Aristophanes Meets Adamo

Time: Present. Place:Ancient Greece. ThePeloponnesian Warsare raging. Womenwon’t make love untilthe men make peace.

We were at peace and the playusually only materialized either asthe carrot of sex with which tolure students to the classics, orthe megaphone of propagandathrough which to protest the wardu jour… But, things

Lysistrata, or The Nude Goddess 135'

Opera in Two ActsEnglish libretto by the composer after Aristophanes

Michael Kahn, stage directorStefan Lano, music director

Principals: 17 to play 24 characters4S, 3Mz, 2C, 4T, Bar, Bar[=B-Bar], 2B-Bar

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But the men won’t give up untilthe women give in.Which is stronger: thedesire for power or thepower of desire?

Mark Adamo explores thisconundrum on 4 March, as hereunites with the Houston GrandOpera for the world premiere ofLysistrata, or The Nude Goddess,directed by Michael Kahn andconducted by Stefan Lano.Adamo’s earlier successfulcollaboration with Houston wasLittle Women, first produced therein 1998. Co-produced with OperaColumbus and the New York CityOpera, Lysistrata features thecomposer’s own libretto afterAristophanes’s classic play.

“I love Lysistrata’s strut and witand nerve,” Adamo muses. “[Theplay] starts from the observationthat the bitterest conflicts betweenpeople don’t start in mere dislike.”Given the opera’s topic and thestate of contemporary worldaffairs, Adamo notes,“When I completed thefirst draft in September2000, I was happy with

what I’d made ofthe play, butwondered ifanyone would beinterested in it.It’s ironic, really.

change…Aristophanes’sLysistrata was a serious, ifhilarious, protest against anactual war… [and he], almostaccidentally, created a near-

masterpieceabout anotherwar: theunending onebetween menand women…My work questions most of theplay’s assumptions…[So] if you’relooking to my Lysistrata toreinforce all the comfortableclichés of plucky peaceful womenprevailing over clownish warmon-gering men, stay home.”

More Adamo news: New YorkCity Opera presents the Asian

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News from G. Schirmer, Inc.and Associated Music Publishers, Inc.

Members of the Music Sales Groupwww.schirmer.com

March ’05

On 23 - 26 March, James Levine and the Boston Symphony present the worldpremiere of John Harbison’s Darkbloom: Overture for an Imagined Opera.The BSO commissioned Darkbloom to celebrate Levine’s first season as musicdirector. After the first performances, Darkbloom receives its New York pre-miere at Carnegie Hall on the 28th, and will be heard in July at the TanglewoodMusic Festival.

‘Darkbloom: Overture for an Imagined Opera’ is whatpersists of an opera project I chose not to continue. I amas reluctant as any artist to part with good materialand...I am very fortunate to be able to collect up strandsof the music in this overture.

Vivian Darkbloom is a secondary character in a famousand infamous American novel. I borrowed ‘Darkbloom’ asa title because it effectively conjures up the mood of thisoverture. It serves as an emblem or anagram for thecomplex tragicomic spirit of the story and its author.

The overture begins with a theme, actually a weave ofthemes, associated with the male protagonist. Soon along melody with simple accompaniment, allied with theyoung female lead, spins out until interrupted by a briefobsessive dramatic interlude, which concludes by alludingto the music of the opening.

Then comes a short balletic scene, in which two youngwomen play tennis, interrupted by laughter, and eventu-ally invaded by the observing, controlling presence of theman. The opening music is then, for the only time,elaborated, until replaced by the long melody, attenuated,interrupted by the obsessive outburst again, eventuallydissolving into a frail epiphany.

“Darkbloom”

‘‘

’’ — John Harbison

Darkbloom: Overture for an Imagined Opera c.7'3(pic).2+ca.3(bcl).3(cbn)/4221/timp.3perc/pf.hp/str

James Levine

photo: Michael Lutch

premiere of theirproduction of LittleWomen (directed byRhoda Levine) as part ofthe 2005 World Expo,in Tokyo on 19 May,

conducted by George Manahan.

2

Barber in Many Voices

The New York Virtuoso Singers, conducted by HaroldRosenbaum, celebrate the 95th birthday of SamuelBarber on 8 March by performing all of his chamberchoral music, both published and unpublished.

“Why did I chose to do all of Barber’s chamber choralworks?” Rosenbaum asks. “This might seem frivolous, but,because I could. Since all of Barber’s chamber choralcompositions could be performed in one evening, andbecause they span his entire creative life beginning whenhe was ten years old, I felt the concert would not be trueand complete without all of these works.” Along with well-known pieces like Reincarnations and A Stopwatch and anOrdnance Map, several unpublished works will receive NewYork premieres including: Motet on the Book of Job, TheGypsy Song, and the opening chorus from The Rose Tree, anopera Barber composed when he was ten.

