New England Triptych – William Schuman Born August 4, 1910 in New York Died February 15, 1992 in New York

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William Billings (1746-1800), though still not well known in his native land, is an important figure in the history of American music. His works reflect better perhaps than any others the rugged spirit, religious faith, and patriotic fervor of the Revolutionary War period. Despite some technical shortcomings, his music is impressive even today. William Schuman once said, “I am not alone among American composers who feel an identity with Billings and it is this sense of identity which accounts for my use of his music as a point of departure.”

As Schuman points out, the three parts of his work “do not constitute a „fantasy‟ on themes of Billings, nor „variations‟ on his themes, but rather a fusion of style and musical language.”

I. BE GLAD, THEN, AMERICA. This section is based on a choral piece by Billings, actually an anthem, which includes the following lines:

“Yea, the Lord will answer And say unto his people – behold! I will send you corn and wine and oil And ye shall be satisfied therewith.

“Be glad, then, America, Shout and rejoice, Fear not, O land, Be glad and rejoice. Hallelujah!”

There is a strong introduction, beginning with solo timpani and developed chiefly in the strings. The main section opens in the trombones and trumpets, reflecting the words, “Be glad, then, America, shout and rejoice.” Timpani, played solo, also lead to a fugal section, expressing “And we shall be satisfied.” After a combination of themes built up to a climax, we hear a free adaptation of the “Hallelujah” music from the original Billings score and a closing reference to the “Shout and rejoice” music.

II. WHEN JESUS WEPT “When Jesus wept the falling tear In mercy flowed beyond all bounds When Jesus groaned, a trembling fear Seized all the guilty world around.”

Here the music of Billings is used both in its original form and in Schuman‟s melodic and contrapuntal settings. The text is adapted to the musical form of a round.

III. CHESTER. Billings composed this music as a hymn, and the Continental Army later adopted the music and words for use as a marching song. Schuman‟s score reflects the spirit both of the hymn and march.

The following is a selection from the words of the marching song:

“Let tyrants shake their iron rods, And slavery clank her galling chains, We fear them not, we trust in God. New England‟s God forever reigns.

“The foe comes on with haughty stride, Our troops advance with martial noise, Their vet‟rans flee before our youth, And gen‟rals yield to beardless boys.”

Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini, Opus 43 – Sergei Rachmaninoff Born April 1, 1873, in Oneg, Russia Died March 28, 1943, in Beverly Hills, California

Always a proponent of the Romantic style, Rachmaninoff's large works for piano and orchestra are characterized by their rich beauty, as well as great technical brilliance and difficulty. Rachmaninoff wrote just five works between 1918 and his death in 1943. Undoubtedly, the most popular of these is the Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini from 1934.

The Rhapsody is a set of twenty-four variations on Nicolò Paganini‟s Twenty-Fourth Caprice from 1805. Paganini‟s theme appears only after a fleeting introduction and the first variation – itself a fragmented version of the theme. Rachmaninoff‟s rapid-fire approach presents one variation after another, each exploring a different feature of the original melody. Perhaps the most notable occurrence is the use of the Dies irae (Day of wrath) chant from the Latin Requiem Mass of the Roman Catholic liturgy.

Of course, the eighteenth variation is the most famous of all. With the next variation comes a brisk tempo and the start of Rachmaninoff‟s final movement. The final section is bold and brassy with astoundingly virtuosic piano flourishes, before the piece ends with an understated and witty figure.

Symphony No. 5 in E Minor, Opus 64 – Piotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Born May 7, 1840, in Votkinsk, Russia Died November 6, 1893, in St. Petersburg, Russia

Tchaikovsky‟s Fifth Symphony dates from 1888 – a period in his life plagued by self doubt. Not surprisingly this struggle found a voice in his compositions – especially the Fifth Symphony. Although the Fifth is not as programmatic as the Fourth, one of his sketches bears the following topical outline for the first movement (“xxx” represents his hidden homosexuality):

“Introduction: complete resignation before Fate, or, which is the same, before the inscrutable predestination of Providence. Allegro: (1) murmurs, doubts, plaints, reproaches against xxx. (2) Shall I throw myself into the embraces of faith???”

Tchaikovsky simply encoded his desires into the first movement, finding an ingenious way to express demurely what polite Russian society would never discuss openly. The first movement opens with a bleak introduction (andante) headed by a statement of the Fate theme in the low register of the clarinet. Full of self-doubt and remote in character, the movement (allegro con anima) features prominent solos in the bassoon peppered with numerous emotional surges in the strings. After the development section, the music becomes more self-assured and brighter, but icy tinges of sadness are always palpable.

Marked andante cantabile con alcuna licenza (moderately fast in a singing manner with license), the second movement bears the inscription “Oh how I love…if you love me…” Tchaikovsky‟s charm is evident in his lonely melodies, but the Fate theme returns to darken the atmosphere. The waltz movement is based on a Florentine song the composer heard while traveling in Italy.

The Fate theme returns as an introduction to the finale, this time cast as a powerful hymn. After this commanding introduction, the main body of the movement begins with an irresistible folk-like feel. With earthy vigor, the movement dances along until it reaches what seems to be its logical ending. However, the Fate theme returns in the winds, eventually growing so loud that it overpowers the festivities. Perhaps Tchaikovsky‟s real message is that the forces of Fate, however threatening they were to him personally, could never be defeated, despite his desperate attempts to do so.