Programme notes
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SESSION 3: BRASS & PERCUSSION WEDNESDAY 12 AUGUST 2020 - 7.30PM Sir Malcolm Arnold A Richmond Fanfare Sir Malcolm Arnold Kingston Richard Bissill Three Piece Suite for Four Horns (excerpts) Leonard Salzedo Divertimento for Three Trumpets and Three Trombones, Op. 49 Sir Malcolm Arnold Railway Fanfare Leonard Salzedo Concerto for Percussion, Op. 74 (excerpts) Stanley Woods Alexander Takes a Swing Stanley Woods John Peel Sir Malcolm Arnold Fanfare for a Royal Occasion Simon Carrington Hampden Celebration
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onight’s concert is a celebration of music written by composers who were members of the London Philharmonic Orchestra between the 1940s and the present day. There are several overlaps between them: Leonard Salzedo was in the same year at the Royal College of Music as Malcolm Arnold, his junior by less than a month, and their LPO careers coincided in the late 1940s. Both ultimately ceased their instrumental careers to devote their lives to composition. Salzedo and Stanley Woods were colleagues in the 1960s, albeit in the RPO. Richard Bissill was an LPO member long before Woods’s retirement, and remained so for several years after Simon Carrington had joined the Orchestra. Salzedo and Arnold were both very prolific and successful composers. Arnold achieved greater fame in his lifetime, but arguably Salzedo’s ‘Open University’ theme tune, which we will be playing this evening, was heard more often and by more people than anything by the former. Arnold, as a trumpet player, wrote effectively for the instrument and for brass in general; he knew what worked, what was possible, and where the limits lay, and he was never afraid to push towards them. Salzedo’s writing is also remarkably effective and skilfully crafted, showing the practical benefits of a composer who was also a working instrumentalist. Rhythmic vitality was an important element in his work as a composer and conductor of ballet, which became his primary focus. Woods, Bissill and Carrington are examples of consummate all-round musicians, far beyond the simple mastery of their respective instruments. Any one of them could easily keep a hotel foyer audience amused for hours with piano improvisations, an art that has been demonstrated numerous times on LPO tours! Their energetic, witty, quirky and easy-listening pieces are sure to entertain.
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Sir Malcolm Arnold (1921–2006) A Richmond Fanfare Kingston Trumpets James Fountain PRINCIPAL, Anne McAneney, Paul Beniston Trombones Mark Templeton PRINCIPAL, David Whitehouse Bass Trombone Lyndon Meredith PRINCIPAL
PRINCIPAL
Sir Malcolm Arnold (LPO Principal Trumpet 1941–48) was born in Northampton on 21 October 1921 and died on 23 September 2006. He studied at London’s Royal College of Music, trumpet with Ernest Hall and composition with Gordon Jacob. By the age of 30 he had already left the LPO to become a full-time composer. His vast output included nine symphonies, over 100 film scores (most notably he won an Oscar for the music for The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957)), several sets of orchestral dances, numerous concertos and other solo instrumental works, and A Grand, Grand Overture, scored for large orchestra along with four rifles, three vacuum cleaners and a floor polisher! He was knighted in 1993 for services to music, and has a school in Northampton named after him, the Malcolm Arnold Academy. A Richmond Fanfare was composed for the BBC Television programme ‘Royal Prologue’, broadcast on Christmas Day 1957. Kingston was composed in 1959. Both of these short fanfares are characterised by parallel harmony – blocks of simple chords – with liberal use of marcato triplets and rhythmic unison. Sir Malcolm’s daughter Katherine writes: ‘My father loved the LPO, the crucible for his musical life in his twenties. He loved the people within it and its democratic structure. He was encouraged especially by Charles Gregory, Principal Horn and Chairman of the LPO, for whom he wrote his first Horn Concerto in 1945. Gregory gave the world premiere of this work with the LPO and conductor Ernest Ansermet at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, in 1946. The following year, the Orchestra also proposed Beckus the Dandipratt for his first recording, when an unexpected opportunity suddenly arose. All his life Malcolm wrote for friends and colleagues from those days with the Orchestra, and had good friends from their ranks. The bonds created in the intense days of touring together during the Second World War helped sustain him through the inherently lonely and demanding life of a composer.’
