sunday August 10A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAMThe Cleveland OrchestraJeffrey Kahane, conductorPeter Otto, violin

2O14BLOSSOMMUSIC FESTIVALS U M M E R H O M E O F

THE CLEVELAND ORCHESTRATHE CLEVELAND ORRRCHESE TRA

2 2014 Blossom Festival

Mendelssohn, in a 19th-century lithograph based on a painting by Edward Magnus

The essence of the beautifulis unity in variety.

—Felix Mendelssohn

3Blossom Music Festival

Sunday evening, August 10, 2014, at 7:00 p.m.

2O14BLOSSOMMUSIC FESTIVAL

Program: August 10

T H E C L E V E L A N D O R C H E S T R A JEFFREY KAHANE , conductor

IGOR STRAVINSKY Suite from Pulcinella(1882-1971)

F. JOSEPH HAYDN Violin Concerto in C major, H.VIIa:1(1732-1809) 1. Allegro moderato 2. Adagio 3. Finale: Presto

PETER OTTO, violin

I N T E R M I S S I O N

FELIX MENDELSSOHN “Scherzo” and “Nocturne” from(1809-1847) A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Opus 61

MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 4 (“Italian”) in A major, Opus 90 1. Allegro vivace 2. Andante con moto 3. Con moto moderato 4. Saltarello: Presto

Peter Otto’s solo appearance with The Cleveland Orchestra is made possible by a gift to the Orchestra’s Guest Artist Fund from Mr. and Mrs. William C. Zekan.

This concert is dedicated to Jeanette Grasselli Brown and Glenn R. Brownin recognition of their extraordinary generosity in supportof The Cleveland Orchestra’s 2013-14 Annual Fund.

With this concert, The Cleveland Orchestra gratefully honors The Mary S. and David C. Corbin Foundation for their generous support.

Media Partner: The Plain Dealer

4 Blossom Music FestivalConductor

Jeffrey KahaneEqually at home at the keyboard or on the podium, American musician Jeff rey Kahane enjoys an international reputation as a versatile artist. He has served as music director of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra since 1997. As a pianist, he fi rst performed with Th e Cleveland Orchestra in April 1991, and his most recent appearance was in July 2011. He makes his Cleveland Orchestra conducting debut with this evening’s concert.

A native of Los Angeles and graduate of the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, Jeff rey Kahane began playing piano at age fi ve, and guitar at age 10. He later studied piano with Jakob Gimpel and Howard Weisel. Mr. Kahane was a fi nalist at the 1981 Van Cliburn Competition, and won fi rst prize at the 1983 Rubinstein Competition. He received an Avery Fisher Career Grant in 1983 and the fi rst Andrew Wolf Chamber Music Award in 1987. Mr. Kahane earned a master’s degree in classics from the University of Colorado in 2011. Jeff rey Kahane made his conducting debut at the Ore-gon Bach Festival in 1988. Since then, he has led the orches-tras of Baltimore, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia, St. Louis, St. Paul, and

San Francisco, as well as the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, Camerata Sal-zburg, and the New World Symphony. He recently announced the completion of his tenure with the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra at the end of two decades with the 2016-17 season; at that time, he will have served twenty years as music direc-tor. He has also served as music director of the Colorado Symphony (2005-10) and Santa Rosa Symphony (1995-2006). Jeff rey Kahane received ASCAP Awards for Adventurous Programming in 2007 for his work in Los Angeles and Denver. As a pianist, Mr. Kahane performs recitals, in concerts with major North American orchestras, at summer festivals, and in chamber music appearances. His collaborative partners have included Joshua Bell, Daniel Hope, Yo-Yo Ma, Th omas Quasthoff , and Dawn Upshaw, along with the Emerson and Takács quartets. Mr. Kahane records as a pianist and conductor with Decca/Argo, Deutsche Grammophone, Hänssler Records, Nonesuch, RCA, Sony, Telarc, and Virgin Records — in repertoire ranging from Gershwin, Bernstein, and Schoenfi eld to Strauss, Schubert, and Bach. Jeff rey Kahane resides in Santa Rosa with his wife, Martha. Th eir son Gabriel is a composer, pianist, and singer/songwriter; their daughter Annie is a dancer and poet.

