Brahms + Schumann Songful, soulful music by Brahms opens this evening’s concert. On the second half, we’ll enjoy an evocative new piece by Edmund Finnis, then hear ’s verdant Symphony No. 1.

JOHANNES BRAHMS Born 7 May 1833; Hamburg, Germany Died 3 April 1897; Vienna, Austria

Gesang der Parzen, Opus 89 [Song of the Fates] Composed: 1882 First performance: 10 December 1882; Basle, Switzerland Last MSO performance: MSO premiere Instrumentation: 2 (1st doubling on piccolo); 2 ; 2 ; 2 ; ; 4 horns; 2 ; 3 ; ; ; strings Approximate duration: 14 minutes

Choral music comprises a significant part of Brahms’s oeuvre – from the monumental Ein deutsches Requiem to two sets of Liebeslieder Waltzer to unaccompanied folksong arrange- ments to motets to part-songs, both a cappella and with piano accompaniment. In addition to the Requiem, he created several works for and orchestra; composed in the summer of 1882, was the last of these. Over a decade earlier, Brahms had employed a Hellenic subject for his . He does so again here, setting Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s Gesang der Parzen (Song of the Fates) from Iphigenie auf Tauris. In the play, Iphigenie relates a song, sung by the Fates, that tells of the capricious and cruel behavior of the gods. These are the words Brahms uses here. In its overall mood and orchestration, it is dark and foreboding. A somber orchestral introduction leads to the chorus’s dactylic rhythm (long-short-short) that will recur later, in the middle of the work and at the end, to serve as a unifying device. Brahms casts the text’s seven verses into a rondo-like form (ABACA), with the refrain’s D minor mode twice interrupted by episodes in the major. The choral voices are divided into six parts (SAATBB), with divided altos and basses adding duskier tone colors. States scholar Heinz Becker, “Brahms used an almost ascetic musical language with no florid sound-effects to capture the Mycean gloom of the ancient world.” Indeed. And as the music fades away at the very end, an old man sits in his cave, remembering his children and grandchildren, shaking his head. Recommended recording: Sir Colin Davis, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and Chorus (RCA Red Seal)  Brahms + Schumann PROGRAM NOTES Composed: Composed: , Opus54[SongofDestiny] Schicksalslied ,Alto Opus53 Brahms poured out hisgriefintheRhapsody no ideaofJohannes’s feelings.Inthemeantime, Juliebecameengagedtoanotherman. Schumann’s third daughter, Julie.Becausehewasnotoutspokeninsuchmatters,Juliehad The cyclerepeated itselfinthesummerof1869,whenBrahmsbecameattached toClara eloquently states: never abletotakethatfinaldecisivestep.Inhisbiographyofthecomposer alastingrelationship,despite hisdeepadmirationforwomen,wasneverabletoform [Mountains]). Theworkissomewhatautobiographical,fortheinveteratebachelorBrahms, Johann Wolfgang intheHarz vonGoethe’s Journey (Winter Winter im poemHarzreise Brahms wasinhismid-30swhenhecomposedtheAlto Rhapsody prelude, thistimeinCmajor, tocloseonanoteofsolace. Brahms againstthiscourseofaction.Thecomposerinsteadreprises theluminousorchestral Bayreuth –hadbeenallowedtoseetheSchicksalslied Levi–aJewishconductorwho,ironically,Hermann ledthepremiere ofWagner’s Parsifal Brahms dislikedthissadconclusionandconsidered repeating thetextofbeginning. plaintive surrender. rhythms depictwaterhurledfrom onerock toanother, andthetextfinallyendsonanoteof changes themeterfrom 4/4to3/4andthetempofrom Langsam(slow)toAllegro. Cross- writing islargely homophonic.To contrastthelotofgodswiththatmankind,Brahms way toasololineforthealtosthatisrepeated infour-part and,indeed,thechoral harmony ing ofhumanity. SetinE-flatmajor, theorchestral prelude’s broadly flowingmelodiesgive The textdescribestheserenity oftheGreek deities,contrastedwiththedespairandsuffer Sumptuous andoftenmuted,Schicksalslied Baden inMay1871. drafts onthespot.Thebulkofworkcamelater, andBrahmscompleteditinBaden- (Hyperion’s SongofDestiny).Thecomposerwassotakenwithitthathesketcheditsfirst the sametime,afriendshowedhimFriedrichHölderlin’s Schicksalslied poem,Hyperions set toworkonotherchoralcompositions,includingthecantataRinaldo Encouraged bytheimmensesuccessofhisEin Requiem deutsches Recommended recording: Last MSOperformance: Last MSOperformance: had reason tobeconfidentthathislovewould returned. handsome youth,butalsothemature artist,andthemasteronverge ofoldage, only once,butagainandinthecourseofhislife. Andnotonlythepassionate fascinated byabeautifulvoice–hewasonlytooready tofallinlove.Hedidsonot physical beautywascoupledwithintelligenceandmusical talent–hewasespecially ofthefairsexbyunconditionalworship. Andwhen He paidtributetothecharms Approximate duration: Approximate duration: First performance: First performance: Instrumentation: Instrumentation: 1868-71 13 minutes strings 2 flutes;oboes;clarinets;bassoons;horns; Maureen Forrester, contralto June 1985;LukasFoss,conductor 3 March 1870;Jena,Germany 1869 (Deutsche Grammophon) ;Ernst-Senf-Choir, BerlinPhilharmonic 15 minutes 2 trumpets;3trombones; timpani;strings 2 flutes;oboes;clarinets;bassoons;horns; October 2002;Andreas Delfs,conductor 18 October1871;Karlsruhe,Germany comesclosetothespiritofBrahms’s Requiem –andpresented ittoJulieasaweddinggift. before itwasfinished.Leviadvised  . Itstextcomesfrom , Opus45,Brahmssoon , Opus50.About , KarlGeiringer

