Two premium-nave tickets to the Cathedral Choral Society's A French Spectacular at Washington National Cathedral. Sunday, May 10, 2009 at 4:00 pm. TE DEUM Hector Berlioz,
SYMPHONY NO. 3 (ORGAN SYMPHONY) Camille Saint-Saens
If you only think of French music as charming, witty and elegant, hold on to your seats. The Berlioz Te Deum was inspired by the composer?s hero, Napoleon, and it is indeed music of imperial grandeur. Scored for large orchestra, organ, two choirs and a children?s chorus, only in a setting like Washington National Cathedral can this masterwork be played to maximum effect. That is equally true of its companion piece on the program: Saint-Saens? Third Symphony, better known as the Organ Symphony, or as one French conductor called it, the ?goosebump symphony?. And in the hands of our resident organist Scott Dettra, both works provide a glorious realization of the fullest potential of the ?king of instruments?.