WELCOME THOMAS! - Encore Spotlight
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SEPTEMBER 2019
THOMAS DAUSGAARD, MUSIC DIRECTOR
WELCOME
THOMAS!
Dausgaard conducts
R. Strauss’ Also sprach Zarathustra
Rachmaninov’s Fourth Piano Concerto
with pianist Daniil Trifonov
Mahler’s Symphony No. 1
Brahms’ Second Piano Concerto
with pianist Yefim Bronfman
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CONTENTS SEPTEMBER 2019
4 / Calendar
6 / The Orchestra
53 / Benaroya Hall Guide
FEATURES
5 / Community Connections
7 / Meet the Musicians
10 / On a High Note
12 / Thomas Dausgaard on the
Season Ahead
54 / The Lis(z)t
CONCERTS
14 / September 11 & 12
Distant Worlds: music from
Final Fantasy® with the
Seattle Symphony
16 / September 14
30
Opening Night Concert & Gala
19 / September 19, 20 & 21
Mahler Symphony No. 1
Photo: Mats Backer
23 / September 26, 28 & 29
ANNE SOFIE VON OTTER Mussorgsky Pictures at an
Exhibition
29 / October 1
Windborne's Music of
Photo: Dario Acosta & Deutsche Grammophon
Led Zeppelin
16 23
30 / October 2
Anne Sofie Von Otter &
Kristian Bezuidenhout
Photo: Uwe Arens
41 / October 4, 5 & 6
Warner Bros. presents
DANIIL TRIFONOV DANIEL MÜLLER-SCHOTT
BUGS BUNNY AT THE
SYMPHONY 30th Anniversary
Edition
ON THE COVER: Thomas Dausgaard by Karya Schanilec
COVER DESIGN: Ellie Tanaka
EDITOR: Heidi Staub
© 2019 Seattle Symphony.
All rights reserved. No portion of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means without written permission
from the Seattle Symphony. All programs and artists are subject to change.
encorespotlight.com 3
LOOKING AHEAD: PERFORMANCE SPACE: ON THE DIAL: Tune in to Classical KING
OCTOBER
■ S. MARK TAPER FOUNDATION AUDITORIUM FM 98.1 every Wednesday at 8pm for a
■ ILLSLEY BALL NORDSTROM RECITAL HALL Seattle Symphony spotlight and the first
■ OCTAVE 9: RAISBECK MUSIC CENTER Friday of every month at 9pm for concert
■ SAMUEL & ALTHEA STROUM GRAND LOBBY
AT BENAROYA HALL ■ SYMPHONY EVENTS AWAY FROM THE HALL
broadcasts.
SUNDAY MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY
7:30pm
1 7:30pm
2 3 10:30am Tiny Tots:
4 9:30, 10:30 &
5
Windborne's Music Anne Sofie von The Percussion: 5, 6 11:30am Tiny Tots:
of Led Zeppelin Otter & Kristian Pick Up Sticks The Percussion: 5, 6
SEATTLE SYMPHONY Pick Up Sticks
SEATTLE SYMPHONY Bezuidenhout
SEATTLE SYMPHONY SEATTLE SYMPHONY
7 & 10pm
Tegan and Sara 7:30pm
7:30pm STG PRESENTS Count Basie Meets
Al Di Meola Past, Duke Ellington
8pm SEATTLE REPERTORY
Present, Future
Warner Bros. JAZZ ORCHESTRA
LIVE @ BENAROYA
Presents Bugs Bunny 8pm Warner Bros.
HALL
at the Symphony Presents Bugs Bunny
30th Anniversary at the Symphony
Edition 30th Anniversary
SEATTLE SYMPHONY Edition
SEATTLE SYMPHONY
6 7 88 9 10 11 12
2pm 7:30pm 7:30pm 7:30pm 7:30pm 12pm Seattle
Warner Bros. Tinariwen Lang Lang with the Mozart Jupiter Rachel Maddow International Piano
Presents Bugs Bunny LIVE @ BENAROYA Seattle Symphony Symphony SEATTLE ARTS & Festival Concert 1
at the Symphony HALL SEATTLE SYMPHONY SEATTLE SYMPHONY LECTURES SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL
30th Anniversary PIANO FESTIVAL
Edition 7:30pm
SEATTLE SYMPHONY Selections From 4:15pm Seattle
Density 2036 Claire International Piano
7:30pm Chase in Recital Festival Concert 2
Patti Smith SEATTLE SYMPHONY SEATTLE INTERNATIONAL
SEATTLE ARTS & PIANO FESTIVAL
LECTURES
8pm
Mozart Jupiter
Symphony
SEATTLE SYMPHONY
1:30pm
13 7:30pm
14 15 16 7:30pm
17 10pm
18 11am
19
Seattle International Lux! Featuring Mozart Requiem [untitled] 1 The Magic Flute
Piano Festival Nathan Pacheco SEATTLE SYMPHONY SEATTLE SYMPHONY SEATTLE SYMPHONY
Concert 3 ENSIGN SYMPHONY &
SEATTLE CHORUS 7pm
INTERNATIONAL PIANO Eastern Memories on
FESTIVAL the Western Wind:
Songs of Home
8pm SEATTLE CHINESE
Seattle International ORCHESTRA
Piano Festival
Awards Ceremony 8pm
SEATTLE Mozart Requiem
INTERNATIONAL PIANO SEATTLE SYMPHONY
FESTIVAL
2pm 20 21 7pm 22 7:30pm 23 7pm 24 7pm 25 9:30 & 11am 26
Mozart Requiem Side-by-Side with National Parks at Side-by-Side with Mendelssohn First Concerts: Meet
SEATTLE SYMPHONY Garfield High School Benaroya Hall Roosevelt High Untuxed the Viola
Orchestra NORTHWEST School Orchestra SEATTLE SYMPHONY SEATTLE SYMPHONY
3pm SEATTLE SYMPHONY SYMPHONY SEATTLE SYMPHONY
Latvian Voices ORCHESTRA 10am
BALTIC ARTS COUNCIL 7:30pm MONC Master Class
NW Schumann Piano METROPOLITAN OPERA
Concerto NATIONAL COUNCIL
7:30pm SEATTLE SYMPHONY
Ta-Nehisi Coates 12pm
SEATTLE ARTS & MONC Auditions
LECTURES METROPOLITAN OPERA
NATIONAL COUNCIL
2pm
75th Anniversary
Opening Gala
2pm 27 7:30pm 28 7:30pm 29 6:30pm 30 7:30pm 31 SEATTLE
Akashinga: The Vieux Farka Touré Live! On Stage Doug Walker Lecture Augustin Hadelich PHILHARMONIC
Brave Ones & Bombino: Sons of Jonathan Richman UW COLLEGE OF THE Brahms Violin ORCHESTRA
NATIONAL the Sahara Featuring Tommy ENVIRONMENT Concerto
GEOGRAPHIC LIVE LIVE @ BENAROYA Larkins on the SEATTLE SYMPHONY 8pm
HALL Drums! Schumann Piano
7pm LIVE @ BENAROYA Concerto
Brahms, Dvorák 7:30pm HALL SEATTLE SYMPHONY
& Still Akashinga: The
BYRON SCHENKMAN & Brave Ones 7:30pm
FRIENDS NATIONAL Akashinga: The
GEOGRAPHIC LIVE Brave Ones
NATIONAL
GEOGRAPHIC LIVE
*Donor Events: Call 206.215.4832 for more information seattlesymphony.org TICKETS: 206.215.4747 GIVE: 206.215.4832
4 SEATTLESYMPHONY.ORG
■ COMMUNITY
CONNECTIONS
OneAmerica
Step into Magic.
