2024 Program Notes
PROGRAM NOTES
MountainTop Masterworks IV
French Summer Nights with Erin Freeman
“This season’s finale pulls at the heart strings in more ways than one. We have an opener that addresses a home country in turmoil, a concerto that lifted a composer from the depths of depression, and a ballet score that fits magic, love, frightful monsters, a lullaby, and a triumphal ending in 22 short minutes! When I approached our own Gilda Lyons about creating a work to pair with Stravinsky and Rachmaninoff, she had the brilliant idea of reworking one of most celebrated works: La Flor Mas Linda. Originally a wind ensemble piece and now for full orchestra, the piece is a letter to her family home in Nicaragua – a country in turmoil. After the disastrous premiere of his first symphony (the conductor was drunk!), Sergei Rachmaninoff plunged into a deep depression. After seeing a therapist, he created what would become his signature work, and arguably the most popular concerto of all time. We conclude with Igor Stravinsky’s colorful stunner of a ballet: The Firebird. With a colorful orchestra, one shocking chord, and two of the most beautiful melodies ever composed, you’ll experience what happens when a woman (in the form of a magical firebird) saves the day!”
– Artistic Director, Erin Freeman
Gilda Lyons: La Flor Mas Linda
Gilda Lyons (b. 1975)
Composer and Vocalist with American and Nicaraguan roots
Currently Co-Chair of Composition at Wintergreen Music and Program Chair of Composition at The Hartt School.
Has works on several recording labels, including Clarion, GPR, Naxos, New Dynamic, New Focus, Roven Records, and Yarlung Records
She has a strong practice of overtone singing and can manipulate upper partials to produce two sung pitches at once.
Gilda Lyons was named after her mother, Gilda, who was named after the daughter, Gilda, of the eponymous jester in Verdi’s Rigoletto.
She has received multiple awards this season for her performance in Daron Hagen’s operafilm 9/10 Love Before the Fall, including awards from Paris Film Awards, Paris, France; Austin International Art Festival, Texas; Mindfield Film Festival Albuquerque, New Mexico; Cannes World Film Festival, Cannes, France; AltFF Alternative Film Festival, Toronto, Canada; and Mindfield Film Festival Albuquerque, New Mexico.
La Flor Mas Linda
Instrumentation: 2 Flutes, 1 Piccolo, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 4 Horns, 2 Trumpets, 3 Trombones, Tuba, Harp, Piano, Timpani, Percussion [Whistle, Maracas, Snare Drum, Glockenspiel, Marimba, Tubular Bells], Strings [Violin 1, Violin 2, Viola, Cello, Bass]
Length: 6.5 minutes
Originally written in 2019 as a Wind Ensemble piece, premiered at the College Band Directors National Association National Convention in Arizona
Lyons reorchestrated it for Symphony Orchestra for the 2024 Wintergreen Music Festival
The waltz quoted throughout the work is from a piece by de la Cruz Mena, which the composer’s grandfather, played with his brother’s in their ensemble Marimba Diriangén.
“la flor más linda”—which translates as “the prettiest flower”—is a line drawn from Carlos Mejía Godoy’s song Nicaragua, Nicaragüita.
World Premiere of this version for Symphony Orchestra
What to Listen For
Listen for sonic images the composer associates with Nicaragua: Basílica bells that toll freely during the Festival of San Sebastián (tubular bells); the pito and chischiles of the dance of the Toro Huaco, (flute and maracas); firecrackers that announce celebration (snare drums); the strong wind that blows through the composer’s mother’s hometown (scalar gestures throughout).
Toward the work’s end, vibrant and celebratory sounds mutate into those more sinister and violent, and the song becomes a lament.
Quotable
“In September 2018, as protesters from Nicaragua’s Carazo region prepared to march against the increasingly dictatorial Ortega government, blockades and armed forces awaited protesters. A world away, I responded by recording and posting a verse of Carlos Mejía Godoy’s Nicaragua, Nicaragüita, a song that has become as clear a symbol of the resistance as the blue and white Nicaraguan flag. It was a cry into the abyss, but, to my surprise, it actually landed with dear ones and their friends in Nicaragua who wrote that they felt our family standing with them. From this urgent sense of reaching across distance through music grew la flor más linda, written for Glen Adsit, Edward Cumming, and the Foot in the Door Ensemble.”
– Gilda Lyons
Further Reading
https://exhibits.library.umkc.edu/s/shining-a-light/item/3699
https://genevasummit.org/speech/felix-maradiaga-speaks-at-2019-geneva-summit/
Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18
Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873-1943)
Russian composer, conductor, and pianist
Hands spanned 12 piano keys – so from a C across the next octave and up to a G!
Had a red Lorelei sports car named Laura
Composed 3 symphonies, 10 additional orchestra works, 10 chamber works, 5 works for piano and orchestra, 6 operas, 11 works for chorus, several songs, and many (many!) piano works
Piano Concerto No. 2 in C Minor, Op. 18
Instrumentation: 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 4 Horns, 2 Trumpets, 3 Trombones, 1 Tuba, Timpani, Percussion [Bass Drum & Cymbals], Strings, Solo Piano
Composed: between 1900 and 1901
Length: 38 minutes
Movements:
Moderato
Adagio sostenuto
Allegro scherzando
Dedicated to his neurologist and psychotherapist Nikolai Dahl, who helped him out of a severe writer’s block
Written for Rachmaninoff himself to perform the solo part
Is one of the most famous piano concertos, and was used in films from September Affair, Rhapsody, and The Seven Year Itch.
Wintergreen Music Premiere
What to Listen For
Movement I – Moderato (Moderate): The concerto begins with the solo piano playing chords demonstrating the stretch of Rachmaninoff’s giant hands. After a stunning crescendo, the orchestra takes the melodic lead, while the solo piano ornaments with impressively quick arpeggiation. The second melody of the movement is initially the responsibility of the pianist, but then is passed to other instruments as the pianist once again recedes into the background - still virtuosic but more supportive in nature.
Movement II – Adagio sostenuto (Slow & Sustained): After the hushed, chordal opening, the main body of the second movement creates an ethereal feel – one is suspended in musical mist. Part of this is due to the lack of clarity around the meter. The pianist plays in groups of four notes, while the flute and clarinet solos organize their serene melody around three. Those familiar with 1970’s pop music might hear familiar sounds in this movement, as Eric Carmen incorporated them into his 1975 hit All By Myself. (Sadly Eric Carmen passed away this year on March 11.)
Movement III – Allegro scherzando (Fast & Playful): The third movement starts as a march and after a short cadenza-like solo sections, breaks forth into a brief fugue. Finally, the moment we’ve all been waiting for: the sweeping tune that acted as the basis for Buddy Kaye and Ted Mossman’s Full Moon and Empty Arms (famously performed by Frank Sinatra).
