Rileigh Wren is currently a senior at Sterling High School and has studied saxophone under the direction of Mr. Erik Oberg, and previously Mr. Kevin O’Keefe. She currently studies privately under the guidance of Mrs. Nicole Oberg. In school, she is an active member of the SHS Band, Bass/Treble Choir, Orchestra, Future Educator Club, Theater Department, Sterling Municipal Band, and has been the Drum Major of the SHS Marching Band for the past two years. She was selected as the lead alto in the ILMEA District 8 Jazz Band in 2024, and played in the ILMEA All-State Concert Band the last two years. She plans to study Music Education at Illinois Wesleyan University to follow in the footsteps of her Sterling Public Schools music teachers. Rileigh would like to thank her amazing directors for their mentorship and helping her achieve her goals, and she would especially like to thank her family for supporting and encouraging her to follow her true passion: music.
– Warm a Sunday afternoon in January with this performance of chamber music. Composers, musicians, and listeners alike consider chamber music to be the music of friendships. Composers write it with specific friends in mind, often writing a part for themselves in the ensemble. The group of friends gather to play it, and invite their closest friends to hear it. Join our musicians as we continue this great tradition of musical friendships!
Program: Randall Thompson ~ Suite for Oboe, Clarinet, and Viola Tamara Byram Mahl, oboe • Susan Schwaegler, clarinet • Donna Rod, viola
Malcolm Arnold ~ Divertimento for Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Op.37 Crystal Duffee, flute • Hillary Brunner, oboe • Emily Bressler, clarinet
Ludwig van Beethoven ~ Piano Trio in D major, Op.70 No. 1 Nadia Wirchnianski, piano •Julie Marston, violin • David Spaulding, cello
Program Notes:
Ludwig Van Beethoven Piano Trio in D Major, “Ghost” At the beginning of the 19th century piano makers introduced the sustaining, or damper pedal, triggering a major breakthrough in the playing of the instrument. This new pedal made it possible for the pianist to sustain notes and chords, cut them short, or play in a smoother legato style. Equally important, the pedal expanded the piano’s sonorities and added resonance. In his two piano trios of 1808, Beethoven was the first to exploit the piano’s expanded resources. In effect, these trios did for piano-trio literature what Beethoven’s “Eroica” did for symphonies. Although Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven himself had previously written highly original piano trios, Beethoven’s new trios created higher standards for the expressive use of piano sonorities When writing these trios, Beethoven was living in rooms generously provided to him by Hungarian Countess Marie Erdody. Before this, Beethoven had moved from place to place, changing lodgings frequently because of minor disagreements with landlords, and she hoped to settle him down. Unfortunately, his irritability made him a poor houseguest, and he moved out after six months of petty squabbling. Still, he dedicated his trios to her in appreciation for her long-suffering hospitality. By 1808, Beethoven was at the pinnacle of his productivity and popularity, and the trios were surrounded by the masterpieces he presented at a famous marathon concert in December, including the Fifth and Sixth Symphonies, the C Major Mass and the Choral Fantasy. The first of the trios came to be called the “Ghost” after his death because of a comment made about the amazing slow movement. A former pupil wrote that the Largo “resembles an appearance from the underworld…the first appearance of the ghost in Hamlet.” The trio is in three movements. The first, in sonata form, is a study in contrasts. The main theme consists of two segments — a thumping tune played by all three instruments in unison, immediately followed by a lyrical melody in the cello. The slow movement’s atmosphere of mystery and gloom underscores the “Ghost” epithet. After the ominous motifs and hair-raising climaxes of this movement, the audience enjoys a relaxed, happy finale.
