10-29 Korean Concert 10/21/05 8:09 AM Page 1 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts STEPHEN A. SCHWARZMAN, Chairman MICHAEL M. KAISER, President TERRACE THEATER Saturday Evening, October 29, 2005, at 7:30 25th Anniversary Gala with International Sejong Soloists Hyo Kang, Music Director and Chee-Yun, Violin Program David Diamond Rounds for String Orchestra Allegro, molto vivace Adagio Allegro vigoroso Astor Piazzolla Las Cuatro Estaciones Porteñas, (Arr. Leonid Desyatnikov) “The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires” in F minor, Op. 80 Otoño porteño Invierno porteño Primavera porteño Verano porteñ Chee-Yun, Violin Intermission Franz Schubert String Quartet in D minor, D.810, (Arr. Gustav Mahler) “Death and the Maiden” Allegro Andante con moto Scherzo Presto International Sejong Soloists performance is made possible in part by the support of the Republic of Korea’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism, and Samsung Electronics America, Inc. Patrons are requested to turn off pagers, cellular phones, and signal watches during performances. The taking of photographs and the use of recording equipment are not allowed in this auditorium. 10-29 Korean Concert 10/21/05 8:09 AM Page 2 Notes on the Program By Bob Massey David Diamond’s Rounds for String Orchestra for dancers. So hated was this idea that (1944) filled a special request. Dimitri Piazzolla actually came to blows with a famous Mitropoulos had been conducting a heavy dancer of classic tango, Jorge Vidal. slate of twelve-tone pieces with the Min- Public success came slowly, but a fellow neapolis Symphony. It was, the conductor artist—playwright Alberto Rodriguez—com- wrote, distressing music for distressing times. missioned music for a new play. Critical re- And he was fighting deep depression. “Write ception to the piece, Verano Porteño, me a happy work,” he instructed Diamond. (“Buenos Aires Summer”) was so positive In those days, a “happy” work might be that Piazzolla eventually wrote three more, the kiss of death for a composer. The Second named for the seasons, and assembled them Viennese school reigned, and tonal, post- into a suite called Cuatro estaciones porteñas Romantic music was dismissed as naïve, (“The Four Seasons of Buenos Aires”). sentimental, even pandering. An astringent, Originally scored for violin, electric guitar, medicinal sound was the vogue. piano, bass, and bandoneon (a relative of the But an unhappy man doesn’t care about accordion), the pieces remain rooted in Ar- theory. So Diamond approached this post- gentinean dance. But their sly references to Romantic piece with especial rigor. A tightly Vivaldi, their nods to Gershwin and Elling- composed work, it employs canon and fugue, ton, and their sparkling modernism give as suggested by the title. But Diamond re- them a singular presence, wholly distinct frains from obvious melodic choices to en- from their influences. At once smoky, melan- sure a bright, but never saccharine, melody. choly, and vibrant, they conjure visions of The three-movement piece is bookended their namesake city. by two Allegro movements that pulse with The set is frequently programmed as an infectious enthusiasm and energy. They sup- exotic companion to Vivaldi’s Four Seasons port the poignant middle section like a pair violin concertos and has become a favorite of soldiers holding up a wounded comrade, work among Piazzolla’s sizeable body of bantering encouragement. The lovely, lyrical tangos. But their success was hard won. Adagio is an acknowledgement that hard Yet, in their time, Piazzolla’s tangos have times will come. But the third movement is enjoyed far more recognition than Franz a rousing, optimistic display that points the Schubert’s string quartet received in his. way forward. Though he surrounded himself with friends Diamond’s approach worked. After a and admirers of his talent, Schubert’s work Boston Symphony performance of the piece, went largely overlooked outside his native The New York Times critic Olin Downes pro- Vienna. And in 1824 Schubert was suffering nounced it “admirably fashioned, joyous and a daily battle with his failing health. The Ro- vernal…there is laughter in the music. And mantic movement, with its view of death as no waste notes!” Rounds has remained one aspect of the cycle of life, was in full Diamond’s most popular work ever since. bloom. Death was fashionable, and it tempted Astor Piazzolla, too, struggled with the Schubert with promise of relief. tastemakers of his day. Feeling insecure as a For this string work, Schubert took the composer of populist tango music, he im- themes from his earlier song of the same mersed himself in Bartók, Stravinsky and name. The song’s lyrics, which tell of a young American jazz. Like Aaron Copland, Elliott woman soothed and reassured by the specter Carter, Virgil Thomson, and other budding of death, are masterfully distilled and recast modernists, he sought out the great French by