Melbourne Recital Centre Presents Great Performers 2021

Ian Munro Mendelssohn, Rachmaninoff & Munro

WED 16 JUNE 2021, 7.30PM ELISABETH MURDOCH HALL ‘ MUNRO VIVIDLY DEPICTED THE DRAMA OF HUMAN STRIVING. ‘ THE AGE

Photo: Keith Saunders Melbourne Recital Centre Presents Great Performers 2021

Ian Munro PIANO, AUSTRALIA

WED 16 JUNE 2021, 7.30PM ELISABETH MURDOCH HALL

DURATION 75-minutes (no interval)

This performance is being recorded by Melbourne Recital Centre for a deferred broadcast. Visit melbournerecital.com.au for more information.

Melbourne Recital Centre acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we work, live and learn. We pay our respects to people of the Kulin nation, their Elders past, present and emerging and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

Program Partner

3 Program

FELIX MENDELSSOHN (1809-1847) Sechs Lieder ohne Worte (Six Songs Without Words), Op.19b 1. Andante con moto 2. Andante espressivo 3. Molto allegro e vivace 4. Moderato 5. Poco agitato 6. Venezianisches Gondellied: Allegretto tranquillo

SERGE RACHMANINOFF (1873-1943) Six Moments Musicaux, Op.16 1. Andantino 2. Allegretto 3. Andante cantabile 4. Presto 5. Adagio sostenuto 6. Maestoso

IAN MUNRO (b. 1963) Piano Sonata No.2, Moscow 1986 – World Premiere 1. Allegro nervosa 2. Largo 3. Moderato: fugue a 4

4 About the Music

For many composers, storytelling is deeply embedded in almost everything they write. For some, the tale remains secret, personal and enigmatic – Chopin’s ballades have had listeners guessing for almost 200 years and Debussy’s preludes offer enchanting glimpses of characters, scenes and stories almost as an afterthought, at the bottom of the final page of each piece, bracketed and after an ellipsis. Liszt, on the other hand, explicitly described narratives in detail, and one can follow the awful progress of Faust’s and Mephistopheles’ every step as they pursue their amoral intentions in the first ‘Mephisto Waltz’.

None of the works you will hear tonight follow explicit narratives but, in a sense, they all embody in their various ways a strong sense of musical storytelling, ultimately what music does best: creating paths we can follow in sound that take us on imaginative journeys that enchant and move us in ways only music can.

5 About the Music

It was another of those miraculous four – the great composers who were born within two years and a couple of hundred kilometres of each other (Chopin and Schumann in 1810, Mendelssohn in 1809 and Liszt in 1811) – who developed the idea of the ‘wordless song’ for piano. Felix Mendelssohn began his series of piano vignettes at the age of Felix Mendelssohn 20 and continued with them throughout his life. The last of the piano ‘songs’ was written two years before his early death in 1847, with almost sixty examples in all, including the beautiful last one in D major for cello and piano. Mendelssohn, with his easy, winning personality and natural melodic gift, tended to treat the piano as a singing instrument, much as did Chopin, although Chopin’s journey took him deep into psychological territory, whereas Mendelssohn’s musical narratives are classically contained, internally balanced, with a tendency towards comfort and urbanity.

The very first of Mendelssohn’s eight sets of Lieder ohne Worte (Songs Without Words) is among his most perfect: fresh, abundant with distinctive and beautiful musical ideas and containing at least three examples of characteristic Mendelssohnian expressions. The first, a limpid song above an undulating accompaniment, is a deceptively simple melody that has the quality of a boat gliding gently on rippled water. The third, a vibrant hunting song in A major, looks forward to the ‘Italian’ Symphony, written eleven years later, whose opening movement in the same key has the same exuberant joy.

6 The final piece, a lugubrious Venetian gondola song in G minor, may well have been inspired by Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No.25, which has a slow movement (also in G minor) that sounds almost Mendelssohnian. It is, of course, an anachronistic thought: Beethoven wrote it in 1809, the year of the younger composer’s birth. In any case, the genre was so appealing to Mendelssohn that he wrote a further two Sergei Rachmaninoff gondola songs, each possessing a haunting beauty and harmonic features of such daring that they are among his finest miniatures.

