[Harvard University] i»»44*rw ^sgj. BOSTON %^S SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA FOUNDED IN 1881 DY HENRY L. HIGGINSON FIFTY-NINTH SEASON 1939-1940 [6] Thursday Evening, February 29 at 8 o'clock Boston Symphony Orchestra [Fifty-ninth Season, 1939-1940] SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY, Conductor Personnel Violins BURGIN, R. ELCUS, G. lauga, N. SAUVLET, H. RESNIKOFF, V. Concert-master GUNDERSEN, R. KASSMAN, N. CHERKASSKY, P. EISLER, D. THEODOROWICZ, J. HANSEN, E. MARIOTTI, V. FEDOROVSKY, P. TAPLEY, R. LEIBOVIQ, J. PINFIELD, C. LEVEEN, P. KHII'S, A. KNUDSON, C. ZUNG, M. BEALE, M. CORODETZKY, L. MAYER, P. DIAMOND, S. del sordo, r. FIEDLER, B. BRYANT, M. STONESTREET, L. messina, s. DICKSON, H. MURRAY, J. ERKELENS, H. seiniger, s. DUBBS, H. Violas LEFRANC, J. FOUREL, G. bernard, a. GROVER, H. CAUHAPE, J. ARTIERES, L. van wynbergen, c. WERNER, H. LEHNER, E. KORNSAND, E. GERHARDT, S. HUMPHREY, G. Violoncellos BEDETTI, J. LANGENDOEN, J. chardon, y. STOCKBRIDGE, C. FABRIZIO, E. ZIGHERA, A. TORTELIER, P. droeghmans, h. ZEISE, K. MARJOLLET, L. ZIMBLER, J. Basses MOLEUX, G. DUFRESNE, G. greenberg, h. GIRARD, H. barwicki, j. VONDRAK, A. JUHT, L. frankel, i. PROSE, P. Flutes Oboes Clarinets Bassoons laurent, g. GILLET, F. polatschek, v. ALLARD, R. pappoutsakis, j devergie, j. valerio, m. PANENKA, E. KAPLAN, P. lukatsky, j. cardillo, p. LAUS, A. Piccolo English Horn Bass Clarinet Contra-Bassoon MADSEN, G. SPEYER, L. mazzeo, R. PILLER, B. Horns Horns Trumpets Trombones valkenier, w. SINGER, J. MAGER, G. raichman, j. macdonald, w. LANNOYE, M. LAFOSSE, m. hansotte, l. SINGER, J. SHAPIRO, H. VOISIN, R. L. lilleback, w. GEBHARDT, W. KEANEY, P. VOISIN, R. SMITH, V. TUBA Harps Timpani Percussion ADAM, E. zighera, b. SZULC, R. sternburg, s. caughey, e. POLSTER, M. WHITE, L. arcieri, e. Piano Librarian sanroma, j. rogers, l. j. §>antor0 (FJjpatr? • Harvard University • fflambrtftg? FIFTY-NINTH SEASON, 1939-1940 Boston Symphony Orchestra SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY, Conductor Richard Burgin, Assistant Conductor Concert Bulletin of the Sixth Concert THURSDAY EVENING, February 29 with historical and descriptive notes by John N. Burk The OFFICERS and TRUSTEES of the BOSTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, Inc. Ernest B. Dane President Henry B. Sawyer .... Vice-President Ernest B. Dane ...... Treasurer Henry B. Cabot M. A. De Wolfe Howe Ernest B. Dane Roger I. Lee Alvan T. Fuller Richard C. Paine Jerome D. Greene Henry B. Sawyer N. Penrose Hallowell Edward A. Taft Bentley W. Warren G. E. Judd, Manager C. W. Spalding, Assistant Manager [1] ' BERKSHIRE SYMPHONIC FESTIVAL OF 1940 at i 'Tanglewood' (Between Stockbridge and Lenox, Mass.) Bostons Symphony Orchestras SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY, Conductor Nine Concerts on Thursday and Saturday Eves., and Sunday Afts. Series A: August 1, 3, 4 The First Symphonies of Beethoven, Schumann and Sibelius. The C major Symphony of Schubert, the Second Sym- phony of Brahms, and the Third of Roy Harris. Other works include Bach's Passacaglia (orchestrated by Respighi), Faure's Suite "Pelleas et Melisande," Stravinsky's "Capriccio" (Soloist J. M. Sanroma, Piano), ProkofiefTs "Classical" Symphony, and Ravel's "Daphnis et Chloe" (Second Suite). Series B: August 8, 10, 11 A TCHAIKOVSKY FESTIVAL (Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the composer's birth) The Second, Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Symphonies. The Violin Concerto (Albert Spalding, Soloist). The Overture "Romeo and Juliet," Serenade for Strings, Second Suite and other works to be announced. Artur Rodzinski will conduct one of the three programmes. Series C: August 15, 17, 18 The Third ("Eroica") Symphony of Beethoven, the First of Brahms, and a Symphony of Haydn. Other works include Wagner excerpts, Hindemith's "Mathis der Maler," arias by Dorothy Maynor and BACH'S MASS IN B MINOR with the Festival Chorus of the Berkshire Music Center and Soloists to be announced Subscription blanks may be secured at the Symphony Hall Box Office or by applying to the Berkshire Symphonic Festival, Inc., Stockbridge, Mass. [s] # BmibttB (SlftUttZ Harvard University • (Eambrfag* Boston Symphony Orchestra FIFTY-NINTH SEASON, 1939-1940 SERGE KOUSSEVITZKY, Conductor SIXTH CONCERT THURSDAY EVENING, February 29 Programme Beethoven Symphony No. 6, in F major, Op. 68, "Pastoral" I. Awakening of serene impressions on arriving in the country: Allegro ma non troppo II. Scene by the brookside: Andante molto moto III. Jolly gathering of country folk: Allegro; in tempo d'allegro Thunderstorm; Tempest: Allegro IV. Shepherd's Song: Gladsome and thankful feelings after the storm: Allegretto INTERMISSION Hindemith Symphony, "Mathis der Maler" ("Matthias the Painter") I. Angelic Concert II. Entombment III. Temptation of Saint Anthony Wagner Prelude to "Die Meistersinger von Nurnberg" [3] SYMPHONY NO. 6, IN F MAJOR, "PASTORAL," Op. 68 By Ludwig van Beethoven Born at Bonn, December 16 (?), 1770; died at Vienna, March 26, 1827 The "Pastoral" Symphony, completed in 1808, had its first performance at the Theater-an-der-Wien, in Vienna, December 22, 1808, the