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Home , En saga, Finlandia, Mark Elder, Olin Downes, Sinfonia da Requiem, Tapiola (Sibelius)

Monday Evening, October 15, 2018, at 7:30

The Juilliard School presents Juilliard Sir Mark Elder , Conductor Robert Nunes ,

BENJAMIN BRITTEN (1913–76) “Four Sea Interludes” from , Op. 33a (1945) Dawn: Lento e tranquillo Sunday morning: Allegro spiritoso Moonlight: Andante comodo e rubato Storm: Presto con fuoco

RICHARD STRAUSS (1864 –1949) Oboe Concerto in D major, TrV 292 (1945) Allegro moderato Andante Vivace ROBERT NUNES , Oboe

Intermission

JEAN SIBELIUS (1865 –1957) Night Ride and Sunrise , Op. 55 (1908)

SIBELIUS No. 7 in C major, Op. 105 (1924)

Sir Mark Elder appears by kind permission of the .

Performance time: approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, including one intermission

The taking of photographs and the use of recording equipment are not permitted in this auditorium.

Information regarding gifts to the school may be obtained from the Juilliard School Development Office, 60 Lincoln Center Plaza, New York, NY 10023-6588; (212) 799-5000, ext. 278 (juilliard.edu/giving).

Alice Tully Hall Please make certain that all electronic devices are turned off during the performance. Notes on the Program because of the war) but was given by Sadler’s Wells Opera on June 8, 1945. When by Paul Thomason it was performed at Tanglewood the follow - ing year, the conductor was a 28-year-old “Four Sea Interludes” from Peter named Leonard Bernstein. Grimes , Op. 33a Born November 22, 1913, in Lowestoft, Though Grimes himself is a riveting charac - United Kingdom ter, and the people of the Borough (the cho - Died December 4, 1976, in Aldeburgh, rus) are as crucial as the chorus in Boris United Kingdom Godunov , for some critics the sea itself is the most fully developed character in the Benjamin Britten and his partner, tenor opera. Certainly the way Britten depicts the Peter Pears, were in Southern California in many moods of the constantly changing sea 1941 when Britten picked up a copy of the in his writing for the orchestra is masterly. BBC magazine The Listener . It included the text of a talk given by E.M. Forster In the preface to the score, Malcolm about the poetry of George Crabbe that fed MacDonald describes “Four Sea Interludes”: the homesickness Britten was beginning to feel (he and Pears had been away from Dawn , following the opera’s prologue, England for two years). Forster mentioned evokes the gray, cold light on the East Crabbe’s poem Peter Grimes , about a fish - Anglian coastline, the long cry of gulls erman who murdered his apprentices, and and the surge of the tide. Sunday morn - when Britten read The Borough , especially ing , the prelude to Act II, suggests the the section on Grimes, “I suddenly realized waves under sparking sunshine, clamorous where I belonged and what I lacked. I had seabirds, and church-bells. Moonlight , become without roots,” he told a friend. preceding Act III, is serene, the waters almost calm under clouds and lunar radi - With the war of the Atlantic raging passage ance. The final Storm interlude comes back to England was almost impossible, so from Act I and is a furious orchestral toc - he went to Boston where, in January 1942, cata depicting the forces of nature and conducted the Boston the emotional opposition between Grimes Symphony in a performance of Britten’s and the Borough citizens. The temporary Sinfonia da Requiem . Koussevitzky was lull towards the end is an instrumental impressed with the drama of the piece and transcription of Grimes’ despairing ques - asked the young composer why he had not tion “What harbor shelters peace?” yet written an opera. Britten mentioned he wanted to make one out