the composer into like musical sentiments. teacher Nadia Boulanger. A number of the composer’s trademarks are In her wisdom, she sent Piazzolla home. audible across the work’s four movements. His contribution to music, she said, would There’s the aggressive opening, which be through his mastery of tango. In short employs the rhythmic device of a quarter order, he stirred the tango world into a frenzy note followed by triplet eighths—a Schubert by treating his modernist, jazz-inflected tango favorite. Then the sweet, joyful theme of the as chamber music, rather than accompaniment maiden sweeps in. The second movement 10-29 Korean Concert 10/21/05 8:09 AM Page 3 Notes on the Program establishes the “death” theme, which varies l’Hongroise, and the String Quartet in A only slightly, as if to suggest death’s con- minor, among many others. Clearly, he sus- stancy. The third movement’s scherzo throws pected that the maiden’s premature fate in abrupt cadences and accents, as in a heated would be his own. He would not have time negotiation. And the final movement builds to compose according to popular taste or to a driving, inevitable conclusion. Death fashion, so he must compose for posterity. wins the maiden’s hand. And his “Death and the Maiden” became But Schubert himself was too busy for not only one of his finest chamber works but death. He composed at a furious pace. In the a perennial favorite in the string repertory. same year as “Death and the Maiden,” he In our time, the work loses none of its power wrote his Octet in F, the Divertissement a to shock and inspire. Meet the Artists International Sejong Soloists Hyo Kang, Artistic Director VIOLIN VIOLA CELLO Frank Huang leader Beth Guterman Ole Akahoshi Aaron Boyd Richard O’Neill Ani Aznavoorian Jaewon Choi Melissa Reardon Patrick Jee Amy Iwazumi Judy Kang DOUBLE BASS Yu Jeong Lee Rachel Calin Ji In Yang Stephen Sas solo and chamber repertoire. Its 14 mem- bers hail from eight different nations: Au- stralia, Canada, China, Germany, Singapore, Bulgaria, Korea, and the United States. Each has a distinguished reputation as a soloist and chamber musician, confirmed by prize-winning performances at prestigious international competitions (including the Indianapolis, Naumburg, Jacques Thibaud, Paganini, Hannover, and Nielsen competi- tions). The New York–based ensemble tours worldwide under the musical direction of Hyo Kang, a renowned professor of violin at The Juilliard School. ISS has given critically-acclaimed concerts at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully Hall, the Kennedy Center, the 92nd Street Y, Suntory Hall in Praised as a “top notch conductor-less Japan, Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, Eng- string orchestra” by the Washington Post, land, Seoul Arts Center in Korea, the Nat- International Sejong Soloists (ISS) was ional Arts Theatre in Taiwan, and in the Rising founded in New York City in 1995 and met Stars Series at Ravinia. ISS was appointed with immediate success. Since its inception ensemble-in-residence at the Aspen Music ISS has given more than 200 concerts Festival in 1997, a post it still holds today. It throughout the United States, Europe, and serves as host ensemble of the Great Moun- the Far East. Uniquely comprised of today’s tains Music Festival and School in Korea. leading young soloists, International Sejong Continually performing to capacity audi- Soloists is known for its cohesiveness, beau- ences, ISS has collaborated with artists such tiful sound, and refreshing musical style in as Joshua Bell, Sarah Chang, Kyung Wha performing string orchestral works as well as Chung, Vladimir Feltsman, Leon Fleisher, 10-29 Korean Concert 10/21/05 8:09 AM Page 4 Meet the Artists Lynn Harrell, Sharon Isbin, Cho-Liang Lin, of developing an appreciation for and interest Carmen Pelton, Gil Shaham, Kyoko Take- in further study of the genre. In December zawa, and Eugenia Zukerman. The ensemble 2003 at Zankel Hall at Carnegie, ISS per- has been featured regularly on National Public formed a family concert of traditional dance Radio’s Performance Today and in Novem- music from around the world, hosted by ber 2003 served as Young Artists-in-Residence storyteller and spoken word artist Charlotte for the program. ISS was broadcast live on Blake Alston. Members of the ensemble pro- WFMT in Chicago from the Aspen Music vide master classes for promising classical Festival, has been heard on New York’s music students at high school and college WQXR Radio and WGCU Public Broad- levels while on tour. casting in Florida, and has been seen on the International Sejong Soloists enjoys sup- Discovery Channel. In December 2002 ISS port from major corporations. The Samsung gave a special holiday performance on CNN’s Foundation of Culture extends a generous American Morning with Paula Zahn, and on loan of several instruments to the ensemble: Thanksgiving 2003 the ensemble performed the Guarnerius del Gesù violin “ex-Moeller,” with Ms.