Download October 2013 Morning, Noon and Night in Vienna Overture Franz

October2013
Morning,NoonandNightinViennaOverture
FranzvonSuppé(1819‐1895)
Scoredfor2flutes(onedoublingonpiccolo),2oboes,2clarinets,2bassoons,4horns,2
trumpets,3trombones,timpani,snaredrum,bassdrumandstrings.
FranzvonSuppé—akaFrancescoEzechieleErmenegildoCavaliereSuppéDemelli—was
borninSpalato,Dalmatia(nowSplit,Croatia)toparentswho,likesomanyothersbefore
andsince,discouragedhisaspirationsforamusicalcareer.Thoughhedemonstrated
promiseasacomposeratayoungage,vonSuppéagreedtomovewiththefamilytoPadua,
Italywhereheintendedtostudylaw.However,uponhisfather'sdeathin1835,he
relocatedtoVienna(withhismother),enrolledintheConservatory,andpursuedhistrue
passion.HavingbeenswoonedbytheItalianmusicofRossiniandVerdi,hebeganto
composeintheeffervescentItalianatemelodicstyle.Attheheightofhislongandprofitable
career,vonSuppéwasthefounderandleadingcomposeroflightAustrianoperettainthe
middleandlatenineteenthcentury,enjoyingasuccessthatrivaledthatofFrenchman
JacquesOffenbach.Areviewofhisfirstscore(YoungandMerry,1841)praisedtheyouthful
vonSuppéforallthesamequalitiesassociatedwithhislatermasterpieces:
Melodious,richintenderideasandfinenuances,clearlyandeffectively
orchestratedandcontainingsuchsurprisingmodulationsandtransitions,
thattheovertureandmostofthesongsandchoruseshadtobeencored...
ThewholecompositionhastracesoftheItalianstylebutnowandthengoes
inforthoroughlyvernacular,simplyhandledthemes.
Morning,NoonandNightinViennabelongstoamusicalgenrethatprecedestheoperetta‐‐a
humorousplayinterspersedwithsong.Theoverturetosuchaproductionrarely,ifever,
relatedtotheactualstorylineoftheplay.Itsfunctionwassimplytogettheattentionofthe
audience,quietthehouse,andsetthescenefortheentertainment.Eveninthisrelatively
earlywork,composedwhenhewasonlytwenty‐four,vonSuppéhadafeelforhowtograb
theattentionoftheaudience.Theplayclosedafterthreenights,buttheoverturewasa
hugesuccess.
Thelightheartedcharacteroftheplayisapparentinthemusicfromtheverybeginning,as
thedramaticopeningstatementbybrassandwindsisanswered,perhapsmockedwould
beabetterword,byapizzicatoresponse.Thisisthenfollowedbyabriefandcalming
chorale,playedbythewoodwindsandbrass,cappedoffbyarecurrenceofthedramatic
openingmaterialandanotherbriefchorale.Alloftheprecedingblustercummelancholy
turnsouttobemerelyanintroductiontoanextendedcellosolo,featuringaplaintive
melodyoverawaltzaccompanimentplayedbypizzicatostrings.Thelyricalmelodyoccurs
twicebeforethefullorchestratakesover,providinganewclosuretothetuneinthehigh
strings.Thecellotakesoveronceagain,endingitspassagewithanexpressivemini‐
cadenza.Theopeningbangreturnsabruptly,signalingachangetocome.Anexceptionally
activeandagitatedtunecommencesinthestringsandtheremainderoftheovertureisa
whirlwindofmelodicmaterialintendedtoexcitethelistenerandpropelthemusiconward
toitsdramaticconclusion.
“Ombramaifu”fromXerxes
GeorgeFredericHandel(1685‐1759)
Scoredforstringsandsoprano(originallyforcastrato).
TherearetwothingsabouttheoperaXerxes(alsoknowbyitsoriginalItaliantitleSerse)
thateveryoneseemstoagree:1)theopera,asawhole,wasacompletefailurewhenit
premieredand2)theopeningaria,sungbythetitlecharacter,containsoneofHandel’s
mostgorgeousandwell‐knowmelodies.AfterameagerfiveperformancesinApril1738,
theoperadisappearedfromthestagefornearly200years.Thereasonsforthepoor
showingareusuallyplacedsquarelyonHandel’schoiceoflibretto(text).Theconventions
ofoperaatthetimeXerxeswascomposeddidnotallowforthemixingofcomicandtragic
elementsinthesameproduction.Thelibretto,written75yearsearlierthanthemusic,is
filledwithsuchundesirablejuxtapositionsandHandelwasgametotrysomethingthatwas
perceivedasrevolutionary(andclearlyunwantedatthetime):therepresentationofmore
thanonesentimentinthecourseofanopera.Forthosewhospeakopera,Handelalso
shookthingsupmusicallywithregardstotheformalandfamiliarconstructionofhisarias.
