Research Paper on "54th Symphony"

Research Paper 4 pages (1312 words) Sources: 0

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Garden State Philharmonic Presents: Master Works IV

Sitting quietly reading my program for the evening, I notice the first piece will be the Overture of the Bartered Bride. I do remember that this is a piece from a comic opera by Bohemian composer Bedrich Semtana. Most overtures are written as an afterthought of an opera but Semtana thought so much of the lovely story of the opera (a love story that comes out with a positive twist) that he wrote the overture before he wrote the rest of the opera. I am anxious to experience this piece with the Garden State Philharmonic.

The lights are dimming and Maestro Anthony LaGruth is advancing towards the podium. A thunderous applause erupts and Maestro LaGruth turns to take an appreciated bow. He turns and is now tapping his baton impatiently, calling the entire orchestra to attention. The quiet is then interrupted by strings; violins, cellos as if there were thousands of bees singing happy melodies. The quiet sounds now burst into a forte; full sounding music of dance and merriment. I am enjoying this happy, uplifting music with great fervor.

The cellos are now leading the orchestra giving a heavy, boisterous sound, including drums. The lighter violin strings are playing giving way to drums and going back and forth from wind instruments and then drums ushering in the light dance music again. The maestro is weaving back and forth as he passionately brings full orchestra into a resounding conclusive forte. The audience is now whistling and applauding as Maestro LaGruth is bowing to the audience and then to his famous orchestra.

The Bartered Bride was first performed May 30, 1866 in Prague. It is a lively entertaining story of a young rural girl who outwits her family and her marriage broker to marry the son of a wealthy landowner whom she loves instead of marrying his half-witted brother whom her family wants her to marry.

Bedrich Smetana was a pioneer of a music style which identified with his country's aspirations of independence. In his homeland of Czechoslovakia he is known as the father of Czech music. He was a gifted pianist and had his first concert at the age of six.

He started his career in Prague but became entangled in the politics of the Prague uprising in 1846. He then left for Sweden and in Gothenburg became a teacher and conductor. This is where he began writing his large scale orchestral works.

When the politics began to become more liberal in Bohemia, he returned to Prague. That is when he premiered two of his first operas the "Brandenburgs of Bohemia" and "The Bartered Bride" in 1866.

In 1874, he became completely deaf but was able to continue composing until the end of his life. Unfortunately in 1884, he had a mental collapse which led him to an asylum and then subsequent death.

I see now that Alex Chang is approaching center stage with his cello. According to my program he will be playing David Popper's Opus 24 in E minor.

The applause was deafening as Mr. Chang sat down and carefully steadied his cello between his knees. As he began playing David Popper's Opus 24 E minor I could see why the audience was so anxious to hear him play. The soleful sounds from his cello were exact and compelling. The first few chords were almost "crying" with his passionate rendition of the famous David Popper's Opus.

The piece began then to turn into a more active almost "upbeat" sound as the second movement of the piece. Amazingly, the cello seemed to speak as if it were telling a sad tale in the rural parts of Czechoslovakia.

Composer David Popper was born in Prague and studied at the Prague Conservatory. He studied the cello under Julius Golterman. He made his first tour in 1863 in Germany and was praised by Hans Von Bulow, son-in-law of Franz Liszt. He… READ MORE

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