Last updated: October 17, 2023
Program
CLARA SCHUMANN (8 min)
“An einem lichten Morgen” (“On a clear morning”), Op. 23, No. 2
“Geheimes Flüstern hier und dort” (“Secret whisperings here and there”), Op. 23, No. 3
“Liebeszauber” (“Love’s magic”), Op. 13, No. 3
ROBERT SCHUMANN Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129 (26 min)
I. Nicht zu schnell –
II. Langsam –
III. Sehr lebhaft
INTERMISSION
JOHANNES BRAHMS Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68 (45 min)
I. Un poco sostenuto – Allegro
II. Andante sostenuto
III. Un poco allegretto e grazioso
IV. Adagio – Allegro non troppo ma con brio
Clara Schumann Lieder – Texts and Translations
An einem lichten Morgen
German source: Hermann Rollett
An einem lichten Morgen,
Da klingt es hell im Tal:
Wach’ auf, du liebe Blume,
Ich bin der Sonnenstrahl!
Erschließe mit Vertrauen
Dein Blütenkämmerlein
Und laß die heiße Liebe
In’s Heiligtum hinein.
Ich will ja nichts verlangen
Als liegen dir im Schoß
Und deine Blüte küssen,
Eh’ sie verwelkt im Moos.
Ich will ja nichts begehren
Als ruh’n an deiner Brust
Und dich dafür verklären
Mit sonnenheller Lust.
Geheimes Flüstern hier und dort
German source: Hermann Rollett
Geheimes Flüstern hier und dort,
Verborg’nes Quellenrauschen,
O Wald, o Wald, geweihter Ort,
Laß mich des Liebens reinstes Wort,
in Zweig und Blatt belauschen!
Und schreit’ ich in den Wald hinaus,
Da grüßen mich die Bäume,
Du liebes, freies Gotteshaus,
Du schließest mich mit Sturmgebraus
In deine kühlen Räume!
Was leise mich umschwebt, umklingt,
Ich will es treu bewahren,
Und was mir tief zum Herzen dringt,
Will ich, vom Geist der Lieb’ beschwingt,
In Liedern offenbaren!
Liebeszauber
German source: Emanuel Geibel
Die Liebe saß als Nachtigall
Im Rosenbusch und sang;
Es flog der wundersüße Schall
Den grünen Wald entlang.
Und wie er klang, - da stieg im Kreis
Aus tausend Kelchen Duft,
Und alle Wipfel rauschten leis’,
Und leiser ging die Luft;
Die Bäche schwiegen, die noch kaum
Geplätschert von den Höh’n,
Die Rehlein standen wie im Traum
Und lauschten dem Getön.
Und hell und immer heller floß
Der Sonne Glanz herein,
Um Blumen, Wald und Schlucht ergoß
Sich goldig roter Schein.
Ich aber zog den Wald entlang
Und hörte auch den Schall.
Ach! was seit jener Stund’ ich sang,
War nur sein Widerhall.
https://oxfordsong.org/song/liebeszauberhttps://oxfordsong.org/song/liebeszauber
Repertoire
“An einem lichten Morgen” (“On a clear morning”), Op. 23, No. 2
“Geheimes Flüstern hier und dort” (“Secret whisperings here and there”), Op. 23, No. 3
“Liebeszauber” (“Love’s magic”), Op. 13, No. 3
Clara Schumann (1819–1896) covers many poetic themes in her 28 extant Lieder (songs for voice and piano)—of which many more were lost—but the splendors of nature hold a special place. Nature imagery is a typical Romantic trait, intended to represent human emotions, and Schumann’s writing for voice and piano conjures up musical, emotional landscapes that enhance the impact of the poems she chooses. For example, “An einem lichten Morgen,” Op. 23, No. 2 (“On a clear morning,” composed in 1853) is a passionate, almost carnal, ode to love awash with botanical metaphors—the sun dreams of kissing a flower and resting on its bosom. This passion is conveyed through a lively tempo, a vocal part that progressively rises to a climax at the end of the Lied and a piano part driven by rapid-fire arpeggios.
