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Boston Symphony Orchestra Concert Programs, Season 61,1941-1942, Trip Knnls^g Ball • Jfaui Bawn •##«^ i BOSTON >1(^S SYAPMONY ORCHESTRA FOUNDED IN 1881 BY HENRY L. HIGGINSON SIXTY-FIRST iv SEASON ^\| 1941-1942 [2^ in Wednesday Evening, March 11 Under the auspices of the School of Music, Yale University Daggett M. Lee, Series Manager Boston Symphony Orchestra [Sixty-first Season, 1941-1942] SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY, Conductor Personnel Violins BURGIN, R. ELCUS, G. lauga, N. KRIPS, A. RESNIKOFF, V. R. KASSMAN, N. P. Concert -master TAPLEY, CHERKASSKY, LEIBOVia, J. THEODOROWICZ, J. HANSEN, E. DICKSON, H. FEDOROVSKY, P. ZAZOFSKY, G. EISLER, D. PINFIELD, C. BEALE, M. SAUVLET, H. KNUDSON, C. ZUNG, M. LEVEEN, P. GORODETZKY, L. MAYER, P. DIAMOND, S. del sordo, r. FIEDLER, B. BRYANT, M. STONESTREET, L. messina, s. DUBBS, H. MURRAY, J. ERKELENS, H. seiniger, s. HILLYER, R. Violas LEFRANC, J. FOUREL, G. van wynbergen, c. C ROVER, H. a. CAUHAPE, J. ARTIERES, L. bernard, WERNER, H. I.EHNER, E. KORNSAND, E. CERHARDT, S. HUMPHREY, G. Violoncellos BEDETTI, J. LANGENDOEN, J. droeghmans, h. STOCKBRIDGE, C. FABRIZIO, E. UGH ERA, A. CHARDON, Y. zimbler, j. ZEISE, K. MARJOLLET, L. Basses MOLEUX, G. JUHT, L. greenberg, h. GIRARD, H. barwicki, j. dufresne, g. IRANKEL, I. PAGE, W. PROSE, P. Flutes Oboes Clarinets Bassoons laurent, g. GILLET, F. polatschek, v. ALLARD, R. pappoutsaris, j. devergie, j. valerio, m. PANENKA, E. KAPLAN, P. lukatsky, j. cardillo, p. LA US, A. Piccolo English Horn Bass Clarinet Contra-Bassoon MADSEN, G. SPEYER, L. mazzeo, R. PILLER, B. Horns Horns Trumpets Trombones valkenier, w. SINGER, J. MAGER, G. raichman, j. macdonald, w. lannoye, m. LAFOSSE, M. hansotte, l. SINGER, J. shapiro, h. VOISIN, R. L. COFFEY, J. KEANEY, P. gebhardt, w. VOISIN, R. SMITH, V. Tuba Harps Timpani Percussion ADAM, E. zighera, b. szulc, R. sternburg, s. caughey, e. POLSTER, M. WHITE, L. ARCXERI, E. Librarian rogers, l. j. Utofltenj Ifall • Yale University • £faui Ifattftt SIXTY-FIRST SEASON, 1941-1942 Boston Symphony Orchestra SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY, Conductor Richard Burgin, Assistant Conductor Concert Bulletin of the Second Concert WEDNESDAY EVENING, March 11 with historical and descriptive notes by John N. Burk The OFFICERS and TRUSTEES of the BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, Inc. Ernest B. Dane President Henry B. Sawyer .... Vice-President Ernest B. Dane ...... Treasurer Henry B. Cabot N. Penrose Hallowell Ernest B. Dane M. A. De Wolfe Howe Reginald C. Foster Roger I. Lee Alvan T. Fuller Richard C. Paine Jerome D. Greene Henry B. Sawyer Bentley W. Warren G. E. JUDD, Manager C. W. SPALDING, Assistant Manager [1] S T E I N W A Y THE INSTRUMENT OF THE IMMORTALS In point of long life, prestige and beauty of line and tone, the Steinway is the greatest fiano value ever offered. Naturally it costs more than an ordinary piano, because it is a more-than- ordinary instrument. But you need never buy another piano! So skilful is the workmanship on the Steinway, so choice the materials, that 30, 40, even 50 years' use are not uncommon. There is a Steinway style for every budget. Grands begin at $1045, Verticals at $5 2 5. Terms, only 10^ down. Ask particularly to see the exquisite Regencv, a new, small Vertical, for only $56.50 down. (Prices subject to change without notice.) LOOMS TEMPLE OF MUSIC Steinway Sales • 837-39 CHAPEL STREET • Steinway Service [2] Unnlarg Mall • Yale University • 2Jtttt Ifattttt Boston Symphony Orchestra SIXTY-FIRST SEASON, 1941-1942 SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY, Conductor SECOND CONCERT WEDNESDAY EVENING, March 11, at 8:30 o'clock Programme Britten Sinfonia da Requiem, Op. 20 I. Lacrymosa II. Dies Irae III. Requiem Aeternam Played without pause Prokofieff Scythian Suite, "Ala and Lolli," Op. 20 I. The Adoration of Veles and Ala II. The Enemy God and the Dance of the Black Spirits III. Night IV. The Glorious Departure of Lolli and the Procession of the Sun INTERMISSION Beethoven Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92 I. Poco sostenuto; Vivace II. Allegretto III. Presto; Assai meno presto; Tempo primo IV. Allegro con brio BALDWIN PIANO [3] SINFONIA DA REQUIEM, Op. 20 By Benjamin Britten Born at Lowestoft, Suffolk, England, November 22, 1913 Benjamin Britten composed his "Sinfonia da Requiem" in the summer of 1940 at Amityville, Long Island. It was first performed by the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, March 29, 1941, under the direction of John Barbirolli. The orchestration calls for three flutes, piccolo and bass flute, two oboes and English horn, two clarinets, E-flat clarinet and bass clarinet, two bassoons and contra-bassoon, saxophone in E-flat, six horns, three trumpets, three trombones and tuba, timpani, bass drum, cymbals, two harps, xylophone, snare drum, tam- bourine, whip, piano, and strings. The ''Sinfonia da Requiem" was intended by its composer as an act of devotion to the memory of his father and mother.