UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY

KIROV ORCHESTRA OF ST. PETERSBURG

Valery Gergiev, Conductor Vladimir Feltsman, Pianist

Sunday Afternoon, November 1, 1992, at 4:00 Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

PROGRAM

Excerpts from Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66* ...... Tchaikovsky Introduction: La fee de lilias Panorama: Andantino Valse: Allegro - tempo di valse

Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat minor, Op. 23 ...... Tchaikovsky Allegro non troppo e molto maestoso - Allegro con spirito Andantino simplice - Prestissimo - Tempo I Allegro con fuoco Vladimir Feltsman, Pianist

INTERMISSION

Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27* ...... Rachmaninoff Largo - Allegro moderate Allegro molto - meno mosso Adagio Allegro vivace

'This repertoire was premiered by the Kirov Orchestra.

The Kirov Orchestra records on the Philips Classics label. Vladimir Feltsman may be heard on the Musicmasters and CBS Masterworks labels.

Mr. Feltsman plays a Steinway piano. The Kirov Orchestra appears by arrangement with Columbia Artists Management Inc.

The University Musical Society extends special thanks to Mr. Joe Laibman, composer and co-owner of L & S Music, for this afternoon's Philips Pre-concert Presentation.

11th Concert of the 114th Season 114th Choral Union Series PROGRAM NOTES

Excerpts from Sleeping Beauty, Op. 66 creative geniuses were to collaborate again Pyotr llyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) when they worked on the balletic realiza­ tion of Alexander Dumas fils version of INo score has made E.T.A. Hoffmann's story, quite the same impact as those of Tchai­ and the King of the Mice. kovsky. His full-length - , Sleeping Beauty was first performed on Sleeping Beauty, and The Nutcracker are January 3, 1890, at the Maryinsky Theater arguably the three most popular ballets in in St. Petersburg, with the Italian conduc­ the world and essential repertoire for any tor leading the Kirov Or­ large ballet company. Luscious melodies, chestra. The production aroused masterly orchestration, and the way the unprecedented enthusiasm, particularly music so brilliantly fits the action have among theater people and Russian youth, certainly contributed to their universal thus renewing interest in ballet and its popularity. music as forms of artistic expression. When Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake was As on many other occasions, however, first produced in 1877, the work was poorly the critics were not impressed with the staged and ineptly danced and choreo­ music, which was described as too "serious graphed. This, in combination with the and heavy." One critic, referring to prevailing opinion that ballet was merely a Aurora's christening, pronounced: "judging dismissable amusement for "starched dan­ by the music, one might think its intention dies and youthful old men," and the fact was to describe Macbeth and his witches." that the music was severely cut, contrib­ Early critics notwithstanding, Skeping uted to the work passing without real Beauty has become a classic, with music notice. In 1888, however, the second act that transports listeners into the magical was produced in during the kingdom of fairy tales. Thanks to composer's visit there. Its warm reception Tchaikovsky's uncanny feeling for dance gave Tchaikovsky "a moment of absolute rhythms, melodic gift, orchestral wizardry, happiness," as he wrote in his diary. and sense of compositional organization, he The belated success of Swan Lake in­ elevated ballet music to its highest expres­ fluenced the composer to accept a commis­ sion. sion from Ivan Vsevolozhsky, director of the Imperial Theaters in St. Petersburg, to write another ballet. After several scenarios Piano Concerto No. 1 in B-flat were discussed, it was decided to create a minor, Op. 23 work based on the famous fairy tale La belle Pyotr llyich Tchaikovsky au bois dormant by Charles Perrault (1628- 1703). The scenario closely followed the In the winter of 1874, Tchai­ original story, in which the beautiful Prin­ kovsky presented his newly written First cess Aurora is cursed by an evil witch to Piano Concerto one of the best-loved in sleep for one hundred years only to awaken the repertoire today - to his much admired upon receiving a kiss from a daring and and entrusted senior colleague at the Mos­ handsome prince. The choreography was cow Conservatory, Nikolay Rubinstein, for entrusted to the theater's chief ballet-mas­ an opinion on the work. Tchaikovsky suf­ ter, , an immensely resource­ fered one of the biggest disappointments of ful and imaginative artist who had yet to his career when, on Christmas Eve, Rubiiin- make his mark in the history of ballet. stein - who had been so supportive of the Fascinated by the symbolic themes of death composer in the past-rejected the concerto and rebirth, good vs. evil, and light vs. with a torrent of scathing criticism, declar­ darkness in the story, Petipa created a ing the work ill-composed and unplayable. detailed libretto. Tchaikovsky found it "po­ This unexpected reaction left the composer etic [and] so adaptable to music." The two totally devastated, and he sank into a severe state of depression. Tchaikovsky soloist plays a short cadenza that leads into then sent his concerto to Hans von Biilow, the main love theme once again to con­ who found it "original, noble and power­ clude the movement. ful." On October 25, 1875, Bulow pre­ The last movement, Allegro con fuoco, sented the work in Boston with great is a rondo with elements of sonata form. success. After this, Rubinstein reconsid­ After a few introductory measures from the ered his position, recognizing the concerto orchestra, the piano presents the main for the masterpiece it is, and added it to his recurring theme - an assertive mazurka-like repertoire, playing it throughout . theme derived from another Ukranian The first movement begins with a folksong. Two other subjects come into lengthy introduction marked Allegro non play here: one of great significance bearing troppo e molto maestoso. At the outset, the a syncopated dance rhythm and another, horns present a four-note descending