Bsolive.Com Concert Programme Autumn 2020 Bsolive.Com Concert

Concert Programme Autumn 2020

bsolive.com

Welcome

It’s my great pleasure to welcome you to this week’s BSO concert of two British masterworks, and a gem by Fauré.
What amazing musical portraits Elgar created in this dazzling sequence of inventive musical vignettes, for instance, to name but three - the humorous Troyte, the serious intellect of A.J Jaeger aka ‘Nimrod’, and the bulldog Dan, the beloved pet of George Sinclair, organist of Hereford Cathedral, paddling furiously up the river Wye.
The Britten and Elgar works hold special resonances for me. I’d been taken on holiday to the Suffolk coast as a child, and when, aged fourteen, I first saw Peter Grimes, I was totally bowled over by the power of the music, and the way it evoked, especially in

the Four Sea Interludes, those East Anglican

landscapes and coast seascapes that I remembered. Later, at university in Norwich, I had the privilege of singing under Britten at the Aldeburgh Festival, as well as meeting him at his home, The Red House. For me, these memories are unforgettable.
In between, I’m relishing the prospect of the BSO’s Principal Cello, Jesper Svedberg, bringing his poetic musicianship to Fauré’s haunting Élégie. I’m also looking forward to hearing the Britten and Elgar conducted by David Hill, whose interpretations of English music are second to none, witnessed, not just in his performances, but also in his superb recordings, many, of course, with the BSO.
Elgar was another discovery of my teens; when growing up in Birmingham, Worcestershire and Elgar country was only a couple of hours bus ride away. I would walk the Malvern Hills with the Enigma Variations ringing in my head, after all this is where Elgar and his “friends pictured within” flew kites, went for bicycle rides, played japes on each other, and in their homes nearby made music.
Andrew Burn

Presenter, BSO Autumn Series Pre-concert talks

Concert Season Autumn 2020

3

Elgar’s Enigma

Lighthouse, Poole

Britten

David Hill

Wednesday 25 November

Four Sea Interludes

Conductor

16’

Supported by

Jesper Svedberg

Cello

Annette D’Abreo & Edwin Bessant

Fauré

Elégie 8’
Amyn Merchant

Leader

Elgar

Enigma Variations 29’

All information is correct at the time of going to print. All timings are guidelines only and may differ slightly from actual lengths.

Four Sea Interludes (Peter Grimes)

Benjamin Britten

Born 22 November 1913 Lowestoft Died 5 December 1976 Aldeburgh

1. Dawn

Grimes: “I am native, rooted here”

Balstrode: “Rooted by what?” Grimes: “By familiar fields, marsh and sand, ordinary streets, prevailing winds.”
2. Sunday Morning 3. Moonlight 4. Storm

This exchange from Act 1 of Peter Grimes reveals both an underlying theme of the opera, and a clue to the work’s importance in Britten’s career. In 1939 Britten, a pacifist, left for the USA where, like W.H. Auden, he felt he would be able to continue his work more freely than in wartime Britain. However, in 1941 he read an article by E. M. Forster about the Suffolk poet George Crabbe; its opening line was: “To think of Crabbe is to think about England”, and his reaction to these emotive words confirmed in him a growing feeling that his place was in Britain. That chance reading of the article brought him home and also sowed the seeds for an opera based on one of Crabbe’s characters, the tormented fisherman, Peter Grimes, who appears in the poem The Borough.

Repertoire

5

The Four Sea Interludes that link scenes

in the opera and reflect the underlying psychological tensions, quickly became part of the orchestral repertoire. In 1939 Britten had heard a concert performance of Shostakovich’s opera Lady Macbeth

of the Mtsensk District noting in his diary

that the opera was “tremendous” and that the entr’actes contained “terrific music” Undoubtedly Britten had them in mind when he decided to link scenes in Peter Grimes in a similar way with a series of orchestral interludes.
Moonlight evokes the sultry calm of a still, summer night, with the jabbing figure on flute and xylophone reflecting the tensions in the mind of Grimes. In the snarling portrait of the gale-force winds and waves of a ferocious Storm, Britten recalled his childhood memories: “My life as a child was coloured by the fierce storms that sometimes drove ships onto the coast and ate away whole stretches of neighbouring cliffs.”

