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LEE FOUNDATION

Supported by various corporate sponsors and individual donors, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra is a not-for-proﬁ t company limited by guarantee and registered under the Charities Order.

Ode to Joy

sponsored by Singapore Symphony Orchestra Thu, 26 Nov 09 11 Empress Place, Victoria Concert Hall, Singapore 179558 Esplanade Concert Hall Company registration no: 197801125M Phone +65 6338 1230 (main) Fax +65 6336 6382 Performing Home of the SSO E-mail [email protected] Website www.sso.org.sg

Message From Symphony 92.4fm

Dear friends

This year marks another milestone for the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) as it celebrates its 30th Anniversary, and Symphony 92.4FM, a MediaCorp station, is proud to be part of this event. We have specially selected this evening’s concert featuring Beethoven’s monumental 9th Symphony, aptly titled Ode To Joy, to celebrate our close partnership with the SSO over the past three decades, as the Ofﬁ cial Radio Station.

Symphony 92.4FM reaches 227,000* listeners with the best of the classics each week. We keep listeners informed of the latest in the arts and music scene, promote young talents, and work with cultural organisations to bring the appreciation of the arts and classical music to an even wider audience.

The collaboration between the SSO and Symphony 92.4FM, has served the needs of Singapore audience for quality music. We are proud to continue with this strong partnership to bring classical music to you, and to further enhance the cultural enrichment of the nation.

We look forward to you tuning in to more exciting concert highlights and exclusive interviews with guest artistes of the SSO on Singapore’s premier classical music station, Symphony 92.4FM.

We wish the SSO many more glorious years.

Ms Jean C Tan Assistant Programme Director Symphony 92.4FM MediaCorp Pte Ltd

*Source: Nielsen Media Research Diary Survey 2008 Wave 2 (Weekly Cumulative Listenership)

Singapore Symphony Orchestra Lan Shui conductor Juliane Banse soprano Carolin Masur mezzo-soprano Thomas Cooley tenor Wilhelm Schwinghammer bass Singapore Symphony Chorus Singapore Bible College Chorale Hallelujah Chorus Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir Lim Yau chorus master

Ludwig van Beethoven Ah! Perﬁ do, Op. 65 13’00

Intermission 20’00

Ludwig van Beethoven Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 ‘Choral’ 65’00

Concert Duration: 1 hr 50 min All Timings Indicated Are Approximate.

All Rights Reserved, National Library Board, Singapore “Today it unquestionably ranks among the world’s best… A world- class orchestra that can switch between such radically divergent styles with virtuosic ease.”

American Record Guide March/April 2007

Singapore Symphony Orchestra

A premier Asian orchestra gaining recognition around the world, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) aims to enrich the local cultural scene, serving as a bridge between the musical traditions of Asia and the West, and providing artistic inspiration, entertainment and education.

A full-time professional orchestra with 96 members, the SSO now makes its performing home at the Esplanade Concert Hall, and also performs regularly at the Victoria Concert Hall and at other venues. Established in 1979, the SSO performs over 50 symphonic programmes a year. Its versatile repertoire spans the all-time favourites and orchestral masterpieces to exciting cutting-edge premieres, with Asian and Singaporean musicians and composers featuring prominently in the concert season. The SSO has toured America, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, Italy, Japan, France, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom.

Since Maestro Lan Shui assumed the position of Music Director in 1997, the SSO has been distinguished by a high level of excellence and a rising international proﬁ le. Choo Hoey, who was Music Director from 1979 to 1996, is credited for developing the SSO with his diverse programming.

Among the SSO’s recordings under BIS are a number of CDs which have earned international acclaim, including a Seascapes album and the ﬁ rst-ever cycle of Tcherepnin’s six piano concertos and four symphonies. The SSO has also recorded the music of Chen Yi, Zhou Long, Bright Sheng and Richard Yardumian, collaborating with such great artists as Gil Shaham, Evelyn Glennie, Cho-Liang Lin, Noriko Ogawa, Sharon Bezaly, Claude Delangle, Christian Lindberg and Martin Fröst.

Lan Shui joined the Singapore Symphony Orchestra as Music Director in 1997. He has brought the SSO to greater heights during his tenure, through several international tours and recordings for the BIS label. Lan Shui is also passionate about performing music by Asian and Singaporean composers.

Lan Shui is also Chief Conductor of the Copenhagen Philharmonic. 2008 highlights include return appearances with the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie, Bamberg Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Aspen Festival and performances with the Aalborg Symphony where he is the Principal Guest Conductor. He has conducted many orchestras including the Baltimore Symphony, Frankfurt Radio Symphony, Stuttgart Radio Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Detroit Symphony, Houston Symphony, Malmö Symphony, Deutsche Symphony (Berlin), Danish Radio Symphony, National Orchestra of Loire (France), Bern Symphony, Munich Chamber Orchestra and Tampere Philharmonic. He has also performed at festivals including Tanglewood, Aspen, Bravo! Vail Valley, Round Top, Eastern Music, National Orchestra Institute and Casals Festivals.

Born in Hangzhou, China, Lan Shui studied composition at the Shanghai Conservatory and graduated from the Beijing Central Conservatory, where he studied conducting with Xu Xin and Huang Fei Li. He made his professional conducting debut with Beijing’s Central Philharmonic Orchestra in 1986 and was later appointed Conductor of the Beijing Symphony. From 1986 he continued his graduate studies at Boston University and attended the Tanglewood Music Festival, where he worked closely with Leonard Bernstein. In 1990 he conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Summer Festival, where he came to the attention of David Zinman who in 1992 invited him to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra as Conducting Afﬁ liate for two seasons. From 1994 to 1997, he was Associate Conductor to Neeme Järvi at the Detroit Symphony. In the same period he assisted Kurt Masur at the New York Philharmonic, and worked with Boulez and the Cleveland Orchestra in Paris under the Young Conductors’ Project.

