FELIX MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847)
Symphony No. 4, “Italian” (1833)
For artists, poets, and composers, it was virtually de rigeur to make a grand tour at the conclusion of their studies, and for those from the colder climes of Northern Europe in particular, to search out the beauty of Italy’s sun-drenched landscapes and to experience the joie de vivre of its people. Mendelssohn was no exception. He undertook his coming-of-age travels as a 21-year old and fell in love with Italy—an inevitability. The result is this spirited symphony, one of the most beloved in the repertoire. “It will be the jolliest piece I have ever done, especially the last movement,” he wrote to his sisters. He gave it the nickname “Italian,” but also referred to it once as “blue sky in A major,” something that is obvious from the ebullience of the very first measures. Commentators have provided their interpretations of the various sections, yet these are scarcely important, given the appealing nature of the symphony—Italian or not. By the time you get to the last movement, it will be hard to sit still, and you’ll feel like joining in the saltarello, which he indicated should be played “presto.” The saltarello was a rapid 16th century Neapolitan dance that incorporated lively skips and jumps (from the Italian “saltare”—to jump or hop) in its choreography. An interesting sidelight is that musical impressions were not the only thing the young Mendelssohn brought back from Italy: he also created a number of watercolors and sketches on his sojourn. Fun fact: music from the fast-paced fourth movement made it onto the soundtrack of the 1979 film “Breaking Away.”

ANTONÍN DVORÁK (1841-1904)
Symphony No. 7 (1885)
When the London Philharmonic Society invited Dvorák to conduct his Symphony No. 6, his success was such that the organization also commissioned him to write a new symphony. He wrote to a friend: “My new symphony must be such as to make a stir in the world”—a goal that the Seventh fulfilled magnificently. Dvorák had been undergoing a difficult time due to pressure from his publisher Simrock, the critic Eduard Hanslick, and others, to abandon his musical allegiance to his native Bohemia—even to use the German form of his name Anton, instead of Antonín—in order to be viewed more favorably in Vienna. But Dvorák would have none of it. Defending the nationalism in his music, Dvorák wrote to Simrock “…an artist also has a fatherland in which he must have firm faith and for which he must have a warm heart.” It was perhaps his response to, in effect, being asked to forsake his musical roots that infused the Seventh Symphony with both a melancholy and decidedly Czech spirit. While he did not quote any folk songs verbatim, their rhythms and cadences are certainly there. And in the third movement, listen for the exciting sounds of the “furiant,” an aptly named Czech dance. Many consider this symphony to be Dvorák’s most perfect—a work of stunning beauty, drama, and melodic riches. And when, at the end, D major triumphs over D minor, it’s like being embraced by sunlight.

Lorin Maazel, who has led more than 150 orchestras in more than 5,000 opera and concert performances, became Music Director of the New York Philharmonic in September 2002. His appointment came 60 years after his debut with the Orchestra at Lewisohn Stadium, then the Orchestra’s summer venue. As Music Director he has conducted seven World Premiere–NewYork Philharmonic Commissions, including the Pulitzer Prize– and Grammy Award–winning On the Transmigration of Souls by John Adams; Stephen Hartke’s Symphony No. 3; and Melinda Wagner’s Trombone Concerto. He has led cycles of works by Brahms, Beethoven, and Tchaikovsky; and he conducted the Orchestra’s inaugural performances in the DG Concerts series — a groundbreaking initiative to offer downloadable New York Philharmonic concerts exclusively on iTunes.

Mr. Maazel has taken the Orchestra on numerous international tours, including the historic visit to Pyongyang, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, in February 2008 — the first performance there by an American orchestra, and an event watched around the world. Other recent tours have included Asia 2008 — to Taipei, Kaohsiung, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Beijing; the May 2007 Tour of Europe; the November 2006 visit to Japan and Korea; the Philharmonic Tour of Italy in June 2006, sponsored by Generali; the two-part 75th Anniversary European Tour to thirteen cities in five countries in the fall of 2005; and residencies in Cagliari, Sardinia, and at the Bravo! Vail Valley Music Festival in Colorado.

In addition to the New York Philharmonic, Mr. Maazel is music director of the Palau de les Arts Reina Sofia in Valencia, Spain. A frequent conductor on the world’s operatic stages, he returned to The Metropolitan Opera in January 2008 for the first time in 45 years to conduct Wagner’s Die Walküre.

Prior to his tenure as New York Philharmonic Music Director, Mr. Maazel led more than 100 performances of the Orchestra as a guest conductor. He served as music director of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra (1993–2002), and has held positions as music director of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra (1988–96); general manager and chief conductor of the Vienna Staatsoper (1982–84); music director of The Cleveland Orchestra (1972–82); and artistic director and chief conductor of the Deutsche Oper Berlin (1965–71). He is an honorary member of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and an honorary member of the Vienna Philharmonic. On February 17, 2009, he will be named a Commander of the Legion of Honor by the government of France.

A second-generation American, born in Paris, Mr. Maazel was raised and educated in the United States. He took his first violin lesson at age five, and first conducting lesson at seven. Between ages 9 and 15 he conducted most of the major American orchestras. In 1953 he made his European conducting debut in Catania, Italy.

Mr. Maazel is also an accomplished composer. His opera, 1984, received its world premiere on May 3, 2005, at London’s Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. It was revived in the 2007–08 season at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, and has been released on DVD by Decca.