UMS PRESENTS SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY Michael Tilson Thomas Music Director and Conductor

Thursday Evening, November 13, 2014 at 7:30 Hill Auditorium • Ann Arbor

16th Performance of the 136th Annual Season 136th Annual Choral Union Series

Photo: San Francisco Symphony; photographer: Bill Swerbenski. 3 4 SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY FALL 2014 UMS Symphony No. 7ineminor Gustav Mahler PROGRAM some critics whiledelighting many others. its harmonic innovations and by its bold juxtaposition of extreme characters, puzzling composer’s mostradical and forward-looking work, onethat breaksnew ground both by “enigma” oreven a“stepchild” amongtheMahler symphonies, theSeventh isinfact the by thebattery ofnoiseunleashedby thebrass andpercussion.”Often consideredan the end,our night visionfinelyattuned, we areblindedby adazzlingsunanddeafened to set foot onfirmground, but thisisunderminedby theshadows ofthenight, and at following thumbnail description of In hisimportant Mahlermonograph published in2011,JensMalteFischeroffersthe NOW THAT YOU’RE IN YOUR SEAT… lobby floral art for this evening’s concert. Special thanks to Tom Thompsonof Tom ThompsonFlowers, AnnArbor, for hisgenerous contribution of support of theSanFrancisco Symphony Residency. Special thanks to Emily Avers, Melody Racine, and theU-MSchoolof Music, Theatre &Dance for their evening’s Prelude Dinner. Special thanks to Libby Seidner, U-MSchoolof Music, Theatre &Dance Classof 2015,for speakingatthis Media partnership isprovided by WGTE 91.3FM,WRCJ 90.9 FM,andAnnArbor’s 107one FM. Funded inpartby theNational Endowment for theArts. for Student Experiences. San Francisco Symphony residency activitiessupported by theWallis Cherniack Klein Endowment Fund Endowment supportprovided by theEssel andMenakka Bailey Endowment Fund. This evening's concert willbeperformed withoutintermission. Rondo —Finale: Allegro ordinario —Allegro moderato maenergico Nachtmusik II:Andante amoroso Scherzo: Schattenhaft (Like ashadow) Nachtmusik I:Allegro moderato —Molto moderato (Andante) Slow —Allegro risoluto manontroppo Symphony No.7 : “At the start...the listenerappears

BE PRESENT FALL 2014 5 . Nachtmusik the score in this began Mahler that musics night two these with was It end, 1904. But with summer’s summer of Mahler,for began year busy typically a famous most as Europe’s whose work the occupied him throughout conductor 1905, Mahler season. In June concert residence atheaded back to his summer continue to Wörthersee, the Maiernigg, on He could Symphony. on his Seventh work the composition. into the way find not toDolomites, hoping He took off for the nothing energies, but release his creative he depressed, Profoundly happened. the train from He stepped returned. With the across the lake. and was rowed water, the of the oars into first dipping theme of the “the he recalled later, its its rhythm, (or rather, introduction came to me.”atmosphere) indeed a man possessed, as like worked he forward moment that From gigantic been to bring this have he must if not even under control, structure mid-August. His Latin by finished in detail, Guidomessage to his friend, the musician translation, English In jubilant. was Adler, is finished. I believe it reads: “My Seventh begun and to be auspiciously this work to greetings concluded. Many happily wife. G.M.” also from my and yours, you the first performance, Thinking about York Mahler considered the New be conducting which he would Symphony, soon realizedin the 1907–08 season, but be madness in a city and this would that so little of his music. knew that a country the 60th to celebrate A festival in Prague Franz on the throne of the Emperor year occasion. suitable more a provided Joseph offered a less than first-rate Prague hand, Mahler had on the other orchestra; rehearsal time, and the worshipful ample conductors — among them Artur young and Bruno Otto Klemperer, Bodanzky, the preparations — who attended Walter and third are each called are each and third

