Philip Hale's Boston Symphony Programme Notes
HISTORICAL, CRITICAL, AND DESCRIPTIVE COMMENT ON MUSIC AND COMPOSERS
Edited by JOHN N. BURK
With an Introduction by LAWRENCE GILMAN
Garden City, New York DOUBLEDAY, DORAN & COMPANY, INC. MCMXXXV
PRINTED AT THE Country Life Press , GARDEN CITY, N. Y., U. S. A.
COPYRIGHT, 1935 BY DOUBLEDAY, DORAN & COMPANY, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED FIRST EDITION
This book, assembling the musical writings of Philip Hale, draws principally upon the programme books for which he wrote descriptive notes for thirty-two years of concerts by the Boston Symphony Orchestra. Since the notes were addressed to audiences approaching the music with, presumably, open minds, the writer judiciously withheld his individual opinion. This opinion he freely expressed in his newspaper reviews of the same concerts, extending over an even longer period, and it has seemed advisable, by combining the two, to bring together the critic and the historian. The editor has found, in the newspaper files, pertinent critical paragraphs which are here used to introduce the programme notes about each particular work. The transition from criticism to descriptive note is indicated by a typographical ornament.
In going through the scrapbooks in the Allen A. Brown Room of the Boston Public Library, wherein the newspaper criticisms of Philip Hale’s forty active years are carefully preserved, the editor came across this observation by him, in the Boston Herald of March 13, 1912: “In 1945 some student in the Brown Room of the Public Library will doubtless be amused by opinions expressed by us all, of works first heard in 1912. Some of us will not then be disturbed by his laughter or by quotations ornamented with exclamation marks of contempt or wonder.”
There is cause for wonder, to a student at a time ten years short of the year Mr. Hale mentioned; wonder, however, at his quick perception of essential values upon first hearing what time has since proved a masterpiece, or considerably less than a masterpiece, as the case may be. Few indeed are the professional judges of music who are not glad to leave undisturbed in the dust of the newspaper files some skeletons of their past—appalling errors of denunciation or proclamation. Again and again, when his fellow critics of another day wrote laughably of a then new tone poem of Richard Strauss or pastel of Claude Debussy, Philip Hale delivered a sane and still quotable judgment.
Philip Hale
---
PHILIP HALE’S BOSTON SYMPHONY PROGRAMME NOTES
EDITOR’S NOTE
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
PHILIP HALE’S BOSTON SYMPHONY PROGRAMME NOTES
THE BRANDENBURG CONCERTOS
THE CONCERTOS FOR PIANOFORTE
THE ORCHESTRAL SUITES
SYMPHONY NO. 1, IN C MAJOR, OP. 21
SYMPHONY NO. 2, IN D MAJOR, OP. 36
SYMPHONY NO. 3, IN E FLAT MAJOR “EROICA,” OP. 55
SYMPHONY NO. 4, IN B FLAT MAJOR, OP. 60
SYMPHONY NO. 5, IN C MINOR, OP. 67
SYMPHONY NO. 6, IN F MAJOR, “PASTORALE,” OP. 68