Deutsche Grammophon has releasedthe DVD of Tan Dun’s multimediaopera Tea: A Mirror of Soul. TanDun conducts NHK SymphonyOrchestra and Pierre Audi directsthis production, its October 2002premiere in Tokyo.

Tea: A Mirror of Soul is a multi-genre amalgam of Chinese andWestern music, orchestration thatincludes water and paper, andItalianate melodies accompanied byTan’s characteristic timbral explora-tions. Inspired by Lu Yu’s eighth-century Book of Tea, the opera is amusical fusion that intersectsbetween East and West, and thingsspiritual and sensual. This story ofpassionate, star-crossed lovers —well-known in Asia — is told as aflashback embedded within tales ofascetic monastic life and austere tearituals. A symbol of enlightenment,tea also stands as a metaphor fordestiny.

The Netherlands Opera gave theEuropean premiere in 2003 andrevived their production for six sold-out performances in January 2005.Next month, Tea receives its Germanpremiere in a new production at theStaatstheater Oldenberg. With stagedirection by Anke Hoffman and ledby Eric Solén, the Oldenbergperformances continue in May andJune.

Tan’s next opera The First Emperor— a commission from the Metro-politan Opera — will premiere inDecember 2006.

“Tea” Time

DVD NTSC 073 099-9

New York Virtuoso Singers

Paul Creston: Fiercely Independent

In anticipation of thecentenary on 10 October2006 of Paul Creston,we take a look back —and forward — at thisfiercely independent voiceof American music.

Born in New York City,Creston (née GiuseppeGuttoveggio) begancomposing at age eight.Self-taught (with theexception of piano and organ lessonsin his youth), he left school at 15 tosupport his family, but followeddisciplined independent studies intheory, composition, literature, andphilosophy. At 26, Creston decidedto devote his life to composition andconsidered his greatest teachers to be

Chant of 1942 (1943) 10'2222/2200/timp.perc/pf/str

[or] 3222/4231/timp.perc/pf/str

Dance Variations (1941-42) 6'Soprano; 3222/4231/timp.3perc/str

Introit, Op. 87 (Hommage àPierre Monteux) (1965-66) 3'

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Invocation and Dance (1953) 3'4333/4331/timp.perc/pf/str

Pavanne Variations (1966) 14'3333/4331/timp.perc/pf/str

[or] 2222/2200/timp.perc/pf/str

Sadhana (1981) 20'Cello; 2222/2220/timp.perc/hp/str

Symphony No. 4 (1951) 28'2+pic(afl).2.2.2/4231/timp/str

Symphony No. 6 (1982) 25'“Organ Symphony”

Organ; 2222/2220/perc/str

Bach, Scarlatti, Chopin,Debussy, and Ravel.

Creston’s success isremarkable in that hedeveloped his musicallanguage apart from anyinfluential school orteacher. He had manychampions includingconductors Toscanini,Monteux, Szell, andOrmandy and his works

were premiered at the Cleveland andLouisville Orchestras, NationalSymphony, and the New YorkPhilharmonic. Henry Cowellbecame a lifelong advocate for hismusic. Creston’s compositions arefilled with lush harmonies andexpansive orchestrations, and

incorporate song anddance idioms —rhythm is a corner-stone of his music.Marimba, trombone,harp, accordion, andsaxophone playersappreciate hiscontributions totheir literature.Creston’s extensivecatalogue includessymphonies,concertos, danceworks, songs, and

Paul Creston’s Fourth Symphony... isgreat music. It has power andcharm. It is urgent, yet poetic. Ithas striking and highly originalrhythms. It is filled with orchestralcolor of many hues and shades.

— Washington, DC Times-Herald

Selected Works

Creston is a man who pursues his sincerelylofty ideals with all the vigor of a highlyconcentrated personality, capable of muchmore arduous study, preparation andreflection than most composers exact ofthemselves.... His attitude towards musichas led him to throw himself into creativeactivity with every once of earnestness andintensity and serious determination ofwhich he is capable. Such directness ofpurpose is rare. It has won for Paul Crestonwide recognition among the Americancomposers of today.

— Henry Cowell

Paul Creston

choral, chamber, and instrumen-tal pieces. He was awarded aGuggenheim Fellowship, theAmerican Academy of Arts andLetters’ Music Award, and theNew York Music Critics’ CircleAward for Symphony No. 1 —the work that brought himinternational recognition.

3

Gabriela Lena Frank summons the ancient Quechualanguage in Ccollanan María, which premieres in San Franciscoon 5 March. Robert Geary leads the vocal ensemble Volti.

