Dear Jupiter Friends and Music Lovers,

Although we’ve come to the end of our 2019-2020 season, and had to cancel 6 concert dates from March 16 to May 18, we haven’t given up hope on future Jupiter concerts—perhaps even this summer, with luck. Our grateful thanks to all of you who have donated your tickets in support of Jupiter’s musicians and music making.

The Foster-Nygaard Medley is quintessential Jens. Based on songs by Stephen Foster, Jens weaves a tuneful ramble with imagination, interesting harmonies, seamless segues, and his own quirky and playful touches. A Treasury of Stephen Foster with a forward by Deems Taylor was the songbook that Jens read and annotated when choosing his selections for the Medley. The program’s pairing of Foster and Taylor was, incidentally, by chance, not design. The recording is from the first half of an unedited, live performance on September 14, 1999 at Good Shepherd Church.

Before writing his Medley, Jens went to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in spite of pain in his leg to visit the Stephen Foster Memorial Museum and Foster’s grave in Allegheny Cemetery. Unbeknownst to anyone, including his doctor, Jens was already ill with multiple myeloma, but it was not diagnosed till his femur broke some months later in October 1999. Despite his discomfort he was charged with enthusiasm upon his return, and worked on the Medley right up through the dress rehearsal.

Don’t miss the markings in the score as you listen to the music; and have some fun, too, identifying the songs. Can you name them all? There are 15 or 16, according to Jens’s opening remarks.

Pages 64 and 67 of the Autograph Manuscript Score, in pencil

Deems Taylor’s Through the Looking Glass was composed in 1919, inspired by Lewis Carroll’s novel of the same title. Originally written for a chamber ensemble, Jens probably performed the “big version”—so marked on the title page of his score in green ink, and he drew the orchestra seating plan in red ink. However, he bowed the string parts for the “Chamber version” as well, and performed only 4 of the 5 “Pictures” as in the chamber score. The Suite is an imaginative and colorful adventure through Alice’s looking glass—a dreamy introduction to Alice, an immersion into the enchanted realm of the Jabberwock, a frolic with fantastical Insects, and a portrait of the White Knight.

Never boring, Deems Taylor (1885-1966) was one of the best-known musical figures of the first half of the 20th century—a composer, music critic, author, commentator, artist, and broadcast personality. Among his numerous accomplishments, he was the voice of the New York Philharmonic; he composed The King’s Henchman, the first American opera commissioned by the Metropolitan Opera; and as the affable master of ceremonies for Disney’s animated Fantasia he won over moviegoers to classical music.

If you’d like to discover yet another facet to Deems Taylor, you may enjoy reading Moments Mousical with its impossible puns and splendid illustrations by Walter Kumme. Here, the great Micetro offers readers an education, beginning with ancient history in Mousopotamia, and in dance, opera, and mousic; and ending with violinist Fritz Miceler at Carnegie Hall and composer Gustav Mauser, who studied with Moussager, Moucheles, and Mouskowski. It‘s a trip.

Ignace Pleyel engraving by Kupferstich von Lierd after a portrait by Jean Urbain Guèrin, circa 1840

Although almost forgotten, Pleyel was all the rage in Europe in his heyday, won the admiration of Mozart, and there was even a Pleyel Society on the island of Nantucket. Not only did he compose prolifically, he was an important music publisher and piano maker as well. His firm provided pianos used by Chopin and his concert hall, Salle Pleyel, was where Chopin performed his first and his last Paris concerts. Chopin also owned a Pleyel Grand of 1839.

Born in 1757 in Austria, Pleyel was the 24th of 38 children! (by one account). In 1772 he was sent to Eisenstadt to study with Haydn, and became his star pupil. By 1784 he was appointed assistant Kapellmeister at the Strasbourg Cathedral, succeeding as Kapellmeister in 1789 when Franz Xaver Richter died. In 1786 he also organized and conducted a series of concerts, which provided the opportunity to promote his compositions. When the French Revolution disrupted religious and cultural life in 1791, Pleyel moved to London, where his concerts and compositions were also highly praised. Upon his return to Paris in 1795, he opened a music shop and established the music publishing house, Maison Pleyel, that issued some 4000 works AND the first miniature scores! In 1807 he also founded a piano manufacturing company that, after a series of owners and mergers, was bought out by Schimmel of Brunswick in 1976. Pleyel died in 1831 after a truly illustrious career. You can visit his tomb at the Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris.

letter from Ignace Pleyel

Pleyel’s letter, which Jens mentions in his remarks, is addressed to “Monsieur Kuhnel / Editeur de Musique” in Leipzig. It is dated in the French Republican (or Revolutionary) Calendar Paris le ii Brumaire l’an i4, i.e. November 2, 1805.