Since 1998, Lan Shui has recorded over 16 CDs for the BIS label, including music by Arnold and Hindemith with the Malmö Symphony. His album with the Danish Radio Symphony, Movement, was nominated for the 2008 Grammy Awards.

He is the recipient of several international awards from the Beijing Arts Festival, New York Tcherepnin Society, 37th Besançon Conductors Competition in France, Boston University (Distinguished Alumni Award) and Singapore (Cultural Medallion).

Juliane Banse made her operatic debut at the age of twenty as Pamina in Harry Kupfer’s staging of Die Zauberﬂ öte at the Komische Oper Berlin. One of her achievements has been the recording of Beethoven’s Fidelio with the Berlin Philharmonic under Sir Simon Rattle. Her most recent dazzling performance at the Bayerische Staatsoper was in 2008 as Ilia (Idomeneo) under conductor Kent Nagano on the occasion of the reopening of the Cuvilliés Theater. She has expanded her operatic repertoire recently with several large parts including the Countess in Figaro, Eva in the Meistersinger, as well as Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte and the title role in Schumann’s Genoveva.

Born in the south of Germany, Juliane Banse spent her childhood in Zürich, Switzerland, began playing the violin at the age of ﬁ ve, and later trained as a ballerina at the Opernhaus Zürich. She began singing at the age of 15, taking singing lessons initially with Paul Steiner, and later with Ruth Rohner at the Opernhaus Zürich. After completing her school education she continued her studies with Brigitte Fassbaender and also Daphne Evangelatos in Munich.

The many famous conductors Banse has worked with include Claudio Abbado, Pierre Boulez, André Previn, Lorin Maazel, Riccardo Chailly, Leonard Slatkin, Bernard Haitink, Franz Welser-Möst, Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Helmuth Rilling and Carlo Maria Giulini. Her most recent international engagements include concerts with Berg’s Sieben frühe Lieder at the Bolshoi Theatre Moscow, a ﬁ rst performance of Mahler’s Eighth Symphony (2nd soprano) with the Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Mahler’s Fourth Symphony in Boston and a DVD production of Hunter’s Bride – based on Der Freischütz with the London Symphony Orchestra under Daniel Harding in London and Dresden as well as her performances as Ilia in Mozart’s Idomeneo at the Bavarian State Opera Munich.

Juliane Banse’s numerous CD recordings include her Mozart and Debussy recording (ECM) with András Schiff and also her multi-award-winning recording of selected vocal works by Charles Koechlin with the SWR Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart (Stuttgart Radio Symphony Orchestra) under Heinz Holliger (hänssler). A recording of Frank Martin’s Maria Triptychon was also released recently by ECM.

Born in Berlin and brought up in Leipzig, Carolin Masur studied at the Hanns-Eisler Conservatory Berlin. She has participated in masterclasses with Brigitte Fassbaender, Hans Hotter, Sergej Leiferkus and Julia Varady.

From 1995 to 1997, Masur was a Company Member at the Landestheater Coburg where her roles included Cherubino and Hansel, among others. From 2000 to 2002 she appeared at the Komische Oper / Berlin, Theater Magdeburg, Kammeroper Rheinsberg, Handel Festival in Hallé, Dresden Music Festival and made her debut as the Composer in Ariadne at the National Opera Szeged/Hungary.

From 2002 to 2005, Masur was a Company member of the Staatsoper Hannover where she performed roles such as Hansel, Ramiro, Orlofsky and Octavian. After this she performed at the Stuttgart State Opera, at Toulouse Opera and sang concerts in the major European capitals and Japan.

Besides her operatic career she has acquired an impressive reputation on the concert platform. She has appeared with the Orchestre National de France and Philharmonie de Radio France, London and Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Gewandhaus Leipzig, Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic and others. Among the conductors she has worked with are Christoph Eschenbach, Kurt Masur, Marek Janowski, Sir Roger Norrington, Christian Thielemann, Herbert Blomstedt and Serge Baudo.

Carolin Masur has been broadcasted on several radio stations in Europe like MDR, Deutschlandradio (Germany) and Radio France. Her CD recordings include “Songs by Fanny Hensel and F. Mendelssohn-Bartholdy” for Klavierrecords/USA, “Raven” by M. Theodorakis for Genuin/Germany, and “Deutsche Sinfonie” by Eisler for Naïve/ France.

The American tenor Thomas Cooley is quickly establishing a reputation on both sides of the Atlantic – and beyond – as a singer of great versatility, expressiveness, and virtuosity. He is equally at home on the concert stage and in the opera house, and his repertoire spans more than four centuries, encompassing the early masters such as Handel, Bach, Mozart, and Monteverdi, as well as works by Romantic and 20th century and contemporary composers including Berlioz, Elgar, Britten, Penderecki, and Philip Glass. Cooley is a self-described storyteller whose interpretations are deeply informed by the texts he is singing. Critics universally praise the emotional depth and nuance of his performances, whether the mood is dramatic, comic, or deeply spiritual.

