Campane di Ravello

Last updated

Campane di Ravello (A Celebration Piece for Sir Georg Solti) is a short orchestral composition by the American composer John Corigliano. The work was commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for the 75th birthday of its then music director Georg Solti. Its world premiere was given by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Kenneth Jean on October 9, 1987. [1] [2]

Contents

Composition

Campane di Ravello is cast in a single movement and has a duration of roughly three minutes.

Background

Campane di Ravello was Corigliano's first commission as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's newly appointed composer-in-residence. His inspiration for the piece came while he vacationed in Ravello, Italy, as the composer recalled in the score program notes:

On Sundays, the multitude of churches in Ravello and the surrounding towns play their bells, each in a different key and rhythm. The cacophony is gorgeous, and uniquely festive. My tribute to Sir Georg attempts to make the sections of the symphony orchestra sound like pealing bells: that tolling, filigreed with birdcalls in the woodwinds, provides the backdrop for a theme that grows more and more familiar as it is clarified. At the end, it is clear and joyous – a tribute to a great man. [1]

The music contains subtle melodic references to the song "Happy Birthday to You." [2] [3] [4]

Instrumentation

The work is scored for a large orchestra consisting of piccolo, three flutes, three oboes, cor anglais, three clarinets, bass clarinet, three bassoons, contrabassoon, four horns, four trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, six percussionists, harp, piano, and strings. [1]

Reception

Reviewing a television broadcast of the world premiere, described the piece as "a mini-tone poem, a sly arrangement of 'Happy Birthday.'" [2] Lawrence A. Johnson of the Chicago Classical Review also praised the piece, writing, "Corigliano's brief curtain-raiser cleverly melds gently discordant tolling wind and brass chords into an off-center fanfare in which strains of 'Happy Birthday' gradually emerge from the hurly-burly." [3]

However, the music was criticized by Antony Bye of BBC Music Magazine , who remarked, "compare Stravinsky's Birthday Greeting with Corigliano's Campane di Ravello – 'A Celebration Piece for Sir Georg Solti' to discover the difference between real genius and mere talent." [5] John von Rhein of the Chicago Tribune similarly remarked, "Corigliano went on to write bigger and more substantial scores than this four-minute piece d'occasion once he became the orchestra's first composer in residence shortly after the premiere of his little happy-birthday ode. That familiar tune gradually emerged from a haze of bell-like dissonances before being taken up by the full orchestra." [4]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chicago Symphony Orchestra</span> Orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) is an American symphony orchestra based in Chicago, Illinois. Founded by Theodore Thomas in 1891, the ensemble has been based in the Symphony Center since 1904 and plays a summer season at the Ravinia Festival. Klaus Mäkelä was named music director-designate in 2024, with his first contractual season to begin in 2027. The orchestra's most recent music director is Riccardo Muti, whose tenure spanned 13 seasons, from 2010 to 2023, and he continues to perform on occasion as director-emeritus. The CSO is one of the American orchestras commonly referred to as the "Big Five".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Georg Solti</span> Hungarian-British conductor (1912–1997)

Sir Georg Solti was a Hungarian-British orchestral and operatic conductor, known for his appearances with opera companies in Munich, Frankfurt, and London, and as a long-serving music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. Born in Budapest, he studied there with Béla Bartók, Leó Weiner, and Ernő Dohnányi. In the 1930s, he was a répétiteur at the Hungarian State Opera and worked at the Salzburg Festival for Arturo Toscanini. His career was interrupted by the rise of the Nazis' influence on Hungarian politics, and being of Jewish background, he fled the increasingly harsh Hungarian anti-Jewish laws in 1938. After conducting a season of Russian ballet in London at the Royal Opera House, he found refuge in Switzerland, where he remained during the Second World War. Prohibited from conducting there, he earned a living as a pianist.

Larry Combs is an American clarinetist and educator.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Margaret Hillis</span> American conductor

Margaret Eleanor Hillis was an American conductor. She was the founder and first director of the Chicago Symphony Chorus.

Mason Wesley Bates is a Grammy award-winning American composer of symphonic music and DJ of electronic dance music. He is the first composer-in-residence of the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, and he has also been in residence with Chicago Symphony Orchestra, the San Francisco Symphony, the Pittsburgh Symphony, and the California Symphony. In addition to his notable works Mothership, Anthology of Fantastic Zoology, and The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, he composed the score to Gus Van Sant's film The Sea of Trees. In a 2018 survey of American orchestras, he was rated the second-most performed living composer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Mazer</span> American conductor

Henry Simon Mazer, was an American and later Taiwanese conductor, recording artist and music educator who was the founding principal conductor and music director of Taipei Philharmonic Orchestra from 1985 until suffering a stroke in February 2001. Prior to his move to Taiwan, he was the conductor and associate conductor of major American symphonies including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. He contributed greatly to the refinement of the performances of classical music in Taiwan, leading local musicians to gain recognition overseas. There is a cultural center dedicated to him in Taipei.

