Concert Program - German Day
Concert Program - German Day
Concert Program - German Day
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<strong>German</strong> <strong>Day</strong> at Concordia University Irvine<br />
Landesjugendorchester<br />
Rheinland-Pfalz<br />
The Young<br />
Symphony<br />
in <strong>Concert</strong><br />
�1<br />
Conductor:<br />
Hannes Krämer<br />
Wednesday, October 5, 2011, 8 p.m.<br />
CU Center for Worship and<br />
the Performing Arts<br />
Concordia<br />
University Irvine<br />
The Center for Lutheran<br />
Theology and Public Life<br />
Goethe-Institut<br />
Los Angeles<br />
GABA<br />
Southern California
In a moment of exasperation, the French novelist Romain<br />
Rolland once groaned, “There is too much music in <strong>German</strong>y!” Com-<br />
ing from an author whose masterpieces include a biography of Ludwig<br />
van Beethoven, <strong>German</strong>s took this outburst as a compliment. It is<br />
one of <strong>German</strong>y’s greatest strengths that through good and bad times<br />
she has upheld her musical tradition and provided the world with a<br />
wealth of young instrumentalists and vocalists, generation after gen-<br />
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We are honored to welcome these 82 young musicians on our campus.<br />
Their concert will be the crescendo of this year’s <strong>German</strong> <strong>Day</strong> at Con-<br />
cordia whose special focus has been on vocation in the service of one’s<br />
fellow human being, an eminently Lutheran thought.<br />
<strong>German</strong> <strong>Day</strong> 2011 celebrated the rich vocation of entrepreneurship,<br />
an area in which <strong>German</strong>s have excelled for centuries. After a day of<br />
intense presentations and dialogues we are grateful to “The Young<br />
Symphony” for enchanting us with an art form Martin Luther ranked<br />
second only to theology. On behalf of Concordia University Irvine and<br />
the Center for Lutheran Theology and Public Life I thank the Goethe<br />
Institut Los Angeles for sponsoring this wonderful ensemble’s visit,<br />
and Dr. Brenda Montiel for coordinating its journey to California.<br />
Music is a gift of love to man, and a very <strong>German</strong> work of love it is<br />
indeed. “Can one be a musician without being <strong>German</strong>?” Thomas<br />
Mann wondered. Of course one can. How else would one explain, for<br />
example, the Japanese Bach boom that currently delights the rest of<br />
the world? But as my rhetorical question implies, music without Ger-<br />
many’s relentless input would be a diminished treasure for all of us.<br />
�2<br />
Uwe Siemon-Netto, Ph.D.<br />
Executive Director<br />
The Center for Lutheran<br />
Theology & Public Life
PROGRAM<br />
Landesjugendorchester Rheinland-Pfalz<br />
Hannes Krämer, Conductor<br />
Soloists: LJO Brass<br />
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770 – 1827)<br />
Coriolanus Overture, Op. 62<br />
Frigyes Hidas (1928 – 2007)<br />
<strong>Concert</strong>o for Brass Quintet and Orchestra<br />
Allegro energico<br />
Lento<br />
Moderato scherzando<br />
— Intermission —<br />
Anton Bruckner (1824 – 1896)<br />
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Bewegt, nicht zu schnell<br />
Andante quasi Allegretto<br />
Scherzo. Bewegt; Trio. Nicht zu schnell. Keinesfalls schleppend<br />
Finale. Bewegt doch nicht zu schnell<br />
�3
The YOUNG SYMPh ONY<br />
One of <strong>German</strong>y’s Finest<br />
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Landesjugendorchester Rheinland-Pfalz. But it is often<br />
just called The Young Symphony or simply LJO. It ranks<br />
�����������������������������������������������������ed<br />
young citizens of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate<br />
may apply as long as they master their instruments<br />
exceptionally well. LJO has up to 100 instrumentalists<br />
between the ages of 12 and 19. Some become members on the recommendation<br />
of teachers, others were “discovered” by musicians who were<br />
already part of the orchestra.<br />
When more young talents try to join than can be accepted at once, the<br />
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eventually graduate to The Young Symphony. LJO’s players assemble<br />
three times a year to rehearse symphonic music under the guidance of<br />
top professionals.<br />
Founded by Hermann Josef Lentz in 1973, LJO has had a succession of<br />
