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2 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Celebrates 125th Anniversary

In 2013, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra will be celebrating 125 years of outstanding musicianship with numerous musical performances for audiences all over the globe. The RCO is embarking on a world tour in 2013, visiting six continents in a single year – the very first orchestra ever to do so: Europe, North and South America, Asia, Africa and Australia.

It will also be giving seventy-one concerts at the Concertgebouw in , its home base, including an Anniversary Concert on 3 November and a concert celebrating its joint anniversary with the Concertgebouw on 10 April. On 24 August, the orchestra will be performing an outdoor 3 concert on a pontoon on the Prinsengracht, one of the most famous Dutch canals, which themselves will turn 400 years old in 2013.

Even if the orchestra isn’t visiting your neighbourhood, you can still enjoy the RCO via radio and television broadcasts, webcasts, Facebook and CD recordings. Not to mention RCO Universe, a new innovative online application which is being launched in 2013, allowing you to enjoy the orchestra at any time, no matter where you are in the world. This publication provides as complete an overview as possible of all the orchestra’s anniversary activities.

Over the course of the anniversary year, you can stay up to date by checking the orchestra’s website, rcoamsterdam.com.

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Departure to the United States in 1961

4 World Tour

The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is celebrating its 125th The world tour consists of forty-eight concerts in thirty anniversary on a truly global scale. The orchestra will be cities and is divided into seven parts. In between its travelling the world over in 2013 to give concerts of the travels, the orchestra will be returning to Amsterdam to highest possible calibre. Never before has the RCO been give its regular subscription concerts, as well as various to Africa or Australia. It will also be travelling to places it special anniversary performances. has not visited in a very long time. Its concerts in Russia, where the orchestra has toured only once before – in 1974 –, The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra plays a have also been scheduled to coincide with the Russia–the leading musical role in society both nationally and Bilateral Year. In South America, where it internationally. Globally, the orchestra ranks among those last performed in 1998, the RCO will be stopping off in few leading cultural institutions that set an example in Brazil and , and will even be giving a free open- the areas of performance and programming, as affirmed air concert, among other performances, in São Paulo. in 2008 when the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra was 5 hailed as ‘the World’s Greatest Orchestra’ by the respected Why a world tour? The RCO’s managing director Jan Raes magazine Gramophone. says, ‘Music is a unifying force. It brings people together. The orchestra is an important cultural representative of With Her Royal Highness Princess Máxima of the Amsterdam and of the Netherlands. It is a standard-bearer Netherlands, wife of Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, for European symphonic culture and is frequently invited serving as the orchestra’s patroness, its long-standing to perform in the world’s leading concert halls. We’re relationship with the Dutch royal family and leading proud of that and want to share it with everyone. Made up international corporate networks has been firmly of 120 musicians – of whom around seventy are Dutch, the embedded in the orchestra’s history and future. The remaining fifty hailing from other countries all over the orchestra will be working with embassies and the national world –, the orchestra represents over twenty nationalities and international business community to coordinate other in all. You could say it truly reflects the world we live in.’ events around the concerts.

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Mariss Jansons

6 Repertoire

While on tour, the orchestra will be performing compositions that have played an important role in its Education and Masterclasses history, as well as works connected to the year of its foundation, 1888. These include Bartók’s Violin Concerto Where possible, members of the orchestra will be No. 2, Lutosławski’s Mi-Parti and Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben, engaging with educational institutions and young, compositions which were dedicated to the orchestra. talented musicians, whom they will be coaching in Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5, composed in 1888, is also masterclasses. In South Africa, the RCO will be organising being performed. Also featured are works by composers an education project focusing on Prokofiev’s Peter who made guest appearances with the orchestra on more and the Wolf. A new text will be written to accompany than one occasion, such as Bartók’s Piano Concerto No. 3; this beautiful musical fairy tale. The orchestra will Mahler’s Symphonies No. 1 (completed in 1888), No. 2 and be engaging with several schools which will actively 7 No. 9; Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini; and participate in the project and will even be sharing the ’s Tod und Verklärung, which the composer stage with a local children’s choir. started work on in 1888. The Symphony No. 7 by Bruckner, in whose work the orchestra specialises, takes pride of Partners place. The tour will also feature performances of works including Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 3 and Symphony ING, KLM and Unilever are Global Partners of the world No. 7, Benzecry’s Rituales Amerindios, Dvorák’s Symphony tour. This unique initiative is made possible in part by No. 9 and Lieberson’s Neruda Songs. The RCO will also be their support. taking along Dutch repertoire: two overtures by , who conducted the orchestra several times.

