Michael Palmer Guest Conductor

Program Music Director: Joseph Young ASO Assistant Conductor

Scott Warren Director

Program Host and Narrator: Ken Meltzer ASO Insider & Program Annotator

Produced in Collaboration with Alliance Theatre

Music’s contribution to the fight for people’s rights around the worldAtlanta Symphony Orchestra honors the composers’ role in changing the world. The History of Struggle concert also acknowledges the great advances made in human rights throughout the world.

Common Core and Georgia Performance Standards

Grades 6–8MMSMA.6 – Listening to, analyzing, and describing musica. Identify and describe simple forms of music.b. Use music terminology to describe tempo,

dynamics, and texture.c. Analyze the uses of elements of music in representing

diverse genres and cultures. MMSMA.7 – Evaluating music and music performances a. Identify and examine criteria for evaluating music

performances. b. Identify various uses of music in daily experiences. c. Apply specific criteria to evaluate the quality of their

own performance.

MMSMA.9 – Understanding music in relation to history and culturea. Identify and explain a particular music example’s

historical and cultural significance.b. Compare and evaluate the roles of musicians

throughout history.c. Recognize music’s role in today’s culture.

SS6CG4The student will compare and contrast various forms of government

SS6CG5The student will explain the structure of modern European governments

SS6H7The student will explain conflict and change in Europe to the 21st century

ELACC6SL2Comprehension and Collaboration: Interpret information presented in diverse media and formats and explain how it contributes to a topic, text or issue under study.

ELACC7SL2Comprehension and Collaboration: Analyze the main ideas and supporting details presented in diverse media and formats and explain how the ideas clarify a topic, text, or issue under study.

ELACC8SL2Comprehension and Collaboration: Analyze the purpose of information presented in diverse media and formats and evaluate the motives behind its presentation.

Grades 9–12MHSMA.7 – Evaluating music and music performancesa. Identify and examine criteria for evaluating music

performances.b. Identify various uses of music in daily experiences.

MHSMA.6 – Listening to, analyzing, and describing musicb. Use music terminology to describe tempo, dynamics,

and texture.c. Analyze the uses of elements of music in representing

diverse genres and cultures.d. Explain characteristics that distinguish musical styles.

MHSMA.9 – Understanding music in relation to history and culturea. Identify and explain a particular music example’s

historical and cultural significance.b. Compare and evaluate the roles of musicians

throughout history.c. Recognize music’s role in today’s culture.d. Identify sources of American music genres, trace their

evolution, and identify musicians associated with them.

SSWH17The student will be able to identify the major political and economic factors that shaped world societies between World War I and World War II.

SSWH18The student will demonstrate an understanding of the global political, economic, and social impact of World War II.

SSSocIC1Students will analyze forms of social inequality.

o Shostakovich : Festive 0verture, 0p. 96

o Shostakovich : Symphony No. 5 in D minor, 0p. 47, 1st Movement

o Tchaikovsky : Marche Slave in B-flat minor, 0p. 3 1

o Persichetti : A Lincoln Address, 0p. 124

o Shostakovich : Symphony No. 5 in D minor, 0p. 47, 4th Movement

o Williams : Liberty Fanfare

2 3

Throughout civilization, mankind has struggled to define and to overcome

injustice or inequality. Determined to win their rights

and secure personal freedoms, people asserted

themselves in violent revolutions and

in peaceful protests. On other occasions, other nations

have come to the of oppressed peoples with

a sense of moral obligation.

As the need for social change arises,

are often summoned to awaken people’s consciousness

and to rally their with music. After

change occurs, composers are enlisted

musical tributes that commemorate the sacrifices and celebrate the victories, resulting in many stirring landmark works of

The full program listing is as follows:

4 5

Composer Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975) was born in St. Petersburg, Russia. A child

prodigy as a pianist and composer, Shostakovich became an overnight sensation at 19 with the premiere of his First Symphony. Throughout his 20’s, he enjoyed great success, writing ballets, operas, symphonies and film scores. As he turned 30, however, Shostakovich’s life and career were suddenly in terrible danger.

Shostakovich lived in Russia when the government had been reorganized as the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). A ruthless dictator named Joseph Stalin had seized control of the government, determined to change the

nation into an industrial state and military superpower.

Stalin ruled by terror. Those who stood in his way were executed or sent to labor camps. He kept a firm grip on the people by controlling the money and food supplies. He also instituted propaganda, censorship and secret police. Stalin was threatened by free-thinking intellectuals like Shostakovich. Along with other restrictions on the arts, Stalin imposed

rules on symphonic music, requiring composers to use “down to earth” folk melodies, straight-forward rhythms, minimal dissonance and simple harmonies.

