SANDERS THEATRE . CAMBRIDGE HARVARD UNIVERSITY Thursday Evening, February 8, at 8.00 S *"/,; ^w. %. % BOSTON ^m$l SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC. FIFTY-THIRD SEASON 1933-1934 PRSGRWVttE « 5 « SNOW BIRDS Flight Northwards Starts at JAYS SANDERS THEATRE CAMBRIDGE HARVARD UNIVERSITY FIFTY-THIRD SEASON, 1933-1934 INC. Dr. SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY, Conductor SEASON 1933-1934 THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 8, at 8.00 WITH HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE NOTES BY PHILIP HALE AND JOHN N. BURK COPYRIGHT, 1934, BY BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, INC THE OFFICERS AND TRUSTEES OF THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, Inc. BENTLEY W. WARREN President HENRY B. SAWYER Vice-President ERNEST B. DANE Treasurer ALLSTON BURR ROGER I. LEE HENRY B. CABOT WILLIAM PHILLIPS ERNEST B. DANE EDWARD M. PICKMAN N. PENROSE HALLOWELL HENRY B. SAWYER M. A. DE WOLFE HOWE BENTLEY W. WARREN W. H. BRENNAN, Manager G. E. IUDD, Assistant Manager 1 Cljanoter & Co. — — SANDERS THEATRE . CAMBRIDGE HARVARD UNIVERSITY Fifty -third Season, 1933—1934 Dr. SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY, Conductor FIFTH CONCERT THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 8 AT 8.00 PROGRAMME Stravinsky "Apollon Musagete" (Apollo, Leader of the Muses) Ballet Scene I: Birth of Apollo. Scene II: Variation of Apollo (Apollo and the Muses) Variation of Polymnia—Variation of Terpsichore Apollo and Terpsichore — Coda (Apollo and the Muses) — Apotheosis. Ravel Orchestral Fragments from "Daphnis et Chloe" (Second Suite) Lever du Jour — Pantomime — Danse Generale. Brahms Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98 I. Allegro non troppo. II. Andante moderato. III. Allegro giocoso. IV. Allegro energico e passionato. There will be an intermission of ten minutes before the symphony 3 — "Apollon Musagete" ("Apollo, Leader of the Muses"), a Ballet Igor Fedorovitch Stravinsky (Born at Oranienbaum, near Leningrad, on June 5, 1882) This music, scored for strings only, was first heard at Elizabeth Coolidge's Chamber Music Festival in the Library of Congress, Washington, D.C., on April 27, 1928. It was then performed by Adolph Bolm. The first performance in Boston was by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Dr. Koussevitzky, conductor, on October 12, 1928. Serge Diaghilev's Ballet Russe brought out the work in Paris at the Sarah Bernhardt Theatre in June, 1928. Serge Lifar mimed Apollo; Mmes. Alice Mkitina, Terpsichore; Lubov Tchernicheva, Calliope; Felia Doubrovska, Polymnia. The choreography was by George Balanchin. Stravinsky conducted. Scene I : Birth of Apollo. Scene II : Variation of Apollo (Apollo and the Muses) —Variation of Polymnia—Variation of Terpsichore—Variation of Apollo Apollo and Terpsichore—Coda (Apollo and the Muses) —Apotheosis. "Apollo Musagetes," with the same dancers and conductor, was produced in London at His Majesty's Theatre on June 25, 1928. The other compositions were "Ciroarosiana," conducted by Dr. Malcolm Sargent, and "The Fire Bird," conducted by Stravinsky. The Paris correspondent of the London Times wrote for the issue of June 22 this article concerning the production at the Sarah Bernhardt Theatre: "A new work by Stravinsky is inevitably an event of some im- portance in the world of music, but the developments of his style are perhaps awaited and discussed with greater interest in Paris than in any other capital. The interest of 'Apollo Musagetes' cer- tainly lies primarily in the music, though with the attention half distracted by the color and movement of the stage it is difficult to appreciate fully the beauties of the score. " 'Apollo Musagetes' has no story and is little more than a series of 'divertissements' dealing with the birth of the god and his in- spiration of the Muses. It is dancing rather than action or symbolic significance which counts in 'Apollo.' The choreography by M. Bal- anchin is founded no doubt on the steps and movements of the classic school, and, while presenting new elements of striking origi- nality and beauty, avoids the grotesque attitudes which have marked the productions of recent years. M. Lifar is the Etruscan Apollo of Veii come to life. From the moment when he emerges from the rock upon which his mother Leto is sitting until the chariot descends from the sky to carry him and the Muses to their new home upon Parnassus, he maintains the lines and gestures 4 of archaic sculpture. Compared with the god, the Muses Terpsi- chore, Calliope, and Polymnia seem strangely nineteenth-century in their formal ballet skirts and tight mauve bodices, but the contrast is not unpleasant, and Mmes. Nikitina, Tchernicheva, and Doubrovska convey with their accustomed grace and beauty the special attributes of each." Mr. Bonavia, in the Daily Telegraph, wrote of the production of "Apollo" in London: "That it marks a return to classical tendencies is perhaps an exaggerated way of saying that it consists of clear and less sophisti- cated music than one would have expected from the composer of 'The Mghtingale. 