Quotable
“What is Music? How do you define it? Music is a calm moonlit night, the rustle of leaves in Summer. Music is the far off peal of bells at dusk! Music comes straight from the heart and talks only to the heart: it is Love! Music is the Sister of Poetry and her Mother is sorrow!"
– Sergei Rachmaninoff
Further Reading
https://www.rbth.com/arts/334377-sergei-rachmaninoff-russian-composer
https://www.sfsymphony.org/Data/Event-Data/Program-Notes/R/Rachmaninoff-Piano-Concerto-No-2
Igor Stravinsky: The Firebird, 1919 Suite
Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
Russian composer and conductor
Stravinsky was born into a musical family - his father was an opera singer and his mother was a pianist
Was discovered by Sergei Diaghilev, founder of the Ballet Russes in Paris, which launched his career as a ballet composer
His music is characterized by strong rhythms, colorful orchestration, and imaginative harmonies
Was exiled from Russia and held citizenship in both France and the United States
Created several works for player piano, including arrangements of The Firebird!
Composed: 13 ballets, 17 chamber works, 15 choral works, 8 concerto or concerto-like pieces, around 15 additional works for orchestra, and several works for piano and voice
The Firebird, 1919 Suite
Instrumentation: 2 Flutes, Piccolo, 2 Oboes [2nd doubling English Horn], 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 4 Horns, 2 Trumpets, 3 Trombones, 1 Tuba, Timpani, Percussion [Triangle, Bass Drum, Xylophone, Tambourine, Cymbals], Harp, Piano, Strings
Composed: 1910 (Original Ballet); 1911 (1st Concert Suite); 1919 (2nd Concert Suite - the one performed this weekend); 1945 (3rd concert suite)
Length: 22 minutes
Movements:
Introduction – The Firebird and its Dance – Firebird Variations
The Princesses' Khorovod (Rondo)
Infernal Dance of King Kashchei
Lullaby
Finale
The first of three large ballets created for the Ballet Russes. The other two were Petrushka and The Rite of Spring
Wintergreen Music premiere
What to Listen For
Stravinsky creates two musical works in this work. For the magical creatures (such as the Firebird), he used tritones and extended orchestral techniques such as harmonics. For the human characters (Prince Ivan and Princess Katerina), the music is based on the major/minor scale system and uses the orchestra in a more traditional manner.
Here is an abbreviated list of some of the innovative techniques that you’ll hear from the strings:
“Con sordino,” or with mutes. This creates a muffled and mysterious color.
“Sul tasto,” or on the finger board. This means that the bows will be drawn over the fingerboard, again creating a muffled sound.
Glissandi harmonics. You’ll see the string players’ left hands moving swiftly up and down the strings. Because they only lightly touch the strings, the sound is airy and very high.
“Jeté,” or thrown bow. This is when they almost throw the bow against the string, causing it to bounce playfully and quickly.
“Du talon,” or at the frog. This means that they use the part of the bow that is closest to the hand, which allows the player to make a very accented and aggressive sound.
“Col legno,” or with the wood. You’ll see the string players turn their bow upside and bounce the wooden part of the bow against the string.
For a thorough breakdown of the music and story, visit this link: https://www.charlottesymphony.org/educationguide/stravinsky-i-firebird-suite/
Quotable
““There’s no more fitting description of the excited atmosphere in the Auckland Town Hall as we waited for Stravinsky — Stravinsky himself! — to appear, than ’electric’. It seemed that magic was in the air and when the magician himself brought his Firebird to life, the effects of the spell he cast have lasted with me to this day.”
– John [no last name], who attended a performance of Stravinsky conducting The Firebird in 1961.
Further Reading
MountainTop Masterworks I
Appalachian Spring & Mozart with Rei Hotoda
“On this weekend celebrating American Independence Day, we feature the music of two very different American composers plus a symphony by Wintergreen favorite Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. These aren’t, however, just three diverse composers, but the pieces themselves require three completely different setups. For the GRAMMY®-Award winning Rounds by Jessie Montgomery, you’ll see our conductor, Rei Hotoda, leading and playing from the piano bench with the strings all around her. Then, Rei will pick up the baton, we’ll spin the piano around so it becomes part of the ensemble, add some winds, and remove some strings to present Aaron Copland’s Appalachian Spring suite in its original 13 instrument version. We then move to a traditional orchestra setup to perform Mozart’s 29th symphony – which, although it looks like a standard symphony, is truly a piece of large chamber music, with a stunning combination of virtuosity and intimacy. Collaboration, listening, and shared leadership will all be on display in this mixed-repertoire MountainTop Masterworks I.”
– Artistic Director, Erin Freeman
Jessie Montgomery: Rounds for Piano & Strings
Jessie Montgomery (b. 1981)
Composer and violinist
Born and raised in New York City
Recipient of the Leonard Bernstein Award from the ASCAP Foundation, the Sphinx Medal of Excellence, and the Civitella Ranieri Fellowship
Currently teaching at Blair School of Music, Bard College, and The New School
Other pieces of hers we have performed at Wintergreen Music: Starburst (orchestra), Strum (orchestra), Source Code (string quartet), Voo Doo Dolls (string quartet)
Rounds for Piano & Strings
Instrumentation: Piano & String Orchestra
Composed: 2022
Length: 15 minutes
Winner of the 2024 GRAMMY®-Award for Best Contemporary Classical Composition
Was written for and with the guidance of pianist Awadagin Pratt, a figure whose influence will also help us close our season in MountainTop Masterworks IV
Inspired by ”Four Quartets” by T.S. Eliot
The form is a Rondo - in a Rondo - in a Rondo! So each section of the ABABA form, is also ABABA.
Wintergreen Music premiere
What to Listen For
Listen for the A section of the “Rondo” (or round), a swiftly moving piano part. Each time it returns, there’s a sense of returning to familiar musical territory.
In addition to the frequent return of the A section, you’ll hear other musical patterns emerge such as repeated chords, tunes, and gestures.
The strings play with a variety of techniques, including pizzicato (plucking) and sul ponticello (on the bridge), which makes an eerie, otherworldly sound.
The work has distinct contrasts between sections. At times it will be flowing and gentle, and other times it will sound downright dissonant. It clearly imitates our own life experience – a constant back and forth of ups and downs. Which mood do you connect with today?
About two-thirds of the way through, the pianist will play a cadenza – a virtuosic solo section. This is partly improvised and uses the piano in unexpected ways.
Quotable
“But the jaw-dropping highlight of the program, which repeats Friday at the Green Music Center and Saturday at the Presidio Theatre, was pianist Awadagin Pratt’s performance of Jessie Montgomery’s Rounds. Re-reading my notebook, I see that while Pratt commanded the piano keys, I scrawled things like “holy s&*%,” “D E L I C A T E ~then~ thundering,” and “this is what classical music needs in 2024.”
