M U SIC FOR ALL TI M E CELEBRATING BACH I 24 OCTOBER 2020 W A T CH THE S TR EAM O N L IN E ON S I S TI C L I VE
METAMORPHOSEN AND MOZART WITH HANS GRAF FRI 6 NOV 2020 8PM
WATCH THE STREAM ONLINE ON SISTIC LIVE
SINGAPORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA HANS GRAF CHIEF CONDUCTOR
“The most perfect melodic shapes are found in Mozart”, said Richard Strauss of his famous 18th century predecessor. “Listen to the remarkable expansion of a Mozart melody.... You think it is coming to an end, but it goes farther, much farther.” Strauss’s Metamorphosen, “A Study for 23 Solo Strings” is a monument of beautiful, evolving sorrow, written near the end of the Second World War. Believed to be his personal elegy to the devastation of culture during the war, it is perhaps also a subtle reminder of the transformative power of art in a time of adversity. R. STRAUSS METAMORPHOSEN FOR 23 STRINGS MOZART SERENADE NO. 10 IN B-FLAT MAJOR, K.361 “GRAN PARTITA”
TICKETS FROM $10
MU S IC FOR ALL TI M E CELEBRATING BACH I 24 Oct 2020, 8pm (Online premiere on SISTIC Live) Viewable from 24 Oct to 7 Nov with valid tickets.
Singapore Symphony Orchestra Darrell Ang conductor
J .S . B ACH
Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048
10 mins
J .S . B ACH
Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C major, BWV 1066
21 mins
J .S . B ACH
Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068
20 mins
Concert Duration: 1 hr
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SINGAPORE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Since its founding in 1979, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) has been Singapore’s flagship orchestra, touching lives through classical music and providing the heartbeat of the cultural scene in the cosmopolitan city-state. In addition to its subscription series concerts, the orchestra is well-loved for its outdoor and community appearances, and its significant role educating the young people of Singapore. The SSO has also earned an international reputation for its orchestral virtuosity, having garnered sterling reviews for its overseas tours and many successful recordings. The SSO makes its performing home at the 1,800-seat state-of-the-art Esplanade Concert Hall. More intimate works, as well as outreach and community performances take place at the 673seat Victoria Concert Hall, the home of the SSO. The orchestra performs over 60 concerts a year, and its versatile repertoire spans all-time favourites and orchestral masterpieces to exciting cutting-edge premieres. Bridging the musical traditions of East and West, Singaporean and Asian musicians and composers are regularly showcased in the concert season. This has been a core of the SSO’s programming philosophy from the very beginning under Choo Hoey, who was Music Director from 1979 to 1996. Under the Music Directorship of Lan Shui from 1997 to 2019, the SSO has performed in Europe, Asia and the United States. In May 2016 the SSO was invited to perform at the Dresden Music Festival and the Prague Spring International Music Festival. This successful five‑city tour of Germany and Prague also included the SSO’s return to the Berlin Philharmonie after six years. In 2014 the SSO’s debut at the 120th BBC Proms in London received critical acclaim in the major UK newspapers The Guardian and The Telegraph. The SSO has also performed in China on multiple occasions.
In the 2020/21 concert season, the SSO welcomes renowned maestro Hans Graf as its Chief Conductor. Notable SSO releases on the BIS label include a Rachmaninoff series, a “Seascapes” album, three Debussy discs “La Mer”, “Jeux” and “Nocturnes”, and the first-ever cycle of Tcherepnin’s piano concertos and symphonies. The SSO has also collaborated with such great artists as Lorin Maazel, Charles Dutoit, Gennady Rozhdestvensky, Neeme Järvi, Gustavo Dudamel, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Diana Damrau, Martha Argerich, Lang Lang, Yo-Yo Ma, Janine Jansen, Leonidas Kavakos and Gil Shaham. The SSO is part of the Singapore Symphony Group, which also manages the Singapore Symphony Choruses, and the Singapore National Youth Orchestra. The mission of the Group is to create memorable shared experiences with music. Through the SSO and its affiliated performing groups, we spread the love for music, nurture talent and enrich our diverse communities.
