J.S. Bach Berg Brahms

Alan Gilbert and the 2011–12 Season and the New York Philharmonic New York Philharmonic 2011–12 Season

Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic: the Philharmonic musicians stand for their Alan Gilbert, Conductor 2011–12 Season — twelve live recordings bow: this is both an acknowledgment of , of performances conducted by the Music the power and beauty with which they per- Director, two of which feature guest con- form, and of their dedication and commit- ductors — reflects the passion and curiosity ment — and their inspiration — throughout Recorded live October 5–7, 2011 that marks the today. Alan Gil- the season.” Avery Fisher Hall at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts bert’s third season with the New York Phil- These high-quality recordings of almost harmonic continues a voyage of exploration 30 works, available internationally, reflect J.S. BACH (1685–1750) of the new and unfamiliar while reveling in Alan Gilbert’s approach to programming for Two in D minor, the greatness of the past, in works that the which combines works as diverse as One Music Director has combined to form telling Sweet Morning — a song cycle by Ameri- BWV 1043 (ca. 1720) 13:46 and intriguing programs. can master composer John Corigliano Vivace 3:17 Every performance reveals the chemistry exploring the nature of war on the tenth Largo ma non tanto 6:11 that has developed between Alan Gilbert anniversary of the events of 9/11 — with Allegro 4:18 and the musicians, whom he has praised cornerstones of the repertoire, such as FRANK PETER ZIMMERMANN for having “a unique ethic, a spirit of want- Dvorˇák’s lyrical yet brooding Seventh ALAN GILBERT ing to play at the highest level no matter Symphony. The bonus content includes what the music is, and that trans­lates into audio recordings of Alan Gilbert’s onstage BERG (1885–1935) an ability to treat an incredible variety commentaries, program notes published in of styles brilliantly.” He feels that audi- each concert’s Playbill, and encores given (1935) 25:44 ences are aware of this, adding, “I have by today’s leading soloists. Andante — Allegretto 10:56 noticed that at the end of performances For more information about the series, Allegro — Adagio 14:48 the ovations are often the loud­est when visit nyphil.org/recordings. FRANK PETER ZIMMERMANN

BRAHMS (1833–97) Symphony No. 3 in F major, Op. 90 (1882–83) 38:04 Allegro con brio 13:57 Andante 8:36 Poco allegretto 6:30 Allegro — Un poco sostenuto 9:02

2 3 Alan Gilbert on This Program

This concert introduces the 2011–12 season Mary and James G. Wallach Artist-in- Residence, someone who is already very close to the Orchestra and a wonderful friend of mine: the great violinist Frank Peter Zimmermann. He is truly a complete musician; his interest in music is probing and deep, and he has a staggering ability to bring his unique brand of clarity — there is a sense of inevitability and absolute purity — to every piece he performs. The experience he provides is very direct, and that can only happen because his musicality is so intense and his technical ability is so consummate. That will be true in the two very different pieces he is playing on this program, one by Bach, one by Berg. These join music by Brahms to create our version of “The .” It’s a serious program, but I would say that although this music is sad, it can be seen as ultimately optimistic. The Berg Violin Concerto was written in memory of a dead child, but the com- poser makes use of a famous Bach chorale at the end of the work to represent the soul ascending, and so it concludes with a poignant, spiritually peaceful expression. The Brahms Third Symphony — which I love, perhaps the most of all of Brahms’s symphonies — traces a parallel emotional trajectory. The piece is introspective and quite sad, and is rich with an ambiguity that makes it particularly special. It lives on the cusp of F major and F minor (and, on a very simple level, one can say that major is often a happy key and that the minor mode denotes sadness). The last movement actually goes very far on the side of defiance, but it ultimately resolves peacefully, ending quietly in F major in a way that is, I feel, uplifting.

