Scotland’s National Orchestra 1
BEETHOVEN VIOLIN CONCERTO
10 STUNNING CONCERTS FROM OUR HOME TO YOURS
Broadcast throughout Oct 2020 - Feb 2021, the RSNO Digital Season is available on subscription or a pay per concert basis.
For more information on our Digital Season and to book your tickets please visit rsno.org.uk/digital-season
BEETHOVEN VIOLIN CONCERTO When the young Ludwig van Beethoven began his first symphony, no one knew quite what to expect. They just knew that they were hearing a dazzling young artist going for broke, with wit, style and the sort of energy that can still knock you backwards. You’ll want to cool down after all that, so sit back and enjoy Beethoven’s beautiful Violin Concerto performed by superstar violinist Midori with the RSNO: pure serenity, created by artists who simply love this music.
BEETHOVEN Symphony No1 in C Major Op21 [23’] BEETHOVEN Violin Concerto in D Major Op61 [42’] Thomas Søndergård Conductor Midori Violin Royal Scottish National Orchestra RECORDED AT THE RSNO CENTRE, GLASGOW Broadcast Fri 23 Oct 2020, 7.30pm
This performance has been recorded for the RSNO Archive. Supported by the Iain and Pamela Sinclair Legacy.
Jack Hunter Director Simon Lowden Script Supervisor Diana Dumi and Diego Almazán Camera Operators Diana Dumi Video Editor Andrew Trinick Producer Hedd Morfett-Jones Sound Supervisor
Next Digital Season Concert
BEETHOVEN PIANO CONCERTO No3 Recorded at the RSNO Centre, Glasgow Broadcast date: Fri 6 Nov 2020, 7.30pm
Beethoven Piano Concerto No3 Beethoven Final movement from Piano Sonata No30 Sibelius Symphony No7 Tabita Berglund Conductor Boris Giltburg Piano Royal Scottish National Orchestra Please note, due to new COVID-19 travel and quarantine restrictions, repertoire/artists have changed from those previously advertised.
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Welcome Dear friends It gives me great pleasure to welcome you to the second concert in our Digital Season. We are thrilled that our Artist in Residence, worldrenowned violinist Midori, successfully and safely made it to our Studio in Glasgow, along with Music Director Thomas Søndergård, to perform Beethoven’s magnificent Violin Concerto with the Orchestra. It has been a joy to hear such wonderful music-making and we are excited to share this performance with you. October has been a very special month for Scotland’s National Orchestra. With the ongoing pandemic heavily impacting our work, it has been uplifting for the Orchestra to be the source of many good news stories. In addition to the launch of the Digital Season, we recently won a Gramophone Award for our recording of Chopin’s Piano Concertos, performed by Benjamin Grosvenor and conducted by our Principal Guest Conductor, Elim Chan. RSNO Violist Katherine Wren received a Special Commendation from the Royal Philharmonic Society/Association of British Orchestras’ Salomon Prize Committee in recognition of her contribution to all aspects of orchestral life and her work Nordic Viola, a project to create and share music with people in remote reaches of the North Atlantic. And just last week, our Principal Timpanist Paul Philbert received an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List for his services to music. I am sure you will join with me in congratulating both Katherine and Paul on these wonderful achievements.
Alistair Mackie CHIEF EXECUTIVE
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73-80
64–72
55–63
46–54
37–45
28–36
19–27
10–18
1–9
Royal Scottish National Orchestra
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ARTISTIC TEAM Thomas Søndergård
1
MUSIC DIRECTOR Elim Chan
2
PRINCIPAL GUEST CONDUCTOR Neeme Järvi CONDUCTOR LAUREATE Alexander Lazarev CONDUCTOR EMERITUS
Gregory Batsleer
3 4 5
CHORUS DIRECTOR, RSNO CHORUS
Patrick Barrett
6 CHORUS DIRECTOR, RSNO JUNIOR CHORUS
FIRST VIOLIN Maya Iwabuchi LEADER Sharon Roffman LEADER Lena Zeliszewska
7 8 9
ASSOCIATE LEADER
Emily Davis ASSOCIATE LEADER 10 Tamás Fejes ASSISTANT LEADER 11 Patrick Curlett ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL 12 Barbara Paterson SUB PRINCIPAL 13 Jane Reid 14 Caroline Parry 15 Ursula Heidecker Allen 16 Lorna Rough 17 Susannah Lowdon 18 Alan Manson 19 Elizabeth Bamping 20 SECOND VIOLIN Xander van Vliet PRINCIPAL Jacqueline Speirs ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL
21 22
Marion Wilson ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL 23 Harriet Wilson SUB PRINCIPAL 24 Nigel Mason 25 Wanda Wojtasinska 26 Paul Medd 27 Anne Bünemann 28 Sophie Lang 29 Robin Wilson 30 Emily Nenniger 31
VIOLA Tom Dunn PRINCIPAL Asher Zaccardelli
32
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL
33
Susan Buchan SUB PRINCIPAL Lisa Rourke SUB PRINCIPAL David Martin Nicola McWhirter Claire Dunn Katherine Wren Maria Trittinger Francesca Hunt
34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41
CELLO Aleksei Kiseliov PRINCIPAL 42 Betsy Taylor ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL 43 Kennedy Leitch ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL 44 Arthur Boutillier SUB PRINCIPAL 45 William Paterson 46 Rachael Lee 47 Sarah Digger 48 DOUBLE BASS Ana Cordova PRINCIPAL Margarida Castro
49 50
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL Michael Rae ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Paul Sutherland SUB PRINCIPAL John Clark Sally Davis
51 52 53 54
FLUTE Katherine Bryan PRINCIPAL Helen Brew ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL Janet Richardson
55 56 57
PRINCIPAL PICCOLO
OBOE Adrian Wilson PRINCIPAL Peter Dykes ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL Henry Clay PRINCIPAL COR ANGLAIS
58 59 60
CLARINET Timothy Orpen PRINCIPAL CLARINET Duncan Swindells
61 62
PRINCIPAL BASS CLARINET
BASSOON David Hubbard PRINCIPAL Luis Eisen ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL Paolo Dutto
63 64 65
PRINCIPAL CONTRABASSOON
HORN Christopher Gough PRINCIPAL 66 Alison Murray ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL 67 Andrew McLean 68 ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL David McClenaghan 69 Martin Murphy ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL 70 TRUMPET Christopher Hart PRINCIPAL Marcus Pope SUB PRINCIPAL Jason Lewis ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL
71 72 73
TROMBONE Dávur Juul Magnussen PRINCIPAL Lance Green ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL Alastair Sinclair
74 75 76
PRINCIPAL BASS TROMBONE
TUBA John Whitener PRINCIPAL
77
TIMPANI Paul Philbert PRINCIPAL
78
PERCUSSION Simon Lowdon PRINCIPAL John Poulter ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL
79 80
8 Beethoven Violin Concerto
Symphony No1 in C Major Op 21 wasn’t quite right, and when he took up the sketches again in 1799, Beethoven realised that the agile first theme was much more suitable for a finale. He’d now had more experience of writing works of symphonic scale and complexity, including at least three of his Op18 String Quartets, which clearly played an important role in deepening his technical self-confidence. The time was now ripe for him to display his mastery of the classical era’s supreme orchestral genre.
