sign in sign up
<<
Home , Dumka (musical genre), George Enescu, Krystian Zimerman, Slavonic Dances

London Symphony Orchestra Living Music

Thursday 2 July 2015 7.30pm Barbican Hall

SIR

Brahms No 1 INTERVAL Dvorˇák Dvorˇák Slavonic Dance Op 72 No 4 London’s Symphony Orchestra Dvorˇák The Golden Spinning Wheel

Sir Simon Rattle conductor Krystian Zimerman piano

Concert finishes approx 10pm

Please ensure that mobile phones are switched off during the performance. No photography, audio or video recording is permitted in the Hall. 2 Welcome 2 July 2015

Welcome Living Music Kathryn McDowell In Brief

Welcome to this evening’s concert conducted by SIMON HALSEY APPOINTED CBE Sir Simon Rattle, his first since the LSO announced in March his appointment as its Music Director from Congratulations to the LSO’s Choral Director September 2017. Simon Halsey, who has been awarded a CBE for services to music in the Queen’s Birthday Honours. Sir Simon is joined by pianist Krystian Zimerman to Halsey, who became Choral Director of the LSO perform Brahms’ monumental First Piano Concerto. and London Symphony Chorus in 2012, was also Mr Zimerman is one of the great interpreters of the awarded the Queen’s Medal for Music in March Romantic piano repertoire, and we are delighted that in recognition of his significant contribution to the he returns this evening for his first concert with the musical life of the nation. Orchestra at the Barbican since 1986. In the second half of the concert, Sir Simon conducts the Orchestra lso.co.uk/more/news in performances of three of Dvorˇák’s folk-inflected works: the symphonic poems The Wild Dove and The Golden Spinning Wheel, and one of his Slavonic THE SOUTH BANK SKY ARTS AWARDS Dances, which were inspired by Brahms. The LSO and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies have won I hope you enjoy this evening’s concert, and that a prestigious South Bank Sky Arts Award in the you can join us for the season finale on Sunday. Classical category for Maxwell Davies’ Symphony This special performance will feature the UK No 10, which was commissioned and given its world premiere of Jonathan Dove’s children’s opera premiere by the LSO. The performance was recorded The Monster in the Maze, performed by the LSO by LSO Live and is available on our website. with the LSO Discovery and Community Choirs. This is followed by Walton’s First Symphony, with lsolive.lso.co.uk LSO players and musicians from the Guildhall School playing side-by-side. A WARM WELCOME TO TONIGHT’S GROUPS

The LSO offers great benefits for groups of 10+, including 20% discount on standard tickets. Tonight we are delighted to welcome: Kathryn McDowell CBE DL Managing Director Redbridge & District U3A, Hertford U3A, Gerrards Cross Community Association, Ian Fyfe & Friends and Richard Wimberley & Friends

lso.co.uk/groups London Symphony Orchestra

Sat 9 & Sun 10 Jan 2016 Debussy Pelléas et Mélisande (semi-staged) Produced by the LSO and the Barbican Sir Simon Rattle conductor Peter Sellars director London Symphony Chorus Simon Halsey chorus director

Wed 13 Jan 2016 Ravel Dutilleux L’arbre des songes Delage Four Hindu Poems Dutilleux Métaboles Ravel Daphnis and Chloe – Suite No 2 Sir Simon Rattle conductor

Thu 14 Apr 2016 Messiaen Couleurs de la cité céleste Bruckner Symphony No 8 Sir Simon Rattle conductor 2015/16 with Pierre-Laurent Aimard piano

SIR SIMON RATTLE Sun 17 Apr 2016 Haydn The Seasons (sung in German) Sir Simon Rattle conductor London Symphony Chorus Simon Halsey chorus director

Thu 30 Jun 2016 Ives The Unanswered Question Beethoven Piano Concerto No 4 Rachmaninov Symphony No 2 Sir Simon Rattle conductor Krystian Zimerman piano

020 7638 8891 lso.co.uk 4 Programme Notes 2 July 2015

Johannes Brahms (1833–97) Piano Concerto No 1 in D minor Op 15 (1854–58)

1 MAESTOSO Such incomprehension may be surprising today; 2 ADAGIO nevertheless it’s possible to feel some compassion 3 RONDO: ALLEGRO NON TROPPO for the Leipzigers. However much they may have prided themselves on their musical sophistication, KRYSTIAN ZIMERMAN PIANO they simply weren’t prepared for what Brahms was offering them. Here was a piano concerto conceived ‘My Concerto has had here a brilliant and decisive in much grander terms than most contemporary failure’. Brahms was writing to his friend, the violinist symphonies. Not since Beethoven had anyone and Joseph Joachim, the morning after attempted anything on this scale in concerto the Leipzig premiere of his First Piano Concerto in form. And while the piano writing may have been PROGRAMME NOTE WRITER January 1859. He wasn’t exaggerating. A performance hugely challenging, it wasn’t the kind of glamorous STEPHEN JOHNSON is the in Hannover a few days earlier had been received display-piece that mid-19th century audiences had author of Bruckner Remembered politely, though without enthusiasm. But this come to expect. The orchestral contribution was (Faber). He also contributes performance, in Germany’s unofficial musical capital, much weightier than normal in a concerto, and the regularly to BBC Music Magazine, could not have been less like the breakthrough the harmonic language must have seemed exceptionally and broadcasts for BBC Radio 3 25-year-old composer had been hoping for. In the dissonant to its first hearers. And in place of the (Discovering Music), Radio 4 same letter, Brahms described the audience’s usual scintillating acrobatic solo cadenzas, Brahms and the World Service. reaction to both his music and his playing (Brahms had provided a series of intensely serious dramatic himself played the solo part): ‘At the conclusion three monologues for the piano. pairs of hands were brought together very slowly, JOSEPH JOACHIM (1831–1907) whereupon a perfectly distinct hissing from all sides It wasn’t that Brahms had set out with the intention was a Hungarian violinist, conductor, forbade any such demonstration. There is nothing of writing something difficult. Even as a young composer and teacher. He is noted more to say about this episode, for not a soul has composer he showed little interest in novelty for for reviving interest in the Violin said a word to me about the work!’. its own sake. For an explanation we have to look at and Partitas of J S Bach, the First Piano Concerto’s history. Initially Brahms as well as Beethoven’s Violin ‘My Concerto has had here a hadn’t intended to write a concerto at all. His first Concerto, both now key pieces brilliant and decisive failure’. plans were for a symphony – a massively ambitious in the repertoire. Joachim’s close orchestral work that would justify the composer collaboration with Brahms produced ’s prophecy that Brahms would the in , and become Germany’s leading symphonist. A four- several other major violin works Unfortunately the critics weren’t so restrained. movement sketch was nearly completed in 1854. were written for him, including For the reviewer Edward Bernsdorf, the Concerto had But Brahms was plagued by doubts and insecurities: Schumann’s Concerto in D major ‘nothing to offer but hopeless desolation and aridity … was this an orchestral work at all, or might it be and Dvorˇák’s Concerto in A minor. for more than three-quarters of an hour one must more effective as a for two pianos? The endure this rooting and rummaging, this straining example of Beethoven’s symphonies was just and tugging, this tearing and patching of phrases and too intimidating. As he put it years later, ‘You’ve flourishes! Not only must one take in this fermenting no idea how discouraging it is with such a giant mass; one must also swallow a dessert of the marching behind you’. shrillest dissonances and most unpleasant sounds’. lso.co.uk Programme Notes 5

BRAHMS on LSO LIVE Eventually the last two movements were discarded, conflict, until at the beginning of the recapitulation and the theme for the original slow Scherzo became it is pitted against the orchestra in the return of that Brahms box set the starting point for the movement ‘Denn alles first theme, the harmonies clashing more strikingly Symphonies Fleisch es ist wie Gras’ (For all flesh is as grass) than ever. The ending is as stormy as the beginning. Nos 1–4 from his German . Brahms realised that £17.99 combining piano and orchestra in a concerto SECOND MOVEMENT lsolive.lso.co.uk of symphonic proportions might be the ideal The slow movement is mostly peaceful and compromise. The first movement was reworked otherworldly. When Brahms sketched out the conductor with Joachim’s assistance, and a new slow orchestra’s first theme he wrote above it the words movement and finale were composed. ‘Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini’ (Blessed is ‘Polished playing and finely he who comes in the name of the Lord). Brahms was judged phrasing made everything But something of the original conception remained. no believer; in fact the text suggests another link fall into place.’ Brahms could with justice have called the result with Schumann, whom Brahms nicknamed ‘Mynheer The Independent (Symphony No 1) ‘Symphony for Piano and Orchestra’. It wouldn’t Domini’ – which has led some writers to interpret have been completely unprecedented: Berlioz the movement as a wordless requiem for Schumann ‘[An] exceptional new disc … had composed a large-scale symphony with a (the words appear in the text of the Latin Requiem imposing and beautifully shaded.’ prominent solo part in his Harold in as early mass). Brahms said nothing further on this subject, Gramophone (Symphony No 2) as 1834. But, unlike Berlioz, Brahms provided no though the hushed ending could certainly be heard literary programme to help the audience. However as a prayer for the repose of a soul. dramatic and emotionally intense the music may be, it could be understood and explained only on its FINALE own abstract terms. No wonder audiences baulked. The finale returns to action, beginning with a muscular theme that looks back to the first FIRST MOVEMENT movement – and perhaps further still to the finale The opening of the concerto can startle audiences of Bach’s Triple Harpsichord Concerto, BWV 1063, even today, a century and a half after it was written. also in D minor. The sense of struggle from the first A fortissimo growl from , low horns and low movement returns, but at the crucial moment an strings introduces a darkly impassioned first theme, ardent piano solo turns the key from D minor to its harmonies clashing with the sustained deep major, and from grim conflict to defiant hope. bass D. According to Joachim, it reflects Brahms’ feelings on hearing that his mentor Schumann had tried to end the torment of his mental illness by throwing himself into the River Rhine. This theme INTERVAL – 20 minutes sets the tone for the whole first movement. There are bars on all levels of the Concert Hall; ice cream can be bought at the stands on Stalls and Circle level. The piano’s first entry is gentler, more soothing; indeed for a while the soloist seems to offer Why not tweet us your thoughts on the first half of the consolation in the face of the orchestra’s onslaughts. performance @londonsymphony, or come and talk to But the piano is drawn deeper and deeper into the LSO staff at the Information Desk on the Circle level? 6 Composer Profiles 2 July 2015

Johannes Brahms Antonín Dvorˇák Composer Profile Composer Profile

Johannes Brahms was born Born into a peasant family, Dvorˇák in Hamburg, the son of an developed a love of folk tunes at impecunious musician; his mother an early age. When he was twelve later opened a haberdashery the boy left school and was business to help lift the family out apprenticed to become a butcher, of poverty. Showing early musical at first working in his father’s shop promise he became a pupil of and later in the town of Zlonice. the distinguished local pianist Here Dvorˇák learned German and and composer Eduard Marxsen also refined his musical talents to and supplemented his parents’ such a level that his father agreed meagre income by playing in the he should pursue a career as a bars and brothels of Hamburg’s musician. In 1857 he enrolled at infamous red-light district. the Prague Organ School during which time he became inspired by In 1853 Brahms presented himself the music dramas of Wagner. to Robert Schumann in Düsseldorf, winning unqualified approval from the older composer. Brahms fell in His first job was as a player, although he supplemented his love with Schumann’s wife, Clara, supporting her after her husband’s income by teaching. In the mid-1860s he began to compose a series illness and death. The relationship did not develop as Brahms wished, of large-scale works, including his Symphony No 1 (‘The Bells of Zlonice’), and he returned to Hamburg; their close friendship, however, survived. and the Concerto. Two operas, a second symphony, many songs In 1862 Brahms moved to Vienna where he found fame as a conductor, and chamber works followed before Dvorˇák decided to concentrate on pianist and composer. The Leipzig premiere of his German Requiem composition. In 1873 he mar­ried one of his pupils, and in 1874 received in 1869 was a triumph, with subsequent performances establishing a much-needed cash grant from the Austrian government. Johannes Brahms as one of the emerging German nation’s foremost . Brahms lobbied the publisher Simrock to accept Dvorˇák’s work, leading Following the long-delayed completion of his First Symphony in 1876, to the publication of his and a commission for a set he composed in quick succession the Violin Concerto, the two piano of . Rhapsodies, Op 79, the First and the Second Symphony. His subsequent association with the much-admired court orchestra in The nationalist themes expressed in Dvorˇák’s music attracted Meiningen allowed him freedom to experiment and de­velop new ideas, considerable interest beyond Prague. In 1883 he was invited to the relationship crowned by the Fourth Symphony of 1884. London to conduct a concert of his works, and he returned to England often in the 1880s to oversee the premieres of several important In his final years Brahms composed a series of profound works for the commissions, including his Seventh Symphony and Requiem Mass. clarinettist Richard Mühlfeld, and explored matters of life and death Dvorˇák’s Cello Concerto in B minor received its world premiere in in his Four Serious Songs. He died at his modest lodgings in Vienna London in March 1896. His Ninth Symphony ‘From the New World’, in 1897, receiving a hero’s funeral at the city’s central cemetery three a product of Dvorˇák’s American years (1892–95), confirmed his place days later. among the finest of late 19th-century composers.

Composer Profiles © Andrew Stewart lso.co.uk Programme Notes 7

Antonín Dvorˇák (1841–1904) The Wild Dove Op 110 (1896–97) London Symphony Orchestra

PROGRAMME NOTE WRITER The poet Karel Jaromír Erben was a popular 2015/16 AUTUMN HIGHLIGHTS ALISON BULLOCK is a freelance figure in Bohemia in the mid- to late-19th century. writer and music consultant whose The revival of the Czech language was already well interests range from Machaut to under way when his collection of ballads Kytice Messiaen and beyond. She is a (Bouquet) was published in 1853. Containing twelve former editor for the New Grove (later 13) poems based on Czech folk literature, Dictionary of Music and the LSO. it was an immediate success. Dvorˇák was well acquainted with Erben’s poetry, and throughout his time in America (1892–95) he toyed with the idea of writing orchestral works based on poems from KAREL JAROMÍR ERBEN Kytice. However, it was not until he returned home to (1811–70) was a Czech historian, Bohemia that these ideas would take shape. In 1896 poet and writer. His most well known he penned no fewer than four symphonic poems work is his set of poems Kytice, based on Erben’s ballads (including The Golden which was first published in 1853. Spinning Wheel, heard later in tonight’s concert). The 13 poems explore traditional Czech folk tales including Vodnik The Wild Dove was the last of the four ‘Kytice’ 2015/16 SEASON LAUNCH (The Water-Goblin), Holoubek symphonic poems to be completed. It tells a moral WITH BERNARD HAITINK (The WIld Dove) and Zlatý kolovrat and tragic tale, of a young woman who poisons her Bruckner Symphony No 7 (The Golden Spinning Wheel). first husband but fakes great grief at his funeral. Tue 15 Sep 2015 She soon falls in love with another man and marries him shortly afterwards. However, her conscience Mahler Symphony No 4 DVORˇ ÁK THE NATIONALIST cannot bear it when a wild dove alights in a tree Sun 20 Sep 2015 Many of Dvorˇák’s most significant above the grave of her dead husband and coos Brahms Symphony No 1 works were directly inspired by piteously and endlessly. Weighed down with guilt, Wed 23 Sep 2015 traditional Czech, Moravian and she finally commits suicide. other Slavic music, borrowing their MAN OF THE THEATRE distinctive melodies, harmonies and Dvorˇák tells the story with a range of musical WITH VALERY GERGIEV dance forms. This nationalist motifs, all of which are derived from one melody: Stravinsky The Firebird aspect of Dvorˇák’s music was the second theme of the opening funeral march. Fri 9 Oct 2015 directly influenced by the political The story is not hard to follow in the music; however, Stravinsky The Rite of Spring situation in his country at the at the end of the piece the composer adds his own Sun 11 Oct 2015 time, reflecting his support for the ending to the narrative when he recalls the song of Bartók The Miraculous Mandarin national liberation movement. the wild dove, its minor harmonies now transformed Sun 18 Oct 2015 into the serene key of C major. While Erben has no pity for the young woman, Dvorˇák finds it in his heart lso.co.uk | 020 7638 8891 to forgive her transgressions. 8 Programme Notes 2 July 2015

Antonín Dvorˇák Slavonic Dance Op 72 No 4 (‘’) (1886–87)

PROGRAMME NOTE WRITER Dvorˇák’s Slavonic Dances were a direct result of his THE LSO THIS SUMMER: ALISON BULLOCK admiration of Brahms’ music, and might not have IN LONDON AND ON TOUR been written but for the older composer’s support. By the early 1870s Dvorˇák was becoming known as Audi Summer Festival, Ingolstadt, Germany a composer in Prague, but outside the city he was Sat 18 & Sun 19 Jul completely unrecognised. Utterly impoverished, he Mahler, Bach, Stravinsky applied for the Austrian State Prize (a scholarship) with Kent Nagano conductor for composition and, in February 1875, was awarded FRIEDRICH AUGUST SIMROCK the highest possible grant by a jury that included Royal Albert Hall, BBC Proms, London (1837–1901) was a German music Brahms himself. Tue 28 Jul publisher who made his name Prokofiev Piano Concertos Nos 1–5 publishing the scores of Brahms Brahms, impressed by the young composer’s music, with Valery Gergiev conductor and Dvorˇák. He was heavily involved recommended him to his own publisher, Simrock, Daniil Trifonov, Sergei Babayan, in the careers of many prominent who soon commissioned a set of piano duets with Alexei Volodin piano musicians of his day and close dance-like character. Dvorˇák turned to Brahms’ personal friends with Brahms and Hungarian Dances for inspiration, and the result Usher Hall, Edinburgh International Festival the violinist Joseph Joachim. was his first set of eight Slavonic Dances, which Sun 30 Aug originally appeared in piano duet form, shortly Bartók and Stravinsky followed by an orchestral transcription (Op 46), with Valery Gergiev conductor DVORˇ ÁK on LSO LIVE in 1878. These pieces were wildly popular and Yefim Bronfman piano Simrock eventually managed to persuade Dvorˇák Dvorˇák box set to compose another set, whose orchestral version , , Symphonies (Op 72) was published in 1887. Tue 8 & Wed 9 Sep Nos 6–9 Enescu, Grieg, Stravinsky, Brahms, Mahler £14.99 The fourth dance of Op 72 is subtitled ‘Dumka’, one with Ion Marin conductor lsolive.lso.co.uk of Dvorˇák’s favourite musical forms. ‘Dumka’ was a Lars Vogt piano term that originated in Ukraine but rapidly spread Renaud Capuçon violin Sir Colin Davis conductor across Eastern Europe. It means ‘a fleeting thought’ Gautier Capuçon cello and musical ‘dumky’ are usually characterised by As one of the leading figures of melancholy music interspersed with more exuberant Visit lso.co.uk/tours for full details of LSO nationalism in music, Dvorˇák’s outbursts. Op 72 No 4 is broadly elegiac, generous concerts around the world symphonies exude the essence of in its sweeping gestures in the more reflective his Czech homeland. They are laced passages that dominate the work. While lighter with folk tunes and dances from his music breaks the mood occasionally, it never native Bohemia that echo his earlier entirely manages to overturn the nostalgic feel Slavonic Dances. of the slow, waltz-like main motif. lso.co.uk Programme Notes 9

Antonín Dvorˇák The Golden Spinning Wheel Op 109 (1896)

PROGRAMME NOTE WRITER We do not know which specific qualities appealed Dvorˇák turned this story into a marvellous musical ALISON BULLOCK to Dvorˇák in the four Kytice ballads by Karel Jaromír rondo. The king’s comings and goings throughout Erben that he selected for his symphonic poems. the ballad allowed the composer to break the work What is certain, however, is that he managed to up into different episodes, almost all heralded by the create not only highly descriptive music, but also king’s motif – a horn fanfare first heard at the very solid musical structures from them. opening of the piece. This motif is never far away throughout the work; note also the triplet motif that At first glance, The Golden Spinning Wheel, which, underlies the fanfare – the spinning wheel is present like The Wild Dove, was also inspired by Erben’s from the very start of the work. A notable variant of ballads, is not a good candidate for a strong musical the king’s motif is a more solemn brass chorale that form. A somewhat rambling story, the ballad tells of represents the sage. Dornicka’s theme first appears the unfortunate Dornicka, with whom a king falls in as a soaring violin melody not long after the start love and whom he wishes to marry. Dornicka’s step- of the work, and by the end merges with the king’s mother has other ideas and, having murdered the motif in a truly happy musical ending. girl (removing Dornicka’s hands, feet and eyes and taking them back to her castle), gives the unsuspecting Interestingly, many of Dvorˇák’s contemporaries could PROGRAMME MUSIC refers king her own daughter in marriage instead. not understand his need to write programme music to music that depicts a story or based on folkloric ballads (all of which contained narrative. The term was coined by After the wedding, the king rides off to war. elements of great tragedy and, not least, gruesome Liszt, who wrote programmes to However, a learned old man discovers Dornicka’s plot details). However, it seems that in these works accompany a number of his pieces. body and determines to bring her back to life. He Dvorˇák fulfilled a need to reflect and support his The style flourished in the Romantic sends a messenger to the castle with parts of a own culture, while experimenting with form and era, with works by composers such golden spinning wheel, which he offers to the greedy orchestral colour – and finding a ‘new’ way of as Berlioz, and Dvorˇák. women in return for the missing parts of Dornicka’s expressing himself now that he was finally back body. As the sage restores the girl to her former home in Bohemia. beauty and to life, the king returns from the wars. At the castle, his queen and her mother are keen to show off the spinning wheel. As it turns, it begins to sing, telling the gruesome story of Dornicka and of how the king was deceived. Enraged, he drives the women from the castle and sets out to find Dornicka. Once reunited they wed in a joyous ceremony. 10 Artist Biographies 2 July 2015

Sir Simon Rattle ‘Rattle conducts with missionary zeal, Conductor as if he believes in every note.’

Sir Simon Rattle was born in Liverpool and studied Festival, Rattle has conducted staged productions of at the Royal Academy of Music. From 1980 to 1998 Beethoven’s Fidelio, Mozart’s Così fan tutte, Britten’s he was Principal Conductor and Artistic Adviser Peter Grimes, Debussy’s Pelléas et Mélisande, of the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Strauss’ Salome and Bizet’s Carmen, a concert becoming Music Director in 1990. In 2002 he took performance of Mozart’s Idomeneo and many up his current position of Artistic Director and Chief contrasting concert programmes, all with the Berlin Conductor of the , where he will Philharmonic. He also conducted Wagner’s complete remain until 2018. In September 2017 he will become Ring Cycle with the Berlin Philharmonic for the Aix- Music Director of the London Symphony Orchestra. en-Provence Festival, Salzburg Easter Festival, and most recently at the Deutsche Oper, Berlin and the Rattle has made over 70 recordings for EMI and Wiener Staatsoper. has received numerous prestigious international awards for his recordings on various labels. Releases Simon Rattle has strong long-standing relationships on EMI include Stravinsky’s with the leading orchestras in Europe and the (2009 Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance) US, initially working closely with the Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique, Ravel’s L’enfant Philharmonic and Boston Symphony Orchestras, Chief Conductor et les sortilèges, Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, and more recently with the . and Artistic Director Mahler’s Symphony No 2, Bizet’s Carmen, and He regularly conducts the , Berlin Philharmonic Stravinsky’s The Rite of Spring. Rattle’s most recent with which he has recorded the complete releases (the Bach Passions and Schumann’s Beethoven symphonies and piano concertos (with Principal Artist Symphonies) have been for Berliner Philharmoniker Brendel) and is also a Principal Artist of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Recordings – the Orchestra’s new in-house label, Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment and Founding established in early 2014. Patron of Birmingham Contemporary Music Group. Founding Patron Birmingham Contemporary Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic tour regularly His plans for the 2015/16 season include the Music Group within Europe, North America and Asia. The partnership Beethoven Cycle with the Berlin Philharmonic, has also broken new ground with the education with concerts in Europe and New York; Debussy’s programme Zukunft@Bphil, earning the Comenius Pelléas et Mélisande in Berlin and at the Barbican; Prize in 2004, the Schiller Special Prize from the city and a production of Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde at of Mannheim in May 2005, the Golden Camera and Baden-Baden. Future engagements will see him the Urania Medal in Spring 2007. He and the Berlin return to the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonic were also appointed International UNICEF the Metropolitan Opera and the Orchestra of the Ambassadors in the same year – the first time this Age of Enlightenment. honour has been conferred on an artistic ensemble. Simon Rattle was knighted in 1994 and in the New In 2013 Simon Rattle and the Berlin Philharmonic Year’s Honours of 2014 he received the Order of took up a residency at the Baden-Baden Easter Merit from Her Majesty the Queen. He will be a Festival performing Mozart’s The Magic ‘Perspectives’ artist during the and a series of concerts. For the Salzburg Easter 2015/16 and 2016/17 seasons. lso.co.uk Artist Biographies 11

Krystian Zimerman ‘With the Polish pianist Krystian Zimerman Piano nothing is everyday.’ The Times

Krystian Zimerman came to fame when he was Zimerman transports his own piano for every recital, awarded First Prize in the International Chopin Piano a practice which has made audiences more aware of Competition at the age of 18. He has since enjoyed the complexities and capabilities of the instrument. a world-class career working with the world’s most Performing on his own familiar instrument, combined prestigious orchestras and giving recitals in the top with his piano-building expertise (acquired in international concert halls. and developed through close co-operation with Steinway in Hamburg), helps him to minimise any Born into a family with a music-making tradition, distractions from purely musical issues. musicians met almost daily in Zimerman’s home to play , and this experience afforded Krystian Zimerman lives with his wife and family him an intimate, natural, everyday contact with live in Switzerland, where he has spent the greater music. He took his first steps in music under his part of his life. Dividing his time between family, father’s supervision and, aged seven, began working concert life and chamber music, he limits himself to formally with Andrzej Jasinski, then a senior lecturer 50 concerts per season. He takes a comprehensive at the conservatoire in Katowice. approach to the music profession, organising his own management and studying hall acoustics, IN SEASON 2015/16 Zimerman has collaborated with many pre-eminent the latest sound technology and instrument musicians – chamber partners such as , construction. He has also applied himself to the Thu 30 Jun 2016 7.30pm Kyung-Wha Chung and , and study of psychology and computer science. Ives The Unanswered Question conductors such as , , Beethoven Piano Concerto No 4 , , , He has developed a similar approach to recording, Rachmaninov Symphony No 2 André Previn, Stanisław Skrowaczewski, , a process which he controls at each stage. During , Bernard Haitink and Sir Simon Rattle. his long collaboration with Sir Simon Rattle conductor As part of the Chopin 200 celebrations in 2010 his recordings have earned him many top awards. Krystian Zimerman piano he gave the Chopin Birthday recital in London’s In 1999 he recorded the Chopin concertos with International Piano Series on the anniversary of the an orchestra specially formed for this project, and lso.co.uk | 020 7638 8891 composer’s birth. In 2013, to mark the centenary with whom he then toured throughout Europe and of Lutosławski’s birth, Zimerman performed the America. He most recent recordings are Brahms composer’s Piano Concerto – which was written Piano Concerto No 1 with Sir Simon Rattle and the for him – in a number of cities worldwide, including Berliner Philharmoniker, and a disc of chamber music a performance at London’s Royal Festival Hall with to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Polish composer the Philharmonia Orchestra and Esa-Pekka Salonen. Grazyna Bacewicz, whose music he has championed. 12 The Orchestra 2 July 2015