It wasn’t long before Shostakovich became a direct target. In 1936, Stalin himself attended a performance of a Shostakovich opera and walked out in disgust before the final curtain. Within days, an essay appeared in Pravda, the government-controlled newspaper, disparaging Shostakovich’s work as “leftist bedlam instead of human music.” The review ended with an unmistakable warning: “This game may end badly.” Shostakovich had many friends, family members and colleagues who had disappeared from their homes to be tortured, imprisoned or executed. Now he was a marked man too. Even the musical establishment turned against him, cancelling commissions and the premiere of his Fourth Symphony.

A showdown between art and politics

In this state of terror, Shostakovich composed his Fifth Symphony. Instead of bowing to the government’s demands, Shostakovich created a courageous and truthful statement about the hardships of life under Stalin. To our ears, the Fifth Symphony might sound harsh and discordant — but to Russians, this chaotic sound resembled daily life under Stalin’s horrific persecutions.

Shostakovich: A man of his word—through musicConcert Selection: Symphony No. 5 in D minor

Human rights:

“ When a man is in despair, it means that he still believes in something.”

If Shostakovich had expressed his thoughts and opinions in words, he would certainly have been arrested. The music and its message, however, spoke to the Russian people. Shostakovich had describe their suffering and had denounced the forces that were oppressing them. After the premiere performance, the standing ovation lasted well over a half an hour.

Did Stalin and his government realize what Shostakovich had done? History suggests that Stalin’s government heard the tremendous reception and “officially” decided that Shostakovich had buckled down to write acceptable “music of the people.” His Fifth Symphony slipped into the public arena and become a popular success before it could be halted. Abrasive as it was, the music spoke the truth — and offered hope.

Today, Shostakovich is recognized as one of the greatest composers of the 20th century.

I know “classical” composers – but what is a “neo-classical” composer?

Between World War I and World War II, some composers rejected the experimental flavor of modern music and the unrestrained emotions of romantic music – and returned to the sense of order, balance, clarity, economy, and restraint found in classical music from prior centuries. Shostakovich’s work explored many styles, but in his Fifth Symphony he uses a “subversive neo-classicism.” He wanted his work to be progressive without being detected. He also wanted it to sound heroic to the Russian people without sounding patriotic toward Stalin’s Soviet Union.

How can an orchestra be political?

It can be challenging for Americans to appreciate the amount of public dialogue a work of art could create in the Soviet Union during Shostakovich’s time. The censorship and oppression resulted in a cultural hunger to study, analyze, discuss and debate any new work that might be released. In this climate, Shostakovich knew that his work would certainly contribute to the popular debate.

At the same time, the size of an orchestra and the magnificent sound it creates can be heard as the “voice of the people,” particularly when the government controls the newspapers, television, radio, and cinema – and the people have no voice – as was happening in the Soviet Union.

Composer Dmitri Shostakovich

Joseph Stalin

Can you think of popular musicians today who write songs that protest social conditions? List two or three current songs that tackle heated issues—and write down the topic that the songs address.

ACT IVIT Y

need to knowWhat is a Symphony?

A symphony is an elaborate musical composition

for full orchestra, traditionally created in four

movements with at least one movement

constructed in “sonata form.”

“Sonata” originally referred to any piece of

instrumental music, anything that was written to

be “sounded” by instruments. “Sonata form” refers

to music in which a musical theme is 1) stated, 2)

examined, and 3) restated. The three total sections

give shape and balance to a musical work while the

second middle section provides contrast. Balance

and contrast are key elements to the sonata form.

Rights regarded as being fundamental to all persons

76

Russian composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) is widely considered one of the

most popular romantic composers in history, partly due to his celebrated scores for “Swan Lake,” “Sleeping Beauty” and “The Nutcracker.” Tchaikovsky created music at a time when Russian composers looked to the West for new approaches, even as they remained faithful to the Russian way of doing things. Tchaikovsky managed to forge a style that was uniquely personal and yet unmistakably Russian. A prolific composer, Tchaikovsky’s body of work includes symphonies, operas, ballets, concertos, cantatas and songs. Despite his many popular successes, Tchaikovsky’s life was punctuated by personal crises and depression, and he died suddenly at the age of 53.

Tchaikovsky and the Serbo-Turkish War

In 1875, a small revolt in a Christian province of the Islamic state of Turkey caused Serbia to assert its independence and declare war – even though the Serbian Army was no match for the Turkish forces. Bosnia, Bulgaria, and other Balkan states sided with Serbia but the prospects did not look good. Turkey was powerful and all the major European nations turned their backs on the war, not wanting to get involved.

At some point, Turkey recruited mercenaries, Muslim inhabitants

known as “Bashi-bazouks,” to suppress Christian uprisings in neighboring Bulgaria. Tragically, the Bashi-bazouks brutally massacred 15,000 Bulgarians, many of them innocent bystanders to the rebellion. In one incident, over a thousand women and children were burned alive as they sought refuge in a church.