The premiere of Peter Grimes on 7 June 1945, staged by Sadler’s Wells Opera, was a triumph and a milestone in British 20th century music, heralding Britten’s emergence, at the age of just thirty-two, as a native operatic composer of international stature. Britten’s life-long partner Peter Pears sang the eponymous role of the troubled, misunderstood fisherman; Joan Cross was the school teacher Ellen Orford who befriends him, and the conductor was Reginald Goodall.
In Peter Grimes Britten celebrates the coastal communities and landscape of his native Suffolk: “I wanted to express my awareness of the perpetual struggle of men and women whose livelihood depends on the sea.” The sea interludes uncannily evoke the East Anglian seascapes that were such a potent force for Britten. Dawn portrays daybreak on a grey East Anglian morning as sung by the chorus to the words of Britten’s librettist, Montagu Slater: “To those who pass, the Borough sounds betray/ The cold beginning of another day/And houses sleeping by the waterside/Wake to the measured ripple of the tide”. In Sunday Morning chimes of church bells peal out as the Borough gathers for Matins on a brilliant day with sunlight glittering on the waves.
Andrew Burn

Élégie for cello and orchestra

Gabriel Fauré

Born: 12 May 1845 Pamiers, South-western France Died: 4 November 1924 Paris

Fauré was one of the most important French musicians of the later 19th and earlier 20th centuries. A fine and skilful composer, his best-known work is probably his beautifully restrained setting of the Requiem, but he was also particularly inspired in chamber music and song writing. Other aspects of his career included those of organist and choirmaster for many years at the Parisian church of the Madeleine, and, later, as Professor of Composition at the Paris Conservatoire, where his pupils included Maurice Ravel, Georges Enesco and Charles Koechlin.
The Élégie received its premiere in its original version with piano, performed by the cellist Jules Loëb, to whom it was dedicated, at a Société Nationale concert in Paris on 15th December 1883. The version with orchestra followed in 1897, and was first performed in 1901, by Pablo Casals.

Terry Barfoot

Fauré’s creative talents are found to excellent effect in the Élégie for cello: it is a penetrating work whose wide emotional range demands the utmost commitment on the part of the performers. There is a simple three-part (ABA) structure, with a strongly characterised melodic line that is admirably suited to the cello. At the centre, the orchestra offers a new theme which is soon transferred to the cello, culminating in a cadenza and the return of the earlier material.

Repertoire

7

Variations on an Original Theme (‘Enigma’)

Edward Elgar

Born 2 June 1857 Broadheath, near Worcester Died 23 February 1934 Worcester

Theme: Andante Var I. C.A.E. L’istesso tempo Var II. H.D.S-P. Allegro
One evening in 1898 Elgar was improvising on the piano. His wife asked him what he was playing: “Nothing”, he replied, “but
Var III. R.B.T. Allegretto Var IV. W.M.B. Allegro di Molto Var V. R.P.A. Moderato Var VI. Ysobel. Andantino Var VII. Troyte. Presto Var VIII. W.N. Allegretto something might be made of it, Powell would have done this”. Something was indeed made of it; he had hit on the idea for the

Enigma Variations. Composed between 1898

and February 1899, and dedicated “to my

friends within”, the Variations on an Original Theme (‘Enigma’) was first performed at

St James’ Hall in London on 19 June 1899, conducted by Hans Richter. The occasion was a triumph for Elgar, establishing him overnight as the leading British composer of the day.
Var IX. Nimrod. Adagio Var X. Dorabella. Intermezzo. Allegretto Var XI. G.R.S. Allegro di molto Var XII. B.G.N. Andante Var XIII. *** Romanza. Moderato Var XIV. E.D.U. Finale. Allegro

