Sorry this was not included yesterday! See this post from Peter Morris, the second horn player on the Berg Kammerkonzert.
Alban Berg's Chamber Concerto is a very difficult piece. As a piece by a Second Viennese School Composer, the Chamber Concerto employs extremely high levels of dissonance, making the majority of audience members (and believe it or not, performers too!) want to clap their hands over their ears and run for cover. As well as making it a bit of a tough aural pill to swallow in terms of harsh sounds, the piece never really establishes a rhythmic groove. Unlike a waltz or a march that is sure to get your toe tapping, the piece changes meter or tempo just about every two seconds, which certainly makes the piece hard to “get into,” both for audience members and performers.
Just about all the parts that you'll hear performed are incredibly difficult, and due to the constant meter changes, everyone on stage has to be 100% focused all the time, even more so than in a more standard or accessible piece. As the Second Horn, my role is mostly to play harmony to the First Horn, who has many incredibly high, exposed, and difficult solos. Second Horn players are traditionally more at home with playing low, to the extent that in Europe today, Second Horn players never play high, and First Horn players never play low. On the last page of the piece, the Second Horn gets to cut loose and play low and loud.
Peter Morris, horn
Friday, March 26, 2010
Thursday, March 25, 2010
Notes from the Performers
Tomorrow night and Saturday night will feature two opportunities for you to hear the Berg Kammerkonzert. Friday's performance is part of the orchestra concert along with Hindemith's Symphonic Metamorphoses and Strauss' Ein Heldenleben. Saturday's performance will feature UMWO performing the Beethoven Rondino and Mozart's Serenade in E-flat major as well as the Berg.
In anticipation of these performances, the Berg performers have written blog posts that you can read below. These will also be posted outside the concert hall tomorrow night. These posts should give you more insight into what it is like to be a performer in an extremely challenging piece.
Enjoy your weekend and we hope to see you in Dekelboum!
Berg Post by Santana Moreno
Santana Moreno, clarinet
Rehearsing the Berg has felt like an ever evolving process, that has opened my eyes to a lot in terms of music appreciation and the rehearsal process in general. That is, I don't think I love the piece by any means but...when we first began rehearsing the Berg, it was an immediate shock to the system. It was difficult to listen to, difficult to play, and rehearsing a piece for hours on end that may not be very enjoyable, it could simply feel like a very difficult process. But as I got the piece under my fingers and I knew where and when to come in easily...it became less shocking to the system, let's say. As with other pieces I have played in the past that I didn't enjoy, it becomes something that as a musician you must grin and bear. There will be pieces, like the Mozart Serenade on the program, that you love and can't wait to rehearse. But often, you will play pieces that are difficult to appreciate, which you must show just as much attention to detail as you would a piece you like. I am not ashamed in saying this piece is not one of my favorites and that it has been very difficult to learn and put together, but I have come to appreciate it on levels that I think are important to realize as a musician.
Rehearsing the Berg has felt like an ever evolving process, that has opened my eyes to a lot in terms of music appreciation and the rehearsal process in general. That is, I don't think I love the piece by any means but...when we first began rehearsing the Berg, it was an immediate shock to the system. It was difficult to listen to, difficult to play, and rehearsing a piece for hours on end that may not be very enjoyable, it could simply feel like a very difficult process. But as I got the piece under my fingers and I knew where and when to come in easily...it became less shocking to the system, let's say. As with other pieces I have played in the past that I didn't enjoy, it becomes something that as a musician you must grin and bear. There will be pieces, like the Mozart Serenade on the program, that you love and can't wait to rehearse. But often, you will play pieces that are difficult to appreciate, which you must show just as much attention to detail as you would a piece you like. I am not ashamed in saying this piece is not one of my favorites and that it has been very difficult to learn and put together, but I have come to appreciate it on levels that I think are important to realize as a musician.
Berg Post by Nicholas Cohen
Nicholas Cohen, contrabassoon
If the words “contrabassoon” and “solo” pique your interest, then the Berg Kammerkonzert might just be the piece for you. In most pieces contrabassoon is just used as for the purpose of providing a low base line for the woodwinds, however you will find the subtle “moans” of the instrument come through at various points during the piece. So keep your ears open for some low grumbles and some high ones as well and most of all…enjoy the show!
