Kirill Karabits Principal Conductor
Great Hall, Exeter concert season 2013 / 14
McCawley, Elgar Cello Concerto november Carlo
d Symphony december Renaud Capuçon, Strauss
akels & Ronald Brautigam february Tchaikovsky
eski plays Chopin april John Lill’s 70th Birthday,
ahms symphony cycle bsolive.com
Book here « lift flap
Great Hall, Exeter 01392 667080 bsolive.com series concerts
Tickets on general sale from Wednesday 4 September £36.50 | £30 | £22 | £18.50 | £12.50 Series Discounts 40% 11 concerts 30% 8 –10 concerts 20% 6 – 7 concerts 10% 4 – 5 concerts
Booking fees are payable for telephone and online bookings All concessions and discounts are subject to availability
concessions
The BSO offers the following concessions to most concerts. Please note that only one concession applies per ticket and that concessions are not available retrospectively. Proof of status is required at the time of collection.
There is a free “Meet the Music” pre-concert talk for every concert (except Messiah and Strauss Gala) at 6.40pm in the Peter Chalk Centre (opposite the Northcott Theatre).
BSO Kids for a Quid Under 18s: £1 per ticket BSO Vibes £5 per ticket (for members signed up to the scheme) 50% discount for Full-time students, Job-seekers allowance, Income support benefit Wheelchair users plus one companion No discount for disabled patrons, but 50% reduction for one companion Group discounts 10% 10 or more tickets 20% 20 or more tickets 30% 30 or more tickets All group bookings must be paid in full one month in advance of the concert date, after which tickets will be released for resale.
www.bsolive.com Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra @BSOrchestra BSOrchestra A selection of concerts from the BSO’s 2013/14 season will be broadcast live by BBC Radio 3 bbc.co.uk/radio3
Welcome to the 2013 / 14 Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Season here at the Great Hall, Exeter University As we enter our 120th consecutive year of music-making, I am as thrilled as anyone by the outstanding playing of our Orchestra and exceptional artistic achievements of Principal Conductor Kirill Karabits. We are all immensely proud that this musical relationship is starting to receive the national and international recognition it deserves, not least the Conductor Award for Kirill at the 2013 Royal Philharmonic Society Awards. The 2013/14 season features a number of highlights including a focus on Rachmaninov as well
as a special concert to celebrate John Lill’s 70th birthday. Kirill’s Brahms symphony cycle, taking place over two days in Poole, is sure to be an extraordinary climax to the season. As ever our range of programmes and artists are designed to inspire our loyal regular supporters whilst finding many ways to welcome new audiences of all ages and tastes. Throughout the season we will encourage you to find out more through our increasing range of online resources at bsolive.com.
In times of austerity, I believe there has never been a more important time to celebrate the role that culture, and in our case music, has in enhancing and transforming our lives. I thank everyone who makes it possible for there to be a world class symphony orchestra here on the south coast, we will need your support more than ever in the years ahead and I look forward to welcoming you on that journey. Dougie Scarfe Chief Executive
Guest artists Renaud Capuçon
Jennifer Pike
Simon Trpcˇeski
John Lill
violin 12 december
violin 27 february
pian0 13 march
piano 10 april
Renaud Capuçon makes a welcome return to the BSO. Established as a soloist of the highest level he performs with the world’s top orchestras as well as a busy schedule of chamber concerts. Since 2007 he has been an Ambassador for the Zegna & Music project, which was founded in 1997 as a philanthropic activity to promote music and its values
Acclaimed for her “dazzling interpretative flair and exemplary technique” by Classic FM, British violinist Jennifer Pike first came to prominence in 2002 after winning the BBC Young Musician of the Year at the age of just 12. She became a BBC New Generation Artist in 2008 and the only classical artist ever to win the South Bank Show / Times Breakthrough Award.
www.renaudcapucon.com
www.jenniferpike.com
“It is not simply that Simon Trpcˇeski has a phenomenal technique. Crucially he has the musical intelligence to know how to apply it” With comments like that in The Telegraph it is no wonder that Simon has become a firm favourite with BSO audiences, never failing to impress with his impeccable technique and delicate expression. www.trpceski.com
John Lill enjoys an international concert career spanning 50 years. He gave his first piano recital at the age of nine, and at 18 performed Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto under Sir Adrian Boult. After winning the Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in 1970 his career has taken him to over 50 countries. He has entertained BSO audiences since 1966.
