BELL & ISSERLIS: For the Love of Brahms

Saturday, June 24 | 6:00PM

Two of the world’s leading string players—and longtime collaborators—embark on a masterful, musical journey through the Romantic era. A sweetly soulful “walk in the woods” opens the program, followed by Beethoven’s witty and playful First Symphony. A rarely-heard arrangement spins a gorgeous introduction to Brahms’s dramatic double concerto, with the exquisite intimacy of a chamber orchestra providing the perfect accompaniment.

  • Seat Price

    $44 - $124

  • Lawn Price

    $28

  • Location

    Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater

  • VIEW SEATING CHART
BOX OFFICE

877.812.5700

Mon-Fri, 9am-4pm For Assistance

  • June

    24

    Saturday

    6:00 PM

    Orchestra Concert

    BELL & ISSERLIS: For the Love of Brahms

    ACADEMY OF ST MARTIN IN THE FIELDS
    JOSHUA BELL, CONDUCTOR & SOLO VIOLINIST
    STEVEN ISSERLIS, SOLO CELLIST

    DVOŘÁK: Silent Woods for Cello and Orchestra
    BEETHOVEN: Symphony No. 1
    SCHUMANN/BRITTEN: Second Movement of Violin Concerto
    BRAHMS: Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra

Seating Chart

Program

DVOŘÁK: SILENT WOODS FOR CELLO AND ORCHESTRA

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BEETHOVEN: SYMPHONY NO. 1

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SCHUMANN: SECOND MOVEMENT OF VIOLIN CONCERTO

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BRAHMS: CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN, CELLO AND ORCHESTRA

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DVOŘÁK: SILENT WOODS FOR CELLO AND ORCHESTRA

Silent Woods for Cello and Orchestra, Op. 68, No. 5  (1884, 1891)
ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK (1841-1904)

Late in 1891, Dvořák accepted an offer to head the National Conservatory of Music in New York City, and he arranged to leave Prague the following September. As a farewell to his native Bohemia, he undertook a concert tour of the country arranged by the music publisher Velebin Urbánek, who was to be the pianist in a trio that also included the violinist Ferdinand Lachner and cellist Hanus Wihan (for whom Dvořák was to write his B minor Concerto in 1895). As a solo piece for Wihan, Dvořák adapted a movement titled Klid (“calm”) from his piano cycle From the Bohemian Forest of 1884 that he called Silent Woods. The composer’s biographer Karel Hoffmeister called Silent Woods “one of the loveliest and most poetical of Dvořák’s inspired Adagios.”

BEETHOVEN: SYMPHONY NO. 1

Symphony No. 1 in C major, Op. 21 (1799-1800)
LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN (1770-1827)

Beethoven’s music of the 1790s, after he had settled permanently in Vienna, showed an increasingly powerful expression that mirrored the maturing of his genius. The First Symphony, though, is a conservative, even a cautious work. In it, he was more interested in exploring the architectural than the emotional components of the form, and relied on the musical language established by Haydn and Mozart in composing it. In its reliance on a thoroughly logical, carefully conceived structure, the First Symphony also set the formal precedent for his later music: though Beethoven dealt with vivid emotional states, the technique of his music was never founded upon any other than the most solid intellectual base. The First Symphony opens, unusually, with a dissonance, a harmony that seems to lead away from the main tonality, which is normally established immediately at the outset of a Classical work. The sonata form proper begins with a quickening of the tempo and the presentation of the main theme by the strings; the second theme follows a brief silence. The development deals exclusively with the main theme. The sonata-form Andantehas a canonic main theme and an airy second subject. Though the third movement is labeled “Menuetto,” it is really one of those whirlwind packets of rhythmic energy that, beginning with the Second Symphony, Beethoven labeled “scherzo.” The finale begins with a short introduction comprising halting scale fragments that preview the vivacious main theme. The Symphony ends with ribbons of scales rising through the orchestra and emphatic cadential gestures.

