Season 2013-2014 27 Thursday, April 3, at 8:00 Friday, April 4, at 2:00 Saturday, April 5, at 8:00 The Philadelphia Orchestra Christoph von Dohnányi Conductor Ricardo Morales Clarinet Brahms Variations on a Theme of Joseph Haydn, Op. 56a Weber Clarinet Concerto No. 1 in F minor, Op. 73 I. Allegro II. Adagio ma non troppo III. Rondo: Allegretto Intermission Beethoven Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92 I. Poco sostenuto Vivace II. Allegretto III. Presto Assai meno presto Presto IV. Allegro con brio This program runs approximately 1 hour, 45 minutes. Philadelphia Orchestra concerts are broadcast on WRTI 90.1 FM on Sunday afternoons at 1 PM. Visit www.wrti.org to listen live or for more details.
28 Story Title The Philadelphia Orchestra Jessica Griffin 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 innovation in music-making. The Orchestra is inspiring the future and 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 triumphantly opened his inaugural season as the eighth artistic leader of the Orchestra in fall 2012. His highly collaborative style, deeplyrooted musical curiosity, and boundless enthusiasm, paired with a fresh approach to orchestral programming, have been heralded by critics and audiences alike. Yannick has been embraced by the musicians of the Orchestra, audiences, and the community itself. His concerts of diverse repertoire attract sold-out houses, and he has established a regular forum for connecting with concertgoers through Post-Concert Conversations. Under Yannick s leadership the Orchestra returns to recording with a newlyreleased CD on the Deutsche Grammophon label of Stravinsky s The Rite of Spring and Leopold Stokowski transcriptions. In Yannick s inaugural season the Orchestra has also returned to the radio airwaves, with weekly Sunday afternoon broadcasts on WRTI-FM. Philadelphia is home and the Orchestra nurtures an important relationship not only with patrons who support the main season at the Kimmel Center but also those who enjoy the Orchestra s other area performances at the Mann Center, Penn s Landing, and other venues. The Orchestra is also a global ambassador for Philadelphia and for the U.S. 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 Orchestra annually performs at Carnegie Hall while also enjoying annual residencies in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and at the Bravo! Vail festival. Musician-led initiatives, including highly-successful PlayINs, shine a spotlight on the Orchestra s musicians, as they spread out from the stage into the community. The Orchestra s commitment to its education and community partnership initiatives manifests itself in numerous other ways, including concerts for families and students, and ezseatu, a program that allows fulltime college students to attend an unlimited number of Orchestra concerts for a $25 annual membership fee. For more information on The Philadelphia Orchestra, please visit www.philorch.org.
4 Music Director Nigel Parry/CPi Yannick Nézet-Séguin continues his inspired leadership as the eighth music director of The Philadelphia Orchestra, which began in the fall of 2012. His highly collaborative style, deeplyrooted 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 Yannick phenomenal, adding that under his baton the ensemble has never sounded better. He has taken the Orchestra to new musical heights. His second season builds on the momentum of the first with highlights that included a Philadelphia Commissions Micro-Festival, for which three leading composers were commissioned to write solo works for three of the Orchestra s principal players. The season ends with a unique, theatrically-staged presentation of Strauss s revolutionary opera Salome, a first-ever co-production with Opera Philadelphia. Yannick has established himself as a musical leader of the highest caliber and one of the most exciting talents of his generation. Since 2008 he has been music director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic and principal guest conductor of the London Philharmonic, and since 2000 artistic director and principal conductor of Montreal s Orchestre Métropolitain. In addition he becomes the first ever mentor conductor of the Curtis Institute of Music s conducting fellows program in the fall of 2013. He has made wildly successful appearances with the world s most revered ensembles, and 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 Orchestra returns to recording with a newly-released CD on that label of Stravinsky s Rite of Spring and Leopold Stokowski transcriptions. Yannick continues a fruitful recording relationship with the Rotterdam Philharmonic for DG, BIS, and EMI/Virgin; the London Philharmonic 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, awarded by the Quebec government; and an honorary doctorate by the University of Quebec in Montreal. To read Yannick s full bio, please visit www.philorch.org/conductor.
