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Home , Joyce DiDonato, Riccardo Chailly

Filarmonica della Scala Wednesday 24 January 2018 7.30pm, Hall Rossini La gazza ladra – overture Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor interval 20 minutes Tchaikovsky Symphony No 4 in F minor

Filarmonica della Scala Riccardo Chailly conductor Benjamin Grosvenor piano

Silvia Lelli/Filarmonica della Scala Part of Barbican Presents 2017–18

Tonight’s concert is being recorded by BBC Radio 3 for broadcast on Tuesday 30 January 2018, after which it will be available for 30 days via the Radio 3 website.

Programme produced by Harriet Smith; printed by Trade Winds Colour Printers Ltd; advertising by Cabbell (tel. 020 3603 7930) Confectionery and merchandise including organic ice cream, quality chocolate, nuts and nibbles are available from the sales points in our foyers.

Please turn off watch alarms, phones, pagers etc during the performance. Taking photographs, capturing images or using recording devices during a performance is strictly prohibited.

If anything limits your enjoyment please let us know The City of London during your visit. Additional feedback can be given Corporation is the founder and online, as well as via feedback forms or the pods principal funder of located around the foyers. the 2 for oneof themostpopularworks inthe Benjamin Grosvenor thenjoinstheorchestra The prodigiously gifted 25-year-old pianist Rossini’s irrepressible premiered atLaScalaitself201 years ago: should beginwithanoverture from awork their operatic duties.It’sfitting thatwe to perform orchestral repertoire alongside of theTeatro allaScalagreater opportunities Abbado, whowanted to give themusicians The orchestra was thebrainchild of Claudio its PrincipalConductor Riccardo Chailly. given by Filarmonicadella Scalaunder A warm welcome to thisevening’s concert, Welcome

Nico Muhly. Harrison Birtwistle,,Maxim Vengerov and Andrew Norman,IestynDavies, Joyce DiDonato, Sir Jonathan Biss,SirJamesMacMillan, George Benjamin, artists from around theworld. Recent artists include for exclusive interviews andcontent from thebestclassical Stream ordownload ourBarbican ClassicalMusicpodcasts Available on iTunes, Soundcloud and the Barbican website Barbican the and Soundcloud iTunes, on Available Barbican Classical MusicPodcasts La gazzaladra . Huw Humphreys, Head of Music,Barbican It promises to beathrillingconcert. reaching itsgoal.’Dramatic stuffindeed. prevents ourpursuitof happinessfrom as ‘Fate, theforce of destiny, whichever forthcoming, describingitsopeningfanfares the composerwas uncharacteristically Fourth Symphony, awork aboutwhich The mooddarkens for Tchaikovsky’s truly puthimontheinternational map. A minorPianoConcerto, thework that age astonight’s soloist when hewrote his entire repertoire. Griegwas thesame consequences of aquarter of acenturyof wars Europe mighthave beenatpeace, butthe of theoverture. Two years after Waterloo, drums onethersideof stage atthebeginning had beencalledto attention by apairof snare In anutterly unexpected move, thataudience orchestra withextempore accompaniments!’ and thepublicenmassewas encouraging the presto praised theoverture, ‘before theendof thefirst ever witnessed’.TheFrench writer especially ‘one of themostglittering …triumphsIhave Rossini’s cheerleader Stendhal recording itas on 31 May 1817 was aresounding success,with completed andthepremiere of defenestration. Theoverture was duly Thankfully, there was noneedfor throw mefrom thewindow.’ paper wasn’t ready, they were underorders to below, to prepare theparts…Ifmusic by page, to thecopyists, whowere waiting to throw my manuscriptfrom thewindow, page and four stagehands, whowere underorders that Rossini ‘was imprisonedby thedirector opera housethathad commissionedthepiece, unnerved themanagement of LaScala,the Thieving Magpie’) untilthelastminute. Thisso writing of theoverture to writes that,aswas hispractice, heleftthe In amagnificently unreliable memoirRossini La gazza ladra gazzaLa ladra Rossini Gioachino , thetheatre was atempest of delight; La gazzaladra La gazzaladra (1817) (1817) (‘The