The perfect place to make your dreams come true.
Photo: Magaly Smith, OneAmerica
OneAmerica leaders marching for immigrant
rights at the Seattle 2019 May Day March.
OneAmerica is the largest immigrant and
refugee advocacy organization in Washington
State, organizing with and advocating for
You’re invited to events fit for a prince or princess.
diverse communities. OneAmerica was Consider waving your magic wand and making room
founded immediately after September 11, for transformation in your life. Join us at Bayview’s 62+
2001 to address the backlash, hate crimes
community for a series of delightful fall activities.
and discrimination against immigrant
communities of color. Today, OneAmerica
plays an active and leading role in state and Learn more by calling (206) 701-1514 or visit BayviewSeattle.org.
national coalitions working on immigrant rights,
education, economic and environmental
justice, voting rights, and immigrant
integration. They believe that building broad-
based movements led by people of color
and their allies and grounded in grassroots
community organizing will create a more just,
democratic and compassionate society.
OneAmerica is one of nearly 80 partners
in the Seattle Symphony’s Community
Connections program which provides
complimentary tickets to diverse communities
in the Puget Sound region.
September 21, 2019–August 23, 2020
CONNECT WITH US:
Share your photos using #ListenBoldly and Image: Franz Xaver Winterhalter. Susanna and the Elders (detail), 1866. Oil on
canvas. 64 X x 46 X in. Founding Collection, Gift of Charles and Emma Frye,
follow @seattlesymphony on Facebook, 1952.199. Photo: Spike Mafford.
Instagram, Twitter and Snapchat. Download
Unsettling Femininity: Selections from the Frye Art Museum Collection is organized
the Listen Boldly app to easily purchase by the Frye Art Museum and curated by Naomi Hume, Associate Professor of
Art History, Seattle University. Generous support is provided by the Robert
tickets, skip the Ticket Office lines and receive Lehman Foundation and the Frye Foundation.
exclusive offers.
704 Terry Avenue | fryemuseum.org | Always Free
encorespotlight.com 5
THOMAS DAUSGAARD
MUSIC DIRECTOR
Music Director of the Seattle An avid champion of contemporary
Symphony, Danish conductor Thomas works and the music of his homeland,
Dausgaard is esteemed for his Dausgaard and the Seattle Symphony
creativity and innovative programming, will release the much-anticipated cycle
the excitement of his live performances of symphonies by Carl Nielsen.
and his extensive catalogue of critically
Performing internationally with many
acclaimed recordings. A renowned
of the world’s leading orchestras,
recording artist with over 70 discs
Dausgaard is also the Chief Conductor
to his name, Dausgaard’s releases
of the BBC Scottish Symphony
with the Seattle Symphony have
Orchestra, Conductor Laureate of the
Photo: Brandon Patoc
garnered critical acclaim resulting in
Swedish Chamber Orchestra, and
international honors including a 2017
Honorary Conductor of the Orchestra
Gramophone Award nomination for
della Toscana and the Danish National
Mahler’s Symphony No. 10 (Deryck
Symphony Orchestra.
Cooke version), Gramophone’s 2018
Orchestra of the Year Award, and a Dausgaard has been awarded the
2019 Best Orchestral Performance Cross of Chivalry by the Queen of
Grammy nomination for Nielsen’s Denmark and elected to the Royal
Symphonies Nos. 3 and 4. Academy of Music in Sweden.
SEATTLE SYMPHONY ROSTER
Joseph Crnko Associate Conductor for Choral Activities Ludovic Morlot Judith Fong Conductor Emeritus
THOMAS DAUSGAARD
Lee Mills Douglas F. King Associate Conductor Gerard Schwarz Rebecca & Jack Benaroya Conductor Laureate
Harriet Overton Stimson Music Director
Lina Gonzalez-Granados Conducting Fellow
FIRST VIOLIN Mara Gearman OBOE Jonathan Karschney KEYBOARD
Noah Geller Assistant Principal Mary Lynch Assistant Principal Joseph Adam
David & Amy Fulton Concertmaster Timothy Hale Principal Jenna Breen Organ +
Open Position Wes Dyring Supported by anonymous donors John Turman
Clowes Family Associate Concertmaster Sayaka Kokubo Ben Hausmann Danielle Kuhlmann PERSONNEL MANAGER
Daniel Stone Associate Principal
Eduardo Rios TRUMPET Scott Wilson
Rachel Swerdlow
First Assistant Concertmaster Chengwen Winnie Lai
David Gordon ASSISTANT PERSONNEL MANAGER
Simon James CELLO Stefan Farkas
Boeing Company Principal Trumpet
Second Assistant Concertmaster** Keith Higgins
Efe Baltacıgil ENGLISH HORN Alexander White
Jennifer Bai Marks Family Foundation Principal Cello LIBRARY
Stefan Farkas Associate Principal
Mariel Bailey Meeka Quan DiLorenzo Jeanne Case, Robert Olivia
Christopher Stingle
Cecilia Poellein Buss Associate Principal CLARINET Associate Librarians
Michael Myers
Timothy Garland
Nathan Chan Benjamin Lulich Rachel Swerdlow
Leonid Keylin TROMBONE
Assistant Principal Mr. & Mrs. Paul R. Smith Principal Assistant Librarian
Andy Liang
Mae Lin Eric Han Clarinet Ko-ichiro Yamamoto
Mikhail Shmidt Bruce Bailey Emil Khudyev Principal TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
Clark Story Roberta Hansen Downey Associate Principal David Lawrence Ritt Joseph E. Cook
John Weller Walter Gray Stephen Fissel
Laura DeLuca
Jeannie Wells Yablonsky Vivian Gu ARTIST IN ASSOCIATION
Dr. Robert Wallace Clarinet
Arthur Zadinsky Joy Payton-Stevens BASS TROMBONE
David Sabee Eric Jacobs Dale Chihuly
Stephen Fissel
SECOND VIOLIN
BASS E-FLAT CLARINET 2019–2020 SEASON
Elisa Barston TUBA COMPOSER IN RESIDENCE
Principal Jordan Anderson Laura DeLuca
John DiCesare Tyshawn Sorey
Mr. & Mrs. Harold H. Heath Principal Principal
Michael Miropolsky BASS CLARINET
String Bass
John & Carmen Delo 2019–2020 SEASON
Associate Principal Second Violin Joseph Kaufman Eric Jacobs ARTIST IN RESIDENCE
TIMPANI
Associate Principal Seth Parker Woods
Kathleen Boyer BASSOON James Benoit
Assistant Principal Jonathan Burnstein Principal
Seth Krimsky HONORARY MEMBER
Jennifer Godfrey
Gennady Filimonov Principal Matthew Decker
Travis Gore Cyril M. Harris †
Sydney Adedamola * Luke Fieweger Assistant Principal
Jonathan Green
Evan Anderson Associate Principal
Will Langlie-Miletich + Resident
Natasha Bazhanov PERCUSSION
Brittany Breeden Paul Rafanelli
Stephen Bryant
FLUTE Open Position Michael A. Werner † In Memoriam
Linda Cole Demarre McGill Principal * Temporary Musician for 2019–2020
Xiao-po Fei Principal CONTRABASSOON Michael Clark
season
Artur Girsky Supported by David and Shelley Hovind Open Position Matthew Decker ** On leave for the 2019–2020 season
Andrew Yeung Jeffrey Barker
Associate Principal HORN HARP
VIOLA Jeffrey Fair Valerie Muzzolini
Judy Washburn Kriewall
Susan Gulkis Assadi Zartouhi Dombourian-Eby Charles Simonyi Principal Horn Principal
PONCHO Principal Viola Mark Robbins Supported by Eliza and Brian Shelden
Arie Schächter PICCOLO Associate Principal
Associate Principal Zartouhi Dombourian-Eby Supported by Stephen Whyte
Robert & Clodagh Ash Piccolo
6 SEATTLESYMPHONY.ORG
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The Fiddler Expanding Tradition
Saturday, Oct. 12
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Acclaimed “Fiddler”
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from the beloved musical through her new
album The Fiddler Expanding Tradition.
