VIOLIN 1 FLUTE Karen Blair^ Jo Lagerlow* CONCERT (Concertmaster) Jessica Sullivan CONCERT Emma Eriksson PROGRAM Peter Nicholls PICCOLO PROGRAM Min Tan Lucia Gonzáles* Rebeca Stephenson Shaileigh Thompson Gabrielle Knight* MAURICE RAVEL Hwee Sin Chong Hui-Yu Whitney Chung Ma mère l'Oye (Mother Goose) (suite) VIOLIN 2 Yvette McKinnon* Catherine Clarke^

MAURICE RAVEL Ryan Smith Ailsa Hankinson Piano Concerto in D Major (Left Hand) Camilla Harvey Daniel Sullivan* Kendal Alderman Sam Markovic Cara Odenthal Carmen Anaya-Partida^ INTERVAL Lauren Jones E FLAT CLARINET Daniel Sullivan* VIOLA SERGEI PROKOFIEV Shannon Luk* BASS CLARINET Symphony No.7 in C sharp minor Op.131 Bronwyn Gibbs Daniel Byrne* John McGrath Daniel Tipping I. Moderato Teagan Alford Lisa Squires* Clarissa Wilson Patricia Brennan II. Allegretto Carl Bryant Christine Cheng III. Andatnte Espressivo Jenny Waanders CONTRABASSOON IV. Vivace Carl Bryant* Katrina Greenwood HORN CELLO Melanie Taylor* Oliver Scott* Joyce Shek Mathilde Vlieg Simon Miller Edward Brackin Michelle Hynes Gabriel Dumitru Oliver Holmes TRUMPET Toby Saltwell Blake Humphrey* Anitah Kumar Sophie Kukilies Nicole Kancachian Ben Oldham David Silman Sara Waak TROMBONE Charmaine Lee Angela Prescott* Elenore Combwell Nicholas Whatling Amy Naumann BASS TROMBONE Clayton Fiander*

BASS TUBA Samuel Dickenson* Michael Sterzinger* Georgia Lloyd Angela Jaeschke PERCUSSION Dean Tierny Kerry Vann* Jenny Gribbin Davis Dingle Thomasina Lawrence

HARP Loni Fitzpatrick^

PIANO/CELESTA Cara Tran^

*denotes principal ^denotes acting principal #denotes guest performer Conductor Peter Luff

We are delighted to once again be working with one of Brisbane's most in-demand conductors, Peter Luff. Peter Luff is an Associate Professor and Peter has conducted many ensembles and Deputy Director (Performance and orchestras nationally and internationally, Engagement) and lecturer in Horn and including the Queensland Symphony Brass Studies at Queensland Orchestra, Tasmanian Symphony Conservatorium Griffith University Orchestra’s Brass Ensemble, Bangalow (QCGU). Until recently, Peter held the Festival Orchestra, Macgregor Summer position of Associate Principal Horn with School Symphony Orchestra, Queensland the Queensland Symphony Orchestra Conservatorium Symphony Orchestra, Wind where he still performs regularly. Orchestra and Brass Ensemble.

Peter is in grea Peter has spent most of his career as a t demand as a horn teacher. Many of his horn graduates have secured professional horn player, performing with permanent playing positions in national and most of Australia’s leading professional international professional symphony orchestras and arts organisations. As a orchestras. He has tutored for the member of the advisory council of the Australian Youth Orchestra, Queensland International Horn Society, Peter is highly Youth Orchestra, Australian National active in the promotion of the French horn, Academy of Music, University of Arkansas and in 2010 received the prestigious (USA), Korean National University and Punto Award for his distinguished Shandong University (China). contribution and service to the art of horn playing.

In 1987, after completing his Bachelor of Music in Performance at Adelaide University’s Elder Conservatorium, Peter moved to Brisbane to join the Horn section of the Queensland Symphony Orchestra. He has since completed a Master of Music degree in conducting at QCGU and continues to pursue a busy career performing, teaching and conducting.