– overture – clarinet. Isthisisthemimickingmagpie? The theme for theoboethatiswittilyechoedby the young love. Thencomesasecondsweet-toned and whichperhapshintsattheexcitement of gently beatingtheirbows ontheirstrings melody for thewindswithstringplayers us to attention withthefirst theme,asprightly brisk military march. Then theorchestra calls snare drums,theoverture continueswitha After itsunprecedented callto armsonthe least another decade. to becomestandard intheopera housefor at before thecurtain rises, a practice thatwasn’t Rossini alsoseemsto hintattheopera itself turns military andromantic, reflects this mixture. create ahybrid, comic withtheserious– La gazzaladra magpie rather thanshewhoisthethief. public execution whenitisrevealed thatitisa heroine namedNinetta whoisrescued from soldiers returning from thebattlefield anda are stillpresent inRossini’s opera. Itfeatures Programme note ©Christopher Cook promise of itsoverture? and louder. Can theopera really live upto the we’re off again, faster andfaster andlouder the first crescendo. After slowing down briefly, tempo picks upandgoeshellfor leatherinto (1792–1868) isaradical work thatmixes the semiseria buffa . Andtheoverture, by

and seria –to

3 Programme notes 4 together produced a revised edition. arevised produced together 1907, as Grainger late Percy as and Grieg when from dates actually today know we version The 1872. in in issued score, published first the into suggestions, Liszt’s of other various with theme to the cellos, it was incorporated, along the returned and scoring of piece quirky this of trumpet. Although Grieg later thought better asolo to theme second tender movement’s first the –of suggestion Liszt’s –at reassignment the was inspiration initial own his in confidence of lack his of example startling most The years. for tinker to continued he which with orchestration, its of details the with satisfied truly ever he was Nor creativity. mature more his obstructing was it of performances in involvement constant that felt even he when times were there and name from the shadow of the work that made first his escape to able really never was he fact, In of theconductor in piece. performances or soloist as Europe throughout demand great in was Grieg life his of rest year, the for and that later Rome in him visited composer the when it praised 1869: Liszt April in Copenhagen in performance first its gave himself Grieg since ever concerto the attended has success Enormous activity. creative of burst arare in resulted which him for time –ahappy Søllerød of town Danish the in daughter baby and wife his with staying was he 1868, of when summer the in it wrote Grieg composer. its of life the on work the of impact the questioning no is there but years, the over judgements distorted some to led has Concerto Grieg’s Piano of popularity The Grosvenor Benjamin maestoso –Andante presto –Quasi emarcato molto moderato 3 Allegro – 2 Adagio 1 Allegro molto moderato rev 1907) (1868, Aminor, 16 in Op Concerto Piano Grieg Edvard piano

(1843–1907) of the Romantic concerto with keen melodic melodic keen with concerto Romantic the of no-nonsense approach to the formal problems at composition, large-scale combining a sound, attempt satisfying most his arguably is concerto this because ironic, is This forms. intimate more favoured largely he him; thereafter for not was music such that decided he that Concerto Piano the of time the at was it that seems it and limited been had forms these with success his sonata, violin two sonatas and a symphony), but apiano years eight previous the in produced sonata-form large-scale composition (having of tradition European central the followed in his creative development. he Hitherto had achapter of end the marked also it success, notable Grieg’s first was Concerto Piano the If a passage in a faster tempo. But to say that the the that say to But tempo. afaster in a passage with end movements both and stage); centre hold to emerges then which piano, the from arpeggios by accompanied interplay (wind outline a similar soloist; their central development sections have by the copied be to woodwind, the in theme first their present both middle; the to piano the of register top the from descent dramatic a with start both compared: are movements opening two the when clear particularly is This 1840s. the during key, same the in written Schumann’s to concerto outline formal in much owes work the that observed been often has It are style his of part important an such become to later were which elements folk the and evidence, in much also is personality musical attractive own His heroic. the of sense afitting and invention unmistakable.

