CONCERT PROGRAM
Sir Andrew’s Messiah 7 & 8 DECEMBER 2019
Sir Andrew’s Messiah – 7 & 8 December 2019
Artists Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Sir Andrew Davis conductor Siobhan Stagg soprano Catherine Wyn-Rogers mezzo-soprano Topi Lehtipuu tenor James Clayton bass Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus Warren Trevelyan-Jones chorus master
Program HANDEL Messiah (orch. Davis)
Running time: 2 hours 20 minutes, including a 20-minute interval following Part I. Pre-concert talk: 7 December at 5.45pm and 8 December at 3.45pm. Join MSO Artist Liaison Stephen McAllan as he interviews Sir Andrew Davis about his Messiah orchestration. Assistive hearing: A hearing system is available from Arts Centre Melbourne ushers, providing coverage to all seats via headphones or neck-loops. 2
In consideration of your fellow patrons, the MSO thanks you for silencing and dimming the light on your phone.
Sir Andrew’s Messiah – 7 & 8 December 2019
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is a leading cultural figure in the Australian arts landscape, bringing the best in orchestral music and passionate performance to a diverse audience across Victoria, the nation and around the world. The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is a leading cultural figure in the Australian arts landscape, bringing the best in orchestral music and passionate performance to a diverse audience across Victoria, the nation and around the world. Each year the MSO engages with more than 5 million people through live concerts, TV, radio and online broadcasts, international tours, recordings and education programs. Under the spirited leadership of Chief Conductor, Sir Andrew Davis, the MSO is a vital presence, both onstage and in the community, in cultivating classical music in Australia. The nation’s first
professional orchestra, the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra has been the sound of the city of Melbourne since 1906. The MSO regularly attracts great artists from around the globe including Anne-Sophie Mutter, Lang Lang, Renee Fleming and Thomas Hampson, while bringing Melbourne’s finest musicians to the world through tours to China, Europe and the United States. The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land on which we perform and would like to pay our respects to their Elders and Community both past and present. 3
Sir Andrew’s Messiah – 7 & 8 December 2019
Sir Andrew Davis conductor
Chief Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Sir Andrew Davis is also Music Director and Principal Conductor of the Lyric Opera of Chicago. He is Conductor Laureate of both the BBC Symphony Orchestra and the Toronto Symphony, where he has also been named interim Artistic Director until 2020. In a career spanning more than 40 years he has conducted virtually all the world’s major orchestras and opera companies, and at the major festivals. Recent highlights have included Die Walküre in a new production at Chicago Lyric. Sir Andrew’s many CDs include Messiah, nominated for a 2018 Grammy, Bliss’s The Beatitudes, and a recording with the Bergen Philharmonic of Vaughan Williams’ Job/ Symphony No.9 nominated for a 2018 BBC Music Magazine Award. With the MSO he has released a third recording in the ongoing Richard Strauss series, featuring the Alpine Symphony and Till Eulenspiegel. These performances of Messiah are Sir Andrew’s final appearances as Chief Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Although we bid him a fond farewell, we look forward to his continued presence as Conductor Laureate and his return in 2020 to lead the orchestra in special performances. 4
Catherine Wyn-Rogers
Siobhan Stagg is one of the most outstanding sopranos to emerge from Australia in recent years. A graduate of the University of Melbourne, Siobhan began her career in 2013-14 as Young Artist at the Salzburg Festival and the Deutsche Oper Berlin. Since then, Siobhan has performed principal roles at the Lyric Opera of Chicago (title role Cendrillon), London’s Royal Opera House, Hamburg State Opera, Bayerische Staatsoper, Opernhaus Zürich, Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, Berliner Philharmoniker and BBC Proms, among others.
Catherine Wyn-Rogers has performed with conductors such as Slatkin, Haitink, Rozhdestvensky, Mackerras, Mehta, Norrington, Sir Colin Davis and Sir Andrew Davis, and appeared at festivals such as the BBC Proms, Aldeburgh, and the Three Choirs. Recent recordings include The Dream of Gerontius with Barenboim.
soprano
Siobhan won a Green Room Award (2019) for her portrayal of Mélisande in Victorian Opera’s Pelléas et Mélisande. Future plans include Tytania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, her Italian debut at Teatro Comunale di Bologna and a return to the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. Recent recordings include Libertá with Raphaël Pichon and Aquarelles with the award-winning Noga String Quartet. Siobhan is based in Berlin.
mezzo-soprano
Sir Andrew’s Messiah – 7 & 8 December 2019
Siobhan Stagg
Catherine Wyn-Rogers is a regular guest at the Bavarian State Opera, English National Opera and Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. She has also performed at the houses of Chicago, Houston, Milan, Amsterdam, Dresden, Madrid and Paris, at Scottish Opera, Welsh National Opera and Opera North, and at the Salzburg, Glyndebourne and Verbier festivals. She sang Erda and Waltraute in Valencia and Florence with Zubin Mehta, and Adelaide Arabella for the Metropolitan Opera. She appeared with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra in 2017 singing in Mahler’s Song of the Earth and last year in Dream of Gerontius. Forthcoming performances include Haydn’s Mass in Troubled Times (‘Nelson Mass’) in Boston.
