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BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

James Levine, Music Director BOSTON SYMPHONY Bernard Haitink, Conductor Emeritus ORCHESTRA Seiji Ozawa, Music Director Laureate JAMES LEVINE Music >4& 130th Season, 2010-2011 Director

CHAMBER TEA VI Friday, March 25, at 2:30

COMMUNITY CONCERT VIII

Sunday, March 27, at 3, at Somerville High School

COMMUNITY CONCERT IX

Sunday, April 3, at 3, at Tuckerman Hall, Worcester

The free Community Concerts are made possible by a generous grant from the Lowell Institute.

HAWTHORNE STRING QUARTET SI-JING HUANG, violin (1st violin in Post and Lee; violin in Srnka) RONAN LEFKOWITZ, violin MARK LUDWIG, viola SATO KNUDSEN, cello THOMAS MARTIN, clarinet JESSICA ZHOU, harp

MCHEDELOV Variations on a Theme of Paganini, for harp

TAILLEFERRE Arabesque, played by clarinet and harp

RAVEL Vocalise-etude en forme de habanera, played by clarinet and harp

DEBUSSY Arabesque No. 2, played by clarinet and harp

POST Virtual Fantasie on a Chorale, for string quartet

LEE Morango. . . Almost A Tango for string quartet

SRNKA Escape Routines for harp, clarinet, and string trio

Week 19 Notes on the Program

The Russian Mikhail Mchedelov (1903-1974) was a kind of Segovia of the harp, delving into the non-harp repertoire to expand the range of his own instrument at a time when the harp was really coming into its own as a serious solo medium in the twentieth century. He taught at the Moscow Conservatory from 1937 until 1959. His Variations on a Theme of Paganini was published in 1962 and, as a bravura work, is frequently assigned as a competition piece.

The theme is a familiar one, that of the last of the twenty-four solo violin caprices by Nicolo Paganini (1782-1840), the quintessential virtuoso of the Romantic era. It is, apparently, an irresistible tune. Composers as varied as Brahms, Rachmaninoff, Lutoslawski, and Andrew Lloyd Webber responded with far-flung variations of their own. Mchedelov's version is conservative but deft in both its requirements of the harpist and its treatment of Paganini's theme. The first group of variations is short and straightforward, but the last two of the eleven allow the theme to stretch well beyond its original bounds.

The little group of duets for clarinet and harp is arranged from other sources and tweaked by Thomas Martin and Jessica Zhou for their use. Martin relates, "The Debussy Arabesque will be performed on the rather rare clarinet in D. The instru- ment was built by the Chilean instrument-maker and clarinetist Luis Rossi and purchased by the Boston Symphony some years ago. It is often heard in Symphony

Hall during the opening flourishes of the Second Suite from Ravel's Daphnis et Chloe. This will be the instrument's short and hopefully sweet BSO solo debut." Germaine Tailleferre (1892-1983) was a major voice in French music in the generation following Ravel and an erstwhile member of the loosely constituted "Les Six" group (with Poulenc, Auric, Milhaud, Honegger, and Durey) in Paris in the early 1920s. Later in her career she concentrated on opera. The sweet, melodic Arabesque, originally for clarinet and piano, is derived from music in her 1960 opera he Petite Sirene, based on Anderson's The Little Mermaid. Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) wrote his Vocalise-etude en forme de habanera for (word- less) voice and piano in 1907. A habanera is a Cuban dance with the distinctive rhythm of dotted-eighth-note, sixteenth, eighth, eighth (the most famous is the habanera from Bizet's Carmen). Here, the harp carries the rhythm while the clarinet sings the sultry melody. The Arabesque No. 2 of Claude Debussy (1862-1918) was the effervescent second of a pair of works for piano solo the composer wrote in about 1890.