outstanding leaders. Its current executive director is Miroslaw Benedikt<br />
Foitzik. But its conductors vary from project to project. All are musicians<br />
of renown, such as Klaus Arp and Michael Luig, both celebrated professors<br />
of music. LJO’s conductor on its current tour is the highly acclaimed<br />
Hannes Krämer (see separate article).<br />
The orchestra appears regularly on radio and television and has produced<br />
many records and CDs. LJO has performed in Austria, China, the<br />
Czech Republic, England, France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Mexico, Spain,<br />
South Africa, Sweden and the Middle East. In 2003 LJO toured California,<br />
and in 2008 it played in New York, Washington, Gettysburg, Harrisburg,<br />
Philadelphia and Baltimore.<br />
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of the state of Rhineland-Palatinate in Mainz. Rheinland-Pfalz, as this region<br />
is called in <strong>German</strong>, is one of <strong>German</strong>y’s 16 states. It has a population<br />
of 4 million and is renowned for its wine. LJO receives assistance from a<br />
�����������������������������LJO-Förderkreis, which provides instruments<br />
and supports musical education, CD productions and concert tours. This<br />
organization is made up of current and past LJO members, parents and<br />
friends.<br />
For information about ongoing LJO projects or to order CDs, please visit<br />
its website:���������������.<br />
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The TOP OF BRASS<br />
The “LJO Brass” ensemble of the Landesjugendorchester<br />
Rheinland-Pfalz is “top brass” in <strong>German</strong>y – the best. In<br />
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luxe” at the Jugend musiziert contest in Saarbrücken; they<br />
alone reached the highest possible score at this nationwide<br />
competition, which is under the patronage of President of<br />
<strong>German</strong>y. These young men between the ages of 16 and 19<br />
are all students at leading <strong>German</strong> conservatories. They are:<br />
� Felix Schauren, 18, trumpet, a student of the celebrated Peter<br />
Leiner at the Music Conservatory of Saarbrücken; Prof. Leiner is<br />
the mentor of LJO Brass and leads its rehearsals.<br />
� Johannes Leiner, 17, trumpet, Peter Leiner’s son and student,<br />
is currently studying with Laura Vukobratovic at the Music Con-<br />
servatory of Karlsruhe<br />
� Jared Scott, 19, French horn, is studying with Prof. Will Sanders<br />
at the Music Conservatory of Karlsruhe<br />
� ������������, 16, trombone, is Prof. Henning Wiegräbe’s student<br />
at the Music Conservatory of Stuttgart<br />
� Constantin hartwig, 18, is studying with Prof. Ralf Rudolph at the<br />
Saarbrücken Conservatory.<br />
The ensemble is a regular partner of the Villa Musica foundation of<br />
the state of Rhineland-Palatinate at renowned festivals such as the<br />
Musiktage Hitzacker, the Moselfestwochen (Mosel Festival Weeks) and<br />
the Mittelrhein-Musik-Momente (Middle Rhine Music Moments). It is<br />
a stipendiary of several prominent foundations, such as the Deutsche<br />
Stiftung Musikleben (<strong>German</strong> Musical Life Foundation) and the Jürgen<br />
Ponto Foundation. In 2009, the quintet won a scholarship of the ZIRP<br />
Foundation (ZIRP stands for Rhineland Palatinate Initiative for the<br />
Future) and the Kulturpreis Schloss Waldthausen sponsorship of the<br />
Sparkasse Foundation.<br />
�����������������������������������������������������������������rland<br />
Radio Orchestra, which they consider a high distinction. Two<br />
years ago, the Symphony Orchestra of Southwest Radio Stuttgart has<br />
invited them to participate in a live broadcast titled, Young Artists Introduce<br />
Themselves. A recording of this performance is available on CD.<br />
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hANNe S KR ä M e R<br />
Conductor<br />
Hannes Krämer, who leads the Landesjugendorchester<br />
Rheinland-Pfalz (LJO) at its<br />
current North American tour, is a versatile<br />
conductor who has been the artistic director<br />
of the Collegium Musicum Bamberg since<br />
2008. Starting out as a violinist with the<br />
Bamberg Symphony, he gained considerable<br />
experience in chamber and orchestral<br />
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<strong>German</strong>y and abroad. Mr. Krämer trained under eminent orchestral<br />
leaders such as George Pehlivanian, Atso Almila, and most notably,<br />
