Boston Symphony Orchestra

■ ••••••• 0•L • Boston Symphony Orchestra Seiji Ozawa, Music Director Colin Davis, Principal Guest Conductor Joseph Silverstein, Assistant Conductor Thursday, January 29, 1976 at 8:30 p.m. Friday, January 30, 1976 at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, January 31, 1976 at 8:30 p.m. Symphony Hall, Boston Ninety-fifth Season Baldwin Piano Deutsche Grammophon & Philips Records Program Program Notes Seiji Ozawa conducting Gioacchino Antonio Rossini (1792-1868) Overture to the Opera 'Semiramide' Rossini: Overture to the Opera 'Semiramide' This opera in two acts on a libretto of Gaetano Rossi Griffes: 'The Pleasure Dome of Kubla Khan' (based on Voltaire's tragedy of the same name) was first (After the Poem of S. T. Coleridge) performed at the Fenice Theatre, Venice in February 1823. It was mounted at La Scala, Milan in 1824. The first performance in Boston was at the Federal Street Theatre, Intermission March 3, 1851. It was last performed by the Boston Sym- phony in Boston in 1953 by the late Guido Cantelli, and Bruckner: Symphony No. 4 in E flat 'Romantic' most recently at the Berkshire Festival in 1975 conducted by Arthur Fiedler. Ruhig Bewegt (Tranquillo, con moto) Rossini, piqued by unfavorable comments by no less an Andante authority than Beethoven himself regarding opera seria sat Scherzo: Bewegt (Con moto) Trio (Gernachlich) down and wrote a long tragedy in music in the grand style Finale: Massig Bewegt (Moderato, con moto) ('melodramma (sic) tragico') in seven days less than the forty his contract allowed. 'Semiramide' was premiered at La The Friday program will end about 3:25 p.m. and the Thursday Fenice in Venice and the Venetian public, assembled for and Saturday programs at about 9:55 p.m. their carnival took Semiramide into their bosoms after a short preliminary hesitation, and applauded through twenty-eight consecutive nights its overture, its more tak- Next Week's Program ing airs, its best concerted numbers, and its innovation of a Thursday, February 5 at 8:30 p.m. brass band upon the stage. Friday, February 6 at 2:00 p.m. The Overture departs from the custom of Rossini in Saturday, February 7 at 8:30 p.m. introducing subjects from the opera itself. The andantino Seiji Ozawa conducting which follows the short introductory allegro is taken from Crumb: Echoes II, 'Echoes of Time and the River' the quintet in the first act where the queen demands and Bernstein: Serenade for Violin and String Orchestra receives the homage of her subjects. A theme from the final Joseph Silverstein, violin brilliant allegro of the overture is found in a chorus in the Ives: Symphony No. 4 second act. The Friday program will end at about 3:45 p.m. and the Thursday Based on a note by John N. Burk and Saturday programs at about 10:15 p.m. Call C-O-N-C-E-R-T for up-to-date program information Seiji Ozawa and the Boston Symphony Orchestra record Charles Tomlinson Griffes (1884-1920) exclusively for Deutsche Grammophon 'The Pleasure-Dome of Kubla Khan' (After the Poem of S. T. Coleridge) Op. 8 This work, suggested by Coleridge's 'Kubla Khan' was originally composed as a piano piece sometime in 1910 and at that time Griffes wrote: 'I can't decide on the form.' Eventually it evolved into an orchestral symphonic poem which was first performed by the Boston Symphony . Orchestra under Pierre Monteux' direction on November 28, 1919. The composer was in the audience. The work was last performed by this Orchestra in April 1931 conducted by Serge Koussevitzky. Griffes gave the following information for the Boston Symphony program book of November 28, 1919: -The instruments called for are 2 flutes and piccolo, 2 oboes and English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 3 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones and tuba, timpani, percussion, piano- forte, celesta, 2 harps and strings. (A note in the score says: 'The piano part is not to be played as a solo, but to be blended in with the other instruments.') "I have taken as a basis for my work those lines of Coleridge's Anton Bruckner (1824-1896) poem describing the 'stately pleasure dome,' the 'sunny pleasure dome with caves of ice,' the Miracle of rare device.' There- Symphony No. 4 in E flat major, "Romantic" fore I call the work "The Pleasure Dome of Kubla Khan" rather than "Kubla Khan." These lines include 1 to 11 and lines 32 to Program note by George H. L. Smith 38. It might be well to quote in the program book some of these Composed in 1874, Bruckner's Fourth Symphony was lines — revised in 1878-80. The first performance was given by the (The following verses are quoted on the title page of the score) Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Hans Richter conducting, In Xanadu did Kubla Khan