Saturday, October 13, 2018, 8pm First Congregational Church Jerusalem Quartet with pinchas Zukerman and

Jerusalem Quartet Alexander Pavlovsky, violin Sergei Bresler, violin Ori Kam, Kyril Zlotnikov, cello

with Pinchas Zukerman, viola and Amanda Forsyth, cello

pROgRAM

Richard Strauss (1864 –1949) String Sextet from Capriccio , Op. 85

Arnold Schoenberg (1874 –1951) Verklärte Nacht for String Sextet, Op. 4

INTERMISSION

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840 –1893) String Sextet in D minor, Op. 70, Souvenir de Florence Allegro con spirito Adagio cantabile e con moto Allegretto moderato Allegro con brio e vivace

e Jerusalem Quartet appears by arrangement with David Rowe Artists. www.davidroweartists.com e Jerusalem Quartet records for Harmonia Mundi. www.jerusalemstringquartet.com

Support for the presentation of Israeli artists is provided by the Sir Jack Lyons Charitable Trust. Cal Performances’ 2018 –19 season is sponsored by Wells Fargo.

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Richard Strauss by the conductor Clemens Krauss under the String Sextet from Capriccio , Op. 85 microscopic scrutiny of the composer, though Capriccio was Richard Strauss’ last operatic several other writers, notably Stefan Zweig, also venture, and, like the valedictory works of other contributed ideas to the finished book. e plot great composers—Haydn’s oratorios, Verdi’s was based on a by Abbaté Giovanni Falstaff , Elgar’s Cello —it not only Casti titled Prima la musica, poi le parole (First summarizes a lifetime of stylistic achievement, the Music, en the Words ), which had first but also addresses concerns that the accumula - been set by Antonio Salieri in 1786 as a one-act tion of years could not dim. For Strauss in this opera that was premiered as part of the double masterful opera, those concerns were two: one bill at the Schönbrunn Palace in with was the cataloging of his greatest musical loves; Mozart’s e Impresario . Zweig suggested the the other was a consideration of the essential topic to Strauss as early as 1934, but composi - dilemma of all vocal music—the relative im - tion was not begun until 1939; the score was portance of words and music. To demonstrate completed on August 3, 1941. e setting is an the music that he held in highest regard, Strauss elegant palace near Paris in 1775, the time when quoted in the score snippets from the works of the operatic reforms of Gluck had the words/ Mozart, Wagner, Gluck, and Verdi, and he even music controversy consuming the city’s intel - included fragments from some of his own com - lectual circles. Strauss intended Capriccio (sub - positions. (One of the joys of this opera for titled “A Conversation Piece for Music”) to be the knowledgeable listener is the identification a refined entertainment for his friends rather of the many musical allusions.) Regarding the than a popular theater piece—“no work for the words/music controversy, which is the true public, only a fine dish for connoisseurs,” was subject of the opera, Strauss wrote, “e battle his assessment. He was surprised therefore, and between words and music has been the prob - certainly pleased, at the excellent success lem of my life from the beginning, and I leave it Capriccio enjoyed at its premiere in Munich on with Capriccio as a question mark.” October 28, 1942 under Krauss’ baton. In his New Encyclopedia of the Opera , David e lovely string sextet that serves as the Ewen offered the following précis of Capriccio : introduction to Capriccio was first heard six “e almost action-less libretto [set in a chateau months before the work’s official premiere. In in late-18th-century France] is little more than 1942, Strauss and his wife moved to Vienna a discussion as to which is more significant in from their Bavarian home in Garmisch-Parten - opera, the words or the music. Flamand, the kirchen. eir refusal to hide their disgust with musician, becomes the spokesman for the the Nazi leadership had made their position in music; Olivier, the poet, for the words. Both are Garmisch difficult when their Jewish daughter- emotionally involved with the Countess Made - in-law and her children were threatened with leine. When LaRoche, a producer, plans a series ostracism. e governor of Vienna, Baldur von of entertainments to celebrate the Countess’ Schirach, assured Strauss that he would shelter birthday, she suggests that Flamand and Olivier the family if they would make no further pub - collaborate, using for their material the day’s lic anti-Nazi remarks. In appreciation, Strauss happenings and themselves as principal char - allowed the Sextet to be performed privately at acters. When they leave to write their ‘enter - Schirach’s house on May 7, 1942. Despite that tainment,’ the Countess (looking in a mirror) particular kindness, Schirach was sentenced to asks herself which man she prefers. She comes 20 years imprisonment for war crimes by the to the conclusion that both interest her equally. Nuremberg Trials in 1946. Her conclusion is Strauss’ answer to the prob - e opening sextet brings Strauss’ opulent lem that opened the opera: in opera, the words harmonic palette and rich instrumental textures and music have equal importance.” to his stylized recreation of elegant Rococo e libretto—perhaps the best Strauss ever . In the opera, the music begins had except for Der Rosenkavalier —was written before the stage is revealed. As it continues, the

