Season Jakub Hrůša Conductor André Watts Piano

Transcription

1 Season Thursday, November 13, at 8:00 Friday, November 14, at 2:00 Saturday, November 15, at 8:00 The Philadelphia Orchestra Jakub Hrůša Conductor André Watts Piano Janáček Jealousy First Philadelphia Orchestra performances Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 1 in C major, Op. 15 I. Allegro con brio II. Largo III. Rondo: Allegro Intermission Dvořák Symphony No. 8 in G major, Op. 88 I. Allegro con brio II. Adagio Poco più animato Tempo I. Meno mosso III. Allegretto grazioso Coda: Molto vivace IV. Allegro ma non troppo This program runs approximately 1 hour, 55 minutes. The November 13 concert is sponsored by MEDCOMP. The November 15 concert is sponsored by the Capital Grille. designates a work that is part of the 40/40 Project, which features pieces not performed on subscription concerts in at least 40 years. Philadelphia Orchestra concerts are broadcast on WRTI 90.1 FM on Sunday afternoons at 1 PM. Visit to listen live or for more details.

2

3 3 Story Title The Philadelphia Orchestra 29 The Philadelphia Orchestra is one of the preeminent orchestras in the world, renowned for its distinctive sound, desired for its keen ability to capture the hearts and imaginations of audiences, and admired for a legacy of imagination and innovation on and off the concert stage. The Orchestra is transforming its rich tradition of achievement, sustaining the highest level of artistic quality, but also challenging and exceeding that level by creating powerful musical experiences for audiences at home and around the world. Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin s highly collaborative style, deeply-rooted musical curiosity, and boundless enthusiasm, paired with a fresh approach to orchestral programming, have been heralded by critics and audiences alike since his inaugural season in Under his leadership the Orchestra returned to recording with a celebrated CD of Stravinsky s The Rite of Spring and Leopold Stokowski transcriptions on the Deutsche Grammophon label, continuing its history of recording success. The Orchestra also reaches thousands of listeners on the radio with weekly Sunday afternoon broadcasts on WRTI-FM. Philadelphia is home, and the Orchestra nurtures an important relationship with patrons who support the main season at the Kimmel Center, and also with those who enjoy the Orchestra s other area performances at the Mann Center, Penn s Landing, and other cultural, civic, and learning venues. The Orchestra maintains a strong commitment to collaborations with cultural and community organizations on a regional and national level. Through concerts, tours, residencies, presentations, and recordings, the Orchestra is a global ambassador for Philadelphia and for the United States. Having been the first American orchestra to perform in China, in 1973 at the request of President Nixon, today The Philadelphia Orchestra boasts a new partnership with the National Centre for the Performing Arts in Beijing. The ensemble annually performs at Carnegie Hall and the Kennedy Center while also enjoying summer residencies in Saratoga Springs, New York, and Vail, Colorado. The Philadelphia Orchestra has a decades-long tradition of presenting learning and community engagement opportunities for listeners of all ages. The Orchestra s recent initiative, the Fabulous Philadelphians Offstage, Philly Style!, has taken musicians off the traditional concert stage and into the community, including highly-successful Pop- Up concerts, PlayINs, SingINs, and ConductINs. The Orchestra s musicians, in their own dedicated roles as teachers, coaches, and mentors, serve a key role in growing young musician talent and a love of classical music, nurturing and celebrating the wealth of musicianship in the Philadelphia region. For more information on The Philadelphia Orchestra, please visit Jessica Griffin

