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(C) www.jenniferhigdon.com For more information: Concertante 1756 27 January, Salzburg, b. 1791 5 December, Vienna, d. 30 minutes) (Approx. Written in Salzburg in early 1779. Mozart had made his mark as a As a young child, touring Europe with his violinist and keyboard player, family and playing for the highest nobility his father He wrote for himself could arrange. to play as a virtuosic teenager and had begun to write piano concertos for himself – a pursuit that would last into his maturity and leave us with a wealth of great But in 1778 piano concertos from throughout his life. Mozart journeyed to Paris where he was surrounded by the unique form of the sinfonia, a concertante hybrid form of a /symphony in which multiple soloists are featured independent from the , with a more defined soloistic role than the Baroque form. he tried his hand When Mozart returned to Salzburg, and the three at several pieces in this new form, composers at the 1889 World Exposition in Paris. Exposition in Paris. World composers at the 1889 This movement uses extensive pizzicato and other string colorings (as a reflection of the Gamelan Each colorful percussion instruments). ensemble’s a Gamelan instrument has its own theme (as would of instrumentalist) and there is no development lead). those themes (following Debussy and Ravel’s title refers to the in the “point” word the In addition, (from pointillistic technique in Impressionist painting the composers’ time period).

“To The Point” is a work derived from Jennifer The Point” “To That work “Impressions.” 4th string quartet, Higdon’s was commissioned to be a compositional response to This particular the Debussy and Ravel string quartets. movement is a response to their second movements, which both imitate the Gamelan heard by the Jennifer Higdon is one of America’s most acclaimed most acclaimed America’s Jennifer Higdon is one of She and most frequently performed living composers. is a major figure in contemporaryClassical music, Violin forreceiving the 2010 Pulitzer Prize in Music her a 2010 Grammy for her Percussion Concerto, Concerto and a 2018 Grammy for her received the Higdon Most recently, Concerto. which is Nemmers Prize from Northwestern University given to contemporary classical composers of exceptional achievement who have significantly Higdon enjoys influenced the field of composition. several hundred performances a year of her works, most performed and is one of today’s with more than contemporary orchestral works, Her works have been 600 performances worldwide. first opera, Higdon’s recorded on more than sixty CDs. won the prestigious International Opera , Premiere and the opera World for Best Award Dr. recording was nominated for 2 Grammy awards. The Higdon holds the Rock Chair in Composition at Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia. JENNIFER HIGDON 1962 31 December, York, New Brooklyn, b. byWritten as a string quartet in 2003 as a commission & Response the Cypress String Quartet as part of their Call Premiered in the orchestral version by the Brooklyn series. 4 minutes) (Approx. 2004. Philharmonic on March 15, To The Point To By Erik Rohde © | Violin II, Illinois Symphony Orchestra | Music Director, Winona Symphony Orchestra | Director of Strings and Activities, Indiana State University Activities, Winona Symphony Orchestra | Director of Strings and Illinois Symphony Orchestra | Music Director, Violin II, By Erik Rohde © | PROGRAM NOTES MAGNIFICENT MOZART MAGNIFICENT 28 ILSYMPHONY.ORG By ErikRohde©| Violin II, Orchestra|MusicDirector, IllinoisSymphony Orchestra|DirectorofStringsand Winona Symphony Activities, University IndianaState NOTES PROGRAM MAGNIFICENT MOZART are themostlush andwonderful. Mozart linkedbeing which addaviola totheregularstringquartet that Of hisstringchambermusic, itistheviolaquintets orchestra insteadofjustone, ashedoes in thispiece. writing two violaparts in the of thisby took advantage toMozart,dark sonoritywasappealing andheoften was Mozart’s trueloveinthestringfamily. The rich, ontheviolin.his ability Itwas, however, theviolathat in printtoday, for he becamefamousasateenager hisfather,by isstill violintreatise whose pedagogical age, violinist. Mozarthadbeenaprodigious Taught point inMozart’s careerasaperformer. Fromayoung Meanwhile, thispiecerepresentsauniqueturning time, therestofhislife. financially wouldstruggle masterworksinthat he wouldwriteallofhismature hisemployer, kickedoutby himself literally and, while aftergetting get theopportunityjusttwoyearslater stream ofcultureandmusicallife. Hewouldfinally support himselfandbeconnectedwiththemain- apostinmajorEuropeancitywherehecould have Salzburg, elseto and hedesiredmorethananything hovelof heconsidered theback-water him towhat tied appointment that against his court was chafing After severalsuccessfultoursthroughEurope, Mozart voice. inhislife, Certainly todoso. hewasattempting if Mozartisstrikingoutwithanew, improvedmusical ten lastofthethree, itisthemostself-assertive, as work.concertante isthemostground-breaking Writ- viola. While allthreepiecesareexcellent, thesinfonia pianos, violinand for concertante and thesinfonia right: fluteandharp, aconcerto for for two aconcerto areeachgemsintheirown wehave examples that continued ... here to perform – of course playing theviolapart! –ofcourseplaying here toperform sounded wereMozarthimself itwouldhave what muchlike survived, youwillhearbevery sowhat which Mozart’sconcerto for owncadenzashave spirits. Pleasantly, string thisconcertoistheonly two soloists, inhigh both partsvirtuosicandagain betweenthe movement isamischievousinterplay movement inamajor-key concerto. The final itisaminorslow –unusualinthat profound minor slowmovementisbothpoignantand the melodicfigures. Thesecondmovement, arichC turnsthrough the soloistswitheachtakingstately grand andnoble,The firstmovementis introducing abrightereffect. creating thereby tuneupahalf-steptoE-flat, thesoloisttosimply for part inamoresonorousDMajor, withinstructions brilliant, higher-pitched violin, Mozartwrotetheviola in ordertohelptheviolacompetewithmore the violapart, demanding, isittechnically notonly but hisfather.violin partfor Mozarttookspecialcarewith Mozarthimself toplay,written for the andperhaps personal voice. The violapartwasalmostcertainly atruly Mozartfound soloists ofviolinandviolathat theshared inwriting a majorworkfor So itisthat chambermusic. play quartet partnersHaydn, Dittersdorf, and Vanhal) to when gettingtogetherwithfriends(includingregular totheviola violin altogetherandwouldturnalways to Vienna in 1781, the upplaying gave heactually of hisrequireddutiestoplay), sooncehemoved a violinistwithhispositioninSalzburg(itwaspart

