Sun, November 20, 2011 2:00 PM
Musical Splendour
Guest Artists:
Philippe Quint, Violin
Wendy Hatala Foley, Mezzo Soprano
MAHLER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ruckert Lieder
BEETHOVEN . . . . . . . . . . . . . Violin Concerto
LISZT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Les Préludes
Our season opener pays homage to Gustav Mahler on the centenary of his passing in 1911. Oakville Mezzo soprano Wendy Hatala Foley will perform Mahler’s poignant and beautiful songs based on the poetry of Friedrich Ruckert.
World renowned violinist, Philippe Quint will join the OSO in the dramatic and sublime Violin Concerto of Beethoven. Musical genius readily displayed in an evening of Musical Splendour.
Program Notes
Franz Liszt (1811-86): Les Préludes
This is the best known of 12 symphonic poems Liszt wrote in the period 1848-58. They are based on literary ideas, and do not follow classical symphonic forms. Originally written as an overture to an unpublished choral work, Les Préludes loosely reflects both the pastoral and warlike themes of a poem of the same name by Lamartine. As conductor of the small Weimar orchestra, Liszt experimented with alternative instrumentations, and made numerous revisions of the work. The harmonization is far ahead of its time, and presages compositions by much later composers such as Richard Strauss, Rachmaninoff, Wagner and Ravel.
Gustav Mahler (1860-1911): Five Songs on Poems by Friedrich Rückert
In 1901, Mahler discovered the work of the German romantic poet Friedrich Rückert. These songs, using Ruckert’s words, are miniature pieces, with various instrumentations involved. Mahler was a master in going beyond the direct meaning of the words, and added depth to the text through his musical expression. The two love songs may have been gifts to his wife, Alma.
Ich atmet’ einen linden Duft (I Breathed a Gentle Fragrance). Mahler’s direction is “very tender and inward; slow,” and he said that this piece describes “the way one feels in the presence of a beloved being of whom one is completely sure without a single word needing to be spoken.” Lower strings are omitted to increase the feeling of transparency of fragrance from the lime tree, with which the poet associates his love.
Liebst du um Schönheit (If You Love Because of Beauty) is intimate and urgent. It has the most traditional form, with four stanzas presented in pairs, and a brief orchestral interlude in the middle. The first three stanzas are variants of one another. The fourth stresses the words "liebe" (love) and "immer" (always).
Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder (Don’t Look into My Songs). This song admonishes anyone for snooping into an artist’s unfinished work. This playful reprimand may have been directed at Alma, who often examined Mahler’s compositions before he was ready to release them to the public. The introduction includes a kind of perpetuum mobile, with a subtle buzzing of muted strings, representing the creative work of “busy bees”. Mahler is saying don’t look too closely or you may be stung!
The two final songs describe Mahler’s feeling of insecurity about his situation in the world, possibly motivated by his incurable heart disease and impending death.
Um Mitternacht (At Midnight) describes man’s lonely contemplation at the “darkest hour”, with occasional reminders of the passage of time through a pendulum-like rhythm. Orchestrated without strings, the song builds to a triumphant conclusion with brass fanfares, finally expressing some optimism about the future.
Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen (I Have Now Lost My Way in the World). Here Mahler described “the feeling that rises to the tip of one’s tongue but goes no further”. The long introduction, with English horn solo, addresses the artist’s gradual withdrawal from the world. This song is probably the most introspective of the five, and it is often regarded as an autobiographical statement. Indeed, Mahler said “It’s I myself.”
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827): Violin Concerto: Op.61.
I: Allegro ma non troppo II: Larghetto III: Rondo
Beethoven played the violin as a boy – apparently quite disastrously according to those who heard him – and for a while he was a violist in the Bonn Court Theatre. He began to compose a violin concerto in 1792, but abandoned it. The concerto to be heard in this program was completed in 1806, during a period of great productivity for Beethoven in which he composed numerous well known works, such as the Appasionata Sonata, the Fourth Symphony, and Fourth Piano Concerto.