Conductor 29 Christoph von Dohnányi is recognized as one of the world s pre-eminent orchestral and opera conductors. His appointments have included opera directorships in Frankfurt and Hamburg, and principal orchestral conducting posts in England, Germany, and Paris. He enjoys a longstanding partnership with the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, where he served as principal conductor and artistic adviser for a decade and is honorary conductor for life. He is renowned for his legendary 20- year tenure as music director of the Cleveland Orchestra. He made his Philadelphia Orchestra debut in 1988. Recent highlights include performances at Ravinia and Tanglewood, followed by season-opening concerts with the Boston Symphony, where he returned for a complete Beethoven piano concerto cycle with Yefim Bronfman last month; concerts with the Zurich Tonhalle and the Philharmonia in London; subscription weeks with the New York Philharmonic, the Cleveland Orchestra, and the Chicago Symphony; and a pair of gala concerts in San Diego. Additionally he has led concerts with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra and the Israel Philharmonic; undertaken residencies with the Philharmonia Orchestra at the Musikverein in Vienna and the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, and appeared with that ensemble on a U.S. tour; and conducted landmark series of all-beethoven and all- Brahms concerts with the Chicago Symphony at Ravinia and the complete Brahms symphonies with the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Mr. von Dohnányi frequently leads productions at the world s great opera houses, including Covent Garden, La Scala, the Vienna State Opera, and in Paris and Berlin. He has led the Vienna Philharmonic in many Salzburg Festival appearances, including the world premieres of Hans Werner Henze s Die Bassariden and Friedrich Cerha s Baal. Mr. Dohnányi also regularly appears with the Zurich Opera and with the Théâtre du Châtelet. He has made a number of critically acclaimed recordings for London/Decca with the Cleveland Orchestra and the Vienna Philharmonic. His discography with Cleveland includes concert performances and recordings of Wagner s Die Walküre and Das Rheingold; the complete symphonies of Beethoven, Brahms, and Schumann; and works by Bruckner, Mahler, Mozart, Ives, Bartók, and Webern, among others.
30 Soloist Victor Dezso Foto Ricardo Morales is one of the most sought after clarinetists of today. He joined The Philadelphia Orchestra as principal clarinet in 2003. Prior to this he was principal clarinet of the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, a position he assumed at the age of 21, under the direction of James Levine. He has performed as guest principal clarinetist several times with the New York Philharmonic and the Chicago Symphony, and at the invitation of Simon Rattle performed as guest principal clarinet with the Berlin Philharmonic. He also performs as principal clarinet with the Saito Kinen Festival Orchestra, at the invitation of Seiji Ozawa. A native of San Juan, Puerto Rico, Mr. Morales began his studies at the Escuela Libre de Musica along with his five siblings, who are all distinguished musicians. He continued his studies at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music and Indiana University, where he received his Artist Diploma. He has been a featured soloist with the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; the Chicago, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Flemish Radio symphonies; and the Seoul Philharmonic, among others. He made his solo debut with The Philadelphia Orchestra in 2004 and has since performed as soloist on numerous occasions. An active chamber musician, he has performed in the MET Chamber Ensemble series at Carnegie Hall s Weill Recital Hall; at the Santa Fe Chamber Music Festival, the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society, and the Saratoga Chamber Music Festival; on NBC s The Today Show; and with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Mr. Morales is highly sought after for his recitals and master classes, which have taken him throughout North America and Europe. In addition, he currently serves on the faculties of the Juilliard School, Temple University, and the Curtis Institute of Music. Mr. Morales s debut solo recording, French Portraits, is available on the Boston Records label. His recent recordings include performances with the Kalichstein- Laredo-Robinson Trio and with the Pacifica Quartet, which was nominated for a Latin Grammy Award. Mr. Morales has joined forces with internationally recognized master acoustician and instrument maker Morrie Backun to create MoBa, a company of top-of-the line clarinets and clarinet accessories, including mouthpieces, bells, and barrels.
