Program Notes by Jeffrey Snedeker

Classical #1 Peter Boyer (b. February 10, 1970) New Beginnings (2000)

Born in Providence, , Peter Boyer began composing at the age of 15. He attended Rhode Island College and The Hartt School of the . Following his doctoral work at Hartt, Boyer studied privately with in New York, then moved to to study film and TV scoring at USC, where his teachers included . In 1996, Boyer was appointed to the faculty at Claremont Graduate University, where he holds the Helen M. Smith Chair in Music. His orchestral works have become some of the most frequently performed in America. Boyer is also active in the film and television music industry, contributing orchestral arrangements to more than a dozen major feature film scores and twice for the Academy Awards. He has received a Grammy nomination, as well as seven national awards. His first symphony was recorded by the London Philharmonic, and released by Naxos in February, 2014. New Beginnings was commissioned by Bronson Hospital in Kalamazoo, Michigan, to celebrate the opening of The New Bronson, a new $200-million facility. It was premiered by the Kalamazoo Symphony , conducted by Raymond Harvey, on September 22, 2000. The piece is in one movement, with four clear sections: a bright fanfare featuring the and horns; a slower lyrical section featuring the ; a section of increasing rhythmic energy; and the last, which begins with complex repeated rhythms and peaks with a return to the opening fanfare material that brings the piece to an exciting close. The rhythmic variety, lush orchestration, grandiose gestures, and involvement of the entire orchestra make this piece an optimistic and powerful concert opener. Maestro Golan recently recorded several works by Peter Boyer with the Moravian Philharmonic for Albany Records (www.albanyrecords.com).

Christopher Brubeck (b. March 19, 1952) for Bass and Orchestra (1991) The son of noted jazz pianist and composer Dave Brubeck, Christopher Brubeck is a noted performer and Grammy-nominated composer in both jazz and classical styles. He has received many awards, commissions, and positive reviews for his innovative works—like Concerto for Bass Trombone and Orchestra. In his notes for this piece, the composer says, “Having spent many years of my adolescence playing in youth , counting endless measures, playing trombone for only a few passages, and then frustratingly having to count more measures of rest yet again, I resorted to frequent musical daydreams. In fact, I used to have musical nightmares about not being able to contain myself any longer, and would visualize myself jumping from the back of the orchestra to unleash improvisations much to the conductor’s horror.” The piece was composed for and premiered by the Greater Bridgeport (Connecticut) Symphony Youth Orchestra. The first movement, “Paradise-Utopia,” launches the music into an ebullient mood, in Brubeck’s words “sizzling with American expansionist energy,” with the soloist trading jazz licks with members of the orchestra. The second movement, “Sorrow Floats,” was inspired by the novel by John Irving. The music is a lovely burnished ballad, with the soloist floating the melody over the orchestra throughout. The third movement, “James Brown in The Twilight Zone,” has elements reminiscent of Brown’s “I Feel Good” and of the theme music from Rod Serling’s TV show. A funky jazz influence is pervasive with numerous solos for the bass trombonist, trading more licks with the orchestra. After an extended cadenza, the piece comes to a hard driving close. The image of the bass trombonist jumping up and unleashing improvisations (whether or not the conductor is in fact horrified) is easy to visualize throughout the piece. This concerto is a popular concert work, and was recorded by Brubeck with the London Symphony Orchestra for his CD, Bach to Brubeck.