We thank Dr. Vera Junkers for dating the Pleyel letter in the Gregorian calendar, and Richard Secare for the translation into English.

My dear Mr Kühnel, Since my return it was impossible for me to take care of our business, but I would definitely provide a selection of music to reimburse you according to what we agreed in our old account, and as I could not accept your payment of 200 guilders I will send you in 8 days of getting it a payment of 100 [R]th. I hope you would accept my signature: Shortly I will fulfill your request as you did not address in Grätz, and I hope that our business will go more smoothly especially in times of peace: Goodbye, I still have not a moment more to write to you. M Matheis leaves tomorrow and it is very late. Your devoted friend, Ignace Pleyel

CHOPIN  Rondo à la Krakowiak

Written in Warsaw in 1828 in the Polish dance form, the piece is one of Chopin’s lesser known works. He played it frequently after writing it, but seems not to have returned to it after leaving Poland in 1830 at age 20.

When Chopin died in 1849, his body was also buried in the Père Lachaise Cemetery. Curious tidbit: His heart, however, was taken to Warsaw in compliance with his request on his deathbed. The heart was sealed in what is believed to have been a jar of cognac and smuggled to Warsaw before being interred in a pillar at the Holy Cross Church. For further details see: https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/chopin-s-heart and https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/chopins-heart-exhumed-for-a-top-secret-check-up

Kenneth & Jean Wentworth

On February 19 and 20, 1996, Kenneth and Jean Wentworth performed the Carl CZERNY Concerto for Piano 4-Hands with the Jupiter Symphony, Jens Nygaard conducting. They played it 3 times. Back in Jens’s day, the concerts were at 2 pm and 7 pm on Mondays, and 8 pm on Tuesdays. We hope you will take to this Concerto by a composer held in high esteem by Jens. Czerny’s Overture precedes the Concerto for your added listening pleasure. Douglas Townsend (1921-2012) offered the music. Back then, it was also a challenge to find the score and parts; today, much of this obscure music is quite easily obtainable through imslp, libraries, other online resources.

Carl Czerny (1791‑1857) portrait by Josef Lanzedelly after a lithograph

Carl CZERNY  Overture in E Major, Op. 142 Carl CZERNY  Concerto in C Major for Piano Four-Hands, Op. 153 [1829] Allegro con brio Adagio espressivo Rondo alla Polacca

Dear Friends and Music Lovers,

   As many of you already know, Jupiter is a paradise for melomaniacs. It’s a haven to wallow in beautiful melodies, superb musicians and music making, and interesting programs. There’s nary a dull moment, thanks to our brilliant artistic director, Michael Volpert.
   Indeed,

“The playing is top notch; the programs are full of exotica.”
Richard Morrison ~ The London Times
“excellent musicians in unusual programs”
Anthony Tommasini ~ The New York Times
“this was truly impressive music making”
“One of the Best Deals in Town”
“Those in the know keep coming back.”
Fred Kirshnit ~ The New York Sun
“bringing classical music to people in a powerful way”
Cole Grissom ~ Broadway World

   So do come as often as you can. And please give as much as you can to help keep Jupiter spinning its musical magic. Your financial support is truly needed.
   All gifts are tax deductible.
   Thank you so much,

Click on the dates for 2019-2020 program details:

September 16 ~ Russia Gusher
September 23 ~ Classical Spectacle
October 7 ~ Lovin’ Beethoven
October 21 ~ Formidable
October 28 ~ Fame in Spain
November 11 ~ Artisti a Venezia
November 18 ~ “Comrades” in Science
December 2 ~ Great Danes
December 16 ~ Warhorses
January 6 ~ Austro-German Gems

January 20 ~ Schubert and His Best Pal
February 3 ~ A Dark Side
February 17 ~ Choice Mozart
March 2 ~ French Finesse
March 16 ~ Irish Emeralds
March 30 ~ Ties to Beethoven
April 6 ~ American Goodies
April 20 ~ Heirs Apparent
May 4 ~ Trophies
May 18 ~ Idolatry