at . - Brahms + Schumann PROGRAM NOTES Composed:

The Air, Turning 1984;Oxford,Born England EDMUND FINNIS benedictory “Amen.” cellos. Brahmshasmovedfrom sorrow toacceptance,andthefinalcadencesoundslike a the FatherofLove,whosepsalteryisdepictedbyharp-likepizzicatoarpeggios depicted; 2)misanthrope tellsthestoryofhislonelyplight;3)men’s chorusjoinstosingof words are dividedintothree stanzas:1)soloistdescribesinwords whattheorchestra has depicts aspikymountainlandscape.Intothisscenariocomeslonelyyoungman,whose Scored formezzo-soprano solo,four-part men’s choir(TTBB),and orchestra, itsintroduction Orchestra ofChicago. Ken-David Masurconductedthework’s Americanpremiere on30April2018,withtheCivic the piece: Air,The Turning isanorchestral tonepoem.Finnisoffered thefollowingobservationsabout professor ofcompositionattheRoyalAcademyMusicsince2015. he wascomposer-in-residence withtheLondonContemporaryOrchestra, andhasbeena for film,ensembleandchoralmusic,workslarge orchestra. From 2013to2016, sic rangesfrom intimateworksforsoloistsand duetstoimmersiveelectronic pieces,music The youngEnglishcomposerEdmundFinnisstudiedatLondon’s GuildhallSchool.Hismu- Recommended recording: Recommended recording: Last MSOperformance: moving around us. air iscolored bylight,seenandthrough, breathed in andout;thesensationofit experience themediumofair:howvibratingairmoves assoundacross distance;how tish poetRobinRobertson.Whilecomposingthispiece,Iwasthinkingabouthowwe The words ofthetitleare liftedfrom apoemcalled“FindingtheKeys”byScot- circling, andgatheringintoswirlingcurrents. Soundsareharmonies. heard driftingintoand overoneanother, graduallycoalescing, sound, accumulatinganddispersinginwaves,revolving andcreating subtlyshifting lines andplanesare superimposedandoverlapped, theycreate variegatedlatticesof softly shimmeringmetallicpercussion Astheseclear andephemeralstringharmonics. arcs.or form Blocks ofsoundcolorapproach andrecede across abackground hazeof are madeupofinterwoveninstrumentallinesthatvariouslyriseandfall,remain fixed, The individualelementsofthispieceare predominantly ofsound verysimple.Patterns Approximate duration: First performance: Instrumentation: 2016 Alldis Choir, Orchestra LondonPhilharmonic (EMI) Dame JanetBaker;SirAdrianBoult,malevoicesoftheJohn (NMC Recordings) Ilan Volkov; BBCScottishSymphonyOrchestra 9 minutes vibraphone); strings (bell plates,crotale, gong,suspendedcymbals,tamtam, 3trumpets;trombones;4 horns; tuba;timpani;percussion (3rd doublingbassclarinet); 2bassoons;contrabassoon; 3 flutes(3rd doublingpiccolo); 3oboes;clarinets MSO Premiere 23 February2017;Glasgow, Scotland   Brahms + Schumann PROGRAM NOTES Composed:

