A Clarinet Rhapsody

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Music Director/Conductor: Christoph Poppen
Clarinet: Horácio Ferreira

An iconic work for the clarinet demanding absolute mastery of the instrument, Debussy’s Première Rhapsodie is poetic, capricious and enthralling, displaying the beautiful instrument’s kaleidoscopic sound qualities and instilling lasting influence in all who continue to contribute towards the clarinet repertoire – one of whom being composer Geoffrey Gordon. His clarinet concerto Fumée – inspired by Debussy’s work as well as a chanson by Reynaldo Hahn, setting the text of Greek poet Jean Moréas – reflects on the transient existence of human beings, who ultimately leave the world as ashes and vanish like smoke, or fumée.

A thoughtful pairing of these two works by Debussy and Gordon will make up the musical core of this concert by Hong Kong Sinfonietta and Music Director Christoph Poppen, presenting the Portuguese clarinet rising star Horácio Ferreira; the rest of the programme includes Debussy’s evocative masterpiece Prélude à L’Après-midi d’un Faune, as well as Mozart’s electrifying Symphony No 40 in G minor.

Programme

Debussy
Prélude à L’Après-midi d’un Faune

Debussy/Geoffrey Gordon arr
Première Rhapsodie for Clarinet & Chamber Orchestra (2021) (Asian première)
Commissioned by St Paul Chamber Orchestra, Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Lausanne Chamber Orchestra & Hong Kong Sinfonietta

Geoffrey Gordon
Fumée for Clarinet & Chamber Orchestra (2021) (Asian première)
(After the Chanson by Reynaldo Hahn)
Commissioned by St Paul Chamber Orchestra, Swedish Chamber Orchestra, Lausanne Chamber Orchestra & Hong Kong Sinfonietta

Mozart
Symphony No 40 in G minor, K550

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Duration: Approximately 2 hours with a 15 min intermission
Age Limit: For ages 6+

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

One of Hong Kong’s flagship orchestras, Hong Kong Sinfonietta has brought music closer to the community, and achieved significant local and international recognition for its passionate performances and innovative programming. The orchestra has collaborated with an illustrious array of international musicians and groups, including in recent years Ilya Gringolts, Martin Helmchen, Sergei Nakariakov, Jean-Guihen Queyras, Krzysztof Penderecki, The Royal Ballet, English National Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Stuttgart Ballet and Tanztheater Wuppertal Pina Bausch.

Hong Kong Sinfonietta is a regular guest at international arts festivals and has toured 46 cities around the world. As an avid believer of keeping music alive and contemporary, the orchestra commissions and performs new works every year and ventures into new initiatives, recently receiving wide acclaim for its Back On Stage concert film series and becoming the first local orchestra to appear in cinemas. Following the success of the first edition in 2018, the orchestra organised the 2nd Hong Kong International Conducting Competition in 2023, attracting applications from 45 countries/regions around the world and providing an invaluable platform for young conductors to establish their careers.