LPO programme: 10 Feb 2024 Brighton - Pictures at an Exhibition

2023/24 concert season at Brighton Dome

Concert programme

Principal Conductor Edward Gardner supported by Aud Jebsen Principal Guest Conductor Karina Canellakis Conductor Emeritus Vladimir Jurowski Patron HRH The Duke of Kent KG Artistic Director Elena Dubinets Chief Executive David Burke Leader Pieter Schoeman supported by Neil Westreich

Brighton Dome Concert Hall Saturday 10 February 2024 | 7.30pm Congress Theatre, Eastbourne Sunday 11 February 2024 | 3.00pm

Pictures at an Exhibition Brahms Violin Concerto (36') Interval (20’) Mussorgsky Pictures at an Exhibition (30’)

Kahchun Wong conductor Francesca Dego violin

The timings shown are not precise and are given only as a guide.

Concerts presented by the London Philharmonic Orchestra in association with Brighton Dome and Eastbourne Borough Council.

Contents 2 3 4

Welcome On stage London Philharmonic Orchestra 6 Kahchun Wong 7 Francesca Dego 8 Programme notes 9 BrightSparks Schools’ Concert 12 Next concerts 16 LPO Player Appeal 2023/24 17 Sound Futures donors 18 Thank you 20 LPO administration

London Philharmonic Orchestra • 10 & 11 February 2024 • Pictures at an Exhibition

Friday 10 February 2024

Saturday 11 February 2024

Welcome to Brighton Dome

Welcome to the Congress Theatre

Chief Executive Andrew Comben

Theatre Director Chris Jordan Welcome to this afternoon’s concert by the London Philharmonic Orchestra here at the Congress Theatre.

As always, we are pleased to welcome back the London Philharmonic Orchestra and its patrons.

Welcome to tonight’s concert by the London Philharmonic Orchestra here at Brighton Dome.

We hope you enjoy the performance and your visit here. For your comfort and safety, please note the following: thank you for your co-operation.

This season we celebrate over 60 years since the LPO gave the first ever performance at the newlyopened Congress Theatre in 1963. The Orchestra has now given over 350 concerts here in Eastbourne, performing with countless esteemed conductors and soloists, as well as introducing many exciting new artists to the stage for the first time.

Latecomers may not be admitted until a suitable break in the performance. Some performances may contain no suitable breaks.

Smoking Brighton Dome is a no-smoking venue.

Interval drinks may be ordered in advance at the bar to avoid queues.

The historic theatre in which you are now seated is unique in that it is conceived to be a perfect cube and has fantastic acoustics to enhance your experience of live music. Whether this is your first visit or you are a season regular, we hope you enjoy your experience at our venue. We thank you for continuing to support the concert series. Please sit back in your seats and enjoy the concert and your visit here.

Photography is not allowed in the auditorium.

Recording is not allowed in the auditorium.

Mobiles and watches should be switched off before entering the auditorium.

The concert at Brighton Dome on 10 February 2024 is presented by the London Philharmonic Orchestra in association with Brighton Dome.

As a courtesy to others, please ensure mobile phones are switched off during the performance. Please also note that photography and recording are not allowed in the auditorium unless announced from the stage.

Thank you.

Brighton Dome gratefully acknowledges the support of Brighton & Hove City Council and Arts Council England.

Brighton Dome is managed by Brighton Dome & Brighton Festival, which also runs the annual threeweek Brighton Festival in May. brightondome.org | brightonfestival.org

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London Philharmonic Orchestra • 10 & 11 February 2024 • Pictures at an Exhibition

On stage First Violins

Alice Ivy-Pemberton Leader Lasma Taimina Chair supported by Irina Gofman & Mr Rodrik V. G. Cave

Minn Majoe Elizaveta Tyun Katherine Waller Alice Hall Maeve Jenkinson Eleanor Bartlett Kay Chappell Eve Kennedy Alison Strange John Dickinson Daniel Pukach† Gabriela Opacka†

Second Violins

Tania Mazzetti Principal Kate Birchall Fiona Higham Chair supported by David & Yi Buckley

Joseph Maher Ashley Stevens Lyrit Milgram Kate Cole Sheila Law Caroline Heard José Nuno Cabrita Matias Sioni Williams† Harry Kerr†

Violas

Nicholas Bootiman Guest Principal

Martin Wray Benedetto Pollani Lucia Ortiz Sauco Julia Doukakis Kate De Campos Jill Valentine Julia Doukakis Shiry Rashkovsky† Michelle Bruil†

