0 0 0 :: .. ....... ... .................... ... ... v..... .:...:... ...................:..............i r .m: ":.v:"i: :fii:-:iY. .?i}ii:4}iii}i:5ii}:iC::'-ii: i:: ?;.. ..;r-? v$}.v "'" :4 ..?. ...:. ..:.-. :v ...,...' ,",":: ..r.: .....; ;:........... r.::."r :"r. +: r. ":::..: . ... .........:...........r:: ?v::::r:v ": f".:v.v.v: ": "".vr: ... .:.. ':". ":r.:, r:.a.,,..":::", rr.,,":.....:r.."ts.r.....,......fl..,.:.;s,:xr:.:f.;.s...,.. ,s..s:r, :.,>::,.:::.:. :..:._::::: r ...::r,....::: .h SR S: VP .. :{i{;"... r. :{.: s..; " :"r.".?".:F."r: r.?:titi4: iiii;:.v:.yiii:a::i:.:.i i:.:"i:vi: ;{{.:??! ??"'F,?v:": :.: ": r: }:i: {:;:5:"i Y{.:"5:::" ¢,:;}?i:,v,: Classic import By Robert Cassard Prague Symphony Hill Auditorium 8:30 p.m. Thursday, October 21 N ONLY ITS second Ann Arbor appearance, one of Europe's finest symphonic ensembles will take to the stage of Hill Auditorium. The Prague Symphony Orchestra, one of Czechoslovakia's two great orchestras (along with the Czech Philharmonic) comes as part of this year's Choral Union Series presented by the Univer- sity Musical Society. Prague was once known as "the con- servatory of Europe," and though it has lost that reputation within recent history, it is still the cultural center of Bohemia and retains numerous gems suggestive of its past glory. The Prague Symphony is one of these having an ex- cellent international reputation based on over 40 concert tours worldwide. The orchestra was founded in 1934 as the Symphony Orchestra FOK (Film- Opera-Koncert), a multi-purpose en- semble working primarily in film recording. In 1952, the orchestra. became part of the Prague City Council due to its "artistic, political, and social significance," and adopted its present name. As a concert orchestra, the sym- phony worked under many of the greatest Czech conductors, among them, Vaclav Neumann, Jiri Behlolavek, and Vladimir Valek, who will lead the musicians on Thursday. Valek, a native Czechoslovakian, is. one of Europe's best young conductors. Although he has not yet come into renown internationally, his rise to fame in his homeland has been rapid and well-deserving. He is a regular conduc- tor for the Czech Philharmonic, the Czech Radio Symphony, the Orchestra Puellarum Pragensis, as well as the Prague Symphony. Early in his career, Valek founded the Dvorak Chamber Orchestra. He is one of his country's most popular conductors and has made over 500 successful recordings since his graduation from the Prague Academy of Arts in 1962. If these recordings offer any indication, his performance here should be dynamic though traditional in conception. The program promises to be in- teresting though possibly a bit uneven as the orchestra performs two pieces from Smetana's Ma Vlast: "The Moldau," and "From Bohemia's Forests andMeadows;" Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 5; and Haydn's Trumpet Concerto in E-flat, a piece which, to me, seems slightly less congruous with the others than the Castelnuovo-Tedesco Guitar Concerto in D for which it was substituted. The first composer on the program, Smetana, was an avid Bohemian nationalist who Stokowski called "the poet laureate of his country, expressing the joys and sorrows of his people. . . in the international language of music." Notwithstanding his love for Bohemia, Smetana found it difficult to live at home under the restrictions brought on by the unsuccessful revolution of 1848, so accepted an offer to conduct the or- chestra of Goteborg, Sweden, a position he held for five years. He returned home following the defeat of the Austrian forces by Italy and quickly became one of the leaders of the new cultural movement which was flowering because of the region's new political autonomy and total freedom of expression. Smetana's reputation flourished as a composer of patriotic operas (his second opera, The Bartered Bride, brought him im- mediate and widespread acclaim) and as principal conductor of the National Opera. In the course of time, Smetana's con- ductorship came into disfavor, a fact which brought on nervous disorders that left him completely deaf by the fall of 1874. He continued to compose, however, and produced a cycle of six symphonic poems collectively known as Ma Vlast (My Country) which in- cludes the two works to be performed this Thursday. Significantly, Smetana himself dedicated the entire collection to the city of Prague where it is the staple in concert programs. This is the kind of Bohemian master- piece which is the specialty of the Prague Symphony. While "From Bohemia's Forests and Meadows" beautifully captures the feeling of Smetana's landscape, it is outshone by "Vltava" (The Moldau), almost cer- tainly Smetana's most stirring sym- phonic creation. The composer's own program for the piece describes the river s origin as "two springs, one warm, the other cold, that flow together into a brook and which later become the Moldau." The musical progression from spring to brook to river is vividly evoked by the "river" theme which, using an old