UGA Symphony and Choral Ensembles UGA Symphony Orchestra and Choral Ensembles Program Thursday, April 20 2017 • 8:00 p.m. Elgar Variations on an Original Theme, Enigma, Op. 36 Theme. Andante The University of Georgia Symphony Orchestra Variation I. L’istesso tempo, C.A.E. Variation II. Allegro, H.D.S.P. conductorMark Cedel Variation III. Allegretto, R.B.T. assistant conductorClaudine Gamache Variation IV. Allegro di molto, W.M.B. Variation V. Moderato, R.P.A. Variation VI. Andantino, Ysobel The University of Georgia Chorus Variation VII. Presto, Troyte conductorJ.D. Burnett Variation VIII. Allegretto, W.N. Variation IX. Adagio, Nimrod assistant conductorsChristopher Mason and Philip Reed Variation X. Intermezzo: Allegretto, Dorabella Variation XI. Allegro di molto, G.R.S. The University of Georgia Hodgson Singers Variation XII. Andante, B.G.N. Variation XIII. Romanza: Moderato, * * * conductorDaniel Bara Variation XIV. Finale: Allegro Presto, E.D.U. assistant conductorsLauren Whitham and Lee Wright Mark Cedel, Conductor INTERMISSION The University of Georgia Men’s Glee Club Mozart Requiem in D Minor, K. 626 conductorJ.D. Burnett Introitus/Requiem aeternam Kyrie assistant conductorChristopher Mason Dies irae Tuba mirum The University of Georgia Women’s Glee Club Rex tremendae Recordare conductorJ.D. Burnett Confutatis Lacrimosa assistant conductorLauren Whitham Domine Jesu Hostias sopranoStephanie Tingler Sanctus Elizabeth Johnson Knight Benedictus mezzo-soprano Agnus Dei tenorGregory S. Broughton Lux aeterna/Cum sanctis tuis baritoneFrederick Burchinal J.D. Burnett, Conductor HODGSON CONCERT HALL 48 Performance UGA April 2017 49 UGA Symphony and Choral Ensembles composer of international stature in two Dora Penny (herself a “variation” named Program Notes centuries – and after her death, which oc- “Dorabella”) was probably the first person curred fourteen years before his own, he was outside the Elgar household to learn the se- By Steven Ledbetter never able to complete another large work. cret of the variations. Edward Elgar (1857-1934) Until he was forty Elgar remained a purely After completing the orchestration, be- local celebrity. Shortly after the premiere of tween February 5 and 19, 1899, Elgar sent Variations on an Original his cantata Caractacus at the Leeds Festival the score off to Hans Richter, and waited Theme, Enigma, Op. 36 in October 1898, Elgar sat musing at the pi- a nervous month before learning that he ano one day, idly playing a pensive melody would program the work. At the premiere, Edward Elgar was born at Broadheath, near that had occurred to him. When his wife on June 19, a few critics were miffed at not Worcester, England, on June 2, 1857, and died asked what it was, he said, “Nothing, but being let in on the identity of the friends in Worcester on February 23, 1934. He began something might be made of it.” He named whose initials appeared at the head of each the Enigma Variations in October, 1898, and several of their friends. “Powell would have movement. But the work itself achieved a completed them on February 19, 1899. The pursuing his own original course in music done this, or Nevinson would have looked sensational success. score bears the dedication “To my friends rather than the stodgy academic instruction at it like this.” Alice commented, “Surely pictured within.” The first performance was prevalent at the official schools. Except for you are doing something that has never The “friends” have long since been identi- given in London on June 19 the same year, violin lessons, he had no formal training, been done before?” fied, so that mystery is solved. But another Hans Richter conducting. The score calls for but already as a child he showed promise of mystery about the Enigma Variations will two flutes (second doubling piccolo), two an original talent. (Some of his later music Thus encouraged, Elgar sketched out an en- probably be argued over forever. It has oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons and con- actually grows out of themes and works he tire set of variations on his original theme. to do with the title and a statement Elgar trabassoon, four horns, three trumpets, three had composed by the age of ten.) On October 24, he wrote to his friend Au- made in the program note at the work’s trombones and tuba, timpani, side drum, gust Jaeger at Novello’s music publishers premiere. The manuscript of the score sim- triangle, bass drum, cymbals, organ (ad lib.), At sixteen, he left business forever and sup- to announce that he had sketched a set of ply bears the title “Variations for Orchestra and strings. Approximate performance time ported himself as a freelance musician in orchestral variations. “I’ve labelled ‘em with