Classical Series

Sunday, February 21, 2021 at 5:00 p.m. Helzberg Hall, Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts Michael Stern, conductor

ARTHUR FOOTE Air and Gavotte from Serenade for Strings in E Major, op. 25

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH Air from Suite No. 3 in D Major for Orchestra, BWV 1068

ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK Serenade in E Major for , op. 22

I. Moderato II. di valse III. Scherzo: Vivace IV. Larghetto V. Finale: Allegro vivace

The 2020/21 Season is generously sponsored by The Classical Series is sponsored by

SHIRLEY AND BARNETT C. HELZBERG, JR.

Additional support provided by

R. CROSBY KEMPER JR. FUND

Classical Series Program Notes February 21, 2021

Orchestra Roster

MICHAEL STERN, Director JASON SEBER, David T. Beals III Associate Conductor

FIRST Lawrence Figg HORNS Sunho Kim, Acting Concertmaster Rung Lee* Alberto Suarez, Principal Miller Nichols Chair Meredith McCook Landon and Sarah Rowland Chair Stirling Trent, Allen Probus David Sullivan, Associate Principal Acting Associate Concertmaster Elizabeth Gray Chiafei Lin, DOUBLE BASSES David Gamble Acting Assistant Concertmaster Jeffrey Kail, Principal Stephen Multer, Gregory Sandomirsky‡ Evan Halloin, Associate Principal Associate Principal Emeritus Associate Concertmaster Emeritus Brandon Mason ‡ Anne-Marie Brown Caleb Quillen TRUMPETS Betty Chen Richard Ryan Julian Kaplan, Principal Anthony DeMarco Nash Tomey James B. and Annabel Nutter Chair Susan Goldenberg* Steven Franklin, Associate Principal Tomoko Iguchi FLUTES Brian Rood ‡ Dorris Dai Janssen Michael Gordon, Principal Vladimir Rykov Marylou and John Dodds Turner Chair TROMBONES Alex Shum* Shannon Finney, Associate Principal Roger Oyster, Principal Kayla Burggraf SECOND VIOLINS Porter Wyatt Henderson, Associate Principal Tamamo Someya Gibbs, Principal PICCOLO Adam Rainey Kristin Velicer, Acting Associate Principal Kayla Burggraf Minhye Helena Choi, TROMBONE Acting Assistant Principal OBOES Nancy Beckmann Adam Rainey Kristina Fulton, Principal Mary Garcia Grant Shirley Bush Helzberg Chair TUBA Kevin Hao ‡ Alison Chung, Associate Principal Kazato Inouye Joe LeFevre, Principal

Rena Ishii Frank Byrne Chair CLARINETS Stephanie Larsen Francesca Manheim Raymond Santos, Principal TIMPANI Bill and Peggy Lyons Chair Timothy Jepson, Principal VIOLAS Silvio Guitian, Associate Principal Michael and Susan Newburger Chair Matthew Sinno, Acting Principal John Klinghammer Jessica Nance, Acting Associate Principal PERCUSSION Duke Lee, Acting Assistant Principal E-FLAT CLARINET Josh Jones^Principal Kent Brauninger Silvio Guitian David Yoon, Associate Principal Sean Brumble Marvin Gruenbaum BASS CLARINET HARP Jenifer Houck John Klinghammer Katherine Siochi, Principal Jesse Yukimura BASSOONS LIBRARIANS CELLOS Ann Bilderback, Principal Elena Lence Talley, Principal Mark Gibbs, Principal Barton P. and Mary D. Cohen Chair Fabrice Curtis Robert A. Kipp Chair Thomas DeWitt, Associate Principal Susie Yang, Associate Principal Maxwell Pipinich

Richard Hill Chair * Non-Rotating Musician Alexander East, Assistant Principal CONTRABASSOON ^ New Member Maria Crosby Thomas DeWitt ‡ On Leave of Absence John Eadie

Classical Series Program Notes February 21, 2021

ARTHUR FOOTE Air and Gavotte from Serenade for Strings in E Major, op. 25 (1891) 10 minutes

Many — from Bach, Handel and Beethoven to Alicia Keys, David Bowie and Nas — have enthusiastically sampled and reused music. In 1891, Arthur Foote reworked music from two earlier pieces he had written into the charming Serenade in E Major, not to be confused with his Suite in E Major, op. 12 (1886) or the Suite in E Major, op. 63 (1907-09). E major is a brilliant key, especially for , and offers numerous harmonic possibilities that would have appealed to such a fine music theorist as Foote, so it is not surprising he used the key often. This Serenade was premiered by the Baltimore in January 1893.