Antonin Dvořák (September 8, 1841-May 1, 1904) Symphony No. 9, op. 95 “From the New World” (1893) Born in rural Bohemia, Antonin Dvořák’s upbringing included both folk and classical music. Despite objections from his father who hoped he would take over the family inn, Antonin was unable to resist a career in music. After formal studies in Prague, he played violin in the National Opera orchestra, where he met Bedrich Smetana, whose nationalistic efforts had a strong impact. His Slavonic Dances in 1878, with enthusiastic support from Johannes Brahms, led to fame and a strong reputation as a composer of nationalist music. Dvořák’s knack for combining folk elements with classical setting contributed greatly to the success of his music. In June 1891, Jeannette Thurber, president of the National Conservatory of Music in New York (later the Juilliard School), asked Dvořák if he would become artistic director and professor of composition of the school. Dvořák’s music had been known in America since 1879, but Thurber’s main reason for asking him was to promote a national style of art music in America. He accepted. Dvořák became convinced that Native American music and African-American spirituals were the key to an “American” style. The places he visited and the music he heard while in America inspired several pieces, including the “New World” Symphony. Commissioned by the New York Philharmonic, the symphony was premiered on December 16, 1893, at conducted by Anton Seidl. This symphony is by far his most popular, and one of the most popular of all orchestral works. The first movement begins with rolling figures reminiscent of ocean waves that add drama and then excitement as land comes into view. The second movement, featuring the melody that would later become the song “Goin’ Home,” is nostalgic and sentimental. The third movement is a vigorous folk dance, with a fiery, syncopated Scherzo and a smoother, waltz-like Trio. The last movement is forceful, almost martial at the beginning. Dvořák then summarizes the whole symphony, bringing back themes from the first three movements in a variety of moods. The symphony ends optimistically, a final arrival at home after a long arduous journey. The premiere was one of the greatest public triumphs of Dvořák's career. He returned to Prague in 1895 and spent the last years of his life composing, teaching, and from 1901 directing the Prague Conservatory. Themes from the “New World” Symphony have been used widely in films, TV shows, cartoons, video games, and advertisements.

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Classical #2 Samuel Osborne Barber (March 9, 1910-January 23, 1981) (First) Essay for Orchestra, op. 12 (1938) Born in Westchester, Pennsylvania, Samuel Barber showed early talent on the and organ. He was admitted to the very first class of the Curtis Institute (1924) to study voice and composition. By the 1930s, his orchestral works, with long, lyrical lines, sensitive text-setting, logical musical structures, and dramatic coloring in orchestration, were well-known. His style has elements reminiscent of the late 19th century as well as certain contrapuntal moments reminiscent of Bach. As he matured, however, he absorbed some “modern” elements (e.g., chromaticism) without losing his musical voice. Essay for Orchestra (later re-titled First Essay… after his Second Essay for Orchestra appeared in 1942) was completed in 1937 and premiered on November 5, 1938, by Arturo Toscanini and the NBC Symphony Orchestra, part of a radio broadcast concert that also featured the premiere of Barber’s Adagio for Strings. The slow opening gradually builds to a loud, powerful climax, which remains unresolved. This gives way to a quicker section, where increased rhythmic activity accompanies the primary melody. This section also builds to an exciting climax and a final statement of primary theme. The piece ends in a very unique way—somewhat unresolved on a high string note that fades away. While this sober yet emotional work resembles a first movement to a larger symphony, it stands better on its own. Some see Barber’s music as conservative, others simply as a series of individual choices by a composer more concerned with personal expression than fitting in with the “modern” crowd. Either way, there is no denying that Barber’s music has the ability to touch us all.

