MUSIC & ART
With Madeline Cawley & Hannah Johnson
PROGRAM
Entr'acte
Jaques Ibert (1890-1962) celebrates his love of Spanish music--notably guitar and flamenco--in this short incidental music. After an Allegro vivo opening, the flute introduces a modal melody, less fiery and more calm than the previous material. The tranquility is transient, however, and the flute begins a rapid succession of winding triplet rhythms, reminiscent of spinning flamenco dancers. A reintroduction of the opening theme gives way to a harp solo passage, ending with a "rasguado" effect (the harp plays on the lower geography of the strings, creating a guitar-like effect). The flute interjects with a brief solo statement, leading toward a return of the rapid triples, which end in a stamping final flourish.
"Ständchen" from Schwanengesang
Franz Schubert (1797-1828) is hailed as one of the most masterful and prolific composers of song from the German school during the late Classical / early Romantic periods. "Ständchen" (translated "Serenade"), from the Schwanengesang (translated swan song) song cycle, is a text setting of a Ludwig Rellstab poem, translated in English below. Schubert originally composed the work for voice and piano.
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Softly my songs plead
through the night to you; down into the silent grove, beloved, come to me! Slender treetops whisper and rustle in the moonlight; my darling, do not fear that the hostile betrayer will overhear us. |
Do you not hear the nightingales call?
Ah, they are imploring you; with their sweet, plaintive songs they are imploring for me. They understand the heart's yearning, they know the pain of love; with their silvery notes they touch every tender heart. |
Let your heart, too, be moved,
beloved, hear me! Trembling, I await you! Come, make me happy! |
Oblivion
Argentinian composer Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) spent his formative musical years in the style melting pot of New York City before returning to his native country. As a result, he revolutionized the tango compositional form, incorporating idioms from jazz and classical styles into a new genre: Nuevo Tango.
During the Argentine dictator regime (1970's-80's), Piazzolla took refuge in Italy. He composed Oblivion in 1984 as film music for Mario Bellochio's Enrico IV. The fundamental compositional structure is that of a milonga, a dance style predecessor of the tango.
During the Argentine dictator regime (1970's-80's), Piazzolla took refuge in Italy. He composed Oblivion in 1984 as film music for Mario Bellochio's Enrico IV. The fundamental compositional structure is that of a milonga, a dance style predecessor of the tango.
Sonata
Francis Poulenc (1899-1963), French composer and pianist, was one of 6 French composers who sought to liberate French music from foreign influence. Throughout his prolific body of works is the common theme of sacred vs. secular influences: his Catholic faith and his mother's artistic tendencies weave a duality of opposites through his musical ideas. As you can hear, this composition is no exception. Noted miscologist Claude Rostand said of the composer, "In Poulenc, there is something of the monk and something of the rascal."
The composer's first concert tour in the United States was in 1948, and he wrote this sonata in 1957. The piece, which is a staple in any flutist's repertoire, is dedicated in memory of Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, American chamber music patron. Since he had never personally met Ms. Coolidge, Poulenc wrote later that he truly wrote the piece for the world-renown flutist who premiered the masterpiece, Jean-Pierre Rampal.
As you listen, notice Poulenc's vast display of moods and emotions displayed in his compositional style, exemplified in this Sonata (originally written for flute and piano). He said of himself, "I'm a melancholy person who loves to laugh like all melancholy persons." In the first movement, melancholy takes the stage and is only broken by a brief section of humor (listen as the flute "laughs"). The second movement features an introspective song for the flute. In the third movement, the clouds suddenly break and sunlight streams through with lively and spirited exuberance. Listen for references to the first movement main theme peppered throughout the final movement, and notice how Poulenc transformed them to fit the more hopeful mood of the movement.
The composer's first concert tour in the United States was in 1948, and he wrote this sonata in 1957. The piece, which is a staple in any flutist's repertoire, is dedicated in memory of Elizabeth Sprague Coolidge, American chamber music patron. Since he had never personally met Ms. Coolidge, Poulenc wrote later that he truly wrote the piece for the world-renown flutist who premiered the masterpiece, Jean-Pierre Rampal.
As you listen, notice Poulenc's vast display of moods and emotions displayed in his compositional style, exemplified in this Sonata (originally written for flute and piano). He said of himself, "I'm a melancholy person who loves to laugh like all melancholy persons." In the first movement, melancholy takes the stage and is only broken by a brief section of humor (listen as the flute "laughs"). The second movement features an introspective song for the flute. In the third movement, the clouds suddenly break and sunlight streams through with lively and spirited exuberance. Listen for references to the first movement main theme peppered throughout the final movement, and notice how Poulenc transformed them to fit the more hopeful mood of the movement.
