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WELCOME to the PROMS! SIR ANDREW DAVIS and Sir Henry Wood Invite You to the World’S Greatest Music Festival PLUS! FULL PROMS LISTINGS See P28

WELCOME to the PROMS! SIR ANDREW DAVIS and Sir Henry Wood Invite You to the World’S Greatest Music Festival PLUS! FULL PROMS LISTINGS See P28

CDS, DVDSREVIEWS & BOOKS115 THE WORLD’S BEST-SELLING MAGAZINE FULL BBC RADIO 3 & CLASSICAL MUSIC TV LISTINGS! See p100

see p65

THE SUMMER STARTS HERE… WELCOME TO ! SIR and Sir invite you to the world’s greatest music festival PLUS! FULL PROMS LISTINGS See p28

INSIDE YOUR SPECIAL ISSUE including Behind the scenes What does it take to bring the Albert Hall to your living room? We talk to the composer who caused panic at the Proms Beethoven Why the greatest symphonist vk.com/englishlibrary GREATfound writing WORKS EXPLORED! so difficult BEST-SELLING BLU-RAY & DVD FROM WARNER CLASSICS & ERATO Blu-Ray: 2564660478 / DVD: 2564660468 Blu-Ray: 2564656333 / DVD: 2564688804 Blu-Ray: 4040649 / DVD: 4040639 Blu-Ray: 2564654365 / DVD: 2564656309 Blu-Ray: 2564646145 / DVD: 0630154812 DVD: 2564632035 DVD: 2564632323 DVD: 5991569 DVD: 5190029 PLUS HUNDREDS OF OTHER TITLES AVAILABLE AT GREAT PRICES FROM PARTICIPATING RETAILERS

www.warnerclassics.com vk.com/englishlibrary Marketed and distributed by Warner Classics UK. A division of Warner Music UK Ltd. JULY 2014 THE MONTH IN MUSIC THE MONTH IN MUSIC The recordings, concerts, broadcasts and websites exciting us this July

ON AIR Let the Proms begin! The BBC Proms are back! The 120th season begins with a distinctly British flavour as Sir Andrew Davis raises the baton for Elgar’s mighty oratorio, The Kingdom, on the First Night. Tune in to hear the combined forces of the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, plus star soloists, in the live Radio 3 broadcast, or watch it in glorious colour later on BBC Two. See p100 ONLINE Big screen arias As Glyndebourne celebrates its 80th birthday, we’ve produced a special digital edition to accompany its 2014 cinema season. Packed with links to recordings, videos and information about the screenings of , and , your digital guide can be downloaded free in the BBC Music Magazine app. Visit itunes.apple.com ON DISC Royal appearance Just as soprano Joyce DiDonato (pictured) heads to House this month to star in Donizetti’s Maria Stuarda, the timely release of a new DVD gives the chance to enjoy the US mezzo’s performance in the same role at the . Recorded last year, this production of the Tudor tale was directed by David McVicar. See p74 ON STAGE Animal instincts Hoots, squawks and growls will be much in evidence on 12 July as the Cheltenham Festival stages the premiere of Richard Blackford’s The Great Animal Orchestra. Based on the work of the environmentalist , the 25-minute work features recordings of creatures great and small among the more conventional strings, wind and brass. See p97

vk.com/englishlibrary page 54: Roger Wright looks back at his seven years in charge of the Proms

page 22: page 34: Sir Andrew Davis returns composer Sir Harrison to the Proms to conduct Birtwistle talks to Elgar’s The Kingdom James Naughtie CONTENTS

EVERY MONTH 58 Composer of the Month FEATURES Why did Beethoven find it so difficult to write an 3 A Month in Music opera? Stephen Johnson takes a look at 22 Sir Andrew Davis What we’re all looking forward to in July Richard Morrison meets the First Night conductor 62 Building a Library 6 Letters Terry Williams searches out the best recordings 28 Full BBC Proms listings The forgotten composers of World War One of Mozart’s greatest opera, The Magic 34 James Naughtie meets… 12 The Full Score 92 Audio Composer Sir Harrison Birtwistle wears the BBC Young Our guide to the best new hi-fi Musician crown; critics under fire for ‘sexist’ 40 Made in Turkey Rosenkavalier reviews; take a walk with Holst 94 Live Events Ahead of its Proms debut, Helen Wallace visits the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic in its home city 21 Richard Morrison 100 Radio & TV The government is wrecking music education 50 Proms preparation 106 Crossword and Quiz Elizabeth Davis goes behind the scenes at the RAH 56 Musical Destinations Rebecca Franks heads to the Lammermuir 108 Music that Changed Me 54 Roger Wright Festival in East Lothian, Scotland Fortepianist Kristian Bezuidenhout The departing Proms director reminisces…

4 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary See p8Subscribe! for our fantastic offer THIS MONTH’S JULY REVIEWS CONTRIBUTORS The important new recordings, and books reviewed Richard Morrison Chief music critic, ‘Witty, gossipy and with 50 years of musical anecdotes to Welcome draw on, conductor Sir Andrew Davis I’m afraid we couldn’t resist. What is a joy for any interviewer. The with the current craze for ‘selfies’, only sadness is omitting the stories we thought we’d get Sir Henry preceded by the command “definitely Wood, one of the founders of the not for publication!”.’ Page 22 BBC Proms, in on the action. If you’ve got a smartphone or Helen Wallace BBC Music’s consultant editor tablet with a camera, then simply ‘Istanbul cast its 66 Recording download Blippar, hold your exotic spell on of the Month device over the cover and take me, even on a wet your pic with classical music’s weekend in February. Schumann & JanáΩek most famous bronze bust! Email The players of the music@ Borusan Orchestra works your efforts to us at are a sassy lot, classical-music.com, and we’ll with an infectious enthusiasm and print the best next issue. The more humbling professionalism. Catch them 68 Orchestral at the Proms this August.’ Page 40 70 Concerto imaginative the better, of course – let’s see you wielding a baton, in full maestro get-up, Stephen Johnson 74 Opera waving flags, etc, etc. I expect you to do a lot better than Broadcaster and writer 78 Choral & Song my rather lacklustre attempt (above)! ‘So often working 81 Chamber We’re delighted to be printing the full listings to this with this composer I year’s Proms once again this year – a cut-out and keep find myself thinking, 84 Instrumental “Thank God it’s 86 World Beethoven!”. For all his struggles, the 87 Brief Notes Let’s see you wielding a baton, in full painful yearning and 88 maestro get-up, waving flags, etc, etc volcanic rage, there’s also something much deeper than ego, and such 90 Books startling compassion.’ Page 58 guide, if you like, to stuff in your pocket en route to the . And those of you who own an iPad can hear exclusive mini-podcasts written by members of the VISIT CLASSICAL-MUSIC.COM FOR THE BBC Music Magazine included with the issue. LATEST FROM THE MUSIC WORLD From a personal point of view, I’d like to pay tribute to the outgoing Proms director and Radio 3 controller, Roger Wright, who leaves after seven years at the helm of this fantastic festival, and would like to wish him well as he wends his way east to head up the Aldeburgh Festival. You can read his valedictory piece on p54 and no doubt we’ll be talking to the new man in charge at the first opportunity… Thank you, too, for your wonderful and often extremely moving responses to our call for music-making during the First World War – from a terrific story of a violin taken into the trenches, to information about a composer n Download a free track every week from one of the best reviewed recordings from a recent issue of morale-boosting songs, and a poignant formal n Read the latest classical music news photograph of a regimental wind band. You’ll see these on n Listen to clips from BBC Music Magazine’s choice recordings our Letters page (p6), but we’ve had the most fascinating n Listen to the fortnightly BBC Music Magazine podcast time going through all of your correspondences relating to n Discover more about the lives of the great composers our June issue. Many thanks to all who sent in letters and n Plus: the official chart, interviews, competitions, radio and TV photographs, and please keep them coming. highlights, a preview of our monthly cover CD and much more!

The licence to publish this magazine was acquired from BBC Worldwide by on 1 November 2011. We remain committed to making a magazine of the highest editorial quality, one

JAMES CHEADLE, RICHARD CANNON, BBC CANNON, RICHARD CHEADLE, THIS PAGE: JAMES CHEADLE COVER: JAMES that complies with BBC editorial and commercial guidelines and connects with BBC programmes. Oliver Condy Editor

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 5 vk.com/englishlibrary LETTERS Write to: The editor, BBC Music Magazine, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol, BS1 3BN or email: [email protected]

LETTER OF THE MONTH

wartime winds: the band of the 2/4th Ox & Bucks Light Infantry

GURNEY IN ESSEX wife, visited Gurney at Dartford The articles and photographs shortly before Gurney’s death. in your June issue relating to Robert Fletcher, Essex World War One are fascinating. I thought I would share this GALLANT COMPOSER photograph with you from When Britain declared war on 1915 (above) which has strange Germany, there was a conviction come and play me: connections with Ivor Gurney. among many who volunteered should our church organs really This is the Band of the 2/4th Ox for war service that it was their be sitting there unused? & Bucks Light Infantry in front moral duty to defend ‘gallant of Maypole House, St Johns little Belgium’, which had been Green, Writtle, near Chelmsford, invaded by Germany. Tens of THE JOYS OF STOPS AND PEDALS Essex at Easter 1915, taken by the thousands of civilian refugees Richard Morrison (May) is right to say our national stock of pipe famous Chelmsford photographer left their homes to escape the war organs should be more openly available to organ students. I would go Frederick Spalding. Spalding was and nearly a quarter of a million further and suggest that there be a series of national Open Days, when famous for little jokes and quirks came to Britain, welcomed into all and sundry – beginners, advanced players, those of an inquisitive in his photos and this haunting local communities or villages nature – can simply turn up and have a play at our cathedrals, chapels photo has one odd aspect in that such as Bushey in Hertfordshire. and concert halls. I personally owe a great debt of gratitude to John the woodwind player at the far In 1915 Mrs A Amy Brooke, a Bertalot and others at Blackburn right of the middle row is the Bushey resident, wrote the words Cathedral during the mid-1970s, only man actually with his hands and music for two recruitment when every Saturday there was a free over the keys of his instrument. songs, encapsulating the mood organ recital – I remember sitting on In April 1915 one Ivor Gurney of the time and illustrating why the front row by the detached console, also arrived in Chelmsford. He so many young men went to totally inspired by the closeness of the was there for some time and it war. ‘Gallant Belgium’ included player and the immense grandeur of is strange that later on in 1915 words of encouragement for Every month the editor will the Walker organ, with its brilliance both Wilfred Owen and, more the Belgians and a call to arms award a SolarDAB 2 Roberts in French and Baroque repertoire. importantly for Gurney, Edward for English volunteers. As First radio (retail value £80 – see www.robertsradio.co.uk) to the It’s a sheer joy and a privilege to be an Thomas were at Hare Hall Camp, World War fatalities mounted and writer of the best letter received. organist – there is nothing quite like Gidea Park, Romford, Essex, just conscription was introduced, the The editor reserves the right to it. Let’s all have a go. a short way down the railway line. mood changed. Brooke’s songs, shorten letters for publication. Christopher Bagot, Chorley Thomas’s poems were later set by published by Novello, were no

FREDERICK SPALDING, THINKSTOCK Gurney and Helen Thomas, his longer appropriate or relevant and

6 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary fell out of favour. They have been with your reviewer of authentic Bruckner. out of print for nearly 100 years Michael Tanner I wonder what other but a copy was found recently in about the reason for readers think? NEED TO GET IN TOUCH? Neil Sinyard, Saxby the British Library. Bruckner’s failure Subscriptions and back issues Dianne Payne, Bushey Museum to complete his 0844 844 0252 (outside UK, see p107) General enquiries & Art Gallery Ninth Symhony, THE RIGHT FLY +44 (0)117 314 7355 which was not due to ill-health Although correctly guessing Subscriptions and back issues STRINGS OF WAR but something in the dissonant the answer to Question 5 in  [email protected] Probably the best documented nature of the Adagio itself. Simon May’s insect-themed quiz, I feel General enquiries [email protected] story of a violin in the Great War Rattle’s recent recording of a compelled to point out, for the Subscriptions and back issues is that of the instrument that completed Ninth Symphony is a sake of dipterological exactitude,  BBC Music Magazine, PO Box 279, accompanied Alexander Aitken, valuable recorded document and that the fly you pictured was a Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8DF General enquiries a New Zealander from Otago. Its has won golden opinions, but harmless robberfly (Asilidae) BBC Music Magazine, story has been told by its owner in I can’t say the finale convinces whose habits have little in Immediate Media Company Ltd, 9th Floor, Tower House, the book Gallipoli to the Somme. me. It seems structurally, common with the ‘gadfly’, a Fairfax Street, Bristol, BS1 3BN The instrument was won by his harmonically, melodically and term generally associated with Subs rates £64.87 (UK) £65 (Eire, Europe) friend in a raffle on the voyage dramatically distinctly inferior blood-sucking horseflies and/or £74 (Rest of World) ABC Reg No. 3122 from Australia to Egypt in 1915 to everything that has gone parasitic botflies. EDITORIAL Editor Oliver Condy and given to the author. It is before and, unlike the finale John Coldwell, via email Deputy editor Jeremy Pound described as ‘Mediocre in tone of the Eighth Symphony, for THE EDITOR REPLIES: A fair Production editor Neil McKim Reviews editor Rebecca Franks and cheap’. It was played in dug- example, fails to rise to the kind point. We apologise to the Digital editor & staff writer Rosie Pentreath outs and bivouacs throughout of grand emotional summation wrongly identified fly in question. Cover CD editor Alice Pearson Listings editor Paul Riley his service, at Xmas 1915 in Consultant editor Helen Wallace Gallipoli (where an E string was Contributing editor Nick Shave Art editor Dav Ludford replaced with a strand of ‘field Designer Victoria Simpson YOUR VIEWS ONLINE Picture editor Sarah Kennett telephone wire’), and in a concert Office assistant Polly Bartlett at Citernes. In September 1916 A few of your reactions to the latest music news on our MARKETING Alexander Aitken was wounded Subscriptions director Jacky Perales-Morris website (classical-music.com), and on Facebook and Direct marketing assistant Chris Day in an attack on Goose Alley in Press & PR manager Carolyn Wray the Somme and invalided out of On the broadsheet reviews literature or the visual arts. ADVERTISING Advertising director the Army. He believed that the of Tara Erraught in Strauss’s Sanguine Fan Caroline Herbert +44 (0)117 933 8060 violin was lost but it was returned Rosenkavalier (see p11)… (classical-music.com) Senior advertising manager Tom Drew +44 (0)117 933 8043 to him some 18 months later – a It’s just insane that in the Deputy advertising manager friend had rescued it and had it 21st century where we are all On BBC Music Magazine’s Kevin Taylor +44 (0)117 933 8007 Senior account manager packed and sent back to Dunedin. supposedly politically correct, First World War centenary Rebecca Yirrell +44 (0)117 314 8364 The violin was subsequently such blatant sexism is still coverage… Classified sales executive being allowed by the editors of Reading @MusicMagazine’s Georgia Riley +44 (0)117 314 8754 presented to Otaga Boys’ High Brand sales executive School where it now rests in a national broadsheets. superb article on composers Richard Sawyer +44 (0)117 314 8841 Joanna Ong Go (Facebook) during WWI. Thanks for Inserts Laurence Robertson glass case. +353 876 902208 highlighting Pastoral Symphony Douglas Cooper, Wolverhampton SYNDICATION & LICENSING Those critics only show how isn’t about an English cow/gate! Joanna Marshall +44 (0)20 433 2183 stupid a review can get. I agree Vaughan Williams @RVWtweets Simon Goodman +44 (0)20 433 1277 RVW AT THE FRONT PRODUCTION that opera is both aural and (Twitter) Production director Sarah Powell Your suggestion that Vaughan visual, but that doesn’t mean Production coordinator Emily Mounter Williams was one of those who Ad coordinator Erin Edwards it’s got to be 100% realistic. A Gloucestershire rhapsody is Ad designer James Croft ‘couldn’t or wouldn’t fight in the Richardvs Svm (Facebook) absolutely sublime, love this Reprographics Tony Hunt, Chris Sutch war’ is incorrect. After service at months cd :) PUBLISHING Publisher Andrew Davies the front in France and Salonika On BBC Music’s blog asking Andrew @andrewJ46 (Twitter) Chairman Stephen Alexander during the period 1916-18, he why classical music is so Deputy chairman Peter Phippen CEO Tom Bureau was commissioned as an officer often sidelined from arts Managing director Andy Marshall into the Royal Garrison Artillery, programmes… BBC WORLDWIDE MAGAZINES UNIT seeing active service as such in It is interesting that many Director of UK publishing Nicholas Brett Head of UK publishing Chris Kerwin France in 1918 – most definitely people who are culturally Head of editorial, UK publishing aware and literate have a blind Jenny Potter not a posting which would enable UK Publishing coordinator him to avoid combat experience. spot when it comes to classical Eva Abramik Peter Duckers, Shrewsbury music. Perhaps it is because EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Peter Alward, Tess Alps, Graham Dixon, music is dominated by its Roger Wright popular form to an extent NOT QUITE ANTON This magazine is published by that is not true of, say, Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited Contrary to your correspondent under licence from BBC Worldwide in your June edition, I do agree

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vk.com/englishlibrary TheFullScore OUR PICK OF THE MONTH’S NEWS, VIEWS AND INTERVIEWS

Pianist is BBC Young Musician winner 17-year-old Martin James Bartlett triumphs with a stunning Rachmaninov performance

Karabits: ‘He was a great conductor to work with! He listens to you so much and is totally understanding. The rehearsals were so much fun, as we didn’t have to work too hard at anything – many of the things he said beforehand just worked themselves out naturally.’ Currently doing his A-Levels, James Bartlett begins studies at the next year. But, in the meantime, his secret to winning the country’s most prestigious music competition for young people? ‘You can never second-guess what the judges will think, as music is so subjective. You just have to be true to yourself and the composer, give a great performance, and hope they’ll like it as much as you do!’

thrilling finish: Martin James Bartlett BBC Young Musician 2014 celebrates with presenter Clemency Burton-Hill

ianist Martin James Bartlett has African Sunrise/Manhattan Rave, and been named as the winner of the recorder player Sophie Westbrooke, also P BBC Young Musician competition. 15, who performed Gordon Jacobs’s Suite The 17 year-old, who hails from Essex, for Recorder and Strings. gave a scintillating performance of The path to was long and Rachmaninov’s Rhapsody on a Theme of intense, as the three finalists negotiated Paganini to secure victory at Edinburgh’s their way through regional rounds, Usher Hall, and becomes the latest in a list instrumental category finals and a semi- Category winners of winners that includes oboist Nicholas final in Cardiff. James Bartlett, however, Daniel (1980), pianist (1992) knew about the rigours involved, having Keyboard: Martin James Bartlett (piano, above) and violinist (2004). previously entered BBC Young Musician * Strings: William Dutton (violin) For his appearance in the final, two years ago. ‘It prepared me for the Woodwind: Sophie Westbrooke broadcast on BBC TV, James Bartlett pressure,’ he tells BBC Music Magazine. (recorder)* was accompanied by the BBC Scottish ‘I knew that if I entered again, it would Percussion: Elliott Gaston-Ross* Symphony and conductor Kirill Karabits. be on the same level, and even more so Brass: Matilda Lloyd () He was third of three finalists to perform, if I got further.’ Jazz Award: following 15-year-old percussionist Elliott Among the highs of that experience, *Overall finalists Gaston-Ross, who played David Heath’s he says, was getting to play with

10 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE For more news and artist interviews visit www.classical-music.com vk.com/englishlibrary TheFullScore

Singers weigh into Rosenkavalier size debate Critics cause outrage with reviews of ‘dumpy’ and ‘chubby’ Glyndebourne mezzo-soprano

Opera singers have responded furiously , adding that ‘all singers to newspaper reviews that criticised need self confidence to perform, and so it mezzo-soprano Tara Erraught for being is on this level that it is particularly cruel the wrong shape for a role. While largely and irresponsible of this set of critics to positive about Erraught’s singing, as be so completely disparaging of a singer’s Octavian in the new Glyndebourne appearance.’ In an open letter published production of Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier, on the Slipped Disc website, meanwhile, UK broadsheet critics were decidedly less Coote wrote that: ‘[Opera] is not about than gallant in regards to her appearance lights, it is not about costumes, it’s not – descriptions ranged from ‘dumpy’ about sets, it’s not even about sex or stature… It is all about the human voice.’ UK broadsheet critics were In response to the criticism, The decidedly less than gallant in Telegraph’s Rupert Christiansen insisted regards to her appearance that he remained unrepentant. ‘Opera is a visual as well as an aural experience, a (The Telegraph) to a ‘chubby bundle of form of theatre,’ he wrote. ‘It may be 75 puppy-fat’ (Financial Times) – leading per cent about the voice, but it is also 25 performers such as Alice Coote and per cent about the ability to act well and Jennifer Johnston to defend their fellow create a convincing character.’ mezzo both online and in print. Jan Dalley, Financial Times arts editor, ‘If there is a line over which classical said that her critic’s use of words was music and opera critics should not step, not derogatory, ‘unless one believes that then it is into the realms of a singer’s carrying some extra body weight is in personal appearance, an issue which is itself somehow culpable. Personally, I ‘have you seen the papers?’: Erraught confides in outwith their remit,’ wrote Johnston in don’t hold that view.’

RISING STAR Great artists of tomorrow

Moscow is where Khozyainov, now 21, still Nikolay Khozyainov lives and studies , though it is two major pianist successes overseas that have really propelled his career as a concert pianist. First came in Some performers are born into families of 2010 when, at 18, he was the youngest finalist fearsomely talented musicians. Not so, Nikolay in the International Chopin Piano Competition Khozyainov, whose mother and father worked in in Warsaw. And then, in 2012, he took first the military and as a paediatrician respectively. prize in the Dublin Piano Competition, a win Music, he says, was his choice: ‘When I was that has not only brought him a substantial about five years old, I was fanbase in Ireland itself but visiting a school where music ‘I played at Carnegie that has also opened the was one of the subjects door to prestigious concert being taught. They were Hall – not many engagements elsewhere. giving out prizes for guessing pianists play there!’ ‘Winning in Dublin what the music was, and I has brought so many kept winning them. After that, I went up to my engagements,’ he says. ‘Last year, for instance, high point: ‘ mother and said I wanted to play music!’ I played at Carnegie Hall. It was an amazing Winning in Dublin has Thankfully, Mum listened and enrolled feeling – not many pianists play there in their brought so much’ Khozyainov in a local music school. Progressing whole life!’ A recent debut appearance at rapidly, he was soon performing in public in has also followed. swap the keyboard for the baton, a rounded Blagoveshchensk, his home city on the Russian- An avid fan of opera, Khozyainov spends musical knowledge is, he says, important: ‘All Chinese border. So impressive was his talent, much of his spare time studying scores, has been art is connected. Not just music, but , in fact, that the family decided to up sticks and known to sneak into rehearsals at the Bolshoi literature and painting too. They all involve being move to Moscow, 4,800 miles away, so that he Theatre and even took lessons when able to say something to people.’ could study at the Central Music School. he was younger. And while he has no plans to Interview by Jeremy Pound BBC, BILL COOPER

For more news and artist interviews visit www.classical-music.com BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 11 vk.com/englishlibrary BBC Music Recording news

THE OFFICIAL CLASSICAL CHART The UK’s best-selling specialist classical releases Chart for week ending 17 May H Motets NEW 1 Polyphony/Stephen Layton DG 479 3232 A fresh perspective, as some of Jenkins’s best known music is arranged for choral forces alone

_ Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez 2 Milo Karadaglic; LPO/Nézet-Séguin Mercury Classics 481 0811 The brilliant Montenegrin guitarist’s stay in the charts shows little sign of coming to an end H Voice of the Turtle Dove NEW 3 / Coro COR16119 It must be Dove – The Sixteen’s disc of Davy, digital daniel: Mundy and Sheppard proves a Turtle success Barenboim has launched his own new label H Schubert Piano Sonatas NEW 4 Paul Lewis (piano) HMC902165/66 Download debut Late Schubert Sonatas at the deft hands of one of today’s most thoughtful performers has launched Peral Music, a new digital- only label, in partnership with Universal Music. Bruckner’s Mozart Symphonies Nos 1-3 will be the first release, played by the 5 Dunedin Consort/John Butt Staatskapelle Berlin. The renowned conductor hopes Peral Linn CKD 449 Music will entice a younger, download-savvy generation Conductor John Butt wins friends aplenty with to listen to classical music. ‘Instead of crying about the fact his inventive approach to Mozart’s Requiem that more young people don’t go to concerts, we have to ask ourselves the questions “Why should young people go  A Tale of Two Cellos to concerts? Why should young people buy records, if they RE 6 Julian and Jiaxin Lloyd Webber get no initiation into it?”’ says Barenboim. There will also be Naxos 8.573251 an educational strand to Peral, with Barenboim recording A recording with an added element of poignancy, piano pieces often played by beginners. as Julian Lloyd Webber announces his retirement H Elgar Symphony No. 2 Welsh showcase NEW 7 Staatskapelle Berlin/Daniel Barenboim Welsh composers and performers are to be the focus of a Decca 478 6677 new record label set up by Ty Cerdd (Music Centre Wales). One of the great Elgarians, Barenboim is on Ty Cerdd Records will release both new and re-mastered superlative form in this passionate performance archive recordings from June this year. The label’s first disc is to feature pianist Llyˆr Williams performing Bagatelles by H In the Night Bartók and Welsh composer Daniel Jones. Future releases NEW 8 (piano) in 2014 are set to include Hilary Tann’s Seven Poems of Hyperion CDA67996 Stillness, performed by cellist ; John Metcalf’s Pianist Stephen Hough burns the candle with new opera setting of Dylan Thomas’s radio play Under Milk nocturnal Beethoven, Chopin and Schumann Wood; and William Mathias’s work Ceremony After a Fire Raid by Dylan Thomas. H Vaughan Williams Piano Quintet etc NEW 9 Soloists Ensemble Naxos 8.573191 Concerto discoveries These rarely heard chamber works reveal With 62 volumes released to date, the Romantic Piano Vaughan Williams at his most lushly romantic Concerto series has been one of Hyperion’s success stories. Now the British label is embarking on another piano Dvorák Cello Concerto H concerto project, this time shining a spotlight on the NEW Alisa Weilerstein (cello); Czech PO/ 10 Classical era. As with its Romantic counterpart, the Classical Jirˇi Belohlávek Decca 478 5705 series will focus on lesser-known concertos, dusting off The BBC Music Magazine Award-winning cellist scores by the likes of Cramer, Steibelt and Woelfl. The first turns her attention to Dvorák’s masterpiece CD, out in August, turns to Jan Ladislav Dussek, a Czech Visit our website at www.classical-music.com for composer and pianist. It sees Howard Shelley play with and weekly chart updates, and download the regular direct the Ulster Orchestra in Dussek’s Concertos in G, Op. 1 Radio 3 specialist chart podcast from iTunes No. 3; in C, Op. 29; and in E flat, Op. 70.

12 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE For more news and artist interviews visit www.classical-music.com vk.com/englishlibrary TheFullScore

__ REWIND Artists talk about their past recordings… STUDIOSECRETS We reveal who’s recording this was something I could be happy with and what, and where proud of. It was such an accumulation of years and years of work.

My fondest memory Fauré Piano Music Hyperion CDA 67875 French music means a lot to me. These were pieces that I had played since my teenage years. My training was in part from the French pianist Jean-Paul Sévilla, so I became immersed in Fauré’s music when I was 15, 16, 17 years old, which are crucial years new direction: Suzuki records Mozart in one’s development. I’d lived with these With his Bach Cantatas project pieces for a long time, complete, has turned but never had the to Mozart. The conductor’s latest opportunity to put recording with them on disc. It was features the Requiem, in a completion wonderful to go into the Jesus-Christus-Kirche by Suzuki’s son Masato. The soloists in Berlin, which has a fabulous acoustic, and are , Marianne play my own Fazioli piano, and finally record THIS MONTH Beate Kielland, Makoto Sakurada and them. It’s great to have a lasting document. It Christian Immler, and the disc will be was particularly special to play the Ballade for out on BIS this autumn. The Canadian pianist is best known for her solo piano. I’ve also played it in the piano and Thomas Adès has been at All interpretations of Bach, whose Well-Tempered orchestral version, but I first learned the solo Saints, East Finchley, to record his Clavier she has recorded twice. A regular on the version when I was 15. Hyperion label, she has just released Messiaen’s chamber works for Signum Classics. Turangalîla Symphony with the Finnish Radio I’d like another go at… As a pianist, the British composer Symphony Orchestra for . JS Bach Goldberg Variations joins the Calder Quartet to perform Hyperion CDA 67305 his Piano Quintet, who also play his I recorded the Goldberg Variations back in 1999. The Four Quarters and Arcadiana. My finest moment Hyperion generously gave me five days to record The inimitable violinist Patricia JS Bach The Well-Tempered Clavier, it, and by the end of the fourth I’d done it all. But Kopatchinskaja has gathered Books 1 & 2 I went and had a massage and a good Japanese together musicians, a and a Hyperion CDA 67741/4 meal, before returning to Henry Wood Hall in turntables DJ for her latest recording, When I was planning my Bach World Tour in 2007, London. I played it again and it turned out to Take Two!. Recorded in Switzerland Hyperion said they would rerelease my original be good. It was late at night, but I carried on for Naïve, the CD features duets 1990s recording of The Well-Tempered Clavier, playing nonetheless, and between 11.30pm and even though I thought I could do it much better 1am I gave the best version of the Goldbergs by Leclair, Holliger, Cage, Gibbons, now. They still rereleased it – which was great, that I’d ever given in the 25 years I had been Paganini, Sotelo and Zykan. and other people might prefer it – but for me, my playing them. I think about 80 per cent of the Conductor JoAnn Falletta, who second recording, from 2008, was on a different entire 80-minute recording comes from that one recently recorded Glière’s Third level. I’d done 110 performances of The Well- version. But even though that was the Symphony to great acclaim, has Tempered Clavier around the world in 2007-08, so best I could have done at the time, I’ve now been in the studio in Belfast to turn I really knew the music. I recorded all five hours played the work so much more. It’s music her attention to another underrated of music in five days, and I did it all from memory that’s accompanied me throughout my life as Romantic symphony, also for the – I don’t feel you’ve interiorised the music I’ve developed. In my score I haven’t erased Naxos label. This time, she conducts unless you’ve metronome marks, I’ve just scratched them the Ulster Orchestra in John Knowles memorised out – some of the movements have five or six Paine’s Symphony No. 2, ‘In Spring’. it. What was different marks. And marvellous was I’ve started playing Mendelssohn’s Symphonies Nos 1 to go into the the Fazioli piano, & 3 have been recorded by the City recording studio which gives me of Symphony Orchestra with the music different sounds. So and conductor Edward Gardner, so much under I do want to record following their first volume featuring your belt and the Goldbergs again, Symphonies Nos 4 & 5 earlier this part of you. I under the right year. The new disc will be out on really felt that circumstances. Chandos this autumn. BERND EBERLE, MARCO BORGGREVE, GETTY

For more news and artist interviews visit www.classical-music.com BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 13 vk.com/englishlibrary #45 MINUET DISCOVERING MUSIC of players to three – a distant memory of which survives in some of Haydn and DANCE FORMS with three beats Stephen Johnson gets to grips with Mozart’s symphonic minuets. to the bar were remarkably persistent From the suite evolved the symphony in Western music, until rock and roll classical music’s technical terms and the sonata, where, interestingly, proclaimed the triumph of four-four the minuet survived until the turn of to an apparently willing world. But it’s the 18th-19th centuries – as a middle easy to see why some might have found movement in the symphony, but often that a relief. We’re bipedal animals. Even as a finale in the sonata. But composers if you have the proverbial two left feet were doing their best to shake its courtly you can probably dance something in complacently: Mozart by adding complex, four-time. But to make elegant patterns driven counterpoint (Symphony No. 40), in three-time with two feet demanded Haydn by notching up the speed and elegance, poise. It was a sign that you substituting the term ‘scherzo’ (‘joke’) weren’t a mere rustic clodhopper, which in his Op. 33 String Quartets, and is probably one reason why the minuet Beethoven by seizing Haydn’s initiative became the archetypal courtly dance. and turning the official symphonic One derivation of the name ‘minuet’ scherzo into a form capable of embracing relates it to the French ‘menu’, meaning elemental drama (Symphony No. 9). ‘small’, ‘slim’ or ‘slight’, and a dainty step Meanwhile, in Austria, the dainty – particularly on the downbeat – seems minuet began a liaison with the rustic to have been desirable from early on. box), after which it began to make its way into Ländler (emphatic downbeat) which The minuet became popular at the French instrumental works, especially the dance-based produced the waltz: elegant, but with a push court in the 1660s, where clearly the Sun King suite. Something of the formality of Versailles on the first of the three beats. All this from a found it a useful way of auditioning female passed into what became its typical structure: form originally ‘slight’. Incidentally, the term consorts. The court composer Lully accordingly an arch-like A-B-A, where B represents the ‘menuetto’, as used by Mozart in his Jupiter made use of it in ballets and (the King central ‘trio’ section – so-called because in some Symphony, has no equivalent in any language. no doubt appraising discreetly from the royal early examples composers reduced the number At least the Wombles had the wit to correct it.

A blow for equality APP REVIEW

reed my lips: Every issue we explore a recent digital product Mark Simpson speaks out there’s a news section with new releases and details of upcoming LSO concerts. The recordings have track previews, full liner notes, galleries and the original booklet in flat PDF format, although it would be more inviting to be able to read these one page at a time Clarinettist Mark Simpson has attacked rather than simultaneously. the UK government for proposing to slash The inclusion of bonus funding to local music services, warning videos, however, will that it will put learning an instrument out of the reach of less well-off families. no doubt offer many an Writing in the Guardian, Simpson said that even greater insight into ‘despite great promises, the government LSO Live for iPad Free the music. is in effect continuing to widen the gap The app recognises any LSO Live between the rich and the poor, which, in All the recordings on the London Symphony recording a user might already have, and turn, will widen the cultural one. Classical Orchestra’s own label can be enjoyed in this plays it in full – and, like iTunes, tracks music of the highest standards will become new app for iPad. In it, the label’s distinctive continue playing even when other apps “their” music and not “our music”’. Simpson cover designs are displayed in a neat grid, are used. With its smart, navigable design himelf benefited greatly from such services, inviting users to tap and find out more. this app offers a superb way to explore eventually going on to win BBC Young A useful filter allows you to search these the acclaimed recordings of a world-

ADAM HOWLING ILLUSTRATION: ADAM Musician in 2006. See Comment, p21 either alphabetically or by popularity, and class orchestra. Rosie Pentreath HHHH

14 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary Take a walk with Holst Notes from the piano stool best laid planets: listen to each of Holst’s David Owen Norris movements around Cheltenham

using, as I was last month, on M the state of Bach’s subconscious mind, it must be admitted that German musical note-names contributed to his unusually conscious musical procedures. When your very name spells one of those chromatic motives to which German Baroque composers were so partial, it must be hard to be unaware of your musical self. (Just checking – Have you ever listened to Holst’s in a bank we’re all up to speed that in Germany B means B flat, and what we before? Well, now’s your chance. To mark the centenary of call B is, for them, H? Oh good.) the composition of ‘Mars’, the Holst Birthplace Museum – or, rather, Schostakovich – worked a similar in Cheltenham has launched its ‘Planets Listening Trail’, trick. Specious at first sight, because DSCH (S is Es – E flat) seems to in which walkers are invited to make their way from one stop rather lamely once the notes run out at ‘O’. But in Cyrillic script, important Cheltenham building to another and, by means SCH is a single character, like an upside-down M, so the notes are just of cleverly designed listening booths, hear one Planet in his initials, and not specious at all. each. The trail, which will be in the town until 12 October, George Dyson, the early 20th-century English composer, signed begins with ‘Mars’ at the Museum itself and finishes off with ‘Neptune’ at the Montpellier Rotunda… occupied today himself off with G and D minims (in the treble clef, the G clef – by Lloyds Bank. We’ve given it a go and it’s great fun. See our but rather than doubling the G, I reckon this means he started this report at www.classical-music.com/blog/walk-holst habit at an early age, when he was a treble.) Edward Elgar, too, was

Edward Elgar was keenly aware of TWITTER ROOM his initials, dropping his William and Who’s saying what on the micro-blogging site referring to himself as ‘The Octave’ @AilishTynanEire My first & final words on this week in opera. When I start keenly aware of his initials, dropping his William, and referring to getting paid Hollywood Starlet fees then himself as ‘The Octave’. E is significant in many of his works – the I will happily look like one[;] until then… original key for Salut d’amour (dedicated to his wife-to-be); the key Soprano (left) on the not only of the first song of Sea Pictures, but also the last, till the Glyndebourne ‘Taragate’ debate (p13)… contralto Clara Butt made a fuss about the top B; the key of the @glyndebourne Tara Erraught is an Violin Sonata and the Cello Concerto. I keep looking for bits of outstandingly talented artist whom we are thrilled to in B, but not much luck so far – the fact that have as part of the cast of Der Rosenkavalier. begins so emphatically on a B flat doesn’t really work …while Glyndebourne gives the official line for so unGerman a composer. @iestyn_davies By a bizarre twist of hotel telephone- Drifting back to Elgar, though, and bearing in mind his fondness exchange-fate, Malcolm Martineau just got put through for codes, enigmas and all things musically German, I’m not at to me to order room service. Will be there in 20. all surprised to find H cropping up. Elgar’s first, lost, fiancée was Iestyn Davies finds himself at a leading Helen Weaver, and Elgar scholars agree that she simply haunts his pianist’s beck and call. We’re not told what he ordered… music. I can’t be the first to notice that the Violin Concerto, with @jbartonmezzo This hotel is streaming Kenny G playing its enigmatic ‘Herein is enshrined the soul of’ followed by five dots, ‘My Heart Will Go On’. I can’t decide if this is an epic win or an epic fail. #Turkey is in H[elen] minor, as is ‘Where corals lie’, the most intimate of the A teaser for mezzo during Sea Pictures, which are certainly all about Helen, a five-letter name a trip to Ankara. if ever there was one. @StuartSkelton Horrible couple of Secrets encoded in music! I remember Harry H Corbett in a days in store. Co-driving 1 1.2 E-Type television programme from years ago, playing the part of a concert from Bordeaux back to London. pianist whose wrong notes spelt out messages to listening spies. What Stuart Skelton (right) bemoans aural skills they must have had! Unless the whole story was just a piloting a beautiful classic sports car handy excuse, of course… n

JOHN WRIGHT, PETER PORCINE David Owen Norris is a pianist, composer and radio presenter

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 15 vk.com/englishlibrary TheFullScore

MUSIC TO MY EARS What the classical world has been listening to this month

four thought: OUR CHOICES in Brevard, North Carolina. It wasn’t long before I found Anonymous 4 on their The BBC Music team’s Bruce Molsky, the master musical favourites current favourites old-time banjo, fiddle and Oliver Condy guitar player, and a heart- Editor meltingly wonderful singer. The BBC Young I don’t know which of his Musician final was I love best – I can’t inspiring this year, with choose! But If it Ain’t Here When I Get Back is his all three concerto finalists latest solo release, so I’ll go for that. playing superbly. Recorder Anonymous 4’s ‘Marie et Marion – Motets & Chansons player Sophie Westbrooke’s performance of the Gordon from 13th-century France’ will be reviewed next issue Jacob’s Suite for Recorder and Strings had me hunting CYPRIEN KATSARIS pianist out more of Jacob’s work, including his sumptuous arrangement for orchestra I have been amazed by the fantastic ANONYMOUS 4 vocal quartet of Elgar’s Organ Sonata. first CD by the young Greek pianist In Jacob’s hands, the work Vassilis Varvaresos, in which he plays QRuth Cunningham: I’m a big fan of the endless could easily be mistaken for Chopin’s Third Sonata, the Liszt vocal creativity of Bobby McFerrin. Studying with another Elgar symphony. B minor Sonata and Debussy’s his long-time colleague Rhiannon has strongly Jeremy Pound Estampes. The disc is really wonderful, and the influenced my own vocal improvisations, allowing Deputy editor performances have great thoughtfulness. What I me to find new ways of exploring my voice, both Having drawn particularly enjoy is the balance he gets between in improvisational performance and in my work as Nigeria in virtuosity and musicality – he does not always play the office a sound healing practitioner. One of my favourite World Cup sweepstake, things the way I would, but whatever Varvaresos albums of his is Circle Songs. The vibrant use of I’ve been doing my bit to plays, it is always really beautiful. syllables and sounds creates amazing textures and boost the Super Eagles’ QI am a big fan of Wagner and have recently been whole kaleidoscopic worlds just with voices. chances by listening to their comparing performances of the beginning of the Q country’s classical music. Jacqueline Horner-Kwiatek: Bizet’s , I’m particularly enjoying first act of Die Walküre, conducted by conducted by Sir , was the first opera the African Suite for string with the Philharmonic and Georg Solti at recording – actually the first classical recording – I orchestra, composed by Fela Bayreuth. When I listen to Walter, he gives me a ever heard. My parents were not classical music fans. Sowande in 1955. Of its five frisson, whereas when I listen to Solti here, it is movements, the gorgeous I found it in my local library in Belfast when I was ‘Nostalgia’ stands out – folky perfectly well done, but sounds like a very academic a kid and fell in love with the music and especially and wistful, it has hints of way of conducting – and if Solti doesn’t give me the wonderful, dark sensuous voice of the Carmen, Grieg and Vaughan Williams. the shivers at the beginning, I’m sorry to say I won’t Tatiyana Troyanos. I sang along with her, learning continue with the rest of the opera! the entire role that way, and wanted to be her when Rebecca Franks QI have always adored the pianist Georges Cziffra Reviews editor I grew up. That didn’t quite happen, but it certainly I’ve been and never tire of listening to his playing. He was made me want to sing. watching not only the greatest performer of Liszt, but also an QMarsha Genensky: ’ disc of music The Trip incredible player of classical and pre-classical music, by , the ethereal A Feather on to , Rob Brydon and in particular Scarlatti. When you hear Scarlatti by Steve Coogan’s actor- the Breath of God, is one of the recordings that impersonation filled road- Cziffra, you get a unique feeling, as if the music has first drew me into medieval music. ’s trip around Italy’s finest been created at that specific moment. It is so original rendering of Columba aspexit was astounding and restaurants. Its soundtrack and so convincing that when I listen to another ’s text-driven, flowing approach to singing sent me scurrying to dig pianist playing Scarlatti, there always somehow out my CD of Elisabeth chant intoxicated me, and made me want to sing Schwarzkopf singing Strauss’s seems to be something missing. that music too! I learned later that coming to ‘unity Four Last Songs. Listen to the QI love improvising – very few pianists do it today, of intent’ in ensemble performance of Hildegard’s glorious blaze of E flat major and it’s a pity that this is tradition that has been wide-ranged melodies and visionary texts is about as at the start of ‘Im Abendrot’, largely lost. Recently, when I did a concert in China, I and the gradual sunset difficult as difficult gets. that follows, for a taste of was asked to do an improvisation on a very nice song QSusan Hellauer: I fell suddenly and completely in Strauss’s orchestral genius. called My Home, by Tang Xian Guang. It was written love with the banjo seven years ago at a music store to celebrate the re-unification of Macao with China

16 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE For more news and artist interviews visit www.classical-music.com vk.com/englishlibrary spontaneous: Georges Cziffra excelled in Scarlatti OUR CHOICES one of the most moving gigs I have ever been to – she was genuinely moved by the support she The BBC Music team’s had and, judging by her chat between songs, is current favourites incredibly humble too. She has a great, big voice Neil McKim that is hard to compare to anyone else’s – one thinks Production immediately of , but Mvula’s voice is editor more soulful than hers. Given how Q much I’ve I was in Moscow last month, appearing with enjoyed the recording of the Philharmonia under Esa-Pekka Salonen at the Frank Bridge’s Oration on Rostropovich Festival. In the second half, I stayed our June issue cover CD, I’m to hear the orchestra delighted to see that both this and his 1914 symphonic perform Shostakovich’s poem, Summer, are being Fourth Symphony. The performed at this year’s BBC players could hardly Proms. I’ve been listening fit on stage – some 15 years ago and lies between the Chinese style and to the latter on a recording of the percussion and conducted by . Western-influenced music. It’s very beautiful. It’s a wonderful work that has brass were literally in Cyprien Katsaris’s new recording of Beethoven’s enduring poignancy. the corridors either Emperor Concerto will be reviewed in our Sept issue side – and it was the Rosie most insanely powerful ALLAN CLAYTON tenor Pentreath Staff writer performance of what Larry Goves’s is such a difficult and personal work. The Russian The 17th-century French composer The Terminus audience was on its feet at the end. Charles Tessier is just brilliant. A Wreck for solo cello, recently QOne of those annoyingly talented youngsters recorded by Oliver Coates contemporary of Dowland, he on the NMC label, is an – he’s only about 17 or 18 – Frederic Robinson is a travelled far more widely than most ear-opening exploration multi-instrumentalist who, in his a Mixed Signals people of that era, not just in Europe of the huge range of the , samples a lot of live piano, arranges strings, but North Africa too. As a result, Le Poème instrument’s different gets singers in and then multi-tracks them over timbres. Coates picks Harmonique’s disc of his music, called Carnets de gorgeously silky harmonics incredibly complicated and syncopated drumbeats. voyages, is like an audio travelogue, including the from the high registers, To me it’s very exciting. It’s verging on drum n’ bass incredible Chansons Turcquesques, a riotous blend of makes the lower strings growl but is a bit more dancey than that, and there’s a dance music. It’s beautiful stuff, and very funky. and relishes in fragments balance between beautiful ballads and more QWhen the soul singer Laura Mvula released her of lyrical melody when they raucous dance music. arise, all with superb control incredible album last year, I went to of vibrato and volume. Allan Clayton sings Britten’s Les Illuminations and see her perform live on the day of the release. It was Serenade at the East Neuk Festival on 4 & 6 July

AND MUSIC TO YOUR EARS… ‘Geme la tortorella’, sung on this You tell us what you’ve been enjoying on disc and in the concert hall recording by Edita Gruberova.

