Debussy: Mer (La) / Bridge: The Sea / Glazunov: La Mer / Zhou: The Deep, Deep Sea

Featuring

Lan Shui
Sharon Bezaly
Singapore Symphony Orchestra
Claude Debussy
Zhou Long
Frank Bridge

Alexander Glazunov

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Composition History

Alexander Glazunov's fantasy La Mer (The Sea) was influenced by his experiences from a trip to the Crimea and his admiration for Richard Wagner, particularly after hearing the Ring cycle in St. Petersburg.

Notable Performances

Frank Bridge's programmatic suite The Sea was highly acclaimed from its premiere in 1912, where the composer was called on stage three times by an enthusiastic audience.

Composer's Artistic Vision

Claude Debussy, who once confessed a passion for the sea, sought to capture its essence and abstract fantasy in music through new, shimmering, and iridescent sounds, rather than literal depiction.

Performer Biography

Sharon Bezaly, described by The Times as 'God's gift to the flute', is one of the rare 'full-time' international flute soloists and has inspired many renowned composers to write for her.

Performer Biography

Lan Shui, the Music Director of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra, is passionate about commissioning and premiering works by Asian and Singaporean composers.

Historical Context

The sea has long been a popular subject in music, with composers from Vivaldi to Wagner creating 'water musics' that reflect its motion and unpredictability.