Though the names of the people behind the vignettes were quickly discovered, two puzzles remain: what is the meaning of the label ‘Enigma’ which Elgar gave to

his ‘original’ theme, and what is the ‘larger’

theme that Elgar stated “goes but is not played” over the variations as a whole? The Enigma may represent Elgar, the creative artist, but the larger theme has a variety of possibilities such as the concept of friendship, or an actual melody; for instance, the theme of the slow movement from Mozart’s Symphony No.39, which the late Joseph Cooper most persuasively proposed.

8

Repertoire

The answer, however, matters little to the appreciation of this magnificent work. After the theme is played the music leads into the variations.

Var X. (Dorabella) Dora Penny. Her

pseudonym is derived from Mozart’s Così fan tutte.and her stammer is affectionately portrayed.

Var XI. (G.R.S.) George Sinclair Robertson

was organist of Hereford Cathedral; however, the variation is about his bulldog, Dan, and his antics in the river Wye. Note Dan’s ‘rejoicing bark on landing’!

Var XII. (B.G.N.) Basil G. Nevinson was the

cellist in the trio with Elgar and H.D.S-P.

Var XIII (***) Romanza Lady Mary Lygon,

who departed on a sea voyage before Elgar could seek her permission to use her initials, hence the asterisks, the reference

to Mendelssohn’s Calm Sea and Prosperous

Voyage overture, and the brilliant evocation of the ship’s engines by the timpani played by coins.

Var 1. (C.A.E.) Caroline Alice Elgar, the

composer’s wife, whose encouragement spurred Elgar to his finest achievements.

Var II. (H.D.S-P.) Hew David Steuart-Powell

who played chamber music with Elgar.

Var III. (R.B.T.) Richard Baxter Townshend,

a Classical scholar who is depicted here playing an old man in amateur theatricals.

Var IV (W.N.B.) William Meath Baker, an

energetic country squire.

Var V. (R.P.A.) Richard Penrose Arnold.

The woodwind characterise, according to Elgar, the “whimsical and witty remarks that broke up his serious conversation”.

Var VI. (Ysobel) Isabel Fritton, an amateur

viola player; her difficulty in crossing the strings of her instrument gave Elgar the idea for the variation.

Var VII. (Troyte) Arthur Troyte Griffith,

architect and painter. The variation recalled Elgar’s rather chaotic attempt to teach him the piano.

Var XIV (E.D.U.) Finale Edward William

Elgar. Elgar’s wife’s nickname for her husband was ‘Edoo’. C.A.E. and ‘Nimrod’ are recalled in this superb summation to the variations as “the two great influences on the life and art of the composer”.

Andrew Burn

Var VIII. (W.N.) Winifred Norbury helped

Elgar check orchestral parts; the variation is as much inspired by her 18th century home.

Var IX. (Nimrod) August Johannes Jaeger

(In German ‘Jaeger’ means ‘hunter’: Nimrod was the Biblical hunter.) Jaeger was Elgar’s staunch advocate at Novello and Co; the variation refers to a discussion between them about Beethoven quartets.

Biographies

9

David Hill

Associate Guest Conductor of the BSO

David Hill’s talent has been recognised by his appointments as Musical Director of The Bach Choir, Music Director of Leeds Philharmonic Society,

His previous posts have

David Hill’s broad-ranging

discography of over eighty

included Master of Music

at Winchester Cathedral (1987–2002) and Westminster Cathedral (1982–7), Associate Conductor and then Artistic Director of the Philharmonia Chorus (1986–97), Music Director of The Waynflete Singers (1987-2002) and Director of Music at St John’s College, Cambridge (2003- 2007). recordings can be found on the Decca/Argo, Hyperion, Naxos and Virgin Classics labels. His recording for Naxos with The Bach Choir and the BSO–

Delius’ A Mass of Life – was

widely acclaimed on its release in 2012 and won a coveted Choc de Classica. With The Bach Choir David Hill has contributed to the film sound

tracks of Kingdom of Heaven, The Chronicles of Narnia and Shrek the Third.