4 6 Music Director Chris Lee Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin continues his inspired leadership of The Philadelphia Orchestra, which began in the fall of His highly collaborative style, deeply rooted musical curiosity, and boundless enthusiasm, paired with a fresh approach to orchestral programming, have been heralded by critics and audiences alike. The New York Times has called Nézet-Séguin phenomenal, adding that under his baton, the ensemble, famous for its glowing strings and homogenous richness, has never sounded better. He has taken the Orchestra to new musical heights. Highlights of his third season as music director include an Art of the Pipe Organ festival; the 40/40 Project, in which 40 great compositions that haven t been heard on subscription concerts in at least 40 years will be performed; and Bernstein s MASS, the pinnacle of the Orchestra s fiveseason requiem cycle. Yannick has established himself as a musical leader of the highest caliber and one of the most exciting talents of his generation. He has been music director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic since 2008 and artistic director and principal conductor of Montreal s Orchestre Métropolitain since He also continues to enjoy a close relationship with the London Philharmonic, of which he was principal guest conductor. He has made wildly successful appearances with the world s most revered ensembles, and he has conducted critically acclaimed performances at many of the leading opera houses. Yannick Nézet-Séguin and Deutsche Grammophon (DG) enjoy a long-term collaboration. Under his leadership The Philadelphia Orchestra returned to recording with a CD on that label of Stravinsky s The Rite of Spring and Leopold Stokowski transcriptions. He continues a fruitful recording relationship with the Rotterdam Philharmonic on DG, EMI Classics, and BIS Records; the London Philharmonic and Choir for the LPO label; and the Orchestre Métropolitain for ATMA Classique. A native of Montreal, Yannick Nézet-Séguin studied at that city s Conservatory of Music and continued lessons with renowned conductor Carlo Maria Giulini and with Joseph Flummerfelt at Westminster Choir College. Among Yannick s honors are an appointment as Companion of the Order of Canada, one of the country s highest civilian honors; a Royal Philharmonic Society Award; Canada s National Arts Centre Award; the Prix Denise-Pelletier, the highest distinction for the arts in Quebec; and honorary doctorates from the University of Quebec in Montreal and the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. To read Yannick s full bio, please visit

5 30 Conductor Zbyněk Maděryč Born in the Czech Republic and described by Gramophone magazine as on the verge of greatness, conductor Jakub Hrůša has served as music director and chief conductor of the Prague Philharmonia since He is also principal guest conductor of the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony, with which he recently extended his commitment through the season. Mr. Hrůša is a regular guest with many of the world s leading orchestras, including the London Philharmonia; the Czech and Radio France philharmonics; the Leipzig Gewandhaus and Cleveland orchestras; and the Sydney, Melbourne, Stuttgart Radio, and WDR symphonies. He makes his Philadelphia Orchestra debut with these current concerts. Mr. Hrůša s recent performance highlights include Bohemian Legends, a major series with the London Philharmonia devoted to the music of Dvořák, Suk, and Janáček; and debuts with the Los Angeles and Netherlands Radio philharmonics, the Vienna Radio and Baltimore symphonies, the Russian National Orchestra, and the Finnish National Opera. Additional highlights of his season include a new series, the Mighty Five, with the Philharmonia; and debuts with the Vienna and Bamberg symphonies, the RAI National Symphony in Turin, the Deutsches Sinfonie-Orchester Berlin, and the Paris Opera. Mr. Hrůša has been a regular guest with the Glyndebourne Festival Opera and Tour since his debut in 2008, conducting Bizet s Carmen, Puccini s La bohème, Dvořák s Rusalka, and Mozart s Don Giovanni. From 2010 to 2012 he served as music director of Glyndebourne on Tour. He has also led operatic productions for the Royal Danish Opera and the Prague National Theater. As a recording artist, Mr. Hrůša has released six discs for Supraphon, including a critically acclaimed live recording of Smetana s Má vlast from the Prague Spring Festival. Other recordings include the Tchaikovsky and Bruch violin concertos with Nicola Benedetti and the Czech Philharmonic (Universal), and live recordings of Berlioz s Symphonie fantastique and Strauss s An Alpine Symphony with the Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony (Octavia Records). Originally from Brno, Mr. Hrůša studied conducting at the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, where he now lives with his wife and daughter. He is currently president of the International Martinů Circle.

