Serenade for Solo Violin, String Orchestra, Harp and Percussion, after Plato s Symposium (1954)

Transcription

1 November 21-23, 2014 Michael Stern, Music Director Philippe Quint, violin Ravel La valse, Choreographic Poem for Orchestra (1920) Bernstein Serenade for Solo Violin, String Orchestra, Harp and Percussion, after Plato s Symposium (1954) I. Phaedros: Pausnias. Lento; Allegro marcato; Con fuoco II. Aristophanes. Allegretto III. Erixymathos. Presto IV. Agathon. Adagio V. Socrates: Alcibades. Molto tenuto; Molto moderato; Adagio; Allegro molto vivace; Molto giocoso; Presto vivace Philippe Quint, violin Intermission Sibelius Symphony No. 3 in C Major, Op. 52 (1907) I. Allegro moderato II. Andantino con moto, quasi allegretto III. Moderato; Allegro (ma non tanto) Strauss Dance of the Seven Veils from Salome, Op. 54 (1905)

2 Notes on the Program by Ken Meltzer Concert Overview Maurice Ravel ( ) La valse, Choreographic Poem for Orchestra (1920) 12 minutes Ravel described La valse as a dancing, whirling, almost hallucinatory ecstasy, an increasingly passionate and exhausting whirlwind of dancers, who are overcome and exhilarated by nothing but the waltz. Leonard Bernstein ( ) Serenade for Solo Violin, String Orchestra, Harp and Percussion, after Plato s Symposium (1954) 30 minutes Leonard Bernstein composed his Serenade for the great American violinist, Isaac Stern. According to Bernstein, the five-movement Serenade, like Plato s original dialogue, is a series of related statements in praise of love, and generally follows the Platonic form through the succession of speakers at the banquet. Jean Sibelius ( ) Symphony No. 3 in C Major, Op. 52 (1907) 29 minutes Sibelius composed the Third Symphony following a move from Helsinki to his forest home in Järvenpää. The Symphony, in three movements, is notable for compelling thematic unity and momentum, expressed in a unique instrumental voice, hallmarks of the Finnish composer s finest mature works. Richard Strauss ( ) Dance of the Seven Veils from Salome, Op. 54 (1905) 12 minutes Toward the close of Strauss s biblical opera, Salome dances seductively before Herod. This voluptuous, brilliant orchestral showpiece has long enjoyed an independent life as a concert work. Maurice Ravel ( ) La valse, Choreographic Poem for Orchestra (1920)

3 Piccolo, 3 flutes, 3 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, ancient cymbals, bass drum, castanets, cymbals, orchestra bells, snare drum, tam tam, tambourine, triangle, 2 harps, and strings. The premiere of Ravel s La valse, a Choreographic Poem for Orchestra, took place in Paris on December 12, 1920, as part of the Concerts Lamoureux, with Camille Chevillard conducting. In his score, Ravel provided a brief choreographic argument for La valse: Through whirling clouds, waltzing couples may be faintly distinguished. The clouds gradually scatter: one sees an immense hall filled with a swirling throng. The stage is gradually illuminated. The light of the chandeliers reaches its peak at the fortissimo. An imperial court, about Ravel offered these insights during interviews conducted in 1922 and 1924: It is a dancing, whirling, almost hallucinatory ecstasy, an increasingly passionate and exhausting whirlwind of dancers, who are overcome and exhilarated by nothing but the waltz. Some people have seen in this piece the expression of a tragic affair; some have said that it represented the end of the Second Empire, others said that it was postwar Vienna. They are wrong. Certainly, La valse is tragic, but in the Greek sense: it is a fatal spinning around, the expression of vertigo and of the voluptuousness of the dance to the point of paroxysm. Leonard Bernstein ( ) Serenade for Solo Violin, String Orchestra, Harp and Percussion, after Plato s Symposium (1954) 30 minutes Solo violin, timpani, snare drum, tenor drum, bass drum, suspended cymbal, chimes, triangle, temple blocks, tambourine, xylophone, glockenspiel, harp, and strings. Leonard Bernstein composed his Serenade between late 1953 and August The work fulfilled both a commission from the Koussevitsky Foundation and Bernstein s desire to write a piece for his friend, the great American violinist Isaac Stern ( ). Stern was the soloist, and Bernstein the conductor of the Israel Philharmonic, in the Serenade s world premiere, which took place at Venice s Teatro La Fenice on September 9, 1954.

