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Home , Alexander Toradze, Andante and Finale, Denis Matsuev, Igor Stravinsky, Mariinsky Theatre, Rodion Shchedrin

PHOTO BY DECCA/MARCO BORGGREVE

MARIINSKY , DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR , PIANO Thursday, November 9, 2017, at 7:30pm Foellinger Great Hall PROGRAM MARIINSKY ORCHESTRA VALERY GERGIEV, MUSIC DIRECTOR AND CONDUCTOR DENIS MATSUEV, PIANO

Dmitri Shostakovich No. 9 in E-flat Major, Op. 70 (1906-1975) Allegro Moderato Presto Largo Allegretto

Rodion Shchedrin Piano No. 2 (b. 1932) Dialogues Improvisations Contrasts Denis Matsuev, piano

20-minute intermission

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 75 (1840-1893) Denis Matsuev, piano

Igor Stravinsky Suite from (1882-1971) Introduction The Firebird and its —The Firebird’s Variation Round Dance of the Princesses Infernal Dance of King Kastchei Finale

Program subject to change.

Leading and soloists from around the world comprise the Great Hall Series. The 2017-18 series includes Chicago Symphony Orchestra (October 28), Mariinksy Orchestra (November 9), Minnesota Orchestra (January 25), Joshua Bell, violin (February 1), and Staatskapelle Weimar (March 10). For more information about these events, including conductors, soloists, and program selections, please visit KrannertCenter.com/calendar.

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Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Orchestra record for the Mariinsky Label and also appear on Universal (Decca, Philips).

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6 PROGRAM NOTES Shostakovich’s final wartime symphony, the Born September 25, 1906, in , , was even more confounding. Completed as the war ended in 1945, it was a svelte and Died August 9, 1975, in , cheery divertissement in the spirit of Haydn, a Symphony No. 9 in E-flat Major, Op. 70 far cry from the expected to victory in the mold of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. One critic Shostakovich survived a complicated relationship dismissed it as “a light and amusing interlude with Stalin and the Soviet establishment. between Shostakovich’s significant creations, a Some days, the was a state hero to temporary rejection of great, serious problems be lavished with prizes and accolades; other for the sake of playful, filigree-trimmed trifles.” times, he was censured and threatened for the Even the state’s position on the symphony was unpatriotic “formalism” and “grotesque” qualities conflicted: At first it was nominated for a Stalin in his music. The years of uncertainty tormented Prize, but later it was banned from performance Shostakovich personally, but they also forced for a number of years. his compositions into a unique realm of multi- dimensionality, with layer upon layer of irony and The Symphony No. 9 consists of five compact hidden meaning. movements. The outer bookends span from mock-pomposity to circus-like hilarity, and the Shostakovich’s three wartime central movement is a dizzying romp in triple illuminate the complex tangle of art and politics. meter, a (“joke” in Italian) in all but name. The Symphony No. 7 (Leningrad) from 1941 reacted to the Nazi siege of the composer’s These three quick-stepping movements home city, and its tone of struggle and ultimate give the work its memorably effervescent triumph made it a patriotic hit. The Symphony No. character, but they also frame two inner 8 from 1943, set like its predecessor in C minor, movements of surprising depth. The second fell short of a heroic conclusion, even though it movement, the longest of the work, unfurls did end in a major key. The Soviet tastemakers a pensive theme over soft touches were disappointed in the new work, as they were of accompaniment. The fourth hoping for another rallying cry like the Seventh movement (connected attaca to the third and Symphony, but they compensated by declaring fifth movements) alternates stentorian brass the Eighth the “Stalingrad” Symphony, in memory incantations with plaintive solos for . of the million-plus casualties from the Battle Even in this ostensible celebration of victory, of Stalingrad. (The party apparatus ultimately Shostakovich hid music of yearning and disillusion condemned the symphony in 1948, and it was not in plain sight. rehabilitated until after Stalin’s death.)

