BBC SSO Afternoon Performances 2015/16

Afternoon Performances City Halls, Glasgow October 2015–April 2016

Advance Tickets £10.00 Box Office: 0141-353 8000 bbc.co.uk/bbcsso

Afternoon Performances at City Halls, Glasgow Enjoy afternoons with some of the greatest music ever written, performed by “one of the finest orchestras in Europe” (The Guardian) in the stunning acoustic of Glasgow City Halls…

The 2015/16 series of Afternoon Performance concerts features some of the most famous works in the repertoire, including Dvořák’s ‘New World’ Symphony, Bach’s Double Violin Concerto, Ravel’s Mother Goose Suite and Schubert’s ‘Unfinished’ Symphony. Plus there’s a very seasonal performance of Bach’s Christmas Oratorio with an outstanding line-up of soloists and the BBC Singers.

There are also plenty of rarer works to discover from Khachaturian, Chausson and SaintSaëns and, in two Discovering Music concerts, we explore some of the music of two English composers: Elisabeth Lutyens (1906-1983) and Anthony Payne, best known for his acclaimed completion of Elgar’s Third Symphony.

Tea and Symphony Join us at City Halls for a light lunch of soup and sandwiches followed by a selection of cakes, as well as unlimited tea or coffee for just £7.50 from 12.30pm at any of our Afternoon Performance concerts - and for the Discovering Music event on Monday 14 December.

Tea and Symphony is served in the Candleriggs Bar/ Recital Room at City Halls and spaces are always in high demand, so be sure to pre-book when you reserve your tickets at the City Halls Box Office.

All performances will be recorded for future broadcast on BBC Radio 3. The concert on 10 December is scheduled to be broadcast live bbc.co.uk/radio3

Martyn Brabbins

Narek Hakhnazaryan

Thursday 29 October 2015, 2.00pm

Thursday 12 November, 2.00pm

Afternoon Performance

Afternoon Performance

Bach and Schumann

Dvořák’s ‘New World’ Symphony

Ginastera Variaciones Concertantes (c.24’)

Ginastera Estancia: Four Dances, Op.8a (c.12’)

JS Bach Concerto for two violins in D minor, BWV 1043 (c.18’) Schumann Symphony No.4

(c.28’)

Laura Samuel and Kanako Ito violins Martyn Brabbins conductor The BBC SSO’s Leader and Associate Leader, Laura Samuel and Kanako Ito, are the featured soloists in Bach’s sparkling Double Concerto, and conductor Martyn Brabbins brings a work from Argentinian composer Alberto Ginastera, composed in 1953: eleven variations with an Argentinian atmosphere culminating in a thrilling virtuoso dance.

The first concert in the new season of Afternoon Performance ends with Schumann’s Fourth Symphony one of the most exhilarating works in the Romantic repertoire.

Khachaturian Concerto-Rhapsody for cello and orchestra (c.25’) Dvořák Symphony No.9 ‘From the New World’ (c.40’) Narek Hakhnazaryan cello Jamie Phillips conductor Music from both American hemispheres bookend this concert: highlights from Ginastera’s best-known score and the infectious melodies and rhythms of Dvořák’s final symphony. In between, Armenian cellist and BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist Narek Hakhnazaryan plays Khachaturian’s technically demanding Concerto-Rhapsody.

Bach’s Christmas Oratorio The Christmas Oratorio has always been a favourite with concert audiences as well as church-goers. Bach’s seasonal masterpiece tells the story of Christ’s birth, using passages from the Gospels interspersed with arias and choruses to illustrate the narrative. Here, Parts 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 are performed by the BBC Singers along with a stellar cast of soloists, including tenor James Gilchrist as the Evangelist.

NB The concert will be broadcast live on BBC Radio 3 and will run from 2.00pm to approximately 5.00pm. There will be one interval of 15 minutes before parts 5 and 6.

Thursday 10 December, 2.00pm-5.00pm Afternoon Performance JS Bach Christmas Oratorio, BWV 248 (selection) Cantata 1 Jauchzet, frohlocket, auf, preiset die Tage (c.27’) Cantata 2 Und es waren Hirten in derselben Gegend (c.32’) Cantata 3 Herrscher des Himmels, erhöre das Lallen (c.26’) Cantata 5 Ehre sei dir, Gott, gesungen (c.27’) Cantata 6 Herr, wenn die stolzen Feinde schnauben (c.31’) Rosemary Joshua soprano Jennifer Johnston mezzo-soprano James Gilchrist tenor (Evangelist) Ben Johnson tenor Benjamin Appl bass BBC Singers David Hill conductor

Elisabeth Lutyens

Christoph König

Monday 14 December, 2.00pm

Thursday 18 February 2016, 2.00pm

Discovering Music 1

Afternoon Performance

Discovering Music: Elisabeth Lutyens

Schubert’s ‘Unfinished’ Symphony

Stephen Johnson presenter Jac van Steen conductor

Weber Overture: Der Freischütz (c.11’)

With the help of the BBC SSO, guest conductor Jac van Steen, and recordings from the BBC’s sound archive, Stephen Johnson explores the life and some of the music of eccentric English composer Elisabeth Lutyens. As well as embracing atonality and modernism, Lutyens wrote for feature films, for a number of Hammer horror films and she composed incidental music for radio and television. For several decades she was at the forefront of the British contemporary music scene, but then quite quickly fell out of fashion, leaving behind much startlingly original music, full of hidden depths. There will be one interval of approximately 15 minutes.

