Beethoven’s

2:30pm | Sunday | 08 Oct 2017 Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House 2018 Season Subscribe and save up to 30%

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Competition closes 12 December 2017. See website for full terms and conditions. Beethoven’s Quintet

Sunday 8 October 2017 Program 2:30pm Utzon Room, Sydney Opera House , Op. 43 Presented as part of the 2017 Master Series Paul Hindemith Kleine Kammermusik for Wind Quintet, Op. 24, No. 2

Interval

Jean Françaix for Winds

Ludwig van Beethoven Quintet in E-flat major for Piano and Winds, Op. 16

Approximate durations (minutes):

23 – 14 - Interval – 10 – 27

The concert will last approximately one hour and 35 minutes, including a 20-minute interval.

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Cover Image: Bruce Terry What’s On

2017 Season The - David Rowden Lunch Series 12:30pm | Wed | 18 Oct Stravinsky Three Pieces for Clarinet Solo City Recital Hall Brahms Sonata for Clarinet and Piano, Op. 120, No. 2 cityrecitalhall.com Messager Solo de Concours 02 8256 2222 Anderson Miniatures [World Premiere]

The Cello - Teije Hylkema Lunch Series 12:30pm | Wed | 15 Nov Bach Cello Suite No. 2 in D minor, BWV 1008 City Recital Hall Beethoven Trio in B flat major, Op. 11, ‘Gassenhauer’ cityrecitalhall.com Hogarth Trio for Clarinet, Piano and Cello 02 8256 2222 [World Premiere]

Ravel Impressions Virtuoso Series 7:30pm | Thu | 16 Nov Mozart Trio in E flat major ‘Kegelstatt’, K. City Recital Hall 498 Fauré in D minor, Op. 120 cityrecitalhall.com Arensky Piano Trio No. 1 in D minor, Op. 32 02 8256 2222 Ravel in F major

2018 Season Summer Winds: Master Series From Beethoven to Ravel 2:30pm | Sun | 25 Feb Utzon Room, Sydney Debussy “Syrinx”, for Solo Opera House Taffanel Wind Quintet in G minor Beethoven Duo for and Clarinet sydneyoperahouse.com Ravel Le Tombeau de Couperin 02 9250 7777 Arnold Three Shanties for Wind Quintet

Eternal : Virtuoso Series Messiaen and Schubert 7:30pm | Wed | 11 Apr City Recital Hall Barber Adagio for Strings, Op.11 Messiaen Quatuor pour la fin du temps cityrecitalhall.com (Quartet for the End of Time) 02 8256 2222 Schubert String Quartet No. 14 in D minor, D.810 “Death and the Maiden”

4 About the Music

Carl Nielsen (1865–1931) concerto (1926) and the clarinet concerto (1928) Wind Quintet are character studies cunningly made to suit the individuality of the soloist. Opus 43, Composed in 1922 Nielsen’s musical style is one filled with lushness I. Allegro ben moderato of the Romantic era, encapsulating the same II. Menuet aesthetics of beauty, emotion, and the inner III. Prelude — Adagio — Theme & Variations — Un poco andantino thoughts of the artist and above all the profound nature of his writing. Oxford University music In Nielsen’s biography, the author writes: ‘Nielsen’s professor Daniel Grimley qualifies Nielsen as “one fondness of wind instruments is closely related to his of the most playful, life-affirming, and awkward love of nature, his fascination for living, breathing voices in twentieth-century music” thanks to the things. He was also intensely interested in human “melodic richness and harmonic vitality” of his work. character, and the Wind Quintet, composed Anne-Marie Reynolds, author of Carl Nielsen’s deliberately for five friends, is cunningly made Voice: His Songs in Context, cites Robert Simpson’s to suit the individuality of each player.’ Since view that “all of his music is vocal in origin”, its premiere in 1922 Nielsen’s Wind Quintet has maintaining that song-writing strongly influenced remained one of the most popular and beloved Nielsen’s development as a composer. pieces in the woodwind repertoire.