Czech folk song as its basis, opens the piece and carries us to the forests and meadows of Sumava, whererhunting horns may be heard, past a lively peasant wedding ceremony, a dance of water ,nymphs by moonlight, over a great stretch of rapids and, finally, to a great valley where we pass the historic sites of Prague and can hear the noble song of the Vysehrad. Music this close to home will undoubtedly be played superbly by the members of the Prague Symphony, Smetana's fellow coun- trymen. Haydn, the third composer on the program, was a famous musician at home. in Austria, yet was even more celebrated in England where Oxford awarded him a Doctor of Music degree and the King invited him to remain permanently (an honor he graciously declined). Despite all this, he found time to be a prolific composer whose music is marked by a warmth, wit, and precision. Although he is known primarilyhfor his pristine classical symphonies which number over 100, he also produced forty quartets, many operas, and other assorted works. Oddly, the Trumpet Concerto in E-flat was not a prominent part of the trumpet repertoire until the late 1930's despite its obvious attrac- tiveness. As it was written just after the jnven- tion of the key trumpet (which, for the first time, could play all the notes of the chromatic scale), the Concerto is one of the first to remain a challenge on the modern valve trumpet. The first movement Allegro is in sonata form, the orchestra introducing the trumpet after which it plays themaindtheme through the exposition and develop- ment, shifting for awhile to C Minor and finally back into E-flat Major for the recapitulation. The trumpet really shows off its acrobatic skill in the third movement Allegro. The violins pass the melody to the woodwinds who then pass it to the trumpet. The rondo form works beautifully to make this a light and spectacular finale. Though the concerto is not so formidable from a technical standpoint, it requires a soloist who can impart an elusive warmth to it and work beyond the technical sphere to one where a combination of relaxed tone and cracker-jack rhythmic and melodic precision blend. Vladislav Kozderka, principal trum- pet for the Prague Symphony and Thursday's scheduled soloist, seems to have the credentials for the task, having triumphed in competitions and concerts all over Europe, including Germany and Austria. Very much may depend upon the mood of the audience and performers at the time of the con- cert, for this -music is not the or- chestra's forte and will be in sharp con- trast to the Smetana pieces. After a ten-year creative "dry-spell" of sorts, Tchaikovsky's Fifth Sym- phony, second in the concert, was a crucial "comeback" piece, his first truly important work after the Violin Concerto of 1878. In the wake of heavy criticism, the composer was plagued by self-doubt both during and after the composition of the symphony and he went so far as to call it "superfluous, patchy, and insincere.'' Its first performances in Russia were not very well received but it became a success in other countries under Tchaikovsky's own direction. While this symphony is undeniably a classic, it bears a striking resemblance to another "Fifth"-that of Beethoven-in its achievement of victory only through great struggle. Tchaikovsky himself may not have liked the episodic nature of the work; it contrasts greatly with the unity of both the Fourth and Sixth Symphonies. The Fifth, in fact, follows a loose, balletic form as opposed to the ar- chitectural rigidity usually found in other symphonies. Regardless of all this, the Fifth seems destined to eternal popularity both for its inspired melodies and the emotional effect of its successful "struggle toward victory." The "struggle" is apparent in the fir- st three movements. The principal sub- ject which opens the symphony (as played by the clarinets), sounds rather sinister in the key of E Minor. It recurs, still in a minor tonality, once in the trumpets and later in the bassoons and trombones during the coda of the second movement, and is heard once again in the clarinets and bassoons in the coda of the third movement. The "victory" occurs at the outset of the finale when the theme takes on heroic proportions in its new E Major tonality and retains them right up to the final measures of the work. This is the apotheosis of the symphony and its emotional impact upon the listener is strong. Beginning with a long Andante maestoso introduction, a tympani roll then opens the principal (Allegro vivace) section which starts with a theme in the strings and progresses to another theme in the woodwinds and later in the violins. The development leads to a climax with the principal subject in the brass. A moment of silence heralds the coda where the subject appears in full Russian pomp and circumstance. This is another work which the Prague Sym- phony should really dig into. The Russians and Bohemians express themselves with a certain similarity in music, and Tchaikovsky's melodies from a Bohemian point of