Richard Bissill (born 1960) Three Piece Suite for Four Horns (excerpts)
March Swing Time Horns John Ryan
PRINCIPAL
, Martin Hobbs, Mark Vines
CO-PRINCIPAL
, Gareth Mollison
Richard Bissill (LPO Principal Horn 1984–2009) was a member of the Leicestershire Schools Symphony Orchestra, the BBC Radio Leicester Big Band and the National Youth Jazz Orchestra. He studied horn and piano at the Royal Academy of Music before joining the London Symphony Orchestra aged 22. Three years later he became Principal Horn of the LPO until 2009, when he took up the position of Section Principal Horn of the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, where he still plays. He has taught at London’s Guildhall School of Music & Drama since 1983 and been a member of London Brass since 1990. He was made a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Music in 2005 and a Fellow of the Guildhall School in 2018. Richard writes: ‘I was commissioned by the British Horn Society in 2019 to write Three Piece Suite for Four Horns and it was premiered in October at the BHS annual event in the Milton Court Concert Hall by me, Roger Montgomery, David Pyatt and Jonathan Durrant. I look back at my 25 years as Principal Horn in the LPO with great pride, satisfaction and fondness. Not only was it wonderful to perform at such a high level with my fellow friends but it was all done with a huge sense of enjoyment, one of the most valuable hallmarks of the LPO. I was also fortunate to have the opportunity to compose several works for the Orchestra. What a treat that was, to hear my music played by the Rolls-Royce of orchestras!’
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Leonard Salzedo (1921–2000) Divertimento for Three Trumpets and Three Trombones, Op. 49
1 Prelude 2 Scherzo 3 Interlude 4 March Trumpets Paul Beniston PRINCIPAL, Anne McAneney, James Fountain Trombones Mark Templeton PRINCIPAL, David Whitehouse Bass Trombone Lyndon Meredith PRINCIPAL
PRINCIPAL
Leonard Salzedo (LPO Violin 1947–50) was born in London on 24 September 1921, of Spanish descent on his father’s side (Salzedo is a Spanish name), although his mother was English. He studied violin under Isolde Menges and composition with Dr Herbert Howells at RCM. He was a member of the LPO from 1947–50, moving to the RPO from 1950–66 to allow more time for composition. His output includes 17 ballets, film music including The Revenge of Frankenstein, ten string quartets, two symphonies, numerous solo pieces, and works for often unusual and interesting combinations of instruments and, occasionally, voices. After his playing career he was musical director of Ballet Rambert from 1967–72, Scottish Ballet 1972–74, and later London City Ballet. He died on 6 May 2000. Salzedo’s daughter Caroline writes: ‘My father enjoyed his time with the LPO and, among many great conductors, his favourites were Wilhelm Furtwangler and Victor de Sabata. De Sabata always conducted from memory, which Salzedo also did later in his life, when he was a conductor with Rambert and other ballet companies. ‘The Leonard Salzedo Society was set up to promote his music, and will be celebrating the Centenary of his birth in 2021. For more information contact Caroline Salzedo: calsalzedo@gmail.com or visit www.impulse-music.co.uk/leonardsalzedo’ Leonard Salzedo’s Divertimento for Three Trumpets and Three Trombones (1959) was written for and recorded by the Philip Jones Brass Ensemble. It is instantly recognisable to anyone of a certain age as the first five bars’ opening fanfare was used as the Open University television theme tune from the 1970s to the 1990s. In his own programme note, the composer writes: ‘The Prelude is based entirely on the seven notes heard at the outset. The opening is fairly slow but the main section is at a faster tempo using a West Indian rhythm. The Scherzo consists of a set of variations on the opening bars. The theme is sometimes used melodically and sometimes to build up chords. The Interlude, which is entirely muted, uses the instruments in two groups. The third trumpet and tenor trombones, using cup mutes, play a series of major chords, while the first and second trumpets and the bass trombone, using harmonic mutes, comment with distant fanfares. The March, which rounds off the work, has an almost vaudeville flavour with the different sections featuring either the trumpets or the trombones. The return of the first theme leads to a brilliant ending.’
