VPO Classical Concert Program

CLASSICAL CONCERT -SERIES-

WHITNEY

on The Sharon®L. Morse

PERFORMING ARTS CENTER

Dear Patron of the Arts

,

Welcome to The Sharon® L. Morse Performing Arts Center!

Much like the building’s namesake, my grandmother, Sharon L. Morse, we love all varieties of the performing arts here. It is in her memory that I, along with my amazing team of artists and arts administrators, strive to bring many different types of the highest quality entertainment here to The Sharon.

Since opening in 2015, we have strived to establish your trust, that a show at The Sharon is a show worth seeing. Perhaps you find yourself here today to see a concert of one of your favorite musicians, or to take in the national tour of a Broadway show. Either way, we encourage you to consider trying out a new show that perhaps you haven’t heard of before, knowing that it has been intentionally curated by our team.

We welcome you to The Sharon: a place for you to see an old favorite, but also a place to discover your new favorite. I sincerely hope you enjoy the show today, and I look forward to seeing you here again soon!

See

You at The Sharon,

W hitney Morse Artistic Director

The Hebrides Overture composed by Felix Mendelssohn

Felix Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64

Felix Mendelssohn Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op.56, known as the Scottish

PROGRAM NOTE

Felix Mendelssohn

The Hebrides Overture, op. 26

Mendelssohn completed the first draft of his Hebrides Overture in Rome, toward the end of 1830. He was unhappy with his first attempt and continued to revise the work for the next three years. Of particular distress to Mendelssohn was the middle section about which he said, “The forte, D Major middle section is very silly and the entire so-called development tastes more of counterpoint than of whale oil, seagulls and salted cod.” Whale oil notwithstanding, the work premiered on May 14, 1832, by the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Mendelssohn was still not happy with the work, and revised it further until it was finally published in 1833. The two titles (Hebrides and Fingal’s Cave) provide an interesting dilemma – it is believed that a publisher added the Fingal’s Cave title, thinking it would be a more recognizable name than The Hebrides. Further complicating matters, it seems the score and orchestral parts contain differing names, some indicating Fingal and some Hebrides. Mendelssohn’s work was a new type of overture which emerged during the nineteenth-century, referred to as the concert overture. Concert overtures are not drawn from a stage work or opera, but rather, are stand-alone works to be programmed as an overture in a concert hall. Other composers of famous concert overtures include Berlioz, Tchaikovsky, and Brahms.

Mendelssohn’s Hebrides Overture is not programmatic, in the sense that it does not follow a narrative or tell a story; but it is thoroughly evocative of the sea and the scenery Mendelssohn experienced during his time in the Hebrides and Fingal’s Cave. The opening motive that Mendelssohn sketched and sent to his sister after viewing the Hebrides, is a mysterious, arpeggiated fragment outlining the key of b minor. The motive is repeated several times, rising higher and higher. It begins in the lower depths of the orchestra for maximum drama, with the bassoon, viola, and cello receiving the melodic material. As the theme rises, the violins take over, while the lower voices begin an undulating pattern of sixteenth notes that is present throughout most of the work, representing the ebb and flow of the sea, while dramatic crescendos and sforzandi allude to crashing sea waves upon rocks. The second theme is a more sprawling and soaring melody in the major mode, and as the always quotable Sir Donald Francis Tovey stated, is “the greatest melody

Mendelssohn ever wrote.” This second theme is again introduced by the lower instruments (bassoons and celli), maintaining the mysterious nautical tone of the overture. The opening motive is later transformed to a martial rhythm in the orchestra before beginning a somewhat jauntier section filled with dotted rhythms and staccato statements. This section begins with very soft iterations of the opening fragment answered by militaristic figures from the winds. It then modifies and truncates the opening motive into short staccato statements passed throughout the orchestra before the clarinet returns the peaceful ambiance with its statement of the expansive second theme, leading directly into the extended coda. The work ends with a repeated, haunting statement of the opening motive in the clarinet, passed onto the flute that has the last word with its ascending b minor arpeggio, accompanied by pizzicato strings.

Felix Mendelssohn

Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64

Mendelssohn’s violin concerto was the first in a distinguished series of Romantic era violin concertos written by pianist-composers with the assistance of eminent violinists (others being by Schumann, Brahms, Bruch, Tchaikovsky, and Dvořák). Mendelssohn was too ill to attend the successful premiere on March 13, 1845, which was conducted by Niels W. Gade (1817 – 1890) and featured violinist Ferdinand David as the soloist. However, Mendelssohn did have the opportunity to conduct his violin concerto with his dear friend as soloist, on October 23, 1845.