4 5 New York Philharmonic

6 7 Notes on the Program By James M. Keller, Program Annotator The Leni and Peter May Chair

Concerto for Two Violins in contour by sudden leaps of a tenth. The Bach as Violinist In Short D minor, BWV 1043 concerto’s Largo ma non tanto provides a Born: March 21, 1685, in Eisenach, particularly fine example of Bach’s ability to Bach was renowned in his day as a key- board virtuoso, but he was also a skilled Died: July 28, 1750, in make time seem to stop while the players violinist. His father, Johann Ambrosius Work composed: probably ca. 1720 in Cöthen weave a magical tapestry from threads of Bach, had been a professional violinist in The origins of Bach’s D-minor Concerto World premiere: No information is available poignancy, resignation, and tenderness. Erfurt and Eisenach (where Johann Sebas- for Two Violins are shrouded in uncertainty. concerning the early performance Anything would seem an intrusion after tian was born), so the composer grew up surrounded by the sounds of the violin. It One of today’s leading Bach scholars, history of this work. such a slow movement, but Bach offers an was as a violinist that he obtained his first , believes that this work New York Philharmonic premiere: December 10, unusually blustery finale. professional appointment, at Weimar in dates from the composer’s years in 1881, Theodore Thomas, conductor, Hermann Brandt 1703, and when he died 47 years later he Leipzig, where he lived from 1723 until the and Richard Arnold, soloists Instrumentation: two solo violins plus an left in his estate a violin built by Stainer — probably the luthier Jacob Stainer whose end of his life. This is a minority opinion, orchestra of strings (two violin parts and instruments are still prized today. Bach’s however, and most musicologists support Unfortunately, Bach’s nearly six and a half one viola part) with continuo (here realized son Carl Philipp Emanuel, recalled in a the idea that it is a product of Bach’s time years spent in Cöthen would not be entirely by harpsichord, cellos, and basses). 1774 biography of his father: in Cöthen, where he was employed imme- happy. His wife died in 1720, leaving him From his youth up to fairly old age diately prior to his move to Leipzig. a single father of seven children. However, he played the violin purely and with Johann Sebastian Bach was 32 years he remarried a year and a half later and a penetrating tone and thus kept the old when he became Kapellmeister (i.e., generally prospered, moving on only when orchestra in top form, much better than music director) at the Court of Prince he was offered the prestigious position of he could have from the harpsichord. He completely understood the possibilities Leopold of Anhalt in Cöthen, in December cantor of the city of Leipzig, in 1723. of all stringed instruments. 1717. It was a big decision for the com- The D-minor Concerto for Two Violins poser, who already had a perfectly good comes down to us not in full score, but job as orchestra leader for the Duke of in a set of manuscript parts that were Weimar, where he had worked since 1708. written out jointly by Bach, his son Carl Accepting the new position was person- Philipp Emanuel, his son-in-law Johann ally disruptive quite beyond the fact that Christoph Altnikol, and his student Jo- it entailed moving Bach’s quickly growing hann Ludwig Krebs. Bach later arranged family the distance of about 60 miles; the the piece in a version for two harpsi- Duke, in fact, refused to accept Bach’s chords and strings (BWV 1062), just as resignation and had him held under arrest he did with many of his Cöthen , for a month before he finally relented and in order to breathe new life into them for let his orchestra leader go. Still, the offer performances in Leipzig. was desirable: in addition to musical in- In this work the two violinists are equal ducements, there was Leopold’s practically soloists, sharing their musical material in unbeatable financial proposal. Bach would close alternation. The opening movement be the second-highest-paid employee of (Vivace) begins with a fugal exposition in the entire court, and Bach’s wife would be the orchestra, to which the solo violins re- paid half as much to serve as a singer — spond (as a team) with a passage in which an offer the Bachs could hardly refuse. fluid melodic runs are given a memorable 8 9 Notes on the Program (continued)