SCHUMANN: SECOND MOVEMENT OF VIOLIN CONCERTO

Elegy for Violin and String Orchestra (1853; arranged in 1958)
ROBERT SCHUMANN (1810-1856) 
ARRANGED BY BENJAMIN BRITTEN (1913-1976) FROM MOVEMENT II OF THE VIOLIN CONCERTO (WOO 23)

Schumann composed his Violin Concerto in two weeks in late September 1853, but his reason had been seriously undermined by that time (he tried to drown himself in the Rhine the following February), and the work was dismissed by performers and quickly forgotten. The score remained unpublished until German musicologist Georg Schünemann discovered it in 1937 and issued it over the objections of Eugenie, the Schumanns’ last surviving child. Georg Kulenkampff gave the premiere with the Berlin Philharmonic in November that year. In 1957, the British horn virtuoso Dennis Brain was killed in a car crash; he was 36. As a memorial to him, Benjamin Britten—Brain had played the premiere of Britten’s Serenade for Tenor, Horn and Strings in 1943—arranged the tender second movement of Schumann’s Violin Concerto for violin and string orchestra and titled it Elegy.

BRAHMS: CONCERTO FOR VIOLIN, CELLO AND ORCHESTRA

Double Concerto for Violin, Cello and Orchestra in A minor, Op. 102 (1887)
JOHANNES BRAHMS (1833-1897)

Johannes Brahms first met the violinist Joseph Joachim in 1853. They became close friends and musical allies—the Violin Concerto was written for Joachim in 1878 and he played Brahms’ music at every possible occasion and did much to help establish the composer’s reputation. In 1880, however, when Joachim was suing his wife for divorce over an alleged infidelity, Brahms took it upon himself to meddle in the family’s domestic affairs. He believed that Frau Joachim was innocent of the charges, and sided with her. Joachim was, understandably, enraged, and he broke off his personal relationship with Brahms, though he continued to play his music; the two did not speak for years. On July 19, 1887, when he was 54, Brahms, a curmudgeonly bachelor who found it difficult to make friends, sent Joachim a terse postcard from Thun, Switzerland: “I have been unable to resist the ideas that have been occurring to me and written a concerto for violin and cello. Would you consider trying the work over somewhere with [Robert] Hausmann [the cellist in Joachim’s Quartet] and me at the piano?” Joachim agreed to Brahms’ proposals. After approving of the work in their private trial, Brahms arranged to have the formal premiere given by the Gürzenich Orchestra in Cologne with Joachim and Hausmann in October 1887. Brahms’ dear friend Clara Schumann noted with pleasure in her diary that “this Concerto was in a way a work of reconciliation—Joachim and Brahms have spoken to each other again after years of silence.” The first movement largely follows Classical concerto-sonata form, with a bold paragraph introducing the soloists. The main theme, given by the orchestra, is a somber strain that mixes duple and triple rhythms; the second theme is a tender, sighing phrase. A development section (begun by the soloists in unison) and a full recapitulation and coda round out the movement. The principal theme of the Andante is a warmly lyrical melody for violin and cello in unison; parallel harmonies in the woodwinds usher in the central section. The finale is a playful rondo influenced by Gypsy music.

ARTISTS

Joshua Bell

Joshua Bell, director and violin

With a career spanning more than 30 years, chamber musician, recording artist and conductor, Academy of St Martin in the Fields Music Director Joshua Bell is one of the most celebrated violinists of his era.

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Steven Isserlis

Steven Isserlis, Cello

Acclaimed worldwide for his profound musicianship and technical mastery, British cellist Steven Isserlis enjoys a distinguished career as a soloist, chamber musician, educator, author and broadcaster.

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Joshua Bell

Joshua Bell, director and violin

With a career spanning more than 30 years as a soloist, chamber musician, recording artist and conductor, Joshua Bell is one of the most celebrated violinists of his era. An exclusive Sony Classical artist, he has recorded more than 40 CDs garnering Grammy, Mercury, Gramophone and Echo Klassik awards, and is a recipient of the Avery Fisher Prize, as well as the Lumiere Prize for his work in the sphere of Virtual Reality.  Named the Music Director of the Academy of St Martin in the Fields in 2011, he is the only person to hold this post since Sir Neville Marriner formed the orchestra in 1958, and recently renewed his contract through 2020. In 2016, Sony released Bell’s album For the Love of Brahms with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields, cellist Steven Isserlis and pianist Jeremy Denk, followed in 2017 by the Joshua Bell Classical Collection, a 14 CD set of Bell’s Sony recording highlights from the past 20 years.  

