THREE DANCES FROM THE BARTERED BRIDE                                                                                                                 

13 minutes        (1870)                                                                               Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884)

THE FATHER OF CZECH MUSIC. Bedřich Smetana is generally considered the first great Czech composer. In the words of biographer John Clapham, he “forged a national style which is indistinguishable from his personal style. He provided his country with a basic repertory of music that holds an esteemed position beside some of the finest masterpieces of his European contemporaries, and at the same time he crystallized the spirit of his nation in his art.” Ironically, Smetana had to admit in 1860, just six years before the premiere of his most famous opera, The Bartered Bride, that he could not express himself nor write correctly in Czech due to his upbringing in German (his name at home was Friedrich).

Smetana’s most famous composition, the Moldau (German for the Czech river Vltava), is one of the six symphonic poems which comprise Má Vlast (My Fatherland). However, his operas, which include The Brandenburgers in Bohemia, Dalibor, and Libuše are the most consequential part of his artistic legacy. The Bartered Bride, the most popular Czech opera of all, was not a success at its premiere in 1866, achieving widespread acclaim only in 1870 after multiple revisions including the addition of the three dances performed today. The Polka ends Act 1; the Furiant is the second number of Act 2, and the Dance of the Comedians accompanies a traveling circus troupe in Act 3.

LIQUID MELANCHOLY FOR CLARINET AND ORCHESTRA                                                                                                                        

 16 minutes      (2011)                                                                                     James Stephenson (1969- )

THE VERSATILITY OF THE CLARINET.  “Liquid Melancholy” is a phrase from the famous novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, in which it refers to a sleep- inducing medication. Lake Forest composer James Stephenson found it a perfect description of the abilities of the clarinet to play with the characteristics of both words, so he used it as the title for a work for clarinet and orchestra commissioned by a consortium of three ensembles for three clarinetists, including today’s soloist, John Bruce Yeh.

Liquid Melancholy is a four movement concerto in which the first movement emphasizes the clarinet’s liquid aspects and the second movement the more intimate melancholic ones. The third movement is a brief cadenza for the soloist with orchestral accompaniment and leads without pause into the playful finale.

James Stephenson has been called “The Concerto King” by John Bruce Yeh in recognition of the breadth of his compositions, which include concertos and sonatas for nearly every instrument of the orchestra. Mr Stephenson majored in trumpet performance at the New England Conservatory of Music and performed for 17 seasons in the Naples Philharmonic (Florida) before turned to full time composing. His arrangements have also received many performances, including several at the Evanston Symphony Holiday Concert.

SYMPHONY NO 9 IN E MINOR, “FROM THE NEW WORLD” OP 95                                                                                                                

45 minutes      (1893)                                                                                   Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904)

THE MOST POPULAR CZECH SYMPHONY. Antonín Dvořák was born in the Bohemian countryside, disliked cities, and was fond of pigeons, playing cards and watching trains. He was also one of the most versatile composers of the nineteenth century, whose body of work included nine operas in a style influenced by Wagner, symphonic poems and “national” pieces such as his Slavonic Dances, and most importantly, purely instrumental works following his friend and mentor Johannes Brahms. They include 14 string quartets, “the most impressive such achievement since Beethoven” according to Richard Taruskin; piano trios, quartets and quintets; string quintets and a string sextet, and nine symphonies.

In 1892 Dvořák received an invitation from Jeannette Thurber to move to New York City and assume the directorship of her National Conservatory of Music at an annual salary of $15,000, a sum impossible to resist. One of his duties was to compose works on American themes, preferably an opera based on Longfellow’s Song of Hiawatha, a poem which had been translated into Czech and one which Dvořák admired. However, after a few sketches for the opera Dvořák decided on a new symphony, which he wrote in New York City between January and May of 1893. Premiered in Carnegie Hall on December 16 (Beethoven’s birthday) of that year, the symphony “From the New World” was the greatest public triumph of Dvořák’s life. It is also Dvořák’s most extensive use of “cyclic” form, in which themes from earlier movements reappear in later ones. In the case of the “New World”, each movement includes at least one theme from each of the preceding movements.

I. Adagio-Allegro molto. A brief string introduction, followed by dramatic timpani notes, leads to the instantly memorable principal theme on the horns. This theme recurs in all succeeding movements and thus may be called a “motto” of the symphony. The secondary theme, first stated by the woodwinds, is a close relative of the spiritual “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”. The exposition of these themes is repeated; the development and recapitulation lead to a fierce ending.

II. Largo. This is the most famous movement of the symphony; its English horn solo theme was turned into the spiritual “Goin” Home” with the addition of words. The first soft chords of the movement provide a transition from the previous movement, but the sequence of seven chords recurs twice later in the movement as if to say “Once upon a time”. Near the end is a woodwind episode evocative of bird song which culminates in the recall of the “motto” theme.

III. Molto vivace. This vigorous scherzo is almost certainly based on Indian dances from Hiawatha, but its prominent timpani part is similar to that in the scherzo of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and its use of the triangle recalls the scherzo of Brahms’ Fourth Symphony (also in E Minor).

IV. Allegro con fuoco. This fiery finale provides a grand summation of the entire symphony, starting with its bold initial theme on the brass. Near the end, a loud recall of the “Once Upon a Time” chord sequence is followed by the famous Largo theme on clarinets punctuated by the scherzo theme on strings. Finally, the first movement “motto” theme and the main theme of the finale collide in a grandiose, deliciously dissonant manner.