Bass Clarinet

Timpani

Sue Sutherley Helen Thomas Leo Melvin Colin Alexander Hee Yeon Cho† Pedro Silva†

Alto Saxophone

Chair supported by Victoria Robey CBE

Double Basses

Patrick Bolton

Cellos

Richard Birchall

Paul Richards* Principal

Guest Principal

Martin Robertson

Bassoons

Guylaine Eckersley Guest Principal

Simon Carrington* Principal

Percussion

Andrew Barclay* Principal

Chair supported by Gill & Garf Collins

Karen Hutt

Chair supported by Mr B C Fairhall

Kevin Rundell* Principal Hugh Kluger George Peniston Tom Walley

Contrabassoon

Simon Estell* Principal

Emmanuel Joste Feargus Brennan James Crook

Horns

Laura Murphy† Lowri Estell†

John Ryan* Principal Annemarie Federle

Harps

Flutes

Martin Hobbs Mark Vines Co-Principal Gareth Mollison

Celeste

Trumpets

*Professor at a London conservatoire

Chair supported by William & Alex de Winton

Principal

Tom Hancox Guest Principal Camilla Marchant Stewart McIlwham*

Paul Beniston* Principal Tom Nielsen Co-Principal Anne McAneney* David Hilton

Piccolos

Stewart McIlwham* Principal

Camilla Marchant

Trombones

Oboes

Mark Templeton* Principal

Feargus McCready

Chair supported by William & Alex de Winton

Guest Principal

Alice Munday Sue Böhling*

David Whitehouse

Bass Trombone

Cor Anglais

Lyndon Meredith Principal

Sue Böhling* Principal

Euphonium

Chair supported by Dr Barry Grimaldi

David Whitehouse

Clarinets

Tuba

Benjamin Mellefont*

Lee Tsarmaklis* Principal

Principal

Thomas Watmough Chair supported by Roger Greenwood

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Sally Pryce Tomos Xerri

Catherine Edwards

†10 February concert only

The LPO also acknowledges the following chair supporters whose players are not present at these concerts: Sonja Drexler Friends of the Orchestra Sir Simon Robey Bianca & Stuart Roden Caroline, Jamie & Zander Sharp Eric Tomsett Neil Westreich

London Philharmonic Orchestra • 10 & 11 February 2024 • Pictures at an Exhibition

© Mark Allan

London Philharmonic Orchestra

Our conductors

Uniquely groundbreaking and exhilarating to watch and hear, the London Philharmonic Orchestra has been celebrated as one of the world’s great orchestras since Sir Thomas Beecham founded it in 1932. With every performance we aim to bring wonder to the modern world and cement our position as a leading orchestra for the 21st century.

Our Principal Conductors have included some of the greatest historic names like Sir Adrian Boult, Bernard Haitink, Sir Georg Solti, Klaus Tennstedt and Kurt Masur.

In 2021 Edward Gardner became our 13th Principal Conductor, taking the Orchestra into its tenth decade.

Vladimir Jurowski became Conductor Emeritus in recognition of his impact as Principal Conductor from 2007–21. Karina Canellakis is our current Principal Guest Conductor and Tania León our Composer-in-Residence.

Our home is at the Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall, where we’re at the beating heart of London’s cultural life. You’ll also find us at our resident venues in Brighton, Eastbourne and Saffron Walden, and on tour throughout the UK and internationally, performing to sell-out audiences worldwide. Each summer we’re resident at Glyndebourne Festival Opera, combining the magic of opera with Glyndebourne’s glorious setting in the Sussex countryside.

Soundtrack to key moments Everyone will have heard the London Philharmonic Orchestra, whether it’s playing the world’s National Anthems at every medal ceremony of the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, our iconic recording with Pavarotti that made Nessun Dorma a global football anthem, or closing the flotilla at The Queen’s Thames Diamond Jubilee Pageant. And you’ll almost certainly have heard us on the soundtracks for major films including The Lord of the Rings.

Sharing the wonder You’ll find us online, on streaming platforms, on social media and through our broadcast partnership with Marquee TV. During the pandemic period we launched ‘LPOnline’: over 100 videos of performances, insights and introductions to playlists, which led to us being named runner-up in the Digital Classical Music Awards 2020.

During 2023/24 we’re once again be working with Marquee TV to broadcast selected live concerts, so you can share or relive the wonder from your own living room.

We also release live, studio and archive recordings on our own label, and are the world’s most-streamed orchestra, with over 15 million plays of our content each month.

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London Philharmonic Orchestra • 10 & 11 February 2024 • Pictures at an Exhibition

Alice Ivy-Pemberton Leader

Next generations There’s nothing we love more than seeing the joy of children and families enjoying their first musical moments, and we’re passionate about equipping schools and teachers through schools’ concerts, resources and training. Reflecting our values of collaboration and inclusivity, our OrchLab and Open Sound Ensemble projects offer music-making opportunities for adults and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.

Our LPO Junior Artists programme is leading the way in creating pathways into the profession for young artists from under-represented communities, and our LPO Young Composers and Foyle Future Firsts schemes support the next generation of professional musicians, bridging the transition from education to professional careers. We also recently launched the LPO Conducting Fellowship, supporting the development of outstanding early-career conductors from backgrounds currently under-represented in the profession.

Alice Ivy-Pemberton joined the London Philharmonic Orchestra as Co-Leader in February 2023.

Praised by The New York Times for her ‘sweet-toned playing’, Alice has performed as a soloist, chamber and orchestral musician to international acclaim. While growing up in New York City and studying with Nurit Pacht, Alice made a nationally televised Carnegie Hall debut aged ten, and was a finalist at the Menuhin International Competition at the age of 12.