Summer 2017 saw Joshua Bell perform at the BBC Proms with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, at the Verbier Festival, as Artist In Residence at the Edinburgh International Festival and – in the US - at Tanglewood, Ravinia, and the Mostly Mozart Festival.   In the 2017/18 season in the US, Bell takes part in the New York Philharmonic’s celebration of Leonard Bernstein’s centennial, performing Bernstein’s Serenade led by Alan Gilbert, and also appears with the Philadelphia Orchestra and Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra among others. His North American recital tours take him to Carnegie Hall, Chicago’s Symphony Center and Washington D.C.’s Strathmore Center. Highlights in Europe include appearances as soloist with the Vienna Symphony and Danish National Symphony; as director and soloist with the Orchestre National de Lyon; and recitals in Paris, Zurich, Geneva, Bologna, Milan and London. With the Academy of St Martin in the Fields he will tour widely including in the United Kingdom, United States and Europe, featuring performances in London, New York, San Francisco, Reykjavik and at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. 

Convinced of the value of music as a diplomatic and educational tool, Bell participated in President Obama’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities’ first cultural mission to Cuba.  He is also involved in Turnaround Arts, another project implemented by the Committee and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts which provides arts education to low-performing elementary and middle schools. 

Joshua Bell performs on the 1713 Huberman Stradivarius violin and uses a late 18th century French bow by François Tourte. 

Photo: Lisa-Marie Mazzucco

Steven Isserlis

Steven Isserlis, Cello

As a concerto soloist he appears regularly with the world’s leading orchestras and conductors, recent engagements including performances with the Berlin Philharmonic, Budapest Festival, Philharmonia, Cleveland, Minnesota, Zurich Tonhalle and NHK Symphony Orchestras. He gives recitals every season in major musical centres, working with pianists such as Jeremy Denk, Kirill Gerstein, Stephen Hough, Alexander Melnikov, Olli Mustonen, Mikhail Pletnev, Sir Andras Schiff, Connie Shih, Ferenc Rados and Dénes Várjon; and plays with many of the world’s leading chamber orchestras, including period-instrument ensembles. Unusually, he also directs chamber orchestras from the cello, in classical programmes.

Highlights of the 15/16 season include a survey of the complete Bach Cello Suites at the Wigmore Hall and elsewhere; recital programmes with Ian Bostridge, Stephen Hough, Robert Levin and Richard Egarr; a special recital with Sir Andras Schiff at the Beethovenhaus in Bonn performed on fortepiano and Beethoven’s own cello (which was last played in public more than 50 years ago); his appointment as Guest Artistic Leader of the Norwegian Chamber Orchestra; a major European tour with the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields and Joshua Bell; and the world premiere of the orchestral version of Thomas Adès’s Lieux retrouvés in Lucerne, with the composer himself conducting.

As a chamber musician he has curated series for many of the world’s most famous festivals and venues, including the Wigmore Hall, the 92nd St Y in New York, and the festivals of Salzburg and Verbier. These specially devised programmes have included ‘In the Shadow of War’, a major four-part series for the Wigmore Hall to mark the centenary of the First World War and the 75th anniversary of the Second World War; explorations of Czech music; the teacher-pupil line of Saint-Saens, Faure and Ravel; the affinity of the cello and the human voice; varied aspects of Robert Schumann’s life and music; and the music of Serge Taneyev (teacher of Steven’s grandfather, Julius Isserlis).  For these concerts Steven is joined by a regular group of friends who include the violinists Joshua Bell, Pamela Frank and Isabelle Faust, violist Tabea Zimmermann, and clarinettist Michael Collins.

He takes a strong interest in authentic performance, and in addition to working with many of the foremost period instrument orchestras he frequently gives recitals with harpsichord and fortepiano. Together with Robert Levin, and using original or replica pianos from the early nineteenth century, he has performed and recorded Beethoven’s complete music for cello and piano; and with Richard Egarr he has performed and recorded the viola da gamba sonatas of J.S. Bach as well as sonatas by Handel and Scarlatti.

He is also a keen exponent of contemporary music and has premiered many new works, including John Tavener’s The Protecting Veil (as well as several other pieces by Tavener), Thomas Adès’s Lieux retrouvés, Stephen Hough’s Sonata for Cello and Piano, Left Hand (Les Adieux), Wolfgang Rihm’s Concerto in One Movement, David Matthews’ Concerto in Azzurro, works for cello and piano by Olli Mustonen, and For Steven by György Kurtág.

