National Symphony Orchestra Open Rehearsal featuring Lang Lang

Michael M. Kaiser President Darrell M. Ayers Vice President, Education

Christoph Eschenbach Music Director National Symphony Orchestra David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of the NSO. Roger and Vicki Sant generously endow the NSO Music Director Chair and provide additional support for the Lang Lang Residency.

The Lang Lang Residency is made possible through the generous support of Ann and Tom Friedman.

Bombardier is the supporting sponsor of the Lang Lang Residency.

MEET CHRISTOPH ESCHENBACH He’s the music director leading the NSO, and you can call him “maestro.” That’s because he’s mastered conducting orchestras and playing the piano all over the world. He believes music is one of the strongest forces known to man, and he’s also committed to fostering young musicians. Washingtonian magazine calls him “one of the most exciting classical conductors of the day.”

ABOUT THE NSO The NSO numbers 100 musicians and is performing its 81st season. It has performed at the Kennedy Center every year since the venue opened in 1971, and in 1986 became formally affiliated with the Kennedy Center.

NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Open Rehearsal Question-and-Answer AN D

Lang Lang

NOVEMBER 8, 2012

Additional support for Performances for Young Audiences is provided in part by The Clark Charitable Foundation; Mr. James V. Kimsey; The Macy*s Foundation; The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc.; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; the Park Foundation, Inc.; the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; an endowment from the Ryna and Melvin Cohen Family Foundation; the U.S. Department of Education; the Verizon Foundation; Washington Gas; and by generous contributors to the Abe Fortas Memorial Fund, and by a major gift to the fund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widow of Abe Fortas.

www.kennedy-center.org/artsedge Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, an education program of the Kennedy Center. ARTSEDGE is a part of Verizon Thinkfinity, a consortium of free educational Web sites for K–12 teaching and learning.

Learn more about Education at the Kennedy Center at www.kennedy-center.org/education The contents of this Cuesheet do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement from the Federal Government. © 2012 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Please recycle this Cuesheet by sharing it with friends!

SESSION

W I T H C H R I S TO P H E S C H E N B A C H

featuring pianist with music by Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Strauss, and Antonín Dvorˇák

Performances for Young Audiences is made possible by

PERFORMANCE GUIDE

Attending an open rehearsal differs from attending an actual concert, though your role as a quiet listener is the same. That’s because the orchestra is here to work—to practice and perfect their playing for the public performance.

The conductor might stop the orchestra and repeat passages or pieces, or the orchestra might not rehearse the entire program.

Afterward, Lang Lang joins Christoph Eschenbach on stage for a Question-and-Answer session.

Have your questions ready for them.

David M. Rubenstein Chairman

Cuesheet

Attending the Open Rehearsal

The Concert Program

PIANO CONCERTO NO. 2

by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) Did you know two hundred years ago Ludwig van Beethoven was music’s most popular rock star? Well, you could say rock star meets rock star when Lang Lang, considered the rock star of today’s classical music, performs the piano solo in this concerto by Beethoven. No surprise, Beethoven’s concerto showcases the pianist’s virtuosity.

Listen for…

■ the opening fanfare ■ how the piano joins and expands the melodies ■ the interaction between piano and orchestra ■ the emotions expressed through Lang Lang’s playing * During the rehearsal, you may not hear the full program performed; see page 4 for more about the rehearsal.

TILL EULENSPIEGELS LUSTIGE STREICHE, OP. 28

by Richard Strauss (1864–1949) PHOTO BY PHILIP GLASER

The world-renowned pianist Lang Lang (pronounced long long) will perform six concerts at the Kennedy Center during the NSO Lang Lang Residency November 4–10, 2012. This Open Rehearsal/Question-andAnswer program* will feature works by some of the world’s most beloved classical music composers. Lang Lang is the soloist in Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2, and the NSO will also perform pieces by Richard Strauss and Antonín Dvorˇák.

LANG LANG, “PIANIST SUPERSTAR” Lang Lang’s bond with the piano came early and from an unlikely place—the animated cartoon Tom & Jerry. As a toddler in China, Lang admired the cat, Tom, and his breakneck piano playing.

He knew he wanted to be able to play that fast.

Lang Lang, a prodigy (someone with extraordinary talent at a young age), began playing the piano at age three and won his first competition at age five.