ILSYMPHONY.ORG 29 I was greatly attracted to the Concertos. I was greatly attracted to the Brandenburg Concertos. Whether or not the first theme of my first movement is a conscious borrowing from the third of the What I I do not know. however, Brandenburg set, can say is that Bach would most certainly have been delighted to loan it to me; to borrow in this way was exactly the sort of thing he liked to do. always been inspired by Bach – his always been inspired by Bach – his from six years earlier also bears many hallmarks of Bach inspiration (including a specific nod to the Bach “played Bach very and he said he Double Concerto), regularly during the composition of the (Dumbarton He went on to say: Oaks) concerto.” While Stravinsky was clearly inspired by Bach, the While Stravinsky was clearly inspired by Bach, small The music is distinctly in his own style. edgy energy, orchestra fairly bristles with bright, and the opening really does remind one of the third Dancing rhythms abound and Brandenburg concerto. edge of the ensemble often seems to teeter on the staying together as Stravinsky drops part of a beat every few measures to give the music a surprising, room of In the opulent music slightly askew sensation. the magnificent of Dumbarton Federal-style mansion and unexpected, it must have sounded fresh, Oaks, brilliant at the premiere. Stravinsky ensemble as a uses each member of the just soloist and everyone has their own part to play, orchestrationThe is like in the third Brandenburg. opening and closing with two fast vivid and virtuosic, movements surrounding an aria-like slower second The piece goes from beginning to end movement. forming a without pausing between movements, cohesive arc that still sounds fresh eighty years after It is the mark of a great composer, its composition. and connected rooting himself by being inspired by, yet remaining contemporary to the old music of Bach, and new in his own time. anniversary. At the anniversary.

th Century in Paris: Century in Paris:

th Century. Specifically, the Specifically, Century. th

Oaks estate in honor of their 30 Mildred Barnes Bliss, named for their Dumbarton Mildred Barnes Bliss, received a commission from Robert Woods Bliss and Woods received a commission from Robert Just before moving to the United States, Stravinsky Just before moving to the United States, York where he lived the last years of his life. where he York country of his birth. He eventually would move to New country of his birth. 1962, after being away for almost 50 years from the 1962, 1940s. He would not return to Russia until a visit in He would not return to Russia until a 1940s. Hollywood and became a naturalized US citizen in the would sail to the United States, where he settled in would sail to the United States, thanks to the outbreak of World War II, Stravinsky II, War World thanks to the outbreak of becoming a French citizen in the mid-1930s. In 1939, In 1939, becoming a French citizen in the mid-1930s. moved to France following World War I, eventually I, War World moved to France following splitting time in Russia and Switzerland, Stravinsky splitting time in Russia and Switzerland, . After . Firebird, Petroushka, and

huge ballets of the early 20 smaller in scope and orchestration from the lush, smaller in scope and orchestration from the lush, brought on by the wars, Stravinsky’s works were Stravinsky’s brought on by the wars, of this, and also impacted by financial constraints of this, era in his life called his neoclassical period. Because era in his life called his neoclassical period. composing music modeled after music of the past, an composing music modeled after music of the past, time, Stravinsky was extremely interested in time, Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos. Stravinsky had Brandenburg Concertos. Bach’s indebted to the works of Bach, and modeled after indebted to the works of Bach, “Dumbarton Oaks” concerto was deeply “Dumbarton Oaks” scores written in the early 20 grown up in Russia, he became famous for his ballet grown up in Russia, and saw himself as an international artist. Having and saw himself as an international artist. was a composer of many styles (Approx. 15 minutes) (Approx. Washington, D.C., Nadia Boulanger, conductor. conductor. Nadia Boulanger, D.C., Washington, d. New York City, 6 April, 1971 April, 6 City, York New d. 1938 in Dumbarton Oaks outside of Premiered on May 8, 17 June, 1882 17 June, IGOR STRAVINSKY Russia, Petersburg, a suburb of St. Oranienbaum, b. Concerto in E-flat, “Dumbarton Oaks” Concerto in E-flat,