Concerto Mediterraneo

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The Concerto Mediterraneo is a concerto for classical guitar and orchestra by the American composer Steven Stucky. The work was completed in April 1998 and was written to commemorate the life of the Greek guitarist Sophocles Papas. It was first performed on September 17, 1998 at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall in Baltimore by the guitarist Manuel Barrueco and the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra under the conductor Günther Herbig. [1] [2]

Concerto musical composition usually in three parts

A concerto is a musical composition generally composed of three movements, in which, usually, one solo instrument is accompanied by an orchestra or concert band. It is accepted that its characteristics and definition have changed over time. In the 17th century, sacred works for voices and orchestra were typically called concertos, as reflected by J. S. Bach's usage of the title "concerto" for many of the works that we know as cantatas.

Classical guitar acoustic wooden guitar with wide neck, strings made of nylon

The classical guitar is a member of the guitar family used in classical music. An acoustic wooden string instrument with strings made of gut or nylon, it is a precursor of the acoustic and electric guitars which use metal strings. The name guitar comes from Persian language, in which Tar means string. Tar is also the name of an Iranian instrument that could be the primary form of guitar. Classical guitars are derived from the Spanish vihuela and gittern in the fifteenth and sixteenth century, which later evolved into the seventeenth and eighteenth century Baroque guitar and later the modern classical guitar in the mid nineteenth century.

Orchestra large instrumental ensemble

An orchestra is a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which mixes instruments from different families, including bowed string instruments such as violin, viola, cello, and double bass, as well as brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments, each grouped in sections. Other instruments such as the piano and celesta may sometimes appear in a fifth keyboard section or may stand alone, as may the concert harp and, for performances of some modern compositions, electronic instruments.

Contents

Composition

Background

Stucky was approached to compose the concerto as a tribute to the guitarist Sophocles Papas at the request of Papas's daughter, Elizabeth Papas Smith, and Dr. Solomon H. Snyder, a former student of Papas. Stucky began work on the piece in late 1997, composing the third movement during a stay at the Italian Riviera. He subsequently wrote the finale and introductory movements in Ithaca, New York and completed the work on April 8, 1998. [1]

Sophocles Papas was an internationally renowned classical guitar pedagogue and music publisher.

Solomon H. Snyder American neuroscientist

Solomon Halbert Snyder is an American neuroscientist who is known for wide-ranging contributions to neuropharmacology and neurochemistry. He studied at Georgetown University, and has conducted the majority of his research at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Many advances in molecular neuroscience have stemmed from Dr. Snyder's identification of receptors for neurotransmitters and drugs, and elucidation of the actions of psychotropic agents, making him one of the most highly cited biologists in the world. He is most famous for his research on the opioid receptor, for which he received the Albert Lasker Award for Basic Medical Research in 1978. He is one of the most highly cited researchers in the biological and biomedical sciences, with the highest h-index in those fields for the years 1983–2002.

Italian Riviera Riviera in Liguria, Italy

The Italian Riviera, or Ligurian Riviera is the narrow coastal strip which lies between the Ligurian Sea and the mountain chain formed by the Maritime Alps and the Apennines. Longitudinally it extends from the border with France and the French Riviera near Ventimiglia to Capo Corvo which marks the eastern end of the Gulf of La Spezia and is close to the border with Tuscany. The Italian Riviera thus includes nearly all of the coastline of Liguria.

Structure

The Concerto Mediterraneo has a duration of roughly 20 minutes and is composed in four movements: [1]

A movement is a self-contained part of a musical composition or musical form. While individual or selected movements from a composition are sometimes performed separately, a performance of the complete work requires all the movements to be performed in succession. A movement is a section, "a major structural unit perceived as the result of the coincidence of relatively large numbers of structural phenomena".

A unit of a larger work that may stand by itself as a complete composition. Such divisions are usually self-contained. Most often the sequence of movements is arranged fast-slow-fast or in some other order that provides contrast.

