Scheherazade.2 Performed by The Philadelphia Orchestra
Culture Blog, Kodoom.com Editorial:
Recently the Philadelphia Orchestra under the direction of the composer and conductor John Adams, revived the legendary tale of "One Thousand and one Nights," The Arabian, Persian fable probably drawn from the Pahlavi Persian work Hezār Afsān (A Thousand Tales).
The story narrates the plight and ultimate triumph of Scheherazade in her quest to rid the savage Sultan of his habit of killing his newly wedded wives.
Adams drew his main inspiration from a visit to Paris and the historical exhibition on the Arab world. He describes to the audience his astonishment of the brutality of women of the ancient world and saw a connection with women's present day struggle as reflected in the "#MeToo" movement.
With a nod to the first orchestral composition in 1888 of Scheherazade, made famous by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov, a Russian composer and teacher, Adams composed Scheherazade.2. In Adams' recreation, he brings forward a modern day Scheherazade who reverses the roles typically played in the patriarchal society. Adams' Scheherazade.2 is a strong, compelling, and dynamic force throughout the dramatic symphony. Unfolding over four parts, Scheherazade.2 calls for a series of violin solos. As Adams tells the audience, he had only one woman in mind when writing the piece -- the stellar and vibrant violinist, Leila Josefowicz.
As described by Gabriela Lena Frank, the Philadelphia Orchestra's composer-in-residence, this year's focus is Women NOW. There will be more women leading on the stage and podium and performing in the spotlight. More about this program and the exciting 2019-2020 season can be found HERE.
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