Program Notes
Sonata in C-Sharp Minor “Moonlight”, Op. 27, No. 2
Ludwig Van Beethoven 1770-1827
The Piano Sonata No. 14 in C-sharp minor, was completed in 1801 and dedicated in 1802 to Beethoven’s pupil, Countess Julie “Giulietta” Guicciardi. It is one of Beethoven’s most famous and recognizable pieces for the piano, but was not named “Moonlight” Sonata until after his death, as proposed by poet Ludwig Rellstab. Tonight’s arrangement of this haunting sonata was orchestrated by our very own Maestro Lucas Darger!
“Waltz” from Masquerade Suite
Aram Khachaturian 1903-1978
Aram Khachaturian was born in 1903 in present-day Georgia to an Armenian family. He’s the most famous and widely celebrated Armenian composer, though he did almost all of his work in the Soviet Union and is largely acknowledged, along with Shostakovich and Prokovief, as one of the most prominent Soviet composers.
The Waltz is most often played on its own from this suite because of its fun energy. While it does not have the lightness associated with Strauss, there is still a flowing motion that is delightful.
The Water Goblin, Op. 107, B 195 – IV. Allegro vivace
Antonin Dvorak 1841-1904
The Water Goblin is a symphonic poem, Op. 107, written in 1896 by Czech composer, Antonín Dvořák. The Water Goblin is based on a fairy tale-like poem with the story told in four parts of a mischievous water goblin who traps drowning souls in upturned teacups. This is not a Disney version and like many European fairy tales, has a dark side. Our heroine, a daughter of a loving mother, is captured and forced to marry the demanding Water Goblin. He takes her to his lair, where she cooks for him, makes his bed, serves him, and even has a child with him.
Our movement is the final scene. The daughter is allowed to visit her mother, with conditions, and must return when the bell strikes. Mom keeps her daughter, and when the Goblin appears to demand the daughter’s return, Mother tells the Water Goblin to take care of his own dinner and cleaning. When he reappears and says that the baby needs to be fed, Mother tells him to bring the baby to them so they can have the infant. The Goblin does…in pieces!
Dvorak is famous for major orchestral works, and is beloved in America for his composition and conducting stay in New York City in the late 1890s, where he helped establish the New York Philharmonic as a world class orchestra. From his stay in the US, he later wrote his most famous composition, From the New World, a symphony inspired by American themes.
“Last Midnight” from Into the Woods
Stephen Sondheim 1930-2021
Into the Woods is the 2nd collaboration between Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine (author) that opened at the Old Globe Theatre in 1986 and premiered on Broadway on November 5, 1987. The story intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales like “Little Red Riding Hood”, “Cinderella”, “Jack and the Beanstalk”, and “Rapunzel”. Everything is tied together through a story of a childless baker and his wife and their quest to have a child, the ultimate interaction with a Witch who has placed a curse on them, and exploration of the consequences of their deepest wishes.
In her song, “Last Midnight”, the witch teaches them the hard lesson of pursuing their wishes relentlessly and without consequence. “Told a little lie, stole a little gold, broke a little vow, did you?” It doesn’t matter how they got there, they are stuck now, which lends to the saying, “Be careful what you wish for - it might come true!”
The Dancing Moonlight
Dai Wei 1989-
Dei Wei, a Chinese born composer working in America, has written in many concert music genres. She often chooses spiritual and philosophical themes for her compositions and her compositions ask us to look inward.
As is often the case with contemporary concert compositions, Dancing Moonlight reflects an eclectic combination of musical styles. She composed it to celebrate the Chinese New Year in 2017, and wanted to portray the energy that comes from that celebration. Its dance-like drive is meant to remind us that joy is common to all cultures, the symbol of the moon is seen by all, and reminds us we are all one family.
Feather Theme from Forrest Gump
Alan Silvestri 1950-
Alan Anthony Silvestri (born March 26, 1950) is an American composer, conductor, orchestrator and music producer of film scores. He has received two Grammy Awards and two Primetime Emmy Awards as well as nominations for two Academy Awards and two Golden Globe Awards.
His music for Forest Gump helped to immortalize this movie for millions. While the cynics label both the movie and music as overly sentimental, the theme of reducing life’s confusion to the most-simple level rings true for many of us. Silvestri uses themes throughout the score to musical cue reminders and emotional context. Listen for these themes and it may bring back the visuals from the movie for fans.
Mother Knows Best from Tangled
Poor Unfortunate Souls from The Little Mermaid
Alan Menken 1949-
Alan Menken has written the music to some of our most beloved musicals, both live action and animated. Born in 1949, Menken skyrocketed to the top of our “most well-known composers” list through his association with Disney. The list of his works is too long for this little program, but Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, (Academy Award) and Pocahontas (Academy Award) created a string of hits for Disney Studios. His Broadway musicals include Newies, Little Shop of Horrors, and Sister Act. His songs are known for both their lyrical moods and high, fun energy.
