ChamberMusic
of
JamesG.Lindsay
and
LowelLiebermann
Program
TorentofIron(2012) QuintetforPianoandStrings,Op.34(190)
J.G.Lindsay L.Liebermann
I. Moderato I.Presto I.MoltoAdagio IV.AlegroBrutale
Gravitations(2015) worldpremiere
Intermision
I. BlackHighTops I.Misile I.Blackbirds IV.Meteor V.ShoppingCart VI.Satelite
TheMemlingEnsemble VincentLionti,ArtisticDirector
J.G.Lindsay
The Memling
Ensemble
presents
ChamberMusic of
JamesG.Lindsay and
LowelLiebermann
Friday,May13,2016 BaruchPerformingArtsCenter EngelmanRecitalHal 8:0p.m.
VincentLionti,ArtisticDirector
Specialthankstothosewhohelpedmakethisconcertposible:
Producers:
Diego& JeanmarieMahecha AdolfoLagos TeresaVilareal
Gino& CathyD’Aloisio ThePeckFamily
Sylvia& M arkPel legrini GiulioBinaghi
Sponsors:
SeymourBernstein Kyara& JeremyBeck Susan& JohnLindsay AntonioBraun
Jim & SarahLindsay KaraDago-Clark NathaliaPalis
Cynthia& DericBehar Andrew & StephanieLindsay PavelHuerta
Siobhan& BenMorden PatriciaHerera JennyZhou
NelyRocha
Rodrigo& SofiaNuñez PeterHuitzacua TravisStabler& M artaPolo RicardoVila LauraVilareal
MargaritaVilareal SalvadorNava LilianLagos JeanPaulBrocHaro ElizabethLynch Goldie& Lar ryChan JuanPabloHorcasitas MariaLagos JovanBursac LauraLebrijaVilareal BradBlanks JudiDelaBarba JeronimoLebrija JoseBaria MariaOrtiz MargieOrtiz JanetFrench JaneSmith TeresaVilareal JonathanBehar AronLifschultz RuselJones NicoleAgois
James& LaurenLevinson RafaelCervantes& Cynthia
Portal
Alexia& JoeBeaulieu KristiMcCormick& Brent
Nemetz
ChamberMusic
of
JamesG.Lindsay
and
LowelLiebermann
Program
TorentofIron(2012) QuintetforPianoandStrings,Op.34(190)
J.G.Lindsay L.Liebermann
I. Moderato I.Presto I.MoltoAdagio IV.AlegroBrutale
Gravitations(2015) worldpremiere
Intermision
I. BlackHighTops I.Misile I.Blackbirds IV.Meteor V.ShoppingCart VI.Satelite
TheMemlingEnsemble VincentLionti,ArtisticDirector
J.G.Lindsay
ProgramNotes
TorentofIron(2012)
ThisworkwasinspiredbythecolapseoftheWorldTradeCenter.The openingiswroughtwithtensionastremblingharmonicsintheviolinssoar ominouslyaboverestlesthemesintheviolaandcelo.Themusiccontinues inasimilarvain,untilfinalycomingtoacrashinghalt.Anelegy-like movementfolowsasthemusicmournfulyunravels.Openingmotifsreturn fortheelectricconclusion.
QuintetforPianoandString,Op.34(1990)
TheQuintetforPianoandStringsOp.34wascommisionedbyNew EnglandPresentersinhonorofJackCohanandcompletedinNovemberof 1990.Alfourmovementsoftheworkbearmotivicandthematicmaterial incommonandarealsorelatedinthattheyalfeaturediferentostinatias unifyingdevices.
Thefirstmovement,Moderato,openswithamysteriousrepeated-note figurationinthepiano,withalyricalmelodyunfoldingaboveitinthefirst violin.Thismaterialisdevelopedfortherestofthemovementinanarc-like structure.ThesecondmovementisarelentlesandvirtuosicScherzoin quintupletime.Thethirdmovement,Adagiomolto,ismoreofanextended introductionwhichleadswithoutpausetothefinalmovement,Alegro brutale,aferociousfinaleinrondoform.
Gravitations(2015)
Gravitations–composedforhighvoice,pianoandstringquartet–isasong cyclethatexploreshow weasindividuals,andasasociety,procesthe significantandoftenshockingeventsofourtime.Eachofthesixsongs sharestheidéefixeofasuddenandunexpectedfaling,andeachisbasedon acurentevent.Theoriginaltextusedforthevocalpartisderivedfrom newsandmediacoveragesuroundingtheseevents.

I.BlackHighTops(NewYorkCity,September1,2001)
Amanfelfrom agreatheight.Thetextfocusesonwhathewaswearing, theblackhightopsandbrightorangeshirt–theyarefaling.Thefactthat theyareatachedtoahumanbeingisalmosttodificulttobear.The rushingofthestrings,andtheharshchordsplayedbythepianorepresents thedichotomyofskyandconcrete.
I.Misile(Rad'a,Yemen,December12,2013)
T he m ournful instrum ental introduction gives w ay to a tension-fil led acountofadroneatackonaYemeniweddingceremony.