* The Latin titles, according to information given by Mr. Britten to Louis Biancolli, programme annotator of the Philharmonic-Symphony Society of New York, are an indication of the mood and scheme of the work, deriving "from the Catholic Requiem Mass, though the relation of the Sinfonia to the Catholic ceremony, avowedly, is emotional rather than liturgical." Mr. Britten considers this work "short for a symphony," but "conceived on festival proportions." The following analysis is supplied by him: "I. Lacrymosa (Andante ben misurato). A slow marching lament in a persistent 6-8 rhythm with a strong tonal centre on D. There are three main motives: (1) a syncopated, sequential theme announced by the 'cello and answered by a solo bassoon; (2) a broad theme, based on the interval of a major seventh; (3) alternating chords on flute and trombones, outlined by the piano and harps. The first section of the movement is quietly pulsating; the second a long crescendo leading to a climax based on the first 'cello theme. There is no pause before: — "II. Dies Irae (Allegro con fuoco). A form of Dance of Death, with occasional moments of quiet marching rhythm. The dominating motif of this movement is announced at the start by the flutes and includes an important tremolando figure. Other motives are: a triplet repeated (note figure in the trumpets), a slow smooth tune on the *The "Sinfonia da Requiem" was commissioned by the Japanese Government through the British Council for Cultural Relations with Other Countries, for the celebration of the 2,600th anniversary of the Japanese Imperial Dynasty in December 1940. Mr. Britten was then in America and cabled acceptance of the offer on the condition that he was to have free hand as to the character of the work, and mentioned the plan he had for this Sinfonia together with the titles of the movements. This condition, he understood, was acceptable; accordingly he wr ent to work over the score, and delivered the Sinfonia as agreed in June 1940. The work was to be performed in December 1940. In November, however. Mr. Britten received notice that the Japanese Government did not consider the work a suitable one for this particular Festival, partly because of its Christian nature. It has not been performed, therefore, in Japan. [4l "An opportunity for a summer of living and working in music." The Boston Symphony Orchestra Announces the third term, July 5 - August 16, 1942 of the Berkshire Music Center SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY, Director at Tanglewood, Home of the Berkshire Symphonic Festival, Lenox, Massachusetts At present, more than ever before, music fills a special need in the life of America. The Berkshire Music Center offers special opportunities to all for the practice and contempla- tion of music in its noblest aspects. The Center has five departments. The following are for advanced students preparing for professional careers: I. Con- ducting, orchestral and choral, II. Orchestral playing and chamber music, III. Composition, IV. Opera. The fifth and largest, the Department of Music and Culture, designed for those less interested in professional performance — amateurs, music students, teachers, college students, all who wish to refresh mind and personality by the experience of the best in music — offers a variety of activities: (i) a chorus which will sing various choral works and prepare Beethoven's Ninth Symphony and Bach's Magnificat in D for performance under Dr. Koussevitzky at the Berkshire Symphonic Festival; (2) orchestral playing in a less advanced symphony orchestra; (3) chamber music groups; (4) a course in Twentieth Century Music; (5) a course in Gregorian Chant and Polyphonic Music 600-1600. All students are privileged to attend lectures by Archibald T. Davison, Olin Downes, Howard Hanson, Lucien Price, Deems Taylor, and the nine Festival concerts of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The Faculty will include Serge Koussevitzky, thirty mem- bers of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Richard Burgin, Stanley Chappie, Aaron Copland, Olin Downes, Boris Gold- ovsky, Herbert Graf, Ifor Jones, Gregor Piatigorsky, Richard Rychtarik, Hugh Ross, R. Mills Silby, and Igor Stravinsky. For catalog and application blanks address Margaret Grant, Executive Secretary, Symphony Hall, Boston. [5] saxophone and a livelier syncopated one on the brass. The scheme of the movement is a series of climaxes of which the last is the most powerful, causing the music to disintegrate and to lead directly to: — "III. Requiem Aeternam (Andante piacevole). Very quietly over a background of solo strings and harps; the flutes announce the quiet D major tune, which is the principal motif of the movement. There is a middle section in which the strings play a flowing melody. This grows to a short climax, but the opening tune is soon resumed and the work ends quietly in a long sustained clarinet note." The music of Benjamin Britten was first heard at the concerts of the Boston Symphony Orchestra on April 25 last, when his Variations for String Orchestra on a Theme by Frank Bridge, Op.
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