been rather more mundanethanwas once Recent scholarshipreveals thesituationto have the ensuingevents, have beenmuchmythologised. his homosexuality. His motives, andthenature of with disastrous consequencesnot unconnected to his intention to marryandwas aboutto act onit, On theother sideof thebalancehehad declared eccentric widow Nadezhda von Meck. the regular allowance sentto himby thewealthy, Fourth Symphony thathestarted to benefit from earlier. Itwas duringthecompositionof the his grandiose FirstPianoConcerto of two years his first balleticmasterpiece, great opera, his powers. Hewas aboutto embarkonhisfirst his Fourth Symphony, hewas attheheightof By early1877, whenTchaikovsky begansketching fuoco con Allegro 4 Finale: Allegro ostinato): (Pizzicato 3 Scherzo canzona di modo in 2 Andantino anima con –Moderato sostenuto 1 Andante Fminor,Symphony 36 4 in Op No Pyotr Tchaikovsky Ilyich as subsides mood The restatement. assertive and asonorous in up it takes and relents piano the end however, the in theme, until first the of direction the in gently it nudge to continues orchestra The course. dreamy own its follow to prefers which piano, by the ignored stubbornly whose song-like opening theme is at first major D flat in Adagio ahaunting is second The invention. Grieg’s own of products clearly more are two other the Schumann, to debt unconscious an owes movement first the If familiarity. close of consequence unwitting an as example composer’s older the absorbed Leipzig, Schumann’s work during his student days in admire to come had who Grieg, that likely more on Schumann’sconcerto seems fanciful: it seems composer consciously his modelled Norwegian Eugene Onegin Swan Lake , following onfrom , and , and interval Kemp ©Lindsay note Programme end. an –to ambitions orchestral large-scale Grieg’s –and movement the brings triumphantly it as word last the has that theme this is it aside, it sweeps eventually material opening the of return the although and, soloist by the developed newa theme. wistful This is then lovingly featuring interlude extended an for dramatically theme has come and gone, the mood changes halling of dance-rhythm characteristic the Norwegian the on based theme aperky with opens This finale. the into straight us plunge piano the from aflourish and fanfare woodwind abrief but close, its to draws movement the ‘the kernel of thewholesymphony’: symphony’s bloodcurdling openingfanfares as with care. In his letter Tchaikovsky referred to the yet one thatatthesametimehasto betreated commentator hasbeenable to resist quoting, penned by acomposer–onethathardly any query elicited oneof themostfamous letters ever work had any kindof programme. Thisinnocent February 1878, sheasked herprotégé whetherthe the first performance of theFourth Symphony in more thanjusthermaterial support.Following Tchaikovsky’s benefactress hasto bethanked for level areflection of hisemotional strife. considered theFourth Symphony to beonsome Nevertheless, itistruethatthecomposerhimself that Tchaikovsky attempted suicideatthistime). believed (there isnofirm evidence, for instance, but, after a brief, chordal second second chordal abrief, after but, 20minutes (1840–93) (1877–8)

