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Home , Emanuel Ax, Leonidas Kavakos

Wednesday, February 28, 2018, 8pm Zellerbach Hall Emanuel Ax, piano Leonidas Kavakos, violin Yo-Yo Ma, cello

Franz SCHUBERT (1797 –1828) No. 1 in B-flat Major, D. 898 Allegro moderato Andante un poco mosso Scherzo. Allegro Rondo. Allegro vivace

INTERMISSION

Johannes BRAHMS (1833 –1897) Piano Trio No.1 in B Major, Op. 8 Allegro con brio Scherzo: Allegro molto Adagio Finale: Allegro

Cal Performances’ 2017 –18 season is sponsored by Wells Fargo.

Opposite: Leonidas Kavakos, Emanuel Ax, and Yo-Yo Ma . Photo by Shane McCauley. 8 PROGRAM NOTES

Piano Trio No. 1 in B-flat Major, D. 898 sonatas, the String Quintet, the two piano trios, the Impromptus —that he created during the last On January 31, 1827, Franz Schubert turned months of his brief life. 30 years old. He had been following a bohemian Though there exists no documentary evi - existence in Vienna for over a decade, making dence concerning the provenance or purpose barely more than a pittance from the sale and of the Piano Trio No. 1 in B-flat, it was appar - performance of his works, and living largely by ently composed during the summer or early the generosity of his friends, a devoted band of autumn of 1827; its companion, the Trio No. 2 music-lovers who rallied around his convivial in E-flat, was written quickly during the fol - personality and extraordinary talent. The pat - lowing November. Schubert himself assigned tern of Schubert’s daily life was firmly estab - the works the consecutive opus numbers 99 and lished by that time: composition in the morning; 100. These compositions, like many of the cre - long walks or visits in the afternoon; compan - ations that cluster around them, show Schubert ionship for wine and song in the evening. The turning away from the modest song and key - routine was broken by occasional trips into the board genres that had occupied the center of his countryside to stay with friends or families of early work in favor of the grander instrumental friends—he visited Dombach, near the Vienna forms with which he hoped to expand his rep - Woods, for several weeks in the spring of 1827 utation. It is likely that the Trio No. 2 was con - and Graz in September. A curious dichotomy ceived with the expectation of introducing it marked Schubert’s personality during those final at a public concert entirely of his own music years of his life, one well suited to the Romantic planned for the following spring, but Schubert image of the inspired artist, rapt out of quotid - seems to have had no similar plans for the ian experience to carry back to benighted hu - B-flat Trio. The only time he is known to have manity some transcendent vision. “Anyone who heard the piece was at a private gathering on had seen him only in the morning, in the throes January 28, 1828 at the home of his old friend of composition, his eyes shining, speaking, even, Josef von Spaun to celebrate Spaun’s engage - another language, will never forget it—though ment. Three of the best players in Vienna, the in the afternoon, to be sure, he became another same ones who were to perform the E-flat Trio person,” recorded one friend. The duality in to excellent acclaim at the concert in March, Schubert’s character was reflected in the sharp took part—pianist Carl Maria von Bocklet (to swings of mood marking both his psycho - whom Schubert dedicated the D-Major Piano logi cal makeup and his creative work. “If there Sonata, D. 850 and the Fantasy for Violin and were times, both in his social relationships and Piano, D. 934), violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh his art, when the Austrian character appeared (noted for his interpretations of the quartets of all too violently in the vigorous and pleasure- Beethoven, who had died just months before loving Schubert,” wrote his friend the dramatist this trio was composed), and cellist Josef Linke Eduard von Bauernfeld, “there were also times (a member of Schuppanzigh’s quartet). When when a black-winged demon of sorrow and the performance had ended, Bocklet fell upon melancholy forced its way into his vicinity; not the composer with embraces and congratula - altogether an evil spirit, it is true, since, in the tions, and told him that the Viennese little real - dark concentrated hours, it often brought out ized what a treasure they had in him. Though songs of the most agonizing beauty.” The ability Schubert took much trouble to get the E-flat to mirror his own fluctuating feelings in his Trio published, there is no indication of similar compositions—the darkening cloud momen - efforts concerning the Trio No. 1. It was not until tarily obscuring the bright sunlight—is one of 1836, eight years after the composer’s death, Schubert’s most remarkable and characteristic that Diabelli issued the parts in Vienna. One of achievements, and touches indelibly the in - Schubert’s earliest and staunchest champions, comparable series of works— Winterreise , the , in a review for his journal, Great C-Major Symphony, the last three piano the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik , wrote glowingly