in the in the (1905) Symphony No. 7 Symphony

Revolution of 1905: The Imperial Russian Army opens fire Army 1905: The Imperial Russian of Revolution of (Governorate in Tallinn market at a street on a meeting 200 killing 94 and injuring over Estonia), its opens after officially Railway The Trans-Siberian 1904 in July completion relativity on the special theory of works Albert Einstein motion Brownian as the theory of as well Derain, and André Matisse Henri by artists, led Fauvist in Paris d’Automne at the Salon exhibit, first is founded International Rotary Humpolec, Bohemia Humpolec, Mahler began — Mahler to the Swiss critic William Ritter — Mahler to the Swiss movement.” Performance time: about 80 minutes. Performance time: about for the whole, the first As foundation two harps, mandolin, guitar, and strings. harps, two day. the finale, bright pieces; “Three night tambourine, cowbells, low-pitched bells, low-pitched cowbells, tambourine, 1905: OF HISTORY…IN SNAPSHOTS • • • • • cymbals, tam-tam, triangle, glockenspiel, triangle, tam-tam, cymbals, trombones, bass tuba, timpani, bass drum, bass tuba, timpani, trombones, four French horns, three trumpets, three trumpets, horns, three French four bassoons and contrabassoon, tenor horn, bassoons and contrabassoon, B-flat, bass clarinet in A and B-flat, three B-flat, and A in clarinet bass B-flat, clarinet in E-flat, four clarinets in A and clarinets four in E-flat, clarinet flutes), three oboes and English horn, highflutes), three oboes piccolos (doubling second and third second and third piccolos (doubling Orchestration: Four flutes and two two and flutes Four Orchestration: been performed at UMS concert. UMS at been performed UMS premiere: This symphony has never This symphony UMS premiere: Died May 18, 1911 in Vienna Died May Born July 7, 1860 in Kalischt, near in Kalischt, 7, 1860 Born July Gustav MahlerGustav Symphony No. 7 in e minor e minor No. 7 in Symphony themselves symmetrical in that the first in that symmetrical themselves flank three character pieces, which are flank three character movements — both on a large scale — scale — on a large — both movements is symmetrical. The first and last The first and last is symmetrical. William Ritter tells us, the structure William Ritter tells us, the structure page and Mahler’s own summary for for summary own Mahler’s and page middle. As a glance at the program the program middle. As a glance at 6 SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY FALL 2014 UMS The opening ofthe firstof the compressed. Thecoda isfierceandabrupt. The recapitulation has begun.Itistautly us, shockingly, totheslow introduction. theme. Asuddenplungeofviolins returns and anecstatic visionoftheglorious lyric second marchfromfocused toveiled, in allMahler,atransformation ofthe what must bethemostenchanted minute the focalpoint ofthedevelopment comes heard. Moresuchmergeslieahead.At second of the three marches we have climax, tomergeinto themusic of the yearning andverve, risingtoatremendous a highlyinflectedviolinmelodyfull of new key, hebringsina gorgeous theme, expressive possibilities. Settling into a through Bruckner abroadrange of afforded symphonists fromHaydn movement, adheringtothedesignthat main bodyofasonata-allegro the into carries us fromaslow introduction the suggestion of cortege. Here Mahler Theopening ismusic inwhichwe may hearnot onlythestroke ofoars,but also beperceived asClassical. non-narrative character ofthemusic can effect producedby theoutward-pointing, one should addthat the“distancing” If theSeventh isaRomantic symphony, “Song oftheNight”) from night today (itissometimes called TheSeventh isavictory symphony, not apersonalnarrative but ajourney known ofhissymphonies. the concert at Prague. Itisstilltheleast once more,inMunich,afew weeks after himself conductedtheSeventh only respectful thanenthusiastic. Mahler and inPrague thereception wasmore last movements were hardernuts tocrack made theireffectat once;thefirstand The most pragmatic ofcomposer-conductors. of that day’s experience. Hewasalways the every night tomake revisions onthebasis recounted how, refusing allhelp,heused Nachtmusiken . The focus is on nature. Thefocusisonnature. and the “Scherzo” andthe“Scherzo” stroke of cymbals and tam-tam, and then stroke ofcymbals andtam-tam, andthen string figurations collapse, thereisa and sonorous signature oftheSixth. The major falling into minoristheexpressive Major droops into minor.Thissound of more asa that great tragedy-in-music intrudes even they play suchaprominent part. Suddenly suggesting theSixth Symphony, inwhich cowbells becomepart ofthetexture, counter-theme inthewoodwinds. Distant more lusciously scored andwithanew Watch forthereturn ofthistune,even asymmetries andsurprises ofevery kind. closely attended to,itproves tobefull of heard casually,seemsutterlynaïve; many suchthemesby Mahler, thisone, by abroadlyswingingcellotune.Like The initial march theme is succeeded subtilized theissue: Amsterdam friends,both clarifiedand Diepenbrock, alsooneofMahler’s Night Watch been inspiredby Rembrandt’s so-called said that inthismovement Mahler had the Dutch conductor Willem Mengelberg so often inMahler’s