ROYAL PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Resident Orchestra at Cadogan Hall MAY 2010 – NOVEMBER 2010
www.rpo.co.uk
Resident Orchestra at Cadogan Hall OCTOBER 2011 – JULY 2012
Orchestral excellence in London’s award-winning venue
Welcome
Welcome to the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s new season of concerts at Cadogan Hall, one of London’s most prestigious venues. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is renowned throughout the world for its exceptional interpretations of repertoire ranging from classic masterpieces to rare discoveries. During this season at Cadogan Hall, the Orchestra will be celebrating British film music, with two concerts devoted to some of the most exciting scores written for the big – and small – screens. Multiple award-winning composers Christopher Gunning and Nigel Hess will be featured in a programme brimming with colourful and evocative film music, while John Scott’s Robin Hood is bound to delight audiences of all ages with its thrilling sense of adventure. The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra remains devoted to the finest classical repertoire and there is much to enjoy in this coming season. Joined by highly-acclaimed soloists, the Orchestra will perform an array of sublime concertos, including Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto, Elgar’s Cello Concerto and Rachmaninov’s Piano Concertos Nos.2 and 3. There is also the rare opportunity to hear the sparkling Concerto for Two Pianos by Poulenc. As always, there is a sumptuous selection of orchestral music on offer, too, including Elgar’s ‘Enigma’ Variations, two Brahms symphonies and the exhilarating Symphony No.5 by Sibelius. Lovers of Tchaikovsky’s music are spoilt for choice, with performances of his Violin Concerto, ‘Winter Daydreams’ Symphony and the powerful Symphony No.4. Following last season’s outstanding series of collaborations, pianist Freddy Kempf returns to join the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in an all-Beethoven programme. Notes supplied by Joanna Wyld
October-November Christopher Austin Jakob Kullberg Giovanni Guzzo Grzegorz Nowak, Roustem Saitkoulov
Meet the artists:
November-December Richard Bernas Anastasia Khitruk Alexandra Hutton The Magic of Christmas
Edward Seckerson (Chief Critic, Independent, and BBC presenter) chats informally to the artists in his free pre-concert talks.
December-February Christmas Cracker Dirk Joeres, Julian Bliss Alessandro Fabrizi Yoon-Hee Kim
From 6.30pm in the main auditorium, Edward can be heard enlightening audiences with interesting facts about the evening’s programme, and engaging in discussion with the artists themselves.
March-April Grzegorz Nowak Roustem Saitkoulov Yuki Miyagi Kemal Gekic
See individual concerts for details: Tuesday 21st February 2012 Tuesday 17th April 2012
April Alexander Shelley Guy Johnston Enrique Bátiz Horus Piano Duo May-July Freddy Kempf A Celebration of British Film John Scott
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friends More music for less!
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra is the only London orchestra to offer a 50% discount on tickets for every own-promotion concert for a year. Become a member from only £25 per year and enjoy benefits including: •
50% off all RPO own promotion concerts (two tickets per concert)
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Exclusive RPO friends’ bar
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Priority booking
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FREE rehearsal passes to selected concerts
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Discounted RPO CDs
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Regular newsletters and updates on the Orchestra’s activities and forthcoming events
To join the RPO friends, please telephone 020 7608 8855 or visit www.rpo.co.uk/friends
RPO friends’ discounts apply
Tuesday 22nd November 2011 7.30pm Tchaikovsky Serenade for Strings Rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini Tchaikovsky Symphony No.2, ‘Little Russian’ Grzegorz Nowak Conductor Roustem Saitkoulov Piano
RPO friends’ discounts apply
Górecki, Lutosławski and Szymanowski were prominent Polish composers. Gorecki’s Three Pieces in Old Style of 1963 use ancient musical idioms; the contemplative outer movements sandwiching a dance which conjures up the Renaissance. Lutosławski’s Cello Concerto was written for Mstislav Rostropovich, the soloist’s music at once fiendishly demanding and emotionally powerful. Premièred in 2009, English composer Peter Maxwell Davies’ Overture, ‘St. Francis of Assisi’ delivers a heady cocktail of haunting plainsong and orchestral fireworks. We close with Szymanowski’s Violin Concerto No.2, a work characterised by Polish folk music and featuring an infinitely inventive solo violin line.
Tchaikovsky’s Serenade for Strings is among his most popular works, and was as much a pleasure to write as it is to hear. The usually self-critical composer declared that he loved this piece, and it is easy to understand why: the strings are treated with masterful understanding, whether independently or blended together as an instrumental ‘choir’. Tchaikovsky was, at first, less content with his Symphony No.2, despite its successful première, but the piece remains a joy, peppered with themes based on Ukrainian folk-songs. These works frame that of another Russian composer, Rachmaninov, whose deft exploration of Paganini’s musical idea includes a sweeping version of the theme and is one of Rachmaninov’s most irresistible melodies.
oct-NOV OCT
Polish Contemporary Music across Europe with Friends Górecki Three Pieces in Old Style Lutosławski Cello Concerto Maxwell Davies Overture, ‘St. Francis of Assisi’ (London première) Szymanowski Violin Concerto No.2
Christopher Austin Conductor Jakob Kullberg Cello Giovanni Guzzo Violin
Promoted in association with:
OCT-NOV
Tuesday 25th October 2011 7.30pm
“The RPO do sensuousness uncommonly well ” The Guardian
Colina The Unbearable Lightness of Being Colina Three Cabinets of Wonder – Concerto for Violin and Orchestra (World première) Górecki Symphony No.3 Richard Bernas Conductor Anastasia Khitruk Violin Alexandra Hutton Soprano RPO friends’ discounts apply
Sunday 4th December 2011 3.30pm The Magic of Christmas in aid of Breast Cancer Campaign Debbie Wiseman Conductor Simon Bates Presenter With special guests Cherie Lunghi, George Layton, James Loynes and Robert Powell. With an introduction by Gary Lineker and special guest of honour Sir Bobby Charlton. RPO friends’ discounts apply
This programme brings together recent music from American composer Michael Colina with one of the most popular classical works of the twentieth century, Górecki’s ‘Symphony of Sorrowful Songs’. Colina’s The Unbearable Lightness of Being and his Violin Concerto, ‘Three Cabinets of Wonder’, were both written in 2010, and demonstrate a fascinating contrast between the infectious rhythms of Cuban jazz and contemplative silence. The late Henryk Górecki’s ‘Symphony of Sorrowful Songs’ was composed as a memorial to victims of the Holocaust; its air of ethereal, mournful beauty has touched the hearts of millions. As Górecki put it: “Perhaps people find something they need in this piece of music... somehow I hit the right note”.
A magical Christmas concert for all the family, featuring melodious and magical Christmas favourites including The Nutcracker Suite, Sleigh Ride and White Christmas, alongside Debbie Wiseman’s own lyrical setting of Oscar Wilde’s fairy story The Selfish Giant. The concert will also feature the world première performance of The Fib – a delightful and touching Christmas story from the best-selling short story collection, with music by Debbie Wiseman, to be read by the author, George Layton. Family ticket available: £50 (up to four people including one child under the age of 16. Please ask at the Box Office for more details) See back page for further ticket prices
nov-dec
Tuesday 29th November 2011 7.30pm
Christmas Cracker Wednesday 21st December 2011 and Friday 23rd December 2011 3pm & 7.30pm Humperdinck Hansel and Gretel Overture Tchaikovsky Waltz of the Flowers Hairston Mary’s Boy Child Head The Little Road to Bethlehem Tormé The Christmas Song Martin/Blane Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas Anderson Sleigh Ride Waldteufel The Skaters’ Waltz Pola/Wyle It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year …and many more, not forgetting audience carols!
RPO friends’ discounts apply
Nick Davies Conductor Mary Carewe Vocalist Michael Dore Vocalist Back by popular demand, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s Christmas Cracker is a delightful evening of festive musical gems. This enchanting and melodious concert is sure to fill you with good cheer as the Orchestra and guest vocalists get the yuletide celebrations off to an entertaining start.
Extra concerts added for 2011 due to popular demand
Mendelssohn A Midsummer Night’s Dream: Overture, Nocturne and Scherzo Mozart Clarinet Concerto in A major Dvorˇák Symphony No.8 Dirk Joeres Conductor Julian Bliss Clarinet
RPO friends’ discounts apply
Tuesday 28th February 2012 7.30pm Glinka Ruslan and Lyudmila Overture Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D major Brahms Symphony No.1 Alessandro Fabrizi Conductor Yoon-Hee Kim Violin
RPO friends’ discounts apply
Mendelssohn’s charming score to Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream is as magical as the play itself, with its gleaming sonorities, fairytale delicacy and a dancing, skittish Scherzo. The Clarinet Concerto by Mozart is one of the last works he wrote and one of the finest. His instinct for the clarinet’s mellow tone and sinuous flexibility is unsurpassed and the slow movement is justly famous for its exquisite lyricism. Then bask in the musical sunshine of Dvorˇák’s Eighth Symphony, which evokes bird-song and the undulating Czech landscape. Full of Bohemian folk-tunes and exhilarating, spacious orchestral sounds, this is one of Dvorˇák’s most delightful, carefree works. dec-feb
Tuesday 21st February 2012 7.30pm
Meet the artists: Free pre-concert talk from 6.30pm presented by Edward Seckerson.
Glinka was one of the most celebrated Russian composers of his time, influencing younger figures such as Rimsky-Korsakov and Borodin. The story goes that the plot to Glinka’s opera Ruslan and Lyudmila was concocted in minutes by a drunken poet, but Glinka’s music, in the Overture especially, shines through, full of infectious energy. Despite winning Glinka’s composition prize, Tchaikovsky’s music was not always appreciated during his lifetime. His ravishing Violin Concerto was criticised at first, yet has since become one of his most popular works. Overwhelmed by the example of Beethoven, Brahms took years to complete his First Symphony – but it was worth the wait. With its noble themes and rhythmic subtleties, Brahms proved himself a master of the genre.
YOUNGSAN YOUNGSAN GROUP
“The opening shimmered with mysterious delights: slithering harmonics from the strings; the bubbling mud of winds and brass� The Times
Tuesday 13th March 2012 7.30pm Brahms Academic Festival Overture Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.3 Tchaikovsky Symphony No.1, ‘Winter Daydreams’ Grzegorz Nowak Conductor Roustem Saitkoulov Piano
For his Academic Festival Overture, Brahms emphasised the festive rather than the scholarly. Written to contrast with the more sober Tragic Overture, the work is full of ebullient high spirits, using student drinking songs as lively inspiration. At the heart of this programme is the glorious Piano Concerto No.3 by Rachmaninov. Like Rachmaninov’s Concerto No.2, this work brims with yearning passion, as well as showcasing the soloist’s dazzling dexterity. Tchaikovsky’s First Symphony rounds off the concert with one of the composer’s most vividly descriptive scores. He called the work ‘Winter Daydreams’, and the music charts a wintry journey through bare landscapes and cold mists, with folk-tunes raising the temperature in the finale.
Wednesday 4th April 2012 7.30pm Weber Der Freischütz Overture Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No.2 Brahms Symphony No.2 Yuki Miyagi Conductor Kemal Gekic Piano
RPO friends’ discounts apply
Weber’s opera Der Freischütz was a breakthrough in the history of music. Considered by many to be the first German Romantic opera, it influenced composers including Richard Wagner. The work’s Overture contrasts lilting pastoral serenity with moments of drama and suspense. Few can resist Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No.2, a work which overflows with aching emotion, communicated through a piano part ranging from gentle poignancy to glittering display. Brahms was unsure of his Second Symphony, writing to a friend expressing ‘I don’t know whether I have a pretty symphony.’ Its lyrical beauty however makes it one of his most popular works, with soaring melody, pastoral imagery and a blazing brass fanfare to close.
mar-apr
RPO friends’ discounts apply
“The RPO in full bloom of sonority and thoroughly in control of the music” The Telegraph
Strauss Don Juan Elgar Cello Concerto Sibelius Symphony No.5 Alexander Shelley Conductor Guy Johnston Cello
RPO friends’ discounts apply
Thursday 26th April 2012 7.30pm Sibelius Finlandia Poulenc Concerto for Two Pianos Tchaikovsky Symphony No.4 Enrique Bátiz Conductor Horus Piano Duo Nóra Emödy & Ahmed Abou-Zahra RPO friends’ discounts apply
An irresistible programme boasting three gems of the repertoire. Don Juan is one of the most technically demanding works written for the orchestra, requiring huge skill from every single musician. Marvel at the virtuosity of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra as it tells the story of the unfortunate philanderer, portrayed by Strauss with great wit and energy. Then cellist Guy Johnston takes centre stage for Elgar’s Cello Concerto, a work of intense beauty and searing emotion. Sibelius made numerous wonderful contributions to the symphonic repertoire, none more glorious than the Fifth Symphony, culminating in a breathtaking finale with its sweeping French horn theme. Meet the artists: Free pre-concert talk from 6.30pm presented by Edward Seckerson.
