Tomáš SVOBODA: “Six Variations” for Violin and String Orchestra Program Note

Posted on January 12, 2023

Notes by Thomas Stangland SIX VARIATIONS for Violin and String Orchestra, Op. 32 was completed July 4, 1961 in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Svoboda recalls it was a carefree and happy period in his life as a young composer, working part-time at Plzen Radio (in West Bohemia), arranging many folk tunes for broadcasting purposes.

SIX VARIATIONS is based on the theme from the last movement of Svoboda’s String Quartet No. 1,... Read More ›

ANTONIN DVOŘÁK SYMPHONIC VARIATIONS PROGRAM NOTES

Posted on October 21, 2022

Antonin Dvořák’s Symphonic Variations was first composed and premiered in Prague, 1877. In spite of the relatively good reception, the piece wasn’t covered by the press which greatly discouraged the composer. The Variations were set aside until 1887, when Dvořák revived them. This time they were met with great success and Dvořák sent the score to conductor Hans Richter, who was so... Read More ›

VARIATIONS FOR PIANO AND STRING PROGRAM NOTES - BRUCE STARK

Posted on October 21, 2022

Variations for Piano and Strings was written during the early months of 2019 in Redmond, Washington. It is a through-composed piece in which a theme—first introduced partially by the piano then in its complete form by strings—provides material for a series of variations. String orchestra and piano produce sounds that are among my cherished favorites, so I wanted to create a piece... Read More ›

MANUEL PONCE PROGRAM NOTES

Posted on October 21, 2022

Manuel Ponce, one of Mexico’s and Latin America’s most pivotal composers in the 20th century, is known for his vibrant, idyllic, and enduring melodicism, as much as for his skillful craftmanship in bridging the classical tradition with Mexican folk and popular music. He received Mexico’s National Prize for Arts and Sciences, taught at the National Conservatory of Music, and was buried in... Read More ›

CAMERATA PYP PROGRAM NOTES: LOUISE FARRENC: SYMPHONY NO. 3, OP. 36

Posted on May 11, 2022

Louise Farrenc, born Jeanne-Louise Dumont (1804-1875), studied the piano under famous teachers such as Hummel and Ignaz Moscheles and composition with Anton Reicha (teacher of Berlioz, Liszt and Franck among others). In 1842 she began a 30-year career as Professor of Piano at the Paris Conservatoire. She was the only female professor at the... Read More ›

CAMERATA PYP PROGRAM NOTES: WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART: PIANO CONCERTO IN C MINOR, KV 491

Posted on May 11, 2022

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) wrote only two of his many Concertos in a minor key. While the D Minor Piano Concerto is among the most performed of all, K. 491 in C Minor, which we hear today, is among the least performed of the ‘great’ Mozart concertos. It is unique among the... Read More ›