If the words “contrabassoon” and “solo” pique your interest, then the Berg Kammerkonzert might just be the piece for you. In most pieces contrabassoon is just used as for the purpose of providing a low base line for the woodwinds, however you will find the subtle “moans” of the instrument come through at various points during the piece. So keep your ears open for some low grumbles and some high ones as well and most of all…enjoy the show!
Berg Post by Michelle Lacey
Michelle Lacey, flute
Berg’s Kammerkonzert has been one of the more difficult ensemble pieces I have played during my studies at the University of Maryland. Quick tempo and meter changes make this piece extremely difficult to follow at first glance. Much of my rehearsal time was spent figuring out how my part fits in with the rest of the ensemble. Preparing for this concert has been a truly unique experience. The Wind Orchestra was fortunate to work with the talented soloists James Stern and Audrey Andrist. Their passion for the music has helped us shape Berg’s Kammerkonzert into the piece you will hear this evening. I hope this performance will help you gain appreciation for music from the Second Viennese School era. Thank you for coming!
Berg’s Kammerkonzert has been one of the more difficult ensemble pieces I have played during my studies at the University of Maryland. Quick tempo and meter changes make this piece extremely difficult to follow at first glance. Much of my rehearsal time was spent figuring out how my part fits in with the rest of the ensemble. Preparing for this concert has been a truly unique experience. The Wind Orchestra was fortunate to work with the talented soloists James Stern and Audrey Andrist. Their passion for the music has helped us shape Berg’s Kammerkonzert into the piece you will hear this evening. I hope this performance will help you gain appreciation for music from the Second Viennese School era. Thank you for coming!
Berg Post by Tina Termini
Tina Termini, flute
Working on Berg’s Chamber Concerto has allowed me to perform a genre of music I had only ever studied in atonal theory. At the first rehearsal I was mostly concerned with what time signature we were in and where the piccolo part fit in with the other instruments. Once this was established I was able to look beneath the surface of the piece. I have gained an appreciation for the techniques Berg used in this piece, especially the use of the large palindrome in the second movement. I am very gracious to have been able to work with James Stern and Audrey Audrist. They have been kind enough to lend their time and talent to rehearse with the Wind Orchestra and have made this experience a memorable one for me. Thank you for coming and I hope you enjoy the performance.
Working on Berg’s Chamber Concerto has allowed me to perform a genre of music I had only ever studied in atonal theory. At the first rehearsal I was mostly concerned with what time signature we were in and where the piccolo part fit in with the other instruments. Once this was established I was able to look beneath the surface of the piece. I have gained an appreciation for the techniques Berg used in this piece, especially the use of the large palindrome in the second movement. I am very gracious to have been able to work with James Stern and Audrey Audrist. They have been kind enough to lend their time and talent to rehearse with the Wind Orchestra and have made this experience a memorable one for me. Thank you for coming and I hope you enjoy the performance.
Berg Post by Noelle Drewes
Noelle Drewes, oboe
When I heard we were doing the Berg, my initial reaction was 'ugh,' but as we began putting it together, I started to find little bits that I actually thought were cool. Practicing this piece requires a lot of brain power and patience, and we have certainly struggled along the way. Though I doubt it will ever be a 'favorite,' I do feel a sense of accomplishment for having learned it.
When I heard we were doing the Berg, my initial reaction was 'ugh,' but as we began putting it together, I started to find little bits that I actually thought were cool. Practicing this piece requires a lot of brain power and patience, and we have certainly struggled along the way. Though I doubt it will ever be a 'favorite,' I do feel a sense of accomplishment for having learned it.
Ber g Post by Joe Marsala
Joe Marsala, trombone
Working on this piece has been a great challenge for me. Being that my part is a mix of both bass and tenor trombone, it requires me to go to the limits of my range frequently. At first I was quite intimidated by the difficulty of this piece. Having worked on it for the past few weeks, I now find it to be a very interesting and rewarding piece to perform well. While the audience may find it to be "weird" or may think that it doesn't sound like music, I have found that this is one of the most musical pieces I have ever performed. It significantly stresses musicianship, technique, and ensemble skills, all of which are essential elements for a musically successful performance.
Working on this piece has been a great challenge for me. Being that my part is a mix of both bass and tenor trombone, it requires me to go to the limits of my range frequently. At first I was quite intimidated by the difficulty of this piece. Having worked on it for the past few weeks, I now find it to be a very interesting and rewarding piece to perform well. While the audience may find it to be "weird" or may think that it doesn't sound like music, I have found that this is one of the most musical pieces I have ever performed. It significantly stresses musicianship, technique, and ensemble skills, all of which are essential elements for a musically successful performance.
