Juilliard415 Yale Schola Cantorum Yale Voxtet David Hill, Conductor
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Saturday Evening, May 4, 2019, at 7:30 The Juilliard School presents Juilliard415 Yale Schola Cantorum Yale Voxtet David Hill, Conductor JOHANN CHRISTIAN BACH (1735–82) Grand Overture (Symphony) in D major, Op. 18, No. 4 Allegro con spirito Andante Rondo. Presto PAWEŁ ŁUKASZEWSKI (b. 1968) Ascensio Domini Sinfonia Viri Galilei Baptismus Salutis Humanae Sator Alleluia ADRIENNE LOTTO, Soprano KAROLINA WOJTECZKO, Mezzo-Soprano COREY SHOTWELL, Tenor HARRISON HINTZSCHE, Baritone New York premiere, commissioned by the Yale Institute of Sacred Music Intermission The taking of photographs and the use of recording equipment are not permitted in this auditorium. Juilliard’s full-scholarship Historical Performance program was established and endowed in 2009 by the generous support of Bruce and Suzie Kovner Alice Tully Hall Please make certain that all electronic devices are turned off during the performance. JOSEPH HAYDN (1732–1809) Missa in angustiis (Lord Nelson Mass), Hob. XXII/11 Kyrie Gloria Credo Sanctus Benedictus Agnus Dei EMILY DONATO, Soprano ASHLEY MULCAHY, Mezzo-Soprano HAITHAM HAIDAR, Tenor EDWARD VOGEL, Baritone Performance time: approximately 2 hours, with an intermission Notes on the Program Overtures, Op. 18, which mark the sum- mit of his contributions to orchestral liter- by James M. Keller ature. Some of the pieces were original Grand Overture (Symphony) in D major, to this venture, while others were drawn Op. 18, No. 4 from music J.C. had previously used in op- JOHANN CHRISTIAN BACH eras and serenatas. The middle movement Born September 5, 1735 in Leipzig, of the Symphony No. 4, the work heard Saxony (Germany) here, is adapted from the Overture to his Died January 1, 1782, in London, England opera Temistocle, which he had written on commission for the court of Mannheim in Four of Johann Sebastian Bach’s sons—the 1772; but this particular music goes back two oldest (Wilhelm Friedemann and Carl even further, since he adapted that bit of Philipp Emanuel, or “C.P.E.”) and the two Temistocle from his 1767 opera Carattaco. youngest (Johann Christoph Friedrich and In Temistocle this breezy Andante included Johann Christian)—staked notable places three clarinetti d’amore (probably ances- as composers. The youngest of these, tors of the basset horn), clarinets being a Johann Christian (“J.C.”), most thoroughly glory of the famous Mannheim orchestra. embraced the emerging Classical style of In the Symphony version, this movement the mid-18th century. After his father died employs a wind section of just two flutes when he was 15 years old, J.C. was taken and bassoon, along with strings and (one in by C.P.E., who continued tending to his assumes) a keyboard continuo. For good upbringing. Five years later J.C. left for Italy, reason were the terms “Overture” and viewed as the hub of new music, and he “Symphony” essentially interchangeable all but “turned Italian,” even to the extent in England at that time. Both an opera of leaving his family’s traditional Lutheran overture and a concert symphony typically faith to become a confirmed Roman Cath- adhered to the same three-movement, olic. After building a reputation in Italy as fast–slow–fast layout, and in many cases an opera composer, he moved in 1762 to the same piece might serve double duty, London, where Italianate taste was on the employed in both contexts. ascendant. He scored more successes in the opera house, was appointed music The Grand Overture’s extroverted first master to Queen Charlotte, and co-founded and third movements employ larger, more a prestigious concert series that kept En- bright-hued forces: pairs of oboes, trum- glish audiences current to the latest sym- pets, and timpani, in addition to bassoon, phonies, concertos, chamber music, and strings, and continuo. (The same players vocal works. In 1764, Leopold Mozart and probably would have doubled on flutes his two prodigy children, Wolfgang and and oboes.) The opening Allegro con Nannerl, befriended J.C. while visiting Lon- spirito follows a textbook sonata-allegro don. J.C. left a lasting impact on Wolfgang, form, though with no repeat of the ex- whose earliest piano concertos include position. The Rondo finale adds no depth arrangements of movements from J.C.’s to this symphony, but it does prolong its keyboard sonatas. delight, making it easy to understand why Mozart held J.C. in such high regard and It was in 1781 or early 1782 (which is to crafted so many of his own early sympho- say shortly before or just after J.C. died) nies in a similar mode. that the publisher William Forster issued a collection of the composer’s Six Grand Ascensio Domini Britten Sinfonia, Cracow Philharmonic, PAWEŁ ŁUKASZEWSKI and Wrocław Philharmonic. Born September 19, 1968, in Cz¸estochowa, Poland His music is sometimes described as re- lating to the neo-medieval harmonic and Born into a family of musicians, Paweł spiritual