The string quartet works of David Post (b.1949) are repertoire staples for the . He has written several pieces for the quartet, including his Third and Fourth string quartets, his Piano Quintet, and most recently his Concerto a Cinque for clarinet and string quartet, for the Hawthorne Quartet and clarinetist Thomas Martin. He wrote the Virtual Fantasie on a Chorale in 2003 on commission from the Terezin Music Foundation; its string orchestra version was premiered by members of the BSO on March 21 at the College of Saint Rose in Albany, New York, under James Sommerville's direction. The Hawthorne String Quartet recorded the string quartet version of the Virtual Fantasie along with Post's string quartets nos. 2, 3, and 4 for a Naxos CD released in fall 2010. Post started musical training early, studying cello with Samuel Reiner and Lee's music has been commissioned by the Koussevitzky and Fromm founda- Charles Forbes and composition with Charles Whittenberg and later with Ralph tions, Amnesty International, the Terezfn Chamber Music Foundation, and such Shapey at the University of Chicago. He also worked with Larry Bell and Lukas Foss. ensembles as the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra; Boston's Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra For several years he was a participant in the Chamber Music Conference and Com- and Collage New Music; the Omaha Symphony Orchestra; the Artaria, Lydian, Man- posers Forum of the East at Bennington College. His orchestral and chamber works hattan, Hawthorne, and Kronos string quartets, the Pittsburgh New Music En- have been played and recorded by international organizations including the Czech semble, and many others. His catalog numbers over 130 works ranging from small Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Moravian Philharmonic, and the Salem Philhar- pieces to the evening-length chamber opera The Inman Diaries (2007). Recent works monic, among others. Soundbites, a recent commission from the Aiolos Collective— include his Violin Concerto, written for violinist Irina Muresanu and the Civic an international group of wind players—was premiered in August 2001 to critical Symphony Orchestra of Boston, and his harp concerto "... bisbiglianda... " for the acclaim. His music is published by MMB Music, Inc., St. Louis, MO. David Post's Boston Modern Orchestra and soloist Ina Zdoravetchi. (His first harp concerto was discography includes his Symphony No. 1 performed by the Czech Radio Symphony written for Ann Hobson Pilot, then principal harp of the BSO.) Orchestra under Vladimir Valek, his String Quartet No. 1 performed by the Boston Morango... Almost A Tango (1983) was originally a thirty-two-bar jazz tune Lee Composers String Quartet, a Concerto for English Horn and Orchestra with soloist performed every Sunday night with the Moon Unit at the 1369 Jazz Club in Cam- Donna Marie Cobert and the Moravian Philharmonic, Vit Micka conducting, and bridge, MA, in the early '80s. The string quartet version, although written for the Soundbites for nine double reed instruments, recorded by the Aiolos Collective. Kronos Quartet, was premiered at Concert X by Composers in Red Sneakers in Sanders Theatre, Cambridge, MA, on July 21, 1983, by the Red Sneakers String The composer has provided the following note on his piece: Quartet. Lee writes, "Gustavo Moretto, an Argentine composer... taught me the The American Heritage Dictionary defines virtual as "existing or resulting in essence finer and more beautiful aspects of the Tango. In my modest way, as someone or effect though not in actual fact, form or name," and the term has gained a wide looking in from the outside, I created Morango... Almost A Tango — a bastardized currency in the cyberspace age. "Essence" and "effect" are the operative words version of the 'real thing.' Morango... is also intrinsically connected to Kate Moran, here for the Fantasia is written "backwards"—in that the development precedes the a sometimes painter...to whom it is dedicated. The work is played con sordino exposition of the ideas. Well before any point of arrival is reached, the listener is [with mutes] throughout." confronted with swirling bits and pieces, motives and intervals that are part of the The Kronos played Morango... while on tour in Europe in 1986 and recorded it chorale but which collide and ricochet off each other, at times seeming to land and for their CD "White Man Sleeps." It has entered the repertoires of several other form a well-behaved cadence, but remain unsettled until the very end, when the quartets. As interest in the work grew, other ensembles have requested arrange- fragments coalesce and the chorale finally emerges. But its appearance is cut short ments of Morango...; there are now versions for violin and piano, big band jazz abruptly, and before it can establish itself