Hamburg Symphony Orchestra - State Theatre

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Antonín Dvořák: 10 Symphony No. 7 in D minor, Op. 70, B. 141 Antonín Dvořák Born September 8, 1841 in Nelahozeves Died May 1 , 1904 in Prague Dvořák’s Symphony No. 7 was accepted immediately by conservatives and progressives alike. By that time, the composer had already achieved success both at home and abroad. On March 13, 1884 he conducted his Stabat Mater, followed by a concert of his orchestral works in London. The triumph of these performances led to many new invitations to England. He was showered with orders from home and abroad, including the supreme honor of membership to the London Philharmonic Society, accompanied by their request that he compose a new symphony for them. The rugged style of this symphony can be compared with that of Dvořák’s supporter, Johannes Brahms, who at that time was renowned as a writer of symphonies. It is possible that through this work Dvořák wanted to become an artistic rival; in fact, the Symphony No. 7 is noticeably like Brahms in character. It should be added, however, that this work has an even greater similarity of style to Dvořák’s own “Little” Symphony No. 4 in D minor, which he wrote before Brahms had composed his first symphony. The Seventh Symphony was published in Berlin in 1885 and received its premiere performance in London’s St. James Hall on April 22, 1885, with the London Philharmonic and composer as conductor. It is interesting to note that after the performance, Dvořák deleted approximately forty measures from the second movement “in order that the work should not contain a single unnecessary note.” The German conductors who zealously performed the symphony were Hans von Bülow, Hans Richter and Arthur Nikisch; the latter also conducted it on his American tour. The first movement, Allegro maestoso, is in the key of D minor. The opening theme is given to the violas and cellos, which is taken up and varied slightly by the clarinets. The second theme, of an energetic character, follows and is derived from the Allegro of the Hussite Overture. It is presented by the strings and reaches a climax as the first theme’s restatement begins. The vigorous development section precedes a compressed recapitulation; unusual in that it begins in an unorthodox key but returns to the tonic by the time its conclusion is reached. The movement ends with an extended, somewhat tense, coda. The second movement, Poco adagio, in the relative major key of F major, introduces one of Dvořák’s more inspired melodies. This is followed by a theme, presented by the horns and clarinet, reminiscent of Tristan und Isolde. After a passionate dialogue, the movement returns to the principle theme, begun from its middle, providing a most unusual, but effective device. The third movement, a Scherzo in vivace tempo in the key of the symphony’s minor tonic and cast in duple time, achieves some rather piquant rhythmic effects through the use of syncopation. The two themes alternate between various choirs of the orchestra and maintain the lively, dance-like character of the movement. The Trio section provides contrast to the Scherzo section not only in its tempo, marked Poco meno mosso, but also in its key of G major and its use of an imitative motif. The return of the Scherzo is slightly telescoped but has the addition of a charming cadential theme at the close. The Finale: Allegro, in the key of D minor and in duple time, is rich in thematic material. A march-like theme is the principle motive and this is presented in numerous guises, alternating with new material. The development section presents the themes already heard in creative combinations demonstrating a remarkable resourcefulness on Dvořák’s part. A rapid crescendo brings the movement to its recapitulation. Dvořák, utilizing ten majestic concluding chords in D major, brings the work to a triumphant resolution. © 1999 Columbia Artists Management Inc.
Decoding the Program Page 11 The program book (or playbill) contains helpful information about the performance. It lists the pieces the orchestra will play in the order they will play them. It tells you the name of each piece, the name of the composer, and the movement headings. If you’re not familiar with a piece, the program will help you keep track of what’s going on and know when the piece is finished. The program page for the Philharmonic of Poland looks like this: A MOVEMENT is a section within a musical piece, like a chapter in a book. Individual movements are usually referred to by the tempo marking that the composer has written at the beginning of the section. During the concert, there is usually a brief pause between movements, during which the audience should remain silent. Today’s concert etiquette dictates that you hold your applause until the entire piece is finished. OPUS NUMBER (among all of Brahms’ published works) There are several ways that works of classical music can be identified. The system is not consistent from one composer to another. COMPOSER SOLOIST • NUMBER - where the piece falls in the catalogue of the composer’s works for a specific musical form (such as the Ninth Symphony or the Bassoon Concerto No. 2). • OPUS NUMBER - where the piece falls in the entire catalogue of the composer’s works, in the order they were published. The lower the number, the earlier it was published (but not necessarily when it was written). Opus is a Latin word meaning “work.” FUNDING CREDITS Many arts institutions (including the State Theatre) are not-for-profit organizations; acknowledging donors and sponsors is an important part of staying in business. what KEY the music starts in
Page 1 and 2: Hamburg Symphony Orchestra
Page 3 and 4: Meet the Orchestra 3 Founded in 195
Page 5 and 6: Guy Braunstein, Soloist 5 Violinist
Page 7 and 8: Vaughan Williams: 7 The Wasps Overt
Page 9: Meet the Composers 9 Born in 1833 i

Hamburg Symphony Orchestra - State Theatre

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