WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART (1756-1791)
Sinfonia concertante for Violin and Viola, K. 364 (1779)
Think of this Sinfonia concertante as a sublime cross between a symphony and a double concerto, in which violin and viola, as equal partners, converse, console, and intertwine with each other in an exquisite give-and-take. Enthralled with musical impressions of Paris and Mannheim on his first visit there in 1778, Mozart was eager to experiment with his own sound, to let his personal voice be heard. But after a fruitless search for lucrative employment outside Salzburg (and the tragic death of his mother in Paris), he was back in his native city and to the drudgery of working for his despised boss, the Prince-Archbishop Hieronymus Colloredo. Inspired by the magnificent music he had heard abroad, this 1779 masterpiece proved to be his artistic liberation. Mozart himself enjoyed playing viola in string quartets, and here he provides especially gorgeous music for that instrument. He probably played the viola part himself at the premiere—perhaps asserting his independence from his father, who was known to nag Mozart to apply himself to playing the violin; but Mozart defiantly declined. In a stroke of inspiration—and to be sure that the darker sound of the viola could be heard—he wrote the part in D Major and instructed that the instrument be tuned ½ step higher, thus sounding more brilliant. The abundance of beautiful ideas starts with the very first movement, where he launches an avalanche of them, preparing for the sublime, out-of-nowhere entrance of the two solo instruments on a sustained high E-flat. The transcendent second movement is one of melancholy beauty, where grief expressed in the violin is consoled by the dark glow of the viola in a succession of glorious melodies. The finale returns to a more joyful mood, bringing us home in a brilliant presto.

ANTON BRUCKNER (1824-1896)
Symphony No. 4, Romantic (1874; rev. 1878/79, 1881, 1886)
Many people seem to know just one thing about Bruckner: his symphonies are long. But while length is a relative concept, they are definitely beautiful, rich in brass sonorities, heroic—a seeming paradox for a man who was humble, self-effacing, naïve, and insecure about his abilities. His physical appearance (large nose, a bit corpulent, and loose-hanging clothes) and lack of social skills made him the subject of jokes, and his music was roundly attacked by the venomous and influential critic Eduard Hanslick; still Bruckner persevered, feeling that his talent was a gift from God that he had a duty to develop. An endearing faux pas by the socially unskilled composer relates to the present Symphony. The legendary conductor Hans Richter was preparing its Vienna premiere in 1881, and Bruckner was thrilled, since his works were so rarely performed. To show his joy, the composer tipped Richter, who recalled the day: “For the first time I conducted a Bruckner symphony at rehearsal. …When the symphony was over, Bruckner came to me. He was radiant with enthusiasm and happiness. I felt him put something into my hand. ‘Take it, and drink a mug of beer to my health.’ It was a taler [a coin of small value].” Richter wore the coin on his watch chain as “a memento of a day when I wept.” This symphony, like many of Bruckner’s others, was subjected to numerous revisions—some by him, others by well-meaning but wrong-headed friends. Still, Symphony No. 4 (titled “Romantic” by Bruckner himself) was the first to be a public and critical success. Indeed, it has remained the most popular of his symphonies. The Fourth is ideal for catching the hallmarks of Bruckner’s symphonic style: development on an epic time scale; rustic flavors imparted by a peasant dance and hunting horn calls; a 5-note motif called the “Bruckner rhythm”; and majesty expressed by the brasses in blazing climaxes. It also promises to be a grand showcase for the Philharmonic’s stellar brass section.