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
FIRST PERFORMED Vienna, 2 April 1800 DURATION 23 minutes Adagio molto – Allegro con brio Andante cantabile con moto Menuetto: Allegro molto e vivace Adagio – Allegro molto e vivace By the end of the 18th century, the symphony had evolved into the ultimate prestige orchestral medium. In their late symphonies, Haydn and Mozart had set exceptionally high standards, so it’s not too surprising that Beethoven waited until he was nearly 30 before giving the world his official ‘Symphony No1’. He had begun sketching the first movement of a symphony as early as 1795, when he was in his mid-20s. But something
But while the First Symphony does have some strikingly individual features, when it comes to handling of large-scale form it is relatively cautious – certainly when compared to the famous Pathétique Piano Sonata, completed in 1799. Did Beethoven decide to play it safe, rather than startling his audience with bold new dramatic adventures? If so, he may have been wise, establishing himself in the public eye as a worthy successor to Haydn and Mozart before striding off into alarming new territory (as he was to do three years later in his Eroica Symphony). Two decades after the First Symphony’s publication in 1801, a critic could still describe it as ‘one of his earlier, more comprehensible instrumental works’. Even so, the music is full of vitality, and there are some touches of typically Beethovenian tigerish playfulness. The slow introduction begins with a chord that seems to lead in the wrong harmonic direction; for a moment or two there is uncertainty, until trumpets and drums loudly assert the ‘right’ home key. Haydn had done things like this before, but Beethoven’s opening gesture has a force of its own. The Allegro con brio main movement seems happy to operate within the confines of familiar classical Sonata Form – a balanced Exposition (presentation of the main themes), a dramatic Development, followed by a return
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of the main themes in the home key of C Major, Recapitulation. Again, however, the energy of the thematic material, and of the argument that follows from it, is very characterful, and it must have caused a few surprises at its first performances. The ‘slow movement’ isn’t really slow, and despite its elegant, quasi-fugal opening (the theme entering in imitation) it is generally light and good-humoured – the soul-searching of Beethoven’s greatest slow movements is yet to come. The really original movement is the Menuetto – not an elegant courtly dance but a brilliant, athletic scherzo in all but name, driving forward with tremendous rhythmic élan. The finale begins with a joke, a tiny slow introduction, in which the main theme assembles tentatively itself on first violins before springing suddenly into life in the Allegro molto e vivace. The form may be firmly classical but its celebration of sheer energy proclaims a new voice in music. © Stephen Johnson
What was happening in 1800? 11 Feb Infrared radiation was discovered by the astronomer Sir William Herschel 20 Mar Alessandro Volta described the first chemical battery in a letter to the Royal Society 24 Apr The US Library of Congress was founded in Washington, DC 25 Apr William Cowper, the English nature poet, died 15 May Napoleon and 40,000 men began to cross the Alps into northern Italy 14 Jun Napoleon defeated Austrian forces at Marengo, consolidating his position as First Consul of France 29 Jul George Bradshaw, publisher of railway guides and timetables, was born 1 Nov John Adams became the first US President to live in the Executive Mansion, later renamed the White House 29 Dec Self-taught chemist Charles Goodyear, who developed vulcanised rubber, was born
10 Beethoven Violin Concerto
Violin Concerto in D Major Op 61 Theater an der Wien on 23 December 1806. It is said that Clement more or less sight-read the violin part: even if he was a phenomenal player that would hardly give him time to master the Concerto’s emotional and intellectual complexities. One critic stated that the general verdict was ‘that it contains beautiful passages, but … that the context often seems broken, and that the endless repetition of unimportant passages produces a tiring effect’. How seriously did Clement take his chosen task? According to one source, in the pause between the first two movements he improvised a gig holding the violin upside down! Whatever Beethoven thought of that, when the Violin Concerto appeared in print two years later it bore a dedication not to Clement but to Beethoven’s close childhood friend Stephan von Bruening.
Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
FIRST PERFORMED Vienna, 23 December 1806 DURATION 42 minutes Allegro ma non troppo Larghetto – Rondo: Allegro Today Beethoven’s Violin Concerto is regarded as one of the Himalayan peaks of the concerto repertoire – which only makes the neglect it suffered in Beethoven’s lifetime all the more surprising. It wasn’t until the great violin virtuoso Joseph Joachim took up the work in 1844 that its fortunes began to change. But then, its premiere was not well-starred. The Concerto was played for the first time by its original dedicatee, Franz Clement, at Vienna’s
Perhaps we should have compassion for those bewildered critics, and even for Clement himself. Not only is the Concerto very long indeed by the standards of the classical era, but technically it is hugely demanding, with an unprecedented amount of exposed high writing for the violin requiring pure tone and extra pressure from the fingers. ‘When I composed it’, Beethoven told the violinist Ignaz Schuppanzigh, ‘I was conscious of being inspired by God Almighty. Do you think I can consider your puny little fiddle when He speaks to me?’ All the same, the first movement begins gently, with a hymn-like theme for woodwind, preceded by five quiet drum-taps on the tonic, D. At first these drum-taps sound like a simple introductory figure, but they turn out to be a significant motif in their own right. The orchestra presents all the main themes, with two powerful fortissimo outbursts. As the second of these subsides the soloist enters, as though in mid-phrase, leading to an exquisite
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high-pitched version of the first theme. The rest of the movement maintains a fine balance between lyricism and dramatic display – which, it seems repeatedly to ask us, is the real heart of the matter: quiet reflection or resolute action? In the slow movement lyricism prevails. The rapt, otherworldly quality of this music is enhanced by the muting of the strings and the extreme transparency of much of the orchestral accompaniment. But at the very end, strings seize on the main theme’s opening dotted rhythm and transform it into a jagged fortissimo. A short solo cadenza leads straight into the Rondo finale, and one of Beethoven’s most catchy dance tunes. For most of its length the finale is buoyant and goodhumoured; but after the climactic solo cadenza there is a moment of mystery as violinist and orchestra tread quietly through a wide range of distant keys before bringing us safely back home. The coda is mostly triumphant display, but with one little deft touch of humour left for the very end. © Stephen Johnson
What was happening in 1806? 9 Jan Admiral Horatio Nelson was given a state funeral at St Paul’s Cathedral 23 Jan William Pitt the Younger, who had become at 24 in 1783 the youngest Prime Minister of Great Britain, died 6 Mar The English poet Elizabeth Barrett Browning was born 9 Apr Isambard Kingdom Brunel, engineer of the Great Western Railway and transatlantic steamships, was born 10 Jul Indian infantrymen (or sepoys) rose up for the first time against the British East India Company in the Vellore mutiny 13 Sep Charles James Fox, Whig politician and arch-rival of Pitt the Younger, died 6 Aug The last Holy Roman Emperor, Frances II, abdicated, ending the Empire after more than a millennium 22 Aug French painter Jean-Honoré Fragonard died 8 Oct Napoleon began the War of the Fourth Coalition against Prussia, Saxony and other German states, defeating them and entering Berlin on 27 Oct
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Midori VIOLIN & Friends, which brings high-quality music education to New York City youth, and MUSIC SHARING, a Japan-based programme that provides access to both western classical and Japanese music traditions. Her Partners in Performance organisation promotes interest in classical music outside US urban centres, while her Orchestral Residencies Program encourages young musicians to engage with the performing arts. In 2007 UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon named Midori a Messenger of Peace, in 2012 she received the Crystal Award from the World Economic Forum and in 2019 the Carnegie Corporation of New York honoured Midori, a naturalised American citizen, with its ‘Great Immigrant’ award. RSNO 20:21 Season Artist in Residence Midori is a visionary artist, activist and educator whose unique career has transcended traditional boundaries. A leading concert violinist for over 35 years, she has performed with, among many others, the London, Chicago, Boston and San Francisco symphony orchestras, the Berlin, Vienna, New York, Los Angeles, St Petersburg and Czech philharmonics, the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra and the Mahler Chamber Orchestra. An advocate for composers of our time, she inspired Peter Eötvös to compose the violin concerto DoReMi. Other commissions and world premieres include works by Einojuhani Rautavaara, Brett Dean and Johannes Staud. Midori’s discography includes a 2013 GRAMMY Award-winning recording of Hindemith’s Violin Concerto. Her 2015 two-CD set of J S Bach’s Sonatas and Partitas for Solo Violin was highly acclaimed. In 2017 Midori celebrated the 25th anniversary of two of her non-profit organisations: Midori
Since 2018 Midori has been part of the violin faculty at Philadelphia’s Curtis Institute of Music. In 2019 she was appointed to the school’s Dorothy Richard Starling Chair in Violin Studies. Until 2018 she held the Jascha Heifetz Chair as a Distinguished Professor at the University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music. She is also a distinguished visiting artist and violin faculty member at Baltimore’s Peabody Institute of Johns Hopkins University. She is an honorary professor at Beijing’s Central Conservatory of Music and a guest professor at Osaka’s Soai University and the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. Midori was born in Osaka, Japan in 1971 and began her violin studies with her mother, Setsu Goto. Conductor Zubin Mehta invited the 11-year-old Midori to perform at the New York Philharmonic’s New Year’s Eve concert. The standing ovation spurred her to pursue a major musical career. Midori plays the 1734 Guarnerius del Gesù ‘ex-Huberman’.
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Thomas Søndergård CONDUCTOR Orchestra, Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, Danish National Symphony Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Deutsches Symphonie-Orchester Berlin, Mahler Chamber Orchestra and Bamberg Symphony.
Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård is Music Director of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, making his debut in October 2018 after six seasons as Principal Guest Conductor. He served as Principal Conductor of the BBC National Orchestra of Wales (BBC NOW) from 2012 to 2018, and prior to this as Principal Conductor and Musical Advisor of the Norwegian Radio Orchestra for three seasons. He conducted the RSNO on its New Year 2019 tour to China, Spring 2019 tour to the West Coast of the USA and September 2019 visit to Paris, as well as its January 2020 tour to Belgium, the Netherlands and Germany. He also conducted works by Mahler as part of the 2020 Edinburgh International Festival’s online My Light Shines On season. Thomas has conducted many leading orchestras, including the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, London Symphony Orchestra, Philharmonia Orchestra, Oslo Philharmonic
Thomas’ operatic engagements include the Bayerische Staatsoper (Turandot), Norwegian Opera (Die Zauberflöte) and Deutsche Oper Berlin (world premiere of Andrea Lorenzo Scartazzini’s Edward II ), and Tosca, Turandot and Dialogues des Carmélites with the Royal Swedish Opera. He was described as ‘a sensation’ at his debut with the Royal Danish Opera conducting Poul Ruders’ Kafka’s Trial, and subsequent productions there have included Il barbiere di Siviglia, Le nozze di Figaro, La bohème, The Cunning Little Vixen and Il viaggio a Reims. Thomas’ debut recording with the RSNO, of Richard Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben, was released by Linn Records in April 2019, followed in February 2020 by Prokofiev’s Symphonies 1 and 5. Releases with BBC NOW include Sibelius’ Symphonies 1, 2, 6 and 7 and most recently a disc which shines light on Sibelius’ tone poems and theatre music (Linn Records). Other noteworthy recordings include Vilde Frang’s celebrated first recording for EMI, of Sibelius’ Violin Concerto and Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No1, and Ruders’ Piano Concerto No2 on Bridge Records, nominated for a Gramophone Award in 2011. The Lutosławski and Dutilleux cello concertos with Johannes Moser were released on Pentatone in 2018. In 2011 Thomas was awarded the prestigious Queen Ingrid Foundation Prize for Services to Music in Denmark.
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Royal Scottish National Orchestra
Formed in 1891 as the Scottish Orchestra, the company became the Scottish National Orchestra in 1950, and was awarded Royal Patronage in 1977. The Orchestra’s artistic team is led by Danish conductor Thomas Søndergård, who was appointed RSNO Music Director in October 2018, having previously held the position of Principal Guest Conductor. Hong Kong-born conductor Elim Chan succeeds Søndergård as Principal Guest Conductor. The RSNO performs across Scotland, including concerts in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee, Aberdeen, Perth and Inverness. The Orchestra appears regularly at the Edinburgh International Festival and the BBC Proms, and has made recent tours to the USA, China and Europe. The Orchestra is joined for choral performances by the RSNO Chorus, directed by Gregory Batsleer. The RSNO Chorus evolved from a choir formed in 1843 to sing the first full performance of Handel’s Messiah in Scotland. Today, the RSNO Chorus is one of the most distinguished large symphonic choruses in Britain. The Chorus has performed nearly every work in the standard choral repertoire, along with contemporary works by composers including John Adams, Howard Shore and James MacMillan. Formed in 1978 by Jean Kidd, the acclaimed RSNO Junior Chorus, under its director Patrick
Barrett, also performs regularly alongside the Orchestra. Boasting a membership of over 400 members aged from 7 to 18, it has built up a considerable reputation singing under some of the world’s most distinguished conductors and appearing on radio and television. The RSNO has a worldwide reputation for the quality of its recordings, receiving a 2020 Gramophone Classical Music Award for Chopin’s Piano Concertos (soloist: Benjamin Grosvenor), conducted by Elim Chan; two Diapason d’Or awards for Symphonic Music (Denève/Roussel 2007; Denève/Debussy 2012) and eight GRAMMY Awards nominations. Over 200 releases are available, including the complete symphonies of Sibelius (Gibson), Prokofiev (Järvi), Glazunov (Serebrier), Nielsen and Martinů (Thomson) and Roussel (Denève) and the major orchestra works of Debussy (Denève). Thomas Søndergård’s debut recording with the RSNO, of Strauss’ Ein Heldenleben, was released in 2019. The RSNO’s pioneering learning and engagement programme, Music for Life, aims to engage the people of Scotland with music across key stages of life: Early Years, Nurseries and Schools, Teenagers and Students, Families, Accessing Lives, Working Lives and Retired and Later Life. The team is committed to placing the Orchestra at the centre of Scottish communities via workshops and annual residencies.