Russian music famously took a remarkably original turn after Glinka and Dargomyshky tapped the genius of Slavic folk art, and an explosion of Russian music of powerful emotions and colours followed in their wake. Never was the inheritance of Western Europe forgotten, however, and surprising connections may be found between the music of Chopin and Mussorgsky; Mendelssohn and Rachmaninoff; Liszt, Chopin and Scriabin; Schumann and Tchaikovsky. Russians, like Germans, have descended with a wealth of folk culture, revelling in dark story-telling and mythical folk-heroes and devilry. Rachmaninoff, once described by Stravinsky as ‘six foot two of Russian gloom’, modelled his Preludes on Mendelssohn’s Songs Without Words and his Etudes-tableaux on Chopin’s Etudes.

7 About the Music

Rachmaninoff’s Six Moments Musicaux of 1896, written when he was 23, gloriously follow the six-piece format of Mendelssohn, paying homage to the eponymous works by Schubert but deploying the virtuoso techniques discovered by Liszt and Chopin, with added Russian power and grandeur. They are, quite simply, a grand statement of the young Russian genius, an exhibition of all he knew and could do up to that point. Heartfelt and dramatic, they are at their core soulful songs, marking the last utterance of a young man who was, only months later, to suffer a complete nervous breakdown due to the disaster that was the premiere of his First Symphony at the hands of the probably drunken Glazunov.

My Piano Sonata No.2, Moscow 1986, deliberately follows in the footsteps of Prokofiev and Shostakovich, as an homage to them and to the Russian musical tradition that has so shaped my own musical development. Both were pianist-composers of great pianistic ability; both began their piano sonata series with one-movement works (as did I) but, whereas Prokofiev went on to write the most distinguished and captivating series of sonatas of the 20th century, Shostakovich wrote only one more, the unduly criticised Op.61. It is our – pianists’ – tremendous loss that he went no further.

In 1986, in the not-yet-dying days of the Cold War, I boarded a plane to Moscow on my 23rd birthday in order to compete in the International Tchaikovsky Competition. Less than two months after the Chernobyl disaster, the comrades of Moscow were still unaware of the true extent of the accident, and tensions were high. Amidst the political uncertainty of those days, music was appreciated in Russia in a way that was striking to witness. It was clear that ordinary people had a respect and love for music that ran deeper there than in places I had lived, and that

8 the sort of ‘crucial’ quality inherent in the symphonies and quartets of Shostakovich was reflected in everyday Russian music- lovers’ behaviour.

My experience in Moscow in 1986 has stayed with me ever since. The story of my first- round appearance, which brought me onto the front page of Soviet national newspapers, I have told elsewhere. This sonata, which I have subtitled Moscow 1986 is an homage to the spirit of Russian music, telling the story of my experience and growing admiration for it, to say nothing of the great debt all pianists owe to the Russian genius for piano-playing itself, which has bequeathed us so much knowledge and inspiration.

My second piano sonata was generously commissioned by Andrew Johnston in honour of his mother, Stephanie Lillian Johnston, as a gift for her 88th birthday.

Ian Munro © 2021

DISCOVER MORE Hear more from Ian Munro on the Great Talks with Graham Abbott Podcast on Spotify.

SCAN CODE TO LISTEN

9 About the Artist

Ian Munro is one of Australia’s U.S.A., China, New Zealand, Belgium, most distinguished and awarded Switzerland and Uzbekistan, musicians, with a career that has and with all the state orchestras taken him to thirty countries in in Australia in over 60 piano Europe, Asia, North America and concertos. Ian has recorded for Australasia. As a composer, Ian is ABC Classics, Hyperion, Cala, the only Australian to have been Naxos, Marco Polo, Tall Poppies and awarded the Premier Grand Prix at the U.K. label Warehouse as both the Queen Elisabeth Competition for a soloist and chamber musician. Composers in 2003, and in 2011 he Recent discs include the collected was Featured Composer for Musica music by Tasmanian composer Viva Australia. After completing Katherine Parker and Elena his early training in Melbourne Kats-Chernin’s Piano Concerto with Roy Shepherd, Ian furthered commissioned for Ian Munro by his studies in Vienna, London and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. Italy with Noretta Conci, Guido A widely experienced chamber Agosti and Michele Campanella, musician, Ian joined the acclaimed launching his international career Australia Ensemble in Sydney in the U.K. He has performed with in 2000, for which he has also leading orchestras throughout the composed and arranged several U.K., Poland, Italy, Portugal, Russia, works.

Great Performers is made possible thanks to the generous support of donors to the 2021 Local Artist Appeal.

To learn more about how you can provide direct support to our community of local artists, please scan the QR code or call us on 03 9207 2653.

