Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (1839-1881) – Prelude to Khovanshchina

Modest Mussorgsky was perhaps one of the most innovative composers of the romantic era. Sadly for history, he was an amateur who supported himself as a civil servant; he struggled to compose in his spare time. The opera Khovanshchina was his last work, written between 1872 and 1880, but was unfinished and unperformed when he died in 1881. Khovanshchina received its first performance in 1886 in a version radically reworked by the composer Rimsky-Korsakov, and it was not until the middle of the twentieth century that the opera was restored, this time by the composer Dmitri Shostakovich. The prelude being performed this evening is in the Rimsky-Korsakov version.

The opera’s subject is the Moscow Uprising of 1682, when peasants took to the streets battling over who would lead Russia following the death of their leader Feodor III. This prelude foreshadows the opera’s ominous nature, but the dark character of most of the overture gives way to a serene dawn on the Moscow River that the end of the prelude beautifully depicts.

The work is scored for 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, timpani, percussion and strings. It lasts approximately 5 minutes.

Alexander Glazunov (1865-1936) – Violin Concerto in A, Op. 82

In 1904, Russia was undergoing a cultural transformation that culminated in two revolutions: the first in 1905, and then another in 1911. During the year before the first revolution, Glazunov completed his violin concerto—a work that would cement his reputation as one of Russia’s pre-eminent composers. A year later, buoyed by the success of the concerto, he assumed the Directorship of the St. Petersburg Conservatory when Rimsky-Korsakov was forced to resign.

Glazunov’s musical idiom bridges the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, combining soulful Russian romantic melody with sections of intense chromatic energy. Although the Glazunov Violin Concerto is not performed as often as other contemporaneous concertos (Sibelius and Elgar, for example), it is nonetheless an exquisite gem in the violin repertoire. Like many other concertos, Glazunov’s contains three movements, though the form is cleverly masked by the way each movement connects into the next. The first movement is marked Moderato and almost immediately features the soloist playing a brooding and intense melody that is the melodic germ of almost the entire concerto. After only four minutes the second movement, marked Andante sostenuto, makes its appearance. This movement is more of an intermezzo however, for first movement material reappears in the orchestral interlude that follows the andante movement. This orchestral interlude is interrupted by the soloist, who initiates a brilliant fast section that leads into an equally brilliant cadenza for solo violin. A short and mysterious bridge passage leads into the final movement, marked Allegro. This final movement features dazzling writing for the soloist, as well as brilliant orchestral colors. Imperceptibly, the movement gains momentum and speed, like a Russian dance, until the work’s triumphant close.

The work is scored for solo violin accompanied by piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, timpani, percussion and strings. It lasts approximately 21 minutes.

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) Symphony No. 3 in D major, Op. 29. “Polish”

Tchaikovsky’s Third Symphony was written in 1875 when he was 35 years old. Around this time Tchaikovsky also worked on his first ballet Swan Lake; a resemblance of this symphony to his ballet music is therefore not surprising. The dance-like nature of two movements, the elegance in his orchestration, and the waltz-like end of the final movement all make this the most balletic of the Tchaikovsky symphonies. It is also unique in being the only of his symphonies in a major key, and the only one with five movements. A brief description of each movement follows:

1. Introduzione ed Allegro brillante

Even though this movement is in D major, it begins with a slow funereal introduction in the minor key—a common technique of the classical-era composers Haydn and Mozart. The bulk of the movement plays with this tension between major and minor: An energetic and triumphant opening to the allegro section is in major, while the plaintive minor second theme also features prominently in the first movement.

2. Alla tedesca (In the German style)

In A-B-A form, the second movement is a German dance resembling a waltz, with a lyrical, though rhythmically askew, theme. The middle “B” section contrasts this, with spritely triplets providing a strong rhythmic underpinning. These triplets then dovetail into the return of the second “A” section. The movement closes with a brief coda consisting of quizzical string pizzicatos and perky woodwind solos.

3. Andante elegiaco

Like the second movement, this movement is in A-B-A form, but has a lyrical and tragic affect; an affect often found in the music to the ballet Swan Lake. The main theme, played by bassoon and then French horn, resembles the chanting of monks in a processional. This linear chant-like melody is contrasted with the second theme, which could be one of the most sumptuous and romantic melodies Tchaikovsky ever wrote. The movement’s coda features the dramatic rustling sounds of string tremolos, and a repeat of the wind solos accompanied by string pizzicatos.

4. Scherzo

The term scherzo (literally “joke” in Italian) seems a little out of place here in this movement since the whole mood of this movement is ominous and a little frightening. The entire movement has muted strings, a tone color that creates an almost ethereal atmosphere. The middle, march-like section features sylph-like utterances in the woodwinds. Trombone solos at either ends of the movement complete the character of other-worldliness.

5. Finale: Allegro con fuoco – Tempo di Polacca

This movement is in the form of a polonaise—a Polish dance. A main theme returns several times in the movement, with different episodes in between each occurrence: The first episode features different sections of the orchestra trading the melody around; the second episode has the character of a liturgical chorale, and the third features triplet figures making a dance-like appearance. A longer fugal section makes up the middle part of this movement. Then the chorale section reappears, this time featuring all the winds and brass; this creates the movement’s high point. After the main theme makes its last appearance, the symphony ends with an exciting waltz-like triumphant apotheosis.

The work is scored for piccolo, 2 flutes, 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba, timpani and strings. It lasts approximately 50 minutes.