PROGRAM NOTES
PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION
FROM THE PODIUM by Finnegan Downie Dear
Each piece on this programme is a musical kaleidoscope , full of sounds beautiful , bizarre , and wild .
At its centre , Knussen ’ s Songs and Sea Interlude is truly ‘ in homage ’: to Mussorgsky ’ s harmony ; to Ravel ’ s crystalline orchestration ; to Debussy ’ s melody . In its vivid depiction of Sendak ’ s mercurial young hero , Knussen ’ s music achieves an incredible balance — simple in presentation and inexhaustible in interpretation , every note is a gem . It is truly a twentiethcentury masterpiece .
There is a kind musical lineage that binds tonight ’ s concert together . Just as Knussen revered Mussorgsky and Ravel , so too Ravel ’ s admiration for Mussorgsky is evident through his care in orchestrating the Pictures , which at the time were not particularly well known .
Within the first few measures of each movement , both Mussorgsky and Ravel have created an entire world . Between , the ‘ promenades ’ of Pictures parallel Ravel ’ s ‘ interludes ’ – framing devices within which we encounter this astonishing array of characters and stories . And , like in all great stories , these devices gradually dissolve , subsumed seamlessly into the manner of the telling .
At the end of Pictures , “ The Great Gate of Kiev ” strikes me as a deeply personal tribute — behind the grandeur and the bombast , I am always so moved by Mussorgsky ’ s ‘ in memoriam ’ to Victor Hartmann , his deceased friend upon whose illustrations the work is based . Submitted as part of Hartmann ’ s design for an 1869 competition entry , his Great Gate of Kiev was never actually built ; here , it ’ s as though Mussorgsky constructs it in sound , brick by brick . As for the ending of Mother Goose — is there a more spectacularly orchestrated C major chord than that which ends the “ Fairy Garden ”?
I am so excited to be here with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra for my American debut , bringing these three pieces to you . Whether the notes be familiar or new , I hope you can revel in their joy , their wonderful strangeness .
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
BY CATHERINE CASE
Maurice Ravel
Born March 7 , 1875 in Ciboure , France Died December 28 , 1937 in Paris , France
MOTHER GOOSE [ 1910 ]
Maurice Ravel was known as moody and aloof by his peers , but his playful nature and pleasure in the simple joys of childhood were evident in his close friendships . In 1908 , Ravel composed a piano duet for the children of his friends based on the popular fairy tales he often told them during visits . The stories came from French author Charles Perrault , whose 1697 publication , known as “ Tales of Mother Goose ,” is the source for timeless characters such as Cinderella , Puss in Boots , and Little Red Riding Hood .
Ravel often orchestrated his own piano pieces and this suite was no exception . In 1912 , he went a step further and created a ballet by adding a prelude , scene , and interludes for a full narrative arc . The innocent nature of the fairy tales are reflected in the delicate , transparent orchestration : Ravel left out trumpets and trombones and augmented the percussion with a gong , xylophone , and glockenspiel to create a magical sound world .
The ballet opens with a muted fanfare . Rustling strings and fluttering woodwinds transport the listener to a faraway land . Princess Florine pricks her finger on the spinning wheel and falls into a deep sleep . The perpetual motion of the wheel can be heard in the strings . A serene pavane follows as servants prepare the princess for sleep . The next movement is a conversation between Beauty , represented by the woodwinds , and the Beast , who growls as the contrabassoon before being transformed into a prince by the harp glissando and solo violin . Tom Thumb features the oboe as the lost boy whose path of breadcrumbs has been eaten by the birds . The strings wander aimlessly through scales while the flute trills in the forest . An interlude for harp and celeste signals the entrance of the Empress of the Pagodas , who is cursed with ugliness . The Enchanted Garden brings together all the characters as they watch Prince Charming kiss the princess awake . The simple melody gains momentum and bursts into a brilliant display of lush orchestration as the couple joyfully unites .
Instrumentation Two flutes including piccolo , two oboes including English horn , two clarinets , two bassoons including contrabassoon , two horns , timpani , percussion , harp , celeste , and strings .
Oliver Knussen
Born June 12 , 1952 in Glasglow , U . K . Died July 8 , 2018 in Snape , U . K .
SONGS AND SEA INTERLUDE FROM WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE [ 1983 ]
British-born Oliver Knussen left an indelible mark on the world as a composer of imaginative
Maximilian Franz
32 OVERTURE / BSOmusic . org