Malcolm Arnold Divertimento for Flute, Oboe and Clarinet, Op. 37 Sir Malcolm Arnold is no stranger to wind music and to forms such as this Divertimento, a happy synthesis of various strands in his music. Born in Northampton in 1921, ever since he began composing he has included an element of pure entertainment to sit alongside his more serious symphonies and concertos. His early musical influences came from his pianist mother, and later from writing and improvising jazz with his brother and friends. A fan of trumpeter Louis Armstrong after meeting him on a family holiday, Arnold took up the trumpet at the age of twelve and won a scholarship to the Royal College of Music at sixteen. Having already won several prizes by his second year, he left the college to join the London Philharmonic as second trumpet. Promotions quickly followed and he became acknowledged as one of the great trumpeters of his age. He composed prolifically, learning the symphonies repertoire from the inside, eventually leaving professional playing in favor of composition. From 1848 until the early sixties, Arnold became one of the most sought-after composers of the time, alongside Benjamin Britten and William Walton. His Third, Fourth and Fifth Symphonies were commissioned during this time, and he wrote sonatas and concertos for players he particularly admired. Arnold’s role as conductor of his works, both in the concert hall and in the studio for films and recordings increased to a hectic pace and eventually led to depression and a move to Cornwall where he became closely involved in Cornish life. He died in 2006 after collecting numerous awards “ for his lifetime’s achievements as one of the greatest composers of the 20th century.” Written in 1952, the Divertimento was given its first performance the following year in London. All three instruments are basically equal partners in this sequence of six short pieces, none lasting more than about two minutes. A Lively, jaunty tune opens the first movement, its motifs recurring in succeeding movements. The slow second movement leads into a Vivace with the clarinet taking the lead. By contrast, the clarinet rocks back and forth between just two notes in the fourth movement. A Maestoso is stately and march-like, the three instruments playing in unison. Wild arpeggios close the movement, while a lovely final section ends in Arnold’s best lyrical vein.
Randall Thompson Suite for Oboe, Clarinet, and Viola American composer Randall Thompson, born in New York City in 1899, had a long career as an educator and is best known for the choral Alleluia, heard at church services, choral concerts and academic ceremonies. The son of an English teacher, Thompson grew up in an atmosphere that emphasized academic excellence. While on summer vacations he became interested in an old parlor reed organ that led to his earliest written works. He entered Harvard and later studied with composer Ernest Bloch, eventually teaching at a number of colleges and universities. He also became director of the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia Although his writing for voice spanned his entire life, Thompson also produced three symphonies, two string quartets and other instrumental pieces. His Symphony No. 2 was conducted by Leonard Bernstein in his first appearance as a conductor in 1931. His choral works were more widely performed than any other American composer up to his time. He died in 1984. The Suite is a warm masterpiece of Americana written in 1940 for an unusual but pleasing combination of mid-range instruments. It reflects Thompson’s characteristic style: accessible and melodious. The opening Andante introduces a lyrical and flowing dialogue among the instruments. A lively and rhythmically engaging Allegro follows leading to an introspective and evocative Largo showcasing the rich emotional depth of the viola. The final Allegro vivace is spirited with brisk rhythms and clever interplay.
The concert will go on as planned tonight, please use caution and your discretion when venturing out. The current weather forecasts suggest it will be warmer by concert time.
– The holiday season is a festive time, and Clinton Symphony’s Holiday Concert is a wonderful occasion to invite family, friends, and business associates for an evening of music.
Due to ongoing construction of the new Durgin Performing Arts Center at Clinton High School, this concert will be at Zion Lutheran Church.
We will enjoy a guest conductor for this concert, please meet Silas Huff!
Silas Nathanial Huff is the Director of Orchestras at Northern Illinois University, Director of Maestri Series Workshops and Co-Director of the International Conducting Institute (organizations dedicated to training the world’s next generation of conductors). He has conducted ensembles across America, and around the world. Maestro Huff’s past positions include Director of Orchestras at Washburn University (KS); Music Director of the Astoria Symphony Orchestra (NYC), U.S. Army Orchestra (DC), 562nd Air Force Band (CA), 44th Army Band (Albuquerque, NM), Topeka Youth Symphony (KS), Round Rock Symphony Orchestra (TX), and the critically acclaimed Lost Dog New Music Ensemble (NYC). In 2011, Maestro Huff won a coveted job as a U.S. Army Music Officer. As such, Major Huff has conducted concerts at the White House, U.S. Capitol, Arlington National Cemetery, Pentagon, and other important monuments and landmarks in Washington, D.C., on tour for audiences numbering in the thousands, and in recordings and broadcasts that were seen by millions of viewers. For twelve years, Major Huff served the Army honorably in Washington D.C., Virginia, the Middle East, and New Mexico before transferring to the Air Force in 2022 to command the 562nd Air Force Band (Air Guard Band of the West Coast). Maestro Huff holds degrees from Texas State University, UCLA, and University of Colorado Boulder, and also studied at the Trossingen Hochschule für Musik (Germany), L’Institut Musical Provence-Aubagne (France), California State University-Long Beach. In 2011, the Texas House of Representatives signed a resolution recognizing Maestro Huff’s distinguished musical service; the U.S. Army and Air Force have conferred upon him three Meritorious Service Medals, four Commendation Medals, and a Humanitarian Service Medal, among others; in 2020, the Boulder Concert Band won The American Prize for Band/Wind Ensemble Performance under Maestro Huff’s baton.
