Concerts of Thursday, March 2, and Saturday, March 4, 2017, at 8:00p

Transcription

1 Concerts of Thursday, March 2, and Saturday, March 4, 2017, at 8:00p Robert Spano, Conductor Benjamin Beilman, violin Christopher Theofanidis (b. 1967) Dreamtime Ancestors, for Orchestra (2015) I. Songlines II. Rainbow Serpent III. Each Stone Speaks a Poem Commissioned by New Music for America, a consortium of 48 orchestras throughout the US, and dedicated to the memory of Stephen Paulus. Jean Sibelius ( ) Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D minor, Opus 47 (1903/4, rev. 1905) I. Allegro moderato II. Adagio di molto III. Allegro, ma non tanto Benjamin Beilman, violin Intermission John Adams (b. 1947) Harmonielehre (1985) I. Part I II. Part II. The Anfortas Wound III. Part III. Meister Eckhardt and Quackie

2 Notes on the Program by Ken Meltzer Dreamtime Ancestors, for Orchestra (2015) Christopher Theofanidis was born in Dallas, Texas, on December 18, The first performance of Dreamtime Ancestors took place in Plymouth, Massachusetts, on October 3, 2015, with the Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Steven Karidoyanes. Dreamtime Ancestors is scored for piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, trombone, timpani, vibraphone, bells, suspended cymbal, Chinese cymbal, tam-tam, slapstick, and strings. Approximate performance time is twenty minutes. These are the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra premiere performances. Dreamtime Ancestors, by the contemporary American composer Christopher Theofanidis, was commissioned by the New Music for America Consortium, for performance by 48 orchestras throughout the United States. Mr. Theofanidis dedicated Dreamtime Ancestors to fellow American composer Stephen Paulus ( ). Dreamtime Ancestors was inspired by Australian aboriginal creations myths. According to these myths, we are all connected to each other via dreamtime ancestors of the past, present, and future. This connection is referred to as all-at-once time. Dreamtime Ancestors is in three movements, each of which may be preceded by an optional reading. The composer provided the following commentary on the work: I. Songlines This movement starts with a meandering line in the cellos and basses, and it continues to weave throughout the movement, with melodies and shapes emerging from the line. II. Rainbow Serpent This is one of the central figures in the Aboriginal people s creation stories, with cave art representing it going back tens of thousands of years. Rainbow Serpent was one of our ancestors who carved the surface of the earth with rivers and valleys, and left in its wake rainbows and stars. I tried to depict this with a long melodic and chromatic line in the string section and vibraphone that leaves harmonic resonances in its wake. III. Each Stone Speaks a Poem

3 I liked the idea very much that even the most common object has poetry in it if we listen. The movement begins with an arid threenote motive that eventually opens up into something more majestic. The end of the piece recalls materials from all three of the movements. Christopher Theofanidis Concerto for Violin and Orchestra in D minor, Opus 47 (1903/4, Rev. 1905) Jean Sibelius was born in Tavastehus, Finland, on December 8, 1865, and died in Järvenpää, Finland, on September 20, The first performance of the Violin Concerto took place in Helsinki, Finland, on February 8, 1904, with Viktor Nováček as soloist and the composer conducting. In addition to the solo violin, the Concerto is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani, and strings. Approximate performance time is thirty-three minutes. First Classical Subscription Performance: November 18, 1952, Tossy Spivakovsky, Violin, Henry Sopkin, Conductor. Most Recent Classical Subscription Performances: March 3 and 5, 2016, Augustin Hadelich, Violin, Marc Piollet, Conductor. Dreamt I was twelve years old and a virtuoso, reads a 1915 entry in the diary of Jean Sibelius, made while the composer was at work on his Sonatina for Violin and Piano. As a young man, Sibelius was a highly accomplished violinist who had aspirations to become a great instrumentalist. While in his early 20s, Sibelius realized that he would not be able to achieve what he termed my greatest desire, my proudest ambition. Sibelius pragmatically opted for composition as his preferred form of musical expression. Still, Finland s greatest composer maintained a profound affection for the violin, producing some lovely works for the instrument, including one of the most beloved concertos of the 20 th century. Wonderful! Masterly! Sibelius began work on his Violin Concerto sometime in A driving force behind the work was Willy Burmester, an acclaimed virtuoso, and former leader of the Helsinki Philharmonic. Burmester, a great admirer of Sibelius, encouraged the composer to finish the work, and even offered to play the first performance. Sibelius was enthusiastic about the prospect, and offered Burmester a November, 1903 premiere. However, Burmester s schedule precluded any performances until March of the following year. Sibelius was in dire financial straits and needed to present the work as soon as possible.