7 "There is no plot, but a programme, which for ballet purposes serves probably even better. "We assist at the very birth of the god; we see him received by two goddessess, who offer him nectar and ambrosia ; he grows before our eyes, he moves his limbs tentatively at first, then with ever greater confidence he leaps, till we feel sure that this young god was destined from the first to fall under the notice of M. Diaghilev. "Three Muses appear—Calliope, Polymnia, and Terpsichore. Apollo has something to say and something to give to each of them. THE ANALYTIC SYMPHONY SERIES Edited and annotated by PERCY GOETSCHIUS, Mus. Doc. Published by Oliver Ditson Company, Inc, The Analytic Symphony Series comprises thirty-four volumes covering the most important symphonies of the world's greatest masters. Each volume is presented in playable two-hand piano score, and contains complete analytical notes on the structure and orchestration in addition to critical notes appraising the significance of the composition and its salient points. Copies may be had from your Music Dealer or the Publishers. OLIVER DITSON COMPANY, Inc. 359 Boylston Street Boston, Mass. With his gifts and under his tuition, they become the guardians of poetry, of mimic action, and of the dance. But, as could be ex- pected, Terpsichore is the favorite. Apollo dances with her a 'pas de deux/ during which, it would seem, they look in the future, and hear the dances which fascinated Europe until the end of the last century, the waltz occupying a conspicuous position. "This undoubtedly is the part which puzzled the audience most. They expected the incredible, and they found music but too well authenticated; they were waiting for rhythms, constant only in inconstancy, and they heard measures as smooth as those of 'Rosenkavalier.' Naturally enough, there were some who wondered after the performance whether Stravinsky would not some day repudiate the works of his younger days and begin to write in the manner of Tchaikovsky or Mendelssonn. "It is difficult to say what a man who can adopt or divest him- self of a style as easily as we put on or take off a garment will do next. Perhaps he only chose to be transparent because Apollo was the god of light and the enemy of darkness. But this new style suits the ballet admirably; it is ballet music par excellence, and must have given a free hand to the choreographer, M. G. Balanchin, whose ideas were most admirably carried out." "Daphnis et Chlob"—Ballet in one act—Orchestral Fragments, Second Series:—"Daybreak/' "Pantomime/' "General Dance." Joseph Maurice Ravel. (Born at Ciboure, Basses-PyrenSes, March 7, 1875 ; now living at Montfort- l'Amaury and Paris) Ravel composed his ballet "Daphnis and Chloe," expecting that it would be performed by the Russian Ballet at Paris in 1911. The Copley-Plaza Hotel In historic Copley Square rise three structures of which Boston is justly proud. The Public Library, Trinity Church, and the Copley-Plaza Hotel. Respec- tively, they are symbols of culture, love, and hospitality. World travelers maintain that this hotel provides everything which contributes to con- venience, comfort, and happiness. Theatre and Shopping District near-by. Rooms $4 and up ARTHUR L. RACE, Managing Director Jacques Durand, the publisher, says that Ravel was asked by Diaghilev in 1911 to write this ballet.* Others give the year 1910. Durand also says Diaghilev was not at first satisfied with the ballet and hesitated to produce it, but Durand finally persuaded him; that Diaghilev's first unfavorable impression was due to his know- ing the music only by the arrangement for piano. At the rehearsals there were violent scenes between Fokine and Diaghilev, which led to the rupture which became "official" after that season of the Ballet Russe. It was not performed until 1912—June 8, according to the Annales du Theatre, June 5, 7, 8, and 10, according to the official programme of the Ballet Russe. The performances were at the Chatelet. Nijinsky mimed Daphnis, Mme. Karsavina, Chloe. Messrs. Bolm and Cechetti also took leading parts. The conductor was Mr. Monteux. The score, however, was published in 1911. Two concert suites were drawn from it. The first—"Nocturne," "Interlude," "Danse Guerriere,"—was performed at a Chatelet concert conducted by Gabriel Pierne* on April 2, 1911. The first performance of the second suite in Boston was at a concert of the Boston Symphony Orchestra on December 14, 1917 (Dr. Karl Muck, conductor). It was last performed on October 9, 1931. The first suite was played in Boston for the first time at a concert of the Boston Symphony Orchestra on November 1, 1918 (Henri Rabaud, conductor). Later performances: December 28, 1923; De- cember 3, 1924. * * 'See Durand's "Quelques Souvenirs d'un fiditeur de Musique'' (Vol. 2, pp. 15, 16), NCERT BACH CANTATA CLUB ^ For its sixth annual Boston concert the Bach Cantata Club presents a programme including Bach's Jesu, FEBRUARY meine Freude" .