don't know, maybe Jolivet resented all the attention that Stravinsky garnered.

- Yeah, I imagine there are prob of big feelings when major compo with such specific voices ar coexisting in the same sphere.

I love thinking about all of tho about how he wrote, 'cause it makes me think about those improvisatory gestures more differently in the first movement, those allusions to jazz idioms.

And yet, the piece is still really kind of firmly rooted in the pantonal world of mid-20th century Europe.

- Mm, yeah, yeah.

Well it's notoriously difficult - Right.

Yeah.

- And in addition to that, Fei, who is principal bassoon of the has two big adjustments to make.

Rather than sitting in the center of the orchestra with the rest of the woodwinds, he's gonna be standing and he'll be in front of the orc with his back to his colleagues.

And he told me when he stands, the physical act of playing the bassoon has the w of the instrument distributed di And there's of course the oral a when you're up front, right?

- Exactly.

Since bassoonists more often pra and performs sitting down, I also imagine it's an adjustmen - Yeah.

- Even for me as a violinist, when I'm prepping for a chamber music concert where we play seated, I practice sitting down.

And then when it's time for a solo recital or concerto, I have to make sure that I'm spending enough time on - All right, well you sit down n because we're all tuned up and getting ready to listen to the Jolivet.

Thank you, Ariana- - Sounds great.

- For your time.

- Likewise, Melissa.

Enjoy the show.

- [Melissa] Jolivet by the way, wrote this concerto for a French bassoonist and I learned from Fei that the French bassoon is very from the German instrument that One of the differences is that it's a little easier to play higher and faster on the French bassoon.

Still doable on the German bassoon, Fei told me, but it's more challenging.

And he had a huge smile i his face when he told me that, making it clear that he embraces that challenge.

(audience cheers and applauds) Here he is on stage at Orchestra in downtown Minneapolis playing with the Minnesota Orchestra and our guest conductor tonight, Cristian Macelaru.

("Recitativo: Allegro Gioviale") ("Recitativo: Allegro Gioviale") ("Recitativo: Allegro Gioviale") ("Recitativo: Allegro Gioviale") ("Recitativo: Allegro Gioviale") ("Recitativo: Allegro Gioviale") ("Recitativo: Allegro Gioviale") ("Recitativo: Allegro Gioviale") ("Recitativo: Allegro Gioviale") ("Recitativo: Allegro Gioviale") ("Recitativo: Allegro Gioviale") ("Recitativo: Allegro Gioviale") ("Recitativo: Allegro Gioviale") ("Recitativo: Allegro Gioviale") ("Recitativo: Allegro Gioviale") ("Recitativo: Allegro Gioviale") ("Largo Cantabile - Fugato") ("Largo Cantabile - Fugato") ("Largo Cantabile - Fugato") ("Largo Cantabile - Fugato") ("Largo Cantabile - Fugato") ("Largo Cantabile - Fugato") ("Largo Cantabile - Fugato") ("Largo Cantabile - Fugato") ("Largo Cantabile - Fugato") ("Largo Cantabile - Fugato") ("Largo Cantabile - Fugato") ("Largo Cantabile - Fugato") ("Largo Cantabile - Fugato") ("Largo Cantabile - Fugato") (audience cheers and applauds) (audience cheers and applauds) (audience cheers and applauds) (audience cheers and applauds) - A warm reception from th audience here at Orchestra Hall for Fei Xie's commanding perform of Jolivet's bassoon Concerto.

Fei has been the Minnesota Orche Principal Bassoonist since 2017.

When he won the principal role with a Baltimore Symphony back i he became the first Chinese born bassoonist to hold such a position in a major American symphony orc Let's hear more about his life on and off the Minnesota Orchest (gentle classic music) - Bassoon obviously is in the woodwind family.

It's a double read instrument and we are in the lower end of the sound spectrum.

We have a supporting role in the and sometimes, we are doubling t and cellos with the low strings.

So I sometimes see us as a bridg in between woodwinds and strings Oftentimes, we have solo row as There's a lot of great composers they write for bassoon.

Antonio Vivaldi, Italian compose wrote 39 bassoon concertos.

