Theatre - Concert Hall Tanglewood

EIGHT CONCERTS OF CHAMBER MUSIC

Tuesday Evenings at 8:00

July 28 THE OF NEW YORK

BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ERICH LEINSDORF Music Director

,y

BERKSHIRE FESTIVAL 1964

BALDWIN PIANO RCA VICTOR RECORDS DIVERTIMENTO (TRIO) IN B FLAT, K. 254 By Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)

"Ein Terzett" was Mozart's title for each of his trios for piano, violin and , except for this early one in B flat, which he called a "diverti- mento," a strange designation, since it differs in no way from the pattern of the rest.

Since the bass function is fulfilled by the pianist's left hand, and is merely doubled by the cello, this trio could perfectly well be played as a violin sonata. This does not mean that it would be as beautiful, for the gentle permeation of the cello bass and its chords with the violin add con- siderably to the charm of the whole. First and last, this is a polite work, but warm and appealing in the melodies of the allegro assai, the development of the rondo in minuet style. The Adagio in the middle is a particularly fine one, with a long breathed opening melody conceived for the violin, another suited to the piano, and a mating of the two.

PIANO TRIO By Maurice Ravel (1875-1937)

Ravel was working upon this his only trio at Saint-Jean-de-Luz in 1914 when the World War began. Roland-Manuel, who was one of his circle, quotes the composer as saying that "he would exchange without too much regret the savoir of this product of his maturity for the pouvoir ingenu of the Quartet of his youth." (He had composed his only string quartet in 1902-1903.) Roland-Manuel believes that he was intrigued by the problem of overcoming the tonal incompatabilities of blending the piano with the strings, a problem Saint-Saens had so adroitly overcome.

Ravel's solution is a smooth piece of integration cultivating simplicity, using melodic, undulant themes definitely related (Ravel spoke of the opening one, which divides into a 3/8-2/8-3/8 bar, as t(de couleur basque"), supported by piquant harmonies, characteristic coloring, pizzicato rhythms, tremolo shimmer, but no thickening of texture. It is a translucent score, with classical features. The first movement reverts without shame to sonata form. The scherzo, in waltz rhythm, is lightened by capricious string figures. The slow movement is a strict passacaglia in ten eight bar sections. The subject is melodic, not a bass accompaniment, although it begins in the quiet depths of the keyboard and ends there after traversing the cello, the violin, the two in duet, and various ornamental combinations. The Final is spirited but not swift. The piano has easy, sonorous chords and flowing arpeggios, brightened by the punctuation from the high strings. It is in an alternating 5/4 and 7/4 rhythm.

The fanciful title "Pantoum" over the second movement refers to a Malayan four line verse form (also called "panturn") of alternate rhyming, each couplet developing its text from the preceding one.

The Trio is dedicated to Andre Gedalge. FIFTH CONCERT OF THE CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES

Tuesday Evening, July 28, 1964

Beaux Arts Trio of New York , Piano , Violin BERNARD GREENHOUSE, Cello

Divertimento (Trio) in B flat, K. 254 Mozart

I Allegro assai

II Adagio

III Rondeaux (Tempo di menuetto)

Trio in A minor Ravel

I Modere II Pantoum—assez vif III Passacaille — tres large IV Final — anime

INTERMISSION

Dumky-Trio in E minor, Op. 90 Dvorak Lento maestoso; Allegro quasi doppio movimento

II \Poco adagio, Vivace

III )Andante; Vivace non troppo; Andante; \ Allegretto IV Andante moderato (quasi tempo di marcia; Allegretto scherzando; Tempo primo V Allegro VI Lento maestoso; Vivace (quasi doppio movimeno); Lento; Vivace

Mr. Pressler plays the Steinway Piano

\ DUMKY-TRIO IN E MINOR, Op. 90 By Antonin Dvorak (1841-1894)

Walter Wilson Cobbett, in his Cyclopedic Survey of Chamber Music, quotes Ottokar Sourek and yields to him in the discussion of Dvorak's chamber works, remarking that they "are so exhaustive that little remains for me to say. For us amateurs they are priceless treasures." This leaves no alternative to a quotation of Professor Sourek's description of the Dumky- Trio: "The Dumky-Trio is a work which is remarkably characteristic of Dvorak's chamber music. In the form of the dumka, the principal charac- teristic of which is the alternation of yearning melancholy with wild gaiety, there is vent for Dvorak's emotionally complex and fiery temperament, which plunged him at times into reverie and showed itself at other moments in outbursts of gladness. If, earlier in his career, Dvorak interpolated into some of his chamber music an idealized dumka doing duty either for slow movement or scherzo, in the Trio he created a work made up exclusively of dumka movements of his own. There are six in all, each thematically independent and separate from the other. "This free arrangement of movements, remarkably alike in character, might give the impression that the Dumky-Trio is not a chamber work in the strict sense of the words, but this is not the case. Even if it has not the unity of thought that marks the cyclic sonata form, the subject matter is linked organically, and conforms to the required standard of variety in form and expression. It is significant that the first three dumky are con- nected by the indication 'attacca subito' into a coherent whole, and are recon- ciled by their tonalities, because the first dumka in E minor ends in C sharp minor, in which key the second one is continued, while the third is in A major. Then they are also connected formally by the thoughtful sections alternating with the strongly contrasting dance variants, which are linked by their content, passing on from quiet exclamations of sorrow to emotional conclusions. "The last dumka, in C minor, completes and clinches the whole work, returning to the form and sentiment of the opening one. A grave lento with a pathetic theme contrasts with a quick section, and the music is alternately wild and quietly expressive. It ends in a broad, plaintive, and effective coda. "The Dumky, even if not distinguished by the unity of thought and structure expected in a serious chamber work, is full of charm, with a touch of the simplicity of folk-song. The tone colour, which varies with each dumka, reveals everywhere the great master of instrumental technique. The 'cello is very prominent throughout, its full rich tones according remarkably well with the mood of the work." J.N.B.

REMAINING CONCERTS: August 4 Jorge Bolet, Piano August 11 Lenox String Quartet (Included in the Festival of Contemporary American Music) August 18 Phyllis Curtin, Soprano