Bon Anniversaire, Henri

Today marks the 97th birthday of the great French composer Henri Dutilleux. If you don’t know the work of this master, who has been as spare in his output as he has been inspired and meticulous in his composition, check out our download of his Métaboles (described by The New York Times as “a meditation on a simple idea seen from changing perspectives”).

Or learn more about the man deemed by The Times to be “a superb choice” as the first recipient of The Marie-Josée Kravis Prize for New Music at the New York Philharmonic by visiting our Website.

Photo: Chris Lee

newyorker:

The New York Philharmonic honors French composer Henri Dutilleux: http://nyr.kr/MSRb43

Tonight We Celebrate New Music…

Thus began Music Director Alan Gilbert’s announcement last evening that composers Anthony Cheung, Franck Krawczyk, and (as previously announced) Peter Eötvös would share proceeds of The Marie-Josée Kravis Prize for New Music at the New York Philharmonic with inaugural recipient Henri Dutilleux, at his request.

Also announced at last night’s all-Dutilleux concert (featuring Yo-Yo Ma and the Miró Quartet): the New York Philharmonic has named Sean Shepherd as the Kravis Emerging Composer. Shepherd, here with Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis, is already known to Philharmonic audiences, as Alex Ross notes, “from his vibrant CONTACT! commission, These Particular Circumstances.”

All four composers will pen works to be premiered by the Orchestra in upcoming seasons.

In Praise of the French Tradition

Music Director Alan Gilbert discusses the works by Haydn and Beethoven he conducted during his recent appearances with the San Francisco Symphony and explains why he thinks Henri Dutilleux — whoseL’Arbre des songes was performed by violinist Renaud Capuçon on those concerts — may be the greatest living composer.

“ Gilbert appreciated the value of those two gems; and, in his engagement with SFS, he made sure that we did, too. ”

—  The San Francisco Examiner on Alan Gilbert’s concert last night with the San Francisco Symphony, when he led two “gems” — Beethoven’s Symphony No. 8 and Haydn’s Symphony No. 99 — as well as Henri Dutilleux’s L’Arbre des songes, performed by Renaud Capuçon on the “Panette” 1737 Guarneri del Gesù violin that had previously belonged to Isaac Stern, who commissioned the concerto for the SFS.