Jon Kimura Parker Sunday, February 17, 2008 • 4:00 Pm Monday, February 18, 2008 • 7:30 Pm Newmark Theatre • Portland, Oregon

Portland Piano International Jon Kimura Parker Sunday, February 17, 2008 • 4:00 pm Monday, February 18, 2008 • 7:30 pm Newmark Theatre • Portland, Oregon

Pr o g r a m

Scenes from a Jade Terrace (1987) A. Louie Warrior Memories in an Ancient Garden Southern Sky

Carnaval: Scènes mignonnes sur quatre notes, Op. 9 Schumann Préambule Chiarina Pierrot Chopin Arlequin Estrella Valse noble Reconnaissance Eusebius Pantalon et Colombine Florestan Valse allemande Coquette Intermezzo: Paganini Réplique Aveu Sphinxes Promenade Papillons Pause ASCH–SCHA Marche des “Davidsbündler” contre les Philistins (Lettres dansantes)

In t e r m i s s i o n

The Rite of Spring Stravinsky Part I: Adoration of the Earth arr. Parker Introduction Dances of the Young Girls Mock Abduction Spring Rounds Games of the Rival Tribes Procession of the Sage Dance of the Earth Part II: The Sacrifice Introduction Mystical Circles of the Young Girls Glorification of the Victim Summoning of the Ancients Ritual Dance of the Ancients Sacred Dance — The Victim

Program subject to change

Exclusive Management: Opus 3 Artists, 470 Park Ave. South, New York, 10016

Generously Sponsored by Margery Cohn, in memory of Edward Cohn (February 17) and Karan Kuntz (February 18) Jo n Ki m u r a Pa r k e r Internationally acclaimed concert San Diego’s Mainly Mozart, Seattle, the renowned pedagogue Adele pianist Jon Kimura Parker was born, La Jolla, Sun Valley, and Santa Fe Marcus. raised, and educated in Vancouver. with Pinchas Zukerman and Lynn Mr. Parker has recorded for Telarc His extraordinary career has taken Harrell. Jon Kimura Parker also with Yoel Levi, Andre Previn, him from Carnegie Hall and the collaborates regularly with the and Peter Schickele. He lives in Sydney Opera House to Baffin Tokyo Quartet. Houston with his wife, violin- Island and Zimbabwe. A true ist Aloysia Friedmann, and their An active media personality, Mr. Canadian ambassador of music, daughter Sophie. Parker has hosted two seasons Mr. Parker has given two command of the classical music television performances for Queen Elizabeth series Whole Notes, on Bravo! II, special performances for the Canada. He also hosted CBC United States Supreme Court, Radio Two’s five-part series Up Me e t t h e Ar t i s t ! and has performed for the Prime and Coming, which showcases Ministers of Canada and Japan. Join Jon Kimura Parker in the lobby the talents of promising young immediately following the musicians across Canada. He made In the past two seasons, Jon concert where he will be happy to a guest appearance (as himself) Kimura Parker has performed as autograph copies of his recordings, guest soloist with the New York on Disney Channel’s Under the available for purchase courtesy of Philharmonic; the Philadelphia, Umbrella Tree. Mr. Parker was Classical Millennium. Cleveland, Florida, and Minnesota featured on CNN performing in Orchestras; the Baltimore, war-torn Sarajevo, and has been Columbus, Dallas, and Houston documented frequently on CBC, as well as on PBS’s The Visionaries. Symphonies; and every major PROGRAM NOTES orchestra in Canada. This season Jon Kimura Parker is Professor Mr. Parker performs with major of Piano at the Shepherd School Al e x i n a Lo u i e orchestras in Atlanta, Boston, of Music at Rice University in (Born July 30, 1949, in Calgary, Cincinnati, Denver, Houston, and this year begins a Vancouver, B.C.) Ottawa, Salt Lake City, San Diego, two-year appointment as the E. Scenes from a Jade Terrace (1987) Tampa, Tokyo, Toronto, Rochester, Stephen Purdom Distinguished and Warsaw. He also returns to Visiting Artist at the Schwob As with a number of my works, the Hollywood Bowl with the School of Music at Columbus State Scenes from a Jade Terrace ex- Los Angeles Philharmonic next University. Parker is Artistic Advisor plores a musical language which summer. of the Orcas Island Chamber Music seeks to fuse Eastern and Western Festival. He is an Officer of The As a member of the outreach influences. Warrior, along with its Order of Canada, his country’s project “PianoPlus,” Mr. Parker more aggressive virtuosic nature, highest civilian honor. toured remote areas including including fanfarish-like material the Canadian Arctic, performing “Jackie” Parker received all of and difficult technical passages, music ranging from Beethoven to his early education in Canada, also explores a vulnerability in its Alanis Morissette on everything training with his uncle, Edward middle section. It is in this move- from upright pianos to electronic Parker and his mother, Keiko ment that I seek to portray the keyboards. He has also jammed Parker. He studied with Lee Kum- artist in a dual role of champion with Doc Severinsen in Sing at the Vancouver Academy and poet. Memories in an Ancient Calgary and Bobby McFerrin in of Music and University of British Garden, an intensely internalized Philadelphia and Baltimore. Recent Columbia, and Marek Jablonski at movement, instructs the pianist to summer festival appearances have the Banff Centre, and in 1979 was play the opening chordal passage included Britt, Green Music, Vail, admitted to the Juilliard School in a rubato style, “as if intoxicated the Hollywood Bowl, Orcas Island, on full scholarship as a student of with the scent of a thousand