“This is my first work setting Quechua Indian text alongsideSpanish,” Frank observes. Quechua, the Indian language of theancient Incas, is spoken by nearly half of Perú’s present-daypopulation. She continues, “Ccollanan María is based on areligious tune from Cuzco, Perú, the original capital of the IncaEmpire. It means most high or blessed María, in reference tothe Virgin María, and the piece is a ref lection of the mix ofCatholic and indigenous religious beliefs.”

Eric Valliere,Volti’s executivedirector,commissionedFrank, afterhearing herstring quartetLeyendas: AnAndeanWalkabout.“While she isdemonstrably acomposer of hertime and of this place, she seems committed to exploring therich ancient cultures of her ancestral Peru…it seemed naturalwe should turn to Gabi for a unique voice who would be sureto both challenge and reward our singers and our audience.”

Blessed María

Per NørgårdThe Will-o-the-Wisps go to Town c.45'Text: Hans Christian Andersen andSusanne BrøggeSoprano, Mezzo-soprano, Tenor; SATB2(pic,af l).1(ca).2(Ebcl).1/2.2.1.0/2perc/hp.pf/str2 April 2005; Birmingham Symphony,Birmingham, England

Augusta Read ThomasFinal Soliloquy of the Interior Paramour 8'Mezzo-soprano, Tenor; fl, ob, cl, asx, bn,hn, Ctpt, 2perc, pf, vn. va, vc, dbAlarm Will Sound/Pierson7 April 2005; Miller Theatre, ColumbiaUniversity, New York City

PremieresApril2005

Gabriela Lena FrankGhosts in the Dream Machine c.18'Piano quintetSimone Dinnerstein, piano; ChiaraQuartet10 April 2005; Philadelphia, PA

Kirke MechemTo An Absent Love (new version)Soprano; vn, vc, pfSan Francisco Song Festival18 April 2005; San Francisco, CA

Arne NordheimFonosTrombone; 3.3.2+Ebcl+bcl.2+cbn/4.4.3.1/timp.3perc/pf/cel/strBergen Philharmonic28 April 2005; Bergen, Norway

Glenn Gould Prize to PrevinWhat do R. Murray Schafer,jazz icon Oscar Peterson, cellistYo-Yo Ma, composer ToruTakemitsu, violist YehudiMenuhin, and conductor PierreBoulez have in common?

All are recipients of the GlennGould Prize, awarded onceevery three years to celebrate anindividual who has made anexceptional contribution to theinternational music community.

André Previn, the latest honoree, comments, “I thought GlennGould was the greatest pianist of his time and I admired himboundlessly. It certainly is an honor to be given a prize that bearshis name…[and] I am delighted.” Merle Kriss, president of theToronto-based Glenn Gould Foundation notes, “This awardexemplifies the musical excellence of a rare few, and MaestroPrevin’s remarkable body of work and wide range of talentscertainly make him a member of this exclusive club.”

Q

A

André Previn

World premiereFor three bands

On-stage band: 4(2pic).4(ca).3+2bc+cbcl.3+cbn/4.4(2Dtpt).4.2+2euph/timp.4[=5]perc/pf.hp;

Surround band: 0.0.1.2asx+tsx+barsx.0/2.11.0.0/3perc/db;Marching band: pic, Ebcl, 2tpt, 2tbn

University of Texas Wind Ensemble/Junkin16 February 2005; Austin, TX

John CoriglianoCircus Maximus 35'

It isn’t every night thatone sees a composer ata concert of...classicalmusic besieged by fansseeking his autograph.

But...the UT Wind Ensemble’s premiere of John Corigliano’s Circus Maximus wasmore than a concert; it was an event...

This was a work that swelled to a deafening roar then faded to a whisper; thatencompassed sinuous jazz, martial fanfares, circus music, hunting calls, and more,at times with one type of music interrupting another; that swung dramaticallyfrom apocalyptic chaos to pastoral serenity to urban turmoil to farce, each moodpushing or pulling against the next. It was a symphonic portrait of a world ofextremes, of fragments competing for primacy, of a barrage of eclectic elementsassaulting the senses.

The work came at you from all directions — quite literally, as pockets of theensemble were stationed all about the hall...The sense of being surrounded, ofbeing at the center of the monumental arena of the title, was alternately enticingand intimidating...Corigliano wisely included passages of peace and reflection,moments that summoned the tranquility ofdeep night in the country, where nature stillreigns, and of human prayer....What was mostpowerful and extraordinary about Circus Maximus was the way it reflected thosepressures and the character of our culture — the violence, the pride, the impa-tience, the disconnectedness, the sense of menace and of mourning — to a degreethat was unnerving. — Robert Faires, Austin Chronicle

Review

Volti

powerful andextraordinary

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G. Schirmer Selected performances March ’05Anniversaries

