The Grand Rapids Symphony invites audiences to celebrate Valentine’s Day in a unique way this year: by sharing the experience of live orchestral performance. The evening features the music of two Romantic composers, Brahms and Saint-Saens, as well as the talents of French rising star pianist Lise de la Salle. Music Director David Lockington will lead two performances on Friday, Feb. 10 and Saturday, Feb. 11 at 8 p.m. at DeVos Performance Hall. These concerts are part of the Richard and Helen DeVos Classical Series.
The Symphony welcomes the return of pianist Lise de la Salle as she brings her interpretation of French composer Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 to the DeVos Performance Hall stage. Symphony Associate Conductor John Varineau recalls de la Salle’s unforgettable performance with the Symphony in 2009.
“It was one of those experiences where I felt like the whole orchestra had put their fingers into an electrical socket,” Varineau said. “Her technique was brilliant, her interpretation was brilliant. It was all electric.”
Written in just three weeks before its premiere in 1868, the soloist (Saint-Saëns) had little time to practice and prepare his Piano Concerto No. 2; consequently the work was not initially well-received by the audience or critics. Nonetheless, Franz Liszt soon became a champion of the work and it quickly became a favorite of pianists and audiences alike.
Audiences will be uplifted by Brahms’ cheery Symphony No. 2, which stands apart from Brahms body of work often characterized as dark and melancholic. The composer wrote the symphony in the summer of 1877 in Austria, where he found inspiration in the pastoral beauty of the surrounding lakes and snow-capped mountains. His mood was further heightened by the fact that he had recently broken his decades-long symphonic writer’s block by finishing his first symphony. Brahms created this light-hearted work in about four months, and wrote “the melodies fly so thick here that you have to be careful not to step on one.”
Music Director David Lockington enjoys listening for the musical influences in this work. “The lessons that composers draw from the past are often as fascinating as the pieces themselves,” Lockington shared. “I love the last movement of this work, because you can hear Beethoven, who [Brahms] was deeply influenced by, but I think you can also hear Handel.”
The concert also features a newly-commissioned work by St. Joseph, Michigan native, James Lee III. The presentation of this work is made possible through the Sphinx Commissioning Consortium, a group of thirteen orchestras, including the Grand Rapids Symphony, that pledge to commission and perform a new work from a Black or Latino composer each year. James Lee III’s festive work for orchestra, “Sukkot Through Orion’s Nebula,” is the third commission from the Consortium. “I want to compose music to reach to the inner soul of the listener,” Lee III said. “Music that elevates them regardless of race and religious affiliation.”
Tickets
Tickets start at $18 and are available at the Symphony office, weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 300 Ottawa NW, Suite 100, (located across from the Calder), or by calling 616/454-9451, Ext. 4. (Phone orders will be charged a $2 per ticket service fee, with a $12 maximum.) Tickets are available at the DeVos Place Box Office, weekdays 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., or on the day of the concert beginning two hours prior to the performance. Tickets may also be purchased through Ticketmaster, 800/982-2787, online at www.grsymphony.org, or in person at Ticketmaster outlets: select D&W Fresh Markets, Family Fare Stores and Walmart. Tickets purchased at these locations will include a Ticketmaster service fee. This is a student passport concert.
About Lise de la Salle
23-year-old French pianist Lise de la Salle has emerged as one of the most acclaimed artists of her generation, praised for inspired performances of virtuosity and depth. Ms. de la Salle began playing piano at the age of four and gave her first concert at nine in a live broadcast on Radio-France. At 13, she made her concerto debut. At 16, she came to international attention with her Bach/Liszt recording for Naive, selected by Gramophone as "Recording of the Month." Her engagements have led her to the largest halls in Europe, America and Japan. This season she makes her debut with the Baltimore, Cincinnati, Dallas and Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestras.
About the Grand Rapids Symphony
The Grammy-nominated Grand Rapids Symphony was officially organized in 1930 and is recognized as one of America’s leading regional orchestras. Led by Music Director David Lockington, eight concert series are presented, featuring a wide range of music and performance styles. More than 400 performances are presented each year, touching the lives of some 170,000. Nearly half of those who benefit are students, senior citizens and people with disabilities reached through extensive education and community service programs. The Symphony sponsors the Grand Rapids Symphony Chorus, Grand Rapids Youth Symphony and Classical Orchestra, Grand Rapids Symphony Youth Choruses, and also provides the orchestra for Opera Grand Rapids and the Grand Rapids Ballet Company. To learn more about the Grand Rapids Symphony, please visit www.grsymphony.org.
These concerts are made possible with support from the Michigan Council of Arts and Cultural Affairs, a partner agency of the National Endowment for the Arts.