– Gabe Meline, WQED
Further reading
Aaron Copland: Appalachian Spring, Suite for 13 instruments
Aaron Copland (1900-1990)
American composer, conductor, and teacher known as the "Dean of American Composers"
Was taught initially by his sister Laurine and eventually studied with Nadia Boulanger, the great French pedagogue
Composed over 120 works, including Billy the Kid, Appalachian Spring, Fanfare for the Common Man, and the Clarinet Concerto.
Appalachian Spring, Suite for 13 instruments
Instrumentation: 1 Flute, 1 Clarinet, 1 Bassoon, Piano, 2 First Violins, 2 Second Violins, 2 Violas, 2 Cellos, and 1 Bass
Composed: Today’s version – the Suite for 13 instruments (1945); Original full ballet for 13 instruments (1943-44); Suite for Orchestra (1945);
The original full ballet was a collaboration between Aaron Copland (composer), Martha Graham (dancer and choreographer), and Isamu Moguchi (artist and designer) and is an American story of a pioneer family traveling west and celebrating a wedding.
Length: 20-25 minutes
Wintergreen Music premiere (13 instrument version); Last performed at Wintergreen Music 2018 (Suite for Orchestra)
What to Listen For
A peaceful, open sound played by the clarinet launches the work, sounding like the wide open and not-yet discovered plains of the American west.
There are several sections with driving, energetic, optimistic rhythms, perfect for the Martha Graham style of dance and even more fitting for the joyous hope a wedding brings its community.
Towards the end, Copland incorporates the Shaker tune “Tis the Gift to be Simple,” bringing a bit of American familiarity to the piece.
The 13 instrument version truly allows the listener to experience the virtuosity and musicality of individual players, while still creating a powerful, symphonic sound.
Quotable
“Appalachian Spring is generally thought to be folk-inspired, but the Shaker tune ‘Tis the Gift to be Simple’ is the only folk material actually quoted in the piece. Rhythms and melodies that suggest a certain ambiance, and the use of specific folk themes, are after all not the same thing. It took me about a year to finish and I remember thinking how crazy it was to spend all that time because I knew how short‑lived most ballet scores are, but [it] took on a life of its own.”
– Aaron Copeland
Further reading
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony No. 29 in A Major, k. 201
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791)
Austrian composer, violinist, pianist & violist
He composed over 41 symphonies, 21 stage and opera works, 15 masses, 25 piano concertos, 12 violin concertos, 17 piano sonatas, 26 string quartets, and more!
Mozart was a night owl and loved animals (he had a pet canary, horse, and dog!)
His name given at his baptism was Joannes Chrisostomus Wolfgang Gottlieb Mozart – he started using Amadeus (or Amadeo) in 1770.
Symphony No. 29 in A major, k. 201
Instrumentation: 2 oboes, 2 horns, strings
Composed in: 1774
Length: 23 minutes
Four movements:
Allegro Moderato
Andante
Menuetto – Trio – Menuetto
Allegro con spirito
Last performed at Wintergreen Music: 2010
What to Listen For
The opening begins gently, with just strings playing piano (or soft). The main melody features a gently descending octave followed by pleading 8th notes. Soon, however, the oboes and horns enter and herald a more energetic, forte (loud) section, famously featured in the movie Amadeus.
Movement I – Allegro Moderato (Moderately Fast): In the first movement, the oboes and horns have a lot of long notes. These create tension and volume (and are much harder than they sound)!
Movement II – Andane (Walking Tempo): From the dotted notes at the beginning, you can imagine a leisurely stroll through a meadow. The first violins and oboes take turns with ornamental flourishes that could sound like bird calls on said walk. Meanwhile, the violas, cellos, and bass always keep the walking steps going with a solid rhythmic underpinning.
Movement III – Menuetto (Minuet): In the third movement, the dotted notes are back, but rather than imitating a gentle stroll, they sound like a royal court dance with horn calls and boldly contrasting dynamics. The middle part of the Menuetto (or the Trio), is more lyrical, but still boasts some shocking dynamic contrasts.
Movement IV – Allegro con spirito (Lively with spirit): The finale is raucous in character from the very beginning – no gentle string opening here. But Mozart does brilliantly tie into the opening by featuring a descending octave in the main melody. This time, however, the octave is strongly marked and followed by playful, ascending gestures, accented trills, impish grace notes, and measure upon measure of relentlessly energetic sixteenth notes.
Quotable
“With Symphony Number 29
Mozart, drinking Haydn’s wine
that aged so well it never dated,
began to make us all intoxicated”
– Alan Chapman, Host of Classical KUSC (91.5 FM)
Further reading
MountainTop Masterworks II
French Summer Nights with Erin Freeman
“I suppose you could retitle MountainTop Masterworks II “Erin’s Wish List,” because these three pieces are ones I’ve been wanting to bring to Wintergreen for a while. George Bizet’s symphony is like a breath of fresh air – the kind you get on the MountainTop. It’s vibrant, energetic, humorous, and features one of the most beautiful oboe solos ever written! From the name alone, Nuits d’été, or Summer Nights, by Hector Berlioz seems like a no-brainer for the Wintergreen Music Festival, but my choice to program it goes beyond the title. The intimate orchestration allows our players to shine, and demands that all of us (conductor and soloist included) treat this symphonic piece like chamber music – interacting musically with each other at all times. We open the concert with an under-performed work by Marianna Martines – a contemporary (and friend) of Mozart and Haydn. This true masterpiece allows us to highlight our LEAD singers (plus a few guests) and is wildly fun for our Sing with Us! chorus to perform. The tent will be filled with beauty, joy, and humor in this most effervescent of concerts!”
– Artistic Director, Erin Freeman
Marianna Martines: Dixit Dominus
Marianna Martines (1744–1812)
Viennese composer, singer, and pianist
Contemporary of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Franz Joseph Haydn
Of Spanish descent
Lived in an incredibly artistic apartment building in Vienna: The main floor was the residence of a member of the famed Esterházy family (for whom Haydn worked later in his career); the composer and teacher Nicola Porpora lived on the next floor; and the Martines family on the floor above that – with their friend poet and opera librettist Metastasio as an apartment-mate. And, who lived in the attic? Haydn, of course! To top it all off, Mozart was often a guest at Martines’ musical parties, where they played four-hand keyboard works together!
Was well known during her time, but did not see a resurgence until recently.
Composed 4 masses, 6 motets, 2 oratorios, various cantatas, several keyboard works, and 1 symphony
Dixit Dominus
Instrumentation: 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Trumpets, Timpani, Organ, Strings, SSATB Chorus, SATB Soloists.
