S O - Central Authentication Service · Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. I have not, of course, copied...
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BYU-IDAHO DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC PRESENTS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Dr. Robert Tueller, Director Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky 1840 - 1893 Featuring Dr. David Olsen MARCH 30, 2017, 7:30 PM BARRUS CONCERT HALL also marked the beginning of a very unusual relationship with the immensely wealthy widow Nadezhda Filaretovna von Meck. The year prior she lured him with a commission for his friend and violinist Yosif Yosifovich Kotek. Then a second correspondence from von Meck arrived: “I should like very much to tell you at length of my fancies and thoughts about you,” she wrote, “but I fear to take up your time, of which you have so little to spare. Let me say only that my feeling for you is a thing of the spirit and very dear to me.” Tchaikovsky responded the next day: “Why do you hesitate to tell me all your thoughts? . . . Perhaps I know you better than you imagine.” For the next thirteen years they exchanged streams of correspondence but never met in person. She deposited 500 rubles in Tchaikovsky’s bank account every month, which allowed him to compose at will. However, there was a price to pay as von Meck was considered neurotic and often difficult to manage, but Tchaikovsky handled his patron carefully until she finally ended their relationship in 1890. The fourth symphony and his involvement with von Meck began at the same time, and the two were tightly connected. In his letters to von Meck he often referred to it as “our symphony,” sometimes even as “your symphony.” By May he completed most of the piece. “I should like to dedicate it to you,” he wrote, “because I believe you would find in it an echo of your most intimate thoughts and emotions.” Of the Symphony, Tchaikovsky explained: The introduction is the seed of the whole symphony, undoubtedly the central theme. This is Fate, i.e., that fateful force which prevents the impulse towards happiness from entirely achieving its goal, forever on jealous guard lest peace and well-being should ever be attained in complete and unclouded form, hanging above us like the Sword of Damocles, constantly and unremittingly poisoning the soul. Its force is invisible, and can never be overcome. Our only choice is to surrender to it, and to languish fruitlessly. He went on to suggest that on a technical level, “my work is a reflection of Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. I have not, of course, copied Beethoven’s musical content, only borrowed the central idea” referring to the similarity of the opening motive which binds the entire work together. Dr. Tueller
Transcript of S O - Central Authentication Service · Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. I have not, of course, copied...
BYU-IDAHODEPARTMENTOFMUSICPRESENTS
SYMPHONYORCHESTRADr.RobertTueller,Director
PyotrIlyichTchaikovsky1840-1893
FeaturingDr.DavidOlsen
MARCH30,2017,7:30PMBARRUSCONCERTHALL
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alsomarkedthebeginningofaveryunusualrelationshipwiththeimmenselywealthywidowNadezhdaFilaretovnavonMeck.TheyearpriorsheluredhimwithacommissionforhisfriendandviolinistYosifYosifovichKotek.ThenasecondcorrespondencefromvonMeckarrived:“Ishouldlikeverymuchtotellyouatlengthofmyfanciesandthoughtsaboutyou,”shewrote,“butIfeartotakeupyourtime,ofwhichyouhavesolittletospare.Letmesayonlythatmyfeelingforyouisathingofthespiritandverydeartome.”Tchaikovskyrespondedthenextday:“Whydoyouhesitatetotellmeallyourthoughts?...PerhapsIknowyoubetterthanyouimagine.”Forthenextthirteenyearstheyexchangedstreamsofcorrespondencebutnevermetinperson.Shedeposited500rublesinTchaikovsky’sbankaccounteverymonth,whichallowedhimtocomposeatwill.However,therewasapricetopayasvonMeckwasconsideredneuroticandoftendifficulttomanage,butTchaikovskyhandledhispatroncarefullyuntilshefinallyendedtheirrelationshipin1890.ThefourthsymphonyandhisinvolvementwithvonMeckbeganatthesametime,andthetwoweretightlyconnected.InhisletterstovonMeckheoftenreferredtoitas“oursymphony,”sometimesevenas“yoursymphony.”ByMayhecompletedmostofthepiece.“Ishouldliketodedicateittoyou,”hewrote,“becauseIbelieveyouwouldfindinitanechoofyourmostintimatethoughtsandemotions.”OftheSymphony,Tchaikovskyexplained:Theintroductionistheseedofthewholesymphony,undoubtedlythecentraltheme.ThisisFate,i.e.,thatfatefulforcewhichpreventstheimpulsetowardshappinessfromentirelyachievingitsgoal,foreveronjealousguardlestpeaceandwell-beingshouldeverbeattainedincompleteanduncloudedform,hangingaboveusliketheSwordofDamocles,constantlyandunremittinglypoisoningthesoul.Itsforceisinvisible,andcanneverbeovercome.Ouronlychoiceistosurrendertoit,andtolanguishfruitlessly.Hewentontosuggestthatonatechnicallevel,“myworkisareflectionofBeethoven’sFifthSymphony.Ihavenot,ofcourse,copiedBeethoven’smusicalcontent,onlyborrowedthecentralidea”referringtothesimilarityoftheopeningmotivewhichbindstheentireworktogether.