Sir Malcolm Arnold (1921–2006) Railway Fanfare Trumpets James Fountain PRINCIPAL, Anne McAneney, Paul Beniston Trombones Mark Templeton PRINCIPAL, David Whitehouse Bass Trombone Lyndon Meredith PRINCIPAL
PRINCIPAL
Railway Fanfare was written in 1975 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of railways in Britain. It begins and ends with a rhythmic palindrome, as an imaginary train gathers pace and slows down. The fanfare is rhythmically driven with just a recurring, jarring motif based on a major 7th chord by way of melody.
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Leonard Salzedo (1921–2000) Concerto for Percussion, Op. 74 (excerpts)
1 Preludio 2 Scherzo Percussion Andrew Barclay PRINCIPAL, Henry Baldwin Timpani Simon Carrington PRINCIPAL
CO-PRINCIPAL
, Keith Millar
Leonard Salzedo’s Concerto for Percussion (1968) was written for the London Percussion Ensemble’s Philips recording of 1969, and subsequently used several times as ballet music. The composer writes: ‘This work is my second for percussion instruments. I wrote my first one, Diseños, in 1964, which was actually conceived in Spain and has a distinct Spanish and Latin American flavour, using six players and a considerable number of instruments, achieving its effect by variety of tone colour. With this Concerto, however, I have been more concerned with rhythm and have used fewer instruments and only four players. It is in five movements. The Preludio contrasts a rhythmic figure against a melodic one, while the Scherzo is pure rhythm. (Although the timpani are tuned, the notes are not important).’
Stanley Woods (1933–2020) Alexander Takes a Swing John Peel Horns John Ryan PRINCIPAL, Martin Hobbs, Mark Vines Tuba Lee Tsarmaklis PRINCIPAL Percussion Andrew Barclay PRINCIPAL
CO-PRINCIPAL
, Gareth Mollison
Stanley Woods (LPO Trumpet c.1956–60 and c.1975–98) was born on 1 April 1933. He started playing cornet in Horsham Salvation Army Band, later joining the National Youth Orchestra on trumpet after successfully being auditioned by Malcolm Arnold. Following studies with Ernest Hall at the Royal College of Music he spent most of his career in the LPO, with a 12-year spell with the RPO and brief stints with the BBC SO and Philharmonia in between. Stan was also an accomplished pianist, jazz musician and composer, and for many years he conducted the Glynde and Beddingham Brass Band. He died on 2 February 2020. Alexander Takes a Swing was written for the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s horn section to play at Glyndebourne parties in the early 1960s. At this time almost all English hornists played on Alexander horns, hence the title. It was composed when Beethoven’s Fidelio was being performed at Glyndebourne. One famous aria in this opera features the horns, and near the end they play individual scale run-ups in canon, and so for fun the composer has incorporated these into the piece. John Peel also dates from the early 1960s, and is an arrangement in various guises of the famous folk song D’ye ken John Peel?, to which Woods has added his own second subject. John Peel was a Cumbrian huntsman, and the song, written by John Graves, dates from 1824. It starts: D’ye ken John Peel with his coat so gay? D’ye ken John Peel at the break o’ day? D’ye ken John Peel when he’s far, far a-way. With his hounds and his horn in the morning? Chorus For the sound of his horn brought me from my bed, And the cry of his hounds which he oft time led, Peel’s ‘View, Halloo!’ could awaken the dead, Or the fox from his lair in the morning. Continued overleaf
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Stan’s daughter Jacky, who used to play with the LPO as a viola extra, writes: ‘Dad passed away on 02/02/2020, which was a little ironic given how important words and numbers were to him. He would have been amused that he died on a palindrome. ‘He loved his years with the LPO, both musically and socially. Our childhood holidays in Sussex when Dad was doing Glyndebourne, and later in life when I was working with the LPO, made me realise how important his friends in the Orchestra were for so many reasons. Whilst sorting through his photo collection recently, it was striking what a wonderful life he had, sharing so many lovely memories with his family and friends, both on tours and holidays. He would have been so honoured to have his pieces played in this concert.’
