CSO, Davies Team Up for Unusual Series

Conductor Dennis Russell Davies rarely settles for run-of-the millprogramming, and his Chicago Symphony Orchestra concerts this weekendat Orchestra Hall are no exception.

The American premiere of "Trauerfarbenes Land (Land the Colorof Mourning)" by composer Giya Kancheli is on the lineup at 1:30today, 8 p.m. Saturday and 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. Born in RussianGeorgia, the 60-year-old Kancheli came to the attention of westernmusic lovers approximately 15 years ago as part of a wave ofcomposers of folk-inspired, spiritual pieces such as Poland's HenrykGorecki and Estonia's Arvo Part. Kancheli will talk about his musicin pre-concert conversations at Orchestra Hall one hour …