Concert of Friday, May 4, 2018, at 7:30p. Stephen Mulligan, Conductor. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ( )

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1 Concert of Friday, May 4, 2018, at 7:30p Stephen Mulligan, Conductor Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart ( ) Overture to Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), K. 620 (1791) Claude Debussy ( ) Prélude à L après-midi d un faune (1894) Engelbert Humperdinck ( ) Excerpts from Hänsel und Gretel (1890-3) Witch s Ride Sandman s Song Evening Prayer Dream Pantomime Intermission Igor Stravinsky ( ) Suite from The Firebird (1910, 1919 Revision) I. Introduction: The Firebird and Her Dance; Variation of the Firebird II. The Princesses Round: Khorovode III. Infernal Dance of King Kastcheï IV. Berceuse V. Finale

3 Notes on the Program by Ken Meltzer Overture to Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), K. 620 (1791) Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was born in Salzburg, Austria, on January 27, 1756, and died in Vienna, Austria, on December 5, The first performance of The Magic Flute took place in Vienna, at the Theater auf der Wieden, on September 30, The Overture to The Magic Flute is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani, and strings. Approximate performance time is seven minutes. The final year of Mozart s tragically brief life was one of incredible productivity, even by his lofty standards. Included among the many works are two full-length operas in 1791 Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute), K. 620, and La clemenza di Tito (The Clemency of Titus), K The Magic Flute is based upon a story by August Jacob Liebeskind. The Prince Tamino and Princess Pamina, aided by a magic flute, are able to survive extraordinary trials, and enter the Temple presided over by the High Priest, Sarastro. Emanuel Schikaneder, manager of the Vienna Theater auf der Wieden (and like Mozart, a Mason), authored the opera s libretto. Schikaneder also sang the lead comic role of the bird catcher, Papageno, in The Magic Flute s premiere. The Magic Flute is a Singspiel, a popular form of light opera juxtaposing musical numbers with spoken dialogue. It is a testament to Mozart s genius that he was able to transform this comic genre (as well as the rather convoluted fairy-tale plot) into a work of transcendent beauty and eloquence. The Magic Flute is a sublime masterpiece and the fitting albeit premature culmination of Mozart s incomparable genius in operatic composition. The Overture to The Magic Flute begins with a slow-tempo introduction (Adagio). The orchestra proclaims a series of three majestic chords, associated in the opera with the Temple and its High Priest, Sarastro. The solemn introduction finally yields to the principal Allegro, and the second violins introduction of the scurrying, principal theme. The Overture concludes with a spirited coda, once again capped by three chords. Prélude à L après-midi d un faune (1894) Claude Debussy was born in St. Germain-en-Laye, France, on August 22, 1862, and died in Paris, France, on March 25, The first performance of Prélude à L après-midi d un faune took place in Paris at the Salle d Harcourt on December 22, 1894, with Gustave Doret conducting the Société Nationale de Musique. Prélude à L après-midi d un faune is scored for three flutes, two oboes, English horn, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, crotales (antique cymbals), harp, and strings. Approximate performance time is ten minutes. According to Pierre Boulez: modern music was awakened by L après-midi d un faune. Other pioneering works, such as Ludwig van Beethoven s Eroica Symphony (1803), Giuseppe Verdi s Nabucco (1842), and Igor Stravinsky s The Rite of Spring (1913) stunned the music world with their overwhelming power, energy, and dissonance.

4 Debussy chose to wake his listeners in a far more seductive and beguiling fashion, with elusive tonalities and rhythms couched in the most exquisite orchestral sonorities. Claude Debussy s most famous orchestral work was inspired by Stéphane Mallarmé s poem, the genesis of which dates as far back as L après-midi d un faune relates the tale of a faun s erotic (and unrequited) fascination with a pair of nymphs. Debussy described his Prelude to The Afternoon of a Faun as a very free interpretation of Mallarmé s poem. It has no pretensions of presenting a synthesis of the poem. It is rather a series of scenes against which the desires and dreams of the Faun are seen to stir in the afternoon heat. In an October 10, 1896 letter to music critic Henry Gauthier-Villars, Debussy observed: More precisely, the work conveys the general impression of the poem it follows the ascendant movement of the poem and illustrates the scene marvelously described in the text. The close is a prolongation of the last line: Couple adieu! Je vais voir l ombre que tu deviens. ( Farewell, couple! I go to see the shadow that you become. ) Excerpts from Hänsel und Gretel (1890-3) Engelbert Humperdinck was born in Siegburg, Germany, on September 1, 1854, and died in Neustrelitz, Germany, on September 27, The first performance of the opera Hänsel und Gretel took place at the Hoftheater in Weimar, Germany, on December 23, 1893, with Richard Strauss conducting. The excerpts are scored for piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, English horn, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum, cymbals, suspended cymbal, triangle, tambourine, castanets, harp, and strings. Approximate performance time is eighteen minutes. German composer Engelbert Humperdinck wrote his opera, Hansel and Gretel, at the request of his sister, Adelheid Wette. Wette wrote a children s play, based upon the popular brothers Grimm fairy tale. She asked her brother to set parts of the play to music. Later, Wette prevailed upon Engelbert Humperdinck to compose a full-length Hansel and Gretel opera. Despite reservations, Humperdinck undertook the project, a setting of a libretto by Wette. Humperdinck, a disciple of Richard Wagner, composed a remarkably rich and beautiful score for this fairy-tale opera. Humperdinck s Hänsel und Gretel earned the admiration of such musicians as Gustav Mahler and Richard Strauss. The latter conducted the world premiere in Weimar, on December 23, Strauss wrote to Humperdinck: Your opera has enchanted me. It is truly a masterpiece. I have not seen such an important work for a long time. I admire the abundance of melody, the finesse, the polyphonic richness of the orchestration all that is new, original, truly German. To this day, Humperdinck s Hansel and Gretel remains a beloved part of the operatic repertoire, especially around Christmas time.

