Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Bra şov • Vol. 3 (52) – 2010 Series VIII: Art • Sport

THE INSTRUMENTAL CONCERTI OF : THE COMPOSER-PERFORMER RELATIONSHIP

Ovidiu MARINESCU 1

Abstract: Samuel Barber’s instrumental music is idiomatic in its writing, shows mastery of the form, and displays a fine balance between virtuosity and lyricism. The concerti for violin, cello, and were composed with specific performers in mind, and they show a clear influence exerted by those performers. Barber closely worked with the artists while composing the concerti, especially the cello and the piano ones, and made changes in all of them to suit specific requests.

Keywords: Samuel Barber, Concerto for Violin op. 14, Concerto for Violoncello op 22, Concerto for Piano op. 38, Iso Briselli, Raya Garbousova, .

The year 2010 marks Samuel Barber’s European traditions, and especially the birth centennial. Composing in an age Italian culture. when musical experiment was the fashion While Barber composed many works for and modernism was the main artistic the voice, including three operas, chamber direction, Barber’s music is defined by a music for voice accompanied by respect for the nineteenth century tradition, instruments, and over 100 songs, some of expressed in form, in tonal background, them still unpublished, he also composed a and lyricism. good number of instrumental works for the Several influences can be noted: the one instrument, chamber ensembles, or excellent training he got at the Curtis orchestra, including three concerti for Institute of Music in Philadelphia, under instruments and orchestra (one each for the supervision of composer Rosario violin, cello, and piano), the Toccata Scalero, the inspiration and guidance he Festiva for organ and orchestra, and a received from his uncle Sidney Homer – a Canzonetta for and orchestra. The composer of art song – and his aunt Louise three concerti were composed with specific Homer – the leading contralto at the performers in mind, and the technical and Metropolitan Opera, and the close personal artistic profile of each performer relationship with composer Gian Carlo influenced the music. Menotti, who opened a door to the great

1 Assistant Professor, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, USA. 24 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Bra şov • Vol. 3 (52) - 200 • Series VIII