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On Stage
FIRST VIOLIN Maya Iwabuchi
CELLO Aleksei Kiseliov
HORN Christopher Gough
Emily Davis
Betsy Taylor Arthur Boutillier William Paterson Rachael Lee
Alison Murray (SYMPHONY) Andrew McLean
DOUBLE BASS Ana Cordova
TRUMPET Christopher Hart
Michael Rae Sally Davis John Clark
Marcus Pope
FLUTE Katherine Bryan
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL
LEADER
ASSOCIATE LEADER
Tamás Fejes
ASSISTANT LEADER
Barbara Paterson Ursula Heidecker Allen Lorna Rough Caroline Parry Jane Reid Susannah Lowdon Elizabeth Bamping SECOND VIOLIN Xander van Vliet PRINCIPAL
Jacqueline Speirs Marion Wilson Harriet Wilson Wanda Wojtasinska Anne Bünemann Sophie Lang Nigel Mason VIOLA Tom Dunn PRINCIPAL
Lisa Rourke Katherine Wren Claire Dunn David Martin Maria Trittinger
PRINCIPAL
PRINCIPAL
PRINCIPAL
Helen Brew OBOE Adrian Wilson PRINCIPAL
Henry Clay CLARINET Timothy Orpen PRINCIPAL
Duncan Swindells BASSOON David Hubbard PRINCIPAL
Luis Eisen
PRINCIPAL (SYMPHONY)
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL (CONCERTO)
Martin Murphy (CONCERTO)
PRINCIPAL
TIMPANI John Poulter
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Supporting the RSNO I am honoured and extremely proud to be Music Director of the RSNO. It is through the continued generosity of you, our friends, donors and supporters, that we can continue to achieve and realise the most ambitious goals of the Orchestra. The absence of musicians from the stage in 2020 has been the most difficult of times. It has reinforced for us all how vital music is in helping us overcome hardship, fear and loneliness. The creativity and dedication shown by RSNO musicians in recent months has been incredible. This is despite the pattern of our working lives being dramatically interrupted
and being separated, not just from one another, but also from our audiences and communities. I hope you will choose to support us now as we adapt and embark upon this next chapter in RSNO history. Thank you for your support
Thomas Søndergård MUSIC DIRECTOR, RSNO
RSNO Conductors’ Circle The RSNO Conductors’ Circle is an inspirational group of individual supporters at the heart of the RSNO’s Individual Giving programme. Our members’ annual philanthropic gifts enable us to realise the Orchestra’s most ambitious goals. Conductors’ Circle members support inspirational concert performances for our audiences alongside transformational education programmes in communities across Scotland, via our ground-breaking initiative Music for Life. The relationship between the RSNO and Conductors’ Circle members involves exceptional levels of access to all aspects of Orchestra life. We design bespoke private events tailored to individual interests and passions, providing insight into the artistic process and bringing our supporters further into the RSNO family. Members of the Conductors’ Circle benefit from an intimate and long-lasting connection with the RSNO Artistic Team and particularly with RSNO Music Director Thomas Søndergård, Principal Guest Conductor Elim Chan and the many
renowned guest Conductors we are privileged to welcome to the RSNO each year. This concert is dedicated to the RSNO Conductors’ Circle, in recognition of this exceptional group of supporters: Ardgowan Charitable Trust Geoff and Mary Ball Sir Ewan and Lady Brown Ian and Evelyn Crombie Carol Grigor and the Trustees of Dunard Fund Gavin and Kate Gemmell Kenneth and Julia Greig Ms Chris Grace Hartness Kat Heathcote and Iain Macneil Bruce and Caroline Minto David and Alix Stevenson Eric and Karen Young We would also like to thank those generous donors who wish to remain anonymous. For more information on Individual Giving and becoming part of the Conductors’ Circle please contact Jenny McNeely at jenny.mcneely@rsno.org.uk
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Patron Programme CHAIR PATRON From musical activities in schools with the musicians of the future to working in community venues across Scotland, as a Chair Patron you are enabling RSNO musicians to explore the many facets of their art and the positive impact it has on people’s lives. Supporting an individual musician puts you at the heart of the RSNO family. You’re connected directly to the musicians on stage and get to enjoy privileged behind-the-scenes access. RSNO musicians truly appreciate our Chair Patrons and enjoy developing personal relationships with our supporters.
Assistant Conductor The Solti Foundation Chair
Cello Aleksei Kiseliov PRINCIPAL
Horn Christopher Gough PRINCIPAL
First Violin Maya Iwabuchi LEADER Sharon Roffman LEADER
The James Browning Chair
Kennedy Leitch
Alison Murray
Dunard Fund Chair
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL The David and Anne Smith Chair
Tamás Fejes Assistant LEADER
Arthur Boutiller
David McClenaghan
Rachael Lee
Trumpet Christopher Hart PRINCIPAL
The Bill and Rosalind Gregson Chair
Patrick Curlett ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL The RSNO Circle Chair
Jane Reid
The James Wood Bequest Fund Chair
Ursula Heidecker Allen
The Antony Ownsworth Chair
Alan Manson
The Hugh and Linda Bruce-Watt Chair
Elizabeth Bamping
The WL and Vera Heywood Chair
Second Violin Xander van Vliet PRINCIPAL The Hilda Munro Chair
Sophie Lang
The Ian and Evelyn Crombie Chair
Viola Lisa Rourke SUB PRINCIPAL The Meta Ramsay Chair
David Martin
The Miss Grace MM Mitchell Bequest Chair
Francesca Hunt
The Rolf and Celia Thornqvist Chair
The Ardgowan Charitable Trust Chair The Christine and Arthur Hamilton Chair
Double Bass Ana Cordova PRINCIPAL
The Kate and Gavin Gemmell Chair
John Clark
The Gregor Forbes Chair
Flute Katherine Bryan PRINCIPAL
The David and Anne Smith Chair
Helen Brew ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL The Gordon Fraser Charitable Trust Chair
Oboe Adrian Wilson PRINCIPAL The Hedley Wright Chair
Peter Dykes
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL Witherby Publishing Group Charitable Trust Chair
Cor Anglais Henry Clay PRINCIPAL
The Springbank Distillers Chair
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL Mr & Mrs Pierre and Alison Girard The J & A Mitchell Chair
Ms Chris Grace Hartness
Marcus Pope SUB PRINCIPAL
The Nigel and Margot Russell Chair
Trombone Dávur Juul Magnussen PRINCIPAL The Mitchell’s Glengyle Chair
Lance Green
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL The William Cadenhead Chair
Timpani Paul Philbert
Ms Chris Grace Hartness
Percussion John Poulter
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL The Dot and Syd Taft Chair
Director of Concerts and Engagement Bill Chandler The James and Iris Miller Chair
In memory of a dear friend, Fiona H
Bassoon David Hubbard PRINCIPAL
The James and Morag Anderson Chair
We would like to acknowledge the generous contribution of Mr Hedley Wright in supporting the RSNO Chair Patron Programme.
