Yo-Yo Ma, Cello Kathryn Stott, Piano
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
CAL PERFORMANCES PRESENTS PROGRAM Thursday, January 24, 2013, 7pm Manuel de Falla (1876–1946) Siete Canciones Populares Españolas (1914) Zellerbach Hall El Paño Moruno: Allegretto vivace Seguidilla Murciana: Allegro spiritoso Asturiana: Andante tranquillo Yo-Yo Ma, cello Jota: Allegro vivo Nana (Berceuse): Calmo e sostenuto Kathryn Stott, piano Canción: Allegretto Polo: Vivo PROGRAM INTERMISSION Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971) Suite Italienne (1932) Olivier Messiaen (1908–1992) Louange à l’Éternité de Jésus, Introduzione: Allegro moderato from Quatuor pour la fin du Temps (1940–1941) Serenata: Larghetto Aria: Allegro Tarantella: Vivace Minuetto e Finale: Moderato — Molto vivace Johannes Brahms (1833–1897) Sonata No. 3 in D minor, Op. 108 (1886–1888) Allegro Adagio Three Pieces Un poco presto e con sentimento Presto agitato Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887–1959) Chôros No. 5, “Alma Brasileira” (1925) arr. Jorge Calandrelli Ástor Piazzolla (1921–1992) Oblivion (1984) arr. Kyoko Yamamoto Camargo Guarnieri (1907–1993) Dansa Negra, from Three Dances (1928) arr. Calandrelli This performance is made possible in part by Corporate Sponsor U.S. Bank and by Patron Sponsors Gail and Dan Rubinfeld, Susan Graham Harrison and Michael Harrison, and Diana Cohen and Bill Falik. Cal Performances’ 2012–2013 season is sponsored by Wells Fargo. 16 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 17 PROGRAM NOTES PROGRAM NOTES Igor Stravinsky (1882–1971) out the concert, together they arranged excerpts which to apply earlier styles and techniques to ceremonies. Beginning with his earliest works, Suite Italienne for Cello and Piano from some of his ballets, including The Firebird, his own compositional needs, a discovery that around 1910, his music shows the influence of The Fairy’s Kiss, Petrushka, and The Nightingale. was to provide the inspiration for his works for the melodies, rhythms, and sonorities that he Composed in 1932. (Dushkin extracted the violin parts from the the next 30 years. “Music about music” is Eric discovered. He began to compose prolifically, orchestral scores; Stravinsky made the piano ar- Salzman’s perfect phrase describing the essence and, though often ridiculed for his daring new Late in 1930, Willy Strecker, co-owner and di- rangements.) The best known of this set of tran- of Stravinsky’s aesthetic during the ensuing style by other Brazilian musicians, he attracted rector of the prestigious German publishing scriptions is the Suite Italienne, derived from three decades. the attention of the pianist Artur Rubinstein, house of Schott, suggested to Igor Stravinsky Stravinsky’s luminous score for Pulcinella, the The plot of Pulcinella was based on an 18th- who helped him receive a Brazilian government that a violin concerto might make a welcome 1920 ballet based on works of Giovanni Battista century manuscript of commedia dell’arte plays grant in 1923 that enabled him to spend several addition to the catalog of his music, and told Pergolesi (1710–1736), a musical meteor who that Diaghilev discovered in Naples. Stravinsky years in Paris, where his international reputation the composer that the violinist Samuel Dushkin flashed briefly across the Italian artistic firma- provided the following synopsis: “All the local was established. Upon his permanent return to was willing to offer technical advice for the ment during the early years of the 18th century girls are in love with Pulcinella; but the young Rio de Janeiro in 1930, Villa-Lobos became an project. Stravinsky was, however, somewhat and created several important instrumental and men to whom they are betrothed are mad with important figure in public musical education, reluctant to accept the proposal because of his operatic pieces that laid the foundations of the jealousy and plot to kill him. The minute they urging the cultivation of Brazilian songs and lack of confidence in writing for the violin as a Classical style. The ballet became a success, and think they have succeeded, they borrow cos- dances in the schools. He made his first visit to solo instrument and his concern that Dushkin its style led the way to a new attitude about the tumes resembling Pulcinella’s to present them- the United States in 1944, and spent the remain- might be one of those performers interested only relationship between 20th-century music and selves to their sweethearts in disguise. But ing years of his life traveling in America and in “immediate triumphs…[through] special ef- that of earlier eras, a trend that became known Pulcinella—cunning fellow!