Max Christian Friedrich Bruch (January 6, 1838–October 2, 1920) No. 1 in G minor, op. 26 (1866/1868) Max Bruch, a German composer and conductor, composed his first piece at nine, an opera at age 20, and then, over the next decade landed several prominent music director positions. From 1865 to 1867, Bruch was the music director for the court at Koblenz, and it was there that he wrote his first violin concerto. This piece has wonderful examples of his melodic capabilities, including a folkish tinge throughout. He loved folk music as a source of melody, and several of his works have connections to music of Scottish, Swedish, and Hebrew cultures. The concerto was first completed in 1866, premiered by Otto von Königslow with Bruch conducting, then revised and premiered in its present form in 1868. The first movement serves as a long, slow, passionate prelude to the second, gradually building to full orchestral power. The second theme is calmer, but the first theme returns, with short cadenzas for the soloist, and then a final statement bridges to the second movement. The slow second movement also has a powerful melody, rich and expansive in the violin, supported constantly by the orchestra. The third movement opens quietly yet intensely, giving way to an energetic theme in the violin. This swirling dance is contrasted by a lyrical second theme, and the piece ends with a huge accelerando and a fiery finish that gets higher, faster, and louder to its breathless conclusion. This concerto is the most popular of Bruch’s 200+ works and one of the most performed violin in the repertory. Friendships with and advice from such famous violinists as David, Joachim, Sarasate, and Hess inspired eight more works for that instrument but, like other composers with similar “hits,” Bruch felt badly that his other compositions were neglected due to the first violin concerto’s popularity.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (May 7, 1840-November 6, 1893) Symphony No. 1 in G minor, op. 13 “Winter Dreams” (1868/1874) A career in music seemed inevitable for Tchaikovsky. At five, he showed great promise as a pianist, and no matter what choices he made (or were made for him) as he grew up, music continually drew him in. Eventually, he enrolled in the St. Petersburg Conservatory, and upon graduation in 1866 went to Moscow to teach, at the invitation of Nikolai Rubinstein. His first notable work, Symphony No. 1, appeared soon after in 1868. According to the composer’s brother Modest, this symphony came together slowly and with great difficulty, but the composer remained fond of it throughout his life. After an initial premiere, Tchaikovsky subsequently revised the score in 1874. The new version was published in 1875, yet not performed until 1883. The “Winter Dreams” subtitle suggests a programmatic work, but there is no evidence of this intent beyond subtitles for the first two movements. The beginning of “Daydreams of a Winter Journey” is ethereal, as if snow flurries are flying. The music gets louder and higher, finally climaxing and giving way to a stunning contrast, as if the bottom drops out. He then starts over, demonstrating an intuitive ability to repeat things without getting stale, changing the orchestration just enough to make the music seem different yet a logical outgrowth of what was just heard. Surprisingly, after all the excitement, the first movement ends quietly. The second movement, “Land of Gloom, Land of Mist,” begins slowly with a lovely melody in the strings. This theme is passed back and forth between strings and winds throughout the movement, with a few mood changes. The final statement of the theme in the horns is majestic, bringing a sense of closure, as if the theme has been fully explored, and again the movement ends quietly and tenderly. The third movement consists of an optimistic scherzo, a more reserved trio, and a return of the scherzo. The finale is based on a folk song, beginning with slow and serious introduction and gradually building in volume and complexity. The music peaks and then stops. After a bit of searching, the troops are rallied and the real finale begins triumphantly. The music peaks and begins yet again, this time in a quasi-fugue, with the various instruments imitating each other. Finally, the counterpoint is resolved and the orchestra begins a final triumphant march to the end. This is interrupted by a last quiet section, and slow final build-up to the final climax. This symphony has a strong intuitive quality, which may have contributed to his struggles—i.e., how to make his intuitions coherent. Still, in this formative work, his better-known, mature works are clearly visible on the horizon.

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Classical #3 (b. January 23, 1977) for orchestra and electronica (2011) Born in Richmond, Virginia, Mason Bates graduated from the Columbia University-Juilliard School Exchange Program with a degree in music composition and English literature, studying composition with John Corigliano, David Del Tredici, and Samuel Adler. He then graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a Ph.D. in composition, studying with Edmund Campion. Bates has received numerous awards, most recently the Heinz Medal in the Humanities, and commissions that have taken advantage of his “innovative orchestral writing, imaginative narrative forms, the harmonies of jazz and the rhythms of techno…[H]is symphonic music has been the first to receive widespread acceptance for its expanded palette of electronic sounds, and it is championed by leading conductors such as Riccardo Muti, Michael Tilson Thomas, and Leonard Slatkin.” Bates is currently Composer-in-Residence with the Chicago Symphony. Mothership received its world premiere by the YouTube Symphony directed by Tilson Thomas at the Sydney Opera House on March 20, 2011, viewed live by almost two million people. The piece is a mixture of acoustic and electronic elements and features sections for improvisation. In his program notes for the piece, the composer says, “This energetic opener imagines the orchestra as a mothership that is ‘docked’ by several visiting soloists, who offer brief but virtuosic riffs on the work’s thematic material over action-packed electro- acoustic orchestral figuration.” The piece does follow the traditional form of a scherzo with two trios. The trios push the techno envelope with solos by E-flat , marimba, cello, and , though other instruments/soloists may be substituted. The piece shares the symphonic tradition of a scherzo with high- energy dance rhythms “brought to life by thrilling sounds of the 21st Century—the rhythms of modern-day techno.”

