Sunday, November 7th, 1965
Manchester College Auditorium
C. Dwight Oltman, Conductor
Overture to The Ruins of Athens, Op. 113 | Ludwig van Beethoven | |||
Symphony No. 29 in A Major, K. 201 | Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart | |||
I. Pomposo: Allegro |
||||
Intermission | ||||
Gateway City Overture | Martin Mailman | |||
Premiere Arabesque | Claude Debussy | |||
Divertissemento a la francaise | Caplet | |||
La Source | Hasselmann | |||
Lynne Alison Turner, harp soloist | ||||
Carmen Suite No. 1 | Georges Bizet | |||
I. Prelude |
||||
Program Notes by C. Dwight Oltman |
||||
Overture to The Ruins of Athens, Op. 113 |
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) |
|||
In 1811 Beethoven was chosen to compose music for the opening of a new theater in Budapest. Two dramatic works were written, a "Prelude" and a "Postlude"; each included spoken lines interspersed with singing. August von Kotzebue, Beethoven's collaborator, based his libretto on Greek mythology. Last year King Stephen Overture was played on this series. King Stephen was the "Prelude" for the Budapest dedication. The Ruins of Athens served as the "Postlude." Beethoven's famous "Turkish March" comes from the latter work. All of the music for the occasion was composed in less than three weeks time. |
||||
Symphony No. 29 in A Major, K. 201 | Wolfgang Amadeus
Mozart (1756-1791) |
|||
Few works of art provide the sense of sheer delight of a Mozart symphony. The A Major abounds with charm and good humor. Scored simply for strings, oboes, and two horns, the composition has much of the flexibility and economy of a string quartet. This work ranks as one of Mozart's finest symphonies. The first and last movements are masterful examples of sonata form. Both movements express the brilliant craftsmanship of the eighteen-year-old genius. In the second movement, muted violins initially state the lovely themes. This movement epitomizes ideal balance between logic of form and expressiveness of content. The Menuetto contains a surprising amount of dynamic contrast for a classical symphony. In general, Symphony No. 29 marked an important step for Mozart in developing the potential of symphonic form. |
||||
Gateway City Overture | Martin Mailman (1932-2000) |
|||
Martin Mailman, a graduate of the Eastman School of Music, was one of the first composers chosen in 1959 to participate in the Young Composer's Project, sponsored by the Ford Foundation. Mailman was assigned to the Jacksonville, Florida, school system. During his two years there he wrote the Gateway City Overture. Currently he is composer-in-residence at East Carolina College. Although Gateway City Overture contains some fine lyrical sections, the dominant spirit is exuberant and energetic. Mailman employs the wind and percussion sections with great effectiveness in achieving changes of texture and building brilliant climaxes. |
||||
Carmen Suite No. 1 | Georges Bizet (1838-1875) |
|||
Carmen is widely regarded as the most popular opera ever written. Probably no other opera contains so many melodies which are familiar to the layman. Bizet's unique gift as a melodist reached its apex in the immortal Carmen. He wrote the opera at the age of 37 -- the final year of his life. Suite No. 1 presents outstanding music form all four acts. The foreboding sounds of the "Prelude" give portent of Carmen's eventual death. With the "Aragonaise" the composer sets the stage for Act IV; this act takes place in a square in Seville, Spain. There is great excitement, for a bullfight is about to begin. The "Intermezzo" precedes the third act. Harp and flute begin the music quietly, in a mood appropriate to the solitude of the hills at night. "Sequedilla" is an aria originally sung by Carmen. It is a reckless invitation of love. "Les dragon d'Alcala" serves as an Entr'acte to Act II, which opens in a tavern. In "Les Toreadors" Bizet captures the excitement, the romance, and the Spanish color which makes the opera so universally appealing. |
||||
Manchester Symphony Orchestra Personnel |
||||
Violin I Vernon Stinebaugh, Concertmaster Mary Louise Klotz + Rosemary Manifold Karen King + Esther Carpenter + Leslie Bentley Gordon Collins Violin II Joyce Holda *+ Anita Purvis + Jean Stump + Louis Durflinger Deborah Waas Susan Shull Ernest Zala Viola William Wiley * Frances Early Cora Shultz Marie Heiney Mac Marlowe Cello Paul Bright *+ Barbara Smith + Carol Kirkpatrick + Robert Sametini Bass Herbert Ingraham * Dale Beaver Carol Bowyer + Anthony Cipriano Piccolo Linda Shaw + Flute Eric Sharpe * Donna Scott |
Oboe Carol Noffsinger *+ Clarinet Rudy Sprinkle *+ Evelyn Lawrence + Bass Clarinet Rudy Sprinkle + Bassoon Pete Strodel * Linda Simpson + Horn Bill Haworth *+ Jeannie Turner Sherron Williamson + Sylvia Atkinson + Trumpet David Bobel *+ Robert Bonner + Loren Lewandowski + Trombone Larry Dockter *+ Forrest Bedke + David Dumond Timpani Donna Brian Harp Lynne Turner Percussion Bob Shull + Jim Fuller + Vibraphone Mary Thompson + Piano Karl Schrock + Celeste Jim Wampler + * Denotes principal + Denotes MC student |
|||
Lynne Alison Turner was born in St. Louis, Missouri, where she began the study of piano and harp under the supervision of her parents. Later she studied with Alberto Salvi in Chicago and was awarded a scholarship to the Berkshire Music Festival. Miss Turner then studied three years in Paris. There she received the highest honor of the Paris Conservatory, the "Premier Prix, Primiere Nomme." The young harpist appeared as soloist with the Sienna Festival Orchestra and numerous European chamber groups. In 1962, Miss Turner won First Prize at the Second International Harp Competition held in Tel Aviv, Israel. A concert harp valued at $4,000 was presented to her. The brilliant musician has appeared as soloist with the Chicago Symphony, the Israel Philharmonic, the New York Woodwind Quintet, the Baltimore Chamber Orchestra, and various other professional organizations. Currently, she is a member of the Chicago Symphony. Lynne Turner is the wife of Paul H. Singer. They have one child. |