NOTES ON THE PROGRAM

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
Regina Coeli in C Major, K.276

Mozart made three settings of the Regina Coeli, the antiphonal anthem to the Virgin, for use between Holy Saturday and Whitsuntide. This, the last of the three, probably dates from May 1779, after his return to Salzburg from his trip to Mannheim and Paris, but no autograph has survived. Alfred Einstein, who described this work as having a “quality of stormy solemnity,” believed that it may have been written for a repeat performance of the Coronation Mass composed in May 1779 for the annual celebration of the Coronation of the Virgin at the Church of Maria Plain, near Salzburg. He called the Regina Coeli “a typical example of Mozart’s church style at the end of his Salzburg period. The text of the Marian antiphon is gathered together into a powerful whole and not, as in the antiphon setting of 1771 and 1772, distributed among separate contrasting sections. It is a concerto-like Allegro, with the richest sort of inter-relations between tutti and soli; it embodies the finest construction of the various sections, along with the clearest planning of the form.” It is a mixture of sacred and secular treatments. The orchestration emphasizes the festive character of the work, which, it has been hypothesized, may have been composed in connection with Mozart’s promotion to the post of Salzburg court organist. The work is scored for a chorus of mixed voices with two oboes, two trumpets, timpani, organ and strings.    —© by Burkat Program Notes

WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART
Mass in C Major, K. 317, “Coronation”

Mozart composed his Mass in C Major, K. 317—known as the “Coronation” Mass—in 1779 while serving as court organist and composer to the Archbishop of Salzburg. Likely performed at Salzburg Cathedral that Easter, it is his best-known Salzburg mass. It was also performed later, possibly at the coronation of Holy Roman Emperor Leopold II and his successor, Francis II. The mass blends grandeur with brevity, meeting the Archbishop’s requirement that even the most solemn music not exceed 45 minutes. As Mozart wrote, it had to include “all instruments—trumpets, drums, and so forth.” Mozart may have inserted a church sonata between movements. One, written around the same time, shares its key and orchestration. Later renumbered K. 317a to reflect this connection, it was traditionally placed between the Gloria and Credo, making it appropriate for modern performances of the “Coronation” Mass.

FAURÉ
Cantique de Jean Racine, Op. 11

Perhaps because he was already renowned as an outstanding organist and teacher, Fauré only slowly gained recognition as a composer. Although he wrote several works involving a full orchestra, his particular talent lay within the more intimate musical forms – songs, piano music and chamber music. His somewhat austere style and highly individual, impressionistic harmonic language contrasts markedly with the music of the Austro-German tradition which dominated European music from the time of Beethoven until well into the twentieth century. 

The subtlety of Fauré’s music, and his concentration on the small-scale, led many to criticise him for lacking depth, a judgement based on the mistaken premise that the bigger and bolder a composer’s music the more worthwhile it must be. Fauré deliberately avoided the grander kind of orchestral music that could easily have brought him fame and fortune. He preferred instead to embrace an elegant and subtle musical language that has won him increasing numbers of admirers.

The Cantique is a setting of words by the 17th century dramatist and poet Jean Racine. It was Fauré’s first significant composition, written in 1865 whilst he was in his final year at the École Niedermeyer, the ‘École de musique religieuse et classique’. He submitted the piece for the composition prize, and won, though it was only published eleven years later, with a full orchestral version following in 1906. Fauré went on to write a good deal of religious music – most notably the Requiem, written in 1888 – but of the shorter sacred pieces it is the Cantique that has particularly captured the affections of choirs and audiences. - John Bawden

FAURÉ
Requiem in D minor, Op. 48

Gabriel Fauré, a musical prodigy, displayed exceptional talent from an early age. Recognizing his potential, renowned composer and teacher Louis Niedermeyer accepted him as a pupil. Fauré further honed his skills under the tutelage of Camille Saint-Saëns, who introduced him to the music of Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner. Even as a student, Fauré showcased his talents, publishing his first composition, the piano work titled “Trois romances sans paroles” in 1863.

Throughout his career, Fauré excelled not only as a songwriter but also as a composer in various chamber music forms. His repertoire included over 100 songs, such as “Après un rêve” (c. 1865) and “Les Roses d’Ispahan” (1884), as well as song cycles like “La Bonne Chanson” (1891-92) and “L’Horizon chimérique” (1922). He enriched piano literature with original works, including the renowned 13 nocturnes, 13 barcaroles, and 5 impromptus. Other notable compositions include the “Ballade” for piano and orchestra (1881), two sonatas for violin and piano, the “Berceuse” for violin and piano (1880), and the “Élégie” for cello and piano (1880; arranged for orches- tra, 1896).

Fauré’s Requiem holds a distinct place among compositions of its kind. While works like Verdi’s and Berlioz’s Requiems address death, resurrection, and final judgment in grandiose and theatrical tones, Fauré’s composition offers solace and supplication, providing comfort to mourners rather than emphasizing the magnitude of death. It can even be seen as an invitation to embrace death as the culmination of life’s journey. Fauré deliberately omits the terrifying “Dies irae” and the mighty antiphonal trumpeting of the “Tuba mirum” to focus on pas- sages that serve as prayer and consolation. This approach reflects Fauré’s refined aesthetic sensibilities and agnos- tic beliefs, guiding him towards the more spiritually universal aspects of the Mass.

