Austrian-American composer
born: 13 September 1874, Vienna; died: 13 July 1951, Los AngelesPhantasy for Violin and Piano, Op.47
Today, Arnold Schönberg is best known for introducing the idea
of 'atonality' to formal music, a method of composition in which a particular key center cannot be determined, neither by listening nor via theoretical analysis. After that followed a
long period of further experimentation out of which developed Schönberg's now-famous 12-tone or tone-row method of composition, a system which in general requires that all twelve
pitches of the chromatic scale must be played before any pitch can be repeated.
Because of these innovations (some say 'discoveries'), Schönberg is often credited as the
leading exponent of what was then called the free-styled avant garde. But in fact, his scores follow rigorous procedures of form and logic. And, we should fairly note, with regard to
Schönberg's atonal heritage, his music is never atunal, i.e. never without a theme, even though the 'tune' can be abstract, if not elusive. But it is always there.
Opus 47 was Schönberg's very last instrumental piece, dedicated in 1949 to the Canadian violinist Adolph Koldofsky.
Benjamin Britten
English composer
born: 22 November 1913, Lowestoft, Suffolk;
died: 4 December 1976, Aldeburgh, Suffolk
Six Metamorphoses after Ovid, Opus 49
Pan
- who played upon the reed pipe which was Syrinx, his beloved.
Phaeton
- who rode upon the chariot of the sun for one day and was hurled into the river Padus by a thunderbolt.
Niobe
- who, lamenting the death of her fourteen children, was turned into stone.
Bacchus
- at whose feasts is heard the noises of gaggling women's tattling tongues and shouting out of boys.
Narcissus
- who fell in love with his own image and became a flower.
Arethusa - who, flying from the love of Alpheus the river god, was turned into a fountain.
Although his full catalog is rich and varied, with hundreds of original scores in all genres, Benjamin Britten is today best known for his work titled Young Person's Guide to
the Orchestra, a tuneful set of variations on a theme by Henry Purcell.
In 1951, Britten was commissioned by the Aldeburgh Festival to compose a solo work for one
of England's premier oboists, Joy Boughton (the daughter of composer Rutland Boughton). Britten had keen fascination for mythology, in particular for the fables from antiquity. Among
his favorites were those from Metamorphoses, written by the great Roman scribe, Ovid (43 BC - AD 17).
In fifteen volumes, the tome attempts to explain the inconstancy of the
world and inevitable changes in human existence. Britten selected six of the legend's principal figures and crafted a set of miniature tone poems. The composer took care to add brief
captions to the titles of each movement.
An amusing anecdote about the piece developed just as oboist Boughton was rehearsing the music along the seashore at The Meare at
Thorpeness. During the second movement, Phaeton
(who indeed gets a river dunking), a gust of wind blew Britten's ink manuscript into the water. Fortunately, it was retrieved quickly enough to preserve the original notation for copying.
The score has been adapted for various other woodwind instruments, including the version for flute heard here. Listeners are often charmed by Britten's musical mime - conjuring
hiccups for Bacchus, mirror phrases for Narcissus, and tonal cascades for the fountain in Arethusa.
Sir Arnold Bax
English composer
born: Streatham, 8 November 1883; died: Cork, 3 October 1953
Legend for Viola and Piano
Arnold Bax received his advanced training in composition at the Royal Academy
of Music, during which time he also became a fine pianist. He also had abiding love for English literature, and was keenly influenced by The Wanderings of Oisin, by the Irish
poet William Butler Yeats. When Bax visited the coast of Ireland in 1902, his artistic persona underwent a revolution of a kind - "The Celt within me stood revealed."
Following fashion, he adopted a nom de plume, Dermot O'Byrne, under which name he published poetry, short stories and several plays.
But along the way, Bax continued to
compose. By the end of his life his catalog included seven symphonies, various tone poems, several film scores and a small treasure of instrumental pieces, including his
Legend for Viola and Piano. The work was one of several Bax composed for his friend, the renowned English violist, Lionel Tertis. Legend
was premiered by Tertis in July of 1929, with Bax at the keyboard.
The title 'Legend' reflects the composer's lifelong passion for the ancient lore of the British Isles,
which found expression in virtually all of his scores. Legend for Viola and Piano
is clearly tonal poetic, and begins with an extended, somber and probing introduction in the piano. Taking up the elegaic mood, the solo viola begins a lyrical narrative. In turns, the music flows from the shadows to sunshowers of brighter tempos and tone, yet always resonant within a memoir of scenes long past.
