The year 1919 was transformative around the world and an exceptionally creative year for composers. On the global stage, troops returned home from World War I; the Treaty of Versailles was signed; and the idea of self-determination took hold. A new era of modernity was born with innovation and consumerism defining the interwar period. 1919 saw new or revised works by many of the finest early 20th Centrury composers such as Arnold Bax Tintagel, Edward Elgar Cello Concerto, Gabriel Fauré Masques et bergamasques, Gustav Holst Ode to Death, Jean Sibelius Symphony No. 5, Igor Stravinsky Symphony in E-flat (revised version) and Heitor Villa-Lobos Symphony No. 3 and SymphonyNo. 4
Hugo Alfvén (1872-1960) Symphony No 4 in C minor: Movt 4 Allegro agitato Iceland Symphony Orchestra Niklas Willen (conductor)
Darius Milhaud (1892-1974) Le bœuf sur le toit, Op. 58 Bremen Chamber Philharmonic Orchestra Renaud Capuçon (violin) Daniel Harding (conductor)
Edward Elgar (1857-1934) Cello Concerto in E minor Op 85: Movt 4 Allegro Jacqueline du Pré(cello) London Symphony Orchestra John Barbirolli (conductor)
Richard Strauss (1864-1949) Die Frau ohne Schatten Vienna State Opera Karl Bohm Birgit Nilssen (soprano)
Jean Sibelius (1865-1957) Symphony No 5 London Symphony Orchestra Sir Colin Davis
Left: Hugo Alfvén – Right: The Swedish Archipelago
Hugo Alfvén was an important Swedish composer, conductor, violinist, and painter, best known for his significant contributions to Swedish music during the late 19th century and first half of the 20th century Alfvén’s music reflects the folklore, landscapes, and traditions of Sweden, characterised by its lush harmonies, colourful orchestration, and evocative melodies. In addition to his symphonies, Alfvén composed numerous tone poems, choral works, and chamber music pieces and was also a talented painter, often depicting Swedish landscapes in his artwork. He was principal conductor of the Royal Opera in Stockholm in the early 20th century. Alfvén’s Symphony No. 4 was completed in 1919 and is considered one of his most significant works. It consists of four movements and is inspired by the rugged landscape and folklore of the Swedish archipelago. The symphony depicts the movement of the sea during storms, moonlight and sunshine and a young couple’s love accompanied by the undulating movement of the waves, featuring both dramatic and lyrical music, reflecting Alfvén’s deep connection to nature and his Swedish heritage. He also produced an earlier work, a tone poem entitled A Legend of the Skerries (1902), which inhabits the same sound-world, albeit without the symphonic development of the current work.
Sicily is the largest and most populous island in the Mediterranean Sea. It has a picturesque coastline and historic towns, and offers beaches, mountains, active volcanoes, and even skiing in winter. It produces wine, almonds, pistachios, olives, citrus, and seafood but also has a rich culture in arts, music, literature, cuisine, and architecture. In Conversation looks at some of the composers and musicians from Sicily, culminating with an overture influenced by the exotic history of this extraordinary island.
Vincenzo Bellini (1801-1835) Norma, Act I: Casta Diva Renée Fleming (soprano) London Philharmonic Orchestra London Voices Sir Charles Mackerras (Conductor)
Francesco Buzzaro (b.1969) Fuego Francesco Buzzaro (guitar)
Giovanni Sollima (b.1962) Il bell’Antonio, Tema III Kathryn Stott (piano) and Yo-Yo Ma (cello)
Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901) Sicilian Vespers Overture Berliner Philharmoniker Claudio Abbado (Conductor)
Alessandro Scarlatti was born Palermo, Sicily and he composed mostly operas and religious works. He composed 115 operas in total including commissions from Naples where he was Maestro di Cappella in the royal service. He was in Naples from 1684 until 1702, writing more than 40 operas and musical entertainments for the court and its circle. Scarlatti’s innovative and advanced approach to composition anticipates the work of later composers such as Mozart and Schubert. His innovations include establishing the form of the Italian overture (i.e., the opera overture in three sections, allegro-adagio-allegro), which was a forerunner of the classical symphony. He composed more than 600 chamber cantatas but wrote little orchestral music His use of wind instruments in his compositions was similarly novel: trumpets, flutes, oboes, and bassoons were used for particular effects, and horns were introduced into the orchestra for the first time.
Left: Vincenzo Bellini – Right: a scene from Norma
Born in Catania, which at the time was part of Sicily, Bellini was the eldest of seven children – a child prodigy within a highly musical family. Most of what is known about Bellini’s life comes from surviving letters which were written throughout his lifetime to Francesco Florimo whom he had met as a fellow student in Naples Bellini was the quintessential composer of the Italian bel canto era of the early 19th century His opera, Norma, was the first of two commissioned in 1830 and premiered on December 26, 1831 at La Scala, Milan. The role of Norma is one of the most taxing and wide-ranging parts in the repertory of bel canto opera. The role was written for the famed soprano Giuditta Pasta, who reportedly balked at the difficulty of Casta Diva. Casta Diva is the most famous aria of the opera and is sung by the title character, the High Priestess of the Gauls, in the first act.
Born in Taormina, Sicily, Francesco Buzzurro’s graduated with a Degree in Foreign Language and Literature but almost immediately began touring as a classical guitarist, performing in many countries including America, Greece, Germany, Spain and Turkey. In addition to his studies of classical music Buzzarro has a particular passion for folk music and eventually developed an interest in jazz music. His studies in these areas allowed him to develop an individual and unique style of improvisation which show influences from bossanova, ethnic music and latin jazz. He performs regularly with some of the greatest international jazz artists such as Arturo Sandoval, Peter Erskine and Vince Mendoza He regularly gives masterclasses in jazz guitar and is one of the most appreciated and multifaceted guitarists in Italy.
Giovanni Sollima was born in 1962 in Palermo, Sicily and is an Italian composer and cellist. He was born into a family of musicians and studied cello with Giovanni Perriera and composition with his father, Eliodoro Sollima, at the Conservatorio di Palermo, where he graduated with highest honors. He later studied with Antonio Janigro and Milko Kelemen at the Musikhochschule Stuttgart and at the Universität Mozarteum Salzburg. As a composer, Sollima’s influences are wide ranging, taking in jazz and rock, as well as various ethnic traditions from the Mediterranean area. Sollima’s music is influenced by minimalism, with his compositions often featuring modal melodies and repetitive structures. Because his works are characterized by a more diverse and eclectic approach to material than the early American minimalist composers, the American critic Kyle Gann has called Sollima a postminimalist composer. Sollima has collaborated with the American poet and musician Patti Smith, appearing on her records and performing with her in concert. He also collaborates with Yo Yo Ma and Kathryn Stott who included Tema III on Songs from their album, Arc of Life.
