35 ARCO Chamber Orchestra

HUGH HODGSON SCHOOL OF MUSIC ARCO Chamber Orchestra Tuesday, April 9, 2019 7:30 PM Hodgson Concert Hall PROGRAM Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Piano Concerto No. 12 in A Major, KV 414 Allegro Andante Allegretto Evgeny Rivkin, piano INTERMISSION Franz Schubert (1797-1828) Fantasie in F minor for piano four- hands, Op. 103, D. 940 arranged for violin and string orchestra by Efrem Podgaits US premiere Allegro molto moderato Largo Scherzo. Allegro vivace Finale. Allegro molto moderato Levon Ambartsumian, violin Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857) Valse – Fantasie arranged for chamber orchestra by Igor Kholopov Tempo di valse 34 35 PROGRAM NOTES on two other piano concertos, No. 11 piano four hands repertoires, Fantasie in he said, “It’s all in Kamarinskaya, just as and No.13 for his debut concert in F minor is one of fineset and well-known the whole oak is in the acorn. And for a By Yeasol Kang 1783. He intended a home performance work. The music is dedicated to his long time Russian composers will draw with string quartet, so he scored No. 12 pupil, Karoline Esterhay, whom he was from this rich source, for it will need WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZart lightly, using strings with optional wood- in love with. Schubert wrote the piano much time and much strength to exhaust (1756-1791) wind parts. four hands so he could be close to her. all its wealth.” Because of nature of the composition, the Piano Concerto No. 12 in A Major, Mozart was enthusiastic about those two players sit right beside each other, Perhaps Glinka’s visit to Italy has set KV 414 three concertos, saying that “they are breathe together, and the performers’ the path for the opera. Glinka heard very brilliant, pleasing to the ear, and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was a child hands often cross. Sadly, his love was Donizetti and Bellini conduct the pre- natural, without being vapid.” Mozart prodigy -- he began composing at age never returned. mieres of their respective operas Anna four, and he was a fine pianist as well as was especially fond of his concerto in A Bolena and La sonnambula in Milan, a violinist. Born the son of the great mu- major: he played it often and taught it to There are four movements in the Fanta- Italy. He drew inspiration from his travels sician and pedagogue, Leopold Mozart, his favorite students, as well as writing sie and each movement is connected, and as a result he began to compose young Wolfgang Mozart was able to two different cadenzas. played without a pause. The first move- chamber music. For example, he wrote unfold his musical ability, establishing his ment, Allegro molto moderato, starts with Divermento Brillante on a theme from The concerto has three movements. The name from an early age. a lyrical and expressive melody in minor Bellini’s Opera La Sonnambula in 1832. first movement is Allegro. The second key that sounds nostalgic. The second The work showcases the bel canto style, movement, Andante, has the theme from Moving away from the father’s shadow, movement Largo has a double dotted melody, and lyrical theme. Meanwhile, the overture to La calamita de' cuori by Mozart moved to Vienna in 1782, trying rhythm in a slow tempo which adds inten- Glinka had his own ways to harmonize; Johann Christian Bach. It was a memorial to be independent. Contrary to what sity and passion. The third movement is light and ostinati style accompaniment to Bach, who had died on New Year’s his father anticipated, by 1785, Mozart Scherzo, Allegro vivace. This triple meter texture that is unlike the European four- Day of 1782. The finale is a light and became Vienna’s favorite composer and movement contrasts strongly between part texture and unusual and surprising gentle rondo. performer. And unlike most contemporary minor and major keys, suggesting a light, harmonic progression. musicians, who had a hard time mak- bouncy, dance juxtaposed with serious, ing a living, Mozart was able to make FRANZ SCHUbert (1797-1828) sincere footsteps. The last movement Glinka was more defined in his style and enough for living. Muzio Clementi, the arr. Efrem Podgaits Finale: Allegro molto moderato, has a developed Russian character when he famous pianist said about Mozart that he composed Valse-Fantasie. The composi- Fantasie in F minor, D.940 complicated fugue section among all four “had never heard anyone perform with voices. The piece ends tragically, slowly tion is in a minor key that is uncommon such spirit and grace.” Franz Schubert was a prolific composer and quietly sinking into the dark F minor. because waltz composition is in major who wrote over 600 Lieder, 9 sympho- key exception for few compositions During the first four years Mozart was in nies, chamber music including 15 string like Shostakovich’s Second Waltz. In Vienna, from 1782 to 1786, he wrote quartets, piano quintet piano sonatas, MIKHAIL GLINKA (1804-1857) Valse-Fantasie, Glinka’s expressive and fifteen piano concertos. He performed 7 masses, operas, as well as incidental arr. Igor Kholopov lyrical melody in B minor is accom- as a concert pianist, performing his own music during the 31 years of his life. Valse-Fantaisie, for orchestra in B panied by mysterious and surprising works and derived most of his income minor, G. ii213 harmonies. from his concerts. He wrote to his older He wrote the Fantasie in F minor in sister Maria Anna Mozart that, “Every 1828, his last year. It was a productive Mikhail Glinka was among the first Glinka originally wrote Valse-Fantasie as day there are concerts… it is impossible year for Schubert, even though he was Russian composers to gain international a piano piece in 1839. Later it was first for me to describe the rush and bustle. suffering from poverty and poor health. recognition and also one of the most orchestrated by the conductor, Herman Since my arrival your brother’s fortepiano In addition to Fantasie in F minor, he influential composers in Russian modern (his first name unknown) in 1845. As has been taken at least a dozen times wrote two symphonies, a string quintet, music. He made a great contribution Glinka mentioned in his Memoirs, Her- from the house to the theater or to some three last piano sonatas, Mass No. 6, to define distinct Russian style that is man “transposed it very successfully for other house.” and two vocal works in same year. uniquely different from European style. his own orchestra, along with the Waltz When Tchaikovsky referred Glinka’s Fantasy in B minor,” The same year, Mozart wrote his Piano Concerto No.12 Schubert wrote for piano four hands opera, “A Life for the Czar” and its Glinka orchestrated it for large symphony 36 in 1782, while simultaneously working more than other composers. Amongst all symphonic movement “Kamarinskaya,” orchestra and in 1856 he arranged it 37 again for reduced orchestra. As both the timpani, triangle, and strings. The ar- piano piece and orchestral work were rangement was made by an award-win- loved and popular to be performed in the ning composer Igor Kholopov. The 1870s, Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and Al- piece is scored for flute, clarinet, oboe, exander Glazunov revised them further. bassoon, and strings. This new reduced version contains characters from both The first orchestrated version of the the initial piano version and orchestrat- work is scored for two flutes, two ed version for its unified texture and oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two color from the winds. horns, two trumpets, bass trombone, ABOUT THE ARTISTS LEVON AmbartsUMIAN, Regent’s over 40 CD's under different Russian, and Franklin Professor of University of French and American recording labels. Georgia, USA, studied in the Moscow In May 2009 Ambartsumian was Tchaikovsky Conservatory. In 1977 he awarded a gold medal of the Moscow Nizhny Novgorod College of Music. Piano Competition held in Moscow. In became the First Prize winner of Zagreb Composers' Union for his contribution He earned his Master of Music from the 1998 he won the First prize in the 1998 International Violin Competition headed to the development of contemporary Moscow Conservatory and his Doctor International McMahon Piano. Evgeny by Henryk Szeryng. Two years later music and musical culture. of Musical Arts from the Moscow Con- Rivkin came to the University of Georgia he was a prizewinner of the Montreal servatory. in 1995 as a professor at the School of International Competition, and in 1981 The ARCO CHAMBER ORCHESTRA was Music. Before coming to UGA, Rivkin he won the All-Union Violin Compe- founded in 1989 by Levon Ambartsum- Dr. Rivkin has won several awards for was a professor of piano at the Latvian tition in Riga. Levon Ambartsumian ian at the world-renowned Moscow his playing, including top prizes in the Academy of Music in Riga, Latvia. In ad- was distinguished as Honored Artist of Tchaikovsky Conservatory, where he Bavarian Radio Musik Competition in dition to presenting master classes world- Armenia in 1988 and Honored Artist of served as Professor of Violin. Almost Munich, the International Tchaikovsky wide, Rivkin continues to perform as a Russia in 1997. He has collaborated immediately ARCO performances Competition held in Moscow, the USSR soloist and chamber musician throughout with conductors and composers such as throughout Europe drew the kind of high National Piano Competition of St. the United States, Russia, Canada, Brazil Valery Gergiev, Vladimir Fedoseev, Max- critical praise and enthusiastic audience Petersburg, and the Russian National and Europe. im Shostakovich, Aram Khachaturian, responses. The international acclaim Alfred Schnittke, and many others. He grew in subsequent years, following performed and gave master classes in ARCO’s concert tours in Spain, Ger- the USA, Canada, Europe, Brazil, and many, Romania, France and Korea.

Load more