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Austrian composer, pianist and violinist
born: 27 January 1756, Salzburg; died: 5 December 1791, Vienna
Duo for Violin and Viola in G Major, K.423
Allegro
Adagio
Rondeau: Allegro
The Duo in G major
was written in the summer of 1783 under unusual circumstances. It so happened that Mozart's friend and fellow-composer Michael Haydn (the brother of Franz Joseph) was taken seriously ill, and was unable to fulfill his contract for Archbishop Colloredo of Salzburg. Most compelling was the Archbishop's deadline to receive a pair of new duets. Michael was thus at risk of losing not only the commission, but probably his position as servant to the court.
When Mozart learned of his friend's dilemma, he immediately set about the task of writing the duos, masquerading as Michael Haydn, and taking care to employ the latter's
elements of style. Biographers account that the gesture by Wolfgang Amadeus was not only one of kindness, but also one of genuine admiration for his friend's music. Of course,
Mozart's quick hand turned out both duos (K.423 and K.424) like a short order chef. In just a day or two the 'forgeries' were delivered and happily accepted. The truth would not be
revealed until after the passing of Michael Haydn in 1806, when a biography of the composer was published for the benefit of his widow.
As for the music, despite Mozart's
coy deflection, he could not camouflage his own natural gift. The Duo in G features two bright outer movements complemented by a tender Adagio.
Eugène Ysae
Belgian violinist, composer and conductor
born: 16 July 1858, Liège; died: 12 May 1931, Brussels
Solo Sonata for Violin, Opus 27, No.4 in E minor
Allemande - Lento maestoso
Sarabande - Quasi lento
Finale - Presto ma non troppo
Eugène Ysa¥e is at the roundtable of violin virtuosos who were also
composers. The list is impressive: Paganini, Kreisler, Sarasate, Vieuxtemps, Wieniawski, Enescu, and Lalo, in addition to masters from earlier periods, e.g. Mozart and the revered
maestros from the Italian Baroque, including Corelli, Vivaldi, Locatelli, Geminiani and Tartini, among many.
Although most of the above were treated like superstars in their time,
they would all be long forgotten were it not for their important contributions to the violin repertoire.
For his part, Ysa¥e was also a very successful international conductor,
serving as the music director of the Cincinnati Symphony from 1918 though 1922. As a violinist he also inspired several major composers to dedicate new pieces to him, including
Debussy, d'Indy, Fauré and Chausson.
But perhaps Ysa¥e's true calling was to composition, a catalog that includes an opera, eight violin concertos and a wealth of special
solo pieces, including a Six Solo Sonatas for Violin, Op.27, completed in 1924.
Sonata No.4 is dedicated to Fritz Kreisler. Each
movement conjures a tribute to Bach, who used similar titles in many of his instrumental works. And while the music paints a beautiful tribute to the Baroque era, refined influences
from the Romantic era are nevertheless apparent. Ysa¥e's savvy use of double stops in the first movement Allemande is magical. In the Sarabande, deft pizzicato provides
a beguiling prelude to the haunting lyricism which follows. The final Presto
takes off and returns with blithe virtuosity on the fly, with an enchanting arioso as a harmonic centerpiece. Marvelous.
Antonin Dvorak
Bohemian composer
born: 8
September 1841, Nelahozeves, Bohemia; died: 1 May 1904, Prague, Czechoslovakia
Terzetto in C major for Two Violins and Viola, Op.74
Introduzione: Allegro ma non troppo
Larghetto
Scherzo: Vivace
Tema con variazioni: poco adagio, molto allegro
Weightless beauty, melodies from the heart and
hearth over wistful harmonies - the music Antonin Dvorak. While he is best known for his later symphonies, including the New World, and the alluring settings of his
Slavonic Dances, Dvorak's catalog is otherwise highlighted by treasures less known, such as the current work, the charming Terzetto for violins and viola.
Dvorak was himself quite an accomplished violist, and in the second week of January, 1887, he completed the current trio for the amusement of himself and friends. While working on the
score, Dvorak wrote to his publisher:
"I am just now writing some small bagatelles for two violins and viola, and the piece gives me just as much pleasure as if I
were composing a great symphony. What do you say about that? They are, of course, intended for amateurs, but didn't Beethoven and Schumann do the same with themes that were otherwise
barely significant."
Biographer John Clapham notes that the first two movements are in E major, set with simple structure and intimate tone. The following Scherzo
is a bright Czech dance modeled after the popular furiant, with a beautifully colored waltz at the trio. In C minor, the last movement theme and variations is charmed with harmonic variety through to the snappy C major close.
Program Notes by Edward Yadzinski
