Performing The Rite of Spring
by Bonnie Wolfgang, Principal Bassoonist of The Phoenix Symphony
Performing Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" is one of the rare thrills and sometimes potential nightmare in the principal bassoonist's career. This moment of exquisite challenge and potential ecstasy presents an opportunity of personal expression and intricate immersion into the spirit of a truly great work of art!
As a young student of bassoon at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, I was extremely fortunate to be able to meet and perform under the renowned and aging composer, Igor Stravinsky in 1962. Stravinsky was born 1882 and died in 1971.
My father, who had been the Music Director in my public school and my first teacher, had not only told me about Stravinsky and this particular piece, but he purchased and played it on our stereo in our home, something that was quite extraordinary in small town Catawissa, PA in the early 1960's. He told me that I would someday perform this piece and that it would be a thrill and an honor! As a result of my childhood experiences, I was intent on learning everything that I could from this great composer.
The challenge of this solo, besides the difficulty of negotiating in the highest register of the bassoon, is that it sets the mood for the whole piece. Alone, the bassoon begins an "awakening" as from a deep sleep, and slowly emerges into consciousness beginning to feel the awareness of new life. Finding the right balance of tonal quality, dynamic control, and sleepy meanderings of an awakening voice is the goal of this solo which leads to sheer energy as the piece unfolds. I look forward to an exhilarating performance!
Performing Igor Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" is one of the rare thrills and sometimes potential nightmare in the principal bassoonist's career. This moment of exquisite challenge and potential ecstasy presents an opportunity of personal expression and intricate immersion into the spirit of a truly great work of art! As a young student of bassoon at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, I was extremely fortunate to be able to meet and perform under the renowned and aging composer, Igor Stravinsky in 1962. Stravinsky was born 1882 and died in 1971.
My father, who had been the Music Director in my public school and my first teacher, had not only told me about Stravinsky and this particular piece, but he purchased and played it on our stereo in our home, something that was quite extraordinary in small town Catawissa, PA in the early 1960's. He told me that I would someday perform this piece and that it would be a thrill and an honor! As a result of my childhood experiences, I was intent on learning everything that I could from this great composer.
The challenge of this solo, besides the difficulty of negotiating in the highest register of the bassoon, is that it sets the mood for the whole piece. Alone, the bassoon begins an "awakening" as from a deep sleep, and slowly emerges into consciousness beginning to feel the awareness of new life. Finding the right balance of tonal quality, dynamic control, and sleepy meanderings of an awakening voice is the goal of this solo which leads to sheer energy as the piece unfolds. I look forward to an exhilarating performance!
22 Comments:
A question for Ms. Wolfgang:
Since the opening bars of the Rite of Spring are entirely your song without accompaniment, how much input does the conductor have? Will we see him cue you in? Just at the beginning or even while you play?
When I saw the LA Philharmonic perform this piece, conductor Salonen did not raise a finger. He stood there with both arms at his side while the bassonist started playing out of nowhere. It was a magical moment in the hushed hall.
Aside from a great bassoonist, Bonnie is a beautiful artist in another realm- jewelery.
Sonny, I'll let Boonie know you've posted so she can give her perspective. We did have a brief chat about the solo last week to be sure we were on the same page but she will be in control. I will give an upbeat for the 2nd horn entrance and show the basic "geography" for the first few bars but the duet and even the clarinet trio which follows shortly afterward move on their own more or less.
i very much enjoyed the rite of spring performance. thank you .
thanks Bonnie - It was wonderful. I loved your reminiscenses beforehand and also the real thing Thursday night.
By the way, Golijov and Beethoven were pretty nice too -- not to mention the Star Spangled Banner -- even if M.Christie didnt give the new concert master time to tune up! The idea that Pavarotti could really sing inspired us all. Even tho I missed my old friends in the orchestra, at least you, Bonnie, are still there. And all the crash bang boom with the horns and timpani was great. Thanks for a great evening. Did it go well on Saturday night? Hope so.