At 17, he got his big break filling in for another pianist at a Chicago Symphony Orchestra performance. Since then, his mastery of the piano and expressive playing style have made him one of the biggest sensations in classical music today, seeming to live up to the meaning of his name, “brilliant man.”

Think about…

Lang Lang has said when he plays he tries to see the images. What do you picture as you listen to the music at this rehearsal?

If you think classical music can’t be playful, think again—and listen up.

The name of this symphonic poem (an instrumental composition written to portray a scene, story, or mood) translates from German as “Till Eulenspiegel’s merry pranks.” In it, composer Richard Strauss (REE-card Strauss) tells the adventures of 14th-century European folk hero Till Eulenspiegel (til OY-luhn-shpee-guhl), a notorious prankster who delighted in exposing greed and foolishness.

As you listen, picture Till charging through a market and upsetting shopping baskets (the sound of a ratchet, or noisemaker), dressing up as a clergyman and giving a sermon, flirting with pretty girls, and finally, being caught and sentenced to death (snare drum roll and harsh brass tones). Strauss’s vivid musical imagery and instrumental effects in this and his other symphonic poems took realism in music to new heights.

Listen for…

■ the gentle, fairy tale-like beginning ■ the solo French horn introducing Till’s main musical theme ■ sounds that create the sense of mischief, chases, and galloping horses ■ the playful ending suggesting Till lives on in some way

SYMPHONY NO. 7 IN D MINOR, OP. 70

by Antonín Dvorˇák (1841–1904) Regarded by many as the greatest of Czechoslovakian composer Dvorˇák’s symphonies, Symphony No. 7 was commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society in London. Receiving the prestigious honor marked a turning point in the popular composer’s career, and Dvorˇák’s (da-VOR-zhak) set out to write a new work “capable of stirring the world.”

The four-movement symphony features a dark and, at times, foreboding tone.

Listen for… the ominous-sounding opening theme ■ dramatic shifts of mood, a feature Dvorˇák’s was known for ■ the march incorporated into the finale ■

COVER PHOTO BY DETLEF SCHNEIDER

The Concert Program

PIANO CONCERTO NO. 2

by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827) Did you know two hundred years ago Ludwig van Beethoven was music’s most popular rock star? Well, you could say rock star meets rock star when Lang Lang, considered the rock star of today’s classical music, performs the piano solo in this concerto by Beethoven. No surprise, Beethoven’s concerto showcases the pianist’s virtuosity.

Listen for…

■ the opening fanfare ■ how the piano joins and expands the melodies ■ the interaction between piano and orchestra ■ the emotions expressed through Lang Lang’s playing * During the rehearsal, you may not hear the full program performed; see page 4 for more about the rehearsal.

TILL EULENSPIEGELS LUSTIGE STREICHE, OP. 28

by Richard Strauss (1864–1949) PHOTO BY PHILIP GLASER

The world-renowned pianist Lang Lang (pronounced long long) will perform six concerts at the Kennedy Center during the NSO Lang Lang Residency November 4–10, 2012. This Open Rehearsal/Question-andAnswer program* will feature works by some of the world’s most beloved classical music composers. Lang Lang is the soloist in Ludwig van Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 2, and the NSO will also perform pieces by Richard Strauss and Antonín Dvorˇák.

LANG LANG, “PIANIST SUPERSTAR” Lang Lang’s bond with the piano came early and from an unlikely place—the animated cartoon Tom & Jerry. As a toddler in China, Lang admired the cat, Tom, and his breakneck piano playing.

He knew he wanted to be able to play that fast.

Lang Lang, a prodigy (someone with extraordinary talent at a young age), began playing the piano at age three and won his first competition at age five.

At 17, he got his big break filling in for another pianist at a Chicago Symphony Orchestra performance. Since then, his mastery of the piano and expressive playing style have made him one of the biggest sensations in classical music today, seeming to live up to the meaning of his name, “brilliant man.”

Think about…

Lang Lang has said when he plays he tries to see the images. What do you picture as you listen to the music at this rehearsal?

If you think classical music can’t be playful, think again—and listen up.

The name of this symphonic poem (an instrumental composition written to portray a scene, story, or mood) translates from German as “Till Eulenspiegel’s merry pranks.” In it, composer Richard Strauss (REE-card Strauss) tells the adventures of 14th-century European folk hero Till Eulenspiegel (til OY-luhn-shpee-guhl), a notorious prankster who delighted in exposing greed and foolishness.