Jeremy Dutcher
Saturday, Oct. 26
7:30 pm | $19–$44
Classically-trained tenor,
composer, musicologist,
and activist Jeremy Dutcher blends
his Wolastoq First Nation roots into
his music which shape-shifts between
genres to form something entirely new.
Photo: James Holt
FREE Pre-Show Artist Talk 6:15–6:40 pm.
SheshBesh
Saturday, Jan. 18
7:30 pm | $19–$49
SheshBesh, an Arab-
At first it seemed Sayaka Kokubo was destined to be a violinist. Both her parents are musicians Jewish ensemble
in Japan and they expected her to follow in their path. “I never really practiced the violin, I didn’t searching for an elusive balance of
East and West in music, embodies two
really like it,” she recalls. cultures living together in harmony.
With the encouragement of her teacher, she switched to the viola. “I always had this feeling that I FREE Pre-Show Artist Talk 6:00–6:40 pm.
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“I was a struggling music student — I had a student visa, so I couldn’t work,” Sayaka explains.
at Horizon House!
“A couple from the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Dorothy and Harold Byers, invited me to stay
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They weren’t the only people who helped her along the way — she also needed an instrument to
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his violas for two years. That’s the instrument I used to take orchestral auditions,” says Sayaka. “I
bought the instrument after I won this job and I still play it today. He really helped get me to where
I am today.”
A vibrant retirement community in downtown Seattle
To schedule a visit: 206-382-3100 or www.HorizonHouse.org
encorespotlight.com 7
ABOUT THE SEATTLE SYMPHONY
Led by Music Director Thomas Dausgaard, the Seattle Symphony unleashes the power of music, brings people together and lifts the human spirit.
Recognized as one of the “most vital American orchestras” (NPR), the Seattle Symphony is internationally acclaimed for its inventive programming,
community-minded initiatives and superb recordings on the Seattle Symphony Media label. With a strong commitment to new music and a legacy of
over 150 recordings, the orchestra has garnered five Grammy Awards, 26 Grammy nominations, two Emmy Awards and was named Gramophone’s 2018
Orchestra of the Year. The Symphony performs in Benaroya Hall in the heart of downtown Seattle from September through July, reaching over 500,000
people annually through live performances and radio broadcasts.
The Seattle Symphony acknowledges that we gather on Indigenous land: the traditional territory of Coast Salish peoples, specifically the Duwamish Tribe
(Dkhw Duw’Absh).
■ OUR MISSION
THE SEATTLE SYMPHONY UNLEASHES THE POWER OF MUSIC,
BRINGS PEOPLE TOGETHER, AND LIFTS THE HUMAN SPIRIT.
SEATTLE SYMPHONY BOARD OF DIRECTORS
RENÉ ANCINAS Chair* Molly Gabel Secretary* Paula Boggs Vice Chair, Audiences & Communities* Dana Reid Vice Chair, Governance*
Michael Slonski Treasurer* Jon Rosen Vice Chair, Development* Stephen Whyte Vice Chair, Finance*
DIRECTORS Viren Kamdar DESIGNEES Bruce Baker Henry James
Marco Argenti Ronald Koo Zartouhi Dombourian-Eby Cynthia Bayley J. Pierre Loebel
Ryo Kubota Musician Representative Sherry Benaroya Yoshi Minegishi
Rosanna Bowles
Isiaah Crawford Stephen Kutz Carla Gifford President, Alexandra Brookshire Marilyn Morgan
Ned Laird* Seattle Symphony Chorale Phyllis Byrdwell Isa Nelson
Susan Detweiler
Rebecca Ebsworth Paul Leach* Carole E. Rush President, Phyllis Campbell Marlys Palumbo
Seattle Symphony Volunteers
Larry Estrada Kjristine R. Lund Mary Ann Champion Sally Phinny
Brian J. Marks Valerie Muzzolini Robert Collett James Raisbeck
Jerry Farley Musician Representative
Judith Fong Scott McCammant David Davis Sue Raschella
Krishna Thiagarajan
Mauricio Gonzalez de la Hisayo Nakajima President & CEO Nancy Evans Bernice Rind †
Fuente Nancy Neraas Dorothy Fluke Jill Ruckelshaus
Alexander White
Lt. Gov. Cyrus Habib Peter Russo Musician Representative David Fulton H. Jon Runstad
Michael Hatch Elisabeth Beers Sandler Jean Gardner Martin Selig
Terry Hecker CHAIR EMERITA
Kathy Savitt Ruth Gerberding John F. Shaw
Jean-François Heitz* Leslie Jackson Chihuly
Jim Schwab* James Gillick Linda Stevens
Parul Houlahan* Lyle Snyder Gerald Grinstein Patricia Tall-Takacs
LIFETIME DIRECTORS
Douglas Jackson Patty Hall Marcus Tsutakawa
* Executive Committee Llewelyn Pritchard
Susan Johannsen* Chair Cathi Hatch Cyrus Vance, Jr.
