Wednesday 29 January 2014 St. John's Smith Square 7.30 pm
Howard Shelley Conductor/Piano mozart Symphony No.32 in G major, K318 Mozart Piano Concerto No.25, K503 INTERVAL
dvoĹ˜Ă k Symphony No.9 in E minor, Op.95 From the New World
The LMP is funded by the London Borough of Croydon
Members of the audience are reminded that it is prohibited to smoke in the auditorium or take sound recordings or photographs in any part of the performance. Any noises such as whispering, coughing, rustling of sweet papers and the beeping of digital watches are very distracting to the performers and fellow audience members. Please make sure mobile phones or pagers are switched off during the performance. LMP and St. John's, Smith Square are registered charities.
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london mozart players Founded by Harry Blech in 1949 as the UK’s first chamber orchestra, the London Mozart Players (LMP) is regarded as one of the UK’s finest ensembles. Under the leadership of Music Director Gérard Korsten, the orchestra is internationally renowned for its outstanding live performances and CD recordings, and is particularly known for its definitive performances of the core Classical repertoire. The LMP also plays an active part in contemporary music, giving many world premières and commissioning new works, especially by British composers. In recent years, the LMP has premièred new works by composers including Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Tarik O’Regan, Sally Beamish, Cecilia McDowall, Lynne Plowman, and Fraser Trainer. In March 2011 the LMP appointed Roxanna Panufnik as Associate Composer. Since 1989, the LMP’s home has been Fairfield Halls, Croydon, thanks to generous funding from the London Borough of Croydon. This residency includes a series of subscription concerts at the hall and numerous education and community activities throughout the borough. Touring is a major part of the orchestra’s schedule, with regular appearances at festivals and concert series throughout the UK and abroad. It has strong relationships with other major UK venues, including Turner Sims Concert Hall, Southampton, and is the Orchestra in Residence for Grayshott Concerts. Overseas, the LMP has visited Spain, Belgium, France and Germany. The 2013/14 season marks the fourth year of conductor Gérard Korsten’s term as the LMP’s fifth Music Director, continuing the strong Classical tradition developed by Andrew Parrott, Matthias Bamert and Jane Glover. The season sees the orchestra welcoming back established artists including Anthony Marwood and our Conductor Laureate, Howard Shelley, whilst building new relationships with bright new stars including Mark Simpson and Laura van der Heijden. The LMP also sees its first performances with celebrated pianist Angela Hewitt, as well as acclaimed soprano, Claire Rutter, for the 70th birthday celebrations of LMP Associate Conductor, Hilary Davan Wetton. The LMP’s association with Korsten also continues the introduction of some of the best European soloists to our Fairfield season.
The LMP has developed an extensive and highly regarded education, community and audience development programme, LMP Interactive, and is particularly committed to developing new audiences in outer London boroughs as well as rural areas across the nation. Its association with the South Holland district in Lincolnshire brings the orchestra into the heart of the Fenland communities. Working with educational institutions also brings inspiring and valued relationships, providing a professional grounding for young musicians; the LMP is associated with Royal Holloway University of London, Wellington College, Wimbledon College, Portsmouth Grammar School and the Whitgift Foundation Schools in Croydon. Recent projects include ‘Sideby-side in Shepshed’ that saw composer and animateur Fraser Trainer work with seven schools in Leicestershire to build a new youth orchestra for the area, which performed alongside the LMP in a family concert. In Croydon, a START project (funded by The Prince’s Foundation for Children and the Arts) included children from primary and special needs schools working together to perform at the LMP’s annual Schools’ Concert in Fairfield Halls. Other ongoing ventures include visiting care homes and concert demonstrations in primary and secondary schools. The LMP receives project funding from Arts Council England, Orchestras Live and South Holland District Council. In addition, the LMP receives grants from trusts, foundations and many individuals, particularly the Friends of the LMP in Croydon. Recording has played a major part in the orchestra’s life for many years. Its acclaimed Contemporaries of Mozart series with Matthias Bamert for Chandos numbers over 20 CDs to date, with the latest release of Boccherini proving a success with the critics. A recording with Canadian pianist Alain Lefèvre of works by Mendelssohn, Shostakovich and Mathieu for Analekta was awarded a Canadian Juno Award. Full details of forthcoming concerts and more information on the orchestra’s activities are available on the LMP website: www.lmp.org.