Schubert Symphony No.8 (Unfinished) (c.23’)

Hindemith Symphonic metamorphosis of themes by Carl Maria von Weber (c.21’) Liszt (arr. Doppler) Hungarian Rhapsody No.2 (c.9’) Christoph König conductor Following the overture to the first important German Romantic opera, Der Freischütz, Christoph König conducts a performance of one of Hindemith’s bestknown scores, a set of ebullient variations on pieces composed by Weber. Written six years before Schubert’s death, the Eighth Symphony remains one of music’s great unfinished works, with just two movements completed. An orchestration of Liszt’s Second Hungarian Rhapsody brings the programme to a rousing finale.

Anthony Payne photo credit: Jane Manning

Laura Samuel

Sunday 21 February, 2.00pm

Thursday 17 March, 2.00pm

Discovering Music 2

Afternoon Performance

Discovering Music: Anthony Payne

From Baroque to Classical

Stephen Johnson presenter Anthony Payne composer Martyn Brabbins conductor

Telemann Ouverture-Suite in C Major, TWV 55 C1 (c.13’)

As Anthony Payne celebrates his 80th birthday year, Stephen Johnson talks to him about his life as composer, writer and teacher – and about his work on the realisation of the sketches to Edward Elgar’s Third Symphony, for which he is best known. Payne’s own compositions, however, are very much his own voice; here the BBC SSO, conducted by Martyn Brabbins, focuses on a selection of his music including 1985’s The Spirit’s Harvest, which was first performed at that year’s BBC Proms. There will be one interval of approximately 15 minutes.

Mozart Divertimento for strings, K.138 (c.11’)

NB there will be no Tea and Symphony available before this event.

Haydn Sinfonia concertante in B flat major (c.22’)

Beethoven Symphony No 1 (c.27’) Stella McCracken oboe Julian Roberts bassoon Martin Storey cello Laura Samuel violin/director Laura Samuel, Leader of the BBC SSO, directs the strings in a short suite from the prolific German Baroque composer Telemann, before three of the orchestra’s principal players join her for a performance of Haydn’s delightful Sinfonia Concertante, composed in 1792.

Beethoven’s First Symphony, premiered in 1800 shows the influence of Haydn and Mozart but also has some of the characteristics of a new compositional style; it makes for a perfect end to an afternoon’s entertainment.

How to Book Box Office: 0141-353 8000 bbc.co.uk/bbcsso City Halls Box Office Candleriggs, Glasgow G1 1NQ also available from the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall Box Office Miguel Harth-Bedoya photo credit: Jeff Washington

Thursday 14 April, 2.00pm Afternoon Performance

No Concessions

French Classics

Tickets for the two Discovering Music concerts are FREE (limited to 2 tickets per application) Available from: Monday 2 November 2015

Ravel Mother Goose: Suite (c.24’) (selected Harth-Bedoya)

Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No.2

Tickets for Afternoon Performance concerts: £10.00 if bought in advance £12.00 if bought on the day of performance

(c.25’)

Chausson Symphony in B flat (c.36’) Vadym Kholodenko piano Miguel Harth-Bedoya conductor Ravel orchestrated his fairy-tale suite from a piano-duet original, creating a kaleidoscope of sound which is also equally evident in the thrilling Second Piano Concerto of Saint-Saëns, played here by the Ukrainian pianist Vadym Kholodenko.

In this all French programme, Miguel Harth-Bedoya brings a rare performance of Chausson’s only Symphony, which was premiered under the direction of the composer himself in Paris, 125 years ago, in April 1891.

Seating for all daytime events with the BBC SSO at City Halls is unreserved.

Please note that the Box Office charges a fee of £1.50 on all telephone bookings, £1.00 on all online bookings and an additional £1.00 if tickets are to be posted out.

BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra BBC Scotland City Halls, Candleriggs Glasgow G1 1NQ Email: bbcsso@bbc.co.uk bbc.co.uk/bbcsso facebook.com/bbcsso twitter.com/bbcsso The information in this brochure was correct at the time of publishing.

If necessary the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra reserves the right to amend artists and programmes for any of the listed concerts.

Plan Your Visit

Box Office: 0141-353 8000 bbc.co.uk/bbcsso

Public Transport: City Halls is situated at the heart of the Merchant City at the north end of Candleriggs between Trongate and Ingram Street. It is within easy walking distance of Argyle Street, Queen Street, High Street and Central railway stations as well as St. Enoch and Buchanan Street subway stations.

Buchanan Bus Station is a 15 minute walk away. Nearby bus routes include 2, 6, 18, 21, 43, 60, 61, 64, 240, 255, 263.

Access Information: All entrances at City Halls are fully accessible with lifts to every level of the auditorium. Wheelchairs are available on request and can be pre-booked via the box office. Guide dogs are welcome at City Halls.

Please note there is no induction loop in the City Halls auditorium. Glasgow’s Concert Halls has an assisted hearing system which can be used as both a stand alone hearing aid or as an enhancement to an existing hearing aid. Headsets are available from the cloakroom for a £5.00 refundable deposit. Headsets can be pre-booked via the box office.

Parking: Convenient car parking, including parking for disabled patrons, is available at the multi-storey facilities at Q-Park on Candleriggs and Albion Street. Other car parking facilities close to City Halls include the NCP Glasshouse on Glassford Street and car parks on the east side of High Street, in addition to metered on-street parking throughout the area.

WILSON STREET