The 2009/2010 season began for Thomas Cooley with appearances with the Müncher Motettenchor in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Mendelssohn’s Erste Walpurgisnacht, and in Basel, performing Britten’s War Requiem. He returned to the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra for Berlioz’s L’Enfance du Christ; performed a recital of works by Monteverdi and Schütz in Berkeley; and made a triumphant appearance as Acis in his ﬁ rst Acis and Galatea by Handel at Chicago’s Music of the Baroque series. His recent engagements include debuts with the Cleveland Orchestra (Welser-Most), St. Louis Symphony and Kansas City Symphony (both with McGegan), and the Carmel Bach Festival (Weil); return appearances with the Atlanta Symphony and Minnesota Orchestra; tours of Spain and Germany with the Windsbacher Knabenchor; the title role in Bernstein’s Candide with the Charleston Symphony; concerts with the International Bach-Akademie Stuttgart, and Beethoven Symphony No. 9 in Japan with Eiji Oue.

Thomas Cooley spent a formative ten years in Munich where he was a member of the ensemble at the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz. He was born in Minneapolis and now makes his home in Connecticut. Recordings include Mathan in Handel’s Athalia with Peter Neumann and the Kölner Kammerchor (MDG) and the premiere recording of Vivaldi’s Dixit Dominus (Deutsche Grammophon) as well as Mozart’s Requiem with the Windsbacher Knabenchor (Sony).

Born in Bavaria in 1977, Wilhelm Schwinghammer was musically trained as a member of the world famous boy’s choir and specialized high school of the Regensburger Domspatzen. He studied with Harald Stamm at the University of Arts in Berlin and attended masterclasses with Kurt Moll and Marjana Lipovsek. While still a student, he joined the Frieder Bernius Chamber Choir in Stuttgart (1999-2004), was a ﬁ nalist at the German Bundeswettbewerb (2004), gained crucial experience at Philippe Herreweghe’s Collegium Vocale in Gent and was part of the Sette Voci Ensemble.

In 2003, Schwinghammer was engaged for the International Opera Studio with several productions at the Hamburg Opera, including performances of Parsifal in the famous Robert Wilson production and John Neumeier’s Jubiläumsballett. In 2005, he made his debut at the Salzburg Festival as Dr. Grenvil singing with Anna Netrebko and Rolando Villazón in La Traviata staged by Willy Decker.

Since the beginning of the 2006/2007 season, Wilhelm Schwinghammer joined the Hamburg Opera with a number of new roles, including Masetto (Don Giovanni), Colline (La Bohème), Lodovico (Otello) as well as Theseus in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. For the opening of the jubilee season of Theater der Stadt Kiel, he sung the role of Rocco next to Adrienne Dugger and Scott MacAllister, followed by a new production of John Neumeier’s ballet “Bach’s Christmas Oratorio” conducted by Alessandro de Marchi. For the 2008/2009 season his roles include Colline (La Bohème), Speaker (The Magic Flute), Eremit (Freischütz), Don Basilio (Barbiere) and Sparafucile (Rigoletto) at Hamburgische Staatsoper. Also, he made his role debut as Kaspar (Freischütz) and has sung at Schubertiade Schwarzenberg.

In the 2009/10 seasons, the following roles are scheduled for Schwinghammer at Hamburg State Opera: Il Re (Aida), Leporello, Sarastro, Eremit and Kaspar. He has sung and will sing under conductors including Carlo Rizzi, Nicola Luisotti, Peter Schneider, Neville Marriner, Stefan Soltesz, Simone Young, Marc Albrecht, Marc Minkowski and Helmuth Rilling.

The Singapore Symphony Chorus (SSC) was initiated in 1980 under the direction of Choo Hoey, then Music Director of the SSO. The Chorus gave its ﬁ rst performance on 13 and 14 June 1980, performing Brahms’ A German Requiem. In 1981, Lim Yau was appointed Chorus Master and under his guidance, the SSC has established itself as one of the ﬁ nest choirs in the region and one of the few symphony choruses in Southeast Asia. Bart Folse was Chorus Master from 1998 to 2000. In 2001, Lim Yau returned as the Music Director of the Chorus. The SSC performs with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO), presenting an average of three programmes a year. Under Lim Yau’s leadership, the SSC continues to strive for excellence in performance.

The Chorus has worked with renowned choral specialists such as Peter Erdei, Eric Ericsson and Laszlo Heltay. Vocal soloists who have appeared with the Chorus over the years include Sir Willard White, David Wilson Johnson, Michael George, Neil Mackie and Susan Chilchott.

The wide repertoire of the SSC includes Janácek’s Glagolitic Mass, Hindemith’s Requiem, Holst’s The Planets, Lambert’s Rio Grande, Leong Yoong Pin’s Choral Symphony, Mahler’s Second and Eighth Symphonies, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Rachmaninov’s The Bells, Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms, Tippett’s A Child of Our Time as well as the famous masses and oratorios of J S Bach, Beethoven, Haydn, Mozart, Berlioz, Gounod, Dvorˇ ák, Elgar and Fauré.

The Chorus is looking for like-minded singers of all backgrounds. If you wish to join the SSC, please contact us on our website at www.symphonychorus.sg.

The Singapore Bible College Chorale comprises students of the School of Church Music of Singapore Bible College (SBC). It was formed in early 1982 by its music director, Lee Chong Min, to provide choral experiences for the students and to promote quality sacred choral masterpieces in Singapore through its annual concerts. Under Lee’s able leadership, the Chorale now presents an average of four performances annually.

The SBC Chorale collaborates regularly with other choirs and orchestras in Singapore and Malaysia. Since 1995, regular concerts with the Hallelujah Oratorio Society and the Hallelujah Chorus have showcased choral works by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Handel, Haydn, Mendelssohn and Mozart. It also presents Asian and Singapore premieres of sacred choral works by several Asian composers in international church music conferences. Since 2001, SBC Chorale has also performed with the Singapore Symphony Chorus, The Philharmonic Chamber Choir, and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in the Singapore Arts Festival, the inauguration of Esplanade Concert Hall, and in several annual concerts.