7 travel plan

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8 instalment 1 instalment 3 instalment 6 Europe and the United States Europe Europe

Frankfurt: Sunday, 27 January Cologne: Friday, 7 June Bucharest: Saturday, 21 September Vienna: Monday, 28 January Paris: Saturday, 8 June Bucharest: Sunday, 22 September Vienna: Tuesday, 29 January Brussels: Thursday, 31 January Luxembourg: Friday, 1 February instalment 4 instalment 7 Paris: Saturday, 2 February Lisbon: Monday, 4 February South America Europe, Asia and Australia Madrid: Tuesday, 5 February São Paulo: Sunday, 23 June St Petersburg: Friday, 8 November Madrid: Wednesday, 6 February (open-air concert) Moscow: Saturday, 9 November Washington: Tuesday, 12 February São Paulo: Monday, 24 June Moscow: Sunday, 10 November New York: Wednesday, 13 February São Paulo: Tuesday, 25 June China: Wednesday, 13 November New York: Thursday, 14 February Rio de Janeiro: Wednesday, 26 June China: Thursday, 14 November 9 Buenos Aires: Friday, 28 June Tokyo: Saturday, 16 November Buenos Aires: Saturday, 29 June Kawasaki: Sunday, 17 November instalment 2 Tokyo: Monday, 18 November Perth: Thursday, 21 November Africa instalment 5 Perth: Friday, 22 November Cape Town: Saturday, 9 March Brisbane: Sunday, 24 November Europe Durban: Sunday, 10 March Brisbane: Monday, 25 November Durban: Monday, 11 March Edinburgh: Friday, 30 August Melbourne: Tuesday, 26 November (education project) Luxembourg: Saturday, 31 August Melbourne: Wednesday, 27 November Pretoria: Tuesday, 12 March Lucerne: Sunday, 1 September Sydney: Friday, 29 November Lucerne: Tuesday, 3 September Sydney: Saturday, 30 November Berlin: Wednesday, 4 September Sydney: Sunday, 1 December Grafenegg: Thursday, 5 September

9 performers and repertoire

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10 instal ment 1 instalment 6 Europe and the united states instalment 4 Europe Mariss Jansons, conductor south-America Leonidas Kavakos, violin Mariss Jansons, conductor Bartók: Violin Concerto No. 2 Mariss Jansons, conductor Emanuel Ax, piano Bruckner: Symphony No. 7 Denis Matsuev, piano Lisa Batiashvili, violin Mahler: Symphony No. 1 Enescu: Rhapsody No. 1 Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 Strauss: Tod und Verklärung Mahler: Symphony No. 1 Enescu: Rhapsody No. 1 Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 Prokofiev: excerpts from Romeo and Juliet Prokofiev: excerpts from Romeo and Juliet Wagenaar: Overture De getemde feeks Rachmaninoff: Rhapsody on Prokofiev: Violin Concerto No. 1 a Theme of Paganini Strauss: Ein Heldenleben instal ment 2 Johann Strauss the Younger: Persian March Stravinsky: Suite from The Firebird Strauss: Tod und Verklärung Africa Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 instal ment 7 Charles Dutoit, conductor Verdi: Overture to La forza del destino Europe, Asia and Australia 11 Otto Tausk, conductor (education project) Villa-Lobos: Toccata , violin from Bachianas brasileiras no. 2 Mariss Jansons, conductor Beethoven: Symphony No. 7 Wagenaar: Overture De getemde feeks Emanuel Ax, piano Prokofiev: Peter and the Wolf Yefim Bronfman, piano Tchaikovsky: Violin Concerto instalment 5 Veronika Dzhioeva, soprano Wagenaar: Overture Cyrano de Bergerac Anna Larsson, contralto Europe Latvian Radio Choir instal ment 3 Daniele Gatti, conductor Beethoven: Piano Concerto No. 3 Bartók: Piano Concerto No. 3 Mahler: Symphony No. 2 Europe Lutosławski: Mi-Parti Strauss: Ein Heldenleben Gustavo Dudamel, conductor Mahler: Symphony No. 9 Stravinsky: Suite from The Firebird Christianne Stotijn, soprano Prokofiev: excerpts from Romeo and Juliet Tchaikovsky: Symphony No. 5 Benzecry: Illapa from Rituales Amerindios Wagenaar: Overture De getemde feeks Dvorák: Symphony No. 9 Lieberson: Neruda Songs