Aimee Johnson* Steven Hill Karla Waterman
Richard Albrecht
Nader Kabbani Ken Hollingsworth Ronald Woodard
Susan Armstrong
Robert Ash Patricia Holmes Arlene Wright
William Bain † David Hovind † In Memoriam
SEATTLE SYMPHONY FOUNDATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
JEAN-FRANÇOIS HEITZ Kathleen Wright Vice Chair René Ancinas Viren Kamdar David Tan
Chair Muriel Van Housen Secretary Nancy B. Evans Kjristine R. Lund Rick White
Michael Slonski Treasurer Joaquin Hernandez
BENAROYA HALL BOARD OF DIRECTORS
NED LAIRD Chair Mark Reddington Vice Chair Yao Bailey Glen Lee Designees:
Nancy B. Evans Secretary Dwight Dively Chris Martin Krishna Thiagarajan President & CEO
Michael Slonski Treasurer Leo van Dorp Tom Owens Zartouhi Dombourian-Eby Musician Representative
Jim Duncan
8 SEATTLESYMPHONY.ORG
SEATTLE SYMPHONY | BENAROYA HALL ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF
SENIOR MANAGEMENT TEAM COMMUNICATIONS DEVELOPMENT
Krishna Thiagarajan Heidi Staub Aaron Sumpter
President & CEO Director of Content Development Officer, Assistant to VP of
Leslie Jackson Chihuly Chair Development
James Holt
Jennifer Adair Digital Content Producer Renee Duprel
Vice President & General Manager Associate Vice President of Development
Andrew Stiefel
(Campaign)
Laura Reynolds Senior Digital Communications Manager
Vice President of Education & Community Paul Gjording
Dinah Lu
Engagement Senior Major Gift Officer
Publicist
(Foundations & Government Relations)
Shiva Shafii
Director of Communications Betsy Groat
MARKETING
Cheronne Wong Campaign Operations Manager
Rachel Spain
Vice President & CFO Marketing Manager Kent Anderson
Christy Wood Donor Relations Officer
Michelle Cheng
Associate Vice President of Marketing & Sales Becky Kowals
Digital Marketing Manager
Maria Yang Director of Major Gifts & Planned Giving
Amanda DiCesare
Vice President of Development Marsha Wolf
Marketing Administrator
Senior Major Gift Officer
EXECUTIVE OFFICE Megan Twamley
Marketing Assistant Amy Bokanev, Michael Maniaci
Margaret Holsinger Major Gift Officers
Executive Assistant to the President & CEO, Barry Lalonde
Office & Board Relations Manager Director of Digital Products Alexa Bayouk, Madyson Ellars
Development Coordinators (Major Gifts)
Alex Shiley Herb Burke, Jason Huynh
Office Assistant Digital Project Managers Megan Hall
Director of Development Operations
Gerry Kunkel
ARTISTIC PLANNING Corporate & Concierge Accounts Manager Martin K. Johansson
Communications & Grants Manager
Paige Gilbert Stephanie Tucker
Manager of Artistic Planning & Popular Senior Graphic Designer Kathleen Shin
Programming Annual Fund Coordinator
Jadzia Parker
Michael Gandlmayr Graphic Designer Nichole Waterman
Assistant Artistic Administrator Database Operations Manager
Forrest Schofield
Stephanie Torok Group Services Manager Nick Magruder
Senior Manager of Creative Projects & Data Operations Coordinator
Joe Brock
Community Engagement Molly Gillette
Retail Manager
Dmitriy Lipay Special Events Officer
Christina Hajdu
Director of Audio & Recording Jessica Kittams
Sales Associate
Johanna Olson Stewardship Events Officer
Nina Cesaratto
Personal Assistant to the Music Director, Ryan Hicks
Ticket Office Sales Manager
Chorale Manager & Artistic Liaison Corporate Development Manager
Brian Goodwin
Ticket Office Coordinator
ORCHESTRA & OPERATIONS FINANCE & FACILITIES
Kelly Woodhouse Boston Asma Ahmed, Mary Austin,
James Bean, Jennifer Boyer, Megan Spielbusch
Director of Operations Accounting Manager
Danela Butler, Katrina Fasulo, Michelle
d
Ana Hinz Grinstead, Hannah Hirano, Gabrielle Amy Rutherford
Production Manager Turner, Emerson Wahl, Tobie Wheeler Payroll/AP Accountant
Liz Kane Ticket Services Associates
Jordan Bromley
Assistant to VP & GM Staff Revenue Accountant
Scott Wilson VENUE ADMINISTRATION
Bernel Goldberg
Personnel Manager Matt Laughlin General Counsel
Director of Facility Sales
Keith Higgins
Assistant Personnel Manager James Frounfelter, Adam Moomey
Event & Operations Managers
Tyler Ciena
Facilities Director Come enjoy
our happy hour
Jeanne Case, Robert Olivia Grant Cagle
Associate Librarians Nick Cates Facilities Manager
Concert & Event Production Manager
Joseph E. Cook
Technical Director Sophia El-Wakil
Event Operations Associate
Damien DeWitte
Senior Building Engineer Mon-Fri 4-6pm
Jeff Lincoln
Assistant Technical Director Keith Godfrey
House Manager
Rodney Kretzer
Building Engineer or our nightly prix
Johnny Baca, Chris Dinon,
Aaron Gorseth, John Roberson, Michael
Schienbein, Ira Seigel
Tanya Wanchena
Assistant House Manager & Usher Scheduler
Renee Carroll
Facilities Administrator fixe dinner and
Stage Technicians
Patrick Weigel
Assistant House Manager
HUMAN RESOURCES make it to your
EDUCATION &
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Dawn Hathaway, Lynn Lambie,
Kathryn Osburn
Human Resources Manager show on time.
Mel Longley, Ryan Marsh,
Amy Heald Markus Rook
Associate Director of Collaborative Learning Head Ushers
Jérémy Jolley Laura Banks, Bill Coniff, Katrina
Associate Director of Artistic Collaborations Swensen, Carole Unger
Katie Hovde Assistant Head Ushers
Education & Community
Engagement Manager
Melvin Moore
Discovery Coordinator
(206) 728 - 2233
1600 Post Alley
CONTACT US Pike Place Market, Seattle
TICKETS: 206.215.4747 | DONATIONS: 206.215.4832 | ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICES: 206.215.4700
cafecampagne.com
VISIT US ONLINE: seattlesymphony.org | FEEDBACK: president@seattlesymphony.org
encorespotlight.com 9
ON A HIGH NOTE MEET THE NEW
MUSICIANS
NEWS FROM THE SYMPHONY
We’re delighted to announce four new
Dear friends,
musicians joining the orchestra this fall!
This September marks the new beginning of a year
of exciting firsts for the Seattle Symphony. Thomas EDUARDO RIOS
First Assistant
Dausgaard begins his tenure as the Music Director
Concertmaster
of one of America's most innovative orchestras. As
if that were not enough, members of our community Eduardo Rios comes to
Photo: Craig Matthews
will join us to celebrate Ludwig van Beethoven’s the Seattle Symphony
250th birthday. Beethoven was a composer that after being a Resident
changed music forever before the innovation Fellow at the Los Angeles
moniker was even used in classical music, and Philharmonic. Rios earned
Photo: Brandon Patoc
our celebration pairs his works with the maverick a Bachelor of Music and
composers of our time. is an Artist Diploma candidate at the Colburn
Conservatory of Music. He was the winner of
I have long admired Thomas Dausgaard’s artistry the Sphinx Competition in 2015. He was born
and am elated that we will be working together
and raised in Lima, Peru.
in this new era of the Seattle Symphony’s history.
