French Elegy Roma Tre Orchestra & Sieva Borzak

• Jules Massenet (1842 - 1912): Claire de lune:
• 1 Massenet: Claire de lune (from Werther) 03:32
• Maurice Ravel (1875 - 1937): Pavane pour une infante défunte, M.19:
• 2 Ravel: Pavane pour une infante défunte, M.19 (Transcription by J. Jeamian) 05:31
• Camille Saint-Saëns (1835 - 1921): Élégie in D Major, Op. 143:
• 3 Saint-Saëns: Élégie in D Major, Op. 143 05:36
• Gabriel Fauré (1845 - 1924): Élégie, Op. 24:
• 4 Fauré: Élégie, Op. 24 06:28
• Henri Vieuxtemps (1820 - 1881): Élégie, Op. 30:
• 5 Vieuxtemps: Élégie, Op. 30 07:22
• Jules Massenet: Élégie:
• 6 Massenet: Élégie 01:46
• Claude Debussy (1862 - 1918): Suite bergamasque, L.75 (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz):
• 7 Debussy: Suite bergamasque, L.75 (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz): I. Prelude 04:29
• 8 Debussy: Suite bergamasque, L.75 (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz): II. Minuetto 04:24
• 9 Debussy: Suite bergamasque, L.75 (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz): III. Claire de lune 05:32
• 10 Debussy: Suite bergamasque, L.75 (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz): IV. Passepied 04:10
• Camille Saint-Saëns: La carnaval des animaux (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz):
• 11 Saint-Saëns: La carnaval des animaux (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz): I. Introduction et marche royale du lion 01:58
• 12 Saint-Saëns: La carnaval des animaux (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz): II. Poules et coqs 00:47
• 13 Saint-Saëns: La carnaval des animaux (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz): III. Hémiones (Animaux véloces) 00:40
• 14 Saint-Saëns: La carnaval des animaux (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz): IV. Tortues 01:34
• 15 Saint-Saëns: La carnaval des animaux (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz): V. Éléphant 01:23
• 16 Saint-Saëns: La carnaval des animaux (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz): VI. Kangourous 00:50
• 17 Saint-Saëns: La carnaval des animaux (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz): VII. Aquarium 02:27
• 18 Saint-Saëns: La carnaval des animaux (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz): VIII. Personnages à longues oreilles 00:42
• 19 Saint-Saëns: La carnaval des animaux (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz): IX. Le coucou au fond des bois 02:19
• 20 Saint-Saëns: La carnaval des animaux (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz): X. Volière 01:20
• 21 Saint-Saëns: La carnaval des animaux (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz): XI. Pianistes 01:35
• 22 Saint-Saëns: La carnaval des animaux (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz): XII. Fossiles 01:24
• 23 Saint-Saëns: La carnaval des animaux (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz): XIII. Cygne 02:49
• 24 Saint-Saëns: La carnaval des animaux (Transcription by Wolfgang Renz): XIV. Finale 02:00
• Total Runtime 01:10:38

Info for French Elegy

Coming into French and English from the Greek élegos (‘lament’), an elegy (élégie) is a poetic or musical composition expressing sorrow or lamentation, typically mourning the loss of a loved one or reflecting on themes of grief and melancholy.

Massenet’s famous ‘Clair de lune’, presented here in an arrangement by the composer himself, envelops us in a dreamlike atmosphere, with the piano painting a delicate lunar landscape permeated by a subtle melancholy. The original is one of the most touching scenes in the opera Werther, when the protagonist feels his love for Charlotte rising within him.

Contrary to popular belief, Ravel’s Pavane pour une infante défunte is not dedicated to a departed soul. Rather, it is a nostalgic evocation of an imaginary childhood, rich in charm and mystery. Joseph Jemain’s orchestration adds, if possible, further depth and suggestiveness to Ravel’s music by introducing the piano into the ensemble, the protagonist of Ravel’s original version.