Today’s program excerpts two of the Serenade’s five movements: Air and Gavotte. The Air is a thinly veiled homage to Bach’s famous Air from the Third Orchestral Suite. German violinist August Wilhelmj had arranged Bach’s Air in 1871, popularizing it to millions of people the world over. It was in this milieu that Foote composed his Air. While bearing some degree of similarity to Bach, Foote’s Air is solidly Romantic in nature, with lush string writing and highly expressive melodic contours. The gavotte originated as a peasant dance in southern France and became more ornate as it achieved popularity in the 17th- and 18th-century French aristocratic courts. Foote’s Gavotte preserves the dance’s formal structure, with an elegant melody depicting finery and flourishes bookending a more section replete with distant drone. He also retains the two upbeats that are characteristic of gavottes and provide a coquettish lilt to this delightful gem. Together, the Air and Gavotte are quite complementary and suggest that further exploration of Foote’s compositions may reveal other jewels, hidden only by the passage of time. ETW

ARTHUR FOOTE (1853-1937)

Born in 1853 to Caleb and Mary Foote, Arthur William Foote’s musical training included work at the newly founded New England Conservatory of Music before he entered Harvard College in 1870. There he studied with , the first music professor at an American university. Foote led the Harvard Glee Club for two years, developing practical experience working with voices. Following his graduation from Harvard in 1874, Foote took organ lessons from Benjamin Lang, one of ’s most distinguished musicians. Lang convinced Foote to abandon his plan to pursue a career in law, opting instead for another year of music study at Harvard. In 1875, Foote received the first Master of Arts degree in music to be awarded by an American university. Thus credentialed, Foote opened a private teaching

Classical Series Program Notes February 21, 2021

studio on Beacon Hill and began his career as a church organist in Boston, first at the Church of the Disciples and then at the First Unitarian Church, where he remained for 32 years. He edited two Unitarian hymnals (1890 and 1896) and was one of the founders of the American Guild of Organists in 1896. He went on to serve as its national president from 1909 to 1912. Foote was most prolific writing vocal pieces and composed more than 100 songs as well as three choral-orchestral works. He sought to write pieces that were enjoyable for a congregation and technically manageable for singers. Thus, many of his vocal works have a narrow compass and feature conventional harmonies.

Foote’s compositions were well regarded during his lifetime and he frequently joined Boston’s Kneisel Quartet on to perform the works. Although sparse in quantity, his orchestral music was similarly appreciated and often performed by the Boston Symphony. A respected teacher and writer, Foote was a guest lecturer at the University of California at Berkeley in 1911 and taught piano at the New England Conservatory from 1921 to 1937. He also co-authored a music theory textbook that remained in publication for more than 70 years. His honors included a fellowship in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, membership in the National Institute of Arts and Letters, and honorary doctorates from Trinity College (Connecticut) and Dartmouth College. A leading figure in the flourishing 19th-century American scene, Arthur Foote was not radical, choosing instead a conservative middle path firmly based on tradition. His music is rooted in the Germanic style, which was commonplace during the era due to the influx of German musicians immigrating to the U.S. to escape the political upheaval pervading much of Europe in 1848-49. Foote and his colleagues in the “Boston Six” — John Knowles Paine, , George Chadwick, Edward MacDowell and — shared similar training and appreciation for the Germanic tradition. Together, they were responsible for helping build a substantial body of American classical music, albeit with a decidedly European flavor. Foote married Kate Grant Knowlton in 1880 and they had one daughter, Katharine Foote Raffy, who convinced her father to write his autobiography. ETW

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH Air from Suite No. 3 in D Major for Orchestra, BWV 1068 (c. 1730) 6 minutes

A true masterwork in 18 concise and elegant measures, Johann Sebastian Bach’s Air encompasses the full gamut of emotions, inspiring a sense of peace and tranquility. The Air was composed as the second movement of Bach’s Third Orchestral Suite and likely premiered during one of the popular Collegium Musicum concerts at Zimmermann’s Coffee House in Leipzig in 1730 or 1731. Instrumental suites were quite common at this time, typically comprised of

Classical Series Program Notes February 21, 2021

stylized dances, with some flexibility as to the particular dance forms chosen for a specific work. Instrumental airs, derived from song form rather than dance, were frequently included in suites and offered composers a marvelously broad palette for their melodic brush strokes.

