Giuseppe Verdi’s (1813-1901) overture to La Forza del Destino (The Force of Destiny) is a powerful distillation of the opera’s grand themes—fate, tragedy, and human passion. Opening with the ominous “fate” motif—three thunderous brass chords followed by a dramatic response—it immediately sets the tone for the unfolding drama. The overture then moves through a vivid tapestry of contrasting moods: lyrical melodies, martial rhythms, and bursts of dramatic energy, all of which preview key musical ideas from the opera. Revised for the 1869 La Scala premiere, this overture is a masterful blend of narrative and musical architecture, and stands as one of Verdi’s most thrilling concert openers.

From the composer: “What do dreams mean? Maybe it’s our subconscious taking over for the night. Or a warning from the future. Or just a happy memory from the past. Anamnesis, meaning ‘a recalling to mind,’ is a collection of music composed within dreams. In the midst of an eventful summer, it wasn’t easy to write music, despite wishing to so much. Instead, I would go to sleep, dreaming about music I had never heard before. When I woke up, surprised, I would write down the melody I had heard. Night after night, new music appeared in my dreams, and the list of melodies grew. I then started to write a piece based on some of these dreams. However, over time, the piece became less about the dreams I’ve experienced, and more about what our dream means. Anamnesis tells a story about the different dreams we experience. Even after fading away, the stories and emotions in our dreams become an ingrained part of who we are.”

The music for Viola Berceuse was drawn from the second movement of my Concerto for Euphonium, published by Cimarron Music Press.

The rich, elegant sound of the viola has many similarities with the beautiful sound of the euphonium, so this seemed like a logical connection. Many thanks to my colleague and friend Jan Duga, who suggested that this music would actually work well for string orchestra. Many thanks also to the orchestra directors who commissioned the arrangement, and who helped guide me in its creation. Their contributions are listed below. Special thanks to Dr. Ginger Greer, who helped edit the bowings. The music combines two French-Canadian lullabies. The first, Fais Do Do might be sung by an older sibling rocking a baby to sleep while describing the household routine of the two parents. The lovely melody matches the poignant scene of home and family that it describes. The second, Do Do, l’enfant Do primarily urges the child to go to sleep, interspersed with some nonsense lyrics describing farm and neighborhood. Each lullaby is stated separately by the viola, then superimposed over each other by the soloist and string orchestra.

Sponsors include: Ken Tonaki, Sycamore High School Orchestra, Sycamore, IL; Alexander Stombres, Addison Trail High School Orchestra, Addison, IL; Jesse Gross, Naperville Central High School, Naperville, IL; Cameron Kotovsky, Rock Island High School, Rock Island, IL

Special thanks to Prof. Anthony (Tony) Devroye, our viola professor at Northern Illinois University. His artistry as a viola performer, especially as a member of the Avalon String Quartet, has been an inspiration to me for many years. His work as a colleague, friend, and outspoken advocate for the viola have been equally outstanding.

– Dr. Thomas Bough

A trailblazing composer and pianist of the Romantic era, Louise Farrenc (1804-1875) infused her Overture No. 1 with dramatic flair and classical elegance. Written in 1834, the piece showcases her command of orchestral color and form, blending the stormy passion of early Romanticism with the structural clarity of Beethoven. From its majestic opening to its driving, energetic conclusion, this overture reveals Farrenc’s unique voice and her rightful place among the 19th century’s great symphonic composers.

I. Andante – Allegro con anima – Molto più tranquillo
II. Andante cantabile, con alcuna licenza
III. Valse. Allegro moderato
IV. Finale: Andante maestoso – Allegro vivace – Meno mosso

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s (1840-1893) memorable melodies, unabashed emotionalism, and consistently brilliant output make him one of the world’s most popular composers. In the spring of 1888, Tchaikovsky moved into a house outside of Moscow and wrote to his wealthy patroness Nadejda von Meck about the joys of gardening and the difficulties of composing. In that idyllic atmosphere Tchaikovsky wrote his Fifth Symphony, and though he often lamented his lack of inspiration, he worked on, and admitted in the end that he was quite satisfied with the results. Tchaikovsky conducted the first performance of the symphony in Saint Petersburg that November  and took it on tour in 1889. Three years later, he visited New York City in 1891 to take part in the inaugural concerts at Carnegie Hall. 

The Fifth Symphony begins with a clarinet uttering a gloomy “Fate” melody that unites the entire symphony. From the Fate melody, the clarinet carries us into the exposition (Allegro) with a gently moving theme doubled by the bassoon. This ultimately leads to a lovely sighing theme played at first delicately by violins, but eventually blossoming to encompass the full orchestra. The second movement (Andante) bears as a gift one of the greatest melodies of all time—a heartrending horn solo laced with fragile clarinet and oboe countermelodies. The lush lyricism grows into an exuberant proclamation by the brass over a fiery timpani roll, but it settles in time back down to an intimate whisper in the ear by the clarinet.  The third movement (a waltz) offers us a light-hearted escape from Tchaikovsky’s emotion-laden world. A simple, yet memorable melody slides across lively scales that keep the waltz dancing. As if to remind us that Fate is omnipresent, Tchaikovsky brings back the gloomy Fate melody from the opening of the symphony. Like a lost memory, the clarinet speaks to us from beneath the string pizzicati. The finale opens with the same Fate melody—this time fully harmonized and played boldly by the string section. From nowhere, an inaudible timpani drum rattles to life—its long subdued roll becoming a call to war—and the orchestra leaps recklessly into a furious Allegro vivace. The music becomes a frenetic duel between destiny and will, with the Fate melody being interjected forcefully from time to time. Exasperated, the music reaches an irrepressible climax before collapsing into silence. From the dust emerges Fate disguised as a noble march (Moderato, assai e molto maestoso), which evolves and escalates into an effervescent victory dance (Presto), through which the Fate theme sweeps one more time (molto meno mosso). With brass and winds blaring, bows flying, and timpani rumbling, the stirring symphony ends—a glorious victory!