SHEPHERD SCHOOL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA LARRY RACHLEFF, music director MAIKO SASAKI, clarinet Friday, February 17, 2006 8:00 p.m. Stude Concert Hall 1975-2005 Ce l e b rating ~I/} Years THE SHEPHERD SCHOOL ~ SlC RlCE UNIVERSITY PROGRAM The Infernal Machine Christopher Rouse (b. 1949) Clarinet Concerto, Op. 57 Carl Nielsen / Allegretto un poco - Paco adagio - (1865-1931) Allegro non troppo -Allegro vivace Maiko Sasaki, soloist David West, snare drum Daniel Myssyk, conductor / INTERMISSION Symphony No. 8 in G Major, Op. 88 Antonin Dvorak Allegro con brio (1841-1904) Adagio Allegretto grazioso Allegro, ma non troppo The reverberative acoustics of Stude Concert Hall magnify the slightest sound made by the audience. Your care and courtesy will be appreciated. The taking ofphotographs and use of recording equipment are prohibited. SHEPHERD SCHOOL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Violin I Viola (cont.) English Horn Tuba \. Cecilia Weinkaujf, Nicholas Mauro Lillian Copeland Jason Doherty concertmaster Anna Van Devender Aubrey Foard ANNE AND CHARLES DUNCA CHAIR Clarinet f Jessica Blackwell Cello Sergei Vassiliev Harp Steven Zander Peng Li, principal Melanie Yamada Emilia Perfetti Jessica Tong Christine Kim Sadie Turner Rebecca Corruccini Stephanie Hunt E-flat Clarinet Kristiana Matthes Jennifer Humphreys Brian Viliunas Keyboard Sonya Harasim Mira Costa Levi Hammer Kaoru Suzuki Jay Tilton Bass Clarinet CHARLOTTE A. ROTHWELL CHAIR Pei-Ju Wu Madeleine Kabat Philip Broderick Timpani David Mansouri Marie-Michel Beauparlant Craig Hauschildt ' Martin Dimitrov Sarah Wilson Bassoon Justin Copa! Colin Geoffroy Nicholas Akdag Percussion Jeffrey Taylor Meta Weiss Bradley Balliett Kevin Coleman II Aaron McFarlane Melody Yenn Rian Craypo Grant Gould Emily Hu Jennifer Reid Brian Manchen Violin II FeiXie ~ Kristi Helberg, Evy Pinto Double Bass David West principal Peter Seymour, Contrabassoon Rachelle Hunt principal Jennifer Reid Orchestra Manager Lucia Atkinson Edward Botsford Martin Merritt Christina Frangos Jory Herman Horn Jennifer Salmon Kristen Bruya Robert Johnson Orchestra Librarian Maria Dance MARGARET C. PACK CHAIR ' Karl Fenner and Assistant Adam Koch Klara Wojtkowska Jordan Scapinello Personnel Manager Erin Koertge Lauren Avery Edward Merritt Kaaren Fleisher Elizabeth Schellhase Kyra Davies Marie-Claude Tardif Margaret Tung Brittany Henry Kevin Jablonski Assistant Stage ~ Glen McDaniel Catherine Turner Manager Francis Schmidt Julia Frantz Flute Allison Cregg Julia Barnett Trumpet Hanako Hjersman Jennifer Hooker Jonathan Brandt Library Assistants Elizabeth Charles Melanie Lani;on Lacey Hays Viola Scott Dixon Leslie Richmond Larry Hernandez Meredith Harris, Kyle Koronka Andrew Dunn principal Piccolo John Williamson Molly £merman Marissa Winship Julia Barnett Christine Kim Jonathan Mueller Jennifer Hooker Trombone Sonija Harasim ~ Rachel Kuipers Leslie Richmond Christopher Burns Kristi Helberg Ellen Gartner Mark Holley Kristina Hendricks Elizabeth Charles Oboe Michael Selover Peng Li Whitney Bullock Emily Brebach Colin Wise Eva Liebhaber Stephen Fine Lillian Copeland Hana Morford Andrea Hemmenway Annie Henneke Bass Trombone Marie-Claude Tardif Elizabeth Polek Diana Owens Michael Brown Jay Tilton STRING SEATING CHANGES WITH EACH CONCERT. WINDS, BRASS, PERCUSSION, AND HARP LISTED ALPHABET/CALLY. PROGRAM NOTES The Infernal Machine . Christopher Rouse Christopher Rouse is currently one of the most sought after composers in the United States. Trained as a percussionist, Rouse studied with great com­ posers such as Karel Husa (1971-73) and George Crumb (1977). In 1993 Rouse won a Pulitzer Prize for his Trombone Concerto (1991), which he de­ dicated to the memory of Leonard Bernstein (1918-1990). The Infernal Machine was originally composed for the University of Michigan Symphony Orchestra for a 1981 European tour pe,formance. The piece is dedicated to Rouse's friend, composer Leslie Bassett (b. 1923). The Infernal Machine dates from the period in Rouse's early output that is char­ acterized by driving rhythms,fast tempos, and intensity bordering on vio­ lence. According to program notes written by the composer, this work shares its title with a play by Jean Cocteau (1889-1963) and is meant to portray a "great self-sufficient machine eternally in motion for no particular purpose." The machine itself is rather sinister in its lack of concern and the occasional sparks, sputters, and grinding of its monstrous gears can be heard in the music Joseph Schwantner (b.1943), another friend of Rouse's, suggested that he make The Infernal Machine part.of an orchestral triptych, and after the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra commissioned the triptych in 1985, The Infernal Machine became the center movement. The triptych is called Phantasmata, and The Infernal Machine is bracketed by The Evestrum of Juan de la Cruz in the Sagrada Familia, 3 A.M, and Bump. Both The Infernal Machine and Bump can be performed as separate pieces. - Note by Alexis Witt Clarinet Concerto, Op. 57 . Carl Nielsen The Danish violinist, conductor, and