5 Programme notes 6 for which Tchaikovsky suggested theimage of on theoboe,over adrone bassinthebassoon, pizzicato stringtheme;thesecondisafolksy tune them sharplycharacterised. Thefirst isadancing There are three main ideasintheScherzo,allof movement’s ‘Dream’ theme. in thewoodwind, very reminiscent of thefirst theme returns, withsomeextra decorative figures the here andnow. Finallytheopeningsong-like tense. Happinessinthissymphony isnever in blood seethedandlife was good’.Note thepast as memoriesof ‘blissfulmomentswhenouryoung are contrasting themesthat Tchaikovsky describes from your labours’. Asinthefirst movement, there that arises in theevening as you sitalone, worn out movement, referring to ‘thatmelancholyfeeling Tchaikovsky’s letter setsthe scenefor theslow three puttogether anditcastsaprofound shadow. This first movement isalmostaslongtheother of happiness’. bitter reality withevanescent visionsanddreams message that‘alllife istheceaselessalternation of An inspired, multi-sectionedcodadrives homethe again plays outthedrama of Dreams andReality. the development sectionandtherecapitulation Fate alternate to increasingly dramatic effect in awakes us.’Lamentsandtheghastlysummonsof and horns.‘Thiswas onlyadream, andFate the openingfanfare burstsin,onsnarlingtrumpets solution ispremature andatthepeakof exaltation theme now returns withasmileonitsface. Butthe and immerseoneselfinDreams?’ Thelamenting put it,‘Would itnot bebetter to turnfrom Reality by theflutes. Or, asTchaikovsky more poetically us: alilting,balleticideaonsoloclarinet,echoed tempo slows andsuddenlyanew themeisupon friendlier version of thelamentingtheme, a problem, theclarinetandbassoonhitona denial. Almostasthoughthere hasnever been answer, for thetimebeing,isby goinginto nothing. How isTchaikovsky to move on?The This agitated musicebbsandflows butachieves violins andcellos,soonpassedto thewoodwind. lament’, whichisthequiet,breathless idea on And hedulywrote outthethemeof ‘fruitless only resign oneselfandlamentfruitlessly. its goal…Itisinvincible, inescapable.Onecan prevents ourpursuitof happinessfrom reaching This isFate, theforce of destiny, whichever peas from awall.’ later putit:‘Socialismbouncedoff peoplelike downright hostility. AsoneRussiancommentator however, was widespread indifference, ifnot encountered whenthey ‘went to thePeople’, composed hissymphony. WhatthePopulists and 1875, justthree years before Tchaikovsky is exactly whattheso-calledPopulists didin1874 movement. ‘Goto thePeople,’ hedeclared; which the spiritualfounder of theRussianrevolutionary the celebrated injunctionof Alexander Herzen, phrase ‘Gooutamongthepeople’.Thatechoes resonances inTchaikovsky’s words, not leastinthe field alittlebirch tree stood since itisafolk song,famous to allRussians: violins andviolas–bearsthisdescriptionout, woodwind, punctuated by rushingscaleson The Finale’ssecondtheme–first heard onthe description tells onlyonesideof thestory: unison themeof theFinale.Here Tchaikovsky’s Then comesarudeawakening, withtherushing intoxication’. little wineto drinkandisfeeling thefirst effects of pass through one’smindwhenonehas had a For Tchaikovsky they were ‘fugitive images that around, superimposedandsplicedtogether. military parade. Thesethree themesare shuffled a drunken peasant;thethird evokes adistant Programme note ©David Fanning push itover theedgeinto hysteria. the codaasstraightforwardly triumphantorto much upto theconductor whetherto interpret first movement’s ‘Fate’ theme.After that,itisvery eventually halted by thedire summonsof the increasingly panickyattempts ataffirmation, to be.Thiswould account for hisFinale’s people mightnot beasfulfilling asitpromised was ironic – thathewas aware thatgoingto the his useof thephrase ‘Gooutamongthepeople’ such are not recorded, itisentirely possiblethat Though hisviews onthePopulist movement as with hispatroness indespisingCommunism. Tchaikovsky was astaunch Tsarist andatone picture of apopularholiday festivity. themselves uputterly to glad feelings. Itisa how well they know how to rejoice andgive look atothers. Gooutamongthepeople.See If you canfind noimpulsefor joy withinyourself, . Butthere are other In the In the Silvia Lelli/Filarmonica della Scala Chicago Symphony Orchestra, aswell as Orchestra, andthe Vienna Philharmonicorchestras, Cleveland orchestras, includingthe Berlin,New York and He regularly conductstheworld’s leading . Orchestra, apositionheldinthepastby He isalsoMusicDirector of theLucerneFestival Concertgebouw Orchestra, . years was PrincipalConductor of theRoyal oldest orchestra inEurope, andfor 16 of theLeipzigGewandhausorchester, the della Scala.Hewas previously Kapellmeister Scala andPrincipalConductor of Filarmonica Riccardo ChaillyisMusicDirector of Teatro alla Riccardo Chailly About the performers Riccardo Chailly conductor

overtures, preludes andintermezzi from operas of Verdi’s birthand,thismonth,adiscof Viva Verdi With FilarmonicadellaScalahehasreleased of theYear for hissetof Brahms symphonies. recently, awards, Diapasonsd’Or, anEdisonPrizeand, won many prizes,includingtwo ECHOKlassik His discography of more than150 CDshas Riccardo Chaillyrecords exclusively for Decca. de l’Ordre desartsetlettres in2011. culture bestowed onhimthetitleof Officier of MusicinLondon.TheFrench minister of honorary membershipof theRoyal Academy Republic of Italy in1998. In1996 hewas awarded appointed Cavaliere diGran Croce of the della Repubblica Italia in1994 andwas He was awarded thetitleof Grande Ufficiale Zurich Opera House. Covent Garden, and , , State Opera, New York , productions attheTeatro allaScala,Vienna In theopera house,hehasconducted and Salzburg. appearing atfestivals suchastheBBC Proms Rota.Nino the release of discsdedicated to Cherubini and first performed atLaScala.Thisseasonsees Gramophone (2013) to markthe200thanniversary magazine’s Recording

