Ravinia 2019, Issue 7, Week 14

6:00 PM SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2019 BENNETT GORDON HALL YEVGENY KUTIK, violin † RANDALL HODGKINSON, piano † STRAVINSKY Duo concertant Cantilène Eclogue I Eclogue II Gigue Dithyrambe PROKOFIEV Violin Sonata No. 2 Moderato Scherzo: Presto Andante Allegro con brio –Intermission– GITY RAZAZ Cadenza for the Once Young for solo violin * ANDREIA PINTO CORREIA Litania * MAHLER Adagietto from Symphony No. 5 (arr. Wittinger) STRAUSS Violin Sonata Allegro, ma non troppo Improvisation: Andante cantabile Finale: Andante—Allegro † Ravinia debut * First performance at Ravinia IGOR STRAVINSKY (1882–1971) Duo concertante Stravinsky discovered an aesthetic catalyst for his Duo concertante in a succinct description of ancient Greek literature in Charles Albert Cingria’s book Petrarca : “Lyricism cannot exist without rules, and it is essential that they should be strict. Otherwise there is only a faculty for lyricism, and that exists everywhere. What does not exist everywhere is lyrical expression and composition. To achieve that, apprenticeship to a trade is necessary.” This statement appealed to Stravinsky’s then-current interest in Neoclassi- cal lyricism and form as well as his lifelong belief that composition was primarily a type of crafts- manship, not a mystical fit of inspiration. Furthermore, the Duo concertante filled a prac- tical need—a chamber successor to the Violin Concerto—for Stravinsky’s European recital tour with violinist Samuel Dushkin. The re- maining pieces on their recital programs includ- ed transcribed selections from the composer’s Pulcinella and The Fairy’s Kiss (arrangements now known as Suite italienne and Divertimento ), The Nightingale , The Firebird , Petrushka , and a youthful Pastorale . Stravinsky completed the Duo concertante score on July 17, 1932, and gave the premiere with Dushkin on October 28, 1932, on Berlin State Radio. The Arcadian serenity of Stravinsky’s Duo con- certante presents “a musical parallel to the old pastoral poetry.” Five movement titles partly re- call lyrical forms of classical antiquity. The Can- tilène introduces arpeggiated and double-stop themes. Eclogue , sometimes spelled “eglogue,” is an ancient pastoral term originally indicat- ing a dialogue among goatherds. Gigue joyful- ly dances with a rustic innocence. The Dithy- rambe hymn celebrates the wild debauchery of Dionysus. SERGEI PROKOFIEV (1891–1953) Violin Sonata No. 2 in D major, op. 94bis During the summer of 1943, Prokofiev traveled to the town of Perm, nestled in the Ural Moun- tains, to complete work on his classical ballet setting of the Cinderella legend. He worked si- multaneously on the Sonata for Flute and Piano in D major, op. 94, a conservative work with a tonal musical language and Neoclassical struc- tures. Returning to Moscow, a city afflicted by economic and social difficulties resulting from the growing tensions in Europe, Prokofiev ar- ranged for the premiere of his new flute sonata. The audience included violinist David Oistrakh, who was captivated by the new work. Oistrakh suggested that the sonata might be arranged for violin and piano, a task that Prokofiev eagerly undertook. The arrangement emerged through the collaborative effort of violinist and compos- er, as Oistrakh recalled: “Everything happened RAVINIA MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 3 – SEPTEMBER 15, 2019 90