St. Louis Symphony Program - Nov. 8-9, 2013

8/14/2019 St. Louis Symphony Program - Nov. 8-9, 2013

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CONCERT PROGRAMNovember 8-9, 2013

Nicholas McGegan, conductor

Stefan Jackiw, violin

WEBER Abu HassanOverture (1810-11) (1786-1826)

MOZART Violin Concerto No. 5 in A major, K. 219 (1775) (1756-1791) Allegro aperto Adagio Rondo: Tempo di Menuetto

Stefan Jackiw, violin INTERMISSION

RAMEAU Les Indes galantes Suite (1735-36) (1683-1764)

Ouverture Air pour les Amours Tambourins Prlude pour ladoration du Soleil Air des Incas pour la devotion du Soleil Orage et Air pour Bore Airs pour Zphire Danse du Grand Calumet de la Paix Chaconne: Les Sauvages

HAYDN Symphony No. 100 in G major, Military (1793-94) (1732-1809)

Adagio; Allegro Allegretto Menuet: Moderato Finale: Presto

Nicholas McGegan is the Blackwell Sanders Peper Martin Guest Conductor.Stefan Jackiw is presented by the Whitaker Foundation.The concert of Friday, November 8, is underwritten in part by a generous gift from the

Robert W. Schaefer Trust.The concert of Saturday, November 9, is underwritten in part by a generous gift from

Sanford and Rosalind Neuman.Pre-Concert Conversations are sponsored by Washington University Physicians.Coffee and doughnuts are provided by Krispy Kreme for the Friday, November 8, concert.These concerts are presented by the Thomas A. Kooyumjian Family Foundation.These concerts are part of the Wells Fargo Advisors series.Large print program notes are available through the generosity of Delmar Gardens and

are located at the Customer Service table in the foyer.


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FROM THE STAGELorraine Glass-Harris, second violins, on French Baroque: What I like about this

program is that were not only visiting the court of the French Baroque, withRameau ballets and even King Louis dancing, but we also see how the peopleof that time were fascinated with other cultures and other places. Theyreimagining mythological places in Greece, theyre imagining the Turks, andthe New World. Its an extraordinary time in which the world is comingtogether. People were becoming intrigued by travel, even though they werenttraveling very quickly.


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TIMELINKS

1735-36RAMEAULes Indes galantesSuiteHandel composes operasAriodanteandAlcina

1775MOZARTViolin Concerto No. 5 inA major, K. 219United Colonies becomeUnited States

1793-94HAYDN

Symphony No. 100 in Gmajor, MilitaryReign of Terror beginsduring French Revolution

1810-11WEBERAbu HassanOvertureNed Ludd leads groupsof craftsmen to destroy

textile machinery inEngland, become knownas Luddites

Intimations of exotic locales and cultures, partic-

ularly those considered the orient, constitutea distinctive and especially colorful strand inWestern music. Just what has been regarded asfashionably exotic, or even oriental, has changedover time. During the last century Debussy,Stravinsky, Ravel, Puccini, and Britten (to citeonly a few of the more illustrious names) offeredmusical impressions of the Far East. But theircounterparts in the 18th and 19th centuries

found the orient closer at hand. For those earliercomposers, it was the not too distant yet quiteforeign cultures of Turkey, Arabia, and Persia thatfueled fantasies of remote lands, and references tothe Near and Middle East had become commonor, at least, not uncommonin European musicby the late 18th century.

Our concert offers several examples of

such early musical exotica. The overture to CarlMaria von Webers slight opera Abu Hassantypies the way European composers evokedArabia. Mozart uses similar devices in thesurprising Turkish episode in the nale of hisViolin Concerto in A major, K. 219. The Frenchcomposer Jean-Philippe Rameau does them onebetter, setting the four scenes of his opera LesIndes galantesin a Turkish harem, in Persia, in

Peru, and in the North American wilderness.Our nal offering, Joseph Haydns MilitarySymphony, although undeniably European,also includes percussive qualities that allude toTurkish styles and elements.

THE REALM OF FANTASYBY PAUL SC HIAVO


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CARL MARIA VON WEBERAbu HassanOverture

WIT AND EXUBERANCE Carl Maria von Webercomposed music for his operaAbu Hassaninter-

mittently during the second half of 1810, with thework produced for the rst time in June of thefollowing year, in Munich. On this and subse-quent occasions it proved extremely popular, butits brevity and slender plot have kept it from theactive operatic repertory. Its overture, however,serves well as a concert-opener.

