Boston Symphony Orchestra Concert Programs, Season 52,1932
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SYMPHONY HALL, BOSTON HUNTINGTON AND MASSACHUSETTS AVENUES Branch Exchange Telephones, Ticket and Administration Offices. Commonwealth 1492 INC. Dr. SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY, Conductor FIFTY-SECOND SEASON, 1932-1933 WITH HISTORICAL AND DESCRIPTIVE NOTES BY PHILIP HALE COPYRIGHT, 1933, BY BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, INC. THE OFFICERS AND TRUSTEES OF THE BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, Inc. BENTLEY W. WARREN President HENRY B. SAWYER Vice-President ERNEST B. DANE Treasurer HENRY B. CABOT ARTHUR LYMAN ERNEST B. DANE WILLIAM PHILLIPS N. PENROSE HALLOWELL EDWARD M. PICKMAN M. A. DE WOLFE HOWE HENRY B. SAWYER FREDERICK E. LOWELL BENTLEY W. WARREN W. H. BRENNAN, Manager G. E. JUDD, Assistant Manager 725 ^i SUGGESTION Following the reported resignation of Mr. Nikisch, in 1893, as Con- ductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, a unique suggestion was offered for the future conduct of the concerts. It appeared in the form U of a letter to the "Transcript" by a correspondent who used the letter X" as a pseudonym: — Instead of importing some obscure German musician, possibly brought up under the influence of a Wagner, Von Bulow, or Richter, and saturated with the musical traditions of an effete European civilization, let the concerts be conducted in turn by our various local music critics, both the regularly constituted and the self-appointed ones. It is safe to say we shall at last have an an exact musical embodiment of the ideas of Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart, and Mendelssohn. We shall hear, for the first time, everything played in the exact tempi intended by the composer (heretofore only known to himself and critics), and shall learn the true value of a thirty-second note as differentiated from a dotted sixty-fourth. Add to this, for the super- vision of the programmes, a committee composed of those persons who know exactly what a symphony programme should be, and it seems certain that at length the efforts of our estimable fellow- citizen, Mr. Higginson,to provide Boston with orchestral perform- ances of the highest grade, will be crowned with full success." u If you will read our publication, Wills and Trusts " you will under- stand the benefits and safeguards of letting Old Colony Trust Company serve you as Executor and Trustee. This booklet will be sent to you promptly upon request. Old Colony Trust Company 17 COURT STREET, BOSTON ^Affiliated with The First National Bank of Boston wamn 726 Title Page Page 725 Programme ......... 729 List of Subscribers to the Deficit and Endowment Funds . 747 Analytical Notes by Philip Hale: Wagner .... Prelude to "Parsifal" 730 "Parsifal," III Wagner . Good Friday Spell from Act Jj^ 744 Beethoven Symphony No. 9 in D minor, with final chorus of Schiller's Ode to Joy, Op. 125 753 Advance Programme ....... 765 Special Concert Announcements . 766-769 and back cover Teachers' Directory ...... 770-772 Personnel Opposite page 772 727 Cijanbler & Co. Famous for Quality for Over a Century Imported Laces make these Slips, Gowns and Pajamas superb values at $2 - $3 Gowns echo the newest evening fashions . one- and two-piece pa- jamas are charmingly lace trimmed . smooth-fitting slips with adjustable straps have lace vestees, ap- pliques of dark laces. Sixth Floor. 728 Because of the nature of the music, and to com- memorate the anniversary of the death of Richard Wagner, it is suggested that there be no applause after the excerpts from "Parsifal." FIFTY-SECOND SEASON, NINETEEN HUNDRED THIRTY-TWO AND THIRTY-THREE FRIDAY AFTERNOON, FEBRUARY 17, at 2.30 o'clock SATURDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 18, at 8.15 o'clock Wagner Prelude to "Parsifal" Wagner Good Friday Spell from "Parsifal," Act III Beethoven Symphony No. 9 in D minor, with final chorus on Schiller's Ode to Joy, Op. 125 I. Allegro, ma non troppo, un poco maestoso. II. Molto vivace: Presto. III. Adagio molto e cantabile. IV. Presto. Allegro assai. Presto. Baritone Recitative. Quartet and Chorus: Allegro assai. Tenor Solo and Chorus: Allegro assai vivace, alia marcia. Chorus: Allegro assai. Chorus: Andante maestoso. Adagio, ma non troppo, ma divoto. Allegro energico, sempre ben marcato. Quartet and Chorus: Allegro ma non tanto; Prestissimo. CHORUS BACH CANTATA CLUB, G. Wallace Woodworth, Conductor SOLOISTS Olga Averino, Soprano Robert Steel, Tenor Nevada Van Der Veer, Contralto Frederic Baer, Bass There will be an intermission before the symphony The works to be played at these concerts may be seen in the Allen A. Brown Music Collection of the Boston Public Library one week before the concert 729 Prelude to "Parsifal" ... Richard Wagner (Born at Leipsic, May 22, 1813; died at Venice, February 13, 1883) The Prelude to "Parsifal" was composed at Bayreuth in Septem- ber, 1877. The first performance was a private one in the hall of the Villa Wahnfried at Bayreuth, on December 25, 1878, to celebrate the birthday of