NSO Masterworks 4: Ode to Joy

Message from the Premier

Congratulations to the esteemed Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra on their 20232024 season. The NSO is a cultural arts institution in Newfoundland and Labrador. Its ambitious and varied programming each year attracts regular audience members, and new fans alike. Over the last number of years, their inclusion of performances based on iconic pop culture have been met with enormous popularity and have drawn audiences of all ages. The NSO has a strong commitment to community partnerships, reaching over 10,000 students in 2022-23 with their in-school, virtual and interactive programs and providing online concerts, free of charge, to more than 80 senior’s homes. Congratulations, as well, to Marc David, now in his final full season as Music Director, on his outstanding artistic achievements during his long career with the NSO The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is a proud supporter of the NSO and values its contributions to our province’s arts and cultural sector. All the best for a successful season.

Message from the Mayor

On behalf of Council, it is my pleasure to congratulate the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra on its 61st Anniversary, Celebrating the year of the Arts. The City of St. John’s is a proud supporter of the arts and of this vibrant organization. With multiple performances every season, the educational experiences and entertainment provided to all ages is amazing. This season promises to entertain like no other and we are extremely fortunate to have talented musicians as the heartbeat of our musical community whom are there to share their talent and love of music with us all. The NSO board, staff, volunteers and sponsors work diligently each and every year to bring these shows to our community. Allow me to express my appreciation for your hard work and dedication and thank you for the significant contributions you make to the truly unique culture of our City. Best wishes –

Danny Breen, Mayor

Hon. Andrew Furey, Premier

We acknowledge the province of Newfoundland and Labrador as the traditional territory of diverse Indigenous groups, and we acknowledge with respect the diverse histories and cultures of the Beothuk, Mi’kmaq, Innu, and Inuit of this province. We strive for respectful relationships with all the peoples of this province as we search for collective healing and true reconciliation and honour this beautiful land together.

MASTERWORKS

4: Ode to Joy

March 22, 2024 | St. John’s Arts & Culture Centre

Marc David, conductor with guest vocalists: Myriam Leblanc, soprano; Abra Whitney, mezzo; David Pomeroy, tenor; Alexandre Sylvestre, baritone and the Philharmonic Choir of the NSO (Stephen Candow, conductor)

PROGRAMME

Beethoven Unwound - P. Gardner

Symphony no. 9, op. 125 - L.v. Beethoven

I. Allegro ma non troppo, un poco maestoso II. Scherzo: Molto vivace - Presto

III. Adagio molto e cantabile - Andante moderato IV. Presto

The appearance of tonight’s guest artists is supported in part by a generous gift from the estate of the late Dr. Angus J. Neary.

Myriam Leblanc (soprano) is a versatile artist who works as much in the classical world as in the bel canto, as in the baroque. She is recognized for her timbre of great purity, for her supple and warm voice and her great mastery in both technical and musical expressiveness. She has shone in the roles of Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto (Opéra de Montréal), Micaëla in Carmen by Bizet (Opéra de Québec), Donna Anna in Don Giovanni (Opera in Saskatoon), Milica in Svadba by Sokolovic (Opéra de Montréal) , Fille-Fleur in Parsifal by Wagner (Orchester Métropolitain), the High Priestess in Aïda by Verdi (Opera de Montréal) and Juliette in Roméo et Juliette by Gounod (Jeunesses Musicales du Canada). She also specializes in oratorios, concerts: Mozart’s Requiem (Les Violons du Roy), Handel’s Messiah (Caprice Ensemble), Christmas Oratorio by Bach (Caprice Ensemble), Dixit Dominus by Vivaldi (I Musici), the Magnificat by Bach (Les Violons du Roy), Symphony No. 2 “Lobgesang” by Mendelssohn (Orchestre Métropolitain), several cantatas by Bach including Ich habe genug and several other works. Formerly a member of the Atelier lyrique of Montreal Opera, Myriam Leblanc has been a guest soloist of prestigious: Montreal Symphonic Orchestra, Trois-Rivières Symphonic Orchestra, Québec Symphonic Orchestra, Saskatoon Symphonic Orchestra and Metropolitain Orchestra. Visit her website at myriamleblanc.net