Writing and playing for children is another major interest. Steven Isserlis’ books for children about the lives of the great composers – Why Beethoven Threw the Stew and its sequel, Why Handel Waggled his Wig – are published by Faber and Faber. He has also written the text for three musical stories for children – Little Red Violin, Goldiepegs and the Three Cellos and Cindercella – with music by Oscar-winning composer Anne Dudley; these are published by Universal Edition in Vienna. He has also given many concerts for children, for several years presenting a regular series at the 92nd Street Y in New York.  As an educator Steven Isserlis gives frequent masterclasses all around the world, and for the past eighteen years he has been Artistic Director of the International Musicians’ Seminar at Prussia Cove in Cornwall, where his fellow-professors include Sir Andras Schiff, Thomas Adès and Ferenc Rados.  As a writer and broadcaster he contributes regularly to publications including Gramophone, The Daily Telegraph and The Guardian, has guest edited The Strad magazine, and makes regular appearances on BBC Radio including on the Today programme, on Soul Music, as guest presenter of two editions of Saturday Classics, and as writer and presenter of a documentary about the life of Robert Schumann.

His diverse interests are reflected in an extensive and award-winning discography. His recording of the complete Solo Cello Suites by J.S. Bach for Hyperion met with the highest critical acclaim, and was Gramophone’s Instrumental Disc of the Year and Critic’s Choice at the Classical Brits. Other recent releases include Prokofiev and Shostakovich concertos with the Frankfurt Radio Symphony and Paavo Järvi; Dvorak Cello Concertos with the Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Daniel Harding; the complete works for cello by Beethoven with Robert Levin on fortepiano, selected for the Deutsche SchallplattenPreis; and recital discs with Richard Egarr, Stephen Hough, Thomas Adès and (for BIS) a Grammy-nominated album of sonatas by Martinů with Olli Mustonen.  Future releases for Hyperion include the Elgar and Walton concertos, alongside works by Gustav and Imogen Holst, with the Philharmonia Orchestra and Paavo Järvi.

The recipient of many awards, Steven Isserlis’s honours include a CBE in recognition of his services to music, and the Schumann Prize of the City of Zwickau. He is also one of only two living cellists featured in Gramophone’s Hall of Fame.

He gives most of his concerts on the Marquis de Corberon (Nelsova) Stradivarius of 1726, kindly loaned to him by the Royal Academy of Music.

Photo: Jean Baptiste Millot

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ORCHESTRA CONCERT FAQS

Where are the orchestra concert performances held?

Bravo! Vail orchestral concerts take place at Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater (GRFA) located at 530 S. Frontage Rd E Vail, CO 81657

What time do performances begin?

Concerts start promptly at 6:00PM (except for the movie screening which starts at 7:30PM). The GRFA lobby opens 90 minutes prior and gates open 60 minutes prior to performances. Give yourself plenty of time to park and get into the venue. Latecomers will be escorted by ushers at an appropriate interval.

Where do I park?

FREE concert parking is available at the Vail Parking Structure (241 South Frontage Road East, Vail) and the Lionshead Parking Structure (395 South Frontage Road West, Vail). A Town of Vail Special Event express bus provides continuous service from both parking structures to the GRFA before and after concerts. Limited $10 parking is available at Ford Park by the Tennis Center (500 South Frontage Rd). Additional $10 parking is available at the Vail Athletic/Soccer Field lot. 

WALKING DIRECTIONS FROM THE VAIL VILLAGE PARKING STRUCTURE:

Via Gore Creek Trail: 15-minute scenic walk
1. Exit the parking garage by following the Pedestrian Exit signs towards “Vail Village” / “Golden Peak”
2. Turn left out of the parking garage onto East Meadow Drive and head east 
3. At the end of the road turn right on Vail Valley Drive and cross the road
4. Turn left on the walking path before the bridge, following the street signs towards "Ford Park"
5. Continuing east, follow the walking path along Gore Creek until reaching the GRFA

Via Frontage Road: 15-minute walk 
1. From the top level of the parking garage, exit onto the South Frontage Road
2. Turn right and follow the sidewalk east along the south side of the frontage road
3. Cross East Meadow Drive and continue east along the sidewalk
4. Turn right after passing The Wren at Vail on the right
5. Continue down the path down to the GRFA

How long do concerts last?

Concerts generally last 2 hours including intermission. Please call the box office 877.812.5700 for exact running times.

How do I buy tickets?

