by Mike Telin
This weekend, The Cleveland Orchestra welcomes the return of Michael Tilson Thomas to the Severance Music Center podium to lead a program that includes Debussy’s Jeux (“Games”) and Mahler’s Symphony No. 1 (“Titan”). The concerts, presented on Thursday at 7:30 pm, Saturday at 8:00 pm, and Sunday at 3:00 pm, will also include Debussy’s Fantaisie for Piano and Orchestra with Leif Ove Andsnes as soloist.
Andsnes has been a Cleveland audience favorite since making his debut at Blossom in 1990, and although his schedule didn’t permit a telephone interview, the pianist agreed to answer questions by email.
Mike Telin: The Debussy is a beautiful piece, and I don’t believe it has been performed in Cleveland for many years. Please share your thoughts on the work.
Leif Ove Andsnes: It is indeed very beautiful, very sensuous, with wonderful waves of sound. The piano goes in and out of being the soloist, other times accompanying solos in the orchestra, or simply being part of the orchestra colour. It has a three-part structure like a normal concerto. It is a monothematic work, meaning that a lot of the material is being drawn from the very first theme presented, an oboe solo at the introduction of the first movement.