2 blossoms.” The mystery of this Ro b e r t Sc h u m a n n love again, this time with Wieck’s movement is further enhanced by (Born June 28, 1810, in Zwickau; sixteen-year-old daughter, Clara coloristic playing inside the piano died July 29, 1856, in Endenich) (whom he was to marry five years and use of an ostinato passage in Carnaval: Scènes mignonnes sur later), and the affair with Ernestine the second section. Southern Sky quatre notes, Op. 9 was over. His Symphonic Etudes, closes the work with a flurry of Op. 13, a set of variations on a rapid, repeated chords. In the 1830s, the first decade of his theme that Ernestine’s foster father creative career, Schumann wrote had given him, is one souvenir of Technically and musically de- nothing but piano music: three the time. Carnaval is another. manding, Scenes from a Jade sonatas and a great many infor- Terrace was written especially mal works in which his Romantic Although it resembles a suite, for Jon Kimura Parker, who com- imagination declared itself. Carnaval seemed as difficult for missioned the work through Carnaval dates from 1834, the year the audience as for the performer the assistance of the Canadian in which Schumann fell in love and was considered problematic Broadcasting Corporation and the with a seventeen-year-old pianist “modern” music at the time of its Ontario Arts Council. named Ernestine von Fricken, who composition. In an essay written had come to board with his piano in 1840, Schumann expressed his The work is dedicated to him. teacher, Friedrich Wieck. Within admiration for Liszt’s courage in a few months, the two considered playing it for the general public, — Program Notes by Alexina Louie themselves secretly engaged to who were confused by the music’s marry, but by the end of the year, constantly shifting moods. Liszt family pressure had separated himself said that the opposition to them. In 1835, Schumann was in it came “from musicians and so-