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Joan Tower

Burgon (CH)At the Round Earth’sImagined CornersSt. Paul ChamberOrchestra

Catán (AMP)Florencia en elAmazonasMarch 2 - 12)Seattle Opera

Salonen (CH)Wing on Wing ★★Los AngelesPhilharmonicCologne, Germany

Shostakovich (GSR)Symphony No. 15(March 3 - 5)San FranciscoSymphony

Adamo (GS)Lysistrata, or TheNude Goddess ★★★(March 4 - 19)Houston Grand Opera

Carter (AMP)SyringaHarvard University

Gould (GS)Tap Dance ConcertoLane Alexander, dancerNew York Pops

Husa (AMP)Concerto for Saxophoneand Wind EnsembleCornell University

Schuller (AMP)Concerto for Bassoonand OrchestraBerkshire Symphony

Frank (GS)Ccollanan María ★★★(March 5 - 12)VoltiSan Francisco, CA

Corigliano (GS)The Red Violin:Chaconne(March 5, 6)Virginia Symphony

Frank (GS)Three Latin AmericanDancesCornell University

Kapilow (GS)Dr. Seuss’s GertrudeMcFuzzLincoln Center FamilyMusik

Mechem (GS)Songs of the SlaveTopeka Symphony andChorus

Gordon (RP)Light is CallingMichael Gordon BandSuffolk, England

Maconchy (CH)Music for Brass andWoodwindState University of NewYork at Fredonia

Herbert (GS)Art is Calling for Me(March 10 - 11)Florida Orchestra

Prokofiev (GSR)Piano Concerto No. 4(March 10 - 15)New JerseySymphony

Prokofiev (GSR)Romeo and Juliet(March 10 - 20)Houston Ballet

Tan Dun (GS)Water Concerto(March 10 - 12)Atlanta Symphony

Danielpour (AMP)Adagietto for StringOrchestra ★★★Wheeling Symphony

Gordon (RP)Gotham ★★London Sinfonietta

Ruders (WH)Kafka’s Trial ★★★(March 12 - April 13)Royal Danish Opera

Adams (AMP)Shaker LoopsGubaidulina (GSR)ConcordanzaColby Symphony

Corigliano (GS)Pied Piper Fantasy(March 12 - 13)Fargo-MoorheadSymphony

Tower (AMP)Fanfare for theUncommon WomanPetroushskatesCalifornia StateUniversity at Fullerton

Wargo (GS)The Music ShopAnchorage Opera

Ives and His WorldCarter (AMP)The Harmony ofMorningIves (AMP)Psalm 67SerenitySymphony No. 3New EnglandConservatory

Balada (GS)Sonata for Ten WindsCarnegie MellonUniversityPittsburgh, PA

Ives and His WorldIves/reconstructed byPorter (AMP)Emerson ConcertoNew EnglandConservatory

Kernis (AMP)New Era Dance ★★Dutch Radio SymphonyNetherlands

Corigliano (GS)Pied Piper FantasyJames Galway, fluteLouisiana Philharmonic

Salonen (CH)Insomnia(March 17 - 19)Philadelphia Orchestra

Tilson Thomas (KON)Poems of EmilyDickinsonBarbara Bonney,sopranoSan FranciscoSymphonyNew York City

Arlen (EMI)Wizard of OzBroughton (EMI)Themes From SilveradoShostakovich (GSR)Suite For VarietyOrchestraOregon Symphony

Hoiby (GS)Bon Appetit!Opera Affiliates GrandRapids

Shostakovich (GSR)Symphony No. 15Tilson-Thomas(KON)Poems of EmilyDickinsonSan FranciscoSymphonyHartford, CT

Antheil (EWM)Serenade for StringsSt. Louis ChamberOrchestra

Hamlisch (GS)Zin, Zin, ZinSoutheast OhioSymphony

Ellington (TPO)The RiverKapilow (GS)Dr. Seuss’s GreenEggs and HamOrchestra Of St.Luke’s

Tan Dun (GS)Water Passion AfterSt. Matthew(March 20, 22)Los Angeles MasterChorale

Barber (GS)Violin ConcertoShostakovich(GSR)Symphony No. 6(March 23 - 26)Hilary Hahn, violinPhiladelphiaOrchestra

Harbison (AMP)Darkbloom: Overturefor an Imagined Opera★★★(March 24 - 26)Boston Symphony

Mechem (GS)Tartuffe(March 24 - 27)University of Michigan

Adams (AMP)HarmonielehreLang (RP)Slow MovementBallett MannheimGermany

Schuller (MAR)Variants for JazzQuartet and OrchestraUniversity ofDelaware

Glass (DUN)Concerto Fantasy forTwo Timpani andOrchestra(March 25, 26)Milwaukee Symphony

Brahms/Schoenberg(GS)Piano Quartet, Op. 25(March 1, 2, 3 )Tonhalle-OrchesterZürichHeidelberg, Germany