H ANS G RAF Chief Conductor
| 24 OCT 2020 M U SIC FOR AL L TIM E - C EL EBR ATING BAC H I
Orchestra, China National Symphony Orchestra and the Prague Chamber Orchestra. One of Asia’s most sought-after conductors, Ang’s growing operatic profile includes performances of Don Giovanni and Rigoletto at the Mariinsky Theatre, Carmen at Estonian National Opera, Mozart operas in Bordeaux and Toulon, and Wagner in Singapore.
D A R RE L L AN G conductor
Born in Singapore, Ang studied composition with Leong Yoon Pin before studying in St. Petersburg with Leonid Korchmar, and Yale with Shinik Hahm. He became the Young Associate Conductor of the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (2008–2013) under the guidance of Music Director Lan Shui and also served as Music Director of the Singapore National Youth Orchestra. He took all three top awards at the 50th Besançon International Young Conductors’ Competition in 2007, leading to the Music Directorship of the Orchestre Symphonique de Bretagne (2012–2015). With support from the Allianz Cultural Foundation, he took on residencies with the London Philharmonic and Philharmonia Orchestra, under the tutelage of Lorin Maazel and Esa-Pekka Salonen.
Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of The Sichuan Orchestra of China (Sichuan Symphony), Grammy-nominated Darrell Ang last year opened the London Philharmonic’s season at Eastbourne, conducted Paris’s Orchestre de Lamoureux at the Théâtre du Champs-Elysées and made his debut with the Japan Philharmonic. In addition, he conducted Beijing’s National Centre for the Performing Arts Orchestra and released several recordings on the Naxos label to rave reviews. Recent appearances include with The Haydn Orchestra of Bolzano and Trento, Moscow State Symphony Orchestra, Mariinsky Orchestra, NHK Symphony 4
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SEC O N D V IOL IN
T HE ORC HE S T R A
Michael Loh Associate Principal Hai-Won Kwok Fixed Chair Nikolai Koval* Chikako Sasaki* Margit Saur Shao Tao Tao Wu Man Yun* Xu Jue Yi* Yeo Teow Meng Yin Shu Zhan* Zhao Tian*
HANS GRAF Chief Conductor JOSHUA TAN Associate Conductor ANDREW LITTON Principal Guest Conductor
VIO L A
CHOO HOEY Conductor Emeritus
Zhang Manchin Principal Guan Qi Associate Principal Gu Bing Jie* Fixed Chair Marietta Ku Luo Biao Julia Park Shui Bing Janice Tsai Wang Dandan Yang Shi Li
LAN SHUI Conductor Laureate EUDENICE PALARUAN Choral Director WONG LAI FOON Choirmaster
C EL L O Ng Pei-Sian Principal, The HEAD Foundation Chair Yu Jing Associate Principal Guo Hao Fixed Chair Chan Wei Shing Jamshid Saydikarimov* Song Woon Teng Wang Yan Wang Zihao* Wu Dai Dai Zhao Yu Er
FIRS T VI OL I N Kong Zhao Hui# Acting/Associate Concertmaster Chan Yoong-Han Fixed Chair Cao Can* Chen Da Wei Duan Yu Ling Foo Say Ming Jin Li Kong Xianlong Cindy Lee Karen Tan William Tan Wei Zhe Ye Lin* Zhang Si Jing*
D O U B LE BAS S Yang Zheng Yi Associate Principal Karen Yeo Fixed Chair Olga Alexandrova Jacek Mirucki Guennadi Mouzyka Wang Xu
6
FLUTE
TR U M P ET
Jin Ta Principal Evgueni Brokmiller Associate Principal Roberto Alvarez Miao Shanshan
Jon Paul Dante Principal David Smith Associate Principal Lau Wen Rong Sergey Tyuteykin
PICCOLO
TR O M B O N E
Roberto Alvarez Assistant Principal
Allen Meek Principal Damian Patti Associate Principal Samuel Armstrong
OBOE Rachel Walker Principal Pan Yun Associate Principal Carolyn Hollier Elaine Yeo
B A SS T R O MBONE Wang Wei Assistant Principal TU B A
COR ANGL AI S
Tomoki Natsume Principal
Elaine Yeo Associate Principal TIM P A N I CLARINET
Christian Schiøler Principal Jonathan Fox Associate Principal
Ma Yue Principal Li Xin Associate Principal Liu Yoko Tang Xiao Ping
P ER CU SSIO N
Tang Xiao Ping Assistant Principal
Jonathan Fox Principal Mark Suter Associate Principal Mario Choo Lim Meng Keh
BAS S OON
H A RP
Liu Chang Associate Principal Christoph Wichert Zhao Ying Xue
Gulnara Mashurova Principal
