Chamber Classics: Watercolours

Join the CSO Chamber Ensemble of the Canberra Symphony Orchestra for a delightful afternoon of classical music.

‘There is no theory,’ Debussy famously declared. ‘Pleasure is the law!’

While Debussy strenuously rejected the association, some have drawn parallels between his music and the French Impressionist painters. The Impressionists were more concerned with the essence of a thing than its substance; this program explores that shimmering, transparent quality that we often associate with nostalgia and fond remembering.

Dancing between light and shadow, Debussy’s virtuosic G minor violin sonata is punctuated by bursts of sunny optimism and exuberance. Just as exquisite, his Ariette oubliées (Forgotten Songs) – based on poems by Paul Verlaine – embody the sensations stirred by the natural world: the shadow cast by a tree, the sound of rainfall or a gentle morning breeze.

One of the leading keyboardists of his time, Gabriel Fauré premiered his First Violin Sonata with violinist Paul Viardot, to whom it was dedicated – this perhaps explains the unusually demanding and virtuosic piano part. Vibrant and lively, this lush work of Romantic French music showcases the composer’s distinct and original voice.

This program features a new commission from Connor D’Netto, whose work balances intricate rhythms with heartfelt lyricism and rich, enveloping textures. We close with Debussy’s poignant ‘lover’s dialogue’ from Fêtes galantes, also based on Verlaine’s poetry.