LSO Winter/Spring 2014 Concert Guide

London Symphony Orchestra Living Music

‘The most important symphonic cycle since Shostakovich.’

The Times on Sir Peter Maxwell Davies

London’s Symphony Orchestra lso.co.uk Box Office 020 7638 8891

LSO Season 2013/14 Spring Concert Guide

LSO spring highlights

Maxwell Davies SYMPHONY NO 10 WORLD PREMIERE February showcases composing talent and contemporary music from multiple generations, with Sir Peter Maxwell Davies’ Tenth Symphony and works by Andrzej Panufnik in his centenary year taking centre stage at the Barbican, plus an LSO Soundhub Showcase and the annual Panufnik Young Composers Workshops at LSO St Luke’s.

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Scriabin Symphonies MUSIC IN COLOUR

Families

The complete orchestral works by the

ARABIAN NIGHTS

Russian composer Alexander Scriabin,

Join us on a magic carpet ride in this LSO Family Concert, based on Rimsky-Korsakov’s take on

plus other works by Frenchman and fellow synaesthete Olivier Messiaen.

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the tale of Scheherazade.

Page 17

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SPRING HIGHLIGHTS – FULL BOOKING INFORMATION ON BACK COVER

‘The LSO played with huge virtuosity and it was undeniably exciting.’

Martin Kettle, The Guardian

Yuja Wang UBS SOUNDSCAPES: LSO ARTIST PORTRAIT Described as ‘a force of nature’, Chinese pianist Yuja Wang is the focus of the 2013/14 LSO Artist Portrait.

As well as much anticipated performances of concertos

by Rachmaninov, Beethoven and Prokofiev, she will also giving a solo recital as part of the series.

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LSO St Luke’s UBS SOUNDSCAPES: ECLECTICA A special London appearance by the critically acclaimed Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir interweaving Rachmaninov’s All-Night Vigil (the Vespers) with interjections from jazzer Gilad Atzmon and Estonian music. Plus, later in the year we welcome Highlanders ,The Campbells of Greepe.

Page 14 BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERTS Two dazzling series of Lunchtime Concerts will brighten up even the shortest of winter days, with February’s performances featuring pianist Barry Douglas alongside his closest musical allies, and March seeing Schubert chamber works beckoning in springtime.

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lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891

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NEW MUSIC AT THE LSO Celebrating the best in British composing – Sir Peter Maxwell Davies.

Composing Brits Hearing brand new music performed for the first time is an undeniably exciting experience, and the LSO is committed to bringing everyone opportunities to hear works crafted by the composers of today, whether that’s a commission from a revered musical icon or the latest creation from a rising star.

You can experience this first-hand in January and February as the LSO celebrates some of the best of British composers, starting with two commissions from the legendary Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, who currently holds the position of Master of the Queen’s Music (the musical equivalent of the Poet Laureate). Maxwell Davies first burst onto the scene in the 1960s, making his name with thrilling, radical works like the experimental music-theatre piece Eight Songs for a Mad King; his music since has been infused with everything from Medieval and Renaissance influences to the landscape and folk traditions of Orkney, where he has lived since 1970. January and February bring the chance to hear the second performance of his 2012 Fanfare, followed by the world premiere of his Tenth Symphony, a major LSO commission. Get a crash course in the man and his music at the LSO Discovery Day on 2 February.

The New Year also offers the chance to get acquainted with a younger generation of British composers. Huw Watkins’ Flute Concerto – written for its soloist, LSO Principal Flute

‘The most important symphonic cycle since Shostakovich.’

The Times on Sir Peter Maxwell Davies’ symphonies

Adam Walker – is premiered by the Orchestra in February, and there are two opportunities to hear works by the current crop of participants on LSO Discovery’s schemes for emerging composers. In January, an LSO Chamber Ensemble will premiere new works by members of LSO Soundhub, and on 7 February you can go behind the scenes at the LSO Panufnik Young Composers Workshops, where the six participants on the scheme will develop their pieces with the Orchestra.

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COMPOSING BRITS

Sun 2 Feb 7.30pm

MAX & MAXIM Elgar In the South (‘Alassio’) Britten Violin Concerto Sir Peter Maxwell Davies Symphony No 10 (world premiere, LSO commission) Sir Antonio Pappano conductor Maxim Vengerov violin London Symphony Chorus

Sat 11 Jan 7.30pm, LSO St Luke’s

6pm Guildhall Artists at the Barbican

LSO DISCOVERY

SOUNDHUB SHOWCASE

Wed 5 Feb 7.30pm UBS Soundscapes: Dvorˇák

See page 21

ANNE-SOPHIE MUTTER

Thu 30 Jan 7.30pm UBS Soundscapes: Walton Sir Peter Maxwell Davies Fanfare: Her Majesty’s Welcome * Brahms Violin Concerto Walton Symphony No 1 Sir Antonio Pappano conductor Janine Jansen violin LSO On Track * Young Musicians

Panufnik Sinfonia Sacra Dvorˇák Violin Concerto Panufnik Lullaby Dvorˇák Symphony No 9 (‘From the New World’) Michael Francis conductor Anne-Sophie Mutter violin 6pm Guildhall Artists at the Barbican Fri 7 Feb 10am–1pm & 2–6pm, LSO St Luke’s LSO DISCOVERY