Similarly, “Geheimes flüstern hier und dort,” Op. 23, No. 3 ("Secret whisperings here and there," 1853) uses a poem from Hermann Rollett’s novel Jucunde, but here passion makes way for deep serenity. In this Lied, a forest is a consecrated place for spiritual transcendence where one can hear in the foliage “life’s most pure word.” The tempo is slow and very soft, and the piano’s descending arpeggios whisper under a tranquil vocal melody. The final strophe evokes art’s power to transform pain into music—a theme that may have resonated with Schumann personally, as in 1853 Robert’s health was declining more and more.
Meanwhile, “Liebeszauber,” Op. 13, No. 3 (“Love’s magic,” 1842) dates back to the early years of Clara and Robert’s marriage. In this vibrant and youthful Lied, nature falls silent to listen to love’s song, which rings out in bubbling triplets on piano and spirited vocal runs. This constant movement slows down only as the Lied draws to an end, as the narrator realizes that they can only echo love’s song.
Program note by Julie Pedneault-Deslauriers (translated from the French)
Cello Concerto in A minor, Op. 129
I. Nicht zu schnell –
II. Langsam –
III. Sehr lebhaft
Robert Schumann’s (1810–1856) preoccupation with the future direction of orchestral music post-Beethoven encompassed not only the symphony but also the concerto. Following failed earlier attempts to write his own piano concerto, and after years of reviewing those by his contemporaries (for his journal Neue Zeitschrift für Musik), Schumann began to develop his own creative ideas about the evolution of the three-movement genre. In 1839, he articulated in an article what this might look like:
We must come up with a genre [of one-movement concerto pieces] that consists of a longer movement in a moderate tempo, in which the preliminary section would take the place of a first Allegro, the cantabile section, that of the Adagio, and a brilliant ending, that of the Rondo.
He first attempted to fulfill his vision with the experimental 1841 Phantasie for Piano and Orchestra, but this later became the first movement of his Piano Concerto (1845). This concerto was almost in the three-in-one-movement plan he advocated, with the second and third movements linked by an innovative transition that looks back to the first movement and anticipates the third. It wasn’t until nearly a decade later when he composed the Cello Concerto, with its three movements all connected, that he came closest to achieving what he wished.
Schumann completed a draft of his Cello Concerto (which he initially called Konzertstück, or concert piece) in September 1850. After struggling to find a publisher and unable to persuade cellists to perform it, he arranged it for violin and sent it to Joseph Joachim. (Joachim, however, never played it; the arrangement was only rediscovered in the 1980s.) In 1853, after his removal to the asylum in Endenich, Robert managed to finish correcting the proofs to the original and sent it off for publication. Still, the Concerto didn’t receive its first public performance until June 1860, four years after Schumann’s death, and for the rest of the 19th century, it got only a smattering of presentations. Its established place in the concert repertoire today is due to the championing efforts of 20th-century cellists such as Pablo Casals, Gregor Piatigorsky, and Jacqueline du Pré.
With its emphasis on lyricism rather than dazzling virtuosity, Schumann’s Cello Concerto is unusual for the genre (perhaps a reason it didn’t immediately appeal to cellists). As musicologist Joseph Kerman has observed, the cello part is “driven by song” right from the opening pathos-tinged melody it plays, which shifts with “an emotional crescendo from fervour, to passion, to transport.” The second movement is like a Lied (German art song), with nostalgia as the primary mood; here, Schumann uses the novel device of having the solo cello’s voice tracked by another solo cello in the orchestra, thereby giving the song a distinctive richness. It seems that overall, in this work, Schumann wanted to revel in the interplay of sonorities between soloist and orchestra. Indeed, this what he felt a concerto should be—that is, “a mannerly battle between the solo and the separate orchestral voices,” as he once described it.