The repertoire of the SBC Chorale includes Bach’s St Matthew Passion and Mass in B minor, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Choral Fantasy and Missa Solemnis, Berlioz’s Messe Solennelle, Brahms’ German Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s The Creation and Handel’s Dixit Dominus, Janác ˇek’s Glagolitic Mass, MacMillan’s The Seven Last Words from the Cross, Mahler’s Symphonies Nos. 2 and 8, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Hymn of Praise, and St Paul, Mozart’s Mass in C minor and Requiem, Verdi’s Requiem, and Vivaldi’s Gloria.

Hallelujah Chorus is one of three choral groups under the Hallelujah Oratorio Society (HOS). It focuses on performing oratorio and classical sacred music under the baton of conductor Maestro Rev Lee Chong Min, music director and conductor of HOS, and music lecturer of School of Church Music at the Singapore Bible College.

In recent years, Hallelujah Chorus has been in singing partnership with the Singapore Bible College Chorale and The Philharmonic Orchestra, performing choral-orchestra masterworks, along with various soloists from the Asian region, including Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Hymn of Praise, St. Paul, Haydn’s The Creation, Brahms’ Requiem, Mozart’s C Minor Mass, Handel’s Messiah and Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis.

Repertoire performed with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and Singapore Symphony Chorus since 2003 include Berlioz’s Messe Solennelle, Mahler’s Eighth Symphony (in the 2004 Singapore Arts Festival) and Third Symphony, Glagolitic Mass by Leos Janác ˇek, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Choral Fantasy and Missa Solemnis, Haydn’s The Creation, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, MacMillan’s Seven Last Words from the Cross and Handel’s Messiah.

The Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir was formed in June 2006, marking another milestone in the history of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra. As Singapore’s national orchestra, the SSO takes pride in nurturing young talents and helping them achieve their musical potential.

Under the direction of Music Director of Singapore Symphony Chorus maestro Lim Yau, 113 children were selected from the initial auditions. Weekly training programmes began in July 2006 under voice specialists Quek Soo Hiang and Wong Lai Foon. After one year of training, choir members are set to perform choral masterworks with the SSO that require young voices.

The Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir made its debut performance in 2007 at the SSO’s Christmas Concerts. Following that, the choir sang in SSO’s one-night performance of Mahler’s landmark Third Symphony on 26 January 2008 and the 2008 SSO Christmas Concert. This year, the choir sang in SSO’s performance of Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust on 2 May 2009 at the Esplanade Concert Hall.

The Children’s Choir gave its inaugural concert at the Victoria Concert Hall on 20 April 2008.