5Blossom Festival 2014 About the Music

T H O S E E X P E C T I N G A B A L L E T S C O R E by Igor Stravinsky to be reminiscent of his revolutionary Th e Rite of Spring will fi nd in his later Pulcinella a startling — and perhaps refreshing — surprise. Both works were written for the same impresario, Sergei Diaghilev (1872-1929) and for the same dance company, the Ballets Russes. However, with Pulcinella, Diaghilev had an utterly diff erent intention. Here, he wanted Stravinsky to work with melodies from the 18th-century composer Giovanni Pergolesi (1710-1736) and craft for the company something of a blending of old and new. Scholars later discovered that many of the melodies Stravinsky used were actually not by Pergolesi, but that fact does not change the spirit of the work. It is, in every measure, a fond recollection of an earlier time. Th e ballet Pulcinella premiered at the Paris Opera on May 15, 1920. Soon aft erward, Stravinsky set about creating an orchestral suite so that the music could be heard even in the absence of dancers. Th is reworking of the original score called for a smaller orchestra with most of the usual instruments (omitting clarinet and tuba), but using fewer of each, so as to keep the substance light. Th e suite premiered with the Boston Symphony Orchestra on December 22, 1922. Two decades later, Stravinsky further revised the suite and published it again; the two versions diff er more in the number and arrangement of movements than in broader musical concepts. In either suite, one fi nds much characterful use of the orchestra, particularly oboe and brass. Elegant, courtly moods appear in close order with jolly, boisterous ones. Overall, the suite exhibits more ef-fervescence than one is accustomed to fi nding in Stravinsky’s music. Th e movements are as follows: 1. Sinfonia (Overture) 2. Serenata 3. Scherzino 4. Tarantella 5. Toccata 6. Gavotte with two variations 7. Vivo 8. Menuetto 9. Finale

—Betsy Schwarm © 2014

Suite from Pulcinellacomposed 1921-22, from the ballet score created in 1919-20

by IGORSTRAVINSKYborn June 17, 1882Oranienbaum,near St. Petersburg

diedApril 6, 1971New York

6 The Cleveland OrchestraAbout the Music

I T WA S A C O N T R A C T that hardly any modern composer would accept — seven days a week at the whim of the employer, no vacations, and no ownership of what one might compose (those rights passed immediately to the employer). Nonethe-less, Joseph Haydn jumped at the chance. It was 1761, and for nearly a decade he had been seeking exactly such a position. Moreover, the employer in question — the aristocratic Ester-házy family — was widely famed for its love of music. Not only would every note Haydn composed and played receive an eager audience, but also, the Esterházys hired only the best. So it was both a compliment to Haydn to receive the job off er and also an incentive, knowing that the family’s orchestra and other instrumentalists would be up to tackling whatever new music he wrote. One of those colleagues was Italian-born violinist/com-poser Luigi Tomasini (1741-1808), who for much of Haydn’s fi ve decades with the Esterházys served as concertmaster. In his personal catalog of his own works, Haydn noted that his Violin Concerto No. 1 was written in 1765 “for Luigi.” Th at fact marks Tomasini as one of the fi nest players of the time, with mastery of both nimble, showy passages and also fl owing, sustained lines. Th e latter may not sound particularly diffi cult. However, to maintain pitch and tone smoothly through long passages of time is no less challenging than fl ashier pyrotech-nics. Tomasini, it seems, could manage both extremes. Th e opening movement is bright and cheerful of mood, with the orchestra introducing melodies that are soon elabo-rated upon by the soloist. In the second movement, moods are serene and restful, with the orchestra spending much of its time providing a pizzicato (“plucked” string) accompaniment to the soloist’s song-like theme. High spirits return in the fi nal move-ment, bouncing along in a lively triple meter and demanding of the soloist both quick fi ngers and rapid bow-work. Haydn’s showcase for Tomasini makes a strong statement about the Ital-ian’s talents — and provides ample opportunity to demonstrate the artistry of any soloist who plays it.