7 About the performers 8 Patrick Allen/operaomnia.co.uk has performed attheBBC Proms onanumber New Generation Artistfrom 2010 to 2012. He Orchestra Cologne.Hewas aBBC Radio 3 Filarmonica dellaScalaandGürzenich Symphony orchestras, , the world, includingtheBoston andLondon has performed withleading orchestras across Competition attheage of 11. Sincethen,he keyboard final of the2004 BBC Young Musician He first cameto prominence asthewinnerof the depth andunderstanding of hismusicianship. technical complexities underpinstheremarkable His virtuosiccommandover themoststrenuous performances andperceptive interpretations. internationally recognised for hiselectrifying British pianistBenjaminGrosvenor is Benjamin Grosvenor Benjamin Grosvenor piano undertakes hisfirst tour of SouthAmerica. Gilmore andRoque d’Anthéron festivals and Hall. ThisseasonhealsoappearsattheLucerne, centres andTokyo’s MusashinoCivicCultural Berlin’s Konzerthaus, BarbicanandSouthbank Muziekgebouw, New York’s CarnegieHall, des Champs-Élysées inParis, Amsterdam concerts attheViennaKonzerthaus, Théâtre Recent andcurrent recital highlightsinclude Street Y. orchestra attheTischCenter for theArtsat92nd as well aschambermusicwithmembersof the Piano Concerto No 3underEsa-Pekka Salonen, to New York inApril,performing Beethoven’s .Aspartof thishereturns Lawrence Ackman ClassicalPianoPrizewiththe as theinaugural recipient of TheRonnie and Academy of Music.In2016 hewas announced Award andaFellowship from theRoyal Young Talent, aDiapasond’OrJeuneTalent Award, UKCritics’Circle Award for Exceptional and Instrumental Award, aClassicBRITCritics’ include almost 60years. Othercareer highlightsto date the labelandfirst Britishpianistto dosoin the youngest Britishmusicianever to signto In 2011, hesignedto DeccaClassics,becoming BBC Symphony Orchestra underMarinAlsop. Shostakovich’s PianoConcerto No 2withthe 2011 and,in2015, attheLastNight,playing of occasions,including attheFirstNightin Gramophone ’s Young Artistof theYear Luca Piva/Filarmonica della Scala voluntary bodies,through specialconcertsfor supporting ’smainscientific institutionsand The orchestra alsohasalongtradition in school children. ‘Sound, Music!’,aimedspecifically atprimary year. Another highlightisitseducationalinitiative audiences of more than40,000peopleeach an acclaimed event whichhasattracted ‘Concerto perMilano’inthePiazzadelDuomo, Since 2013 theFilarmonicahashosted the . with Myung-Whun Chung,DanielHarding and members. Theorchestra hasacloserelationship Barenboim andValery Gergiev are honorary , amongmany others. Daniel Wolfgang Sawallisch, ZubinMehta and including Georges Prêtre, LorinMaazel, with someof theworld’s leading conductors, Filarmonica dellaScalahascollaborated Principal Conductor in2015. development. Riccardo Chaillywas named decisive contributionto theorchestra’s artistic Conductor from 1987 to 2005,makinga 90 concerts.Riccardo Mutiwas itsPrincipal Giulini conducted theorchestra inmore than developing asymphonic repertoire. CarloMaria Scala Opera Housein1982 withtheaimof Claudio Abbado andthemusiciansof La Filarmonica dellaScalawas first setupby Filarmonica dellaScala Filarmonica dellaScalawithRiccardo Chailly

