51719 LPO 1 May 10_51719 LPO 1 May 10 26/04/2010 13:03 Page 1

Principal Conductor VLADIMIR JUROWSKI Principal Guest Conductor YANNICK NÉZET-SÉGUIN Leader PIETER SCHOEMAN Composer in Residence MARK-ANTHONY TURNAGE Patron HRH THE DUKE OF KENT KG Chief Executive and Artistic Director TIMOTHY WALKER AM†

SOUTHBANK CENTRE’S ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL PROGRAMME £3 Saturday 1 May 2010 | 7.30 pm CONTENTS 2 List of Players 3 Orchestra History VLADIMIR JUROWSKI conductor 4 Leader 5 Vladimir Jurowski ANNA LARSSON contralto 6 Anna Larsson / Peter Auty PETER AUTY 7 London Philharmonic LONDON PHILHARMONIC CHOIR Choir 8 Programme Notes 12 Recordings WAGNER 13 Supporters 14 Southbank Centre A Faust Overture (11’) 15 Administration 16 Future Concerts BRAHMS The timings shown are not Rhapsody for alto, male chorus and orchestra (13’) precise and are given only as a guide. INTERVAL

LISZT A Faust Symphony (59’)

† supported by Macquarie Group

CONCERT PRESENTED BY THE LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA 51719 LPO 1 May 10_51719 LPO 1 May 10 26/04/2010 13:03 Page 2

LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

FIRST VIOLINS VIOLAS FLUTES BASS TROMBONE Pieter Schoeman* Leader Fiona Winning Guest Principal Jaime Martin* Principal Lyndon Meredith Principal Vesselin Gellev Sub-Leader Robert Duncan Joanna Marsh Julia Rumley Julia McCarthy Stewart McIlwham* TUBA Chair supported by Katharine Leek Lee Tsarmaklis Principal Mrs Steven Ward Susanne Martens PICCOLO Katalin Varnagy Emmanuella Reiter Stewart McIlwham* Principal TIMPANI Catherine Craig Laura Vallejo Simon Carrington* Principal Thomas Eisner Daniel Cornford OBOES Tina Gruenberg Alistair Scahill Ian Hardwick Principal PERCUSSION Martin Höhmann Isabel Pereira Owen Dennis Andrew Barclay* Principal Chair supported by Miranda Davis Keith Millar Richard Karl Goeltz Karin Norlen CLARINETS Geoffrey Lynn Robert Hill* Principal HARP Robert Pool CELLOS Katie Lockhart Rachel Masters* Principal Sarah Streatfeild Kristina Blaumane Principal Yang Zhang Chair supported by BASSOONS ORGAN Rebecca Shorrock Simon Yates and Kevin Roon Gareth Newman* Principal Catherine Edwards Joanne Chen Francis Bucknall Christopher Cooper Galina Tanney Laura Donoghue Emma Harding Kay Chappell Jonathan Ayling Chair supported by Caroline, HORNS SECOND VIOLINS Jamie and Zander Sharp John Ryan Principal Clare Duckworth Principal Aleksei Kiseliov Stephen Stirling Guest Chair supported by Pavlos Carvalho Principal Richard and Victoria Sharp William Routledge Martin Hobbs Joseph Maher Stephen Anstee Nicolas Wolmark ASSISTANT CONDUCTOR Kate Birchall Alexandra Mackenzie Gareth Mollison Ralf Sochaczewsky Chair supported by David Tae-Mi Song and Victoria Graham Fuller TRUMPETS Nancy Elan DOUBLE BASSES Paul Beniston* Principal Fiona Higham Kevin Rundell* Principal Anne McAneney* Nynke Hijlkema George Peniston Chair supported by Marie-Anne Mairesse Richard Lewis Geoff and Meg Mann Ashley Stevens Anita Mazzantini Nicholas Betts Co-Principal Andrew Thurgood David Johnson Sioni Williams Helen Rowlands TROMBONES Mila Mustakova Damian Rubido Gonzalez Mark Templeton* Principal Peter Graham Rebecca Welsh David Whitehouse Sheila Law * Holds a professorial Elizabeth Baldey appointment in London

Chair Supporters The London Philharmonic Orchestra also acknowledges the following chair supporters whose players are not present at this concert:

John and Angela Kessler Julian and Gill Simmonds

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LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

© Richard Cannon

Seventy-seven years after Sir Thomas Beecham founded Imaginative programming and a commitment to new the London Philharmonic Orchestra, it is recognised music are at the heart of the Orchestra’s activity, with today as one of the finest orchestras on the international regular commissions and world première performances. stage. Following Beecham’s influential founding tenure the Orchestra’s Principal Conductorship has been passed In addition to its London season, the Orchestra has from one illustrious musician to another, amongst them flourishing residencies in Brighton and Eastbourne, and Sir Adrian Boult, Bernard Haitink, Sir Georg Solti, Klaus performs regularly around the UK. It is unique in Tennstedt and Kurt Masur. This impressive tradition combining these concert activities with esteemed continued in September 2007 when Vladimir Jurowski performances each summer at Glyndebourne Festival became the Orchestra’s Principal Conductor, and in a Opera where it has been the Resident Symphony further exciting move, the Orchestra appointed Yannick Orchestra since 1964. Nézet-Séguin, its new Principal Guest Conductor from September 2008. The London Philharmonic Orchestra performs to enthusiastic audiences all round the world. In 1956 it The London Philharmonic Orchestra has been performing became the first British orchestra to appear in Soviet at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall since it opened Russia and in 1973 it made the first ever visit to China by in 1951, becoming Resident Orchestra in 1992. It plays a Western orchestra. Touring continues to form a there around 40 times each season with many of the significant part of the Orchestra’s schedule and is world’s most sought after conductors and soloists. supported by Aviva, the International Touring Partner of Concert highlights in 2009/10 include Between Two Worlds – an exploration of the music and times of Alfred Schnittke; a Sibelius symphony cycle with ‘This pulsating concert was the best possible Osmo Vänskä in January/February 2010; a perform- advertisement for the rest of Osmo Vänskä’s ance of Mendelssohn’s Elijah conducted by Kurt Sibelius cycle ... If any musical event this Masur and dedicated to the 20th Anniversary of the Fall of the Berlin Wall; and new works by Rautavaara, season has a better Finnish than this, I’m a Philip Glass, Ravi Shankar and the Orchestra’s Norseman.’ Composer in Residence, Mark-Anthony Turnage. RICHARD MORRISON, THE TIMES, 29 JANUARY 2010

