’s Heroic Symphony Two 21st-century works, inspired by Beethoven and Schubert, are heard on the first half of tonight’s program. After intermission, Maestro Masur conducts a watershed work in the history of classical music – Beethoven’s mighty Symphony No. 3.

RODION SHCHEDRIN Born 16 December 1932; , Russia

Beethoven’s Heiligenstädter Testament: Symphonic Fragment for Orchestra Composed: 2008 First performance: 18 December 2008; , Germany Last MSO performance: MSO premiere Instrumentation: 2 flutes; piccolo; 2 oboes; 2 clarinets; 2 bassoons; 3 horns; 2 trumpets; 3 trombones; timpani; strings Approximate duration: 12 minutes

The prolific, prize-winning Russian and virtuoso pianist Rodion Shchedrin was born into a musical family: his father taught music theory and composed. Shchedrin at- tended the , where he studied piano and composition. His volumi- nous catalog of works includes seven operas, five ballets (he married a ballerina), works for chorus and orchestra, unaccompanied choral music, six piano , solo piano music, chamber music, three symphonies, five concertos for orchestra, and a host of other sym- phonic works that includes concertos for violin, viola, cello, oboe, and trumpet. In 2008, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and conductor commis- sioned several to write companion pieces for Beethoven’s symphonies. Shche- drin’s “assignment” was Symphony No. 3. As his starting point, he took the 1802 letter from Ludwig to his brothers Karl and Johann, which we now call the “Heiligenstadt Testament.” (See page 51.) Shchedrin’s “symphonic fragment” traces Beethoven’s dramatic journey from darkness to light, from depression to exhilaration. The latter-day composer limits the size of the ensem- ble to that of Beethoven’s time, but exploits the tone colors and sound possibilities of a 21st-century orchestra. “The aggressive opening chords are striking, but are quickly re- placed by mysterious music. What we hear suggests a muscular straining at every sinew to release reserves of pent-up energy. This is quite a remarkable work: weighty, powerful, and highly accessible.” (Michael Cookson) Recommended recording: Mariss Jansons, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (BR Klassik)  Beethoven’s Heroic Symphony PROGRAM NOTES Composed: Composed: She Was Here 5December1960;LaPlata,ArgentinaBorn OSVALDO GOLIJOV Symphony No.3inE-flatmajor, Op.55,“Eroica” Died 26March Austria 1827;Vienna, Baptized 17December1770;Bonn,Germany his life. heartbreaking testimonytothedespairthatfrequently overtookhimduringthis periodin but declaringhehadnow rejected theideaofsuicide.This“Heiligenstadt Testament” isa hecarefullycentral Vienna, wrote adocumenttohistwobrothers describinghisdepression, aware thathishearingwasbeginningtodeteriorate.InOctober, asheprepared toreturn to ItwasamusicallyprolificVienna). timeforhim,butthe31-year-old master was already Beethoven spentthesummerof1802invillage Heiligenstadt(nowpartoflar by DouglasBoyd. Upshaw sangthepremiere withtheSaintPaulChamberOrchestra, performance conducted it isanaffecting through journey solitude,sorrow, reminiscences, awe,andacceptance.Ms. languageofWagnerevokes theharmonic andMahler, ofAlbanBerg andPhilipGlass.Inall, narrative through-line. Schubert’s timelessmelodiesremain unchangedasGolijovattimes takesitstitlefrom Was Here thethirdShe song.According tothecomposer, there isno repose, andsweetnessintheirachingmelancholy. landscape” ishowthecomposerdescribedthissetoffoursongs–butonefindsr ers –selectedanumberofliederforhimtoconsider. Hechosetheslowones.“Ahaunted muse, andforwhomhewrote theoperaAinadama Patient English la (The for solacefollowingthedeathofadearfriend,Britishfilmdir To thislist,weaddArgentinian composerOsvaldoGolijov, toSchubert’s whoturned songs and Webern –havetakenituponthemselvestoorchestrate them. 200 years,othercomposers–includingBerlioz,Brahms,Britten,Liszt,Of tions. Allwere scored forthesimplecombinationofvoiceandpiano,butacross thepast quarter-hour, multi-movementscenas duration from single-pagemasterpieces–suchas“Wandrers Nachtlied,”heard here –to In thecourseofhisall-too-shortlife,FranzSchubertpennedover600lieder Recommended recording: Last MSOperformance: Last MSOperformance: Approximate duration: Approximate duration: First performance: First performance: Instrumentation: Instrumentation: , etal).ThesopranoDawnUpshaw–whomGolijovhascalledhis 2008 47 minutes 2 trumpets;timpani;strings 2 flutes;oboes;clarinets;bassoons;3horns; June 2016;CarlosKalmar, conductor Austria 7 April1805;Vienna, 1804 To date,nocommercial recording hasbeenmade. 14 minutes tuned waterglasses);harp;celeste;strings percussion (crotale, suspendedcymbals,tamtam,triangle, 2trumpets;trombone;bass clarinet);2bassoons;horns; and 2clarinets(2nddoublingbassetthorn English horn; 2 flutes(2nddoublingaltofluteandpiccolo);oboe; MSO premiere 24 April2008;SaintPaul,Minnesota . Theirtopicsencompassthewholeofhumanemo- andthesongcycleAyre ector AnthonyMinghel- fenbach, Reger, , amongoth- . Theyrangein elease,  ger Beethoven’s Heroic Symphony PROGRAM NOTES

