Nir’s NotesDear Music lovers,

How many of you have experienced listening to the harp as a featured soloist in a symphonic concert?

The rare appearance of a harp soloist has much to do with the lack of repertoire written for this unique

instrument as a soloist with orchestra due, in part, to the technical challenges of playing the instrument.

The Harp Concerto by female French composer Henriette Renié unveils the harp as an instrument that not only produces celestial sounds, but as one that is also melodic, dramatic and full of fervor. I’m very excited to welcome Letizia Belmondo to Santa Barbara, one of the greatest harpists of this generation, to play this magnificent, virtuosic work with us.

Preceding the concerto is another musical gem. Known for its intimacy and emotionally enticing qualities, Siegfried Idyll is a rare orchestral work written by operatic composer Richard Wagner. It was originally dedicated to Wagner’s second wife Cosima as a birthday present after the birth of their son Siegfried. This tone poem was first performed by a small ensemble under Wagner’s baton in his villa near Lucerne (Switzerland) and was intended to remain a private work. It was later enhanced by a larger orchestration and sent to the publisher.

We will conclude the program with Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s final Symphony No. 41. Entitled “Jupiter,” this symphony is considered one of the best works of the classical period and a mile-stone in the development of symphonic music. Mozart was determined to do something revolutionary with this composition. He displays his forward-thinking skills in the final movement of the symphony with his use of counterpoint (the weaving together of two or more different melodies) and a five-voice fugue (the utilization of five different melodies simultaneously) – a great challenge for any orchestra that takes on the task of performing the work!

I hope you will enjoy absorbing the contrasting features of this program and walk away with a new found appreciation and admiration of the harp.

Musically yours,

Nir KabarettiMusic and Artistic Director

Join Ramón Araïza for “Music Behind the Music” beginning one hour before each concert! Sponsored by Marlyn Bernard Bernstein

The Santa Barbara Symphony2 0 1 0 - 2 0 11 S E A S O N

April 16-17, 2011Nir Kabaretti, ConductorLetizia Belmondo, Harp

WAGNER Siegfried Idyll WWV103 (1813-1883)

In memoriam to Stephen Hahn, generous Santa Barbara Symphony patron and benefactor

RENIÉ HarpConcertoinCminor (1875-1956) Allegrorisoluto Adagio Allegroconfuoco

— INTERMISSION —

MOZART SymphonyNo.41inCmajor, (1756-1791) K.551,“Jupiter” Allegrovivace Andantecantabile Menuetto:Allegretto Moltoallegro

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Special thanks to HARP IN LA for providing Ms. Belmondo’s instrument.

Letizia Belmondo harp

InFebruary2001,LetiziaBelmondowontheFirstPrizeandthe“EstherHerlitz”SpecialPrizeforthebestperformanceofacontemporarypieceinthe14thInternationalHarpContestinIsrael.

SincemakingherinternationaldebutatagefourteenwiththeRTEConcertOrchestrainDublin,Ms.Belmondohaswonanimpressivenumberofcompetitionsandawards,includingtheVictorSalviCompetitionin1995,theSocietàUmanitariain1998,theRovered’Oroin1997,theMartineGeliotPrizeintheLilleHarpCompetitionin1999,theFranzSchubertCompetitionin1999,andtheInternationalHarpCompetitioninLausannein2000.

AftermakingherdebutatWigmoreHallinLondon,shehasperformedtogreatacclaimthroughoutEuropeandtheUnitedStates.

In2002, she recordedher first soloCD (HarpRecital) for “Egan records.” In January2006, she recorded theHarpConcertosofGlièreandZabeland theMozartPianoConcertoNo.6,KV238, transcribed forharpwith thePolishRadioSymphonyOrchestra.

Followingherdebutwiththe“Mozart”OrchestrainItaly,shewasinvitedbyMaestroClaudioAbbadotorecordtheMozartConcertoforFluteandHarpwithDeutscheGrammophoneinJune2008.

InJune2005,shewonthepositionofPrincipalHarpistattheOpéraRoyaldeLaMonnaieinBrussels.From2006to2008,shewastheteachingassistanttoM.FabricePierreattheConservatoireNationalSupérieurdeMusiqueinLyon(France).