Violin Concerto beginning of a long career: in addition to Listen for ... the Chorale In Short introducing Berg’s Violin Concerto, he would Born: February 9, 1885, in Vienna, Austria Alban Berg go on to premiere concertos by Schoen- Berg’s Violin Concerto concludes with a Died: December 24, 1935, in Vienna set of variations on the Lutheran chorale berg, Alfredo Casella, and Roger Sessions.) “Es ist genug! Herr, wenn es Dir gefällt” (“It In February 1935 the violinist Louis Kras- Work composed: late April–August 11, 1935 This piece, Berg’s only , is enough! Lord, when it pleases you”). As ner asked the 50-year-old Alban Berg World premiere: April 19, 1936, Hermann Scherchen evolved according to the twelve-tone he was composing the piece, Berg discov- to compose a concerto. At first Berg ex- (substituting for Anton Webern), the principles that he had learned at the knee ered that the final four notes of his tone row corresponded exactly with the opening pressed no interest in Krasner’s request; at Orquesta Pau Casals, at the International Society of and championed as for Contemporary Music Festival in Barcelona, Louis notes of that chorale’s melody, which he that moment he was completely absorbed only a great composer could — which is to Krasner, soloist; that performance had been preceded knew through its harmonization in Bach’s in the composition of his opera Lulu. It by a private run-through for an invited audience say, by using those principles as a means Cantata No. 60. The chorale melody begins seemed unlikely that Krasner’s dream toward articulating a unique world of ex- with a succession of three whole tones, New York Philharmonic premiere: December 15, which together describe the interval of the would be fulfilled. 1949, , conductor, , pression. Within his tone row, Berg chooses augmented fourth — the tritone, anciently However, the idea had intrigued Berg, not soloist to emphasize those pitches that correspond forbidden as the “devil in music.” least because of Krasner’s argument that to the open strings of the violin, yielding a Berg realized that his current project en- what twelve-tone music really needed in Berg immediately turned his entire harmonic basis that makes perfect sense in joyed not just a musical connection to the chorale, but a poetic one as well, since the order to become popular was a genuinely focus to the violin concerto, left off work terms of the forces involved. text of the chorale supremely expressed expressive, heartfelt piece in an audience- on the final act of Lulu (which he would In a tragic turn, the Violin Concerto was an emotion he was endeavoring to ar- friendly genre like a concerto. Then, too, never complete), and moved to a summer to be his last completed work. Shortly after ticulate about Manon Gropius’s inevitable the generous commission of $1,500 that cottage on the Wörthersee in the southern composing it, Berg was annoyed by an ab- resignation to untimely death:

Krasner offered would go a long way and Austrian province of Kärnten (Carinthia). scess on his back, presumably the result of It is enough! was sorely tempting. In spite of himself, Mahler had built a summer getaway at an insect bite. Treatment proved ineffective Lord, when it pleases you Berg started making tentative stabs toward Maiernigg on the lake’s southern shore, and blood poisoning set in. He died at the Unshackle me at last. writing a work such as Krasner envisaged, and — as Berg pointed out — Brahms had end of the year in which he composed his My Jesus comes; I bid the world goodnight and he accepted the commission. written much of his Violin Concerto while concerto, one day before Christmas. I travel to the heavenly home. That spring the composer received word staying at a hotel on the northern side. I surely travel there in peace, that on April 22 Manon Gropius — the Berg worked feverishly on the concerto. Instrumentation: two (both doubling My troubles left below. 18-year-old daughter of Alma Mahler- Normally he required two years to write a piccolo), two (one doubling English It is enough! It is enough! Werfel (’s widow) and the large-scale work; in contrast, he substan- horn), three (one doubling alto well-known architect Walter Gropius — had tially finished the Violin Concerto within saxophone) and bass , two bas- died of polio. Berg had adored the girl, and two and a half months, though he would soons and , four horns, two he resolved to compose a musical memo- take another month to finish writing out , two , , , rial. “Before this terrible year has passed,” the full score. At the head of the manu- bass drum, cymbals, snare drum, low tam- he wrote in a letter to Alma, “you and Franz script he inscribed “To the Memory of an tam, high gong, triangle, harp, and strings, in [Werfel, her current husband] will be able Angel,” just as he had promised. The name addition to the solo violin. to hear, in the form of a score which I shall of Louis Krasner was also appended to dedicate ‘to the memory of an angel,’ that the score as dedicatee. (Krasner, who which I feel and today cannot express.” would live to the age of 91, was near the

10 11 Notes on the Program (continued)