motif, of a subsidiary nature, with a gentler char­ punctuated by sharp chords from the rest acter. The two principal themes appear in of the orchestra. The piano then enters a different context in each recurrence. At with a long series of chords, as the violins the coda, now in the major key, the play an impassioned theme based on the subsidiary theme finally realizes its full opening motif. Eventually, the first move­ import. Then, with minimal orchestral in­ ment proper, Allegro con spirito, arrives as tervention, the piano rushes to the work's the piano introduces the main theme with exhilarating conclusion in a flurry of virtu­ minimal support from the orchestra. Rubin­ oso playing. stein had found this an unseemly theme for a piano concerto: it is derived from a Ukranian folksong commonly sung by blind Symphony No. 2 in E minor, Op. 27 beggars. The somewhat more relaxed and (1873-1943) stately second theme begins with an as­ cending scalar motif and ends with de­ /although Rachmaninoff was scending leaps. Both themes are subjected always in great demand as a pianist and to a brilliant double exposition, with the conductor, he usually found performance exchange of virtuoso and expressive ele­ requests to distract him from his "true ments and argumentative tension between calling" - composition. Trying to avoid soloist and orchestra. The soloist has occa­ performance opportunities, and fleeing sion to shine in many ornate and rhapsodic from political unrest, Rachmaninoff moved passages as well as several demanding ca­ from to the German city of Dres­ denzas. den in 1906 for two years. This was to be The contrasting second movement, one of the composer's most prolific compo­ Andantino simplice, takes the form of a sitional periods, during which he wrote scherzo, but in reverse. Instead of the some of his most freely imaginative works, normal fast-slower-fast pattern, a soulful including the First Piano Sonata, the Fif­ episode surrounds a jaunty middle section. teen Songs (Op. 26), the Third Piano It begins with a tender love theme played Concerto, the symphonic poem The Isle of by a solo flute against pizzicato strings, and the Dead, and his Second Symphony. then taken over by the piano. After a The Dresden period helped restore contrasting phrase is heard, the oboe once Rachmaninoff's confidence. For almost a again takes the main melody. Then the decade after the disastrous failure of his First piano embarks on a frolicsome scherzando Symphony, the composer had been in the episode marked Prestissimo. Soon the violas grip of a depressive neurotic crisis that and cellos join in with their own melody -- undermined his creative endeavors. The the French song "II faut s'amuser, danser et condition was somewhat alleviated by the rire" ("One must have fun, dance, and composition of the Second Piano Concerto laugh"), which was a favorite of Desiree in 1901. Yet the concerto was only written Artot, to whom the composer was briefly after the composer had undergone exten­ engaged. After an ingenious reference to sive hypnotic treatment administered by a the first movement's second theme, the neurologist, Dr. Nikolai Dahl (to whom the work is dedicated). By the time the follow. The middle trio section consists of Second Symphony was completed, a chattering fugato episode, in which the Rachmaninoff had finally recovered from second motif from the introduction makes his malaise; the outpouring of inspired a sudden appearance. Towards the end the melodies certainly attest to this fact. first motif is liturgically intoned by the In the slow introduction, marked brass. Largo, Rachmaninoff presents three con­ With the Aoagio comes one of trasting motifs that are heard throughout Rachmaninoff's most inspired melodies. the work. The first and main motif is The movement opens with an introductory hauntingly sung by melancholic cellos and romantic theme in the violins, alluding to basses; the second consists of a quasi-litur­ the first movement. The clarinet then gical fanfare for the winds; the last is a enters with a yearning melody, one of variant of the first in a higher register, Rachmaninoff's most memorable. Elements presented by the violins. With a change of from the third motif are present in this tempo to Allegro moderate the first theme melody which, with its characteristic up­ proper makes its appearance. This is a long, ward momentum, surges in an impassioned lyrical melody that expands on the third flow of lyricism. motif of the introduction. Eventually the The blazing finale, marked Allegro vi­ tempo shifts to Moderate and the tonality vace, is dominated by an urgent triplet moves to G major with the arrival of the rhythm. The march-like, festive main glorious second subject. The development theme is presented twice. The secondary section begins with a violin solo based on theme brings with it a melancholic mood, the third motif, now heard in longer note but this is quickly dispelled by the recur­ values, or augmentation. The other two rence of the main theme. A finale being motifs and the main theme are also sub­ the natural place for recalling earlier jected to development. After a climax, the themes, Rachmaninoff freely inserts remi­ two themes return and the exultant coda niscences of the preceding movement. based on the third motif brings the move­ Clearly indebted to Tchaikovsky in its ment to its conclusion. orchestral wizardry, and with the inclusion The second movement, marked Allegro of additional percussion instruments, the molo - meno mosso, bears the character of work concludes in a blaze of glory. a scherzo with an arch-like (A-B-C-A-B) The symphony was first performed by form. The main (A) theme - which will the Kirov Orchestra on January 25, 1908, have its final say in the last movement - is in St. Petersburg. A week later the com­ a galloping and exhilarating melody in A poser conducted another performance in minor, of undisputable Russian origin in its Moscow. The work earned him the coveted folk-like quality. The second theme, in C Glinka Prize, the second time he was thus major, is expansive and romantically lyri­ honored. cal; it presages the slow movement to Notes by Edgar Colon-Hemdndez About the Artists