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ORCHESTRA 1st Violins Stephanie Gonley Victoria Sayles Nicoline Kraamwinkel Ann Criscuolo Martin Smith (Chair supported by Debby Guthrie)
Anna de Bruin Catherine Van der Geest Paula Muldoon
Violas Simone Van der Giessen Sophie Renshaw Michael Posner James Widden
Flutes Ileana Ruhemann Robert Manasse
Richard Cookson
Oboes Gareth Hulse
(Chair supported by Barbara Tower)
(Chair supported by Stuart & Joyce Aston)
Cellos Sebastian Comberti (Chair supported by
(Chair supported by Pat Sandry)
Katie Clemmow
Christopher Fildes)
2nd Violins David Angel Jeremy Metcalfe Jayne Spencer Nicola Gleed Mariji Ploemacher Stephen Rouse
Julia Desbruslais
(Chair supported by Jeanne & Gordon Lees)
Cor Anglais Katie Clemmow
Sarah Butcher
(Chair supported by Valerie Butcher)
Ben Chappell
(Chair supported by Anonymous)
Clarinets Fiona Cross Emma Canavan
Daisy Vatalaro Basses Stacey Watton
(Chair supported by Louise Honeyman)
Bassoons Julie Andrews Robert Porter
Horns Nicholas Korth Kira Doherty Richard Lewis Martin Grainger Trumpets Paul Archibald Peter Wright Trombones Ian White Jeremy Gough Ian Fasham Tuba James Anderson Timpani Ben Hoffnung Percussion Barnaby Archer
Cathy Elliott
(Chair supported by Toby & Eira Jessel)
Andrew Marshall
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howard shelley Conductor/Piano
Since winning the premier prize at the Royal College of Music at the end of his first year, making his recital debut in 1971 and giving a televised Prom the same season with the London Symphony Orchestra, Howard Shelley has enjoyed a distinguished career, regularly touring on all continents including 29 consecutive years to Australia.
orchestras with whom he has worked include the Northern Sinfonia, the English Chamber Orchestra, Swedish Chamber, Zurich Chamber, Netherlands Chamber & Stuttgart Chamber orchestras, Våsteras Sinfonietta, Hong Kong Sinfonietta, Ensemble Orchestral de Paris, Orchestre de Picardie and Camerata Salzburg.
As a pianist he has performed with leading orchestras and conductors including Ashkenazy, Boulez, Boult, Davis, Jansons, Rozhdestvensky and Sanderling. In 1983 he gave a unique series of five London recitals, broadcast by the BBC, of Rachmaninov's complete solo piano music.
Television highlights include the 100th anniversary of the BBC Proms, a broadcast on Swiss-Italian television of Vaughan Williams’ London Symphony and a documentary on Ravel made in 1998 by the ABC which won the Gold Medal for the best arts biography of the year at the New York Festivals Awards.
Since his conducting debut with the LSO in 1985, Shelley has conducted all four London symphony orchestras, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra, the RTE National Symphony in Dublin and BBC National Symphony of Wales as well as the Hong Kong Philharmonic, Filarmonica de la Ciudad de Mexico, Munich Symphony, St Gallen Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Naples Philharmonic, Singapore Symphony Orchestra and the Melbourne Symphony. His engagements are now mostly in the dual role of conductor/soloist with particularly close relationships with a number of chamber orchestras around the world. He has held positions of Associate and Principal Guest Conductor with the London Mozart Players and toured with them in Europe and Asia. Their many recordings together have received critical acclaim. Shelley has also been Principal Conductor of Sweden's Uppsala Chamber Orchestra. In addition to close relationships with the Orchestra di Padova e del Veneto in Italy, Orchestra Svizzera Italiana in Switzerland, Poland’s Sinfonia Varsovia and the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra with most of whom he also records regularly, other chamber
His discography, which has now over 130 recordings for Chandos, Hyperion, and EMI includes the complete Rachmaninov piano music and concertos, series of Mozart, Hummel, and Mendelssohn concertos, Gershwin's works for piano & orchestra and many British concertos for Chandos. World première contributions to Hyperion’s Romantic Piano series include concertos by Moscheles, Herz, Hiller, Kalkbrenner and many others. Recent issues feature boxed sets of Haydn’s ‘London’ symphonies and a 14-CD survey of Clementi for Hyperion, and Beethoven’s complete works for piano and orchestra for Chandos as well as discs of Chopin’s sonatas and piano concertos by Dobryznski and Lessel for the Chopin Institute in Warsaw. Howard Shelley is married to Hilary Macnamara and they have two sons. An Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Music, he was awarded an OBE for services to classical music in 2009.