  1. Serenata
  2. Interludio
  3. Ciaccona notturna
  4. Finale

Instrumentation

The work is scored for solo guitar and an orchestra comprising two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, two French horns, trumpet, trombone, timpani, two percussionists, harp, and strings.

Western concert flute transverse woodwind instrument made of metal or wood

The Western concert flute is a transverse (side-blown) woodwind instrument made of metal or wood. It is the most common variant of the flute. A musician who plays the flute is called a flautist, flutist, flute player, or (rarely) fluter.

Oboe musical instrument of the woodwind family

Oboes belong to the classification of double reed woodwind instruments. Oboes are usually made of wood, but there are also oboes made of synthetic materials. The most common oboe plays in the treble or soprano range. A soprano oboe measures roughly 65 cm long, with metal keys, a conical bore and a flared bell. Sound is produced by blowing into the reed at a sufficient air pressure, causing it to vibrate with the air column. The distinctive tone is versatile and has been described as "bright". When the word oboe is used alone, it is generally taken to mean the treble instrument rather than other instruments of the family, such as the bass oboe, the cor anglais, or oboe d'amore

Clarinet type of woodwind instrument

The clarinet is a musical-instrument family belonging to the group known as the woodwind instruments. It has a single-reed mouthpiece, a straight, cylindrical tube with an almost cylindrical bore, and a flared bell. A person who plays a clarinet is called a clarinetist.

Reception

Reviewing the world premiere, Pierre Ruhe of The Washington Post lauded the concerto, writing:

<i>The Washington Post</i> Daily broadsheet newspaper published in Washington, D.C.

The Washington Post is a major American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C., with a particular emphasis on national politics and the federal government. It has the largest circulation in the Washington metropolitan area. Its slogan "Democracy Dies in Darkness" began appearing on its masthead in 2017. Daily broadsheet editions are printed for the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia.

The 20-minute, four-movement piece rarely raises its voice above an inviting, relaxed mezzo forte. Modernist techniques in the score blend with the often lovely guitar lines and soft-edged support from the orchestra. These exquisite phrases suited Manuel Barrueco, the lightly amplified soloist, just fine. He savored the delicate and fragile touches, although much of the piece seemed unidiomatic for the guitar. Single notes and runs up the fingerboard sometimes made it sound like it could be comfortably transcribed for another instrument. Despite the title one could imagine an Asian influence in the concerto. It's a work well worth hearing again. [3]

Stephen Wigler of The Baltimore Sun was more critical, however, calling it "disappointing" and remarking, "Stucky tried to provide Barrueco with opportunities for intimacy in the first two movements by presenting the guitar in chamber-music-like settings and even in duets with other instruments. Unfortunately, it was often the scoring for the other instruments that kept the ear in anticipation." Despite this criticism, Wigler added:

<i>The Baltimore Sun</i> daily broadsheet newspaper in the city of Baltimore, Maryland, United States

The Baltimore Sun is the largest general-circulation daily newspaper based in the American state of Maryland and provides coverage of local and regional news, events, issues, people, and industries. Founded in 1837, the newspaper is owned by Tribune Publishing.

My response might change upon repeated exposure to the work. I found the third movement, whose Italian subtitle translates as "nocturnal chaconne," compelling in its logic and more intriguing than earlier movements in the ways it set the guitar against the orchestra. And the composer's perpetual motion final movement provided many opportunities for Barrueco to display his remarkable virtuosity. [4]

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References

  1. 1 2 3 Stucky, Steven. Concerto Mediterraneo: Program Note by the Composer. Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  2. ↑ Hayes, Peter (September 13, 1998). "Fall Classical Music Season". The Washington Post . Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  3. ↑ Ruhe, Pierre (September 19, 1998). "BSO's Mediterranean Moment". The Washington Post . Retrieved July 25, 2015.
  4. ↑ Wigler, Stephen (September 19, 1998). "Premiere of guitar work disappoints". The Baltimore Sun . Retrieved July 25, 2015.
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