17 SEPTEMBER WEDNESDAY SERIES 2 Helsinki Music Centre at 19
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17 SEPTEMBER WEDNESDAY SERIES 2 Helsinki Music Centre at 19 Joshua Weilerstein, conductor Jonathan Biss, piano Jean Sibelius: Kevätlaulu (Spring Song) 8 min Ludwig van Beethoven: Piano Concerto 30 min No. 4 in G Major, Op. 58 I Allegro moderato II Andante con moto III Rondo (Vivace) INTERVAL 20 min Edvard Grieg: Peer Gynt, Suite No. 1, Op. 46 17 min I Morgenstemning (Morning Mood) II Åses död (Aase’s Death) III Anitras dans (Anitra’s Dance) IV I dovregubbens hall (In the Hall of the Mountain King) Richard Strauss: Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche 18 min (Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks), symphonic poem, Op. 28 Interval at about 19.55. The concert ends at about 21.05. Broadcast live on Yle Radio 1 and online at yle.fi/rso. 1 JEAN SIBELIUS LUDWIG VAN (1865–1957): BEETHOVEN KEVÄTLAULU (1770–1827): PIANO (SPRING SONG) CONCERTO NO. 4 The premieres of Kullervo and En Saga in The fourth Piano Concerto (1806) by 1892 and 1893 had won Sibelius the sta- Ludwig van Beethoven was given its tus of Finland’s no. 1 composer. His posi- first public hearing at a concert at the tion was so unshakeable that it was not, Theater an der Wien on 22 December as a rule, even questioned. One of the 1808. Other reasons why this concert few exceptions was when he attended a has gone down in history as being par- national music festival in Vaasa in June ticularly memorable are that it lasted 1894. For his Improvisation for orches- four hours, that the works were poor- tra premiered on that occasion came a ly rehearsed and the hall was freezing poor second to the grandiose symphon- cold. ic poem Korsholm by Armas Järnefelt. A surprise awaited the audience shiv- This Improvisation had been finished ering in their seats, because instead of only at the very last moment. By the the normal concerto practice of an or- time it was performed the following chestral exposition, Beethoven gave year in Helsinki, Sibelius had revised it the first word to the soloist, in a five- and renamed it Spring Song, “La tristesse bar statement stripped of all self-ag- du printemps” (The Sadness of Spring). grandizement. Many of the concerto’s Among the cuts he made were the tam- subsequent motifs can be traced back bourine rhythms described as ‘Spanish’ to this opening statement, and this in the final build-up. seems to underline the close relation- Unlike many of the Sibelius works of ship between the bubbling, lyrical piano the 1890s, with their archaic, rugged and the orchestra. Beethoven’s harmo- ‘national’ sound, the Spring Song is more nies are also surprising, for the opening generally Nordic in mood. The critic statement in G major is followed by an Karl Flodin admired it for its charm and orchestral reply in the remote key of B freshness, and claimed to detect in it an major, and the development even trav- affinity with Grieg and Sinding. The mu- els to C-sharp minor, which could not be sic is warm, romantic and melodic, and further away from the original G major. the opening theme is one of the long- The slow movement is striking in its est in all Sibelius. At times it is indeed simplicity. In contrast to the first move- tinged with sadness, but the major ment, it is marked by opposition be- chords at the climax proclaim the vic- tween the piano and the orchestra. The tory of the spring sunshine. contrast between the harsh string com- ments, in unison, and the piano’s ten- der replies is so sharp that some have 2 even said it calls to mind Orpheus tam- performed with his music in Oslo in ing wild beasts with his playing. As February the following year. The inci- the movement proceeds, the opposi- dental music comprises 23 numbers, tion gradually becomes weaker until a some with solo singers and a chorus cadenza-like trill passage on the piano in addition to an orchestra. The com- leads to the gentle closing bars. plete set is seldom performed, but all The finale, cast in Rondo form and the more popular are the two orchestral following the slow movement without a suites arranged by Grieg himself. break, begins in a restrained C major in- Each suite has four movements, not stead of the anticipated G major. Before in the same order as in the play. They long, it is bursting with a good-hu- show Grieg as a master of the minia- moured joie de vivre that is further en- ture, as a composer able to conjure up a hanced by the piano part, which is more unique, enchanting mood in a few well- varied and more extensive than in the chosen strokes. They