Program Notes: December 11, 2005
Schubert's Third Symphony, finished quickly in Summer 1815, was written during one of the most prolific periods he or any other composer has ever enjoyed. By this time, Beethoven had written eight of his nine symphonies, and it remains curious to many that Schubert--born in Vienna, Beethoven's adopted city--was so slow to take the older composer's measure and respond in kind. But, while Schubert's Third Symphony may be no Eroica (that is, hardly comparable to Beethoven' Third), he was after all still in his teens when he wrote it, and what ultimately must seem remarkable, given Schubert's youth, is how sure-footed a work it is. And despite the reputation of his early symphonies for being derivative of Mozart and Haydn, this one not only speaks with Schubert's voice, but also offered later composers a viable alternative to Beethoven for their symphonic models. Thus, the "evolutionary" profile of the first movement's introduction anticipates some aspects of the opening to the "Great" C-major Symphony, which so impressed Schumann and Mendelssohn. The suave Allegretto sets the terms for many a symphonic movement by Schumann and Brahms. The Menuetto & Trio partakes of the quintessential Schubertian alternation between Ländler and Waltz--the former in this case being of the heavy-footed peasant variety rather than the more refined type imitated in The Sound of Music. And the outer movements of Mendelssohn's "Italian" Symphony owe more than a little to the irrepressible energies of Schubert's finale.
Copland's Rodeo (1942) seems a fitting precursor for Oklahoma! of the following year, using a fair sampling of "Cowboy" tunes (like the play Oklahoma! was based on) and serving, like Rodgers and Hammerstein's hit show, as a showcase for Agnes de Mille's choreography. Yet the two sit differently within their own contexts. Whereas Oklahoma! launched a new direction in its genre, Copland had to be persuaded to follow his Billy the Kid (1938; performed by the Santa Monica Symphony almost exactly six years ago tonight) with a work that would seem to be mined from the same vein. The arrangement of "Four Dance Episodes" from the longer ballet has seemed a natural, with lively outer movements setting off the soothing "Corral Nocturne" and "Saturday Night Waltz," in which, in the original ballet, a variant of "Old Paint" (and a new dress) allow de Mille's tomboy to win herself a place on the dance floor. The familiar "Hoe-Down" also uses familiar tunes ("Bonyparte" and "McLeod's Reel") in an exciting alternation that breaks mood only for the moment when the tomboy Cowgirl finally wins her kiss from the head Wrangler. But it is only the first movement, based on "Sis Joe" and "If He'd Be a Buckaroo," that partakes of any extended dramatic action, for which one can only imagine the "visuals" in its orchestral version.
Damian Montano's Concerto for Piccolo and Contrabassoon daringly combines the highest and deepest instruments from the traditional woodwind family. In conceiving the work, Montano had to solve two pressing technical problems: to keep "the orchestration transparent enough for the solo lines to come through" and to create an equal partnership between the two soloists, for which he devised "thematic material that would be idiomatic for both instruments." In the composer's description, "The three movements follow a traditional fast-slow-fast configuration. The first movement emanates from the baroque concerto-ritornello form. In the expressively introverted second movement, the woodwinds dominate the orchestral color. The piece concludes with a Scherzo in Rondo form, including an extended dueling cadenza between the soloists."
-- Raymond Knapp
Susan Greenberg, piccolo
Susan Greenberg enjoys a versatile career as soloist, chamber musician, symphony player, and recording artist. She returns as soloist with the Santa Monica Symphony, having performed Bruce Broughton's Concerto for Piccolo and Chamber Orchestra in May 2002. As a member of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, she has been a frequent soloist on both flute and piccolo, and has appeared as guest soloist with the San Francisco and Oakland Symphonies, at the Casals Festival, and at the Hollywood Bowl. She has also performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, L.A. Opera, New York City Opera, American Ballet Theater, Joffrey Ballet, and the Ojai Festival. She was the principal flutist of the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra during their 1995 tour of Japan.
Ms. Greenberg's early career began as principal flutist with the Roger Wagner Chorale and Orchestra performing throughout the U.S. and Canada, Europe and the Middle East. She was a fellowship recipient to Tanglewood and to the Music Academy of the West.
Ms. Greenberg graduated cum laude and received her Master of Arts degree from UCLA. She has been on the faculties of California Institute of the Arts and Occidental College. She received the "Most Valuable Player" award on the flute from the National Association of Recording Arts and Sciences, and can be heard on Crystal, Orion and Angel labels.
She is also the Co-Artistic Director of Chamber Music Palisades, now celebrating its fifth season. The Los Angeles Times recently lauded Chamber Music Palisades as having "bright and seasoned professionalism with musical panache."
She is active in motion picture, television and commercial recordings, and has played principal flute on many films and television shows including Star Trek:Generations, The Lion King, True Lies, On Golden Pond, and television shows such as The Simpsons and Deep Space Nine as well as Superman and Animaniacs cartoons.
Patricia Kindel, contrabassoon
Patricia Kindel joined the Los Angeles Philharmonic in October 1981 as contrabassoonist and bassoonist. A native of Los Angeles, she received her Bachelor of Music degree from Cal State, Los Angeles, and Master of Music degree from USC. During this time she attended the Music Academy of the West, the New College Music Festival in Sarasota, and the Claremont Music Festival. Her teachers include Walt Ritchie, David Breidenthal, and Norman Herzberg.
Prior to her appointment with the Philharmonic, Ms. Kindel freelanced in Los Angeles, playing principal bassoon with the Long Beach Symphony and with visiting opera and ballet companies, as well as being active in the film recording industry. In 1987, she was a guest artist at the Fairbanks (Alaska) Arts Festival, and in 2001, she was a guest artist at the Sitka Music Festival in Alaska.
Ms. Kindel performs regularly with the L.A. Philharmonic Chamber Music Society and the New Music Group. She has also served on the music faculties at Pomona College and U.C. Santa Barbara.
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