2008年9月5日 星期五

Brahms Academic Festival Overture, Op 80

by Abraham S.C. Chang (Rtn.Abe)

This music is presented to the members of Rotary Club of Taichung Tatung for the celebration of the inauguration of President Control
and his team on the first regular meeting for bell-knocking out of the new era of 2008-09.


This particular music is chosen to reflect the characters of the new president and to wish that the new pages of the history of this club will be full of academic and humanitarian spirit.

It is said that contemporary classic music are used to be the pop-music when they were composed. This is particular true to “Academic Festival Overture” which was composed by Johannes Brahms in 1880. Brahma was asked to compose a fine symphony to pay back the awarding of honorary doctorate from the University of Breslau (in Poland nowadays) the previous year. He was known to be a stingy joker, filled his quota by applying the ready-made campus songs into the symphony. Like wine making , Brahms blended four boisterous potpourri of student drinking songs in an intricately designed structure made to appear loose and episodic. However, through Brahms sophisticated mastery of counterpoint and carefully planned the arrangement of instruments, he created a ravishing euphoria and immortal music.

Brahms himself conducted the premiere at special convocation held by the University on January 4, 1881. Due to its easily-grasped structure, its lyrical warmth, as well as its excitement and humor, the work has remained a staple of today’s concert-hall repertoire. (July, 2008)

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