Symphony No.1inB-flatmajor, Opus38,“Spring” Died 29July1856;Endenich(nearBonn),Germany 8June1810;Zwickau,Germany Born ROBERT SCHUMANN . From there totheconclusion,it’s allmerriment. an affecting callsfrom oboesolo,horn anenchantedforest, andabirdlike cadenza forthe movement, butlistenespeciallycloselyforatouchofmagicjustbefore therecapitulation: of theplaybookhisfriendMendelssohn.There ismuchtoadmire inthissonata-form In theeffervescent moodoftheAllegro animato,Schumannseemstotakeapageout contrasting withthemainrefrain. a rondo-like (ABACA), withtwotrios–thefirstinDmajor, form thesecondinB-flatmajor– vivace tofollow, bringthemovementtoasolemnconclusion. TheD-minorScherzoissetin orchestration foreachiteration.Thetrombones, hintingatthemainthemeofMolto have sungthetune,cellosandthensolooboerestate it,withimaginativelyvaried penned thegentle24-barcantabile The songsoftheprevious yearmusthavebeen inthefront ofSchumann’s mindwhenhe andlyrical. warm ibly exuberant.Toward themovement’s end,thecomposer surprisesuswithanewtheme, Allegroleads tothesonata-form moltovivace,whoserelentless dottedrhythms are irresist- and willserveasaunifyingmotivicdevicetothesymphonywhole.Anaccelerando like acalltoawaken.”Itsrisingthree-note figure becomesintegraltothefirstmovement, The composer wanted the introduction’s opening brass fanfare tosound “as iffrom onhigh, musical life. Schumann numbered itsenthusiasticreception amongthemostsignificanteventsofhis inLeipzig’sSpring atItsHeight.FelixMendelssohnleditsfirstperformance Gewandhaus. tive title,whichhelaterwithdrew: 1)Spring’s Coming;2)Evening;3)MerryPlaymates;4) about springbyAdolfBöttger, andoriginallyhadgiveneachofthemovementsadescrip- than amonthlaterthefullscore wascompleted.Hehadtakenhisinspirationfrom apoem the piano–towritefororchestra. HesketchedhisOpus38injustfourdays,andless Clara hadurged Robert– whosecompositionstodatewere mostlyforhisowninstrument, Finale and Scherzo, phonies andtheOverture, year, stillinacelebratorydisposition,hesethissightsonthe orchestra, producing twosym- of song”–hegavevoicetohispent-upemotions,penningover125lieder had unquestionablyputRobertintoalyricalframeofmind.In1840–hisso-called“year union resulted intremendous musicalproductivity, foranticipatinghismarriagetoClara (1819-1896)were marriedon12September1840.This Robert SchumannandClaraWieck Recommended recording: Last MSOperformance: Approximate duration: First performance: Instrumentation: Program notes by J. Mark Baker. by J. notes Mark Program 1841 Romantique (DeutscheGrammophon) Sir JohnEliotGardiner, Orchestre Révolutionnaire et 30 minutes 3 trombones; timpani;percussion (triangle);strings 2trumpets; 2 flutes;oboes;clarinets;bassoons;4horns; May 2008;JunMärkl,conductor 31 March 1841;Leipzig,Germany melodythatopenstheLarghetto. Oncetheviolins .  . Thefollowing