Cosima Wagner. The Prelude was performed as a morning serenade by the Meiningen Court Orchestra, led by Wagner. The performance was repeated the evening of the same day, when guests were invited. The programme then included also the Sieg- fried Idyl, the Prelude to "Lohengrin," and pieces by Beethoven, all led by Wagner. The next performance was also a private one, in the Royal Court Theatre at Munich in November, 1880, at the wish of King Ludwig II., and Wagner conducted. The first performance in public was at the production of the festival play, as noted below. The first public concert performance was at Breslau, September 1, 1882, at a Richard Wagner concert organized by Angelo Neumann and conducted by Anton Seidl. The score and orchestral parts were published in October, 1882. "Parsifal," "a stage-consecration festival play" in three acts, book High Grade Bonds For Safety of Principal and Income Chase Harris Forbes Corporation 24 Federal Street, Boston 730 ; and music by Kichard Wagner, was first performed at Bayreuth for the patrons, July 26, 1882. The first public performance was on July 30, 1882. Parsifal, Hermann Winkelmann; Amfortas, Theo- dore Reichmann Titurel, ; August Kindermann ; Klingsor, Karl Hill Gurnemanz, Emil Scaria; Kundry, Amalie M&terna. Hermann Levi conducted.* Wagner's version of the story of Percival, or, as he prefers, Parsi- fal, is familiar to alt There is no need in a description of the Pre- lude to this music-drama of telling the simple tale or pondering its symbolism. The ethical idea of the drama is that enlightenment coming through conscious pity brings salvation. The clearest and the sanest exposition of the Prelude is that included by Maurice Kufferath in his elaborate essay, "Parsifal" (Paris: Fischbacher, 1890). We give portions of this exposition in a greatly condensed form. *The first performance of "Parsifal" as an opera outside of Bayreuth was at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York, Heinrich Conried, director, December 24, 1903. Alfred Hertz conducted. The cast was as follows : Kundry, Milka Ternina ; Parsifal, Alois Burgstaller ; Amfortas, Anton Van Rooy ; Gurnemanz, Robert Blass ; Titurel, Marcel Journet ; Klingsor, Otto Goritz. The first performance of "Parsifal" in English at the Metropolitan Opera House, New York,—the translation was by Henry Edward Krehbiel,—was on February 19, 1920. Kundry, Mme. Matzenauer ; Parsifal, Orville Harrold ; Amfortas, Clarence Whitehill ; Gurnemanz, Leon Rothier ; Titurel, Palo Ananian ; Klingsor, Adam Didur. Mr. Bodanzsky conducted. "There was no mechanical panorama of progress from the scenes preceding the hall of the Grail to the hall itself." Mr. Urban's scenery was adversely criticised by some. CONTEMPORARY PIANO MUSIC Net ROY E. AGNEW, Contrasts. Piano cycle by a leading Australian composer SI. 00 EDWARD BALLANTINE, Variations in the Styles of Ten Composers on "Mary Had a Little Lamb." A masterpiece of tonal humor 1.00 ^ Op. 15, Six Preludes. An outstanding concert work 75 MAKIONMADinv BAUER,D , lir, D j 0p 10> No 2 Druids. Played by Mme. Avis Charbonnel .50 ROBERT BRAINE. Op. 17, The Sea. Based on Tennyson's "Break, Break" .60 ELLEN COLEMAN, Poems and Pictures. Played by Smeterlin, Borovsky and others 1.00 CHARLES DENNEE, Op. 43. Modern Pianoforte Etudes in Waltz Form . 1.25 ARTHUR FOOTE, Op. 37, No. 1. Prelude-Etude for the Right Hand 50 pp' fFantaisie lyrique HL1ATTy *rntux ' (Impromptu-Serenade Admirable recital and teaching numbers, each .50 LEE PATTISON, Told in the Hills. "May prove to be the 'Woodland Sketches' of its day. Who knows ?" Musical America 1.00 JOHN PENNINGTON, Alpine Scenes 60 F. ADDISON PORTER, Op. 34, Meditation 50 THEOPHIL WENDT, Valse Glissando on Black Keys 60 TECHNICAL WORKS ERNEST HARRY ADAMS, Modulatory Scales in Sixths and Tenths 75 I. PHILIPP, Technical Practice. Planned for half hour periods 1.00 F. ADDISON PORTER, Op. 35, New Progressive Octave Exercises 75 0p * 56, ImP rom P tu Etudes 75 TRYGVETRYrvir TORJUSSENTnw tttccpm $ \ Qp 65 Fifteen Etudes 1.00 731 The Leit-motiv system is here followed rigorously. The Leit-motiv is a well-defined melody, or a rhythmic and melodic figure, some- times even a simple succession of harmonies, which serve to char- acterize an idea or a sentiment and, combined in various ways, form, by repetition, juxtaposition, or development, the thread of the musical speech. Without preparation the Prelude opens with a broad melodic phrase, which is sung later in the great religious scene of the first act, during the mystic feast, the Lord's Supper. Take and drink of my blood, 'Tis of our love the token, Take of my body and eat, 'Twas for sinners once broken. The phrase is sung, at first without accompaniment, in unison by Violins, violoncello, English horn, clarinet, bassoon, sehr langsam (Lento assai), A-flat major, 4-4. This motive is repeated by trumpet, oboes, and half the first and second violins in unison against rising and falling arpeggios in the violas and remaining violins, repeated chords for flutes, clarinets, and English horn, and sustained har- monies in bassoons and horns.