Classical Music 2019–20 2019– 20 2019– Classical Music 20 2019– 2019–20 Welcome to our 2019–20 Contents Classical Music season. Beethoven 250 5 With the world around us constantly changing, Orchestra will push classical music in exciting The ultimate celebration of Ludwig van Beethoven we believe the Barbican’s vision of Arts without new directions with their ongoing commitment Boundary-breaking fusions 13 Boundaries is more vital than ever – whether to commissioning and performing new works. When classical meets photography, literature, those boundaries be literal or metaphorical. The Academy of Ancient Music will provide theatre, fine art and jazz Our aim is to present a vibrant, international a bridge to the sounds of the past as leaders The power of the voice 21 classical music programme and, together in historically informed performance. Britten Opera and vocal recital highlights with our family of resident and associate Sinfonia will challenge the notion of what orchestras and ensembles, we are delighted a chamber orchestra should be through Electrifying orchestras 27 to introduce you to a 2019–20 season packed inventive programmes and collaborations. The best bands from the UK and beyond with remarkable music and musicians. And through our ever-deepening partnership Picks for piano-lovers 33 with Guildhall School of Music & Drama, Technical and physical mastery in musical form Highlights of our Barbican Presents the musical and creative professionals programme include major residencies of tomorrow will enrich our programme Choral masterpieces 41 from each of our international partners: the with their talent and flair while enjoying A celebration of human language and community Los Angeles Philharmonic, the Australian unrivalled opportunities to hone their craft. New Music Barbican 49 Chamber Orchestra and the Jazz at Lincoln What’s going on at classical music’s coalface Center Orchestra. Our artistic spotlights will Whether your taste be Mahler or Marsalis, I am focus on Yuja Wang, Igor Levit and Alison sure that you will find much to delight, surprise Best of Baroque 55 Balsom, while we welcome back the likes of and move you at the Barbican this season. Music of drama and vitality the New York Philharmonic, Bavarian Radio Four for families 63 Symphony Orchestra, Lang Lang and Joyce Huw Humphreys Including a literary treat with David Walliams DiDonato. Composer Emily Howard will Head of Music curate a day of music and talks inspired by Booking information 69 the life and work of Ada Lovelace as part Where and how to book, multibuys, and other discounts of our cross-arts Life Rewired season. We’ll celebrate the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birth throughout the season, including a Beethoven Weekender that features the symphonic cycle performed by five different British orchestras; and much more besides. Complementing our international programme are our resident and associate orchestras and ensembles. The London Symphony Orchestra present their third season with Sir Simon Rattle as Music Director, which will continue to drive this world-renowned orchestra to Classical Music even greater heights. The BBC Symphony Classical Music 1 2 All concerts take place in the Wed 18 & Thu 19 Sep 7.30pm Sun 22 Sep 11am–4.30pm, LSO St Luke’s Hall unless otherwise stated LSO/Rattle LSO Discovery Singing Day Brahms Piano Concerto No 2 Come and sing Beethoven’s Christ on the Fri 6 Sep 12.30pm, LSO St Luke’s Rachmaninov Symphony No 2 Mount of Olives (accompanied by piano) Sep 2019 Sep 2019 LSO Discovery Free Friday London Symphony Orchestra Simon Halsey conductor Sir Simon Rattle conductor Tickets £22 plus booking fee* Lunchtime Concert Emanuel Ax piano Part of Beethoven 250 Free entry, no ticket required Tickets £16–57 (£10 Wildcard) plus booking fee* Part of LSO multibuy Sat 14 Sep 7.30pm Fri 27 Sep 12.30pm, LSO St Luke’s LSO/Rattle LSO Discovery Free Friday Fri 20 Sep 7.30pm, Milton Court Lunchtime Concert Emily Howard Antisphere (world premiere; Britten Sinfonia: Refugee Barbican commission) Free entry, no ticket required Colin Matthews Violin Concerto Tippett Divertimento on Sellinger’s Round Walton Symphony No 1 Mark-Anthony Turnage Refugee for tenor and chamber orchestra (UK premiere) London Symphony Orchestra Fri 27 Sep 7.30pm Knussen Songs without Voices Sir Simon Rattle conductor Britten Nocturne Guildhall Symphony Orchestra Leila Josefowicz violin and Chorus Britten Sinfonia Tickets £16–57 (£10 Wildcard) plus booking fee* Andrew Gourlay conductor Elgar The Music Makers Part of LSO multibuy Allan Clayton tenor Rachmaninov The Bells Part of Life Rewired: a season exploring what it Tickets £10–30 plus booking fee* Guildhall Symphony Orchestra means to be human when technology is changing Dominic Wheeler conductor Part of Britten Sinfonia Guildhall Symphony Chorus everything at Milton Court multibuy Tickets £10–15 plus booking fee* Promoted by Guildhall School of Music & Drama Sun 15 Sep 7pm Sat 21 Sep 8pm, LSO St Luke’s LSO/Rattle Third Coast Percussion Messiaen Éclairs sur L’au-delà … Philip Glass Madeira River (UK premiere) London Symphony Orchestra Steve Reich Mallet Quartet Sir Simon Rattle conductor Philip Glass Perpetulum (UK premiere) Devonté Hynes Tickets £16–57 (£10 Wildcard) plus booking fee* Perfectly Voiceless (UK premiere) Part of LSO multibuy Gavin Bryars The Other Side of the River (UK premiere) David Skidmore Take Anything You Want David Skidmore Torched and Wrecked Third Coast Percussion Tickets £20 plus booking fee* Part of Barbican Presents * Booking fees The following booking fees are applicable Classical Music per transaction: £3 online, £4 by telephone. Classical Music There is no booking fee when tickets are purchased in person from the Box Office. Barbican Members & Young Barbican don't September 3 pay booking fees 4 Beethoven 250 Sep 2019 at the Barbican Sep 2019 Ludwig van Beethoven was born 250 Perhaps that’s what makes Beethoven so years ago, and he’s not going away fascinating, so frustrating and so necessary. any time soon. The Barbican gathers Sir Simon Rattle and the LSO pit Beethoven the world’s finest musicians in a year- against Alban Berg – two very different kinds long exploration of classical music’s of radicalism in powerful, sometimes abrasive, most mythologised genius: the music, dialogue. With the Academy of Ancient Music the man, and his place in our time. playing the complete Egmont music and the BBC Symphony Orchestra performing In his own lifetime, Beethoven was a radical: the Missa Solemnis, there’s also a chance to a champion of individual expression in an confront the curious truth that the music that age of violent social change. Today, ringtones brings us closest to the man himself has a habit bleep Für Elise, protesters in Parliament of getting squeezed out of the concert hall. Square sing the ‘Ode to Joy’, and gift shops sell Ludwig van Beethoven Action Figures. But was Beethoven even the man we think he We can attack him, revere him or just enjoy was, anyway? He loved the idea of freedom, him. We can – and must – interrogate and but David Lang’s prisoner of the state re- challenge him. But we can’t ignore him. examines Beethoven’s Fidelio and discovers that in the 21st century, the issues that it The Barbican is a place to start conversations, raises about gender and personal identity so that’s exactly what we’re going to do. are more than a match for the ideals of the Begin with Beethoven’s nine symphonies: Enlightenment. It’s easy enough to revere an provocative musical experiments built on icon, and Andy Warhol’s portrait of Beethoven the ashes of the Enlightenment, or timeless will be on display during the celebrations. But expressions of the human spirit? We’re so will Beethoven’s ear trumpet. Fetish object, presenting the complete cycle twice. Once or all-too-human relic of an outsider whose with the period-instruments of Sir John Eliot disability (as well as his gifts) forced him to Gardiner’s Orchestre Révolutionnaire et look further and deeper than other artists? Romantique – performers who have redefined 250 years on, Beethoven is still right here, right the way we hear this music. And again, over now. It’s time to ask him a few questions. a single idea-packed weekend, with five of the UK’s top orchestras making rare London appearances under their own music directors. That’s just one part of a Beethoven Weekender that also includes chamber music from the Carducci Quartet and Beethoven NEIN!, an irreverent response from the UK’s foremost upsetter of musical applecarts, Matthew Herbert (Brexit Big Band). And after that, experience the phenomenon that however great the musician – be that Evgeny Kissin playing the Appassionata, Anne-Sophie Mutter in the violin sonatas, or Sir András Classical Music Schiff in the piano concertos – this music Classical Music is somehow bigger than any one artist. 5 6 Wed 2 Oct 7.30pm Australian Chamber Orchestra Sat 5 Oct 7.30pm, Milton Court Academy of Ancient Music: International Associate Ensemble ACO: The Lark Ascending at Milton Court Beethoven and Dussek Webern Five movements for string orchestra, Part of Barbican Presents Beethoven Op 5 Oct 2019 Oct Egmont (complete) Dussek Mass in C Britten Variations on a Theme of Frank Bridge Thu 3 Oct 7.30pm, Milton Court Vaughan Williams The Lark Ascending Academy of Ancient Music Schoenberg Verklärte Nacht Richard Egarr director & harpsichord ACO: Goldberg Variations Choir of AAM J S Bach Fourteen Canons on a Goldberg Australian Chamber Orchestra Soloists to be announced Ground, BWV 1087