To connect the movements together as he desired, and to imbue the Concerto with a kind of emotional trajectory, Schumann eschewed some of the customary formal conventions of the genre. For example, there’s no cadenza in the first movement; instead, the cello sings an impassioned line that gradually unravels directly into the slow movement. The transition into the third movement, however, is a mini drama unto itself. After the close of the second movement’s song, the flute and clarinet recall the first phrase of the cello melody in the opening movement. This provokes an intense recitative-like outpouring from the cello, which then accelerates into the finale. The third movement, for the most part, is an energetic dance, robust and quite serious. At last, near the end, we get a cadenza, but it’s more fiery melodrama than flashy display. A rather extraordinary passage follows, with the orchestra creeping in while the cello continues its musings, out of which it finds its way and makes a final sprint to the end.
Program note by Hannah Chan-Hartley, PhD
Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68
I. Un poco sostenuto – Allegro
II. Andante sostenuto
III. Un poco allegretto e grazioso
IV. Adagio – Più andante – Allegro non troppo ma con brio
Brahms (1833–1897) began sketching his First Symphony in 1855, when he was 22, but did not complete it until 1876, when he was 43—so prestigious and intimidating was the legacy of Beethoven’s nine symphonies. (“You don’t know what it’s like to be dogged by his footsteps,” he remarked.) Brahms’s First earned much acclaim, and, coming late in a century dominated by radicals like Franz Liszt and Richard Wagner, was a coup for those who defended the validity of the old forms. (Hans von Bülow proclaimed it “the Tenth.”) Yet, despite its bows to Classical models (like the four-movement plan), it was a deeply personal work founded on an original kind of symphonic technique: the forging of a dense, unified structure through intensive development of short, germinal melodic and rhythmic motifs. Arnold Schoenberg coined the term “developing variation” for this practice, and insisted that the purportedly “academic” Brahms was in fact the most progressive composer of his day.
The mighty slow introduction establishes the serious, even tragic tone of the first movement, and the subsequent Allegro, with its Beethovenian rhythmic drive, has the character of a dark, anguished scherzo (minor keys are unusually prominent). In the slow movement, which follows like sunshine after a storm, several themes are given out in sequence, so seamlessly that the music unfolds as a single outpouring of melody, growing ever more intense and passionate and finally attaining real pathos. For the third movement, in place of a minuet or scherzo, Brahms wrote one of those gentle, glowing pastorales that would become his trademark, though he retained the conventional three-part (ABA) minuet-and-trio form.
In the slow introduction to the finale, a majestic horn theme (like an Alpine shepherd’s call) and a chorale-like melody in the brass seem to call for resolution, and the Allegro that follows begins with a moving, hymn-like melody (strings) that resembles the “Ode to Joy” of Beethoven’s Ninth. (When someone said so to Brahms, he famously replied that “any jackass” could see that. Indeed, it was a performance of the Ninth that had first got him thinking, at 21, about writing a symphony.) The finale is not without surprises (including the return of the “Alpine” horn theme), or moments of darkness and unease, but they pass. In a faster coda, the main Allegro theme joined by the “chorale” from the introduction, the symphony comes triumphantly to a close.
Program note by Kevin Bazzana
Artists
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“A natural communicator, both on and off the podium” (The Telegraph), Alexander Shelley performs across six continents with the world’s finest orchestras and soloists.
With a conducting technique described as “immaculate” (Yorkshire Post) and a “precision, distinction and beauty of gesture not seen since Lorin Maazel” (Le Devoir), Shelley is known for the clarity and integrity of his interpretations and the creativity and vision of his programming. To date, he has spearheaded over 40 major world premieres, highly praised cycles of Beethoven, Schumann and Brahms symphonies, operas, ballets and innovative multi-media productions.
Since 2015, he has served as Music Director of Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra and Principal Associate Conductor of London’s Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. In April 2023, he was appointed Artistic and Music Director of Artis–Naples in Florida, providing artistic leadership for Naples Philharmonic and the entire multidisciplinary arts organization. The 2024-2025 season is Alexander’s inaugural season in this position.