on February 20, 1881. The first American performance was A stately pleasure-dome decree: at New York, March 16, 1888, when Anton Seidl used a Where Alph, the sacred river, ran manuscript given to him by Bruckner with further revi- Through caverns measureless to man sions. The first Boston performance was at these concerts Down to a sunless sea. on February 10, 1899, under Wilhelm Gericke; the most So twice five miles of fertile ground With walls and towers were girdled round: recent on November 9, 1965, Erich Leinsdorf conducting. And there were gardens bright The score calls for woodwinds in pairs, 4 horns, 3 trum- With sinuous rills. pets, 3 trombones and tuba, timpani, and strings. Bruckner wrote the fourth of his nine symphonies just Enfolding sunny spots of greenery. over a century ago. The first performance took place in the year the Boston Symphony was founded. The early years of The shadow of the dome of pleasure this Orchestra were Bruckner years, for his symphonies Floated midway on the waves; were the great novelties of the German conductors such as Where was heard the mingled measure Karl Muck who had been his student. Serge Koussevitzky From the fountain and the caves. gave flaming performances, but it is only in recent seasons It was a miracle of rare device, that Bruckner has become a regularly anticipated staple of A sunny pleasure-dome with caves of ice. the repertory. From "Kubla Khan" by What keeps this music alive? There is unusual spacious- SAMUEL TAYLOR COLERIDGE ness, a flow and surge toward a goal that is reached with "As to argument, I have given my imagination free rein in the full-throated intensity. There are noble themes, original description of this strange palace as well as of purely imaginary and supremely beautiful harmony and imaginative coun- revelry which might take place there. The vague, foggy begin- terpoint. The structure is firm. Bruckner was single- ning suggests the sacred river, running 'through caverns measureless to man down to a sunless sea.' Then gradually rise the minded, devoted to the traditions of the church, to outlines of the palace, 'with walls and towers girdled round.' Palestrina, Mozart, and Beethoven. He was educated at the The gardens with fountains and 'sunny spots of greenery' are majestic baroque abbey of St. Florian in Upper Austria, next suggested. From inside come sounds of dancing and which remained his spiritual home. His organ playing and revelry which increase to a wild climax and then suddenly break celebrated organ improvisations were certainly important off. There is a return to the original mood suggesting the sacred influences upon this devout man who ventured to dedicate river and the 'caves of ice.'" his last symphony to his "dear Lord." Griffes further commented on the Oriental aspects of the Writing the Fourth Symphony at the age of fifty, he was score: "If I have written into my score Oriental sounds and finding new qualities in his music. It was surely a turning Slavic themes it is only because those tonal combinations point. He had no real success as a composer of sym- and melodies have said and expressed the thing I wanted to phonies. When he completed the Fourth late in 1874, no say." performance was forthcoming. He took it up again in 1878, The first performance in Boston was received with great revised it extensively, and wrote the famous "Hunting" enthusiasm by both the audience and the press, and a first Scherzo. In 1878-80 he rewrote the finale. New York performance on December 4th of the same year The symphony was the final work on a program with the (1919) received equal acclaim. It is heartening to note that a Vienna Philharmonic conducted by Hans Richter. Hans young and little-known American composer was appre- von Billow was soloist in Beethoven's Fourth Piano Con- ciated on first hearing, and the Boston Traveler of the day certo and conducted the first performance of his symphonic commented: "An American work by a composer thirty-five poem, "The Singer's Curse," which failed dismally. on a Symphony program! Surely the Boston Symphony Bruckner respected von Mow but thought his piano play- Orchestra is progressing." ing cold and didactic. Von Billow was irritated and jealous because of the failure of his work and the great success of the symphony. Bruckner, overcome with emotion and mumbling "Dank' schon, dank' schon," was called out on the stage several times after each movement. The press was enthusiastic, but no mention was made of the title, "Romantic." How did the symphony come to be called "Romantic"? Bruckner is responsible for the title and a fragmentary program, but he attached no importance to the program and preferred to let the title stand alone.

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