London Symphony Orchestra Your views On stage Inbox

FIRST HORNS Thomas Kohut Maestro Haitink and @londonsymphony Gordan Nikolitch Leader Paul Silverthorne Adam Walker Timothy Jones strings in Beethoven 9 – like plush velvet. And truly Carmine Lauri Malcolm Johnston Alex Jakeman Angela Barnes Lennox Mackenzie Regina Beukes Alexander Edmundson Rolls Royce soloists. Clare Duckworth Lander Echevarria PICCOLO Jonathan Lipton on the LSO and LSC with Bernard Haitink (21 Jun) Nigel Broadbent Anna Bastow Sharon Williams Andrew Budden Ginette Decuyper Julia O’Riordan Gerald Gregory Robert Turner David Miller Wholly transporting performance of Timothy Rundle Jörg Hammann Heather Wallington Philip Cobb Michael O’Donnell Beethoven’s 9th @BarbicanCentre w/ @londonsymphony Maxine Kwok-Adams Jonathan Welch Gerald Ruddock Christopher Deacon @LSChorus under Bernard Haitink Claire Parfitt Elizabeth Butler COR ANGLAIS Elizabeth Pigram Fiona Dalgliesh Christine Pendrill on the LSO and LSC with Bernard Haitink (21 Jun) Laurent Quenelle Caroline O’Neill Dudley Bright Harriet Rayfield James Maynard Colin Renwick Andrew Marriner Jenny Schon Thank you LSO. I shall look back on yesterday Rebecca Gilliver Ian Rhodes Chi-Yu Mo BASS evening with great fondness Alastair Blayden Sylvain Vasseur Paul Milner Jennifer Brown BASS on the LSO with André Previn & Anne-Sophie Mutter (10 Jun) SECOND VIOLINS Noel Bradshaw Lorenzo Iosco TUBA David Alberman Hilary Jones Patrick Harrild Jenny Dutton You all treated us mere mortals to something Thomas Norris Amanda Truelove Daniel Jemison Sarah Quinn Hester Snell TIMPANI wonderful last night! Keep making those glorious sounds! Joost Bosdijk Miya Väisänen Judit Berendschot Nigel Thomas on the LSO with André Previn & Anne-Sophie Mutter (10 Jun) Richard Blayden Morwenna Del Mar CONTRA PERCUSSION Matthew Gardner Philip Taylor Dominic Morgan Neil Percy Julian Gil Rodriguez David Jackson Naoko Keatley DOUBLE BASSES Sam Walton Belinda McFarlane Colin Nicholas Worters Philip Nolte HARP Patrick Laurence Paul Robson Bryn Lewis Louise Shackelton Matthew Gibson Ingrid Button Thomas Goodman Helena Smart Joe Melvin Jani Pensola Axel Bouchaux

LSO STRING EXPERIENCE SCHEME

Established in 1992, the LSO String Experience The Scheme is supported by London Symphony Orchestra Editor Scheme enables young string players at the Help Musicians UK Barbican Edward Appleyard start of their professional careers to gain The Garrick Charitable Trust Silk Street [email protected] work experience by playing in rehearsals The Lefever Award London and concerts with the LSO. The scheme The Polonsky Foundation EC2Y 8DS Photography auditions students from the London music Igor Emmerich, Kevin Leighton, conservatoires, and 15 students per year Taking part in rehearsals and performing Registered charity in England No 232391 Bill Robinson, Alberto Venzago are selected to participate. The musicians in this evening’s concert are: Esther Kim, Details in this publication were correct Print Cantate 020 3651 1690 are treated as professional ’extra’ players Runqing Zhou & Iurii Gavryliuk at time of going to press. (additional to LSO members) and receive fees Advertising Cabbell Ltd 020 3603 7937 for their work in line with LSO section players.