# San Francisco Symphony & Chorus at Davies Symphony Hall, November 18, 2023

[San Francisco Symphony](https://www.sfsymphony.org/Buy-Tickets/2023-24/CA-FESTIVAL-FROM-THE-EDGE) presents CALIFORNIA FESTIVAL: FROM THE EDGE featuring organist [James McVinnie](https://jamesmcvinnie.co.uk/)  
[Davies Symphony Hall](http://www.sfsymphony.org)  
[201 Van Ness, San Francisco, CA 94102 USA](http://maps.google.com/maps?q=201+Van+Ness,+San+Francisco,+CA+94102+USA&hl=en)  
7:30 PM, Saturday, November 18, 2023

[[2023-11-17|Back to the previous event!]] ☸ [[:#section2023|Up to the 2023 yearbox!]] ☸ [[:2023#November_events|Up to the 2023 event list!]] ☸ [[2023-11-19|On to the next event!]]

## Tentative Program

* Terry Riley: _City Lights: Aquatic Park_ (world premiere)
* Gabriela Smith: _Breathing Forests_
* Stravinsky (orch. Stucky): _Les Noces_

## Set One

[7:35 PM] {lights down, announcements, performers out}

### Stravinsky: Octet for Wind Instruments

Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971): Octet for Wind Instruments (1923/rev. 1952), K041

01. [7:37 PM] Sinfonia
02. [7:41 PM] Tema con variazioni–
03. [7:48 PM] Finale  
[7:52 PM] {work ends; pause to set things up onstage for the next section of the show}

### Smith: Breathing Forests

[7:58 PM] {lights down, greetings and speech from Gabriella Smith}  
[8:03 PM] {concert tuning; applause for entrance of James McVinnie and EPS}

[Gabriella Smith](https://www.gabriellasmith.com/) \(b. 1991): _Breathing Forests_ (2021), featuring organist [James McVinnie](https://jamesmcvinnie.co.uk/)

01. [8:04 PM] _Grow_
02. [8:13 PM] _Breathe_
03. [8:22 PM] _Burn_  
[8:34 PM] {set ends: applause and ovations}  
[8:36 PM] {set break!}

## Set Two: Stravinsky: Les Noces

[8:57 PM] {lights down, concert tuning}  
[8:57 PM] {applause for entrance of EPS; long speech in recognition of horn player Robert Ward}  
[9:01 PM] {EPS calls the soloists up to the stage}

Stravinsky (orch. Steven Stucky): _Les Noces_ (1917/orch. 2005)

01. [9:01 PM] Part One, Scene 1: At the Bride’s House (The Tresses) »
02. [9:07 PM] Part One, Scene 2: At the Bridegroom’s House »
03. [9:12 PM] Part One, Scene 3: The Bride’s Departure »
04. [9:15 PM] Part Two, Scene 4: The Wedding Feast (The Red Table)  
[9:25 PM] {set ends}  
[9:23 PM] {show ends}

### Featured Performers

* [Paul Appleby](http://paulapplebytenor.com/): tenor vox;
* [Kayleigh Decker](https://www.kayleighdecker.com/): mezzo-soprano vox;
* [Lauren Snouffer](http://etudearts.com/artists/lauren-snouffer/): soprano vox;
* [David Soar](https://www.askonasholt.com/artists/david-soar/): bass vox;

## Performers

### San Francisco Symphony & Chorus

[San Francisco Symphony & Chorus](http://www.sfsymphony.org)

* [Hillary Leben](https://www.hillaryleben.com/): animator;
* [Esa-Pekka Salonen](http://www.esapekkasalonen.com/): conductor, music director;
* [Jenny Wong](http://www.jennywong-conductor.com/): choral director.
 [performers vary by program](https://sfsymphony.encoreplus.app/posts/111500/the-orchestra4).

## Notes

I was really disappointed to review the digital program a few days before the event and find out that Terry Riley's piece had been removed without explanation (not finished in time?). Oh well. Schedule's are always a gamble when something brand new is to be born!

Stravinsky's Octet for Wind Instruments was a decent substitution: I really enjoyed listening to it ... maybe my first time? I certainly didn't recognize it as it unfolded.

Gabriella Smith's _Breathing Forests_ was altogether different, she had the whole orchestra bleeping and scraping away at full volume while the organ created big swelling waves of sound like a Cecil Taylor extravaganza. Very cool!

I was also unfamiliar with Stravinsky's _Les Noces_. As presented tonight, it was another wild piece. I liked it, but from my seat up front, I couldn't see the accompanying animation. Perhaps that was a plus!

[Program Notes](https://sfsymphony.encoreplus.app/c/11-1718-from-the-edge) or {{:2023:2023-11:20231118pn.pdf|program notes}}

Lisa Hirsch posted a [review](https://www.sfcv.org/articles/review/gabriella-smiths-organ-concerto-resounds-mightily-sf-symphony) of the show with SFCV, ending with a rather grumpy take on tonight's performance of _Les Noces_.

Joshua Kosman posted a [review](https://datebook.sfchronicle.com/classical/review-gabriella-smith-sf-symphony-les-noces-18491917) of the show with the SFChronicle Datebook.

{{tag>music San_Francisco_Symphony_&_Chorus Hillary_Leben James_McVinnie Davies_Symphony_Hall Esa-Pekka_Salonen  Paul_Appleby Kayleigh_Decker Lauren_Snouffer David_Soar Jenny_Wong}}

[[2023-11-17|Back to the previous event!]] ☸ [[:#section2023|Up to the 2023 yearbox!]] ☸ [[:2023#November_events|Up to the 2023 event list!]] ☸ [[2023-11-19|On to the next event!]]