4 Sibelius then offered the premiere to Viktor Nováček, a teacher in Helsinki and, by all accounts, a violinist of decidedly lesser ability than Burmester. When Burmester learned of this turn of events, he vowed never to play the Concerto. Sibelius tried to placate the eminent musician: I ll agree to whatever you want, but my financial position is so parlous that I must give a concert here either at the end of the year or at the beginning of January. The concerto will be played then by someone here (Nováček for instance) in Helsinki and Turku. When you come in March you will launch it: for any comparison between the two of you is out of the question! So in March or February (?) we can play it together in Berlin, Symphony II and the concerto and something else...marvelous! Helsinki doesn t mean a thing!! I'm so grateful that you will do it in so many places. Burmester accepted Sibelius s peace offering and maintained his great enthusiasm for the Concerto. Toward the close of 1903, Sibelius forwarded to Burmester a violin/piano score of the Concerto. Burmester commented: I can only say one thing: wonderful! Masterly! Only once before have I spoken in such terms to a composer, and that was when Tchaikovsky showed me his concerto. A mass of joyless things Sibelius hoped for a premiere in November, but delays in completing the final score postponed the first performance until February 8, 1904, just one month prior to when Burmester would have been available to play the Concerto. At the premiere, Nováček struggled with the considerable technical challenges of the work. Karl Flodin, Finland s preeminent critic, wrote: his playing offered up a mass of joyless things. From time to time there were terrible sounds and it was impossible to fathom the composer s meaning, so great was the cacophony. Still, Flodin confidently asserted that the new Violin Concerto will not form a link in the chain of genuinely significant modern creations in this artistic form...the Concerto is, to be honest, boring, something that could not hitherto be said of a composition by Jean Sibelius. Burmester remained confident of Sibelius, the Concerto, and, of course, his own abilities: All my 25 years platform experience, my artistry and insight will be placed to serve this work. Just this very fact will do much on your work s behalf. Don t worry about anything, just follow your own concerns and leave this safely in my hands. I shall play the concerto in Helsinki in such a way that the city will be at your feet. Burmester offered to play the Concerto in October of However, in June of that year, Sibelius wrote to his friend Axel Carpelan: I shall withdraw my Violin Concerto; it will not appear again for two years. This is my great secret sorrow at

5 present. The first movement is to be formed completely anew, also the proportions of the Andante, and so on. In the summer of 1905, Sibelius did substantially modify the Concerto, tightening its structure and altering or removing many passages. Sibelius s publisher, Robert Lienau, scheduled the premiere of the revised Concerto to take place in Berlin on October 19, 1905, with Richard Strauss conducting and Karl Halir, leader of the Berlin Orchestra, as soloist. Sibelius rather meekly noted that he had promised the next performance to Burmester, but the publisher insisted that the concert take place with the scheduled artists. Burmester, who offered so much support and encouragement in the creation of the Sibelius Violin Concerto, never played this magnificent work. Musical Analysis I. Allegro moderato Muted strings accompany the soloist s extended introduction of the haunting opening theme (dolce ed espressivo). After a short cadenza, a brooding orchestral passage develops into the second principal theme, first intoned by the bassoons and cellos, and later played with searing passion by the soloist. An ethereal, reflective episode for the soloist leads to a vigorous orchestral passage. The flutes then introduce a more playful theme to close the exposition. Another forceful orchestral proclamation heralds an expansive solo cadenza that replaces the typical development section. A varied recapitulation of the principal thematic material, and a soaring coda that prominently features the soloist, round out the opening movement. II. Adagio di molto The slow-tempo second movement opens with a brief, evocative introduction by the winds. The soloist enters with the Adagio s throbbing principal melody (sonoro ed espressivo). The peaceful woodwind introduction is transformed into a menacing orchestral statement, leading to the soloist s passionate response. Serenity finally returns in the Adagio s closing bars. III. Allegro, ma non tanto The boisterous third movement has inspired some picturesque characterizations. The composer once referred to it as a danse macabre, while the eminent British musician Sir Donald Francis Tovey dubbed the finale a polonaise for polar bears(!) The strings and timpani provide insistent accompaniment to the soloist s vigorous presentation of the finale s main theme, which serves as a springboard for breathtaking virtuoso flights. The entire finale is virtually a non-stop tour de force for the soloist, right to the closing upward flourish. Harmonielehre (1985) John Adams was born in Worcester, Massachusetts on February 15, The first performance of Harmonielehre took place in Davies Hall, San Francisco, on March 21, 1985, with Edo de Waart conducting the San

