Earl Lee conducts Franck, Tomasi, and Tchaikovsky with Steven Banks, saxophone by Franck, Tomasi, H., Tchaikovsky, P. I., Fra (2023/2023), Dirigent Earl Lee, Boston Symphony Hall, Boston, United States

French composer César Franck’s Le Chasseur maudit — “The Cursed Hunter” — is based on a ballad about a man commits the grave sin of hunting on the Sabbath and is doomed to be eternally chased by demons. BSO Assistant Conductor Earl Lee leads the sultry, atmospheric 1949 Saxophone Concerto by French composer Henri Tomasi; making his BSO debut, American Steven Banks is one of today’s leading classical saxophone performers. The program closes with the emotional turmoil of Pyotr Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 4, which opens with the famous “fate” motif, and sweetened by the composer’s great gift for beautiful melody.