TWENTY-FOURTH SEASON

NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

HOWARD MITCHELL, Conductor

MAGAZINE

[ IV-B ]

April 5, 1955 National Symphony Orchestra [FOUNDED BY HANS KINDLER IN 1931] , Conductor TWENTY-FOURTH SEASON

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1995th Concert

Tuesday, April 5th, at 8:30 P.M.

Lyric Theatre, Baltimore, Md.

Soloist: ARTUR RUBINSTEIN, Pianist

MESSIAEN...... “The Ascension,” Four Symphonic Meditations I. Majesty of Christ Beseeching His Glory of His Father II. Serene Hallelujahs of a Soul That Longs for Heaven III. Hallelujah on the Trumpet, Hallelujah on the Cymbal IV. Prayer of Christ Ascending to His Father

R. STRAUSS . . . Death and Transfiguration (Tod und Verklarung) Symphonic Poem, Opus 24

[INTERMISSION]

BEETHOVEN...... Concerto No. 5 in E Flat Major, Op. 73 (“Emperor”) Allegro Adagio un poco mosso Rondo—Allegro

ARTUR RUBINSTEIN

Steinway Piano from Music Centre The National Symphony Orchestra Records Exclusively for Westminster

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THE ASCENSION—Four Symphonic Meditations Oliver Messiaen Born in Avignon, France, 1908 Olivier Messiaen, a pupil of Paul Dukas exotic features. A ten-movement sym­ and Marcel Dupré, distinguished himself phony, written under commission from at the Paris Conservatory where he later the Koussevitzky Foundation, exhibits became teacher among other leading these characteristics plus remarkable use Paris schools of music. After serving in of rhythm and of unusual percussion in­ the World War, he visited the United struments. A strong influence in the com­ States to give lectures in composition at positions of Messiaen is his deep religious Tanglewood. The works of Messiaen feeling, and many of his works are based are original both structurally and the­ on religious subjects. matically, and several of them exhibit The Four Symphonic Meditations for

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Orchestra are based on texts drawn from that we may dwell in Heaven in the Catholic liturgy and scripture, which are spirit.” quoted by the composer, who additionally III. Lively and joyous. Hallelujah on has provided each movement with a title the trumpet. Hallelujah on the cymbal. and an explanatory caption. These are as “God is gone up . . . with the sound of follows: a trumpet. ... 0, clap your hands, all I. Very slow and majestic. Majesty of ye people; shout unto God with the Christ Beseeching His Glory of His voice of triumph.” Father. “Father, the hour is come; IV. Extremely slow with emotion and glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son may solemn. Prayer of Christ Ascending to glorify Thee.” His Father. “Father ... I have mani­ II. Clear and not too moderate. Serene fested Thy name unto men . . . and now Hallelujahs of a Soul that Longs for I am no more in the world, but these Heaven. “We beseech Thee, 0 Lord . . . are in the world, and I come to Thee.”

DEATH AND TRANSFIGURATION Richard Georg Strauss Symphonic Poem Born in Munich, 1864 Died in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, 1949 When died four and Precocious as a child, he already had a half years ago, he had over seventy some promising compositions to his years of musical creativity behind him. credit at the early age of ten. Six years

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2326 N. Charles Street HOpkins 7-7192 NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Page 11 later he had composed his first sym­ Wagnerian manner carry the thread of phony, and at twenty-one was conductor the story. of the ducal orchestra at Meiningen. Up The first episode features the dreams to this time Strauss had composed sub­ and childhood memories of a dying man. stantially on classical lines, with Brahms In this episode, two of the three main as exemplar. At Meiningen however, themes appear. The first is the “death” under the influence of the violinist and theme, played pianissimo in the strings. composer Alexander Ritter, an ardent Then the theme denoting childhood and Wagner supporter, he forsook the path happier days is presented by the oboe. of Brahms to follow that of Wagner, The second episode depicts death’s at­ Berlioz and Liszt. Programmatic 'style tacks, in which dissonant chords play a of composition soon became the staple telling part. Two subsidiary themes also orchestral production of Strauss. The appear and then the first suggestion of composer himself has stated that “I have the transfiguration theme, which will be long since learned that in my composi­ heard in full in the final episode. tions I am unable to write without a After his struggle with death, the dying program to guide me.” man in delirium sees his life pass in pic­ The program of “Death and Trans­ tures before him. Here in the third figuration” comprises four main episodes, episode, the childhood theme reappears, and running through them are at least along with subsidiary themes in related three distinctive themes, which in the mood, then the transfiguration theme—

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CONCERTO NO. 5 IN E FLAT Ludwig van Beethoven Born in Bonn, 1770 Died in Vienna, 1827 Beethoven’s Fifth Concerto, popularly #26 in A Major, which is known as the known as the “Emperor Concerto,” was “Adieux” Sonata, since it was written as composed in 1809. This was the year a farewell to one of the members of the that the Napoleonic forces occupied departing royal family. The first per­ Vienna, causing the royal family and formance of the Fifth Concerto was in many of the aristocracy to flee the city. Leipzig, one hundred and forty-three Yet despite the disturbance of the occupa­ years ago. tion, Beethoven produced compositions as The first movement contains just two imposing in calibre as in quantity. The main themes, but before they are pre­ year’s output included the Fourth, Fifth sented there is an introductory section and Sixth Symphonies, and the Sonata made up of cadenza-like passages for the

