London Symphony Orchestra Living Music
The music’s epic scale emerged with unforced strength and grandeur. Ivan Hewett on Meta4 String Quartet
BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts Season 2014/15 Box Office 020 7638 8891 lso.co.uk
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BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts 2014/15
lso.co.uk/lunchtimeconcerts
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WELCOME TO LSO ST LUKE’S Karen Cardy, LSO St Luke’s Centre Director, finds an oasis amidst the hustle and bustle of busy City life. On Thursday lunchtimes I take my seat in the Jerwood Hall and settle down to an hour of the finest chamber music performances BBC Radio 3 can bring. LSO St Luke’s provides the perfect setting. It’s one of the rarest concert halls in London, where you can hear a pin drop inside and still feel connected to the seasons – the huge London plane trees and red London buses outside being seen but not heard. And for me, as I suspect for many in our audience (and listeners to the broadcasts at home), it offers a chance to be instantly transported by the musicians’ imaginations. LSO St Luke’s was created 12 years ago as a space for the London Symphony Orchestra’s Discovery programme, as well as for the LSO to rehearse in, yet BBC Radio 3 were among the first to see its potential and have been the perfect partners ever since. Karen Cardy LSO St Luke’s Centre Director
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BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts 2014/15
BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERTS Lindsay Kemp, lead producer for BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts, introduces 2014/15
Working with LSO St Luke’s on our regular series of BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts is a pleasure. Planning five separate mini-series has its challenges, but the chance to explore an interesting theme and match the finest performers to masterpieces of chamber repertoire can also be immensely rewarding. Nothing beats the feeling of sitting in this remarkable building when all those things have come together! We start our twelfth season with two contrasting series. Young Pianists gives you the opportunity to hear some of the brightest new talents around – artists who, despite still being in their 20s, have been making a mark on concert halls throughout the world. They include the most recent winner of the Leeds Competition, a former BBC Radio 3 New Generation Artist, and two star pianists
who already have several high-profile recordings behind them, so we’re confident you’re going to like them. Their recitals sandwich a residency from the Nash Ensemble, who in their numerous appearances at LSO St Luke’s have always demonstrated the highest levels of musicianship; this time they will be luxuriating in the richness and depth of the repertoire for string quintet and sextet, from Beethoven and Borodin to Dvorˇák to Tchaikovsky. In the spring we’ll be welcoming cellist Natalie Clein, who will be showing off her versatility and range in another of our curated ‘And Friends’ series with a special emphasis on Bach. After that, Haydn Plus One takes three genres for which Haydn was a seminal figure – the piano sonata, the piano trio and the string quartet – and places them alongside complementary masterpieces in those genres by later composers. And we end in May with our contribution to the LSO International Violin Festival: four top-name violinists, three of whom are also appearing in concertos with the LSO this year. Do join us if you can. Lindsay Kemp Lead Producer, BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts
lso.co.uk/lunchtimeconcerts
‘It was particularly delightful to discover this extraordinary venue and share the music with such a terrific audience.’ Shai Wosner, pianist and previous BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concert soloist, on LSO St Luke’s
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BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts 2014/15
FEDERICO COLLI
YOUNG PIANISTS Four bright talents under 30
ALICE SARA OTT
KHATIA BUNIATISHVILI
Thu 2 Oct 2014 1pm
Thu 13 Nov 2014 1pm
Brahms Theme and Variations in D minor (arr from String Sextet No 1) Brahms Two Rhapsodies Op 79 Ravel Gaspard de la nuit
Beethoven Piano Sonata in A-flat major Op 26 Schubert Four Impromptus D935 Federico Colli piano
Lise de la Salle piano Thu 6 Nov 2014 1pm
Thu 20 Nov 2014 1pm
Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition plus works by Bach, Arvo Pärt and others
Beethoven Piano Sonata in D minor Op 31 No 2 (‘The Tempest’) Liszt Paganini Études
Khatia Buniatishvili piano
Alice Sara Ott piano
lso.co.uk/lunchtimeconcerts
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‘This is an artist of astonishing maturity. Everything she played seemed to grip the audience, and not because it was flashy.’ Vancouver Free Press on Lise de la Salle
LISE DE LA SALLE
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BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts 2014/15
NASH ENSEMBLE String Quintets and Sextets from the group The Times calls chamber music ‘royalty’
lso.co.uk/lunchtimeconcerts
‘Both the presence of mind and the infectious joy of communication with which these players perform revealed the complexity of the work in a vivid and exciting manner: this is chamber music at its finest.’ Berlin Tagesspiegel on Nash Ensemble