6 Soloist 31 Steve J. Sherman At the age of 16 pianist André Watts was chosen by Leonard Bernstein to make his debut with the New York Philharmonic in one of its Young People s Concerts, broadcast nationwide on CBS-TV. Only two weeks later he was in the spotlight again when Bernstein asked him to substitute at the last minute for the ailing Glenn Gould in performances of Liszt s E-flat Concerto with the Philharmonic. Those momentous events launched his career, but he had already been discovered by The Philadelphia Orchestra six years earlier: He made his debut with the Philadelphians in 1957, as a 10-year-old winner of the Orchestra s Children s Student Competition. He has since appeared with the Orchestra over 100 times, most recently in the season, which included a tour in Florida. A perennial favorite with orchestras throughout the U.S., Mr. Watts is a regular guest at the major summer music festivals, including Saratoga, Ravinia, Tanglewood, and the Hollywood Bowl. Recent and upcoming international engagements include concerto and recital appearances in Japan, Hong Kong, Germany, and Spain. He is also a frequent performer on television and has appeared in numerous programs produced by PBS, the BBC, and the Arts and Entertainment Network. Mr. Watts s extensive discography includes recordings of works by Gershwin, Chopin, Liszt, and Tchaikovsky for CBS Masterworks; recital CDs of works by Beethoven, Schubert, Liszt, and Chopin for Angel/EMI; and recordings featuring the concertos of Liszt, MacDowell, Tchaikovsky, and Saint- Saëns on the Telarc label. He is also included in the Great Pianists of the 20th Century series for Philips. Mr. Watts studied at the Peabody Conservatory of Johns Hopkins University and at the age of 26 became the youngest person ever to receive an honorary doctorate from Yale University. He is the recipient of the 1988 Avery Fisher Prize. In 2004 he was appointed to the newly created Jack I. and Dora B. Hamlin Endowed Chair in Music at Indiana University. In 2006 he was inducted into the Hollywood Bowl of Fame to celebrate the 50th anniversary of his professional debut with The Philadelphia Orchestra. Mr. Watts received a 2011 National Medal of Arts from President Obama for outstanding contributions to the arts in the United States.

7 32 Framing the Program Parallel Events 1795 Beethoven Piano Concerto No Dvořák Symphony No Janáček Jealousy Music Haydn Symphony No. 103 Literature Goethe Wilhelm Meisters Lehrjahre Art Blake Nebuchadnezzar History White Terror in Paris Music Tchaikovsky The Sleeping Beauty Literature Stevenson The Master of Ballantrae Art Gauguin The Yellow Christ History London Dock Strike Music Debussy Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun Literature Kipling The Jungle Book Art Gauguin Breton Peasants History Korea and Japan declare war on China Czech composers Antonín Dvořák and Leoš Janáček, whose works frame the program today, were born just a dozen years apart yet seem to represent completely different eras, one the great Romantic and the other the challenging Modernist. The concert opens with a brief and rarely performed piece that Janáček originally intended as the overture to Jenůfa, the magnificent opera that first brought him to international prominence. Although he decided to withdraw the overture from the opera he did not reject the work outright but rather presented it as an independent symphonic poem with the title Jealousy. Janáček found an inspiring model in Dvořák, who in turn viewed him with some caution, saying of his younger colleague s music, Yes it s strange but it is written by someone who thinks with his own head! The concert today ends with Dvořák s joyous Symphony No. 8, first published in 1892 in England, where his reputation was enormous, and shortly before he left for three years to live in America, where his international stature grew even further. Between these two Slavic masters comes Beethoven, whose First Piano Concerto was composed over the course of a couple of years during which he kept refining it as a vehicle to display his impressive musical gifts. Mozart s concertos served as the model for this sparkling work in which Beethoven attempted to make a name for himself in Vienna, both as a virtuoso pianist and a brilliant composer.