completely it begins to disintegrate and ensemble, and string orchestra. soon vanishes into silence. The inspiration for this piece came from the wonderful, haunting Meditation on the Old Czech Chorale "Saint Wenceslas" of Josef Suk, for string quartet (or small Miroslav Srnka was born in Prague in 1975. He studied musicology at Prague's string orchestra). It became a signature piece and a well-loved symbol of unity and Charles University with Jarmila Gabrielova and composition at the Prague Academy comfort for the Czech people during wartime. Fantasia on a Virtual Choralewas of the Performing Arts with Milan Slavicky. He also attended Humboldt University commissioned by the Terezin Music Foundation (www.terezinmusic.org ). in Berlin and the Paris Conservatoire. As a musicologist, his particular interest has been the work of Dvoiak and Czech music after 1945. Compositionally, Srnka has been influenced by spectralism as well as older Czech music. The philosophical Like David Post, the prolific and eclectic composer Thomas Oboe Lee (b.1945) has and musical friction and cooperation that arises between Czech and international been one of the Hawthorne String Quartet's favorites for many years. The quartet musical directions, while abstract, is evidently a concern that helps direct his musical recorded a disc of his music, including Morango. .. Almost A Tango, almost ten years explorations. Among other works, his Third String Quartet was performed and ago, and has several of his pieces in its repertoire. Lee was born in , moving recorded by the Arditti String Quartet, and his Wall, a short chamber opera on a with his family to British-controlled and then to Stio Paulo, Brazil, libretto by Jonathan Safran Foer, was commissioned and produced by the Staatsoper where as a young man he played flute with Brazilian jazz and pop musicians. He Berlin in 2005. He has also fulfilled commissions from the Ensemble Intercontempo- moved to the United States in 1966, graduating from the University of Pittsburgh rain, Ensemble Modern, West German Radio, and many other major organizations. and going on to study composition with William Thomas McKinley, George Russell, Srnka wrote Escape Routines for harp, clarinet, and string trio at the request of and Gunther Schuller at the New England Conservatory and with Earl Kim at Mark Ludwig as a Terezin Legacy Commission of the Terezin Chamber Music Foun- Harvard. He also worked with Betsy Jolas in 1976 at Tanglewood, where he won dation and the Prague Spring Festival. The piece was premiered on September 26, Tanglewood's Koussevitzky Composition Prize. Since 1990 he has been on the 2010, in Symphony Hall during a concert honoring Dr. Robert J. Mayer, the 2010 re- faculty of . He founded the legendary new-music collective Com- cipient of the Terezin Legacy Award. Boston Symphony Orchestra principal horn posers in Red Sneakers and, as a jazz composer-performer, played in the bands James Sommerville conducted an ensemble made up of BSO members Thomas Moon Unit and Departed Feathers. Martin, clarinet, Jessica Zhou, harp, Si-Jing Huang, violin, Mark Ludwig, viola, and Sato Knudsen, cello. Foundation was for Thomas Martin served as principal clarinet of the Alabama Symphony The composer writes, "Writing a piece for the Terezin Music Orchestra create freedom before joining the Boston Symphony in the fall of 1984. Born in Oshkosh, me a task about the incredible and mysterious power of music to Wisconsin especially Mr. Martin graduated from the Eastman School of Music, where he was under almost every possible circumstance. The issue of freedom is crucial a student concentrate to stay a very of Stanley Hasty and Peter Hadcock. He participated in master classes with in chamber music. On one hand the few players have to Guy Deplus of the Paris Conservatory. Mr. Martin performs frequently as a well balanced sound 'machine/ on the other hand they have to find freedom to recitalist and chamber musician and has been heard on "Morning Pro Musica" on express themselves individually. WGBH radio He has appeared in the Chamber Prelude series at Symphony Hall, "In Escape Routines, the five instruments act as a very close family: at certain on the Friday Preludes at Tanglewood, at the Longy School of Music, and at the moments, they create one unique energy by melding the very different ways of Gardner Museum creating sound. At other moments, they try to find routine patterns to escape into Born in , China, Jessica Zhou joined the Boston Symphony their soloist freedoms. But where is really this freedom of music: is it in those indi- Orchestra as its harpist in fall 2009. She was winner of the 2001 Pro Musicis vidual escapes of each player? Or is it indeed in the unique way of being together International Award critically acclaimed York debut in in sound? In the possibility to escape together?" leading