47Th SEASON PROGRAM NOTES Week 2 July 21–27, 2019
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th SEASON PROGRAM NOTES 47 Week 2 July 21–27, 2019 Sunday, July 21, 6 p.m. The marking for the first movement is of study at the University of California, San Monday, July 22, 6 p.m. unusual: Allegramente is an indication Diego, in the mid-1980s that brought a new more of character than of speed. (It means and important addition to his compositional ZOLTÁN KODÁLY (1882–1967) “brightly, gaily.”) The movement opens palette: computers. Serenade for Two Violins & Viola, Op. 12 immediately with the first theme—a sizzling While studying with Roger Reynolds, Vinko (1919–20) duet for the violins—followed by a second Globokar, and Joji Yuasa, Wallin became subject in the viola that appears to be the interested in mathematical and scientific This Serenade is for the extremely unusual song of the suitor. These two ideas are perspectives. He also gained further exposure combination of two violins and a viola, and then treated in fairly strict sonata form. to the works of Xenakis, Stockhausen, and Kodály may well have had in mind Dvorˇ ák’s The second movement offers a series of Berio. The first product of this new creative Terzetto, Op. 74—the one established work dialogues between the lovers. The viola mix was his Timpani Concerto, composed for these forces. Kodály appears to have been opens with the plaintive song of the man, between 1986 and 1988. attracted to this combination: in addition and this theme is reminiscent of Bartók’s Wallin wrote Stonewave in 1990, on to the Serenade, he wrote a trio in E-flat parlando style, which mimics the patterns commission from the Flanders Festival, major for two violins and viola when he was of spoken language. The first violin, taking during a time when, he once explained, a teenager, although he didn’t include that the part of the woman, laughs at the man’s he was “deeply involved in some peculiar work in his official catalog. appeal: the violin replies to his heartfelt mathematical formulas called fractals,” The period when he wrote this Serenade song with a rising series of chirping grace which are used “in the fast-growing field was an extremely difficult one for Kodály. notes in a passage Kodály marks Ridendo of chaos theory.” The sound world of The post–World War I political turmoil in (“Laughing”). The main theme of the first Stonewave, he added, “is not one you would Hungary seemingly subsided when a popular movement makes a reappearance in the associate with math books. The steady, revolt established a democratic government, course of this movement, which leaves the insistent pulse, and the use of sequences put and Kodály took a position as deputy director poor second violin in an accompanying squarely up against each other or divided by of the Academy of Music in Budapest. The role throughout. (It has virtually nonstop long rests, suggest an invisible ritual.” liberal government was short-lived, however: tremolos.) The brilliant final movement Originally for solo percussion, Stonewave a repressive right-wing regime overthrew it rounds things off by invoking the old also exists in versions for three percussionists after only four months and cracked down on Hungarian recruiting dance, the verbunkos, (as heard on tonight’s performance) and six anyone who’d held a position of authority at several points. Eo˝ sze believes this percussionists. under it. The new government wanted to movement “confirms the understanding —Greg Hettmansberger fire Kodály altogether, but a stout defense by between lover and mistress, the light- Bartók and Dohnányi prevented this. Instead, hearted banter between viola and violin LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827) the new regime could only put him on leave developing into a song of satisfied love; Piano Trio in B-flat Major, Op. 97, “Archduke” for a year, and it was during that year that and the tale is brought to an end with an (1810–11) he composed the Serenade. invigorating dance.” One might expect music written under —Eric Bromberger The archduke of this trio’s nickname was such circumstances to be anguished or Archduke Rudolph von Habsburg (1788– bitter, but quite the opposite is true. Kodály’s ROLF WALLIN (b. 1957) 1831), youngest brother of Emperor Franz II. Serenade is vibrant music—a clear symbol Stonewave for Three Percussionists (1990) Rudolph studied piano and composition with of his ability to separate external events Beethoven beginning around 1804, when from his art. Like so much of the best music Rolf Wallin was born in Oslo, and his he was 16, and Beethoven remained fond of of Kodály and Bartók, the Serenade fuses studies at the Norwegian Academy of Rudolph throughout his life. classical forms with Hungarian musical