A cruel or unjust exercise of power or authorityOPPression:Tchaikovsky: A composer of melodies and idealsConcert Selection: Marche Slave in B-flat minor, Op. 31

“ To regret the past, to hope in the future, and never to be satisfied with the present: that is what I spend my whole life doing.”Composer Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky

The European community was horrified by these atrocities but still refused to get involved. Russia, however, stepped forward into the battle. The nation rallied to support Serbia , leading to the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78, which ended in Turkish defeat.

During the war, Tchaikovsky was commissioned to write his “Marche Slave,” a patriotic work for a benefit concert to rally support for Russian soldiers in the Balkan wars. The work functions as a “tone poem” in which Serbian folk songs describe the Turkish oppression of the Serbs and a rustic Russian dance grows into the Russian national anthem, depicting the Russians’ triumphant victory over the Ottoman Empire.

What is a Romantic Composer?

Tchaikovsky is known as one of the great Romantic composers – but “romantic” here doesn’t mean hearts and flowers. Instead, it means music that expresses big emotions and big ideas. This term is specifically applied to composers who write in this manner during the early to mid 1800s.

need to knowWhat is a “tone poem?”

A “tone poem” is a piece of orchestral music,

usually in a single movement, that illustrates

or depicts the content of a story, a poem, a

painting, a setting, a historical event or any

other non-musical source.

What about today? Can you think of songs or

musical works by current musicians that tell a

story or evoke a sense of patriotism? Is there

a type of music that is particularly rich with

storytelling and patriotism?

8

American composer Vincent Ludwig Persichetti (1915–1987) began his musical career at

age 5, studying piano, then organ, double bass, tuba, theory and composition. At 11, he was performing professionally as a radio staff pianist, orchestra member and church organist. He premiered his first original composition at 14. At 16, he was appointed organist and choir director of his neighborhood church, a post he held for 20 years.

As an educator, Persichetti trained many notable composers at the Juilliard School. A prolific composer himself, Persichetti wrote in nearly every musical medium, with over 120 published works. He was distinctly attracted to writing music for the wind band, including “A Lincoln Address.” He said his personal style was either “graceful,” meaning lyrical and melodic, or “gritty,” meaning sharp and rhythmic. Interestingly, he often composed in his car on the way to teach other composers, sometimes taping staff paper to the steering wheel.

White House Controversy

In 1973, Persichetti was commissioned by the Presidential Inaugural Committee to create a work for President Richard M. Nixon’s second Inaugural Concert. Persichetti composed “A Lincoln Address,” setting excerpts from Abraham Lincoln’s second Inaugural Address to music. The Nixon White House took issue with Persichetti’s choice because Lincoln’s remarks about the “mighty scourge” of the Civil War’ were considered too politically charged during the last days of the Vietnam War. ‘’A Lincoln Address’’ was officially “uninvited” and deleted from the inaugural program – but it was soon rescued by many other influential orchestras across the country.

Tolerance:

9

President Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address

Thousands of spectators braved the driving rain and thick muddy grounds to gather at the U.S. Capitol for President Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address in 1865. No one could know that the President would be assassinated in little over a month – not even his future assassin, John Wilkes Booth, who stood among the spectators. Poet Walt Whitman was there as well, and civil rights leader Frederick Douglass, a former escaped slave.

The end of the war was in sight but Lincoln still had a huge job ahead of him. The war had been won, it appears, but the country was headed into a peace-time full of problems. Slavery had been eliminated but at a terrible cost to the American landscape. The nation faced even greater losses in the death of a generation of men, devastated families and depleted resources, along with the challenges of reconstruction and the question of freed slaves. Lincoln wouldn’t be able to use his executive powers as freely as he had during the war. His Emancipation Proclamation had been issued as an executive order but he wouldn’t have that freedom to issue orders once the weapons were put down.

The nation had a lot of questions and they expected the President to provide them with answers. People wanted to know whether the Confederacy would be treated as a conquered nation. People expected Lincoln to punish southern states for seceding. People expected the northern states to be entitled to some rewards for their victory in the war. Many Americans expected Lincoln to not even allow confederate states back into the Union, because, they argued, a union couldn’t exist with some states guilty of war crimes and some states innocent.

And what about the former slaves? Would they be allowed to vote? Would they be compensated for their losses? Were they entitled to lands forfeited by Confederate rebels? Would they be guaranteed work and afforded equal rights as workers?

Lincoln had his task cut out for him when he took the podium on March 4, 1865. So he kept it brief, only 703 words. Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address is considered not only a great example of his economy with words – but also a deft expression of his ability to combine political skill, intellect, poetic expression, and depth.

