Program Notes
"Orpheus Singing" was commissioned for Stephen Caplan by Dr.
W. Howard Hoffman and is dedicated to the memory of the
Polish composer, Witold Lutoslawski. For some time now I have
been interested in writing a work for oboe and strings - not
so much a concerto as an extended single movement lyrical
work, in which the oboe is not just a soloist, but the
principal actor and the strings serve as an accompanying (but
far from subservient) extension. In short, an instrumental
aria. I love the Italian three-part operatic form of
recitative-aria-cabaletta. I like its directness, variety and
emotional richness. The piece begins as a "Recitative" for
unaccompanied oboe and moves directly into the "Aria", where
the musical ideas introduced in the "Recitative" are further
developed and transformed, this time with the support of the
strings. The ending of the "Aria" pays homage to one of my
favorite songs by Gershwin. The third part is "Cabaletta:
Kolomyikas". The debt to Italian operatic form is
self-evident: from the recitative, to the, at times,
plaintive and, at other times, tempestuous aria, finally to
the joyful dance-like cabaletta, which gathers momentum not
far removed from a tarantella. But rather than borrowing the
meter from Italian, the accent is definitely Ukrainian, from
around the Carpathian region: this cabaletta borrows from the
kolomyika, a simple but infinitely variable 8-bar Western
Ukrainian strophic song form. In "Orpheus Singing" each
kolomyika cartwheels into the next, the strings trying to
keep up, trying to anticipate, trying to keep the oboist-bard
from completely falling into a dionysian trance, but with
little success. The title was suggested by Stephen Caplan,
which in turn comes from the first Sonnet to Orpheus, by
Rilke. The reference to Rilke's Sonette an Orpheus (Sonnets
to Orpheus) is appropriate, since this piece generally
reflects a mood of joyful acquiescence and celebration. The
demanding oboe part generally uses the instrument in the
traditional manner, displaying its lyrical nature.
Occasionally extended techniques are used: glissandi, double
trills, harmonics. In the last movement the oboist plays
certain phrases with the reed entirely in the mouth, rather
than with the lips on the reeds, mimicking the rustic tones
of some folk double reed instruments.
Instrumentation of String Orchestra version: 6 - 5 - 3 - 2
- 1 First performance of the oboe and string orchestra
version by Stephen Caplan and Nevada Symphony Orchestra,
Virko Baley conducting, on February 25, 1994 at Summerlin
Library, Las Vegas, Nevada. First performance of the oboe and
string quartet version by Stephen Caplan and MATI String
Quartet on November 21, 1994 at Weill Recital Hall, New York
City. First performance of the oboe and piano version by
Stephen Caplan and Virko Baley on August 30, 1995 at the 24th
International Double Reed Festival, Rotterdams
Conservatorium, Rotterdam, Holland. Recorded by Stephen
Caplan and members of CONTINUUM for Cambria Master Recordings
CD-1087, "Orpheus Singing", Chamber Music of Virko Baley,
Vol. 2.