December 6, 2008, 8 P.M
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MUSICMUSIC OF THE VALLEVALLEYY Livermore-Amador Sym pho ny Arthur P. Barnes, Music Director December 6, 2008, 8 p.m. Bankhead Theater, Livermore Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis Ralph Vaughan Williams Livermore-Amador S(1872–1958)ymphony Symphony No. 5, “Reformation” Felixfounded Mendelssohn 1963 Bartholdy Opus 107 (1809–1847) Andante, Allegro con fuoco Allegro vivace Andante Chorale: Andante con moto, Allegro vivace, Allegro maestoso INTERMISSION Hebrides Overture, “Fingal’s Cave” Mendelssohn Opus 26 Music for Banjo and Orchestra, Quartet, or Trio various composers Waiting for the Robert E. Lee South of the Border, Tico Tico, and Brazil Fiddler on the Roof My Little Bimbo Flapperette Ziguenerweisen Bach Double Concerto, 1st movement; with Kristina Anderson, violin Bud’s Breakdown Blues for Ryan Ashokan Farewell Tiger Rag Buddy Wachter, soloist “Hallelujah” Chorus from Messiah George Frideric Handel The audience is invited to sing; the words are on the last page of this insert. (1685–1759) Orchestra listing includes performers from this afternoon’s family concert in addition to players from this evening’s concert. (Most of the orchestra members are playing at both concerts today.) CONDUCTOR Jackie McBride Bronwyn Hagerty* CLARINET BASS TROM BONE Arthur P. Barnes Virginia McFann Joanne Lenigan Lesley Watson Larry Dias Holly McLean* Sharon Schumacher Kathy Boster TUBA Theresa McSweeney Dave Walter ASSISTANT BASSOON Betsy Hausburg CON DUC TOR Margaret Morrad Lisa Canter Marcus Schildbach Rob ert Wil l iams Nissa Nack STRING BASS Robert Cooper Lynn Stasko Anne Quiring TIMPANI Principal FIRST VIOLIN HORN April Nissen Kristina Anderson VIOLA Elizabeth Foort Chris Immesoete Peter Curzon Concertmaster Hazelle Miloradovitch Alan Frank Richard Lamb Principal PERCUSSION Norman Back Patty Lay Bryan Waugh Frances Fischer Peter Curzon Feliza Bourguet Joe Taylor Robert Williams Phillida Cheminais Chair Del Eckels Judy Eckart Lynda Alvarez FLUTE TRUMPET Paul Kasameyer Barbara Gurnari Akira Haddox Marion Clark Michael Portnoff Nan Davies Andy Leppla Kathleen Fasenfest Hank Finn Audrey Horning Jutta Massoud PICCOLO Brian Maddox LIBRARIANS Phoebe Stinson Laura Schildbach* Nan Davies The Horning Family Marilyn Taylor TROMBONE SECOND VIOLIN OBOE Mark Hil and Anne Les Ursula Goldstein CELLO Eva Langfeldt Diane Schildbach Principal Ken Windler Larry George Lisa Burkhart Principal Jeana Ernst Naomi Adams * Livermore High School student and Denise Leddon Sharon Greene winner of a scholarship from the LAS youth outreach program Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis Refl ecting his studies with master orchestrator Ralph Vaughan Williams Maurice Ravel two years earlier, he richly and ingeniously (1872–1958) scored the “Fantasia” for three string groups: solo quartet The great English composer Ralph Vaughan Wil- and two orchestras of different sizes. His wife, Ursula, liams virtually defi ned the English symphonic music of wrote, “With the Norman grandeurs of Gloucester Cathe- the 20th century; his music refl ects a profound English dral in mind and the strange quality of the resonance of sensibility. He was born in Down Ampney, Gloucester- stone, the ‘echo’ idea of three different groups of instru- shire, where his father, the Rev. Arthur Vaughan Williams, ments was well judged. It seemed that his early love for was rector. Following his father’s death, in 1875, he was architecture and his historical knowledge were so deeply taken by his mother, Margaret Susan Wedgwood, the assimilated that they were translated and absorbed into great-granddaughter of the potter Josiah Wedgwood, to the line of the music.” live with her family at Leith Hill Place, the Wedgwood family home in the North Downs. Amazingly, he was also Symphony No. 5, Felix Mendelssohn related to the Darwins, Charles Darwin being a great-uncle. “Reformation”—Opus 107 (1809–1847) Ralph (pronounced “Rafe”) was therefore born into the Mendelssohn composed his Symphony in D Major, privileged intellectual upper middle class but never took which bears the title “Reformation,” in anticipation of it for granted and worked tirelessly all his life for the festivities commemorating the 300th anniversary of the democratic and egalitarian ideals he believed in. Augsburg Confession, one of the key events of the Prot- estant revolt led by Martin Luther against the Catholic In 1904 he discovered English folk songs and joined Church. As it happened, large-scale celebrations of the the English Folk-Song Society. This form of music was anniversary in Germany were prevented by the political fast becoming extinct, owing to the increase of literacy upheavals that wracked Europe in 1830, and it was not and printed music in rural areas. Vaughan Williams col- until late in 1832 that the symphony received its fi rst lected many himself and edited them to ensure their place performance. in the English musical repertoire. He also incorporated some into his music, being fascinated by the beauty of Although commonly known as his Fifth Symphony, the music and its anonymous history in the working