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12 Repertoire in Amsterdam

‘To commemorate our anniversary year, we wanted to Throughout the year, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra commission works by two renowned composers – one will be performing compositions that have played an in and one outside the Netherlands,’ says Joel Ethan important role in its history, as well as works connected Fried, Director of Artistic Administration. ‘When the to the year of its foundation, 1888. The anniversary year Concertgebouw’s Board of Directors heard of this, they will be framed by two Christmas Matinee performances decided to make us a present of these two works. Magnus on Christmas Day. With its renowned Passion tradition, Lindberg knows the orchestra well, and the orchestra has the orchestra will be breathing new life into its traditional performed several of his compositions in the past. He is Palm Sunday concert with a performance of Frank writing a new work for the Opening Concert in January. Martin’s Golgotha in March. In April, as part of the Jubilee We’re also very proud indeed that Louis Andriessen, the Concert, all the RCO’s chief conductors from the last fifty Netherlands’ best-known composer, has accepted the years – Bernard Haitink, Mariss Jansons and Riccardo orchestra’s commission. Andriessen hasn’t written music Chailly – will be appearing with the orchestra. Other for very large ensemble in a very long time. Having always artistic highlights include the concerts commemorating 13 been interested in Eastern sounds and percussion timbres, Wagner’s 200th birthday featuring Mariss Jansons and he is taking inspiration from our extended collection of Wagner singers Eva-Maria Westbroek and Burkhard percussion instruments, particularly the plate bells. The Fritz in April, and a complete performance of Der fliegende orchestra will be performing his new work on the official Holländer in concert version, conducted by Andris Nelsons, Anniversary Concert in November. The Concertgebouw in May. Also in May, the Beethoven Series gets under and the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra will be holding way with Iván Fischer. And in June, Gustavo Dudamel is a joint celebration during their Jubilee Concert in April. conducting the orchestra once again. The Requiem ritual Here, too, a newly commissioned work will be performed is being continued in September with a performance of to mark this very special occasion. We have asked Bob the Verdi Requiem (Verdi, like Wagner, was also born 200 Zimmerman to compose a set of variations on a Dutch years ago) featuring chief conductor Mariss Jansons. In folk song called “Komt vrienden in het ronden” (Come, November, exactly 125 years after the very first official Friends, Gather Round).’ concert the orchestra gave, it will be performing the Anniversary Concert.

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14 RCO Universe: For Young Listeners and Future Generations In 2013, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is launching RCO Universe – a new, innovative online application consisting of a unique collection of concert recordings by the orchestra. Once RCO Universe has been launched, the audio and video streams of a selection of concerts will be made available shortly after the live performances have 15 been given. Recordings will be complemented by a wealth RCO Universe will provide current and future generations of additional information. For instance, as you watch and of music lovers with cutting-edge access to the orchestra. listen, you’ll be able to follow along in the score. The app Knowledge of, and information about, music, in addition will also provide access to interviews, documentaries and to intense, exciting concert experiences, can be accessed background information. The new app will allow you to anywhere in the world at any time. By launching the app, enjoy the orchestra no matter where you are, whenever the orchestra is intentionally targeting young listeners in you like. an effort to fire their enthusiasm for classical music and build a solid relationship with them.

