Saturday 15th May 2021, 7.00pm

BRAVE NEW WORLD Jack McNeill, Clarinet Roderick Williams, Baritone Corona Strings (Leader, Catherine Leech) Conductor, Janet Lincé

PROGRAMME

GERALD FINZI (1901-1956) landscape and rural life-style. He married his beloved Romance, opus 11 wife Joy in 1933 and six years later they built their home at Ashmansworth on the downland south of Gerald Finzi first studied music privately with Edward Newbury. With two teenage sons (Kiffer and Nigel) to Bairstow, organist of York Minster, and in 1926 he distract him, Gerald was grateful for the large, low moved to London where he received more formal house whose long south-facing façade had Gerald’s tuition in counterpoint under R.O. Morris. In April book-room and music-room at the west end, 1928 he was admitted to a sanatorium near Midhurst, separated from the children and domestics by a big having been diagnosed with pleurisy, and the sitting-room. Romance may well have been conceived during the two-and-a-half months he spent at this establishment Finzi was invited to compose a work for the 1949 in the peaceful Sussex countryside. Three Choirs Festival at Hereford and since the clarinettist Stephen Trier had recently begun to play The melody of the first section of this delightful work with Finzi’s Newbury String Players, his mind turned was certainly sketched in 1928 along with material for to that instrument. (His first work for the clarinet, The a proposed Serenade which was never completed. It Five Bagatelles, had been a huge success). He made displays some of Finzi’s most characteristic inflections slow progress on the piece during the early part of the whilst the melody of the middle section, introduced year and, come the summer holidays, Joy took the by violin solo, shows the influence of Elgar and boys on holiday to Cornwall to give Gerald some probably dates from 1940/1. peace at home.

A beautifully poised and transparent introduction In the concert programme for Hereford, Finzi progresses to the broad, central climax. From here on explained that the mood for the Concerto grew out of the music gradually subsides to a reprise of the main ‘the warm and romantic qualities...and natural theme and a return of the opening melody. The fluidity’ of the instrument. The opening, however, is texture is constantly varied with fluid part-writing and anything but warm and romantic - bold octaves in exquisite melodic clarity. canon creating grating dissonance, with a nod towards the 4th symphony of Vaughan-Williams The Romance was dedicated to John Russell who was whom Finzi much admired. These octaves reappear the conductor of Newbury Choral Society and who throughout the movement, sometimes warmly legato, regularly promoted and performed Finzi’s work. at other times lightly complementing a murmuring figure in the strings whilst the soloist freely develops the themes, providing a wealth of sinuous melodies. GERALD FINZI (1901-1956) The fierce octaves return towards the end of the Clarinet Concerto, Opus 31 movement and a solo cadenza signals the final Clarinet, Jack McNeill pounding chords re-establishing the home key.

I. Allegro vigoroso II. Adagio III. Rondo The Adagio opens with a whispered, ghostly three- note figure that solidifies into the main theme played Finzi was of Italian and Jewish heritage, a self- by the strings. The theme’s gentle mood is gradually confessed Anglophile and a lover of England’s intensified and transformed as both the clarinet and