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LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA PIETER SCHOEMAN

LEADER

the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Tours in 2009/10 In 2002, Pieter include visits to Germany, Australia, France, China, the Schoeman joined the Canaries and the USA. London Philharmonic Orchestra as Co-Leader. In 2008 he was appointed Leader. Having long been embraced by the recording, broadcasting and film industries, the London Born in South Africa, he made his solo debut with the Philharmonic Orchestra broadcasts regularly on domestic Cape Town Symphony Orchestra at the age of ten. He and international television and radio. It also works studied with Jack de Wet in South Africa, winning extensively with the Hollywood and UK film industries, numerous competitions, including the 1984 World Youth recording soundtracks for blockbuster motion pictures Concerto Competition in America. In 1987 he was offered including the Oscar-winning score for The Lord of the the Heifetz Chair of Music scholarship to study with Rings trilogy and scores for Lawrence of Arabia, The Edouard Schmieder in Los Angeles and in 1991 his talent Mission, Philadelphia and East is East. was spotted by Pinchas Zukerman who recommended that he move to New York to study with Sylvia The Orchestra also enjoys strong relationships with the Rosenberg. In 1994 he became her teaching assistant at major record labels and in 2005 began reaching out to Indiana University, Bloomington. new global audiences through the release of live, studio and archive recordings on its own CD label. Recent Pieter Schoeman has performed as a soloist and recitalist additions to the catalogue have included acclaimed throughout the world in such famous halls as the releases of early Britten works conducted by Vladimir Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Moscow’s Rachmaninov Jurowski; Mahler’s Symphony 6 under the baton of Klaus Hall, Capella Hall in St Petersburg, Staatsbibliothek in Tennstedt; Tchaikovsky’s Symphonies 1 and 6 conducted Berlin, Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and Queen by Vladimir Jurowski; Sir Thomas Beecham recordings of Elizabeth Hall in London. As a chamber musician he Mozart, Delius and Rimsky-Korsakov from the 1930s; a regularly performs at London’s prestigious Wigmore Hall. CD of John Ireland’s works taken from his 70th Birthday As a soloist with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, he Concert in 1949; and Dvo ˘rák’s conducted by has performed Arvo Pärt’s Double Concerto and Neeme Järvi. The Orchestra’s own-label releases are Benjamin Britten’s Double Concerto, which was recorded available to download by work or individual track from its for the Orchestra’s own record label. Most recently he website: www.lpo.org.uk/shop. also played concertos with the Wiener Concertverein and Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice. The Orchestra reaches thousands of Londoners through its rich programme of community and school-based In 1995 Pieter Schoeman became Co-Leader of the activity in Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark, which Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice. During his tenure includes the offshoot ensembles Renga and The Band, its there he performed frequently as Guest Leader with the Foyle Future Firsts apprenticeship scheme for symphony orchestras of Barcelona, Bordeaux, Lyon, outstanding young instrumentalists, and regular family Baltimore and the London Philharmonic Orchestra. and schools concerts. A frequent guest of the BBC Symphony Orchestra in London, Pieter Schoeman returned in October 2006 to To help maintain its high standards and diverse workload, lead that orchestra on a three week tour of Seoul, Beijing, the Orchestra is committed to the welfare of its Shanghai, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. musicians and in December 2007 received the Association of British Orchestras/Musicians Benevolent Pieter Schoeman has recorded numerous violin solos Fund Healthy Orchestra Bronze Charter Mark. with the London Philharmonic Orchestra for Chandos, Opera Rara, Naxos, the BBC and for American film and There are many ways to experience and stay in touch television. He led the Orchestra in its soundtrack with the Orchestra’s activities: visit www.lpo.org.uk, recordings for The Lord of the Rings trilogy. He teaches at subscribe to our podcast series and join us on Facebook. Trinity College of Music.

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VLADIMIR JUROWSKI

CONDUCTOR

Vladimir Jurowski has made highly successful debuts with a number of the world’s leading orchestras including the Berlin Philharmonic, Rotterdam Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw, Gewandhaus Leipzig, Chamber Orchestra of Europe and Dresden v o

