Scheherazade.2John Adams

Leila JosefowiczSt. Louis SymphonyDavid Robertson

John Adams 

Scheherazade.2 (2014–15)

Dramatic Symphony for Violin and Orchestra

I. Tale of the Wise Young Woman – Pursuit by the True BelieversII. A Long Desire (love scene)

III. Scheherazade and the Men with BeardsIV. Escape, Flight, Sanctuary

 Leila Josefowicz, violin

 St. Louis Symphony

David Robertson, conductorChester Englander, cimbalom

Scheherazade.2

John Adams

The impetus for Scheherazade.2 was an exhibition at the Institute du Monde Arabe in Paris detailing the history of the “Arabian Nights” and of Scheherazade and how this archetypal story has evolved over the centuries. The casual brutality toward women that lies at the base of many of these tales prodded me to think about the many images of women oppressed or abused or violated that we see today in the news on a daily basis. In the old tale Scheherazade is the lucky one who, through her endless inventiveness, is able to save her life. But there is not much to celebrate here when one thinks that she is spared simply because of her cleverness and ability to keep on entertaining her warped, murderous husband.

Thinking about what a Scheherazade in our own time might be brought to mind some famous examples of women under threat for their lives, for example the “woman in the blue bra” in Tahrir Square, dragged through the streets, severely beaten, humiliated, and physically exposed by enraged, violent men. Or the young Iranian student, Neda Agha-Soltan, who was shot to death while attending a peaceful protest in Tehran. Or women routinely attacked and even executed by religious fanatics in any number of countries—India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, wherever. The modern images that come to mind certainly aren’t exclusive to the Middle East—we see examples, if not quite so graphic nonetheless profoundly disturbing, from everywhere in the world, including in our own country and even on our own college campuses.

So I was suddenly struck by the idea of a “dramatic symphony” (borrowing the term from Berlioz) in which the principal character role is taken by the solo violin—and she would be Scheherazade. While not having an actual story line or plot, the symphony follows a set of provocative images: a beautiful young woman with grit and personal power; a pursuit by “true believers”; a love

scene which is both violent and tender; a scene in which she is tried by a court of religious zealots (“Scheherazade and the Men with Beards”), during which the men argue doctrine among themselves and rage and shout at her only to have her calmly respond to their accusations; and a final “escape, flight, and sanctuary” which must be the archetypal dream of any woman importuned by a man or men.

At the same time, Scheherazade.2 is also a virtuoso romantic symphony-concerto on the grand scale which acknowledges its predecessors in works by Sibelius, Prokofiev, Bartók, and Berg.

I composed the piece specifically for Leila Josefowicz, who has been my friend and champion of my music (and many other composers) for nearly fifteen years. Together we’ve performed my Violin Concerto and my concerto for amplified violin, The Dharma at Big Sur, many times. This work is atrue collaboration and reflects a creative dialogue that went back and forth for well over a year and that I expect will continue long after the first performance. Leila struck me as the perfect embodiment of that kind of empowered strength and energy that a modern Scheherazade would possess.

Assistant PrincipalDavid DeRisoWarren GoldbergSarah Hogan KaiserDonald MartinRonald Moberly

HARPAllegra LillyPrincipalMichelle Gott ◊

FLUTESMark SparksPrincipalAndrea KaplanAssociate PrincipalJennifer NitchmanAnn Choomack

PICCOLOAnn ChoomackJennifer Nitchman

OBOESJelena DirksPrincipalPhilip RossActing Associate PrincipalCally BanhamMichelle Duskey**

ENGLISH HORNCally Banham

CLARINETSScott AndrewsPrincipalDiana HaskellAssociate PrincipalTina WardTzuying Huang

ST. LOUIS SYMPHONY

David RobertsonMusic Director

FIRST VIOLINSDavid HalenConcertmasterHeidi HarrisAssociate ConcertmasterCeleste Golden BoyerSecond Associate ConcertmasterErin SchreiberAssistant ConcertmasterDana Edson MyersJessica ChengCharlene ClarkAnn FinkEmily HoSilvian IticoviciSecond AssociateConcertmaster EmeritusHelen KimJoo KimMelody LeeXiaoxiao QiangAngie SmartHiroko YoshidaLijia Phang ◊

SECOND VIOLINSAlison HarneyPrincipalKristin AhlstromAssociate PrincipalEva KozmaAssistant PrincipalAndrea JarrettRebecca Boyer HallNicolae BicaDeborah BloomLisa ChongElizabeth DziekonskiLing Ling Guan

E-FLAT CLARINETDiana Haskell

BASS CLARINETTzuying Huang

BASSOONSAndrew CuneoPrincipalAndrew GottAssociate PrincipalFelicia Foland

CONTRABASSOON*Gregg Henegar ◊

HORNSRoger KazaPrincipalThomas JöstleinAssociate PrincipalChristopher DwyerTod BowermasterJulie ThayerLawrence Strieby

TRUMPETSKarin BliznikPrincipalThomas DrakeAssociate PrincipalJeffrey StrongMichael Walk

