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Cal Performances Presents

Sunday, October 26, 2008, 7pm Zellerbach Hall Jerusalem Symphony , IBA , Musical Director & Conductor

with Robert McDuffie, violin

PROGRAM

Ernst Toch (1887–1964) Big Ben, Variation Fantasy on the Westminster Chimes, Op. 62 (1934)

Miklós Rózsa (1907–1995) Violin , Op. 24 (1953–1954) Robert McDuffie, violin Allegro Lento cantabile Allegro vivace

INTERMISSION

Aaron Copland (1900–1990) Symphony No. 3 (1944–1946) Molto moderato Allegro molto Andantino quasi allegretto Molto deliberator — Allegro risoluto

Program subject to change.

The 2008 U.S. tour of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra is made possible by Stewart and Lynda Resnick, El Al Airlines and Friends of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra.

Cal Performances’ 2008–2009 season is sponsored by Wells Fargo Bank.

CAL PERFORMANCES 19 Orchestra Roster Orchestra Roster

Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, IBA

Leon Botstein, Musical Director & Conductor Bass Clarinet Tuba Sigal Hechtlinger Guy Hardan, Principal

Violin I Bassoon Timpani Jenny Hunigen, Concertmaster Irit Assayas, Principal Richard Paley, Principal Yoav Lifshitz, Principal Ayuni Anna Paul, Concertmaster Ina-Esther Joost Ben Sassoon, Principal Alexander Fine, Assistant Principal Yuri Glukhovsky, Assistant Concertmaster Oleg Stolpner, Assistant Principal Barbara Schmutzler Percussion Marina Schwartz Boris Mihanovski Merav Askayo, Principal Vitali Remenuik Yaghi Malka Peled Contrabassoon Mitsunori Kambe Olga Fabricant Emilya Kazewman Rivkin Barbara Schmutzler Yonathan Givoni Michael Schvartzman Tzalel Mendelson Tom Betzalel Bea Sharon-Chrishan Corneliu Faur Horn Erez Meshiah Eduard Kosovich Lilya Kvartich-Flaksman Eyal Vilner, Principal Yevgeny Voskoboynikov Tomer Yosha Kyle Hoyt, Assistant Principal Harp Fradiana Tsaliovich Stephen Slater Zinaida Suchobak Inna Tilis Benjamin Greenberg Rivka Arki Amar Albert Gantman Eitan Reich, Assistant Principal Aaron Korn Elina Gurevich Vladimir Rivkin Librarian Uri Arbel Trumpet Olga Stolpner Violin II Lahav Shany Dmitri Levitas, Principal Victor Salomon, Principal David Tenenbaum Richard Berlin, Assistant Principal Personnel Assistant Elina Yanovitsky, Principal Nadav Lachish Rhona Brosch Carmen Lehner Vitali Ostrowsky, Assistant Principal Matan Gurevitz Eduard Kuskin Raphael Rivkin Ron Merhavi Administration Mark Bardenstein Trombone Haim Shaham, General Manager Eleonora Spichko Flute Shahar Livne Ziva Almagor, Production Manager Michael Tsinkin Noam Buchman, Principal Roman Krasner Chaim Oz, Stage Manager Adrian Bugichi Rami Tal, Assistant Principal AlIa Skurkovich Vladimir Silva Bass Trombone Lehner Carmen Hagit Parnes Shai Nissenboim Guberman Polina Emma Milman Yehudin Piccolo Vladimir Silva Viola Richard Assayas, Principal Amos Boasson, Principal Demetrios Karamintzas, Principal Sightlines Michael Damian, Assistant Principal Ronald Engel, Assistant Principal Michael Ferdman Roni Gal-Ed, Assistant Principal Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra Moshe Lifshitz Sunday, October 26, 2008, 6–6:30pm Mark Lotkin Clarinet Zellerbach Hall Alexander Tumarison Gershon Dembinsky, Principal Pre-performance talk by Professor Beth Levy, UC Davis Department of Music. Vaclav Ioffe Victor Berlin, Assistant Principal Alex Shoihet Sigal Hechtlinger Doron Alperin Ido Azrad

20 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 21 Program Notes Program Notes

Ernst Toch (1887–1964) Miklós Rózsa (1907–1995) Big Ben, Variation Fantasy on the Westminster Chimes, Op. 62 (1934) , Op. 24 (1953–1954)