Composed: 1774
Length: 25 minutes
She submitted the work as part of her (successful!) application to be inducted into the Accademia Filarmonica of Bologna.
The text of the work is Psalm 109 (Dixit Dominus) plus the Lesser Doxology (Gloria Patri). Many composers have set the Dixit Dominus, including her friend Mozart, Haydn’s brother Michael, the Antonios (Vivaldi and Lotti), and most famously George Frideric Handel.
In Martines’ time, the flutes and oboes would have been played by the same person, so you never hear them sound together in this particular piece.
The text is one of strength – all about the longevity and power of the rule of the kingdom of David.
Movements: (a full listing with translations is below)
Dixit Dominus (Chorus)
Virgam Virtutis (Soprano/Mezzo Duet)
Te Principium (Mezzo Soprano Solo)
Juravit Dominus – Tu es sacerdos (Chorus)
Dominus a dextris tuis (Solo Quartet and Chorus)
Gloria Patri (Chorus)
Wintergreen Premiere
What to Listen For
In general, Martines’ music is energetic, virtuosic, and at times a bit quirky. You’ll hear long, quick melismas (runs) in the vocal solo parts, fast, dramatic flourishes in the orchestra, sudden and unexpectedly placed dynamic contrasts, and some harmonic surprises, usually right before the final cadence of the movement. It’s a wild ride!
The chorus is mostly divided into five parts: Soprano 1, Soprano 2, Alto, Tenor, and Bass. The solo parts are dominated by the Soprano and Mezzo voices, although the short Tenor and Bass solos require a high level of skill.
Movement I – Dixit Dominus (Chorus): This movement is all about the orchestra! Quick scales, delightful turns of phrase in the oboes, and martial trumpets and timpani. The chorus part is more straight-forward and declamatory, allowing the text to be clearly understood.
Movement II – Virgam Virtutis (Soprano/Mezzo Duet): In a strong and jaunty triple meter, the soprano and mezzo soprano demonstrate the ability to sing both big leaps and long lyrical phrases. In the bulk of the movement, they are imitating each other – an exciting texture that makes the moments when they are in rhythmic unison all the more striking.
Movement III – Te Principium (Mezzo Soprano Solo): This tour-de-force solo for mezzo-soprano is more like a trio for flute, first violin, and singer. While it starts calmly enough in an easy-going Andante (or walking tempo), five measures in, the flute and violin take off! In the three short minutes of this movement, Martines requires the musicians to demonstrate several difficult techniques (quick runs, large leaps, bold-dynamic contrasts, trills, and more!
Movement IV – Juravit Dominus – Tu es sacerdos (Chorus): The opening of this movement is slow and strong, with pulsing eighth notes and more of those signature Martines dynamic contrasts. Soon, however, a fugue breaks out. It starts innocently enough in the style of an a cappella renaissance motet, but then strings and oboes join in the fun with counterpoint that would make JS Bach proud!
Movement V – Dominus a dextris tuis (Solo Quartet and Chorus): Finally, we get to hear the tenor and bass soloists as they get to show off their vocal prowess with large leaps and blazing fast melismas (or runs). With the orchestra joining in the pyrotechnics, you can definitely sense the drama of the text: “The Lord … destroys kinds of the day of his wrath; … he shall pile up ruins and scatter skulls on many lands.”
Movements VI & VII – Gloria Patri (Chorus): This movement is structured similarly to the Juravit Dominus, with a slow introduction and massive fugue. In this Fugue, however, the trumpets and timpani participate, punctuating the text “world without end. Amen” with a triumphant flourish.
Quotable
“Her performance indeed surpassed all that I had been made to expect. She [sang two arias] of her own composition, to words of Metastasio, which she accompanied on the harpsichord … and in playing the ritornels [instrumental refrains], I could discover a very brilliant finger…. ”
– Charles Burney, English music historian and composer, in 1772
Further reading
Hector Berlioz: Nuits d'été
Hector Berlioz (1803-1869)
French composer and conductor
Born and raised in south-eastern France. He moved to Paris to attend medical school at the University of Paris, but his heart was in the opera scene. Although he graduated from medical school, he ended up abandoning the field and devoting himself to composing, conducting, and writing about music.
He famously fell in love with an actress named Harriet Smithson, forming an obsession with her that ostensibly musically manifested in his Symphonie Fantastique. They married in 1833 and remained so (albeit in a strained relationship) until her death in 1854.
He won the prestigious Prix de Rome in 1830 on his fourth attempt, with a cantata called La Mort de Sardanapale.
He wrote 4 symphonies, 6 overtures, 6 operas, 2 oratorios, 12 secular works, 4 cantatas, several songs, and more.
His most famous works are the Symphonie Fantastique, Damnation of Faust, L’enfance duChrist, and Romeo et Juliette.
Nuits d'été for voice and orchestra
Instrumentation: 2 Flutes, 1 Oboe, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 3 Horns, Harp, Strings
Composed: 1840-1841
Length: 30 minutes
One of the few pieces that Berlioz did not talk about in his memoir or other writing
Originally for voice and piano, and later orchestrated by Berlioz himself.
One of the first singers of Nuits d’ete was Marie Recio, with whom Berlioz cheated on Harriet Smithson. In fact, when Smithson died, Berlioz and Recio married.
Many posit Nuits d’été, with its themes of love and loss, was Berlioz’s way of processing the demise of his marriage to Smithson.
The text is by French poet Théophile Gautier, who was an acquaintance of Berlioz.
Movements: (See below for text and translation)
Villanelle
La spectre de la rose
Sur les lagunes
Absence
Au cimitière
L'île inconnue
Last performed at Wintergreen music 2013
What to Listen For
The lightness of the orchestration. With only 7 woodwinds, 3 brass, harp, and strings, it is substantially smaller than most of his other compositions. (Symphonie fantastique has 10 woodwinds, 13 brass, and two harps, and requires three times as many strings! This allows the players to shine as individuals and interact with the voice as they would in a chamber music piece – more like a one-on-one conversation.
For an excellent peek into each movement, visit: https://bachtrack.com/feature-berlioz-150-nuits-d-ete-playlist-february-2019
Quotable
“Which of the two powers, Love or Music, can elevate man to the sublimest heights? ... It is a problem, and yet it seems to me that this is the answer: 'Love can give no idea of music; music can give an idea of love.' ... Why separate them? They are two wings of the soul.”
– Hector Berlioz
Further reading
For some recommended recordings: https://tsaraslondon.com/2021/07/07/berliozs-les-nuits-dete/
Georges Bizet: Symphony in C
Georges Bizet (1838-1875)
French composer
Won the Prix de Rome in 1857
His most popular work is Carmen, which was completed at the very end of his life. In fact, he died soon after its premiere, not ever knowing how popular the work would become.
