Typically when thinking of French classical music, beautiful orchestral works flood the mind, filling it with the sounds of Claude Debussy and Maurice Ravel.

But before the impressionists stole the headlines, there was another period of French classical music: the romantic era. In honour of French romantics, The Okanagan Symphony Orchestra presents three works from era composers Hector Berlioz, 脡douard Lalo and Camille Saint-Sa毛ns in their Nov. 24-26 concert, The French Connection.

Kicking off The Chase Masterworks Series performance is Berlioz香蕉视频直播� Chasse royale et Orage (The Royal Hunt and Storm).

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a lovely opener depicting the hunting calls,香蕉视频直播� said OSO music director and conductor Rosemary Thomson of Berlioz香蕉视频直播檚 composition. 香蕉视频直播淗e was a bit of a bad boy. He was so ahead of his time 香蕉视频直播� he didn香蕉视频直播檛 fit the classical mould. He was really painting pictures with his compositions.香蕉视频直播�

Three sets of timpani surround the orchestra, giving the piece palpable power, reminiscent of rolling thunder.

As the thunder subsides, renowned-violinist and two-time recipient of a rare violin from the Canada Council Musical Instrument bank Timothy Chooi ignites the audience with Lalo香蕉视频直播檚 Symphonie Espagnole, while wielding a 1717 Windsor-Weinstein Stradivari violin valued at $5 million.

香蕉视频直播淭imothy is one of Canada香蕉视频直播檚 greatest experts on the violin,香蕉视频直播� Thomson said of the 23-year-old violinist currently enrolled in a master香蕉视频直播檚 program at the Juilliard School in New York City and who previously studied at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. 香蕉视频直播淗e香蕉视频直播檚 an amazing performer with amazing depth.香蕉视频直播�

And Chooi is a performer Thomson is happy to feature on Lalo香蕉视频直播檚 composition.

香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 a beautiful piece,香蕉视频直播� Thomson said of Symphonie Espagnole. 香蕉视频直播淲e香蕉视频直播檙e going to bring a little Mediterranean sunshine to the Okanagan.香蕉视频直播�

With new equipment from Calgary now available, Thomson is excited to bring Saint-Sa毛ns香蕉视频直播� Symphony No. 3, a.k.a the Organ Symphony due to its inclusion of the instrumental powerhouse that was added to amplify the orchestra.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檝e been waiting to do this piece for a while, but we didn香蕉视频直播檛 actually have organs available,香蕉视频直播� Thomson said. 香蕉视频直播淭hey call the organ the king of the orchestra. The organ plays these low notes you almost can香蕉视频直播檛 here but you can feel it, and when you combine the two, it香蕉视频直播檚 the grandest sound you can achieve.香蕉视频直播�

But with a digital organ Thomson has been assured sounds identical to the real thing on hand, the OSO is ready to bring the Organ Symphony to Okanagan audiences.

香蕉视频直播淚香蕉视频直播檓 really excited that we香蕉视频直播檙e going to be able to do this amazing piece,香蕉视频直播� Thomson said. 香蕉视频直播淲hen the organ plays in full blast, it will really blow the roof off the theatre.香蕉视频直播�

The OSO brings The French Connection to the Kelowna Community Theatre Friday, Nov. 24 at 7:30 p.m., Penticton香蕉视频直播檚 Cleland Community Theatre, Saturday Nov. 25 at 7:30 p.m. and the Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre Sunday Nov. 26 at 7 p.m. Tickets are available for $56.25 adult, $49 senior, $26.25 student/child and $25 first two rows at .

entertainment@vernonmorningstar.com
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