Boston Symphony Orchestra Concert Programs, Season 73, 1953-1954
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BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA FOUNDED IN 1881 BY HENRY LEE HIGGINSON SEVENTY-THIRD SEASON I 953~ I 954 Sanders Theatre, Cambridge \&faward University] Boston Symphony Orchestra (Seventy-third Season, 1953-1954) CHARLES MUNCH, Music Director RICHARD BURGIN, Associate Conductor PERSONNEL Violins Violas Bassoons Richard Burgin, Joseph de Pasquale Sherman Walt Concert-master Jean Cauhap£ Ernst Panenka Alfred Krips Fugen Leliner Theodore Brewster George Zazofsky Albeit Bernard Rolland Tapley Georges Fourel Contra - Bassoon Norbert Lauga George Humphrey Richard Plaster Vladimir Resnikofl Jerome Lipson Harry Dickson Louis Artieres Horns Gottfried Wilfinger Robert Karol James Stagliano Einar Hansen Reuben Green Harry Shapiro Joseph Leibovici Bernard Kadinoff Harold Meek Emil Kornsand Vincent Mauricci Paul Keaney Roger Shermont Walter Macdonald Carlos Pinfield Violoncellos Osbourne McConathy Paul Fedorovsky Samuel Mayes Minot Beale Alfred Zighera Trumpets Herman Silberman Jacobus Langendoen Roger Voisin Stanley Benson Mischa Nieland Marcel La fosse Leo Panasevich Karl Zeise Armando Ghitalla Gerard Goguen Sheldon Rotenberg Josef Zimbler Fredy Ostrovsky Bernard Parronchi Leon Marjollet Trombones Clarence Knudson Martin Hoherman Jacob Raichman Pierre Mayer Louis Berger William Moyer Manuel Zung Kauko Kahila Samuel Diamond Flutes Josef Orosz Victor Manusevitch Doriot Anthony James Nagy James Pappoutsakii Tuba Leon Gorodetzky Phillip Kaplan K. Vinal Smith Raphael Del Sordo Melvin Bryant Piccolo Harps George Madsen Lloyd Stonestreet Bernard Zighem Saverio Messina Oboes Olivia Luetcke William Waterhouse Ralph Gomberg William Marshall Jean Devergie Timpani Leonard Moss John Holmes Roman Szulc Charles Smith Basses English Horn Georges Moleux Louis Speyer Willis Page Percussion Ludwig Juht Clarinets Harold Farberman Irving Frankel Gino Cioffi Everett Firth Henry Freeman Manuel Valerio Harold Thompson Henry Portnoi Pasquale Cardillo E\> Clarinet Gaston Dufresne Librarians Henri Girard Bass Clarinet Leslie Rogers John Barwicki Rosario Mazzeo Victor Alpert, Ast't Sanders Theatre, Cambridge {Jfarvard University] SEVENTY-THIRD SEASON, 1953-1954 Boston Symphony Orchestra CHARLES MUNCH, Music Director Richard Burgin, Associate Conductor Concert Bulletin of the Fourth Concert TUESDAY EVENING, February 16 with historical and descriptive notes by John N. Burk The TRUSTEES of the BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, Inc. Henry B. Cabot . President Jacob J. Kaplan . Vice-President Richard C. Paine . Treasurer Philip R. Allen M. A. De Wolfe Howe John Nicholas Brown Michael T. Kelleher Theodore P. Ferris Palfrey Perkins Alvan T. Fuller Lewis Perry N. Penrose Hallowell Edward A. Taft Francis W. Hatch Raymond S. Wilkins Oliver Wolcott George E. Judd, Manager T. D. Perry, Jr. N. S. Shirk, Assistant Managers [1] A Report To Friends, New and Old &&s After eight weeks of the campaign to secure funds to maintain the Boston Symphony Orchestra, a total of 3200 persons and business firms, of whom 800 are making their first contributions, have been enrolled as Friends. Contributions have ranged from 25^ to $5,000, totalling $14 0,000 of the $250,000 required. At this point in the campaign the Orchestra may consider itself fortunate in having supporters so numerous, so loyal, and so generous. But there remains $1 10,000 to be raised. If you have not yet sent your contribution, you are urged to do so now. &*syd Checks should be payable to the Boston Symphony Orches- tra and sent to Richard C. Paine, Esq., Treasurer, Symphony Hall, Boston 15. Such gifts are deductible under the Federal Income Tax Law. r & i . Sanders Theatre, Cambridge [Shfarvard University^ Boston Symphony Orchestra SEVENTY-THIRD SEASON, 1953-1954 CHARLES MUNCH, Music Director FOURTH CONCERT TUESDAY EVENING, February 16 Program RICHARD BURGIN, Conductor Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 3, in G major, for Strings I. Allegro moderato II. Allegro Mahler Adagio from the Tenth Symphony INTERMISSION Sibelius Symphony No. 2, in D major, Op. 43 I. Allegretto II. Tempo andante ma rubato III. Vivacissimo; Lento e suave IV. Finale: Allegro moderato The Friday and Saturday concerts are broadcast each week from Station WGBH (FM) BALDWIN PIANO RCA VICTOR RECORDS [3] Greatest achievement SYMPHONIANA in home music in 28 years... CONTRIBUTORS From various business firms which have contributed to the Boston Sym- phony Orchestra, the following para- graphs, taken from letters, are quoted: "In response to your letter of De- cember 18, we are very conscious of the advantages of maintaining the Boston Symphony Orchestra, both to the com- munity and to the cultural life of all the inhabitants of New England, and therefore we are pleased to enclose our check, which we hope will be of as- sistance to your campaign." —The Bettinger Corporation, Waltham, Mass. "We are pleased to enclose a check for the Symphony Fund called to our attention. Although ordinarily we con- fine ourselves to the Rockland area in the new the matter of Company contributions, in