Joann Falletta, Conductor
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Thursday Evening, December 14, 2017, at 7:30 JoAnn Falletta , Conductor Performance #75: Season 3, Concert 12 JOHN ADAMS ( b. 1947 ) Short Ride in a Fast Machine (1986) KRZYSZTOF PENDERECKI (b. 1933) Concerto doppio (2012) DENNIS KIM, Violin ROMAN MEKINULOV, Cello Intermission GUSTAV HOLST (1874–1934) The Planets (1914–16) Mars, the Bringer of War Venus, the Bringer of Peace Mercury, the Winged Messenger Jupiter, the Bringer of Jollity Saturn, the Bringer of Old Age Uranus, the Magician Neptune, the Mystic BARD FESTIVAL CHORALE This evening’s concert will run approximately one hour and 55 minutes including one 20-minute intermission. Alice Tully Hall Please make certain your cellular phone, pager, or watch alarm is switched off. Lincoln Center Notes on the Music other pairs of string soloists. The same flexible approach was often employed by J.S. Bach and others in the Baroque Age. Short Ride in a Fast Machine The composer writes: “I have spent decades JOHN ADAMS searching for and discovering new sounds. At the same time, I have closely studied I was asked to write a piece to celebrate the the forms, styles and harmonies of past opening of a music festival in Massachusetts eras. I have continued to adhere to both by my friend Michael Tilson Thomas, and principles.” While the distinction may be since I had recently taken a ride in a very subtle, the role of the orchestra is that of fancy Italian sport car driven by a friend of an extended canvas, set as a tonal back - mine, I had not yet recovered from that ground rather than a traditional accompani - rather terrifying experience, and it was ment. The narratives for the soloists offer a somewhat still on my brain when I began rhapsodic dialog, very much like a gallery to think about what kind of fanfare I would tour of tone-painted events. Beginning with write. So Short Ride in a Fast Machine is lingering high harmonics in the cello, the somewhat of an evocation of that experi - violin replies with delicate pizzicatos. As the ence, which was both thrilling and also a duo blends into a poignant chant, it trans - kind of white-knuckle, anxious experience. forms into an urgent plea, accented by the The piece starts with the knocking of a entrance of the orchestra. Serving to escort wood block, which creates a kind of rhyth - the development through a series of cryp - mic gauntlet through which the orchestra tic variations, the orchestra leads or follows has to pass. We hear typical fanfare figures the diverse facets offered by the soloists, in the brass, but in a kind of rat-a-tat, tattoo with many changes in tempo and style. staccato form, which really typifies most of —Ed Yadzinski the activity of this very fast and very lively orchestral fanfare. Part of the fun of Short Ride in a Fast Machine is making these - large instruments—the tuba, the double TON’s Federico basses, the contrabassoon, and the entire Ramos on Holst’s brass section—move; they have to boogie The Planets R E through this very resolute and inflexible D A M pulse that’s set up by the wood block. And N The Planets is an astro - U A it’s only at the very end of the piece, where H logical piece, written S the wood block finally stops, that the when Holst was super orchestra suddenly feels free, as if it’s the interested in astrology. Actually, the piece third stage of a rocket that’s finally broken was born after he was introduced to astrol - loose of Earth’s gravity and is allowed to ogy while on a trip in Majorca, Spain. He float. And it’s at that moment that we hear put together seven movements, each one the triumphant, real fanfare music in the with the name of a planet. Of course Pluto trumpets and horns. wasn’t included because Pluto was discov - —John Adams ered only a few years before Holst passed away. It’s really amazing to me the way he Concerto doppio wrote music. I really like the melody and KRZYSZTOF PENDERECKI orchestration of this piece and the way he created musical images of each planet. I Originally written for violin and viola, this discovered something quite interesting concerto was also intended to feature about Holst: while everyone knows he Lincoln Center played the piano, he was also a profes - Because of this, when you see the trom - sional trombone player and he actually bone parts for The Planets , you can tell played under the baton of Richard Strauss. that he knew what he was doing. Meet the Artists music advisor to the Hawaii Symphony and has held the positions of principal conductor of the Ulster Orchestra, principal guest conductor of the Phoenix Symphony, music director of the Long Beach Symphony S A Orchestra, associate conductor of the L L E D Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, and music K Jo Ann Falletta , R A director of the Denver Chamber Orchestra. M Conductor JoAnn Falletta is internationally celebrated Ms. Falletta received her undergraduate as a vibrant ambassador for music, an degree from the Mannes School of Music, inspiring artistic leader, and