Corigliano (GS)Symphony No. 2The Red Violin: SuiteVoyageChamber OrchestraKremlinDurham, NH

Husa (AMP)Twelve Moravian SongsAshland University

Music of the 21stCentury FestivalThomas (GS)among dawn flowersBubble:Rainbow -(Spirit Level)Fruit of My SpiritGalaxy DancesmagneticfirefliesPassion PrayersRing, Flourish, Blaze!and other works(March 3-6)DePauw University

Lang (RP)cheating, lying,stealingNew York New Music

Wolfe (RP)Early That SummerTactus EnsembleManhattan School ofMusic

Adams (AMP)The Chairman DancesMilwaukee Symphony

Rodríguez (GS)Il Lamento di TristanoMichigan StateUniversity

Shostakovich(GSR)Symphony No. 15San FranciscoSymphonyNew York City

Gordon/Lang/Wolfe(RP)Shelter ★★★(March 18, 20)WDR/MusicFrabrikTrio MediaevalGermany

Holst (CUR)Savitri(March 18 - 20)Alabama Opera

Prokofiev (GSR)Cinderella(March 18 - 20)Minnesota Ballet

Rieti (AMP)The Night Shadow(March 18 - April 3)Miami City Ballet

Sheng (GS)PreludeSyracuse Symphony

Thomas (GS)Ritual IncantationsCleveland Institute

Gubaidulina (GSR)Steps (Stufen)New WorldSymphony

Schuman (AMP)Symphony No. 5(Symphony ForStrings)University of Nevada

Harbison (AMP)Darkbloom: Overturefor an ImaginedOpera ★Boston SymphonyNew York City

Peaslee (MAR)Arrows of TimeUniversity ofSouthern Mississippi

Husa (AMP)DivertimentoEvery DaySmetana FanfareThree MoravianSongsAshland University

Ives (AMP)Symphony No. 3 “TheCamp Meeting”New EnglandConservatory

Sheng (GS)Seven Short YadhtribVariations ★★Gageego EnsembleGothenburg, Sweden

Sheng (GS)“Savage Land” fromPostcardsAnn Arbor Symphony

Barber (GS)Overture to TheSchool for ScandalCorigliano (GS)Pied Piper FantasyHudson ValleyPhilharmonic

Tower (AMP)For The UncommonWomanAlbany Symphony

Barber (GS)Complete Choral MusicNew York VirtuosoSingersMerkin Concert HallNew York City

Menotti (GS)The Telephone(March 8 - 9)Naples Opera

Kirchner (AMP)Piano Sonata No. 2Jonathan Biss, pianoZankel HallNew York City

Tan Dun (GS)Concerto for SixEnsemble NomadTokyo, Japan

Husa (AMP)Concerto forPercussion and WindEnsembleState University ofNew York at Fredonia

Sound DiscoveriesRozsa (EMI)Concerto for ViolinEl Cid SuiteBen Hur SuiteQuo Vadis SuiteMadame Bovary WaltzLittle OrchestraSocietyNew York City

Tower (AMP)Incandescent ★★Emerson String QuartetAmsterdam,Netherlands

Husa (AMP)The Steadfast TinSoldierAmerican SymphonyOrchestra

Adams (AMP)HarmonielehreLang (RP)Slow MovementBallett MannheimGermany

Frank (GS)Three Latin AmericanDances(March 13, 15)California Symphony

Husa (AMP)Concerto forSaxophoneCornell University

Ives (AMP)Symphony No. 3Southwest FloridaSymphony

Schnittke (GSR)Trio Sonata for StringOrchestra(March 13 - 14)Chamber Orchestra ofPhiladelphia

Schuman (AMP)Symphony No. 3American ComposersOrchestra

Schuman (AMP)George WashingtonBridgeU.S Marine Band

Tanaka (CH)At the Grave ofBeethovenSt. Petersburg StringQuartetAnn Arbor, MI

Lang (RP)memory pieces(March 28, 29)Danny Holt, pianoSpringfield, MA Barber (GS)

Knoxville, Summer of1915(March 30 - April 9)Barbara Bonney,sopranoOrpheus ChamberOrchestra

Lang (RP)memory piecesDanny Holt, pianoAmherst, MA

Antheil (GS)Ballet MecaniqueSibelius AcademyFinland

Shchedrin (GSR)Carmen Suite (afterGeorges Bizet)Los AngelesPhilharmonic

Stravinsky (GS)Concerto In E-flat(“Dumbarton Oaks”)(March 31 - April 2)LouisianaPhilharmonic