From the beginning of the collaboration between violinist Ferdinand David and Mendelssohn had agreed that this concerto should not be a vehicle for empty showmanship. With this guideline, the outcome was a serious, exquisite, and elegant essay in the romantic concerto genre, ultimately ranking among the finest violin concerti written in the nineteenth century. The concerto is written in classical poise but melodic suavity and refined romantic feeling. Simply put, it is the epitome of Mendelssohn’s compositional style. When the concerto was ready to be premiered, David anticipated it would be well-received by the community, commenting to Mendelssohn, “This is going to be something great! There is plenty of music for violin and orchestra, but there has only been one big, truly great concerto [Beethoven] and now there will be two!” Mendelssohn instantly retorted, “I am not competing with Beethoven.”

The Mendelssohn violin concerto bears no resemblance to the Beethoven violin concerto. Its three movements are played without pause. Additionally, the concerto completely discards the usual orchestral introductory exposition. Instead, a soft murmuring of the strings commences the concerto with the solo violin entering seven beats later. The violin solo melody is soaring and restless, and it only intensifies as it develops. What also makes this concerto unique for the time is that Mendelssohn’s

PROGRAM NOTE

development of the work provides a structural surprise. Mendelssohn moves the cadenza (a long and virtuosic violin solo) from its traditional place at the end of the first movement to a new location at the end of the development. The recapitulation following the cadenza enters from the orchestra with the soloist continuing an arpeggiated figure derived from the cadenza. The solo violin is clearly collaborating melodically with the orchestra rather than seizing the stage (typical of a violin concerto), revealing one of the concerto’s features of interlocking partnership between the two forces of the solo violin and orchestra. As the first movement fades into the background, a solo bassoon, holding one note from a cadential chord, bridges us immediately into the second movement. The second movement offers a tender theme sung by the soloist as its main subject. However, even here Mendelssohn surprises us with a middle section spinning a minor tune over bustling metric-like harmonic notes providing significant contrast to the opening calm and serene motif. With the shortest of pauses, the final movement is preceded by a recalling of the opening theme of the concerto refreshed by new accompaniment. These fourteen bars of transitional material bridge us to the concluding brilliant finale. Commenced by the brass, the soloist answers with lightly scampering arpeggios in the most playful of styles. It is this that is quintessential Mendelssohn. A new, bright theme from the violin dances over a light accompaniment from the orchestra. Echoes of Mendelssohn’s popular work A Midsummer Night’s Dream are artfully referenced in the orchestration, eventually leading to a continued collaboration with the solo violin and orchestra until a dazzling conclusion.

In 1906, one year before his death, the eminent violinist Joseph Joachim (who assisted Brahms on his violin concerto) responded to a toast at his 75th birthday party by stating that, “The Germans have four violin concertos. The greatest, most uncompromising is Beethoven's. The one by Brahms vies with it in seriousness. The richest, the most seductive, was written by Max Bruch. But the most inward, the heart's jewel, is Mendelssohn's.”

Felix Mendelssohn

Symphony No. 3, Scottish

Mendelssohn draft initial sketches of his “Scottish Symphony” during his tour of Italy.

However, Mendelssohn subsequently set the work aside and may have returned to the first movement only in the 1830s. Seemingly, he found it difficult to recreate his “Scotch mood,” which only struck him once again in 1841.

Finally, the symphony was completed in Berlin on 20 January 1842, the last of his five symphonies but carrying the designation as Symphony No. 3. Dedicated to the young Queen Victoria, it was first performed in the Leipzig Gewandhaus on 3 March 1842, and repeated in London in the same year to an audience that included the Queen. The connection to Scotland became only known after the

composer’s death, The score is prefaced by a note asking that the movements not be separated by the customary pauses, and the composer goes on to suggest that their sequence be indicated in the program as follows:

Introduction and Allegro agitato—Scherzo assai vivace— Adagio cantabile—Allegro guerriero and Finale maestoso. The introduction begins solemnly. Mendelssohn has refined his 1829 sketch, coming up with a more interesting rhythm in the first measure and a less flaccid turn of melody a little later. This hymnlike opening gives way to an impassioned recitation for the violins, and it is from this passage that the rest of the Andante takes its cue. The music subsides into silence, and after a moment the Allegro begins, its agitato quality set into higher relief by the pianissimo that Mendelssohn maintains through twenty-one measures. The Scotch is very much a pianissimosymphony. The scoring tends to be dense and dark in a manner that we, certain of the symphony’s title, are much inclined to interpret as Northern and peaty. At the first fortissimo, the tempo is pushed up to Assai animato, which is in fact the base speed for the remainder of the movement.