1 the orchestra begin to explore a more extensive sometimes caused me to think of a musical reference, palette of sounds. All this builds passionately to a again directly from own performance experience, searing discord, reminiscent of a moment from Elgar’s whether that be the aria Betrachte, meine Seele from Dream of Gerontius, followed by the climax of the Bach’s St John Passion, or Now winter comes slowly movement where the soloist comes to the fore with a from Purcell’s Fairy Queen, both of which I have display of virtuosity. The movement ends with a performed in semi-staged versions fairly recently. wistful echo of the main theme. Sometimes the inspiration is more oblique, such as Dawn from Haydn’s Creation, and sometimes I am Following an angular introduction, the Rondo sets off only referencing a style of music, like the Blues. Once with an easy-going, song-like theme from the clarinet or twice I might make a specific reference to a well- which is then handed over to the orchestra, further known work in order to illustrate just one word, as a care-free melodies being introduced by both clarinet madrigalist might; but to spell out every such instance and orchestra. A grand return of the Rondo tune would be to deprive the audience of the fun of leads to a brief echo of the opening theme of the spotting full or half quotations, as well as divining the work before the Concerto comes to its brilliant close. reason for their intrusion in my music. Who knows, such is the unconscious mind that they may be several After the premiere of the work on 9 September, references of which I myself am unaware. Ursula Wood (Vaughan Williams’s second wife) recalled: ‘it was a shining afternoon, apples glistening The première of Corona was to have been in May of on the trees, the country quiet and fulfilled, summer 2020 but for obvious reasons this was postponed and, moving into autumn’ - a fitting reflection on the by then, the title had taken on a significance that pastorale scenery that so much inspired Finzi. none of us could have predicted. The pandemic remains one corona reference that was certainly not explored in this piece or its poetry. I am indebted to RODERICK WILLIAMS Janet and Corona Strings for commissioning this piece Corona [World Premiere] and to all the poets whose words I have used. Baritone, Roderick Williams EDWARD ELGAR (1857-1934) Composer’s Note Introduction and Allegro, op. 47 A few years ago, when Janet Lincé invited me to write a piece for this string ensemble, very few people were SOLO QUARTET familiar with the term Coronavirus. It was a different Violin 1, Catherine Leech Violin 2, Miranda Walton world then. With carte blanche to write a piece for Viola, Kate Fawcett Cello, Spike Wilson baritone soloist and strings, I decided it would be appropriate to celebrate the specific name of the In October 1904 August Jaeger, Elgar’s close associate ensemble, so I began to search for texts based around and friend, floated the idea of a work to showcase the the idea of ‘ crowns'. While I was initially searching virtuosity of the newly-formed London Symphony for more classic poetry, I chanced on a website that Orchestra. ‘Why not a brilliant String Scherzo, or allows poets from across the world to upload their something for those fine strings only? A real ‘bring work, and I began to collect examples of texts that down the House’ torrent of a thing such as Bach could consider the idea of 'the crown' from various angles. write.’ When I had assembled my own crown of poems, I This suggestion led to the composition of the made contact with the various authors, many of Introduction and Allegro which is undoubtedly one of whom had published under pseudonyms, and asked if the crowning masterpieces of English string music they would agree to their words becoming part of my representing Elgar at the height of his creativity. project. Premiered in March 1905, the work demonstrates a relationship with the musical forms of the early 18th Several of my most recent compositions have been century. Elgar’s use of a string quartet contrasting based on vocal or choral works that I have come to with the main body of strings is reminiscent of the know through my years as a performer. Rather than Baroque concerto grosso although with much greater try to hide such influences, I decided it was more variation and subtlety. honest and interesting to acknowledge my sources from the outset (hence, for example, my choral work The work begins with a majestic opening statement Ave Verum Corpus Re-imagined after William Byrd’s followed by a fluent exchange of ideas between the masterpiece). In the case of Corona, the poems have two string groups and then we hear the first 2 statement of a beautiful, Welsh-inspired melody the Hilliard Ensemble and BCMG. He is a member of played by solo viola. This melody was first sketched Decibel, the Le Page Ensemble, Loki, Drawlight by Elgar in 1901 while on holiday in Cardiganshire. It quartet and a guest musician with Joe Acheson’s includes the haunting interval of a falling third which Hidden Orchestra. in this context symbolizes a sense of loss and yearning. Passionate about music education, Jack is a tutor and The Allegro begins with the main orchestra and grows coach at University of Birmingham, directed the organically out of material that has already made an chamber music strand of Aldeburgh Young Musicians appearance in the introduction. A second theme for two years and has set up a new programme of consisting of energetic semiquavers launched by the performance and composition in Cumbria called solo quartet is passed back and forth between the Pulse. quartet and orchestra through sweeping scales and brilliant virtuosic passages building to a climax. An improviser and passionate contemporary musician, This is not the anticipated jubilant ending however Jack has given complete performances of Henze's Le because a new section begins - the ‘devil of a Fugue’ Miracle de la Rose and Stockhausen’s Harlekin; a as Elgar described it – introduced by the main substantial work performed from memory where the orchestra. In much of this section the solo quartet clarinettist is required to dance and mime while plays interjecting phrases in unison and it is some playing! Jack was bass clarinet soloist for a BBC time before the quartet itself joins with the fugue broadcast of David Lang’s The Passing Measures. He subject. Further development of the fugue follows also performed Der Kleine Harlekin and In until the music fades away and we hear once again Freundschaft in the opening concert of the the ideas presented in the Introduction. A majestic Stockhausen Festival of Light. Current cross-genre return of the main melody brings the work to its projects include a new trio with percussionist Stuart conclusion with a triumphant flourish. Brown and viola player Kay Stephen working with Programme notes for Finzi and Elgar © Janet Lincé dance, live electronics/AV and graphic score, a solo album collaboration with animation and composer Liz ***** Johnson’s Sound and Music New Voices collaboration with James Dooley to create a new touring work for THE PERFORMERS clarinettist, live electronics, percussion and dancer based on the poetry of David Hart with choreography JACK MCNEILL by Dane Hurst.