Tchaikovsky wrote many beautiful bassoon solos or we have the writer spring by Igor Stravinsky.

(gentle music) I won the bassoon to sound like a singer, you know, to sound like a tenor or sound like a bass.

I always wanted to be able to sing on the instruments.

So that's what I go for.

For me, the bassoon is my voice.

I'm Fei Xie and I'm the principal of bassoonist of the Minnesota Orchestra.

("Concerto for Bassoon") Andre Jolivet was a French compo Jolivet was inspired by Messiaen And later in his career, h started simplifying his music.

So in this concerto, you hear a lot of neoclassicism and a lot of influence in jazz.

("Concerto for Bassoon") It demands a high level of virtuosity from the soloist to play this piece.

It's even more challenging to play on German bassoon.

("Concerto for Bassoon") So here's is one of our kind of regular dinner type thing.

The hotpot is traditional Chines very popular way of eating.

(child speaking in foreign langu We have a relatively small famil because I'm only child, so it was my parents who are living in Minnesota now really close to us.

And my wife, her name's also Fei, she's a flute player.

(lively bassoon music) And I have two boys, Kevin and C So there's six of us total in th and we get together pretty much every week.

I was born in Yan'an in Shaanxi Province in China and my families were all musicia So of course, I start learning music at very young age.

I started playing the pian before I turned four years old.

I did that for about eight years My parents decided that I should go pro, playing music.

(lively orchestral music) One of the things we can do in China is there are these conservatories in Beijing or Shanghai.

So applied as a pianist when I was 12 years old, it was clear to us and to the faculty there that was not going to get in.

So they suggest that if really wanna go to school there, I should explore other instrumen And the bassoon professor asked if I want to learn bassoon.

And at the point, I have no idea what bassoon was.

I just said, "Yeah, if you teach how to play the bassoon, how learn the bassoon."

Fei and I went to school together when we were 12.

We played chamber music together - We did middle school and high school together.

We were the same class.

(playful music) - I left China right after high My parents have already left.

They came to us before me and then they know that i order for me to continue to grow as a musician play western instr I need to further my study here.

So that was kind of the planning that my dad had, the vision he had for our family So I went to Oberlin for my unde I learned a lot from my teacher, George Sakakeeny.

And then I went to Rice University in Houston where I studied with my former teacher, Ben Kamins who was a former associat principal of Minnesota Orchestra So now I'm back to years old stomping route.

I started my first job playing opera house in Houston.

And then I moved to Baltimore Sy and then I end up here in Minnes I came eight seasons ago.

And had been enjoying every minu It's a great section to work wit and the rest of the people in the wind section, the whole orchestra too, everybody's so supportive of each other, you know, we have differences, we think about things differentl everybody have different approac We always work it together to come up with a solution to better serve the music.

So it's a dream job.

Cris and I worked the longest together in the section and he is a great support of wha when we're on stage playing.

Cris is also the faculty team wi to teach the whole bassoon studi at the University of Minnesota.

(bright music) I mainly teach bassoo performance and I run studio cla and sometimes I teach chamber mu You can take a little bit of time on these phrase.

Teaching for me is something that I enjoy a lot.

I didn't really know how to do it when I was younger, but then once you started doing you kind of learn as you go.

You learn from how to teach, but also you learn from how student respond and how student is developing.

(lively music) - Some people, they play really but they cannot explain something really well, but he can really.

And he really helped me a lot to improve myself in my way.

I'm pretty lucky.

(laughs) - You want the best for your stu and I notice that you're very ki - That's kind for you to say.

- That's what I notice.

(lively music) - We talk about what we can do t to improve our students playing and oftentimes, we realizing we're saying the same thing.

It sounds (humming).

We have students getting jobs.

That's our goal.

Hopefully, they'll succeed in their career.

- Hopefully some of them, we'll - Yeah.

(both laughing) You know, as a parent, I want to help my children, but also I want them to explore on their own.

It's the same kind of feelin when I'm teaching my students.

I wanna give them something and then see what they can do wi (lively music) As you can imagine as professional musicians, if your kids are learning instru it is quite challenging for them For us too.

Because we hold very high standards for what we do But they're just kids.

- My name is Colin and I play th - I'm Kevin and I play the piano and the flute.