Tower (AMP)Strike ZonesEastman School ofMusic

1 Gian Carlo MenottiThe Consul premiered 1950

4 Samuel Adler born 1928

Carlos Surinach born 1915

5 Samuel BarberDover Beach premiered 1933

Bright ShengThe Song and Dance of Tearspremiered 2003

Heitor Villa-Lobos born 1887

6 John HarbisonRequiem premiered 2003

Poul RudersThe Handmaid's Talepremiered 2000

8 Alan Hovhaness born 1911

9 Samuel Barber born 1910

10 Morton GouldStringmusic premiered 1994

11 John CoriglianoA Dylan Thomas Trilogy (revised)premiered 1999

Henry Cowell born 1897

13 Mark AdamoLittle Women premiered 1998

14 André PrevinViolin Concerto premiered 2002

15 Colin McPhee born 1901

21 Elena Firsova born 1950

22 John HarbisonSymphony No. 1 premiered 1984

23 Samuel BarberMusic for a Scene from Shelleypremiered 1935

Henry CowellHymn and Fuguing Tune No. 2premiered 1944

24 Philip GlassAkhnaten premiered 1984

25 Elliott CarterString Quartet No. 2 premiered 1960

Heitor Villa-LobosBachianas Brasileiras No. 5premiered 1939

26 William SchumanA Free Song premiered 1943

27 Tan DunDeath and Fire: Dialoguewith Paul Kleepremiered 1993

29 Richard Rodney Bennettborn 1936

Bright ShengString Quartet No. 4(Silent Temple) premiered 2000

30 John CoriglianoPhantasmagoria premiered 2000

John Eaton born 1935

Walter PistonSymphony No. 4 premiered 1951

31 Peter LiebersonPiano Quintet premiered 2001

To celebrate “Women’s HistoryMonth” in March, Joan Towerjoins California State UniversityFullerton and eighth blackbird inthe fourth annual “Women inNew Music” festival on March11-13, and...

...Augusta ReadThomas travels toDePauw Universityfor the annual“Music of the 21stCentury” festival onMarch 3-6.

On TourOslo PhilharmonicPrevin (GS)

Violin ConcertoAnne-Sophie Mutter, violinChicago, IL — 6 MarchNew York City — 9 MarchPhiladelphia — 11 March

In ResidenceLos Angeles PhilharmonicSalonen (CH)Cologne, Germany

Mania — 2 MarchWing on Wing ★★ — 3, 5 MarchInsomnia — 6 March

Elliott Carter FestivalCaen, FranceCarter (AMP)

Holiday Overture — 18 March8 Pieces for 4 Timpani — 19 MarchSonata for Cello — 19 MarchNight Fantasies — 20 MarchString Quartet No. 1 — 20 March

6

“Welcome to the gloomy and comic world ofFranz Kafka’s The Trial. Comic? I’m not joking.”Thus, Poul Ruders introduces us to hisnewest opera Kafka’s Trial, which premieres on

12 March at the Royal Danish Opera. FranciscoNegrin directs, Michael Schønwandtconducts, and the works features aDanish libretto by Paul Bentley.

Ruders continues, “Kafka’s story asthe epitome of bleakness has provedvirtually impossible to dismantle;oddly enough, when one reads between the lines,the black, wry satirical humor stares you in the

Bleakness and Humor

“Kafka’s Trial” is...an opera about how weattempt to accuse others, [and] justifyourselves…when we have done wrongand are too cowardly to face the facts.

— Francisco Negrin, stage director

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On 15 July 1948, 4000 enthusiasticaudience members at the Universityof Indiana at Bloomington heardthe first notes of Down in the Valley— a tender American folk operacreated by the ultimate Germanmusical immigrant — Kurt Weill.

(Re)Views: “Down in the Valley” with Kurt Weill

entirely new and refreshinglyfamiliar and idiomatic. Originallycomposed in 1945for radio with alibretto by ArnoldSundgaard, Down inthe Valley under-went an expansionat the request ofWeill’s friend andformer G. SchirmerPublicationsDirector HansHeinsheimer.

In one 45-minuteact, Down in theValley tells the tale

of a young man, who, whileawaiting execution for murder,

escapes to see hissweetheart oncemore to confirmher devotion. Twoyears after itspremiere, the operabecame sosuccessful that itwas alreadyapproaching its300th performanceby groups rangingfrom the Lemon-ade OperaCompany inManhattan to “The

A fascinating glimpse intoWeill’s American period and thesort of folkish Americana that soinfluenced the “serious” musicalworld in the 1930s and 40s.

— John Rockwell,The New York Times (1984)

Down in the Valley 45'Libretto by Arnold Sundgaard.

