February 13, 2009
Washington County Free Library and Maryland Symphony Orchestra Present “Great Composers Lecture Series”

Hagerstown, MD—The Washington County Free Library, in partnership with the Maryland Symphony Orchestra, will be presenting a four-part “Great Composers Lecture Series” beginning on Wednesday, February 25 at 7:00 p.m.  The lectures will be held at the library’s main branch on 100 South Potomac Street in downtown Hagerstown.  The remaining lectures will be held on March 25, April 29 and May 27.  The series is free but reservations are requested.  Please call 301-739-3250, ext. 136 to reserve a seat.

The series begins on Wednesday, February 25 with a lecture on Verdi presented by Dr. Andrew Rosenfeld from Mount Saint Mary’s University. He is an associate professor of music and chair of the Fine Arts Department at Mount St. Mary’s University, where he directs the choral program and teaches courses in music history and theory.  He has presented frequent lectures on the subject of music and politics in the 19th century. 

Giuseppe Verdi is generally known as the composer of some of opera’s most enduring and best loved works.  What many people don’t realize, however, is that Verdi was also an important figure in Italian politics, lending his talent and celebrity to the cause of the Italian unification movement.  Attendees will look at some of his most beloved works—particularly Il Trovatore—not only for the sake of their richly beautiful music, but also for the role they played in the formation of a new nation. 

“Cosmic Destiny:  Star Wars and The Planets” will be presented by Dr. David Gonzol on March 25.  He is an assistant professor and director of music education at Shepherd University where he also serves as a Kodaly certification instructor. 

Gustav Holst’s monumental suite, The Planets, broke new musical ground, became tremendously popular and inspired countless science fiction score composers.  Attendees will briefly compare one such inspired score, John Williams’ Star Wars.  The class will then explore what Holst thought of his musical journey to the outermost planets and how he composed it.  More than a sonic spectacular, Holst meant something profound about the cosmos—indeed, about existence. 

Mozart’s Requiem will be the topic of the third lecture presented by Dr. Erik Reid Jones on April 29.  Jones is the director of choral and vocal activities at Shepherd University where he conducts three choral ensembles and the Masterworks Chorale which is made up of students and community residents. 

Upon Mozart’s death in 1791, he left unfinished his great Requiem, depriving the world of a final form of what would have been his greatest choral masterpieces.  What we currently know of as the Requiem was actually completed by his student, Franz Xavier Sussmayr.  In some movements Sussmayr simply filled in orchestration.  In others, he took fragments and completed the movements by himself.  Yet other movements were wholly the creation of Sussmayr.  He was a capable musician but was unable to capture the deep creativity of Mozart’s genius.  In this lecture, attendees will explore a number of different modern completions of Mozart’s Requiem, all of which dispense with Sussmayr’s notes and start fresh from Mozart’s final indications. 

Felix Mendelssohn, whose 200th birthday will be celebrated in 2009, will be the subject of the final lecture presented on May 27 by Dr. Wayne Wold.  An associate professor of music at Hood College, he also serves as the college organist.  Wold teaches courses in theory and appreciation and private lessons in composition, organ and harpsichord. 

The Maryland Symphony Orchestra is supported by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency dedicated to cultivating a vibrant cultural community where the arts thrive.  An agency of the Department of Business and Economic Development, the MSAC provides financial support and technical assistance to non-profit organizations, units of government, colleges and universities for arts activities. 

The MSO is the area’s premier professional orchestra, dedicated to providing musical performances that educate and entertain, while enhancing the cultural environment of Western Maryland and the surrounding region. 

More information on the Great Composers Lecture Series can be found at www.marylandsymphony.org or www.washcolibrary.org.