Programme Notes | Beethoven 9: Ode to Joy

Programme Notes

Beethoven 9: Ode to Joy Fri 15 December 2023 • 20.15 Sun 17 December 2023 • 14.15

PROGRAMME conductor Andrew Manze soprano Carolyn Sampson mezzosoprano Marianne Beate Kielland tenor Daniel Behle bass-baritone Luca Pisaroni chorus Netherlands Radio Choir Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872–1958) Serenade to Music (1938) Richard Rijnvos (1964) Europe (2020) commission, world première Intermission Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827) Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 (1822–24) • Allegro ma non troppo e un poco maestoso • Scherzo. Molto vivace – Presto – Molto vivace • Adagio molto e cantabile – Andante moderato • Finale. Presto – Allegro assai Concert ends at around 22.30/16.30 Most recent performances by our orchestra: Vaughan Williams Serenade to Music: first performance Rijnvos Europe: world premiere Beethoven Symphony No. 9: Dec 2020 (online), Susanne Bernhard, Olivia Vermeulen, Benjamin Bruns, Tareq Nazmi, Rotterdam Symphony Chorus, conductor Andrew Manze One hour before the start of the concert, Marien van Staalen will give an introduction (in Dutch) to the programme, admission €5.

Tickets are available at the hall, payment by debit card. The introduction is free for Vrienden.

Cover: Photo Suzy Hazelwood (Pexels).

All men become brothers Peace on earth: where would that come from today? Ralph Vaughan Williams searched for it in the stars, Ludwig van Beethoven in a divine power. Richard Rijnvos – who also wrote these programme notes – single-handedly united the whole of Europe in a whirlpool of musical citations from virtually every country. Is what we hear a unifying force, or a collage of irreconcilable contradictions?

5 October 1938

Ralph Vaughan Williams, the composer we know primarily from his classic work The Lark Ascending, brings to his music a strikingly different sound than his British predecessors and contemporaries. During his time studying in Paris, it was no one less than Maurice Ravel who helped him clarify the textures of his music and free it from Teutonic influences. The text of his Serenade to Music is based on text from Act V of Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice. The text switches between Photo Greg Rakozy (Unsplash).

declarations of love and references to the Harmony of the Spheres. Playing on the idea that the distances between the celestial bodies connect with the intervals between musical notes, and that the entire universe is harmoniously proportioned, Shakespeare writes: ‘soft stillness and the night become the touches of sweet harmony’. Sir Henry Wood conducted the world premiere of the Serenade to Music in London’s Royal Albert Hall. During the same concert Sergei Rachmaninoff played his own Second Piano Concerto. After his performance, so the story goes, he sat in the audience to listen to the Serenade and was so overcome by the beauty of the music that he had to wipe away a tear.

7 May 1824

And on the subject of public responses: ‘I have never in my life heard such furious and yet cordial applause as today. The second movement of the symphony was once completely interrupted by applause.’ The reverberations from Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony had barely died down before his assistant Anton Schindler scribbled this report in the composer’s conversation book. Having suffered profound deafness for over ten years, these notebooks were the only way that Beethoven could communicate.

Nevertheless, despite such a handicap, the maestro himself conducted the world premiere in Vienna’s Kärntnertor Theater, albeit that the Kappellmeister had given clear instructions to the musicians to disregard the gestures of Beethoven himself. At the end of the scherzo, or at

the end of the final movement – there is contradictory testimony - the composer continued to turn the pages of his score, unaware of the thunderous applause until one of the soloists pulled him by the sleeve and turned him to face the audience. The public did everything to communicate the success of the work to the deaf composer: a sea of raised hands, and handkerchiefs, and even hats, flying in the air.

Whereas the first movement anticipates the sound world of Brahms and Bruckner, the rousing scherzo in itself is revolutionary in the way it roars into the symphony as a second rather than a traditional third movement.

With no disrespect to the first three movements, the success of the work’s premiere lies without doubt in the titanic final movement, with the unexpected deployment of choir and solo voices.

Beethoven selected passages from Schiller’s poem Ode to Joy (1785) that were closest to his heart. ‘Alle Menschen werden Brüder’ and ‘Diesen Kuß der ganzen Welt’ express Beethoven’s love for all humanity, whilst the repeated emphasis of ‘Freude’ echoes his wish to be granted just one day of pure joy. The slow and solemn singing of the words ‘Über Sternen muss er wohnen’ embodies Beethoven’s concept of an allloving, all-powerful God who dwells above the stars.