music. Inlater years, by that mixofmajor andminorwe find march, part song,given apiquant flavor adumbrated. The theme itself is part presentation ofthethemethat hasbeen orchestra warmingupturnsinto atidy artfully stylizedversionThis ofan octaves calls the proceedings to order. through five-and-a-half downwards and search. A tremendous skid Nachtmusiken it is a march, full of fantastic different every time.What iscertain isthat a patrol. Beyond that hesaidsomething he said himself that he thought of it as [This movement] isawalkat night, and painting onlyasapoint ofcomparison. to depict It isnot true that [Mahler]wanted actually hence theRembrandt parallel. fortissimo , but thecomposer Alphons The Night Watch isaminute ofpreparation trumpet chord ofC . He cited the . He cited the chiaroscuro — BE PRESENT FALL 2014 7 . Mahler he adds he adds r idea turns as a symbol for as a symbol . references occur, for for occur, references Meistersinger Meistersinge Die Meistersinger Die Meistersinger Die Meistersinger instance the chorale to which the prize to which instance the chorale deceptive the and even song is baptized, frequently cadence to which Wagner flowing. the music to keep resorts The movement. is a wild and wonderful This “Finale” uses finale. Other victory a good-humored Meistersinger pointing away, right Ritter understood Again, about? is that But what Wagner quotes Mahler never that out to take Overture “re-begins” the but C-Major triumphant The beyond. far it cliché of kind a itself is “Finale” Fifth Beethoven stemming from the of the Brahms way by and transmitted for more significantly First and, much this context, to of ideas that, to be a whole boxful out builder an adroitly and wittily inventive endless possibilities Mahler, suggest like shuffling and recombining, for combining the city-square music To and reshuffling. of Mahlerized theof part No music. country stomping the while untouched, is map harmonic abandon. in untamed sway rhythms march — the fiery heard for a long time not have we hear music Then we we Or rather, from the first movement. it into to inject hear a series of attempts think the the proceedings. Just as we the drums has been abandoned, attempt and finally the up again, stir everything glory. in theme enters Michael Steinberg. by note Program misunderstand him completely, for for him completely, misunderstand ineptness. for humor mistake to example to be reminded will fail here listeners Few of ,” was a a was schattenhaft begins: Nachtmusik Nachtmusik Nachtmusik Heavy with passion, the violin solo falls, Heavy with tenderness, aswoon a turtledove like a For the chords of the harp. onto down It is one hears only heartbeats. moment moist with soft, a serenade, voluptuously pearly with the dew languor and reverie, from drop by drop tears falling of silvery guitar and mandolin. an orchestra roster for the San Francisco Symphony. the San Francisco for roster an orchestra Please refer to page 15 in your program book for complete artist biographies and artist biographies complete book for program page 15 in your to Please refer movement, the “Scherzo,” is “ the movement, next the for direction Mahler’s ping on the harp. ping on nothing is left but a cello harmonic and acello harmonic a but is left nothing and his temperament, it is possible to it is possible to and his temperament, that, unless you know his language his language know unless you that, near the edge of parody or of irony near the edge of parody or of irony listeners. Sometimes he maneuvers so he maneuvers listeners. Sometimes humor gave trouble to many of his first to many trouble gave humor trills put it on the edge of parody. Mahler’strills put the orchestra in a spirited fanfare whose in a spirited fanfare the orchestra instruments to be roused, and they lead and they to be roused, instruments waken us. Horns and bassoon are the first us. Horns and bassoon are the waken with a thunderous tattoo of drums to to of drums tattoo with a thunderous night scenes comes the brightness of day, scenes comes the brightness night so differentiated these four After harp, create a magical atmosphere. create harp, Those instruments, together with the the with together instruments, Those second a wonderful description of the way the the way of description a wonderful in his understanding of Mahler, gives gives of Mahler, understanding his in William Ritter, nearly alone in his timeWilliam Ritter, nearly that Mahler marks “Andante amoroso.” Mahler marks “Andante that nocturnal patrol, the second is a serenadenocturnal patrol, first The finally to unravel and disintegrate. finally to unravel is consoling — almost. The Scherzo returns,is consoling — almost. out in a ghostly parody of a waltz. The Trio ghostly parody of a waltz. The Trio in a out cobwebs brush the face, and witches step and the face, brush cobwebs note should be. Notes scurry about, about, scurry Notes be. should note strings disagree about what the opening the what about disagree strings rendered as “spectral.” Drums and low and low Drums as “spectral.” rendered literally “like a shadow” but perhaps better perhaps but a shadow” “like literally VICTORIES START HERE.

