Ravinia 2021 - Issue 1

IRENE KIM (VONDRÁČEK) thematic and rhythmic elements.” The ab- straction of folk material occurs at many lev- els, most obviously in the opening harp ges- ture, which outlines the open-string pitches on a guitar (E–A–D–G–B–E), the instrument of the gauchos . These pitches influence tonal- ity, harmony, and melody throughout the Va- riaciones concertantes , especially in the third-movement variation for flute. The Variaciones concertantes highlight the distinctive tonal qualities of individual instru- ments and families of instruments within the orchestra, sometimes drawing comparisons with Benjamin Britten’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra . There are several structural levels to Ginastera’s overall arch-like form. The theme is heard twice: in the initial duo for cello and harp and again toward the end in a reorchestrated version for double bass and harp. The two interludes for strings and winds are positioned immediately inside the themes. Seven variations for one or two solo instruments with orchestra come between the interludes. Each variation possesses a characteristic expressive or technical quali- ty: flute (“playful”), clarinet (“in the manner of a scherzo”), viola (“dramatic”), oboe and bassoon (“canonic”), trumpet and trombone (“rhythmic”), violin (“in the manner of a moto perpetuo”), and horn (“pastoral”). Gi- nastera concludes with a substantial variation for the full chamber orchestra in rondo form. LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770–1827) Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat major, op. 73 (“Emperor”) Scored for two flutes, oboes, clarinets, horns, and trumpets, timpani, strings, and solo piano No nickname could less aptly portray cir- cumstances surrounding the Piano Concerto No. 5 than the present-day “Emperor.” Bee- thoven began labors on his final concerto fol- lowing Napoleon’s second military incursion Gauchos drinking mate and playing guitar in the Argentine pampas (c.1890) into Vienna in 1809. The people’s champion, to whom Beethoven once considered dedi- cating his Symphony No. 3 (“Eroica”; 1803), had transformed into another brutal overlord by proclaiming himself emperor and launch- ing an imperialistic conquest of Europe. The French occupation of Vienna had a harmful effect on Beethoven and his circle. Many po- litically connected friends fled the city rather than suffer persecution. Economic pressures brought about by the prolonged war effort ultimately jeopardized Beethoven’s annual salary, paid by three aristocratic music-lov- ers so the composer could remain in Vienna and “devote himself to a single department of activity and create works of magnitude which are exalted and which ennoble art.” Disillusioned by Napoleon’s betrayal of re- publican ideals, Beethoven experienced a stirring of patriotic feelings that he openly declared through the language of music. The first demonstration of nationalistic sentiment occurred when Beethoven required German tempo markings and terminology (“Ham- merklavier” for “piano”) in his published scores. Later, patriotism flourished nearer to the surface in such works as the “battle sym- phony” Wellington’s Victory (1813) and the cantata Der glorreiche Augenblick ( The Glori- ous Moment ; 1814), which celebrated the Congress of Vienna and the return of relative peace to Europe. Beethoven composed his Pi- ano Concerto No. 5 in 1809, midway between the Napoleonic crisis and his full-blown mu- sical nationalism. Its overtly triumphant character seems an antidote to the disap- pointment surrounding the “Eroica,” which Beethoven originally planned to call “Bona- parte.” Both works, in fact, share the common key of E-flat major. (Recognizing this ideo- logical opposition, some writers have sug- gested an alternative label for the concerto: “Anti-Emperor.”) Beethoven also confronted a more personal conflict while writing the Concerto No. 5. Near total deafness effectively prevented him Ludwig van Beethoven by Johann Christoph Heckel (1815 from playing piano in public. Therefore, un- like his earlier piano concertos, this last com- position could not possibly have functioned as a self-serving virtuoso piece, the genre’s traditional role. In fact, Beethoven played the first public performances of all of his piano concertos with the exception of No. 5, which was