Please enjoy the following Program Notes by Karin Anderson-Sweet. The notes here are more comprehensive than in the printed program.
A Canadian Brass Christmas Arr. Custer Founded in 1970, the Canadian Brass is one of the world’s most renowned brass quintets, celebrated for its virtuosity, innovative performances, and diverse repertoire. Over the decades, its founding members expanded and evolved, welcoming various musicians who contributed to its distinctive sound. They have performed worldwide, popularizing brass music. The ensemble is particularly famous for its annual Christmas concerts with their fusion of classical carols with jazz and popular tunes. In their own words, “Our Christmas concerts are a celebration of the season’s joy and magic. We strive to bring an element of surprise and delight, making each performance a special experience for our audience”.
March of the Toys By Victor Herbert March of the Toys is from the operetta Babes in Toyland, which wove together characters from Mother Goose nursery rhymes into a Christmas-themed extravaganza. The original production opened at the Chicago Grand Opera house in 1903. Its creators hoped to cash in on the extraordinary success of The Wizard of Oz, which had been produced in New York earlier that same year. Toys was so popular it spawned other fairy-tale shows over the next decade, and has enjoyed many successful tours and revivals. Victor Herbert (1859-1924) was an Irish- born American composer, conductor, and cellist, whose works include operas, musicals, compositions for orchestras, bands and solo instruments. He was also a founder of ASCAP, the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.
Carol of the Bells Arr. Richard Hayman Carol of the Bells has its roots in old Ukrainian folk songs, a way of blessing one’s neighbors or worshipping ancient gods before the advent of Christianity. The simple four-note melody called Shchedryk became a Ukrainian choir’s signature piece for their first international tour. The driving, dancing energy of Mykolaiv Leontovych’s 1899 arrangement found its way to the United States, eventually making its way to a performance at Carnegie Hall. Peter Wilhousky, a popular American composer among Ukrainian ethnicities, wrote English lyrics for the song in 1936, renaming it Carol of the Bells, and it quickly became associated with Christmas in widespread performances in the 1940s. A year ago, Carnegie Hall hosted a holiday celebration to benefit Ukraine as choral groups from Europe and North America honored its 100th anniversary.
Around the World at Christmas Time By Bruce Chase An American composer in our own backyard, Muscatine, Iowa, Bruce Chase was born into a family of musicians and was performing by his early teens. He was eventually hired by NBC radio as a staff arranger and conductor for many popular radio shows. After playing violin for the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, he was recognized for his talent in arranging, and frequently conducted the orchestra until well into his seventies. Included in Around the World at Christmas Time are carols from Germany, Poland, England, Sicily, France, Jewish tradition, and American spirituals.
Stille Nacht Arr. Chip Davis Stille Nacht, or Silent Night is a classic Christmas Carol composed by Franz Gruber in 1818, with lyrics by Joseph Mohr, first performed on guitar Christmas Eve in Oberndorf, Austria, as the church organ was broken. The carol is simple, yet deeply moving, with a gentle melody that evokes peace and serenity. It’s lyrics describe the calm and holy night of Jesus’ birth, with themes of divine peace and light. Stille Nacht has since been translated into many languages and remains one of the most beloved Christmas hymns worldwide, often associated with candlelight services and moments of quiet devotion. Chip Davis is the number one Christmas music artist in history with over 41 million records sold, and this year marks the 40th anniversary of his Mannheim Steamroller Christmas tour, the longest-running tour in entertainment history. His first album released in 1984 revolutionized the sounds of Christmas blending traditional carols with a unique synthesized sound, dubbed “18th Century Classical Rock”, the Mannheim sound established a whole new music genre. Awarded 19 gold, 8 multi-platinum and 4 platinum records, Mannheim Steamroller ranks among the top 50 music recording groups.