also demonstrate first movement. The finale nevertheless his sovereign command of orchestral ef- has a strong lyrical dimension. fects, both colourful and expressive. The first suite begins with Morning Mood, a crisp, clear, radiant evocation of EDVARD GRIEG morning. Aase’s Death, scored for mut- (1843–1907): ed strings, is a subdued and heart-break- ingly sad song in memory of Peer Gynt’s SUITE NO. 1 FROM THE mother. In elegant contrast is the light, INCIDENTAL MUSIC TO lilting Anitra’s Dance with Oriental sea- PEER GYNT soning from the North African scenes in the play. The suite ends with one of Edvard Grieg was still only a fledg- the best-known pieces ever composed ling composer of 22 when he first met by Grieg, In the Hall of the Mountain King. Henrik Ibsen, in Rome, in 1865. Ibsen A masterpiece of effective reiteration, it was at the time hatching a new drama, gradually stomps its way to a wild and Peer Gynt, that was to be his most origi- mighty climax. nal and most ingenious. It tells the sto- ry of a rakish young man and the im- aginary adventures that took him as far RICHARD STRAUSS afield as North Africa. (1864–1949): TILL Ibsen had originally conceived of Peer Gynt as a spoken drama only. But when, EULENSPIEGELS a few years after its publication, he be- LUSTIGE STREICHE gan making plans for an abridged ver- sion richly interspersed with music, it Till Eulenspiegel is a heroic rascal whose seemed only natural for him to turn first adventures have featured in German of all to Grieg. folk tales and legends ever since the late Grieg completed the score of Peer Middle Ages. Richard Strauss developed Gynt in July 1875 and the play was an interest in him in the early 1890s. He 3 had plans for an opera about him and JOSHUA WEILERSTEIN even sketched a libretto, but then aban- doned the project. He did not, however, Joshua Weilerstein was only 21 when he abandon his rogue, and in winter 1894– won the Malko Competition for Young 1895 gave him a new lease of life in a Conductors in Copenhagen in 2009, symphonic poem. since when his career has taken off at an Till Eulenspiegel’s Merry Pranks repre- astounding pace. On graduating from sents Richard Strauss at his most unin- the New England Conservatory of Music hibited and most captivating. The work in 2011, as a pupil of Hugh Wolff, he was traces Till’s escapades, at times in light appointed Assistant Conductor of the and elegant vein, at others with spar- New York Philharmonic Orchestra. Last kling humour or with seething passion, autumn he conducted the Orchestra but always with brilliant orchestration. at two concerts. He also studied Strauss did not initially want to supply with David Zinman on the American a detailed programme, announcing in a Academy of Conducting course at the telegram: “Analysis impossible for me. Aspen Festival, where he was award- All wit spent in notes.” He did, howev- ed the Aspen Conducting Prize and er, later disclose that Till causes havoc the Robert J. Harth Conductor Prize. In in the marketplace, falls in love, argues 2012 he conducted the Aspen Festival with learned academics, mocks at reli- Orchestra. gion and is finally sent to the gallows. Joshua Weilerstein has already con- The overall form of the symphonic ducted such prestigious orchestras as poem is a Rondo. It begins with a ten- the Los Angeles, Oslo and Stockholm der once-upon-a-time vignette that is Philharmonics, the Frankfurt Radio immediately followed by Till’s own mo- Symphony and the BBC Symphony. tif on a French horn. Strauss lets his Forthcoming engagements include themes adapt to the demands of the his debut with the Mahler Chamber situation so that, for example, the open- Orchestra, the German Symphony ing string theme lends itself to a high, Orchestra Berlin and the French Radio mocking clarinet motif that is far re- Symphony Orchestra. He has been se- moved from the initial elegance. The lected for the Dudamel Fellowship pranks follow one upon the other at a programme run by the Los Angeles merry, breath-taking speed, often stud- Philharmonic in which young conduc- ded with surprises. One of these sud- tors receive not only personal tuition den switches finally leads to the gal- but also a chance to conduct the Los lows scene and the return of the tender Angeles Philharmonic and to take part opening string theme, as if the tale is at in its education projects. an end. In the closing bars Till neverthe- Also a violinist, Joshua Weilerstein was less has the last word; he may or may the soloist with the Símon Bolívar Youth not have been hanged, but nothing can Orchestra in Venezuela in 2007.