John Corigliano's Symphony No. 1 for Orchestra was written between 1988 and 1989 during the composer's tenure as the first Composer-In-Residence for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The symphony's first performance was by the Chicago Symphony conducted by Daniel Barenboim on March 15, 1990.

The Clarinet Concerto is a concerto for clarinet and orchestra by the American composer Christopher Rouse. The work was commissioned for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and its principal clarinetist Larry Combs by the Institute for American Music. It was completed December 11, 2000 and premiered May 17, 2001 at Symphony Center in Chicago with Christoph Eschenbach conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The piece is dedicated to Rouse's friend and fellow composer Augusta Read Thomas.

The Violin Concerto is a concerto for violin and orchestra in three movements by the American composer Elliott Carter. The work was jointly commissioned by the San Francisco Symphony and the violinist Ole Bøhn. It was completed February 26, 1990 in Waccabuc, New York, and was premiered May 2, 1990 in San Francisco, with conductor Herbert Blomstedt leading Bøhn and the San Francisco Symphony. The piece won the 1994 Grammy Award for Best Classical Contemporary Composition.

Liquid Interface is a symphony in four movements for electronica and orchestra by the American composer Mason Bates. The work was commissioned by the National Symphony Orchestra and was premiered February 22, 2007 in Washington, D.C., with the orchestra led by conductor Leonard Slatkin. The piece is dedicated to composer John Corigliano.

Alternative Energy is a symphony for electronica and orchestra in four movements by the American composer Mason Bates. The work was commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, for whom Bates was then composer-in-residence. It was premiered by the orchestra under conductor Riccardo Muti at Symphony Center in Chicago, February 2, 2012.

Night Ferry is an orchestral composition in one movement by the British-born composer Anna Clyne. The work was commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, for which Clyne was then composer-in-residence. It was first performed February 9, 2012 at Symphony Center, Chicago by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under conductor Riccardo Muti. A live performance by the BBC Symphony Orchestra conducted by Andrew Litton was recorded at the Barbican Hall in January 2013 and issued along with four other Clyne works in 2020.

The Seamstress is a concerto for solo violin and orchestra by the British-born composer Anna Clyne. The work was commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, for which Clyne was then composer-in-residence. It was first performed May 28, 2015 at Symphony Center, Chicago by the violinist Jennifer Koh and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under conductor Ludovic Morlot. The Seamstress marks the second collaboration between Clyne and Koh, who had previously premiered Clyne's double violin concerto Prince of Clouds in November 2012.

Astral Canticle is a double concerto for violin, flute, and orchestra by the American composer Augusta Read Thomas. The work was Thomas's sixth and final commission by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra before she concluded her nine-year tenure there as composer-in-residence. It was first performed in Chicago on June 1, 2006, by the flutist Mathieu Dufour, the violinist Robert Chen, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the conductor Daniel Barenboim. The piece is dedicated to Barenboim and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The composition was a finalist for the 2007 Pulitzer Prize for Music.

Soundings is an orchestral composition by the American composer Elliott Carter. The work was commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for their final season with the conductor Daniel Barenboim as music director. It was first performed on October 6, 2005 at the Symphony Center, Chicago, by Barenboim and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

The Symphony No. 3, Circus Maximus, is a composition for wind ensemble in eight movements by the American composer John Corigliano. The work was commissioned by the University of Texas at Austin Butler School of Music for the University of Texas Wind Ensemble. It was given its world premiere by the University of Texas Wind Ensemble under their conductor Jerry Junkin at the Bass Concert Hall in the University of Texas Performing Arts Center on February 16, 2005. The symphony is dedicated to Junkin and is the composer's first piece written specifically for concert band.

Elizabeth Ogonek is an American composer of contemporary classical music.

All These Lighted Things (three little dances for orchestra) is an orchestral composition by the American composer Elizabeth Ogonek. The work was commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, for which Ogonek co-serves as Mead composer-in-residence with the composer Samuel Adams. The piece was given its world premiere by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Riccardo Muti on September 28, 2017.

The Low Brass Concerto is a concerto for four solo low brass instruments and orchestra by the American composer Jennifer Higdon. The work was commissioned by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for their renowned low brass section and co-commissioned by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra and the Philadelphia Orchestra. It was composed in 2017 and was first performed by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the direction of Riccardo Muti on February 1, 2018.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Corigliano, John (1987). "Campane di Ravello (A Celebration Piece for Sir Georg Solti)". G. Schirmer Inc. Retrieved March 6, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 Henken, John (December 28, 1987). "TV REVIEWS : 'Solti at 75'--Excerpts of a Celebration". Los Angeles Times . Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  3. 1 2 Johnson, Lawrence A. (September 20, 2015). "With storm clouds on the horizon, CSO closes opening week with Italian flavor". Chicago Classical Review. Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  4. 1 2 Rhein, John von (September 20, 2015). "CSO high and dry at Symphony Ball gala, not so much at park". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved June 17, 2016.
  5. Bye, Antony (20 January 2012). "Corigliano: Creations; To Music; Voyage; Campane di Ravello - A Celebration Piece for Sir Georg Solti; Elegy; Promenade Overture". BBC Music Magazine . Retrieved June 17, 2016.