These performances are made possible in part by:The P. J. McMyler Musical Endowment Fund The Ernest L. and Louise M. Gartner Fund The Anton and Rose Zverina Music Fund

The Frank and Margaret Hyncik Memorial Fund

The Adolph Benedict and Ila Roberts Schneider Fund

The Arthur, Asenath, and Walter H. Blodgett Memorial Fund

The Dorothy Humel Hovorka Endowment Fund

The Albertha T. Jennings Musical Arts Fund

DEPARTMENT OF PERFORMING ARTS, MUSIC, AND FILMThe Cleveland Museum of Art 11150 East Boulevard Cleveland, Ohio 44106–1797

performingarts@clevelandart.org cma.org/performingarts

#CMAperformingarts

Programs are subject to change.

Series sponsors:

TICKETS 1–888–CMA–0033 cma.org/performingarts

Photography and audio/video recording in the performance hall are prohibited.

Please turn off all electronic devices before entering the performance hall.

Sunday, March 4, 2018

Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble

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Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble

Timothy Weiss, conductor Peter Herresthal, violinSunday, March 4, 2018, 2:00 p.m. Gartner Auditorium, the Cleveland Museum of Art

PROGRAM

Henrik Hellstenius (b. 1963)

Hi – Ophelia! (2006, North American Premiere)

Hexin Zhang, flute • Mercer Bristol, clarinet

Carson Fratus, percussion • Paul Celebi, piano

Jae Yee Lee, violin • Nicolas Vigilante, viola

Matthew Frerck, bass

Xue Ju (b. 1996)

Invocation (Blessing the Boat) (2018)

Hexin Zhang, flute • Colton Potter, oboe

Evan Schnurr, clarinet • Alan Truong, bassoon

John Freiberg, horn • Sam Friedman, trumpet

Sam Weaver, bass trombone • Carson Fratus, percussion

Paul Celebi, piano • Ina McCormack, harp

Kelly Sohyoung Lee, violin I • Jae Yee Lee, violin II

Nicolas Vigilante, viola • Emma Churchill, cello

Matthew Frerck, bass

Welcome to the Cleveland Museum of ArtThe Cleveland Museum of Art’s performing arts series offers a fascinating concert calendar notable for its boundless multiplicity. This year, visits from old friends and new bring century-spanning music from around the globe, exploring cultural connections that link the human heart and spirit.

In the GalleriesEyewitness Views: Making History in Eighteenth-Century Europe Through May 20

Beyond Angkor: Cambodian Sculpture from Banteay Chhmar Through March 25

Theresa Hak Kyung Cha: Displacements Through April 8

Dana Schutz: Eating Atom Bombs Through April 15 at Transformer Station

Brett Weston: Photographs Through May 6

Graphic Discontent: German Expressionism on Paper Through May 13

Rodin—100 Years Through May 13

William Morris: Designing an Earthly Paradise Through November 11

cma.org/performingarts #CMAperformingarts

Chamber Music in the Galleries Wednesday, October 4, 6:00

Butler, Bernstein & the Hot 9 Wednesday, October 11, 7:30

Lou Harrison Centennial Friday, October 20, 7:30

Chamber Music in the Galleries Wednesday, November 1, 6:00

SQÜRL (Jim Jarmusch & Carter Logan) Wednesday, November 1, 7:30

Ji Aeri Sunday, November 5, 2:00

Chamber Music in the Galleries Wednesday, December 6, 6:00

Davide Mariano Sunday, January 14, 2:00

Chamber Music in the Galleries Wednesday, February 7, 6:00

Third Coast Percussion Sunday, February 11, 2:00

Mantra Percussion Friday, February 23, 7:30

Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble Sunday, March 4, 2:00

Chamber Music in the Galleries Wednesday, March 7, 6:00

CIM Organ Studio Sunday, March 11, 2:00

Wu Man & Huayin Shadow Puppet Band Wednesday, March 21, 7:30

Chamber Music in the Galleries Wednesday, April 4, 6:00

Tallis Scholars Friday, April 13, 7:30

Chamber Music in the Galleries Wednesday, May 2, 6:00

Performing Arts 2017–18

Please turn off all electronic devices before entering the performance hall.

Photography and audio/video recording in the performance hall are prohibited.

Today’s performance will be broadcast live on WRUW-FM 91.1 and wruw.org.Please silence your mobile phones and other electronic devices.