Kojo Elenitoba-Johnson, M.D., is developing new methods to diagnose blood cancers. UMS PRESENTS SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY Michael Tilson Thomas Music Director and Conductor

Gil Shaham Violin

UMS Choral Union Jerry Blackstone, Music Director

Friday Evening, November 14, 2014 at 8:00 Hill Auditorium • Ann Arbor

17th Performance of the 136th Annual Season 136th Annual Choral Union Series

Image: Set design for Daphnis et Chloé by Léon Bakst. 9 10 SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY FALL 2014 UMS Mephisto Waltz No. 1 Franz Liszt PROGRAM lobby floral art for this evening’s concert. Special thanks to Tom Thompsonof Tom Thompson Flowers, AnnArbor, for hisgenerous contribution of support of theSanFrancisco Symphony Residency. Special thanks to Emily Avers, Melody Racine, andtheU-MSchoolof Music, Theatre &Dance for their Media partnership isprovided by WGTE 91.3FM, WRCJ 90.9 FM,andAnnArbor’s 107one FM. Funded inpart by agrant from theNational Endowment for theArts. for Student Experiences. San Francisco Symphony residency activitiessupported by the Wallis Cherniack Klein Endowment Fund This evening’s performance issponsored by theUniversity of MichiganHealth System. Daphnis etChloé Maurice Ravel INTERMISSION Violin Concerto No. 2ingminor, Op.63 Sergei Prokofiev Jerry Blackstone, UMS Choral Union Mr. Shaham Allegro benmarcato Andante assai Allegro moderato Music Director BE PRESENT FALL 2014 11 . Mephisto Mephisto , subtitled Nocturnal Mephisto Waltz Mephisto in its original form original its in , the first being among . Almost immediately, and. Almost immediately, . Liszt added two more more Liszt added two . Faust ; the other being the brilliantly; the other …. As for Prokofiev, we know he know we …. As for Prokofiev, Dance in the Village Inn Mephisto Waltz Mephisto may have had some impact on the music on impact had some have may Christians and Druzes clash in Damascus, Syria clash in Damascus, Christians and Druzes to secede state the first becomes South Carolina Union States the United from by in Chicago is founded College Augustana immigrants Scandinavian and caesium Wilhelm Bunsen discovers Robert rubidium as the British also known The Open Championship, Golf time at Prestwick the first for Open, is played Scotland in Ayrshire, Club La Valse (Properly speaking, this is the (Properly 1 No. Waltz Mephisto Waltz Mephisto of generations many of now delight the to Liszt made a pianopianist and audiences, of the transcription SNAPSHOTS OF HISTORY…IN 1860: OF HISTORY…IN SNAPSHOTS • • • • • The piece. It is one of a pair is an orchestral Episodes written in 1860 called Two from Lenau’s and mysterious, Liszt’s most visionary, works, non-popular predictably Procession vivid (1926), written for Diaghilev, may very well very may (1926), written for Diaghilev, (1928). (1901) picked up where Liszt had left off withhad left up where Liszt (1901) picked Daphnis Boléro (1877). One wonders whether Ravel had the had the Ravel whether (1877). One wonders Jeux d’eau Jeux Le Pas d’acier Le Pas (1860) is boring and amorphous — it makes you sleepy when it’s being poetic and poetic when it’s being sleepy you — it makes amorphous is boring and rhythms; thus even the “boring” even thus rhythms; Daphnis at the back of his mind when he wrote of his mind when he wrote the back at