Throughly enjoyed Saturday nights concert. The performances of all three selections were outstanding. The only thing that ruined the Beethoven for me, was the constant applauding between movements. It really spoils the transition effect that the composer had in mind. Mr Christie, in your wonderful desire to educate our audience, is it not possible to mention, in a most polite way, that it is customary NOT to applaud between movements of a Symphony, Concerto, etc? Perhaps an announcement at the beginning, or at least a mention in the program.
Keep up the good work.
Why was the acting concertmaster's name not given in the program? Why didn't he tune up at the beginning as is customary? The way he was presented seemed rude. We thought he was a delight, whoever he was! Are we to have a different acting concertmaster every Saturday night? What is the plan until a permanent concertmaster is named? Thank you.
A housekeeping question for management. Why do the stage floor and especially the musicians' platforms appear so dirty? Someone needs to use a wet mop before the performances. It looks silly to see men and women in formal dress on a dirty floor. Also, what happened to the PREORDER signs that used to be on the bar so people would know they could preorder beverages for intermission and avoid the long lines? Thanks for someone's attention to detail.
My buddy, "Dr. M-CAT" had this to say about the Stravinsky:
Almost in agreement. But...not so happy with the muted trumpets in II -- in the middle one, one trumpet was absent. Missed the entrance and didn't know the music well enough to get back in. Bassoon solo -- it seemed very perfunctory. You're right. Horns in the last section were not together and lost. Their sort-of melody never came out.
But still, I liked it a lot better than the Republic reviewer. It was exciting. Part I was better than II, for sure.
There are still questions about Rite:
1) How did they ever get an orchestra that size into a ballet pit?
2) How does anyone really know how to conduct it? Even Stravinsky had a difficult time of it.
3) How is it possible that this nearly 100 year old work is still shocking and startling even after having heard it so many times?
Regarding the performance of Golijov's "Last Round" on Saturday:
"Dr. M-CAT" says: "Oh, and I enjoyed the Golijov very much. At first it sounded like music from the movie Beetlejuice, but after a few minutes it was very infectuous."
"Old Ray" Cat says: "zzzzzzzz..."
"Presto the Cat" says: "ditto."
"Sonny the Cat" remained neutral. Golijov wrote this as a string nonet. As such a chamber work, it did not belong on a symphony concert. Unless you were seated in the center section of the front of the main floor, the left quartet vs. right quartet effect was totally lost. Being seated near the front to the left, at least I heard the interchange between the 4 violins and 2 violas. The 2nd movement standing string orchestra added an easy-listening back-up sound.
It seems that Maestro Christie is really pushing the enmvelope by calling this season a living tribute to Golijov. The only large scale piece is the so-called folk opera "Ainadamar" at season's end.
The other piece programmed is a substantial clarinet solo composition called "The Dreams and Prayers of Isaac the Blind." But, once again, this was written as a chamber work for clarinet and string quartet. I don't think simply expanding old pieces for string orchestra takes very much imagination. In fact, the Phoenix Chamber Music Society is presenting it in its original form in November. I'll go hear that for comparison.
Musicologist Warren Cohen of Musica Nova Orchestras answers Dr. M-CAT's questions as follows:
1) How did they ever get an orchestra that size into a ballet
pit?
>>> I doubt they were in the pit. The pit at the Theatre Champs d'Elysée is too small for even a regular full size orchestra, let alone that orchestra (and it is not at the Champs d'Elysée, but that's another story.
2) How does anyone really know how to conduct it?
>>> It would not be hard to conduct if Stravinsky had known how to notate the rhythms he wrote. Of course, now the piece is so popular and people are used to the notation, so we can't change it. But really, the last dance-the one that is famously "hard"- is really mostly in 5, and if he had written it like that we - both conductors and musicians - would have no problems with it.
Monteaux allegedly had 50 rehearsals for the premiere - you wonder where the money came from - and he freely admitted that neither he, nor the musicians, had a clue when they started working on it, but I suspect Stravinsky didn't either -he felt something, wrote it down, but on some level did not know what he was doing.
But, that said, from a conductor's position, Petruschka is harder to conduct than the Rite, becuase the Rite has few internal tempo changes and requires very little rubato; the only technical challenge is changing meters, made much worse by notational irregularities. Petruschka is all over the map - and it has notational issues too.
3) "Even Straivinsky had difficulties with it."