Symphony No. 3 in F major, to admit to himself that he now occupied The Work at a Glance In Short Op. 90 a plateau of higher prestige than he had Born: May 7, 1833, in Hamburg, Germany previously glimpsed in his career. The com- Clara Schumann (the widow of Robert Died: April 3, 1897, in Vienna, Austria poser had an irascible streak, and he oc- Schumann) was Brahms’s most vocal early champion and remained close to the composer Work composed: 1882–83 casionally expressed irritation over the fact throughout her life. She was often the first per- “I shall never write a symphony!,” Johannes World premiere: November 9, 1883, with the that the Third Symphony was overshadow- son to hear his new works as they emerged. Her Brahms famously declared in 1872. “You composer and Ignaz Brüll playing a two- ing others of his compositions that he felt reaction to the Third Symphony, conveyed in a can’t have any idea what it’s like to hear reduction for a private gathering of friends in Vienna; also deserved attention. Still, he accepted letter to Brahms on February 11, 1884, was little short of euphoric: such a giant marching behind you.” The the full orchestral version premiered on December his triumph as generally a good thing. 2, 1883, Hans Richter conducting the Vienna Phil- giant was , of course, and harmonic Early on, Brahms’s Third Symphony I don’t know where this letter will find you, although his music provided essential acquired a reputation as an equivalent to but I can’t refrain from writing it because New York Philharmonic premiere: November 15, inspiration for Brahms, it also set such a Beethoven’s Third, the eroica, a my heart is so full. I have spent such happy 1884, Theodore Thomas, conductor hours with your wonderful creation ... that high standard that the younger composer comparison that may strike many listeners I should like at least to tell you so. What a found it easy to discount his own creations as odd. According to the powerful Viennese work! What a poem! What a harmonious mood as negligible in comparison. of Wiesbaden, a spa resort along the Rhine critic and champion of Brahms, Eduard pervades the whole! All the movements seem Four more years would pass before some 20 miles west of Frankfurt. Perhaps Hanslick, the idea was planted by Hans to be of one piece, one beat of the heart, each one a jewel! From start to finish one is Brahms finally signed off on his First that is why the opening of the piece seems Richter, who conducted the premiere. “In a wrapped about with the mysterious charm Symphony. Three symphonies would strongly reminiscent of the opening of gracious toast,” Hanslick reported, of the woods and forests. I could not tell you follow that first effort in relatively short ’s Symphony No. 3, which movement I loved most. In the first I was charmed straight away by the gleams of order: the Second in 1877, the Third in Rhenish, which was composed in 1850 in Hans Richter recently christened the new dawning day, as if the rays of the sun were 1882–83, and the Fourth in 1884–85. Düsseldorf, another city on the Rhine. symphony “Eroica.” Actually, if one were to shining through the trees. Everything springs Each is a masterpiece and each displays Although Brahms was widely respected call Brahms’s First Symphony the “Appas- to life, everything breathes good cheer, it is re- a markedly different character. The First is by the time he wrote his Third Symphony, sionata” and the second the “Pastoral,” ally exquisite! The second is a pure idyll; I can see the worshippers kneeling about the little burly and powerful, flexing its muscles in he was also quite accustomed to critical then the new symphony might well be forest shrine, I hear the babbling brook and Promethean exertion; the Second is sunny disparagement and to a half-hearted called the “Eroica.” ... The Symphony No. 3 the buzz of insects. There is such a flutter- and bucolic; and the Third, the shortest of reception of his new works. He knew is really something new. It repeats neither ing and a humming all around that one feels Brahms’s symphonies, though introspective that his music would not be to the taste the unhappy fatalism of the First, nor the oneself snatched up into the joyous web of Nature. The third movement is a pearl, but it is and idyllic on the whole, mixes in a hefty of audiences who preferred the Music of cheerful idyll of the Second; its foundation a gray one dipped in a tear of woe, and at the dose of heroism. With his Fourth Sym- the Future style of Wagner, Liszt, Bruck- is self-confident, rough and ready strength. end the modulation is quite wonderful. How phony, Brahms achieved a work of almost ner, and their partisans. The Futurists The “heroic” element in it has nothing to do gloriously the last movement follows with its mystical transcendence born of opposing did make their displeasure known at the with anything military, nor does it lead to passionate upward surge! But one’s beating heart is soon calmed down again for the final emotions: melancholy and joy, severity and work’s premiere, but on the whole Brahms any tragic dénouement, such as the Funeral transfiguration which begins with such beauty rhapsody, solemnity and exhilaration. was quite taken aback by the warmth March of Beethoven’s “Eroica.” Its musical in the development motif that words fail me! Brahms did much of his best work during with which everyone else greeted his characteristics recall the healthy soundness his summer vacations, which he usually latest piece. Indeed, it was not accepted of Beethoven’s second period, never the Instrumentation: two flutes, two oboes, spent in the bucolic Austrian countryside. with mere respect; it scored a palpable eccentricities of his last. And here and there two clarinets, two and contra- The summer of 1883, when he completed hit. Suddenly, outside Vienna are suggestions of the romantic twilight of , four horns, two trumpets, three his Third Symphony, was spent in the town began to clamor for Brahms, and he had Schumann and Mendelssohn. trombones, timpani, and strings.

