7th Symphony Concert

With Maurice Ravel’s imaginativeorchestral piece *Ma mère l’oye* (“My Mother the Goose”), originally composed as a four-hand piano piece for children, a poetic fairy-tale world unfolds at the beginning of the 7th Symphony Concert. Drawing inspiration from Sleeping Beauty, Tom Thumb, and Beauty and the Beast, Ravel created music of impressionistic radiance that invites the listener to dream.

Claude Debussy’s Rhapsody for Alto Saxophone and Orchestra builds on this and surprises with a free, imaginative style. The fact that the composer was initially at a loss regarding the saxophone—which he derisively called a “reed beast”—is in no way apparent in the music; rather, it captivates with elegance and a touch of Parisian nonchalance.

The sound of the saxophone leads beyond Debussy directly into the colorful world of Modest Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition in Maurice Ravel’s famous orchestration. For instance, melancholic saxophone tones shape the atmosphere of the movement “The Old Castle.” Originally conceived as a piano cycle and inspired by paintings by Viktor Hartmann, the work feels like a musical tour through an imaginary exhibition.

Asya Fateyeva, who received an OPUS KLASSIK Award in 2025 and captivates audiences with her expressiveness and stylistic versatility, is one of the leading saxophonists of her generation. French conductor Ariane Matiakh, chief conductor of the Württemberg Philharmonic Orchestra Reutlingen, conducts a program reflecting French musical culture and Impressionist influences.