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tion of his seventeenth consecutive Amer­ nationalities and styles have written for ican concert tour. During the past two him is testimony to the international seasons the pianist has performed more recognition of Mr. Rubinstein’s extraor­ than 225 times on four continents, in­ dinary gifts. cluding 120 concerts in the U. S. and When Rubinstein was still a youth, Canada. He has appeared in two movies many great men of music interested them­ —“Carnegie Hall” and 1952’s “Of Men selves in his career. Joachim, violinist, and Music”—and has played for sound conductor, composer, friend of Brahms, tracks of three others. His numerous Schumann, Liszt and Chopin, made one recordings are high on the best-seller lists, of his last public appearances to intro­ averaging more than one-million dollars duce the eleven-year-old pianist to the in sales each year., musical world of Berlin. Paderewski and Nine outstanding composers have dedi­ Max Bruch were guiding spirits in the cated compositions to pianist Artur pianist’s early years, and Saint-Saëns pre­ Rubinstein. The list includes Igor Stra­ sented the boy to the Concert Society of vinsky, Serge Prokofieff, Karol Szyman­ Paris. owski, Alexander Tansman, Darius Mil­ An intimate of most of the world’s haud, Francis Poulenc, Manuel Ponce, musical great, Rubinstein was a particu­ Heitor, Villa-Lobos, and John Alden Car­ larly close friend of and penter. That composers of such different Manuel de Falla. KNABE OFFICIAL PIANO OF THE METROPOLITAN OPERA

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The Knabe is a constant inspiration to me There is a richness and limpid purity of in the wealth and depth of its tone and tone in the Knabe that compells imagination. sympathetic action. ZINKA MILANOV JARMILA NOVOTNA ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL—1954-1955 SEASON

VIOLINS VIOLONCELLO ENGLISH HORN TRUMPETS Werner Lywen John Martin Vernon Kirkpatrick Lloyd Geisler Concertmaster Dorothy Stahl Richard White Richard Smith George Steiner Franz Vlashek Charles Gallagher Milton Schwartz Helen Coffman Jack Johnson Bruno Chilinski Maurice Schones CLARINETS Crystal Gutheil Morris Kirshbaum Harold Wright TROMBONES Ernestine Briesmeister Raymond Marsh Robert Swanson Armand Sarro Bela Martay David Pownall Richard Bassett Orville Braymer Carmen Berendsen (Sidney Forrest) Edward Gummel Donald Radding (Richard Leith) Ivan Romanenko CONTRABASSES Roy Berkman Charles Hamer E-FLAT CLARINET BASS TROMBONE Rafael Salazar Daniel Hanlon Arnold Grossi Melvin Walter Robert Swanson Edward Gummel Doris Preucil John Ricketts Frank Gasparro Charles Viner TUBA Samuel Levy Deszo Nemeth-Barath BASS CLARINET Charles Sturgis Richard Bassett William Lewin Elliot Siegel John Teeple Robert Holloway TYMPANI Maurice Myers SAXOPHONE Herbert Sokolove HARP Fred Begun Kenneth Douse Andrejs Lindbergs Sylvia Meyer PERCUSSION Collin Layton Jeanne Chalifoux Karl Kostoff Frank Sinatra Rosario Carcione BASSOONS Joseph Leavitt Marius Thor FLUTES Kenneth Pasmanick Douglas Jones Abram Kaminsky Wallace Mann Walter Maciejewicz Kenneth Douse Spencer Sinatra Robert Shepard PIANO & CELESTE Rene Jacob (Dorothy Erler) Fritz Maile Keith Bryan George Manos Edward Pratt (Bartley Moor) Roger Pries CONTRABASSOON VIOLAS PICCOLO ORGAN Robert Shepard Theodore Israel Keith Bryan Paul Callaway Abe Cherry Spencer Sinatra Leon Feldman FRENCH HORNS ASST. LIBRARIAN Joyce Roger OBOES Edward Pratt Leo Jaakkola Abe Kniaz Leonard Laitinen Earnest Harrison James Callahan STAGE TECHNICIANS Michael Yacovone Richard White Victor Kennedy Samuel Feldman Vernon Kirkpatrick William Klang Kenneth Sickinger Alexander Podnos (Bruno Laakko) Jacob Wishnow Arthur Bainbridge FRITZ MAILE. PERSONNEL MANAGER AND LIBRARIAN

STAFF OF THE NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ASSOCIATION John S. Edwards, Manager W. Wolf Reade, Publicity-Public Relations Mrs. Louise H. Richardson, Women’s Committee Edward T. Dougherty, Box Office Manager Richard S. Bausch, Bookkeeper Frank Howard, Program-Magazine Production Miss Virginia Murphy, Secretary to Manager Miss Fleda Foster, Box Office Assistant Mrs. Lillian Powell Bonney, Baltimore Box Office Manager Mrs. Naomi Duff Smith, Baltimore Publicity-Public Relations Harold Greenwald, Baltimore Program Advertising