The Platform: Harmony Within - 21 November 2024 - Event Programme

International Concert Series 2024-25

The Platform: Harmony Within

EVENT PROGRAMME

International Concert Series 2024-25

Ralph Vaughan Williams Thursday, 21st October 2024 Picture Gallery, Founder’s Building

(1872 – 1958)

Fantasia on Greensleeves Violin I solo: Terry Chen Violin II solo: Elizaveta Rnic

with

The Royal Holloway String Society The Royal Holloway Bach Society

Edvard Grieg (1843 – 1907) ‘Holberg Suite’ II. IV.

Sarabande (Andante) Air (Andante religioso)

Nathan James Dearden (b. 1992) Two Hymns Arvo Pärt (b. 1935) Spiegel im Spiegel Performed by Lingling Bao-Smith (violin) and Phedra Low (piano)

Max Richter (b. 1966) ‘Winter 2’, from Recomposed by Max Richter – The Four Seasons Violin Soloist: Christopher Bacon Estimated finish time: 9.30pm

Please no flash photography or visual/audio recording throughout the event.

For news about our future events, please visit royalholloway.ac.uk/music/events

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David Ludwig (b. 1974) ‘Winter (unum)’, from Seasons Lost Violin I solo: Nicole Yuen Violin II solo: Phedra Low

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Arcangelo Corelli (1653 – 1713) ‘Pastorale ad libitum: Largo’, from Christmas Concerto Violin I solo: Johanna Pickert Violin II solo: Lingling Bao-Smith Cello solo: Naoki Aso

George Frideric Handel (1685 – 1759)

‘Se un bell’ardire’, from Ezio, HWV 29 Performed by Brookyln Storey (Bass) and William Bishop (organ)

Henry Purcell Leroy Anderson (1908 – 1975) Plink, Plank, Plunk!

(1659 – 1695)

‘Not all my torments can your pity move’, Z. 400 Performed by William Bishop (organ)

— INTERVAL —

J. S. Bach (1685 – 1750)

George Frideric Handel (1685 – 1759)

‘Larghetto’, from Sonata in C major, HWV 365 Performed by Roseanna Diwakar (recorder) and Coco Soards (piano)

J. S. Bach (1685 – 1750)

‘Ich will dir mein herze schenken, from St Matthew Passion, BWV 244 Performed by Evelina Venslovaite (soprano) and William Bishop (organ)

J. S. Bach (1685 – 1750)

‘Ich ruf’ zu dir, herr Jesu Christ’, BWV 177 Performed by William Bishop (organ)

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‘Num komm, der Heiden Heiland’, BWV 659 Performed by Brooklyn Storey (organ)

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PROGRAMME NOTES Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872 – 1958)

Fantasia on Greensleeves ‘Fantasia on Greensleeves’ is an English nationalist work written by Vaughan Williams for his opera Sir John in Love, which was then adapted under the composer's watchful gaze by Ralph Greaves in 1934. As per the name, the piece is heavily inspired by the 18-verse Tudor folk tune Greensleeves that was suspected to have been composed by Henry VIII for Anne Bolyn. The English folk ballad Lovely Joan was added as a counterpoint tune in Ralph Greaves’ arrangement after Vaughan Williams came across it in Suffolk. Due to its considerable length and musical simplicity, it cannot be classed as an authentic fantasia, making this a deceptive title.

Edvard Grieg (1843 – 1907) Holberg Suite III. Sarabande (Andante) V. Air (Andante religioso) Edvard Grieg wrote the Holberg Suite in 1884 to celebrate Ludvig Holberg’s 200th birthday. This Dano-Norwegian playwright was a key literary figure for Scandinavia in the Enlightenment period, with both Denmark and Norway claiming him as one of their founders in literature. Grieg’s Holberg Suite was originally composed for the piano, but the composer adapted it a year later for string orchestra. It is an early attempt at neoclassicism, whereby Grieg attempts to mimic the balance, clarity and emotional restraint of the 18th century.

We see this throughout the five movements based on 18th century dance forms, two of which will be performed today.

The sarabande musical form originated in Latin America and was introduced to Spain in the 16th century where it was known as a fast and lascivious dance. It spread to Italy and France in the 17th 3|P a g e

century where it became a slow and stately court dance in triple time. Grieg helped to revive this form in the 19th century using the Holberg Suite, alongside other composers like Louis Spohr did in 1847 for his Salonstücke, Op. 135. This movement uses mordent trills to evoke the familiar playfulness of folk ornamentation.

The fourth movement of this suite is the air. This form describes a vocal or instrumental piece with a song-like quality, and is a variant of the aria, which is often used in operas, cantatas and oratorios. It draws on works like Air on the G String by J. S. Bach with its sorrowful and slow tempo. Grieg’s lyricism shines through here, and the rich sound of a string orchestra is properly showcased.

