TO RUSSIA WITH LOVE...

It is difficult to imagine the modem symphony orchestra without the great masterpieces and influence of Russian composers and musicians. The names Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, Mussorgsky, Prokofiev, Stravinsky and Shostakovitch are found on programs with great regularity, and many more names could be added to the list.

Very few objected when the marvelous Russian cellist Mistislav Rostropovitch was named the conductor of the National Symphony in Washington. He embodies many of the qualities we have come to love in Russian music: great warmth, intensity, and above all, passionate emotion.

Tonight's concert, a rousing tribute to Russian music, promises to be a memorable and most enjoyable start to the season.

Glinka's Overture to Russian and Ludmilla will sound familiar to all who heard part of the Symphony's summer tour with the Mannheim Steamroller.. The overture's ebullience and energy make it ideal for adaptation by a group like "the Steamroller."

In 1836, Mikhail Ivanovich Glinka's landmark opera A Life for the Tsar established an authentic Russian style at a time when composers in many countries were attempting to move away from the dominating influence of music from Italy, Germany and France.

The fairy tale opera Russian and Ludmilla was written six years later. It's brilliant orchestration, folk-song melodies and exotic harmonies have made it an enduring audience favorite. Glinka incorporated exotic Persian and Caucasian dances, key roles sung by alto and low bass voices, and strong emphasis on the unmixed "primary" colors of the orchestra to weave his spellbinding operatic tale. His daring innovations were key influences for the great Russians composers that came after him.

In the 1860s, a five of Glinka's successors came to be known as "the mighty handful," or simply "the five." One of them was Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov. JSO regulars will remember well the majestic strains of his Russian Easter Overture from last season.

Rimsky-Korsakov's Capriccio Espagnol was written in 1887, just one year before the Russian Easter Overture. Rimsky-Korsakov described his Capriccio as an example of "virtuoso orchestration." The starring role is not given to a violin soloist, or to a pianist, but to the wondrous art of creating ravishing instrumental combinations and orchestra] colors! RimskyKorsakov is one of the greatest orchestrators of all time, and at this point in his life he was at the height of his powers.

The word caprice refers to sudden, impulsive changes of mind. Capriccios are lively pieces that are humorous or capricious, and in Rimsky Korsakov's case, brilliant and energetic. The Capriccio Espagnol is a symphonic suite in five sections - a dazzling tour de force of Spanish melodies and rhythms that would make any listener eager to visit the Iberian Peninsula.

Ile perfect centerpiece for a celebration of Russian music is, of course, a bouquet of arias sung by a Russian diva! Madame Lekhtman will grace us with a selection of the most loved arias from the great Romantic century in which nationalism became such a significant force.

Schubert's enthusiastic Symphony #3 in D Major is an ideal counterbalance for the orchestral fireworks and Romantic passion of tonight's program.

In 1815, when Schubert wrote this symphony, he was only 17 years old, but he had already written a truly incredible amount of music, including some of his greatest masterpieces. The following year he would write 179 works, including two symphonies, an opera, and the Mass in C major!

The Third Symphony abounds with lyric melodies and is filled with the fresh spontaneity of youth. Quite naturally, since the Romantic era was just beginning, it's form reflects the balance and poise of classical models.

Schubert's music flows with such sure grace and beauty, it is hard to imagine that, except for some of his marvelous songs, his music received little serious attention during his lifetime. Like Mozart, his life was tragically cut short. He died in 1828 at the age of 31.