- Colin start out playing piano a little bit, but we asked him, you know other instruments wants to play, he says he wants to play the cel I asked him why.

He said, "Well 'cause I wanna maybe someday play duet with you.'

And so I thought, "Okay, great."

We are actually working on a piece together right now for his teacher's recital.

We had Kevin joined to play the piano part for us.

He's not sure if he wants to play the recital yet, but at least we'll get him to rehearse with us.

(lively music) Okay.

(Mei Hu speaks in foreign langua Mom's saying that she's really h that we are putting our kids' education as a priority.

I have to say I learned that from my parents because that's what they did for So we're just passing down to our children.

So this is my mom, Mei Hu, and it's my dad.

His name's Xie Juezai.

My dad is what they call jing hu Jing hu is a two string fiddle i My mom is what they call it yue qin master.

Yue qin is also known as a moon It has three strings, so that's of the main instruments in Pekin that they've been practicing since they were very young.

(bright orchestral music) (Xie Juezai speaks in foreign la Because we are all musicians and we think when can we be on stage together?

And it just happened.

The first Lunar concert we had, my parents were soloing with orchestra, I'm playing and then orchestra need a flute and they called my wife.

So all four of us were on stage - I played in the concert, I felt goosebump and then felt really great oppor that we can celebrate our traditional festival holidays in a different place.

It felt very special.

(lively orchestral music) - My role as artistic consultant for the Lunar New Year concert for the Minnesota Orchestra, and that was our first Lunar New Year concerts in 2022.

I've been working with the artist team ever since.

Every culture celebrate their New Years in their own ways and I think it's great that we bring this piece of culture from Far East.

And it's not just China tha celebrates lunar new New Year.

There's a lot of Asian countries celebrates Lunar New Year.

So we bring this to the Orchestra Hall for people who are from those countries to come to celebrate.

And for people who are not to experience this new thing in the Orchestra Hall, I think it's just great to bring people in together and spending time with music.

(lively orchestral music) (audience cheers and applauds) In China, we're taught to be humble, so a lot of times, we don't think about what we're proud of ourselves.

I think what I'm really proud of is that I'm doing something I lo And because of doing that, I could have this beautiful fami It makes me feel proud, guess, for what I have achieved through the hard works and with the support of my family and my friends and my colleagues You know, it's been a journey and it's a great journey.

(lively orchestral music) (audience applauds) - Fei and colleagues recently pe a chamber music concert here at Orchestra Hall.

Chamber music, a bit different from symphonic music, takes us to a place where each i has a distinct voice.

These individual characters trade places serving as protagonist, supporting actor, and even antagonist, creating a tapestry that is uniquely conversational.

Let's now take a peek into the world of chamber music at the Minnesota Orchestra.

(lively orchestral music) - Chamber music is my favorite kind of playing.

I get to wield and move my sound depending on who I'm playing with at any given moment.

I love doing that kind of stuff.

It stretches me and I really lik - The core foundational skills that we need for orchestral playing are rooted in chamber music.

(lively orchestral music) Some of the best music in the world is written for string quartet, so I think it's important for the musicians and for the li to get that unique experience.

(lively orchestral music) - We have artistic advisor committee made up of musicians and they discuss the repertoire that's gonna be performed in all of these various chamber (lively orchestral music) - We form our own groups, we pitch our own ideas for chamber works and we cross o that our piece gets picked and that we get to play.

(lively orchestral music) We performed the Bowen "Fantasie for 4 Violas."

The group was comprised of Becca and Marlea Simpson, Jude Park, a (lively orchestral music) Bowen was an English composer and piano player, but he also played many other in including French horn and the vi And he actually preferred the viola to the violin so he wrote a lot of Viola works All of his music is so beautiful and romantic.

We get these soaring melodies that we can slide around on and be like juicy and that's just not something that composers really write for the viola very often.

So he really understood our core and our hearts.

("L'histoire du soldat") - We played Igor Stravinsky's "L'histoire du soldat" which was written in 1918.

And it's a story of a soldier on his way home who makes a deal with the devil.

He gives up his violin, also known as his soul for riches and power.

And it's a story of how he works his way back to regaining his violin but then in the end, loses it because he wants it all and nobody can have it all.

