Program notes

These are scans of program notes that I wrote for concerts performed by the Kingsport Symphony Orchestra, with which I also played principal oboe, from 1987 through 1996 (with a break from '92 - '94 to expand a library in Kingsport). The series is incomplete.

I always figured that it's unreasonable to expect program notes to be used as a "road map" during the actual performance, what with the hall lights being down--not to mention that reading distracts from listening. As for reading them  before the performance, who was going to be able to remember, during the performance, that they should be sure to listen for the contrasting theme in the clarinet in the rondo movement of a symphony? Especially when a sizeable group of your readers will imagine that a rondo is the first half of a rendezvous. So I tried to go as light as possible on the musical jargon, and hoped more to "set the tone" by bringing in history and literature, as appropriate, in addition to whatever was important to say about the music itself. 

The scans are in chronological order. The programs were:
  • Oct. 10, 1987. Guest artists: Billy Taylor Trio.
    • William Schuman: American Festival Overture
    • Aaron Copland: Our Town (Music from the Film Score)
    • Billy Taylor: Impromptu; Suite for Jazz Piano and Orchestra
  • Nov. 7, 1987. Guest artist: William Tritt, piano.
    • Erik Satie: Gymnopedies
    • Bedrich Smetana: The Moldau
    • Robert Schumann: Concerto in A minor for Piano and Orchestra
  • Feb. 13, 1988. Guest artist: Timothy Ehlen, piano.
    • Jacques Offenbach: Overture to "Bluebeard"
    • Robert Schumann: Symphony no. 4
    • Ludwig van Beethoven: Concerto no. 4 in G major for Piano and Orchestra
  • March 19, 1988. Guest artist: Martha Bachelder, violin.
    • Gioacchino Rossini: Overture to "The Barber of Seville"
    • Darius Milhaud: Creation of the World
    • W. A. Mozart: Concerto no. 5 in A major, K. 219, for Violin and Orchestra
    • Modest Mussorgsky: Turkish March from "The Triumph at Kars"
  • Nov. 5, 1988. Guest artist: Alexander Peskanov, piano.
    • W. A. Mozart: Overture to "The Marriage of Figaro"
    • Virgil Thomson: Symphony on a Hymn Tune
    • Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto no. 2 in C minor
  • Dec. 3, 1988. Christmas in Early America.
    • Francois Joseph Gossec: Christmas Suite
    • Charles Theodore Pachelbel: Magnificat
    • Arcangelo Corelli: Concerto Grosso #8 in G minor, op. 6
    • Leopold Mozart: The Sleigh Ride
    • Hymns and carols by Christian Gregor, John Antes, J. F. Peter, Supply Belcher, William Billings, Josiah Flagg, and Kenton Coe
  • Jan. 28, 1989. Guest artist: Sharon Isbin, guitar.
    • Felix Mendelssohn: Hebrides Overture
    • Joaquin Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez
    • Igor Stravinsky: Eight Instrumental Miniatures
    • Franz Schubert: Symphony no. 5
  • March 11, 1989. Guest artist: Lloyd Porter, alto saxophone.
    • Walter Piston: Divertimento
    • Jacques Ibert: Concertino da Camera
    • Ludwig van Beethoven: Symphony no. 5
  • April 15, 1989. Guest artist: David Northington, piano.
    • John Adams: The Chairman Dances--Foxtrot for Orchestra, from "Nixon in China"
    • Edvard Grieg: Piano Concerto in A minor
    • Alexander Borodin: Symphony no. 2
  • Oct. 7, 1989. Guest artist: David Hickman, trumpet.
    • Edouard Lalo: Overture to "Le Roi d'Ys"
    • Alexander Arutunian: Concerto in E-flat for Trumpet and Orchestra
    • J. S. Bach: Brandenburg Concerto no. 2
    • P. I. Tchaikovsky: Capriccio Italien
  • Jan. 27, 1990. Guest artist: Tzimon Barto, piano.
    • W. A. Mozart: Symphony no. 32
    • Gabriel Faure: "Dolly" Suite
    • Sergei Prokofiev: Piano Concerto no. 3 in C major
  • March 10, 1990. Guest artist: Jolyon Pegis, violoncello
    • Giuseppe Verdi: Overture to "Nabucco"
    • Peter Mennin: Symphony no. 3
    • Antonin Dvorak: Violoncello Concerto in B minor
  • April 7, 1990. Guest artists: Rodney Reynersen and Allen Kindt, duo-pianists
    • Claude Debussy: Scottish March
    • Camille St.-Saens: Carnival of the Animals
    • W. A. Mozart: Piano Concerto no. 10 in E-flat major, K. 365
    • Johann Strauss, Jr. : Emperor Waltz
  • May 5, 1990. Guest artist: Butch Thompson, piano.
    • Jean Sibelius: Finlandia
    • Walter Piston: Suite from "The Incredible Flutist"
    • James P. Johnson: Yamekraw Overture
    • Scott Joplin, arr. Gordon Wright: Fantasy
    • Fats Waller, arr. Jerry Lackey: Medley
  • Nov. 3, 1990. A Celebration of Aaron Copland's 90the Birthday.
    • Aaron Copland: Fanfare for the Common Man
    • Aaron Copand: Three Latin American Sketches
    • Aaron Copland: Lincoln Portrait
    • Aaron Copland: Appalachian Spring [presented with "photochoreography" by James Westwater]
  • Dec. 1, 1990
    • Geoffrey Bush: A Christmas Cantata
    • W. A. Mozart: Sleigh Ride, K. 605
    • J. S. Bach: "Suscepit Israel" from the Magnificat
    • Mykola Leontovich: Carol of the Bells
    • G. F. Handel: Pastoral Symphony from the Messiah
    • Gian-Carol Menotti: Shepherd's Chorus and Dance from "Amahl and the Night Visitors"
  • Jan. 26, 1991. Guest artists: Marcus Thompson, viola/viola d'amore; Carolyn Barry, hurdy-gurdy
    • Jules Massenet: Overture to "Phedre'
    • G. P. Telemann: Concerto in G major for Viola and Strings
    • W. A. Mozart: Four German Dances
    • Antonio Vivaldi: Concerto in D major for Viola d'Amore
    • Antonin Dvorak: Symphony no. 9, "From the New World"
  • March 2, 1991. Guest artists: Elinor Freer, piano; Sergio Salani, piano.
    • W. A. Mozart: Overture to "The Magic Flute"
    • Sergei Prokofiev: Piano Concerto no. 3 in C major
    • Sergei Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto no. 1 in F# minor
  • April 20, 1991.
    • F. J. Haydn: The Creation
  • May 11, 1991. Guest artists: The Charlie Goodwin Big Band
  • Sept. 23, 1995.
    • Jacques Offenbach: Overture to "Orpheus in the Underworld"
    • P. I. Tchaikovsky: "Sleeping Beauty" Suite
    • Felix Mendelssohn: Symphony no. 4, "Italian"
  • Jan. 20, 1996. Guest artist: Anne Leek, oboe.
    • Gioacchino Rossini: Overture to "The Barber of Seville"
    • W. A. Mozart: Concerto for Oboe in C major, K. 314
    • William Grant Still: Symphony no. 1, "Afro-American"

 


 
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