Let It Snow Arr. Sayre Let It Snow is a swing tune written by lyricist Sammy Cahn and composer Jule Styne in July 1945. Written in Hollywood, Cahn and Styne tried to imagine cooler conditions during a California heat wave. Although the lyrics make no mention of Christmas, the song has come to be regarded as a Christmas song due to its winter theme, and has often been covered by various artists on Christmas-themed albums.
Thunder and Lightning Polka By Johann Strauss II The most famous and enduringly successful of 19th century light music composers, Johan Strauss II built on the musical foundations of his father, Johan I, to capture Vienna and the whole of Europe with his tuneful waltzes, polkas, quadrilles and marches. The appeal of his music bridged all social strata, achieving such a high development of the Viennese waltz that it became as much a feature of the concert hall as of the ballroom. The “Waltz King” also composed operettas, completing 16 stage works besides more than 500 orchestral pieces, including his most famous, The Blue Danube. Although Strauss took his inspiration from a poem by Karl Beck, the Danube has never been considered blue and at the time, the river didn’t even flow through Vienna. Regardless, The Blue Danube has become Vienna’s second national anthem and the guaranteed conclusion to their New Year’s Day concert. Really 5 melodies and a coda, The Blue Danube evokes the calm waters at dawn introduced by shimmering violins followed by a romantic horn call and response by the winds. The nostalgic lilt of days gone by is characterized by the occasional hesitation or slowing down before regliding into a swirling waltz.
Christmas Eve Suite: Polonaise By Nikolai Rimsky- Korsakov Rimsky-Korsakov was a 19th century composer known for his concert works as well as 15 operas. A member of a group of composers known as “The Five”, he was a master of colorful and imaginative orchestration, and believed in a nationalistic style of Russian music employing folk songs and legends. He based his Christmas Eve Suite on a short story by Nikolai Gogol featuring a decidedly un-Christmasy devil, a witch, and other elements of Ukrainian and Slavic folklore. He created an opera in 5 sections subtitled A Carol Come to Life. Its most famous excerpt, the Polonaise, centers around a dance in a salon at the imperial palace in St. Petersburg on Christmas Eve, reflecting the opulence of the setting as courtiers sing their praises of their Tsarina.
The Nutcracker By Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky In his last years, Tchaikovsky earned his greatest success, only to be matched by his growing depression. He was to die less than a year after The Nutcracker ballet debuted. Arguably the best-known Russian composer of all time, among his phenomenal output he was able to transform ballet into staged musical drama, revolutionizing the genre. While detractors were busy writing it off, he took ballet very seriously, seeing it as an art equal to all others. Nutcracker is famously based on E.T.A. Hoffman’s tale of Clara and the nutcracker she receives as a Christmas gift. Magically transformed into a handsome Prince, the nutcracker sweeps her away to the Kingdom of Sweets. Although Tchaikovsky found the structure difficult and asked to be released from the project, he was able to create a masterpiece, a worldwide holiday favorite written for children and appreciated by adults. Tonight’s movements include: Marche – full of fanfares and swirling strings; the joy of the holidays Danse Arab – not actually Arabian, but a Georgian lullaby, slow, sinuous, exotic Danse Mirlitons – dance of the reed flutes; gentle blossoms float on air currents Danse Russe Trepak – national Russian dance; begins fast, accelerates furiously
Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24 Arr. Phillips An instrumental piece created for the rock band Savatage and later popularized by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, Christmas Eve/Sarajevo is a fusion of carols blending classical music with rock. It features a driving, intense energy combining electric guitars, orchestral strings and heavy percussion to create a dramatic and powerful atmosphere. The arrangement contrasts serene, delicate sections with intense, fast-paced rock segments, symbolizing the juxtaposition of peace and conflict. Inspired by a story of a cellist who played Christmas carols in the ruins of war-torn Sarajevo during the Bosnian War, the music haunts with poignant, emotional layers. Songwriter Paul O’Neill relates hearing about a cellist born in Sarajevo who left to perform with various symphonies around the world. Decades later, he returned as an elderly man at the height of the Bosnian War to find his beloved city in ruins. Heading to the town square, this man climbed onto a pile of rubble that had once been the fountain, and while people hid in bomb shelters, he took out his cello and played Mozart and Beethoven while the city was bombed. The old man said it was his way of proving that despite all evidence to the contrary, the spirit of humanity was still alive in that place.