12 13 New York Philharmonic

ALAN GILBERT Marilyn Dubow Ru-Pei Yeh Alucia Scalzo++ BASS ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL Music Director The Sue and Eugene Mercy, Jr. Chair The Credit Suisse Chair Amy Zoloto++ James Markey MANAGER The Yoko Nagae Ceschina Chair Martin Eshelman in honor of Paul Calello The Daria L. and William C. Foster Carl R. Schiebler Chair Quan Ge Wei Yu E-FLAT CLARINET Case Scaglione The Gary W. Parr Chair Wilhelmina Smith++ Pascual Martinez Forteza STAGE REPRESENTATIVE Joshua Weilerstein Judith Ginsberg TUBA Louis J. Patalano Assistant Conductors Stephanie Jeong+ BASSES Alan Baer Timothy Cobb++ Principal Hanna Lachert Amy Zoloto++ AUDIO DIRECTOR Hyunju Lee Acting Principal Lawrence Rock Laureate Conductor, 1943–1990 The Redfield D. Beckwith Chair TIMPANI Joo Young Oh BASSOONS Orin O’Brien* Markus Rhoten * Associate Principal Daniel Reed Acting Associate Principal Judith LeClair Principal Music Director Emeritus ** Assistant Principal Mark Schmoockler The Herbert M. Citrin Chair Principal The Carlos Moseley Chair + On Leave Na Sun The Pels Family Chair Kyle Zerna** violins ++ Replacement/Extra Vladimir Tsypin William Blossom Kim Laskowski* The Ludmila S. and Carl B. Hess Roger Nye PERCUSSION The New York Philharmonic uses Concertmaster Chair VIOLAS Arlen Fast Christopher S. Lamb the revolving seating method for The Charles E. Culpeper Chair section string players who are listed Randall Butler Principal Sheryl Staples Cynthia Phelps alphabetically in the roster. David J. Grossman CONTRABASSOON The Constance R. Hoguet Friends of Principal Associate Concertmaster Principal the Philharmonic Chair The Elizabeth G. Beinecke Chair The Mr. and Mrs. Frederick P. Rose Satoshi Okamoto Arlen Fast HONORARY MEMBERS Michelle Kim Chair Daniel Druckman* The Mr. and Mrs. Ronald J. Ulrich Chair OF THE SOCIETY Assistant Concertmaster Rebecca Young* FLUTES HORNS Emanuel Ax The William Petschek Family Chair Irene Breslaw** Robert Langevin Philip Myers Kyle Zerna Enrico Di Cecco The Norma and Lloyd Chazen Chair Principal Principal Carol Webb Dorian Rence The Lila Acheson Wallace Chair The Ruth F. and Alan J. Broder Chair HARP Stanley Drucker Yoko Takebe Sandra Church* Stewart Rose++* Nancy Allen Katherine Greene Mindy Kaufman Acting Associate Principal Principal The Mr. and Mrs. William T. Knight III Hae-Young Ham The Mr. and Mrs. William J. Cara Kizer Aneff Carlos Moseley McDonough Chair Chair The Mr. and Mrs. Timothy M. George PICCOLO R. Allen Spanjer Chair Dawn Hannay Mindy Kaufman Howard Wall Vivek Kamath KEYBOARD Lisa GiHae Kim David Smith++ In Memory of Paul Jacobs Kuan Cheng Lu Peter Kenote OBOES Newton Mansfield Kenneth Mirkin Liang Wang TRUMPETS HARPSICHORD Principal The Edward and Priscilla Pilcher Judith Nelson Philip Smith Lionel Party Chair Robert Rinehart The Alice Tully Chair Principal Kerry McDermott The Mr. and Mrs. G. Chris Andersen Sherry Sylar* The Paula Levin Chair PIANO Chair Robert Botti Matthew Muckey* Anna Rabinova The Karen and Richard S. LeFrak The Lizabeth and Frank Newman Charles Rex Ethan Bensdorf Chair Chair The Shirley Bacot Shamel Chair CELLOS Thomas V. Smith Harriet Wingreen Fiona Simon ENGLISH HORN Jonathan Feldman Sharon Yamada Principal TROMBONES The Fan Fox and Leslie R. Samuels - Elizabeth Zeltser Chair The Joan and Joel Smilow Chair Joseph Alessi ORGAN The William and Elfriede Ulrich Chair Principal Eileen Moon* The Gurnee F. and Marjorie L. Hart Yulia Ziskel CLARINETS The Paul and Diane Guenther Chair Chair Eric Bartlett Mark Nuccio Daniele Morandini++* LIBRARIANS Marc Ginsberg Acting Principal The Shirley and Jon Brodsky Acting Associate Principal Lawrence Tarlow Principal Foundation Chair The Edna and W. Van Alan Clark Principal Lisa Kim* Chair David Finlayson Maria Kitsopoulos The Donna and Benjamin M. Rosen Sandra Pearson** In Memory of Laura Mitchell Pascual Martinez Forteza* Chair Sara Griffin** Soohyun Kwon Acting Associate Principal Elizabeth Dyson The Honey M. Kurtz Family Chair The Joan and Joel I. Picket Chair The Mr. and Mrs. James E. Buckman Chair Duoming Ba Sumire Kudo Qiang Tu 14 15 The Music Director