Pirate Dance
Leroy Anderson 1908-1975
Leroy Anderson has written some of America’s most delightful concert music. His long association with Arthur Fielder and the Boston Pops Orchestra provided countless opportunities to showcase his music.
Tonight’s fun selection is from the Broadway musical “Goldilocks” (1958), which parodied the melodramatic silent film era. This jaunty dance occurs at the end of Act I and hints at later, more famous pirate movie soundtracks.
Symphonic Variation “Merry-go-round + Cave of Mind” from “Howl’s Moving Castle”
Joe Hisaishi 1950-
Mamoru Fujisawa, professionally known as “Joe Hisaishi” was born in Japan in 1950. To say his music is eclectic is an understatement! Hisaishi is a composer, musical director, conductor and pianist who has written scores for over 100 movies, blending Western, Japanese classical, pop, electronic, and jazz music in his compositions.
Tonight's selection comes from the Anime movie, Howl’s Moving Castle. Released in 2004, it is Hisaishi’s most requested composition. The “Merry-go-round” theme captures the whimsical, cyclical motion evoking the magical world’s playful spirit, while “Cave of Mind” delves into a more introspective, mysterious atmosphere, highlighting the film’s emotional depth.
Toccata and Fugue in D Minor
Johann Sebastian Bach 1685-1750
Composed: c. 1708, transcribed: 1927
Leopaold Stokowski, 1882-1977, is one of America’s most iconic conductors. Flamboyant on the podium, relentless in his goal to bring classical music to the public, and hair that rivaled Einstein, Stokowski was the very image of the orchestra conductor. He gained general public immortality as the conductor silhouetted in Disney’s Fantasia in 1940 as he leads the Philadelphia orchestra in that entire soundtrack. Stokowski set out to make an orchestral arrangement of Bach’s signature piece, Toccata and Fugue in D Minor. With its dramatic opening, this original organ work became the favorite of vampires, revolutionary submarine captains, and has somehow become associated with creepy and scary things!
A tocatta is a Baroque musical form that is derived from the word “Touch”. Toccata’s are to show off the artistic skill of the organist and have an almost improvised feel them. This is followed by the opposite kind of structure. A fugue is a very structured form that uses a main theme to invite the audience in and then cycles the theme in a series of overlapping entrances, like a round, to build energy and complexity. Bach introduces new motifs while still cycling the main theme. The amazing artistry to create a “whole” out of such complexity. Enjoy Stokowski’s arrangement of Bach tonight!
Ride of the Valkyries
Richard Wagner 1813-1883
Richard Wagner, the self-important, melodramatic and controversial German composer, wrote the famous selection as an opening to the third act of his opera (a medium which he felt he reinvented), Die Walkure. Die Walkure is part of a series of four operas that Wagner made his audiences sit through on four consecutive nights. Regardless of his politics and personality, Wagner was a gifted composer of moving and colorful music.
The Ring series (short hand for all those operas) is based on the heroic and tragic story of Siegfried and Brunhilde. Wagner was writing material for these operas in the early 1850s, 20 years before their premiere. For those of us that remember our Norse mythology, or fans of Marvel special effects movies, the Valkyries are the winged, flying shield maidens who come to collect the souls of fallen warriors to take them to the halls of Valhalla where the fallen warriors drink unlimited amounts of mead and tell war stories for all eternity.
The Ride is so famous, with its whirling “wind music” in the woodwinds and heroic, dramatic statements in the brass, that it has been used for many movies. The most famous was in Apocalypse Now, with the helicopters flying in over the beach as they attack. The idea of flying, purposeful, and irresistible armed warriors coming to take what is theirs is what this music is meant to convey.
Overture to Orpheus in the Underworld
Jacques Offenbach 1819-1880
Orpheus in the Underworld, is a comic opera with music by Jacques Offenbach. It was first performed in Paris in 1858, and was extensively revised and expanded in a four-act "opéra féerie" version, presented in Paris, on February 7, 1874.
The opera is a lampoon of the ancient legend of Orpheus and Eurydice. In this version Orpheus is not the son of Apollo, but a rustic violin teacher. He is glad to be rid of his wife, Eurydice, when she is abducted by the god of the underworld, Pluto. Orpheus has to be bullied by Public Opinion into trying to rescue Eurydice. The reprehensible conduct of the gods of Olympus in the opera was widely seen as a satire on corrupt political leaders.
In the last decade of the 19th century the Paris cabarets the Moulin Rouge and Folies Bergère adopted the music of the "Galop infernal" from the culminating scene of the opera to accompany the can-can, and ever since then the tune has been popularly associated with the dance.