PROGRAM NOTES
LOUIS LORTIE PLAYS CHOPIN
Maximilian Franz
ABOUT THE PROGRAM
BY CATHERINE CASE
Gioachino Rossini
Born February 29 . 1792 in Pesaro , Italy Died November 13 , 1868 in Paris , France
ROSSINI OVERTURE TO WILLIAM TELL [ 1829 ]
Rossini ’ s exceptional gift for melodic vocal writing , along with the sheer amount of music he produced , made him the most successful opera composer of the early 19 th -century . Musicologist Philip Gossett wrote that , at the time , no other composer “ enjoyed the measure of prestige , wealth , popular acclaim , or artistic influence that belonged to Rossini .” His fame was so firmly established that he retired in his early 40s , having already composed 39 operas . His final work was the opera William Tell , based on a drama by Friedrich Schiller , that ran over four hours long . Although the opera as a whole fell out of fashion , the overture is one of the most popular pieces in classical music , thanks to its use as the theme song to the long-running TV show , The Lone Ranger . The opera tells the story of William Tell , a Swiss folk hero who led a peasant ’ s revolt against a tyrannical
Austrian governor . In a famous scene , Tell , who is a master at the crossbow , is made to shoot an arrow off of his son ’ s head as punishment for challenging the governor . In the end , it is the governor who is killed by Tell ’ s arrow .
Hector Berlioz praised the overture , describing it as a kind of “ symphony in four distinct movements .” Rossini gave each section a title , beginning with “ Prelude : Dawn ,” which features five solo cellos in what Berlioz called “ the calm of profound solitude .” Soft rolls from the timpani interject , mimicking the distant thunder of an impending storm , while the woodwinds sound like raindrops slowly gathering momentum . The raucous storm recedes and is followed by the “ Call to the Cows ,” a pastoral scene of a shepherd calling his flock with a beautiful melody in the English horn . The finale , titled “ March of the Swiss Soldiers ,” arrives abruptly with a trumpet fanfare full of gusto and the famous “ riding music ” takes off , leading the cavalry to victory .
Instrumentation Flute , piccolo , two oboes including English horn , two clarinets , two bassoons , four horns , two trumpets , three trombones , timpani , percussion , and strings .
Frédéric Chopin
Born March 1 , 1810 in Żelazowa Wola , Poland Died October 17 , 1849 in Paris , France
CHOPIN PIANO CONCERTO NO . 1 [ 1830 ]
The expressive tenderness , lyricism , and innovation that Frédéric Chopin brought to the piano during his short life left an unparalleled mark on the instrument : The great Polish American pianist Anton Rubinstein called Chopin “ the piano bard , the piano rhapsodist , the piano mind , the piano soul .”
Chopin was born and educated in Poland , where his superb talent as a pianist and improvisor led him to be labelled as the next Mozart . When his success and popularity at home failed to lead to financial security , he looked abroad for opportunities to make a name for himself and left Poland in 1830 , first for Vienna , then Paris . Before leaving , the 20-year-old composer gave a final concert in Warsaw , where he premiered his two piano concertos — the only two he would ever write . Within days of Chopin ’ s departure , the tragic Polish revolt against Russian rule known as the November Uprising took place , throwing Warsaw and the country into turmoil . Russian forces eventually crushed Poland ’ s fight for independence and Chopin , tormented and heartbroken , never returned to his homeland . Chopin received a warm welcome in Paris , where his reputation preceded him — Robert Schumann had recently published a review of his music , proclaiming , “ Hats off , gentleman , a genius !”— and he quickly assimilated into the city ’ s elite salons and high society .
The first movement of the Piano Concerto No . 1 begins with an extended orchestral introduction , making the piano ’ s entrance minutes later a dramatic event . Once the piano grabs the focus , it doesn ’ t let go , leading the way through the movement with grand flourishes .
Chopin wrote to a friend that the second movement should “ give the impression of gazing tenderly at a place which brings to mind a thousand dear memories . It is a sort of reverie in the moonlight on a beautiful spring evening .” The muted strings and delicate melody add to this nocturnal mood .
The finale is based on a Polish folk dance known as the krakowiak , an early ancestor of the modern polka . The quick dotted rhythms and syncopations evoke the spirit of the dance while the piano plays a series of
14 OVERTURE / BSOmusic . org