Jur Zandbergen, enjoyed these works but wasn’t aware Philip Hicks, Amersfoort, they had such a strong connection California, US Netherlands with the Western Highlands of I’ve just returned to Your portrait of Sir Scotland. Being all too familiar with California from a week in the area’s wild unpredictable weather, in London, where February reminded me of the excellent I can now see what Bax was getting harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani gave live performance of his first Strathclyde at in some of his more tempestuous a superb performance of JS and CPE Concerto included in a mesmerising passages. I’ve been listening to Bach with the Steinitz Bach Players box-set of recordings by the Dutch conductor David Lloyd-Jones’s set at St John’s, Smith Square. Before oboist Han de Vries. These recordings recorded with the RSNO on Naxos. JS’s Fantasia and Fugue in A minor, covers every emotion with a have given me hours of pleasure – not BWV 904, he spoke to the audience musical sweep of the senses that only the Maxwell Davies, but also James Pestell, about the piece, and his insights on keeps on hitting the ‘wow’ spot every concertos by Bach, Maderna, Strauss, West Sussex the fugue were cogent, precise and time I hear it. To me it is melodic, Arnold and Françaix, and a great I’ve been revisiting a amazing. When he played it, it was like calm while dramatic and sweetly variety of chamber music. 20-year-old recording listening to the piece for the first time. beautiful, as well as wonderful and of Mozart’s La Finta grand. My recording by the BBC Jim Middleton, Giardiniera on , conducted by Paul Chaundy, Cardiff Philharmonic with conductor Vassily Edinburgh . Although the I must have listened Sinaisky on the Chandos record label On the strength of Tom 18-year-old composer was just getting to Austrian composer is always on hand, but there are other Service’s recent Radio 3 into his operatic stride and the great Franz Schreker’s versions, too. programme, I’ve been theatrical masterpieces were yet to wonderful Prelude to a Tell us what concerts or recordings revisiting the symphonies of English come, it’s stuffed full of goodies, Drama well over 100 times lately, and I you’ve been enjoying by emailing us at composer Arnold Bax. I’ve always including the beautiful Cavatina can’t wait to hear it again and again! It [email protected] CHRISTIAN STEINER, PIETRO SPAGNOLI, GETTY

For more news and artist interviews visit www.classical-music.com BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 17 vk.com/englishlibrary TheFullScore

NEWSINBRIEF A completely potty idea Cannabis concerts bring calm to Colorado

It must have seemed a good wheeze types at Colorado Symphony clicked their at the time. No sooner had Colorado collective brains into ‘creative’ mode – announced that it was to be the first how might they go about welcoming a US state to legalise the sale of new, dope-smoking clientele to Denver’s cannabis, than the marketing Boettcher Concert Hall? And so was born ‘Classically Cannabis: The High Note Series’, in which audience members would pay swede success: B Tommy Anderson to puff away on their CARDIFF CALLS own supply of pot while, B Tommy Anderson has been named somewhere on the other as composer-in-association of the side of the haze, the BBC National Orchestra of Wales for orchestra would delight the 2014-5 season. As well as writing them with Berlioz and new commissions for the orchestra, Brahms. Brilliant! Except… the Swede will also be working with they forgot one thing: use up-and-coming local composers. of cannabis in public places is still illegal, even in Colorado. BERLIN LEARNING Disaster? Not a bit of it. To Plans have been revealed for a new get round the law, the Barenboim-Said Academy in Berlin. orchestra has simply made Founded to promote the same ideals the concerts ‘By Private as conductor Daniel Barenboim and Invitation’ only. Now take a late scholar Edward Said’s West- seat and chill out… Eastern Divan Orchestra – to promote excellence of performance in a culture of understanding between martial mood: young Israeli and Arabic musicians – Haefliger adopts a the academy will include a 620-seat AFTER HOURS classic Kung fu pose concert hall and 21 rehearsal rooms. Musicians and their hobbies SOUND AS A HOUND They’ve all been going a bit barking in Pennsylvania, where the Pittsburgh Pianist Orchestra has been auditioning dogs for a forthcoming performance. Four hounds in total have been selected SHAOLIN (KUNG FU) to add a touch of realism to Leopold I have been doing Shaolin, which is the Mozart’s Hunt Symphony. Reliability origin of what we in the West know as Kung and depth of woof are believed to fu, for almost ten years. It’s a meditative have been the criteria for selection. martial art and is about the expansion of both physical and mental states, so I’m not HARRY AND ME beating anybody up! It took me about a year Sir Andrew Davis has done it (see to get past the initial stage. At the beginning p22). Now how do you fancy taking you get physically sick because the training a selfie with the bust of Sir Henry is so hard. But once your body is used to it, Wood? Here’s how you can: simply the physical condition is like no other sport

JONTY CLARK ILLUSTRATION: JONTY download the Blippar app and hold I know: it seems to keep you a lot fitter your smart phone or tablet in front of than other classes available at a health club. the cover. Click on the ‘Take your own It’s influenced my whole life because with have stretched too. Recently I performed selfie with Sir Henry Wood’ button, physical flexibility comes a more open mind. the Left-Hand Concerto by Ravel – where tap the screen to take a photo… and As a pianist, it has brought a lot more fluidity the piece asks for the left hand to play notes share it with us via our Facebook to my playing, affecting the sound and sense high up the keyboard, most people have to page or Twitter! We may even publish of space in my music. The orchestras I play move their seats or lean over, but since doing the best one… with have even noticed a change. My muscles Shaolin it hasn’t been such a difficulty for me! WOLFGANG GALL, PETER KNUTSON

18 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE For more news and artist interviews visit www.classical-music.com vk.com/englishlibrary e Farewell to… With an output that included soundtracks for radio, film and theatre, not to mention SIR GEORGE CHRISTIE a handful of deftly crafted chamber and Born 1934 Opera festival chairman vocal works, Antony Hopkins won himself many admirers as a composer. It was, As the chairman of Glyndebourne Festival however, as the engaging presenter of the Opera from 1958-99, George Christie Third Programme/Radio 3 series Talking (right) oversaw the building of its new About Music that he won himself his most 1,200-seat auditorium, opened in 1994 devoted fans. Hosting the programme at a cost of £33 million, and established from the 1950s through to his retirement Glyndebourne Tour which, since 1968, has in 1992, Hopkins would take one major seen many of the opera house’s productions work from each week’s schedule and performed around the UK. He is credited, explain it at nuts-and-bolts level – always too, with bringing Glyndebourne back from accessibly, but never patronisingly. the financial brink through appeals and Educated at the Royal College of Music, sponsorship deals. But it is arguably his Hopkins worked with both Tippett and support and promotion of Glyndebourne’s Britten in his early years. Unsurprisingly, education initiatives that did most to bring given his skill as a communicator, he was Glyndebourne to a wider audience, with also a respected conductor and teacher. local schools involved in youth operas and various music projects, including Knight Also remembered… Crew, which was filmed by the BBC. The only son of Glyndebourne Opera’s founders, John Christie and the Douglas Cummings (b1946) enjoyed a career as principal cellist operatic soprano Audrey Mildmay – Christie’s work in building on of the London Symphony Orchestra for 24 years, having been his family’s legacy was recognised with a knighthood in 1984. appointed to the position at the age of just 22 in 1969. He was also acclaimed as a chamber musician, appearing regularly with the ANTONY HOPKINS London Virtuosi, of which he was a founder member, the Lindsay Born 1921 Broadcaster and composer String Quartet and the Lake Piano Trio. GETTY

‘Tavener’s supremely effective, luminous musical ritual, stunningly performed by ’ Andrew McGregor, BBC Music Magazine

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PPA Columnist of the Year The Richard Morrison column The government has destroyed music education – yet again

ard as I have tried, I have The problem has always been address the ‘patchiness’ of music 2011) seems like yet another piece H never quite managed that such examples of world-class provision to children. Nor do I of half-baked, ill-funded tinkering. to become a socialist. excellence are far outnumbered think that Arts Council , To make matters more depressing, I persist in thinking that if you by schools where children have which was required to set up and by this time next year we will plonked 1,000 people on an island little or no musical opportunities. monitor the hubs on very little have a new government with new with equal shares of everything, There are still far too many notice and with even scantier education and culture ministers. within a year some would be rich primary schools where no teacher resources, could have done more. The whole wearying business of and some poor. That’s human has the training or confidence to And nor am I going to judge their persuading a bunch of mostly nature. What I do detest is a society lead a singing lesson: the excellent success or failure on the basis of philistine politicians that children or system that stops people from progress made during the ‘Sing the sniffy Ofsted report that need music in their school lives will fulfilling their potential, whether by Up’ campaign is now ebbing away, strongly criticised some of them have to start all over again. accident or design. And I’m sorry to since the government stopped before they had been given time In Scotland, where the say this, because I had high hopes funding it. to find their feet. instrumental-teaching methods when Darren Henley produced his In state secondary schools, No, my chief gripe is that the of Venezuela’s El Sistema have excellent report on the subject in too, I constantly hear stories of government, having had the been applied to some pretty tough 2011, but one lamentable example housing estates with considerable of that is the patchy provision of success, there is more cause for music education in England and Someone tell me, please: what hope. Even there, though, the Wales. Despite so many good picture is quite patchy. The intentions, millions of children are more can we do to expose recession can’t be blamed for all still not getting the chance to fulfil of these nationwide problems their potential as instrumentalists, the folly of this situation? (and in any case the government singers, composers – and rounded tells us that it’s over). The human beings. children prevented from taking good sense to follow Henley’s narrow, Gradgrind mindset of The subject is on my mind GCSE music because the subject recommendations and set up the those responsible for defining because the Musicians’ Company is not taught even up to that hubs, has subsequently starved and implementing the national has invited me to talk about it in level. As for A-level music and the scheme of the money it needs curriculum is more likely the their annual lecture (on 30 June arts courses, their credibility in simply to be as good as what it culprit. And all the time the gap at LSO St Luke’s in London; go the eyes of parents and children replaced, let alone break new widens between those children to www.lso.co.uk if you’d like to has been horribly undermined ground. And it’s about to get fortunate enough to attend private come). On that occasion, perhaps by ill-considered announcements worse. A depressing Department schools – with their fabulous arts foolishly, I will be undermining from top universities, conveying of Education document published facilities and platoons of music my own case. I’m breaking up the impression that music or art a few weeks ago ordered local and instrument teachers – and the lecture with music supplied passes are not valued for admission authorities to cut all their annual those in the state sector. The words by young performers who are purposes as highly as those in funding of music hubs from ‘cultural apartheid’ are surely not clearly fulfilling their potential: ‘serious’ subjects. 2015/16 – about £21 million. That too strong. The waste of latent the Tomorrow’s Warriors group But the real disappointment was the last straw for campaigners talent must be huge. Someone tell of teenage jazz musicians; a string has been the music hubs. I do not such as the Incorporated Society me, please: what more can we do – ensemble from the specialist Purcell question the integrity or hard work of Musicians. I share their fury. as musicians, parents, teachers, School of Music; and a choir of of those running many of these At present the whole music-hubs commentators and musiclovers – to East London children that is part of networks – alliances of orchestras, concept (not to mention the expose the folly of this situation? n the London Symphony Orchestra’s local authorities, charities and broader aims of the promising excellent Discovery programme of other organisations, established in National Music Plan which the Richard Morrison is chief music education and outreach. the wake of Henley specifically to government produced in November critic and columnist of The Times

For more news and artist interviews visit www.classical-music.com BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 21 vk.com/englishlibrary #FriendsReunited Sir Andrew Davis is returning to London to conduct the First Night of the Proms on the stage where he made his name. And, the Chicago-based British maestro tells Richard Morrison, he can’t think of a better way to celebrate his 70th birthday

PHOTOGRAPHY JAMES CHEADLE

o say that Sir Andrew Davis is no stranger to the First Night of the Proms, or indeed the Last Night, would be a little like saying that the Pope is no stranger to the Vatican. The Watford-bred maestro Thas presided over both occasions more times than any other living conductor. ‘I was chief conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra from 1989 to 2000,’ he says, ‘and I think I did ten Last Nights and almost every First Night during that time.’ But when he steps onto the podium of the Royal Albert Hall on 18 July to conduct Elgar’s last oratorio, The Kingdom, it will be more than just another First Night. Davis turned 70 in February, and this performance is part of a very special birthday present from the BBC. ‘I have to thank Paul Hughes [the BBC SO’s chief producer] for this,’ Davis says. ‘I said to him a couple of years ago, rather plaintively: “How are we going to celebrate my 70th?” He came back a few days later and said “How would you like to conduct the three big Elgar oratorios?” I said: “I can’t think of anything nicer.”’ >

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vk.com/englishlibrary SIR ANDREW DAVIS COVER FEATURE

selfie, with sir henry: Sir Andrew Davis and Sir Henry Wood (see p25) smile for the camera

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 23 vk.com/englishlibrary younger days: a beardless Andrew Davis in 1973; (below) composer Edward Elgar

THE IDEAL, AS DAVIS ADMITS, would Sir heard a broadcast of the have been to do them all together. But for performance, and wrote a nice little postcard, scheduling reasons The Apostles and The saying “By the by, Elgar told me that there’s Dream of Gerontius were presented in the a passage in the first movement where he BBC SO’s spring Barbican season, and reduced the number of strings”. Well, you The Kingdom earmarked to open the Proms. can’t really argue with a man who says “Elgar ‘It was so weird. Because of the embargo told me”. So since then I’ve reduced the strings on announcing the Proms season we had for that passage too.’ to keep on saying “The Kingdom will follow Much later Davis made Elgarian history How does The Kingdom rate alongside at a time and location to be announced”.’ by conducting the premiere of the Third Elgar’s greatest works? ‘For me Gerontius is These days Elgar is one of the composers Symphony – or at least the completion the best of the oratorios, no question,’ Davis Davis most treasures. He declares that says. But doesn’t The Kingdom have one of ‘Gerontius and Mahler Nine are the two pieces Elgar’s greatest tunes? ‘You mean the D flat I love most in the world’. It wasn’t always thus. major one?’ Davis exclaims. ‘Yes, the moment ‘When I was a teenager I was a Stravinsky ‘ when that comes in the prelude always makes nut; well, I still am. Elgar somehow didn’t checked me out over a me go weak at the knees. It’s so beautiful. figure, I guess because I thought his music And I love the passage when the Holy Ghost was old-fashioned.’ cup of instant coffee’ appears in tongues of flame and there’s that Embarked on his career as a conductor, thrilling chorus about walking on the wings however, he soon found himself plunging of the wind. The other great thing about The into the Elgar pool – at the deep end, too. brilliantly imagined by from Kingdom is the ending, which is a celebration ‘My first attempt at Elgar’s First Elgar’s sketches. ‘Maybe it has its longueurs, of the Eucharist and very intimate and Symphony was with the but it’s an extraordinary achievement by personal, not at all grandiose.’ CBSO, which is an orchestra Tony,’ Davis says. ‘Especially as everyone Given how illustrious Davis’s career has I’ve only conducted twice in beforehand had been saying “preposterous, subsequently become – 11 years when he was my entire career, for a variety hubris, against the composer’s wishes” and chief conductor of the BBC SO and music of reasons,’ Davis recalls. so on. Tony used to come down to my house director of Glyndebourne, followed in 2000 ‘It was at the Three Choirs in Sussex with the sketches. He showed me by his appointment as music director of Festival in Hereford Cathedral. a passage in the slow movement, and I said: Chicago Lyric Opera – it comes as a shock to So, no pressure! The audience “That’s marvellous, that’s quintessential learn that his first conducting appointment was probably full of people Elgar!” He replied, “Well, actually Andrew, came about by decidedly underhand means. who had heard Elgar that’s entirely me.” He really put his own Having been at King’s College, conduct it. Anyway, musical style aside for that project.’ , he applied for what was then

vk.com/englishlibrary leading role: Davis conducts the CAST MEMBER BBC Symphony Orchestra at the BBC Proms in 2011 Who is Sir Andrew Davis posing with on this month’s front cover?

proms or bust: Wood with laurel ‘chaplet’

ONE NIGHT IN 1941, during a particularly heavy night of bombing, an incendiary device was dropped on the Queen’s Hall, the then home of the Henry Wood Promenade Concerts. Not much was left of the hall itself, which was eventually demolished, never to be rebuilt, but there was much to salvage, including Portland stone sculptures of the great composers and a large metal bust, covered in paint and found lying long-neglected under the Queen’s Hall’s grand marble staircase. It was only after a thorough cleaning and polishing that the bust was revealed to be made of bronze, and a senior lecturer at the Royal Academy of Music identified it as Donald Gilbert’s a much prized job for an ambitious young a big break: a conductor cancelled and bust of Sir Henry maestro: a two-year assistant conductorship the 26-year-old Davis was asked to take Wood (left), one of with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra. over a BBC Symphony Orchestra concert the founders of what ‘It was very prestigious,’ Davis says. ‘Colin in the Festival Hall. ‘I learnt JanáΩek’s are known today as Davis did it; so, much later, did . Glagolitic Mass in five days,’ he says. ‘The the BBC Proms. The So I applied, but didn’t hear anything. Well, things you do when you’re young and bust, along with the at Cambridge I had a friend called Glyn Bragg confident. Couldn’t do it now!’ stone sculptures, were eventually who by then had become timpanist in the A lot of offers came Davis’s way after housed at the Royal BBC SSO. I phoned him and said: “I’ve got that concert: among them the music Academy of Music this application in, can you find out what’s directorship of the Toronto Symphony where Wood was a happening?” So Glyn went at lunchtime into Orchestra, which he held from 1975 to student and teacher – but legally-binding the office of the woman who was dealing with 1988. In London, the Philharmonia was also conditions were put in place: the bust was the applications. She was out, but on her desk keen to give Davis an associate conducting ‘to be loaned to the British Broadcasting were three piles of applications – a yes pile, a post – but there was a catch. He had to be Corporation for display during the summer no pile and a maybe pile. Well, Glyn found vetted by the orchestra’s new music director, season of the Henry Wood Promenade my application in the maybe pile, and put it in Riccardo Muti. ‘It was a bit odd,’ Davis Concerts, the expenses of removal and the yes file. And that’s how I got my audition! laughs. ‘Muti was only about a year older return to be borne by the Corporation.’ Today, Sir Henry’s bronze is transported I always tell him that my entire subsequent than me, but he was already so self-assured! each year from the RAM to the RAH and career was his fault.’ He insisted he meet me before approving my positioned in front of the organ for the Those apprentice years in proved appointment. So this grand Italian maestro duration of the Proms. On the Last Night, invaluable. ‘We recorded three programmes swept into my tiny house in Kentish Town prommers place a laurel ‘chaplet’ around a week!’ Davis recalls. ‘I got through an and checked me out over a cup of instant his neck, wipe his brow and adorn him with enormous amount of repertoire with a very coffee. Funny that we have now ended party streamers. Which is better than being nice orchestra who were indulgent to an up in the same town: him at the Chicago smothered in paint, we assume… > LEBRECHT, GETTY, CHRIS CHRISTODOULOU inexperienced young man.’ Then in 1970 came Symphony, me at the Lyric Opera.’

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 25 vk.com/englishlibrary Despite Muti’s approval, the 1980s were FABULOUS FIRST NIGHTS a time when Davis became less evident Five notable beginnings to the BBC Proms in British concert halls. It wasn’t just the Toronto job that kept him away. ‘After all the excitement when I first appeared on the scene, I think this was a time when the London critics didn’t think much of me,’ he says frankly. ‘In fact I stopped reading reviews because I thought: “they aren’t going to like it, so why bother?” But every now and again I would call my dad on a Sunday and he would say: “did you read what so-and-so wrote?” I would say “no I didn’t; don’t tell me”, and he would start to read it out and I would slam the phone down. But I remember there being one concert which I thought went fantastically well. So I thought, just this once, I would read a review. Well, I can’t remember who wrote it or what paper it was in, but it was indeed a good review – except that it began with the olympic talents: ‘baton relay’ clause: “Contrary to what we have come to conductors (from left) , expect from this conductor…” And I thought Martyn Brabbins, Mark Elder and Edward “You just can’t win!”’ Gardner; (below) Arthur De Greef; Not entirely true – because Glyndebourne (bottom) an 1895 Proms poster and the BBC clearly thought enough of

10 August, 1895 the programme – the second half Over the years, First Nights have alone featured Rachmaninov’s ranged from those that feature Paganini Rhapsody, Beethoven’s ‘I used to say that just the one major work to Fifth Symphony, Saint-Saëns’s those that showcase a range of Carnival of the Animals, an aria I had the two best different composers, pieces and from Handel’s and, styles. The first ever First Night to round it all off, the overture to jobs in Britain’ – conducted by Henry Wood at Wagner’s Flying Dutchman. Queen’s Hall – definitely fell into Davis to allow him to take up their plum the latter category. A programme of 21 July, 1995 24 works by 24 different composers began How to celebrate the centenary of the conducting posts simultaneously. ‘I used to with the National Anthem, followed by the Proms? By opening the season with one of say that I had the two best jobs in Britain,’ overture from Rienzi by Wagner, a composer the most grandiose works of them all. As he says. ‘And it was fascinating because one whose music has featured more than any Sir Andrew Davis took to the stage, he was was with an orchestra run entirely on public other at the Proms. faced by the massed ranks of three London money, and the other with an opera house cathedral choirs, the Philharmonia, City of run entirely on private money. Yet both were 13 August, 1927 Birmingham Symphony and BBC Symphony able to allocate sufficient rehearsal time to By the time the BBC took over its first Proms choruses, an enlarged BBC Symphony do really interesting projects. I still vividly season, the First Night – still under the baton Orchestra and, of course, the mighty Albert remember those Barbican January weekends of Sir Henry Wood – was still very much a Hall organ. The work was Mahler’s ‘Symphony with the BBC SO. We did a Charles Ives multi-piece jamboree: 20 works in total. of a Thousand’. English music featured strongly, with pieces weekend, and people came in quite large by Elgar, Parry, Quilter and Stanford all on 13 July, 2012 numbers from America!’ the bill, while the evening’s most substantial With the London 2012 Olympics around the How did Davis approach the event that work was Grieg’s Piano Concerto, performed corner, the Proms marked the occasion with is as much a ritual as a concert – the Last by the Belgian pianist Arthur De Greef. a ‘baton relay’ of its own. Four conductors Night of the Proms? ‘With a mixture of keen – Edward Gardner, Sir Roger Norrington, Sir anticipation and dread,’ he replies. ‘It wasn’t 12 July, 1941 Mark Elder and Martyn Brabbins – took it always easy. Remember we did Harrison With Queen’s Hall reduced in turns to conduct an Birtwistle’s Panic at the Last Night of the to rubble by German all-English programme Proms on my watch. Yes, I was lumbered with bombers, the Proms moved that began with the that one! The BBC switchboard was jammed to the Royal Albert Hall for world premiere of Mark- the first time in 1941. The Anthony Turnage’s Canon with complaints because it was in second half indestructible Sir Henry Fever, a three-minute of the concert, which of course is televised live Wood was still there, brass and percussion on BBC One. Mind you, John Drummond though, conducting his 47th ‘fanfare’ commissioned [then the Proms Controller] absolutely loved First Night. Nor was there by BBC Music Magazine to the fact that it was hated so much!’ any wartime rationing of celebrate What about the conductor’s speech? Davis

GETTY, LEBRECHT concocted many witty ones, but the one that

vk.com/englishlibrary SIR ANDREW DAVIS COVER FEATURE

DAVIS ON DISC Five of the conductor’s best

Vaughan Williams Symphonies BBC Symphony Orchestra/ Sir Andrew Davis Warner Classics 2564698483 £20.99 All nine symphonies and some of the shorter orchestral works – a noble journey that paints in fine detail Vaughan Williams’s extraordinary, vivid orchestral colours. Elgar The Crown of India, plus Coronation March BBC Philharmonic/ Sir Andrew Davis Chandos CHAN10570(2) £12.99 knights to remember: Davis and Wood chat ‘The remarkable 1911 about the old days Coronation March, perhaps the least joyous coronation march ever written, confirms itself sticks in people’s memory is the one he sang, About the possibility of just retaking Illinois. in this performance as a parodying the Major-General’s patter-song in Instead we’re here to offer with respect and masterpiece that is on a The Pirates of Penzance. ‘You can listen to it on with humility par with any movement YouTube now,’ he giggles. ‘I said to my wife A slice of British culture in this wonderful from the symphonies.’ “I’ve got to think of something new” and she facility. Holst The Planets said “Why don’t you sing it?” Well, I’ve always You’re saddled with the kind of debt of BBC Symphony Orchestra/ had this talent for writing stupid doggerel. gratitude one rarely owes Sir Andrew Davis The trouble was that the word festival had to But dammit, after all, we’re just a substitute £6.99 Apex 8573890872 appear in the song somewhere, because the for Berlioz.’ ‘There is much to admire Proms are a festival, and the only word that in Andrew Davis’s He is signed up at Chicago Lyric Opera new recording which rhymes with festival is “estival”, which means until 2021, with a Ring cycle scheduled for his approaches the best… The summer. So I had to do this whole preamble penultimate season. ‘It’s a great opera house, BBC Symphony Orchestra introducing the word “estival” so that the the only one in the US that has no deficit,’ is sharply incisive… and the audience would get it.’ he says. ‘I love the sound is truly spectacular.’ In fact that wasn’t city too, though the Elgar Cello Concerto the last time that a winter was so cold Paul Watkins (cello); Davis rewrite of the ‘In March, I always this year. You get used BBC Philharmonic/ Major-General’s song to minus 20 degrees Sir Andrew Davis get very homesick if £12.99 appeared in public. for a few weeks in Chandos CHAN10709 ‘We had planned to January, but this ‘There are times when I’m in America’ a recording of a popular do Berlioz’s opera freeze was endless.’ classic comes along that’s Benvenuto Cellini in Asked if he could so fresh, understanding Chicago in 2002,’ he explains. ‘But after 9/11 see himself living in America for the rest of and heartfelt that there was a big economic crunch and everyone his life, he replies that he hasn’t discussed it it demands to be got nervous about repertoire. So Benvenuto with his wife, the American soprano Gianna approached solely on its Cellini became The Pirates of Penzance. I Rolandi. ‘She lived 13 years in England and own terms.’ know, I know! Of course the critics were livid was – how shall I put this? – very happy to Sibelius Violin Concerto when they heard the news, and they kept on move back to the States,’ he says. ‘And my son (violin); alluding to it. So I wrote a special encore verse is happy studying composition at Roosevelt Bergen Philharmonic for the patter-song.’ University in Chicago. Whereas in March I Orchestra/Sir Andrew Davis And, 12 years later, he sings it word perfect: always get very homesick if I’m in America, Chandos CHSA5134 £12.99 ‘If the presence of the British makes you fear a because I know the daffodils are coming out ‘Conductor Andrew n Davis matches [Jennifer motive sinister in England. Hopelessly romantic, but true.’ Pike’s passionate playing] We long ago concluded you’re impossible to Sir Andrew Davis conducts the BBC with a rich-textured, administer. Symphony Orchestra and Chorus, powerful reading’ Recolonising’s out, although I’ve heard a lot of plus the BBC National Chorus of Wales in Elgar’s silly noise The Kingdom in Prom 1 on 18 July, 7.30pm

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 27 vk.com/englishlibrary on rattling form: the and their principal conductor in 2012 BBC PROMS

2014To help you plan your concert going and listening, we present details of each and every Prom over the following six pages…

FRIDAY 18 JULY Heroes, plus TV themes including R Strauss Der Rosenkavalier PROM 1 ‘Match of the Day’, ‘Test Match (semi-staged sung in German). Kate 7. 30pm– c9.10pm RAH Special’ and ‘Wimbledon’. Gabby Royal (Marschallin), Tara Erraught Elgar The Kingdom. Logan (presenter), Crouch End (Octavian), Lars Woldt (Baron Ochs), (soprano), Catherine Wyn-Rogers Festival Chorus, BBC Concert Teodora Gheorghiu (Sophie), Michael (mezzo), Andrew Staples (tenor), Orchestra/Rebecca Miller Kraus (Herr von Faninal), Miranda Christopher Purves (), BBC Keys (Marianne), Christopher Gillett National Chorus of Wales, BBC PROM 4 (Valzacchi) et al, Glyndebourne Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony 7.30pm–c10.00pm RAH Festival Opera, London Philharmonic Orchestra/Sir Andrew Davis Roxanna Panufnik Three Paths Orchestra/Robin Ticciati to Peace (European premiere), R SATURDAY 19 JULY Strauss Die Frau ohne Schatten WEDNESDAY 23 JULY version, reconstr. P. Wingfield). Barry Holst St Paul’s Suite – Finale (The PROM 2 – symphonic fantasia, Mahler PROM 7 Douglas (piano), Mlada Khudoley Dargason), Wood Fanfare on British 7.30pm–c10.25pm RAH Symphony No. 6 in A minor. World 6.30pm–c9.00pm RAH (soprano), Yulia Matochkina (mezzo), Sea-Songs – Hornpipe, plus music Elgar Pomp and Circumstance March Orchestra for Peace/Valery Gergiev Tavener Gnosis (BBC commission Mikhail Vekua (tenor), Yuri Vorobiev from CBeebies programmes. No. 4, Tchaikovsky -Overture world premiere), Bartók Violin (bass), London Symphony Chorus, BBC Philharmonic/Stephen Bell ‘Romeo and Juliet’, Liszt Piano MONDAY 21 JULY Concerto No. 2, Shostakovich London Symphony Orchestra/Valery Concerto No. 1, Qigang Chen Joie PROMS CHAMBER Symphony No. 10. Sarah Connolly Gergiev PROM 12 éternelle (BBC co-commission UK MUSIC 1 (mezzo), Isabelle Faust (violin), BBC 8.00pm–c10.15pm RAH premiere), Musorgsky, orch. Ravel 1.00pm–c2.00pm Symphony Orchestra/Jirí Belohlávek FRIDAY 25 JULY JS Bach St John Passion. James Pictures at an Exhibition. Haochen Cadogan Hall PROM 10 Gilchrist (Evangelist), Neal Davies Zhang (piano), Alison Balsom Rameau Pièces de clavecin en PROM 8 7. 30pm– c9.50pm RAH (Christus), Lucy Crowe (soprano), (trumpet), China Philharmonic concerts. Les Arts Florissants, Paolo 10.15pm–c11.40pm RAH Walton Variations on a Theme by Clint van der Linde (countertenor), Orchestra/Long Yu Zanzu (/director) Neil Tennant/Chris Lowe (arr. R Niles) Hindemith, Moeran Violin Concerto, (tenor), Rudolf Overture to ‘Performance’, Pet Shop David Horne Daedalus in Flight Rosen (baritone), Zürcher SUNDAY 20 JULY PROM 5 Boys songs (orch. A Badalamenti), (London premiere), Elgar ‘Enigma’ Sing-Akademie, Zurich Chamber PROM 3 7. 30pm– c9.50pm RAH A Man from the Future (orch. S Variations. Tasmin Little (violin), Orchestra/Sir Roger Norrington 10.30am–c12.45pm RAH R Strauss Till Eulenspiegels lustige Helbig) (world premiere). Pet Shop BBC Philharmonic/Juanjo Mena BBC SPORT PROM Streiche, Dvorˇák Violin Concerto, Boys, BBC Singers, BBC Concert SUNDAY 27 JULY Programme to include Beethoven Symphony No. 6. Julia Orchestra/Dominic Wheeler SATURDAY 26 JULY PROM 13 Mozart A Musical Joke – Presto, Fischer (violin), Tonhalle Orchestra PROM 11 11.00am–c11.50am RAH Orff Carmina burana – ‘O Fortuna’, Zurich/David Zinman THURSDAY 24 JULY 11.00am–c11.50am RAH CBEEBIES PROM Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet – PROM 9 CBEEBIES PROM Presenters to include Montagues and Capulets (Dance of TUESDAY 22 JULY 7. 30pm– c9.45pm RAH Programme to include Ben Faulks (Mr Bloom), Gemma Hunt the Knights), Josef Strauss Sport PROM 6 Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1, Barrie Bignold Around Sound (BBC (from Swashbuckle), Chris Jarvis

LEBRECHT Polka, John Williams Summon the 6.30pm–c10.40pm RAH Janácˇek Glagolitic Mass (original commission world premiere), (from Show Me, Show Me), Steven

28 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary BBC PROMS LISTINGS

3.00pm–c4.30pm CH Handel Alessandro – overture, Hasse Artemisia – sinfonia, Paisiello Olimpiade – ‘E mi lasci così?’ … ‘Ne’ giorni tuoi felici’, Lully Phaeton – suite, Vivaldi – ‘Vedrò con mio diletto’, Gluck Orphée et Eurydice – Dance of the Blessed Spirits, Dance of the Furies, Iphigénie en Aulide – ‘Ma fille, Jupiter’, Paisiello Olimpiade – ‘Sciogli, oh Dio! le sue catene’. Myrsini Margariti (soprano), Irini Karaianni (mezzo- soprano), Armonia Atenea/

PROM 21 7.30pm–c10.30pm RAH Porter Kiss Me, Kate. John Wilson Orchestra/John Wilson

SUNDAY 3 AUGUST PROM 22 4.30pm–c6.00pm RAH WAR HORSE PROM Programme to include Bridge Summer, Elgar Two Partsongs, Op. 26 – The Snow, Holst Ave Maria; Home they brought her warrior dead, Ravel Le tombeau de Couperin – excerpts, Adrian Sutton War Horse Suite. Life-Size War Horse Puppets by the Handspring Puppet Company, Proms Military Wives Choir/Gareth Malone; Cambiata North West, BBC Concert Orchestra/ David Charles Abell

PROM 23 8.00pm–c10.15pm RAH John McLeod The Sun Dances (London premiere), Beethoven Symphony No. 4 in B flat major, Mozart, compl. Robert D Levin Requiem in D minor. Carolyn Sampson (soprano), Christine Rice (mezzo-soprano), Jeremy Ovenden (tenor), Neal Davies (bass), National Youth Choir of Scotland, BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra/ Donald Runnicles

MONDAY 4 AUGUST PROM 24 Kynman (Robert the Robot), Wq 59/1, Trio Sonata in C minor, Serail – overture, Handel, arr. minor. Alexandre Tharaud (piano), 6.30pm–c8.25pm RAH BBC Philharmonic/Stephen Bell. ‘Sanguineus and Melancholicus’. Beecham Solomon – The Arrival of BBC Philharmonic/Juanjo Mena Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a For programme details, see Prom 11 Rachel Podger (violin), Katy Bircher the Queen of Sheba, Respighi Belkis, Theme by Thomas Tallis, Mahler (flute), Bojan Cicˇic´ (violin), Tomasz Queen of Sheba. Daniel Hope (violin), THURSDAY 31 JULY Symphony No. 9. BBC Scottish PROM 14 Pokrzywinski (cello), Kristian Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic PROM 19 Symphony Orchestra/Donald 7. 30pm– c9.45pm RAH Bezuidenhout (fortepiano) Orchestra/Sascha Goetzel 7.30pm–c10.05pm RAH Runnicles Ravel Valses nobles et R Strauss Festival Prelude, Deutsche sentimentales, Simon Holt Morpheus PROM 15 PROM 17 Motette, Four Last Songs, Elgar PROM 25 Wakes (BBC commission world 7.30pm–c10.05pm RAH 10.00pm–c11.15pm RAH Symphony No. 2 in E flat major. Inger 9.15pm–c10.30pm RAH premiere), Ravel La valse, Duruflé Jonathan Dove Gaia (BBC Rameau Deus noster refugium, Dam-Jensen (soprano), BBC Singers, Tavener Ikon of Light, Requiem Requiem. (flute), commission world premiere), Mozart Quam dilecta tabernacula, In Royal Philharmonic Fragments (BBC commission world Ruby Hughes (soprano), Gerald Piano Concerto No. 23 in A major, convertendo Dominus. Rachel Orchestra/Vasily Petrenko premiere). Heath Quartet, Tallis Finley (baritone), BBC National K488, Ravel Daphnis and Chloe. Redmond (soprano), Katherine Scholars/Peter Phillips Chorus of Wales, National Youth Ingrid Fliter (piano), BBC Symphony Watson (soprano), Reinoud Van FRIDAY 1 AUGUST Choir of Wales, BBC National Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra/ Mechelen (tenor), Cyril Auvity PROM 20 TUESDAY 5 AUGUST Orchestra of Wales/Thierry Fischer Josep Pons (tenor), Marc Mauillon (baritone), 7. 30pm– c9.4 0pm RAH PROM 26 Cyril Costanzo (bass), Les Arts Gurney War Elegy, Sally Beamish 7. 30pm– c9.50pm RAH MONDAY 28 JULY TUESDAY 29 JULY Florissants/William Christie Violin Concerto (London premiere), Berio Sinfonia, Shostakovich PROMS CHAMBER PROM 16 Walton Symphony No. 1 in B flat Symphony No. 4 in C minor. London MUSIC 2 6.30pm–c8.55pm RAH WEDNESDAY 30 JULY minor. Anthony Marwood (violin), Voices, European Union Youth 1.00pm–c2.00pm CH Balakirev, orch. Lyapunov Islamey PROM 18 BBC SO/Martyn Brabbins Orchestra/Semyon Bychkov CPE Bach Trio Sonata in A major, Wq – oriental fantasy, Holst Beni Mora, 7.30pm–c10.05pm RAH 146, Violin Sonata in C minor, Wq 78, Gabriel Prokofiev Violin Concerto Birtwistle Night’s Black Bird, Ravel SATURDAY 2 AUGUST WEDNESDAY 6 AUGUST Keyboard Sonata in E minor (‘Kenner (BBC commission world premiere), Piano Concerto for the Left Hand, PROMS SATURDAY PROM 27 und Liebhaber’ Collection No. 5), Mozart Die Entführung aus dem Mahler Symphony No. 5 in C sharp MATINEE 1 7.00pm– c9. 25pm RAH >

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 29 vk.com/englishlibrary Wagner Das Liebesverbot – overture, THE PROMS AT CADOGAN HALL Mathias Violin Concerto (London premiere), Elgar Symphony No. 1 in We celebrate ten years of chamber music in SW1 A flat major. Matthew Trusler (violin), BBC National Orchestra of Wales/ Mark Wigglesworth

THURSDAY 7 AUGUST PROM 28 7. 30pm– c9.4 0pm RAH Beethoven Egmont – overture, Luca Francesconi Duende – The Dark Notes (BBC co-commission UK premiere), Stravinksy Oedipus rex. Leila Josefowicz (violin), Allan Clayton (tenor), Hilary Summers (contralto), Juha Uusitalo (bass baritone), Brindley Sherratt (bass), Duncan Rock (baritone), Samuel Boden (tenor), BBC Singers (men’s voices), BBC Symphony Chorus (men’s voices), BBC Symphony Orchestra/Sakari Oramo

FRIDAY 8 AUGUST PROM 29 6.30pm–c9.10pm RAH Casella Elegia eroica, Chopin Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor, Franck Symphonic Variations, Saint-Saëns Symphony No. 3 in C minor, ‘Organ’. Benjamin Grosvenor (piano), David Goode (organ), BBC Philharmonic/ Gianandrea Noseda sloane sounds: harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani and the in 2012 cool romantic: PROM 30 Jonathan Biss and the Iceland FORTUNE SMILED 10.15pm–c11.30pm RAH on as ‘Albertopolis’. The Battle of the Bands Symphony Orchestra perform the music world in 2000 theatre seated 300, Clare Teal (singer/presenter), Schumann in Prom 48 when Earl Cadogan which, remembers Count Pearson Proms Band/James whipped out his wallet Edward Blakeman, Pearson, Duke Windsor Proms Band/ to buy a disused early editor of BBC Radio 3 Grant Windsor No. 1 in D flat major, Harrison 20th-century Christian and the Proms, seemed Birtwistle Sonance Severance 2000, SATURDAY 9 AUGUST Lutosawski Concerto for Orchestra. Science church, tucked about the right size, PROMS SATURDAY Louis Schwizgebel (piano), National away in Sloane Terrace although it did have MATINEE 2 Youth Orchestra of Great Britain/ in London’s SW1, from a rather creaky air- 3.00pm–c4.30pm CH Edward Gardner Mohammed Al Fayed. If conditioning system. CPE Bach Symphony in B minor, MONDAY 11 AUGUST the building had stayed ‘It became impossible, ‘Hamburg’, Harrison Birtwistle in the hands of the because people were Endless Parade, Honegger Pastoral PROMS CHAMBER d’été, Peter Maxwell Davies MUSIC 4 Egyptian entrepreneur almost dying from heat Sinfonia, Sibelius Rakastava. Håkan 1.00pm–c2.00pm CH and former owner of in the audience and on Hardenberger (trumpet), Lapland Prokofiev Five Melodies, Sonata in Harrod, it was reported stage!’ says Blakeman; Chamber Orchestra/John Storgårds C major for two violins, Schubert to have been kitted and, he adds, the Fantasie in C major, D934. Janine out with an indoor hall’s 300 seats were PROM 31 Jansen (violin), Sakari Oramo (violin), RAH Itamar Golan (piano) river running the length of the main selling out the same morning as the 7. 30pm– c9.45pm Berlioz Overture ‘Le corsaire’, space complete with palm trees, and tickets went on sale. ‘We went to look Elgar Sea Pictures, Helen PROM 34 a helipad (no doubt to speed Al Fayed at Cadogan Hall, and it seemed perfect,’ Near Midnight (London premiere), 7. 30pm– c9.55pm RAH to his favourite Proms in time). But it he says. It had 900 seats and, more Beethoven Symphony No. 3 in E flat R Strauss Tod und Verklärung, wasn’t to be, and besides, the Earl knew importantly, windows, which meant major, ‘Eroica’. Alice Coote (mezzo- Burleske, Mozart Rondo in A that the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra that lunchtime Chamber Proms could be soprano), Hallé/Sir Mark Elder major for piano and orchestra, K386, Nielsen Symphony No. 5. was looking for a permanent home in enjoyed in daylight. Cadogan Hall’s larger SUNDAY 10 AUGUST Francesco Piemontesi (piano), which to rehearse and perform. And stage also prompted the invention of the PROM 32 BBC National Orchestra of Wales/ so, in 2004, following a £7.5m face- Saturday Matinees where larger chamber 4.00pm–c6.20pm RAH Thomas Søndergård lift, ‘Cadogan Hall’ was given to the ensembles could be showcased. And Beethoven Symphony No. 1 in C TUESDAY 12 AUGUST RPO, whereupon it became the latest so, on 18 July 2005, the Proms Chamber major, Bruch Violin Concerto No. 1 addition to London’s concert venues. Music series kicked off at Cadogan Hall in G minor, Walton, arr. C. Palmer PROM 35 Henry V: A Shakespeare Scenario. 7.00pm– c9. 20pm RAH The BBC Proms saw an opportunity with baritone and pianist London Philharmonic Choir, Peter Maxwell Davies Caroline too – its Chamber Music series had , who performed songs by Bell (violin/director), Academy of St Mathilde – suite from Act 2, Walton been running since 1997 in the lecture Warlock, Fauré and Barber. Ten seasons Martin in the Fields/ Violin Concerto, Sibelius The Swan theatre at the Victoria and Albert later, and the relationship is still going of Tuonela, Symphony No. 5 in E Museum, a short distance from the RAH, strong, says Blakeman: ‘It’s such an PROM 33 flat major. Mary Bevan (soprano), RAH Kitty Whately (mezzo-soprano), within an area known since the 1850s awfully lovely, comfortable place.’ 7.45pm–c10.00pm Stravinsky Petrushka (1911 James Ehnes (violin), BBC NOW/

SISI BURN/ARENA PAL, SHEILA ROCK, DAVID UNDERDOWN, BEN EALOVEGA version), Prokofiev Piano Concerto Thomas Søndergård

30 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary BBC PROMS LISTINGS

PROM 43 7. 30pm– c9.4 0pm RAH Flying visitors Stravinsky Scherzo fantastique, Rachmaninov The Bells, Stravinsky Overseas orchestras at the Proms Violin Concerto, Tchaikovsky Overture ‘1812’. (violin), Luba Orgonánová (soprano), Stuart debut appearance: Skelton (tenor), Mikhail Petrenko Han-Na Chang conducts (baritone), Crouch End Festival the Qatar Philharmonic Chorus, BBC Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra/Edward Gardner

TUESDAY 19 AUGUST PROM 44 6.30pm–c9.00pm RAH R Strauss Don Juan, Elgar Cello Concerto in E minor, Berlioz Symphonie fantastique. Truls Mørk (cello), Symphony Orchestra/Sir Andrew Davis

PROM 45 10.15pm–c11.30pm RAH LATE NIGHT WITH … WHEN, ON 17 AUGUST 1966, the Moscow Radio Laura Mvula Symphony Orchestra and its conductor Gennady Songs to include Father, Father, Rozhdestvensky launched into the UK premiere Flying Without You, Make Me Lovely, She. Laura Mvula (singer), Metropole of Shostakovich’s The Execution of Stepan Razin, Orchestra/ Proms history was made – this was the first time an orchestra from abroad had appeared at the 71-year-old WEDNESDAY 20 AUGUST festival. The Muscovites were followed the next year PROM 46 by Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw, and a tradition 7. 30pm– c9.45pm RAH Mozart – of visits by overseas orchestras had begun. overture, Kareem Roustom Ramal This year sees that tradition flourish as never (UK premiere), Ayal Adler Resonating before, with 18 symphonic ensembles from across the Sounds (UK premiere), Ravel world parking their buses outside the Royal Albert Hall Rapsodie espagnole, Alborada del Stage Door. Evidently, Proms director Roger Wright gracioso, Pavane pour une infante has spent plenty of quality time in the company of his défunte, Boléro. West–Eastern Divan WEDNESDAY 13 AUGUST major; Mahler Symphony No. 4 in Orchestra/Daniel Barenboim globe, as visiting orchestras range from the Iceland PROM 36 G major. Camilla Tilling (soprano); Symphony in the north to the Melbourne Symphony 6.30pm–c9.05pm RAH London Symphony Orchestra/ THURSDAY 21 AUGUST in the south, and from the Cleveland Orchestra in the Vaughan Williams The Wasps PROM 47 west to the Singapore Symphony, China Philharmonic – overture, Alwyn Symphony 7. 30pm– c9.15pm RAH and Seoul Philharmonic in the east. No. 1, Vaughan Williams The Lark SATURDAY 16 AUGUST Britten War Requiem. Susan Gritton As usual, there are visits from ensembles ancient Ascending, Job – A Masque for PROM 41 (soprano), Toby Spence (tenor), Dancing. (violin), 10.15pm–c11.30pm RAH Hanno Müller-Brachmann (baritone), and revered, not least Germany’s Berlin Philharmonic BBC SO/Sakari Oramo Mozart Symphony No. 40 in G minor, BBC Proms Youth Choir, CBSO/ (Proms 64, 66) and Leipzig Gewandhaus (Proms 73, K550, Dobrinka Tabakova Spinning Andris Nelsons 75), but keep an ear out too for some of the exciting PROM 37 a Yarn, Benedict Mason Meld (BBC new kids on the orchestral block. The performance RAH FRIDAY 22 AUGUST 10.15pm–c11.30pm commission; world premiere). of the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic will be hugely It’s Gonna Rain, Alexandra Wood (violin), Stevie PROM 48 anticipated (see p50), while it will also be interesting The Desert Music. BBC Singers, Wishart (hurdy-gurdy), Chantage, 7.30pm–c10.00pm RAH Endymion/David Hill Aurora Orchestra/Nicholas Collon Haukur Tómasson Magma (UK to hear how, at just seven years old, the Qatar premiere), Schumann Piano Philharmonic is shaping up under its music director, THURSDAY 14 AUGUST SUNDAY 17 AUGUST Concerto in A minor, Leifs Geysir, cellist-turned-conductor Han-Na Chang (Prom 67). PROM 38 PROM 42 Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C 7.30pm–c10.05pm RAH 7. 30pm– c9. 25pm RAH minor. Jonathan Biss (piano), Iceland Sibelius Finlandia, Peter Maxwell Stephan Music for Orchestra (1912), Symphony Orchestra/Ilan Volkov Davies Symphony No. 5, Bridge Kelly Elegy for strings, in memoriam House of the Dead – overture, Januchta (double bass), Royal Oration, Sibelius Symphony No. 2 , Butterworth, orch. SATURDAY 23 AUGUST Dvorˇák Cello Concerto in B minor, String Quartet in D major. Leonard Elschenbroich P Brookes Six Songs from ‘A PROM 49 Beethoven Symphony No. 7 in (cello), BBC Philharmonic/Storgårds Shropshire Lad’, Vaughan Williams 7.30pm–c10.00pm RAH A major. Alisa Weilerstein (cello), PROM 51 A Pastoral Symphony (No. 3); Allan Ravel Mother Goose – ballet, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra/ 3.00pm–c5.15pm RAH FRIDAY 15 AUGUST Clayton (tenor), Roderick Williams Szymanowski Songs of a Fairy Jirí Belohlávek Dvorˇák Slavonic Dance in C major, PROM 39 (baritone), BBC Scottish Symphony Princess (with three additional songs Op. 46/1, Slavonic Dance in E minor, 7.30pm–c10.00pm RAH Orchestra/Andrew Manze orchestrated by Sakari Oramo UK MONDAY 25 AUGUST Op. 72/2, Slavonic Dance in G minor, Rameau Les Indes galantes – suite, premiere), Jukka Tiensuu Voice PROMS CHAMBER Op. 46/8, Grieg Piano Concerto in Bernard Rands Concerto for Piano MONDAY 18 AUGUST verser (UK premiere), Rimsky- MUSIC 6 A minor, Bax Roscatha, Bill Whelan and Orchestra (UK premiere), Mozart PROMS CHAMBER Korsakov Scheherazade. Anu 1.00pm–c2.00pm CH Riverdance: A Symphonic Suite (UK Symphony No. 1 in E flat major, K16, MUSIC 5 Komsi (soprano), BBC Symphony Mozart Piano Sonata in D major premiere). Zhang Zuo (piano), Ulster R Strauss Ein Heldenleben. Jonathan 1.00pm–c2.00pm CH Orchestra/Sakari Oramo K311, Mahler Piano Quartet in A Orchestra/Jac van Steen Biss (piano), BBC Scottish SO/Stenz R Strauss Eight Poems from ‘Letzte minor, R Strauss, arr. R. Leopold Blätter’, Wolf Mörike- and Goethe- SUNDAY 24 AUGUST Metamorphosen (version for PROM 52 PROM 40 Lieder – selection, R Strauss Four PROM 50 septet). Louis Schwizgebel (piano), 7. 30pm– c9. 35pm RAH 6.30pm–c8.30pm RAH Songs, Op. 27 – Nos. 1, 3 & 4. Alice 7. 30pm– c9.50pm RAH Katarzyna Budnik-Gaazka (viola), Brahms, orch. I. Fischer Hungarian Schubert Symphony No. 5 in B flat Coote (mezzo), (piano) Janácˇek, arr. F. Jílek From the Marcin Zdunik (cello), Tomasz Dance No. 14 in D minor, Hungarian >