PANUFNIK WORKSHOPS LSO On Track is supported by the Clore Duffield Foundation, The Hedley Foundation, The Radcliffe Trust, The Saddler’s Company and UBS

Sun 2 Feb 10am–5.30pm Barbican and LSO St Luke’s

See page 21 Free entry, booking essential Supported by the Helen Hamlyn Trust

Sun 23 Feb 7.30pm

LSO DISCOVERY DAY

Huw Watkins Flute Concerto (world premiere) Mahler Symphony No 1 (‘Titan’)

Immerse yourself in the works of Master of the Queen’s Music Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, with a morning LSO rehearsal at the Barbican followed by talks and Chamber music at LSO St Luke’s.

Daniel Harding conductor Adam Walker flute

SIR PETER MAXWELL DAVIES

François-Xavier Roth conductor

Full Day Tickets £17 (£13.50 concessions)

Commission supported by The Borletti-Buitoni Trust

2014 marks the centenary of composer Sir Andrzej Panufnik’s birth, an event that the LSO is celebrating with a performance of two of his greatest works on 5 February.

Born in Warsaw, he settled in England in 1954, after Soviet Realism proved restrictive to his creativity. The LSO Panufnik Young Composers Scheme was devised by the LSO in association with Lady Panufnik in memory of her late husband.

The LSO’s Panufnik Centenary Celebrations are supported by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute as part of the Polska Music programme

6pm Guildhall Artists at the Barbican lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891

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Mendelssohn ‘Not a single dramatic detail was missed; Gardiner ensured that everything was vividly present and straight to the dramatic point.’

The Guardian on Sir John Eliot Gardiner with the LSO

THE TRAVELLING SYMPHONIST Adored by the British, Mendelssohn made ten visits to Britain over the course of his short life, beginning with a wildly successful series of appearances in London in the spring of 1829. However, being a keen traveller wanting to make the most of his trip, Mendelssohn spent the summer following his London debut on a walking tour of the Scottish Highlands. Immediately he found himself both enchanted and creatively inspired by the Highlands’ dramatic landscapes and ancient castles: ‘grass and ivy grow there’, he wrote of the half-ruined chapel of Holyrood Palace, ‘and at the broken altar Mary was crowned Queen of England. Everything around is broken and mouldering and the bright sky shines in. I believe I have found today in that old chapel the beginning of my Scottish Symphony’.

The rest of the third ‘Scottish’ Symphony, however, did not come without effort. Mendelssohn continued to sketch it out whilst touring Italy the following year, but he found it difficult to evoke the ‘misty mood’ of Scotland while basking on the balmy Italian peninsula, and only completed it in 1842.

The happy months spent in Italy were hardly without fruit, however; there he found the inspiration for his magnificent fourth ‘Italian’ symphony, described to his sister Fanny as ‘the jolliest piece I have ever done’.

On 21 January and 23 March Sir John Eliot Gardiner presents a pair of concerts featuring these two essential Mendelssohn masterpieces.

Tue 21 Jan 7.30pm Mendelssohn Overture: The Hebrides (‘Fingal’s Cave’) Schumann Piano Concerto Mendelssohn Symphony No 3 (‘Scottish’) Sir John Eliot Gardiner conductor Maria João Pires piano Sun 23 Mar 7.30pm Mendelssohn Overture: Ruy Blas Schumann Violin Concerto in D minor Mendelssohn Symphony No 4 (‘Italian’) Sir John Eliot Gardiner conductor Alina Ibragimova violin

Hear the ‘Scottish’ Symphony alongside the famous Hebrides overture, inspired by the same visit to Scotland; savour the ‘Italian’ Symphony alongside another Mediterranean-themed work – the Overture to Ruy Blas.

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MENDELSSOHN ~ LSO BRASS – FULL BOOKING INFORMATION ON BACK COVER

Thu 23 Jan 7.30pm

LSO BRASS ENSEMBLE Bach Toccata and Fugue in D minor Scarlatti Sonata Ewald Quintet No 1 Koetsier Kinderzirkus Crespo Suite Americas arr Dudley Bright Brass on Broadway Philip Cobb trumpet Niall Keatley trumpet Timothy Jones horn Dudley Bright trombone Patrick Harrild tuba Tickets £10 £15 £20

LSO Brass SEE OUR BRASS PLAYERS CLOSE UP The brass world, perhaps more so than any other circle of instrumentalists, has its heroes – players who are respected and admired by all, from the youngest pupil to the most experienced pro. The LSO has been lucky enough to count many of these brass stars within its ranks, which has helped the Orchestra to develop its distinctive, some say definitive, orchestral brass sound.

These heroes of the brass section also have a fine history of breaking out from the Orchestra and taking the stage for themselves. The LSO Brass Ensemble started in the 1970s with such legendary players as Barry Tuckwell and Denis Wick, and personnel since then has included the likes of Ian Bousfield, Eric Crees, Rob Franks and the inimitable Maurice Murphy. Over the years this ‘band within a band’ have undertaken concerts, tours, CD and film recordings and to many are just as famous as the Orchestra itself.