of Crabbe’s The Oboe Concerto in D major, TrV 292 Borough but it would take money to free himself from other work so he could devote Born June 11, 1864, i n Munich, Germany the necessary time to it. Koussevitzky Died September 8, 1949, in Garmisch- arranged for a foundation he had set up in Partenkirchen, Germany memory of his late wife to provide $1,000 toward the opera, and expressed the wish In the closing days of World War II, a 23- to give its premiere at Tanglewood. As it year-old American corporal named John de turned out the first performance of Peter Lancie was traveling though Bavaria when Grimes was not in the Berkshires (the he entered Garmisch. As luck would have summer festival was closed 1942 –45 it, the first person he encountered was Alfred Mann, who had been a fellow student at Strauss’ publishers stating Strauss had the Curtis Institute of Music. While the instructed them to offer him the first per - two friends were catching up, de Lancie formance of the concerto in the U.S. By casually remarked, “Doesn’t Richard Strauss then he was a member of the Philadelphia live somewhere around this area?” Mann Orchestra and protocol dictated a junior pointed up the road. “See that big house? member of a section could only perform a That’s where he lives. I usually visit in the concerto if the section principal did not afternoons.” Later that day, when Mann want to. The principal oboist, Marcel introduced de Lancie to Strauss, the com - Tabuteau, insisted if anyone were going to poser was polite but no more—until Mann play the Strauss Oboe Concerto with the mentioned de Lancie had been oboist with orchestra it would be him—thus denying the Pittsburg Symphony under Fritz Reiner. de Lancie the privilege. In fact, Tabuteau Strauss’ face suddenly lit up and he declared, never did play the concerto, and the U.S. “There is a conductor who knows how my premiere was given by de Lancie’s friend music should go!” Mitch Miller (later famous as the host of the early 1960’s television show Sing Along De Lancie spent three days in Garmisch, with Mitch ), with the CBS Symphony con - visiting Strauss in the afternoon and ducted by Juilliard alum Bernard Herrmann. evening of each day, the two men commu - nicating in French. De Lancie knew of The Oboe Concerto is typical of Strauss’ Strauss’ very early Horn Concerto and had late instrumental works, deftly combining heard rumor of a second being premiered poignant autumnal elegy with pixie humor, during the war. (In fact the marvelous in a classic style that is more restrained Second Horn Concerto premiered in than his early orchestral tone poems. The Salzburg on August 11, 1943.) “During one three movements ( Allegro moderato, conversation I spoke of the glorious lyric Andante, Vivace ) flow into one another solos for oboe in many of his works,” he without a break. It is a work notorious later recalled, “and I asked if he had ever among oboe players for its difficulty, not thought of writing a concerto for oboe, to least because the first movement begins which he replied, ‘No,’ and that appeared with 57 measures of nonstop playing for to be the end of the subject. I was to learn them—and at a fairly leisurely tempo. It is three months later from an article in a obvious Strauss was more interested in South Pacific edition of the Stars and the lyric, songful side of the oboe rather Stripes (the U.S. Armed Forces newspa - than writing a flashy virtuosic piece, per) sent to me by my brother that Strauss though the meditative second movement was in fact working on a concerto for oboe concludes with an extended cadenza, the as a result of ‘a suggestion from an last flourishes of which lead directly into American soldier from Chicago.’” the jaunty theme of the last movement.