Abandoningthestructureoftheheavilyfavored‘dacapo’aria(A‐B‐Ainform),Handel
insteademploysshort,tunefulariasinterwovenwithbriefrecitatives,ensemblesand
instrumentalsections.Revivedin1924,XerxeshasgrowntobecomeoneofHandel’smost
popularandfrequentlyperformedoperas,secondonlytoGiulioCesare.Indeed,thefeatures
thatHandel’saudiencesfoundsodisconcerting—theshorterarias,fastermovingplot,and
theblatantmixtureoftragedyandcomedy—likelyaccountforitspopularitytoday.
TheplotoftheoperaislooselybasedonXerxesIofPersia(ca.480BC)and,loosely
summarized,involvesahalfdozencharactersprofessinglovetosomeonewhodoesn'tlove
them,exceptforonecouplewhotrulyloveeachother,butinsecret.They(thecouplein
love)fendoffanadvancefromamanwholovesthewomanwhilesimultaneouslyfending
offthejealousandmanipulativesister‐of‐the‐secretly‐loved‐womanwhoisdoingherlevel
besttosplitthecoupleupbecauseshewantsthemanhersisteriswith.Thereisquiteabit
more,includinganexcitingtempertantrumendingthathasthreatsofdeathbeingcast
aboutbyacertainXerxeswhocannothavethespousehewants.Butwhoneedsallthat
confusion?Don'tworryaboutit—everythingworksoutjustfinebeforetheoperacomesto
aclose.
ThecomicelementisintroducedattheoutsetoftheoperawiththetyrannicalXerxes
singingtheopeningaria,thesubtleanddelicate“Ombramaifu.”Whilethetextisnot
overtlyhumorous,Handelisplayingontheironyoftheabsurdsituationweareviewing:
Xerxespraisingtheshadeprovidedbyatreeinthemostearnestandferventtermswitha
heart‐stirringmelodythathardlyseemsappropriateforthesituation.Theariahasonlyone
simplelineoftext—perhapsthemostbeautifulmusiceverpennedtodescribethesplendor
ofatree:
“Neverwasmadetheshadeofanyplant,moredearandlovely,ormoresweet.”
“Batti,batti,obelMasetto”fromDonGiovanni
W.A.Mozart(1756‐1791)
Scoredforflute,oboe,bassoon,2horns,stringsandsolosoprano.
Geniusisatitlethatisperhapsthrownaboutabitrecklesslywhenascribingadjectivesto
historicpersonalities.However,anythatdenyMozartthismoniker,surelywouldbeplaced
inthestockandpilloriesforpublicridicule.WhilemostemphasizeMozart’smusical
prowess(aworthyfocus,indeed)considertodayhismulti‐lingualskillsintheoperatic
realm.SinceItalianoperawasalltherageinthelateeighteenthcentury,anyserious
composerwasexpectedtowriteinItalian,andMozartwasonlytoohappytocomply.
MozartclearlyunderstoodthesubtletiesofItalianandpennedmusicthatcorrespondsina
waythatwouldsuggestmuchmorethanasimplistictouristvocabulary.Healsohad
masteryofFrenchandLatin,alllikelyself‐taughtasthereisnorecordofhimtaking
languageclassesatSalzburgCommunityCollegeorindulginginearlyeditionsofRosetta
Stone.Sumtotal,Mozart’soperaticcreationsenvelopthelistenerinarichmusicaland
linguisticexperiencethatfewothersequalevenwhenwritingintheirownvernacular.
DonGiovanniwaspremieredin1787,featuringascandalouslibrettobyLonrenzoDaPonte
basedonthelegendsofthefictionalphilanderer,DonJuan.Althoughsometimesclassified
asacomicopera(Mozarthimselfcatalogueditaan“operabuffa”),itblendshumorwith
melodramaandthesupernatural.ForthosenotfamiliarwiththeDonJuanlegend,thetitle
characterisanarrogant,promiscuousnoblemanwhohasapenchantforseducingwomen
throughoutEurope—andnotjustafew,mindyou.DuringthecourseoftheoperaDaPonte
andMozartintroduceustothreewomenwhohavebeendupedbytheDon:DonnaAnna,
ZerlinaandDonnaElvira.Theyhavelooselybondedtogetherforthepurposesofrevenge.
