Concerts
Between Heaven and Earth
Zunftsaal Schmiedenhof
Rümelinsplatz 4, 4001 Basel
A poetic musical journey for flute, harp, and string trio: Works by Roussel, Beethoven, Saint-Saëns, and Cras combine classical elegance with impressionistic color and tonal diversity.
At the heart of this chamber music project is a delicate, richly colored ensemble: flute, harp, and string trio—a combination that captivates with its transparency, warmth, and elegance, and is rarely heard in this form on concert programs. The repertoire spans different eras and stylistic worlds, yet is united by its consistently poetic musical language.
Albert Roussel’s “Sérénade, Op. 30” opens the concert with an elegance imbued with Impressionist sensibility. Composed in 1925, this work blends French sophistication, rhythmic vitality, and pastoral lyricism. The unusual instrumentation creates a shimmering array of timbres and fosters an atmosphere of lightness and sonic refinement.
In contrast stands Beethoven’s String Trio No. 4 in C minor, Op. 9, No. 3—a masterpiece of the classical chamber music repertoire. Here, Beethoven’s early dramatic expressiveness, structural clarity, and emotional depth are on full display. In this trio, Beethoven succeeds in uniting orchestral dimensions and intimate dialogues within a very confined space.
Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Fantaisie” for flute and harp is the epitome of French elegance and beauty. The two instruments interplay in a virtuosic yet consistently cantabile dialogue that evokes Mediterranean landscapes, Baroque echoes, and Impressionist hues.
The program concludes with the rarely performed Quintet for Flute, Harp, and String Trio by the Breton composer Jean Cras. As a naval officer and composer, Cras blended influences from around the world with French harmony and an unmistakably personal style. His quintet is imbued with exotic color, rhythmic richness, and quiet introspection—a true treasure of chamber music that is being rediscovered here. Ultimately, this concert is a musical journey between heaven and earth—between classical forms, impressionistic soundscapes, and poetic musical imagery. The instrumentation allows for an exceptionally clear, luminous musical language in which intimacy and expressiveness blend in the most beautiful way.
Note: This text was translated by machine translation software and not by a human translator. It may contain translation errors.
Albert Roussel’s “Sérénade, Op. 30” opens the concert with an elegance imbued with Impressionist sensibility. Composed in 1925, this work blends French sophistication, rhythmic vitality, and pastoral lyricism. The unusual instrumentation creates a shimmering array of timbres and fosters an atmosphere of lightness and sonic refinement.
In contrast stands Beethoven’s String Trio No. 4 in C minor, Op. 9, No. 3—a masterpiece of the classical chamber music repertoire. Here, Beethoven’s early dramatic expressiveness, structural clarity, and emotional depth are on full display. In this trio, Beethoven succeeds in uniting orchestral dimensions and intimate dialogues within a very confined space.
Camille Saint-Saëns’ “Fantaisie” for flute and harp is the epitome of French elegance and beauty. The two instruments interplay in a virtuosic yet consistently cantabile dialogue that evokes Mediterranean landscapes, Baroque echoes, and Impressionist hues.
The program concludes with the rarely performed Quintet for Flute, Harp, and String Trio by the Breton composer Jean Cras. As a naval officer and composer, Cras blended influences from around the world with French harmony and an unmistakably personal style. His quintet is imbued with exotic color, rhythmic richness, and quiet introspection—a true treasure of chamber music that is being rediscovered here. Ultimately, this concert is a musical journey between heaven and earth—between classical forms, impressionistic soundscapes, and poetic musical imagery. The instrumentation allows for an exceptionally clear, luminous musical language in which intimacy and expressiveness blend in the most beautiful way.
Note: This text was translated by machine translation software and not by a human translator. It may contain translation errors.