May 2006 Concert Program & Notes

It is probably difficult to find a large number or people who dislike the music of Antonin Dvorak. His beautiful harmonies, folk-like melodies, colorful orchestration, and passionate musical concepts have made him a beloved composer for generations.

Some of his most famous compositions include his Symphony No. 9 (From the New World), the “Slavonic Dances,” “Stabat Mater,” Concerto for Cello, and a requiem mass, to name a few.

The “Festival March,” written in 1879, is typical of so many of his works. He generates excitement from the first moment and maintains that interest throughout the piece using uncomplicated, singable melodies coupled with driving rhythm and beautiful harmonies. Certainly, this is an exciting opening to any concert.

Hungarian Dance No. 10

Just as Dvorak wrote his “Slavonic Dances” using melodies and rhythms common to his native Czech heritage, Brahms wrote several sets of Hungarian Dances based on the music of that region of Europe. Originally written for two pianos, the dances became so popular shortly after they were written that Brahms orchestrated them at the request of his publisher. Since then, they have become standard literature of many orchestras.

While listening to this dance, you will hear many of the traits of Brahms’ music for which he is so famous. His rich orchestration, complex rhythms, and beautiful harmonies are obvious. In addition, he has captured the spirit and excitement of the music played in that part of the world. If you use your imagination, you can almost envision a gypsy caravan.

This piece was written in 1874, five years prior to the first selection of the program tonight.

Rumanian Folk Dances

Bela Bartok (1881-1945) is another composer who used many folk melodies in his compositions. Just like the “Hungarian Dances” by Brahms, the “Rumanian Dances” have an eastern European flavor. There are seven very short movements. Each movement is based on a folk song from a different part of the country.

The original version of this piece included several woodwind instruments as well as French horns, but the arrangement being performed this evening has become a standard version of the piece as well.

In addition to this piece, other Bartok compositions which may be of interest are the “Concerto for Orchestra,” his three piano concerti, and the “Sonata for Two Pianos and Percussion,” to name a few. The "Mikrokosmos" is a six-volume set of progressive piano pieces which have been used to train young pianists. It has been used since 1926 as a teaching tool.

Buckaroo Holiday from “Rodeo

Aaron Copland wrote several very successful ballets, including “Rodeo,” from which this piece is taken. Another section of the ballet, “Hoedown,” is familiar to many people as it has been used in many television commercials over the years in addition to being a popular concert piece.

Copland’s music needs little introduction due to its familiarity among concert enthusiasts. It is what so many people, not only in this country but around the world, think of when they want to describe American music. There is a simplicity to the melody. There is a “vastness” to the harmony and the energy seems endless. The music sounds as fresh as it did when it was written in 1946. It is enjoyable to perform and is equally enjoyable to hear.

March from “Scipio

This march, from one of Handel’s forty-five operas, has a majestic quality more like a processional. The music is of simple structure, quite tuneful, with alternating loud and soft passages.

Little Baroque Suite

Kirnberger was a court violinist under the employ of Frederick the Great. He also studied composition with J.S. Bach. These short dances are quite typical of the Baroque style. The third, “La Lutine,” requires a light, easy touch which is difficult to achieve with precision and has been a challenge to perfect.

Three Dances from “Le Roi s’amuse”

Leo Delibes was a Professor of Composition at the Paris Conservatoire. He was a composer of numerous light operas and three ballets – “Coppelia,” “Sylvia,” and “Le Roi s’amuse.”

These three dances are characterized by alternating sections of full orchestra, string, and woodwinds. The third dance, “Passepied,” is in the key of E minor and has a subtle lilting quality with an almost constant bouncing bow passage in the violas ending in a whisper.

Symphony No. 3, “Finale

Haydn was very friendly with Mozart, though he was over 20 years his senior. Beethoven studied with Haydn for a short time, but they were not close friends. Haydn, recognizing Beethoven’s talent, thought he was of a “different mind.” What an extraordinary time it must have been for musicians during the few years that the lives of these three geniuses overlapped!

Haydn is credited with developing and perfecting the symphonic form. He composed 104 symphonies. Mozart advanced the complexity of the form with his 41 symphonies. The culmination was the monumental 9^th Symphony of Beethoven.

The finale to Haydn’s Third Symphony is a rather straight-forward fugue with four motifs. Performing a fugue is always a challenge to musicians as the motifs chase each other across the page. The lines must remain clear to the audience.

Inaugural Fanfare

Aaron Copland, like many other composers, went through several style changes during his career. We think of “Rodeo,” “Billy the Kid,” and “Appalachian Spring” as typical of this music. But there is also a different side to much of his music. Copland went through several style changes, including a period during the 1950's when he wrote twelve tone pieces which are very different than the three ballets mentioned earlier.

This fanfare was written in 1969 and was commissioned for the new Arts Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Grand Rapids Symphony performed it on June 14, 1969. It is written for winds and percussion, and no strings. After hearing “Buckaroo Holiday” earlier in the program, it will be easy for you to hear the difference in compositional styles between the two Copland pieces.

This has to be one of the most famous of all encore selections of all time. It has been transcribed for almost every instrument one can imagine. What most people do not realize is that it is part of the opera, “The Tsar Sultan,” which was first performed in 1900. The music is supposed to depict a magical prince named Gvidon, who changes into an insect in order to fly to his father’s royal court.

Rimsky-Korsakov wrote many operas, tone poems, symphonies, concertos, etc., which are still popular over a hundred years later. This is due to his rich orchestration, haunting melodies, beautiful harmony, and in some cases, the story behind the music.

The plot of this opera is a fairy tale, much like “Scheherazade,” “The Snow Maiden,” and “Sadko,” to name a few. It is also a nationalistic piece in that many of the melodies, harmonies, and rhythms are similar to Russian folk music. The theme of the piece is also steeped in Russian folklore.

The Suite is divided into three distinct sections, each announced by the trumpet section in what sounds like a heroic fanfare. The first section is a light, whimsical collection of theme from the beginning of the opera. The second part is a dark, brooding theme which eventually transforms into a lighter mood and fades out at the end. The third section is very typical of the composer’s work in that there are bright melodies coupled with interweaving harmonies. The orchestration is brilliant and the ending has the power so typical of the composer’s more famous compositions such as “Scheherazade.”