Please note that Christoph von Dohnányi has had to postpone his arrival in Chicago due to his recovery from a minor eye surgery. The CSO welcomes Edo de Waart, who has graciously agreed to lead this week’s concerts.

PROGRAM

ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-FIFTH SEASON Chicago Symphony Riccardo Muti Zell Music Director Yo-Yo Ma Judson and Joyce Green Creative Consultant Global Sponsor of the CSO

Thursday, June 2, 2016, at 8:00 Friday, June 3, 2016, at 8:00 Saturday, June 4, 2016, at 8:00 Tuesday, June 7, 2016, at 7:30

Edo de Waart Conductor Daniel Gingrich Horn Mozart Symphony No. 38 in D Major, K. 504 (Prague) Adagio—Allegro Andante Presto Mozart Horn Concerto No. 3 in E-flat Major, K. 447 Allegro Romanza: Larghetto Allegro DANIEL GINGRICH

INTERMISSION

Beethoven Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36 Adagio molto—Allegro con brio Larghetto Scherzo: Allegro Allegro molto

These performances are generously sponsored by the Randy L. and Melvin R. Berlin Family Fund for the Canon. CSO Tuesday series concerts are sponsored by United Airlines. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is grateful to 93XRT, WBEZ 91.5 FM, and RedEye for their generous support as media sponsors of the Classic Encounter series. This program is partially supported by grants from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts. COMMENTS by Phillip Huscher

Wolfgang Mozart Born January 27, 1756, Salzburg, Austria. Died December 5, 1791, Vienna, Austria. Symphony No. 38 in D Major, K. 504 (Prague)

There are more sketches he opening of the Prague Symphony is for the Prague Symphony highly dramatic music, full of power than any other by and that peculiarly alarming Mozartean Mozart—starts and stops undercurrentT of tragedy. This Adagio is argu- and doodling for all the ably the most profound and fully realized movements, even an symphonic introduction before Beethoven’s opening for the finale, Seventh Symphony, and it certainly marks an which eventually was advance over the slow beginning of Mozart’s discarded. This was own Linz Symphony, written three years earlier. Mozart’s first symphony Even Prague audiences, who doted on Mozart’s in three years; his struggle, however, wasn’t with every move and were surely willing to give him the form, which he had mastered long before, but the benefit of the doubt, must have wondered with the desire to say something important what Mozart was up to in these first thirty-six and new. measures of music. Our advantage is a familiarity This great D major symphony was written for with , which Mozart would soon Prague, where Mozart was something of a folk introduce in Prague, and which obviously was on hero. Music from his newest opera, The Marriage his mind. Don Giovanni’s fingerprints are all over of Figaro, was whistled on the streets and played this music—listen to the tread of surging basses, at dances and balls—even the alehouse harpist the heart-stopping drum rolls, the suspenseful had to add Cherubino’s “Non più andrai” to wind chords, even the rising chromatic scales. his repertoire. The symphony was written in An introduction of this breadth and signifi- the eighteen months between the premieres of cance demands a substantial, big-boned allegro, Figaro and Don Giovanni, and it finds Mozart and Mozart doesn’t disappoint. Mozart is working on an operatic scale in purely orches- working here on the largest scale (this is one of tral music and reaching for a more deeply his most spacious sonata-allegro movements) expressive language. and with an astonishing abundance of thematic

COMPOSED MOST RECENT APPROXIMATE 1786, entered in catalog on CSO PERFORMANCES PERFORMANCE TIME December 6 July 17, 2005, Ravinia Festival. James 29 minutes Conlon conducting FIRST PERFORMANCE CSO RECORDINGS April 18, 19 & 23, 2013, Orchestra Hall. January 19, 1787; Prague, Bohemia. 1940. Frederick Stock conducting. Riccardo Muti conducting The composer conducting Columbia April 20, 2013, Krannert Center 1952. Rafael Kubelík conducting. FIRST CSO PERFORMANCES for the Performing Arts. Riccardo Mercury November 30 & December 1, 1894, Muti conducting Auditorium Theatre. Theodore 1960. Sir Thomas Beecham conduct- Thomas conducting INSTRUMENTATION ing. NVC Arts (video) two , two , two , July 10, 1941, Ravinia Festival. Sir 1982–83. Sir Georg Solti conducting. two horns, two , , Thomas Beecham conducting London strings