to her New Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall. In 2001, Ms. Zhou became the first and only Chinese harpist ever to win —Notes by Robert Kirzinger top prizes in three of the most prestigious harp competitions in the world, including the Prix du Jury at the 3rd Concours International de Harpe Lily Laskine in Deauville, Named for New England novelist Nathaniel Hawthorne, the Hawthorne String France; Fourth Prize in the USA International Harp Competition, and Second Prize Quartet includes Boston Symphony members Ronan Lefkowitz and Si-Jing Huang, at the 14th International Harp Contest in Israel. She is a two-time winner of the Anne violins, Mark Ludwig, viola, and Sato Knudsen, cello. Since its inception in 1986, the Adams Award National Harp Competition sponsored by the American Harp Society ensemble has performed extensively throughout Europe, South America, Japan, and which presented her in recitals in Boston, Hartford, New York City, San Diego, Mex- the United States, including appearances at such major festivals as Tanglewood, ico, and Taipei, Taiwan, where she also served as Chairman of the Jury in the First Ravinia, and Aspen. The group's expansive repertoire ranges from 18th- and 19th- Taiwan National Harp Competition. As soloist with orchestra, Ms. Zhou has per- century classics to contemporary works. It has distinguished itself internationally by formed with the Israel Philharmonic, the Mainly Mozart Festival Orchestra in San championing the works of composers persecuted during the Nazi regime, with an Diego, the New York City Opera Orchestra, and the Geneva Chamber Orchestra, emphasis on the Czech composers incarcerated in the Theresienstadt concentration where she gave the world premiere of Haim Permont's Double Harp Concerto camp (Terezin). In October 1991, the quartet performed in Terezin and Prague in during the 2002 World Harp Congress. As a chamber musician, she has performed ceremonies hosted by President Vaclav Havel to mark the opening of the Terezin with the Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival, Boston Chamber Music Society, Ghetto Museum and to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first transports to Caramoor Music Festival, Mainly Mozart Festival, North Country Chamber Players, Terezin. In November 2002 they performed additional concerts at the invitation of and the Pacific Music Festival in Japan, where she premiered Christopher Rouse's President Havel and under the sponsorship of the U.S. State Department, to help Compline for harp, clarinet, flute, and string quartet. Before joining the Boston Sym- raise funds for Czech flood relief and restoration efforts at Pamatnfk Terezin. The phony Orchestra, Ms. Zhou was principal harpist of New York City Opera beginning quartet has returned repeatedly to the Czech Republic, for performances, master in 2004. Other orchestral appearances include the New York Philharmonic, Suisse classes at the Prague Conservatory, and film projects. The Hawthorne Quartet's Romande Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Phil- recordings include chamber music by the American composers Arthur Foote, harmonic, and Moscow Chamber Orchestra, and she toured Japan with the London Samuel Coleridge-Taylor, Thomas Oboe Lee, and David Post, as well as several mo- Symphony Orchestra. Ms. Zhou is a graduate of the Interlochen Arts Academy, tion picture and documentary soundtracks. The group has also performed in radio where she studied with Holland. bachelor's and master's degrees and television programs worldwide, and in documentaries. Their CD "Chamber Joan She holds from the Juilliard School, where she student of Nancy Allen. Music from Theresienstadt" won the Preis der Schallplattenkritik in 1991. Other was a recordings include "Silenced Voices" (Northeastern Records), with newly recovered music of composers persecuted during World War II; string quartets by Pavel Haas and Hans Krasa (part of London /Decca's "Entartete Musik" project), and Ervih Schulhoff's Concerto for Solo String Quartet and Chamber Orchestra (also in the "Entartete Musik" series). The quartet gave the American premiere of Schulhoff's concerto with Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Appointed quartet- in-residence at Boston College in 1998, the Hawthorne String Quartet has collabo- rated with Christopher Hogwood, Ned Rorem, Andre Previn, Sir Simon Rattle, Yo-Yo Ma, Joshua Bell, Lynn Harrell, Martha Argerich, and the Pilobolus Dance Company, and has made solo appearances with the Boston Symphony, National Symphony, Juilliard Orchestra, and the Deutsche Karnmerphilharmonie. Among the quartet's latest projects is "Remembrance & Beyond," a collaboration with artist Jim Schantz and the Terezin Chamber Music Foundation. For more information about the Hawthorne String Quartet, please contact [email protected].