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LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT PATRON Our Learning and Engagement activity is structured around our Music for Life programme. From apps for babies to concerts and workshops for school children, and lunchtime concerts for older adults, the range of projects is vast. As a Patron, you will have access to our projects to bring you closer to the communities we serve across Scotland. Learning and Engagement Patrons Neil and Nicola Gordon Mr Maurice Taylor CBE Witherby Publishing Group Charitable Trust NEW WORKS PATRON The RSNO is dedicated to bringing new works and outstanding new talent to audiences across Scotland. Our New Works Patrons contribute a significant legacy to orchestral music that extends beyond the RSNO, providing new music for orchestras and audiences around the world – for generations to come. New Works Patron Susie Thomson We are also grateful to those who give but wish to remain anonymous. If you would like more information or would like to discuss how you can become part of the RSNO Family of Supporters, please contact Jenny McNeely, Head of Individual Giving and Partnerships, at jenny.mcneely@rsno.org.uk
We would like to thank all those who have made donations to the RSNO Covid Appeal over the recent months. The generosity of our supporters at this time is deeply appreciated.
Musical Memories Leave a gift to the RSNO and ensure future generations can create their own Musical Memories of the Royal Scottish National Orchestra. We all have special Musical Memories. It could be learning to play an instrument when you were a child, or a special piece of music that just left you breathless the first time you heard the Orchestra play it. Maybe it was seeing a soloist you had always wanted to hear, or just a great concert shared with friends. Memories such as these make music such an important part of our lives. Leaving a gift to the RSNO in your will is the single most important way you can help us to make music and to create memories. Your legacy will support the work of the Orchestra for years to come, ensuring that we can continue to bring great music to a new generation of children, young people and adults right across Scotland. It is easy to leave a gift. After you have made provisions for family and friends, please think of the Orchestra.
Your gift is important to us and to everyone in Scotland who enjoys music. Contact your solicitor to draft a will or add a codicil to your current will. If your estate is subject to inheritance tax, a gift to a charity, such as the RSNO, is tax-free and will reduce the amount of tax payable to the Government. Please ask your solicitor for details. For more information please visit rsno.org.uk/memories If you would like to discuss this further, please contact Kirsten Reid, Individual Giving and Partnerships Officer, in the strictest confidence at kirsten.reid@rsno.org.uk To the many among you who have pledged to leave a gift already – thank you.
Scotland’s National Orchestra 21
Charitable Trusts and Foundations Charitable trusts and foundations have a long and illustrious history of supporting the RSNO, both on the concert platform and through our Learning and Engagement programmes in the community. Grants and awards of all sizes are greatly appreciated, and range from one-off donations for specific projects through to large-scale support over a number of years, including support of the acclaimed RSNO Junior Chorus and our flagship educational project, the National Schools Concert Programme. We are fortunate in having developed long-term relationships with a number of trusts who have sustained their invaluable support over many years, enabling a significant amount of our work and mission to go ahead each year that otherwise would simply not happen. Our 2020:21 Season of concerts and Learning and Engagement programmes is generously supported by the following trusts and foundations: Alexander Moncur Charitable Trust Alma and Leslie Wolfson Charitable Trust Austin and Hope Pilkington Trust Balgay Children’s Society Bank of Scotland Foundation Castansa Trust Cruden Foundation Daiwa Anglo-Japanese Foundation D’Oyly Carte Charitable Trust Dunclay Charitable Trust Educational Institute of Scotland Fidelio Charitable Trust Gannochy Trust Garrick Charitable Trust Gordon Fraser Charitable Trust Glasgow Educational and Marshall Trust Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation Hugh Fraser Foundation Idlewild Trust James Wood Bequest Fund Jean & Roger Miller Charitable Trust Jennie S Gordon Memorial Foundation John Ellerman Foundation John Scott Trust Fund J T H Charitable Trust KPE4 Charitable Trust Leche Trust Leng Charitable Trust Murdoch Forrest Charitable Trust New Park Educational Trust Noël Coward Foundation Northwood Charitable Trust PF Charitable Trust PRS Foundation R J Larg Family Trust Robertson Trust Ronald Miller Foundation RVW Trust Solti Foundation
Stevenston Trust Tay Charitable Trust Tillyloss Trust W A Cargill Fund Walter Scott Giving Group William Syson Foundation Witherby Publishing Group Charitable Trust
We are also grateful to a number of trusts that wish to stay anonymous. If you would like more information about our work and how you can make a difference, please contact Ajda Šubelj, Head of Trusts and Projects, at ajda.subelj@rsno.org.uk
