France has long been considered a center for European art and music.

In the late 19th century, musical pioneers such as Georges Bizet, Léo Delibes, Jules Massenet, Gabriel Fauré, Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy revitalized French music. Both Ravel and Debussy had an enormous impact on 20th century music (both in France and abroad) and influenced many major composers like Béla Bartók and Igor Stravinsky. Composer Charles Koechlin, while lacking the worldly success of his colleagues, was a loved and venerated figure in French music and promoted the ideal that 'music belongs to the people'. Olivier Messiaen is also one of the most influential composers of the 20th century, perhaps best known for his incorporation of birdsong in his beautiful and rhythmically complex music.

Charm, 'esprit' and beauty with the Konzerthaus Orchestra


There will be an introduction to the concert at 7 p.m. in the Ludwig-van-Beethoven-Saal.