Elgar’s Enigma Bristling with energy the Introduction & Allegro is an intricately wrought concerto grosso for strings. Abandoning the expansive lyric nature of the Enigma Variations, the work that first brought him to public attention, or the imperial swagger of his marches, Elgar instead took the opportunity to explore a modern approach in a complex and densely packed masterpiece which still retains moments of
“the bournemouth strings alert and perfectly co-ordinated, the whole structure surfing on a wave of musical energy” Andrew Clements, The Guardian Cheltenham, Town Hall, Apr 2013
nostalgic reminiscence. With its symphonic proportions, grand orchestration, and stormy, Romantic rhetoric, Beethoven’s C minor concerto was an important precursor of his “heroic” middle-period style. Its solo part still demands immense power and virtuosity requiring an unprecedented range of colour and expression from the pianist.
thursday
17
october 7.30 pm
elgar Introduction & Allegro beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3 elgar Enigma Variations Owain Arwel Hughes conductor Leon McCawley piano
thursday
31
Brahms Two
holst St. Paul’s Suite elgar Cello Concerto brahms Symphony No. 2
Inspired by the Baroque dance suites of Handel and Telemann and with echoes of folk simplicity, Holst’s lithe and lively work is a musical delight. Elgar’s last completed full-scale composition for orchestra, the Cello Concerto, written after the horrors of the Great War, is also full of backward glances to a past era. Imbued with an elegiac sense of nostalgia, its autumnal, sunset-romantic
october 7.30 pm
Garry Walker conductor Andreas Brantelid cello
sensibility has appealed to generations ever since. Having waited so long to begin writing symphonies, Brahms finished his Second surprisingly quickly during a relaxing but creative summer. It appears, superficially, to be the sunniest, most relaxed and genial of his four symphonies, though the music throbs with dark undercurrents and is full of melancholic ambiguities.
“this was still an engrossing performance, finding the bso on terrific and energetic form” Andrew Morris, Classical Source Basingstoke, Anvil, Mar 2012
Worlds Old & New The second suite is a charming collection comprising six pieces from those that Bizet composed for Daudet’s play The Girl from Arles – a tragic story about unrequited love in which the title character never appears. Paganini’s theme is ripe for development and Rachmaninov fully exploits this in a freely imaginative and rhythmically energetic sequence of tightly organised variations forged into
Judith Preston, Philippa Stevens, Vicky Berry
a continuous and potent drama, composed in a matter of days and brimming with white-hot inspiration. Remaining incredibly fresh and abounding with memorable melodies, the Ninth Symphony describes Dvořák’s own spiritual and emotional journey from his intense longing for his beloved Bohemia to the thrill of the “New World” and its varied peoples.
thursday
28
november 7.30 pm
bizet L’Arlésienne Suite No. 2 rachmaninov Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini dvok Symphony No. 9 “From the New World” Carlo Rizzi conductor Alexander Gavrylyuk piano
Bournemouth Symphony Strings
Changing Moods
Renaud Capuçon
With its dense chromaticism, intricate counterpoint, and Wagnerian drive sweeping toward a great climax, Metamorphosen is a memorial to a type of music that had been abandoned long before 1945. It succeeds so brilliantly because Strauss at last found a way to address the present with the voice of the past. Schumann too linked past and future in his Violin Concerto which has been
described as the missing link between Beethoven and Brahms. It is a melancholy yet achingly beautiful reflection of his failing state of mind. Mendelssohn’s Fourth Symphony is extrovert from the outset, conjuring up the sunny skies and landscapes of the Italian countryside in a virtually flawless assembly of airy and fiery dances, never letting the excitement lapse for a moment.
thursday
12
december 7.30 pm
r strauss Metamorphosen schumann Violin Concerto mendelssohn Symphony No. 4 “Italian” Kirill Karabits conductor Renaud Capuçon violin
thursday
Handel’s Messiah 19 december 7.30 pm
handel Messiah Christian Curnyn conductor Rebecca Bottone soprano William Towers counter-tenor Samuel Boden tenor Christopher Purves baritone Exeter Festival Chorus
Since its triumphant Dublin debut in 1742, Handel’s choral masterpiece has remained a firm favourite with audiences young and old and has secured itself a regular spot in the Christmas calendar. A work of musical majesty and spiritual nobility it has never been surpassed. Retelling the story of Christ it is filled with beautiful arias including He was Despised and Rejected and I Know that My Redeemer Liveth, and rousing choruses like For Unto Us a Child is Born and Hallelujah Chorus, perhaps the most celebrated and popular chorus ever written.
“what characterised this performance above all was its galvanised strength and relentless momentum” Hilary Finch, The Times Poole, Lighthouse, Oct 2012
Andy Cresci
New Year Viennese Gala Johann Strauss II is the king of the waltz and New Year’s Day has become synonymous with the elegance of Viennese style and grandeur. Join the BSO and Günther Bauer-Schenk and escape to a world of glittering dance-halls in a concert filled with memorable polkas, marches, gallops and waltzes. With the power of a full symphony orchestra, this is Strauss as it should be heard – pulsating with shimmering strings and dashes of orchestral exuberance.
Highlights include his overture to Waldmeister, the Tik-Tak, Pleasure Train and At the Hunt polkas and the Emperor and Treasure waltzes. There are also treats by his brother Josef including the Phoenix march and Feuerfest polka. Plus, of course, The Blue Danube to finish.
thursday
2
january 7.30 pm
Günther Bauer-Schenk conductor Fiona Murphy soprano
friday
31
Beethoven’s Eroica
mozart The Impresario Overture mozart Piano Concerto No. 22 K482 beethoven Symphony No. 3 “Eroica”
Mozart’s overture to The Impresario is a sparkling and witty piece of orchestral merriment which set the scene for the farcical backstage look at opera production as rival prima donnas try to outdo each other. Written at the same time, his Piano Concerto No. 22 explores deeper emotions, resulting in an expansive, truly glorious work encompassing melancholy and mischief, full of searching melodies and harmonic development. Whereas Mozart delighted, Beethoven confounded and his epic Third Symphony, the longest of its genre yet composed, proved to be the watershed between the Classical and Romantic periods. From that point on Beethoven was no mere composer – he was a creator of monuments.
january 7.30 pm
Kees Bakels conductor Ronald Brautigam piano
Nicole Boyesen
Heroes & Superheroes more music from the movies Heroes both historical and fictitious as well as the superheroes of the Marvel and DC comics are a fertile mine of inspiration for Hollywood and some of the best big screen adventures ever. Scores include the classics of Robin Hood and The Magnificent Seven by Eric Korngold and Elmer Bernstein as well as those by John Williams and James
“athletically exciting, committed and virtuosic playing... posed no technical problems for the excellent bournemouth players” Nick Barnard, Seen and Heard International Poole, Lighthouse, Mar 2013
Horner from films depicting real-life heroics of wartime sacrifice and space exploration in Saving Private Ryan and Apollo 13. Superheroes are represented by Superman, Batman, Spiderman and the X-Men. There are some cartoon favourites in the shape of Pixar’s The Incredibles and Disney’s Hercules and also appearances by Harry Potter and James Bond.
thursday
13
february 7.30 pm
Pete Harrison conductor
thursday
27
Beethoven’s Fifth
wagner Siegfried Idyll tchaikovsky Violin Concerto beethoven Symphony No.5
Untypical of the usual grandiose scoring of Wagner, the Siegfried Idyll is an intimate work, written as a birthday present for his wife, Cosima. Themes take on a more general character as expressions of victorious love and affection, with an almost meditative and lullaby-like tone and quality. Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto speaks to us from the heart. It holds an outstanding place among all violin concertos.
february 7.30 pm
Rui Pinheiro conductor Jennifer Pike violin
Jennifer Pike
One of the more demanding works for the violin virtuoso, it is more remarkable still for its unwavering melodic inspiration and passionate expression of human feeling. The Fifth, more than any other of his symphonies, unfolds Beethoven’s romantic spirit in a climax rising straight to the end and carries the listener away irresistibly like some ingenious rhapsody.
Philippa Stevens
Trpˇceski plays Chopin Chopin’s gift for melody absolutely shines throughout his First Piano Concerto, which established him as a talent to be watched and launched his international fame. The opening is restrained yet noble, but once the piano enters it dominates the proceedings, thoroughly infusing the music with Romantic fantasy, colour, and virtuosity. The central nocturne virtually sings with tunefulness, whilst the finale pays
homage to his native Poland to which he would never return. The unqualified success of the Second Symphony vindicated Rachmaninov’s powers as a symphonist, drawing upon his talent for creating ardent, emotionally compelling melodies. Filled with mesmerizing melodies, passionate musical outbursts and lovingly quiet interludes it remains an audience favourite.
“the immaculate orchestral playing, the aloof quality of the closing passacaglia seemed nobly restrained rather than merely cool” Ivan Hewett, The Telegraph Poole, Lighthouse, Nov 2012
thursday
13 march 7.30 pm
chopin Piano Concerto No.1 rachmaninov Symphony No. 2 Jac van Steen conductor Simon Trpcˇeski piano
thursday
10 april 7.30 pm
brahms Academic Festival Overture rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 2 sibelius Symphony No.1 Stefan Solyom conductor John Lill piano
John Lill’s 70th Birthday With more emphasis on the “festival” than the “academic,” Brahms’ musical thank you to the University of Breslau brims with an irrepressible sense of fun with its inclusion of student beer-hall tunes and humorous musical in-jokes. Rising out of mysterious depths, Rachmaninov quickly lets loose the first of many striking themes that abound in his Second Piano Concerto. At just 28, in love and about to be married, no wonder he exhibits a youthful confidence in a mature
work imbued with a sincere, heartfelt passion that continues to captivate audiences. Sibelius’ First Symphony is significant in that never before had a work of such stature emerged from Northern Europe, unveiling the previously unheard character of Nordic music, sounding both ‘old’ and ‘new’ at the same time. The mood is dramatic and austere throughout, the tone being set with the extended clarinet solo at the beginning.
Vicky Berry
Thank You to Our Supporters On behalf of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra we would like to thank everyone who has so generously supported our work over the past year. Every gift helps us to bridge the increasing gap between the costs of running a world-class symphony orchestra and the income we can raise through concert tickets and public funding. The BSO is an extremely resourceful organisation but we need your help more than ever to support our performances and education work in communities across the length
and breadth of the South and South West. There are many ways you can support the BSO; make a regular donation, join our membership scheme or pledge to leave the Orchestra a legacy. For the company directors and decision-makers amongst you, the BSO has an exciting range of corporate sponsorship opportunities that can be tailor-made to deliver a wealth of benefits for your business, clients and staff.
If you would like to know more on how you or your company can support the BSO please contact our Development Department on 01202 644718 or email giving@bsorchestra.co.uk
If you love music then become a member of the BSO Being a BSO Member means so much more than just a membership card, priority booking privileges and subscription to Quarternote magazine. It is first and foremost about a love of music and being part of a collective that supports the future of Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.
If you are interested in becoming a BSO Member, please contact our Membership team on 01202 644734 or email membership@bsorchestra.co.uk
With an exciting schedule of national and international trips, members-only talks, interviews and exclusive access to rehearsals, you will have a unique opportunity to meet BSO musicians, conductors and guest artists, as well as a ‘behind-the-scenes’ perspective on the workings of the Orchestra and its players.
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra would like to thank the following supporters
principal funders
public funders
partners
academic partner
trusts & foundations With special thanks to JPMorgan Chase Foundation for its support of BSO Blast
in-kind partners
Mercedes-Benz of Poole
The Britten-Pears Foundation The Fenton Arts Trust Flaghead Charitable Trust The Holst Foundation The Michael and Ilse Katz Foundation The Leverhulme Trust Ralph Vaughan Williams Trust The Valentine Charitable Trust The VEC Acorn Trust and finally, thank you to everyone who supports the BSO through membership, donations, patronage, or by donating their time.
bso portraits: Eric Richmond ericrichmond.net Design: Joe Swift windpower.uk.com
How to get to the Great Hall lift flap »
Great Hall, Exeter University Stocker Road, Exeter EX4 4PY
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra 2 Seldown Lane, Poole, BH15 1UF Tel: 01202 670611 www.bsolive.com BSO is a Charity Registered No.208520 and a company limited by guarantee Registered No.538351 England. All information is correct at the time of going to press – however artists are subject to availability and the BSO reserves the right to make any necessary changes from the advertised programmes.
by road
parking
public transport
The Great Hall is situated on the main Streatham campus of Exeter University. It is adjacent to the Northcott Theatre which is signposted from Exeter City Centre. The campus lies to the north of the City Centre. From the M5 and A30 to the west, the best route to take from the ring road (B3181) is Pinhoe Road (B3212) and enter the campus via Union Road and Prince of Wales Road.
Car parking is available on campus – free from 1800hrs. We advise that you allow plenty of time to find a space as it is often very busy. The main car parks are Car Parks A, B and D as marked on the map. Blue badge holders can use the Car Park C at the top of Stocker Road.
The Streatham Campus is served by the Stagecoach D and H bus routes which run all evening from the City Centre. The bus stop is at North Park Road opposite the Northcott Theatre.
satnav use postcode EX4 4QJ
Exeter has two railway stations – Exeter St David’s (main station) and Central. Exeter St David’s Station is a 10 minute walk from the Streatham Campus and taxis are available.
october Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 3, Leon M
Rizzi & Alexander Gavrylyuk, Dvorˇák New World
Metamorphosen, Handel Messiah january Kees Ba
Violin Concerto, Jennifer Pike march Simon Trpcˇe
CPE Bach St. John Passion may Kirill Karabits’ Bra