Music inspired by the sea

CSO performs ‘La Mer’ tonight at Tivoli Theatre

Music that expresses the many moods of the sea is the theme of the final Barnett & Company Masterworks Series concert of the season, which will be presented by the Chattanooga Symphony & Opera at the Tivoli Theater, tonight, April 27.

The concert will open with a Joan Tower piece, “Fanfare for the UnCommon Woman No. 1 ,” inspired by Aaron Copland’s “Fanfare for the Common Man.”

Next up is Benjamin Britten’s Four Sea Interludes, scene change music from his opera, “Peter Grimes.”

The final modern work of the season is Ola Gjeilo’s “Dreamweaver,” inspired by a Norwegian medieval poem, “Draumkveder.”

Gjeilo was born in Norway and moved to the United States in 2001 to begin his composition studies at Juilliard School in New York City. He is a full-time composer based in New York, who is interested in film. His music often draws inspiration from movies and cinematic music.

To conclude the concert, the CSO will present Claude Debussy’s “La Mer,” a mix of tone poem and symphony that depicts the richness of the sea in three movements. The first movement is “Dawn to Midday on the Sea,” which begins serenely and becomes more animated little by little. The second, “Play of the Waves,” is quite animated. The third movement, “Dialogue Between Wind and Waves,” is tumultuous.

Prior to the concert, Douglas Hedwig will lead a spotlight talk at 6:45 p.m., exploring topics related to the night’s concert.

Postlude will be held in the Tivoli lobby following the concert, where patrons can meet conductor Kayoko Dan, composer Gjeilo and CSO musicians. The event is free to concert ticketholders.

CONTRIBUTED PHOTO Join composer Ola Gjeilo for lunch today at Public House restaurant or meet the artist at Postlude following the CSO concert tonight.