Dr.Tueller
BYU-IDAHOSYMPHONYDr.RobertTueller,Director
ElizabethCrawford,WoodwindSpecialistDr.MatthewMoore,BrassSpecialist
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FluteMaddieChildsStephanieMerrickClarissaTracy,piccoloOboeLizzyHendersonAanjaStringhamHannahWallis,englishhornClarinetBrennanJesseeDavidTorresEthanTufts,bassclarinetBassoonAliciaFalconburyElizabethCrawfordTerryJordan,contraHornLizzShillHeidiRichardsonJeffreyHadfieldAdamHeyenTrumpetKatherineHarveyConnerPackTylerMcTavishTromboneRandallSmithJosephPughTomFrancis
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TubaIanWatsonTimpaniAdrianRosalesPercussionJackEnsignBrennanLovelessEllieSieberHarpMatalynNelsonCelesteEdwardPostonViolinIRebeccaFagerstenCristaGuthrieDavidTruscottMattGardnerSarahBagleyMcKenzieZengerMcKennaMottoSamShumwayAnnieSmithHaileyHinnenViolinIIKarlyLayAndreGasparGretaHansenAnnaRasmussen
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LeahJeppsonMikaylaSchmidtJuliannaOlsenNathanHooperMissyMcKennaAmiraJonesAubreyGainerMariahBozemanViolaCamilleNaillonJosephArnesenElizabethBairdDallinGreenSpencerHuntRebeccaIversonBonnieMcDougalMeliaYoungCurtisAndersonCelloTaylorRhodesSaraCerratoSebastianFraserCharlottePetersenJacobPulsipherJennaMedlynLeticiaWilsonBassNathanMayJessicaHarrisJosephMechamGabeDavis
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NOTESRememberedasDenmark’sgreatestcomposer,CarlNielsenwrotetheHelios(Greeksungod)Overturein1903whilelivinginGreecewithhiswifewhowasstudyingclassicalart.TheOverturewasinspiredbyasunrisevisittotheTempleofPoseidonatCapeSounion,adramaticpromontoryoverlookingthesouthofAthens.Inalettertoafriend,Nielsenbrieflyexplainedhisten-minutetonepoem:“MyOverturedescribesthemovementofthesunthroughtheheavensfrommorningtoevening...andnoexplanationisnecessary.”However,hedidincludeamorepoeticdescriptioninthescore:“Silenceanddarkness.Thesunriseswithajoyoussongofpraise.Itwandersonitsgoldenwayandsinksquietlyintothesea.”ThemusicofGustavMahlergainedpopularityafterahalfcenturyofneglectincludingabaninmostofEuropeduringtheNaziera.Rediscoveredinthesecondhalfofthecentury,hislargescale,romanticsymphoniesgainedwidespreadpopularity–rivalingBeethovenintheamountofperformancesbymodernorchestras.Perhaps,themostexpressiveandbeautifulcompositionsarehisorchestralsongcycles.Mahler’stragicKindertotenleider–SongsontheDeathofChildren–isdrawnfromasetofpoemsbyFriedrichRückert(1788–1866),whosufferedthelossoftwochildrentoscarletfever.WhenMahlerbegancomposingtheworkin1901hehadnotyetmethiswife.Bythetimehecompletedthecycle,in1904,hewasthefatheroftwoyoungdaughters.HiswifeAlmawashorrifiedthatGustavwouldchoosesuchasubject,asthecouple’ssecondchildMariawasbornduringthattime.Icanunderstandsettingsuchfrightfulwordstomusicifonehadnochildren,orhadlostthoseonehad.Moreover,FriedrichRueckertdidnotwritetheseharrowingelegiesoutofhisimagination:theyweredictatedbythecruellestlossofhiswholelife.WhatIcannotunderstandisbewailingthedeathsofchildren,whowereinthebestofhealthandspirits,hardlyanhourafterhavingkissedandhuggedthem.Iexclaimedatthetime,"Forheaven'ssake,don'ttemptProvidence!"GustavMahler'sfascinationwithRueckert'spoems,probablybeganmuchearlier,andmayhavehadsomethingtodowiththedeathofhisbelovedyoungerbrotherin1874whohadthesamenameasoneofRueckert'schildren,Ernst.However,afewyearslaterMahler’sdaughterMariawouldalsounfortunatelysuccumbtoscarletfever.AlreadyconsideredtheleadingRussiancomposerofhisgenerationPyotrIlyichTchaikovskybeganworkonhisfourthsymphonyin1877.Thatyear
PROGRAMHeliosOverture,Op.17.............................................................................CarlNielsen 1865–1931Kindertotenlieder...................................................................................GustavMahler