SOPRANO Sim Hui Theng, Lee Pey Miin, Carroll Yang Shuqi Ang Ee Tin, Joy Cassandra Allicia Lee Yew Ping Ye Chen Yi, Beni Aw, Karen Smith, Nicole Ying Lee, Evelyn Yeap Yong Ern, Joel Bailey, Felicia Soegijanto, Eirene Lee-Teh Siew Kin, Yen, Christine Beattie, Ruth Tan Chay Eng Dorothy Yeow Eng Haw Buckley, Pamela Tan Hui Yin Leung Yong Ting, Nicole Yong Siew Kian, Chen Xiao E Tang Hui Xuan, Tessa Likin, Claris Caroline Chen Yitie, Esther Tang Michelle Lim Jia Hui, Claire Cheng Huan An Tay Jie Min, Vanessa Lim Qingli, Kristi TENOR Choo Xin Le, Aladdy Tay Jie Yu, Nicolette Lim Shuen Han Chan Seng Chye, Kerryn Chow Cheng Shon Tay Xi Ching, Melody Lim Siying, Claribel Chen, Mark C. Chua Rui Ting Teng, Patricia Lim Xinyi Choong Tsung Liang, From, Julie Olivia Tham Sze Rong Lim Yan, Carissa Marie Alvin Furukawa, Kiyomi Thong Geok Lee Lim Yi Jin, Eileen Edwards, Barry Peter Ganakirthana, Kalpenya Tong Miin Lim, Janice Ho, Benjamin Devi Wang Yu-Ann Lim, Tiffany How, James Haines, Rebecca Weston, Florence Lim, Wendy Ivan Subuhwanto Handoko, Clarice Wirjawan, Farika Ling Su Yuen Lam, H.M. Vincent Hill, Dorothea Wong Wye Leng Loh Su San, Ellen Lee Yu Peng Hon, Mandy Wu Wanjin Looi Duan Ying, Denise Loy Peng, Melvin How Jia Yu Yang En Jie, Angel Low Swee Ling, Sharon Margono, Adi Hu Ling Yi Ye Lu Wei Ng Boon Cheng Ng Keng Chui, Perry Iwakura, Hisae Zaheer, Tasha Ng Oon Thiam Ong, Simon Jocelyn Ng Ting Si, Teresa Phua Hee Joseph, Debbie Gene ALTO Ng, Cheryl Pitkanen, Markku Khong Gek Ping, Serene Ang Feng Qian Nyonosaputro, Shuter, Borys Khor Chin Shiang, Ang Hooi Yeong, Sendawati Smith, Alan Chloe Pauline Ow, Evelyn Thadani, Rahul Kummar, Kanchen Chai En Yu, Emily Pitkanen, Sointu Lempi Toh Kai Kim Joseph Kurniawati, Herlina Chan Hwee Ping Tuulia Wu Chun Ming, Jimmy Kwok, Rebecca Chan Mei Yoke Pitkanen, Tuija Hannele Yong Zoh Fah, Paul Lau Moy Chin Cheng Hwee Leng, Pitkanen, Vilja Kaisa Lau, Noblia Carol Lyydia BASS Law, Maggie Cheong Kuang Wen, Rajakumari, Twinkle Lee Bee Kiong Sani, Enoni Ang Jian Zhong Gabrielle Au Yeong Hau Tzeng Lee Li Xuan, Nicole Chia Menq Woei Schuler, Sabine Lee Yi Leng Seshadri, Malavika Bui Quang Khoi, Klein Chiew Hao Gen Caduff, Claudio Liew Xin Hui, Sujata Ching, Gabriel Joel Seshadri, Meghna Lim Sheok Hong, Grace Siew Guo Fen Chojnowski, Alexandre Chiu Lu Yah Enoch Daniel Lim, Alexandrea Kay Choo Kin Meng Sit Wai Yee, Melody Lin Miin Sitaram, Spatikha Foo, Colin Chua, Liang Wei Kang, Husen Ling Shan Shan Dizon, Catherine Smith, Lauren Lan Lio Xiao Han, Jocelyne Soo Miew Hiong Lalsiamkima Beatrice Aycocho Lau Yew Ong, James Lourdesamay, Natalia Fernandez, Maria Soo Yin Ying, Eleanor Dhanya Su, Ena Lim Ka Njan, Peterus Martha Cecilia G. Ngoh Jun Jie, Jasper Neo Wen Ning, Yasmine Fong Jia Wei Sunardi-Gotze, Nany Ng Kong Tiok Tan Qiao Chu, Claire Schade, Michael Fum Rui Fen, Marissa Sy, David Ng Qian Ning, Irene Gan Cze, Caszella Tanaka, Arisa Ng, Samantha Teo Li Hoon Tan Kai Suan, Joseph Han, Rui Zhou Nicholas Tan, Tzy Shiun Eric Ojha, Shubhra Handoko, Nathalie Thia, Debbie Ojha, Soumya Toh Yih Shyan, Joel Teo Siak Hian, Leo Tricia Wee, Raymond Ong Lay Kee Ho, Jennifer Umar Sirhan Bin Prasetya, Margie Hishamudin Wong Sei Wee, Joshua Hu Zhenqi Wong Theam Yew Stevanie Huraisha Bte Mohd Viernes Krishan Carmel Rheaume, Robin Ann Villamarzo Wu Tong, Raymond Rafee Zau Naw Santhana, Arasi Kerger, Theresia Weeks, Nimmi Santhana, Sarah Kurniawan, Erlie Whalen Bridge, Helena Sew Wen Xin Lam Yuen Wah, Ronnie Wong Ee Hwee

music director Lan Shui

Tue, 1 Dec 09 Beethoven Festival: Pastoral Pleasures

Lan Shui conductor Emily Beynon ﬂ ute

BRETT DEAN Pastoral Symphony NIELSEN Flute Concerto BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 ‘Pastoral’

Beethoven’s love of nature found true expression in his Sixth Symphony – popularly known today as the Pastoral – which is a delightful musical depiction of a day in the countryside. The concert opens with a very different Pastoral Symphony, composed in 2000 by Australian composer Brett Dean (b.1961), using a wide range of modern compositional techniques. It “is about glorious birdsong, the threat that it faces, and the soulless noise that we’re left with when they’re all gone”.

Lunch Treats on Symphony 92.4FM (Mon-Fri, 11am to 2pm) On Symphony 92.4FM’s Lunch Treats, we serve a wide selection of music to go with your favourite lunch menu – from Broadway hits to Movie themes, masterworks to light classics. Tune in also for What’s On in the music, arts and theatre scene at 12.20pm. For more information, visit www.symphony.sg.

Fri, 4 Dec 09 Beethoven Festival: In Good Company

Lan Shui conductor Mari Kodama piano

BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93 BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58 BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7 in A major, Op. 92

Pianist Mari Kodama – heralded for her profound musicality and articulate virtuosity – joins forces with the SSO in Beethoven’s poetic Fourth Concerto. Two sunny symphonies ﬂ ank the programme: the Seventh – a celebratory work brimming with beauty and energy – and the Eighth, possibly “the sunniest, most unadulteratedly cheerful music ﬁ lled with high spirits, rowdy jokes and sly pranks”. Sponsored by

PPost-concertost-concert SSymphonyymphony CChathat withwith LanLan ShuiShui

Fri, 11 Dec 09, 10.30am & 12.15pm Sat, 12 Dec 09, 10.30am, 12.15pm & 2.15pm Victoria Concert Hall soldBabies’ out Proms Peter Moore conductor

The children’s favourite Uncle Peter is back again for the eighth year running, to lead the little ones on an amazing fun-ﬁ lled musical adventure!

There will be pre-concert activities at 9.45am, 11.30am and 1.30pm.

Concert suitable for children 6 years and below. Tickets required for children 2 years and above. Each concert lasts one hour.

