Mistral Music is pleased to invite audiences on a journey through luminous soundscapes, where colors and lyrical melodies intertwine to capture the beauty and spirit of France’s rich musical tradition.
The program opens with a mesmerizing gem by the little-known Breton composer and naval officer Jean Cras—his Quintet for Flute, String Trio, and Harp. Infused with delicate textures and maritime influences, this evocative work reflects the rhythms of the sea and the composer’s life aboard ship.
Next, selected movements from Jean Françaix’s String Trio offer a playful and witty interlude, full of charm and sparkling ingenuity. The mood then shifts with Danse Macabre by Camille Saint-Saëns, reimagined for violin duo—a thrilling and eerie depiction of the dance of death, balancing mischief and mystery in equal measure.
The concert continues with Claude Debussy’s String Quartet, a revolutionary masterpiece that redefined chamber music with its innovative harmonies and fluid rhythmic invention.
In celebration of Maurice Ravel’s 150th Birthday, the concert concludes with his Introduction & Allegro, a radiant work which brings all the artists together on stage, and envelops the listener in lush textures and shimmering color, showcasing the virtuosity of Boston Symphony Orchestra’s principal harpist, Jessica Zhou.
Join us for Reflections from the Seine, where the music of some of France’s greatest composers flows like the river itself—shimmering, mysterious, and endlessly captivating. With French cellist Jean-Michel Fonteneau, Mistral violist Stephanie Fong, guest violinists Siwoo Kim and Maureen Nelson, flutist Julie Scolnik, clarinetist Catherine Hudgins, and BSO principal harp goddess, Jessica Zhou.
Come bid us farewell for the summer!
Jean CRAS (1870-1958) Quintet for flute, string trio, & harp
Jean FRANÇAIX String Trio
Camille SAINT-SAENS: Danse Macabre for violin duo arr. Boutellis/Duval
Claude DEBUSSY String Quartet
Maurice RAVEL (1875-1937) Introduction & Allegro
for harp, for string quartet, flute, & clarinet