Sir Malcolm Arnold (1921–2006) Fanfare for a Royal Occasion Trumpets James Fountain PRINCIPAL, Anne McAneney, Paul Beniston Trombones Mark Templeton PRINCIPAL, David Whitehouse Bass Trombone Lyndon Meredith PRINCIPAL
PRINCIPAL
Fanfare for a Royal Occasion was written for a St. Cecilia’s Day concert at London’s Royal Festival Hall on 19 November 1956. It alternates sections of strong rhythmic unison with counterpoint; answering passages between trombone and trumpet sections or individual parts. The rapid repeating rising arpeggios in the trumpet parts are something of an idiomatic Malcolm Arnold ‘signature’ motif, also used to great effect in his Brass Quintet of 1961.
Simon Carrington (born 1966) Hampden Celebration Trumpets Paul Beniston PRINCIPAL, Anne McAneney, James Fountain PRINCIPAL Horns John Ryan PRINCIPAL, Martin Hobbs Trombones Mark Templeton PRINCIPAL, David Whitehouse Bass Trombone Lyndon Meredith PRINCIPAL Tuba Lee Tsarmaklis PRINCIPAL Percussion Andrew Barclay PRINCIPAL, Henry Baldwin CO-PRINCIPAL, Keith Millar, Simon Carrington Simon Carrington (LPO Principal Timpani 2002–present) studied at the Royal College of Music and in 1988 won the Gold Medal in the Shell/LSO Competition, going on to join the LSO before becoming a member of the LPO in September 2002. Simon enjoys arranging music; his brass arrangements have been played by the brass section of the LPO and by London Brass, and well as at the Royal Academy of Music, where he is Senior Professor of Timpani. Simon’s chair in the LPO is supported by Victoria Robey OBE. Simon writes: ‘Hampden Celebration was written as the recessional music for my wedding to Mo, which took place at Hampden House in Buckinghamshire in 2006. It was originally scored for two antiphonal pairs of trumpets as well as trombones, tuba and percussion, and has been rescored to include horns for the purposes of this performance. Driven along by a characteristic tabor rhythm, the music is written in a pastiche Elizabethan style that reflects the architectural style of Hampden House; it is intended to be jubilant and vivacious, featuring many a false relation(!) and even the odd peal of wedding bells.’ Programme notes by Paul Beniston
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CHAIR SUPPORTERS The London Philharmonic Orchestra thanks the following for their ongoing support of tonight’s players’ chairs: • • • •
Andrew Barclay’s chair supported by Andrew Davenport Paul Beniston’s chair supported by Donors to the 2019 Gala Player Appeal Simon Carrington’s chair supported by Victoria Robey OBE Mark Templeton’s chair supported by William & Alex de Winton
The Orchestra also acknowledges the following chair supporters whose players are not present: David & Yi Buckley The Candide Trust The Chiltern Friends of the LPO Gill & Garf Collins Sonja Drexler
Friends of the Orchestra Irina Gofman and Mr Rodrik V. G. Cave Roger Greenwood Dr Barry Grimaldi Countess Dominique Loredan
Sir Simon Robey Bianca & Stuart Roden Caroline, Jamie & Zander Sharp Eric Tomsett Neil Westreich
NEXT SUMMER SESSIONS CONCERT SESSION 4: BEETHOVEN 250 WEDNESDAY 26 AUGUST 2020 – 7.30PM The final concert of our Summer Sessions series is an all-Beethoven programme to celebrate the composer’s 250th anniversary. This final concert features LPO players alongside four musicians from the Orchestra’s Foyle Future Firsts development programme. Beethoven Trio for piano, flute and bassoon in G major Beethoven Septet in E flat, Op. 20 Beethoven Quintet for piano and wind instruments in E flat major, Op. 16 Subscribe to our YouTube channel for concert reminders: @londonphilharmonicorchestra
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