The Kirov Orchestra of St. Petersburg chestra, began concertizing actively. It was E. F. Napravnik who, during his fifty years with the theater, established the high ar­ 1 he Kirov Orchestra of St. tistic standards for which the orchestra Petersburg is known to music lovers inter­ became famous. Today, the orchestra con­ nationally through its performances at the tinues its tradition of diverse programming world-renowned Kirov Theater and for its through the direction of Yuri Temirkanov foreign tours and extensive discog- frequent and Principal Conductor Valery Gergiev. raphy. During the Kirov Theater's 200- The Kirov Orchestra consists of 160 history, generation after year-old musicians, many of them prize-winners of generation of Kirov Orchestra musicians Soviet and international competitions. Many have taken part in the premieres of the orchestra musicians have also played solo and ballets by Russia's symphonies, programs in the major halls of the Com­ composers. greatest monwealth of Independent States and In 1860, the Kirov Theater (formerly abroad. The ensemble of the orchestra's as the Mariinsky Theater) was built known soloists, headed by oboist Viacheslav In- in St. Petersburg. It was there, in the pachiov, has also earned a reputation for century, that the first perfor­ nineteenth excellence. mances of a series of operas by Russian The orchestra's frequent tours have were given, including composers taken it throughout Europe, as well as to Boris Godunov, Rimsky- Mussorgsky's India and the . Recently the The Maid of Pskov and The Korsakov's Kirov Orchestra, under Gergiev's direc­ and Tchaikovsky's The Queen Snowmaiden, tion, recorded, for BBC and Philips Clas­ Spades. Works were written for the Kirov of sics, the full Romeo and Juliet score, such composers as Glinka, Tchaikovsky, by highlights of the The Fiery Angel by Rimsky-Korsakov, Borodin, Mussorgsky, Prokofiev, and Mussorgsky's Khovanshchina Khachaturian, Rachmaninoff, Prokofiev, in the Shostakovich version for BBC and and Shostakovich. It was there, Shaporin, Philips Classics. that the first performances of for example, The Kirov Orchestra makes its Ann Symphony No. 2 and Rachmaninoff's Arbor debut in this afternoon's concert. Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 took place. In addition, it was at the Kirov that many of the works of such composers as Mozart, Verdi, Wagner, Puccini, Richard Strauss, Berg, and Britten were heard in Russia for the first time. During its long history, many well- known singers regularly appeared at the theater, whose opera company remains one of the best in the commonwealth of Inde­ pendent States (formerly known as the USSR). The Russian theater's fame was increased by its excellent ballet company, which Marius Petipa directed from 1869 to 1910. This became the birth place of such ballet classics as Sleeping Beauty and The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky, and by Glazunov. In the second half of the nineteenth century, the Kirov Orchestra, then known as the Mariinsky Theater Symphony Or­ throughout the and Europe. In subsequent seasons Maestro Gergiev and the Kirov presented festivals of operas and orchestral music by Tchaikovsky and Pro­ kofiev. Over the last two years, Gergiev and the orchestra have toured Europe widely. Last summer, Maestro Gergiev led the Kirov on its first tour of Israel. Under Gergiev, the Kirov Opera has also become better known around the world. The company made its American debut last summer with two weeks at the Metropolitan Opera, where it presented Boris Godunov, The Queen of Spades, and Prokofiev's The Fiery Angel to unanimous acclaim. In April 1990, Maestro Gergiev and the Kirov presented Covent Garden's production of Boris Godunov. The live telecast of the performance in the United Kingdom was the first such BBC broadcast from St. Petersburg. A CD video will be released by Decca. Valery Gergiev, Artistic Director and Gergiev records exclusively for Philips Principal Conductor of the Kirov Theater Classics. With the Kirov he has recorded of St. Petersburg since 1988, has led the Khovanshchina and The Queen of Spades, Kirov to international prominence through which have also been released on video, its tours, broadcasts and recordings. and the complete Prokofiev Romeo and Born in Moscow in 1953 of Caucasian Juliet and Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty. parents, Maestro Gergiev studied piano and He has also made several recordings with conducting in Ordzhonikidzc and conduct­ other orchestras including Mussorgsky's ing at the Leningrad (now St. Petersburg) Pictures at an Exhibition and Tchaikovsky's Conservatory. While still a student, he Francesca da Rimini