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Boston Symphony Orchestra Concert Programs, Season 36,1916 SANDERS THEATRE . CAMBRIDGE HARVARD UNIVERSITY T3 Thirty-sixth Season, 1916-1917 Dr. KARL MUCK, Conductor ,iiiiinn WITH HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE NOTES BY PHILIP HALE THURSDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 9 AT 8.00 COPYRIGHT, 1916, BY C.A.ELLIS PUBLISHED BY C. A. ELLIS, MANAGER The ideal of the Steinway Piano is a beautiful voice. The work of the Steinway family is to create a sensitive but permanent vehicle for its expression. "The Steinway realization means the eleva- tion and furtherance of the great art of music. Their field is the world and mankind is the beneficiary. Rarely have men had such in- spiration and more rarely have they risen to the heights or possessed such unobscured and prophetic vision of the intellectual needs." STEINWAY HALL 107-109 East 14th Street, New York Subway Express Station at the Door Represented by the Foremost Dealers Everywhere . Thirty-sixth Season, 1916-1917 Dr. KARL MUCK, Conductor PERSONNEL YlOLIXS Witek, A. Roth, 0. Rissland, K. Theodorowicz. J. Concert-master. Hoffmann, J. Schmidt, E. Bak, A. Noack, S. Mahn, F. Ribarsch, A. Goldstein, H. Sauvlet, H. Tak, E. ' Traupe, W. Baraniecki, A. Griinberg, M: Habenicht, W. Fiedler, B. Berger, H. Goldstein, S. Fiumara, P. Spoor, S. Siilzen, H. Fiedler, A. Gerardi, A. Pinfield, C. Gewirtz, J. Kurth, R. Gunderson, R. Rosen, S. Violas. Ferir, E. Werner, H. Gietzen, A. v.Veen, H. Wittmann, F. Schwerley, P. Berlin, W. Kautzenbach, W. Van Wynbergen, C. Blumenau. W. Violoncellos. Warnke, H. Keller, J. Barth, C. Belinski, M. Steinke, B. Malkin, Nagel, R. Nast, L. J. Folgmann, E. Warnke, J. Basses. Kunze, M. Agnesy, K. Seydel, T. Ludwig, 0. Gerhardt, G. Jaeger, A. Huber, E. Schurig, R. Flutes. Oboes. Clarinets. Bassoons. Maquarre, A. Longy, G. Sand, A. Mosbach, J. Brooke, A. Lenom, C. Mimart, P. Mueller, E. de Mailly, C. Stanislaus, H. Vannini, A. Piller, B. Battles, A. English Horn. Bass Clarinet. Contra-Bassoon Mueller, F. Stumpf, K. Fuhrmann, M. Horns. Horns. Trumpets. Troalbones. Wendler, G. Jaenicke, B • Heim, G. AUoo, M. Lorbeer, H. Miersch, E Mann, J. Belgiorno, S. Hain, F. Hess, M. Xappi, G. Mausebach, A. Resch, A. Hiibner, E. Kloepfel, L. Kenfield, L. Tuba. Harps. Tympani. Percussion. Mattersteig, P. Holy, A. Neumann, S. Zahn, F. Gardner, C. Cella, T. Kandler, F. Burkhardt. H. Organ. LIBRARL4N. Assistant Librarla.n Marshall, P. Sauerquell, J. J. Rogers, L. J. it is ike heaiitijtil tone 1 ' Jt of these instruments thai kas given them world-wide celebrit>oolt is that eel' -ebritx insured by the high ' 'HPlw -est quality oj -workman I III ^HSJt ; -ship and Jiriisk that leads 1 ^rai?: ! the purchaser to pay ckeerjttlly ike somewhat w ^il higher price asked for them 1 SANDERS THEATRE CAMBRIDGE HARVARD UNIVERSITY Thirty-sixth Season, 1916-1917 Dr. KARL MUCK, Conductor SECOND CONCERT THURSDAY EVENING, NOVEMBER 9 AT 8.00 PROGRAMME Chausson Symphony in B -flat major, Op. 20 I. Lent: Allegro vivo. II. Tres lent. III. Anime. Rinaldo di Capua Recitative, "Chi mai senti," and Aria, "Dal sen del caro sposo," from "Vologesco re de' Parti" Beethoven . Overture: Grand Fugue (now free, now strict), B-fLat major, Op. 133 First time at these concerts R. Strauss Three Songs with Orchestra a. "Morgen," Op. 27, No. 4 b. "Die Nacht" ("Night"), Op. 10, No. 3 c. "Secret Invitation," Op. 27, No. 3 Liszt "Mazeppa": Symphonic Poem No. 6, for Full Orchestra (after Victor Hugo) SOLOIST SUSAN MILLAR There will be an intermission of ten minutes after the symphony The length of this programme is one hour and fifty-five minutes 5 Symphony in B-fxat, Op. 20 , . Ernest Chausson (Born at Paris in 1855; killed at Limay by a bicycle accident, June 10, 1899.) This symphony, completed, if not wholly written, in 1890, was per- formed for the first time at a concert of the Societe Nationale, Paris, April 18, 1 89 1, and again at its concert on April 30, 1892; but it was first "revealed to the Parisian public"—to quote the phrase of Mr. Pierre de Breville—at a concert of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, led by Mr. Nikisch, at the Cirque d'Hiver, Paris, on May 13, 1897. In 1897 it was performed at an Ysaye concert in Brussels (January 10). The first performance of the symphony in this country was by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Vincent d'Indy conductor by invita- tion, at Philadelphia, December 4, 1905. The first performance in Boston was at a concert of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Mr. Gericke conductor, January 19, 1906. The symphony, dedicated to Henry Lerolle, is scored for three flutes (one interchangeable with piccolo), two oboes, one English horn, two clarinets, one bass clarinet, three bassoons, four horns, four trumpets, three trombones, one bass