9 November 1989

‘Sofort, unverzüglich’, - ‘Immediately, straight away’ - replied Günter Schabowski, with a slight doubt in his voice, during an historic press conference

to a journalist who had asked him when the new rules for the free movement of GDR citizens to western countries would begin. That same evening the irreversible consequences of such a statement were evident on every TV screen: wave after wave of frenzied East Berliners crossing the borders in clapped-out Trabants.

In the weeks that followed, for the first time since the end of World War Two, a united Germany was able to give voice to the idealism of Beethoven’s Ninth: ‘Alle Menschen werden Brüder’. And the rest of Europe, and far beyond, joined in. The following month, on Christmas Day, Leonard Bernstein conducted a performance of the symphony by musicians from Germany, the USSR, France, Great Britain, and the United States. Inspired by the fall of the wall, Bernstein switched the word ‘Freude’ for ‘Freiheit’.

A sea of raised hands, and handkerchiefs, and even hats, flying in the air.

15-17 December 2023

Could Beethoven have ever dared dream that his universal melody accompanying the words ‘Freude, schöner Götterfunken’ would one day become the anthem of a European Union? Europe also takes centre stage in the first part of Grand Atlas, a cycle in which each of the seven world continents is depicted in an orchestral composition. The titles of the movements

are in French, in honour of the 16th century cartographer Gerard Mercator and his legendary Atlas ou Représentation du Monde Universel. Thus the journey takes us from Amérique du Nord via Asie to Afrique, etc., ending at the South Pole in Antarctique. In a timeframe of 144 minutes we experience musical impressions from the entire globe, setting off from the continent of Europe, with its rich and dazzling symphonic heritage.

Six minutes into the piece, following an energetic, toccata-like introduction, Europe transforms into a disorientating vortex, when suddenly we hear music that rings a bell, as if in an incoherent, surrealist dream. Hang on, was that Wagner? No, I think it was Beethoven.

Or perhaps Stravinsky? Borrowed from the classical orchestral repertoire, covering pretty much all European countries, a dazzling collage of 101 quotations rushes by like a tornado.

Another six minutes later, this mad rollercoaster comes to an abrupt end, and – as if nothing has happened – we jump back in time to the vortical textures of the introduction. Soon after, familiar arpeggios appear out of the blue, rocking up and down in strings, followed by sing-along ascending snippets in oboes, clarinets and horns. Once we begin to realize Rheingold is turning into ‘Rhinefox’, it is time to cross to the next continent.

Richard Rijnvos

Andrew Manze • conductor

Foto: Norbart Kniat Photo: Benjamin Ealovega

Born: Beckenham, England Current position: principal guest conductor Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, honorary conductor Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra Education: Classics at Cambridge; violin at the Royal Academy of Music (London) with Simon Standage Guest appearances: Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Münchner Philharmoniker, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Debut Rotterdam Philharmonic: 2020

Carolyn Sampson • soprano Born: Bedford, England Education: Birmingham University Breakthrough: 2007, Boston Early Music Festival: title role in Lully’s Psyché (Grammy nomination) Subsequently: Opera, concert appearances and song recitals in all major venues of Europe and the USA, with Philadelphia Orchestra, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Symphonieorchester des Bayerischen Rundfunks, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Debut Rotterdam Philharmonic: 2007

Photo: Marco Borggreve

Marianne Beate Kielland • mezzosoprano

Photo: Liv Øvland

Born: Lørenskog, Norway Education: Norwegian Academy of Music, Oslo, with Svein Bjørkøy and Ingrid Bjoner; further studies with Oren Brown and Barbara Bonney Awards: Nordlysprisen 2009, Gammlengprisen 2021 Cooperations: Rinaldo Alessandrini, Herbert Blomstedt, Philippe Herreweghe, Manfred Honeck, Jordi Savall, Masaaki Suzuki Also: Artistic Director Oslo Chamber Music Festival Debut Rotterdam Philharmonic: 2023

Daniel Behle • tenor

Photo: Marco Borggreve

Born: Hamburg, Germany Education: trombone and composition at the Hochschule für Musik und Theater Hamburg, voice with his mother Renate Behle and with James Wagner Awards: OPUS Klassik Singer of the Year 2020 Cooperations: Wiener Philharmoniker, Berliner Philharmoniker, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Debut Rotterdam Philharmonic: 2023

Luca Pisaroni • bass-baritone Born: Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela Education: Milan, Verdi Conservatory; Buenos Aires, with Renato Sassola and Rozita Zozulya; New York City Breakthrough: Salzburg Festival 2002, in Mozart’s opera Don Giovanni Subsequently: Opera on all major stages worldwide, concert appearances with Berliner Philharmoniker, Gewandhausorchester Leipzig, Philadelphia Orchestra, Los Angeles Philharmonic, London Symphony Orchestra Debut Rotterdam Philharmonic: 2023