I.Nowthesunwillriseasbrightly 1860–1911II.NowIseewellwhywithsuchdarkflamesIII.WhenyourmotherstepsintothedoorwayIV.OftenIthinkthattheyhaveonlysteppedoutV.Inthisweather,inthiswindystorm
Dr.DavidOlsen,Baritone
Short,standingintermission
SymphonyNo.4inFminor,Op.36........................................PyotrIlyichTchaikovsky
I.Andantesostenuto-Moderatoconanima 1840–1893II.AndantinoinmododicanzonaIII.Scherzo:PizzicatoostinatoIV.Finale:Allegroconfuoco
Dr.DavidOlsenteachesvoiceatBrighamYoungUniversity-Idaho,wherehealsoservesastheDirectorofVocalStudies.Anavidperformer,Dr.Olsenhasperformedinawidevarietyofstylesandvenues,frommusicaltheatretoopera,barbershoptoacapellajazz.SomeofhisrecentappearancesincludethetitleroleinJuliusCaesar,JavertinLesMisérables,PapagenoinTheMagicFlute,theFatherinHanselandGretel,andthebaritone/basssoloistinBrahms’sGermanRequiem,Mozart’sRequiem,andHandel’sMessiah.OtherprofessionalengagementsincludeseveralseasonswiththeUtahFestivalOperaYoungArtistprogram,appearingasfeaturedsoloistwiththeTulsaSignatureSymphony,andrecordingwiththeBoston-basedearlymusicensembleLaDonnaMusicale.HehasalsobeenfeaturedasasoloistinmultipleworksfromtheBYU-IdahoSacredMusicSeries,includingRobertCundick’sGod’sEverlastingLoveandTheRedeemer,aswellasNewellDayley’sBringForthMyZion.Dr.Olsenreceivedhisassociate’sdegreefromRicksCollege,hisbachelor’sdegreefromUtahStateUniversity,andhismaster’sanddoctoraldegreesfromtheUniversityofOklahoma.
TRANSLATIONI.Nowthesunwillriseasbrightlyasifnomisfortunehadoccurredinthenight.Themisfortunehasfallenonmealone.Thesun-itshinesforeveryone.Youmustnotkeepthenightinsideyou;youmustimmerseitineternallight.Alittlelighthasbeenextinguishedinmyhousehold;Lightofjoyintheworld,bewelcome.II.NowIseewellwhywithsuchdarkflamesyoureyessparkledsooften.Oeyes,itwasasifinonefullglanceyoucouldconcentrateyourentirepower.YetIdidnotrealize-becausemistsfloatedaboutme,wovenbyblindingfate-thatthisbeamoflightwasreadytobesenthometothatplacewhenceallbeamscome.Youwouldhavetoldmewithyourbrilliance:wewouldgladlyhavestayednearyou!ButitisrefusedbyFate.Justlookatus,forsoonwewillbefar!Whattoyouareonlyeyesinthesedays-infuturenightsshallbestarstous.III.WhenyourmotherstepsintothedoorwayandIturnmyheadtoseeher,mygazedoesnotalightfirstonherface,butontheplacenearertothethreshhold;there,whereyourdearfacewouldbewhenyouwouldstepinwithbrightjoy,asyouusedto,mylittledaughter.Whenyourmotherstepsintothedoorwaywiththegleamofacandle,italwaysseemstomeasifyoucameinaswell,slippinginbehindher,justasyouusedtocomeintotheroom!Oyou,afather'scell,alas!tooquicklyyouextinguishthegleamofjoy!IV.OftenIthinkthattheyhaveonlysteppedoutandthatsoontheywillreachhomeagain.Thedayisfair-Odon'tbeafraid-Theyareonlytakingalongwalk.Yes:theyhaveonlysteppedoutandwillnowreturnhome.Odon'tbeanxious-thedayisfair.Theyareonlytakingawalktothosehills.Theyhavesimplygoneonahead:theywillnotwishtoreturnhome.We'llcatchuptothemonthosehills.Inthesunshinethedayisfair.V.Inthisweather,inthiswindystorm,Iwouldneverhavesentthechildrenout;Theywerecarriedoutside-Icouldsaynothingaboutit!Inthisweather,inthisroaringstorm,Iwouldneverhaveletthechildrenout.Iwasafraidtheyhadfallenill,butthesethoughtsarenowidle.Inthisweather,inthiscruelstorm,Iwouldneverhaveletthechildrenout;Iwasworriedtheywoulddiethenextday-butthisisnownoconcern.Inthisweather,inthiscruelstorm,Iwouldneverhavesentthechildrenout;Theywerecarriedoutside-Icouldsaynothingaboutit!Inthisweather,inthisroaring,cruelstorm,theyrestastheydidintheirmother'shouse:theyarefrightenedbynostorm,andarecoveredbythehandofGod.
Translationcopyright©byEmilyEzust,fromtheLiederNetArchive--http://www.lieder.net/