Associate Guest conductor of the BSO and Principal Conductor of Yale Schola Cantorum. He was Chief Conductor of the BBC Singers from September 2007 to September 2017 and is a former Music Director of Southern Sinfonia. In March 2018, he was honoured with the prestigious Royal College of Organists medal, in recognition of distinguished achievement in choral conducting and organ playing.
He is in great demand for choral training workshops worldwide, and his handbook

on the subject Giving Voice

was published in 1995. He is a choral advisor to music publishers Novello, for
In the 2020/2021 season, his work continues with the BSO, Yale Schola Cantorum and Leeds Philharmonic Society. whom he has edited several publications including the carols anthologies Noël!, and he regularly contributes articles to Choir and Organ. As an organist, he has given recitals in most of the major venues in the UK and has toured extensively abroad.
Born in Carlisle in 1957, David Hill was educated at Chetham’s School of Music as a violinist and pianist, where he led the school orchestra. He was made a Fellow of the Royal College of Organists at the age of seventeen and won an organ scholarship to St John’s College, Cambridge.
In recognition of his services to music, David has been awarded an Honorary doctorate by the University of Southampton, an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal School of Church Music, and an Honorary Membership of the Royal Academy of Music. He received an MBE in the New Year 2019 Honours list for services to music.

Jesper Svedberg

Cello

Swedish-born cellist Jesper Svedberg began his cello studies aged eight and he completed his Soloist Diploma in 1998 at the Edsbergs Institute of Music in Stockholm under the tutelage of Frans Helmersson and Torlief Thedeen.

He has appeared at festivals all

They are currently recording

the complete piano trio repertoire by Robert Schumann which will be released on the BIS label in 2020. The trio is also Associate Ensemble at Guildhall School of Music & Drama. around the world, performing with musicians such as Pekka Kuusisto, Truls Mørk, Edgar Meyer, Michael Collins and Radovan Vladkovic.

Jesper is a founding member of the Kungsbacka Piano Trio. The trio took first prize in the 1999 Melbourne International Chamber Music Competition and was in 2000 selected for the BBC New Generation Artists Scheme. The trio has toured and performed extensively in Europe, Australia, North and South America in venues including Carnegie Hall, Teatro Gran Rex, Berliner Philharmonie, Concertgebouw, Mozarteum, Vienna Concert Hall and the Wigmore Hall. Live concert performances have been broadcast on both radio and television across Europe. The trio has recorded for
Jesper has worked as guest Principal with most UK orchestras and in 2010 he was appointed Principal Cello with the BSO.
He made his solo debut performing Schumann’s Cello Concerto with the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra and in 1999 continued his cello studies at the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London with Louise Hopkins. He graduated with a Masters Degree in Chamber Music in 2001 and was appointed Professor of Chamber Music at the University of Gothenburg where he remained for ten years.
He plays a rare 1699 Grancino cello, kindly loaned by the Järnåker Foundation.

As a soloist, Jesper has performed with orchestras including the BBC Scottish Symphony, Copenhagen Philharmonic, Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra and the Dala Symfonietta.
NAXOS with music including Schubert, Mozart, Haydn, Faure and Chopin.