—Betsy Schwarm © 2014

Violin Concerto No. 1 in C major, H.VIIa:1composed 1765

by F. JosephHAYDNborn March 31, 1732Rohrau, Austria

diedMay 31, 1809Vienna

7Blossom Music Festival

Peter Otto First Associate Concertmaster The Cleveland Orchestra

Peter Otto enjoys a multi-faceted career as a soloist, chamber musician, orches-tral musician, and teacher. He was appointed fi rst associate concertmaster of Th e Cleveland Orchestra in 2007 by Franz Welser-Möst, and has regularly appeared as concerto soloist with the Orchestra, including performances of Leonard Bernstein’s

Serenade with conductor Marin Alsop, Vivaldi’s Th e Four Seasons with Baroque specialist Nicholas McGegan, and Mozart’s “Haff ner” Serenade with Franz Welser-Möst. Ad-ditionally, Mr. Otto has appeared as a soloist with the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic, Heidelberg Chamber Orchestra, Camerata Rostockiensis, National Youth Orchestra of Germany, and the Cleveland Philharmonic. He has also appeared as guest concertmaster of the Nashville Symphony and the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. Recital and chamber music performances have included engagements with the Heidelberger Fruehling Festival, Kultur unter alten Daechern Festival in northeast Germany, MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) Miami as part of Art Basel in Miami, MOCA Cleveland, Cleveland Museum of Art, and

the Pulitzer Contemporary Music Festival in Saint Louis (where in June 2012 he led a performance of George Crumb’s Black Angels for electric string quartet). In May 2012, he appeared as the featured violin soloist in Every Good Boy Deserves Favor, a play by Tom Stoppard with music by André Previn, a collaborative presentation of Cleveland Play House and Th e Cleveland Orchestra. Mr. Otto is a member of the Cleveland Orchestra Piano Trio, with pianist Joela Jones and cellist Richard Weiss. Other recital and chamber music partners include Orli Shaham, Yehonatan Berick, Jennifer Montone, Andre Emilianoff , Judith Gordon, and Peter Henderson. Mr. Otto has performed live on national radio stations such as Germany’s NDR, Deutschlandfunk Berlin, and Cleveland’s WCLV ideastream. His honors include top prizes in the Max Rostal International Violin Competition in Berlin and the Kingsville Young Performers Competition in Texas. Major teachers have included Christiane Hutcap, Vera Kramarova, and Lewis Kaplan. Other signifi -cant musical infl uences were Roman Nodel, Igor Ozim, and Felix Galimir. Peter Otto has served as a faculty member of the Bowdoin Summer Music Festival, Cactus Pear Music Festival, Innsbrook Music Festival, and the Kent/Blos-som Music Festival. He is a frequent guest at the New World Symphony in Miami, America’s orchestral training academy, leading masterclasses and coaching ses-sions to aspiring instrumental musicians. Currently, Peter Otto is an adjunct pro-fessor of violin at Cleveland State University. Mr. Otto performs on a violin by G.B. Guadagnini from the year 1769.

Soloist

8 The Cleveland Orchestra

S H A K E S P E A R E ’ S A Midsummer Night’s Dream was long a part of Mendelssohn’s life. Having read much Shakespeare in German translation as a boy, he composed his beloved concert overture on the subject in 1826 when he was just seventeen years old. Half a lifetime later, in 1842, he received a request from the Prussian emperor, Frederick Wilhelm IV, for a full set of music to accompany an upcoming performance of the play at the royal theater in Berlin. Mendelssohn responded with twelve short pieces based largely on themes from the earlier overture. Th ese new creations ranged from a lullaby for Titania, the fairy queen, and a wedding march, which became so popular that we all know it today, played at real weddings and especial-ly in movies or television. Also among the additions are the two selections featured on this evening’s program — the agile fairy-music of the Scherzo and the drowsy, horn-rich sounds of the Nocturne. Taken together, they perfectly recaptured the magical spirit of the original overture. Th e incidental music as a whole premiered in Berlin on October 14, 1843.

—Betsy Schwarm © 2014

Betsy Schwarm spent twenty years as a classical radio announcer and pro-ducer. She currently teaches music at Metropolitan State College of Denver

and serves as recording engineer for Colorado’s Central City Opera.

Selections from A Midsummer Night’s Dreamcomposed in 1842, based on ideas from his overture from 1826

by FelixMENDELSSOHNborn February 3, 1809Hamburg

diedNovember 4, 1847Leipzig

The British artist Arthur Rackham (1867-1939) created illustrations for an acclaimed Edwardian edition of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream published in 1908.