ShehasperformedwiththeLuzernFestivalOrchestra,OrchestrePhilarmormoniquedeRadioFrance,OrchestraRAIofTorino,andmanyothers,underthedirectionofconductorssuchasClaudioAbbado,Myung-WhunChung,KazushiOno,MaurizioBenini,AdamFisher,IvorBoltonandwithacclaimedmusiciansJacquesZoonandWolframChrist.

Ms.BelmondowasborninTurin,Italyin1981andbeganstudyingtheharpattheageofeightattheSuzukiTalentCenterinTurin.ShecontinuedherharpstudiesattheConservatoireG.VerdiinTurinwithGabriellaBosioand,thankstoaDeSonoScholarship,attheCNSMDofLyon,FrancewithFabricePierre(whereshegraduatedwithhonorsin2002),attheJuilliardSchoolinNewYorkwithNancyAllen,andshealsohadtheopportunitytostudywithJudithLiber.

NotesRICHARD WAGNER (1813-1883)Siegfried Idyll WWV103Composedin1870.PremieredonDecember25,1870atTriebschen,conductedbythecomposer.Flute,oboe,twoclarinets,bassoon,twohorns,trumpetandstrings.Approximately19minutes.

ItwasCosima,Wagner’swife,whostartedthefamilytraditionofcelebratingbirthdayswithabitofHausmusik—onherhusband’sbirthdayin1869(May22nd),hewasawakenedbyamusicianblastingSiegfried’shorncalloutsidehisbedroomdooratdawn.ThefollowingyearCosimaassembledamilitarybandof55playersinthegroundsofTriebschen,theirhousenearLucerne,toserenadeRichardwithhisownHuldigungsmarsch(“Homage March”).Toreturnthekindness,WagnerwroteachamberorchestrapieceduringNovember1870asasurpriseforCosima’sbirthday,celebratedsinceherchildhoodonChristmas,adayaftertheactualdate.HegavethescoretotheyoungHansRichter,whowastobethefirstmusicdirectorofBayreuth,whocopiedouttheparts,traveledtoZurichtoengagemusicians,andarrangedrehearsalsforDecember11thand21stinthatcity.(Cosimawasabitunsettledbyherhusband’sunexplainedabsencesonthosedates,butkeptherpeace.)ThemusiciansarrivedatLucerneearlyonChristmasEve,whenWagnerheldafinalrehearsalintheHôtelduLac.Thenextmorning,aSunday,thesmallbandoffifteenmusicians—fourviolins,twoviolas(oneplayedbyRichter,whoalsohandledthefewtrumpetmeasuresinthelastpages),cello,bass,flute,oboe,bassoonandpairsofclarinetsandhorns—tunedin

thekitchen,quietlysetuptheirmusicstandsonthenarrowstaircaseleadingtoCosima’sbedroom,withWagneronthetoplanding,andbegantheirmusicatexactly7:30.

“Icangiveyounoidea,mychildren,aboutthatday,noraboutmyfeelings,”Cosimawroteinthediarysheleftforherfamily.“AsIawoke,myearcaughtasound,whichswelledfullerandfuller;nolongercouldIimaginemyselftobedreaming:musicwassounding,andsuchmusic!Whenitdiedaway,Richardcameintomyroomwiththechildrenandofferedmethescoreofthesymphonicbirthdaypoem.Iwasintears,butsowerealltherestofthehousehold.”Wagnerhadinscribedthescore,“TriebschenIdyll,withFidi’sBird-SongandOrangeSunrise,presentedasaSymphonicBirthdayGreetingtohisCosimabyherRichard,1870.”“Fidi”wasSiegfried’snickname;Wagnerheardabirdsong—“Fidi’sbirdsong”—atthemomentoftheboy’sbirth,noteditdown,anduseditinthispiece;the“orangesunrise”wasthememoryofthedawnlightwashingthewallsonSiegfried’sfirstmorning.Thenewpiecewasplayedtwiceagainthatday,separatedbyaperformanceofBeethoven’sSextet.The“TriebschenIdyll”remainedstrictlyafamilyaffairuntilthefinancialdistresscausedbyWagner’sextravagantlifestyleforcedhimtogiveitapublicperformance,atMeiningenonMarch10,1877,andsellthescoreforpublicationayearlater,whenitwastitledSiegfried Idyll.“Mysecrettreasurehasbecomeeverybody’sproperty,”Cosimalamented.