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra 11

The Orchestra

Patron

First Violins

Bassoons

HRH Princess Alexandra

Amyn Merchant (Leader)

Mark Derudder
Tammy Thorn * Emma Selby

Chief Conductor

Kirill Karabits
Edward Brenton Kate Turnbull Y Karen Leach Y

Contra Bassoon

Kim Murphy

Conductor Laureate

Andrew Litton
Magdalena Gruca-Broadbent Jennifer Curiel

Horns

Zoe Tweed Ruth Spicer Y Robert Harris Y Kevin Pritchard Y Edward Lockwood Y
Tim Fisher Y

Conductor Emeritus

Marin Alsop
Kate Hawes Julie Gillett-Smith

Associate Guest Conductor

David Hill MBE

Second Violins

Carol Paige * Rob Yeomans Lara Carter Y Rebecca Burns Agnieszka Gesler Vicky Berry Y Janice Thorgilson Y Joan Martinez

Trumpets

Chris Avison * Peter Turnbull Y Angela Whelan

Trombones

Kevin Morgan *Y Robb Tooley

Violas

Tom Beer * Miguel Rodriguez Jacoba Gale Y Nathalie Green-Buckley Eva Malmbom Chris Beckett

Bass Trombone

Kevin Smith Y

Tuba

Andy Cresci *Y

Timpani

Geoff Prentice *

Cellos

Jesper Svedberg * Thomas Isaac Auriol Evans Philip Collingham Judith Burgin

Percussion

Matt King * Ben Lewis Alastair Marshallsay

Double Basses

David Daly *Y Nicole Boyesen Y Jane Ferns Y

Harp

Eluned Pierce *Y

Flutes/Piccolo

Anna Pyne * Owain Bailey

BSO Associates

Musicians in the Community

Patrick Bailey Matt Harrison

Oboes

Edward Kay *Y Holly Randall
Jonathan James Sam Mason Hugh Nankivell Neil Valentine

Clarinets

Barry Deacon * Helen Paskins

* Principal Y Long Service Award
12 Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

A Cultural Beacon for the South and South-West of England

One of the UK’s best-loved orchestras, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is a professional ensemble known for igniting change both on and off the stage.

With residencies in Bournemouth, Bristol, Exeter, Poole and Portsmouth it is also the largest cultural provider in the South West of England serving one of the biggest and most diverse regions.

A bold champion of talent the BSO boasts

an enviable list of principal conductors, including Marin Alsop — the first female principal conductor of a major UK orchestra
— Constantin Silvestri, Paavo Berglund and Andrew Litton. It has given memorable performances at Carnegie Hall, the Musikverein and Rudolfinum, and gives regular live broadcasts on BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM.
Maintaining the highest artistic ideals the BSO remains committed to new and lesser-known repertoire whilst remaining relevant to its broad audience’s tastes. Under Chief Conductor Kirill Karabits the

Orchestra’s Voices from the East series of

former Soviet music continues to receive critical acclaim, and its recent recordings of Prokofiev and Walton are outstanding modern performances. The Orchestra is also loved for its performances of film and light music, and its discography charts a number of landmark moments in 20th century music. A commissioner of new music, the Orchestra will give premiere performances of works by Azerbaijani composer Franghiz Ali-Zadeh, Shirley J. Thompson and Magnus Lindberg in its 2020/21 season. In recent years it has worked with Mark-Anthony Turnage, Sally Beamish and James MacMillan.

Empowering lives through music remains at the core of all that the BSO does.

Awarded the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Impact Award in 2019, for its work in improving opportunities for disabled talent, the BSO continues to explore new territory with BSO Resound — the world’s first professional disabled-led ensemble at the core of a major orchestra. BSO Participate works with all ages off the stage and is internationally recognised as an act to follow: over 650 community workshops and events take place each year across the Orchestra’s vast region, empowering thousands of lives every year.

Following the longest break in its 127-year history, the BSO was one of the first ensembles in the UK to launch a series of full symphonic performances in 2020.

Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra 13

The Team

Board of Trustees

Chief Executive

Dougie Scarfe

Head of Finance & Operations

Teresa Woolley

Chair
Executive Assistant

to Chief Executive

Natalie Wright

Management Accountant

Wendy Jones d
Terence O’Rourke MBE