Looking forward The centrepiece of our 2023/24 season is our spring 2024 festival The Music in You. Reflecting our adventurous spirit, the festival embraces all kinds of expression – dance, music theatre, and audience participation. We’ll collaborate with artists from across the creative spectrum, and give premieres by composers including Tania León, Julian Joseph, Daniel Kidane, Victoria Vita Polevá, Luís Tinoco and John Williams.

Alice earned her Bachelors and Masters degrees at The Juilliard School under the tutelage of Itzhak Perlman and Catherine Cho as a fully-funded recipient of the Kovner Fellowship. During her studies she won Juilliard’s Violin Concerto Competition, performed extensively with the New York Philharmonic and The Philadelphia Orchestra, and led orchestras under the baton of Barbara Hannigan, Xian Zhang and Matthias Pintscher.

Upon graduating in 2022 she was awarded the Polisi Prize and a Benzaquen Career Advancement Grant in recognition of ‘tremendous talent, promise, creativity, and potential to make a significant impact in the performing arts’.

Rising stars making their debuts with us in 2023/24 include conductors Tianyi Lu, Oksana Lyniv, Jonathon Heyward and Natalia Ponomarchuk, accordionist João Barradas and organist Anna Lapwood. We also present the long-awaited conclusion of Conductor Emeritus Vladimir Jurowski’s Wagner Ring Cycle, Götterdämmerung, and, as well as our titled conductors Edward Gardner and Karina Canellakis, we welcome back classical stars including Anne-Sophie Mutter, Robin Ticciati, Christian Tetzlaff and Danielle de Niese.

An avid chamber musician, Alice has collaborated with Itzhak Perlman, Anthony Marwood, Gil Shaham and members of the Belcea, Doric, Juilliard and Brentano string quartets, and performed with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center. Festival appearances include Music@Menlo, Moritzburg and Yellow Barn. Also a passionate advocate for new music and its social relevance, Alice created Drowning Monuments, a noted multimedia project on climate change that brought together five world premieres for solo violin.

lpo.org.uk

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London Philharmonic Orchestra • 10 & 11 February 2024 • Pictures at an Exhibition

Kahchun Wong conductor

© Angie Kremer

Kahchun Wong has forged strong relationships with many living composers. In 2023/24 he will conduct the UK premiere of Toshio Hosokawa’s Prayer with BBC Symphony Orchestra at the Barbican, as well as the world premiere of Thai composer Narong Prangcharoen’s Reflection of Shadow, commissioned specially for his inaugural concert as Principal Guest Conductor at the Dresden Philharmonic. Kahchun has also led the world premiere of Reena Esmail’s Concerto for Hindustani Violin, written for the renowned guru Kala Ramnath, with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra in 2022, as well as the US premiere of Tan Dun​’s Fire Ritual with the New York Philharmonic in 2019. In his Suntory Hall subscription concerts with the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra he regularly programmes works by composers such as Akira Ifukube, Yasushi Akutagawa, Kiyoshige Koyama and Yuzo Toyama. At the invitation of the Tokyo Opera City Foundation, he has led a highly successful performance of Toru Takemitsu’s ambitious orchestral cycle Arc, which was selected as one of the top contemporary concerts of 2022 by major Japanese critics.

Internationally acclaimed for his electrifying stage presence and his thoughtful exploration of Eastern and Western artistic legacies, Singaporean-born Kahchun Wong is Chief Conductor of the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Dresden Philharmonic. He will succeed Sir Mark Elder as Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor of the Hallé from 2024/25. This weekend’s concerts in Brighton and Eastbourne are his debut performances with the London Philharmonic Orchestra.

Kahchun Wong has enjoyed strong collaborations with soloists such as Nelson Freire, Thomas Hampson, Barbara Hannigan, Gerhard Oppitz, Christian Tetzlaff, Patricia Kopatchinskaya, Gautier Capuçon, Daniel Lozakovich, Mao Fujita, Sergei Nakariakov and Vilde Frang.

In his final appearance as Chief Conductor of the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra last summer, Kahchun Wong led the successful world premiere of his own orchestration of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition to an audience of 75,000 at the annual Klassik Open Air in Luitpoldhain. This version, specially composed for folk instrumental soloists from the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, was also broadcast on 3SAT and BR-Klassik.

In December 2019 he became the first artist from Singapore to be conferred the Order of Merit by the Federal President of Germany for his dedicated service and outstanding achievements in Singaporean-German cultural relations and the advancement of German musical culture abroad.

Since winning the Mahler Competition in 2016, Kahchun Wong has guest-conducted distinguished orchestras such as the New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Detroit Symphony Orchestra, Hallé Orchestra, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, Shanghai Symphony Orchestra, Osaka Philharmonic Orchestra, Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra and Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra. Highlights of his 2023/24 season include debuts with the BBC Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic and China NCPA orchestras, as well as returning to the Seattle Symphony Orchestra for Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9. Last month he also also led the Hallé on a tour to Spain.

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London Philharmonic Orchestra • 10 & 11 February 2024 • Pictures at an Exhibition

Francesca Dego violin

Philharmonic, Monte-Carlo Philharmonic Orchestra, Het Gelders Orkest and Orkest van het Oosten; and further afield with the Auckland Philharmonia, Tokyo Metropolitan and Tokyo Symphony orchestras.