Other works by Bizet: Les pêcheurs de perles (Opera: The Pearl Fishers), La jolie fille de Perth (Opera: The Fair Maid of Perth), incidental music to L'Arlésienne (The Girl from Arles), 2 symphonies, the Petite suite, Overture Patire, the Te Deum, and several (largely ignored) songs and piano works.
He was a child prodigy, entering the Paris Conservatory when he was only nine years old.
He met and admired the music of Gioacchino Rossini; and he impressed Franz Liszt with his skills at the piano.
Symphony in C
Instrumentation: 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 4 Horns, 2 Trumpets, Timpani, Strings
Composed in 1855 (When Bizet was only 17 years old!)
First published in 1933, after the once lost manuscript was discovered at the Paris Conservatory library
Length: 32 minutes
In 1947, George Balanchine choreographed the work for the Paris Opera Ballet, calling it Le Palais de Cristal. The next year, he reworked it for the New York City Ballet and changed the title back to simply: Symphony in C.
Movements
Allegro Vivo
Adagio
Allegro Vivace
Finale: Allegro Vivace
Last performed at Wintergreen Music: 2011
What to Listen For
In general, you’ll hear a symphony that is very much in the model of those by Mozart and Haydn. Four movements in the ‘typical’ fast-slow-scherzo/minuet-fast model. For the composer of Carmen, it comes as no surprise that the tunes are ultimately hummable and the dramatic character is instantly recognizable.
Movement I – Allegro Vivo (Fast and Lively): The symphony starts like a horse race right out of the gate. There is no slow introduction or dramatic building. Rather, we are off and running with a rising and falling arpeggio theme. Listen for a few Rossini-esque long crescendos. The second theme of the first movement is lyrical, but the forward energy of the movement never wanes.
Movement II – Adagio (Slowly): The opening of this sounds like the opening of a new operatic scene – perhaps the calm of a beautiful morning after a dramatic evening. Then, the heroine (the oboe!) appears on her balcony and sings a poignant aria while strumming her guitar (the pizzicato of the strings). After the Violins get a turn at the melody, the music changes as new characters stealthily enter the scene.
Movement III – Allegro Vivace (Fast and Lively, usually a bit more lively than Allegro Vivo): This third movement is certainly inspired by the scherzos of Haydn and Mozart. With swift dynamic changes, Rossini-esque crescendos, and energetic rhythmic underpinning, this is not your typical minuet, but rather a humorous – and fast! – romp of a movement. The trio (middle section), emulates a bagpipe with low drones in the horns, bassoons, violas, and cellos and quick witted writing for the oboe and clarinet.
Movement IV – Finale: Allegro Vivace (Also Fast and Lively): The finale is a barn-burner of a piece, sounding like a page out of the Felix Mendelssohn book of barn-raising symphonic closers. You’ll hear the strings constantly fiddling, even when there’s a more lyrical melody present. It’s not all loud, however – in fact, much of the energy comes from the pianissimo sections, when it sounds as if the piece will burst forth into a forte at any moment!
Quotable
“I enjoy writing music that allows people to escape from their everyday lives and immerse themselves in another world.”
– Georges Bizet
Further reading
https://www.hollywoodbowl.com/musicdb/pieces/3886/symphony-in-c
https://www.nycballet.com/discover/ballet-repertory/symphony-in-c/
TEXTS & TRANSLATIONS
DIXIT DOMINUS (Psalm 110) by Marianna Martines
Translation: Ron Jeffers
1. Dixit Dominus
Dixit Dominus Domino meo: // The Lord said unto my Lord:
Sede a dextris meis // Sit at my right hand
Donec ponam inimicos tuos // until I make your enemies
Scabellum pedum tuorum. // your footstool.
2. Virgam virtutis tuae
Virgam virtutis tuae // The sceptre of your power
emittet Dominus ex Sion // The Lord shall send forth from Zion:
Dominare in medio inimicorum tuorum // Rule thou in the midst of your enemies.
3. Tecum principium
Tecum principium in die // The power to rule is with yo
virtutis tuae; // on the day of your strength;
In splendoribus sanctorum: // In the splendor of the holy ones:
Ex utero ante // I have begotten you from the womb
luciferum genui te. // before the rising of the day star.
4. Juravit Dominus
Juravit Dominus // The Lord has sworn an oath,
Et non poenitebit eum: // and will not repent it:
Tu es sacerdos in aeternum // You are a priest forever,
Secundum ordinem Melchisedech. // after the order of Melchisedech.
5. Dominus a dextris tuis
Dominus a dextris tuis, // The Lord at your right hand
confregit in die irae suae reges. // destroys kinds on the day of his wrath;
Judicabit in nationibus // He shall judge among the heathen;
implebit ruinas, // he shall pile up ruins
Conquasabit capita in terra mutorum. // and scatter skulls on many lands.
De torrente in via bibet, // He shall drink of the torrent in his way;
Proterea exaltabit caput // Therefore he shall lift up his head.
7. Gloria Patri
Gloria Patri, et Filio // Glory be to the Father, and to the Son,
et Spiritui Sancto. // and to the Holy Spirit.
Sicut erat in principio // As it was in the beginning,
Et nunc, et semper, // is now, and ever shall be,
Et in saecula saeculorum. Amen // world without end. Amen
NUITS D’ÉTÉ // Summer Nights by Hector Berlioz
French source: Théophile Gautier
English translation © Richard Stokes
Available: https://oxfordsong.org/song/les-nuits-d%C3%A9t%C3%A9
1. Villanelle // Villanelle
Quand viendra la saison nouvelle, // When the new season comes,
Quand auront disparu les froids, // When the cold has gone,
Tous les deux nous irons, ma belle, // When the cold has gone,
Pour cueillir le muguet aux bois; // To gather lilies-of-the-valley in the woods;
Sous nos pieds égrenant les perles // Scattering as we tread the pearls of dew
Que l’on voit au matin trembler, // We see quivering each morn,
Nous irons écouter les merles // We’ll go and hear the blackbirds
Siffler! // Sing!
Le printemps est venu, ma belle; // Spring has come, my sweet;
C’est le mois des amants béni, // It is the season lovers bless,
Et l’oiseau, satinant son aile, // And the birds, preening their wings,
Dit ses vers au rebord du nid. // Sing songs from the edge of their nests.
Oh! viens donc sur ce banc de mousse, // Ah! Come, then, to this mossy bank
Pour parler de nos beaux amours, // To talk of our beautiful love,
Et dis-moi de ta voix si douce: // And tell me in your gentle voice:
Toujours! // Forever!