Music Director Alan Gilbert, The Yoko Mahler symphonies, a residency at Lon- tra’s Vietnam debut at the historic Hanoi Radio France, Royal Swedish Opera, and Nagae Ceschina Chair, began his tenure don’s Barbican Centre, tours to Europe Opera House; the EUROPE / WINTER the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic. at the New York Philharmonic in Sep- and California, and a season-concluding 2010 tour; world premieres; and chamber Alan Gilbert made his acclaimed tember 2009, launching what New York musical exploration of space that fea- performances as violinist and violist with debut in November magazine called “a fresh future for the tures Stockhausen’s theatrical immersion, Philharmonic musicians. 2008 leading ’s Doc- Philharmonic.” His creative approach to Gruppen, to be given at the Park Avenue In September 2011 Alan Gilbert became tor Atomic. His recordings have been programming combines works in fresh and Armory. Highlights of the previous season Director of Conducting and Orchestral nominated for Grammy Awards, and his innovative ways, and he has developed include two tours of European music Studies at The , where he is recording of Mahler’s Symphony No. 9 artistic partnerships, including the posi- capitals, Carnegie Hall’s 120th Anniver- also the first to hold the received top honors from the Chicago tions of The Marie-Josée Kravis Composer- sary Concert, and an acclaimed production Chair in Musical Studies. He is Conductor Tribune and Gramophone magazine. Mr. in-Residence and The Mary and James of Janácˇek’s The Cunning Little Vixen, Laureate of the Royal Stockholm Phil- Gilbert studied at , The G. Wallach Artist-in-Residence; an annual hailed by The Washington Post as “another harmonic Orchestra and Principal Guest Curtis Institute of Music, and The Juil- three-week festival; and CONTACT!, the victory,” building on 2010’s wildly success- Conductor of Hamburg’s NDR Symphony liard School, and served as the assistant new-music series. The first native New ful staging of Ligeti’s Le Grand Macabre, Orchestra; he regularly conducts lead- conductor of The Yorker to hold the post, he has sought to which The New York Times called “an ing orchestras in the U.S. and abroad. His (1995–97). In May 2010 he received make the Orchestra a point of civic pride instant Philharmonic milestone.” Other 2011–12 season engagements include an Honorary Doctor of Music from The for the city as well as for the country. highlights of Mr. Gilbert’s inaugural season appearances with the Munich Philhar- Curtis Institute of Music. During the 2011–12 season Alan comprise the Asian Horizons tour in monic, , Cleveland Gilbert conducts world premieres, three October 2009, which included the Orches- Orchestra, Orchestre Philharmonique de 16 17 The Artist

Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Or- chestra, Leipzig’s Orchestra, Cleveland Orchestra, and London Philhar- monic Orchestra. Mr. Zimmermann has given world pre- mieres of three violin concertos: Augusta Read Thomas’s Violin Concerto No. 3, Juggler in Paradise, with the Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France and Andrey Boreyko in 2009; ’s 2007 The Lost Art of Letter Writing (which received the 2009 Grawemeyer Award) with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Violinist Frank Peter Zimmermann conducted by the composer; and Mat- joins the New York Philharmonic in the thias Pintscher’s 2003 violin concerto, en 2011–12 season as The Mary and James sourdine, with the and G. Wallach Artist-in-Residence. Born in Peter Eötvös. 1965 in Duisburg, Germany, he began An avid chamber musician and recitalist, playing the violin at the age of five, and Frank Peter Zimmermann gives numerous made his orchestral debut at ten. Since concerts worldwide. His regular partners finishing his studies with Valery Gradov, are the pianists Piotr Anderzewski, Enrico , and Pace, and Emanuel Ax. He also performs in 1983, Mr. Zimmermann has performed in the Trio Zimmermann, with violist An- with renowned conductors and with many toine Tamestit and cellist Christian Poltéra. of the world’s major orchestras. His many Their recording of trios by Mozart and engagements take him to concert venues Schubert was released in November 2010 and international music festivals through- by BIS Records. out Europe, South America, and Australia, Mr. Zimmermann has been awarded the as well as in the United States and Japan. Premio del Accademia Musicale Chigiana, Highlights of his 2011–12 season include Siena (in 1990), the Rheinischer Kultur- residencies with both the New York preis (1994), and the Musikpreis of the Philharmonic and the Bamberg Symphony; city of Duisburg (2002). In January 2008 engagements with the Chicago and Bos- he received the Order of Merit of the ton Symphony Orchestras, Berlin Philhar- Federal Republic of Germany, First Class. monic, Orchestre National de France, and He plays a Stradivarius from 1711, which Filarmonica della Scala; and concerts in once belonged to , and which Australia with the orchestras of Sydney is sponsored by the WestLB AG. and Melbourne. He also will perform with