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Preparations for a tour to Interlaken, July 1946

16 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra 1888 – 2013

The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is one of the very entities in 1951, and the orchestra changed its name to the best orchestras in the world. In 2008, it was lauded by Concertgebouw Orchestra. On the occasion of its 100th the authoritative UK music magazine Gramophone as the anniversary in 1988, the orchestra officially received the ‘best orchestra in the world’. Its widely acclaimed sound appellation ‘Royal’. In addition to some ninety concerts clearly stands out among thousands of others and is due performed at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the in part to the unique acoustics of the Concertgebouw Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra gives forty concerts at itself. The influence exerted on the orchestra by its chief leading concert halls throughout the world each year. conductors, of whom there have been only six in the last The orchestra participates in residencies in Paris (Salle 125 years, is also important, as is that of the musicians Pleyel), Brussels (BOZAR) and London (Barbican Centre). themselves. The RCO is made up of 120 players hailing In countries where the RCO performs on a regular basis from over twenty countries. Despite its size, the orchestra music lovers make the effort to support the orchestra. 17 actually functions more like a chamber orchestra. Indeed, RCO Friends in the United States of America, Switzerland, this requires both a high individual calibre and a great England, Belgium and France not only materially sense of mutual trust and confidence. The musicians also support the orchestra, but they also take on the role of share the aim of achieving and delivering the highest ambassadors for the orchestra. The orchestra reaches level of quality at every performance, an ambition that some 250,000 concert-goers a year, and its performances goes far beyond simply playing all the notes perfectly. are regularly broadcast on radio and television by its Consequently, every performance is an opportunity to let media partner, the Dutch AVRO network. The RCO also audiences hear the unhearable, feel the unfeelable and has an ever-growing number of Facebook fans. To date, the touch the untouchable. That’s when magic happens and a orchestra has made over 1,100 LP, CD and DVD recordings, concert becomes a truly unforgettable experience. many of which have won international distinctions. In The Orchestra of the Concertgebouw, as it was then 2004, the orchestra launched its own in-house record known, was founded as part of Het Concertgebouw NV in label, RCO Live. Her Royal Highness Princess Máxima is 1888. The two organisations formally split into separate the orchestra’s patroness.

17 www.rcolive.com

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18 Anniversary Series and Events

From highlights of the repertoire performed by the orchestra in 2013, an Anniversary Series is being created. Series tickets will go on sale at the end of August 2012 – the perfect opportunity for you to reserve a seat at the Opening Concert on 17 January and the Anniversary Concert on 3 November. Please consult our website for 19 information on special anniversary events and initiatives, such as the Three Generation Initiative. When you and two other people attend an RCO performance together and your combined ages equal exactly 125 years, you will receive an anniversary gift. The youngest concert-goers will always receive something extra.

For up-to-date information, log on to rcoamsterdam.com/125.

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The Concertgebouw Orchestra and in 1907

20 Anniversary Publications Royal concertgebouw orchestra amsterdam 1888-2013 Digital Concert Archives A picture is worth a thousand words. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam 1888–2013 explores the orchestra’s On 3 November 2013, exactly 125 years after its very first illustrious history in photographs preserved in the official concert, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra is archives and new material produced by contemporary launching an online database containing virtually all photographers. Browse the album and discover how the historical concert data since its inception. What works orchestra has evolved over time. were performed on that first concert? Did the chief Scheduled for publication in December 2012 conductors show a preference for a particular composer? 21 Why not browse the digital concert archives and find out? History in Music Many thanks are due to Nico Steffen, who has allowed the editors the use of his extensive archive on the history of All seven volumes of the widely acclaimed Anthology of the the orchestra and its chief conductors. Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra are being released as part of a Launch scheduled for 3 November 2013 single deluxe CD box set to commemorate the orchestra’s anniversary. This is your opportunity to enjoy the orchestra’s complete history in music right in the comfort of your own home. The first four individually released volumes are now sold out. Scheduled for release in the summer of 2013 on the RCO Live label

21 Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra

Jacob Obrechtstraat 51 | 1071 kj Amsterdam P.O. Box 78098 | 1070 lp Amsterdam [email protected] +31 20 305 10 10 www.rcoamsterdam.com www.AAAserie.nl

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Single tickets

Concertgebouw Line +31 900 671 83 45 22 Open daily from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Calls cost € 1,- each.

All concerts in Amsterdam are given in the Main Hall of the Concertgebouw, Concertgebouwplein 2–6 | Amsterdam Program subject to alterations

Compilation: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Graphic design: Atelier René Knip and Rens Martens Lithography and printing: Calff & Meischke Translation: Josh Dillon The photographs presented in this brochure are by: Marco Borggreve, Simon van Boxtel, Hanya Chlala, Frances Capatella, KLM/MAI, Ronald Knapp

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