1922 was a pivotal year in Carl Nielsen’s life: he was diagnosed with a severe heart condition, he Paul Hindemith (1895-1963) reconciled with his wife after close to seven years’ Kleine Kammermusik for Wind separation, he learned to drive, he conducted the premiere of his Fifth Symphony, and he completed Quintet, No.2 a work for the Wind Quintet. The new Opus 24, Composed in 1922 woodwind quintet was an attempt “to present the I. Lustig. Mäßig schnell Viertel characteristics of the various instruments,” and II. Walzer: Durchweg sehr leise in the process of working with the performers he III. Ruhig und einfach came to know them extremely well. IV. Schnelle Viertel V. Sehr lebhaft From this experience, he decided to write a concerto for each of the five players of the wind In his series of works entitled Kammermusik quintet in such a way that the music would be a () - composed between 1922 and kind of musical portrait. Although he only completed 1927, Paul Hindemith developed a new musical style two of the projected five wind concerti, the flute that rejected the expressionist aesthetics that were

5 Harmonic fluctuation is what Hindemith calls the differences in quality and tension that result from a sequence of chords.

prevailing in the early years of the 20th century. His language. This is music that, while invoking the musical style, often described as ‘neoclassical’, was outdoor wind divertimentos of the 18th century, developed during this period in which he found his sneers at the late 19th century’s sonorous and musical voice - subsequently departing from his emotional indulgence.” For audiences hearing this early late-Romantic language. It is important to work for the first time it was, musically, a departure discuss Hindemith’s musical system here in order to from everything they had known. best understand the harmonic and melodic palette found in this work.

One of the key features of his system is that he ranks Jean Françaix (1912-1997) all musical intervals of the 12-note equally tempered Quartet for Winds scale from the most consonant to the most Composed in 1933 dissonant. He classifies chords in six categories, on the basis of how dissonant they are, whether or I. Allegro not they contain a tritone, and whether or not they II. Andante clearly suggest a root or tonal centre. Hindemith’s III. Allegro molto IV. Allegro vivo philosophy also encompassed melody - he strove for melodies that do not clearly outline major or Ravel said to a young Françaix’s parents: “Among minor triads. the child’s gifts I observe above all the most fruitful an artist can possess, that of curiosity: you must Hindemith’s Kleine Kammermusik for Wind Quintet not stifle these precious gifts now or ever, or risk was composed in 1922 and was the second in his letting this young sensibility wither.” His parents took series of small chamber pieces. The first work, this advice and by the age of five Françaix was composed in the same year, features an accordion considered a child prodigy who was later sent to and a siren, and it would seem that he was keen study with acclaimed composition teacher Nadia on jolting his audience, if nothing else. With this Boulanger. experimental phase out of his system, Hindemith turned to a more pleasing aesthetic in his quintet Françaix’s style is marked by lightness and wit (a for winds. stated goal of his was to “give pleasure”), as well as a conversational style of interplay between the Orrin Howard writes that : “The dry, caustic timbre musical lines. It changed little throughout his career; of the winds is matched perfectly to the lean, chic, while he was influenced by composers he admired and impersonal materials that speak clearly the (such as Emmanuel Chabrier, , Stravinskian neo-classic tongue, as translated into and Francis Poulenc), he integrated what was to become Hindemith’s characteristic