SSO Musicians

MUSIC DIRECTOR • Lan Shui RESIDENT CONDUCTOR/MUSIC DIRECTOR of SINGAPORE SYMPHONY CHORUS • Lim Yau CONDUCTOR EMERITUS • Choo Hoey PRINCIPAL GUEST CONDUCTOR • Okko Kamu YOUNG ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR • Darrell Ang

FIRST VIOLIN PICCOLO TRUMPET ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL LEADER Guan Qi ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL PRINCIPAL Alexander Souptel* Roberto Alvarez Laurence Gargan FIXED CHAIR OBOE CO-LEADER Luo Biao ASSOCIATE Lynnette Seah PRINCIPAL PRINCIPAL Fan Ran^ Rachel Walker David Smith ASSISTANT LEADER Jiri Heger Kong Zhao Hui* Jiang Han Song* ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL Ikebe Jun Marietta Ku Pan Yun Yap Thien Soo FIXED CHAIR Liu Hao Yu TROMBONE Chan Yoong Han Shui Bing Carolyn Sonderegger Tan Wee Hsin Elaine Yeo PRINCIPAL Chen Da Wei Allen Meek Tong Yi Ping COR ANGLAIS Duan Yu Ling Yang Shi Li Foo Say Ming ASSOCIATE ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL Gu Wen Li CELLO PRINCIPAL Fredi Sonderegger Jin Li ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL Elaine Yeo Cindy Lee Yu Jing* Damian Patti Lim Shue Churn CLARINET Seow Jin Chong PRINCIPAL BASS FIXED CHAIR TROMBONE Sui Jing Jing Guo Hao* Ma Yue Karen Tan ASSISTANT William Tan Chan Wei Shing* ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL Wei Zhe Ding Xiao Feng PRINCIPAL Shannon Pittaway Wakako Yokoyama^^ Li Xin Li Cheng TUBA Song Woon Teng SECOND Liu Yoko PRINCIPAL VIOLIN Elizabeth Tan* Wang Yan Tang Xiao Ping Hidehiro Fujita PRINCIPAL Zhao Yu Er Zhang Zhen Shan BASS CLARINET TIMPANI DOUBLE BASS ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL PRINCIPAL ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL Tang Xiao Ping Jonathan Fox PRINCIPAL Guennadi Mouzyka Michael Loh BASSOON Grzegorz Markiewicz PRINCIPAL ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL PERCUSSION FIXED CHAIR Yang Zheng Yi Zhang Jin Min Hai-Won Kwok PRINCIPAL FIXED CHAIR ASSOCIATE Jonathan Fox Cao Can^ Karen Yeo PRINCIPAL Nikolai Koval* Liu Chang ASSOCIATE Priscilla Neo Olga Alexandrova PRINCIPAL Andrea Oey*^ Ma Li Ming Christoph Wichert Mark Suter Margit Saur Jacek Mirucki Zhao Ying Xue Shao Tao Tao Wang Xu Mark De Souza Wu Man Yun* CONTRA BASSOON Lim Meng Keh Xu Jue Yi* FLUTE ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Grzegorz Markiewicz Ye Lin* PRINCIPAL Zhao Ying Xue Sun Yi^ Yeo Teow Meng Jin Ta Akari Tsuruta^ Yin Shu Zhan* HORN Zhu Zheng Yi^ Zhang Si Jing* ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL Han Chang Chou HARP VIOLA PRINCIPAL Evgueni Brokmiller PRINCIPAL PRINCIPAL ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL Gulnara Mashurova Zhang Manchin Roberto Alvarez Gao Jian Lee Kee Hoi Jamie Hersch Marc-Antoine Robillard

Wang Min

Musicians (listed alphabetically by family name) rotate their seats on a per programme basis * With deep appreciation to Mr & Mrs Rin Kei Mei for their generous loan of string instruments from the Rin Collection ^ Musician(s) on temporary contract ^^ Musician on exchange programme with Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra

Musicians’ Chair

To continue to be one of the most outstanding orchestras in the region, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra needs to recruit and maintain its pool of talented musicians. We would like to thank the following corporation for supporting our Musicians’ Chair Programme:

SINGAPORE PETROLEUM COMPANY LIMITED Musician’s Seat

Corporate Seats

$20,000 and above Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Singapore Petrochemical Corporation of Singapore (Pte) Ltd

$10,000 and above BD Hong Leong Foundation Lippo Group Prima Limited

Allow your corporation to play an active role in the life of the Orchestra by supporting the Musicians’ Chair Programme and Corporate Seat Scheme. For more details, please contact the Development & Sponsorship Team at 6837 0998 or [email protected].

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Ah! Perfido, Op. 65 13’00

Of the 57 concert arias Mozart composed, no less than 33 were for sopranos, a voice for which he had a particular liking. Many of these were written for speciﬁ c singers including his sister-in-law, Aloysia Lange (for whom he wrote eight), Louise Villeneuve (a singer with the Burgtheater in Vienna for whom he wrote three), and Josepha Dušek, for whom Mozart wrote two. He had ﬁ rst met Ms Dušek in 1777 when she had visited her mother in Salzburg, and clearly relished her looks and personality every bit as much as he relished her voice.

Beethoven, too, was captivated by Josepha Dušek’s voice, not least her astonishingly wide range, when he fi rst heard her perform during a visit to Prague in 1796 and immediately wrote what he later described as a “Scena and Aria” for her. It was, however, another decade before it received its fi rst performance, by which time Beethoven had settled in Vienna and was well on his way to becoming the great symphonist by which he is most remembered to posterity. Indeed the concert in Vienna at which the Scena and Aria Ah! Perfi do was fi rst performed was primarily intended to present for the fi rst time two of Beethoven’s greatest symphonies – the Fifth and the Sixth – and as a result Ah! Perfi do got somewhat overshadowed. The soloist, selected at the very last minute, was one Josephine Killitschgy, who was young and inexperienced. A contemporary report of the concert observed that “when Beethoven led her on the stage she had such an attack of nerves that she trembled all over and butchered the aria”.

