January 1999 Concert Program

The first performance of this piece was given on Dec. 16, 1937. It was written for and dedicated to the High School for Performing Arts in New York City. This was the first of a series of pieces written for the school. The series of commissioned by the school was undertaken with the slogan "American Music for American Youth."

Aaron Copland was so interested in the purpose of this piece (building young audiences and young musicians) that he temporarily stopped working on his ballet, "Billy the Kid," to compose the piece. It took two and a half weeks to write this overture. The name "An Outdoor Overture" came after Copland played the piano sketch for the head of the high school, Alexander Richter. Richter said it had an open-air quality. The two men decided on the title

The sound of this composition is typical of Copland. There is a spacious and folk-like quality to the composition. Many of the sections in the orchestra are featured in solo passages and there is a driving rhythm throughout much of the piece. There is also a similarity in the harmonic development between the overture and many of Copland’s other works. There is no question as to who composed the overture.

Concerto in A major for Clarinet, W.A. Mozart

This concerto was completed in 1791 for Anton Stadler. Mozart finished the concerto two months before his death. Except for a reflective slow second movement, the piece has no hint of the suffering and anguish Mozart experienced at the end of his life.

The concerto is written for a small orchestra that includes strings, flutes, bassoons and horns. The first movement is typical of many of Mozart's concerti. There is a long orchestral introduction (this will be shortened for today's performance) followed by the clarinet and the orchestra passing the melody back and forth. The harmony is very predictable yet it has an interest and charm about it that is so typical of Mozart.

Emperor Waltz, Johann Strauss II

Johann Strauss II was born in 1825 and was the son of a famous Viennese cafe-house conductor and composer of light music. The older Strauss was opposed to his son having a career in music. As a result, the younger Strauss began his musical study in secret. This continued until his father deserted the family in 1840. From that point, his musical career progressed to the point where Strauss became one of the most celebrated musicians of his time

The “Emperor Waltz" is one of the finest examples and most often played of his compositions. It was written in 1888 to help celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the reign of Franz Joseph I. It represents the grandeur of the Austrian Empire and the dignity of the monarch.

Symphonie Espagnole, Eduard Lalo

Lalo was partial to writing pieces that had a nationalistic flavor. This work, probably his most frequently performed concert work, has a Spanish flavor to it. That could be due to the fact that it was written for Pablo de Sarasate, a prominent Spanish violinist of the period. He called the work a symphony to emphasize the importance of the orchestra. In reality, this is a suite for violin and orchestra, which is divided into five movements.

After having its premier in 1874, this composition has become a standard part of many violinists' repertoire.

Marche Militaire No. 1, Franz Schubert

Schubert (1797-1828) is best known to us now for his “Unfinished Symphony.” During his lifetime, he was highly regarded for his over six hundred songs and several song cycles.

This “Marche Militaire,” with its obvious march-like quality, also portrays the easy lyrical quality and form of his “German Lieder.”

Capriccio ltalien, Peter Tchaikovsky

Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) visited Italy in 1880 and while there composed one of his most popular works: an Italian caprice based upon folk songs and dances. The work opens with a bugle call, which develops into an orchestral fanfare. This is followed by a gentle, somewhat melancholy, melody played by the strings and clarinets. An oboe duet introduces a folk song which is later repeated by various groups of instruments. The work is concluded with a lively Tarantella and a brilliant, exciting finale.

Moods of Mahler's First Symphony, Gustav Mahler

Written in 1889, Mahler (1860-1911) looked upon his First Symphony as an “adventure of the soul it – issued from my heart like a mountain stream.” Mahler used the orchestral resources for alternating moods of happiness, sadness, tranquility and excitement.

This arrangement presents portions of the Second, Third, and Fourth movements. Theme one begins with a robust, strong Austrian peasant dance. The second theme follows with the famous “Funeral Procession” which is a minor-key variant of “Frere Jacques” and proceeds through a chain of exotic folk tunes probably reflecting Mahler's youth. The last theme presents the triumphant motifs played by the brass and ends with a jubilant and victorious finale.

Clarinet Concerto No. 2, Carl Maria von Weber

Weber, a contemporary of Beethoven, was a noted composer of operas, piano literature, and orchestra literature, as well as chamber music.

Some of the most delightful of Weber's compositions are his two clarinet concerti and his “Concertino for Clarinet.” All three of these pieces are standard literature for all clarinetists. The pieces are filled with beautiful melodies, exciting rhythmic ideas and challenging performance problems.

Being performed this afternoon is the movement entitled “Alla Polacca.” This is the exciting third and final movement to the concerto. It begins with an exciting syncopated melody in the clarinet which is underscored primarily with strings. The movement steadily develops into a showpiece for the soloist. After listening to the movement, it is obvious why this is a favorite of clarinetists and listeners alike.

Romeo and Juliet, Peter Ilitch Tchaikovsky

There have been many compositions written for or about Shakespeare's play, “Romeo and Juliet.” Tchaikovsky’s music remains the most popular of the attempts to musically depict the beauty and struggles the two young lovers encountered in their short lives.

The version to be performed today is the third version of the piece. The composer first wrote the piece in 1869 and completed this revision in 1880. Since then, this piece has become a standard of orchestral literature and is performed frequently by orchestras around the world.

Knowing the story of the play will allow you to follow the music line as well. The listener can identify sections of the music that would be reminiscent of the struggle between the two families in the play, the love themes of the main characters and the final outcome of the drama. That outcome is of course the death of the two lovers and the sadness that surrounds them.

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