Thomas and I overlapped while working in Scotland — I was previously with the Royal
SYDNEY ADEDAMOLA
Scottish National Orchestra and he is Chief Conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Second Violin
Orchestra. Though we didn’t have the opportunity to collaborate and get to know
Sydney Adedamola
each other well, I have fond memories of listening to his recordings in the car there
on BBC radio. In the end both Thomas and I had to get on a plane, fly nine hours west graduated in 2018 with
and land in Seattle to finally meet and work together. her Bachelor of Music
Photo: Ben Gibbs
from the University of
As Thomas Dausgaard begins his tenure as the Seattle Symphony’s Music Director, we Southern California’s
are also opening the season with an amazing lineup of super stars of the piano world! Thornton School of
Daniil Trifonov for Opening Night, then Yefim Bronfman returns, as does Lang Lang. Music. Adedamola held
I hope you will enjoy this piano festival of sorts and for those who want a little more positions with various orchestras including
variety we also have mezzo-soprano Anne Sofie von Otter, cellist Daniel Müller-Schott, the Long Beach Symphony, Debut Chamber
as well as a new work by Lotta Wennäkoski to keep things balanced. Orchestra and served as Principal Second
Violin of the USC Symphony. Adedamola was
We’re all here in the pursuit of art and inspiration, joy and contemplation, surprise,
delight and reflection. There are few businesses that provide all of these outcomes most recently a recipient of the Los Angeles
with a full complement of actual humans on stage, engaging in a weekly collaboration Orchestra Fellowship.
of rehearsals and concerts for you, our audience.
WILL LANGLIE-MILETICH
You, in turn, provide the community, the atmosphere, that feeds our performances, Bass
inspiring the musicians to reach new heights by taking creative risks that keep you Will Langlie-Miletich, a
at the edge of your seat. Without you, none of this would be possible and therefore I Seattle native, joins the
Photo: Yuen Lui Studios
want to take this moment to thank you on behalf of everyone at the Seattle Symphony. bass section after attending
the Curtis Institute of Music.
I look forward to seeing you at our concerts!
He has studied under
With kind regards, Harold Robinson, Edgar
Meyer, Todd Gowers and
Krishna Thiagarajan the Symphony’s very own Principal Bass
President & CEO Jordan Anderson. In 2018 Langlie-Miletich was
Seattle Symphony | Benaroya Hall the sole bassist selected for the prestigious
Marlboro Music Festival and returned to
Marlboro this past summer.
NOTA BENE LUKE FIEWEGER
Associate Principal Bassoon
NEW ALBUM RELEASE Following the critically acclaimed recordings of Mahler’s
Luke Fieweger completed
Symphony No. 10 and Nielsen’s symphonies, Thomas Dausgaard and the Symphony
the joint five-year Bachelor
Photo: Phil Channing
return with live recordings of Langgaard’s Prelude to Antichrist and R. Strauss’ An
of Arts/Masters in Music
Alpine Symphony. Pick up a copy at Symphonica, The Symphony Store or listen on your
program between Harvard
favorite streaming service. seattlesymphony.org/recordings
University and New
England Conservatory
BRING YOUR KIDS FOR FREE Share your love of music with the young people in your (NEC), earning a degree
life. Get up to two free Family Connections tickets for kids 8 to 18 when you buy a from Harvard in neurobiology and studying at
regularly priced Masterworks, Pops or Untuxed ticket over the phone or in-person at the NEC with Richard Svoboda and Richard Ranti.
Ticket Office. Bugs Bunny at the Symphony (Oct 4–6) and Mozart’s Requiem (Oct 17–20) He then pursued further studies as an Artist
are sure to be crowd-pleasers! Diploma candidate at the Colburn School.
10 SEATTLESYMPHONY.ORGSeptember 2019 | Volume 33, No. 1
PAUL HEPPNER President
rossini
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encorespotlight.com 11“AN INVITATION
INTO MY
WORLD”
Music Director
Thomas Dausgaard on
the season ahead
By Catherine Nguyen
Thomas Dausgaard exudes a special energy; shares Thomas. “I find it very inspiring to think “I am always drawn to an element of
one that marvels at the world around him. that we as an orchestra are a giver of life and context, so rethinking how to celebrate
vitality for the community, offering spiritual the humanist ideals of Beethoven in a way
“I love the way nature interacts with the city experiences which inspire on many levels, which meaningfully involves communities in
of Seattle; you are never far from the water, with each program expressing something Seattle is incredibly stimulating, like creating
and that means space, where you can feel about who we are and where we are going a completely new context.”
the elements and the changes of light,” he together.”
says. This same type of sensitive reflection is Thomas brings Beethoven to Seattle from a
most certainly a part of his music as well. The Stravinsky Rite of Spring concert in place of deep passion — for the music and
November fully encapsulates this sentiment. the people.
Thomas is no stranger to Seattle. Our city The concept of inspiration will manifest in
has been a home away from his native an exploration of the composer’s folk music “[In his Ninth Symphony,] Beethoven sets to
Denmark for quite some time. He has been roots. Not only will audiences hear the iconic music the text by Schiller with the famous
the Symphony’s Principal Guest Conductor Rite of Spring, they'll also gain a deeper line that ‘we shall all be brothers.’ [The
since 2014. Together, he and the orchestra understanding of the music by hearing folk celebration presents] his music in the context
achieved international acclaim with recordings music that inspired Stravinsky. of his brothers and sisters here in the United
of Gustav Mahler’s Symphony No. 10 and Carl States, and, in particular, Seattle.”
Nielsen’s Symphonies Nos. 3 and 4. Beethoven is another composer who
wrote music close to Thomas’ heart. This The Seattle Symphony’s Beethoven 2020
Yet we’ve only seen a glimpse of his musical season marks the 250th anniversary of the Festival promises to be a major event for
interests. So, at the start of his first season as composer’s birth. the community, culminating in season-long
Music Director, we share more on Thomas’ creative work that puts community members
musical identity and his vision for the season. Thomas and the Seattle Symphony are taking at the forefront.
the celebration a step further: over three
“This season is an invitation into my world, weeks in June, the orchestra will perform all The festival launches with the stories of local
into some of the music which changed my nine of Beethoven's symphonies alongside a youth, composed and performed by teens
life — music close to my heart and which has series of newly commissioned works created, from across King County led by composer
played a continuous role in my musical life,” inspired or performed by the community. Angelique Poteat and Community Youth
12 SEATTLESYMPHONY.ORGChorus director Megan McCormick. That same week the
Seattle Symphony will give the world premiere of 2017
MacArthur Fellowship recipient — and Seattle Symphony
2019–2020 Composer in Residence — Tyshawn Sorey’s
New Work for Cello & Orchestra featuring Artist in Residence
Seth Parker Woods. Following that, members of regional
native tribes will premiere Potlatch Symphony 2020 with
composer Janice Giteck, featuring the return of violinist Swil
Kanim and native flutist Paul Chiyokten Wagner. A world
premiere composed by clients at Northwest Center for
People of All Abilities and composer Charles Corey will be
featured on the fourth festival concert.
Thomas adds, “Beethoven was my gateway to classical
music. When I was about 10 I formed a rock band together
with three other boys. I loved it. But when I first heard
Beethoven’s Pathétique Sonata about a year later there
was no way back. The rock band disbanded and I reveled
in Beethoven, listening to and playing all I could get hold
Photo: Karya Schanilec
of. I feel a connection to his music, and in some way I
felt understood through it. And it opened my ears to all
those composers who had inspired him — and to those he
inspired afterwards. His music had an elemental force, it was
larger than life, and it had a humanity and warmth. I couldn’t
imagine a life without it.”