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x i l e F curtain rises to show the characters listening to manuscripts and Zemlinsky was so impressed the music played by an off-stage ensemble as with his talent that he offered to take him on as the musician Flamand’s birthday offering to the a student, and secured him a po - Countess. e words of Michael Kennedy about sition in the cello section of the Polyhymnia the complete opera apply equally well to this to help earn a little money. Zemlin - beautiful sextet: “ Capriccio is Strauss’ most en - sky assumed the role of guardian to Schoen - chanting opera. It is also the nearest he came to berg, introducing the young man to his circle unflawed perfection in a work of art. It is an an - of professional colleagues and offering advice thology or synthesis of all that he did best, and and encouragement. In 1901, Schoenberg mar - it is as if he put his creative process into a cru - ried Zemlinsky’s sister, Mathilde. cible, refining away coarseness, bombast and During the summer of 1899, Schoenberg and excess of vitality.” Zemlinsky were on holiday in the mountain village of Payerbach, south of Vienna, and it was Arnold Schoenberg there that Schoenberg began a work for string Verklärte Nacht for String Sextet, Op. 4 sextet based on a poem by Richard Dehmel: At the age of 16, in 1890, Arnold Schoenberg “Verklärte Nacht” (“Transfigured Night”), which decided to become a professional musician, had appeared three years earlier in a collection having already dabbled in composition, taught called Weib und die Welt (Woman and the himself to play the violin and cello, and partic - World ). Dehmel was one of the most distin - ipated in some chamber music concerts with guished German poets of the day, whose verses his friends. His father’s death just at that time bridged the sensuous Impressionism of the pre - threw him into rather serious financial distress, ceding generation and the intense spirituality of however, and he had to scratch out a livelihood encroaching Expressionism. “Verklärte Nacht” aer leaving school in 1891 by working in a matches well the Viennese fin-de-siècle tem - bank and local choruses and theater perament, when Sigmund Freud was intellec - for a few schillings per performance. tualizing sex with his systematic explorations In 1893 he met Alexander Zemlinsky, who into the subconscious and Gustav Klimt was had already established a Viennese reputation painting full-length portraits of his female as a composer, conductor, and teacher though subjects as he imagined they would look totally he was only two years Schoenberg’s senior. nude before applying layers of elaborate, gold- Schoen berg showed his new friend some of his sparkled costumes to finish the canvas. e fol -