INTERMISSION
Entr'acte to Act 3 from Carmen
This gorgeous Entr'acte is featured in the opening to Act 3 of the opera Carmen by Georges Bizet (1838-1875). The composer's musical life was marked by disappointment. Most compositions that he did not rip up and discard received a lukewarm reception, both from audiences and from Bizet himself. Audiences and critics considered Carmen at the time of its premier to be scandalous and immoral, and critics' cutting remarks on the work affected Bizet to such an extent that he succumbed to a chronic throat ailment: within three months of the premiere, he died. Despite the tragic initial reception of the opera, the work earned the admiration of renown composer Giacomo Puccini and inspired him to later craft his own operas with similar true-to-life themes and characters. Presently, Carmen is a part of every major opera company's permanent repertory.
Narthex
French harpist and composer Bernard Andrès (b. 1941) embraces his heritage in this evocative piece. Translated in English, his note on the title page reads, "To my wife, a souvenir of our trip to Burgundy." A narthex is an antechamber, porch, or distinct area of a Christian church, separated off by a railing or short wall. After Bernard and his wife traveled to Burgundy, the Old Testament sculptures featured in the city's Romanesque churches inspired the composer to write this piece. Each brief section is titled (in order): "playing the lute," "flight to Egypt," "dance of greed," "dance of demons," "death of greed," "sleep of the Magi," "playing the zither," "Cain and Abel," "dance of the damned," and "flight of the demons."
Andrès composed a variety of contemporary special effects (extended techniques) in this piece. The harpist raps on the sound board, rattles the tuning key across the pegs and inside the sound hole, and hangs the tuning fork on the strings, which creates a different rattling effect. The flutist plays glissandos on a detached head joint. Together, these techniques result in eerie, unfamiliar sounds.
Andrès composed a variety of contemporary special effects (extended techniques) in this piece. The harpist raps on the sound board, rattles the tuning key across the pegs and inside the sound hole, and hangs the tuning fork on the strings, which creates a different rattling effect. The flutist plays glissandos on a detached head joint. Together, these techniques result in eerie, unfamiliar sounds.
Histoire du Tango
Originally written for flute and classical guitar, Histoire du Tango realized Piazzolla's lifetime goal of bringing Argentinian tango music to European and American concert halls. The four movements trace the history of the tango dance form.
I. Bordello, 1900: Tango originated in 1882 in Buenos Aires. Grace and liveliness characterize the music.
II. Cafe, 1930: After 30 years, people preferred listening to tango over dancing to tango. Thus, the music became more musical and romantic, with a slower tempo and more melancholy harmonies.
III. Night Club, 1960: During a time of rapidly expanding international exchange, tango evolved once more as Brazilian and Argentinian cultures converged in Buenos Aires. The beat of bossa nova influenced tango, and audiences gathered at night clubs to listen and dance to the new tango style.
IV. Modern-Day Concert: In this final form of tango, traditional tango concepts intermix with modern music. The wildly percussive compositional style of composers like Stravinsky and Bartok are embraced in this movement as we dance into the future.
I. Bordello, 1900: Tango originated in 1882 in Buenos Aires. Grace and liveliness characterize the music.
II. Cafe, 1930: After 30 years, people preferred listening to tango over dancing to tango. Thus, the music became more musical and romantic, with a slower tempo and more melancholy harmonies.
III. Night Club, 1960: During a time of rapidly expanding international exchange, tango evolved once more as Brazilian and Argentinian cultures converged in Buenos Aires. The beat of bossa nova influenced tango, and audiences gathered at night clubs to listen and dance to the new tango style.
IV. Modern-Day Concert: In this final form of tango, traditional tango concepts intermix with modern music. The wildly percussive compositional style of composers like Stravinsky and Bartok are embraced in this movement as we dance into the future.
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Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art; Thou my best thought, by day and by night, Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light. |
Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise.
Thou mine inheritance, now and always: Thou and Thou only first in my heart, High King of heaven, my treasure Thou art. |
High King of heaven, when victory is won,
May I reach heaven's joys, bright heaven's son! Heart of my heart, whatever befall, Still be my vision, O Ruler of all. |
Thank you for joining us tonight! It is my hope that in the midst of whatever darkness you are walking through,
the beauty of art and music shared this evening uplifted your heart and focused your eyes on the one true Creator.
As J.S. Bach inscribed on all of his written works, Soli Deo Gloria (for the glory of God alone). May you go in peace!
- Madeline
the beauty of art and music shared this evening uplifted your heart and focused your eyes on the one true Creator.
As J.S. Bach inscribed on all of his written works, Soli Deo Gloria (for the glory of God alone). May you go in peace!
- Madeline
