Greenville Symphony Orchestra

“A Hero's Inspiration”
By Paul Hyde

 

Gioacchino Rossini (1792-1868)

 

Rossini's Overture to "William Tell" is one of classical music's most familiar compositions, and with good reason: It packs a wealth of tunefulness and exuberance into a piece that's just over 11 minutes long.

 

"William Tell," written in 1829, was the last and grandest of Rossini's 39 operas. It is based on a play by Friedrich Schiller in which the hero of the title leads his Swiss countrymen against the hated foreign rule of Austria. The well-known story relates that Tell is forced to undergo a trial in which he must shoot an apple placed on his son's head.

 

Though often heard (in such diverse places as animated cartoons and the radio and TV versions of "The Lone Ranger") and sometimes parodied, the overture never fails to appeal to audiences.

 

The overture is divided into four distinct sections, expressively setting the mood of the opera. In the opening, solo cellos offer a wonderfully poignant melody, suggesting a mountain sunrise. That's followed by a dynamic storm sequence, with trombones raging forcefully.

 

The third section is a Ranz des vaches, a Swiss cattlemen's call to the flocks, here prominently featuring the English horn. The final section of the overture begins with a fiery trumpet fanfare, a call to arms, followed by the famous gallop -- a symbol of the Swiss people's revolt against the foreign tyrant.

 

In one version of the opera's finale, Rossini concludes with the words "Victoire et liberte" ("Victory and liberty"). That aptly sums up the spirit of the overture's concluding passages as well.

Aram Khachaturian (1903-1978)

The works of Khachaturian, a Soviet-Armenian composer, were heavily influenced by Armenian folk music. Born in the Georgian capital of Tiflis (now Tbilisi), Khachaturian grew up surrounded by folk influences, as he said, "an atmosphere rich in folk music, festivities, rituals, joyful and tragic events in the life of the people ... impressions that became engraved on my memory and determined my musical thinking ... the natural soil nourishing my work."

 

Khachaturian composed his ballet "Spartacus" in 1956. The story concerns the historical revolt in 73 BC of slaves led by Spartacus, a Thracian warrior, against the Romans.

 

The score is notable for its colorful orchestration, syncopated folk-like rhythms and vivid contrasts, alternating episodes of appealing lyricism and flamboyant exuberance. The suite offers four scenes from the ballet:

 

I. Adagio of Spartacus and Phrygia: A passionate theme accompanies the reunion of the hero and his wife after her rescue from Crassus, the Roman commander. Its tune may have been inspired by traditional Armenian laments. Often referred to as the "Love Theme from 'Spartacus,'" the music begins softly and builds to a brilliant intensity before subsiding into a wistful restatement of the main theme.

 

II. Variation of Aegina and Bacchanalia: The scene is a lively solo dance for Aegina, mistress of Crassus. Beginning in a spirited vein, the music grows increasingly frenzied in celebration of Bacchus, the Roman god of wine and revelry.

 

III. Scene and Dance with Crotalums: A banquet at the villa of Crassus features a dance accompanied by crotalums -- small, cymbal-like metal clappers, held like castanets in one hand. They were a type of instrument known to have been used in ancient Roman orchestras.

 

IV.Dance of Pirates: The movement packs a lot of energy into a few brief bars. Like Khachaturian's other robust dances, the vigorous Dance of the Pirates is reminiscent of Armenian folk dances from the composer's beloved homeland.

 

V. Dance of Gaditanae and Victory of Spartacus: A swaying dance gives way to music representing the temporary victory of Spartacus in single-combat with Crassus, whose life he then spares. The music builds powerfully, culminating in a highly-syncopated episode and the fanfare-like theme associated with Spartacus.

Edward Elgar (1857-1934)

 

Edward Elgar's subject was the glory of Victorian England. In his music, one hears a reflection of England at the height of its power, proud and noble, before the horror of World War I descended, shattering lives and the confidence of a nation.

 

Elgar's devotion to the past was captured in his colorful comments on the British Empire Exhibition of 1924: "17,000 men hammering, loud speakers, amplifiers -- four aeroplanes circling overhead, etc, etc. -- all mechanical and horrible -- no soul and no romance and no imagination ... but at my feet I saw a group of real daisies. Something wet rolled down my cheek -- and I am not ashamed of it. ... Damn everything except the daisy."

 

An early inspiration for Elgar's Symphony No. 1 may have been Gen. Charles George Gordon, the popular, idealistic hero killed in the siege of Khartoum in 1885. As early as 1898, Elgar had said he wanted to compose a symphony in memory of Gordon, and certainly the Symphony No. 1 exhibits a brash assurance and heroic spirit. The work begins with a solemn theme with the feeling of a procession. Throughout the work, the theme will be heard in various guises, returning at the very end of the symphony for a grand conclusion.

 

The overwhelming sentiment in the symphony is one of nobility, a term often favored by Elgar. In an early performance of the symphony conducted by Elgar, the composer's wife connected Elgar's music with his own character: "E. conducted splendidly and looked nobilmente (nobly) as if he were his music."

 

It was not until 1907, shortly after his fiftieth birthday, that Elgar began working in earnest on the symphony, which was first performed the following year. It was an immediate success, receiving 100 performances during its first year.

 

Reaction to the symphony was enthusiastic. Hans Richter, to whom the symphony is dedicated, extravagantly praised it at a rehearsal in 1908, calling it "the greatest symphony of modern times, written by the greatest modern composer — and not only in this country." Shostakovich stated that, in his opinion, it was one of the greatest symphonies of the 20th century.

 

The press called the premiere a triumph. Under the heading "The Musical Event of the Year," the Daily Mail wrote: "It is quite plain that here we have perhaps the finest masterpiece of its type that ever came from the pen of an English composer."

 

Elgar himself once described the work as representing "a wide experience of human life with a great charity (love) and a massive hope in the future."

 

The symphony is in the traditional four movements:

 

I. The march-like theme (called a motto theme) that will appear throughout the work is introduced softly, gaining in strength with each repetition. Elgar then unleashes an abundance of other melodic ideas, with contrasting sections of tense drama, rhapsodic exuberance and serene reflection. When the processional motto theme returns at the end of the movement, it does so faintly, dying away.

 

II. The second movement is a scherzo, scurrying along at a brisk pace. Elgar is never at a loss, however, for contrasting material. He offers a new boisterous march as well as more lyrical passages. The music subsides to proceed directly into the third movement.

 

III. The main theme is actually a much slower transformation of the scurrying pattern at the start of the scherzo. Richter hailed this movement, with its gentle grandeur, as the sort of piece Beethoven would have written.

 

IV. The final movement begins in darkness, with recollections of an anxious theme from the first movement and the introduction of other tense thematic material. That's followed by a rather menacing march theme that will be transformed into a beautiful melody for strings. The tension returns but only to make way for the grand restatement of the processional motto from the first movement, ending the symphony in triumph.