8 The Music Jealousy 33 Leoš Janáček Born in Hukvaldy, Moravia (now Czech Republic), July 3, 1854 Died in Ostrava, August 12, 1928 We tend to think of the great Czech composer Leoš Janáček as belonging to the generation of Igor Stravinsky and Béla Bartók, fellow composers who also explored the musical traditions of their native countries and put them to imaginative use in original pieces. Yet Janáček was in fact more than a quarter century older than either his Russian or Hungarian contemporaries. The confusion about chronology comes in large part from Janáček being a rather slow starter it was only when he was well into his 40s that he found his utterly distinctive musical voice. Another reason is that his first real fame came at age 61, with an important production of his third opera, Jenůfa, in Prague, which soon led to further performances in Vienna, Berlin, and elsewhere. Most of his best-known music, most of his masterpieces, followed during the next dozen years before his death in 1928 at age 74. Prelude to an Opera Jenůfa, the work that finally brought Janáček international fame, was an opera long in the making (nearly 10 years off and on, from 1894 to 1903) and the decisive Prague production in 1914 itself came a decade after its premiere in the composer s native Brno in January Today we hear a short symphonic poem entitled Jealousy, which Janáček originally intended as the prelude to Jenůfa, but decided to withdraw in favor of the opera plunging almost immediately into the drama. Janáček composed the original piano four-hand version of Jealousy in 1894 and early the next year expanded and orchestrated it. It is not clear why he decided not to use the piece to introduce the opera. It may have been a similar case to Beethoven and the original Leonore overtures to Fidelio: the suspicion that the purely instrumental opener encapsulated too much of the emotional charge of the opera to follow, thereby undermining the dramatic impact. Janáček apparently toyed with reinserting the piece for the 1914 Prague performances, but decided not to the opera was never performed with an overture during his lifetime. (It has been used on occasion in the past few decades.) Despite rejecting the prelude to introduce Jenůfa, Janáček did not disown the work in its own right. The piece was premiered as an independent composition in Prague in

9 34 Janáček composed Jealousy for piano four-hands in He expanded the piece and orchestrated it in These are the first Philadelphia Orchestra performances of the work. The score calls for two flutes (II doubling piccolo), two oboes, English horn, two clarinets, bass clarinet, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, glockenspiel, harp, and strings. Performance time is approximately five minutes and later performed in Brno. For both occasions the composer was present and chose to provide brief descriptions of the piece. He called it a motto to Jenůfa that was without any motivic connection to the opera. Obsessed with Jealousy Jenůfa, based on a play entitled Her Stepdaughter (as the opera is called in Czech) by Gabriela Preissová, tells the story of the stepdaughter of the imposing Kostelnička, sacristan at the local chapel. The lovely Jenůfa is secretly pregnant by Števa, whose jealous half-brother, Laca, himself in love with her, enters into a heated exchange with her and slashes her face with his knife. The child is born, but by this point Števa has lost all interest in the disfigured Jenůfa. The Kostelnička kills the child and when the body is later discovered blame is unjustly placed on Jenůfa. The truth about the murder is ultimately revealed, as is Laca s deep sorrow at what he had so cruelly done to Jenůfa, who in the end accepts his love. Set in a Moravian village, Jenůfa is hardly a charming Czech folk opera but rather a starkly realistic tale with powerful emotions and intense music. A Closer Look The original prelude became a standalone piece with the apt title Žárlivost (Jealousy), the theme not only of Jenůfa but also of other pieces by Janáček. The prelude incorporates a popular Moravian folksong, Žárlivec (The Jealous Man), which had attracted Janáček for some years already: He included it in a folk collection he helped to edit, then in another one in which it was harmonized, and then used some of the words in 1888 for a male-voice chorus. The words of the song served as a program to Jealousy and complement the story of Jenůfa: A wounded soldier in a mountain hut asks his beloved to hand him his sword so that he might see the reflection of his pale face. All is calm except for the unpeaceful buzzing of flies. She understands his real intension, born of jealousy, is to stab her and so she lurches away, saving herself. His final words are: I would have cut off your head so that after my death no one would have you. Framed by bursts of dramatic energy to open and close, the symphonic poem lasts barely five minutes and is by turns violent, tender, and passionate. It draws not only from the folksong story but also some of its melodies. Christopher H. Gibbs

