THE DONG WITH A LUMINOUS NOSE ELENA LANGER
LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA & CHOIR
KRISTINA BLAUMANE cello
ANDREY BOREYKO conductor
ELENA LANGER
THE DONG WITH A LUMINOUS NOSE
A SETTING OF THE POEM BY EDWARD LEAR FOR CHORUS, CELLO SOLO AND ORCHESTRA
Elena Langer (born 1974) is a prolific composer of colourful, dramatic and often humorous music, familiar to audiences across Europe and America through pieces operatic, vocal and orchestral. Her 2016 hit for Welsh National Opera, Figaro Gets a Divorce, was described by Rupert Christiansen in The Daily Telegraph as ‘that rare thing: a modern opera that exerts an immediate emotional impact’. Her WNO follow-up, the 2018 vaudeville Rhondda Rips It Up!, was wildly popular with audiences across the UK, The Times describing it as ‘bursting with irreverent joy’.
Elena Langer studied at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatoire and at the Royal Academy of Music in London. Her works have been performed at Zurich Opera, Carnegie Hall, the Grand Theatre in Geneva, Opera National du Rhin in Strasbourg, Welsh National Opera, Shakespeare’s Globe, Hong Kong Academy of Arts, the Linbury Theatre Covent Garden, Tokyo Theatre and Boston Symphony Hall. Landscape with Three People, a CD of Elena’s vocal and chamber pieces, was released by Harmonia Mundi in 2016. Richard Morrison in The Times wrote: ‘She can do sardonic astringency but also evoke surreal otherworldliness or romantic yearning. It all depends on her chosen texts to which she responds in meticulous detail.’ Landscape with Three People was recently performed at the Oxford Lieder Festival.
The orchestral suite created from Figaro Gets a Divorce was premiered by Maxim Emelyanychev with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra in 2020; subsequently, Anna Rakitina conducted it with the Boston Symphony and with the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra. There have been further performances by Gergely Madaras and the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra, and Sir Mark Elder with the Hallé Orchestra. In August 2023 the suite was performed by The Cleveland Orchestra under Nicholas McGegan.
The oboist Nick Daniel premiered Elena’s Gluhwein Concerto with the Deutsche Kammerakademie Neuss am Rhein in
2022, and a new song cycle, Love & Endings, for soprano, oboe and harpsichord, was performed by Nick, Anna Dennis and Mahan Esfahani at Aldeburgh in April 2023. The Dong with a Luminous Nose received its US premiere in March 2024, performed by Sir Mark Elder and the Boston Symphony Orchestra, and was performed by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra in Edinburgh and Glasgow in November 2024. Elena’s new opera, The Suicide (a comedy), will be premiered by the Nederlandse Reisopera followed by a Dutch tour, and will be performed at the 2026 Buxton Festival.
Elena is currently working on a new one-act comic opera, The Three Fat Women of Antibes, based on the story by William Somerset Maugham.
THE DONG WITH A LUMINOUS NOSE
The Dong With a Luminous Nose was co-commissioned by the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Boston Symphony Orchestra. On the work’s genesis, the composer recalls: ‘I had a “eureka!” moment sitting on a bench on Hampstead Heath when this poem by Edward Lear suddenly came into my head, and I realised it might make a perfect piece for chorus and orchestra. The poem has everything music wants: a love story, songs and dances, pipes, animals and fantastical landscapes, as well as longing, hope and light. People often think of Lear purely as a writer of “nonsense verse”, but for me he is much more interesting than that, an unhappy Romantic. I love his poetry, limericks, drawings and his whole aesthetic, and I find it helps to process sad, surreal things in the world around me.
The Dong falls in love with a green-haired, blue-handed Jumbly Girl who arrives by sea in a sieve. After a short period of happiness she suddenly vanishes away over the sea again, abandoning the poor Dong, who out of sadness (or madness) attaches a great lamp to his nose, to wander around forever seeking his lost love.
The piece I have written doesn’t fit into any genre – it is a cross between a cello concerto, an opera for chorus, and a symphonic poem. The chorus tells the story and plays different roles: the Dong himself, the Jumblies, and the narrator observing the events. The virtuoso cello solo also plays various roles; in a way it might be the soul of the Dong. The Jumbly Girl has no voice in the poem, but perhaps the cello represents both her and the Dong. Sometimes the cello competes with the orchestra, or has a dialogue with the chorus. I wrote the cello part for Kristina Blaumane, the LPO’s Principal Cello, and a friend for many years.
Edward Lear’s language is unique. He makes words up, and makes existing words sound like he made them up. I wanted to mirror that with instrumental colours in the orchestral music, using their normal timbres in unusual combinations (eg flexatone and sliding strings, temple-blocks and contrabassoon).
The shape of the piece follows the poem except for a few short purely orchestral “commentaries”. Harmonically too, the music follows the emotional contour of the poem: it becomes more dissonant and chromatic after the Jumbly Girl disappears and the Dong loses his senses. Only at the end does the music becomes pure and diatonic again.’