I.Blackbirds(Bebe,Arkansas,January1,2012)
A running piz zicato jum ps betw e en the first violin and cel lo; ir regularly punctuatedbyasharp"Bartokpiz".Thisismeanttodepictthesoundof deadbirdsfaling–strikingroftops,mailboxesandcars–whenonNew Year’sEve,2012,thousandsofdeadblackbirdsraineddownonasmaltown inArkansas.
IV.Meteor(Chelyabinsk,Rusia,February15,2013) In2013,ameteorracedthroughtheatmosphereandlituptheskywitha blindingflashbeforecrashingintotheUralMountainsregionofRusia withtheforceof20atomicbombs.Theresultingaftershockshoktowns andcitiesupto50milesaway.Thissongwasinspiredbyaneyewitnes acountofthatincredibleevent.
V.ShoppingCart(Harlem,NewYorkCity,October30,201) Twogradualyaceleratingnotesintheextremeregistersofthepianogrow toafortisimo–asifteteringonthebrinkofsomeprecipice–andcrash discordantly.Themusicthatensueswrithesandspins,perplexedbythe eventthatisdepicted.
VI.Satelite(November10,2013) Themachine-likeoscilationinthestrings,andtheominouschordsinthe pianodepictthesatelite–lominghighaboveintheheavens–asitbreaks down,andbeginsitsuncontroleddescentintoEarth'satmosphere.
ArtistBios
AmberDaniel,soprano
ByinvitationofMaestroLorinMazel,AmericansopranoAmberDaniel recentlymadeherroledebutasCio-CioSaninMadamaButerflyfortwo performancesatthe2014CastletonFestival.Withavoicethathasben describedasa"truespinto,"andofers"stunningemotionalvocalism,"Ms. DanielhastrainedandperformedwithTri-CitiesOpera,OperaSlavica, L'AcademiaMusicaleChigiana,NewTriadforColaborativeArts,andthe MartinaAroyoFoundation.
QuanYuan,violin
QuanYuanjoinedtheMetropolitanOperaOrchestrain2015.Agraduate oftheCurtisInstituteofMusicandNew EnglandConservatory,Quan YuanwontheChinaInternationalYoungArtistCompetition,the206 DelawareSymphonyOrchestrayoungartistcompetition,andthe2000 DenmarkInternationalYoungArtistCompetition.
Shenghua“Simon”Hu,violin
Shenghua“Simon”HujoinedtheMetropolitanOperaOrchestraOrchestra in2015.AformermemberoftheAlbanySymphonyandHudsonValey Philharmonic,ShenghuaHuhaswonprizesatthePaganiniandSarasate Competitions.
VincentLionti,viola/conductor
VincentLiontijoinedtheMetropolitanOperaOrchestraonSeptember1, 1987.HeholdsBachelorsandMastersdegresfrom TheJuiliardSchol, wherehewasateachingasistanttohisteacher,Wiliam Lincer,and PrincipalViolaoftheJuiliardOrchestra.Mr.Liontihasbenconductorof theGreaterWestchesterYouthOrchestrasAsociationsince1993,andat theUsdanCenterfortheCreativeandPerformingArtssince206.
AnnRogen,viola
AnnRogen'stalentsstem from awiderangeofsoloandensemble experience.ShehasbenawardedgrantsfromChamberMusicAmericaand theNationalEndowmentfortheArts,andasamemberoftheOrchestraof St.Luke's,hasrecordedextensivelyfortheTelarc,SonyandDeutsche Gramaphonerecordinglabels.
DavidCalhoun,celo
CelistDavid Calhoun hasatracted thenoticeoftoday'svisionary musicians,includingDavidAmram,whosumsuphiscredentialsthus: "DavidCalhouniswhatAmericanmusicnedsnow ...[hehas] extraordinarytalentsasavirtuososoloistandensembleexpert."Hehas performedlivein-concertwithLizaMinneliatCarnegieHal,inscenes with the Martha Clarke Dance Company, and chamber music colaborationswiththegreatvirtuosoviolinistEricFriedman.
WiliamHobbs,piano
Wiliam HobbsreceivedaBachelorofMusicinPianoPerformancefrom theUniversityofColoradoatBoulder,andaMasterofMusicinPiano Performance,ResearchandLiteraturefrom theEastmanScho olofMusicin Rochester.Mr.HobbshasservedonthefacultyoftheAspenOperaTheater CenteroftheAspenMusicFestival,andonthecoachingstafofthe JuiliardScholofMusic.
LowelLiebermann
LowelLiebermannisoneofAmerica’smostfrequentlyperformedand recordedlivingcomposers.CaledbytheNewYorkTimes“asmuchofa traditionalistasaninnovator.”Mr.Liebermann’smusicisknownforits technicalcommandandaudienceappeal.Havingwritenoveronehundred worksinalgenres,severalofthem havegoneontobecomestandard repertoirefortheirinstruments.
