Pheng Her, Teresa Le, and Raul Lopez

Program Music

Group One

Felix Mendelssohn and Fingal's Cave Overture

• Felix Mendelssohn (1809-47) a German pianist, musicologist, organic, conductor, and composer

• Mendelssohn works were Classicism and Romanticism – after Beethoven

• Considered a musical prodigy• Many works were dedicated to his sister Fanny, who he would

call Minerva• Went on a musical "Grand Tour" and saw the Hebrides, a large

archipelago off the west coast of Scotland

Felix Mendelssohn (cont.)

• On the archipelago – legendary Fingal's Cave– Inspired Mendelssohn to compose overture called "Die Hebriden" (The Hebrides)

• He later renamed it "The Isles of Fingal," and as known as "Fingal's Cave“• "Fingal's Cave“ – refuge of Finn McCool

– (Fionn mac Cumhail), a mythical Irish warrior-leader

• Mendelssohn's overture is a musical painting of the cave surrounded by the sea

• "Fingal's Cave" – scene is set up w/ two contrasting themes• 1st theme – presented by the low strings and the bassoons, representing the

cave on a lonely island grand and beautiful • 2nd theme – depicted by the violin as the rolling, crashing waves of the sea• Theme pitch and dynamic rising and falling symbolizes the waters crashing

upon the rocks and then settling down

Bedrich Smetana and Die Moldau• Bedrich Smetana (1824-84) was a Czech composer, conductor, critic,

and one of the champions of nation music in his country• One of his well known composed music was Ma Vlast ("My

Country" or "My Fatherland")• Ma Vlast is a cycle of six symphonic poems each depicting a person

or a place of historical significance to Bohemia1.Vysehrad ("The High Citadel)2. Vltava ("The River Moldau)3. Sarka (the name of a female warrior in Czecg legends)4. Z Ceskych Luhua Haju ( "From Bohemia's Meadows and Forests)5. Tabor (A Hussite stronghold)6. Blanik (a mountain in southern Bohmenia and the Hussire analogue of Valhalla)

Vltava (Die Moldau)

• Vltava (#2 of the Ma Vlast) is also known as Die Moldau in German and depicts the River Moldau in what is not the Czech Republic

• One of Smetana’s earliest Ma Vlast tone before he became completely deaf

• The Moldau River is fed by two streams, one warm and the other cold

• The warm stream is musically represented by the flute, while the cold is represented by the clarinets

Vltava (Die Moldau) – cont.

I. Upper strings and oboes enters with the main Vltava theme and forms the Moldau

II. The French horn represents the river going through the country passing a hunting party

III. There is a wedding and the attendees dance to a polka (a Bohemian dance) that is at first light with the strings, clarinets, and bassoons

IV. The continuing river is represented by the full orchestraV. As the river moves on, the polka becomes faint and eventually dies offVI. Night falls depicted by the bassoons and soft strings, the flutes enters as

water continues to flow, the dance beings, and the theme is restated againVII. Rivers comes upon St. John rapids; the brass section re-enters, dissonance

abound, and the strings play lively scalesVIII. After the rapids, the river flows into Prague and the Vltava theme returnsIX. The orchestra diminishes as the river goes into the distance

Jean Sibelius and The Swan of Tuonela

• Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) began composing as a child even before any formal musical instruction– Began music lessons at age 15– Became an accomplished violinist, played piano, &

schooled himself in composition• 1885 – attended Helsinki University to study law

– Classes at Helsinki Music Institute

Jean Sibelius – cont.

• Swedish vs. Finnish– Interest was deepened by another interest in Aino

Jarnefelt, younger sister of 2 artistic friends• Political & social views made a distinct impression

– Disappointed by academic classicism of the conservatory• Sought to capture Finnish lang. & scenery• Referred to himself as «a dreamer and poet of Nature»

Lemminkainen Suite (1893-1897)

• 4-movement symphonic poem based on KalevalaThe 3rd movement – The Swan of Tuonela

– Story of Lemminkaine’s adventure to Tuonela– Hero journeys there to kill Swan, which swims in Tuoni River– Ends up dying– Mother attempts to recover him– Swan of Tuonela sings

The Swan of Tuonela

• Creates the ethereal but dismal background of underworld

• English horn – Swan’s voice– One of the most famous Eng. Horn solos in orchest.

repertoire.• Movement is quite melancholy

– Not too depressive

The Swan of Tuonela, Opening Section – Jean Sibelius

• The Swan of Tuonela is the second part of Op. 22 Lemminkainen (Four Legends)

• Originally written as a prelude to an opera but the second was abandoned.

• It features one of the most famous coranglais. (English horn) solos in all music literature.

• English horn is a member of the obe family.• The english horn is a swan in the piece of work.• The string create a backdrop of the Tuonela itself.

Texture

• Antiphonal texture – To finish an idea and begin another.

• Accompanimental texture – The lead line is shared.

• Homophonic texture – Melody and harmony mover together.

Harmony

• The chords and harmonic progressions used is richly orchestrated.

• Sibelius uses a minor-major seventh chord.• This is not one of the five most commonly

used• An “A” minor-major seventh chord would

consist of A – C – E – G sharp.

QUESTION TIME

1. What was the name of the 3rd movement of Jean Sibelius’s Lemminkainen Suite?

A. Four LegendsB. The Swan of TuonelaC. LemminkainenD. Vltava

1. What was the name of the 3rd movement of Jean Sibelius’s Lemminkainen Suite?

A. Four LegendsB. The Swan of TuonelaC. LemminkainenD. Vltava

2. What did Lemminkainen’s mother do after she discovered that he died?

A. She was so devastated that she took her own life.

B. She acted as if nothing happened, since she did not care much about her son.

C. She recovers his body parts and sews them back together.

D. She frantically called for help.

2. What did Lemminkainen’s mother do after she discovered that he died?

A. She was so devastated that she took her own life.

B. She acted as if nothing happened, since she did not care much about her son.

C. She recovers his body parts and sews them back together.

D. She frantically called for help.

3. Many of Felix Mendelssohn’s works were dedicated to his sister. What was his sister’s real name?

A. FannyB. MinervaC. EmilyD. Sheryl

3. Many of Felix Mendelssohn’s works were dedicated to his sister. What was his sister’s real name?

A. FannyB. MinervaC. EmilyD. Sheryl

True or False?

4. Jean Sibelius began composing at a very young age without any formal musical instructions.

True or False?

4. Jean Sibelius began composing at a very young age without any formal musical instructions.

True!

True or False?

5. The 3rd movement of Lemminkainen The Swan of Tuonela is quite joyful.

True or False?

5. The 3rd movement of Lemminkainen The Swan of Tuonela is quite joyful.

False!

True or False?

5. The 3rd movement of Lemminkainen The Swan of Tuonela is quite joyful.

False!This movement is melancholy, but not exceptionally depressive. This is most likely because the Swan of Tuonela is not overly troubled with Lemminkainen’s

death, or it may be because the audience and composer both know that he will eventually be

brought back to life.

The End.Thank you!