OSFL Holiday Concert 2020
Notes on the Program
by Joy S. Perry
by Joy S. Perry
Concerto Grosso in G Minor, Op. 6, No. 8
Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713)
Corelli was one of the most illustrious Italian musicians during the height of the Baroque era. He had his own distinctive style of violin performance and composition and compiled sets of sonatas with opus numbers 1 through 5, all of which were published in Rome during his lifetime. Opus 6 was published posthumously as a set of Concerti Grossi, in 1714, but were likely composed over the prior decades. Opus 6 was written specifically as a Christmas concerto and the eighth concerto in the set has the inscription Fatto per la notte di Natale (“Composed for the night of the Nativity”). It has become virtually synonymous with the popular genre of the Christmas concerto.
The opening Allegro movement starts with chords and a Largo—Grave section. A brighter Allegro movement follows after which another Adagio—Allegro—Adagio section appears before short Vivace and Allegro movements lead to the final Pastorale ad libitum. Because the fifth Allegro movement ends on a perfect cadence in the main key, many thought that the Pastorale should be played or omitted according to the specific performance situation. However, if the Pastorale is omitted, Corelli’s original indication that the work was written for the Nativity becomes meaningless. Therefore, ad libitum more likely refers to the manner of performance of the Pastorale, not its omission. The work ends in peace and contemplation in the 12/8 pastorale form.
Winter from The Four Seasons
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
Antonio Vivaldi was one of the most prolific of all composers, with an output including nearly 50 operas, 40 cantatas and oratorios, 100 orchestral works, and more than 300 concertos for various instruments. He was an accomplished violinist and teacher. His music, especially his concertos, influenced the later Baroque era, with its vigorous, ornate style.
His most well-known work is The Four Seasons, published in Amsterdam in 1725. These are the first four of twelve violin concertos that Vivaldi published under the title “The Test of Harmony and Inventiveness.” Each concerto has three separate movements—fast, slow, and fast in tempo.
Vivaldi wrote an “illustrative sonnet” to accompany the score so that musicians could imagine the scenes of the four seasons portrayed by the music. He undoubtedly wrote the music before he penned the sonnets, which conform, line by line, to his music.
Although the first movement in the Winter concerto in F minor depicted people being frozen and shivering in the snowy cold, in the second movement, Largo, he offered the cheer and the warmth of being indoors, in a haven against the drenching rain outside.
Serenade No. 6 in D Major, K. 239
Wolfgang A. Mozart (1756-1791)
This serenade, also known as Serenata notturna (nocturne-serenade), was written in 1776 for two small orchestras. The particular occasion for its composition remains unknown. In Mozart’s time, a serenade was written for or played in honor of someone or some event. They are typically calm and light compositions, as is this one. For its initial performance the the two small orchestras were likely set on opposite sides of a gallery, with a string quartet being the solo group against an orchestra of strings, harpsicord, and timpani.
The first movement is a March, a tad militaristic as it opens, but then it quickly moves into a light theme in the strings, alternating with the timpani’s marching beat. In the second and third movements, the Minuetto and Trio, the opening phrases generate a definite feeling of a dance. In the Trio portion, without the timpani, the strings are bouncing and dancing before the main theme returns with the timpani again pounding out a beat for the dancers. In the final Rondo-Allegretto, the theme begins but solo violins pick it up for short passages. In the traditional B part of the Rondo form, the pace is a bit slower but then accelerates on its way back to the opening theme. In Mozart’s typical playful fashion, the timpani and harpsicord solos and several back and forth passages among the strings impart a light-heartedness to the work. The concert master has a short cadenza before the work ends with the familiar theme.
Chanukah Festival Overture
arranged by Calvin Custer
adapted by Sean O’Loughlin
This montage of traditional and original folk songs celebrates the joy of the Chanukah season. The work was originally written for full orchestra, but the O’Loughlin adaptation of Calvin's medley is delightful to hear and perform. It includes Chanukah, Chanukah; Chanukah, Oy Chanukah; Ma'oz Tsur (Rock of Ages); and My Dreidel. This festive work honors the spirit and traditions of Chanukah.