This season Thomas invites us to explore his most formative
music, letting us inside his musical identity and showcasing
his personal touch and artistry.
As music inspires Thomas, he is sure to pass on the same to
Photo: Brandon Patoc
Seattle. We look forward to seeing him step on the podium
and begin his new journey with the Symphony.
SEE THOMAS IN ACTION!
September 14 October 9 November 21 & 23
Opening Night Concert & Gala Lang Lang with the Seattle Stravinsky The Rite of Spring
NIELSEN Maskarade Overture Symphony SCRIABIN The Poem of Ecstasy
RACHMANINOV Piano Concerto No. 4 SIBELIUS Andante festivo
"The roots: Stravinsky's Inspirations"
Daniil Trifonov, piano BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 2 Juliana & PAVA, folk ensemble
R. STRAUSS Also sprach Zarathustra Lang Lang, piano
STRAVINSKY The Rite of Spring
Daniil Trifonov’s Opening Night Concert MOZART Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter” Thomas Dausgaard’s performances are
performance is generously underwritten by Lang Lang’s performances are generously generously underwritten by Grant and Dorrit
Paul Leach and Susan Winokur through the underwritten by the Nakajima Family through the Saviers.
Seattle Symphony’s Guest Artists Circle. Seattle Symphony’s Guest Artists Circle.
Opening Night Concert & Gala Supporting Save the date!
Sponsor: Nordstrom October 10 & 12 June 11–28
Mozart Jupiter Symphony Beethoven Festival
September 19, 20 & 21 J.S. BACH Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 Anthony Dean Griffey’s performances are
Mahler Symphony No. 1 supported in part by the Melvyn Poll Tenor Fund.
OLGA NEUWIRTH Aello – ballet
LOTTA WENNÄKOSKI Flounce mécanomorphe (U.S. Premiere) Beethoven Festival concerts are supported in
Claire Chase, flute part by a generous grant from the American
BRAHMS Piano Concerto No. 2
Orchestras’ Future Fund, a program of the League
Yefim Bronfman, piano MOZART Symphony No. 41, “Jupiter” of American Orchestras made possible by funding
MAHLER Symphony No. 1 from the Ann and Gordon Getty Foundation.
Claire Chase’s performances are generously
Yefim Bronfman’s performances are generously underwritten by Dale and Leslie Chihuly through
underwritten by Mel and Leena Sturman through the Seattle Symphony’s Guest Artists Circle.
the Seattle Symphony’s Guest Artists Circle.
encorespotlight.com 139/11–12
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2019, AT 7:30PM RIKKI
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2019, AT 7:30PM Vocals
Rikki’s voice, magical
Distant Worlds: music from and extraordinary, has
performed on some
iconic moments on
Final Fantasy® with the various projects that
have attracted
worldwide attention.
Seattle Symphony She is best known as
the singer of the theme
S P E C IAL PER FO RMA NCES song “Suteki da Na” for the video game
Final Fantasy X (re-released in 2014 as
Final Fantasy X/X-2 HD). She sang “Shiroi
Arnie Roth, conductor Ryu” for the Hayao Miyazaki film Spirited
Susan Calloway, vocals Away and the theme song “Tabidachi no
RIKKI, vocals Toki” at the 1998 Winter Paralympics in
Nagano. She is also a member of Sound
Seattle Pro Musica
Horizon, a “fantasy band” who release
Seattle Symphony music to accompany anime and game
software and perform live concerts. In
Program will be announced from the stage and is approximately two hours including recent years she has performed at the
one 20-minute intermission. Masala Weltbeat Festival in Germany, the
City of London Festival in the UK and the
Please note that the timings provided for this concert are approximate. Magnificon XII expo in Poland.
Please turn off all electronic devices and refrain from taking photos or video.
Performance ©2019 Seattle Symphony. Copying of any performance by camera, audio or video recording
equipment, and any other use of such copying devices during a performance is prohibited.
KAREN P. THOMAS
Seattle Pro Musica Artistic Director
& Conductor
ARNIE ROTH SUSAN CALLOWAY Karen P. Thomas,
Photo courtesy of Karen P. Thomas
Conductor Vocals Artistic Director and
Conductor of Seattle
Conductor Arnie Roth is Vocalist Susan
Pro Musica, is a
a Grammy Award- Calloway has gained
nationally known leader
Photo courtesy of Mark Hauser
winning artist well thousands of new fans
in the field of choral
known in the world of for her vocal work for
music and performance
video game music for the bestselling video
as a conductor,
his work with legendary game franchise, FINAL
composer and arts
composer Nobuo FANTASY. Calloway
advocate. She received a 2018 Seattle
Uematsu and SQUARE was chosen personally
Mayor’s Arts Award, as well as awards
ENIX LTD as Music by soundtrack
from the NEA, American Academy and
Director, Producer and Conductor of composer Nobuo Uematsu to sing the
Institute of Arts and Letters, and ASCAP,
Distant Worlds: music from FINAL original theme song, “Answers” for FINAL
among others. She has conducted at
FANTASY, Dear Friends: music from FINAL FANTASY XIV: A Realm Reborn, and the
international festivals in Europe and North
FANTASY, and VOICES: music from FINAL theme song “Dragonsong” for FINAL
America, including the Berkshire Choral
FANTASY. He conducted a series of FANTASY XIV: Heavensward. Calloway
Festival and the Bergen International
concerts based on videogame series in began her musical career as a singer-
Festival, and has been lauded for her
Cologne with WDR Rundfunkorchester songwriter for the popular American band
“charismatic... magnetic podium presence.”
Köln, including Symphonic Fantasies, Red C, of which she was a founding
An award-winning composer, her works
Symphonic Shades and Symphonic member. Calloway released her first solo
are performed internationally by groups
Odysseys. Roth is equally at home in the EP in 2010, and its title track, “Chasin The
such as The Hilliard Ensemble and have
areas of film and composition and was the Sun” climbed to #37 on national R&R
been praised as “superb work of the
winner of the Best Score Award at the charts. She is currently working on a new
utmost sensitivity and beauty.”
2003 DVD Premier Awards and nominated CD to be released later this year. The
for an Emmy for his original song “Shine” soulful power of her voice resonates with
from the Mattel movie Barbie in The video gamers, musicians and music fans
Twelve Dancing Princesses. Roth has around the world.
produced dozens of bestselling CDs on
such labels as American Gramaphone,
JVC, Mattel, Warner Bros., Sony, Koch,
Razor & Tie, AWR Records and SQUARE
ENIX.
14 SEATTLESYMPHONY.ORGSEATTLE PRO MUSICA
Photo courtesy of Seattle Pro Musica
Seattle Pro Musica believes in the power
of choral music to enrich the lives of their
audiences, their singers and the community
at large. They’ve received the Margaret
Hillis Award for Choral Excellence and
the ASCAP/Chorus America Award for
CHOOSE YOUR OWN SUBSCRIPTION
Adventurous Programming and are ranked
as “among America’s very best choirs” by PICK FOUR or MORE EVENTS
American Record Guide. Seattle Pro Musica
has performed with the Seattle Symphony,
and SAVE
Jane Eaglen, Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban,
Sarah Brightman and Pacific MusicWorks,
and has appeared by invitation at numerous SEASON HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
international and national festivals. Members
of Seattle Pro Musica have also appeared
The Paco de Lucía Project
on GRAMMY Award-winning and GRAMMY- Mark & Maggie O’Connor
nominated albums.