8B PLAYBILL PROGRAM NOTES of the two trios: “One glance at them—and the the movement works itself up to a dramatic cli - troubles of our human existence disappear and max, which is brought into perfect emotional all the world is fresh and bright again.” The trios balance by a brief, quiet coda. have remained among the most popular and The Andante is one of those creations of rav - beloved of Schubert’s creations, “the purest ishing lyrical beauty that could have been con - blend of the ‘sociable’ spirit with that of true ceived by no one but Schubert. Its outer sections, chamber music,” according to the distinguished calm and almost nocturnal in expression, take scholar Alfred Einstein. as their theme a flowing cello melody that may As are many of Schubert’s instrumental be the most gentle of all barcarolles. An agi - works, the B-flat Trio has been accused of being tated, minor-key central section provides for - prolix and overly long. Yet there is in the music mal and emotional contrast. The Scherzo and of Schubert, perhaps the most easily lovable of Trio comprising the third movement juxtapose all the great composers, not so much the sense the two most popular Viennese dances of the of longueurs in his lengthy flights of wordless day—the Ländler and the waltz, just the sort song as one of generosity, of an unstinting gift of thing that Schubert loved to improvise to of the tones that welled up, day and night for accompany the dancing of his friends at their his entire life, in his fertile imagination. Indeed, soirées. Schubert called the finale a “Rondo,” these works have delighted generations of music but its theme returns with such extensive alter - lovers precisely because the qualities of abun - ations that the movement’s formal type is closer dance and friendship and joie de vivre over - to a developmental sonata form than to the shadow any faults of form or technique. The traditional refrain-based rondo structure. sense of conviviality and expressive bounty Here, also, Schubert hinted at the main theme floods from the opening theme of the B-flat in an earlier song, “Skolie” (1815): “Let us, in Trio, a sweeping melody for the strings that par - the bright May morning, take delight in the aphrases Schubert’s song “Des Sängers Habe” brief life of the flower, before its fragrance dis - (“The Singer’s Possession”) of February 1825, appears.” Robert Schumann closed his review whose text virtually summarizes his music- of the trios thusly: “Let us accept these works as bound existence: “Shatter all my happiness in a precious legacy. However many and excellent pieces, take from me all my worldly wealth, yet the seeds of time may be, they will not soon leave me only my zither and I shall still be happy produce another Schubert.” and rich!” The piano’s dotted-rhythm accom - paniment to this theme provides material for Piano Trio No. 1 in B Major, Op. 8 the transition to the subsidiary subject, a lyri - cal inspiration sung by the cello above rippling In April 1853, the 20-year-old Johannes Brahms piano triplets. Both themes figure in the devel - set out from his native Hamburg for a concert opment section. One of the marks of Schubert’s tour of Germany with the Hungarian violinist Romantic stylistic tendencies was his wide- Eduard Reményi. The following month in ranging, sometimes daring, use of unexpected Hano ver they met the violinist Joseph Joachim, tonalities to extend his music’s emotional ex - whom Brahms had heard give an inspiring per - pression. This adventurous quality is here ap - formance of the Beethoven Concerto five years parent in the surprising areas that the main before in Hamburg. That summer, Brahms and theme is made to traverse—G-flat Major (vio - Joachim spent eight weeks together at Göttingen, lin) and E-flat minor (cello)—before the piano discussing music, studying scores, playing cham - finally achieves the “proper” recapitulatory ber works, and setting the foundation for a tonality of B-flat. This technique allows both creative friendship that lasted for almost half a the exploration of a glowing range of harmonic century. Joachim learned of Brahms’ desire to colors as well as several additional opportuni - take a walking tour through the Rhine Valley, ties for Schubert to share his lovely melody. The and he arranged a joint recital to raise enough second theme is reiterated by the violin before money to finance the trip. Along with the pro -