WagnerincorporatedintothisorchestrallullabytheGermanchildren’ssongSchlaf, mein Kind (“Sleep, my Child”),hisson’s“BirdSong,”somenewlycomposedstrainsandtwomotivesfromtheoperaSiegfried,towhichhewasapplyingthefinishingtouchesattheendof1870.TheSiegfriedthemeswereapparentlytakenfromaprojectedstringquartetthatWagnerhadpromisedtowriteforCosimaatthebeginningoftheirrelationship,butneverfinished.(SometruthseekersofsmallpoeticvisionhavequestionedthisromanticstorybyassertingthatnoneofthisquarteteverexistedasmorethanpartofWagner’spowerfulimagination,andthatthesemotiveswereoriginallywrittenfortheopera.)Atanyrate,theSiegfried Idyll,asSirDonaldToveyobserved,is“connectedwiththeoperaonlybyaprivateundercurrentofpoeticallusion.”Itisbestheardwithoutmakingprogrammaticassociations,insteadsimplyenjoyingitsstillsweetnessandits“rainbow-colouredorchestration”(Tovey).

HENRIETTE RENIÉ (1875-1956)Harp Concerto in C minorComposed1894-1901.PremieredonMarch24,1901inParis,conductedbyCamilleChevillardwiththecomposerassoloist.Woodwindsandhornsinpairs,timpaniandstrings.Approximately25minutes.

HenrietteRenié,despiteherdelicatespiritandherintrusionintothepreviouslymale-dominatedworldofParisianmusic,wasapotentforceinFrenchharpplayingforsevendecades.BorninParisonSeptember18,1875intothefamilyofthepainter,singerandactorJean-EmileRenié,Henriettewasadazzlingprodigy.Shebegan formalstudyof theharpwithAlphonseHasselmans,therenownedprofessorattheParisConservatoire,whenshewaseight(herfather,trainedasanarchitect,hadtorigupaspecialmechanismsothatshecouldreachthepedals),wasadmittedtothedegreecurriculumoftheConservatoireayear later,andwonthepremier prix forher instrumentwhenshewaseleven.Herfather limitedherpublicengagementsbecauseofheryouth,soshesetherselfupasaprivateteacherandreturnedtotheConservatoireforlessonsincompositionwithCharlesLenepveuandThéodoreDubois.Renié’sfirstsolo recital inParis,atagefifteen,establishedheramong thecountry’selitemusicians;thehighpointofherperformingcareerwasherappearanceinherownHarpConcertoattheConcertsLamoureuxin1901.In1912,sheestablishedtheConcoursRenié,thefirstinternationalharpcompetition,andthereaftertaughtsomeofthenextgeneration’sbest-knownharpists,includingMarcelGrandjany,SusanMcDonald,MildredDillingandevenHarpoMarx.Reniéwastroubledwithillhealthandadelicateconstitutionthroughoutherlife,andshelargelywithdrewfrompublicperformancesafter1937,givingjustonerecitalayearthereaftertobenefityoungartists.(Shepreparedfortypiecesforeachoftheseannualprogramsandaskedtheaudiencetoselectwhichtheywantedtohear.)Shecomposedandtranscribedasizeablebodyofworkforherinstrument,wroteaMéthode Complète de Harpe,andremainedactiveasateacheruntilshegaveafarewellrecitalforinvitedfriendsonhereightiethbirthday,onSeptember18,1955.AmongherhonorsweretheGoldMedaloftheSalon des Musiciens Français,aPrix du Disque andtheLégion d’honneur.ShediedinParisonMarch1,1956.Threeweekslater,BernardGavotywroteinLe Figaro,“HenrietteReniéwasastrikingfigureinFrenchmusic.TheharpowestoherwhattheguitarowestoSegovia.Thepublic,completelywonover,hasgiventheharpitsstampofapproval.”