© Davide Cerati

Last season Francesca made her recording debut with the London Symphony Orchestra under conductor Jonathon Heyward in ‘A New Dawn’, featuring Joseph Bologne's Concerto No. 2. She regularly collaborates with such esteemed conductors as Sir Roger Norrington, Fabio Luisi, Philippe Herreweghe, Daniele Rustioni, Lionel Bringuier, Dalia Stasevska, Markus Stenz, Donato Renzetti, Gemma New, Jader Bignamini, Alpesh Chauhan, Asher Fisch, Markus Poschner, Krzysztof Urbański and Xian Zhang.

Francesca is signed exclusively to Chandos, and her releases of the complete Mozart Violin Concerti with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra and Sir Roger Norrington were received to unanimous critical acclaim, including BBC Music Magazine’s 5* Record of the Month. Her most recent release on the label features the Mozart Piano Quartets with Federico Colli, Timothy Ridout and Laura van der Heijden. She has also recorded concerti by Paganini and Wolf-Ferrari with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and Daniele Rustioni, and a recital disc entitled Il Cannone, as well as Beethoven's complete violin sonatas and Paganini’s Caprices for Deutsche Grammophon.

Italian-American violinist Francesca Dego is celebrated for her versatility, compelling interpretations and flawless technique.

These concerts are Francesca’s debut performances with the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Her 2023/24 season also includes concerto debuts with the Utah Symphony, Swedish Radio, Bergen Philharmonic, West Australian Symphony and Queensland Symphony orchestras, and re-invitations to the Hallé, City of Birmingham Symphony, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Orchestra Haydn and Brucknerhaus Linz. She is ‘Artist in Focus’ at the Ulster Orchestra, with engagements across the season including the Brahms Double Concerto with Daniel Müller-Schott, and chamber and education projects. In recital, she will perform in Rome, Perugia and Sacile with pianist Alessandro Taverna.

A keen chamber musician, Francesca enjoys performing with artists such as Francesco Piemontesi, Daniel Müller-Schott, Timothy Ridout, Jan Lisiecki, Salvatore Accardo, Alessandro Carbonare, Mahan Esfahani, Bruno Giuranna, Shlomo Mintz, Narek Hakhnazaryan, Federico Colli, Mischa Maisky, Antonio Meneses, Martin Owen, Alessandro Taverna, Enrico Dindo, Alessio Bax, Roman Simovic and Francesca Leonardi.

Highlights of Francesca’s recent seasons include concerts across Japan with the NHK Symphony under Fabio Luisi, and engagements with the National Symphony Orchestra (Washington), Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Orquesta de Castilla y León, and the Orchestre de Champs Elysées with Philippe Herreweghe. In spring 2023 she jumped in at short notice to make her Canadian debut with the National Arts Centre Ottawa. Other recent projects include in the UK with the BBC Symphony, Ulster, Hallé, Philharmonia, Royal Philharmonic and Royal Scottish National orchestras and the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain; in Europe with the Gürzenich Orchestra Cologne, Orchestre Philharmonique de Nice, Teatro Carlo Felice Genova at St Petersburg’s Stars of the White Nights festival, Teatro Regio di Torino, Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Orquestra de Sevilla and Orquestra de la Comunitat Valenciana at the Palau de les Arts, Oviedo

Francesca also has a passion for contemporary music and counts herself a dedicatee of the works of, amongst others, Michael Nyman, Carlo Boccadoro, Cristian Carrara, Nicola Campogrande and Marco Taralli. She is a frequent contributor to specialist music magazines including penning a monthly column for Suonare News, and has written articles for The Strad, BBC Music, Classical Music, Musical Opinion and Strings magazine.

Francesca has also recently published her first book, Tra le Note. Classica: 24 chiavi di lettura, in which she explores how classical music can be listened to and better understood today. Francesca is based in London and plays on a rare Francesco Ruggeri violin (Cremona 1697).

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London Philharmonic Orchestra • 10 & 11 February 2024 • Pictures at an Exhibition

Programme notes Johannes Brahms 1833–97

Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 77 1878

Francesca Dego violin 1 Allegro non troppo 2 Adagio 3 Allegro giocoso, ma non troppo vivace Today, Brahms’s Violin Concerto is regarded as one of the high points of the solo violin repertoire. Yet it is also rather untypical of the romantic concerto literature.

Certainly the solo part is challenging: the Austrian violinist and conductor Josef Hellmesberger, who directed the first performance, went so far as to call it a concerto ‘not for, but against the violin’. But there is so much more to this concerto than attention-grabbing virtuoso display. In fact it is often more like a symphony for violin and orchestra, in which the violin leads the argument, but the orchestra is rarely totally subservient.

Brahms wrote the Concerto for his close friend, the virtuoso violinist and composer Joseph Joachim (1831–1907). From the start, Brahms was concerned to tailor the solo part to Joachim’s style. Joachim made numerous suggestions, not all of which Brahms accepted; nevertheless Joachim left his imprint indelibly on the solo part, and even on some of the orchestral writing: the wonderful orchestral return at the end of the first movement’s unaccompanied cadenza was rescored, to magical effect, at Joachim’s instigation.

