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Home , Glagolitic Mass, Heinz Holliger, London Symphony Chorus, Taras Bulba (rhapsody), Youth (wind sextet)

Sunday 20 October 2019 7–9pm Barbican

LSO SEASON CONCERT JANÁČEK & DVOŘÁK

Janáček Ballad of Blaník Dvořák The Golden Spinning Wheel Interval CZECH Janáček Kazushi Ono conductor

Lucie Vagenknechtová soprano Lucie Hilscherová alto Aleš Briscein tenor Jan Martiník bass

ROOTS Peter Solomon organ

London Chorus chorus director

Broadcast live on Mezzo Live HD

Welcome Latest News

Janáček fuses the evocative writing of his WATCH THE LSO ON YOUTUBE WELCOME TO OUR GROUP BOOKERS tone poems with the forms and texts of the Mass, finding inspiration in the landscape The LSO’s 2019/20 season opening concert We are delighted to welcome a group from and sounds of the Moravian forests. with Sir on Saturday 14 Traveliko Wioślarska, who are attending September was filmed and streamed on tonight’s concert. This concert was preceded by a Discovery the LSO’s YouTube channel on Saturday 21 Day at the Barbican and LSO St Luke’s, September, where the video is available to Please ensure all phones are switched off. featuring an open rehearsal, talks and watch back for 90 days after the premiere. Photography and audio/video recording chamber music performances by LSO The all-British programme featured the are not permitted during the performance. musicians. A warm welcome to those who world premiere of Emily Howard’s attended who also join us here tonight. Antisphere, Colin Matthews’ Concerto elcome to tonight’s LSO with soloist Leila Josefowicz and Walton’s concert, which marks conductor I would like to take this opportunity to Symphony No 1. Kazushi Ono’s first appearance thank our media partner Mezzo, who with the Orchestra on the Barbican stage, are broadcasting this performance live • youtube.com/lso following on from a performance of in 80 countries on Mezzo Live HD. Sibelius’ Fifth Symphony during a tour to Aix-en-Provence in 2010. The exploration of Czech roots continues in CELEBRATING 20 YEARS OF LSO LIVE the Orchestra’s next concert at the Barbican Tonight’s programme draws out the theme on Thursday 24 October, when Sir John Eliot 20 years ago the LSO became the first of folk music and culture, which runs Gardiner joins us to conduct Josef Suk’s orchestra to start its own record label, LSO throughout the season, with a focus on Second Symphony and Dvořák’s stirring Live. To celebrate, we have launched a new Czech composers Dvořák and Janáček. Concerto, featuring cellist Truls Mørk. initiative to bring the themes of our 2019/20 I hope you will be able to join us. season to Apple Music via a series of artist- This evening begins with Janáček’s tone curated radio programming and playlists. poem of 1920, based on a legend of the mountain of Blaník – a story also explored in • lsolive.co.uk Smetana’s Má vlast – followed by Dvořák’s • applemusic.com/lso musical retelling of The Golden Spinning Kathryn McDowell CBE DL Wheel. After the interval, we are joined by Managing Director the and soloists for Janáček’s glorious Glagolitic Mass, where

2 Welcome 20 October 2019 On Our Blog Contributors Coming Up

DENIS MATSUEV: ‘IT IS MAGIC!’ PROGRAMME CONTRIBUTORS Thursday 31 October 7.30pm Wednesday 13 November 6.30pm Barbican Barbican Looking forward to his performances of Alison Bullock is a freelance writer and Prokofiev’s Second and Third Piano Concertos music consultant whose interests range SHOSTAKOVICH SIXTH SYMPHONY HALF SIX FIX with the LSO this autumn, we caught up with from Machaut to Messiaen and beyond. PROKOFIEV FIFTH SYMPHONY pianist Denis Matsuev to talk about Russian Britten Four Sea Interludes and Passacaglia composers, performing with Gianandrea David Nice writes and broadcasts on music, from ‘’ An early-evening concert with introductions Noseda and the magic of the stage. notably for BBC Radio 3 and BBC Music Prokofiev Piano Concerto No 2 from the conductor, a relaxed atmosphere and Magazine. His book Prokofiev: From Russia Shostakovich Symphony No 6 close-ups of the Orchestra on our large screens. to the West, 1891–1935 was published by AUTUMN’S CLASSIC FM Yale University Press in 2003. Gianandrea Noseda conductor Prokofiev Symphony No 5 RECOMMENDED CONCERTS Denis Matsuev piano Jan Smaczny is a Hamilton Harty Professor conductor At the LSO, we are proud to have been of Music at Queen’s University, Belfast. Sunday 10 November 7pm Classic FM’s Orchestra in the City of London A well-known writer and broadcaster, Barbican Recommended by Classic FM for over 17 years. Each season, a selection he has recently published books on the of our concerts come recommended by repertoire of the Provisional MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS: 50TH ANNIVERSARY Thursday 14 November 7.30pm Classic FM. This is our round-up of Classic Theatre and Dvořák’s Cello Concerto. ROMEO AND JULIET Barbican FM recommended concerts and a look at where the music sits in the LSO’s history. Andrew Stewart is a freelance music Berlioz Romeo and Juliet MICHAEL TILSON THOMAS: 50TH ANNIVERSARY journalist and writer. He is the author of The TCHAIKOVSKY VIOLIN CONCERTO • lso.co.uk/more/blog LSO at 90 and contributes to a wide variety Michael Tilson Thomas conductor of specialist classical music publications. Alice Coote mezzo-soprano Michael Tilson Thomas Agnegram Nicholas Phan tenor Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto Nicolas Courjal bass Prokofiev Symphony No 5 London Symphony Chorus Simon Halsey chorus director Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Guildhall School Musicians Nicola Benedetti violin

Supported by LSO Patrons 6pm Barbican LSO Platforms: Guildhall Artists Free pre-concert recital

Coming Up 3 Leoš Janáček Ballad of Blaník 1920 note by David Nice

zech independence finally arrived as a post-independence gesture of 1920 it on 28 October 1918 and it already seems an oblique take on national glory (so MÁ VLAST had a glorious soundtrack. In the typical of Janáček). In a mere eight minutes, ON LSO LIVE 19th century its chief musical proponent was the composer distils the essence of an old Smetana who, in the last two movements Czech legend in which a young peasant, of his epic symphonic cycle Má vlast (My Jira – characterised by and in Homeland, 1874–9), gave a musical account a restless opening theme – faints at the of a great victory, won by the freedom- sight of Mount Blaník opening up to reveal fighters in Tábor and the legendary sleeping St Wenceslas and his Hussite knights (a knights who awoke from the mountain of chorale on horns backed up mistily by two Blaník and came to the aid of their country. harps). When he recovers consciousness, the knights have exchanged swords for In his tone poem , begun in ploughshares (a more radiant vision, close to 1915, Janáček took a story by the apotheosis of Taras Bulba). Jira returns about a cossack visionary who imagined to the village, but now he is an old man, freedom for Ukraine, and paralleled it with and optimism flares up again in the final ambitions for the Czech future. There are bars of this utterly characteristic, strikingly also revolutionary strains in his The orchestrated and pithy masterpiece. • Sir conductor Excursions of Mr Brouček, which follows anti-hero Mr Brouček on a journey to the Sir Colin Davis’ recordings of Czech moon, then back in time to the heroic 15th music are prized for their strength century. At a contemporary performance, the and sensitivity. This 2005 recording author and inventor of Brouček, Svatopluk of Smetana's Má vlast is no exception Čech, appeared on stage in a blaze to ask and is a rare example of the complete ‘When will our blood revel once more in cycle being captured live in its entirety, freedom?’ here in the Barbican Hall.

When independence came, peacefully, Janáček dedicated The Excursions of Mr Brouček to the noble and humane first Czech Czech landscape painter Alois Kalvoda lsolive.co.uk President, Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk. He did (1875–1934) depicts the forests of Janáček’s the same with the Ballad of Blaník, though homeland in this work, titled Birch Trees

4 Programme Notes 20 October 2019 Leoš Janáček in Profile 1854–1928 note by Andrew Stewart

to Prague in 1874 and studied organ at Janáček’s second marriage also proved an • KAMILA STÖSSLOVÁ the Bohemian capital’s celebrated Organ unhappy match, its tensions highlighted in School, returning to the following year 1917 after he fell in love, obsessively so, with Janáček met Kamila Stösslová in 1917, and and resuming his teaching and Kamila Stösslová •, wife of an antiques fell in love with her despite being nearly activities. Composition studies in Leipzig dealer and 37 years the composer’s junior. 40 years her senior. His passionate feelings and Vienna (1879-80) added to Janáček’s seemed to encourage a flourishing of blossoming skills as a composer, although International recognition was underpinned musical creativity, and they entered into a he struggled to make further progress. In by the Berlin and New York premieres correspondence reaching over 700 letters, 1881 he married the 16-year-old Zdenka of Jenůfa (1924) and the overwhelming which inspired Janáček to write his String Schulzová; a few months later he helped dramatic impact of his Katya Quartet No 2, ‘Intimate Letters’. found the Brno Organ School, which later Kabanova, and became the Brno Conservatory. The Makropulos Affair.

Janáček’s marriage soon failed, and the The Glagolitic Mass (1927), his last opera couple were estranged. In 1887 he began From the House of the Dead (1927–8) and anáček’s father, Jiří, was cantor, work on his first opera, Šárka, although its the Second String Quartet (1928) crowned Kapellmeister and teacher, librettist subsequently refused permission Janáček’s creative Indian summer, brought to serving a number of impoverished for the unknown young composer to have a conclusion when the composer caught a chill communities in northern Moravia. Young the work performed. Moravian folk music that quickly developed into fatal pneumonia. • Leoš, the fifth of nine children, left the and popular culture increasingly fascinated family home at Hukvaldy in 1865 to become Janáček in the 1880s, influencing a gradual a chorister at the Augustinian Monastery rejection of the high-Romantic musical in Brno. His elementary schooling was language of Šárka for a style that reflected supplemented by lessons at the city’s his passion for Slavic languages and the German college, and in 1869 he received a musicality of his native tongue. He worked state scholarship to support studies at the from 1894 to 1903 on his opera Jenůfa, which Czech Teachers’ Training Institute. was successfully premiered in Brno in January 1904. For the next 20 years he concentrated After graduating in 1872, Janáček taught on composing works for the stage, his stature music at the Institute’s school and also as an opera composer finally acknowledged in directed the monastery . He moved 1916 following the Prague premiere of Jenůfa.

Composer Profile 5 Antonín Dvořák The Golden Spinning Wheel Op 109 1896 / note by Alison Bullock

e do not know which specific and her mother are keen to show off the Interestingly, many of Dvořák’s MUSICAL SPINNING WHEELS qualities appealed to Dvořák in the spinning wheel. As it turns, it begins to sing, contemporaries could not understand his four Kytice ballads by Karel Jaromír telling the gruesome story of Dornička and need to write programme music based on • In the 19th century, the restless spinning Erben that he selected for his symphonic of how the king was deceived. Enraged, he folkloric ballads (all of which contained wheel became a staple in programmatic poems. What is certain, however, is that drives the women from the castle and sets elements of great tragedy and, not least, music owing to its popularity in folk tales he managed to create not only highly out to find Dornička. Once reunited they wed gruesome plot details). However, it seems and its potential as a musical plot device. descriptive music, but also solid musical in a joyous ceremony. that in these works Dvořák fulfilled a need It is famously deployed in Mendelssohn’s structures from them. Spinnerlied and Schubert’s song ‘Gretchen — am Spinnrade’, where the pianist plays a At first glance, The Golden Spinning Wheel, Dvořák’s contemporaries could not understand his need to write programme constantly moving ‘spinning’ figure with which was inspired by Erben’s ballads, is dangerous rapidity. Its intensity increases not a good candidate for a strong musical music based on folkloric ballads, all of which contained elements of great till the crux of the plot – when Gretchen form. A somewhat rambling story, the tragedy and, not least, gruesome plot details. remembers Faust’s kiss and the wheel stops. ballad tells of the unfortunate Dornička, — with whom a king falls in love and whom he wishes to marry. Dornička’s step-mother has Dvořák turned this story into a marvellous to reflect and support his own culture, while other ideas and, having murdered the girl musical rondo. The king’s comings and experimenting with form and orchestral (removing Dornička’s hands, feet and eyes goings throughout the ballad allowed the colour – and finding a ‘new’ way of and taking them back to her castle), gives composer to break the work up into different expressing himself now that he was home in the unsuspecting king her own daughter in episodes, almost all heralded by the king’s Bohemia after years living in America. • marriage instead. motif – a horn fanfare first heard at the very opening of the piece. This motif is never far After the wedding, the king rides off to away throughout the work; note also the war, before a learned old man discovers triplet motif that underlies the fanfare – the Dornička’s body and determines to bring her spinning wheel • is present from the very back to life. He sends a messenger to the start of the work. A notable variant of the castle with parts of a golden spinning wheel, king’s motif is a more solemn brass chorale which he offers to the greedy women in that represents the sage. Dornička’s theme Interval – 20 minutes return for the missing parts of Dornička’s first appears as a soaring violin melody not There are bars on all levels. body. As the sage restores the girl to her long after the start of the work, and by the Visit the Barbican Shop to see our former beauty and to life, the king returns end merges with the king’s motif in a truly range of Gifts and Accessories. from the wars. At the castle, his queen happy musical ending.

6 Programme Notes 20 October 2019 Antonín Dvořák in Profile 1841–1904 / profile by Andrew Stewart

orn into a peasant family, Dvořák the publication of his Moravian Duets and a developed a love of folk tunes at commission for a set of Slavonic Dances. LSO DISCOVERY an early age. His father inherited the lease on a butcher’s shop in the small The nationalist themes expressed in Sunday 27 October 2.30pm village of Nelahozeves, north of Prague. Dvořák’s music attracted considerable Barbican When he was twelve, Dvořák left school and interest beyond Prague. In 1883 he was was apprenticed to become a butcher, at invited to London to conduct a concert of FAMILY CONCERT: first working in his father’s shop and later his works, and he returned to England often FORESTS & FAIRYTALES in the town of Zlonice. Here Dvořák learned in the 1880s to oversee the premieres of Suitable for 7- to 12-year-olds German and also refined his musical talents several important commissions, including to such a level that his father agreed he his Seventh Symphony and Mass. 12–2.15pm Barbican Foyers should pursue a career as a musician. Dvořák’s Cello Concerto in B minor received Free Family Workshops a world premiere in London in March 1896. In 1857 he enrolled at the Prague Organ His Ninth Symphony, ‘From the New World’, Saturday 7 March 2.30pm School during which time he became a product of his American years (1892–95), Barbican inspired by the music dramas of Wagner: confirmed his place among the finest of late opera was to become a constant feature 19th-century composers. • FAMILY CONCERT: of Dvořák’s creative life. HOW TO BUILD AN ORCHESTRA Suitable for 7- to 12-year-olds His first job was as a player, though he supplemented his income by teaching. In the 12–2.15pm Barbican Foyers mid-1860s he began to compose a series of Free Family Workshops large-scale works, including his Symphony No 1, ‘The Bells of Zlonice’, and the Cello Concerto. Two operas, his Second Symphony, many songs and chamber works followed before Dvořák decided to concentrate on composition. In 1873 he married one of his lso.co.uk/discovery pupils, and in 1874 received a much-needed cash grant from the Austrian government. lobbied the publisher Simrock to accept Dvořák’s work, leading to

Composer Profile 7 Leoš Janáček Glagolitic Mass 1927 version, ed Paul Wingfield / note by David Nice

1 Intrada eavy rains in familiar haunts seem Its roots go back not so much to his Writing in the Brno journal Lidové noviny, 2 Úvod (Introduction) to have left the 72-year-old Janáček , the later years of which he spent which had furnished him with the story 3 Gospodi pomiluj ( eleison) undaunted during the summer of as a beneficiary of the Thurn-Vallesessin of The Cunning Little Vixen, just before 4 Slava (Gloria) 1926. On 11 July he welcomed a memorial Foundation within the gloomy walls of the first performance on 5 December 1927, 5 Vĕruju () plaque on his birthplace in the pretty Brno’s Augustinian Abbey of St Thomas, Janáček adopted a typical coruscating style 6 Svet ( & Benedictus) Moravian village of Hukvaldy, a summer as to his love of Old Slavonic in its not unlike the turbulence of the crowds 7 Agneče Božij (Agnus Dei) home for him in later years, with a speech correspondence to everyday Czech, and his we first hear at the start of the ceremonial 8 Varhany sólo (Postlude) in which he declared, ‘I have a feeling that a discussion with an Archbishop – also while Intrada, telling how the outdoors of his 9 Intrada new vein is beginning to grow in my work – walking in the woods at Hukvaldy – about favourite spa retreat had inspired him the previous summer: ‘The balmy breeze of Lucie Vagenknechtová soprano — the Luhačovice woods was always incense Lucie Hilscherová alto ‘The balmy breeze of the Luhačovice woods was always incense to me. to me. The church grew for me into the Aleš Briscein tenor gigantic size of a mountain and the sky Jan Martiník bass The church grew into the gigantic size of a mountain and the sky vaulted vaulted into the misty distance. The bells Peter Solomon organ into the misty distance.’ that rang were those of the herd of sheep. In London Symphony Chorus — the tenor solo [strenuously high at times] I Simon Halsey chorus director hear a high priest, in the soprano a girl – an angel [though again a dramatic-lyric voice a new branch, just as happens to the four- revitalising the post-war decline in Moravian is necessary; the mezzo and bass roles are or five-hundred-year-old trees in Hukvaldy. church music. He told the retired teacher of small, but Janáček cautioned that they, too, One looks and notices – there is a young religious knowledge Father Josef Martínek needed special care], in the chorus – our folk. twig growing from the side of a tree. My that he wanted to avoid a Latin text; The candles are the tall pines in the forest, lit latest creative period is also a kind of new Fr Martínek obliged with a copy of the Old by the stars.’ He declared of church buildings sprouting from the soul which has made its Church Slavonic accented by hand. This was that they were nothing but ‘Concentrated peace with the rest of the world and seeks in 1921, and the work – which also contains death … I want nothing to do with it’. only to be nearest to the ordinary Czech a few vestiges of a Latin mass drafted in person’. He made that humble connection 1907–8 – bore fruit five years later, with the This naturalist perspective is in tune with as he worked on the Glagolitic Mass in more title ‘Glagolitic’ referring to the ornate script these unconventional settings of the mass wild weather at his beloved spa town of devised for the language by Saints Cyril and – the soprano launches the Gloria, not Luhačovice that August, completing the Methodius, missionary pioneers in Moravia the full chorus, and an agitated ostinato first draft in a mere three weeks (the final back in the ninth century. soon infiltrates the supposed celebration, touches were in place by 15 October). very similar to a spikily-scored passage in

8 Programme Notes 20 October 2019 Leoš Janáček Glagolitic Mass – Texts

Janáček’s recently-completed opera of the screw: Janáček originally punctuated 1 Intrada & 2 Úvod – Orchestra only about a 337-year-old woman seeking the the anguished organ solo here with renewal of her life-elixir in contemporary and lacerating orchestral shouts, and to hear Prague, The Makropulos Affair. them is to feel even greater intensity in 3 Gospodi pomiluj (Kyrie eleison) one of the composer’s most extraordinary The Creed is not an assertion but a plea, sequences (the later organ solo, based Gospodi pomiluj. Lord, have mercy. punctuated by the anxious refrain of the on a single figure subject to dramatic Chrste pomiluj. Christ, have mercy. chorus, ‘Vĕruju’ (I believe), which should be metamorphosis, is also remarkable; another Gospodi pomiluj. Lord, have mercy. ‘I want to believe’. Did Janáček? Not at the release of pent-up energy). time. After the premiere, he sent a postcard to a critic who had written of ‘Janáček the Wingfield has also restored the Intrada 4 Slava (Gloria) old man, the strong believer’ with the simple played both at the beginning and at the message, ‘None of this old man or believer, end of the work, as it was in the premiere in Slava vo vyšńich Bogu Glory to God in the highest young man!’, and later referred to it with Brno’s Stadion Hall. The hall was soon to be i na zeml’i mir, člověkom blagovol’enija. and in earth peace, good will towards men. the qualification of his belief, ‘Until I see surrounded by splendid, modern buildings Chvalim Te, blagoslovl’ajem Te, We praise Thee, we bless Thee, for myself.’ This is no doubt why there is of the city’s northern district. The Glagolitic klańajem Ti se, slavoslovim Te, we worship Thee, we glorify Thee, selectively scored angst about the sequences Mass is a work both modern and timeless chvali vozdajem tebě velikyje radi slavy tvojeje, we give thanks to Thee for Thy great glory. we know as the ‘Kyrie’ and ‘Agnus Dei’, with that fits that context to perfection. • Bože Otče Vsemogyj. God the Father Almighty. their ritualised threefold repetitions always Gospodi, Synu jedinorodnyj, Isuse Chrste; O Lord, the only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ; hand in hand with something stranger. Gospodi Bože, Agneče Božij, Synu Oteč, O Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father. vzeml’ej grěchy mira, pomiluj nas. that takest away the sins of the world, Above all, it seems that Janáček responded Primi mol’enija naša. have mercy upon us. Receive our prayer. very deeply to the story of Christ’s Sědej o desnuju Otca, Thou that sittest at the right hand of the Passion, which can be felt in the fervenrt pomiluj nas. Father, have mercy on us. emotion of the Kyrie and the Credo. A long Jako Ty jedin svět; For Thou only art holy; orchestral interlude begins with prayer (in ty jedin Gospod, Thou only art the Lord; the wilderness? In Gethsemane?) from ty jedin vyšńij, Isuse Chrste Thou only art most high, O Jesus Christ , three , later expressive high so svetym Duchom, With the Holy Ghost, in the glory of trills, leading to a processional that turns vo slavě Otca. Amin. God the Father. Amen. wrathful. This is where Paul Wingfield’s research into the original version of the score which we hear tonight yields a further turn

Programme Notes 9 Leoš Janáček Glagolitic Mass – Texts (continued)

5 Věruju (Credo) i jedinu Svetuju, Katoličesku And in one Holy, Catholic i Apostolsku Crkov; and Apostolic Church; Věruju v jedinogo Boga, Otca Vemoguštago, I believe in one God, the Father Almighty, i spovědaju jedino krščenije And I acknowledge one baptism Tvorca nebu i zeml’i, Maker of heaven and earth, v otpuščenije grěchov; for the remission of sins; vidimym vsěm i nevidimym. Amin. of all things visible and invisible. Amen. i čaju voskrsenija mrtvych and I look to the resurrection of the dead Věruju i v jedinogo Gospoda Isusa Chrsta, And I believe in one Lord Jesus Christ, i života buduštago věka. Amin. and the life of the world to come. Amen. Syna Božija jedinorodnago, the only-begotten Son of God, i ot Otca roždenago prěžde vsěch věk, and begotten of his Father before all worlds, Boga ot Boga, Svět ot Světa, God of God, Light of Light, 6 Svet (Sanctus & Benedictus) Boga istinna ot Boga istinago, very God of very God, roždena, ne stvoŕena, begotten, not made, Svet, svet, svet, Gospod, Bog Sabaot, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts. jedinosuštna Otcu, being of one substance with the Father, plna sut nebesa, zeml’a slavy tvojeje. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory. imže vsja byše; by whom all things were made; Blagoslovl’en gredyj v ime Gospodńe. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of iže nas radi člověk Who for us and for our salvation came down Osana vo vyšńich. the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. i radi našego spasenija snide s nebes, from heaven and was incarnate, by the Holy i voplti se ot Ducha Sveta iz Marije Děvy. Ghost, of the Virgin Mary. 7 Agneče Božij (Agnus Dei) Věruju raspet že za ny I believe He was crucified also for us, mučen i pogreben byst; He suffered and was buried; Agneče Božij, pomiluj nas. Lamb of God, have mercy upon us. i voskrse v tretij den po Pisaniju, and on the third day He rose again according Agneče Božij, vzeml’ej grěchy mira. Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of i vzide na nebo, to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, Agneče Božij, pomiluj nas. the world. Lamb of God, have mercy on us. sědit o desnuja Otca; and sitteth on the right hand of the Father; i paky imat priti He shall come again sudit živym, mrtvym so slavoju; with glory to judge the living and the dead; 8 Varhany sólo (Postlude) – organ solo jegože cěsarstviju nebudet konca. and His kingdom shall have no end.

Věruju i v Ducha Svetago, I believe in the Holy Ghost, 9 Intrada (Exodus) Gospoda i životvoreštago, the Lord and giver of life, ot Otca i Syna ischodeštago, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son; © Copyright 1929, 1956, 2010 by s Otcem že i Synom kupno, who with the Father and the Son together, Universal Edition A.G., Wien poklańajema i soslavima, is worshipped and glorified, © Copyright 2010 by Universal Edition iže glagolal jest Proroky; who spake by the Prophets; A.G., Wien/UE30988

10 Texts 20 October 2019 François-Xavier Roth in 2019/20

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Panufnik Composers Workshop 26 March 2020, LSO St Luke’s Explore the new season at lso.co.uk/201920season Kazushi Ono conductor

azushi Ono cherishes music’s From 2008 to 2017, Kazushi Ono maintained power to bring people together, his position as Principal Conductor of Opéra and has a passion for making National de Lyon, during which he attracted and exploring music with others. He is international critical acclaim with landmark Music Director of the Tokyo Metropolitan performances of works such as Prokofiev’s Symphony Orchestra and Orquestra The Gamblers, Berg’s Lulu and Wagner’s Simfònica de Barcelona i Nacional de Parsifal. Prior to his post in Lyon, Kazushi Catalunya, while also holding the position spent six highly successful seasons as Music of Artistic Director to the New National Director of Theatre Royal de la Monnaie Theatre Tokyo. where he took up the baton from Sir . Following his tenure as Principal He is also in-demand internationally, Conductor in Lyon, he was awarded ‘Officier conducting orchestras such as the Hallé, de l’ordre des Arts et des Lettres’ by French BBC Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de cultural minister Françoise Nyssen, a further Paris, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio distinguished title adding to the prestigious France, Orchestre de la Suisse Romande and Asahi Prize, given in January 2015, for his Houston Symphony Orchestra, where his contribution to Japanese society. This award acclaimed performance ‘delivered a first-rate distinguishes individuals who have greatly concert steeped in stormy emotions, fragile contributed to the development of Japanese beauty, and wide-screen grandeur’. Recent culture and society at large. • operatic highlights include Honegger’s Jeanne au Bûcher (directed by Castellucci and to be revived at La Monnaie this season), the acclaimed creation of Herrmann’s Der Mieter premiered in Frankfurt Opera, and Prokofiev’s The Fiery Angel in Warsaw and at the Aix Festival (directed by Treliński).

12 Artist Biographies 20 October 2019 Lucie Vagenknechtová soprano Lucie Hilscherová alto

Competition. Last year she won the First in Roma; the Dvořák International Singing Prize for ensemble singing in the Stonavská Competition in Karlovy Vary and the Barborka Award competition. Janáček International Singing Competition in Brno), and has been a guest singer of As a soloist, she has worked with the the National Theatre in Prague, the DJKT Pardubice Chamber Philharmonic Theatre in Pilsen, the Silesian Theater in Orchestra, the Hradec Králové Philharmonic Opava, the State Theater in Košice and the Orchestra, the North Bohemian Opera Nationaltheater Mannheim. She is also and Ballet Theatre Orchestra, the Karlovy engaged as a concert soloist in repertoire Vary Symphony Orchestra, the Moravian as varied as Bach’s St Matthew Passion, Philharmonic Olomouc and the Pilsen Beethoven’s Symphony No 9, Mahler’s Das Philharmonic. She has also been engaged Lied von der Erde and Berio’s Folk Songs. to sing at major music festivals such as Smetana’s Litomyšl Music Festival in Prague Lucie has worked with such conductors and the Pardubice Spring Music Festival. as Helmuth Rilling, David Porcelijn, ucie Vagenknechtová comes from zech mezzo-soprano Lucie Alexander Vedernikov, Libor Pešek, Jiří Turnov. In 2012 she graduated from At the JK Tyl Theater in Pilsen she played Hilscherová obtained her Masters Bělohlávek, Tomáš Netopil, Petr Vronský the Conservatory of Pardubice Zdeňka in Janáček’s The Diary of the One in Solo Singing studying with or Leoš Svárovský and with orchestras in the class of Miloslav Stříteský, and Who Disappeared and she is currently Romana Feiferlíková PhD, after which an such as BBC Symphony Orchestra, Tokyo continued her studies as a singer at the performing at the FX Šalda Theatre in Erasmus scholarship enabled her to study Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra, Bach- Academy of Performing Arts in Prague with Liberec as Papagena in Mozart’s The Magic singing with Professor Ursula Schönhals Collegium Stuttgart, Orchestra of Poznań Roman Janál. She is currently studying for Flute. Other stage credits include the title at the College of Humanities of Chemnitz Philharmonic, Prague Symphony Orchestra, her Masters with Jarmila Chaloupková and role in Carl Orff’s Die Kluge at the Silesian University in Germany. She frequently PKF-Prague Philharmonia, and the Brno Antonio Carangel. Theatre Opava, and this summer she was participated in Bachakademie Stuttgart, led Philharmonic. Her festival engagmenets a guest of the National Theatre Prague as by Helmut Rilling, and has participated in include performances at Musikfest Lucie’s competition awards include the Zerlina in Mozart’s Don Giovanni at the masterclasses with Helen Donath, Hedwig Stuttgart, Beethovenfest Bonn, Prague Second Prize at the Antonín Dvořák Stavovském Theatre. • Fassbender, Gabriela Beňačková, Dagmar Spring, Smetana’s Litomyšl and the Peter International Singing Competition in Karlovy Pecková or Zlatica Livorová. Dvorský International Music Festival. • Vary, First Prize in the Prague International Singing Competition, Second Prize in the She has received numberous awards and Bohuslav Martinů Song Competition, and prizes (Cantilena Competition Bayreuth; Second Prize in the the Olomouc Singing Musica Sacra International Competition

Artist Biographies 13 Aleš Briscein tenor Jan Martiník bass

he performed in concert productions of A regular guest with the , two Janáček operas – as Laca in Jenůfa and Jan has made appearances with the as Albert Gregor in The Makropulos Affair. Bamberger Symphoniker, BBC Symphony At the Savonlinna Festival in Finland he Orchestra, City of Birmingham Symphony performed in Janáček’s opera From the Orchestra, Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, House of the Dead, in a production directed Rotterdam Philharmonic, Rundfunk- by David Pountney. In the National Theatre Sinfonieorchester Berlin, and Staatskapelle Prague’s premiere productions he sang the Dresden, to name but a few. role of Pollion in Bellini’s Norma and Romeo in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette. Jan has sung under some of the world’s most prominent conductors, including Daniel Most recently, he performed in concert Barenboim, Semyon Bychkov, Manfred performances of two operas for Odyssey Honeck, Jakub Hrůša, Fabio Luisi, Zubin Opera Boston: the lead roles in Dvořák’s Mehta and Sir Simon Rattle. Dimitrij and Zemlinsky’s Der Zwerg, which leš Briscein originally studied he also played at the Oper Graz. On tour orn in the Czech Republic, the Jan’s recording of Schubert’s Winterreise, clarinet and saxophone, then later to Japan, he played the role of Pollion in bass Jan Martiník has won several which was recently released by , opera at the Prague Conservatory, Norma by Bellini alongside Edita Gruberová prizes, including the BBC Cardiff received five Diapason awards, and his and continued his studies at the West and Dimitra Theodossiou. He also sang Singer of the World Song Prize in 2009. recording of Dvořák’s Biblical Songs with Bohemian University in Pilsen. the title role in Wagner’s Lohengrin in the the Czech Philharmonic and Jiří Bělohlávek first performances of a new production by For the past eight years, Jan has been a will be released on Decca in early 2020. In 2015 he sang the role of Števa in Janáček’s Katharine Wagner at the National Theatre soloist at Berlin’s Staatsoper Under den He is also one of the soloists on the Czech Jenůfa in the Teatro Comunale Bologna. At the in Prague. • Linden, the oldest opera house in Germany, Philharmonic’s recording of Martinů’s Epos Opera Graz he acted in the roles of Blankytný, singing in the roles of Brander (in Berlioz’s of Gilgamesh (released by Supraphon in Mazal and Petřík in The Excursion of Mr ), Colline (in Puccini’s 2017) and on Collegium 1704’s recording of Brouček by Janáček, and in the role of Camille La bohéme), Eremit (in Weber’s Der Donizetti’s Requiem. • de Rosillon in The Merry Widow by Lehár. Freischütz), Father Trulove (in Stravinsky’s The Rake’s Progress), Pistola (in Verdi’s In the 2016 season, Aleš sang Lenski ) and many others. He has also in Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin in the worked with Komische Oper Berlin, Prague’s Komische Oper Berlin. Under the baton of National Theatre and Vienna’s Volksoper. Jiří Bělohlávek and alongside Karita Mattila

14 Artist Biographies 20 October 2019 Peter Solomon organ

Tonhalle Orchestra Zürich. As soloist he has appeared in North America, the Far East and most European countries, including the Festivals of Salzburg, Berlin and Zürich.

He is a sought–after chamber musician, for CHORAL many years accompanying the trumpeter Maurice André. He also collaborated CONCERTS on many first performances with the composers Heinz Holliger and . Peter Solomon is Professor at the Zürich with the London Symphony Orchestra University of the Arts. • and London Symphony Chorus

Sunday 10 November 2019 7pm Sunday 19 January 2020 7pm Thursday 13 February 2020 7.30pm eter Solomon was born in 1953 in TILSON THOMAS: 50TH ANNIVERSARY Plymouth, England and studied RATTLE: BEETHOVEN 250 piano, organ and harpsichord at Berlioz Romeo and Juliet the Royal College of Music. Berg Violin Concerto Michael Tilson Thomas conductor Beethoven Christ on the Mount of Olives After further studies with Nicolas Kynaston in London, Michael Schneider in Cologne Sunday 15 December 2019 3pm Sir Simon Rattle conductor and Marie-Claire Alain in Paris he was Lisa Batiashvili violin a prizewinner at the 1979 St Albans A CHORAL CHRISTMAS international organ competition. Part of Beethoven 250 at the Barbican Dust off those high notes and sing along Specialising in orchestral playing early in to festive carols with the LSO Discovery his career, Peter Solomon has played with , the London Symphony Chorus and ensembles around the world, including LSO Brass Ensemble the Berlin, Vienna and Israel Philharmonic Orchestras. Since 1982 he has been Lucy Griffiths, Simon Halsey & permanent pianist and organist of the David Lawrence conductors lso.co.uk/201920 London Symphony Chorus on stage

President he London Symphony Chorus was five Grammys. Gramophone included the The Chorus is an independent charity run by Sir Simon Rattle om cbe formed in 1966 to complement recordings of Berlioz’s Le Damnation de its members. It is committed to excellence, the work of the London Symphony Faust and Romeo et Juliette on LSO Live with to the development of its members, to Vice President Orchestra and is renowned internationally Sir Colin Davis as two of the Top 10 Berlioz diversity and engaging in the musical life of Michael Tilson Thomas for its concerts and recordings with recordings. Recent LSO Live recordings with London, to commissioning and performing the orchestra. Their partnership was the chorus include Bernstein’s Wonderful new works, and to supporting the musicians Patrons strengthened in 2012 with the appointment Town and Berlioz’s Le Damnation de Faust, of tomorrow. For more information please cbe of Simon Halsey as joint Chorus Director both with Sir Simon Rattle. visit lsc.org.uk. • Howard Goodall cbe of the LSC and Choral Director for the LSO, and the Chorus now plays a major role in Highlights of the 2018/19 season include Chorus Director furthering the vision of LSO Sing, which also Ravel’s L’enfant et les sortiléges with Simon Halsey cbe encompasses the LSO Community Choir, Sir Simon Rattle at the 2018 BBC Proms LSO Discovery Choirs for young people and and at the Lucerne Festival, Bernstein’s Associate Director Singing Days at LSO St Luke’s. with Marin Alsop, Puccini’s Matthew Hamilton Messa di Gloria with Sir Antonio Pappano, Nia Llewelyn Jones The LSC has worked with many leading performances of Mahler’s Symphony No international conductors and other 8 at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam Chorus Accompanist major orchestras, including the Berlin with the Netherlands Philharmonic and Benjamin Frost Philharmonic, , Leipzig Marc Albrecht, David Lang’s the public Gewandhaus, Los Angeles Philarmonic, domain with Simon Halsey, and Walton’s Chairman , the National Youth Belshazzar’s Feast with Sir Simon Rattle. Owen Hanmer Orchestra of Great Britain and the European Union Youth Orchestra, as well as those in The chorus look forward to the 2019/20 Concert Manager the UK. It has also toured extensively in season, which will include Berlioz’s Romeo Robert Garbolinski Europe and has visited North America, Israel, et Juliette conducted by Michael Tilson Australia and South East Asia. Thomas, Bartók’s The Miraculous Mandarin LSO Choral Projects Manager with François-Xavier Roth, performances of Sumita Menon The partnership between the LSC and LSO, Beethoven’s Christ on the Mount of Olives particularly under in the in Europe with Sir Simon Rattle, James 1980s and 1990s, and later with Sir Colin MacMillan’s St John Passion with Gianandrea Davis, led to its large catalogue of recordings Noseda, and Tippett’s Child of Our Time with which have won numerous awards, including Alan Gilbert.

16 London Symphony Chorus 20 October 2019 Sopranos Altos Tenors Basses Vocal Coaches Elizabeth Ashling June Brawner Jorge Aguilar Simon Backhouse * Norbert Meyn Carol Capper * Gina Broderick* Paul Allatt * Gavin Buchan Anita Morrison Laura Catala-Ubassy Jo Buchan* Erik Azzopardi Steve Chevis Rebecca Outram Anjali Christopher Liz Cole Joaquim Badia Giles Clayton Robert Rice Alana Clarke Maggie Donnelly Paul Beecham Ed Cottell Eve Commander Lynn Eaton Philipp Boeing Damian Day Assistant Chorus Master Imogen Coutts Linda Evans Oliver Burrows Thomas Fea Lucy Griffiths Barbara de Matos Amanda Freshwater Michael Delany Ian Fletcher Elisa Franzinetti Christina Gibbs Colin Dunn Robert Garbolinski * *Denotes LSC Maureen Hall Kate Harrison John Farrington Rupert Gill Council member Isobel Hammond Jo Houston Matt Fernando Bryan Hammersley Emily Hoffnung Elisabeth Iles Andrew Fuller * Owen Hanmer * Denise Hoilette Ella Jackson* Patrizio Giovannotti J C Higgins Ruth Knowles-Clark Jill Jones Simon Goldman Elan Higueras Calvo Mimi Kroll Gilly Lawson* Euchar Gravina Rocky Hirst Marylyn Lewin Belinda Liao Matt Journee Nathan Homan * Christina Long Liz McCaw Jude Lenier Anthony Howick Louisa Martin Hannah Mears- Kameron Locke Peter Kellett Jane Morley Young John Marks Alex Kidney Doris Nikolic Lucy Reay Alastair Mathews Thomas Kohut Emily Norton Lis Smith Matthew McCabe Andy Langley Gill O’Neill Margaret Stephen Davide Prezzi George Marshall Maggie Owen Linda Thomas Chris Riley Hugh McLeod Jenny Parker Claire Trocmé Peter Sedgwick Jesus Sanches Sanzo Alison Ryan Zoë Williams James Warbis Rod Stevens Deborah Staunton Hannah Wisher Robert Ward * Richard Giulia Steidl Tannenbaum Jenna Swale Gordon Thomson Olivia Wilkinson Anthony Wilder Rachel Wilson

London Symphony Chorus 17 Simon Halsey chorus director

Artistic Director of Orfeó Català Choirs received the Officer’s Cross of the Order of and Artistic Adviser of Palau de la Música, Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany Barcelona, Artistic Director of Berliner in 2011 in recognition of his outstanding Philharmoniker Youth Choral Programme, contribution to choral music in Germany. Creative Director for Choral Music Projects of WDR Rundfunkchor, and Director of Born in London, Simon Halsey sang in the BBC Proms Youth Choir. He is furthermore choirs of New College, Oxford, and of King’s Artistic Advisor of Schleswig-Holstein College, Cambridge. and studied conducting Musik Festival Choir, Conductor Laureate at the Royal College of Music in London. of Rundfunkchor Berlin, and Professor and In 1987, he founded with Graham Vick the Director of Choral Activities at the University City of Birmingham Touring Opera. He was of Birmingham. Chief Conductor of the Netherlands Radio Choir from 1997 to 2008 and Principal He is a highly respected teacher and Conductor of the Northern Sinfonia’s Choral academic, nurturing the next generation Programme from 2004 to 2012. From 2001 imon Halsey occupies a unique of choral conductors on his post-graduate to 2015 he led the Rundfunkchor Berlin position in classical music. He course in Birmingham and through (of which he is now Conductor Laureate); is the trusted advisor on choral masterclasses at Princeton, Yale and under his leadership the chorus gained a singing to the world’s greatest conductors, elsewhere. He holds four honorary reputation internationally as one of the orchestras and choruses, and also an doctorates from universities in the UK, finest professional choral ensembles. inspirational teacher and ambassador for and in 2011 published his Halsey also initiated innovative projects choral singing to amateurs of every age, book and DVD on choral conducting, in unconventional venues and ability and background. Making singing a Chorleitung: Vom Konzept zum Konzert. interdisciplinary formats. • central part of the world-class institutions with which he is associated, he has been Halsey has worked on nearly 80 recording instrumental in changing the level of projects, many of which have won major symphonic singing across Europe. awards, including the Gramophone Award, Diapason d’Or, Echo Klassik, and three He holds positions across the UK and Europe Grammy Awards with the Rundfunkchor as Choral Director of London Symphony Berlin. He was made Commander of the Orchestra and Chorus, Chorus Director of City British Empire in 2015, was awarded The of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra Chorus, Queen’s Medal for Music in 2014, and

18 Artist Biographies 20 October 2019 COMMUNITY CHOIRS & SINGING DAYS

Singing Days Join a Choir

Spend a day at LSO St Luke’s getting to Mahler’s ‘Resurrection’ Immortal Bach LSO Community Choir know some of the most fantastic music Sunday 15 March 2020 11am–4.30pm Sunday 10 May 2020 11am–4.30pm Made up of people who live and work written for voices with LSO Choral Director in the local area, the Community Choir Simon Halsey. Whether you sing in a choir Beethoven’s Ninth really explodes when Bach made a big mark on choral music is a sociable and diverse group, singing regularly, or haven’t sung since school, you’ll the singing starts, and as Mahler wrote his with works like the St John Passion and repertoire ranging from show tunes to discover new music and learn about the craft Second Symphony he too decided to bring St Matthew Passion and over 200 cantatas. opera choruses, folk-songs and more. of choral singing in a friendly environment. out the big guns with a choral finale. Join a scratch choir to sing movements from London Symphony Chorus We’ll be singing from the score – so Nicknamed ‘Resurrection’, the work JS Bach’s Magnificat and Bach-inspired Under the leadership of Simon Halsey, experience of reading music and some culminates as the choir sings a poignant pieces by Mendelssohn and Rutter, along the London Symphony Chorus has knowledge of sight-singing will help! prayer penned by Mahler himself about with Knut Nysted’s Immortal Bach, which received acclaim for its concerts, death and his hopes for the afterlife. spins out one of Bach’s chorales into a time- recordings and tours. The LSC is always stopping rumination on sound and harmony. interested in recruiting new members, welcoming applications from singers of all backgrounds. lso.co.uk/sing London Symphony Orchestra on stage

Leader Second Horns Timpani LSO String Experience Scheme Giovanni Radivo David Alberman Rebecca Gilliver Adam Walker Eirik Haaland John Chimes Since 1992, the LSO String Experience Sarah Quinn Alastair Blayden Patricia Moynihan Angela Barnes Rachel Gledhill Scheme has enabled young string players First Violins Miya Väisänen Eve-Marie Caravassilis Jack Welch Estefanía Beceiro from the London music conservatoires at Clare Duckworth Matthew Gardner Daniel Gardner Vazquez Percussion the start of their professional careers to gain Ginette Decuyper Naoko Keatley Hilary Jones Piccolo Jonathan Lipton Neil Percy work experience by playing in rehearsals Laura Dixon Alix Lagasse Laure Le Dantec Sharon Williams Sam Walton and concerts with the LSO. The musicians Gerald Gregory Csilla Pogany Amanda Truelove David Jackson are treated as professional ‘extra’ players Maxine Kwok-Adams Raja Halder Thomas Isaac Paul Beniston (additional to LSO members) and receive fees William Melvin Dmitry Khakhamov Judith Fleet Juliana Koch Adam Wright Harps for their work in line with LSO section players. Harriet Rayfield Belinda McFarlane Peteris Sokolovskis Rosie Jenkins David Geoghegan Bryn Lewis Colin Renwick Iwona Muszynska Kaitlin Wild Lucy Wakeford The Scheme is supported by: Sylvain Vasseur Andrew Pollock Double Basses The Polonsky Foundation Rhys Watkins Erzsebet Racz Colin Paris Christine Pendrill Celeste Derek Hill Foundation Richard Blayden Paul Robson Patrick Laurence Jono Ramsay Elizabeth Burley Barbara Whatmore Charitable Trust Eleanor Fagg Thomas Goodman Clarinets James Maynard Thistle Trust Lulu Fuller Violas Joe Melvin Oliver Janes Angus Allnatt Charitable Foundation Lyrit Milgram Edward Vanderspar José Moreira Chi-Yu Mo Bass Mariam Nahapetyan Malcolm Johnston Benjamin Griffiths James Burke Paul Milner German Clavijo Siret Lust Elizabeth Drew Julia O’Riordan Adam Wynter Thomas Watmough Robert Turner Ben Thomson Editor Luca Casciato Fiona Dinsdale | [email protected] May Dolan Laurent Ben Slimane Editorial Photography Philip Hall Ranald Mackechnie, Chris Wahlberg, Nancy Johnson Harald Hoffmann, Marco Borggreve, Cynthia Perrin Rachel Gough Matthias Heyde, Eisuke Miyoshi Rachel Robson Lawrence O’Donnell Print Cantate 020 3651 1690 Jill Valentine Advertising Cabbells Ltd 020 3603 7937 Contra Dominic Morgan Details in this publication were correct at time of going to press.

20 The Orchestra 20 October 2019