Pavel Kogan, Conductor

Moscow State Symphony Orchestra PAVELKOGAN, CONDUCTOR Welcome to Keynotes, a performance guide created by the Education Department of the State Theatre in New Brunswick, NJ. These Keynotes are designed to enhance your experience attending the concert by the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra. Here’s what you’ll find inside: About the Orchestra ......................................................2 Pavel Kogan ..................................................................3 Decoding the Program Page ..........................................4 The Program................................................................5-7 The Cello........................................................................8 Audience/Resources ......................................................9 About the Orchestra 2 Formed in 1943, the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra exemplifies the Russian tradition in The Russian Classical Tradition classical music. The orchestra’s founder and first In the 17th century, as Russia began to engage Musical Director was Nikolai Anosov, whose son, increasingly with the world outside its borders, an influx of Gennadi Rozhdestvensky, became one of Russia’s ideas brought about great cultural changes, including the arrival of music from Western Europe. leading conductors. Under the subsequent From then until the 19th century, leadership of Lev Ginzburg, the orchestra Russia’s secular art, music and opera developed close relationships with the most was largely in the hands of imported prominent 20th-century Russian musicians composers and performers from Italy, and composers, including Prokofiev and Germany, and France. Shostakovich. The orchestra also had the The first classical composer generally distinction of performing under the recognized as authentically Russian was Mikhail Glinka (1804-1857), whose directorship of the Soviet woman conductor, music was based not only on native Veronika Dudarova. Since Pavel Kogan melodies and stories but also on the assumed the positions of Music Director harmonic system of the Russian folk song. and Chief Conductor in 1989, the orchestra His nationalistic vision was carried on in has steadily expanded its repertoire beyond the second half of the 19th century by a the classics of Russian and Western symphonic group known as “The Mighty Handful,” or simply “The Five”: literature to include contemporary compositions from Modest Mussorgsky (1839-1881), Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov both Russia and abroad. (1844-1908), Mily Balakirev (1837-1910), Aleksandr Borodin (1883-1887), and César Cui (1835-1918). In addition to regular appearances at the Great In 1862, the same year that “The Five” were established Hall of the Moscow Conservatory and throughout as a group, the first Russian conservatory was founded in Russia, the Moscow State Symphony Orchestra St. Petersburg. Its teaching was strictly in the Western tours extensively, performing 20 to 50 concerts each European model, causing a storm of protest from the year in the most prestigious concert halls of Russian nationalists. One of the first graduates from the St. Germany, Switzerland, Austria, the U.K., Italy, Spain, Petersburg Conservatory was Pyotyr Illyich Tchaikovsky the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Japan, Hong Kong, (1840-1893), whose symphonies, overtures, ballets, and South Korea, and Australia. The ensemble also operas combined Western European style and craftsmanship appears regularly at the major Russian and European with Russian subject matter. Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873- festivals. They are the only Muscovite orchestra in 1943) followed Tchaikovsky’s lead in writing passionate, recent years to perform the full cycle of Beethoven melodic music that did not sound particularly “Russian.” In the 20th century, Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971) left Symphonies in Moscow. The event was broadcast Russia for Paris, and proceeded to revolutionize classical throughout Russia on Russian television. music with his groundbreaking approach to melody, harmony, rhythm, and orchestration. Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) also elected to pursue much of his career outside of Russia, while Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1985) managed to find his distinctive musical voice while working under the repressive Soviet system. In addition to its distinguished composers, Russian classical music has produced a long list of acclaimed conductors and performers who have made an indelible mark on the international music scene. Pavel Kogan 3 Moscow State Symphony Orchestra music Paveldirector and The Family Business chief conductor Kogan, son of world-famous Pavel Kogan’s son, Dmitri Russian violinists Leonid Kogan, plays the violin and his Kogan and Elizaveta Gilels, niece, Victoria Korchinskaya- began his musical studies at