PROGRAM
Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741): Concerto Alla Rustica (1720-30)
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907): Morning Mood, from Peer Gynt (1875)
Claude Debussy (1862-1918): Clair de Lune (1890–1905), arranged by Clyde Mitchell
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893): Romance (1878), arranged by Clyde Mitchell
Christopher Tyler Nickel (b 1978): Spring’s Twilight (2024)
Johann Strauss II (1825-1899): Voices of Spring (1882)
Aaron Copland (1900-1990): Appalachian Spring, (Ballet for Martha) (1943-44)
“Maestro’s Musings” for May 18, 2024
Welcome to our fun, experimental community experience concert! Tonight we are playing for our friends and fans in a new small group concept, presenting a short concert in a smaller venue, rather than our usual big symphonic orchestra events. When talking with our Culver City Symphony Board, one concern was that our audiences have told us they enjoy hearing great masterworks by great composers. Well, friends, those concerns are resolved! Tonight you will hear great music composed and/or arranged for an ensemble of 13 players by such luminaries as Vivaldi, Grieg, Tchaikovsky, and famed U.S. composer Aaron Copland. Here’s the menu for Springtime:
Antonio Vivaldi was a master violinist and music teacher in an orphanage for young girls in Venice. He wrote hundreds of works for string orchestra, including the Presto opening of the rousing “Alla Rustica.”
Tonight is about being outdoors and enjoying springtime! But… to get me up and out on a beautiful spring morning, instead of the energetic rhythms displayed by our String family, I prefer the slow, gradually expanding melodies played by our Woodwinds. “Morning Mood” is gentle music composed by the Norwegian Edvard Grieg. Peer Gynt is the title character of a play by Hendrik Ibsen, where young Peer imagines incredible experiences growing up and traveling around the world. Morning Mood depicts a calm sunrise, but actually represents a nightmare for Peer; he awakens to find himself abandoned on a desert island!
Moving from Morning to Moonlight - Another example of combining words and music is the familiar Clair de Lune by French Impressionist Composer Claude Debussy, which was inspired by a poem of French writer Paul Verlain. Imagine watercolors by Monet, Manet, or Renoir during our musical representation of a clear, calm, moonlit night.
Piotr Ilych Tchaikovsky is known for his majestic and romantic symphonies, operas, and concertos, but he also loved songs and chamber music. He created a series of miniatures for young pianists and dedicated an Album of 24 Pieces for Children to his nephew Vladimir. I chose his “Old French Romance” because - well - Springtime, Tchaikovsky, and Romance go well together!
We’ve had music from Italy, Norway, France, and Russia; and now something from the Great White North: O, Canada! “Spring’s Twilight” was written by our neighbor’s busiest and finest composer, Christopher Tyler Nickel. This winding, swirling, and ethereal music is dedicated to Chris’ wife, and was written for their wedding! We really have to stay on our toes for this one; the complex rhythms don’t stay in a steady march tempo or three/quarter time waltz. Enjoy a world premiere!
Speaking of waltzing, next is “Voices of Spring” by the Waltz King himself, Johann Strauss, Jr. This familiar waltz was originally written as a Concert Aria for soprano solo (Welcome, Brooke deRosa!) and achieved such great success that Strauss reworked it into a more standard dance piece for orchestra. We’re presenting the original waltz-song version, and our favorite soloist sings of larks and nightingales, fountains and twinkling stars, and of course, love. It’s springtime in Vienna, too!
We’ll close on a note from closer to home, by Aaron Copland, Dean of American Composers. His music just SOUNDS like America! When we consider the titles of his most famous works, such as A Lincoln Portrait, Fanfare for the Common Man, Rodeo, Billy the Kid, and dozens more, it’s easy to imagine great statesmen, heroes, cowboys, pioneers, etc. My favorite work by this American icon is “Appalachian Spring,” a ballet depicting the life of a couple getting married in rural Pennsylvania. They grow together and experience life from wedding to Civil War, springtime planting, and a revival meeting in their Shaker Church, featuring the song “Simple Gifts.”
Thank you for sharing this evening with us! We musicians, volunteers, and board members of the Culver City Symphony Orchestra are delighted to reach out to our wonderful community, and greatly appreciate Grace Lutheran Church and Culver City Rotary Community Foundation for their generous support. We would love to hear from you! Please share your thoughts about this casual concert format, music by your favorite composers you’d like to hear, soloists, etc. Your CCSO exists to play for you, dear friends.
See you again soon at the Symphony!