2 material. In the first sixteen bars alone there are believes he will never run out of ideas. After the at least four perfectly good ideas, and although power and energy of the first movement, the Mozart continues to use and develop these, he Andante seems uncharacteristically placid, but spins out new material at every turn. Melodic Mozart draws the listener in until the simplest ingenuity is at the highest level throughout; the of gestures—even the gentle rise and fall of accompaniment to the second theme, for the interval of a second—carries extraordinary example, quietly alludes to the first. emotional weight. Mozart’s concept of sonata form is flexible and The Prague Symphony is known in Germany creative. The exposition ends unexpectedly with as the symphony without a minuet, and, in fact, material first heard early in the movement, the it’s the only one of Mozart’s last six symphonies development section tosses out a couple of false that follows the serenity of the slow movement leads regarding the return to home base, and the directly with the bustle of the finale. recapitulation is cavalier about restating events The Prague audience surely recognized the in their original sequence. There are moments in composer of their beloved Figaro in this last the development section when every instrument movement—the opening is the same music as contributes to a contrapuntal web as dazzling that of the breathless duet in which Susanna as that in the celebrated finale of the Jupiter tries to stop Cherubino from jumping out the Symphony. The whole is a great intellectual window. The form here is a hybrid between achievement, presented with the good-natured sonata-allegro and rondo that’s neither, though grace of one who is very comfortable with his it’s thoroughly delightful and inventive music. exceptional talent. There’s a wonderful moment in the development The most remarkable thing about the section when the seem to have fallen Andante—in G, without trumpets and behind the beat and scurry after the and drums—is the way one lovely idea succeeds basses, causing a frightful series of dissonances. another in the most logical progression. There’s Finally, Cherubino makes his jump and lands enough material here to last a lesser composer squarely on both feet, to the D major cheers of a lifetime; Mozart presses forward, as if he the full orchestra.

Wolfgang Mozart Horn Concerto No. 3 in E-flat Major, K. 447

No solo performer colleagues, and the horn virtuoso even went on profited more from tour throughout Italy with the Mozarts in Mozart’s talent and 1773. “He will certainly make his mark here,” generosity than the Wolfgang told his sister at the time, and when virtuoso horn player they arrived in Milan, Leopold wrote home to . When Salzburg: “He will make quite a fortune here, for Leutgeb first joined the he is extraordinarily popular.” Salzburg orchestra in Apparently Leutgeb never did make a fortune, 1763, across town and in 1777, when he relocated to Vienna, he was borrowed money from Leopold to make the beginning to manage the career of his trip and to buy a house (although not to open a seven-year-old son, already an unusually accom- cheese shop, despite the popularity of that myth). plished pianist and a budding composer (he Wolfgang and Leutgeb remained unusually published his first works, sonatas for keyboard close, and after the composer himself moved to and , the following year). Wolfgang and Vienna in 1781, they saw each other frequently. Joseph eventually became both friends and Several of Mozart’s last letters make passing

3 reference to his good friend: “I am going to give horn was even trickier in Mozart’s day than in Leutgeb a surprise by going out to breakfast with our own; the valved horn, which has replaced the him,” the composer wrote to his wife Constanze, natural or hand horn that Mozart had in mind, who was taking the cure at Baden; on another didn’t catch on until sometime around 1820.) The occasion, after he had spent the night at the concerto has three relatively brief, beautifully Leutgebs’ home, he complained of the wretched crafted movements. Mozart’s concertos for horn job Joseph’s wife had done laundering his are shorter than those he wrote for other instru- nightcap and necktie. His next-to-last surviving ments, out of sympathy for the extra effort and letter, dating from early October 1791, talks of care demanded of the performer. (The celebrated taking Joseph to see The Magic not once, but concertos that date from this time, for twice (“Leutgeb begged me to take him a second example, are often twice as long.) In this con- time . . .”). certo, Mozart calls for and bassoons in Although Leutgeb apparently asked Mozart the orchestra, replacing the oboes and horns of for a concerto as early as 1777, the year the horn the previous and lending a softer, player moved to Vienna, the composer didn’t richer sound. get around to writing anything for another four years, when he turned out a lovely rondo he concerto opens with an outgoing, for horn and orchestra. The celebrated series of good-natured Allegro in sonata form four horn concertos, all written for Leutgeb, that keeps the spotlight firmly planted began in 1783. The standard numbering of these onT the solo instrument. Although he was concertos is messy—they were actually writ- relatively new at writing concertos for the horn, ten in the order 2, 4, 3, and 1 (which was left Mozart had certainly learned how to negotiate unfinished)—reflecting the order of publication, the balance between solo and orchestral writing not composition. It is difficult to precisely date from composing many piano concertos for his the third concerto that is performed this week. own hands. Mozart did not miss the opportunity Although Mozart entered his previous horn con- to turn the middle movement into a little aria, certo (no. 4) in his personal catalog on June 26, knowing well Leutgeb’s particular gift for sing- 1786, oddly no. 3 is nowhere to be found in the ing tone and great expressivity in slower music. composer’s detailed and thorough inventory that (When Leutgeb performed in many years he began in 1784. Paper-dating analysis of the before, the Mercure de France had singled out his manuscript, however, has at least confirmed that ability “to sing an adagio as perfectly as the most it was third to be composed. mellow, interesting, and accurate voice.”) The Like the other three horn concertos, K. 477 finale, energetic and dashing, is hunting horn was designed for a genuine virtuoso. (Playing the music in all but name.