In December 1945 Strauss invited that Night Ride and Sunrise , Op. 55 American soldier to attend the world pre - miere of the Oboe Concerto to take place Born December 8, 1865, in Hämeenlinna, in February 1946 in Zurich. De Lancie was scheduled to be shipped back to the U.S. Died September 20, 1957, in , Finland before then and changing the orders would have meant a lengthy delay in getting In 1894 Jean Sibelius went to the Wagner home, so he regretfully declined. During the festival at Bayreuth where he heard Parsifal 1946 –47 season he received a letter from (“Nothing on earth has made such an impression on me … I can’t begin to tell of Night Ride was conceived during the you how Parsifal has transported me,” he spring of 1901 in Italy, when I made a trip wrote to his wife Aino). Performances of to Rome in April” where he saw the Tannhäuser (conducted by Richard Strauss) Colosseum by moonlight. and Lohengrin did not have the same effect, apparently. He also went to Munich But he provided a less personal explana - where he was enthusiastic about the tion to the English writer Rosa Newmarch, Symbolist paintings he saw in the art gal - telling her the music was “concerned with leries, especially the work of Arnold Böcklin. the inner experiences of an average man While in Germany he also attended perfor - riding solitary through the forest gloom; mances of Tristan and the Ring (minus Das sometimes glad to be alone with Nature; Rheingold ), but they only served to con - occasionally awe-stricken by the stillness vince him that Wagner’s path was not one or the strange sounds which break it; but he was meant to follow. “I believe that I thankful and rejoicing in the daybreak.” am above all a tone painter and poet,” he wrote to his wife, Aino. “Liszt’s view of The unusually descriptive work has two music is the one to which I am closest, main sections. The beginning “night ride” that is, the .“ In fact, tone itself is dominated by an insistent, gallop - poems like , The Swan of Tuoneia , ing trochaic rhythm in the strings. After and, of course, , are among his several minutes, the and best-known works. In 1905 he wrote about introduce a simple, rather plaintive six– tone poems to his wife, “This is my note motif (F, G, A-flat, G, F, G). This genre!! Here I can move freely without theme, marked “lugubre” in the score, is feeling the weight of tradition.” taken up by other woodwinds and finally by the strings. This theme in the strings, Night Ride and Sunrise was completed in with the accompanying restless 16th note November 1908, the same year he wrote ascending then descending figures in the his String Quartet in D minor, “Voces inti - woodwinds and , gradually leads to mate.” Unlike many of Sibelius’ other tone the second section, the “sunrise” itself. poems, it is not based on folklore or leg - The horns (marked “dolce”) softly announce ends from Finland, but tells a more per - the new theme. Only very gradually does sonal story. Sibelius gave several different Sibelius bring in the rest of the orchestra, accounts of the genesis of the piece, usu - and increase the volume, to depict the full ally having to do with different trips he had glory of the dawn. The calm grandeur of taken in Finland. He told his secretary it the tone poem’s conclusion clearly antici - was inspired by a journey from to pates the Seventh Symphony. Kerava he had taken by sledge around the turn of the century when he witnessed a Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 105 spectacular sunrise: “The whole heavens JEAN SIBELIUS were a sea of colors that shifted and flowed, producing the most inspiring sight, It’s safe to say that on March 24, 1924, until it all ended in a growing light.” He when Jean Sibelius conducted the first told another person the work had been performance of his new piece in Stockholm, inspired by another trip “in the moonlight, no one involved—audience, players, even through a nocturnal wilderness.” On yet the composer himself—realized they were another occasion, his honeymoon was hearing his last symphony. For one thing, cited, and later he said, “the principal idea the new work was called Fantasia sinfonica No. 1. It was not until the following year almost imperceptible to the listener. The when Sibelius was preparing the work for British music writer Donald Tovey com - publication that he called it Symphony No. 7 pared listening to the Seventh to flying in (in einem Satz /in one movement). For an airplane when a passenger “has no another, the composer had written all of his sense of movement at all …. He moves in during the previous 25 years. the air and can change his pace without He was only 59 years old and there was no breaking his movement.” reason to think he would not give the world more symphonies. It begins with an extended Adagio section that lasts almost half the duration of the In fact, during the rest of the 1920s and piece, culminating in a majestic and expan - ’30s he talked openly of his Eighth sive melody. This motif is the Symphony, at one point telling New York major landmark of the work and occurs Times music critic Olin Downes he had two three times in all, which has led some to movements on paper and the rest in his suggest the work is really a Rondo with head. He corresponded with the Boston the trombone figure as its theme. Others Symphony music director Serge Koussevitzky say the symphony, though in one move - about having it ready for the 1931 –32 sea - ment, really follows the traditional four- son, only telling Koussevitzky in January movement structure: ’32 it would not be ready for that spring’s concerts. How much of it he ever commit - I. Adagio ted to paper we will never know. But II. Vivacissimo—Adagio sometime in the 1940s (biographer Andrew III. Allegro molto moderato—Allegro Barnett says most probably between moderato January 1944 and August 1945), the relent - IV. Vivace—Presto—Adagio—Largamente lessly self-critical Sibelius had, in his wife’s molto, followed by a coda of Affetuoso— words, “a great auto-de-fé. My husband Tempo I. had collected a lot of manuscripts in a laun - dry basket and he burned them in the din - James Hepokoski is certainly correct when ing room fireplace.” Almost certainly the he notes, “Its ad hoc structure emerges Eighth Symphony was included. So the link-by-link from the transformational pro - enigmatic Seventh Symphony became cesses of the musical ideas themselves— Sibelius’ last. In fact, the only major work a content-based form constantly in the he completed after the Seventh Symphony process of becoming.” And what it becomes was the tone poem (1925)—after is emotionally gripping and ultimately which was a long retirement. deeply cathartic. If Night Ride and Sunrise was the journey of a day, then the Seventh The Seventh Symphony is enigmatic Symphony is the journey of a rich, well- because it defies analysis. It is, indeed, in spent lifetime, told by a master. one concentrated, ever evolving move - ment, with multiple shifts in tempo, but the Paul Thomason writes about music for changes are often so gradual as to be organizations in the U.S. and Europe. Meet the Artists D R A W Y A A R