Miklós Rózsa is probably best known for his film tour. When six months went by without another Educated at the famed Vienna Conservatory, Ernst Southern California, where he composed music. Born in 1907 to a wealthy father and con- word from the violinist, Rózsa lost hope that he Toch had great successes early in his career. He be- seven symphonies largely in the late Romantic style cert pianist mother, he began his composing career would work with him. Eventually, Heifetz called gan teaching at the Mannheim Hochschule für of his early compositions. at the age of seven. Like his mother’s classmate Rózsa, and the composer thought that it was a Musik in 1913 after a period of study in Frankfurt The Big Ben Variations is necessarily one of from the Budapest Academy, Béla Bartók, Rózsa friend playing a practical joke on him, saying, “If and receiving the Mozart prize. Toch served with Toch’s more tonal works, having been built on the had a lifelong interest in traditional Hungarian you’re Heifetz, I’m Mozart!” Fortunately for all of the Austrian army during World War I, and his well-known four-pitch theme of E–C–D–G. The folk music. us, the composer did recover from the most embar- compositions after that were tinged with his expe- work is remarkable in how the chime theme is so Following his formal musical education at the rassing moment of his career. riences of war. His pre-war works were clearly in well hidden in the texture, chromatic Conservatory, his works were being pub- He then collaborated with the great violin- the vein of Brahms, where his post-war works took melodies and and even in the timpani. lished by Bretikopf & Härtel. He moved to Paris ist to fine tune the violin part. The concerto was a starkly new direction. This new direction gave At one point, the theme is woven into an almost in 1931, where he completed his Theme, Variations later adapted for the 1970 film, The Private Life of him prominence in the European avant-garde mu- 12-tone fugue, and one historian even compared it and Finale, earning him international fame. In Sherlock Holmes. The film’s director, Billy Wilder, sical style, and his contribution to Gebrauchsmusik, to a musical version of “Where’s Waldo?” 1937 and 1938, Rózsa was awarded the Franz is said to have been inspired by the concerto and a popular new technique in the late 1920s and Toch’s grandson, writer Lawrence Weschler, Joseph Prize from Budapest in honor of his musi- based his plot on it. This is actually in opposition 1930s, was his 1930 Fuge aus der Geographie for relates that his grandmother loved to tell the story cal achievements. to what Rózsa claimed in his memoirs, Double Life, speaking chorus. of the night before they sailed to America. Toch He began his film composing career though in which he wrote: “My ‘public’ career as composer While Toch and were rep- spent that evening out on the streets of London his friend , and between 1935 for films ran alongside my ‘private’ development as resenting Germany at the Maggio Musicale in with his music paper to take down the exact, 60- and 1939 found himself going back and forth be- composer for myself, or at least for nonutilitarian Florence, Hitler seized power. Toch decided to flee note theme. A passing constable found him very tween Paris and London while composing music purposes: two parallel lines, and in the interests the country at that time and went to Paris. There suspiciously scribbling in the strange notebook, for London-based films. In 1940, his film-scoring of both my concern has always been to prevent was little work for him there, making it necessary and thought he might be a spy. career landed him in Hollywood, where he became their meeting.” for him to move further on to London. Under Toch, himself, wrote about the work: a staff member at MGM. While writing scores The concerto is in the traditional three move- the influence of Berthold Viertel and Elisabeth for more than 100 films, he maintained a busy ments, opening with an Allegro that introduces the Bergner, he was able to begin writing music for the The suggestion for the Big Ben Variations schedule teaching film music at the University of theme that is at once a technical feat and at the cinema, composing for three films in 1934. A year came to me during my stay in London dur- Southern California from 1945 to 1965. same time romantic. The violin is clearly in charge later, an invitation to join the faculty of the New ing the winter of 1933–34. Once, on a foggy Magyar and Hungarian folk music play an im- in this gypsy-influenced movement with the - or School for Social Research—or the “University night, while I was crossing the Westminster portant role in Rózsa’s music. It is permeated with chestra taking a very subservient role. The second in Exile,” as the many emigrants who were drawn Bridge, the familiar chimes struck the full pentatonic and modal sounds from his native land. movement, Lento cantabile brings the orchestra to to it called it—brought him to New York. It was hour. The theme lingered in my mind for It is punctuated by the vitality of Hungarian a more prominent role sharing the elegant gypsy during that voyage that Toch composed one of his a long while and evolved into other forms, rhythms and the lyricism of gypsy folk songs. serenade with the violin. The work closes with a most enduringly popular works: Big Ben, Variation always somehow connected with the origi- While scoring the film Quo Vadis, he had his lively Allegro vivace that is a technical tour de force Fantasy on the Westminster Chimes, Op. 62, as a nal one. It led my imagination through the first experience in . This engendered a life- for the violin. tribute to his time in London. vicissitudes of life, through joy, humor and long love of Italy, where for many years he would The work was premiered on January 15, 1956, Toch continued his career in film scoring, sorrow, through conviviality and solitude, spend his summers in Santa Margherita Ligure, with Jascha Heifetz as the soloist and Walter Hendl netting three separate nominations for Academy through the serenity of forest and grove, near Rapallo and Portofino. The Violin Concerto, the Dallas Symphony. At the conclu- Awards, and moved to southern California, be- the din of rustic dance, and the calm of Op. 24, was written in only six weeks during the sion of the performance, Heifetz called Rózsa to coming an American citizen in 1940. He had worship at the shrine; through all these im- summer of 1953 for Jascha Heifetz. He had origi- the stage where they were greeted with a standing hoped to continue his work in the avant-garde ages the intricate summons of the quarterly nally contacted Heifetz about the concerto through ovation. The concerto was received by the critics vein, but found that the studios rejected his ideas. fragments meandered in some way, some the violinist’s accompanist, and was told by the with rave reviews. Heifetz recorded the concerto He always felt frustrated that American audiences disguise, some integration; until after a great violinist to write a movement that he could with the Dallas Symphony and Hendl that same never accepted his non-film music. His music be- last radiant rose of the full hour, the dear look at to determine whether he would work with year, and for many years it remained the standard came to modern for American audiences and too theme, like the real chimes themselves that him. After receiving the work, Heifetz let him know of performance for the work. Rózsa, himself, con- old fashioned for his former audiences in Europe. accompanied my lonely walk, vanished that he liked it and would get back to him in four ducted the concerto several times, always adhering Toch ended his career teaching at the University of into the fog from which it had emerged. weeks, when he returned from his current concert to the tempos established by Heifetz.