COMPOSED MOST RECENT ca. 1787 CSO PERFORMANCES Daniel Gingrich February 26, 27 & 28, 1981, Orchestra FIRST PERFORMANCE Hall. Dale Clevenger as soloist, Claudio APPROXIMATE Date unknown Abbado conducting PERFORMANCE TIME 16 minutes June 10, 2013, Orchestra Hall. Daniel FIRST CSO PERFORMANCES Gingrich, James Smelser, David Griffin, April 7 & 8, 1916, Orchestra Hall. CSO RECORDINGS Oto Carrillo, and Susanna Gaunt as Leopold de Maré as soloist, Frederick 1950. Philip Farkas as soloist, Rafael soloists, Dale Clevenger conducting Stock conducting Kubelík conducting. CSO (From the Archives, vol. 6: Mozart) August 2, 1951, Ravinia Festival. INSTRUMENTATION Philip Farkas as soloist, William solo horn, two clarinets, two 1981. Dale Clevenger as soloist, Steinberg conducting bassoons, strings Claudio Abbado conducting. Deutsche Grammophon

4 Ludwig van Beethoven Born December 16, 1770, Bonn, Germany. Died March 26, 1827, Vienna, Austria. Symphony No. 2 in D Major, Op. 36

A young man doesn’t world, heard rumors that Beethoven was hard expect to go deaf. And so of hearing. Beethoven was both Beethoven found no relief until he turned surprised and frightened to Dr. Johann Adam Schmidt, a professor of when he admitted to general pathology and therapy, who seemed full himself a musician’s worst of sympathy and optimism. Apparently it was nightmare—that he was Dr. Schmidt, who, among his other prescrip- having trouble hearing. tions, recommended that Beethoven abandon We can’t be certain when Vienna for rural Heiligenstadt. In late April he first acknowledged his 1802, Beethoven left for the pastoral suburb that cruel fate, but he apparently kept it a secret for a to this day is known for the document he wrote number of years. In June 1801, he finally con- there some six months later. The Heiligenstadt fessed to his dear friend Franz Wegeler, who also Testament, as it has come to be called, was begun happened to be a doctor: “For almost two years I on October 6 and finished four days later. It’s have ceased to attend any social functions, just addressed to the composer’s brothers, Carl and because I find it impossible to say to people: I Johann. Although Beethoven’s hearing would am deaf.” deteriorate considerably in later years, 1802 By then, Beethoven was worried. He had marked the moment of crisis: the Heiligenstadt already sought treatment from a number of Testament includes Beethoven’s admission that doctors who prescribed hot and cold baths, olive his malady was permanent and incurable. He oil, pills, and infusions, to no avail—his ears didn’t fail to see the horrible irony of “an infir- continued to hum and buzz. Young Carl Czerny, mity in the one sense which ought to be more on his first visit to Beethoven, probably in 1800, perfect in me than in others.” noticed “with the visual quickness peculiar This, surprisingly, is the background for to children,” as he later recalled, “that he had Beethoven’s Second Symphony—one of his cotton, which seemed to have been steeped in a most energetic, cheerful, and outgoing works. yellowish liquid, in his ears.” Czerny didn’t think Beethoven surely had begun the D major of this again until he, like much of the music symphony before he packed for Heiligenstadt