Fauré began working earnestly on his Requiem in 1886, shortly after his father’s death, and completed it by the end of the following year. 

ROSSINI
Overture to La scala di seta

The farsa, a one-act Venetian theatrical genre that flourished during the late 18th and early 19th century, provided a simple entry opportunity for many aspiring young opera composers. Indeed, five of Rossini’s first nine operas were farsa, including La Scala di Seta (The Silken Ladder), which received its premiere on May 9, 1812 at Venice’s Teatro San Moisé, the most famous venue for such works. Although productions of farsa are rarely mounted today, the overtures from several of Rossini’s still maintain a stature alongside those of his larger scale operas as perennial audience favorites. The composition of Il Barbiere di Seviglia (The Barber of Seville), the opera buffa masterpiece that would forever secure Rossini’s international fame, was still four years away. Yet, the overture to La Scala di Seta already displays the effective comic techniques that the 20-year-old Rossini would continue throughout his career. Constantly running eighth notes against a simple harmonic accompaniment provide the background for the lively banter between contrasting instruments, and several instances of the famous “Rossini crescendo” already work their humorous magic.  -onny.org

MENDELSSOHN
Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64

Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto stemmed from a deep friendship and collaboration with the esteemed violinist Ferdinand David. It was the first “in a distinguished series of violin concertos written by pianist-composers with the assistance of eminent violinsts.” In this case, the composer and violinist knew each other well, initially meeting at age fifteen (while David was concertizing throughout Germany), and the two kept up a close relationship throughout their lives.

In 1835, shortly after his appointment as Music Director of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra, Mendelssohn secured the concertmaster’s post for David. Three years later, in July 1938, Mendelssohn wrote to him saying “It is nice of you to press me for a violin concerto. I have the liveliest desire to write one for you and, if I have a few propitious days, I will bring you something…. I would like to compose a violin concerto for next winter. One in E minor keeps running through my head and the opening gives me no peace.”

By 1939, Mendelssohn was frustrated and reported; “this task is not an easy one. You ask that it should be brilliant, and how can anyone like me do this? The whole of the first solo is to be for the E string.” With David’s help, the concerto was eventually completed in 1844. David was responsible both for the cadenza and for giving frequent advice regarding technical matters through the compositional process. Sadly, Mendelssohn was too ill to attend the successful premiere on March 13, 1845 (he would be dead in a year and a half) and Opus 64 was conducted by Niels W. Gade with David as the soloist.

From the beginning of the collaboration, David and Mendelssohn had agreed that this concerto should not be a vehicle for empty showmanship. With this guideline, the outcome was a serious, exquisite, elegant essay in the romantic concerto genre, ultimately ranking among the finest violin concerti written in the nineteenth century. Louis Biancolli assessed;  “In classical poise, melodic suavity and refined romantic feeling, it is an epitome of Mendelssohn’s style. Finesse, cultivated taste, and an unerring sense of the appropriate (are) among its chief attributes.” Perhaps David anticipated this when he said to the composer while the work was gestating“ This is going to be something great! There is plenty of music for violin and orchestra, but there has only been one big, truly great concerto (Beethoven) and now there will be two!” “I am not competing with Beethoven,” Mendelssohn replied.

The Mendelssohn concerto, completed seven years after its concept was first mentioned, bore no resemblance to the Beethoven work. Its  three movements are played without pause. This concerto discards the usual orchestral introductory exposition, beginning instead with orchestral “accompaniment” style, thereby creating a sense of expectation. The violin soloist obliges quickly with a soaring, restless melody, intensifying as it rises. Completing its statement, the soloist moves to a lower register, and remains in the background, as the second theme murmurs from flutes and clarinets. Mendelssohn’s development provides a structural surprise. In this section, the composer moves a written cadenza from its traditional place at the end of the first movement to a new location at the end of the development. The recapitulation enters from the orchestra with the soloist continuing an arpeggiated figure derived from the cadenza. The soloist is clearly collaborating at this point with the orchestra rather than seizing the stage, revealing one of the concerto’s features of interlocking partnership between the two forces. A solo bassoon, holding one note from a cadential chord bridges this movement into the second.

The middle section, an Andante in C major, offers a tender theme sung by the soloist as its main subject. A middle section spins a minor tune over bustling 32nd notes providing significant contrast to the opening calm. The third section recalls the opening theme, refreshed by new accompaniment. Fourteen bars of transitional material bridge to the concluding section.

A tiny introduction and brass fanfare opens the brilliant finale. The soloist answers with lightly scampering arpeggios. A bright main theme from the soloist dances over fairy-like accompaniment from the orchestra. Echoes of Midsummer Night’s Dream are everywhere. Changing this delicate mood, the orchestra asserts a strong second theme, which steadily loses its initial weight, gains flexibility, and finally runs off in a playful mood. The soloist provides a lyrical theme in the development section leading to continued collaboration with the orchestra until a dazzling conclusion.

-Marianne Williams Tobias, © Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, 2017