22 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 23 Program Notes Program Notes

Aaron Copland (1900–1990) composed in the general form of an arch, to either folk material or in this work Symphony No. 3 (1944–1946) in which the central portion, that is the was purely unconscious. However, I do second-movement scherzo, is the most ani- borrow from myself by using Fanfare for Aaron Copland considered himself “a good citi- its musical material from previous works, most mated, and the final movement is an- ex the Common Man in an expanded and re- zen of the Republic of Music.” Indeed, he has importantly the Fanfare for the Common Man. It tended coda, presenting a broadened ver- shaped form in the final movement. I used often been called “the dean of American music”; extracts styles that are as diverse as the previous sion of the opening material. Both the first this opportunity to carry the Fanfare mate- throughout his life, not only did he endeavor to works: lyricism found in Appalachian Spring, lively and third themes in the first movement rial further and to satisfy my desire to give recognize and encourage young composers in their rhythmic patterns found in the ballets and Latin are referred to again in later movements. the Third Symphony an affirmative tone. artistic efforts, but he was also an indefatigable American rhythms explored in El Salón México. The second movement stays close to the After all, it was a wartime piece—or more instigator and coordinator of musical activity. To The symphony opens with a Molto moderato normal symphonic procedure of a usual accurately, an end-of-war piece—intended this we must add, of course, the fact that he is ac- movement that departs from the traditional sym- scherzo, while the third is freest of all in to reflect the euphoric spirit of the country knowledged the world over as perhaps the most phonic model in that it is not a sonata-allegro formal structure, built up sectionally with at the time. It is an ambitious score, often prominent and successful American composer of movement. A simple woodwind melody gradu- its various sections intended to emerge one compared to Mahler and to Shostakovich his generation, as many of his works have become ally builds until the first hints of the Fanfare for from the other in continuous flow, some- and sometimes Prokofiev, particularly the staples in the repertoire of contemporary American the Common Man theme is heard in the brass. The what in the manner of a closely knit series second movement. As a longtime admirer music. To quote music writer Orin Howard: “The movement then winds back down to the quiet sim- of variations. Some of the writing in the of Mahler, some of my music may show his broad success of America’s Aaron Copland has in plicity of the opening until the timpani disturbs third movement is for very high strings influence in a general way, but I was not large part been the result of the appeal and accessi- the peace and introducing the second movement: a and piccolo, with no brass except single aware of being directly influenced by other bility of Aaron Copland’s Americana. Like untold scherzo marked Allegro molto. horn and trumpet. It leads directly into composers when writing the work. numbers of composers before him, Copland ap- The second movement is full of the dance the final and longest of the movements: propriated familiar folk tunes, placed them in the themes and rhythms from Copland’s most popular the fourth is closest to a customary sonata- The Third Symphony was commissioned by context of a large design, put his personal stamp ballets. Although it does calm to a more pastoral allegro form, although the recapitulation is , and premiered by him with upon them, surrounded them with original music center section, the exuberance of the scherzo closes replaced by an extended coda, presenting the Boston Symphony on October 18, 1946. It re- having the same folk-like character, and ended by the movement. The materials for this movement many ideas from the work, including the ceived the New York Music Critics’ Circle Prize as ‘inventing’ a folklore that seems for all the world to are all themes culled from the first movement. opening theme. the best orchestral work by an American composer be the genuine article.” This flair for an “authentic” The third movement, Andantino quasi allegret- One aspect of the Third Symphony played during the 1946–1947 season. American sound can be heard in his three master- to, develops the last theme of the first movement ought to be pointed out: it contains no ful ballets Appalachian Spring, Rodeo and Billy the in a poignant and earnest manner. This movement folk or popular material. Any reference © 2008 Elizabeth Ely Torres Kid, as well as in the Symphony No. 3 and the op- goes directly into the fourth movement, which is era The Tender Land, among too many other works very much based on his famous fanfare and marked to enumerate. Molto deliberator—Allegro risoluto. Copland also commented on the symphony: Copland supplied the commentary for this fa- “The Third Symphony has come to be viewed as mous work: something of an anomaly, standing between my abstract works and the more accessible ballet and In the program book for the first perfor- film music. The fourth-movement finale is perhaps mance, I pointed out that the writing of the clearest example of this fusion of styles. I, my- a symphony inevitably brings with it the self, have thought of this piece as being closest in questions of what it is meant to express. As I feeling to the Symphonic Ode, at least in intention: a wrote at the time, if I forced myself, I could full orchestral work for the concert hall that makes invent an ideological basis for the Third a serious statement. Personally, I am satisfied that Symphony. But if I did, I’d be bluffing— my Third Symphony stands for what I wanted to or at any rate, adding something ex post say at the time. The musical ideas that came to me facto, something that might or might not (or that I chose) were appropriate for the particular be true but that played no role at the mo- purpose of the work.” ment of creation. The Symphony No. 3 is written in the tradi- The Third Symphony, my longest- or tional four movements. It was his last composi- chestral work (about 40 minutes in dura- tion in this form. The symphony draws much of tion), is scored for a big orchestra. It was

