DVOŘÁK CELLO CONCERTO SAN ANTONIO SYMPHONY PRESENTS February 21 & 22, 2020 DVOŘÁK ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK both. The central part of this movement focuses CELLO CONCERTO (Born on September 8, 1841 in Nelahozeves, primarily on working through various aspects Bohemia (Czechia); of the first theme. When it comes time for the Died on May 1, 1904 in Prague, Bohemia (Czechia) expected restatement of both themes, Dvořák does the unexpected. He omits the main theme Concerto in B Minor for and takes us directly to the second and then to a Violoncello and Orchestra, joyous conclusion. February 21 & 22, 2020 | 8:00 PM Op. 104 HEB Performance Hall The slow movement begins tenderly with the clarinets and then the solo cello. After a short The Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Premiered: March 19, 1896 in London, England time with this beautiful theme, the entire orchestra crashes in. The cello then plays a moving melody Orchestration: solo cello accompanied by 2 flutes based on a song, “Leave Me Alone,” which Dvořák Ruth Reinhardt, conductor with piccolo, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, wrote many years earlier. It was a favorite of his 3 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, sister-in-law, and he included it in the concerto Andrei Ioniţă, cello triangle, first and second violins, violas, cellos, when he learned that she was seriously ill. After an and basses extensive time dwelling on this tune, the movement returns to the opening theme. The cellist then DVOŘÁK Duration: 40 minutes launches into what is almost an accompanied Concerto in B minor for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 104 cadenza. After another statement of the song, there Allegro When Mrs. Jeannette Thurber lured Antonín Dvořák is a peaceful close. to New York to head her new National Conservatory Adagio ma non troppo of Music, she hoped that he would show American The finale is a rondo, which uses a main theme Finale: Allegro moderato students a thing or two about how to compose in that alternates with secondary themes called a nationalistic style. He did—and learned a thing episodes. After an orchestral introduction, the cello or two from the Americans as well. His African- gets the main tune. Both of the central episodes INTERMISSION American student Henry Burleigh sang spirituals are slower and more rhapsodic in character. The for him. One of those spirituals, “Swing Low, Sweet final statement of the main theme brings us to the Chariot,” ended up in the second movement of his ending section. Just as the orchestra winds up to SIBELIUS New World Symphony. And it was the Irish-born, what appears will be a grand climax complete with Symphony No. 7 in C major, Op. 105 German-trained, American cellist Victor Herbert who a cadenza for the soloist, Dvorak changes course Adagio showed Dvořák that writing a concerto for cello was and winds down—he had just learned of his sister- possible. Before meeting Herbert, Dvořák felt that Vivacissimo – Adagio in-law’s death. Dvořák explained the ending to the cello is a beautiful instrument, but its place is his publisher: Allegro molto moderato in the orchestra and in chamber music. As a solo Vivace – Presto – Adagio – Largamente molto – Affettuoso instrument, it isn’t much good. Its middle register is The finale closes gradually diminuendo—like a fine—that’s true—but the upper voice squeaks and sigh—with reminiscences of the first and second R. STRAUSS the lower growls. movements—the solo dies away to pianissimo— Till Eulenspiegels lustige Streiche, Op. 28 then swells again—the last bars are taken up When Dvořák heard Victor Herbert’s new Second by the orchestra and the whole concludes in a Cello Concerto, he loved it! More importantly, stormy mood. Dvořák was convinced that it is possible to hear the cello over an orchestra, even one with trombones. Johannes Brahms was in a stormy mood also Eight months later Dvořák started his own cello when, in the last year of his life, he read the score concerto. It was the last piece he wrote while to Dvořák’s Cello Concerto. “Why on earth didn’t I in America. know one could write a cello concerto like this?” he said. “If I’d only known, I’d have written one The concerto begins as most do, with the long ago!” orchestra playing the dramatic main theme by itself. The French horn gets to play the lyrical ©2019 John P. Varineau second theme. Finally, the cello gets a chance at XXX San Antonio Symphony San Antonio Symphony XXXI DVOŘÁK CELLO CONCERTO DVOŘÁK CELLO CONCERTO February 21 & 22, 2020 February 21 & 22, 2020 JEAN SIBELIUS have three movements. However, as Sibelius said RICHARD STRAUSS series of brilliant tone poems: Don Juan; A Hero’s (Born on December 8, 1865 in