As you listen, picture Till charging through a market and upsetting shopping baskets (the sound of a ratchet, or noisemaker), dressing up as a clergyman and giving a sermon, flirting with pretty girls, and finally, being caught and sentenced to death (snare drum roll and harsh brass tones). Strauss’s vivid musical imagery and instrumental effects in this and his other symphonic poems took realism in music to new heights.

Listen for…

■ the gentle, fairy tale-like beginning ■ the solo French horn introducing Till’s main musical theme ■ sounds that create the sense of mischief, chases, and galloping horses ■ the playful ending suggesting Till lives on in some way

SYMPHONY NO. 7 IN D MINOR, OP. 70

by Antonín Dvorˇák (1841–1904) Regarded by many as the greatest of Czechoslovakian composer Dvorˇák’s symphonies, Symphony No. 7 was commissioned by the Royal Philharmonic Society in London. Receiving the prestigious honor marked a turning point in the popular composer’s career, and Dvorˇák’s (da-VOR-zhak) set out to write a new work “capable of stirring the world.”

The four-movement symphony features a dark and, at times, foreboding tone.

Listen for… the ominous-sounding opening theme ■ dramatic shifts of mood, a feature Dvorˇák’s was known for ■ the march incorporated into the finale ■

COVER PHOTO BY DETLEF SCHNEIDER

Michael M. Kaiser President Darrell M. Ayers Vice President, Education

Christoph Eschenbach Music Director National Symphony Orchestra David and Alice Rubenstein are the Presenting Underwriters of the NSO. Roger and Vicki Sant generously endow the NSO Music Director Chair and provide additional support for the Lang Lang Residency.

The Lang Lang Residency is made possible through the generous support of Ann and Tom Friedman.

Bombardier is the supporting sponsor of the Lang Lang Residency.

MEET CHRISTOPH ESCHENBACH He’s the music director leading the NSO, and you can call him “maestro.” That’s because he’s mastered conducting orchestras and playing the piano all over the world. He believes music is one of the strongest forces known to man, and he’s also committed to fostering young musicians. Washingtonian magazine calls him “one of the most exciting classical conductors of the day.”

ABOUT THE NSO The NSO numbers 100 musicians and is performing its 81st season. It has performed at the Kennedy Center every year since the venue opened in 1971, and in 1986 became formally affiliated with the Kennedy Center.

NATIONAL SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Open Rehearsal Question-and-Answer AN D

Lang Lang

NOVEMBER 8, 2012

Additional support for Performances for Young Audiences is provided in part by The Clark Charitable Foundation; Mr. James V. Kimsey; The Macy*s Foundation; The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foundation, Inc.; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; the Park Foundation, Inc.; the Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; an endowment from the Ryna and Melvin Cohen Family Foundation; the U.S. Department of Education; the Verizon Foundation; Washington Gas; and by generous contributors to the Abe Fortas Memorial Fund, and by a major gift to the fund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widow of Abe Fortas.

www.kennedy-center.org/artsedge Cuesheets are produced by ARTSEDGE, an education program of the Kennedy Center. ARTSEDGE is a part of Verizon Thinkfinity, a consortium of free educational Web sites for K–12 teaching and learning.

Learn more about Education at the Kennedy Center at www.kennedy-center.org/education The contents of this Cuesheet do not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education, and you should not assume endorsement from the Federal Government. © 2012 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

Please recycle this Cuesheet by sharing it with friends!

SESSION

W I T H C H R I S TO P H E S C H E N B A C H

featuring pianist with music by Ludwig van Beethoven, Richard Strauss, and Antonín Dvorˇák

Performances for Young Audiences is made possible by

PERFORMANCE GUIDE

Attending an open rehearsal differs from attending an actual concert, though your role as a quiet listener is the same. That’s because the orchestra is here to work—to practice and perfect their playing for the public performance.

The conductor might stop the orchestra and repeat passages or pieces, or the orchestra might not rehearse the entire program.

Afterward, Lang Lang joins Christoph Eschenbach on stage for a Question-and-Answer session.

Have your questions ready for them.

David M. Rubenstein Chairman

Cuesheet

Attending the Open Rehearsal