Abra Whitney (mezzo) is a sought after singer, educator, conductor, adjudicator and arts administrator and holds a BMus in Vocal Performance and MMus in Choral Conducting, both from the University of Alberta. Recent credits include Chorus Master/Ensemble for Shanawdithit and The Phantom of the Opera (Opera on the Avalon), Mary in Only Young (RCA), Musical Director for Jack and the Cat (School Zone Productions), Florinda in Into the Woods (Opera on the Avalon), Alto soloist in Handel’s Messiah (NSO and again with Bay of Islands Musical Arts Chorus), Alto Soloist in Stabat Mater/Gloria (Lady Cove Women’s Choir and the NSO) and Mezzo Soprano soloist for The Armed Man (NSO). She has produced her own performance series featuring the music of Nina Simone, Edith Piaf, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and Broadway musicals. Abra is a Voice, Piano and Kindermusik teacher at Intervals Music Studio where she also acts as the Assistant Studio Manager. Additionally, Abra is the Artistic Director of Aurora Women’s Choir and General Manager of Coastal Sounds Community Choir, a proud and founding member of Projekt Chamber Voices, alumni member of Shallaway Youth Choir, Lady Cove Women’s Choir, Quintessential Vocal Ensemble and Pro Coro Canada.

David Pomeroy (tenor) is enjoying a career that is placing him in the spotlight on the world’s most important stages. The New York Times describes him as “a powerful, agile tenor... heartfelt.” The Newfoundland native made his Metropolitan Opera debut in the title role of Faust, followed by the title role of Hoffmann opposite soprano Anna Netrebko under the baton of Maestro James Levine, and now receives star billing across North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Pomeroy recently performed at Calgary Opera’s 50th Anniversary Gala, followed by returns to the Canadian opera stage as Cavaradossi (Tosca) with Edmonton Opera and Don José (Carmen) with Calgary Opera. He appears with the Louisiana Philharmonic for Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings, Manitoba Opera for its 50th Anniversary Gala, and Orchestre Symphonique du Québec and Rhode Island Philharmonic for performances of Verdi’s Requiem. Pomeroy’s debut album was released in fall 2020, highlighting repertoire from his most celebrated roles on the operatic stage, with the 64-member Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra and Marc David. Visit davidpomeroy.com for further information.

Alexandre Sylvestre (baritone) - A native of Québec, Alexandre Sylvestre studied at the Conservatoire de musique de Montréal where he was awarded the “Premier Prix avec Grande Distinction.” His 2022/23 season included returns to Orchestre symphonique de Laval, and Orchestre Métropolitain. Other upcoming and recent appearances include a return to Orchestre symphonique de Laval, Opera Lafayette’s performances and filming of Beethoven’s Leonore in New York and Washington, D.C., Capulet in Roméo et Juliette for Calgary Opera, Baron Douphol in La traviata for Pacific Opera Victoria, Morales in Carmen for Opéra de Montréal, and Handel’s Messiah in Thunder Bay. Alexandre has performed with Opéra de Québec, Edmonton Opera, Symphony Nova Scotia, Orchestre symphonique de Sherbrooke, Orchestre symphonique de Lac St. Jean, Opéra de Montréal, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Calgary Opera, and Manitoba Opera. Active on the concert stage, engagements include Festival Lanaudière, Symphony Nova Scotia, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, Taiwan National Choir in Taipei, and more. He has been awarded bursaries from ARAM, the Wilfrid-Pelletier Foundation, Jeunesses Musicales, was a winner at the Ottawa New Discoveries Auditions and received the Silver Medal (Voice) at the Orchestre symphonique de Montréal Competition. For further information, visit deanartists.com/alexandre-sylvestre.

