2015 Program Notes, Book 1 |
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Angeles Chamber Orchestra. Norman’s rapidly accumulating distinctions include
fellowships from the American Academies in both Rome and Berlin, Nissim Prize
and five Morton Gould Young Composer Awards from ASCAP, Jacob Druckman
Prize from the Aspen Festival, Charles Ives Scholarship from the American Academy
of Arts and Letters, and a BMI Student Composer Award, as well as top honors in
the National Federation of Music Clubs Composition Competition, Music Teachers
National Association Composition Competition, New England Philharmonic Call for
Scores and USC Undergraduate Symposium for Scholarly and Creative Work; his
string trio
The Companion Guide to Rome
was a finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize in
Music.
Norman writes, “
Drip Blip Sparkle Spin Glint Glide Glow Float Flop Chop Pop
Shatter Splash
was commissioned by the Minnesota Orchestra in 2005 for their Young
People’s Concerts. As I say to the kids during school visits, the process of writing it
was a bit like making a tossed salad. I chopped up sounds from the orchestra—one
sound for each of the 13 verbs in the title—and then I tossed them all together and
called it a piece.”
PIANO CONCERTO NO. 1 IN F-SHARP
MINOR, OP. 1 (1890-1891)
Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943)
Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No. 1 is scored for two flutes,
two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two
trumpets, three trombones, timpani, percussion and strings.
The performance time is 27 minutes. The Grant Park Orchestra
first played the Concerto on July 24, 1974, with Walter Hagen
conducting and Mark Hastings as soloist.
In the summer of 1890, while still a student at the Moscow Conservatory,
Rachmaninov began a grand Piano Concerto in F-sharp Minor. (He had abandoned
a similar attempt two years earlier.) The first movement was finished quickly, but he
did not return to the piece until the following year. On July 20, 1891, he wrote to
Mikhail Slonov, “On July 6th, I fully completed composing and scoring my Piano
Concerto. You can imagine what a job that was! I wrote from five in the morning
till eight in the evening, so after finishing the work I was terribly tired. Afterwards I
rested for a few days. While working I never feel fatigue (on the contrary—pleasure).
With me fatigue appears only when I realize that a big labor is finished. I am pleased
with the Concerto.” Rachmaninov gave the Concerto’s premiere in a student
concert at the Moscow Conservatory on March 17, 1892; the school’s director, Vasily
Safonoff, conducted. “At the rehearsals the 18-year-old Rachmaninov showed the
same stubbornly calm character that we knew from our comradely gatherings,”
wrote his fellow student Mikhail Bukinik. “Safonoff, who ordinarily conducted the
compositions of his students, would brutally and unceremoniously change anything
he wished in these scores, cleaning them up and cutting parts to make them more
playable.... But Safonoff had a hard time with Rachmaninov. This student not only
refused categorically to accept alterations, but also had the audacity to stop Safonoff
(as conductor), pointing out his errors in tempo and nuance. This was obviously
displeasing to Safonoff, but being intelligent, he understood the rights of the author,
though a beginner, to make his own interpretation, and he tried to take the edge off
any awkwardness. Besides, Rachmaninov’s talent as a composer was so obvious, and
his quiet self-assurance made such an impression on all, that even the omnipotent
Safonoff had to yield.” Though the opening movement follows traditional concerto
Wednesday, June 17, 2015