tuba, a set of three kettledrums, two harps, and strings. It is in three movements. The following sketch is, in large measure, a paraphrase of an article written by Stephane Risvaeg. I. Lent, B-flat, 4-4. An introduction in a broad and severe style begins with a clearly defined figure in unison (violas, 'cellos, double- basses, clarinet, horn). The composer establishes at once the mood, and announces the leading motives of the symphony, in their subtle essence at least, if not in their plastic reality. Strings and wood- wind instruments are used delicately in counterpoint. After short episodes (horns and violas) the orchestra little by little becomes quiet, and, while the background is almost effaced, a little run of violins and wood-wind instruments introduces the Allegro vivo (3-4). The chief theme, one of healthy but restrained joy, exposed in a simple manner (mf) by horn and bassoon, passes then from horn and bassoon to oboe and 'cello and in fragments to other instruments. The ornamentation, though habitually sombre, undergoes modifica- tions. There is a fortissimo tutti, allegro molto, which is followed immediately 'by a second theme, more exuberant in its joy, more pro- nounced than the first. It is sung at first by flutes, English horn, and horns, with violins and violas, and with a harp enlacement. A short phrase of a tender melancholy is given to viola, 'cello, and clarinet. The Allegro is based on these themes, which are developed and com- bined with artistic mastery and with unusual harmonization. "It is an unknown landscape, but it is seen in a clear light, and it awakens in the hearer impression of an inexpressible freshness." In the final measures of this movement the initial theme becomes binary (Presto) ; the basses repeat the elements of the Allegro, and the nearer at the end is conscious of human, active joy. II. Tres lent (with a great intensity of expression). The title should be "Grief." At first a deep and smothered lamentation, which begins and ends in D minor without far- straying modulations. "The sadness of a forest on a winter's day; the desolation of a heart which has been forbidden to hope, from which every illusion has been swept away." The English horn, to the accompaniment of pianissimo trip- lets in the strings, gives out with greater distinctness the phrase of affliction, now and then interrupted fruitlessly by consolatory words of flutes and violins. The bitter lament is heard again, persistent and sombre ; and then the English horn sings again, but more definitely, its song of woe. The violins no longer make any attempt at conso- lation: they repeat, on the contrary, doubled by 'cellos, the lament of the English horn, which, though it is now embellished with delicate figuration, remains sad and inconsolable. After an exited dialogue between different groups of instruments, where a very short melodic phrase, thrown from the strings to the brass, is taken up with inten- sity by the whole orchestra, there is a return to the hopeless sorrow of the beginning, which is now "crystallized and made perpetual, if the phrase be allowed," in D major. III. Anime, B-flat, 4-4 (to be beaten 2-2). A crisp and loud tutti marks the beginning of the last movement. It is followed at once by a rapid figure for the 'cellos and double-basses, above which a summons is sounded by trumpets, then violins, violas, and the whole orchestra. The pace quickens, and the underlying theme of the finale is heard ('cellos and bass clarinet). This clear and concise theme has a curiously colored background by reason of sustained horn chords The phrase, taken up sonorously by the strings, is enlarged, enriched with ingenious episodes, and by an interesting contrapuntal device it leads to a thunderous chromatic scale in unison, which in turn in- troduces a serene choral (D major). Sung by all the voices; it is heard again in A major. A gentle phrase (for oboe, sung again and continued by the clarinet) brings again the choral (wind instruments) . There is a return to B-flat major. A theme recalls one of those in the first movement, which goes through a maze of development, to end in a continued and gentle murmur of horns in thirds. The clarinet traces above them the choral melody. The chief theme is heard again, as is the choral, now sung by violins. The oboe interjects a dash of melancholy, but the trombones proclaim the chief theme of the first movement. A crescendo suddenly dies away at the height of its force, and the brass utter a sort of prayer into which enter both resigna- tion and faith. The master rhythm of this finale reappears (basses), while the sublime religious song still dominates. A tutti bursts forth, which is followed by a definite calm. There are sustained chords, and the basses repeat, purely and majestically, the first measures of the introduction.
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