Concerto for Violin and Orchestra difficult and refused to play it. Mr. Fels op. 14 (1939) demanded his money back, which Barber had already spent in Europe. A music trial The concerto was commissioned by was organized at the Curtis Institute to Samuel Fels, an industrialist and board settle the dispute. According to Heyman [3], member of the Curtis Institute of Music for one afternoon, violin student Herbert his adopted son, prodigy Iso Briselli. Baumel was approached by pianist Ralph Briselli studied the Curtis Institute with Berkowitz to participate in the proceedings Carl Flesch and was an accomplished and was handed a hand-written incomplete violinist, having made his New York and violin part with no composer name, to be Philadelphia debuts performing the Violin prepared within two hours. He was Concerto no. 2 by Paganini and instructed to play the selection very fast. Beethoven’s . At Curtis, Two hours later, Baumel returned dressed- Briselli befriended another young violinist, up to find a distinguished committee that Gama Gilbert, who later became a music included Curtis Institute founder Mary critic. When Curtis Institute opened in Curtis Bok, and proceeded to play the 1924, Barber was the second student selection brilliantly accompanied by enrolled and he studied there until his Berkowitz, much to the delight of the small graduation in 1934. Independently, audience, who cheered and praised both Barber, Briselli and Gilbert moved to New the performers and the composer. The York and eventually reconnected, often work was deemed playable and Mr. Felt going to concerts together, along with Gian was instructed to pay the balance due on Carlo Menotti. In the spring of 1939, the commission. Briselli had to relinquish Gilbert persuaded Fels to commission the right to the first performance. Barber to write a concerto for Briselli for The third movement of the concerto at the sum of $1000, payable in two the root of the dispute is a fast moto- installments: a down payment of $500 with perpetuo, where the soloist plays the balance due when the concerto was continuously for the whole movement. finished. The tempo indicated is ¼ note = 192. Barber spent that summer in Switzerland Enough concerns had been raised, so and by August sent Briselli the first two Barber arranged for several trial rehearsals movements. According to Broder, [1] with Baumel and the Curtis Orchestra Briselli declared the music ”too simple and directed by . Furthermore, not brilliant enough for a concerto.” After Barber asked Oscar Shumsky to take a the summer in Switzerland, Barber went to look at the concerto, and a reading was Paris, where he planned to finish the arranged in New York at the home of concerto with a third movement which Gama Gilbert. Barber played the piano would ”display the artist’s technical part with Shumsky sight-reading it from powers”[2]. Unfortunately plans were the piano reduction looking over Barber’s interrupted when he and Menotti had to shoulders [4]. Things went well and Barber evacuate France due to the beginning of went along with the preparations for the the war in Europe. Their trip across the premiere, including his search for the ocean on board of the Champlain allowed perfect violinist to present the work. In Barber to work on the finale, with further August of 1940 Barber had a meeting with work done after their arrival, in the Pocono violinist Albert Spalding to show him the Mountains. Barber sent the third concerto, and the violinist immediately movement to Briselli, who declared it too consented to do the premiere and take the MARINESCU, O .: The Instrumental Concerti of Samuel Barber … 25 work on tour. The first performances frequently met with Cole, and explored the were given by Spalding and the technical possibilities and the lyrical Philadelphia Orchestra at the Academy of attributes of the instrument. Music on February 7 and 8, 1941, followed Before beginning the , by concerts in New York, Boston and during the winter of 1944-45, Barber met Washington, D.C. Further performances with Garbousova and had her play through followed with Ruth Posselt and the Boston her repertoire to become familiar with her Symphony, and Charles Turner and Barber strengths. Some of the works heard during himself conducting in Frankfurt and the two-hour meeting were studies by Berlin. Prior to the performances in Duport, Popper, and Piatti, as well as a Germany, Barber requested a masterclass cello concerto by Davidov. In addition, with George Enesco at his house in Paris, the cellist lent Barber a stack of cello sometimes early 1951. Barber music from her library so that he could accompanied Turner on the piano and explore other works for the cello. Enesco lauded the work and gave a few Garbousova was a very accomplished tips to Turner. Among the violin students cellist who seemed to have no technical invited to audit the class was a gray-haired limits, and enjoyed the high register of the old lady who turned pages for Barber. It cello, expressive playing, and bravura turned out the old lady was Queen works. Her only request was that the Elizabeth of Belgium who took occasional concerto be finished by May so she could violin lessons from Enesco. learn the new work during the summer. Garbousova and Barber stayed in very Concerto for Violoncello and Orchestra, close contact during the following months, op. 22 (1945) and as Barber completed a passage or another, he sent it to Garbousova for The Cello Concerto was commissioned comments. On occasion she suggested by Serge Koussevitzky, conductor of the changes. Sometimes their correspondence Boston Symphony, and a great supporter crossed in the mail, and by the time of new music. Koussevitzky admired Garbousova sent her