Berg Post by Peter Morris
Peter Morris, horn
Alban Berg's Chamber Concerto is a very difficult piece. As a piece by a Second Viennese School Composer, the Chamber Concerto employs extremely high levels of dissonance, making the majority of audience members (and believe it or not, performers too!) want to clap their hands over their ears and run for cover. As well as making it a bit of a tough aural pill to swallow in terms of harsh sounds, the piece never really establishes a rhythmic groove. Unlike a waltz or a march that is sure to get your toe tapping, the piece changes meter or tempo just about every two seconds, which certainly makes the piece hard to “get into,” both for audience members and performers.
Just about all the parts that you'll hear performed are incredibly difficult, and due to the constant meter changes, everyone on stage has to be 100% focused all the time, even more so than in a more standard or accessible piece. As the Second Horn, my role is mostly to play harmony to the First Horn, who has many incredibly high, exposed, and difficult solos. Second Horn players are traditionally more at home with playing low, to the extent that in Europe today, Second Horn players never play high, and First Horn players never play low. On the last page of the piece, the Second Horn gets to cut loose and play low and loud.
Alban Berg's Chamber Concerto is a very difficult piece. As a piece by a Second Viennese School Composer, the Chamber Concerto employs extremely high levels of dissonance, making the majority of audience members (and believe it or not, performers too!) want to clap their hands over their ears and run for cover. As well as making it a bit of a tough aural pill to swallow in terms of harsh sounds, the piece never really establishes a rhythmic groove. Unlike a waltz or a march that is sure to get your toe tapping, the piece changes meter or tempo just about every two seconds, which certainly makes the piece hard to “get into,” both for audience members and performers.
Just about all the parts that you'll hear performed are incredibly difficult, and due to the constant meter changes, everyone on stage has to be 100% focused all the time, even more so than in a more standard or accessible piece. As the Second Horn, my role is mostly to play harmony to the First Horn, who has many incredibly high, exposed, and difficult solos. Second Horn players are traditionally more at home with playing low, to the extent that in Europe today, Second Horn players never play high, and First Horn players never play low. On the last page of the piece, the Second Horn gets to cut loose and play low and loud.
Berg Post by Ben Chapin
Ben Z Chapin, clarinet
Rehearsing the Berg is a somewhat harsh reminder of how much one can take the accessibility of music for granted. It is not so easy to predict where the music is headed - you cannot just passively hear the piece. You have to hang on every note, alert and ready for what will happen next. I have to be more aware of temporal and motivic relations when I play my part, so that I can base the confidence in my playing on them. I find this is the best approach to make it feel like I am 'speaking in Berg's language' when we perform.
Rehearsing the Berg is a somewhat harsh reminder of how much one can take the accessibility of music for granted. It is not so easy to predict where the music is headed - you cannot just passively hear the piece. You have to hang on every note, alert and ready for what will happen next. I have to be more aware of temporal and motivic relations when I play my part, so that I can base the confidence in my playing on them. I find this is the best approach to make it feel like I am 'speaking in Berg's language' when we perform.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Post from Dr. Stern and Berg Bibliography
There are two additions to the blog today. First, please take a look at Dr. Stern's post on the Berg Kammerkonzert below. He gives an interesting perspective on how to approach listening to and experiencing the Chamber Concerto. Also, the "Kammerkonzert Resource Page" has been updated with two more links (BSO and SFS program notes) and a bibliography with books in our library that deal with the Chamber Concerto. Please take a look through these additional resources and if you need any more information, leave a comment on the website. Enjoy!
KAMMERKONZERT BASICS: WHAT YOU MIGHT PICK UP ON FIRST HEARING
Please see the post below from James Stern, who will be playing the violin solo in the upcoming performance of the Berg Kammerkonzert.