T/high Bar, lyric S, B, Bar;speaking roles; SSAATTBB chorus; ballet;

1[+].1.2.2sx.[1]/[2].2.2.0/perc/pf/gtr/str(no va)

2-pf arrangement available

Weill so absorbed and integratedthe musical landscape of his newhome that his music at once felt

Marion Bell asJennie in the

premiere of“Down in the

Valley”

Enfield Society for the Detection ofThieves and Robbers at the OsbornPrison Farm (CT)”! The simplestory, Weill’s clever use of popularfolk themes, and his gift formemorable songwriting continue tomake Down in the Valley one of themost appealing theater works ofAmericana.

photo: G. Schirmer archives

www.kafkastrial.com

Poul Ruders

face. Kafka himself thought it funny, and hisfriends laughed loudly when they privatelygathered to hear excerpts read by the author. But,the prevailing mood is that of dismay and

hopelessness…Though thestory is well known, what’s notcommon knowledge is theparallel story of Kafka´s real-life ‘Trial,’ with two women:Felice Baur (his finance) andGreta Bloch.” Kafka’s intenserelationships with both womenhave been interwoven byRuders and Bentley into thefictional tale of Josef K. Rudersadds, “This gave [us] a uniqueopportunity to combineslapstick within the same piece.Otherwise the libretto followsthe story faithfully.” Everycharacter remains on-stage

throughout the two-hour opera, and Ruders

advises, “Since there’s no intermission, go easy onthe drinks before the show! Enjoy.”

Seven performances follow the premiere.Kafka’s Trial 105'

Danish libretto by Paul BentleyS, 2 Mz, 4T, 3 Bar, B; SATB

4.1+ca.3+bcl.sx.3+cbn/6441/timp. 4perc/hp.epf.kbd.acn/str

World premierePiano; 2(pic).2.2.2/4231/timp.perc/str

Robert Levin, piano; Boston Symphony/Spano17 February 2004; Boston, MA

Yehudi WynerPiano Concerto, “Chiavi in Mano” 20'

As the eminent composer-critic VirgilThomson might have said, Wyner’sconcerto is a beaut...the piece is full ofsurprises, but all of them are also inevitableconsequences of what has happened before.The allusions — not quotations — rangefrom Baroque briskness throughProkofievian percussive motor rhythms totorch song, jazz, rock, and honky-tonk withwashboard accompaniment, all viewedthrough the lens of a personal, flexible, andhighly chromatic musical language...Adynamic pianist himself, [Wyner] composeda piano part that idiomatically lies underthe hand...The music is also mindful of anobligation to engage and entertain. Becauseit has met that obligation in a very brilliantand extrovert way, it can also muse andwonder.

— Richard Dyer, Boston Globe

Review

Soloist Robert Levin (left) with Yehudi Wyner

photo: Michael Lutch

7

Charles IvesThe Indians, Serenity★ Best Classical Vocal PerformanceSusan Graham, mezzo soprano;Pierre-Laurent Aimard, pianoWarner Classics CD 2564-60297-2

André PrevinViolin Concerto★ Best Instrumental Soloist(s) Performance

(with Orchestra)Anne-Sophie Mutter, violin; BostonSymphony/PrevinDeutsche Grammophon CD 000131302

Samuel BarberCanzonettaCapricorn ConcertoA Hand of BridgeIntermezzo from VanessaRoyal Scottish National Orchestra/AlsopNaxos CD 8559135

Paul ChiharaConcerto for Guitar and Orchestrawith Trumpet ObbligatoPepe Romero, guitar; Jens Liindemann,trumpetLondon Symphony Orchestra/MarrinerAlbany/Troy CD 724

Henry CowellPolyphonicaQuartet for Flute, Oboe, Cello andHarpsichordSonata for Violin and PianoContinuumNaxos CD 8559192

Henry CowellThe BansheeVestigesContinuumNaxos CD 8559193

Paul CrestonSymphony No. 4Albany Symphony/MillerAlbany CD 737

Philip Glass“The Concerto Project Vol. 1”Concerto for Cello and OrchestraConcerto Fantasy for Two Timpanistsand OrchestraJulian Lloyd Webber, celloEvelyn Glennie & Jonathan Haas, timpaniRoyal Liverpool Philharmonic/SchwarzOrange Mountain Music OMM 0014

Michael GordonIndustryKaija SaariahoPetalsKaren TanakaThe Song of SongsMadeline Shapiro, celloAlbany CD 726

Thea MusgraveFor the Time Being: AdventBlack TambourineOn the Underground Sets 1–3Michael York, narratorNew York Virtuoso Singers/RosenbaumBridge Records BCD 9161

Dmitri ShostakovichHamletRussian Philharmonic Orchestra/YablonskyNaxos DVD 5110062

Lewis SpratlanConcertino for Violin and ChamberEnsembleWhen Crows GatherSequitur/HostetterAlbany CD 725

Recent Recordings

Grammy® Winners

Dave BrubeckThe Gates of Justice★ Producer of the YearDavid Frost, producerKevin Deas, bass-baritone; Alberto Mizrahi,cantor; Dave Brubeck Trio;Baltimore Choral Arts Society/GloydNaxos CD 8.559414