Loin, bien loin, égarant nos courses, // Far, far away we’ll stray from our path,
Faisons fuir le lapin caché, // Startling the rabbit from his hiding-place
Et le daim au miroir des sources // And the deer reflected in the spring,
Admirant son grand bois penché; // Admiring his great lowered antlers;
Puis, chez nous, tout heureux, tout aises, // Then home we’ll go, serene and at ease,
En paniers enlaçant nos doigts, // And entwining our fingers basket-like,
Revenons rapportant des fraises // We’ll bring back home wild
Des bois! // Strawberries!
2. Le spectre de la rose // The spectre of the rose
Soulève ta paupière close // Open your eyelids,
Qu’effleure un songe virginal; // Brushed by a virginal dream;
Je suis le spectre d’une rose // I am the spectre of a rose
Que tu portais hier au bal. // That yesterday you wore at the dance.
Tu me pris encore emperlée // You plucked me still sprinkled
Des pleurs d’argent de l’arrosoir, // With silver tears of dew,
Et parmi le fête étoilée // And amid the glittering feast
Tu me promenas tout le soir. // You wore me all evening long.
Ô toi, qui de ma mort fus cause, // O you who brought about my death,
Sans que tu puisses le chasser, // You shall be powerless to banish me:
Toutes les nuits mon spectre rose // The rosy spectre which every night
À ton chevet viendra danser. // Will come to dance at your bedside.
Mais ne crains rien, je ne réclame // But be not afraid – I demand
Ni messe ni _De profundis; // Neither Mass nor De Profundis;
Ce léger parfum est mon âme, // This faint perfume is my soul,
Et j’arrive du paradis. // And I come from Paradise.
Mon destin fut digne d’envie: // My destiny was worthy of envy;
Et vpour avoir un sort si beau, // And for such a beautiful fate,
Plus d’un aurait donné sa vie, // Many would have given their lives –
Car sur ton sein j’ai mon tombeau, // For my tomb is on your breast,
Et sur l’albâtre où je repose // And on the alabaster where I lie,
Un poète avec un baiser // A poet with a kiss
Écrivit: Ci-gît une rose // Has written: Here lies a rose
Que tous les rois vont jalouser. // Which every king will envy.
3. Sur les lagunes // On the lagoons
Ma belle amie est morte: // My dearest love is dead:
Je pleurerai toujours; // I shall weep for evermore;
Sous la tombe elle emporte // To the tomb she takes with her
Mon âme et mes amours. // My soul and all my love.
Dans le ciel, sans m’attendre, // Without waiting for me
Elle s’en retourna; // She has returned to Heaven;
L’ange qui l’emmena // The angel who took her away
Ne voulut pas me prendre. // Did not wish to take me.
Que mon sort est amer! // How bitter is my fate!
Ah! sans amour, s’en aller sur la mer! // Alas! to set sail loveless across the sea!
Le blanche créature // The pure white being
Est couchée au cercueil. // Lies in her coffin.
Comme dans la nature // How everything in nature
Tout me paraît en deuil! // Seems to mourn!
La colombe oubliée // The forsaken dove
Pleure et songe à l’absent; // Weeps, dreaming of its absent mate;
Mon âme pleure et sent // My soul weeps and feels
Qu’elle est dépareillée. // Itself adrift.
Que mon sort est amer! // How bitter is my fate!
Ah! sans amour, s’en aller sur la mer! // Alas! to set sail loveless across the sea!
Sur moi la nuit immense // The immense night above me
S’étend comme un linceul; // Is spread like a shroud;
Je chante ma romance // I sing my song
Que le ciel entend seul. // Which heaven alone can hear.
Ah! comme elle était belle, // Ah! how beautiful she was,
Et comme je l’amais! // And how I loved her!
Je n’aimerai jamais // I shall never love a woman
Une femme autant qu’elle. // As I loved her.
Que mon sort est amer! // How bitter is my fate!
Ah! sans amour, s’en aller sur la mer! // Alas! to set sail loveless across the sea!
4. Absence // Absence
French source: Théophile Gautier
English translation © Richard Stokes
Reviens, reviens, ma bien-aimée; // Return, return, my sweetest love!
Comme une fleur loin du soleil, // Like a flower far from the sun,
La fleur de ma vie est fermée // The flower of my life is closed
Loin de ton sourire vermeil! // Far from your crimson smile!
Entre nos cœurs quelle distance! // Such a distance between our hearts!
Tant d’espace entre nos baisers! // So great a gulf between our kisses!
Ô sort amer! ô dure absence! // O bitter fate! O harsh absence!
Ô grands désirs inapaisés! // O great unassuaged desires!
Reviens, reviens, ma bien-aimée. // Return, return, my sweetest love!
Comme une fleur loin du soleil, // Like a flower far from the sun,
La fleur de ma vie est fermée // The flower of my life is closed
Loin de ton sourire vermeil! // Far from your crimson smile!
D’ici là-bas, que de campagnes, // So many intervening plains,
Que de villes et de hameaux, // So many towns and hamlets,
Que de vallons et de montagnes, // So many valleys and mountains
À lasser le pied des chevaux. // To weary the horses’ hooves.
Reviens, reviens, ma bien-aimée. // Return, return, my sweetest love!
Comme une fleur loin du soleil, // Like a flower far from the sun,
La fleur de ma vie est fermée // The flower of my life is closed
Loin de ton sourire vermeil! // Far from your crimson smile!
5. Au cimetière // At the Cemetery
Connaissez-vous la blanche tombe // Do you know the white tomb,
Où flotte avec un son plaintif // Where the shadow of a yew
L’ombre d’un if? // Waves plaintively?
Sur l’if, une pâle colombe, // On that yew a pale dove,
Triste et seule, au soleil couchant, // Sad and solitary at sundown
Chante son chant; // Sings its song;
Un air maladivement tendre, // A melody of morbid sweetness,
À la fois charmant et fatal, // Delightful and deathly at once,
Qui vous fait mal // Which wounds you
Et qu’on voudrait toujours entendre, // And which you’d like to hear forever,
Un air, comme en soupire aux cieux // A melody, such as in the heavens,
L’ange amoureux. // A lovesick angel sighs.
On dirait que l’âme éveillée // As if the awakened soul
Pleure sous terre à l’unisson // Weeps beneath the earth together
De la chanson, // With the song,
Et du malheur d’être oubliée // And at the sorrow of being forgotten
Se plaint dans un roucoulement // Murmurs its complaint
Bien doucement. // Most meltingly.
Sur les ailes de la musique // On the wings of music
On sent lentement revenir // You sense the slow return
Un souvenir; // Of a memory;
Une ombre, une forme angélique // A shadow, an angelic form
Passe dans un rayon tremblant, // Passes in a shimmering beam,
En voile blanc. // Veiled in white.