Sleigh Ride and A Christmas Festival By Leroy Anderson Famously beloved as the “voice of the Boston Pops” and composer of light concert music, Leroy Anderson was one of those young musical geniuses. His first composition at the age of 12 led to an invitation to study music at the New England Conservatory of Music, and later, Harvard. Also adept at languages, he became fluent in at least 9, leading to the practical decision for a regular salary as a language teacher. Conducting and composing for popular orchestras on the side soon spread his musical reputation until he was discovered by Arthur Fiedler and the Boston Pops. Many of his clever, inventive compositions have been used as themes for radio and TV shows. Deemed an American original, he earned a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has been widely lauded as the Norman Rockwell of American music for his ability to capture the familiar and turn it into art. Composed on a hot summer day in July as Anderson imagined winter relief from the heat, Sleigh Ride remains one of the most popular of holiday musical scores. With its cheerful melody, the sound of sleigh bells throughout, horse clops and whinnies compliments of a trumpet, along with the occasional whip, Sleigh Ride, has been recorded over 8000 times. For A Christmas Festival, Anderson chose 8 popular Christmas songs to represent the spirit of the holidays. Composed for the Boston Pops, it has also become a Christmas staple for orchestras who often invite the audience to sing along to familiar melodies.
Please mention this fundraiser, or show this flyer on your phone to your server, and Applebee’s will donate 25% of your order to the Clinton Symphony. Thank you for supporting us while you enjoy a delicious meal!
– The Symphony No. 2 by Beethoven anchors this annual concert in Sterling’s Centennial Auditorium. The new discovery on this concert is an overture by Spanish Basque composer Juan Crisóstomo de Arriaga. Nicknamed “the Spanish Mozart,” he was a child prodigy and accomplished composer who died young. The program is completed with a romantic overture by Mendelssohn in tribute to a mermaid, The Fair Melusine.
Let us do the driving! In partnership with Community State Bank, we offer a bus from Clinton, through Fulton and Morrison to the concert in Sterling. Space is limited. Make a reservation by calling hosts Kathy and Dan at 563-503-4886.
Program Notes
Juan Crisostomo de Arriaga (1806-1826) Dead before his 20th birthday, Arriaga’s shortened life is one of Western music’s most tragic stories. Nicknamed “the Spanish Mozart”, he was born on his namesake’s birthday, and shared his prodigious talent at both keyboard and composition. Arriaga was born in Bilbao, Spain into a Basque family who encouraged his artistic talents. At 11 he started composing major chamber, orchestral and choral works, most remarkably a two-act opera “Los Esclavos Felices” written at the age of 13 and performed successfully in Bilbao. At 16 he was sent to study at the Paris Conservatoire where the director praised him as “music itself” and awarded him prizes for counterpoint and fugue. Absorbing all principles of harmony in only 3 months, he went on to become the youngest professor ever appointed at the Conservatoire at age 18. Arriaga’s feverish creativity seemed to have undermined his health and he died in Paris 10 days short of his 20th birthday. Although never identified, a lung infection, probably tuberculosis, and exhaustion undoubtedly led to his early demise. He was buried in a communal grave in Montmartre and his works remained largely unknown for the next 100 years. More recently, his works are now being published, although some remain lost. Three excellent string quartets and the powerful “Symphony in D” have been recorded, but, sadly, his opera remains in only a few fragments.
Overture in D Major Arriaga’s music is known for its exceptional fluency, power and technique. Although a contemporary of Beethoven and Schubert, his style reverts to earlier classical composers. His only symphony, the D Major, is unique in both its structure and its orchestration, a blend of neo-classicism and romantic qualities. His Overture in D Major follows a classical sonata form, beginning with a series of emphatic chords followed by a slow, gentle adagio. The main allegro begins with a vigorous and rhythmic theme played by the strings. A second pastoral theme is introduced by the flute over the col legno (tapping of the strings with the wood of the bow), followed by a brief but richly varied development, surprisingly accomplished for such a young composer. After a recapitulation of the main themes, the piece closes with a potent and powerful coda.