10 11 Inspired Giving

MUSIC CIRCLE - ($10,000+) John & Chris ($500+) ($5000+) A VIBRANT AND Anonymous (1) Collingwood Anonymous (3) Maria McCarthy DIVERSE MUSICAL Warwick & Kevin Cosgrave Rhonda & Ted Allen Canny Quine Foundation PROGRAM Paulette Bisley Laurie Cox AO & Bruce Anderson D & X Williamson Foundation Donors who support the (Great Performers Julie Ann Cox AM Jenny Anderson depth and vibrancy of Leadership Supporters) Brian Crisp Ian Baker & ($2500+) the Centre’s musical Jane Kunstler Mary Draper AM Cheryl Saunders program play a crucial M.S. Newman Family Anne Burgi & Kerin Carr role in ensuring that we Foundation Lord Francis Ebury & Dr Margot Breidhal Dr Alison Street The Late Lady can continue to present Dr Michael Troy Alistaire Bowler a rich diversity of the Suzanne Ebury Prudence Brown ($1000+) greatest musicians and ($5000+) Maggie Edmond Emily Cross Anonymous (4) ensembles from Margaret Farren-Price Keith & Debby Badger Australia and around the Annamila Pty Ltd Karen Dew & Prof Ronald Gras Foundation Trust globe. Ballandry (Peter Griffin Farren-Price AM Mrs Jean Dunn Family) Fund Maria Hansen Dr Kingsley Gee Susan Fallaw 2021 LOCAL John & Lorraine Bates Prof John Langford AM & Angela Glover Nance Grant AM MBE & ARTIST APPEAL The Benjamin Fund Ian Harris Julie Langford We are pledging to raise Colin Golvan AM QC & Maria Mercurio Bill Burdett AM & Dr Deborah Golvan Melanie Hall $1 million to directly Sandra Burdett Dr Robert Hetzel Ann Miller support local artists Ann Gordon Jim Cousins AO & Irene Kearsey & Greg Shalit & throughout 2021 and Libby Cousins Robert Heathcote & Miriam Faine ensure Melbourne’s Meredith King Michael Ridley vibrant musical Peter Griffin AM & Sean King Mark & Jane Wilson Terri Swann John Howie AM & ecosystem is sustained. Dr Linsey Howie David Klempfner ($500+) The Hon Justice Sally Macindoe Local Artist Michelle Gordon & KCL Law Anonymous (2) Benefactors Hon Kenneth M Hayne Dr Anne Lierse Morris & Helen Margolis Catherine Belcher Jennifer K Marshall The Gailey Julie Kantor AO The Mard Foundation Kaye Birks in the Lazarus Foundation Greg Noonan Janet McDonald Rosemary O’Connor memory of David Linda Herd Maria Sola Donald and Margaret Plant Ann Blake Monica Lim & Audrey Zibelman Angela Mercer Meredith Anne Schilling Dr Margot Breidahl Konfir Kabo Maria Mercurio John Rosenbloom & Vivien and Jacob ($2500+) Lady Primrose Potter AC Peter Murdoch QC & Kathryn Earp Fajgenbaum Anonymous (2) Joy Selby Smith Helen Murdoch Ian Suren Peter Heffey Tim Biles Baillieu Myer AC & Charles Tegner Alison Leslie ($50,000+) Alastair Campbell & Sarah Myer Robin Usher & Jennifer K Marshall Monica Lim & Sue Campbell Rupert Myer AO & Mandy Meade Marshall McGuire Konfir Kabo Kathy & George Annabel Myer ACCESS TO Dennis & Fairlie Nassau Joy Selby Smith Deutsch OAM Dennis & Fairlie Nassau THRILLING MUSIC Viorica Samson Catherine Heggen Stephen Newton AO ($40,000 +) Jenny & Peter Hordern AND LEARNING Mary Nugent OPPORTUNITIES FOR NUTURING ARTISTIC The Gailey Dr Alastair R Jackson AM Elizabeth O’Keeffe EVERYBODY DEVELOPMENT Lazarus Foundation Ann Lahore - FOSTERING A Prof David Penington AC Supported by the Diana Lempriere & Dr Sonay Hussein BRIGHT MUSICAL ($30,000+) Elisabeth Murdoch FUTURE Shelley & Helen Perlen Creative Development Yvonne von Hartel AM, Supported by the Euan Murdoch Kerryn Pratchett Fund and the Mary Robert Peck AM, Rachel The Myer Foundation Vallentine Limitless Elisabeth Murdoch In Memory of John Price Creative Development Peck & Marten Peck of Dr Paul Nisselle AM Stage Fund, donors to peckvonhartel Ralph & Ruth Renard Fund, donors who Geoff & Jan Phillips our learning and access architects (Signature Dr Noel Renouf programs help to share support our enriching David Robinson artist development Events Benefactors) Anne Runhardt & the music by bringing Linda Herd Sirius Foundation high-quality music and programs help to create Glenn Reindel a wide range of unique Janet Thomson Dr Vaughan Speck learning opportunities ($20,000+) to people from all walks opportunities for local In Memory of musicians, and help to Melbourne Recital ($1000+) of life. Anonymous (3) Pauline Speedy ensure a vibrant musical Centre Board of future for Victoria and Directors Peter J Armstrong Barbara & ($30,000+) Duncan Sutherland beyond. Liz & Charles Baré Hansen Little Prof Andrea Hull AO chair Pamela Swansson Foundation Prof Deborah Adrienne Basser Betty Amsden Jenny Tatchell Lady Marigold Kids and Family Cheetham AO Catherine Belcher Russell Taylor Southey AC Program Benefactor The Hon Mary Helen Brack Ullmer Family The Late Betty Delahunty John Castles AM ($20,000+) Foundation Amsden AO DSJ Paul Donnelly & & Thelma Castles OAM The