Les belles-de-nuit, demi-closes, // The Marvels of Peru, half-closed,
Jettent leur parfum faible et doux // Shed their fragrance sweet and faint
Autour de vous, // About you,
Et le fantôme aux molles poses // And the phantom with its languid gestures
Murmure, en vous tendant les bras: // Murmurs, reaching out to you:
Tu reviendras? // Will you return?
Oh! jamais plus, près de la tombe // Ah! nevermore shall I approach that tomb,
Je n’irai quand descend le soir // When evening descends
Au manteau noir, // In its black cloak,
Écouter la pâle colombe // To listen to the pale dove
Chanter sur la pointe de l’if // From the top of a yew
Son chant plaintif! // Sing its plaintive song!
6. L'île inconnue // The unknowable isle
Dites, la jeune belle, // Tell me, pretty young maid,
Où voulez-vous aller? // Where is it you would go?
La voile ouvre son aile, // The sail is billowing,
La brise va souffler! // The breeze about to blow!
L’aviron est d’ivoire, // The oar is of ivory,
Le pavillon de moire, // The pennant of watered silk,
Le gouvernail d’or fin; // The rudder of finest gold;
J’ai pour lest une orange, // For ballast I’ve an orange,
Pour voile une aile d’ange, // For sail an angel’s wing,
Pour mousse un séraphin. // For cabin-boy a seraph.
Dites, la jeune belle, // Tell me, pretty young maid,
Où voulez-vous aller? // Where is it you would go?
La voile ouvre son aile, // The sail is billowing,
La brise va souffler! // The breeze about to blow!
Est-ce dans la Baltique // Perhaps the Baltic,
Dans la mer Pacifique, // Or the Pacific
Dans l’île de Java? // Or the Isle of Java?
Ou bien est-ce en Norvège, // Or else to Norway,
Cueillir la fleur de neige // To pluck the snow flower
Ou la fleur d’Angsoka? // Or the flower of Angsoka?
Dites, la jeune belle, // Tell me, pretty young maid,
Où voulez-vous aller? // Where is it you would go?
Menez-moi, dit la belle, // Take me, said the pretty maid,
À la rive fidèle // To the shore of faithfulness
// Où l’on aime toujours.Where love endures forever.
– Cette rive, ma chère, // – That shore, my sweet,
On ne la connaît guère // Is scare known
Au pays des amours. // In the realm of love.
Où voulez-vous aller? // Where is it you would go?
La brise va souffler. // The breeze is about to blow!
MountainTop Masterworks III
Joy, Dance & Drama – Beethoven’s 7th & More with Louis Lohraseb
“Angsty rock-n-roll comes to a joyful resolution in this weekend’s MountainTop Masterworks. Both Carlos Simon’s Fate now Conquers and Dmitri Shostakovich’s first cello concerto embody the fear, horror, and/or sadness of life being out of your control. Simon’s work is inspired by Ludwig van Beethoven’s own fateful dealings with his hearing loss and the death of his brother, while Shostakovich’s seems to be a commentary on the individual living in Stalinist Russia (even though it was penned after Stalin’s death). Beethoven’s seventh symphony, however, lays fear and sorrow to rest. He turns his near obsession with repeating motives (or short snippets of music) into a veritable dance party. Even the second movement feels at times more like a regal gavotte than a traditional slow aria. This concert captures the entire human existence from pain to hope. While we may be going through troubled times now, there is joy and a little bit of dance in our future”
– Artistic Director, Erin Freeman
Carlos Simon: Fate Now Conquers
Carlos Simon (b. 1986)
American composer originally from Atlanta, Georgia
Awarded the 2021 Sphinx Medal of Excellence
Received degrees from Morehouse College, Georgia State University, and the University of Michigan
On faculty at Georgetown University
Is the Composer-in-Residence for the Kennedy Center and the Inaugural Composer Chair of the Boston Symphony Orchestra
Has been the music director and keyboard artist for Jennifer Holiday
Composes works which fuse influences of concert music, film scores, jazz, and gospel
Fate Now Conquers
Instrumentation: 2 Flutes [1 doubling Piccolo], 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 2 Horns, 2 Trumpets, Timpani, Strings
Length: 5 minutes
Composed: 2020
Inspired by two aspects of Ludwig van Beethoven’s world – his journal and his seventh symphony.
In a journal entry from 1815, Beethoven referenced the Illiad and implied that he himself was succumbing to fate. Could this reference have been related to the death of his brother or his complete descent into hearing loss?
The harmonic structure of the second movement of Beethoven’s seventh symphony
Wintergreen Music Premiere
What to Listen For
If you like rock rhythms, this is your piece! The strings provide unrelenting drive throughout the entire work with strong and syncopated sixteenth notes. The winds, brass, and percussion interject with headbang-worthy chords.
A few times, you’ll hear what can best be described as swirling music – fast moving ascending and descending arpeggios that have the potential to swoop you up in their motion.
The strings have some innovative extended techniques, including a snap pizzicato, which means they pluck the string so viciously that it snaps back and hits the finger-board – so heavy metal!
The movement recalls the second movement of Beethoven’s Seventh symphony in two important ways. First, the bass line & harmony repeats itself, as it does in Beethoven’s iconic Allegretto dance. It’s a modified passacaglia – a structure that is kind of like a set of variations over a constantly repeating “ground” bass. Second, the final chord, after all the rock-n-roll chaos of the entire work, features only the violas, cellos, and bass – the three sections that introduce Beethoven’s famous second movement melody.
Quotable
“This piece was inspired by a journal entry from Ludvig van Beethoven’s notebook written in 1815: “Iliad. The Twenty-Second Book But Fate now conquers; I am hers; and yet not she shall share In my renown; that life is left to every noble spirit And that some great deed shall beget that all lives shall inherit.”
– Carlos Simon
Further Reading
Dmitri Shostakovich: Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)
Russian pianist & composer
Composed 15 symphonies, 15 string quartets, 5 ballets, 7 operas, a set of 24 Preludes and Fugues (a la Bach), and 50 film scores!
In the 1920’s, he made his early money as a pianist for silent films, a job for which he had to earn certification.
Had a complicated relationship with the Stalinist regime – at times denounced but other times celebrated. Many interpret his works to contain hidden messages of distrust and mockery towards the overbearing and censorious Soviet government.
He loved soccer!