As always, Mendelssohn handles the entrance into the recapitulation captivatingly: as the moment of return approaches, cellos start to sing a new melody in notes much slower than the skipping staccato eighths in the strings and woodwinds, set in delicate piano against the surrounding pianissimo, and when the first theme returns, it is as a counterpoint against the continuing cello song. The coda brings one of those diminished-seventh-chord tempests that Romantic composers were so fond of. Once again the music subsides—very beautifully—and a breath of the introduction brings the first movement to a close. The scherzo emerges from this with buzzing sixteenth-notes and distant horn calls (on all sorts of instruments). In spite of Mendelssohn’s irritations in the summer of 1829, the flavor of the tunes is distinctly Scots. The Adagio alternates a sentimentdrenched melody with stern episodes of march character. The fiercely energetic fourth movement again seems very Scots indeed, and every bit as macho and athletic as Mendelssohn’s guerriero promises. He invents yet another of his magical pianissimos, this time to emerge into a noble song, scored in surprisingly dark and muted hues for such a peroration: he remarks somewhere that it should suggest a men’s chorus.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS

Thank you to Ms. Margaret Dick for her generous gift of sponsorship for the January concert.

MAESTRO'S BIOGRAPHY

PASQUALE VALERIO, MAESTRO

Pasquale Valerio is the creator, nurturer, mentor, and guiding light for The Villages® Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorale. Pasquale was born in Naples, Italy and began his music studies at the age of 9. He began studying Trumpet Performance at The N. Puccinni Conservatory of Music graduating in 1985. His studies were not limited to trumpet, but included Applied Complementary Piano Studies, Harmony, and Lectures from Maestro Filippo Veniero, who was his guide and mentor from 1967 to 1989. His adult musical career began during his national service as a member of the Carabinieri (Italian Military Police). Fortunately for his musical development, most of this was with the Band. After his discharge, he began studying conducting. Pasquale Valerio served as an apprentice under Sir Antonio Pappano for 6 years. Pasquale followed him all around the world from 2006-2011 and learned directly from the Conductor of the Royal Opera House in London. To that end, Pasquale believes fully in the magic of education through music, and that children are never too young to start discovering to power of harmony.

In 1996, Pasquale relocated to the United States continuing his conducting studies with J. Whitney and Günter Schmidt. In 2004, he became the Founder and Music Director of The Villages Philharmonic Orchestra where he continues to serve today. Maestro Valerio was also the founder of Lake Sumter Chamber Orchestra as well as co-founder and conductor of The Florida Lakes Symphony from 20052006. Pasquale has been regularly invited as a guest conductor at the Orchestra Filarmonica 900', Teatro Regio, and the Viotti International Music Festival.

FEATURED ARTISTS

FABRIZIO FALASCA

Young Italian violinist, Fabrizio Falasca, has been called “a great talented violinist with a sound extraordinarily beautiful and powerful, a very brilliant technique as well as an amazing intonation, high maturity of interpretation and musical expression”.

Born in 1988 he began his study of violin young, showing an extraordinary music talent, and going on to win numerous national and international music competitions, among which in September 2010 he was awarded at the famous 29th Biennal Violin Competition "Città di Vittorio Veneto" where he was considered by critics "an exceptional talent with a great stylistic and musical maturity" and in 2013 he was a prizewinner at the “A.Postacchini” International Violin Competition. He is considered by Salvatore Accardo as one of the most representative Italian violinists of his generation.

