Please note that CSO music director is suffering from the flu and has regretfully withdrawn from this week’s concerts. The CSO welcomes , who has graciously agreed to conduct. The program remains unchanged.

Program

One Hundred Twenty-Second Season Chicago Symphony Orchestra Riccardo Muti Music Director Helen Regenstein Conductor Emeritus Yo-Yo Ma Judson and Joyce Green Creative Consultant Global Sponsor of the CSO

Wednesday, January 9, 2013, at 6:30 (Afterwork Masterworks, performed with no intermission) Edo de Waart Conductor Beethoven Leonore Overture No. 3, Op. 72b Beethoven Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 (Eroica)

Thursday, January 10, 2013, at 8:00 Friday, January 11, 2013, at 1:30 Saturday, January 12, 2013, at 8:00 Tuesday, January 15, 2013, at 7:30 Edo de Waart Conductor Radu Lupu Music by Leonore Overture No. 3, Op. 72b No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15 Allegro con brio Largo Rondo: Allegro Radu Lupu Intermission Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 (Eroica) Allegro con brio Marcia funebre: Adagio assai Scherzo: Allegro vivace Finale: Allegro molto

These concerts are generously sponsored by the Zell Family Foundation. CSO Tuesday series concerts are sponsored by United Airlines. The Chicago Symphony Orchestras is grateful to WBBM Newsradio 780 and 105.9 FM for its generous support as media sponsor of the Afterwork Masterwork series. This program is partially supported by grants from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts. Comments byby PhilliDanielp J Haffuscheré Phillip Huscher

Ludwig van Beethoven Born December 16, 1770, Bonn, Germany. Died March 26, 1827, Vienna, Austria.

Leonore Overture No. 3, Op. 72b

f the four overtures Beethoven final scene—a convention never Owrote for his opera Leonore— sanctioned by Beethoven, but one later renamed Fidelio—only the loved by many conductors, includ- one called Leonore no. 3 has gained ing Mahler and Toscanini—is favor both in the concert hall, problematic because it first delays where it is much loved, and in and then gives away the ending. the opera house, where it is often Despite its number, Leonore no. 3 played, inappropriately, just before is Beethoven’s second version of the finale. That it is an intruder the overture. Although it is more in the opera house, where it can concise and less symphonic than his too easily overshadow all but the first effort (the work we call Leonore greatest performances of Fidelio, is no. 2), it does not avoid the dilemma something Beethoven himself easily of telling us everything about the could have told us. opera, in music of unforgettable The Leonore Overture no. 3 is as substance and power, before the dramatic as any music Beethoven curtain goes up. Beethoven ulti- wrote, and that is part of the mately understood the situation problem. Placed before the curtain well and wrote his fourth and final rises, it overshadows much of what overture to Fidelio—less power- follows. Playing it just before the ful music, but better stagecraft.

Composed Most recent CSO CSO recordings 1804–1806 performance 1972. Sir June 16, 2010, conducting. London First performance Orchestra Hall. Bernard 1988. Sir Georg Solti November 20, 1805, Vienna Haitink conducting conducting. London (the opera Leonore) Instrumentation A 1961 performance (for March 29, 1806, Vienna two flutes, two oboes, two television) conducted by (Leonore Overture no. 3) clarinets, two bassoons, four was released horns, two trumpets, three by VAI. First CSO trombones, timpani, strings, performance offstage trumpet January 29, 1892, Auditorium Theatre. Theodore Approximate Thomas conducting performance time 13 minutes

2 (Leonore no. 1 was written in 1807 of the prison cell where Florestan for a production in Prague that has been unjustly sent. Florestan never took place; the score was remembers brighter days, and the discovered after Beethoven’s death, music, ignited by his hope, is filled mistaken for his earliest effort, and with fire and action. The distant assigned the number one.) trumpet call of the tower guard, In the concert hall, where it announcing Florestan’s reprieve, has ultimately retired, the Leonore brings silence and then guarded Overture no. 3 is a miracle of optimism, but the trumpet sounds dramatic music, as compelling as again, and freedom seems certain. any symphonic poem in the litera- At the news, the flute cannot ture. The overture tells, or at least contain its rapture. Beethoven then distills, the essence of the story. treats us to a full-scale, symphonic, Beethoven begins in the darkness utterly heroic recapitulation.

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3 Ludwig van Beethoven

Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major, Op. 15

his is not Beethoven’s first piano Jumping ahead nearly a decade, Tconcerto. We are usually taught we come to the first works in the that the B-flat major concerto genre that Beethoven wished to known as no. 2 is really no. 1, acknowledge: a concerto in B-flat, but that is not entirely accurate probably begun before 1793, and either. Sometime in 1784, when the C major concerto on this Beethoven was only fourteen years program, which was composed in old, he wrote a piano concerto 1795. Both works were published in E-flat major. It is the sort of in 1801, but in the reverse order. sprawling, self-important, and Although Beethoven played both florid music that teenagers often of these concertos in public on write (assuming that they compose several occasions, he was intensely music at all), and it is a greater self-critical, and, when it came testament to the young Beethoven’s time to publish them, he could apparent virtuosity as a pianist think of nothing good to say about than to his incipient talent as a either one: composer. Although the full score is lost, we still have a copy of the One of my first concertos [in piano part, including indications B-flat] and therefore not one for orchestral cues. (The concerto of the best of my composi- was reconstructed by Willi Hess tions is to be published by and performed for the first time Hofmeister, and Mollo is to in 1943.) publish a concerto [in C major]