Violin 1

Violin 2

Viola

Cello

Bass

Flute

Oboe/English Horn

Clarinet

Bassoon

Horn

Trumpet

Trombone

Bass Trombone

Percussion

Heather Kao

Ilyas Duissen

Maria Cherwick

Maggie Burton

Nancy Case-Oates

Whit FitzGerald

Cathy Beehan

Kate Read

Rosaura Aguilar

Jonathan Stevenson

Nathan Cook

Laura Wakeman

Pierre Kusters

Frank Fusari

Nick Howlett

Michelle Cheramy

Annie Corrigan

Glenn Rice

Grant Etchegary

Emily Dunsmore

Mara Pellerin

Katie Sullivan

Erin Sullivan

Andrew Cooper

Rob Power

Jamie Moran

Dominic Greene

Natalie Finn

Rory Graham

Carole Bestvater

Karen Hawkin

Andy Kao

Lauren Smee

Zhongli Hu

Elena Vigna

Cathy Anstey

Ema Shiroma-Chao Chantelle Jubenville

Mahina Graham-Laidlaw

Sandra Pope

Nancy Bannister

Denise Lear

Jim Vivian

Donna Spurvey

Kathy Conway-Ward

Brenda Gatherall

Nicole Hand

Doug Vaughan

Jill Dawe

Jo Dashney

Etienne Gendron

Norma Noseworthy

Amy Collyer-Holmes

Laura Ivany

Mario Miranda

Matthew Hardy

Grace Dunsmore

Chris Williams (contra)

Michelle Stevenson

Amy Parsons

The Philharmonic Choir of the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra (PCNSO) is a community choir based in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Founded in 1987 as an oratorio choir specifically to perform Handel’s Messiah with the NSO, the PCNSO has broadened itself substantially and now performs several concerts each season with a wide variety of repertoire. The PCNSO continues to be dedicated to working cooperatively with the NSO to foster and perform symphonic choral music.

Soprano Christa Ayris, Andrea Blair, Sara Broderick, Mary Connolly-Wilson, Vicki Ficzere, Joanne Faour, Nannette Goodridge, Beth Halfyard, Amanda Hann, Nancy Hickey (section leader), Oksana Korobko, Lauryn MacDonald, Amanda Mansfield, Helen Menchions, Sydney MorganCollins, Margie Murray Reed, Ann Newhook, Allyson O’Brien, Alyisa Pierce, Rolene Pryor, Jennifer Robbins, Alma Singleton, Geriane Snow, Gloria Small, Ruth Wakeham, Michelle Zwicker, Adriana Power (guest), Chanel Rolle (guest), Karen Berglander (guest).

Alto Ina Benner, Anne Bown, Judy Bradley, Heather Bridal, Lisa Byrne, Marie Cahill, Mary Cahill, Mariana Castro, Lana Collins, Adrienne Deering, Marjorie Doyle, Donna Hamilton, Sophie Haven, Heather Healey, Janet Hewson, Mary Lynn Hiscock, Cathy Jackman, Louise Jones, Carol Joyce, Donna Marie Kelly (section leader), Dawn Mason, Doris Mayo, Antonia McGrath, Christine McNeily, Lorraine Michael, Margaret Moore, Barbara O’Keefe, Deborah Rehner, Kit Roberts, Ann Ryan, Kathy Skinner, Sarah Smith, Colleen Sullivan, Margaret Wakeham, Janet Whittaker, Elizabeth Wright

Tenor Darrell Boone, Barbara Canning, Tom Connors, John Fitzgerald, David Green (section leader), Tommy Hall, Nick Lim, Peter Nell, Ed O’Keefe, Barry Roberts, Eric Steele, Christopher Williams, Susan Williams, Claire Wilkshire

Bass Chris Alyward, Harry Bown, Glenn Chafe, Roy Chaytor, David Egulguren (choral scholar), Fonse Faour, Brian Harvey, Mackenzie Hughes, Alex Lee, Paul Lundrigan, Scott Moffatt, Peter Ralph, Eric Sheppard, Sasha Steeves (choral scholar), Chris Stevenson, Wolfgang Thomeier, Graham Wakeham, Bruce Woodland (section leader)

Emeritus Members

Marcus Mak OBE

Tony Chadwick

Catherine Cornick

Fr William Browne

NSO Staff

Marc David, Music Director/Conductor

Hugh Donnan, CEO

Lynn Ann Pye, Patron Relations Manager

Jennifer Brennan, Education & Outreach Coordinator

Maria Penney, Marketing & Development Manager

Dominic Greene, Personnel Manager

Steve Power, Production Manager/Video Production/Editing

Jenny Griffioen, Librarian

Kyle McDavid, Graphic Designer

NSO Board

Tom Hickey (Chair)

Ian Penney (Vice-Chair)

Paul McDonald (Past-Chair)

Douglas Wright (Treasurer)

Conor Stack (Corporate Secretary)

Jessica Chapman

Heather McKinnon

Michelle Davis

Andrea Rose

Alana Walsh-Giovannini

Aimee Letto

Robert Decker

Jennifer Massey

Jing Xia

Karen Bulmer

Amy Collyer-Holmes

Elizabeth Wright

Robert Thompson

Beethoven Unwound - A human odyssey by Peter Gardner for Marc David and the Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, March 22, 2024

