{ In History }
300 years ago , in 1717 , the final volume of a translation into French by Antoine Galland was published posthumously . Galland , who died in 1715 , had discovered a 14 th -century Syrian manuscript in Constantinople filled with stories about Sinbad the Sailor and other fantastical adventures , and he set to work translating it . The 12-volume “ Les mille et une nuit ” was the first European version of Scheherazade ’ s famous tales .
{ In Trouble }
A ferret plays with instruments
Ari , a ferret , sneaks into a shop late one night only to discover a playground beyond his wildest dreams . He sees all kinds of instruments : woodwinds , brass , drums . It ’ s an instrument repair shop .
This is the setting for the Animated Orchestra , commissioned by the Cabrillo Festival to celebrate its 50 th anniversary in 2012 , where it was conducted by Marin Alsop and narrated by its composer and author , Gregory Smith .
Alsop and Smith join forces with BSO musicians to recreate the story for the March 4 Family Concert .
Audience members both young and old use their imaginations — with the help of the orchestra — to experience Ari ’ s exploits . The little ferret scampers about , climbing up and sliding down the strings of a bass , trying out the trumpets , tuning the violins and banging on drums . He even falls asleep inside the tuba , an act that has the conductor pulling her hair out .
Presenting Sponsor :
Official Education Partner of the BSO
Going for Baroque
Supporting Sponsors :
Johann Sebastian Bach ’ s time-honored Brandenburg Concertos will help the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra wind down its 2016 – 2017 season ! The program , conducted by Marin Alsop with soloists from the BSO , replaces the previously scheduled Bluebeard ’ s Castle in June . The six pieces , first performed in 1721 , are considered the jewels among orchestral compositions from the Baroque era .
Performances will be Thursday , June 8 at 8pm at Strathmore , Saturday , June 10 at 8pm and Sunday , June 11 at 3pm at the Meyerhoff . For ticket information , BSOmusic . org .
{ InSpir ation }
Pulse program explores the fringe
Nicholas Hersh , co-curator of the BSO ’ s innovative Pulse Series , looks for connections between the indie bands who perform on the Meyerhoff stage and the classical tradition of the concert hall . For each production , he chooses a piece from the orchestral canon that highlights common themes , with a goal to remind audiences of the universality of music .
Lower Dens , the Baltimore-based band that will appear in May , had a strong opinion about placing “ Mysteries of the Macabre ,” by the Transylvanianborn composer György Ligeti ( who died in 2006 , a resident of Vienna ) on the program . The piece is an aria from his opera The Grand Macabre . Jana Hunter , the band ’ s lead singer , “ advocated specifically for pairing Ligeti with her music ,” says Hersh . “ She considers him an inspiration .”
Hersh thought it a good fit . “ Lower Dens and Ligeti each represent the truly experimental fringe of their respective genres ,” he says .
Lower Dens will perform with the BSO on May 11 . For information , BSOmusic . org / Pulse
Pulse is made possible by a grant from The Wallace Foundation .
Pulse Series
Jordan August
March – APRIL 2017 | Overture 5