All about Kerry DuWors

Hailed for her “soaring cantilena” (Gramophone Magazine), violinist Kerry DuWors has performed across Canada, the United States, Europe, Mexico, Japan and New Zealand. In demand as a versatile chamber musician, Kerry champions collaboration across an array of ensembles from her duo work to leading chamber orchestras. Highlights include performances with duo526, James Ehnes, Yo-Yo Ma, Dame Evelyn Glennie and NYC-based The Knights. Praised for “always finding the music behind the notes” and her “fearless competence” (Winnipeg Free Press), she has been soloist with the National Arts Centre Orchestra, Winnipeg Symphony, Saskatoon Symphony, and Manitoba Chamber Orchestra. In 2014, Kerry released her debut duo526 CD Ballade for PARMA Recordings with pianist Futaba Niekawa.  Her sophomore album DUO FANTASY was released May 2019 featuring works by Villa-Lobos, Arnold Bax, and William Bolcom. “DuWors and Niekawa are a beautifully balanced duo, with exceptional intonation and a tangible empathy” (Gramophone Magazine).

Kerry has won prestigious awards including Grand Prize at the 26th Eckhardt-Gramatté National Music Competition, Felix Galimir Award for Chamber Music Excellence, and two Canada Council Career Development Grants. She is a four-time laureate of the Canada Council for the Arts’ Musical Instrument Bank and played on Gagliano, Pressenda and Rocca violins between 2003-2015. She currently plays on a modern instrument by Felix Krafft modeled after the 1735 “Plowden” Guarneri.

Curiosity drives Kerry’s dedicated academic and musical study through creative projects, artist residencies (Banff Centre, Avaloch Farm, Indiana University), commissions, premières, masterclasses, and community outreach. Her mentors include Lorand Fenyves, Charles Castleman, Scott St. John, Jean Barr, and the Lafayette String Quartet. Committed to pedagogy and mentorship, Kerry has been Associate Professor at Canada’s Brandon University since 2003. She created the annual duo526 Sonata Seminar in 2018 to mentor the next generation of collaborative duo players.

TEACHING

Prof. Kerry DuWors was appointed to Brandon University’s School of Music in 2003 as the youngest tenure-track music professor in Canada.  She is currently Associate Professor of Violin & Chamber Music. Prof. DuWors has recruited students to Brandon University from across Canada, the United States, Mexico, China, South Korea, Belize, and Brazil at both undergraduate and graduate levels.

Students from Prof. DuWors’ studio have gone to graduate programs at Berklee College of Music (MA), Aaron Copland School of Music – CUNY Queen’s College (NY), University of Limerick (Ireland), University of British Columbia, Ottawa University, Memorial University, University of Victoria, University of Missouri-Kansas City, University of Sydney (Australia), Queen’s University, University of North Texas, University of Oklahoma, and the Fellowship Program at Community MusicWorks (Providence, RI).

Many are also employed as professional orchestral players and educators: Vancouver Opera Orchestra, Newfoundland Symphony Orchestra, Symphony New Brunswick, National Academy Orchestra of Canada, Saint John String Quartet, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Ottawa Symphony Orchestra, Kingston Symphony Orchestra, Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, Regina Symphony Orchestra, KwaZulu-Natal Philharmonic Orchestra (South Africa), Edward Said National Conservatory of Music (Palestine), Education and Outreach – Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Vancouver Academy of Music, St. James Academy of Music – Sistema Vancouver, Sistema New Brunswick, Sistema Newfoundland and Labrador, Suzuki Charter School (Edmonton), Suzuki Music Winnipeg, Prince George Conservatory of Music), Wentworth Music Education Centre (Kelowna).

Prof. DuWors’ students have been accepted into internationally respected programs: National Youth Orchestra of Canada, Aspen Music Festival, Domaine Forget International Festival, the Orford Summer Academy, Pacific Region International Summer Music Academy, the String Program at the Centre for Opera Studies in Italy, Rosamunde Summer Music Academy, and Burton Kaplan’s Magic Mountain Music Farm (NY). Her students have competed and won prizes at the National Music Festival as representatives from Manitoba in the String and Chamber Music categories, Saskatchewan Shurniak Concerto Competition, as well as the finals for the Shumiatcher Scholarship Competition (Regina) and Women’s Musical Club of Winnipeg McClellan Competition.

