Concerts of Thursday, November 13, at 8:00p, and Saturday, November 15, 2014, at 7:30p

Transcription

1 Concerts of Thursday, November 13, at 8:00p, and Saturday, November 15, 2014, at 7:30p Robert Spano, Conductor David Coucheron, violin Twyla Robinson, soprano Nancy Maultsby, mezzo-soprano Joseph Kaiser, tenor Stephen Powell, baritone Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Norman Mackenzie, Director of Choruses Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ( ) Concerto No. 5 for Violin and Orchestra in A Major, K. 219 ( Turkish ) (1775) I. Allegro aperto II. Adagio III. Rondo. Tempo di Menuetto David Coucheron, violin Intermission Ludwig van Beethoven ( ) Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Opus 125, Choral (1824) I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso II. Molto vivace; Presto; Molto vivace III. Adagio molto e cantabile IV. Presto Twyla Robinson, soprano Nancy Maultsby, mezzo-soprano Joseph Kaiser, tenor Stephen Powell, baritone

2 Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus English Surtitles by Ken Meltzer

3 Notes on the Program by Ken Meltzer Concerto No. 5 for Violin and Orchestra in A Major, K. 219 ( Turkish ) (1775) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria, on January 27, 1756, and died in Vienna, Austria, on December 5, In addition to the solo violin, the Concerto No. 5 is scored for two oboes, two horns and strings. Approximate performance time is thirty-one minutes. First ASO Classical Subscription Performances: March 4, 5, 6 and 7, 1976, Miriam Fried, Violin, Otto Werner-Mueller, Conductor. Most Recent ASO Classical Subscription Performances: Vilde Frang, Violin, January 31 and February 2, 2013, Gilbert Varga, Conductor. In addition to his prowess as a keyboard artist, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a highly accomplished violinist. During his early tours of Europe, Mozart astonished audiences with his command of both instruments. Mozart s father, Leopold, himself a fine violinist, once admonished his son: (y)ou don't realize yourself how well you play the violin when you are on your mettle and perform with confidence, spirit and fire. In 1772, the Prince-Archbishop of Salzburg appointed the 16-year-old Wolfgang as conductor and concertmaster of the Salzburg Court Orchestra. During the year 1775, Mozart, then 19, authored his five Violin Concertos. It is not entirely certain whether Mozart originally composed these Concertos specifically for his own use, or for the Italian violinist, Antonio Brunetti, a prominent Salzburg Court musician. We do know that Mozart played his Violin Concertos at public concerts. Without question, the Concertos were intended to display the technical fluency and pure, singing tone that were hallmarks of Mozart s impressive violin performances. Mozart completed his Fifth and final Concerto for Violin and Orchestra on December 20, It is considered the richest and most innovative of Mozart s Violin Concertos, a testament to his rapid development as a composer. The brilliance of this work makes one regret all the more that, although Mozart lived another sixteen years, the Fifth Violin Concerto proved to be his last. Musical Analysis I. Allegro aperto Although the opening movement is in traditional sonata form, Mozart offers many inventive touches that vary the basic structure. The opening, ascending motif, introduced by the first violins, turns out not to be the main theme, but merely its accompaniment! The soloist enters with a reflective Adagio episode before launching into an Allegro presentation of the various themes. The brief development journeys into the minor, but the recapitulation and solo cadenza recapture the high spirits with which the movement began.

