36 ILSYMPHONY.ORG PROGRAM NOTES PROGRAM FINALE FRENCH By ErikRohde©| Violin II, |MusicDirector, IllinoisSymphony Orchestra|DirectorofStringsand Winona Symphony Activities, University IndianaState to thedeceased. thechurch,proceedings at andisastylisticfarewell aspartofthefuneral isperformed Padua).name for According toSpanishtradition, the beingadialect from whichwegetthewordpavane which isaslowprocessionaldance fromPadua(Pava, years underhistutelage., Itisbasedon thepavane Faurein1898,Gabriel andthispiececomesfromthe wasreadmittedintothecompositionstudio of Ravel fromhisteachers. ofdisapproval shortage and hislackofdiligenceinstudiescausedhimno oftheconservatoire reputation thestodgy disgust for fellow FrenchcomposerClaudeDebussy, whoseown row. thereafterhemadetheacquaintanceof Shortly threeyearsina for prize (likeadiploma)inharmony in1895afternotearninga leave led himtosimply Ravel’s questioningmannerandwildmusicalideas ofstylistic creativity, wasnotfond conservatoire and success therewaslimited. At thetime theParisConservatory,studied compositionat buthis orchestra.of thebestSpanishmusicfor He writtensome whohave French composersofhisage border, upinParisbutisoneofseveral grew Ravel Born intheFrenchPyreneesclosetoSpanish Sir . (Approx. 6minutes) 27,February 1911, inManchester, conductor Englandby orchestral versionwaspublishedin1910andpremieredon thehomeofRavel’sat thePrincessdePolignac. patron The piecesometimeafterthework’s compositionin1899 asasolo form premieredinitsoriginal The piecewaslikely d. , 28December1937 b. , , 7March 1875 MAURICE RAVEL Pavane foraDeadPrincess FPO for aDeadPrincess). for sounded: pouruneinfantedéfunte(Pavane Pavane all,at title thealliterative liked theway butsimply hehadnoonespecificinmind writing thepiecethat princess, acknowledgedseveralyearsafter Ravel ofthework.atmosphere As totheidentityof thedead intheorchestraaddedmuchto creates orchestrator,deft andimaginative andthecolorshe improved versionofthework. wasalreadya Ravel 1910, consideredtobean which wasgenerally versionin thestunningorchestrated created Ravel well.”overly Becauseofitscontinuingpopularity, thepiano ofyoungladieswhodidnotplay admiration piece wonhim “the esteemofthesalonsand the .amateur As onefriendofRavel’s said, the an the handsofmany at musically piece suffered to play, challenging technically that the found Ravel Ricardo Viñes, popular. thepiecebecamevery Not Ravel’spiece in1902by friend, theSpanishpianist After awell-receivedpublicpremiereofthepiano on a trajectory as the national voiceofNorway. asthenational on atrajectory andsetthe composeroff remains aconcert favorite 25,Written whenhe wasonly thispiano launched Norway’s mostfamouscomposer’s career. itself crashing downthepianotolaunch theworkthat inthe concertorepertoire–hugechords beginnings Grieg’s PianoConcertohasoneofthemostfamous Paulli, conductor. (Approx. 30minutes) withEdmundNeupert,Theater pianist andHolgerSimon Premiered on April 3, theRoyal at 1869inCopenhagen d. Bergen, 4September1907 b. Bergen, Norway, 15June1843 ILSYMPHONY.ORG 37

Premiered on October 15, 1905 at the Concerts Premiered on October 15, conductor. Camille Chevillard, Lamoureux in Paris, 23 minutes) (Approx. love for by the sea was ignited tales from Debussy’s a sailor who told him about vast oceans his father, family traveled to Cannes Debussy’s and exotic lands. and his fascination with when he was 7 years old, the waves and emotions evoked by the water were It was there that Debussy set for the rest of his life. Debussy young adult, As a also began piano lessons. was scheduled to take a short trip along the coast but with a storm in a small fishing boat with friends, the captain advised that they cancel the approaching, Debussy insisted that they set sail anyway and trip. at no little risk lived through his first storm at sea, to himself and the rest of the crew and passengers. Debussy wrote to a years before writing , Two may not know that destined for I was a “You friend: life and that it was only quite by chance that sailor’s But I have always fate led me in another direction. held a passionate love for the sea.” All these experiences he molded into orchestral form There are few in his epic suite La Mer (The Sea). pieces more richly evocative and reminiscent of the each a work is cast in three portraits, The ocean. different mood or portrayal of the sea. La Mer (The Sea) 1862 August 22 France, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, b. 25 March 1918 Paris, d. The piece is full of Norwegian inspired melodies and which contains From the first movement, dances. to the second, wisps of Norwegian fiddling figuration, his native to the dancelike finale, a lyric folk song, musical roots come to the fore in a brilliant technical displayby pianist and orchestra alike.