24 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 25 About the Artists About the Artists

TheJerusalem Symphony Orchestra (JSO) was throughout the . He is also the Robert McDuffie has appeared as soloist with ’s Serenade with the Jerusalem founded in the 1940s as the national radio orches- founder and co-artistic director of the Bard Music most of the major of the world, including Symphony in Israel and on a 16-city U.S. tour. tra and was known as the “Kol Israel Orchestra.” Festival. Since 1975, he has been president of Bard the New York and philharmonics, the Future engagements include the premiere of The In the 1970s, the orchestra expanded and be- College in New York. , , Atlanta, , Utah, American Four Seasons, a new work by came the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra, Israel A recording of ’s opera, Ariane et St. Louis, and symphonies, the written for Mr. McDuffie—the North American Broadcasting Authority (IBA). Since its inception, Barbebleue, with the BBC Symphony was recently , and orchestras, premiere with the Toronto Symphony, the the orchestra has had six musical directors: Mendi released by Telarc. Maestro Botstein conducted the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, the North European premiere with the London Philharmonic Rodan, Lukas Foss, Gary Bertini, Lawrence Foster, this opera at Opera in 2005. German Radio Orchestra, the Frankfurt Radio and the festival premiere in Aspen. He will tour David Shallon and, from 2003, Leon Botstein. Soon to be released is ’s Symphony Orchestra, the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Europe, North America and Asia, pairing it with Since its inauguration, the JSO’s repertoire has No. 1 with NDR-Hamburg on the CPO label. Bremen, Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala, Santa Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. He will record both works comprised an exciting combination of the master- Maestro Botstein also recently conducted the BBC Cecilia Orchestra of Rome, Orquesta Sinfonica for Telarc. pieces of the past and the most exciting musical Symphony in a gala concert on Armistice Day at the Nacional de Mexico, and all of the major orches- Mr. McDuffie is a Grammy Award-nominated compositions written in our generation. The or- of ’s World Requiem, tras of Australia. artist whose acclaimed Telarc recordings include chestra was the first to perform in Israel the works which was recorded live for Chandos. This fall, he His recent appearances abroad have been the violin of Mendelssohn, Bruch, of Sofia Gubaidulina, Henri Dutilleux, Alfred leads the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra in a tour at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam with the Adams, Glass, Barber and Rózsa, and Viennese fa- Schnittke and others. The JSO has always encour- of the U.S. West Coast, following 2006’s trium- Netherlands Radio Philharmonic, in with vorites. He plays a 1735 Guarneri del Gesu violin, aged Israeli composers by commissioning and phant tour of the East Coast. the Orchestre National Bordeaux Aquetaine, at known as the “Ladenburg.” He has been profiled performing their works. Its current composer in In addition to a demanding schedule as a guest the Philharmonie in Cologne with the Bochum on NBC’s Today, CBS Sunday Morning, PBS’s residence is Betty Olivero. conductor, Maestro Botstein has also made a num- Symphoniker, in Seoul with the KBS Symphony, Charlie Rose, A&E’s Breakfast with the Arts and in The JSO presents four concert series every sea- ber of important recordings of works by Chausson, in Taipei with the National Symphony Orchestra and . son: the Musical Discoveries Series features both Copland, Sessions, Perle, Dohnányi, Liszt, of Taiwan, in Hamburg with the Hamburg Robert McDuffie is Distinguished University