4 II. Adagio When one listens to the seamless flow of this gorgeous Adagio, it is remarkable to contemplate that, according to Leopold Mozart, Antonio Brunetti found it too studied. Wolfgang accommodated Brunetti by composing the Adagio in E Major, K Mozart himself preferred this original Adagio. Cast in A B A form, the movement is based upon the extended, graceful melody introduced by the first violins and then repeated, to sighing accompaniment, by the soloist. The melancholy, central B section provides contrast prior to the reprise of the Adagio s opening portion, the soloist s cadenza, and the ensemble s final bars. III. Rondeau. Tempo di Menuetto The Rondo finale begins with the soloist s presentation of the principal theme, cast in the form of an elegant minuet. The theme returns throughout, alternating with spirited, contrasting episodes. Most striking is a lengthy Allegro set in duple meter that makes use of the Turkish effects popular in Mozart s day. Here, Mozart incorporates stark, percussive music that appeared in a ballet, Le gelosìa del serraglio, used as an entr acte for his opera, Lucio Silla (1772). The Rondo concludes with a return to the principal minuet theme, and the simplest but most striking of effects; a series of five ascending notes. Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Opus 125, Choral (1824) Ludwig van Beethoven was baptized in Bonn, Germany, on December 17, 1770, and died in Vienna, Austria, on March 26, The first performance of the Ninth Symphony took place at the Kärnthnerthor Theater in Vienna on May 7, 1824, with Ignaz Umlauf conducting. The Ninth Symphony is scored for soprano, alto, tenor and bass soloists, mixed chorus, piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani, bass drum, cymbals, triangle and strings. Approximate performance time is sixty-eight minutes. First ASO Classical Subscription Performance: October 19, 1967, Choral Guild of Atlanta, Robert Shaw, Conductor. Most Recent ASO Classical Subscription Performances (retuschen Gustav Mahler): September 22, 23 and 25, 2011, Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Robert Spano, Conductor. ASO Recording: (Telarc CD-80603), Atlanta Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Donald Runnicles, Conductor The Journey to the Ninth Symphony Beethoven s Ninth and final Symphony ( Choral ) represents, on a number of levels, a summit of the immortal composer s artistic life. The Ninth is by far the most epic of

5 Beethoven s Symphonies, both in terms of length and performing forces. The revolutionary introduction of vocal soloists and chorus in the finale was a bold masterstroke that forever expanded the potential of symphonic expression. Richard Wagner hailed the Beethoven Ninth as: the redemption of Music from out her own peculiar element into the realm of universal art. It is the human evangel of the art of the future. Beyond it no forward step is possible; for upon it the perfect artwork of the future alone can follow, the universal drama to which Beethoven has forged for us the key. The text of the Symphony s finale, based upon the 1785 Ode To Joy by the great German writer, Friedrich Schiller ( ), held a lifelong attraction for the composer. Beethoven first became acquainted with Schiller s Ode To Joy ( An die Freude ) when the composer was a student in his native Bonn. In his 1790 Cantata on the Accession of Emperor Leopold II, Beethoven briefly quotes Schiller s Ode. In 1793, Bartholomäus Ludwig Fischenich wrote from Bonn to Schiller s sister, Charlotte: I have preserved a setting of (Sophie Mereau s poem) Feuerfarbe for you on which I would like your opinion. It is by a young man of this place, whose musical talent is becoming known, and whom the Elector has just sent to Haydn in Vienna. He intends to compose Schiller s Freude verse by verse. Evidence suggests that the young Beethoven may well have composed a song to the text of Schiller s An die Freude. However, if the song did exist at one time, it has been forever lost. The beloved melodic setting of Schiller s Ode in the Finale of Beethoven s Ninth was also the product of an extended genesis. A version of the melody first appears in a song Beethoven composed in the mid-1790s, entitled Gegenliebe ( Mutual Love ), based upon a poem by Gottfried August Bürger. An even more startling premonition of the Ninth Symphony may be found in Beethoven s 1808 Fantasia in C minor for Piano, Chorus, and Orchestra, Opus 80. In that work, the melody in this case, a setting of words by Christian Kuffner receives a treatment quite similar in many ways to that found in the Choral Symphony. And the sublime writing for the vocal soloists and chorus in the final scene of Beethoven s only opera, Fidelio (1805, rev. 1806, 1814), looks forward to the last movement of the Ninth. Although the notion of presenting Schiller s Ode To Joy in a symphonic context seems to have been on the composer s mind for several years, it was not until the spring of 1823 that Beethoven was finally able to focus his attention upon this landmark work. Beethoven completed his Ninth Symphony the following January.