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Sir Andrew’s Messiah – 7 & 8 December 2019
Topi Lehtipuu
James Clayton
Topi Lehtipuu was born in Brisbane and brought up in Finland. He has worked with conductors including Emmanuelle Haïm, René Jacobs, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Riccardo Muti, Sir Simon Rattle, Esa-Pekka Salonen and Daniel Harding; directors such as Peter Sellars and Barrie Kosky, and at venues such as the BBC Proms and Salzburg Festival.
Praised for his vocal phrasing and colour, James Clayton has been lauded by audiences and reviewers alike for his performances throughout Australia, New Zealand and Asia. 2018–19 performances included Marcello (La bohème), Escamillo (Carmen), Leporello (Don Giovanni), The Forrester (The Cunning Little Vixen), Germont (La traviata), Judge Turpin (Sweeney Todd) and the title role in Macbeth for West Australian Opera. Concert performance highlights include Haydn’s Mass in Time of War with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and Carmina Burana with Orchestra Wellington.
tenor
Recent career highlights have included creating the role of The Creature in Mark Gray’s Frankenstein, commissioned by Brussel’s Théâtre Royal de la Monnaie, as well as collaborating with dance group the Tero Saarinen Company in Third Practice, a new multi-disciplinary dance and vocal project featuring music by Monteverdi. As an artistic consultant and curator, Top Lehtipuu was Director of the Helsinki Festival (2015–2018), as well as artistic director of the Turku Music Festival (2010–2015). His recordings include a 2012 Grammy-nominated DVD of The Rake’s Progress and the 2015 BBC Music Magazine award-winning DVD of The Mastersingers of Nuremberg.
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bass
In 2020, James Clayton sings the title role in Macbeth for State Opera of South Australia, Alfio in Cavalleria rusticana for West Australian Opera, Tonio in Pagliacci and the title role in Elijah. His concert appearances include Brahms’ Requiem for the Tasmanian Symphony, Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis for the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, Messiah for New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and an Opera Gala for the Queensland Symphony Orchestra.
Warren Trevelyan-Jones
For more than 50 years the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus has been the unstinting voice of the Orchestra’s choral repertoire. The MSO Chorus sings with the finest conductors including Sir Andrew Davis, Edward Gardner, Mark Wigglesworth, Bernard Labadie, Vladimir Ashkenazy and Manfred Honeck, and is committed to developing and performing new Australian and international choral repertoire.
Warren Trevelyan-Jones is the Head of Music at St James’, King Street in Sydney and is regarded as one of the leading choral conductors and choir trainers in Australia. Warren has had an extensive singing career as a soloist and ensemble singer in Europe, including nine years in the Choir of Westminster Abbey, and regular work with the Gabrieli Consort, Collegium Vocale (Ghent), the Taverner Consort, The Kings Consort, Dunedin Consort, The Sixteen and the Tallis Scholars.
Commissions include Brett Dean’s Katz und Spatz, Ross Edwards’ Mountain Chant, and Paul Stanhope’s Exile Lamentations. Recordings by the MSO Chorus have received critical acclaim. It has performed across Brazil and at the Cultura Inglese Festival in Sao Paolo, with The Australian Ballet, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, at the AFL Grand Final and at Anzac Day commemorative ceremonies.
MSO Chorus Master
Sir Andrew’s Messiah – 7 & 8 December 2019
Melbourne Symphony Orchestra Chorus
Warren is also Director of the Parsons Affayre, Founder and Co-Director of The Consort of Melbourne and, in 2001 with Dr Michael Noone, founded the Gramophone award-winning group Ensemble Plus Ultra. Warren is also a qualified music therapist.
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Sir Andrew’s Messiah – 7 & 8 December 2019
Program Notes GEORGE FREDERIC HANDEL
(1685–1759)
Messiah (orch. Sir Andrew Davis) A Sacred Oratorio
Words selected from the Holy Bible by Charles Jennens (1700–1773)
I [Sir Andrew Davis] am far from being the first to elaborate the orchestration of Handel’s Messiah. Mozart’s version is well known. I made selective use of the English music scholar Ebenezer Prout’s version for the Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) and Toronto Mendelssohn Choir’s performances and recording in 1986. And Sir Thomas Beecham’s famous recording, which features Jon Vickers, uses the imaginative but overblown (and occasionally even verging on the vulgar) orchestration made especially for the project by Sir Eugene Goossens. I wanted to do a “grand” version in 2010 with the TSO and reviewed all of the above before deciding to undertake something new myself. It took me ten months, during which time it dominated my life! My aim has been to keep Handel’s notes, harmonies, and style intact, but to make use of all the colours available from the modern symphony orchestra to underline the mood and meaning of the individual movements. In addition to substantial brass and woodwind forces, the audience will see quite a large number of percussion instruments on stage (including marimba!), but they are in fact used sparingly. The organ does occasionally assume its traditional Baroque role of continuo instrument, but for the most part I reserve it for the climactic moments. In “telling the story”
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of this great work I have endeavoured to create moments of drama, pathos, and even sometimes whimsicality, I hope, without detracting from the innate power of the original. PART I The Overture (or Sinfony, as Handel called it) begins with wind band, but the repeat is played by strings and organ, as if to remind us of the original scoring; thereafter the whole orchestra plays, with great variety of texture. In “Comfort ye”, the tenor’s first recitative, gentle woodwinds and harp amplify the strings, and horns make a significant contribution to the following aria. The chorus “And the Glory of the Lord” is fuller but not grandiose.