10 The Music Piano Concerto No Ludwig van Beethoven Born in Bonn, probably December 16, 1770 Died in Vienna, March 26, 1827 While Mozart did not literally invent the piano concerto, he was the genius to bring it to prominence and first create enduring musical monuments in the genre. He served as an inspiring model for the young Beethoven, who was already being compared to him when he was just 12 years old. An important German music journal announced that the prodigy would surely become a second Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart if he were to continue as he has begun. At 16 Beethoven went from his native Bonn to Vienna in the hopes of studying with his idol. He is said to have played for Mozart and to have earned his approving remark, Keep your eyes on him; someday he will give the world something to talk about. The Young Virtuoso Not long after his arrival, however, Beethoven was called back home to tend to his gravely ill mother and he remained in Bonn for the next five years. In 1792, with assistance from the Elector Maximilian Franz and Count Waldstein, Beethoven won the chance to return to Vienna. With Mozart now dead, Haydn would be his teacher. Waldstein informed Beethoven, With the help of assiduous labor you shall receive Mozart s spirit from Haydn s hands. After studies with Haydn and others, Beethoven began to mold his public career. As Mozart had found some two decades earlier, piano concertos offered the ideal vehicle in which to display both performing and compositional gifts, including those of improvisation in the unaccompanied cadenza sections heard near the end of certain movements. Discussions of cadenzas today are usually restricted to what a given pianist chooses to play one by the composer, by someone else, or his or her own. But the issue of cadenzas speaks to a much larger one: that Beethoven viewed his early piano concertos as showpieces for his own use. In fact, he sometimes withheld the publication of keyboard pieces, particularly concertos, for many years so that he could retain sole rights to perform them. As Beethoven improvised cadenzas on the spot in performance, he had no reason at first to write them down, especially if there were no plans to publish the concerto anytime soon. Beethoven thus took many years

11 36 before committing cadenzas to paper and, even then, he offered choices: For the First Concerto he wrote three possible ones for the first movement. These cadenzas, inserted years afterward, offer an interesting point of comparison with the earlier writing for the keyboard of the Concerto proper. The original solo parts were composed in the 1790s for smaller-sized pianos in use at a time when, at least to his eventual mythic extent, Beethoven was not yet fully BEETHOVEN. The early concerto cadenzas, dating from more than a decade later, utilize a wider keyboard range made possible by more advanced instruments, and were composed by Beethoven in his full maturity. The mixtures of styles can be somewhat disconcerting, but are also fascinating, as the older, wiser, and wilder Beethoven looks back on his younger self reinterpreting earlier musical ideas. Really a Second Concerto As is always dutifully remarked, Beethoven s First Piano Concerto is chronologically really the second one of his famous five. Yet the issue is even a bit more complicated because the composer in fact wrote what we might call a Piano Concerto No. 0 in E-flat, his true first concerto, at age 13 while he was still living in Bonn. Although only the piano part survives with some instrumental cues, an orchestration has been reconstructed; a few available recordings of this curiosity give a good idea of how the young composer sought to emulate Mozart, his compositional and professional model. The exact chronology of Beethoven s first three mature piano concertos is not altogether clear, although, as mentioned, the compositional order of the First and Second is reversed. Beethoven did not consider the Concerto No. 2 in B-flat as among his most successful pieces and therefore decided to release first his somewhat further advanced C-major Concerto, Op. 15. The C major is a more elaborate work than the B-flat and makes use of a larger orchestra, which includes clarinets, trumpets, and timpani. It projects something of the grandeur of Mozart s C-major piano concertos (such as K. 415, K. 467, and K. 503) and is an unusually long and technically demanding work for the 1790s. The C-major Concerto seems to date from 1795, with further revisions up until its publication in Beethoven most likely gave its first public performance at a concert in December 1795 that celebrated Haydn s triumphant return to Vienna from his second English excursion. Although we cannot otherwise always be sure

12 37 Beethoven composed his Piano Concerto No. 1 in 1795 and revised it from 1800 to The work was first performed by The Philadelphia Orchestra in December 1918, with Alfred Cortot and conductor Leopold Stokowski. The most recent performances on subscription concerts were in November/ December 2012, with Lars Vogt as soloist and Donald Runnicles. The First Concerto was recorded twice by the Orchestra: in 1954 and 1965, both for the CBS label, and both with Rudolf Serkin and Eugene Ormandy. The composer scored the work for an orchestra of one flute, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani, and strings, in addition to the solo piano. Beethoven s First Piano Concerto runs approximately 35 minutes in performance. on which occasions Beethoven played the piece, or for that matter the B-flat, he seems to have preferred the C major and performed it more often, both in Vienna and on tour in Germany and Bohemia. A Closer Look The Concerto No. 1 exudes a youthful energy, beginning with the first movement Allegro con brio that opens with a polite, softly played octave leap and upward scale in the strings that becomes increasingly festive. A lyrical second theme in the strings leads to the piano s entrance with new thematic material. The Largo is far more intimate (flutes, oboes, trumpets, and timpani remain silent throughout) and possesses the quality of an aria. Infectious energy returns in the Allegro finale, remarkable for its humor, syncopated themes, and offbeat accents. After a headlong dash to the end, a brief coda features the piano imitating distant horn calls before an elaborate right-hand ornamentation and unexpected concluding orchestral outburst. Christopher H. Gibbs