masterpieces and rare works by 19th- and 20th- Bruckner, Bartók, Hartmann, Reger, Glière and Symphony, followed by a 22-city U.S. tour, and Professor of Music at , in his century composers. This series is conducted by Szymanowski for such labels as Telarc, New World with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. He hometown of Macon, . The Robert Maestro Botstein and may be heard throughout Records, Bridge, Koch and Arabeseque. With the returns to Rome each June as the Co-Founder and McDuffie Center for Strings at Mercer University the United States on public and classical radio sta- American Symphony Orchestra, he has recorded Artistic Director of the Rome had its official opening at the beginning of the tions. The orchestra also offers the more traditional live performances of two operas by Richard Strauss: Festival. The Mayor of Rome has recently awarded 2007–2008 academic year. He lives in New York Classical Series; the Oratorios Series, in collabora- Die ägyptische Helena with and Die Mr. McDuffie the prestigious Premio Simpatia in with his wife and two children. tion with the Israeli Opera Tel Aviv-Yaffo; and the Liebe der Danae with Lauren Flanigan; a record- honor of his contribution to the cultural life of Do Re Mix Series, for children and their families. ing of Copland, Sessions, Perle and Rands; and that city. The orchestra also performs each year during the discs of Dohnányi, Brahms and Joachim, among Besides celebrating the fifth anniversary of Tour Direction Israel Festival. It participated in the International others. His recording with the London Symphony the Rome Chamber Music Festival this last sum- Columbia Artists Management LLC Opera Festival in the Roman amphitheater in Orchestra of ’s epic Symphony No. 1 mer, Mr. McDuffie returned to the Aspen Music Tim Fox & Sara Overgaard Cæsarea: In May 2000, the orchestra performed and Shostakovich’s Theme and Variations, Op. 3, Festival, took part in the Brevard Music Festival, 1790 Broadway Turandot by Puccini and in June 2001 took part in received a Grammy Award nomination in the the Amelia Island Festival, played the Tchaikovsky New York, New York 10019 a production of La Forza del Destino by Verdi. category of Best Orchestral Performance. Among Concerto with the Atlanta Symphony in Encore The Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra has of- the orchestras with which he has performed are Park and performed with the Orquesta Sinfónica Management for Leon Botstein and Robert McDuffie ten toured Europe and the United States, and has the BBC Symphony, London Symphony, London de Mineria in Mexico City. Columbia Artists Management LLC played in some of the world’s most prestigious ven- Philharmonic, NDR-Hamburg, NDR-Hannover, His 2008–2009 season is highlighted by per- Personal Direction: Tim Fox ues, among them in Vienna, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, St. Petersburg formances of Miklós Rózsa’s Violin Concerto and www.cami.com Luzerne and New York. The orchestra also records Philharmonic, Budapest Festival Orchestra and regularly. Its next major recording project is a CD Teatro Real in Madrid. for the Milken Archive of Jewish Music. Maestro Botstein is the editor of The Musical Quarterly and the author of numerous articles and Leon Botstein is Music Director and Principal books. For his contributions to music, he has re- Conductor of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra ceived the award of the American Academy of Arts and the American Symphony Orchestra in New and Letters and ’s prestigious York. Radio broadcasts of Maestro Botstein’s con- Centennial Award, as well as the Cross of Honor, certs with the JSO may be heard in syndication First Class, from the government of Austria.

26 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 27