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 31 vk.com/englishlibrary SEPTEMBER 2010 RADIO & TV LISTINGS

PICK OF THE PROMS The BBC Music editorial team select their must-see concerts

Oliver Condy Editor Proms Saturday Matinee 2 Cadogan Hall, 3pm The Lapland Chamber Orchestra, from northern Finland, makes its BBC Proms debut at Cadogan Hall with a varied diet of English, Finnish, Swiss and German fare. And with several important birthdays to celebrate in the form of Sir Harrison Birtwistle and Sir Peter Maxwell Davies’s 80th, and CPE Bach’s 300th, let’s hope they’ve brought plenty of candles with them. Sibelius’s Rakastava (‘The Lover’) provides a suitably romantic Finnish… Jeremy Pound Deputy editor Prom 60 1 September, 7.30pm As massed brass and thundering organ herald the triumphant conclusion to hugary for more: Respighi’s Pines of Rome, one wonders Iván Fischer conducts the if classical music can get any more thrillingly rowdy. Budapest Festival Orchestra Indeed it can, as the Italian proves when he throws more in Proms 52 and 53 brass, a huge collection of percussion, kitchen sink and all into the mix for the Roman Festivals. At the hands of the RPO’s no-holds-barred maestro , MONDAY 1 SEPTEMBER Dance No. 7 in A major, Hungarian London Philharmonic Choir, Respighi’s Roman Trilogy should be a raucous treat. Dance No. 6 in D major, Mozart London Philharmonic Orchestra/ PROMS CHAMBER March in D major, K335/1, Schubert MUSIC 7 Rebecca Franks Reviews editor CH Symphony No. 8 in B minor, 1.00pm–c2.00pm Prom 4 20 July, 7.30pm ‘Unfinished’, Josef Strauss FRIDAY 29 AUGUST Chopin Ballade No. 1 in G minor, This is your only chance to hear the World Sphären-Klänge – waltz, Johann PROM 57 Mompou Paisajes, Ravel Valses Strauss II Vergnugüngszug – polka, 7. 30pm– c9.10pm RAH nobles et sentimentales, Judith Orchestra for Peace live in the UK this Dvorˇák Legend in B flat minor, Mahler Symphony No. 2 in C Weir Day Break Shadows Flee (BBC year. It’s a seriously classy ensemble, Op. 59/10, Kodály Dances of Galánta. minor, ‘Resurrection’. Kate Royal commission; world premiere), with players drawn from top orchestras around the Budapest Festival Orchestra/ (soprano), Christianne Stotijn Gounod, arr. Liszt Waltz from ‘Faust’. globe, and they’ve put together a programme that’ll Iván Fischer (mezzo-soprano), Swedish Radio Benjamin Grosvenor (piano) showcase their orchestral brilliance and musical Choir, Philharmonia Chorus, TUESDAY 26 AUGUST Swedish Radio Symphony PROM 60 credentials. Strauss’s symphonic fantasia on Die Frau PROM 53 Orchestra/Daniel Harding 7. 30pm– c9.45pm RAH ohne Schatten is paired with Mahler’s Sixth Symphony, 7.00pm– c9.05pm RAH Berlioz Overture ‘Le carnaval while Roxanna Panufnik’s Three Paths to Peace opens Brahms Symphony No. 3 in F major, SATURDAY 30 AUGUST romain’, Walton Sinfonia concertante the concert. Brahms Symphony No. 4 in E minor. PROMS SATURDAY (original version), Respighi Roman Budapest Festival Orchestra/ MATINEE 3 Festivals, Fountains of Rome, Pines Rosie Pentreath Staff writer Iván Fischer 3.00pm–c4.30pm CH of Rome. Danny Driver (piano), Prom 48 22 August, 7.30pm Peter Maxwell Davies Linguae ignis, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra/ Ilan Volkov’s commitment to new music Revelation and Fall, A Mirror of Charles Dutoit PROM 54 manifests itself in his annual Tectonics 10.15pm–c11.30pm RAH Whitening Light. Timothy Gill (cello), Beethoven Missa solemnis. Rebecca Bottone (soprano) London TUESDAY 2 SEPTEMBER Festival curated with Iceland Symphony Lucy Crowe (soprano), Jennifer Sinfonietta/Sian Edwards PROM 61 Orchestra. I’m excited that they’re coming to London to Johnston (mezzo-soprano), 7. 30pm– c9.50pm RAH perform the UK premiere of Icelandic composer Jaukur Michael Spyres (tenor), Matthew PROM 58 Glinka Ruslan and Lyudmila – Tómasson’s Magma and Jón Leifs’s dramatic Geysir. RAH Rose (bass), Monteverdi Choir, 7. 30pm– c9. 35pm overture, Zhou Long Postures The programme is balanced with Beethoven’s Fifth English Baroque Soloists/Sir (sung in (European premiere), Rachmaninov German). Burkhard Ulrich (Herod), Symphony No. 2 in E minor. Andreas and Schumann’s brooding A minor Piano Concerto, Ildikó Komlósi (Herodias), Nina Haefliger (piano), Singapore performed by Jonathan Biss who, like the Iceland WEDNESDAY 27 AUGUST Stemme (Salome), Samuel Youn Symphony Orchestra/Lan Shui Symphony, makes his Proms debut this year. PROM 55 (Jokanaan), Thomas Blondelle 7. 30pm– c9.50pm RAH (Narraboth), Deutsche WED 3 SEPTEMBER Neil McKim Production editor Debussy La mer, Unsuk Chin u, Oper Berlin/Donald Runnicles PROM 62 Prom 30 8 August, 10.15pm Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6 in B 7. 30pm– c9. 35pm RAH Prepare to do battle, jazz style. I’m looking SUNDAY 31 AUGUST minor, ‘Pathétique’. Wu Wei (sheng), Beethoven Symphony No. 8 in F forward to this Proms first, a ‘battle of Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra/ major, Berlioz Romeo and Juliet – PROM 59 the bands’, where two modern-day big Myung-Whun Chung 7. 30pm– c9. 25pm RAH Romeo Alone, Dvorˇák Symphony Richard Strauss Elektra (sung No. 9 in E minor, ‘From the New bands (led by James Pearson and Grant Windsor) get THURSDAY 28 AUGUST in German). Christine Goerke World’. Stuttgart Radio Symphony transported back to the heady atmosphere of the PROM 56 (Electra), Gun-Brit Barkmin Orchestra/Sir Roger Norrington 1940s’ Swing era. Singer and presenter Clare Teal will 7. 30pm– c9. 35pm RAH (Chrysothemis), Felicity Palmer host the proceedings as, armed with the music of Duke THURSDAY 4 SEPTEMBER Holst The Planets, Schoenberg Five (Clytemnestra), Robert Künzli Ellington and Count Basie, the bands play Orchestral Pieces, Op. 16, Scriabin (Aegisthus), Johan Reuter (Orestes) PROM 63 harder, louder and faster. Prometheus: The Poem of Fire. et al, BBC Singers, BBC Symphony 7. 30pm– c9.45pm RAH

MARCO BORGGREVE Alexander Toradze (piano), Orchestra/Semyon Bychkov John Adams Short Ride in a Fast

32 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary BBC PROMS LISTINGS

Birmingham Contemporary Brahms Symphony No. 2 in D major. Songs to include Poses, Going to a THE PROMS ON AIR Music Group/ Cleveland Orch/Franz Welser-Möst Town, Cigarettes and Chocolate Milk, Over the Rainbow, Dinner at Eight. What to expect from your TV PROM 66 PROM 70 Rufus Wainwright (singer), Britten 7.00pm–c10.45pm RAH 10.15pm–c11.30pm RAH Sinfonia/Johannes Debus and radio this year JS Bach St Matthew Passion Sir Peter Maxwell Davies Concert (staging by Peter Sellars; sung Overture ‘Ebb of Winter’ (London FRIDAY 12 SEPTEMBER talent: in German), Mark Padmore premiere), Strathclyde Concerto PROM 75 (Evangelist), Christian Gerhaher No. 4, An Orkney Wedding, with 7. 30pm– c8.55pm RAH soprano Danielle (Christus), Camilla Tilling (soprano), Sunrise. Dimitri Ashkenazy (clarinet), Friedrich Cerha Paraphrase on the de Niese presents Magdalena Kozená (mezzo-soprano), Scottish Chamber Orchestra/ Opening of Beethoven’s Symphony (tenor), Eric Owens Ben Gernon No. 9, Beethoven Symphony No. 9 (tenor), Berlin Radio Choir, Berlin in D minor, ‘Choral’. Christina Philharmonic Orchestra/ TUESDAY 9 SEPTEMBER Landshamer (soprano), Gerhild Sir Simon Rattle PROM 71 Romberger (mezzo-soprano), Steve 7. 30pm– c9.4 0pm RAH Davislim (tenor), Dmitry Belosselskiy SUNDAY 7 SEPTEMBER Copland Appalachian Spring – suite, (bass), Members of the Leipzig PROM 67 Quiet City, Rodeo – Four Dance Opera Chorus, Leipzig Gewandhaus 3.30pm–c5.50pm RAH Episodes, Brubeck, arr. C. Brubeck Choir, Leipzig Gewandhaus Behzad Ranjbaran Seemorgh – Blue Rondo à la Turk (UK premiere), Children’s Choir, London Symphony The Sunrise (European premiere), Chris Brubeck Travels in Time for Chorus, Leipzig Gewandhaus Rachmaninov Piano Concerto Three (UK premiere). Time for Orchestra/ No. 2 in C minor, Tchaikovsky Three, BBC Concert Orchestra/ Symphony No. 5 in E minor. Keith Lockhart SATURDAY 13 SEPTEMBER Denis Matsuev (piano), Qatar PROM 76 Philharmonic Orchestra/ WED 10 SEPTEMBER RAH IF YOU’RE NOT in the position to go to many (or any) 7.30pm–c10.30pm Han-Na Chang PROM 72 THE LAST NIGHT OF THE PROMS Proms this year, what’s the BBC offering this year in its 7. 30pm– c9.55pm RAH Gavin Higgins Velocity (BBC television and radio coverage? As always, each Prom PROM 68 Vaughan Williams Fantasia on commission; world premiere), Arnold is broadcast live on Radio 3 and online in HD sound, 7. 30pm– c9. 35pm RAH ‘Greensleeves’, Sir Harrison Overture ‘Peterloo’ (new choral but this year there will be a special dedicated Proms Brahms Academic Festival Overture, Birtwistle Exody, Walton Viola version with lyrics by Sir Tim Rice; button on the BBC iPlayer Radio App. And while all of Jörg Widmann Flûte en suite (UK Concerto, Vaughan Williams world premiere), Walton Façade – premiere), Brahms Symphony Symphony No. 4 in F minor. Lise Popular Song, Chausson Poème, the performances will be available online for a further No. 1 in C minor. Joshua Smith Berthaud (viola), BBC Symphony Tavener Song for Athene, R Strauss seven days post performance, many of them will be (flute), Cleveland Orchestra/Franz Orchestra/Andrew Litton Taillefer, Khachaturian Gayane – gathered together in ‘collections’ for 30 days on the Welser-Möst Sabre Dance, Ravel Tzigane, Kern, Proms website. THURS 11 SEPTEMBER arr. R. Williams Show Boat – ‘Ol’ Man MONDAY 8 SEPTEMBER Away from Radio 3, most other BBC stations are in PROM 73 River’, Trad., arr. Williams Joshua Fit on the action. Radio 5 live celebrates its 20th birthday PROMS CHAMBER 7.00pm– c8.50pm RAH the Battle of Jericho, Richard M & MUSIC 8 Mahler Symphony No. 3 in D minor. Robert B Sherman Mary Poppins – with the Sports Prom on 20 July, while Radio 4 has 1.00pm–c2.00pm CH Gerhild Romberger (mezzo-soprano), medley, Ansell Plymouth Hoe, Arne, enlisted its early evening current affairs programme Shostakovich, arr. L. Atovmyan Leipzig Opera and Gewandhaus arr. Sargent Rule, Britannia!, Elgar PM to commission composer Tom Harrold to write Four Waltzes, Walton Façade. Ian Choir (women’s voices), Leipzig Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 a piece. He’ll be incorporating everyday sounds Bostridge (reciter), Felicity Palmer Gewandhaus Children’s Choir, in D major (‘Land of Hope and Glory’), recorded and submitted by PM’s listeners, including (reciter), Nash Ensemble/John Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra/ Parry, orch. Elgar Jerusalem, The Wilson Riccardo Chailly National Anthem (arr. Britten). Janine wood chopping and trampolining. Radio 1 will be Jansen (violin), broadcasting Prom 45, Late Night with Laura Mvula, PROM 69 PROM 74 (soprano), John Daszak (tenor), and Radio 2 will feature the Battle of the Bands on 8 7.00pm– c9.10pm RAH 10.15pm–c11.30pm RAH Roderick Williams (baritone), August and the BBC Proms in the Park on 13 September. Brahms Tragic Overture, Jörg LATE NIGHT WITH… BBC Singers, BBC Symphony This year’s new TV presenters, sharing the almost Widmann Teufel Amor (UK premiere), Rufus Wainwright Chorus, BBC SO/Sakari Oramo 30 televised Proms between them, will no doubt shake things up a bit. Joining Proms regulars Katie Derham, Suzy Klein, Petroc Trelawny and are Radio 3 warm walton : Night Waves presenter Samira Ahmed, actor Simon violist Lise Berthaud Russell Beale, violinist Daniel Hope, baritone Rodney appears in Prom 72 Earl Clarke, organist Wayne Marshall, soprano and one-handed pianist Nicholas McCarthy.

Machine, Saxophone Concerto (UK Songs to include Paloma Faith, arr. premiere), Mahler Symphony No. 1 G. Barker Picking Up the Pieces, in D major. Timothy McAllister (alto Can’t Rely on You, Only Love Can sax), BBC Symphony Orchestra/ Hurt Like This, Upside Down. Marin Alsop Paloma Faith (singer), Urban Voices Collective, Guy Barker Orchestra/ FRIDAY 5 SEPTEMBER Guy Barker PROM 64 6.30pm–c8.35pm RAH SATURDAY 6 SEPTEMBER Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances, PROMS SATURDAY Stravinsky The Firebird, Berlin MATINEE 4 Philharmonic Orchestra/Simon Rattle 3.00pm–c4.30pm Cadogan Hall PROM 65 Harrison Birtwistle Verses for 10.15pm–c11.30pm RAH Ensembles, Dinah and Nick’s LATE NIGHT WITH … Love Song, Meridian. Christine

CHRIS DUNLOP, NEDA NAVAEE Paloma Faith Rice (mezzo-soprano), Exaudi,

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 33 vk.com/englishlibrary The James Naughtie interview HARRISON BIRTWISTLE

Despite his 80th birthday looming this month, the British composer remains as much of a creative force of nature as ever – and, he says, he has absolutely no intention of taking a breather any time soon…

PHOTOGRAPHY RICHARD CANNON

e’re sitting in the Savile Club days. In MacCaig’s poem Stars and Planets, he in London, and Sir Harrison writes: ‘They seem so twinkle-still, but they Birtwistle doesn’t waste never cease Inventing new spaces and huge a moment. We’ve hardly explosions And migrating in mathematical exchangedW pleasantries before he’s leading me tribes over The steppes of space at their into a proper discussion, for which I’m not outrageous ease.’ prepared. He wants to talk about ‘deep time’. ‘The Universe is a big do-nut, isn’t it?’ He begins with the gentle observation that reflects Birtwistle. ‘Stretching farther than he’s not sure what he’s talking about. Neither we can ever see, and really that shape is time. do I, I confess with relief. But as we begin I It’s something different from day-to-day time, know that he has a perfectly clear idea what a poetic image really, but I find the idea of he means: it will be my job to keep up. This deep time attractive.’ He recalls that his first is a typical conversation with Harry, which orchestral piece was The Triumph of Time. is what everyone calls him sooner or later, That conception of movement, the vastness because he is a master of subtle seduction in of infinity and the ‘outrageous’ confidence of talking about music. Within a few minutes the planets contrasts with the puny efforts we you’re led into the maze of his mind as if he’s make to measure the days, and our lives. In gone for a wander, before you realise that it time and space: a way, it’s that cage that Harry Birtwistle has is all a benign deception: he is utterly sure spent his life trying to escape. He thinks of his ‘The Universe is a of where he’s going, and surrounded by that big do-nut, isn’t it?’ music as a wrestling match with time, always grey halo of curly and beard, his eyes are reflecting something from the immediate diamond bright. past but necessarily on the move. I’m reminded of a conversation we had Fortunately, he gives me a hand-hold. In the year of his 80th birthday, which is some years ago at his home in Wiltshire, He’s discovered, thanks to his son Silas, the the cause of much celebratory performance of where we sat for a while in the shed at the poetry of Norman MacCaig (1910-96) who his work both at the BBC Proms and beyond, bottom of the garden where he works, and was one of the great figures of the Scottish that restlessness remains. He is famously he wondered aloud how imagination might literary renaissance that began in the 1930s. hard-working, as full of ideas as ever, and he have been shaped by the times when he played Since I love MacCaig’s work, which is a mentions a short piece for voices and chamber as a boy in disused mine workings around blend of the metaphysical and rich lyricism, orchestra – only six instruments – that he’s Accrington, where he discovered the joys of I begin to tune in to the Birtwistle idea of writing for tenor Mark Padmore. I wonder if exploring dark, twisted tunnels. I feel as if I’m time – a sphere that stretches far beyond our there are any full-scale operatic works in the entering one with him. mechanical description of the passing of the pipeline, and when he says, ‘I worry if there’s >

34 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary vk.com/englishlibrary For information on Steinway & Sons or to arrange a private appointment to visit our London showrooms, please call 0207 487 3391 or email [email protected]

WWW.STEINWAYHALL.CO.UKvk.com/englishlibrary enough time’ I mistakenly conclude that he’s thinking of his age. He’s not; it’s just that there’s so much else on the go. And opera takes time. From commission to performance The Minotaur (2008) was a five- year job, so he has no thoughts about one at the moment. A Piano Concerto is finished – titled Responses – which will have its premiere in Boston later this year, and you sense that there will always be a new idea ready to set him off. That thought prompts a fascinating discussion about his method of composition. ‘When you think of a work – a piece of music, anything – you think of it as a complete thing, not as a succession of notes,’ he says. ‘You hear it all in your mind, if you know what I mean. It’s like a ball of string, tied up and bound up in itself. You don’t need to tease it out. And when I’ve worked on an idea, it’s like that. Then when I start writing, it all changes. It has to. But the idea has to be complete at the beginning, although at the end it has changed. Does that make sense?’ He illustrates his point by talking about repetition. ‘When you repeat a note, it’s

The Daily Mail said that Panic was ‘a horrible cacophony’ different every time. Repetition – even in the course of a few seconds – doesn’t mean that you’re making the same sound. Think of an oak tree, which we all recognise. You recognise an oak leaf. They all look the same. But when you look closely you find that composing thoughts: they’re all slightly different. It’s like that with ‘When you repeat a note, it’s notes – they change with the context, and the different every time’ context is always shifting.’ The percussive qualities of Birtwistle’s early work especially is one of its hallmarks, and that brought him an audience that had barely with menace. This was the piece that first through seven decades as a composer – he known him before – was the startling way entranced the conductor Oliver Knussen, thinks he began when he was seven or eight – in which he was able to freeze the story at its who subsequently became such a notable he’s explored the tension between a sound that turning points and allow you to see it from the proselytiser of Birtwistle’s music. And within seems to be replicated again and again, but is other side. As an example of Birtwistle’s art a few years, Peter Hall had persuaded him to different every time. We’re hearing something it’s perfect – taking a poem with unstoppable come to the new National Theatre as house that’s appears the same but is also on the narrative power, slowing it down and turning composer. Presented with the challenge of move. Similarly in opera, he loves a shifting it round so that it takes on an entirely new stage discipline, he was able to develop a perspective that can take a scene and present shape. It’s a remarkable opera, though last compressed style that could present complex it from different angles. The audience moves year’s production at Salzburg clearly distressed ideas in a few moments and, in the course of backwards and forwards in time, and you’re him. The size of the stage offered spectacular an evening, paint a textured backdrop for the never allowed to settle into a predictable possibilities, but they were thrown away. action. As a composer’s laboratory, it was a pattern of expectation. Musically exciting; dramatically weak. There place of excitement and discovery. The recording of Gawain from the Royal isn’t much point in opera like that. Birtwistle acknowledges that he wasn’t Opera House made by Radio 3 in 1994, with Drama is important to Birtwistle. His really sure what he was meant to be doing Sir John Tomlinson as the Green Knight, has first opera, Punch and Judy, exploded onto there. He simply got on with it, sometimes just been reissued by NMC and one of the the stage in 1967 with a violent crack. The scribbling notes on the way to the South Bank reasons for the success of the opera – a work story was unforgiving, the music simmering from Twickenham where he then lived, no

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 37 vk.com/englishlibrary THE JAMES NAUGHTIE INTERVIEW FEATURE

doubt to the bemusement of commuters. on the stage: And these years honed the disciplines that Birtwistle rehearses his he’d learned in the 1960s, turning him Bow Down with poet into a composer who, by the mid-’80s, was Tony Harrison, 1977 acknowledged as an original and powerful voice. He was knighted in 1988. Yet wider recognition had yet to come. Two strange events conspired to complete the job. The first was the 1994 revival of Gawain (1990) at Covent Garden which produced a much-publicised demonstration by self-styled defenders of a musical tradition which they felt was besmirched by Birtwistle’s acceptance at the . But they seemed to be complaining that Gawain didn’t sound like Lehár’s . It would have been strange if it had. And although the opera divided opinion – what new piece doesn’t? – the idea that it was a dangerous assault on the sensitivities of music-lovers was quickly exploded. People could like it or not, but was it really a piece of subversion? The second event was, in 1995, the decision of BBC Proms director John Drummond to schedule the premiere of Birtwistle’s Panic for the Last Night. Not as radical as it seems, as the appearance of a short new work on the Last Night was a Proms tradition, but that repertoire is well-known (Tchaikovsky is a be explored. didn’t stop the onslaught. The Daily Mail said particular bête noire, and, maybe surprisingly, In a fascinating series of conversations with it was ‘a horrible cacophony’ and the Daily Richard Strauss gets the treatment too). But former BBC Music Magazine editor Fiona Express that it was ‘unmitigated rubbish’. then you’ll also hear him expressing wonder Maddocks, recently published by Faber and The papers gleefully reported TV and radio at the Schumann Piano Concerto, although Faber under the title Wild Tracks (reviewed listeners ringing the BBC to complain about it has the label of ‘concert warhorse’ usually next month), he talks about of the insult that had been done to them. plastered all over it. In short, there is nothing Responses, which will be heard for the first Drummond, of course, was in his element. angry about Harry Birtwistle. His restlessness time this autumn. I ask him to describe it. With the mischievous loftiness that he had – the desire to create something new, again ‘I didn’t wanted it to be a concerto in which had perfected like no one else, he boomed his and again – is shot through with a kind of the soloist and the orchestra are playing the contempt for the philistines. And he won. serenity. There is nothing to prove now, only same music. They’re talking to each other In retrospect, it was the period in which another intellectual and musical maze to instead. But it’s a conversation rather than an Birtwistle’s audience widened spectacularly. argument. A conversation.’ He would always come up with new That word is intriguing because it implies challenges for his listeners and never be a intimacy. Thinking about the scale of some comfortable composer, but he was accepted of his orchestral works – the complexity of by an increasing number of people as an texture, his ability to manage a big noise and irresistible voice. make sense of it – you’re aware of way he can Now, on the verge of his ninth decade, he control forces that seem powerful enough to stands at the pinnacle of contemporary music- overwhelm everything else and turn them making. And, appropriately, he feels himself into something delicate. Even in his many drawn back to 18th- and 19th-century music chamber pieces – there’s a birthday selection that for many years he had let slip away. ‘Early of recordings issued by ECM (see p82) – the on I only listened to music before Bach,’ energy seems volcanic but never threatening. he reflects. That has changed. He wants to Harrison Birtwistle’s voice is his own. It talk about Beethoven. ‘The other day I was is passionate, but gentle; unforgiving but listening to Opus 111 [the last Piano Sonata, humane. And his energy is undimmed. When in C minor]. And listening with what you we part, he’s talking about the work that might call a composer’s ear, you’re struck still has to be done, birthday or no birthday. by the astonishing music. Originality in There’s much more to come. n everything. He does something amazing, The various Birtwistle works harmonically speaking, and you think “How’s featured at this year’s BBC Proms he going to get himself out of that one?” And begin with the Proms premiere of ‘Night’s Black of course he does, every time. Miraculous.’ Bird’, played by the BBC Philharmonic under

ARENA PAL Birtwistle’s dislike of much of the Juanjo Mena on 30 July

38 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary NEW FROM ONYX To mark the UK debut at the BBC Proms of the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic Orchestra ONYX4124

New release from the Borusan Istanbul Phiharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Sascha Goetzel Rimsky-Korsakov Scheherazade, Balakirev Islamey, Ippolitov-Ivanov Two Caucasian Sketches, Erkin Köçekçe

‘an exciting disc that deserves ‘This is a notably impressive ONYX4048 ONYX4086 the widest currency’ calling card’ Gramophone BBC Music Magazine 'The Turkish all-stars give hard ‘This is a most impressive debut’ edged performances.... Independent Record Review another excellent recording' BBC Radio 3 CD Review

BBC Prom 29 July, 6.30 , live on BBC Radio 3, www.onyxclassics.com and on BBC 4 TV on 31 August vk.com/englishlibrary Turkish march Just 15 years since its players gathered for their first rehearsal in a car showroom, the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic is heading to London for its first BBC Proms appearance. Helen Wallace visits this scintillating ensemble on its home patch

e’re careering up a freeway conglomerates. After edging our way through Cyrus, and who worked out how to stage W into the outskirts of Istanbul. Land Rovers, Aston Martins and hulking Peter Grimes on Aldeburgh beach. If anyone Far from the glittering jeeps we ascend to a stuffy, metal-roofed can succeed, it’s Hatch.) I’m here with a party monuments of the city’s imperial past, this is hangar above the showroom, where an of journalists to hear the orchestra record its a place of weed-blown parking lots and half- orchestra is warming up: welcome to the third disc, a Russo-Turkish programme with a built industrial estates, the outer reaches of a studio of the Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic twist. Gathered around trays of lavish pastries city whose population is thought to exceed Orchestra (BIPO). and cups of bitter coffee, the players prepare 28 million. Where dishevelled houses appear If it sounds unprepossessing, it is. The for the sessions in an atmosphere of spirited to be sliding into a gravel pit, adorned with ‘garage studio’ was constructed with screens anticipation, but fall silent as Sascha Goetzel, wild flowers and piles of rubbish, we come and marine plywood to the plan of sound their quietly charismatic principal conductor to a gleaming, steel-built car showroom, engineer Mike Hatch for the BIPO’s first and artistic director, enters the hangar. a BMW dealership owned by Borusan recording in 2009. (This is the man from The moment they begin playing, the car Holdings, a pipeline and materials business Floating Earth who does the live sound for showroom melts away. A zinging launch that has become one of the country’s leading pop stars, such as Gary Barlow and Miley into Ulvi Cemal Erkin’s Köçekçe reveals an

40 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary BORUSAN ISTANBUL PHILHARMONIC FEATURE

the country, the resident ensemble of the International Istanbul Festival and already the first Turkish orchestra to perform at the . It is a significant achievement for a young orchestra, though its privately funded status has given it a level of security and self-determination that few state- funded ensembles enjoy (there are around 12 orchestras in Turkey, including the privately funded Bilkent Symphony Orchestra, of Bilkent University in Ankara). BIPO’s artistic mission is also rather different, as Sascha Goetzel, once a violinist in the Vienna Philharmonic, explains to me later when we chat over a table groaning with aromatic meze. ‘We’ve worked very hard and very closely over the last five years to create something distinctive,’ he reflects. ‘This ensemble needs to be far more than a duplicate European symphony orchestra. We should be building a musical bridge between East cultural hub: the Borusan Music House, and West, developing a new audience and in Istanbul’s artistic quarter providing an open space for Turkish musicians to explore further. Our intention is to find a common ground between the two worlds.’ up,’ explains Erenli. ‘The next year it was It’s clearly far more than a well-funded 80, and it has become more and more career opportunity for the aspiring Austrian. popular. We now have a pool of 140 players His vision is reflected in a concert series and we’ve developed a rotation system to featuring a classy mix of top international give the maximum number of young string soloists (soprano Renée Fleming, tenor Juan players an opportunity, while keeping the Diego Flórez and , who was wind and brass the same.’ delighted to play Mozart’s Turkish Violin Each season the orchestra invites a high- Concerto with the authentic percussion) to london: profile business leader to conduct a gala and home-grown talent (pianists Fazil Say the BIPO and (right) concert to raise money for a post-graduate and the Pekinel sisters, and soprano Çigˇdem artistic director scholarship abroad. While most of the Soyarslan), plus projects that reach out to the Sascha Goetzel players have trained in local conservatoires, wider musical community. He was approached there’s a thirst for experience in Europe, and by so many young Turkish composers that impressively tight outfit, with a razor-sharp the BIPO has now set up a dedicated project: rhythmic edge and deep mahogany colours. 5-to-10-minute scores can be submitted, a day Balakirev’s Islamey is flecked with piquant is given to rehearsing them and one is chosen wind solos, and crackling and the Turkish and Arabic each year to perform in a concert, along with string sound blooms in what I feared would percussion add texture three new commissions. be a rather closed, boxy acoustic. Turkish And besides nurturing the new, Goetzel and Arabic percussion (see box, overleaf) add to Scheherazade has the enviable privilege of presenting subtle texture to parts of Rimsky-Korsakov’s Turkish premieres of core classics: ‘Can Scheherazade, all part of the intriguing you imagine how exciting it was for me to programme that, in August, the BIPO close ties with a handful of musicians from conduct the Turkish premiere of Beethoven’s will bring to the Royal Albert Hall as the Hungary, Romania and Austria who have Missa Solemnis or Mahler’s Sixth Symphony, first Turkish orchestra ever to appear at the performed in the orchestra since its inception. or Richard Strauss’s Salome? The audience BBC Proms. When I ask one trumpeter from Bucharest reactions have been electric, extraordinary. This is an ensemble that defies lazy why he still makes time for the sessions, he is And we plan to do many more… A Ring cycle, stereotypes. Female players dominate, unequivocal: ‘These are great players, so lively for example; who knows?’ including its young, Juilliard School-trained and enthusiastic, and the standard just keeps One has only to look at the three carefully concertmaster, the result of auditions held not rising. As for Istanbul, there’s nowhere like it; curated BIPO recordings on the Onyx label only behind screens but also, I’m informed by you couldn’t keep me away!’ for evidence of Goetzel’s mission. The first, the BIPO’s general manager Ahmet Erenli, The Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic released in 2010, combined works by Paul carefully carpeted so no high heels can be Orchestra is just 15 years old this year, and Hindemith, who worked with president detected. The age range is between 35 and 42, has evolved from a small ensemble of young Kemal Atatürk to set up the first conservatoire and energy levels are high. ‘When auditions Turks with support from other European in Ankara in 1924, with those of Florent were first held in 1999, under our founding musicians to a 90 per cent Turkish orchestra Schmitt, a tourist who fell under the spell of conductor Gürer Aykal, eight players turned of high-calibre players drawn from all over the dizzyingly ornate Topkapi Palace. Music >

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 41 vk.com/englishlibrary ‘Sascha’s idea was to recreate the original they were taking a risk – by October last Eastern sounds sounds that inspired Rimsky-Korsakov and his year, the Ministry of Culture had withdrawn The Borusan’s Turkish instruments contemporaries with real instruments.’ There’s its financial contribution to the ‘dissenter’ certainly a heady atmosphere to this one, with theatres that supported those same Gezi ravishing violin solos accompanied by the protests. A proposal to dissolve Turkey’s qanun (see box), improvisational interludes Arts Council-equivalent was put forward from the oud and ney, and glints of Arabic and earlier this year, which has yet to go through Turkish percussion, including a triangle made parliament. While the spin insisted this will in 1810. It’s beautifully integrated, to the extent simply be a more efficient re-organisation, it feels familiar, as is the ney flute in Ippolitov- it was clear that the government would have Ivanov’s Caucasian Sketches. more direct control over where money should A phrase Goetzel uses in the sleeve note be allocated. is ‘dominant plurality’, an ideal of cultural This troubling background makes the work interchange that Istanbul has long symbolised of Borusan Culture and Arts (BCA) ever more with its mosques, minarets, palaces and crucial to Turkey’s and, particularly, Istanbul’s good pluck: the traditional harp-like qanun church domes. Yet there is a growing musical landscape. In a press conference at n The qanun (above), used by the BIPO ambivalence towards Western culture and their elegant Music House in Istiklal Avenue to accompany the violin solos of Rimsky- a suspicion from sections of the population in the fashionable Beyog˘lu district, the BCA’s Korsakov’s Scheherazade, and mentioned in director Zeynap Hamedi speaks about its long- the Tales of the Arabian Nights, is a middle- term commitment to the orchestra. Each year eastern type of harp, related to the psaltery BCA puts in $6m, receiving $500,000 in ticket and dulcimer. The trapezoid-shaped sound ‘We should be building income, with a subscriber-base of 1,200 and box is strung with 78 strings (26 sets of 100 free tickets given to students at each major three) stretched over a bridge, and attached a bridge between to wooden pegs; an intricate system of concert. In addition, it supports the Borusan metal keys creates quarter tones. It is played East and West’ Quartet, Borusan Virtuosi, a children’s choir, by plucking the strings with the and is a sponsor of the prestigious International fingers or flexible plectra. Istanbul Music Festival. Chamber and jazz n An oud (left) is a form of lute. and, more significantly, the government that concerts are presented in their building, which Turkish ouds are smaller than their arts are bourgeois and elitist. In April 2012, houses a valuable music library. BCA also has Arabic counterparts, more lightly Turkish PM Tayyip Erdog˘an, upset by actors an important art collection, open to the public constructed, with a brighter, cleaner ‘flaying government policy’, announced that one day a week. During the financial boom sound, and tuned a note higher. he would privatise the state theatres, noting years, many large corporations acquired such The oud is used in both popular that the State would support only the plays it collections, but the Borusan is one of the few and classical Turkish music. approved. Last year members of the orchestra to have sustained its work up to the present n The ney is an end-blown joined the protest in Taksim Square against day. As the diminutive Hamedi remarks rather flute that is prominent in Erdog˘an’s decision to build over one of the icily, ‘This is not a hobby. We are dedicated to middle-eastern music, and city’s last remaining parks, Gezi. continuing these projects’. has been played for 4,500- Though these were individuals only, Her words are perhaps more loaded than 5,000 years, making it one of the oldest musical instruments. not under the banner of the BIPO, they we journalists realise. I later learn that, in Made from a hollow cane or reed with five were joining part of a wider protest against 2011, the high-flying Akbank Chamber or six finger holes and one thumb hole, the government interference in the arts. And Orchestra was dissolved in a shock closest Western equivalent is a recorder. announcement by its funder, Akbank, one n The kudüm is a rhythm instrument in reaching out: of Turkey’s biggest banks. Few had predicted classical Turkish music, played with wooden ‘The audience reactions have such a ‘strategic decision’, since Akbank was sticks, and used by the BIPO alongside been electric, extraordinary’ owned by the Sabanci Group, revered as a darbuka, def, and bendir drums. It consists long-term supporter of fine arts in Turkey. of a pair of small, hemispherical drums made The hope invested in the BIPO is palpable: of beaten copper, one larger than the other, if it can fulfil a positive ambassadorial role the high-pitched (tek) and lower (düm). while building and serving its home audience (and it regularly plays to sold-out houses) there’s a chance it will develop in unique ways. from the Machine Age, their second, was an As Emrah Tokalaç, a Turkish musicologist imaginative collection of works from that working in London, puts it: ‘The survival of period of huge change in Turkey, when Atatürk the BIPO is vital for Turkey’s musical psyche. sent composers like Erkin to study in . Classical music is no longer encouraged by The new recording of music by Rimsky- the government, as it was in Atatürk’s day, Korsakov, Ippolitov-Ivanov, Balakirev and yet it has become a natural, if small, part of Erkin delves into the musical currents flowing the national music scene, and needs private between the Bosphorus and the Black Sea. support to flourish.’ n ‘There are 200 recordings of Scheherazade The Borusan Istanbul out there, so we couldn’t just do another,’ Philharmonic Orchestra appears explains Onyx CEO Matthew Cosgrove. in Prom 16 on Tuesday 29 July at 6.30pm

42 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary ‘the Orchestra gleamed with typical warmth and radiance’ TIME OUT, NEW YORK

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MUSIC CONDUCTOR MUSIC DIRECTOR MARIN ALSOP vk.com/englishlibrary US Festival Round up US Festival Round up US Festival Round up 3LNLUKYL  .YtNVPYL ev, Tchaikovsky, Tchaikovsky, ev, HUK.LULYHS4HUHNLY (Y[PZ[PJ+PYLJ[VY www.festivaloperaquebec.com LORIN MAAZELLORIN DIRECTOR ARTISTIC of Concerts plus Symphonic Proko Mozart, more! and Bernstein $20 - $120 FROM TICKETS NOW! PURCHASE www.castletonfestival.org visit www.castletonfestival.org 866.974.0767 or call Virginia Castleton, It’s a rendez-vous! rendez-vous! a It’s ®  LKNL  Javier Arrey Javier G. B. SHAW G. B.  -HSS vk.com/englishlibrary

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PHOTOGRAPHY TOBY AMIES

n the centre of the stage at the Royal ‘You have to be aware of the music, but you’re Albert Hall, a piano tuner in a bright also listening through your headphones to blue hard hat is at work. She’s deep the production assistant who’s calling out the in concentration, despite stage hands shot we’re on, the shot that’s coming next and, nervouslyI creeping around her and lugging if there’s a move within that shot, how long an enormous tam-tam. It’s still only 11am you’ve got to finish your move.’ but preparations are well underway for this Across the hall and three floors up, the evening’s First Night of the Proms and there’s television team is putting the finishing an electricity in the air which, incidentally, touches to the introduction for tonight’s has nothing to do with the tangle of cables broadcast. Presenter Katie Derham is > encircling the Arena. Just beyond of the ‘holy rail’, the brass barrier at the front of the arena that keeps Prommers at bay, BBC cameraman and Proms veteran Mark Faulkner is in his favourite spot, controlling a dolly-mounted camera that slides on tracks between the Prommers and the stage. ‘Most of the cameras in the hall are fixed, but this one can move the whole width of the stage, so it’s a lot more creative,’ he explains. ‘You’re very close to the soloist and you’ve got to be aware you can be quite distracting. You’re also right in the eye-line of the Prommers, but they’re very accommodating.’ While the Prommers are concentrating on the music, the crew have to have their eyes on several jobs at once, as Faulkner explains:

50 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary BEHIND THE SCENES FEATURE

hat tricks: (anti-clockwise from main) a member of the Proms technical crew; ‘I’ve got a lovely bunch of hats!’; a tam-tam is carefully moved into place so as not to disturb a piano tuner hard at work…; Radio 3’s Katie Derham records voiceovers for the television broadcast

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 51 vk.com/englishlibrary electric avenues: (Clockwise from left) Daleks for the Doctor Who Prom find their path blocked backstage; Elgar gets fruity; Katie Derham gets to grips with her autocue in the BBC’s box at the Albert Hall; the BBC Symphony Orchestra rehearses ahead of the First Night; some of the many miles of cables invading SW7; soprano Sally Matthews seen rehearsing via the screens in the BBC production van

mouthing her lines in one of the boxes in the grand tier while her voice booms out every couple of minutes from around the hall: ‘Welcome to the BBC Proms!’ Outside, in a sea of production lorries, John and Jennie Davies are dealing with a query about cables. The retired couple retrained as security professionals and each year park their camper van outside the Albert Hall for the whole Proms season to provide security for the BBC – and tea and biscuits for the crew. ‘We’re here for almost ten weeks,’ says John. ‘We’re the first vehicle in and the last out, so when it gets to the end of the season I can’t wait to see Hammersmith gyratory!’ Back inside, nervous-looking members of the BBC Symphony Chorus crowd the green room. Proms director Roger Wright strolls in looking considerably calmer than the musicians. ‘Do you think I should be worried Stephen Hough is practising the wrong concerto in his dressing room?’ he asks with a grin. A call goes out for the Chorus to make their way to the stage. They file into the hall, the lights go up, the applause dies down and the world’s greatest music festival begins… n

52 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary Awst 17-24 August wyl^ 2014 achynlleth New Releases from estival

Artistic Director Julius Drake SIGCD382 Mister Dowland’s Midnight Christoph Denoth guitar Swiss guitarist Christoph Denoth explores the enchanting lute music of John Dowland, in a collection of his own arrangements made from Dowland’s original handwritten scores.

SIGCD384 Julian Bliss clarinet Bradley Moore piano Debussy, Milhaud, Glinka, Francaix & Prokoev +CP$QUVTKFIG`)Y[P*WIJGU,QPGU`.CYTGPEG2QYGT`/KNQĒ/KNKXQLGXKÆ Bengt Forsberg ~ Heath String Quartet ~ Julius Drake ~ Charles Owen Nearly a decade after his debut recital recording, Katharine Gowers ~ Julia Somerville ~ Elizabeth Burgess ~ Nigel Cliffe virtuoso clarinettist Julian Bliss returns to disc with a new programme, combining great works and www.machynllethfestival.co.uk new arrangements from great Russian and French Y TabernaclƔHeol PenralltƔMachynllethƔPowysƔSY20 8AJƔ01654 703355 composers.

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21–26 Awst 2014 In Piano Man, James Rhodes plays the music

of his favourite composers, including Bach, Beethoven and Chopin, many of whom have had, like James, troubled lives. With stunning solo piano performances and witty insight into the lives of James’s favourites, Piano Man is an exciting and radical new approach to classical music.

Musical discovery and artistic innovation in the beauty of the Welsh Marches SIGCD371 ‘the consistently ambitious Presteigne Festival’ Five THE TIMES James Rhodes piano Leonore Trio, Nova Music Opera In the first release from his new label Instrumental Cavaleri Quartet, Benjamin Nabarro Gemma Roseeld, Kate Romano Records, James Rhodes returns with a sumptuous Rachel Nicholls, Clare McCaldin programme of works by Bach, Beethoven and Chopin, Joyful Company of Singers the Gluck–Sgambatti ‘Orfeo Melody’, and Liszt’s Festival Orchestra and so much more arrangement of Robert Schumann’s ‘Frühlingsnacht’.

for free brochure and full programme call or view Available from all good retailers and online at 01544 267800 | www.presteignefestival.com WWW.SIGNUMRECORDS.COM Distributed in the UK by harmonia mundi vk.com/englishlibrary THE WRIGHT DIRECTION As he embarks on his seventh and final season at the helm of the BBC Proms, director Roger Wright looks back at over 500 (mostly) enjoyable evenings at the Royal Albert Hall

t was the penultimate night of the This is just one of the many non-musical 2009 BBC Proms festival. The Vienna memories I will carry with me from the seven Philharmonic had just finished its years I have enjoyed as director of the BBC concert and conductor Proms. In that time there have been more wasI greeting guests in the backstage green than 500 concerts and far too many musical room. I’d just finished speaking to him and highlights from which to pick particular was on my way to welcome cellist Yo-Yo Ma favourite moments. Since announcing my and his Silk Road Ensemble who were giving departure from the BBC, it’s been fascinating the Late Night Prom. Leaving the conductor’s to hear feedback on recent summers as kind dressing room and walking along the famous comments have flooded in about the Proms curved backstage corridor, I heard something that audiences have particularly enjoyed. of an unfamiliar noise. I then saw a group of colleagues and Royal Albert Hall staff capital festival: gathered in the ‘bull run’, the artists’ entrance Roger Wright in front of to the stage. Large wheelie bins were being Performers often ask the Proms’s iconic home commandeered and pushed hurriedly along to take the audience behind the double doors ahead of me. I delayed seeing Yo-Yo, went to investigate away with them the BBC’s performing groups has also been and quickly discovered the source of the noise. noticed and has given enormous pleasure, The case of a departing orchestral double as they form the creative backbone of the bass had dislodged a sprinkler head as it was There’s no doubt that conductor Daniel whole festival without which its long-term being carried out and water was pouring from Barenboim’s new relationship with the Proms, planning and distinctive repertoire would the ceiling. Dozens of precious instruments in particular his 2012 Beethoven/Boulez cycle be impossible. surrounded us, but we couldn’t afford to and that remarkable Wagner Ring cycle last There are many who have also pointed delay the late-night event. ‘Keep calm and year, will continue to be talked of as stand- out the renewed commitment to British mop on’ became the motto of the moment as out moments. For others, their discovery of music during my tenure – I’m proud of those the stopcock for that part of the hall’s water conductor John Wilson and his extraordinary special opportunities we created to present system was located. All hands were truly on orchestra will be their highlights – who will Proms premieres of Havergal Brian’s Gothic deck and happily the late-night went ahead on ever forget that My Fair Lady or the encore Symphony, Howells’s Hymnus Paradisi, Bax’s time. Fortunately, by the following evening’s dancers ‘tapping our troubles away’ and Second Symphony and groups of works by Last Night, there were no waves backstage blocking the departure of two audience Bantock, Bridge, Foulds and Parry among over which Britannia needed to rule… members? The consistently high quality of all others. Perhaps though, it is the revival of

54 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary ROGER WRIGHT FEATURE

proms united: Daniel Barenboim conducts the West-Eastern Divan Orchestra in 2012

english rebirth: Martyn Brabbins conducts Vaughan Williams’s Sinfonia Antartica in 2008

Other promoters look on, bemused by the regularly sold-out Royal Albert Hall for new work which, in other smaller venues, would probably frighten audiences away. One success of recent years is to have attracted record audiences even with Stockhausen Days, Cage Evenings and more new commissions and premieres than ever before. That’s the power of the Proms brand. Of course, the BBC’s subsidy of the Proms, which keeps artistic ambition high and ticket prices low, helps to deliver big audiences, but we should not take for granted the £5m of licence fee funding which, among other things, has allowed the tickets for interest in the music of Vaughan Williams, fresh interpretations, performers making Promenaders who stand to have been held which seems to have begun after the Proms their debuts and being introduced to a wide at £5 throughout my tenure. focus in 2008, that gives me particular audience, new music specially commissioned The growth of technology has also allowed satisfaction. To have been able to hear a for the Proms or pieces which have yet to the audience to grow globally in a way which packed hall listening intently to Vaughan be heard in the UK. Commentators often would have been unthinkable in Henry Williams’s Symphonies Nos 4, 5 and 6 in say how remarkable the Proms audience is. Wood’s time. However, the original vision of one evening was a genuine thrill. And performers have often asked me if they the Proms – to bring the best classical music What remains magical for me about can take the audience with them to all their to the largest possible audience – is alive and the BBC Proms is that sense of communal concerts, as they get so much electricity and well. I am honoured to have played a part in listening, particularly in that unique round inspiration from them. Proms history, to have worked with brilliant, building, but also the audience community One point that is often lost in the creative colleagues and to be handing over the experiencing the concerts on BBC Radio 3, discussion about the special nature of the Proms in such rude health to my successor. BBC TV and online. There is a palpable Proms audience is not just its size or its And let’s hope that only the right sort of sense of us all continuing on our journey enthusiasm, but that it is so large for – and Water Music appears at the BBC Proms in of musical discovery – of familiar works in curious about – unfamiliar and new music. future years! n

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 55 vk.com/englishlibrary MUSICAL DESTINATIONS A FESTIVAL WITH BIG AMBITION rocks and rollers: the festival is inspired by locations East Lothian: Scotland such as Bass Rock (right) and the Parish Church of Dunbar (below)

Rebecca Franks visits the Lammermuir Festival and discovers a wide range of inventive music-making taking place with some of Scotland’s most stunning scenery as its backdrop

he Lammermuir Hills. These wild was founded in 2010. The ten-day event moors rise up out of the gentle, fertile takes place each September, after the final T plains in East Lothian, the coastal notes of the Edinburgh Festival have died county just east of Edinburgh. In centuries away, but before the new concert hall and past they’ve been home to sheep farmers opera seasons get underway – acting a bit (‘lammer’ comes from the word ‘lamb’), the like a ‘charming sylvan sorbet’, suggests the backdrop to bloody border battles, and were Festival’s blog. The idea is to fill the county’s even immortalised in the 19th century by many churches and stately homes with great Sir as the backdrop to his tragic musicians playing imaginative programmes. love story The Bride of Lammermoor, in turn And even though it’s only in its fifth year, the inspiration for Donizetti’s opera Lucia di the Lammermuir Festival feels like a much Lammermoor. But more recently it’s a small more established event. festival with big ambition that has been putting this area on the map. ‘Beautiful music in beautiful places,’ is the Lammermuir acts a slogan of the Lammermuir Festival, which bit like a ‘charming LOCAL HERO sylvan sorbet’ orchestral and choral concerts sit happily alongside instrumental and vocal recitals. Gian Carlo Menotti One of the secrets of its success lies in ‘The festival’s not going to get bigger,’ the venues. As one of the richest areas of explains James Waters, one of the founder- In 1974, Gian Carlo Scotland, there are plenty of well-maintained directors, with Hugh MacDonald the other, Menotti bought Yester country houses hidden down leafy drives in ‘but each year we nudge the programme House, near Gifford in East Lothian. Set in East Lothian – and several are used by the to be a little better.’ The festival’s big a 35-acre estate, the festival. So it’s cream teas and Canalettos challenge this year is staging its first opera, 18th-century house is with Tchaikovsky at Winton House, a Monteverdi’s The Coronation of Poppea. ‘His approached by a curving building famous for its rare twisted chimneys. ability to create compelling music drama drive. Menotti said he Lennoxlove House, another regular venue, is second to none,’ says MacDonald, ‘And made up his mind to buy boasts a medieval Great Hall and a piano once this is a relevant opera for our times in its the property when he played by Chopin, while Yester House, until exploration of the corruption of power.’ was driving along it: ‘I loved the house right recently owned by the Menotti family (see There’s a strong homegrown contingent – away.’ The Pulitzer Prize-winning Italian- ‘Local Hero’), has also opened its doors for the Dunedin Consort and Scottish Chamber American composer had hopes for it to be concerts. Then there are the churches, from and BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestras more than a family home. Menotti planned to set up an arts centre for young musicians the warm and welcoming Aberlady Church are regulars – but the festival also attracts and to put on operas, turning it into a near the sea’s edge to the medieval space of musicians from further afield: the Danish Scottish Glyndebourne. Sadly, his dreams St Mary’s, Whitekirk. String Quartet in 2013, for instance, and never became reality, and he died in 2007. Centre stage is, of course, the music. The this year French oboist François Leleux will festival isn’t tied to one genre: chamber, be artist-in-residence.