Based on melodies from Abu Hassan, thisprelude conveys both high spirits andby meansof cymbals, triangle, and certain melodic guresa stylized Arabian atmosphere. Both of thesequalities are apparent in the animated theme thatopens the work, and the pace scarcely slackenswith the arrival of a second subject, prepared by abrief horn call and presented by the oboe. Weberexplores these thematic ideas with his customaryinventiveness, but the musics wit and exuber-

ance, rather than its skillful development, proveits most appealing qualities.

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZARTViolin Concerto No. 5 in A major, K. 219

PRODIGAL INVENTION In his violin concertos,Mozarts musical invention takes on an aspect

of caprice such as we rarely encounter in hisother major instrumental works. Melodies pourso abundantly from his pen that they need notbe thoroughly developed, and the ow of musicis sometimes interrupted for fascinating butinexplicable digressions. The rst movementof the A-major concerto begins with the usualorchestral exposition, one whose several brief

themes convey an almost operatic lan. But theentrance of the solo violin changes the musicscharacter completely. Indeed, the featured instru-ment seems to have stumbled into the wrongcomposition, rhapsodizing in slow tempo over amurmuring accompaniment. Having thoroughlyperplexed us (though in a not unpleasant way),Mozart once again shifts gears and returns to

BornNovember 19, 1786, Eutin,northwest of Berlin

DiedJune 5, 1826, London

First PerformanceJune 4, 1811, in Munich, underthe composers direction

STL Symphony PremiereApril 4, 2002, with DavidAmado conducting the onlyprevious performance, at aconcert in Park Hills, Missouri

Scoringflutepiccolo2 oboes2 clarinets2 bassoons2 horns2 trumpets

trombonetimpanipercussionstrings

Performance Timeapproximately 4 minutes

Weber


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usual format for such works during the Baroqueperiod: an initial paragraph in slow tempo andceremonious rhythms, followed by a livelier mainbody of music featuring contrapuntal textures. Inthe series of dances and instrumental airs that

follows, Rameau uses particular instrumentalsonorities and rhythms to intimate a certainexoticism. We also hear some charming tonepainting of a storm and gentler breezes.

The operas nal scene presents Indians andEuropeans joining amicably to smoke a peacepipe and praise the pleasures of love. This happyevent is depicted in the Dance of the Great Peace

Pipe, which leads to the grandest moment inLes Indes galantes. It comes as Indian and Frenchwarriors, Amazons and shepherds and shep-herdesses join in a grand Chaconne, the dancetraditionally used to close an opera-ballet inthe Baroque era. Here Rameaus music movesbetween strains of solemn dignity and brightsplendor, reected in a uid alternation of brightmajor- and more solemn minor-mode harmonies.

JOSEPH HAYDNSymphony No. 100 in G major, Military

THE SYMPHONIST IN LONDON Joseph Haydndeveloped as a symphonistand at the sametime did much to develop the symphony itselffrom an uncertain, edgling form into a well-dened musical genreduring his 30-year tenureas music director at the court of two Hungarianprinces, Paul Anton and Nikolaus Esterhzy.During this time, the composer wrote more than80 symphonies for the Esterhzy court orchestra,endowing these works with distinctive thematicideas and imaginative development of thoseideas. But Haydns crowning achievements in

the eld of the symphony were written not forthe Esterhzy court, nor even for Vienna, wherehis compositions eventually became widelyknown and admired. In 1791-92 and again in1794-95 Haydn obtained leave from his dutiesto the Esterhzy family in order to visit London,where he presented numerous concerts of hismusic. For these events Haydn created his last 12

BornSeptember 25, 1683, date ofbaptism, in Dijon

DiedSeptember 12, 1764, Paris

First PerformanceAugust 23, 1735, the opera LesIndes galantesreceived itsfirst performance at the ParisOpra

STL Symphony PremiereThis week

Scoring2 flutespiccolo2 oboes2 bassoonstrumpettimpanipercussionharpsichord

stringsPerformance Timeapproximately 20 minutes

Rameau


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symphonies, works that represent the Classical-period symphony at the height of its development.

The Symphony in G major, No. 100, bearsthe title Military, a reference to the unusualprominence given to brass and percussion instru-

ments. Unlike many of the titles that have becomeattached to Haydns instrumental works, thisdesignation was used while the composer wasstill in the English capital and therefore almostcertainly had his approval.