bring thishistory-changingworktoits“heroic” conclusion. passages toanamplehymntune.Inthesplendidcoda,jubilantsalvosfr modes. Listenforeverythingfrom imitativecounterpointtoaswayingdance,from warlike no. Thestylesrangefrom solemntohumorous andmakeuseofboththemajorminor Prometheus of Creatures The ingenious FinaleisasetofvariationsbasedonthemeBeethovenhadusedinhisballet contrast. Thescurryingthenreturns, andashort,intriguingcodaendsthemovement.The funereal thoughts.Theboldtrio–withfanfares playedbythree –standsinmarked horns The scherzo’s softlyscamperingstaccatostringsandjauntywoodwindmelodiesdisperseall triumphant.Andthere’sical interludeinCmajorthatsoonturns evenabrieffugalsection. composer) andEtienneMehul.Allisnotgloomyinthismovement,however:Listenforalyr revolutionary era,aswellbytheoperasofLuigiCherubini(Beethoven’s favoriteliving cologists havesuggestedthatBeethovenwashere influencedbyFrench composersofthe weighty andprotracted funeralmarch inCminormakesupthesecondmovement.Musi - expanding onhismaterialatgreat length,takingthelistenerinunexpecteddirections. A thisaroundment sectionshorterthantheopeningexposition.Beethoventurns completely, material forthismovement.Typically, Classical-erasymphonieshaveacentraldevelop- quietly singthewaltz-likemelodythatwillprovide Beethovenwithmuchofthemusical wrote anotherofsuchdimensions. Followingtwostrong E-flatmajorchords, thecellos scale thananyinstrumentalworkthemasterhadyetwritten;itwasmanyyearsbefor The Third Symphonyasa whole–anditsfirsttwomovementsinparticularwasonalarger hero here. Eroica.” From our21st-centuryvantagepoint,itiseasytodeclare Beethoven thetrue had himselfcrowned emperor. The“Bonaparte”Symphonythenbecamethe“Sinfonia and laterwasangered and disillusionedwhentherevolutionary herodespotand turned It iswellknownthatBeethoventookNapoleonashisinspirationfortheSymphonyNo.3 of theseworkssetsthemapartfrom symphoniesinthe18th-centurytradition.” Fifth, Sixth,Seventh,andNinth.Theforcefulness, expandedrange,andevidentradicalintent “Beethoven perfectedatastroke withhisThird Symphonyandfurthercelebratedwithhis andgrowth veying hisownspiritualjourney process. This“symphonicideal,”statesKerman, notonlywiththemusicalandtechnicalaspectsofcomposition,butalsocon- cerned goesontoexplainthatBeethoven wascon- music.”Kerman point inthehistoryofmodern hascalled“awatershedwork,onethatmarksaturning Beethoven scholarJosephKerman opera, waswrittenin1804-05.BetweenthemcametheEroica (“Heroic”) Symphony, anopus inearly1803. of Olives Mount the on outhisoratorioChrist work, churning From thatlowebbofdespondency, Beethoveneffected aspeedyrecovery through hard Recommended recording: andinthe15Variations, Opus35(“Eroica Variations”) forpia- Program notes by J. Mark Baker. by J. notes Mark Program (BR Klassik) Mariss Jansons,BavarianRadioSymphonyOrchestra  om thethree horns , his only , hisonly e he -