18 19 New York Philharmonic

The New York Philharmonic, founded On the Transmigration of Souls; Melinda The New York Philharmonic This Week in 1842 by a group of local musicians Wagner’s Trombone Concerto; Esa-Pekka — syndicated nationally and internation- led by American-born , Salonen’s Piano Concerto; Magnus Lind- ally 52 weeks per year, and available is by far the oldest symphony orchestra berg’s and Al largo; Wynton Marsa- at nyphil.org. It continues its television in the United States, and one of the lis’s Swing Symphony (Symphony No. 3); presence on Live From Lincoln Center on oldest in the world. It currently plays Christopher Rouse’s Odna Zhizn; and, by PBS, and in 2003 made history as the some 180 concerts a year, and on May 5, the end of the 2010–11 season, 11 works first symphony orchestra ever to perform 2010, gave its 15,000th concert — a in CONTACT!, the new-music series. live on the Grammy Awards. Since 1917 milestone unmatched by any other sym- The roster of composers and conductors the Philharmonic has made nearly 2,000 phony orchestra in the world. who have led the Philharmonic includes recordings, and in 2004 became the Music Director Alan Gilbert, The Yoko such historic figures as Theodore Thomas, first major American orchestra to offer Nagae Ceschina Chair, began his tenure Antonín Dvorˇák, Gustav Mahler (music di- downloadable concerts, recorded live. in September 2009, the latest in a dis- rector 1909–11), , Richard Since June 2009 more than 50 concerts tinguished line of 20th-century musical Strauss, (Music Direc- have been released as downloads, and giants that has included Lorin Maazel tor 1922–30), Wilhelm Furtwängler, Arturo the Philharmonic’s self-produced record- (2002–09); Kurt Masur (Music Director Toscanini (Music Director 1928–36), Igor ings will continue with Alan Gilbert and the 1991–2002, Music Director Emeritus Stravinsky, Aaron Copland, New York Philharmonic: 2011–12 Season, since 2002); Zubin Mehta (1978–91); (Music Advisor 1947–49), Dimitri Mitro- comprising 12 releases. Famous for its Pierre Boulez (1971–77); and Leonard poulos (Music Director 1949–58), Klaus long-running Young People’s Concerts, the Bernstein (appointed Music Director in Tennstedt, (Music Advisor Philharmonic has developed a wide range 1958; given the lifetime title of Laureate 1969–70), and Erich Leinsdorf. of educational programs, among them the Conductor in 1969). Long a leader in American musical life, School Partnership Program that enriches Since its inception the Orchestra has the Philharmonic has become renowned music education in , and championed the new music of its time, around the globe, appearing in 430 cities Learning Overtures, which fosters interna- commissioning and/or premiering many in 63 countries on 5 continents. Under tional exchange among educators. important works, such as Dvorˇák’s Alan Gilbert’s leadership, the Orchestra Credit Suisse is the Global Sponsor of Symphony No. 9, From the New World; made its Vietnam debut at the Hanoi Op- the New York Philharmonic. Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3; era House in October 2009. In February Gershwin’s Piano Concerto in F; and 2008 the Philharmonic, conducted by then Copland’s Connotations. The Philharmonic Music Director Lorin Maazel, gave a his- has also given the U.S. premieres of such toric performance in Pyongyang, D.P.R.K., works as Beethoven’s Symphonies Nos. 8 earning the 2008 Common Ground and 9 and Brahms’s Symphony No. 4. This Award for Cultural Diplomacy. In 2012 the pioneering tradition has continued to the Philharmonic becomes an International present day, with works of major contem- Associate of London’s Barbican Centre. porary composers regularly scheduled The Philharmonic has long been a me- each season, including John Adams’s Pu- dia pioneer, having begun radio broadcasts litzer Prize– and Grammy Award–winning in 1922, and is currently represented by

20 21 New York Philharmonic

Executive Producer: Vince Ford Producers: Lawrence Rock and Mark Travis Recording and Mastering Engineer: Lawrence Rock

Photos of Alan Gilbert and the New York Philharmonic: Chris Lee

Berg's Violin Concerto used with permission from Universal Edition and European American Music Distributors LLC.

Major funding for this recording is provided to the New York Philharmonic by Rita E. and Gustave M. Hauser.

Alan Gilbert, Music Director, holds The Yoko Nagae Ceschina Chair.

Frank Peter Zimmermann is The Mary and James G. Wallach Artist-in-Residence.

Exclusive timepiece of the New York Philharmonic

Classical 105.9 FM WQXR is the Radio Home of the New York Philharmonic.

Instruments made possible, in part, by The Richard S. and Karen LeFrak Endowment Fund.

Programs are supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, New York State Council on the Arts, and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Steinway is the Official Piano of the New York Philharmonic and Avery Fisher Hall. 22 23 New York Philharmonic

Performed, produced, and distributed by the New York Philharmonic © 2011 New York Philharmonic

NYP 20120102

24 25