composed by Edward Elgar, Op. 36.” Over is thirty-one minutes. Worcester, filling various positions as vio- the nicknames of my particular friends - the theme, though, someone has written in linist, conductor, and even bassoonist in a you are Nimrod. That is to say I’ve written pencil the word “Enigma.” The handwrit- Edward Elgar was in almost every respect wind quintet, as well as teacher of violin. the variations each one to represent the ing appears not to be Elgar’s. Still, he never an outsider. He was largely self-taught in The five years he spent as conductor of an mood of the ‘party’ writing the var[iation] objected to the word, and his program note a day when only strict academic training, “orchestra” made up of staff members of the him (or her)self and have written what I implied the presence of a mystery, a “dark preferably including a degree from Oxford county mental asylum in nearby Powick think they wd. have written – if they were saying” that “must be left unguessed.” He or Cambridge, was considered absolutely was invaluable. He composed original mu- asses enough to compose.” added, “Through and over the whole set an- essential; Roman Catholic in a country of- sic and rescored the classics for whatever in- other larger theme ‘goes’ but is not played.” ficially Protestant – and with much latent struments were available each week, gaining On November 1, the Elgars’ young friend, prejudice against Catholics; and a musician in this way a thorough practical knowledge Dora Penny, was invited to lunch and to The mysteries of the “dark saying” and the of deep feeling and commitment in a cul- of how instruments sound in performance. hear Elgar’s new piece. The composer played “larger theme” have exercised the ingenu- ture that viewed music as an insignificant He later used to boast that he had never had the piano, while Dora turned pages for him. ity of many people since 1899. An enormous entertainment. But most galling was the to re-orchestrate a passage after hearing it amount of ink has been spilled on this subject, He played the theme and started in without leading to a generally accepted solu- fact that he was the son of a shopkeeper in in performance because it always sounded on the variations. Then he turned a class ridden society that could never get exactly as he had imagined it would. tion. Every few years a new “solution” is pro- over two pages and I saw No. III, posed, and the arguments start all over once over looking down its nose at people “in R.B.T, the initials of a connexion trade.” And yet, ironically, it is just those In 1889, he married Caroline Alice Roberts, again. Since one need not solve the mystery to a woman convinced of his genius. Alice was of mine. This was amusing! Before appreciate the music, however, I will not dis- facts, the very things that made him feel he had played many bars I began to ever the outsider, that also allowed him to eight years his senior and far his social su- cuss it further here. In the end, it is only the perior (at the time such things were consid- laugh, which rather annoyed me. You quality of the music that determines how fre- develop his musical talents as a composer of don’t generally laugh when you hear marked originality. ered to be very important), but she had the quently we wish to hear the Enigma Variations. backbone to withstand relatives who ob- a piece of music for the first time Elgar spent his youth in Worcester, a sleepy jected to the match. She encouraged Elgar dedicated to someone you know, but Elgar himself revealed the identity of the cathedral town in western England, liv- to compose the great works that she knew I just couldn’t help it, and when it was “Variations” in a set of notes written in ing over the family music shop. He spent he had in him. During the thirty years of over we both roared with laughter! 1913, later published with photographs of much time absorbing the scores in stock, their marriage, Elgar became England’s first ‘But you’ve made it like him! How on each of the individuals. Elgar’s remarks are earth have you done it?’ quoted in the discussion below. 50 Performance UGA April 2017 51 UGA Symphony and Choral Ensembles The theme is remarkable in itself. It goes He tended to give “orders of the day” to his coursed eloquently on the slow movements Lady Mary Lygon, who was supposedly by stops and starts, broken up into little guests, especially with regard to arrange- of Beethoven.” According to Mrs. Powell, on a sea voyage to Australia at the time of fragments that, at the outset, hardly seem ments for carriages. Elgar depicts his forc- Jaeger also discoursed eloquently on the composition (she wasn’t), hence the clarinet “thematic.” It has been pointed out that the ible delivery.