>>> Of course! He was not a conductor, he came to it late in life for financial reasons. There are videos of him conducting, and his limitations are very obvious.
This last weekend's concertmaster was Steven Moeckel who is the concertmaster of The Tucson Symphony Orchestra. He will be joining us for one more week at the Classics Week 2 concerts this coming weekend.
Brendan Anderson
Web Administrator
RITE OF SPRING Richard Nilsen nailed it, the Rite was poorly played and conducted. The accoustics were a constant rumble as Christie continues to demonstrate a lack of understanding in the dynamics of a score. Listen to a top 25 orchestra's performance of the Rite and you realize the PSO really doesn't have the chops to play this work. It sounded under rehearsed with waves of mistakes, phrasing issues, missed attacks, etc. Totally unsatisfactory.
The guest concertmaster gave some much needed physical energy, with a European playing style, to a string section that has played like stiffs for years.
The on-stage in-performance auditions for the Concertmaster position has apparently begun. Was that Steven Moeckel, concertmaster of the TucsonSymphony this weekend? Handsome and very tall. Very demonstrative in his potential first chair. Leading with his long sweeping bow strokes, I think most of our 1st violin section players showed more emotion than usual; for example, at the end of the 1st movement of Beethoven 4th. However, his tone was mostly inaudible within the section.
By the way, your press release a while back stated: "Weijing Wang will join the orchestra as principal viola." What's happening? It's not that we're in any hurry because all of us are great admirers of the Valleys very own Chiara Kingsley.
CHEERS to everybody in general and to Maestro Christie for taking a relatively slow pace to keep it all together. Solos bows were well deserved by the english horn at measure 10 and bass clarinet at 2 after rehearsal number 6 in the 1st movement of the Stravinsky.
The most amazing effect was the 2 muted trumpet duets starting at 1 before reahearsal number 85 in the 2nd movement. So controlled and quiet; they sounded like flutes. And what an evenly put together
8-horns section and blasting 2-tubas. Loved the doubling of the bass drum for accents.
Overall, I must say that this was a much cleaner performance than the one I heard live in LA a couple of years ago.
Sonny-
Rest assured that Weijing Wang will be starting the season shortly!
Brendan Anderson
Web Administrator
Many interesting points about the performances last week.
Sonny makes an interesting observation about the Golijov works we are performing. Golijov has very few works for orchestra specifically, but has been encouraged by other orchestras to "expand" some of the smaller scale works he has written so they can be played by a symphony orchestra. On the title page of Last Round he gives three performace options. 1) as a string nonet, 2) string nonet plays the first movement and the symphony strings join in for the second, 3) the symphony strings play both movements. Had we chosen the third option we would have followed very detailed markings he puts in the parts for solo and smaller ensemble work throughout both movements. I have heard a live performance of the third option and I found it cumbersome, particularly the long acceleration sections in the first movement.
Ultimately, orchestras around the world wait anxiously for full scale orchestral works. He is aware of this need and suspect he will address that soon. In the meantime, these "expanded" versions are sanctioned by him and used by orchestras world-wide.
You can see a listing of performances on his website.
www.osvaldogolijov.com
Regarding The Rite.....
We did have a number of unexpected errors in the second part of the Rite during the Saturday performance. They were mistakes that hadn't occurred in the Thursday performance but were disappointing nonetheless.
It was a lot of fun for everyone on the stage to perform this great work last week. I appreciate the effort of all of my colleagues. Was it perfect? No. Did it show a considerable amount of focus and committment that has grown recently? In my opinion, yes.
I'm sure bloggers can harken back to a performance here or there in the past that was a favorite and may be a benchmark for how we are working now. The work that we are doing now is addressing the issue of consistency throughout the repertoire. Apart from the fact that I love all of the works we perform, expanding the number of works the orchestra feels comfortable enough with to hit a home run with whomever is on the podium is a goal of mine.
As I look back at last week we had a piece that they are indeed comfortable with, the Beethoven Symphony 4. Sure, there are interpretative decisions I make and a general tightening up of the ensemble but on the whole this is bread and butter territory and it sounded like it in performance, a poised, shaped performance. The Last Round is simply an exciting work to dig into. The nonet had the pressure of being the only one on their part so they were focused. The music is beautiful so the musicians were curious and taken by it.