Finlandia was written by Sibelius not simply as a celebration of Finland but as a sort of extended protest song against Russian rule. It was an instant hit with his fellow countrymen and features the famous hymn tune of the composer’s own creation. Tchaikovsky’s Fourth Symphony is one of his most powerful works, charting a journey that begins with intense struggle against the caprices of Fate but ends with an electrifying finale in which the battle seems to have been won. Sandwiched between these great works is Poulenc’s Concerto for Two Pianos: a rare treat. A work of sparkling colours and seductive harmonies, Poulenc’s work is a revelation – not to be missed.
april
Tuesday 17th April 2012 7.30pm
Sunday 13th May 2012 7.00pm Beethoven Egmont Overture Beethoven Piano Concerto No.4 Beethoven Piano Concerto No.5 Freddy Kempf Piano / Director
Freddy Kempf’s Complete Beethoven Piano Concerto Series Part 2 When it comes to interpreting Beethoven, Freddy Kempf and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra have shown themselves to be a musical match made in heaven. Following the success of their collaborations last season, Kempf and the RPO present two of Beethoven’s most majestic piano concertos: No.4 and No.5, the ‘Emperor’. To set the scene, the Orchestra performs Beethoven’s Egmont Overture. Written to accompany Goethe’s play, the writer himself acknowledged Beethoven’s ‘remarkable genius’.
RPO friends’ discounts apply
Thursday 14th June 2012 7.30pm
A Celebration of British Film
Celebrate British cinema with a gala concert of sparkling film scores by some of our best homeChristopher Gunning grown composers. This glorious programme will Conductor / Composer include the music of Richard Rodney Bennett, Nigel Hess Conductor / Composer William Walton and Eric Coates alongside awardwinning scores by tonight’s composer / conductors. Nigel Hess composed the timeless soundtrack to Ladies in Lavender and has won two Ivor Novello Awards for his many memorable television scores, while Christopher Gunning, known for his music for Agatha Christie’s Poirot, has won three Ivor Novello Awards and four BAFTAs, including one for the Edith Piaf biopic, La Vie en Rose. RPO friends’ discounts apply
Robin Hood: Music to the film
The story of Robin Hood has fascinated and inspired generations of artists. Legend of the silent film John Scott Conductor / Composer Douglas Fairbanks was no exception, his classic 1922 film featuring a most impressive display of pageantry in which the hero defeats Sir Guy of Gisbourne to win the heart of Maid Marian. For one night only, Cadogan Hall is transformed with a screening of the film accompanied by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra performing John Scott’s colourful score. In the composer’s own words ‘the film calls for an action packed score. There is romance, intrigue, terror, spectacle, suspense, and as the story progresses it demands more and more, culminating in the spectacle of a Royal wedding.’ RPO friends’ discounts apply
CADOGAN HALL BOOKING INFORMATION Ticket prices £37.50, £30, £22, £12.50
(Booking fees apply, RPO friends’ and Encore discounts apply)
Telephone bookings 020 7730 4500 Online bookings www.cadoganhall.com Subscription discounts Generous discounts are available for booking multiple concerts from the RPO’s Resident Season. Please ask at the Box Office when booking. 2 or 3 concerts – 15% discount 4 or 5 concerts – 25% discount 6 or more concerts – 30% discount Cadogan Hall 5 Sloane Terrace, London SW1X 9DQ 2 minutes’ walk from Sloane Square Underground
STAGE
Cadogan Hall Seating Plan Gallery STAGE
Stalls STAGE
DEC may-july BOOKING
Thursday 12th July 2012 7.30pm
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, 16 Clerkenwell Green, London EC1R 0QT
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra gratefully acknowledges the generous support of Arts Council England
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www.rpo.co.uk