13 38 The Music Symphony No. 8 Antonín Dvořák Born in Nelahozeves, Bohemia, September 8, 1841 Died in Prague, May 1, 1904 The late 1880s constituted a sort of golden era in Dvořák s career, a period in which he solidified his position as Bohemia s preeminent composer and at the same time made essential strides toward establishing himself as a musician of international significance. Some of his works, such as the Slavonic Dances (which were considered charming and quaint by non-czechs), were selling briskly throughout Europe, in German editions by the publisher Simrock. And although the Vienna Opera had rejected his stage works The Cunning Peasant and Dimitrij, the celebrated conductor Hans Richter (a friend and champion of the music of Brahms as well) had enthusiastically promoted works such as the Symphonic Variations. Most important, Dvořák s music had sparked the imagination of the English concert public and the commissions, performances, and conducting engagements in England did much toward furthering his international reputation. A Summery and Cheerful Work Dvořák s stormy, Brahmsian D-minor Symphony (No. 7) had created a stir in 1885, both at home and abroad. Inspired immeasurably by the reaction to it, in 1889 the composer set about sketching the symphony that in many ways represented the pinnacle of his Czech years the last major orchestral work he was to complete before embarking for New York in The Eighth is very unlike either the Seventh or the Ninth (the New World ): It is cheerful in the manner of Brahms s Second Symphony, yet in many ways is Dvořák s most self-consciously Czech symphony. It was begun at Vysoká, the family s Bohemian summer home, in September 1889, shortly after the finishing touches had been put on the E-flat Piano Quartet. The idyllic setting of Vysoká has caused many writers to comment on a sort of summery quality in the Eighth; it indeed contains some of Dvořák s most uncomplicatedly joyous music. The Symphony was performed the following February in Prague s Rudolfinum, under the composer s baton. The acclaim, both critical and popular, was hearty and vigorous. Richter was so taken with the piece that he took it up and performed it in London and in Vienna in 1890 and 91. My dear, bad friend, he wrote to Dvořák in Prague after one of these concerts. You certainly would have been happy with

14 39 Dvořák s Eighth Symphony was composed in The first Philadelphia Orchestra performances of the Eighth Symphony took place in January 1955, with Thor Johnson on the podium. Most recently on subscription it was played in January 2011, under the baton of Gianandrea Noseda. The Orchestra has recorded the Eighth twice: in 1977 with Eugene Ormandy for RCA and in 1989 with Wolfgang Sawallisch for EMI. The Symphony is scored for two flutes (II doubling piccolo), two oboes (II doubling English horn), two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, and strings. The Eighth runs approximately 35 minutes in performance. Program notes All rights reserved. Program notes may not be reprinted without written permission from The Philadelphia Orchestra Association. this performance. We all felt that this was a splendid work, and thus we were all very enthusiastic. Brahms dined with me after the performance and we drank to the health of the unfortunately absent father of the Symphony No. 4. The success was warm and sincere. (Because the Eighth was the fourth of Dvořák s symphonies to be published, it was called No. 4 for many years.) The Eighth was printed in 1892 not by Simrock of Berlin, with whom Dvořák had quarreled in recent years, but by Novello in London. The degree of the composer s satisfaction with the piece can be gauged by his submission of the work for as he writes on the title page acceptance into the Czech Academy of Emperor Franz Joseph, for Science, Literature, and the Arts. In 1890 Dvořák was elected to the prestigious Academy, membership in which functioned as a sort of conclusive badge of arrival for artistic and literary professionals in the Austro-Hungarian Empire. A Closer Look The flute plays a prominent role in the Eighth, which some have suggested is an echo of a bird song Dvořák might have heard that summer at Vysoká. After an introductory subject by clarinet, bassoon, and cello, the solo flute presents the lilting principal theme of the opening movement (Allegro con brio), which is taken up by the whole orchestra. The discursive transition ensues, somewhat apart from the theme, until an assertive theme in B minor is introduce by flutes and clarinets. The plaintive introduction returns to usher in the elaborate development section, and then yet again (fortissimo) at the beginning of the recapitulation. The flute comes to the fore again in the Adagio, a reflective movement that one could easily construe as an evocation of the Bohemian countryside. Likewise the Allegretto grazioso is a quiet country dance, whose placement in the key of G minor comes to us as only vaguely disquieting. The finale (Allegro ma non troppo), announced by two trumpets, is a set of variations on a theme (presented by cellos) that grows directly from the first movement s opening flute subject. The theme undergoes a variety of configurations, with the length of each variation determined by the nature of the developing material; even the introductory trumpet call is woven into the fabric at one point. Dvořák s conclusive working-out of the simple theme, which has lingered in the ear since the opening movement, makes this one of his most satisfyingly organic finales. Paul J. Horsley

