Dreams, Fairy Tales & Faith
Where Imagination Meets Belief
March 20, 2027 - 3 PM
Moorings Presbyterian Church
Fantasy, Wonder, and Conviction in Sound
Dreams, Fairy Tales and Faith explores the space where fantasy and spirituality meet. Ravel’s refined elegance and playful brilliance give way to Humperdinck’s enchanted world of childhood dreams, culminating in Mendelssohn’s Reformation Symphony—a powerful statement of conviction and musical faith.
Maurice Ravel: Pavane pour une infante défunte (Pavanne for a Dead Princess), Op. 50
Composed in 1899, Ravel’s Pavane pour une infante défunte evokes an imagined vision of courtly Spain rather than a literal lament. With its slow, stately rhythm and luminous orchestration, the work unfolds as a meditation on elegance and memory. Ravel’s trademark refinement gives the music a timeless, dreamlike quality—music that seems to hover between past and present.
Duration: 6'
Maurice Ravel: Piano Concerto in G (M. 83)
Premiered in 1932, Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G reflects his fascination with jazz, clarity, and rhythmic precision. The outer movements crackle with energy and wit, while the serene slow movement unfolds in a long, unbroken melodic line of extraordinary poise. Demanding brilliance and sensitivity in equal measure, the concerto showcases both the piano’s expressive range and Ravel’s unmatched gift for orchestral color
Duration: 23'
Intermission
Engelbert Humperdinck – Three Excerpts from Hänsel und Gretel
Premiered in 1893, Hänsel und Gretel is a rare opera that speaks equally to children and adults. Humperdinck’s music draws on folk song and late-Romantic harmony to create a world of comfort, innocence, and wonder. These excerpts—ranging from tender evening prayer to shimmering dream music—offer a moment of calm and enchantment at the heart of the concert.
Duration: 13'
Felix Mendelssohn: Symphony No. 5, “Reformation,” Op. 107
Composed in celebration of the Protestant Reformation, Mendelssohn’s Fifth Symphony reflects both spiritual devotion and classical balance. Dramatic intensity and lyrical reflection give way to a final movement built around Martin Luther’s chorale Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott. The result is music of purpose and conviction—faith expressed through structure, clarity, and radiant orchestral power.