The violin and piano engage in a dialogue of deep contemplation in Saint-Saëns’s Élégie in D, Op.143. The poignant melody and refined harmony express feelings of loss and consolation. This very intense and moving piece has secured an important place in the violin repertoire.

The cello assumes the role of narrator in Fauré’s Élégie, Op.24 recounting a story of pain and hope with great expressive intensity. A highly lyrical and touching piece, it is distinguished by its expressive writing and singable melody.

Debussy’s Suite bergamasque transports us to a world of dreams and suggestions. Through four evocative dances with a Renaissance and Baroque flavour, the orchestra leads us on a musical journey rich in charm and delicacy. Wilhelm Renz’s orchestration makes Debussy’s picturesque music even more vivid. Renz is also the arranger of the Saint-Saëns Carnival of the Animals featured here. His orchestral version adds brilliance and colour to the composer’s music while maintaining its original spirit of fun and irony, streamlining the orchestration in some places and adding elements for a richer, more layered sound in others.

Roma Tre Orchestra
Sieva Borzak, conductor
Beatrice Barison, piano

Roma Tre Orchestra
Founded in 2005, Roma Tre Orchestra is the first university orchestra established in Rome and the Lazio region. It is oriented towards dedication and excellence, and aimed at spreading the popularity of great music most of all among the younger generations.

The Association organizes concerts of chamber and symphonic music at Ateneo, the Palladium Theater, and at other culturally important places in the city such as the Accademia di Danimarca, the Museums of the City of Rome, and many others.

For many years, the orchestra has collaborated with internationally acclaimed soloists such as Gianluca Cascioli, Maurizio Baglini, Roberto Prosseda, Enrico Bronzi, Carlo Guaitoli, Alessandra Ammara, Emanuele Arciuli, Ilia Kim, Gloria Campaner, Roman Rabinovich, Scipione Sangiovanni (piano), Enrico Bronzi, Silvia Chiesa, Anton Spronk (cello), Pavel Berman, Haik Kazazyan, Amalia Hall, Aubree Oliverson (violin), Shirley Brill (clarinet), Massimo Mercelli (flute), Jacopo Taddei (saxophone), Lola Descours (bassoon), actor Claudio Amendola, choreographer Bill T. Jones, writer Alessandro Baricco, opera singers Daniela Mazzucato and Veronika Dzhioeva, pop singer Etta Scollo, Oscar-winning composer Dario Marianelli (whose music was recorded for the films “Nome Di Donna” ["A Woman's Name"] by Marco Tullio Giordana and “Pinocchio” by Matteo Garrone) and conductors Gunter Neuhold, Yoram David, Bruno Weinmeister, Donato Renzetti, Will Humburg, Cord Garben, Sir David Willcocks, Mikhail Kirchhoff, Alexander Sladkovsky, Jan Latham Koenig, Sergey Smbatyan, Luciano Acocella, Francesco Lanzillotta, Marcello Bufalini, Gabriele Bonolis, Tonino Battista, Fabio Sperandio, Fabio Maestri, Pietro Borgonovo and many others. From 2013 to 2017 the music director of the orchestra was Luigi Piovano, principal cellist of the Orchestra of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, and before him, from 2006 to 2011, Pietro Mianiti.

Since 2017, Roma Tre Orchestra has held an intense commitment in support of young pianists thanks to the series "Young Artists Piano Solo Series", created for the purpose of engaging the best artists from every part of Italy. In the years since, dozens of young pianists have been involved, among which have been winners of national and international competitions. In many cases their participation in this series is also their debut in Rome, the capital. Every year the associates of Roma Tre Orchestra choose their favorite pianist, who becomes the "Young Artist" for the following year, and from that moment forward is involved in various projects, including with the orchestra. Some of the best Italian pianists from the new generation have performed in the series, such as Giovanni Bertolazzi, Davide Ranaldi, Gabriele Strata, Michelle Candotti, Leonardo Pierdomenico, Elia Cecino, Jonathan Ferrucci and many others.

