Program Notes

VALERIE COLEMAN
born: 1970 in Louisville, Kentucky

Umoja, Anthem of Unity for Orchestra (2019)

premiere: September 19, 2019 in Philadelphia
approx. duration: 10 minutes

Valerie Coleman’s Umoja: Anthem of Unity for Orchestra, was commissioned by The Philadelphia Orchestra and Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin. The score of Umoja contains the following commentary:

-Listen my people,
Children of ALL
It’s time for Unity
Hear the Winds call.
Oh a-hum, a-hum Nkosi ah..
Oh a-hum, a-hum Nkosi ah..

In its original form, Umoja, the Swahili word for Unity and the first principle of the African Diaspora holiday Kwanzaa, was composed as a simple song for women's choir. It embodied a sense of "tribal unity," through the feel of a drum circle, the sharing of history through traditional “call and response” form and the repetition of a memorable sing-song melody. It was rearranged into woodwind quintet form during the genesis of Coleman’s chamber music ensemble, Imani Winds, with the intent of providing an anthem that celebrated the diverse heritages of the ensemble itself.

Almost two decades later from the original, the orchestral version brings an expansion and sophistication to the short and sweet melody, beginning with sustained ethereal passages that float and shift from a bowed vibraphone, supporting the introduction of the melody by solo violin. Here the melody is a sweetly singing in its simplest form with an earnestness reminiscent of Appalachian-style music. From there, the melody dances and weaves throughout the instrument families, interrupted by dissonant viewpoints led by the brass and percussion sections, which represent the clash of injustices, racism, and hate that threatens to

gain a foothold in the world today. Spiky textures turn into an aggressive exchange between upper woodwinds and percussion, before a return to the melody as a gentle reminder of kindness and humanity. Through the brass led ensemble tutti, the journey ends with a bold call of unity that harkens back to the original anthem.

Umoja has seen the creation of many versions, that are like siblings to one another, similar in many ways, but each with a unique voice that is informed by Coleman’s ever evolving creativity and perspective.

“This version honors the simple melody that ever was, but is now a full exploration into the meaning of freedom and unity. Now more than ever, Umoja has to ring as a strong and beautiful anthem for the world we live in today.”

CHEN GANG
born: March 10, 1935 in Shanghai, China

HE ZHANHAO
born: August 29, 1933 in Hejiashan, China

The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto (1959)

premiere: May 27, 1959 in Shanghai
approx. duration: 27 minutes

The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto is the creation of Chen Gang and He Zhanhao. At the time of the work’s composition, both were students at the Shanghai Conservatory. The Concerto’s premiere took place on May 27, 1959, as part of the celebration of the tenth Anniversary of the People’s Republic of China. The premiere was a triumph, with the audience demanding an encore of the entire Concerto. The composers’ fame spread throughout China. In 1960, China’s Central Philharmonic toured Russia, and included The Butterfly Lovers as part of its repertoire; again, to great success.

But in the mid-1960s, immediately prior to the Cultural Revolution, the Chinese Communist government deemed The Butterfly Lovers “bourgeois.” Chen recalls that the Communist guards told him: “Factory workers hear your themes and can no longer operate their machines. Peasants have no strength to lift their ax. Soldiers can no longer shoot.” Chen was imprisoned, and later consigned to house arrest and manual labor.

Following the Cultural Revolution, The Butterfly Lovers and its creators returned to favor. The work remains immensely popular in China. The Butterfly Lovers Concerto, often called “the Tchaikovsky Concerto of the East,” has enjoyed tremendous acclaim in the West as well.

The Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto, based upon a wellknown ancient Chinese folk tale, features a beguiling synthesis of Eastern and Western influences. Many of the melodies are derived from the traditional Shaoxing opera. The solo violin (a personification of the heroine Zhu Yingtai) employs techniques associated with the erhu, a twostringed Chinese fiddle.

Of course, the genre of the Violin Concerto has a long and rich history in Western music. The Butterfly Lovers employs a traditional Western orchestra (with the addition of the

Chinese percussion instrument, the gu ban). The Concerto is also couched in Western sonata form, with the introduction, development, and recapitulation of central themes, all capped by a final coda (Tchaikovsky used this same structure to relate the tale of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet in the Russian composer’s Fantasy Overture). And the Concerto’s pentatonic harmonic idiom will be familiar to those who love folk music from around the world.

The Butterfly Lovers Concerto

The Butterfly Lovers features a series of episodes, all played without pause. The Concerto’s sections, and their correlation to the folk tale, are set out below.

Adagio cantabile — Zhu Ying-tai, a young girl, has disguised herself as a boy in order to study in Hangzhou. On a beautiful spring day, she meets her fellow classmate, Liang Shan-po.