Framing the Program 31 Parallel Events 1811 Weber Clarinet Concerto No. 1 1812 Beethoven Symphony No. 7 1873 Brahms Variations on a Theme of Joseph Haydn Music Meyerbeer Gott und die Natur Literature Austen Sense and Sensibility Art Ingres Jupiter and Thetis History Napoleon annexes Oldenburg Music Schubert Overture in D major Literature Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales Art Géricault The Charging Chasseur History U.S. declares war on Britain Music Delibes Le Roi l a dit Literature Rimbaud Une Saison en enfer Art Cézanne The Straw Hat History Vienna World Exhibition The three composers featured today proved crucial to the definition of German Romantic music. Beethoven is the commanding elder statesman of the group and cast the longest shadow few escaped his sometimes oppressive model. He premiered his Seventh Symphony in 1813 at the height of his popular fame and success. By then he was generally recognized as Europe s greatest composer and in this work, unveiled as victory in the Napoleonic Wars was close at hand, he brilliantly captured the celebratory spirit of the times. Carl Maria von Weber was born 16 years after Beethoven and died less than a year before him. In his path-breaking operas, most importantly Der Freischütz, he advanced a new Romantic instrumental sound as well as a specifically German national spirit. His close friendship with a great clarinetist, Heinrich Baermann, led to a series of marvelous orchestral and chamber works, including the Concerto No. 1 in F minor we hear today. Johannes Brahms, whose Variations on a Theme of Joseph Haydn opens the program, confronted Beethoven s legacy at a further remove. (He was born six years after the master died.) He once remarked, You don t know what it is like to walk in the footsteps of a giant. The weight of Beethoven s example is probably one of the reasons he held off completing a symphony until the age of 43. The Haydn Variations (the theme, it was later discovered, is most likely not by Haydn) was one of his first orchestral compositions and its success bolstered his confidence for even grander projects to come.
32 The Music Variations on a Theme of Joseph Haydn Johannes Brahms Born in Hamburg, May 7, 1833 Died in Vienna, April 3, 1897 Brahms s delight in the music of Haydn dates back at least as far as the 1850s, when he wrote to Clara Schumann that he was reading through Haydn s piano trios (sans cello) with the violinist Joseph Joachim: We are enjoying ourselves immensely! Later Brahms s friend Carl Pohl, one of the early scholars of Haydn s music, introduced him to further works of the great Viennese master, including a divertimento that was at that time attributed to Haydn, and which contained a traditional tune known as St. Anthony s Chorale. It caught the composer s imagination immediately, and in 1873 he decided to use this melody for one of his most concise and enduringly popular orchestral works. The Haydn Variations were first performed in Vienna that year, under Brahms s own baton. Though this was one of his first works for orchestra, he was always to look back upon the piece with fondness. An Homage to the Past Part of the reason for this fondness lay in his lifelong devotion to the music of earlier composers. Brahms joined the leading scholars of his day to investigate the music of Bach, Handel, and many Renaissance composers as well; among the fruits of their labors were the first complete editions of these masters. For Brahms this was not a purely academic exercise his interest in early music spilled over into his creative life, and throughout his career, elements of previous styles took on an increasingly significant role. Thus his intention in these variations was partly to pay homage to Haydn both through the use of a tune presumed to be from his oeuvre, and also through the emulation of the work s variation techniques. For not only is the St. Anthony tune used in the divertimento for a set of variations proper, the theme also permeates the work s four movements, in a variety of sophisticated and subtly organic ways. Ironically, the work that Brahms intended as his most pointed homage to this great man was derived from a piece that as it turns out was probably not by Haydn at all. Many years after Brahms s death, scholars began to call into question the authenticity of the Divertimento in B-flat (Hob. II/46) from which Brahms drew. This chamber-scale work scored for two oboes, two horns,