Prof. DuWors is also in demand as an adjudicator and competition juror across Canada: the 2018 National Music Festival (NB), festivals in Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, Regina, Moose Jaw), Alberta (Edmonton, Calgary, Provincial Finals), British Columbia (Vancouver Kiwanis, Provincial Finals), Ontario (Provincial Finals), and Manitoba (WMC McLellan Competition, RMTA Scholarship Competition, Eckhardt-Gramatté Conservatory Scholarship Competition, Saskatchewan Orchestral Association.

She regularly gives studio classes at Brandon University and has been invited to give masterclasses internationally: University of Victoria, University of Calgary, Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, Wilfrid Laurier University, Schulich School of Music – McGill University, Mount Allison University, Regina Conservatory of Music, Ohio State University, University of Dayton  (OH), University of Tennessee (Knoxville), University of Northern Colorado (Greeley), University of Oklahoma, Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, University of Canterbury (Christchurch, New Zealand).

Introducing Geneviève Leclair

Geneviève Leclair is Assistant Professor at Berklee College of Music where she has been teaching since 2016 and an active guest conductor with organizations across Canada, the United States and the U.K.

Highlights of the 2021-22 season include guest appearances with Oakville SymphonyGuelph Symphony and Concord Orchestra.

Equally at home in symphony, ballet and opera, she was a recurring guest conductor with The National Ballet of Canada and Northern Ballet (UK), Music Director of Parkway Concert Orchestra from 2013 to 2019, as well as Assistant Conductor and Guest Conductor of the Boston Ballet Orchestra from 2010 to 2017, and a member of the Board of Directors of the International Conductors Guild from 2017 to 2020.

In recent years, she has had the opportunity to work with orchestras, such as  Winnipeg  Symphony, Symphony New Hampshire, Symphony New Brunswick, Orchestre symphonique du Saguenay-Lac-St-Jean, Guelph Symphony, Boston University Chamber Orchestra, Syracuse University Symphony Orchestra and New England Conservatory Chamber and Youth Philharmonic Orchestras. In 2020, she conducted the Québec premiere of Laura Kaminsky’s opera As One in a live stream that has since been broadcast on OuTV to rave reviews.

Geneviève was awarded the 2017 American Prize in orchestral conducting, college/university division and took 2nd place in the professional orchestra division. In 2010, she was honored to receive the Sir Ernest MacMillan Memorial Foundation Award in orchestral conducting. Her performances have been hailed as «impeccable» (Boston Phoenix), «ravishing» and of «exemplary pacing and reading» (Hugh Fraser) while her conducting style has been praised for its «verve and precision», «confident dynamics and tempos, crisp rhythms, and crystalline phrasing creat[ing] powerful forward momentum» (Carla DeFord).

Geneviève holds a Doctor of Musical Arts degree in Orchestral Conducting from Boston University under the tutelage of Maestro David Hoose. She had previously obtained Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in flute performance at Université de Montréal, the latter under the supervision of Mr. Denis Bluteau, former associate principal flutist of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra. She also studied choral conducting with Dr. Ann Howard Jones and perfected her art through public and private master classes led by Boris Brott, Kenneth Kiesler, Carl Topilow, Susan Hoeppner, Camille Churchfield, André Papillon, Lise Daoust and Jeanne Baxtresser. In November 2010, she was invited by the National Arts Center Orchestra (Ottawa) to attend the first edition of their Canadian Conductors Workshop.

In addition to her career as a performer and teacher, Ms. Leclair is also a published author of music literature and theory exercise books, Les Devoirs du Prof. Rémi / Prof. Solfa’s Workbooks through Les Éditions École de musique Vincent-d’Indy.

How the [Uncertain] Four Seasons was written

In 2019 the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchestra performed a work called The For Seasons.  It was a concept developed by Jung von Matt that used an algorithm that took climate data gathered from 1725 until 2019 to rewrite Vivaldi’s well-known Four Seasons. 

Building on that concept by using data from The Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5) RCP 8.5 scenario, the [Uncertain] Four Seasons project was born. Using localized data and projections from the present to 2050 orchestras from across the globe have received rewritten versions of Vivaldi’s work.