6 It is not surprising that Beethoven struggled with the revolutionary finale of his Ninth Symphony. Indeed, as late as the summer of 1823, Beethoven considered ending his Symphony in traditional fashion with a purely instrumental fourth movement. Even after Beethoven made the final decision to employ Schiller s text, the question remained of how to effect the appropriate transition to this new and daring path. I ve got it. And then one day (according to the composer s friend and biographer, Anton Schindler), Beethoven exclaimed: I ve got it, I ve got it. Beethoven had sketched the following words: Let us sing the song of the immortal Schiller. This text was to be performed by the basses of the chorus, with the soprano then presenting Schiller s Ode. Beethoven ultimately modified the above text to read: O friends, no more these sounds! Let us sing songs that are more cheerful and full of joy! Both these lines, and the beginning of Schiller s Ode, are given to the solo bass vocalist. The premiere of Beethoven s Ninth Symphony took place at the Vienna Kärnthnerthor Theater on May 7, By this stage of Beethoven s life, the composer s hearing had deteriorated to such an extent that conducting the performance was out of the question. Instead, Ignaz Umlauf led the premiere. But all the while, Beethoven was at Umlauf s side, attempting to direct the tempos for the various movements. At the conclusion of the performance, the audience erupted with a spirited ovation. Karoline Unger was the contralto soloist at the premiere of the Beethoven Ninth. More than four decades later, she met with the British music writer, Sir George Grove. During that meeting, Unger described what happened at the May 7, 1824 concert: The master, though placed in the midst of this confluence of music, heard nothing of it at all and was not even sensible of the applause of the audience at the end of his great work, but continued standing with his back to the audience, and beating the time, till Fräulein Unger, who had sung the contralto part, turned him, or induced him to turn round and face the people, who were still clapping their hands, and giving way to the greatest demonstrations of pleasure. His turning round, and the sudden conviction thereby forced upon everybody that he had not done so before, because he could not hear what was going on, acted like an electric shock on all present, and a volcanic explosion of sympathy and admiration followed, which was repeated again and again, and seemed as if it would never end. Musical Analysis I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso The Beethoven Ninth opens with one of the most atmospheric and mysterious episodes in concert music. Over the hushed, repeated tread of open fifths in the second violins and cellos, the first violins, violas and

7 basses utter a descending, two-note figure that serves as the basis for much of the Symphony s thematic material. The motif grows inexorably, until it finally emerges as the initial principal theme, thundered by the orchestra in a fortissimo outburst. The winds introduce the dolce ascending and descending second theme, foreshadowing Beethoven s immortal setting of Schiller s Ode in the final movement. Beethoven introduces several more themes during the course of the exposition, which builds to a climax. As the momentum subsides, a reprise of the opening introduces the development section. This culminates in a furious passage that resolves to a massive restatement of the opening theme. Likewise, the coda proceeds to a fierce resolution, capped by a final statement of the opening theme. II. Molto vivace; Presto; Molto vivace In the Ninth, the scherzo appears as the Symphony s second (rather than the traditional third) movement. The scherzo begins with a brusque, descending figure in the strings, first echoed by timpani, then by the ensemble. This figure emerges as the movement s agile principal theme, introduced by the second violins. Beethoven presents the theme in a variety of orchestral colors and moods what remains consistent is its inexorable momentum. In the central trio, the winds introduce a flowing theme that is another precursor to the Ode To Joy melody. The return of the scherzo leads to the briefest of repetitions of the trio, quickly silenced by the orchestra. III. Adagio molto e cantabile A brief introduction by the bassoons and clarinets serves as prelude to the sublime opening theme, played by the first violins and echoed by the winds. The key changes from B-flat Major to D Major (and from 4/4 to 3/4) as the second violins and violas play the equally lovely second theme (Andante moderato). The two themes return in sequence and in varied form, leading to a grand double climax. The coda proceeds to a pianissimo close, a stark contrast to what immediately follows. IV. Presto A brief outburst by the winds, brass and timpani launches the final movement. The tempest alternates with a recitative-like passage in the lower strings. In an extraordinary sequence, the principal themes from the first three movements return in order, each rejected by the lower-string recitative. Finally, the winds suggest a new melody, welcomed by an orchestral cadence. The melody is now presented in its entirety by the cellos and basses. A series of variations ensues, culminating in a majestic statement of the immortal theme. A bridge passage leads to a return of the storm with which the movement began. This time, however, the bass soloist calls for an end to the conflict. He declaims Schiller s Ode, set to the melody. Variations of the melody, featuring the soloists and chorus, proceed to a resplendent climax, followed by a dramatic pause. What follows is a masterstroke of the highest order. The next variation is a jaunty march in the Turkish style, highlighting the winds, percussion and solo tenor. The contrasting playfulness of this section allows the lofty, ensuing variations to glow in