Elena Langer, March 2023
THE DONG WITH A LUMINOUS NOSE EDWARD LEAR (1812–88)
When awful darkness and silence reign
Over the great Gromboolian plain, Through the long, long wintry nights; — When the angry breakers roar
As they beat on the rocky shore; — When Storm-clouds brood on the towering heights Of the Hills of the Chankly Bore: —
Then, through the vast and gloomy dark, There moves what seems a fiery spark, A lonely spark with silvery rays
Piercing the coal-black night, — A Meteor strange and bright: — Hither and thither the vision strays, A single lurid light.
Slowly it wander, — pauses, — creeps, — Anon it sparkles, — flashes and leaps; And ever as onward it gleaming goes A light on the Bong-tree stems it throws. And those who watch at that midnight hour
From Hall or Terrace, or lofty Tower, Cry, as the wild light passes along, —
"The Dong! — the Dong!
"The wandering Dong through the forest goes!
"The Dong! the Dong!
"The Dong with a luminous Nose!"
Long years ago
The Dong was happy and gay,
Till he fell in love with a Jumbly Girl Who came to those shores one day. For the Jumblies came in a sieve, they did, — Landing at eve near the Zemmery Fidd
Where the Oblong Oysters grow, And the rocks are smooth and gray.
And all the woods and the valleys rang With the Chorus they daily and nightly sang, — "Far and few, far and few, Are the lands where the Jumblies live; Their heads are green, and the hands are blue And they went to sea in a sieve.
Happily, happily passed those days!
While the cheerful Jumblies staid; They danced in circlets all night long, To the plaintive pipe of the lively Dong, In moonlight, shine, or shade. For day and night he was always there By the side of the Jumbly Girl so fair, With her sky-blue hands, and her sea-green hair. Till the morning came of that hateful day When the Jumblies sailed in their sieve away, And the Dong was left on the cruel shore
Gazing — gazing for evermore, —
Ever keeping his weary eyes on That pea-green sail on the far horizon, — Singing the Jumbly Chorus still
As he sate all day on the grassy hill, — "Far and few, far and few,
Are the lands where the Jumblies live; Their heads are green, and the hands are blue And they went to sea in a sieve.
But when the sun was low in the West, The Dong arose and said; — "What little sense I once possessed Has quite gone out of my head!" — And since that day he wanders still By lake and forest, marsh and hills, Singing — "O somewhere, in valley or plain "Might I find my Jumbly Girl again!
"For ever I'll seek by lake and shore "Till I find my Jumbly Girl once more!"
Playing a pipe with silvery squeaks, Since then his Jumbly Girl he seeks, And because by night he could not see, He gathered the bark of the Twangum Tree On the flowery plain that grows. And he wove him a wondrous Nose, — A Nose as strange as a Nose could be! Of vast proportions and painted red, And tied with cords to the back of his head. — In a hollow rounded space it ended With a luminous Lamp within suspended, All fenced about With a bandage stout
To prevent the wind from blowing it out; — And with holes all round to send the light,
In gleaming rays on the dismal night.
And now each night, and all night long, Over those plains still roams the Dong; And above the wail of the Chimp and Snipe You may hear the squeak of his plaintive pipe While ever he seeks, but seeks in vain To meet with his Jumbly Girl again; Lonely and wild — all night he goes, — The Dong with a luminous Nose!
And all who watch at the midnight hour, From Hall or Terrace, or lofty Tower, Cry, as they trace the Meteor bright, Moving along through the dreary night, —
"This is the hour when forth he goes, "The Dong with a luminous Nose! "Yonder — over the plain he goes; "He goes!
"He goes; "The Dong with a luminous Nose!"
ANDREY BOREYKO CONDUCTOR
2023/24 marked Andrey Boreyko’s final season as Music and Artistic Director of Warsaw Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir, who recently celebrated their 120th anniversary season. Over the course of his tenure, Boreyko’s inspiring leadership has raised the international profile of the orchestra and together they have embarked on major tours across Europe, Asia and the US.
In demand worldwide as a guest conductor, Boreyko works regularly with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Hamburg Philharmonic State Orchestra, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra and Prague Symphony Orchestra, and the Orchestra Sinfonica di Milano as its Resident Conductor. Highlights elsewhere include with the
Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia, Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della RAI, Antwerp Symphony Orchestra, Strasbourg Philharmonic Orchestra and New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra.
Boreyko concluded his eighth and final season as Music Director of Artis–Naples in 2022. Other previous appointments include Music Director positions with the Jenaer Philharmonic, Hamburg Symphony, Bern Symphony, Düsseldorf Symphony, Winnipeg Symphony and Belgian National orchestras.
KRISTINA BLAUMANE CELLO
Kristina Blaumane was born in Riga and graduated from the Latvian Academy of Music and the Guildhall School of Music & Drama. She has been the London Philharmonic Orchestra’s Principal Cello since 2007, and has been invited to play as a soloist, recitalist and chamber musician around the world.
Kristina has performed as soloist with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Amsterdam Sinfonietta, Chicago Civic Orchestra, Kremerata Baltica, Britten Sinfonia, Lithuanian Chamber Orchestra, Sofia Soloists, Netherlands Wind Ensemble, Dalarna Sinfonietta, MDR Symphony Orchestra Leipzig, Lithuanian National Symphony Orchestra and Ensemble Ubertini, as well as all the main orchestras in Latvia.
As a chamber musician Kristina has worked in partnership with such renowned artists as Isaac Stern, Gidon Kremer, Yo Yo Ma, Yuri Bashmet, Leif Ove Andsnes, Janine Jansen, Julian Rachlin, Dmitry Sitkovetsky, Bruno Giuranna, Misha Maisky, Nikolaj Znaider, Tatyana Grindenko, Oleg Maisenberg, Michael Collins, Isabelle van Keulen and Alina Ibragimova, among others, and has performed at festivals such as Gstaad, Lockenhaus, Salzburg, Verbier, Basel, Jerusalem, Utrecht, Spitalfields, Cheltenham, Aldeburgh, Homecoming, Crescendo and Amsterdam Cello Biennale. She is a member of Trio Palladio and the Wigmore Soloists ensemble.
Kristina is a keen promoter of new music. She has given a number of world premieres and several works are dedicated to her, among them cello concertos by Dobrinka Tabakova, Kristaps Pētersons, Pēteris Plakidis and Artem Vassiliev. Kristina appears as a soloist on the ECM debut disc of composer Dobrinka Tabakova, which reached number 2 in the UK classical charts and received a Grammy nomination. She has also recorded for the Onyx, Quartz and BMG labels.
Kristina is a winner of many awards including the Latvian Philharmonic Young Musician of the Year, the Latvian television competition ‘Alternativa’, Carmel International Competition, Musicians Benevolent Fund and Lord Mayor’s Prize. She is a two-time laureate of the Great Music Award, the highest prize given by the Latvian State in the field of music (2005 & 2007).
Kristina’s LPO chair is generously supported by Bianca & Stuart Roden.
LONDON PHILHARMONIC CHOIR
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: NEVILLE CREED
The London Philharmonic Choir was founded in 1947 as the chorus for the London Philharmonic Orchestra. It is widely regarded as one of Britain’s finest choirs and consistently meets with critical acclaim. Performing regularly with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the London Philharmonic Choir also works with many other orchestras throughout the United Kingdom and makes annual appearances at the BBC Proms.
The Choir has performed under some of the world’s most eminent conductors – among them Marin Alsop, Pierre Boulez, Semyon Bychkov, Mark Elder, John Eliot Gardiner, Edward Gardner, Bernard Haitink, Neeme Järvi, Vladimir Jurowski, Kurt Masur, Yannick Nézet-Séguin, Roger
Norrington, Andrés Orozco-Estrada, Simon Rattle, Georg Solti, Nathalie Stutzmann and Klaus Tennstedt.
The London Philharmonic Choir has made numerous recordings for CD, radio and television. The Choir often travels overseas and in recent years it has given concerts in many European countries, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Australia.
The Choir prides itself on its inclusive culture, achieving first-class performances from its members, who are volunteers from all walks of life.
lpc.org.uk
LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA
The London Philharmonic Orchestra is one of the world’s finest orchestras, balancing a long and distinguished history with its present-day position as one of the most dynamic and forward-looking ensembles in the UK. This reputation has been secured by the Orchestra’s performances in the concert hall and opera house, its many award-winning recordings, trailblazing international tours and wide-ranging educational work.
Founded by Sir Thomas Beecham in 1932, the Orchestra has since been headed by many of the world’s greatest conductors, including Sir Adrian Boult, Bernard Haitink, Sir Georg Solti, Klaus Tennstedt and Kurt Masur. In September 2021 Edward Gardner became the Orchestra’s Principal Conductor, succeeding Vladimir Jurowski, who became Conductor Emeritus in recognition of his transformative impact on the Orchestra as Principal Conductor from 2007–21.
The Orchestra is based at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall in London, where it has been Resident Orchestra since 1992. Each summer it takes up its annual residency at Glyndebourne Festival Opera where it has been Resident Symphony Orchestra for over 60 years. The Orchestra performs at venues around the UK and has made numerous international tours, performing to sell-out audiences in America, Europe, Asia and Australasia.
The London Philharmonic Orchestra made its first recordings on 10 October 1932, just three days after its first public performance. It has recorded and broadcast regularly ever since, and in 2005 established its own record label. These recordings are taken mainly from live concerts given by conductors including those with LPO Principal Conductors from Beecham and Boult, through Haitink, Solti, Tennstedt and Masur, to Jurowski and Gardner.
lpo.org.uk
Kelley
Elena Langer: The Dong with a Luminous Nose (world premiere performance)
Recorded at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall on 18 March 2023
Andrey Boreyko conductor
Kristina Blaumane cello
London Philharmonic Orchestra
London Philharmonic Choir Artistic Director: Neville Creed
Producer Nick Parker, Floating Earth
Engineer Tom Lewington, Floating Earth
Executive Producers Elena Dubinets, David Burke, Graham Wood
Publisher Elena Langer
℗ 2025 London Philharmonic Orchestra Ltd.
LPO–D932