Ah! Perﬁ do is based on some verses by the Viennese court poet Pietro Metastasio (1698-1782) which tell of a young woman abandoned by her lover and switching between a desire for vengeance and desolation at her loss. The music begins with a highly dramatic Scena accompanied by scurrying violins indicating the woman’s rage. She calls on the gods to punish her faithless lover but then abruptly changes her mood and, with the aid of a graceful clarinet, invokes pity by calling on those same gods to take her life and spare her lover. The Aria – the text here not by Metastasio but by an anonymous writer – opens in a distinctly Mozartean mood of serenity and calm as the woman expands on her promise to die for her lover. This draws to its magical conclusion, but all is not over and the rage suddenly consumes her again as she recalls the distress her lover’s betrayal has caused her. In the end she switches

Beethoven never married but many men in this evening’s audience will be impressed at the perceptive way in which he depicts a woman’s unpredictable emotional excesses; women in today’s audience may not be so impressed, but will surely admire the brilliance of Beethoven’s creation from a purely musical standpoint.

Scena Ah! perfi do, spergiurio, Ah, faithless, false-hearted, Barbaro traditor, tu parti? Cruel traitor, are you leaving me? E son questi gl’ultimo tuoi congedi? Are these your fi nal farewells? Ove s’intese tirannia più crudel? Was there ever more cruel tyranny? Va’, scellerato! Va’, pur fuggi da me, Go, villain! Go, fl y from me, but you L’ira de’ Numi non fuggirai. Won’t escape the wrath of the Gods.

Se v’è giustizia in ciel, If there is justice in Heaven, Se v’è pieta, congiureranno a gara, If there is pity, they will all compete Tutti a punirti! to punish you! Ombra seguace! presente, Like a shadow haunting you wherever you go ovunque vai, vedrò le mie vendette; I shall wreak my vengeance; io già le godo immaginando; I am already enjoying the thought of it; i fulmini ti veggo già balenar d’intorno. already I see the lightning ﬂ ashing around you.

Ah no! ah no! fermate, vindici Dei! Ah no! Ah no! Stop, vengeful Gods! risparmiate quel cor, ferite il mio! Spare that heart, strike mine instead! s’ei non è più qual era, son io qual fui; If he is no longer what he was, I am what I was; per lui vivea, voglio morir per lui! I lived for him, I wish to die for him!

Aria Per pietà, non dirmi addio, For pity’s sake, do not bid me farewell, di te priva che farò? for what would I do without you? Tu lo sai, bell’ idol mio! You know, my beloved, io d’afanno morirò. that I will die of grief.

Ah crudel! tu vuoi ch’io mora! Ah, cruel man! Do you want me to die? tu non hai pietà di me? Have you no pity for me? perchè rendi a chi t’adora Why do you repay so harshly così barbara mercè? the one who adores you Dite voi, se in tanto affanno Say, all of you, if in this distress non son degna di pietà? Do I not deserve pity?

Marc Rochester

Camilla Tilling/Gabrieli Players/Paul McCreesh Archiv 477 5744

Janice Watson/Corydon Orchestra/Matthew Best Hyperion CDH55263

Gwyneth Jones/Vienna Opera Orchestra/Argeo Quadri Decca 475 641-2

Kirsten Flagstad/Philharmonia Orchestra/Clemens Krauss Archipel ARPCD0423

Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 ‘Choral’ 65’00 Allegro, ma non troppo, un poco maestoso Molto vivace Adagio molto e cantabile – Andante moderato Finale

Although elements of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony date back to 1793 – when Beethoven fi rst thought about setting Schiller’s “Ode to Joy” and when he fi rst used the great theme which dominates the fi nal movement , which originated in an unpublished song called Gegenliebe (“Love’s Return”) – it was a commission from the Philharmonic Society of London for a new symphony which eventually spurred him on to compose it. In November 1822 they offered him £50 (by today’s standards that’s something in the region of S$18,000) for the manuscript of a new symphony with the proviso that it remained unpublished for 18 months. Beethoven not only accepted this commission, but also promised to visit London in 1824 where, we assume, he fully intended to direct the symphony’s premiere. There was quite a backlog of commissions, so it was only in mid-1823 that Beethoven settled down to work in earnest on what was to become his Ninth Symphony. Most of the fi rst movement had already been sketched by that time, in July he completed the second, and the third was fi nished in September.

But during work on the third movement Beethoven had several interruptions. One was the visit of an 11-year-old boy who had moved to Vienna in 1821 and was having piano lessons from Beethoven’s own pupil Carl Czerny. That boy was Franz Liszt. In later life Liszt maintained that Beethoven had attended one of his piano recitals and gone up to the young boy afterwards and kissed him on the cheeks as a token of his admiration; but in view of Beethoven’s deafness and pressure of work, this seems highly unlikely. The composer Weber also visited Beethoven during that time and claimed afterwards that Beethoven (who had expressed a dislike of Weber’s music) had embraced him and called him “a devil of a good fellow”. A more serious interruption came in the guise of an eye infection which plagued him throughout the summer months and forced him to give up work entirely for three weeks in May. His eyesight did not fully recover until the following year.

