b'PROGRAM NOTESthat dead characters cannot dance, but pressure from critics and ballet administrators, as well as the observation that Prokofievs music was essentially tragic in nature, eventually persuaded the composer to retain Shakespeares ending. Prokofievs orchestration also caused problems for the dancers, who complained that they were unable to hear it from the stage. Although Prokofiev grumbled to the dancers that you want drums, not music! he eventually complied with their request for a larger sound. Because Prokofiev had such trouble getting the ballet Romeo and Juliet produced, he decided to arrange orchestral suites of music, each containing seven movements. Suites Nos. 1 and 2 were arranged in 1936; Prokofiev created a third ten years later. In 1938, Prokofiev conducted two of the suites while touring Europe and the United States. As orchestral pieces, Prokofievs music was well received; one New York critic stated, Prokofiev has written music for the masses and at the same time has attained extraordinary nobility.Of his music, Prokofiev said, I have taken special pains to achieve a simplicity which will, I hope, reach the hearts of all listeners. Tonights selections, chosen by Maestro Lecce-Chong, drawn from Suites 1 and 2, reflect the storys narrative arc. The episodic nature of the music effectively captures the essence of both characters and plot: the Ballroom Dance section introduces the lovers to one another; the splendid pomp of the minuet sounds as guests arrive at the Capulets masked ball, and is followed by playful marching music as the masked dancers mill about. The brassy foreboding of The Montagues and Capulets expresses the deep-rooted enmity of the two families. Prokofiev captures the tender intimacy of the young lovers on the balcony; this mood abruptly shatters amid the frantic chaos of the moments leading to Tybalts violent death. In the final section, the strings heartbreaking intensity and echoes of ominous brasses, periodically interrupted by fragments of the balcony love theme, accompany the grieving Romeo to Juliets grave. Elizabeth SchwartzElizabeth Schwartz is a writer and music historian based in the Portland area. She has been a program annotator for more than 20 years, and works with music festivals and ensembles around the country. Schwartz has also contributed to NPRs Performance Today, (now heard on American Public Media.)NOTE: These program notes are for Santa Rosa Symphony patrons and other interested readers. Any other use is forbidden without specific permission from the author, who may be contacted at classicalmusicprogramnotes.com22 Santa Rosa Symphony(707) 546-8742'