1. OVERTURE – SINFONY 2. ACCOMPAGNATO – TENOR Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God. Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplish’d, that her iniquity is pardon’d. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness: Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. (Isaiah 40:1–3) 3. AIR – TENOR Ev’ry valley shall be exalted, and ev’ry mountain and hill made low, the crooked straight, and the rough places plain. (Isaiah 40:4) 4. CHORUS And the Glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. (Isaiah 40:5)
that tellest” is a concertante group of flute, oboe, clarinet, and cello, and still, periodically, the sun shines through the glass.
8. RECITATIVE – MEZZO-SOPRANO Behold! A virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, (Isaiah 7:14) And shall call his name Emmanuel: “God with us.” (Matthew 1:23)
5. ACCOMPAGNATO – BASS Thus saith the Lord, the Lord of Hosts: Yet once, a little while, and I will shake the heav’ns and the earth, the sea and the dry land, and I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come. (Haggai 2:6–7) The Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to His temple, ev’n the messenger of the Covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, He shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts. (Malachi 3:1) 6. AIR – MEZZO-SOPRANO But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner’s fire. (Malachi 3:2) 7. CHORUS And He shall purify the sons of Levi, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. (Malachi III:3)
In scoring the tiny alto recitative “Behold! A virgin shall conceive”, I remembered the beautiful line from a medieval poem “As the sun shineth through the glass, so Jesus in His Mother was”—a marvellous metaphor for the virgin birth: solo string harmonics impart a gentle glow. Joining Handel’s violins and bass line in “O Thou
9. AIR – MEZZO-SOPRANO AND CHORUS O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into the high mountain; O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up thy voice with strength, lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah: Behold your God! (Isaiah 40:9)
Sir Andrew’s Messiah – 7 & 8 December 2019
The first percussion instrument to appear is in the bass aria “Thus saith the Lord”—the snare drum. The flames of the “refiner’s fire” of the alto aria are evoked by high woodwind and muted trumpets in short, sharp chords. The chorus “And He shall purify” begins in Handel’s sound world but gradually grows, although the overall texture is relatively restrained.
Arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. (Isaiah 60:1)
The strings’ evocation of “darkness covering the earth” in accompanying the bass soloist is enhanced by the use of col legno (playing with the wood of the bow instead of the hair) and a kind of built-in reverberation. In “The people that walked in darkness”, I was tempted to use Mozart’s amazing chromatic harmonies but chose instead to maintain the severity of Handel’s unison writing, adding the melancholy timbre of the alto flute and English horn.
10. ACCOMPAGNATO – BASS For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. (Isaiah 60:2–3)
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Sir Andrew’s Messiah – 7 & 8 December 2019
11. AIR – BASS The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light. And they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined. (Isaiah 9:2)
The orchestration for the chorus “For unto us a Child is born” is robust, but after the last climax, the orchestra fades away, leaving us with the thought that perhaps the most important of the Messiah’s names is “Prince of Peace”.
12. CHORUS For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace! (Isaiah 9:6)
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What is commonly known as the Pastoral Symphony was called by Handel, Pifa; the piffaro was a reed instrument played in the Apennine Mountains by shepherds, and therefore I have scored here for wind instruments, including the oboe d’amore, much used by Bach but by surprisingly few composers since. I opted for the short version (preferred by Handel) which is less of a set piece and more an introduction to the wonderful scene of the angels’ appearing to the shepherds. The “Angel of the Lord” (by tradition Gabriel) is accompanied by flutes, trombones, and harp. In the chorus, the two trumpets are set apart from and above the rest of the orchestra, in accordance with Handel’s instructions, as part of the “heavenly host”, whose beating wings I have tried to depict with an unusual instrumental combination in the preceding recitative—one of those whimsical moments I mentioned earlier!
13. PIFA (PASTORAL SYMPHONY) 14A. RECITATIVE – SOPRANO There were shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flocks by night. (Luke 2:8) 14B. ACCOMPAGNATO – SOPRANO And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone ’round about them, and they were sore afraid. (Luke 2:9) 15. RECITATIVE – SOPRANO And the angel said unto them: Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10–11) 16. ACCOMPAGNATO – SOPRANO And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heav’nly host praising God, and saying: (Luke 2:13) 17. CHORUS Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth, good will toward men! (Luke 2:14)
The soprano’s (and the violins’) virtuosic call to “Rejoice greatly” is accompanied by harp, some punchy woodwind writing, and, in the middle section, flutes and two solo violas. After the short recitative scored for woodwind, the pastoral mood returns—is it coincidence that the opening notes of “He shall feed His flock” are the inversion of those of the Pifa? Again the oboe d’amore and, later, flute and oboe, add colour to the strings. A little rising flourish at the beginning of the chorus “His yoke is easy” tells us that the shepherds are off to Bethlehem, but brief
18. AIR – SOPRANO Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem; behold, thy King cometh unto thee. He is the righteous Saviour, and He shall speak peace unto the heathen. (Zachariah 9:9–10) 19. RECITATIVE – MEZZOSOPRANO Then shall the eyes of the blind be open’d, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing. (Isaiah 35:5–6) 20. DUET – MEZZO-SOPRANO/ SOPRANO He shall feed His flock like a shepherd, and He shall gather the lambs with His arm, and carry them in His bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. (Isaiah 40:11) Come unto Him all ye that labour, come unto Him that are heavy laden, and He will give you rest. Take His yoke upon you, and learn of Him, for He is meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. (Matthew 11:28–29) 21. CHORUS His yoke is easy, His burthen is light. (Matthew 11:30)
– INTERVAL – PART II The brief introduction to the opening chorus “Behold the Lamb of God” is assigned to the same wind band that we heard at the beginning of the Sinfony; thereafter this beautiful and moving piece is accompanied with delicacy and warmth. The mournful sound of the English horn joins the strings in “He was despised”. The three choruses that follow form a remarkable sequence. The dramatic “Surely He hath borne our griefs” is followed by a severe fugue in which the strings are silent. They return, pizzicato, for “All we like sheep”; I have tried to underline Handel’s caustic wit in this brilliant portrayal of the aimless way most of us blunder our way through life. But, at the end, Handel most movingly reminds us of Christ’s suffering to redeem mankind.
Sir Andrew’s Messiah – 7 & 8 December 2019
appearances of the flutes, trombones, and harp combination might make us suspect that Gabriel is still beneficently present, a suspicion confirmed when the trumpets return to their “heavenly” position to conclude Part I.
22. CHORUS Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world. (John 1:29) 23. AIR – MEZZO-SOPRANO He was despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. (Isaiah 53:3) 24. CHORUS Surely, He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him. (Isaiah 53:4–5) 25. CHORUS And with His stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5) 11
Sir Andrew’s Messiah – 7 & 8 December 2019
26. CHORUS All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned ev’ry one to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)
For the vilification and mockery of the ensuing recitative (“All they that see Him laugh Him to scorn”) and chorus (“He trusted in God”), I have sought to give the orchestra a biting, even brutal, tone. This is some of the nastiest music I know.
27. ACCOMPAGNATO – TENOR All they that see Him laugh Him to scorn, they shoot out their lips, and shake their heads, saying: (Psalm 22:7) 28. CHORUS He trusted in God that He would deliver Him; let Him deliver Him, if He delight in Him. (Psalm 22:8)
The four tenor pieces now complete this remarkably compressed section dealing with Christ’s torment, death, and resurrection. “Thy rebuke hath broken His Heart” uses simply Handel’s original strings, which are joined by alto flute and oboe d’amore in “Behold, and see”. Strings and punctuating woodwind accompany “He was cut off”, while the quietly radiant colour of solo flute emphasizes the optimism of the final aria, “But Thou didst not leave His soul in Hell”.
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29. ACCOMPAGNATO – TENOR Thy rebuke hath broken His Heart; He is full of heaviness. He looked for some to have pity on Him, but there was no man, neither found He any to comfort Him. (Psalm 69:20) 30. AIR – TENOR Behold, and see if there be any sorrow like unto His sorrow. (Lamentations 1:12) 31. ACCOMPAGNATO – TENOR He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgressions of Thy people was He stricken. (Isaiah 53:8) 32. AIR – TENOR But Thou didst not leave His soul in Hell; nor didst Thou suffer Thy Holy One to see corruption. (Psalm 16:10)
In “Lift up your heads, O ye gates”, the centrepiece of Part II, I have simply tried to amplify Handel’s marvellous antiphonal writing. The ensuing chorus (“The Lord gave the word”) and aria (“How beautiful are the feet”) illustrate the urgency and exuberance of spreading the word (tambourines!) and the ineffable beauty of its message (marimba colouring the violins).
33. CHORUS Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle; the Lord of hosts. (Psalm 24:7–10)
38. RECITATIVE – TENOR He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh them to scorn; the Lord shall have them in derision. (Psalm 2:4)
35. AIR – SOPRANO How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things. (Isaiah 52:7; Romans 10:15)
39. AIR – TENOR Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron, Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel. (Psalm 2:9)
In furious contrast, the bass soloist expresses outrage that “kings of the earth…take counsel together against the Lord”, The chorus cries out its rebellious response—lots of brass here—and the tenor, in “Thou shalt break them”, promises that these enemies of the Lord shall be “dashed in pieces”. The tradition of standing up for the “Hallelujah Chorus” was supposedly started by King George II himself. My own theory is that he was standing up to leave after the distinctly antimonarchical sentiments just expressed! Just before the end of this most famous of all choruses, I have added sleigh bells because this passage has always brought to my mind the picture of proudly rearing horses!
36. AIR – BASS Why do the nations so furiously rage together, why do the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth rise up, and the rulers take counsel together against the Lord and against His anointed. (Psalm 2:1–2) 37. CHORUS Let us break their bonds asunder, and cast away their yokes from us. (Psalm 2:3)
40. CHORUS Hallelujah! for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth. (Revelation 19:6) The Kingdom of this world is become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 19:15)
Sir Andrew’s Messiah – 7 & 8 December 2019
34. CHORUS The Lord gave the word: great was the company of the preachers. (Psalm 68:11)
King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. (Revelation 19:16)
PART III I have given the opening of “I know that my Redeemer liveth” to a gentle solo clarinet accompanied only by solo strings. The strings are again silent in “Since by man came death”. The bass recitative is coloured by harp and woodwinds, but in the aria, apart from an echo effect intended to show that the trumpet is indeed sounding far and wide, I have left Handel’s original scoring intact—I love the sound of trumpet and organ! The final chorus is grand and majestic, though the final “Amen” fugue begins with organ accompaniment only before building back up to the triumphal conclusion. Everything I have done instrumentally stems from an enormous respect, even awe, which I feel towards this supreme masterpiece. If any of my ideas should help to illuminate any part of it, I shall be happy. It was a labour of love and is dedicated to the memory of my parents. 13
Sir Andrew’s Messiah – 7 & 8 December 2019
41. AIR – SOPRANO I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth, and tho’ worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God. (Job 19:25–26) For now is Christ risen from the dead, the first-fruits of them that sleep. (1 Corinthians 15:20) 42. CHORUS Since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:21–22) 43. ACCOMPAGNATO – BASS Behold, I tell you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be chang’d, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. (1 Corinthians 15:51–52) 44. AIR – BASS The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:52–53) 45. CHORUS Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed us to God by His blood, to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing. Blessing and honour, glory and pow’r be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever. (Revelation 5:9, 12–14) Amen.
Program note by Sir Andrew Davis
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The MSO first performed Messiah on 25 December 1940 under conductor Sir Bernard Heinze, with the Melbourne Philharmonic Society. The soloists were Thea Philips, Joan Jones, William Herbert and Stanley Clarkson. The Orchestra’s most recent performances took place on 15-16 December 2018 with Jan Willem de Vriend conducting, soloists Jeanine de Bique, Nicholas Tolputt, Andrew Goodwin and Stephan Loges, and the MSO Chorus.
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Sir Andrew’s Messiah – 7 & 8 December 2019
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Jeffrey Crellin
HORNS
GUEST MUSICIANS
Nicolas Fleury
Aaron Barnden violin Michael Loftus-Hills violin Nicholas Waters violin William Clark viola Isabel Morse viola Martin Alexander viola Anna Pokomy cello Christian Geldsetzer^
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Owen Morris
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Elise Millman
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Natasha Thomas
Dr Martin Tymms and Patricia Nilsson#
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Shane Hooton
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William Evans Rosie Turner
guest principal double bass
Vivian Qu Siyuan
Sir Andrew’s Messiah – 7 & 8 December 2019
OBOES
double bass
Emma Sullivan double bass Colin Forbes-Abrams bassoon
David Bremner* trombone Timothy Hook percussion Calvin Bowman organ
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TROMBONES Richard Shirley
Tim and Lyn Edward#
Mike Szabo
Principal Bass Trombone
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Principal
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John Arcaro
Tim and Lyn Edward#
Robert Cossom
Drs Rhyll Wade and Clem Gruen#
HARP Yinuo Mu
Principal
# Position supported by ** Timpani Chair position supported by Lady Potter AC CMRI ^ Appears courtesy of Philharmonia Orchestra (UK) * Appears courtesy of New Zealand Symphony Orchestra
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Sir Andrew’s Messiah – 7 & 8 December 2019 18
MSO Symphony Orchestra Chorus REPETITEUR
ALTO
TENOR
Tom Griffiths
Satu Aho Ruth Anderson Carolyn Baker Catherine Bickell Cecilia Björkegren Jane Brodie Elize Brozgul Alexandra Chubaty Nicola Eveleigh Lisa Faulks Jill Giese Natasha Godfrey Jillian Graham Debbie Griffiths Ros Harbison Sue Hawley Jennifer Henry Kristine Hensel Helen Hill Helen MacLean Rosemary McKelvie Charlotte Midson Stephanie Mitchell Sandy Nagy Natasha Pracejus Alison Ralph Kate Rice Mair Roberts Maya Tanja Rodingen Helen Rommelaar Lisa Savige Helen Staindl Melvin Tan Emma Warburton
Adam Birch Kent Borchard Steve Burnett Peter Campbell Matthew Castle John Cleghorn Keaton Cloherty Geoffrey Collins James Dipnall Simon Gaites Lyndon Horsburgh Wayne Kinrade Jessop Maticevski Shumack Michael Mobach Jean-Francois Ravat Colin Schultz Nathan Guan Kiat Teo Tim Wright
SOPRANO Philippa Allen Emma Anvari Aviva Barazani Anne-Marie Brownhill Eva Butcher Aliz Cole Ella Dann-Limon Samantha Davies Michele de Courcy Rita Fitzgerald Catherine Folley Susan Fone Camilla Gorman Aurora Harmathy Penny Huggett Tania Jacobs Gwen Kennelly Anna Kidman Maya Kraj-Krajewski Natasha Lambie Judy Longbottom Tian Nie Caitlin Noble Karin Otto Tanja Redl Natalie Reid Beth Richardson Janelle Richardson Mhairi Riddet Elizabeth Rusli Jodi Samartgis Jillian Samuels Julienne Seal Lydia Sherren Chiara Stebbing Elizabeth Tindall Christa Tom Katy Turbitt Fabienne Vandenburie Julia Wang Ivy Weng Tara Zamin
BASS Alexandras Bartaska Richard Bolitho Ted Davies Peter Deane Andrew Ham Andrew Hibbard Joseph Hie Stuart Izon Jordan Janssen Evan Lawson Gary Levy Steven Murie Vern O’Hara Alexander Owens Stephen Pyk Nick Sharman Liam Straughan Matthew Toulmin Tom Turnbull Maurice Wan Foon Wong Maciek Zielinski
MSO PATRON The Honourable Linda Dessau AC, Governor of Victoria
CHAIRMAN’S CIRCLE Marc Besen AC and Eva Besen AO Gandel Philanthropy The Gross Foundation Di Jameson Harold Mitchell Foundation David Li AM and Angela Li Harold Mitchell AC MS Newman Family Foundation Lady Potter AC CMRI The Cybec Foundation The Pratt Foundation The Ullmer Family Foundation Anonymous (1)
ARTIST CHAIR BENEFACTORS Cybec Assistant Conductor Chair Tianyi Lu The Cybec Foundation Concertmaster Chair Sophie Rowell The Ullmer Family Foundation 2019 Mid-Season Gala Artist Lang Lang is supported by Marc Besen AC and Eva Besen AO Young Composer in Residence Mark Holdsworth The Cybec Foundation
PROGRAM BENEFACTORS Cybec 21st Century Australian Composers Program The Cybec Foundation East meets West Supported by the Li Family Trust Meet the Orchestra Made possible by The Ullmer Family Foundation MSO Audience Access Crown Resorts Foundation, Packer Family Foundation MSO Building Capacity Gandel Philanthropy (Director of Philanthropy) Di Jameson (External Relations Manager)
MSO Education Supported by Mrs Margaret Ross AM and Dr Ian Ross MSO International Touring Supported by Harold Mitchell AC, The Ullmer Family Foundation, The Pratt Foundation MSO Regional Touring Creative Victoria, Freemasons Foundation Victoria, Robert Salzer Foundation, Perpetual Foundation – Alan (AGL) Shaw Endowment The Pizzicato Effect (Anonymous), The Marian and E.H. Flack Trust, Scobie and Claire Mackinnon Trust, Supported by the Hume City Council’s Community Grants Program Sidney Myer Free Concerts Supported by the Sidney Myer MSO Trust Fund and the University of Melbourne Musical Acknowledgment of Countries Supported by the Helen Macpherson Smith Trust and the Commonwealth Government through the Australian National Commission for UNESCO
Supporters
Supporters
PLATINUM PATRONS $100,000+ Marc Besen AC and Eva Besen AO John Gandel AC and Pauline Gandel AC The Gross Foundation Di Jameson David Li AM and Angela Li MS Newman Family Foundation Anthony Pratt The Pratt Foundation Lady Potter AC CMRI Ullmer Family Foundation Anonymous (1)
VIRTUOSO PATRONS $50,000+ Harold Mitchell AC
IMPRESARIO PATRONS $20,000+ Michael Aquilina Mimie MacLaren John and Lois McKay Maria Solà Anonymous (1) 19
Supporters
MAESTRO PATRONS $10,000+ Margaret Billson and the late Ted Billson Mitchell Chipman Tim and Lyn Edward Danny Gorog and Lindy Susskind Robert & Jan Green Hilary Hall, in memory of Wilma Collie Nereda Hanlon and Michael Hanlon AM The Hogan Family Foundation Peter Hunt AM and Tania de Jong AM Margaret Jackson AC Suzanne Kirkham David Krasnostein AM and Pat Stragalinos Ian and Jeannie Paterson Elizabeth Proust AO Xijian Ren and Qian Li Glenn Sedgwick Gai and David Taylor Harry and Michelle Wong Anonymous (1)
PRINCIPAL PATRONS $5,000+
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Christine and Mark Armour Barbara Bell, in memory of Elsa Bell Kaye and the late David Birks Stephen and Caroline Brain Prof Ian Brighthope May and James Chen John and Lyn Coppock The Cuming Bequest Wendy Dimmick Andrew Dudgeon AM Jaan Enden Mr Bill Fleming John and Diana Frew Susan Fry and Don Fry AO Sophie Galaise and Clarence Fraser Geelong Friends of the MSO R Goldberg and Family Leon Goldman Colin Golvan AM QC and Dr Deborah Golvan Jennifer Gorog HMA Foundation Louis Hamon OAM Hans and Petra Henkell Hartmut and Ruth Hofmann Doug Hooley
Jenny and Peter Hordern Dr Alastair Jackson AM Rosemary and James Jacoby Dr Elizabeth A Lewis AM Norman Lewis, in memory of Dr Phyllis Lewis Peter Lovell Mr Douglas and Mrs Rosemary Meagher Marie Morton FRSA Anne Neil Dr Paul Nisselle AM The Rosemary Norman Foundation Ken Ong, in memory of Lin Ong Jim and Fran Pfeiffer Jeffrey Sher QC and Diana Sher OAM Helen Silver AO and Harrison Young Diana and Brian Snape AM Tasco Petroleum The Hon. Michael Watt QC and Cecilie Hall Drs Rhyl Wade and Clem Gruen Lyn Williams AM Jason Yeap OAM – Mering Management Corporation Sophia Yong-Tang Anonymous (5)
ASSOCIATE PATRONS $2,500+ Marlyn and Peter Bancroft OAM Dandolo Partners Will and Dorothy Bailey Bequest Anne Bowden Bill Bowness Julia and Jim Breen Patricia Brockman Roger and Coll Buckle Jill and Christopher Buckley Lynne Burgess Oliver Carton Richard and Janet Chauvel Ann Darby, in memory of Leslie J. Darby Natasha Davies, for the Trikojus Education Fund Merrowyn Deacon Sandra Dent Peter and Leila Doyle Lisa Dwyer and Dr Ian Dickson AM Dr Helen M Ferguson Elizabeth Foster Barry Fradkin OAM and Dr Pam Fradkin Alex and Liz Furman
PLAYER PATRONS $1,000+ David and Cindy Abbey Dr Sally Adams Mary Armour Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Society Robbie Barker Adrienne Basser Janice Bate and the late Prof Weston Bate Janet H Bell David Blackwell OAM John and Sally Bourne Michael F Boyt Dr John Brookes Stuart Brown Suzie Brown OAM and Harvey Brown Shane Buggle Dr Lynda Campbell John Carroll Andrew Crockett AM and Pamela Crockett Panch Das and Laurel Young-Das Mary and Frederick Davidson AM Caroline Davies W and A Deane Rick and Sue Deering John and Anne Duncan Jane Edmanson OAM Doug Evans Grant Fisher and Helen Bird Applebay Pty Ltd David Frenkiel and Esther Frenkiel OAM David Gibbs and Susie O’Neill Janette Gill Mary and Don Glue Greta Goldblatt and the late Merwyn Goldblatt George Golvan QC and Naomi Golvan Dr Marged Goode Prof Denise Grocke AO Jennifer Gross Max Gulbin Dr Sandra Hacker AO and Mr Ian Kennedy AM Jean Hadges Paula Hansky OAM Amir Harel and Dr Judy Carman Tilda and Brian Haughney Anna and John Holdsworth Penelope Hughes Geoff and Denise Illing
Supporters
Dina and Ron Goldschlager Louise Gourlay OAM Susan and Gary Hearst Jenkins Family Foundation John Jones Andrew Johnston Dr Rosemary Ayton and Dr Sam Ricketson Irene Kearsey and Michael Ridley Merv Keehn and Sue Harlow The Ilma Kelson Music Foundation Bryan Lawrence John and Margaret Mason H E McKenzie Allan and Evelyn McLaren Patricia Nilsson Bruce Parncutt AO Alan and Dorothy Pattison Sue and Barry Peake Mrs W Peart Christine Peirson and the late Graham Peirson Julie and Ian Reid Ralph and Ruth Renard Peter and Carolyn Rendit S M Richards AM and M R Richards Joan P Robinson and Christopher Robinson Tom and Elizabeth Romanowski Mark and Jan Schapper Dr Norman and Dr Sue Sonenberg Dr Michael Soon Jennifer Steinicke Peter J Stirling Jenny Tatchell Frank Tisher OAM and Dr Miriam Tisher Peter and Susan Yates Richard Ye Anonymous (5)
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Supporters 22
Peter Jaffe and Judy Gold Basil and Rita Jenkins Dorothy Karpin Dr Anne Kennedy Julie and Simon Kessel KCL Law Kerry Landman Diedrie Lazarus Dr Anne Lierse Gaelle Lindrea Dr Susan Linton Andrew Lockwood Elizabeth H Loftus Chris and Anna Long June and Simon Lubansky The Hon Ian Macphee AO and Mrs Julie Macphee Eleanor & Phillip Mancini Annette Maluish In memory of Leigh Masel Wayne McDonald and Kay Schroer Lesley McMullin Foundation Ruth Maxwell Don and Anne Meadows new U Mildura Wayne and Penny Morgan Sir Gustav Nossal AC CBE and Lady Nossal Laurence O’Keefe and Christopher James Kerryn Pratchett Peter Priest Treena Quarin Eli Raskin Raspin Family Trust Tony and Elizabeth Rayward Cathy and Peter Rogers Andrew and Judy Rogers Peter Rose and Christopher Menz Liliane Rusek and Alexander Ushakoff Elisabeth and Doug Scott Martin and Susan Shirley Penny Shore John E Smith Dr Sam Smorgon AO and Mrs Minnie Smorgon Lady Southey AC Starkey Foundation Geoff and Judy Steinicke Dr Peter Strickland
Pamela Swansson Stephanie Tanuwidjaja Tara, Tessa, Melinda and Terence Ann and Larry Turner Mary Valentine AO The Hon. Rosemary Varty Leon and Sandra Velik Sue Walker AM Elaine Walters OAM and Gregory Walters The Rev Noel Whale Edward and Paddy White Nic and Ann Willcock Marian and Terry Wills Cooke OAM Richard Withers Lorraine Woolley Jeffrey and Shirley Zajac Anonymous (20)
MSO PATRON COMMISSIONS Snare Drum Award test piece 2019 Commissioned by Tim and Lyn Edward
CONDUCTOR’S CIRCLE Current Conductor’s Circle Members Jenny Anderson David Angelovich G C Bawden and L de Kievit Lesley Bawden Joyce Bown Mrs Jenny Brukner and the late Mr John Brukner Ken Bullen Peter A Caldwell Luci and Ron Chambers Beryl Dean Sandra Dent Lyn Edward Alan Egan JP Gunta Eglite Mr Derek Grantham Marguerite Garnon-Williams Drs Clem Gruen and Rhyl Wade Louis Hamon OAM Carol Hay Graham Hogarth Rod Home Tony Howe
The MSO gratefully acknowledges the support of the following Estates: Angela Beagley Neilma Gantner The Hon Dr Alan Goldberg AO QC Gwen Hunt Audrey Jenkins Joan Jones Pauline Marie Johnston C P Kemp Peter Forbes MacLaren Joan Winsome Maslen Lorraine Maxine Meldrum Prof Andrew McCredie Miss Sheila Scotter AM MBE Marion A I H M Spence Molly Stephens Jennifer May Teague
Albert Henry Ullin Jean Tweedie Herta and Fred B Vogel Dorothy Wood
Supporters
Laurence O’Keefe and Christopher James Audrey M Jenkins John Jones George and Grace Kass Mrs Sylvia Lavelle Pauline and David Lawton Cameron Mowat David Orr Matthew O’Sullivan Rosia Pasteur Elizabeth Proust AO Penny Rawlins Joan P Robinson Neil Roussac Anne Roussac-Hoyne Suzette Sherazee Michael Ryan and Wendy Mead Anne Kieni-Serpell and Andrew Serpell Jennifer Shepherd Profs. Gabriela and George Stephenson Pamela Swansson Lillian Tarry Dr Cherilyn Tillman Mr and Mrs R P Trebilcock Michael Ullmer AO The Hon. Rosemary Varty Mr Tam Vu Marian and Terry Wills Cooke OAM Mark Young Anonymous (29)
EAST MEETS WEST PROGRAM PARTNERS Consulate General of the People’s Republic of China Li Family Trust Fitzroys Pty Ltd Noah Holdings Australia Pty Ltd Executive Wealth Circle Pty Ltd Arts@Collins International Gallery Pty Ltd Ocean King ViPlus Dairy Pty Ltd Long River Landream Mr Chu Wanghua and Dr Shirley Chu Associate Professor Douglas Gin and Susan Gin Wexchange LRR Family Trust Hengyi Chin Communications AusFocus
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Supporters
HONORARY APPOINTMENTS
MSO BOARD
Life Members Marc Besen AC and Eva Besen AO John Gandel AC and Pauline Gandel AC Sir Elton John CBE Harold Mitchell AC Lady Potter AC CMRI Mrs Jeanne Pratt AC
Chairman Michael Ullmer AO
Artistic Ambassador Tan Dun Artistic Ambassador Geoffrey Rush AC
Board Directors Andrew Dudgeon AM Danny Gorog Lorraine Hook Margaret Jackson AC Di Jameson David Krasnostein AM Hyon-Ju Newman Glenn Sedgwick Helen Silver AO
The MSO honours the memory of John Brockman OAM Life Member The Honourable Alan Goldberg AO QC Life Member Roger Riordan AM Life Member Ila Vanrenen Life Member
Deputy Chairman David Li AM Managing Director Sophie Galaise
Company Secretary Oliver Carton
The MSO relies on your ongoing philanthropic support to sustain our artists, and support access, education, community engagement and more. We invite our suporters to get close to the MSO through a range of special events. The MSO welcomes your support at any level. Donations of $2 and over are tax deductible, and supporters are recognised as follows: $1,000+ (Player) $2,500+ (Associate) $5,000+ (Principal) $10,000+ (Maestro)
$20,000+ (Impresario) $50,000+ (Virtuoso) $100,000+ (Platinum)
The MSO Conductor’s Circle is our bequest program for members who have notified of a planned gift in their Will. Enquiries P (03) 8646 1551 | E philanthropy@mso.com.au 24
Give the gift of
a thousand stars for Christmas
1000 musicians and singers. One of the world’s biggest orchestral works. Share a memory that will last a lifetime. Sir Andrew Davis CONDUCTOR
24 OCTOBER 2020 Margaret Court Arena
MSO.COM.AU/MAHLER8
CALENDAR
OF EVENTS
25 January
31 January
5–14 February
A live presentation of 2001: A Space Odyssey
Chinese New Year
Sidney Myer Free Concerts
Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall
Sidney Myer Music Bowl
Plenary, MCEC
20 February
21–22 February
5 & 7 March
MSO Mornings: Beethoven 9 and Circa
Season Opening Gala: Beethoven 9, Circa and Cheetham
An Alpine Symphony
Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall
Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall
Arts Centre Melbourne, Hamer Hall
Tickets at mso.com.au
Thank you to our Partners Principal Partner
Government Partners
Premier Partners
Premier Education and Research Partner
Major Partners
Venue Partner
Program Development Partner
Education Partners
Supporting Partners
Quest Southbank
e CEO Institute
Ernst & Young
Bows for Strings
e Observership Program
Trusts and Foundations
Gall Family Foundation, e Archie & Hilda Graham Foundation, e Gross Foundation, Ern Hartley Foundation, e A.L. Lane Foundation, Gwen & Edna Jones Foundation, Sidney Myer MSO Trust Fund, Scobie & Clare McKinnon Trust, MS Newman Family Foundation, e omas O’Toole Foundation, e Ray & Joyce Uebergang Foundation, e Ullmer Family Foundation
Media and Broadcast Partners
BEST SEAT in the house
As Principal Partner of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, we know the importance of delighting an audience. That’s why when you’re in Emirates First, you’ll enjoy the ultimate flying experience with fine dining at any time in your own private suite.
*Emirates First Class Private Suite pictured. For more information visit emirates.com/au, call 1300 303 777, or contact your local travel agent.