8 their fullest splendor. A final, Maestoso choral statement of Schiller s Ode and the orchestra s Prestissimo race to the finish conclude Beethoven s Ninth Symphony. Texts and Translations Baritone Solo, Soloists and Chorus O Freunde, nicht diese Töne! Sondern lasst uns angenehmere anstimmen und freudenvollere! Oh friends, no more these sounds! Let us sing songs that are more cheerful and full of joy! Freude, schöner Götterfunken, Tochter aus Elysium, Wir betreten feuertrunken, Himmlische, dein Heiligtum! Deine Zauber binden wieder, Was die Mode streng geteilt; Alle Menschen werden Brüder, Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt. Joy, lovely divine spark, Daughter of Elysium, With fiery rapture, We approach your sanctuary! Your magic reunites, What stern custom separated; All men shall be brothers, Under your gentle wings. Wem der grosse Wurf gelungen, Eines Freundes Freund zu sein, Wer ein holdes Weib errungen, Mische seinen Jubel ein! Ja, wer auch nur eine Seele Sein nennt auf dem Erdenrund! Und wer s nie gekonnt, der stehle Weinend sich aus diesem Bund. Whoever has enjoyed the great fortune Of being a friend to a friend, Whoever has won a dear wife, Join in our chorus of jubilation!

9 Yes, even if he has but one soul On this earth to call his own! And whoever has not, let him steal away Tearfully and alone. Freude trinken alle Wesen An den Brüsten der Natur; Alle Guten, alle Bösen Folgen ihrer Rosenspur. Küsse gab sie uns und Reben, Einen Freund, geprüft im Tod; Wollust ward dem Wurm gegeben, Und der Cherub steht vor Gott! Every creature drinks joy At nature s breast. Everyone, good and bad Follows in her rosy path. She gave us kisses and the fruit of the vine, And a friend, faithful until death; Even the worm can feel contentment, And the cherub stands before God! Tenor Solo and Chorus Froh, wie seine Sonnen fliegen Durch des Himmels prächt gen Plan, Laufet, Brüder, eure Bahn, Freudig, wie ein Held zum Siegen. Gladly, as His suns fly Through the mighty path of heaven, So, brothers, run your course, Joyfully, like a hero on his conquest. (The first stanza is repeated) Chorus and Soloists Seid umschlungen, Millionen! Diesen Kuss der ganzen Welt! Brüder! Über m Sternenzelt Muss ein lieber Vater wohnen. Ihr stürzt nieder, Millionen? Ahnest du den Schöpfer, Welt? Such ihn überm Sternenzelt!

10 Über Sternen muss er wohnen. Be embraced, you millions! This kiss is for all the world! Brother! Above this tent of stars There must dwell a loving Father. Do you kneel, you millions? Do you sense your Creator, world? Seek him above in the tent of stars! Above the stars he must dwell.