by David EllisRHAPSODY ON MOLDAVIAN THEMES, OP 47, No 1Mieczyslaw Weinberg (1919–1996) 14 MinutesThe Soviet Union was a place of refuge for Mieczyslaw Weinberg. Born in Warsaw to Moldavian Jews, he urged his parents and sister to leave Poland when the Germans invaded in 1939. When they decided to remain in Warsaw, he left on foot traveling eastward and eventually stopped in Minsk, seemingly out of the reach of the Nazis. The German 1941 invasion of the Soviet Union forced his evacuation to Tashkent, where he met Dmitri Shostakovich, who became his lifelong friend and major artistic influence. He moved to Moscow in 1943, where he composed for the remainder of his life. His family unfortunately perished in the Holocaust.Weinberg was not free of persecution however; he was arrested in 1953 and believed he was destined for execution, but the death of Stalin saved him. Five years earlier his father-in-law, Solomon Mikhoels had been assassinated by the Soviet secret police, and Shostakovich and Weinberg had an agreement that if either was arrested their children would be taken care of by the other.Despite these obstacles, Weinberg composed prolifically; his works numbered over 150, including 26 symphonies, 17 string quartets and seven operas, of which The Passenger has brought him some measure of belated fame. The Rhapsody on Moldavian Themes is an ideal short introduction to this great Russian composer. It follows the slow-fast structure typical of the Hungarian Rhapsodies of Franz Liszt, consisting of two sections of about seven minutes each, but with a strong klezmer element in the exciting finale which honors Weinberg’s Moldavian — Jewish heritage.RHAPSODY ON A THEME OF PAGANINI, OP 43Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943) 24 MinutesSergei Rachmaninoff and his family fled Russia in 1917 when it became obvious that the Communists were in control and never returned. As one of world’s leading pianists, he was able to support his family in the West through concert and recording fees. He spent the 1920s in California, New York and New Jersey, and 1930s in Switzerland, and his last three years in Southern California, where his neighbors included Stravinsky and Schoenberg.Rachmaninoff’s 39 opus numbers through 1917 include such standards as his Second and Third Piano Concertos, the 24 piano preludes, and Second Symphony. He added but six opus numbers in his last 26 years, probably because the demands to produce concert income left little time for composing.The Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini dates from 1934, and ranks with the Second and Third Piano Concertos as the most popular of his works. Although titled a “rhapsody,” it is actually a set of 24 variations, in which the first variation is played before the theme itself, on the last of Paganini’s 24 caprices for solo violin. The remaining variations, predominately in the key of A Minor, can be grouped into a generally fast section (through Variation 10), a slow central section (Variations 11–18), and a fast finale (Variations 19–24). The 18th variation (in D Flat Major) is among the most instantly recognizable melodies in music, and takes the notes from a part of the theme and simply turns them upside down, called an inversion in musical terminology. There is an underlying second theme in the Rhapsody, the medieval Latin chant known as the Dies Irae, which haunted Rachmaninoff through much of his life. It is first heard as part of the 7th Variation, and makes its final thunderous appearance just before the witty final notes on the piano.SYMPHONY NO. 5 IN B FLAT MAJOR, OP 100Serge Prokofiev (1891–1953) 46 MinutesProkofiev’s musical life, like that of Beethoven’s, can easily be split into three periods, which in Prokofiev’s case also correspond to where he lived: Russia (1891–1918), the US and France (1918–1936), and the Soviet Union (1936–1953). The music of his first two periods was considered advanced at the time, while his third period Soviet works are in a more conservative, melodious style and include most of his most popular compositions, such as the ballet Romeo and Juliet, Peter and the Wolf, and the Fifth Symphony. The question this chronology may raise is why did he return to the Soviet Union? He gave the following answer to a relative who asked that question: In the US I was always going to be the number two Russian composer behind Rachmaninoff, and in Europe I was always going to be number two behind Stravinsky, so I’d rather be number one in the Soviet Union. Ironically, current musical thinking is that he ended up number two in the Soviet Union as well, behind Shostakovich.Andante. On January 13, 1945 Prokofiev was on the podium for the Moscow premiere of the Fifth Symphony, but the music was delayed until a barrage of gunfire ended, celebrating the crossing of the Vistula River by Russian troops. This was appropriate for a symphony “about the grandeur of the human spirit” (Prokofiev’s words), and composed in anticipation of victory in World War II. This first movement is in standard sonata form and culminates in a shattering coda.Allegro marcato. This is a scherzo in typical ABA form, notable for its clarinet part.Adagio. The slow movement is in Prokofiev’s most lyrical vein, highly reminiscent of the love music for his Romeo and Juliet ballet.Allegro giocoso. The finale is in the light-hearted style of a Haydn symphony, although the main theme of the first movement returns early in this movement. What Prokofiev termed his “motor rhythms” propel the music forward, whose brilliant orchestration includes abundant percussion.Download KidNotes (PDF)