CAB Notes 

Vol. 2 Issue 3                                         The Electronic Newsletter for Concert Artists of Baltimore
                                                                 Edward Polochick, Artistic Director

Message from the Maestro

If I were to ask you to name composers beginning with the letter “B”, which names would come to mind? Bach, Brahms, Beethoven? Perhaps Bernstein, Britten, or the Beatles? And how about those names beginning with the letter “A”? This one, I believe, is more difficult and would lead to less familiar composers’ names – perhaps Albinoni, Arnold (Malcolm) or Argento (Dominick). In both cases, I believe few may come up with Anton Bruckner and John Adams, the two composers featured on our upcoming Classy Classics concert, No Strings Attached, on December 4 at 8 P.M. at the Gordon Center.

I am fascinated by the music on this concert; in many ways it is like a study of musical similarities and contrasts. Apart from the obvious comparison of similar instrumentation of both pieces (neither uses strings, hence our title, “No Strings Attached!”), each work is firmly planted in a unique world of rich and varied harmonic development. However, the similarities end here. Where the Bruckner Mass  employs exquisite vocal text painting, the Adams Grand Pianola music uses voices (only 3 Sopranos, who are amplified), without words, as an additional “instrumental” color. In the Bruckner there are many extended beautiful, lyrical passages, reminiscent of the “Adagio” character associated with his symphonies, whereas the Adam, by virtue of its minimalistic character and mesmerizing repetitiveness, gives a feeling of forward, energetic propulsion. Each composer utilizes a broad palette of instrumental and vocal colors, but the musical brushstrokes and details paint a sharp contrast between the grandeur and lushness of the Romantic era and the rhythmic vitality and overwhelming energy of 20^th Century minimalism.

Anton Bruckner was born into poverty but was exposed to music at an early age. His father was a church organist in a local church in Ansfelden (near Linz in Upper Austria) and by age four was taking organ lessons. His early exposure to the Catholic Church and his immersion in the liturgy was to have a profound affect on his life and composition. By 1837, he became associated with an Augustinian monastery, St. Florian’s, which would become his spiritual refuge for the rest of his life. At the request of his friend and patron, Bishop Rudigier, he composed this E Minor Mass in 1866 for the dedication of the votive chapel of the cathedral in Linz, where Bruckner had become organist and choir director. A year later he suffered a nervous collapse and developed numeromania, the obsessive need to count everything – blades of grass, leaves on trees, grains of sand, and even the bars and notes of his own compositions. He recovered after about 4 months in a sanatorium and resumed his composing, mainly on the symphonic level. In point of fact, Bruckner is probably best known to classical music-lovers due to his grand symphonic output (most notably Symphony #4), and because he greatly admired, and was strongly influenced by, Wagner and his large-scale approach to music, Bruckner’s symphonies have a tendency to be overly long and somewhat overblown. This is not the case, however, with his masses. It is in his mass form that we find a very succinct style of writing, an economy of means and ideal proportions. In fact, most music historians feel that Bruckner’s masses are the basis for his symphonic writing, and also believe that his symphonies are actually large-scale “masses without text”.

The Mass in E Minor is considered Bruckner’s first great work. It is a beautiful combination of very intricate Italian Renaissance polyphony (indeed, he even quotes Palestrina in the Sanctus movement) and dark sonorities and lush harmonies of the Romantic period. It is scored for mixed chorus (alternating between 4 parts and 8 parts) and wind ensemble consisting of 2 oboes, 2 clarinets, 2 bassoons, 4 horns, 2 trumpets and 3 trombones. The omission of strings in the orchestra is immediately apparent, though one might consider the voices to be the “strings” of the ensemble. As a matter of fact, our stage set-up suggests just that, with the Chorus seated where the orchestra strings would normally be positioned, and the winds and brass seated behind. The lack of vocal solos is another peculiarity of this work; however, Bruckner was extremely clever in varying the timbre, colors and combinations of voice parts.

After intermission, we will offer a very engaging, fascinating and controversial piece of minimalist music by John Adams entitled Grand Pianola Music. Minimalism is a term applied to a form or technique of composing music where a minimum of material is used to maximum effect. From the group of well-known minimalists, which includes Steve Reich and Philip Glass, John Adams is my personal favorite. I am always struck by the most ingenious ways in which Adams constructs his rhythmic devices in conjunction with extremely subtle changes in harmony as his music progresses. Aurally, I equate it to the visual subtleties one experiences in watching a beautiful sunset – the magical manner in which the hues of color change almost imperceptibly over time, and before you realize it, you are transported into a totally different, yet equally beautiful, world of color.

Adams admits that of his entire opus, Grand Pianola Music has the most checkered past. It suffered through a tortured beginning, it experienced innumerable re-writes and revisions, has received all too many excruciatingly bad performances, and has continued to arouse divided responses from audiences (perhaps because of too many excruciatingly bad performances!!!). He wrote it for the sheer pleasure of hearing certain musical “signals,” or clichés, piled one on top of the other. He states, “Dueling pianos, cooing sirens, Valhalla brass, thwacking bass drums, gospel triads and a Niagara of cascading flat keys all learned to cohabit as I wrote the piece.”

He goes on to explain that the conception of Pianola was in a dream in which, “while driving down Interstate 5, I was approached from behind by two long, gleaming, black stretch limousines. As the vehicles drew up beside me they transformed into the world’s two longest Steinways … twenty, maybe even thirty feet long. Screaming down the highway at 90 mph, they gave off volleys of B-flat and E-flat major arpeggios.” Wow! What a concept!!!