NEW WINE IN A FAMILIAR BOTTLE This workassumes the four-movement format that had by

this time become Haydns standard symphonicplan: an opening Allegro preceded by an intro-duction in slow tempo; a more moderately pacedsecond movement; a minuet; and a nale. But asalways, Haydn lls this conventional mold inge-niously. The unusual but highly effective use ofthe woodwinds and percussion (especially thetriangle) in the Allegretto second movement,the startling exclamations of the timpani in the

outer movements, and the unexpected turns ofmelody and harmony throughout the work arenot formulaic devices but products of a lively andoriginal musical intelligence.

Haydns originality is especially evident inthe nale, which is full of surprises: sudden shiftsbetween loud and soft dynamics, suspensefulpauses, harmonies we could not have antici-pated, and more. Together with the movementsmerry principal theme, these developmentsexemplify Haydns characteristic high spirits andkeen musical wit.

Program notes 2013 by Paul Schiavo

BornMarch 31, 1732, Rohrau,Austria

DiedMay 31, 1809, Vienna

First PerformanceMarch 31, 1794, in London,under the composersdirection

STL Symphony PremiereMarch 6, 1914, Max Zachconducting

Most Recent STL SymphonyPerformanceApril 8, 1990, Erich Leinsdorfconducting

Scoring2 flutes2 oboes2 clarinets2 bassoons2 horns2 trumpetstimpanipercussionstrings

Performance Timeapproximately 24 minutes

Haydn


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NICHOLAS MCGEGANBLACKWELL SANDERS PEPER MARTIN GUEST CONDUCTOR

As he embarks on his fourth decade on thepodium, Nicholas McGegan, hailed as one of

the nest Baroque conductors of his generationby the London Independent, is increasingly recog-nized for his probing and revelatory explora-tions of music of all periods. He has been musicdirector of Philharmonia Baroque Orchestrafor 27 years, and was Artistic Director of theInternational Handel Festival Gttingen for 20years (19912011). Beginning in the 2013-14season he becomes Principal Guest Conductorof the Pasadena Symphony, and in 2014becomes Artist in Association with AustraliasAdelaide Symphony.

STEFAN JACKIWWHITAKER GUEST ARTIST

Violinist Stefan Jackiw is recognized as one ofhis generations most signicant artists, capti-vating audiences with playing that combines

poetry and purity with an impeccable technique.Jackiw has appeared as soloist with the New YorkPhilharmonic and Boston, Chicago, Cleveland,Philadelphia, and San Francisco orchestras,among others, and he has collaborated with suchrenowned conductors as Yannick Nzet-Sguin,Charles Dutoit, David Robertson, Ludovic Morlot,Hannu Lintu, Marin Alsop, and Sir Andrew

Davis. His solo performance of MendelssohnsViolin Concerto with the YouTube SymphonyOrchestra at Australias Sydney Opera House inMarch was seen live on YouTube by more than 30million people worldwide.

Nicholas McGegan mostrecently conducted the

St. Louis Symphony inOctober 2012.

STEVE

SHERMAN

Stefan Jackiw makes his St.Louis Symphony debut withthese concerts.

LISA-MARIE

MAZZUCCO


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INNER VOICES:LORRAINE GLASS-HARRIS, SECOND VIOLINS

The second violins are alwayslistening like crazy, because we dontplay an independent instrument. Arewe supporting the soloist? Are weunderlining what the oboe is doing,or are we going with the timpani? Theseconds offer an inner voice to theorchestra, adding excitement, texture,and instrumental color.

Mozart was an excellent violinistand understood the instrument verywell. For the seconds in the Fifth ViolinConcerto, in addition to the tune andthe supporting of the tune, he gives

the second violins the bass line. Itswonderful to put on the bass hat.

DAN

DREYFUS

Lorraine Glass-Harris

A BRIEF EXPLANATIONYou dont need to know what andante means or what a glockenspiel is toenjoy a St. Louis Symphony concert, but its always fun to know stuff. For

example, what is a chaconne?

Chaconne:Program notes author Paul Schiavo writes that Rameaus Les IndesgalantesSuite includes a grand Chaconne. Like many wonderful things,the 16th-century Spanish dance-song was condemned as being improper,which probably made the chaconne all that more popular with its suggestivemovements and scandalous lyrics. By the time the French get ahold of thechaconne, it loses some of its wildness and turns into a more controlled,stately dance. New Yorkermusic critic Alex Ross has written extensively on

the chaconne as a kind of DNA that runs throughout music history. Youcan watch him talk about it, with the accompaniment of some excellentmusicians, including Ethan Iverson of the Bad Plus, on YouTube. Googlesearch Chaconne Lamento Walking Blues. Youll nd it.