6 what he picked up into his own distinct aesthetic, symphonies that we know him by today, the young which was already evident in his early works. 27 year old pianist composed a Quintet for Piano and Winds - a rather unusual combination for At the age of 21 Françaix composed his Quartet for its time. At the time of composing this early work Winds for staff at Le Mans Conservatoire, where his Beethoven was only beginning to make his mark on father was the Director. With the arrogance of the the Viennese public as a composer. young he explained his choice of instrumentation as follows: “As the tutor who was there at the time The quintet was first performed at a benefit concert was never quite sure what sound would emerge on 6 April 1797 given by Ignaz Schuppanzigh - one from his instrument – his fame was as a specialist in of the leading exponents of chamber music in the art of playing several notes at the same time – I - who quickly made a strong friendship had decided not to ‘rouse the volcano,’ and wrote with Beethoven and played an important role a quartet without horn which would be less likely to in introducing the young composer to Viennese produce “disconcerting surprises.” audiences. An 1803, a review of Beethoven’s quintet described it as a “brilliant and serious work, full of This was Françaix’s first chamber work for winds deep expression and character, but sometimes too and it exhibits the joie de vivre that was to become bold.” one of the defining characteristics of his music. While musical customs evolved rapidly during the There are some loose connections to be made course of Françaix’s working life, the composer’s in regards to Mozart’s quintet. The only common own style changed little: he rejected atonality, and aspect they share is the unusual instrumental remained wedded to neo-classical sensibilities in combination and the key of Eb major. While the pursuit of music as a source of pleasure. Though Mozart’s work of the same scoring is considered the Françaix did not attempt to break new musical ‘classic’ Beethoven is seen to be ‘classicising’ (i.e. ground, the light-hearted wit that infused his works, a reproduction of classical forms), it is unlikely that together with his elegant phrasing and skillful Beethoven had access to Mozart’s score. However, orchestration earned him the respect of many of it is likely that Beethoven may have heard it while his peers, with his compositions becoming standard on tour in Prague. The link between the two concert fare. may be in Beethoven’s work as an improviser and how he draws on small motifs found in Mozart’s Françaix remained prolific throughout his life; works and develops these (again ‘classicising’ even in 1981 he described himself as “constantly rather than using Mozart’s a direct model). composing”, barely finishing one piece before beginning another, and continued thus until his In the final movement, a lively rondo, Beethoven death in 1997. leaves room for a solo cadenza in the first half of the finale. It is reported that the composer (who played the piano part himself) would indulge in some extra improvisational activity, fooling the wind (1770-1827) players, who – at first amused and then disgruntled Quintet in E-flat major for Piano – were waiting to come back in, giving the quintet and Winds a quasi-concerto feel, particularly in demonstrating Op. 16, Composed in 1796 the dazzling technical mastery of the pianist. Ferdinand Ries, Beethoven’s student, reported that I. Grave — Allegro ma non troppo the “whole society was enchanted” by Beethoven’s II. Andante cantabile piano skills. III. Rondo. Allegro, ma non troppo

Long before Beethoven had even tried his hand at composing the string quartets, opera and the