r Staatskapelle, and in the USA with the Los Angeles a h

c Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony and Philadelphia t n

o Orchestras. Highlights of the 2009/10 season and G

n beyond include his debuts with the Bavarian Radio a

m Symphony, Chicago Symphony and Cleveland o R Orchestras, and return visits to the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Tonhalle Born in Moscow, the son of conductor Mikhail Jurowski, Orchester Zurich, Accademia di Santa Cecilia, Dresden Vladimir Jurowski completed the first part of his Staatskapelle and Philadelphia Orchestra. musical studies at the Music College of the Moscow Conservatory. In 1990 he relocated with his family to His operatic work has included performances of Jen ůfa, Germany where he continued his studies at High The Queen of Spades and Hänsel und Gretel at the Schools of Music in Dresden and in Berlin, studying Metropolitan Opera, and Wozzeck at the Welsh conducting with Rolf Reuter and vocal coaching with National Opera, War and Peace at the Opéra National Semion Skigin. In 1995 he made his international debut de Paris, Eugene Onegin at La Scala Milan, and Die at the Wexford Festival, where he conducted Rimsky- Zauberflöte, La Cenerentola, , , Falstaff, Korsakov’s May Night . The same year saw his brilliant and Peter Eötvös’ Love and Other debut at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden in Demons at Glyndebourne Opera. Future engagements Nabucco . In 1996 Jurowski joined the ensemble of include new productions of Don Giovanni and Die Komische Oper Berlin, becoming First Kapellmeister in Meistersinger and a revival of The Rake’s Progress at 1997 and continuing to work at the Komische Oper on Glyndebourne, and Iolanta at the Dresden Semperoper. a permanent basis until 2001. Jurowski’s discography includes the first ever recording Since 1997 Vladimir Jurowski has been a guest at some of Giya Kancheli’s Exile for ECM (1994), Meyerbeer’s of the world’s leading musical institutions including the L’Etoile du nord for Naxos-Marco Polo (1996), Werther Royal Opera House Covent Garden, Teatro La Fenice for BMG (1999), and live recordings of works by Venice, Opéra Bastille Paris, Théâtre Royal de la Rachmaninoff, Turnage, Tchaikovsky, Britten and Monnaie Brussels, Maggio Musicale Festival Florence, Shostakovich on the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s Rossini Opera Festival Pesaro, Edinburgh Festival, own label, as well as Prokofiev’s Betrothal in a Semperoper Dresden and Teatro Comunale di Bologna Monastery on Glyndebourne Opera’s own label. He also (where he served as Principal Guest Conductor between records for PentaTone with the Russian National 2000 and 2003). In 1999 he made his debut at the Orchestra, releases to date having included Stravinsky’s Metropolitan Opera New York with . Divertimento from Le Baiser de la fée , Tchaikovsky’s Suite No. 3 and Shostakovich’s Symphonies Nos 1 and In January 2001 Vladimir Jurowski took up the position 6, Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5, and Tchaikovsky’s of Music Director of Glyndebourne Festival Opera and Incidental Music from Hamlet . Glyndebourne have in 2003 was appointed Principal Guest Conductor of released DVD recordings of his performances of La the London Philharmonic Orchestra, becoming the Cenerentola, Gianni Schicchi, Die Fledermaus and Orchestra’s Principal Conductor in September 2007. He Rachmaninoff’s The Miserly Knight, and other recent also holds the title of Principal Artist of the Orchestra of DVD releases include Hänsel und Gretel from the the Age of Enlightenment, and from 2005 to 2009 Metropolitan Opera New York, and his first concert as served as Principal Guest Conductor of the Russian the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s Principal National Orchestra with whom he will continue to work Conductor featuring works by Wagner, Berg and Mahler in the years ahead. (released by Medici Arts).

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ANNA LARSSON PETER AUTY

CONTRALTO TENOR n a g m r k e r o b l l W

U

t r n e o r b o h R T

Anna Larsson graduated from the University College of Peter Auty is established as one of Britain’s leading Opera in Stockholm in 1996. She made her international , having made his professional debut at Opera debut in Mahler’s Symphony 2 with the Berlin North in 1998/9 and returning in 2001/2 as Rodolfo in Philharmonic and Abbado in 1997 and her opera debut their much acclaimed production of La bohème. From as Erda in Wagner’s Das Rheingold at the Berlin State 1999 to 2002, he was a company principal of the Royal Opera conducted by Barenboim. She has since achieved Opera, Covent Garden, where he covered several major international recognition as the world’s foremost roles and had the opportunity of working with many of exponent of Erda, which she has sung at opera houses the world’s leading singers and conductors. Elsewhere in Berlin, Vienna, Munich, Salzburg, Aix-en-Provence and in the UK, he has worked with Glyndebourne Festival Stockholm. Among her other roles are Waltraute, Opera, Glyndebourne on Tour, , Orphée, Fricka and Dalilah. and Scottish Opera. In Europe he has sung with Opera Zuid, Opéra de Massy, Opéra de Rouen, In concert, Anna is regarded as the most consummate Frankfurt Opera and the Nationale Reisopera. interpreter of Mahler’s works. She regularly sings with all the great orchestras and with the most illustrious On the concert platform Peter Auty has worked with conductors. Her extensive repertoire ranges from many of the UK’s leading orchestras, including the Handel’s Messiah through to Elgar’s Sea Pictures , London Symphony Orchestra with Sir and Mahler’s song cycles, Verdi’s Requiem and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment with Mark contemporary music. She also has a vast repertoire of Elder. He has also given performances of Messiah at the German, English and Scandinavian songs which she has Royal Albert Hall and a concert performance of sung at recitals in Wigmore Hall London, Brahms Saal at Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex with the London Philharmonic the Musikverein in Vienna, and at the most important Orchestra and Lothar Zagrosek. Appearances abroad festivals and concert halls in Sweden. In 2005 her have included performances of The Dream of Gerontius recording of Strauss’s Daphne conducted by Semyon and Britten’s War Requiem with the Iceland Symphony Bychkov was nominated for a Grammy Award. Orchestra conducted by and a concert of operatic excerpts with the Sydney Symphony Last autumn Anna Larsson sang Mahler’s Rückert Lieder Orchestra. Last season he sang both Beethoven’s on tour with the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra and Symphony 9 and Dvo řák’s Requiem with the London Gustavo Dudamel, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with Philharmonic Orchestra and Neeme Järvi at the Royal Antonio Pappano in Rome, and Erda in Der Ring des Festival Hall. He recently made his recital debut in Nibelungen at the Vienna State Opera. Recent London as part of the Rosenblatt Recital Series. engagements have included Das Lied von der Erde in Rome, Utrecht and Eindhoven, and Orphée in Gluck’s Highlights of the 2009/10 season include appearances Orphée at the Stockholm Royal Opera. This year she with Reisopera, , and Opera Holland sings Erda in Das Rheingold and Mahler’s Symphony 2 Park. He will also be appearing in for Opera with Claudio Abbado, both at Teatro alla Scala. North at the beginning of the 2010/11 season.