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ceeds of the gate, Joachim gave Brahms as a (he had destroyed at least three earlier pieces in parting gift several letters of introduction, in - the form), and remained the only one until the cluding one to Robert and Clara Schumann in String Sextet, Op. 18, was published eight years Düsseldorf. On the last day of September 1853, later. Though the work was well received and Brahms met the Schumanns for the first time. quickly became part of the German household “Here is one of those who comes as if sent musical literature, its formal premiere took straight from God,” Clara recorded in her diary. place, surprisingly, at Dodsworth’s Hall in New The friendship was immediate and unstinting. York City. The pianist William Mason, son of Schumann hailed Brahms as “the new Orpheus” the American educationist Lowell Mason, was in his editorial for the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik a student in Weimar at the time Brahms met in October, making the young composer a Liszt there, and he followed the young com - celebrity in the German musical community poser’s development with considerable interest. almost overnight. It was with immense pride Mason obtained a copy of the B-Major Trio upon that he displayed Schumann’s article to family its publication, enlisted the assistance of violin - and friends upon his return to Hamburg for the ist Theodore Thomas and cellist Carl Berg mann Christmas holiday. (both of whom were to leave indelible marks Filled with zeal and ideas by his soaring for - upon 19th-century American musical life as tunes of 1853 (during which he also met Liszt, conductors), and, on November 27, 1855 gave Berlioz, and Hans von Bülow), Brahms visited the first important performance of music by Joachim in Hanover to celebrate the New Year, Brahms in this country. According to Florence and there he began the B-Major Trio for Piano, May, the composer’s student and biographer, Violin, and Cello. When Clara and Robert ar - the European premiere was in Breslau three rived in town for some concert engagements at weeks later. the end of January, Brahms said that that week In its original form, the Trio in B Major is consisted of “high festival days, which make perhaps Brahms’ most unabashedly Romantic you really live.” The work was completed soon creation, revealing, according to Richard Specht’s after the Schumanns went home to Düsseldorf. voluptuous description, “the whole twenty- It was only shortly thereafter, however, on year- old composer with all his inner stress, his Febru ary 27th, that Robert, long troubled by fullness of heart, his ardent longing; all the ap - severe nervous disorders, tried to drown him - pre hension, pride, restraint, and expectation of self in the River Rhine. Brahms rushed to Düs - a soul in flower.” Brahms headed the manu - sel dorf immediately, and a week later helped script “Kreisler junior,” a reference to E.T.A. Clara admit him to the asylum at Endenich, Hoffmann’s quirky fictional Kapellmeister , near Bonn; Schumann never left the place, whose unexpected turns of phrase and action and died there on July 29, 1856. Amid such tri - and constitutional impetuosity were highly umphs and tears began the complex relation - prized by the Schumann circle. (One of Schu - ship between Brahms and Clara that was the mann’s best piano cycles, Kreisleriana , Op. 16, emotional core of their existence for the rest of of 1838, was inspired by Hoffmann’s character.) their days. Despite the turmoil of her life during Half a life later, in 1889, Brahms re-evaluated her husband’s final months, Clara continued the trio for a complete edition of his works then her professional career as one of the day’s being contemplated by Simrock, and found that leading concert pianists (her appearances were the prolixity and unbuttoned Romanticisms of the principal financial support for her six chil - his original no longer pleased him as they had dren), and acted as spur, confidante, and critic in 1854, so he undertook a complete renovation of Brahms’ creative efforts. She judged the new of the score: second themes were rewritten, trio worthy of her recommendation to Breit - entire paragraphs were excised or abbreviated, kopf und Härtel for their publication, and they formal structures were tightened. From his issued the score in November 1854. It was the vacation retreat at Bad Ischl in the Austrian first chamber work of Brahms to appear in print Salz kam mergut, Brahms wrote to Clara on Sep-

B PLAYBILL PROGRAM NOTES tem ber 3, 1889, “With what childish amuse ment A truncated recapitulation of the earlier the - Iwhiled away the beautiful summer days you will matic material rounds out the movement. The never guess. I have rewritten my B-Major Trio…. second movement is shadowy and mysterious It will not be as wild as before—but will it be and sometimes dramatic, a spiritual descendant better?” Simrock issued the revised score in of the Scherzo in Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony; February 1891, but Brahms did not formally a central trio in warm, close harmonies pro - withdraw the original, allowing both versions vides contrast. The Adagio uses a hymnal dia - to exist, thereby providing a rare glimpse into logue between piano and strings as the main the compositional workshop of this most se - material of the outer sections of the movement, cretive of the great composers. while the middle region is more intense and an - A broad and stately piano melody opens the imated in expression and more complex in coun - B-Major Trio. The cello and then the violin are ter point. The finale juxtaposes a somber main drawn into the unfolding of this lyrical inspira - theme, begun by the cello above the agitated tion, which mounts to an almost orchestral cli - accompaniment of the piano, with a brighter max before quieting to make way for the second subsidiary subject, played by the piano while theme, given in unison by the strings. A triplet the cello contributes little off-beat punctuations. motive, introduced as the transition linking the It is the unsettled, B-minor main theme rather exposition’s two themes, serves as the under - than the more optimistic second subject that pinning for much of the development section. draws the work to its restless close. —© 2018 Dr. Richard E. Rodda