Music melded with his experience as a Rudolph was ultimately destined for idioms. Beyond this, the music appears to performer in experimental jazz and rock the church, and it was for his elevation to tell a story, and Kodály scholar László Eo˝ sze groups. Eventually these forays outside archbishop that Beethoven composed the believes this Serenade is literally just that: a the traditional classical realm influenced Missa solemnis. Beethoven dedicated several love song—a serenade sung by a suitor to a Wallin’s compositions for performance-art of his greatest works to Rudolph, including woman—and Eo˝ sze has made out what he and dance-theater groups, such as Passage the Fourth and Fifth Piano Concertos, the feels is the program behind the music. Nord and Scirocco. He completed his first “Hammerklavier” Sonata, and the Grosse major work, Id, in 1982, but it was his year Fuge, as well as this trio. For his part, Program notes for Music at Noon concerts are sponsored by Barbara & Ronald Balser with thanks to the gifted Festival musicians who inspire us all. Rudolph became one of Beethoven’s most and imaginative rhythms. The music flies to Tuesday, July 23, Noon generous and reliable patrons, furnishing its close on a coda marked Presto. him with a substantial annuity for many —Eric Bromberger FRANZ SCHUBERT (1797–1828) years and maintaining a collection of his Quartettsatz in C Minor, D. 703 (1820) manuscripts. Rudolph, however, did not long survive his teacher; he died four years after One need only be exposed to a single Beethoven, in 1831, at age 43. masterpiece of Schubert—the String Quintet Beethoven sketched this trio in 1810 and in C Major, either of the song cycles, the composed it during March 1811, shortly Symphony No. 9, or the impromptus for before beginning work on his Seventh and piano—to wonder what else he might have Eighth Symphonies. He was 40 years old blessed us with if he’d lived longer than a and nearing the end of the great burst of scant 31 years. Still, it’s hard not to adopt a creativity that has come to be known as glass-half-full (or more!) perspective when his “heroic” era, the period that began with you contemplate what he did produce. the “Eroica” Symphony in 1803 and ended It’s a little puzzling, though, that Schubert in about 1812 with the Eighth Symphony. left more than one great work unfinished Beethoven was growing increasingly deaf for reasons that can’t be attributed to his at this time—an unsuccessful performance early death in 1828. His two-movement of the “Archduke” Trio in 1814 was his Symphony No. 8, the rightly called final public appearance as a pianist—and “Unfinished,” dates from 1822, and he went he would soon enter the six-year period on to write the hour-long Ninth Symphony. of relative inactivity as a composer that Similarly, we have the Quartettsatz, D. 703. preceded his late style. Clearly this work was intended to be a full The “Archduke” Trio seems well-named, quartet, since some 40 bars of an Andante for there is something noble about this also exist in manuscript. (It was listed as music, something grand about its spacious his Quartet No. 12 when it was eventually proportions and breadth of spirit. At a length published in 1870; this was thanks to none of nearly 45 minutes, it’s longer than most other than Brahms, who had acquired of Beethoven’s symphonies, but, unlike the the manuscript and saw to the work’s symphonies, it’s quite relaxed: it makes its posthumous premiere in 1867.) way not by unleashing furious energy to Much like the “Unfinished” Symphony’s fight musical battles but by spinning long, two movements, the Quartettsatz (“Quartet lyric, melodic lines. It’s as if Beethoven is Movement”) leaves us fully satisfied showing that there’s more than one way to emotionally. While the agitated opening write heroic music. is firmly rooted in the key of C minor, the The nobility of this music is evident from principal materials are quite sunny, mostly in the opening instant of the Allegro moderato, A-flat major. But the not-quite-10-minute where the piano quickly establishes the journey never resolves a sense of unease or music’s easy stride. (It’s characteristic of this hint of tragedy. It had been four years since music that both outer movements should Schubert wrote his last quartet in 1816, be marked Allegro moderato rather than the and it’s almost as if the Quartettsatz was expected Allegro.) The piano also introduces Schubert’s breakthrough into expressive the slightly square second theme, and this depths that would move him out of the sonata-form movement develops easily considerable shadow of Beethoven’s middle over its lengthy span. Strings open the huge quartets. Scherzo, with the piano quickly picking up Apparently, Schubert didn’t see things their theme.