("L'histoire du soldat") To Ray, our violinist, is sort of the protagonist of th He represents Joseph and his violin and his soul.

We've got a rockstar of a bass player, Kyle Sanborn, who is one of our newer members of the orchestra.

Gabby and Fei, our principal clarinetist and bassoonist, have different characteristics in the group.

And Doug and myself, trumpet and ("L'histoire du soldat") And then our percussionist, Kevi He plays the part of the devil u and you can hear that in sort of the deeper rhythmic, drumbeat kind of feel of his mus ("L'histoire du soldat") Stravinsky uses all sorts of interesting things.

You'll hear the bass player goin boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, bo But meanwhile the beat is going something like.

(clicks ("L'histoire du soldat") It presents all sorts of interesting challenges for the ensemble to sort of find its way through that.

(lively music) - [Lydia] We all know how to play with each other already because we play an orchestra every day together.

And so that part kind of just came naturally.

- I would love for that the at t to actually be just a little bit more fluid if it's possible.

- A piece for four violas is pretty much unheard of.

(uplifting music) Pieces written for four of the same instrument are reall because of course, they all soun and have the same register.

The roles of all of us were sort of similar to the roles of each instrument in a regular string quartet, which is two violins, viola, and Becca was just way up in the str just like shifting around up the mimicking the first violin.

(lively orchestral music) (all laughing) - [Speaker] That get filmed.

- Just like softer than one, but louder than three.

- Playing chamber of music brings all of us on stage just that much closer together.

I play quite a bit in brass quintet, made up of a couple of our trumpet players, our principal horn player and our principal tulist.

When we sit on stage with the full orchestra, there's a connection there because we've played a thousand hours together, just the five of us.

(lively orchestral music) - When we play in these small groups, we all get to have a say and we all get to bounce off of each other and get inspired ourselves b the other people in the group.

And I always feel inspired by the musicians here.

(gentle orchestral music) Chamber is so exciting.

It's different from what you get when you come to the orchestra to watch a huge performance.

You get to see four people who have these unique ideas, blend them all together an create something really magical.

(lively orchestral music) - The fact that this orchestra s our chamber music concert really speaks to how they want to nurture the artistry of each and every individual musician.

(audience applauds) Chamber music is one of the finest ways for us to stay in closer contact to our community.

It's a wonderful thing.

(audience applauds) - As a violinist myself, chamber music has always been at of my existence as an artist.

From the first duets I played wi and Suzuki classmates in prescho to several seasons with the Aizuri Quartet, and most recently, sitting on th of Mysore, India, diving into the world of carnatic music.

There's something simply magical about being a singular voice among just a few others.

Each one having something import and inviting to say.

Chamber music becomes a tool for How one listens, responds, communicates, anticipates, and reacts are all the most crucial components for creating incredible chamber And likewise, hopefully, become the building blocks of how we interact as human bein It also brings us closer to one This evening we solemnly remembe our dear colleague, cellist Arek Tesarczyk.

Tonight's performance is dedicated to his memory.

Arek passed away last month after a long illness that he faced with great dignity.

He was humble and kind and had a brilliant sense of humor.

Principle cellist Tony Ross thought of him as a rock because of the lush beautiful sound he created, which enhanced the whole cello s Originally from Poland, Arek was the principal cellist in Winnipeg for 11 years before he joined the Minnesota Orchestra in 2004.

Some of you may remember in 2010 when he stepped in to play the world premiere of Rautavaara's second cello con He was magnificent.

We share our condolences with Arek's wife, Claudia Chen, his children, Victor and Katya and all of his extended family.

Music and family were Arek's gre and we celebrate both in his honor tonight.

As intermission concludes, we return to the stage to close out tonight's concert with Enescu's triumphant "Sympho I look forward to greeting you one more time on stage shortly.

(rousing orchestral music) (audience applauds) Hi everyone.

We hope you enjoyed our intermission offerings and welcome back to the second half of our program.

We conclude tonight's concert with Enescu's "Symphony No.

1," a foray into the unbashful 24-year-old composer's eclectic background.