5 This concert features a series of excerpts from Act II Hansel and Gretel. The orchestral prelude depicts the ride of the evil Witch (Witch s Ride). Hansel and Gretel find themselves lost in the woods. The Sandman approaches and sprinkles magic dust in the frightened children s eyes (Sandman s Song). Hansel and Gretel say their prayers, and then fall asleep (Evening Prayer). Soon, they are surrounded by guardian angels who watch over the children throughout the night (Dream Pantomime). Suite from The Firebird (1910, 1919 Revision) Igor Stravinsky was born in Lomonosov, Russia, on June 17, 1882, and died in New York on April 6, The first performance of The Firebird took place at the Paris Opéra on June 25, 1910, with Gabriel Pierné conducting. The 1919 Suite from The Firebird is scored for piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, English horn, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, xylophone, tambourine, triangle, cymbals, bass drum, piano (optional), celesta, harp, and strings. Approximate performance time is twenty-three minutes. Igor Stravinsky composed his ballet, The Firebird, at the invitation of Sergei Diaghilev, impresario of the Ballets Russes. Stravinsky began composition of The Firebird in November of 1909, and completed the score on May 18, The composer participated in the rehearsals at the Paris Opéra. Tamara Karsavina, who danced the title role in the premiere of The Firebird, recalled that during one rehearsal when Stravinsky approached the orchestra pit, Diaghilev turned to her and said: Mark him well. He is a man on the eve of celebrity. The fulfillment of Diaghilev s prophecy took place on June 25, 1910, with The Firebird s triumphant premiere. Among the appreciative audience members at the premiere was French composer Claude Debussy, who came on stage after the performance to offer Stravinsky his compliments. The Firebird s winning synthesis of lyric and dramatic elements, couched in dazzling orchestration, captured the imagination of the Paris audiences and catapulted Stravinsky to national and international prominence. Stravinsky fashioned three orchestral Suites from The Firebird, the first (1911) employing the huge orchestral forces of the original score. In 1919, Stravinsky created another Suite for reduced orchestra. Stravinsky completed the third (and final) Suite in The 1919 Suite the most frequently performed of the three is featured in this concert. The Story of The Firebird I. Introduction: The Firebird and Her Dance; Variation of the Firebird The Firebird is based upon Russian folk legend. While wandering in the forest at night, the Prince Ivan encounters a magic Firebird. The Prince is entranced by the Firebird s beauty and captures her. However, the Prince takes pity on the Firebird and sets her free. In gratitude, the Firebird gives the Prince one of her feathers, and promises to aid him in his hour of need.

6 II. The Princesses Round: Khorovode The Prince comes to the courtyard of an enchanted castle, where he finds thirteen beautiful Princesses, captives of the evil magician Kastcheï. The Princesses warn Prince Ivan not to enter the castle, for Kastcheï has the power to turn intruders to stone. The Prince boldly ignores their warnings. III. Infernal Dance of King Kastcheï The Prince suddenly encounters Kastcheï s horrible servants, and ultimately, the magician himself. Kastcheï tries to turn the Prince into stone, but the hero produces the Firebird s magic feather. The Firebird appears and forces Kastcheï and his followers into a frenetic dance. IV. Berceuse When Kastcheï and his followers are exhausted, the Firebird lulls them to sleep. V. Finale Kastcheï and his retinue are destroyed. All of the prisoners are set free, including the Thirteenth Princess, whom the Prince weds.

Concerts of January 9-11, Michael Stern, Music Director. Yefim Bronfman, piano. Debussy. Prélude à L après-midi d un faune (1894) Brahms

Concerts of January 9-11, Michael Stern, Music Director. Yefim Bronfman, piano. Debussy. Prélude à L après-midi d un faune (1894) Brahms Concerts of January 9-11, 2015 Michael Stern, Music Director Yefim Bronfman, piano Debussy Prélude à L après-midi d un faune (1894) Brahms Concerto No. 1 for Piano and Orchestra in D minor, Op. 15 (1861)