About the Music

9Blossom Festival 2014

AT T H E AG E O F 21 , Felix Mendelssohn toured Italy in 1830-31. He had come south (from Germany and England) to enjoy the climate and the art, both of which he apparently found to be quite satisfactory. Th e region’s music, though, was a diff er-ent story. In letters to friends and relatives, Mendelssohn gave his view of the situation. “I have not heard a single note worth remembering,” he wrote. “In Naples, the music is most inferior.” Later, he described the orchestras in Rome as “unbelievably bad.” Despite these negative reactions, or perhaps in hopes of eras-ing them, Mendelssohn began composing his Italian Symphony while still on tour. Th e piece was completed in the autumn of 1832, on a commission from the London Philharmonic Society, and the composer conducted the premiere in London on May 13, 1833. Th e symphony was a tremendous success. One enthusias-tic critic lauded it as “a composition that will endure for ages,” and Mendelssohn himself called it “the jolliest piece I have so far written . . . and the most mature thing I have ever done.” It has remained as one of his most endearing and enduring composi-tions. Th e extroverted opening movement seems suff used with radiant conviviality. Th e reverent second movement almost certainly recalls Rome during Holy Week, for Mendelssohn’s letters reveal that he was impressed by the religious proces-sions he witnessed there. Th e third movement off ers a graceful minuet distantly reminiscent of Mozart. With the fi nal move-ment, Mendelssohn blends two frantic folk dance styles, the saltarello and the tarantella. Diff erent in rhythmic structure, the dances are alike in general character. Both are wild and swirling, abundantly energetic, almost frenetic, and utterly, ir-repressibly Italian. In this uninhibited fi nale, Mendelssohn, so deeply displeased with Italian concert music, showed his last-ing delight in the nation’s folk music. He also proved to Ital-ians that their native music could be used to great eff ect in an orchestral composition (even though it might take a German to prove the point).

—Betsy Schwarm © 2014

Symphony No. 4 (“Italian”) in A major, Opus 90composed 1832-33

by FelixMENDELSSOHNborn February 3, 1809Hamburg

diedNovember 4, 1847Leipzig

About the Music

10 Blossom Music FestivalOrchestra News

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Orchestra NewsNews

The Musical Arts Association gratefully acknow ledges the artistry and dedication of all the musicians of The Cleveland Orches-tra. In addition to rehearsals and concerts throughout the year, many musicians do-nate performance time in support of com-munity engagement, fundraising, education, and audience development activities. We are pleased to recognize these musicians, listed below, who have volunteered for such events and presentations during the 2012-13 and 2013-14 seasons.

Mark AthertonMartha BaldwinCharles BernardKatherine BormannLisa BoykoCharles CarletonJohn ClouserHans ClebschKathleen CollinsPatrick ConnollyRalph CurryAlan DeMattiaMaximilian Dimoff Elayna DuitmanBryan DummTanya EllKim GomezDavid Alan HarrellMiho HashizumeShachar IsraelJoela JonesRichard KingAlicia KoelzStanley KonopkaMark KosowerPaul KushiousMassimo La RosaJung-Min Amy LeeMary LynchThomas MansbacherTakako MasameEli MatthewsJesse McCormickDaniel McKelway

Sonja Braaten MolloyEliesha NelsonChul-In ParkJoanna Patterson ZakanyAlexandra PreucilWilliam PreucilLynne RamseyJeff rey RathbunJeanne Preucil RoseStephen RoseFrank RosenweinMichael SachsMarisela SagerJonathan SherwinSae ShiragamiEmma ShookJoshua SmithSaeran St. ChristopherBarrick SteesRichard StoutJack SutteKevin SwitalskiBrian ThorntonIsabel TrautweinLembi VeskimetsRobert WaltersCarolyn Gadiel WarnerStephen WarnerRichard WeissBeth WoodsideRobert WoolfreyPaul YancichDerek ZadinskyJeff rey Zehngut

M.U.S . I .C . I .A .N S .A .L .U .T .E

Benefi t performance on August 13 tells story of musical inspiration On Wednesday, August 13, the Women’s Committee of The Cleveland Orchestra pres-ents a special evening featuring Orchestra cellist Brian Thornton, who will perform and share his story about his teacher, Lev Ar-onson. Aronson survived torture and loss in Nazi con-centration camps before coming to America to be-come a beloved and inspir-ing teacher. He served as principal cello of the Dallas Symphony for many years, and taught and mentored many top cellists through his fi ery teaching style. Wednesday evening’s benefi t event is led by hon-orary chairs Audrey and Albert Ratner and takes place at the Mayfi eld Sand Ridge Club in South Euclid. A reception and silent auction begins at 5:30 p.m., with performance and dinner to follow. Tickets start at $150 per person. All proceeds benefi t The Cleveland Orchestra. For further information or to make re-servations, please email Barbara Wolfort at barbwolfort@gmail.com.