The Sicilian Vespers is a grand opera in five acts commissioned for the 1855 Great Exhibition in Paris and tells the story of the occupation of Sicily by the French in the thirteenth century. The opera followed immediately after Verdi’s three great mid-career masterpieces, Rigoletto, Il trovatore and La traviata of 1850 to 1853 and was first performed at the Paris Opéra on 13 June 1855. The story is based on a historical event, the Sicilian Vespers of 1282, using material drawn from the medieval Sicilian tract Lu rebellamentu di Sichilia. The 1855 Paris premiere was both a popular and a critical triumph but the opera’s early hype didn’t stand the test of time. Its historical plot, concerning the French occupation of Sicily in the 13th century, quickly struck audiences as archaic and Verdi himself objected to the libretto, especially its portrayal of Sicilian treachery.
Brahms composed a double concerto for violin and cello. Bach for two violins. Other great composers also wrote double concertos too such as Mozart, Mendelssohn, Stravinsky, Bartok, Telemann, Vivaldi and Haydn. But a concerto for more than a single instrument and orchestra can still be seen as a special event due to the rarity of performances. For the adventurous composers (and performers) the number of potential instrumental pairings seems infinite and although the genre may never truly rival the solo concerto in terms of popularity, there are many double concertos to stimulate both performer and audience alike.
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) Concerto For 2 Pianos In A Flat Major: III. Allegro Vivace Benjamin Frith and Hugh Tinney (piano) RTE Sinfonietta
Richard Strauss (1864-1949) Duett Concertino for Clarinet and Bassoon Thomas Friedli (clarinet) Klaus Thuneman (bassoon) Matthias Aeschbacher (conductor) Lausanne Chamber Orchestra
Frederick Delius (1862-1934) Concerto for violin, cello and orchestra: Final section Tasmin Little (violin) Raphael Wallfisch (cello) Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Sir Charles Mackerras
Francis Poulenc (1899-1963) Concerto for 2 Pianos and Orchestra in D Minor FP 61: 3. Finale. Allegro molto Alexander Tamir and Bracha Eden (piano) Sergiu Comissiona (conductor) Orchestre de la Suisse Romande
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Concerto for 2 Pianos No. 10 in E-Flat Major, K. 365/316a: III. Rondo. Allegro André Previn and Radu Lupu (piano) London Symphony Orchestra
Left: Felix Mendelssohn – Centre: Benjamin Frith (piano) – Right: Hugh Tinney (piano)
The Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra in A♭ major was written by Mendelssohn when he was 15 years old in 1824. Written for two pianos and a full orchestra, the work received its first public performance in Berlin and the composer and his mentor, Ignaz Moscheles, who inspired its composition, were the soloists. This concerto and its predecessor, the E major concerto, may have been the first works composed for full orchestra by Mendelssohn The concerto was not played for many years until the manuscript was found in the archive of the Berlin State Library in 1950. Benjamin Frith (piano) has been a first prize winner in the Rubinstein Masters Competition, a prize winner in the Mozart Memorial Competition (London) and was awarded top prize in the Busoni International Piano Competition. He has established himself as an international concert artist and has worked with many of the world’s leading conductors and orchestras. Hugh Tinney (piano) first came to international recognition by winning first-prize in two international competitions, the 1983 Pozzoli in Italy and the 1984 Paloma O’Shea in Spain, and since then he has performed in more than 30 countries throughout Europe, the United States, South America and the Far East. In 1987, he was a prize-winner in the Leeds Piano Competition.
Left: Richard Strauss – Centre: Thomas Friedli (clarinet) – Klaus Thuneman (bassoon)
The Duet-Concertino for clarinet and bassoon, TrV 293, with string orchestra and harp in F major, was written by Richard Strauss in 1946/47 and premiered in 1948. It is the last purely instrumental work he wrote. The impetus for completing it was a commission in the summer of 1947 from Otmar Nussio for his orchestra, the Italian Swiss Orchestra. The concerto was written with an old friend in mind, Hugo Burghauser, who had been the principal bassoonist with the Vienna Philharmonic but had since emigrated to New York. The work is written in three movements (Allegro moderato – Andante – Rondo), although the second movement acts as little more than a brief transition between the outer movements. Thomas Friedli (clarinet) won 1st Prize at the Geneva International Music Competition in 1972 and was from 1971 to 1986 principal clarinetist of the Bern Symphony Orchestra. He appeared at festivals in Lucerne, Ibiza, Stresa, Gstaad, Bratislava or São Paulo to name a few and premiered numerous pieces by composers such as Franz Tischhauser or Sándor Veress Besides his activity as a soloist and principal clarinetist, Thomas Friedli was also an accomplished chamber musician and had a particular preference for bringing neglected works to life. A dedicated teacher, he gave masterclasses and led a professional performer’s class at Conservatoire de Genève from 1978 until his death during a hiking accident in Madeira in April 2008. Klaus Thunemann (bassoon) was principal bassoon of the North German Radio Symphony Orchestra of Hamburg from 1962 to 1978. During this time he also appeared frequently in chamber music and as a soloist. Thunemann has an extensive discography, recording the bassoon repertoire of Vivaldi, Mozart and others for labels including Philips Records and Deutsche Grammophon. On his recordings, he has collaborated with many artists including pianist Alfred Brendel, oboist Heinz Holliger, and the chamber group I Musici.
The Double Concerto for Violin, Cello, and Orchestra by Frederick Delius was composed between April and June 1915 while Delius lived in Watford, England. The work is dedicated to the sister duo of violinist May Harrison and cellist Beatrice Harrison, who premiered the piece under conductor Henry Wood on February 21, 1920 in Queen’s Hall, London. Delius was inspired to compose the Double Concerto after attending a December 1914 performance of the Brahms’s Double Concerto in A minor performed by sisters May and Beatrice Harrison with the Hallé Orchestra under conductor Thomas Beecham in Manchester. Delius began work on the composition by April 1915 and was completed in June 1915. During her 30 year career, Tasmin Little (violin) has performed 20 times at the BBC Proms, including two concerts at The Last Night of the Proms to a global audience of 100 million, and at Proms in the Park to a live audience of 40,000. She performed twice for HM the Queen and in 2012 was awarded an OBE for Services to Music. She was awarded a CBE in the King’s First Birthday Honours List in June 2023. She is an advocate of music education and has twice been invited to speak in the House of Commons to members of both the Lords and the Commons regarding the importance of education and the Arts in the UK. In 2019 she became Co-President of the Yehudi Menuhin School. With a discography of over 70 discs Raphael Wallfisch (cello) is one of the most recorded classical artists in the world. A BBC survey named Wallfisch’s recording of the Dvorak Cello Concerto the best recording of the work in the past 25 years. He has been at the forefront of playing and commissioning new works by contemporary composers, working with Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Kenneth Leighton, James MacMillan, Rodion Schedrin, John Tavener and many others.
Francis Poulenc’s Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra in D minor FP 61, was composed over the period of three months in the summer of 1932. The concerto was commissioned by and dedicated to the Princess Edmond de Polignac, an American-born arts patron to whom many early-20th-century masterpieces are dedicated, including Stravinsky’s Renard, Ravel’s Pavane pour une infante défunte, Kurt Weill’s Second Symphony, and Satie’s Socrate. The premiere was given on September 5, 1932, at the International Society for Contemporary Music in Venice. Poulenc and his childhood friend Jacques Février were concerto soloists with the La Scala Orchestra, with Désiré Defauw (later conductor of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra) conducting. Poulenc was thrilled by the warm acclaim his work received and later performed the concerto with Benjamin Britten in England in 1945. Bracha Eden and Alexander Tamir were Israeli pianists who performed as a duo. They met while studying at the Rubin Academy with Alexander Schroeder, a pupil of Artur Schnabel. Schroeder encouraged them to play together and they formed their piano duo in 1952. Eden and Tamir recorded the complete works for two pianos and piano duet of Brahms, Mendelssohn, Mozart, Rachmaninoff, Schubert and Schumannm and were awarded the Grand Prix du Disque for their recording of Brahms Sonata in F minor for Two Pianos, Op. 34b. They gave the American premiere of Lutosławski’s Paganini Variations (1955) and, at the suggestion of Stravinsky himself, were the first to perform and record the piano duet version of The Rite of Spring.
Left: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart – Centre: André Previn (piano) – Right: Radu Lupu (piano)
It is not known when Mozart completed his Concerto for Two Pianos and Orchestra in E-flat major, K. 365/316a, but research shows that cadenzas for the first and third movements are written in his and his father’s handwriting on a type of paper used between August 1775 and January 1777. However, most sources indicate that it was composed in 1779. It is presumed that Mozart wrote it to play with his sister Maria Anna, later performing it in a private concert with pupil Josepha Barbara Auernhammer. The concerto was originally scored for the two pianos together with two oboes, two bassoons; two horns; and strings. Mozart expanded the score in 1782 with pairs of clarinets, trumpets and timpani. André Previn’s career had three major genres: Hollywood films, jazz, and classical music. In each he achieved success, and the latter two were part of his life until the end. In movies, he arranged and composed music. In jazz, he was a celebrated trio pianist, a piano-accompanist to singers of standards, and pianist-interpreter of songs from the Great American Songbook. In classical music, he also performed as a pianist but gained television fame as a conductor, and during his last thirty years created his legacy as a composer of art music. Radu Lupu (piano) is firmly established as one of the most important musicians of his generation. He won first prize in three competitions: the 1966 Van Cliburn, the 1967 Enescu International, and the 1969 Leeds International. Radu Lupu performed with all the great orchestras of the world, including Berlin Philharmonic, Vienna Philharmonic, Royal Concertgebouw, all the major London and American orchestras. In 2006 he was presented with 2 awards: the Premio Internazionale Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli, and, for a second time, the Abbiati prize (conferred by the Italian Critics’ Association).
Created in 1795, the Paris Conservatoire is one of the world’s leading conservatoires and can boast an extraordinary roster of graduates, from Ravel to Boulez and Messiaen to Fauré. This highly competitive school offers specialised tuition and professional training at the highest level in music, dance, and sound technologies. The Paris Conservatoire’s annual concours (competitions have added a great number of solo works to the wind and brass repertoire. From 1797 until 2011, these competitions awarded prizes to the top-ranked students in each discipline. Attaining a premiere prix (first prize) practically guaranteed the musician a good job, and at various times also earned the player a new instrument, musical scores, and (or) money. The ‘golden age’ of competition pieces was 1898–1984, during which the Conservatoire mostly commissioned new works from established composers. In Conversation looks at some of the great works composed by the great French composers for the students to perform
Gabriel Fauré (1845-1924) Fantaisie Op 79 Suh Jiwon (Flute)
Louis Diémer (1843-1919) Legende for Oboe and Piano ToniMarie Marchioni (Oboe) Kevin Murphy (Piano)
Paul-Agricole Génin (1832-1903) Solo de Concourse Op 13 Claude Delangle (saxophone) Odile Delangle (piano)
Claude Debussy (1862-1918) Premierè Rhapsodie Gervaise de Peyer (Clarinet) Gwyneth Pryor (Piano)
Gabriel Fauré and Suh Jiwon (flute)
Gabriel Fauré’s refined music influenced the course of modern French music. In 1896 he was appointed professor of composition at the Paris Conservatoire and eventually Director in 1905. Among his students were Maurice Ravel, Georges Enesco, and Nadia Boulanger. He wrote more than 100 songs, nocturnes, barcaroles, and impromptus for piano and his Requiem (1887) has become one of Fauré’s most frequently performed works. His fondness for daring harmonic progressions and sudden modulations stimulated a quiet and unspectacular musical revolution, preparing the way for more the sensational innovations offered by the modern French school of Debussy and Ravel The Fantaisie for Flute and Piano was commissioned by and dedicated to Paul Taffanel in 1898 for the Paris Conservatoire flute competition Taffanel, who took over a flute class in 1893, regularly commissioned new compositions for the annual competition, The Fantaisie was given an eightfold premiere at the competition in 1898 by all of Taffanel’s students and has since become a firm part of the flute repertoire.
Louis Diémer and ToniMarie Marchioni (oboe)
Louis Diémer was a student at the Paris Conservatoire from 1855 to 1861. As a very fine pianist, his repertoire included pieces written for him by Charles-Marie Widor, Camille Saint-Saëns, and Édouard Lalo. He was appointed professor of piano at the Conservatoire in 1887. In 1889 Diémer gave a series of harpsichord recitals at the Universal Exhibition whose favourable reception encouraged him to establish a Société des Instruments Anciens. He also edited a collection of early French keyboard pieces (Clavecinistes français, 1928). Active also as a composer, Diémer wrote both piano and chamber works and among his students were Alfred Cortot and Robert Casadesus. The Legende Op. 52 for oboe and piano was written for the 1904 competition at the Paris Conservatoire
Photo left: Paul-Agricole Génin Photo right: Odile Delangle (piano) and Claude Delangle (saxophone)
Paul-Agricole Génin was the Principal flute of the Theatre Italien in Paris and of the Colonne Orchestra. In addition to writing many works for the flute (he wrote over 60 works for this instrument, he was also one of the first composers to write for the saxophone. The Solo de Concourse Op 13 was used as an examination piece at the Paris Conservatory in the class of Adolphe Sax, to whom it is dedicated. Claude Delangle is one of the greatest contemporary saxophonists. He has collaborated with many renowned composers including Luciano Berio, Pierre Boulez, Toru Takemitsu, Astor Piazzolla and has performed at many of the world’s preeminent music festivals such as the Aldeburgh Festival, Zagreb Biennale, Helsinki Festival, Musica Strasbourg He was appointed professor at the Paris Conservatoire in 1988
Photos left: Claude Debussy – Photo right: Gervase de Peyer (clarinet)
In 1909, Claude Debussy was elected a member of the Paris Conservatoire Council. As such, he was called upon to write two pieces for the clarinet class for the 1910 end-of-year competitions. This was the origin of the Premiere Rhapsody for clarinet. The Premiere Rhapsody alternates between reverie and playfulness and Debussy himself said how much he enjoyed writing the piece and, indeed, was very satisfied with the outcome. The composer and conductor, Pierre Boulez, on commenting on the work expressed amazement to find so much musical quality in a competition piece. This piece is dedicated to Prosper Mimart who gave the first performance in 1911. Mimart was a principal clarinet at the Opéra Comique, and clarinet teacher at the Paris Conservatoire from 1905 to 1918.
On 12th July 2012 the United Nations proclaimed 20th March as International Day of Happiness. This initiative aimed to recognise the relevance of happiness and well-being as universal goals for people around the world and to stimulate a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth. The resolution was initiated by Bhutan, a country which has recognised the value of national happiness over national income since the early 1970s and famously adopted the goal of Gross National Happiness over Gross National Product! Music, of course, can play a important role in stimulating happiness so our edition of In Conversation looks at some of the ‘happiest’ pieces of classical music ever composed and guarantees to bring a smile to your face…
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) Overture to The Marriage of Figaro Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra Sir Colin Davis(conductor)
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847) Symphony No4 ‘Italian’ : Movt 1 Allegro vivace Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
George Gershwin (1898-1937) Promenade: Walking The Dog Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra Michael Tilson Thomas(conductor)
Aaron Copland (1900-1990) Hoedown New York Philharmonic Orchestra Leonard Bernstein(conductor)
Mihail Glinka (1805-1857) Overture to Ruslan and Ludmilla Budapest Philharmonic Orchestra Rico Saccani (conductor)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and a scene from The Marriage of Figaro
From a young age, Mozart demonstrated extraordinary musical talent, composing his first pieces at the age of five and embarking on concert tours across Europe with his family by the age of six. He quickly gained recognition as a child prodigy and continued to develop his musical abilities throughout his short but impactful life. Despite his musical brilliance, Mozart faced financial difficulties throughout his life, often struggling to secure stable employment and experiencing periods of financial insecurity. His contributions to classical music are immeasurable and his music embodies the elegance, grace, and emotional depth of the Classical era. The Overture to Mozart’s The Marriage of Figaro is a vibrant piece of music that sets the stage for the dramatic events of the opera. As the overture progresses, it introduces various themes and melodies from the opera and showcases Mozart’s mastery of composition and his ability to evoke a range of emotions, from humour to romance to suspense. It serves as a brilliant introduction to one of Mozart’s most beloved operas, setting the tone for the drama that is about to unfold on stage.
Felix Mendelssohn and the recording of Symphony No 4 by Orpheus Chamber Orchestra
Mendelssohn’s musical output was diverse and prolific, encompassing symphonies, concertos, chamber music, piano works, choral music, and operas. As a conductor, Mendelssohn played a significant role in reviving interest in the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, conducting a historic performance of Bach’s St. Matthew Passion in 1829. He also served as the director of the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra and played a crucial role in establishing the Leipzig Conservatory. Despite his considerable success during his lifetime, Mendelssohn struggled with periods of depression and illness. When he passed away at the age of 38, he left behind a rich legacy of music celebrated for its elegance, lyricism, and emotional depth. Mendelssohn composed the Symphony No. 4 in A major, Op. 90, between 1831 and 1833, during a trip to Italy that deeply influenced his musical style. The symphony premiered in London on May 13, 1833, conducted by the Mendelssohnm and despite his enthusiasm for the work, the premiere received mixed reviews Over time, the symphony gained popularity and acclaim, becoming one of his most beloved compositions.
George Gershwin (left) Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers ‘Walking the dog’
George Gershwin is one of the most significant figures in American music of the 20th century. His music spanned multiple genres, including classical, jazz, and popular music and he was known for his innovative fusion of these styles. Gershwin’s music became synonymous with the vibrant cultural scene of 1920s and 1930s America, capturing the energy and excitement of the Jazz Age. Despite his relatively brief life, Gershwin left an indelible mark on American music, and his compositions continue to be celebrated and performed around the world. Walking The Dog Is a charming piece of music composed by Gershwin in 1937. It is part of his score for the film Shall We Dance, which starred Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers. The piece serves as a playful and lighthearted accompaniment to a scene in the film where Astaire’s character takes his dog for a walk. The piece features a prominent clarinet solo, representing the dog’s playful antics as it accompanies its owner on a stroll through the city streets. Although Shall We Dance was not as commercially successful as some of Gershwin’s other works, ‘Walking the Dog’ has endured and is frequently performed piece in concert halls throughout the world
Left photo: Aaron Copland Right photo: Hoedown dance
Aaron Copland played a significant role in shaping the course of American classical music in the 20th century. His music is characterised by its accessibility, distinctive style, and incorporation of American folk and popular music elements, drawing inspiration from a wide range of sources, including jazz, folk songs, and the American landscape itself. His compositions often evoked images of the American West, rural landscapes, and the struggles and triumphs of everyday Americans. In addition to his work as a composer, Copland was a respected conductor and music educator. Copland left behind a rich and enduring legacy as one of America’s greatest composers and musical ambassadors. Hoedown was composed by Copland ain 1942 as part of his ballet score titled Rodeo. It is one of the most famous and recognisable sections of in the ballet, a lively and spirited piece, evoking the atmosphere of a traditional American square dance or hoedown.
Left photo: Mikhail Glinka Right photo: a scene from Ruslan and Ludmilla
Mikhail Glinka played a crucial role in establishing a distinct Russian musical identity during the 19th century. His compositions combined elements of Western European classical music with Russian folk melodies, creating a unique and captivating style that influenced generations of Russian composers. During his time abroad, Glinka absorbed the musical styles and traditions of these countries while remaining deeply rooted in his Russian heritage. Despite his pioneering contributions to Russian music, Glinka faced challenges and criticism from conservative elements within the Russian musical establishment. Nevertheless, his influence continued to grow, and he inspired a new generation of Russian composers, including the influential ‘Mighty Five’ group (César Cui, Aleksandr Borodin, Mily Balakirev, Modest Mussorgsky, and Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov). The Overture to Ruslan and Ludmilla is one of the Glinka’s most famous works dating from 1842 and is a vibrant and energetic composition that captures the essence of the opera’s plot and themes. It has become one of the most iconic and frequently performed orchestral works in the Russian repertoire. Its memorable melodies and dramatic flair continue to captivate audiences around the world, solidifying its place as a classic of Russian orchestral music.
Music from Bohemia traces its roots back to the Middle Ages in the monasteries of the Bohemian Forests where Gregorian chant and religious music were performed for centuries. With the arrival of the Reformation, secular music began to take hold and during the 17th Century Bohemian composers stepped up to the forefront. After the transition into the Romantic era, nationalism emerged as a potent force all over Europe. This impacted on Bohemian music so many notable Bohemian composers such as Dvořák and Smetana developed there own musical language firmly rooted in the musical culture of Bohemia
Antonín Dvorák (1841-1904). Slavonic Dances, Op. 46, B. 83: No. 8, Furiant Concerto Budapest Andras Keller (conductor)
Jan Dismas Zelenka (1679-1745) Barbara, dira effera, ZWV 164: I. Barbara, dira, effera Il Pomo D’oro Francesco Corti (conductor) Jakub Józef Orliński (countertenor)
Jan Vaclav Antonín Stamic (1717-1757), (Johann Wenzel Stamitz) Symphony in D Major, Op. 3, No. 2: IV. Prestissimo New Zealand Chamber Orchestra Donald Armstrong (conductor)
Bedrich Smetana (1824-1884) The Bartered Bride, JB 1:100: Dance of the Comedians Vienna Philharmonic Christoph Eschenbach (conductor)
Antonin Dvorak and Slavonic dancing
Dvorák, who began his career as a violist in an orchestra conducted by Smetana, distilled the warmth, gaiety and optimism of native Czech music to the classical forms developed by Bach, Mozart and Beethoven. The most important influence on the young Dvorák was that of his friend and benefactor, Johannes Brahms, who at that time was the last remaining stalwart of the classical tradition. Dvorák was a great patriot. He fought for years with his publisher, Simrock, to get the titles and lyrics of his compositions, and his Christian name, published in Czech as opposed to German. After he had achieved international stature as a composer, he won. The Czechs viewed Dvorák, like Smetana, as an artistic champion of Czech nationhood. When he died, the people of Prague learned of his death when they came one night to the opera and found the auditorium of the National Theatre draped in black. When Johannes Brahms told his publisher Fritz Simrock about an exciting but largely unknown Czech composer named Antonín Dvořák, Simrock jumped at a new opportunity to capitalize on a growing interest in folk music among music lovers all over Europe. Simrock asked Dvořák to compose a set of dances modeled after Brahms’ popular and commercially successful Hungarian Dances. Dvořák complied, writing a set of six Slavonic Dances originally for four-hand piano. Soon after he completed the piano version, Dvořák orchestrated them. They were an immediate success and remain some of Dvořák’s most popular works. Unlike Brahms’ Hungarian Dances, which are arrangements of actual folk songs, the melodies of Dvořák’s Slavonic Dances are wholly original, composed in folk style. No. 8, a Czech furiant, is often performed as a stand-alone piece.
Jan Dismas Zelenka and Jakub Jósef Orliński (counter tenor)
Zelenka’s was employed as a double bass player in about 1710 at the court of August the Strong. Soon his activities as a composer were drawing attention. In order to complete his musical training, the Electoral Prince allowed him to undertake study trips between 1716 and 1719 to Italy and Vienna where he took lessons with Johann Joseph Fux. Although Zelenka had a promising career it had begun to waver by 1730. The Saxon heir to the throne, Prince Friedrich August II, had discovered his love for the modern Italian style and a young German composer, Johann Adolf Hasse, was being celebrated as his style was brilliant, melodious and simple, and immediately swept away the works of older composers. Zelenka’s complex and ornate style he did not stand a chance against Hasse’s disarming simplicity so sadly Zelenka became withdrawn, composed far less and died an embittered, broken man. However, his surviving compositions often have a grandeur and contrapuntal mastery which can be compared to Zelenka’s friend and colleague, Johann Sebastian Bach. Zelenka’s Barbara dira effera probably dates from around 1733, when his star was being eclipsed by new operatic developments. Although a church motet, it displays Zelenka’s brilliant sense of theatricality. Described as a ‘rage aria for the church’, it may have been composed to remind the new elector that he could perfectly well produce thrillingly dramatic works.
Jan Vaclav Antonin Stamic and New Zealand Chamber Orchestra
Jan Vaclav Antonín Stamic, known in Germany as Johann Wenzel Stamitz, who with his sons Jan and Karel, founded the well-known Mannheim School. In Mannheim they set a new standard of quality for orchestral performance for all of Europe and expanded the compositional format of the symphony, paving the way for Franz Joseph Haydn. Stamic’s innovative approach to composition anticipated the new classical musical period and he became an important influence on the classical style. His colourful music and fresh, courageous ideas were even admired by Mozart He was also regarded as the best conductor of his times. His style included the development of large crescendos and decrescendos along with his development of classical sonata form. In his symphonies he also included a minuet between the usual second and third movements, forming the standard four part sonata. His instrumentation extensively used wind instruments (horns and clarinet particularly were later used by Mozart in a similar way). He also abandoned the common general bass line and gave the bass part an independent role in the orchestra. Importantly, musical ideas were often influenced by Czech traditional folk music.
Bedrich Smetana and Dance of the Comedians
Smetana is regarded as the founder of a Czech national music. An ardent patriot, he even manned the barricades during the 1848 Prague uprising which was eventually crushed by the Hapsburgs. Like Beethoven, he was confronted by the personal tragedy of the loss of his hearing (in fact, Smetana was tormented by incessant, painfully dissonant noise) As a pianist he was a famed interpreter of Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin and Schumann At the end of his tragic life, during which he lost a wife, several children, his hearing and finally his reason, the Czechs mourned him as a national hero. Smetana wrote his comic opera The Bartered Bride between 1863 to 1866. The opera was not successful in its first outing at the Provisional Theatre in Prague and went through four years of revisions. Finally, in its 1870 premiere, it found its audience and became a world-wide success and was the first Czech opera that made a hit on the international stage. Smetana was trying to create a true Czech operatic style and he did it through the use of dance forms, such as the polka and furiant, rather than through quotation of folk songs. Even though Smetana doesn’t use folk melodies, his opera is thoroughly Czech in spirit.
Asian conductors have made significant contributions in the classical music world for many years. Kent Nagano and Tadaaki Otawa (Japan) and Myung-Whun Chung (South Korea) among others. In this edition of In Conversation we look at two titans of the classical stage whose impact has been immense for close on fifty years. However, a new generation of talent is immerging so we pick two conductors who are up and coming and certainly worth keeping an eye on for the future
Kevin Puts (b. 1972) Time For Three: Contact: II. Codes. Scherzo Philadelphia Orchestra Xian Zhang (conductor)
George Gershwin (1898-1937) Variations on “I Got Rhythm” Cecile Licad (piano) South Denmark Philharmonic Orchestra Gérard Salonga (conductor)
Gustav Holst (1874-1934) The Planets, Op. 32: III. Mercury, the Winged Messenger New York Philharmonic Orchestra Zubin Mehta (conductor)
Peter Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36: IV. Finale. Allegro con fuoco Orchestre de Paris Seiji Ozawa (conductor)
Top photo: Xian Zhang – Lower photos: Kevin Puts (composer) and Time for Three (string trio)
Xian Zhang Music Director: New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Principal Guest Conductor: Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Conductor Emeritus: Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano Honorary Doctorate: The Juilliard School
Xian Zhang is certainly in high demand as a guest conductor, juggling a busy diary of guest engagements alongside her titled commitments. Throughout 2023/24, she is conducting Puccini’s Madama Butterfly at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and this follows on from a busy summer 2023 season which saw her conducting Boston Symphony at Tanglewood. Zhang’s upcoming symphonic highlights include returns to the Philadelphia Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Houston Symphony, Orchestra of St Luke’s, and National Symphony Orchestra DC. She remains a popular guest of London Symphony Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony, Montreal Symphony, Toronto Symphony and Norwegian Opera where she returned recently for Puccini’s Tosca. The performance included in our proigramme – Letters for The Future (released 2022) – is Zhang’s recording on Deutsche Grammophon with Philadelphia Orchestra and the extraodinary string trio, Time for Three. This performance won multiple GRAMMY awards in both the Best Contemporary Classical Composition nd Best Classical Instrumental Solo categories. Xian Zhang previously served as Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC National Orchestra & Chorus of Wales, the first female conductor to hold a titled role with a BBC orchestra.
Top photo: Gerard Salonga – Lower photos: George Gershwin Cecile Licad (piano)
Gerard Salonga is currently Resident Conductor of the Malaysian Philharmonic Orchestra in Kuala Lumpur. Maestro Jaap van Zweden invited him to the position of Assistant Conductor of the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra from 2016 to 2018 selected from a field of over 170 international applicants. He also served as Music Director of the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra in Manila from 2012 to 2020 and in January 2021, Gerard began his term as the Music Director of the Orchestra of the Filipino Youth (OFY). Gerards has conducted the Philippine Philharmonic, Shanghai Opera House Orchestra and Chorus, Thailand Philharmonic, Royal Bangkok Symphony, Singapore Symphony, South Denmark Philharmonic and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra in iconic venues such as the Sydney Opera House and Royal Albert Hall, London. His orchestral arrangements have been performed by orchestras such as the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Malaysian Philharmonic, RTÉ Concert Orchestra, New York Pops, Cincinnati Pops, Indianapolis Symphony, BBC Symphony, and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras. The recording we feature today was made in 2019 in a collaboration with pianist Cecile Licad and the Sønderjyllands Symfoniorkester (Denmark) on a new recording of the works of George Gershwin for piano and orchestra. Gerard was honoured as one of The Outstanding Young Men), the Philippines’ highest civilian award to achievers under the age of 40. In 2021 he was named one of the recipients of the SUDI National Music Awards by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA).
Top photo: Zubi Mehta – Lower photos: Gustav Holst, The Planets
Zubin Mehta was born in 1936 in Bombay. Zubin Mehta won the Liverpool International Conducting Competition in 1958 and was also a prize-winner of the summer academy at Tanglewood. By 1961 he had already conducted the Vienna, Berlin and Israel Philharmonic Orchestras and has recently celebrated 50 years of musical collaboration with all three ensembles. Zubin Mehta was Music Director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra from 1961 to 1967 and also assumed the Music Directorship of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra in 1962, a post he retained until 1978. In October 2019 he celebrated his farewell with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra to which he has served for 50 years. In 1978 he took over the post as Music Director of the New York Philharmonic commencing a tenure lasting 13 years, the longest in the orchestra’s history. From 1985 to 2017 he has been chief conductor of the Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence. Zubin Mehta made his debut as an opera conductor with Tosca in Montreal in 1963. Since then he has conducted at the Metropolitan Opera New York, the Vienna State Opera, the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, La Scala Milano, and the opera houses of Chicago and Florence as well as at the Salzburg Festival. Between 1998 and 2006 he was Music Director of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. He is an honorary citizen of both Florence and Tel Aviv and was made an honorary member of the Vienna State Opera in 1997, of the Bavarian State Opera in 2006 and of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde Wien in 2007. The title of Honorary Conductor was bestowed to him by the following orchestras: Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (2001), Munich Philharmonic Orchestra (2004), Los Angeles Philharmonic (2006), Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (2006), Staatskapelle Berlin (2014) and Bavarian State Orchestra (2006). In February 2019 the Berlin Philharmonic appointed him their Honorary Conductor. The Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany was bestowed to him in July 2012. Zubin Mehta continues to support the discovery and furtherance of musical talents all over the world. Together with his brother Zarin he is a co-chairman of the Mehli Mehta Music Foundation in Bombay where more than 200 children are educated in Western Classical Music. The recording in our programme today is one of the iconic performance of The Planets by Gustav Holst. Mehta and the NY. Phil give a thrillingly executed and virtuosic reading that holds nothing back. It’s a brilliant recording that highlights swift tempi, performed in confident manner by one of the world’s great orchestras.
Top photos: Seiji Ozawa – Lower photos: Peter Tchaikovsky and Orchestre de Paris
Seiji Ozawa was one of the leading conductors of his generation and was for several decades a major player on the international scene and a figure of historical significance on several counts. He was the first conductor from Japan to achieve recognition in the west and the only one to date to attain superstar status, the longest serving music director of the Boston Symphony Orchestra (1973-2002) and one of the longest serving of any American orchestra. His dress sense (including flowery shirts and cowboy boots and a roll-necked sweater rather than a dress-shirt) and extravagant podium movements, attracted attention from his first engagements in America in the 1960s. Ozawa was born in Shenyang, China. His parents were Japanese, and having begun music lessons at the age of seven, he entered the Toho School of Music in Tokyo when he was 16. Graduating in 1959, he won first prize in the international conductors’ competition at Besançon, eastern France (1959) and so impressed Charles Munch, one of the judges, that he invited him to the US, to the Berkshire Music Center at Tanglewood, Having then taken the prestigious Koussevitzky award (1960), Ozawa won a scholarship to study with Herbert von Karajan in Berlin. It was there that he was spotted by Leonard Bernstein, who offered him a post as an assistant conductor with the New York Philharmonic (1961-65). Ozawa’s career took off at this point, with a Carnegie Hall début in 1961, an invitation to conduct the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra in 1962, and engagements with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, culminating in the artistic directorship of the Ravinia festival (1964-68) and the music directorship of the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (1965-69). In 1970 Ozawa was appointed music director of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, a post he held until 1976. The three-decade-long tenure with the Boston Symphony Orchestra helped develop a sense of confidence in the musicians who delighted in their own virtuosity. He is also created a darker, more Germanic sound colour, suitable for the mainstream repertoire of Beethoven, Brahms and Mahler. In 1984 Ozawa was instrumental in the founding of the Saito Kinen Orchestra, an ensemble of distinguished Japanese musicians, gathered in tribute to the educationist Hideo Saito. In 2002 he was appointed music director of the Vienna State Opera and in 2005 artistic director of the new Tokyo Opera Nomori. In 2016 he published a book of conversations with the novelist Haruki Murakami under the title Absolutely on Music. Our programme features a brilliant recording of Tchaikovsky’s Finale to his 4th Symphony and is a fitting tribute to one of the great and colourful conductors of our time.
Composers have used variations in music for centuries. Renaissance and Baroque composers wrote variations on a short tune in the bass which was repeated again and again. Handel wrote a famous set of variations for harpsichord and Bach wrote his monumental Goldberg Variations. Mozart, Beethoven Brahms, Elgar, Schoenberg and Britten all contributed to the genre so the programme today explores some of the great music composed using this form.