22 Beethoven Violin Concerto
RSNO Circle The Circle is a vital part of the RSNO family. Our community of music-lovers inspire and support us. Supporting us by joining the Circle will help us to bring music to so many people, from our Learning and Engagement programmes to our brand-new digital performances. As part of our community and family, we will keep in touch with our exclusive magazine Inner Circle, our Circle member webpage and invitations to special events throughout the year. To find out more about joining the Circle please visit rsno.org.uk/circle or get in touch with our Individual Giving and Partnerships Officer, Kirsten Reid, RSNO, 19 Killermont Street, Glasgow G2 3NX Email: kirsten.reid@rsno.org.uk To all our existing Circle members, thank you. Thank you for your unwavering support that allows us to continue sharing the joy of music. Virtuoso
Ms Catherine Y Alexander Mrs A M Bennett Dame Susan and Mr John Bruce Mrs Stina Bruce-Jones Stephen and Morny Carter Philip and Mary Contini Sir Sandy and Lady Crombie Gavin and Kate Gemmell Dr M I and Mrs C R Gordon Scott and Frieda Grier Iain MacNeil and Kat Heathcote Miss A McGrory Mr James Miller CBE Meta Ramsay Mr George Ritchie Mr and Mrs W Semple Myra and David Soutar Mr Ian Taft Claire and Mark Urquhart Raymond and Brenda Williamson Mr Hedley G Wright
Symphony
Ronnie and Evelyne Anderson Mr Alan and Mrs Carolyn Bonnyman Miss L Buist Mr and Mrs J K Burleigh Mr J L Donaldson Mr I Gow Mr J D Home Mrs J Kennedy Mrs A Lamont Norma and Christine Lessels Mr A D Mackay Mr I C MacNicol Professor J and Mrs S Mavor Mrs A McQueen Miss M Michie Mr Miller Miss K Ridland Mr and Mrs David Robinson Mr D Rogerson Mrs Ann M Stephen Mr Alistair M and Mrs Mandy Struthers Mr and Mrs M Whelan Mrs A Wolfson
Concerto
Dr K Chapman and Ms S Adam Mr A Alstead Miss D Blackie Neil and Karin Bowman Dr M Bronte-Stewart Dr F L Brown Mr John Brownlie Mr and Mrs Burnside Mr A Campbell Sir Graeme and Lady Catto Mr R Cavanagh Myk Cichla Dr J Coleiro Mr and Mrs B H Cross Christine and Jo Danbolt Mr P Davidson Mr J Diamond Miss C Dixon-Carter OBE Mr C Ffoulkes Mr and Mrs M Gilbert Professor J R and Mrs C M Gray Richard and Linda Holden Mrs F D Inverarity Mr N Jack Mr and Mrs S G Kay Mr and Mrs W Kean Mrs M King Mr Alistair Mackie Mr D MacPherson Mr R G Madden Mr S Marwick Mr and Mrs G McAllister Mr E and Mrs S McGeachan Mr Rod McLoughlin Mrs B Morinaud Mr A Morrison Mrs A C Morrison Dr and Mrs D Mowle Dr P Osborne Mr and Mrs D Pirie Ms A and Miss I Reeve Elspeth M Robertson Miss L E Robertson Ross family Dr and Mrs G K Simpson Mr and Mrs A Stewart
Mrs M Stirling Mr G Stronach Dr G R Sutherland Mr I Szymanski Professor D E M Taylor Mr and Dr Tom Thomson Mr J B and Mrs M B Watson Mr and Mrs Wigglesworth
Sonata
Ms S Ace Mr K Allen Ms D Baines Mr O Balfour Mr N C Banks Mr N Barton Dr A D Beattie Mrs H Benzie Lord and Lady Borthwick Rev P Boylan John Bradshaw and Shiona Mackie Mrs L Brocklebank Ms H Calvert Mr E M Cameron Miss S M Carlyon Mrs H S Chalmers Mr T Cole and Mrs J Leslie-Cole Lady Coulsfield Ms K Cunningham Mr F Dalziel and Mrs S Walsh Dr J K and Mrs E E Davidson Mr and Mrs K B Dietz Mrs C Donald Jane Donald and Lee Knifton Ms P Dow Mrs P du Feu Mr and Mrs M Dunbar Mr R M Duncan Brigadier and Mrs C C Dunphie Mrs E Egan Miss L Emslie Mr R B Erskine Dr E Evans Mr D Fraser Mr D and Mrs A Fraser Mr D Frew Ms J Gardner
Dr P and Dr K Gaskell Mr W G Geddes Mrs E Gibb Mrs M Gibson Mr D Gibson Lady A V Gibson Mrs J Gilchrist Mrs M Gillan Mr R M Godfrey Dr J A Graham and Mrs H M Graham Professor and Mrs A R Grieve Mr and Mrs G Y Haig Lord and Lady Hamilton Dr P J Harper Dr N Harrison Mr and Mrs R J Hart Mr D Hartman Ms V Harvey Mrs S Hawthorn Mrs M Hayes Dr and Mrs P Heywood Bobby and Rhona Hogg Ms J Hope Mr R Horne Mr and Mrs F Howell Mrs A S Hunter Professor R N Ibbett Professor and Mrs E W Laing Mr J P Lawson Mr and Mrs J Lawson Mr R M Love Dr D A Lunt Mr and Mrs R MacCormick Mr and Mrs MacGillivray Lady Lucinda L Mackay Mr R Maizels and Ms C Tilley Dr A K and Mrs J C Martin Mr and Mrs J Martin Mr and Mrs D H Marwick Ms S McArthur Mr G McCormack Mrs L McCormick Mrs M McDonald Mrs C McGowan-Smyth Dr A H McKee Mr Patrick McKeever Mr G McKeown
Ms H L McLaren Mrs E McLean Ms Fiona McLeod Mr and Mrs B Mellon Mr and Mrs I Mills Mrs P Molyneaux Mr R Morley Mr B Morrison Mr K M Murray Mr B and Mrs C Nelson Mr and Mrs K O’Hare Professor Stephen Osborne and Frank Osborne Mr and Mrs K Osborne Dr G Osbourne Ms S Park Mr R Parry Mr J Paterson Misses J and M Penman Mr I Percival Dr M Porteous Mr J W Pottinger Miss J A Raiker Mr M Rattray Ms F Reith Mrs D A Riley Dr and Mrs D Robb Mr I Robertson Mr H and Mrs J Robson Ms A Robson Mrs E K Ross Mrs S Scott Mrs J Shanks Mr J A Shipley Dr M J and Mrs J A Shirreffs Mr E B Simmons and Mrs R Nicolson Dr Colin and Mrs Kathleen Sinclair Mr M J Smith Mrs E Smith Mr M A Snider Dr and Mrs B Stack Mrs Lorna Statham Mrs T Stevenson Rev N and Mr R Stewart Mrs R F Stewart Mr and Mrs B Tait Dr and Mrs T Thomson
Mrs E B Tupman Dr S Tweedie Dr Morag Ward Mr W Watters Dr and Mrs T Weakley Mrs V Wells Mr G West Miss M Whitelaw Dr and Mrs D T Williams Mr D Woolgar Mr R Young
Thank you to all our members of the Circle, including those who wish to remain anonymous. Every one of you makes a real difference.
