ORION ENSEMBLE

Saint-Saen’s sparkling trio opus 18 was composed in 1863. Good- natured, fantastic music by a composer who wrote a lot more than only his Carnaval des Animeaux. A composer about whom Debussy sighed “ he should stop composing by now…”, Saint-Saens was of a different opinion: “I live in my music like a fish in water."



Gabriel Fauré is having hearing problems from the age of 57; at 75 his hearing fails completely. In the last two years of his life he composes, totally deaf, the particularly moving trio opus 120. From the inner silence, his deafness, in this trio a tremendous singing is developing: majestically, compellingly, and harmoniously. The music behaves like a bird taking wings and soaring to a great height, a radiant realm. The first part, purposeful, reaching an ever higher level, the second with an unparallelled intensity, and the final like a brief struggle. And all the time there is that association with the bird that tries to be faster and higher to eventually reach its goal, harmony, the sun. This trio is Fauré’s musical translation of his vision of human mortality; a joyful liberation.

Pavane - Gabriel Fauré
trio opus 18- Camille Saint-Saens
Danse Macabre - Camille Saint-Saens
Trio opus 120 - Gabriel Fauré

(choice of music with reservation)