Kogan, plays the piano. the prestigious Central Music School in Moscow and continued at the Moscow Conservatory. He studied Pavel Kogan on the Challenges violin with the great of Being a Conductor: eat [Conducting] is a reallychestra hard thingis one to gr do pedagogue Yuri Yankelevich and conducting with Lev because a symphony or Ginzburg and Ilya Musin. In 1970, at the age of 18, Kogan instrument that is alive and brings together 120 won first prize and the gold medal at the Sibelius individualities, 120 characters that are all national Violin Competition in Helsinki, Finland. Inter different from one another... You’ve got to work Concert tours followed throughout Russia, Europe, Japan, really hard to fuse together all these different and the United States, in recital and as orchestralmonic. soloist egos. It’s my strong conviction that when we are with many leading ensembles,os Angeles including Philhar the Philadelphia already going through a piece of music, you just Orchestra and the L ce the people to sound right. What you can’t for In 1974, he made his conducting debut with the really need here is a psychological contact with Leningrad Philharmonic Orchestra. Now considered one of the musicians, some inexplicable chemistry that Russia’s top conductors, Kogan regularly conducts that emotionally country’s major orchestras and appears frequently with the connects them leading orchestras of Europe and the U.S.g WhiteHe is alsoNights. a etersbur with the frequent guest at such festivals as Prague Spring, Helsinki, conductor. I Dubrovnik, Flanders, and St. P always keep in Equally at home in the opera house, Maestro Kogan . mind that I’m opened the 1988-89 seasonLa traviata of the Bolshoi Opera in , and dealing with Moscow with Verdi’s ee Symphony 120 In 1997, Pavel Kogan made his North American debuts individualities with the Utah Symphony and Milwauk and not merely since 1998 has served as Principal Guest Conductor of the instruments you Utah Symphony. Since then, he has made guest can play just appearances with the symphonyoronto, Indianapolis, orchestras ofOregon, New Jersey, , Houston, T the way you Vancouver want... Edmonton, and the National Arts Centre Orchestra. In avel Kogan led the Moscow State Symphony 2001-2002, P in a cross-country tour of the U.S., which included the orchestra’s New York debut at Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Hall. Decoding the Program Page 4 The program book or playbill contains helpful information about the evening’s performance. It lists the pieces the orchestra will play in the order they will play them. It tells you the name of each OPUS- Latin for piece, the name of the composer, the opus number, and the movement headings. If you’re not ‘work,’ a term, used familiar with a piece, the program will help you keep track of what’s going on and know when the with a number, to piece is finished. The program page for the Moscow Symphony Orchestra will look like this: indicate where the piece falls in the ICM Artists, Ltd. chronological order of presents the composer’s works (the order of The Moscow State Symphony Orchestra publication, not the Pavel Kogan, music director & chief conductor order of composition) title of piece Alisa Weilerstein, cello MOVEMENT - a composer separate section Marche slave, Op. 31 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky within a musical opus number piece, like chapters in a book. The Variation on a Rococo Theme, Op. 33 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky movement headings Theme: Moderato semplice The variation headings (in English): are usually taken Var. I: Tempo della Thema Theme: Just plain moderate Var. II: Tempo della Thema Var. I Same speed as the Theme from the tempo Var. II Same speed as the Theme Var. III: Andante sostenuto variations instructions that the Var. IV: Andante grazioso Var. III Medium slow and sustained composer has written Var. IV Medium slow and graceful Var. V: Allegro moderato Var. V Moderately fast at the beginning of Var. VI: Andante Var. VI Medium slow the section. There is Var. VII and Coda: Allegro vivo Var. VII Fast and lively (“Coda” means tail, or ending.) usually (but not soloist Alisa Weilerstein, cello always) a brief pause } between movements, a chance to stretch your legs, during which the get a drink, visit the restroom, —Intermission— or read the program notes audience should the popular nick- remain silent. name for this piece Concert etiquette dictates that the Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op. 95 (“From the New World”) Antonín Dvorák Adagio - Allegro molto The movement headings (in English): audience hold their I: Slow - Very fast Largo movements applause until the Scherzo: Molto vivace II: Slow and broad entire piece is Allegro con fuoco III: Very lively (“Scherzo” means “joke”; a quick, playful section) finished. } IV: Fast, with fire The Moscow State Symphony Orchestra is

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