concert consisting entirely of unplayed music of Beethoven, including the C minor Symphony, the Fourth Piano Concerto, and the Choral Fantasia. The Symphony is scored for two flutes and piccolo, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two horns, two trumpets, two trombones, timpani, and strings. The dedication is to Prince Lobkowitz and Count Razumoffsky. Beethoven had many haunts about Vienna which, now suburbs, were then real countryside. Here, probably in the neighborhood of Heiligenstadt, he completed the Pastoral Symphony, and the C minor Symphony as well. The sketchbooks indicate that he worked upon the two concurrently; that, unlike the C minor Symphony, which had occupied him intermittently, the Pastoral was written "with unusual speed." The C minor Symphony was, in the opinion of Nottebohm, completed in March, 1808. The Pastoral, as some have argued, may have been finished even earlier, for when the two were first performed from the manuscript at the same concert, in December, the programme named the Pastoral as "No. 5," the C minor as "No. 6" — which is building a case on what looks like nothing more than a printer's error. After the tension and terseness, the dramatic grandeur of the Fifth Symphony, its companion work, the Sixth, is a surprising study in relaxation and placidity. One can imagine the composer dreaming away lazy hours in the summer heat at Dobling or Grinzing, linger- ing in the woods, by a stream, or at a favorite tavern, while the gentle, droning themes of the symphony hummed in his head, taking limpid shapes. The symphony, of course, requires in the listener some- thing of this patient relaxation, this complete attunement to a mood which lingers fondly and unhurried. There are the listeners such as an English critic of 1823, wno found it "always too long, particularly the second movement, which, abounding in repetitions, might be shortened without the slightest danger of injuring that particular part, and with the certainty of improving the effect of the whole." One can easily reach this unenviable state of certainty by looking vainly for the customary contrasting episodes, and at the same time [4] missing the detail of constant fresh renewal within the more obvious contours of thematic reiteration. Opening in the key of F major, which according to the testimony of Schindler was to Beethoven the inevitable sunny key for such a subject, the symphony lays forth two themes equally melodic and even-flowing. They establish the general character of the score, in that they have no marked accent or sharp feature; the tonal and dynamic range is circumscribed, and the expression correspondingly delicate, and finely graded. There is no labored development, but a drone-like repetition of fragments from the themes, a sort of mur- muring monotony, in which the composer charms the ear with a con- tinuous, subtle alteration of tonality, color, position. "I believe," writes Grove, "that the delicious, natural May-day, out-of-doors feel- ing of this movement arises in a great measure from this kind of repetition. It causes a monotony which, however, is never monotonous — and which, though no imitation, is akin to the constant sounds of Nature — the monotony of rustling leaves and swaying trees, and running brooks and blowing wind, the call of birds and the hum of insects." One is reminded here (as in the slow movement) of the principle of exfoliation in nature, of its simplicity and charm of surface which conceals infinite variety, and organic intricacy. The slow movement opens suggestively with an accompaniment of gently falling thirds, in triplets, a murmuring string figure which the composer alters but never forgets for long, giving the entire move- ment a feeling of motion despite its long-drawn songfulness. The ac- companiment is lulling, but no less so than the graceful undulation of the melody over it. Professor Tovey states that the slow movement is "one of the most powerful things in music," basing his adjective on the previous assertion that this symphony "has the enormous strength of someone who knows how to relax." He adds: "The strength and the relaxation are at their highest point in the slow movement." The analyst finds sufficient proof for his statement in the form, which is like a fully developed first movement.* The episode of the bird-call inserted before the three concluding measures has come in for plentiful comment, and cries of "Malerei."f The flute trill of the nightingale, the repeated oboe note of the quail (in characteristic rhythm) and the falling third (clarinet) of * To achieve this in a slow tempo always implies extraordinary concentration and terseness of design; for the slow tempo, which inexperienced composers! are apt to regard as having no effect upon the number of notes that take place in a given time, is much more rightly conceived as large than as slow. Take a great slow movement and write it out in such a notation as will make it correspond in real time values to the notes of a great quick move- ment; and you will perhaps be surprised to find how much in actual time the mere first theme of the slow movement would cover of the whole exposition of the quick movement.