CHRISTOPH VON DOHNÁNYI, conductor, born in 1929 in Berlin, Germany
One of the world’s pre-eminent conductors, Christoph von Dohnányi comes from a renowned musical family; he is the grandson of the well-known Hungarian composer Ernst von Dohnányi. His family suffered harrowing experiences in World War II Germany, with his father, Hans, and three other family members (including his uncle, the noted theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer) executed by the Nazis for their role in the anti-Hitler resistance. After studies in Germany, he joined his grandfather, who had immigrated to the United States, to study music at Florida State University in Tallahassee, and later he trained with Leonard Bernstein. After returning to Germany, his career path included posts with several German opera houses and orchestras and a full schedule of guest conducting. From 1984 to 2002 he held his most influential post—his legendary 20-year tenure as music director of the Cleveland Orchestra, which he led in a thousand concerts, fifteen international tours, twenty-four premieres, and recordings of more than one hundred works that span the spectrum from the classics through Ives, Varèse, and Lutosławski. Last season he became Honorary Conductor for life of the Philharmonia Orchestra, with whom he had a highly successful partnership that began in 1994, when he was appointed principal guest conductor and, from 1997 on, as principal conductor and artistic adviser. Audiences everywhere eagerly await his performances. The Washington Post captured this feeling: “Dohnányi is perhaps the only active conductor whose appearances inspire the passionate anticipation that used to greet the late performances of such long-ago maestros as Leonard Bernstein and Herbert van Karajan.”

“Dohnányi unleashed the orchestra like a tidal wave.” Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

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New York Philharmonic Concertmaster Glenn Dicterow has established himself worldwide as one of the most prominent American concert artists of his generation. His extraordinary musical gifts became apparent when, at age 11, he made his solo debut in Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto with the Los Angeles Philharmonic (where his father, Harold Dicterow, served as principal of the second violin section for 52 years). In the following years, Mr. Dicterow became one of the most sought-after young artists, appearing as soloist from coast to coast.

Mr. Dicterow, who has won numerous awards and competitions, is a graduate of The Juilliard School, where he was a student of Ivan Galamian. In 1967, at the age of 18, he performed as soloist with the New York Philharmonic under Andre Kostelanetz in Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. In 1980 he joined the Orchestra as Concertmaster, and has since performed as soloist every year, both on tour and in New York. Prior to joining the New York Philharmonic, he served as Associate Concertmaster and Concertmaster of the Los Angeles Philharmonic. Among his appearances on tour with the Philharmonic was his performance of the Barber Violin Concerto during the Orchestra’s 1998 Asian Tour, in Manila, Korea, and in Beijing, China, where he performed in The Great Hall of the People to an audience of more than 10,000 people. Most recently, he performed Bernstein’s Serenade with the Philharmonic at Carnegie Hall, and Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 1, at Avery Fisher Hall, both in November 2008.

Mr. Dicterow, who frequently appears as a guest soloist with other orchestras, has made numerous recordings. His most recent CD is a solo recital for Cala Records entitled New York Legends, featuring John Corigliano’s Sonata for Violin and Piano, Korngold’s Much Ado About Nothing, the premiere recording of Leonard Bernstein’s Sonata for Violin and Piano, and Martinů’s Three Madrigals for violin and viola, in collaboration with violist Karen Dreyfus and pianist Gerald Robbins. His recording of Bernstein’s Serenade, on Volume 2 of the American Celebration set, is available on the New York Philharmonic’s Website, nyphil.org. Mr. Dicterow can also be heard in the violin solos of the film scores for The Turning Point, The Untouchables, Altered States, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, and Interview with the Vampire, among others.

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Cynthia Phelps is the Philharmonic’s Principal Viola (The Mr. and Mrs. Frederick P. Rose Chair). Her solo appearances with the Orchestra have included performances on the 2006 Tour of Italy, sponsored by Generali, and the 1999 premiere of Sofia Gubaidulina’s Two Paths, which the Orchestra commissioned for her and Philharmonic Associate Principal Viola Rebecca Young. Other solo engagements have included the Minnesota Orchestra, San Diego Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic, and Orquesta Sinfónica de Bilbao. Ms. Phelps performs with The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center, Boston Chamber Music Society, and Bargemusic. She has toured internationally with the Zukerman and Friends Ensemble; appeared with The Kalichstein-Laredo-Robinson Trio and the Guarneri, American, Brentano, and Prague string quartets; and has given recitals in the music capitals of Europe and the U.S. Her honors include the Pro Musicis International Award and first prize in the Lionel Tertis International Viola and Washington International String competitions. Her most recent album, for flute, viola, and harp, on Telarc, was nominated for a Grammy Award.She has released a solo CD on Cala Records. Ms. Phelps has performed on PBS’s Live From Lincoln Center, NPR, Radio France, and RAI in Italy.

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