33 Brahms composed his Haydn Variations in 1873. Carl Pohlig conducted the first Philadelphia Orchestra performances of the work, in November 1907. Most recently on subscription it was performed with Christoph Eschenbach in November 2007. The Orchestra has recorded the piece four times: in 1946 and 1963 with Eugene Ormandy for CBS; in 1969 with Ormandy for RCA; and in 1989 with Riccardo Muti for Philips. Wolfgang Sawallisch s 1997 performance can be found on The Philadelphia Orchestra: The Centennial Collection (Historic Broadcasts and Recordings from 1917-1998). Brahms s score calls for piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, two trumpets, timpani, triangle, and strings. Performance time is approximately 20 minutes. three bassoons, and serpent (a large bass-register woodwind instrument) is probably by one of Haydn s Austrian contemporaries, possibly Ignaz Josef Pleyel (1757-1831). The actual chorale is not by Pleyel, however, but is a traditional tune, which has led some modern sources to refer to the work as the St. Anthony Variations. A Closer Look After a simple presentation of the theme, tension increases through the first five variations, culminating in the rushing vivace of Variation VI in which winds and brass present a rapid, greatly compressed version of the chorale. Variation VII is a gentle siciliano movement that functions as a sort of slow movement ; throughout this and the last variation and coda, the magnificent chorale bass line can be heard clearly, even when the melody is virtually submerged. Paul J. Horsley
34 The Music Clarinet Concerto No. 1 Carl Maria von Weber Born in Eutin, near Lübeck, November 18, 1786 Died in London, June 5, 1826 Carl Maria von Weber s arrest in February 1810 on charges of embezzlement and other crimes marked a low point in a short life further hampered by frequent illnesses. Expelled from Stuttgart within the month, the 23-year-old composer resolved to turn things around as he documented in a diary he kept for the rest of his life. Weber was prodigiously talented as a composer, pianist, conductor, and writer, which in many respects brings to mind Mozart, to whose widow, Constanze Weber, he was related. Like Mozart, Weber had an ambitious father eager to promote his career (indeed, as a second Mozart) and he emerged as a composer who marvelously mingled his gifts writing both instrumental music and operas. A Fruitful Friendship And as with Mozart, a warm personal friendship with a great clarinetist led to the creation of a series of wonderful orchestral and chamber works showcasing the instrument. Mozart had enthused about what the clarinet could do as early as 1778 when he heard it in the Mannheim Orchestra and this later bore fruit in the pieces he composed for Anton Stadler, including the still unsurpassed Clarinet Concerto, the final major composition he completed before his death in 1791. Nearly a century later, Johannes Brahms also formed a close partnership with a clarinetist, Richard Muhlfeld, that led to a series of final chamber music masterpieces at the end of his life. The mechanics of the clarinet developed a good deal in the quarter century between Mozart s time and 1811, when Weber first met Heinrich Joseph Baermann (1784-1847), who was principal clarinetist in the Court Orchestra in Munich. Weber immediately wrote the Clarinet Concertino, Op. 26, premiered by Baermann on April 5. An enthusiastic King Maximilian I of Bavaria commissioned two full concertos, which Weber wrote over the coming months. As the composer explained in a letter: Since I composed the Clarinet Concertino for Baermann the whole orchestra has been the very devil about demanding concertos from me. I have orders for two Clarinet Concertos (of which one in F minor is almost ready), two large arias, a Cello
35 Concerto for Legrand, a Bassoon Concerto. You see I m not doing at all badly, and very probably I will spend the summer here, where I am earning so much that I ve something left over after all expenses. The proposed cello concerto never materialized, but clearly Weber had gotten his life and career back on track. Baermann premiered the Clarinet Concerto No. 1, Op. 73, which we hear today, on June 13 and the Concerto No. 2 in E-flat major, Op. 74, on November 25. (The high opus numbers of these pieces reflect their publication more than a decade later.) According to the composer s diary concerning the latter event, Baermann played in a heavenly manner and the work was greeted with frantic applause. The two musicians made further plans. As Weber explained in a letter, after speaking with Baermann, the clarinetist, a truly great artist and splendid man, they decided to embark on a concert tour to Prague, Dresden, and Berlin. The two remained close friends for the rest of Weber s life the composer would stay with him whenever he visited Munich and they met up in Vienna and elsewhere as well. A Closer Look Weber is best known today for the overtures to his operas Der Freischütz, Euryanthe, and Oberon. In these and less familiar compositions, his masterful use of orchestral colors helped to usher in a new Romantic sensibility and proved enormously influential. Weber was born after, but died before, Beethoven, and his music looks both backward and forward. Although he composed a great variety of music, most of it, including symphonies and piano concertos, has not entered the repertory. The music he wrote for clarinet has done much better, not only