The aim of this project is to get more countries and organizations to sign the Leaders’ Pledge for Nature and commit to reversing biodiversity loss by 2030. While our performance is on October 9th, we are submitting a recording that will be a part of a 24 hour performance of [Uncertain] Four Season variations from around the globe.

Read more about the project on the [Uncertain] Four Seasons website: https://the-uncertain-four-seasons.info/

Susannah’s Ain’t it a Pretty Night

Biblical stories have commonly found their way into the performing arts, often taking on the cultural flavour of the time in which they were created. You need look no further than shows like Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar or Darren Aronofsky’s film, Noah, for eye opening examples of this. Yet, an intriguing case can be seen in Carlisle Floyd’s Susannah, a 1950s take on Susannah and the Elders from the Book of Daniel. Floyd transports the story to mid-century Tennessee, offering him the opportunity to capitalize on his gift for Appalachian musical styles. He then wraps the narrative in the social realism of composers like Kurt Weill from the 1930s and 40s. The resulting story maintains the biblical stance against false witness and hypocrisy, but also offers a more realistic account of the human cost concerning uneven, patriarchal power dynamics.

Carlisle Floyd

Unlike most opera composers, Floyd took greater control over the creative process by writing not only the music but the words too! As well as being a composer, Floyd was also a successful playwright, having won acclaim for his literary abilities while still an undergraduate. Floyd’s double duty created a unique consistency between music and lyrics, allowing his deeply emotional voice to tug harder on the hearts on the listeners. Susannah’s fate falls far from the moral righteousness of the original story, and Floyd ensures that this change in tone does not go unnoticed. Susannah’s hardship and unfair rejection by her community shares an eerie familiarity with the fate of Fantine in Les Misérables, albeit with a slightly less tragic ending.

One of the most memorable arias from the show is “Ain’t it a Pretty Night,” sung by Susannah early in the first act. We are thankful to have Saskatoon’s own Danika Lorèn reutrning home to perform this gorgeous song. Lorèn is no stranger to the SSO or our patrons, having most recently appeared as the soprano soloist in our 2019 Messiah concert and as director for our Mozart Reimagined collaboration with the Saskatoon Opera Association. Lorèn’s gift for interpretation makes her the perfect choice to bring this remarkable, hopeful character to life, and her tenacity makes her more than a match for the musical and emotional climaxes in Floyd’s writing.

The aria scene starts with Little Bat McLean, a young man who took a shine to Susannah at a community dance, returning with her to the house that she shares with her older brother, Sam. While they idly chat on the front porch, Susannah begins to exclaim the beauty of the night sky and the world around them, displaying a literal starry-eyed optimism – at one point she describes the sky as “velvet stitched with diamon’s.” She then begins to imagine a future beyond her Appalachian setting, envisioning a life of tall buildings and mail order catalogues. Yet, she does not wish to fully leave Appalachia behind and comforts herself with the notation that she could always return. The aria’s optimistic innocence creates a strong, almost parental bond between the character and the audience that makes Susannah’s ultimate fate all the more agonizing.

This opera is truly a hidden gem of the twentieth century, and we are overjoyed to be sharing a taste of its brilliance with you in this eventful, 91st opening night concert!

One Hand, One Hearty Pair of Overtures

Long before Winnipeg ever faced off against San Jose, the jets and sharks were rumbling in the streets of New York City in Leonard Bernstein’s masterful 1957 musical, West Side Story. Bernstein was one of the most prolific and well-known American composers and conductors of the twentieth century. He found critical acclaim quite young (his mid-twenties!) as the assistant conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, an organization with which he would later achieve international fame as its music director. He has left behind an abundance of canonic works, though none have reached the pop cultural status of West Side Story.

West Side Story is an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s unforgettable play, Romeo and Juliet, reworked to reflect the gritty reality of 1950s New York. Shakespeare’s Montagues and Capulets are replaced by the Jets and Sharks gangs, the former the established neighborhood gang, the latter a group of Puerto Rican newcomers. The roles of Romeo and Juliet of replaced by those of Tony and Maria. The largest break from Shakespeare comes in Maria’s survival – she lives to deliver a damning speech to both gangs, decrying their joint responsibility in Tony’s death.