3 called musical experts who were and to actual people. With the Valse noble (Un poco maestoso) wearing ear-muffs that prevented complete work, Schumann aimed has a name perhaps borrowed them from taking in this charming, to create the feeling of a masked from Schubert, whose waltzes imaginative music.” It was finally ball or carnival with many charac- Schumann greatly admired. Clara Clara, who became one of the ters taking part. Although Carnaval later used to say that her husband greatest pianists of the era, who is now always considered an or- danced the waltz “nobly.” persistently played it everywhere ganic whole consisting of closely in Europe until it became known, interrelated parts, Liszt used to Eusebius (Adagio) and Florestan admired, and accepted as one of play a selection of his favorite ex- (Passionato) take their names from her husband’s greatest works. cerpts, and at least a half-dozen the personalities that the composer were published as separate pieces created in the Davidsbündler to Schumann gave the work, laden in the mid-nineteenth century. represent two sides of his char- with extramusical associations, acter: one the spirit of classic a subtitle, Scènes mignonnes sur Schumann reveals the secret of restraint and lofty idealism, and quatre notes (Small scenes on four Carnaval in three letter-and-note the other embodying romantic notes); each of the scenes suggests puzzles, which he presents simul- freedom of expression and flight an aspect of theater, painting, or taneously with their solutions as of fancy. music. He makes references to the lettres dansantes (dancing letters). Italian commedia dell’arte, to his The letters that spell out the name Coquette (Vivo), Réplique Davidsbündler, an imaginary orga- of the Frickens’ hometown, Asch, (L’istesso tempo), and Sphinxes nization with fictitious participants are the names of four notes of the (mystery) make up a lively flirta- whose aim was to uphold music, scale in German: A, E-flat (from tion and response (and possibly the S interpreted as Es), C, and refer to womanly traits). B-natural (called H in German). These are the “four notes” referred Papillons (Butterflies; Prestissimo), to in the subtitle. Schumann also a short dance, contains a refer- uses a three-note group to rep- ence to the title of an earlier work, resent the Frickens’ hometown, Op. 2, or perhaps to the literary in German: As–C–H (A-flat, C, source of its inspiration, a fantastic B-natural). Another riddle consists masked-ball scene in the novel of of the notes E-flat–C–B-natural–A 1805, Flegeljahre (Adolescence), (which spells Schumann’s name in by the German Romantic writer German: S–C–H– [um] A– [nn]). known as Jean Paul. Papillons is perhaps an introductory reference These note groupings loosely bind to Clara’s youth (a theme later de- together a suite of short dances veloped in Chiarina). and tone-pictures that make up this brilliant work. They generally ASCH–SCHA (Lettres dansantes) is appear in the opening melody the “dancing note” theme which lines of each of the scènes. refers to the Frickens’ hometown, Asch: As–C–H (A-flat, C, Préambule (Quasi maestoso) is a B-natural). Here Schumann re- grand prelude. veals the secret of Carnaval in his letter-and-note puzzles, presenting In Pierrot (Moderato) and Arlequin them, along with their solutions, (Vivo), Schumann depicts fig- as lettres dansantes (dancing let- ures from the Italian commedia ters). dell’arte.

4 Chiarina (Passionato) is “Little Clara,” represented by a passionate waltz.

PIANOChopin AD-- (Agitato) is a tribute to the composer whom Schumann had discovered in 1831 and greeted with an essay in PORwhichTLAND he said,PIANO “Hats INTERNA off, gentlemen!TIONAL — Publishes:A genius!” 2/17 & 2/18/08 3/9 & 3/10/08 Piano Studies In Estrella (Con affecto), Schumann AT MARYLHURST UNIVERSITY creates an affectionate musical por- Due:trait 1/8/08 of Ernestine, who is represented March 19 & 20, June 11 & 12 auditions emailed:by a lyrical 1/8/08 but irregular waltz, and in Reconnaissance (Animato) he gives an Bachelor of Music (Performance, Pedagogy, Composition) expression of gratitude for her love. Bachelor of Arts in Music Bachelor of Music Therapy Pantalon et Colombine (Presto) are two To meet with an advisor, e-mail [email protected] pat@pormore tlandpiano.orgcharacters from Italian carnival or call 503.699.6268. comedy. Like Friedrich and Clara Wieck, they are father and daughter. MARYLHURST UNIVERSITY National Association of Schools of Music accredited Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities accredited Valse allemande (Molto vivace) is 17600 PACIFIC HIGHWAY (HWY. 43) a German waltz interrupted by an MARYLHURST, OREGON – JUST 10 MINUTES SOUTH OF PORTLAND Academic excellence since 1893. www.marylhurst.edu/music 800.634.9982 Intermezzo. Paganini (Presto) is a tribute to the violinist whose extraordinary gifts were so greatly admired by his contem- poraries.

Aveu (Passionato) is an ambiguous title in this context. French for “avowal” or “confession” of love, for example, it also can be used in the sense of permission or consent, as when granted by parents to young people who wish to marry.

Promenade (Commodo) and Pause (Vivo) describe long moments of this evening of carnival dances, which soon will come to an end.