The Concerto begins with a simple but eloquent theme on bassoons, violas and cellos, joined by horns.

A moment later there’s a soft change of harmony and the movement settles into a kind of slow, graceful waltz motion. Stark contrast is provided by a minor-inflected forte theme, starting in unison. The contrast between these three ideas sets the tone for the whole first movement. When the soloist enters, it is in the minor key, with more dramatic, rhythmically complex writing –

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London Philharmonic Orchestra • 10 & 11 February 2024 • Pictures at an Exhibition

Programme notes good romantic ‘striving’ solo writing in fact – but this is soon calmed by lyrical solo woodwind. Towards the end of the movement the tempo notches up, with suitably impressive cascading chords for the violin; but memories of the thoughtful melodic writing are likely to be just as persistent.

A note on the cadenza Brahms did not consider himself violinistically expert enough to compose a first-movement cadenza for his Violin Concerto, so he asked Joachim, the work’s dedicatee and first performer, to do the honours. Joachim’s cadenza is the traditional choice for violinists, but for these performances Francesca Dego has instead chosen the shorter cadenza by Italian composer Ferruccio Busoni (1866–1924), whose centenary is celebrated this year. Busoni’s cadenza is unusual in being accompanied, first by menacing timpani rolls and later by strings – some have suggested that its bold timpani interjections nod to Beethoven’s Violin Concerto – the work that preceded it at the Leipzig premiere.

The lovely long oboe tune that opens the Adagio is followed by ecstatic solo outpourings from the violin.

Some violinists have grumbled at the way Brahms gives the best tune to the oboe, but perhaps this was his way of reminding the soloist (and the audience) that this concerto isn’t simply a ‘star vehicle’ – the violinist is really ‘first among equals’. The finale is full of the kind of Hungarian ‘gypsy’ figurations Brahms loved – though this is probably also a tribute to the Hungarian-born Joachim. After a brief, downward plunging cadenza, there’s a brilliant faster coda, though with a lovely surprise hush just before the three emphatic final chords.

Programme note © Stephen Johnson

Interval – 20 minutes An announcement will be made five minutes before the end of the interval.

BrightSparks Schools’ Concert Coming to Eastbourne this May!

Thursday 9 May 2024 Congress Theatre, Eastbourne

Tickets £3 per pupil (accompanying teachers free of charge).

This includes a free INSET session and written resources for teachers.

This May we’re very excited to bring our popular BrightSparks schools’ concerts to Eastbourne for the first time!

This daytime performance is an opportunity for Key Stage 2 children to experience the thrill of hearing a full orchestra.

Booking for schools opens later in the spring – for updates sign up at lpo.org.uk/brightsparks

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London Philharmonic Orchestra • 10 & 11 February 2024 • Pictures at an Exhibition

Programme notes Modest Mussorgsky 1839–81

Pictures at an Exhibition (orch. Ravel) 1874

1 Promenade 2 Gnomus 3 Promenade 4 The Old Castle 5 Promenade 6 Tuileries 7 Bydło 8 Promenade – 9 Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks 10 Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuÿle 11 The Market Place at Limoges 12 Catacombæ (Sepulcrum Romanum) – 13 Cum mortuis in lingua mortua 14 The Hut on Hen’s Legs 15 The Great Gate of Kiev

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London Philharmonic Orchestra • 10 & 11 February 2024 • Pictures at an Exhibition

Programme notes Few composers caused their friends more heartache than the Russian Modest Mussorgsky. To nationalists like the composer Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov and the critic Vladimir Stasov, this brilliant, vivacious, wonderfully individual young man was a force for good in the building of a Russian national style. But keeping his mind on the job was hard. So long as he stayed in focus, Mussorgsky would work quickly: Pictures at an Exhibition was written in a magnificent three-week creative spurt in the summer of 1874. But he was easily distracted – especially if there was vodka to hand. In the end, his drinking killed him: he had just turned 42.

Fine as it was, there were things about Pictures at an Exhibition that bothered his friends. Mussorgsky wrote Pictures for solo piano – but how suited to the piano was it? Stasov noted at once that there were ideas in it that sounded ‘purely orchestral’. After Mussorgsky’s death, more and more people began to feel that the music needed to be orchestrated. Various composers attempted this, but it was only when Maurice Ravel made his orchestral version in 1922 that Pictures really stuck in the repertoire. What Ravel achieved here is so effective that some listeners are surprised to discover that Pictures was actually written for piano: Ravel’s orchestral colours seem to ‘belong’ to the music.

The ‘Exhibition’ of the title is an imaginary one, but the pictures are real. Mussorgsky had become a close friend of the painter Victor Hartmann, who also died young.

Pictures at an Exhibition was written as a memorial to Hartmann, in which Mussorgsky groups together musical impressions of ten of his friend’s paintings, linked by a series of five ‘Promenades’, in which Mussorgsky represents his own thoughts and feelings as he walks around the gallery. After the introductory Promenade comes the first picture, ‘Gnomus’ – the gnome: a splendidly grotesque portrait, sometimes creepy, with perhaps a hint of tragedy. ‘The Old Castle’ shows a medieval minstrel singing and playing before an Italian castle. In a sudden flash of inspiration Ravel gave the minstrel’s song to a saxophone.

