| Friday, September 4, 7 PMRomanian Cultural Institute |
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| Romanian pianist Cristian Sandrin and American pianist, composer, presenter, and critic Jed Distler come together at the Romanian Cultural Institute in New York for THE SOUND OF LIFE, an extraordinary musical encounter presented as part of The Enescu Soirees in New York, one of the Institute’s permanent programs dedicated to promoting Romanian music and musicians and fostering artistic dialogue between Romania and the international cultural scene. At the heart of the evening is Dmitri Shostakovich’s monumental Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 60, “Leningrad,” heard in a rare piano four-hands version commissioned by the composer himself. Created against the backdrop of the devastating 872-day Siege of Leningrad, the symphony stands as both a deeply personal testimony and a universal statement about survival in the face of unimaginable adversity. The program opens with George Enescu’s Piano Sonata, Op. 26 No. 1 in F-sharp minor, offering a contrasting moment of introspection and expressive intensity before moving into the turbulent sound world of Shostakovich. Bringing together Enescu and Shostakovich, and the distinct artistic perspectives of Cristian Sandrin and Jed Distler, the program creates a dialogue between Romanian and international musical traditions through one of the most enduring universal languages: music. PROGRAM George Enescu (1881–1955)Piano Sonata, Op. 26 No. 1 in F-sharp minorIII. Andante molto espressivo Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–1975)Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 60, “Leningrad”Piano four-hands versionII. ModeratoIII. AdagioIV. Allegro non troppo |