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LONDON PHILHARMONIC CHOIR

PATRON: HRH Princess Alexandra ACCOMPANIST: Iain Farrington PRESIDENT: Sir Roger Norrington CHAIRMAN: Mary Moore ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: Neville Creed CHOIR MANAGER: Kevin Darnell

Tenors David Aldred, Geir Andreassen, Robert Beale, Claassen, David Clark, Rob Collis, Bill Cumber, Phillip Chris Beynon, Jonathan Bird, John Boyne, Tony Brewer, Dangerfield, Marcus Daniels, Michael Day, Mike Drake, Keith Chaundy, Geoff Clare, Brian Coulstock, Kevin Richard Ford, Paul Gittens, John Graham, Nigel Grieve, Darnell, Michael Delany, Jack Dixon, Dwayne Engh, Jonathan Harbourne, Richard Harding, Christopher Philip Evans, Aloysius Fekete, Iain Handyside, Rob Home, Harvey, Mark Hillier, David Hodgson, Oliver Hogg, Rylan Patrick Hughes, Douglas Johnson, Andrew Mackie, Holey, Hugh Hudson, Martin Hudson, Aidan Jones, Andrew Martin, Andrew McCall, John Mcleod, Jon David Kent, Alex Kidney, Steve Kirby, Richard Lane, Meredith, Philip Padfield, David Phillips, Luke Phillips, Thorsten Laux, Alejandro Lopez Montoya, Anthony Stephen Pritchard, Kevin Rainey, David Regan, Paul McDonald, Paul Medlicott, John Morris, Ashley Thirer, Alex Thomas, Owen Toller Morrison, William Parsons, Johan Pieters, Michael Probert, David Regan, David Rippon, Stephen Rosser, Nic Basses Ken Atkinson, John Bandy, Stephen Benson, Seager, Christopher Short, Daniel Snowman, Dominic Stephen Bonney, Derek Bryanton, Gordon Buky-Webster, Stewart, Edwin Tomlins, James Torniainen, Anthony Adam Bunzl, Geoffrey Chang, Raymond Choi, Dieter Wills, James Wilson, John Wood

Founded in 1947, the London Philharmonic Choir is Last season’s highlights included performances of widely regarded as one of Britain’s finest choirs and Beethoven’s Missa solemnis and Symphony 9, Dvo řák’s consistently meets with great critical acclaim. It has Requiem , Brahms’s Ein deutsches Requiem , Holst’s The been involved in over 80 recordings and has performed Planets , and Schoenberg’s Gurrelieder. This season the under leading international conductors throughout its Choir has enjoyed performances of Mahler’s Symphony history. 2, Mendelssohn’s Elijah , Haydn’s Seven Last Words and a programme of Christmas music including Honegger’s The Choir enjoys a close relationship with the London Une Cantate de Noël . Most recently, the Choir Philharmonic Orchestra, joining it regularly for performed Poulenc’s Stabat Mater with Yannick Nézet- performances in the UK and abroad. It also works with Séguin and Janá ček’s The Eternal Gospel and many other leading orchestras and has enjoyed sharing Myaskovsky’s Symphony 6 with Vladimir Jurowski. the stage with Daleks, dinosaurs and various other creatures in 2008’s Doctor Who and last year’s In 2007, the Choir celebrated its 60th anniversary and Evolution! Proms. published a book – Hallelujah: An Informal History of the London Philharmonic Choir. The book is available The Choir often travels overseas and, in the last few from retail outlets here at the South Bank Centre and years, its visits to Europe have included concerts in can be ordered through the Choir’s website. Rome, Lucerne and Cologne. It has travelled as far afield as Kuala Lumpur and Perth, Australia, and, in February The Choir prides itself on achieving first-class 2008, visited Hong Kong, where it gave two concerts at performances from its members, who are volunteers the Hong Kong Arts Festival: a performance of from all walks of life. For more information about the Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms and Rachmaninov’s Choir, including details about how to join, please visit The Bells with the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra www.lpc.org.uk. under , and a programme of British choral music conducted by the Choir’s Artistic Director, Neville Creed. Over the 2009 New Year, the Choir travelled to At tonight’s concert we extend a warm welcome to Budapest with the London Philharmonic Orchestra to guests from other choirs and we are particularly perform Haydn’s Die Schöpfung at the Béla Bartók delighted to be joined by members of the Philharmonia National Concert Hall. Chorus.

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PROGRAMME NOTES

SPEEDREAD Faust, his innocent beloved Gretchen and his devilish accomplice and adversary Mephistopheles, crowned by a The great German writer Johann Wolfgang von Goethe setting for tenor and male voice chorus of the Chorus was the literary source of all three works in tonight’s Mysticus which accompanies his final redemption. And programme. His mighty poetic drama Faust inspired both lines from Goethe’s Winter Journey in the Harz Mountains Wagner’s A Faust Overture (1839/40, revised 1855), a were set by Brahms in his Alto Rhapsody (1869), for solo portrait of the solitary, ever-questioning scholar himself, alto and male chorus, a deeply personal expression of and Liszt’s A Faust Symphony (1854, revised 1857), an dejection and hope. astonishingly original trilogy of character-studies of