7 Musicians

Sally Walker, Flute Celia Craig, Selected Recordings Omega Ensemble: Mozart—Munro—Palmer (ABC Classics), Orchestras Adelaide Symphony Southern Invention (Atol), Whitehead: , Deutsche Kammerakademie Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Puhake Ki Te Rangi (Atol) Neuss, Kölner Kammerorchester, City of BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Birmingham Orchestra, BBC National Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, Orchestra of Wales, Kammerakademie London Symphony, Royal Scottish Michael Dixon, Bassoon Potsdam, NDR Radio Philharmonie National Orchestra, City of Birmingham Orchestras Queensland Philharmonic Hannover, Darwin Symphony, Dortmund Symphony, Royal Philharmonic, Sydney Orchestra, Australian Opera & Ballet Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra Symphony Orchestra, Melbourne Orchestra, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Accademia I Filarmonici di Verona and Symphony Orchestra, New Zealand Canberra Symphony Orchestra. the Klassische Philharmonie Bonn Symphony Orchestra, Christchurch Symphony Orchestra. Ensembles Australian Brandenburg Ensembles Australian Chamber Orchestra, LOCANA, Omega Ensemble Orchestra, Omega Ensemble, Das Ensembles Coull Quartet, TinAlley Neue Orchester Köln, Neues Bachisches Quartet, London Chamber Players, Selected Recordings Omega Ensemble: Collegium Musicum and Leipziger Omega Ensemble Mozart—Munro—Palmer (ABC Classics) Kammerorchester, Halcyon, Shanghai Premieres Elliot Carter: Pastorale, String Quartet Awards MMus (Musicology), MPhil Olivier Messiaen: Concert a Quatre (Composition), DCA Selected Recordings Cyrus Meurant: Selected Recordings Michael Berkeley: Monday to Friday (Birdland Records), Tristessa (Chandos) Sally Whitwell: Road Trip (ABC Classics) Maria Raspopova, Piano Awards/Study BA Hons, LRAM, Ensembles Omega Ensemble, Australian David Rowden, Clarinet Associate of the Royal Academy of National Academy of Music Music (ARAM) Mark Grandison: Riffraction; Orchestras Sydney Symphony Premieres Orchestra, Australian Opera and Ballet : Contradance; Mark Orchestra, The Queensland Orchestra, Ben Hoadley, Bassoon Issacs: Chamber Symphony New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Orchestras Sydney Symphony Selected Recordings Omega Ensemble: Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, Adelaide Orchestra, Australian Opera and Ballet Mozart—Munro—Palmer (ABC Classics) Symphony Orchestra Orchestra, New Zealand Symphony Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Ensembles Omega Ensemble, Australia Trondheim Symphony Orchestra, Boston Ensemble, Sydney Soloists, Australian Symphony, Boston Pops Orchestras, National Academy of Music Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Premieres George Palmer: Clarinet Queensland Symphony Orchestra, Concerto, Ian Munro: Clarinet Quintet Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra, Australian Youth Orchestra. Selected Recordings Omega Ensemble: Mozart—Munro—Palmer (ABC Classics), Ensembles Auckland Chamber Play School 50th Anniversary Special Orchestra, St Martin in the Fields, (ABC3). Hallé, Omega Ensemble, Australian Brandenburg Orchestra Awards/Study BMus, Associate of the Royal Academy of Music (ARAM) Premieres Alex Taylor: Bassoon Concerto

8 Meet the Musician

Michael Dixon, Horn The French horn seems an ‘odd’ fit amongst its woodwind colleagues in works for wind quartet Born in New Zealand, and quintet - how does the French horn blend with Michael began these instruments and what, in particular, makes piano studies with his it fit? grandmother and horn with his father. Michael The horn has a malleable tone that can blend well, has held full-time stand out when wanted. Part of the tonal charm positions with a number comes from having the right hand in the bell. The of Australian orchestras hand along with the mouth can manipulate tone including Principal Horn colour in wondrous ways. in the Queensland Philharmonic Orchestra. Michael One of the pieces on the program is Hindemith’s now freelances and is a regular with the Australian Kammermusik. What do you enjoy most about this Opera & Ballet Orchestra, the Sydney Symphony piece? Orchestra and the Canberra Symphony Orchestra. He has performed with the Australian Brandenburg There’s such vitality in the Hindemith. I’ve been Orchestra and Ludovico’s on natural horn. playing it for more than 30 years now and still Chamber music credits include his contemporary enjoy it. I like his little rhythmic devices and interval ensemble LOCANA, since 2003, and Omega devices. He finds a catchy rhythm and melody Ensemble from 2013. and shifts things around in subtle ways. It all feels playful. The ostinato in the slow movement is When and why did you first start playing the French gorgeous and the last movement is riveting. horn ? Could you tells us about your own compositions and When I was 11, dad bought a French horn with the your use of microtonal music? intention of practising it to get a better feel for teaching horn. When I opened the case to look at it I To me, microtones are the little pitch adjustments fell in love. There was no going back and dad never we make to make the music feel right, to sound got to play it himself. in tune with other malleable instruments. As a composer, I prescribe these adjustments. I ask my What do you enjoy most about playing chamber fellow musicians to make them conscious and to music? play the ones I want at specific times. This allows I love the responsibility, the intimacy, the sheer fine tuning to have more clarity. necessity of being constantly musical. It’s a great joy To read the full interview visit the blog section on to have such a vital role in the recreation of each our website. piece of music. One’s perceptions must be alertly attuned to what every other musician is doing. The collaborative process is marvellous.