TheplottwistssuchthatthefatherofDonnaAnna,knownastheCommendatore,iskilled
byDonGiovanniwhenDoniscaughttryingtoseducehisdaughter.DonGiovanniandhis
servant,Leporello,laterapproachastonemonumentoftheCommendatorewhereuponthe
statueawakensandrebukestheDonforhisdespicablebehavior.Leporelloisterrified,but
Giovanni,inafitofdisbelievinggoodhumor,tellsLeporellotoaskthestatuetodinner.The
statueaccepts.Whenthestatuearrivesfordinner,theDonpolitelyaskshimtojoinhimfor
themealbutthestatuedeclines.Instead,heorderstheDontorepentforhissins.Defiantto
theend,Giovannirefusestoatoneforhiswrongsandisdraggeddownintohellalongwith
thestatue.
Thearia“Batti,batti”issungbyZerlinatoherfiancé,Masetto,afteranattemptedseduction
bytheDon.SheistryingtoplacateMasettowhoisclearlyangeredbywhathastranspired.
Beatme,dearMasetto,beatyourpoorZerlina.
I’llstandhereasmeekasalambandbeartheblowsyoulayonme.
Youcantearoutmyhair,youcanputoutmyeyes.
AndyetgladlyI’llkissyourdearhands.
Ah!Iseeyouhavenotthehearttodoso.
Letusmakepeace,mydearestlove!
Inhappinessandjoyletuspassourdaysandnights.
SymphonieEspagnole
EdouardLalo(1823‐1892)
Scoredfor:piccolo,2flutes,2oboes,2clarinets,2bassoons,4horns,2trumpets,3
trombones,timpani,triangle,snaredrum,harp,andstrings.
EdouardLalowasbornintoamilitaryfamilyinNorthernFrance.Hisfatherfoughtfor
NapoleonandassumedthatyoungEdouardwouldpursuethemilitaryasacareeraswell.
Althoughhisparentsinitiallyencouragedhismusicaltalents,whenhebegantoconsider
musicasacareerpossibility,hereceivedsternoppositionfromhisfather.Frustrated,Lalo
lefthomeatage16topursuemusicalstudiesattheParisConservatory.Foratime,things
wentwellforhimasastudent,butgraduallytherigidstructureoftheinstitutionandlack
offlexibilityintheinstructorsandtheirmethodsforcedLalotoreconsiderhiscareer
options.Hedecidednottogivein,perhapsoutoffearofreturninghomeindisgrace,and
workedforyearsinrelativeobscurityasaviolinistandmusicteacher.Itwasnotuntilthe
1870s,whenLalowaspasthis50thbirthday,thathefinallygotabreakasacomposer.
TheFranco‐Prussianwarof1870anditsaftermathcreatedtemporaryhavocinFrance’s
socialconditions;thepracticeofmusichadnearlycometoastandstillinthecountry.
However,therapidreconstructionthatfollowedtheconclusionofthewargaverisetothe
creationoftheSociéténationaledemusique.TheSociété,inturn,createdaconcertseriesto
rallythemusicalarts,whichdemandedthecreationofnewworks.Frenchcomposers,
includingLalo,wereinspiredandencouragedtocomposelarge‐scaleorchestralworksfor
theseperformances,despitethefactthatsuchworkshadfallenoutoffashioninFrance
manydecadesearlier.
Lalo’snameasacomposerbecamewidelyknownbeyondtheboardersofFrancethrougha
seriesofworkshecomposedfortheSpanishviolinistPabloSarasate.Oneofthemost
spectacularviolinvirtuososofthelatenineteenthcentury,Sarasatewasknownforhis
beautifultone,perfectintonation,tremendousego,andhisflaironthestage.Many
composersdedicatedworkstohim,includingMaxBruch,CamilleSaint‐Saëns,Joseph
Joachim,HenriWieniawski,andAntonínDvorak.ThefirstworkLaloandSarasate
collaboratedonwastheConcertoinFMajor,whichwaspremieredin1874.Lalowasso
takenbySarasate’sabilitiesthathesoonsettoworkonanother,moreambitiouswork,
whichhetailoredspecificallytosuitSarasate.Thissecondwork,SymphonieEspagnole,
Lalo’smostfamousandenduringcomposition,wasfirstperformedin1875withSarasate
assoloist.ParisianaudienceswerehungryfortheexoticSpanishsoundingmusicandtheir
responsetotheSymphonieEspagnolewasoneofimmediateenthusiasm.
