David Alexander Rahbee leads the UW Symphony in a program of music by Johannes Brahms and Robert Schumann.
Note: An appearance by Robin McCabe, piano, previously announced for this program, will be rescheduled for a future date.
Program
University of Washington Symphony Orchestra
David Alexander Rahbee, Daren Weissfisch, Ryan Farris, conductors
PROGRAM NOTES
JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833-1897)
Serenade No. 2 in A major, Op. 16 (1859, rev. 1875)
Serenades have traditionally been conceived of as music for easy listening. Why then would Brahms, generally regarded as one of the most serious composers of the romantic era, choose to focus his artistic energy producing not just one, but two works in this genre? The answer is that he used these charming pieces as essentially a kind of experiment in orchestral writing. Even early in his career, Brahms had the goal of composing symphonies and orchestral works on par with the masterpieces of Beethoven, his idol. Being essentially too modest to begin a true symphony in his mid-twenties, Brahms instead produced these two serenades to learn how to compose for the orchestra.
This Serenade No. 2 in A major, originally written in 1859 and then revised 16 years later, has the added curiosity of being scored for an orchestra without violins, brass, or percussion. Throughout the work the woodwinds generally lead the melodic lines, supported by the lower strings, which only occasionally get their turn at having the tune.
The first movement acts much like the opening movement of a symphony would, presenting a series of themes which are subjected to development and expansion in a ‘sonata-allegro’ form. The second movement is a delightful scherzo, featuring playful rhythms passing across the orchestra. The third movement is remarkably somber by comparison, with a brooding, almost Bach-like theme emerging from the lowest strings and weaving its way throughout the movement, which is by far the longest in the work. The fourth movement is a return to a short and playful dance, with a middle section highlighting the low flutes in particular. The finale is a fast and jubilant rondo as one might expect. Here the piccolo finally joins the orchestra to add an extra bit of spritely character to the whole ensemble, rounding off the serenade in high spirits.
ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810-1856)
Symphony No. 2 in C major, Op. 61 (1845-1846)
What we now call the Symphony No. 2 by German composer Robert Schumann was actually the third symphony he had completed. His Symphony in B-flat was published as No. 1 in 1841, but his Symphony in D minor (also composed in 1841, but later revised) was not published for over a decade and now appears as his No. 4. The triumphant tone of this Second Symphony is remarkable considering the state of Schumann’s health when he was writing it. Throughout the years 1845-1846 he suffered from severe depression and ringing in his ears. This in part led him to experiment with composing away from the piano, a shift in compositional strategy which forced him to conceive and work out everything in his head before writing it down.
The symphony begins with a slow brass chorale reminiscent of Haydn’s Symphony No. 104, his final work in that genre. This simple figure will reappear throughout the piece, adding a sense of thematic unity to the entire work. After a long introduction, the first movement launches into a dance-like allegro, at times turbulent but ultimately ending in triumph. As is common in 19th century symphonies the scherzo movement precedes the adagio. This second movement is famous among violinists as it features a seemingly endless cascade of rapid notes played across the entire range of the instrument. The scherzo is interrupted by two different trio sections, the first characterized by spritely triplets passed between winds and strings, and the second enfolding into a beautiful chorale. The scherzo comes to an energetic end with all the violins in unison showcasing rapid scales and arpeggios. The third movement is an elegiac adagio cantabile in C minor, providing a poignant contrast with the virtuosity of the previous scherzo. The finale, ‘Allegro molto vivace’, is a fast and brilliant conclusion, featuring transformations of themes heard in previous movements. During the middle section we hear a lyrical new theme, inspired by a melody from Beethoven’s song cycle An die ferne Geliebte. This gradually unfolds into a brilliant coda, recalling the chorale theme from the opening of the symphony.
-Ryan D. Farris