Jonathan Biss: Celebrating Beethoven
SOPRANO TENOR Midori with Jean-Yves Thibaudet
Lillian Balmforth Kaelee Bolme
Stephanie Gray Theo Floor Los Angeles Master Chorale
Shadia Kawa Casey Glick
Teresa Nemeth Will Myers Danish String Quartet
Ada Ng Ed Morris
Jenny Spence Arvind Narayanan
Orlando Consort
Jan Strand Karen Segar Grupo Corpo
Judy Williams Danny Szydlo
Zachary Zimmerman Hélène Grimaud
ALTO
Marissa Burkey BASS Pilobolus
Jacque Deerr-Lord Jim Bartscher
Allison Freel Peter Budny Garrick Ohlsson
Helen Lafferty Ryan Gao
Teena Littleton Tom Lin
Sankai Juku
Corina Rahmig Chris Rule
Liz Reed Hawk Grant Vandehey
Jessica Staire Robert Wade
Hannah Won
MEANYCENTER.ORG
206-543-4880
encorespotlight.com 15FRONT/OUTSIDE INK: B/W
9/14
FONTS USED: Brandon, Chronicle DELIVER TO
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2019, AT 5PM
Opening Night
Concert & Gala
S P E C IAL PER FO RMA NCES
Thomas Dausgaard, conductor
Daniil Trifonov, piano
Seattle Symphony
CARL NIELSEN Overture to Maskarade 4’
take
a bow
SERGEY RACHMANINOV Piano Concerto No. 4 in G minor, Op. 40 24’
Allegro vivace
Largo—
Allegro vivace
DANIIL TRIFONOV, PIANO
IN T ER M IS S IO N 20’
RICHARD STRAUSS
Also sprach Zarathustra, TrV 176, Op. 30 33’
(“Thus Spake Zarathustra”)
Einleitung (“Introduction”)—
Von den Hinterweltlern (“Of the Backworldsmen”)— SEATTLE SYMPHONY
Von der großen Sehnsucht (“Of the Great
Longing”)—
Von den Freuden und Leidenschaften
(“Of Joys and Passions”)—
Das Grablied (“The Song of the Grave”)—
Von der Wissenschaft (“Of Science”)— Tha n k yo u fo r e n r i c h i n g o u r
Der Genesende (“The Convalescent”)—
Das Tanzlied (“The Dance-Song”)— c o m m u n i t y e v e r y d ay w i th
Nachtwandlerlied (“Song of the Night Wanderer”)
yo u r i n sp i r i n g p e r fo rm an ce s
At the beginning of each season the Seattle Symphony celebrates Opening Night by a n d e d u c a t i o n a l p rogram s .
performing The Star-Spangled Banner.
Br a v o!
Daniil Trifonov’s Opening Night Concert performance is generously underwritten by Paul Leach
and Susan Winokur through the Seattle Symphony’s Guest Artists Circle.
Opening Night Concert & Gala Supporting Sponsor: Nordstrom
Please note that the timings provided for this concert are approximate.
Please turn off all electronic devices and refrain from taking photos or video.
Performance ©2019 Seattle Symphony. Copying of any performance by camera, audio or video recording
equipment, and any other use of such copying devices during a performance is prohibited.
16 SEATTLESYMPHONY.ORGPROGRAM NOTES
“ “
I’m so happy to be opening our Rachmaninov’s Fourth Piano with a lyrical second theme followed by
season with a greeting from my Concerto was one of the first yet another equally cantabile offering from
country and my musical background: pieces I conducted with the Seattle the violins. Note the appearance of the
Nielsen is our most famous composer in Symphony, and I have very fond Medieval Dies irae motive, a much-used
Denmark, where his music is performed a memories of how the orchestra played leitmotif in many of Rachmaninov’s works.
lot. My grandmother knew him, because it. This concerto has a darker side than
when she studied piano at the Royal the previous ones, and in this way it hints In the ensuing Largo the soloist initiates
Academy of Music in Copenhagen he towards his Symphonic Dances and things with a brief introduction before
was its Director and taught her and her Third Symphony. When Rachmaninov fled yielding to the strings to announce the
best friend, who later became my piano, Russia in 1917 he stayed in Denmark for main theme on which the entire movement
theory and harmony teacher. So I heard half a year, including performing with the is built. The see-sawing between minor
about Nielsen from as early as I can Royal Opera Orchestra. His wife found the and major tonalities is redolent of
remember. winter very cold, and to keep the fireplace Rachmaninov’s penchant for bittersweet
burning Rachmaninov had to do a lot of sentiment. Mid-movement finds the theme
In one of the first concerts I went to (I wood-chopping, which was not good for skillfully transformed into a horn-driven
was probably 10 or 11), this piece opened his hands. So eventually they left for the sonic maelstrom answered by the piano.
The movement closes with a return to the
”
the programme in the most sparkling U.S. They lived five minutes from where
and up-beat way, and I fell in love with I grew up, and I passed his house on my reverent calm of the opening moments.
it. Later on, while studying conducting at bike everyday going to school.
Filled with jabbing harmonies and a kind
the Royal College of Music in London,
of sardonic humor one associates with
I went to a concert with the Danish
– Thomas Dausgaard his Russian confrères Prokofiev and
National Symphony Orchestra where
Shostakovich, the virtuosic concluding
they performed it as an encore; having
Allegro vivace brushes aside the
been away from his music for a while,
Sergey Rachmaninov (1873–1943) preceding Largo’s reverie. Brilliant
I was blown away by hearing it again,
composed four piano concertos of virtuosity is the order of the day in the
and I realised I had a deep connection
which the best-known are his ripe and finale, by far the most extensively revised
with his musical language — the humour,
romantic second and third essays in that part of the concerto. To help unify the
”
affirmation of life and joy shining in
genre. The October Revolution prompted overall conception Rachmaninov quotes
this miniature work, was simply part of
Rachmaninov to flee to the West to protect thematic fragments from the opening
me.