15 40 Musical Terms GENERAL TERMS Aria: An accompanied solo song (often in ternary form), usually in an opera or oratorio Cadenza: A passage or section in a style of brilliant improvisation, usually inserted near the end of a movement or composition Chord: The simultaneous sounding of three or more tones Chromatic: Relating to tones foreign to a given key (scale) or chord Coda: A concluding section or passage added in order to confirm the impression of finality Development: See sonata form Diatonic: Melody or harmony drawn primarily from the tones of the major or minor scale Octave: The interval between any two notes that are seven diatonic (non-chromatic) scale degrees apart Op.: Abbreviation for opus, a term used to indicate the chronological position of a composition within a composer s output. Opus numbers are not always reliable because they are often applied in the order of publication rather than composition. Oratorio: Large-scale dramatic composition originating in the 16th century with text usually based on religious subjects. Oratorios are performed by choruses and solo voices with an instrumental accompaniment, and are similar to operas but without costumes, scenery, and actions. Recapitulation: See sonata form Rondo: A form frequently used in symphonies and concertos for the final movement. It consists of a main section that alternates with a variety of contrasting sections (A-B- A-C-A etc.). Scale: The series of tones which form (a) any major or minor key or (b) the chromatic scale of successive semi-tonic steps Semitone: The smallest interval of the modern Western tone system, or 1/12 of an octave Sonata form: The form in which the first movements (and sometimes others) of symphonies are usually cast. The sections are exposition, development, and recapitulation, the last sometimes followed by a coda. Symphonic poem: A type of 19th-century symphonic piece in one movement, which is based upon an extramusical idea, either poetic or descriptive Syncopation: A shift of rhythmic emphasis off the beat Ternary: A musical form in three sections, ABA, in which the middle section is different than the outer sections THE SPEED OF MUSIC (Tempo) Adagio: Leisurely, slow Allegretto: Between walking speed and fast Allegro: Bright, fast Animato: Lively, animated Con brio: Vigorously, with fire Grazioso: Graceful and easy Largo: Broad Meno mosso: Less moved (slower) Vivace: Lively TEMPO MODIFIERS Ma non troppo: But not too much Molto: Very Più: More Poco: Little, a bit DYNAMIC MARKS Fortissimo (ff): Very loud

16 November The Philadelphia Orchestra 41 Enjoy the ultimate in flexibility with a Create-Your-Own 4-Concert Series today! Choose 4 or more concerts that fit your schedule and your tastes. Hurry, before tickets disappear for this exciting season. There s still time to subscribe and receive exclusive subscriber benefits! Choose from over 60 performances including: Brahms and Stravinsky Friday, November 21 2 PM Saturday, November 22 8 PM Susanna Mälkki Conductor Juliette Kang Violin Respighi Botticelli Triptych Stravinsky Violin Concerto Brahms Symphony No. 4 Morales Plays Rossini Friday, November 28 8 PM Saturday, November 29 8 PM Sunday, November 30 2 PM Juanjo Mena Conductor Ricardo Morales Clarinet Rimsky-Korsakov Capriccio espagnol Debussy Rhapsody No. 1, for clarinet and orchestra Rossini Introduction, Theme, and Variations for Clarinet and Orchestra Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 4 TICKETS Call or log on to PreConcert Conversations are held prior to every Philadelphia Orchestra subscription concert, beginning 1 hour before curtain. All artists, dates, programs, and prices subject to change. All tickets subject to availability.