Modest Mussorgsky represents two Jews, one poor and begging piteously, while the other, more prosperous, is sternly dismissive.

‘The Market Place at Limoges’ depicts gossip travelling like wildfire around a French marketplace. It is suddenly interrupted by stern brass in ‘Catacombæ’. From this awe-inspiring scene we move straight into an eerily muted version of the ‘Promenade’ theme in ‘Cum mortuis in lingua mortua’ (‘With the dead in a dead language’), in which Mussorgsky tries to imagine what his friend might be trying to tell him about the skulls.

‘The Hut on Hen’s Legs’ is the dwelling of the terrifying Russian witch Baba-Yaga, who flies through the air in a gigantic pestle and mortar and eats human bones.

Just as her wild ride seems to be reaching its height, it is cut short by the dazzling brass chords of ‘The Great Gate of Kiev’. Hartmann’s design for a triumphal gateway in the Ukrainian capital city was never realised, so Mussorgsky built it for him in music, and Ravel adds the glittering bell sounds the music so clearly cries out for.

‘Tuileries’ refers to the famous ornamental gardens in Paris, where children are playing (and quarrelling) noisily. Then comes ‘Bydło’: two oxen are dragging a wagon along a muddy lane: Ravel’s choice of solo tuba for the melody is another masterstroke. ‘Ballet of the Unhatched Chicks’ is based on a series of costume designs by Hartmann for a show staged in St Petersburg. Ravel’s orchestration manages to suggest both glittering sequins and the clucking of the tiny chickens. ‘Samuel Goldenberg and Schmuÿle’

Programme notes © Stephen Johnson

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London Philharmonic Orchestra • 10 & 11 February 2024 • Pictures at an Exhibition

We’d love to hear from you

LPO 2024/25 season

We hope you enjoyed the concert. Could you spare a few moments to complete a short survey about your experience? Your feedback is invaluable to us and will help to shape our future plans.

Dates and programmes for next season’s Brighton & Eastbourne concerts will be announced in early June.

To make sure you receive updates, sign up to our mailing list at lpo.org.uk/eastsussex or just scan the QR code below.

Just scan the relevant QR code to begin the survey. Thank you!

Saturday 10 February 2024, Brighton Dome

Sunday 11 February 2024, Congress Theatre, Eastbourne

Final LPO concert this season at Eastbourne’s Congress Theatre RANDALL GOOSBY PLAYS MOZART Sunday 24 March 2024 | 3.00pm

Mozart Ballet Music from Idomeneo Mozart Violin Concerto No. 3 Prokofiev Romeo and Juliet (excerpts) Gemma New conductor Randall Goosby violin

Tickets from £16 Students £7 (exc. premium seats) eastbournetheatres.co.uk Ticket Office: 01323 412000 12

LPO PLAYER APPEAL 2023/24

A message from our musicians

As proud custodians of this incredible Orchestra, we believe that our work is vitally important to society.

We know that music supports wellbeing, provides inspirational experiences, and sparks joy and creativity, and we want to ensure that we can continue to do this for generations to come.

Please consider making a donation, of whatever size you can, to help us share joyful moments and the wonder of music that you’ve enjoyed with us.

Hear from Stewart, Alice, Alice and Martin at lpo.org.uk/playerappeal

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Alice I Martin Alice M You can donate to the Player Appeal in a number of ways:

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Thank you for your support!

London Philharmonic Orchestra • 10 & 11 February 2024 • Pictures at an Exhibition

Thank you We are extremely grateful to all donors who have given generously to the LPO over the past year.

Your generosity helps maintain the breadth and depth of the LPO’s activities, as well as supporting the Orchestra both on and off the concert platform.

Artistic Director’s Circle

The American Friends of the London Philharmonic Orchestra Anonymous donors Mrs Aline Foriel-Destezet Aud Jebsen In memory of Mrs Rita Reay Sir Simon & Lady Robey CBE

Orchestra Circle

William & Alex de Winton Edward Gardner & Sara Övinge Patricia Haitink Catherine Høgel & Ben Mardle Mr & Mrs Philip Kan Neil Westreich

Principal Associates

An anonymous donor Richard Buxton Gill & Garf Collins In memory of Brenda Lyndoe Casbon In memory of Ann Marguerite Collins Irina Gofman & Mr Rodrik V. G. Cave George Ramishvili The Tsukanov Family Mr Florian Wunderlich

Associates

Mrs Irina Andreeva In memory of Len & Edna Beech Steven M. Berzin The Candide Trust John & Sam Dawson HSH Dr Donatus, Prince of Hohenzollern Stuart & Bianca Roden In memory of Hazel Amy Smith

