DVORˇ ÁK | GERSHWIN Violin concerto An American in Paris Liza Ferschtman Mario Venzago Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra Amsterdam 1 DVORˇ ÁK | GERSHWIN Violin concerto An American in Paris Liza Ferschtman Mario Venzago Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra Amsterdam ANTONÍN LEOPOld DVORˇ ÁK (1841-1904) Antonín D v o rˇ á k - Violin concerto and famous musicians. One of them Violin concerto in a minor op. 53 (1879) was the renowned violinist Joseph [1] Allegro ma non troppo-Quasi moderato 11:31 When Antonín Dvorˇák first submitted Joachim, a good friend of Brahms for [2] Adagio ma non troppo 10:33 a number of compositions in 1874 to many years. Dvorˇák was invited to the [3] Finale. Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo 10:54 qualify for a state stipendium, Eduard Joachim home in Berlin, where he was Hanslick, an influential music critic, cordially received. The violinist even GEORGE GERSHWIN (1898-1937) but also a member of the assessment organised a home concert for the first [4] An American in Paris (1928) 19:16 committee, was pleasantly surprised. performance of Dvorˇák’s String Sextet Published by Schott Music International, Mainz / Dvorˇák was awarded the grant and the Tenth String Quartet. The Albersen Verhuur B.V., ‘s-Gravenhage and could spend all his time on two men talked at great length, and composing. In the next years he Dvorˇák spoke of the violin concerto total time 52:30 again applied for the grant, and it which he had recently started to was again awarded. When he applied compose. Joachim, who had not in 1877, he even received a personal long before played the premiere of letter from Hanslick, advising the Brahms’s Violin Concerto, responded young composer to get in touch with with enthusiasm. Dvorˇák spent the Johannes Brahms, who had been a next few months labouring over the member of the committee for several concerto and sent it to Joachim in the years. Brahms held Dvorˇák’s work in autumn of 1879. high regard and wanted to meet him. Exactly what Dvorˇák sent is some- They indeed met shortly afterwards thing we will never know, because the and soon became good friends. original version was lost. However, Brahms brought Dvorˇák in contact we do know that, at Joachim’s advice, with other composers, publishers Dvorˇák thoroughly revised the work 4 5 after they had extensively reviewed and memorable concert for Dvorˇák, a free fantasy, now letting the orches- Gershwin - An American in Paris the entire piece together. “It was all the more so since the Third tra play the themes, now the violinist. Joachim’s wish that I would revise the Symphony of Brahms was on the He briefly arouses the impression of George Gershwin was rapidly entire concerto; not a single measure programme as well, and Brahms leading up to a true reprise, but it is successful in the light entertainment was left unaltered”, Dvorˇák wrote to had been a driving force behind quickly cut short and a free transi- industry. It started with the songs his publisher, Simrock. The new ver- the Violin Concerto. tion leads without stopping into the that he sold on Tin Pan Alley and sion was sent off to Joachim, who second movement. Here Dvorˇák lets very soon he was the famous this time was silent about it for two We do not know why Joachim never the violin sing a simple melody that composer of several standards years. Not until the autumn of 1882 performed the Violin Concerto. It was sounds like a Slavic folk song and in the Great American Songbook did Joachim put forward a number of claimed that, having been trained in that forms the basis of this move- such as When There’s a Chance To rather drastic suggestions to improve the classical German musical tradi- ment. The finale is Bohemian through Dance and Swanee Rose. And his the work. Dvorˇák again travelled to tion, he thought the concerto’s form and through. The main theme of this first musical, Lady Be Good, written Berlin to discuss everything anew, was too free. Although he never fiery rondo is a real furiant, and it can in collaboration with his brother Ira, and a rehearsal was held with the or- said so directly to Dvorˇák, a number readily be heard that Dvorˇák had not was a huge success. But Gershwin chestra of the Berlin conservatory, in of his proposed changes point in so long ago completed his first set of had even bigger ambitions. The which Joachim played the solo violin. that direction. Strictly speaking he Slavic Dances. Just as in a true rondo, piano lessons he took from Charles was right, but it was precisely the the theme is recurrent, but in a new Hambitzer until 1918 were in classical But all this did not result in an unconventional forms used by the variant every time. The only real