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YOU TAKE IT FROM HEREIf these concerts have inspired you to learn more, here are suggested sourcematerials with which to continue your explorations.

John Warrack, Carl Maria von WeberCambridge University PressThe standard English-languagebiography

Cuthbert Girdlestone,Jean-PhilippeRameau: His Life and WorkDover

The denitive life-and-works study.

Robert W. Gutman,Mozart: A Cultural BiographyMariner BooksA valuable exposition of the composerand his times.

youtube.com/artist/franz-joseph-haydnA portal to a wealth of performances of Haydns music

Read the program notes online atstlsymphony.org/planyourvisit/programnotes

Keep up with the backstage life of the St. Louis Symphony, as chronicled by

Symphony staffer Eddie Silva, via stlsymphony.org/blog

The St. Louis Symphony is on


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DONOR SPOTLIGHTTHE WHITAKER FOUNDATION

The Whitaker Foundation was established in 1975 by Mae Whitaker in

memory of her husband, Lyndon C. Whitaker. The Foundations priorities areenriching lives through the arts and preserving and encouraging the use ofurban parks in metropolitan St. Louis.How does the Foundations support of the Symphony fit into your community-wide funding strategy?The St. Louis Symphony is a source of pride and a responsibility for St.Louisans to maintain and grow. Its artistic quality is superior. Not only do weenjoy the Symphony locally, but it is recognized nationally and internationally.The St. Louis Symphony is in our safe keeping. We need to keep it healthy andchallenging.

The Foundation has supported the STL Symphony for over 35 years, why?The Symphony is an organization that grows in its quality, outreach, andrepertoire. It employs a large number of artists who become our neighbors.Although it could rest on its artistic reputation, it pushes itself to grow largeraudiences and perform at outstanding venues beyond Powell Hall.

The Foundation is currently in a three-year commitment supporting Live at PowellHallprograms as well as supporting guest artists. Why did the Foundation chooseto support these areas?Great artists deserve to be challenged. The St. Louis Symphony is so willing topush itself artistically that one wants to lend a hand.


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CONCERT PROGRAMNovember 10, 2013

Live at Powell Hall

Steven Jarvi, conductor

Scott Coulter, vocalist

Lee Lessack, vocalist

Johnny Rodgers, vocalist

Brian Wilson, vocalist

The King: A Tribute to the Music of Elvis

The program will be announced from the stage.

There will be one 20-minute intermission.


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STEVEN JARVISteven Jarvi is the newly appointed ResidentConductor of the St. Louis Symphony, MusicDirector of Winter Opera Saint Louis, and theMusic Director of the St. Louis Symphony Youth

Orchestra. Formerly the Associate Conductor ofthe Kansas City Symphony (KCS), he won theBruno Walter Memorial Foundation Award in2009. He came to the KCS after several years as theConducting Fellow with Michael Tilson Thomasand the New World Symphony in Miami Beach,as an Associate Conductor for the New York CityOpera at Lincoln Center, and as the ApprenticeConductor with the Washington National Operaat the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C.

SCOTT COULTERScott Coulter is one of New Yorks most honoredvocalists. For his work in cabaret, Coulterhas received ve MAC Awards (ManhattanAssociation of Cabarets & Clubs), ve

Bistro Awards, and two Nightlife Awards forOutstanding Vocalist and has performed at mostof NYCs top rooms including Birdland, the OakRoom at the Algonquin, and Feinsteins at theRegency where he spent eight months in 2011performing the revue 11 OClock Numbers at11 OClock, which he also created and musi-cally arranged. Coulter is co-founder/owner ofSpot-On Entertainment (Spot-OnEntertainment.

com) and is a graduate of the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music.

LEE LESSACKTouring extensively in the United States andEurope to sold-out performances and releasingve albums, Lee Lessack has proven himself

both as performer and recording artist. Lessacksnewest concert is titled Chanteur and is anhomage to the Great French Songbook, cele-brating music by Michel Legrand, Jacques Brel,Gilbert Bcaud, and Charles Aznavour to namejust a few. Chanteur also marks Lessacksseventh recording and fourth solo album. A nativeof Philadelphia, Lessack makes his home in LosAngeles, where in 1996 he founded LML Music


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(LMLmusic.com), whose catalog of CDs includesover 100 of the countrys top live recording artistsand performers.

