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Overture to Fidelio
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
Beethoven composed only one opera.
It was to a libretto by Josef Sonnleithner based on
Bouilly's play "Léonore, ou l'amour conjugal".
It tells the story of Leonore who disguises herself
as a man under the name of Fidelio to obtain a job as
assistant gaoler at the prison where her husband, Florestan,
has been imprisoned by his enemy, Pizarro. Believing
Leonore to be a man, Marzelline, daughter of the gaoler,
falls in love with Fidelio. Fidelio gains the gaoler's
trust and is allowed to see Florestan. Pizarro arrives
to kill Florestan but is prevented from doing so by
the arrival of Fidelio with a Minister, and all the
prisoners are released.
The opera originally appeared in 1805 in Vienna as a
three act opera under the title "Leonore",
but was only performed three times. The fact that Vienna
was occupied by Napoleon's army and the censor had been
at work on the opera no doubt contributed to it's failure.
It was revised in 1806 but was withdrawn after just
two performances.
It was not until 23rd May 1814 that the opera as we
know it today appeared, this time under the title "Fidelio".
It was well received, perhaps because the Viennese audience
saw the similarity between the plot of the opera and
their own deliverance from Napoleon.
No fewer than four overtures exist for the opera. The
overture known nowadays as "Leonore No. 2"
was written for the 1805 production. "Leonore No.
3" is a revised version of "No. 2" prepared
for the 1806 production - it is now widely performed
as a concert overture and also often performed as an
entr'acte before the final scene in productions of the
opera. Beethoven wrote "Leonore No. 1" for
a planned production of the opera in Prague. Tonight's
work was composed for the 1814 production and it is
this version that is nowadays used in performances of
the opera.
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Violin concerto no.1 in G minor op.26
Max Bruch (1838 - 1920) (Soloist - Thomas Bowes)
1. Prelude. Allegro moderato
2. Adagio
3. Finale. Allegro energico
Max Bruch was born in Cologne and undertook
much of his musical training in the city with Hiller
and Reinecke. He was active not only as a composer,
but also as a teacher and conductor. His teaching posts
included a spell as Professor of Composition at the
Berlin Hochschule (1892 - 1910) where for a short period
Vaughan Williams was one of his pupils. He held posts
as conductor of a number of concert organisations including
those in Berlin and Bonn, and for three years was the
Director of the Liverpool Philharmonic Society. This
was not the only post he held in Britain - from 1898
to 1900 he was the conductor of the Scottish Orchestra.
As a composer, Bruch continued the musical tradition
of Mendelssohn. He was a determined opponent of Liszt
and the "New German" school of composers.
His major compositions include three operas, three symphonies
and three violin concertos as well as numerous choral
works. Most of his compositions are almost forgotten
these days although his "Scottish Fantasy"
for violin and orchestra and "Kol Nidrei"
for cello and orchestra retain their popularity. It
is, however, his first violin concerto which is by far
his best known and most popular work.
The concerto was written in 1866 for the great Hungarian
violinist Joseph Joachim. Its tonal beauty and warm
lyrical quality have made it a great favourite with
players and audiences alike. The first movement (Bruch
called it a "Prelude") opens with a brief
introductory passage with phrases alternating between
the soloist, woodwind and full orchestra. The soloist
introduces the main theme which is expanded and developed
throughout the rest of the movement. The music finally
fades away leading directly into the Adagio which must
be amongst the most beautiful violin concerto slow movements
ever written. The Finale is something of a romp, full
of gypsy-like flavour. (The Finale of Brahms' concerto
written twelve years later definitely owes something
to that of Bruch's masterpiece!) The concerto ends with
a suitably brilliant coda.
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Symphony no.1 in C minor opus 68
Johannes Brahms (1833 - 1897)
1. Un poco sostenuto
2. Andante sostenuto
3. Un poco allegretto e grazioso
4. Adagio - Più andante - Allegro non troppo,
ma con brio
Johannes Brahms was born in Hamburg,
the son of a double-bass player in the Hamburg State
Theatre. He studied piano, violin and composition and
following his debut as a pianist in 1848 he began to
make his living by teaching and playing in theatres
and some of Hamburg's more dubious taverns. In 1853
he was introduced to Robert Schumann who, in a famous
article entitled "New Paths" published in
his magazine on 28th October 1853, hailed Brahms as
a genius. Following Schumann's tragic death in 1856,
Brahms took up a number of undemanding posts which left
him plenty of time for composition. In 1862 he visited
Vienna for the first time. He settled there the following
year and was to spend most of the remainder of his life
there.
Brahms's music is full of contradictions. In many ways
he wrote music in the Viennese classical tradition,
but in a novel and forward looking way. Indeed Charles
Rosen was to comment that Brahms "made music out
of the openly expressed regret that he was born too
late". He was certainly destined to inherit Beethoven's
mantle as a symphonist, but was clearly reluctant to
do so. His first symphony was published in 1876 but
it had been twenty years in the making. He spent seven
years on the first movement before setting it aside
and did not return to the work until 1874. Two more
years saw the symphony completed and it was first performed
in Karlsruhe on 6th November 1876.
The first movement is one of great intensity and
power. The scene is set by the dramatic opening with
its relentlessly pounding drum beats. The main Allegro
begins suddenly and is a combination of dark and brooding
rhythmic and melodic ideas. The whole movement has
an underlying air of tension and tragedy, possibly
reflecting how deeply Brahms was affected by the mental
breakdown and troubled final years of his mentor,
Schumann. In contrast, the Andante sostenuto is very
reflective in character. The elegiac conclusion features
a radiant violin solo. The third movement begins with
a gentle clarinet melody which is taken up by the
strings. The central trio section builds to a slightly
agitated climax before calm returns in the form of
the opening melody. Tragedy again looms large in the
opening of the finale. The trombone entry marks the
change of key from C minor to C major and the mood
begins to change. The metamorphosis is complete at
the beginning of the Allegro which starts with one
of Brahms's best known themes, a majestic chorale
which later reappears in a central largamente section.
The ideas are developed leading to a triumphant coda
which reaches its climax with a spectacular reappearance
of the horn call from the introduction, this time
for full orchestra. Finally out of the shadow of Beethoven,
Brahms the symphonist had arrived.
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