have heard a composition of such genius.” Conservatory“astounded to had been there and was composer, and founder of the St. Petersburg and founder of the St. composer, and that Anton Rubenstein, the famous pianist, the famous pianist, Anton Rubenstein, and that music critics had “applauded with all their might,” “applauded with all their might,” music critics had his friend who was the soloist that several eminent the orchestra in Oslo. He was thankful for news from the orchestra in Oslo. premiere of his concerto, due to prior obligations with premiere of his concerto, Grieg was unfortunately not able to attend the piano concerto. country, including such a prominent work as his first including such a prominent country, his music is inspired by the of his own my own country has been my model.” So much of my own country been my has model.” can feel happy and comfortable . . . the music of . . can feel happy and comfortable . always wished to build villages: places where people always wished to build villages: have erected grand churches and temples. I have have erected grand churches and temples. “Composers with the stature of a Bach or Beethoven considered his compositional style, he wrote: he wrote: considered his compositional style, native country and drew inspiration from it. As he As native country and drew inspiration from it. living in Norway where he became a voice for his Leipzig and a 3-year period spent in Copenhagen, Leipzig and a 3-year period spent in Copenhagen, married the previous year, and after his studies in and after his studies married the previous year, holiday in Søllerød, Denmark in 1868. He had been Denmark in 1868. holidayin Søllerød, Grieg’s own Piano Concerto was written while on Grieg’s on the young composer. bear some similarities, so it must have had an impact bear some similarities, play her husband’s piano concerto. The two pieces piano concerto. play her husband’s of his life as a student was hearing Clara Schumann of his life as a student was hearing Clara time there was very influential. One major highlight time there was very influential. discipline of the conservatory course of study, his discipline of the conservatory course of study, some composition, and while he chafed under the some composition, the Leipzig Conservatory. There he studied piano and There he studied piano and the Leipzig Conservatory. encouraged Grieg’s parents to send him to study at parents to send encouraged Grieg’s Norwegian violinist Ole Bull (a family friend), who Norwegian violinist Ole Bull (a family friend), of 6. By the age of 15 Grieg had met the famous of 6. piano lessons from his mother starting at the age Grieg was born into a musical family and first took 38 ILSYMPHONY.ORG FRENCH FINALEFRENCH By ErikRohde©| Violin II, Orchestra|MusicDirector, IllinoisSymphony Orchestra|DirectorofStringsand Winona Symphony Activities, University IndianaState NOTES PROGRAM The melodyisnow famous. across Snaking itsway (Approx. 15minutes) 11,with theLamoureuxOrchestraon January 1930. 1929. conductedthe firstParisconcertperformance Ravel conducting theNew York Philharmonicon November14, by Premiered intheUnitedStates MAURICE RAVEL remained athrillingclassicintheorchestralcanon. resolved, andDebussy’s epicportraitoftheseahas light.disapproving Fortunately, the scandal quickly coloredthepremiereofLaMerina scandal that Debussy himselfwasinthemiddleofapersonal handkerchiefs totheirbowsinprotestofthemusic. violinistsintheorchestratied that Stravinsky received. thepremiere, Before Debussytold The work, famous now, so well wasnotalways unleased initsfullfury, muchastheocean itself. crashingastheorchestrais whipping andthewaves experienced earlierinhislife. You canhearthewind sea,” usastormmuchlikethe onehe Debussygives the finalmovement, “Dialogueofthewindand ever-changing mosaicacrosstheorchestra. And in splashinginan sparkling portraitofwaves The secondmovement, ofthewaves,”“The play isa highnoon. at over thewater ofthesunblazing image takesustoagrand passage untilanoblechorale-like transforms ambience slowly light isscarceandthecolorsareshaded. The plunge usdeepintothedepthsofoceanwhere setting.mysterious Debussyusestheorchestrato tonoonon thesea,”“From dawn isadark, continued ... Here is what Ravel himself said about : himselfsaidabout Ravel Here iswhat the orchestraexplodesintooverwhelmingfinale. youcannothelpbutbesweptalonguntil and slowly momentum andtensionareincreasedsoinevitably Yet the structurestheworksothat masterfully Ravel development! listening toaworkwithnothematic thetime. gardeasitwasat seems asavant Imagine thisnolonger so familiarwiththeworknowthat ofthe melodytothenext.from oneiteration We are possible),than humanly thepieceproceedssimply possible(softer, assofthumanly playing perhaps And hesucceeded. Startingwithasinglesnare drum increasingtheorchestraasbestIcan.” gradually development, itanumberoftimeswithoutany repeat insistent quality?” heasked. and “I’m goingtotry melody. “Don’t youthinkthisthemehasacertain music criticofLaRépublicaine, hisBoléro andplayed aside afriend, Samazeuilh, Gustave whowasthe left ona4-monthconcerttourof America, hepulled herParis ballettroupe.Rubinstein for he Justbefore aballet,conceived for aworkpromisedtoIda themostfamousofRavel’sperhaps music. Itwasfirst the courseofafullfifteenminutes, Boléroisnow impossible, imperceptible, crescendoover inevitable various soloistsintheorchestra, themost creating to the effect that what Ihadwrittenwas a piece what that to theeffect thefirstperformance,Before Iissued awarning morethan,anything doesachieve. itactually from, different achievinganything aiming at or direction, anditshouldnotbesuspected of specialandlimited experiment inavery Boléro. misunderstanding astomy thereshouldbeno anxiousthat I amparticularly It isan . . . consisting wholly of orchestral texture without music—of one long, very gradual crescendo. There are no contrasts, and there is practically no invention except in the plan and the manner of the execution. The themes are impersonal— folk tunes of the usual Spanish-Arabian kind. Whatever may have been said to the contrary, the orchestral treatment is simple and straightforward throughout, without the slightest attempt at virtuosity. . . I have done exactly what I have set out to do, and it is for listeners to take it or leave it. After writing a piece of only “orchestral texture without music,” Ravel was shocked, and not terribly thrilled, about the popularity the piece enjoyed in his lifetime. He wrote to a fellow composer that “I’ve written only one masterpiece – Boléro. Unfortunately there’s no music in it.” Supposedly at the Paris premiere a member of the audience shouted “Rubbish!” after the work, to which the composer replied, “That old lady got the message!” Whether the audience feels like it should shout “rubbish” or “bravo!” after this performance, it cannot be denied that the work is terribly effective!