Hämeenlinna, Finland to his biographer, “The final form of one’s work (1864–1949) Life; Don Quixote; Death and Transfiguration. These Died on September 20, 1957 in Ainola, Finland) is indeed dependent on powers that are stronger works are not just descriptive. They are also brilliant than oneself. Later on one can substantiate this Till Eulenspiegels Lustige showcases for orchestras. Every player must rise to Symphony No. 7 in C Major, or that, but on the whole one is merely a tool. Streiche, Op. 28 the level of a virtuoso. Op. 105 This wonderful logic—let us call it God—that governs a work is the forcing power.” In his diary (Till Eulenspiegel’s Strauss was careful not to print (in words) exactly he wrote that it was “…as if God had thrown down Merry Pranks) what was going on in his Till Eulenspiegel. Premiered: March 24, 1924 in Stockholm, Sweden pieces of mosaic from the floor of Heaven and He explained, asked me to find out what the pattern was like.” Orchestration: 2 flutes with 2 piccolos, 2 oboes, Premiered: November 5, 1895 in Cologne, Germany It is impossible for me to furnish a program 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, The way Sibelius assembled those mosaic pieces to Eulenspiegel…Let me leave it, therefore, 3 trombones, timpani, first and second violins, for his Seventh Symphony turned out to be a single Orchestration: 3 flutes and piccolo, 3 oboes and to my hearers to crack the hard nut which the violas, cellos, and basses short work of only one movement—with at least English horn, 2 clarinets, piccolo clarinet and bass Rogue has prepared for them. By way of helping eleven different tempos! In this, his final symphony, clarinet, 3 bassoons and contrabassoon, 4 horns, them to a better understanding, it seems Duration: 22 minutes he managed to solve a problem that had been 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani, bass drum, sufficient to point out the two “Eulenspiegel” plaguing composers all through the nineteenth snare drum, cymbals, ratchet, triangle, first and motives, which, in the most manifold disguises, The textbook version of a symphony is one that century: How do you compose a multi-movement second violins, violas, cellos, and basses moods and situations, pervade the whole up generally includes four movements. The first and work so that all the pieces fit together into a single to the catastrophe, when, after he has been last movements are usually fast in tempo, the unified idea? He did this by fusing a whole series of Duration: 15 minutes condemned to death, Till is strung to the gibbet. second is slow, and the third is usually some sort “movements” into one and by working with only a For the rest, let them guess at the musical joke of quick dance-like movement. The forms of those few themes and ideas. A short spin through the collected tales of the which a Rogue has offered them.You’ll hear movements are also generally predictable. Working medieval prankster Till Eulenspiegel demonstrates those two motives immediately after a short with just a few templates composers have written To listeners used to the normal templates of a that teenage bathroom humor has a long and introduction by the orchestra which seems to say, a vast variety of symphonies. Sibelius’ Symphony symphony, this can be a little unsettling. The program “colorful” history. The “real” Till is said to have been “Once upon a time…” The first is a roguish tune No. 7 is a real symphony, but it doesn’t come close annotator Donald Tovey gives comforting advice: born in Kneitlingen, Germany and to have died in played by the horn. It gets all twisted up in the to fitting the textbook variety. 1350 C.E. in the province of Schleswig-Holstein rhythm. Other instruments come in with the tune …the listener may rest assured that if he finds where the locals still point out his gravestone. and soon the whole orchestra is a-tumble. Out of Sibelius worked on three symphonies, his Fifth, Sixth, that an important melodic note has been in Folk and literary tales associated with Till and his the chaos comes the little piccolo clarinet with and Seventh, simultaneously. In 1918 he wrote, existence some time before he was aware of pranks appeared in German, Dutch, French, Latin the second motive, a sneering little giggle. Those it, the composer has taken special trouble to and English starting in about 1500. Most of these two motives form the backbone for the entire All this with due reservations…It looks as conceal the beginning of that note. If the listener tales are about the practical jokes Till plays, and work. As soon as they are introduced, we are though I shall come out with all three of these feels that unformed fragments of a melody loom they depend upon the sort of slapstick violence off on our merry way.