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Howard Shelley recordings with the LMP JOHANN HUMMEL Piano Concerto in C Major Directed by Howard Shelley CHAN 10216
JOHANN HUMMEL Mandolin and Trumpet Concertos Conducted by Howard Shelley CHAN 9925
CHAN 9558
CHAN 9886
JOHANN HUMMEL Piano Concerto in A flat Concertino in G major Gesellschafts-Rondo Directed by Howard Shelley
JOHANN HUMMEL Piano Concerto in F major Theme and Variations in F major Piano Concerto in A major Directed by Howard Shelley
JOHANN BAPTIST CRAMER Concertos for piano and orchestra Directed from the keyboard by Howard Shelley Piano Concerto No.2 in D minor,
Op.16 Piano Concerto No.7 in E major, Op.56 Piano Concerto No.8 in D minor, Op.70 CHAN 10005
MENDELSSOHN Piano Concertos Directed from the keyboard by Howard Shelley Piano Concerto No. 1 Op. 25 Piano Concerto No. 2 Op. 40 Capriccio Brillant Op. 22 CHAN 9215
MOZART Piano Concertos Series Directed from the keyboard by Howard Shelley Volume 1 Piano Concertos K466 & K488 (20 & 23) CHAN 8992
Volume 2 Piano Concertos K271 & K453 (9 & 17) CHAN 9068
Volume 3 Piano Concertos K449 & K595 (14 & 27) CHAN 9137
Volume 4 Piano Concertos K414 & K459 (12 & 19) CHAN 9256
Volume 5 Piano Concertos K415 & K491 (13 & 24) CHAN 9326
Volume 6 Piano Concertos K467 & K482 (21 & 22) CHAN 9404
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wolfgang amadeus mozart (1756 – 1791)
Symphony No. 32 in G Major, K318 I II III
Allegro spiritoso Andante Primo Tempo
Mozart’s Symphony No. 32 was composed in Salzburg in April 1779, just after he returned from an unhappy trip to Paris where he had been trying to find a new, more challenging and more successful situation away from Salzburg. His mother died on the trip, and his father soon called him back to Salzburg to accept a position working for the Archbishop. Mozart lingered on his journey back, with an extended stop in Mannheim, where he renewed friendships with several of the Mannheim court musicians. When he finally returned to Salzburg, he became the court organist for the Archbishop. Although he was primarily called upon to compose sacred music during the year he spent working in Salzburg, Symphony No. 32 shows that he continued to be interested in theatre music. It was previously thought that Mozart intended this symphony for use as the overture to Zaïde, a Singspiel he never quite finished, or perhaps to Baron von Gebler’s drama Thamos, König in Ägypten, for which he composed incidental music between 1773 and 1779. Neither seems to have been the case, however. Zaïde was composed a year after this symphony and it was always Mozart’s practice to leave the composition of the overture for a theatrical work until he had completed the rest of the score; the symphony appended to Thamos seems to have been an earlier one, No. 26, K184. It appears that Mozart wrote this as a general work, to be used when an overture might be needed. It was put to such use after he settled in Vienna - not with a stage work of his own, but for Francesco Bianchi’s musical farce La villanelle rapita.
The symphony is in the form of an Italian overture, consisting of three brief movements that follow one another without break. The movement begins conventionally enough with a pair of brilliant opening themes stated and then developed. The style is that of a blustering opera overture: exactly the kind of thing that was used as a blatant signal for the audience to sit down. Just when a full recapitulation would be expected there is a brief pause, and then a lovely triple-meter Andante. After this interlude, Mozart somewhat brutally gives a full re-statement of the opening themes, with the first Allegro spiritoso theme reserved until the very end. The influence of Paris and Mannheim are evident in this work, from the opening le premier coup d’archet (the act of attacking the first note of a piece) the Parisians enjoyed so much, to the closing alternations of loud and soft passages, typical of Mannheim fashion. The use of two pairs of horns, in different keys, to broaden his range of colour was another idea he picked up in Mannheim. © Elizabeth Boulton
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Piano Concerto No. 25 in C, K503 I II III
Allegro maestoso* Andante Allegretto
Mozart’s greatest impact on the piano concerto as a genre came in the years 1784–86, with 12 concertos, most of them written for himself to play at his subscription concerts, usually held during Lent. He completed his Piano Concerto No. 25 in C, K503, on 4 December 1786, but an examination of the paper reveals that the first 12 pages or so were written early in 1785, the time of the earlier Concerto in C, K467. The early part of December 1786 was an especially busy time for Mozart, who was by then planning his visit to Prague the following month for performances of The Marriage of Figaro. He apparently performed this concerto in Vienna on 5 December 1786, the day after he completed the score (although an examination of the paper reveals that the first 12 pages or so were written early in 1785). On the day following that première he wrote the final double bar in the score of his Symphony No. 38 in D, K504. By the time he arrived in Prague, on 11 January 1787, Figaro was already in production and its tunes had been taken up by the public and turned into dances. Mozart not only attended performances of his wildly popular opera, but conducted one of them himself, and on 19 January he gave a concert in which he conducted his new symphony, which became known as the Prague Symphony. While the symphony has featured in the concert repertory ever since, the concerto fell into a lengthy period of neglect following Mozart’s death. There is no record of his performing any of his concertos during that famous visit to Prague; he played K503 again in
