Soundscapes: Mozart & Sibelius

Sunday, September 17, 2023, 3:00 p.m.
Gershwin Performing Arts Center | Murrieta Mesa High School

Today’s Program

Arvo Pärt (b. 1935)

In spe (In the Hope)

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1790)

Horn Concerto No. 3 in E flat Major, K. 447

I. Allegro
II. Larghetto
III. Allegro

Darby Hinshaw, Horn

Intermission

Jean Sibelius (1865-1957)

Pelleas and Melisande Suite, Op. 46

I. Am Schlosshof (At the castle-gate)
II. Melisande
IIa. Am Meer (At the seashore)
III. Am Wunderborn im Park (A spring in the park)
IV. Die drie blinden Schwestern (The three blind sisters)
V. Pastorale
VI. Melisande am Rocken (Melisande at the spinning wheel)
VII. Zwischenaktmusik (Entre’acte)
VIII. Melisandre’s Tod (The death of Melisande)

Thanks to the Murrieta Valley Unified School District for their support of this concert.

About our Soloist

Darby Hinshaw  was born into a casually musical family in San Francisco. His mother is a former organist who holds a Master of Music degree from SDSU, and his father is a great enthusiast of traditional Irish music. During his childhood he experimented with the Irish tin-whistle, the piano and the great highland bagpipes, and he frequently attended organ recitals, highland games and Irish sessions with his parents. He began playing the horn at the age of 12 and attended the “School of the Arts” high school in San Francisco. He joined the San Francisco Symphony Youth Orchestra in 1996, where he played principal horn on several critically acclaimed European tours. While still in the youth orchestra, Mr. Hinshaw attended the San Francisco Conservatory of Music where he studied with SF Symphony hornists Bruce Roberts, Jonathan Ring and Robert Ward. He earned his Bachelor of Music degree in 2005 and pursued his professional options instead of attending graduate school.

Darby is the Assistant Principal Horn in the San Diego Symphony Orchestra. Prior to arriving in San Diego, he made a place for himself in the many regional symphony orchestras in Northern California, playing principal horn in the Marin Symphony, Santa Rosa Symphony and Stockton Symphony. Over a period of six years as a freelancer, he would appear with the horn sections of 16 different orchestras, traveling all over the Bay Area and parts of the San Joaquin Valley. He also performed frequently with the San Francisco Symphony and appears on their recent recordings of Mahler’s 2nd and 8th Symphonies on SFS Media, as well as the Mahler episode of the Keeping Score series on PBS.

About Our Artistic Director and Conductor

Members of the California Chamber Orchestra

California Chamber Orchestra musicians in this concert are members of The American Federation of Musicians, Local 325

Program Notes

Welcome to the California Chamber Orchestra’s 2023-2024 season. This season we embrace the joy of performing and sharing our art. In today’s concert, “Soundscapes,” we delve into the works of three composers who span different eras, countries, and compositional styles. Despite their diversity, each composition on this program masterfully crafts unique soundscapes that evoke powerful emotions.

Estonian composer Arvo Pärt (b. 1935) premiered “In Spe” in 2010. Based on an earlier choral piece from 1976, Pärt’s composition draws inspiration from Gregorian Chant. His minimalist style, characterized by the avant-garde technique called tintinnabuli, yields melodies of serene simplicity and profound concentration. “In Spe,” lasting 8 minutes, features the principal woodwinds and strings, creating an atmosphere of tranquility and introspection.

W.A. Mozart (1756-1791) crafted Horn Concerto No. 3 in 1787 for the virtuoso horn player Joseph Ignaz Leutgeb, a close friend of the Mozart family. This concerto, comprises three traditional movements (fast-slow-fast), showcaseing Mozart’s musical dialogue between orchestra and soloist. The slow middle movement, where Leutgeb’s lyrical talent would have been highlighted, provides a captivating interlude. The concerto employs two clarinets, two bassoons, and strings, beautifully complementing the horn’s rich tones and culminating in a thrilling, hunting-horn-inspired finale.

Finnish composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) unveils his mastery in the Pelleas and Melisande Suite, Op. 46. Commissioned in 1905 for a popular play by Belgian playwright Maurice Maeterlinck, Sibelius’ suite takes us through the play’s various scenes and characters. From the grandeur of the castle gate to Melisande’s haunting melody on the English horn, and the turbulent seashore depicted through musical waves, Sibelius paints a vivid auditory picture. The suite includes a whimsical waltz and pastoral respite, leading to a poignant conclusion with the death of Melisande, masterfully capturing the play’s romantic and emotional essence.

— Dana Zimbric

Thank You to Our Sponsors and Donors