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lowing translated excerpt from Dehmel’s poem came to be viewed not as an avant-garde aber - appears in Schoenberg’s printed score: ration but as one of the foremost creations of the Post-Romantic era. “Two people walk through the bare, cold woods; the moon runs along, they gaze at it. e moon runs over tall oaks, no cloudlet pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky dulls the heavenly light into which the black String Sextet in D minor, Op. 70, peaks reach. A woman’s voice speaks: Souvenir de Florence “‘I bear a child, but not by you. I walk in Tchaikovsky’s soul was seldom at rest in the sin alongside you. I sinned against myself years following his marital disaster in 1877, and mightily. I believed no longer in good for - he sought distraction in frequent travel abroad; tune but still had mighty longing for a full Paris and Italy were his favorite destinations. In life, mother’s joy, and duty; then I grew January 1890 he settled in Florence, and spent shameless, then horror-stricken, I let my sex be taken by a stranger and even blessed my - the next three months in that beautiful city self for it. Now life has taken its revenge: working on his latest operatic venture, Pique Now I have met you, you.’ Dame (e Queen of Spades ). He took long “She walks with clumsy gait. She gazes walks along the Arno, marveled that spring upward; the moon runs along. Her somber flowers sprouted in February, and savored the glance drowns in the light. A man’s voice food. “I have found here all I need for satisfac - speaks: tory work,” he wrote to his brother Modeste. “‘e child that you conceived be to your Aer a brief stay in Rome, he arrived back in soul no burden. Oh look, how clear the uni - verse glitters! ere is a glory around All, Russia on May 1, noting five days later to a you dri with me on a cold sea, but a pecu - friend that aer finishing Pique Dame , “I want liar warmth sparkles from you in me, from to make sketches for a sextet for strings.” e me in you. It will transfigure the strange orchestration of the opera was completed by child you will bear for me, from me; you early the next month, and on June 12 he told brought the glory into me, you made myself Modeste that he was “starting the string sextet into a child.’ tomorrow.” “He holds her around her strong hips. Almost immediately he admitted to his eir breath kisses in the air. Two people walk through the high, light night.” brother that he was running into problems: “I started working on it the day before yesterday, Schoenberg glossed this richly emotional and am writing under great strain, the difficulty poem with music influenced by Wagner’s lush being not necessarily a lack of ideas, but the new Tristan chromaticism, Brahms’ intellectual rigor, format. Six independent voices are needed, and, and the intense expression of Late Romanticism moreover, they have to be homogeneous. is is to create a vast one-movement piece for strings very difficult. Haydn was never able to over - that is virtually a programmatic tone poem. come such difficulties, and never wrote any e work was premiered on March 15, 1902 chamber music other than quartets…. I defi - when the augmented Arnold Rosé Quartet nitely do not want to write just any old tune and performed it under the auspices of the Vienna then arrange it for six instruments, I want a Tonkünstler Society. Schoenberg had already sextet—that is, six independent voices, so that acquired a reputation as an unrepentant mod - it can never be anything but a sextet.” (Tchai - ernist, and the audience insisted on being kovsky was wrong about Haydn, who wrote at put off by the music’s ripe and the lu - least one sextet and several quintets). Still, he bricity of its subject. e Hungarian violinist persevered, and by the end of the month he had Francis Aranyi reported that the premiere was completed the first dra. “Up to now I am very greeted “with much blowing of whistles, heav - pleased with it,” he told Modeste. A week later ing of rotten eggs, etc.,” but that Rosé valiantly his enthusiasm had not dimmed: “It is some took his bows at the end “just as all hell broke Sextet. What a great fugue there is at the end— loose.” Over time, however, Verklärte Nacht a real delight. I am tremendously pleased with

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s o t o h P myself.” He began the orchestration of the score In their biography of Tchaikovsky, Lawrence on July 13 in anticipation of its performance the and Elisabeth Hanson wrote, “e Souvenir de next month in St. Petersburg, but that concert Florence is…suffused with an atmosphere not never materialized, and he did not hear the oen associated with this composer, of a Sextet until it was played for him by some calm geniality.” It is probably this quality that friends in his St. Petersburg apartment in prompted Tchaikovsky, who oen wrote in his November. As with other of his works, his ini - letters of the “heavenly” Italian climate, to add tial pleasure with the piece evaporated aer the sobriquet to the work’s original title. e hearing it. “It will be necessary to change the music itself is decidedly Russian in mood and String Sextet radically,” he reported to the melody, with only a certain lightness of spirit in composer Mikhail Ippolitov-Ivanov. “It turned the first two movements showing any possible out to be extremely poor in all respects.” He Italianate traits. Indeed, if anything the work began a revision early in 1891, but had to put it exhibits a strong German influence in the aside for his tour to the in April richness of its string sonorities and thematic and May, and then for the composition and development, which frequently recall Brahms’ pro duction of e Nutcracker and the opera chamber music. e opening movement is a Iolanthe ; the new version was not finished until full sonata structure given in the style of a January 1892 in Paris. It was at that time that bustling waltz. e following Adagio is dis - Tchaikov sky, without further explanation, ap - posed in a three-part form whose brief center pended the phrase “Souvenir de Florence” to section is constructed from a delightful, flutter - its title. Jurgenson published the score and ing rhythmic figuration. e two closing move - parts in June, and the Souvenir de Florence was ments are based on folk-like themes, the first a given its public premiere, with good success, in sad song that is the subject of considerable elab - St. Petersburg on December 7, 1892 by an en - oration as it progresses, the other a bounding semble including the celebrated violinist Leo - Cossack dance. pold Auer. —© 2018 Dr. Richard E. Rodda