Joaquín Rodrigo (November 22, 1901-July 6, 1999) A la busca de más allá (In Search of the Beyond) (1978) Joaquín Rodrigo was born in Sagunto (Valencia) on St Cecilia’s Day. At the age of three, he lost his sight as a result of a diphtheria epidemic. As he himself has affirmed, this event undoubtedly led him towards music. He began his musical studies at age eight, and at sixteen studied harmony and composition at the Conservatoire in Valencia. His first compositions date from 1923. From the outset, Rodrigo wrote all his works in Braille, and then dictated them to a copyist. In 1927, Rodrigo moved to Paris where he studied for five years with Paul Dukas at the École Normale de Musique. He studied musicology at the Paris Conservatoire and the Sorbonne, and then worked in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland before settling permanently in Madrid in 1939. The next year brought the premiere of the Concierto de Aranjuez for guitar and orchestra, a defining work that brought him worldwide fame. From that moment on, Rodrigo was engaged in numerous artistic activities, both creative and academic, throughout the world. In 1991, Rodrigo was raised to the nobility by King Juan Carlos I, and in 1996, the composer was honored with Spain’s greatest distinction, the Prince of Asturias Prize, the first time it was ever awarded to a composer. Rodrigo and his wife came to America in 1970 for the premiere of his Concierto Madrigal at the Hollywood Bowl. While visiting friends in Houston, they visited the Johnson Space Center, where he was introduced to astronauts and allowed to handle moon rocks. A few years later, when the Houston Symphony asked Rodrigo to compose something for the American bicentennial, the result was A la busca de más allá, a symphonic poem inspired by the thought of space exploration. In his program notes for the 1978 Houston premiere, Rodrigo noted that the work had “no definite story or descriptive content,” but added that the long suspended cymbal rolls that open and close the work are meant “to evoke…the sense of mystery associated with the ‘beyond.’” Ethereal wind and percussion motives float above the strings, suddenly appearing and fading away. Droning basses and sparse orchestration infer empty space, and occasional loud passages and arching melodies invoke both majestic and intimidating vastness. The overall effect is, in the composer’s words, “as if lost somewhere in space – in the other world.” This piece is a testament to Rodrigo’s orchestration skills, perhaps reflective of his early years in Paris, and excellent descriptive music with which to ponder the universe.

Gustav(us Theodore von) Holst (September 21, 1874 - May 25, 1934) The Planets (1918) Gustav Holst was born into an English family with a musical heritage. His first compositions appeared in his early teens. Early on, Holst was obsessed with the music of Wagner and the idealistic philosophies of Whitman and Morris. Later, he also became interested in Hindu literature and philosophy, and took lessons in Sanskrit. In 1905, Holst was appointed head of music at St Paul’s Girls’ School, Hammersmith, where he remained until the end of his life. His reputation as a composer grew steadily during the years before World War I, but it was not until The Planets received its first performance that he achieved genuine recognition. Holst originally conceived The Planets as “a series of mood pictures,” and momentum on composing the piece really picked up after Holst heard music by Debussy, Schoenberg, and Stravinsky who visited England in the 1910s. The first public performance of the entire work was not given until 1920, but its reputation had already been established by the private first performance in 1918 and several subsequent partial performances. The concept of the work is astrological rather than astronomical: each movement is supposedly intended to convey ideas and emotions associated with the influence of the planets on the psyche, not the physical attributes of the actual planets or Roman deities, but the subtitles, “Bringer of…” etc. have clear connections to the roles of the deities in mythology, e.g., Mars and war. It has also been suggested that Holst injected a great deal of his musical personality into the piece: unbridled ambition and passion in Mars, beauty and love in Venus, the speed of thought and intellect in Mercury, optimism and expansion in Jupiter, seriousness of discipline and authority in Saturn, awakening and rebelliousness in Uranus, and mystery and dreams in Neptune. The sudden popular success of The Planets led to the publication and performance of many earlier works, though Holst himself grew to resent the piece as it overshadowed the rest of his music.