Additional 2024-2025 season highlights include performances with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, the Colorado Symphony, the Warsaw Philharmonic, the Seattle Symphony, the Chicago Civic Orchestra and the National Symphony of Ireland. Shelley is a regular guest with some of the finest orchestras of Europe, the Americas, Asia and Australasia, including Leipzig’s Gewandhaus Orchestra, the Konzerthausorchester Berlin, the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, the Helsinki, Hong Kong, Luxembourg, Malaysian, Oslo, Rotterdam and Stockholm philharmonic orchestras and the Sao Paulo, Houston, Seattle, Baltimore, Indianapolis, Montreal, Toronto, Munich, Singapore, Melbourne, Sydney and New Zealand symphony orchestras.
In September 2015, Shelley succeeded Pinchas Zukerman as Music Director of Canada’s National Arts Centre Orchestra, the youngest in its history. The ensemble has since been praised as “an orchestra transformed ... hungry, bold, and unleashed” (Ottawa Citizen), and his programming is credited for turning the orchestra “almost overnight ... into one of the more audacious orchestras in North America” (Maclean’s). Together, they have undertaken major tours of Canada, Europe and Carnegie Hall, where they premiered Philip Glass’s Symphony No. 13.
They have commissioned ground-breaking projects such as Life Reflected and Encount3rs, released multiple JUNO-nominated albums and, most recently, responded to the pandemic and social justice issues of the era with the NACO Live and Undisrupted video series.
In August 2017, Shelley concluded his eight-year tenure as Chief Conductor of the Nurnberger Symphoniker, a period hailed by press and audiences alike as a golden era for the orchestra.
Shelley’s operatic engagements have included The Merry Widow and Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet (Royal Danish Opera), La bohème (Opera Lyra/National Arts Centre), Louis Riel (Canadian Opera Company/National Arts Centre), lolanta (Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen), Così fan tutte (Opera National de Montpellier), The Marriage of Figaro (Opera North), Tosca (Innsbruck) and both Le nozze di Figaro and Don Giovanni in semi-staged productions at the NAC.
Winner of the ECHO Music Prize and the Deutsche Grunderpreis, Shelley was conferred with the Cross of the Federal Order of Merit by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier in April 2023 in recognition of his services to music and culture.
Through his work as Founder and Artistic Director of the Schumann Camerata and their pioneering “440Hz” series in Dusseldorf, as founding Artistic Director of the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen’s “Zukunftslabor” and through his regular tours leading Germany’s National Youth Orchestra, inspiring future generations of classical musicians and listeners has always been central to Alexander’s work.
He regularly gives informed and passionate pre- and post-concert talks on his programs, as well as numerous interviews and podcasts on the role of classical music in society. In Nuremberg alone, over nine years, he hosted over half a million people at the annual Klassik Open Air concert, Europe’s largest classical music event.
Born in London in October 1979 to celebrated concert pianists, Shelley studied cello and conducting in Germany and first gained widespread attention when he was unanimously awarded first prize at the 2005 Leeds Conductors’ Competition, with the press describing him as “the most exciting and gifted young conductor to have taken this highly prestigious award.”
The Music Director role is supported by Elinor Gill Ratcliffe, C.M., ONL, LL.D. (hc).
German-French cellist Nicolas Altstaedt is one of the most sought-after and versatile artists today. As a soloist, conductor, and artistic director, he performs repertoire spanning from early music to contemporary, playing on period and modern instruments.
His 2023–2024 season includes tours with the Australian Chamber Orchestra, Orchestre des Champs-Elysées with Philippe Herreweghe, and Arcangelo with Jonathan Cohen. Altstaedt makes his debut with the Bamberger Symphoniker, Philharmonia Orchestra, Orchestre symphonique de Montréal, and NAC Orchestra, while re-invitations include the London Philharmonic Orchestra with Edward Gardner, amongst others.
Altstaedt regularly performs on period instruments with ensembles such as Il Giardino Armonico, B’Rock, and Academy of Ancient Music. As a conductor, he has forged close partnerships with Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Münchener Kammerorchester, and Les Violons du Roy. As a chamber musician, he performs at both Salzburg Mozart and Summer festivals, Verbier Festival, BBC Proms, Lucerne Festival, Prague Spring Festival, and Musikfest Bremen.