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

EMANUEL AX, piano Pen derecki, , and Melinda Wagner Born in modern-day Lvov, Poland, Emanuel Ax already in his repertoire, Ax most recently moved to Winnipeg, Canada, with his family has added HK Gruber’s Piano Concerto and when he was a young boy. He is a winner of Sam uel Adams’ Impromptus . A frequent and the Young Concert Artist Award, Arthur Ru bin- committed partner for chamber music, he has stein International Piano Competition, Michaels worked regularly with such artists as Young Uck Award, and the Avery Fisher Prize. Kim, Cho-Liang Lin, Ma, , Peter In partnership with David Robertson, Ax Serkin, , and the late . began the current season with six Mozart con - Ax resides in with his wife, certos over two weeks in St. Louis, repeating pianist Yoko Nozaki, with whom he has two the project in Sydney earlier this month. Follow - chil dren. He is a Fellow of the American Aca - ing the gala opening of the Philadelphia Or - demy of Arts and Sciences and holds honorary chestra’s season he returns to the orchestras in doctorates of music from Yale and Columbia Cleveland, New York, San Francisco, Boston, Universities. Houston, Ottawa, Toronto, Indianapolis, and Pittsburgh, and to Carnegie Hall for a recital to LEONIDAS KAVAKOS, violin conclude the season. In Europe he can be heard Greek violinist Leonidas Kavakos is recognized in Stockholm, Vienna, Paris, London, and on as an artist of rare quality, known for his virtu - tour with the Budapest Festival Orchestra. His osity, superb musicianship, and the integrity of current tour of the US with colleagues Leoni das his playing. By age 21, Kavakos had won three Kavakos and Yo-Yo Ma supports the recent re - major competitions: the 1985 Sibelius Compe - lease of their disc of Brahms Trios for SONY. tition, and the 1988 Paganini and Naumburg Always a committed exponent of contempo - competitions. He was the first to record the rary composers, with works written for him origi nal Sibelius Violin Concerto (1903 –04), by , Christopher Rouse, Krzysztof which won the 1991 Gramophone Concerto of

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the Year Award. Over the years Kavakos has come together to transform the world. He is a developed close relationships with some of the member of the Silkroad Ensemble, which tours most prestigious orchestras and conductors. annually and for whom more than 80 works This season, he is artist-in-residence at both the have been specifically commissioned. Ma also Concertgebouw and the Vienna Musikverein. serves as the Judson and Joyce Green Creative Kavakos is an exclusive artist with Decca Clas - Consultant to the Chicago Symphony Orches- sics. Recent recordings include Virtuoso (2016), tra’s Negaunee Music Institute. His work focus es Brahms Violin Sonatas with (2014), on the transformative power music can have in the Brahms Violin Concerto with the Gewand - individuals’ lives, and on increasing the num - haus orches ter Leipzig and Riccardo Chailly ber and variety of opportunities audiences have (2013), and the complete Beethoven Violin to experience music in their communities. Sonatas with Enrico Pace (2013). He recorded Ma was born in Paris to Chinese parents who the Brahms Trios with Emanuel Ax and Yo-Yo later moved the family to New York. He began Ma, released on Sony Classical in September to study cello at the age of four, attended the 2017. Kavakos is the 2017 winner of the Léonie , and in 1976 graduated from Sonning Music Prize, and Gramophone Artist Harvard University. He has received numerous of the Year 2014. He plays the ‘Willemotte’ awards, among them the Avery Fisher Prize Stradivarius violin of 1734. (1978), the National Medal of Arts (2001), and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (2010). In YO-YO MA, cello 2011 Ma was recognized as a Kennedy Center Yo-Yo Ma’s multifaceted career is testament to Honoree. Most recently, he has joined the Aspen his enduring belief in culture’s power to gener - Institute Board of Trustees. Ma has performed ate trust and understanding. Whether per - for eight American presidents, most recently at forming new or familiar works from the cello the invitation of President Obama on the occa - repertoire, collaborating with communities and sion of the 56th Inaugural Ceremony. institutions to explore culture’s social impact, or For more information, please visit www.yo- engaging unexpected musical forms, Ma strives yoma.com, www.silkroad.org, and www.opus3- to foster connections that stimulate the imagi - artists.com. nation and reinforce our humanity. Ma founded Silkroad to promote cross- cultural performance and collaborations at the Emanuel Ax, Leonidas Kavakos, and Yo-Yo Ma edge where education, business, and the arts are exclusively managed by Opus 3 Artists.

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