Jack McNeill is a clarinettist, composer and maker, Jack received a Sound and Music New Voices Seed interested in exploring the points where different Award, Brighter Sound and IVORS mentoring in 2020- traditions and sound worlds meet. He directs 21 which he is directing towards Propellor’s next Propellor, a 12-piece ensemble developed at Snape large-scale project, Flight. He is the clarinettist for Maltings who create audio-visual performances Tao of Glass at Manchester International Festival mapping our collective experience of the natural 2019, a world premiere from composer Philip Glass world. and performer-director Phelim McDermott (Improbable) which will continue touring in 2021. He Jack has premiered solo and chamber works by Philip is musician in residence at the Brewery Arts Centre in Glass, Richard Ayres, Karin Rehnqvist, Kendal 2021-22. Finnissy, Joe Cutler, Ed Bennett and Howard Skempton amongst others. He performs regularly with the Gildas Quartet and the Tempest Quartet RODERICK WILLIAMS OBE (David Le Page, Clare O’Connell and Viv McLean). His work as a freelance musician includes being an on- Roderick Williams is one of the most sought after stage musician/actor with Sebastian Mathias and baritones of his generation and performs a wide Michael Wolters's Danserye, and Thom Luz's When I repertoire from baroque to contemporary music in Die, performing and improvising for the Royal the opera house, on the concert platform and in Shakespeare Company, recording for Gecko Theatre recital. and Trish Clowes’s Emulsion , orchestral and chamber work with the LSO, Deutsche He enjoys relationships with all the major UK opera Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Sacconi Quartet, houses and has sung world premieres of operas by, Ensemble 360, Britten Sinfonia, CBSO, BBC Singers, 3 among others, David Sawer, Sally Beamish, Michel van extensive repertoire of English song with pianist Iain der Aa, Robert Saxton and Alexander Knaifel. Burnside for Naxos. Most recently he has recorded the three Schubert cycles for Chandos and a disc of He performs regularly with all the BBC orchestras, and French song with Roger Vignoles for Champs Hill. many other ensembles including the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, the Philharmonia, London Roderick Williams is also a composer and has had Sinfonietta, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, works premiered at the Wigmore and Barbican Halls, the Hallé, Britten Sinfonia, Bournemouth Symphony the Purcell Room, with the Rias Kammerchor and live and Scottish Chamber Orchestra. Abroad Roderick on national radio. has worked with the Berlin Philharmonic, New York Philharmonic, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, He was Artistic Director of Leeds Lieder + in April 2016 Russian National Orchestra, Orchestre and he is currently 'singer-in-residence' for Music in Philharmonique de Radio France, Ensemble Orchestral the Round in Sheffield, presenting concerts and de Paris, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia in leading on dynamic and innovative learning and Rome and Bach Collegium Japan amongst others. His participation projects that introduce amateur singers, many festival appearances include the BBC Proms young and old, to performing classical song (including the Last Night in 2014), Edinburgh, repertoire. He is Artist in Residence for the Royal Cheltenham, Bath, Aldeburgh and Melbourne Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra from 2020/21 for Festivals. two seasons. He was awarded an OBE for services to music in June 2017. Recent and future opera engagements include Oronte in Charpentier’s Medée, Don Alfonso / Cosi fan Tutte, Pollux / Castor and Pollux, Sharpless / Madame JANET LINCÉ Butterfly and baritone soloist in the new production of Britten’s all for English National Opera, Janet is widely experienced as a choral and orchestral Toby Kramer in Van der Aa’s Sunken Garden in the conductor, teacher, workshop leader and mentor. She Netherlands, Lyon and London, Van der Aa’s After has been musical director of several choirs including Life at Melbourne State Theatre, Sharpless for the Reading Festival Chorus, Royal Leamington Spa Bach Nederlandse Reisopera, the title roles of Eugene Choir, Newbury Choral Society and OUP Choir, and in Onegin for Garsington Opera, for Opera 1995 she founded her own chamber choir Choros. For North, Van der Aa’s Upload for Netherlands Opera sixteen years she was chorus master for the highly and Papageno / Die Zauberflöte for the Royal Opera acclaimed Newbury Spring Festival Chorus and in House. Recent and future concert engagements 2012 was appointed inaugural conductor of newChoir. include concerts with the Rias Kammerchor, Seoul Janet is also co-conductor, with Sarah Tenant-Flowers, Philharmonic, Gabrieli Consort, London Philharmonic of the chamber choir Encoro. Orchestra, Philharmonia Baroque, City of Birmingham As a guest chorus master with the BBC Symphony Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Symphony, Music of Chorus, the Philharmonia Chorus and the London the Baroque Chicago, New York Philharmonic, Berlin Symphony Chorus Janet has worked for conductors Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra, Royal such as Andrew Davis, Richard Hickox, Yakov Liverpool Philharmonic, BBC Proms, Bayerische Kreizberg, Kurt Masur and Mikhail Pletnev. Rundfunk, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, and with the Orchestra of the In 2012 Janet formed Corona Strings with whom she Age of Enlightenment. has had the privilege to explore a wide repertoire beyond her choral experience. She has also He is also an accomplished recital artist who can be conducted The Brandenburg SInfonia, London heard at venues and festivals including Wigmore Hall Concertante, Orchestra da Camera, Orchestra of the where he recently performed all three Schubert cycles Swan, the Warwickshire Symphony Orchestra, Oxford in one season, Kings Place, LSO St Luke’s, the Perth Sinfonia and Beauchamp Sinfonietta. Janet has Concert Hall, Oxford Lieder Festival, London Song worked with period instrument ensembles such as Festival, Beethovenhaus, Snape Maltings, Liverpool The Monteverdi String Band, Canzona, Charivari Philharmonic Hall, Concertgebouw, the Musikverein, Agréable and her own Corona Baroque Ensemble. Vienna and appears regularly on Radio 3 both as a performer and a presenter. Janet trained as a singer and pianist at the Guildhall His numerous recordings include Vaughan Williams, School of Music gaining her GGSM followed by a post- Berkeley and Britten operas for Chandos and an graduate year on the Advanced Accompanists’ 4