Austro-Hungarian Empire Les jeux d’eau à la Villa d’Este d’eau Les jeux Waltz Liszt. Ravel’s early piano piece Liszt. Ravel’s Franz of the music admired and Ravel Prokofiev both of piano music, As composers program are connected by some subtle, yet tangible links. yet some subtle, are connected by program Representing two centuries and three countries, then, the three composers on tonight’s then, the three composers and three countries, centuries two Representing liked Liszt’s piano concertos, occasional echoes of which may be found in his own works. in his own be found occasional echoes of which may piano concertos, Liszt’s liked have been an inspiration for Ravel’s for Ravel’s an inspiration been have around, as Prokofiev’s ballet ballet as Prokofiev’s around, of the young iconoclast. According to one scholar, the influence also worked the other wayother the also worked influence to one scholar, the According iconoclast. the young of Performance time: about 12 minutes. Performance time: about cymbals, triangle, harp, and strings. triangle, harp, cymbals, (two tenors and one bass), tuba, timpani,(two horns, two trumpets, three trombones three trombones trumpets, horns, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four bassoons, four two clarinets, two oboes, Orchestration: Two flutes and piccolo, two Two Orchestration: Festival, May 1921 in Hill Auditorium. May Festival, of Frederick Stock, 28th Annual May May 28th Annual Stock, of Frederick Symphony Orchestra under the baton under the baton Orchestra Symphony orchestral performance by the Chicago performance by orchestral by Liszt, January 1902 in University Hall; 1902 in University Liszt, January by performance of the piano transcription performance of the piano transcription UMS premiere: Harold Bauer in in UMS premiere: Harold Bauer Died July 31, 1886 in Bayreuth, Germany Died July 31, 1886 in Bayreuth, Born October 22, 1811 in Raiding, in the Born October Mephisto Waltz No. 1 Waltz Mephisto Liszt Franz ostinato there are some definite points of contact between the two as both were fond of mechanical were both as the two between of contact points there are some definite years removed from each other, stylistically as well as temperamentally. Nevertheless, Nevertheless, as temperamentally. stylistically as well from each other, removed years died in 1937. Prokofiev’s ambivalence is understandable since he and Ravel were light- were he and Ravel since is understandable ambivalence died in 1937. Prokofiev’s knows what he’s doing,” and published a moving obituary in a Russian journal when Ravel in a Russian journal obituary a moving doing,” and published he’s what knows his older contemporary; in the 1920s he declared that “Ravel is the only one in France whoFrance only one in the is “Ravel that declared he 1920s in the contemporary; older his makes you laugh when there’s drama and movement.” Later, he became much kinder to kinder much he became Later, and movement.” there’s drama when laugh you makes 1913: “ 22-year-old Prokofiev wrote to his best friend, composer Nikolai Miaskovsky, on June 24, on June Miaskovsky, Nikolai best friend, composer to his wrote Prokofiev 22-year-old Having recently seen several performances of Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes in Paris, the in Russes Ballets Diaghilev’s of performances several seen recently Having NOW THAT YOU’RE IN YOUR SEAT… IN YOUR YOU’RE THAT NOW 12 SAN FRANCISCO SYMPHONY FALL 2014 UMS Program note by MichaelSteinberg. ocean oflustswallows them). das Wonnenmeer Lenau: “… rarely heard, andillustrating alinefrom provided analternative ending,quiet and nightingale, andaturbulent close.Liszt of astarlitnight withthevoice ofthe abandon amongthedancers,glimpses the violintomake themusic hotter, wild Mephisto cometoaninn,Mephisto seizes waltz is easily apprehended. Faust and also from1883.)Thesceneinthefirst in 1885.Thereiseven a of hislate works; hesketched afourth especially beingoneofthemoststunning Mephisto Performance time: about 26minutes. bass drum, andstrings. castanets, triangle,snaredrum, cymbals, bassoons, two horns,two trumpets, flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two the score calls for an orchestra of two Orchestration: In addition to solo violin, Festival, May 1959inHillAuditorium. baton ofThorJohnson,66thAnnual May with violinsoloistSidney Harth underthe UMS premiere: Philadelphia Orchestra and EnriqueFernández Arbós conducting. Madrid withRobert Soetens asthesoloist First performance:December 1,1935in Died March5,1953inNikolina Gora nearMoscow Born April23,1891inSontsovka (now Sergei Prokofiev Violin Concerto No.2ingminor, (Dniepropetrovsk), inUkraine Krasnoye), Government ofEkaterinoslav Op. 63 (1935) waltzesin1881and1883, und brausend verschlingt sie ” (…and the surge of the ” (…andthesurgeof Mephisto Polka No. 3 ,