—had changed Europe to conduct and promote his own works fects, whose preoccupation naturally influences as “Neo-Classicism.” In 1922, Stravinsky ex- places with a double, who pretends to succumb and those of other Brazilian composers. their taste, their choice of music, and their man- tracted an orchestral suite from Pulcinella. Three to their blows. The real Pulcinella, disguised as The Chôros No. 5 is from a series of 16 ner of treating the piece selected.” He agreed years later, he arranged five of its numbers for a magician, now resuscitates his double. At the works by Villa-Lobos bearing that title which to meet the young violinist, however, and their violin and piano, and with the help of the vir- very moment when the young men, thinking are scored for a varied instrumentation rang- first encounter proved to be warm and friendly. tuoso Gregor Piatigorsky in 1932, he transcribed they are rid of their rival, come to claim their ing from solo guitar to full orchestra combined Stravinsky recalled that he found in his new col- four of the same movements for cello and piano; sweethearts, Pulcinella appears and arranges with mixed chorus. The term derived from the league, “besides his remarkable gifts as a born the following year, Stravinsky reworked the all the marriages. He himself weds Pimpinella, popular bands of Rio de Janeiro that originat- violinist, a musical culture, a delicate under- 1925 violin suite with Dushkin’s advice, added a receiving the blessing of his double, who in ed in the mid–19th century that freely mixed standing, and—in the exercise of his profes- sixth movement (the Scherzino), and issued it as his turn has assumed the magician’s mantle.” winds, guitars, and simple percussion instru- sion—an abnegation [of selfish interest] that is the Suite Italienne. Though the Suite Italienne is a sort of vest- ments. Their repertory at first comprised polkas, very rare.” Their initial contact blossomed into The idea for Pulcinella originated with pocket version of the original ballet, it fully cap- waltzes, and other European imports, but later sincere friendship, and the Violin Concerto Serge Diaghilev, the legendary impresario of tures the wit, insouciance, and joie de vivre that came to be associated with such characteristic was composed eagerly during the first months the Ballet Russe, who suggested the music of place this music among the most delicious of all Brazilian dances as the maxixe, tango brasileiro, of 1931. Pergolesi to Stravinsky. The composer, perhaps Stravinsky’s creations. and samba. Villa-Lobos believed that these So successful was the premiere of the new with Diaghilev’s help, selected from Pergolesi’s bands epitomized Brazilian native music, and he Concerto on October 23, 1931, in Berlin (the works several movements from the trio sonatas attempted to capture their essence in his series composer conducted) that Stravinsky and and arias from two operas. To these he added Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887–1959) of Chôros. “The Chôros,” he wrote, “represents a Dushkin received invitations to present the several musical bits by other composers. In gen- Chôros No. 5, “Alma Brasileira” new form of musical composition in which are piece all over Europe, from Florence to London eral, he kept the bass lines and melodies of his synthesized the different modalities of Brazilian, to Madrid. This resulting series of concerts models intact, but added to them his own spicy Composed in 1925. Indian, and popular music, having for principal made Stravinsky realize, however, that a good harmonies and invigorating rhythmic fillips. elements Rhythm, and any typical Melody of performance of the Concerto demanded both Stravinsky’s role in Pulcinella, however, was far Heitor Villa-Lobos, Brazil’s greatest composer, popular character.” a first-rate orchestra and an adequate number more than that of simply transcriber or arranger. had little formal training. He learned the cello The Chôros No. 5 of 1925, subtitled Alma of rehearsals, circumstances which could not He not only created a cogent work of art from a from his father and earned a living as a young Brasileira (“Brazilian Soul”), was dedicated be taken for granted in all cities, so for a sub- wide variety of previously unrelated pieces, but man playing with popular bands, from which he to the industrialist and arts patron Arnaldo sequent tour with Dushkin he devised several he also gave a new perspective to both his own derived much of his musical background. From Guinle, who, two years later, helped to finance recital pieces for violin and piano that would en- and Pergolesi’s music. “Pulcinella,” he recalled his earliest years, Villa-Lobos was enthralled Villa-Lobos’s second stay in Paris. The compos- able them to play almost anywhere without dif- in Dialogues and a Diary, “was my discovery of with the indigenous songs and dances of his er wrote, “The most interesting aspects of the ficulty. The centerpiece of the tour program was the past—but it was a look in the mirror, too.” native land, and he made several trips into the Chôros No. 5 are the irregular rhythmic and me- the Duo Concertant of 1931–1932, but to round With this music, Stravinsky found a manner in Brazilian interior to study the native music and lodic formulas, giving an impression of a rubato, 18 CAL PERFORMANCES CAL PERFORMANCES 19 PROGRAM NOTES PROGRAM NOTES or a melody with a ritardando.