inter- music. And he indeed aimed to actual performance. The premiere composer that make the work so ruption is a meditative intermezzo achieve recognition and fame in that would be in Prague on 14 October intriguing. It begins straight away in halfway through, but here too Dvorˇák type of work as well. Rhapsody in 1883, played by the Czech violinist the first movement, which takes great gives it a Slavic cast: it takes the form Blue in 1924 was the first big step František Ondrˇ ícˇ ek. A month later liberties with the sonata form. After a of a dark, melancholy dumka. But the in that direction, and one that was he played it in Vienna with the couple of measures, the soloist starts, furiant very quickly regains the upper immediately received with enthusiasm Wiener Philharmoniker, conducted presenting the first theme and elabo- hand, and the soloist brings the con- by the public. This work, with its jazzy by Hans Richter. It was a special rating it. Dvorˇák goes on almost as in certo to a vivacious end. rhythms and the piano plus jazz band 6 7 to play it, was not really classical. It asking her to take him on as a pupil. It an expanded orchestra. Although with him, which he used to give the was the adaptation by Ferde Grofé was one of the reasons why Gershwin Gershwin had not meant it as work an authentic touch). But also in for piano and symphony orchestra travelled to Paris in March 1928. He programme music and certainly not a purely musical sense, it is clearly that made it into a true classic. A year was deeply impressed by this dazzling as an autobiographic work, it clearly about Paris. His style of composition later, Gershwin was ready to go a step city, one of the great musical centres shows features of both. And it was and certainly his orchestration call to further in his Piano Concerto in F: of Europe. And also a place where jazz even Gershwin himself who described mind the impressionism of Debussy although it boasted broad Romantic enjoyed great popularity, thus serving the piece as follows: “My purpose and Ravel. But we also hear Franck melodies reminiscent of Rachmaninoff, as an important inspiration for classical here is to portray the impression of an and the famous Groupe des Six. genuine blues could be heard in the composers such as Poulenc and American visitor in Paris as he strolls Naturally, Gershwin is at his best second movement. Milhaud. The lessons with Boulanger about the city and listens to various when he sets homesickness to music that Gershwin had so hoped for never street noises and absorbs the French in blues and jazz melodies. These Gershwin still felt uncertain about his took place. When he played a few atmosphere.” As the story continues, two elements join together in the capacities in relation to classical music, passages from his work at their first the man becomes homesick for the finale, where the themes from both this in contrast to those around him. meeting, she simply said, “There is familiar sounds at home in America. domains are intermingled. Gershwin’s There is a famous anecdote about how nothing more I can teach you.” But pleasure gains the upper hand unsurpassed accomplishment is the he met Maurice Ravel, who was touring and he flings himself with conviction way he views a typically European city the United States in 1928. When But the trip to Paris was certainly not into the hustle and bustle of Paris. like Paris with purely American eyes. Gershwin asked the French composer without reason. The impressions he to give him some composition lessons, gained in the French capital he used Gershwin flawlessly portrays the he replied: “Why would you want to that same year in a composition for chaotic atmosphere as a kaleidoscope be a second-rate Ravel when you the New York Philharmonic Orchestra of numerous impressions in the first are a first-rate Gershwin?” As a small and conductor Walter Damrosch. The episode of An American in Paris. We gesture, he gave Gershwin a letter result was An American in Paris, a hear the bustling city complete with of recommendation to the famous symphonic poem, or perhaps it can horns honking (Gershwin brought composer Nadia Boulanger in Paris, better be termed a free rhapsody for three original French taxi horns back 8 9 Liza Ferschtman Union Youth Orchestra; she has worked Elisabeth Leonskaja, Nobuko Imai, many years, where she performed Violinist Liza Ferschtman, recipient with conductors such as Leonard Slat- Bruno Schneider, Sharon Kam, Enrico numerous concertos with orchestra of the 2006 Dutch Music Prize, the kin, Lev Markiz, Yakov Kreizberg, Law- Pace, Lars Anders Tomter, Jonathan and the complete cycle of the highest government award in the rence Renes, Jaap van Zweden, Frans Biss and Christian Poltera.