24 Beethoven Violin Concerto
A big Thank You to our supporters FUNDERS
CORPORATE SUPPORTERS
PRINCIPAL MEDIA PARTNER
PRINCIPAL TRANSPORT PARTNER
BROADCAST PARTNER
PARTNERS Glasgow Chamber of Commerce • Institute of Directors • Scots Magazine The Scottish Council for Development & Industry • Smart Graphics
PROJECT PARTNERS Abertay University • Children’s Classic Concerts • Children’s Hospices Across Scotland • Dundee University • Gig Buddies Glasgow Association for Mental Health (GAMH) • Glasgow Life • Horsecross Arts • National Youth Orchestras of Scotland Prescribe Culture (University of Edinburgh) • Royal Conservatoire of Scotland • Scottish Book Trust Tayside Healthcare Arts Trust • Usher Hall • Young Scot
CHAIR SPONSORS
If you would like more information about sponsorships, corporate partnerships or fundraising events with the RSNO, please contact Kirsten Reid, Individual Giving and Partnerships Officer, at kirsten.reid@rsno.org.uk
RSNO: Scotland’s National Orchestra 25
Royal Scottish National Orchestra PATRON
CHIEF EXECUTIVE
Jenny McNeely
Her Majesty The Queen
Alistair Mackie Nicola Shephard
Graham Ramage
RSNO BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT
HEAD OF INDIVIDUAL GIVING AND PARTNERSHIPS GRAPHICS AND NEW MEDIA DESIGNER
Kirsten Reid
Elected Directors Dame Susan Bruce DBE CHAIR
CONCERTS AND ENGAGEMENT
John Heasley
Sam Stone
HONORARY TREASURER
Bill Chandler
DIRECTOR OF CONCERTS AND ENGAGEMENT
Hugh Bruce-Watt Kat Heathcote Linda Holden Neil McLennan Costa Pilavachi David Robinson Gurjit Singh Lalli Jane Wood
Laura Baxter
Ajda Šubelj
Michael Cameron
FINANCE AND CORPORATE SERVICES
HEAD OF LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT (MATERNITY COVER) DRIVER AND DEPUTY STAGE MANAGER
Samantha Campbell
HEAD OF LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT (MATERNITY LEAVE)
Bekah Cork
ARTISTIC PLANNING AND TOURS MANAGER
Flora Farqhuarson
Player Directors Dávur Juul Magnussen Sophie Lang Kennedy Leitch Paul Philbert Janet Richardson Lorna Rough
CREATIVE ASSISTANT
Emma Hunter
DEPUTY ORCHESTRA MANAGER
Rosie Kenneally
LEARNING AND ENGAGEMENT OFFICER
Ewen McKay
HEAD OF ORCHESTRA MANAGEMENT
Richard Payne LIBRARIAN
Nominated Directors Cllr Frank Docherty
Tammo Schuelke
ARTISTIC PLANNING MANAGER
GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL
Cllr Lezley Marion Cameron THE CITY OF EDINBURGH COUNCIL
Company Secretary Gordon Murray
INFORMATION SERVICES MANAGER HEAD OF TRUSTS AND PROJECTS
Angela Moreland
CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER
Ted Howie
FACILITIES COORDINATOR
Jack Hunter VIDEO PRODUCER
Irene McPhail
ACCOUNTS AND PAYROLL ASSISTANT
Hedd Morfett-Jones DIGITAL MANAGER
Susan Rennie FINANCE MANAGER
Abby Trainor ADMINISTRATOR
Jade Wilson
FINANCE ASSISTANT
Matthias van der Swaagh CONCERTS ADMINISTRATOR
Craig Swindells CHORUS MANAGER
DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS
Royal Scottish National Orchestra 19 Killermont Street Glasgow G2 3NX T: +44 (0)141 226 3868 W: rsno.org.uk
PROGRAMMES EDITOR
Scottish Company No. 27809 Scottish Charity No. SC010702
EXTERNAL RELATIONS
Dr Jane Donald Ian Brooke
DEVELOPMENT BOARD
TRUSTS AND PROJECTS COORDINATOR
Christine Walker
Baroness Ramsay of Cartvale Lady Gibson Ms Ruth Wishart
Naomi Stewart
STAGE AND PRODUCTION MANAGER
RSNO COUNCIL CHAIR
INDIVIDUAL GIVING AND PARTNERSHIPS OFFICER
Constance Carter-Fraser
EXTERNAL RELATIONS ADMINISTRATOR
Raymond M Williamson
Jessica Cowley
/royalscottishnationalorchestra
Dr Robert Asher Stephen Carter OBE Alison Gregson Linda Holden
Carol Fleming
@RSNO
CHAIR
SENIOR MARKETING OFFICER HEAD OF MARKETING
@rsnoofficial
COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER
Youtube.com/thersno
Catriona Mackenzie
The RSNO is one of Scotland’s National Performing Companies, supported by the Scottish Government.
Orchestra list and programme details correct at time of going to print. Contents © Copyright RSNO and named authors.