Willingness to accept feelings, habits, or beliefs that are different than your own

Persichetti: An American composer–and a teacherConcert Selection: Symphony No. 5 in D minor

“ I would rather not be talking to you in words; I would rather talk to you in a piece I write. All my relationships are more meaningful when it’s through my music.”Composer Vincent Persichetti

Thousands gather at the recently completed U.S. Capitol to listen to President Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address.

need to knowWhat is a “musical portrait?”

A musical portrait is a composition that

combines a narrator and an orchestra.

Typically, the solo voice and the orchestra

are balanced against each other. The solo

voice recites a historic text or an original

text written for the composition.

10

Atlanta Symphony Orchestra

Assistant Conductor Joseph

Young decided to become a

conductor the first time he attended

a concert at the age of 16. “I was

drawn to the sheer size of the

orchestra,” he recalls, “the massive

sound coming from the musicians,

and it was happening live…and one

man taking control of all that.”

Young soon tried on the role of

the conductor in his bedroom,

listening to recordings of the

Chicago Symphony. “I would lock

the door and emote through this

imaginary orchestra. One time,

my father started knocking on my

door. I didn’t hear it ‘cause I had

my headphones on. ‘What are you

doing in there?’ he yelled. I had to

tell him I was pretending to be

a conductor.”

Young earned his bachelor’s

degree in music education from

the University of South Carolina

in 2004 and graduated with a

degree in conducting from Peabody

Conservatory in 2009. He recognizes

that he is among a handful of

African-American conductors in

the country but he insists that

he didn’t set out to become an

“African-American conductor.” “I

was an African-American who didn’t

really know that African-Americans

weren’t prominent in conducting,”

he explains. Instead, Young set

out to make the most of every

opportunity and to show everyone

how passionate he was about music.

“Conducting is what I always wanted

to do,” he says. “I set my goals when

I was 16. And I started conducting

orchestras by the time I was 25.”

ASO Assistant

Conductor Joseph

Young set a goal to

become an orchestral

conductor when he

was 16 – and reached

that goal when he

was 25.

Education & Community Engagement Department

Mark B. Kent Vice President for Education and Community Engagement

Katherine Algarra Program Assistant for Student Musician Programs

Niki Baker Manager of Ensembles and Instruction

Kaitlin Gress Wells Fargo ArtsVibe Teen Program Coordinator

Tiffany Jones Education Associate for Audience Development

Ahmad Mayes Manager of Community Programs

Cherrelle Morrison Program Assistant–Community ARTreach

Support Music Education

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra thanks the following organizations for their support of our Education and Community Programs. The support of these corporations, foundations, and individuals is invaluable in helping us reach and educate diverse communities.

404.733.4871 | ASO.ORG

Major support is provided by the Mayor’s Office

of Cultural Affairs.

Major funding is provided by the

Fulton County Board of Commissioners.

This program is supported in part by the Georgia Council

for the Arts through the appropriations of the Georgia General Assembly. GCA also

receives support from its partner agency, the National

Endowment for the Arts.

This project is supported in part by an award from the National Endowment

for the Arts.

AT&T

Abraham J. & Phyllis Katz Foundation

Brown & Moore Associates, LLC

Chick-fil-A Foundation

The Coca-Cola Company

Delta Air Lines

Georgia Pacific

InterContinental Hotels Group

JBS Foundation

Links, Inc., Azalea City Chapter

Livingston Foundation, Inc.

Lockheed Martin

Massey Charitable Trust

MetLife Foundation

Primerica, Inc.

The Helen Plummer Charitable Foundation

Publix Super Markets & Publix Super Markets Charities, Inc.

Remillard & Associates, Inc.

SunTrust Bank Trusteed Foundation – Walter H. and Marjory M. Rich Memorial Fund

SunTrust Foundation

The Society, Inc., Greater Atlanta Chapter

Wells Fargo

The William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund

The Zeist Foundation, Inc.

ASSIGNMENT: Write a paragraph of five or more sentences, describing a struggle happening right now in the world. It could be in Syria, in Palestine, in the Ukraine, in Ferguson, Missouri, or among the Latino children at our borders. Describe the people involved and state what is at issue. Include a statement regarding which musical selection on this program might best apply to their circumstance — and explain why.

o Use the restroom in the lobby before the concert begins.

o Bring a sweater or jacket in case the concert hall is too cold.

o Set any papers under your seat so that they don’t rustle during the performance.

o Applause is respectful at the end of a musical selection, but no whistles or foot stomping, please. (It’s not that type of concert.)

o Food and drink are not permitted in the concert hall.

o Silence is requested while the musicians are performing.

And now it's your turn

Practical Tips on Enjoying the Concert WITH DEEPEST GRATITUDE

Meet the music director

Joseph Young

Concert Selection: Liberty Fanfare