Vienna and Leipzig in 1787, but when Artur Schnabel performed the work with the Vienna Philharmonic under George Szell in 1934, the event was noted as the first performance of this work in that city since Mozart’s own, some 147 years earlier. The first movement is one of Mozart’s grandest, opening with a rugged strength worthy of Beethoven. The march theme, which Mozart set out like the Marseillaise and then thought better of it, furnishes the entire development section, but there are two other complete secondary subjects, the first in E flat, in the same key in the exposition and in the recapitulation, and the other in the usual keys. The festive finale is a gavotte, recalling not only the one found in the Idomeneo ballet, but also the gavotte in the Concerto for Flute and Harp (1778) in the wonderful moment of repose as the A minor turbulence gives way to a gentle F major melody. © Elizabeth Boulton *The cadenza to be performed by Howard was composed by Johann Nepomuk Hummel.
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Antonin dvoŘÁk (1841 – 1904)
Symphony No. 9 in E minor, Op.95 From the New World I II III IV
Adagio – Allegro molto Largo Scherzo: Molto vivace – Poco sostenuto Allegro con fuoco
Dvořák is regarded as one of the great nationalist Czech composers of the 19th century. He earned worldwide admiration and prestige for Czech music with his nine symphonies, chamber music, oratorios, songs, piano works and operas. He showed an early aptitude for music, mastering the viola, organ and piano by his 16th year, although he was not a child prodigy. From then on he rose, through sheer graft and deserved success, to emerge from Bohemia as one of the most original musicians of his generation. He wrote his nine symphonies over 28 years and, although symphonies 6 and 7 are technically superior, the 9th (From The New World) reigns supreme. Written in America in 1893, it conjures up the pioneering spirit, the landscape and horizons, folk culture and the bustle of an emerging, vibrant nation that suited his spontaneous, uninhibited musical style. Dvořák subsequently repudiated the suggestion that Negro Plantation music had influenced his composition, stating that the rhythms and inflexions of spiritual music were similar to Slav folk music.
film music; a sequence of sustained chords on brass and woodwind laying out the huge landscape of the North American prairies. The cor anglais enters with a sustained, expressive song-like melody of exquisite beauty. The middle section of the movement breaks the calm with a lift in tempo and a hurried descending three-note theme on flute and oboe. The rather gloomy broad woodwind melody is supported by pizzicato strings until the cor anglais returns with an air of intensified melancholy. The dramatic, syncopated opening of the third movement introduces jagged rhythms, suggestive of ragtime tunes prevalent in America at that time. The final movement is Dvořák’s most striking - highly original music, bringing together all the major themes of the preceding movements in a blaze of colour, and features a memorable one-note solo for the cymbal! © Elizabeth Boulton
The opening movement sets the mood for the symphony. It introduces three main ideas: the first, a lively rag-time theme on the woodwind; the second, a triumphant statement in syncopated rhythm led by the horns; and the third, a melody half reminiscent of the Negro Spiritual Swing Low, Sweet Chariot. The themes interact creating a colourful, contrasting mood. The opening of the Largo is pure www.lmp.org
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LMP management Patron HRH The Earl of Wessex KG GCVO Music Director Gérard Korsten Associate Conductor Hilary Davan Wetton
Administration Managing Director Simon Funnell General Manager David Wilson
London Mozart Players Fairfield Halls Park Lane Croydon CR9 1DG
Concerts Assistant Jenny Brady
T: 020 8686 1996 F: 020 8667 0938 E: info@lmp.org W: www.lmp.org
Board of Directors
Orchestral Librarian Martin Sargeson
Registered in England No. 18720034
Chairman Rowan Freeland
Financial Consultant Christopher Wright
Registered Charity No. 290833
Associate Composer Roxanna Panufnik
Chair of the Audit Committee Rosamund Sykes Daniel Benton Simon Funnell Richard Morgan Gillian Perkins David Wechsler
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play your part There are lots of ways for you to get involved with the LMP and ensure the oldest chamber orchestra in the UK has a bright future. Play your part today.