He has performed as soloist in prestigious music festivals and seasons such as Ravello Festival, San Carlo Theatre of Naples chamber music season, Theatre G.Verdi chamber and concert seasons in Salerno, Festival of the two worlds of Spoleto, Cremona Festival, Musical Union of Turin in Italy, Vanersborg Varfestival in Sweden, Estoril in Portugal, KasselFestival in Germany, Montecarlo in France, Gulangyu Festival in China, Evmelia Festival in Greece performing in important concert halls like San Carlo Theatre in Naples, Theatre G.Verdi of Salerno, Theatre Alighieri of Ravenna, Vittoria Theatre of Turin, Seraphicum Auditorium of Rome, Auditorium Sra Boa Nova of Estoril, Salle Garnier of Montecarlo, Shanghai Symphony hall, Auditorium Neyemair of Ravello, Kongress Palaice of Kassel, Caio Melisso Theatre of Spoleto, Gulangyu concert hall, Vahdat hall in Teheran, Musikverein Brahms saal in Vienna and many others.

He performs regularly in solo and chamber recitals, playing with musicians such as S.Accardo, F. Petracchi, D. Waskiewitcz, L. Piovano, A. Pompa-Baldi, T. Atschba, S. Redaelli, S.Kang and many others. He has also recorded chamber works for Vatican Radio and RAI and going to record for Cpo and Centaur Records.

He has performed as soloist with orchestras such as Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto, Campania Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Italian Orchestra (OCI, the prestigious orchestra of Salvatore Accardo), Philarmonic Orchestra G.Verdi of Salerno, Chamber Orchestra of San Carlo Theatre, Italian Younger Orchestra(OGI), World Youth Orchestra, Cascais and Oeiras Chamber Orchestra, Teheran Symphonic Orchestra under the conducting of Hansalich Samale, C. Goldstein, F.I.Ciampa, D. Giuranna and many others.

He was invited several times by Daniel Oren as soloist at the G.Verdi Theatre in Salerno receiving always great acclaim from audience and critics.

FEATURED ARTISTS

Fabrizio cooperate regularly as co-leader and concertmaster with Philharmonia Orchestra in London, He is also guest concertmaster of the Philarmonic Orchestra G.Verdi of Salerno, and he is regularly invited by Gustav Kuhn as soloist and concertmaster of the Tiroler Festspiele Orchestra in Erl, Austria.

Fabrizio graduated from the G.Martucci Conservatorie of Salerno with top marks, honors and special mention and continued his studies with S.Accardo at the W.Stauffer Academy in Cremona and Chigiana Academy in Siena, with F.Cusano at the Fiesole Music School and with D.Schwarzberg at the Mozarteum Salzburg and Pinerolo Academy.

He then graduated with MA in Violin Performance at the Royal Academy of Music in London under So-Ock Kim with distinction. He has attended international masterclasses with M.Vengerov, L.Kavakos, Z.Bron, P.Graffin, R.Friend, L.Ciulei, G.Pauk, Y.Horigome and many others.

His repertoire is varied and is constantly evolving from baroque to romantic and contemporary music. He plays a violin Guarneri 1727 gifted from Barison’s family.

FLUTE

Nicolas Real, Principal Tanja Agreiter

OBOE

Amy Collins, Principal Joshua Hall

CLARINET

Jason Gibbs, Principal Dominique Snider

BASSOON

Christopher Eberle, Principal Kevin Fuller

FRENCH HORN

Joseph Lowinski, Principal Chase De Carlo Dann O’Donnel Nicholas Burner

TRUMPET

John De Paola, Principal Tarcisio D’Addona, Co-Principal

TYMPANI

Jordan Holley

FIRST VIOLIN

Fabrizio Falasca Stewart Kitts José Guedez

Michael De Jesús Dajiang Qi Cindy Qi Baoling Xu Samvel Arakelyan Ebert Ceballo Luisamar Navarro

SECOND VIOLIN

Gregory Carreño, Principal Elizabeth Kitts Israel Mendez Ivette Carolina Ferreira

Natalie Kitts Yenifer Laurens Sheryl Genco Vladimir Sklyarov

VIOLA

Lisa Suslowicz, Principal Angelo Iollo Juan C. Siviero Andrea Oliveira Francia Laurens Rafael Ramirez

José Miguel Rodríguez

CELLO

David Calhoun, Principal Olga Beliaieva Petar Kacenovici Valentina Espitia Hernandez Joseph Hamlet

DOUBLE BASS

Kevin Gallagher,Principal Chris Riley Mikey McCabee Luis Luna

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KEEP YOUR BRAIN TOP OF MIND.

Whether or not I paid the cable bill.

Exact location of car keys.

Fig. 17 GREY MATTER

Neighbor’s daughter’s name.

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