Photo: Catherine Pisaroni

Netherlands Radio Choir

Photo: Simon van Boxtel

Founded: 1945 Chief Conductor: Benjamin Goodson Singers: sixty odd professionally trained singers Awards: Concertgebouw Award 2017 Repertoire: great choral-symphonic repertoire, opera, 19th and 20th century choral works Commissions: John Adams, Hans Werner Henze, James MacMillan, Bart Visman, Giel Vleggaar, Peter-Jan Wagemans, Diderik Wagenaar, Mathilde Wantenaar Cooperation: Netherlands Radio Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, NTR Saturday Matinee

Agenda Proms: Christmas Classics Fri 22 December 2023 • 20.30 Sat 23 December 2023 • 20.30 Sun 24 December 2023 • 14.15 conductor Adam Hickox Prokofiev Lieutenant Kijé: Troika Humperdinck Hänsel und Gretel – selection Rossini Overture La Cenerentola Ravel Ma mère l’oye – selection Tchaikovsky The Nutcracker: Suite No.1 Thu 11 January 2024 • 20.15 Sun 14 January 2024 • 14.15 conductor Kristiina Poska soprano Chen Reiss Mozart Overture ‘Die Zauberflöte’ Mozart Arias Beijer Waltz for orchestra (commission, world premiere) J. Strauss jr. An der schönen blauen Donau Lehár Songs Dvořák Slavonic Dances (selection) Concert for Ukraine Sat 13 January 2024 • 20.15 conductor Olha Dondyk piano Antonii Baryshevskyi piano Anna Fedorova Lunyov Libera me for String Orchestra Silvestrov Epitaph Chopin Piano Concerto No. 2 Sun 11 February 2024 • 14.15 Fri 16 February 2024 • 20.15 conductor Lahav Shani soprano Chen Reiss Strauss Six orchestral songs Mahler Symphony No. 6 ‘Tragic‘

Musicians Viola Clarinet Anne Huser Julien Hervé Roman Spitzer Bruno Bonansea Galahad Samson Honorary Clarinet/ José Moura Nunes Conductor Bass Clarinet Yannick Nézet-Séguin Kerstin Bonk Romke-Jan Wijmenga Lex Prummel Janine Baller Principal Guest Bassoon Francis Saunders Conductor Veronika Lénártová Pieter Nuytten Tarmo Peltokoski Lola Descours Rosalinde Kluck Marianne Prommel León van den Berg First Violin Marieke Blankestijn, Olfje van der Klein Bassoon/ concertmeester Contrabassoon Cello Quirine Scheffers Hans Wisse Hed Yaron Meyerson Emanuele Silvestri Eugene Lifschitz Saskia Otto Horn Joanna Pachucka Arno Bons David Fernández Alonso Mireille van der Wart Daniel Petrovitsch Felipe Santos Freitas Silva Mario Rio Rachel Browne Wendy Leliveld Gé van Leeuwen Maria Dingjan Richard Speetjens Eelco Beinema Marie-José Schrijner Laurens Otto Carla Schrijner Noëmi Bodden Pierre Buizer Pepijn Meeuws Petra Visser Yi-Ting Fang Sophia Torrenga Trumpet Hadewijch Hofland Alex Elia Double Bass Annerien Stuker Simon Wierenga Matthew Midgley Alexandra van Jos Verspagen Ying Lai Green Beveren Jonathan Focquaert Robert Franenberg Trombone Second Violin Pierre Volders Charlotte Potgieter Harke Wiersma Alexander Verbeek Arjen Leendertz Cecilia Ziano Remko de Jager Ricardo Neto Frank de Groot Laurens van Vliet Bass trombone Flute Tomoko Hara Rommert Groenhof Juliette Hurel Elina Staphorsius Joséphine Olech Jun Yi Dou Désirée Woudenberg Tuba Bob Bruyn Hendrik-Jan Renes Eefje Habraken Flute/piccolo Maija Reinikainen Percussion Beatriz Da Baião Wim Ruitenbeek Danny van de Wal Babette van den Berg Ronald Ent Oboe Melanie Broers Martijn Boom Remco de Vries Lana Trimmer Adriaan Feyaerts Karel Schoofs Anja van der Maten Harp Oboe/Cor Anglais Charlotte Sprenkels Ron Tijhuis Chief Conductor Lahav Shani