Course. She worked professionally as singer and Choros including Bach’s St Matthew Passion, St John accompanist in London for a number of years before Passion and B Minor Mass and Handel’s Dixit moving to Oxfordshire and establishing her career as a Dominus. conductor. Corona Orchestra was formed in 2019 for a very special performance with Oxford Chorus of Verdi’s Janet has a particular interest in the period Requiem at Reading Town Hall. instrument performance of the music of JS Bach and his contemporaries whilst her repertoire also includes Amongst the most memorable concerts have been the major oratorios such as Brahms's Requiem, Elgar’s those featuring international soloists such as Adrian The Dream of Gerontius, Britten’s War Requiem, Thompson, tenor (Britten, Serenade), Erica Eloff, Mendelssohn's Elijah and Vaughan Williams's A Sea soprano (Britten, Les Illuminations), David le Page, Symphony. She has conducted less well-known works violin (Piazzolla, Las cuatro estaciones porteñas), and such as the Choral Fantasia of Gustav Holst, Britten’s Viv McLean, piano with Steve Bailey, trumpet The Company of Heaven, and Janáček's Otčenáš. (Shostakovich, no 1). We are Always keen to promote new repertoire, Janet has delighted to be working with Roderick Williams OBE, commissioned works from composers such as Cecilia both as composer of, and soloist in, Corona. McDowall, Andrew Gant, John Duggan, Janet Wheeler and Roderick Williams. Violin I Viola Janet is greatly in demand as a choir trainer and Catherine Leech Kate Fawcett workshop leader and has travelled widely in the UK, Barbara O’Reilly Emma Sheppard working with choirs and giving workshops throughout Louisa Fuller Heather Birt the country. She has toured New Zealand several Helen Pitstow Kate Skeet times and in 2003 she was engaged for three months Chris Windass as guest conductor for Auckland Choral with whom Sue Meteyard Violoncello she performed Handel’s Messiah and settings of the Judith Dallosso Gloria by Poulenc, Rutter and Vivaldi. Violin II Spike Wilson Miranda Walton Trevor Burley Kate Bailey Warwick Cole CORONA STRINGS Louise Graham Leader, Catherine Leech Janet Froomes Double Bass Elizabeth Hodson Sophie Roper Since its inaugural concert at the beginning of 2012 Karen Raby Chris Xuereb Corona Strings has made some 30 appearances in Oxford and further afield. It has established a fine reputation for its dynamic sound, cohesive ensemble and sensitive playing. The orchestra’s name celebrates Queen Elizabeth II in whose honour the ACKNOWLEDGMENTS first concert entitled Music’s Jubilee was given in February 2012. We are most grateful to the following Corona Strings is formed from the finest professional people for their help in mounting this players in Oxfordshire and beyond and its repertoire performance: ranges from the Classical and Romantic ‘greats’ to music of the 20th century as well as exciting The staff at SJE Arts contemporary works. The orchestra’s first concert Tony Saunders - Bletchingdon Village Hall programme comprised works by Britten, Elgar, Holst, Stephen Allen Vaughan Williams and Warlock and later programmes Chris Humphries have included American music by Copland, Barber, Karen Fletcher Coolidge and Diamond, music by New Zealand Miranda Walton composers Lilburn and Ritchie as well as works by Ben Goodall Dvořák, Grieg, Sibelius and Tchaikovsky. Julia Stutfield Rogers Covey Crump Corona Baroque Ensemble, comprising the orchestra’s period instrument players, has given a number of memorable performances with the chamber choir 5