The Air is written solely for strings, in marked contrast to the other movements of the suite, which include parts for two oboes, three trumpets and timpani. This oasis of reflective calm in the midst of more boisterous sections provides balance to the work as a whole but also stands alone rather eloquently.

The piece is resolutely in the key of D, begging the question why it is often called “Air on the G String.” The answer is that a 19th-century violinist named August Wilhelmj arranged the work, transposing it to the key of C and indicating the first violin part should be played on the G string, the instrument’s lowest string. While a bravura technical feat, it is not in keeping with Bach’s composition or the character of the piece. Nonetheless, the name has endured. ETW

JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685-1750)

So much has been written about this extraordinary man who occupies pride of place in the pantheon of great composers. This multitude of worthy praise would seem overwhelming for a lesser individual but Johann Sebastian Bach wore the mantle lightly, noting: “I was obliged to be industrious. Whoever is equally industrious will succeed equally well.”

The basic contours of his life are well known. Born to a musical family in Eisenach, Thuringia (now part of ), on March 21, 1685 (Old Style date), Bach was orphaned by age 10 and subsequently raised by his eldest brother, Johann Christoph, an organist. While the details of his musical education are scarce, Bach developed proficiency at singing, playing and the keyboard. He was appointed court organist in Arnstadt at age 18 and became obsessed with keyboard music, famously walking more than 200 miles to Lübeck, near the Baltic coast, in order to hear Dietrich Buxtehude play his spectacular organ compositions.

Bach’s next post was in Muhlhausen, where he settled down and married his cousin, Maria Barbara. Although he only stayed there for a year, he remained on friendly terms and is supposed to have inaugurated their new organ in 1709.

He then moved to Weimar, serving as court organist and a member of the orchestra. During these years, his compositional style began to mature, synthesizing the many disparate strands of , including Italian , into his own inimitable approach. Passed over for a promotion, Bach sought a new position and was appointed Kapellmeister at the court of Prince Leopold of Anhalt-Köthen. Unfortunately, Weimar’s Duke Wilhelm was loathe to relinquish

Classical Series Program Notes February 21, 2021

such a fine musician and when Bach pressed his case too vigorously, the duke imprisoned him for a month. Eventually, the duke relented and Bach began his tenure in Köthen.

The Köthen years were highly productive for creating purely instrumental music as Bach had few responsibilities for composition of church music due to the prince’s Calvinist religious practice. The prince loved music, played viola da gamba, and reveled in Bach’s inventive compositions. Tragedy struck in 1720 when Maria Barbara died unexpectedly, leaving Bach a widower. Just over a year later, he married Anna Magdalena Wilcken, a singer who had caught his ear — and eye. They would go on to have 13 children together, of the 20 that Bach sired. While this marriage was quite felicitous, Prince Leopold also married just a week later and the new princess proved hostile to the music that occupied her husband’s attention. Bach began looking for a different job.

In 1723, Leipzig was looking for a new cantor and wanted only the best. They offered the job to , who turned it down. Next up was Christoph Graupner, who encountered difficulty leaving his position in Darmstadt and used the job offer to leverage more favorable terms there. That left Bach.

His new position was demanding. He had to provide music and service guidance for four churches and form choirs for these churches from students at the school of St. Thomas. His duties also included leadership of the town’s orchestra and maintenance of its instruments. He was expected to compose and various other music for worship. All was accomplished prolifically. His sometimes daunting personality occasionally brought him into conflict with the city fathers over matters of salary and the quality of musicians available to him. Indeed, at one point he wrote a friend describing the authorities as “odd, and little interested in music, with the result that I must live in almost constant vexation, envy and harassment. I shall be compelled, with help from the Most High, to seek my fortune elsewhere.” Despite the clashes, he stayed in Leipzig the rest of his life, supplementing modest wages with income from private teaching, guest performances, organ consulting and direction of the Collegium Musicum.