BAS S CL AR I NE T
H A RP SICH O R D Shane Thio^
CONTRAB AS S OON Zhao Ying Xue Assistant Principal HORN Gao Jian Associate Principal Jamie Hersch Associate Principal Marc-Antoine Robillard Associate Principal Hoang Van Hoc
* With deep appreciation to the Rin Collection for their generous loan of string instruments. # Kong Zhao Hui performs on a J.B. Guadagnini of Milan, c. 1750, donated by the National Arts Council, Singapore, with the support of Far East Organization and Lee Foundation. ^ Musician on temporary contract. Musicians listed alphabetically by family name rotate their seats on a per programme basis. 7
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This list reflects donations that were made from 1 October 2019 to 30 September 2020. We would like to express our sincere thanks to donors whose names were inadvertently left out at print time. The Singapore Symphony Group is a charity and a not-for-profit organisation. Singapore tax-payers may qualify for 250% tax deduction for donations above $50. You can support us by donating at www.sso.org.sg/donate or www.giving.sg/sso.
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Air – From the Latin aer, giving rise to the Italian aria or French ayre. In 16th and 17th century England, the ayre was a popular genre of solo song accompanied by lute. This later evolved to encompass instrumental works without voice. Bourrée – A light French dance in duple meter (two beats per bar). It resembles the gavotte, but is quicker. The bourrée originated as a folk dance in Auvergne, France and later became popular in the French court of Louis XIV. Courante – Literally meaning “running”, the courante originated as an Italian Renaissance folk dance (corrente) with running steps. In the Baroque French court however, it evolved into a more reserved dance, with an atmosphere of pleasant expectation. Forlane – This fast dance originated from the Italian region of Friulia, a Slavic area under the Venetian republic. As such the furlana, as it was known there, may have roots in Slavonic dances. Like the other dances, it found new life in the French courts as a vigorous but graceful dance for couples.
Gigue – A fast and wild dance originating from the jig of the British Isles, and often found at the end of a suite. Menuet – Also spelled “minuet”, this was a stately social dance for two people, featuring small steps (from the French menu, meaning small and slender). At the court of Louis XIV, it became a popular practice to score the middle section for a trio of instruments. This gave rise to the “menuet and trio” that formed the traditional third movement of Classical symphonies by such composers as Haydn and Mozart. Ouverture – French for “opening”. From the 17th century, the ouverture was the introductory movement of a ballet or opera. It usually begins with a slower, stately prelude with dotted rhythms, followed by a faster, grander section – all to set the atmosphere for the drama to follow. The more well-known term overture later evolved – among the Romantic composers such as Weber and Mendelssohn – to become an independent work depicting a story or theme. Passepied – Directly translated as “passing feet”, this is a light French court dance in triple meter, with the feet crossing and recrossing (hence “passing” each other) as the dancers moved. In English, the passepied has been spelled "paspy" or "paspie", closely approximating its French pronunciation. This dance is often associated with pastoral scenes.
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Gavotte – The gavotte became popular too in the court of Louis XIV, where Gaétan Vestris, the celebrated “god of the dance”, did much to establish the form. Originally a folk dance that concluded with the couple kissing (later becoming an exchange of flowers), the gavotte continues to be popular, appearing even in modern works by Prokofiev and Bernstein.
MU KA SHICH C FUONRWAONG L L TIM C ONDU E - C EL C TS EBR DEBU ATING SSY, BAC WH AGINER | 24 ANDOCT SH 2020 OSTAK O V IC H
THE BAROQUE DANCE – A GLOSSARY
K A H CH U N W O N G C O N D UMCUTSSIC DEBU AG SSO AND OSTAKOV DAY CBAC ONC IC HI T || 22 146 5 OS AUG FORSSY, AL L WTIM ENER -NATIONAL C EL EBRSH ATING HER CETP 222000222000
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH (1685–1750) Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major, BWV 1048 I II III
[Allegro] Adagio Allegro
A famous work of art carries its name far and wide. For Brandenburg in Germany, the music-loving Margrave Christian Ludwig (1677–1734), younger brother of King Frederick I of Prussia, is best remembered today as the recipient of the Brandenburg Concertos, to whom Bach dedicated in 1721.
indicated here. They are separated by an Adagio of one bar consisting of just two thoughtful chords in E minor. A brief moment of repose, inviting you to savour what has gone on before and what is about to come. In many performances today, it has become customary for the orchestra to improvise a passage of varying length for this movement, as Bach would have intended. This role is often led by the harpsichordist, as you will see in our performance featuring Shane Thio.
The six Brandenburg Concertos represent the pinnacles of Baroque music. The composers of the period experimented with new ways of playing and combining instruments, eventually giving rise to the modern orchestra. The music they wrote is intricate, with multiple lines of independent melody generating rich textures and harmonies. The Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 begins exactly like that, with noble grandeur and exuberance. The dynamism of its music carries weight and momentum with equal aplomb. Its form is that of the Italian concerto grosso, which features a group of soloists rather than a single one. In fact, it might as well be a concerto for nine solo strings, such are the demands required of the three violins, three violas and three cellos, supported by the basso continuo (instruments that play the bass line, with improvised harmonies – often the harpsichord and double bass).
Instrumentation harpsichord 3 violins, 3 violas, 3 cellos, double bass
The work is in two fast movements, the first of which Bach did not indicate a tempo marking, but is often played “[Allegro]” as
First performed by SSO 1 Mar 1995 16
I II III IV V VI VII
Ouverture Courante Gavotte I & II Forlane Menuet I & II Bourrée I & II Passepied I & II
Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D major, BWV 1068 Ouverture Air Gavotte I & II Bourrée Gigue air. Perfect for courtly entertainment (and auditions).
In today’s musical terms, the “suite” is usually associated with a collection of pieces with a common theme or programme, curated by the composer from a full ballet, theatre or even film score. The origin of the form goes back to the 14th century, its development culminating in France. These dances were themselves part of the colourful history of French opéra-ballet, popular in the 18th century. As the term suggests, dance was a very vital ingredient of French Baroque lyric theatre – a tradition that continued into opera of the Romantic period, and perhaps even to the musicals of today.
Still, no one knows exactly when or why Bach wrote his four Orchestral Suites. The oldest known scores date from around the 1720s–1730s. Alongside the Italian-style Brandenburg Concertos, these suites stand as the most celebrated examples of their kind. The Orchestral Suite No. 1 begins with a majestic ouverture of unmistakably French flavour. Its scoring for two oboes, strings and basso continuo make it the most traditional of the four. All its individual numbers are quintessentially French, with the exception of the spritely Forlane of Italian origin. Even if the First Orchestral Suite isn’t as famous as the Second or the Third, it is still filled with music of immediate flavour and perfumed flair – the heady flow of the Courante, a pair of bouncy Gavottes, the courtly Menuets or the pastoral sweet air of the Passepieds.
Bach famously wrote a cantata practically every week in his role as director of church music in Leipzig from 1723, eventually writing some 300 in total. It was, as you can imagine, a most serious role, which did not pay him to write secular music. But during this period, the French suite was extremely popular in Europe, with their catchy rhythms, sensuous richness, lyric lilt and noble 17
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I II III IV V
MU S I C F O R A L L TIM E - C EL EBR ATING BAC H I
JOHANN SEBASTIAN BACH Orchestral Suite No. 1 in C major, BWV 1066
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Speaking of “airs”, even among Bach’s many famous tunes, one stands out among them all – the divine Air on a G String. This nickname comes from an arrangement by 19th-century violinist August Wilhelmj, which allowed the violin to play it entirely on the G string. The Air is one of the few movements in the four Orchestral Suites that is not a dance form. Its special place in all music history is also marked by how different the rest of the third suite is. The Orchestral Suite No. 3 begins with a majestic Ouverture of great pomp and drama, scored for trumpet, oboe, strings, timpani and basso continuo. Even the normally dainty Gavotte of the third movement or the lively Gigue of the conclusion are served by the satisfyingly magnificent pounding of trumpet and timpani, infusing them with energy and swagger. The Air though, involves only the strings. The tune needs no introduction. The word “air” comes from aria (Italian) or ayre (French), referring to a song-like composition. And that is the nature of this wordless and sublime jewel. It is a moment of timeless peace amongst the grandiose dances of its companion movements, seemingly detached from any specific period or style of music, such is its transcendent beauty. Truly, music worthy of all time.
Orchestral Suite No. 1 Instrumentation 2 oboes, bassoon harpsichord 3 first violins, 3 second violins 2 violas, cello, double bass First performed by SSO 28 Jul 1989 Orchestral Suite No. 3 Instrumentation 2 oboes 3 trumpets timpani harpsichord 3 first violins, 3 second violins 2 violas, cello, double bass
Programme notes by Chia Han-Leon
First performed by SSO 31 Jan 1985 18
PRESIDENT’S YOUNG PERFORMERS CONCERT AUDITION IT’S TIME FOR YOU TO SHINE.
If you are a Singaporean instrumentalist performing on Western classical instruments such as strings, woodwind, brass and percussion, audition now to perform with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra at our President’s Young Performers Concert 2021.
Joshua Tan SSO Associate Conductor and conductor of the President's Young Performers Concert
ELIGIBILITY Applicants should be Singapore citizens of no more than 25 years of age, as of 1 July 2021. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS: Please prepare and submit the following: 1. Applicant’s biography 2. A high-quality video featuring applicant’s recent performance of a concerto written for chamber-sized orchestra. 3. The composer’s name, title of work, duration of each movement and edition (if applicable). Submission and Application form: ssoperfor.ms/PYPC2021audition < SCAN TO APPLY APPLICATION DEADLINE 30 December 2020 For enquiries, please email to pypc@sso.org.sg. Shortlisted applicants will be notified by email in January 2021 to participate in a live audition scheduled to take place in February 2021. Shortlisted applicants should be prepared to play the concerto in full and should arrange for their own piano accompanist to play the orchestral part.
BOA R D OF D IREC T ORS & C OMMI T T E E S CHAIR Mr Goh Yew Lin SSO COUNCIL
BOARD OF DIRECTORS Ms Yong Ying-I (Deputy Chair) Mr Ang Chek Meng Mr Chang Chee Pey Mr Chng Hak-Peng Mr Chng Kai Fong Mr Warren Fernandez Prof Arnoud De Meyer Mr Heinrich Grafe Ms Liew Wei Li Mr Sanjiv Misra Mr Paul Tan Dr Kelly Tang Mr Geoffrey Wong Mr Yee Chen Fah NOMINATING AND EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Mr Goh Yew Lin (Chair) Prof Arnoud De Meyer (Treasurer) Mr Paul Tan Ms Yong Ying-I
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S E A S O N PA R TN E R S Official Radio Station
Official Community Partner
Official Outdoor Media Partner
Official Airline
S EA S O N PATRO NS
Christopher & Rosy Ho
Aquilus Pte Ltd
The mission of the Singapore Symphony Group is to create memorable shared experiences with music. Through the SSO and its affiliated performing groups, we spread the love for music, nurture talent and enrich our diverse communities. The Singapore Symphony Orchestra is a charity and not-for-profit organisation. You can support us by donating at www.sso.org.sg/donate.