17 42 Tickets & Patron Services Thank you for joining us in Verizon Hall. We want you to enjoy each and every concert experience you share with us. We would love to hear about your experience at the Orchestra and are happy to answer any questions you may have. Please don t hesitate to contact us via phone at , in person in the lobby, or by at patronserverices@philorch.org. Subscriber Services: Patron Services: Fire Notice: The exit indicated by a red light nearest your seat is the shortest route to the street. In the event of fire or other emergency, please do not run. Walk to that exit. No Smoking: All public space in the Kimmel Center is smoke-free. Cameras and Recorders: The taking of photographs or the recording of Philadelphia Orchestra concerts is strictly prohibited. Phones and Paging Devices: All electronic devices including cellular telephones, pagers, and wristwatch alarms should be turned off while in the concert hall. Late Seating: Late seating breaks usually occur after the first piece on the program or at intermission in order to minimize disturbances to other audience members who have already begun listening to the music. If you arrive after the concert begins, you will be seated as quickly as possible by the usher staff. Accessible Seating: Accessible seating is available for every performance. Please call Patron Services at for more information. You may also purchase accessible seating online at Assistive Listening: With the deposit of a current ID, hearing enhancement devices are available at no cost from the House Management Office. Headsets are available on a firstcome, first-served basis. Large-Print Programs: Large-print programs for every subscription concert are available in the House Management Office in Commonwealth Plaza. Please ask an usher for assistance. PreConcert Conversations: PreConcert Conversations are held prior to every Philadelphia Orchestra subscription concert, beginning one hour before curtain. Conversations are free to ticket-holders, feature discussions of the season s music and music-makers, and are supported in part by the Wells Fargo Foundation. Lost and Found: Please call Web Site: For information about The Philadelphia Orchestra and its upcoming concerts or events, please visit Subscriptions: The Philadelphia Orchestra offers a variety of subscription options each season. These multi-concert packages feature the best available seats, ticket exchange privileges, guaranteed seat renewal for the following season, discounts on individual tickets, and many other benefits. For more information, please call or visit Ticket Turn-In: Subscribers who cannot use their tickets are invited to donate them and receive a tax-deductible credit by calling Tickets may be turned in any time up to the start of the concert. Twenty-four-hour notice is appreciated, allowing other patrons the opportunity to purchase these tickets. Individual Tickets: Don t assume that your favorite concert is sold out. Subscriber turn-ins and other special promotions can make lastminute tickets available. Call Ticket Philadelphia at or stop by the Kimmel Center Box Office. Ticket Philadelphia Staff Gary Lustig, Vice President Carrie Farina, Director, Patron Services Dan Ahearn, Jr., Box Office Manager Gregory McCormick, Service and Training Manager Catherine Pappas, Project Manager Michelle Parkhill, Client Relations Manager Jayson Bucy, Patron Services Supervisor Samantha Apgar, Business Operations Coordinator Elysse Madonna, Program and Web Coordinator Tad Dynakowski, Assistant Treasurer, Box Office Michelle Messa, Assistant Treasurer, Box Office Patricia O Connor, Assistant Treasurer, Box Office Thomas Sharkey, Assistant Treasurer, Box Office James Shelley, Assistant Treasurer, Box Office Tara Bankard, Lead Patron Services Meg Hackney, Lead Patron Services Hannah McIntosh, Lead Patron Services Julia Schranck, Lead Patron Services Elizabeth Jackson-Murray, Priority Services Megan Brown, Patron Services Maureen Esty, Patron Services Isaiah Harris, Patron Services Brand-I Curtis McCloud, Patron Services Scott Leitch, Quality Assurance Analyst