Kaija Saariaho (b. 1952)

Graal théâtre (1994)

Rubato, Delicato Impetuoso

Peter Herresthal, violin

Andrew Santiago, flute • Colton Potter, oboe

Evan Schnurr, Mercer Bristol, clarinet • Alan Truong, bassoon

John Freiberg, Lauren Anker, horn • Sam Friedman, trumpet

Sam Weaver, bass trombone • Justin Gunter, Carson Fratus, percussion

Paul Celebi, piano • Ina McCormack, harp

Kelly Sohyoung Lee, violin I • Jae Yee Lee, violin II

Nicolas Vigilante, viola • Annika Krafcik, cello

Matthew Frerck, bass

Anya Brodrick, librarian

Fabian Fuertes, operations & ensemble personnel manager

PROGRAM NOTES

Hi – Ophelia! (2006)by Henrik Hellstenius (b. Bærum, Norway, 1963)

Instrumentation: flute, clarinet, percussion, violin, viola, double bass.

Danish composer Hans Abrahamsen won the 2016 Grawemeyer Award for his 2013 song cycle let me tell you, which is a retelling of the Hamlet story from Ophelia’s point of view, on English-language lyrics by Paul Griffiths. Several years before Abrahamsen, another Scandinavian, Henrik Hellstenius from Norway, accomplished something similar in his opera Ophelias:

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Death by Water Singing (2005), on a Norwegian libretto by Cecile Løveid based not on Shakespeare’s drama but on the old Danish chronicle on which the play was based. (The works of both composers were preceded by Oliver Knussen’s Ophelia Dances, which dates from 1975.)

Hi – Ophelia! is an independent work that takes some musical material from the opera (the title is also taken from there) and recasts it in a completely new form. Hellstenius, who studied with Gérard Grisey in Paris and also worked in the electronic studios of IRCAM, deploys a vast timbral arsenal that shows the influence of the spectral school and computer-aided composition. Sound is definitely the primary parameter here: the various playing techniques (sul ponticello, sul tasto, pizzicato for the strings, key slaps and “breath accents” for the winds, playing inside the piano, etc.) create the musical form as the textures alternate between short, accented attacks and more fluid scalar runs. In Shakespeare, Ophelia’s tragic death seems secondary to the regicide that takes center stage: it was only in the late 20th century that writers (and composers) began to consider the drama from Ophelia’s perspective. And from Hellstenius’s dramatic retelling we get a rather grim take on the story: the music is “frozen” almost all the way through, and only gets somewhat more animated in the second half of the piece.

—Peter Laki

Invocation (Blessing the Boat)by Xue Ju (b. Qingdao, China, 1996)

I was inspired by the poem Invocation – Blessing the Boat written by Robin Coste Lewis, which is a narrative poem consisting of fragmented words to visualize exhibitions of Western art objects.

“Of a Balsarium Glass Moss Fragment Untitled Gelatin Silver Print”

As a museumgoer, what I find most intriguing in this poem is that Lewis uses words of different museum objects and subtly

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Graal théâtre (1994/97)by Kaija Saariaho (b. Helsinki, 1952)

Instrumentation: solo violin, flute (doubling piccolo), oboe, clarinet, bass clarinet, bassoon, 2 horns, trumpet, bass trombone, percussion (2 players), harp, piano, 2 violins, viola, cello, and double bass.

“Graal théâtre”—what a fascinating title! The Graal, or Holy Grail, is all sacred mystery and distant legend. Théâtre, on the other hand, suggests concrete action in the here and now. The title comes from French authors Florence Delay and Jacques Roubaud, who wrote an extensive collection of texts on the Holy Grail and the Knights of the Round Table, texts that were also staged. In adopting this title for her violin concerto, Finnish composer Kaija Saariaho, one of the most prominent figures on the contemporary-music scene of our time, strove to unite two opposite poles—heaven and earth, so to speak—in a work that revels in magical sounds and at the same time presents a very realistic, and highly virtuosic, challenge to the soloist.

Graal théâtre was originally scored for violin and large orchestra, and first performed by Gidon Kremer, Saariaho prepared the chamber-orchestra scoring in 1997; this version was premiered by violinist John Storgards and the Avanti Chamber Orchestra in Helsinki.

In the half-hour composition, divided into two movements of roughly equal length, heaven and earth meet in the realm of dreams. The music begins with the mysterious tremolos of the solo violin, introducing a lengthy cadenza, at the end of which the percussion joins in to amplify the sound. The rest of the ensemble enters only gradually as the excitement increases and the stronger accents of the “real” world appear. The solo trumpet becomes especially prominent; after a brief section where the texture is more intense than ever before, the rhythms once again dissolve into more static tremolo sonorities. The solo violin soars in ethereal heights, often with minimal support from the ensemble. A new, insistent rhythmic figure appears, only to dissipate in its turn. This musical ebb and flow continues in the second movement, which in general is more vigorous

connects them. The mashing together of series of seemingly irrelevant words and concepts shows some special creative association among art objects throughout history.