SYMPHONY NO. 7, IN A MAJOR, OP. 92
SYMPHONY NO. 8, IN F MAJOR, OP. 93
SYMPHONY NO. 9, IN D MINOR, WITH FINAL CHORUS ON SCHILLER’S “ODE TO JOY,” OP. 125
OVERTURE TO “LEONORE NO. 3,” OP. 72
OVERTURE TO “EGMONT,” OP. 84
OVERTURE TO “CORIOLANUS,” OP. 62
CONCERTO FOR PIANOFORTE, NO. 4, IN G MAJOR, OP. 58
CONCERTO FOR PIANOFORTE, NO. 5, IN E FLAT MAJOR, OP. 73
CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN, IN D MAJOR, OP. 61
SYMPHONIE FANTASTIQUE, IN C MAJOR, OP. 14 a
“PROGRAMME OF THE SYMPHONY
OVERTURE, “THE ROMAN CARNIVAL,” OP. 9
“SCHELOMO” (SOLOMON), HEBREW RHAPSODY FOR VIOLONCELLO AND ORCHESTRA
SYMPHONY NO. 2, IN B MINOR, OP. 5
SYMPHONY NO. 1, IN C MINOR, OP. 68
SYMPHONY NO. 2, IN D MAJOR, OP. 73
SYMPHONY, NO. 3, IN F MAJOR, OP. 90
SYMPHONY NO. 4, IN E MINOR, OP. 98
VARIATIONS ON A THEME BY JOSEF HAYDN, IN B FLAT MAJOR, OP. 56a
“TRAGIC” OVERTURE, OP. 81
ACADEMIC FESTIVAL OVERTURE, OP. 80
CONCERTO FOR PIANOFORTE, NO. 1, IN D MINOR, OP. 15
CONCERTO NO. 2, IN B FLAT MAJOR, FOR PIANOFORTE AND ORCHESTRA, OP. 83
CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN, IN D MAJOR, OP. 77
SYMPHONY NO. 7, IN E MAJOR
SYMPHONY NO. 8, IN C MINOR
SUITE. “ADVENTURES IN A PERAMBULATOR”
“PRÉLUDE À L’APRÈS-MIDI D’UN FAUNE” (ECLOGUE DE STÉPHANE MALLARMÉ)
NOCTURNES
“LA MER,” TROIS ESQUISSES SYMPHONIQUES
Debussy and the Sea
“IBÉRIA”: “IMAGES” FOR ORCHESTRA, NO. 2
SYMPHONY NO. 5, IN E MINOR, “FROM THE NEW WORLD,” OP. 95
VARIATIONS ON AN ORIGINAL THEME, “ENIGMA,” OP. 36
THEME
VARIATIONS
BALLET-PANTOMIME: “EL AMOR BRUJO”
THREE DANCES TAKEN FROM THE BALLET “THE THREE-CORNERED HAT”
SYMPHONY IN D MINOR
TWELVE CONCERTI GROSSI, FOR STRING ORCHESTRA
“KONZERTMUSIK” FOR STRING AND BRASS INSTRUMENTS
“PACIFIC 231,” ORCHESTRAL MOVEMENT
SYMPHONY NO. 2, IN B FLAT MAJOR, OP. 57
SYMPHONIC VARIATIONS, “ISTAR,” OP. 42
A “FAUST” SYMPHONY IN THREE CHARACTER PICTURES (AFTER GOETHE)
SYMPHONIC POEM, NO. 3, “LES PRÉLUDES” (AFTER LAMARTINE)
PIANOFORTE CONCERTO, NO. 1, IN E FLAT
“A PAGAN POEM” (AFTER VIRGIL), OP. 14, FOR ORCHESTRA, PIANOFORTE, ENGLISH HORN, AND THREE TRUMPETS OBBLIGATI
ORCHESTRAL SUITE NO. 2, IN E MINOR, “INDIAN,” OP. 48
THE SYMPHONIES
SYMPHONY NO. 5, IN C SHARP MINOR IN THREE PARTS
SYMPHONY IN A MAJOR, “ITALIAN,” OP. 90
OVERTURE AND INCIDENTAL MUSIC TO SHAKESPEARE’S LAY, “A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM”
CONCERT OVERTURE, “THE HEBRIDES,” OR “FINGAL’S CAVE,” OP. 26
CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN, IN E MINOR, OP. 64
SYMPHONY IN E FLAT MAJOR (KOECHEL NO. 543)
SYMPHONY IN G MINOR (KOECHEL NO. 550)
SYMPHONY IN C MAJOR, “JUPITER” (KOECHEL NO. 551)
OVERTURE TO THE OPERA, “THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO”
OVERTURE TO THE OPERA “THE MAGIC FLUTE”
CONCERTOS FOR VIOLIN
MOZART AS PIANIST
SCYTHIAN SUITE, “ALA AND LOLLI,” OP. 20
CLASSICAL SYMPHONY, OP. 25
SYMPHONY NO. 2, IN E MINOR, OP. 27
CONCERTO NO. 2, IN C MINOR, FOR PIANOFORTE WITH ORCHESTRA, OP. 18