Roma Tre Orchestra has also collaborated with important public institutions such as Roma Capitale, Associazione Teatro di Roma, the Embassy of the United States at the Quirinale and at la Santa Sede, Caspur, Accademia di Danimarca, Zètema, Laziodisu, Laziocrea, CIDIM, the Royal Norwegian Embassy, the Embassy of the Kingdom of Belgium, the Embassy of the Netherlands, the Embassy of Switzerland, the Embassy of Spain, the Embassy of Luxembourg, Istituto Polacco di Cultura, Conservatorio di Santa Cecilia, Conservatorio di Latina, the Libraries of Rome, Goethe's House museum, Municipio Roma VIII, and the city of Vibo Valentina.

Over the years, the orchestra has hosted and initiated collaborations with a few of the most important Italian artistic institutions, such as RomaEuropa Festival, Concerti del Quirinale, Accademia Musicale Chigiana di Siena, GOG Giovine Orchestra Genovese, Società Primo Riccitelli di Teramo, Teatro "Verdi" di Pordenone, Teatro Pubblico Pugliese, Reate Festival, Camerata Musicale Barese, Amiata Piano Festival, Teatro Comunale di Carpi, Amici della musica di Foligno, Campus Internazionale di Musica a Latina, Amici della musica “F. Fenaroli”, Società aquilana dei concerti “B. Barattelli”, Nuova Consonanza, Accademia Filarmonica Romana, Festival Armonie della Sera, Emilia Romagna Festival, Coop Art, Brianza Classica, Festival "Le Altre Note", Associazione Giovanni Padovano, Perosi 60: Tortona città della musica, Amici della Musica di Campobasso, Harmonia Novissima, Società del Teatro e della Musica "Luigi Barbara" di Pescara, Camerata Musicale Salentina, Accademia Filarmonica di Messina, AMA Calabria, Amici della Musica Guido Michelli di Ancona, Società del Quartetto di Vercelli, Comune di Rieti. It has also executed activities abroad in collaboration with l'Istituto italiano di cultura in San Paolo Brasil and with the society NetCologne in Germany.

Since 2022 the orchestra has an established collaboration with the Istituto Nazionale della Previdenza Sociale (INPS - National Institute for Social Security) through the protocol "IN musica Per il Sociale", which has created dozens of events in partnership in various locations of the Institute in Italy (Palazzo Wedekind and Convitto Vittorio Locchi in Roma, Palazzo D'Aquino Caramanico in Napoli, Conservatorio Tartini in Trieste, Conservatorio di Matera).

Since the academic year of 2010-2011, the orchestra also holds a "Musical Language Workshop" focused principally on the students enrolled in degree programs in Communications, Philosophy, History, and Humanities at Roma Tre University.

Sieva Borzak
who was born in Rome in 1997, is a Russian-Italian conductor. After his studies in operatic voice, piano, and composition, he graduated with full marks and honor in Orchestral Conducting under the guidance of Marcello Bufalini at the Alfredo Casella Conservatory in L'Aquila. Following his graduation, he perfected his skills with Riccardo Muti, Daniel Oren, Franceso Lanzillotta, Daniele Aigman and Niels Muus.

Since 2021, he has held the position of Conductor in Residence of Roma Tre Orchestra.

In 2023, he won First Prize Overall and the Orchestral Prize at the Peter Maag International Competition for young orchestral conductors.

In 2022, he won First Prize at the Lake Como Conducting Competition. In the same year, he also won Third Prize and the Special Prize "Orchestra Filarmonica di Bacau" from the tenth Luigi Mancinelli competition for opera conductors.

In 2022 he was also an active student of the Riccardo Muti Italian Opera Academy and directed the Luigi Cherubini Youth Orchestra as they played Verdi's Requiem at Teatro Alighieri in Ravenna.

In 2023 he debuted at Teatro Petruzzelli with Roma Tre Orchestra, conducting Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, "Ode to Joy".

