UMS Concert Program, March 29, 1946: -- Alec Templeton

Season: 1945-1946
Complete Series: 2923
Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan

UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY
CHARLES A. SINK, PRESIDENT THOR JOHNSON, CONDUCTOR
HARDIN VAN DEURSEN, ACTING CONDUCTOR
Special Concert 194S-1946 Complete Series 2923
ALEC TEMPLETON
Pianist
Friday Evening, March 29, 1946, at 8:30 Hill Auditorium, Ann Arbor, Michigan
PROGRAM
Chorale Prelude: Jesus Christ Son of God . . . Bach-Rummel Pavanne to Earl of Salisbury, and Galliard . . . William Byrd
Le Coucou (The Cuckoo).........Daquin
Sonata in F minor, Op. 57 ("Appassionata") .... Beethoven Allegro assai Andante con moto Allegro ma non troppo
Intermezzo in A major..........Brahms
Doctor Gradus ad Parnassum from
"Children's Corner" Suite........Debussy
Two Preludes............Chopin
No. 20 in C minor
No. 17 in A flat
Romance 1
Minuet in Style of Ravel i. Templeton
Fantasia on Themes from "Boris Godounoff"
INTERMISSION
Minuet in G Reharmonized
William de Tell
Inprovisations, Styles of Composers
Siciliana
Improvisations: Four-in-one
Templeton
Management W. Colston Leigh, Inc., New York City.
Note.--The University Musical Society has presented Alec Templeton in special concerts on two previous occasions as follows: February 26, 1942; and February 25, 1943.
Mr. Templeton uses the Steinway piano, which is the official concert instrument of the University Musical Society.
ARS LONGA VITA BREVIS
OBSERVATIONS ON THE PROGRAM
By
Mr. Templeton
Chorale Prelude: Jesus Christ,
the Son of God ....]. S. Bach (168S-17S0)-Rummel
If Johann Sebastian Bach were alive today and the star of his own radio program, this work, I think, would be the perfect theme song for him. It is as unmistakably distinctive of him as his signature. From the opening notes, you have the essence of Bach--the pure, lofty emotion, both religious and human, which is the truest expression of Bach's great spirit. This chorale prelude, taken from one of the cantatas, where it is sung chorally to organ accompaniment, is ponderous in character. It is meant to be so; Bach wrote it that way. Yet the ponderousness is not that of mere bulk or weight, but of powerful feeling. The chief value of Rummel's arrangement is that this setting in no wise dilutes the true character of the work. Rummel has taken the music out of organ and voices, and put it into the piano without change of feeling or color.
Pavanne to the Earl of Salisbury,
and Galliard......William Bykd (1542-1623)
The Pavanne and the Galliard are two separate works, which I play exactly as they were written, with one exception--I have blended them into one uninterrupted number. The pavanne and galliard are dances, the former of stately character, the second, gay and lively.
Le Coucou (The Cuckoo) . . . . Claude Daquin (1694-1772)
Daquin is one of the very earliest to compose program music--music that follows the program of describing some special object or scene or event, instead of expressing abstract emotion. It is especially interesting to note that the object of Daquin's musical painting here is a bird (clearly the representative of nature and the natural world), since the reflection of nature in art is considered one of the chief characteristics of the Romantic Age.
Sonata in F minor, Opus 57
("Appassionata") . . . Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
The Appassionata, to my mind, ranks as the most dramatic as well as the most typically "Beethoven" of all Beethoven's piano sonatas. Of the same period as the Pathetique and the Moonlight, it surpasses both in fervor of feeling and splendor of color. Here is one of the finest examples of Beethoven's orchestral sense, transferred to the piano. Melody, harmonic richness, emotion, color, drama, intensity, climax--everything is here.
Further, the work is distinctly Beethoven. It is often said that he loved the common chord, and these first notes prove this. He begins quite simply with the diatonic common chord in C major. Typically Beethoven, is the wonderful transition from the slow movement to the agitated Prestissimo of the finale. By leading into a diminished seventh, and then repeating that diminished seventh an octave higher, he slips easily and naturally into the closing movement. And again typically Beethoven is that final movement itself. Though free in form, the entire sonata is written within the limits of sonata structure--up to the end. And straightway, without a thought to structural stricture, he plunges into the compelling rhythm of the finale, which is almost a dance of passionate abandon.
Intermezzo, A major .... Johannes Brahms (1833-1897)
This Intermezzo illustrates the superiority of music over words. At one and the same instant, by means of one and the same effect, Brahms gives us a combination of simplicity and sophistication that you cannot possibly explain. And what wonderful togetherness it is! The simplest, tenderest melody moves against an harmonic pattern of highly intellectual sophistication. The melody has a lied-like quality, lyrical and moving, and bears a sort of family resemblance to the beloved Cradle Song (Wiegenlied) and the Waltz in A flat.
Dr. Gradus ad Parnassum . . . Claude Debussy (1862-1918) from "the Children's Corner" Suite
Here we have Debussy in a genial mood of pure fun-making. He gives us a parody on the orthodox "finger exercise" and makes of it sheer loveliness.
Preludes, No. 20 in C minor, . Frederic Francois Chopin (1809-1849) No. 17 in A flat
In approaching these well-known Preludes, I am not sure whether to cite Keats, on a thing of beauty's being a joy forever, or the good lady who said she loved Hamlet "because it's so full of familiar quotations!" In either case, the point is that the more we hear these selections, the more alive we become to their charm. And both are excellent tonics for those who think of Chopin as a weakling, bowed down with sentimental feelings and ill health. The C minor shows a rugged grandeur of melody; the A flat, a lifting joyousness.