composer Carl Nielsen wrote his Wind Quintet, Op. 43,for the Copenhagen Wind Quintet in 1921. The pre­ miere was so brilliant that he promised to write a solo concerto for each of the Quintet's members. Unfortunately, his illness and death due to angina and thrombosis allowed him to complete only the Flute Concerto for flutist Holger Gilbert Jespersen in 1926 and the Clarinet Concerto for clarinetist Aage Oxenvad in 1928. Nielsen had certain images of the clarinet. In his writing, he calls the in­ strument "at once warm-hearted and completely hysterical, gentle as balm, and screaming as a streetcar on poorly lubricated rails." The Clarinet Con­ certo is inspired by Oxenvad's extroverted and irascible character, as a cri­ tic commented: "Oxenvad has made a pact with trolls and giants. He has a TEMPER; a primitive force, harsh and clumsy, with a smattering of blue­ eyed Danish amenity. Surely Carl Nielsen heard the sound of HIS clarinet when he wrote the Concerto." Nielsen's style is clear in every aspect of his treatment of rhythm, melody, harmony, and polyphony. The concerto is in one movement, but this is broken up into four main sections-Allegretto un poco, Adagio (slow movement), Alle­ gro non troppo (scherzo), and Allegro vivace (finale) - thatfollows a classical concerto formal structure with cadenzas in the first and third sections. Niel­ sen ensured prominence for the clarinet by banishing flutes, oboes, and clari­ nets from the ensemble. The remaining bassoons, horns, and strings create a distinctive dark color. Considerable conflict occurs between the prominent snare drum and the clarinet throughout the work, similar to Nielsen's Fifth Symphony. The tonal center shifts back and forth between the two main keys of F and E. Although the technique of "progressive tonality" (finishing in a different key to that at the start of the work) was a common feature of his compositions, this concerto begins and ends in the same key of F Aage Oxenvad was the soloist in the premiere of the Clarinet Concerto. It was performed on September 14, 1928, at the home of the Nielsen family's close friend Carl Johann Michaelsen at Humlebaek near Heisinger. Although it took time for Nielsen to write the concerto since he felt he didn't know the clarinet well enough, Oxenvad is quoted by Nielsen biographer Karsten Es­ kildsen as claiming that "he must have been able to play the clarinet himself; otherwise he would never have found exactly the most difficult notes to play." - Note by Maiko Sasaki Symphony No. 8 in G Major, Op. 88 . Antonin Dvorak Originally published in 1889 as Symphony No. 4, Dvofak's Eighth Sym­ phony is unlike any of his preceding symphonies in that it is strongly influ­ enced by folk music. These strong folk associations are the reason that this work is sometimes referred to as a "pastoral" symphony. It is occasionally called the "English Symphony" because Dvorak published the piece with an Engl/sh firm, and subsequently the symphony was very popular in England. Dvorak uses a wide variety of musical ideas and styles ranging from imi­ tations of nature sounds to fanfares and funeral marches. The first move­ ment, Allegro con brio, displays the full range ofpossible orchestral colors through the use of solo instruments, such as the cello and flute, in addition to a liberal use of timpani. The second movement, Adagio, creates a feel­ ing of contentment as it depicts a Bohemian village and its surrounding countryside. Dvorak evokes the pastoral feeling through bird calls and the sounds of a nearby stream, and to further enhance the image of the village and village life, Dvorak even imitates a village band at one point. The third movement, Allegretto, is a graceful and charming waltz. The reserved nature of the waltz gives way in the trio section to a rousing, rustic dance which picks up speed towards the end of the movement and resembles the Dumka, a Czech dance form. The fourth movement, Allegro, is introduced with a trumpet call before progressing into variations on a march theme, which give the impression of a country festival. Expanding his use offolk music further, Dvorak composed his Symphony No. 9 in E Minor, "From the New World," in 1883. As the Eighth made use of Czech folk styles, the primary influence for the Ninth was American folk music. Unfortunately. the Eighth Symphony is often overlooked in favor of the widely popular New World Symphony; however, when taken as a pair, these two remarkable works can be seen as the pinnacle of Dvofak's sym­ phonic writing. - Note by Alexis Witt BIOGRAPHIES Clarinetist MAIKO SASAKI began her clarinet study at the age of seven. Ms. Sasaki holds Bachelor and Master of Music degrees from Japan's finest music school, Tokyo National University of Music and Fine Arts, where she studied with Professor Yuji Murai, a unique solo clarinetist and chamber mu­ sician. Since then, Ms. Sasaki has focused her study on solo performance, re­ ceiving numerous awards such as the Japan Classical Music Competition, the All Japan Soloist Competition, and "The Great Wall of China Cup" Interna­ tional Music Competition.