Calvin Custer (1939-1998) attended Carnegie Mellon University and Syracuse University. He was associated with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra during most of his musical career serving in the keyboard, horn, and string bass sections; holding various conducting positions; and serving as staff arranger. Custer was prolific in his creations of arrangements for orchestra, many of which were performed by orchestras across the country. His many arrangements for band include Adagio for Strings (Barber), Ashokan Farewell (Ungar), Rolling Thunder (Fillmore), and Star Wars® Main Theme (Williams).
Sean O’Loughlin (b.1972) is the Principal Pops Conductor of the Victoria Symphony and the Principal Pops Conductor of Symphoria in Syracuse. As a composer and arranger, his music is characterized by vibrant rhythms, passionate melodies, and colorful scoring. He has had commissions and led performances from major orchestras. He has served as conductor for international tours and has also collaborated with many of the current well-known artists. He is a frequent guest conductor with professional orchestras and honor bands around the country. He has composition degrees from the New England Conservatory and Syracuse University.
Sleigh Ride
Leroy Anderson (1908-1975)
arranged by Samuel Applebaum (1904-1986)
This favorite work was written during a heat wave in July 1946 and finished in February 1948. The lyrics, about a person who would like to ride in a sleigh on a winter’s day with another person, were written in 1950. Although the work is often associated with Christmas, the song’s lyrics never specifically mention any holiday or religion. In fact, the mention of pumpkin pie in the last verse might suggest an association with Thanksgiving rather than Christmas. During the Christmas season worldwide, Sleigh Ride consistently ranks in the top ten of the most performed songs written by ASCAP members.
Samuel Applebaum studied at the Juilliard School and Gettysburg College. He taught violin at the Manhattan School Music, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Kean College and Seton Hall University. He was a prolific composer and author of textbooks on string performance.
©2020 Joy S. Perry
Arcangelo Corelli (1653-1713)
Corelli was one of the most illustrious Italian musicians during the height of the Baroque era. He had his own distinctive style of violin performance and composition and compiled sets of sonatas with opus numbers 1 through 5, all of which were published in Rome during his lifetime. Opus 6 was published posthumously as a set of Concerti Grossi, in 1714, but were likely composed over the prior decades. Opus 6 was written specifically as a Christmas concerto and the eighth concerto in the set has the inscription Fatto per la notte di Natale (“Composed for the night of the Nativity”). It has become virtually synonymous with the popular genre of the Christmas concerto.
The opening Allegro movement starts with chords and a Largo—Grave section. A brighter Allegro movement follows after which another Adagio—Allegro—Adagio section appears before short Vivace and Allegro movements lead to the final Pastorale ad libitum. Because the fifth Allegro movement ends on a perfect cadence in the main key, many thought that the Pastorale should be played or omitted according to the specific performance situation. However, if the Pastorale is omitted, Corelli’s original indication that the work was written for the Nativity becomes meaningless. Therefore, ad libitum more likely refers to the manner of performance of the Pastorale, not its omission. The work ends in peace and contemplation in the 12/8 pastorale form.
Winter from The Four Seasons
Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741)
Antonio Vivaldi was one of the most prolific of all composers, with an output including nearly 50 operas, 40 cantatas and oratorios, 100 orchestral works, and more than 300 concertos for various instruments. He was an accomplished violinist and teacher. His music, especially his concertos, influenced the later Baroque era, with its vigorous, ornate style.
His most well-known work is The Four Seasons, published in Amsterdam in 1725. These are the first four of twelve violin concertos that Vivaldi published under the title “The Test of Harmony and Inventiveness.” Each concerto has three separate movements—fast, slow, and fast in tempo.
Vivaldi wrote an “illustrative sonnet” to accompany the score so that musicians could imagine the scenes of the four seasons portrayed by the music. He undoubtedly wrote the music before he penned the sonnets, which conform, line by line, to his music.