7 the piano soloist. The finale, Contrasts, comes Born December 16, 1932, in Moscow, in two main sections: A patient Andante builds Soviet Union through the first half of the movement, and then Currently resides in Moscow, Russia and the remainder strikes up another boisterous , Germany Allegro that veers from spiky to Piano Concerto No. 2 swinging jazz. Rodion Shchedrin was one of the major musical figures of the Soviet Union in its final decades, and he has continued to lead Russian music Born May 7, 1840, in Kamsko-Votkinsk, Russia past the Cold War era. His father, a composer, Died November 6, 1893, in Saint Petersburg, nurtured Shchedrin’s early interest in music; after Russia World War II, he studied at the Moscow Choir Piano Concerto No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 75 School and . He cemented In a letter sent to a friend in 1889, Tchaikovsky his reputation as a composer with theatre declared, “I want terribly to write a somewhat works, including the The Little Hump- grandiose symphony, which would crown my backed Horse (1955) and Suite (1967), artistic career. . . . I hope that I shall not die as well as through his concert music, notably without carrying out this intention.” He made the piano that he performed himself. progress on this front in 1891-92, creating He succeeded Shostakovich as the Chairman of sketches for a symphony in E-flat major, but by the Union of , and he won numerous the end of 1892 he had resolved to destroy the official prizes, including the USSR State Prize in work-in-progress. He started fresh on a new 1972. symphony early in 1893, and by that he Part of Shchedrin’s great success, both politically finished drafting the score that would become the and artistically, was his ability to avoid the traps of Symphony No. 6, "Pathétique." He then returned orthodoxy. He once wrote, “I still today continue to the abandoned E-flat symphonic sketches and to be convinced that the decisive factor for each decided to convert them into a piano concerto, composition is intuition. As soon as composers which took shape as a substantial, three- relinquish their trust in this intuition and rely in movement work. its place on musical ‘religions’ such as , Before he started orchestrating the concerto, aleatoric composition, or other Tchaikovsky’s plan shifted again; as he wrote that methods, things become problematic.” fall, “Since it has turned out to be disgracefully Shchedrin applied this flexible approach to long, I have decided to restrict it to just the first movement.” On October 15 he completed the his Piano Concerto No. 2 from 1966. The first movement, titled Dialogues, employs 12-tone orchestration. He then traveled to Moscow, where rows in a form that arches from free-floating he may have conducted a private reading of the lyricism to dry and percussive exchanges, until it Sixth Symphony, and then on to Saint Petersburg, resettles into an introspective mood. The central where the symphony made its public debut. Nine movement, Improvisations, creates the joking days later, Tchaikovsky died under mysterious impression of a scherzo, with mock-militaristic circumstances, at the age of 53. themes from a solo trumpet providing fodder for