Though Romanian by heritage, Enescu studied in Paris and Vienna and one can't help but hear the influence of Brahms in his orchestration and form.

In the first movement, he skillfully marrie chromaticism reminiscent of fora with the harmonic hallmarks of late German romanticism.

We're taken from the feeling of chaine ballet in the elegance of the string writing to exuberant triumph highlighted by the unabashed brass and timpani calls.

I kinda secretly wish I could quickly trade out my violin for a trumpet or some bas drum mallets in that movement.

The second movement transports us to a place of fantasy, highlighting the uni of the English horn, bass clarin and double harps while the third combines the 19th centur tradition of Scherzo and Finale into one succinct movement.

With that, we're delighted to have Maestro Macelaru, the Cincinnati Symphony music director designate and music director of the National Orchestra of France.

Join us on stage to have a brief conversation about tonight's program.

Please welcome back to th stage, Maestro Cristian Macelaru (audience applauds) Hi Christian, thank you so much for that incredible first half.

When I was listening to the pieces on this program, I was curious about your inspira and given your Romanian heritage and your connection to Marsalis, I wonder if you could share a li about your inspiration with the - Of course.

Well, my favorite thing about mu is that it actually connects peo And in thinking about tonight's concert, I wanted to bring something that would be really truly a first here and both to the orchestra and to the audience.

And what a better way than to bring someone from my ow by the composer Enescu, who I lo and I hope you will get to love his music as well.

And then Winton, who I call a personal friend, not just an incredible composer, I wanted to bring as well because his music means so much and I thought this pairing would be a nice way to bring something new here.

- Beautiful.

Yeah, it's so wonderful when that Venn diagram of wonderful friends an fabulous music overlap so nicely I know that the Minnesot Orchestra is a unique ensemble for you, and I wonder if you might share a little bit about your connection with our hometown band.

- Yes, you know, the musical world is rather small, and I have so many friends in the orchestra that I went to school with and many, many ye And in fact, Fei and I have been talking about performing the Jolivet Concerto for about 2 And I promised him when we were that one day, we will do this pi and tonight was the night.

Can you imagine?

(audience cheers and applauds) - And how lucky we are to get to experience that project two decades in the Thank you so much and best of luck for the second half.

(audience applauds) Well known by string players as a violinist and preserver of Romanian folk music, Enescu brings a quiet confidence to the composition of his first symphony.

He masterfully blends th kaleidoscopic language reminisce of fin de siecle French composer like Chausson and Messiaen.

With irrepressible climaxes that to his Viennese training with Robert Fuchs, following in the footsteps of Bruckner and Strauss.

The first movement announces the of E-flat with grandeur and dram laying out the thematic material that will be foundational as we move forward.

The second movement is a bit of a cleansing of the palette which leans more heavily on the use of coloration in the woodwinds, adding to its atmospheric sensib Instead of a four-movement structure common in the symphonic traditions until this time, Enescu conclude with one singular thir movement, mixing a Sonata form with a Rondo form, he interweaves the elements of a scherzo, traditionally the third movement with a majesty and grandeur of a grand finale.

Typical of a fourth.

We invite you now to paint pictures in your mind, inspired by the vivid colors, contrast and richness provided by Enescu in this, his first symphony.

And now for the conclusion of tonight's concert and live broadcast, signing off for "This is Minnesota Orchestra," I'm Ariana Kim.

Enjoy Enescu's "Symphony No.

1" and have a wonderful evening.

Thank you and good night.

(audience applauds) (rousing orchestral music) (audience applauds) ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") ("Assez vif et rythme") (audience applauds) ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Lent") ("Vif et vigoureux") ("Vif et vigoureux") ("Vif et vigoureux") ("Vif et vigoureux") ("Vif et vigoureux") ("Vif et vigoureux") ("Vif et vigoureux") ("Vif et vigoureux") ("Vif et vigoureux") ("Vif et vigoureux") ("Vif et vigoureux") ("Vif et vigoureux") ("Vif et vigoureux") ("Vif et vigoureux") ("Vif et vigoureux") ("Vif et vigoureux") ("Vif et vigoureux") (audience cheers and applauds) (audience cheers and applauds) (audience cheers and applauds) (audience cheers and applauds) (audience chatters)