Chicago Philharmonic 2019-2020

THE CHICAGO PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY | FALL 2019 11 2019 2020 SEASON: REUNION Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 -1827) Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61 (1806) Ludwig van Beethoven’s only violin concerto is truly iconoclastic. Written during a particularly productive time for the composer, it was composed hurriedly and completed just two days before the premiere. Franz Clement, violin prodigy and a close friend of Beethoven, was forced to sight-read the staggeringly di cult piece in concert. A er mixed reviews, the concerto was shuttered into obscurity until 1844 when Felix Mendelssohn conducted the piece with the Philharmonic Society of London and twelve-year-old violin virtuoso Joseph Joachim. Since then, it has been considered one of the great concertos of the 19th century, requiring a soloist with both intense technical skill and musical intelligence. e concerto begins somewhat strangely with ve gentle beats from the timpani. Although it could at rst be mistaken for an incidental interjection between woodwind melodies, soon the violins imitate this same four-beat motif. e drumbeat motif is repeated throughout the rst movement, sometimes with a h resolving note, until it becomes an integral part of the main melody. As in his third symphony, Beethoven’s compositions o en verge on obsessiveness in their repetitive nature, but the drumbeat motif here is balanced beautifully with a fantastical violin solo that quickly reaches the highest stratosphere of the instrument’s range. e second movement, Larghetto , lets the violin shine with minimal orchestral accompaniment and launches immediately into the robust, cheery nale. Symphony No. 3 in E at Major, Op. 55 ( Eroica ) (1805) When Beethoven’s third symphony premiered in 1805, it sounded like nothing the world had heard before. Audiences at that time, like those today, had speci c expectations regarding orchestral concerts; the average length and sound level were particularly important. Eroica was twice as long as any symphony by Beethoven’s predecessors; the rst movement alone is nearly 20 minutes long. It was the loudest, most bold, dramatic, in-your-face music in the classical music canon. Eroica changed the notion of what a symphony can and should be; many music historians view it as the turning point between the Classical and Romantic eras. Schumann, Mendelssohn, Brahms, Wagner, Strauss, Mahler, and many more composed their life’s work on the shoulders of Beethoven’s symphonies, starting with Eroica. e piece begins with two E at chords, followed by a simple arpeggio melody in the cellos. Although the rst movement is massive in scope and unprecedented in musical drama, it follows a strict Classical-era sonata form. Beethoven introduces a new theme in the oboe in the rather meaty development section, which was unusual but not unheard of at the time. More inventive is the “false start” in the horns just before the recapitulation. And of course, Beethoven’s obsessive nature is apparent as he repeats dissonant chords, almost reminiscent of a child stomping their foot on the ground. e second movement is equally intense: an epic, unrelenting funeral march. Beethoven introduces the listener to a new level of musical drama as the orchestra mourns the death of a hero. Two happy interludes are allowed, but the movement ends with heavy grief nonetheless. Another innovation from Beethoven was the addition of a third horn player to the symphony, which he puts to good use in the much-needed respite of the light-hearted Scherzo with a brilliant hunting horn trio. e nale is a classic theme and variations, utilizing a theme Beethoven had used several times before (most notably in his ballet e Creatures of Prometheus ). Here, the composer shows the extraordinary depth of his skill as the orchestra moves seamlessly between virtuosic solos, a dance section, a bass-line fugue, and even a hymn. e piece ends with a magni cent coda and a triumphant burst from the horns. Reunion: Beethoven 3 Sunday, November 17 2019, 3pm North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, Skokie Larry Rachleff conductor David Perry violin Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827) Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 61 I.Allegro ma non troppo II. Larghetto III. Rondo. Allegro Intermission Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827) Symphony No. 3 in E at Major, Op. 55 (Eroica) I. Allegro con brio II. Marcia funebre. Adagio assai III. Scherzo. Allegro vivace IV. Finale. Allegro molto Performance time approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes Chicago Phil Reunion: In the Foyer Celebrate Chicago Philharmonic’s 30 years by walking down memory lane with the display of images and materials in the foyer.

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