8 Tchaikovsky’s publisher printed the Third Piano Fokine was developing a to feature Russia’s Concerto in its single-movement form in 1894, finest dancers. The only problem was that, at and the premiered it in the last minute, Diaghilev’s first choice for the 1895. Taneyev went on to orchestrate the second composer fell through. So he took a chance on and third movements that Tchaikovsky had an unknown 27-year-old, , whose abandoned, which were published together in only credentials to that point were a few years of 1896 as Andante and Finale, Op. 79. The usual lessons with Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov, a couple of performance tradition honors Tchaikovsky’s final short orchestral pieces, and some orchestrations word on the subject, limiting the Third Piano contributed to an earlier Diaghilev ballet. Concerto to its one grand movement lasting 16 to 18 minutes. Stravinsky dove into the project in the spring of 1910, writing most of the music in Saint Following an orchestration plan much like the Petersburg, before he traveled to for the Sixth Symphony, the Third Piano Concerto starts June 25 premiere, the first performance of his with a low rumble and a bassoon melody. The music outside of Russia. The Firebird was a huge piano soon enters with a restatement of the success, and it made Stravinsky a household bassoon’s theme, its bare octaves emphasizing name—all the more so once he followed up with the sing-song interval of a falling major third (like two more major ballets for Diaghilev, a cuckoo’s call). Earlier in Tchaikovsky’s career, and . the challenge of creating a cohesive abstract movement sometimes bedeviled him, but here This performance follows a concert version of he displays a Beethoven-like ease in manipulating The Firebird that Stravinsky prepared in 1919. The his materials, like when a bright call uses suite, like the ballet, begins with a mysterious and that same falling-third gesture to pivot into the brooding Introduction that emerges from a murky piano’s statement of the lyrical second theme. In theme in the lower strings. The firebird appears all, it is a marvelously organic and interconnected with a buzz of tense trills, and then her dance statement from a composer who died just as variation alights in fluttering and angular phrases. he reached a new pinnacle in the craft of “pure In the elegant Khorovod (Round Dance) of the music.” Princesses, the sweet and serene melodies contrast the sinuous chromatic strains associated IGOR STRAVINSKY with the ballet’s supernatural elements. The Born June 17, 1882, in Oranienbaum, Russia idyll breaks with the jolting start of the Infernal Died April 6, 1971, in New York Dance of King Kastchei, a devilish romp that Suite from The Firebird foreshadows the pounding ritualism of The Rite of Spring. For the 1910 Paris season of the recently formed dance troupe Les , the impresario The Lullaby pulses with a dark, swaying Serge Diaghilev wanted to present something accompaniment, underpinning spare and spectacular and distinctly Russian. He had a disquieting melodies. Emerging from the concept in place drawn from Russian folklore— trembling remains, the Finale builds a simple the tale of a heroic prince, a magical villain, a hymn into a thunderous affirmation. beloved princess, and a mythical firebird that saves the day—and choreographer Michael © 2017 Aaron Grad PROFILES THE MARIINSKY ORCHESTRA enjoys a long and Since its United States debut in 1992, the distinguished history as one of the oldest musical Orchestra has made 18 tours of North America, institutions in Russia. Its history dates back to including a 2006 celebration of the complete the first orchestra of the St. Petersburg Imperial Shostakovich symphonies, a Cycle of Stage Orchestra, covering a period of over 200 Works of Prokofiev in 2008, and marathon of all years. Housed in St. Petersburg’s famed Mariinsky piano concertos with , George Li, Theatre (1860), the Orchestra now performs also , Sergei Redkin, and Sergei in its superb 21st-century Concert Hall (2006) and Babayan in February 2016. Additionally, they its second opera house Mariinsky II (2013) built for performed major works of in modern stage technologies. February-March 2010, a Centennial Mahler Cycle in in October 2010, and in October Following the orchestra’s “golden age” in 2011, the Mariinsky Orchestra opened Carnegie the second half of the 19th century under the Hall’s 120th season with a cycle of Tchaikovsky musical direction of Eduard Napravnik, numerous Symphonies which was also performed internationally famed musicians have conducted throughout the United States and Canada. the Orchestra, among them Hans von Bülow, Felix Mottl, , Alexander von Maestro Gergiev established the Mariinsky Label Zemlinsky, Otto Nikisch, Hector Berlioz, Richard in 2009 and has since released over 30 recordings Wagner, , , to date receiving critical acclaim in Europe, Asia, , , Bruno and the United States. Walter, and Erich Kleiber. VALERY GERGIEV (conductor) is artistic and Renamed the “Kirov” during the Soviet era, the general director of the Mariinsky Theatre, Orchestra continued to maintain its high artistic principal conductor of the , standards under the leadership of Yevgeny principal conductor of the World Orchestra for Mravinsky and . The leadership of Peace, chair of the Organizational Committee Valery Gergiev and the success of the Orchestra’s of the International Tchaikovsky Competition, frequent tours has led to the reputation of what Honorary President of the Edinburgh International one journalist referred to as “the world’s first Festival, and dean of the Faculty of Arts at the St. global orchestra” and has enabled the Theatre Petersburg State University. to forge important relationships for the Ballet and Opera to appear in the world’s greatest As head of the Mariinsky Theatre, Gergiev opera houses and theatres. They include the has established and directs such international , the Kennedy Center, the festivals as the Stars of the , in Covent Garden, the San (St. Petersburg), Moscow Easter Festival, Gergiev Francisco Opera, the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, Rotterdam Philharmonic Festival, Mikkeli Festival, the Salzburg Festival, and La Scala in Milan. and the 360 Degrees festival in Munich.

10 He has led numerous composer cycles including DENIS MATSUEV (piano) has enjoyed a stellar Hector Berlioz (1803-1869), career since his triumphant victory in the 11th (1833-1897), (b. 1916), Gustav International Tchaikovsky Competition in Mahler (1860-1911), (1891-1953), Moscow and is now one of the most sought-after Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975), Igor Stravinsky musicians of his generation. He appears regularly (1882-1971), Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) in with world-famous orchestras such as the Chicago New York, London, Paris, and other international Symphony Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony cities. He has introduced audiences around the Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, NY world to several rarely performed Russian . Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, , , Berliner Maestro Gergiev staged a production of Richard Philharmoniker, Bavarian Radio Symphony Wagner’s tetralogy Orchestra, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, BBC in the original German language, the first such Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestra of the production in Russian history, and led that Mariinsky Theatre. production in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Seoul, Tokyo, New York, and London. Gergiev also Matsuev has been a soloist of Moscow champions contemporary Russian composers Philharmonic since 1995. Since 2004 he has such as Rodion Shchedrin (b. 1932), Boris presented his annual personal season Soloist Tishchenko (1939-2010), (b. Denis Matsuev. For many years Matsuev has 1931), Alexander Raskatov (b. 1953), and Pavel led numerous musical festivals and educational Smelkov. projects which have added to his role as a prominent public figure. Since 2004 he has The Mariinsky label established in 2009 has organized Stars on Baikal in and since released more than 30 discs and DVDs to date 2005 he has been the artistic director of the that have received great acclaim from the critics music festival Crescendo. In 2010 he became and the public throughout the world; recordings the artistic director of Annecy Music Festival in include symphonies and piano concerti by Annecy, France. Matsuev is the artistic director Tchaikovsky and Shostakovich, operas by Wagner, of International Astana Piano Passion Festival Massenet, and Donizetti, Prokofiev’s ballets and Competition, and of Moscow Grand Piano Romeo and Juliet and , and the operas Competition. Additionally, Matsuev is the and . Recent releases president of the charitable Russian foundation, include Shchedrin’s The Left-Hander (DVD) and New Names, that supports children music Tchaikovsky’s and Symphony education in regions of his native Russia. No. 4.