Don’tletthetitledeceive;SymphonieEspagnoleisnotasymphony,noratraditional
concerto.Itismorelikeafive‐movementBaroquesuite,especiallywhentheincorporation
ofdancerhythmsisconsidered.Althoughthefivemovementsarenotspecificallynamed,
theyallcorrespondtoSpanishdancesandfolkrhythms,whilethestructureofthe
movementscorrespondstoclassicalsymphonicandconcertomodels.Lalohasthe
followingcommentaryontheunusualtitleoftheSymphonieEspagnole:
Artistically,atitlemeansnothingandtheworkitselfiseverything;thisisan
absoluteprinciple.Butcommercially,atainted,discreditedtitleisnevera
goodthing.IkeptthetitleSymphonieespagnolecontrarytoandinspiteof
everybody,first,becauseitconveyedmythoughts—thatistosay,aviolin
solosoaringabovetherigidformofanoldsymphony—andthenbecausethe
titlewaslessbanalthanthosethatwereproposedtome.Thecriesand
criticismshavediedorwilldiedown;thetitlewillremain,andinaletterof
congratulationBülowwrotetomethatthishappytitleplacedthepiece
beyondallothers.
Thefirstmovementisahabanera,withthethreemainthemesofthissonataform
presentedinthesamerhythm–althoughnotthesamemood.Thefirsttwothemesrun
together,andalthoughthefirstislittlemorethanamotive,itservesasthegluethatholds
themovementtogetherasbothrefrain,aswellasthemostdevelopedmusicalidea.
SymphonyNo.5inFMajor,Op.76
AntonínDvořák(1841‐1904)
Scoredfor:2flutes,2oboes,2clarinets,bassclarinet,2bassoons,4horns,2trumpets,3
trombones,timpani,triangleandstrings
DvořákwasbornonSeptember8,1841inMühlhausen,Bohemia(todayNelahozeves,
CzechRepublic)about20milesnorthofPrague.Hisfatherwasabutcher,innkeeper,and
professionalplayerofthezither.Dvořák'sparentsrecognizedandnurturedhismusical
talentfromanearlyage.Hestudiedorgan,violinandviola,becomingaccomplishedonall
threeinstruments.AsayoungadultheplayedviolaintheBohemianProvisionalTheater
Orchestra,andfellunderthespellofitsdirector,CzechnationalistcomposerBedrich
Smetana.Bittenbythecompositionalbug,Dvořákturnedhisattentionawayfrom
performingin1871andbegantoreceivemodestregionalacclaimforhiswork.Withina
fewyearshisreputationasacomposerhadspread,attractingtheattentionofsuchmusical
luminariesasJohannesBrahms.BrahmsevenrecommendedDvořáktohispublisher,
Simrock,whosubsequentlycommissionedwhatwouldbecomethewildlypopularSlavonic
Dances,firstpublishedin1878,andrepresentedDvořák’sbreakthroughcomposition.
However,beforehisinternationalcareertookrootinthelate1870s,Dvořákcontinuedto
composeinrelativeisolation.HisFifthSymphonywascompletedintheremarkablysmall
windowoffiveandahalfweeks,withthefinishedmanuscriptbearingthedateJuly
23,1875.Thissymphony,alongwithotherworks,wassubmittedasapartofhisapplication
forthe1876AustrianStatePrize,anannualstipendgivenbytheAustriangovernmentto
“young,poor,andtalentedpainters,sculptorsandmusicians.”(Brahmsservedasoneofthe
judgesonthecommittee.)Dvořákhadwontheprizeonhisfirstattemptin1874,lostonhis
second,andnowhadwonagain.TheFifthSymphonywaspremieredinMarch1879,but
wasnotpublisheduntil1888.Thoughthetrueopusnumberofthesymphonyshould
rightfullyhavebeeninthemidtwenties,SimrockchoseOp.76,anumberthatcorrelated
withotherworksDvořákwascomposingin1888,inordertomaketheworkappearasa
‘hotoffthepress’itemfromthenowworld‐famouscomposer.