The overture captures some of the most dramatic parts of the show and highlights Bernstein’s incredible integration of dance music. The opening rumble music has a brassy, primal quality to it that initially takes you by surprise! Luckily, Bernstein knows just when to introduce the theme from “Tonight” (the balcony duet music) in the strings to remind you that not everything will be so daunting. Bernstein then transitions to “Maria,” Tony’s hit number from the first act. The melody opens with the infamous tritone (the same two notes that open the Simpsons theme song!), which Bernstein uses thematically throughout the whole show. The end of the section features a stunning horn solo that will surely melt your heart. Following this, Bernstein gives us a taste of the mambo dance music that absolutely steals the first half of the show. The music allows for the combative rivalry between the two gangs to manifest in an all-out dance off to the mambo’s exciting Latin rhythms. The overture progressively builds to a whirlwind finale that will leave you certain that West Side Story will feature at your next family move night!

Bernstein’s other monumental stage work is his comic operatta (little opera) Candide. Though the performance history of the show is littered with rewrites and turnover in the creative team, Candide has remained a staple in opera houses, due largely to Bernstein’s musical brilliance. The story is taken from a book of the same name by the eighteenth-century French philosopher, Voltaire, in which he rebukes the optimism of earlier thinkers. The character of Candide travels around the world before returning to his home and deciding, alongside his love Cunegonde, to take his future happiness into his own hands.

The Candide overture is ingenious for its insertion of thematic snippets into a classic sonata structure. Bernstein opens with a brash fanfare, designed to ensnare the attention of everyone in the hall. He then flies into a run of tunes from the show that are too numerous to list. This jukebox theme is followed by a more lyrical section that features Candide and Cunegonde’s love duet, “Oh Happy We.” This melody beautifully captures the initial optimism and naivete of the lovers and is delightfully playful! After an extended rendition of the duet melody, Bernstein brings in music from what is undoubtedly the most famous song in the whole show, “Glitter and be Gay.” Sung by Cunegonde at the end of act one, the song can be praised equally for its theatricality and vocal acrobatics. The section quoted in the overture is an exuberant display of coloratura (many fast notes in a row), punctuated by jumps up to the stratosphere of the singer’s range. This energy is not lost in the orchestral version and is sure to have your toes tapping by the end. The overture finishes in a truly romantic opera fashion, rising to a cacophony of instrumental bravado. If I may be ‘candide,’ it certainly won’t disappoint!

The Carmen Suites

The two Carmen orchestral suites beautifully capture some of the show’s most memorable moments and bring the drama of the opera stage into the concert hall. Though writing for a Parisian audience, Bizet alluded to the opera’s Spanish setting with inspiration from the unique rhythms found in Spanish dance music. Spain’s musical tradition had its roots in the historical Islamic culture of the country, differentiating it from the musical traditions of other European regions. The Habanera sung by Carmen in the first act is one of the most famous tunes from the show and uses the distinctive rhythmic pulses of the Spanish dance by the same name. The aria has remained popular to this day – no doubt you’ll want to start humming along with the orchestra when they start to play it!

Another exciting Spanish influence comes in the form of Escamillo, the toreador (bullfighter). Bullfighting is a quintessentially Spanish sport, still popular today. Escamillo’s brash character encapsulates the necessary bravado of someone willing to stand their ground against an angry, charging bull. His toast aria is a highlight of the show and as easily recognizable as Carmen’s Habanera. In the suite, a robust trumpet stands in for bombastic baritone voice from the opera.

danika
Danika Loren, soprano

Another highlight, this time for its heartfelt tenderness, is Micaëla’s third act aria, “Je dis que rien ne m’épourante” (I say that nothing frightens me). The melody captures a supple lyricism unique to nineteenth-century French music. Bizet’s mentor, Charles Gounod, was a master of this French lyricism and once joked that Bizet had stolen the music for this aria from him! The SSO is grateful to have the wonderful Danika Lorèn with us to sing this aria. Her powerful yet sensitive soprano brilliantly captures the lyric style and ensures that there will not be a dry eye in the house by the aria’s conclusion.