Georg Philipp Telemann founded the Collegium Musicum in Leipzig in 1701, comprised largely of enthusiastic university students who played weekly in ratskellers (taverns) or coffee houses. Bach’s arrival in Leipzig coincided with the Collegium’s affiliation with Gottfried Zimmermann’s Coffee House, where they played regularly until Zimmerman’s death in 1741. Bach officially accepted directorship of the group in 1729 and spent the next decade leading weekly programs of varied repertoire in a somewhat casual atmosphere, complementing his formal duties as cantor. He often played viola on these programs, relishing the inner voice and its central place in the counterpoint of his compositions. The Collegium offered Bach a wonderful avenue of musical expression and also provided a source of musicians for his sacred compositions. The ensemble was among the forebears of today’s Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, founded in 1743 and later led by Felix Mendelssohn, who is credited with reviving Bach’s reputation as a .

Four of Bach’s children became composers, each noted in their own right. Wilhelm Friedemann, Carl Philipp Emanuel, Johann Christoph Friedrich, and Johann Christian Bach had varied careers, carrying on the Bach family musical reputation.

Classical Series Program Notes February 21, 2021

Late in life as Bach’s health failed, he suffered from declining vision and underwent eye surgery by an “oculist” named John Taylor. The surgery was a dismal failure and Bach died a few months later, probably from a post-operative infection. Taylor, described by distinguished ophthalmologist Daniel Albert as “the poster child for eighteenth century quackery,” also operated on Georg Frideric Handel, resulting in Handel’s blindness.

Two composers renowned in their own right held Bach in highest regard. said, “Bach is the immortal God of Harmony.” And advised, “Study Bach. There you will find everything.” Well put. ETW

ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK Serenade in E Major for String Orchestra, op. 22 (1875) 27 minutes

The Serenade for Strings was a relatively early work by Dvořák, written during just a few weeks in 1875 as the composer was enjoying the first blush of success as a composer. He had recently received a state stipend and was being recognized on the concert stage. A violist in the Vienna Philharmonic, Alois Alexander Buchta, advocated including the Serenade on one of the Philharmonic’s programs but to no avail — Dvořák was still not known in Vienna at the time. The Serenade’s premiere took place in Prague on December 10, 1876 and rapidly gained acceptance for its melodious and amiable sound.

As a violist himself, Dvořák wrote knowledgeably for strings. He was keenly aware of the sound potential resulting from divisi writing, where the string sections are subdivided into multiple parts. There are points in the Serenade where he calls for four separate violin parts instead of two, and similarly two viola or cello parts instead of one. It adds a wonderful sonority and makes the ensemble feel even larger because of the rich harmonies.

Most of the movements of Dvorak’s Serenade are built on a three-part structure: an opening statement of themes is followed by a contrasting middle section and then a return to the opening material. The first movement is like a gentle sunrise, suffused with warmth and delight at the newness of the day. The magic of those rays cannot last but they linger in memory, providing a sense of calm and serenity. The graceful waltz that follows is tinged with melancholy as the string sections wend their way along a sinuous path. Brief moments of exuberance emerge but gradually blend back into the wistful texture. An energetic scherzo enlivens matters with a flurry of notes, but Dvorak’s gift for lyrical melody won’t be denied and the athleticism is tempered by several expressive, almost sentimental phrases.

The sustained sounds of the Largehetto movement are filled with tenderness and longing, setting the stage for a rollicking finale. The simplicity of the melodic motifs allows Dvořák to build excitement with vigorous rhythmic development. The Serenade’s opening theme returns briefly before a ripping coda brings the piece to a rousing and boisterous conclusion. ETW

Classical Series Program Notes February 21, 2021

ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK

(1841-1904)