Richard A FAUST OVERTURE WAGNER

1813-1883

Goethe’s huge poetic drama Faust , based on an old first movement of a symphony, and that he had had legend about a scholar who makes a pact with the ideas in his head for a second movement portraying Devil, occupied him at intervals throughout his career: a Faust’s beloved Gretchen. But he abandoned this fragmentary version was published in 1790, when he concept – which was to be taken up by his friend Liszt – was in his early forties, the definitive Part 1 in 1808, and and left the work as a single-movement Overture, which Part II only after his death in 1832. The play caused a he performed in Dresden in 1844 and published in a sensation, and its strong central characters and revised version in 1855. situations, and its striking variety of tone, soon attracted musical treatments – among them an opera by Spohr, In a letter to Liszt in 1852, Wagner wrote that he produced as early as 1816, choral works by Berlioz and intended the Overture to depict the ‘“solitary Faust”, Schumann, and in the 1850s not only Liszt’s Faust longing, despairing, cursing’, while ‘the “feminine” Symphony but also Gounod’s once ubiquitous opera. floats around him as an object of his longing’. The piece, in the key of D minor, has the traditional shape of a Wagner’s only treatment of this archetypal story was his slow introduction leading to a main sonata-form quick Faust Overture . He composed it in Paris in late 1839 and section. The brooding, questioning introduction begins early 1840, while he was completing Rienzi and shortly with a descending idea which is transformed by stages before he embarked on The Flying Dutchman . In his into the rising-and-falling principal theme of the main autobiography, Wagner said that he was inspired to section. This is complemented by a rising major-key write the work by hearing the conductor Habeneck melody, first played by the flute, which presumably rehearsing the Paris Conservatoire orchestra in represents Faust’s feminine ideal; at Liszt’s suggestion, Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony. But commentators have Wagner extended this passage when he revised the suggested that he was covering his tracks, and that a work. The development is based chiefly on a solemn more potent model was Berlioz’s then brand new idea from the introduction, stretched out into long Romeo and Juliet Symphony, with its absorption of a notes. The recapitulation begins stormily, but dies down literary source into abstract musical forms. Wagner also to a coda which returns to the atmosphere of the wrote that he had originally intended his piece as the introduction, and ends quietly in the major.

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PROGRAMME NOTES

RHAPSODY FOR ALTO, MALE CHORUS AND Johannes ORCHESTRA, OP. 53

BRAHMS ANNA LARSSON contralto LONDON PHILHARMONIC CHOIR

1833-1897

Brahms’s music habitually conceals his deeper feelings text, Brahms selected three stanzas from Goethe’s poem behind a façade of classical objectivity; but the Alto Harzreise im Winter (‘Winter Journey in the Harz Rhapsody is one of the handful of his works in which Mountains’), depicting the desolation of a lonely they are painfully exposed. He wrote it in the autumn of traveller, cut off from the rest of mankind, and ending 1869, apparently in reaction to the news that Julie with a prayer to the ‘father of love’ to come to his aid. Schumann, the young daughter of his late mentor He set the first two stanzas as a recitative and aria Robert, was to marry an Italian count. Brahms, it seems, (shaped into a rough A–B–A form) for solo alto, full of had transferred his long-concealed adoration of Robert’s broken phrases, wide leaps and anguished chroma- widow Clara to Julie, or half-believed that he had, and ticism, and sparsely orchestrated. But for the closing was devastated by this turn of events. Clara recorded in prayer he added a four-part male-voice chorus, turned her diary that he had called the piece ‘his bridal song’, from C minor to C major, and adopted more regular and added that it seemed to her ‘neither more nor less patterns of phrasing and accompaniment patterns, to than an expression of his own heart’s anguish’. As his end the Rhapsody in a mood of consolation and hope.

Aber abseits, wer ist’s? Who is that in the distance? Ins Gebüsch verliert sich sein Pfad, His path disappears in the brush, hinter ihm schlagen behind him the bushes die Sträuche zusammen, close together, das Gras steht wieder auf, the grass springs up again, die Öde verschlingt ihn. the wasteland swallows him up. Ach, wer heilet die Schmerzen Ah, who can heal the sorrows dess dem Balsam zu Gift ward? of one for whom balm turned to poison? Der sich Menschenhass One who drank hatred of mankind aus der Fülle der Liebe trank? from the fullness of love? Erst verachtet, nun ein Verächter, At first despised, now a despiser, zehrt er heimlich auf seinen eignen Wert he secretly wastes his own worth in ungnügender Selbstsucht. in useless self-seeking. Ist auf deinem Psalter, If there is on thy psalter Vater der Liebe, ein Ton Father of love, a note seinem Ohre vernehmlich, audible to his ear, so erquicke sein Herz! revive his heart! Öffne den umwölkten Blick Open his clouded gaze über die tausend Quellen to the thousand springs neben dem Durstenden in der Wüste. close by the thirsting soul in the desert.

English translation © Eric Mason

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PROGRAMME NOTES

INTERVAL 20 minutes

An announcement will be made five minutes before the end of the interval.

Franz A FAUST SYMPHONY PETER AUTY tenor LISZT LONDON PHILHARMONIC CHOIR

Faust | Gretchen | Mephistopheles – Closing Chorus 1811-1886

Liszt made sketches for a symphony based on Goethe’s freely between widely varying tempos in the manner of Faust during the 1840s, but he brought the project to Liszt’s narrative symphonic poems; and the work as a fulfilment only after settling as Kapellmeister in whole makes crucial use of the technique of Weimar, Goethe’s home for the last five and a half transformation of themes which he had developed in decades of his life. Other musical treatments of the the single-movement genre. These are only two of the subject may have prompted this renewed interest: features of the Symphony which placed it firmly in the among them Wagner’s Faust Overture (and his modernist camp of the time. It also includes passages in abandoned plan for a symphony), and Berlioz’s The which the time-signature changes rapidly, sometimes Damnation of Faust, which its composer conducted at from bar to bar, and some stretches of virtually keyless Weimar in 1852. But Liszt’s biographer Alan Walker has chromatic harmony – in both respects anticipating suggested that the immediate stimulus may have been Wagner’s Tristan and Isolde at the end of the 1850s. It the visit of the English writer George Henry Lewes to even looks further into the future, since one of its Weimar in 1854 (accompanied by his mistress, the principal themes consists of an upbeat followed by four novelist George Eliot) to research his biography of augmented triads, each a semitone lower than the one Goethe. Certainly it was between August and October before, which together make up what Humphrey Searle, that year, during the period of Lewes’s stay, that the Liszt specialist and serial composer, called ‘the first Symphony was composed. In its original form, it was a conscious twelve-note theme ever written’. work for small orchestra. But in 1857, Liszt expanded the orchestration, and added the closing chorus, for The first movement is a portrait of Faust himself, the male voices with a solo tenor. restless, dissatisfied scholar, so avid in his search for all kinds of knowledge and experience that he is prepared The Symphony is subtitled ‘three character sketches’: it to enlist the assistance of Mephistopheles, in exchange does not attempt to tell the story of Goethe’s Faust, but for a promise that if he ever declares himself happy he concentrates in turn on Faust, the central figure of the will lose his life and his soul. The slow introduction drama, Gretchen, the object of his love in Part I, and the begins with two important motifs: the ‘twelve-note’ devil, Mephistopheles. This essentially static approach theme, representing Faust as experimental magician; allows the work to take on a traditional symphonic and a yearning idea, growing out of a falling seventh, outline, with the outer movements in versions of sonata representing him as doubting philosopher. After a form. But at the same time these movements move restless transition, ending with unaccompanied