JOHNNY RODGERS

Johnny Rodgers is an internationally-celebratedsinger-songwriter, pianist, music ambassador,Broadway star, and recording artist. Rodgersdazzles audiences with his Americana mlangeof original songs and classic favorites. He toursas music ambassador for the State Departmentto places such as the Middle East, North Africa,Southeast Asia, and the Pacic Islands. This

past summer, Rodgers toured throughoutRussia performing with the Moscow SymphonyOrchestra. Learn more about Rodgers atJohnnyRodgers.com

BRIAN WILSONBrian Wilson is excited to celebrate the musicof Elvis Presley. Originally from Nashville,

Tennessee, Wilson currently lives in NewYork City with his wife Kathi and son James.Wilson toured the U.S. and Canada with theBroadway Musical Cats, playing the roles ofOld Deuteronomy and Gus, the Theater Cat. Inaddition to Cats, he has performed regionally, inSouth Florida, Texas, and at Dollywood. Wilsonwould like to thank his family for their supportand his fellow singers for including him in thismusical celebration.


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AUDIENCE INFORMATION

BOX OFFICE HOURS

Monday-Saturday, 10am-6pm; Weekdayand Saturday concert evenings through

intermission; Sunday concert days12:30pm through intermission.

TO PURCHASE TICKETS

Box Ofce: 314-534-1700Toll Free: 1-800-232-1880Online: stlsymphony.org

Fax: 314-286-4111A service charge is added to alltelephone and online orders.

SEASON TICKET EXCHANGE POLICIES

If you cant use your season tickets,simply exchange them for another

Wells Fargo Advisors subscriptionconcert up to one hour prior to yourconcert date. To exchange your tickets,please call the Box Ofce at 314-534-1700 and be sure to have your tickets

with you when calling.

GROUP AND DISCOUNT TICKETS

314-286-4155 or 1-800-232-1880 Anygroup of 20 is eligible for a discount ontickets for select Orchestral, Holiday,or Live at Powell Hall concerts. Callfor pricing.

Special discount ticket programs areavailable for students, seniors, andpolice and public-safety employees.

Visit stlsymphony.org for moreinformation.

POLICIES

You may store your personalbelongings in lockers located on the

Orchestra and Grand Tier Levels at acost of 25 cents.

Infrared listening headsets are availableat Customer Service.

Cameras and recording devices aredistracting for the performers andaudience members. Audio and videorecording and photography are strictly

prohibited during the concert. Patronsare welcome to take photos before theconcert, during intermission, and afterthe concert.

Please turn off all watch alarms, cellphones, pagers, and other electronicdevices before the start of the concert.

All those arriving after the start of the

concert will be seated at the discretionof the House Manager.

Age for admission to STL Symphonyand Live at Powell Hall concerts

varies, however, for most events therecommended age is ve or older. Allpatrons, regardless of age, must havetheir own tickets and be seated for all

concerts. All children must be seatedwith an adult. Admission to concerts isat the discretion of the House Manager.

Outside food and drink are notpermitted in Powell Hall. No food ordrink is allowed inside the auditorium,except for select concerts.

Powell Hall is not responsible for

the loss or theft of personal property.To inquire about lost items, call314-286-4166.

POWELL HALL RENTALS

Select elegant Powell Hall for your nextspecial occasion.

Visit stlsymphony.org/rentalsfor more information.


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BOUTIQUE

WHEELCHAIR LIFT

BALCONY LEVEL(TERRACE CIRCLE, GRAND CIRCLE)

GRAND TIER LEVEL

(DRESS CIRCLE, DRESS CIRCLE BOXES,GRAND TIER BOXES & LOGE)

MET BAR

TAXI PICK UPDELMAR

ORCHESTRA LEVEL(PARQUET, ORCHESTRA RIGHT & LEFT)

WIGHTMAN

GRAND

FOYERTICKET LOBBY

CUSTOMER

SERVICE

POWELL HALL

LOCKERS

WOMENS RESTROOM

MENS RESTROOM

ELEVATOR

BAR SERVICES

HANDICAPPED-ACCESSIBLE

FAMILY RESTROOM

Please make note of the EXIT signs in the auditorium. In the case of an emergency,proceed to the nearest EXIT near you.

St. Louis Symphony Program - Nov. 8-9, 2013

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Transcript of St. Louis Symphony Program - Nov. 8-9, 2013