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) Born in 1809, Felix Mendelssohn was a German composer, pianist, conductor and teacher, one of the most celebrated figures of the early Romantic period. Although largely observing Classical models in his work, Mendelssohn moved into key aspects of Romanticism, the artistic movement that exalted emotion and imagination over rigid forms and tradition. An extremely precocious composer, he wrote numerous works during his boyhood, including 5 operas, 11 symphonies and various shorter compositions. He made his first public appearance in Berlin at age 9. Studying in Paris, by age 16 he reached full stature as a composer with Overture to a Midsummer Night’s Dream, and had also become active as a conductor. Founding the Leipzig Conservatory of Music, he put Leipzig on the map as the musical center of Germany. Worn out by his strenuous career and the death of his beloved sister and lifelong inspiration, Fanny, he died in 1847 at the age of only 38, one of the first great 19th century Romantic composers.
Marchen von der Schopenhauer Melusine Mendelssohn’s 1833 concert overture, The Fair Melusine, was inspired by a popular legend from medieval European folklore. Melusine was a water sprite cursed to turn into a serpent from the waist down for one day every week. She fatefully agrees to marry a knight and live in the human world on the condition that he must not seek her out on her “serpent day”. Of course, human nature prevails, the knight breaks his promise and she returns to the water for eternity. Mendelssohn was very fond of this work, and made a point of saying his overture did not represent a telling of the story, but rather a reflection of its themes and moods. The overture begins with gently rippling currents suggesting a sense of the sunny, blissful serenity of Melusine’s watery home, a flowing motif introduced by the clarinet. Forty years later, this burbling motif was souped up by Wagner to represent the Rhine river in his Ring Cycle, and has become the cliched manifestation of anything aquatic in countless movies. Soon, this fluid dreamscape takes an abrupt turn towards stormy passion, a sense of two worlds colliding. The drama comes to a sudden end as the final bars sink into the watery depths.
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Beethoven began writing his Symphony No. 2 in D Major during one of the most productive yet depressed periods of his life. By the beginning of the 1800s, a growing deterioration in his hearing was causing a major crisis for him. A prominent Viennese physician urged him to move to the village Heiligenstadt where he could rest and bathe in its curative spa. But his hearing continued to fade, and the isolation contributed to his increasing despondency. Documentary evidence of his complete despair, even contemplation of suicide, exists in his famous Heiligenstadt Testament, yet his remarkable resolve turns to triumph and continued composing. “For some time now my physical strength has been increasing more and more, and therefore my mental powers also…I will seize Fate by the throat; it shall not crush me completely,” he writes. The resulting Symphony No. 2 generates a cheerful enthusiasm, demonstrating the composer’s resolve to seize the day despite tragic obstacles. Composer Hector Berlioz later commented, “Everything in this symphony smiles!”
Symphony No. 2 in D Major The symphony begins darkly enough, moving to D minor midway through the introduction, setting in motion Beethoven’s dramatic use of contrasts and colorful instrumental treatment, roaring to a climax over a rising chromatic bass line. The expansive Larghetto movement takes on the air of a nocturnal serenade, yet transitions into off-beat and forte crashes in the following Scherzo, reflecting the sense of humor Beethoven’s contemporaries often attributed to him. The joking spirit carries over into the powerful Allegro molto finale, enlivened with sudden outbursts and rhythmic surprises. It ends with a monster coda on the heels of unaccompanied violins, described by one critic as “a wounded dragon, raging and striking in vain”. In this remarkable work, Beethoven clearly expends his incredible energy to overcome both personal and musical boundaries.
– “Beethoven and Friends” forms the general outline of this season’s concerts. We begin with his Symphony No. 1, premiered at the turn of the 19th century. During that same decade, Étienne Nicolas Méhul was writing in France. We open with the overture to his opera Joseph. Moving a century ahead, we include a Concerto Grosso by Swiss-born American composer Ernest Bloch for strings with piano obbligato. Due to construction at Clinton High School, this concert will be at Zion Lutheran Church.
Join us for an Overture to the Season dinner before the concert at 5:00 at the Curtis Mansion. Reservations are due September 17th to Karl Wolf @ 563-212-6075
We are also accepting advance reservations for the bus to Sterling for the November 2nd concert – contact Kathy and Dan @ 563-503-4886
Please enjoy the following Program Notes regarding this concert:
Etienne-Nicolas Mehul, 1763-1817
Born June 22, 1763 in Givet, France, Etienne-Nicolas Mehul was a composer who influenced the development of French opera and became one of the principal composers under revolution and empire and a favorite of Napoleon. Although largely unknown to modern audiences, he was lauded by composers such as Berlioz and Wagner as a mentor and innovator and is considered by some to be as important as Beethoven in moving music into the Romantic Age. Between 1787 and 1822, he composed more than 40 operas, produced mainly by the Opera-Comique in Paris. His first opera to be performed, Euphrosine, premiered in 1790 as an immense success and garnered him renown as a new talent to be watched. During the French Revolution, Mehul composed a number of patriotic songs and propaganda pieces demanding great choral and orchestral resources, the most famous of which is Chant du depart, a rousing follow-up to La Marseillaise commissioned by the ruling National Convention. Rewarded by becoming the first composer named to the Institut de France in 1795, he was also honored as one of the first Frenchmen awarded Napoleon’s Legion d’honneur. Mehul’s operatic success was not as great in the first decade of the 1800s, although works such as Joseph (1807j became famous abroad, particularly in Germany. Despite his close alliance with Napoleon, his public standing survived the transition to the Bourbon Restoration, but worsening tuberculosis led to his death in 1817. He is regarded for his bold sense of harmony and original gifts as a dramatist and orchestrator. His operas emphasized the orchestra’s role; frequently, he chose a theme that was developed symphonically as the dramatic action progressed.
Joseph
First performed in Paris in 1807, Joseph en Egypte is an opera-comique in three acts based on the biblical story of Joseph and his brothers from the book of Genesis. With librettist Alexandre Duval, he may have been trying to exploit the contemporary vogue for operas on religious themes and the French fascination for Egypt after Napoleon’s expedition there in 1798. Joseph’s simple Old Testament story of betrayal and forgiveness was a critical success and in 1810 it was awarded a prize for the best piece staged by the Opera-Comique in the previous decade. Nevertheless, it only ran for a few weeks after the premiere, and later was more favorably received in Italy, Belgium and Germany. The opera remained a favorite of composers such as Wagner, Weber, Berlioz and Cherubini who considered Mehul a mentor and pioneer in the use of thematic transformation. Opening in Egypt after Joseph has already become a prominent minister, the overture showcases Mehul’s skillful manipulation of melodic ideas creating an atmosphere of antiquity. All of the characters in the story are written for male voice, giving the score a robust, dark sound. Mixing musical numbers with spoken dialogue, it has been catalogued as an opera en prose. In 1989 there was a new French production of Joseph in Paris to mark the bicentennial of the French Revolution.
Ernest Bloch, 1880-1959
Ernest Bloch has been regarded as one of the most original composers of the 20th century. A lesser-known composer from the early 1900s, his music was regularly performed in his lifetime and reflected Jewish cultural and liturgical themes as well as European post- Romantic traditions. He is particularly beloved of string players, for whom he wrote numerous and wonderful pieces. Born in Geneva in 1880, the son of a clock maker, Bloch spent a good part of his creative life in America, studied violin and composition in Switzerland, Belgium, France and Germany, then returned to Geneva where he entered the family business as a bookkeeper. Trying to establish a conducting career, Bloch visited the United States in 1916 to conduct a tour of the Maud Allan dance company. When the tour failed and he was stranded, he accepted a position teaching theory and composition at the newly-formed David Mannes College of Music in New York. In the following years Bloch established and maintained an important career as an educator, founding the Cleveland Institute of Music, and then directing the San Francisco Conservatory. He spent most of the 1930s composing and performing his music in Switzerland, returning to the US in 1940 to teach at Berkeley until his retirement. Bloch’s music is at once modern, yet accessible, often reflecting his Jewish heritage. In the first decades of the 20th century, composers such as Stravinsky and Schoenberg imagined changes as revolutionary as those occurring in European politics. It became fashionable to dismiss traditional harmony and classical forms for atonal serialism. Bloch maintained that new and exciting music could evolve not by throwing out the old, but by combining aspects of various musical techniques.