THREE DANCES FROM THE BARTERED BRIDE                                                                                                                 

13 minutes        (1870)                                                                               Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884)

THE FATHER OF CZECH MUSIC. Bedřich Smetana is generally considered the first great Czech composer. In the words of biographer John Clapham, he “forged a national style which is indistinguishable from his personal style. He provided his country with a basic repertory of music that holds an esteemed position beside some of the finest masterpieces of his European contemporaries, and at the same time he crystallized the spirit of his nation in his art.” Ironically, Smetana had to admit in 1860, just six years before the premiere of his most famous opera, The Bartered Bride, that he could not express himself nor write correctly in Czech due to his upbringing in German (his name at home was Friedrich).

Smetana’s most famous composition, the Moldau (German for the Czech river Vltava), is one of the six symphonic poems which comprise Má Vlast (My Fatherland). However, his operas, which include The Brandenburgers in Bohemia, Dalibor, and Libuše are the most consequential part of his artistic legacy. The Bartered Bride, the most popular Czech opera of all, was not a success at its premiere in 1866, achieving widespread acclaim only in 1870 after multiple revisions including the addition of the three dances performed today. The Polka ends Act 1; the Furiant is the second number of Act 2, and the Dance of the Comedians accompanies a traveling circus troupe in Act 3.

LIQUID MELANCHOLY FOR CLARINET AND ORCHESTRA                                                                                                                        

 16 minutes      (2011)                                                                                     James Stephenson (1969- )

THE VERSATILITY OF THE CLARINET.  “Liquid Melancholy” is a phrase from the famous novel Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury, in which it refers to a sleep- inducing medication. Lake Forest composer James Stephenson found it a perfect description of the abilities of the clarinet to play with the characteristics of both words, so he used it as the title for a work for clarinet and orchestra commissioned by a consortium of three ensembles for three clarinetists, including today’s soloist, John Bruce Yeh.

Liquid Melancholy is a four movement concerto in which the first movement emphasizes the clarinet’s liquid aspects and the second movement the more intimate melancholic ones. The third movement is a brief cadenza for the soloist with orchestral accompaniment and leads without pause into the playful finale.

James Stephenson has been called “The Concerto King” by John Bruce Yeh in recognition of the breadth of his compositions, which include concertos and sonatas for nearly every instrument of the orchestra. Mr Stephenson majored in trumpet performance at the New England Conservatory of Music and performed for 17 seasons in the Naples Philharmonic (Florida) before turned to full time composing. His arrangements have also received many performances, including several at the Evanston Symphony Holiday Concert.

SYMPHONY NO 9 IN E MINOR, “FROM THE NEW WORLD” OP 95                                                                                                                

45 minutes      (1893)                                                                                   Antonín Dvořák (1841-1904)

THE MOST POPULAR CZECH SYMPHONY. Antonín Dvořák was born in the Bohemian countryside, disliked cities, and was fond of pigeons, playing cards and watching trains. He was also one of the most versatile composers of the nineteenth century, whose body of work included nine operas in a style influenced by Wagner, symphonic poems and “national” pieces such as his Slavonic Dances, and most importantly, purely instrumental works following his friend and mentor Johannes Brahms. They include 14 string quartets, “the most impressive such achievement since Beethoven” according to Richard Taruskin; piano trios, quartets and quintets; string quintets and a string sextet, and nine symphonies.

In 1892 Dvořák received an invitation from Jeannette Thurber to move to New York City and assume the directorship of her National Conservatory of Music at an annual salary of $15,000, a sum impossible to resist. One of his duties was to compose works on American themes, preferably an opera based on Longfellow’s Song of Hiawatha, a poem which had been translated into Czech and one which Dvořák admired. However, after a few sketches for the opera Dvořák decided on a new symphony, which he wrote in New York City between January and May of 1893. Premiered in Carnegie Hall on December 16 (Beethoven’s birthday) of that year, the symphony “From the New World” was the greatest public triumph of Dvořák’s life. It is also Dvořák’s most extensive use of “cyclic” form, in which themes from earlier movements reappear in later ones. In the case of the “New World”, each movement includes at least one theme from each of the preceding movements.

I. Adagio-Allegro molto. A brief string introduction, followed by dramatic timpani notes, leads to the instantly memorable principal theme on the horns. This theme recurs in all succeeding movements and thus may be called a “motto” of the symphony. The secondary theme, first stated by the woodwinds, is a close relative of the spiritual “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”. The exposition of these themes is repeated; the development and recapitulation lead to a fierce ending.

II. Largo. This is the most famous movement of the symphony; its English horn solo theme was turned into the spiritual “Goin” Home” with the addition of words. The first soft chords of the movement provide a transition from the previous movement, but the sequence of seven chords recurs twice later in the movement as if to say “Once upon a time”. Near the end is a woodwind episode evocative of bird song which culminates in the recall of the “motto” theme.

III. Molto vivace. This vigorous scherzo is almost certainly based on Indian dances from Hiawatha, but its prominent timpani part is similar to that in the scherzo of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, and its use of the triangle recalls the scherzo of Brahms’ Fourth Symphony (also in E Minor).

IV. Allegro con fuoco. This fiery finale provides a grand summation of the entire symphony, starting with its bold initial theme on the brass. Near the end, a loud recall of the “Once Upon a Time” chord sequence is followed by the famous Largo theme on clarinets punctuated by the scherzo theme on strings. Finally, the first movement “motto” theme and the main theme of the finale collide in a grandiose, deliciously dissonant manner.