Gold Patrons

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Dame Colette Bowe David Burke & Valerie Graham Clive & Helena Butler Cameron & Kathryn Doley Ulrike & Benno Engelmann Dmitry & Ekaterina Gursky The Jeniffer & Jonathan Harris Charitable Trust John & Angela Kessler Mrs Elena & Mr Oleg Kolobova Mrs Elizabeth Meshkvicheva Mikhail Noskov & Vasilina Bindley Tom & Phillis Sharpe Mr Joe Topley & Ms Tracey Countryman Andrew & Rosemary Tusa Jenny Watson CBE Laurence Watt

Principal Supporters

Anonymous donors Ralph & Elizabeth Aldwinckle Mr John D Barnard Roger & Clare Barron Dr Anthony Buckland Dr Simona Cicero & Mr Mario Altieri Mr Alistair Corbett Guy Davies David Devons Igor & Lyuba Galkin Prof. Erol & Mrs Deniz Gelenbe In memory of Enid Gofton Alexander Greaves Prof. Emeritus John Gruzelier Michael & Christine Henry Mrs Maureen Hooft-Graafland Per Jonsson Mr Ian Kapur Ms Elena Lojevsky Dr Peter Mace Pippa Mistry-Norman Miss Rebecca Murray Mrs Terry Neale John Nickson & Simon Rew Mr James Pickford Filippo Poli Mr Robert Ross Martin & Cheryl Southgate Mr & Mrs G Stein Mr Rodney Whittaker Christopher Williams

Bronze Patrons

Anonymous donors Chris Aldren Michael Allen Mrs A Beare Mr Anthony Blaiklock Lorna & Christopher Bown Mr Bernard Bradbury Simon Burke & Rupert King Desmond & Ruth Cecil Mr John H Cook Deborah Dolce Ms Elena Dubinets David Ellen Cristina & Malcolm Fallen Christopher Fraser OBE Mr Daniel Goldstein David & Jane Gosman Mr Gavin Graham Lord & Lady Hall Mrs Dorothy Hambleton Iain & Alicia Hasnip Eugene & Allison Hayes J Douglas Home Molly Jackson Mrs Farrah Jamal Mr & Mrs Jan Mr & Mrs Ralph Kanza Mr Peter King Jamie & Julia Korner Rose & Dudley Leigh Wg. Cdr. & Mrs M T Liddiard OBE JP RAF

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Supporters

Anonymous donors Mr Francesco Andronio Julian & Annette Armstrong Mr Philip Bathard-Smith Emily Benn Mr Julien Chilcott-Monk Alison Clarke & Leo Pilkington Mr Peter Coe Mr Joshua Coger Miss Tessa Cowie Caroline Cox-Johnson Mr Simon Edelsten Will Gold Mr Stephen Goldring Mr & Mrs Graham & Jean Pugh Mr Geordie Greig Mr Peter Imhof The Jackman Family Mr David MacFarlane Paul & Suzanne McKeown Nick Merrifield Simon & Fiona Mortimore Dame Jane Newell DBE Mr David Peters Nicky Small Mr Brian Smith Mr Michael Timinis Mr & Mrs Anthony Trahar Tony & Hilary Vines Dr June Wakefield Mr John Weekes Mr Roger Woodhouse Mr C D Yates

Hon. Benefactor Elliott Bernerd

Hon. Life Members Alfonso Aijón Kenneth Goode Carol Colburn Grigor CBE Pehr G Gyllenhammar Robert Hill Keith Millar Victoria Robey CBE Mrs Jackie Rosenfeld OBE Timothy Walker CBE AM Laurence Watt

London Philharmonic Orchestra • 10 & 11 February 2024 • Pictures at an Exhibition

Thank you

Thomas Beecham Group Members

David & Yi Buckley Gill & Garf Collins William & Alex de Winton Sonja Drexler Mr B C Fairhall The Friends of the LPO Roger Greenwood Dr Barry Grimaldi Mr & Mrs Philip Kan John & Angela Kessler Sir Simon Robey Victoria Robey CBE Bianca & Stuart Roden Caroline, Jamie & Zander Sharp Julian & Gill Simmonds Eric Tomsett Neil Westreich Guy & Utti Whittaker

Corporate Donor Barclays

LPO Corporate Circle Principal

Bloomberg Carter-Ruck Solicitors French Chamber of Commerce

Tutti

German-British Chamber of Industry & Commerce Lazard Natixis Corporate Investment Banking Walpole

Preferred Partners Jeroboams Lindt & Sprüngli Ltd Neal’s Yard OneWelbeck Sipsmith Steinway

Trusts and Foundations

Board of the American Friends of the LPO

ABO Trust The Barbara Whatmore Charitable Trust BlueSpark Foundation The Boltini Trust Borrows Charitable Trust Cockayne – Grants for the Arts The London Community Foundation Dunard Fund Ernst von Siemens Music Foundation Foyle Foundation Garrick Charitable Trust The Golsoncott Foundation Idlewild Trust Institute Adam Mickiewicz John Coates Charitable Trust John Horniman’s Children’s Trust John Thaw Foundation Kirby Laing Foundation The Kurt Weill Foundation for Music The Lennox Hannay Charitable Trust Lord and Lady Lurgan Trust Lucille Graham Trust The Marchus Trust PRS Foundation The R K Charitable Trust The Radcliffe Trust Rivers Foundation Rothschild Foundation Scops Arts Trust TIOC Foundation The Thriplow Charitable Trust Vaughan Williams Foundation The Victoria Wood Foundation The Viney Family