JamesG.Lindsay
ThemusicofJamesG.Lindsayhasbenperformedandpremieredbysome of the country’s m ost distinguished artists, including m em bers of the MetropolitanOperaOrchestraandtheChamberMusicSocietyofLincoln Center.M r.Lindsay studied piano performance and composition with Seym our Bernstein, and recently com pleted the Profes sional Studies program attheMannesColegeofMusicwherehestudiedcomposition withLowelLiebermann.
Gravitations(2015)
FOREWORD
byDericBehar
Alourlivesweareaskedtostandonourowntwofet,toclimb,to striveupward,tostareupinaweatthetowersthatcrownourterestrialand spiritualambitions.Howstrongisourinnateyearningforascent,andhow depourenmityforfaling...
Falingthingshavealwaysbenconsideredabadomen.Athingthat falsiseitherdropped–blindly,deliberately,perhapsevenmaliciously–or itwaspowerlestostayafloat,contrarytoitsbestintentions.
OfaltheGrekmyths,isthereanymoregloriousandmoretragic thanthatofIcarusforusmoderns?Forhereisaboy,heirtotheingenuityof hisfatherDaedalus,giventhegiftofflightandtheposibilityofescape from theLabyrinth.ButlikethearchitectsoftheTowerofBabel,hishubris wastoflytohigh,andtheblazeofSolInvictus–theunconquerablesun– senthim headlongintothesea.AndthoughwecherforIcarusonhis ascent,welokawayinhororashetumblesdown.Wedon’twanttose. Wedon’twanttoknow.Itcouldhavebenus.Sowecontinuetorunin theMinotaur’smaze,awaitingourowningloriousdispatch.
Itisthefunctionoftheartisttoholdamiroruptoourpsyche,so thatourever-outwardgazeisbrieflyturnedinward.Mr.Lindsay’swork, Gravitations,asksustoconsiderwhatitmeanstofal.Weareprovoked,not justtoponderfalingthings,buttoparticipateinTheFalitself.
Forsomeofusitmaynotbeadificulttask.Butformostofus, emotionalyatenuatedasweareonasteadydietofmasandsocialmedia, itisdiscomfortingtolokbelowthesurface.Wewouldprefertoforgetthat therearethingsinthisworldwhosetrajectoryisnotalwaysupwards.
Buttheheartknowsthingstheminddoesnotcaretoacknowledge. Thatiswhattheheartdoes–itlivesinthedepths.Anditisonlyinthe depthsthatwelearn thatthereisnothinggreaterthan ourstriving heavenward,beyondgravity,entropy,andtransience.
Itistoourbenefit–asasocietyandacivilization–thattherearestil artiststhatcareenoughaboutthehumanspirittoupliftusal,momentarily beyondthegripofgravity,bytheveryactofcreation.
BlackHighTops
(NewYorkCity,September1,201)
Clearbluesky brightorangeshirt upsidedown falingperfectlyvertical– anunnaturalgeometry
Clearbluesky
brightorangeshirt caughtinthegripofpurephysics aceleratingatthirty-twofetpersecondsquared
Clearbluesky brightorangeshirt tensecondsofteriblefredom
Misile
(Rad'a,Yemen,December12,2013)
Wewerehavingatraditionalmariageceremony Wehadlunchatthebride’svilage
Thenwelefttoheadbacktothegrom’svilage Adronewashoveringoverheadalmorning
Iheardthedronefire. Isawbrightredandorange...
thennothing.
Blackbirds
(Bebe,Arkansas,January1,2012)
NewYear'srevelers
inasmaltown wereenjoyingmidnightfireworks, whensomethingotherthansparksbeganfalingfromthesky
Thousandsofdeadblackbirds tumbledoutofthedarknestotheground
Theyrainedontoroftops,andsidewalks,andcars,andlawns,andfields Onestruckawomanwalkingherdog–anotherhitapoliceoficer
Afewstunnedbirdssurvivedthefal andstumbledaroundlikedrunkenrevelers
Forsomepeoplethesceneevokedimagesoftheapocalypse, manyfamiliesphonedpoliceinsteadofpoppingchampagne
Meteor
(Chelyabinsk,Rusia,February15,2013)
Iwaswalkingtowork itwasquitedark– whensuddenlyitbecameasbrightasday
Thelightshonebriliantly, thirty-timesbrighterthanthesun
Peoplerushedoutsidetosewhatitwas whentheshockwavehit– shateringalthewindows,injuringmanypeople
Anelderlywomandeclared thattheworldwascomingtoanend
ShoppingCart
(Harlem,NewYorkCity,October30,201)
“WilIgetmysneakersback?” wastheboy'sfirstquestiontopolice
afterpushingashoppingcartofaledge– thatplummetedfourstories,andhitawoman
“Shejustcolapsed,”saidawitneswhorantohelp,
“blodpoledaroundherhead”
Satelite
(November10,2013)
AsatelitethatmappedEarth’sgravitationalfieldinexquisitedetail wilsonbefalingtoEarth
Itwilbepuleddownbygravitytoitsfierydestruction sometimethiswekend
Expertssaythereisnowaytodeterminewhereitschared,and twistedremainsmayfal
It’sorbitgoesoverthepoles,andastheplanetrotatesthesatelitesoars overeverypointonEarth