The score was completed barely in time, so that the first performance, given by Franz Clement in Vienna, was given essentially without rehearsal. It seems that the work was considered too long to be played without a break, so Clement played the first movement before the interval, and the others afterwards. For lighter entertainment in between, he played a sonata of his own composition, on one string of the violin – held upside down! (Our soloist will not continue this tradition!)
The work is thoughtful and graceful, and contains some of the most sublime music ever written for the violin. Beethoven’s inscription reads "A Concerto by Clemency for Clement", referring to the relaxed nature of the piece. It begins unconventionally, with four quiet drum taps, with a similar rhythm to the famous opening of the Fifth Symphony, but here with a different pace and mood. A flowing woodwind melody then establishes a tranquil mood for the whole concerto. Several themes are introduced, and there is an "outburst" in the strings, before the soloist finally enters, repeating many of the ideas in a more relaxed and freer style. The development section of the first movement is quiet and mysterious, with the violin soaring above the orchestral texture. The four note figure from the opening is often heard in the background, and ultimately rather forcefully in the full orchestra, before a recapitulation and a cadenza.
In contrast to the complexity of the first movement, the Larghetto has only one basic melody, first heard on muted strings. There are four variations (by the clarinet, bassoon, orchestral violins, and pizzicato strings), decorated in turn by a high violin solo. The Rondo is vivid and joyful. Its one main theme heard at the start is repeated periodically, separated by various episodes for the solo and orchestral parts. There is a short cadenza, then development to what appears to be a quiet ending, but two forte chords finish the work in characteristic Beethoven style.
Program Notes ©: Stephen Walter
With thanks to Steve Haynes for proof reading
Biographies:
PHILIPPE QUINT, Violin
Two time Grammy award nominee Violinist Philippe Quint has emerged in recent years as one of the few young soloists to combine a remarkable degree of lyricism, poetry and impeccable virtuosity. He plays on the 1708 "Ruby" Antonio Stradivari violin on loan to him through the generous efforts of The Stradivari Society®.
Highlights of 2010/11 season include debuts with Berlin Komische Oper Orchestra for their New Year's Concerts with Carl St. Clair, Chicago Symphony, San Diego Symphony with Bromwell Tovey, Leipzig’s Gewandhaus with Steven Sloan, a tour of Germany with Nordwestdeutsche Symphoniker and an 18 concert US tour with Cape Town Philharmonic. Mr. Quint is a Founder and Artistic Director of the Mineria Chamber Music Festival in Mexico City and recently formed a Quint Quintet- a group dedicated to exploring music of Astor Piazzolla and Argentine Tango.
Mr. Quint’s extended award winning Naxos discography includes a large variety of rediscovered treasures along with popular works from standard repertoire. His debut album of the William Schuman’s Violin Concerto (2001) and his latest recording of the Korngold’s Violin Concerto (2009) that jumped to top 20 in Billboard’s Classical Chart during its first week of release were each nominated for two Grammy Awards including ''Best Instrumental Soloist with Orchestra'' Category’s.
Other critically acclaimed recordings include World Premiere recording of John Corigliano's Red Violin Caprices, Ned Rorem’s Concerto, Miklos Rozsa’s Complete Works for Violin and Piano with William Wolfram, Bernstein’s Serenade and De Beriot Concertos have received multiple Editor Choice selections from Gramophone, Strad, Strings and Daily Telegraph. Upcoming in August 2010 is an exciting unique compilation CD release of works by Paganini arranged by Fritz Kreisler.
Mr. Quint has been consistently re-engaged both domestically and internationally; recent performances include Symphony Orchestras of Detroit, Indianapolis, New Jersey, Minnesota, Bournemouth , Houston, Weimar Staatskapelle, Orchestra Cote du Basque, Orchestra de Pamplona, the Royal Liverpool , China National and the Orpheus Chamber Orchestra under the batons of renowned conductors such as Kurt Masur, Carl St.Clair, Marin Alsop, Andrew Litton, Jorge Mester, Carlos Miguel Prieto, Klauspeter Seibel, Marco Parisotto and Daniel Hege.