Clyde
Antonio Vivaldi (1678–1741): Concerto Alla Rustica (1720-30)
Edvard Grieg (1843-1907): Morning Mood, from Peer Gynt (1875)
Claude Debussy (1862-1918): Clair de Lune (1890–1905), arranged by Clyde Mitchell
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893): Romance (1878), arranged by Clyde Mitchell
Christopher Tyler Nickel (b 1978): Spring’s Twilight (2024)
Johann Strauss II (1825-1899): Voices of Spring (1882)
Aaron Copland (1900-1990): Appalachian Spring, (Ballet for Martha) (1943-44)
“Maestro’s Musings” for May 18, 2024
Welcome to our fun, experimental community experience concert! Tonight we are playing for our friends and fans in a new small group concept, presenting a short concert in a smaller venue, rather than our usual big symphonic orchestra events. When talking with our Culver City Symphony Board, one concern was that our audiences have told us they enjoy hearing great masterworks by great composers. Well, friends, those concerns are resolved! Tonight you will hear great music composed and/or arranged for an ensemble of 13 players by such luminaries as Vivaldi, Grieg, Tchaikovsky, and famed U.S. composer Aaron Copland. Here’s the menu for Springtime:
Antonio Vivaldi was a master violinist and music teacher in an orphanage for young girls in Venice. He wrote hundreds of works for string orchestra, including the Presto opening of the rousing “Alla Rustica.”
Tonight is about being outdoors and enjoying springtime! But… to get me up and out on a beautiful spring morning, instead of the energetic rhythms displayed by our String family, I prefer the slow, gradually expanding melodies played by our Woodwinds. “Morning Mood” is gentle music composed by the Norwegian Edvard Grieg. Peer Gynt is the title character of a play by Hendrik Ibsen, where young Peer imagines incredible experiences growing up and traveling around the world. Morning Mood depicts a calm sunrise, but actually represents a nightmare for Peer; he awakens to find himself abandoned on a desert island!
Moving from Morning to Moonlight - Another example of combining words and music is the familiar Clair de Lune by French Impressionist Composer Claude Debussy, which was inspired by a poem of French writer Paul Verlain. Imagine watercolors by Monet, Manet, or Renoir during our musical representation of a clear, calm, moonlit night.
Piotr Ilych Tchaikovsky is known for his majestic and romantic symphonies, operas, and concertos, but he also loved songs and chamber music. He created a series of miniatures for young pianists and dedicated an Album of 24 Pieces for Children to his nephew Vladimir. I chose his “Old French Romance” because - well - Springtime, Tchaikovsky, and Romance go well together!
We’ve had music from Italy, Norway, France, and Russia; and now something from the Great White North: O, Canada! “Spring’s Twilight” was written by our neighbor’s busiest and finest composer, Christopher Tyler Nickel. This winding, swirling, and ethereal music is dedicated to Chris’ wife, and was written for their wedding! We really have to stay on our toes for this one; the complex rhythms don’t stay in a steady march tempo or three/quarter time waltz. Enjoy a world premiere!
Speaking of waltzing, next is “Voices of Spring” by the Waltz King himself, Johann Strauss, Jr. This familiar waltz was originally written as a Concert Aria for soprano solo (Welcome, Brooke deRosa!) and achieved such great success that Strauss reworked it into a more standard dance piece for orchestra. We’re presenting the original waltz-song version, and our favorite soloist sings of larks and nightingales, fountains and twinkling stars, and of course, love. It’s springtime in Vienna, too!
We’ll close on a note from closer to home, by Aaron Copland, Dean of American Composers. His music just SOUNDS like America! When we consider the titles of his most famous works, such as A Lincoln Portrait, Fanfare for the Common Man, Rodeo, Billy the Kid, and dozens more, it’s easy to imagine great statesmen, heroes, cowboys, pioneers, etc. My favorite work by this American icon is “Appalachian Spring,” a ballet depicting the life of a couple getting married in rural Pennsylvania. They grow together and experience life from wedding to Civil War, springtime planting, and a revival meeting in their Shaker Church, featuring the song “Simple Gifts.”
Thank you for sharing this evening with us! We musicians, volunteers, and board members of the Culver City Symphony Orchestra are delighted to reach out to our wonderful community, and greatly appreciate Grace Lutheran Church and Culver City Rotary Community Foundation for their generous support. We would love to hear from you! Please share your thoughts about this casual concert format, music by your favorite composers you’d like to hear, soloists, etc. Your CCSO exists to play for you, dear friends.
See you again soon at the Symphony!
Clyde