Oslo Philharmonic/ Petrenko Tuesday 22 October 2019 7.30pm, Hall
R Strauss Don Juan Grieg Piano Concerto in A minor
interval 20 minutes Shostakovich Symphony No 10
Leif Ove Andsnes piano Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra Vasily Petrenko conductor C F Wesenberg
Part of Barbican Presents 2019–20
Please do ... Turn off watch alarms and phones during the performance. Please don’t ... Take photos or make recordings during the performance. Use a hearing aid? Please use our induction loop – just switch your The City of London hearing aid to T setting on entering the hall. Corporation is the founder and principal funder of Programme produced by Harriet Smith; the Barbican Centre advertising by Cabbell (tel 020 3603 7930) 2 used by Mozartin based not ontheversion of thelegend with hisyouthful masterpiece Strauss’s tone-poems, soit’saptto begin orchestra iscurrently recording Richard particularly closelyassociated withit.The Chief Conductor Vasily Petrenko inmusic Tonight theOslo Philharmonicisledby its in demandhallsallover theglobe. the world’s mostesteemed orchestras, In recent decades ithasbecomeoneof its homecitybutof Norway asawhole. it transformed themusicallife not onlyof When theorchestra was founded in1919 Oslo Philharmonic’scentenary celebrations. Welcome to tonight’s concert,partof the Welcome Don Giovanni Don Juan , but , but , Head of Music Huw Humphreys I hopeyou enjoy theconcert. to ultimately shattering effect. emotional power anddramatic drive death in1953. Itcombinessearing written inthewake of Stalin’s To end,Shostakovich’s 10th Symphony, Norwegian pianistLeifOve Andsnes? who better to play ittonight thanthegreat Oslo Philharmonic’svery first concert,and Grieg’s PianoConcerto featured inthe the anti-hero’s life isendedinaduel. instead ononeby Nikolaus Lenauinwhich tone-poem, one of the few works in the the in works few the of one tone-poem, his of bars final surprising the in as well as – dark’ and cold is hearth the and consumed all is fuel – ‘the score the of head the at placed he quotations Lenau the of last the in this reflects Strauss existence. his in else everything as meaningless as seem to come has victory because dies Juan Don aduel; in ends moment idealistic protagonist’s pursuit of the perfect the Here death. 1851, poet’s in the after ayear published first Lenau, by Nikolaus verse-drama aGerman of fragments to turned he Instead hell. to down libertine atheistical the dragging Commendatore murdered the of statue the in culminates which legend Spanish the of version however, that here, not was model composer’s astonishing emotional range. His favourite his of illustration an as essay an in it cited later and Opera Court Munich the at Giovanni Mozart’s know to come to was Strauss music. his in scenes love passionate many of first the flavour to which with experience some least at had he ego, alter youthful his of conquests thousandfold the savour never would Strauss while So, married. later he whom Ahna, de Pauline pupils, singing his of one with love in fallen just also had He year). that earlier ‘symphonic fantasia’ individual highly the inspired already had bloom’ lemon-trees the where ‘land (the for ideas initial down jotted composer 24-year-old unqualified orchestral The masterpiece. Strauss’s first Richard shaping in roles vital played life his of love the and light Southern 20 Op Lenau, Nikolaus after –tone-poem Juan Don Strauss Richard Don Juan Don intimately during his conducting years years his conducting during intimately in 1888 in a church cloister in Italy Italy in cloister achurch in 1888 in Aus Italien , premiered , premiered (1888–9) Don Don