TheHarpConcertoinCminorwasnotonlyamilestoneinRenié’slifeasacomposerandperformer,butalsoaddeda lovelyandsubstantialpieceto the instrument’srepertory.Shebegantheworkaround1894,whilestillastudentat theConservatoire,butdidnotcomplete ituntilsevenyears later.Whensheshowed thefinishedscore toThéodoreDubois,hercompositionteacher,hewassoimpressedthathemadeanappointmentforhertoplayitforCamilleChevillard,oneofFrance’s leadingconductorsandrecentlyappointeddirectorof theprestigiousConcertsLamoureux. (Hehadsucceededtheseries’founder,CharlesLamoureux,hisfather-in-law,in1899.)“MyheartwaspoundingwildlywhenIranghisdoorbell,”Reniérecalled.“HereceivedmequitekindlyandaskedmetoplaymyConcerto.Iworkedmywaythroughit,halfsinging,halfplayingthepiano,toilingawaylikeagalleyslave.SomehowImanagedtogivehimanideaofthefirstmovement.”WhenChevillardaskedifshewouldliketoperformthepieceononeofhisLamoureuxconcerts,Renié,nearlyspeechless,replied,“Wouldn’tyouprefertheReineckeConcerto?”YearslaterChevillardsaid,“ThatwasthefirsttimethatacomposerwhomIaskedtoplayhis/herownworksuggestedsomeoneelse’sinstead.”TheysettledonadatefortheConcerto’spremiere,butstressandoverworkunderminedRenié’salways-delicatehealth,andtheperformancehadtobepostponed.Shewasinitiallyheartbroken,butChevillardrescheduledtheeventforMarch24,1901,andReniéwonasuccessthatnotonlylaunchedherinternationalcareerbutalsohelpedtoestablishtheharpasasoloinstrumentwithorchestra.

TheConcertoopenswithadarklynoblemainthemeintroducedbytheorchestraandrepeatedandelaboratedbythesoloist.Thesonata-formmovement’swaltz-likesecondtheme,presentedbythewoodwinds,ismoregentleandlyrical.Boththemesaretreatedinturninthedevelopmentsectionbeforeacompressedandvariedrepriseoftheexposition’smaterialsandabrilliantcodabringthemovementtoaclose.TheAdagiotakesasthethemefortheoutersectionsofitsthree-partform(A–B–A)asweet,placidmelodyinthestyleofahymn;thecentralepisodeismorerestlessandwistful.

Thefinalebeginswithamain themefilledwithenergyandpurpose; theharppresents thewide-rangingarchof thesubsidiarysubject.Afterthemotivesareskillfullydevelopedandtheearlierthemesreturned,amodulationtothebrighterrealmofCmajorbringstheConcertotoanaffirmativeconclusion.

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756-1791)Symphony No. 41 in C major, K. 551, “Jupiter”Composedin1788.Flute,pairsofoboes,clarinets,bassoons,hornsandtrumpets,timpaniandstrings.Approximately30minutes.

Mozart’slifewasstartingtocomeapartin1788—hismoney,health,familysituationandprofessionalstatuswereallonthedecline.Hewasapoormoneymanager,andthelastyearsofhislifesawhimslidingprogressivelydeeperintodebt.OneofhismostgenerouscreditorswasMichaelPuchberg,abrotherMason,towhomhewrotealetterwhichincludedthefollowingpitiablestatement:“Ifyou,worthybrother,donothelpmeinthispredicament,Ishalllosemyhonorandmycredit,whichIsowishtopreserve.”

Sourcesofincomedriedup.Hisstudentshaddwindledtoonlytwobysummer,andhehadtosellhisnewcompositionsforapittancetopaythemostimmediatebills.HehopedthatViennawouldreceiveDon GiovanniaswellashadPraguewhenthatoperawaspremieredtheretheprecedingyear,butitwasmetwithahaughtyindifferencewhenfirstheardintheAustriancapitalinMay1788.Hecouldnolongerdrawenoughsubscriberstoproducehisownconcerts,andhadtotakesecondbillingontheprogramsofothermusicians.Hiswife,Constanze,wasillfromworryandcontinuouspregnancy,andspentmuchtimeawayfromherhusbandtakingcuresatvariousmineralspas.OnJune29th,theirfourthchildandonlydaughter,Theresia,agesixmonths,died.

Yet,astonishingly, fromtheseseeminglydebilitatingcircumstancescameoneof thegreatestmiracles in thehistoryofmusic.Inthesummerof1788,inthespaceofonlysixweeks,Mozartcomposedthethreegreatestsymphoniesofhislife:No.39,inE-flat(K.543)wasfinishedonJune26th;theGminor(No.40,K.550)onJuly25th;andtheCmajor,“Jupiter”(No.41,K.551)onAugust10th.Itisnotknownwhyhewrotetheselastthreeofhissymphonies,amostunusualcircumstanceatatimewheneverypiecewasintendedforaspecificsituation.Thereisnorecordthatheeverheardtheworks,noraretheymentionedanywhereinhisknowncorrespondenceaftertheywerecompleted.Theymayhavebeenintendedforaseriesofoft-delayedconcertsoriginallyplannedforJunewhichneveroccurred.Orperhapsintheseglorioussymphonies,asinmanyotheraspectsofhisart,MozartlookedforwardtotheRomanticeraanditsbeliefinartisticinspirationdivorcedfrompracticalrequirements.Orperhapsheneeded,atthatstressfultimeinhislife,toprovetohimselfthathecouldstillcomposegreatmusic.