Despite this imagery and the heftiness of its instrumentation, Pianola for the most part is a surprisingly delicate composition. It is a work in three movements, (the first two of which are performed without a break.) The woodwind writing is light and airy accompanied by waves of rippling piano arpeggios. Three female voices (the sirens) sing wordless harmony, sometimes hovering over the instruments in long sustained triads, while at other times imitating the crisp staccato of the winds and brass. One fascinating aspect of the piano writing was suggested to Adams by tape and digital delays, wherein a sound can be repeated in a fraction of a second. This technique is accomplished in performance by having both pianists playing essentially the same material, but one slightly behind the other, usually by an eighth or sixteenth note. The result is a kind of hypnotic shimmer.

I am eagerly anticipating this performance. And because I am thoroughly entranced by these two great works, I sincerely hope that we are able to communicate to you the beauty, solemnity, energy, drama and humor which Adams and Bruckner have brilliantly portrayed in their music. I look forward to seeing you on December 4, and in the meantime, I wish us all a happy, healthy and blessed Thanksgiving.

Edward Polochick

Artistic Director

EASTERN SKY                                                   A ROYAL INVITATION

Saturday, February 19, 2005                         Saturday, May 14, 2005

8:00 pm                                                 8:00 pm

Tchaikovsky:  Orchestra Suite No. 1                                Barber:  Adagio

                      Choral selections by                                       Barber:  Cello Concerto

                      Penderecki and Bartok                                     Gita Ladd, Cello

Martinu:         Concerto for Two Pianos                            Argento:   A Royal Invitation
                      Clinton-Narboni Duo

                                                                                               Ginastera: Estancia

Classy Classic Concerts are performed at the Gordon Center for the Performing Arts; 3506 Gwynbrook Avenue, Owings Mills.  Set in the heart of the Greenspring Valley, only 20 minutes away from Baltimore, the area offers close wonderful restaurants and the Gordon Center provides ample free parking in its private, well-lit parking lot, and best of all—it’s just minutes from I-695.

2004-2005 Music at the Mansion

Chamber Music Series

Sunday, December 12, 2004

2:30 pm

SOLD OUT                     SOLD OUT

Christmas Cheer

“Now, I know it’s Christmas!” is so often resounded by audience members as vocalists, instrumentalists, and audience join together to enjoy holiday music from around the world.  Our annual Christmas tree lighting, sing-along, and champagne toast makes this a perfect way to usher in the holiday season.

Sunday, February 13, 2005

2:30 pm

Double Your Pleasure

The dynamic piano duo Mark Clinton and Nicole Narboni present a varied virtuosic program of four-hand piano music. Featured will be Debussy, Petite Suite; Stravinsky, Rite of Spring; Mendelssohn, Allegro Brilliante, and Mozart’s Sonata in F Major.

Sunday, April 17, 2005

2:30 pm

QuinTango!

QuinTango’s all-or-nothing performance brings the dramatic heart of the tango with music by Carlos Gardel, Astor Piazzolla, and the masters of the Golden Age. This award winning quintet of two violins, cello, bass, and piano brings a century’s worth of tango repertoire alive with accompanying narration.

Music at the Mansion concerts are performed at Baltimore’s historic Garrett-Jacobs Mansion (The Engineers Club) at 11 W. Mt. Vernon Place.  For a modest additional charge, you make it a completely memorable afternoon and treat yourself to a delectable pre-concert brunch in the Mansion’s beautiful dining room.

Concert Artists of Baltimore’s website at www.cabalto.org has received a dynamic facelift.  Some of the enhanced features include:

·     Complete 2004-05 Season Information

·     Reserve Tickets & Subscriptions ONLINE!

·     Gordon Center seating chart to ensure getting that “perfect seat

·     Detailed driving instructions to the Gordon Center

If you haven’t seen our site in a while, please drop by and check out all the new look and features!

Presently, all arts organizations are suffering from drastic cuts in government and corporate funding.  Concert Artists of Baltimore is no different. Now more than ever, we are depending on the generosity of our patrons and music lovers everywhere to help Concert Artists continue to provide Maryland audiences with the highest quality, innovative programming available. If you would like to make a tax-deductible contribute to our mission or would like to be a Concert Artists volunteer, please contact our offices at 410-625-3525.

Saturday, April 23, 2005

7:30 pm

St. Ignatius Church

749 North Calvert Street

Baltimore, MD

Opera Goes to Church

Rossini: Petite Messe Solennelle

Tickets only $10

Help support the wonderful outreach projects of St. Ignatius Church as you revel in the majesty of this powerful work, which combines the beauty of opera with the sacred text of the mass.

To purchase tickets, call 410-625-3525, or visit our website at www.cabalto.org to fill out a ticket order form.

Did You Know. . .

That you could enjoy a scrumptious brunch before any of the Music at the Mansion concerts.

Think a friend, colleague, or family member might be interested in Concert Artists of Baltimore’s innovative programs and captivating conductor? If you’d like us to send a personalized welcome edition of CAB Notes or have someone receive a CAB 2004-2005 season brochure, click here and email CAB their information.  CAB believes in “Spam Control” that’s why we never share, sell, or rent our email address lists.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

2004-2005 SEASON

Concert Artists of Baltimore

Christine A. Pettingill , President

Managing Director, Columbia Consulting Group

Joyce Brooks , Secretary/Treasurer

Assistant Treasurer

McCormick & Co., Inc.

Barbara Cox

Assistant Vice-President, Colliers Pinkard

Sally Dunn

Director of Annual Giving

McDonogh School.

Frank C. Fillmore, Jr.

President

The Fillmore Group

Tamera S. Gundersen

Vice President, Investment Officer

GE Healthcare Financial Services

Felice Homann

Managing Director

Concert Artists of Baltimore

Daniel Medinger

Associate Publisher/Editor

The Catholic Review

Edward Polochick

Artistic Director

Concert Artists of Baltimore

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