There is so much to say about Berg’s Kammerkonzert relating to its extra-musical programmatic content, its encrypted messages, and the exacting method by which it was composed. All of this is vital to getting a deep and nuanced sense of the piece, an appreciation of its craft and a sense of connection to its emotional content. Because Maestro Votta has provided this background knowledge with more abundance and clarity than I could ever hope to add to, I wish to go through the exercise of limiting myself to what I think is clearly audible, at least with a bit of prompting, to an audience who lacks that background knowledge. I’ll think of this as the “face value” of the piece, and I believe that it can provide a good structure and starting point for whatever level of intimacy one ultimately strives to achieve with this fascinating work. Part of the purpose of this blog is to give us performers a platform to share our experiences of preparing this piece. The “face value” synopsis of the work actually constitutes the beginning of my preparation. All of my preparation is motivated by what I hope the audience will hear.
OVERVIEW
There are three movements, played without interruption. The first movement is played by the piano with the wind ensemble—no violin (almost). The second movement is played by the violin with the wind ensemble—no piano (almost). The third movement not only combines both violin and piano with the wind ensemble, but also combines musical elements of the first two movements. Thus the piece as a whole suggests a kind of synthesis of two opposing forces.
INTRODUCTION
The work begins with an unconducted introduction in which three instruments in turn—piano, violin and muted horn—each present a motto of several notes. Then the work proper begins.
FIRST MOVEMENT
The wind ensemble plays a waltz that builds in waves of ascending pitch and emotional intensity. But its final phrase presents a distinct contrast: it is relaxed, dreamy music reminiscent, both in sound and gesture, of the Satie’s famous Gymnopedie no. 1.
The piano then plays “variation 1,” which is a repeat of all the music just played by the wind ensemble with only minor embellishment that mostly serves to make the music pianistic.
This means that by the time you hear the piano and the wind ensemble actually play together, you’ll know that you have now heard the basic material of the movement presented twice. The piano and the wind ensemble join together for “variation 2” which is notable for its finally providing a clear “um-pa-pa” accompaniment for the waltz. Somewhat humorously, the violinist, who otherwise would stand idle for the entire movement, joins in on two of those “um-pa-pa’s,” plucking the open strings.
Variations 3 is notable for “hocketing”—imagine a group of friends trying to do a recognizable rendition of a popular tune when each successive syllable must be sung be a different person and you’ll get the picture. Variation 4 requires the players to repeat one note very rapidly, creating a distinctive texture. At the end of variation 5 can be heard, now clearly for the third time, the “Gymnopedie-like” music. The transition into the second movement is interesting: the ensemble gets progressively louder until it breaks off abruptly, leaving in its wake the quiet sustained sound of the violin and muted brass which now begin the second movement.
SECOND MOVEMENT
The relationship between the first and second movement can be seen as the contrast between dance (first movement) and song (second movement). But just as the first movement has as one of its most distinctive, stand-out elements, a song-like phrase (the “Gymnopedie-like” music), so the second movement has as one of its most distinctive, stand-out elements, a rhythmic motive, which can be described as long-long-short-short or—to give it the proper tempo and articulation—“bum, bum, ba-pa.” This will sometimes be heard as part of a rising or falling melody and other times hammered out on a single note. It is the main clue that the listener has to the fact that Berg has structured the movement as a palindrome, meaning that the second half of the movement is quite literally the first half played backwards. Accordingly, you can look forward to hearing “pa-ba-bum, bum” as the music approaches its resolution. In complement to what took place in the first movement, the pianist joins the ensemble at the mid-point of the movement, playing twelve tolling low notes.
CADENZA AND THIRD MOVEMENT
The dreamy atmosphere with which the second movement ends is rudely interrupted by the piano as it announces the start of the cadenza. A cadenza is a section of free fantasy played by the soloist alone; accordingly it is here shared by the two “soloists,” the violin and the piano. The beginning of the third movement is signaled by the reentry of the wind ensemble. Its main motive is a very rapidly galloping rhythm (say “ta-DA, ta-DA, ta-DA” as fast as you can). Titled, “Rhythmic Rondo,” this movement unfolds in the form of many individual episodes, each of which recalls and combines elements of the earlier two movements.
There is so much to say about Berg’s Kammerkonzert relating to its extra-musical programmatic content, its encrypted messages, and the exacting method by which it was composed. All of this is vital to getting a deep and nuanced sense of the piece, an appreciation of its craft and a sense of connection to its emotional content. Because Maestro Votta has provided this background knowledge with more abundance and clarity than I could ever hope to add to, I wish to go through the exercise of limiting myself to what I think is clearly audible, at least with a bit of prompting, to an audience who lacks that background knowledge. I’ll think of this as the “face value” of the piece, and I believe that it can provide a good structure and starting point for whatever level of intimacy one ultimately strives to achieve with this fascinating work. Part of the purpose of this blog is to give us performers a platform to share our experiences of preparing this piece. The “face value” synopsis of the work actually constitutes the beginning of my preparation. All of my preparation is motivated by what I hope the audience will hear.