“
himself from Bolshevist antipathy to his movement.
privileged roots. Though a current of
ingrained Romanticism continued to flow At the Royal College of Music in
– Thomas Dausgaard
through Rachmaninov’s veins, the music London I was privileged to study
he composed during the years left to him with the British conductor Norman Del
In 1906 Danish composer Carl Nielsen clearly show the effect of the newer styles. Mar, who among many other things
(1865–1931) achieved fame with his 1906 One notes, for example, a comparative was an expert on Strauss. He wrote a
comic opera Maskarade, which soon leanness of orchestral textures — more three-volume book on all his works, he
became the national opera of his country. Stravinsky and Prokofiev, say, than was a passionate advocate for his music
The vivacious Overture, filled with wit Tchaikovsky. Furthermore, he never lost — and he had himself met Strauss and
and bold dynamic contrasts, sets the his penchant for engaging melody, yet conducted for him when a festival of
stage for a hectic tale that begins at a his ensuing music focused increasingly Strauss’ music was arranged in London
masked ball where two young people on shorter thematic material, again in after WWII. Norman always stressed the
meet and fall in love. The problem: they keeping with the changing shape of new vitality of his music, never allowing it
are already betrothed by their respective music. One also hears greater concision to become sentimental, and in the first
parents to presumably others. After many and concentration as well as a retreat concert he did when I was at the College
misunderstandings, all is resolved at from luxuriant embellishment and pianistic he conducted Zarathustra, which later
another masked ball where after removing musing. became a favourite for me conducting
their masks everyone sees that the smitten it. The work was groundbreatking at the
pair are, in fact, one another’s betrothed. The opening Allegro vivace of the Fourth time, stringing together so may musical
The Overture is a perfect introduction Concerto (1926; rev. 1941) launches an elements in one unbroken movement,
”
for a comic opera. Lighthearted themes energetic orchestral salvo that introduces and among Strauss’ great tone poems
abound with dancing woodwinds and the main theme, a broadly flowing tune it also stands out as a philosophically
barking brass. A quiet middle section courtesy of the piano. After a transitional inspired work rather than a story.
yields to a sudden forte fugal passage and section replete with rippling piano
the sparkling Overture ends with a quick figurations, the soloist regales the listener
– Thomas Dausgaard
march.
encorespotlight.com 17DANIIL TRIFONOV
PROGRAM NOTES Piano
Russian pianist Daniil
Photo courtesy of Dario Acosta and
Trifonov (dan-EEL
Inspired by the reading of Friedrich Next victim of Strauss and Nietzsche’s TREE-fon-ov) — Musical
Deutsche Grammophon
Nietzsche, Richard Strauss (1864–1949) mocking is “science”: a quasi-12-tone America’s 2019 Artist
composed his massive tone poem Also fugue, as symbol of the most “learned” of the Year — has made
sprach Zarathustra in 1896. Strauss musical science, builds up mysteriously a spectacular ascent of
selected eight of more than 80 topics from the low strings, and eventually leads the classical world.
from the philosopher’s book. In a letter to the fugue played by the full orchestra An exclusive Deutsche
he noted, “I did not intend to write accelerating into a restatement of the Grammophon artist,
philosophical music or portray Nietzsche’s sunrise theme. he won the Grammy Award for Best
great work musically…I meant rather to Instrumental Solo Album of 2018 with his
convey in music an idea of the evolution of It sounds like it could end here, but we
Liszt collection, Transcendental. As The
the human race from its origin, through the are just halfway! A stratospheric rise in the
Times of London put it, he is “without
various phases of development, religious strings takes us to the scene of Zarathustra
rushing out of his cave to proclaim his question the most astounding pianist of
as well as scientific, up to Nietzsche’s idea
vision: master yourself, develop your inner our age.”
of the superman.”
powers!
Zarathustra (Zoroaster) was an actual This season, Trifonov releases Destination
person, a prognosticator and philosopher Fanfares, birds, “search” and “disgust” Rachmaninov: Arrival, recorded
from the 6th century BCE who set forth — themes lead to a Viennese waltz led by with the Philadelphia Orchestra, and
in his interpretation — a set of guidelines the soloviolin — personifying the obtained serves as 2019-20 Artist-in-Residence
to help man (presumably woman, too, to wisdom of Zarathustra. In a huge buildup of the New York Philharmonic. He
give it a needed update) improve and “search” and “disgust” themes interrupt recently undertook similar season-long
thereby improve himself to ultimately each other; the midnight bell sounds and residencies at New York’s Carnegie Hall
becomes an Übermensch (“superman”). the music calms down into the final slow and Vienna’s Musikverein, and with the
section; the “spiritual freedom” theme
London Symphony Orchestra and Berlin
Each section flows continuously beginning in the violins slowing down into a kind
Philharmonic. He also regularly collaborates
with iconic opening “Sunrise” used of music of the spheres. As we might
with ensembles including the Chicago
by Stanley Kubrick in 2001: A Space think we have reached a state of sublime
Odyssey. Its overwhelming power sets insight, surprisingly the “ur-theme” from the Symphony, Cleveland Orchestra, Boston
in motion the entire work. The basic very beginning returns in the mysterious Symphony, Munich Philharmonic, Bavarian
musical motif is a simple but potent rising pizzicatos of the low strings. Their final Radio Symphony, London Philharmonic and
three-note motif C–G–C. This kind of and soft low C reminds us of the power of Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, and gives
theme, sometimes referred to a basic nature: however much we strive for and solo recitals at venues including Carnegie
“Ur Tema” can be traced back to Haydn search, we are part of something bigger Hall, DC’s Kennedy Center, Boston’s
and has served German and Austrian than ourselves. Celebrity Series, London’s Barbican and
composers throughout the 18th and 19th Royal Festival Halls, Paris’s Théâtre des
centuries. The following sections posit Strauss’ Zarathustra-music is larger than Champs Élysées, Brussels’s Palais des
musical evocations that explore Man’s life. Huge orchestra, virtuoso handling in all Beaux-Arts, Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw,
unquenching search for meaning in life, sections set a new standard for what you Berlin’s Philharmonie, Zurich’s Tonhalle,
symbolized by an upward musical figure. could expect from an orchestra. Musically
Vienna’s Musikverein, Barcelona’s Palau de
this freely shaped long symphonic poem
la Musica, Tokyo’s Suntory Hall, the Seoul
Strauss goes on to mock the church — in one movement made waves, and
Arts Center and Melbourne’s Recital Centre.
a string chorus portraying the devout many later symphonic works by others
believers chanting more and more are heavily influenced by this, including
ecstatically, and the organ and horn Nielsen Symphony No. 4, Sibelius’s Trifonov’s honors include First Prize in
echoing traditional church chants (Credo, Symphony No. 7, and Szymanowski’s Tel Aviv’s Rubinstein Competition, Third
Magnificat), in this section, called “Of the Symphony No. 3. It is also extraordinary Prize in Warsaw’s Chopin Competition,
Backworldsmen.” in the chamber musical use of the First Prize and Grand Prix in Moscow’s
orchestra; Mahler was already showing Tchaikovsky Competition, Italy’s Franco
The upward “search” figure following this how to combine music for full forces with Abbiati Prize for Best Instrumental Soloist
section brings on a sweet-sounding theme contrasting very lightly scored sections. and Gramophone’s Artist of the Year. Born
in the high violins, which they pour out at Strauss takes it a step further dividing up in Nizhny Novgorod in 1991, he attended
key moments in the work, including right the string section by desk, each playing Moscow’s Gnessin School of Music before
before the end, symbolizing “spiritual a different line and in effect treating pursuing piano and composition at the
freedom.” the orchestra as an enlarged chamber Cleveland Institute of Music.
ensemble.
A section of “passions and longing”
follows, and its emotional indulgence © 2019 Steven Lowe
sparks off a musical protest: the so-called
“disgust-theme” thunders out in the See Thomas Dausgaard's bio on page 6
trombones, signifying Nietzsche’s and and his thoughts on the season ahead
Strauss’ idea that emotionalism lacks the on page 12!
important spiritual element for man to
reach deeper insights.
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