Joint appearances with composers such as Thomas Adès, Jörg Widmann, Thomas Larcher, Fazıl Say, and Sofia Gubaidulina consolidate his reputation as an outstanding interpreter of contemporary music. New concertos by Marton Illés and Erkki-Sven Tüür receive their premieres this season, and by Liza Lim in 2024–2025.
His most recent recording for his Lockenhaus Festival garnered the BBC Music Magazine 2020 Chamber Award and Gramophone Classical Music Award 2020. Altstaedt is a recipient of the Credit Suisse Award in 2010, Beethovenring Bonn 2015, and Musikpreis der Stadt Duisburg 2018, and was a 2010–2012 BBC New Generation Artist.
Midori Marsh is an American-Canadian soprano, hailing from Cleveland, Ohio. She received her Bachelor of Music at Wilfrid Laurier University in 2017 and her Master of Music in Opera at the University of Toronto in 2020. In the fall of 2019, she took home both first prize and the audience choice award at the Canadian Opera Company’s (COC’s) Centre Stage competition, and recently completed her third year with the COC’s young artist ensemble.
A “polished and poised performer” with “a truly gorgeous, expressive sound,” Midori is a known quantity in the Canadian opera scene, performing with Tapestry Opera, Against the Grain Theatre, the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, the NAC Orchestra, and more. While at the COC, Midori was seen as Nella in Gianni Schicchi, the soprano soloist in Mozart’s Requiem, Annina in La traviata, Papagena in The Magic Flute, and Frasquita in Carmen.
In 2020 she was named one of the CBC’s “30 hot classical musicians under 30” and in 2022 she was nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Award for her portrayal of Papagena in the COC’s 2022 production of The Magic Flute. She took first prize at the 2023 Quilico awards, was a semifinalist in the Metropolitan Opera’s 2023 Laffont competition, and a 2023 Lotte Lenya finalist.
An innovative artist, queer classical pianist Darren Creech “shows his belief in a new potential for the classical concert stage” (CBC Music), and his playing has been heralded as “remarkably fresh and enticing” (Ludwig van Toronto). His unique solo performances take diverse audiences on an emotional journey. Subverting expectations, they are described as “tours de force, propelled by a powerful narrative” (Ludwig van Toronto). With his distinct touch, Darren designs the lighting, composes poetic interludes, and styles his seditious outfits.
As a collaborator, Darren composed and played piano on Witch Prophet's Polaris-nominated album Gateway Experience (released in May 2023), and worked with theatre artist Dasha Plett on their show Études for Keyboard at Winnipeg's Cluster Festival. Darren also frequently performs and records with Cree-Mennonite cellist and composer Cris Derksen.
Darren’s work extends beyond the stage, connecting communities and organizations. Live performance highlights include the Toronto International Film Festival with Call Me By Your Name author André Aciman, the closing show for Luminato Festival alongside Cris Derksen and eight choirs at sunset, and the closing show of Montreal’s Suoni Per Il Popolo with Queer Songbook Orchestra.
As a studio musician, Darren has recorded for NPR Tiny Desk, the 2023 Pulitzer Prize and Peabody Award-winning podcast Stolen: Surviving St. Michael’s, and CBC Radio’s Q. He has contributed his playing to the film scores for NEON’s documentary Spaceship Earth (2020) and Leilani’s Fortune (2023). A discerning voice, he is on the Artistic Advisory Council for The Music Gallery and has served as a jury member for the JUNO Awards.
Having grown up in Senegal, West Africa, Darren’s unconventional approach to the stage is informed by his cross-cultural experiences. He holds a Master of Music in Piano Performance from Université de Montréal, and an Honours Bachelor of Music from Wilfrid Laurier University.
