Ravinia 2024 Issue 4

concerts that year. Another opportunity to per- form this symphony arose sometime during his lifetime, for he revised the oboe parts and add- ed two clarinets. The most likely occasion was a pair of concerts conducted by Antonio Salieri on April 16 and 17, 1791, featuring the clarinet- ist brothers Anton and Johann Stadler and on which an unspecified “grand symphony” by Mo- zart was performed. Mozart imbued the symphony’s G-minor open- ing theme with smoldering passion. Repeated half-steps build momentum, eventually compel- ling the melody to leap upward and then gently fall. This process repeats, a step lower. Melodic phrases become shortened, increasing the mu- sic’s forward drive. Though the secondary theme turns to major, this string melody offers its own mystery through a steady chromatic descent. Pathos increases as the development is fixated on the half-step motion and upward leap. Mo- zart restates his two main themes, the chromat- ic second wavering between major and minor. Fragments of the opening melody make a dra- matic final appearance in the coda. The broad-scaled Andante provides consider- able emotional relief with its turn to E-flat ma- jor. Furthermore, the constant eighth-note pul- sation in 6/8 meter creates a “timeless” backdrop from which a melodic idea gradually emerges. Strings introduce a gentle secondary theme— identified by repeated descending fourths—that grows more menacing as the winds join. Mozart continues to expand these ideas in the develop- ment and recapitulation. Minor-key music dominates the remaining two movements. Quite unusually, the aristo- cratic minuet succumbs to this anxiety-laden mode, which the major-key trio unsuccessfully attempts to dispel. The finale is an agitated so- nata-allegro movement that hearkens back to Mozart’s earlier Sturm und Drang (Storm and Stress) writing, as explored in the “Little” G-mi- nor symphony, K. 183 (K. 173dB). A tranquil string theme provides fleeting contrast. At the beginning of the development, chromatic mo- tion nearly eradicates any strong sense of key. Some have described this passage as bordering on what became known as “twelve-tone” writ- ing. Again, a single melodic idea—the opening “rocket”—dominates the development section. Finally, Mozart restores his two main themes, but both now appear in G minor, where the symphony closes. –Program notes © 2024 Todd E. Sullivan JAMES CONLON For James Conlon’s biography, see page 69. JAMES EHNES One of the most sought-after musicians on the international stage, violinist James Ehnes fre- quently guests with major orchestras, recently making highlight appearances with the Met- ropolitan Opera Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, Leipzig’s Gewandhaus Orchestra, Munich Phil- harmonic, and the San Francisco, London, and NHK Symphonies, as well as debuts with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Zurich’s Ton- halle Orchestra, and the Israel Philharmonic. Equally devoted to solo and small ensemble rep- ertoire, including as leader of the Ehnes Quartet and the Artistic Director of the Seattle Chamber Music Society, Ehnes maintains a wide-ranging recital calendar. He performs regularly at Lon- don’s Wigmore Hall—where he has presented Beethoven’s complete violin sonatas and the complete violin and viola works of Brahms and Schumann—as well as at Carnegie Hall, Chica- go’s Symphony Center, Amsterdam’s Concert- gebouw, Montreux, Verbier Festival, Dresden Music Festival, and Festival de Pâques in Aix- en-Provence. He is also Artist in Residence with the National Arts Centre of Canada and Ar- tistic Partner with Artis–Naples. Ehnes has an extensive discography and has received abun- dant recognition for his recordings, including two Grammy, three Gramophone , and 11 Juno Awards. In 2021 he was named Artist of the Year by Gramophone , honoring his ongoing work while concert halls were closed in 2020. Ehnes recorded the six Bach Solo Sonatas and Partitas and six Ysaÿe Solo Sonatas from his home, re- leasing them across a six-episode online series and on the Onyx label. After beginning violin studies at age 5, Ehnes became a protégé of Fran- cis Chaplin at age 9, made his orchestral debut with the Montreal Symphony at 13, and contin- ued studies with Sally Thomas at the Meadow- mount School of Music and The Juilliard School through 1997. He is a Member of the Order of Canada and the Order of Manitoba, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, and an honorary fellow of the Royal Academy of Music, where he is a Visiting Professor. James Ehnes made his Ravinia debut in 1994 with a solo recital and re- turned in 1997, 2004, 2013, and 2023 for perfor- mances with the Chicago Symphony and Ravin- ia Festival Orchestras and Music of the Baroque. A MESSAGE FROM DISCOVER Chicagoland is home to Discover and more than 4,600 of our employees who live in the area. We are proud to have offices in the northern sub- urbs, downtown, and on the South Side. Discover is committed to helping people achieve brighter financial futures through the products and tools we offer to help them spend smarter and save more, through financial edu- cation curriculum and resources, and through support we provide to nonprofits serving the community. We believe giving back to communities makes our world a better place and our com- pany stronger. Each year, the company and our employees donate millions of dollars and thou- sands of volunteer hours to benefit nonprofit charitable organizations across the country. Locally, we support nonprofit organizations and programs throughout the Chicagoland area, including Ravinia. For several years, we’ve sup- ported Ravinia’s Reach Teach Play programs, which provide students in Chicago Public Schools with unique music programs and train- ing for teachers. We also invest in programs and partnerships in our other customer care center locations throughout the country to help bring equity to underrepresented populations, giving everyone the opportunity to achieve a brighter financial future. Through our Pathway to Financial Success in Schools program, we bring financial educa- tion curriculum into middle and high schools across the country. Partnering with Discovery Education, we have reached more than 6 million students by providing educators, students, and their families with free curriculum, tools and expertise to make informed financial decisions. We are excited to be part of the summer con- cert season at Ravinia. We salute all of you for supporting Ravinia and making a difference in the community. RAVINIAMAGAZINE • AUGUST 5 – AUGUST 18, 2024 76 BENJAMINEALOVEGA