FOUNTAINS OF ROME & LA MER
DECEMBER 1 & 8 , 2024 at 4 pm A BAROQUE CHRISTMAS
KIDS
COME
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CONCERT
& CAROLS
December 1 : First Lutheran Church 3604 Chatham Rd . | Ellicott City December 8 : St . Casimir 2899 O ’ Donnell St . | Baltimore
JANUARY 1 , 2025 at 4 pm
NEW YEAR ’ S DAY CHAMBER CONCERT
Bach in Baltimore orchestral soloists play works by Bach , Telemann , Vivaldi , and Lully .
St . David ’ s Church 4700 Roland Ave . | Baltimore
JANUARY 5 , 2025 at 4 pm BACH and MOZART
BACH Cantata 83 and MOZART Symphony No . 25
MSB Center for the Arts 3400 Norman Ave . | Baltimore
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Bach in Baltimore is supported in part by grants from the Maryland State Arts Council , William G . Baker , Jr . Memorial Fund , Harford County Cultural Arts Board , Howard County Arts Council , Howard County , Paul M . Angell Family Foundation , Baltimore Office of Promotion and The Arts , Citizens of Baltimore County , Peggy & Yale Gordon Trust , Lois & Philip Macht Family Philanthropic Fund , Dr . Frank C . Marino Foundation , Ensign C . Markland Kelly , Jr . Memorial Foundation , BCF Mitzvah Fund , the Wolman Family Foundation , and the T . Rowe Price Foundation .
NOTES ON THE PROGRAM by Heather O ' Donovan
Mary Lou Williams
Born May 8 , 1910 in Atlanta , Georgia Died May 28 , 1981 in Durham , North Carolina
ZODIAC SUITE [ 1942 – 46 ]
“ I have always thought of astrology and the study of the stars as understanding one of the influences that molds man ’ s destiny […]”— Mary Lou Williams
Mary Lou Williams ’ Zodiac Suite feels like destiny fulfilled . Born a visionary ( quite literally — she experienced powerful visions and premonitions throughout childhood and later life ) and instrumental in the development of jazz , Williams channeled her spiritual and artistic insights into Zodiac Suite , a genre-defying work transcending both jazz and classical traditions .
Zodiac ’ s twelve movements correspond to the astrological signs , with each based on friends and collaborators born under the sign . The opening ‘ Aries ’ reflects the mercurial personalities of Billie Holiday and Ben Webster —“ changeable , moody , and impulsive .” ‘ Taurus ’ ( Williams ’ sign ) reflects the creativity of Duke Ellington and Bing Crosby , opening and closing with the same theme in a nod to the sign ’ s stubbornness . Williams ’ musical interpretation of the twin sign , Gemini , celebrates the multifaceted pursuits of trailblazers Benny Goodman and singer-activist Paul Robeson by balancing contrasting themes in tandem . ‘ Cancer ’ is calm and orderly , “ modeled after the lovely actress Lena Horne ,” in contrast to ‘ Leo ,’ whose proud trumpets herald “ kings and ‘ those born to rule .’” Of ‘ Virgo ,’ Williams wrote : “ Flowing rhythms and running chords suggest these people who seem to be more intellectual than emotional personalities .” The lush harmonies and supple melodies of ‘ Libra ,’ dedicated to the great jazz pianist Art Tatum , embody beauty and elegance . ‘ Scorpio ’ is intense and passionate , Sagittarius is set “ in a triumphant and varied mood to honor those headed for ‘ success and glory ,’” and ‘ Capricorn ,’ with its dirge-like opening , evokes “ headstrong ” perfectionism . The penultimate movement , ‘ Aquarius ,’ memorializes the affable nature of the late Franklin D . Roosevelt . ‘ Pisces ’ concludes the suite with a lyrical evocation of the “ freedom-loving and imaginative ” water sign , sung to a lyric likely written by Williams herself .
Of Zodiac , Williams declared , “ I have worked all my life to write and develop serious music that is both original and creative . The Zodiac Suite is the beginning of a real fulfillment of one of my ambitions .” Though Williams was often celebrated — fellow Taurus Ellington called her “ perpetually contemporary ”— pioneering works like Zodiac tended to confound critics , audiences , and even performers alike . In fact , when Zodiac — which exists in numerous incarnations , including a jazz trio for piano , bass , and percussion and the piano-orchestra version from which the present arrangement takes its cue — premiered as a chamberjazz ensemble at Town Hall , the result was disappointing , and only in part due to the conductor , who lost a page of music midway through .
A pattern of misunderstanding notably connects all three works on tonight ’ s program : Zodiac faced a period of neglect due to its unconventional fusion of jazz and classical elements ; Respighi ’ s music was unfairly linked to Mussolini ’ s fascism ; and the premiere of Debussy ’ s now famous La mer was overshadowed by controversies surrounding his personal life . Still , thanks to the dedication of those who recognized their significance , these works have found their rightful place in the musical canon , ensuring their lasting legacy — indeed , their destiny .
Instrumentation : Flute , oboe , clarinet , bassoon , horn , trumpet , trombone , tenor saxophone , and strings , in addition to piano , bass , drum , and vocal soloists .
16 | OVERTURE | BSOmusic . org