Sunday, March 26, 2017, 3pm Zellerbach Hall National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine Theodore Kuchar, conductor Alexei Grynyuk, piano PROGRAM Giuseppe VERDI (1813 –1901) Overture to La forza del destino Sergei PROKOFIEV (1891 –1953) Piano Concerto No. 3 in C Major, Op. 26 Andante – Allegro Tema con variazioni Allegro, ma non troppo INTERMISSION Dmitri SHOSTAKOVICH (1906 –1975) Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47 Moderato – Allegro non troppo Allegretto Largo Allegro non troppo THE ORcHESTRA National Symphony Orchestra of Ukraine Volodymyr Sirenko, artistic director & chief conductor Theodore Kuchar, conductor laureate First Violins cellos Bassoons Markiyan Hudziy, leader Olena Ikaieva, principal Taras Osadchyi, principal Gennadiy Pavlov, sub-leader Liliia Demberg Oleksiy Yemelyanov Olena Pushkarska Sergii Vakulenko Roman Chornogor Svyatoslava Semchuk Tetiana Miastkovska Mykhaylo Zanko Bogdan Krysa Tamara Semeshko Anastasiya Filippochkina Mykola Dorosh Horns Roman Poltavets Ihor Yarmus Valentyn Marukhno, principal Oksana Kot Ievgen Skrypka Andriy Shkil Olena Poltavets Tetyana Dondakova Kostiantyn Sokol Valery Kuzik Kostiantyn Povod Anton Tkachenko Tetyana Pavlova Boris Rudniev Viktoriia Trach Basses Iuliia Shevchenko Svetlana Markiv Volodymyr Grechukh, principal Iurii Stopin Oleksandr Neshchadym Trumpets Viktor Andriiichenko Oleksandra Chaikina Viktor Davydenko, principal Oleksii Sechen Yuri і Kornilov Harps Grygorii Кozdoba Second Violins Nataliia Izmailova, principal Dmytro Kovalchuk Galyna Gornostai, principal Diana Korchynska Valentyna Petrychenko Taras Butko Trombones and Tubs Oleksandra Vasylieva Volodymyr Kaveshnikov Andriy Golovko, principal Olena Bardina Dmytro Golovach Danylo Sydorov Ganna Fedchenko Ivan Lykhovyd Mykola Artiushenko Liudmyla Guley Oleksandr Yuzvyak Andrii Zymenko Valentyna Voskresenska Oleksiy Li, tuba Andriy Mazko Piano Sergiy Ursulenko Lyudmyla Kovaleva Percussion Galyna Bilych Dmytro Ulianov, leader Tetyana Nikonenko Flutes Danylo Shurygin Nadiia Novikova Oleh Sheremeta, principal Oleh Sokolov Vasyl Bakalov Myroslava Sirenko Volodymyr Kolobrodov Olena Litovchenko Igor Iermak Gennadii Khlopotov Mykola Mykytei Volodymyr Kolokolnikov Violas Larysa Plotnikova Stanislav Ulianov Oleksandr Pohoryelov, principal Oboes Galyna Nemeczek Gennadi і Kot, principal Viktor Navrodskyi Yurii Litun Oleh Trunov Artem Alieksieienko Orest Krysa Viktor Chernigovskyi Valentyna Lisovenko Viktor Mishchenko Bogdan Fesyuk Volodymyr Ponomarov clarinets Vira Ampilogova Petro Zabolotnyi, principal Maksym Bakeyev Iurii Nabytovych Anatilii Gavrylov Viktor Gornostai Oleksandr Avramenko PLAYBILL PROGRAM NOTES Overture to La forza del destino vinsky, and you will have a cocktail resembling Giuseppe Verdi the music of Prokofiev.” So once wrote a music When the Imperial Theatre in St. Petersbu rg critic in Musical America. If this “recipe” was commissioned an opera from Verdi, his first intended as a slight to the composer, the state - suggestion was one based on Victor Hugo’s Ruy ment contains a certain amount of truth for Blas . But the theater rejected the proposal and which the composer need not have felt the least Verdi turned to a Spanish play, Don Alvaro or ashamed, for not many contemporary com - the Force of Destiny, by Don Angel Pérez de posers have written music that has such an un - Saavedra, Duke of Rivas. The opera was mistakable identity as that of Prokofiev. What pro duced with great success on November 10, is particularly interesting is that, stylistically, 1862. The composer, however, was not entirely Prokofiev’s music changed little over the de - satisfied with the opera, and for a later produc - cades; the same qualities and mannerisms by tion at La Scala, on February 27, 1869, he re - which his later works are recognized can be vised it, changing the order of scenes, rewriting found in many of his earlier compositions. the finale with a major change of plot, and re - In his autobiography, Prokofiev stated that placing the prelude with the full-scale overture. five principal factors dominated his art, these Set in 18th-century Spain and Italy against a being: 1.) the influence of Baroque and Classical background of war, the opera tells a far-fetched forms, 2.) the desire to introduce new harmo- story of love and revenge. On the point of elop - nies into his expressive music, 3.) strong ing with his beloved, Leonora, Don Alvaro is rhythms, 4.) elements of lyricism, and 5.) the surprised by her father, who is accidentally shot jesting and mocking characteristics so typical dead when Alvaro throws his pistol to the floor. of his symphonies, concertos, and stage works. The lovers are then remorselessly pursued by In addition to more than 100 piano pieces, of Leonora’s brother, Don Carlo, who is intent on varying lengths and in many styles, Prokofiev killing them both to avenge the family’s honor. wrote five superb piano concertos, where some The overture begins with three repeated of his finest keyboard writing can be