The Quintet you will hear on 23 January have been playing together since its youngest member, trumpeter Philip Cobb, joined the Orchestra in 2009, and have presented concerts in London and around the world, including a successful tour to Japan in January 2012, and a repeat visit due this year.

From Bach to Broadway, the evening’s programme will showcase a range of repertoire for this most dramatic of sections and shine a spotlight on this latest group of heroes, inspiring not just brass fans but all music lovers.

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891

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‘A force of nature, contained in the body of a smiling, slender nymph.’

The Telegraph on Yuja Wang

NOT YOUR USUAL PIANIST For Yuja, making great music is about speaking with her own voice and the joy of self-expression …

Yuja Wang A cosmopolitan twentysomething with a penchant for

Yuja’s LSO Artist Portrait series sees her perform three

fabulous on-stage outfits, and possessing an artistic gravity

concertos under three different conductors, in her words:

that belies her youth, Yuja Wang fits no stereotype. In fact,

‘an unusual and great opportunity. I wanted to make sure

her fearless individuality sets her apart. For Yuja, making

that the repertoire was of strength for me – the Prokofiev

great music is about speaking with her own voice and the joy

and Rachmaninov are two pieces I’ve worked with for years

of self-expression: ‘enjoy life and the art that it is’, she says.

and I feel that I have a voice for each. The Beethoven acts

In Yuja’s case, comfort in one’s own skin, fresh insight and superhuman technique make for a killer combination.

Her meteoric rise has been propelled by a wave of critical

almost like a foil to the other two, plus it gives me a chance to show a different side of my personality on the piano.’

Yuja looks forward to working with the LSO in London.

adulation. ‘An artist of dazzling genius’ and ‘one of the most

‘The LSO is one of my favourite orchestras. They have a great

gifted pianists of her generation’ hail the reviewers, yet Wang

sense of sound as an ensemble and handle a variety of

remains down-to-earth. Had she the chance, we ask, what’s

repertoire with as much flexibility and grace as any orchestra

the one piece of advice this jet-setting pianist would give

I know.’ But, of course, London has other attractions too.

her younger self at the start of her career? ‘Always remember

Her musical activities aside, what does Yuja look forward

to set two alarms. No matter how important you feel a

to most about being in the capital? ‘A great restaurant

concert is, the airlines won’t wait for you if you oversleep.’

each night, and nice walks by the Thames.’

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YUJA WANG – FULL BOOKING INFORMATION ON BACK COVER

UBS SOUNDSCAPES: LSO ARTIST PORTRAIT

YUJA WANG

Sat 8 Feb 2.30–5.30pm, LSO St Luke’s LSO DISCOVERY

OPEN REHEARSAL Conductor Jaap van Zweden puts the LSO through its paces, joined by soloist Yuja Wang, ahead of the first concert in Yuja’s UBS Soundscapes: LSO Artist Portrait series at the Barbican. Works include Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No 3.

Tickets £4 (limited availability) Sun 9 Feb 7.30pm Beethoven Piano Concerto No 3 Rachmaninov Symphony No 2 Jaap van Zweden conductor Yuja Wang piano

Thu 13 Feb 7.30pm Debussy La mer Prokofiev Piano Concerto No 2 Ravel Daphnis and Chloé – Suites I & II James Gaffigan conductor Yuja Wang piano Sun 16 Feb 7.30pm

YUJA WANG SOLO RECITAL Prokofiev Sonata No 3 in A minor Chopin Sonata No 3 in B minor Kapustin Variations for Piano Chopin Nocturne No 1 in C minor Chopin Ballade No 3 in A-flat major Stravinsky Petrushka: Three Movements for Piano Yuja Wang piano Tickets £10 £15 £20 £28 Thu 20 Feb 7.30pm Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No 3 Stravinsky Petrushka Daniel Harding conductor Yuja Wang piano

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891

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Music in colour

‘A composer pushing at the boundaries of tonality in the first decade of the 20th century. The way the harmonies revolve and float … is authentically radical, as is its massive structure, built from the tiniest fragments.’

Andrew Clements, The Guardian on Scriabin’s Fourth Symphony

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MUSIC IN COLOUR – FULL BOOKING INFORMATION ON BACK COVER

Sun 30 Mar 7.30pm Scriabin Symphony No 1 Liszt Piano Concerto No 2 Scriabin Symphony No 4 (‘The Poem of Ecstasy’)

THE COMPLETE SCRIABIN SYMPHONIES A heady world of swirling soundscapes and vivid musical colours …

When you listen to a performance

The cornerstones of Scriabin’s

of Scriabin’s music, you enter a heady

relatively short career (he died aged 43)

world of swirling soundscapes and

include a large body of piano music

vivid musical colours. While the Russian

(some of which you can hear in a

composer and pianist’s career took root

series of BBC Radio 3 Lunchtime

amidst the impassioned lyricism of the

Concerts at LSO St Luke’s, also in April)

Romantic era (born in 1872, he was

and five symphonies, which the LSO

a contemporary of Rachmaninov), he

and Valery Gergiev delve into this

gradually cultivated a musical style that

spring. Three concerts trace a path

was thoroughly his own – intense, at

through his music – from the First

times ethereal or ecstatic, opulently

Symphony, a choral tribute to the

scored, and built upon a quirky mix of

divine power of art, to his otherworldly

mystical and philosophical ideas.