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PROGRAMME NOTES

bassoons, the main Allegro in C minor begins with a accompanied by three undulating flutes, returning to surging melody standing for Faust’s passionate nature; the theme of Faust as lover in a full but very subdued this is followed by a theme beginning with a scoring, and arriving at the first-movement theme of descending scale which suggests his longing for the Faust’s passionate nature in a murmuring feminine. The principal ‘second subject’, at a slower transformation. After this love scene, Gretchen’s first tempo, is a swooning expansion of the second of the theme returns, initially on four solo violins, Faust’s ideas of the introduction (in alternating bars of 3/4 and themes intervene quietly once more, and Gretchen’s 4/4 time), portraying Faust as lover; and there is a second theme returns to lead to a quiet, intimate close. further important theme, a processional melody portraying him as proud man of action. This sequence of The first part of the finale is a portrait of ideas is so rich in transitions and development that Mephistopheles; but, as he is ‘the spirit that always says there is no need for more than a short ‘official’ no’, an agent of destruction rather than creation, he has development section: it concentrates on the passionate no themes of his own, only transformations of Faust’s first subject. But, unconventionally, there is a reprise of from the first movement. In a maelstrom of activity, the slow introduction, including a sorrowful new perhaps suggested by Goethe’s Walpurgis Night scenes combination of its two main motifs, before the much and permeated by references to the ‘twelve-note’ motif, varied recapitulation of the three main themes of the the theme of Faust’s passionate nature is turned into a Allegro . This immense movement, some 25 minutes mocking dance, the theme of Faust as lover becomes a long, ends with a coda which starts in the same way as grunting cello idea and later the subject of a desperate the development, in the white heat of passion, and fugue, and the theme of Faust as proud man of action is finally dies away with the motif of doubt. made into a preening parody. In a brief slow interlude, Gretchen’s first theme from the second movement The central slow movement, a delicately scored Andante returns unaltered. But then the parodied themes are soave in A flat major, is a portrait of the young, innocent recapitulated, with the theme of Faust as lover now Gretchen – though it contains hints of narrative held back till last and transformed again, into an depiction of her seduction by Faust, with the aid of insistently swaggering march. From here, a long Mephistopheles, if not of the tragic consequences of the transition eventually releases the tension, moving, by affair. An introduction for flutes and clarinets leads to way of another reminiscence of the Gretchen theme, the first main ‘Gretchen’ theme, presented on oboe into the closing chorus. This is a solemn C major setting accompanied by violas and then in a variety of other of the Chorus Mysticus at the end of Part II of Faust : colours. A descending-scale melody on the oboe Faust’s life has finally been claimed by Mephistopheles, suggests the presence of Faust, and there is a moment but his soul is redeemed by his constant striving – and of instrumental recitative as Gretchen picks the petals also by the enduring love of Gretchen. The latter from a flower and counts off ‘He loves me, he loves me explains why the recurring melodic phrases in the solo not’. A little later, the strings introduce Gretchen’s tenor part are based on Gretchen’s two themes from second main theme, marked dolce amoroso or ‘sweet the slow movement, stretched out (in Alan Walker’s and loving’. There is a more animated middle section, words) ‘as if in heavenly transfiguration’. beginning with an urgent rhythm in the strings and the theme of Faust as lover from the first movement, blossoming into long, expressive descending lines Programme notes by Anthony Burton © 2010

Alles Vergängliche ist nur ein Gleichnis, Everything transitory is but a parable, Das Unzulängliche hier wird’s Ereignis, The insufficient here is made whole, Das Unbeschreibliche hier wird es getan. The indescribable here is achieved. Das Ewig-Weibliche zieht uns hinan. Eternal womanhood leads us on high.

© English translation by Eric Mason

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RECORDINGS

ON THE LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA’S OWN RECORD LABEL

LPO-0043 Vladimir Jurowski conducts Brahms’s Symphonies 1 and 2 ‘This pair of budget-priced CDs on the LPO’s own label demonstrate how, in the right hands, the first two symphonies can thrill and delight … exquisite wind playing …genuinely exciting …’ GRAHAM RICKSON, THE ARTS DESK, 22 FEBRUARY 2010

LPO-0045 Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducts Brahms’s A German Requiem with Elizabeth Watts, Stéphane Degout and the London Philharmonic Choir NEW RELEASE

LPO-0003 Klaus Tennstedt conducts orchestral excerpts from Wagner ‘Every bar of these performances is filled with the extra adrenalin that one expects at a really memorable concert.’ BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

The recordings may be downloaded in high quality MP3 format from www.lpo.org.uk/shop. They may also be purchased from all good retail outlets or through the London Philharmonic Orchestra: telephone 020 7840 4242 (Mon-Fri 10am-5pm) or visit the website www.lpo.org.uk

