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June 10 2006, 7:30 at the Barshinger Center (2006 Schedule)
Schools Out! (spoken like a veteran public school music teacher) And now with the completion of the academic year and the start of summer vacation, it would be quite fitting for us to produce a five year report card on this chamber orchestra called “Allegro”. Their mission statement mentions a quest to bring joy and enrichment while focusing primarily on music of the 17 th and 18 th century. An equally admirable goal for this ensemble is to show a positive enthusiasm through its musicians.
Repertoire -It's hard to argue with the likes of Bach (five “Brandenburgs” to date), Handel (Fireworks & Water Music), and multiple offerings of Mozart & Haydn to name just a few of the composers presented from 2002-present. Dr. Norcross and his orchestra earn an A+ for pulling out all the stops (organ pun could be inserted here) when programming the greatest works of both the baroque and classical periods.
Positive Spirit -Wow, this one's a little harder to evaluate. We need only look into the bright eyes of these players to assess this most unique but important goal of Allegro. Do these musicians love playing for their conductor and the Allegro audience? Is the conductor-musician relationship one of encouragement and support? Is this rare sense of joy conveyed to you, the Allegro audience? In this case Allegro earns an A+ + + + +. (Sorry, I couldn't help myself…..five summers of smiles, laughter and joyful execution deserves our admiration.)
Is my report card fair and unbiased? Of course not! Heck, I'm a member of the orchestra and firm believer in the mantra that a happy musician makes joyful music. This report card evaluation of Allegro: The Chamber Orchestra of Lancaster, is ultimately a celebration of our fifth season in existence, as we strive to elevate and cleanse the soul of both our listeners and musicians.
Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 D Major, BMV 1050 by J.S. Bach (1685-1750)
You may recall from previous Allegro performances of Brandenburg Concerti that Bach wrote this collection of six pieces (1721) for Christian Ludwig, Margrave of Brandenburg. Imagine J.S. Bach sending these to this court official as a sort of job application. He didn't get the job, but his concertos are today among the best-known instrumental works of this entire period. Bach's inscription that accompanied the music was characteristic of servants of the court offering their genius creations to high ranking officials of the monarchy. Bach asked the Margrave:
“very humbly not to judge the imperfections of the concertos by the severity of that fine and delicate taste which everyone knows that he possesses; but rather to see in them, by his kind consideration, the profound respect and the very humble allegiance which they seek to convey.”
Concerto No. 5 is scored for solo flute, solo violin, harpsichord, and string ensemble. Having said that, so prominent is the harpsichord (under the able fingers of guest soloist Margaret Marsch) that it somewhat overshadows the two other solo instruments….forgive me Bryan Rose (violin soloist) and Vicki Hill (flute soloist). This Concerto actually counts as the earliest known concerto for solo harpsichord, and thus as the earliest known ancestor of the piano concerto. Scholars have concluded that the fifth “ Brandenburg” was the last composed, cast in Bach's preferred form of three movements.
Symphony No. 1 in D Major-Wq 183.1 by Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach (1714-1788
“As I see it, music should move the heart emotionally.” -C.P.E. Bach
Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach composed four symphonies in 1775 and 1776 and published them as a set in 1780. Emanuel, as he came to be known, was the most prolific and famous of J.S. Bach's sons. Although he was born into the most musical family we have ever known, (even his godfather was the popular composer Georg Philipp Telemann), Emanuel first studied law. His father encouraged this it seems, perhaps determined that his son have the university education he himself lacked . Observation: Have you ever noticed that parents try to steer their children away from music and into more lucrative career paths? All the while, however, C.P.E. was also studying and performing music, and finally, in 1730, he began composing under the watchful eye of his father. Clearly music was his calling. In later years, when he was the most famous keyboard player in all Europe , the great historian Charles Burney described Emanuel, seated at the clavichord, playing into the night like a man possessed: “He not only played, but looked like one inspired.” For nearly thirty years, Emanuel served as composer to Frederick the Great and then, in 1768, succeeded his godfather Telemann as music director in Hamburg , one of the prized positions of the day.
Tonight's Symphony in D is among Emanuel's most impressive works: strong, dramatic, audacious statements, not at all the simple, charming exercises one expects from preclassical symphonists. Although the work bears the stamp of a brilliant, inventive mind, this is above all, music that belongs to an age of transition and artistic upheaval. This Sturm und Drang movement was typified by powerful, even violent, emotional expression. The sudden changes, pauses, and delicious surprises of this composition would have made Haydn envious.
Concerto in D minor for violin, D45 by Giuseppe Tartini (1692-1770)
Instead of potentially boring you with another typical composer's life story, here's a short, slightly spicier tale of Tartini's youthful adventure. In 1709 he attended the university where he studied theology, philosophy and literature although his father preferred he enter the priesthood. ( here we go again ) At the age of 18 he eloped with a fellow student; unfortunately she turned out to be the neice of Cardinal Giorgo Comaro, bishop of Padua who ordered Tartini's arrest. The couple kept their marriage a secret for three years but once discovered Giuseppe was forced to flee Padua , leaving his wife who was sent to a convent. He would later (1715) return to his wife, who was pardoned by the Cardinal but not until having studied music in Rome .
So you're not real familiar with Tartini? He composed more than 130 concerti for violin and is often compared to his contemporary Vivaldi. His works are every bit as virtuosic as Vivaldi but the end result is less fiery and more melodious. As Tartini moved towards this cantabile style, he also developed theories that viewed the human voice as the source of musical perfection. In an early manifestation of the aesthetics of the Enlightenment, he declared that:
“I am as home as much as I can be with Nature, and as little as possible with Art, having no Art but the imitation of Nature” - Tartini
Symphony No. 100, G Major, “Military” by Franz Joseph Haydn (1732-1809)
Fame and appreciation for one's artistic contribution usually arrives sometime after composers are buried and at rest from their labors. A symbol of humility and humble disposition, Joseph Haydn was literally the most famous and successful composer of his time. Living in a class-conscious society, Haydn chose to retain the lowliness of his early life long after his increase in fame and fortune. He often dressed as a peasant in his shirtsleeves, attending church with the common people. In a manner of a contented servant of God, Haydn answered one adoring fan: “Do not speak so to me. You see only a man whom God has granted talent and a good heart.”
The “Military” Symphony was written for Haydn's second London visit in 1794. It was even more successful than his previous London Symphonies. A London newspaper wrote that “the rapture it gave cannot be communicated by words, to be known it must be heard”, while an audience member, whose program has survived, simply noted “Grand but very loud. ” The reason for their enthusiasm was Haydn's unprecedented use of the bass drum, triangle and cymbals in the second and fourth movements. This 18th century combination of percussion was known as “Turkish” or “Military” music. The other movements however are no less original. Parts of the first movement almost make us think that we are heading into the “Radetzky March!” Some see Haydn's usage of “Military” instruments as his reflection on the horrors of war and more specifically, the Napoleonic Wars, which had just begun. Certainly the sudden trumpet calls and ominous drum rolls denote the tragic drama of the times. As “Symphony 100” matures through four movements of development, the military instruments become less threatening. Rather they bring the work to a conclusion of exuberant and joyful celebration.
Thank you for sharing in the fifth season of Allegro: The Chamber Orchestra of Lancaster. We hope to see you again on July 8 and August 12. The mission of Allegro is a noble endeavor, bringing joy and enrichment to the lives of the Lancaster community. It is our hope that you can see the enjoyment on our player's faces, hear the passion in their artistic interpretation, and feel your spirit elevated by the wonders of God's gift of great music.
Doug Albert