Friday, October 13, :00 p.m. Michael Lewanski, conductor. DePaul Concert Hall 800 West Belden Avenue Chicago

Transcription

1 Friday, October 13, :00 p.m. Concert Orchestra Michael Lewanski, conductor DePaul 800 West Belden Avenue Chicago

2 Friday, October 13, :00 p.m. DePaul Concert Orchestra Michael Lewanski, conductor Program Antonín Dvořák ( ) Slavonic Dances Op. 46, Nos. 1, 2, and 5 (1878) 1. Furiant. Presto (C major) 2. Dumka. Allegretto scherzando Allegro vivo (E minor) 5. Skočná. Allegro assai (A major) Gustav Mahler ( ) Blumine from Symphony No. 1 (1888) Franz Schubert ( ) Symphony No. 6 in C major, D. 589 (1818) I. Adagio Allegro II. Andante III. Scherzo. Presto Piu lento IV. Allegro moderato

3 DePaul Concert Orchestra October 13, 2017 Program Notes Antonín Dvořák Slavonic Dances Op. 46, Nos. 1, 2, and 5 Duration: 15 Minutes Antonín Dvořák s Slavonic Dances, Op. 46 were a milestone in the Czech composer s career. Though Dvořák had enjoyed some success in his native Bohemia, it wasn t until Johannes Brahms, sitting on a panel of composers tasked with awarding stipends to young composers living in the far reaches of the Austrian Empire, discovered him that he had an opportunity wide-scale exposure. Brahms was so impressed that he used his political capital to convince his Viennese publisher, Fritz Simrock, to take Dvořák on. Sensing a business opportunity after seeing how well Dvořák s Moravian Duets had sold, Simrock wisely commissioned a set of eight Slavonic Dances. They were a smashing success so much so that eventually the publisher asked for another set (which would become Op. 72). Thus, the Slavonic Dances occupy a curious place: composed by a dyed-in-the-wool Czech musician, commissioned by a shrewd publisher, written for a cosmopolitan Viennese audience. Just beneath the surface of its charming exterior is a knotty set of social, economic, political, and aesthetic considerations. The first is an optimistic and explosive Furiant, a dance form in which Dvořák wrote frequently (in the 6th and 7th symphonies, in other Slavonic Dances, in piano). It is marked most prominently by its hemiola, here, depending on how one hears it, a constant shift in rhythmic feel from a very fast triple meter to one that is twice as slow, or sudden change from 3/4 to 2/4. The form is a simple ABA. The second is a Dumka, a name derived from the word for thought in various Slavic languages; as is typical for the genre, it alternates between a pensive, melancholy duple-time melody and a much faster, upbeat section. The fifth dance, the third of our set, is a Skočná, a fast dance in 2/4 time. Its playful character masks its ingenious construction. A feature of its main theme is a downward octave leap, something that the composer uses sometimes appropriates as accompanimental, rather than melodic material.

4 DePaul Concert Orchestra October 13, 2017 Program Notes Gustav Mahler Blumine from Symphony No. 1 Duration: 10 minutes Gustav Mahler s symphonies were chronically misunderstood in their own day; as a result, or perhaps as a cause, their composer was by an incorrigible reviser of his music. Most of his symphonies have several versions, and even those are highly contingent and incomplete. The first symphony, now one of the more oft-performed pieces of the so-called standard repertoire, is no exception. The first three performances in the 1880 and 90s included a subtitle ( Titan ) and the following program: Part 1: From the days of youth, youth, fruit, and thorns I. Spring and no end. This introduction describes the awakening of nature at the earliest dawn. II. Flowerine Chapter (Andante). III: Set with full sails (Scherzo). Part 2: Commedia umana IV. Stranded. A funeral march in the manner of Callot. V. Dall inferno al Paradiso, as the sudden expression of a deeply wounded heart. The so-called Flowerine Chapter, the Blumine movement (perhaps flora or floral is a better translation), was intensely criticized for reasons that surely escape a 21st century listener. It was removed from the symphony, lost, and not rediscovered until 1966 in a Yale University archive by musicologist Donald Mitchell. Its form is the simplest of ABA s, its genre that of the serenade. It is a song from a generic lover to a beloved, but perhaps actually from Mahler to Johanna Richter, a soprano at the Imperial Theater of Cassel where he was working. The trumpet is used as singer of the song because the music originated in Mahler s incidental music to Der Trompeter von Säckingen, a dramatic poem by Joseph Victor von Scheffel about a supposedly lowborn trumpeter who loves above his social class. Blumine is, for all of these reasons, classic Mahler: something apparently straightforward and obvious is wrought into a complex of meaning, intrigue, and intensely expressed emotions.