56 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary LAMMERMUIR MUSICAL DESTINATIONS

atmospheric: the Dunedin Consort stacks of music: at St Mary’s Church Winton House, with its in Haddington distinctive chimneys

But it’s not all beautiful music and places. LAMMERMUIR 3 MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS There’s also the unexpected. A list drawn Lammermuir Festival Debussy’s Le Martyre de Saint up by Waters gives a flavour of the Festival’s There’s a Lammermuir first in the Sébastien opens the festival nuttier ideas that have been suggested, with 2014 festival (12-21 September), (8 August), while and a view to one day being staged… ‘Messiaen when it stages an opera, Hespèrion XXI explore the theme Oiseaux exotiques performed on the Bass Rock Monteverdi’s The Coronation of in relation to Baroque Europe to an audience of gannets and streamed to an Poppea (13 September). Other (12 August). There’s a chance to hear Messiaen’s Quartet for the End audience in the Seabird Centre,’ is the first, highlights include pianist Steven Osborne performing Messiaen’s of Time (11 August) and Sir Andrew with ‘Pirates of Penzance in Cove Harbour’ Vingt regards sur l’enfant-Jésus Davis conducts Britten’s War another. If these sound ambitious, you only (20 September, 2.30pm), Requiem (14 August). eif.co.uk have to look back to 2011 when Lammermuir (right) singing Royal Conservatoire staged ’s 1000 Airplanes on the Strauss’s Four Last Songs (20 of Scotland Pianos Roof underneath Concorde at the National September, 7pm) and Tenebrae giving three Pianists from the Royal Conservatoire of Museum of Flight. And this year, the festival choral concerts, including their acclaimed Scotland are showcased in a lunchtime concert heads to Prestongrange, a historic industrial ‘Russian Treasures’ programme (16, 17 & 18 series at The Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh, site on the coast, where the Red Note September). lammermuirfestival.co.uk this August. It’s a chance to hear top students Ensemble will give a concert of contemporary Edinburgh International Festival and staff in more than nine hour-long recitals and Renaissance music. Who knows, maybe Just up the road in Edinburgh, Lammermuir’s perform music by composers including Bach, one day Donizetti’s Lucia will be seen big brother festival is exploring the themes Schumann, Prokofiev, Medtner, Schubert and roaming the Lammermuir Hills? This is the of war and peace, conflict and conciliation. Stravinsky (5-23 August). thebrunton.co.uk n ROBIN MITCHELL, JOHN WOOD, CHRISTIAN STEINER, GETTY sort of festival that could make it happen.

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 57 vk.com/englishlibrary COMPOSER OF THE MONTH Opera’s flawed genius

Beethoven completed just one opera, but even that proved a tortuous effort. So, wonders Stephen Johnson, was writing for the stage where the great composer met his match?

ine symphonies, 16 string quartets, BEETHOVEN’S OPERA practicalities and politics, and there are times 32 piano sonatas – and only one in Fidelio when it shows. N opera. And just look at all those Leonore or Take one of the most beautiful, justly projects that came to nothing: Vesta’s Fire, Fidelio? famous moments in the entire score: the abandoned after a single scene; , Beethoven’s ‘Prisoners’ Chorus’ in Act I. It begins with an similarly discarded and its music reworked opera took ten exquisite hushed introduction for strings – the (apparently) in the slow movement of the years to reach effect of sunlight on light-deprived captives ‘Ghost’ Piano Trio; Goethe’s Faust Part I, its final format. is registered so poignantly that it can bring a wish expressed and nothing more. The Commissioned the most restive auditorium to spellbound in 1803, it had its statistics surely say it all: Beethoven was an silence. The problem is, what do you do with premiere under the instrumental composer first and foremost. title Fidelio in 1805 the prisoners themselves? Beethoven’s stage Vocal writing – and especially operatic vocal – for convenience, direction tells us that they walk on gradually writing – just didn’t come naturally to him, this first version during this passage. But the slightest as it did superabundantly to Mozart. In fact, is now referred footfall can shatter the magic: and in some Beethoven himself seems to have been well to as Leonore productions, the strings are drowned out by aware of this, as he observed in a letter to the (Beethoven’s clumping, dragging boots – or worst of all, librettist Friedrich Kind: ‘When sounds stir preferred title). by the massed rattle of a metallic futuristic within me I always hear the full orchestra; I Beethoven then made cuts to Leonore in stage. (Politically meaningful perhaps, but know what to expect of instrumentalists, who time for a second staging in 1806. Eight musically catastrophic.) years later, the composer made further are capable of almost everything, but with Then there’s Beethoven’s decision, in revisions, and Fidelio as we know it was vocal compositions I must always be asking staged for the first time. the 1814 revision of Fidelio, to cut the myself: can be this be sung?’ magnificent transitional passage – distant Think of the choral ‘Ode to Joy’ in the Mixed fortunes outraged chorus growing ever nearer – at the Ninth Symphony (1824): those tonsil- Leonore wasn’t a success when it first end of what we now know as the ‘dungeon torturing high soprano As, slammed home appeared at Vienna’s – scene’. Moving the finale out into the with the city occupied by Napoleon, many of sforzando then held for eight-and-a-half prison courtyard makes sense, visually and Beethoven’s supporters were absent, plus the agonising bars. And what about Florestan’s opera was considered long and rambling. In emotionally, but the score leaves precious vision of his wife Leonore in the Dungeon a different political climate in 1814, however, little time to change the scenery. It also creates Scene from the final 1814 version of Fidelio, the shorter revised Fidelio was a success. But a weird musical lacuna, one which some straining ever higher, and peaking twice the production took its toll: ‘This opera will conductors have tried to bridge by wedging in on a terrifying a high B flat? ‘Manic’, one win me a martyr’s crown,’ Beethoven said. the whole of the Overture Leonore No. 3 – a writer has called it – and what kind of opera What is it about? ‘solution’ that creates as many problems as it composer would demand this of one of his In short, Fidelio tells of Leonore (above), solves. Granted, this is one of those decisions leading characters in his very first scene, with who disguises herself as a man – Fidelio – Beethoven may have taken under pressure a whole exhausting act to follow? to rescue her husband Florestan from the from concerned friends, but that doesn’t make Which leads to another important issue: prison where his political enemy, Pizarro, is it any less frustrating. Beethoven’s sense of theatre. Unlike Mozart, keeping him in solitary confinement. The Then there’s the central question of what it who began composing for the opera house fact that the gaoler’s daughter, Marzelline, was that Beethoven was trying to achieve in at the age of 12, or Wagner, brought up in has fallen in love with Fidelio adds an Fidelio. For Wagner, Beethoven had almost a theatrical family and treading the boards element of farce. The plot is based on a true succeeded in forging a new relationship almost as soon as he could speak, Beethoven story at the time of the French Revolution. between words, music and drama. In an

GETTY had little experience of the stage, its essay entitled A Pilgrimage to Beethoven, >

58 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN COMPOSER OF THE MONTH ILLUSTRATION: RISKO

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 59 vk.com/englishlibrary Wagner puts these words into Beethoven’s LIFE&TIMES mouth: ‘Were I to make opera after my own heart, then people would run away from A quick guide to the main events in the life of Ludwig van Beethoven it, for it would have no arias, duets, trios, or any of the other stuff with which operas THE LIFE 1770 THE TIMES are patched together today. What I would want to put in its place, no singer would sing 1770 1772 and no audience would hear, for they know Ludwig (or Louis) As the First Partition of Poland nothing but glittering lies, brilliant nonsense van Beethoven is is agreed between his country, and sugared tedium.’ In other words, what born in BONN, Austria and , Frederick II Beethoven wanted was to be what Wagner GERMANY. His of Prussia substantially would be; but, sadly, he never quite got there. father Johann, a strengthens his position But against all this, the fact remains that tenor at the court in northern Europe. Fidelio has stayed at the core of the repertoire in Cologne, teaches since the first performance of the final revised him piano from an 1785 version at Vienna’s Kärntnertor Theatre on early age. Florens-Louis Heidsieck, the 23 May, 1814. After the London premiere, the son of a Lutheran minister Fidelio 1790 from Westphalia, founds the novelist Thomas Love Peacock wrote: ‘ Moving from Bonn to Vienna, he studies Heidsieck and co champagne combined the profoundest harmony with under Haydn and Salieri among others. His manufacturers in the French melody that speaks to the soul. It carries to friend NIKOLAUS SIMROCK starts city of Reims. a pitch scarcely conceivable the true musical to publish his compositions. expression of the strongest passions and the 1793 gentlest emotions, in all their shades and 1802 In Mainz, Germany’s first ever contrasts…’ It achieves this, Peacock says, ‘… As his hearing starts to democratically elected parliament not merely with truth of expression, as that decline, he writes the is declared. The Rheinisch-Deutscher term might be applied to other works, but Heiligenstadt Testament, Nationalkonvent lasts two months an early will intended before Prussian troops take over with a force and reality that make music an for the attention of his the city. intelligible language, possessing an illimitable brothers, in which he power of pouring forth thought in sound.’ describes his suffering. 1804 Compared with that ability to ‘speak to Five years after seizing power in a coup the soul’, to ‘pour forth thought in sound’, 1808 d’état, Napoleon Bonaparte declares devotees argue, what does it matter if the At one concert at the Theater himself emperor of the French people. medium, the artistic ‘container’, cracks an der Wien, his Symphonies Nos 5 & 6 under the strain? Isn’t this a perfect example are premiered alongside the Fourth Piano 1814 of Robert Browning’s poetic dictum that ‘a Concerto and various shorter works. Philosopher Arthur man’s reach should exceed his grasp’? Mahler, Schopenhauer to whom Browning could have dedicated 1812 begins his seminal Fidelio Recuperating from illness at the spa town work THE WORLD those words, conducted more than of Teplitz, he writes, but doesn’t send, a love AS WILL AND any other opera, and quoted the opening of letter to his ‘Immortal Beloved’. The identity REPRESENTATION, the heartrendingly beautiful Act I quartet of its intended recipient remains a mystery. in which he sets out in the opening bars of the slow movement of his belief that the his Fourth Symphony. And however much 1822 will is the driving Wagner may have felt Fidelio fell short of his A commission from the Royal Philharmonic force of all action. own artistic goals, hearing it was one of the Society for a Ninth Symphony marks the great life-changing experiences of his teens. start of a flurry of masterpieces, including 1818 Critics may complain that the Act I quartet – the Late String Quartets and Grosse Fuge. Caspar David Friedrich paints his WANDERER ABOVE THE SEA OF FOG, sung between Rocco (the gaoler), Marzelline 1827 depicting a solitary figure looking (his daughter), Jaquino (his assistant) and After a lengthy illness, he dies in Vienna over various geographical landmarks Leonore (disguised as Fidelio) – ‘fails’ because during a thunderstorm. Over 20,000 people from across it doesn’t differentiate between the situations line the streets for his FUNERAL. Saxony and and feelings of the characters (imagine Bohemia. Mozart giving the same line to all four singers in canonic imitation!) and yet this remains 1823 one of the most popular classical choices The Festkomitee on Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs. Clearly, Kölner Karneval is Beethoven is getting something right. established to run Cologne’s annual In fact, the Act I quartet is a perfect carnival, the example of why one shouldn’t judge oldest of its type Beethoven the opera composer by Mozartian in the world. standards. The young Beethoven may have set off for Vienna with the intention of 1827 receiving ‘the spirit of Mozart from the hands

60 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary GETTY, THINKSTOCK At performances of softly… We are observed by ears and eyes!’ and tense, as a solo voice sings, ‘Speak of sun-drenched joy, the harmonies darken ‘prisoner’s chorus’: after the central climax achieved opera out of the arena. Take the in ways that blast many a more perfectly masters of the genre. comparisons with other acknowledged understanding, our forgiveness, even our love. people aren’t laughable; they deserve our but the music tells us something else: these What is happening on the stage is farcical, Beethoven, and therefore us, his audience. thwarted longing for happiness that moves about it. It is humanity in its deep but so often understand it but has no idea what to do Fidelio is really a woman), plus one who does misunderstand the situation (that the ‘boy’ is not the comic clash of three people who What we are presented with here are like a great sigh of compassion. the lower strings – the first two bars in that wonderful introduction for different words. The key, though, is aware that the characters are singing that – at the climax, one is scarcely Fidelio a result of their encounters. The individuals interact and change as musically, but also in the way those embodies the different characters is a marvel, not only in the way it Act II finale of many different levels at once. The voiced, flexible entities, alive on both as artistic wholes and as multi- ensembles that manage to delight Mozart when it came to creating no opera composer could match directions. Verdi aside perhaps, he learned led him in very different Waldstein famously put it, but what of Haydn’, as his patron Count is no sweetly decorative Donizetti ‘mad scene’, As for the ‘manic’ crescendo that follows: this and still reveal the truth of Florestan’s agony. purity. It is possible to miss or crack the note treacherous opening, but the point is not vocal The high G on ‘God!’ makes it a technically opening cry: ‘God! – how dark it is here!’. to the ambiguous tritone), then Florestan’s inanything Wagner (timpani weirdly tuned abysmally dark scene-setting as powerful as sense that this is as relevant today as it ever was. totalitarian regime to feel the sudden chill, the you don’t have to have grown up under a into spontaneous applause at this point. But in the late 1980s, audiences would break months of the German Democratic Republic Forget fault-finding, and especially forget Or take the ‘dungeon scene’ itself: Act I quartet shows little of The Marriage of Figaro Fidelio Fidelio during the dying can stir and uplift

ponders conductorOtto Klemperer sound: surround OperaHouse cast in 1961 withmembers of the Royal of raw emotion exploding heavenwards. two centuries, but the original is like a geyser elegant enough to satisfy audiences for nearly practical G. Practical, yes, and musically phrase, the original B pulled down to a more get the two voices in dialogue on the same onpeaking a high B. In the 1814 revision we Freude!’ (‘Oh nameless joy!’), Leonore’s line upwards together to the words ‘O namenlose by VW. Originally the two voices surged attack of the very practicality urged on him the ‘dungeon scene’, he seems to have had an reunited Leonore and Florestan at the end of be. When Beethoven revised the duet for the limiting such common-sense caution could wrote no-nonsense singing teacher beside him as he excesses. Others would have placed a similar English choirmaster’ to rein in some of his his elbow a practical, uninspired, competent regretted that the composer hadn’t ‘had at Ninth Symphony, Vaughan Williams pierce prison walls. prison pierce it’s a real woman, singing of a love that can working hard to bring an audience to its feet; the formality. This isn’t an operatic heroine, sense of urgency soon forces its way through ‘Abscheulicher’ recitative and aria in Act I, a appear to respect convention, as in Leonore’s it’s the real thing. Even when Beethoven does Fidelio more perfectly achieved Fidelio opera out of the arena the of out opera Writing of the choral offinale Beethoven’s vk.com/englishlibrary ’sscore Fidelio can blast many a . But one example shows how LUDWIG VAN BEETHOVEN BEETHOVEN VAN LUDWIG 7-11 July July 7-11 30 June – 4 July 28 July – 1 August July 21-25 July 14-18 RECOMMENDED RECORDINGS LUDWIG VANBEETHOVEN LUDWIG Buxtehude programmes are: programmes Fri, repeated at 6.30pm, Upcoming Riccardo Chailly, 12 September and Symphony No. 9, conducted by John Eliot Gardiner, 26 August; the Missa Solemnis conducted by prevent the climax of climax the prevent at the beginning of the Finale can absence of a plausible transition reservation, and not even the love must be like this. love this. must be like saved from death by the woman you other that makes one feel that to be opera, but it’s hard to think of any There are many rescue scenes in perfect performance or production. seizing the heart, even in a less than BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE MUSIC BBC Dittersdorf COMPOSER OFMONTH THE Janácˇek But in context that’s a minor Ivor Gurney fromLondon’s Barbican. performance electrifying An SDGSDG718 Romantique/Gardiner RévolutionnaireOrchestre et etc; Crowe (soprano) Lucy MissaSolemnis Ninthwiththrilling aplomb. the challengesmeet theof Chailly’ssingers and players Decca478 3497 etc;Gewandhaus/Chailly KaterinaBeranova(soprano) 9 No. Symphony Fidelio compellingformin Gardinerand forces on (seewww.apple.com/iTunes) DGArchiv 453 4612 Romantique/Gardiner et RévolutionnaireOrchestre Hillevietc; Martinpelto Leonore fromthe Lucerne FO. peerless,polished playing dreamA matchedcast, by Decca478 2551 FestivalOrchestra/Abbado Lucerne Stemmeetc; JonasKaufmann, Nina Fidelio Cole Porter at the Proms include Beethoven highlights ’sinitial version. 3 at 12pm, Mon to is broadcast on Radio £10.99 Fidelio £24.99 £14.99 Q from 61 BUILDING A LIBRARY

As its array of wandering lovers, wise priests and vengeful queens serenade his ears, Terry Williams unfolds the mystery of which recording of Mozart’s masonic opera is the best

s preposterous operatic plots go, that of The Magic Flute has to be the silliest. Mozart teamed up in 1791 with fellow freemason, the A impresario Emanuel Schikaneder, to produce a sublimely ridiculous Singspiel (an opera with spoken dialogue) which takes in, en route, young love, sex, good and evil, darkness and light, matrimonial turmoil and masonic ritual. The ‘serious’ protagonists are: Tamino and Pamina, a pair of young lovers who spend a lot of time literally trying to find each other; Sarastro, a Rosicrucianist High Priest who embodies the spirit of the New Enlightenment; and the vengeful Queen of the Night, who has rather darker intentions. Low comedy is provided by Papageno, a sex-starved bird-catcher, and a trio of angelic boys makes several appearances to keep a benevolent eye on events while three ladies do their best to upset things… Now add to this magic bells and the all-important magic flute – only Mozart could have made such glorious sense of it all.

THE BEST RECORDING

CHOICE WITH THE LUXURY of so many outstanding Pamina and bass René Pape as Sarastro – both are recordings of The Magic Flute, selecting which superb – while the rest of the young cast are all is best comes down to an extent to personal stars in the making; soprano Erika Miklósa as preference. However, a live performance can a spine-tingling Queen of the Night proves to be a very special event, and this one most be a real find. Röschmann and tenor Christoph certainly is, with all of the advantages and Strehl make an ideal pair of lovers and, as none of the drawbacks that a live recording Papageno, bass-baritone Hanno Müller- can bring. The hero of the hour is Brachmann is a born comedian. conductor Claudio Abbado (right), and The dialogue moves along at a fair it’s hard to think of any other recording pace although, as usual, there is rather Claudio Abbado that so completely demonstrates his too much of it – librettist Schikaneder (conductor) musical credo: absolute fidelity to the often outstays his welcome. Captured in Dorothea Röschmann score, a sense of wonder and humility, beautifully atmospheric sound, Abbado’s etc; Arnold Schoenberg as well as a unique ability to share his beloved Mahler Chamber Orchestra

STEVE RAWLINGS/DEBUTART STEVE Choir, Mahler Chamber love of great music with fellow musicians plays its collective heart out for him, Orchestra (2005) and audiences alike. The only star names and the ecstatic applause as the DG 477 5789 £28.99 here are soprano Dorothea Röschmann as curtain falls says it all. ILLUSTRATION:

62 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary THE MAGIC FLUTE WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART BUILDING A LIBRARY

Building a Library is broadcast on BBC Radio 3 at 9.30am each Saturday as part of CD Review. A highlights podcast is available at www.bbc.co.uk/radio3

interventionist account. Östman is blessed with an outstanding cast of singers. Barbara Bonney is yet another wonderful Pamina, and Kurt Streit’s Tamino may possibly be the most characterful since ’s. Bonney’s ex-husband, Håkan Hagegård, is a lovable Papageno, just as he is in the Ingmar Bergman film of the opera. Again, we have Sumi Jo as the arch-villainess, and her two set pieces are a knockout. Kristinn Sigmundsson’s young-sounding Sarastro is brave casting – admittedly light in timbre, he nonetheless carries great authority.

Otto Klemperer (conductor) etc; Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra (1964) EMI 404 3782 (part of a 4-opera set) £25.99 This recording took place against a stormy background. EMI’s was about to disband the Philharmonia Orchestra and his relationship with was at breaking point – the conductor had barred him from attending piano rehearsals – and there was further acrimony over whether or not to include Schikaneder’s dialogue. Legge wanted it, Klemperer didn’t. Klemperer won, leaving Peter Andry to take over from Legge as producer. Despite the in-house wrangling, the recording is a success. Gundula Janowitz’s gorgeous Pamina and Lucia Popp’s stunning Queen of the Night take the laurels while Klemperer, apparently quite a wit, balances gravitas with sly humour. A special joy is hearing flautist Gareth Morris’s superb solos – a magic flute indeed. THREE MORE GREAT RECORDINGS Sir Georg Solti (conductor) resonant Sarastro has authority, though AND ONE TO AVOID… Ruth Ziesak etc; Vienna Michael Krauss’s Papageno, although very Boys Choir, Vienna well-sung, is a mite serious – better that than No Magic Flute recordings completely Philharmonic (1991) excessive buffoonery, admittedly. Decca’s fine flop. Although a Decca 433 2102 £28.99 recording comes with its usual bag of sound screechy Queen, say, Pre-eminent in Wagner, Sir Georg Solti does effects – startling thunderclaps, birdsong and may prove wearing on not instantly stand out as an obvious choice the like – and adds to the fun of what comes repetition, one mustn’t for Mozart. But this, his second recording of close to sounding like a live performance. throw the baby out with The Magic Flute, is pure delight, due to the the bathwater – Roberta Peters’s Queen on gorgeous response he draws from the Vienna Arnold Östman (conductor) Karl Böhm’s famous 1964 Berlin set may not Philharmonic. Uwe Heilmann’s beautifully Barbara Bonney etc; be staggeringly good, but would one want to sung Tamino makes one forget what a wimp Drottningholm Concert miss out on Fritz Wunderlich’s superb Tamino Mozart’s hero is (even if he is being chased Theatre Orchestra & Chorus or Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau’s Papageno? But if push comes to shove, Böhm’s 1960 (1992) Decca 478 3443 £12.99 by a dragon, it’s no excuse for fainting!). recording, while enjoyable enough, has Ruth Ziesak’s Pamina is fabulous, as is Sumi Of the period instrument recordings, this little to recommend it above others… Jo’s fiery Queen of the Night. Kurt Moll’s one just edges out René Jacobs’s rather too

If you enjoy The Magic Flute and would like to try out similar works, see overleaf…

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 63 vk.com/englishlibrary THE MAGIC FLUTE WOLFGANG AMADEUS MOZART BUILDING A LIBRARY

musicians’ union: Gluck La rencontre imprévue The Covent Garden premiere Gluck’s operas were instrumental in the move of Tippett’s 1955 opera away from grandiose buffa and seria styles to the lighter 18th-century Singspiels. Like The Magic Flute, La rencontre imprévue (‘The unexpected encounter’) has a convoluted plot: a princess captured in the harem of an evil sultan awaits rescue by the noble prince Ali whose loyalty she tests with seductive maids – after said rescue, of course. Though they are captured as they make their way from the harem, the sultan is so inspired by their love, he lets them go. Gluck sets it all to a light and lively score, full of the Turkish motifs that were all the rage in his day. Essential recording: L’Opéra National de Lyon/John Eliot Gardiner Erato 2564695620 £18.99

Weber Abu Hassan Weber’s 1811 one-act Singspiel is also firmly steeped in the then fashionable ‘Turkish style’ SO, WHERE NEXT…? from the outset, with its overture’s frenetic pace and use of percussion. But given the We suggest works to explore after Mozart’s Magic Flute fact that Abu Hassan is a setting of a tale in One Thousand and One Nights, its eastern Mozart Die Entführung fall under Trofonio’s spell and those flavour isn’t entirely surprising. Weber’s aus dem Serail characters are reversed, chaos reigns. Singspiel doesn’t receive many performances In The Abduction from the The plot, which ends happily, is daft- today – this may be down to the fact that Seraglio, Mozart established going-on-pointless, but Salieri’s music there’s considerably more spiel than sing the path that German Singspiel is both witty and charming. Little rather than a ridiculous plot that revolves (opera with spoken words) was to surprise, then, that La grotta worked around a couple feigning death for some sort take – nearly a decade later came its magic on audiences of the time. of fraudulent insurance claim. The music, The Magic Flute and, in 1805, Essential recording: however, is largely enjoyable. Beethoven’s Fidelio. Set on the Les Talens Lyriques/ Essential recording: Erich Witte, Elisabeth coast of Turkey, Seraglio’s characters Christophe Rousset Schwarzkopf etc; German Radio SO/ foreshadow those of the Magic Flute: Ambrosie AMB 9986 Leopold Ludwig Preiser PR20044 £10.99 the Pasha Selim is a Sarastro-like (Available to buy from character, feared but compassionate, www.lestalenslyriques.com) Tippett The Midsummer Marriage and there are two pairs of lovers, Tippett’s Midsummer Marriage is effectively one upper- and one lower-class. Haydn a modern-day Magic Flute minus the And in Osmin, the Pasha’s Il mondo della luna pantomime. According to the composer, the overseer, we hear Mozart’s Two daughters are trying to moral of the opera is enlightenment with dummy run for Sarastro’s convince their protective father to a small ‘e’ – the story charts the path to vengeful Moor, Monastatos. let them marry their suitors. How self-understanding and knowledge. Instead All things Turkish were popular best to do it? Why, just get him to of Tamino and Pamina we have Mark and in 1782, and Mozart’s music drink an ‘elixir’ that’ll transport Jennifer, while Jack, a mechanic, and Bella, here is full of Eastern promise. him to the ‘moon’ (actually a a secretary, take the place of Papageno and Essential recording: Yelda Kodalli, Paul decorated garden) then hold the weddings Papagena. The opera’s 1955 Covent Garden Groves etc; Scottish Chamber Chorus there. Of course. Haydn wasn’t the first premiere did not go down well with the and Orchestra/ composer to set Goldoni’s comic masterpiece, critics, who found its world of strange temples Telarc CD80544 £28.99 but his rarely performed 1777 opera is full and mystic Ancients contrived. Recent of characterful numbers. Whimsical and reappraisal, however, has suggested that this is Salieri La grotta di Trofonio magical, it makes a witty companion to the composer at his most visionary. There’s magic aplenty in Salieri’s 1785 opera Mozart’s Magic Flute. Try the charming ballet Essential recording: Joan Carlyle, Elizabeth about a sorcerer’s cave that transforms the music played in the lunar garden in Act II, the Harwood etc; Royal Opera House, Covent personalities of whoever enters it. Again, we cheery Act III finale, or the Act I ‘flight music’ Garden/ Lyrita SRCD 2217 have two couples at the heart of the action. where the father is whisked off to the moon. (Available from www.prestoclassical.co.uk) Dori, a bit of an extrovert, is in love with Essential recording: Dietrich Henschel, the shy and reserved Artemidoro; and, in Vivicia Geneux etc; Concentus Musicus contrast, the shy and reserved Ofelia is in love Wien/Nikolaus Harnoncourt Next month: Berlioz’s Symphonie fantastique ARENA PAL with the extrovert Plistene. But then, as they C major 703508 (DVD) £34.99

64 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary SIM CANETTY-CLARKE 90 87 87 86 66 in this first volume of collected documents A fascinating picture of Handel’s life emerges A quick look at 16 look at A quick recordings new and SongsEstonia from Kazakhstan Alldiscs can orderedbe from Books Brief Notes Brief World RecordingofMonththe Our Recording of the Month features in one of the BBC Music Magazine podcasts CONTENTS pianist Louis Lortie Louis pianist from French-Canadian A first-rate Chopin recital 84 underrated Cello Sonatas compelling case for Martin makes a 81 daring, difficult Responsories triumph in Gesualdo’s La Compagnia del Madrigale 78 Puccini’s A classic production of 74 stealing virtuoso recital show- a in Paganini to Laurent Korcia pays homage 70 by live performances conducted Berlioz and Varèse in bold 68 Fillmore East appearances East Fillmore rarity, featuring his 1970s An exceptional 88 time first the for DVD Opera Chamber Concerto Choral & Song & Choral Orchestral Jazz Instrumental Turandot is out on www.classical- free from iTunes or www.classical-music.com ∞ ’s m recordings that arrive in my Do arrive that let postbag. me recordings know what you think! Concerto category, added to reflect the sheer number of interesting concerto Rebecca Franks Franks Rebecca Welcometo the new reviews section 115 CDs, Books & DVDs rated by expert critics expert by rated DVDs & Books CDs, 115 u REVIEWS vk.com/englishlibrary sic .com/shop the DVDs being tucked away elsewhere. There is also a new now the place to find operas on film and on record, rather DVDs than have been brought together. So Opera, for instance, is they have something of a new look. For the first time, CDs As and you browse the reviews pages this month, you’ll see that Reviews Editor Reviews and Schumann’s Waldszenen and Kinderszenen, p66 programme bringing together JanáΩ Marc-André Hamelin is on superlative form in an unusual Recording of the Month BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE MUSIC BBC ek’s On the Path plays piano miniatures miniatures piano plays Marc-André Hamelin Hamelin Marc-André mood pictures: pictures: mood

65 RECORDING OF THE MONTH

FURTHER LISTENING Marc-André Hamelin BUSONI Late piano music CHOICE Hyperion CDA 67951/3 195:54 mins BBC Music Direct £34.99 (3 discs) ‘This is playing of a very high order, such as one seldom hears. Hamelin is well-nigh ideal in sensitivity of phrasing, clarity of tone and delineation of voices. A fabulous set, almost beyond praise.’ January 2014 HAMELIN 12 Etudes in all the minor keys; Little Nocturne; Con intimissimo sentimento – selections; Theme and Variations Hyperion CDA67789 76:10 mins BBC Music Direct £12.99 ‘Hamelin’s original Etudes, such as the debonair Minuetto, as well as the character pieces that round out the disc, with their blend of tasteful lyricism and striking textures and harmonies, are as enjoyable as his homages.’ October 2010

‘as if in a dream’: SCHUMANN Marc-André Hamelin Carnaval; Fantasiestücke; Papillons finds delicate sounds Hyperion CDA 67120 73:29 mins BBC Music Direct £12.99 ‘Hamelin’s combination of fleet-fingered delicacy and Inner worlds revealed compelling drive suit Schumann’s aesthetic ideally; Marc-André Hamelin is superb in Schumann and JanáΩek, says Erik Levi but best of all is his gleeful sense of storytelling. He brings the of JanáΩek’s piano music. It proves atmosphere. Deceptively simple masked ball guests in Papillons and Carnaval to life with the deft to be a totally compelling experience melodic and chordal figurations are vividness of an award-winning film confirming Hamelin’s strong subverted as a result of Hamelin’s director.’ December 2005 empathy for the composer. The deliberately introverted playing and hushed tone of the opening piece astonishingly delicate touch. Even ‘Our evenings’, with its asymmetric in the more ostensibly upbeat pieces JANÁ∫EK phrase structure such as ‘Come this tranquillity proves illusory, and ambiguous with us!’ and ‘They as a warmly expressive melodic On the Overgrown Path, Book 1 harmonies This exploration of chattered like line, inflected by Hamelin’s subtle SCHUMANN that hover JanáΩek’s piano music swallows’, Hamelin manipulation of rubato, builds Waldszenen; Kinderszenen apprehensively creates a feeling up to a climax of heart-wrenching Marc-André Hamelin (piano) between major and is totally compelling of uncertainty poignancy. Notice too how vividly Hyperion CDA 68030 74:28 mins minor tonalities, as he disrupts Hamelin depicts the claustrophobic BBC Music Direct £12.99 sets the scene for the whole cycle, one the flow of lively dance rhythms nature of the chromatic harmonies Setting aside a 2000 Danacord suffused with unease and growing with moments of hesitation and in ‘Unutterable anguish’ and projects release featuring four movements anxiety. Hamelin negotiates this gloomy introspection. The seventh a sense of numbed grief in ‘In tears’. from the first book of On the emotional trajectory from carefree piece ‘Good night!’ is particularly Following this, the violent flourishes Overgrown Path, this is Marc-André innocence to utter dejection through evocative. It begins almost inaudibly that punctuate ‘The barn owl has

SIM CANETTY-CLARKE Hamelin’s first extended exploration a masterly control of timbre and as if transfixed in a dream. But not flown away!’ sound all the more

66 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE All discs can be ordered from www.classical-music.com/shop vk.com/englishlibrary RECORDING OF THE MONTH REVIEWS terrifying, given the relative restraint possible hint of sentimentality. THIS MONTH’S CRITICS in the earlier pieces. In contrast to the JanáΩek, there Hamelin has already made several are more opportunities in these Our critics number many of the top music specialists fine recordings of Schumann’s piano works for displaying unbounded whose knowledge and enthusiasm are second to none music, focusing on big virtuoso joy and exhilaration (eg ‘Herberge’ pieces. He proves to be equally and ‘Jagdlied’ in Waldszenen and adept at exploring the more intimate ‘Wichtige Begebenheit’ from Malcolm Hayes biographer, composer side of the composer’s character Kinderszenen) and Hamelin’s While considering that the rest of life is and the two Schumann cycles here impulsive approach, supported by essentially a distraction from watching are absolutely magical. Hamelin excellent recorded sound, perfectly cricket and Ferrari motor-racing, draws us into inner worlds of the captures their moods. Malcolm nonetheless composes his own forest (Waldszenen) and childhood PERFORMANCE HHHHH music and writes about that of others. (Kinderszenen) with playing of RECORDING HHHHH Previous book subjects include Messiaen, Webern, haunting sensitivity. I have seldom Walton (his Selected Letters, in 2002) and Liszt. heard a more mesmeric account of ON THE PODCAST ‘Vogel als Prophet’ from Waldszenen, Hear excerpts and a discussion and Hamelin invests the ubiquitous of this recording on the BBC Music John Allison editor, editor, translator Tim Parry ‘Träumerei’ from Kinderszenen Magazine podcast, available free on Opera; critic, Sunday Julian Haylock writer, editor iTunes or at www.classical-music.com with great warmth, avoiding any Telegraph writer, editor Anna Picard Nicholas Anderson Ivan Hewett writer, critic Baroque specialist broadcaster, critic George Pratt Terry Blain writer Daniel Jaffé writer, emeritus professor Kate Bolton critic of music, University Q&A lecturer, New York Erica Jeal of Huddersfield University, Florence critic, The Guardian Anthony Pryer MARC-ANDRÉ HAMELIN Garry Booth jazz Stephen Johnson lecturer, Goldsmiths writer & critic writer, BBC Radio 3 College, London The Canadian pianist talks to REBECCA FRANKS about Geoff Brown critic, broadcaster Paul Riley journalist why Schumann and JanáΩek make a strong contrast The Times Berta Joncus senior Michael Scott Anthony Burton lecturer, University Rohan author, writer, editor of London editor How did you come up with the Michael Church Erik Levi professor, Nick Shave pairing of JanáΩek and Schumann? critic, The University of London contributing Well, I have hugely enjoyed Independent Max Loppert critic, editor, BBC Music recording Schumann in the past. Christopher Cook Opera Jeremy Siepmann I’d always wanted to record broadcaster, critic Calum MacDonald biographer, editor Schumann’s Kinderszenen and Martin Cotton editor, Tempo Jan Smaczny Waldszenen, but there was really producer Andrew McGregor professor of music, nothing else of his that I’d worked Christopher Dingle presenter, BBC Queen’s, Belfast on that I could add. If I’d wanted Professor of Music, Radio 3’s CD Review Geoffrey Smith to include the Davidsbündlertänze Birmingham David Nice writer, presenter, Radio 3 or the Humoresque, for instance, Conservatoire biographer Michael Tanner I felt I would have to spend a few Misha Donat Roger Nichols critic, The Spectator years with these pieces to do them producer, writer French music Roger Thomas critic justice. It had been at the back of Jessica Duchen specialist Helen Wallace my mind for quite a few years to do critic, novelist Bayan Northcott consultant editor, solo JanáΩek, and I am especially Hilary Finch critic, composer, writer BBC Music fond of the Overgrown Path pieces. The Times Mark Pappenheim Barry Witherden The idea came to me to combine George Hall writer, writer, editor critic the two for this recording.

Key to symbols Star ratings are provided for both the Did this recording lead you to see parallels between the composers? performance itself and either the recording’s sound Personally, no. But I certainly don’t want to stop listeners from drawing quality or a DVD’s presentation comparisons, and I’d even invite them to do so. In a way that’s the HHHHH whole point of the CD. The storytelling and mood picture aspects are Outstanding ...... HHHH common to all three of these cycles, and both composers invite a lot of Excellent ...... Good ...... HHH interpretative freedom. But there’s a stark contrast in a way: Schumann’s HH pianistic textures are rather full, whereas JanáΩek can uncannily express Disappointing ...... Poor ...... H the deepest human emotions with very few notes. In that respect, he’s on an equal par with Schubert.

How important are the titles to these mood pictures? BBC Music Direct You can now buy CDs, DVDs or Books I have the facsimile edition of the manuscript of the Waldszenen, and it’s reviewed in this issue from BBC Music Direct. The prices interesting to note that some titles changed, though I think they meant are given at the head of each review, and are inclusive roughly the same thing. However JanáΩek wrote his pieces first, then put of p&p for orders placed from within the UK. in titles, then later changed them, sometimes drastically. I think the titles There are three simple ways to order he ended up with in the definitive version are the best, but it’s strange to l Order online at www.classical-music.com/shop see the change. JanáΩek wanted us to know the titles beforehand – they l Call the credit card hotline on +44 (0)1634 832 789 have a way of very definitely colouring our listening experience. l Fax your order details to +44 (0)1634 832 234

To order CDs call BBC Music Direct +44 (0)1634 832 789; prices include P&P BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 67 vk.com/englishlibrary REVIEWS ORCHESTRAL ORCHESTRAL proves winning in Weinberg; Jos van Immerseel draws breathtaking Ravel from Anima Eterna; plus Neeme Järvi and Truls Mørk reveal the orchestral brilliance of Massenet

INSTRUMENTAL CHOICE From dreams to reality MASSENET Michael Scott Rohan on first-rate Berlioz coupled with Varèse Ballet Suite from Le Cid; Le dernier sommeil de la Vierge; Overture from Le Roi de Lahore; Fantaisie; Overture from Phèdre; Scène religieuse from Les Erinnyes; Entr’acte Sevillana from Don Cesar de Bazan; Scènes pittoresques Truls Mørk (cello); Orchestre de la Suisse Romande/Neeme Järvi Chandos CHSA 5137 81:30 mins BBC Music Direct £12.99 The supreme operatic craftsman of the Belle Époque, was a theatrical chameleon, able to lend each of his operas a unique musical colouring across a wide spectrum of historical and fictional settings. This new collection seems designed to show that his orchestral works are equally kaleidoscopic. Of the three more substantial items, the two most familiar – the big reading: suite of Spanish regional dances Mariss Jansons from Le Cid and the atmospherically sizes up to Berlioz varied Scènes pittoresques – are played by Neeme Järvi and his Swiss orchestra with infectious panache by the excellent Munich orchestra a feverishly light-footed ‘Witches’ and finesse. Rarer is the 1896–97 in vividly recorded sound. This Sabbath’. It’s less restrained than Fantaisie, with Truls Mørk matching is a big reading, spacious and Robin Ticciati’s version (reviewed the vibrant tone of his Montagnana detailed, but one that emphasises June 2012), but no less valid. ‘Esquire’ cello to the work’s nervy the unease underlying even the Jansons’s Symphonie is coupled iambic opening. He mellows to a most lyrical passages. The ‘Rêveries’ with a 2010 live performance of warmly expressive cantabile for the BERLIOZ sound subtly insistent, the idée fixe Varèse’s 1929 bid to dispense with sweetly singing second theme and obsessive; the ball sounds ethereal musical forms and structures, jauntily picks his way through the Symphonie fantastique VARÈSE invoking the imagery of clashing offbeat ‘quasi cadenza’. This distinctive Berlioz, subatomic particles in shifting The Norwegian cellist also plays Ionisation spacious and detailed, rhythms. Whatever its historical admirably unsentimental accounts Bavarian Radio Symphony importance, its mix of sirens and of that Beecham ‘lollipop’ Le dernier Orchestra/Mariss Jansons speaks for itself percussion might seem an odd sommeil de la vierge (The Last Sleep BR Klassik 900121 61:38 mins match for Berlioz’s subtle hues, but of the Virgin) as well as the lesser- BBC Music Direct £6.99 and half unreal from the outset, the performance is effective. known Scène religieuse from the New recordings of Berlioz’s neurotic and even the pastoral shawms in the PERFORMANCE HHHHH incidental music to Les Érinnyes self-exploration are coming thick fields are ominous, the gathering RECORDING HHHHH (The Furies). This last piece, a more and fast, but this one doesn’t need thunder foreboding ahead of the decorous take on the Elektra legend its unusual coupling to stand out. ‘March to the Scaffold’. Jansons ON THE WEBSITE than Strauss’s, finds Mørk tenderly Mariss Jansons’s interpretation is takes this with measured tread – he Hear extracts from this recording impassioned in the daughter’s distinctive enough to stand alone not only unleashes the percussion, and the rest of this month’s choices on desolate lament for her murdered the BBC Music Magazine website on this disc, which captures the but brings out the string writhings www.classical-music.com father. Mark Pappenheim immediacy of a live performance that punctuate it, foreshadowing PERFORMANCE HHHH RECORDING HHHH GETTY

68 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE All discs can be ordered from www.classical-music.com/shop vk.com/englishlibrary ORCHESTRAL REVIEWS

a final diminuendo, personalising a fascinating piece, performed here what in some hands sounds merely with great brilliance. Erik Levi REISSUES HHHHH robotic, while the saxophone’s PERFORMANCE Reviewed by Erik Levi perdendo at the end of ‘Il vecchio RECORDING HHHHH castello’ is breathtaking – for the BEETHOVEN • BARTÓK player, literally. Roger Nichols HHHHH Beethoven: Coriolan Overture; RAVEL PERFORMANCE Symphony No. 2; Bartók: Concerto RECORDING HHHHH Me mère l’oye for Orchestra Stuttgart Radio Symphony/Maazel MUSORGSKY/RAVEL Hänssler CD 94.224 (1958) 79:48 mins Pictures at an Exhibition BBC Music Direct £9.99 Anima Eterna Brugge/Jos van Immerseel WEINBERG The young Lorin Zig Zag Territoires ZZT343 49:27 mins Maazel puts the BBC Music Direct £14.99 Trumpet Concerto, Op. 94; Stuttgart Orchestra Symphony No. 18 ‘War – there is through its paces in These scores show Ravel’s total no word more cruel’, Op. 138 command of the two extremes WEINBERG muscular renditions Andrew Balio (trumpet); St Petersburg of Beethoven. Despite moments of of the orchestral spectrum – the Chamber Choir; St Petersburg State Sonata No. 3; Trio, Op. 48; untidiness, the Bartók is exciting. delicate/dreamlike and the mighty/ Sonatina, Op. 46; Concertino, Symphony/Vladimir Lande HHH Naxos 8.573190 70:26 mins PERFORMANCE multi-coloured – and I’m happy to Op. 42; Symphony No. 10 HHHH BBC Music Direct £6.99 RECORDING say that Anima Eterna do justice Gidon Kremer (violin), Daniil Grishin to both. The use of mainly French (viola), Giedre Dirvanauskaite The fourth disc in Naxos’s BEETHOVEN wind instruments from the late (cello), Daniil Trifonov (piano); burgeoning Weinberg series couples Kremerata Baltica Symphonies Nos 5 & 6 19th and early 20th centuries pays two stylistically disparate works from Orchestra of the Eighteenth Century/ ECM 481 0669 1:38:26 mins (2 discs) particular dividends in Ma mère the later part of the composer’s career. Frans Brüggen BBC Music Direct £28.99 l’oye, where the woodwind playing First up is the Trumpet Concerto Glossa GCD C81118 (2011) 75:49 mins sends shivers down the spine. In The recent explosion of interest (1966-67), which has previously been BBC Music Direct £12.99 ‘Les entretiens de la Belle et de la in the music of Mieczys⌅aw recorded a number of times, most Beethoven’s Bête’, the contrabassoon too tempers Weinberg has resulted in a number memorably by Sergei Nakariakov Pastoral features the bizarre with the affecting, of important recording projects. on Teldec. The present performance some exquisitely making Beauty’s response entirely This latest release from Gidon boasts a compelling contribution characterised understandable. The strings match Kremer and the Kremerata Baltica from Andrew Balio, who revels in the woodwind playing. this atmosphere of tender magic and must be counted among the most witticisms of the Finale while also The impressive Fifth encompasses every note is considered. enterprising. It opens with a stunning encapsulating the darker undertones granitic strength in outer Harshness is left to the Musorgsky, performance of the Third Sonata for of the wistful central movement. The movements and lyricism in the in which the characterisation is as unaccompanied violin, arguably the St Petersburg State Symphony offers Andante con moto. HHHHH sharp as a needle, with terrifying strongest work on the disc. Kremer strong support, though the scalic PERFORMANCE HHHH catacombs and spookily surrealist describes it as a masterpiece that’s on exchanges between trumpet and RECORDING huts on chickens’ legs. I like the a par with Bartók’s great Solo Sonata, orchestra in the opening movement TCHAIKOVSKY way Jos van Immerseel tailors the and his comparison seems perfectly would have benefited from more trumpet’s promenade theme with justified given the striking quality incisive ensemble in the strings. Symphonies Nos 5 & 6; Capriccio italien; Romeo and Juliet etc of the musical ideas, which, in their Nearly 18 years later, Weinberg Concertgebouw/Van Kempen unbroken sequence lasting over 20 completed his 18th Symphony, Eloquence 480 8536 (1951) 147:51 mins minutes, embrace a huge variety of the centrepiece of a trilogy of BBC Music Direct £14.99 (2 discs) BACKGROUND TO… emotions and textures. symphonic works exploring the Van Kempen delivers Following that is a series of more nightmarish legacy of the Second Mieczys¯aw hyper-Romantic, modestly proportioned chamber World War which had such profound viscerally exciting Weinberg works which were composed during repercussions both for Weinberg, 1919-96 Tchaikovsky in the the difficult final years of Stalinism most of whose family perished in the manner of his Dutch A great friend of in the late 1940s when Weinberg was Holocaust, and for the Soviet nation. mentor, Willem Mengelberg. Please Shostakovich, faced with censure from the Stalinist In contrast to the purely orchestral note the disc labels have been placed in years past authorities and felt compelled to 17th and 19th Symphonies, the the wrong way round. HHHH Weinberg’s write works that were closely allied present somewhat dour work assigns PERFORMANCE HH music fell into to the principles of Socialist Realism. a major role to the chorus, which RECORDING That explains the folk-inflected takes centre stage after a lengthy the shadow cast by his famous PROKOFIEV • BRITTEN fellow composer. But in recent idiom of the String Trio, the Sonatina orchestral introduction in evocative for Violin and Piano and the Violin settings of three contrasting poems. Prokofiev: ; Britten: times, the Polish-born Russian’s Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra; works have been rediscovered, Concertino. None of these works Helpfully, Naxos’s detailed booklet is quite top-drawer, but once again contains both the original Russian Tchaikovsky: Nutcracker Suite both on disc and on stage. His Philadelphia Orchestra/Ormandy Kremer and his associates deliver texts and English translations of this oeuvre is prolific and varied, 88883765802 (1978) 68:02 mins incisive, committed performances. material. While it displays effective BBC Music Direct £9.99 including 26 symphonies, 17 The Tenth Symphony, composed orchestral playing, however, this ’s string quartets and the opera The for Rudolf Barshai and the Moscow performance is disadvantaged by the Passenger, which was staged in disarmingly Chamber Orchestra in 1968, is uneven singing of the St Petersburg charming narration 2011 at . made of much sterner stuff and Chamber Choir – the words in the of the Prokofiev wears This harrowing work takes demonstrates Weinberg’s growing more densely scored passages of the its years remarkably Auschwitz as its subject; a Jew, awareness of the music of Berg and third movement are particularly well. Ormandy and the Philadelphia Weinberg fled Poland on its that of his more radical younger difficult to discern. Erik Levi are sympathetic partners and relish invasion by Germany, ending up in Soviet contemporaries. There are PERFORMANCE (TRUMPET the virtuosity of the Britten. Russia. His parents and sister were some dazzling passages, including CONCERTO) HHHH PERFORMANCE HHHH killed by the Nazis. a surprisingly anarchic collage of SYMPHONY NO. 18 HHH RECORDING HHH

OLGA RACHALSKAYA different textures near the end. It’s RECORDING HHHH

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 69 vk.com/englishlibrary NEW SECTION! CONCERTO Truls Mork makes a triumphant return to Shostakovich’s Cello Concertos; violinist Steinbacher plays Mozart with spontaneity and style; plus Nikolai Lugansky turns to Chopin

CONCERTO CHOICE Pyrotechnic Paganini Julian Haylock admires Laurent Korcia’s virtuosic violin recital BEETHOVEN Piano Concerto No. 1 MOZART violin workout : Piano Concerto No. 12* Laurent Korcia dazzles Leon Fleisher (piano); Kölner Rundfunk- with fiendish pieces Sinfonie-Orchester/André Cluytens, Georg Ludwig Jochum* ICA Classics ICAC 5121 61:03 mins BBC Music Direct £11.99 It’s hardly possible to review any performance of Leon Fleisher’s without remembering the well-nigh tragic circumstances of the central period of his life: that when he was in his thirties, he began to suffer from a neurological disease of the right hand which meant he had no control over his finger movements. Thanks partly to Botox he recovered, and resumed his career, but only after several decades. These two performances are from the period shortly before his illness. The great Pierre Monteux described him as ‘the pianistic find of the century’ and though I have heard performances of these two works that Concerto, complete with harp and Rossini aria (from Tancredi) that equal these, I can’t think of any that gloriously camp hoochie-coochie Korcia negotiates with thrilling surpass them. The Mozart is the last accompaniment to the subsidiary virtuoso élan. Korcia’s seductive of the set of three piano concertos theme in thirds, is a riot of virtuoso tonal sheen also pays dividends in that precede the incredible works indulgence that Laurent Korcia two Hispanic, piano-accompanied crowning his output. It is not as performs with dazzling aplomb. miniatures – Kreisler’s La gitana great as they are, but in the hands of MISTER PAGANINI Every note sparkles with an ear- and his gentle rewrite of Albéniz’s Fleisher and Georg Ludwig Jochum Kreisler: Concerto in One tweaking clarity and larger-than-life Malagueña – which emerge as it is a wonderful example of Mozart’s Movement; La gitana; Petite tonal lustre reminiscent of Pinchas though experienced through a conversational give-and-take mode. valse; Albeniz: Malagueña; shimmering heat-haze. Finest of all The Beethoven First, by Paganini: I Palpiti; Violin Concerto Laurent Korcia is a gripping performance of Ysaÿe’s comparison, is very grand indeed. No. 2: Rondo (arr. Kreisler); 15 wrist-crippling variations on That may be partly due to André Ysaÿe: Paganini Variations performs Paganini Paganini’s famous Caprice No. 24, Cluytens, who sets it moving as if Laurent Korcia (violin); Haruko Ueda with dazzling aplomb a cornucopia of fiendish technical he were Klemperer. Fleisher is in a (piano); Paris Chamber Orchestra/ ingenuity that Korcia throws off mood to give as good as he gets, and Jean-Jacques Kantorow Zukerman at his early-1970s prime. with scintillating flair and passion. this mighty work, at least as fine as Naïve V 5344 52:00 mins More familiar is Kreisler’s less PERFORMANCE +++++ any of Beethoven’s other Concertos, BBC Music Direct £15.99 interventionist take on Paganini’s RECORDING +++++ and possibly in the slow movement Take three of the all-time great La campanella, and here too Korcia the greatest of all, might well have violinist-composers, bring to the affectionately shapes the music in ON THE WEBSITE been called the Emperor if that hadn’t boil, stir and leave to simmer and even the blackest of pages. Hear extracts from this recording been awarded elsewhere. The sound the result is pure musical dynamite. Paganini unadorned is and the rest of this month’s choices on is impressive, though both Concertos the BBC Music Magazine website Kreisler’s rethink of the opening represented by his infamous www.classical-music.com are in mono. Michael Tanner movement of Paganini’s First I Palpiti, a series of variations on a PERFORMANCE HHHHH

ANDRES REYNAGA, MARCO BORGGREVE RECORDING HHHH

70 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE All discs can be ordered from www.classical-music.com/shop vk.com/englishlibrary CONCERTO REVIEWS

followed by a delightfully light- footed finale. REISSUES The clarinet nearly always sounds Reviewed by Erik Levi sharp at the beginning of Dvoπák’s Concerto, one of those odd trompe BEETHOVEN l’oreille, perhaps, but it results in a Piano Concertos Nos 1 & 5 sour start, even to this lusty reading Géza Anda (piano); Camerata by the Stuttgart Philharmonic. In Academica Salzburg; SWR between there’s much to enjoy in Sinfonieorchester Baden-Baden Ferrández’s heroic approach, his und Freiburg/Hans Rosbaud Hänssler CD 94.223 (1956-60) 73:05 mins rhetoric as convincing in the Allegro BBC Music Direct £12.99 as his lyricism in the Adagio. But his playing tightens in a The First Concerto, hard-driven fast movement, the with Anda directing, sound and fury from the orchestra’s offers Mozartian elegance. The bass forcing some heavy accents Emperor is less and stabbing upbeats in his bid to convincing, suffering from a poorly cut through. Tempo relationships focused orchestral perspective. are fairly extreme: the Andante PERFORMANCE HHH section is luminously realised but RECORDING H idiomatic sounds: puts at least a minute on the time violinist Patricia on this recording as compared with BEETHOVEN •DEBUSSY Kopatchinskaja many others, making it feel rather Piano Concerto No. 5; Piano Sonata fragmented. Listening to Miklós No. 31; Debussy: Images Perényi’s warmly spirited reading Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli (piano); Sinfonia Varsovia has this music in with the Budapest Festival Orchestra Prague Symphony/Václav SmetáΩek its blood, it fails to deliver translucent under Iván Fischer (Hungaroton) one Praga Digitals PRD/DSD 350 098 (1957, 1961 (hybrid CD/SACD) 79:01 mins performances under Alexander is reminded how much more organic BBC Music Direct £15.99 Vedernikov, and the folk influences and unaffected the Concerto can be. in both finales (the krakowiak in the And this coda lacks that profound Despite inferior E minor concerto, the mazurka in the sunset calm that saturates the very sound, Michelangeli dazzles in the F minor) are underplayed. The disc finest performances. CHOPIN opening of Op. 111, presents the Concertos in the order Surprisingly, the last item, Piano Concertos Nos 1 & 2 is magisterial in the Nikolai Lugansky (piano); Sinfonia in which they were written, which Casals’s El cant dels ocells, is the Emperor Concerto, and gives peerless Varsovia/Alexander Vedernikov means the Piano Concerto No. 2 most revealing of Ferrández’s performances of Debussy’s Images. Naïve AM 212 72:00 mins comes first, bringing out the best in individual voice, and just what he is PERFORMANCE HHHHH BBC Music Direct £15.99 Lugansky here. Understanding the capable of in terms of sound, line, RECORDING HH music’s shy qualities, he also supplies and dramatisation. A gem on this One of the most recorded – and considerable dash and lilt in its finale. promising debut disc. Helen Wallace BRAHMS PERFORMANCE HHHH most natural – pairings in the John Allison Piano Concerto No. 1; repertoire, Chopin’s Piano Concertos PERFORMANCE HHH RECORDING HHHH Handel Variations can still disclose new secrets in RECORDING HHH Bruno Leonardo Gelber (piano); Munich the best performances. To say that Philharmonic/Franz-Paul Decker Nikolai Lugansky’s accounts reveal Erato 825646353545 (1966-77) 74:59 mins BBC Music Direct £6.99 nothing new is not to imply they are poor. On the contrary, Chopin is Gelber convincingly estimably served in these objective, encapsulates the well-behaved performances, but heroic and lyrical Lugansky’s recording doesn’t stand MANSURIAN aspects of the Brahms out in a crowded field that includes DVO∏ÁK D minor. Even more Double concerto for violin and impressive is his architectural such great interpreters as Rubinstein Cello Concerto in B minor cello; Romance; Quasi Parlando; control in the Handel Variations. and Argerich. It is probably bad luck SCHUMANN Four Serious Songs PERFORMANCE HHHHH for Naïve that its release coincides (violin), RECORDING HHH with Linn’s new recording featuring Cello Concerto in A minor; Anja Lechner (cello); Amsterdam Ingrid Fliter, so consistently fresh Casals: El cant dels ocells Sinfonietta/Candida Thompson RACHMANINOV and imaginative (reviewed March (The Song of the Birds) ECM 481 0667 62:39 mins Piano Concertos Nos 2 & 3; etc 2014). The present recording tells Pablo Ferrández (cello); Stuttgart BBC Music Direct £14.99 Philharmonic/Radoslaw Szulc Jorge Bolet (piano); Orchestre us little we don’t already know Onyx ONYX4127 68:15 mins This is ECM’s fourth CD devoted Symphonique de Montréal/Dutoit about Lugansky or Chopin, other BBC Music Direct £15.99 to the music of contemporary Decca Eloquence 480 6624 (1983, 1988) than confirming the pianist as an Armenian composer Tigran 145:14 mins idiomatic Chopin player. Cellist Pablo Ferrández’s rather Mansurian, who was 75 in January. BBC Music Direct £23.99 (2 discs) Neither of the Concertos are, of contorted pose on the cover of this It’s the first to feature violinist Although some course, political in any sense, but disc didn’t inspire confidence. Patricia Kopatchinskaja, whose pure, passages in the both were composed shortly before Happily, such window-dressing rich tone and unforced eloquence do Second Concerto the anti-tsarist November Uprising doesn’t reflect his performances, so much to create the special sound- could benefit from of 1830 and there is a spirit of elegant which are ardent, tonally penetrating world of the programme. Quasi greater momentum, defiance in this music. But perhaps and skilfully structured. Ferrández is Parlando (that piece features instead there’s no denying the beauty and richness of Bolet’s piano playing. we shouldn’t be too surprised to unfailingly elegant in the Schumann cellist Anja Lechner, and they come PERFORMANCE HHHH find little instinct for such elements Cello Concerto, and draws the together in the Double Concerto) RECORDING HHHH in the interpretations of these orchestral soloists into a profoundly is an apt title for the album as a two Russian artists. Although the inward space in the Langsam, whole, for the essence of Mansurian’s

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obviously attractive idiom is the While Brautigam and Willens REISSUES SPECIAL quality of a speaking voice: typically, have sometimes tended to favour here, a string soloist (or soloists) tempos distinctly on the fast spellbinding: fronts massed strings, all expertly side, that isn’t the case here: these the violin virtuoso scored for and evoking timeless are finely-judged performances Ivry Gitlis in 2011 images of preacher and congregation, throughout, in which every detail or (as in the brand-new, passionate counts. Brautigam contributes an Four Serious Songs) solo singer and impressive cadenza to K482, and he supporting, lamenting choir. introduces an appropriate amount of Armenia, in Mansurian’s vision, decoration to the expressive minuet- is like the original cradle of sound. like episode of its finale. I remain to The seamless fusion of sacred and be convinced about the advisability folk influences, not displayed as of having the soloist play along, ‘local colour’ but wholly absorbed however discreetly, during the tuttis, into the music’s bloodstream, the as Brautigam does. Mozart may have marvellous economy of line and done the same himself, but whether harmony (he is not one to waste a he expected anyone other than his note), the discreet oriental echoes fellow-musicians to hear him is redolent of Armenian landscape – all another matter. Misha Donat these help to explain the appeal of his PERFORMANCE HHHHH music. Mostly, these pieces are slow RECORDING HHHHH and meditative (the Concerto brings some violent outbursts) and perhaps better sampled individually than at The master sorcerer one sitting. But this is an intensely beautiful disc. Calum MacDonald CD Review’s Andrew McGregor on the magical PERFORMANCE HHHH sound and daring musicality of violinist Ivry Gitlis RECORDING HHHHH MOZART There are some different kind of virtuosity. It Violin Concertos Nos 3, 4 & 5 instrumental profits from the almost (violin); Festival sounds that have dangerous sense of improvisatory Strings Lucerne/Daniel Dodds the power to root freedom, and Gitlis’s unique, PentaTone PTC5186479 (hybrid CD/SACD) me to the spot. often extreme, rubato. It isn’t 78:00 mins BBC Music Direct £15.99 And I know I’m always magical; the two concert not the only violinist who’s been performances are uncomfortable MOZART For playing sensitive to the Classical bewitched by Ivry Gitlis, born in affairs. The Brahms Double in Piano Concertos Nos 18 & 22 style on an appropriate scale using Palestine 92 years ago. At the time Paris in 1971 starts well, but Gitlis’s Ronald Brautigam (piano); Cologne modern instruments, and Henryk Szeryng of writing Gitlis is still alive and playing becomes impossibly Academy/Michael Alexander Willens BIS BIS-2044 (hybrid CD/SACD) 60:03 mins (both Philips) are still among the well, living in Paris, where a steady unrestrained, with cellist Maurice BBC Music Direct £12.99 front-runners for a complete set of stream of fine fiddle players come Gendron trying valiantly to match Mozart’s Violin Concertos. For the to learn from a musician who him, and conductor Michel As in the rest of their Mozart series three large-scale concertos on a single connects them to another age of Tabachnik trying and failing to with the Cologne Academy, Ronald disc, Arabella Steinbacher’s main great players, such as his teachers glue it all together. The Berg Brautigam and Michael Alexander competition comes from Augustin Enescu, Flesch and Szigeti. Gitlis Concerto also suffers from Gitlis’s Willens use small orchestral forces, Dumay (DG), whose vibrantly developed into a impetuous with no more than a pair each of spontaneous, beautifully phrased far-from Ivry Gitlis’s sound is approach; violas, cellos and basses. This may readings radiate a sublime sense of conventional there’s all the well have been the ensemble Mozart joy and contentment. violinist, with an intense, passionate passion, fire had in mind, though paradoxically Recorded in the gently unforgettable and intoxicating and anger the enough it’s in the transparently- cushioning, warm ambience of a sound: intense, concerto needs, scored Concerto No. 18, K456 that Zurich church, Steinbacher and passionate, intoxicating, with but the sweetness, nostalgia and the strings sound undernourished, colleagues – Daniels Dodds directs musical freedom and wild spirit. regret are burned away by the while in No. 22, K482, with its richer the Lucerne orchestra from the Ivry Gitlis Portrait (Decca 534 wildness of the playing. sonorities (this was Mozart’s first leader’s chair – sound almost like 6246; 5 CDs) opens with outsized We could be on safer ground concerto to include clarinets, and it a throwback to the 1970s. Indeed accounts of the first two Paganini with the last disc of showpieces also has trumpets and drums), the these are delightful performances, Concertos from mid-60s Warsaw, and encores, although Debussy’s overall balance is more satisfactory. whose post-Romantic credentials are then the Caprices in a dry-as-dust flaxen haired girl has the The finale of the earlier work confirmed by embracing mainstream contains a spectacular episode in a cadenzas by Wolfgang Schneiderhan recording it took Gitlis 30 years to freedom of a folksong, Dvoπák’s remote key, where two conflicting and Joseph Joachim. The muted agree to release. Not perfect, but Humoresque feels as though it’s metres unfold simultaneously, and violins of No. 3’s heavenly slow the playing is ferocious, full of being improvised there and then. perhaps the cross-rhythm isn’t quite movement sound as though they daring, and the sound he produces But that sound: molten magic in audible enough here. The variation are floating on currents of warm air, seems to range from brassy the Wieniawski Capriccio-valse in slow movement, in Mozart’s tragic and as Steinbacher soars aloft with trumpet fanfare to the searing the 1980s, and earthily electric in G minor vein, is quite beautifully her first entry, it is as if time has purity of an ondes martenot. The Bartók’s Romanian Folk Dances in done. In the final variation, with its momentarily been suspended. The same is true in the Wieniawski 1994-95. Ivry Gitlis aged 72: part elaborate keyboard part, Brautigam deliciously ‘noisy’ Turkish episode Concertos, but the Saint-Saëns violinist, part sorcerer. and Willens invoke an imaginative of No. 5’s finale is also affectionately Second Concerto demands a BBC Music Direct £13.99 pianissimo that enhances the music’s shaped rather than manically driven

GETTY, MARCO BORGGREVE air of resignation. in the ‘authentic’ style.

72 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE All discs can be ordered from www.classical-music.com/shop vk.com/englishlibrary CONCERTO REVIEWS DISCOVER THE BEST NEW RELEASES FROM LINN MAGNIFICAT The Tudors at Prayer

￿￿￿￿ ‘The subtle hues of the choir, an elite corps from Winchester and Westminster cathedrals, are particularly impressive.’ BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE on Parsons, White & Byrd: Where late the sweet birds sang ‘The colour and excitement ‘imaginative’: implicit in this music is brilliantly Ronald Brautigam’s realized in these performances.’ Mozart series continues INTERNATIONAL RECORD REVIEW on Philippe Rogier: In contrast to the robust projection of each movement, might suggest Polychoral Works of (DG), Pinchas that Mørk’s view of the music has Zukerman (Sony) or Anne-Sophie hardly altered over this period. Mutter (DG), Steinbacher plays these Yet there is little doubt that the enchanting scores with a refined present performance of the First PETER WHELAN elegance, interpretative warmth Concerto is even more incisive than and captivating, jewelled sonority its predecessor, thanks in no small The Proud Bassoon reminiscent of the great Josef Suk. measure to the pungent rhythmically ￿￿￿￿￿ Period instrument enthusiasts driven contribution from the might argue that Andrew Manze’s Norwegian orchestra in the outer $YDULHW\RIIULYROLW«VURXQGRD exhilarating rethinks for Harmonia movements. Likewise, Mørk extracts splendid recital.’ Mundi bring us closer to the kind of greater pathos from the simple folk BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE thing Mozart originally intended, melody of the Moderato than before, ￿￿￿￿￿ but for playing that retains a strong and Vasily Petrenko draws out a 3HWHU:KHODQRHUVEDVVRRQ sense of contact with the 20th wealth of fascinating detail from the century’s golden age, Steinbacher orchestral accompaniment. sonatas by Fasch and Telemann, has few serious contemporary rivals. Such an outstanding reading ZKLFKDUHDPRQJWKHUVWRI Julian Haylock makes this an obvious front runner their kind...’ THE IRISH TIMES PERFORMANCE HHHH in a highly competitive field. The RECORDING HHHHH Second Concerto, on the other hand, doesn’t convince me to the same extent even though I find this new version more engaging than its rather pallid predecessor. Certainly, Mørk plays this deeply introspective music ENSEMBLE MARSYAS with great sensitivity and projects the J.F. Fasch: Quartets & Concertos almost suffocating sense of suffering SHOSTAKOVICH that infuses the solo part. Yet other ￿￿￿￿￿ Cello Concertos Nos 1 & 2 interpreters, in particular Pieter Chamber ‘Choice’: Wispelwey on Channel Classics ‘...the players Truls Mørk (cello); combine wit, taste and an earthy Orchestra/Vasily Petrenko (CCSSA25308), secure a wider range Ondine ODE 1218-2 64:59 mins of colouring from Shostakovich’s Bohemian wink to win the heart.’ BBC Music Direct £12.99 rather grey canvas and engage in a BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE more theatrical dialogue with the on Zelenka: Sonatas Nearly 20 years after he recorded orchestra. This approach is especially ‘...highly capable playing, Shostakovich’s two Cello Concertos crucial to the ruminative Finale with expert tuning, smooth lines... with the London Philharmonic where Mørk’s reticence and lack sound is wonderfully Orchestra and Mariss Jansons for of forward momentum at times , Truls Mørk has threatens to undermine the structural clear and well balanced.’ GRAMOPHONE returned to this repertory in vividly lucidity of Shostakovich’s musical engineered live performances given argument. Erik Levi on Zelenka: Sonatas in Oslo in 2013. A superficial PERFORMANCE (CONCERTO NO. 1) +++++ comparison between these All albums available in Studio Master from www.linnrecords.com recordings, which almost mirror (CONCERTO NO. 2 HHH Distributed in the UK by RSK Entertainment www.rskentertainment.co.uk each other in terms of the timings RECORDING HHHH Distributed in North America by Naxos of America www.naxos.com

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Peter Maxwell Davies dazzles with his late 1970s chamber opera BERNSTEIN The Lighthouse; is an ardent hero in Gounod’s Faust; West Side Story Cheyenne Jackson, Alexandra Silber, plus Vivaldi’s first-rate and captivating L’incoronazione di Dario Jessica Vosk, Kevin Vortmann, Kelly Markgraf, David Michael Laffey, Juliana Hansen, Louise Marie Cornillez, Zachary Ford, Cassie Simone, Justin Keyes, Chris Meissner, Louis Pardo, OPERA CHOICE Michael Taylor, Julia Bullock; San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and Chorus/ SFS Media SFS0059 (hybrid CD/SACD) A classic Turandot returns 82:51 mins (2 discs) BBC Music Direct £30.99 Michael Scott Rohan applauds Covent Garden’s classy, colourful revival ’s 1957 musical, West Side Story, is one of his most perfect scores: effortlessly tuneful, sharply characterised, subtly integrated and successful in reconciling exuberant dance numbers with the tragic story-line of its source, Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet. Michael Tilson Thomas’s new recording with his San Francisco forces does it justice by including the complete score (omitting only some instrumental reprises covering scene changes or accompanying dialogue); some spoken cues are incorporated where required by the context. Compared to Bernstein’s own 1984 recording, which notoriously features mature opera singers in the lead roles, Tilson Thomas’s version scores heavily with its casting of illuminating: the appealingly youthful-sounding this Turandot draws Cheyenne Jackson as Tony and from Asian theatre Alexandra Silber as Maria. Both the touching Silber and the feisty Jessica Vosk as Anita successfully suggest is an excellent substitute, since dignified presence, radiating a grim Puerto Rican accents without parody. Andrei Serban’s galvanically courage that suggests he is driven While most of the cast comes from colourful staging has survived with by humanity as well as passion. Eri the world of musical theatre, Julia remarkable vigour. Serban’s studies Nakamura’s Liu is equally fine, Bullock brings a more operatic tone of Asian theatre enabled him to vulnerable and full of hopeless love, to her fine singing of ‘Somewhere’. avoid the usual Chinese-restaurant and Raymond Aceto is a touching The chorus convincingly represents look, creating a theatre-within-a- Timur. Serban transformed the the warring street gangs. The theatre filled with dance, grotesque three Masks from caricatures orchestra swings like the biggest PUCCINI into real protagonists, pastel-clad of big bands, with a driving kit athletic clowns at once sinister and drummer and some spectacular DVD Turandot Lise Lindstrom touching; they’re exceptionally well trumpet playing. Lise Lindstrom, Marco Berti, Eri is pretty much the Nakamura, Raymond Aceto; ROH sung here, as is Alasdair Elliot’s Just one grumble. The vivid Chorus & Orchestra/Henrik Nánási; ideal Ice Princess Emperor. The all-important chorus recording was assembled from a run dir. Andrei Serban (London, 2013) sings with vibrant energy, and the of live concert performances, yet the Opus Arte DVD: OA 1132 D; masks and pageantry in constant, dancers are creepily impressive. only audible audience reaction is Blu-ray: OA BD7142 D 125:00 mins fluid motion. Henrik Nánási conducts with some mild amusement at the witty BBC Music Direct (DVD) £28.99 Lise Lindstrom is pretty much considerable power and the stage text in ‘America’. The performance BBC Music Direct (Blu-ray) £34.99 the ideal Ice Princess: her voice one direction preserves Serban’s original deserves, and demands, tumultuous One of my most valued video of steely intensity. In the Riddle well. This new version outclasses applause. Anthony Burton recordings is this production’s Scene she flutters over Calaf with the two excellent Met videos both PERFORMANCE +++++ original 1984 broadcast, with vampiric sadism, yet also conveys musically and dramatically. RECORDING ++++ Gwyneth Jones and Franco Turandot’s uncertainty and Michael Scott Rohan Hear the BBC Music team give Bonisolli, sadly never released misdirected emotions. Mario Berti PERFORMANCE +++++ its verdict on this CD on our commercially. This, however, as Calaf has a clarion voice and RECORDING +++++ ‘First Listen’ podcast, available from

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74 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE All discs can be ordered from www.classical-music.com/shop vk.com/englishlibrary REVIEWS OPERA

DONIZETTI GERSHWIN DVD Maria Stuarda DVD Porgy and Bess Joyce DiDonato, Elza van den Eric Owens, Laquita Mitchell, Angel Heever, Matthew Polenzani, Blue, Lester Lynch, Chauncey Packer, Joshua Hopkins, Matthew Rose; Karen Slack; /John Metropolitan Opera/; DeMain; dir. Francesco Zambello (San dir. David McVicar (New York, 2012) Francisco, 2009) Erato 2564632035 142 mins EuroArts DVD: 2059638 (2 discs); BBC Music Direct £10.99 Blu-ray: 2059634 158 + 29 mins This 2012 Met production by Sir BBC Music Direct (DVD) £28.99 tudor tones: David McVicar turns to the second BBC Music Direct (Blu-ray) £34.99 Joyce DiDonato as of Donizetti’s three Tudor operas, Characterisations, settings, Maria Stuarda all of which he is staging for the production style, the edition used: New York company. It represents Gershwin’s great opera always McVicar’s traditionalist approach at seems to hit the headlines one ‘Sportin’ Life’ couldn’t be more Verdun is an attractive idea, and the its most intelligent, and even if the way or another. In 2011, Stephen alluring: I’d buy ‘happy dust’ from set with its huge cast-iron balconies result seems visually old-fashioned, Sondheim famously complained him immediately. Geoff Brown and spiral staircases is suitably it’s hard to think of an alternative in advance about tinkerings and PERFORMANCE HHHH Frankensteinian, it’s the relationship way of staging the conflict between softenings in Diane Paulus’s PICTURE & SOUND (DVD) HHH between Faust and the woman he Elizabeth I and her doomed cousin American Repertory Theatre (BLU-RAY) HHHHH ruins that should be centre stage. Mary, Queen of Scots that would production. Francesca Zambello’s EXTRAS HHH Here the Met plays a fistful of provide such narrative clarity earlier staging, caught here at trumps. Jonas Kaufmann is an ardent alongside theatrical vitality. San Francisco Opera in 2009, Faust and, in smart evening clothes, The result is handsomely had a much easier ride, though is as stylish sartorially as he is vocally. designed (by John Macfarlane), the director’s fondness for hyper- There’s wonder in the voice when he well acted and strongly sung. realism and fussy activity on stage first sees Marguerite, and a real sense Elza van den Heever delivers may still find its detractors. Extras of pain when he grasps what he has a statuesque Elizabeth, if with and chorus in Catfish Row never done to her. René Pape is a wickedly tomboyish tendencies; hers may find rest: men fiddle distractingly cynical Méphistophélès, though not be the most beautiful bel canto with fishing nets, boots are put on, he might have found more humour around, but she negotiates the notes always a carnival of gesture and GOUNOD in the role. But the star is Marina with skill. Again, arguably less movement. And all I wanted was to DVD Faust Poplavskaya’s Marguerite. Wide- than vocally ideal as Mary, Joyce listen to Angel Blue, sweetly earnest, Jonas Kaufmann, Marina Poplavskaya, eyed and innocent to start, tearful DiDonato offers a physically plain, singing ‘Summertime’. René Pape; Metropolitan Opera/ and terrified in the Walpurgis Night emotionally determined martyr- Still, Peter J Davidson’s rust- Yannick Nézet-Séguin; dir. Des McAnuff Act, Poplavskaya makes you hear the monarch, her singing closely and coloured Catfish set and Mark (New York, 2011) ballad of the King of Thule, the Jewel impressively aligned with the McCullough’s dynamic lighting Decca DVD: 074 3811 (2 discs); aria and the love duet as if the ink was character’s emotional journey. give Zambello’s bustle an imposing Blu-ray: 074 3812 187 mins scarcely dry on the score. Of course The production’s secondary frame. The singing is vigorous, BBC Music Direct (DVD) £24.99 it helps to have Yannick Nézet- roles – Joshua Hopkins’s Cecil, breathing life into a musical edition BBC Music Direct (Blu-ray) £26.99 Séguin in charge in the pit, coaxing a Matthew Polenzani’s Leicester of Gershwin’s operatic version, Faust has always been a New York performance from the Met Orchestra and Matthew Rose’s Talbot – are resurrected nearly 40 years ago at favourite. It opened the original that is rich in detail. Christopher Cook all vocally respectable if a trifle by David Met in 1883 and was revived so PERFORMANCE HHHH dull dramatically, though Maria Gockley, now SFO’s general director. often that one wit dubbed the RECORDING HHHH Zifchak makes something of John DeMain was conducting then, house the Faustspielhaus. Now as Mary’s confidante, Hannah. and his passion for the score hasn’t the new Met struggles to join the Conductor Maurizio Benini rises dimmed a jot. The orchestra crackles 20th century, who better to direct above routine to bring flexibility from the very first note. Eric Owens’s a new production than a Broadway to his conducting, while the Met’s Porgy, too, immediately weighs in as tyro, Des McAnuff, who piloted orchestra and chorus consistently a powerful presence – less crippled Jersey Boys to international success. fulfil expectations of their than other Porgys maybe, but full of McAnuff has a concept. Faust is a international quality. the essential goodness and dignity. nuclear physicist who is appalled by HANDEL There is some useful material Provided you’re comfortable with the destruction caused by the atomic included in the extras of this HD waves of vibrato, Laquita Mitchell’s bomb and decides to poison himself. Bejun Mehta, Sophie Karthäuser, Live Broadcast edition: a bonus Bess radiates sufficient vocal heat, In the momentary pause between Kristina Hammarstrom, Sunhae Im, documentary features soprano though her acting can be unfocused, beaker and lip, his whole life is played Konstantin Wolff; B’Rock Orchestra Deborah Voigt interviewing the cast, especially alongside Karen Slack, out in five acts before our eyes. Ghent/René Jacobs as well as footage of Met supremo whose Serena is magnificent in grief. Leaving aside the curious notion 479 2199 Peter Gelb talking to McVicar and None has a problem jumping that the road to Los Alamos began in 160:02 mins (2 discs) Macfarlane. George Hall through this score’s many musical Wittenberg, Gounod’s opera is less BBC Music Direct £26.99 PERFORMANCE HHH languages, from jazz to gospel to about Faust the physicist than Faust Orlando (1733) is one of two ‘magic’ PICTURE & SOUND HHH Broadway to Berg. And Chauncey as lover. And while Valentin and his operas – is the other – that EXTRAS HHHH Packer’s sinuous peacock of a comrades as soldiers returning from Handel composed and staged

To order CDs call BBC Music Direct +44(0)1634 832 789; prices include P&P BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 75 vk.com/englishlibrary REVIEWS OPERA in London during the 1730s. Rossini mines the plot’s expressive Librettist Carlo Capece based his possibilities in a truly magnificent text on episodes in Ariosto’s famous score. It’s also of stupendous vocal epic poem Orlando furioso. The difficulty, and, though not all of differences between source and Garsington’s singers meet its more adaptation are considerable: Handel formidable challenges, theirs is still introduced an important comic an appreciable achievement. Paul element, notably in the generous Nilon offers a monochrome Erisso, spirited shepherdess, Dorinda, in but Siân Davies’s Anna, Caitlin whom he invests greater importance Hulcup’s Calbo and Darren Jeffery’s than did Capece, and he created for Maometto supply vital vocalism. his bass Antonio Montagnana the ’s stylish conducting splendid magical role of Zoroastro. provides momentum, though the The plot pivots on Orlando’s jealousy open-air sound is so-so. and eventually healed madness, but George Hall its allegory, in which ordeals put PERFORMANCE HHH character to the test, brings Mozart’s RECORDING HHH Magic Flute to mind. Handel’s title role was created by the arrogant alto castrato Senesino, scottish noir: a stellar attraction in several of the Maxwell Davies offers composer’s operas. Bejun Mehta mystery in his opera brings lively characterisation to the mythical hero’s subtle duality. If the uppermost notes of his vocal range sound a little pinched, there a tough act to follow. A genre with is ample compensation in bravura an affordable orchestral lineup of VINCI passagework where every detail is solo instruments (it’s irreverently DVD in place and every phrase gracefully known in the trade as ‘opera lite’) , , Max articulated. His famous aria ‘Vaghe has meant plenty of opportunities Emanuel Cencic, Valer Barna-Sabadus, pupille’ at the close of the Second for composers since. Trouble is, it’s Yuriy Mynenko, Juan Sancho; Concerto Act comes over with tenderness and a necessarily thinly scored medium ROSSINI Köln/; dir. Silviu Purc¯arete expressive warmth. – and how do you generate theatrical (Nancy, France, 2012) Maometto secondo The remainder of the cast makes a space and atmosphere with that? In Erato DVD: 46323234 201 mins (2 discs) Siân Davies, Caitlin Hulcup, Darren BBC Music Direct £11.99 strong showing, though I sometimes The Lighthouse, composed in 1979, Jeffery, Paul Nilon, Christopher Diffey, found Sophie Karthäuser’s Angelica Maxwell Davies confronts these Richard Dowling; Garsington Opera The fate of Vinci, poisoned by his tonally hard-edged and with too wide issues in virtuosic style, and with Orchestra & Chorus/David Parry lover’s jealous husband, mirrors the a vibrato. Sunhae Im brings youthful dramatic success. Avie AV2312 168:23 mins (3 discs) colourful drama of his final opera, playfulness to the role of Dorinda. The top-flight libretto (by BBC Music Direct £37.99 Artaserse; it’s a plot of entangled Her athletic technique does justice Maxwell Davies himself) imagines The production recorded here was passions and violent ambitions, with to ‘Amor è qual vento’ (Act III) and what might have happened at the the hit of Garsington’s 2013 festival, a poisoned chalice at its dénouement. ‘O care parolette’ (Act I). Konstantin Flannan Isles lighthouse in the when this almost unknown Rossini Real life and art fuse, too, in this Wolff’s Zoroastro is authoritative Scottish Hebrides, found deserted opera turned out to be special. mise-en-scène by Silviu Purc¯arete, and Kristina Hammarström’s by its supply ship in 1900. The cast It dates from 1818, during the in which the theatre crew mingles performance (Medoro) is pleasing; of three switches between the ship’s composer’s period as music director in the action, dressing tables are her terzetto with Angelica and officers at the subsequent enquiry, to the Royal Theatres of Naples, not backstage but on stage, and Dorinda at the end of Act I is among and the three missing lighthouse when his job involved supplying new cameras glance behind the scenes. many delights in a fine production. keepers who, the story suggests, scores to the Teatro San Carlo, at that The production takes itself none too All is well-paced under René Jacobs’s became unhinged by memories time Italy’s most forward-looking seriously, the Baroque absurdities direction with a fine contribution of their previous lives. Horrifying opera house. Even so, Maometto of the plot enhanced by absurd from the B’Rock orchestra. consequences are inadvertently set secondo failed, though it enjoyed a costumes and headdresses – from Nicholas Anderson in motion by the song with which second existence in its subsequent, ram’s horns to rabbit ears. PERFORMANCE HHHH each keeper notionally entertains much revamped French version as With alert and lyrical singing, RECORDING HHHHH the others, dragging up ghosts from Le siège de Corinthe (1826). Philippe Jaroussky characterises the past – a device allowing Maxwell Generally preferred by Rossini the eponymous prince of Persia as a Davies to deploy (for once with experts, the original’s plot resounds youthful idealist, forced to judge the convincing dramatic justification) with the growing contemporary innocence or guilt of his much-loved his pet device of popular song-and- obsession with the cause of Greek friend Arbace. The latter role was dance styles along with a dissonant, Independence from the Ottoman created for the fêted soprano castrato corruption-suggesting overlay. Empire – though it is actually set Carestini, for whom Vinci penned Even without the visuals, the during the 1470s, when the Turks solos of show-stopping virtuosity. MAXWELL DAVIES work’s taut pacing and sharp-focus are besieging a Venetian colonial Argentinian countertenor Franco The Lighthouse invention grip the imagination outpost at Negroponte. With the Fagioli rises to the challenge, as Neil Mackie, Christopher Keyte, from start to finish. All three cast aid of brave young general Calbo, he offsets vocal pyrotechnics with Ian Comboy; Members of the BBC members excel, taking Maxwell Venetian leader Erisso puts up the poignancy, plumbing the depths Philharmonic/Peter Maxwell Davies Davies’s liking for passages of falsetto best defence he can until matters are and scaling the heights of his florid Naxos 8.660354 72:29 mins yowling in their stride; and the complicated by the discovery that his and wide-ranging arias. Also written BBC Music Direct £6.99 instrumental playing is incisively daughter and Calbo’s beloved, Anna, for castratos were the two female Britten set such a devastatingly high superb. Malcolm Hayes has previously fallen in love with roles, sung here by creative standard in his chamber PERFORMANCE HHHHH the Turkish conqueror Maometto Valer Barna-Sabadus – velvet-toned operas that his example has proved RECORDING HHHHH in disguise in Corinth. and very pretty as Semira – and

76 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE All discs can be ordered from www.classical-music.com/shop vk.com/englishlibrary OPERA REVIEWS

Max Emanuel Cencic as Mandane, Oronte is the people’s man while and security that shows up many in Dauvergne’s Hercule mourant and silver-voiced and dignified, despite army captain Arpago is supported more famous exponents. He there are excellent performances by wardrobes that are more pantomime by the militia. The victor shall approaches ’s ‘bel canto Cyril Constanzo in excerpts from dame than Persian princess. Under marry Cyrus’s beautiful though Wagner’ ideal, but with incisively Gluck’s French-inspired comedies the taught direction of Diego none too bright daughter, Statira, clear diction. His expressiveness for Vienna, and Victor Sicard in arias Fasolis, Concerto Köln offers vibrant but obstacles lie in the way of that, isn’t overdone or showy, without from Rameau’s Dardanus. When it orchestral playing, the musicians notably her nasty sister Argene and resorting to exaggerated pianissimos, comes to depth and colour, Rameau doing their best to animate a rather lustful old philosopher Niceno. All but it’s there – especially in Sachs stands high above his potential rivals four-square score. Kate Bolton is eventually happily resolved, and and the Dutchman. His Wolfram in this richly stocked garden. But PERFORMANCE HHHH all but Argene are forgiven for past sounds slightly stiff and his Amfortas there is much to savour, not least the RECORDING HHHH obstructions and deceits. could use more visceral anguish, but youthful enthusiasm of the singers. Vivaldi’s music is beguiling right he makes the most of Telramund’s Jan Smaczny from the sparkling C major Sinfonia. ranting aria. Even Wotan’s difficult PERFORMANCE HHHH Statira and Argene, both alto roles, tessitura betrays little strain; he RECORDING HHH are given arias that define their sounds more natural in the role than respective characters. Untypically, , for one, though perhaps Vivaldi allotted the ‘primo uomo’ less touching. Andrew Litton offers role of Dario to a tenor rather than a capable support. Michael Scott Rohan VIVALDI castrato. The remaining contenders PERFORMANCE HHHHH RECORDING HHH L’incoronazione di Dario for the throne are soprano roles, while Anders Dahlin, Sara Mingardo, Niceno is a bass. An unusual feature Delphine Galou, Riccardo Novaro, of his role is a little ‘cantata in scena’ LOVE DUETS Roberta Mameli, Lucia Cirillo, Sofia which he has written for Statira to Duets by Massenet, Mascagni, Soloviy, Giuseppina Bridelli; Accademia sing (Act I) while he accompanies Verdi, Donizetti, Gounod, Verdi, Bizantina/Ottavio Dantone her on a viola all’inglese (viola da Puccini, Bernstein, Rodgers Naïve OP 30553 177 mins (3 discs) gamba). Vivaldi presents his dramatic & Hammerstein, Loesser and BBC Music Direct £28.99 credentials with brilliance and Wright & Forest In a Venetian periodical for January ingenuity in L’Incoronazione di Dario. LE JARDIN DE Ailyn Pérez (soprano), Stephen Costello 1717 we learn that ‘The splendid Vocal cast and instrumentalists are MONSIEUR RAMEAU (tenor); BBC Symphony Orchestra/ Incoronazione di Dario opened with first-rate and all is swiftly paced Excerpts from Montéclair: Jephté, great applause.’ Understandable, under Ottavio Dantone’s direction. Warner 0825646334858 67:97 mins Dauvergne: Hercule mourant; BBC Music Direct £11.99 for musically this is one of Vivaldi’s Nicholas Anderson La Vénitienne; Rameau: Hippolyte HHHHH most captivating operas, while PERFORMANCE et Aricie; Grandval: Rien du tout; Love’s young dream is the message Adriano Morselli’s elderly libretto RECORDING HHHHH Gluck: L’Ivrogne corrigé; Campra: on the cover, but the music within is effective in its revised version. L’europe galante tells a different story – of jealousy, The story explores a three-cornered Daniela Skorka, Emilie Renard, torn loyalties, fear and forbidden fight for the crown, after the recent Benedetta Mazzucato, Zachary Wilder, feelings. Ailyn Peréz and Stephen death of Persian King Cyrus. Darius Victor Sicard, Cyril Costanzo; Les Arts Costello, real-life husband and is backed by governors, district Florissants/William Christie wife, are already much admired commissioners and the like; young Les Arts Florissants William Christie on both sides of the Atlantic. They Editions AF002 81:00 mins have programmed a demanding set BBC Music Direct £14.99 WAGNER of dramatic duets for their debut BACKGROUND TO… Overture and ‘Die Frist ist um’ This magnificently presented CD, from Donizetti to Puccini (Der fliegende Holländer); ‘Blick CD celebrates the relationship and Gounod to Massenet, not Leonardo ich umher’ and ‘O du mein holder between William Christie’s Les Arts forgetting a trip down Broadway Vinci Abendstern’ (Tannhäuser); ‘Du Florissants and the theatre of Caen. that seems all but obligatory now Alongside a detailed commentary on for American artists (though c1696-1730 Furchterliches Weib!’ (); ‘Was duftet doch der Flieder’, the music is a prose poem by Adrien Ailyn Peréz is Mexican). Prelude to Act III, ‘Wahn! Wahn! Goetz about the nearby garden Husband and wife sing with composed over Uberall Wahn! (Die Meistersinger); of Château Canon and the music energy and style, but there’s a veiled 30 operas, many ‘Ja! Wehe! Wehe! We’ uber mich!’ heard there. The cast is drawn from quality to Peréz’s middle voice and of which were (); ‘Wotans Abschied und the young singers participating in some obtrusive breathing. Costello, hugely popular Feuerzauber’ (Die Walküre) Les Arts Florissants’s annual ‘Le meanwhile, never quite decides what James Rutherford (baritone); Bergen in their day. He paved the way for jardin des voix’ course working on kind of tenor he ought to be. He may Philharmonic Orchestra/Andrew Litton French repertoire, with Rameau at well be light and lyric as Donizetti’s the start of Classicism in opera BIS BIS-2080 (hybrid CD/SACD) 78:44 mins its heart, under the expert tutelage Nemorino, but where’s the strapping by, in essence, writing melodies BBC Music Direct £12.99 in balanced, polished phrases. of Christie and Paul Agnew. The tone required for the Duke in Many singers avoid Wagner till late music is a fascinating mix of works ? And are the head tones Born in Naples, Vinci entered the in their careers; others seem born by Rameau and a fair few of his he finds for Faust a little too nasal? city’s Conservatorio dei Poveri di to the challenge. James Rutherford contemporaries – from the polished To put it plainly, neither singer Gesù Cristo in 1708. He studied served a decent apprenticeship, but old stager Campra to the younger has yet completely mastered the there for ten years, before his winning Seattle’s International Dauvergne and Grandval – as well art of vocal characterisation. So opera Lo cecato fauzo was staged Wagner Competition led him to as Gluck. One regrettable omission Peréz’s Violetta might just as well to popular acclaim. A few operas sing that most mature role, Hans is Mondonville, of whom Christie be Mimì or Adina. And Julie and later, he made a splash in Rome Sachs, at hallowed Bayreuth at only is a masterly interpreter. Billy from Carousel would feel just with Farnace. Vinci collaborated 37, performing many other roles The results of this summer as at home in West Side Story. Love’s with the librettist Metastasio. internationally since. course are impressive. Montéclair’s Young Dream needs to feel the cold He was also famous for his The Norfolk-born bass-baritone’s prologue to Jephté is an arresting wind of experience on its neck. long-running rivalry wih fellow voice, on this showing, is close to opener with Les Arts Florissants Christopher Cook composer Nicola Porpora. ideal – chocolate-dark and rich in in characteristically stylish form. PERFORMANCE HHH tone, with a deceptive effortlessness Daniela Skorka is genuinely affecting RECORDING HHHH

To order CDs call BBC Music Direct +44(0)1634 832 789; prices include P&P BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 77 vk.com/englishlibrary CHORAL & SONG delivers a historic performance of recently unearthed Shostakovich; the London Philharmonic Choir get to the heart of Carl Orff; plus actor Samuel West in rare early Britten

CHORAL & SONG CHOICE Drama and depth in Gesualdo BRITTEN Anthony Pryer relishes responsories from La Compagnia del Madrigale Music for Radio and Theatre: The Ascent of F6; An American in England; Roman Wall Blues; On the Frontier; Where Do We Go from Here? Samuel West (narrator), Mary Carewe, Jean Rigby (mezzo-soprano), Andrew Kennedy (tenor), Huw Watkins (piano); Ex Cathedra/Jeffrey Skidmore; Hallé/Sir Mark Elder NMC NMCD190 78:41 mins BBC Music Direct £13.99 Composer, one-time Britten disciple and admirable NMC founder Colin Matthews reminds us in his introduction that, while Britten gave only 95 of his works opus numbers, he wrote well over a thousand in total. Not all of them are worthy of resurrection, but these scores for power and polish: stage and radio were composed at La Compagnia del the height of his early, pre-Grimes Madrigale show virtuosity powers. None is major; all show the composer’s skill at writing to order. They are placed in context Hilliard Ensemble (ECM New breathtaking precision (as in the by Philip Reed’s detailed liner notes Series); and Philippe Herreweghe’s opening chords of Eram quasi and benefit from Samuel West’s account (on the Phi label), which agnus and the modulations of narration, compelling in the Auden tends to equate musical meandering Aestimatus). They also take every monologue from The Ascent of F6. with emotional empathy. opportunity for performance To these Auden-Isherwood This new recording by variation (in the repeat of the collaborations Britten adds the tang GESUALDO La Compagnia del Madrigale Respond in Ecce vidimus) and are of two pianos and percussion (two surpasses all others. The singers not sensitive to all kinds of emotional trumpets, too, in On the Frontier). Responsoria only reveal the depths of Gesualdo’s colour, from the anguish of Velum Jean Rigby admirably handles La Compagnia del Madrigale Glossa GCD 922803 186:16 mins (3 discs) templum to the kaleidoscopic moods the dialogue and the songs of the BBC Music Direct £39.99 This disc of Gesualdo of Caligaverunt oculi – effects made ambiguous mother figure in F6. possible by a virtuosic control of Ex Cathedra voices sound better These 27 responsories from the responsories surpasses musical dynamics. La Compagnia as a collective than in solo, and the services on Maundy Thursday, all others del Madrigale are sensitive to every blues moments, such as ‘Stop all the Good Friday and Holy Saturday word of the text as well as to every clocks’, feel a bit stiff. Mary Carewe, reflect upon the most dramatic emotional understanding, but also note of the music. All in all, this is meanwhile, finds freedom in ‘Where events of Christ’s life: his betrayal, his formal, harmonic and textural a superb recital. do we go from here’, from the BBC/ trial and crucifixion. Few composers control, as well as his ability to PERFORMANCE HHHHH CBS wartime propaganda series An have equalled Gesualdo’s insight create music with tremendous RECORDING HHHH American in England. West keeps the into the anguish of the events, nor performance potential. They proper sequence bowling along, with the care with which his minute negotiate the madrigal-style ON THE WEBSITE a poignant horn solo reminding us musical details make vivid their word-painting with deftness and Hear extracts from this recording of Britten’s friendship with Dennis depiction. There are two rival panache (especially in Tristus et and the rest of this month’s choices on Brain. Plenty of food for thought and the BBC Music Magazine website complete recordings: the polished Animus and Una hora), displaying www.classical-music.com pleasure to be had here. David Nice but lapidary version from the Gesualdo’s harmonic twists with PERFORMANCE HHHH RECORDING HHHH SIMONE BARTOLI, GETTY

78 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE All discs can be ordered from www.classical-music.com/shop vk.com/englishlibrary CHORAL & SONG REVIEWS

bite and occasional glassiness are not Royal Festival Hall acoustic which always comfortable to listen to; De lacks plenitude and resonance. REISSUES Liso herself, meanwhile, is apt to lose There are flashier, more sumptuous Reviewed by Anthony Pryer tonal quality in faster passages. Carminas on the market, but this Generally, though, their perfect one nonetheless scores impressively LANDINI intonation, vocal vitality and solid on musical values, and pure listening The Second Circle: Love Songs from HANDEL musicianship carry them along, enjoyment. Terry Blain 14th-century Florence Duetti da Camera: Sono liete, pleasantly savouring some of PERFORMANCE HHHH Anonymous 4 Handel’s delicate word-painting – RECORDING HHHH Harmonia Mundi HMG 507269 (2001) fortunate; Troppo cruda, troppo 61:32 mins fiera; Beato in ver chi può; Tanti such as the expressive suspensions BBC Music Direct £10.99 strali al sen mi scocchi; Langue, representing the chains of love in geme, sospira; Consertave, ‘Sono liete, fortunate’, or the frenetic Dante placed lustful lovers in the second raddoppiate; Se tu non lasci amore; semiquavers illustrating the lover circle of Hell. These A mirarvi io son intento; Nò, di voi quivering after being struck by bolts non vuo’ fidarmi; Fronda leggiera are not lustful songs of lightning in ‘A mirarvi io son though: the acoustic e mobile intento’ – along the way. They are Roberta Invernizzi (soprano), Marina suggests they were performed in a effectively accompanied by a three- RACHMANINOV bathroom. The performances are de Liso (mezzo-soprano); La Risonanza: piece continuo group – cello, archlute Caterina Dell’Angello (cello), Craig All-Night Vigil (Vespers), Op. 37; elegant but lack liveliness. Marchitelli (archlute & theorbo), Fabio or theorbo and harpsichord – even if The Theotokos PERFORMANCE HHH Bonizzoni (harpsichord) the playing can feel functional rather Netherlands Radio Choir/ RECORDING HHH Glossa GCD 921516 64:43 mins than especially characterful. Kaspars Putnins BBC Music Direct £15.99 The acoustic supplies the intimacy BIS BIS-2039 (hybrid CD/SACD) 60:20 mins ANONYMOUS suggested by the context of these BBC Music Direct £12.99 Le jeu des pèlerins d’Emmaüs Written over a period of some 40 pieces, even if it feels a shade Knowing the Netherlands Ensemble Organum/Marcel Pérès years, Handel’s chamber duets were enclosed. George Hall Radio Choir’s superb James Harmonia Mundi HMA 1951347 (1990) intended for domestic performance, PERFORMANCE HHH MacMillan recordings, I awaited 59:48 mins BBC Music Direct £8.99 perhaps by good amateur singers the RECORDING HHHH its Rachmaninov with considerable composer was himself instructing anticipation. Sad to say, it’s hard to In this liturgical in music – such as his royal pupils. credit that this is the same choir. Not drama the disciples They acquired a high reputation that the singing is downright bad, meet Christ on the in Handel’s lifetime, maintaining but there’s a difference between a road to Emmaus. it for decades afterwards, though choir prepared to high professional The singing is spirited, and the music is enhanced these days they’re not especially well standards, and one that sounds like a by simple but effective means (eg known; so this recorded selection of run-of-the-mill large choir. drones in ‘Benedicamus Domino’). ten provides a good opportunity to ORFF Much of the intrinsic beauty of PERFORMANCE HHHH get acquainted with them. Carmina Burana Rachmaninov’s All-Night Vigil comes RECORDING HHHHH The two voices involved, Sarah Tynan (soprano), Andrew Kennedy through, yet there are too many though, are not ideally matched: (tenor), Rodion Pogossov (baritone); lacklustre moments when the voices BYRD Trinity Boys Choir; London Philharmonic Roberta Invernizzi’s light soprano is have to divide. To take just two Masses for 3, 4 and 5 voices sometimes overshadowed by Marina Orchestra & Choir/Hans Graf instances, the altos’ iffy tuning spoils Pro Arte Singers/Paul Hillier de Liso’s heavier mezzo, while its LPO LPO-0075 60:09 mins what should be the heart-warming Harmonia Mundi HMA 1957223 (2002) BBC Music Direct £9.99 final bars of ‘O gentle radiance’; and 60:11 mins BBC Music Direct £8.99 BACKGROUND TO… There are plenty of good things in the following Nunc dimittis the less in this new Carmina. Top-flight than confident-sounding first basses Lucid and tuneful if Carl Orff percussion playing, for one: in are cruelly exposed – a pity as the overly brisk accounts. ‘Fortune piango vulnera’ it’s second basses effortlessly reach the The pace matters 1895-1982 executed with sniper-like accuracy. notorious low B flat which ends that less in the energetic Best known Hans Graf’s tempos are also excellent movement. There are some lovely five-part Mass, but in for his cantata – he draws a wider range of moods tracks, such as ‘O Virgin Mother the sublime Agnus of the four-part Carmina Burana, and colouration from this piece than of God’, but by the penultimate Mass something spiritual is lost. PERFORMANCE HHHH which premiered most conductors. His contribution movement ‘Thou didst rise again’, RECORDING HHHH in 1937, Carl Orff to baritone Rodion Pogossov’s sopranos and altos sound tired and ruminative ‘Omnia sol temperat’ began composing their tone curdled. As it is, there’s LA QUINTA ESSENTIA as a young boy growing up in shows exemplary sensitivity. plenty of choice for this masterpiece, The choral passages are ranging from the now classic Lassus: Missa tous les regretz; Munich. Influenced initially Ashewell: Missa Ave Maria; by Debussy and Schoenberg, intelligently prepared and sung, with Corydon Singers’ on Hyperion – in Palestrina: Missa ut re mi fa sol la he soon began to develop his the sopranos memorably elegant in the best English choral tradition Las Huelgas Ensemble/Paul van Nevel ‘Floret silva’. Despite the tangible with very fine soloists – to the more Harmonia Mundi HMA 501922 (2007) concept of ‘elementare Musik’, sense of spring-like efflorescence, idiomatic versions by several Russian 77:19 mins whic brought together dance, there’s plenty of stamina left over for choirs, such as the Moscow Academy BBC Music Direct £10.99 poetry, gesture and music. Orff a rapturous ‘Ave formosissima’. of Choral Art on Delos. These may be developed a strong interest in the Andrew Kennedy’s roasted swan The Netherlands choir’s disc ends ‘quintessential’ ancient world, and Renaissance is one of the best you’ll find – he with Rachmaninov’s early setting of Renaissance masses and . In 1925 he sings with feeling, and the orchestral The Theotokos (otherwise known as but they are rarely took the pioneering step of support is expressive, as it is in ‘In our Prayers, Ever-Vigilant Mother performed. Van staging Monteverdi’s L’Orfeo, Pogossov’s muscular ‘Ego sum abbas’. of God’), less focused in tone than Nevel gets truly convincing results, and, in 1932, the Lukaspassion, Soprano Sarah Tynan sounds a little the alternative recording conducted and he obtains a fulsome, warm then attributed to JS Bach. strained in ‘Stetit puella’ and the by Valery Polyansky (on Brilliant sound from his choir. PERFORMANCE HHHH His legacy also includes his stratospheric ‘Dulcissime’. Classics). Daniel Jaffé RECORDING HHHH educational Schulwerk pieces. The performance is live, and some PERFORMANCE HH of its is muffled by the dry RECORDING HHHH

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only recently come to light, and the thinking behind his work. A little result is this superlative document. internet research reveals that he is Gerald Finley’s is a lighter bass- a tuba and bass player in The Blue baritone voice than Leiferkus’s, and Unicorn band which performs, quite different from the basses – among other things, Roma and Nesterenko, Tomlinson, Abradzakov Klezmer music. Mahler might – who have recorded the Michelangelo well have approved. And certainly Suite in Russian. But everything Zöllner’s arrangement of ‘Wo here works beautifully. Finley and die schönen trompeten blasen’ is Sanderling drive home the climactic haunting in its bare string textures, phrase of Shostakovich’s Shakespeare with their minimal vibrato, its sonnet, ‘And art made tongue- dissonances and eloquent solo tied by authority’, while the voice writing. Hilary Finch meshes beautifully with the exquisite PERFORMANCE HH instrumentation of ‘Sir Walter RECORDING HHH Raleigh to His Sonne’ and ‘Jenny’, a rare miniature diamond. The English rare treasure: and Scots words fit beautifully, and Gerald Finley sings Michelangelo’s sensuous language Shostakovich firsts warms the austerity of the late masterpiece. Finley, a one-time student of medieval Italian, has offering immaculate playing in worked with Stephen Higgins on MARIE ET MARION the unstoppable momentum of the placement of stresses in the text. Motets & Chansons from Versunken and picking out the And the orchestral partnership is 13th-century France detail in Alinde with extraordinary beautifully honed. David Nice Anonymous 4 accomplishment. The two are at PERFORMANCE HHHHH Harmonia Mundi HMU 807524 mins their best in the sad, reflective Der RECORDING HHHHH BBC Music Direct £15.99 SCHUBERT Winterabend, but the disc as a whole is a fine achievement. George Hall The pieces on this recording Songs, including Der Strom, PERFORMANCE HHHH mostly come from the amazing Auf der Donau, Abendstern, RECORDING HHHH Montpellier Codex motet repertory, Auflosung, Alinde, Der compiled probably in Paris c.1270- Winterabend, An den Mond, 80. Anonymous 4’s first foray into Nachtstück & Viola Ian Bostridge (tenor), Julius Drake (piano) this vast source came in their 1994 Wigmore Hall Live WHLive0067 R STRAUSS album, Love’s Illusion. In fact the 73:26 mins Piano Quartet in C minor Op. 13; two CDs share a piece – Plus bele/ BBC Music Direct £10.99 plus Lieder Quant revient/L’autrier joer/Flos filius MAHLER – though here it seems more relaxed, Schubert’s 600 songs include many SHOSTAKOVICH and one of the singers (Johanna unfamiliar titles. One of the chief Piano Quartet in A minor; Rose) has been replaced by Jacqueline Six Romances on Verses plus Lieder attractions of Ian Bostridge’s live by W Raleigh, R Burns and Horner-Kwiatek. Wigmore Hall recital, recorded on Simone Kermes (soprano); Fauré Quartet This is not an easy repertory to W Shakespeare, Op. 62a; Annie Sony Classical 88843023672 77:01 mins September 13 2013 with pianist Laurie, Scottish Ballad (Orch. BBC Music Direct £14.99 get across. Most of the works are Julius Drake, is that the pair are Shostakovich); Suite on Poems by between two and three minutes frequently engaged in exploring Michelangelo Buonarroti, Op. 145a The idea for this programme is more long, with texts in medieval French beyond the beaten track, and then Gerald Finley (bass-baritone); Helsinki seductive than its execution. A group and Latin. Here the 24 tracks are returning with some wonderful Philharmonic/Thomas Sanderling of six songs by Strauss and two by divided into themed sections based finds: the vast Viola, for instance, is Ondine ODE 1235-2 62:00 mins Mahler are flanked by youthful on either the adoration of the Virgin one example, the alternative settings BBC Music Direct £12.99 Piano Quartets by each composer. or songs about the coy love between (1815 and 1819) of the Goethe poem This disc claims to comprise only Mahler’s was written at the end of Robin and Marion. Moreover, the An den Mond which provide their world premiere recordings. It might his conservatory years; unfinished performances are superbly recorded encores another. Richard Stokes’ be the first performance of the and barely recognisable as his work, and have a kind of intimate clarity. highly informative notes fill us in on colossal Michelangelo Suite sung in it was lost until the 1960s. Strauss’s Among these minor gems shining the origins and context of each item. the original Italian/Florentine, and is even more obviously Brahmsian through the mists of eight centuries, Bostridge will always be a Shostakovich’s chaste arrangement of in its influence, but it’s complete, there are some that stand out for controversial singer. Here his voice the Scots ballad ‘Annie Laurie’ is new and shows signs of Strauss’s work to sheer musical imagination – Quant often sounds hard-pressed, the tone to me, but I thought Sergei Leiferkus come. They are both played with florist/Et mois/Et gaudebant, for sometimes uneasy and not always and Neeme Järvi had recorded the enthusiasm by the Fauré Quartet. example, is an ingenious little patter- capable of coming up with an ideal orchestral version of the composer’s It’s the songs in between that are song, dainty and dissonant at the range of colours to paint in the self-styled ‘British songs’ setting of the problem. Simone Kermes, the same time, and Pour chou/Li joli/Kyrie emotions necessary for a complete Raleigh, Burns and Shakespeare. self-styled Lady Gaga of classical is a truly accomplished and moving realisation of an individual item – Amazingly, it transpires there song, sings them with little sense composition. Each of the singers has Auf der Donau , for instance. Yet are two orchestrations, one made of style or idiom, almost crooning a solo song: Marsha Genensky does there is equally no gainsaying his for chamber forces at the end of her way through slower pieces such relatively little with the formulaic interpretative skills, finely deployed, Shostakovich’s life, and another with as ‘Die Nacht’ and ‘Morgen!’, and repetitions of Amor me fait, but for instance, in the reflective Lied larger instrumentation from around hurling her voice at ‘Zueignung’. Jacqueline Horner-Kwiatek shows us eines Schiffers an die Dioskuren or the the time of composing the romances These songs appear in arrangements just what subtle vocal expression can tragic intimacy of Nachtstück. in 1943. That great if under-recorded for the Fauré Quartet by Dietrich bring to this repertory. Anthony Pryer Pianist Julius Drake is in conductor Thomas Sanderling Zöllner, and it’s a pity we’re told PERFORMANCE HHHH RECORDING HHHHH SIM CANETTY-CLARKE every way a superb partner, discovered that the manuscript had nothing about him, nor about the

80 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE All discs can be ordered from www.classical-music.com/shop vk.com/englishlibrary CHAMBER Lawrence Power reveals hidden depths in Arthur Benjamin; Harrison Birtwistle challenges and compels in equal measure; plus the Smetana Trio’s remarkable first rendezvous with Ravel

CHAMBER CHOICE Made for Martin∞ Steven Isserlis’s Sonata renditions are unsurpassed, says Jan Smacnzy ARTHUR BENJAMIN Violin Sonatina; Three Pieces for violin and piano; A Tune and Variations for Little People; Le tombeau de Ravel; Viola Sonata; From San Domingo; Jamaican Rumba Lawrence Power (violin/viola), Simon Crawford-Phillips (piano) MARTIN≠ Hyperion CDA 67969 66:12 mins BBC Music Direct £12.99 Cello Sonatas Nos 1-3 MUSTONEN Arthur Benjamin’s popular trifle Cello Sonata Jamaican Rumba seems to follow SIBELIUS him wherever he goes: it pops up here as the encore, in an arrangement Malinconia, Op. 20 for viola and piano by William Steven Isserlis (cello), Olli Mustonen (piano) Primrose. But the rest of the CD BIS BIS-2042 (hybrid CD/SACD) widens our horizons, revealing the 78:15 mins thoughtful, technically brilliant BBC Music Direct £12.99 and cosmopolitan musician that Benjamin’s friends and students Martin∞’s three Cello Sonatas in London, Canada and his native cover a broad emotional range. Australia always knew him to be. The First was composed in 1939 at Ravel’s influence can be clearly a time of turmoil as Martin∞ saw heard in numerous pieces, from his native Czechoslovakia falling the early Violin Sonatina (1924) into the hands of the Nazis. The to the late Tombeau de Ravel (1957), outer movements share the urgency though Benjamin still goes his way. of his Concerto for double string Tombeau, also available in a clarinet orchestra, timpani and strings, revealing insight: version, is light but never flimsy. though with a more whimsical Steven Isserlis gets to The war-scarred Viola Sonata of the heart of Martin∞ 1942, dominated emotionally by the Martin∞’s drama dark opening elegy and the second movement’s nervous waltz, presents and structure is a reflective and elegant work not a understanding and sympathy for a more serious composer – one fully realised million miles away from Martin∞’s Martin∞’s melodic and rhythmic already evident in the unusually soundworld – and Sibelius’s idiom – just listen to the sprung strenuous Violin Sonatina. accent. The slow movement, one of emotional Malinconia. rhythms in the first movement of Whether playing his viola or his finest, is spectral and visionary. These are performances to the Second Sonata, contrasting with violin, Lawrence Power is in total Composed two years later, in New treasure and comprise the finest the lyricism of its slow movement, sympathy with Benjamin’s shifting York, the Second Sonata is nervy, renditions of the Martin∞ Sonatas and the unforgettably joyous finale moods, and Simon Crawford- but suffused with the lyricism that I have come across. Oddly enough, of the Third Sonata. Phillips proves a lithe and responsive marks the expansive Second Cello the main competition is from PERFORMANCE HHHHH piano partner. A bouncy recording Concerto. Although it was written Isserlis himself, in a fine recording RECORDING HHHHH and excellent inlay notes offer in memory of a friend, the Third with Peter Evans from 1989. I more inducements for listeners to Cello Sonata of 1952 is marvellously find the feeling for the structure ON THE WEBSITE discover that the Jamaican Rumba celebratory, with one of Martin∞’s and drama in these works is more Hear extracts from this recording man, composer of five operas and most infectious finales. completely realised in this new and the rest of this month’s choices on a powerful symphony, was far from Interspersing the Martin∞ sonatas release, and the recorded sound the BBC Music Magazine website a one-trick pony. Geoff Brown www.classical-music.com are Mustonen’s own Cello Sonata – is better. There is a profound PERFORMANCE HHHH RECORDING HHHH JOHN MILLAR

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The Smetana’s performance of the Ravel is not coolly ‘Classical’, but fully alive to its poignancy and inventive colouring. Pianist Jitka ∫echová starts a touch slower than Ravel’s metronome mark, yet she BIRTWISTLE and her colleagues observe Ravel’s Settings of Lorine Niedecker; relative tempos scrupulously, and Trio for violin, violoncello and the music – given time to breathe piano; Bogenstrich – becomes unusually expressive. Lisa Batiashvili (violin), Adrian Brendel You can hear where Ravel’s pupil (cello), Till Fellner (piano), Amy Freston Vaughan Williams got several (soprano), Roderick Williams (baritone) ideas – in the first movement’s ECM 476 5050 65mins eerie ending, for example – and the BBC Music Direct £14.99 powerfully rendered third movement It would be a lie to say that I ‘Passacaille’ is suitably contrasted understand most of the music on with the second movement ‘Pantoum’ this disc. All one can do with music and the shimmering finale. as esoteric as this is to remember The two Shostakovich Trios are, the greatness of what Birtwistle has first forays: if anything, even more impressive. written before and go on listening. Smetana Trio embark In No. 1, a youthful work inspired The best way to approach it is to take on French repertoire by love, the Smetanas bring out its the central item, called Bogenstrich playful self-awareness yet give the – Meditations on a poem of Rilke and central episode’s guileless, almost work outwards from there. It consists and the soprano Amy Freston texture and as a tunesmith, that Arensky-style sweetness its due. of a very beautiful love poem, sung evidently found it hard to articulate proves to be impressive. The wry and brittle character of twice in different versions. The first the words. The single-movement There are surprises (the Duett No. 2 is compellingly realised, is with piano accompaniment, played piano, violin and cello trio also needs for and double bass could with a scherzo both exhilarating by the excellent Till Fellner, and many more hearings than I have so almost be a lost movement from and sarcastic, and a weighty then, after three lovely instrumental far been able to give it. But I take it Stravinsky’s Pulcinella) and a few chaconne (a close cousin of the meditations, with the cello that the performances are definitive, familiar faces (the fifth quadrille passacaglia form used by Ravel in accompaniment of Adrian Brendel. they certainly sound confident. from the lively L’Assommoir (The his third movement). Meanwhile, The singer of what sounds like an Michael Tanner Bludgeon), apparently named after the bitter final dance acts as an extraordinarily difficult vocal line PERFORMANCE HHHHH the novel by Zola – reappears as effective foil to the finale’s dream- is Roderick Williams, always a great RECORDING HHHHH ‘The Wild Bears’ in The Wand of like recollections of the eerie first artist and here setting a standard it Youth). But mainly what we have here movement and the chaconne. is hard to imagine being equalled. is Elgar the entertainer, supplying Daniel Jaffé The other vocal items are to poems his dance music to order. Barry PERFORMANCE HHHHH by the American modernist Lorine Collett has been in the forefront of RECORDING HHHHH Niedecker, whom I find wholly the revival of this repertoire, and unintelligible, with music to match; the Innovation Chamber Ensemble (players drawn from the CBSO) play BACKGROUND TO… ELGAR it with gusto and empathy. Menuetto; Andante and Allegro Calum MacDonald PERFORMANCE HHHH for oboe and string trio; Duetto; Bedrich RECORDING HHHH Smetana A Singing Quadrille; Fugue in SMETANA 1824-84 D minor for oboe & violin etc Innovation Chamber Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 15 ‘By the grace of Ensemble/Barry Collett DVO∏ÁK God and with his Somm SOMMCD 252 76:59 mins help I will one BBC Music Direct £12.99 Piano Trio in E minor ‘Dumky’, Op. day be a Liszt in The music Elgar wrote for 90; Slavonic Dances Nos 2, 3 & 8 Jan Fi≥er (violin), Tomá≥ Jamník technique and a Powick Pauper Lunatic Asylum near Worcester while he was its SHOSTAKOVICH (cello), Ivo Kahánek (piano) Mozart in composition,’ wrote Supraphon SU 4144 2 72:51 mins the 19-year-old Smetana in his bandmaster, over a five-year period Piano Trios Nos 1 & 2 BBC Music Direct £15.99 diary. While his piano career from 1879, hardly reveals a crop of RAVEL didn’t take off, Smetana became masterpieces. It mainly comprises dance music – an enlightened Piano Trio in A minor the first Czech nationalist superintendent decreed Friday- Smetana Trio composer, a reputation forged by Supraphon SU41452 68:11 mins night dancing for the inmates for its BBC Music Direct £20.99 his eight operas. Chamber music, therapeutic effects. Still, as a not-so- meanwhile, was a vehicle for humble British counterpart to the There is a surprising affinity his innermost thoughts. In 1855, minuets and contredanses of Mozart between Ravel’s haunted, twilight SMETANA he composed his Piano Trio in G and Haydn, should we not remember Piano Trio and Shostakovich’s Trio minor in reaction to the death Elgar’s polkas, quadrilles and No. 2 with its ethereal opening of Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 15 of his daughter Bedπi≥ka, while lancers? These dances were scored cello harmonics followed in canon by DVO∏ÁK his autobiographical first String for ensembles of varying size – up to violin in a lower register. Both works Piano Trio No. 3 in F minor, Op. 65; Quartet chronicles his life and 19 players – and certainly have value were written against the background Suk: Elegy for Piano Trio, Op. 23 loves, including his devastating as some of the earliest examples of of war, and have often been coupled Sitkovetsky Trio and sudden loss of hearing. his orchestral mastery; otherwise it’s on disc before this, the Smetana Trio’s BIS BIS-2059 (hybrid CD/SACD) 73:11 mins his invention, both in instrumental first venture into French repertory. BBC Music Direct £12.99

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The Feininger’s Trio’s coupling composed for the viola player Lionel of the Smetana with the moving Tertis) is a small but choice creation. REISSUES G minor Trio is entirely appropriate The performances are exceptional. Reviewed by Jan Smaczny since Dvoˇrák almost certainly wrote In a collective and individual it to commemorate the death of his display of how to deliver chamber SMETANA • FIBICH daughter Josefa. Its performance on music at world-class level, Sarah- Smetana: String Quartets Nos 1 & 2; SMETANA this disc is enormously attractive. Jane Bradley’s viola-playing – ear- Fibich: String Quartet in A Piano Trio in G minor, Op. 15 It’s a pity the sound is a little close mesmerising, yet never obtrusive – Talich Quartet compared with the other two shines even in this company. And La Dolce Volta LDV255 (2003) 68:22 mins DVO∏ÁK recordings. They make the Suk Trio the recorded sound – in Champs BBC Music Direct £10.99 Piano Trio No. 2 in G minor, Op. 26; sound overly insistent, but their way Hill Music Room – is warm, natural, The present Suk: Piano Trio in C minor, Op. 2 with Smetana is winning. and flawlessly clear. incarnation of the Feininger Trio Jan Smaczny Malcolm Hayes Talich Quartet Avi-music 8553293 75:38 mins DVO∏ÁK TRIO: PERFORMANCES HHHHH maintains its sterling BBC Music Direct £14.99 PERFORMANCE HHHH RECORDINGS HHHHH 50-year reputation. Smetana’s great G minor Trio RECORDING HHHH Their way with Smetana is poised is the thread running through SITKOVETSKY TRIO: rather than hyper-dramatic, and these three CDs. Composed in PERFORMANCE HHH they make the most of Fibich’s RECORDING HHHH elegantly understated First Quartet. memory of his daughter Bedπi≥ka, PERFORMANCE HHHH FEININGER TRIO: it was written in just a few weeks RECORDING HHHHH in 1855. Blending high seriousness PERFORMANCE HHHH HHHH with elegiac lyricism, the Trio also RECORDING KALLIWODA initiated an experimental trend in BRITISH WORKS FOR String Quartets Nos 1-3 Czech chamber music – sometimes CELLO AND PIANO Talich Quartet involving elements of autobiography Cello Sonatas by Edmund Rubbra, La Dolce Volta LDV260 (2006) – that runs through Dvoˇrák’s Dumky Alan Rawsthorne and EJ Moeran 76:23 mins BBC Music Direct £10.99 Trio to the two quartets of Janáˇcek. Paul Watkins (cello), The Dvoˇrák Trio bring drama to Huw Watkins (piano) Prague born, the craggy opening of Smetana’s Trio Chandos CHAN 10818 59:06 mins Kalliwoda spent and relax into the lyrical secondary VAUGHAN WILLIAMS BBC Music Direct £12.99 his working life material without losing sight of the Piano Quintet in C minor; in Germany. His tensions underlying the movement. Romance for viola and piano A blood-red sunset dominates the three Quartets lean They also have the measure of the (ed. Shore, Gritton); Quintet in striking cover photograph, an echo, towards Mendelssohn, and offer noble second trio of the central D major; Six Studies in English perhaps, of the war-jangled years of rich rewards, notably in the slow scherzo, and the Schubertian finale Folk Song the later 1940s when these British movements. They are performed has an appropriately haunted quality. London Soloists Ensemble cello sonatas were composed. There here with real understanding. HHHHH All in all, it’s a fine reading of this Naxos 8.573191 73:04 mins is nothing routinely pastoral about PERFORMANCE HHHHH remarkable work. BBC Music Direct £6.99 any of them, though Moeran’s RECORDING Dvoˇrák’s Dumky Trio was The recorded contents here suggest touches upon Irish folk music DVO∏ÁK composed for his farewell tour of yet another compilation of semi- as it broods, laments and, just Bohemia and Moravia before leaving obscure repertory by a much-loved occasionally, dances. The most String Quartets Nos 3 & 12 composer, comfortably designed Talich Quartet for New York in autumn 1892. It stylistically striking piece is Rubbra’s La Dolce Volta LDV254 (2002-06) was a bold decision to create six to suit the English music festival Sonata of 1946, released on CD five 59:06 mins movements that alternate slowish and scene. Appearances, however, are years ago in a distant but heartfelt BBC Music Direct £10.99 fast tempos, but history has proved deceptive. The influence of Brahms 1962 BBC recording by Jacqueline The American it a success. Intended for audiences on Vaughan Williams’s C minor du Pré. The Watkins brothers, true Quartet is not just comprising connoisseurs and lay Piano Quintet is no surprise, given to form, pay close attention to its sunny but winningly listeners, it is uncomplicated and the dominant London fashion at that rhythmic life, though they also lyrical with direct. Once again the Dvoˇrák Trio time (1903). But this is nonetheless know how to soar into beauty with marvellous intensity get inside the music, even if details an early creation of remarkable Rubbra’s long and decorative singing in the Lento. This performance of are occasionally lost. musical and technical strength, lines, clearly crafted with Baroque the Quintet is certainly among the At a slightly brisker tempo, written for the same lucidly balanced music in mind. finest available. the Sitkovetsky Trio take a more instrumental line-up as Schubert’s Rawsthorne’s Cello Sonata of PERFORMANCE HHHHH nuanced view of the first movement Trout Quintet (piano and single 1948, the shortest and most pungent RECORDING HHHHH of Smetana’s Trio. While the strings including a double-bass, works of this trio, writhes with work can accommodate a range of rather than the usual second violin). characteristic nervous vigour. Pianist JANÁ∫EK • SCHULHOFF interpretations, this reading has a The D major Quintet is an earlier Huw Watkins is in his element here, JanáΩek: String Quartets Nos 1 & 2; tendency to lose the thread of the work again, dating from 1898, while Paul’s cello rejoices in the Schulhoff: String Quartet No. 1 musical argument. The scherzo is and finding Vaughan Williams interleaved moments of sorrow and Talich quartet La Dolce Volta LDV256 (2004) 57:08 mins credibly spectral, but its second deftly solving the balance problems despair. The structure of the Moeran, BBC Music Direct £10.99 trio seems a touch perfunctory – presented by the combination of premiered in 1948 by his wife, Peers a pity, since the strings produce violin, cello, clarinet, horn, and Coetmore, totters at times, but its These readings of a very beautiful tone throughout. piano: far from regarding the horn emotional life is richly textured. The Janácˇek’s Quartets The same is true of their reading as a fish out of chamber-music water, Chandos recorded sound is warmly are rich in sentiment and drama, if a little of Dvoˇrák’s high-minded F minor the young composer here deployed inviting, and the Watkins duo lacking in irony. Trio: though always attractive it with imagination and much skill. interact in a manner perhaps only Their performance of Schulhoff’s in sound, the musical line in the And while the English Folk Song possible with artists who shared a delightful First Quartet has both outer movements is occasionally Studies (in their clarinet and piano childhood together, cornflakes depth and verve. lost. Their performance in the arrangement) are standard Vaughan and all. Geoff Brown PERFORMANCE HHHH slow movement and the Suk Elegy, Williams fare, the undated Romance PERFORMANCE HHHH RECORDING HHHHH meanwhile, are very fine. for viola and piano (probably RECORDING HHHH

To order CDs call BBC Music Direct +44 (0)1634 832 789; prices include P&P BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 83 vk.com/englishlibrary INSTRUMENTAL Rameau’s 250th anniversary is celebrated in outstanding recitals by pianist Stephen Gutman and harpsichordist Steven Devine; plus drama and delight in late Schubert Sonatas from Paul Lewis

INSTRUMENTAL CHOICE Chopin for the modern age Jeremy Siepmann is impressed by Louis Lortie’s Chopin recital JS BACH Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue, BWV 903; Aria variata ‘alla maniera Italiana’, BWV 989; Fantasia, BWV 906; Concerto nach Italienischem Gusto, BWV 971; Ouverture nach Franzosischer Art, BWV 831 Steven Devine (harpsichord) Chandos CHAN 0802 71:59 mins CHOPIN BBC Music Direct £12.99 Nocturne, Op. 27 No. 1; The Overture After the French Impromptu, Op. 66; Nocturne, Manner has tended to languish Op. 32 No. 2; Impromptu, Op. 29; Nocturne, Op. 9 No. 3; Sonata in the extrovert shadow of its No. 3, Op. 58 Clavier-Übung II sibling the Italian Louis Lortie (piano) Concerto. But, whether prelude and Chandos CHAN 10813 76:41 mins fugue or monumental Mass setting, BBC Music Direct £12.99 Bach invariably produces something special when writing in the key of Since his death, Chopin has B minor. And the Clavier-Übung II’s appeared in many guises. For stylistic yin and yang doesn’t just much of the 19th century (even illuminate his take on the prevailing during the 20th) it was fashionable Italian and French fashions, it reveals to play him like John Field, his own musical thinking, too. with polished, sentimental and Either work would lend heft to a insipid results. By the mid-20th recital programme. Even so, Steven century, he had become a kind Devine opens with the mighty of Polish Beethoven: big, bold, Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue elemental, innovative, complex (whose startling modulations give and prophetic of Wagner, Debussy CPE Bach’s flights of fancy a run and even Schoenberg. for their money), and includes the poetic lyricism: magisterial C minor Fantasia with its Lortie is a model Lortie brings nuance prodigal hand crossings. There’s also to the Nocturnes the less familiar Aria variata, an early Chopinist – eloquent dry run for the Goldbergs, performed but never sentimental in the 10-variations version preserved Equally important is suppleness of polyphonic web. Others that in the Andreas Bach Book. More recently, the lyrical inflection (whether in slow tempos, intensity sometimes yields too much It’s a lineup oozing virtuosic poet has been returning, but now as in the Nocturnes, or fast, as in the to art. Few, though, would dispute exuberance, and, as in his heel- he’s Shakespearean, not Fieldian bubbling joie de vivre of the A flat that this is Chopin playing of an kicking additions to the Ouverture’s – stylish, unprotestingly virile Impromptu or the scherzo of the exceptionally high order. No artist Echo, Devine can do ‘brilliance’; but and universal. Louis Lortie, from B minor Sonata). pleases everyone (nor should any he’s never interested in virtuosity the beginning of his career, has Lortie is a model Chopinist: want to try). for its own sake. Often measured – exemplified this last, modern eloquent but never sentimental, PERFORMANCE HHHHH though he superbly nails the playful incarnation. The first prerequisite elegant without ever sounding RECORDING HHHH quirkiness of Ouverture’s Courante – of great Chopin playing is arguably effete, dramatic but never he eschews the fiery flamboyance of beauty of tone, as well as refinement exaggerated, harmonically ON THE WEBSITE Andreas Staier’s Italian Concerto, or and variety. Lortie has all this, and luminous, structurally immaculate Hear extracts from this recording more sturm und drang accounts of the more, in spades (listen, for example, – and surprising. Some, however, and the rest of this month’s choices on Chromatic Fantasia, and allows the the BBC Music Magazine website to the bewitching opening of the may feel that the pedal is too www.classical-music.com music to speak for itself. Paul Riley first of his chosen Nocturnes). pervasive, jeopardising Chopin’s PERFORMANCE HHHH RECORDING HHHH ELIAS, JOHN BUCKMAN

84 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE All discs can be ordered from www.classical-music.com/shop vk.com/englishlibrary REVIEWS INSTRUMENTAL

When virtuosity is required – as suave rameau: with rapid hand-crossing across Steven Devine plays four and a half octaves – he delivers Pièces de clavecin it effortlessly, and he does rustic charm in spades. His erudite liner- MOZART note commentaries offer exactly the sort of information other pianists Fantasy in D minor, K397; Sonata will need, as they follow him into No. 6 in D, K284; Rondo in D, K485; this fascinating musical territory. Rondo in A minor, K 511; Sonata Michael Church No. 15 in F, K533/K494 PERFORMANCE HHHHH Francesco Piemontesi (piano) RECORDING HHHH RSI V 5367 65:36 mins BBC Music Direct £14.99 For any up-and-coming pianist, making an all-Mozart solo CD is a major statement. Francesco Piemontesi rises to the challenge with conviction. With tone ranging from dusky to glittering, always SCHUBERT clear and thoroughly articulated, the Piano Sonatas Nos 14, 19, 20 & 21, transparency of his playing reminds D784, D958, D959 & D960 us that Mozart is any musician’s with the release of a new disc of Paul Lewis (piano) ultimate test: it offers nowhere to Bach’s mighty Clavier-Übung II on Harmonia Mundi HMC 902165.66 hide. In this selection of pieces, Chandos (see left), he’s also in the 120:09 mins (2 discs) which date from between 1775 and driving seat for a three-part Resonus BBC Music Direct £15.99 1788, he proves himself a Mozartian Classics project marking the 250th This pair of discs could be force to be reckoned with. anniversary of Rameau’s death. misleading: Schubert’s last two He opens with the ubiquitous yet The first instalment covers the first RAMEAU Sonatas were recorded and issued, elusive D minor Fantasy, its inward two books of the Pièces de clavecin, to very favourable reviews, in 2002. Suites in A minor/major & emotions and rapid switches of mood and he plays a resplendent copy So only the first disc is new; Lewis G minor/major; Concerto No. 5; bearing the distinct stamp of CPE of a Ruckers harpsichord, given a La Dauphine; Les petits marteaux; was presumably dissatisfied with his Bach’s influence. Here, and in the Parisian makeover in the year before Pigmalion: Giga previous recording of the C minor sonatas and rondos that follow, each Rameau’s death – coincidentally, the Stephen Gutman (piano) Sonata, D958. It almost goes without section is strongly characterised, same instrument inspiring another Toccata Classics TOCC0052 68:00 mins saying that this is piano playing of with lively contrasts and a touch copy used by Christophe Rousset for BBC Music Direct £12.99 the highest calibre, to which the that is both singing and energetic. his landmark Rameau recordings recorded sound does full justice. The late F major Sonata is the most a quarter of a century ago. Devine Stephen Gutman’s recordings Yet I do have reservations about challenging of the works, with embraces the elusive (and allusive) of Rameau’s complete keyboard his choice of repeats: he takes operatic exchanges between voices, sensibility of the clavecinists in works make a fitting tribute for the the first movement repeat of the whirlpools of arpeggiation in the first style: he is authoritative, suave, composer’s 250th anniversary, and C minor Sonata, which seems to me movement and the startling descent technically dazzling and delivers include pieces never before recorded not only unnecessary but mistaken. of the final rondo to an unusual immaculately manicured ornaments on either harpsichord or piano. It is a fiercely dramatic exposition, conclusion in the bass register. that lend brilliance and expressive Alfred Cortot and used which one only needs to hear once. Throughout, Piemontesi seems introspection where required. to play the bewitching Le rappel Conversely, he doesn’t take the repeat to be on a quest for absolute Rousset may have the idiomatic des oiseaux as an encore, but, on in the first movement of the last perfection. Perhaps too little room edge and seem more prepared to the whole pianists have regarded Sonata, D960, where it seems to me remains, though, for spontaneity, live in the moment, but Devine Rameau’s keyboard music as strictly absolutely essential. Without it, we as if imagination is being kept on delivers an account of the famous not for them. But as the works lose nine bars of otherwise unheard almost too tight a rein. That last Tambourin that takes no hostages. of Rameau’s older contemporary music, including an all-important ingredient – call it joy or freedom – In the first ‘double’ of Les niais Couperin gain acceptance as part fortissimo trill – this may sound nit- might have made the quest complete. de Sologne he boldly sets right- of the pianistic repertoire, such picking, but the impact is enormous. Jessica Duchen hand triplets against left-hand attitudes are at last softening. The B flat Sonata, D960 is PERFORMANCE HHHH quavers in an exhilarating display Gutman aims to prove that, far from essentially contemplative, and RECORDING HHHHH of twos-against-threes bravado, being ill-suited to harpsichord works, I suspect that Lewis, for all his equally relishing the strenuous the piano can illuminate them; as he versatility, is more at home in work-out for the left hand in the points out, its capacity to vary the dramatic music. The slow movement second variation. tone allows the player to bring out of the A major Sonata, D959 has an His realisation of the A minor the contrasting voices in polyphony, outburst of unbridled ferocity at its Suite’s ‘Prelude non mesure’ is and his judicious transcriptions centre, and Lewis’s is by far the best hauntingly supple, (though he doesn’t repeatedly demonstrate this. realisation of it that I have ever heard. follow Kenneth Gilbert’s contention His final volume contains the With works of this exalted RAMEAU that the opening section should be most magnificent series of variations greatness, there are always going to Suites in A minor, E minor & D repeated), and his refusal to milk ever written for harpsichord (in Suite be sharp differences of opinion about minor/major; Meneut en rondeau the sighing couplets of Les soupirs No. 4), but much of the music is how they should be played. Though Steven Devine (harpsichord) ensures a quiet eloquence. All told, refreshingly unfamiliar, and often I couldn’t live without Richter’s very Resonus Classics RES10131 79:27 mins an invigorating addition to Rameau intensely vivid. Gutman’s responsive different interpretations of three of Download only: resonusclassics.com year – roll on volumes two and three! touch brings out the dance rhythms these works, I shall certainly return Paul Riley underlying many of the pieces, and to this valuable set. Michael Tanner Steven Devine doesn’t let the grass PERFORMANCE HHHHH his ornamentations suggest the PERFORMANCE HHHH grow under his feet. Not content RECORDING HHHHH harpsichord’s perfumed harmonics. RECORDING HHHHH

To order CDs call BBC Music Direct +44 (0)1634 832 789; prices include P&P BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 85 vk.com/englishlibrary compositions drawing on traditional melodies, dwells in that region of Turkey, Iran, and Iraq which is now WORLD known as Kurdistan. Beginning with a ruminative duduk solo, this tissue of songs, dances, and instrumental A revelatory recording of the Estonian kannel featuring Tuule Kann; solos is vividly evocative, with its highlights being a devotional song the Kronos Quartet marks its 40th anniversary; plus Korean folk singing by Maryam Ebrahimpour and a brilliant improvisation on the tanbur lute by Sohrab Pournazeri. (HHHH) Every country in the world has its version of the plucked zither, and KRONOS QUARTET Estonia’s – the kannel – has recently WORLD CHOICE A Thousand Thoughts been rescued from near-oblivion Nonesuch 536952 thanks to TUULE KANN and her 69:83 mins colleagues at the Academy of Music in Tallinn. Whether dreamy, or Sounds of the Sea NISHTIMAN evoking the conviviality of round- Hussein Zahawy and friends dances, or attaining something Michael Church turns the spotlight on the Accords Croisés AC150 approaching the grace of Elizabethan 48:40 mins lute music, this instrument reveals rich folk traditions of Kazakhstan new realms of possibility under TUULE KANN Kann’s expressive touch. (HHHH) Estonian Academy of Music This dogged survival of Radio and Theatre France’s OCORA label, when almost 56:12 mins all the leading ethnographic record labels have given up the ghost, is KOREA: admirable – doubly so, given the LEE CHUN-HEE uncompromising seriousness of its Arirang and Minyo Singing output. I presume the purpose of OCORA C 560258 60:27 mins arirang and minyo folk singing is primarily to fix in tangible form the Korean style which UNESCO has SOUTH INDIA: designated an Intangible Cultural NAIYANDI MELAM Heritage music. LEE CHUN-HEE is Music of Possession Cults its leading singer. Unaccompanied OCORA C 560245 70:25 mins except for desultory bells, her tracks are forbiddingly austere. (HHH) FROM ANOTHER On the other hand, Naiyandi WORLD Melam: Music of Possession Cults ‘versatile’: A tribute to Bob Dylan has infectious charm. In this South Buda Musique 3758744 singer Elmira 68:42 mins Indian art-form, shawm and drum Janabergenova ensembles serenade the gods, with No Western classical ensemble can Naiyandi Melam literally meaning rival the global achievements of the ‘orchestra of mockery’. As this hour with Elmira Janabergenova, KRONOS QUARTET over the past CD’s leading shawm-player MS who grew up by the Aral Sea when four decades, as its compilation A RASUKUTTI puts it: ‘The whole it actually was a sea, gives some idea Thousand Thoughts makes clear. The point [of our art] is to ravish the ears of its quality and scope. One singer guest artists making their appearance of the powerful Madan [a demon- with a two-string dombra lute? Yes, here include Afghan rubab-player god], that bloodthirsty devourer of but what sounds, and what poetry: Homayun Sakhi and Bollywood star corpses.’ (HHHH) while the dombra evokes heat, Asha Bhosle, and even the great Astor Finally, a producer’s notion ELMIRA excitement, and the drumming of Piazzolla, recorded a year before his which has led to unexpectedly JANABERGENOVA horses’ hooves, Janabergenova’s death in 1992. Kronos have gone interesting results. ALAIN WEBER Songs from the Aral Sea vibrato-free timbre has a wonderful to extraordinary lengths to create invited musicians from many Silk Road House SRH002 73:06 mins versatility as she responds to the a seeming authenticity of sound different cultures to create their Available from silkroadhouse.org eloquence of her texts. Some – their evocation of a century-old own interpretation of Bob Dylan It’s both excellent and rather of these are prayers, others are rembetika song had the microphone standards. Yet From Another World unexpected that the folk styles of homespun moralities, and one placed at the narrow end of a vintage is not so much a tribute to the Central Asia, most notably the is a lament for the vanished Aral flared metal horn, plus surface noise American singer-songwriter as to bardic singing of Kazakhstan, Sea: ‘Your mighty waves are now to evoke the effect of an Edison the enduring beauty of Hungarian should have evaded contamination just a dream’. All her lyrics reflect cylinder – and they doctor their own Gypsy dances, Persian classical music from global pop. So deep are the power of metaphor: as this instruments and pick up new ones and ecstatic raga from Rajasthan. this tradition’s roots that the singer-songwriter puts it, thought to generate a huge variety of sound- (HHHHH) Soviets decided they had to becomes a wave, and speech a boat worlds. (HHHHH) BBC Music Direct: A Thousand harness rather than eradicate it, gliding on towards oblivion, like One of the most haunting tracks Thoughts £13.99; Nishtiman inserting politically-correct lyrics human life itself. on the Kronos album comes from £15.99; Lee Chun-Hee £13.99; and substituting collective-farm PERFORMANCE HHHHH Turkey; Nishtiman, on which Naiyandi Melan £13.99; From champions for village stars. An RECORDING HHHH percussionist HUSSEIN ZAHAWY Another World £12.99; Estonian and six fellow-virtuosos present new Academy Available from iTunes;

To order CDs call BBC Music Direct +44 (0)1634 832 789; prices include P&P BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 86 vk.com/englishlibrary Tcherepnin Fairy Tales, Op. 33; Four Songs, Op. 16; Japanese Lyrics, Op. 52; Four Songs, Op. 8; Oceanic Suite: etc BRIEF NOTES Elena Mindlina (soprano), David Witten (piano) Toccata TOCC 0221 £12.99 Your quick listening guide to more new releases, including Brahms String Profound lyrical Quartets, Ravel’s Ma mère l’oye for solo piano, and rare Schumann enchantment fusing exultant Russian melodiousness with a fastidious JS Bach Trio Sonatas Nos 1-6 palette worthy of Ravel, in masterly Bjørn Boysen (organ) premiere league: performances that radiate the Euridice EUCD 90 (see euridice.no) Russian violinist intense joy of each fresh musical Poised and poetic Eugene Ugorski discovery. (JH) +++++ performances of these gentle yet demanding Vierne Organ Symphonies masterpieces. A Nos 5 & 6 dancing, airy lightness Hans-Eberhard Roß (organ) pervades this recording on an ideal Audite 92.676 £14.99 18th-century instrument. (JA) ++++ A magnificent conclusion to Hans- Brahms String Quartets Eberhard Roß’s survey Chiara String Quartet of Vierne’s Organ Azica ACD-71289 (see apple.com/iTunes) Symphonies. Recorded The Chiara String on a non-French instrument, the Quartet extracts a performances still have an excitingly surprising degree of idiomatic snarl, and there is poetic clarity from Brahms’s mysticism too. (JA) +++++ full-blooded textures but without sacrificing emotion. Duo Gazzana Works by Tempos are well-judged with liberal Poulenc, Walton, Schnittke, yet convincing rubato. (EL) ++++ Silvestrov & Dallapiccola Duo Gazzana Braunfels Piano Concerto No. 21; ECM New Series 2356 4810894 £14.99 Schottische Phantasie, etc Dvoπák Piano Trio Nos 3 & 4 Ravel Ma mère l’oye; Valses A clever and largely Sarah-Jane Bradley (viola), Victor Tempest Trio nobles et sentimentales; engaging collection of Sangiorgio (piano); BBC Concert Naxos 8.573279 £6.99 Gaspard de la nuit; Pavane pour 20th and 21st century Orchestra/Johannes Wildner The all-star Tempest une infante défunte works that look back to Dutton Epoch CDLX 7304 £12.99 Trio make their Vanessa Wagner (piano) earlier times played by Braunfels’s style recording debut Aparte AP062 £15.99 the Duo Gazzana with wit, poise and is big, Brahmsian with two Romantic There are plenty of deft graceful affection. (CD) ++++ and agreeable. The masterworks that touches here, but the Concerto (1910) is fully capture the music’s emotional music does not always Lorenzo Soulès fresh and lively, but changeability and power. (JH) ++++ flow and Vanessa Works by Mozart, Beethoven, the Schottische Phantaisie (1932-33) is Wagner does not make Brahms and Scriabin generally brooding. (MSR) ++++ M√ynarski Violin Concertos a convincing case for the solo version Lorenzo Soulès (piano); L’Orchestre Nos 1 & 2 Zarzycki Introduction of Ma mère l’oye. (CD) +++ de Chambre de Geneve/S Gaudenz D’Albert Aschenputtel Suite; et Cracovienne; Mazurka Nascor NS11 £15.99 Das Seejungfräulein, etc Eugene Ugorski (violin); BBC Scottish Schumann Complete This young French Viktorija Kaminskaite (soprano); Symphony/Micha√ Dworzynski organ music pianist demonstrates MDR Leipzig Radio Symphony/Märkl Hyperion CDA67990 £12.99 Roberto Marini (organ) musical versatility in Naxos 8.573110 £6.99 Not only the first Brilliant 94721 £8.99 an eclectic programme These pieces by Eugen recording of both Not all top-drawer culminating in d’Albert are not all M√ynarski’s Violin Schumann, this music impressive performances of Brahms’s especially memorable, Concertos together, originally written Intermezzos, Op. 117 and Scriabin’s but they are enjoyable but the premiere of his for pedal piano Ninth Sonata. (EL) +++ and the beautiful haunting First Concerto in a warm nevertheless includes orchestral song of The Little Mermaid performance. The smaller Zarzycki several gems. The Schumannesque The Good Song Songs by Fauré, deserves to be much better known. works are attractive, too. (JA) ++++ hallmarks of the Four Sketches are Debussy, Poulenc and Ravel (CD) ++++ well captured on an Italian organ. Thomas Meglioranza (baritone), Mozart Andante and variations, (JA) +++ Reiko Uchida (piano) Debussy Prélude à l’après-midi K501; Sonatas, K521 &K497 Meglioranza 003 (see apple.com/iTunes) d’un Faune; Piano Trio etc Guillaume Bellom, Schumann Piano Sonata No. 2; An attractive selection Kinsky Trio Prague; Prazˇák Quartet Ismaël Margain (pianos) Papillons; Carnaval of song cycles Praga PRD/DSD 250302 £15.99 Aparté AP078 £15.99 Jon Nakamatsu (piano) supported by a lovely A glorious recital Beautifully poised Harmonia Mundi HMU 907503 £15.99 period piano. However, ideally combining ensemble playing Nakamatsu clarifies Meglioranza’s insistent textural glow, which revels in Schumann’s mid-range vibrato soon wears thin in much of transparency and the extraordinary saturated textures to this repertoire, limiting his attempts refinement, ranging inventiveness of the a remarkable degree, at characterisation. (CD) ++ from the enchanting early Piano Trio two great Piano Duet Sonatas, but revelling in its fantastic Reviewers John Allison (JA), Christopher to the haunting musings of the Violin understates their operatic gestures imaginings with rapier-like precision Dingle (CD), Julian Haylock (JH), Erik

SUSSIE AHLBURG Sonata. (JH) +++++ and moments of humour. (EL) +++ and effortless command. (JH) ++++ Levi (EL), Michael Scott Rohan (MSR)

To order CDs call BBC Music Direct +44 (0)1634 832 789; prices include P&P BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 87 vk.com/englishlibrary Blues Festival. And among the latest crop of local talent to emerge is the JAZZ trio Michelson Morley – named after two 19th-century scientists. On this debut album, Aether Miles Davis’s Fillmore concerts from 1970; Nels Cline Singers mesh Drift, some listeners may recognise shades of Get The Blessing (Jake styles; Matthew Halsall’s otherwordly soundscape; plus Michelson Morley McMurchie’s other band) from the complex sax runs but Michelson Morley is carving its own niche. Each player brings a wide range of inventive jazz styles. Throughout the album Harris’s double bass has a startling JAZZ CHOICE intensity, while on ‘Rice Rage’ McMuchie’s sax is experimented on with intriguing electronic effects – it works surprisingly well sounding Miles uncovered like a jammed car alarm. Whitlam’s NELS CLINE SINGERS drums take on a gamelan quality, as Roger Thomas enjoys a ‘bootleg’ release of he switches to an electronic drum pad Macroscope on ‘Fringe Shift’. Eerie, menacing, Miles Davis performing in June 1970 Nels Cline (guitar), Scott Amendola (drums), Trevor Dunn (bass) etc furtive and wistful, Michelson Morley Mack Avenue MAC1085 58:29 mins creates a sense of compelling unease. BBC Music Direct £14.99 Neil McKim breaking new ground: PERFORMANCE HHHH Davis was keen to explore There are not, and never have been, RECORDING HHHH unchartered sonic territories any ‘singers’ in this band, although Cline does occasionally use his voice as a texture, as on ‘Macroscopic’ and ‘Respira’, which manages the trick of being both simultaneously busy and reflective. The basic trio of guitar, bass and drums is perfectly capable of creating a wide-range of MATTHEW HALSALL moods and atmospheres, and does, & THE GONDWANA but Cline, Dunn and Amendola ORCHESTRA vary their options further with When The World Was One various electronic resources and some Matthew Halsall (trumpet), Nat Birchall distinguished guests on several tracks. (sax), Lisa Mallett (flute), Keiko Kitamura They cover a wide range of styles (koto), Rachael Gladwin (harp) etc from straight jazz to borderline thrash Gondwana Records GOND011 63:22 mins and noise via funk, rock, ballads Available from kudosrecords.co.uk and alternative folk, all done with fluency, imagination, panache and ’s perhaps better known its content. This release presents a touch of humour. Sometimes they in contemporary music circles for sets from the trumpeter’s June lock into a riff or a groove but never producing brash indie rock bands. But 1970 Fillmore East performances let it outstay its welcome, and their it’s also grown some sensitive young (in New York), previously only playing is nothing if not flexible. The jazz talent – much of it tended by available in piecemeal edited form music is full of surprises, confounding horn player Matthew Halsall. This on Miles Davis: at Fillmore. And expectations while adhering to solid Gondwana Orchestra set fulfils the MILES DAVIS the bonus tracks are unreleased artistic logic. Barry Witherden eastern promise shown by Halsall’s items from the previous Fillmore PERFORMANCE HHHHH three earlier albums. He’s built out Miles At The Fillmore: Miles Davis West (San Francisco) sets. This RECORDING HHHHH the line-up to augment Gladwin’s 1970: The Bootleg Series, Vol. 3 release comprises four CDs, a fairly heavenly harp with Kitamura’s Miles Davis (trumpet),Chick Corea, Keith Jarrett (keyboards) etc substantial booklet and a sheet of koto, a traditional Japanese stringed Columbia 88765433812 250:20 mins press cuttings that bring the context instrument, plus swirling Indian (4 discs) of the events into sharp focus. bansuri flute from Lisa Mallett. The BBC Music Direct £24.99 This is electric Miles at his most juxtaposition of these otherworldly fearlessly exploratory, stretching and flavours and exotic scales with Halsall I tend to be cynical about the bending every element of the music and Birchall’s surging modal jazz lines posthumous Miles Davis CD into extraordinary shapes in a robust MICHELSON MORLEY is beautiful. The rhythm section, plus industry, endlessly capable of reminder of the transformative Aether Drift Taz Modi’s delicate piano chording producing great slabs of supposedly power of jazz and improvisation. Jake McMurchie (sax), Mark Whitlam combine to add to the music’s uplift. must-have stuff at regular intervals. The sound is occasionally a bit (drums, electronics), Will Harris (bass) Jazz has been this (meditative) Happily this item, the third in rough, but not a distraction. F-IRE CD 66 48:38 mins way before – think Alice Coltrane. the so-called ‘Bootleg Series’, is PERFORMANCE HHHHH BBC Music Direct £13.99 Matthew Halsall is extending that something of an exception given RECORDING HHHH tradition – while giving new meaning It’s fair to say that Bristol is making to the term northern soul. Garry Booth www.classical-music.com Hear an excerpt of this recording at its mark in the current UK jazz scene PERFORMANCE HHHHH RECORDING HHHHH GETTY with its newly established Jazz and

608888 BBC BBC MUSIC MUSIC MAGAZINE MAGAZINE All discs can be ordered from www.classical-music.com/shop vk.com/englishlibrary REVIEWS JAZZ New release on JAZZ STARTER COLLECTION Wigmore Hall Live

Jonathan Biss piano

Schumann, Janác˘ek admired by many: & Berg Clark Terry was a key influence on Miles Davis

No. 168 Clark Terry Geoffrey Smith, presenter of Geoffrey Smith’s Jazz, on the trumpeter who has inspired decades of fans

At 93, Clark Terry challenge, and his status was might claim to be confirmed when he became a jazz’s reigning member of the studio band of elder statesman NBC televison, playing for Johnny simply by Carson’s Tonight show. He was the seniority, but the first black player to break into that diversity and distinction of his exclusive club, where his ability, career are as remarkable as its wit and joie de vivre made him a length. And its origins: not many natural. And those same qualities virtuoso trumpeters made their impelled his thriving jazz career. first horn from a piece of garden Sought out as a sideman by the hose with a funnel for a likes of pianist Thelonious Monk mouthpiece. But his family and saxist Gerry Mulligan, he couldn’t afford an instrument, and also led his own ensembles, from young Terry was determined to combos to big bands, while also play along with the jazz the being a much-loved teacher. riverboats brought to St Louis, and For decades, Terry has inspired the intoxicating beat of his love in jazz fans and musicians neighbourhood Sanctified Church. for the delight and devotion he Once he got a proper horn, brings to everything he does. A there was no stopping him. He classic example is the 1964 album practised constantly, studied with he shares with the Oscar Peterson star brassmen, and began to get a Trio. Terry’s in his element, on reputation of his own. An aspiring trumpet and flugelhorn, and local trumpeter named Miles delivering his hilarious vocal, Davis ‘idolised him’ and copied his ‘Mumbles’, a blues that added bright, nimble, melodic style. After another dimension to his career. wartime service with Navy bands, Geoffrey Smith’s essential guide he was ready for the big time, to jazz, the ‘100 Jazz Legends’ iPad joining Charlie Barnet, Count Basie, app, is available on iTunes for £4.99 and finally Duke Ellington, as a CD CHOICE CD priced £9.99 available to buy mainstay of the unique institution he dubbed the ‘University of Oscar Peterson from www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/live, Trip + One: Ellingtonia’, from 1951-59. Clark Terry Among his colleagues Terry Verve 0602 020 7935 2141 & from all good record shops. was renowned as the complete 517425347 £9.99 professional, able to meet any

vk.com/englishlibrary Wigmore Hall, 36 Wigmore Street, London W1U 2BP. Director: John Gilhooly. Registered Charity No. 1024838 BOOKS A compelling anthology of writings on Handel; a cradle-to-the-grave look at music and the mind; plus the first proper biography of John Ogdon CONSTANT LAMBERT: Beyond the Rio Grande Stephen Lloyd Boydell ISBN 978-1-84383-898-2 584pp BBC Music Direct £45 A meteor fell to Earth on the evening BOOKS CHOICE that Constant Lambert was born; and Lambert would blaze like a meteor, his music igniting the British scene before his death at the age of 45 In the grip of Handel in 1951. As a conductor, he helped to lay the foundations of British ballet Nicholas Anderson on the first instalment of a major new anthology through his musical directorship of the pioneering Vic-Wells company. He also wrote reviews as entertaining as any since George Bernard Shaw’s (the first movement of Tovey’s Cello Concerto, said Lambert, ‘seemed to last as long as my first term at school’) and an influential book, Music Ho!, a highly readable survey GEORGE FRIDERIC of contemporary music which is HANDEL: significant not least for its serious treatment of jazz. As a composer, Collected Documents he produced a minor classic in The Vol. 1 1609-1725 Rio Grande, and several other works Ed. Donald Burrows, Helen that deserve to be better known Coffey, John Greenacombe today. He achieved all this despite and a complicated love life, including Cambridge University Press two marriages and a long affair with ISBN 978-1-107-01953-9 835pp the British prima ballerina Margot BBC Music Direct £120 Fonteyn, and coping with the For more than half a century, the lasting effects of a childhood illness. principal repository of documents He also battled with alcoholism relating to Handel’s life has been and diabetes which, undiagnosed, Otto Erich Deutsch’s Handel: eventually killed him. A Documentary Biography (1955). Stephen Lloyd, a biographer of Commencing with the decade , knows this period of Handel’s birth, Deutsch of British music history well, and assembled nearly every available taking stock: has trawled its printed sources document that was concerned Painstaking scholarship exhaustively. He has also drawn on reveals Handel’s accounts previous studies by Richard Shead This eminently and Andrew Motion, material collected for two projected but readable text reveals scope of the earlier volume with book. This is a major contribution unachieved biographies shortly Handel’s personality up-to-date commentaries based on to furthering our knowledge of after Lambert’s death, and radio recent scholarship. Furthermore, Handel’s personality and the British documentaries. The result is, it has with the composer’s life, including the new collection embraces a wider and continental environments in to be said, somewhat indigestible. translations from foreign languages period with a handful of documents which he lived and worked. We It is also marred by many small but where necessary. shedding light on Handel’s ancestry. can even keep an eye on his Bank irritating slips. Even so, Lambert’s Since the 1950s, new information The virtues of this first volume of England stock account which he fascinating, multifaceted personality concerning Handel’s activities are manifold, but two deserve opened in 1723. Stopping well short and Lloyd’s informed insights keep has come to light, and this freshly emphasis. First, the scholarship, of the years that witnessed many of us turning the pages. examined and assembled collection, which is painstaking and his greatest achievements, such as The appendices are copious, advertised as the first in a multi- thoroughgoing, shows tremendous the oratorios , Hercules and including a catalogue of volume publication, presents the clarity and logic. Second, it is Theodora and the operas Orlando, compositions, performances, documents chronologically in their an anthology that is eminently and Alcina, this volume recordings and journalism original languages with English readable. Presented chronologically, leaves much to anticipate. It is sad (enticing samples of Lambert’s translations. The approach is similar it grips the reader in the same way that one of the co-editors, Anthony writing suggest these could form to that of Deutsch, but Donald as a literary biography. In short, if Hicks, did not live to see the first the basis of an attractive book). Burrows and his compilers and you love Handel and his music you fruits of this splendid enterprise. You’ll also find here a selection editors have greatly expanded the will find it hard to put down this HHHHH of his more printable limericks. HHHH GETTY Anthony Burton

90 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE All discs can be ordered from www.bbcmusicmagazine.com/shop vk.com/englishlibrary BOOKS REVIEWS

PIANO MAN: YOU ARE THE MUSIC: The Life of John Ogdon How music reveals what it WALT ON Charles Beauclerk means to be human Simon & Schuster Victoria Williamson ISBN 978-0-85720-011-2 416pp Icon Books ISBN: 978-1848316539 272pp BBC Music Direct £20 BBC Music Direct £14 Symphony No. 1 ￿ Violin Concerto The first proper biography of Did you know that a man is twice the pianist John Ogdon does not as likely to be successful at chatting scrupulously document its sources. It up a woman when he carries a guitar TASMIN LITTLE also lacks a discography and a CD of case than when he woos her empty rare material. That’s a pity: Ogdon’s handed? Or that music makes the EDWARD GARDNER heroic career, buffeted by mental brain grow bigger? Or that Toscanini illness, deserves all three. But the memorised every note of 250 BBC SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA author, Charles Beauclerk, brings symphonies and the words and music other gifts: sympathy, a knowing eye for 100 operas, as well as countless and a fluent style. At prep school with chamber works? These are just as Ogdon’s son Richard, he frequently few of the many intriguing facts met his subject over 16 years, from that emerge from music psychologist 1973 until the pianist’s death. ‘This Victoria Williamson’s upbeat study, is a book,’ he tells us, ‘written with You are the Music. affection and admiration… and in a Ranging from cradle to the spirit of non-judgment’. grave, the book explores the way Psychodrama immediately in which we interact with music in enters with the portrait of Ogdon’s our every day lives, from musical dysfunctional family and his intonation in speech enabling us to mentally disturbed father. Later, communicate with infants, to the when his own troubles hit, there way in which music can inform and are distressing details of his self- express our sense of identity – and mutilation, suicide attempts and sway our moral outlook – during prescription drugs. Yet this is adolescence. Williamson unravels no ‘misery memoir’; rather, it’s a the myths – that Mozart boosts compelling, well-rounded celebration your child’s IQ, for example, or that of a precious pianist of extraordinary music provides a one-genre-fits all gifts. Here is someone who could remedy for mental illness – while sight-read the most complex scores in highlighting the ways in which a flash; a Tchaikovsky Competition music aids learning and impacts prizewinner dedicated to the our sense of well-being. As such, her unfashionable and new; an adult who survey provides an uncomplicated remained an innocent child, locked look at music’s power to impact CHSA 5136 in a stressful marriage with his duet human behaviour – whether in the partner Brenda Lucas; a ‘piano man’ workplace, the market place or only became whole at the keys. cinema – together with insights into Ogdon’s rollercoaster life is viewed those areas of the brain that control through a web of literary allusions, our musical responses. 0úøùúööòú÷ÿ especially to Moby-Dick – a web The emphasis here is on often penetrated by Beauclerk with accessibility, and with so many öôöúòòú more ease than Ogdon’s musical topics under discussion, the narrative H;9EH:?D=E<J>;CEDJ> world. But his presentation of displays far greater breadth than Ogdon’s Manchester colleagues philosophical depth. Indeed, in a BBC Music Magazine (Goehr and Maxwell Davies among field with so many unknowns, it’s them) is lively and telling. And perhaps inevitable that Williamson is despite the narrative’s fuzzy spots prone to common-sense observations and distractions, Ogdon emerges (‘music can help time pass when victorious as a genius artist, too often we would otherwise be bored’, she harried, too devoted to cigarettes, suggests, for example, in a two-page coffee and pork pies, yet still able glance at music and time). But this to defy his demons and shake the book offers a thoughtful look at the www.chandos.net listener’s soul in Liszt, Busoni and way in which music affects us all, www.theclassicalshop.net Sorabji. As Ogdon himself once said even if only at a subconscious level (24-bit downloads, lossless, MP3) after a tumultuous performance as we find ourselves running faster of Messiaen’s Vingt Regards, ‘That on the treadmill or flirting with a piano won’t forget me in a hurry.’ guitarist in the street. STAY IN THE KNOW Geoff Brown HHHH Nick Shave HHHH New releases t Reviews t Special offers t Artist features

vk.com/englishlibrary AUDIO BUYER’S GUIDE In the second part of an occasional series, we ask BBC Music Magazine’s resident audio expert Michael Brook to root out and recommend the very best of a particular type of hi-fi kit

THIS MONTH: THE 10 BEST WIRELESS SPEAKERS BEST BUY

great and small: 5 ESSENTIAL the diminutive Ruark MRIs can fill a village hall with music BUYING TIPS 1 Be careful. Although Bluetooth allows a wireless connection to a of Bluetooth wireless wide range of products, it doesn’t technology a chore, Ruark necessarily mean you will get integrates it effortlessly into ‘audiophile’ sound. the MR1 wireless speaker 2 Do you want to move your set-up, with one of the most wireless speaker around? A truly simple and reliable pairing portable speaker will need 10 procedures around. hours-plus battery life to be usable Just add the ‘backpack’ out and about or on holiday. battery pack and you can 3 Sometimes you might just want to plug your sound source in for set the MR1 free from the ultimate audio performance. shackles of mains power, Make sure your speaker has a good allowing up to 20 hours of range of wired connections, too. wire-free playback. This makes it 4 Bigger certainly doesn’t always perfect for providing the soundtrack to outdoor mean better. Take the diminutive Ruark MR1 £299 plus backpack parties and barbecues over the summer months. foxL v2 for example (see opposite). All that would be for nothing, of course, were it 5 Some wireless speakers have rechargeable battery £49 not for the fact that the Ruark MR1 packs enough the option to expand them to add The Ruark MR1 certainly isn’t the newest kid on the punch to fill a village hall, despite its relatively small other speakers and subwoofers. block (see review in Christmas 2013 issue) but it has dimensions. Thanks to all that power it also lacks no Consider whether you are likely stood the test of time remarkably well. While other subtlety or refinement in its delivery of sound quality. to want to upgrade your system hi-fi manufacturers seem to find the integration www.ruarkaudio.com HHHHH before buying.

Edifier Luna Eclipse Nakamichi Dragon Lily Cambridge Audio Simple Audio Listen £140 £240 Minx Go £99 £400 The Lunar Eclipse is often compared Solidly built and strikingly stylish, Thanks to its forward-thinking Sitting firmly at the top end of the to the TD-M1 (opposite), given its the Dragon Lily isn’t the most ethos, products such as the Minx Bluetooth speaker market, Simple design similarities. There are also compact of speakers. But that is have made Cambridge Audio one Audio’s Listen model has a simple sonic similarities but, although thanks to the built-in subwoofer of the more innovative audio interface, glorious rounded sound there’s plenty of bass, the Eclipse has that fires down from the base. companies. The Minx Go is simple and a solid, industrial appearance. a treble-heavy leaning. Although it’s There are options for connecting and powerful enough to fill all but The only issue is whether you have less ‘neutral’ sounding than other a range of music sources, such as the largest of rooms and has a built- a spare £400 to spend on a very models, it’s not an unwelcome tone. Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and a jack input. in battery for 18 hours of playback. capable set of Bluetooth speakers. edifier-international.com www.nakamichi.co.uk www.cambridgeaudio.com www.simpleaudio.com HHHH HHHHH HHHHH HHHH

92 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary

new CHANNEL CLASSICS releases

THE HORN

Jasper de Waal cele- brates with this recor- ding his twenty-fifth anniversary as a pro- Eclipse TD-M1 Dali Kubik Free fessional hornist and £999 £650 shares the passion for The Eclipse TD-M1 is not a Bluetooth The Kubik Free crams in more- the sound of the horn with the three compo- speaker system, crucially, but an or-less any audio connection sers featured here, AirPlay system – using Apple’s own known to man, missing only Wi-Fi Brahms, Reinecke and technology for streaming music connectivity from the list. Sonically, Schumann. wirelessly. It has USB connectivity the Kubik Free is phenomenal, but for iPhones, iPods and laptops, or pair it with a second Kubik speaker ccs sa 34014 you can connect this stereo speaker and optional subwoofer and it set to a TV via a 3.5mm jack socket. becomes a highly desirable system. www.eclipse-td.net www.dali-uk.co.uk HHHH HHHHH

THE VIOLIN Ning Feng has de- veloped an internatio- nal reputation of great lyricism and emotional transparency, display- ing tremendous bravu- ra and awe-inspiring technical accom- plishment. The works on this release have and show it all! Pure Jongo S3 Tivoli Model One BT ccs sa 34913 £150 £199 With an innovative array of speakers Unashamed retro styling meets that allow for room-filling sound the modern delights of Bluetooth wherever they are placed, the in Tivoli’s Model One BT. Tivoli Bluetooth and Wi-Fi-enabled Jongo products always manage to squeeze S3s are impressively powerful. A a vast amount of audio performance built-in battery pack that lasts for from their small dimensions. THE VIOLA 10 hours rounds off the Jongo S3’s Alongside Bluetooth, the Model One This colourful antholo- impressive range of specifications. also features an AM/FM tuner. gy of music for solo www.pure.com www.tivoliaudio.co.uk HHHHH HHHH viola contains some of the most challenging works. Famous for her BEST VALUE soulful dedication to the viola Dana Zemtsov takes the lis- Soundmatters foxL v2 Platinum £220 tener along to a world Purchase the foxL v2 Platinum and you will probably wonder how such of warm, deeply a tiny portable speaker could ever be worth £220. Plug it in and you’d be touching sounds. happy to pay much, much more. A huge dynamic range and 20 hours of battery life make this the perfect Bluetooth travel speaker. ccs sa 35714 www.soundmatters.com HHHHH

for complete discography and high resolution downloads visit CHANNEL CLASSICS

distribution in UK: RSK Entertainment | [email protected] vk.com/englishlibrary LIVE CHOICE 20 UNMISSABLE EVENTS FOR JULY 2014 The BBC Music Magazine guide to the very best concerts and opera – including highlights from the UK’s amateur scene

For detailed concert listings visit www.classical-music.com/whats-on

BRITTEN’S THE TURN Götterdämmerung, the Royal Opera House 1OF THE SCREW brings Strauss’s on 6 July. Opera Holland Park, London, 1-12 July But first, there’s something homegrown, with Tel: +44 (0)300 999 1000 the City of Birmingham Sympony Orchestra’s Web: rbkc.gov.uk/operahollandpark own foray into opera. Ekaterina Gubanova It’s surprising that this is Opera Holland Park’s is the intrepid bride to Gábor Bretz’s Duke in first Britten. But the company is making Bartók’s chilling psychological thriller Duke amends. Britten’s collaborator Steuart Bedford Bluebeard’s Castle. Edward Gardner conducts. conducts, the production is by acclaimed director Annalise Miskimmon, soprano Ellie LONDON SYMPHONY Laugharne plays the hapless governess and, 3ORCHESTRA ahead of his Glyndebourne debut next year, St Paul’s Cathedral, London, 3 July tenor Brenden Gunnell is Peter Quint. Tel: 0845 120 7502 commemoration: Web: www.colf.org Daniel Harding conducts BARTÓK’S DUKE In the first of two City of London Festival the LSO (Choice 4) 2BLUEBEARD’S CASTLE concerts at St Paul’s, the LSO meshes the Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 2 July magnificent architecture of Bruckner’s Ninth Tel: +44 (0)121 345 0498 Symphony with that of Wren’s cathedral. Web: www.thsh.co.uk Remembering the 70th anniversary of D-Day, RACHEL PODGER Hot on the heels of ’s recent Daniel Harding also conducts Penderecki’s 5 Royal Welsh College of Music visit to Symphony Hall with Wagner’s Threnody for the Victims of Hiroshima. and Drama, Cardiff, 3 July Tel: +44 (0)29 2039 1361 Web: www.rwcmd.ac.uk opera queen: DONIZETTI’S Rachel Podger snapped up the 2014 BBC Music MARIA STUARDA Carmen Giannattasio Magazine Award with a poised and heartfelt 4 stars in Maria Stuarda Royal Opera House, disc of solo baroque violin music. Its title London, 5-18 July track, Guardian Angel, provides the haunting Tel: +44 (0)20 7304 400 climax of a recital devoted to the Rosary Web: www.roh.org.uk Sonatas of Mozart’s illustrious Salzburg Last autumn, predecessor, violinist Heinrich Biber. made a compelling case for staging Donizetti’s trilogy of Tudor operas SCOTTISH CHAMBER as a triptych. Now the Royal Opera 6ORCHESTRA House focuses on that triptych’s Cambo Barn, Fife, 4 July central panel in a new production Tel: +44 (0)131 473 2000 of Maria Stuarda, directed by Moshe Web: www.eastneukfestival.com Leiser and Patrice Caurier. Conducted For its tenth anniversary, East Neuk Festival by Bertrand de Billy, it stars mezzo celebrates with late Beethoven from Joyce DiDonato in the title role and Quatuor Ebène and a Schubertiad, while in soprano Carmen Giannattasio as Cambo’s potato barn the Scottish Chamber Elizabeth. Tenor Ismael Jordi makes Orchestra tackles ‘Musical Landscapes’: James his ROH debut as Leicester. MacMillan’s Í (A Meditation on Iona) and John

HARALD HOFFMANN/DG Luther Adams’s …and bells remembered…,

94 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary JULY 2014 LIVE EVENTS

BACKSTAGE WITH…

new broom: Gulliver Ralston takes over at Brinkburn

Gulliver Ralston You take over from conductor Paul McCreesh as director of Brinkburn Festival this year. What is the nature of the event that you have inherited? It has been quite an eclectic festival! Paul began it 21 years ago, and to an extent it’s reflected his own career over that period, not least his love of rediscovering music and, in particular, the choral legacy. Are you planning to carry on the festival’s core choral tradition? I am. The Priory Church is particularly good for choral repertoire – it’s an acoustic gem – and so we want to keep that going. However, I also want to add to that by coming up with festival programmes that are slightly more thematic too. And what sort of themes do you have preface Britten’s Les Illuminations with tenor ‘Peace in our time?’ weekend, beginning in mind this year? Allan Clayton, and Sibelius’s Symphony No. 7. with Beethoven’s only opera Fidelio (see We’ll be looking at some of the broader Composer of the Month, p66) and ending with cultural themes surrounding 1914 and seeing BRINKBURN FESTIVAL the same composer’s Ninth Symphony (paired ways in which those themes were reflected 7 Brinkburn Priory, Rothbury, 4-6 July with Schoenberg’s A Survivor from Warsaw). in the arts at the time – ancient landscapes, Tel: +44 (0)1665 798007 Douglas Boyd conducts, and the weekend nature, the prevalence of the established Web: www.brinkburnmusic.org also features words and music from actor church and so on. What we’re also looking Having bidden farewell to Paul McCreesh Samuel West and cellist Steven Isserlis, and at is modernism, and how it goes two as artistic director last summer, Brinkburn a masterclass with mezzo Ann Murray. ways. There’s the modernism that involves Festival turns 21 with an action-packed chucking everything out; and then there’s weekend in the ancient Priory Church. The MENDELSSOHN modernism that looks back to the past and Queen’s Six are on a choral journey, ‘From 9ON MULL to older forms, and tries to re-vision them – a Heaven to Nirvana’ (via ‘Penny Lane’ and Various venues, Mull, 7-12 July sort of romantic modernism, if you like. ‘Brigg Fair’); the Royal Northern Sinfonia Tel: 0845 401504 (UK only) So what works does a 1914-related explores the child’s vision of heaven as Web: www.mendelssohnonmull.com theme bring into the programme? reimagined in Mahler’s Fourth Symphony, The throngs of cagouled binocular-wielders Well, there’s the first version of Vaughan and the Hilliard Ensemble salutes composer should be enough to tell anyone that the isle Williams’s A Lark Ascending and Janácek’s John Casken at 65. See ‘Backstage with…’, right of Mull is a bird-watcher’s heaven. But, for Violin Sonata, both of which were written one week in July, they’re joined by another around that time. Plus, we’ve also got Elgar’s PEACE IN OUR TIME? type of enthusiast: the Mendelssohn-spotter. Sospiri in the version for violin and piano. 8 Garsington Opera, Wormsley, 5, 6 July From tiny churches to Iona Abbey and That is the version which Elgar originally Tel: +44 (0)1865 361636 Glengorm Castle, violinist Levon Chilingirian wrote (before the orchestral one), and I have Web: www.garsingtonopera.org leads a series of chamber concerts that to say that it is rather fine! Garsington Opera marks the centenary celebrate not just the German composer, but See Choice No. 7 of the outbreak of World War I with a various others too. >

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 95 vk.com/englishlibrary THE TREASURES OF THE harmonia mundi label - NEW FOR JUNE 2014 Created in 2008 to mark the fi ftieth anniversary of harmonia mundi, hmGold brings together the recordings that have marked the history of the label. Available at all good record stores

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Visit the hmGold room at itunes.com/hmgold vk.com/englishlibrary JULY 2014 LIVE EVENTS

THE GREAT ANIMAL With contributions from Jordi Savall’s include an evening with the Wiener 10ORCHESTRA Hespèrion XXI and the Forma Antiqva Kammersymphonie (19 July) and, at St Mary’s Town Hall, Cheltenham, 12 July ensemble, Spain is a potent thread weaving Church on 21 July, violinist Tasmin Little’s Tel: 0844 880 8094 (UK only) through York’s Festival. But it’s Beethoven, Ravel and Franck. Web: www.cheltenhamfestivals.com not just Spanish ensembles celebrating the Over a lifetime of travelling across the globe, ‘Golden Age’. From France come Ensemble RYEDALE FESTIVAL sound engineer Bernie Krause has recorded Gilles Binchois and Les Sacqueboutiers to 13 Castle Howard, N Yorks, 17 July over 15,000 species in their natural habitat. perform Francesco de Peñalosa’s Missa Nunca Tel: +44 (0)1751 475777 And now composer Richard Blackford has fue pena mayor (based on a popular Castilian Web: www.ryedalefestival.com dipped into Krause’s vast array of soundfiles song), and a selection of his motets. The ‘Triple Concert’ concert at stately Castle and sampled a number of them in a Howard has become something of a Ryedale 20-minute work for orchestra. The resulting PETWORTH FESTIVAL Festival signature dish. Spread over the Great Animal Orchestra, heard here for the 12 Petworth, Sussex, 16 July – 2 Aug building’s Long Gallery, Chapel and Great Hall, first time ever, should be a unique experience. Tel: 01798 344576 2014’s menu transports audiences between Web: www.petworthfestival.org.uk Richard Strauss from violinist Elena Urioste, PEÑALOSA’S Taking in venues that include the award- the derring-do of Norwegian accordionist 11 MISSA NUNCA winning Champs Hill concert hall and Stian Carstensen and a rich tapestry of FUE PENA MAYOR the Pleasure Garden at Petworth House, English polyphony from The Marian Consort. York Minster, 14 July Petworth Festival opens this year with Tel: +44 (0)1904 658338 Mahler, Weill and Britten from tenor Ian THE AURORA Web: www.ncem.co.uk Bostridge and Julius Drake. Other highlights 14 ORCHESTRA LSO St Luke’s, London, 20 July Tel: +44 (0)20 7638 8891 Web: www.barbican.org.uk Why not visit… Iford Arts It’s anyone’s guess how works by Paganini or Rameau made into the programme of Where tranquil cloisters ring to the sound of summer opera ‘Jitterbug’, the Aurora Orchestra’s concert inspired by the theme of prohibition. That said, summer set in somerset: they certainly add some fizz to a cocktail that Picnickers at Iford’s lily pond; is shaken with Stravinsky’s Dumbarton Oaks (below) tenor Jesús Álvarez and served over a glug of Porgy and Bess in Iain and mezzo Rowan Hellier Farrington’s fantasy arrangement of Gershwin. Conductor Nicolas Collon mans the bar.

LES ARTS FLORISSANTS 15 Cadogan Hall, London, 21 July Tel: 0845 401504 (UK only) Web: www.bbc.co.uk/proms The 250th anniversary of the death of Rameau doesn’t go unnoticed at the Proms. Under American conductor William Christie, Les Arts Florissants will be offering a late- night survey on 29 July of three ‘grands motets’ written for Versailles. First, though, there’s something more intimate to launch the Chamber Proms at Cadogan Hall, as harpsichordist Paolo Zanzu >

he season of the summer opera is upon us, which for many music-lovers means popping up into the loft for the picnic hamper and a trip with the DJ to the T dry-cleaners. Big-hitters such as Glyndebourne and Garsington usually grab the headlines, but let’s not forget the numerous smaller companies putting on productions that are as imaginative in their conception as they are polished in their realisation. One such company is Iford Arts, held at Iford Manor, a few miles outside Bath. The performances, which this year include Fille du régiment and Monteverdi’s Return of Ulysses and feature singers including tenor Jesús Álvarez and mezzo Rowan Hellier, are staged in cloisters designed a century ago by Harold Peto, who described them as his ‘Haunt of Ancient Peace’. Those picnic hampers, meanwhile, are opened in the surrounding gardens, also designed by Peto. Don’t fret too much about the dry-cleaners, though – Iford recommends ‘smart casual’ as the dress code. rousing rameau: l Where is it?: Iford Manor is located about five miles south of Bath l For more: William Christie directs Les www.ifordarts.org.uk Arts Florissants (Choice 15)

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 97 vk.com/englishlibrary JULY 2014 LIVE EVENTS

OVER TO YOU! The non-professional events to catch this month

victory voices: the all-female choir La Nova

bristol bound: La Nova Singers Georgian violinist Kings Arms Hotel, Christchurch, 13 July Lisa Batiashvili (Choice 19) An imaginatively thought-out programme called ‘Sing for Victory’ sees La Nova Singers turn the clock back 100 presides over the same ensemble in the Norrington and his Zurich Chamber years for music from the era of World Pièces de clavecin en concerts. Orchestra and Zürcher Sing-Akademie head War I. Included in the concert are Holst’s to the Fens for a performance of JS Bach’s Two Eastern Pictures, Kodály’s Evening BRANSCOMBE FESTIVAL dramatic first Passion setting. Tenor James Song and popular songs of the era such 16 St Winifred’s Church, Gilchrist is the Evangelist and bass Neal as ‘Pack Up Your Troubles’. Branscombe, 25-7 July Davies is Christus in a strong solo line-up Tel: +44 (0)20 7955 1446 that includes countertenor Iestyn Davis Somerset Chamber Choir Wells Cathedral, 26 July Web: www.branscombefestival.co.uk and tenor Andrew Kennedy. Just along the coast from Lyme Regis is The Somerset Chamber Choir celebrates one of ’s best-kept secrets. Not only THE BRISTOL PROMS its 30th anniversary by inviting the does Branscombe boast picture postcard 19 Theatre Royal, Berliner Kantorei over to join them and looks – since last year it’s also had a festival Bristol, 28 July-2 August the Southern Sinfonia in a performance curated by pianist Iain Burnside. For 2014 he Tel: +44 (0)117 987 7877 of Elgar’s great oratorio Dream of accompanies soprano Ailish Tynan and tenor Web: www.bristololdvic.org.uk Gerontius. Tenor Robert Murray is Luis Gomes, there’s solo Bach from cellist It opens with baritone Bryn Terfel and Gerontius himself in a concert that Philip Higham, and I Fagiolini makes a choral signs off in the company of the English also includes anthems by Parry. journey across Europe in the company of Concert and a semi-staging of Purcell’s Orchestra of the City composers from Cornysh to Cathy Berberian. Dido & Aeneas – inaugurated last year, the St James’s Piccadilly, London, 10 July Bristol Proms doesn’t let its atmospheric London’s Orchestra of the City also MAHAN ESFAHANI Georgian theatre base stand in the way of welcomes a guest from overseas – Josef 17 Paxton House, some very 21st-century visual and digital Spacek, leader of the Czech Philharmonic, Berwick-on-Tweed, 26 July surprises. Violinists Daniel Hope and Lisa who will be playing Dvoπák’s Violin Tel: +44 (0)131 473 2000 Batiashvili, harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani Concerto. Rachmaninov’s Isle of the Web: www.musicatpaxton.co.uk and composer Will Gregory add twists of Dead and Strauss’s ‘Moonlight Music’ Two concerts in one Paxton Festival day their own. from Capriccio and Tod und Verklärung see harpsichordist Mahan Esfahani and complete the programme. friends explore the domestic music-making TORSTEN RASCH’S in the Bach household. The first surveys the 20 A FOREIGN FIELD Christ Church Singers violin and harpsichord works of JS, while a Worcester Cathedral, 31 July Christ Church, Frome, 12 July second introduces son CPE and pays nods Tel: 0845 652 1823 (UK only) An evening of Baroque choral music to Marchand, Handel and Telemann before Web: www.3choirs.org from the Christ Church Singers takes ending with JS’s lovelorn Amore traditore. Britten’s War Requiem, Maher’s Resurrection in the delights of JS Bach’s cantata Symphony and Elgar’s The Apostles are among Komm, du susse Todesstunde, BWV 161 JS BACH’S the big-hitters of this year’s Three Choirs and motet for double choir, the glorious 18 ST JOHN PASSION Festival. However, there’s something brand Singet dem Herrn, BWV 225. Kings College Cambridge, 27 July new, too, as Torsten Rasch’s A Foreign Field is among the other composers joining the Tel: +44 (0)1223 357851 receives its world premiere. Setting texts by Baroque party. Web: cambridgesummermusic.com the Dymock as well as Trakl and Rilke, it Send us your concert details to Direct from their Royal Albert Hall BBC commemorates the outbreak of World War I. [email protected]

ANJA FRERS Prom the night before, conductor Sir Roger The conductor is Baldur Brönnimann.

For details of events in your area, visit our online concert diary at www.classical-music.com/whats-on

98 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary THE KING’S MEN CAMBRIDGE AFTER HOURS A cappella arrangements from the Choral Scholars of King’s College.

THE KING’S MEN CAMBRIDGE Featuring Call Me Maybe, Forget You and Wonderwall Available now on audio CD or download

Also available on audio CD or download Coming soon

MOZART BRITTEN NINE REQUIEM SAINT LESSONS & REALISATIONS NICOLAS CAROLS HYMN TO ST CECILIA CONDUCTOR REJOICE IN THE LAMB

ELIN MANAHAN THOMAS STEPHEN CLEOBURY CHRISTINE RICE STEPHEN CLEOBURY CONDUCTOR CONDUCTOR CHRISTOPHER PURVES ANDREW KENNEDY ACADEMY OF ANCIENT MUSIC BRITTEN SINFONIA

vk.com/englishlibrary RADIO & TV LISTINGS Each issue we provide full listings for BBC Radio 3 introduced by the station’s controller, Roger Wright, plus highlights of classical music programmes on television

are you sitting comfortably?: Helene Schneiderman (Annina) and Lars Woldt (Baron Ochs) in Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier

CONTROLLER’S CHOICE Purves. As this year’s Proms looks back to trumpet concerto, Joie éternelle, will be 1914 and the outbreak of World War One, it is performed by Alison Balsom. Also making interesting to note that Elgar featured on that his Proms debut is Chinese pianist Haochen Roger Wright, the year’s First Night programme. Fast forward Zhang, performing Liszt’s First Piano Concerto. controller of Radio 3, 100 years and it is fitting that this 2014 Proms Proms 2014: Prom 2 Saturday 19 July; 7.30pm picks out three great season begins with one of his great works. moments to tune into Proms 2014: Prom 1; Friday 18 July; 7.30pm DER ROSENKAVALIER in July Glyndebourne is celebrating its own 80th CHINA PHILHARMONIC anniversary and Richard Strauss’s 150th with FIRST NIGHT OF THE PROMS Tune in as the China Philharmonic Orchestra a semi-staged Proms performance of its It’s that time of year again – the launch of makes its Proms debut with conductor Long production of Der Rosenkavalier (above). The the BBC Proms! This year the world’s biggest Yu, launching this year’s global orchestras opera is conducted by Glyndebourne’s new classical music festival begins on a grand scale, strand, which includes first-time visiting music director Robin Ticciati, who is appearing as Elgar’s biblical oratorio The Kingdom raises orchestras from Turkey, Iceland, South with the London Philharmonic and a world- the rafters of the Royal Albert Hall. Sir Andrew Korea and Qatar. A lively programme mixes class cast of singers headed up by soprano Davis conducts the BBC Symphony Orchestra Musorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition (as Kate Royal as the Marschallin, with mezzo Tara and Chorus and BBC National Chorus of Wales orchestrated by Ravel) with Elgar’s Pomp Erraught as Octavian and bass-baritone Lars and is joined by a host of world-class talent, and Circumstance March No. 4 and a world Woldt as Baron Ochs. Expect an evening of including soprano Erin Wall, mezzo Catherine premiere by the -born composer romance and riotous farce. Proms 2014: Prom 6; Tuesday 22 July; 6.30pm BILL COOPER, MARCO BORGGREVE Wyn-Rogers and bass-baritone Christopher Qigang Chen (Messiaen’s final pupil). His

100 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary JULY 2014 RADIO & TV LISTINGS

JULY’S RADIO 3 LISTINGS 12 noon-1pm Composer of 12 noon-1pm 9 WEDNESDAY the Week Ivor Gurney Rufus Wainwright 6.30-1pm As Monday 7 July 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert (rpt) 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert (rpt) 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert Cheltenham World War One series. From Wigmore Hall. Shostakovich Liverpool Chamber Music Fauré Sonata No. 1 for cello and Quartet No. 4 in D, Prokofiev Quartet Series. Ravel Valses Nobles et Schedules may be piano. Steven Isserlis (cello), Connie No. 2 in F (on Kabardinian themes). Sentimentales. Simon Trpcˇeski subject to alteration; Shih (pno), Weill Intermezzo. Charles Kopelman Quartet (pno), Dvorˇák Piano Trio in F minor, for up-to-date listings Owen (pno), Bartók String Quartet 2-3pm The Early Music Show Op. 65. Atos Trio see No. 2. Escher Quartet Piers Adams marks the CPE Bach 2-3.30pm Afternoon on 3 2-4.30pm Afternoon on 3 anniversary and his time in Hamburg 3.30-4.30pm Choral Evensong 4.30-7pm In Tune 3-4pm Choral Evensong from from Canterbury Cathedral 7-8pm Composer of the Week Liverpool Anglican Church (rpt) 4.30-6.30pm In Tune 8-10pm Radio 3 Live In Concert 4-5.30pm The Choir 6.30-7.30pm Composer of from St Paul’s Cathedral, London. 5.30-6.45m Words and Music the Week Buxtehude City of London Festival. Penderecki 6.45-7.30pm Sunday Feature 7. 30-10pm Radio 3 Live In Threnody to the Victims of Hiroshima. Alyn Shipton looks at the rise of Concert from Tewkesbury Abbey. Bruckner Symphony No. 9. LSO/ jazz in World War One Pärt , Tavener Ikon Daniel Harding 7. 30-10pm Radio 3 Live in of Light, Pärt Miserere. Hilliard 10-10.45pm concert from St Lawrence’s Ensemble 10.45-11pm The Essay Church, Hertfordshire. Elgar Sonata 10-10.45pm Free Thinking in E minor, Op. 82, Gurney songs, 10.45-11pm The Essay 4 FRIDAY Vaughan Williams songs. Benjamin Goodbye to all that MUSIC AND THE GREAT WAR Hulett (ten), Elena Urioste (vln), 11pm-12.30am The World at War: Zhang Zuo (pno), Empire an other participants 10-11.30pm Drama on 3 10 THURSDAY 6.30-9am Breakfast with Life in the Tomb 6.30-1pm As Monday 7 July Clemency Burton-Hill 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert 9am-12 noon 7 MONDAY Liverpool Chamber Music Series Essential Classics 6.30-9am Breakfast with – Mozart String Quartet in E flat K428. 12 noon-1pm Composer of Petroc Trelawny Emerson Quartet, Smetana: Piano the Week Ivor Gurney 9am-12 noon Trio in G minor, Op. 15. Atos Trio 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert (rpt) Essential Classics 2-4.30pm Afternoon on 3 Cheltenham World War One series. 12 noon-1pm Composer of 4.30-6.30pm In Tune Debussy Sonata for violin and piano. the Week Buxtehude 6.30-7.30pm Composer of Katherine Gowers (vln), Charles Owen 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert the Week Buxtehude (pno), Stravinsky The Soldier’s Tale: live from Wigmore Hall, London. 7. 30-10pm Radio 3 Live In fresh insights: Suite for violin, clarinet and piano. Schubert: Sehnsucht D879, Irdisches Concert from the York Early Anthony Marwood (vln), Matthew Glück D866, Das Zügenglöcklein Music Festival, University of York. pianist Alexandre Tharaud Hunt (cl), Connie Shih (pno), Bruch D871, Im Freien D880, Bei Dir Allein, Hespèrion XXI/Jordi Savall performs at Wigmore Hall String Quintet in A minor. Escher D866, Wiegenlied D867, Am Fenster 10-10.45pm Free Thinking Quartet, Jennifer Stumm (vla) D878, Der Wandrer an den Mond 10.45-11pm The Essay 2-4.30pm Afternoon on 3 D870, Viola D786. Mark Padmore Goodbye to all that 1 TUESDAY 9am-12 noon 4.30-6pm In Tune (ten), Julius Drake (pno) 11pm-12.30am Late Junction MUSIC AND THE GREAT WAR Essential Classics 6-7pm Composer of the Week 2-4.30pm Afternoon on 3 Russia at War: 1914-17 12 noon-1pm Composer of Ivor Gurney 4.30-10.45pm Opera on 3 11 FRIDAY 6.30-9am Breakfast the Week Ivor Gurney 7-10pm Radio 3 Live In Concert from Opera North. Wagner 6.30-1pm As Monday 7 July with Clemency Burton-Hill 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert (rpt) from Wigmore Hall, London. Götterdämmerung. Alwyn Mellor 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert 9am-12 noon Cheltenham World War One series. Schubert selection of songs. Anna (Brünnhilde), Mati Turi (Siegfried), Liverpool Chamber Music Series. Essential Classics Bax Elegiac Trio for flute, viola & harp. Leese (sop), Rowan Hellier (mz), Mats Almgren (Hagen), Orla Boylan Poulenc Morceaux, Brahms 12 noon-1pm Composer of Emily Beynon (flute), Jennifer Stumm Nicholas Mulroy (ten), Jacques (Gutrune), Eric Greene (Gunther), Intermezzi, Op. 117. Simon Trpcˇeski the Week Ivor Gurney (vla), Sally Pryce (harp), Bridge Imbrallo (bar), Alisdair Hogarth (pno) Jo Pohlheim (Alberich), Susan Bickley (pno), Shostakovich String Quartet 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert (rpt) Two Old English Songs for quartet. 10-10.45pm The Verb (Waltraute), Richard Farnes (c) No. 15 in E flat minor, Op. 144. Cheltenham World War One series. Katherine Gowers and Beatrice 10.45-11pm The Essay 10.45-11pm The Essay Emerson Quartet Janácˇek Violin Sonata. Henning Philips (vln), Jennifer Stumm (vla), Goodbye to all that 2-4.30pm Afternoon on 3 Kraggerud (vln), Christian Ihle Adrian Brendel (cello), Rachmaninov 5 SATURDAY 11pm-12.30am Jazz on 3 4.30-6.30pm In Tune Hadland (pno), Joplin Magnetic Etudes Tableaux, Op. 39 MUSIC AND THE GREAT WAR Jez Nelson presents the best in 6.30-7.30pm Composer of Rag. Christian Ihle Hadland (pno), 2-3.30pm Afternoon on 3 7-9am Breakfast with contemporary jazz the Week Buxtehude Webern Three pieces for cello 3.30-4.30pm Choral Evensong Martin Handley 7. 30-10pm Radio 3 Live In and piano. Adrian Brendel (cello), from Liverpool Anglican Church 9am-12.15pm CD Review – 8 TUESDAY Concert from the York Early Christian Ihle Hadland (pno), Ravel 4.30-6.30pm In Tune Building a Library 6.30-1pm As Monday 7 July Music Festival, University of York. Piano Trio. Henning Kraggerud (vln), 6.30-7.30pm Composer of 12.15-1pm Music Matters 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert ‘Choral Pilgrimage 2014’ – works Adrian Brendel (cello), Christian Ihle the Week Ivor Gurney 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert Liverpool Chamber Music Series. by Sheppard, Mundy, Davy. The Hadland (pno) 7. 30-10pm Radio 3 Live In 2-4pm Saturday Classics Haydn String Quartet in G minor, Sixteen/Harry Christophers 2-4.30pm Afternoon on 3 Concert from Wigmore Hall, London. World War One with Steven Isserlis Op. 20 No. 3. Emerson Quartet, 10-10.45pm The Verb 4.30-5.45pm In Tune Mozart Suite K399, Praeambulum 4-5pm Sound of Cinema Brahms Handel Variations, Op. 24, 10.45-11pm The Essay 5.45-6.45pm Composer of k deest, Gigue in G K574, Piano 5-6pm Jazz Record Requests Simon Trpcˇeski (pno) Goodbye to all that the Week Ivor Gurney Sonata in A K331, Mahler Adagietto 6-7.30pm Jazz Line-Up 2-4.30pm Afternoon on 3 6.45-10.45pm Opera on 3 live from Symphony No. 5 (arr. Alexandre 7. 30-9. 30pm 4.30-6.30pm In Tune 12 SATURDAY from the Royal Opera House, London. Tharaud), Schubert Four Impromptus Radio 3 Live In Concert 6.30-7.30pm Composer of 7-9am Breakfast Puccini . Kristine D899. Alexandre Tharaud (pno) 9.30-10pm Between the Ears the Week Buxtehude with Martin Handley Opolais (Manon Lescaut), Christopher 10-10.45pm Free Thinking Blue Sky Thinking 7. 30-10pm Radio 3 Live 9am-12.15pm CD Review – Maltman (Lescaut) etc, Orchestra 10.45-11pm The Essay 10pm-12 midnight In Concert from Media City, Building a Library of the ROH/ Hear and Now Manchester. Schubert Symphony 12.15-1pm Music Matters 10.45-11pm The Essay 3 THURSDAY 12 midnight-1am No. 6, Detlev Glanert Einsamkeit, 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert Minds at War MUSIC AND THE GREAT WAR Geoffrey Smith’s Jazz D620, Schubert Symphony No. 5. 2-4pm Saturday Classics The World at War: Lucy Hall (sop), BBC Philharmonic/ 4-5pm Sound of Cinema 2 WEDNESDAY Empire an other participants 6 SUNDAY Juanjo Mena 5-6pm Jazz Record Requests MUSIC AND THE GREAT WAR 6.30-9am Breakfast with MUSIC AND THE GREAT WAR 10-10.45pm Free Thinking 6-7.30pm Jazz Line-Up USA at War: 1917-18 Clemency Burton-Hill 7-9am Breakfast 10.45-11pm The Essay 7. 30-10pm Radio 3 Live In 6.30-9am Breakfast with 9am-12 noon with Martin Handley Goodbye to all that Concert from the Cheltenham Clemency Burton-Hill Essential Classics 9am-12 noon Sunday Morning 11pm-12.30am Late Junction Festival, Cheltenham Town Hall. >

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 101 vk.com/englishlibrary JULY 2014 RADIO & TV LISTINGS

Richard Blackford The Great Animal 6.30-10pm Radio 3 Live In 19 SATURDAY Proms 2014 Orchestra (wp), Holst The Planets. Concert from the Barbican, London. 7-9am Breakfast Bernie Krause (scientist), BBC Birtwistle Gawain. Leigh Melrose 9am-12.15pm National Orchestra of Wales/ (Gawain), Sir John Tomlinson (The Summer CD Review Martyn Brabbins Green Knight), Laura Aikin (Morgan 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert A view from the 10pm-12 midnight Le Fay) etc. BBC Singers, BBC 2-4pm Saturday Classics Hear and Now Symphony/Martyn Brabbins 4-5pm Sound of Cinema presenter’s box 12 midnight-1am 10-10.45pm Free Thinking 5-6pm Jazz Record Requests Geoffrey Smith’s Jazz 10.45-11pm The Essay 6-7.30pm Jazz Line-Up BBC presenter Petroc Trelawney picks 11pm-12.30am Late Junction 7. 30-10. 30pm Proms his highlights of the Proms season 13 SUNDAY 2014 Prom 2 Elgar Pomp and 7-9am Breakfast Martin Handley 16 WEDNESDAY Circumstance March No. 4 in G, 9am-12 noon Sunday Morning 6.30-1pm As Monday 14 July Tchaikovsky Fantasy-Overture in remembrance: 12 noon-1pm Private Passions 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert from ‘Romeo and Juliet’, Liszt Piano Ruth Rogers Aldeburgh. Smetana String Quartet Concerto No. 1 in E flat. Qigang Roderick Williams sings 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert No. 2, Janácˇek String Quartet No. 2 Chen Joie éternelle (ukp), Musorgsky Butterworth (Prom 42) (rpt, from 7 July) ‘Intimate Letters’. Quartet Pictures at an Exhibition (orch. 2-3pm The Early Music Show (pictured below, opposite page) ). Haochen Zhang Lucie Skeaping is joined by guests 2-3.30pm Afternoon on 3 (pno), Alison Balsom (tp), China at the National Centre for Early 3.30-4.30pm Choral Evensong Philharmonic Orchestra/Long Yu Music in York for a preview of this from York Minster 10.30pm-12 midnight year’s York Early Music Festival 4.30-6.30pm In Tune Hear and Now 3-4pm Choral Evensong from 6-7pm Composer of the Week 12 midnight-1am Geoffrey Canterbury Cathedral (rpt) 7-10pm Opera on 3 from the Smith’s Jazz 4-5.30pm The Choir Royal Opera House, London. 5.30-6.45m Words and Music R Strauss Ariadne auf Naxos. 20 SUNDAY 6.45-7.30pm Sunday Feature (Ariadne), Roberto 7-9am Breakfast How did Scotland’s artists turn Saccà (Bacchus), Jane Archibald 9-10.30am Sunday Morning Nationalist? (Zerbinetta) etc 10.30am-1pm Proms 2014 7. 30-10pm Radio 3 Live In 10-10.45pm Free Thinking Prom 3 BBC Sport Prom Mozart Concert 10.45-11pm The Essay A Musical Joke – Presto, Orff Carmina 10-11.30pm Drama on 3 11pm-12.30am Late Junction burana – ‘O Fortuna’, Prokofiev Death and the King’s Horseman by Romeo and Juliet – ‘Montagues and Wole Soyinka 17 THURSDAY Capulets’ (Dance of the Knights) , 6.30-1pm As Monday 14 July Josef Strauss Sport Polka, John 14 MONDAY 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert from Williams Summon the Heroes, plus TV 6.30-9am Breakfast with Aldeburgh. Carter 8 Etudes and themes including Match of the Day, Clemency Burton-Hill a Fantasy for Woodwind Quartet, Test Match Special and Wimbledon. A few years back I dropped into the 9am-12 noon Janácˇek Concertino, March of the Gabby Logan (presenter), Crouch Royal Albert Hall on the Monday before Essential Classics Bluebirds, Mendelssohn Octet. End Festival Chorus, BBC Concert the First Night: hard-hatted scaffolders 12 noon-1pm Composer of Pierre-Laurent Aimard (pno), Orchestra/Rebecca Miller were rigging the great canopy above the Week Dittersdorf Chamber Orchestra of Europe 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert the stage; BBC radio colleagues were 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert 2-4.30pm Afternoon on 3 2-3pm The Early Music Show hanging delicate microphones; and live from Wigmore Hall, London. 4.30-6.30pm In Tune York Early Music Festival. Lucie Mendelssohn Concert piece No. 2 in 6.30-7.30pm Composer of Skeaping introduces highlights of a television engineers were laying thousands of feet D minor, Op. 114, Bruch 8 Pieces for the Week Dittersdorf concert of Spanish polyphony given of camera cable. A man with a spirit level was fixing Clarinet, Viola & Piano, Op. 83 (No. 2 7. 30-10pm Proms Preview by soprano María Cristina Kiehr the golden signs proclaiming ‘BBC Proms’. When I Allegro con moto, No. 6 Nachtgesang, 10-10.45pm Free Thinking and lutenist Abramovich came back on the Friday the transformation was Andante con moto, No. 7 Allegro 10.45-11pm The Essay 3-4pm Choral Evensong operatic. The grand old lady of concert halls was a vivace, ma non troppo), Schumann 11pm-12.30am Late Junction from York Minster (rpt) bright young thing again. I was sitting quietly in the Kanonische Studien, Op. 56 (No. 4-5.45pm Proms 2014 2 Adagio, No. 3 Andantino, No. 4 18 FRIDAY Prom 1 (rpt) Radio 3 box when suddenly the doors opened and the Mit innigem Ausdruck, No. 5 Innig), 6.30-1pm As Monday 14 July 5.45-6.45m Words and Music Prommers streamed in, sniffing the air, looking around Schumann Fantasiestücke, Op. 73, 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert 6.45-7.30pm Sunday Feature eagerly, filled with obvious joy at being back in music’s Mendelssohn Concert piece No. 1 in from Aldeburgh. Bull In Nomine IX, CHOICE 7. 30am- summer home. F minor, Op. 113. Trio di Clarone Les Bouffons, Fantasia XII, JS Bach 10.15pm Proms 2014 Prom 4 The legroom in the presenter’s box makes budget 2-4.30pm Afternoon on 3 French Suite in G, BWV816, Martinu˚ Roxanna Panufnik Three Paths to In Tune Deux Impromptus pour clavecin, Peace, R Strauss Die Frau ohne airlines look luxurious, but the position is splendid – 4.30-6.15pm 6.15-7.15pm Composer of H.381, Gibbons Pavan in G, Bartók Schatten, Op. 65 – symphonic like so many seats in the Royal Albert Hall, you feel the Week Dittersdorf 3 Dances in Bulgarian Rhythm, fantasia, Mahler Symphony No. 6 in you are not just watching the orchestra but sitting 7.15-10.45pm Opera on 3 Ligeti Passacaglia Ungherese, A minor. World Orchestra for Peace/ with them. This year’s season starts with one of my live from the Royal Opera House, Continuum, Hungarian Rock. Valery Gergiev highlights, Elgar’s The Kingdom. I’m looking forward to London. Donizetti Maria Stuarda. Mahan Esfahani (hpschd), 10.15-11.45pm Drama on 3 commentating on more musical drama when the BBC Joyce DiDonato (Maria), Carmen 2-4.30pm Afternoon on 3 Document of Identity (rpt) Giannattasio (Elisabetta), Ismael 4.30-6.30pm In Tune 11.45pm New Generation Scottish Symphony Orchestra performs Stravinsky’s Jordi (Roberto), Orchestra of the 6.30-7.30pm Composer of Artists presented by Clemency Oedipus Rex. Clare Teal’s ‘Battle of the Bands’, Roderick Royal Opera House/Bertrand de Billy the Week Dittersdorf Burton-Hill Williams singing Butterworth, Haitink conducting the 10.45-11pm The Essay CHOICE London Symphony Orchestra in Mahler, Rattle and the 11pm-12.30am Jazz on 3 7. 30-9.15pm Proms 2014 21 MONDAY Berlin Philharmonic – they’re all concerts for which I’d Jez Nelson presents the best in Prom 1 Elgar The Kingdom. Erin Wall 6.30-9am Breakfast with be trying to secure a ticket, but thrillingly I’ll be there to contemporary jazz (Blessed Virgin), Catherine Wyn- Clemency Burton-Hill Rogers (Mary Magdalene), Andrew 9am-12 noon introduce them. In theory it’s work – but it is hard to see 15 TUESDAY Staples (St John) etc, BBC National Essential Classics it as such when the lights go down and the conductor 6.30-1pm As Monday 14 July Chorus of Wales, BBC Symphony 12 noon-1pm Composer walks onto the stage. 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert from Chorus, BBC Symphony Orchestra/ of the Week Janácˇek Petroc Trelawny presents the Proms on Radio 3 and BBC Aldeburgh. Janácˇek String Quartet Sir Andrew Davis 1-2pm Proms 2014 Proms Four. He will be hosting the Monday lunchtime Chamber No. 1 ‘Kreutzer Sonata’, Smetana 9.15-10pm New Generation Chamber Music 1 From Cadogan String Quartet No. 1 ‘From My Life’. Artists presented by Clemency Hall, London. Rameau Pièces Proms at Cadogan Hall and introducing a series of Proms Pavel Haas Quartet Burton-Hill de clavecin en concerts, Les Plus events celebrating the international orchestras 2-4.30pm Afternoon on 3 10-10.45pm The Verb Arts Florrisants. Paolo Zanzu

JOHN MILLAR, MARCO BORGGREVE, REX FEATURES 4.30-6.30pm In Tune 10.45-11pm The Essay (hpschd/director)

102 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary JULY 2014 RADIO & TV LISTINGS

2-4.30pm Proms 2014 9.50-10.15pm Proms Plus Late 26 SATURDAY Prom 2 (rpt) 10.15pm-12midnight Proms 7-9am Breakfast PRIVATE PASSIONS 4.30-6.30pm In Tune 2014 Prom 8 Neil Tennant/Chris 9am-12.15pm 6.30-7.30pm Composer of Lowe: Overture to ‘Performance’ Summer CD Review the Week Janácˇek (arr. Richard Niles), 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert Each week Michael Berkeley 7. 30-10pm Proms 2014 Prom 5 songs (orch. Angelo Badalamenti), 2-4pm Saturday Classics talks to a guest about their R Strauss Till Eulenspiegels lustige A Man from the Future (orch. Sven 4-5pm Sound of Cinema Streiche, Dvorˇák Concerto for Violin Helbig) (wp). Pet Shop Boys, BBC 5-6pm Jazz Record Requests favourite music. Here are in A minor, Op. 53, Beethoven Singers, BBC Concert Orchestra/ 6-7.40pm Jazz Line-Up Symphony No. 6 in F ‘Pastoral’, Dominic Wheeler 7.4 0-10. 20pm Proms two you may have missed Op. 68. Julia Fischer (vln), Tonhalle 12midnight-1am 2014 Prom 12 JS Bach St John Orchestra Zurich/David Zinman Late Junction Passion, BWV245 James Gilchrist NICHOLAS PENNY 10.45-11pm The Essay (Evangelist), Neal Davies (Christus), Art historian/director of 11pm-12.30am Jazz on 3 24 THURSDAY Lucy Crowe (sop), Clint van der the National Gallery Kit Downes and Tom Challenger’s 6.30-1pm As Monday 21 July Linde (ct), Andrew Kennedy (ten), ROSSINI Opening of Stabat Mater Wedding Music, Dan Nicholls and 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert Rudolf Rosen (bar), Zürcher Accademia di Santa Cecilia Orchestra and Monocled Man in concert at 2-4.30pm Proms 2014 Sing-Akademie, Zurich Chamber Choir/Antonio Pappano the Cockpit Theatre Prom 7 (rpt) Orchestra/Roger Norrington ‘The Stabat Mater is a medieval hymn. I don’t see why 4.30-6.30pm In Tune 10.20pm-1am WOMAD religious music shouldn’t be operatic.’ 22 TUESDAY 6.30-7.30pm Composer of highlights from the Wiltshire festival RICHARD STRAUSS Final duet from Ariadne auf Naxos 6.30-1pm As Monday 21 July the Week Janácˇek 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert (rpt) 7. 30-10pm Proms 2014 Prom 9 27 SUNDAY (sop), Paul Frey (ten), Gewandhausorchester 2-4.30pm Proms 2014 Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 in 7-9am Breakfast Leipzig/ Prom 5 (rpt) D minor, Janácˇek Glagolitic Mass 9-11am Sunday Morning ‘This treats the subject as both tragedy and comedy, 4.30-6.30pm In Tune (original version, reconstructed 11am-12 noon Proms 2014 as lyrical and grotesque. It has something of the CHOICE P. Wingfield). Barry Douglas Prom 13 CBeebies Prom Barrie complication that the artist Titian expected.’ 6.30-11pm Proms 2014 Prom 6 (pno), Mlada Khudoley (sop), Bignold Around Sound (wp), Holst WALTON ‘Popular Song’ from Façade R Strauss Der Rosenkavalier. Kate Yulia Matochkina (mz), Mikhail St Paul’s Suite – Finale (The (speaker), Ensemble/ Royal (Marschallin), Tara Erraught Vekua (ten), Yuri Vorobiev (bass), Dargason), Wood Fantasia on Anthony Collins (Octavian), Lars Woldt (Baron Ochs), London Symphony Chorus, London British Sea-Songs – Hornpipe, plus ‘This is a higher class of nonsense poetry – surrealist Teodora Gheorghiu (Sophie) etc, Symphony/Valery Gergiev music from CBeebies programmes. poetry, actually, by . I love the music quite Glyndebourne Festival Opera, London 10-10.45pm Feature (rpt) CBeebies presenters including as much as Edith’s weird voice.’ Philharmonic/Robin Ticciati 10.45-11pm The Essay (rpt) Ben Faulks, Gemma Hunt, Chris 11pm-12.30am Late Junction Jarvis, Steven Kynman, BBC BRITTEN ‘I know a bank’ from A Midsummer Night’s Dream 25 FRIDAY Philharmonic/Stephen Bell Alfred Deller (countertenor), LSO/Britten 23 WEDNESDAY 6.30-1pm As Monday 21 July 12 noon-1pm Private Passions ‘The countertenor voice suits the haunting and 6.30-1pm As Monday 21 July 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert Lord Sacks haunted character of the poetry.’ 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert 2-4.30pm Proms 2014 1-2pm Proms Chamber HANDEL Extracts from Messiah 2-3.30pm Proms 2014 Prom 9 (rpt) Music 1 (rpt) Margaret Price (sop), Simon Estes (bass), Prom 3 (rpt) 4.30-6.30pm In Tune 2-3pm WOMAD highlights Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra/Colin Davis 3.30-4.30pm Choral Evensong 6.30-7.30pm Composer of from the Wiltshire festival ‘There’s something terribly moving in the fact that from Southern Cathedrals Festival the Week Janácˇek 3-4pm Choral Evensong from this piece has been played so continuously through at Winchester Cathedral 7. 30-10pm Proms 2014 Prom 10 Southern Cathedrals Festival at the centuries. The words are extremely powerful.’ 4.30-6.30pm In Tune Walton Variations on a Theme by Winchester Cathedral (rpt) 6.30-9.15pm Proms 2014 Hindemith, Moeran Violin Concerto, 4-6.15pm Proms 2014 Prom 7 Tavener Gnosis (wp), Bartók David Horne Daedalus in Flight, Prom 10 (rpt) CRAIG BROWN Concerto for Violin No. 2, Sz 112, Elgar ‘Enigma’ Variations. Tasmin 6.15-7.30pm Words and Music Satirist Shostakovich Symphony No. 10 in Little (vln), BBC Philharmonic/ 7. 30-10pm Proms 2014 Prom 14 RIMBAULT ARR. HAWKINS ‘Oh Happy Day’ E minor, Op. 93. Sarah Connolly (mz), Juanjo Mena Ravel Valses nobles et sentimentales Edwin Hawkins Singers Isabelle Faust (vln), BBC Symphony 10-10.45pm Proms Composer (orchestral version), Simon Holt ‘In 1967, when I was 10, this came into Orchestra/Jirˇí Beˇlohlávek Portrait David Horne Morpheus Wakes (wp). Ravel La the Top 10 and I suddenly realised that hymns could be 9.15-9.50pm New Generation 10.45-11pm The Essay (rpt) valse, Duruflé Requiem, Op. 9, fun and joyous.’ > Artists with Clemency Burton-Hill 11pm-1am WOMAD Emmanuel Pahud (flute), Gerald JOHN FIELD Nocturne No. 11 Benjamin Frith (pno) ‘He’s most famous as the inventor of the nocturne. I play him probably rather too much, because I find close harmony: him very contemplative, mesmerising, magical.’ the Pavel Haas Quartet GLUCK ‘Lament of Orfeo’ perform at Aldeburgh (alto), LSO/ ‘There was something about her Englishness and about her voice being so reflective of her character. You feel that great sense of courage and warmth.’ SATIE Gnossienne No. 1 Pascal Rogé (pno) ‘Satie was a Dadaist – so in some ways he was having people on, but perhaps this has transcended its joke. It certainly has for me – I love him.’ PURCELL ‘When I am laid in earth’ from Lynne Dawson (sop), Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment/René Jacobs ‘I chose Lynne Dawson because I thought she gave the sparest performance, and the purest… I love the way it’s drifting away from you all the time.’ TRAD. ‘The Water Is Wide’ The Vagabond Trills ‘My daughter Tallulah worked in Aldeburgh once with the actor Roger Lloyd-Pack. After he died, his widow asked her group to sing this song at his funeral.’ Private Passions is on Radio 3 every Sunday at 12 noon and is also available to download as a podcast.

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 103 vk.com/englishlibrary JULY 2014 RADIO & TV LISTINGS

x WEEKLY TV AND JULY TV HIGHLIGHTS RADIO HIGHLIGHTS On our website each week we pick the best of the classical music programmes on radio, TV and iPlayer. So to plan your weekly listening and viewing, head to the website or sign up to our weekly newsletter to be sent information about the week's classical programmes directly to your inbox.

Finley (bar), Ruby Hughes (sop), (sop) Reinoud Van Mechelen BBC National Chorus of Wales, (high tenor), Cyril Auvity (ten), National Youth Choir of Wales, Marc Mauillon (bar). Cyril Costanzo BBC National Orchestra of Wales/ (bass), Les Arts Florrisants/ Thierry Fischer William Christie 10pm-12.30am WOMAD 11.30pm-12.30am highlights from the Wiltshire festival Late Junction

28 MONDAY 30 WEDNESDAY 6.30-9am Breakfast 6.30-1pm As Monday 28 July with Petroc Trelawny 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert holy orders: 9am-12 noon 2-3.30pm Proms 2014 Essential Classics Prom 16 (rpt) Sir Roger Norrington conducts Composer of Choral Evensong St John Passion 12 noon-1pm 3.30-4.30pm Bach’s the Week Cole Porter from the Three Choirs Festival at 1-2pm Proms 2014 Proms Worcester Cathedral Chamber Music 2 CPE Bach Trio 4.30-6.30pm In Tune has a mighty fine cast at his disposal. Sonata in A, Violin Sonata in C minor, 6.30-7.30pm Composer of ZINMAN’S FAREWELL Keyboard Sonata in E minor (‘Kenner the Week Cole Porter The German Julia Fischer will be making James Gilchrist takes the narrative reins und Liebhaber’ Collection No. 5), 7. 30-10.15pm Proms 2014 a welcome return to the Proms, as she as the Evangelist, a part ideally suited Wq 59/1, Trio Sonata in C minor, Prom 18 Sir Harrison Birtwistle joins the Tonhalle Zürich for Dvoπák’s to his agile tenor voice, and is joined by ‘Sanguineus and Melancholicus’. Night’s Black Bird, Ravel Concerto bass-baritone Neal Davies as Christus, Rachel Podger (vln), Katy Bircher for Piano in D for the Left Hand, Violin Concerto – a work that, while not (flute), Bojan Cicˇic´ (vln) Tomasz Mahler Symphony No. 5 in C sharp as famous as the same composer’s Cello plus soprano Lucy Crowe and fellow Pokrzywinski (cello), Kristian minor. Alexandre Tharaud (pno), Concerto, matches it for both romantic tenor Andrew Kennedy. And, defying Bezuidenhout (fortepiano) BBC Philharmonic/Juanjo Mena intensity and instantly memorable his four score years, expect Sir Roger to 2-4.30pm Proms 2014 10.15-10.45pm folkiness. And if you spot a tear in the whip up his Zurich players and singers Prom 12 (rpt) Proms Plus Late into a suitably ferocious mob-rule fury. 4.30-6.30pm In Tune 10.45-11pm The Essay (rpt) eye of the Tonhalle’s own David Zinman, 6.30-7.30pm Composer of 11pm-12.30am Late Junction that may not just be down to Dvoπák’s Proms 2014: Prom 12; BBC Four; the Week Cole Porter power to stir the emotions – this, after Thursday 31 July: time tbc 7. 30-10.15pm Proms 2014 31 THURSDAY all, is his last ever engagement with the Prom 15 Jonathan Dove Gaia Theory 6.30-1pm As Monday 28 July (wp) Mozart Concerto for Piano 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert orchestra as its chief conductor. Still, he CBEEBIES PROM No. 23 in A, K488, Ravel Daphnis 2-4.30pm Proms 2014 should have his spirits lifted by Strauss’s The Proms is reaching out to its and Chloe. Ingrid Fliter (pno), BBC Prom 18 (rpt) Till Eulenspiegel, which opens the youngest audience of all – the under Symphony Chorus, BBC Symphony 4.30-6.30pm In Tune concert, and Beethoven’s magnificent Orchestra/Josep Pons 6.30-7.30pm Composer of sixes. In a special CBeebies Prom (based 10.15-11pm The Essay x3 (rpt) the Week Cole Porter ‘Pastoral’ Symphony, which closes it. around the BBC TV children’s channel) a 11pm-12.30am Jazz on 3 7. 30-10.15pm Proms 2014 Proms 2014: Prom 5; BBC Four; musical journey will take place around curates the ‘BBC Introducing’ stage Prom 19 R Strauss Festival Prelude, Friday 25 July: time tbc London, hosted by favourites from at the 2014 Manchester Jazz Festival Deutsche Motette, Op. 62, Four Last Songs, Elgar Symphony No. 2 in the channel’s programmes, including 29 TUESDAY E flat, Op. 63. Inger Dam-Jensen BACH’S ST JOHN PASSION ‘Mr Bloom’ (Ben Faulks). The BBC 6.30-1pm As Monday 28 July (sop), BBC Singers, Royal Liverpool And here’s more from Zurich. As he Philharmonic will be in attendance 1-2pm Lunchtime Concert (rpt) Philharmonic/Vasily Petrenko celebrates his 80th birthday year, Sir to introduce the next generation of 2-4.30pm Proms 2014 10.15-11pm The Essay x3 (rpt) Roger Norrington conducts the Zurich classical music fans to the wonders of Prom 14 (rpt) Chamber Orchestra and Zürcher Sing- 4.30-6.30pm In Tune Radio 3 is available on Freeview the orchestra, ranging from Around 6.30-9.15pm Proms 2014 channel 703, on satellite and online

Akademie in JS Bach’s St John Passion. Sound, a world premiere by Barrie Prom 16 Balakirev Islamey – oriental

Eggs Berlioz Eggs

For his performance of Bach’s first Bignold, to music from a more familiar fantasy (orch. Lyapunov), Holst Beni 10. Oliver! by Lionel Bart Lionel by Oliver!

Passion setting – and, incidentally, Sir favourite – Holst’s St Paul’s Suite. Mora, Op 29.1, Gabriel Prokofiev 9. Henry Purcell Henry

John Eliot Gardiner conducts the St Violin Concerto (wp), Mozart Die 8.

Proms 2014: Prom 13: CBeebies Entführung aus dem Serail, K384 – Rice Christine c)

A) Giuditta Pasta; b) Peter Pears; Pears; Peter b) Pasta; Giuditta A)

Matthew later in the season –Sir Roger channel: date and time tbc overture, Handel Solomon, HWV 7.

Satie

67– overture (arr. Beecham), Respighi 6. Tournedos Rossini Tournedos

Belkis, Queen of Sheba. Daniel Hope 5. Saint-Saëns

(vln), Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic/ 4. Handel

OTHER GREAT JULY HIGHLIGHTS 3.

Sascha Goetzel Feast Belshazzar’s

Prom 2 Long Yu conducts the China Philharmonic Orchestra as it launches a series 9.15-10pm The Essay x3 (rpt) Walton’s c) ; Puccini’s b)

A) Mozart’s Don Giovanni; Giovanni; Don Mozart’s A) of Proms debuts by pan-global orchestras. The CPO is joined by trumpeter Alison 10-11.30pm Proms 2014 2.

Balsom and pianist Haochen Zhang in a programme that ranges from Elgar and Prom 17 Rameau Deus noster Mascagni d) Joplin; Scott c)

A) Prokofiev; b) Elizabeth Poston; Poston; Elizabeth b) Prokofiev; A)

refugium, Quam dilecta tabernacula, 1. Liszt to Qigang Chen. BBC Four, 27 July, time tbc; In convertendo Dominus, Rachel p106 from ANSWERS QUIZ

MANFRED ESSER Redmond (sop) Katherine Watson

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The first correct solution of our monthly crossword to be picked at random will win a copy of The Companion to Music worth £40 (available at bookstores or www.oup.co.uk). Send your answers to: BBC Music Magazine, Crossword 270, PO Box 501, Leicester, LE94 0AA to arrive by 9 July (solution in our October issue). Crossword set by Paul Henderson

ACROSS 13 You could make this composer bristle with 5 Version of her opus of interest to 13d & 11? wit (10) (7) 16 French artist’s post getting humorous 8 11’s piece arranged for celesta (7) response on Facebook? (7) 11 Anniversary composer’s good fortune (5) 18 Odd clue about to bring in Northern festival 12 Moved by end of concert composer venue (7) conducted (9) 20 Middle of opera repeated in a TV broadcast 13 Ballerina’s audible activity? (7) without art (7) 14 Former appreciation of music: run story 22 Forte line on song showing style (5) probing that (7) 23 13d’s piece was mostly in profit (6) 15 Genuine introduction to music’s domain (5) 25 11’s piece, a journey accommodating 17 Note piece for one is unfinished (3) foremost of music (6) 19 Harshly criticise one about to produce 13d’s 28 Average request for help before end of piece (5) concerto (2-2) 21 Arriving on the breeze, with a forte (metallic sound) (7) 24 High trumpets, heartlessly clear, with note framed by a couple (7) APRIL SOLUTION NO. 267 26 Less profound broadcaster seen around auditorium (9) 27 NY Opera House’s bringing in English gatherings (5) 29 Famous singer learning 75% of lied incorrectly (7) 30/3d 13d’s piece serenaded pals, possibly (7,6)

DOWN 1 Number turning up penned by Simon & Garfunkel initially? (4) 2 Interrupt (from audience) maker of instrument’s sound (6) 3 See 30 across 4 Composer arranged keen price when securing Schubert work (10) APRIL WINNER 6 Country giving name to Mozart quartets is Mrs L Ashley, Shoreham-by-Sea Your name & address country giving name to piano (7) 7 Agrees to fix names of works, though it’s Immediate Media Company Limited, publisher of BBC Music Magazine, may contact you with details ignored (7) of our products and services or to undertake research. 9 Feel happier, dancing here in Please write ‘Do Not Contact’ if you prefer not to competition (5,2) receive such information by post or phone. Please 10 Conductor mostly firm about initiation of write your email address on your postcard if you prefer tempo (5) to receive such information by e-mail.

THE QUIZ PICTURE THIS 6. Which French composer described his diet 5. This French steak dish was created for, and thus: ‘I eat only white foods: eggs, sugar, named after, an Italian composer. What is it? grated bones, the fat of dead animals, veal, salt, Knives and forks ready. It’s time to coconut, chicken cooked in white water etc.’? tuck into our quiz… 7. Which edible singers were the first to perform 1. Who wrote these fruity works: a) The Love for the following roles: a) Bellini’s Norma (1831); Three Oranges (1921); b) Jesus Christ the Apple Tree b) Britten’s Peter Grimes (1945); c) Ariadne in (1967); c) Pineapple Rag (1908); d) ‘Cherry Duet’ Birtwistle’s The Minotaur (2008)? from L’Amico Fritz (1891)? 8. Poisoning by chocolate is one of the more 2. Name the works in which dinner time gets unlikely reasons suggested for the death of rudely interrupted by the following: a) the host is which composer in 1691? dragged down into Hell by his stony guest (1787); b) the host is stabbed to death by his opera 9. Which 1960 musical sings the praises of singer guest (1900); c) a dismembered hand ‘hot sausage and mustard’ and ‘cold jelly writes on the wall (1931). and custard’?

3. Which 18th-century composer, once described 10. Named after a French composer, which as having ‘an inordinate extravagant Hunger’ is dish involves serving soft-boiled eggs with believed to have been a secret binge-eater? croustades, duchesse potatoes, truffles and mushrooms in a Madeira sauce? 4. Whose 1886 Valse-Caprice for piano and strings is nicknamed ‘Wedding Cake’? See p104 for answers

106 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE vk.com/englishlibrary NEXT MONTH in BBC Music Magazine

Volume 22 No. 10 BBC Music Magazine (ISSN 0966-7180) (USPS 018-168) is published 13 times a year by Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited under licence from BBC Worldwide, 9th Floor, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BN, UK. © Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited, 2014 Printed by William Gibbons & Sons Ltd, Willenhall, West Midlands, WV13 3XT. Not for resale. All rights reserved. Unauthorised reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without written permission. Every effort has been made to secure permission for copyright material. In the event of any material Tasmin being used inadvertently, or where it proved impossible to trace the copyright owner, acknowledgement will be made in a future issue. MSS, photographs and artwork are accepted on the basis that BBC Music Magazine and its agents do not accept liability for loss or damage to same. Views expressed are not necessarily LITTLE those of the publisher. ISSN 0966-7180. GST Registration No. 898993548RT We meet the brilliant Distributed in the US by Circulation Specialists, Inc., 2 Corporate Drive, British violinist as she Suite 945, Shelton CT 06484-6238. Periodicals postage paid at Seneca, SC and additional mailing offices. prepares to wow the POSTMASTER: Send address changes to BBC MUSIC, PO Box 669, Selmer, BBC Proms audience TN 38375-0669. Immediate Media Company Ltd is working to ensure that all of its paper with Moeran’s glorious is sourced from well-managed forests. This magazine can be recycled, for Violin Concerto use in newspapers and packaging. Please remove any gifts, samples or wrapping and dispose of it at your local collection point.

Subscriptions On sale from 9 July 2014 (UK) and back numbers Online subscriptions www.classical-music.com 15 composers abroad Subscription prices for one year (13 issues): Rick Jones follows the trail of the composers who UK £62.40 Europe/Eire £65 Haydn, Schubert & US $99 Canada $131.40 Rest of World £74 simply couldn’t resist the allure of foreign travel UK, Europe, Rest of World Beethoven piano sonatas BBC Music Magazine, PO Box 279, Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8DF, UK played by New Generation Artist Critical appraisal Orders/enquiries/back issues Louis Schwizgebel Regularly despised, occasionally grudgingly 0844 844 0252 (UK) or +44 (0)1795 414749 admired, rarely ignored – Stephen Johnson (Europe, Rest of World) e-mail: [email protected] looks at the role of the critic in music history US/Canada BBC Music Magazine, PO Box 669, Selmer, TN 38375-0669 Jean-Philippe Rameau Toll-free order line: 1-866 461 4730 Simon Heighes explores the life and music of one e-mail: [email protected] South Africa of the great masters of French baroque opera BBC Music Service, Jacklin Enterprises, Private Bag 6, CENTURION, 0046 For sales prices: Competition terms and conditions Winners will be the senders of the first correct Tel (+27) 011 265 4303; entries drawn at random. All entrants are deemed to have accepted the rules (see opposite) Fax (+27) 011 314 2984; and agreed to be bound by them. The prizes shall be as stated and no cash alternatives will e-mail: [email protected] be offered. Competitions are open to UK residents only, except employees of Immediate Media Company Limited, the promoter and their agents. No purchase necessary. Only one [email protected] entry per competition per person. Proof of postage is not proof of entry. Immediate Media Company Limited accepts no responsibility for entries lost or damaged in the post. Entrants agree to take part in any publicity related to these competitions. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. Entrants’ personal details will not be used by Immediate Media Company Limited, publisher of BBC Music Magazine, for any other Jan-Dec 2013 40,827 purpose than for contacting competition winners. GETTY, CAROLINE DOUTRE, BEN EALOVEGA

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 107 vk.com/englishlibrary MUSIC THAT CHANGED ME Kristian Bezuidenhout fortepianist

y siblings played the piano thrilled by figaro: instruments, and a live, flexible quality, so I did too, but it was my ‘Gardiner’s producti on along with gorgeous lyricism. There’s no M father’s record collection was my holy grail’ technical barrier, but the beguiling notion that made the real impression. I of direct communication with the listener. remember a turning-point around She was one of the few who had the the age of 13. I’d become obsessed guts and courage to treat SCHUBERT’s with Frederick the Great and his flute strophic songs with depth and variety – teacher, JJ Quantz. I took up the flute each verse is like a new world. and progressed very rapidly, realising My father loved BRAHMS’s Requiem. that if you wanted something enough I had trouble with the piece for a long you could make it happen. time, but when I got Gardiner’s first I discovered TELEMANN’s recording, the sheer force of the choral Orchestral Suites, played by the singing impressed me. Every syllable of Freiburger Barockorchester, in the the text is loved and cared for, and there’s library of my High School. I was blown such honesty and commitment – it’s a away. They worked like maniacs, visionary project. When my father was sometimes in excruciating detail, but very ill in 2012, they turned off the life the results sound fresh and spontaneous. support and in the last hour we played The richness, precision, and purity of this. It’s difficult for me to hear it, as so the intonation created a totally new, many memories come flooding back. n German sound. These are terrific pieces Interview by Helen Wallace – the best deserve to be heard as often as Bach’s Orchestral Suites. It was like watching BORN IN SOUTH AFRICA and raised KRISTIAN BEZUIDENHOUT a movie in colour for the first time. It’s still the in Brisbane, Kristian Bezuidenhout ensemble I most look forward to working with. trained at the Eastman School of Music MUSIC CHOICE MOZART In my teens I was playing in the US. The winner of the Bruges Telemann Sonatas on the piano, but wasn’t enjoying Fortepiano Competition in 2000, he Suites and Overtures them – the physical quality of the equipment is a guest artist with the Freiburger Freiburger Barockorchester dictated a playing style which was all about Barockorchester, Concerto Köln, the Deutsche Harmonia Mundi elegant, smooth ‘singing’ phrasing, and Collegium Vocale DHM 88697958802 (see www.prestoclassical.co.uk) ironing-out of all the mini jagged edges Gent. In 2009 he began recording all the wherein lies Mozart’s genius. But I was Mozart keyboard sonatas for Harmonia Mozart listening to the Mozart keyboard sonata Mundi, and his discography includes Piano Sonatas K332, K333 & K570 recordings of fortepianist Geoffrey Lancaster. Schumann’s Dichterliebe with tenor Mark Geoffrey Lancaster He played with 18th-century temperament, Padmore. He performs at the East Neuk (fortepiano) which sounds weird to modern ears, and his Festival with Ensemble Marsyas. (see www.amazon.co.uk) lavish embellishments remain some of the Mozart most tasteful, colourful, imaginative and The Marriage of Figaro improvisatory-sounding ornaments I’ve heard. Bryn Terfel, Alison Hagley etc; When Philips brought out its 180- touching production, a superb cast and fearless English Baroque Soloists/ John Eliot Gardiner CD Mozart Edition it really caught my orchestral playing. Gardiner became a pivotal (see www.amazon.co.uk) imagination. Between 1991-93 it was all figure in my understanding of the field. I listened to. I played K333 to get into the At the end of my second year, I was entering Schubert Selected Lieder Eastman School, but still I felt I had to a competition and fortepianist Malcolm apologise for loving the music so much Bilsom said to me, ‘If you want to play a (mezzo), Bengt Forsberg without being able to express what I wanted to five-octave [keyboard], you need to take this (piano) say. I threw myself into chamber music: I was seriously.’ It hit me: this is not a hobby, this DG E453 4812 £14.99 never going to be one of those pianists who is a career that needs total dedication. So I Brahms practised Rachmaninov for ten hours a day. locked myself away and cut my teeth on this Ein deutsches Requiem I first heard the recording of Mozart’s instrument. It was my key into this world. Monteverdi Choir/ Marriage of Figaro conducted by John Eliot I listened to mezzo Anne Sofie von Otter John Eliot Gardiner £10.99 Gardiner at the Brisbane State library, and a lot. There’s the absolute beauty of her text Philips 478 2119 later saw the video. It was my holy grail: a declamation, inspired by her work with period

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