which tonight’s concertisapart,alsofeatures Myung-Whun Chung).Thisseason’stour, of in theUS(withRiccardo Chailly)andChina(with milestones have includedtheorchestra’s debuts 36 years have beengiven ontour. Important More than600of itsconcertsover thepast composer. orchestra commissionsawork from aleading of Filarmonica’sactivities, andeach seasonthe Contemporary musicisalsoanimportant strand the ‘Prove Aperte’ series. their benefit andopenrehearsals thatare partof appear later thisseason. Chailly hasjustbeenreleased; two others will from operas first performed atLaScala) with for Decca (overtures, preludes andintermezzi Fabio LuisiandGianandrea Noseda.Anew CD includes three DVDs directed by Georges Prêtre, for Sony, theproject ‘900Italiano’ thatto date Viva Verdi recordings for awiderange of labels,including Filarmonica dellaScalahasmade numerous Harding). under Chailly),aswell asIstanbul (underDaniel Vienna, Budapest,Paris andLuxembourg (all appearances inLucerne,Berlin,Freiburg, MAIN PA R TNER for DeccaunderRiccardo Chaillyand, sponsored by UniCredit

Filarmonica della Scala is Filarmonica dellaScalais

9 About the performers 10 Filippo Milani Eugenio Silvestri Luciano Sangalli Rossi Emanuele Francesco Lattuada Olga Gonzalez Marco Giubileo Thomas Cavuoto Carlo Barato Giorgio Baiocco Matteo Amadasi Rossi* Danilo Simonide Braconi* Viola Livio Troiano Enrico Piccini Marco Norzi Susanna Nagy Elena Emelianova Alexia Tiberghien Estela Sheshi Gabriele Porfidio Roberta Miseferi Paola Lutzemberger Stefano LoRe Stefano Dallera Anna ElisaSalvatori Giorgio DiCrosta* Violin 2 Claudio Mondini Elitza Demirova Evguenia Stanova Damiano Cottalasso Lucia Zanoni Gianluca Turconi Enkeleida Sheshaj Suela Piciri Andrea Pecolo Fulvio Liviabella Alois Hubner Agnese Ferraro Alessandro Ferrari Rodolfo Cibin Daniele Pascoletti Laura Marzadori* DeAngelis Francesco Violin 1 Filarmonica della Scala

leader

Stefano Cardo Cristian ChiodiLatini Fabrizio Meloni* Mauro Ferrando* Clarinet Renato Duca Gianni Viero Augusto Mianiti* Armel Descotte Fabien Thouand* Oboe Maurizio Simeoli Francesco Guggiola Massimiliano Crepaldi* Marco Zoni Andrea Manco* Flute Gaetano Siragusa Alessandro Serra Claudio Pinferetti Emanuele Pedrani Roberto Parretti Claudio Nicotra Omar Lonati Attilio Corradini Francesco Siragusa Giuseppe Ettorre* Double Bass Andrea Scacchi Adriano Melucci Enrico DiCrosta Massimiliano Tisserant Beatrice Pomarico Simone Groppo Gabriele Garofano Alice Cappagli Jakob Ludwig Massimo Polidori* Sandro Laffranchini* Cello Riccardo Bernasconi Torsten Edvar* Daniele Morandini* Trombone Nicola Martelli Mauro Edantippe Gianni Dallaturca Marco Toro* Francesco Tamiati* Trumpet Achille Fait Calonge Marcos Garrito Stefano Curci Claudio Martini Piero Mangano Roberto Miele Danilo Stagni* Jorge Monte De Fez* Horn Marion Reinhard Nicola Meneghetti Valentino Zucchiatti* Gabriele Screpis* Bassoon * principal Dahba Awalom Harp Antonello Cancelli Francesco Muraca Gerardo Capaldo Giuseppe Cacciola Gianni Arfacchia Percussion Stephan Cuerlis* Timpani Brian Earl Javier Castaño Medina Tuba Giuseppe Grandi Renato Filisetti

Jean Pierre Mustier President Alessandra Radice Manager Planning Artistic Marco Ferullo Manager Communications Hetel Pigozzi General Co-ordinator Damiano Cottalasso Co-ordinator Operations& Artistic Renato Duca Vice President

Image: Benjamin Grosvenor Patrick Allen

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Benjamin Grosvenor inrecital Thu 16 May 2019 with theDoricQuartet Benjamin Grosvenor 11 Feb 26May 2019 barbican.org.uk/classical1819 Browse thefull2018–19 seasonat 17/01/2018 12:48