Edgewood College Chamber Orchestra

press release: The Edgewood Chamber Orchestra presents a special concert to benefit Catholic Charities of Madison. The Edgewood Chamber Orchestra is conducted by Blake Walter.

There is no admission charge for this concert, but a freewill offering will be taken to support Catholic Charities of Madison. Please note the special venue for this concert: Holy Name Heights Chapel, located at the Bishop O’Connor Center.

The concert includes the Donna Diana Overture, by Emil Reznicek; Pavane, Op. 50, by Gabriel Faure; Little Suite by Witold Lutoslawski, and Haydn’s Symphony No. 96, “The Miracle.”

Donna Diana is a comic opera in three acts by Austrian composer Emil von Reznicek (1860-1945). The libretto, written by the composer, is based on a German translation of a Spanish comedy.  The Overture is typical of Reznicek’s light, virtuosic style which he uses in all 10 of his light operas.  The opera was first performed in Vienna in 1894.

The Pavane in F-sharp minor, Op. 50, by French composer, organist, and teacher, Gabriel Faure (1845-1924), was written in 1887. It was originally a piano piece, but is better known in the version heard today, for orchestra. The work was originally performed with chorus, although Faure considered the chorus to be optional. Obtaining its rhythm from the slow processional Spanish court dance of the same name, the Pavane features simple but brilliant orchestration, foreshadowing later French masters such as Maurice Ravel. 

Polish composer Witold Lutoslawski (1913-1994) is considered one of the most important composers of instrumental music of the twentieth century.  The Little Suite (1951) is loosely based on children’s tunes and features a simpler style which alternates between folk tune style and Lutoslawski’s more characteristic dissonance.  The original composition was for large orchestra, and was arranged for chamber orchestra in 1968.

Josef Haydn (1732-1809) wrote the Symphony No. 96 in D major in 1791. It is one of the 12 so-called “London” Symphonies, written for subscription concerts for the London Public. Haydn spent the majority of his compositional years working for the Hungarian ruling family, the Esterhazy. It was only later in life that Haydn was able to travel to world capitals, such as Paris and London, for which he wrote especially beautiful, virtuosic, and well-crafted symphonies. The sub-title “Miracle,” like most of Haydn’s Symphonies, was not affixed to the work until well after Haydn’s death, and refers to a major accident occurring during a performance which, fortunately, ended up harming no one.