recommendations for cellist Raya Garbousova, and he often changes in the music, Barber would have invited her to be a soloist with the Boston already replaced the passage. Symphony. Funding for the commission This was a challenging time for Barber, was provided by an amateur cellist and as he had been drafted into the military and music lover, John Nicolas Brown, who was held a desk job. During this time he also a devotee of Garbousova. Brown had advocated with his friends, including purchased for Garbousova a well-known Koussevitzky, to write letters supporting Stradivarius cello made in 1689. his early discharge from the military due to Koussevitzky initially planned to his contribution to the American culture. commission for Bohuslav Martinu, but Eventually he received his discharge in changed his mind and approached Barber. September 1945. While working on the Barber was no stranger to writing for the piece, Barber kept Mr. Brown informed of cello, as one of his first works was the the concerto’s progress, and requested his , op. 6, composed in 1932 commission fee. Perhaps his prior while a student at the Curtis Institute of experience with Mr. Felt taught Barber that Music. One of his closest friends was problems with patrons could arise at any cellist , who was also a Curtis point, and a little courting might go a long student. While writing the sonata, Barber way. Mr. Brown replied in a letter that he 26 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Bra şov • Vol. 3 (52) - 200 • Series VIII had been apprised of the concerto’s more transparent accompaniment, and progress by Raya Garbousova, as she had simplified rhythmic figures to take the visited him a week earlier.He also enclosed edge off of some of the orchestral a check with the commission fee. [5] accompaniment. Most of these changes The orchestration of the concerto took occurred in the first movement with longer than expected due to several trips positive results, allowing the cello part to related to performances of his or Menotti’s come through more clearly. In the first works. A reading of the concerto was movement, Barber also added twelve arranged for January 1946 in a private measures at the beginning of the New York home. The following month, development to bring back some material Barber and Garbousova played it for from the exposition. Right before the Koussevitzky at his apartment. Perhaps publication, Barber felt one more change due to the serious technical challenges of was necessary: the addition of thirteen the work, Garbousova was not quite ready, measures to the orchestra and a and she asked Austrian born pianist and clarification of the texture between the solo conductor Frederic Waldmann to rehearse cello and the orchestra, which prior with her. The concerto was prepared featured alternating rapid chords, and now within a week. While Barber was generally adding the cello for only the final four not in favor of cadenzas in concerti, he measures. Barber was so motivated to included several in the cello concerto, make this change that he offered to pay perhaps as a tribute to Garbousova’s publisher G. Schirmer, Inc. the added cost technique. After the premiere, Barber of changing the printing plates. cello concerto was praised by such critics In 1950, Zara Nelsova recorded the as Virgil Thompson and Olin Downs, and concerto with Barber conducting. Barber he received the Music Critic’s Circle had no conducting experience, and prior to Award. A year later, after a subsequent the recording he travelled to Europe to performance by Garbousova, with study with Nikolai Malko. Barber was Mitropoulos as the conductor, Downs rather pleased with the new changes in the changed his mind and criticized the orchestration, and was delighted with concerto for its seemingly indistinct shape. Nelsova’s tempo in the third movement, Barber, in a letter to Homer, justified it by which was finally to his liking [7] . Broder describing the energy and enthusiasm tells us about an incident that occurred present at all rehearsals, followed by the during the recordings of the concerto in somewhat duller opening night London in 1950: “At one of the sessions, performance due, possibly, to slower the soloist ended with great brilliance, tempi. [6] whereupon a cellist from the orchestra The cello part is exceptionally difficult, leaped up from his chair, ran down to the featuring long runs up the fingerboard, front of the stage, wildly shouting arpeggios, harmonics and pizzicatos, many something about giving up the cello after chords and double stops in extended hearing playing such as Nelsova’s, and passages, and complex rhythms. Also smashed his instrument against the side of employed are sudden register changes, the platform. Strings and bits of wood flew long shifts, and the use of the extreme high in all directions. There was a general register of the cello. Barber undertook uproar, and then Barber and Nelsova revisions on several occasions. In 1947, he realized that the whole thing was a joke made several changes in the orchestration, staged by the cello section as a tribute to including reduced instrumental doubling, the difficulty of the concerto. Each man MARINESCU, O .: The Instrumental Concerti of Samuel Barber … 27 had contributed to buying a cello in a pawn Barber’s fondness for Chopin, Scriabin, shop in order to smash it.” [8] Both Debussy, and Rachmaninov. Browning Garbousova and Nelsova played the had been a student of Rosina Lhevinne, a concerto many times during the 1950s; famous Russian piano teacher who had a Leonard Rose, who also performed it rigorous system of technical exercises. several times, declared it the most difficult Lhevinne’s system included playing scales concerto he’d ever played [9] . My cello two octaves apart to create a bright sound, teacher, the late Orlando Cole, enjoyed scales in double sixths, and a special telling the story of further changes he technique to create tone colors, such as the recommended to Barber to include in the use of the flutter pedal, which is a rapid first movement, including replacing some shifting of the pedal so the sound stays parallel thirds to parallel sixths, and some transparent. tempo changes. Barber agreed to the Barber set to work on the concerto, and suggestions, trusting his longtime friend. following the completion of the first two movements he invited conductor Erich Concerto for Piano and Orchestra, Leinsdorf to his house to hear Browning op. 38 (1962) play them. Initially, the first movement featured a delicate ending, which Leinsdorf At the request of publisher G. Schirmer, did not favor. Barber, perhaps too eager to Inc., Barber agreed to write a piano please, responded within two days with a concerto to celebrate the 100 th anniversary new spectacular ending featuring the full of the reputable publishing house. The orchestra and the piano, much to provide a first performance of the concerto was contrast to the delicate second movement. scheduled for 1962 to coincide with the The second movement is based on a opening of the Lincoln Center in New piece for and piano written in 1959 York. From the beginning, the intended for Ibel. The piece was initially entitled soloist for the was John “Elegy” and later renamed “Canzone,” like Browning. Barber was familiar with the title of the second movement in the Browning’s playing from his debut with concerto. The piano concerto version is the New York Philharmonic in February very close to the original flute piece, only 1956. The New York Philharmonic had longer by twenty-six measures. The first scheduled in the same concert Barber’s theme, originally played by the flute, is ’s Meditation and Dance of distributed in the orchestra between the Vengeance [10] . In preparation, Barber flute, oboe, and solo piano. Much of the attended all rehearsals and heard Browning piano accompaniment is divided between play the Rhapsody on a Theme by the strings and harp. In this movement, Paganini by Rachmaninov. The concerto Barber shows his exceptional sense of is dedicated to Manfred Ibel, a German art melodic line, and his ability to spin great student and amateur flute player with tunes. The added section is mainly a repeat whom Barber developed an intimate of the opening of the movement friendship, and with whom he shared time orchestrated more colorfully, with the travelling. piano playing shimmering arpeggios. Early in the composition process, Barber The premiere of the concerto was invited Browning to his house, “The scheduled for September 24, 1962. Barber Capricorn,” where Browning played his fell behind due to his sister’s death in July entire learned repertoire. Browning, in an 1961, and an invitation in the spring of interview with Barbara Heyman [11] recalled 1962 to speak to congress of Soviet 28 Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Bra şov • Vol. 3 (52) - 200 • Series VIII composers. The third movement was The three concerti by Samuel Barber completed only on September 9, 1962, two show a clear influence exerted by the weeks before the premiere. Changes in the performers for whom they were intended. parts were made up to the day before the Barber’s dialogue with them and other concert. Browning skillfully learned and performers led to three masterpieces which memorized the third movement in the short are musically rewarding, structurally amount of time available. As in the first balanced, and which display an idiomatic movement, the third movement is technique for all solo instruments. fiendishly difficult. One of the pieces Browning played for Barber was Les Fées Notes sont d’exquises danseuses by Debussy, [1] Nathan Broder, Samuel Barber (New York: G. Schirmer, 1956), p 35. which seemed to have inspired certain 2 passages in the third movement [12]. Other [ ] Ibid. 3 Samuel Barber. The influences can be attributed to Horowitz. [ ] Barbara B. Heyman, Composer and His Music (Oxford Before the premiere, Browning, University Press, New York. Oxford, 1992), accompanied by Barber, went to Horowitz p. 193. to play work for him. One particular [4] Ibid, p. 195. passage seemed to irk Horowitz – a [5] Ibid, p. 251. passage of rising seconds in 16 th notes (3 [6] Ibid. 257-8. measures before no. 32), which was [7] Ibid. p. 260. declared unplayable at the required tempo. [8] Richard E Rodda, Barber took the advice seriously, and http://musicfestival.com/new/reference/progra changed the passage to eighth notes. The mnotes/prognotes2006/august17_2006.html 9 Samuel Barber. The original manuscript can be found at the [ ] Barbara B. Heyman, Composer and His Music (Oxford Library of Congress. Other changes University Press, New York. Oxford, 1992). suggested by Horowitz were four measures p.260. before number 15, where passages of [10 ] Ibid. p. 411. nd cascading 32 notes were changed to [11 ] Ibid. p. 412. eighth notes. [12 ] Ibid. p. 416. The final result is a concerto that is both spectacular and lyrical, a piece that shows References mastery of form, and exceptional skill in orchestration. It is particularly difficult for 1. Heyman, Barbara B. (1992) Samuel the piano, and the last movement, written Barber. The Composer and His Music in 5/8, gives unusual problems to most Oxford University Press, New York. accomplished orchestras. Hailed by both Oxford, .260. musicians and critics as a masterpiece, the 2. Broder, Nathan (1956) Samuel Barber . Piano Concerto received a Pulitzer Prize in New York: G. Schirmer. 1963 and the Music Critics Circle Award in 1964.