St John's Smith Square 2016/17 brochure

ST JOHN’S SMITH SQUARE ——

“Just to come across it in that quiet square is an event.

To enter it, to enjoy its spaces, to listen to fine music within its walls is an experience not to be matched in conventional concert halls and is a lasting tribute to the man who designed it.”

Sir Hugh Casson

Inside cover & page 1 images © Matthew Andrews

Explore 300 years of history Designed by Thomas Archer in the early eighteenth century, St John’s was completed in 1728 at a cost of £40,875.

Extensive damage from the Blitz was fully restored by Marshall Sisson, with the church re-opening as a concert hall in 1969. With its superb acoustic restored, St John’s quickly became a favourite of luminaries Pierre Boulez and Daniel Barenboim. Discover more on Page 116.

2016/17 SEASON WELCOME TO ST JOHN’S SMITH SQUARE ——

With a packed season of concerts and events, including many debut artists as well as close friends, I hope you will find this brochure attractive and enticing.

Visiting St John’s Smith Square for a concert is a fabulous experience. You can combine fine food and drink from the Footstool Restaurant with enriching and stimulating music of the highest quality, whilst surrounded by the historic majesty of the UK’s only Baroque concert hall.

There are over 300 events in the coming season, with dynamic performances of Baroque and early music as well as great orchestral, choral, opera and chamber music favourites all nestling alongside over 30 world premieres. An astonishing array of musicians present more than 1,000 works over the course of the season with new talent featured alongside many favourite groups and individuals.

We are delighted to continue our collaboration with Southbank Centre during their period of refurbishment and you will find a wonderful variety of concerts from the London Sinfonietta, the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, the Aurora Orchestra, the International Chamber Music Series and the International Piano Series.

St John’s Smith Square © Matthew Andrews

Whilst there is already an enormous range of events to choose from, we do take late bookings from time to time as space allows and there are some projects later in the season where the final details are yet to be confirmed. To ensure you are up to date with all the latest news, please do subscribe to our mailing list or, better still, become a Friend or Patron of St John’s Smith Square. Our supporters receive exclusive invitations to special events as well as discounts on tickets and in the restaurant.

We are proud to be recognised for the warmth of our welcome at St John’s Smith Square as well as, of course, for the quality we represent and we welcome your thoughts and observations. If you do have any comments regarding any aspect of your visit then do please get in touch.

I look forward to welcoming you to St John’s Smith Square.

Richard Heason Director

Richard Heason © Amy Ryan

Book online sjss.org.uk

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SEPTEMBER

Pelléas Ensemble © Alessandra Tear

BAMPTON CLASSICAL OPERA Divine Comedies

thursday lunchtime concerts

Barbara Cole Walton soprano Aoife O’Sullivan soprano Catherine Backhouse mezzo soprano Christopher Turner tenor Robert Anthony Gardiner tenor Robert Gildon baritone Paul Wingfield conductor Jeremy Gray director CHROMA

LA SERENISSIMA The Grand Tour Vivaldi The Four Seasons Adrian Chandler violin & director Vivaldi Le Quattro Stagioni (The Four Seasons, Manchester version: 4 Concertos for Violin, Strings and Continuo from Il Cimento dell’Armonica e Inventione Op. 8 No. 1 – 4)

There will be a pre-concert talk at 6.00pm

The Four Seasons remains one of the most popular pieces of classical music of all time. In this their 21st year, La Serenissima present these fabulous concertos, using a new edition made by violinist Adrian Chandler from parts which were in the hand of Vivaldi’s father, Giovanni Battista; this source is housed in the Henry Watson Library, Manchester, and represents the only surviving manuscript version of these pieces. The performance will incorporate Adrian’s latest research into the genre of The Four Seasons made popular by Theocritus and Virgil, whose pastoral and Arcadian writings had such a major influence on the neo-Platonists at the court of the Medici; this movement in turn influenced Vivaldi’s own sonnets written to accompany the concertos.

pelleasensemble.co.uk

bamptonopera.org

laserenissima.co.uk

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Bampton Classical Opera

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Thu 8 September 1.05pm £10, YF

Tue 13 September 7.00pm £30, £22, £15

Wed 14 September 1.05pm £15 (£12)

Become a supporter of St John’s and enjoy free admission to this series See page 114

Bampton Classical Opera returns on 15 November with Shakespearean works See page 30

The Grand Tour continues on 14 October with The Great Sonatas of Venice See page 16

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PELLÉAS ENSEMBLE Luba Tunnicliffe viola Henry Roberts flute Oliver Wass harp Dubois Terzettino Bennett Sonata after Syrinx Joe Steele from different countries (world premiere) Debussy Sonata for Flute, Viola and Harp The award-winning Pelléas Ensemble will be celebrating this unusual combination of instruments with a greatly contrasting programme of works from three different periods. As well as Debussy’s well-known Sonata, they will be bringing to life two newer works; Richard Rodney Bennett’s Sonata after Syrinx and the world premiere of Joe Steele’s from different countries.

Gluck Philemon and Baucis Arne The Judgment of Paris Bampton Classical Opera’s autumn visit to St John’s Smith Square is always an opportunity to encounter forgotten operatic treasures from the eighteenth century, staged with imagination and charm. ‘Divine Comedies’ pairs Arne’s witty account of a celestial beauty contest with the supremely lyrical Philemon and Baucis, continuing Bampton’s enterprising exploration of Gluck’s littleknown shorter operas. An outstanding cast of emerging artists is accompanied by one of London’s most dynamic ensembles.

sunday at st john’s

THE BROOK STREET BAND St John's Smith Square © Matthew Andrews

OPEN HOUSE & MUSIC MARATHON 24 hours of non-stop performance, open rehearsal, workshops and more from 10.00am on Saturday 17 September until 10.00am on Sunday 18 September.

St John’s Smith Square opens its doors for Open House London 2016, inviting visitors to experience the stunning Baroque architecture while listening to and participating in musical activities.

For further details about taking part in the Music Marathon, please visit sjss.org.uk to download the registration form.

Halle, Hanover and Hamburg – what influenced and inspired the young Handel?

Handel Trio Sonata in F HWV392 Telemann Trio Sonata in G TWV42:G11 Buxtehude Trio Sonata in C BuxWV266 Keiser Kuckruck Suite in G Pachelbel Partie V in C from Musicalische Ergötzung Handel Trio Sonata in D Op. 5 No. 2 Bach Trio Sonata in D minor BWV527 Handel was a complex character, his early compositions shaped by Lutheran tradition, the power of opera and his own unique voice. ‘Halle, Hanover and Hamburg’ explores music (touching on the popular dance idiom) that Handel would have known as a young student, alongside that composed by colleagues, and his own chamber compositions as Handel emerged from the violin desks, beginning his career as a composer. We explore how this musical tradition continued to develop in Germany, via Handel’s great friend Telemann, and JS Bach.

SHAKESPEARE IN MUSIC Southbank Sinfonia Simon Over conductor Special guest actors Vaughan Williams Richard II Berkeley The Winter’s Tale Jonathan Dove A Midsummer Night's Dream Wooldridge The Tempest Williamson The Merry Wives of Windsor Four hundred years since his death, Shakespeare continues to inspire and beguile musicians. Alongside a cast of special guest actors, Southbank Sinfonia delves into music written by noted British composers for classic productions by the Royal Shakespeare Company which, until now, have remained unperformed beyond the Stratford-upon-Avon stage.

There will be a pre-concert talk at 2.15pm

There will be a pre-concert talk at 6.30pm.

openhouselondon.org.uk

brookstreetband.co.uk

southbanksinfonia.co.uk

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Southbank Sinfonia

Sat 17 September from 10.00am Free admission

Sun 18 September 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Tue 20 September 7.30pm £30, £24, £18, £12

For further details about our participation programme See page 107

Save on our Sunday series Book multiple concerts and save 20% See page 105

Our Vaughan Williams and Friends festival takes place 7–9 October See page 14–15

Book online sjss.org.uk

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“ Bampton Classical Opera brought their open-air summer production of this piece (never previously performed in Britain) to St John’s Smith Square and gave an enthusiastic audience much pleasure.”

Daily Telegraph Tue 13 September 2016 7.00pm Gluck and Arne ‘Divine Comedies’ Tue 15 November 2016 7.30pm Benda and Linley ‘For who can wield like Shakespeare’s skilful hand?’

Bampton Classical Opera

BAMPTON CLASSICAL OPERA

SEPTEMBER Howard Shelley © Eric Richmond

MARTINO TIRIMO Great Piano Quintets Martino Tirimo piano Fitzwilliam Quartet Shostakovich String Quartet No. 4 in D Op. 83 • Piano Quintet in G minor Op. 57 Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor Op. 21

LONDON MOZART PLAYERS Mozart Explored London Mozart Players Howard Shelley piano & director Mozart Audience Choice The 2016/17 season will open with a performance of the audience’s choice from 3 Mozart piano concertos: No. 17 in G K453 No. 20 in D minor K466 No. 21 in C K467 To cast your vote, please visit lmp.org/choose-your-concerto

Prior to the composition of String Quartet No. 4 in 1949, Shostakovich was out of favour with Stalin’s regime and performances of his works were virtually banned.

In this most characterful quartet, which helped establish his ‘rehabilitation’, he employs Jewish musical idioms to great effect. The arrangement of Chopin’s youthful but inspired and poetic Concerto No. 2 for piano and string quartet is the composer’s own, which allowed more performances since orchestral opportunities were few. Shostakovich’s great Piano Quintet was composed swiftly in the summer of 1940 and was an instant success, with the composer at the piano winning the Stalin Prize.

thursday lunchtime concerts

JENNIFER BATE Organ Series Mendelssohn Sonata No. 4 in Bb Bach Fantasia and Fugue in C minor BWV537 Wesley Voluntary in D Jennifer Bate Variations on a Gregorian Theme Messiaen Méditation VI from Méditations sur le mystère de la Sainte Trinité Jennifer Bate is in the top rank of international organists and has long been a favourite at all the world’s great festivals.

She is recognised as one of the world’s authorities on the organ works of Olivier Messiaen, and today performs his Méditation VI, the only movement from the full work which Messiaen allowed to be performed separately.

lmp.org

martinotirimo.com fitzwilliamquartet.org

Co-promoted by London Mozart Players and St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by Martino Tirimo and St John’s Smith Square

Concert promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Wed 21 September 1.05pm £14

Wed 21 September 7.30pm £22, £17, £14, £10, YF

Thu 22 September 1.05pm £10, YF

Mozart Explored continues on 26 October See page 20

Martino Tirimo returns with the Carducci Quartet on 16 November See page 32

Become a supporter of St John's and enjoy free admission to this series See page 114

Book online sjss.org.uk

classical-artists.com/jbate

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YMSO © Matthew Andrews

YOUNG MUSICIANS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA “ The Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra played with assuredness, strength and a full understanding of the music, responding to every demand of their conductor, James Blair, with a delight in the act of making music. A marvelous and most satisfying show.”

Seen and Heard Wed 28 September 2016 7.30pm Wed 23 November 2016 7.30pm Wed 25 January 2017 7.30pm Wed 8 March 2017 7.00pm Wed 14 June 2017 7.30pm

SEPTEMBER Christina McMaster © Carlos Lumiere

Kimiko Ishizaka © Philippe Ramakers

sunday at st john's

BACH THE ART OF FUGUE Kimiko Ishizaka piano Bach Die Kunst der Fuge (The Art of Fugue) BWV1080 The pianist who undertakes performing Bach’s final masterpiece, The Art of Fugue, not only braves one of the most challenging and intense keyboard works of all time, but also confronts the ultimate tragedy of music history; that Bach died before finishing his most ambitious work. For centuries, pianists have pondered what Bach had in mind when he began the final triple fugue based on the musical spelling of his name: B-A-C-H. Pianist Kimiko Ishizaka will present a new interpretation of this work, complete with her own realisation of the final triple fugue.

CHRISTINA MCMASTER Young Artists’ Series Elemental Rhythm Christina McMaster piano Sarah Gabriel actor & singer with young pianists Debussy 12 Preludes Book 1 • Étude Pour les huit doigts • Étude Pour les Octaves Stravinsky Five easy pieces for piano duet Scarlatti Sonata in F K445 Ligeti Étude No. 4 and 7 Satie Gymopedie No. 3 • Sports et Divertissements Bartók No. 2 and No. 4 from Bulgarian Dances for Piano

YOUNG MUSICIANS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Ke Ma piano James Blair conductor Wagner Meistersinger Overture Dohnányi Variations on a Nursery Song Dvořák Symphony No. 7 in D minor Op. 70 Wagner’s Meistersinger Overture opens the concert.

Ke Ma, a Yeoman of The Musicians’ Company, plays Dohnányi’s Variations on a Nursery Song, which is rarely performed these days.

There will be a pre-concert talk at 6.30pm with Robert Hugill.

Christina McMaster opens with Debussy’s distinctive sounds of nature in the Preludes Book 1 and also explores works including the highly innovative and often witty Piano Études.

These are interspersed by the rhythmic and percussive brilliance of Ligeti, Scarlatti, Stravinsky and Bartók.

kimiko-piano.com

christinamcmaster.com

ymso.org.uk

Promoted by Open Goldberg

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra

Fri 23 September 7.30pm £20, £15

Sun 25 September 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Wed 28 September 7.30pm £20, £15, £10 (conc. 20%)

The Ferio Saxophone Quartet perform music by Bach on 8 December See page 42

Christina McMaster continues her Young Artist residency on 2 March See page 68

YMSO return on 23 November with Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 See page 36

Book online sjss.org.uk

The ever popular Dvořák Symphony No. 7 concludes the evening.

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David Peter Bates © Benjamin Ealovega

LA NUOVA MUSICA “ Charm and invention brought buoyantly to life” The Telegraph

“If anyone can be relied on to make Baroque music sound newly hatched, it's the aptly named La Nuova Musica” The Times Thu 29 September 2016 7.30pm Purcell Dido and Aeneas Mon 19 December 2016 7.30pm Bach, Mozart, and Haydn

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER Dame Ann Murray DBE © Sian Trenberth

TENEBRAE Music of the Spheres Tenebrae Nigel Short conductor

LA NUOVA MUSICA thursday lunchtime concerts

LEON BOSCH & SUNG-SUK KANG Leon Bosch double bass Sung-Suk Kang piano Mozart arr. Carl Hinde. Violin Sonata No. 21 in E minor K304 Paul Hanmer Scratch-Pad-andSix (world premiere) Schubert Arpeggione Sonata Two transcriptions and a world premiere: Beethoven’s Piano and Horn Sonata and Schubert’s Arpeggione Sonata, heard nowadays on various instruments but written for a kind of bowed guitar that quickly became obsolete.

Scratch-Pad-and-Six, by South African jazz pianist Paul Hanmer, was composed for Leon Bosch after a recent chance reunion.

Dame Ann Murray DBE dido George Humphreys aeneas Sophie Junker belinda Rupert Enticknap sorceress Nicholas Scott sailor Augusta Hebbert second lady Martha McLorinan second witch Anna Finkel dancer Fionn Cox-Davies dancer Zack Winokur choreographer David Peter Bates director Purcell Dido and Aeneas “wonderfully democratic music making on the highest level” ­— The Guardian Ann Murray, one of the great singers of her generation, brings magisterial artistry to the role of Dido and is adeptly accompanied by La Nuova Musica with its rigourous yet sparkling approach to the Baroque, and further illuminated by Zack Winokur’s evocative choreography. lanuovamusica.co.uk

Holst The Evening-Watch Parry Songs of Farewell Elgar Oh! Wild West Wind Op. 53 No. 3 Murrill Two Shakespeare Songs Harvey Song of June Vaughan Williams Three Shakespeare Songs Bob Chilcott Marriage to my Lady Poverty • The Modern Man I Sing Judith Bingham The Drowned Lovers Stanford The Bluebird “Of this programme’s type, I can’t envisage hearing anything better.” BBC Music Magazine Tenebrae bring you a century of the glories of the partsong, encompassing exquisite miniatures about the natural world and human experience, to masterly marriages of choral invention with the finest authors. Shakespeare, Shelley, Byron, Tennyson and Milton are enveloped in the inspiration of some renowned composers alongside some more recent settings of English texts.

Tenebrae and Nigel Short will lead a workshop between 10.30am – 1.30pm. For further details, please see page 106. tenebrae-choir.com Promoted by Tenebrae

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by La Nuova Musica and St John’s Smith Square

Sat 1 October 7.30pm Concert: £28, £22, £16, £10 (conc. 10%)

Thu 29 September 1.05pm £10, YF

Thu 29 September 7.30pm £45, £35, £25, £15

Workshop & Concert: £40, £34, £28, £22 (conc. 10%)

Leon Bosch returns with I Musicanti on 8 January See page 48

La Nuova Musica return on 19 December as part of our 31st Christmas Festival See page 46

Tenebrae return on 18 December as part of our 31st Christmas Festival See page 46

Book online sjss.org.uk

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OCTOBER BENJAMIN GROSVENOR Russell Keable © Sim Canetty-Clarke

Southbank Centre’s International Piano Series Piano Mozart Sonata in Bb K333 Chopin Sonata No. 2 in Bb minor Op. 35 ‘Marche funèbre’ Scriabin Sonata No. 2 in G# minor Op. 19 ‘Sonata-fantasy’ Granados Goyescas No. 1 ‘Los Requiebros’ • Goyescas No. 3 ‘El Fandango de candil’ Liszt Rhapsodie espagnole S254

sunday at st john’s

THE REVOLUTIONARY DRAWING ROOM Haydn and Beethoven String Quartets for Prince Lobkowitz Adrian Butterfield violin Kathryn Parry violin Rachel Stott viola Ruth Alford cello Beethoven String Quartet in D Op. 18 No. 3 • String Quartet in F Op. 18 No. 1 Haydn String Quartet in G Op. 77 No. 1

KENSINGTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Season Opening Concert Richard Watkins horn Russell Keable conductor John Adams Slonimsky’s Earbox Colin Matthews Horn Concerto Bartók Concerto for Orchestra

The Independent has hailed young British pianist Benjamin Grosvenor as “one in a million – several million”.

He continues to build a magnificent international career; when he performed at the Last Night of the Proms in 2015, The Telegraph marvelled at his “unimaginable brilliance”.

revolutionarydrawingroom.com

kso.org.uk

Benjamin opens this concert with the filigree delicacy of Mozart in Sonata in Bb K333, then presents Chopin’s Sonata No. 2, a visionary work celebrated for its famous Funeral March. The second half embarks on colourful travels: first to Russia with Scriabin’s heady and atmospheric Sonata No. 2, into the vivid Spanish soundworld of Granados and, to close, the Rhapsodie espagnole by Liszt, which reaches supreme heights of pianistic display.

Co-promoted by The Revolutionary Drawing Room and St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Kensington Symphony Orchestra

Co-promoted by Southbank Centre and HarrisonParrott

Sun 2 October 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Mon 3 October 7.30pm £17.50 (£12.50), £12.50

Tue 4 October 7.30pm £38, £28, £15, £10

The Revolutionary Drawing Room return on 6 November See page 26

KSO return with French masterpieces on 21 November See page 35

IPS & ICMS Series Offers: Book 3–4 Concerts and save 10% Book 5 or more concerts and save 20%

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The Revolutionary Drawing Room embark on a complete cycle of Beethoven’s String Quartets with two of the Op. 18 set dedicated to Prince Lobkowitz. No. 3 in D major is one of his gentlest early works whilst the F major work is a powerful statement of intent.

Haydn’s last set, also dedicated to Lobkowitz, is represented by the joyous G major quartet Op. 77 No. 1.

A concert celebrating the seventieth birthdays of two distinguished modern composers: the American minimalist John Adams and the superb craftsman Colin Matthews. Bartók’s Concerto for Orchestra was one of his last works and is a stunning showpiece, the summation of a lifetime’s experience of orchestration.

THE REVOLUTIONARY DRAWING ROOM The Revolutionary Drawing Room © Susan Porter-Thomas

“ ...a formidable quartet, whose virtuosity is matched by their exemplary balance, fine characterisation of light shade, and their insightful attention to every detail” Early Music Review Sun 2 October 2016 3.00pm Sun 6 November 2016 3.00pm Sun 26 February 2017 3.00pm

OCTOBER

Orchestra Vitae © Michałé Obuchowski & Monika Weyer

thursday lunchtime concerts

BENJAMIN LEWIS, ISABELLA GAGE & EDA SEPPAR Benjamin Lewis baritone Isabella Gage soprano Eda Seppar piano

ORCHESTRA VITAE Michael Cobb conductor Dani Howard Arches (world premiere) Bernstein Symphonic Dances from West Side Story Prokofiev Suite No. 2 Op. 64ter from Romeo and Juliet Commemorating the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, Orchestra Vitae present a concert inspired by the Bard.

Opening with a commission

by Dani Howard; Arches draws on the themes from Romeo and Juliet.

Rubinstein Cloud Op. 48 No. 8 • Carefree Bird Op. 48 No. 9 Medtner Winter Evening Op. 13 No. 1 • I have endured my desire Op. 3 No. 2 Rachmaninoff Do not sing, my beauty Op. 4 No. 4 Mussorgsky Night • Talkative Magpies Tchaikovsky The Nightingale • Zemfira’s Song Rimsky-Korsakov The Upas Tree Op. 49 No. 1 • The Prophet Op. 42 No. 2 • The flying chain of clouds is thinning Op. 42 No. 3 Taneyev 2 Duets No. 1 ‘Pine’ and No. 2 ‘Mountain Peaks’

NICHOLAS WALKER Piano Mozart Sonata in Eb K282 Liszt Sonata in B minor Beethoven Sonata in F Op. 54 Balakirev Mazurka No. 5 in C# (1884 version, completed by Nicholas Walker) • Piece in F# minor (completed by Nicholas Walker) • Nocturne in G# minor • Waltz No. 5 in D# • Fantasiestücke • Humoreske

orchestravitae.co.uk

Although considered a German phenomenon, 19th-century Romanticism swept across Europe and no other nation embraced it quite as eagerly as Russia. Benjamin Lewis, Isabella Gage, and Eda Seppar bring you an afternoon in Russia’s vast countryside with such works as Rubinstein’s Cloud and Carefree Bird from his 12 Lieders Op. 48, and Rimsky-Korsakov’s The Upas Tree from his 2 Romances Op. 49.

Co-promoted by Orchestra Vitae and St John's Smith Square

Promoted by St John's Smith Square

Promoted by Nicholas Walker

Wed 5 October 7.30pm £26, £18, £14, £10

Thu 6 October 1.05pm £10, YF

Thu 6 October 7.30pm £20, £15, £10

Orchestra Vitae and Michael Cobb return on 3 March See page 69

Become a supporter of St John's and enjoy free admission to this series See page 114

Our next solo piano recital features Geoffrey Saba on 17 October See page 17

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Staying with the star-crossed lovers the orchestra will perform Bernstein’s rousing Symphonic Dances and Prokofiev’s Suite No. 2 Op. 64ter from Romeo and Juliet.

There will be a pre-concert talk at 6.30pm.

The launch of Nicholas Walker’s third CD of the complete Balakirev piano music offers a rare chance to hear this Russian romantic composer played live in a programme which also includes three great piano sonatas.

Nicholas is a noted interpreter not only of Balakirev but also of Beethoven and Liszt. nicholaswalkerpiano.com

Orchestra Vitae © Michałé Obuchowski & Monika Weyer

ORCHESTRA VITAE Featuring twice in our 2016/17 season, Orchestra Vitae commemorate the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s death with adaptations of Romeo and Juliet by Bernstein and Prokofiev alongside a world premiere from Dani Howard.

Their second date celebrates the sea in many musical forms, with music by Britten, Maxwell Davies, Diana Burrell and Debussy.

Wed 5 October 2016 7.30pm Fri 3 March 2017 7.30pm

OCTOBER

A WEEKEND OF MUSIC & TALKS

CONCERT 1: HOLST SINGERS

James Gilchrist tenor Anna Tilbrook piano Tom Norris violin Ellie Fagg violin Philip Dukes viola Louisa Tuck cello Graham Mitchell double bass

Vaughan Williams and Friends

A glorious three-day celebration of British Music. Following the huge success of weekends at St John’s Smith Square devoted to Schubert and Schumann, Anna Tilbrook curates a fascinating exploration of music by Ralph Vaughan Williams and his contemporaries.

Featuring James Gilchrist, the Holst Singers, Philip Dukes and members of Ensemble Elata, the six concerts feature Vaughan Williams’ masterpieces including On Wenlock Edge, Songs of Travel, Four Hymns, Piano Quintet and Mass in G minor alongside such impassioned works as Parry’s I was Glad, Howells’ Requiem, Elgar’s Piano Quintet, Butterworth’s A Shropshire Lad and Gurney's rarely heard but deeply moving Ludlow and Teme.

Ralph Vaughan Williams © Bettmann / Corbis

VAUGHAN WILLIAMS AND FRIENDS FESTIVAL

Benjamin Nicholas conductor Parry I was Glad Stanford Beati quorum via W Lloyd Webber Gloria from Missa Santae Mariae Magdalenae Howells Requiem Holst Nunc Dimittis Vaughan Williams Lord, thou hast been our refuge • Mass in G minor holstsingers.com Fri 7 October 7.30pm £16 (£12)

CONCERT 2: SONGS OF TRAVEL Vaughan Williams and Friends

CONCERT 3: THE FOLK CONNECTION Vaughan Williams and Friends

Vaughan Williams Songs of Travel Elgar Salut d’amour Bridge Oh that it were so Rebecca Clarke Passacaglia Quilter Go lovely Rose Bantock Hebrew Melody Gurney Ludlow and Teme

Quilter I will go with my Father a-ploughing Grainger Molly on the Shore Vaughan Williams Along the Field • Six studies in English Folksong • Winter’s Willow • Linden Lea Rebecca Clarke I’ll bid my heart be still Grainger Handel in the Strand

Festival Pass £40 (£30)

Sat 8 October 1.00pm £16 (£12)

Sat 8 October 4.00pm £16 (£12)

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annatilbrook.co.uk jamesgilchrist.co.uk philipdukes.com Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Philip Dukes

Anna Tilbrook and James Gilchrist © Opera Omnia Ensemble Elata © Nobby Clarke

sunday at st john’s

CONCERT 6: THE SHADOW OF WAR – PART II

CONCERT 4: THE SPIRITUAL REALM

Vaughan Williams and Friends

Vaughan Williams and Friends Vaughan Williams Rhosymedre • Four Hymns • Orpheus with his Lute • Sky above the roof • Silent Noon • Piano Quintet Finzi Till Earth Outwears Elgar Chanson de matin • Chanson de nuit

PRE-CONCERT TALK:

CONCERT 5: THE SHADOW OF WAR – PART I Vaughan Williams and Friends

Ireland The Soldier • Blow out, you Bugles • Spring Sorrow Elgar Sospiri Gurney Severn Meadows • Lights Out • Sleep • In Flanders • By a Bierside Howells Elegy Vaughan Williams On Wenlock Edge

PRE-CONCERT TALK:

There will be a pre-concert talk with Richard Morrison, Chief Music Critic of The Times, on ‘Vaughan Williams: A Surprising Englishman’ at 6.30pm.

Bliss Elegiac Sonnet Ireland The Darkened Valley Butterworth Six Songs from A Shropshire Lad Elgar Piano Quintet

There will be a pre-concert talk with James Gilchrist and Richard Morrison, Chief Music Critic of The Times, on ‘First World War Poets and Composers’ at 2.15pm.

Sat 8 October 7.30pm £16 (£12)

Sun 9 October 11.30am £16 (£12)

Sun 9 October 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Book online sjss.org.uk

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OCTOBER

Simon Callaghan & Friends © Oliver Markham

LA SERENISSIMA LONDON SINFONIETTA Southbank Centre at St John’s Smith Square thursday lunchtime concerts

SIMON CALLAGHAN & FRIENDS David Campbell clarinet Jamie Campbell violin James Barralet cello Simon Callaghan piano

Anna Radziejewska mezzo soprano Marco Angius conductor Daniela Terranova Notturno in forma di rosa (UK premiere) Francesco Filidei Ballata No. 2 (UK premiere) Salvatore Sciarrino Immaginare il Deserto (UK premiere) • ….da un Divertimento Berio Folksong Suite

The Grand Tour Great Sonatas of Venice Adrian Chandler violin & director Vivaldi Sonata for 2 violins and continuo in G minor Rv.74 • Sonata for 2 violins and continuo in C Rv.60 Albinoni Sonata No. 1 for 2 violins and continuo in D minor Op. 1 • Sonata No. 9 for 2 violins and continuo in D Op. 1 Caldara Chiacona for 2 violins and continuo in Bb Op. 2/12 • Sonata for violin and continuo in F minor It was not by accident that many composers of the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries chose the trio sonata as the vehicle for their initial exposure to a wider public. Albinoni, Bonporti, Caldara, Corelli, Gentili, Torelli, Valentini and Vivaldi all wrote for this medium.

The Book of Revelation inspired the work; “In homage to the Angel of the Apocalypse, who lifts his hand toward heaven, saying, ‘There shall be time no longer.’”

Each time Salvatore Sciarrino begins a new composition, he finds himself “staring into a black hole”, uncertain which way to turn. This teetering sensation is what makes his music so compelling live, as we hover on the edge of the abyss with him. Now the elder statesman of Italian music, Sciarrino has just been awarded the Venice Biennale’s Golden Lion. He has paved the way for a new generation of composers, whose music is paired here with that of Luciano Berio – the grandfather of the Italian avant-garde.

simoncallaghan.com

londonsinfonietta.org.uk

laserenissima.co.uk

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by London Sinfonietta

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Thu 13 October 1.05pm £10, YF

Thu 13 October 7.30pm £15 unreserved

Fri 14 October 7.30pm £32, £25, £18, £12

Become a supporter of St John’s and enjoy free admission to this series See page 114

London Sinfonietta return on 22 October See page 20

The Grand Tour continues on 9 November with Bologna and Verona See page 29

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Messiaen Quartet for the End of Time Having been captured and taken to a German concentration camp in 1940, Messiaen premiered Quartet for the End of Time along with three fellow prisoners, reportedly to an audience of over 400!

This programme features a collection of fine sonatas for two violins and continuo by an upcoming group of Venetian composers. Also included is a virtuoso sonata for solo violin and continuo by Antonio Caldara.

