Program Notes - March 17, 2012
Zoltán Kodály
Born on 16 Dec 1882 in Kecskemét, Hungary
Died on 6 March 1967 in Budapest
Dances of Galánta
Zoltán Kodály was a prominent composer, ethnomusicologist, and pedagogue. Both parents were amateur musicians, his father a violinist, his mother a pianist and singer. Kodály learned various instruments as a child including the piano, violin, viola, and cello. He had a tremendous interest in the traditional music of his native country, an interest that began early in his childhood while in grammar school in Galánta, where he was exposed to untainted folk music sung by his classmates and performed by gypsy bands. He completed his studies in 1900 and while attending Eötvös College, Kodály began studying at the Academy of Music. There he earned diplomas in composition (1904) and in teaching (1905). In 1906, Kodály earned a PhD in musicology. His dissertation, entitled Strophic Structure in the Hungarian Folk Song, focused on material found in his collecting tours, which began in the summer of 1905. It was during this time he met his long-time friend, supporter, and collaborator, Belá Bartók. In a radio interview many years later, entitled Bartók emlékezete (Bartók remembered) (3 November 1955), "Kodály recalled the basis and beginning of their collaboration: The vision of an educated Hungary, reborn from the people, rose before us. We decided to devote our lives to its realization." Their first joint project was the publication of Magyar népdalok (Hungarian folksongs) in 1906.Kodaly firmly believed folksong was the source that connected the country's past with its future. The popularization of folksong as part of the musical culture was paramount in his view. His scholarship raised the level of musicology, and ethnomusicology in general, not only in Hungary but also in other countries. One of Kodaly's lasting achievements in addition to his music and scholarship was in music education. He published singing and reading exercises for the young, who he felt learned musical skills best through direct experience with familiar songs. Kodaly's ideas and philosophy of music education evolved as Hungarian teachers began using his techniques more and more, known today as the "Kodaly Method." In The Folk Songs of Hungary, (Zenei Szemle, xii/3-4, pp.55-8, 1928), Bartok honored Kodaly's artistry, "If I were to name the composer whose works are the most perfect embodiment of the Hungarian spirit, I would answer, Kodaly. His work proves his faith in the Hungarian spirit. The obvious explanation is that all Kodaly's composing activity is rooted only in Hungarian soil, but the deep inner reason is his unshakable faith and trust in the constructive power and future of his people."
Most of Kodály's orchestral compositions were written after 1920. The most popular has been the Dances of Galánta, a symphonic poem in rondo form. The material is derived from 18th-century verbunkos music, traditional Hungarian dance music consisting of two sections, the lassú (literally, "slow") and the friss ("fresh"). The work was composed in 1933 and dedicated to the Budapest Philharmonic Society on its 80th birthday. The work premiered on 23 Oct 1933 in Budapest under the baton of Ernö von Dohnányi. The dances are scored for two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, timpani, tambourine, triangle, bells and strings.
Kodaly made the following account about the dances: Galánta is a small Hungarian market town known to travelers between Vienna and Budapest. The composer passed seven years of his childhood there. At that time there was a famous gypsy band that has since disappeared. This was the first "orchestral" sonority that came to the ears of the child. The forebears of these gypsies were already known more than a hundred years ago. About 1800 some books of Hungarian dances were published in Vienna, one of which contained music "after several Gypsies from Galánta." They have preserved the old traditions. In order to keep it alive, the composer has taken his principal themes from these old publications.
The rondo-form structure of Kodály's Dances of Galánta consists of a three-part lassú (the orchestral introduction, the clarinet solo, and the andante maestoso section) followed by a friss that begins allegro moderato and followed by four different fast dances, separated by brief references to the andante maestoso (slow with majesty). The andante maestoso serves as the returning rondo theme in the structure between the contrasting sections.
The orchestral introduction starts with a short melody played first with strings, followed in succession by horn, oboe, and orchestra. The clarinet solo is a prominent feature of the introduction, reflecting the role of the single-reed tárogató in Hungarian folk music. The andante maestoso is played by full orchestra. The sound is richly orchestrated and beautifully majestic. The Andante moderato is characterized by woodwinds and pizzicato strings alternating with full orchestra, ending the section with the return of the andante maestoso before proceeding to the first dance. The entrance of the first dance is delineated by a soft dynamic level and a decrease in tempo. The first dance features woodwinds playing a new melody, alternating in contrast to the full orchestra. The section ends with cello and a reference to the andante maestoso. The second dance is marked with a faster tempo and more energy with an emphasis on the upbeat of the measure. Strings and brass alternate with the orchestra. The dance builds to a resounding end followed by a short pause before proceeding to the third dance. The third dance in contrast to that of the preceding one features clarinet and woodwinds, followed by strings, and a return to the woodwinds. The fourth dance is the liveliest of the four. One easily can imagine excited dancers jumping and stomping wildly. The second part of the fourth dance has an even more frenetic pace. After a complete break, the andante maestoso returns, this time with a soft dynamic level and slow tempo. The clarinet once again comes to the forefront with its hauntingly beautiful melody with many runs and trills. One final pause is followed by the coda and the return of the fast-paced fourth dance, bringing the work to an exciting and brilliant end.