introduced by Friedrich Schneider in 1811. Beethoven dedicated the score to his friend and pupil Archduke Rudolph. Three noble orchestral chords, separated by bravado solo piano flourishes, launch the monumental 600-measure Allegro . In tradi- tional fashion, the orchestra continues alone with two memorable themes, a heroic march tune and a rhythmically delicate dance. Grad- ually, the piano segues into the texture with a rising chromatic scale and sustained trill. Intricate keyboard ornamentation makes the heroic theme even more imposing, as me- lodic phrases continue to alternate between solo and orchestra. Growing complexity in the piano part—countermelodies, distant modulations, and continued virtuosic em- bellishment—provides forward momentum into the development section and its weight- less expansion of previously heard melodic phrases. The piano resumes its leading role as the main themes are ingeniously reorches- trated. Beethoven integrated his own cadenza based on the dance-like theme directly into the score. Full orchestra and piano combine during the spacious coda. The Adagio un poco mosso begins with a sol- emn hymn for muted strings, highlighted by the winds. An expressive piano theme com- pletes the quasi-religious theme. Nobility and lyricism characterize the movement as a whole. Near the end, sustained octaves in the horns support what at first evokes another fantasy-like piano idea. This hesitant phrase contains melodic traces of the finale’s main theme. The piano continues without pause into this climactic movement. Beethoven transformed the frequently su- perficial rondo into something more sub- stantive and heroic. This strength of purpose emerges within the solo piano statement of the refrain theme. Contrasting ideas evolve quite naturally from this refrain. The protago- nists—piano and orchestra—reach a musical unanimity in the final refrain with their rapid exchange of phrases. Dynamics and texture diminish to an unprecedented extreme (pia- no and timpani), before the solo’s rapid scalar outburst and a bold thematic confirmation in the orchestra. –Program notes © 2021 Todd E. Sullivan MARIN ALSOP, conductor For Marin Alsop’s biography, see page 62. LUKÁŠ VONDRÁČEK, piano Playing public concerts from the age of 4, pi- anist Lukáš Vondráček made his debut with the Czech Philharmonic Orchestra and Vlad- imir Ashkenazy in 2002 at age 15, and the fol- lowing year he embarked on a major tour of the United States. After completing studies at the Academy of Music in Katowice and the Vienna Conservatory, he earned an Artist Di- ploma at the New England Conservatory un- der the guidance of Hung-Kuan Chen, grad- uating with honors in 2012. His accolades also include first prizes at the Hilton Head and San Marino International Piano Competi- tions and Unisa International Piano Compe- tition in Pretoria, South Africa, as well as the Raymond E. Buck Jury Discretionary Award at the 2009 International Van Cliburn Pia- no Competition. Most recently, Vondráček was named the winner of the 2016 Interna- tional Queen Elisabeth Piano Competition. Over the last decade, he has been featured with such ensembles as the Philadelphia and Philharmonia Orchestras; the Baltimore, Tas- manian, and Sydney Symphony Orchestras; and the Oslo and Netherlands Philharmon- ic Orchestras, and he has recently made de- buts with the London, Tokyo Metropolitan, Frankfurt Radio, Pittsburgh Symphony Or- chestras as well as the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. This season, Vondráček’s touring schedule includes appearances with the Japan and Antwerp Symphony Orchestras and Ma- laysian, Marseille, Turku, and Warsaw Phil- harmonic Orchestras, as well as residencies with the Janáček Philharmonic in Ostrava and the Dvořák Festival in Prague, plus re- citals at the KKL in Lucerne and the Rudolf- inum in Prague. He has also been heard in recital at Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie, the Flagey in Brussels, Leipzig’s Gewandhaus, Vi- enna’s Konzerthaus, and Amsterdam’s Con- certgebouw, as well as at such festivals as the Menuhin Festival Gstaad, PianoEspoo in Fin- land, Prague Spring Festival, and Lille Piano Festival. Lukáš Vondráček made his Ravinia debut in 2002 and tonight makes his Chicago Symphony Orchestra debut in his first return to the festival. RAVINIA.ORG • RAVINIA MAGAZINE 55