March 30: Playhouse features Cuckoo for Spring
“The aim of Cuckoo for Spring is to help music lovers and newcomers to Chamber music hear and celebrate the coming of spring,” said Buster Irvin, concert series administrator. “The music is so powerful it only requires a little imagination to close your eyes and see, hear, and feel all the sounds of a spring day from morning to evening,” he said.
The concert features the following pieces:
“Fledermaus Overture” written in 1874 by the waltz king, Johann Strauss. This piece by Strauss was an important part of the development of a new genre of music, at the time, which came to be called the operetta or musical comedy as we know it today. This piece is pure, light Viennese music. Fledermaus translates to “the flying bat” and takes place at a masquerade party. KSO chose this piece to set the mood for the beginning sounds of spring.
Of Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons,” composed in 1726, the next piece on the program will be ‘Spring’. Vivaldi is truly the father of the modern concerto that features one instrument playing solo, a major development in music. In his concerti, he was also the first to make the slow movement just as important and the fast movements. “‘Spring’ is one of the finest examples of Baroque music which was written for the burgeoning new middle class,” said Irvin. “Like bees flying from flower to flower, and birds building nests, Vivaldi’s ‘Spring’ is busy and wonderful,” he said.
Grieg, “Holberg Suite”: Grieg (1843-1907) is the Norwegian composer who brought Norway’s folks melodies and tradition of nationalism to the Classical feel of music, thereby introducing the music of Norway to the world. The Holberg Suite was an important piece in that process.
Grieg, “Peer Gynt” Morning Mood: Grieg’s best works are considered to be his short piano pieces, songs, and incidental orchestra music for plays. In 1875, from his music, he arranged two suites to underscore the Ibsen play, “Peer Gynt.” Morning Mood was one of those.
Delius, “On Hearing the First Cuckoo in Spring”: (1862-1934) Delius, the Englishman, went to Paris to study music. Influenced heavily by Debussy, Delius is said to be responsible for the French influence in Romantic English music. “In this piece, concert goers will hear clear Romanticism at its best,” said Irvin. “‘Cuckoo’ is an example of a painting made with notes which is what Romantic music is. The composer paints color with sound instead of paint.”
Beethoven, “Symphony No. 6”: Known as Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony, No. 6 is unusual in that the standard classical symphony had four movements. This one has five. It premiered in 1808. Each of the five movements suggests a scene from life in the country. “Beethoven single-handedly moved music from the Classical period and to the foundation of the Romantic period,” said Irvin. The great composer was going deaf when he wrote Symphony No. 6 and was totally deaf when he wrote his later symphonies and string quartets.
On March 30, the following movements will be performed: Movement III, Merrymaking of the Peasants; Movement IV, The Storm; and Movement V; Thankful Feelings after the Storm and Scenes by the Brook.
The last piece performed that evening will be Strauss’s “Blue Danube,” the best known of Johann Strauss’s waltzes. The Waltz was a forbidden dance for years. The Strauss’s waltzes (father’s and sons’) changed the perspective on that. “On the night of the concert,” said Irvin, “not only will you sense the waltz, you’ll feel yourself travel down that mighty German river, starting slowly in the morning, breaking into a wonderful spring afternoon, then traveling on to the poignant night sounds of a spring evening,” he said.
For tickets call 931-484-5000 and/or [email protected]. Adult Prime/Main: $25/$22, Students Prime/Main (including full time college students) $9/$7. Includes $2 per ticket service charge. For more information: www.cc-playhouse.com