because of a more limited repertoire for the instrument (there are a lot of competing symphonies and piano concertos), but also because he used the clarinet in such evocative and compelling ways. Given his greatness as an opera composer it is hardly surprising that Weber s instrumental music is filled with moments of high drama and lyrical effusions. The first movement (Allegro) opens with a soft and mysterious theme in the lower strings that erupts into a bold orchestral statement in F minor. The soloist enters with a soft, plaintive melody (marked sorrowfully ), but in time the movement temporarily becomes more lighthearted. The gem of the Concerto is the amazing Adagio ma non troppo that opens as if it were an operatic aria against a softly undulating accompaniment the clarinetist
36 Weber s First Clarinet Concerto was composed in 1811. Benny Goodman was the soloist in the Orchestra s first performance of the work, in January 1952 on a Special Pops Concert; Alexander Hilsberg conducted. The only previous subscription performances prior to these current ones were in October 1970, with Anthony Gigliotti as soloist and Lorin Maazel on the podium. More recently, the piece was performed at the Mann Center in July 1992, with Gigliotti and Libor Pešek. The Concerto is scored for solo clarinet, two flutes, two oboes, two bassoons, three horns, two trumpets, timpani, and strings. The piece runs approximately 18 minutes in performance. as dramatic singer enters with a beautiful long-breathed melody that is repeated and developed. A central section in two parts provides variety, first a more agitated passage with faster moving 16th notes and virtuoso runs, followed by a calm chorale for three horns (another instrument Weber composed for brilliantly), to which the clarinet responds. The opening melody then returns in abbreviated form to round off the movement, together with a brief reminiscence of the horn chorale. After Weber s death Baermann made an arrangement of this chorale for a memorial concert, casting it for clarinet and three male voices singing a poem honoring the composer. The final movement is a Rondo (Allegretto) that opens with a buoyant theme and projects the spirit of a comic opera finale. After a climatic passage for the soloist, reaching to the heights of the instrument, there is an extended minor-mode section that briefly returns us to the realm of tragedy before the playful and joyous conclusion. Christopher H. Gibbs
The Music Symphony No. 7 37 Ludwig van Beethoven Born in Bonn, probably December 16, 1770 Died in Vienna, March 26, 1827 By the mid-1810s Beethoven was recognized far and wide as the preeminent living composer. That did not mean, however, that he was the most popular, widely published, or frequently performed. The great Italian composer Gioachino Rossini was emerging as a new force in the musical world, and his prominence extended far beyond the opera house; arrangements for every conceivable combination of instruments took his music into home, café, and concert hall. Beethoven s imposing historical stature can obscure our appreciation of how in his own time he sought to juggle fame, popularity, and artistic innovations. Greatness and Popularity Many of what are today considered Beethoven s most highly esteemed compositions, especially ones from late in his career, were initially received with a complex mixture of admiration, bewilderment, and resistance. But there were also works that were truly popular, or at least aimed to be so. These pieces tend to be much less familiar in our time, but were the favorites of his contemporaries: Wellington s Victory, the oratorio Christ on the Mount of Olives, the Septet, and his best-loved song, Adelaide. Occasionally Beethoven wrote something that was recognized as both artistically monumental and hugely popular. An example is the second movement of his Seventh Symphony, a piece that was often performed separately from the complete Symphony and that may have been Beethoven s most prized orchestral composition. It also exerted extraordinary influence on later composers, as the slow movements of Schubert s Great C-major Symphony and E-flat Piano Trio, Mendelssohn s Italian Symphony, Berlioz s Harold in Italy, and other works attest. After its premiere, the Seventh Symphony was repeated in Vienna three times during the following 10 weeks; at one of the performances the applause rose to the point of ecstasy, according to a newspaper account. The Leipzig Allgemeine musikalische Zeitung reported that the new symphony (A major) was received with so much applause, again. The reception was as animated as at the first time; the Andante [sic] (A minor), the crown of modern instrumental music, as at the first performance, had to be repeated. The Symphony s appeal is not hard to
