25 February Sydney Town Hall JONNY GREENWOOD & SAINT-SAËNS

Principal Partner

Presenting Partner SYDNEY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 2021 CONCERT SEASON Thursday 25 February, 7pm SYMPHONY HOUR Sydney Town Hall

PATRON Her Excellency The Honourable Margaret Beazley ac qc Founded in 1932 by the Australian Broadcasting Commission, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra has evolved into one of the world’s finest orchestras as Sydney has become one of the world’s great cities. Resident at the iconic Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra also performs in venues throughout Sydney and regional New South Wales, and international tours to Europe, Asia and the USA have earned the Orchestra worldwide recognition for artistic excellence. JONNY The Orchestra’s first chief conductor was Sir Eugene Goossens, appointed in 1947; he was followed by Nicolai Malko, Dean Dixon, Moshe Atzmon, Willem van Otterloo, Louis Frémaux, Sir Charles Mackerras, Zdenêk Mácal, Stuart Challender, Edo de GREENWOOD Waart and Gianluigi Gelmetti. Vladimir Ashkenazy was Principal Conductor from 2009 to 2013, followed by David Robertson as Chief Conductor from 2014 to 2019. AND SAINT-SAËNS Australia-born Simone Young has been the Orchestra’s Chief Conductor Designate since 2020. She commences her role as Chief Conductor in 2022 as the Orchestra returns to the renewed Concert Hall of the Sydney Opera House. The Sydney Symphony Orchestra's concerts encompass masterpieces from the classical repertoire, music by some of the finest living composers, and collaborations DANE LAM conductor ESTIMATED DURATIONS with guest artists from all genres, reflecting the Orchestra's versatility and diverse DAVID DRURY organ 8 minutes, 18 minutes, appeal. Its award-winning education program is central to its commitment to the 36 minutes. future of live symphonic music, and the Orchestra promotes the work of Australian composers through performances, recordings and its commissioning program. COVER IMAGE LYLE CHAN (BORN 1967) Photo by Tim Zankert Gravity and Levity on the Sunbreathing Earth

Simone Young SECOND VIOLINS CELLOS CLARINETS TUBA JONNY GREENWOOD (BORN 1971) Chief Conductor Marina Marsden Catherine Hewgill Francesco Celata Steve Rossé Designate Principal Principal Associate Principal Principal Water Donald Runnicles Marianne Edwards Leah Lynn Christopher Tingay Principal Guest Associate Principal Acting Associate TIMPANI Conductor Alexander Morris Emma Jezek Principal Principal Bass Clarinet Mark Robinson CAMILLE SAINT-SAËNS (1835–1921) Vladimir Ashkenazy Assistant Principal Kristy Conrau Acting Principal Conductor Laureate James Burke Symphony No.3 in C minor, Op.78 (‘Organ’ Symphony) Alice Bartsch Timothy Nankervis Principal Elizabeth Neville PERCUSSION I Adagio – allegro moderato – poco adagio Andrew Haveron Victoria Bihun Christopher Pidcock BASSOONS Rebecca Lagos Concertmaster Rebecca Gill II Allegro moderato – presto – maestoso – allegro Adrian Wallis Principal Chair supported by Emma Hayes Todd Gibson-Cornish David Wickham Vicki Olsson Shuti Huang Principal Timothy Constable Monique Irik DOUBLE BASSES Matthew Wilkie PIANO/SYNTH FIRST VIOLINS Wendy Kong Principal Emeritus Benjamin Li Kees Boersma Catherine Davis* Andrew Haveron Noriko Shimada Nicole Masters Principal Guest Principal Concertmaster Principal Kirsty Hilton Alex Henery Susanne Powell* Harry Bennetts Contrabassoon Lyle Chan’s Gravity and Levity on the Sunbreathing Earth was made Principal Principal Guest Principal Associate Fiona McNamara possible through the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s 50 Fanfares Maja Verunica David Campbell Concertmaster TANPURA Richard Lynn HORNS Project and was commissioned by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Lerida Delbridge VIOLAS Jaan Pallandi Vinod Prasanna* Assistant Ben Jacks Tobias Breider Benjamin Ward Guest Principal Concertmaster Principal Principal Steven Larson Fiona Ziegler Geoffrey O’Reilly * = Guest Musician Justin Williams Assistant FLUTES Principal 3rd Horn Acting Associate ° = Contract Musician Concertmaster Marnie Sebire Principal Emma Sholl † = Sydney Symphony Jenny Booth Rachel Silver Sandro Costantino Associate Principal Fellow Sophie Cole Euan Harvey Rosemary Curtin Carolyn Harris Grey = Permanent Claire Herrick Jane Hazelwood Lisa Osmialowski* Member of the Sydney Georges Lentz TRUMPETS Graham Hennings Joshua Batty Symphony Orchestra Nicola Lewis David Elton Stuart Johnson Principal not appearing in Emily Long Principal Justine Marsden this concert Alexandra Mitchell Amanda Verner OBOES Anthony Heinrichs Alexander Norton Leonid Volovelsky David Johnson* Anna Skálová Diana Doherty Brian Hong† Anne-Louise Principal TROMBONES Comerford Sun Yi Nicola Bell* Associate Principal Ronald Prussing Associate Alexandre Oguey Principal Concertmaster Principal Cor Anglais Nick Byrne Kirsten Williams Shefali Pryor PRESENTING PARTNER PRINCIPAL PARTNER Associate Principal Christopher Harris Associate Principal Bass Concertmaster Trombone Emeritus Scott Kinmont Brielle Clapson Associate Principal WELCOME ABOUT THE ARTISTS

PRESENTING PARTNER DANE LAM conductor

Australian-Chinese conductor, Dane Lam, is Principal Conductor of the Xi’an Symphony Orchestra. Operatically, he enjoys a close relationship with London’s Opera Holland Park and companies including Opera Queensland, Opera Australia and Scottish Opera. He was recently appointed Resident Conductor and Associate Music Director of As Premier Partner of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Credit Suisse is Opera Queensland. proud to welcome you to the first Symphony Hour performance of 2021. Dane made his debut, aged eighteen, with the Sydney A truly unique hour of music features tonight with Radiohead guitarist Jonny Symphony and has since conducted the Queensland, Greenwood’s composition, Water, inspired by a Philip Larkin poem. Australian Adelaide, Canberra, Dunedin, Kunming, Shandong, composer Lyle Chan premieres his new work, commissioned by the Sydney and Suzhou symphony orchestras, Münchner Symphony as part of its 50 Fanfares project; Saint-Saëns’ most famous Third Rundfunkorchester, Het Residentie Orkest, City of London Dane Lam Symphony provides a resonant finish. Sinfonia, Manchester Camerata, South Bank Sinfonia, Credit Suisse’s support of this new Symphony Hour series follows more than a Liverpool Philharmonic Ensemble 10/10, RTÉ Concert decade of innovative partnership with the Orchestra. As well as being a Premier Orchestra, Beethoven Orchester Bonn, Verbier Festival Partner with the Orchestra since 2010, Credit Suisse and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and the Juilliard Orchestra. have collaborated to build programs in the community, especially with primary Recent engagements include Angela Hewitt, Stephen Hough, schools. Since 2018, our program has enabled over 700 primary school Ning Feng, Barry Douglas, and Kirill Gerstein with XSO; students from diverse socio-educational backgrounds to experience orchestral La bohéme and Don Giovanni at Opera Australia, L’arlesiana music, trained more than 40 teachers in music education, and donated more and Così fan tutte for Opera Holland Park, Giulio Cesare for than 400 instruments to six schools. Bury Court Opera, Orfeo ed Euridice for Opera Queensland, Thank you for joining the musicians for tonight’s performance, and we hope you The Rake’s Progress and La traviata for Scottish Opera. enjoy this outstanding concert in the Orchestra’s return to Sydney Town Hall. In 2021, Dane Lam will lead seasons of Le nozze di Figaro in Brisbane, La clemenza di Tito in Canberra and will conduct the Xi’an Symphony (with Martha Argerich as soloist) and the Sydney, Melbourne, Queensland and Adelaide symphony orchestras.

DAVID DRURY organ

Born in 1961, David Drury is well known to Australian audiences as an organist, choral conductor and composer of choral music. A graduate of the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, he became the first and only Australian to win Richard Gibb the Tournemire Prize for improvisation at the St Alban’s Chief Executive Officer International Organ Competition in 1987. Credit Suisse Australia Since then he has toured England, France, Germany, Canada, USA and New Zealand as a recitalist, and appeared as soloist with the Sydney, Adelaide and West Australian symphony orchestras, the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra, Orchestra Victoria and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. David Drury In 2018, David played for the Choir of The Pilgrim Church, Adelaide on a tour of 10 English Cathedrals. In June he played recitals in Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris and Southwark Cathedral, London. He also played in the Bach B minor Mass with the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and solo recitals in the Sydney Symphony’s Tea and Symphony series. In 2019 he played in the Bach St Matthew Passion for the Royal School of Church Music Winter School, and the Bach Magnificat with the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. During December 2019 and January 2020 he toured England, France and Italy with the choir of St Andrew’s Cathedral, Sydney. ABOUT THE MUSIC ABOUT THE MUSIC

LYLE CHAN (BORN 1967) Renowned for his work with Radiohead, various orchestras Gravity and Levity on the Sunbreathing Earth and as the composer for scores for There Will be Blood, Norwegian Wood, We Need to Talk about Kevin and The The composer writes… Master, Jonny Greenwood wrote Water for the Australian Chamber Orchestra. Gravity and Levity on the Sunbreathing Earth is the name of everything I compose while the COVID-19 epidemic lasts. This work The score for organ, two flutes, two tanpuras and strings was composed mid-October to mid-December 2020. quotes the final couplet from Philip Larkin’s short lyric ‘Water’ from The Whitsun Weddings. The poem begins: COVID has really made me ask that question again: what is the point of art? Every work of art is a beacon. It is an opinion piece; if an artist If I were called in doesn’t have a point of view about something, they have no business To construct a religion making art. I should make use of water. Art is also eyewitness testimony. Artists put on record life as it is Jonny Greenwood lived, known and experienced, each artform recording aspects Photo: Zach Klein and ends with an image of a glass of clear water ‘Where according to what it’s best at. Music is best at emotion. Music is the any-angled light / would congregate endlessly’. sound that feelings make, I frequently say. I am writing music during COVID in order to have a firsthand account of what it feels like living Water begins with overlapping repeated figures which during COVID. One thing that has kept apace with the fast-changing are essentially consonant. He adds long notes from lower epidemic is our fast-changing psychological reaction. One day strings, and two tanpuras – long-necked fretless lutes – happy, next moment heavy, one day lousy, next moment light. outline C major tonality in free rhythm throughout the piece. Flutes and violas add chromatic colouring. The You’ll hear both seriousness and not-seriousness in this music. You'll section continues with string tutti contrasting with leaner hear a jocularity that is quicksilver but jittery, perhaps the kind of ensemble episodes, increasingly elaborate solo writing and nervous humour you might have to alleviate a bad situation. At exploration of the icy timbre of string harmonics. the heart of the work is a limitless melody that sounds like eternity and wisdom, but along the way it forms connections with sounds A moderato section gathers in intensity and volume as it that agree with it and sounds that don’t, like an ancient idea going spreads through the orchestra, and issues in a section of through the stages of being discovered, resisted and accepted. extended techniques for the strings such as bowing behind the bridge and striking muffled strings with a guitar Whatever else it has shown, COVID has also shown humanity at plectrum. These provide new rhythmic ostinatos, which its best. We can make proven vaccines in less than a year. It thrills lead to a texture of simple rhythm but closely chromatic me, and sobers me too because now I know that the last viral crisis harmony. The final section is in a slow 3/8, where cluster that I lived through, the AIDS epidemic, could have been solved this chords swell and recede in the orchestra’s middle register, way but wasn’t – 3 vaccines and counting in under 1 year versus the tanpuras progressively detune, and the faster phrases no vaccine at all after 40 years. Was this time really so different in organ, winds and upper strings make use, where that it generated action so swift and determined? Recognising the possible, of note-bending. difference between how we regarded these epidemics might mean being prepared for – maybe even not causing – the next crisis on In 1887 Charles Gounod heard the Parisian premiere of this earth. Saint-Saëns’ ‘Symphony No.3 in C minor, with Organ and Two Pianos’ and famously gushed, ‘there goes the French Ours is an earth that breathes the sun, to borrow Mackay’s image. Beethoven’. Our life here is predicated on how we treat it. The two crises of nature we saw in Australia this year, bushfires and viral epidemics, Saint-Saëns believed that ‘the time has come for are the product of disrespect. When we pollute, we get fire. When we the symphony to benefit by the progress of modern deforest and put villages where wildlife live, viruses will jump species. instrumentation’ and his orchestration is masterly, with It’s a warning to respect all the planet's inhabitants, not just the ones a dramatic range of sounds from the diaphanous to the we like or find cuddly or tasty. massive. The ‘Organ’ Symphony is, moreover, replete with memorable tunes and intricate counterpoint, traversing an Ours is an earth clothed with the sun, to misborrow the Book of emotional landscape from deepest melancholy to sheer joy. Revelations’ apocalyptic image. Think of how beautiful the earth is, and then think of how beautiful we need to be to deserve to live on it. It was commissioned and first performed under the composer’s baton by the London Philharmonic Society in Lyle Chan, Sydney, December 2020 1886. It is dedicated to the memory of Liszt, a great mentor Camille Saint-Saëns ever since 1857 when, hearing Saint-Saëns improvising at Lyle Chan’s Gravity and Levity on the Sunbreathing Earth was made possible through the Sydney Symphony Orchestra’s 50 Fanfares Project and was commissioned by the Sydney the organ of the Madeleine church, he had declared the Symphony Orchestra. young Frenchman to be ‘the finest organist in the world’. Saint-Saëns for his part fought for the due recognition of the older man as composer as well as pianist. THANK YOU

There is more than just hyperbole to the Beethoven Every gift makes a difference. We gratefully acknowledge the generosity comparison. Like many a symphony of Beethoven’s, of our community, including those who wish to remain anonymous. especially the Fifth, the ‘Organ’ Symphony begins in darkness and turbulence and only toward the end does it VISIONARIES Bob & Julie Clampett reach the bright affirmation of C major. And like Beethoven Brian Abel Darin Cooper Foundation in the Fifth, Saint-Saëns is remarkably economical with Geoff Ainsworth am & Johanna Featherstone Emma Dunch his thematic material: it is possible to trace almost all his Antoinette Albert Simon Johnson melodies back to the motifs heard in the work’s introduction Terrey Arcus am & Anne Arcus Dr John Lam-Po-Tang and the opening of the following allegro moderato. How The Berg Family Foundation The late Dr Barry Landa the composer elaborates these into such a contrasting Robert & Janet Constable Warren & Marianne Lesnie abundance of melodies is by the principle of thematic Crown Resorts Foundation Sylvia & the late Sol Levi transformation developed by Liszt. The work’s four Gillian Eldershaw Helen Lynch am & Helen Bauer movements are grouped in pairs, with the main dramatic Dr Gary Holmes & Dr Anne Reeckmann Susan Maple-Brown am weight carried by the second of each. Dr Rachael Kohn ao & Tom Breen The Hon. Justice AJ Meagher & Fran Meagher The opening Adagio is deliberately vague in direction, Sir Frank Lowy ac & the late Lady Shirley Lowy oam John & Jane Morschel containing almost inconsequential motifs that become Bob Magid oam & Ruth Magid Janet & Michael Neustein transformed in the course of the work. The static nature Anthony & Suzanne Maple-Brown Kenneth R Reed am of the introduction enhances the release of energy in the Neilson Foundation Geoffrey Robertson ao Allegro moderato whose febrile theme begins with the Roslyn Packer ac (President, Maestro’s Circle) Graeme Robertson same notes as the plainchant for the Dies irae. Saint-Saëns Packer Family Foundation Tim Robertson sc had, after all, been trained as a church musician and Patricia H Reid Endowment Pty Ltd In memory of Joyce Sproat taught at the Ecole Niedermeyer, a school whose founder Doris Weiss & the late Peter Weiss ao James Stening was an authority on how ‘modern harmony is submitted to (President Emeritus, Maestro’s Circle) June & Alan Woods Family Bequest the form of the ancient modes’. This fast music, however, Judy & Sam Weiss $10,000+ seems to peter out, subsiding into the beautifully sombre MAESTRO’S CIRCLE Rob Baulderstone & Mary Whelan and emotionally searching Poco adagio. It is here that the Robert Albert ao & Elizabeth Albert Roxane Clayton organ makes an appearance, providing a velvet backdrop Christine Bishop Richard Cobden sc for the questing second theme of the movement. Dr Rebecca Chin Janet Cooke Part II opens with a turbulent scherzo punctuated by John C Conde ao Ewen Crouch am & Catherine Crouch timpani. It too builds in sound and fury but mysteriously Edward & Diane Federman The Greatorex Fund winds down to a quiet, simple texture built on another Ian Dickson & Reg Holloway Carolyn Githens chant-like motif. Only now does Saint-Saëns unleash the full Nora Goodridge oam Dr Bruno & Rhonda Giuffre power of the organ. A shattering C major chord opens onto Ingrid Kaiser Dr Margot Harris a world of sparkling piano figurations, chorale melodies and I Kallinikos The Hilmer Family Endowment an overpoweringly joyful final peroration. Sharon & Anthony Lee Foundation Jim & Kim Jobson Gordon Kerry © 2021 Ian & Ann Levi Roland Lee Catriona Morgan-Hunn Dr Lee MacCormick Edwards Charitable Karen Moses Foundation Nelson Meers Foundation Russell & Mary McMurray Rachel & Geoffrey O'Conor Sue Milliken ao Vicki Olsson Dr Dominic Pak & Cecilia Tsai Drs Keith & Eileen Ong Nigel & Carol Price The Ross Trust Garry & Shiva Rich Paul Salteri am & Sandra Salteri Sylvia Rosenblum In memory of Mrs W Stening Dougall Squair Kathy White Rod Sims & Alison Pert In memory of Dr Bill Webb & Helen Webb Penelope Seidler am Caroline Wilkinson oam Tony Strachan Ray Wilson oam, in memory of James Agapitos oam Judge Robyn Tupman PATRONS PROGRAM Russell Tagg & Pat Woolley $15,000+ Yim Family Foundation Ainsworth Foundation Doug & Alison Battersby For a full listing of our Sydney Symphony family of donors, please visit sydneysymphony.com/our- Dugald Black supporters. Audrey Blunden To discuss your giving or learn which areas most need Sandra & Neil Burns your support, please contact our Philanthropy team on Robert & L Alison Carr 02 8215 4674 or [email protected]. BOARD OF DIRECTORS THANK YOU Terrey Arcus am Chairman The Hon. Justice AJ Meagher Geoff Ainsworth am Sam Meers ao Andrew Baxter Karen Moses Deputy Chair Kees Boersma Dr John Vallance Emma Dunch CEO Geoff Wilson Catherine Hewgill

ORCHESTRA CHAIR PATRONS PRINCIPAL PARTNER GOVERNMENT PARTNERS Emma Dunch Claire Herrick Chief Executive Officer Violin I Kallinikos Chair Russell & Mary McMurray Chair Andrew Haveron Catherine Hewgill Concertmaster Principal Cello The Sydney Symphony Orchestra is assisted by The Sydney Symphony Orchestra Vicki Olsson Chair the Commonwealth Government through the Australia is supported by the NSW Government The Hon. Justice AJ & Council, its arts funding and advisory body. through Create NSW. Joshua Batty Mrs Fran Meagher Chair Principal Flute Kirsty Hilton Karen Moses Chair Principal Second Violin Harry Bennetts Drs Keith & Eileen Ong Chair Associate Concertmaster Scott Kinmont Judy & Sam Weiss Chair Associate Principal Trombone Victoria Bihun Audrey Blunden Chair Violin Emily Long PREMIER PARTNER Sylvia & the late Sol Levi Chair First Violin Kees Boersma Dr Margot Harris Chair Principal Double Bass Leah Lynn Council Chair Assistant Principal Cello Tobias Breider Sydney Symphony Orchestra Principal Viola Vanguard Chair (lead MAJOR PARTNER FOUNDATIONS Roslyn Packer ac & support from Seamus R Quick) Gretel Packer am Chair Nicole Masters James Burke Second Violin Principal Clarinet Nora Goodridge oam Chair Oranges & Sardines Foundation Chair Fiona McNamara Nick Byrne Bassoon BRAND AGENCY PARTNER GOLD PARTNERS Trombone Nelson Meers Foundation Chair Robertson Family Chair Timothy Nankervis Anne-Louise Comerford Cello Associate Principal Viola Dr Rebecca Chin & Family Chair White Family Chair Elizabeth Neville Timothy Constable Cello Percussion Bob Magid oam & Ruth Magid Chair SILVER PARTNERS Christine Bishop Chair Alexandre Oguey Rosemary Curtin Principal Cor Anglais Viola Mackenzie’s Friend Chair John & Jane Morschel Chair Mark Robinson EVENT HIRE Lerida Delbridge Acting Principal Timpani Assistant Concertmaster Sylvia Rosenblum Chair Simon Johnson Chair in memory of Rodney Rosenblum Diana Doherty Rachel Silver Principal Oboe Horn John C Conde ao Chair Sue Milliken ao Chair Todd Gibson-Cornish Emma Sholl COMMUNITY AND INDUSTRY PARTNERS Principal Bassoon Associate Principal Flute Nelson Meers Foundation Chair Robert & Janet Constable Chair Rebecca Gill Matthew Wilke Violin Principal Emeritus Bassoon In memory of Reg & Jeannette Nelson Meers Foundation Chair Lam-Po-Tang Chair Justin Williams Carolyn Harris Assistant Principal Viola Flute Robert & L Alison Carr Chair VANGUARD PARTNER HOTEL PARTNER REGIONAL TOUR PARTNER The late Dr Barry Landa Chair Jane Hazelwood Viola Bob & Julie Clampett Chair in memory of Carolyn Clampett M0091_172x276_SSO_Programm_EN.indd 1 10.01.20 10:16