29 ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Jerusalem Quartet release a unique album exploring Jewish music “Passion, precision, warmth, a gold blend: these in Central Europe between the wars and its far- are the trademarks of this excellent Israeli string reaching influence. Israeli soprano Hila Baggio quartet.” will join the ensemble to perform a collection Such was the New York Times ’ impression of Yiddish cabaret songs from Warsaw in the of the Jerusalem Quartet. Since the ensemble’s 1920s. e quartet has commissioned compo - founding in 1993 and subsequent 1996 debut, ser Leonid Desyatnikov to arrange these songs, the four Israeli musicians have embarked on which will be sung in Yiddish. Schul hoff’s Five a journey of growth and maturation. is has Pieces (1924), a collection of short and light resulted in a wide repertoire and an impressive cabaret-like works, and Korngold’s Quartet depth of expression, which carries on the rich No. 2 (1937) will complete the program. tradition in a unique manner. e group’s 2018 –19 season opens with a e ensemble has found its core in a warm, premiere of the new Yiddish program. March full, human sound and an egalitarian balance will include a return of the ensemble’s Brahms between high and low voices. is approach project, featuring quartets, sonatas, and quin - allows the quartet to maintain a healthy rela - tets together with clarinetist Sharon Kam and tionship between individual expression and pianist Matan Porat. Aer a second US tour a transparent and respectful presentation of the in April, the ensemble will perform Bartók’s composer’s work. It is also the drive and moti - six string quartets at London’s Wigmore Hall in vation for the continuing refinement of the May and then, combined with , in group’s interpretations of the classical repertoire various venues in Bavaria. as well as its exploration of new epochs. e Jerusalem Quartet is a regular guest on With a celebrated career encompassing five the world’s great concert stages. With regular decades, pinchas Zukerman reigns as one of biannual visits to North America, the quartet today’s most sought aer and versatile musi - has performed in cities such as New York, Chi - cians—violin and viola soloist, conductor, and ca go, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, Wash ing ton chamber musician. He is renowned as a virtu - (DC), and Cleveland, as well as at the Ravinia oso, and admired for the expressive lyricism Festival. In Europe, the quartet enjoys an en - of his playing, his singular beauty of tone, and thusiastic following with regular appearances in his impeccable musicianship, which can be London’s Wigmore Hall, the Tonhalle Zürich, heard throughout his discography of over 100 Munich’s Herkulessaal, and the éâtre des recordings. A devoted teacher and champion of Champs- Elysées, as well as in special guest per - young musicians, he has served as chair of formances at the Auditorium du Louvre Paris, the Pinchas Zukerman Performance Program the Elbphil harmonie Hamburg, and festivals at the Man hattan School of Music for 25 years. such as Salz burg, Verbier, Schleswig-Holstein, He singularly pioneered the use of distance- Schwarzenberg, Rheingau, Saint learning technology with the first technologi - Petersburg White Nights, and many others. cal installment at the Manhattan School and has e Jerusalem Quartet records exclusively established an advanced training program for Harmonia Mundi. e ensemble’s record - for gied young artists as part of the National ings, particularly those featuring Haydn’s string Arts Centre in Ottawa. Zukerman has taught at quartets and Schubert’s Death and the Maiden , prominent music education programs in Lon - have been honored with awards such as the don, , and China, among others, and was Diapason d’Or and the BBC Music Maga zine appointed as the first instrumentalist mentor Award for chamber music. In 2018 the quar - in music of the prestigious Rolex Mentor and tet released two recordings, one of Dv o˘rák’s Protégé Arts Initiative. String Quintet, Op. 97 and Sextet, Op. 48, and e 2018 –19 season marks Zukerman’s tenth the other the celebrated quartets by Ravel and season as principal guest conductor of the Royal Debussy. In the spring of 2019, the quartet will Philharmonic Orchestra in London and his