COMPOSED MOST RECENT CSO RECORDINGS 1802 CSO PERFORMANCES 1954. Fritz Reiner conducting. VAI July 17, 1977, Ravinia Festival. James (video) FIRST PERFORMANCE Levine conducting 1962. Leopold Stokowski con- April 5, 1803; Vienna, Austria. The May 5 & 6, 2012, Orchestra Hall. Carlos ducting. CSO (Chicago Symphony composer conducting Miguel Prieto conducting Orchestra in the Twentieth Century: Collector’s Choice) FIRST CSO PERFORMANCES INSTRUMENTATION December 1 & 2, 1893, 1974. Sir Georg Solti conducting. two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, Auditorium Theatre. Theodore London two bassoons, two horns, two Thomas conducting trumpets, timpani, strings 1977. James Levine conducting. CSO July 25, 1940, Ravinia Festival. John (From the Archives, vol. 18: A Tribute to Barbirolli conducting APPROXIMATE James Levine) PERFORMANCE TIME 1990. Sir Georg Solti conducting. 34 minutes London

5 that spring. He finished it there sometime the First. The influential Beethoven biographer that autumn, in a setting very like the one he calls it “both retrospective would later depict in the Pastoral Symphony. and prospective.” When his student Ferdinand Ries came to visit Beethoven, he t’s still Haydn’s orchestra—pairs of winds, with horns, trumpets, timpani, and . . . called his attention to a shepherd who strings—and the layout of his last twelve was piping very agreeably in the woods on Isymphonies—four movements, with a slow a flute made of a twig of elder. For half an introduction and a rondo finale—that serve as hour Beethoven could hear nothing, and Beethoven’s starting point. This is music that though I assured him that it was the same Haydn would have understood but couldn’t have with me (which was not the case), he became written. Beethoven’s slow introduction is a full extremely quiet and morose. thirty-three measures of powerful, expansive music, rich in the kind of dramatic gesture he The D major symphony, like other music writ- would later exploit so famously. The ensuing ten at the time, shows no signs of Beethoven’s Allegro con brio crackles with a nervous energy obvious despair. It’s possible that Beethoven put and maintains an all-business edge unprece- the finishing touches on the confident, rollicking dented in symphonic music. finale of his Second Symphony only days before The Larghetto, on the other hand, moves at a he confessed thoughts of suicide in the letter to gracious and easy pace that’s rare for this com- his brothers. poser. Leisure wasn’t to Beethoven’s taste; several After Beethoven returned to Vienna, his hear- years later, when he devised the misguided ing and his spirits both unimproved, he began to notion of arranging this symphony for piano make plans for a major concert of his music to be trio, he added “quasi andante” to the larghetto held on April 5, 1803, which would include not marking to keep things moving. only his new symphony, but also the premieres of Instead of the minuet-and-trio combination his Third and the oratorio Christ third movement of the Haydn model (it served on the Mount of Olives. That concert, conducted Beethoven well in his own First Symphony), by the composer, achieved the combination (not Beethoven now writes scherzo, forever chang- unknown in our own time) of mixed reviews and ing the complexion of the standard symphonic a box-office bonanza. design. Beethoven’s scherzo, more compact than Although Beethoven and his audience con- many of Haydn’s minuets, is wildly playful, with sidered Christ on the Mount of Olives the main just enough weight to suggest the drama that’s attraction, the Second Symphony would ulti- always present in Beethoven, even when he’s mately triumph. One reporter decided on the playing games. The explosive finale is what we spot that “the first symphony is better than the now call pure Beethoven, although audiences in later one,” although he did acknowledge that 1803 didn’t yet know what that meant, and no Beethoven seemed to be “striving for the new doubt found it shocking and unpredictable, with and surprising.” Around this time, Beethoven its coltish movement and energy, and its uninhib- said to a friend, “I am only a little satisfied with ited, nose-thumbing sense of humor. my previous works. From today I will take a new path.” That path was forged primarily by the daring venture of the Eroica Symphony, but the Second Symphony is already a sign of fresh Phillip Huscher has been the program annotator for the things to come, and it’s a great advance over Chicago Symphony Orchestra since 1987.

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