Cello Concerto No. 1 in E-Flat Major
Instrumentation: 2 Flutes [2nd doubling Piccolo], 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons [second doubling Contrabassoon], 1 Horn, Timpani, Celeste, Strings
Composed: 1959
Length: 28 minutes
Written for cellist Mstislav Rostropovich
Movements:
Allegretto
Moderato
Cadenza (attacca)
Allegro con Moto
Last performed at Wintergreen music 2006
What to Listen For
The iconic opening four notes: G, E-Flat, C-Flat, B-Flat. At first hearing, this motive sounds like the same four notes that Shostakovich uses to spell out his name in his other works (D-S-C-H, or D-Es [E-flat], C, H [B-natural]). Although it doesn’t quite spell his name, he still uses that four-note theme obsessively, with almost a sense of paranoia.
All of the cellist’s notes!! In the first three minutes alone, the cellist plays at the bottom of his register all the way up to violin-territory. He also plays double-stops (two notes at a time!) and retakes (where instead of going back and forth with the bow, he only plays in one direction, which is a much quicker and more demanding stroke!).
Movement I – Allegretto (Walking tempo): Don’t be fooled by the leisurely sound of the title. This opening movement is fast and relentless! You can hear the angst of Stalinist Russia and the cry for freedom.
Movement II – Moderato (Moderate tempo): Although the mood is drastically different in this more slow and subdued music, you can still feel the tension in the dynamic swells and the forlorn solo horn of the opening. The cello followed by the clarinet sings a mournful tune evocative of Russian folk songs. You’ll hear a few extended techniques in this movement, including the entire string section playing with their mutes on and the solo cello playing lightly fingered harmonics, creating an otherworldly tone color.
Movement III – Cadenza (attacca): The third movement arrives attacca (or attached – without break) straight from the end of the second movement. The entire movement is a cadenza, written completely by Shostakovich to sound improvised. The cadenza allows the listener to hear the story of the cello – its sorrow, fear, and anger – without the rest of the orchestra weighing in. You feel the loneliness of the main character – whether that was Shostakovich himself, we don’t know.
Movement IV – Allegro con Moto (Fast with motion): The previous cadenza moves straight into the finale – a fiery, non-stop movement that evokes the tension of Stalinist Russian. Mid-movement, a fast waltz breaks out, eventually making its way to the grand finale that hearkens back to the first four notes of the piece.
Quotable
“This concerto is less a showpiece than a deep journey, the type of journey that is not dissimilar to Shostakovich’s 5th symphony. Shostakovich resists the tradition of wowing the audience with a cadenza, instead using the cadenza as an opportunity to create an entirely new movement that bridges the emotional energy between the deeply spiritual slow movement and the frenzied energy of the finale. In this way, the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th movement together create an impressive emotional arc.”
– Russell Steinberg
Further Reading
https://www.russellsteinberg.com/blog/2013/9/26/shostakovich-and-his-cello-concerto-no-1
https://thelistenersclub.com/2023/07/19/shostakovichs-first-cello-concerto-sardonic-and-defiant/
Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
German composer & pianist
Composed 9 symphonies, 7 concertos (depending how you count them), 35 piano sonatas, and 16 string quartets
He started noticing his loss of hearing in 1798 and was completely deaf by around 1814
After his world went completely silent, he wrote some of his most adventurous pieces, including Missa Solemnis, Diabelli Variations, Grosse Fuge, and his 9th symphony
The Wintergreen Music legend is that every time we perform Beethoven, the Mountain experiences a great thunderstorm – no surprise, as Beethoven died during a thunderstorm!
Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92
Instrumentation: 2 Flutes, 2 Oboes, 2 Clarinets, 2 Bassoons, 2 Horns, 2 Trumpets, Timpani, Strings
Composed between 1811 and 1812, as he was nearing total deafness
Length: 40 minutes
Movements:
Poco sostenuto – Vivace
Allegretto
Presto – Assai meno presto (trio)
Allegro con brio
Last performed at Wintergreen Music: 2012
What to Listen For
Much like Shostakovich in his cello concerto, Beethoven uses short motives almost obsessively throughout his seventh symphony. These motives, however, become the basis for a festive, dance party, rather than a representation of fear and paranoia. Pretty impressive for a man whose most important sense – his hearing – was nearing complete loss.
Movement I – Poco sostenuto – Vivace (A little sustained – Fast): The movement opens with an extended slow introduction. Woodwind solos alternate with optimistically ascending scales in the strings. Right from the get go, you know this piece is going to be filled with sunshine. Then, the Vivace breaks forth with a jaunty dotted rhythm that is repeated hundreds of times! At first, the motive is piano (or soft) with a suppressed joy, but soon enough, is heralded by one of those ascending string scales and joined by the trumpets, horns, and timpani, the work reaches full fortissimo (very loud)!
Movement II – Allegretto (A little Allegro; or a little fast): After a short but impactful wind chord, the famous motive of the seventh symphony begins. Sparsely orchestrated in just violas, cellos, and bass, this 24-bar phrase serves as the theme for a set of variations that have been featured in The King’s Speech, Mr. Holland’s Opus, Immortal Beloved, and even an X-men movie!
Movement III – Presto – Assai meno presto (trio) (Very fast – somewhat less fast): From the early days of Haydn and Mozart, the third movement of a symphony was traditionally a minuet – a stately dance with three beats per measure. Beethoven, however, famously turned that convention on its head, speeding up the tempo significantly and calling it a scherzo, or joke! Case in point: the third movement of the seventh symphony. Right from the beginning, he plays with the listener’s emotions: loud then soft, then a fast crescendo, two accents, incessant quick quarter notes, some trills, some grace notes, and lightening-speed arpeggios and down – and that’s only in the first 12 seconds! He puts the brakes on for the trio to provide a bit of customary contrast, but he doesn’t stay traditional for too long. Whereas most composers only play the trio once (creating an ABA form in the movement), he uses it twice (ABABA) – well, let’s call it 2.1 times. As they say in marketing: “Wait until the end.”
Movement IV – Allegro con brio (Fast with brightness): Hold on to your chair, because after two short, full-orchestra chords, this movement takes off with a motive that sounds like the combination of a country fiddle tune and a swirling dust storm. The momentum of the movement never wanes, moving briskly and energetically towards the joyous conclusion.
Quotable
““In it all impetuosity, all the longing and raging of the heart turn into blissfully arrogant joy, which leads us with Bacchanalian omnipotence through all natural realms, all storms and seas of life, joyously self-confident wherever we take a bold step in this mortal dance of the spheres.
This symphony is the apotheosis of the dance itself: dance in its most exalted form, the most blissful of physical movement made manifest in sound. Melody and harmony come together on the skeleton of rhythm to become flesh, a solid human form which takes up the steps of the dance before our very eyes – a body of supple limbs and tender flexibility, slender and voluptuous, its mood by turns sweet, bold, earnest, boisterous, thoughtful and exultant. The immortal melody continues until, in a final whirl of pleasure, the final embrace concludes with a jubilant kiss.”
– Richard Wagner, in Publication
Further Reading