In my piece, the sound that emits every time inspires a comprehension and a visual emergence of its relative words in the poem. I try to present a reinterpretation of this poem through various music ideas that resonate me. For example, I make an association between a melody from a medieval old Roman chant Offertorium: Terra Tremuit with a sentence in Lewis’ poem, where the Roman chant appears in my mind when I access the old Roman art object as described by Lewis:

“Obverse anthropomorphic sarcophagus.Alabastron eulogia ampulla.”

Sometimes I use the specific timbre or texture to present an object in the poem, such as the “Fiber beads”, “Coins”, etc.

In the end of my piece, you will hear several instruments and sounds in turns, which is exactly the same as the description in the ending section of the poem.

“Harpwith Bridge HarpLute

One-keyXylophoneSlit

GongTrumpet GongGong

MalletWhistleRattle

Drum” —Xue Ju

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than the first, more “theater” than “Holy Grail.” Still in a way, both movements tell approximately the same “story,” but with different accents and emphases. The concluding section, where the violin remains alone with its virtuosic figurations, reconnects with the opening of the first movement, creating a large arc unifying the entire concerto.

—Peter Laki

ABOUT THE GUEST ARTIST

Peter Herresthal is recognized as a brilliant and inspired interpreter of contemporary violin music, strongly associated both in concert and recordings with concertos by composers including Per Nørgård, Arne Nordheim, Henri Dutilleux, Thomas Adès, Olav Anton Thommessen, Henrik Hellstenius, and Jon Øivind Ness. Herresthal has appeared with orchestras and ensembles including the Vienna Radio Symphony, Melbourne Symphony, Oslo Philharmonic, Stockholm Philharmonic, Bergen Philharmonic, Remix Ensemble, Tapiola Chamber Orchestra, Stavanger Symphony, Orquesta Sinfonica de Navarra, Helsingborg Symphony, Oslo Sinfonietta, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, Trondheim Symphony, and Bit20, with conductors including Andrew Manze, Thomas Adès, Anu Tali, and Sakari Oramo.

Herresthal has given the Austrian, Norwegian, Spanish, and Australian premieres of the Thomas Adès violin concerto Concentric Paths, the latter conducted by the composer at the 2010 Melbourne Festival. Festival appearances have included the Bergen Festival (where Herresthal currently curates an annual series), Risor Chamber Music Festival, MAGMA2002 Berlin, Schleswig-Holstein, and Mechelburg-Vorpommern.

Herresthal has recorded a number of CDs for BIS and Simax/Aurora including prize-winning discs of Nordheim and Ness. His 2012 Nørgård CD was nominated for a Gramophone Award and Editors Choice in The Strad and International Record Review. In 2013/14 Peter will record the violin concerto by Thomas Adès

and premiere Adès’ new cadenza for the Ligeti concerto with conductor Andrew Manze.

Herresthal is a professor at the Oslo Academy and visiting professor at Royal College of Music in London. He performs on a GB Guadagnini from Milan 1753.

ABOUT THE CONDUCTOR

Conductor Timothy Weiss has gained critical acclaim for his performances and brave, adventurous programming throughout the United States and abroad. His repertoire in contemporary music is vast and fearless, including masterworks, recent compositions, and an impressive number of premieres and commissions. Recently, he was the recipient of the Adventurous Programming Award from the American Symphony Orchestra League. As a guest conductor, upcoming and recent engagements include the Artic Philharmonic in Bodø, Norway; Orchestra 2001 in Philadelphia; the Eastman Broadband Ensemble; the BBC Scottish Symphony; the Britten Sinfonia in London; and the Melbourne Symphony in Australia.

In his 24 years as music director of the Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble, he has brought the group to a level of artistry and virtuosity in performance that rivals the finest new music groups. During his tenure with the CME at Oberlin, he has mentored the ensembles eighth blackbird and ICE as well as many other leading performers in the field of contemporary music.

As a committed educator, he is Professor of Conducting and Chair of the Division of Contemporary Music at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music. He holds degrees from the Royal Conservatory in Brussels, Belgium, Northwestern University, and the University of Michigan.

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ABOUT THE OBERLIN CONTEMPORARY MUSIC ENSEMBLE

Deemed by the New York Times as “a hotbed of contemporary-classical players” and a “rural experimental haven,” Oberlin Conservatory of Music cultivates innovation in its students. In its six annual full-concert cycles, Oberlin’s Contemporary Music Ensemble (CME), directed by Timothy Weiss, performs music of all contemporary styles and genres: from minimalism to serialism, to electronic, cross genre, mixed media, and beyond.