TheSymphony’ssobriquet,“Jupiter,”didnotoriginatewithMozart.Thecomposer’ssonFranzXavierWolfgangsaidthatitwastheinventionoftheimpresarioSalomon,famousastheinstigatorofHaydn’sLondonvisits.Weightierevidenceforauthorofthesubtitle,however,pointstoJohnBaptistCramer,aGermanmusicianwhomovedtoLondonandopenedapublishinghouse.Hemayhavebeenthefirsttodeifythisworkwhenheappendedtheword“Jupiter”toitstitleforaconcertofLondon’sRoyalPhilharmonicOrchestraonMarch26,1821.ThecognomenhasnomeaningotherthantoindicatetheSymphony’sgrandnobilityofstyle,andSirDonaldToveydismisseditas“amongthesilliestinjurieseverinflictedonagreatworkofart.”PhilipHaleevenwarnedthatthesobriquetmightleadawayfromthetruenatureofthemusic,“[which]isnotofanOlympianmood.Itisintenselyhumaninitslovelinessanditsgaiety.”Mozartwouldprobablyhaveagreed.

The“Jupiter”Symphonystandsatthepinnacleof18th-centuryorchestralart.Itisgrandinscope,impeccableinformandrichinsubstance.Mozart,alwaysfecundasamelodist,wasabsolutelyprofligatewiththemesinthisSymphony.Threeseparatemotivesaresuccessivelyintroducedinthefirstdozenmeasures:abrilliantrushinggesture,asweetlylyricalthoughtfromthestrings,andamarchingmotiveplayedbythewinds.Thesecondthemeisasimplemelodyfirstsungbytheviolinsoverarockingaccompaniment.Theclosingsectionoftheexposition(begunimmediatelyafterafallingfigureintheviolinsandasilence)introducesajollylittletunethatMozarthadoriginallywrittenafewweeksearlierasabuffaariaforbassvoicetobeinterpolatedinto Le Gelosie Fortunate(“The Fortunate Jealousy”),anoperabyPasqualeAnfossi.Muchofthedevelopmentisdevotedtoanamazingexplorationof themusicalpossibilitiesof thissimpleditty.Thethematicmaterial isheardagainin the recapitulation,but, as sooftenwithMozart, ina richerorchestral andharmonic setting.The ravishingAndante isspreadacrossafullyrealizedsonataform,withacompactbutemotionallychargeddevelopmentsection.Thethirdmovement(Minuet)isaperfectblendofthelight-heartedrhythmsofpopularViennesedancesandMozart’sdeeplyexpressivechromaticharmony.Thefinalehasbeenthefocusofmanyamusicologicalassault.Itisdemonstrablethatthereareasmanyasfivedifferentthemesplayedsimultaneouslyatcertainplacesinthemovement,makingthisoneofthemostmasterfuldisplaysoftechnicalaccomplishmentintheentireorchestralrepertory.Butthelistenerneednotbesubjectedtoanynumbingpedantrytorealizethatthismusicisreallysomethingspecial.Mozartwasthegreatestgeniusinthehistoryofmusic,andheneversurpassedthismovement.

©2011Dr.RichardE.Rodda

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Concert pianist, composer/arranger and music scholar Ramón Araïza presents “Music…Behind the Music!” These lively,interactive events take you on an insightful(and humorous) journey of discovery, shininglight on themusic you’re about to hear in theconcert hall. Mr. Araïza’s extensive musicalbackground, presentation style and passionbringeachworkandcomposer to life.PleasejoinusinTheGranada.Arriveearly,venturein,andexperienceRamon’suniquegenius!Plus,makesuretoreadRamón’screativeandartistic“NotesBehindtheNotes”inTheGranadalobby!

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We invite comparison.Nir KabarettiMusic and Artistic Director