One of the most important musical themes from the opera is the fate theme. This theme opens the first of the two suites and sets the tone for both the suite and the opera itself. The descending line can be heard throughout the show as an ominous foreshadowing of Carmen’s death at the hands of Don José. The ill-omened tone of this theme is balanced by the serenity of the Intermezzo that follows. A pastoral flute solo lulls the listener to a place a deep contentment before Bizet introduces the Séguedille, another playful Spanish dance that will have you swaying in your seats. After the rhythmic and military “Dragons of Alcala,” taken from the prelude to the third act, the first suite ends with the energetic, circus-like music of the bullring. Though the music is boisterous, it is melancholic to remember that it functions as the sonic backdrop to Carmen’s tragic death.

While the first suite takes most of its movements from Carmen’s intermezzos and preludes, the second suite utilizes music from within the action of the opera itself. The suite opens with a segment entitled “Marche des Contrebaniers” (Smuggler’s March) which evokes the anxious playfulness expected from a group of smugglers. Following this, the listener is treated to orchestral renditions of Carmen’s Habanera, Micaëla’s third act aria, and Escamillo’s toast aria. “La Garde Montante” (The Rising Guard) is taken from the children’s chorus in the opera’s first act. The children sing about imitating the soldiers as the guards change over. The opening trumpet call and the march-like piccolo give the music a distinctly military flavour that, similar to the Smuggler’s march, balances optimism with a nervous energy.
The final movement, “Danse Bohème” (Gypsy Dance), finishes the suite with all the mystique that the name implies. The unexpected volume and melodic changes keep you on your toes and the cryptic oboe solo is delightfully intriguing. The music accelerates its way to a truly climatic finish that will have you on your feet, your heart pumping with courageous energy, ready to hit the dance floor yourself or even try your own luck in Escamillo’s bullring!

Bizet’s Carmen

Georges Bizet’s Carmen is one of the most beloved pieces of theatre in the operatic canon. The story’s exotic locations, which include a Sevillian cigarette factory, a bullring, and a smuggler’s lair, add to the air of mystique and fantasy that has kept audiences spellbound since the opera’s premiere in 1875.

Carmen originally premiered at the Opéra-Comique theatre in Paris, causing quite a stir with its overt sexual themes and tragic ending. Still reeling from the dismal outcome of the Franco-Prussian War, Parisians in the 1870s had a taste for the melancholic and Carmen’s femme fatale character perfectly captured the spirit of the moment. As an opéra comique (a French genre similar to modern musical theatre), Carmen originally consisted of musical numbers interspersed between spoken dialogue. Music was later added to these dialogues by Bizet’s friend, Ernest Guiraud, to fit the standard structure of an opera.

At the time of Carmen’s premiere, Bizet was a struggling up and comer in the French musical landscape. His primary musical influence came from his teacher, Charles Gounod, a composer now fondly remembered for operas like Roméo et Juliette and Faust. From Gounod, Bizet developed an instinctive grasp for the lyrical style unique to France in this period. His experimentalism and eccentrism however are all his own! He sadly never found major success during his own lifetime, hampered by bouts of crippling self-doubt. His tragically young death, aged only 36, further limited his output, the silver lining being his completion of Carmen only three months prior to his death.

The story of Carmen is one of tragic love, jealousy, and unalterable fate. Don José falls for the seductive Carmen, an infatuation that costs him his military commission, his reputation, and eventually his sanity. As he falls deeper under Carmen’s spell, Carmen’s fleeting affections turn more to Escamillo, the bombastic bullfighter. Following a climactic fight between the two suitors, Carmen convinces Don José to leave. At Escamillo’s next bullfight, Don José seeks out Carmen. When she spurns him, he loses control and stabs her. The opera ends with the celebratory music of Escamillo’s victory accompanying the sight of Don José standing over Carmen’s lifeless body. Though this ending is undoubtedly, heartbreakingly tragic, Bizet and his librettists, Meilhac and Halévy, masterfully navigate the emotional topography of the opera, offering up moments of pure joy and elation to balance out the weight of Carmen and Don José’s tragic fate. 

Though Carmen was by far the most successful of Bizet’s operatic creations (it ran for 45 performances in 1875 – 27 more than any of his other shows), it initially failed to invigorate both the audience and the critics. The directors of the theatre had been reluctant to even stage the work because of its risqué nature. It has been suggested that Carmen’s popularity only eventually rose due to a morbid curiosity created around Bizet’s untimely death. Though this is an oversimplification, it is certainly true that the opera experienced a gradual rise in popularity. Egged on by the support of composers such as Saint-Saëns and Tchaikovsky, within less than ten years it had become a global success and has continued to intrigue and entertain countless generations of audiences into the present day!

