March Subscription Concert
The LCSO’s next subscription concert is coming up on Sunday, March 9 at 3 pm CST at the Holdcraft Performing Arts Center in Michigan City. Although our famously fickle Northwest Indiana weather is hanging on to winter, The Sounds of Spring will transport you to a warmer place! Dr. Watson will lead the orchestra in Schumann’s Symphony No. 1, aptly titled, “Spring Symphony”, as well as Mendelssohn’s Overture to the Hebrides and Lili Boulanger’s “Of a Spring Morning”. Rounding out the program is a very special world premier, Xylophone Concerto No. 2 by Danish composer Kjell Roikjer featuring guest artist, LCSO’s own Education/Community Outreach Manager and percussionist, Jared Coller, soloing on the xylophone.
Hebrides Overture
Felix Mendelssohn (1809–1847) was a German composer, pianist, organist, and conductor of the early Romantic period. A child prodigy, he composed his first symphony at 15 and gained early recognition for his talent. Known for his blend of classical traditions and emerging Romanticism, his notable works include the A Midsummer Night’s Dream overture, the Violin Concerto in E minor, and the oratorio Elijah.
Mendelssohn was also a pioneering conductor, reviving the music of Bach, particularly with his landmark performance of St. Matthew Passion in 1829. His compositions, celebrated for their lyrical beauty and emotional depth, had a lasting influence on 19th-century music, despite his untimely death at age 38.
Mendelssohn’s The Hebrides Overture (also known as Fingal’s Cave) was inspired by a visit to the Hebrides Islands off the coast of Scotland, particularly the dramatic Fingal’s Cave on the island of Staffa. The work has many programmatic characteristics but does not tell a specific story. Instead, the piece captures the atmosphere of the rugged, wild landscape and the powerful forces of nature encountered during Mendelssohn’s journey there in 1829.
Fun fact, if you are wondering why the piece is known by multiple names, Mendelssohn drafted several titles while writing the piece. When the piece was first published, the instrument parts were titled The Hebrides, but the score was titled Fingal’s Cave. The title was never really settled, and it is still referred to as either title today.
Of a Spring Morning
Lili Boulanger (1893–1918) was a French composer and one of the most promising musical talents of the early 20th century. Born into a musical family, she was the younger sister of composer Nadia Boulanger, who would later become a renowned music educator. Lili showed extraordinary musical abilities from a young age, and she was the first woman to win the prestigious Prix de Rome in 1913, a major achievement in a field dominated by men.
Her work was deeply influenced by both French romanticism and early 20th-century impressionism. Despite her brief life, Lili left behind a rich legacy of compositions, including orchestral works, choral pieces, and chamber music. Notable works such as Faust et Hélène, Vieille prière bouddhique, and her Psalm 130 demonstrate her emotional depth and innovative use of orchestration and harmony. Boulanger suffered with chronic illness after recovering from pneumonia at the age of 2. This led her to suffer through health conditions throughout her short life. She died from tuberculosis at the age of 24. Though her career was tragically cut short, Lili Boulanger’s contributions to French music are still admired for their richness and originality.
Of a Spring Morning (D’un matin de printemps) and its sister piece Of a Sad Evening (D’un soir triste) were written in the last months of her life. They began as small ensemble pieces, but she transcribed them for full orchestra shortly after she finished writing them. Although much of this piece is bright and hopeful, there are moments of gloom, knowing that her health has depreciated greatly. Ultimately, the piece ends with a joyful reprise, celebrating the highs of life.
Xylophone Concerto No. 2
Kjell Roikjer (1901-1999) was born in Malmö, Sweden. He began studying violin in school, but moved to Copenhagen, Denmark at the age of 17 to apprentice as a theater painter. After a few years, he began studying bassoon with the solo bassoonist of the Royal Danish Orchestra, Knud Lassen. He made this switch because he acknowledged there was an abundance of violinists and a shortage of bassoonists. In 1926, he was awarded a permanent place in the Radio Symphony Orchestra in Copenhagen and officially became a Danish citizen in 1928.
As a composer, Roikjer’s work in music is characterized by a massive composition collection. When he died at the age of 98 in 1999, he had composed about 100 pieces, and Roikjer is one of the most played composers of his generation. However, his modesty and types of compositions left a marginal mark in music history. Many of his works are solo pieces or written for non-traditional ensembles, at the request of his colleagues. He was also competing against more modern composers like Carl Nielsen. Although Roikjer’s music may be melodically reminiscent of Carl Nielsen’s, his repertoire is generally characterized by a form of French classicism that sharply contrasts Nielsen’s distinctly modern style. These led him to become a “niche” composer at the time.
Xylophone Concerto No. 2 is a recently discovered piece, unfinished by Roikjer. The handwritten draft was discovered by timpanist of the Royal Danish Orchestra, Søren Monrad, during a tour of the Royal Danish Academy of Music in 2011. Monrad contacted Danish publisher Edition Svitzer about maintaining the pages and finalizing the work. In 2020, Edition Svitzer partnered with composer Casper Cornelius to finish the work in the same style and spirit as Roikjer. The piece was completed and published with a piano reduction in 2021, but our performance will be the world premiere of the piece with a full orchestra.
Symphony No. 1
Robert Schumann (1810–1856) was a German composer and influential music critic, widely regarded as one of the most important figures of the Romantic era. Born in Zwickau, Germany, Schumann showed early promise as a pianist but turned to composition after a hand injury ended his performance career. His music is known for its lyrical qualities, emotional depth, and innovative harmonies. Schumann’s works include symphonies, piano concertos, chamber music, and numerous piano solos and lieder (songs).
Schumann’s compositions often reflect his personal struggles, including his mental health challenges. His famous piano cycles like Carnaval, Kinderszenen, and Dichterliebe (a song cycle) showcase his ability to blend poetic imagery with music. Schumann was also a key figure in the music world as a critic, founding the Neue Zeitschrift für Musik, where he championed composers like Brahms and Chopin. Though he faced mental illness later in life, leading to his early death, Schumann’s legacy as a composer and critic has had a profound and lasting impact on the development of 19th-century music.
Schumann’s Symphony No. 1 is also referred to as his Spring Symphony, which was the original title that the composer gave the work. Schumann also gave each movement a title: “The Beginning of Spring,” “Evening,” “Merry Playmates,” and “Spring in Full Bloom.” These titles were removed before publication but still help provide programmatic information for each movement. The symphony was drafted in just four days, being completed within a month, during the months of January and February. Because of this, much of the work can be thought of as a longing and anticipation of spring.