found. notes for unison brass, a menacing call to at - Their composition covers a span of 21 years; all tention that is followed immediately by the five works antedate Prokofiev’s so-called “Soviet agitated destiny theme. The latter maintains a period.” The inventive and youthful score of dangerous presence as the piece continues with the Concerto No. 1 (1911) first brought the other themes from the opera. The first of these composer attention from outside of his native is the melody of Alvaro’s last act plea to Carlo to Russia. The lyrical and romantically oriented desist from taking revenge on one who was only Second Concerto followed two years later. The unfortunate. This breaks off for the soaring most popular and often-heard Third Concerto theme of Leonora’s second act prayer, “God, do was written in 1921. Ten years later he pro - not forsake me. Have mercy on me, Lord.” After duced the Fourth Concerto, which is scored for a tutti passage, and a reminder of Alvaro’s plea, the left hand and orchestra; the composer wrote a tune from the end of the second act duet in it specifically for the pianist Paul Wittgenstein, which the Father Superior of a monastery agrees who had lost his right arm during World War I. to shelter Leonora in a hermit’s cave appears. Written between 1931 and 1932, the Fifth Another tutti and a chorale-like passage follow, Con certo is perhaps the most modernistic and and the overture builds to an exciting climax. technically demanding of the five, representing —Columbia Artists Management Inc. the climax of Prokofiev’s innovative writing for the instrument. Piano concerto No. 3 in c Major, Op. 26 Although he had conc eived several of the Sergei Prokofiev themes for his Piano Concerto No. 3 in 1911, “Take one Schoenberg, two Ornsteins, a little 1913, and 1916, Prokofiev began work in earnest Satie, mix with some Medtner, add a drop of on this piece in Leningrad in 1917. However, Schumann, then a shade of Scriabin and Stra - work on the concerto was halted for several PROGRAM NOTES more years. Following the success of the com - In variation four, the tempo is once again An - poser’s Concerto No. 1 and of his Scythian Suite dante , and the piano and the orchestra dis - when they were performed in Chicago in the course on the theme in a quiet and meditative fall of 1918, the Chicago Opera asked Prokofiev fashion. Variation five is energetic ( Allegro to write an opera for their next season; Pro - giusto ). It leads without pause into a restatement kofiev suggested his new project, The Love for of the theme by the orchestra, with delicate em - Three Oranges , and the work was scheduled for broidery in the piano. production in the winter of 1919 –20. The score “The finale begins with a staccato theme for for the opera was completed in time but, un - bassoons and pizzicato strings, which is inter - fortunately, the conductor behind the project rupted by the blustering entry of the piano…. died shortly afterwards and the production had Eventually, the piano takes up the first theme to be postponed. In the meantime, while wait - and develops it into a climax. With a reduc - ing for the opera to be produced, the composer tion of tone and slackening of tempo, an alter - rented a cottage on the coast of Brittany during nate theme is introduced in the woodwinds. the summer of 1921 and utilized the time to The piano replies with a theme that is more in complete the Third Piano Concerto. Upon his keeping with the caustic humor of the work. return to Chicago to oversee the final prepara - This material is developed and there is a bril - tions and rehearsals for his new opera, the liant coda.” concerto received its premiere performance Unlike the contemporaneous opera The with the Chicago Symphony Orch estra under Love for Three Oranges , the concerto was en - Frederick Stock with the composer at the piano thusiastically received by audience and critics on December 16, 1921—two weeks before the alike at its first performance, and has since premiere of The Love for Three Oranges on become one of Prokofiev’s most frequently per - December 30. formed works. In the first published score, the composer —Columbia Artists Management Inc. provided the following analysis: “The first movement opens quietly with a short introduc - Symphony No. 5 in D minor, Op. 47 tion. The theme is announced by an unaccom - Dmitri Shostakovich panied clarinet, and is continued by the violins Dmitri Dmitriyevich Shostakovich was the first for a few bars. Soon the tempo changes [lead - major Russian composer to receive his entire ing] to the statement of the principal subject by musical education under the Soviet regime. He the piano…. A passage in chords for the piano first achieved international recognition—and alone leads to the more expressive second sub - governmental approval—with his First Sym - ject, heard in the oboe with a pizzicato accom - phony; written as a graduation piece, it was paniment. This is taken up by the piano and acclaimed at its premiere in May of 1926 in developed at length.