Composed Most recent CSO Approximate 1795 performance performance time January 21, 2012, Orchestra 37 minutes First performance Hall. Till Fellner, piano; December 18, 1795, Vienna. Manfred Honeck conducting CSO recordings The composer as soloist 1972. , Instrumentation piano; Sir Georg Solti First CSO one flute, two oboes, two conducting. London performance clarinets, two bassoons, 1983. , piano; March 12, 1915, Orchestra two horns, two trumpets, conducting. Hall. Rudolph Ganz, piano; timpani, strings Philips Frederick Stock conducting

4 which indeed was written later Mozart’s great C major concerto, but which also does not rank which he undoubtedly knew by among the best of my works in the time this piece was written, this form. Beethoven works on a larger canvas here than in the B-flat concerto. By 1801, Beethoven’s style had (He also adds clarinets, trumpets, changed dramatically. He recently and timpani to the orchestra.) had begun a third piano concerto Beethoven begins quietly, having in C minor, one of the works already learned that a soft open- with which he would establish his ing is often the quickest way to primacy in the new century. From capture an audience’s attention. our viewpoint, the Third Piano The music is robust and energetic, Concerto does not mark a critical despite the dynamic, and it soon advance over the first two, but, for bursts forth with typical Beethoven Beethoven, every step forward was fervor. There is some characteristic important and hard won. Later horseplay with the choice of keys— generations, in fact, would lump all the second theme begins in faraway three concertos together as “early E-flat—and Beethoven borrows period” works, although that does from Mozart the unexpected touch not mean lesser Beethoven. of allowing the piano to enter Beethoven apparently was more with music the orchestra has not interested in the C major concerto already presented (although, unlike than he let on because he composed Mozart, he never returns to the three cadenzas for its first move- piano’s new theme). ment. All three are obviously later The slow movement is longer efforts, apparently dating from than the corresponding movement 1809, the time of the Emperor of any other concerto by Beethoven, Concerto—his fifth and last piano but here he has learned how to concerto. By then, Beethoven move through slow music so that it realized that his worsening deaf- never drags; the extra length is all ness would soon force him off the bonus. The leisurely coda includes a concert stage, and he wrote out poignant conversation between the definitive versions of the cadenzas piano and the first clarinet. A look that he previously had improvised. through all the Mozart and Haydn finales will not produce a jazzier t’s not difficult to understand ending than this boisterous rondo, Iwhy this music still held interest full of pranks and surprises. The for Beethoven as late as 1809, for good time goes on for nearly six it is impressive material used with hundred measures without seeming great mastery. Perhaps inspired by a moment too long.

5 Ludwig van Beethoven

Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 (Eroica)

he story of how the Eroica some Hitler, some Mussolini. For TSymphony got its title is nearly me it is simply Allegro con brio.” as famous as the music itself. We Beethoven had been contem- know that Beethoven intended plating a symphony inspired by to name his third symphony for General Bonaparte since 1798. Napoleon Bonaparte and his fight Most of the music was composed in against political tyranny, that he the summer of 1803, only months tore up the title page in a fit of rage after Beethoven wrote his most when he learned that Napoleon revealing nonmusical work—the had appointed himself emperor, Heiligenstadt Testament—a pain- and that he opted for the title ful confirmation of worsening deaf- Sinfonia eroica (Heroic symphony) ness and thoughts of suicide. It was instead. The subtexts—idealism one of the lowest points in a life and disillusionment, personal greed that understood despair only too and the lust for power, the struggle well. The composition of an impor- between art and politics, among tant and substantial new symphony others—are intense, and they have was Beethoven’s great rallying come to overshadow one of the cry—a heroic act in itself. The most remarkable, even revolution- first draft was probably completed ary works of art we have. A century by November 1803. Beethoven’s after Beethoven, Toscanini tried to extensive sketches, nicely preserved restore reason, famously brushing and often studied, confirm that the aside a hundred years of connota- new symphony gave its composer a tions: “Some say it is Napoleon, lot of trouble. In May 1804, when

Composed Most recent CSO 1989. Sir Georg Solti 1803 performances conducting. London October 9, 2010, Orchestra First performance Hall. Asher Fisch conducting Instrumentation April 7, 1805, Vienna. The two flutes, two oboes, two July 24, 2011, Ravinia composer conducting clarinets, two bassoons, Festival. James three horns, two trumpets, Conlon conducting First CSO timpani, strings performance CSO recordings January 15, 1892, Auditorium Approximate 1954. conduct- Theatre. Theodore performance time ing. RCA Thomas conducting 50 minutes 1973–74. Sir Georg Solti conducting. London