G A E H V T O N L A A E M

A N I S Robert Nunes M A J N

E Oboist Robert Nunes is currently complet - B Sir Mark Elder ing his bachelor of music degree at Juilliard, Sir Mark Elder has been music director of studying with Elaine Douvas and receiving the Hallé since September 2000. He was additional instruction from Nathan Hughes, previously music director of English National Linda Stommen, and Scott Hostetler. He Opera (1979–93) and principal guest con - has contributed to the many ensembles at ductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra Juilliard, playing various positions in the and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Juilliard orchestra, opera, and New Juilliard He has worked with many of the world’s Ensemble. This year he was the first alternate leading symphony , is a princi - for the International Double Reed Society’s pal artist of the Orchestra of the Age of Young Artist Competition and won third place Enlightenment, and has appeared annually in the National Arts and Letters’ Woodwind at for many years, including— Competition. He spent the past two summers in 1987 and 2006—the internationally tele - at the Aspen Music Festival and School and, vised Last Night . He has enjoyed a long as a member of Carnegie Hall’s National Youth association with the Royal Opera House Orchestra for two consecutive years, he and appears in many other prominent the - toured China in 2015 under Charles Dutoit and aters including the Metropolitan Opera, Europe in 2016 under Christoph Eschenbach Opéra de Paris, and Glyndebourne Fes- and Valery Gergiev. In 2014 he was the grand- tival Opera. He was the first English con - prize winner of the Arizona Musicfest Young ductor to conduct a new production at Musicians Competition, and in 2013 won the the Bayreuth Festival. In April 2011 he Phoenix Symphony Concerto Competition. took up the position of artistic director He was also a member of the Interlochen of Opera Rara, and he has made many World Youth Symphony Orchestra and served award-winning recordings in a wide reper - as the principal oboist of the Phoenix Youth toire with the Hallé. He was appointed a Symphony for three years. Originally from Companion of Honour in 2017, knighted Phoenix, Nunes began his musical studies on in 2008, and awarded the CBE in 1989. In the at age six. He began studying the May 2006 he was named Conductor of oboe at age 13 with Martin Schuring and the Year by the Royal Phil harmonic So- has been pursuing this passion ever since. ciety and was awarded honorary mem - Michael Paul Grace II Memorial Scholarship, bership of the Royal Philharmonic Society Eileen Hayes Ludlam Memorial Scholarship, in 2011. Irene Diamond Scholarship Juilliard Orchestra roster of world-renowned guest conduc - Juilliard’s largest and most visible student tors this season including John Adams, Marin performing ensemble, the Juilliard Orchestra, Alsop, Joseph Colaneri, Barbara Hannigan, is known for delivering polished and passion - Anne Manson, Steven Osgood, and Peter ate performances of works spanning the Oundjian, as well as faculty members Jeffrey repertoire. Comprising more than 350 stu - Milarsky, Itzhak Perlman, Matthias Pintscher, dents in the bachelor’s and master’s degree and David Robertson. The Juilliard Orchestra programs, the orchestra appears throughout has toured across the U.S. and throughout the season in concerts on the stages of Alice Europe, South America, and Asia, where it Tully Hall, Carnegie Hall, David Geffen Hall, was the first Western conservatory ensem - and Juilliard’s Peter Jay Sharp Theater. ble allowed to visit and perform following the opening of the People’s Republic of The orchestra is a strong partner to China in 1987, returning two decades later, Juilliard’s other divisions, appearing in in 2008. Other ensembles under the Juilliard opera and dance productions, as well as Orchestra umbrella include the conductorless presenting an annual concert of world pre - Juilliard Chamber Orchestra, the Juilliard mieres by Juilliard student composers. The Wind Orchestra, and the new-music groups Juilliard Orchestra welcomes an impressive AXIOM and New Juilliard Ensemble.