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Classical #4 Franz Joseph Haydn (March 31, 1732-May 31, 1809) The Creation (Die Schöpfung), H. 21/2 (1798) One of the more famous composers in Western musical history, Haydn is a well-known personality to most concert-goers. His early life as a singer and free-lance musician in Vienna has been thoroughly documented, as has his steady rise to the position of Kapellmeister (Music Director) for the court at Esterhazy. In this job, he managed a court ensemble of 15-20 players and composed according to his employer’s will. In the early days, he composed mostly instrumental music for Prince Nikolaus’ twice-weekly concerts and the court’s banquet band. Later, when the court’s taste changed, he wrote operas. Perhaps what is most important to remember about Haydn and his style is that his court position allowed him to develop his music in a very craftsman-like way. He did not have the precocious genius of Mozart, but he did have a strong sense of phrasing and form, and a delightful sense of humor which, combined with the opportunity to write a lot of music, allowed him to become an important force in all areas of music. He was not just a prime example of the 18th century; he was also a forward-looking influence on Beethoven and others to follow. Surprisingly, vocal music constitutes fully half of Haydn’s output, and he cultivated sacred vocal music throughout his career. During visits to England in 1791–1792 and 1794–1795, Haydn heard Handel oratorios and became inspired to write a large similar work himself. Composing the work was a profound act of faith for a deeply religious man; he later remarked, “I was never so devout as when I was at work on The Creation; I fell on my knees each day and begged God to give me the strength to finish the work.” He also spent more time on it than any other single composition, from October 1796 to April 1798. In fact, he worked to the point of exhaustion, and collapsed into a period of illness after conducting the premiere. The Creation celebrates the creation of the world as described in the Bible’s Book of Genesis (along with some passages from other books of the Bible) and in Milton’s Paradise Lost. It is structured in three large parts and scored for soprano, tenor, and bass soloists, chorus, and symphonic orchestra. Part 1 covers the First to Fourth Days of Creation—the appearances of light, land, sea, plant life, and the heavens. Part 2 describes the Fifth and Sixth Days—the arrival of animals, birds, fish, and people. Part 3 is devoted to Adam and Eve and further praise of heaven. The overall structure, internal divisions, and style elements clearly reflect Haydn’s respect and admiration for Handel. There is also no doubt that Haydn wanted a big sound for this work. Between the private premieres and the eventual public premiere in 1799, Haydn added extra instrumental parts, eventually bringing the forces to about 60 instrumentalists and 120 singers, though some estimates have suggested even more. The work begins with Haydn’s famous representation of chaos, with mysterious, soft, unresolved sounds in the orchestra. A bass solo describes what happens “in the beginning,” and then the chorus joins, eventually exploding with light and optimism that carries through the rest of Part 1. This moment has created a sensation with audiences since its premiere. A brief tenor recitative tells us that “God saw the light, that it was good,” leading into an aria for the tenor with chorus portraying the defeat of Satan’s host, taken from Paradise Lost, and bringing the First Day to a close. Next, a bass recitative tells of the making of the firmament, the separation of the waters from the land, and the first storms. A soprano solo with chorus then tells of the heavenly hosts praising God and the work of the Second Day. The bass soloist gives a short recitative and then a boisterous aria about the creation of seas, mountains, rivers, and brooks. The soprano describes the creation of plants, and then the tenor introduces the chorus who celebrates the end of the Third Day with a fugue. The tenor announces the Fourth Day, and the orchestra presents a musical sunrise, followed by a moonrise and the creation of the stars in the sky. The chorus then celebrates the end of the Fourth Day (and Part 1 of the oratorio), filled with wonder at God’s handiwork in creating the Earth in all its glory. Part 2 celebrates the arrivals of creatures of the sea, air, and land. It begins with a soprano solo about the birds, with many sound effects of the various species mentioned. Next, the bass soloist welcomes the animals of the sea, beginning with great whales. Harps and a small group of soloists portray angels contemplating the Earth’s beauty, joined later by the chorus to celebrate the end of the Fifth Day. The Sixth Day begins with the bass soloist’s announcement of the living creatures of the land, including the lion, tiger, stag, horse, cattle, sheep, insects, and worms. Haydn’s tone painting for each combines the chorus and orchestra beautifully. A bass solo reflects on all of the glorious things created, but notices something missing: people. The tenor then describes the appearance of Adam and Eve, and the Sixth Day is completed with another meditation from angels, followed by the chorus in all its power and majesty. Part 3 takes place in the Garden of Eden, and narrates the happy first hours of Adam and Eve. Dawn breaks and Eden is peaceful. Adam and Eve walk hand in hand, grateful for all they have received. They sing of their love for each other in a style that sounds quite operatic, and then are warned to refrain from wanting to have or wishing to know more than they should, at the risk of losing all that they have. The final chorus begins with a slow introduction, followed by a double fugue on the words “The praise of the Lord will endure forever,” with passages for the vocal soloists and a final homophonic section that brings this masterpiece to a glorious close. Many feel this is Haydn’s greatest work—this may be debatable, but it is definitely one of his most personal.

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