ForthosewhostudythesymphonicworksofDvořák,thereisamarkedchangethatoccurs
betweenthemusicofhisfirstfoursymphoniesandthefifth.Theformer,rarelyperformed
works,areoftenclassifiedasexperimental.TheycertainlyforeshadowthecharmingCzech
melodiesandrhythmiccomplexitiesthatweassociatewithDvořák’smatureworks,but
theyareheavilyinfluencedbytheweightyorchestrationandcompositionaltechniques
espousedbyRichardWagner.Bycontrast,DvořákbiographerJohnClaphamboldly
proclaims:“Itisasifanewworldisrevealedinthe[SymphonyNo.5].Dvořák'snew‐found
masteryisfirstnoticedinthemagicalopeningforclarinetsandabackgroundofhornsand
strings,andsubsequentlyseenintheremainderofthework.Butnowhereisitmore
apparentthaninthepowerfulfinale.ThisremarkablemovementcommencesinAminor,
andavoidstheprincipalkeyofFmajorforwelloverfiftybars.Thisploywasbynomeans
new,butnocomposerhadpreviouslyattempteditonsoextendedascale.Thefinale's
developmentsectionisthemostdynamicthatDvorákhadproduceduptothistime.”
ProgramnoteannotatorfortheBaltimoreSymphonyOrchestra,JanetE.Bedell,describes
thefourmovementsoftheSymphonyNo.5thusly:
ThefirstmovementismusicoftheCzechcountryside:buoyantand
optimistic,withbright,pastoralwoodwindcolors.Twoclarinets,thentwo
flutesintroduceabirdlikereveilleofaprincipaltheme,withaserenelyrising
three‐noteconcludingmotivethatDvorákwillputtogooduse;Dvorak
scholarOtakarSourekdescribesthismusicashaving"thedew‐fresh
fragranceofaspringmorning."Itripplesintothesecondpartoftheprincipal
theme:aboisterous,syncopatedpeasantdancedeliveredloudlybythefull
orchestra.Syncopatedrhythmsalsoanimatethecontrastinglyricaltheme:a
chromaticallyslitheringideaproposedbytheviolins.Theseideasarebriefly
andenergeticallydevelopedbeforetheentireexpositionisrepeated.The
truedevelopmentsectioninitiallyemphasizestheopeningthemeandisyet
morestormilyenergetic.Therecapitulationreturnsquietly,withapairof
hornsreprisingthebirdsongreveilletheme.Themovementclosesasgently
asitbegan.
Movementtwo,inAminor,isapensiveintermezzorevolvingarounda
lovely,gentlymelancholymelody,firstsungbythecellos.Themiddlesection,
castinthecontrastingAmajoranddominatedbythewoodwinds,brightens
themood;ithasatendersprightlinessthatrecallsoneofDvorák'sfavorite
composers:FranzSchubert.Thereisnopausebetweentheendofthesecond
movementandtheopeningofthethird.Theintroductionbrieflyreprisesthe
droopingmelodyofthesecondbeforeacceleratingintoanenchanting
scherzodance,itssparkleaccentedbythetriangle.TheensuingTriosection
againemphasizesthewoodwindsectionbeforethescherzodancerepeats.
Afterthelightnessofthetwomiddlemovements,thefierceentranceofthe
lowstringssinginganintenselypassionatemelodyinAminorcomesasquite
ashock.ThisisthesurprisinglaunchoftheFifth'sgreatfinale,whichbegins
asabattletofindthewaybacktothehometonalityofFmajor.Afteraseries
oftempestuouspassages,thisdarkminorthemeisfinallytransformedintoa
boldlytriumphantoneinFmajor.Thisdone,thestormcanabate
momentarilyforasmoothlyromanticsecondthemebycoolwoodwinds,
toppedbyswooningviolins.ThemusicflowsintooneofDvorák'smost
excitingdevelopmentsections,fulloffireanddrama.Asitdiesout,the
passionatetheme,stillstubbornlyclingingtoAminor,quietlyrecapitulates
intheviolins.Intheclosingcoda,listenforthehighwoodwindssoftly
recallingtherisingthree‐notemotiffromthebeginningofthesymphony.
Withalastexuberantbrassfanfare,Dvorákjoyfullydemonstrateshowwell
thefirst‐movementreveillethememesheswiththefinale'striumphant
theme,thusbringingtheworktoasatisfyingfull‐circleclose.