Romance (written July 4th, 1945) . . -. . . . Templeton
This Romance is my birthday present to Mrs. Templeton--but the "my" refers to birthday rather than to present. Every year, on that day, I write a piece of music especially for my wife.
Minuet in the Style of Ravel........Templeton
This little work grew out of my student days. I was brought up along strictly classic lines, but in my "teens," I became badly bitten with the bug of modernism and spent much time and much love writing in that idiom.
Fantasia on Themes from "Boris Godounoff" . . . Templeton
I have always loved the thrilling richness of the opera Boris, and, knowing of no other piano transcription of it, I made this one myself based on my four favorite themes--the opening theme, the Coronation Scene, the Farewell, and the Drinking Song. Except for certain free interpolations toward the close, I have kept the music as it was written, endeavoring to retain the original orchestral color.
MAY FESTIVAL
MAY 2, 3, 4, 5, 1946
BIDU SAYAO, Soprano ANNE BROWN, Soprano RUTH DIEHL, Soprano ROSALIND NADELL, Contralto JEAN WATSON, Contralto JUSSI BJOERLING, Tenor WILLIAM HAIN, Tenor SALVATORE BACCALONI, Bass NICOLA MOSCONA, Bass
NATHAN MILSTEIN, Violinist WILLIAM KAPELL, Pianist EUGENE ORMANDY, Conductor ALEXANDER HILSBERG, Conductor HARDIN VAN DEURSEN, Conductor MARGUERITE HOOD, Conductor PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA UNIVERSITY CHORAL UNION FESTIVAL YOUTH CHORUS
PROGRAMS
THE PHILADELPHIA ORCHESTRA AT ALL CONCERTS
THURSDAY, MAY 2, 8:30
Soloist: Jussi Bjoerling, Tenor
Eugene Ormandy, Conductor
Symphony No. 5, Op. 82 .... Sibelius
"Ah! Fuyez douce image" from
"Manon" .........Massinbt
Flower Song from "Carmen".....Bizn
Jussi Bjoerling
Ballet Suite, "The Perfect Fool" . . . Holst "Che gelida manina" from
"La Boheme"........Puccini
"E lucevan le stelle" from "Tosca" . Puccini
Mr. Bjoeslino Daphnis and Chloe Suite No. 2 ... Ravxl
SATURDAY, MAY 4, 8:30
Soloist: Bidu Sayao, Soprano
Eugene Ormandy, Conductor
Symphony No. 40, G minor .... Mozakt
"Batti, batti" from "Don Giovanni" . Mousi
"Ah, non credea mirarti" from
"La Sonnambula".......Bellini
Bidu Sayao
Soliloquy...........Rogesb
"Dos cantares populates".....Obkadoss
Lundu da Marchese de Santos . . Villa-Lobos "II faut partir" from "La Fille du
Regiment".........Donizetti
Miss Sayao "Pines of Rome".......Rispiohi
FRIDAY, MAY 3, 8:30
Soloists: Nathan Milstein, Violinist Ruth Diehl, Soprano Jean Watson, Contralto William Hain, Tenor Nicola Moscona, Bass University Choral Union
Alexander Hilbbeeg and Hardin Van Deuksen, Conductors
Requiem Mass.........Mozart
Choral Union and Soloists
Concerto for Violin, D major . . Nathan Milstein
Tchaikovsky
SUNDAY, MAY 5, 2:30
Soloist: William Kapell. Pianist
Alexander Hilsberg, Conductor
Academic Festival Overture .... Bsahhb
Concerto for Piano No. 1.....Brahhb
William Kapell
Symphony No. 4 in E minor, Op. 98 . Brahms Allegro non troppo Andante moderato Allegro giocoso
Allegro energico e passlonato
SATURDAY, MAY 4, 2:30
Soloist: Anno Brown, Soprano
Alexander Hilsbero and Marguerite Hood,
Conductors
Overture, "The Bartered Bride" . . Smktana American Folk Songs
Festival Youth Chorus
"Ritorna vincitor" from "Aida" . . . Verdi "Voi lo sapete" from "Cavalleria
Rusticana" ........Mascaoni
Anne Brown
Finlandia...........Sibelius
Excerpts from "Porgy and Bess" . . Gershwin
Miss Brown Scherzo and Nocturne from "Midsummer
Night's Dream"......Mendelssohn
"Till Eulenspiegel".......Strauss
SUNDAY, MAY 5, 8:30 Soloists: Rosalind Nadell, Contralto
Solvatore Baccalonl, Bass Eugene Ormandy, Conductor
Overture and Bacchanale from
"Tannhauser"........Waoner
"Son imbrogliato" from "La Serva
Padrona".........Pebgolesi
"Le Ragazze che son" from "Le Astuzie
Femminili".........Cimarosa
"Udite, tutti, udite" from "II Matrimonio
Segretq"..........Cimarosa
"Madamina" from "Don Giovanni" . . Mozaxt Salvatore Baccatoni
"Alexander Nevsky"--Cantata for Chorus,
Contralto, and Orchestra, Op. 78 . Prokofieff
Choral Union Rosalind Nadell, Soloist
TICKETS--A limited number of tickets will be available for several of the individual concerts beginning April 1, at the offices of the University Musical Society, Burton Memorial Tower.