with the London Phil­ won the All-Union Conductors Competi­ harmonic, Borodin Symphonies No. 1 and tion Prize in Moscow. At 23, he won the 2 with the Rotterdam Philharmonic, the prestigious Herbert von Kara] an Conduc­ debut recording of the Russian baritone tors Competition in Berlin. Dmitri Hvorostovsky with the Rotterdam Principal Guest Conductor of the Rot­ Philharmonic. terdam Philharmonic from 1989 to 1992, In the 1992-93 season he guest con­ he has conducted orchestras throughout ducts many major orchestras in Europe and Europe, including the Berlin Philhar­ the U.S., makes his Covent Garden debut monic, Dresden Philharmonic, London with a new production of Eugene Onegin, Philharmonic, London Symphony, Royal and leads the Kirov on a European tour. Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw Or­ Valery Gergiev and the Kirov Orchestra chestra, Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, now make their first tour of the United Orchestre National de France, Swedish States, which will include concerts in Radio Orchestra, Santa Cecilia Orchestra Washington, Chicago, and New York. of Rome and La Scala Philharmonic with This afternoon marks Gergiev's Ann Arbor soloist Mstislav Rostropovich, which was debut. televised throughout Italy. He has also conducted the Japan Philharmonic. In its first season under his leadership, the Kirov presented a festival of five Mussorgsky operas, including Khovanshchina, which was televised Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev, an all-Liszt recital, and a recording of his United States debut concert at Carnegie Hall. In addition to his recording and performing activities, Mr. Feltsman has been featured on nation­ ally-televised programs, including CBS's 60 Minutes and CBS This Morning, ABC's Good Morning America and 20/20, PBS's Live from Lincoln Center, and NEC's Today show and The McLaughlin Group. Last season, Mr. Feltsman returned to the former Soviet Union for the first time since his departure for several sets of con­ certs, including orchestral and recital ap­ pearances in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Born in Moscow in 1952, Mr. Felts­ man made his public debut at the age of 12 as soloist with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra. His first prize victory in the Concertina International Competition in Prague in 1967 led to his enrollment in the Moscow Conservatory. Four years later, Vladimir Feltsman is internationally Mr. Feltsman won the Marguerite Long recognized as one of the most important Competition in , a triumph that re­ pianists of his generation. He brings his sulted in appearances with all of the major prodigious technique, command of sonor­ Soviet orchestras, tours of several European ity, penetrating musical imagination and countries, and recordings. evocative poetic gifts to an extensive rep­ In 1979, Mr. Feltsman announced his ertoire that ranges from Bach to 20th-cen­ intention to leave the USSR, and during tury composers and includes over thirty the following eight years, his musical activ­ concertos. Mr. Feltsman concentrates on ities were severely curtailed. He was finally music from the central German tradition, granted permission to leave the Soviet but is also strongly committed to new Union, and came to the U.S. in August music, having premiered works by contem­ 1987. porary Soviet composers Alfred Schnittke Since his arrival in this country, Mr. and Nikolai Karetnikov. Feltsman has occupied a Distinguished Since his dramatic arrival in the Chair at the State University of New York United States from the Soviet Union in the at New Paltz, where he teaches a course in summer of 1987 and his triumphant Car­ piano literature, conducts a series of master negie Hall and Kennedy Center debut classes, and instructs a limited number of recitals, Mr. Feltsman has become one of piano majors. Deeply committed to the the most sought after pianists on the inter­ education and training of young music national scene. He has performed with students, he plans to establish a music virtually all the major orchestras of the school for gifted children in the United United States, with many leading ensem­ States. bles in Europe, and with the NHK of Japan Mr. Feltsman has performed in Ann and the Israel Philharmonic. Arbor twice before, in the 1988 May Fes­ Mr. Feltsman has made numerous re­ tival, and in 1990 as a last-minute substi­ cordings for the Sony Classical label, in­ tute for Maurizio Pollini. cluding a recent disc featuring Tchaikovsky's First and Third Piano Con­ certos with Mstislav Rostropovich conduct­ ing the National Symphony. His discography also includes concertos by The Kirov Orchestra of St. Petersburg

