The Rite of Spring
Experience Bedřich Smetana's tribute to rafting the Moldau, a river in Prague, before Benjamin Beilman takes on Jennifer Higdon's lyrical and dazzling Violin Concerto. Then, a spectacle of ancient pagan rituals, Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring put modernism on the map with its brutality, barbaric rhythms, and dissonance. Experience the flamboyant and suspenseful ballet score that drove an audience to riot at its debut in 1913.
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The Artists
Fancesco Lecce-Chong
Conductor
Benjamin Beilman
Violin Soloist
Igor Stravinsky
Composer
Listen and Learn
Program notes:
Welcome to Eugene Symphony’s 2024/25 Season! Here’s what to expect tonight as we open this exciting season:
Experience Bedřich Smetana's tribute to rafting the Moldau, a river in Prague.
Guest artist Benjamin Beilman takes on Jennifer Higdon’s lyrical and dazzling Violin Concerto.
Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring put modernism on the map with its brutality, barbaric rhythms, and dissonance and closes tonight’s concert.
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Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884)
DURATION: Approximately 12 minutes.
Bedřich Smetana’s “The Moldau” is one of classical music’s most evocative and picturesque works, part of his larger six-piece cycle Má vlast (My Homeland). Composed between 1874 and 1879, “The Moldau” stands as a celebration of Czech national pride, portraying the journey of the Vltava River as it winds through the Bohemian landscape. The river, the heart of the Czech Republic, serves as a metaphor for the flow of life, history, and cultural identity, all of which Smetana weaves into the fabric of this symphonic poem.
The piece opens quietly, almost imperceptibly, with fluttering woodwinds and gently plucked strings, representing the river’s humble origins from two mountain springs. As these springs merge into a single stream, the music gains momentum, swelling with full orchestral color as the river courses through forests and meadows. A tender, pastoral melody emerges in the strings, capturing the beauty of the Czech countryside. This theme, one of the most iconic in classical music, flows through the entire piece, mirroring the river’s movement as it widens and meanders.
Smetana’s mastery of orchestration is evident in his ability to depict various landscapes and scenes along the river’s journey. The music takes on a dancing quality as the river passes a peasant wedding, where rustic folk tunes can be heard. Soon after, the tone darkens as the river rushes past the ominous St. John’s Rapids, depicted by swirling, tempestuous strings and brass. The journey culminates in a triumphant, stately section as the river flows past Prague’s majestic Vyšehrad Castle, symbolizing the grandeur of Czech history.
The personal significance of “The Moldau” is heightened when considering Smetana’s circumstances during its composition. By the time he wrote the piece, he had lost his hearing entirely—a deeply tragic fate for a composer. Despite this, he continued to write music, and “The Moldau” is often seen as an expression of his inner resilience and his deep love for his homeland. The work became a symbol of Czech nationalism, particularly during the 20th century when the country faced political upheavals and occupation.
Musically, “The Moldau” offers listeners a lush, cinematic experience, conjuring vivid imagery without the need for words or visuals. Its sweeping melodies and dynamic contrasts ensure its enduring popularity, as the piece invites listeners to embark on a sonic journey through nature, history, and national pride. Smetana’s ability to transform a natural element like a river into a symbol of cultural identity elevates the work, making it resonate far beyond its time and place of origin.
SCORED: For piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, and strings.
HISTORY: First performed by the Eugene Symphony in February 1979 under the direction of Lawrence Maves, and last performed in December 2014 under the direction of Danail Rachev.
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Jennifer Higdon (b. 1962)
DURATION: Approximately 32 minutes.
Jennifer Higdon’s Violin Concerto stands as one of the most compelling and innovative works in the contemporary violin repertoire. Commissioned by violinist Hilary Hahn and composed between 2008 and 2009, the concerto earned Higdon the 2010 Pulitzer Prize for Music, cementing her status as a leading voice in 21st-century classical music. The piece is a testament to Higdon’s unique compositional voice, blending lyrical beauty with rhythmic vitality and harmonic richness.
The Violin Concerto unfolds in three movements, each offering a distinct mood and technical challenge. The first movement, “1726,” is named after the street address of the Curtis Institute of Music, where Higdon teaches. The movement begins with a striking dialogue between the violin and the orchestra, with the soloist exploring expansive, arching lines that soar above the ensemble. The violin’s opening melody feels improvisatory, as if the soloist is discovering the music in real time. Higdon’s writing here is filled with surprising twists and turns, with the orchestra offering shimmering textures that complement the violin’s lyrical flights.
The second movement, “Chaconni,” serves as the emotional heart of the concerto. Here, Higdon draws on the Baroque form of a chaconne, in which a series of variations unfolds over a repeating harmonic progression. However, Higdon’s approach is anything but traditional. The music is deeply introspective, with the violin spinning out long, haunting lines that seem to float over the orchestra’s lush harmonies. The movement is both meditative and expansive, offering moments of quiet reflection as well as climactic surges of intensity.
The final movement, “Fly Forward,” is a dazzling tour-de-force of virtuosity and energy. From the outset, the soloist is propelled forward by driving rhythms and rapid-fire passagework, with the orchestra providing a kinetic, pulsating backdrop. The movement captures the spirit of flight, with the violin racing through intricate patterns and leaping across registers. Higdon’s writing here is full of rhythmic vitality, with syncopated accents and unpredictable shifts in meter keeping both the performer and the listener on their toes.