Antonín Dvořák was born in Nelahozeves, Bohemia, then in the Austrian Empire, now in the Czech Republic. Dvořák’s parents operated a tavern and his father also ran a butcher shop; neither business was especially profitable so Dvořák’s upbringing was underprivileged. His father loved music and played the zither so young Antonín was exposed to a variety of music in the village, just a short distance from Prague. His early education took place in a one-room school with a limited curriculum but the teacher gave Dvořák violin and singing lessons. His musical talent was apparent and at age 12 he moved in with his aunt and uncle to pursue more formal studies, learning organ and piano. He dropped out of school though, eventually spending a year living with a German family in Česká Kamenice to learn German, which was essential to advance in the Austrian Empire. Finally, at age 16, Dvořák moved to Prague and began studying at the Institute for Church Music. Following graduation in 1859, he applied for a position as church organist but did not get the job. In order to earn a living, he began playing viola in coffee houses and restaurants, eventually becoming principal violist of the new Provisional Czech Theater. He served in that position for nine years, performing many works by his compatriot, Bedřich Smetana, as well as the standard repertoire of the era. Dvořák’s early years in Prague were challenging. Because there was little money, he lived with relatives and taught piano lessons to supplement scanty wages as a violist. Despite his impoverished circumstances, he wrote music prolifically yet was completely unknown as a composer. Among his piano students were the sisters Josefina and Anna Čermáková. Dvořák fell in love with Josefina but it was not reciprocal. Contending with this lack of affection, he then married Anna, and by all indications, they had a happy marriage. Dvořák left his position in the theater orchestra in order to have more time for composition. Although he started to receive modest recognition, having new family responsibilities dictated that he take a steady job as church organist. To supplement this small income, he then applied for a grant offered by the Austrian government to support poor but talented artists. He received the first of several such grants in 1875 and came to the notice of influential Viennese music critic Eduard Hanslick and the composer Johannes Brahms. Both promoted his works and Brahms connected Dvořák with his own publisher, Fritz Simrock, who commissioned a set of Slavonic dances that quickly secured Dvořák’s international popularity. Over time, Simrock would publish a substantial number of Dvořák’s compositions, although the relationship was sometimes rocky. The ensuing years were marked by growing success and financial security. Dvořák began traveling to conduct his works, with several extended trips to England. Plied with numerous commissions, his range of compositions encompassed , chamber music, , , choral music, songs and keyboard works.

Classical Series Program Notes February 21, 2021

The 19th century witnessed a surge in nationalism, musically as well as politically. Dvořák, while proud of his Czech heritage, did not wade into the fray with his music. Despite entreaties from Brahms and other supporters to move to Vienna, Dvořák stayed in Prague and sought to avoid the public debate over nationalism. One place of calm refuge for Dvořák was the village of Vysoká where Anna’s sister Josefina and her husband lived. Dvořák bought a residence there and the family spent most summers in the pastoral setting. International acclaim for Dvořák’s music continued to build. At Tchaikovsky’s invitation, Dvořák traveled to Moscow and St. Petersburg in 1890 to conduct some of his orchestral works. He also returned to England for conducting engagements and to receive an honorary doctorate from Cambridge University. Perhaps the academic honor motivated his next step: becoming a teacher at the Prague Conservatory in 1891. Shortly thereafter another teaching offer arrived, a post at the National Conservatory of Music of America in New York City. The proposed annual salary was $15,000, nearly $450,000 in today’s dollars. Even with such a lucrative salary offer, Dvořák hesitated, finally accepting the contract at Anna’s insistence in 1892. Dvořák’s teaching duties in America did not seem to impede his compositional output. Among the works completed during this stretch were his Cello , the “American” , and most famously, the “New World” Symphony, which premiered at Carnegie Hall. His enthusiasm for music from the Black community ignited a racial debate played out in the press and academic journals, but he was unequivocal: “It is my opinion that I find a sure foundation in the negro [sic] melodies for a new national school of music.” The Dvořák family spent the summer of 1893 in Spillville, Iowa, a village with many Czech immigrants. His travels that year also included visits to Omaha, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Chicago, and Niagara Falls. Homesickness eventually set in and the family returned to Prague in 1895 to stay. Dvořák resumed teaching at the Prague Conservatory and composing. His final years were marked by the bestowal of honors — Emperor Franz Josef appointed him a member of the Austrian House of Lords — and a withdrawal from public life. He stopped conducting and rarely traveled. There was a huge outpouring of sorrow at his death at age 62 in 1904. Dvořák’s compositions are filled with lively dance and Slavic folk elements that sounded fresh and vibrant to refined audiences in European capitals. Despite his embrace of these stylistic elements, Dvořák almost never used actual folk melodies in his music. Oft described as a Czech composer, he did not seek the label and is perhaps better characterized as cosmopolitan, adopting features from various nations that suited his true gift for melody. ETW

Program notes written by AJ Harbison (AJH) and Eric T. Williams (ETW).