Piano ALEX RAINERI

Alex Raineri is “a soloist of superb virtuosic skill and musicality” - Limelight Magazine

Australian pianist Alex Raineri is an active Having had several successes in the recitalist, concerto soloist and chamber competition field, Alex has been the musician. recipient of a number of major awards After completing undergraduate studies including the Kerikeri International Piano with First Class Honours and a University Competition, Australian National Piano Medal, he is currently undertaking a Doctor Award, ANAM Concerto Competition, of Musical Arts program at the Queensland Michael Kieran Harvey Scholarship, Joyce Conservatorium of Music (Griffith Campbell Lloyd Scholarship, Theme and University) and is an alumni and fellow of Variations Foundation Scholarship, and the Australian National Academy of Music Allison/Henderson Sydney Eisteddfod (ANAM). Alex also holds a Licentiate Piano Scholarship. In 2014 he was Diploma from the Australian Music awarded a ‘Kranichstein Musikpries’ at the Examinations Board and a Licentiate International Summer Courses for New Diploma with distinction from Trinity Music in Darmstadt, Germany. College London. International performances include tours in Significant performances and festival California, South-East Asia, United appearances include; Utzon Music Series, Kingdom, Ireland, New Zealand, Germany Bangalow Music Festival, Bendigo Festival and Austria. Within Australia he frequently of Exploratory Music, Port Fairy Spring appears at many major music festivals, Music Festival, Four Winds Festival, prominent concert series and throughout Canberra International Music Festival, regional areas. Queensland Music Festival, Music by the Alex has been broadcast on BBC Radio 3, Sea Festival, Castlemaine Festival, 3MBS Radio NZ, California Capital Public Radio, Brahms & Mendelssohn Marathons, and regularly appears on ABC Classic FM Australian Piano Duo Festival, Brisbane and the Australian MBS Networks. As a Baroque Festival, QSOCurrent, 4MBS concerto soloist he has featured with the Festival of Classics, Crossbows Festival, Queensland, Tasmanian, Darwin and West IMPULS Academy (Austria) and the Australian Symphony Orchestras, Southern Darmstadt International Summer Courses Cross Soloists, Orchestra Victoria, Four for New Music (Germany). Winds Festival Orchestra, Bangalow Festival Orchestra and the Queensland Alex’s mentors have included Leah Horwitz Pops Orchestra. OAM, Timothy Young, Stephen Emmerson Alex is the pianist with the Southern Cross and Genevieve Lacey. He holds sessional Soloists, company in residence at the accompanist positions at the University of Queensland Performing Arts Centre Quensland and Queensland (QPAC). He plays in ongoing duo- Conservatorium of Music (Griffith partnerships with Tabatha McFadyen University). (soprano) and Angus Wilson (percussion) and was the pianist and co-artistic director of contemporary music ensemble Kupka’s Piano (2012-2018). ABOUT THE ORCHESTRA

The Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra century composers, light concerts including (BPO) is Brisbane’s leading community film music, as well as concerts with orchestra. The orchestra brings together up programs targeted at a younger audience. to 200 musicians a year to play a variety of Additionally, BPO occasionally classical orchestral music. Over 100 performs chamber music concerts, members of the incorporated association featuring smaller groups in a more intimate form the core of the orchestra. Other setting. players perform as casual musicians, but often join as full-time members after their The BPO maintains many community first concert with BPO. The orchestra was partnerships including with the Queensland founded on principles of musical excellence Music Festival, 4MBS Festival of Classics, and development, communal participation, Brisbane City Council, and The Brisbane and organisational professionalism. Airport Corporation. These partnerships provide essential connections in artistic, Since its creation in 2000, the BPO has educational, professional, and social become the community orchestra of choice programs and cater to the association’s for over 500 musicians. It is eagerly sought increased responsibility to culturally as a performance partner for touring choirs, enhance localities and bring a diversity of festivals, and internationally acclaimed people together in a fast-paced, ever- instrumentalists and vocalists. The BPO impersonal global village. Unusually for a performs its own series of symphony community orchestra, entry to the BPO is by concerts and participates in multiple audition and the ensemble is the only community and festival events throughout community orchestra within the city that the year, attracting an audience of over rotates guest conductors by invitation rather 2,500 people. The orchestra’s main than establishing a permanent Music metropolitan concert series includes four to Director. Uniquely, this allows a variety of five symphony concerts at Brisbane City the finest local professional conductors to Hall and the Old Museum Concert Hall. deliver diverse and innovative programming Programs vary between concerts featuring to artistically stimulate members of the the great classical, romantic, and 20th orchestra. PROGRAM NOTES