Kodaly's legacy continues today with training programs for the Kodaly Method in many universities and conservatories. Kodaly institutes have been established worldwide including Boston, Tokyo, Ottawa, Sydney, Finland, and Kecskemét, where he was born. The International Kodály Society, based in Budapest, was founded in 1975. His former home has been converted into the Zoltán Kodály Memorial Museum and Archives and serves as a center for Kodály research.
Johannes Brahms
Born on May 7, 1833
Died on April 3, 1897
Concerto for Cello and Violin in A minor, Op. 102
In May 1853 while on tour as the accompanist for the Hungarian violinist Eduard Reményi, a young Johannes Brahms first made the acquaintance of Joseph Joachim, one of the most important violinists of the 19th century. Joachim was also a Hungarian and though only two- years older than Brahms was far more established than the German pianist. At the age of twelve Joachim had performed the Beethoven Violin Concerto in London under the baton of his mentor Felix Mendelssohn. By 1848, Joachim was concertmaster for Franz Liszt's orchestra in Weimar. However, at the time of his first meeting with Brahms, Joachim had grown disenchanted with the musical direction on the New German School of composers lead by Liszt. He found a sympathetic soul in Brahms and became fast friends with him. This lifelong friendship was pivotal in Brahms's professional life since it was through Joachim's letter of introduction that Brahms was able to meet Robert Schumann, the composer who became his mentor, and his wife, Clara.Joachim would also provide inspiration for several works for violin by Brahms. Schumann, Brahms, and Albert Dietrich, another of Schumann's students, collaborated on a work dedicated to Joachim, the F-A-E Sonata, which takes its name from the Romantic German phrase "Frei aber einsam" ("free but lonely") that Joachim had adopted as his motto. Brahms's Violin Concerto in D Major was dedicated to Joachim and premiered by him in 1879. Tonight's work was also written for the violinist.
In 1884, Joachim, convinced that his wife, Amalie, was having an affair with a publisher, filed for divorced. Brahms did not believe the affair occurred and wrote in sympathy to Amalie. When she later produced the letter in court as evidence against Joachim, the long-time friendship between composer and violinist cooled considerably. The Concerto for Violin and Cello was presented as a peace offering from Brahms to his old friend in 1887, which re-established their friendship and professional relationship. Brahms even incorporated the musical motif A-E-F, a variation of the F-A-E motif of his earliest work for Joachim. It was the final orchestral work that Brahms composed. It premiered on October 18, 1887 in Cologne, Germany, with Joachim on violin, Robert Hausmann on cello, and Brahms conducting.
The pairing of violin and cello in a joint concerto had no precedent at the time. Despite a handful of exceptions, such as Beethoven's Triple Concerto for Piano, Violin and Cello, Louis Spohr's Concertante in C Major for Violin, Cello and Orchestra, and Mozart's Mozart's Sinfonia concertante for violin and viola, most concertos since the Classical era had been written to feature a soloist with orchestra. The challenge of the Double Concerto is the balance between the soloists. In keeping with Brahms's sense of tradition, the concerto follows the classical three-movement fast-slow-fast form.
The first movement opens with a dramatic orchestral statement of the main theme. There is no superfluous introduction; listeners are confronted right away with the full sound of the orchestra and the main melodic material. But before the orchestra can play more than a few measures, the cello abruptly cuts off its opening phrase with a cadenza, an extremely unusual move by Brahms. Cadenzas (the section where soloists display their virtuosity) typically occur well into the movement. Once finished, the cello is answered by the woodwinds, who play a short contrasting theme that sets a gentler, albeit short lived, mood. Now the violin soloist emerges to play a cadenza. Out of the violinist's cadenza emerges a duet with the cello. The intensity of the music builds until it releases into a repeat of the dramatic orchestral entrance. Both soloists return accompanied by the orchestra playing through a kaleidoscope of emotions that underscore the drama and turbulence of the movement. Such melodic give-and-take requires the soloists to function as if playing a chamber piece. Indeed, Joachim and Hausmann were quite experienced playing chamber music together in Joachim's string quartet.
The second movement opens with the tenderest of melodies played in octaves by both featured instruments. The contrast to the first movement both in mood and in presentation of the main theme is pronounced. A second theme is presented by the woodwinds before a passage where the soloists alternate phrases before coming together in a descending melodic pattern. Notably, Brahms never composed any operas in his long career, yet the duets in this operatic movement are almost voice-like in their inflections, as though the two instruments are conversing. Brahms was a masterful songwriter, so he clearly knew how to write for voice. Much of the power of this movement comes from its simplicity.