(1864–1949) this latest conquest. But our hero is not to be be to not is hero our But conquest. latest this announced as a passionate introduction to already atheme in writhing discreetly underpinned by muted horns and strings written, ever solos oboe limpid most the of one in victim vulnerable amore suggesting second wake; the its in dissatisfactions many of first the bring to only consummated, swiftly scene bedroom ardent an first the episodes: contrasting in appear affairs love different very ardour. Two irresistible of theme high-leaping a with genius Juan’s Don energetic characterise violins the fanfare, awayward After and sumptuousness’ of the sound. glow ‘immense the of proudly wrote he content’, more and glitter outward ‘less for pleaded who conservatives musical many of father, one 11 on 1889. November composer Toby the his conducted premiere Weimar the at impressed of flamboyance sheer the was it delight, its roar to achance of audience the deprives Strauss minor. Although the in end key and major abrilliant in start to repertoire Programme note © David Nice ©David note Programme conclusion. shock brings thewhich swiftly work shuddering to its thrust, arapier is answer next?’; the ‘where ask to if as expectantly, pauses He aloft. raised theme horn the career, his with of apogee the to onwards strides – and past the of memories ghostly it with – bringing death with brush first his has acarnival, through passes Juan Don horns. four by the emblazoned melody noble and anew him gives Strauss sympathy, our kindle to amasterstroke in and, detained
Don Juan Don which
3 Programme notes 4 – indeed the first first the – indeed print into work the rush to another one over fell hardly houses publishing Europe’s affair. alukewarm was there premiere 1872 the German Leipzig, in astudent as years several spent recently having Grieg Despite elsewhere. mixed decidedly was reaction critical say, it, to but loved needless Norway, liqueur’.‘intoxicating enthusiastically it as described virtuoso an great the sight, at perfectly work the through played Having Liszt. Franz pianist, living famous most world’s the of that than approval wished for a more distinguished seal of have hardly could Grieg sweep. creative single a in composed was concerto the Hagerup, Nina singer the cousin, his to marriage recent by his Inspired map. musical the on Norway put that work the and masterpiece real first Denmark, he put the finishing touches to this, his in aholiday during when, 25 only was Grieg therein. enshrined music the of exuberance sheer and originality striking the undermine to little does fact that Schumann’s of concerto, patterning formal the to debt enormous an owes movement first the though Even qualities. unique its overlook to easy too all is it – that order’ right the in necessarily not but notes, ‘all right the played memorably once Morecambe Eric comedian – popular so is concerto piano Grieg’s only OveLeif Andsnes maestoso –Andante presto –Quasi emarcato molto moderato 3 Allegro – 2 Adagio 1 Allegro molto moderato rev (1868, Aminor, 16 in Op Concerto Piano Grieg Edvard 1907) 1907) piano (1843–1907) Peters edition. then incorporated into the ‘definitive’ 1919 were things) other among horns, four include made that summer (expanding the scoring to supervision. The alterations the old master Grieg’s under concerto the studying time some spent Grainger Percy young the – when death his before ahalf and 1907 amonth July – only in it with tinkering still was he 1880s, early the in overhaul amassive Following orchestration. himselfGrieg had doubts about the composer,leading Norwegian Johan Svendsen. its of insistence the at on it took interesting’, only ‘not it very declared having who, Fritsch, of firm small relatively by the issued was edition (clearly anticipating the trump card that that card trump the anticipating (clearly peroration a massive as end very the at right recalled is subject second innocent seemingly the where finale, the in comes masterstroke real the way. But the along attention for vie strands thematic distinctive seven than fewer no that such is ideas of flow uncontainable The movement. the of end the at off things this recalls Grieg wonder – no entry first all-conquering soloist’s the into straight crescendoing timpani the with attention listener’s the commands immediately unquenchable dramatic flair. The opening Grieg’s seemingly is concerto the of popularity enormous the for reasons the of One
coup de théâtre de coup