Jorma Panula. He has also assisted conductors Andrey Boreyko,<br />
George Benjamin, Manfred Honeck, and Marcus Bosch.<br />
Early in his conducting career Hannes Krämer he was awarded the<br />
prestigious 1st Prize and Public’s Prize in the 2nd San Gemini Conducting<br />
Competition (Italy). Following this achievement, he has<br />
made his debuts with the Vaasa Symphony Orchestra (Finland), the<br />
State Philharmonic of Astrahan (Russia), Kuopio Symphony Orchestra<br />
(Finland), the John Cabot Chamber Orchestra Rome (Italy), the State<br />
Opera Orchestra of Bourgas and Pleven Philharmonic (Bulgaria).<br />
Hannes Krämer has a strong commitment to education and working<br />
with young people. He has worked with various youth orchestras<br />
both in <strong>German</strong>y and abroad, conducting, among others, Junge<br />
Deutsche Philharmonie, Landesjugendorchester Rheinland-Pfalz,<br />
Junge Philharmonie Erlangen, Orchestra Sinfonica Internationale F.<br />
Fenaroli (Italy), and Music Academy Orchestra of Ljubljana (Slovenia).<br />
His recent engagements included concerts and recordings with<br />
orchestras such as the Bamberger Symphoniker, the Bayerische<br />
Staatsphilharmonie, the Südwestdeutsches Kammerorchester<br />
Pforzheim, the Württembergisches Kammerorchester Heilbronn, Sinfonieorchester<br />
Aachen, Orchester der Musikhochschule Köln, Ensemble<br />
brass partout, Prague Chamber Orchestra, Chamber Orchestra of<br />
Belgium, the orchestras of Jyväskylä and Seinäjöki (Finland), and the<br />
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Georgisches Kammerorchester Ingolstadt. In 2008 he celebrated his<br />
debut in the United Kingdom conducting the International Mahler<br />
Orchestra in London. 2007-2009 Hannes Krämer was Principal Guest<br />
Conductor of the International Mahler Orchestra (of which Marina<br />
Mahler is honorary president) with which he worked regularly both<br />
in London and abroad. From 2008 Hannes Krämer has been conducting<br />
at major festivals like Weilburg, Maulbronn, and Mozartfest<br />
Würzburg. His concerts have been broadcast by major <strong>German</strong>, Swiss,<br />
Italian and Swedish radio stations.<br />
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Coriolanus Overture, Op. 62<br />
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Beethoven composed this overture in 1807 for a play by Heinrich<br />
Collin about the legendary Roman general Coriolanus, which pre-<br />
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better-known version but uses the same basic story about a general of<br />
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torn by qualms after his Roman mother has come to plead with him to<br />
spare his native city.<br />
Beethoven’s music captures the anguish felt by Coriolanus in the<br />
turbulent main theme with stabbing chords and restless, agitated<br />
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the movement by a more serene and ingratiating theme that seems to<br />
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between the two is striking and typical of Beethoven’s music at its best.<br />
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qualities of many of Beethoven’s great works written in the minor key,<br />
in this instance C minor, the same key used in the Fifth Symphony,<br />
which was composed and presented in Vienna in the following year.<br />
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<strong>Concert</strong>o for Brass Quintet and Orchestra<br />
Born in Budapest in 1928, Hidas studied composition at the Franz Liszt<br />
Academy of Music. He was director of the Hungarian National Theatre<br />
(1941-1966) and then of the municipal Operetta Theatre (1974-79).<br />
From 1974 until his death he composed operas, ballets, concertos, orchestral,<br />
chamber, solo and choral music, making his name primarily with<br />
works for brass instruments. As a performer, he was a concert pianist.<br />
His compositions are easily accessible, and his style is grounded in<br />
the Romantic tradition. Hidas said, “I am the last Hungarian Romantic<br />
composer!” While his works are tonal, they often nicely fuse folk and<br />
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Worldwide Hidas is known for his compositions for woodwind and<br />
brass instruments and for entire wind orchestras. He received several<br />
commissions from opera houses, radio stations, ballet companies,<br />