Betty Amsden Brigitte Treutenaere Dr Victor Wayne & Foundation Merlyn Myer Music The Hon Alex Chernov AC QC Dr Karen Wayne OAM Commission Assoc Prof Jody Evans & Mrs Elizabeth Chernov Jennifer Whitehead ($10,000+) The Aranday Foundation Monica Lim & Min Li Chong Konfir Kabo Lyn Williams AM Krystyna The Yulgilbar Foundation Kaye Cleary Campbell-Pretty AM Peter & Ruth McMullin The Yulgilbar Christine & Foundation Linda Herd Eda Ritchie AM Michael Clough 12 ($20,000+) ($1000+) Kristin Lampert ($10,000+) A LASTING LEGACY Mrs Margaret S Ross AM Anonymous (1) Dr Charley Lanning The Hon Justice Through marking a & Dr Ian C Ross Jenny Anderson Sue Lyons Michelle Gordon AC & legacy, this (Artist Development Liz & Charles Baré Sandra Masel The Hon Kenneth M extraordinary group of Leadership Hayne AC QC donors support the Supporters) Helen Brack Dr John F Mills future of the Centre’s Kerin Carr Hyonju Newman ($5000+) vibrant and diverse ($10,000+) Colin Coleman Greg Noonan Peter B Murdoch QC & programs both now and Julie Kantor AO Dr Helen Cox Linda Norman Helen Murdoch for generations to come. Majlis Pty Ltd Trevor Edwards Mary Nugent ($2500+) Inaugural Patrons James Ostroburski & John Firth Kim Rea Leo Ostroburski Anonymous Jim Cousins AO & Ann Gordon Katherine Rechtman Angelina & Graeme Wise George Golvan QC & Libby Cousins Richard Gubbins Prof Greg J Reinhardt AM Naomi Golvan Anonymous (4) ($5000+) Lyndsey & Patricia Roessler Alex King Jenny Anderson Dr Mary-Jane Gething Peter Hawkins Virginia Robson Tom Smyth Linda Herd John & Lorraine Bates Christina Hayward Christine Stott Peter J Stirling & Susan Pelka and Luke Heagerty The Late Betty Richard Caven Anna Tomada Kimberley Kane Catherine Heggen Amsden AO DSJ Youth Music Foundation Linda Herd GIVING CIRCLES ($1000+) Barbara Blackman AO of Australia Ltd. Melbourne Recital John & Marcia Arthur Jennifer Brukner John Howie AM & ($2500+) Dr Linsey Howie Centre Giving Circles Peter Bartlett Ken Bullen are passionate and Andrew & Theresa Dyer Dr Barry Jones AC & The Hon Alex Chernov AC QC Jen Butler like-minded groups of & Mrs Elizabeth Chernov Greg Noonan Rachel Faggetter donors who come Kingsley Gee & Vivienne Ritchie Irene Kearsey & together to collectively The Hon Justice Julie Zhen Fu Guan Dodds-Streeton Vivian Wei Wang Michael Ridley celebrate their love of Jenny & Peter Hordern Assoc Prof music by supporting Colin Golvan AM QC & Dr Garry Joslin Lyn Williams AM Sebastian King special projects. Dr Deborah Golvan Jane Kunstler ($1000+) Simon Le Plastrier Timothy Goodwin Ensemble Giovane - Janette McLellan Peter J Armstrong Janet McDonald Robert Heathcote & Elizabeth O’Keeffe Leadership Donors Meredith King In memory of The Maria Mercurio in support of Master Penny Rawlins Late Harry Johnson Dr Rosemary Nixon classes & young artist Anthony J & Philippa M Kelly Prof Dimity Reed AM Martine Letts Elizabeth O’Keeffe development. Vivienne Ritchie Maryanne B Loughnan QC Dr Richard Mills AM In Memory of John Price ($10,000+) Meredith Anne Schilling Sandy Shaw ($500+) Jacqueline Schwarz Arnold & Mary Bram The Estate of Beverley The Hon Mary Graeme Smith Medical Friends Shelton & Martin Delahunty Dr Ashley Sparrow ($1000+) of Melbourne Schönthal Recital Centre Maria Mercurio Dr Vaughan Speck Peter J Armstrong Mary Vallentine AO Zoe Brinsden Jenny Tatchell ($1000+) Seat Dedications PERFORMER Simon Le Plastrier Mr Phillip Antippa OAM & Joanna Baevski SUPPORT FUND ($500+) Christine Sather Dr Tracey Huntley Lowina Blackman Donors helped us Anonymous (1) Jenny Tatchell provide crucial financial Michael Bennett & Lord Francis Ebury Bruce Anderson Kate Stockwin assistance to our Mary Armour ($500+) Colin Golvan AM QC & community of local Assoc Prof Dr Deborah Golvan John & Lorraine Bates Dr Jane Gilmour OAM & Sebastian King artists whose Terry Brain Luke Heagerty performances were Dr Christine Bayly Dr Jean McMullin & directly affected by the Catherine Belcher Rosemary O’Connor Dr Catherine Brennan Maria Johnson Jane Kunstler period of closure Christine Bell Legal Friends Dr Rosemary Nixon Diana Lempriere throughout 2020. Ann Blake of Melbourne ($500+) Matthew Bond Recital Centre Timothy Presnell & ($20,000+) Dr John F Mills Barbara Skjonnemand Stuart Brown Joy Selby Smith Legal Friends Christine Sather Maggie Cash Inaugural Patrons Jenny Tatchell ($5000+) Mrs Emily Cross George & Laila Dr Terry Cutler AC The Hon Justice List of Patrons as at Embelton Michelle Gordon AC & Mary Draper The Hon Kenneth M 26 May 2021 ($2500+) Assoc Prof Jody Evans Hayne AC QC Anonymous (1) Janine Gleeson Australian Doctors Maria Hansen Orchestra Robert Hocking Donald Abell Assoc Prof James Hurley Sean King Katherine Kirby Amanda Kube

13 Thank You

Founding Patron

The Late Dame Elisabeth Murdoch AC DBE

Board Members

Prof Andrea Hull AO, Chair Paul Donnelly Monica Lim Deborah Cheetham AO Assoc Prof Jody Evans Peter McMullin The Hon Mary Delahunty Liz Grainger Eda Ritchie AM

Founding Benefactors Life Members

The Kantor Family Lin Bender AM Richard Gubbins The Calvert-Jones Family Deborah Cheetham AO Penny Hutchinson Lyn Williams AM Jim Cousins AO Julie Kantor AO Helen Macpherson Smith Trust Kathryn Fagg AO Jordi Savall Robert Salzer Foundation Margaret Farren-Price Mary Vallentine AO The Hugh Williamson Foundation & Ronald Farren-Price AM

Principal Government Partner

Supporting Partners

Program Partners

Foundations

THE ARANDAY THE CALVERT-JONES FOUNDATION FOUNDATION

THE CARLETON THE PEGGY & LESLIE THE HUGH THE MARIAN & THE SENTINEL THE VIZARD FAMILY TRUST CRANBOURNE WILLIAMSON E.H. FLACK TRUST FOUNDATION FOUNDATION FOUNDATION FOUNDATION

14 Melbourne Recital Centre Presents Great Performers 2021 David Greco & Erin Helyard Die schöne Müllerin (The Maid of the Mill)

WED 7 JULY 2021 7.30PM ELISABETH MURDOCH HALL TICKETS $79 | $59 CONC.

Two brilliant artists bring unique sparkle to a jewel in the crown of German lieder.

Photo: Ken Leanfore

BOOK NOW Principal Government Partner Program Partner melbournerecital.com.au 9699 3333 * Transaction & delivery fees may apply PEFC Certified This product is from sustainably managed forests and controlled sources. www.pefc.org

Cnr Southbank Blvd Principal Government Partner & Sturt St, Southbank, VIC melbournerecital.com.au #melbrecital