CME has worked with many prominent composers, including Aaron Helgeson, George Crumb, Sir Harrison Birtwistle, Stephen Hartke, Helmut Lachenmann, David Lang, Joan Tower, Frederic Rzewski, and others, and has premiered many of their works. CME also regularly premieres works by Oberlin faculty, student, and alumni composers.

Each year, some of the most well-regarded contemporary music icons perform as soloists with CME, including Jennifer Koh, Claire Chase, David Bowlin, Tony Arnold, Marilyn Nonken, Stephen Drury, Steven Schick, and Ursula Oppens. Distinguished students regularly receive opportunities to perform as soloists with the ensemble as well, a luxury that is seldom afforded at other institutions.

CME regularly performs in Cleveland and tours the states. In recent years, the group has performed at the Winter Garden, Miller Theater, Merkin Concert Hall, DiMenna Center, Harvard University, Benaroya Hall, Palace of Fine Arts, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Recital Hall, and in numerous partner concerts with the Cleveland Museum of Art.

CME has been featured on a number of commercial recordings, including John Luther Adams’ In the White Silence (New World Records), Lewis Nielson’s Écritures: St. Francis Preaches to the Birds (Centaur Records), and on the Oberlin Music record label.

Welcome to the Cleveland Museum of ArtThe Cleveland Museum of Art’s performing arts series offers a fascinating concert calendar notable for its boundless multiplicity. This year, visits from old friends and new bring century-spanning music from around the globe, exploring cultural connections that link the human heart and spirit.

In the GalleriesThe Jazz Age: American Style in the 1920s Through January 14

Fashionable Mourners: Bronze Statuettes from the Rijksmuseum Through February 4

Heritage: Wadsworth and Jae Jarrell Through February 25

Beyond Angkor: Cambodian Sculpture from Banteay Chhmar Through March 25

Rodin—100 Years Through May 13

Graphic Discontent: German Expressionism on Paper Through May 13

William Morris: Designing an Earthly Paradise Through November 11

cma.org/performingarts #CMAperformingarts

Chamber Music in the Galleries Wednesday, October 4, 6:00

Butler, Bernstein & the Hot 9 Wednesday, October 11, 7:30

Lou Harrison Centennial Friday, October 20, 7:30

Chamber Music in the Galleries Wednesday, November 1, 6:00

SQÜRL (Jim Jarmusch & Carter Logan) Wednesday, November 1, 7:30

Ji Aeri Sunday, November 5, 2:00

Chamber Music in the Galleries Wednesday, December 6, 6:00

Davide Mariano Sunday, January 14, 2:00

Chamber Music in the Galleries Wednesday, February 7, 6:00

Third Coast Percussion Sunday, February 11, 2:00

Mantra Percussion Friday, February 23, 7:30

Oberlin Contemporary Music Ensemble Sunday, March 4, 2:00

Chamber Music in the Galleries Wednesday, March 7, 6:00

CIM Organ Studio Sunday, March 11, 2:00

Wu Man & Huayin Shadow Puppet Band Wednesday, March 21, 7:30

Chamber Music in the Galleries Wednesday, April 4, 6:00

Tallis Scholars Friday, April 13, 7:30

Chamber Music in the Galleries Wednesday, May 2, 6:00

Performing Arts 2017–18

Please turn off all electronic devices before entering the performance hall.

Photography and audio/video recording in the performance hall are prohibited.

These performances are made possible in part by:The P. J. McMyler Musical Endowment Fund The Ernest L. and Louise M. Gartner Fund The Anton and Rose Zverina Music Fund

The Frank and Margaret Hyncik Memorial Fund

The Adolph Benedict and Ila Roberts Schneider Fund

The Arthur, Asenath, and Walter H. Blodgett Memorial Fund

The Dorothy Humel Hovorka Endowment Fund

The Albertha T. Jennings Musical Arts Fund

DEPARTMENT OF PERFORMING ARTS, MUSIC, AND FILMThe Cleveland Museum of Art 11150 East Boulevard Cleveland, Ohio 44106–1797

performingarts@clevelandart.org cma.org/performingarts

#CMAperformingarts

Programs are subject to change.

Series sponsors:

TICKETS 1–888–CMA–0033 cma.org/performingarts

Photography and audio/video recording in the performance hall are prohibited.

Please turn off all electronic devices before entering the performance hall.

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Friday, October 20, 2017

Lou Harrison Centennial