This all-French program is performed by some of Second City's oldest friends, its Managing Director, Cindy Renander on clarinet, its Artistic Director, Svend Rønning, on violin, the longtime Second City performer, Roberta Hansen-Downey, on cello, and the return of YCP's Director, Amy Grinsteiner on piano. In addition, one of the works performed is an arrangement of Eric Satie's /Three Gymnopedies, /arranged especially for this concert by Artistic Director Emeritus, Jerry Kracht! "It is SUCH a pleasure to assemble some of my closest friends and co-workers for this concert of the greatest of all French chamber music," says Artistic Director, Svend Rønning. "Truly, this is the music of friends-and colleagues!" "Je ne sais quoi" is a phrase in French meaning literally "I don't know what," though it is often used in French (and not infrequently in English) parlance to mean the indescribable "flavor" of a particular style, era, artist, or idea. Beginning in the late nineteenth century, France lost some of its luster as the global trend-setter in virtually every avenue of human endeavor, but developed a remarkable and self-consciously "French" style that is hard to categorize. This French modernism in music, art, poetry, and even architecture has repeatedly re-invented itself in ways that are hard to define, but they all have that most amazing French "Je ne sais quoi." In this program, we'll explore three very, very different incarnations of French modernism, each of them connected to a new school of thought in French musical aesthetics. Eric Satie's /Three Gymnopedies /could be said to be the "bellwether" of French Impressionism in chamber music, while Ravel's /Piano Trio /might well be its apotheosis. Maurice Ravel's /Piano Trio /may be the very greatest piano trio in existence. Certainly, it is would be in the "top five" of any lover of this genre. In addition, Messiaen's /Quartet for the End of Time /defines a new era in French modernism that not only informed Messiaen's aesthetic in post-war Europe, but informed the aesthetics of much of post-war Europe and America. We are pleased to bind these two masterworks together with the beloved /Gymnopedies /if Eric Satie, transcribed for clarinet, violin, cello and piano by Second City's own Jerry Kracht. Masterpiece Series IV: "Je ne sais quoi" Friday, May 17, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. The Great Hall of Annie Wright School 827-North Tacoma Avenue Tacoma, Washington 98403 Program: Olivier Messian: Quartet for the End of Time Eric Satie/Jerry Kracht: 3 Gymnopedies Maurice Ravel: Piano Trio Masterpiece Series Individual Tickets: $27 General Admission $25 Senior/Military $10 Students FREE 18 & under Tickets at the door, online, or call our message line at (253) 572-8863. Second City Chamber Series:www.scchamberseries.org <http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?e=001KHAOA6vhh6px3RDLi8z5CSyZidjEZ8F-QGjGR5WMRA2KWbWrLUw3-iyQan4DntCGEhPt1La3NoRhTmFb0rJItCSK7DiHMCnEy2K1o4vaOdK9C2KR2T9WYshCXt5OKEkQ>