38 understand. In scope and intensity, it is fully Beethovenian, and yet it does not place quite as many demands on the listener as does the Eroica. The ambition of the first movement, beauty of the second, the breathlessness of the scherzo, and relentless energy of the finale greatly impressed audiences. Beethoven himself called it one of the happiest products of my poor talents. Celebrating Victory Beethoven wrote the Seventh Symphony in 1811-12, completing it in April. He premiered it at one of his most successful concerts, given on December 8, 1813, to benefit soldiers wounded in the battle of Hanau six weeks earlier. Paired with it was the first performance of Wellington s Victory, also known as the Battle Symphony. The enjoyment of the event was hardly surprising given what most members of the Viennese audience had been through during the preceding decade. Napoleon s occupations of Vienna in 1805 and 1809 had proven traumatic, but the tide had recently turned. In June the Duke of Wellington was triumphant against Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon s younger brother, in the northern Spanish town of Vittoria, and within the year the Congress of Vienna was convened to reapportion Europe in the aftermath of France s defeat. After so much conflict and misery, impending victory could be honored and celebrated. Later writers characterized the Seventh Symphony in various ways, but it is striking how many of the descriptions touch on its frenzy, approaching a bacchanal at times, and on its elements of dance. Richard Wagner s poetic account is representative: All tumult, all yearning and storming of the heart, become here the blissful insolence of joy, which carries us away with bacchanalian power through the roomy space of nature, through all the streams and seas of life, shouting in glad self-consciousness as we sound throughout the universe the daring strains of this human sphere-dance. The Symphony is the Apotheosis of the Dance itself: it is Dance in its highest aspect, the loftiest deed of bodily motion, incorporated into an ideal mold of tone. As biographer Maynard Solomon has keenly observed, the descriptions of Wagner and others seem to have a common theme: The apparently diverse free-associational images of these critics of masses of people, of powerful rhythmic energy discharged in action or in dance, of celebrations, weddings, and revelry may well be
39 Beethoven composed his Seventh Symphony from 1811 to 1812. Fritz Scheel conducted the first Philadelphia Orchestra performances of the Symphony, in March 1903. The most recent subscription performances were in October 2011, with Charles Dutoit on the podium. The Orchestra has recorded the work five times: in 1927 for RCA with Leopold Stokowski; in 1944 and 1964 for CBS with Eugene Ormandy; and in 1978 and 1988 for EMI with Riccardo Muti. The Symphony is scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, timpani, and strings. Performance time is approximately 35 minutes. variations on a single image: the carnival or festival, which from time immemorial has temporarily lifted the burden of perpetual subjugation to the prevailing social and natural order by periodically suspending all customary privileges, norms, and imperatives. Wellington s Victory gave a realistic imitation of battle between the English (represented by the song Rule Britannia ) and the French ( Marlborough s en va-t en guerre ) and ends victoriously with variations on God Save the King it is an effective but hardly subtle work. The Seventh apparently tapped into similar celebratory emotions vivid at the moment, but on a much deeper level that has allowed the Symphony to retain its stature ever since. A Closer Look The Symphony s dance elements, vitality, and sense of celebration are conveyed principally through rhythm. It is not so much the melodies that are striking and memorable as it is the general sense of forward movement. (At times there is no melody at all, but simply the repetition of a single pitch.) The first movement (Poco sostenuto) opens with the longest of Beethoven s introductions indeed the longest yet in the history of the symphony, that leads (by way of repeating just one note) into the main body of the movement (Vivace). The famous A-minor Allegretto is framed by the same unstable chord to open and close the movement. The form is ABABA with the opening section using a theme that is once again more distinctive for its rhythmic profile than for its melody. The movement builds in intensity and includes a fugue near the end. The Presto scherzo brings out the dance aspect even more. As in some of his other instrumental works, Beethoven includes two trio sections. The Allegro con brio finale offers a tour-de-force of energy and excitement. As throughout the Symphony, part of the distinctive sound comes from Beethoven s use of the horns. The work is in A major, which gives a brightness not found in the composer s earlier symphonies. Christopher H. Gibbs Program notes 2014. All rights reserved. Program notes may not be reprinted without written permission from The Philadelphia Orchestra Association.