Throughout history creative artists have tried to represent all aspects of the human condition, from the imaginary to the realistic, and every condition from happiness to sadness. This is true of all art forms from Picasso’s iconic Guernica to Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony. However, I have not been able to find a musical composition directed at a specific healthrelated condition. More recently there has been much ground breaking work on the health and the restorative benefits of music (John Hopkins Center for Music and Medicine). Beethoven Unwound seeks, through a musical journey, to represent the stages of this difficult progressive subject Alzheimer’s, from both a human and compositional perspective. To respond to a difficult human journey, I searched for an iconic work from the past which was based on a motif of tiny repetitive notes to represent brain cells which would lend itself to the condition in question. What more iconic composer than Beethoven, a brilliant but troubled soul, and a towering iconic work, his ninth symphony, written when he was at the height of his creative powers but finally completely deaf. In the second movement, which opens with sharp arresting chords, we see thematic material made up of successive quarter notes running through the strings. This pattern struck me both aurally and visually as being like a healthy brain with all cells firing together at high speed.

I chose the first 26 measures of the original Beethoven score, unedited, as the opening of my work. From this point onwards, while the original Beethoven is at all times present, it becomes progressively a shadow of its former self, with at one point only 10% remaining. We then hear what appears to be a new and haunting theme, which in reality is the original Beethoven score slowed down to create a gentle theme with an underlying heart beat from the timpani. Later we hear the 28 bars of Beethoven in the winds overlaying the strings who play the exact same 28 bars in reverse, signifying a gradual return to a state of childhood as age and time marches inexorably forward. Throughout the work the timpani play a pivotal role as they increasingly disturb the rhythm with jolts, signifying the recognition of new and sudden changes in an ever-worsening human condition. The work finally comes to what seems to be a final silent end, however, with the return of the original Beethoven statement we come full circle, thus signaling a return to the beginning and a peaceful reconciliation through earliest childhood memories of nursery rhymes, songs and happy memories.

Copyright © Peter Gardner 2024

The last movement of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony is based on Friedrich Schiller’s “Ode to Joy” a poem published in 1786. Beethoven’s notebooks reveal that he struggled with over 200 sketches before settling on his now famous melody for the Ode. His Ninth Symphony is longer than any before, uses extra winds, brass and timpani, and for the first time adds a chorus and vocal soloists to the orchestra. Unprecedented! The first movement begins pianissimo over string tremolos with intervals of descending 4ths and 5ths repeated with rhythmic variations. Out of this mysterious opening emerges a bold orchestral theme in D minor. Contrasting lyrical melodies ensue and all ideas are worked out in true classical fashion. The dramatic theme returns surprisingly in D major, but brooding low strings and foreboding chromatic passages lead to another dramatic and final statement of the main theme in D minor. A loud rhythmic timpani motive introduces a cheerful yet complex Scherzo which includes fugal passages of the playful theme. Beethoven mischievously introduces rhythmic ambiguity by means of oddly accented timpani beats. The contrasting section in duple meter features trombones in a drone-like pattern over which light winds scamper about. In the slow third movement, two exquisite melodies are treated as double variations until brass and wind statements brazenly interrupt the tranquility. The Finale begins with a chaotic introduction leading to quotes from each of the previous movements. These are rejected as recitatives in cellos and basses lead to the Ode to Joy theme. This begins in low strings and is repeated in variations with different instrumental forces. Chaos then returns until the baritone soloist recitative, “Oh friends, not these sounds. Let us sing more cheerful songs, more full of Joy.” Now the vocal soloists and the chorus sing the words of Schiller’s poem beginning with “Freude, Freude” “(Joy, Joy”.) The anthem-like music later changes to a colourful military march “in the Turkish style” complete with piccolo, triangle and cymbals at the words, “Froh,” (“Gladly”). A solemn theme (Andante) is heard at “Seid umschlungen” (“Be embraced”) followed by more polyphony and culminating in repeated pitches for the sopranos in an impossibly high register. The Ode theme reappears with fugato passages in a faster tempo. The musings of an introspective vocal quartet soon yield to full orchestral and vocal resources in a euphoric explosion of joy.

Mary O’Keeffe, musicologist/harpsichordist

Photo: Alick Tsui