UW Symphony Orchestra with Carrie Shaw, Frederick Reece

David Alexander Rahbee leads the UW Symphony in "With Love, from Scotland," a program of works by Thea Musgrave, Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel, and Felix Mendelssohn. With faculty guests Carrie Shaw, soprano, and Frederick Reece, narrator. 

Program

With Love, from Scotland

Loch Ness, A Postcard from Scotland: Thea Musgrave (b. 1928)

Six Songs, Op. 7: Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel (1805-1847) orchestrated by David A. Rahbee
1, Nachtwanderer
2. Erwin
3. Frühling
4. Du bist die Ruh
5. Bitte
6. Dein ist mein Herz
Carrie Shaw, soprano

Intermission

Symphony No. 3, in A minor, Op. 56, “Scottish”: Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
I. Andante con moto–Allegro un poco agitato
II. Vivace non troppo
III. Adagio
IV. Allegro vivacissimo–Allegro maestoso assai

Program Notes

by Mica Weiland

Thea Musgrave (b. 1928)
Loch Ness; A Postcard from Scotland (comp. 2012)

Thea Musgrave, a Scottish composer born in Edinburgh in 1928, studied under the renowned Nadia Boulanger at the Paris Conservatoire and Aaron Copland at the Tanglewood Institute. Over her career, she has produced a rich and varied body of work, including many orchestral pieces, concerti, and operas. Her compositional style is characterized by its dramatic intensity and theatrical flair, particularly evident in Loch Ness.

Loch Ness: A Postcard from Scotland is a vivid tone poem inspired by the legendary Scottish tale of the Loch Ness monster. In this piece, the monster is represented by the tuba, whose long, brooding solos punctuate the music. Emerging from the mist—evoked by the shimmering harmonics of the strings—the creature is gradually bathed in warmth as the trumpets shine through. The piece quotes an ancient Scottish melody as the sun sets, signaling the monster’s retreat into the water with a final, dramatic splash. As the moon rises and the water calms, the piece ends in peaceful serenity.  

Fanny Mendelssohn Hensel (1805-1847)  
Six Songs op. 7 (orch. Rahbee) (comp. 1839-1846) 

Fanny Mendelssohn was born in Hamburg in 1805, the eldest of four children, including her younger brother Felix. She grew up in Berlin, where she received a solid musical education and became known for her talent as both a pianist and composer. However, as she came of age, her father discouraged her musical ambitions, pushing her instead toward the conventional role of a homemaker—what society expected of women at the time. Despite stepping away from public composition, Fanny continued to write music in private. Her output includes a string quartet, a piano trio, a piano quartet, an orchestral overture, four cantatas, more than 125 piano pieces, and over 250 lieder. Most of these works went unpublished during her lifetime, and many were mistakenly attributed to her brother Felix. A gifted melodist, her Six Songs op. 7 are a testament to her compositional prowess.

I. Nachtwanderer “Night wanderer”
A misty, peaceful song that illustrates walking under the moonlight. 

II. Erwin
A delicate, yearning love song which includes many musical themes and metaphors relating to springtime and flowers. 

III. Frühling "Spring"
A vibrant song that opens with the chime of bells, soon blending in effects that evoke the fluttering of birds' wings and the blossoming of flowers.

IV. Du bist die Ruh “You are at peace”
A flowing song that evokes both the pain and the peace that love brings.

V. Bitte
A dark and somber song with a dream-like quality.

VI. Dein ist mein Herz “Yours is my heart”
A lush song that weaves together themes of longing and springtime, bringing the song cycle to a harmonious and satisfying conclusion. 

 Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Symphony No.3, op.56, A minor “Scottish” (comp. 1829-1842)

 On July 30, 1829, Felix Mendelssohn wrote to his parents from Edinburgh:
In the twilight today we went to the [Holyrood] Palace where Queen Mary [Stuart] lived and loved. There is a little room to be seen there with a spiral staircase at its door. . .. The chapel beside it has now lost its roof. It is overgrown with grass and ivy, and at the broken altar, Mary was crowned Queen of Scotland. Everything is ruined, decayed, and open to the sky. I believe I have found there the beginning of my Scotch Symphony.

Felix Mendelssohn was born in 1809 in Hamburg. At just 20 years old, he embarked on a memorable trip to Scotland, where he began sketching ideas for his third symphony. Although these early sketches date back to 1829, Mendelssohn's Symphony No. 3 was not completed until 1842, making it the last symphony he finished. It is believed that the opening 16 bars of the symphony were inspired by his description of the Holyrood Palace in his writings, capturing the spirit of his Scottish journey.

The work begins with a somber, ethereal theme introduced by the violas and oboes, setting a reflective mood before transitioning into an agitated exposition. Throughout the first movement, the initial colors of the opening bars resurface, allowing the composer to vividly convey his experience of Scotland. The symphony is structured so that each movement flows seamlessly into the next, with each one further developing the themes introduced earlier. After a reprise of the opening motif, the second movement emerges with a lively, spirited energy. Here, the strings create an airy texture that beautifully supports the melody played by the clarinets. The folk-inspired melodies, infused with the distinctive Scotch-snap rhythm, draw clear influence from traditional Scottish music.

The third movement is defined by its delicate pizzicato, which drifts throughout, balanced by an underlying sense of immense gravity. Initially unassuming, it gradually leads us through smooth, flowing legato passages in the violins and cellos before building into a grand march, with the winds and brass taking center stage. The finale introduces a lively, dance-like rhythm, its sharp edges creating a sense of urgency. Amid this dance, a fugue emerges, adding tension and anticipation for what is to come. The coda offers the movement’s greatest surprise, concluding with a regal theme in A major. This majestic ending perfectly wraps up the symphony, providing a fitting and powerful conclusion to a complex and stormy masterpiece.

Biographies