40 Musical Terms GENERAL TERMS Aria: An accompanied solo song, usually in an opera or oratorio Cadence: The conclusion to a phrase, movement, or piece based on a recognizable melodic formula, harmonic progression, or dissonance resolution Cadenza: A passage or section in a style of brilliant improvisation, usually inserted near the end of a movement or composition Chorale: A hymn tune of the German Protestant Church, or one similar in style. Chorale settings are vocal, instrumental, or both. Chord: The simultaneous sounding of three or more tones Coda: A concluding section or passage added in order to confirm the impression of finality Dissonance: A combination of two or more tones requiring resolution Divertimento: A piece of entertaining music in several movements, often scored for a mixed ensemble and having no fixed form Fugue: A piece of music in which a short melody is stated by one voice and then imitated by the other voices in succession, reappearing throughout the entire piece in all the voices at different places Meter: The symmetrical grouping of musical rhythms 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 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.). Scherzo: Literally a joke. Usually the third movement of symphonies and quartets that was introduced by Beethoven to replace the minuet. The scherzo is followed by a gentler section called a trio, after which the scherzo is repeated. Its characteristics are a rapid tempo in triple time, vigorous rhythm, and humorous contrasts. Also an instrumental piece of a light, piquant, humorous character. Siciliano: A Sicilian dance in 6/8 meter and fairly slow 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. The exposition is the introduction of the musical ideas, which are then developed. In the recapitulation, the exposition is repeated with modifications. Tonic: The keynote of a scale Trio: See scherzo THE SPEED OF MUSIC (Tempo) Adagio: Leisurely, slow Allegretto: A tempo between walking speed and fast Allegro: Bright, fast Andante: Walking speed Con brio: Vigorously, with fire Presto: Very fast Sostenuto: Sustained Vivace: Lively TEMPO MODIFIERS Assai: Much Ma non troppo: But not too much Meno: Less Poco: Little, a bit
April The Philadelphia Orchestra 41 Pete Checchia Great Seats Still Available order today! The Organ Symphony April 11 & 12 8 PM April 13 2 PM Gianandrea Noseda Conductor James Ehnes Violin Casella Symphonic Fragments from La donna serpente Prokofiev Violin Concerto No. 2 Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3 ( Organ ) The April 11 concert is sponsored by MedComp. Mozart Celebration Yannick Nezet-Seguin Conductor Jan Lisiecki Piano Thursday, April 24 8 PM Friday, April 25 2 PM Mozart Overture to Così fan tutte Mozart Piano Concerto No. 22, K. 482 Mozart Symphony No. 39 Friday, April 25 8 PM Mozart Overture to Don Giovanni Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20, K. 466 Mozart Symphony No. 40 Saturday, April 26 8 PM Mozart Overture to The Marriage of Figaro Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21, K. 467 Mozart Symphony No. 41 ( Jupiter ) TICKETS Call 215.893.1999 or log on to www.philorch.org 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.
16 42 Story Title Tickets & Patron Services TICKETS & PATRON SERVICES Subscriber Services: 215.893.1955 Call Center: 215.893.1999 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: Latecomers will not be seated until an appropriate time in the concert. Accessible Seating: Accessible seating is available for every performance. Please call Ticket Philadelphia at 215.893.1999 for more information. You may also purchase accessible seating online at www.philorch.org. 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 first-come, firstserved 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 ticketholders, 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 215.670.2321. Web Site: For information about The Philadelphia Orchestra and its upcoming concerts or events, please visit www.philorch.org. 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 215.893.1955 or visit www.philorch.org. Ticket Turn-In: Subscribers who cannot use their tickets are invited to donate them and receive a tax-deductible credit by calling 215.893.1999. 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 215.893.1999 or stop by the Kimmel Center Box Office. Ticket Philadelphia Staff Gary Lustig, Vice President Jena Smith, 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 Representative Meg Hackney, Lead Patron Services Representative Hannah McIntosh, Lead Patron Services Representative Julia Schranck, Lead Patron Services Representative Alicia DiMeglio, Priority Services Representative Megan Brown, Patron Services Representative Maureen Esty, Patron Services Representative Isaiah Harris, Patron Services Representative Brand-I Curtis McCloud, Patron Services Representative Scott Leitch, Quality Assurance Analyst