Watch Party Idea – Time for a Picnic!

 

If you’re like us, you’re looking for little ways to get an escape! With our Trip to the Country live stream our goal is take you on a musical journey away from busyness and stress and into nature…and if you’ve got a tablet or computer you can quite literally take us outdoors!

With that in mind, here are some fun ideas that can give you a chance to take a picnic right in your backyard, on the deck, or inside if its raining!

First up is the Food!

It’s all about being refreshed – and while a picnic takes a little bit of preparation, the pay off is totally worth it. Let’s start with the mix of sweet and savory to give your taste buds their own little adventure. The best part? Each recipe is incredibly easy to make!

How about a simple yet absolutely delicious Thai Watermelon Salad paired with Prawn & Avocado Vietnamese Summer Rolls. You can have a lot of fun preparing Picnic Dip Jars and you get a little fancy with some Mini Pork and Chorizo Picnic Pies.

If you’re wanting to support some amazing local eateries, our picks for this concert include ordering take out from Botte Chai Bar, Bagel Shop, and Filosophi!

Dessert is essential for any good picnic…its a bit early for berry season, but there’s all sorts of amazing Saskatoon Berry treats available at the Berry Barn, you have to grab some chocolates from our friends at Harden and Huyse, or order desserts from Calories!

But if you have the itch to make it yourself, our pick are these incredibly delicious and refreshing Lemon and Blueberry Bars…trust us, you’re going to love them!

What to Drink?!

It wouldn’t be a proper picnic without refreshments! And picnics are a family affair, so try some thirst-quenching creations like a Berry Smoothie or Apple Mint Iced Tea.

As we asked around the SSO, one drink suggestion kept coming up over and over again…if its a picnic for family or for romance, in Saskatoon it has to include Black Fox.

Black Fox Distillery has garnered international attention for their world class gin, and on first taste you’ll quickly see why…or taste why!

They offer an array of amazing gins – their Oaked Gin and Haskap Gin are absolute MUST haves. And their website helps you create a custom cocktail for a picnic like their Cucumber Lemonade, Mike’s Sour Cherry Lime Spritz, or a Cran G&T.

Their gin is so delightful that simply mixing with lemonade or limeade will make for the perfect drink for our escape with a Trip to the Country!

Whether a picnic in the backyard, drinks on the deck, or chic indoor glamping, make sure you do something special for this last stream of the season!

Mathieu’s Creative Pandemic

A new album, lessons & feature performance

Life has been full of twists and turns for violinist Véronique Mathieu this past year. In March 2020, Mathieu was set to release a brand-new album Cortége, a celebration of French classical music. The album is a collection of pieces her and pianist Jasmin Arakawa hand selected. With the world shut down, the album was quietly released, and Mathieu found herself shifting gears.

“It was music that kept me sane. To have other projects that would allow me to put the pandemic aside and work towards something.”

“It was really difficult at first to adjust to not being able to leave your home. It was difficult to practice because it was hard to see a goal in the future,” Mathieu says. “It was music that kept me sane. To have other projects that would allow me to put the pandemic aside and work towards something.”

Mathieu has been balancing motherhood with her position as the University of Saskatchewan’s David L. Kaplan Chair in Music which has her teaching a combination of online and in-person classes. She says working with her students allows her to continue to grow as an artist.

“It’s funny because it has allowed me to really notice things fast in my own playing and come up with solutions,” Mathieu explains. “Teaching makes you reflective in your own artistic practice. I’ve become much more efficient.”

Mathieu’s latest projects include assembling the works contemporary composers from Brazil, China and North America to develop a series of lessons that can help violinists learn different, experimental techniques for violin. She is also already hard at work on a new album with Toronto pianist Stephanie Chua focused on works by female composers.

Mathieu has performed as a soloist and chamber musician all over the world and while she’s kept busy with other projects, she’s been missing the stage. That’s why she says it’s exciting to be asked back for the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra’s finale performance of the 2020/21 season. Trip to the Country will feature Mathieu performing Ralph Vaughan Williams’ Lark Ascending. The piece is a loving tribute to nature and is based on William’s poem of the same name.