Concerto Grosso No. 1
The Concerto Grosso is scored for string orchestra with a piano obbligato and was composed in 1925 as Bloch was finishing up his directorship at the Cleveland Institute. Although much of his music was inspired by Old Testament subjects and traditional Jewish life, Concerto Grosso is a purely secular expression. Typical of a Baroque concerto, the movements are structured around a ritonello that recurs throughout. Italian for “little return”, ritonello was first seen in 14th century madrigals, and is characterized by recurring passages. The first Allegro movement serves as an Introduction, opening with a robust series of chords in the Dorian mode, one of Bloch’s favorite keys. Similar to a minor key, the Dorian is less sad and more triumphant, “darkness with a hint of light”. The chords give way to melodic figures, the meter constantly alternating between 4 beats and 2. The second movement, Dirge, is much longer, less sounding like a tragic funeral but with more of a dark, somber take. The third movement is a fun romp through two rustic dances interspersed with pastorale sections, breaking away from the traditional Baroque prototype. The final Fugue is serious and intense as Bloch out-Bachs Bach, presenting a fugue updated for 20th century ears. Solo strings, section strings, and piano take turns sharing musical textures as a joyous middle section introduces another fugue. The returning theme from the Prelude brings the piece to a joyously triumphant conclusion.
Ludwig van Beethoven, 1770-1827
Long recognized as one of the greatest composers of Western classical music, Ludwig van Beethoven fought the early onset of deafness to produce over 700 works, including 9 symphonies, 35 piano sonatas and 16 string quartets. Popularly, he personifies the idea of the creative genius struggling against convention and his own physical limitations to push the boundaries of form and expression. Born in Bonn, Germany in 1770, his musical talent was recognized early, and by the age of 9 his teacher proclaimed that Beethoven “ would surely become a second Wolfgang Mozart”. Beethoven grew up knowing and hearing the symphonies of Haydn and Mozart, so it was not surprising that his first symphonies bore many of the hallmarks of their classical style and he was hailed as their successor and the voice of the future. His nine completed symphonies span the years 1800 to 1824, each one distinctive in character and all innovative in different ways.
Symphony No. 1 in C Major
Beethoven wrote his First Symphony in the final years of the 18th century and premiered it in the opening years of the 19th, timing befitting the shift from the Classical to the Romantic era. The work bears the unmistakable signs of symphonic tradition established by his most influential predecessors, Mozart and Haydn. Compared to his later revolutionary symphonies, the First follows the typical classical forms, yet some sudden and unexpected shifts in tonality and instrumentation point to Beethoven’s later ingenuity. The Symphony No. 1 premiered on April 2, 1800 at the Burgtheater in Vienna, which the composer had rented to promote his own music. Ironically, just as he was entering this successful phase in his career, he was told his hearing problem was incurable and he even considered suicide. Critics felt it displayed “Great artistry, innovation, and a wealth of ideas”, although they felt Beethoven’s audacious addition of woodwinds a bit too much like music for band, not orchestra. Other innovations include the use of timpani and an animated, relentless pace in a movement traditionally poised, formal and dance-like. Winds are prominent with opening chords in the first movement with pizzicato accompaniment from the strings. Proceeding in a classical direction, the lyrical movement still surprises with more dynamic contrasts and harmonic colorations than usual. The second movement, Andante cantabile con moto, follows a simple theme as hushed trumpets and drums add delicate color. Beethoven’s third movement, Menuetto is a far cry from the traditional stately dance, rushing headlong into a sprightly scherzo, revealing his most prominent, individual voice. Like the first movement, Beethoven teases his audience with a slow beginning before taking off in an exciting Allegro molto e vivace. Violins conclude in high spirits starting softly and scaling the heights into louder dynamics, dramatic and novel for the time. Also present is another novelty: the General Pause, sudden cessation of all sound and then almost immediate re-entry into high-octane movement.