TROMBONESTimothy MyersPrincipalAmanda StewartAssociate PrincipalJonathan Reycraft

BASS TROMBONEGerard Pagano

Jooyeon KongAsako KubokiWendy Plank RosenShawn WeilJennifer Snyder ◊

VIOLASBeth Guterman ChuPrincipalKathleen MattisAssociate PrincipalJonathan ChuAssistant PrincipalGerald FlemingerSusan GordonLeonid GotmanMorris JacobChris TantilloShannon Farrell WilliamsChristian WoehrXi ZhangEva Stern ◊

CELLOSDaniel LeePrincipalMelissa BrooksAssociate PrincipalDavid KimAssistant PrincipalAnne FagerburgElizabeth ChungJames CzyzewskiAlvin McCallBjorn RanheimDavin Rubicz**J.D. Nathan Chan ◊

DOUBLE BASSESErik HarrisPrincipalCarolyn WhiteAssociate PrincipalChristopher Carson

TUBAMichael SandersPrincipal

TIMPANIShannon WoodPrincipalThomas StubbsAssociate Principal

PERCUSSIONWilliam JamesPrincipalJohn KasicaThomas Stubbs

CIMBALOM†Chester Englander ◊

KEYBOARD INSTRUMENTSPrincipal*Peter Henderson ◊

MUSIC LIBRARYElsbeth BruggerLibrarianHenry SkolnickAssistant LibrarianRoberta GardnerLibrary Assistant

STAGE STAFFJack SniderStage ManagerJoseph ClapperAssistant Stage ManagerDoug FowlerStage Technician - SoundRick McKennaStagehand

† Solo * Chair vacant ** Replacement ◊ Extra musician

DAVID ROBERTSON

American music leader and St. Louis Symphony Music Director David Robertson is one of today’s most sought-after conductors. Robertson is celebrated worldwide as a champion of contemporary composers, an ingenious and adventurous programmer, and a masterful communicator whose passionate and compelling advocacy for the art form is widely recognized. A consummate and deeply collaborative musician, the Grammy Award–winning Robertson is hailed for his intensely committed and exacting music making. With an expansive orchestral and operatic repertoire that extends from the classical to the avant-garde, Robertson has forged close relationships with major orchestras around the world through his exhilarating music-making and stimulating ideas.

ST. LOUIS SYMPHONY

Founded in 1880, the St. Louis Symphony is the second-oldest orchestra in the United States and is widely considered one of the world’s finest. In September 2005, internationally acclaimed conductor David Robertson became the 12th Music Director and second American-born conductor in the orchestra’s history. In its 137th season, the STL Symphony strives for artistic excellence, educational impact and community connection while meeting its mission statement: enriching people’s live through the power of music. In addition, the STL Symphony is known for its Grammy Award–winning recordings, Carnegie Hall appearances, national and international tours, innovative programming, and extensive community engagement initiatives.

LEILA JOSEFOWICZ

An outstanding champion of contemporary music, Leila Josefowicz is the chosen interpreter of several leading composers including Esa-Pekka Salonen, Steven Mackey, and Luca Francesconi. Written for her by John Adams, Scheherazade.2 (Dramatic Symphony for Violin and Orchestra) was given its world premiere by Josefowicz in March 2015 with the New York Philharmonic, conducted by Alan Gilbert.

Josefowicz works with orchestras and conductors at the highest level around the world. In 2008 she was awarded a prestigious MacArthur Fellowship, joining prominent sci entists, writers, and musicians who have made unique contributions to contemporary life. Her recording of Salonen’s Violin Concerto was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2014.

Produced by Friedemann Engelbrecht

Recorded February 19 & 20, 2016, at Powell Hall, St. Louis, MORecording Engineer: Richard KingAssistant Engineers: Paul Hennerich, Boris GolynskiyPostproduction Facilities: Teldex Studio, BerlinEdited, Mixed, and Mastered by Wolfgang Schiefermair, Julian Schwenkner

Design by John Heiden for SMOG DesignFront Cover Photograph: Shirin Neshat, I Am Its Secret, 1993; RC print & ink (photo taken by Plauto); Copyright Shirin Neshat, Courtesy the artist and Gladstone Gallery, New York and BrusselsThe Emperor’s Carpet, © The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Image source: Art Resource, NYPortrait of Leila Josefowicz by Chris Lee

Executive Producer: Robert Hurwitz

This recording was underwritten in part by New Music USA.

Scheherazade.2 was commissioned by the New York Philharmonic,the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam, and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. World Premiere: March 26, 2015, Leila Josefowicz, violin / New York Philharmonic,conducted by Alan Gilbert

Scheherazade.2 is published by Hendon Music (Boosey & Hawkes).

Nonesuch Records Inc., a Warner Music Group Company, 1633 Broadway, New York, NY 10019. P & C 2016 St. Louis Symphony, under license to Nonesuch Records Inc. for the United States and WEA International Inc. for the world outside of the United States. Warning: Unauthorized reproduction of this recording is prohibited by Federal law and subject to criminal prosecution.

www.nonesuch.com www.earbox.com www.stlsymphony.org www.leilajosefowicz.com