Mr. Quint studied at Moscow's Special Music School for the Gifted with the famed Russian violinist Andrei Korsakov, and made his orchestral debut at the age of 9, performing Wieniawski's Concerto No. 2. After emigrating to the United States, he earned both Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Juilliard and was graduated in 1998. His distinguished pedagogues included Dorothy Delay, Cho-Liang Lin, Masao Kawasaki, and Felix Galimir. He has also studied and participated in masterclasses with Isaac Stern, Itzhak Perlman, and Arnold Steinhardt. Having won a myriad of awards since his days as a student, Quint has amassed top prizes at the Juilliard Competition ('98), Spain's Pablo de Sarasate International Violin Competition ('97), where he also received the Special Audience Prize, and the Salon de Virtuosi Award ('97). He has been a Career Grant recipient of Bagby Foundation since 2002. Find Philippe Quint on Facebook and www.philippequint.com for more information.
WENDY HATALA FOLEY – Mezzo-soprano
Wendy Hatala Foley has been enchanting Canadian audiences with her "magnificent voice" (Paula Citron, 96.3FM) and engaging performances. With a growing reputation as one of Canada’s foremost mezzo-sopranos, Wendy’s powerful voice and commanding stage presence continue to impress audiences nation-wide.
During the 2009/2010 season, she covered the role of Death in the Canadian Opera Company’s Le Rossignol. She sang a brilliant Messiah with the Orchestre symphonique de Longueuil under the baton of Marc David. She was invited to sing in Toronto Operetta's 25th Anniversary Jubilee Gala Concert. Wendy also participated in a workshop performing the role of Lyuba in Oksana G. by Aaron Gervais, with the COC Orchestra, conducted by Wayne Strongman. Next season Wendy will be singing Alisa in Lucia di Lammermoor with Opera Lyra Ottawa, Mamma Lucia in Cavalleria Rusticana with Opera Hamilton, and the Beggar Woman in Death in Venice with the Canadian Opera Company. She will also be covering the roles of 3rd Secretary in Nixon in China and Death in Le Rossignol, both with The Canadian Opera Company
Ms. Hatala Foley enjoyed a busy season in 2008/2009 with engagements as the Third Lady in Mozart's Magic Flute with Opera Hamilton, Giunia in Mercadante's La Vestale with Opera in Concert, the Fairy Queen in Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe with Toronto Operetta Theatre, Handel's Messiah with Chorus London and a concert of duets and arias with the Etobicoke Philharmonic Orchestra.
In addition to a 2007 recording and tour of the Vivaldi Stabat Mater with the Vancouver Island Symphony, Ms. Hatala Foley's recent oratorio credits include Verdi's Requiem with The Vancouver Bach Choir with the UBC Choir and Symphony, Rossini's Petite Messe Solonnelle with The Orpheus Choir and Chorus Niagara, Brahms' Alto Rhapsody and Raminsh's Symphony of Psalms with The Amadeus Choir, Beethoven's Missa Solemnis with Chorus London, Mozart's Requiem with the Oakville Symphony, and Handel's Messiah with The Newfoundland Symphony.
Wendy has worked with many of Canada’s finest conductors, including Jonathan Darlington, David Speers, Robert Cooper, Lydia Adams, Marc David, Gerald Fagan, Bruce Pullan, Marlin Wolfe, Matthew Larkin, Laura Thomas, Roberto DeClara, Jon van Liempt, Johann Lowersheimer, Owen Underhill, Leslie Uyeda, Darryl Nixon, and Clyde Mitchell.
Of her recent appearance as Katisha in Toronto Operetta Theatre's The Mikado, Colin Eatock of the Globe and Mail wrote: "Wendy Hatala Foley … burst on stage like a madwoman escaped from an Italian opera; her powerful voice and stage presence energized every scene she appeared in." Other operatic appearances include the Mother/Witch in Opera Hamilton's School Tour of Hansel and Gretel, Marcellina in Le Nozze di Figaro with the Vancouver Opera, and the role of Trish in Leslie Uyeda's Game Misconduct for Festival Vancouver. Richard Todd in the Ottawa Citizen wrote of her 2007 Duruflé Requiem with the Ottawa Choral Society: "Hatala Foley rendered a lovely account of the Pie Jesu, now serene, now urgent, always powerful and expressive."
Read more: http://wendyhatalafoley.webnode.com/about-wendyhatalafoley/
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