The final movement opens with a highly rhythmic melody played by the cello and then answered by the violin. Brahms had always been fond of vigorous and "gypsy-like" Hungarian rhythms. It makes perfect sense that he would choose create such a movement to feature his Hungarian friend. The movement follows a rondo form (ABACABA), with section A serving as the repeated material and the B and C sections serving as contrast. After several performances of the work in 1887 by Brahms, Joachim and Hausmann, Brahms presented the manuscript of the piece to his old friend as a final remembrance of their collaboration with the simple inscription "To him for whom it was written."
Ludwig van Beethoven
Born on 16 December, 1770
Died on 26 March 1827
Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92
More so than for any other composer, the music of Ludwig van Beethoven presents to listeners the quest of the Hero. Since antiquity, the Hero's journey took him through a series of trials and through his abilities and purity of heart he was able to emerge transformed and triumphant. This is not only a vast change from the music of the Classical era, but it marks Beethoven's significance as the transitional composer to the Romantic era. In particular, the odd numbered symphonies, starting with the Symphony No. 3, 'Eroica,' from 1805, demonstrate growth through their musical processes so that listeners can share in the conflicts and experience for themselves a sense of triumphant arrival. In each work, there is a palpable sense that these journeys and struggles arose from Beethoven's own psychological growth. Consequently, audiences have responded strongly to this music for over 200 years.Beethoven began work on his seventh symphony in 1811 while staying at in the spa town of Templice, Czech Republic, in what was then Bohemia. In the spring of 1811, he had become seriously ill, suffering from chronic headaches and high fevers. Over the next year, while working on the symphony, he would continue with bouts of illness, forcing a second visit to Templice in the summer of 1812. Compounding his stress at the time were the situations of his brothers: youngest brother, Nikolas Johann, was cohabitating with a woman who had already borne one illegitimate child; Caspar Anton Carl was suffering from tuberculosis, which would claim his life in 1815. Remarkably, during this time of illness and familial strife Beethoven produced a work as energetic and optimistic as the Symphony No. 7.
Beethoven conducted the premiere himself on December 8, 1813, in Vienna. It was a charity concert for soldiers wounded in the Battle of Hanau, a minor battle in the Napoleonic Wars. The performance was an enormous success for Beethoven, whose professional activities had been curtailed by his personal circumstances.
In the groundbreaking Third and Fifth Symphonies, Beethoven wasted no time by introducing the first theme of each movement immediately at the onset. One of the most striking aspects of tonight's symphony is how free it seems of the charged conflicts at the core of a work like Symphony No. 5 in C minor. While that work opens immediately with the dramatic short-short-short-long motive that provides the kernel of the entire work, here the listener is greeted instead by a long introduction before the first theme even appears. There is a patience exhibited here that one does not find in the seemingly impetuous Fifth. Beethoven also used such an approach with introductions in the first movements in his Second and Fourth Symphonies, but here the tension builds considerably as if one was expecting something grand to emerge. Musically, the introductory section is unstable but Beethoven makes sure this instability is one of anticipation rather than strife before releasing, and it does so cleverly. Instead of a powerful statement of the first theme, Beethoven coyly has the woodwinds introduce it, with the flute prominent. Afterwards, the orchestra restates the theme, with the vigorous rhythm of the timpani and horns, as if galloping away.
Like the Fifth Symphony, the second movement is built from the simplest of musical materials. The motive of long-short-short-long-long is introduced quietly and somberly by the low strings in the parallel key of A minor. The movement slowly and insistently builds in intensity as if emotions that were once under control begin to spill forth. Once this catharsis has been achieved, the movement closes quietly. This movement had such an impact on the audience at the premiere that they demanded, and received, an immediate encore of the entire of movement before the remainder was the symphony was performed.
The third movement returns to a vigorous rhythmic approach. The tempo is presto, which is very fast. Third movements in symphonies are traditionally in triple meter and this one is no exception. The form is A-B-A-B-A, which is an expansion of the Classical 'minuet and trio' form of A-B-A. Beethoven introduced the use of the 'scherzo' (Italian for 'joke') for symphonic third movements to replace the minuet of the minuet and trio. The scherzo A sections are vigorous while the trio B sections are elegant.
Wagner famously referred to this symphony as "the apotheosis of the dance." Wagner's only symphony, written when he was 19, was modeled on Beethoven's seventh. Like many other observers, Wagner was enthralled by Beethoven's use of dance-like rhythms throughout the seventh symphony. The final movement, which like the first is in sonata form, starts with a flourish and seems to build in momentum. The tempo marking is allegro con brio: fast and with spirit. It is a display of unbridled enthusiasm in music. Rare for Beethoven is his indication of fff or fortississimo (as loud as possible) in the closing measures. But it shows that for Beethoven an exclamation of joy was needed to cap off this exciting symphony.
Symphony in C program notes are written by Joseph C. Schiavo and Eric Polack.