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) Ma mère l’Oye (Mother Goose) (1910) ......

Mother Goose was originally written as a The third movement, Laideronnette, piano four hands work dedicated to the impératrice des pagodes (Laideronnette, children of his friends the Godebski Empress of the Pagodas) Empress of the family: 6-year old Mimi and 7-year old Pagodas – Exotic Javanese music paints a Jean. The suite, subtitled “Five children’s picture of the little empress taking her bath pieces” was later orchestrated by the while her pagodes (tiny munchkin-like composer for a small orchestra with people) sing and play on their miniature strings winds, horns, harp and percussion percussive instruments. The musical flavour and subsequently was used as the is turn-of-the-century orientalism styled by pentatonic scales. nucleus of a ballet score. Ravel loved children but was sadly childless himself, The fourth movement, Les entretiens de la and frequently made up stories to belle et de la bête (Conversations of Beauty entertain his friends children, culminating and the Beast) The clarinet represents in Mother Goose where he created a vivid Beauty in the tempo of a waltz, while the role fairy-tale world of sound. “The idea of of the Beast is assumed by a contrabassoon. evoking the poetry of childhood in these A dialogue between the two alternates pieces,” Ravel explained, “naturally led between brusque growls and lilting melodies. me to simplify my style and to refine my After a loud climax and a measure of means of expression.” silence, an expressive solo violin announces with a delicate glissando the change of the The first piece, Pavane de la Belle au Beast into a handsome prince. A moment bois dormant (Pavane of Sleeping before this, Beauty had decided that she Beauty)This presents a graceful, ancient would marry the beast because of his inner dance by attendants surrounding the beauty and kindness. Sleeping Princess Florine. Both flute and harp are featured prominently in this The final movement, Le jardin féerique baroque dance. (The Fairy Garden) Everyone lives happily and in peace in this musically delicate The second movement, Petit poucet watercolour depicting the splendour of an enchanting fairyland. The music builds to a (Hop-o’-My-Thumb) Tom’s frustrated grand fanfare celebrating that all is good and wanderings in the woods are depicted by beautiful. continual meter changes by string passages, while the woodwinds play a quiet “walking” melody. Twittering birds (flute, piccolo) swoop down to steal the crumbs left to mark his return path.

Maurice Ravel (1875-1937) Piano Concerto for the Left Hand (1930) ......

In 1929 Ravel was approached by pianist The concerto is in one movement but in Paul Wittgenstein (elder brother of three connected sections and begins philosopher Ludwig), who had lost his right slowly with an unusual opening where the arm in World War 1, to write a piano double basses murmur away playing a concerto for Wittgenstein to play. At the repeated rhythm based on the notes E-A- time Ravel had been considering writing a D-G, which is both harmonically piano concerto anyway, and took on the ambiguous and also the open strings of the commission to write the Concerto for the bass, giving a feeling like the orchestra is Left Hand - but for good measure also still tuning up! The contrabassoon enters started work on a traditional two-handed with a prominent solo with the main theme concerto (the Concerto in G) as well. of the concerto, which layers and builds in intensity as the remainder of the orchestra Ravel commented on the challenges of enters slowly - firstly the horns playing a writing a musically fulfilling work when the sinuous jazzy countermelody, then the solo part must be artificially limited to what music builds into an anticipatory passage is possible with a single hand: “A severe and brass and percussion provide a sense limitation of this sort poses a rather of expectation. arduous problem for the composer… The After an orchestral climax the soloist fear of difficulty, however, is never as keen enters with a cadenza descending down to as the pleasure of contending with it, and, the lowest register of the instrument and if possible, of overcoming it. That is why I then presenting the main theme of the acceded to Wittgenstein’s request to movement as an unaccompanied piano compose a concerto for him. I carried out solo. Ravel’s writing has the piano part my task with enthusiasm” frequently leap between octaves to give the illusion of there being two hands In preparation Ravel studied some playing. The solo finishes with another previous compositions for piano one hand cadenza-like passage leading up to a and created a work in which the use of glissando. only one hand is not a musical limitation at all- indeed, the supremely difficult piano The orchestra re-enters with another tutti part is such that when first listening to the that develops the main theme, growing work one may be forgiven for thinking it is again in intensity until there is some new, a standard part for piano two hand! distinctly Spanish-sounding music with percussion that leads down into an The prominent use of bass instruments in extended piano solo. The piano part the orchestration (as well as the natural becomes more harmonically-complex, tendency for the solo part to tend towards starting to sound slightly jazzy or ragtime, the bass register) gives the music a dark and then as the strings join in the grandeur, with the musical climaxes feeling momentum and energy builds until there is that they are rising out of a turbulent sea of a sudden rollicking 6/8 fast session with notes. brass and percussion fanfares and a driving repeated rhythmic accompaniment. Concerto Continued......

This central fast section has a marching, The final section features a majestic return scherzo-like feeling and features strong of the main melody interspersed with contrasts between forceful descending ascending runs from the soloist, until the scale runs and syncopated, jazzy phrases. music subsides down into a subdued mood Descending flute passages introduce a again and the soloist plays the “duple contrasting, more laid back section and the theme” from the central section and then solo part plays a quicksilver torrent of an extended arpeggiated solo that finally notes, and then there is a return to the brings back the main theme and the driving rhythms, but now softly with an orchestra enters with a crescendo to a extended bassoon solo above and contrast series of chords while the soloist plays a between duple and triple melodies - with a virtuosic arpeggiated run and then the series of duple orchestral solos based on concerto ends with a brief reprise of the the sinuous horn motif from the opening, 6/8 descending scales leading to a final contrasted by triple time passages on the chord in what the composer described as a piano. The harmonic language becomes “brutal conclusion”. more adventurous with the strings entering Although not the only piece commissioned with a “dissonant” version of the duple by Wittgenstein, Ravel’s work has melody and trumpets playing a triple time outshone all the others to become an passage in a “wrong key” until there is a important part of the solo piano repertoire, forceful orchestral tutti. A brief section with even if due to its tremendous difficulty it is clarinet and then an ascending solo for the not played as often as its sibling, his Piano soloist leads into the final section of the Concerto in G. piece. Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) Symphony No.7 in C sharp minor, Op 131 (1952) ...... Prokofiev’s final symphony dates from the The symphony is relatively short by penultimate year of his life, a time where the Prokofiev’s standards and is sometimes musical world of the Soviet Union was under viewed as a children’s symphony due to its the oppressive scrutiny of the Communist seeming simplicity and because it was Party after 1948’s Zhdanov Decree, which written for the Soviet Children’s Radio persecuted artists whose works did not Division. And while the composer of Peter conform to the shallow optimism that was the and the Wolf can definitely be heard at only acceptable artistic style of “Socialist times, the Seventh Symphony is a much Realism”. Prokofiev had already suffered more complex and ambiguous beast. from the decree: his Sixth Symphony was Nostalgic throughout, as if the sick and denounced and his state-sponsored broke composer was looking back at the pension was cut off. He started work on the end of his life and indulging in pleasant Seventh Symphony in express hope of memories of childhood, this gives some of winning the Stalin Prize, whose prize its simplicity and on-the-surface money of 100,000 rubles would definitely playfulness a dark shadow. have been appreciated by the broke composer. The recapitulation features a return of the main theme with similar orchestration to the beginning, and indeed the Symphony Continued.. recapitulation is very similar to the exposition with similar orchestration, only ...... differing in the keys into which it ventures. The first movement is broadly in sonata After the second subject, the music returns form, but with very little development or back to the “ticking clock” theme and the conflict between the musical material. warm cadence, until there is a sudden shift Prokofiev plays fast and loose with his in colour as the main theme is quoted modulations with the musical material again as the movement comes to a travelling through a dizzy range of keys subdued ending. over the course of the symphony. This The second movement begins as an elegant harmonic adventurousness gives the waltz for strings and clarinet, which suddenly symphony a slightly unsettled feeling at accelerates into an ebullient faster section times. giving it a circus music feel. The intensity The melancholy first subject has a slightly fades a bit and the waltz transforms into an austere quality with the main melody by the elegant country dance and then the second violins offset by a countersubject played by half of the melody is an ascending passage the lower strings. When the winds finally for oboe, coming to a slightly dissonant enter, they usher in a mood change as the close. Prokofiev then sends the music music becomes more unsettled and through a dizzying sequence of keys - turbulent with rushing torrents of sometimes just for a few bars - and passes semiquavers, over which the strings and the musical material around as the music winds trade brief quotations from the main gets faster and faster, culminating in violins, melody and its countermelody, until finally oboe and clarinet playing sparkling runs of an ascending scale ushers in the rhapsodic triplets. second subject, played by horns, cor The music gets even faster with timpani and anglais, bassoon and lower strings over a bass drum and the winds playing in murmuring string accompaniment. When opposition until the music leads to a loud the upper strings and upper winds take climax with the lower brass being unleashed over the melody, piano and harp provide a in one of the first times that Prokofiev has brilliant accompaniment of repeated called them to play loud in the entire passages. symphony thus far. A burbling bassoon solo An ascending passage leads directly into an then leads into a slower trio section, which eerie passage where the horns and then starts with a lush waltz for muted violins. The play a “ticking clock” repeated dynamic stays soft and subdued throughout, rhythm and oboe, flute and glockenspiel play but always with a relentless sense of energy. a spiky little motif based on the interval of a A final statement of the trio melody by flute descending fourth. The rhythm oscillates oboe and harp in unison leads to the strings between bars of two and bars of three, bringing back the opening waltz. creating an unsettled feeling. An ornamented The next section is largely similar to the first clarinet phrase then leads into some warm section of the movement, but with some cadence chords and the end of the exposition small changes - like the strongly accented section. offbeat chords that occur just before the The development section has the lower return of the “country dance” melody. The strings play a slightly-ponderous rhythmic music continues onwards through even more melody, soon joined by the oboe, cor modulations until after another brilliant triplet anglais and first violins. A transformed passage and a brief slow-down, the version of the movement’s main theme extended final section of the movement follows, with flute and first violins playing brings back some of the melodies from the virtuosic flourishes above, and then the country dance, but now in an unsettled mix of transformed main theme grows to a climax, two bar and three bar phrases. The music out of which the music slowly transforms continues to alternate between musical into a version of the second subject, which material from the waltz and the trio, but with in turns leads to an ascending passage and growing intensity. A final return of the a return of the “ticking clock” rhythm and opening theme then leads into the manic melody, which seems to run out of energy. coda in which frantic string passages are taken over by the winds and a brilliant close to the movement. Symphony continued...... A wind phrase then leads into a gruff The warm third movement is an effective foil lower-string version of the main melody to the manic intensity of the scherzo. It is and then a a robust, burlesque-like both the simplest and shortest movement of passage with a a marcato sequence of the symphony, and begins with a gentle quavers over a repeated bass. Another instance of the rondo theme then leads melody initially on celli which is then taken into a ritardando into a section marked over and shared amongst the winds, with poco meno mosso, with a folksy theme each instrument playing a brief phrase before that leads into solos for flute, oboe and passing it over to another to finish. The then bassoon that wind down into a held harmonies are traditionally tonal, and each pedal note. major phrase ends with a characteristic A march-like section interrupts the circus descending scale motif; indeed it sounds antics with a rising march melody for oboe almost anachronistically simple for a and cor anglais offset by a jaunty “modern” composer such as Prokofiev and countermelody on strings. The whole orchestra takes over the march and gives a nostalgic warmth, as if recalling a countermelody, with the rhythms becoming favourite song from childhood. swung, emphasising the “circussy” feel - Over a repeated rhythmic pedal, bassoon, until the a reprise of the opening galop clarinet and cor anglais play the second with the winds and brass finally getting to section, which consists of legato melodies play the circus theme. The enjoyable which use the same repeated quaver orchestral romp continues until finally a rhythm as the accompaniment but with deliberately over-the-top series of chords ever-increasing intervals. The repeated heralds the coda, in which the second rhythms become more complicated and subject from the first movement returns with a triumphant triplet accompaniment - decorated and then there is a sudden feeling like we have finally arrived at a return to the opening theme, on clarinet, rhapsodic, joyous conclusion, but then it is horns and tuba, and then shortly the interrupted by a sudden drop in mood as second theme returns with the legato the trumpets, piano and strings tap out a melody now played by muted trumpet and repeated “tick tock” accompaniment. then by a flute and bassoon duet. The first Undeterred, the second subject returns, theme returns again, now played by flute with a bold modulation halfway through a over an accompaniment of rippling triplets phrase that brings the symphony “home” to by the piano and harp, before there is a the opening key of C sharp minor and then the foreshadowing of the “ticking” rhythm sudden loud cadence and the movement is made clear: the ominous “ticking clock” ends ambiguously without a harmonic motif from the first movement recurs - but resolution. now with a dissonant “wrong note” feeling. The fourth movement follows immediately The symphony ends with ghostly muted onwards with a jaunty lilting string galop trombone fanfares and a bleak succession that leads into some astringent brass of brass chords as the glockenspiel, piano chords and then a wind phrase that leads and xylophone play uneasy repeated into the main theme of the finale: a a rhythms above, until finally the symphony pattering string melody that is pure circus finishes with one abrupt pizzicato string chord. music. The finale is structured as a sonata- rondo with this “circus theme” recurring Unfortunately, the bleak grandeur of the several times albeit with some original version of the symphony was development of the musical material. The unlikely to win favour with the authorities ending passage of the “circus theme” leads and so conductor Samuil Samosud into a dotted rhythm that is taken over and convinced Prokofiev to recompose the passed around by the winds and the ending. strings. THE TEAM DONATIONS Executive Committee The Brisbane Philharmonic Orchestra President: John Connolly accepts donations from individuals, groups Vice President: Ryan Smith and businesses. Every donation, whether it Secretary: Mathilde Vlieg be a one off donation or an ongoing Treasurer: Daniel Sullivan arrangement, greatly assists us to realise Committee Member: Melanie Taylor our goal of delivering an annual program of Committee Member: Michael Sterzinger high-quality music-making to benefit the Committee Member: Amanda Lugton Brisbane community and our members.

Officers BPO holds deductible gift recipient status Catering: Thomasina Lawrence (DGR) for tax purposes. All donations over $2.00 are tax deductible and receipts are provided.

For further information email [email protected] AUDITIONS Being a member of the BPO is a rewarding community experience and a lot of fun. Our members are just like you – ordinary people who enjoy coming together to make extraordinary music! Auditions are held to fill vacant positions or to appoint suitable reserve players capable of filling temporary vacancies from time-to-time.

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