5 DePaul Concert Orchestra October 13, 2017 Program Notes Franz Schubert Symphony No. 6 in C major Duration: 35 Minutes Given how powerful the shadow of Beethoven cast on, well, just about all music after him, it s easy to forget that during his own lifetime his star waxed and waned. Similarly, it s easy to think of Schubert only in relationship to Beethoven, as a figure who admired the older composer but struck on his own path, perhaps, or whose existence was only possible because of his forebearer s innovations and courage. Schubert s 6th symphony, however, is starkly and incessantly influenced by the voice of Rossini, whose operas had become instantly popular in Vienna in 1817, the year before this work s composition. Since the other C major symphony of Schubert because of its length, grandiosity, and ambitiousness ended up with the nickname the Great, inevitably, the current symphony has been demeaningly called the the Little. A much more apt designation might be the Light ; it takes its cues from the popular styles of fashionable Italian opera, rather than from the developing late style of Beethoven (who was writing the Hammerklavier sonata at the same time), or even the highly refined late classical style of Hummel or Krommer. The first movement might as well be an Italian overture, of which Schubert wrote two separately while working on this symphony. A solemn introduction leads to a joyful woodwind theme, reminiscent of Haydn as well as Rossini. The form is straightforward indeed, a text-book sonata: repeated exposition, brief development section, recapitulation, faster coda. The large-scale harmonic movement is conventional. The thematic contents are light, airy, and catchy. If you haven t heard it before, you might nevertheless swear you recognize it. Given how utterly enjoyable it is to listen to, it s easy to understate the achievement: wrapped up in a wellconstructed sonata form is a set of musical topics from a different country and different genre. The slow movement, also deeply conventional in its form, evinces the very same nonchalant brilliance. The initial theme in the violins is elegant and song like, a cavatina perhaps, or an arioso. The chortling middle section bustles with pleasant triplet rhythms, funny interjections from the brass, and the occasional full outburst to make sure everyone pays attention. The return of the opening combines these two: the rhythmic energy of the middle, and the melody of the opening. The Scherzo is perhaps the only place where we detect a Beethovenian influence. Though again its thematic world is all light and charm and hilarity Rossini s melodic humor with Schubert s harmonic antics the form is a bit more lopsided and large-scale than what one normally

6 DePaul Concert Orchestra October 13, 2017 Program Notes encounters in what is meant to be the slightest movement of a symphony. The opening section is driven and mercurial, the middle (the Trio) is lazy and relaxed. The Finale could hardly be more relaxed. Allegro moderato, where most are just Allegro or better yet Vivace or even Presto, its theme is easy-going and ambling. Even the military-style interruption of the trumpets doesn t derail how non-plussed the movement is, as a second in the woodwinds shows no desire to go far afield. So lackadaisical is the movement that it can t be bothered to have a development section (a formal move almost underheard of in symphonic finales), preferring to go right to the recapitulation. The coda of the symphony, though, gets considerably more energetic, the martial element introduced earlier in the movement alternating with Rossini-esque flirtations; the ending is all affirmation. Notes by Michael Lewanski

7 DePaul Concert Orchestra October 13, 2017 Biography Conductor, educator, and writer Michael Lewanski is a champion of contemporary music and older repertoire alike. His work seeks to create deeper and more engaged connections between audiences, musicians, and the music that is part of their culture and history. He has been on the faculty of the DePaul University School of Music since 2007, where he conducts the Concert Orchestra, Ensemble 20+ (20th century and contemporary music), and works frequently with other ensembles. He is conductor of Ensemble Dal Niente, a Chicago-based new music group. Michael has guest-conducted Lyric Opera of Chicago, chamber ensembles from the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, the Toledo Symphony Orchestra, the Detroit Symphony Civic Youth Orchestra, the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), the Chicago Chamber Musicians, the Fifth House Ensemble, and many others. He has led over 100 world premieres. He was the Conducting Assistant for the Civic Orchestra of Chicago from 2010 to At the 2012 Darmstadt Summer Courses, Ensemble Dal Niente won the prestigious Kranichstein Music Prize under his direction. Michael has an extensive discography as both a conductor and a producer. A native of Savannah, Georgia, he studied piano and violin; he made his conducting debut at age 13, leading his own composition. At 16, he was the youngest student ever accepted into the conducting class of the legendary Ilya Musin at the St. Petersburg Conservatory. Michael subsequently attended Yale University. His post-yale education featured conducting study with Cliff Colnot and Lucas Vis. Michael s schedule for the concert season includes concerts with DePaul School of Music ensembles, performances with Ensemble Dal Niente (at the Art Institute of Chicago, New York s Metropolitan Museum of Art, residencies at Brown, Brandeis, Northwestern and University of Chicago), guest conducting engagements throughout the US, recording projects, and festival appearances. sasdasdas