Higdon’s Violin Concerto reflects her deep understanding of the violin’s capabilities, both technically and expressively. The piece demands extraordinary skill from the soloist, particularly in its use of extended techniques such as harmonics, double stops, and rapid string crossings. Yet for all its technical challenges, the concerto never feels like a mere display of virtuosity. Instead, Higdon uses the soloist’s brilliance as a means of conveying emotion, whether it be the rhapsodic lyricism of the first movement, the introspective beauty of the second, or the exhilarating energy of the third.
SCORED: In addition to violin solo, scored for piccolo, two flutes, two oboes, English horn, two clarinets, two bassoons, four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, tuba, timpani, percussion, harp, and strings.
HISTORY: This is the first Eugene Symphony performance.
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Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)
DURATION: Approximately 33 minutes.
Few works in the history of music have had as seismic an impact as Igor Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. When the ballet premiered in Paris in 1913, it famously caused a riot in the audience. The revolutionary nature of the music, combined with Vaslav Nijinsky’s provocative choreography, sent shockwaves through the world of classical music and beyond. The Rite of Spring remains a touchstone of modernism, a work that forever changed the course of music in the 20th century.
The ballet’s subtitle, “Pictures of Pagan Russia in Two Parts,” gives a glimpse into its subject matter: a series of scenes depicting ancient rituals that culminate in the sacrifice of a young girl. Stravinsky’s music is as elemental and raw as the story it tells. The score is built on asymmetrical rhythms, harsh dissonances, and bold orchestral colors, all of which contribute to its sense of primal energy. From the famous opening bassoon solo, which hovers in an unusually high register, to the brutal rhythms of the final “Sacrificial Dance,” Stravinsky’s score feels like an eruption of untamed forces.
Much of the work’s power comes from its innovative use of rhythm. Stravinsky eschews traditional symmetrical meter in favor of constantly shifting time signatures, creating a sense of instability and unpredictability. The pounding accents in the strings and brass, combined with irregular rhythmic groupings, give the music a visceral, almost physical impact. Stravinsky’s use of ostinato (repeated rhythmic or melodic patterns) further heightens the music’s sense of inevitability, as if the forces of nature themselves are driving the ritual to its violent conclusion.
Orchestrally, The Rite of Spring is a masterpiece of innovation. Stravinsky expanded the standard orchestra to include an enormous array of instruments, including an enlarged brass and percussion section, which he used to create a kaleidoscope of textures. The juxtaposition of contrasting timbres—such as the shrill woodwinds against the pounding percussion—adds to the sense of chaos and tension that permeates the work.
Beyond its technical achievements, The Rite of Spring taps into something deeply primal. The music’s evocation of ancient, pre-Christian rites speaks to a time when humanity’s connection to the natural world was more immediate and raw. In this way, Stravinsky’s score feels timeless, as if it channels forces that have existed since the dawn of civilization. Its sense of ritual and sacrifice can be seen as a reflection of universal human experiences: birth, death, and the cycles of nature.
Though its initial reception was one of outrage, The Rite of Spring quickly gained recognition as a work of genius. Its influence on subsequent generations of composers cannot be overstated. From the use of rhythm in jazz and minimalism to the bold orchestral techniques in film scores, Stravinsky’s innovations continue to resonate in contemporary music. More than a century after its premiere, The Rite of Spring still possesses the power to shock, to awe, and to remind us of the untamable forces that lie beneath the surface of our modern world.
SCORED: For two piccolos, three flutes, alto flute, four oboes, two English horns, three clarinets, Eb clarinet, two bass clarinets, four bassoons, two contrabassoons, eight horns, two Wagner tubas, piccolo trumpet, four trumpets, bass trumpet, three trombones, two tubas, two timpani, percussion, and strings.
HISTORY: First performed by the Eugene Symphony in April 1992 under the direction of Marin Alsop, and last performed in February 2014 under the direction of Danail Rachev.
Learn more about this much discussed and debated work through the Sticky Notes podcast
Enhance your concert week experience:
Violin Master Class with Benjamin Beilman
Tuesday, September 24, 2024
4:00 pm-5:30 pm
The Studio, Hult Center
Eugene Symphony's visiting artist Benjamin Beilman will work with three talented local violin students as part of the Laura Avery Visiting Masters Series. Free and open to the public. No musical experience necessary to attend.
Guild Legacy Pre-Concert Talk
Thursday, September 26, 2024
6:30 pm-7:00 pm
The Studio, Hult Center
Get to know guest artist, violinist Benjamin Beilman, the evening’s program, and more at the Guild Legacy Pre-Concert Talk.
Unofficial After Party: Manifest Brewing
Thursday, September 26, 2024
~9:45 pm-close
Manifest Brewing, 740 Willamette Street
Join us after the concert for the Unofficial After Party of Eugene Symphony at Manifest Brewing!
Keep the party going! Help us raise a glass to an amazing Opening Night, right across the street, to hang with orchestra musicians, guest artists, and staff to get to know us a little bit better.
Cheers to you! We’ll see you there!
Program:
The Moldau Bedřich Smetana (1824-1884)
Violin Concerto Jennifer Higdon (b. 1962)
Benjamin Beilman, violin
The Rite of Spring Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971)