Canada’s National Arts Centre (NAC) Orchestra is praised for the passion and clarity of its performances, its visionary learning and engagement programs, and its unwavering support of Canadian creativity. The NAC Orchestra is based in Ottawa, Canada’s national capital, and has grown into one of the country’s most acclaimed and dynamic ensembles since its founding in 1969. Under the leadership of Music Director Alexander Shelley, the NAC Orchestra reflects the fabric and values of Canada, engaging communities from coast to coast to coast through inclusive programming, compelling storytelling, and innovative partnerships.
Since taking the helm in 2015, Shelley has shaped the Orchestra’s artistic vision, building on the legacy of his predecessor, Pinchas Zukerman, who led the ensemble for 16 seasons. Shelley’s influence extends beyond the NAC. He serves as Principal Associate Conductor of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in the U.K. and Artistic and Music Director of Artis—Naples and the Naples Philharmonic in the U.S. Shelley’s leadership is complemented by Principal Guest Conductor John Storgårds and Principal Youth Conductor Daniel Bartholomew-Poyser. In 2024, the Orchestra marked a new chapter with the appointment of Henry Kennedy as its first-ever Resident Conductor.
The Orchestra has a rich history of partnerships with renowned artists such as James Ehnes, Angela Hewitt, Renée Fleming, Hilary Hahn, Jeremy Dutcher, Jan Lisiecki, Ray Chen and Yeol Eum Son, underscoring its reputation as a destination for world-class talent. As one of the most accessible, inclusive and collaborative orchestras in the world, the NAC Orchestra uses music as a universal language to communicate the deepest of human emotions and connect people through shared experiences.
A hallmark of the NAC Orchestra is its national and international tours. The Orchestra has performed concerts in every Canadian province and territory and earned frequent invitations to perform abroad. These tours spotlight Canadian composers and artists, bringing their voices to stages across North America, the U.K., Europe, and Asia.
Credits
NAC Orchestra
First Violins
Yosuke Kawasaki (concertmaster)
Jessica Linnebach (associate concertmaster)
Noémi Racine Gaudreault (assistant concertmaster)
Jeremy Mastrangelo
Marjolaine Lambert
Emily Westell
Manuela Milani
Zhengdong Liang
*Erica Miller
*Martine Dubé
*Oleg Chelpanov
*Renée London
Second Violins
*Jeffrey Dyrda (guest principal)
Emily Kruspe
Frédéric Moisan
Carissa Klopoushak
Winston Webber
Leah Roseman
Mark Friedman
Karoly Sziladi
**Edvard Skerjanc
*Andréa Armijo Fortin
*Heather Schnarr
Violas
Jethro Marks (principal)
David Marks (associate principal)
David Goldblatt (assistant principal)
Tovin Allers
David Thies-Thompson
Paul Casey
*Sonya Probst
Cellos
Rachel Mercer (principal)
**Julia MacLaine (assistant principal)
Leah Wyber
Marc-André Riberdy
Timothy McCoy
*Karen Kang
*Desiree Abbey
*Daniel Parker
Double Basses
Max Cardilli (assistant principal)
Vincent Gendron
Marjolaine Fournier
*Paul Mach
*Doug Ohashi
Flutes
Joanna G'froerer (principal)
Stephanie Morin
Oboes
Charles Hamann (principal)
Anna Petersen
English Horn
Anna Petersen
Clarinets
Kimball Sykes (principal)
Sean Rice
Bassoons
Darren Hicks (principal)
Vincent Parizeau
*Carmelle Préfontaine
Horns
*Nicholas Hartman (guest principal)
Julie Fauteux (associate principal)
Lawrence Vine
Lauren Anker
Louis-Pierre Bergeron
Trumpets
Karen Donnelly (principal)
Steven van Gulik
Trombones
*Steve Dyer (guest principal)
Colin Traquair
Bass Trombone
Zachary Bond
Timpani
*Simón Gómez (guest principal)
Principal Librarian
Nancy Elbeck
Assistant Librarian
Corey Rempel
Personnel Manager
Meiko Lydall
Orchestra Personnel Coordinator
Laurie Shannon
*Additional musicians
**On leave
International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees