Music Hall Aberdeen Season 09/10
bbc.co.uk/bbcsso
Donald Runnicles Chief Conductor Ilan Volkov Principal Guest Conductor Stefan Solyom Associate Guest Conductor Jerzy Maksymiuk Conductor Laureate Elizabeth Layton Leader
Every season the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra brings some of its most important concerts to The Music Hall. That is especially true in 2009/10, when the orchestra’s new Chief Conductor Donald Runnicles, in his inaugural season, leads no fewer than three of the orchestra’s six programmes. Now regarded as one of Britain’s most distinguished conductors, Donald Runnicles is joined by three internationally renowned soloists. Six great symphonies, by Mahler, Dvořák, Elgar, Beethoven and Rachmaninov form the core of our concerts. And once again we’re pleased to be co-operating with sound, North-East Scotland’s contemporary music festival, to introduce the Scottish Premiere of music by James MacMillan. As if all these riches were not enough, there’s our perennial festive favourite, Christmas Classics, always a sell-out. Nothing beats the thrill of a live performance by a fine orchestra in a great hall. Make a regular Friday night date with the BBC SSO this season!
ABERDEEN SEASON 2009/10
1&2
“The symphony must be like the world. It must embrace everything.” GUSTAV MAHLER, 1907
CONCERT 1
CONCERT 2
FRIDAY, 9 OCTOBER 2009, 7.30PM
FRIDAY, 20 NOVEMBER, 7.30PM
Beethoven Symphony No.1 Berg Seven Early Songs Mahler Symphony No.1 ‘Titan’
James MacMillan The Sacrifice: Three Interludes Mozart Piano Concerto No.22, K.482 Dvořák Symphony No.8
HEIDI MELTON, soprano Donald Runnicles, conductor Chief Conductor Donald Runnicles begins his first season at the helm of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra with two great works from the Austro-German symphonic tradition. Runnicles and the orchestra have already given some memorable performances of Mahler together, at the Edinburgh International Festival and in London at the BBC Proms, and their interpretation of the magnificent First Symphony will be eagerly awaited. Influenced by both Mahler and Richard Strauss, Alban Berg’s lushly scored, late romantic songs complete this marvellous programme.
Piers Lane, piano Petr Altrichter, conductor Leading Czech conductor Petr Altrichter, Principal Conductor of the Prague Symphony Orchestra, brings his countryman Dvořák’s ebullient Eighth Symphony to Aberdeen. The sunniest of Dvořák’s symphonies, it is full of lilting melodies and infectious, folk dance inspired rhythms. Australian pianist Piers Lane joins the orchestra in Mozart’s delightfully good-humoured E flat concerto. And to celebrate James MacMillan’s 50th birthday year, the concert begins with a chance to hear music from our leading composer’s most recent opera. This concert is part of sound, North East Scotland’s contemporary music festival
ABERDEEN SEASON 2009/10
“There is music in the air. All you have to do is take as much as you require.” EDWARD ELGAR
CHRISTMAS CLASSICS
CONCERT 4
Friday, 18 December, 7.30pm
FRIDAY, 29 January 2010, 7.30PM
Jamie MacDougall, presenter Stephen Bell, conductor
Beethoven Overture: Prometheus Sibelius Violin Concerto Elgar Symphony No.1
Always one of the most popular events in Aberdeen’s pre-Christmas calendar, Christmas Classics offers you a musical stocking crammed with sweetmeats from Tchaikovsky to Leroy Anderson, as well as many other seasonal favourites - and there’ll be a few choice surprises too! Once again your host is leading tenor and popular broadcaster, the inimitable Jamie MacDougall. Tickets always sell fast, so don’t leave it too late before buying yours!
With the exception of Christmas Classics, which will be recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio Scotland, all concerts will be recorded for future transmission on BBC Radio 3. bbc.co.uk/radio3 bbc.co.uk/scotland
Julian Rachlin, violin Donald Runnicles, conductor The renowned conductor Hans Richter, rehearsing Elgar’s First Symphony for its premiere in 1908, declared it “the greatest symphony of modern times”. It has never lost its emotional power, with its movingly elegiac sense of the approaching end of the Edwardian era. Dating from just a few years earlier, Sibelius’s Violin Concerto has a dark, elemental power of its own and is always a formidable technical challenge for its soloist. Expect an outstanding interpretation from Lithuanian-born Julian Rachlin, who is now established as one of the leading violinists of his generation. “Be silent because now you will hear something really unbelievable. The young man is violinist Julian Rachlin”. Die Welt, Berlin
06&07 3&4
“Only one place is closed to me, and that is my own country – Russia.” RACHMANINOV IN AN INTERVIEW FOR THE MUSICAL TIMES, 1930
CONCERT 5
CONCERT 6
Friday, 19 MARCH, 7.30pm
FRIDAY, 30 APRIL, 7.30PM
Wagner Overture and Venusberg Music from Tannhäuser Richard Strauss Songs Beethoven Symphony No.7
Lyadov Eight Russian Folk-Songs Stravinsky Violin Concerto Rachmaninov Symphony No.2
Christine Brewer, soprano Donald Runnicles, conductor The international reputation of Donald Runnicles as a Wagner conductor has been forged in the world’s leading opera houses, including Vienna, Berlin, Bayreuth, New York and San Francisco. The wonderful overture and virtuosic Venusburg Music from Tannhäuser make a superb start to this programme which features one of today’s finest sopranos, Christine Brewer, in a ravishing selection of songs by Richard Strauss. “The apotheosis of the dance” was how Wagner described the extraordinary rhythmic energy of Beethoven’s Seventh Symphony - music that truly sounds as if it was conceived in a white heat of inspiration.
Boris Brovtsyn, violin Vassily Sinaisky, conductor Vassily Sinaisky, always a welcome visitor to Aberdeen with the BBC SSO, ends the season with the vast, richly romantic canvas of Rachmaninov’s most popular symphony. The stormy drama and endless outpouring of great melodies in the Second Symphony make for a perfect climax to the season. As an ideal foil for the Rachmaninov - Stravinsky’s cool, elegant Violin Concerto, played by young Moscowborn violinist Boris Brovtsyn.
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Booking Your Tickets Box Office: 01224-641122 or via: bbc.co.uk/bbcsso SUBSCRIPTION DEALS
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As usual, we have a terrific season of musicmaking in store for you – and want to offer you the chance to get the best possible deal at the earliest possible stage.
Special Subscription Price for over 60s, registered unemployed and students (price areas III and IV only):
We expect demand for tickets for the BBC SSO’s 2009/10 season to be high. To make it easier for you to secure the seats you want we have a generous package of subscription offers. Subscriptions can be booked in advance of general booking in an exclusive postal priority booking period. MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR CONCERTS
By booking a Subscription you will:
· Benefit from advance booking ahead of general on sale date – making it easier to secure the seats you want. Subscription booking opens on Tuesday 28 April (by post only). · Save up to 25% on your booking – with a Subscription you can save as much as £30 (per person). · Plan your year of classical music in one booking.
SUBSCRIPTIONS & SINGLE TICKETS I II III IV
Single Tickets £20.00 £17.50 £13.00 £9.50
5-Concerts/ 6-Concerts/ save 25% save 25% £75.00 £90.00 £65.60 £78.75 £48.75 £58.50 £35.60 £42.75
HOW DO I BOOK A SUBSCRIPTION? Simply decide which concerts you would like to book: a 5-concert (excluding Christmas Classics), or a 6-concert package and where you would like to sit. Then fill in the form overleaf, tear off and return to Aberdeen Box Office using the address provided. Subscription booking is by post only.
5-Concert Series £34.00 6-Concert Series £40.00 (proof of status required).
SINGLE TICKET BOOKING Opens Friday 15 May 2009.
SCHOOL PUPILS Any single concert ticket for £5.00.
STANDBY TICKETS Full-time students, registered unemployed and over 60s, any unsold seat for £8.00, only available on the day of a concert (proof of status required).
GROUPS Available on 10 or more tickets per concert (not available for the Christmas concert), please telephone: 01224-337643 (Mon to Fri).
BOX OFFICE Aberdeen Box Office Union Street, Aberdeen AB10 1QS Box Office opening hours: Mon to Sat 9.30am – 6.00pm (and from 6.30pm on concert nights). Telephone Bookings:
01224-641122
Single tickets only can also be booked on-line:
boxofficeaberdeen.com
BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra BBC Scotland City Halls Candleriggs Glasgow G1 1NQ Tel: 0141-552 0909 E-mail: bbcsso@bbc.co.uk bbc.co.uk/bbcsso
BBC Scotland endeavours to ensure that personal details about customers taken by box offices are held in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998. If consent is given at the time of ticket purchase, this information will be passed to the BBC SSO and may be used to contact you with information about forthcoming concerts or BBC events. These details will not be passed on to any third party. If you wish to have your name removed from the orchestra’s mailing-list please E-mail: bbcsso@bbc.co.uk or telephone: 0141-422 6728. The information carried in this brochure was correct at the time of publishing. The BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra reserves the right to amend artists and programmes for any of the listed concerts if necessary.
The BBC SSO would like to thank Mark Hamilton for the photography of players featured in this brochure. Brochure design: www.weared8.com
All the concerts in this series are promoted in association with The Music Hall.