8 DePaul Concert Orchestra October 13, 2017 Personnel Violin I Caitlin Edwards, concertmaster Alexandra Kagan Yeyoung Yoon Wan-Chun Hu Valentina Guillen Sungjoo Kang Vincent Wong William Bontempo Meghan Faw Violin II Farid Ishkinyaev, principal Yeyoung Yoon Bernini Chan Maria Campos Amber Daughtry Marian Mayuga Lina Mar Yamin Noronha Nelson Mendoza Viola Seth Pae, principal Georges Mefleh Karlita Williams Michael Fuentes Marc Hornig Cello Margaret Wenzel, co-principal Vincent Ramirez-Boyce, co-principal Timothy Sutton Sarah Yang Isabella Kruger-Seiler Malik Johnson Caley Koch Joel Rosen Bass Andrew French, principal Davis Smith Austen Goebbel Mary Halm Ryan MacDonald Flute Jen Klimek Jinji Zhang Piccolo Jen Klimek Oboe Jacob Shapiro Lillia Woolschlager Young Soon Yoo Clarinet Julia Janda Michael Ippolito Bassoon Elliot Cobb Jenna Cole Carlos Ruiz Horn Fernando Chapa Rebecca Hiigel Melody (Fang-Yu) Lin Jacob Nelson Ali Nizamani Trumpet J.R. Buzzell Claire Hendrickson Michael Verbic Trombone Matthew Jarosch Colin Towbin Bass Trombone Ben Zisook Timpani George Tantchev Harp Ben Melsky* Percussion Miyu Morita Cristian Torres Sarah Weddle Librarians Elliot Cobb Rasa Mahmoudian Ensemble Assistant Riley Leitch *Guest

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10 Upcoming Events Saturday, October 14 8:00 p.m. DePaul Chamber Choir and Concert Choir Sunday, October 15 3:00 p.m. DePaul Wind Symphony Ensemble 20+ October 11, 2017 Friday, October 27 & Sunday, October 29 8:00 p.m. & 2:00 p.m. DePaul Opera Theatre Presents: The Turn of the Screw by Benjamin Britten Monday, October 30 8:00 p.m. African Drum Ensemble Tuesday, October 31 8:00 p.m. Baroque Chamber Concert Tuesday, October 31 8:00 p.m. The Jazz Showcase 806 South Plymouth Court Chicago DePaul Jazz Workshop Wednesday, November 1 8:00 p.m. Guest Recital: Christopher Hutton, cello Thursday, November 2 8:00 p.m. Faculty Artist Series: Jason Moy with Guest Shirley Hunt Friday, November 3 8:00 p.m. New Music DePaul Saturday, November 4 8:00 p.m. DePaul Symphony Orchestra

11 Sunday, November 5 3:00 p.m. Faculty Artist Series: Ilya Kaler, violin Ensemble 20+ October 11, 2017 Upcoming Events Sunday, November 5 3:00 p.m. Student Center 2250 North Sheffield Avenue Chicago Jazz Orchestra Sunday, November 5 8:00 p.m. Guitar Ensemble Festival Monday, November 6 7:00 p.m. Recital Hall Jazz Combos Monday, November 6 8:00 p.m. Wind/Mixed Chamber Showcase I Tuesday, November 7 8:00 p.m. DePaul Wind Symphony Wednesday, November 8 7:00 p.m. Recital Hall Jazz Combos As a courtesy to those around you, please silence all cell phones and other electronic devices. Flash photography is not permitted. Thank you. Sign up for DePaul E-Notes! Receive bi-weekly updates in your inbox on performances taking place at the School of Music, as well as special offers and discounts to ticketed events! You can choose to unsubscribe from the list at any time. We have a strict privacy policy and will never sell or trade your address. You can sign up for E-Notes by visiting music.depaul.edu and clicking on Concerts and Events. DePaul University School of Music 800 West Belden Avenue Chicago Recital Hall 804 West Belden Avenue Chicago music.depaul.edu

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