a champion of and her master’s and doctorate degrees American symphonic music. She serves as from The Juilliard School. the music director of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra and the Virginia Symphony Orchestra, and is principal guest conductor of the Brevard Music Center. E E L G Ms. Falletta has guest conducted more N U O than 100 orchestras in North America, and Y A N Dennis Kim , Violin many of the most prominent orchestras in Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa. Appearances: Served as concertmaster of Her 2017–18 international guest conducting the Tucson Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong appearances include performances with the Philharmonic Orchestra, Seoul Philharmonic Mexico Symphony Philharmonic, the RTÉ Orchestra, and Tampere Philharmonic Or - Concert Orchestra (Dublin), and the New chestra in Finland; as guest concertmaster Japan Philharmonic, among others, as well as with the BBC, Montpelier, West Australian, recordings with the Berlin Radio Symphony and Navarra symphony orchestras; the Orchestra and the London Symphony. London, Royal Stockholm, Helsinki, and Malaysian philharmonic orchestras; the Ms. Falletta has served as a member of Orchestre National de Lille; the Bergen the National Council on the Arts, was Philharmonic Orchestra, ten-city tour of recently elected as a member of the the U.K.; and the Qatar Philharmonic esteemed American Academy of Arts and Orchestra, BBC Proms debut, 2014 Sciences, and is the recipient of many of the most prestigious conducting awards. A Performances: Solo debut at age 14 with leading recording artist for Naxos, her the Toronto Philharmonic Orchestra; discs have won two Grammy Awards and soloist with every major orchestra in China ten Grammy nominations. and Korea; performed on ten hours’ notice to replace an ill William Preucil, performing In addition to her current posts with the Vivaldi’s The Four Seasons 20 times in one Buffalo Philharmonic, Virginia Symphony, week; toured Japan with the Busan and Brevard Music Center, Ms. Falletta is Philharmonic in 2008; has worked with Lincoln Center conductors Riccardo Chailly, Charles Dutoit, with Greater Newburgh Symphony; per - Riccardo Muti, André Previn, Yannick Nézet- formed extensively throughout the United Séguin, and Sir Simon Rattle; has performed States, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Germany, with leading musicians Pinchas Zuckerman, France, Greece, Denmark, Switzerland, as Jaime Laredo, Carter Brey, John Sharp, well as his native Russia Marya Martin, and members of the Orion, Tokyo, and Guarneri string quartets Honors: 1992 Young Artists International Auditions Cello Award; first prize, Leningrad Positions: Concertmaster, Buffalo Phil - Chamber Music Competition; Winner’s harmonic Orchestra; faculty, Royal Con - Showcase Series, Great Philharmonic Hall, servatory of Music, Toronto; has been on Leningrad; nominee, 2001 Carlos Gomes the faculty of the Hong Kong Academy of Prize, Best Instrumentalist of the Year Performing Arts, Korean National University of the Arts, Yonsei University, Tampere Positions: Principal cellist, Buffalo Phil - Conservatory, and the Seoul Arts High harmonic Orchestra; founding member School; has taught at the Bowdoin Inter - and artistic director, Bravo International national Music Festival, Atlantic Music Chamber Music Workshop, a comprehen - Festival, and Interlochen Arts Camp sive chamber music workshop for high school and college students, July–February Education: Curtis Institute of Music, Yale every year School of Music Discography: Miguel del Aguila’s Concierto en Tango , Buffalo Philharmonic, 2015, writ - ten for Mr. Mekinulov and nominated for Latin Grammy Roman Education: Rimsky-Korsakov College, The Mekinulov , Cello Juilliard School (B.M., M.M.) Appearances: Principal cellist, North Carolina The Orchestra Now - Symphony, European tour; Schleswig- The Orchestra Now (T ON) is a group of Holstein Musik Festival Orchestra, Germany; vibrant young musicians from across the substitute, New York Philharmonic; Jupiter globe who are making orchestral music rele - Symphony Chamber Players, NYC; on tour vant to 21st-century audiences. They are lift - with St. Petersburg Quartet and with ing the curtain on the musicians’ experience chamber players in Naples, Florida, and and sharing their unique personal insights in Virginia Arts Festival; principal cellist, a welcoming environment. Hand-picked Orquestra Sinfonica do Estado de Sao from the world’s leading conservatories — Paulo, Brazil including The Juilliard School, Shanghai Conservatory of Music, Royal Conservatory Performances: Concerto appearances of Brussels, and the Curtis Institute of - with Virginia Symphony, Albany Symphony, Music—the members of T ON are not only and Erie Chamber Orchestra; U.S. pre - thrilling audiences with their critically miere of Krzysztof Penderecki’s Concerto acclaimed performances, but also enlight - doppio with the Buffalo Philharmonic ening curious minds by giving on-stage intro - Orchestra; U.S.