We are grateful to the Board of the American Friends of the London Philharmonic Orchestra, who assist with fundraising for our activities in the United States of America: Simon Freakley Chairman Kara Boyle Jon Carter Jay Goffman Alexandra Jupin Natalie Pray MBE Damien Vanderwilt Marc Wassermann Elizabeth Winter Catherine Høgel Hon. Director Jenifer L. Keiser, CPA, EisnerAmper LLP

LPO International Board of Governors Natasha Tsukanova Co-Chair Martin Höhmann Co-Chair Mrs Irina Andreeva Steven M. Berzin Shashank Bhagat HSH Dr Donatus, Prince of Hohenzollern Aline Foriel-Destezet Irina Gofman Olivia Ma George Ramishvili Sophie Schÿler-Thierry Florian Wunderlich

and all others who wish to remain anonymous.

In-kind Sponsor Google Inc

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London Philharmonic Orchestra • 10 & 11 February 2024 • Pictures at an Exhibition

London Philharmonic Orchestra Administration Board of Directors

General Administration

Dr Catherine C. Høgel Chair Martin Höhmann* President Mark Vines* Vice-President Emily Benn Kate Birchall* David Burke Deborah Dolce Elena Dubinets Tanya Joseph Hugh Kluger* Katherine Leek* Minn Majoe* Tania Mazzetti* Jamie Njoku-Goodwin Andrew Tusa Neil Westreich Simon Freakley (Ex officio – Chairman of the American Friends of the London Philharmonic Orchestra) *Player-Director

Elena Dubinets Artistic Director

Advisory Council Roger Barron Chairman Christopher Aldren Richard Brass Helen Brocklebank YolanDa Brown OBE David Buckley Simon Burke Simon Callow CBE Desmond Cecil CMG Sir Alan Collins KCVO CMG Andrew Davenport Guillaume Descottes Cameron Doley Christopher Fraser OBE Jenny Goldie-Scot Jonathan Harris CBE FRICS Marianna Hay MBE Nicholas Hely-Hutchinson DL Amanda Hill Dr Catherine C. Høgel Martin Höhmann Rehmet Kassim-Lakha Jamie Korner Geoff Mann Andrew Neill Nadya Powell Sir Bernard Rix Victoria Robey CBE Baroness Shackleton Thomas Sharpe KC Julian Simmonds Barry Smith Martin Southgate Chris Viney Laurence Watt Elizabeth Winter

Education and Community Talia Lash Education and Community Director

David Burke Chief Executive Chantelle Vircavs PA to the Executive and Employee Relations Manager

Lowri Davies Education and Community Project Manager Hannah Smith Education and Community Co-ordinator

Concert Management Roanna Gibson Concerts and Planning Director

Claudia Clarkson Regional Partnerships Manager

Graham Wood Concerts and Recordings Manager Maddy Clarke Tours Manager Madeleine Ridout Glyndebourne and Projects Manager Alison Jones Concerts and Recordings Co-ordinator Robert Winup Concerts and Tours Assistant

Andrew Chenery Orchestra Personnel Manager

Siân Jenkins Corporate Relations Manager

Mr Chris Aldren Honorary ENT Surgeon

Anna Quillin Trusts and Foundations Manager

Mr Simon Owen-Johnstone Hon. Orthopaedic Surgeon

Sophie Harvey Marketing Manager

Finance

Rachel Williams Publications Manager

Frances Slack Finance Director

Gavin Miller Sales and Ticketing Manager

Dayse Guilherme Finance Manager

Ruth Haines Press and PR Manager

Jean-Paul Ramotar Finance and IT Officer

Hayley Kim Residencies and Projects Marketing Manager

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Professional Services

Dr Barry Grimaldi Honorary Doctor

Kath Trout Marketing and Communications Director

Felix Lo Orchestra and Auditions Manager

Gillian Pole Recordings Archive

Rosie Morden Individual Giving Manager

Marketing

Benjamin Wakley Assistant Stage Manager

Philip Stuart Discographer

Crowe Clark Whitehill LLP Auditors

Kirstin Peltonen Development Associate

Stephen O’Flaherty Deputy Operations Manager

Archives

Laura Willis Development Director

Nick Jackman Campaigns and Projects Director

Laura Kitson Stage and Operations Manager

Isobel Jones Marketing Assistant

Charles Russell Speechlys Solicitors

Eleanor Conroy Al Levin Development Co-ordinators

Sarah Thomas Martin Sargeson Librarians

Alicia Hartley Digital and Marketing Co-ordinator

Development

Katurah Morrish Development Events Manager

Matthew Freeman Recordings Consultant

Greg Felton Digital Creative

London Philharmonic Orchestra 89 Albert Embankment London SE1 7TP Tel: 020 7840 4200 Box Office: 020 7840 4242 Email: admin@lpo.org.uk lpo.org.uk Cover illustration Selman Hoşgör 2023/24 season identity JMG Studio Printer John Good Ltd