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We would like to acknowledge the generous support of the following Thomas Beecham Group Patrons, Principal Benefactors and Benefactors: Thomas Beecham Group Mr Daniel Goldstein Ken Follett Mr & Mrs Richard & Victoria Sharp Mrs Barbara Green Michael & Christine Henry Julian & Gill Simmonds Mr Ray Harsant Mr Glenn Hurstfield Mrs Steven Ward Oliver Heaton Mr R K Jeha Simon Yates & Kevin Roon Peter MacDonald Eggers Mr & Mrs Maurice Lambert Mr & Mrs David Malpas Mr Gerald Levin Garf & Gill Collins Andrew T Mills Sheila Ashley Lewis David & Victoria Graham Fuller Mr Maxwell Morrison Wg. Cdr. & Mrs M T Liddiard Richard Karl Goeltz Mr Michael Posen OBE JP RAF John & Angela Kessler Mr & Mrs Thierry Sciard Mr Frank Lim Mr & Mrs Makharinsky Mr John Soderquist & Mr Costas Paul & Brigitta Lock Geoff & Meg Mann Michaelides Mr Brian Marsh Caroline, Jamie and Zander Sharp Mr & Mrs G Stein John Montgomery Eric Tomsett Mr & Mrs John C Tucker Mr & Mrs Egil Oldeide Howard & Sheelagh Watson Edmund Pirouet Guy & Utti Whittaker Mr Laurie Watt Mr Peter Tausig Mr Anthony Yolland Mrs Kazue Turner Principal Benefactors Lady Marina Vaizey Mark & Elizabeth Adams Benefactors Mr D Whitelock Jane Attias Mrs A Beare Lady Jane Berrill Dr & Mrs Alan Carrington Desmond & Ruth Cecil CBE FRS Hon. Benefactor Mr John H Cook Marika Cobbold & Michael Elliott Bernerd Andrew Davenport Patchett-Joyce Mrs Sonja Drexler Mr & Mrs Stewart Cohen Hon. Life Members Mr Charles Dumas Mr Alistair Corbett Kenneth Goode David Ellen Mr David Edgecombe Mrs Jackie Rosenfeld OBE Commander Vincent Evans Mr Richard Fernyhough

The generosity of our Sponsors, Corporate Members, supporters and donors is gratefully acknowledged. Corporate Members Trusts and Foundations The Sir Jules Thorn Charitable Trust Appleyard & Trew llp Adam Mickiewicz Institute Lord Ashdown Charitable British American Business Allianz Cultural Foundation Settlement Brown Brothers Harriman The Andor Charitable Trust Marsh Christian Trust Charles Russell The Bernard Sunley Charitable Maurice Marks Charitable Trust Destination Québec – UK Foundation Maxwell Morrison Charitable Trust Diagonal Consulting Borletti-Buitoni Trust The Michael Marks Charitable Trust Lazard The Candide Charitable Trust Musicians Benevolent Fund Leventis Overseas The John S Cohen Foundation Paul Morgan Charitable Trust Man Group plc The Coutts Charitable Trust The R K Charitable Trust Québec Government Office in London The Dorset Foundation The Rubin Foundation The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust Ruth Berkowitz Charitable Trust Corporate Donors Dunard Fund The Samuel Sebba Charitable Trust Lombard Street Research The Emmanuel Kaye Foundation Serge Rachmaninoff Foundation Redpoint Energy Limited The Equitable Charitable Trust Sound Connections In-kind Sponsors The Eranda Foundation Stansfield Trust Heineken The Ernest Cook Trust UK Friends of the Felix- Lindt & Sprüngli Ltd The Fenton Arts Trust Mendelssohn-Bartholdy- Sela Sweets Ltd The Foyle Foundation Foundation Villa Maria Garfield Weston Foundation The Underwood Trust The Henry Smith Charity Education Partners The Idlewild Trust and others who wish to remain Lambeth City Learning Centre John Lyon’s Charity anonymous. London Borough of Lambeth John Thaw Foundation Southwark EiC The Jonathan & Jeniffer Harris Trust

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SOUTHBANK CENTRE

Industrial soundscapes, phasing textures and sonic shifts WELCOME TO SOUTHBANK CENTRE

created by LPO young composers and performed We hope you enjoy your visit. We have a Duty by Foyle Future Firsts and members of the Manager available at all times. If you have any queries London Philharmonic Orchestra please ask any member of staff for assistance.

Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall Eating, drinking and shopping? Southbank Centre 7.30pm | Friday 14 May 2010 shops and restaurants include: MDC music and movies, Foyles, EAT, Giraffe, Strada, wagamama, Le Lutoslawski Mini Overture Pain Quotidien, Las Iguanas, ping pong, Canteen, Caffé Aaron Parker Moiré Vergnano 1882, Skylon and Feng Sushi, as well as Isa Khan 06 cafes, restaurants and shops inside Royal Festival Hall, Ravel Trois poèmes de Stéphane Mallarmé Queen Elizabeth Hall and Hayward Gallery. Varèse Octandre Sasha Siem Queen Anne’s Lace If you wish to get in touch with us following your visit Strauss Serenade for thirteen winds please contact our Head of Customer Relations at Tristan Brookes SERRA: Pessoa Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London SE1 8XX, by Stravinsky Dumbarton Oaks phone on 020 7960 4250 or by email at Clement Power conductor [email protected] Rachael Lloyd mezzo soprano We look forward to seeing you again soon. The composers have been working on their pieces throughout the academic year in a series A few points to note for your comfort and enjoyment: of workshops, mentored by Composer in PHOTOGRAPHY is not allowed in the auditorium Residence Mark-Anthony Turnage, composer Jonathan Cole and conductor Clement Power. LATECOMERS will only be admitted to the auditorium The Foyle Future Firsts programme is a if there is a suitable break in the performance dedicated apprenticeship scheme for 16 gifted RECORDING is not permitted in the auditorium instrumentalists embarking on professional without the prior consent of Southbank Centre. orchestral careers. Southbank Centre reserves the right to confiscate video or sound equipment and hold it in safekeeping until the Come and hear new sound worlds and discover performance has ended young talent at the highest level. MOBILES, PAGERS AND WATCHES should be Visit www.lpo.org.uk/debutsounds to learn switched off before the performance begins about the LPO young composers and preview the new works.

Tickets £9 | Students £4 For booking details see page 16.

The Foyle Future Firsts Programme is generously funded by the Foyle Foundation with additional support from The D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust, The Fenton Arts Trust, Musicians Benevolent Fund and The UK Friends of the Felix-Mendelssohn-Bartholdy- Foundation. The Orchestra’s Young Composers Scheme is supported by Eranda Foundation, The Idlewild Trust and the Paul Morgan Charitable Trust.

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ADMINISTRATION

BOARD OF DIRECTORS GENERAL ADMINISTRATION EDUCATION AND ARCHIVES COMMUNITY PROGRAMME Martin Höhmann Timothy Walker AM † Edmund Pirouet Chairman Chief Executive and Matthew Todd Consultant Stewart McIlwham Artistic Director Education and Philip Stuart Vice-Chairman Community Director Alison Atkinson Discographer Sue Bohling Digital Projects Manager Anne Newman Simon Carrington Gillian Pole Education Officer Lord Currie* Julius Hendriksen Recordings Archive Jonathan Dawson* Assistant to the Chief Executive Isobel Timms Anne McAneney and Artistic Director Community Officer George Peniston Alec Haylor LONDON PHILHARMONIC Sir Bernard Rix* FINANCE Kevin Rundell Education and ORCHESTRA David Burke Community Assistant Sir Philip Thomas* 89 Albert Embankment General Manager and Sir John Tooley* Richard Mallett London SE1 7TP Finance Director The Rt Hon. Lord Wakeham DL* Education and Tel: 020 7840 4200 Timothy Walker AM † David Greenslade Community Producer Fax: 020 7840 4201 *Non-Executive Directors Finance and IT Manager Box Office: 020 7840 4242 DEVELOPMENT THE LONDON Joshua Foong www.lpo.org.uk PHILHARMONIC TRUST Finance Officer Nick Jackman Visit the website for full Development Director details of London Pehr Gyllenhammar CONCERT MANAGEMENT Philharmonic Orchestra Phoebe Rouse Chairman activities. Desmond Cecil CMG Roanna Chandler Corporate Relations Manager Concerts Director The London Philharmonic Richard Karl Goeltz Sarah Tattersall Orchestra Limited is a Jonathan Harris CBE FRICS Ruth Sansom Corporate Relations and registered charity No. 238045. Dr Catherine C. Høgel Artistic Administrator Events Manager Martin Höhmann Angela Kessler Graham Wood Melissa Van Emden Photographs of Wagner, Clive Marks OBE FCA Concerts, Recordings and Corporate Relations and Brahms and Liszt courtesy of Victoria Sharp Glyndebourne Manager Events Officer the Royal College of Music, Julian Simmonds London. Alison Jones Anna Gover Timothy Walker AM † Concerts Co-ordinator Charitable Giving Officer Photograph on the front cover Laurence Watt by Roman Gontcharov. Simon Yates Matthew Freeman MARKETING Recordings Consultant Programmes printed by AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE Kath Trout Cantate. LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA PERSONNEL Marketing Director ORCHESTRA, INC. Andrew Chenery Frances Cook We are very grateful to the Orchestra Personnel Manager Publications Manager Board of the American Friends Sarah Thomas of the London Philharmonic Samantha Kendall Librarian Orchestra for its support of Box Office Administrator (Tel: 020 7840 4242) the Orchestra’s activities in Michael Pattison the USA. Stage Manager Valerie Barber Press Consultant Camilla Begg PROFESSIONAL SERVICES (Tel: 020 7586 8560) Assistant Orchestra Personnel Charles Russell Manager INTERN Solicitors Ken Graham Trucking Jo Langston Horwath Clark Whitehill LLP Instrument Transportation Marketing Auditors (Tel: 01737 373305) Dr Louise Miller Honorary Doctor †Supported by Macquarie Group

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FUTURE CONCERTS

AT SOUTHBANK CENTRE’S ROYAL FESTIVAL HALL

JTI Friday Series | Friday 7 May 2010 | 7.30pm FREE Pre-Concert Event 6.15pm | Royal Festival Hall Tchaikovsky Francesca da Rimini Geoffrey Norris introduces the music of Rachmaninoff. Liszt Piano Concerto 2 Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a Theme of Thomas Tallis Dvo řák Symphonic Variations Benjamin Northey conductor Arnaldo Cohen piano David Murphy and Robert McDuffie

Thursday 1 July 2010 | 7.30pm Adams Shaker Loops Benjamin Northey and Arnaldo Cohen Glass Violin Concerto 1 Shankar Symphony (world première) Saturday 22 May 2010 | 7.30pm David Murphy conductor Robert McDuffie violin Debussy Ibéria Anoushka Shankar sitar Lalo Symphonie espagnole Strauss Don Juan FREE Pre-Concert Event Ravel Boléro 6.15pm | Royal Festival Hall An introduction to the music of Ravi Shankar. Christoph Eschenbach conductor Christian Tetzlaff violin

TO BOOK Tickets £9-£38 / Premium seats £55 Christoph Eschenbach and London Philharmonic Orchestra Ticket Office Christian Tetzlaff 020 7840 4242 | www.lpo.org.uk Mon-Fri 10am-5pm; no booking fee JTI Friday Series | Friday 28 May 2010 | 7.30pm Southbank Centre Ticket Office | 0844 847 9920 Rachmaninoff (arr. Dumbraveanu) Variations on a www.southbankcentre.co.uk/lpo Theme of Corelli Daily, 9am-8pm. £2.50 telephone / £1.45 online booking Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto 4 (revised version) fees; no fee for Southbank Centre Members Rachmaninoff Symphony 1 Neeme Järvi conductor Alexei Lubimov piano Supported by the Serge Rachmaninoff Foundation.

Neeme Järvi and Alexei Lubimov

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