Ensemble L'imaginaire © Jean-Etienne Moldo

COME & SING BRAHMS REQUIEM Three Choirs Festival Come and Sing Choir Members of the Philharmonia Orchestra Mary Pope soprano Alex Ashworth baritone Adrian Partington conductor Brahms A German Requiem Conductor and choral trainer Adrian Partington leads a Come & Sing of Brahms’ monumental masterpiece.

Philharmonia Orchestra members play alongside young professionals in the evening’s performance.

sunday at st john’s

ENSEMBLE L’IMAGINAIRE Richard Barrett The light gleams an instant • Interference • Fold • Dying words I • Lost • What remains

GEOFFREY SABA

Come & Sing participant passes are available from the Three Choirs Festival website for £20 (Early Bird tickets cost £18 if you book before 26 September). £5 tickets are also available to students who wish to participate.

Ensemble L’imaginaire, a young ensemble based in France, is committed to delivering strong musical experiences through their collaborations with composers. This concert, which features the powerfully captivating music of composer Richard Barrett, is supported

by Diaphonique, the Institut français du Royaume-Uni’s new music fund.

3choirs.org

limaginaire.org

geoffreysaba.com

Promoted by Pascall Promotions

Co-promoted by Ensemble L’imaginaire and St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Carnegie Concerts

Sat 15 October 7.00pm £15, £12, £10

Sun 16 October 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Mon 17 October 7.30pm £25, £20, £15

Come and Sing Fauré’s Requiem with the Smith Square Voices on 5 November See page 26

Save on our Sunday series Book multiple concerts and save 20% See page 105

More Beethoven with The Revolutionary Drawing Room on 6 November See page 26

Book online sjss.org.uk

Piano Beethoven Sonata in E Op. 109 • Sonata in Ab Op. 110 • Six Bagatelles Op. 126 • Sonata in C minor Op. 111 Geoffrey Saba returns to play Beethoven’s sublime late piano sonatas and Bagatelles, a feast of classical pianism.

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LA SERENISSIMA “ La Serenissima rejoice in its dazzling inventiveness with a heartfelt eloquence and dynamism that captures fully the music’s wide-ranging emotional narrative.”

The Strad Magazine The Grand Tour Wed 14 September 2016 1.05pm Vivaldi The Four Seasons

Wed 18 January 2017 7.30pm ‘Naples’

Fri 14 October 2016 7.30pm ‘Great Sonatas of Venice’

Wed 15 February 2017 7.30pm ‘The Italian Job’

Wed 9 November 2016 7.30pm ‘Bologna and Verona’ Sun 4 December 2016 7.30pm ‘A Roman Christmas’

Series offer: Book 3 or more concerts at once and save 20%

La Serenissima © Eric Richmond

OCTOBER LE CONCERT DES NATIONS Southbank Centre’s International Chamber Music Series

Federico Colli © Sarah Ferrara

Roger Sayer © Chris Christodoulou

Music from Tous les matins du monde Jordi Savall director & bass viol Manfredo Kraemer violin Philippe Pierlot bass viol Rolf Lislevand theorbo Michael Behringer harpsichord de Caurroy Une jeune fillette de Sainte-Colombe (father) Les pleurs • Gavotte du tendre Lully Marche pour la cérémonie des Turcs • Selections from Le bourgeois gentilhomme de Sainte-Colombe (son) Prelude in E minor Marais Tombeau de Monsieur de Sainte-Colombe • Sonnerie de Sainte Geneviève du Mont-deParis • Couplets de Folies Couperin Chaconne in C • Plaintes pour les violes de Visée Les Sylvains de François Couperin Leclair Trio Sonata in D Op. 2 No. 8 Atmospheric early music from a movie starring Gérard Depardieu. Savall has been described by the New York Times as “close to... an early music superstar”. This concert is part of Southbank Centre’s Film Scores Live series.

There will be a pre-concert talk at 6.15pm.

FEDERICO COLLI Southbank Centre’s International Piano Series thursday lunchtime concerts

ROGER SAYER Organ Series Rheinberger Sonata No. 4 Langlais Triptyque Brahms Choral prelude ‘Herzlich tut mich verlangen’ Op. 122 No. 10 • Choral prelude ‘O Welt ich muss dich lassen’ Op. 122 No. 3 Alain Litanies Duruflé Prélude et Fugue sur le nom d'Alain Op. 7 Roger Sayer is Organist and Director of Music at The Temple Church and Deputy Chorus Director to the London Symphony Chorus. Roger is the organ soloist on the soundtrack of the blockbuster film Interstellar which was released in November 2014.

Piano Mozart Variations in F on Paisiello’s ‘Salve tu, Domine’ K398 Beethoven Sonata in F Op. 54 Schumann Faschingsschwank aus Wien (Fantasiebilder) Op. 26 Mussorgsky Pictures At An Exhibition Federico Colli’s debut recital in Southbank Centre’s International Piano Series drew numerous five-star reviews and since winning the 2012 Leeds International Piano Competition, the young Italian pianist has been thrilling audiences worldwide. Colli’s programme opens with the graceful charm of Mozart’s Variations on a theme by Paisiello.

There will be a pre-concert talk at 6.15pm.

rogersayer.org

federicocolli.eu

Co-promoted by Southbank Centre and Intermusica

Promoted by St John's Smith Square

Co-promoted by Southbank Centre and HarrisonParrott

Wed 19 October 7.30pm £38, £28, £15, £10

Thu 20 October 1.05pm £10, YF

Thu 20 October 7.30pm £38, £28, £15, £10

IPS & ICMS Series Offers Book 3–4 concerts and save 10% Book 5 or more concerts and save 20%

Our Organ Series continues with Peter Stevens on 17 November See page 32

IPS & ICMS Series Offers Book 3–4 concerts and save 10% Book 5 or more concerts and save 20%

Book online sjss.org.uk

19

OCTOBER Christian Mason © Manu Theobald

sunday at st john’s

LONDON SINFONIETTA Southbank Centre at St John’s Smith Square CONNECT – The Audience as Artist Christian Mason In the Midst of the Sonorous Islands (UK premiere) Huang Ruo The Sonic Great Wall (UK premiere) CONNECT is a pan-European initiative creating a dynamic new relationship between ensemble, composer and audience. Two ground-breaking public participation pieces are premiered across Europe in autumn 2016, allowing audiences with curious ears the opportunity to become part of the sound world on stage.

This evening’s performance is preceded by a daylong conference at Southbank Centre exploring how new music can be made accessible to wider audiences.

Howard Shelley © Matthew Andrews

MINERVA PIANO TRIO Young Artists’ Series The Genesis of Minerva: Schumann and the Young Brahms Michał Ćwiżewicz violin Richard Birchall cello Annie Yim piano Schumann Piano Trio in D minor Op. 63 Richard Birchall Contours Brahms Piano Trio in B Op. 8a (original version) After Robert Schumann declared the young Brahms as a composer “fully formed like Minerva”, Brahms responded with the original version of his Piano Trio in B Op. 8 in 1854, aged 20. The Trio’s revival of this rarely performed work reflects long-term research through a new interpretation.

Cellist and composer Richard Birchall’s Contours was the Minerva Piano Trio’s first commissioned work.

LONDON MOZART PLAYERS Mozart Explored Howard Shelley piano & director Mozart Piano Concerto No. 13 in C K415 Continuing the popular Mozart Explored series, Howard Shelley presents a live analysis of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 13.

Composed when Mozart was 26, the concerto is full of life and ideas, allowing the soloist greater scope to display the instrument than in earlier works. Join the orchestra in discovering the work in this informal but informative concert.

londonsinfonietta.org.uk

minervapianotrio.com

lmp.org

Promoted by London Sinfonietta

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by London Mozart Players and St John’s Smith Square

Sat 22 October 7.30pm £10 unreserved

Sun 23 October 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Wed 26 October 1.05pm £14

London Sinfonietta return with Beat Furrer on 11 November See page 29

The Minvera Piano Trio return on 9 March See page 71

Mozart Explored continues on 16 November See page 30

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Minerva Piano Trio © Anthony Dawton

LONDON PHOENIX ORCHESTRA Hiroaki Takenouchi piano Lev Parikian conductor Arturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 Catoire Piano Concerto Op. 21 (UK premiere) Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 2 in C minor Op. 17 London Phoenix Orchestra plays the UK premiere of Georgy Catoire’s Piano Concerto, as well as Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 2, whilst Arturo Márquez’s Danzón No. 2 offers contrasting folk-inspired accompaniment. londonphoenixorchestra.com Promoted by London Phoenix Orchestra

Wed 26 October 7.30pm £15, £12 (£9) London Phoenix Orchestra and Lev Parikian return on 23 March See page 75

MINERVA PIANO TRIO 2016/17 YOUNG ARTISTS “ the most beautiful sounds” The Times

Following their debut at Southbank Centre’s Purcell Room in 2014 as Park Lane Group Young Artists, the Minerva Piano Trio have established themselves as one of the UK’s most exciting young trios.

The Minerva Piano Trio will present an innovative series of concerts this season by joining forces with a new generation of composers, and collaborating with different art forms, including dance.

Sun 23 October 2016 3.00pm ‘The Genesis of Minerva’ Thu 9 March 2017 7.30pm ‘Dance and Poetic Fantasy’ Thu 1 June 2017 1.05pm ‘Haunting Visions’

The OSJ continue their My Music series, where special guests make a selection of their favourite pieces which are then performed live by John Lubbock and his orchestra.

You can also join them in welcoming in the New Year with their Strauss Gala on 31 December and their annual performance of Handel’s Messiah on 8 December.

Thu 27 October 2016 7.30pm Timothy West

Thu 9 February 2017 7.30pm Prue Leith

Thu 24 November 2016 7.30pm Nicholas Parsons

Thu 16 March 2017 7.30pm Libby Purves

Thu 8 December 2016 7.30pm Handel’s Messiah

Thu 20 April 2017 7.30pm John Julius Norwich

Sat 31 December 2016 2.00pm Strauss Gala Concert

Thu 25 May 2017 7.30pm Sir Roy Strong

Orchestra of St John’s

ORCHESTRA OF ST JOHN’S

OCTOBER

Timothy West

ORCHESTRA OF ST JOHN’S

Johannes Brahms

My Music Ducasse Trio © Anne Bloom

Timothy West guest Paul Blezard interviewer John Lubbock conductor Programme includes excerpts from larger works:

thursday lunchtime concerts

DUCASSE TRIO William Duncombe clarinet Charlotte Maclet violin Fiachra Garvey piano Khachaturian Trio for clarinet, violin and piano Poulenc L’invitation au chateau Bartók Contrasts The Ducasse Trio present a varied selection of their repertoire. The sensual and expressive Khachaturian trio is followed by the comedic L’invitation au chateau, a chamber suite composed

by Poulenc for the satirical play by Jean Anouilh and the concert finishes with one of the ensembles’ major works, Bartók’s Contrasts.

Elgar Sospiri Shostakovich Jazz Suite No. 5 and No. 5 ‘Polka’ Haydn Finale: Allegro di molto from Symphony No. 94 in G Mendelssohn Nocturne from A Midsummer Night’s Dream Mozart ‘Ruhe sanft mein holdes Leben’ from Zaide • Rondo from Bassoon Concerto K191 Walton When Sir Beelzebub from Façade Beethoven Andante con moto from Bagatelle Op. 126 In this concert series, special guests discuss the music that has meant the most to them before the OSJ perform the chosen works.

Timothy West is interviewed

by Paul Blezard. Timothy is a versatile British actor noted for his great power and command on the classical stage as well as several other media, notably radio, film and television.

BRAHMS REQUIEM The Tony Lynes Memorial Orchestra Stroud Choral Society Kirsty Hopkins soprano Stuart Young bass Huw Williams conductor Brahms A German Requiem One of the oldest community choirs in Britain, the Stroud Choral Society, under the baton of Huw Williams, Director of Music, Her Majesty’s Chapel Royal St James’s Palace, will perform the rousing Brahms A German Requiem, with full orchestra.

osj.org.uk

This concert is in memory of Tony Lynes (1928–2014), scholar and social campaigner.

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Orchestra of St John’s

Promoted by Stroud Choral Society

Thu 27 October 1.05pm £10, YF

Thu 27 October 7.30pm £26, £20, £15, £10

Sat 29 October 6.00pm £25, £20, £10

Become a supporter of St John’s and enjoy free admission to this series See page 114

The OSJ’s My Music series returns with Nicholas Parsons on 24 November See page 38

Come & Sing Fauré’s Requiem on 5 November See page 26

Book online sjss.org.uk

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OCTOBER

NOVEMBER Danny Driver

ORCHESTRA OF THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT Southbank Centre at St John’s Smith Square Bach: A Family Affair

DANNY DRIVER

Ottavio Dantone harpsichord & director

Southbank Centre’s International Piano Series

CPE Bach Symphony in C Wq182/3 • Symphony in B minor Wq182/5 JS Bach Harpsichord Concerto No. 1 in D minor BWV1052 JCF Bach Symphony in D minor WF Bach Harpsichord Concerto in F minor Discover the incredibly talented Bach family at this event.

Though a tight-knit group, the Bach family managed to compose wildly different styles of music to lasting international acclaim, from the bounce and thrust of Johann Sebastian to the slow, song-like structures of Wilhelm Friedemann. This concert presents a range of their works.

It considers how, as a father, you balance a burgeoning music career with educating a huge family, and how, as a son, you acknowledge your roots while embracing the new sounds of a changing world.

Piano

thursday lunchtime concerts

NATHALIE CHALKLEY & CHRIS HOPKINS Nathalie Chalkley soprano Chris Hopkins piano Poulenc La Courte Paille de Séverac Les hiboux Sauguet Le chat Schumann Liederkreis Op. 39

Bach French Suite No. 5 in G BWV816 Schumann Études symphonique Op. 13 vers. without Op.posth. variations Balakirev Nocturne No. 2 in B minor Rachmaninoff Selection from Études-tableaux Op. 39 Prokofiev Sonata No. 7 in Bb Op. 83 Danny Driver has been praised by Gramophone for his “irreproachably eager and stylish pianism”.

His international reputation has been growing apace, not least through his much-praised recordings on the Hyperion label. This concert is his debut in Southbank Centre’s International Piano Series.

There will be a pre-concert talk at 5.45pm.

Soprano Nathalie Chalkley and pianist Chris Hopkins present a concert of French animal songs by Poulenc, de Séverac and Sauguet.

Coupled with these works are Schumann’s Liederkreis Op. 39, a lusciously romantic setting of Eichendorff’s song cycle.

Promoted by Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by Southbank Centre and HarrisonParrott

Sun 30 October 7.00pm £60, £40, £25, £10

Thu 3 November 1.05pm £10, YF

Thu 3 November 7.30pm £38, £28, £15 £10

The OAE perform music by Méhul with Jonathan Cohen on 10 February See page 60

Become a supporter of St John’s and enjoy free admission to this series See page 114

IPS & ICMS Series Offers Book 3–4 concerts and save 10% Book 5 or more concerts and save 20%

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There will be a pre-concert talk at 6.15pm. dannydriver.com

ENSEMBLE MIRAGE 2016/17 YOUNG ARTISTS Winners of the Royal Academy of Music Harold Craxton Prize and also the 2015/16 Chamber Music Fellowship, Ensemble Mirage join us as part of this season’s Young Artists’ Series and have put together an exciting and innovative programme embracing the different dynamics that come with a flexi-ensemble.

Thu 24 November 2016 1.05pm ‘Three-in-One’ Thu 19 January 2017 7.30pm ‘War and Eternity’ Sun 11 June 2017 3.00pm ‘Variations’

Ensemble Mirage © Timothy Ellis

NOVEMBER

sunday at st john's

Smith Square Voices © Amy Ryan

INTRODUCING MR BACH

Haydn and Beethoven String Quartets for Prince Lobkowitz

Bachfest

Adrian Butterfield violin Kathryn Parry violin Rachel Stott viola Ruth Alford cello

Steinitz Bach Players Rodolfo Richter director & violin Bach Konzertsatz in D BWV1045 • Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G BWV1048 • Concerto for 3 violins in D BWV1064R • Cantata ‘Schleicht, spielende Wellen, und murmelt gelinde’ BWV206

THE REVOLUTIONARY DRAWING ROOM

COME & SING FAURÉ REQUIEM

Beethoven String Quartet in A Op. 18 No. 5 • String Quartet in G Op. 18 No. 2 Haydn String Quartet in F Op. 77 No. 2

Further information, including details on how to register as a participant, can be found on page 107.

The Revolutionary Drawing Room continues its complete cycle of Beethoven’s String Quartets with two more from the Op. 18 set dedicated to Prince Lobkowitz. No. 5 in A major is remarkable for its elegance and refinement whilst the G major is perhaps closest to Haydn in its wit and humour.

Haydn’s final completed quartet in F major features arguably his most beautiful slow movement.

bachlive.co.uk

sjss.org.uk

revolutionarydrawingroom.com

Promoted by London Bach Society

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by The Revolutionary Drawing Room and St John’s Smith Square

Fri 4 November 7.30pm £35, £28, £20, £15

Sat 5 November 7.30pm £12 (£8). Participants £10 (£5)

Sun 6 November 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

London Bach Society’s Bachfest continues on 8 November See page 29

Come & Sing returns on 13 April with Handel’s Messiah See page 81

The Revolutionary Drawing Room continues their series on 26 February See page 66

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Bach’s rich powers of creativity and imagination flowed from his pen as fulsomely as the waters of the four rivers that feature in the congratulatory cantata 206 for King August III, complete with trumpets and drums. This and the electrifying Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 lights up a Bachfest to celebrate the London Bach Society’s 70th anniversary.

Smith Square Voices Chartwell Sinfonia Richard Heason conductor Fauré Requiem (1893 version) Choral singers are invited to join us for a performance of Fauré’s masterpiece.

Oliver Wass © Antonia Peña

OLIVER WASS 2016/17 YOUNG ARTIST As the first harpist to be selected for our Young Artists’ Scheme, Oliver has created an exciting and original programme exploring the wonderful music written for the harp. Having graduated from the University of York with a First Class Honours degree, achieving the highest mark ever awarded for his final recital, Oliver recently was awarded the 2016 Gold Medal from the Guildhall School of Music & Drama, the School’s most prestigious prize.

Thu 8 September 2016 1.05pm with the Pelléas Ensemble Wed 23 November 2016 7.30pm with Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra Thu 12 January 2017 1.05pm ‘Poetry and Music’ Sun 21 May 2017 3.00pm ‘French Friends and Rivals’ Thu 15 June 2017 7.30pm ‘Dance’

PALISANDER 2016/17 YOUNG ARTISTS “ Palisander's imaginative performance really helped them to stand out from the crowd; they carefully thought through their... seamless entertaining programme, which they delivered with great panache and which resulted in tremendous enthusiasm and cheers from the crowd.”

Clare Norburn Brighton Early Music Festival Thu 16 February 2017 7.30pm ‘Antidotum Arachne’ Sun 2 April 2017 3.00pm ‘Journey to the New World’ Thu 15 June 2017 1.05pm ‘Recorder Revolution!’

Palisander © Esteban Lalinde

NOVEMBER London Sinfonietta © Hildegard Titus

THE SOCIETY OF STRANGE AND ANCIENT INSTRUMENTS Bachfest Clare Salaman director & hurdy-gurdy Bojan Cicic viola d’amore Alison McGillivray viola da gamba Terence Charlston harpsichord Rameau Suite from Pieces de Clavecins Bach Works for harpsichord • Sonatas for Viola da Gamba and Harpsichord • Siciliana from Sonata No. 1 BWV1001 Ariosti Lezione VI Vivaldi/Chédeville Adagio from Spring Chédeville Suite in C Dandrieu Le Gemissante • Les Tourbillons Waefelghem Soir d’Automne Couperin Movements from Concerts Royaux • Les goûtsréunis An early pioneer of period instruments, the London Bach Society is delighted to welcome SSAI in an engaging programme that features some less familiar instruments from their exotic collection. Viola d’amore, viola da gamba and other less familiar instruments feature in many of Bach’s works and will be included in this concert with delicious musical miniatures to entertain you. strangeandancientinstruments. com

LA SERENISSIMA The Grand Tour Bologna & Verona Adrian Chandler violin & director Bononcini Sinfonia Decima for 2 trumpets in D Op. 3 • Sonata Terza in D Op. 3 • Sinfonia Sesta in A minor Torelli Concerto for 4 violins in A minor • Sinfonia in D G23 • Concerto for 2 trumpets in D G1 Dall’Abaco Concerto da Chiesa XI for cello in G • Concerto da Chiesa IV à 4 in A Op. 2 Bologna was a major musical hub during the second half of the seventeenth century with the Basilica of San Petronio at its centre. This was for a long period the largest church in Christendom and was home to a virtuosic centre of trumpet playing, presented here through the works of the great Torelli and Giovanni Bononcini.

Bononcini’s Op. 3 was published when he was only 15 in 1685 and shows a remarkable musical talent. The sole surviving print of this work is housed in Bologna and lacks the first violin part. The editions for this concert have been prepared through a rare manuscript copy from the Bibliothèque Nationale in Paris.

LONDON SINFONIETTA Southbank Centre at St John’s Smith Square Beat Furrer conductor Beat Furrer FAMA for speaker, 8 voices and ensemble (UK premiere) A performance of Beat Furrer’s FAMA which was hailed as “a miracle” on its premiere in Germany in 2005. Now, after a decade of performances across Europe, this masterpiece of sound theatre finally arrives in the UK. Based on the novella Fräulein Else by Arthur Schnitzler, FAMA follows the story of a distressed young woman forced into prostitution in order to pay her father's debts. But in Furrer’s music, nothing is as it first appears: linear time seems to dissolve and a momentary snapshot becomes the subject of an intense narrative, as Furrer gives audible expression to a series of shocking events.

Please note there will be no interval; the concert will end at approximately 8.45pm.

laserenissima.co.uk

londonsinfonietta.org.uk

Promoted by London Bach Society

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by London Sinfonietta

Tue 8 November 7.30pm £25, £20

Wed 9 November 7.30pm £32, £25, £18, £12

Fri 11 November 7.30pm £20 unreserved

Hear more music from the 17th century tomorrow evening with La Serenissima See page 29

The Grand Tour continues on 4 December with A Roman Christmas See page 40

London Sinfonietta perform a world premiere by Morgan Hayes on 6 December See page 41

Book online sjss.org.uk

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NOVEMBER Scene from The Tempest

BAMPTON CLASSICAL OPERA “For who can wield like Shakespeare’s skilful hand?”

Rosalind Coad soprano Caroline Kennedy soprano Thomas Herford tenor James Harrison baritone Cantandum Bampton Classical Players Gilly French conductor

ISLINGTON CHORAL SOCIETY AND ORCHESTRA Michael Bowden conductor Programme to include music and readings for Remembrance John Rutter Requiem Celebrating more than forty years of music-making in London, the now 150-strong Islington Choral Society has also toured in France, Belgium, Portugal, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Italy and Spain. This concert marks their second performance here at St John's Smith Square.

London Mozart Players © Jennifer Brady

Benda Romeo and Juliet (excerpts) Linley Ode on the Spirits of Shakespearee The quatercentenary of Shakespeare’s death in 1616 is marked by rarely-heard music celebrating the enduring impact of the greatest English playwright. Settings by two of the most expressive composers of the age of Mozart are performed on period instruments by Bampton Classical Opera, renowned specialists in rare operatic repertory of the late-eighteenth century.

LONDON MOZART PLAYERS Mozart Explored Howard Shelley piano & director Mozart Piano Concerto No. 14 in Eb K449

Bampton Classical Opera gave the UK premiere of Benda’s remarkable opera in 2007 and now presents an appealing selection of its glorious and sensuous music.

Howard Shelley presents a live analysis of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 14. In this short exploratory concert, the audience unravel the work regarded as the first of Mozart’s mature series of concertos.

islingtonchoralsociety.co.uk

bamptonopera.org

lmp.org

Promoted by Islington Choral Society

Co-promoted by Bampton Classical Opera and St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by London Mozart Players and St John’s Smith Square

Sat 12 November 7.30pm £20, £15, £10

Tue 15 November 7.30pm £25, £20, £15

Wed 16 November 1.05pm £14

Come and Sing Mozart’s Requiem with us on 17 June See page 97

Cantandum returns with music in honour of the Virgin Mary on 21 February See page 65

Mozart Explored continues on 7 December See page 41

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Howard Shelley © Eric Richmond

LONDON MOZART PLAYERS MOZART EXPLORED “ City workers, Londoners and day-trippers – you are warmly urged to go and see this fantastic series. At the cost of less than a round of drinks it will be the best lunch-break you’ve ever had.”

International Piano Magazine Wed 21 September 2016 1.05pm Wed 26 October 2016 1.05pm Wed 16 November 2016 1.05pm Wed 7 December 2016 1.05pm Wed 18 January 2017 1.05pm Wed 15 February 2017 1.05pm Wed 22 March 2017 1.05pm* Book 3–4 concerts at once and save 10% Book 5 or more concerts at once and save 15% *Please note this last concert is part of the Beethoven Explored series.

NOVEMBER Carducci Quartet © Andy Holdsworth Photography

Anna Stéphany © Marco Borggreve

MARTINO TIRIMO Great Piano Quintets Martino Tirimo piano Carducci Quartet

thursday lunchtime concerts

Mozart String Quartet in Bb K458 ‘Hunt’ Fauré Piano Quintet No. 1 in D minor Op. 89 Dvořák Piano Quintet in A Op. 81

Organ Series

Winners of the Royal Philharmonic Society Music Awards 2016 ‘Chamber Music and Song’ category, the Carducci Quartet open the programme with Mozart’s ‘Hunt’ Quartet, featuring its strong ‘chasse’ elements of dance. Martino Tirimo joins the Quartet for Fauré’s atmospheric, dreamy and beautifully lyrical first Piano Quintet and finally Dvořák’s Piano Quintet, abounding with Czech folk elements and creating a delightful blend of rhythms and melodies.

Peter Stevens is Assistant Master of Music at Westminster Cathedral. In addition to working with the Cathedral Choir, he curates the Cathedral’s organ series and performs regularly throughout the year.

He played for the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols as an organ scholar at King’s College, Cambridge, which was broadcast live on Christmas Eve to millions worldwide.

PETER STEVENS Schmidt Prelude and Fugue in D Bach Passacaglia in C minor BWV 582 Duruflé Suite Op. 5

EARLY OPERA COMPANY Anna Stéphany serse Rupert Enticknap arsamene Callum Thorpe ariodate Claire Booth romilda Keri Fuge atalanta Edward Grint elviro Christian Curnyn director Handel Serse HWV40 Early Opera Company’s CD recording of Handel’s tragicomedy received 5-star reviews and a Gramophone Award nomination. Hear their all-star cast live in a concert performance of Handel’s glorious music, full of humour and social satire, with sumptuous arias including the famous ‘Largo’, also known as ‘Ombra mai fu’.

martinotirimo.com carducciquartet.com

Since 2013, Peter has been Director of the Schola Cantorum of Edington Festival of Music Within the Lituryg.

Co-promoted by Martino Tirimo and St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Wed 16 November 7.30pm £22, £17, £14, £10, YF

Thu 17 November 1.05pm £10, YF

Fri 18 November 7.00pm £45, £35, £25, £15

You may enjoy I Musicanti’s programme of chamber music on 8 January See page 48

Our Organ Series continues with David Titterington on 15 December See page 45

Hear ‘Handel in Italy’ with Gabrieli and Paul McCreesh on 28 March See page 47

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Please note the early start time to this concert. earlyopera.com

Christian Curnyn © Chansonette

EARLY OPERA COMPANY “ Find anything exciting happening in period opera in the UK and Curnyn will be involved, whether it’s conducting at the Wanamaker or ENO, recording Handel or directing his own projects.”

The Spectator Fri 18 November 2016 7.00pm Handel Serse

ALL ABOUT MOZART Deniz Arman Gelenbe, Michael Bochmann and Rivka Golani are joined by special guests throughout their three-concert residency exploring Mozart’s most beautiful chamber works.

Sun 20 November 2016 3.00pm Sun 12 February 2017 3.00pm Sun 7 May 2017 3.00pm

Deniz Arman Gelenbe © James Keates

Michael Bochmann

Rivka Golani © Peter Beal

NOVEMBER Ingolf Wunder © Patrick Walter

Russell Keable © Sim Canetty-Clarke

INGOLF WUNDER Southbank Centre’s International Piano Series Piano Schubert Sonata in Bb D960 Mozart Fantasia in D minor K397 • Adagio in B minor K540 Chopin Polonaise-Fantaisie in Ab Op. 61 • Polonaise in Ab Op. 53 Ingolf Wunder performs Schubert's haunting, otherworldly last sonata and works

by Mozart and Chopin.

When he first performed at Southbank Centre’s International Piano Series, The Guardian’s critic declared, “It’s a long time since I’ve heard a young pianist make such an impression on his debut”. The young Austrian scooped second prize at the 2010 International Chopin Competition in Warsaw and went on to record for Deutsche Grammophon.

sunday at st john’s

ALL ABOUT MOZART Mozart Focus Series Deniz Arman Gelenbe piano Michael Bochmann violin Rivka Golani viola Joan Enric Lluna clarinet Mozart Sonata in G K379 for Piano and Violin • Grande Sonate for Clarinet and Piano • Clarinet Quintet in A K581 • Duo in G K423 for Violin and Viola • Trio in Eb ‘Kegelstatt Trio’ K498 for Piano, Clarinet and Viola

KENSINGTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Debussy, Dutilleux and Berlioz Russell Keable conductor Debussy Prélude à l’après midi d’un faune Dutilleux Métaboles Berlioz Selections from Roméo et Juliette A programme of three French masterpieces. Debussy captures the heat and torpor of a summer afternoon in his perfectly formed Impressionist tone-poem whilst Dutilleux creates a dazzling and fascinating modern orchestral showpiece and Berlioz depicts the doomed lovers in music both tender and passionate.

ingolfwunder.at

Deniz Arman Gelenbe, Michael Bochmann and Rivka Golani explore Mozart’s chamber music during a three concert residency. Joan Enric Lluna joins for the Grande Sonate, and for the popular Kegelstatt Trio which has the unusual scoring for clarinet, viola and piano.

Co-promoted by Southbank Centre and HarrisonParrott

Co-promoted by Deniz Arman Gelenbe and St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Kensington Symphony Orchestra

Sat 19 November 7.30pm £38, £28, £15, £10

Sun 20 November 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Mon 21 November 7.30pm £17.50 (£12.50), £12.50

IPS & ICMS Series Offers Book 3–4 concerts and save 10% Book 5 or more concerts and save 20%

Our Mozart Focus Series continues on 12 February See page 60

KSO return with music by Beethoven, Brett Dean, and Korngold on 4 March See page 69

There will be a pre-concert talk at 6.15pm.

