Preparatory Concert

Concert Program Notes:

Benjamin Britten: Simple Symphony, Op. 4 - Felicia Xie, viola

Benjamin Britten composed Simple Symphony in 1934, at the age of 21, during a creatively fertile period shortly after finishing his studies at the Royal College of Music. This delightful work for string orchestra is a testament to the composer's unique genius. He built the entire symphony from musical themes and sketches he had written himself as a child, between the ages of nine and twelve.The result is a charming, witty, and masterfully crafted piece that contrasts youthful energy with sophisticated adult craftsmanship. All four movements bear alliterative titles that perfectly capture their spirit. For tonight's performance, we explore the energetic bookends of this beloved symphony. The concert opens with the "Boisterous Bourrée," a lively French dance form rendered with a playful, almost unruly spirit. Britten intended the character to be robust and high-spirited. The movement features driving rhythms, syncopation, and vigorous bowing. Listen for the rapid interplay between string sections and the sudden, dramatic shifts in dynamics, which provide a sense of impish fun and rhythmic vitality.The symphony concludes with the "Frolicsome Finale," marked Prestissimo con fuoco (fast, with fire). This is a brilliant display of instrumental agility and ensemble virtuosity. The movement is a whirlwind of rapid scales, light staccato articulation, and a sense of barely contained excitement. The themes "chase" each other through the orchestra like a game of tag, building energy relentlessly toward a climactic, emphatic final flourish that brings the work to a sparkling and fiery close.

Florence Price: Adoration - Alisa Hara, violin

One of Florence Beatrice Price’s known works, “Adoration” was composed around 1951 for solo organ. It features slow and emotional melodies making the piece into a musical prayer in Amen. The piece presents Price’s deep faith and her expressive musicality. Because of her color and race, it made it hard for her music to reach many people in her life span. Even with these burdens “Adoration” was re-discovered in 2009, along with manuscripts, letters, and personal items, in her abandoned summer home in St. Anne, Illinois. “Adoration”’s beautiful lyrical theme rooted in spirituals made it become very popular after it got retrieved. It’s blend of African American heritage and classic European style is played and loved by many people to this day.

Soon Hee Newbold: Perseus - Haruki Kojima, violin

“Perseus” is a piece for string orchestra composed in 2009 by American composer and actor Soon Hee Newbold, whose works are often based on legends and styles of music from around the world. “Perseus” is based on the legendary Greek tale of Perseus and his adventure to defeat the snake-haired monster Medusa. In the tale, Perseus is tricked into obtaining the head of Medusa, whose looks turn anyone to stone. He steals the shared eye and teeth of monsters called Graiai, forcing them to give him the location of Medusa. Using magical equipment and a mirror to look at Medusa without being petrified, Perseus defeats Medusa and brings her head home. While returning, Perseus finds Andromeda, a princess being sacrificed to a sea monster. Falling into love with her, Perseus slays the sea monster, making Andromeda his wife. “Perseus” starts with an exciting heroic motif that starts in the Cello section. The upper sections join in one by one. Eventually, the heroic opening settles into a more joyful and carefree variation of the beginning motif but with dramatic interruptions of heroic passages or tense repeated notes. The music goes through a magical transition with a soft tremolo and harmonic floating over calm chords, leading into soft lyrical passages that show that tension is stirring. Sudden rhythmical sections evoke agitation as Perseus approaches Medusa and takes her head. The tension continues with repeated emphasis of beats as Perseus fights the sea monster and rescues Andromeda. Returning home, a heroic and lyrical section supported by chords in the lower voices resolves the tension and a dancing section follows, accompanied by pizzicato from the lower sections. Finally, an accelerando with a variation of the beginning motif ends the piece.