“MA MÈRE L’OYE” (MOTHER GOOSE), FIVE CHILDREN’S PIECES
“DAPHNIS ET CHLOÉ,” BALLET IN ONE ACT, ORCHESTRAL FRAGMENTS, SECOND SERIES “DAYBREAK,” “PANTOMIME,” “GENERAL DANCE”
BOLERO
SYMPHONIC POEM, “PINES OF ROME”
SYMPHONIC SUITE, “SCHEHERAZADE” (AFTER “THE THOUSAND NIGHTS AND A NIGHT”), OP. 35
CAPRICE ON SPANISH THEMES, OP. 34
SYMPHONY NO. 3, IN C MINOR (WITH ORGAN), OP. 78
“VERKLÄRTE NACHT” (RADIANT NIGHT), ARRANGED FOR STRING ORCHESTRA, OP. 4
SYMPHONY NO. 8, IN B MINOR (“UNFINISHED”)
SYMPHONY NO. 7, IN C MAJOR
SYMPHONY NO. 1, IN B FLAT MAJOR, OP. 38
SYMPHONY NO. 2, IN C MAJOR, OP. 61
SYMPHONY NO. 3, IN E FLAT MAJOR, “RHENISH,” OP. 97
SYMPHONY NO. 4, IN D MINOR, OP. 120
CONCERTO IN A MINOR, FOR PIANOFORTE AND ORCHESTRA, OP. 54
“THE POEM OF ECSTASY” (LE POÈME DE L’EXTASE), OP. 54
SYMPHONY NO. 1, IN E MINOR, OP. 39
SYMPHONY NO. 2, IN D MAJOR, OP. 43
SYMPHONY NO. 4, IN A MINOR, OP. 63
SYMPHONY NO. 5, IN E FLAT MAJOR, OP. 82
“FINLANDIA,” SYMPHONIC POEM FOR ORCHESTRA, OP. 26, NO. 7
“THE SWAN OF TUONELA” (“TUONELAN JOUTSEN”), LEGEND FROM THE FINNISH FOLK EPIC “KALEVALA”
“DON JUAN,” TONE POEM (AFTER NICOLAUS LENAU), OP. 20
“TOD UND VERKLÄRUNG” (DEATH AND TRANSFIGURATION) TONE POEM, OP. 24
“TILL EULENSPIEGEL’S MERRY PRANKS, AFTER THE OLD-FASHIONED ROGUISH MANNER—IN RONDO FORM,” OP. 28
“THUS SPAKE ZARATHUSTRA,” TONE POEM (FREELY AFTER FRIEDRICH NIETZSCHE), OP. 30
Introduction
Theme
Variation I
Variation II
Variation III
Variation IV
Variation V
Variation VI
Variation VII
Variation VIII
Variation IX
Variation X
Finale
“EIN HELDENLEBEN” (A HERO’S LIFE), TONE POEM, OP. 40
The Hero
The Hero’s Antagonists
The Hero’s Helpmate
The Hero’s Battlefield
The Hero’s Mission of Peace
The Hero’s Escape from the World, and Conclusion
SUITE FROM THE BALLET, “PETROUCHKA”
“LE SACRE DU PRINTEMPS” (“THE RITE OF SPRING”), PICTURES OF PAGAN RUSSIA
I. The Adoration of the Earth
II. The Sacrifice
“THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS,” SUITE, FIVE PICTURES FROM LEWIS CARROLL, OP. 12
Ia. Dedication
Ib. The Garden of Live Flowers
II. Jabberwocky
III. Looking-Glass Insects
IV. The White Knight
SYMPHONY NO. 4, IN F MINOR, OP. 36
SYMPHONY NO. 5, IN E MINOR, OP. 64
SYMPHONY NO. 6, IN B MINOR, “PATHETIC,” OP. 74
“ROMEO AND JULIET,” OVERTURE FANTASIA (AFTER SHAKESPEARE)
CONCERTO FOR PIANOFORTE NO. 1, IN B FLAT MINOR, OP. 23
CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN, IN D MAJOR OP. 35
OVERTURE TO “RIENZI, THE LAST OF THE TRIBUNES”
OVERTURE TO “DER FLIEGENDE HOLLÄNDER” (“THE FLYING DUTCHMAN”)
OVERTURE TO TANNHÄUSER
PRELUDE TO “LOHENGRIN”
PRELUDE AND LIEBESTOD FROM “TRISTAN UND ISOLDE”
PRELUDE TO “DIE MEISTERSINGER VON NÜRNBERG”
A SIEGFRIED IDYL
“THE RIDE OF THE VALKYRIES,” FROM “DIE WALKÜRE”
PRELUDE TO “PARSIFAL”
“GOOD FRIDAY SPELL,” FROM “PARSIFAL”
OVERTURE TO THE OPERA “OBERON”
OVERTURE TO THE OPERA “DER FREISCHÜTZ”
OVERTURE TO THE OPERA “EURYANTHE”
A LONDON SYMPHONY
“Second Movement
“Third Movement
“Fourth Movement
FOOTNOTES
INDEX
Transcriber’s Notes