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Thu 9 Oct 2014 1pm Borodin String Sextet in D minor Stravinsky Three Pieces for String Quartet Tchaikovsky Souvenir de Florence Thu 16 Oct 2014 1pm Bruckner Adagio from String Quintet in F major Brahms String Sextet No 1 in B-flat major Op 18 Thu 23 Oct 2014 1pm Martinu˚ String Sextet Krása Tanec for String Trio Dvorˇák String Sextet in A major Op 48 Thu 30 Oct 2014 1pm Bruch String Quintet in E-flat major Beethoven String Quintet in C major Op 29
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BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts 2014/15
NATALIE CLEIN AND FRIENDS One of the UK’s best-loved musicians curates her own series
lso.co.uk/lunchtimeconcerts
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‘Magically deft, soaringly passionate, without any trace of self-indulgence, Clein conjures a full orchestra of colours and textures from her precious Guadagnini cello.’ The Times on Natalie Clein
Thu 5 Feb 2015 1pm
Thu 19 Feb 2015 1pm
Bach Cello Suite No 3 in C major BWV 1009 Chopin Three Preludes from Op 28: No 8 in F-sharp minor; No 4 in E minor; No 16 in B-flat minor Mendelssohn Cello Sonata No 2 in D major Op 58
Bach Two-Part Inventions Kodály Duo Op 7 Ravel Sonata for Violin and Cello Natalie Clein cello Anthony Marwood violin Thu 26 Feb 2015 1pm
Natalie Clein cello Sergio Tiempo piano Thu 12 Feb 2015 1pm Bach arr Sitkovetsky Goldberg Variations for String Trio Natalie Clein cello Henning Kraggerud violin Krzysztof Chorzelski viola
Bach Gamba Sonata No 1 in G major BWV 1027 Ligeti Sonata for Solo Cello Kurtág Signs, Games and Messages for Solo Cello Bach Gamba Sonata No 3 in G minor BWV 1029 Natalie Clein cello Mahan Esfahani harpsichord
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BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts 2014/15
HAYDN PLUS ONE A great composer and his legacy
‘You can almost hear their body language: straining towards each other, constantly renewing the energy of their repartee … Meta4 maximised the frisson factor of this spiritual winter journey, setting up dry, spectral tremolandi like a chill wind.’ The Times on Meta4 String Quartet
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Thu 5 Mar 2015 1pm Haydn String Quartet in B minor Op 64 No 2 Bart贸k String Quartet No 5 Meta4 String Quartet Thu 12 Mar 2015 1pm Haydn Fantasia in C major Hob XVII/4 Haydn Piano Sonata in G major Hob XVI/40 Beethoven Piano Sonata in F minor Op 2 No 1 Haydn Piano Sonata in C major Hob XVI/50 Ronald Brautigam fortepiano Thu 19 Mar 2015 1pm Haydn String Quartet in F minor Op 20 No 5 Shostakovich String Quartet No 2 in A major Op 68 Cuarteto Casels Thu 26 Mar 2015 1pm Haydn Piano Trio in E major Hob XV/28 Brahms Piano Trio No 1 in B major Op 8 ATOS Trio CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: META4, ATOS TRIO, RONALD BRAUTIGAM, CUARTETO CASELS
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BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts 2014/15
VIOLIN FESTIVAL RECITALS A snapshot of world talent
There is no moment in this entire, familiar, piece that didn’t convey a sense of total creative investment. Boston Globe
Ehnes ‌ using a restrained amount of vibrato, played with purity and an unfailing sense of line. The Observer
Thu 21 May 2015 1pm
Thu 11 Jun 2015 1pm
Bach Partita No 2 in D minor BWV 1004 Bach Sonata No 3 in C major BWV 1005
Beethoven Violin Sonata No 10 in G major Op 96 Brahms Violin Sonata No 3 in D minor Op 108
Christian Tetzlaff violin
James Ehnes violin Steven Osborne piano
lso.co.uk/lunchtimeconcerts
A highly empathetic soloist … exceptionally delicate dynamics were a hallmark throughout. The Guardian
Benedetti’s sound in the stratosphere of her register is almost improbably pure and gleaming. New York Times
Thu 18 Jun 2015 1pm
Thu 25 Jun 2015 1pm
Beethoven Sonata No 3 in E-flat major Op 12 No 3 Schumann Sonata No 2 in D minor Op 121
Mozart Violin Sonata in E minor K304 Beethoven Violin Sonata No 9 in A major (‘Kreutzer’)
Veronika Eberle violin Michail Lifits piano
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Nicola Benedetti violin Alexei Grynyuk piano
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LSO International Violin Festival
LSO INTERNATIONAL VIOLIN FESTIVAL Generously supported by Jonathan Moulds
Wendy Thompson introduces the LSO’s International Violin Festival at the Barbican, featuring twelve world-renowned violinists. Many of the violinists featured are well-known to LSO audiences, beginning with virtuoso Leonidas Kavakos (8 April), who kick-starts the Festival with Shostakovich’s First Concerto. Nicola Benedetti (3 May) brings her phenomenal technique to bear on the Szymanowski concerto with which she won BBC Young Musician of the Year 2004, aged just 16, while Nikolaj Znaider (12 May), trained in the great Russian tradition, tackles the virtuosic heights of the Tchaikovsky, and Christian Tetzlaff (24 May), whose Beethoven recordings have been critically acclaimed, brings his intimate understanding of the German master to the concerto which stands at the head of the Romantic repertoire. Anne-Sophie Mutter (10 June), another great German virtuoso and LSO favourite, partners André Previn in a concerto he wrote for her.
Two sensational young players, both former BBC New Generation Artists, feature in this cornucopia of violinplaying: Dutch artist Janine Jansen (2 June) applies her nimble fingers to Mendelssohn’s masterpiece, while Alina Ibragimova (14 June) has opted for Mozart’s charmingly quirky ‘Strassburg’ Concerto No 3. Several artists are making a welcome return to the LSO: Gil Shaham (12 April), who is currently engaged in a project to record concertos from the 1930s, plays the Britten, premiered in 1940, while Japanese-American star Midori (30 April) plays another concerto from the same period, Bartók’s Second, and Joshua Bell (28 June) provides a fitting finale to the Festival with Sibelius. Hailed as the ‘Heifetz of our day’, James Ehnes (2 June) plays the Korngold Concerto (originally written for Heifetz himself), while Isabelle Faust (7 May) has chosen Brahms’ masterpiece, perhaps the supreme exemplar of the entire repertoire. lso.co.uk/violinfestival Wendy Thompson is Executive Director of Classic Arts Productions.
lso.co.uk/violinfestival
‘She brings … a degree of heat, subtlety and quicksilver colours only achieved by the world’s best.’ The Times on Nicola Benedetti
THE STRAD SUNDAYS Sun 12 Apr, 3 May, 28 Jun 2015 The Strad magazine is 125 in 2015 and to celebrate this milestone will be the media partner for the LSO Violin International Festival. In addition, it is running violinmaking workshops 3–5pm and pre-concert talks 6–6.45pm on three ‘The Strad Sundays’.
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LSO Discovery Friday Lunchtime Concerts ~ Support Us
LSO DISCOVERY FRIDAY LUNCHTIME CONCERTS
Fri 5 Sep; 17 & 31 Oct; 21 Nov 2014 30 Jan; 13 & 27 Feb; 13 Mar; 1 & 22 May; 12 & 26 Jun 2015 12.30pm, LSO St Luke’s Rachel Leach series presenter LSO Discovery Friday Lunchtime Concerts are the perfect way to find out more about the instruments of the orchestra and the music written for them.
RACHEL LEACH
Given by LSO players and musicians from the Guildhall School together with presenter Rachel Leach, these friendly, informal performances take place in the Jerwood Hall at LSO St Luke’s and last for 45 minutes, making them the ideal way to spend a lunch break. LSO Discovery Friday Lunchtime Concerts are supported by the Rothschild Charities Committee
lso.co.uk
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YOUR MONEY, OUR MISSION Did you know that when you attend an event at LSO St Luke’s your ticket helps support the education work of the London Symphony Orchestra, through LSO Discovery based at LSO St Luke’s?
The LSO is passionately committed to making music available to everyone, and engages closely with the underprivileged in East London boroughs as part of an extensive and innovative programme at LSO St Luke’s. This includes work with the community, supporting music education for all ages and investing in young talent, as well as using multimedia technology to link people throughout the UK and internationally.
London Symphony Orchestra Ltd is a registered charity and for us to continue to thrive, we urgently seek support from companies and individuals each year. Through your support, help us to continue to invest in music education and ensure that LSO St Luke’s remains at the heart of the community in which it works. Support LSO St Luke’s today visit lso.co.uk/supportus LSO Charity Registration No 232391
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BOOKING INFORMATION How to book BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts Tickets £10 (£9 concessions, £5 under-16s) + booking fee per transaction of £0.60 online or £0.70 by phone Book online at lso.co.uk Box Office 020 7638 8891 (10am–8pm Mon–Sat, 11am–8pm Sun) LSO Discovery Friday Lunchtime Concerts Free entry, no ticket required For more details about lunchtime concerts visit lso.co.uk/lunchtimeconcerts Groups of 10 or more receive a 20% discount, call 020 7382 7211 (10am–5pm Mon–Fri)
Tune in
Tune in to the home of live music 90–93 FM, DAB Digital Radio or listen online bbc.co.uk/radio BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concerts are recorded for future, not live, broadcast. For scheduling information on broadcast dates, visit bbc.co.uk/radio3 How to find us LSO St Luke’s UBS and LSO Music Education Centre 161 Old Street London EC1V 9NG Barbican Centre Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS lso.co.uk/yourvisit
Join us for lunch in the Café The LSO St Luke’s café is open both before and after each BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime Concert
Information correct at time of going to print. The LSO reserves the right to change artists or programmes if necessary. Refunds will only be given in the event of a concert being cancelled. Ticket discounts cannot be combined. Calls may be monitored or recorded for quality assurance or training purposes. LSO charity registration number 232391.
LSO St Luke’s Principal Donors
Photography Igor Emmerich, Sussie Ahlburg, Giorgia Bertazzi, Felix Broede, Marco Borggreve, Benjamin Ealovega, Rhys Frampton, Olivia Hemingway, Molina Visuals, Jan Northoff, Julia Wesely