Carlos ChávezEnergía, Soli No. 2★ Best Small Ensemble Performance (with

or without Conductor)Southwest Chamber Music/von der SchmidtCambria Master Recordings CD 8851

These 2005 winners join our roster of Grammy Award-winning recordings:

Giya KancheliMidday PrayersArvo PärtPro et ContraAlfred SchnittkeViolin Concerto No. 3Valentin SilvestrovOde to the Nightingale

Reviews

Focus Festival 2005New Juilliard Ensemble/Sachs21 January 2005; New York City

Kancheli makes somethingtheatrically religious of hisMidday Prayers...Faint slowchords move slowly across amusical space. The underly-ing mood is prayerfulmonotony, but solo clarinetlines give color and punctua-tion.

Silvestrov’s setting [of]Keats’s Ode to a Nightingale[is] in Russiantranslation...[it is] a kind ofcantata. Silvestrov takesKeats’s bird quite literally,decorating the chantlikevocal lines with tweets andtrills...Droning dark brassruns parallel underneath.

Sitting us up straight at theend and reminding us ofSoviet life’s depressive effectswas Schnittke’s ViolinConcerto No. 3 [with its]tortured, trilling

New York premiere

Midday Prayers(Afternoon Prayers) 24'

Text: LiturgicalBoy soprano; Clarinet; 1101/1231/2perc.hpd(cel).bgtr/str (1.0.1.1.1)

New York premiere

Pro et Contra 9'Cello; 1.1.1.asx.1/1110/

timp.perc.vib.mbaphone/hp.pf/str

Violin Concerto No. 3 28'Violin;

2(pic).1+ca.3(Ebcl,bcl).1+cbn/2110/str (1.0.1.1.1)

New York premiere

Ode to the NightingaleRussian language texts after Keats

Soprano; Piano;1110/1111/1perc/hp/str (6.4.4.3.2

or 1.1.1.1.1)

Pärt’s Pro et Contra, from1966...is disputatious andfunny. The solos...make thecello a percussion instrumentwith their vivid slaps andtwangs; they also provide aplayground for virtuoso drama.Short phrases, one verydifferent from the last, bouncearound the small orchestra,creating a kind of contentiousyet good-natured townmeeting.

solos...There are moments ofSchnittke’s found-object stylein the slight distortions of old-fashioned chord progressions.

— Bernard Holland,The New York Times

Augusta Read ThomasIn My Sky at Twilight

This 18-minute piece for soprano and 18 instruments writtenin 2002 strings together numerous poetic fragments fromdifference sources: ancient Egyptian and Japanese poetry,Sappho and Pindar, the Brownings, Flaubert, Hopkins, WSMerwin, Rossetti, Neruda, and Cummings all coalesce into asplashy, colorful, modernist mélange...The result is a vividtapestry depicting the height of passion and its bittersweet(seemingly temporary) farewell. Boulez is the perfect interpre-tive match for this sensual and inevitably heartbroken material.

— Allen Gimbel, American Record Guide

ART CD 19952002

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fl, cl, perc, pf, vn, vc

MusicNOW Ensemble

16 February 2005; Chicago, IL

Deborah Horne, Editor

Ed Matthew, Managing Internet Editor

Peter LiebersonPiano Quintet 14'

Gunther SchullerA Bouquet for Collage 16'

Christopher Taylor, piano; Ying Quartet

10 February 2005; Miller Theater, Columbia

University, New York City

The program was made all the moreenjoyable by Gunther Schuller’s ABouquet for Collage, a divertimento...written for the Boston new music group,Collage. The jaunty, punning titles(“With Mallets Aforethought” is thebest) barely suggest what makes the piecesuch fun. Schuller writes with wit, color,ingenuity and affection for his sixwoodwind, string, piano and percussionplayers.

— John von Rhein,Chicago Tribune

This dazzling, harmonically astringenttwo-movement score is at once denselypacked yet utterly lucid. The openingmovement, marked “Celebratory andJoyful,” builds on a stern four-notetheme and takes off in every imaginabledirection and mood: ecstatic, fantastical,impish, dangerous. The second move-ment is a nonstop whirlwind with hintsof Cape Breton fiddle music...andingeniously entangled counterpoint. Thefine players untangled all the knots of thecounterpoint, though, in this bracingperformance. This music is of our time,yet looks back to earlier progressives,Brahms notably among them.

— Anthony Tommasini,The New York Times

Reviews

Invocation from Mark Adamo’s Lysistrata, or The Nude GoddessCopyright © 2005 by G. Schirmer, Inc. (ASCAP). InternationalCopyright Secured. All Rights Reserved. Used by permission.

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