lives the “Reformation” was actually Mendelssohn’s second of ordinary people. full-scale work in this genre, following the Symphony in C minor, Opus 11. (He also wrote several smaller “sym- Once Vaughan Williams had tapped into his country’s phonies” for string orchestra during his adolescence.) rich vein of folk song and the magnifi cent heritage of its The composer was all of 20 when he began the work and Tudor-era music, he began developing a personal style, 21 when he fi nished it in May 1830. He was, however, something that had previously eluded him. The warmth, already an experienced orchestral composer, one whose spirituality, and humor of these sources played signifi cant output included, in addition to the aforementioned C roles in many of his subsequent compositions. minor symphony, several concertos and the famous Thomas Tallis (c. 1505–1585) was one of Tudor overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream. But whereas England’s most celebrated musicians. In 1567 he con- his Shakespeare overture and some of his other youthful tributed eight themes to the Archbishop of Canterbury’s works achieved quick success and a place in the standard hymnbook, known as the Metrical Psalter. When Vaughan repertory, the “Reformation” symphony languished during Williams helped edit a new version of the English Hymnal Mendelssohn’s lifetime. The composer, who was famously in 1906, he used the opportunity to restore to circulation self-critical, judged the music harshly and withheld it from the third of Tallis’ melodies from the earlier collection. He publication after the 1832 premiere. Not until 1868, some used it as the tune for the text that begins “When rising two decades after his death, was the symphony brought from the bed of death.” The intimacy and grandeur of this out in print. lovely theme, set in the antique Phrygian church mode Meanwhile, Mendelssohn had already presented rather than the more common major or minor, moved him three other symphonies to the world. His publisher there- to compose a piece based on it. The “Fantasia” expands fore gave the present work the misleading designation and intensifi es the theme’s inherent qualities. Symphony No. 5 and the equally misinforming opus The highly successful premiere at the Three Choirs number 107. A more accurate representation of the piece Festival laid the groundwork of Vaughan Williams’ inter- in the chronology of Mendelssohn’s output would call it national reputation, as did the premiere of A Sea Symphony Symphony No. 2 and opus 23 or 24. one month later. He revised and shortened the “Fantasia” From a more purely musical perspective, this sym- twice before it was published in 1920. phony reveals the confl uence of Classical and Romantic tendencies that generally inform its composer’s work. because he was born with his incredible talent or was the Mendelssohn was steeped in the music of the 18th century. product of an artistically and intellectually inclined family Mozart and Bach were the brightest stars in his artistic will remain a mystery, but like all prodigies, Mendelssohn fi rmament—his direction of the famous 1829 revival showed signs of true genius from childhood: He made his of Bach’s Saint Matthew Passion is but one indication public debut at age 9, and by age 12, he had already written of this—and his own compositions rarely abandoned a several sonatas, two operettas, and a cantata. certain Classical formal clarity learned from their works. Having already achieved such remarkable success, His Romantic inclination shows itself chiefl y as an urge the now 20-year-old German composer and pianist was at to express extramusical ideas through instrumental music. a crossroads: Could he make a bona fi de career in music? Mendelssohn was a sensitive young man who showed To help him broaden his experiences, feed his artistic considerable talent in painting and poetry as well as music, endeavors, and further establish his reputation, his father and some of his fi nest orchestral scores were inspired by funded a three-year journey through Europe. literature (the overture to A Midsummer Night’s Dream) and landscapes (the “Italian” and “Scottish” symphonies). Beginning in April 1829, Mendelssohn traveled The “Reformation” symphony, with its implicit theme of through England and Scotland, back through the major the Protestant struggle and ultimate triumph, stands as cities of Germany, and then to Hungary and Italy. All the another instance of the composer’s efforts to use instru- while, he maintained his hectic concert schedule, a schedule mental music for conveying extramusical ideas. he would keep throughout his life. The experiences and impressions he gained during his travels not only secured Reference to the Protestant struggle and distinct his career as a fi rst-rate pianist and composer but also Classical echoes are heard in the fi rst movement. Men- provided the creative seeds for some of his best-known delssohn follows a tradition, well established by the mature works, including the Hebrides overture, also known as symphonies of Mozart and Haydn, of prefacing the main “Fingal’s Cave.” body of the movement with a slow introductory passage.