traditions that have also inspired Łukaszewski received diplomas from War- such composers as Henryk Górecki, Arvo saw’s Chopin Music Academy in cello and Pärt, John Tavener, and Morten Lauridsen. in composition (with distinction, following The Polish Music Center at the University study with composer Marian Borkowski). of Southern California has this to say about He also completed graduate work in cho- his style: “The use of major and minor ral conducting at the Bydgodoszcz Music modes serves the composer only as a point Academy and in 2000 received a doctorate of departure for his highly subjective musi- in composition from the Chopin University cal style which, especially in the realm of in Warsaw, where he now serves as pro- vocal compositions, is inspired by texts he fessor of composition. He is artistic director is setting to music. Łukaszewski’s highly in- of the Musica Sacra choir in Warsaw and in dividual musical language, rhythmic vitality, 2011–12 was composer-in-residence at the and the careful formal layout present in all Warsaw Philharmonic. His work has been of his works, as well as his profound under- recognized with numerous honors in his standing of the liturgical texts in the Cath- native Poland, including most recently the olic rite, combine to produce music that is City of Warsaw Scholarship (2010), Silver strikingly traditional yet fully modern.” Gloria Artis Medal (2011), and Primate of Poland Award (2011). Łukaszewski has provided this comment about Ascensio Domini: Łukaszewski has been recognized as a leading composer of contemporary choral Commissioned by the Yale Institute music whose works have been included of Sacred Music, Ascensio Domini is on more than 110 CDs, including on such the third part of a large cycle of vocal- internationally notable labels as Hyperion instrumental compositions that cover and Signum. Eight releases on Poland’s the liturgical period from Jesus’ passion Dux Records and three on Hyperion have and death on the cross through his res- been devoted entirely to his music. En- urrection and ascension. The full title of sembles that have recorded his music in- the cycle is Via crucis, Resurrectio, et As- clude the Polyphony ensemble, directed censio Domini. A setting of a Latin text, by Stephen Layton; Trinity College it was written between 2000 and 2018. Choir Cambridge, also with Layton; and Via crucis was composed for my doctoral Tenebrae, directed by Nigel Short. A degree. Resurrectio was commissioned prolific composer, Łukaszewski has pro- by the Archbishop of Cologne. duced not only the choral works for which he is best known, but also major orches- Ascensio Domini lasts about 25 minutes tral pieces (including three choral sym- and is scored for four soloists, choir, and phonies and several concertos) and nu- orchestra. It was commissioned to be per- merous works of chamber music. Among formed by an ensemble of period instru- organizations that have commissioned ments, but a modern orchestra may also pieces from him are the King’s Singers, be used. The composition falls into five Polish Radio, Polish Composers’ Union, movements: the opening instrumental Sinfonia is followed by two settings of bib- 1798, is headed merely Missa (Mass) on lical texts (“Viri Galilei” and “Baptismus”), the composer’s manuscript, but when the hymn “Salutis humanae Sator,” and a he entered it into his catalog of composi- final “Alleluia.” tions, he identified it as Missa in angustiis (actually Missa in angustijs, reflecting the Missa in angustiis (Lord Nelson Mass), period’s common orthography that renders Hob. XXII/11 a “double-i” as “ij”). Translations along JOSEPH HAYDN the lines of “Mass for Troubled Times” or Probably born on March 31, 1732 (he was “Mass in Adversity” have exerted appeal baptized on April 1), in Rohrau, Lower Austria through the years, casting the work as a Died May 31, 1809, in Vienna reflection of the warfare that plagued Eu- rope and that had been overtly reflected Six of Franz Joseph Haydn’s 14 masses in Haydn’s preceding mass, the Missa in document the final chapter of his involve- tempore belli (Mass in Time of War). Austria ment with the illustrious Esterházy princes. was fighting the French on two fronts: in the He worked for four of them: Prince Paul west to control territories in southern Ger- II Anton Esterházy, who hired him in 1761; many and in the south to defend its holdings Nikolaus I “the Magnificent,” an enthusias- in Italy, which were under assault from the tic arts lover who ruled from 1762 to 1790; young Napoleon Bonaparte. Anton, who, succeeding Nikolaus from 1790 through 1794, gutted the arts programs It is often recounted that the Missa in and put Haydn out to pasture with a pen- angustiis was specifically inspired by sion (which enabled Haydn to undertake Napoleon’s defeat by the British fleet com- two extended residencies in London); and manded by Rear Admiral Horatio Nelson at Nikolaus II, whose reign ran from 1794 to the Battle of Abukir, a decisive if tempo- 1833.