The Rite of Spring This weekend we’re afforded the opportunity to experience two seldom-heard works: Dvořák’s concerto and Lili Boulanger’s dark-night-of-the-soul set to music, D’un soir triste. Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring — a watershed in the history of Western classical music — comprises the second half.

ILI BOULANGER Born 21 August 1893; , France Died 15 ; Mézy-sur-Seine, France

D’un soir triste Composed: 1918 First performance: 6 March 1921; Paris, France (chamber work), 9 May 1992; San Francisco, California (orchestral work) Last MSO performance: MSO premiere Instrumentation: 2 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion (bass drum, suspended cymbals, tam tam), harp, celeste, strings Approximate duration: 9 minutes

Lili Boulanger was the younger sister of the noted teacher, conductor, and composer (1887-1979). As a child, she accompanied Nadia to classes at the Paris Conserva- toire. She later studied organ with . Lili also sang and played piano, violin, cel- lo, and harp. The first woman to receive the Prix de Rome — in 1913, for her cantata Faust et Hélène — her composing life was brief but productive. Her most important works are her psalm settings and other large-scale choral pieces. Fauré admired and promoted her music. D’un soir triste (On a Sad Evening) was written in the final months of her life (often beset by illness, she died at the early age of 24), along with a shorter companion piece, D’un matin de printemps (On a Morning in Spring). The former exists in three versions: for and piano, for piano trio, and for orchestra. Elegiac in its mood, D’un soir triste is thick-textured, with sometimes austere harmonies. At one point, the bass drum suggests a funeral pro- cession. There’s an intense emotional climax, and passages of high drama alternate with moments of romantic reverie. Recommended recording: Yan Pascal Tortelier, BBC Philharmonic (Chandos)  The Rite of Spring PROGRAM NOTES Composed: Instrumentation: Composed: Instrumentation: Concerto inGminorforPianoandOrchestra, Opus33 Died 1May1904;,CzechRepublic 8September1841;Nelahozeves,CzechRepublic Born ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK Le Sacre duprintemps(TheRiteofSpring) Died 6April1971;NewYork, NewYork 17June1882;Lomonosov,Born place, gaveitspremiere, withAdolphČechconducting. and accompanysingers.Karel Slavkovsky, whohadrequested theconcertoinfirst Though Dvořákwasapianist,heeschewedthelimelight,preferring toplaychamber music theme creates acompellingfoilforthefirsttwo. mic ideas:thefirstistoccata-like,secondalmostdance-like.Thelyricalcastofthir androndo.form It encompassesthree themes,thefirsttwocharacterizedbystrong rhyth- distinction. TheclosingAllegro confuoco(“fast,withfire”) combineselementsofsonata with andaccompaniesvariouswoodwindsoloists.Aliveliermiddlesectionpr The gentleD-majorAndantesostenutoistruechambermusic,asthepianistbothdialogues the violinconcertonorcelloboastsacadenza.) characteristics oftheconcertantestylethatCzechmasterincludedinthiswork.(Neither section isoneofthelongestinDvořák’s output.Thesolocadenzaisoneofthefewexternal —isrifewithcontrasts.Castinsonata-allegro itsdevelopment form, Dances Slavonic and acarefree secondthemeinB-flatmajor, onethatevokesthespiritofcomposer’s The large-scale firstmovement —withopeningandclosingthemesofnoblesolemnity presentation anddevelopment ofthethematicmaterial. is incorporatedintotheoverallfabricofcomposition,sharingwithor for example—thatserveasavehiclevirtuosodisplaybythesoloist.Instead,piano goes againstthepracticeofotherRomantic-eraconcertos—thoseChopinandLiszt, The pianoconcertoadheres tothetraditionalthree movements,butitsoverallconception followed three yearslater(1879),andthesublimecelloconcertowascomposedin1894-95. Dvořák’s Op.33wasthefirstofthree concertosthathecompleted;hisviolinconcerto Recommended recording: Last MSOperformance: Last MSOperformance: Approximate duration: Approximate duration: First performance: First performance: 1876 33 minutes guiro, tambourine,triangle,tamtam),strings 2 tubas,timpani,percussion (crotale, bassdrum,cymbals, (4th doublingbasstrumpet), piccolotrumpet,3trombones, (7thand8thdoubling Wagner8 horns tuba),4trumpets 4 bassoons(4thdoublingcontrabassoon),contrabassoon, doubling bassclarinet),E-flatclarinet, 3clarinets(3rd Englishhorn, (4th doublingEnglishhorn), 3 flutes(3rd doublingpiccolo),piccolo,altoflute,4oboes January 2012;EdodeWaart, conductor 29 May1913;Paris,France 1911-12 Orchestra (EMI) Sviatoslav Richter;CarlosKleiber, BavarianState 34 minutes 2 trumpets,timpani,strings 2 flutes,oboes,clarinets,bassoons,horns, MSO premiere 24 March 1878;Prague,Czech Republic  chestra inthe ovides further d The Rite of Spring PROGRAM NOTES

