Celebrating the 200th birthday of Cesar Franck, Ensemble Q has chosen a birthday party of works by his teacher (Anton Reicha), friends (Vincent D’Indy and Saint-Saëns), and students (Vincent D’Indy and Guillaume Lekeu). The Franck piano quintet is deeply romantic and stunningly beautiful, answered in birthday party fashion by a group of works with the spirit of the party. The Lekeu features a walk-on performance, started by only the violin and cello in tuning mode, and ending with a glorious if not slightly tongue in cheek finale involving the entire ensemble plus a few extra strings thrown in.

PROGRAM
FRANCK Piano Quintet
REICHA Wind Quintet no 2
D’INDY Suite in Olden Style
SAINT-SAENS Danse Macabre arr. Farrington
LEKEU Fantaisie contrapuntique sur un cramignon liégeois