this particular instance we are de- parting from our usual policy, as we RCA should like very much to make at least VICTOR a small donation toward this very worth- while drive." — E. T. Wright & Co., Inc., HIGH FIDELITY Rockland, Mass. 44 BEQUESTS Victroia phonograph For financial stability this Orchestra is greatly indebted to those who have Victor and New RCA made bequests for its support. High Fidelity Records Its well-wishers include members of the Orchestra itself. The following let- ter has been received: Now, enjoy thrilling high fidelity... continuing interest in the Orches- u "A inperson"realism...withRCAVictor's tra and its financial welfare has been new high fidelity phonograph. shown by a former member who retired This remarkably sensitive instrument some years ago. Mr. Karl Rissland, who was a first violinist for over twenty-five brings you the overtones in music, years, donated $1,000 to be held in trust the extremely high and low frequen- by Massachusetts Hospital Life Com- cies you've probably never heard pany as trustee of the Massachusetts before. You'll hear the difference Life Fund. Mr. Rissland, who is now over hopes add to this immediately when you play New 80, to fund dur- ing his lifetime. Upon his death the Victor High Fidelity records, spe- RCA principal will be paid to the Orchestra." cially produced to give you maximum sound definition. OPEN REHEARSAL Hear this new dimension in sound Berlioz' "The Damnation of Faust," ...at your RCA Victor dealer's. to be conducted by Charles Munch in Symphony Hall next Friday Afternoon Suggested Eastern list price, subject to change. and Saturday Evening, the Choruses *^b from Harvard and Radcliffe assisting, rcaMctor may be heard by non-subscribers. The Tmks. ® DIVISION OF RADIO CORP. OF AMERICA final Rehearsal in Symphony Hall next Thursday Evening at 7 :30 will be open to the public (Admission $2.00). [4] CONCERTO, G MAJOR, NO. 3 (of the Brandenburg Set) for Three Violins, Three Violas, Three Violoncellos, with Bass by the Cembalo By Johann Sebastian Bach Born at Eisenach on March 21, 1685; died at Leipzig on July 28, 1750 Bach presented his six "Brandenburg" Concertos to the Margraf of Brandenburg in 1721. The first performance by this Orchestra of the Third Concerto was on March 8, 1907. Its last performance here was March 31, 1950. The set of Brandenburg concertos can be looked upon as an experi- ment in various instrumental combinations. Of the six this one, like the last, is written for strings only. It is unique among them in having no intervening slow movement to bring the customary contrast between the two allegros.* The original title runs "Concerto jzo a tre Violini, tre Viole, e tre Violoncelli col Basso per il Cembalo," but the score definitely gives a place to the basses, usually doubling the 'cellos, whereby the "cem- balo" becomes merely a reinforcing instrument, unessential in the gen- eral balance. Bach thus divides his forces into three complete and equal string orchestras. At times, as in the first exposition, the three parts for each kind of instrument are in unison, making an ensemble of only three distinct voices (though the players themselves are distrib- uted) , giving a special sense of integration and solidity. At times the three parts (for violins, violas, or 'cellos) are at variance, giving an infinite diversity and richness in contrapuntal imitation. Using brief rhythmic figures, Bach establishes and sustains an astonishing vitality in their varied manipulation. "The two movements," writes J. A. Fuller-Maitland, "make up a composition that is surely without a rival as the expression of a frank and fearless joy, a joy from which everyday mirth is not excluded and which yet is well fitted for a tribute of spiritual exultation." Philip Spitta speaks of the first move- ment as "instinct with life and genius." He draws the attention to a particular passage (from the 78th bar) which he considers "as fine as anything in the whole realm of German instrumental music; the chief subject is given out in the second violin part, the first violin then starts an entirely new subject which next appears in the second violins, drawing in more and more instruments, and is at last taken up by the third violin and the third viola, and given out weightily * Bach used the first movement as an instrumental introduction ("Concerto") to his Cantata 174 ("Ich liebe den hochsten von ganzen Gemiithe") for Alto, Tenor, Bass, and Orchestra. To the string parts, unchanged, he added 2 corni da caccia, 2 oboes and tenor oboe ("Taille"), the wind parts sometimes doubling, sometimes adding to the notation. [5] on their G strings; this is the signal for a flood of sound to be set free from all sides, in the swirl of which all polyphony is drowned for several bars. There is no adagio in regular form. Two long-held chords alone release the imagination for a moment, and then begins the concluding movement, a true concerto finale in 12-8 time." [copyrighted] ADAGIO FROM THE TENTH SYMPHONY (Posthumous) By Gustav Mahler Born in Kalischt, Bohemia, July 7, i860; died in Vienna, May 18, 1911 Mahler left at his death sketches, partly realized in full score, of a Tenth Sym- phony.