Conductor Pascal Rophé’s visit to the NFM will feature a programme that pairs canonical works with new music, a repertoire of particular interest to the artist. In Maurice Ravel’s enchanting Piano Concerto in G major, the soloist will be Lucas Debargue, a French pianist who has enjoyed widespread recognition for over a decade, following his appearance at the International Tchaikovsky Competition. The evening will conclude with a performance of Modest Mussorgsky’s beloved Pictures at an Exhibition by the NFM Wrocław Philharmonic.

Pascal Rophé’s keen interest in contemporary music will be reflected in the first half of the evening, which includes a performance of Color by Marc-André Dalbavie. This intricate composition, focused on a rich diversity of textures, serves as a magnificent testament to the French composer’s phenomenal command of the orchestra. Maurice Ravel, too, has long been regarded as a master of orchestration. His brilliant and humorous Piano Concerto in G major, composed in 1931, stands as one of the most significant works of the genre in the 20th century. It weaves together influences from Basque music and jazz, alongside echoes of Mozart and Saint-Saëns. Its traditional three-movement structure frames a lyrical, delicate nocturne between two fast-paced movements. Ravel originally intended to perform the solo part himself, but due to health issues, he ultimately only conducted the premiere in January 1932. Later, in the same capacity, he presented the results of his work elsewhere, including in Warsaw.

Although the second part of the evening will feature a composition by Modest Mussorgsky, the artistry of the man who wrote Boléro will still be very much in evidence. It was Ravel who provided the orchestration for Pictures at an Exhibition, a contribution that played a major role in the popularity of this music, which was originally intended solely for the piano. The suite was composed following the premature death of the Mussorgsky’s friend, the painter Viktor Hartmann; an exhibition of the artist’s work was subsequently organised in Saint Petersburg, which served as the inspiration for Mussorgsky in 1874. He then composed a cycle of ten miniatures, each serving as a musical depiction of a painting by Hartmann.