view should provide us with a moving performance of the Fifth Symphony and a fitting climax to the concert. Windy cit y By Susan Makuch Second City Michigan Theatre 8 p.m. Friday, October 15 ( T HE ENTIRE recent tradition (Tof American theatrical satire can be summed up in three words: 'The Second City.' " Clive Barnes wrote this 13 years ago in the New York Times. That was 10 years after the group's in- ception, and the legacy still continues today. Second City, the improvisational group originating in Chicago, will be visiting the Ann Arbor area tonight at 8 p.m. The performance will benefit the Michigan Theater Renovation Project. Hardly anyone thought that an im- provisational troupe started in an old Chinese laundry in 1959 would sub- sequently become a leading source of comedic talent in just a few short years. But within the first 10 years fame thrust upon such members as Alan Arkin, Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Jerry Stiller, and Anne Meara put the troupe in the spotlight. "These players are successes because they were allowed to perform anything," observes Joyce Sloane, the associate producer of Second City for the last 22 years. "It's the best training in the world to be allowed to fail in front of an audien- ce," Sloane says. Gilda Radner; a for- mer citizen of the Second City, learned a great deal about this, according t Ia k a a Sloane. "Gilda occasionally would go blank while onstage, everybody does. Well, the one thing an actor must do in that situaton is trust his fellow actors. IThat's the big thing-people will help you move into the scene, but you must never say 'no' or leave the stage. Those are the rules. "her inclination was always to leave the stage," Sloane says "So," she finishes, "one time the actor onstage with her created a totally ridiculous situation where she could not possibly leave-she was supposed to be so in- credibly fat that she couldn't fit through the door or something. But the thing is, Gilda learned from that experience. That's what Second City is all about." A common gripe among performers (in all areas) is that there is nowhere for them to learn or refine their craft anymore. Years ago, vaudeville and burlesque helped newcomers cultivate that talent. Sloane feels that Second City is today's vaudeville. "There was no place for people to learn anymore-well, we have that place now," she says. There are now three permanent Second City troupes, one each in Chicago, Los Angeles, and Toronto. These resident companies have only six players. Needless to say, "There are always people waiting to get into the resident companies," Sloane reveals. The popularity of the original troupe spurred a national group that carried the banner of improvisation to such places as Ann Arbor, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis. This ensemble consists of the players waiting to make it into a per- manent company. 34"They must audition for the traveling company," Sloane says. They also understudy the regular groups. The auditions are completely im- provisational and open to anybody. As a .matter of fact, the auditions are T ..:-::::::::":::.:vv::.~ .::.: " w :.::v:v"::.::::::::..:K ii::":.: :v::::: :v :v::: :?"i" i:i:i: ??:t':?b:}:::: i4^ii :. . ....................... 7K ; . - The Second City: Clowning around somewhat like the performances them- selves. The Second City players do not script their material beforehand; they take suggestions from the audience as to what their skit should be about. "They (the auditions) are difficult to prepare for," Sloane says with a bit of obvious understatement. But stardom often awaits those who do make the touring troupe. Just ask Bill Murray. According to Sloane, the driving force behind Second City is the alumni. She says, "It's just a terrific place. I get such a great pleasure when one of our own makes it great. We're like a family. You can't imagine what it was like for m way debul Hour,' or Pirates of all reme well... E did his fir wore his S of the shov me to se Second C forgets." Nobody with the either. link ... .fir.. lddwmk ....._ _i _..kk --...... low lqw- ',Mw- T T T -Iqqw w F W W - -- W W W W W W W W - PARTHENON GYROS JIs'arr Ann Arbor's Newest Korean Restaurant KANA STUDENT 10% OFF SPECIAL STUDENTS ONLY Bul Ko Ki Bar-B-Q Sandwich 2.80 EAT IN OR CARRY OUT-CONVENIENT TO 4 N i sx , t F { ;' '3 ,, ..y. ,, ll l ti i , i lU li 1 u, 1 ll j t ' IiI±; t1 r. 1.1 1? I IlII , ' ' r,; 7 '' FINE GREEK FOOD GYROS & SHISH KABAB SANDWICHES i CARRY OUT SERMCE. *1 MON-SAT 1 1AM - 1OPM SUN 12 NOON - 10PM 1133 E. Huron i Former location of Raic SPORTS WEEK IN Your Radio Sports Talka For Southeast Michigai SSports Happeni Your Hosts: Jeff DeFran & J University of Michigan Quar No. 16 Steve Smi Listen in locally to WAA1 This Sunday night 10:00 pm MOUSAKA + PASIITSIO 0 DOLMADES * SPINACH PIE GREEK SALADS &'PASTRIES COMBINATION PLATES CALL9941012 226 S. MAIN at LIBERTY * ANN ARBOR Prague Symphony: Music from other lands i I - - w ~ w w ~ w ~ ~ w- w r 3 14 Weekend/October 15, 1982