Tickets, passes, and gift certificates may be ordered in the following ways:
1. Online: bravovail.org
2. By phone: 877.812.5700 
3. In person: Bravo! Vail 2271 N Frontage Rd W Suite C, Vail, CO 81657 
Bravo! Vail accepts American Express, Visa, MasterCard, and Discover credit cards, cash, and checks. There is a $2 fee per ticket. Tickets are delivered by mail or email,or may be picked up at the Box Office. 

What are the Box Office hours?

Bravo! Vail Box Office hours are Monday-Friday from 9AM to 4PM. During the Festival, hours include Saturday & Sunday from 10AM to 4PM. The Bravo! Vail Box Office can be reached at 877.812.5700.
The Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater box office is open from 11AM until concert start time (5PM on days with no concerts) during the Festival. Tickets for upcoming performances may be purchased on-site at the GRFA before concerts and during intermission.

Where is the Will Call window?

Will Call tickets may be picked up at the Box Office located to the right of the main GRFA entrance lobby. The Box Office is open 11AM to concert start time during the Festival.

Does Bravo! Vail offer group pricing?

Discounts for groups of 15 or more are available for select concerts. Please call 970.827.4316 for more information.

What if I buy tickets and cannot attend?

Tickets are non-refundable. You may exchange your tickets ($7 fee per ticket) by calling the Box Office at 877.812.5700 up to 2 days before the concert. You may release your tickets or leave them for a friend at Will Call by calling the Box Office.

What if I misplace or forget to bring my tickets?

There is no charge to reprint tickets. Please call 877.812.5700 before 3PM on the day of the performance or allow extra time to request new tickets at the Will Call window.  

Where are seating options for people with disabilities?

Per the American Disability Act (ADA), the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheater is accessible to individuals with disabilities. ADA seating is available in Section 1 Row L and Section 4 Row O in all reserved seating zones and prices (Premium Aisle, Premium, Reserved, and Saver). A limited number of ADA General Admission Lawn seats are available for sale behind Section 2. You must have a designated ADA lawn seat ticket to sit in this area. By purchasing an ADA seat, you are stating that you require an ADA seat. If purchased fraudulently, you may be subject to relocation. If you need assistance purchasing ADA seating, please call the Box Office at 877.812.5700.

What if it rains?

Concerts take place rain or shine. The GRFA is an open-air venue. Refunds are not given due to weather unless a concert is canceled in its entirety with no performance rescheduled.

What should I wear?

There is no dress code for concerts. Please be prepared for rain and cooler temperatures. 

What should I bring to the concert?

If you will be on the lawn, a blanket, sunglasses, and a hat are recommended. If rain is predicted, please bring appropriate rain gear. Food, commercially sealed non-alcoholic beverages, low-profile lawn chairs, and umbrellas are permitted at concerts. All backpacks, bags, purses, picnic baskets, and coolers will be checked upon entry.

 

The following articles are not allowed at the venue: cameras, audio/video recording devices, standard-height lawn chairs, baby strollers, alcoholic beverages, firearms, pets, smoking, skateboards, bicycles, scooters, and skates.

What food and beverages are available for purchase at the GRFA?

Concessions are offered for purchase inside the venue. Menu items include snacks, burgers, sandwiches, and salads. A full bar is also available. All major credit cards and cash are accepted for payment. If you have a pavilion seat, please eat prior to the concert or at intermission.

Are lawn chairs available to rent?

Low-profile lawn chairs are available at the GRFA to rent for $10. You may also rent a lawn chair with your lawn ticket purchase online or by calling the Bravo! Vail Box Office at 877.812.5700. To reserve a lawn chair in advance, please email ticketing@bravovail.org

What are some general rules of concert etiquette?

Please allow time for parking and seating. Concert attendees must silence all mobile devices prior to performances to not disrupt musicians and other patrons. Please limit conversations and other noisy activities during the performance. In the pavilion seating, we recommend eating prior to the concert or at intermission. Parental supervision is required for all children attending Bravo! Vail concerts.

What else should I know?

Vail’s high elevation requires adequate hydration and sun protection. Visitors from lower elevations may experience altitude sickness.

What if I lose something at the concert?

Check with the GRFA box office for lost items at intermission or call 970.748.8497.

What if I still have questions?

Please contact the Box Office at 877.812.5700 Mon–Fri 9AM–4PM (and Sat–Sun 10AM-4PM during the Festival).

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