He has conducted numerous orchestras, including the Sofia Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra del Teatro dell'Opera, Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana, Orchestra Sinfonica Abruzzese, the Luigi Cherubini Youth Orchestra, Orchestra Filarmonica Salerintana, Kosovo Philharmonic Orchestra, I Musici di Parma, the Giovanni Paisiello Festival Chamber Orchestra, Roma Sinfonietta, Roma Tre Orchestra, Ensemble Testori, Romae Philharmonia Orchestra, Camerata Classica, the Le Metamorfosi Youth Orchestra, and UCBM Chamber Orchestra.

He has conducted in numerous venues, including Teatro Petruzzelli, Sferisterio (Macerata), Teatro dell'Opera di Tirana, Teatro Alighieri (Ravenna), Teatro Marrucino (Chieti), Teatro Giuseppe Verdi (Salerno), Teatro Flavio Vespasiano (Rieti), Teatro Comunale (L'Aquila), Teatro Palladium (Roma), Teatro Torlonia (Roma), Teatro Fenaroli (Lanciano), and Teatro Apollo (Mogliano).

In September 2019, at 22 years old, he made his operatic debut at the Giovanni Paisiello Festival with La Finta Amante, an opera buffa by Paisiello. This performance was the world premiere of the opera in modern times. He participated in the Macerata Opera Festival 2020 as Assistant Director, with Davide Livermore's staging of Don Giovanni. In October of 2020 he conducted Roma Tre Orchestra at the Teatro Palladium in a concert dedicated entirely to Richard Wagner, with selections from Tannhäuser and Parsifal. He is the leader of the Mozart Project, which is concentrated on the recording of the most celebrated piano concertos by W. A. Mozart. Together with saxophonist Jacopo Taddei, he is a soloist on the album "Elegy", produced by Brilliant Classics and featuring music by Tchaikovsky, Glazunov, and Borodin. In 2021 he was the Assistant Director to Maestro Paolo Bortolameolli, in La Traviata "of the Mirrors" at the Macerata Opera Festival. In the same year, he took Roma Tre Orchestra on tour to the Le Altre Note Festival (Valtellina), where they performed Eine Alpensinfonie by Richard Strauss.

With Roma Tre Orchestra he has been able to debut a notable quantity of repertoire, conducting composers such as Bach, Corelli, Telemann, Vivaldi, Pergolesi, Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Mendelssohn, Schumann, Brahms, Liszt, Wagner, Mahler, R. Strauss, Tchaikovsky, Borodin, Glazunov, Chopin, Saint-Saens, Debussy, Ravel, Dukas, Elgar, Copland, Gershwin, Castelnuovo-Tedesco, Piazzolla, Brouwer, Rachmaninov, Shostakovich, and Bloch.

He has accompanied internationally acclaimed soloists, including Giovanni Sollima, Aubree Oliverson, Amalia Hall, Anton Spronk, Giulio Tampalini, Jacopo Taddei, and Pietro Roffi.

He is also active in the contemporary music field, directing the world premiere of Nicola Campogrande's Symphony no. 2 "Un Mondo Nuovo", the world premiere of "Concerto di Asigliano" by Angelo Gilardino, the world premiere of “Rondò in A major” by Frederick Robin, and the opera "Delwende" by Fausto Sebastiani.

In 2023 he was the Assistant Director for Bastarda (a project about Donizetti's operas Anna Bolena, Maria Stuarda, Roberto Devereux, and Elisabetta al castello di Kenilworth) at the Theatre de la Monnaie in Brussels. In May 2023 he conducted Die Walküre in concert form with Roma Tre Orchestra, and debuted at the Teatro dell'Opera in Tirana, conducting the opera Skanderbeg. In the upcoming season his debut at Circuito Aslico/Opera Domani is expected with Turandot, as well as his return to the Reate Festival with Der Kaiser von Atlantis and orchestral concerts with the Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, the Orchestra Filarmonica Marchigiana, the Orchestra Sinfonica di Sanremo, Orchestra della Magna Grecia, Orchestra Filarmonica di Bacau (Romania), Silven Symphony Orchestra (Bulgaria), and Roma Tre Orchestra.

Booklet for French Elegy