AX PLAYS BRAHMS
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
By A . Kori Hill
Unsuk Chin
Born July 14 , 1961 in Seoul , South Korea
SUBITO CON FORZA [ 2020 ]
Born in Seoul and now based in Berlin , Unsuk Chin ’ s journey to composition was unconventional and determined . First aspiring to a career as a solo pianist , her family ’ s financial precarity and a teacher ’ s suggestion to consider composition led her to change tact . If she couldn ’ t access a piano , she would still access the music . Borrowing scores from the library , Chin ( literally ) read the works of the canon : Tchaikovsky , Brahms , and Beethoven , and after her third attempt , was admitted into the National University of Seoul ’ s composition program , where she studied with Sukhi Kang .
Her unique introduction to composition and later studies with György Ligeti are present in her practice . No sound is unsuitable , no technique totally beyond a musician ’ s ability . If performers are comfortable , Chin is dissatisfied . Her works prioritize the mental and physical embodiment that music performance requires . This is a composer who embraces the eclectic and cosmopolitan . Who appreciates the standards without fear of also blasting them apart . subito con forza is one such example . Composed in 2020 , “ On the occasion of the 250 th anniversary of Beethoven ’ s birth ,” subito con forza , “ suddenly , with force ,” references a key dramatic element in Beethoven ’ s music : drastic shifts in dynamics , tonality , and character . Only five minutes long , subito con forza features Beethoven themes that are transformed into something new and unfamiliar . From icy , spectral timbres to interjections of Beethoven-esque quotations , Chin distills what we love about this man ’ s music : an emotional intensity and fidelity that can manifest in myriad ways .
Instrumentation Two flutes , two oboes , two clarinets , two bassoons , two horns , two trumpets , one timpani , keyboard , marimba , xylophone , chimes , guiro , snare drum , tam-tam , vibraphone , whip , cortales , cymbals , triangle , tambourine , gong , and piano .
Ludwig van Beethoven
Born December 1770 , Bonn , Germany Died March 26 , 1827 , Vienna , Austria
SYMPHONY NO . 4 [ 1806 ]
The seeds for the Symphony No . 4 in B flat major began in 1806 . Needing a break from family tensions , Beethoven joined his patron , Karl Alois , Prince Lichnowsky , at the latter ’ s country estate . The young man had benefited from Lichnowsky ’ s patronage since 1800 , even dedicating his Symphony No . 2 to the prince . It was during this period that Lichnowsky and Beethoven visited the home of Count Franz von Oppersdorff , whose personal orchestra performed the composer ’ s second symphony . Oppersdorff soon after commissioned two symphonies from Beethoven : the Symphony No . 4 in B flat major and Symphony No . 5 in C minor .
By the time the Symphony No . 4 premiered in 1807 , Beethoven had fallen out with Lichnowsky . Prince Lobkowitz , who would be one of Beethoven ’ s longest serving patrons , hosted the first performance in his town house . The first public performance of this symphony would be held in Vienna in 1808 . The first movement , Adagio – Allegro vivace , opens with a quiet , sardonic ebb and flow before bursting into a relaxed , triumphant main theme . Like the previous movement , the Adagio is full of contrasting moments between piano and forte ; lyricism and declamation ; confidence and tenderness . Menuetto-Trio is light-hearted , its main theme one of the most popular to come from this work . Allegro ma non troppo features the fire commonly associated with Beethoven ’ s style . But this movement is also full of celebration and joy , a reminder of the true emotional range present in his music .
For some , Beethoven ’ s fourth symphony is the neglected one , sandwiched between two more popular siblings . But not only is this a limiting view of the work , it obscures the fact this symphony is no less creative , expressive , or exciting as the rest of Beethoven ’ s symphonic output .
Instrumentation One flute , two oboes , two clarinets , two bassoons , two horns , two trumpets , and one timpani .
From the Podium
by Jonathon Heyward
Beethoven , his lineage , and his evolution from Classicism to Romanticism are at the heart of this program . He was a central inspiration to Brahms and , two centuries later , his influence inspired the writing of subito con forza .
Chin aptly captures a Beethovenesque sound , but modernizes the soundscape by adding contemporary instruments like vibraphone and marimba . The piano heightens elements of Beethoven ’ s musical style , bringing them into the present day rather than merely mimicking his sonic world .
While Beethoven ’ s third and fifth symphonies are two of the most frequently played orchestral warhorses , to me , his fourth is an unsung hero . This piece reminisces Haydn and approaches the genre from a different angle — a moment of recognizing the past while boldly going towards the future .
Brahms elevates Romanticism to another level , particularly in his concerti .
The first few chords of the Piano Concerto No . 1 recall Beethoven ’ s dramatic style . While the musical drama is parallel , the nature of the dialogue between piano and orchestra , and the piece ’ s sense of architecture , stands apart from the Beethoven . Emmanuel Ax is an amazing artist who has lived with this piece throughout his entire career ; it ’ s a special gift to collaborate with him and explore this piece together .
26 OVERTURE / BSOmusic . org