J. Massenet | Thaïs - Méditation intermezzo (1892)
 
Jules Massenet was a prolific and successful opera composer in Paris at the time of belle epoque, whose success in life however did not convert into timeless glory. Curiously enough, among the many operas he composed and conducted with public appreciation, his legacy is mostly associated to an instrumental intermezzo, the Méditation from Thais, a masterful musical representation of a moment of profound transformation. That of the libertine Thais, who finds her way toward salvation and spiritual purity, and that of the ascetic monk Athanaël, who will soon succeed in converting Thais at the cost of losing his own spiritual equilibrium. The emotional turmoil of these transitions is outlined with a poignant, melancholic violin solo, supported by a delicate orchestra accompaniment, that has enchanted generations of violinists.