OVERVIEW
There are three movements, played without interruption. The first movement is played by the piano with the wind ensemble—no violin (almost). The second movement is played by the violin with the wind ensemble—no piano (almost). The third movement not only combines both violin and piano with the wind ensemble, but also combines musical elements of the first two movements. Thus the piece as a whole suggests a kind of synthesis of two opposing forces.
INTRODUCTION
The work begins with an unconducted introduction in which three instruments in turn—piano, violin and muted horn—each present a motto of several notes. Then the work proper begins.
FIRST MOVEMENT
The wind ensemble plays a waltz that builds in waves of ascending pitch and emotional intensity. But its final phrase presents a distinct contrast: it is relaxed, dreamy music reminiscent, both in sound and gesture, of the Satie’s famous Gymnopedie no. 1.
The piano then plays “variation 1,” which is a repeat of all the music just played by the wind ensemble with only minor embellishment that mostly serves to make the music pianistic.
This means that by the time you hear the piano and the wind ensemble actually play together, you’ll know that you have now heard the basic material of the movement presented twice. The piano and the wind ensemble join together for “variation 2” which is notable for its finally providing a clear “um-pa-pa” accompaniment for the waltz. Somewhat humorously, the violinist, who otherwise would stand idle for the entire movement, joins in on two of those “um-pa-pa’s,” plucking the open strings.
Variations 3 is notable for “hocketing”—imagine a group of friends trying to do a recognizable rendition of a popular tune when each successive syllable must be sung be a different person and you’ll get the picture. Variation 4 requires the players to repeat one note very rapidly, creating a distinctive texture. At the end of variation 5 can be heard, now clearly for the third time, the “Gymnopedie-like” music. The transition into the second movement is interesting: the ensemble gets progressively louder until it breaks off abruptly, leaving in its wake the quiet sustained sound of the violin and muted brass which now begin the second movement.
SECOND MOVEMENT
The relationship between the first and second movement can be seen as the contrast between dance (first movement) and song (second movement). But just as the first movement has as one of its most distinctive, stand-out elements, a song-like phrase (the “Gymnopedie-like” music), so the second movement has as one of its most distinctive, stand-out elements, a rhythmic motive, which can be described as long-long-short-short or—to give it the proper tempo and articulation—“bum, bum, ba-pa.” This will sometimes be heard as part of a rising or falling melody and other times hammered out on a single note. It is the main clue that the listener has to the fact that Berg has structured the movement as a palindrome, meaning that the second half of the movement is quite literally the first half played backwards. Accordingly, you can look forward to hearing “pa-ba-bum, bum” as the music approaches its resolution. In complement to what took place in the first movement, the pianist joins the ensemble at the mid-point of the movement, playing twelve tolling low notes.
CADENZA AND THIRD MOVEMENT
The dreamy atmosphere with which the second movement ends is rudely interrupted by the piano as it announces the start of the cadenza. A cadenza is a section of free fantasy played by the soloist alone; accordingly it is here shared by the two “soloists,” the violin and the piano. The beginning of the third movement is signaled by the reentry of the wind ensemble. Its main motive is a very rapidly galloping rhythm (say “ta-DA, ta-DA, ta-DA” as fast as you can). Titled, “Rhythmic Rondo,” this movement unfolds in the form of many individual episodes, each of which recalls and combines elements of the earlier two movements.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Greg Sandow Blog Links
Greg Sandow, who is an Artist-in-Residence working with the University of Maryland, has a blog that you might find of interest here. More specifically, you can find the blog entry he wrote about working with UMSO/UMWO here. Take the time to look through the whole site--there is some pretty fantastic stuff on there. Enjoy!
New Article Added to Berg Resource Page
I have added Dr. Votta's article "Pitch Structure and Extra-Musical References in Alban Berg's Kammerkonzert" from a 1991 Journal of Band Research to the Kammerkonzert Resource Page. I will soon be adding a bibliography with some more resources that we cannot publish on the Internet. Stay tuned for more updates.
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