Program Notes By Joe Nickell Jessie Montgomery—Strum
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a difficult time for many musicians and ensembles. But for Jessie Montgomery, this time of global upheaval has simultaneously been a time of personal transformation. Suddenly, her music is seemingly everywhere—and everywhere it’s heard, she is making new fans. It would appear that “going viral” can still be a good thing. It’s not like she came out of nowhere. In 2014, her composition Banner—a response to the 200th anniversary of the Star Spangled Banner—was hailed by the New York Times for “daringly transform[ing] the anthem, folding it into a teeming score that draws upon American folk and protest songs, and anthems from around the world…to create a musical melting pot.” That description could apply to much of what Montgomery writes— and what inspires her. “I’ve always been interested in trying to find the intersection between different types of music,” she has said. “I imagine that music is a meeting place at which all people can converse about their unique differences and common stories.” Despite her accessible style and growing acclaim, it wasn’t until the 2019-2020 season that Montgomery’s music suddenly seemed to be everywhere. The famed Orpheus Chamber Orchestra performed a newly commissioned work from her. Two other works were performed by the Chicago Symphony. And the New York Philharmonic chose her as a featured composer for its Project 19, a celebration of the centennial of the 19th Amendment, which granted women’s suffrage. Since that breakout year, her reputation has only continued to flourish, with numerous performances of her works happening around the country. Strum was originally penned for string quartet in 2006, and then revised in 2012. The title refers to the guitar-like plucking and strumming of strings that open the piece and that propel the music at various points throughout. American folk music is evoked through the use of solo instrumental flourishes over repeating rhythmic patterns and familiar harmonies; yet the music constantly dances slightly off kilter, from its quirky and nostalgic opening to its ecstatic ending.
Samuel Barber — Violin Concerto
In 1939, Samuel Barber was suddenly the talk of American arts. The year prior, his Adagio for Strings—written when the composer was just 26 years old—had been premiered under the baton of legendary conductor and tastemaker Arturo Toscanini. The short piece would soon become one of the most widely performed American works for orchestra, and Barber was riding high. That’s when the young composer was approached by Samuel Fels, a wealthy soap magnate from Philadelphia. Fels commissioned Barber to write a Violin Concerto, with the intent that the new work would be premiered by Fels’ adopted son, Iso Briselli. Barber penned the first two movements over the summer and presented them to Briselli, who initially received them enthusiastically. But when the violinist showed the music to his coach, the teacher was irate, saying that the solo parts were not showy enough. The problems only amplified when Barber delivered the third movement, which Briselli and his coach rejected as unplayably difficult and stylistically disconnected from the first two movements. Barber ultimately refunded half of Fels’ commission fee, and the concerto was premiered by a different violinist in 1941. It has since become Barber’s most oft-performed work next to the our american voices