and musical societies. His wind band music came to the attention of<br />
the international wind community when Edition Musica Budapest<br />
displayed his compositions at The International Conference for Symphonic<br />
Bands and Wind Ensembles at the Royal Northern College of<br />
Music in Manchester, England, in 1981. He received many prestigious<br />
awards throughout his life.<br />
The <strong>Concert</strong>o for Brass Quintet and Orchestra was composed in 1986<br />
and was orchestrated in two versions -- for brass and wind ensemble<br />
and for brass and symphony; we will hear this latter version today.<br />
�������������������������������������������������������������������ments<br />
against one another in an amusing fashion. At the climax of<br />
this movement, the brass instruments and the orchestra come to a<br />
powerful close punctuated by the timpani.<br />
The second movement, lento, features a solo trumpet playing a long<br />
cantalena line against a restrained orchestral background, soon shifting<br />
to a chorale for four brass instruments.<br />
The third movement, moderato scherzando, features breathtaking<br />
������������������������������������������������������������������oring<br />
in the style of entertainment music of the 1950’s and 60’s.<br />
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ANTON BRUCKNeR, 1824-1896<br />
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The eminent Austrian composer, Anton Bruckner, wrote nine symphonies.<br />
But only to the Fourth he gave a subtitle: the “Romantic.” This symphony<br />
unfolds slowly in its musical ideas, and is less tightly constructed than the<br />
classical symphonies of Haydn, Mozart, or Beethoven. Bruckner especially<br />
displays the characteristics of organ music. Bruckner makes the colors of his<br />
orchestra emerge as if he were adding various stops on the organ, building<br />
and merging colors like a kaleidoscope. The rise and fall of his melodies and<br />
harmonies soar as if circling around in the vast ceiling of a cathedral.<br />
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Florian (where he is now entombed in the crypt under his beloved organ). At<br />
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chant and heard the roar of its beautiful organ. From the age of 13, he spent<br />
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professor of music at the Vienna Conservatory during which time he blossomed<br />
as a symphony composer.<br />
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melody. Thus, the “forest murmurs -- bird songs -- and the Romantic picture<br />
unfold.”<br />
The second movement -- “a rustic love-scene” – is reminiscent of a nostalgic<br />
yearning as cellos enter over a muted string accompaniment, interspersed<br />
with mysterious horn calls.<br />
The third movement -- “Hunting Theme” – builds a thrilling addition of various<br />
sonorities over a single low note, creating dissonances with the brass.<br />
The fourth moment --“Folk Festival” -- concludes with a soaring climax of<br />
great dignity and excitement as a heroic theme brings the symphony to a brilliant<br />
close.<br />
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CeNTeR FOR LUTheRAN TheOLOGY AND PUBLIC LIFe<br />
AND LeAGUe OF FAIThFUL MASKS<br />
Resisting the Me culture by serving our neighbors<br />
CLTPL-LFM champions the Judeo-Christian worldview of voca-<br />
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narcissism of contemporary society.<br />
GOeThe INSTITUT LOS ANGeLeS<br />
Building bridges between the U.S. and europe through the arts<br />
The Goethe-Institut brings the multifaceted image of <strong>German</strong>y<br />
to the world, providing access to the <strong>German</strong> language, culture<br />
and society.<br />
GeRMAN AMeRICAN BUSINeSS ASSOCIATION<br />
LOS ANGeLeS<br />
encouraging <strong>German</strong>-American business and trade<br />
GABA fosters transatlantic knowledge-sharing and networking<br />
among <strong>German</strong>-American and Californian business and tech<br />
communities.<br />
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CONCORDIA UNIVeRSITY IRVINe<br />
Developing wise, honorable, and cultivated citizens<br />
Concordia University Irvine, guided by Christ’s Great Commission<br />
and the Lutheran Confessions, empowers students<br />
through liberal arts and professional studies for lives of<br />
learning, service and leadership<br />
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