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Conductor
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Join Emily Ray for an exciting evening of Brazilian music including rhythms of the rainforest and echoes of crashing waves!
September 26, 2009, 7:30pm
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Villa-Lobos |
Bachianas Brasileiras No. 9 |
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Beethoven |
Piano Concerto No. 1 |
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Mendelssohn |
Hebrides Overture |
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Ewazen |
Chamber Symphony |
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Cesena |
Mozaicos |
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Marcelo Cesena, piano |
| Saratoga High School Strings, guest performers |
Background on the Music
Heitor Villa-Lobos, born in Rio de Janeiro, developed his compositions around the culture and political events in Brazil during the late 1800's. He is noted as one of the leading Latin American composers for orchestral, chamber and instrumental works. His music represents Brazilian folk music as well as European and Baroque classical themes, as evidenced in his Bachianas brasileiras.
Ludwig van Beethoven composed his Piano Concerto No. 1 in C Major in 1798, and first performed it in Prague. Studying with the elder Haydn, Beethoven wrote his first and second piano concertos in a style heavily influenced by both Haydn and Mozart.
Felix Mendelssohn, considered a German musical prodigy in the early Romantic period, traveled extensively during his career. He spent quite a bit of time in the British Isles, and was inspired by Scotland’s geography - particularly the Scottish coast – to compose both the Hebrides Overture and his Scottish Symphony (No. 3).
Eric Ewazen, a contemporary U.S. composer based on the east coast, is recognized for his lyrical style that depicts Americana experiences. Ewazen’s compositions for orchestra, string and wind ensembles are as appealing to the musicians as the audience, both challenging and very enjoyable to listen to. This performance will be the West Coast premiere of his Chamber Symphony!
Marcelo Cesena, recently named the 2009 Best Brazilian Musician living in America, is a concert pianist and film composer now living in Los Angeles. He is also a popular composer of piano literature that represents the experiences and emotions of life, including love, sadness, romance and excitement.
What to listen for
The Bachianas brasileiras No. 9 (or Brazilian Bach Piece No. 9) is a Brazilian-flavored Baroque Prelude and Fugue*, patterned after the style of Bach, for strings or voices. Listen for the recurring themes with a Latin American flair!
* “Fugue” means “flight”. In a musical fugue, one voice presents a melody and then is “chased”, as if in flight, by other voices through melodic imitation.
Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 1 demonstrates the classic sonata form. Listen for the influences of Haydn and Mozart, contrasted with Beethoven's striking personal statements: the boldness of the opening movement, the heart-wrenching lyricism of the second movement, and the “mad dash” main theme of the third movement.
The Hebrides Overture, also known as Fingal's Cave, depicts the Scottish coast, and a massive cave found there. Listen for the mood setting, the majesty of the cave, and the rolling seas around it.
Ewazen’s Chamber Symphony pays tribute to the Baroque period, featuring a piano in a harpsichord-like part, a key part of the musical line of the symphony. Listen for its solo as well as supporting lines to the musical themes throughout the three movements.
Marcelo Cesena’s Mozaicos is freshly written for Mr. Cesena to perform with MCO! People familiar with Bach’s Prelude in C for keyboard will recognize the melodic weaving of chords used as a basis for the first movement of this suite, “Prelude to Love (Homage to J.S. Bach)” which is a fuller, but shorter, orchestration of some music Mr. Cesena wrote for Watercolors,, a film to be released soon. “Puzzle” and “Salpy”, the second and third movements of this suite are arrangements of Mr. Cesena’s own piano works.
How to get to Le Petit Trianon
Le Petit Trianon is located in downtown San Jose, near the Rotunda. Free parking is available across the street from the theater in a new, well-lit parking garage. Click here for more information about the theater.
Enjoy Downtown San Jose
Downtown San Jose has a number of pre- and post-concert options for cocktails, dining and entertainment. MCO recommends Eulipia Restaurant, a few short blocks from the theater.
Buy Your Tickets!
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| Marcelo Cesena |
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| Featured Composers |
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| Listen to Cesena "Mozaicos - Watercolors" |
Click here |
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| Listen to Mendelssohn "Hebrides Overture" |
Click here |
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| Listen to Beethoven "Piano Concerto No. 1" |
Click here |
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Concerts are supported, in part, by a Cultural
Affairs grant from the City of San José, grants from the Farrington
Historical Foundation and the Castellano Family Foundation, an Applied
Materials Excellence in the Arts Grant, and by a grant from Arts Council
Silicon Valley, in partnership with the County of Santa Clara and the
National Endowment for the Arts.
Design by Descant Group -
San Jose, California
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