4th CONCERT SEASON น้อมเกล้าฯ ถวายคารวาลัยคีตราชัน HOMAGE TO HIS MAJESTY KING BHUMIBOL ADULYADEJ
Bhatthara Maharaja Overture for Orchestra and Chorus
Narongrit Dhamabutra
“Bhatthara Maharaja” was composed by Narongrit
Dhamabutra in remembrance of His Majesty King
Bhumibol Adulyadej. Scored for large orchestra
and chorus, this piece is based on the poem
by Associate Professor Chosita Maneesai. The
composition starts with a majestic theme by the
brass section, followed by a melodious theme
by the string section.
Then, the chorus sings the poem twice. In the
second time, the music grows in pompous
manner. During the course of the composition,
the music is placid and later enters the lively
section with the addition of percussion and harp
timbres. The music then moves to a fast and
energetic sixteen-note running passage from the
string section, imitating the idiom of “Ranad” (a
Thai xylophone). The coda begins with a grand
gesture from the orchestra and the chorus and
eventually ends peacefully.
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H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej Medley on Royal Compositions for 2 pianos and orchestra
Arranged by Wiwat Suthiyam
Alexandra
This welcome song was written and performed in
honor of H.R.H. Princess Alexandra of Kenton the
occasion of her 1959 visit to Thailand. M.L. Usni
Pramoj remarked, “On the day of the banquet,
His Majesty arrived at Sala Phaka Phirom shortly
before Princess Alexandra’s scheduled arrival
and handed my father (M.R. Seni Pramoj) a score
sheet. It was a gentle melody of short duration.
My father duly scribbled down some English lyrics
for the music. And, as quickly and smoothly as
the whole affair seemed to move along, after
dinner His Majesty played the tune on the piano,
with Mr. Manrat Srikaranonda singing.”
The Thai lyrics written to the sweet tune by
Thanpuying Maniratana Bunnag under the title
of “Phaendin Khong Rao” (“Our Motherland”)
were marked by patriotic fervor and pride for the
motherland. The composition was made at the
request of Her Majesty the Queen who felt that
more music for patriotism wouldn’t hurt anyone;
she saw it fitting to have this sweet tune do a
few extra notes for the country.
Love in Spring
This is one of the earliest songs His Majesty
composed after his return home for permanent
residence in the country; it was granted to
the Old England Students Association as their
signature tune.
The English lyrics were written by H.H. Prince
Chakrabandh Pensiri and theThai lyrics by
Thanpuying Somroj Swasdikul. “Love in Spring”
a bittersweet love tune, turned out to be one
of His Majesty’s most popular compositions.
The Impossible Dream
It has always been Her Majesty the Queen’s wish
to offer words of encouragement to government
officials, the military and police forces, and
civilians in performing their duties or the nation
with conscientiousness. Once again, she asked
Thanpuying Maniratana Bunnag to write a poem
with an uplifting message, and the result was &
“Kwamfan An Sungsud” (“The Noblest Dream”).
Thanpuying Maniratana said of the lyrics, that she
was inspired by His Majesty himself, after years of
intimate impressions of the King’s character and
adroit dispensation of royal affairs. Her Majesty had
the lyrics printed on a small card and distributed
to government officials, the military and police
forces, and civilians.
Later, Her Majesty asked His Majesty if he could
come up with a melody to fit the poem. His
Majesty rose to the challenge, and for the first
time, in 1971, His Majesty fitted a melody to
a lyric poem.
His Majesty asked M.L. Usni Pramoj to arrange
the song. M.L. Usni considered this song a piece
of functional music, produced to serve an
immediate, specific purpose, in contrast to the
inspired music of His Majesty’s previous works
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Symphony No. 2, 4th & 5th Movements
Gustav Mahler
Mahler’s second symphony was many years
in the making. In 1888, Mahler composed the
first movement as a symphonic poem called
Todtenfeier (Funeral Rites). For several years, he
considered the possibility of using Todtenfeier as
the basis for a symphony and, in 1893, wrote two
more movements. The following year, Mahler
added the song Urlicht (“Primal Light”) and a
final fifth movement containing the Resurrection
Hymn. It is from this hymn that the symphony
gets its popular name.
The second symphony is a behemoth. It is scored
for soprano and alto soloists, a large mixed
chorus, and an unusually large orchestra. A typical
performance lasts approximately 120 minutes.
Today, the Princess Galyani Vadhana Institute of
Music Youth Orchestra will be performing the
fourth and fifth movements, Urlicht (“Primal
Light”) and Aufersteh’n (“Resurrection”).
Although Mahler himself did not use the title
“Resurrection Symphony”, he did provide a program
that fits this title.
The first movement celebrates
a dead hero and the second represents sweet
nostalgia. The third symbolizes darker memories
and reflections on the seeming meaningless of
life. The fourth and fifth movements together
tell the story of the Last Judgment, redemption,
and resurrection.
The fourth movement, “Urlicht”, is one of Mahler’s
most beautiful songs. It is characterized by a
high degree of metrical flexibility. Mahler sets
each line of the text with new music, exquisitely
tailored to fit its meaning.
The peace and calm of the fourth movement
is shattered instantaneously by the ferocious
opening of the finale.
The finale, the longest
movement of the symphony, draws and builds
on material presented in earlier movements.
It opens with a low grumbling that recalls the
first movement. An ascending scale motive
can be heard as a symbol of resurrection.
A march, with echoes of the Dies irae is heard,
and the movement is punctuated by offstage
trumpet and horn calls. When the last trumpet sounds from offstage, as Mahler describes,
“we think we hear a nightingale in the farthest
distance, like the last quivering echo of earthly
life!” Following this moment of solitude, the Hymn
of Resurrection begins softly. The text is adapted
from a hymn that Mahler heard at the memorial
service for his colleague, the great pianist, Hans
von Bülow. “It struck me like lightning,” Mahler
wrote, “and everything was revealed to my soul
clear and plain.”
Conductor: Norman Huynh
Composer: Narongrit Dhamabutra
Choir Master: Kajornsak Kittimathaveenan
Pianist: Poom Prommachart
Pianist: Laurens Patzlaff
Soprano: Barbara Zion
Mezzo Soprano: Fiorella Hincapie’
Arranger: Wiwat Suthiyam
Saturday 28th January 2017 / 7.00 p.m.
at Main Hall, Thailand Cultural Center