The Rite is complex. It is the kind of piece that the great orchestas play often so they can continue to make all of the connections and discover new ones each time. I'm going to see if John Lofton, our bass trombone will chime in here because he has spent the better part of the last two seasons as guest bass trombone with the LA Phil. He has played the Rite of Spring a lot, both on tour and for the recording they made recently.
I'm not trying to make excuses about this or that thing that went well or not in our performances but I hope that my fellow bloggers will allow me to say that these types of pieces are growth pieces for any orchestra and I view this past week as such. What I take out of last week is feeling our orchestra putting out more focused energy than I've experienced with them thus far. This communal focus is part of a much larger process of growth.
Keep prodding us. All of the pieces are there for a reason. Some will be instant successes and others will have all sweating!
We are working on a way to give you folks information on the guest concertmasters, by the way.
To Dreamweaver....ah, yes, the applause question.
Just as we present the concert in a somewhat different format on Saturday compared to Thursday, so to the audience seems to have a different way of experiencing it as well. I'll ponder your request but know that the Thursday performance is the "traditional" concert format with no chat, no Keeping Score and interestingly, no applause!
I did want to point out to one blogger that two other "editions" of the Rite of Spring exist that reduce the size of the orchestra considerably to allow for pit performances or a "normal size" orchestra. Both of the reductions are "sanctioned" by the composer. I can't imagine how any pit can accommodate the massive instrumentation of either Rite of Spring or Firebird. When I performed this piece 16 times with the Zurich Opera we used the proper version but had to cut back on the number of strings in order to fit all of the winds and brass. Not ideal. In Brooklyn this past season we used a reduction that called for triple winds instead of quintuple. The one we used in Brooklyn worked surprisingly well. Nothing was cut out but people had more to play as they were called upon to cover other parts. I was dubious but it enabled us to do the performance and it came off very well.
A comment for Ms. Bonnie Wolfgang:
My Dear Bonnie, you sounded so beautiful in the Stravinsky last week, just as you have every time I have heard you perform this work. I love the plaintive effect you create in the beginning solo. Like something "other-worldly". You are a star in our crown!
In response to orchestra member "oboemom's" comments:
Subjectively speaking, the Principal Bassoonist's interpretation of the opening solo in The Rite of Spring did not set the mood for the whole piece. No emotions were evoked until the entrance of the english horn solo, at least for this one experienced listener.
In all the years that I have attended Phoenix Symphony concerts, I have always admired the technical excellence of our esteemed Principal Bassoonist. She has thrilled me with incerdibly fast and accurate phrasing. A fine example was her solo passages in the Beethoven 4th Symphony. For me, the orchestra's performance of that symphony was the highlight of my evening. Thank you.
Me thinks someone may have been taking a cat nap. Bonnie did not play the Beethoven in the concert Sonny attended. That would have been Marlene Mazzucca. She did play the passages very well. I don't know why someone would take issue with oboemom for her compliment. These musicians are all treasures to me. But, what do I know, I'm just an old man. Meow.
DesertSpiritSteve
Speaking of diffirent "editions" of Stravinsky's Rite of Spring, you must check this one out!
http://cdbaby.com/cd/stravinsky
This is John Ringer's arrangement for Electric Guitar, Electric Bass and Drum Set. No synthesizers. Your basic 3-man rock band. The amzing thing is that it remains true to the original. The entire 2-part ballet score is depicted here.
You will laugh out loud when the famous 8th note accented section begins in the 1st movement. Stravinsky may very well have been the father of "heavy metal." For a true fan of The Rite, this is a MUST BUY.
Well, Sonny, there is certainly more than one way to "skin a cat." Musical interpretation is of course, a very subjective thing. Some like whiskey and some like Scotch, as my esteemed mentor, the late John Mack, used to say. I myself happen to like whiskey AND Scotch...
Suggestion for a major collaboration with BALLET ARIZONA:
All-Stravinsky: The Rite of Spring and Petroushka.
Let's see if Phoenix audiences will riot to the pagan ritual or cry for the clown.
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