{ Program Notes
The Queen and His Royal Highness The
Duke of Edinburgh. Mr. Perlman was
honored to take part in the Inauguration
of President Obama in 2009, premiering
a piece written for the occasion by John
Williams alongside cellist Yo-Yo Ma,
clarinetist Anthony McGill and pianist
Gabriela Montero.
He proudly possesses four Emmy
awards and 15 Grammy awards. He
performed at the 2006 Academy Awards
and at The Juilliard School Centennial
gala, broadcast nationally on Live from
Lincoln Center. One of Mr. Perlman’s
proudest achievements is his collaboration
with film score composer John Williams
in Steven Spielberg’s Academy Awardwinning film Schindler’s List, in which he
performed the violin solos.
Itzhak Perlman last appeared with the
BSO in January 2012, performing as
the leader and soloist for two of Vivaldi’s
Four Seasons and as conductor for
Mozart's Symphony No. 25 and Brahms’
Symphony No. 4.
About the concert:
Romance No. 1 for Violin
in G Major
Romance No. 2 for Violin
in F Major
Ludwig van Beethoven
Born in Bonn, Germany, December 16, 1770;
died in Vienna, Austria, March 26, 1827
Although they were not published until
1803 and 1805 respectively, scholars
believe that Beethoven’s two Violin
Romances were probably written considerably earlier. Despite being labeled “No. 2,”
the Romance in F Major was probably the
first to be composed, perhaps in 1798 or
even earlier. At this time, Beethoven was
still in his twenties and busy establishing
himself in Vienna as a keyboard virtuoso
as well as composer. His radical new voice
hadn’t emerged yet, and the model for
his music was Mozart and certain French
composers of the period. Nearly a decade
36 O v ertur e |
www. bsomusic .org
Beethoven
expressive marking cantabile or “singing.”
But this Romance also has its dramatic
moments, and forceful proclamations
introduce each of the episodes. Darkly
dramatic, too, is the second episode,
which explores various minor keys. As
this piece closes, listen for the lovely
effect of the violin’s final three-note
descent being echoed by the woodwinds
and then all the strings.
Instrumentation: Flute, two oboes, two bassoons, two horns and strings.
Symphony No. 27 in G Major, K. 199
A work of tender lyricism,
the Romance in G follows a
rondo format, with a returning
refrain separating contrasting
musical episodes.
before his magnificent Violin Concerto
in D Major (1806), he attempted to write
a violin concerto in C major, but did not
get past its first movement. It is likely that
one of these Romances might have been
intended as a lyrical second movement for
that aborted concerto.
A work of tender lyricism, the Romance
in G follows a rondo format, with a returning refrain separating contrasting musical
episodes. Its earnest, hymn-like refrain is
sung by the violin, self-sufficiently accompanying itself with double-stopped notes,
and then echoed by the orchestra. For
maximal color contrast with the soloist,
Beethoven first scores the orchestral part
for woodwind choir over gently plucked
strings. Only on its final return do soloist
and orchestra unite on the rondo refrain,
with the violin soaring into its high register for a rhapsodic, elegantly ornamented
apotheosis of the melody.
The F-major Romance is a slow-tempo
rondo; Beethoven later memorably used
this more serious rondo style for the slow
movement of his “Eroica