All Rights Reserved, National Library Board, Singapore These delays put back the completion of the work until February 1824, and somewhere along the line the idea of presenting it to London had fallen by the wayside (although Beethoven duly received his £50, as well as a further £100 after the Symphony had been performed successfully in London on 21 March 1825), and Beethoven, who had grown tired of the Viennese musicians and audiences, suggested it should be premiered in Berlin. A petition from no less than 30 of his Viennese admirers persuaded him otherwise and, for what was to be his fi rst concert in the city for a decade, Beethoven spent the next two months gathering together the musicians he specifi cally wanted for the work’s premiere: 24 violins, 10 violas, 12 cellos and double basses, two piccolos, four fl utes, four oboes, four clarinets, four bassoons, two contrabassoons (because of the shaky standards of wind playing at the time Beethoven insisted on two players for each wind part), four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani, triangle, cymbals, bass drum, four soloists and a large chorus. He dedicated the published score to King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia.

The ﬁ rst movement opens with a strangely eerie evocation of dawn before the stormy main theme bursts on to the scene. There are more pastoral episodes, but the overriding mood is of violence and tension. The second movement is a virtuoso showpiece for orchestra driven on by propulsive rhythms and sudden changes of dynamic. There is a central trio section which introduces a somewhat rustic character with its charming dance highlighting the woodwind (and especially an almost obsessively energetic bassoon), strings and horns in turn. The mood is dramatically changed for the third movement. Opening with the woodwind instruments building up a chord by playing two notes each, the richly, lyrical, almost hymn-like violin theme unfolds with leisured ease, to be followed by a more yearning theme, both of which are then subjected to a series of variations.

A violent dissonance abruptly introduces the fourth movement. The cellos and basses give out a stirring recitative as if trying to call things to order. There then follows a succession of themes taken from the three previous movements, each summarily discarded by the cellos and basses who seem intent on fi nding a suitable way to avoid a repetition of the opening clash. It eventually comes from the germ of an idea, tentatively tried out by the oboes, clarinets and bassoons, which the cellos and basses turn into a fully-fl edged theme which is taken up with increasing enthusiasm by the full orchestra. The reappearance of the dissonance prompts the bass to attempt to calm matters with the fi rst lines of Schiller’s “Ode to Joy”:

O Freunde, nicht diese Töne! O friends, not these sounds! Sondern laßt uns angenehmere Let us sing more cheerful songs, anstimmen und freudenvollere! more full of joy!

Freude, schöner Götterfunken, Joy, the ﬂ ame of the Gods, Tochter aus Elysium, Daughter of Elysium, Wir betreten feuertrunken, With ﬁ ery rapture we approach Himmlische, dein Heiligtum! Thy Holy sanctuary. Deine Zauber binden wieder, Thy magic power reunites Was die Mode streng geteilt; All that custom has divided, Alle Menschen werden Brüder, All men become brothers Wo dein sanfter Flügel weilt. Wherever you spread your wings.

The solo quartet (again followed by the chorus) give out the second verse.

Wem der große Wurf gelungen, To the friend of a friend, Eines Freundes Freund zu sein, And the man who has won Wer ein holdes Weib errungen, A true and loving wife, Mische seinen Jubel ein! Let him join our chorus of jubilation! Ja, wer auch nur eine Seele Yes, whoever has but one soul Sein nennt auf dem Erdenrund! As his own in all the world! Und wer’s nie gekonnt, der stehle But the man who knows nothing Weinend sich aus dies em Bund. Will steal away in tears.

The solo quartet (including a devastatingly high part for the soprano) leads the seemingly intoxicated revelries of the fourth verse.

Freude trinken alle Wesen All creatures drink of joy An den Brüsten der Natur; At nature’s breast. Alle Guten, alle Bösen All the good, all the bad Folgen ihrer Rosenspur. Alike will taste of her gift; Küsse gab sie uns und Reben, She gave us kisses and wine, Einen Freund, geprüft im Tod; A loyal friend to the end. Wollust ward dem Wurm gegeben, Even the snake can feel pleasure, Und der Cherub steht vor Gott! And the cherub stands before God!

The intoxication seems now to have spread to the orchestra who embark on a delightful little march incorporating the mock-Turkish percussion effects much enjoyed in late 18th century Vienna. The tenor soloist (and later the chorus) join in:

Froh, wie seine Sonnen ﬂ iegen Gladly, like the heavenly bodies Durch des Himmels prächt‘gen Plan, Which He set on their courses Laufet, Brüder, eure Bahn, Brothers, you should run your race, Freudig, wie ein Held zum Siegen. As a hero going to conquest.

It all comes to a sudden halt, as the chorus tenors, as if overawed by the sheer size of the human race, introduce the last verse of Schiller’s work. With the last four lines there is a moment of reﬂ ection before, using a fugue (which, since Bach, has been the musical form used to indicate the countless generations of humanity) the chorus brings the work to its ecstatic conclusion.

Seid umschlungen Millionen. You millions, I embrace you. Diesen Kuß der ganzen Welt! This kiss is for all the world! Brüder! Überm Sternenzelt Brothers, above the starry canopy Muß ein lieber Vater wohnen. There must dwell a loving Father. Ihr stürzt nieder, Millionen? Do you fall in worship, you millions? Ahnest du den Schöpfer, Welt? Do you know your Creator, O World? Such’ ihn über’m Sternenzelt! Seek Him in the heavens, Über Sternen muß er wohnen. Above the stars must He dwell.

Finally, the solo quartet repeats the song of joy and the chorus brings the work to its ecstatic conclusion.

Marc Rochester

Suggested Recordings

Swiss Chamber Choir/Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra/David Zinman Arte Nova 74321 65410-2

London Philharmonic Chorus/London Philharmonic Orchestra/Klaus Tennstedt BBC Legends BBCL4131-2

Leipzig Radio Choir/Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra/Kurt Masur Philips 432 995-2

Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra/Otto Klemperer Testament SBT1177

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