6 the news reached Vienna that of his offices and power, leaving Napoleon had declared himself him with virtually no income. emperor, Beethoven felt betrayed. According to the account later he Eroica is perhaps the first written by his student Ferdinand Tgreat symphony to have Ries, when he broke the news to captured the romantic imagination. Beethoven, the composer “went to It’s not as openly suggestive as the the table, took hold of the title page later Pastoral, with its bird calls and by the top, tore it in two, and threw thunderstorm, nor as specific as it to the floor.” the Ninth, with its unmistakable What Ries didn’t mention was message of hope and freedom. But that Beethoven’s own motives were to the Viennese audience at the sometimes suspicious themselves. first performance, on April 7, 1805, Although Beethoven had long Beethoven’s vast and powerful first intended to name the symphony movement and the funeral march after Bonaparte, he quickly that follows must have sounded like dropped that plan when he learned nothing else in all music. that Prince Lobkovitz would pay Never before had symphonic him handsomely for the same music aspired to these dimensions. honor. Later, after he had ripped up We’re told that a man in the gallery the title page, Beethoven temporar- shouted down: “I’ll give another ily recanted when he realized that Kreutzer if the thing will only a Bonaparte symphony would be stop!” Audiences then, just as today, just the thing for his upcoming trip brought certain expectations to to Paris. the concert hall, and knowing the In 1806, when it came time to length of a piece is one of them. But publish the E-flat major symphony, Beethoven’s Allegro con brio was Beethoven suggested “Sinfonia longer—and bigger, in every sense— eroica, composed to celebrate the than any other symphonic move- memory of a great man,” without ment at the time. It’s also a question mentioning Napoleon. Beethoven’s of proportion, and Beethoven’s cen- last reputed words on the subject, tral development section, abounding full of the anger and resentment in some truly monumental state- he surely felt, came later, after ments, is enormous. Napoleon’s victory at Jena: “It’s a It has been suggested that pity I do not understand the art of Beethoven was writing without war as well as I do the art of music. themes at the beginning of the first I would conquer him!” History movement; the comment is not doesn’t tell us what, if anything, meant disparagingly, but as proof Napoleon thought of Beethoven’s that the essence of Beethoven’s music. When Cherubini, whom language is not melody, but tension he did admire, once suggested that and movement. Donald Tovey Napoleon knew no more about insisted that many of Beethoven’s music than he knew of battle, the themes “can be recognized by their emperor immediately stripped him bare rhythm without quoting any

7 melody at all.” The very opening of not biography, and chronology is the Eroica consists of no more than beside the point. The two interludes two E-flat major chords, played are particularly moving—the first forte, followed by the cellos jump- because it casts a sudden ray of sun- ing back and forth over the notes of light on the grim proceedings; the an E-flat triad. The first exceptional second, because it carries the single event comes when the cellos stum- thread of melody into a vast double ble on C-sharp, a note we never fugue of almost unseemly magnifi- expected to hear, and one that cence. The music ends with some opens unforeseen vistas only seven consolation, but even more grief. bars into the piece. From there, Beethoven’s funeral music gives Beethoven continues to spread his way to a brilliant (though often very wings, even settling comfortably quiet) scherzo, just as the prisoners in the very remote key of E minor in Fidelio emerge from the dungeon just moments before he whisks us into the blinding daylight. Here, back to the E-flat major chords the modest minuet of Haydn and with which he began. Beethoven’s Mozart has become something writing, in the most expansive piece truly symphonic in scope. he had yet composed, is tight and Beethoven’s finale is a set of varia- closely unified. Although analysts tions on a theme he had used several often point out the unprecedented times before, principally in his ballet use of a new theme in the develop- The Creatures of Prometheus. This is ment section, it’s not unique (see an unusually complex and multi- Mozart’s Symphony no. 33), nor is faceted piece of music. It’s not just the theme truly new. the conclusion, but the culmination, Ries was perhaps the first person of all that came before. Beethoven to be misled by the “premature” begins with a simple, unattached entry of the horn four bars before bass line before introducing the the start of the recapitulation, and theme itself. The variety and range he lost Beethoven’s respect forever of style are extraordinary: a fugue when he rushed up to tell him that on the bass line, a virtuoso show- the player had come in at the wrong piece for flute, a swinging dance place. It’s one of Beethoven’s little in G minor, an expansive hymn. jokes, all the more effective for Beethoven moves from one event to being told at a whisper. The coda the next, making their connections is as big and important as a move- seem not only obvious, but inevita- ment in itself, but something of this ble. Some of it is splendid solemnity, stature is needed to bring us back to some high humor, and Beethoven earth before we move on. touches on much in between. A The Adagio is a funeral march of magnificent coda, which continues measured solemnity, pushed forward to stake out new territory even while by the low rumble of the basses, wrapping things up, ends with like the sound of muffled drums. bursts of joy from the horns. Beethoven raised some eyebrows by placing the funeral music so early Phillip Huscher is the program annota- © 2013 Chicago Symphony Orchestra © 2013 Chicago in the symphony, but this is music, tor for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

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