Allegro — Zhu and Liang study together for three years and become dear friends. Liang is unaware of Zhu’s true identity.

Adagio assai doloroso — As their years of study draw to a close, Liang and Zhu are saddened over the prospect of being separated from each other.

Pesante — Più mosso—Duramente — When Zhu returns home, she learns that her father has promised her in marriage to the son of a wealthy family. Zhu protests, but to no avail.

Lagrimoso — Liang visits Zhu’s home. There, he learns of Zhu’s true identity, and her arranged marriage. The lovers bid farewell.

Presto resoluto — The heartbroken Liang falls ill and dies. On the day of her wedding, Zhu insists on passing by Liang’s grave. Zhu prays for Liang’s tomb to open. A bolt of lightning strikes the tomb. Zhu jumps into the grave.

Adagio cantabile — Zhu and Liang emerge from the tomb as butterflies, and fly off together.

LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN

born: December 17, 1770 in Bonn, Germany died: March 26, 1827 in Vienna, Austria

Symphony No. 3 in E ♭ Major, "Eroica"

Opus 55 (1803)

premiere: April 7, 1805 in Vienna
approx. duration: 47 minutes

“Composed to celebrate the memory of a great man”

In the early part of the 19th century many idealists, Beethoven included, viewed Napoleon Bonaparte as a staunch defender of liberty and democratic ideals. By the spring of 1804, Beethoven had completed his Third Symphony, which he entitled “Bonaparte.” Ferdinand Ries informed the composer that Napoleon had proclaimed himself emperor. According to Ries, Beethoven:

flew into a rage and cried out: “Is he then, too, nothing more than an ordinary human being? Now he, too, will trample on all the rights of man and indulge only in his ambition. He will exalt himself above all others, become a tyrant!” Beethoven went to the table, took hold of its title page by the top, tore it in two, and threw it on the floor.

Some biographers suggest that Beethoven’s actions may have also been motivated by career aspirations. During the relevant time frame, Beethoven contemplated, and ultimately rejected, the notion of relocating from Vienna to Paris.

With that scenario in mind, conductor Arturo Toscanini’s remarks about the “Eroica’s” first movement offer a useful perspective: “To some it is Napoleon, to some it is Alexander, to me it is Allegro con brio (i.e., the movement’s tempo marking).” For Toscanini, the significance of Beethoven’s Third Symphony, which the composer ultimately subtitled Sinfonica Eroica, Composed to Celebrate the Memory of a Great Man, rests not with any dedicatee, but the music’s revolutionary character.

Beethoven’s "New Road"

In 1802, Beethoven proclaimed to his friend Wenzel Krumpholz: “I am not satisfied with my works up to the present time. From today I mean to take a new road.” There are many aspects of the “Eroica” that mark a profound departure from composer’s first two Symphonies — not to mention those of Beethoven’s great predecessors, Haydn and Mozart. The extraordinary length of the opening movement, achieved in great part by an unprecedented expansion of the development and coda sections (as well as the transitional material between themes), is perhaps the most obvious example. Likewise, the ensuing grand funeral march is a striking juxtaposition from the lyricism found in most slow tempo movements of the day.

But Beethoven’s first two symphonies already offer hints of the rhythmic drive, pungent dynamic contrast, bold harmonic strokes, and ingenious thematic development that characterize the “Eroica.” It should also be mentioned that Beethoven conjures the profoundly revolutionary atmosphere of his “Eroica” with an orchestra quite similar in size and instrumentation to that of a late Haydn or Mozart symphony.

Beethoven’s “Eroica” inspired a sense of awe, even confusion, on the part of the early audiences. It’s not surprising that contemporary reviews were mixed. But while many questioned the attractiveness of the Third Symphony as a form of entertainment, few denied its power and innovation. Symphonic music would never be the same after “Eroica.”

Beethoven introduces his musical “new road” in bracing fashion with two brusque chords (Allegro con brio), out of which emerges the cellos’ statement of the opening theme. Several themes follow, and they soon undergo a rich and varied development that becomes a fierce battleground. A recapitulation of the themes and extended coda are capped by a repeat of the opening two chords. In the second movement, Beethoven replaces the traditional lyrical interlude with a grand Funeral March (Marcia funebre. Adagio assai). The mood is transformed from despair to joy with the arrival of the ebullient third movement (Scherzo. Allegro vivace). The movement’s central Trio section prominently features the horns. The Finale (Allegro molto) is a brilliant set of variations on a theme, first introduced by hushed string pizzicatos. The third variation features the oboes playing a melody that will return in different guises throughout the finale. It is a melody that was a particular favorite of Beethoven, making appearances in other works including the ballet The Creatures of Prometheus (1801). The “Eroica” closes in thrilling fashion, with the headlong rush of the Presto coda, featuring yet another version of the “Prometheus” melody.