0 PLAYBILL ABOUT THE ARTISTS fourth as artist-in-association with the Adelaide Queen’s University in Kingston, Ontario, and Symphony Orchestra in Australia. He leads the University of Calgary. He received the the RPO on a tour of the United Kingdom and National Medal of Arts from President Ronald Ireland, conducting works by Mozart and Reagan as well as the Award for Vaughan Williams and performing as soloist Artistic Excellence in . Zuker- in Beethoven’s . Zukerman man’s extensive discography includes more than joins the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra in 100 titles, for which he gained two Grammy performances of Bruch’s Violin Concerto in awards and 21 nominations. His complete G minor, on tour in Germany, the Netherlands, recordings for Deutsche Grammophon and and Switzerland. He appears as soloist and con - Philips were released in July 2016 in a 22-disc ductor with the National Arts Centre Orchestra set comprising Baroque, Classical, and Roman - in Ottawa and the symphony orchestras of tic and chamber music. Recent al - and Indianapolis. Zukerman makes bums include Baroque Treasury on the Ana lekta concerto appearances in North America with label with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, Colorado cellist Amanda Forsyth, and oboist Charles Symphony, Los Angeles Philharmonic, and Hamann in works by Handel, Bach, Vivaldi, New World Symphony, and in Europe with the Telemann, and Tartini; Brahms’ Symphony , Orquesta Nacional de No. 4 and Double Concerto with the National España, NDR Radiophilharmonie, Salzburg Arts Centre Orchestra and Forsyth, recorded Camerata, and Moscow State Symphony live at Ottawa’s Southam Hall; and a critically Or ches tra. Zukerman conducts the Deutsche acclaimed album of works by Elgar and Staats philharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz, and con - Vaughan Williams with the Royal Philhar - ducts and is soloist with the Royal Philhar - monic Orchestra. monic Orchestra on a tour of South Korea. As a founding member of the Zukerman Canadian Juno Award-winning Amanda For - Trio, along with cellist Amanda Forsyth and syth is considered one of North America’s most pianist Angela Cheng, Zukerman appears in dynamic cellists. She achieved an international Balti more and at New York’s 92nd Street Y; reputation as soloist, chamber musician, and tours Italy, including , Milan, and principal cellist of Canada’s National Arts Naples; and gives performances in Germany, Centre Orchestra from 1999 to 2015. Her in - at Villa Musica in the Rhineland-Palatinate and tense richness of tone, remarkable technique, in Mönchengladbach. Zukerman and Forsyth and exceptional musicality combine to enthrall join the Jerusalem Quartet in a program of audiences and critics alike. Strauss, Schoenberg, and Tchaikovsky sextets Forsyth has performed on international in (along with Berkeley) Chicago, Houston, tours with the Royal Philharmonic and Israel Atlanta, Princeton, and Vancouver. Zukerman Philharmonic. Other orchestral appearances also appears with Forsyth in performances include the Orchestre Radio de France, English of the Brahms Double Concerto with the Los Chamber Orchestra, Calgary Philhar monic, Angeles Philharmonic, and joins violinist Toronto Symphony, National Arts Centre Viviane Hag ner and the National Centre Arts Orchestra, Vancouver Symphony, Luxem bourg Orchestra for performances of the Mozart Sin - Philharmonic, and Gyeonggi Philharmonic. fonia Con certante. With multiple tours in Australia, Forsyth has Born in , Pinchas Zukerman came also appeared with the symphony orchestras to the United States, where he studied at the of Sydney, Perth, and Adelaide. In the United with as a recip - States she has performed with the Chicago, ient of the American-Israel Cultural Founda - Washington National, San Diego, Colo rado, tion scholarship. An alumnus of the Young Oregon, New West, Dallas, and Grand Rapids Concert Artists program, he has also received symphony orchestras. Forsyth has appeared nu - honorary doctorates from , merous times on tour and in St. Petersburg with

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the Mariinsky Orchestra, conducted by Valery Highlights from this season include the world Ger giev. In 2014 she made her Carnegie Hall premiere of Marjan Moze tich’s debut with the Israel Philhar monic Orchestra. with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, as As a founding member of the Zukerman well as Forsyth’s debut with the Los Angeles ChamberPlayers Forsyth has visited Germany, Phil harmonic, performing the Brahms Double Israel, Italy, Finland, Holland, Switz erland, New Con certo with conducting. Zealand, and Turkey, and cities such as London, Amanda Forsyth’s recordings appear on the Vienna, Paris, Belgrade, Budapest, Dubrovnik, Sony Classics, Naxos, Altara, Fanfare, Marquis, Warsaw, and Barcelona. As cellist of the Zuker - Pro Arte, and CBC labels. Her recording of man Trio, she has performed on six continents Schubert’s Trout Quintet with the Zukerman and appeared at prestigious music festivals ChamberPlayers and was including Edinburgh, Miyazaki, Verbier, BBC released by Sony in 2008. Her most recent disc Proms, Tanglewood, Ravinia, Spring Festival of features the Brahms Double Concerto with Pin - St. Petersburg, White Night Festival, and La chas Zukerman and the National Arts Centre Jolla Summer Fest. Her current season includes Orchestra, released by Analekta Records. Zukerman Trio engagements with Chamber Born in South Africa, Forsyth moved to Music Sedona, the Detroit Chamber Music Canada as a child and began playing cello at age Society, the Music Institute of Chicago, and the three. She became a protege of William Pleeth Savannah Music Festival. in London, and later studied with Harvey Next season, the Zukerman Trio will embark Shapiro at the Juilliard School. Forsyth per - on an East Coast tour, culminating in New York forms on a rare 1699 Italian cello by Carlo Giu - at the 92nd Street Y, in addition to a tour in Italy. seppe Testore.

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