‘Prometheus’ Symphony, via the ‘Poem

At the heart of his music was an

of Ecstasy’, a brilliantly coloured work

unwavering belief in the spiritual power

that reflects the composer’s pursuit

of art; Scriabin held that there was

of spiritual euphoria through music.

something supernatural about music,

These are matched with works that

that it could reach beyond everyday

complement Scriabin’s mystical

life and transport those experiencing

outpourings: two meditative pieces by

it into a spiritual realm. As his career

French composer Messiaen, inspired

progressed, he became fascinated

by his Catholic faith, and Romantic

by the marriage of the senses between

piano concertos by Liszt and Chopin.

music and colour, envisioning a multisensory unification of the arts that would, in his own words, ‘herald the birth of a new world’.

Valery Gergiev conductor Denis Matsuev piano London Symphony Chorus Thu 10 Apr 7.30pm Messiaen L’ascension Scriabin Symphony No 5 (‘Prometheus, Poem of Fire’) Scriabin Symphony No 2 Valery Gergiev conductor Denis Matsuev piano London Symphony Chorus Supported by LSO Patrons

Sun 13 Apr 7.30pm Messiaen Les offrandes oubliées Chopin Piano Concerto No 2 Scriabin Symphony No 3 (‘The Divine Poem’) Valery Gergiev conductor Daniil Trifonov piano Thu 3 & 10 Apr 1pm, LSO St Luke’s BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERTS

SCRIABIN SONATAS

Scriabin’s Sonatas Nos 3, 5 & 9 performance by Russian pianists Yevgeny Sudbin and Boris Giltburg.

Fri 24 Jan, 21 Feb, 7 & 21 Mar 12.30pm, LSO St Luke’s LSO DISCOVERY

LUNCHTIME CONCERTS Rachel Leach presenter Our regular free Friday Lunchtime concerts include works inspired by colour. Featuring LSO players and Guildhall School musicians.

Free entry, no ticket required Supported by LSO Patrons and the Rothschild Charities Committee

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891

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‘LSO Sing aims to reach as much of the London community as possible.’

Simon Halsey, LSO Choral Director

Crowd out 12

HOW IT WORKS

CROWD OUT Simon Halsey is getting 1,000 Londoners to sing as one.

Summer 2014 will see three major European epicentres for culture alive with the sound of Crowd Out. In London, Birmingham and Berlin, a 1,000-strong choir will take a stage – in East London surrounding the iconic bandstand

Apply through the LSO and you will be joining 300 other people in rehearsals and workshops with LSO professionals at LSO St Luke’s, before combining with other groups from across London’s East End to make up the 1,000-strong crowd.

Point, and on a giant outdoor stage in the centre of Berlin’s Kulturforum –

Read more about the workshop schedule and apply online at: lso.co.uk/crowdout

and perform David Lang’s specially composed work, Crowd Out.

It’s free to take part.

in Arnold Circus, inside the epic glass atrium at Birmingham’s Millennium

With groups made up of people from all walks of life and backgrounds, don’t expect an ordinary singing work. Football chants inspired the idea behind this piece, along with a vast range of vocal styles and public ‘noise’ that we all encounter in everyday life, all situations where a sense of ‘community’ is created through performance, and that’s exactly what the partners behind this project have set out to do.

Simon Halsey, the LSO’s Choral Director, has been working closely with composer David Lang to turn his work into a reality, and as Choral Director at both the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra and at

The first workshop will be on Saturday 22 March 10.30am Venue to be announced and the final event will take place on Saturday 21 June in Arnold Circus, Shoreditch E2 7PQ Part of LSO Sing, supported by the J Paul Getty Jnr Charitable Trust

the Berlin Philharmonic as well as his London Symphony Orchestra and Chorus role, he’ll be taking the helm of the three choirs on three separate occasions, to bring the world this unique premiere.

The London performance has the East End at its heart, and is also the final event in the Summer 2014 Spitalfields Festival, bringing the area to buzzing life with all kinds of music. Working together with the Festival, the LSO is looking for London voices to take part in this brilliant performance.

Absolutely no singing experience is necessary. The only qualification you need is a desire to be part of a truly unique event and to make some noise.

The LSO has only 300 places available, so make sure you register your interest quickly. If you don’t end up as part of the group, you can still join us for the free performance as crowds fill the streets around the bandstand in Arnold Circus on 21 June.

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Eclecticas

GENRE-BUSTING COLLABORATIONS UBS Soundscapes: Eclectica concerts can be difficult to describe because they’ve often never been heard before …

Continuing this season’s Eclectica series, we have two concerts with groups singing stories of family and home.