Valery Gergiev, Music Director

FIRST VIOLINS CELLOS BASSOONS lury Zagorodnuik' Viktor Simon* Igor Gorbunov" Liudmila Malian Zenon Zalicailo Sergei Shulga" Rafael Hismatullin Aleksandr Ponomarenko Valentin Kapustin Alexsandr Shirokov Mihail Poznahirko Leonid Veksler Nikolai Vasiliev HORNS Tatiana Ruseckaia Boris Mejvinskii Vladimir Smirnov' Madlena Zakarian Dmitrii Kirillov Dmitrii Voroncov' Vsevolod Vasiliev Riza Gimaletdinov Viktor Mitroshin lury Ivanov Georgii Tleubaev Valerey Papyrin Oenrik Chtchian Mihail Slavin Andrei Antonov Ivan Krasilnikov Nataliia Baikova Boris Vasiliev Sarkis Ginosian TRUMPETS Nataliia Gentcelt lury Fokin* Elena Berdnikova BASSES Vasilii Kan" Lolita Silvianin Kirill Karikov* Konstantin Baryshev Pavel Fainberg Rostislav lakovlev Aleksandr Smirnov Sergei Zakurin Vladimir Shostak Grigorii Unanian Aleksandr Alekseev TROMBONES Aleksandr Semiannikov Vasilii Rakitskii Andrei Smirnov* Aleksandr Belokon Igor lakovlev SECOND VIOLINS Denis Kashin Dmitry Zorkin Georgii Shirokov' Pavel Karpin Nikolai Timofeev, Viktor Kirjakov Bass Trombone Georgii Tirakian FLUTES Elena Voropaeva Valentin Cherenkov* TUBA Aleksandr Soloviev Nataliia Shlykova* Nikolai Slepnev Igor Kachanov Aleksandr Abashkin Svetalana Juravkova Vasilii Viland, PERCUSSION Aleksandr Vasiliev Piccolo Aleksandr Borovkov * Vladimir Ivanov Viktor Kanatov* Elena Haitova OBOES Sergei Antoshkin* Viacheslav Lupachev' lury Miscenko VIOLAS Aleksandr Trushkov' Mihail Peskov Vladimir Litvinov' Leonid Sirotkin, lury Alekseev Olga Maksimova English Horn Aleksandr Kitaev HARPS Viktor Zaharov CLARINETS Adarka Voscak* Irina Dihtiar Andrei Kazakov* Bojeno Chomak Stanislav Popov Grigorii Volobuev* Hamit Aliev Ivan Terskii PIANO, CELESTE Vladimir Baryshev Anatolii Shoka Nataliia Arzumanova Pavel Guchev Vladislav Verkovich, Aleksandr Miheile Bass Clarinet ADMINISTRATION Aleksei Kopiev Aleksandr Umanskii, Vladimir Ivanov, Saxophone Orchestra Director Ekaterina Sirakanian, Administrator Nataliia Morozova, Librarian 'Principal Valentin Gooss, Staff Evgeny Gavrin, Staff