11 Matsuev collaborates with the Sergei Most recently, he was viewed by millions of Foundation and was chosen by spectators around the globe while performing the Foundation to perform and record unknown excerpts from Rachmaninoff’s second piano pieces of Rachmaninoff on the composer’s own concerto at the closing ceremony of the piano at the Rachmaninoff house, Villa Senar, in Olympic Games. Lucerne. In April 2014 UNESCO designated Matsuev as a Matsuev is a laureate of the prestigious UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador. In 2016 Matsuev Shostakovich’s Prize in Music as well as the State was announced as 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia Prize of Russian Federation in Literature and Arts. ambassador. In 2017 he was awarded with State He also is a People’s Artist of Russia. Matsuev Order of Honour and received the Prize of the was named Honorary Professor of Moscow State Government of the Russian Federation for his University. He is a member of The Presidential festival Stars on the Baikal Festival. Council for Culture and Arts, Honored Artist of Russia, and he recently became the head of The Public Council under The Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation.

12 MARIINSKY ORCHESTRA VALERY GERGIEV, MUSIC DIRECTOR

FIRST VIOLIN VIOLA DOUBLE Lorenz Nasturica-Herschcowici Yuri Afonkin Kirill Karikov Alexei Lukirskiy Dinara Muratova Vladimir Shostak Stanislav Izmailov Lina Golovina Aleksandr Alekseyev Olga Volkova Yevgeny Barsov Sergey Akopov Leonid Veksler Roman Ivanov Dmitry Popov Anton Kozmin Mikhail Anikeyev Denis Kashin Kristina Minosian Yury Baranov Angela Contreras Reyes Danara Urgadulova Andrei Lyzo Yevgeny Ryzhkov Andrei Prokazin Liudmila Ketova Kalamkas Jumabaeva Ilya Vasilyev FLUTE Anna Glukhova Andrei Petushkov Nikolai Mokhov Ekaterina Gribanova Alevtina Alexeyeva Sofia Viland Kirill Murashko Alexander Marinesku Dmytro Demydov Mikhail Pobedinskiy Mikhail Schaffarczyk Oleg Sendetsky Anton Gakkel SECOND VIOLIN Dmitry Ganenko Alexander Levin Zumrad Ilieva Omar Bairamov Alexei Fyodorov Maria Safarova Viktor Kustov Viktor Ukhalin Elena Luferova Ekaterina Larina Ilya Ilyin Viktoria Shchukina Vladimir Yunovich Anastasia Lukirskaya Kirill Evtushenko CLARINET Natalia Polevaya Oxana Moroz Nikita Vaganov Inna Demchenko Anton Valner Ivan Stolbov Andrey Novodran Ekaterina Lebedeva Vitaly Papyrin Olesya Kryzhova Sarkis Ginosyan Vitaly Komissarov Olga Timofeeva Svetlana Petrova Tamara Lazarova

13 BASSOON KEYBOARD Rodion Tolmachev Alexei Lobikov Olga Okhromenko Yuri Radzevich Alexander Gorbunov Ruslan Mamedov Mikhail Seliverstov ORCHESTRA MANAGER Alexander Sharykin Alexander Dzhurri Vladimir Ivanov Vladimir Polevin HORN TOUR MANAGER Stanislav Tses Maria Nikonorova Dmitry Vorontsov Nikolai Slepnev Elina Bakhteeva Alexander Afanasiev Alexei Pozin PERCUSSION STAGE HANDS Vladislav Kuznetsov Andrei Khotin Dmitry Popov Yuri Akimkin Yury Alexeyev Pavel Popov Pyotr Rodin Yevgeny Zhikalov Zakhar Katsman Dmitry Fedorov Gleb Logvinov TRUMPET Fedor Khandrikov Timur Martynov Vitaly Zaitsev HARP Nikita Istomin Sofia Kiprskaya Stanislav Ilchenko Liudmila Rokhlina Alexei Popov

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