life. Thefollowingyear, Petroushka his company’s 1910seasoninParis.Itsgreat successwouldalterthecourseofStravinsky’s Firebird The were sacrificinghertopropitiate thegodofSpring.” gan rite:sageelders,seatedinacircle, watchingayounggirldanceherselftodeath.They fleeting vision,whichcameasacompletesurprise...Isawinmyimaginationsolemnpa Firebird Stravinsky wasinSt.Petersburg inthespringof1910,puttingfinishingtouchesonThe polemics, then,praise,and,finally, thenecessary clarification.” the samereasons asPicasso’s d’Avignon Demoiselles temporary’ music.Akindofmanifestowork,somewhat inthesamewayandpr of reference toallwhoseekestablishthebirthcertificateofwhatisstillcalled‘con century.” Pierre Bouleztookthatastepfurther, servesasapoint Rite of Spring writing:“The electrify —ustoday. Leonard called it“themostimportantworkofthe20th Bernstein remains undiminishedinitsabilitytorouse Rite of Spring —andeven do knowthatThe Though wemaynotknowforcertainwhatsetoff thatParisianaudience105years ago,we reference, bothmelodicallyandharmonically. Spring; thesamechord, though,operates as anintegratedsonorityandprovides apitch harshness ofthepiece,asillustratedbypreviously mentionedchord intheAugursof usually are treated chromatically. Chromaticism anddissonanceoftencontributetothe These are combinedtocreate larger diatonicinthemselves, unitsand,thoughnormally Stravinsky sometimesdrew —saythescholars —from RussianandLithuanianfolkmusic. Was Frequently, itthemelody?Theharmony? The Rite meter changesinalmosteverymeasure; itbegins3/16,2/16,2/8,3/16. conductors. ThisisespeciallyevidentintheopeningbarsofSacrificialDance,wher continuously, acharacteristicthatcanstrikefearintheheartsofevenmost seasoned important rhythmicfeature isapparent inpassageswhosetimesignatures changealmost melodic fragments)withdifferent rhythmicvaluesandunequaltotaldurations.Afurther audacious treatment ofrhythm,Stravinsky often superimposesmultipleostinatos(repeated F-flat majorchord) is repeated overandover, itsaccentsshiftingunpredictably. Inanother sage intheAugursofSpring,whenasinglemassivechord (anE-flat-seventh chord atop like agiantpercussion instrument.Thatisnowhere more apparent thanthefamouspas- frequentlyWas treats Rite of Spring theorchestra ittherhythm?IthasbeensaidthatThe What wasitaboutthisworkthattriggered suchvisceralreaction? ence forhim,puttinghiminthehospitaltwoweeks. behaved withtheusualdecorum,butfirst-nightkerfufflehadbeenatraumaticexperi was relieved inParisandLondonthatsummer, when,atperformances thoseinattendance “knock- kneedandlong-braidedLolitas”—astheywere byStravinsky’s music.Themaster Vaslav Nijinsky’s choreography —thecomposerlaterderidedNijinsky’s dancingmaidensas of culturalhistory’s mostcherishedriots.Apparently, theaudiencewasjustasinfuriatedby enshrined inallthemusichistorytextbooksbecauseofscandalitcaused,sur —29May1913;TheatreThe premiere desChamps-Elysees,Paris—is Rite of Spring ofThe rest oftheballet. tion waspostponedayear. Thisallowedthecomposertowork more deliberatelyonthe was obvious,however, thattheworkwouldnotbeready forthesummer, soitsproduc - byearly1912thefirsthalfofscore inearnest; wasalmostcomplete.It Rite of Spring Following TheFirebird’s and criticsasTheFirebird hadbeen. converted toaballetscore attheurging ofDiaghilev—wasjustaspopularwiththepublic Recommended recording: , whenhereceived Rite of Spring hisinspiration forThe hadbeencommissionedbytheBalletRusseimpresario Sergei Diaghilevfor 13June1911premiere inParis,StravinskybeganworkonThe Program notes by J. Mark Baker. by J. notes Mark Program (Sony Classical) Leonard NewYork Bernstein, Philharmonic —begunasaconcertpieceforpianoandorchestra, but  , ithasnotceasedtoengender, first, utilizesshort,simplemotivesthat . Helaterwrote: “Ihada obably for ely one - e the - -