Samuel Barber, "Die Natali, Op. 37"

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Commissioned by the Koussevitzky Music Foundation, and dedicated to the memory fo Serge and Natalie Koussevitsky, Die Natali was begun in July 1960 and completed that November. The premiere, by Charles Munch and the Boston Symphony, took place on 23rd December. As its title suggests, the piece draws on Christmas carols for its thematic ideas, putting them through a series of ingenious harmonic and contrapuntal devices as it does so. After strings and brass have intoned O come, O come, Emmanuel, individual orchestral groups play variations on Lo, how a rose e'er blooming. An extended treatment of We three kings is followed by animated variations on God rest you merry, gentlemen with a brief appearance from Good King Wenceslas, before Silent Night is heard, there are further variations on O come, O come, Emanuel, then, over an ostinato derived from Adeste fideles, the work reaches a culmination with Joy to the world. Silent Night returns to effect a quiet close. -- Richard Whitehouse