4 Bernstein noted that the Serenade resulted from a rereading of Plato s charming dialogue, The Symposium The music, like the dialogue, is a series of related statements in praise of love, and generally follows the Platonic form through the succession of speakers at the banquet. The following are excerpts from program notes by the composer, written the day after completing the Serenade: I. Phaedrus; Pausanias (Lento; Allegro marcato). Phaedrus opens the symposium with a lyrical oration in praise of Eros, the god of love Pausanias continues by describing the duality of the lover as compared with the beloved. II. Aristophanes (Allegretto). Aristophanes does not play the role of clown in this dialogue, but instead that of the bedtime-storyteller, invoking the fairy-tale mythology of love. The atmosphere is one of quiet charm. III. Erixymathos (Presto). The physician speaks of bodily harmony as a scientific model for the workings of love-patterns. IV. Agathon (Adagio). Perhaps the most moving speech of the dialogue, Agathon's panegyric embraces all aspects of love s powers, charms and functions. V. Socrates; Alcibiades (Molto tenuto; Allegro molto vivace). Socrates describes his visit to the seer Diotima, quoting her speech on the demonology of love The famous interruption by Alcibiades and his band of drunken revelers ushers in the Allegro, which is an extended rondo ranging in spirit from agitation through jig-like dance music to joyful celebration. Jean Sibelius ( ) Symphony No. 3 in C Major, Op. 52 (1907) 29 minutes 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, and strings. In the early 1900s, Jean Sibelius was acclaimed as Finland s greatest composer. Such works as Finlandia (1900) and the Symphony No. 2 (1902) established Sibelius not only as a gifted composer, but a voice of his people, yearning for independence from Russian domination. At this point, Sibelius s life took a new path. As he recalled in a conversation with biographer Karl Ekman: It was necessary for me to get away from Helsinki. My art demanded another environment. In Helsinki, all melody died within me. Besides, I was too sociable to be able to refuse invitations that interfered with my work.

5 Sibelius built a log home in the forests of Järvenpää, located some 20 miles north of Helsinki. In the autumn of 1904, Sibelius and his family moved to the Järvenpää cabin that would remain the composer s home until his death more than a half-century later. Upon his arrival in Järvenpää, Sibelius began work on the Third Symphony, which he completed in The composer conducted the world premiere, which took place in Helsinki on September 25, The Helsinki audience, familiar with the passionate, Romantic voice of Sibelius s first two Symphonies, did not quite know what to make of the Third s more austere and introspective mode of expression. To this day, the Sibelius Third remains the least performed and recorded of the composer s Seven Symphonies. Nevertheless, upon hearing the Third, Finland s preeminent critic, Karl Flodin, wrote: Sibelius stands without doubt at the height of his art. He has cast all mannerisms aside and, whereas he used to repeat himself, he now reaches down into a new reservoir. Indeed, the Third Symphony s compelling thematic unity and unerring momentum, expressed in Sibelius s unique instrumental voice, are hallmarks of the composer s finest mature works. The Third Symphony is in three movements. The first (Allegro moderato) opens with a churning figure in the cellos and basses that predominates throughout, serving as the basis for the varied thematic material that follows. The second movement (Andantino mosso, quasi allegretto), a brooding intermezzo, spotlights the winds. The third movement (Moderato; Allegro (ma non tanto)) serves the dual function of a vibrant scherzo and stately finale, the latter culminating in a powerful C-Major close. Richard Strauss ( ) Dance of the Seven Veils from Salome, Op. 54 (1905) 12 minutes Piccolo, 3 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, heckelphone, E-flat clarinet, 2 clarinets in A, 2 clarinets in B-flat, bass clarinet, 3 bassoons, contrabassoon, 6 horns, 4 trumpets, 4 trombones, tuba, timpani (2 players), gong, cymbals, bass drum, snare drum, tambourine, triangle, xylophone, castanets, glockenspiel, celesta, two harps, and strings. Richard Strauss s shocking one-act opera, Salome, is based upon the biblical play by Oscar Wilde, written in 1891 and published two years later. The story of Salome takes place in Tiberius, in the palace of Herod, Tetrarch of Judea. The princess Salome, daughter of Herod s wife, Herodias, becomes fascinated with the imprisoned prophet, John the Baptist. When John the Baptist resists Salome s advances, the young princess vows that she will kiss the prophet s mouth. The lecherous Herod vows to give Salome anything she wishes if the princess will dance for him. After extracting this promise from Herod, Salome performs the seductive

6 Dance of the Seven Veils, a stunning and voluptuous orchestral showpiece that has enjoyed an independent life in the concert repertoire. At the conclusion of the Dance, Salome throws herself at Herod s feet and asks for her reward the head of John the Baptist on a silver platter. Salome grabs the platter, and, exulting in her triumph, kisses the mouth of the prophet s severed head. Herod orders his soldiers to crush Salome beneath their shields.