to round round to interval Haylock ©Julian note Programme triple-time a into transformed brilliantly reel, Scottish Norwegian the from derived consciously is theme finale’s main the while fjords, the around echoing heard been have might it if as world the all for sounds melody second luxuriant movement’s first the quotation, adirect not Although homeland. his of atmosphere the conjure to order in tradition folk-song anative upon draw to first the was krakowiak and mazurka the notably – most rhythms dance Polish featured previously had Chopin Alexandra. daughter Grieg’s baby of birth recent the to response enraptured an as composed was which movement, Adagio central aradiant follows It parents. his to letter excited an in recalled theme,’ Grieg the out bellowing monastery the of hall great the around theatrically paced and piano the left height, full his to rose playing, admired:particularly ‘He suddenly stopped Incidentally, it was this that passage Liszt andSecond Third Piano Concertos). his in effectively so played Rachmaninov 20minutes – in his piano but concertos, Grieg’s springdans halling in the final coda. final the in , a distant cousin of the the of cousin , adistant
5 Programme notes 6 every other year. Italsohelpsto account for the had composedonesymphony more orless of 1945 andhis10th of 1953 –previously he gap between Shostakovich’s NinthSymphony helps to explain theunprecedented eight-year The hostileclimate of thislate-Stalinist freeze rehabilitation after suffering years of blacklisting. works awaiting eithertheirpremiere ortheir he had asignificant numberof more serious of theLeader andTeacher. ByMarch 1953 composing film scores to craven hagiographies the Party), andhad had to prostitute hisartby compulsory thanks for the‘wiseguidance’of ‘Peace’ congresses (where heparroted his the Soviet Unionataseriesof international teaching positions,had beenforced to represent of 1948, Shostakovich had beenstrippedof his humiliation inthe‘anti-formalism’ cultural purges the deathof Stalin thanShostakovich. Sincehis Few intheartshad more causeto rejoice in entire edifice of Soviet Communism. façade andto initiate the slow collapseof the on 5March 1953, to remove thekeystone of the it took nomore thanthedeathof thatoneman, and again intheiconography of thoseyears. Yet One benignmustachioed visage appearsagain vigilance against renewed Western imperialism. over Fascism andshadowed onlyby theneedfor reconstruction, withmorale boosted by thevictory post-war periodisportrayed asoneof cheerful Union inthelate 1940s andearly1950s, the In newsreel andfeature films from theSoviet –Allegro 4 Andante 3 Allegretto 2 Allegro Moderato 1 Eminor, 93 in Symphony Op 10 No ShostakovichDmitry lamentation ontwo piccolos. to adenunciatory central climax andafinal and theintimidated dancingof thelow flute, gloom, through thesoulfulsingingof theclarinet in increasing waves of tension from itsinitial a great dealoutof very little.Itprogresses counterpoint andthemosteffective inmaking construction, themostsophisticated inits gestures, themostsubtleinitslarge-scale movements: theleastrhetorical initssurface crafted of allShostakovich’s symphonic first reflection. Thisisthemostcomplex andcarefully opening Moderato. Butthensoisphilosophical Suffering isobviously attheheartof themassive unanswerable questions. those feelings may have been,are complex and new work. How thathappens,andwhatexactly extraordinary release of pent-upfeeling inthe movement suchasthiswould beamere rant any programme orstoryline. Were itnot so,a energies atleastasmuchby adherence to directed by thecontrolled release of musical it takes onalife of itsown anditsflow is a musicalideaisborn,from whatever source, memoirs. Inany case,for Shostakovich, once example of spurious elements in those purported son Maxim hassingledoutthispassage asan Stalin, roughly speaking’.Yet thecomposer’s Shostakovich, thisis‘amusicalportrait of Volkov’s write-up of hisconversations with depiction of savagery. According to Solomon The whirlwindsecondmovement isagraphic (1906–75)
(1953)
Programme note ©David Fanning horns andtimpani. which inthefinal pages isdriven homehard by above allinthecomposer’smusicalsignature, defiance are inscribed allover thiswork, and of theDSCHmonogram. Determination and eventually swept asideby clamorous statements ‘Stalin’ scherzo,andtheresulting crisispointis return, alongwithreminiscences of the brutal speeded-up versions of theintroduction’s themes movement confirms, where increasingly uneasy seated uncertainties, asthecentral phaseof the cheerfulness isinsufficient to overcome deep- merely psychological denial.Theattempted of extroversion represents noreal achievement, clarinet andfreewheeling violins.Butthisburst solos, isapparently dispelledby aninsouciant introduction, withitsmournfulwoodwind The darknessof thefinale’s prolonged overpowering. in timebutstillapartspace –thesymbolism is and piccolo,thetwo characters finally together ELMIRA stillonthehorn,DSCHflute in conjunctionneartheendof themovement – the time.Whentwo monograms are heard confidante andobjectof unrequited affection at pupil, Elmira Nazirova, whowas alsohis muse, to Shostakovich’s Azerbaijani composition note-spellings: E–La–Mi–Ré–A.Itpays homage being acrypticmixture of French andGerman out thenameElmira, thenotes E–A–E–D–A later? This,aswas finally revealed in1994, spells that emerges outof theblueacoupleof minutes what of themysterious unaccompanied horncall secret thatthiswas hispersonalmonogram. But From thevery beginningShostakovich made no composer’s initialsintheirGermantransliteration. natural: theGermanmusicalletter-names of the DSCH, expressed asthenotes D–Eflat–C–B is basedonShostakovich’s musicalmonogram woodwind, heard acoupleof minutes in.This The first of theseisthestabbing ideainthe themes withacknowledged personalsignificance. watchful, tiptoeing idea in the strings, features two The third movement, whichbeginswitha outpouring of venom itis. rather thanthesharplyfocused, four-minute
7 Programme notes 8 C F Wesenberg Vasily Petrenko About the performers
Director of theRoyal Philharmonic Orchestra In 2021 hewilltake upthepositionof Music Liverpool PhilharmonicOrchestra. chronological order during2020withtheRoyal composer’s symphonies, presenting themin cycle in the2009–11 seasons,hereturns to the Norway. Ten years onfrom hislandmarkMahler a European tour aswell asnumerous concertsin the OsloPhilharmonicOrchestra’s centenary with Singapore Symphony orchestras. Hecelebrates with theNew Zealand,West Australian and return to theAsia-Pacific region, givingconcerts Rotterdam Philharmonicorchestras. Hewillalso orchestras, andtheNetherlandsRadio and returns to theMontreal andPittsburgh Symphony with theDresden PhilharmonicOrchestra, and in Tchaikovsky’s debuts attheMetropolitan Opera, New York, Highlights of thisseasonandbeyond include Orchestra (2004–7). of theSt Petersburg State Academic Symphony competitions hewas appointed ChiefConductor at anumberof international conducting Jansons andYuriTemirkanov. After successes with suchmajorfigures asIlya Musin,Mariss Conservatoire andparticipated inmasterclasses Music School.HethenstudiedattheSt Petersburg music educationattheSt Petersburg CapellaBoys Vasily Petrenko was bornin1976 andstarted his Vasily Petrenko The Queenof Spades conductor
, and , and award-winning surveys of Rachmaninov’s worldwide acclaim, andhehasalsorecorded Liverpool PhilharmonicOrchestra hasgarnered symphony cycle for Naxos withtheRoyal profile asarecording artist.HisShostakovich Vasily Petrenko hasestablished astrongly defined honorary doctorate from theUniversity of York. John Moores University and,mostrecently, an received anhonorary fellowship of theLiverpool and Liverpool HopeUniversity, andhasalso doctorates by both theUniversity of Liverpool second personto have beenawarded honorary Year attheClassicBRITAwards. Heisonlythe Award. In2010 hewon theMaleArtistof the receiving themagazine’s Young Artistof theYear Year Award by In 2017 Vasily Petrenko was given theArtistof the of theNationalYouth Orchestra of Great Britain. Russia. Hehasalsoserved asPrincipalConductor of theState Academic Symphony Orchestra of Youth Orchestra andPrincipalGuestConductor Philharmonic Orchestra andtheEuropean Union Philharmonic Orchestra, theRoyal Liverpool He iscurrently ChiefConductor of theOslo with theorchestra both athomeandontour. and thisseasonheworks onnumerous projects Oslo Philharmonic. Oslo Philharmonic. Prokofiev’s SymphoniesNos5and6withthe Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Rimsky-Korsakov, Respighi andBritten withthe forthcoming releases includeworks by Stravinsky, and Richard Strauss’s tone-poems. Recent and ballet, aswell ascycles of Scriabin’ssymphonies and Prokofiev’s complete Szymanowski violinconcertos withBaibaSkride Shostakovich celloconcertos with Truls Mørk, Philharmonic Orchestra hehasreleased the Higdon andJohnTavener. WiththeOslo Award) andworks by Offenbach, Jennifer Manfred complete symphonies, pianoconcertos and symphonies andorchestral music,Tchaikovsky’s piano concertos withSimonTrpcˇ eski,Elgar’s symphonies, orchestral works andcomplete (whichwon a2009 Gramophone Romeo andJuliet Gramophone , adecade after
Gregor Hohenberg forthcoming collaborations withtheBerlinand Nos 20–22,whichare alsothevehicle for his primarily onthecomposer’sPianoConcertos Momentum 1785/86’. Thisseasonthey focus another majormulti-seasonproject: ‘Mozart Chamber Orchestra have now reunited for Journey’ collaboration, heandtheMahler Following thesuccessof their‘Beethoven Juilliard School. Norway’s University of Bergen andNew York’s inductee andholdshonorary doctorates from Festival. Heisa as musicdirector of California’s OjaiMusic Music for nearlytwo decades, andhasserved artistic director of theRisørFestival of Chamber Rosendal ChamberMusicFestival, was co- discography. Heisthefounding director of the while buildinganextensive award-winning concert hallsandwithitsforemost orchestras, and gives recitals attheworld’s leading worldwide acclaim. Heperforms concertos with searching interpretations, leading to Andsnes combinesacommandingtechnique The celebrated Norwegian pianistLeifOve OveLeif Andsnes Leif Ove Andsnes Gramophone piano Hallof Fame Orchestra ArtistPortrait series. and was thesubjectof aLondonSymphony to curate CarnegieHall’s‘Perspectives’ series, Artist-in-Residence, was thefirst Scandinavian St Olav. HehasbeenaNew York Philharmonic Commander of theRoyal Norwegian Order of and Norway’s Peer GyntPrize;heisalsoa Instrumentalist Award, theGilmore Artist Award include theRoyal PhilharmonicSociety’s six and hasbeenrecognised withnofewer than recently received hisninthGrammy nomination He now records exclusively for thelabeland Classical recordings and captured ontheaward-winning Sony documentary cities across 27countries,aschronicled inthe more than230live performances in108 piano andorchestra, LeifOve Andsnesgave season focus onthecomposer’smusicfor During ‘TheBeethoven Journey’, hisfour- Schumann. with asoloprogramme of Dvorˇák, Bartókand Lieder atLaScala,Milanandtours Europe recital hejoinsMatthiasGoernefor Schumann and St Petersburg Philharmonicorchestras. In NDR ElbphilharmonieandtheBergen, Oslo Boston andChicago Symphony orchestras, Piano Concerto, whichhe reprises withthe highlight of theSwedish residency isGrieg’s he isthisseason’sArtist-in-Residence. Another the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, where Symphony, SaintPaul ChamberOrchestra and Oslo Philharmonicorchestras, SanFrancisco Bergen. for theProf JiríHlinka PianoAcademy in Conservatory. Heiscurrently anArtisticAdviser in 1970, andstudiedattheBergen Music Leif Ove Andsneswas borninKarmøy, Norway Gramophone Concerto –ABeethoven Journey Awards. Hisother accolades The Beethoven Journey .
9 About the performers 10 C F Wesenberg Oslo Philharmonic. world would heartherich,visceral soundof the orchestral contract initshistory, ensuringthe to London.In1986 EMIdrew upthelargest everywhere, from Seattleto Salzburg, Lisbon Berlin andNew York. Itwas soonplaying a rival to thegreat Philharmonicsof Vienna, Under MarissJansons,theorchestra became finely tunedmachine withawholenew attitude. section by section,puttingitback together asa arrived inNorway, taking theorchestra apart in 1979, itchangedforever. Ayoung Latvian Philharmonic’s reputation grew steadily. Then, Over thenext half-century, theOslo the entire country. at theorchestra’s concerts,transmitting themto broadcaster NRKbeganto hangmicrophones musicians through brand-new music.National Stravinsky andRavel visited Osloto coach the conduct it,relishing itsyouth andenthusiasm. world-famous musicianswere comingto tackled Mahler, Debussy andNielsen.Soon, gave 135 concerts,mostof whichsoldout.It In theeightmonthsthatfollowed, theorchestra it deserved. TheOsloPhilharmonicwas born. Norwegian capital had atlastgot theorchestra Symphony. After 40years of making do,the Grieg’s PianoConcerto andSinding’sFirst Schnéevoigt presided over performances of give itsfirst publicconcert.Conductor Georg to thestage of theoldLogenHallinOsloto On 27September 1919, anew orchestra took Oslo Philharmonic host of Norwegian composers.Outdoor Bent Sørensen andLera Auerbach anda commissions by Steve Reich, Kaija Saariaho, central to thehistory of theorchestra andnew anniversary seasonfeatures majorworks forward-looking centenarian. Its100th- Philharmonic underPetrenko isavital and In Oslo’sburgeoning cultural scene,the detail andstyle. Vasily Petrenko, itworks atthehighestlevels of had instilled;underitscurrent ChiefConductor developed theweight anddepththatJansons for finesse. UnderJukka-Pekka Saraste it retains itsspiritof discovery anditsreputation Three decades on,theOsloPhilharmonic Conductor. young FinnKlausMäkelä willtake over asChief From August thesameyear, theoutstanding Mahler’s expanded orchestration inMay 2020. performance of Beethoven’s Symphony No 9in its 100th-anniversary season,culminating ina Vasily Petrenko leads theorchestra through the tone-poems of Richard Strauss. symphony cycle. Forthcoming releases include acclaimed recordings includeaScriabin Netherlands andItaly. Recent critically the UK,Romania, Germany, Austria, the Outside Oslo,thisyear itappearsinSpain, events across thecity. orchestra also arranges debates andspecialist Philharmonic withmany hundreds more andthe and outreach programmes connectthe concerts attract tens of thousands;education Bénédicte Royer Henninge Landaas Stig Ove Ose Heidi H Carlsen Povilas Syrrist-Gelgota Eirik Sørensen Birgitta Halbakken Anders Rensvik Catherine Bullock Viola Emil Huckle-Kleve Aleksandre Khatiskatsi Aslak Juva Baard W Andersen Stensland Hans Morten Ragnar Heyerdahl Marit Egenes Niels Aschehoug Tove H Resell Berit Sem Øian Arne Jørgen Svein Skretting Vegard Johnsen Dagny Bakken Maria A Carlsen Violin 2 Mons M Thommesen Brage Sæbø Amanda Horn Guro Asheim Patrycja Blaszak Mariam Maghradze Leah Andonov Daniel Dalnoki Alison Rayner Arve Moen Bergset Alyson Read Øyvind Fossheim Arild Solum Jørn Halbakken Eileen Siegel André Orvik Pauls Ezergailis Elise Båtnes Violin 1 Orchestra Philharmonic Oslo Michael Grolid Øystein Torp Arthur Bedouelle leader
Trond Magne Brekka Helen Benson Flute/Piccolo Tom Ottar Andreassen Francisco López Flute Henrik Bondevik Danijel Petrovic Steinar Børmer Kjetil Sandum Cécile-Laure Kouassi Glenn Lewis Gordon Dan Styffe Kenneth Ryland Double Bass Ingvild Sandnes Johannes Martens Kari Ravnan Cecilia Götestam Hans JosefGroh Ole Morten Gimle Anne BrittÅrdal Hager-Saltnes Katharina Bjørn Solum Louisa Tuck Cello Ingvill Hafskjold Ingvill Hafskjold Clarinet/Bass Clarinet Catherine Berg Pierre Xhonneux Leif ArneT Pedersen Clarinet Min HuaChiu Håvard Norang Oboe/Cor anglais João MiguelSilva David F Strunck Oboe
Tuba Eirik Devold Thorbjørn Lønmo Terje Midtgård Audun Breen Trombone Timur Martynov Per Ivarsson Axel Sjöstedt Jonas Haltia Trumpet Semenov Maksim Marie S Gran Maria W Flaate Kjell Adel Lundstrøm Jan Olav Martinsen Inger Besserudhagen Horn Frode Carlsen Contrabassoon Bassoon/ Linn C Ringstad Roman Reznik Per Hannisdal Bassoon Gonzalo Moreno Gonzalo Moreno Piano Birgitte V Håvik Harp Thorbjørn Ottersen Heming Valebjørg Terje Viken Christian Berg Percussion Tom Vissgren Timpani Frode Amundsen
11 About the performers International Orchestras 2019–20 Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra Budapest Festival Orchestra Insula Orchestra Los Angeles Philharmonic New York Philharmonic Orchestre Révolutionnaire et Romantique
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