Juilliard Orchestra Sir Mark Elder , Guest Conductor

Violin Kevin Zhu Mary Grace Johnson, Emma Zhuang Dominic Law, Principal Na Yoon Kim, Principal Concertmaster Daniel Chan Alec Manasse, Principal George Meyer, Principal Attila Kiss Lirui Zheng, Principal Second Erin Pitts, Principal Markus Lang McCall Andersen Isabella Bignasca Zachary Marzulli E-flat Clarinet Phoenix Avalon Lindan Burns Dimitrios Mattas Alec Manasse Jeremy Lap Hei Hao Lydia Grimes Paris Myers Qianru Elaine He Halam Kim Andrew Sommer Hee Yeon Jung Julia McLean Na Yoon Kim Nikayla Kim Rosemary Nelis Miyu Kubo Marco Sabatini Lorenzo Harriet Langley Sequoyah Sugiyama Morrocchi, Principal Joshua Elmore, Principal Eunsae Lee Jacob van der Sloot Chun Sum Chris Wong, Thalia Navas, Principal Xingyu Li Chien Tai Ashley Wang Principal Kyle Olsen, Principal Jasmine Lin Chiehi Yang Yiding Chen Yi Hsin Cindy Lin Yejin Lisa Choi Coco Mi Violoncello Kyle Olsen Kenneth Ryu Naito Philip Sheegog, Piccolo Yue Qian Principal Yiding Chen Horn Kenneth Renshaw Jenny Bahk Yejin Lisa Choi Lee Cyphers, Principal Yeri Roh Clare Bradford Lorenzo Morrocchi Hannah Miller, Principal Grace Rosier Drake Driscoll Chun Sum Chris Wong Kaitlyn Resler, Principal Inori Sakai Noah Koh Cort Roberts, Principal Rannveig Marta Sarc Noah Krauss Oboe Ryan Williamson Jin Wen Sheu Yun-Ya Lo Victoria Chung, Adrian Steele Osheen Manukyan Principal Yun-Shan Jessie Tai Kei Otake Gabriel Young, Principal Michael Chen, Principal Kelly Talim Isabella Palacpac Mia Fasanello Marshall Kearse, Jessica Jo-Tzu Yang Joseph Staten Principal Manjie Yang Juliet Geraldine Wolff English Horn Clinton McLendon, Mitsuru Yonezaki Victoria Chung Principal Pinhua Zeng Trombone Bass Trombone Percussion Steven Osborne, Aaron Albert Tyler Cunningham Tyler Cunningham Principal Mizuki Morimoto Yoon Jun Kim Hanae Yoshida, Leo Simon Mizuki Morimoto Principal Joshua Williams Leo Simon Stephen Whimple Harp Katy Wong

Administration Adam Meyer, Director, Music Division, and Deputy Dean of the College Joe Soucy, Assistant Dean for Orchestral Studies

Joanna K. Trebelhorn, Director Lisa Dempsey Kane, Principal Adarsh Kumar, Orchestra of Orchestral and Ensemble Orchestra Librarian Personnel Manager Operations Michael McCoy, Orchestra Geoffrey Devereux, Orchestra Matthew Wolford, Operations Librarian Management Apprentice Manager Daniel Pate, Percussion Coordinator