9 Supporters

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10 Principal Chair Sponsors

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11 Omega Ensemble

The Ensemble Founded in 2005, Omega Ensemble is one of Australia’s finest chamber groups. With a dedication to presenting the finest Australian musicians, as Alexandra Osborne, violin well as engaging international guest artists, Omega presents outstanding Veronique Serret, violin musicians in an intimate and stimulating chamber setting. Its mission is to Catalin Ungureanu, violin showcase outstanding artists who captivate and excite audiences through Airena Nakamura, violin a revelatory program of chamber music. Neil Thompson, viola Ranging from large chamber orchestras to duos, trios and quartets David Wicks, viola Omega performs a diverse range of repertoire; whether it is an iconic Paul Stender, cello gem, a neglected beauty or a world premiere. The passion and Howard Penny, cello † commitment to the highest level of craft is still deployed. Alex Henery, double bass Sally Walker, flute • To date, Omega has commissioned and performed over twenty new David Rowden, clarinet • works from notable Australian and International composers, including Lloyd Van’t Hoff, clarinet † Daniel Rojas, Mark Isaacs, Cyrus Meurant, George Palmer, Elena Celia Craig, oboe • Kats-Chernin, Anne Boyd, Matthew Hindson, Christopher Gordon, John Josh Oates, oboe Peterson, Margery Smith, Stuart Greenbaum, Paul Stanhope, Ben Ben Hoadley, bassoon • Hoadley and Andrew Ford. Michael Dixon, horn • Maria Raspopova, piano • As well as performing premiere works, Omega also endeavours to Samuel Hogarth, piano uncover works that have been lost to time. Omega’s ability to find these Lee Abrahmsen, soprano † pieces and bring them to life spells out a deep love and passion not only for well-known chamber music, but also for exploring gems that delight, • = Appearing in this performance entertain and enrich their audiences. † = Guest Artist In addition to concert performances, Omega also maintains a growing digital concert hall in which audiences can relive the magic of a live performance. Beyond these videos, Omega Ensemble’s performances are now included as part of Qantas’s inflight entertainment.

In additional to performances in Sydney the Ensemble regularly tours to country towns including Newcastle, Orange and Bathurst, bringing the passion and joy of chamber music to audiences near and far.

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13 Acknowledgments

Artistic Directors Managememt Our Vision

To enrich life through a deeper David Rowden Marketing Manager understanding of music. Maria Raspopova David Boyce

Administrator Board Stephen Bydder Omega Ensemble Content Manager Robert Titterton, Chairman 34 Centennial Avenue Samuel Cottell Bruce Terry, Treasurer Randwick NSW 2031

David Rowden Omega Ensemble ACN 40 120 304 725 Stuart Glenn is listed on the Australian Government’s Register of Cultural Organisations maintained under Subdivision 30-B of Part 2-1 of the Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth).

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Acknowledgment of Country

Omega Ensemble acknowledges the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation, the traditional custodians of the land on which we perform. We pay respect to the Elders both past and present, and extend that respect to other Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Australians.

Program Design: Viqtor Studio, viqtor.com.au

Details published in this publication, including dates, prices, artist and venue information are correct at the time of publishing. Omega Ensemble reserves the right to vary, substitute or withdraw advertised programs, artists and venues. For up to date performance and artist details, please visit omegaensemble.com.au. The publisher does not take responsibility for any changes to fees, booking details or other changes made by ticketing agents or performance venues after the time of publication.

14 Never miss a note

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