Comings and goings As a courtesy to the performers onstage and the entire audience, late-arriving patrons in the Pavilion cannot be seated until the fi rst break in the musical program.

11Blossom Music Festival

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Orchestra News

Cleveland Orchestra group for networking and socializing of dynamic young profes- sionals continues to grow Earlier this year, The Cleveland Orch-estra announced a new group called The Circle, welcoming young professionals ages 21-40. The group is designed for those who share a love of music and an interest in supporting The Cleveland Orchestra in a new and dynamic way. The Circle provides members exclusive access to the Orchestra, with opportunities to meet musicians, and socialize at Severance Hall and at Blossom Music Festival events. Memberships include bi-monthly concert tickets along with oppor-tunities to attend social gatherings to network with friends and cultural business leaders of Northeast Ohio. The objectives of The Circle are to increase engagement opportunities for young people ages 21-40 and to help develop future volunteer community leaders and arts advocates. The Circle was launched at a Cleveland Orchestra concert in January, and is continu-ing to grow. Plans for future events are posted on the orchestra’s website, including concerts, get-togethers, and more. Cost of membership in The Circle is $15 per month for one membership and $20 per month for two memberships and includes bi-monthly tickets. New members join for a minimum of six months. For additional information, visit clevelandorchestra.com or send an email to thecircle@clevelandorchestra.com.

Welser-Möst leads special Vienna Philharmonic concert in Sarajevo to commemorate anniversary of World War I

Franz Welser-Möst led a commemorative concert of the Vienna Philharmonic in the atri-um of Sarajevo’s rebuilt City Hall on June 28, 100 years after the assassinations of Archduke Ferdinand of Austria and his wife Sophie in that city began a series of events that resulted in the outbreak of World War I — and the start of a war-torn century for Sarajevo itself. A giant screen was erected to broadcast the concert for a crowd gathered outside on the opposite side of the Miljacka River. Broadcast-ers for Eurovision relayed the concert to more than 40 countries across Europe. “This is a very symbolic day in a very sym-bolic location,” said Clemens Hellsberg, the outgoing president of the Philharmonic. “We wanted it to be not a view back into history, but a view into the future, after the catastro-phe of war.” In choosing the Beethoven’s ‘Ode to Joy’ as part of the concert, Welser-Möst said, “we wished to express the hope that war should never happen on the soil of Europe again.” Welser-Möst continued, saying that he and the Philharmonic saw themselves performing in this special concert a similar role of reconcili-ation that conductor Daniel Barenboim has sought with his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra, whose mixture of Israeli and Arab players also work to surmount the hatreds and divisions of the past.

Orchestra News

Carmina BuranaO FORTUNA! Experience one of the most pop-ular masterpieces of the 20th century in Carl Orff ’s compelling tale for chorus, orch estra, and soloists. Infused with spirited rhythms, catchy melodies, and songs of love, lust, and drink — amidst the recurring change of sea-sons and the never-ending wheels of fortune and fate. With the Blossom Festival Chorus.

August 23 Saturday

EXPERIENCE MORE BLOSSOM!See a full listing of 2014 Blossom Music Festival concerts on pages 36-37 of the Festival Book.

Yo-Yo MaONE OF THE WORLD’S most celebrated mus-icians comes to Blossom for one night only. Experience Yo-Yo Ma’s gift ed artistry inEdward Elgar’s great Cello Concerto, fi lled with majestic melody and longing, mixed with soul-stirring passion and gripping drama. Blossom favorite Jahja Ling leads this special evening.

August 16 Saturday

August 30 Saturday

Family FunFestLABOR DAY WEEKEND fun for the whole family! Bring the kids and share the magical experience of Blossom and live symphonic music. A fun-fi lled concert featuring tunes from Th e Little Mermaid, Th e Wizard of Oz, Frozen, and more. Featuring great family-friendly activities and a post-concert fi re-works show!