Zoltán Kodaly (1882-1967) Variations on a Hungarian Folk Song ‘The Peacock’ Philharmonia Hungarica Antal Dorati (conductor)
Johannes Brahms (1833-1897) Variations on a Theme of Haydn Variation 10 – Finale London Symphony Orchestra Valery Gergiev (conductor)
Edward Elgar (1857-1934) Enigma Variations Variation 8 – Nimrod Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra John Eliot Gardner
Benjamin Britten (1913-1976) Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Purcell Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra Libor Pesek
Zoltán Kodaly and Antal Dorati
Zoltán Kodály, like his friend and fellow Hungarian, Béla Bartók, sought out the authentic folk music of Hungary at a time when it was virtually unknown. Beginning in 1905, he gathered more than three thousand folk melodies in his expeditions throughout Hungary, and not only drew attention to the melodies themselves, but grew as a composer through his study of them. He was a tireless proponent for the further exploration of true Hungarian folk music – and fought for the revitalisation of music education and culture.
The Variations on a Hungarian Folk Song (The Peacock) were composed in 1939 to celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of the Concertgebouw Orchestra in Amsterdam. The work consists of variations on a single melody based on the pentatonic scale – a scale consisting of only five notes. By composing a series of variations on the basic melody, Kodály thus stayed true to the essence of folk song performance while writing a modern masterpiece in traditional European variation form.
Brahms and Valerie Gergiev conducting the London Symphony Orchestra
Brahms (1833-1897) broke new ground for himself and for the musical world with this set of variations. He returned to symphonic writing during his 1873 summer holiday in the Bavarian town of Tutzing using the variation form as a preparation for his first symphony. He was accomplished at writing in the variation form having previously done so for piano and movements of chamber works, but this set of variations would prove to be the first ever written for full orchestra. This work served to usher in Brahms’ own symphonic phase (his four symphonies, Academic Festival & Tragic Overtures, as well as two more concertos would follow). Brahms was introduced the to a set of manuscripts supposedly by Haydn and Brahms jotted down a portion that had been used as a theme for a set of variations, “Chorale St. Antoni.” Most scholars now believe that Haydn had nothing to do with the chorale or the variations, but it was this chorale and its original orchestration for winds that provided the basis for Brahms’ variations. The theme, “Chorale St. Antoni” is thought to be a pilgrim hymn from Bergenland. Each variation displays a unique mood, tempo, and orchestration and Brahms employs the forces of the classical orchestra (pairs of winds, timpani, and strings) but experiments with additional possibilities of orchestral color by adding two additional horns, contrabassoon, piccolo and triangle. In he final variation the triangle and piccolo are employed to add colour the final triumphant chorale theme.
Edward Elgar and John Eliot Gardner
Enigma Variations unfolds as a theme and 14 short variations. Most are labeled with initials, lending an even more enigmatic appearance—but the subjects were easily identified and confirmed by Elgar. The ‘Enigma’ arises from the word being scrawled on the first page of Elgar’s manuscript, above the theme. It was jotted there by August Jaeger, Elgar’s best friend and the subject of the ‘Nimrod’ variation. Elgar stated: The Enigma I will not explain—its “dark saying” must be left unguessed, and I warn you that the apparent connection between the Variations and the Theme is often of the slightest texture; further, through and over the whole set another and larger theme “goes,” but is not played’. ‘The theme is so well known that it is extraordinary that no one has spotted it,” Elgar later added. Given Enigma Variations was arguably the most sensational piece of British orchestral music ever heard up to that time it made Elgar suddenly famous after the premiere on June 18, 1899. The variation ‘Nimrod’ is based on a character from Genesis, ‘a mighty hunter before the Lord’ and in a translation pun, Elgar uses it to refer to August Jaeger, whose last name means ‘hunter’ in German.
J.S.Bach and Glenn Gould
Bach’s Goldberg Variations was published in 1741 and consists of 30 variations, starting with a single ‘Aria’. It was the largest single keyboard composition published in the 18th century.The story behind their composition is priceless. Count Kaiserling, who suffered from insomnia, would make his musician, Johann Goldberg, play in the adjacent room to help him sleep. Goldberg was a student of Bach and when hearing of Goldberg’s plight composed the Variations for Goldberg to play to his employer. Bach thought that variations was almost a form of musical ‘sheep counting’ and thus perfect for an insomniac. Luckily for Bach, and also for Goldberg, the new composition helped Kaiserling a good night’s sleep!
Bach uses the Aria as the theme for the variations and transforms the music over the course of an hour, using different time signatures, textures, and harmonies. At the end of the work the beautiful first aria returns. After its publication, a change in musical taste toward simpler, more transparent textures meant that the Goldberg Variations were largely forgotten until the harpsichordist Wanda Landowska (1879-1959) recorded the set in 1933. When a 22-year-old Canadian pianist, Glenn Gould, walked into the New York studios of Columbia Records to record his debut album little did anyone know that this recording was to became one of the best-selling classical albums of all time. In his 1955 recording Gould revealed the intellectual depth of the work, and the breadth of interpretive possibilities which it offers to the performing pianist. Glenn Gould placed Bach’s Goldberg Variations in the standard repertoire and according to the Goldberg Variations Discography website, there have now been more than 600 recordings made of the work.
Benjamin Britten and Henry Purcell
Young Persons Guide To The Orchestra was composed in 1946 for a film, Instruments of the Orchestra, produced by Crown Film Unit and first shown at the Empire Theatre, London, on November 29, 1946. The concert version had already been introduced on October 15 by the Liverpool Philharmonic under Malcolm Sargent with the same musicians who made the soundtrack for the film. The main theme comes from Henry Purcell’s music for a revival in 1695 of the tragedy Abdelazer, or the Moor’s Revenge. Britten lets us hear this theme first with full orchestra and then introduces the orchestral families one at a time (woodwind, brass, strings, percussion), finally giving it to us for full orchestra once more in the glorious finale. After the orchestra has been taken to pieces, Britten puts it all back together again through a fugue, in which the themes are introduced one after the other and then combined. The ‘grand finale’ hears Purcell’s original tune rides in majestic brass chords across the busy scurry of Britten’s original fugue writing
The only mythical creature in the Chinese zodiac, the dragon has long been associated with prosperity and imperial power. Initially a vague motif in ancient Chinese art, the dragon is now an emblem of benevolent divinity, imperial power and sweeping unity. Its symbolism builds on thousands of years of folklore and Chinese history. Dragons have also been a source of inspiration to composers for many years…
John Frederick Lampe The Dragon of Wantley The Brook Street Band John Andrews (conductor)
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Magic Flute: Help! Help, or I am lost, doomed to fall prey to the cunning serpent! Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra Bernard Haitink (conductor)
John Powell How To Train Your Dragon: See you Tomorrow Abbey Road Session Orchestra Gavin Greenaway (conductor)
Philip Sparke Year of the Dragon Symphonic Winds Alexander Veit (conductor)
John Frederick Lampe was born in Germany but came to England in 1724 and played the bassoon in opera houses. In 1730, he became the composer for Covent Garden Theatre and also played at the coronation of King George II. He wrote operatic works in English in spite of the vogue for Italian opera popularised by George Frederic Handel. From November, 1750 until his death, Lampe was based in Dublin and later in Edinburgh. He is buried in Canongate Kirkyard on the Royal Mile. The Dragon of Wantley was a big success at its 1737 premiere at the Haymarket Theatre in London and it ran for a record 69 performances. It even received more performances in the 18th century than any opera by the Handel. The absurd story sees The Dragon of Wantley terrorising the countryside of Yorkshire, eating its children like bonbons. The country people beg the local hero, Moore of Moore Hall, to slay it. He assents and asks for the hand of Margery. This arouses the jealousy of Mauxalinda, his cast-off mistress. Even though the opera is a send-up of Handel’s serious Italian operas he music remains utterly charming.
During the first scene of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s The Magic Flute, a fearsome serpent pursues Prince Tamino. Amid stormy and ominous music, the handsome, young nobleman cries for help but is knocked unconscious. Within moments, three ladies slay the monster. After a brief discussion of the young man’s attractiveness, they depart to advise their mistress of this unexpected occurrence. A panpipe-playing birdcatcher then appears. When Tamino regains consciousness, the birdcatcher falsely claims to have killed the serpent. The three ladies return and chastise him and then show Tamino a portrait of a beautiful girl. He is immediately smitten by this vision of loveliness and sings a rapturous aria praising her beauty. The opera, Mozart’s last, was premiered just before his death on December 5th 1791. On one level, The Magic Flute is a simple fairy tale concerning a damsel in distress and the handsome prince who rescues her. Beneath the surface, however, the piece is much more complex. It is an allegory of the quest for wisdom and enlightenment as presented through symbols of Freemasonry; Mozart was himself a Freemason. Most obvious of the Masonic symbols is the number three: among the cast are three boys, three ladies, and three slaves, and musical passages feature three chords (as those that begin the overture) or three stanzas, among other instances. The Magic Flute, which was successful from the beginning, continues to make frequent appearances on the world’s opera stages.
John Powell is an English composer and has been based in Los Angeles since 1997. Although he has composed the scores to over 70 feature films he is perhaps best known for composing the scores for the Bourne film series, X-Men and nine DreamWorks Animation films. He was nominated for an Academy Award for How to Train Your Dragon. Powell was a member of Hans Zimmer’s music studio and has collaborated frequently with other composers from the studio, including Harry Gregson-Williams on Antz, Chicken Run and Shrek and Zimmer himself on Chill Factor, The Road to El Dorado, and the first two Kung Fu Panda films.
Born and raised in London, Philip Sparke studied composition, trumpet, and piano at the Royal College of Music. Known as being one of the leading brass band and wind band composers, Sparke has won a notable amount of awards. Composed between 1984-85, The Year of the Dragon was originally written for brass band, but has since been orchestrated for wind band. It was composed to a commission from the Cory Band, one of the world’s premier brass bands, in 1984. The Finale is a tour-de-force with a rapid sequence of semi-quavers dominating the opening part of this bold and heroic movement.
Fairy tales have stimulated generations of composers to write some of their finest music. With a rich source of characters that includes dragons, dwarfs, elves, fairies, giants, gnomes, goblins, monsters, talking animals, trolls, unicorns, witches and wizards, it’s no wonder these stories have captivated the imaginations of compsers and audiences alike.
Engelbert Humperdinck (1854-1921) Hansel and Gretel Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra Sir Georg Solti (conductor)
Franz Schubert (1997-1928) The Earl King Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau (baritone) Gerald Moore (piano)
Nikolai Rimsky Korsakoff (1844-1908) Scheherazade New York Philharmonic Orchestra Alan Gilbert (conductor)
Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953) Cinderella: Cinderella’s Departure for the Ball Moscow RTV Symphony Orchestra Gennady Rozhdestventsky (conductor)
Originally conceived as a small-scale vocal entertainment for children, Hansel and Gretel resonates with both adults and children, and has become one of the most successful fairy-tale operas ever created. The composer, Engelbert Humperdinck, was a protégé of Richard Wagner’s, and the opera’s score is flavoured with the sophisticated musical lessons he learned from his idol while maintaining a charm and a light touch that were entirely Humperdinck’s own. The opera acknowledges the darker features present in the Brothers Grimm version of the familiar folk tale, yet presents them within a frame of grace and humor. Engelbert Humperdinck began his career as an assistant to Richard Wagner in Bayreuth in a variety of capacities, including tutoring Wagner’s son Siegfried in music and composition. Hansel and Gretel was Humperdinck’s first complete opera and remains the foundation of his reputation.
The Earl King is a song setting written in 1815 and based on a 1782 poem of the same name by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. The song packs a remarkable amount of tension and drama into a mere four minutes and all the more impressive as Schubert was only 18 years old when he composed it. Inspired in part by his friendship with a number of talented singers, Schubert produced some 600 art songs during the course of his brief career and The Earl King is by far the best known of these. The poem that provides its text, like many of the supernatural tales that dominated literature in the Romantic era, has its roots in a Scandinavian folktale. Goethe’s poem tells the story of a boy riding home on horseback in his father’s arms. He is frightened when he is courted by the Earl King, a powerful and creepy supernatural being. The boy’s father, however, cannot see or hear the creature and tells the boy that his imagination is playing tricks on him. The boy grows increasingly terrified by what he hears from the Earl King, but his father tells him that the things he thinks he sees and hears are only the sights and sounds of nature on a dark and stormy night. When the Earl King eventually seizes the boy, the father spurs on his horse, but when he arrives home his son is dead.
Scheherazade was inspired by the collection of largely Middle Eastern and Indian tales known as The Thousand and One Nights (or The Arabian Nights). The piece evokes an image of Scheherazade , the young wife of the sultan Schahriar, telling tales to her husband to forestall his plan to kill her. Scheherazade derives its themes from the evocative stories of characters, such as Sindbad the Sailor and the woodcutter Ali Baba, that became widely known in Europe during the 1800s. Rimsky-Korsakov, renowned as a virtuoso of orchestral coloration, recognized in these tales an ideal realm in which to give free rein to his abilities. Colourful and highly varied in mood, Scheherazade was completed in 1888, and premiered on November 3rd of the same year in Saint Petersburg with Rimsky-Korsakoff himself conducting.
Tales are a major inspiration for Prokofiev’s works. Commissioned in 1940 for a ballet, Cinderella took five years to be presented to the public because of the Second World War. The musical composition perfectly highlights each character’s role in the tale and creates a symbiosis with classical ballet. Following the successful production of Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet at the Kirov in Leningrad n 1940, Prokofiev joined forces with Nikolai Volkov who provided the scenario for Cinderella. The first two acts were completed in piano score by June of 1941, but with the German invasion on June 22, Prokofiev laid aside the ballet to begin work on something that would reflect Russia’s struggle against the Nazi onslaught. This was to become his huge, four-hour opera War and Peace. Prokofiev resumed work on Cinderella two years later, in mid-1943, and expected that it would be performed by the Kirov company, but in the end was first performed by the Bolshoi in Moscow on November 21, 1945. Soon after the highly successful premiere, Prokofiev drew from the full score nineteen numbers arranged into three suites that soon found their way into the orchestral repertory as his Op. 107, 108, and 109.
Sounding Out 