Book online sjss.org.uk

kso.org.uk

35

NOVEMBER Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra © Matthew Andrews

thursday lunchtime concerts

WHITEHALL CHOIR Mirror of Perfection Brandenburg Sinfonia Eve Daniell soprano Olivia Warburton mezzo soprano William Blake tenor Henry Neill baritone Paul Spicer conductor Mozart Divertimento in F K138 • Coronation Mass in C K137 Richard Blackford Mirror of Perfection

YOUNG MUSICIANS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Oliver Wass harp James Blair conductor Suppé Poet and Peasant Overture Ginastera Harp Concerto Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 in E minor Op. 64 The rousing but seldom played Poet and Peasant Overture by Franz von Suppé heralds the virtuosic, amusing and sensual Ginastera Harp Concerto, with a battery of all conceivable percussion instruments.

ENSEMBLE MIRAGE Young Artists’ Series Three-in-One Matthew Scott clarinet Júlia Pusker violin Ugnė Tiškutė viola Tatiana Chernyshova cello Alexandra Vaduva piano Stravinsky Suite from L’Histoire du Soldat Rota Trio Françaix Trio

The concert ends with Tchaikovsky’s uplifting Symphony No. 5.

Rarely performed alongside each other, flexi-ensemble Ensemble Mirage presents Three-in-One, an exciting programme showcasing the three core clarinet trios and the variety of sounds these different instrument groupings create.

whitehallchoir.org.uk

ymso.org.uk

ensemblemirage.co.uk

Promoted by Whitehall Choir

Promoted by Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Tue 22 November 7.30pm £25, £22.50, £18, £10

Wed 23 November 7.30pm £20, £15, £10 (conc. 20%)

Thu 24 November 1.05pm £10, YF

Come & Sing Mozart’s Requiem with us on 17 June See page 97

YMSO return with Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3 on 25 January See page 55

Ensemble Mirage continue their Young Artist residency on 19 January See page 51

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Whitehall Choir presents another irresistible programme which includes Mozart’s sublime Coronation Mass and Richard Blackford’s beautiful Mirror of Perfection inspired by a visit to Assisi.

KENSINGTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Russell Keable © Sim Canetty-Clarke

“ unforced exuberance and fine attention to phrasing” Classical Source Mon 3 October 2016 7.30pm Mon 21 November 2016 7.30pm Sat 4 March 2017 7.30pm Mon 3 July 2017 7.30pm

NOVEMBER ORCHESTRA OF ST JOHN’S My Music Nicholas Parsons guest Paul Blezard interviewer John Lubbock conductor Programme includes excerpts from larger works: Oscar Peterson Night Train Chopin Waltz in Db Op. 64 No. 1 ‘Minute Waltz’ Fitzgerald Just one of those things Vivaldi The Four Seasons Gershwin Summertime Tchaikovsky The Nutcracker Beethoven Andante molto mosso from Symphony No. 6 in F ‘Pastoral’ Op. 68 Shostakovich Andante from Piano Concerto No. 2 in F Op. 102 Stephen Sondheim Children will listen Rimsky-Korsakov Flight of the Bumblebee Cole Unforgettable In this concert series, special guests discuss the music that has meant the most to them before the OSJ perform the chosen works.

Christopher Dawe © Philip Pratt

sunday at st john’s

LONDON PIANO TRIO Viva España

ANTON BRUCKNER CHOIR London Mozart Players Rowan Pierce soprano Sinéad O'Kelly soprano James Hall countertenor Joel Williams tenor Morgan Pearse baritone Christopher Dawe conductor Handel Dixit Dominus HWV232 Mozart Mass in C Minor K427

Robert Atchison violin David Jones cello Olga Dudnik piano Turina Trio No. 2 Op. 76 Bretón 4 Spanish pieces Cassadó Piano Trio in C Granados Trio Following their successful Beethoven Cycle last season, the London Piano Trio return for their first concert at St John’s Smith Square this season with a programme that celebrates and pays tribute to music from the Iberian Peninsula.

Born in Grantham, Nicholas Parsons, 92, first appeared on television in the 1960s with the comedians Arthur Haynes and Benny Hill. He went on to present the game show Sale Of The Century, which ran for 12 years. Since 1967, he has hosted BBC Radio 4’s Just A Minute.

Christopher Dawe returns to St John’s Smith Square with the Anton Bruckner Choir in their 21st anniversary year, and is joined by the internationally acclaimed London Mozart Players and a team of outstanding young soloists in performances of Handel’s Dixit Dominus and Mozart's Great Mass in C Minor.

osj.org.uk

antonbrucknerchoir.org

londonpianotrio.com

Promoted by Orchestra of St John’s

Promoted by Anton Bruckner Choir

Co-promoted by London Piano Trio and St John’s Smith Square

Thu 24 November 7.30pm £26, £20, £15, £10

Sat 26 November 7.30pm £26, £24, £20, £15 (£24, £22, £18, £13)

Sun 27 November 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

The OSJ’s My Music series continues with Prue Leith on 9 February See page 59

You may enjoy Stephen Layton and Polyphony's Messiah on 23 December See page 48

London Piano Trio return on 26 March See page 76

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The long history of Spanish music has played an important role in the development of Western music, and is also the main basis of most Latin American music.

This concert is a rare opportunity to hear Spanish music in a chamber setting.

DECEMBER u La ra de ow Sn n © l Ju es en wr La

TAIT WINTER PROM

ce

Memories of Summer Tait Chamber Orchestra Alexandra Isted violin Lisa Bucknell viola Waynne Kwon cello Benjamin Mellefont clarinet Jayson Gillham piano James Guan piano Chad Vindin piano Alexandra Hutton soprano Katrina Sheppeard soprano Ashlyn Skye Tymms mezzo soprano Jessica Cottis conductor Vivaldi Concerto No. 2 in G minor Rv.315 ‘Summer’ Gershwin ‘Summertime’ from Porgy and Bess Enescu Konzertstück Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1 in Eb Op. 107 Wagner ‘Vorspiel and Liebestod’ from Tristan und Isolde arr.

James Ledger (UK premiere) Copland Clarinet Concerto Luke Styles How They Creep Barber ‘Must the winter come so soon?’ from Vanessa • Adagio for Strings Bernstein Glitter and be Gay

Opera Danube

thursday lunchtime concerts

LAURA SNOWDEN Guitar Dowland A Fancy Regondi Reverie Wally Gunn New Work commissioned by St John’s Smith Square (world premiere) Rodrigo En Los Trigales • Invocación y Danza

OPERA DANUBE Daniel Cobb presents The First Day of Christmas Daniel Cobb Estate Agents and Opera Danube join together to bring the Christmas spirit to Westminster. A feast of Christmas classics, opera and operetta arias will feature, performed by Opera Danube’s emerging opera stars of the future, alongside a dash of audience participation!

The Tait Memorial Trust presents an evening of Summer Imaginings in the grey of London’s winter. A programme of sunshine, wide open spaces and big starry skies performed by some of Australia’s most talented emerging musicians.

Award-winning guitarist Laura Snowden gives the world premiere of an exciting new work by New York-based composer Wally Gunn, commissioned by St John’s Smith Square’s 2014/15 Young Artists’ Scheme, alongside solo guitar music

by Dowland and Rodrigo.

taitmemorialtrust.org

laurasnowden.co.uk

operadanube.co.uk danielcobb.co.uk

Promoted by Tait Memorial Trust

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Opera Danube

Wed 30 November 7.30pm £35, £28, £22, £15

Thu 1 December 1.05pm £10, YF

Thu 1 December 7.30pm £30, £25, £20, £15

If you enjoy Shostakovich, you may enjoy Ensemble Mirage's concert on 19 January See page 51

Laura Snowden returns as a Park Lane Group Young Artist on 25 April See page 84

Our 31st Christmas Festival begins on 9 December See page 43

Book online sjss.org.uk

39

DECEMBER

La Serenissima © Eric Richmond

LOUIS SCHWIZGEBEL Southbank Centre’s International Piano Series Piano Mozart Sonata in D K576 Schumann Kinderszenen Op. 15 Beethoven 32 Variations on an Original Theme in C minor WoO.80 Schubert Sonata in C minor D958

LA SERENISSIMA The Grand Tour A Roman Christmas Julia Doyle amor divino Hilary Summers natura umana Catherine Hopper giustitia Adrian Chandler violin & director

Swiss pianist Louis Schwizgebel won second prize at the 2012 Leeds International Piano Competition and soon afterwards became a BBC New Generation Artist.

Louis makes his debut in this series with music by some of the piano repertoire’s greatest composers – opening with the poised brilliance of Mozart’s last piano sonata, then turning to Schumann’s much-loved Kinderszenen which depicts a series of tender childhood images. Beethoven’s intense, volcanic Variations in C minor launches the second half, concluding with Schubert’s Sonata in C minor which picks up on Beethoven’s high drama, mingles it with Schubert’s deeply personal, songful writing, and closes with a demoniac tarantella.

THE NUTCRACKER Fulham Symphony Orchestra Fulham Camerata Marc Dooley conductor Tchaikovsky The Nutcracker (complete ballet)

Corelli Concerto Grosso No. 8 for 2 violins, cello, strings and continuo Op. 6 Vivaldi Concerto per la Santissima Natale for violin, strings in E Rv.270 Locatelli Concerto Grosso No. 8 for 2 violins, cello, strings and continuo in F minor Op. 1 Caldara Cantata per la Notte del SS.mo Natale – Vo’ piangendo e sospirando (modern day premiere)

There will be a pre-concert talk at 6.15pm.

An early Christmas treat, this complete performance of Tchaikovsky’s magical ballet score tells the story of a nutcracker in the form of a soldier that comes to life, and features well-known favourites including Waltz of the Flowers, Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy and a magnificent finale.

During the Novenna of Christmas it was customary for the shepherds from the hills outside Rome to come into the city and play their rustic instruments at the cribs outside many of the churches. This practice spawned a flood of compositions composed in imitation of bagpipes and hurdy-gurdies.

louisschwizgebelpiano.com

fso.org.uk

laserenissima.co.uk

Co-promoted by Southbank Centre and HarrisonParrott

Promoted by Fulham Symphony Orchestra

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Fri 2 December 7.30pm £38, £28, £15, £10

Sat 3 December 7.30pm £12 (£10)

Sun 4 December 7.30pm £32, £25, £18, £12

IPS & ICMS Series Offers Book 3–4 concerts and save 10% Book 5 or more concerts and save 20%

More Tchaikovsky with the Royal Orchestral Society on 25 February See page 66

The Grand Tour visits Naples with Scarlatti & Durante on 18 January See page 51

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Howard Shelley © Matthew Andrews

THE GLORY OF CHRISTMAS Choir of Christ’s College, Cambridge Thames Chamber Orchestra Keith Marshall conductor David Rowland director Bach Christians be Joyful • In Dulce Jubilo (organ voluntary) Vivaldi Winter from The Four Seasons Britten Selection from A Ceremony of Carols Handel Hallelujah from Messiah Howard Blake Walking in the Air John Rutter Born on a New Day • Shepherd’s Pipe Carol Wood Ding! Dong! Merrily on High Trad. arrangements The Holly and The Ivy • See, Amid the Winter’s Snow • Hark! The Herald Angels Sing • Silent Night • The Twelve Days of Christmas • We wish you a Merry Christmas Vaughan Williams O Little Town of Bethlehem Now in its 11th year, ‘The Glory of Christmas’ concert is a joyful evening of festive music, readings and carols, held in appreciation of the work done

by Oracle Cancer Trust.

Returning to perform is the Choir of Christ’s College, Cambridge, one of the UK’s finest mixed voice ensembles along with the Thames Chamber Orchestra, conducted by the internationally acclaimed Keith Marshall.

LONDON SINFONIETTA Southbank Centre at St John’s Smith Square Schnee (Snow) Michael Cox piccolo Thierry Fischer conductor Morgan Hayes new work (world premiere) Simon Holt Piccolo Concerto ‘Fool is Hurt’ (UK premiere) Hans Abrahamsen Schnee (Snow) Hans Abrahamsen’s Schnee – regarded already as a modern masterpiece – is a series of beautiful, contemplative and haunting musical canons inspired by Bach, creating aural images of snow.

LONDON MOZART PLAYERS Mozart Explored Howard Shelley piano & director Mozart Piano Concerto No. 15 in Bb K450

The loneliness and quietude of this frozen landscape finds resonance in Simon Holt’s Piccolo Concerto ‘Fool is Hurt’, a work inspired by the isolation of the central character in Federico Fellini’s film La Strada.

Howard Shelley presents a live analysis of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 15, considered to be one of the more challenging concertos by the composer. Join the orchestra in exploring the intricacies of this grand work.

oraclecancertrust.org

londonsinfonietta.org.uk

lmp.org

Promoted by Oracle Cancer Trust

Promoted by London Sinfonietta

Co-promoted by London Mozart Players and St John’s Smith Square

Mon 5 December 7.30pm £45, £30, £15, £10

Tue 6 December 7.30pm £15 unreserved

Wed 7 December 1.05pm £14

Our 31st Christmas Festival begins on 9 December See page 43

London Sinfonietta return on 6 June See page 93

Mozart Explored Series Offers Book 3–4 concerts at once & save 10% Book 5 or more concerts at once & save 15%

Book online sjss.org.uk

41

DECEMBER

Simon Over © Christine O’Connor

Orchestra of St John's

thursday lunchtime concerts

FERIO SAXOPHONE QUARTET Young Artists’ Series Huw Wiggin soprano sax Ellie McMurray alto sax Jose Bañuls tenor sax Shevaughan Beere baritone sax

THE PARLIAMENT CHOIR A Westminster Christmas

Bach arr. Ferio Saxophone Quartet Prelude and Fugue in G minor BWV535 Grieg Holberg Suite Pergolesi Stabat Mater Bach Italian Concerto BWV971 This concert brings together familiar works arranged for saxophone quartet.

HANDEL MESSIAH Orchestra of St John’s OSJ Voices Hannah Davey soprano Roderick Morris countertenor Christopher Turner tenor Julien van Mellaerts baritone John Lubbock conductor Handel Messiah

Join The Parliament Choir for its annual, fun evening of festive choral works, seasonal readings and audience carols.

The programme will include traditional carols, instrumental pieces, and readings, involving choir, orchestra and audience.

The programme includes the ever popular Holberg Suite with two of Bach’s most popular works: Prelude and Fugue in G minor, originally for organ, and the Italian Concerto originally for piano. Pergolesi’s Stabat Mater completes the programme with one of his most celebrated sacred works.

parliamentchoir.org.uk

feriosax.co.uk

osj.org.uk

Promoted by The Parliament Choir

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Orchestra of St John’s

Wed 7 December 7.30pm £25, £17, £10

Thu 8 December 1.05pm £10, YF

Thu 8 December 7.30pm £26, £20, £15, £10

You may enjoy the OSJ’s New Years’ Eve concert on 31 December See page 48

Ferio Saxophone Quartet continue their Young Artist residency on 23 April See page 83

The OSJ and John Lubbock return on 31 December See page 48

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Simon Over conductor

The OSJ return for this yuletide performance of Handel’s mighty oratorio, Messiah.

With its place firmly in every choral society’s repertoire, John Lubbock brings the dramatic story of Christ to life with the Orchestra of St John’s and the OSJ Voices.

Owain Park © Hannah King

THE GESUALDO SIX 31st Christmas Festival Owain Park director

THE CHOIR OF KING’S COLLEGE LONDON 31st Christmas Festival Joseph Fort conductor Tavener Ikon of the Nativity Rachmaninoff Vespers, Matin and Prime from All-Night Vigil Op. 37 The Choir of King’s College London returns to St John’s Smith Square, this time to celebrate the musical traditions of the Orthodox Church.

The choir will perform John Tavener’s Ikon of the Nativity and Sergei Rachmaninoff’s All-Night Vigil.

Praetorius Nun Komm, der Heiden Heiland à 6 Palestrina O magnum mysterium Hassler Verbum caro factum est Praetorius arr. Bach In dulci jubilo Trad. German, harm. Praetorius Es ist ein Ros Entsprungen Canale Quem vidistis Anon. There is no rose Trad. Coventry Carol Taverner Audivi vocem Tallis Audivi vocem • Videte Miraculum Byrd Vigilate Trad. arr. Brian Kay Gaudete Holst Lullay my liking Trad. arr. Vaughan Williams This is the truth John Rutter There is a flower Howells Here is the little door Owain Park On the Infancy of our Saviour Harvey The Annunciation Jonathan Rathbone The Oxen Tavener The Lamb Kirkpatrick arr. Lawson Away in a manger Trad. arr. Lawson Veni, veni, Emmanuel “The Gesualdo Six have everything going for them – talent, youth, stamina, confidence and years of experience of singing the most difficult vocal polyphony in the repertoire.” — The Tablet

CITY OF LONDON CHOIR 31st Christmas Festival Carols by Candlelight Lucy Wakeford harp Stephen Farr organ Hilary Davan Wetton conductor Warlock Benedicamus Domino Trad. arr. Willcocks O come, o come, Emmanuel • God rest you merry, gentlemen Ord Adam lay y bounden Head The little road to Bethlehem John Rutter The shepherd’s pipe carol • Angel’s carol • Star carol Malcolm Hawkins Four carols for chorus with harp Sargent Mary had a baby Howard Goodall Romance of the Epiphany Britten Selection from A Ceremony of Carols Trad. arr. Jacques Good King Wenceslas Gardner O little town of Bethlehem Peter Gritton Follow that star Fletcher Ring out wild bells The City of London Choir’s annual celebration of Christmas with classic carols, new favourites, and audience participation – a highlight of the year for adults and children alike and an unmissable start to the festive season.

The recommended minimum age for audience members is six.

kcl.ac.uk

thegesualdosix.co.uk

cityoflondonchoir.org

Promoted by The Choir of King’s College London

Co-promoted by The Gesualdo Six and St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by City of London Choir

Fri 9 December 7.30pm £20, £16, £14, £10

Sat 10 December 7.30pm £25, £20, £15, £10

Sun 11 December 6.30pm £30, £25, £20, £15 (conc. 20%, child 50%)

Check out the 2017 London International A Cappella Choral Competition See page 100

You may enjoy The Elysian Singers’ concert on 28 January See page 57

You may enjoy Islington Choral Society’s concert on 11 February See page 60

Book online sjss.org.uk

43

DECEMBER Choir of Merton College, Oxford © John Cairns

CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL CHOIR, OXFORD

THE CARDINALL’S MUSICK

31st Christmas Festival Stephen Darlington director Howard Goodall presenter Trad. arr. Woodward Ding, dong, ding Trad. arr. Pearsall In dulci jubilo Trad. arr. 16th century E la don don Trad. arr. Wood Past three o'clock Darke In the bleak midwinter Cornelius The three kings John Rutter Shepherd’s pipe carol Williamson Ding, dong, merrily on high Warlock Bethlehem Down Trad. arr. Poston As I sat on a sunny bank Trad. arr. Stephen Darlington Jacob’s ladder Howells A Spotless Rose Gardner Tomorrow shall be my dancing day Trad. arr. Ralph Allwood Jingle Bells

CHOIR OF MERTON COLLEGE, OXFORD 31st Christmas Festival O Holy Night!

Benjamin Nicholas director Praetorius Magnificat quinti toni Victoria Missa Pro Victoria Poulenc Quatre motets pour le temps de Noël Trad. arr. Pearsall In dulci jubilo Robin Holloway The angel Gabriel Adam O holy night!

Hadley I sing of a maiden Darke In the bleak midwinter John Rutter Shepherd’s pipe carol Gruber arr. Rutter Silent night Torme and Wells arr. Rutter The Christmas Song

31st Christmas Festival In Honour of the Virgin Andrew Carwood director Lassus Osculetur me • Missa Osculetur me Plainsong Salve sancta parens Victoria Ave Maria • Quam pulchri sunt gressus tui Padilla Ave regina caelorum Anchieta Salve regina Guerrero Regina caeli Byrd Propers for the Nativity of the Virgin Mary Palestrina Magnificat primi toni

The concert is presented by Howard Goodall in informative and entertaining festive form.

The Choir of Merton College’s programme contrasts two polychoral masterpieces from the Renaissance period with Poulenc’s popular Christmas motets, and a sequence of well-known carols by Darke and Rutter amongst others.

The Virgin Mary has long inspired great music from great musicians. This programme features music from four of the greatest Renaissance composers – Lassus, Victoria, Byrd and Palestrina. The sumptuous erotically-titled Missa Osculetur me (Kiss me!) takes its inspiration from the Song of Songs (a book often used for texts in honour of the Virgin) and Lassus relishes the sonorities of eight voices talking in dialogue. Italian giant Palestrina has the last word and is seen at his most ebullient in his eight-voice Magnificat primi toni obviously designed for a grand celebration.

chchchoir.org

merton.ox.ac.uk

cardinallsmusick.com

Promoted by Christ Church Cathedral Choir, Oxford

Promoted by Choir of Merton College, Oxford

Promoted by The Cardinall’s Musick

Mon 12 December 7.30pm £25, £20, £15, £10

Tue 13 December 7.30pm £25, £20, £15, £10

Wed 14 December 7.30pm £25, £20, £15, £10 (conc. 10%)

The National Youth Music Theatre give their Christmas concert on 17 December See page 46

You may enjoy Victoria’s setting of the Magnificat primi toni on 21 December See page 47

More music inspired by the Virgin Mary with Cantandum on 21 February.

See page 65

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What better way to get into the festive spirit than with this programme of some of the most loved and beautiful Christmas music ever written, performed by one of the greatest cathedral choirs in the world.

David Titterington © Leo Cinicolo

CHOIR OF CLARE COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE Ex Cathedra © Neigh Pugh

31st Christmas Festival Lullaby my Jesus Graham Ross conductor The programme, interspersed with plainsong ‘O’ antiphons, includes:

EX CATHEDRA 31st Christmas Festival thursday lunchtime concerts

DAVID TITTERINGTON 31st Christmas Festival Organ Series Messiaen La Nativité du Seigneur La Nativité du Seigneur is one of Olivier Messiaen’s most evocative and beautiful cycles tracing the nativity of Jesus.

Written in 1935, the first Christmas story is recounted in nine exquisite meditations in which the Shepherds, Angels and Wise Men are centre-stage in this vivid and awesome masterpiece.

Christmas Music

by Candlelight Jeffrey Skidmore conductor Alexander Mason organ Programme includes a wide range of Christmas music, from Away in a Manger to music by Sir James MacMillan.

Aimed at the heart of Christmas, these atmospheric concerts have become a popular annual tradition at St John’s Smith Square. A seamless stream of music brings old favourites, stunning new music, and hidden gems, all interspersed with readings that capture the meaning – and humour – of the season.

Trad. arr. Graham Ross O come, O come, Emmanuel • Still, Still, Still Ramsey O Sapientia Roderick Williams O Adonai et Dux domus Israel Praetorius arr. Jan Sandström Det är en ros utsprungen Gabriel Jackson O Clavis David Mendelssohn When Jesus our Lord was born in Bethlehem John Rutter Christ is the morning star Bob Chilcott O Emmanuel Howells Magnificat from Collegium Regale Service Sweelinck Hodie Christus natus est Maxwell Davies Nowell (Out of your sleep arise) Simon Preston There is no rose Bach O Jesulein süß Warlock arr. Andrew Carter Lullaby my Jesus The Choir of Clare College, Cambridge return to present festive choral favourites from their acclaimed series of recordings for the church year on Harmonia Mundi.

excathedra.co.uk

clarecollegechoir.com

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Ex Cathedra

Promoted by Choir of Clare College, Cambridge

Thu 15 December 1.05pm £10, YF

Thu 15 December 7.30pm £35, £28, £22, £14

Fri 16 December 7.30pm £30, £25, £20, £10

Our Organ Series continues on 26 January See page 55

You may enjoy Tenebrae and Nigel Short’s concert on 18 December See page 46

Choir of Clare College, Cambridge and Graham Ross return on 30 March See page 78

Book online sjss.org.uk

45

DECEMBER Lucy Crowe © Marco Borggreve

TENEBRAE National Youth Music Theatre © Konrad Bartelski

31st Christmas Festival A Very English Christmas Nigel Short conductor

NATIONAL YOUTH MUSIC THEATRE 31st Christmas Festival In their 40th anniversary year, the award-winning National Youth Music Theatre presents their popular concert of seasonal readings, music and staged extracts.

Adrian Peacock Venite, Gaudete!

Ledger Adam Lay Ybounden Simon Preston There Is No Rose Wishart Alleluya Byrd O Magnum Mysterium Pygott Quid petis, O fili?

Anon. Angelus ad Virginem Warlock I Saw a Fair Maiden • Benedicamus Domino Vaughan Williams Wassail Song Alex Redshaw I Sing of a Maiden Jonathan Rathbone The Oxen Holst In the Bleak Midwinter Christopher Robinson Rejoice and be Merry Richard Lloyd Love Came Down at Christmas Will Todd My Lord Has Come Trad. arr. Humphris Twelve Days of Christmas Trad. arr. Nigel Short Away in a manger “Sumptuous performances, and perfectly judged sound” — BBC Music Magazine

LA NUOVA MUSICA 31st Christmas Festival Lucy Crowe soprano David Blackadder trumpet David Peter Bates director Bach Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland BWV62 • Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen BWV51 Mozart Exsultate Jubilate K165 Haydn Missa Sancti Nicolai “Dazzling” soprano, Lucy Crowe joins La Nuova Musica for two of the most celebrated soprano cantatas in the repertoire: Bach’s Jauchzet Gott in allen Landen, and Mozart's Exsultate Jubilate.

NYMT represents the very best in work with young people through musical theatre which has led Andrew Lloyd Webber to praise it “the best youth music theatre in the world”.

Celebrate the yuletide season with a selection of a cappella choral arrangements providing a musical breath of fresh air at Christmas. This programme heralds the unrivalled talents of English composers, featuring lesser-known gems, traditional carols and heart-warming festive favourites.

These joyous, festive cantatas will be bookended by Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland, a brooding Advent cantata

by Bach, full of darkness and longing for the illuminating birth of Christ, and Haydn’s Missa Sancti Nicolai, dedicated to the Saint’s namesake and his patron, Prince Nicolaus of Esterhazy.

nymt.org.uk

tenebrae-choir.com

lanuovamusica.co.uk

Promoted by National Youth Music Theatre

Promoted by Tenebrae

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Sat 17 December 7.30pm £27, £22, £17, £12

Sun 18 December 7.00pm £32, £26, £20, £12 (conc. 10%)

Mon 19 December 7.30pm £40, £32, £25, £15

Come and hear Vaughan Williams’ Fantasia on Christmas Carols See page 47

Our Holy Week Festival, co-promoted with Tenebrae, begins on 9 April See page 80

More Bach on 22 December with his Mass in B minor See page 47

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The Choir of Trinity College Cambridge © Benjamin Ealovega

THE TALLIS SCHOLARS 31st Christmas Festival

HOLST SINGERS & CITY OF LONDON SINFONIA 31st Christmas Festival An English Folk Christmas

by Candlelight Michael Collins conductor Jeremy Cole conductor Vaughan Williams Fantasia on Christmas Carols • This is the Truth Sent from above Bolton A Garland of Carols Warlock Bethlehem Down Stephen Cleobury Shropshire Carol Holst Singers and the City of London Sinfonia celebrate Christmas with a concert inspired by this country’s folk-songs and traditional Yuletide tales. Featuring choral pieces from around the country with seasonal readings from Dickens and other great story-tellers. Sing along in carols chosen by the audience to ensure you don’t miss out on your own Christmas favourites!

Peter Phillips director Desprez Praeter rerum seriem de Rore Missa Praeter rerum seriem • Hodie Christus natus est Victoria Magnificat Primi Toni de Sermisy Salve Regina Franco Salve Regina Taverner O splendor gloriae Every piece in this programme celebrates Christmas, more or less directly. The Hodie Christus natus est (Today Christ is born) of de Rore’s motet is self explanatory. Less obvious is the explicit reference to Christ's birth in Praeter rerum seriem, and the more general praise of the Virgin in the words of the Magnificat, Salve Regina and O splendor gloriae.

This programme features a major Renaissance masssetting, which not only pays homage to Mary, but also to the Duke of Ferrara, Hercules, whose name is continuously woven into the counterpoint.

Hernando Franco, whose beautiful Salve Regina is also featured in this concert, was a Guatamalan and Mexican composer who died in 1585.

BACH MASS IN B MINOR 31st Christmas Festival The Choir of Trinity College Cambridge Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Katherine Watson soprano Iestyn Davies countertenor Gwilym Bowen tenor Neal Davies bass Stephen Layton conductor Bach Mass in B minor The Choir of Trinity College Cambridge has established itself as one of the leading mixed-voice choirs in the world.

Following the sell-out success of recent Christmas Festival performances the Choir again joins forces with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment for Bach’s Mass in B minor.

cls.co.uk

thetallisscholars.co.uk

trinitycollegechoir.com

Promoted by City of London Sinfonia

Promoted by Hazard Chase

Promoted by The Choir of Trinity College Cambridge

Tue 20 December 7.30pm £40, £32, £25, £15

Wed 21 December 7.30pm £35, £28, £22, £14

Thu 22 December 7.30pm £30, £25, £20, £10 (conc. 10%)

Holst Singers return on 20 May with Handel’s Jephtha See page 90

The Tallis Scholars and Peter Phillips return on 30 June See page 101

The 31st Christmas Festival concludes tomorrow with Handel’s Messiah See page 48

Book online sjss.org.uk

47

DECEMBER Stephen Layton © Keith Saunders

JANUARY Mathilde Milwidsky © Aiga Ozolina

HANDEL MESSIAH 31st Christmas Festival Polyphony Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Katherine Watson soprano Iestyn Davies countertenor Gwilym Bowen tenor Neal Davies bass Stephen Layton conductor Handel Messiah A very special performance of Handel’s Messiah on Stephen Layton’s 50th birthday: the perfect way to begin your Christmas celebrations.

The virtuoso players of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment join Polyphony and a stunning line-up of soloists for “the best performance of Handel’s great work that we have ever heard”.

— musicOMH

sunday at st john’s

I MUSICANTI ORCHESTRA OF ST JOHN’S Strauss Gala Mathilde Milwidsky violin John Lubbock conductor J Strauss II Selection of Waltzes and Polkas Mozart Excerpt from Violin Concerto No. 5 in A K219 ‘The Turkish’ Kreisler Selection of violin works

Martin Roscoe piano Tamás András violin Robert Smissen viola Richard Harwood cello Leon Bosch double bass Mozart Piano Quartet in Eb K493 Peter Klatzow Piano Quintet (world premiere) Schubert Piano Quintet in A D667 ‘Trout’

Join us for a festive celebration of Stephen Layton’s 50th birthday at our post-concert mulled wine and mince pies reception! Tickets £20.

Wonderful waltzes and polkas, mostly by Johann Strauss II, alongside well-known melodies

by Strauss and Lehár, including arias from Die Fledermaus, as well as brilliant violin music performed by young violin sensation Mathilde Milwidsky.

Virtuoso double bassist Leon Bosch brings his ensemble I Musicanti for the first concert in a series featuring new music from South Africa and chamber works by Mozart and Schubert.

Peter Klatzow’s quintet for the ‘Trout’ line-up is performed alongside Schubert’s original, with Mozart’s second piano quartet completing the programme.

stephenlayton.com/polyphony

osj.org.uk

imusicanti.co.uk

Promoted by Associated Musical Services Ltd

Promoted by Orchestra of St John’s

Co-promoted by I Musicanti and St John’s Smith Square

Fri 23 December 7.30pm £59, £49, £39, £19

Sat 31 December 2.00pm £26, £20, £15, £10

Sun 8 January 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Polyphony, the OAE, and Stephen Layton return on Good Friday See page 81

The OSJ’s My Music series continues with Prue Leith on 9 February See page 59

I Musicanti perform music by Mozart, Schubert, Paganini and more on 5 March See page 69

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Post-concert celebrations:

I Musicanti © Clemmie Curd

I MUSICANTI “ ...playing of great dynamism, coherence and character” Seen and Heard A series featuring great chamber music by Mozart and Schubert, alongside new works from South Africa.

Sun 8 January 2017 3.00pm Sun 5 March 2017 3.00pm Sun 28 May 2017 3.00pm

JANUARY Oliver Wass © Alessandro Tear

sunday at st john’s

HUW WIGGIN & SOMI KIM

Howard Shelley © Matthew Andrews

Huw Wiggin saxophone Somi Kim piano

thursday lunchtime concerts

OLIVER WASS Young Artists’ Series Poetry in Music Hindemith Sonata for Harp Julian Philips Winter Music (world premiere) Renie Legende Poetry has always inspired composers, and this lunchtime concert presents works for solo harp with music based on the poetry of Dylan Thomas, Paul Verlaine, Charles Marie René Leconte de Lisle, and Ludwig Christoph Heinrich Hölty.

Demersseman Fantaisie Marcello arr. Joosen Concerto in D minor Messiaen L’Alouette Calandrelle from Catalogue d’Oiseaux Takashi Yoshimatsu Sing Bird from Fuzzy Bird Sonata Maurice Tableaux de Provence Denisov Sonata Schumann arr. Liszt Widmung Bach arr. Harle Sonata in G minor BWV1020 Pedro Iturralde Pequena Czarda Carefully crafted by the acclaimed British saxophonist Huw Wiggin, this concert offers a fabulous range of music.

Highlighting the versatility of the instrument and embracing the many different musical styles it can offer, it will take you to Provence with Paule Maurice and across the spectrum from Bach to Desinov and Takashi Yoshimatsu. The concert closes with a flourish: Iturralde’s Pequena Czarda

LONDON MOZART PLAYERS Mozart Explored Howard Shelley piano & director Mozart Piano Concerto No. 16 in D K451 Howard Shelley presents a live analysis of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 16, the last concerto in a succession of three composed for his own use.

With a demanding solo role and exuberant scoring including trumpets and timpani, we explore Mozart’s developing maturity in his writing.

oliverwass.co.uk

huwwiggin.com somikim.com tashmina.co.uk

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by Tashmina Artists and St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by London Mozart Players and St John’s Smith Square

Thu 12 January 1.05pm £10, YF

Sun 15 January 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Wed 18 January 1.05pm £14

Oliver Wass continues his Young Artist residency on 21 May See page 90

Huw Wiggin returns with the Ferio Saxophone Quartet on 20 April See page 83

Mozart Explored continues on 15 February See page 63

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lmp.org

An na l ta Pa © u Pa lW i lk

Ensemble Mirage © Timothy Ellis

in n so

The Grand Tour

g on

LA SERENISSIMA Naples Tabea Debus recorder Simon Munday trumpet Vladimir Waltham cello Adrian Chandler violin & director Durante Concerto No. 2 for strings and continuo in G minor • Concerto No. 8 La Pazzia for strings and continuo in A Scarlatti Sinfonia in A • Sinfonia di Concerto Grosso No. 2 for recorder, trumpet, strings and continuo in D Porpora Concerto for cello in G Leo Concerto for 4 violins and continuo in D Alessandro Scarlatti was one of the most ground-breaking composers of the lateseventeenth and earlyeighteenth centuries who went on to influence a younger generation of composers who, with the application of the bel canto style, would change the musical world forever. In stark contrast to northern Italy, the role of instrumental music was not deemed as important, yet many composers still produced some extremely fine examples.

The eight concertos of Durante are staggering in their range of affect and compositional techniques whilst Porpora and Leo produced some impressive solo concertos.

ENSEMBLE MIRAGE thursday lunchtime concerts

ANNA PATALONG & ELIZABETH ROSSITER Anna Patalong soprano Elizabeth Rossiter piano Wagner Wesendonck Lieder George Crumb Three Early Songs Berg Sieben frühe Lieder Anna Patalong and Elizabeth Rossiter perform a programme of melancholic and sensual songs variously contemplating a journey from love, eroticism, intoxication to bliss; loss, anguish, melancholy and longing; and solitude, the nature of the passing of time, mortality and eternity.

Young Artists’ Series War and Eternity Matthew Scott clarinet Júlia Pusker violin Ugnė Tiškutė viola Tatiana Chernyshova cello Alexandra Vaduva piano Shostakovich Piano Trio No. 2 in E minor Op. 67 Rawsthorne Clarinet Quartet Messiaen Quartet for the End of Time This concert explores works composed during and immediately following WWII. Both the Messiaen and Shostakovich were composed in the height of the war, the Rawsthorne (a rarely performed but powerful English work) in the aftermath when the memories and wounds of war were still fresh.

laserenissima.co.uk

annapatalong.com elizabethrossiter.com

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Wed 18 January 7.30pm £32, £25, £18, £12

Thu 19 January 1.05pm £10, YF

Thu 19 January 7.30pm £12 (£8), YF

The Grand Tour concludes with ‘The Italian Job’ on 15 February See page 63

Become a supporter of St John’s and enjoy free admission to this series See page 114

Ensemble Mirage continue their Young Artist residency on 11 June See page 95

Book online sjss.org.uk

ensemblemirage.co.uk

51

JANUARY Martyn Jackson © Kaupo Kikkas

PIERRE-LAURENT AIMARD & TAMARA STEFANOVICH sunday at st john’s

VAN DIEMEN’S LAND Sam Lee singer Notes Inégales Martin Butler piano Max Baillie violin Fraser Fifield saxophone & pipes Peter Wiegold director

MARTYN JACKSON & PETER LIMONOV Martyn Jackson violin Peter Limonov piano Beethoven Violin Sonata No. 10 in G Op. 96 Suk Four pieces Op. 17 Szymanowski Myths Op. 30 Saint-Saëns Introduction and Rondo Capriccioso in A minor Op. 28

Southbank Centre’s International Piano Series and International Chamber Music Series Piano duo Brahms Sonata in F minor for two pianos Op. 34b Messiaen Visions de l’Amen

British violinist Martyn Jackson (described by the legendary violinist Ida Haendel as “one of the most exceptionally gifted violinists I have ever encountered”) and Russian pianist Peter Limonov are both noted for their impassioned and compelling playing. They present a wonderfully varied programme of music for violin and piano, including what is often said to be Beethoven’s loveliest sonata.

The “masterly” Aimard and ”staggeringly brilliant“ Stefanovich (New York Times) present Messiaen’s mystical evocation of the cosmos alongside Brahms’ richly sublime Sonata for two pianos.

Composed in 1943, soon after his release from a German prison camp, Messiaen’s Visions de l’Amen is a musical outpouring of Catholic faith and spiritual ecstasy incorporating tolling bells and rapturous birdsong.

Brahms’ Sonata for two pianos is better known in its later incarnation as his Piano Quintet in F minor. This concert is part of ‘The Search for the Meaning of Life’ segment of Southbank Centre’s festival Belief and Beyond Belief.

peterlimonov.com tashmina.co.uk

pierrelaurentaimard.com tamara-stefanovich.com

Co-promoted by Institute of Composing and St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by Tashmina Artists and St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by Southbank Centre and HarrisonParrott

Sat 21 January 7.30pm £20, £15, £10

Sun 22 January 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Tue 24 January 7.30pm £38, £28, £15, £10

You may enjoy The Musicall Compass’ performance on 1 February See page 57

The Delta Piano Trio with more Beethoven on 9 February See page 59

IPS & ICMS Series Offers Book 3–4 concerts and save 10% Book 5 or more concerts and save 20%

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Notes Inégales launch their new CD Van Diemen’s Land with Sam Lee, the wonderful Mercury Prize-nominated folk singer, and a 10-piece band.

A journey ‘down-under’ to distant places, this magical new music emerges out of traditional folk-songs.

There will be a pre-concert talk at 6.00pm with Sam Lee, Peter Wiegold and Martin Butler on creating their journey back to Van Diemen’s Land. samleesong.co.uk peterwiegold.com instituteofcomposing.org

Sam Lee © Frederic Aranda

SAM LEE (NOTES INÉGALES) “ You will be dumbfounded by Sam Lee with duck-egg eyes, a horseshoe smile and an honest, confiding baritone” The Guardian Sat 21 January 2017 7.30pm

EUROPEAN UNION BAROQUE ORCHESTRA

Andrew Benson-Wilson Fri 27 January 2017 7.30pm ’Heaven’s sweetness‘ Bach Suites and Cantatas

Alfredo Bernardini © Arnold Ritter

“ These young musicians are the future of baroque music.”

JANUARY

European Union Baroque Orchestra

EUROPEAN UNION BAROQUE ORCHESTRA YOUNG MUSICIANS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Piers Lane piano Scott Wilson conductor Carl Vine Celebrare Celeberrime Grainger arr. Stokowski A Medley of Three Short Pieces Antill ‘Orchestral Suite’ from Corroboree Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor Op. 30

Heaven’s sweetness thursday lunchtime concerts

ORGAN, HARMONIUM & STRINGS FROM THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF MUSIC Organ Series

Singers from Barock Vokal Aira Maria Lehtipuu concertmaster Alfredo Bernardini director & oboe Bach Orchestral Suite No. 4 in D BWV1069a (original version) • Cantata ‘Liebster Immanuel, Herzog der Frommen’ BWV123 for the Feast of Epiphany • Cantata ‘Süßer Trost, mein Jesus kömmt’ BWV151 for the 3rd Sunday of Christmas • Cantata ‘Sei Lob und Ehr dem höchsten Gut’ BWV117

In celebration of Australia Day, YMSO and guest conductor Scott Wilson present a programme of Carl Vine, Percy Grainger and John Antill.

Piers Lane is the soloist in Rachmaninoff’s Piano Concerto No. 3.

Guilmant Sonata No. 4 for harmonium and organ Franck Prelude, Fugue and Variation for harmonium and piano Dvořák Bagatelles for harmonium and string trio Strauss arr. Schoenberg Rosen aus dem Süden for harmonium, piano and string quartet.

ymso.org.uk

ram.ac.uk

eubo.eu

Promoted by Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by European Union Baroque Orchestra and St John’s Smith Square

Wed 25 January 7.30pm £20, £15, £10 (conc. 20%)

Thu 26 January 1.05pm £10, YF

Fri 27 January 7.30pm £28, £22, £16, £10

YMSO return with music by Rossini, Brahms, and Elgar on 8 March See page 70

Our Organ Series continues with Graham Barber on 23 February See page 66

More Bach Cantatas with the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge on 30 March See page 78

Book online sjss.org.uk

EUBO is joined by eight young singers from the Barock Vokal project of Mainz University for a selection of Bach’s Cantatas, directed by baroque oboe virtuoso Alfredo Bernardini in what will be an evening of exquisite music-making.

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THE BROOK STREET BAND “ The Brook Street Band bring some spectacularly fine playing to these works, lithe, and beautifully shaped with some lovely sonorities and terrific ensemble, not to mention moments of terrific spontaneity.”

The Classical Reviewer

“Masterly performances” Gramophone Magazine Handel in Germany, Italy and England Sun 18 September 2016 3.00pm Sun 29 January 2017 3.00pm Sun 4 June 2017 3.00pm Book for 2 or more concerts at once and receive a 15% discount

The Brook Street Band © Dan Bridge

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

Sam Laughton © Linda Dawson

Moira Smiley © Alexandra DeFurio

sunday at st john’s

THE BROOK STREET BAND Rome, Venice and Naples – Handel’s Italian legacy

THE ELYSIAN SINGERS Symphonies of Psalms The Elysian Festival Orchestra Sam Laughton conductor Elgar Give unto the Lord • Great is the Lord Bruckner Offertorium Judith Weir Psalm 148 Bernstein Chichester Psalms Vaughan Williams O clap your hands Holst Psalm 86 Stravinsky Symphony of Psalms This final concert of Psalmfest 2016, The Elysian Singers’ year-long celebration of their 30th anniversary, celebrates the greatest psalm settings of the 20th century. Bernstein’s Chichester Psalms sit alongside grand English works by Elgar, Holst and Vaughan Williams: and what better than to conclude with Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms.

Corelli Trio Sonata in A Op. 3 No. 12 • Trio Sonata in D minor Op. 4 No. 8 Handel Sinfonia in Bb HWV339 • Gloria HWV deest Vivaldi Trio Sonata Op. 1 No. 8 Rv.65 in A • Cantata ‘Lungi dal vago volto’ Rv.680 Scarlatti Cantata ‘La Fenice’ 3 years, 3 cities and a complete change of direction. Italy inspired Handel with the music and rite of the Catholic church, not to mention the glamorous world of opera, giving him an early taste of stardom. In his early 20s, Handel was beguiled, swept up in a world of palaces, Cardinals and divas. ‘Rome, Venice and Naples’ explores repertoire by Handel and his Italian contemporaries, sacred and secular, always dramatic, which established these composers as titans of the Italian music scene.

There will be a pre-concert talk at 2.15pm

THE MUSICALL COMPASS Lamentations Moira Smiley singer Crispin Lewis director Lassus Lamentations of Jeremiah Anon. Solo unaccompanied Eastern European folk laments California-based singer Moira Smiley combines with early music ensemble The Musicall Compass in the premiere of a remarkable new collaborative project combining Renaissance polyphony with ancient folk-song.

Interspersed with, and overlapping, a performance of Lassus’ Lamentations of Jeremiah, Moira also performs unaccompanied solo laments.

elysiansingers.com

brookstreetband.co.uk

themusicallcompass.com moirasmiley.com

Promoted by The Elysian Singers

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by The Musicall Compass

Sat 28 January 7.30pm £25, £18, £12

Sun 29 January 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Wed 1 February 7.30pm £20, £16, £14, £10

You may enjoy the London Choral Sinfonia on 11 March See page 71

The Brook Street Band return on 4 June See page 93

You may enjoy Ensemble Variances with Thierry Pécou on 22 February See page 65

Book online sjss.org.uk

57

FEBRUARY Corinthian Orchestra © Alex Lamont

thursday lunchtime concerts

ROSALIND VENTRIS & TIMOTHY END Romance oubliée Rosalind Ventris viola Timothy End piano Weiner Sonata Kodály Adagio György Kurtág In Nomine – All’ongherese from Signs, Games, and Messages Dohnányi arr. Rosalind Ventris Violin Sonata in C# minor Op. 21 Liszt Romance oubliée S132 Brahms arr. Watson Forbes Hungarian Dance No. 1 Hungarian Jewish composer László Weiner was a brilliant young pupil of Zoltán Kodály, creator of the Kodály method.

Weiner was tragically murdered in the Holocaust, despite efforts made by his former teacher to save him. György Kurtág is the most eminent Hungarian composer today. The great violist Lionel Tertis saw the potential of Ernő Dohnányi’s lyrical Sonata in C# minor and performed it frequently.

Romance oubliée is one of Franz Liszt’s two works for the viola.

Much of German composer Johannes Brahms’ music was inspired by Hungarian folk music, and our programme ends with one of his much-loved Hungarian Dances.

AISA IJIRI Piano Liszt Les Cloches de Genève – Années de Pélerinage: Suisse Bach/Liszt Prelude and Fugue in A minor BWV543 Schumann Kreisleriana Op. 16 Prokofiev 10 pieces for piano ‘Romeo and Juliet’ Op. 75 de Falla Fantasia Baetica

CORINTHIAN ORCHESTRA Russian Masterpieces Michael Seal conductor Rachmaninoff Isle of the Dead Op. 29 • Piano Concerto No. 2 Op. 18 Prokofiev Symphony No. 5 in Bb Op. 100

“A special talent whose European sophistication, fierce passion and poetic sentiment create an artistic atmosphere...”

— The Record Geijutsu, Tokyo

Following a successful St John's Smith Square debut last season, the Corinthian Orchestra return with Michael Seal to perform three masterpieces from the Russian orchestral repertoire – Rachmaninoff's haunting symphonic poem Isle of the Dead, his ever popular Piano Concerto No. 2 and Prokofiev’s energetic Symphony No. 5.

rosalindventris.com

aisaijiri.com

corinthianorchestra.org.uk

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Gordon Fergus-Thompson

Promoted by Corinthian Orchestra

Thu 2 February 1.05pm £10, YF

Fri 3 February 7.30pm £15, £10

Mon 6 February 7.30pm £20, £15, £10

Rosalind Ventris returns as a Park Lane Group Young Artist on 25 April See page 84

More piano music with our Young Artist Christina McMaster on 2 March See page 68

Simon Callaghan perform Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 on 23 March See page 75

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After her acclaimed debut at the Tokyo Opera City Concert Hall, Aisa Ijiri has established herself as one of the award-winning pianists of her generation.

ALISA WEILERSTEIN

ORCHESTRA OF ST JOHN’S

Southbank Centre‘s International Chamber Music Series

My Music Delta Piano Trio © Sarah Wijzenbeek

Cello

Programme includes excerpts from larger works:

Bach Suite No. 3 in C BWV1009 • Suite No. 5 in C minor BWV1011 • Suite No. 4 in Eb BWV1010 • Suite No. 2 in D minor BWV1008 • Suite No. 1 in G BWV1007 • Suite No. 6 in D BWV1012 Alisa Weilerstein performs a complete cycle of Bach’s cello suites. The first virtuosic pieces ever written for solo cello, the suites balance mathematical precision with human passion.

Over the course of a relatively low-profile career, Bach’s formal puzzle-solving created principles of harmony and counterpoint which revolutionised music. Written for the glory of God, his work was an attempt to understand the infinite, and its structural beauty has arguably never been surpassed. This concert is an opportunity to experience the driving momentum and melodic fluidity of the complete suites.

The Telegraph describes Alisa Weilerstein as a “spine-tingling” performer, “Weilerstein is truly a phenomenon.”

Prue Leith guest Paul Blezard interviewer John Lubbock conductor

thursday lunchtime concerts

DELTA PIANO TRIO Gerard Spronk violin Irene Enzlin cello Vera Kooper piano Beethoven Trio Op. 1 No. 1 in Eb Lera Auerbach Piano Trio No. 2 Tryptych ‘The mirror with three faces’ A contrasting programme with Beethoven’s Piano Trio Op. 1 No. 1 combined with the second piano trio of emerging Russian composer, poet, writer, painter and pianist Lera Auerbach performed by the Delta Piano Trio.

Gershwin Summertime Fitzgerald Skylark • Cry me a river Previn Beware of young girls Mozart Horn Concerto No. 4 in Eb K495 • Eine kleine Nachtmusik Elgar Cello Concerto Chopin Nocturne No. 32 Haydn Cello Concerto Schubert Der Lindenbaum Fauré Requiem In this concert series, special guests discuss the music that has meant the most to them before the OSJ perform the chosen works.

This concert takes place as part of the ‘Should Science depose Religion?’ segment of Southbank Centre’s Belief and Beyond Belief festival.

This young piano trio has performed worldwide since its founding in 2013, winning several first prizes in international competitions and working with Rainer Schmidt, Stephen Kovacevich and Hatto Beyerle.

Prue Leith OBE is a restaurateur, caterer, TV cook, broadcaster and cookery writer.

In 1969, she opened Leith’s, her famous Michelin starred restaurant. In 1975 she founded Leiths School of Food and Wine which trains amateur and professional chefs. She has been a cookery editor and food columnist for the Daily Mail, Sunday Express, The Guardian and The Mirror. Now in her 70th year, Leith is a judge on the BBC television programme Great British Menu.

alisaweilerstein.com

deltapianotrio.com

osj.org.uk

Co-promoted by Southbank Centre and Intermusica

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Orchestra of St John’s

Wed 8 February 7.00pm £38, £28, £15, £10

Thu 9 February 1.05pm £10, YF

Thu 9 February 7.30pm £26, £20, £15, £10

IPS & ICMS Series Offers Book 3–4 concerts and save 10% Book 5 or more concerts and save 20%

More Beethoven with The Revolutionary Drawing Room on 26 February See page 66

The OSJ’s My Music series continues with Libby Purves on 16 March See page 73

Book online sjss.org.uk

59

FEBRUARY

Deniz Arman Gelenbe © James Keates JK Photography

ORCHESTRA OF THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT Southbank Centre at St John’s Smith Square Méhul: The First Romantic Jonathan Cohen conductor Michael Spyres tenor Méhul Overture from Les Amazones • A selection of arias from Mélidore et Phrosine, Uthal, Une Folie, Euphrosine et Coradin, and Ariodant • Symphony No. 5 (unfinished)

sunday at st john’s

Programme also includes music

by Gluck, Beethoven, Mozart, Kreutzer and Salieri.

Deniz Arman Gelenbe piano Michael Bochmann violin Rivka Golani viola Vanessa Lucas-Smith cello

A concert celebrating the work of the great French composer Étienne Méhul. The French Romantics are often eclipsed by their bigger name Germanic cousins but Méhul opened the door to the romantic period in a distinctly French way. Hear his experimentations with drama and high emotions through extracts from his operas, including the game changing orchestration of Uthal and the passionate Ariodant, along with music by Gluck, Beethoven, Mozart and Salieri.

ALL ABOUT MOZART Mozart Focus Series

ISLINGTON CHORAL SOCIETY AND ORCHESTRA Michael Bowden conductor Haydn The Creation Celebrating more than forty years of music-making in London, the now 150-strong Islington Choral Society has also toured in France, Belgium, Portugal, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Italy and Spain. This is their third appearance here at St John’s Smith Square.

Mozart Sonata in E minor for Piano and Violin K304 • Trio in Bb for Piano, Violin and Cello K502 • Sonata in Bb for Piano and Violin K378 • Piano Quartet No. 1 in G minor for Piano, Violin, Viola and Cello K478

islingtonchoralsociety.co.uk

The Mozart Focus Series continues with several chamber music masterpieces, including his brilliant Piano Trio K502, his sublime Piano Quartet in G minor K478 both written in Vienna, and the early Sonata in E minor K304, written after his mother’s passing, expressing his deep sorrow.

Promoted by Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

Promoted by Islington Choral Society

Co-promoted by Deniz Arman Gelenbe and St John's Smith Square

Fri 10 February 7.00pm £60, £40, £25, £10

Sat 11 February 7.30pm £20, £15, £10

Sun 12 February 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Classica Opera and Ian Page perform Mozart on 21–22 March See pages 74–75

You may enjoy The Camden Choir’s performance on 18 March See page 73

Our Mozart Focus Series continues on 7 May See page 88

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There will be a pre-concert talk at 5.45pm.

Christina McMaster © Carlos Lumiere

CHRISTINA MCMASTER 2016/17 YOUNG ARTIST “a force of nature” Tansy Davies

“One to watch” International Piano Magazine Sun 25 September 2016 3.00pm ‘Elemental Rhythm’ Sat 4 February 2017 10.00am – 5.00pm ‘Look, Listen and Learn’ Workshop Day Thu 2 March 2017 7.30pm ‘From Britten to America’ Thu 4 May 2017 1.05pm ‘Fantasies on Form’

GABRIELI

Leipziger Volkszeitung Tue 28 March 2017 7.30pm Thu 8 June 2017 7.30pm

Gabrieli © Andy Staples

“ Listening to them is an experience you just never want to come to an end.”

FEBRUARY LA SERENISSIMA The Grand Tour

LONDON MOZART PLAYERS

The Italian Job

thursday lunchtime concerts

Adrian Chandler violin & director

SUZANNE FISCHER & PANARETOS KYRIATZIDIS

Caldara Sinfonia for 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, 2 trumpets, timpani, violin, strings and continuo in C Corelli Sinfonia to S. Beatrice d’Este in D minor Albinoni Sinfonia to La Statira for 2 trumpets, 2 oboes, strings and continuo • Concerto for 2 oboes in F Op. 9 No. 3 Vivaldi Concerto for bassoon in C Rv.467 • Concerto alla rustica for 2 oboes in G Rv.151 Tartini Concerto for violin in E D51 Torelli Sinfonia for 4 trumpets, timpani, 2 oboes, 2 bassoons, trombone, strings and continuo G33

Oxford Lieder Young Artists Soprano and Piano Berlioz Les Nuits d’Été Mendelssohn Frühlingslied Op. 47 No. 3 • An die Entfernte Op. 71 No. 3 • Schilflied Op. 71 No. 4 Liszt Tre Sonetti di Petrarca S270 Journey with us into the world of the early romantics with sublime songs such as Liszt’s Petrarch Sonnets, Mendelssohn’s Frühlingslied and the Berlioz classic – Nuits d’Été, all composed in the early 1840s. Berlioz’s original piano score of his beloved Les Nuits d’Été was completed in 1841.

Howard Shelley presents a live analysis of Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 26. It was nicknamed the ‘Coronation’ Concerto after Mozart’s performance at the coronation of Leopold II as Holy Roman Emperor in October 1790 in Frankfurt. Join the orchestra in exploring the intricacies in this work with an unfinished solo piano part.

Italy was famed for the standard of its string playing.

For important occasions, winds and brass could also be added and this programme reflects this tradition with richly scored sinfonias by Caldara and Torelli as well as more simple scorings, such as the beautiful Concerto for Violin in E by Tartini. The well-known jubilant double Oboe Concerto of Albinoni and the jaunty Concerto alla rustica of Vivaldi rub shoulders with lesser-known pieces such as the Corelli and Caldara sinfonias, the latter of which – to our knowledge – has never been performed in modern times.

lmp.org

laserenissima.co.uk

suzannefischer.co.uk panaretoskyriatzidis.com oxfordlieder.co.uk

Co-promoted by London Mozart Players and St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Wed 15 February 1.05pm £14

Wed 15 February 7.30pm £32, £25, £18, £12

Thu 16 February 1.05pm £10, YF

Mozart Explored Series Offers Book 3–4 concerts at once & save 10% Book 5 or more concerts at once & save 15%

You may enjoy Stradivaria’s performance on 1 June See page 92

You may enjoy Lorena Paz Nieto and Johan Barnoin on 30 March See page 77

Mozart Explored Howard Shelley piano & director Mozart Piano Concerto No. 26 in D K537

Book online sjss.org.uk

Oxford Lieder exists to promote the art of song. The annual Oxford Lieder Festival in October is complemented by other projects such as the Young Artist Platform, sponsoring the finest young singers and pianists to give recitals across the UK.

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Parnassius Piano Duo © Benjamin Ealovega

PALISANDER Young Artists’ Series Antidotum Arachne Hannah Fisher recorder Lydia Gosnell recorder Miriam Nerval recorder Caoimhe de Paor recorder Toby Carr baroque guitar & theorbo Merula Canzon ‘La Lusignola’ Holborne The Night Watch • The Image of Melancholy Vivaldi The Nightmare Concerto Casulana Il Vostro Dipartir Johnson The Temporiser Dick Koomans The Jogger Trad. Italian arr. Miriam Nerval Tarantella Napoletana • Medicinal Tarantellas Ishii Black Intention IV Byrd In Fields Abroad Dowland The Frog Galliard • Lachrimae Pavan Micah Clarke Hollow Shout 16th and 17th-century victims of venomous spider bites were offered no medicinal cure or relief. Instead the local musicians would work together to find the correct melody, known as a ‘tarantella’, which could cure them of their otherwise fatal symptoms.

Recorder ensemble Palisander explores a victim’s ordeal through the numerous symptoms and side effects of a tarantula’s bite.

BRASS SPECTACULAR Celebration of Brass Chamber Music in memory of Philip Jones Featuring brass ensembles of: Royal Academy of Music Royal College of Music Trinity Laban Conservatoire Guildhall School of Music Birmingham Conservatoire Royal Northern College of Music Royal Welsh College of Music Royal Conservatoire of Scotland

sunday at st john’s

PARNASSIUS PIANO DUO Simon Callaghan piano Hiroaki Takenouchi piano Parry Grosses Duo in E minor Copland arr. Bernstein El Salón México Rachmaninoff arr. Takenouchi and Callaghan Symphony No. 2 Op. 27

palisanderrecorders.com

pjbe.org

A fascinating programme of music played on two pianos.

Revel in the intricate Baroque and contrapuntal influences in Parry’s Grosses Duo; enjoy Copland’s vibrant El Salón México, a musical depiction of an imaginary dance hall in Mexico City, bursting with strong Latin American rhythms and full of Mexican folk tunes; witness one of Rachmaninoff’s most loved symphonies arranged for two pianos.

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Ursula Jones

Co-promoted by Tashmina Artists and St John’s Smith Square

Thu 16 February 7.30pm £12 (£8), YF

Sat 18 February 5.00pm £15 unreserved, Free for students

Sun 19 February 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Palisander continue their Young Artist residency on 2 April See page 78

More virtuosic trumpet playing on 24 April with Matilda Lloyd See page 84

You may enjoy Rachmaninoff’s Vespers on 22 April See page 82

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This biennial concert celebrates brass chamber music and presents a showcase for the top brass ensembles of the eight major UK music colleges. It is organised in memory of Philip Jones who pioneered brass chamber music worldwide with his Philip Jones Brass Ensemble in the 70s and 80s.

Cantandum © Jeremy Gray

Ensemble Variances © Michel Pellaz

BOXWOOD AND BRASS The Harmonie in Beethoven’s Vienna Rachel Chaplin oboe Nicola Barbagli oboe Emily Worthington clarinet Fiona Mitchell clarinet Anneke Scott natural horn Kate Goldsmith natural horn Robert Percival bassoon Takako Kunugi bassoon Jacqueline Dossor double bass Boieldieu arr. Anon Overture from Jean de Paris Triebensee Partita in Eb Beethoven arr. Anon Symphony No. 7 in A Op. 92

A SPOTLESS ROSE: ENSEMBLE MUSIC FOR THE VARIANCES VIRGIN MARY Cantandum Gilly French director Palestrina Missa Assumpta est Maria Victoria Marian antiphons The programme also includes music by Britten, Bruckner and Howells.

Outre-mémoire with Thierry Pécou

Anne Cartel flute David Louwerse cello Carjez Gerretsen clarinet Thierry Pécou piano Villa-Lobos Le Cygne noir Thierry Pécou Outre-mémoire In this great work often compared to Messiaen’s Quatuor pour la fin du temps, Thierry Pécou leads us once again into an overwhelming musical experience that invokes a state of meditative contemplation. A pause for memory, a ceremony of quiet contemplation, a suspension of the mind which lends itself to feeling and reflection, such would be the meaning of this piece where the piano part is conceived as a centre of gravity surrounded by satellites, the flute, the clarinet and the cello.

There will be a pre-concert talk at 6.30pm with Professor David Wyn Jones from the University of Cardiff as well as members of Boxwood and Brass to discuss the role of the harmonie in Viennese musical life.

Palestrina’s enduring reputation as a giant of the Renaissance choral tradition is evident in his sensuous masterpiece Missa Assumpta est Maria, one of the bestknown and most powerful of his hundred-plus mass settings.

The acclaimed Westminster chamber choir Cantandum, under its conductor Gilly French, intersperses this six-part setting with an engaging selection of music in honour of the Queen of Heaven.

Palestrina’s great Spanish counterpart Tomás Luis de Victoria is represented by a sequence of glorious Marian antiphons, along with spiritual treasures by later composers for the church.

boxwoodandbrass.co.uk

cantandum.westminster.org.uk

ensemblevariances.com

Co-promoted by Boxwood and Brass and St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by Cantandum and St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Mon 20 February 7.30pm £16 (£10)

Tue 21 February 7.30pm £14 unreserved

Wed 22 February 7.30pm £16 (£10), YF

The Clarinet Collective perform a lunchtime recital on 9 March See page 70

Our Holy Week Festival begins with Tenebrae and Nigel Short on 9 April See page 80

You may enjoy Ensemble x.y’s performance on 6 April See page 79

A rare chance to hear this extraordinary harmonie version of Beethoven’s symphony on instruments of the early-19th century, exactly 200 years after it was issued by the composer’s publisher. Leading specialists Boxwood and Brass place this tour-de-force in context alongside contemporary works for wind ensemble.

Book online sjss.org.uk

Ensemble Variances are grateful for the support of ODIA Normandie (Artistic Development Office of Normandy).

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thursday lunchtime concerts

GRAHAM BARBER

THE REVOLUTIONARY DRAWING ROOM

Organ Series Bach Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott BWV720 • Vater unser im Himmelreich BWV636 • Prelude and Fugue in D BWV532 • Dies sind die heilgen zehn Gebot BWV635 • Prelude and Fugue in G minor BWV535 Reger Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott Op. 67 No. 6 • Vater unser im Himmelreich Op. 67 No. 39 • Es ist das Heil uns kommen her Op. 67 No. 10 • Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott Op. 135a No. 5 • Fantasia on ‘Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott’ Op. 27

sunday at st john’s

Haydn and Beethoven String Quartets for Prince Lobkowitz Adrian Butterfield violin Kathryn Parry violin Rachel Stott viola Ruth Alford cello Beethoven String Quartet in C minor Op. 18 No. 4 • String Quartet in Bb Op. 18 No. 6 Haydn String Quartet in D minor Op. 103

Brahms’ dramatic Piano Concerto No. 1, his first orchestral work, is followed by Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No. 5 with its famous motto theme and waltz movement.

The Revolutionary Drawing Room concludes its complete cycle of Beethoven’s String Quartets with the two remaining works from the Op. 18 set dedicated to Prince Lobkowitz. String Quartet No. 4 in C minor is the most dramatic of the set whilst the Bb major is most notable for the extraordinary slow introduction, La Malinconia, to its Finale. Haydn only completed the middle movements of what turned out to be his last efforts in the genre and wrote at the end of his manuscript: “Old and weak am I, all my strength is gone.”

grahambarber.org.uk

royalorchestralsociety.org.uk

revolutionarydrawingroom.com

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Royal Orchestral Society

Co-promoted by The Revolutionary Drawing Room and St John’s Smith Square

Thu 23 February 1.05pm £10, YF

Sat 25 February 7.00pm £18, £12, £8

Sun 26 February 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Our Organ Series continues with Robert Sholl on 23 March See page 75

The Royal Orchestral Society perform Mahler’s epic Symphony No. 6 on 10 June See page 75

The London Mozart Players perform Beethoven on 22 March See page 74

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Graham Barber is one of the foremost British concert organists of his generation.

Since 2015, he has embarked on performing the complete cycle of Max Reger’s organ works in 36 concerts around the world, of which this concert is one.

He made his debut in London at the Royal Festival Hall in 1979.

Reviewing his first recording the Sunday Times described him as “a technically brilliant, musically mature organist”; and Gramophone described him as “one of the organ world's finest recording artists”.

ROYAL ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY Masa Tayama piano Adrian Brown conductor Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor Op. 15 Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 5 in E minor Op. 64

Les Talens Lyriques © Cargo Collective

LES TALENS LYRIQUES “ Christophe Rousset makes music so devotedly, finely colourful and natural, the dance-like gestures of the music so smooth and vital, that the historical distance between the times of the Sun King and our 21st-century ears accustomed to dissonance seems to be non-existent.”

Concerti.de Wed 7 June 2017 7.30pm ‘Zefiro Torna’

FEBRUARY

MARCH

Mishka Rushdie Momen © Benjamin Ealovega

CHRISTINA MCMASTER Young Artists’ Series From Britten to America

ENGLISH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Christina McMaster piano String Orchestra Ligeti Quartet Pupils from The Hall School Jessica Cottis conductor

Sawyers: Birth of a Symphony Clare Hammond piano April Fredrick soprano Kenneth Woods conductor Philip Sawyers Fanfare (world premiere) • Songs of Loss and Regret (London premiere) • Symphony No. 3 (world premiere) Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor K466 The English Symphony Orchestra embark on a multi-year celebration of the enduring place of the symphony in today’s musical life with the world premiere of Philip Sawyers’ Symphony No. 3.

Emerging piano superstar Clare Hammond performs Mozart’s fiery Concerto in D minor, and soprano April Fredrick gives the London premiere of Songs of Loss and Regret.

thursday lunchtime concerts

MISHKA RUSHDIE MOMEN Piano Mozart Rondo in A minor K511 Schumann Sonata No. 1 in F# minor Op. 11 Albeniz ‘El Puerto’ from Iberia Book 1 No. 3 • ‘Triana’ from Iberia Book 2 No. 3

Dowland arr. Joanna MacGregor Can she excuse • Forlorn Hope Fancy • Mr Dowland’s Midnight Sir Harrison Birtwistle Oockooing Bird Richard Bullen Scenes from a deserted jazz club • New Work (world premiere) • Water from Elemental Songs and Dances Ayanna Witter-Johnson New Work (world premiere) Britten Reveille • Young Apollo Op. 16 Ives Unanswered Question • The Alcotts Crawford Seeger Preludes No. 1 and No. 5 • Study of Mixed accents • Selection of folk tunes

There will be a pre-concert talk at 6.30pm.

This programme begins in darkness with Mozart’s Rondo in A minor before proceeding with Schumann’s Sonata No. 1 in F# minor. He dedicated this to his beloved Clara and described it to her as “a cry from my heart to yours”. Finally we have two evocative pieces by Albeniz from Iberia – El Puerto and Triana.

eso.co.uk

mishkarushdiemomen.com

christinamcmaster.com

Promoted by English Symphony Orchestra

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Tue 28 February 7.30pm £25, £20, £15, £10

Thu 2 March 1.05pm £10, YF

Thu 2 March 7.30pm £12 (£8), YF

Orchestra Nova celebrate George Vass’ birthday on 10 May See page 88

More Schumann with the Minerva Piano Trio on 9 March See page 71

This concert follows a series of interactive workshops on 4 February See page 108

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An eclectic programme with premieres by British composers Richard Bullen and Ayanna Witter-Johnson, the latter of whom pays homage to one of her heroines in recognition of International Women’s Day.

Holly Mathieson © Cathy Pyle

Orchestra Vitae © Michał Obuchowski & Monika Weyer

sunday at st john’s

ORCHESTRA VITAE Michael Cobb conductor Maxwell Davies An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise Britten Four Sea Interludes Op. 33a from Peter Grimes Op. 33 Diana Burrell Das Meer, das so gross und weit ist da wimmelt’s ohne Zahl, grosse und kleine Tiere Debussy Le Mer, trois esquisses symphoniques pour orchestre Orchestra Vitae pay tribute to Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and Benjamin Britten, performing An Orkney Wedding, with Sunrise and Four Sea Interludes.

They continue the maritime theme with Das Meer by Diana Burrell and conclude with Debussy’s La Mer.

KENSINGTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Beethoven, Brett Dean & Korngold Holly Mathieson conductor Beethoven Coriolan Overture Op. 62 Brett Dean Testament for Orchestra Korngold Symphony in F# Op. 40

I MUSICANTI Craig Ogden guitar Karen Jones flute Tamás András violin Robert Smissen viola Richard Harwood cello Mozart Flute Quartet in D K285 Paganini Terzetto for Violin, Cello and Guitar Werner Bosch New Work (world premiere) Schubert Quartet in G D96 for guitar, flute, viola and cello

There will be a pre-concert talk at 6.30pm.

Korngold’s opulent full-blooded symphony, with its glittering orchestration and abundance of generous melody, is preceded by Beethoven's taut and intense Coriolan Overture plus an exciting recent work by the award-winning Australian composer, Brett Dean.

I Musicanti return for the second concert in their series featuring new works by South African composers alongside chamber music by Mozart and Schubert. Renowned soloist Craig Ogden joins them in Schubert’s arrangement for flute, viola, cello and guitar of a trio by the Bohemian guitarist Wenzel Matiegka.

orchestravitae.co.uk

kso.org.uk

imusicanti.co.uk

Co-promoted by Orchestra Vitae and St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Kensington Symphony Orchestra

Co-promoted by I Musicanti and St John’s Smith Square

Fri 3 March 7.30pm £26, £18, £14, £10

Sat 4 March 7.30pm £17.50 (£12.50), £12.50

Sun 5 March 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

You may enjoy music by Rossini, Brahms, and Elgar with YMSO on 8 March See page 69

KSO perform Arnold, Nielsen, and Luke Bedford on 3 July See page 102

I Musicanti return with music by Mozart, Schubert and David Earl on 28 May See page 91

Book online sjss.org.uk

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YMSO © Matthew Andrews

Bob Chilcott

KODÁLY CELEBRATION CONCERT Dr László Norbert Nemes conductor Dr Douglas Coombes MBE conductor School Choirs from around the UK Bob Chilcott A Tree of Song (world premiere)

YOUNG MUSICIANS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Luca Blasio violin James Blair conductor Rossini Overture from The Thieving Magpie Brahms Violin Concerto in D Op. 77 Elgar In the South ‘Alassio’

thursday lunchtime concerts

THE CLARINET COLLECTIVE Tony Lamb clarinet Alex Allen clarinet Vicky Medcalf clarinet Paul Sanders clarinet JC Bach Quartet No 2 in Eb Paul Harvey Quartet Tomasi Trois Divertissements Mozart Adagio K580 Gershwin 3 piece Suite Trad. arr. Rye/Easlan European Folk Song Suite

A concert marking the 50th anniversary of Zoltán Kodály's death and 50 years since his approach to music education was brought to this country by his pupil, Cecilia Vajda. School choirs will perform individually, and join together in the world premiere of Bob Chilcott’s A Tree of Song.

This evening's programme (which has no interval, and starts at 7.00pm) begins with Rossini’s captivating overture, The Thieving Magpie. We welcome the Italian violinist Luca Blasio who will play the sumptuous Brahms concerto.

The programme concludes with Elgar’s atmospheric concert overture In the South ‘Alassio’.

kodaly.org.uk

ymso.org.uk

The Clarinet Collective is a flexible ensemble of musicians, who between them play at least 8 different sizes of clarinet, allowing them to explore an exceptionally wide range of repertoire.

The members are all leading performers and teachers.

Promoted by British Kodály Academy

Promoted by Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Mon 6 March 7.00pm £15 (£10), £10

Wed 8 March 7.00pm £20, £15, £10 (conc. 20%)

Thu 9 March 1.05pm £10, YF

You may enjoy music by Kodály and his contemporaries on 2 February See page 58

YMSO return with works by Kodály, Rachmaninoff, and Brahms on 14 June See page 96

Become a supporter of St John’s and enjoy free admission to this series See page 114

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Michael Waldron

MINERVA PIANO TRIO

THE LONDON CHORAL SINFONIA

Young Artists’ Series Dance and Poetic Fantasy Michał Ćwiżewicz violin Richard Birchall cello Annie Yim piano With special guest choreographer and dancers Schumann Fantasiestücke Op. 88 Ravel transcr. Charlotte Bray Scenes from Daphnis and Chloe transcribed for piano trio with dance choreography (world premiere) Cheryl Frances-Hoad My Fleeting Angel Ravel Piano Trio in A minor Inspired by dance and poetic fantasy, the Minerva Piano Trio present an adaptation of Ravel’s Daphnis and Chloe – the legendary Ballets Russes commission – with a newly commissioned piano trio transcription by Charlotte Bray plus dance choreography, supported by St John’s Smith Square in association with MusicArt London.

Duruflé Requiem: Visions of Life & Death Michael Waldron conductor

OFFICE CHOIR OF THE YEAR COMPETITION

Britten Te Deum in C (version for choir and orchestra) Oliver Rudland New Work (world premiere) Poulenc Quatre motets pour un temps de pénitence Tarik O'Regan Care Charminge Sleepe Bainton arr. Owain Park And I Saw a New Heaven Duruflé Requiem

The culmination of workplace choirs competing for the title of Office Choir of the Year 2017.

From the world of media, banking and law, the talented singers battle it out with their performances.

The London Choral Sinfonia presents a concert of reflective and uplifting music for the lenten season. Featuring Poulenc’s stunning Lenten Motets and a world premiere by the LCS Composer-inResidence, Oliver Rudland, the programme culminates with a performance of Duruflé’s intensely beautiful Requiem.

minervapianotrio.com

musicinoffices.com

thelcs.org

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Music in Offices

Promoted by The London Choral Sinfonia

Thu 9 March 7.30pm £12 (£8), YF

Fri 10 March 7.30pm £15

Sat 11 March 7.30pm £35, £25, £20, £10

Minerva Piano Trio continue their Young Artist residency on 1 June See page 91

The London International A Cappella Choral Competition begins on 25 June See page 100

Our Holy Week Festival, co-promoted with Tenebrae, begins on 9 April See page 80

Final

Book online sjss.org.uk

71

“ Every aspect of this totally pleasurable evening, a bracing halfway house between Handel and Mozart, confirmed that everything Classical Opera puts on will be worth seeking out.”

The Arts Desk Mozart Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots Tues 21 March 2017 7.30pm Wed 22 March 2017 7.30pm Mozart Apollo et Hyacinthus Mon 12 June 2017 7.30pm Tues 13 June 2017 7.30pm

Ian Page © Benjamin Ealovega

CLASSICAL OPERA

MARCH thursday lunchtime concerts

LOUISE KEMÉNY & CHAD VINDIN Dans le jardin Louise Kemény soprano Chad Vindin piano Bizet Chanson d’Avril WD75 Franck Roses et Papillons Fauré Le Papillon et la Fleur Op. 1 No. 1 • Aurore Op. 39 No. 1 Butterworth No. 3 Sowing the Seeds of Love from Folk Songs from Sussex Sharp No. 110 The Sprig of Thyme from Folk Songs from Somerset Britten The Last Rose of Summer Debussy Rondel Chinois L17 • Dans le jardin L78 Chabrier Les cigales Ravel No. 2 Le grillon from Histoire naturelles 1906 Hahn Le rossignol des lilas Ginastera Canción al árbol Del Olvido Strauss Ständchen Op. 17 No. 2 Marx Selige Nacht The garden, as a place of beauty, a metaphor, and an idea, has long inspired composers, poets and painters alike. From the unsullied, natural perfection of Paradise to the impressionistic haze of an oriental landscape, we explore the flora and fauna, the serenity and the animation in the microcosmic world of the garden. louisekemeny.co.uk chadvindin.com

ORCHESTRA OF ST JOHN’S My Music Libby Purves guest Paul Blezard interviewer John Lubbock conductor Programme includes excerpts from larger works: Grieg Piano Concerto Debussy Clair de Lune Elgar Cello Concerto Haydn Serenade for flute Vivaldi Concerto for trumpet Purcell Trumpet Tune Handel Selections from Messiah Mozart ‘Voi che sapete’ from The Marriage of Figaro Verdi 'Pace' aria from Forza del Destino Trad. Linden Lea • The Fields of Athenry Haydn ‘Nun beut die Flur das frische Grün’ from The Creation Dibdin Tom Bowling In this concert series, special guests discuss the music that has meant the most to them before the OSJ perform the chosen works.

Libby Purves is a writer, radio broadcaster and was The Times chief theatre critic. Her career began on BBC local radio and in 1978 she became the youngest ever presenter of Radio 4’s Today programme for four years. Leaving to pursue print journalism, raise children and write 12 novels, she continues to host the Midweek programme. osj.org.uk

THE CAMDEN CHOIR Mirror of Perfection Pro Arte Lesley Jane Rogers soprano James Platt bass Julian Williamson conductor Richard Blackford Mirror of Perfection Fauré Requiem Op. 48 The Camden Choir explores the heights of joy in Richard Blackford’s Mirror of Perfection, which sets the Canticles of St Francis of Assisi, and the depths of sorrow in Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem, which focusses on eternal rest and consolation. camdenchoir.london

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Orchestra of St John’s

Promoted by The Camden Choir

Thu 16 March 1.05pm £10, YF

Thu 16 March 7.30pm £26, £20, £15, £10

Sat 18 March 7.30pm £20, £15, £10

Become a supporter of St John’s and enjoy free admission to this series See page 114

The OSJ’s My Music series continues with John Julius Norwich on 20 April See page 82

Our Holy Week Festival, co-promoted with Tenebrae, begins on 9 April See page 80

Book online sjss.org.uk

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g Pa © e Sh i la ck Ro

Stoneleigh Youth Orchestra

CLASSICAL OPERA The Orchestra of Classical Opera Thomas Guthrie director Ian Page conductor

STONELEIGH YOUTH ORCHESTRA Spring Concert Andrew Zolinsky piano Dan Shilladay assistant conductor Robert Hodge musical director Suppé Overture from Poet and Peasant Prokofiev Piano Concerto No. 2 in G minor Op. 16 Borodin Symphony No. 2 in B minor

Mozart The First Commandment (Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots) K35 As part of Ian Page’s groundbreaking MOZART 250, Classical Opera presents a rare staging of Mozart’s first musical drama 250 years after its premiere.

This remarkable work, full of tender beauty and dynamism, was composed when the composer was only eleven years old, but his innate sense of understanding and sympathy for the human condition already shines through. The work will be sung in Nigel Lewis’ irreverently witty and virtuosic English translation.

LONDON MOZART PLAYERS Beethoven Explored Howard Shelley piano & director Beethoven Piano Concerto in D minor Op. 61a (Beethoven’s arrangement of his Violin Concerto)

As a young drifter sleeps off his latest bout of hedonism, the Spirit of Christianity pleads with Justice and Compassion to save his soul and help him find deeper meaning in his life.

Howard Shelley presents a live analysis of Beethoven’s Piano Concerto Op. 61a, a revised version of his Violin Concerto for Piano and Orchestra. The last concert in the London Mozart Players’ lunchtime series offers the audience an informative and relaxed exploration of Beethoven’s rescored concerto.

stoneleighyouthorchestra.org.uk

classicalopera.co.uk

lmp.org

Promoted by Stoneleigh Youth Orchestra

Co-promoted by Classical Opera and St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by London Mozart Players and St John's Smith Square

Sun 19 March 6.30pm £10 (£5)

Tue 21 March 7.30pm £48, £38, £28, £18

Wed 22 March 1.05pm £14

You may enjoy YMSO’s performance on 14 June See page 96

This performance will be repeated tomorrow evening, 22 March See page 75

Orchestra Nova celebrate George Vass’ birthday on 10 May See page 88

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Stoneleigh Youth Orchestra returns to St John’s Smith Square with a programme that features the acclaimed pianist Andrew Zolinsky performing Prokofiev’s exciting and fiendish Piano Concerto No. 2.

CLASSICAL OPERA The Orchestra of Classical Opera Thomas Guthrie director Ian Page conductor Mozart The First Commandment (Die Schuldigkeit des ersten Gebots) K35 This concert is the second of Classical Opera’s two performances of Mozart’s The First Commandment at St John’s Smith Square.

As part of Ian Page’s groundbreaking MOZART 250, Classical Opera presents a rare staging of Mozart’s first musical drama 250 years after its premiere.

This remarkable work, full of tender beauty and dynamism, was composed when the composer was only eleven years old, but his innate sense of understanding and sympathy for the human condition already shines through. The work will be sung in Nigel Lewis’ irreverently witty and virtuosic English translation.

As a young drifter sleeps off his latest bout of hedonism, the Spirit of Christianity pleads with Justice and Compassion to save his soul and help him find deeper meaning in his life.

thursday lunchtime concerts

ROBERT SHOLL

London Phoenix Orchestra

Organ Series Alain Première Fantaisie Guilain Tierce en taille and Dialogue from Suite du deuxième ton Bach Erbarm dich mein, o Herre Gott BWV721 Florentz Laudes ‘Kidân za-Nageh’ Op. 5 Grieg Bryllupsdag på Troldhaugen ‘Wedding Day at Troldhaugen’ Robert Sholl teaches at the Royal Academy of Music and The University of West London.

He is also currently translating the writings of Jean-Louis Florentz. Robert studied with Olivier Latry, and has given recitals at the Madeleine, Notre-Dame de Paris, Westminster Abbey, and at St Paul’s Cathedral.

He is currently performing all of Olivier Messiaen’s organ works at Arundel Cathedral.

LONDON PHOENIX ORCHESTRA Slavic Masterpieces Simon Callaghan piano Lev Parikian conductor Glinka Overture from Ruslan and Lyudmila Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 1 in Bb minor Op. 23 Dvořák Symphony No. 5 in F Op. 76 Simon Callaghan joins London Phoenix Orchestra for Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 which is followed by Dvořák’s Symphony No. 5.

classicalopera.co.uk

The programme will also include improvisations.

Co-promoted by Classical Opera and St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by London Phoenix Orchestra

Wed 22 March 7.30pm £48, £38, £28, £18

Thu 23 March 1.05pm £10, YF

Thu 23 March 7.30pm £15, £12 (£9)

Classical Opera return on 12–13 June with more Mozart See page 95 – 96

Our Organ Series continues with Tom Bell on 20 April See page 82

Aurora Orchestra and Nicholas Collon perform Brahms from memory on 3 June See page 92

Book online sjss.org.uk

londonphoenixorchestra.com

75

MARCH Jeremy Jackman © Emanuele Giovanni Sandon

DARKNESS TO LIGHT: CHORAL MUSIC FROM ALLEGRI TO THE PRESENT DAY Vasari Singers Chamber Choir Of Burntwood School Jeremy Backhouse music director Debbie Lammin music director Paul Stoneman percussion Allegri Miserere Parry Songs of Farewell Will Todd Inside my heart Judith Weir I carry your heart with me Antony le Fleming Matilda The award-winning Vasari Singers and the Burntwood Chamber Choir present the timeless beauty of Allegri’s Miserere, the emotion of Parry’s Songs of Farewell, the warmth of Will Todd’s Inside my Heart and the humour of cautionary tales in Antony le Fleming’s Matilda, plus a small gem by Judith Weir. vasarisingers.org burntwoodschool.com

sunday at st john’s

ENGLISH BAROQUE CHOIR Great Composers Brandenburg Sinfonia Jeremy Jackman conductor Vivaldi Magnificat Rv.610 Haydn Salve Regina in G minor Hob.XXIIIb Mozart Misericordias Domini Bach Mass in G minor BWV235

LONDON PIANO TRIO Great British Piano Trios Armstrong Gibbs Trio No. 1 Bowen Piano Trio in E minor Op. 118 Rawsthorne Piano Trio Ireland Piano Trio No. 3 in E minor

Join us for a joyful exploration of fine pieces by four of the world's favourite composers.

The beautiful acoustic of St John’s Smith Square will ring to vivacious Vivaldi, harmonious Haydn, melodious Mozart and brilliant Bach in a feast of choral gems.

Welcome in spring in a colourful and uplifting vein with the London Piano Trio’s second concert of their season at St John’s Smith Square, featuring four works by English composers. Cecil Armstrong Gibbs’ only piano trio, recorded by the trio and available at the concert, plus other trios by York Bowen, Alan Rawsthorne, and John Ireland.

ebc.org.uk

londonpianotrio.com

Promoted by Burntwood School

Promoted by English Baroque Choir

Co-promoted by London Piano Trio and St John’s Smith Square

Fri 24 March 7.30pm £17, £12

Sat 25 March 7.30pm £25, £21, £17, £10

Sun 26 March 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Our Holy Week Festival, co-promoted with Tenebrae, begins on 9 April See page 80

Armonico Consort present Bach’s St Matthew Passion on 5 April See page 79

The London Piano Trio return with Russian chamber music on 18 June See page 97

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Paul McCreesh © Andy Staples

YULIANNA AVDEEVA Southbank Centre’s International Piano Series Piano Beethoven Sonata in E minor Op. 90 • 32 Variations on an Original Theme in C minor WoO.80 • Sonata in Eb Op. 81a ‘Les Adieux’ Liszt La lugubre gondola S200 (version 1) • Unstern! sinistre, disastro S208 • R.W. – Venezia, S201 • Sonata in B minor

GABRIELI

“This Russian pianist is a revelation. She plays brilliantly with emotion and a magical touch. Her audience are caught under her spell.” — Le Journal du Médoc.

thursday lunchtime concerts

LORENA PAZ NIETO & JOHAN BARNOIN Oxford Lieder Young Artists Soprano and Piano Strauss Drei Lieder der Ophelia Op. 67 Rachmaninoff Dreams • How fair the spot Villa-Lobos Amor y Perfidia • Lundú da marquesa de Santos and Cantilena from Modinhas e Cançoes Turina Canto a Sevilla

Gabrieli present a programme dating from Handel’s four years in Italy – a cantata thanking the Virgin Mary for her protection of Rome from an earthquake and the virtuosic choral tour de force, Dixit Dominus.

For this recital, Yulianna opens with Beethoven: first, the two-movement Sonata Op. 90, which moves from tension and turbulence to peaceful reconciliation; next, the 32 Variations in C minor, a roller-coaster ride of pianistic invention. The second half is devoted to works by Liszt, whose haunting vision of Venice, La lugubre gondola, contrasts with the brighter Venezia, filled with joie de vivre. The concert ends with the intense dramatic span of his mighty Sonata in B minor.

gabrieli.com

avdeevapiano.com

lorenapaznieto.com oxfordlieder.co.uk

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by Southbank Centre and HarrisonParrott

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Tue 28 March 7.30pm £45, £35, £25, £15

Wed 29 March 7.30pm £38, £28, £15, £10

Thu 30 March 1.05pm £10, YF

Gabrieli return with a new commission

by Matthew Martin on 8 June See page 94

IPS & ICMS Series Offers Book 3–4 concerts and save 10% Book 5 or more concerts and save 20%

Become a supporter of St John’s and enjoy free admission to this series See page 114

Handel in Italy Paul McCreesh conductor Corelli Concerto Grosso in D Op. 6 No. 4 Handel Donna che in ciel HWV233 • Dixit Dominus HWV232

Book online sjss.org.uk

Oxford Lieder exists to promote the art of song. The annual Oxford Lieder Festival in October is complemented by other projects such as the Young Artist Platform, sponsoring the finest young singers and pianists to give recitals across the UK.

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MARCH Graham Ross © Benjamin Ealovega

APRIL Palisander © Esteban Lalinde

CHOIR OF CLARE COLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE Reformation 500 Project Clare Baroque Margaret Faultless leader Graham Ross conductor Bach Gott der Herr ist Sonn und Schild BWV79 • Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott BWV80 Vaughan Williams Lord, thou hast been our refuge Brahms Warum ist das Licht gegeben Luther Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott Graham Ross conducts the Choir of Clare College, Cambridge and Clare Baroque (led by violinist Margaret Faultless) in a celebration of the 500th anniversary of the Reformation, with Bach's celebrated Reformation Cantatas book-ending a programme that includes two of the great chorale-based motets by Vaughan Williams and Brahms.

CROUCH END FESTIVAL CHORUS Bach Camerata David Temple conductor Bach St John Passion

sunday at st john’s

PALISANDER

The essence of Bach’s extraordinary St John Passion is its communication of a human story – perfect for Crouch End Festival Chorus, a choir repeatedly commended for its communicative power.

Performing the work in English, alongside first-rate soloists, ensures that the visceral energy of this Baroque masterpiece will be unforgettable.

Young Artists’ Series

clare.cam.ac.uk

cefc.org.uk

palisanderrecorders.com

Promoted by Ikon Arts Management

Promoted by Crouch End Festival Chorus

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Thu 30 March 7.30pm £30, £25, £20, £10

Sat 1 April 7.30pm £28, £24, £18, £12.50 (5 for 4) (Students Under 21 50%)

Sun 2 April 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Our Holy Week Festival, co-promoted with Tenebrae, begins on 9 April See page 80

Come & Sing Handel’s Messiah with the Smith Square Voices on 13 April See page 81

Palisander continue their Young Artist residency on 15 June See page 96

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Journey to the New World Inspired by the first voyages to the New World, this programme, whilst stemming from the Age of Exploration, is not restricted to a single time frame and features music spanning over 500 years: from Tallis to Vivaldi to Vaughan Williams.

Ian Bostridge © Sim Canetty-Clarke

thursday lunchtime concerts

ENSEMBLE x.y ARMONICO CONSORT Ian Bostridge evangelist Christopher Monks conductor Bach St Matthew Passion International star Ian Bostridge joins the finest period instrumentalists and singers of Armonico Consort to bring Bach’s masterpiece to life.

A work of genius, combining the most perfectly formed recitative interpolated with Bach’s most beautiful arias, the St Matthew Passion reflects on the emotional drama from the story of the Passion of Christ.

Christine Buras soprano Lotte Betts-Dean mezzo soprano Alyson Frazier flute Frank Capoferri saxophone Ben Caplin clarinet & saxophone Mayah Kadish violin Cecilia Bignall cello Joseph Havlat piano Oliver Pooley percussion Toby Thatcher conductor Sara Cubarsi (x.y composer) New Work Salvatore Sciarrino String Trio No. 2 Agata Zubel Cascando Alex Mincek Color – Form – Line

Whatever your own spiritual beliefs, everyone should hear it at least once, and there’s no more immediate way to experience it than in this performance by Armonico Consort, the Warwickshirebased period ensemble highly regarded worldwide for the freshness and drama of its interpretations.

Ensemble x.y presents a concert of four entwined modern works. From Agata Zubel’s exquisite setting of Samuel Beckett’s poem Cascando, to the modern master Salvatore Sciarrino’s highly dramatic Piano Trio No. 2, each work balances finely the demands of sensuous beauty and compositional rigour, discipline with fancy, modern technique with musical engagement.

armonico.org.uk

ensemblexy.com

Promoted by Armonico Consort

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Wed 5 April 7.00pm £35, £28, £22, £14

Thu 6 April 1.05pm £10, YF

Join us on Good Friday for Bach’s St John Passion with Polyphony and the OAE See page 81

The Park Lane Group Young Artists Spring Series begins on 24 April See page 84

Book online sjss.org.uk

79

APRIL Nigel Short and Tenebrae © Chris O’Donovan

HOLY WEEK FESTIVAL New to this season is our Holy Week Festival, held in conjunction with Tenebrae and their Artistic Director, Nigel Short.

From Palm Sunday to Good Friday, St John’s Smith Square will host workshops, lunchtime concerts, evening concerts and late-night liturgical events, exploring a vast range of sacred music for Holy Week.

In addition to the concerts, Nigel Short and Tenebrae Consort will perform a range of devotional Tenebrae settings and responses on Spy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. The festival will also include opportunities to participate in a workshop with Tenebrae, and Come & Sing Handel’s Messiah with the Smith Square Voices.

Please visit sjss.org.uk for full details on our Holy Week Festival, which will be published on Saturday 1 October 2016.

Sun 9 – Fri 14 April

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ETCETERA CIVIL SERVICE CHOIR & ORCHESTRAL CONSORT Holy Week Festival Stephen Hall conductor Mozart Great Mass in C minor K427 This outstanding Civil Service choir returns for a fifth year to give a lunchtime performance of something special in Holy Week, and it is a rare chance to attend a concert for free.

Yes, a performance of Mozart’s Great Mass at St John’s Smith Square, and the tickets are free!

Please register for tickets at the Box Office.

Don’t miss out! civilservicechoir.org.uk Promoted by ETCetera Choir

Tue 11 April 1.05pm Free admission (ticketed)

Polyphony © Benjamin Ealovega

Richard Heason © Amy Ryan

TENEBRAE & AURORA ORCHESTRA Holy Week Festival Emma Walshe soprano Stephen Kennedy baritone Aurora Orchestra Nigel Short conductor Fauré Requiem Bach Partita No. 2 • Selection of Chorales Described as “devastingly beautiful” (Gramophone Magazine) and “simply mind-blowing” (The Scotsman), Tenebrae is delighted to be performing its interpretation of Fauré’s Requiem with the exquisite Aurora Orchestra.

Preceded by a selection of Bach’s chorales interspersed with his Partitia in D minor, the performance will be presented in true Tenebrae style: set by candlelight and making full use of the performance space.

Tenebrae will create an immersive audience experience in what promises to be an unmissable event in the choir’s inaugural Holy Week Festival.

Please note this concert will last approximately 75 mins without an interval.

COME & SING MESSIAH Holy Week Festival Smith Square Voices Chartwell Sinfonia Tenebrae Associate Artists Richard Heason conductor Handel Messiah Come and join the Smith Square Voices for their annual scratch performance of what is probably the most popular of all choral works – Handel’s Messiah. Accompanied by the Chartwell Sinfonia, and with Tenebrae’s Associate Artists as soloists, choral singers are invited to come together to celebrate and perform as part of our Holy Week Festival.

There is not a more appropriate work at this time of year than Handel’s supremely powerful oratorio which tells the story of Christ’s foretelling, His passion and the mystery of mankind’s redemption through His suffering.

BACH ST JOHN PASSION Holy Week Festival Polyphony Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment Nicholas Pritchard evangelist Neal Davies christus Julia Doyle soprano Iestyn Davies countertenor Gwilym Bowen tenor Ashley Riches bass Stephen Layton director Bach St John Passion For many people, for many years now, Polyphony’s Good Friday performance of Bach’s sublime St John Passion has been a highlight of their concert season. With the top period instrument players of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment, and the pick of the rising generation of singers amongst the soloists this is simply not to be missed.

tenebrae-choir.com

For further details on this and our other Come & Sing events please see page 106.

Co-promoted by Tenebrae and St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Associated Musical Services Ltd

Wed 12 April 7.30pm £39, £29, £22, £14

Thu 13 April 7.00pm Concert £12 (£8) Participants £10 (£5)

Fri 14 April 2.30pm £55, £45, £40, £20

Book online sjss.org.uk

stephenlayton.com/polyphony

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APRIL ORCHESTRA OF ST JOHN’S

Organ Series

My Music

Alain Première Fantaisie • Deuxième Fantaisie • Trois pièces Hagen Shalom Bach A selection from Das Orgelbüchlein: Herr Christ, der ein'ge Gottessohn BWV601 • Wir Christenleut BWV612 • Das alte Jahr vergangen ist BWV614 • In dir ist Freude BWV615 • Dies sind die heilgen zehn Gebot BWV635 • Ach wie nichtig, ach wie flüchtig BWV644 van Oortmerssen Nun ruhen alle Wälder

John Julius Norwich guest Paul Blezard interviewer John Lubbock conductor

Tom Bell’s playing has been described as “invigorating” by the Sunday Times, and “compelling” by Organists’ Review.

Tom is Artistic Director of the London Organ Day, and also teaches the organ at the Royal College of Organists and the Royal Hospital School in Suffolk. Tom also serves as Organist and Choir Master at St Michael’s Church, Chester Square in central London. He writes occasionally, and his work has been published in BBC Music Magazine, Organists’ Review and others. Tom studied at the RNCM in Manchester with Kevin Bowyer, in London with Ann Elise Smoot and in Amsterdam with Jacques van Oortmerssen.

Programme includes excerpts from larger works: Schubert Allegro ma non troppo from Quintet in C Op. 163 • Litanei auf das Fest Aller Seelen Schumann Kinderszenen No. 1 in G Op. 15 Strauss Morgen Mozart ‘Porgi amor’ from La Nozze di Figaro Haydn Poco adagio from Quartet No. 62 in C Op. 76 No. 3 ‘Emperor’ Gershwin Someone to watch over me Mendelssohn Andante from Octet in Eb Op. 20 In this concert series, special guests discuss the music that has meant the most to them before the OSJ perform the chosen works.

John Julius, 2nd Viscount Norwich, is the son of the statesman and diplomat Alfred Duff Cooper (1st Viscount) and the Lady Diana Cooper. He was educated in the Royal Navy before taking a degree in French and Russian at New College, Oxford. He then spent twelve years in H.M. Foreign Service. In 1964 he resigned to become a writer.

Ferio Saxophone Quartet © James McCormick

TOM BELL

thursday lunchtime concerts

HERTFORDSHIRE CHORUS David Temple conductor Rachmnaninoff Vespers (All-Night Vigil) Hertfordshire Chorus, under David Temple, performs Rachmaninoff’s Vespers (All-Night Vigil), containing some of the most deeply moving, reflective choral music ever written. Composed over two weeks in 1915, with Russia at war and on the brink of disintegration, this work is one of the most popular of all time. hertfordshirechorus.org.uk

tombell-organist.net

osj.org.uk

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Orchestra of St John’s

Thu 20 April 1.05pm £10, YF

Thu 20 April 7.30pm £26, £20, £15, £10

Sat 22 April 7.30pm £25, £20, £14, £12 (50% for Under 18S, conc. 10%)

Our Organ Series continues with Ben Bloor on 25 May See page 98

The OSJ’s My Music series continues with Sir Roy Strong on 25 May See page 91

London International A Cappella Choral Competition 2017 begins on 25 June See page 100

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Promoted by Hertfordshire Chorus

sunday at st john’s

FERIO SAXOPHONE QUARTET Young Artists' Series Best of British Huw Wiggin soprano sax Ellie McMurray alto sax Jose Bañuls tenor sax Shevaughan Beere baritone sax Byrd Ave Verum Corpus Elgar Serenade for Strings Gavin Bryars Alaric I or II Gary Carpenter Une Semaine de Bonté Michael Nyman arr. David Roach 4 movements from String Quartet No. 2 Will Gregory Hoe Down

FERIO SAXOPHONE QUARTET 2016/17 YOUNG ARTISTS The multi-award-winning Ferio Saxophone Quartet recently performed at the Brighton and Newbury festivals, and have an exciting schedule for 2016/17.

Their engagements include performances at the Edinburgh Fringe, Machynlleth, North Norfolk, and Petworth Festivals as well as their Wigmore Hall debut. The quartet’s prizes include the Philharmonia Orchestra’s Martins Musical Scholarship Fund award and Tunnell Trust Award. They were also selected as 2015/16 Park Lane Group Artists and have won the Royal Over-Seas League’s Ensemble Competition.

Thu 8 December 1.05pm Sun 23 April 3.00pm Thu 11 May 7.30pm

This programme, which showcases works by prominent British composers, starts with Ave Verum Corpus by William Byrd before a new arrangement of Serenade for Strings by Edward Elgar. Originally composed in 1989 Alaric I or II was scored for two sopranos, alto and baritone saxophones, a choice which mirrors the instrumentation and pitch ranges of the more familiar string quartet. Popular composers Gary Carpenter and Michael Nyman complete the programme before ending with Hoe Down by Goldfrapp keyboardist and producer Will Gregory. feriosax.co.uk Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Sun 23 April 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF Ferio Saxophone Quartet continue their Young Artist residency on 11 May See page 89

APRIL Sir Richard Rodney Bennett

PARK LANE GROUP YOUNG ARITSTS SPRING SERIES 2017 The Future Starts Here!

“For one glorious week, youthful idealism is placed in perfect equilibrium with professional opportunity” ­—The Times A week of events and concerts in which the Park Lane Group in its 61st Season presents 15 sets of highly talented Young Artists. The wide-ranging and imaginative programmes have three threads: (i) Remembering Sir Richard Rodney Bennett (ii) Key Composers taking part in lively conversations (iii) A carefully-selected number of Young Artists who are also talented composers who will give imaginative introductions to their new works.

The result is an explosive mixture of ideas, connections and influences with a sweeping breadth of language, style and personality. A week of colourful music, sometimes new, often little-known, performed here by dazzling debut-artists. PLG, confident from all its many previous seasons, is equally confident that these Young Artists also will make their mark on the musical world. parklanegroup.co.uk Promoted by Park Lane Group

PLG Young Artists Spring Series 2017 6.00pm Key Composer: Giles Swayne in conversation with John Wallace

PLG Young Artists Spring Series 2017

Matilda Lloyd trumpet Cameron Richardson-Eames piano

Rosalind Ventris viola

Giles Swayne Sangre viva Maxwell Davies Trumpet Sonata Deborah Pritchard Seven Halts on the Somme 1916 7.30pm Joy Lisney solo cello Laefer Saxophone Quartet Ligeti Sonata Jan Vriend Symphonic Dances (world premiere) Bennett Saxophone Quartet Charlotte Harding New Work for Saxophone Quartet (world premiere) Joy Lisney New Work for solo cello (world premiere) George Crumb Sonata for solo cello Giles Swayne New Work for saxophone quartet (world premiere) Mendelssohn Capriccio No. 3 Op. 81

Daily tickets include entry to both events: £16, £13, £10, £7

Mon 24 April

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6.00pm Edwin Roxburgh Monologue Howard Skempton Moto perpetuo Janet Owen Thomas Partita Joe Cutler Gala Salvatore Sciarrino Tre notturni brillante 7.30pm Elizabeth Karani soprano Edmund Whitehead piano Laura Snowden guitar Libby Larsen Try me, good King Bernstein I hate music Bennett Five Impromptus Philip Cashian Black Venus Laura Snowden New Work (world premiere) Rawsthorne Elegy Julian Anderson Catalan Peasant with Guitar Berners Lieder Album Julian Phillips Love Songs of Amy Lowell Adam Gorb Wedding Breakfast Tue 25 April

Gordon Crosse Judith Weir

Misha Mullov-Abbado

PLG Young Artists Spring Series 2017 6.00pm Key Composer: Gordon Crosse in conversation with John Turner Matthew Scott clarinet Christine Zerafa piano Gordon Crosse New Work (world premiere) Jorg Widmann Fantasie Philip Grange The Sleep of Reason brings forth Demons (after Goya) Bennett Ballad in Memory of Shirley Horn Gary Carpenter Marking Time for basset clarinet and piano

PLG Young Artists Spring Series 2017 6.00pm Guitar Duo Julian Vickers guitar Daniel Bovey guitar

PLG Young Artists Spring Series 2017 6.00pm Alastair Penman saxophone Edward Liddall piano

Joe Cutler Everyday Music Jolivet Sérénade pour Deux Guitares Stephen Dodgson Pastourelle Gary Ryan Generator

Bennett Sonata Graham Fitkin Gate Alastair Penman New Work (world premiere) David Blake Diversions on a theme of Hanns Eisler Françaix Cinq Dances Exotiques

7.30pm

7.30pm

Solem String Quartet Nas Duo percussion & clarinet

Jacquin Trio clarinet, viola, & piano Eunsley Park violin Aleksandar Djermanović piano

Pelléas Ensemble flute, viola & harp Philip Strange piano

Berg String Quartet Op. 28 Gordon Crosse String Quartet No. 5 Ross Edwards Enyato IV Robert Nasvels Preparations for coma Philip Grange Three Pieces after Drawings by Escher Donatoni Bok Colin Matthews Quartet No. 5 Camden Reeves String Quartet No. 1

David Blake Four Intermezzi Judith Weir Music for 247 strings Philip Cashian The Devil’s Box Charlotte Bray New Work (world premiere) George Crumb Four Nocturnes Wolfgang Rihm A Violin Sonata Colin Matthews Three Interludes Simon Rowland-Jones Trio Jacquin

Debussy Syrinx Bennett Sonata after syrinx Benjamin Graves New Work (world premiere) Jonathan Woolgar Five Anatomical Sketches George Benjamin Shadowlines Jolivet Petite Suite Misha Mullov-Abbado Three Meditation Songs Stevenson From A 20th-Century Music Diary Ligeti Three Études

Wed 26 April

Thu 27 April

Fri 28 April

7.30pm

Book online sjss.org.uk

85

APRIL

MAY

ORCHESTRA OF THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT Southbank Centre at St John’s Smith Square Cremeloque Trio © Miguel Ribeiro

The Brandenburgs Lisa Beznosiuk flute Katharina Spreckelsen oboe Roger Montgomery horn David Blackadder trumpet Steven Devine harpsichord

CREMELOQUE TRIO Walk on the Classic Side Luis Marques oboe Franz-Jürgen Dörsam bassoon Savka Konjikusic piano

Bach Brandenburg Concerto No. 1 in F BWV1046 • Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G BWV1048 • Brandenburg Concerto No. 5 in D BWV1050 • Brandenburg Concerto No. 4 in G BWV1049 • Brandenburg Concerto No. 6 in Bb BWV1051 • Brandenburg Concerto No. 2 in F BWV1047 Hear all of the Brandenburg Concertos – six Baroque masterpieces that need no introduction – at this concert.

Each concerto has its own unique structure and personality, but all are technically impressive and emotionally raw.

ALEXANDER GAVRYLYUK Southbank Centre’s International Piano Series Bach transcr. Busoni Toccata and Fugue in D minor BWV565 Haydn Sonata in B minor Hob.XVI/32 Chopin Étude in E Op. 10 No. 3 • Étude in F Op. 10 No. 8 • Étude in F minor Op. 10 No. 9 • Étude in Ab Op. 10 No. 10 • Étude in Eb Op. 10 No. 11 • Étude in C minor Op. 10 No. 12 • Polonaise in Ab Op. 53 Rachmaninoff Étude-tableau in A minor Op. 39 No. 2 • Étudetableau in Eb minor Op. 39 No. 5 • Étude-tableau in C minor Op. 39 No. 7 • Étude-tableau in D Op. 39 No. 9 • Sonata No. 2 in Bb minor Op. 36 (rev. ver. 1931) De Telegraaf calls Alexander Gavrylyuk “one of the great discoveries of the past decade”.

There will be a pre-concert talk at 5.45pm.

The winner of the 2005 Arthur Rubinstein Competition makes his debut in Southbank Centre’s International Piano Series. His programme includes Haydn’s Sonata in B minor which mingles pure classical lines with shadowy, mysterious atmospheres, Chopin pieces that include some of the composer’s most brilliant and poetic études, and a selection of Rachmaninoff’s Étudestableaux where the most demanding technical tasks are present in the form of expressive character pieces.

Promoted by Cremeloque Trio

Promoted by Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

Co-promoted by Southbank Centre and HarrisonParrott

Sat 29 April 7.30pm £20, £15, £10

Tue 2 May 7.00pm £60, £40, £25, £10

Wed 3 May 7.30pm £38, £28, £15, £10

You may enjoy our Young Artist Minerva Piano Trio’s concert on 1 June See page 91

You may enjoy The Brook Street Band’s concert on 4 June See page 93

IPS & ICMS Series Offers Book 3–4 concerts and save 10% Book 5 or more concerts and save 20%

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Mozart Trio in Eb K498 ‘Kegelstatt’ Beethoven Piano Trio Op. 1 No. 3 Lalliet Terzetto Shostakovich Trio No. 1 Op. 8 Cremeloque Trio is building their reputation throughout European halls by presenting new chamber music works for their group as well as giving a fresh approach to well-known piano trios arranged for the ensemble.

The Brandenburgs have been an important part of the OAE’s history since a landmark recording 25 years ago.

This concert provides a rare chance to hear them revived in their entirety.

Christina McMaster © Carlos Lumiere

DAVID COHEN & CARDUCCI QUARTET

Rolf Hind © Paul Frank Rogers

David Cohen cello Carducci Quartet

thursday lunchtime concerts

CHRISTINA MCMASTER Young Artists’ Series Fantasies on Form Christina McMaster piano Kristine Balanas violin Margerita Balanas cello Handel Trio Sonata in G minor HWV393 Arvo Pärt Musik für Kindertheater • Für Alina Schumann Piano Trio in D minor Op. 63 A dynamic programme featuring composers Arvo Pärt and Robert Schumann – both composers have been strongly influenced by their past including by Handel, however they also had brilliant imaginations and created new sounds through their inventive and at times fantastical writing.

Haydn String Quartet in D Op. 20 No. 4 Gordon Crosse Sonata for Cello Alone ‘Little Bu’ Gavin Higgins Fourth movement from Gursky Landscape (world premiere) Schubert String Quintet in C D956 The Belgian born cellist, David Cohen, gives the London premieres of two works he has commissioned. Gordon Crosse, who celebrates his 80th birthday in 2017, has written a Bachinspired sonata for solo cello.

Gavin Higgins’ Gursky Landscapes for solo cello and string quartet is the final movement of a larger work to be premiered at the Cheltenham Festival in 2018 and is a musical response to the photography of Andreas Gursky.

OCCUPY THE PIANOS This year’s event will be a taster day, acting as a prelude to a full Occupy the Pianos extravaganza in 2018 which will be curated by Rolf Hind.

The growing stable of pianistic trailblazers will be joined by percussion, voice, film and elements of theatre in an exploration of the two broad subjects of Nature and Technology.

The Carducci Quartet join David Cohen and the programme concludes with Schubert’s sublime String Quintet in C.

Music by Messiaen, Radulescu, Tansy Davies, Simon Steen Andersen; composers old and new for whom these two areas are a source of inspiration and enquiry, as well as new pieces by student composers and composers-in-association.

christinamcmaster.com

carducciquartet.com davidcohen.be

We look forward to seeing you there!

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by Owen White Management and St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Thu 4 May 1.05pm £10, YF

Fri 5 May 7.30pm £18, £12

Sat 6 May from 10.00am Day Pass £15 (£10)

You may enjoy Arvo Pärt’s choral music between 25 June–1 July See page 100

Carducci Quartet perform with Martino Tirimo on 16 November See page 32

Full details of this day's events will be published on 1 February on sjss.org.uk

Book online sjss.org.uk

87

Martynas Levickis © Gediminas Žilinskas

MAY

Michael Bochmann

A 60TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION FOR GEORGE VASS sunday at st john’s

ALL ABOUT MOZART Mozart Focus Series Deniz Arman Gelenbe piano Michael Bochmann violin Rivka Golani viola Vanessa Lucas-Smith cello Mozart Sonata in G K301 for Piano and Violin • Sonata in Bb K454 for Piano and Violin • Sonata in F K376 • Piano Quartet No. 2 in Eb K493 The final concert features three sonatas for piano and violin.

Although called ‘accompanied’ sonatas, K301, K454 and K376 differ from his early sonatas.

In particular, K454 is a monumental and mature work which has eloquent dialogue between the two instruments.

Mozart’s happy and lyrical second piano quartet K493 ends the series.

Orchestra Nova Gillian Keith soprano Sadie Fields violin Sarah-Jane Bradley viola Jonny Byers cello George Vass conductor Vaughan Williams Fantasia on a theme of Thomas Tallis David Matthews Three Housman Songs Op. 69 (London premiere) James Francis Brown Trio Concertante (London premiere) Britten Les Illuminations Op. 18 Tippett Concerto for double string orchestra Respected British conductor George Vass celebrates his sixtieth birthday with a programme of much-loved English string music. Widely acknowledged for his support of living British composers and well-known for his work as director of the Presteigne Festival, Vass typically includes London premieres of works by David Matthews and James Francis Brown.

thursday lunchtime concerts

MARTYNAS LEVICKIS Accordion Sofia Gubaidulina De Profundis Soler Sonata in C minor K84 • Sonata in B minor K87 Bach Prelude from English Suite No. 2 in A minor BWV807 Mendelssohn First movement from Sonata No. 6 in D minor Cage Dream Martynas Levickis is a captivating performer whose virtuosity has transformed the way we hear the accordion. This recital explores the timeless clarity of Bach and Soler alongside Mendelssohn, gently melodic John Cage and Gubaidulina’s astonishingly complex and transcendent De Profundis.

novamusic.org.uk

martynasmusic.com

Co-promoted by Deniz Arman Gelenbe and St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by Nova Music Trust Ltd and St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Sun 7 May 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Wed 10 May 7.30pm £32, £25, £20, £15

Thu 11 May 1.05pm £10, YF

Save on our Sunday series Book multiple concerts and save 20% See page 105

You may enjoy Aurora Orchestra and Nicholas Collon’s concert on 3 June See page 92

Become a supporter of St John’s and enjoy free admission to this series See page 114

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Alexandra Vaduva © John Batten

FERIO SAXOPHONE QUARTET Young Artists’ Series Huw Wiggin soprano sax Ellie McMurray alto sax Jose Bañuls tenor sax Shevaughan Beere baritone sax Timothy End piano Rivier Grave et Presto Shostakovich arr. Ferio Saxophone Quartet Jazz Suite No. 1 Pedro Iturralde Memorias Ida Gotkovsky Quatour de Saxophones Guillermo Lago New Work • Cordoba, Sarajevo, and Addis Ababa from Ciudades This final concert from the Ferio Saxophone Quartet brings together original and contemporary works for saxophone quartet, and new arrangements of works for quartet and piano.

The quartet have had a long lasting relationship with composer Guillermo Lago and have commissioned him to write a new work played alongside his Ciudades for saxophone quartet.

LONDON FESTIVAL OF BAROQUE MUSIC 2017 Baroque at the Edge Friday 12 – Saturday 20 May 2017 Britain’s foremost Baroque music festival returns with another imaginative programme featuring the very best UK and international performing talent. Inspired by the anniversaries of Monteverdi and Telemann, this year’s theme of ‘Baroque at the Edge’ explores the places where the Baroque pushes at its boundaries, either backwards towards the Renaissance and forwards to the Classical era, or into ‘edgier’ and more extreme forms of expression. Composers include Monteverdi, Telemann, Pergolesi, Biber and Handel.

Festival programmes will be published online in Spring 2017.

thursday lunchtime concerts

ALEXANDRA VADUVA Piano Schubert Sonata in A D537 Brahms Intermezzi Op. 117 Enescu Suite Op. 3 in G minor ‘Dans le style ancien’ The effervescent and exciting early Schubert Sonata in A D537 is a wonderful contrast to the Intermezzi Op. 117 by Brahms, which the composer described as “lullabies for my sorrows”.

Mentored by the latter while studying in Vienna, Enescu takes us back in the Suite Op. 3 to the German Baroque Era, with its highly flourished and virtuosic characteristics.

feriosax.co.uk

lfbm.org.uk

alexandravaduva.wordpress. com

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by London Festival of Baroque Music

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Thu 11 May 7.30pm £12 (£8), YF

Fri 12 – Sat 20 May

Thu 18 May 1.05pm £10, YF

You may also enjoy our Young Artist harpist Oliver Wass’ concert on 21 May See page 90

You may enjoy The Brook Street Band’s concert on 4 June See page 93

You may enjoy a programme of Schubert piano music on 8 June See page 94

Book online sjss.org.uk

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MAY thursday lunchtime concerts Holst Singers © Kate Mount

BEN BLOOR Organ Series Tournemire Triptyque, No. 26 from L’orgue mystique Alain Variations sur un theme de Clement Jannequin Vierne Symphonie No. 4 in G minor sunday at st john's

A rollercoaster ride of triumph, terror, inner turmoil and divine intervention, Jephtha promises to be an evening of drama featuring some of Handel’s finest music.

The programme features two of the most famous and well-loved chamber works for the harp: Debussy’s Danses, and Ravel’s Introduction and Allegro. These two pieces were commissioned by rival harp companies to showcase their new instruments to the public.

Ben Bloor began his musical education as a chorister in Derby Cathedral where he also became the organ scholar.

In 2010, he achieved the prestigious organ scholarship at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, where he resided and worked for the year, playing (on occasion for royalty) and teaching the young choristers.

Recently, Ben graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Music from the University of Oxford, where he was also organ scholar at New College.

Thereafter, Ben spent a year as the organ scholar at Westminster Cathedral and subsequently as the Assistant Sub-Organist at Rochester Cathedral. Ben was the winner of the 2012 Northern Ireland International Organ Competition, and holds the Limpus prize for highest marks in the 2013 FRCO examinations.

In 2014, he was awarded the Silver Medal of the Worshipful Company of Musicians for his contribution to organ-playing.

At present, he studies with Henry Fairs, as part of a Personal Study Programme at Birmingham Conservatoire.

holstsingers.com

oliverwass.co.uk

benbloor.com

Promoted by London Festival of Baroque Music

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by St John's Smith Square

Sat 20 May 7.30pm £45, £35, £25, £15

Sun 21 May 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Thu 25 May 1.05pm £10, YF

You may enjoy Les Talens Lyriques performing Monteverdi on 7 June See page 93

Oliver Wass continues his Young Artist residency on 15 June See page 97

Our Organ Series continues with Robert Quinney on 22 June See page 98

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OLIVER WASS Young Artists’ Series French Friends and Rivals Oliver Wass harp Pelléas Ensemble And special guests

HOLST SINGERS London Festival of Baroque Music 2017 Stephen Layton conductor Handel Jephtha Stephen Layton and the Holst Singers continue their epic journey through Handel’s oratorios with the fourth concert in the series.

Debussy Cello Sonata • Danses Sacrée et Profane Couperin Music for Solo Harp Ravel Tombeau de Couperin • Sonatine • Introduction and Allegro Caplet Conte Fantastique Jolivet Sonatine for Flute and Clarinet This concert explores the complex relationships, influences and rivalries between French composers over 300 years, from Couperin to Jolivet.

JUNE I Musicanti © Clemmie Curd

ORCHESTRA OF ST JOHN’S My Music Orchestra of St John's Sir Roy Strong guest Paul Blezard interviewer John Lubbock conductor Programme includes excerpts from larger works:

thursday lunchtime concerts sunday at st john’s

I MUSICANTI

MINERVA PIANO TRIO

Elgar Enigma Variations Novello ‘We'll gather lilacs’ from Perchance to Dream Rota The Leopard Puccini La bohème Walton Crown Imperial Tchaikovsky The Sleeping Beauty

Leon Bosch clarinet Julie Price bassoon Hannah Sieber horn Tamás András violin Fenella Humphreys violin Robert Smissen viola Richard Harwood cello Leon Bosch double bass

In this concert series, special guests discuss the music that has meant the most to them before the OSJ perform the chosen works.

Mozart Clarinet Quintet in A K581 David Earl Sonata for viola and double bass (world premiere) Schubert Octet in F D803

Sir Roy Strong is interviewed

by Paul Blezard about his life and musical influences. Sir Roy Colin Strong, CH, FRSL is an English art historian, museum curator, writer, broadcaster and landscape designer. He has served as director of both the National Portrait Gallery and the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. He was knighted in 1982.

In the final concert of I Musicanti’s series featuring new music from South Africa alongside works by Mozart and Schubert, director and double bass virtuoso Leon Bosch co-premieres David Earl’s addition to the viola-double bass repertoire. A second Leon Bosch joins the group, playing clarinet in two chamber music favourites.

osj.org.uk

imusicanti.co.uk

minervapianotrio.com

Promoted by Orchestra of St John’s

Co-promoted by I Musicanti and St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Thu 25 May 7.30pm £26, £20, £15, £10

Sun 28 May 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Thu 1 June 1.05pm £10, YF

Goldsmiths Choral Union perform Schubert and Brahms on 22 June See page 98

For further details on our Sunday at St John’s series See page 105

You may enjoy the London Piano Trio’s concert on 18 June See page 97

Book online sjss.org.uk

Young Artists’ Series Haunting Visions Michał Ćwiżewicz violin Richard Birchall cello Annie Yim piano Shostakovich Piano Trio in C minor Op. 8 Gavin Higgins The Ruins of Detroit Beethoven Piano Trio in D Op. 70 No. 1 ‘Ghost’ From the foreboding sounds of Shostakovich’s early piano trio to Gavin Higgins’ The Ruins of Detroit inspired by the powerful photography of the eponymous artwork, this concert invites the listener to enter a visual world.

The slow movement of Beethoven’s ‘Ghost’ Trio suggests Hamlet’s ghost, an enduringly haunting vision.

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Stradivaria

PAVEL HAAS QUARTET & DENIS KOZHUKHIN

Mary Bevan © Victoria Cadisch

Southbank Centre’s International Chamber Music Series

STRADIVARIA Rebel-Rameau Daniel Cuiller violin & director Rebel La Terpsicore • Les Plaisirs Champêtres • Les Caractères de la Danse Rameau From Concerts in Sextet: Concert No. 1 • Concert No. 3 • Concert No. 5 The music of two of the towering figures of French musical life in the first half of the eighteenth century is brought to life by the French baroque ensemble of Nantes led by their Founder and Director, the violinist Daniel Cuiller.

Since their formation in 1987, Stradivaria have enjoyed a prestigious reputation for their interpretations of music from the 17th and 18th centuries. They have produced many acclaimed recordings and have toured the world, appearing at concert halls and festivals across America, Asia and Europe. This concert marks their debut here at St John’s Smith Square.

Pavel Haas Quartet Denis Kozhukhin piano Beethoven String Quartet in Eb Op. 127 Dvořák Piano Quintet No. 2 in A Op. 81 Young Russian star Denis Kozhukhin joins the Pavel Haas Quartet for timeless chamber classics. They present Dvořák’s passionate 19th-century masterpiece, which brilliantly intermingles moments of poignancy and drama. The composer’s musical loyalty to his homeland can be heard in the second and third movements, strongly influenced

by Czech folk music. The piano quintet is performed alongside another enduringly popular chamber work, Beethoven’s Quartet in Eb Op. 127.

Considered the pinnacle of writing for the form, Beethoven’s late string quartets offer an irresistible combination of formal complexity and heartfelt expression. pavelhaasquartet.com deniskozhukhin.com

AURORA ORCHESTRA Southbank Centre at St John’s Smith Square Brahms from Memory Mary Bevan soprano Nicholas Collon conductor Brahms Symphony No. 1 in C minor Op. 68 Richard Ayres No. 42 ‘In the Alps’ Aurora Orchestra marks its first solo performance at St John’s Smith Square with its most ambitious project to date: Brahms’ monumental first symphony performed entirely from memory. The symphony’s famous ‘alphorn’ theme introduces an alpine journey which continues in Richard Ayres’ In the Alps, a playful, beautiful and zany ‘animated concert’ evoking an unlikely mountain love story. auroraorchestra.com

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by Southbank Centre and Intermusica

Promoted by Aurora Orchestra

Thu 1 June 7.30pm £28, £22, £16, £10

Fri 2 June 7.30pm £38, £28, £15, £10

Sat 3 June 7.30pm £40, £30, £15, £10

Les Talens Lyriques perform Monteverdi on 7 June See page 93

IPS & ICMS Series Offers Book 3–4 concerts and save 10% Book 5 or more concerts and save 20%

Gabrieli perform a new commission by Matthew Martin on 8 June See page 94

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The Brook Street Band © Dan Bridge

LES TALENS LYRIQUES Zefiro Torna sunday at st john’s

THE BROOK STERET BAND Handel – friends, foes and flattery Handel Trio Sonata Op. 2 No. 3 in Bb Arne Trio Sonata Op. 3 in Eb Boyce Trio Sonata No. 4 in G minor Veracini Violin Sonata Op. 2 No. 5 in G minor Cervetto Trio Sonata Op. 1 in Bb Bononcini Trio Sonata No. 2 in G minor from 12 Sonatas for the Chamber Geminiani Trio Sonata No. 3 in F Today Handel dominates any conversation about English musical life in the eighteenth century. But it wasn’t always the case. During his lifetime, Handel’s music was often overshadowed by that of native English composers, as well as fellow musical immigrants.

Royal patronage and political sensitivities all played their part in determining what was popular, as well as the need to write music for profit and for the burgeoning domestic music scene.

LONDON SINFONIETTA Southbank Centre at St John’s Smith Square Nordic Nights Peter Heressthal violin Guro Kleven Hagen violin Eivind Holtsmark Ringstad viola Kian Soltani cello Pierre-André Valade conductor Eivind Buene New Work (UK premiere) Kaija Saariaho Violin Concerto ‘Graal théâtre’ Rolf Wallin New Work (UK premiere)

Anders J. Dahlin tenor Emiliano Gonzalez Toro tenor Christophe Rousset conductor, harpsichord & organ Monteverdi ‘Chiome d’oro’ and ‘O come sei gentile’ from Settimo libro de madrigali • ‘O sia tranquillo il mar’, ‘Ardo e scoprir’, and ‘Mentre vaga angioletta’ from Madrigali guerrieri et amorosi Book 8 • ‘Zefiro Torna’ from Madrigali e canzonette Book 9 • Ouverture from Venice, ‘Chi va li? Chi va li?’, Ouverture from Naples, and ‘Or che Seneca è morto’ from L’Incoronazione di Poppea Castello ‘Second Sonata’ from Il primo libro de sonate concertate in stilo moderno Rossi First Sonata and Tenth Sonata la Romanesca from Il quarto libro de varie sonate

brookstreetband.co.uk

Once the preserve of melancholic films and bare tonal landscapes, in recent years Scandinavian artists have revealed another side to their vibrant heritage – one that is rich in life and colour. This concert showcases the best of contemporary music from Kaija Saariaho’s enigmatic Violin Concerto, which revels in the delicate interactions of the violin and orchestra, to a new commission from Rolf Wallin – a composer whose fascination with nature and the human body manifests itself in shimmering harmonies and transparent orchestral textures.

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by London Sinfonietta

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Sun 4 June 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Tue 6 June 7.30pm £15 unreserved

Wed 7 June 7.30pm £45, £35, £25, £15

London Handel Orchestra accompany Bach’s St John Passion on 20 June See page 98

For further details on the Southbank Centre at St John’s Smith Square series See page 109

The London International A Cappella Choral Competition begins on 25 June See page 100

There will be a pre-concert talk at 2.15pm

Book online sjss.org.uk

The rich diversity of the works presented in this programme underlines Monteverdi’s decisive contribution to the history of music: thanks to his works, and especially to his Books of Madrigals and operas, a new aesthetic and rhetoric based on the imitation of passions in music emerged, which influenced all composers during four centuries. Zefiro Torna represents the duality so cherished by Monteverdi, the opposition between life’s beauties and death’s violence.

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Paul McCreesh © Andy Staples

JUNE

Ammiel Bushakevitz © Dan Faffier

GABRIELI thursday lunchtime concerts

Paul McCreesh conductor

FRANZ SCHUBERT: MUSIC FROM THE FINAL YEARS

Paul McCreesh and Gabrieli are renowned for a cappella consort programming that sheds new light on repertoire both familiar and unfamiliar, by combining works of disparate periods by seemingly unrelated composers.

Ammiel Bushakevitz piano Schubert 4 Impromptus Op. 90 D899 • Drei Klavierstücke D946 • 12 Gräzer Waltzer D924

LONGING, LOSS AND LAMENT Music of Schubert, Cooke, Britten and Mahler Susan Platts mezzo soprano Neil Kimel horn Libby Burgess piano Schubert Auf der Strom Britten Folksongs Arnold Cooke Nocturnes Mahler Kindertotenlieder

During 1827–1828, Schubert wrote a number of works, which have a special significance within his oeuvre.

Lonely and suffering from a humiliating disease, he poured forth his soul in some of his most luminous music. South African-Israeli pianist Ammiel Bushakevitz presents a programme consisting of pieces from these final two years.

In this exploration of repertoire dedicated to and celebrating the Blessed Virgin Mary, Gabrieli will perform two of the greatest sixteenth-century Marian antiphons – Thomas Tallis’ Gaude Gloriosa and William Mundy’s Vox Patris Caelestis – alongside the world premiere of a new work by British composer Matthew Martin, a setting of the Magnificat with interpolations from the beautiful medieval poem There is no rose.

bushakevitz.com

gabrieli.com

susanplatts.com libbyburgess.com

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by Owen White Management and St John’s Smith Square

Thu 8 June 1.05pm £10, YF

Thu 8 June 7.30pm £45, £35, £25, £15

Fri 9 June 7.30pm £20 (£14) unreserved

Zubin Kanga performs English piano music spanning 500 years on 23 June See page 99

You may enjoy The Tallis Scholars and Peter Phillips’ concert on 30 June See page 101

Royal Orchestral Society perform Mahler’s Symphony No. 6 tomorrow See page 95

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This diverse recital melds the colourful elements of the voice, French horn and piano into a rich tapestry of human emotions. The programme includes an arrangement of Mahler’s Kindertotenlieder, within which intense beauty is drawn from deepest loss.

Mahler’s deft writing for the horn complements one of today’s renowned Mahlerian vocal interpreters.

Ensemble Mirage © Timothy Ellis

sunday at st john’s

ENSEMBLE MIRAGE Young Artists' Series Variations

ROYAL ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY Mahler’s Tragic Symphony Orlando Jopling conductor

Matthew Scott clarinet Júlia Pusker violin Ugnė Tiškutė viola Tatiana Chernyshova cello Alexandra Vaduva piano Beethoven Trio in Bb Op. 11 Enescu Piano Quartet No. 2 in D minor Op. 30 Bartók Contrasts Sz.111 Krzysztof Penderecki Clarinet Quartet

CLASSICAL OPERA The Orchestra of Classical Opera Thomas Guthrie director Ian Page conductor Mozart Symphony in G ‘Lambach’ K45 • Grabmusik K42 • Apollo et Hyacinthus K38

‘Variations’ embraces the core ideal of Ensemble Mirage as a flexi-ensemble; showcasing a whole breadth of works in different flexes alongside a new commission for the ensemble.

Classical Opera’s groundbreaking MOZART 250 project arrives at Mozart’s astonishing first opera, Apollo et Hyacinthus, based on a colourful story from Ovid’s Metamorphoses and written when the composer was just eleven years old. The opera is preceded by a staging of the equally remarkable and dramatic cantata Grabmusik, which also dates from 1767.

royalorchestralsociety.org.uk

ensemblemirage.co.uk

classicalopera.co.uk

Promoted by Royal Orchestral Society

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by Classical Opera and St John’s Smith Square

Sat 10 June 6.00pm £18, £12, £8

Sun 11 June 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

Mon 12 June 7.30pm £48, £38, £28, £18

You may enjoy Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 on 2 July See page 102

For further details on our Sunday at St John’s series See page 105

This concert will be repeated tomorrow evening, 13 June See page 96

Mahler Symphony No. 6 Symphony No. 6 by Gustav Mahler is a symphony in four movements, composed between 1903 and 1904. Sometimes referred to with the nickname ‘Tragische’ (Tragic), both Alban Berg and Anton Webern praised the work when they first heard it. This is one of Mahler’s greatest works.

Programme also includes a new transcription of an orchestral masterpiece.

Book online sjss.org.uk

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Palisander © Esteban Lalinde

CLASSICAL OPERA The Orchestra of Classical Opera Thomas Guthrie director Ian Page conductor Mozart Symphony in G ‘Lambach’ K45 • Grabmusik K42 • Apollo et Hyacinthus K38 Classical Opera’s groundbreaking MOZART 250 project arrives at Mozart’s astonishing first opera, Apollo et Hyacinthus, based on a colourful story from Ovid’s Metamorphoses and written when the composer was just eleven years old. The opera is preceded by a staging of the equally remarkable dramatic cantata Grabmusik, which also dates from 1767.

YOUNG MUSICIANS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA Scott MacIsaac piano James Blair conductor Kodály Dances of Galanta Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2 Brahms Symphony No. 4 in E minor Op. 98

thursday lunchtime concerts

PALISANDER Young Artists' Series Recorder Revolution!

Kodály's exciting Dances of Galanta begin YMSO’s programme. Scott MacIsaac plays the ever-popular Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 2, and Brahms’ Symphony No. 4 concludes the last concert of the season.

Did you know 3,500,000 plastic recorders are produced every year, and the earliest designs melted in direct sunlight? Or that King Henry VIII had over 70 recorders? Palisander bring to life the recorder’s rich history in Recorder Revolution! An interactive concert featuring recorders 6 inches to 6 feet tall!

classicaopera.co.uk

ymso.org.uk

palisanderrecorders.com

Co-promoted by Classical Opera and St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Young Musicians Symphony Orchestra

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Tue 13 June 7.30pm £48, £38, £28, £18

Wed 14 June 7.30pm £20, £15, £10 (conc. 20%)

Thu 15 June 1.05pm £10, YF

Come & Sing Mozart’s Requiem with the Smith Square Voices on 17 June See page 97

More Rachmaninoff with the London Piano Trio on 18 June See page 97

For further details on our Thursday Lunchtime Concerts See page 104

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Oliver Wass © Antonia Peña

London Piano Trio

OLIVER WASS Young Artists’ Series

sunday at st john’s

Dance

LONDON PIANO TRIO

Oliver Wass harp Scarlatti 3 Sonatas Britten Suite for Harp Prokofiev Prelude in C • Romeo and Juliet Debussy Valse Romantique Tarrega Recuerdos de la Alhambra Guridi Viejo Zortzico Granados Spanish Dance No. 5 De Falla Spanish Dance No. 1 Posse Carnival of Venice

Russian Nights in the Afternoon

COME & SING MOZART REQUIEM Smith Square Voices Chartwell Sinfonia Richard Heason conductor

Shostakovich Trio No. 1 in C Op. 8 Rachmaninoff Trio élégiaque No. 1 Rimsky-Korsakov Piano Trio in C minor

oliverwass.co.uk

sjss.org.uk

The London Piano Trio’s final concert this season at St John’s Smith Square pays homage to a culture very close to their hearts. While Shostakovich and Rachmaninoff are familiar names amongst London audiences, the trio concludes the programme with a rarely performed, yet truly wonderful, masterpiece by the Russian composer Rimsky-Korsakov.

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Co-promoted by London Piano Trio and St John’s Smith Square

Thu 15 June 7.30pm £12 (£8), YF

Sat 17 June 7.30pm £12 (£8) Participants £10 (£5)

Sun 18 June 3.00pm £14 (£10), YF

For further details on our Young Artists’ Scheme including application details See page 107

For further details on the Smith Square Voices’ Come & Sing events See page 106

More Rachmaninoff on 2 July See page 102

A programme of solo harp music that explores dance.

From Baroque dances of the 17th century to the Spanish dances of Granados and De Falla. Also including new transcriptions by Oliver Wass of Prokofiev’s ballet music from Romeo and Juliet.

Mozart Requiem in D minor K626 Choral singers are invited to join us for a performance of Mozart’s masterpiece. There will be a choir rehearsal in the morning, followed by a full rehearsal in the afternoon.

Book online sjss.org.uk

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JUNE Robert Quinney

Adrian Butterfield

thursday lunchtime concerts

ROBERT QUINNEY Organ Series

LONDON HANDEL ORCHESTRA Charles Daniels evangelist Peter Harvey jesus Adrian Butterfield director Bach St John Passion

Bach Fantasia super Komm, heiliger Geist BWV651 • Prelude and Fugue in C BWV547 Byrd Ut re mi fa sol la BK64 Messiaen Selections from Les Corps glorieux: No. 1 Les eaux de la Grâce • No. 6 Joie et clarté des Corps glorieux Pott Toccata

GOLDSMITHS CHORAL UNION Arranged Brahms

tilbach.org.uk

Robert Quinney is Organist of New College, Oxford. In addition to the daily direction of New College’s world-famous choir, his work comprises teaching, lecturing, examining as a Tutorial Fellow of the college and an Associate Professor at the University Faculty of Music. He also maintains a parallel career as a solo organist, and he is a prolific recording artist: his discs – in particular those of organ music

by JS Bach – have been widely acclaimed. His first CD with New College Choir, of symphony anthems by John Blow, will be released in June.

Co-promoted by Tilford Bach Society and St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Promoted by Goldsmiths Choral Union

Tue 20 June 7.30pm £30, £24, £18, £14

Thu 22 June 1.05pm £10, YF

Thu 22 June 7.30pm £24, £20, £16, £12

William Christie conducts the OAE on 4 July See page 102

You may enjoy St Albans International Organ Festival on 22 July See page 103

London International A Cappella Choral Competition 2017 begins on 25 June See page 100

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In 2015 Adrian Butterfield’s direction of the St Matthew Passion at St John’s Smith Square was described as “the most perfectly performed musical experience in many years”. In 2017 the same forces bring Bach’s dramatic St John Passion in a performance with just 8 singers, allowing the audience to experience the work with the sonorities which Bach had in mind.

Charles Daniels and Peter Harvey lead an international cast of singers with the London Handel Orchestra.

Brian Wright conductor Schubert Mirjams Siegesgesang (Song of Victory) Brahms Schicksalslied (Song of Destiny) Schubert arr. Brahms Mass in Eb Two of these three beautiful Romantic choral works feature fascinating arrangements made

by Brahms for piano duet.

Leading London choir, Goldsmiths Choral Union, is joined by top duettists and up and coming vocal soloists. goldsmithschoral.org.uk

Zubin Kanga © Metaxia Coustas

ZUBIN KANGA Mastery and Melancholy: Ancient and Modern English Keyboard Music Piano Dowland Melancholy Galliard David Gorton Farnaby’s Maske (world premiere) Gibbons Italian Ground Michael Finnissy Z/K Thomas Adès Darknesse Visible Tallis Felix Namque Adam de la Cour New Work (world premiere) Byrd Sellinger’s Grounde George Benjamin Shadowlines Pianist Zubin Kanga performs English music for the keyboard separated by three centuries: works by great composers of the Elizabethan age alongside works by contemporary English composers who have been inspired by music of past eras.

Many living composers draw on the music of earlier centuries: Thomas Adès scatters Dowland across the keyboard in Darknesse Visible, David Gorton imagines discovering a missing work by Giles Farnaby, Michael Finnissy draws his inspiration from the earliest experiments with the symphony, Adam de la Cour creates a wild mashup of 17th-century music and George Benjamin takes the traditional form of the canon and uses it to explore extremes of expression and virtuosity. zubinkanga.com Co-promoted by Zubin Kanga and St John’s Smith Square

Fri 23 June 7.30pm £16 (£10) You may enjoy the LPO Foyle Future Firsts Programme on 12 July See page 103

ZUBIN KANGA “Effortlessly virtuosic” Limelight Magazine Fri 23 June 7.30pm

London International A Cappella Choral Competition © Matthew Andrews

JUNE

3rd LONDON INTERNATIONAL A CAPPELLA CHORAL COMPETITION The London International A Cappella Choral Competition is back!

Held under the direction of Peter Phillips of The Tallis Scholars, St John’s Smith Square will resound with a week of a cappella choral singing with choirs and vocal consorts from around the globe.

This year’s featured composer is one of the giants of choral music, the Estonian Arvo Pärt, and we get underway on Sunday 25 June 2017 with a Gala Concert of Pärt’s music including a performance of Passio by the Holst Singers directed by Stephen Layton.

Four days of competitive heats follow (Sunday 25 – Saturday 1 July 2017), which will be complemented by open workshops and lunchtime concerts by all competing choirs at various churches across London.

On Friday 30 June 2017, as the finalists prepare themselves, the spotlight turns to The Tallis Scholars themselves before we reach Saturday’s Grand Final with the winning choirs from each of the heats battling it out for the jury’s vote as they aim to be crowned this year’s overall winners.

Applications for the London International A Cappella Choral Competition close on Thursday 15 December 2016.

The full schedule for the week’s activities, along with details of all the participating choirs, will be published online on Wednesday 15 March 2017.

In the meantime, please visit liaccc.org.uk for further details.

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THE TALLIS SCHOLARS 3rd London International A Cappella Choral Competition Peter Phillips director Arvo Pärt Nunc Dimittis • Triodion Isaac Missa De Apostolis • Virgo prudentissima Allegri Miserere thetallisscholars.co.uk Promoted by St John’s Smith Square

Fri 30 June 7.30pm £35, £28, £22, £15 The Tallis Scholars perform in our 31st Christmas Festival on 21 December See page 47

In this special programme, The Tallis Scholars celebrate the 500th anniversary of the death of Heinrich Isaac with his six voice mass, Missa De Apostolis and his triumphant motet Virgo prudentissima written for a big international peace conference in 1507.

The programme also features two major choral works by the featured composer of this year’s London International A Cappella Choral Competition, Arvo Pärt.

Lastly, back by popular demand is the Miserere by Domenico Allegri, penned a century after the death of Isaac in Italy.

The Tallis Scholars © Eric Richmond

Book online sjss.org.uk

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JULY Hana from LGSO © Justin David

ORCHESTRA OF THE AGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT Southbank Centre at St John’s Smith Square Bach goes to Paris William Christie conductor Campra Suite from Les fêtes vénitiennes Fischer Suite No. 7 in G minor from Le Journal du Printemps Op. 1 Bach Orchestral Suite No. 4 in D BWV1069 • Orchestral Suite No. 3 in D BWV1068 Rameau Suite from Les indes galantes

LONDON GAY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA 21st Anniversary Concert

KENSINGTON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA

Christopher Braime conductor

Russell Keable conductor

Michael Finnissy New Commission Stravinsky Petrushka Rachmaninoff Symphony No. 2 in E minor Op. 27

Luke Bedford Wreathe Arnold Rinaldo and Armida Nielsen Symphony No. 6 FS116

Hear a concert of works by Bach and his contemporaries Rameau, JCF Fischer and Campra. It's well known that Bach never left Germany, but what would have happened if he had visited Paris during his lifetime? Would he have met Jean-Phillippe Rameau?

Rameau is often credited as being as great a Baroque influence as Bach, but remains relatively unknown in comparison. Johann-Caspar Fischer was heavily influenced by his Parisian contemporaries – despite never studying in Paris – and his music is full of French influence, which can be heard beautifully in his Le Journal du Printemps.

The London Gay Symphony Orchestra returns to St John’s Smith Square to celebrate 21 years of LGBT music making with an exciting programme of Russian classics and a brand new work by winner of two 2015 British Composer Awards, Michael Finnissy, commissioned specially to mark the occasion.

Danish composer Carl Nielsen’s gripping final symphony stands out from his others because of its boldness and bitter comic irony. It is preceded by Luke Bedford's intriguing Wreathe which received a British Composer Award in 2007, and a rare performance of Malcolm Arnold’s score for the magical yet tragic one-act ballet, Rinaldo and Armida.

lgso.org.uk

kso.org.uk

oae.co.uk

Promoted by London Gay Symphony Orchestra

Promoted by Kensington Symphony Orchestra

Promoted by Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment

Sun 2 July 7.00pm £15, £10

Mon 3 July 7.30pm £17.50 (£12.50), £12.50

Tue 4 July 7.00pm £60, £40, £25, £10

You may enjoy Rachmaninoff’s Symphony No. 2 arranged for 2 pianos on 19 February See page 64

Magnus Lindberg conducts the LPO on 12 July See page 103

You may enjoy the OAE’s revival of Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos on 2 May See page 86

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There will be a pre-concert talk at 5.45pm.

Magnus Lindberg © Benjamin Ealovega

NEIL CHAFFEY’S BIRTHDAY CONCERT

LONDON PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA Debut Sounds LPO Foyle Future Firsts Magnus Lindberg conductor Programme to include world premieres from Leverhulme Arts Scholars as part of the LPO Young Composers Programme.

Join us to hear five world premieres by Leverhulme Arts Scholars on the LPO Young Composers Programme – the freshest talent on the contemporary classical scene.

These new works will be conducted by LPO Composer in Residence Magnus Lindberg, and performed by members of the London Philharmonic Orchestra and its Foyle Future Firsts Development Programme.

29TH ST ALBANS INTERNATIONAL ORGAN FESTIVAL FINAL CONCERTO ROUND & PRESENTATION OF PRIZES St Albans International Organ Festival Royal Academy of Music Chamber Orchestra Sian Edwards conductor Poulenc Concerto for Organ, Timpani and Strings CPE Bach Concerto for Organ in Eb Wq35 Mozart Eine kleine Nachtmusik Elgar Introduction and Allegro for Strings

The Musicke Companye Trio Vivo Alicia Chaffey piano Emma Lewis mezzo soprano Fujita Piano Trio Purcell Sound the Trumpet • Cupid, the slyest rogue alive • Hark! the echoing air • Oh! the Sweet Delights of Love • My Dearest, My Fairest Blow Ah, Heav’n, what is't I hear Jacchini Cello Sonata in A minor Handel Fronda leggiera e mobile • ‘Tacero’ from Agrippina Monteverdi 'Pur ti miro' from L’Incoronazione di Poppea McCabe Sonata for Clarinet, Cello and Piano (commissioned

by Neil Chaffey in 1969 for the Macclesfield Arts Festival) Bridge Rosemary Gershwin Three Preludes Joseph Horovitz Lady Macbeth Delius It was a lover and his lass Armstrong Gibbs Titania Maconchy Ophelia’s Song Mendelssohn Piano Trio in C minor Op. 66

lpo.org.uk

organfestival.com

A concert featuring musicians represented by Neil Chaffey Concert Promotions, including The Musicke Companye, the Fujita Piano Trio, and Neil’s daughter – pianist Alicia Chaffey, with proceeds in aid of Leukaemia Research.

Promoted by London Philharmonic Orchestra

Promoted by St Albans International Organ Festival

Promoted by Neil Chaffey Concert Promotions

Wed 12 July 7.30pm £9 (£4)

Sat 22 July 7.30pm £15, £10

Sun 23 July 3.00pm £20 (£10), £15 (£7.50)

For further details on the Southbank Centre at St John’s Smith Square series See page 109

Find out more about the Organ Series at St John’s Smith Square See page 108

Our 2017/18 Season will be announced on 19 June 2017

Three Interpretation finalists compete for the coveted First Prize and Gold Medal of this world-famous organ competition.

Book online sjss.org.uk

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THURSDAY LUNCHTIME CONCERTS THURSDAY LUNCHTIME CONCERTS AT 1.05PM ——

Our Thursday Lunchtime Concerts are a key feature of our season and offer a fantastically wide range of music from organ recitals to saxophone quartets and so much more. The series also gives a chance for emerging artists to be sharing the same platform as internationally renowned performers such as Jennifer Bate and Leon Bosch, providing invaluable experience and opportunities.

Alongside our ever popular Young Artists’ Series, now with 6 artists featured in the scheme, we have Yeomen from The Musicians’ Company, prize winners from the Oxford Lieder Festival, and artists from Dartington International Summer School making appearances throughout our Thursday Lunchtime Concerts series.

We welcome back David Titterington, as curator of our Organ Series, which feature monthly on Thursday Lunchtimes, with another enthralling selection of the country’s best organists from concert halls and cathedrals alike such as The Temple Church and Westminster Cathedral.

At St John’s Smith Square we value the loyalty and support of our audience and in return our Friends and Patrons receive free tickets to the Thursday Lunchtime Concerts throughout the whole series.

We are also passionate about engaging young audiences with half price tickets for our Young Friends (free to join, see page 114 for details).

All concerts start at 1.05pm.

Visit sjss.org.uk for more information.

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8 Sep Pelléas Ensemble 22 Sep Jennifer Bate 29 Sep Leon Bosch & Sung-Suk Kang 6 Oct Benjamin Lewis, Isabella Gage, & Eda Seppar 13 Oct Simon Callaghan & Friends 20 Oct Roger Sayer 27 Oct Ducasse Trio 3 Nov Nathalie Chalkey & Chris Hopkins 17 Nov Peter Stevens 24 Nov Ensemble Mirage 1 Dec Laura Snowden 8 Dec Ferio Saxophone Quartet 15 Dec David Titterington 12 Jan Oliver Wass 19 Jan Anna Patalong & Elizabeth Rossiter 26 Jan Organ, Harmonium & Strings from the Royal Academy of Music 2 Feb Rosalind Ventris & Timothy End 9 Feb Delta Piano Trio 16 Feb Suzanne Fischer & Panaretos Kyriatzidis 23 Feb Graham Barber 2 Mar Mishka Rushdie Momen 9 Mar The Clarinet Collective 16 Mar Louise Kemény & Chad Vindin 23 Mar Robert Sholl 30 Mar Lorena Paz Nieto & Johan Barnoin 6 Apr Ensemble x.y 20 Apr Tom Bell 4 May Christina McMaster 11 May Martynas Levickis 18 May Alexandra Vaduva 25 May Ben Bloor 1 Jun Minerva Piano Trio 8 Jun Ammiel Bushakevitz 15 Jun Palisander 22 Jun Robert Quinney

Box Office 020 7222 1061

SUNDAY AT ST JOHN’S SUNDAY AT ST JOHN'S AT 3.00PM ——

We are very proud to present our Sunday at St John’s series this season, bringing you the best and brightest in chamber music today. Alongside our six Young Artists, familiar favourites The Brook Street Band return with their Handel cycle, and The Revolutionary Drawing Room with concerts of the Haydn and Beethoven String Quartets for Prince Lobkowitz. We also welcome our friends from the continent, the French contemporary chamber group Ensemble L’imaginaire, and are taken on an international tour with the London Piano Trio beginning with Viva España!

Complete your Sunday afternoon with a traditional Sunday roast or afternoon tea before your concert in our Footstool Restaurant located in the crypt (see page 120 for details).

Enjoy the series? Book for two or more concerts at the same time and receive a 20% discount.

All concerts start at 3.00pm.

Visit sjss.org.uk for more information.

18 Sep The Brook Street Band 25 Sep Christina McMaster 2 Oct The Revolutionary Drawing Room 9 Oct James Gilchrist, Anna Tilbrook & Ensemble Elata 16 Oct Ensemble L’imaginaire 23 Oct Minerva Piano Trio 6 Nov The Revolutionary Drawing Room 20 Nov All About Mozart 27 Nov London Piano Trio 8 Jan I Musicanti 15 Jan Huw Wiggin & Somi Kim 22 Jan Martyn Jackson & Peter Limonov 29 Jan The Brook Street Band 12 Feb All About Mozart 19 Feb Parnassius Piano Duo 26 Feb The Revolutionary Drawing Room 5 Mar I Musicanti 26 Mar London Piano Trio 2 Apr Palisander 23 Apr Ferio Saxophone Quartet 7 May All About Mozart 21 May Oliver Wass 28 May I Musicanti 4 Jun The Brook Street Band 11 Jun Ensemble Mirage 18 Jun London Piano Trio

St John’s Smith Square © Matthew Andrews

Book online sjss.org.uk

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PARTICIPATION COME & SING AT ST JOHN’S SMITH SQUARE ——

SMITH SQUARE VOICES We regularly host Come & Sing events at St John’s Smith Square, including a season with our very own Smith Square Voices conducted by the Director of St John’s Smith Square, Richard Heason. These are informal opportunities for choral singers to come together and tackle great pieces of repertoire, sometimes from scratch and sometimes with a prior rehearsal period.

Each concert with Smith Square Voices is accompanied by the Chartwell Sinfonia, a professional orchestra specially formed for these events.

In the coming season we look forward to the following Come & Sing events: Saturday 5 November 2016 7.30pm Come & Sing Fauré’s Requiem

in the Footstool Restaurant between the rehearsals. We will be performing the Süssmayr completion of the Requiem published by Bärenreiter. Vocal scores will be available for hire from St John’s Smith Square for £5 each.

Tickets Participant tickets for these three Come & Sing events listed above cost £10 (£5).

Tickets for audience members are £12 (£8).

Please register by voice type with the Box Office or online at sjss.org.uk If you enjoy choral singing, you may also enjoy the Come & Sing Brahms’ Requiem on Saturday 15 October 2016, directed by Adrian Partington as part of the Three Choirs Festival (see page 17 for details).

There will be rehearsals as follows: Tuesday 18 October 7.00pm – 9.00pm Tuesday 25 October 7.00pm – 9.00pm Tuesday 1 November 7.00pm – 9.00pm Saturday 5 November 3.00pm – 6.00pm

THE TENEBRAE EFFECT Find out what it takes to be a Tenebrae singer by joining the award-winning choir and their Artistic Director Nigel Short for two engaging choral workshops!

We will be performing the 1893 version published by Boosey & Hawkes, and arranged by John Rutter. Vocal scores will be available for hire from St John’s Smith Square for £5 each.

Saturday 1 October 10.30am – 1.30pm The Tenebrae Effect: Music of the Spheres

Thursday 13 April 2017 7.00pm Come & Sing Handel’s Messiah This will be a ‘scratch’ performance.

There will be a choir ‘warm-up’ between 1.00pm – 2.00pm, followed by a full rehearsal with orchestra between 2.30pm – 5.30pm.

We will be performing the Watkins Shaw edition published by Novello. Vocal scores will be available for hire from St John’s Smith Square for £5 each.

Saturday 17 June 2017 7.30pm Come & Sing Mozart’s Requiem There will be a choir rehearsal between 10.30am – 1.30pm, followed by a full rehearsal with orchestra between 3.00pm – 6.00pm. Lunch will be available 106

Parry My Soul, There is a Country Stanford The Bluebird Vaughan Williams Rest Tenebrae’s inspirational workshop method, ‘The Tenebrae Effect’, provides an insight into the choir’s unique sound and musical interpretation. The selection of part songs from the British Isles will be featured on Tenebrae’s new CD release in October 2016.

We advise that most value is brought to those with prior choral experience who wish to improve within smaller, focussed groups, and suggest participants should either be familiar with the scores or be confident sight-readers. Scores will be provided by Tenebrae on the day. Minimum age 16.

Friends and family are invited to join the workshop participants at 1.15pm for a free informal showcase of the morning’s work.

Box Office 020 7222 1061

PARTICIPATION GET INVOLVED ——

Tickets: Workshop and concert (see page 9): £40, £34, £28, £22 Tenebrae will also host a workshop on Sunday 9 April 2017. Details of this event will be published on Saturday 1 October 2016, alongside concert listings for our Holy Week Festival.

YOUNG ARTISTS’ SCHEME We are proud to feature our third season of Young Artists throughout this brochure.

Our Young Artists each get the opportunity to perform a series of concerts across the season as well as gaining experience off the concert platform in community and outreach work, receiving professional advice and investment in the marketing and development of their career and being enabled to commission new work for their performances.

We will be recruiting for the 2017/18 Young Artists in the Autumn of 2017. The deadline for applications will be 1.00pm on Tuesday 31 January 2017. Auditions will be held at St John’s Smith Square on Monday 13 March 2017 and Tuesday 14 March 2017. These auditions will be open to the public and admission is free. Further details and a full schedule will be published on sjss.org.uk on Wednesday 22 February 2017.

COMPOSERS’ WORKSHOP WITH THE GESUALDO SIX Following the enormous success of the Composition Competition run by The Gesualdo Six (2015/16 Young Artists), their Founder and Director Owain Park will lead a composition workshop for those with an interest in writing for vocal ensembles on Monday 24 October. Admission is free.

Details will be pubished on sjss.org.uk on Monday 5 September 2016.

LOOK, LISTEN AND LEARN: WOMEN WITH THE WOW FACTOR This day of workshops, led by Ayanna Witter-Johnson, Jessica Cottis, 2016/17 Young Artist Christina McMaster, and Olivia Jageurs, will take place on Saturday 4 February 2017 10.00am – 5.00pm, and will be open to all aspiring composers, song writers, conductors, non-musicians, and observers.

Further details will be published online on Monday 5 December 2016.

OPEN HOUSE MUSIC MARATHON From 10.00am on Saturday 17 September 2016, St John’s Smith Square will resound with music-making for 24 hours as part of Open House London 2016, featuring performances from soloists, duos, chamber ensembles, choirs and orchestras, as well as open workshops. Details will be published on sjss.org.uk in mid August 2016.

SCHOOLS, COMMUNITY CONCERTS, AND WORKSHOPS Alongside our general public concert programme, many of the artists featured at St John’s Smith Square (including all our own Young Artists) offer creative music workshops in performance, composition and general musicianship, and enjoy presenting informal concerts and leading workshops for those who may find it more difficult to attend a formal concert. If you are a teacher or a community worker, and you would be interested in finding out more about these opportunities please email Sam Olivier on sam.olivier@sjss.org.uk LONDON INTERNATIONAL A CAPPELLA CHORAL COMPETITION Please visit liaccc.org.uk for details on our third London International A Cappella Choral Competition (Sunday 25 June – Saturday 1 July 2017). The final deadline for applications is Thursday 15 December 2016.

Book online sjss.org.uk

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ORGAN SERIES A SERIES OF MONTHLY LUNCHTIME RECITALS ——

The present organ was built by Orgelbau Klais Bonn to a specification

by Philipp Klais and the distinguished organist Simon Preston, who was consultant to the project.

The main organ case was built by Jordan Byfield and Bridges in 1734 and was acquired from the redundant church of St George’s, Great Yarmouth.

The tonal design of the organ was formulated to create an instrument of enormous musical versatility able to perform repertoire from the German Baroque to the French symphonic and contemporary.

The organ was inaugurated in 1993, the same year in which the 250th anniversary of the death of the architect of St John’s Smith Square, Thomas Archer, was commemorated.

This monthly series of Thursday organ recitals at 1.05pm is curated by St John’s Smith Square’s Organ Curator and highly esteemed organist David Titterington.

David is also the Artistic Director of the St Albans International Organ Festival and Head of Organ at the Royal Academy of Music.

Thu 22 Sep Jennifer Bate Thu 20 Oct Roger Sayer Thu 17 Nov Peter Stevens Thu 15 Dec David Titterington Thu 26 Jan Organ, Harmonium & Strings from the Royal Academy of Music Thu 23 Feb Graham Barber Thu 23 Mar Robert Sholl Thu 20 Apr Tom Bell Thu 25 May Ben Bloor Thu 22 Jun Robert Quinney

St John’s Smith Square’s Klais Organ © Graham Salter

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Box Office 020 7222 1061

SOUTHBANK CENTRE SOUTHBANK CENTRE AT ST JOHN’S SMITH SQUARE —— Katharina Spreckelsen of the OAE © Eric Richmond

We are delighted to be extending this exciting collaboration with our colleagues from across the river. During their continued period of refurbishment, St John’s Smith Square will once again welcome artists from Southbank Centre’s International Piano Series and International Chamber Music Series, whilst becoming a second home to a number of their resident groups.

Concerts to look forward to as part of this residency include Jordi Savall with Le Concert des Nations; London Sinfonietta performing new works by Morgan Hayes, Christian Mason, and Huang Ruo; Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment reviving the complete Bach Brandenburg Concertos; Aurora Orchestra and Nicholas Collon presenting Brahms from Memory; and recitals from award-winning pianists including Benjamin Grosvenor, Federico Colli, Alexander Gavrylyuk, Louis Schwizgebel, Pierre-Laurent Aimard, Tamara Stefanovich, and Yulianna Avdeeva.

For full listings, please visit sjss.org.uk/southbankcentre

Pierre-Laurent Aimard and Tamara Stefanovich © Neda Navaee

Jordi Savall © David Ignaszewski

Book online sjss.org.uk

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SCHOOL CONCERTS Westminster School © Chris Christodoulou

URSULINE HIGH SCHOOL & WIMBLEDON COLLEGE 125th Anniversary Concert

WESTMINSTER SCHOOL Symphony Orchestra Tim Garrard conductor Respighi La boutique fantasque, ballet after Rossini Beethoven Symphony No. 5 in C minor Op. 67 The Westminster School Symphony Orchestra returns for its annual concert, with Respighi’s ballet after Rossini, La boutique fantasque, and Beethoven Symphony No. 5.

DULWICH COLLEGE Symphony Orchestra Chamber Orchestra Symphonic Wind Band Madrigal Choir Concert Choir Mr Richard Mayo conductor Miss Lesley Larkum conductor Mr David Eno conductor Mr Robin Smith conductor Dulwich College returns to St John’s Smith Square for its annual Winter Concert when 350 boys aged 8–18 will perform in orchestras and choirs.

Combined Choirs and Orchestras of Ursuline High School and Wimbledon College A selection of iconic pieces of music from the last 125 years including the suite from The Nutcracker by Tchaikovsky and Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1 by Elgar. Programme to also include arrangements of swing hits, musical theatre numbers and film music.

Join us for the 125th anniversary joint concert for the Ursuline High School and Wimbledon Concert. The concert is in honour of St Cecilia, the patron saint of musicians.

westminster.org.uk

dulwich.org.uk

wimbledoncollege.org.uk ursulinehigh.merton.sch.uk

Promoted by Westminster School

Promoted by Dulwich College

Promoted by Wimbledon College

Mon 7 November 7.00pm £10, £7.50, £5

Fri 25 November 7.00pm £16 (£12), £12

Mon 28 November 7.30pm £10 (£7.50)

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Symphony Orchestra Chamber Orchestra Senior Choir Middle School Choir Paulina Voices Colet Choral Society Leigh O’Hara conductor Heidi Pegler conductor Eric Whitacre Cloudburst Bernard Hughes New Work Orff Carmina Burana

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ST PAUL’S GIRLS’ SCHOOL

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Tue 7 March 7.00pm £10 (£5)

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Promoted by North London Collegiate School

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The South East Schools’ Chamber Music Competition was founded over six years ago

by Harrow, North London Collegiate and Wycombe Abbey Schools to suit the needs of our talented young musicians and thriving chamber music playing through high quality coaching within a competitive structure.

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Finals Concert

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SOUTH EAST SCHOOLS’ CHAMBER MUSIC COMPETITION

REIGATE GRAMMAR SCHOOL Toby Carden conductor Fauré Requiem Op. 48 Arturo Márquez Danzón No. 2 A programme highlighting Reigate Grammar School’s ambitious and varied musical activities, featuring Arturo Márquez’s vivacious Danzón No. 2. The majority of the school community will combine for Fauré’s beguiling Requiem. reigategrammar.org Promoted by Reigate Grammar School

Wed 15 March 7.30pm £20, £15 (£15, £12.50)

LATYMER UPPER SCHOOL Spring Concert Choir and Orchestra of Latymer Upper School Tony Henwood conductor Jonathan Geoghegan conductor

SOUTH HAMPSTEAD HIGH SCHOOL Spring Concert Chamber Choir Symphony Orchestra Chamber Orchestra Concert Band Symphonic Wind Band Big Band Salsera Steve Collisson music director

spgs.org

latymer-upper.org

South Hampstead High School’s annual visit to St John’s Smith Square will feature many of their large instrumental and vocal ensembles performing music by Eric Whitacre, Poulenc, Porter, Brahms, and Mozart, as well as the Year 13 scholars in their valedictory concert.

Promoted by St Paul's Girls' School

Promoted by Latymer Upper School

Promoted by South Hampstead High School

Sun 12 March 6.00pm £10 (£8)

Fri 17 March 7.30pm £12 (£10)

Mon 20 March 7.00pm £12 (£8 for seniors and Under 18s)

St Paul’s Girls’ School return with choirs and orchestra to perform Orff’s monumental Carmina Burana, Eric Whitacre’s magical Cloudburst, and a new work by composerin-residence Bernard Hughes.

Rodrigo Concierto de Aranjuez A concert of instrumental and choral music by the musicians of Latymer Upper School

Book online sjss.org.uk

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SCHOOL CONCERTS

Chamber Music Concert

ALLEYN’S SCHOOL

A variety of ensembles from both schools will provide a programme of chamber music including items performed by musicians from both schools.

Promoted by City of London School for Girls

Mon 27 March 7.30pm £10 unreserved

CARDINAL VAUGHAN MEMORIAL SCHOOL Easter Concert The Choirs of Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School The Cantus Ensemble Belgravia Chamber Orchestra Owen Saldanha piano Scott Price conductor

JAMES ALLEN’S GIRLS’ SCHOOL Symphony Orchestra Chamber Orchestra Wind Orchestra String Orchestras Holst Choir and Choral Society Myfanwy Dew oboe Peter Gritton conductor Joseph Horovitz Oboe Concerto Tchaikovksy Capriccio Italien Op. 45 Monteverdi Beatus Vir

Symphony Orchestra Chamber Orchestra Chamber Choir Jazz Band Chris Dearmer conductor Jo Doley conductor Ned Bennett conductor Barry Graham conductor Alleyn’s School is one of the leading co-educational schools in London, with a huge programme of musical activity throughout the year. This annual concert has become a highlight of the school’s year. alleyns.org.uk Promoted by Alleyn's School

Mon 1 May 6.00pm £9, £7, £5 (£5)

Vaughan Williams’ wonderful evocation of the sea in all its guises forms the main work in this year’s concert, preceded by the brilliantly jazzy Piano Concerto in G by Vaughan Williams’ teacher, Ravel.

JAGS presents an evening’s musical entertainment featuring a range of styles from across the centuries. From the Baroque choral nugget Beatus Vir by Monteverdi to Romantic and 20th-century orchestral pieces, featuring Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italien and Oboe Concerto by Joseph Horovitz, this is an ambitious, varied and most thrilling programme.

cvms.co.uk

jags.org.uk

hallschool.co.uk

Promoted by Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School

Promoted by James Allen’s Girls’ School

Promoted by The Hall School

Sat 8 April 7.30pm £12 (£6)

Sun 30 April 6.00pm £15, £12

Wed 24 May 6.00pm £20, £15, £10

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Ravel Piano Concerto in G Vaughan Williams A Sea Symphony

THE HALL SCHOOL Gala Concert 2017 Willem Steyn music director A concert celebrating music at The Hall School featuring various soloists, ensembles, and orchestras.

Alleyn’s School Chamber Choir © Ned Bennett

CITY OF LONDON SCHOOL FOR GIRLS & CITY OF LONDON FREEMAN’S SCHOOL

DISCOVER MORE CHORAL EUCHARISTS & LUNCHTIME DIALOGUES ——

Although primarily a concert hall, the Church of St John the Evangelist in Smith Square is still a consecrated church and to celebrate this we hold three special services of Choral Eucharist each year. These are led by the Reverend Graham Buckle as celebrant (from our sister church of St Stephen’s, Rochester Row) and he is joined by the wonderful Westminster vocal ensemble Floreat, directed by Gilly French.

These services are, of course, free to attend and take place at 1.00pm. Choral Eucharist in 2016/17 will be celebrated as follows: ST EDWARD THE CONFESSOR Victoria O quam gloriosum (mass and motet) Wed 12 October 1.00pm

Alongside our regular lunchtime concerts we have recently launched a partner series of lunchtime dialogues, on Fridays at 1.00pm, where the Reverend Graham Buckle talks with notable people of interest from the community. Please see our website at sjss.org.uk for further details of who will be talking at each dialogue.

Our Lunchtime Dialogues will take place on the following Fridays: 23 September 18 November 9 December 20 January 24 March 9 June

EPIPHANY Palestrina Missa Aeterna Christi munera Handl Ab oriente venerunt magi Mon 9 January 1.00pm THE FEAST OF ST JOHN BEFORE THE LATIN GATE Mozart Missa Brevis in D K194 Elgar Ave verum corpus Mon 8 May 1.00pm

Floreat © Rupert Derham

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SUPPORT US BECOME A SUPPORTER OF ST JOHN’S SMITH SQUARE ——

As a supporter of St John’s Smith Square, you are at the heart of our audience.

St John’s Smith Square receives no public subsidy and so the generosity of our supporters is crucial to our success.

Every generous donation is put towards sustaining St John’s Smith Square, as ticket sales alone do not cover our costs.

As recognition, our supporters receive ticket and restaurant discounts, priority booking, and are the first to find out about our exclusive events.

To become a supporter of St John’s Smith Square, please phone our Box Office on 020 7222 1061 or visit sjss.org.uk ALL OF OUR SUPPORTERS RECEIVE:

• 1 0% off standard tickets booked in advance

through our Box Office (two per event)

• Season brochure

• An exclusive invitation to the Annual

Friends Post-Concert Reception on Thursday 15 June 2017 • Regular advance information about our concerts and events • Other offers and promotions throughout the season

FRIEND OF ST JOHN'S SMITH SQUARE £45, or £40 annual direct debit, or only £3.75 monthly direct debit: • 1 0 ticket vouchers for our Thursday Lunchtime Concerts series • 1 0% off food and drink in our restaurant (only applicable to Friends of St John's Smith Square) • Priority booking 2 days ahead of the general public • Reduced £1.50 booking fee

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PATRON OF ST JOHN'S SMITH SQUARE £150, or £140 annual direct debit, or only £12.50 monthly direct debit: •2 tickets for every concert in our Thursday Lunchtime Concerts series • 1 0% off food and drink in our restaurant (for Patron and one guest) • Invitations to at least 4 exclusive postconcert ‘Meet the Artists’ receptions • The opportunity to attend an exclusive post-concert dinner on Thursday 16 February 2017 with Palisander and the Director of St John’s • Invitations to regular Breakfast at St John’s exclusive events • One complimentary programme for each concert in the Sunday at St John’s series • Priority booking 7 days ahead of the general public • No booking fee • Best seat in the house/priority waiting list • Credit of your generosity on our website and in our brochure YOUNG FRIENDS SCHEME If you’re aged 30 or under, make sure you sign up for our FREE Young Friends Scheme!

Young Friends are entitled to purchase £5 tickets to concerts in our Thursday Lunchtime Concerts, Sunday at St John’s series, and Young Artists’ Series.

Our Young Friends also receive: •£ 5 tickets for selected concerts throughout

the season – you’ll find these marked alongside the ticket information in the brochure with the code ‘YF’ • Exclusive invitations to special events • Young Friends newsletter • Targeted discounts

Box Office 020 7222 1061

BECOME A CORPORATE SUPPORTER ——

We offer many opportunities for corporate sponsors to support the vital work of St John’s Smith Square by creating bespoke packages that are designed to meet each company’s business objectives.

St John’s Smith Square, in the heart of Westminster, is the perfect location to host pre and post-concert receptions and dinners. Your guests are sure to be impressed by this magnificent building in historic Smith Square.

Opportunities include: • Supporting our Young Artists’ Scheme • Sponsoring a concert

• Sponsoring a concert series

• Contributing towards the running costs

of our Grade I listed building

To find out more about corporate opportunities, please contact Richard Heason, Director of St John’s Smith Square on 020 7222 2168 or richard@sjss.org.uk

St John’s Smith Square © Matthew Andrews

Book online sjss.org.uk

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ST JOHN'S SMITH SQUARE EXPLORE OVER 300 YEARS OF HISTORY ——

The magnificent church of St John the Evangelist was designed by architect Thomas Archer as part of the ‘Commission for Building Fifty New Churches’ of 1710.

St John’s was the most elaborate of all, with construction lasting 14 years, from 1714 to 1728, and costing the princely sum of £40,875 (approximately £5.2m today).

Perhaps heralding the future musical life of St John’s, in September 1901 Edith Hockey and Robert Britten were married here.

Twelve years later, they had a son, Benjamin, who as an adult would record here with the Wandsworth School Boys’ Choir.

For over 200 years, St John’s served as a parish church, though not without incident.

In 1742 a major fire led to extensive restoration and modification to Archer’s design. In 1815 the church was struck by lightning, causing subsidence to the towers, and in the early twentieth century it was the target of a Suffragette bomb plot.

Ironically, in 1928, the church held Emmeline Pankhurst’s funeral.

Perhaps the most dramatic night in St John’s history was 10 May 1941, the final night of the Blitz, when a direct hit from an incendiary bomb gutted the church.

After the war it lay as a ruin and there was talk of turning the site into a car park.

This galvanised local people, under the leadership of Lady Parker of Waddington, to raise the funds to buy the site and commission Marshall Sisson to lead the restoration to Archer’s original designs.

When the work was completed in 1969, St John’s Smith Square was re-born as one of the finest concert halls in London.

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OUR HISTORY

Our grand opening concert was given by Joan Sutherland and Richard Bonynge (who returned in 1989 for our 20th birthday gala). There have been many other highlights over the years – the UK premiere of Karlheinz Stockhausen’s Stimmung (with Stockhausen himself on sound projection); world premieres of works by Boulez, Birtwistle, Copland and Tippett by the London Sinfonietta; William Walton conducting his own 70th birthday concert; Pierre Boulez and Daniel Barenboim conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra; an 84-year-old Sir Adrian Boult conducting the English National Orchestra; and Morton Feldman performing alongside Harrison Birtwistle and John Tilbury for BBC Radio.

We’ve also hosted the Menuhin School Concert, featuring students Nigel Kennedy and Melvin Tan; a 21-year-old Simon Rattle with the Salomon Orchestra; Plácido Domingo, Teresa Berganza and Ileana Cotrubaş recording Bizet’s Carmen with Claudio Abbado and the London Symphony Orchestra; Philip Glass giving a chamber organ recital, and Lutosławski conducting the Philharmonia in the London premiere of his second Symphony.

Now in our 302nd year, St John’s Smith Square continues to grow and thrive as a busy concert hall – a majestic building resounding to beautiful music in a serene city setting.

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© Peter Baistow

1. Thomas Archer, Architect 2. Archer’s original design 3. Upon completion, in 1728 4. The interior of St John’s Smith Square as a church 5. St John’s Smith Square re-born as a concert hall in 1969 6. Joanna Brendon, St John’s Smith Square's first Director, with staff

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BOOKING INFORMATION BUYING TICKETS ——

PHONE 020 7222 1061 Monday to Saturday 10.00am – 5.00pm £2 booking fee applies ONLINE sjss.org.uk £1.50 booking fee applies IN PERSON Monday to Saturday 10.00am – 5.00pm (until 6.00pm on public concert days).

The Box Office opens one hour before the start of Sunday and Bank Holiday concerts.

POST Box Office, St John’s Smith Square, London SW1P 3HA Please enclose a stamped addressed envelope. Cheques should be made payable to St John’s Smith Square.

CONCESSIONS AND REDUCTIONS Available for many of our concerts to senior citizens, full-time students, registered unemployed, school children (under 16) and people who are registered disabled. Westminster CitySave card holders are entitled to a 10% discount on a pair of tickets for any public concert.

Parties of ten or more qualify for a 10% discount.

ACCESSIBILITY If you have access requirements, please let our Box Office staff know when booking your tickets to help us provide you with the best possible service and choice of seats.

We allocate an additional seat free of charge to disabled patrons who require a carer to accompany them.

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PLEASE STAY IN TOUCH WITH US ONLINE Join the conversation! @StJohnsSmithSq /StJohnsSmithSquare /StJohnsSmithSquare /StJohnsSmithSquare /StJohnsSmithSquare Please Note We may need to substitute artists and to vary our concert programmes from the published information without warning.

Latecomers are admitted only at a suitable pause in the concert, as advised by the concert promoter.

Please note that tickets may not be refunded but may be exchanged up to 48 hours before the performance.

Administration charges may apply.

St John’s Smith Square is a member of the British Association of Concert Halls and the British Arts Festivals Association, an Affiliate Member of the Association of British Orchestras, and a member of Réseau Européen de Musique Ancienne.

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HOW TO FIND US YOUR VISIT ——

St John’s Smith Square is just off Millbank between Westminster and Lambeth Bridges, close to the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey, and a short walk from Westminster tube station.

TUBE Westminster, St James’s Park & Victoria

CAR PARKING St John’s Smith Square is within the congestion charging zone. Parking meters are in operation during the day Monday – Friday until 6.30pm. In the evenings and at weekends there are usually ample spaces locally. There is Westminster City Council car parking on Great College Street and Arneway Street.

BUS 3 and 87 to Horseferry Road C10 and 507 (limited hours) to Millbank 88 to Horseferry Road 11, 211, 148 and 24 to Westminster Abbey SANTANDER CYCLES A docking station is located in Smith Square and there are also stations on Horseferry Road, Page Street and Great College Street.

St James’s Park

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FOOTSTOOL RESTAURANT EXPERIENCE FINE DINING & PRE-ORDER INTERVAL DRINKS ——

Nestled beneath the Hall under the vaulted ceiling of the crypt, the Footstool Restaurant is an elegant and cosy place to enjoy everything from a delicious snack or light meal, to a sumptuous lunch or dinner. All our food is freshly prepared by our talented chefs using locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients.

Legend has it the church was dubbed ‘Queen Anne’s Footstool’ after architect Thomas Archer asked Queen Anne for her view on how it should look. Kicking over her footstool she replied “like that!”

The four towers are said to mimic the upturned footstool. The restaurant keeps this charming nickname alive.

Indulge in fine loose leaf tea and homemade cake, choose from our enticing daily buffet menu, dine à la carte before a concert, or enjoy a glass of wine and a grazing board during the interval.

Our friendly staff will be on hand, whatever you choose.

Avoid the rush by pre-ordering your pre-show, interval and post-show refreshments. We will ensure that your order is available for collection at a convenient location in the crypt.

The Footstool Restaurant takes à la carte reservations for lunchtime and evening service, buffet bookings for groups of ten or more, and caters for private events.

To book, or to find out more, call us on 020 7222 2779 or email stjohns@leafi.co.uk

Simply search ‘Footstool Restaurant at Smith Square’ in the Apple App Store or Google Play to download the app for free. Prices are exactly the same and there are no extra charges.

Footstool Restaurant © Matthew Andrews

Pre-order your interval drinks before 6.00pm on the day via our smartphone preoday app and get 20% off your first three orders!

Footstool Restaurant © Matthew Andrews

Explore 300 years of history Unlike most churches of the time, the crypt at St John’s Smith Square was never used for burials. Its main use over the years was actually as a cellar for storing wine and beer.

Untouched by the bombing that destroyed much of the building, the crypt was excavated and survives complete with its original brickwork.

Discover more on page 116.

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St John’s Smith Square © Matthew Andrews

St John’s Smith Square © Matthew Andrews

THANK YOU! St John’s Smith Square is very grateful to all the Friends, Companies and Trusts and Foundations who have generously supported our work during the 2015/16 Season.

—— J Allen C J Apperley Michael Archer Alain Aubry Anonymous Dr J Baker Dennis Baldry Hannah Baldwin David Ballance Mr and Mrs Dickie Bannenberg M Barrell Dr Desmond Bermingham B Bezant Michel-Yves Bolloré Antoine Bommelaer Michael Bowen P Bowman Sir Alan and Lady Bowness Clare Bowring Joanna Brendon Ian Brown C Brunell Burberry K J Burke M P Callaghan J Carden The Countess of Chichester L Collins Creative Europe Fund of the European Commission M Croucher J F Daniels Lady Prue Davies Lady P Deben Dr T Digman Graham Dodwell Dr Andrew Drummond P Duizend Jill Dymock N Evans Dr M T A Evans Dr Andrew Evans M E Falshaw Gilly French and Dr J Gray A L Gabites Alexandra Ganter Don Gorman N Graham Andrew Greaves J Hall

W Halon Angela and David Harvey Hay A Herrero-Ducloux Dr S Hill Prof Sean Hilton The Hinrischen Foundation A L Hoile Colin Howard S Hughes Ingenious J A James G Jenkins Glenn Jessee M Joekes Christopher Jones Jacqueline Kilgour Jocelyn Knight R Lab Andrew Langley Jane Law In memory of J.P Legrand Alan Leibowitz Adrian Lewis G Lilley Dr Martin Lissmann Sophie Loewendahl Hyacinth V Lund Nancy & Humphrey Marten Matthew Thomas Maxwell Sir C McCullough Grant McIntyre Patrick McKenna Philip Miles W Monroe Adrian Mumford K Murphy Caroline Myddelton Margarita Nikolayeva Elizabeth Norris V Nyong C Overd Dr S Paetke R Page Dr Jean Parker C L Parker-Williams Geoff Pero Clarissa Pierburg Jill Prawer R M Prebble Sophie Prett

P Privitera Kenneth Robbie Kenelm Robert The RVW Trust Chris Saunders Donna Schofield Philip Searl Baroness Sharples E Siebert B W Silverman Lynne Simmons B Singleton Judy Skelton L A Skilton Sarah-Jane Sklaroff Dr Martin Smith Philip and Wendy Spink Steinway & Sons Daniel Stephens Samuel D P Stewart Marilyn Stock Ilona Storey D Sugden John Taylor Susan Taylor Barry Taylor John Taylor Windsor Thomas Anthony Thornton I Tompkinson Eric Tracey Dr F P Tudor John Turner Lady C Vanneck Richard Vincent Ian Walsh Andrew Ward Tina Welsh John Whitehead Henry Wickham J Wilde Philip Williams E Witts Mark Woloshyn John Wright Danny and Lillan Wyler