Estonians experienced a ‘Singing Revolution’ (1987–91),

The Campbells of Greepe on 15 April are one of the great dynasties of Gaelic song. The family’s roots lie in a tiny crofting township on the Isle of Skye, where music was the

when thousands gathered to sing forbidden patriotic songs,

constant accompaniment to everyday life. Pipers and singers

risking their lives to proclaim their desire for independence

who love to dance, it’s no surprise that they’re considered

from the Soviet Union. On 22 January the Grammy award-

the masters of puirt-à-beul, Gaelic mouth music, and

winning Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir explores the

their songs encompass a whole musical world – pibroch

mystical soundworlds of Estonian composers Arvo Pärt and

songs, work songs, and the songs of their own community.

Cyrillus Kreek, and movements from the Russian Orthodox

Amongst the special guests joining three generations of

Rachmaninov All-Night Vigil, with Middle Eastern interjections

the family are virtuoso American step-dancer, Nic Gareiss,

from The Clockheads saxophonist and clarinetist Gilad Atzmon.

and award-winning piper, Lorne MacDougall.

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UBS SOUNDSCAPES: ECLECTICA – FULL BOOKING INFORMATION ON BACK COVER

Wed 22 Jan 8pm, LSO St Luke’s UBS SOUNDSCAPES: ECLECTICA

AN EASTERN VIGIL

Daniel Reuss conductor Gilad Atzmon clarinet, saxophone Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir The Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir presents a programme inspired by the profound passions of Orthodox chant, including Rachmaninov’s All-Night Vigil, Arvo Pärt’s Two Slavonic Psalms, Magnificat and Nunc Dimittis and two lush, Romantic works by Estonian composer Cyrillus Kreek.

In association with

Sat 25 Jan 11am–4.30pm, LSO St Luke’s LSO DISCOVERY

SINGING DAY Rachmaninov All-Night Vigil (‘Vespers’) David Lawrence chorus director Rachmaninov’s a cappella All-Night Vigil was one of just two works he counted as his favourites. Join in with this LSO Singing Day (some sight-singing experience is essential) and an informal performance of the work for family and friends.

Tickets £17 (includes music hire)

‘It is hard to imagine a better performance than this sensitive and elegant account with the Dutch conductor Daniel Reuss [and] the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir.’

The New York Times on the Estonian Philharmonic Chamber Choir

LSO Sing is generously supported by the J Paul Getty Jnr Charitable Trust

Tue 15 Apr 8pm, LSO St Luke’s UBS SOUNDSCAPES: ECLECTICA

GAELIC CONNECTIONS The Campbells of Greepe Lorne MacDougall pipes Nic Gareiss step-dancer The Campbells of Greepe, a Gaelic singing dynasty who hail from the Isle of Skye in Scotland, bring their live multi-media show to London, featuring music and dance performed by the five professional singers in the family and their regular band.

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891

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ECLIPSING CULTURAL BORDERS As one of today’s most dazzling musicians on the jazz/world music circuit, Tunisian vocalist and oud player Dhafer Youssef came from humble beginnings.

Growing up as a young boy entirely enthralled to music, but without money to pay for lessons or buy an instrument, Youssef made his own oud and picked up by ear a wealth of music, with no concern for being bound by genres.

By 1990 Youssef’s thirst for music had brought him to Vienna, where he eked out a living while taking advantage of every musical opportunity available to him, eventually leading to a collaboration with Kristjan Järvi and the Tonkünstler Orchestra based there. Working with some of the world’s most creative musicians, he would found a thrilling context in which he could combine the spiritual quality of Sufi (the inner, mystical dimension of Islam) with contemporary jazz, creating a distinctive sound that has become synonymous with his name.

Meanwhile, Estonian-American conductor Kristjan Järvi, younger son of the esteemed conductor Neeme Järvi, and brother of conductor Paavo Järvi, grew up in a New York household that couldn’t be more musical, and became assistant conductor to Esa-Pekka Salonen at the LA Philharmonic upon graduating from Michigan State University. Though equally at home with the classical repertoire,

‘The Tunisian singer’s voice is an extraordinary instrument, soaring wordlessly from rapturous tenor to keening falsetto.’

The Times on Dhafer Youssef’s vocals

his curiosity for the non-traditional and passion for collaboration led him to found the award-winning Absolute Ensemble, noted for its innovative crossgenre syntheses.

On 24 April these two pioneering eclectics come together in a concert that eclipses cultural boundaries while honouring both musicians’ parent traditions.

Dhafer Youssef will make the UK premiere of new orchestral works, including orchestral arrangements from his latest album which traverse the sacred to the profane, divine to terrestrial, complemented beautifully by the haunting ‘holy minimalism’ of Estonian composer Arvo Pärt’s Third Symphony. As thrilling as it is thought-provoking, this celebration of man mysticism and music promises to remind us of the rapture all musicians and music-lovers have in common.

Youssef & Järvi Thu 24 Apr 7.30pm ECLECTICA AT THE BARBICAN

DANCE OF THE INVISIBLE DERVISHES Arvo Pärt Fratres Arvo Pärt Symphony No 3 Dhafer Youssef UK premieres from ‘Birds Requiem’

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MYSTIC & SUFI ~ FAMILIES

Kristjan Järvi conductor Dhafer Youssef oud / vocals Eivind Aarset electric guitar Kristjan Randalu piano Phil Donkin bass Chander Sarjoe drums

LSO Family Events

Arabian Nights BRING YOUR FAMILY TO MEET OURS

Sun 16 Feb 2.30pm LSO DISCOVERY FAMILY CONCERT

ARABIAN NIGHTS

THE ULTIMATE STORYTELLER FOR 7- TO 12-YEAR-OLDS

Alexandre Bloch conductor Rachel Leach presenter Featuring music from Rimsky-Korsakov’s Scheherazade.

Pre-concert foyer events and crèche information at lso.co.uk/familyconcerts Fri 14 Mar 12.30–1.15pm, LSO St Luke’s LSO DISCOVERY

Get on your magic carpet this February half term and be whisked away from chilly England to an exotic paradise to meet the greatest storyteller of them all: Persian Princess Scheherazade. Discover how this beautiful royal stayed awake for 1001 nights, keeping the evil Sultan enthralled with tales of Sinbad and his ship, a prince turned beggar, a charming love story and the eye-popping Baghdad Festival, all underpinned by Rimsky-Korsakov’s luscious score, Scheherazade.

Other family-friendly events this spring include our regular storytelling concerts with Vanessa King at LSO St Luke’s, and lunchtime concerts presented by Rachel Leach, exploring music and colour (see page 21): visit lso.co.uk/bringyourfamily for more.

STORYTELLING WITH VANESSA KING CONCERT FOR UNDER-5S

Especially for younger children, this concert offers the chance to experience live music in an informal way. Join us as we re-tell stories through music, dance and song. £3 per person (under 12 months free, no ticket required) Supported by AXA Investment Managers

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891

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Lunchtime Concerts BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERTS This spring, lunchtimes at LSO St Luke’s will be the setting for two very different musical journeys …

First up, a four-week residency focusing on collaboration, and the second an exploration of one composer’s intense, lyrical music.

In January and February we welcome back pianist Barry Douglas – an old friend of the LSO and a previous soloist at LSO St Luke’s. He’s invited a host of close musical friends and colleagues for a series of collaborative concerts that explore trios and duos, focusing particularly on Brahms’ chamber music, works that defined the genre in the late-Romantic era.

The series is bookended by two solo recitals by Douglas himself, showing off the flair and virtuosic skill that earned him First Prize in the Moscow Tchaikovsky Piano Competition in 1986. These programmes resound with delicate, intimate music, including two of the very first Nocturnes ever written for piano, and solo works by Brahms and Schubert. For Douglas, both composers are defined by the lyricism of their chamber music. ‘They both write in a very vocal way for piano,’ he says, ‘you have to approach the music in the same way that a singer would approach a score’.

The second series moves from a performer’s perspective to an exploration of a single composer, Franz Schubert, with his works played by some of the most talented among the younger generation of chamber musicians. The four concerts give a snapshot of some of the music that he wrote towards the end of his short life, from dramatic pieces for piano duet to duos, piano and string trios, and the composer’s last String Quartet. The final performance features the String Quintet in C, Schubert’s last chamber work and, as one of his most achingly beautiful and spiritual, a fitting way to conclude the spring series.

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LUNCHTIME CONCERTS – FULL BOOKING INFORMATION ON BACK COVER

‘[Barry Douglas’] tone is a deep velvet cushion, the rhythms galvanised with great energy.’

BBC Music Magazine on pianist Barry Douglas

BARRY DOUGLAS AND FRIENDS

SCHUBERT CHAMBER WORKS

Thu 23 Jan 1pm

Thu 27 Feb 1pm

Brahms Seven Fantasies Schubert Piano Sonata in B-flat major

Schubert Duo in A minor (‘Lebensstürme’) Grand Rondo in A major Andantino varié in B minor Fantasy in F minor

Barry Douglas piano Thu 6 Feb 1pm Beethoven Trio in B-flat major Brahms Trio in A minor Michel Lethiec clarinet Arto Noras cello Barry Douglas piano Thu 13 Feb 1pm Brahms Violin Sonata No 2 in A major Dukas Villanelle for Horn and Piano Brahms Trio in E-flat major Chloë Hanslip violin Richard Watkins horn Barry Douglas piano Thu 20 Feb 2014 1pm Brahms Four Piano Pieces Field Nocturne No 8 in E minor; Nocturne No 5 in B-flat major Brahms Piano Sonata No 2 in F-sharp minor Barry Douglas piano

Cédric Tiberghien & Christian Ihle Hadland piano duet Thu 6 Mar 1pm Schubert Notturno in E-flat major Piano Trio in B-flat major Benedetti/Elschenbroich/ Grynyuk Trio: Nicola Benedetti violin Leonard Elschenbroich cello Alexei Grynyuk piano Thu 13 Mar 1pm Schubert String Trio fragment in E-flat major String Quartet in G major Doric String Quartet Thu 20 Mar 1pm Schubert String Quintet in C major Signum String Quartet Nicolas Altstaedt cello lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891

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Discover more EVENTS TO EXCITE AND INSPIRE Try something new this spring and experience different music in a refreshing light …

Springtime always gives a feeling of exploring the ‘new’.

The LSO’s community groups are always striving to

LSO Discovery events offer an abundance of new opportunities,

achieve new heights. Their latest concerts feature contemporary

new music and new experiences.

British choral music from the LSO Community Choir,

Composing takes centre stage this spring with chances

and an always-different take on both contemporary and

to experience at first hand the process that makes a piece

traditional Balinese music with the LSO Community Gamelan

of music become a fully-formed orchestral work in the

Group. What’s more, these groups are open to new

annual Panufnik Young Composers Workshop, while

members – if you live or work close by, why not take part?

LSO Soundhub composers have committed themselves to exploring fresh styles, genres and experiences which have to be seen to be believed.

See the newest generation of professional musicians hone their skills by working with LSO players in Masterclasses as part of a new postgraduate course in Orchestral Artistry at the Guildhall School.

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WANT TO JOIN IN? If you live or work in the EC1 area, you can join the LSO Community Choir, LSO Youth Choir or LSO Gamelan Group.

Visit lso.co.uk/lifelonglearning for details on how to apply and for more information.

DISCOVER MORE – FULL BOOKING INFORMATION ON BACK COVER

MASTERCLASSES Young musicians from the Guildhall School are coached by LSO Principals as part of the Guildhall School’s postgraduate Orchestral Artistry course in partnership with the LSO. The course is focused on developing the diverse skills required to become professional orchestral musicians, and masterclasses form an invaluable part of this process.

Sit in and see them at LSO St Luke’s.

COMPOSERS Sat 8 Feb 7–10pm, LSO St Luke’s

Sat 11 Jan 7.30pm, LSO St Luke’s

LSO DISCOVERY

LSO DISCOVERY

VIOLA MASTERCLASS: PAUL SILVERTHORNE Free entry, just turn up on the day Thu 13 Feb 3–6pm, LSO St Luke’s LSO DISCOVERY

FLUTE MASTERCLASS: ADAM WALKER

SOUNDHUB SHOWCASE Featuring new works by Darren Bloom, Richard Bullen, Collectives & Curiosities, Gregory Emfietzis and Ayanna Witter-Johnson LSO Chamber Ensemble Tickets £7 (£5 concessions) Supported by Esmée Fairbairn Foundation and The Hinrichsen Foundation

Free entry, just turn up on the day Fri 7 Feb 10am–1pm & 2–6pm, LSO St Luke’s LSO DISCOVERY

PANUFNIK YOUNG COMPOSERS WORKSHOPS

LSO DISCOVERY CONCERTS Fri 24 Jan, 21 Feb, 7 & 21 Mar 12.30pm, LSO St Luke’s

Sat 22 Mar 7.30pm, LSO St Luke’s

LSO DISCOVERY

GAMELAN CONCERT

LUNCHTIME CONCERTS FOR ALL AGES OVER 5

Rachel Leach presenter This spring’s Friday Lunchtime Concerts explore the marriage of senses between music and colour, alongside LSO concerts at the Barbican.

Free entry, just turn up!

Supported by Coutts Charitable Trust, Rothschild Charities Committee & LSO Patrons

Fri 21 Mar 7.30pm, LSO St Luke’s LSO DISCOVERY

COMMUNITY CHOIR CONCERT David Lawrence conductor LSO Community Choir

LSO DISCOVERY

Andy Channing director LSO Community Gamelan Group plus special guests Lila Cita & Lila Bhawa

François-Xavier Roth conductor This year’s Panufnik Composers (Kim Ashton, Ben Graves, Jae-Moon Lee, James Moriarty, Elizabeth Ogonek, Aaron Parker, Richard Whalley) develop their music with the LSO.

Immerse yourself in a mesmerising performance of Balinese music and dance, both traditional and contemporary, played on the LSO’s beautiful Gamelan.

Free entry, booking essential

Tickets £7 (£5 concessions)

IN DEPTH

Mon 31 Mar 7.30pm, LSO St Luke’s

Sat 25 Jan 11am–4.30pm

LSO DISCOVERY

LSO DISCOVERY

YOUTH CHOIR CONCERT Lucy Griffiths & David Lawrence conductors LSO Youth Choir

Supported by the Helen Hamlyn Trust

SINGING DAY: RACHMANINOV See page 15 Sun 2 Feb 10am–5.30pm

In its spring concert, the LSO Community Choir showcases the creative talents of British composers and arrangers, with music by Craig McLeish, Ruairi Edwards, Jay Stannard and more.

Come and hear the LSO Youth Choir in their end-of-term concert, in which the Juniors and Seniors will journey through a wide variety of music, led by their newly appointed conductors Lucy Griffiths and David Lawrence.

Tickets £7 (£5 concessions)

Under-16s £3, Adults £5

LSO DISCOVERY

LSO Sing is generously supported by the J Paul Getty Jnr Charitable Trust

See page 9

LSO Sing is generously supported by the J Paul Getty Jnr Charitable Trust

LSO DISCOVERY DAY

SIR PETER MAXWELL DAVIES See page 5 Sat 8 Feb 2.30–5.30pm

OPEN REHEARSAL

LSO Youth Choir is supported by Slaughter and May Charitable Trust

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891

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The Barbican

OUR HOME AT THE BARBICAN Set in the City Cultural Quarter funded by the Corporation of London, the LSO, Barbican and Guildhall School are an alliance leading the world in arts and learning.

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THE BARBICAN ~ HOW TO FIND US

EXTRAS

barbican.org.uk

RELAXING WITH FOOD, DRINK AND FRIENDS Foyer Bars and Cafés: The ideal place to meet and catch up ahead of the concert or to enjoy a drink at the interval.

Martini Bar (Level 1): Enjoy a touch of glamour at the Barbican’s stylish new bar. Choose from a selection of classic and modern martinis, or a glass of bubbly.

Barbican Foodhall (Level G): The lively Barbican Foodhall offers hot dishes and salads from a counter-top service as well as a wide range of homemade cakes, teas and coffees.

Barbican Lounge (Level 1): The stylish Barbican Lounge offers a chic relaxed ambience to enjoy a pre-concert drink or seasonal small plates from the tapas-style menu.

Reservations 020 7382 6180.

Gin Joint by Searcys (Level 2): Offering brasserie dining and the most extensive gin list in the City, all enhanced by stunning views across the Barbican lakeside.

Both full dining and bar menus are available.

Reservations 020 7588 3008.

FIND US

lso.co.uk/yourvisit

BARBICAN CENTRE Silk Street, EC2Y 8DS LSO ST LUKE’S UBS and LSO Music Education Centre 161 Old Street, EC1V 9NG The Barbican is in the heart of the City of London with LSO St Luke’s just a short walk away.

Underground and Train stations The Barbican is closest to Moorgate and Barbican, with Liverpool Street, Bank and Farringdon nearby.

For LSO St Luke’s use Old Street (Exit 7).

Bus routes 153 Beech Street; 21, 43, 76, 141, 205, 214 City Road; 55 and 243 Old Street.

Parking The Barbican’s on-site car parks, also convenient for LSO St Luke’s, cost £7 from 5pm on weekdays (£6.50 if pre-booked) and £7.50 per day at weekends.

KEEPING YOU UP-TO-DATE We’ll send ticket buyers an email a day before their selected concert with the latest travel details and links to other useful information such as programme downloads.

Bunhill Row

Whitecross Street Chiswell Street

Moor Lane

Milton Court Silk Street

Bath Street

St Luke’s Close

Helmet Row

Golden Lane Beech Street

lso.co.uk 020 7638 8891

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LSO SEASON 2013/14 Book at lso.co.uk or call 020 7638 8891 or buy in person or by post Box Office, Barbican Centre, Silk Street, London. EC2Y 8DS. (opening times at lso.co.uk/yourvisit) Ticket prices as below unless otherwise stated.

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lso.co.uk

BARBICAN CONCERT TICKETS £10 £15 £20 £28 £37 Book 3–4 concerts save 15%, 5+ save 20% Multi-buy discounts will not be applied to 21 Jan BBC RADIO 3 LUNCHTIME CONCERTS £10 (£9 concessions) Book any four concerts for £8 each UBS SOUNDSCAPES: ECLECTICA CONCERTS £10 £15 £22 LSO DISCOVERY DAYS Full day tickets £17 (£13.50 concessions) £12 afternoon only (from 2.30pm at LSO St Luke’s) LSO SINGING DAYS £17 (includes music hire)

You can get this guide in large print, audio and electronic formats.

Contact 020 7588 1116 or email access@lso.co.uk

LSO DISCOVERY FAMILY CONCERTS £5 under-16s, £10 adults Suitable for families with 7- to 12-year-olds GROUPS OF 10 OR MORE Receive a 20% discount (except 21 Jan).

Call 020 7382 7211 (10am–5pm Mon-Fri) BOOKING FEES (per transaction) There is no fee when booking in person or for free events.

When booking across venues, only on fee is charged.

Barbican Hall £2 online / £3.50 by phone LSO St Luke’s / LSO Discovery Events £0.50 online / £0.60 by phone

The LSO is funded by Arts Council England in partnership with the City of London Corporation, which also provides the Orchestra’s permanent home at the Barbican.

LSO Registered Charity in England No 232391 Cover photo Igor Emmerich Other photos Igor Emmerich, Kevin Leighton, Bill Robinson, Alberto Venzago, Susie Ahlburg, Sarah Wijzenbeck

DISABLED VISITORS Join the Barbican Access Membership scheme to inform us of your access requirements. Members may be eligible for reductions on tickets, limited in number and subject to availability. Full details are available online at barbican.org.uk/access and at the Box Office.

Tickets can be exchanged for another LSO concert or credit vouchers valid for six months, provided that you return them to the Box Office at least 24 hours before the performance (two weeks for group bookings). Administration fee applies.

All discounts are subject to availability and may not be combined.

Information correct at time of going to print.

Print Cantate Communications Design PIN Creative Editor Edward Appleyard 24

BOOKING INFORMATION

The LSO reserves the right to change artists or programmes if necessary. Refunds will only be given in the event of a concert being cancelled.