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Samuel Barber's music uniquely fuses late 19th-century lyricism and tonality with modernist rhythms, dissonances, and angularities. His style is a lean, intense romanticism, evident in works like the Adagio for Strings. This distinct sound was apparent early on in pieces like Dover Beach (1931), composed during his studies at the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia.
Mary Curtis Bok, founder of Curtis, befriended Barber and his partner Gian Carlo Menotti, supporting them both financially and personally. She also helped them find their beloved home in Mount Kisco, New York, affectionately named "Capricorn" for its beautiful winter light.
Drafted into the Army in 1942 and later transferred to the Army Air Force, Barber’s talents were deemed more useful in the concert hall than on the battlefield. He was reassigned to West Point, where he continued composing. During this period, Barber created works like the “Commando March” and Symphony No. 2, along with Excursions and the Capricorn Concerto, the latter named after his home.
The Capricorn Concerto, featuring the same woodwind and brass soloists as Bach’s Brandenburg Concerto No. 2, shows influences of both Bach and Stravinsky’s neoclassical style. Notably, it is characterized by rhythmic complexity with frequent meter changes throughout all movements.
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Gustav Mahler once pondered deeply in a letter, questioning the foundations of life, freedom, suffering, and the existence of a benevolent deity. He sought answers both psychologically and spiritually, consulting Sigmund Freud, who attributed his angst to early childhood experiences, and exploring various religious beliefs, eventually converting to Catholicism in 1897.
Mahler also sought to understand these profound questions through his music. His nine symphonies, out of only 16 completed works, reflect his quest for spiritual and metaphysical truth. He believed every note expressed his life's experiences and spiritual journey.
Known primarily as a conductor, Mahler’s rise was swift, leading him to prestigious positions such as the Vienna State Opera and the Vienna Philharmonic. Disillusioned by anti-Semitism and conflicts in Vienna, he moved to New York in 1907 to lead the New York Philharmonic and the Metropolitan Opera. He died in 1911 from a heart attack caused by a bacterial infection.
Mahler's meticulous approach to both conducting and composing is evident in his works. The Fifth Symphony, written during summers in the Austrian Alps, opens with a funeral march and concludes triumphantly. Its fourth movement, the Adagietto, which Leonard Bernstein famously conducted at Robert Kennedy's 1968 funeral, exemplifies Mahler's delicate, celestial touch, suggesting a sublime glimpse of the divine.
Program:
Geza Frid: Clarinet Concerto
Mahler: Adagietto
Barber: Capricorn Concerto
General Admission $35 - Children & Students FREE