“This is a really soothing work. It triggers beautiful images in the imagination that remind me of the green fields and majestic mountains,” says Mathieu. “This will be my big “return to the stage” moment and playing such a wonderful work, it’s just really exciting.”

 

Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony

When you think of Ludwig van Beethoven, chances are you hear the infamous pulses of his fiery Fifth Symphony. But did you know that the symphony he composed simultaneously with the Fifth is equally brilliant? Beethoven’s Sixth Symphony, referred to as the Pastoral Symphony, is an immaculate offering of sound and color. Described by Beethoven himself as being “more the expression of feeling than painting”, the Pastoral Symphony is a moving tribute to the beauty of nature which served as one of Beethoven’s greatest muses during his life as a composer. Spending much of his free time walking in the countryside surrounding Vienna, Beethoven found a peace in nature which stabilized and nourished his passionate soul.

Composition of the Pastoral Symphony was undertaken in 1802, and the work would take another six years to reach completion. It was debuted at a concert taking place at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna, alongside Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony Musicologist Frank D’Accone maintains that the programmatic ideas featured in the symphony (bird song, thunder, a shepherd’s pipe, and the flowing of a stream) were lifted by Beethoven from Justin Heinrich Knecht’s 1784 musical work “Le Portrait musical de la Nature ou Grande Symphonie”.

The Pastoral Symphony is scored for full orchestra, and makes use of trumpet, timpani, trombone, and piccolo in specific movements. The Symphony begins with the Allegro ma non troppo, in which the composer arrives in the country amidst an atmosphere of cheerful melodies. Set in 2/4 meter and sonata form throughout, each musical theme is developed to its greatest potential by Beethoven. The orchestral texture is thickened by the composer’s reliance on short, repeating motifs.

The first movement ends in comfort and the second (Andante molto mosso) begins with speed, mimicking the fast flow of a stream by way of a motif in the string section. Also in sonata form, the second movement is delivered in 12/8 meter in the key of B♭ major. The cello section is split in their duties during this movement, with many players assisting the double basses in jubilant pizzicato notes while only two cellists stay with the babbling brook. This movement is unique within the context of the work because it delivers a cluster of bird calls rendered in a woodwind cadenza towards its end. Interestingly, Beethoven was very specific about which birds were to be imitated by which instruments: the flute plays the song of the nightingale, the oboe provides the somber notes of the quail, and two clarinets warble the jubilant sounds of a cuckoo or two.

After a refreshing chorus of birdsong, movement three (Allegro) unfolds. A scherzo in 3/4 time, this country folk dance returns us to the main key of F major to revel and frolic amongst the trees. The doubling of the trio movement makes this an unusual, but memorable scherzo. Another odd choice on Beethoven’s part was to prematurely end the appearance of the third scherzo theme. Beethoven forever changed how scherzi would be composed through the creativity he displayed within this movement. As the tempo builds in excitement and vitesse, the movement suddenly stops without warning. We are catapulted immediately into the fourth movement with no time to prepare ourselves as a thunderstorm threatens in the distance.

Beethoven outdoes himself in this fourth movement (which bears the same name as the third) by using a 4/4 meter in F minor to depict a lightning shower of violent proportions. What starts as a few drops of rain quickly turns into an awe-inspiring musical downpour. After the storm passes, Beethoven borrows from Mozart’s String Quintet in G minor of 1787. He accomplishes this by simmering a stormy preface into a rich final movement of serenity.

The finale of this symphony (Allegretto) is in F major and features a meter of 6/8 time. Capitalizing on sonata rondo form, in which the main theme appears in the tonic key at the beginning of the development as well as the exposition and the recapitulation, the finale presents a symmetrical eight-bar theme to conjure the sounds of a shepherds’ thanksgiving song. The coda is soft at first, but soon grows to encompass the entire orchestra. The violin section is incredibly active in this final section, playing rapid triplet tremolo to increase the emotional tension. There comes a moment in every great piece of music that is utterly unforgettable, and for Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony this moment occurs during the final passages of the coda. The prayer-like quality of this passage culminates in two victorious F-chords, summarizing the majesty of nature like no one else could. Beethoven found his gentle side in nature, and we hope you enjoy your Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony at our Trip to the Country concert!