Marche des “Davidsbündler” contre les Philistines (Non Allegro) marks the march of Schumann’s fictional friends, Eusebius and Florestan, and all who join together as disciples of David in the struggle against the aesthetic Philistines of the world. Their processional and the ball (like the one in Schumann’s Papillons, Op. 2) both come to an

5 end with the recollections of an Stravinsky played only wrong The impresario Serge Diaghilev old German popular song, The notes.” Stravinsky, not amused, re- agreed that his Ballets Russes Grandfather’s Dance, which, like plied, “The wrong notes for them, company would produce The Goodnight, Ladies elsewhere, but the right ones for me.” Rite of Spring. Roerich designed traditionally signaled the close of the costumes and stage sets, but such festivities. In his memoirs, Stravinsky relates Diaghilev had the unfortunate idea that he already had the idea for of entrusting the choreography to the ballet that became The Rite Vaslav Nijinsky, his leading male Ig o r St r a v i n s k y of Spring in 1910, before he dancer, for whom the subject and (Born June 17, 1882, in composed Petrushka. “I saw in style were too remote, even for- Oranienbaum; died April 6, 1971 imagination,” he wrote, “a solemn eign. Nijinsky had the additional in New York) pagan rite: wise elders, seated in a handicap, Stravinsky later wrote, The Rite of Spring circle, watching a young girl dance of being “ignorant of the most el- (Arranged by Jon Kimura Parker) herself to death. They were sacri- ementary ideas about music.” ficing her to propitiate the god of The Rite of Spring is Stravinsky’s spring.” He developed the scenario The first performance was given masterpiece, at once an evolu- in collaboration with his friend, in Paris on May 29, 1913, with tionary, revolutionary, and semi- Nicolas Roerich, an artist and de- Pierre Monteux conducting the or- nal work. Its strong roots in the signer who had an archeologist’s chestra. The dancers had had 120 past were at first obscured by its knowledge of ancient Slavic life. rehearsals — an enormous num- shocking novelty, and were later ber — and a dress rehearsal had overlooked in the excitement about the new music that sprang from it. It now seems clear that Stravinsky conceived it in the tra- dition of such Russian composers as Borodin and Stravinsky’s own International teacher, the composer Rimsky- Korsakov. It was an extension of AUL OBERTS the new musical freedoms and lib- P R erties that Stravinsky had exercised MASTER CLASS in his two preceding major works, Monday, February 25 7:30 pm The Firebird and Petrushka, and it immediately became a model for SHERMAN CLAY/MOE’S PIANOS other composers such as Prokofiev 131 NW 13TH PORTLAND and Bartók. FREE ADMISSION! Fifty years after its first performance, composers in Europe and STUDENTS: the Americas continued to go to Valerie Lewis – Beethoven: Sonata this score for ideas on form, in- in F minor, Op. 2, No. 1 (IV) strumental writing, and especially Matt Grossman – Prokofiev: Sonata rhythm. In 1965, when Stravinsky No. 1 in F minor, Op. 1 (Allegro) revisited the house in Switzerland Fred Lu – Liszt: Mephisto Waltz No. 1 where he had worked on this music fifty‑four years earlier, his landlady recalled the neigh- bors’ complaints that “Monsieur >ÊxäÎ°ÓÓn°£ÎnnÊUÊwww.portlandpiano.org

6 gone well, but the first‑night audi- ways proven too strong for the Introduction, Dances of the Young ence rioted at the savage music dance and has overpowered the Girls, Mock Abduction, Spring and the grotesque dancing. Until choreography and the stage ef- Rounds, Games of the Rival Tribes, the very end of his life, Stravinsky fects. In 1914, in Moscow, Serge Procession of the Sage, Dance of resented their reaction to that first Koussevitzky gave the first concert the Earth. performance. As soon as the cur- performance of the score, and dur- tain went up, the audience began ing the next fifty years, the work Part II, The Sacrifice, opens with to laugh and to shout in protest. As slowly established its place in the an Introduction that Stravinsky Stravinsky’s supporters called for concert repertory wherever or- intended to represent “pagan silence, the outcries grew louder. chestras and audiences could cope night,” and continues with the “It was war over art for the rest of with its unprecedented difficulties. Mystical Circles of the Young the evening,” the American critic Jon Kimura Parker has arranged Girls, Glorification of the Victim, Carl van Vechten reported, “and the work for piano. It is no less Summoning of the Ancients, Ritual the orchestra played on unheard…. difficult to play than when it was Dance of the Ancients, and finally, The figures on the stage danced first composed, but now its musi- Sacred Dance — The Victim. in time to music that they had to cal language is no longer strange imagine they heard, and beauti- to us. —Program Notes by Susan Halpern fully out of rhythm with the uproar in the auditorium.” The work is divided into two parts, which are subtitled Adoration of There have been many different the Earth and The Sacrifice. They productions of the ballet since are separated in concert by a brief that time, but the music has al- pause. The sections of Part I are: