LCO Live

Soloist Pascal Rogé Conductor Christopher Warren-Green Ravel Ravel Fauré Poulenc Ibert Chamber London (1875-1937) memory of a friend lost in battle. The suite LCO Live Le Tombeau de Couperin was first performed in April 1919, and three Ravel Fauré Poulenc Ibert I Prélude: Vif months later he re-composed four of the six II Forlane: Allegretto movements for chamber orchestra. Maurice Ravel III Menuet: Allegro moderato It was never Ravel’s way, though, to wear Le Tombeau de Couperin [17.20] IV Rigaudon: Assez vif the scars of grief and depression on the sleeve [3.28] 1. Prélude: Vif of his music. Instead they are sublimated 2. Forlane: Allegretto [6.04] Composers do not, in general, make good within antique forms: the Baroque dance 3. Menuet: Allegro moderato [4.34] soldiers. The practice and theory of one seems suite, and the idea of a musical Tombeau, 4. Rigaudon: Assez vif [3.14] inimical to the other: something to do, perhaps, or memorial, with which French composers Gabriel Fauré with obeying orders and submitting to the yoke had remembered their friends, teachers and 5. Pavane Op.50 [6.20] of teamwork rather than the draw of solitary heroes for four centuries and more. Ravel invention and endeavour; also and more did not presume to trespass on the music of Piano Concerto [19.39] debatably to the heightened sensitivity of the François Couperin (1688-1733), but chose 6. Allegretto [10.17] artistic temperament that renders it unsuited instead to honour the spirit, the clarity and 7. Andante con moto [5.20] to the gore and horror of the battlefield. It’s the grace of his work in a personal tribute, 8. Rondeau à la française [4.02] an anomaly of history that, for half a century inevitably coloured by nationalist sentiment, Pascal Rogé piano (roughly 1895-1945), pushed composers and of surpassing gentleness and delicacy. This other sensitive souls into the arena of war, character and the exquisite avoidance of Maurice Ravel when technology had not matched the reach irony in its revival of old and formal dance Pavane pour une infante défunte [6.29] 9. of geopolitical conflict. The music composed rhythms, make the suite diametrically opposed Jacques Ibert with slaughter fresh in the mind’s eye and ear, to Ravel’s other ‘war’ work, the opulent and Divertissement [16.20] therefore, may also have anomalous qualities. savage parody of waltz form, . Only at 10. Introduction [1.10] Ravel was exempted from conscription the unlikely yet powerful climax of the Minuet 11. Cortege [5.10] on health grounds, but he was desperate to are we directly confronted with the scale of 12. Nocturne [2.52] serve his country in the Great War. In March what is lost; whereas the bluesy sign-off, 13. Valse [3.09] 1916 – at the age of 40 – he chose to serve at equally unlikely and imaginative in its way, more 14. Parade [1.49] the Front as a truck and ambulance driver. In typically wears the suite’s overall demeanour of 15. Finale [2.10] September 1916 he became ill with dysentery a sad smile. and in January 1917 while he was recuperating Total time [66.09] in his mother died suddenly. In November

Christopher Warren-Green conductor that year he completed a suite for piano, and dedicated each of the six movements to the www.signumrecords.com www.lco.co.uk 3 Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) spans, or attracts others who find relief in Rachmaninov returns with the gentle Pavane Op.50 Piano Concerto music that doesn’t take itself too seriously. theme of the slow movement and its heartbeat I Allegretto The plaintive, singing subject of the first accompaniment, though the subsequent Forget (if you had remembered them) S Club 7 II Andante con moto movement is subject to various treatments, development naturally scorns any heady and World Cup ’98. Think instead of a high- III Rondeau à la française some of them more dignified than others, eruptions of emotion: when it came to Renaissance palazzo, the origin of the Pavane though the procession from song to march to Russian music, Poulenc (and his French as a courtly dance with four beats in the bar: In November 1948 Poulenc made his first tour keyboard lionism to voluptuous romanticism contemporaries) held the ‘objective’ coolness or of a private chamber in an Elizabethan of the USA with his confidant, the baritone may remind you of Rachmaninov’s Paganini of Stravinsky as a model of restraint. Instead, house, appointed with recorder and lutenist. Pierre Bernac. On it he played a commission, Rhapsody – and the theme itself is not unlike a quicker central section dispels the tension John Dowland, Thomas Morley and many the last of his sparkling keyboard concertos, one from the same composer’s Third Piano and gives an unlikely context to the soloist’s others wrote Pavanes for this mise-en-scène: for piano. He had in fact composed for solo Concerto. grandiose fulmination. The finale is perhaps Morley described the Pavane as ‘a kind of piano and orchestra 20 years before, with a As though Poulenc had tired of the theme, the most typical of Poulenc, with its major- staid music, ordained for grave dancing’. ballet, Aubade, that epitomises the irreverent, however, the orchestra skitters away with a minor scamper, its Mozartian good humour So it is in Fauré’s ‘translation’ of the obstreperous, to-hell-with-it spirit of 1920s neoclassical Minuet, itself succeeded before in instrumental conversation and diffident dance to late-19th-century Paris. The , Paris. The concerto often revisits that music too long by another romantic melody, horns to send-off. modern cousin to the recorder, sings the and those times, sometimes coloured with a the fore. At the centre of the movement is an doleful main theme; you can even hear the rosy, Russian romanticism that is then all the aspiring sigh on the strings, a tiny prequel to archaic lute in the gentle, plucked bass of the more rudely banished by the many deliberate his greatest work, the opera Dialogues of the accompaniment. After the theme has passed discontinuities. It was around this time that a Carmelites. It ushers in a slow section, serene from the winds to the strings, there is a short friend coined the phrase that Poulenc never and contemplative, even liturgical with its middle section, more impassioned but still in quite lived down, ‘half monk, half thug’. block chords. When Poulenc is in this mood, the modal, detached style of the whole, before Neither was true of his sociable personality, however, nothing can last for long, and the wild the theme returns. but his music tends to the extremes that he parade continues. was otherwise reluctant to discuss. His next The second-movement Andante begins work, for example, was the Stabat Mater, and with the rhythm of a heartbeat. The finale is in describing the startling leap of style from in the popular Nogent-style which Poulenc one to the other to a friend, he wrote that ‘I am had made his own 30 years previously. The as sincere in my faith, without any messianic piano collaborates with the orchestra, rather screamings, as I am in my Parisian sexuality… than playing an adversarial role as the organ My musical tone is spontaneous, and in any does in its concerto. Le Figaro probably got it case, I think truly personal.’ As with the music right: ‘Certainly it isn’t a concerto at all but a of Ibert, so Poulenc at his most capricious little picture of manners, done up by a minor either repels those allergic to its short attention master.’

4 5 Maurice Ravel original work is always refined and tinted. The is only too appropriate. But the following Pavane pour une infante défunte famous melody would be perfectly at home on Nocturne is entirely French in character – the flute, most French of instrumental voices, you can almost see Belmondo and rings of The violinist Pablo de Sarasate encouraged but it gains additional distance and poignancy cigarette smoke through the light string haze. one creative strain of enthusiasm for Spanish on a pair of muted horns. The wedding party returns to dance a culture among French composers, that paid waltz. When the most famous of them all homage to popular or folk tradition. Born appears, who knows whether it’s in nose- in the Basque country, Ravel was ideally Jacques Ibert (1890-1962) thumbing parody or affectionate homage? placed to make his own contribution to what Divertissement Erik Satie wrote a ballet, Parade, and this was becoming an increasingly fertile cross- I Introduction movement shares its riotous surrealism. pollination of Romance cultures. L’Heure II Cortege The bizarre juxtapositions of key reach a Espagnole (1907–9), that most perfect of III Nocturne climax with the opening crashes of the finale. comic operas, is one hilarious entanglement IV Valse A policeman blows his whistle in a vain attempt of sensuality and manners; the instrumental V Parade to halt the carnage. Not a note is wasted. Even (1907–8) brings darker VI Finale if you could hardly tell that Ibert loved Wagner, harmonies to the opera’s swing and sexiness, or followed the radical journey of Boulez and and in turn this affecting little Pavane ‘for a You need only glance at the orchestra to friends with interest, the Divertissement would dead Infanta’, or child princess, shares some see that the Divertissement began life in be less diverting if it lacked such polymathic of the Rapsodie’s wistfulness, but in the the theatre pit, as incidental music. With perfectionism. more reserved context of the aristocratic solo winds and brass and a varied and busy dance-form. percussion section, the band is calculated to © Peter Quantrill Ravel wrote the Pavane for piano back in conjure a bright instrumental palette in tints 1899, while still a member of the composition and splashes of light, Mediterranean colour; class at the Paris Conservatoire. He didn’t perfect for a French farce about an Italian have any particular deceased princess in mind, Straw Hat. The hat in question is eaten by but he dedicated the Pavane to a living one, a horse that is meant to deliver a groom to his benefactor the Princesse de Polignac. his wedding. Delays and chaos inevitably, When he came to orchestrate it 11 years later, delightfully ensue. After the opening carnival Ravel had behind him the experience of writing of scales (very Saint-Saëns) comes a funeral the two ‘Spanish’ works above and much march – or is it an abortive wedding march? else besides for larger forces, and no Ravel Mendelssohn keeps poking his head around ‘orchestration’ simply transfers the notes from the door, and the reference to the sublime one instrument to another: in the process, the madness of A Midsummer Night’s Dream

6 7 © ThomasBalsamo m a s l a B s a m o h T Christopher Warren-Green Christopher Warren-Green regularly conducts Music Director & Principal Conductor the BBC Concert, Royal Philharmonic, London Philharmonic and Philharmonia orchestras Christopher Warren-Green’s sensitive in London, and has also worked with the interpretation and knowledge of repertoire, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Royal combined with his poised command of an Scottish National orchestras. Elsewhere, orchestra, have earned him great respect he has appeared at the Bucharest-based throughout the music-making world. His Enescu Festival with the Chamber Orchestra charismatic manner and talent endear him of the Romanian National Radio Society, immediately to the musicians with whom he and has conducted concerts with the works, resulting in orchestral musicians, young Orquestra Metropolitana de Lisboa, Armenian artists and established soloists alike holding Philharmonic Orchestra and Iceland Symphony him in the highest regard. Orchestra. Further afield, Warren-Green Newly appointed Music Director of the has worked with the Singapore Symphony Charlotte Symphony Orchestra, he also Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra, and continues as Music Director of the London Sapporo Symphony Orchestra and he has Chamber Orchestra. Previous positions have excellent ongoing relationships with both the included Principal Conductor of the Camerata Orquestra Sinfônica da Bahia and the Queen Resident Orchestra of the Megaron Athens, Elisabeth College in Brussels. taking over from Sir Neville Marriner (2004- In the US, Warren-Green conducts at a 2009), Chief Conductor of the Nordiska consistently high level. He is a regular visitor Kammar Orkestern (1998-2005), and Chief to the Minnesota Orchestra and he made Conductor of the Jönköpings Sinfonietta his immensely successful debut with the (1998-2001). Philadelphia Orchestra in 2007, adding to the Recent European highlights include list of prestigious orchestras he has already concerts with the Royal Philharmonic conducted in North America (including the Orchestra, his debut with the Orchestra National Symphony Washington and the National de Belgique in September 2010, Houston, St Louis, Seattle and Vancouver and the closing concert of the prestigious Symphony orchestras). anniversary Chopin Festival in Warsaw, In 1980, by personal invitation of HRH The featuring Maria João Pires as soloist. He also Prince of Wales, Warren-Green was honoured made a return to the RTÉ National Symphony to conduct the first concert in modern Orchestra in Dublin in January 2011. times to be given in Buckingham Palace’s

8 9 Throne Room. Since then, he has conducted Pascal Rogé he has released a disc of Piano Concertos Montreal Symphony, Orchestre de Paris, numerous concerts at Buckingham Palace, Piano by Mozart with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestre National de Radio France, Royal as well as Highgrove House and St. James’s Orchestra, a disc of French repertoire for Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam, Palace. To mark the occasion of Her Majesty Pascal Rogé exemplifies the finest in French four-hands and two-pianos with his wife, Ami NHK Symphony Orchestra Tokyo, Vienna The Queen’s 80th birthday at Kew Palace, pianism; his playing of Poulenc, Satie, and Poètes du Piano a live recital of Chopin, Symphony Orchestra, Orchestre de la Suisse he conducted a private concert for the entire Fauré, Saint-Saëns or Ravel in particular is Debussy, Fauré, Poulenc and Ravel. Romande, Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra Royal family; he also directed the Philharmonia characterised by its elegance, beauty and Pascal Rogé has performed in almost and the major London orchestras. He appears Orchestra for the Service of Dedication and delicate phrasing – his name is synonymous every major concert hall in the world. regularly in the United States and is a frequent Prayer (celebrating the marriage of TRH with the best playing of French repertory in the Some of the orchestras he has appeared guest artist in Japan, Australia and Latin Prince of Wales and The Duchess of Cornwall), world today. with include the Philadelphia Orchestra, America. and again in the 60th birthday celebration Born in Paris, Pascal Rogé became an concert for The Prince of Wales, in November exclusive Decca recording artist at the age 2008. Most recently, he conducted the of 17. He has won many prestigious awards London Chamber Orchestra during the including two Gramophone Awards, a Grand marriage ceremony of HRH Prince William Prix du Disque and an Edison Award for Duke of Cambridge and HRH Duchess his interpretations of the Ravel and Saint- of Cambridge at Westminster Abbey on Saëns concertos. Other recordings feature 29th April 2011. a Debussy cycle and a Bartok cycle with the Christopher Warren-Green has appeared London Symphony Orchestra. For the Poulenc numerous times on television and radio. In Edition in 1999 Mr Rogé recorded both piano summer 2008 he featured on BBC2’s high concertos, the Aubade and the Concerto profile series entitled ‘Maestro’ in which he Champêtre all under . coached a celebrity student in conducting For Oehms Classics Mr Rogé recorded technique. the Ravel G major and Left Hand Piano He has recorded extensively for Sony, Concertos, and the Piano Concerto, Rhapsody Philips, Virgin EMI, Chandos and Deutsche in Blue and An American in Paris by Gershwin Grammophon, and most recently recorded with the Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra. a disc with London Chamber Orchestra His latest recording project is the Rogé Edition, on the EMI label. He also regularly records released on the Onyx Classics label. The first ©

with London Chamber Orchestra on the CD release inaugurated his first complete t r e b o R y r a M Signum label. Debussy cycle with the Préludes and was followed by a second disc including Estampes and a third containing Images. Also for Onyx

10 11 London Chamber Orchestra receive public subsidy. This independence Maxwell Davies’s The Golden Rule, written as well as critically acclaimed tours to the helps foster the unique personality and to mark HM The Queen’s 80th birthday. USA, Far East and Europe. LCO is the longest established professional character which infuse LCO performances. Through its LCO New: Explore schemes Above all, you can see what’s different chamber orchestra in the UK, founded in The orchestra’s existence relies on the LCO has encouraged student composers to about LCO in the faces of its musicians – every 1921 by Anthony Bernard, and premièring enthusiasm of its audiences and on the support investigate the links between composition and one of whom has been selected from the finest at the London home of Viscountess Nancy of a long line of distinguished and enlightened other art forms. In 2010 LCO was awarded a professional musicians the UK has to offer – Astor. On 29th April 2011 LCO played for the corporate and individual sponsors and donors. PRS New Music 20x12 commission as part faces which radiate the passion, enthusiasm, wedding of TRH The Duke and Duchess of Key to LCO’s success is building partner- of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, where commitment, vigour, intensity, exuberance, Cambridge at Westminster Abbey. Recognition ships not just with its generous supporters Composer Graham Fitkin will work with LCO freshness, inspiration and sheer sense of for the orchestra has also included invitations but also with community groups and charities. and poet Glyn Maxwell to produce ‘Track to enjoyment that pervade LCO’s performances to perform at Buckingham Palace from HRH These relationships are nurtured through Track’, inspired by the Olympic Javelin Train and its recordings on the LCO Live label in The Prince of Wales and for HM The Queen LCO’s performances and pioneering education journey. partnership with Signum Classics. at Kew Palace and recently at Clarence work, LCO and Barnardo’s Music Junction. LCO stands out from the crowd not just It is the absolute passion, energy and House for LCO’s Patron HRH The Duchess A long-standing willingness to embrace through its highly popular season of dynamic enthusiasm of every one of its members led by of Cornwall. the new has given LCO more than 100 UK concerts in London, but increasingly around LCO Principal Conductor and Music Director ©

LCO is one of the few professional premières, including works from Mozart to Donnier-Valentin Christine the UK and the world with sell-out concerts Christopher Warren-Green that marks LCO out orchestras in the UK which does not seek or Graham Fitkin. LCO premièred Sir Peter in La Scala, Milan and Vienna’s Musikverein, as an orchestra worth hearing and seeing.

12 13 LCO LIVE Players

Violin Viola Trombone Recorded at St. John’s, Smith Square, London on Rosemary Furniss Joel Hunter Gordon Hunt Katy Jones 25th May 2008 (Piano Concerto and Divertisiments) 21st April 2010 (Tombeau de Couperin, Pavane and Pavane pour une infante defunte) Alan Brind Andriy Viytovych David Theodore Mike Lloyd Julia Burkert Kate Musker Alison Alty (and Darren Smith Producer and Editor - Raphaël Mouterde Jamie Campbell Rebecca Low ) Recording Engineers: Mike Cox (25th May); Mike Hatch (21st April) Miranda Dale Emilie Hornlund Tuba Manon Derome Graeme McKean Oren Marshall Design & Artwork - Studio Dempsey/London Programme notes - Peter Quantrill Jo Godden Jessica Beeston Robert Plane Mihkel Kerem Mark van de Wiel Harp 2011 LCO The copyright in this recording is owned by London Chamber Society Ltd Sophie Lockett Cello Tim Orpen Suzanne Willison © 2011 The copyright in this CD booklet, notes and design is owned by Ciaran McCabe Robert Max Signum Records Ltd Gina McCormack Pierre Doumenge Timpani/Percussion Any unauthorised broadcasting, public performance, copying or re-recording of Richard Milone Julia Graham Andrea de Flammineis Tristan Fry Signum Compact Discs constitutes an infringement of copyright and will render the Magnus Johnston Katherine Jenkinson Richard Skinner (and infringer liable to an action by law. Stephen Payne Louisa Tuck contrabassoon) Celeste Licences for public performances or broadcasting may be obtained from Phonographic Miranda Playfair Cathy Duckett Helena Brown Performance Ltd. All rights reserved. No part of this booklet may be reproduced, Alexandra Reid Double Bass Emma Harding stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission from Ruth Rogers Stacey Watton Signum Records Ltd. Vicky Sayles Chris West Horn Kathy Shave Roger Linley Signum Records Ltd., Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth Road, Perivale, Middx UB6 Rebecca Turner Ben Russell Michael Thompson 7JD, UK +44 (0) 20 8997 4000 E-mail: [email protected] Catherine van de Michaela Betts www.signumrecords.com Geest Flute Alexia Cammish Margaret Campbell Gavin Edwards Jonathan Snowden Jocelyn Lightfoot (and Piccolo) Christopher Bain (and Piccolo) Ross Brown Chris Hankin Robert Farley (and Piccolo)

14 15 CTP Template: CD_INL2 COLOURS Compact Disc Back Inlay OUTSIDE &<$1 0$*(17$ &XVWRPHU6LJQXP&ODVVLFV <(//2: &DWDORJXH1R6,*&' %/$&. -RE7LWOH/&2 SIGNUM

SIGCD211 LCO Live Ravel Fauré Poulenc Ibert CLASSICS Maurice Ravel Le Tombeau de Couperin [17.20] LCO 1. Prélude: Vif [3.28]

2. Forlane: Allegretto [6.04] Live 3. Menuet: Allegro moderato [4.34] 4. Rigaudon: Assez vif [3.14] Gabriel Fauré 5. Pavane Op.50 [6.20]

Ravel Fauré Poulenc Ibert Poulenc Fauré Ravel Francis Poulenc Piano Concerto [19.39] 6. Allegretto [10.17] 7. Andante con moto [5.20] 8. Rondeau à la française [4.02] Pascal Rogé piano Ravel FauréPoulenc Ibert Maurice Ravel Signum Records Ltd, Suite 14, 21 Wadsworth Road, Perivale, 9. Pavane pour une infante défunte [6.29] Middx UB6 7JD, United Kingdom. Jacques Ibert Divertissement [16.20] 10. Introduction [1.10] Live 11. Cortege [5.10] Recorded at St. John’s, Smith Square 12. Nocturne [2.52] LCO 13. Valse [3.09] 14. Parade [1.49] LC15723 6 35212 02112 5 15. Finale [2.10]

CLASSICS www.signumrecords.com

Total time [66.09] SIGCD211 P 2011 London Chamber SIGCD211 Society Ltd © 2011 Signum Records 24 bit digital recording Christopher Warren-Green conductor SIGNUM

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