Although the first movement in the Winter concerto in F minor depicted people being frozen and shivering in the snowy cold, in the second movement, Largo, he offered the cheer and the warmth of being indoors, in a haven against the drenching rain outside.
Serenade No. 6 in D Major, K. 239
Wolfgang A. Mozart (1756-1791)
This serenade, also known as Serenata notturna (nocturne-serenade), was written in 1776 for two small orchestras. The particular occasion for its composition remains unknown. In Mozart’s time, a serenade was written for or played in honor of someone or some event. They are typically calm and light compositions, as is this one. For its initial performance the the two small orchestras were likely set on opposite sides of a gallery, with a string quartet being the solo group against an orchestra of strings, harpsicord, and timpani.
The first movement is a March, a tad militaristic as it opens, but then it quickly moves into a light theme in the strings, alternating with the timpani’s marching beat. In the second and third movements, the Minuetto and Trio, the opening phrases generate a definite feeling of a dance. In the Trio portion, without the timpani, the strings are bouncing and dancing before the main theme returns with the timpani again pounding out a beat for the dancers. In the final Rondo-Allegretto, the theme begins but solo violins pick it up for short passages. In the traditional B part of the Rondo form, the pace is a bit slower but then accelerates on its way back to the opening theme. In Mozart’s typical playful fashion, the timpani and harpsicord solos and several back and forth passages among the strings impart a light-heartedness to the work. The concert master has a short cadenza before the work ends with the familiar theme.
Chanukah Festival Overture
arranged by Calvin Custer
adapted by Sean O’Loughlin
This montage of traditional and original folk songs celebrates the joy of the Chanukah season. The work was originally written for full orchestra, but the O’Loughlin adaptation of Calvin's medley is delightful to hear and perform. It includes Chanukah, Chanukah; Chanukah, Oy Chanukah; Ma'oz Tsur (Rock of Ages); and My Dreidel. This festive work honors the spirit and traditions of Chanukah.
Calvin Custer (1939-1998) attended Carnegie Mellon University and Syracuse University. He was associated with the Syracuse Symphony Orchestra during most of his musical career serving in the keyboard, horn, and string bass sections; holding various conducting positions; and serving as staff arranger. Custer was prolific in his creations of arrangements for orchestra, many of which were performed by orchestras across the country. His many arrangements for band include Adagio for Strings (Barber), Ashokan Farewell (Ungar), Rolling Thunder (Fillmore), and Star Wars® Main Theme (Williams).
Sean O’Loughlin (b.1972) is the Principal Pops Conductor of the Victoria Symphony and the Principal Pops Conductor of Symphoria in Syracuse. As a composer and arranger, his music is characterized by vibrant rhythms, passionate melodies, and colorful scoring. He has had commissions and led performances from major orchestras. He has served as conductor for international tours and has also collaborated with many of the current well-known artists. He is a frequent guest conductor with professional orchestras and honor bands around the country. He has composition degrees from the New England Conservatory and Syracuse University.
Sleigh Ride
Leroy Anderson (1908-1975)
arranged by Samuel Applebaum (1904-1986)
This favorite work was written during a heat wave in July 1946 and finished in February 1948. The lyrics, about a person who would like to ride in a sleigh on a winter’s day with another person, were written in 1950. Although the work is often associated with Christmas, the song’s lyrics never specifically mention any holiday or religion. In fact, the mention of pumpkin pie in the last verse might suggest an association with Thanksgiving rather than Christmas. During the Christmas season worldwide, Sleigh Ride consistently ranks in the top ten of the most performed songs written by ASCAP members.
Samuel Applebaum studied at the Juilliard School and Gettysburg College. He taught violin at the Manhattan School Music, Fairleigh Dickinson University, Kean College and Seton Hall University. He was a prolific composer and author of textbooks on string performance.
©2020 Joy S. Perry