6 Francisco Symphony. Harmonielehre is scored for three piccolos, four flutes, three oboes, English horn, four clarinets, two bass clarinets, three bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, four trumpets, three trombones, two tubas, timpani, two marimbas, vibraphone, xylophone, tubular bells, crotales, glockenspiel, two suspended cymbals, sizzle cymbal, small crash cymbals, bell tree, two tam-tams, two triangles, bass drum, two harps, piano, celesta, and strings. Approximate performance time is forty minutes. First Classical Subscription Performances: February 14, 15, and 16, 2002, Robert Spano, Conductor. Harmonielehre was commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony. John Adams began work on the large-scale orchestral work in February of 1984, but found himself in the midst of a terribly frustrating fallow period, during which I composed every day for a year, and nothing worthwhile came out of it. There were doubts whether Adams would complete the work in time for the scheduled March, 1985 premiere. Suddenly, there was a turning point. One night, Adams had a dream, recounted in an interview with Jonathan Cott, included in the liner notes for the Nonesuch premiere recording of Harmonielehre:...I saw myself driving across the San Francisco Bay Bridge, and looking out saw a huge tanker in the bay. It was an image of immense power and gravity and mass. And while I was observing this tanker, it suddenly took off like a rocket ship with an enormous force of levitation. As it rose out of the water, I could see a beautiful brownish-orange oxide on the bottom part of its hull. The next morning, Adams sat at the piano and composed the stunning opening chords of Harmonielehre. As Adams recalled: the piece was off like an explosion. After a year of no progress at all, Harmonielehre now came to me very quickly; I wrote this 40-minute work in about three months. Adams completed the score shortly before Harmonielehre s March 21, 1985 premiere, by Edo de Waart and the San Francisco Symphony. The title Harmonielehre (Theory of Harmony) is derived from composer Arnold Schoenberg s 1911 textbook of the same name. According to Adams, Schoenberg, a pioneer in atonal music, wrote Harmonielehre when he was making his radical break with the whole tradition of European harmony. I am strongly attracted to the whole sensibility of that epoch with its combination of sensuality and intellectual energy. Adams acknowledges: although my use of tonal principles is vastly different from Schoenberg s, there are moments in my Harmonielehre which refer to evoke the language and sensibility of the music he wrote around that time. But the musical work s title also suggests harmony in

7 the larger sense, in the sense of spiritual and psychological harmony...the whole piece is a kind of allegory about that quest for grace. Musical Analysis Part I. Seven fearsome E-minor chords launch Harmonielehre s vigorous opening episode. Approximately a third into the movement, the cellos introduce a plaintive espressivo melody that inaugurates an extended, haunting lyrical section the composer describes as full of Sehnsucht (yearning). According to Adams, the opening movement of Harmonielehre is architectonically monolithic and is, in fact, a single-movement symphony in itself. Indeed, the return of the vigorous opening section to conclude Part I offers a highly satisfying and dramatic symmetry. Part II. The Anfortas Wound The title of the slow Second Part of Harmonielehre is derived from King Anfortas, portrayed in Li Contes del Graal, by Chrétien de Troyes, a French poet of the late 12 th century. King Anfortas, who searched for the holy grail, suffered a wound to his testicles (In Wagner s opera Parsifal, Amfortas is wounded in his side, an analogy to Christ at his crucifixion). According to Adams, the wound to Anfortas was due to pride, to hubris, and the wound caused impotence. The Anfortas Wound is a piece about sickness and infirmity, physical and spiritual. The basses and timpani accompany a melody played by muted cellos, a sonority inspired by the Fourth Symphony of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The Anfortas Wound journeys to a pair of anguished climaxes, the second marked ffff. The closing pages, featuring a sudden orchestral outburst, are no less unsettling. Part III. Meister Eckhardt and Quackie As previously noted, Mr. Adams s vision of a tanker rising from the San Francisco Bay served as the impetus for the composition of Harmonielehre. The final movement was inspired by yet another dream, that of Meister Eckhardt (Eckhart) (Eckhart von Hochheim, a 13 th -century theologian and mystic), floating through the firmament with a baby on his shoulders as she whispers the secret of grace into his ear. Quackie is the nickname for the composer's daughter Emily, who was an infant when Adams completed Harmonielehre. The gossamer opening presents an evocation of the composer s dream of Meister Eckhardt and Quackie. The music generates a tremendous sense of momentum, culminating in the triumphant finale, described in the following manner by the composer: there s an extended passage during which a tremendous harmonic struggle takes place with the different tonalities vying for dominance. Now, in a more traditionally worked-out tonal piece, there would be a modulatory sequence that would present the

8 outcome in a rather dialectical way. But in this case, I simply place the keys together, as if in a mixer, and let them battle it out. And finally, E-flat wins through its strength, and this moment seems like an epiphany.