and Juliet who find their ideal Prokofiev in There aredifferent Prokofievs. People • • • • • SNAPSHOTS OFHISTORY…IN 1935: into thesketches forthe and Juliet imagine a page from one of the one sosweetly lyric that we could almost music slows slightly foranew melody, play withfragments ofthistheme, the basses by half a measure. After further with theviolintrailing thecellosand Prokofiev lets us hearitasacanon It isaversatile theme,andvery soon basses, two octaves apart—is austere. orchestral sound—just muted violas and simple matter foreight measures The g-minor chord,ruminating onthisvery alone, playing aslightly elaborated Prokofiev is understand that thosewhosefavorite unpleasantly scratchy. Onecanalso material he requires forthis movement: two ideasprovide Prokofiev withallthe The violinistbeginsthe characteristics live together convincingly. Concerto No.2 course indifferent balances.The All arepresent allthetime,although of classical, modern,motoric, andlyrical. work four “basiclines,”whichhecalled way. He himself recognized in his life in hisconcernnot torub thewrong can even seemdownright self-conscious later years intheSoviet Union,whenhe less inclinedtohumor comesfromhis style, painted withabroaderbrush, and of hismusic that ismoremellifluous in music comesfromhisearlieryears; most of his sharp-edged and fairly dissonant disappointed inthefamous Fifth. More his lastcareer game Eventual BaseballHall of Famer BabeRuth appears in Administration (WPA) intheUS Executive Order 7034 creates theWorks Progress Joseph StalinopenstheMoscow Metro to thepublic Persia isrenamed Iran The Nuremberg Lawsgointo effect inGermany may well find notebooks had found itsway Symphony No.2 is a work in which these isawork inwhichthese The Fiery Angel The Fiery Angel Concerto might be Concerto Romeo Romeo Romeo Romeo . These . These Violin Violin