Supporters Our Supporters are the building blocks of our success. Make a donation today and help the orchestra you love thrive into the future. You’ll receive our newsletter to keep you up to date with all the LMP’s activities and be credited for your support in our concert programmes. Every donation, large or small, is important to us and will make a difference. Bronze Supporters make donations of up to £50, Silver Supporters make donations of £50 and above, and Gold Supporters make donations of £100 and above.
Benefactors Conductors’ Circle Our most generous Benefactors belong to this exclusive group. Members of the Conductors’ Circle are closely involved with the musicians and management team and play a significant role in the life of the LMP. In addition to the opportunities enjoyed by all Benefactors, members of the Conductors’ Circle are invited to a sumptuous dinner hosted by the orchestra’s Patron, HRH The Earl of Wessex KG GCVO.
From world-class concerts to inspiring education projects, none of the LMP’s work would be possible without the financial support we receive from our Benefactors. Our Benefactors are musical patrons, following in the footsteps of those generous, passionate and committed philanthropists who, throughout the centuries, have enabled great musicians to perform and compose. Benefactors make an annual donation of £1000 and above and enjoy a unique programme of events, including access to rehearsals, exclusive recitals, gala concerts and special receptions throughout the year. Start your own creative partnership and become a Benefactor.
Making a gift in your will Making a legacy gift to the LMP is a great way to ensure that future generations of audiences can continue to be inspired by the orchestra that has inspired you. If you have a will or are making one, this would be a good way to make a lasting provision for the future of the orchestra and because the LMP is a registered charity, your donation to us can help reduce your tax liability. If you have already remembered LMP in your will, we are very grateful. If you would like to, do please let us know (in strictest confidence). We would value the opportunity to thank you and to keep you more closely involved with our work. If you would like more information about any of these ways of supporting us, please contact Simon Funnell, Managing Director, London Mozart Players T: 020 8686 1996 or email info@lmp.org
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supporting the lmp The LMP would like to thank its supporters Patron HRH The Earl of Wessex KG GCVO Principal Funder London Borough of Croydon Public Funders Arts Council England Orchestras Live South Holland District Council Corporate Sponsor M&G Investments Trusts & Foundations The Foyle Foundation The Garfield Weston Foundation The Goldsmiths' Company The Golsoncott Foundation The Mercers' Company The PRS for Music Foundation The RK Charitable Trust N. Smith Charitable Settlement Corporate Friends Peter Dunham Elite Hotels LV= Simmons & Simmons Conductors’ Circle Anonymous David & Ann Benson Daniel & Alison Benton Joanna & William Brogan-Higgins Rowan & Davina Freeland Bruna Colombo-Otten Antony & Carol Lewis-Crosby Barry & Sue O'Brien Peter & Sheelagh Smith Mr D & Mrs M Wechsler Jeffrey & Rosamund West
Benefactors Anonymous Graham Harman John Hanson Doreen Hitching in memory of Brian Hitching* André & Rosalie Hoffmann Sir Roger & Lady Sands
Silver Supporters Anonymous x 11 Patricia Coe * Nick Cull Mr & Mrs A M W Rivers Mrs Marion Sunley George Sutherland Mr BE & Mrs PB Woolnough *
Donors to the Annual Appeal Anonymous x 30 Cllr Graham & Jean Bass George Bray Gerald Crowther Daniel De Simone Mr I A Hamlyn Geoffrey Hurst Ros & John Rawling Brian J Stocker
Bronze Supporters Anonymous x 10 Nigel & Diane Elliott Chantal Keast * Donors also contributed to the annual appeal.
Golden Supporters Anonymous x 3 Hilary Anne Baily Morag Beier * Martin & Susan Bushell Mr Quintin Gardner Geoff & Mary Hearn Margaret Jones MVO Tony & Mary Lambell Derek & Deirdre Lea * Gordon & Jeanne Lees Mr John Mead * Gillian Noble Hazel & Geoffrey Otton * Robert Keith Robertson Christine Robson John & Jean-Anne Tillotson *
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forthcoming LMP concert at ST John's Smith Square Wednesday 28 May 2014
7.30pm
Tippett Divertimento for Chamber Orchestra Mozart Piano Concerto No.17, K453 Beethoven Symphony No.2 in D major Op.36 Conductor GĂŠrard Korsten Piano Angela Hewitt
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