Nathan James Dearden (b. 1992) Two Hymns 1. do not take me away (after Psalm 102) 2. How long will You hide Your face? (after Psalm 13) These hymns were composed for Whiddon Autumn Festival. The ‘two hymns’ are short reflections for string quartet, using psalms 13 and 112 as a starting point for inspiration. This work was written as part of a residency with Whiddon Autumn Festival, kindly supported by The Finzi Trust and the Vaughan Williams Foundation.

Programme notes by Nathan James Dearden

Arvo Pärt (b. 1935) Spiegel im Spiegel Estonian composer Arvo Pärt composed Spiegel im Spiegel in 1978. It is in the tintinnabular style, whereby one voice (here, the piano) plays arpeggiated triads while another (the violin) moves in diatonic scales. The title aptly translates to “mirror in the mirror”, indicating the seemingly endless movement of both voices accompanying each other in a slow but existential fashion. French violinist Renaud Capuçon views this piece similarly, saying that "With all those long notes and repetitions, there’s a feeling of eternity. It’s like levitating for nine minutes.”

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Max Richter (b. 1966) ‘Winter 2’, from Recomposed by Max Richter – The Four Seasons

was competed in c. 1690. It has six movements and concludes with a pastorale that represents the shepherds who attended Jesus’ birth.

‘Winter 2 (Recomposed)’ is part of a larger work titled Recomposed by Max Richter: Vivaldi –The Four Seasons, which was recorded and released in 2012.

Richter is said to have used only 25% of Vivaldi’s original work, with short, memorable, and wellknown themes forming the bulk of his composition. It consequently calls attention to Richter’s training and experience in postmodern and minimalistic music. Ivan Hewett of The Telegraph saw this album as being “a subtle and often moving piece of work, which suggests that after years of tedious disco and trance versions of Mozart, the field of the classical remix has finally become interesting.”

Leroy Anderson (1908 – 1975) Plink, Plank, Plunk!

David Ludwig (b. 1974) ‘Winter (unum)’, from Seasons Lost Seasons Lost is the story of the time before our winters and summers ran together; the time before warm rain where there should be snow, and deadly storms where there should be cool autumn days. I remember from my childhood growing up on the east coast the four seasons that were once distinct, but that are now lost.

The reality of global climate change is important for me to respond to, and so I wrote Seasons Lost to add my voice to the discussion.

(David Ludwig)

The first movement, Winter, was described by the composer as moving “in distant unisons of cold days where the light is icy blue and the air stings when it hits bare skin.”

Arcangelo Corelli (1653 – 1713) ‘Pastorale ad libitum: Largo’, from Christmas Concerto Arcangelo Corelli is widely recognized as the father of the concerto grosso, and his Christmas concerto is one of the finest of its kind. The concerto was commissioned by Cardinal Pietro Ottoboni and 4|P a g e

Leroy Anderson was an American composer who primarily composed short melodic works for symphony orchestra. He is most known for his lively and optimistic compositions such as Sleigh Ride and Blue Tango. Plink, Plank, Plunk! was composed in 1951 out of Anderson’s particular interest in the use of pizzicato. He meant that pizzicato was very often neglected by composers and therefore made this piece as an example of how one could use it.

George Frideric Handel (1685 – 1759) ‘Larghetto’, from Sonata in C major, HWV 365 George Frederic Handel was a German composer who made notable contributions to Baroque music. He composed a large repertoire that included operas, oratorios, concertos, and chamber music. Handel’s ‘Sonata No. 7 in C major’ was composed as part of a collection of four sonatas for treble recorder and basso continuo.

Although it was original composed for recorder, it was later published as a flute sonata as well.

J. S. Bach (1685 – 1750) ‘Ich will dir mein herze schenken, from St Matthew Passion, BWV 244 J. S. Bach’s St Matthew Passion is a setting of the 26th and 27th chapters of the Gospel of Mathew, which tells the story of the last days of Jesus. The passion includes biblical texts, chorales and arias.

The libretto was arranged by Christian Friedrich Henrici, also known as Picander. The aria ‘Ich Will Dir Mein Herze Schenken’ is sung after the events of the Last Supper and pour out the believer’s responses to Christ’s sufferings.

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J. S. Bach (1685 – 1750) ‘Ich ruf’ zu dir, herr Jesu Christ’, BWV 177 ‘Ich ruf zu Dir, Herr Jesu Christ’ is a chorale prelude that describes ‘New Life in Christ’. It is a part of J. S. Bach’s Orgelbüchlein, a collection of 46 chorale preludes for organ, and was one of the first pieces in the collection to gain widespread acknowledgement. The chorale is also the only one in the collection written as a trio.

George Frideric Handel (1685 – 1759) ‘Se un bell’ardire’, from Ezio, HWV 29 ‘Se un Bell’ardire’ is an aria from Handel’s opera Ezio, which was composed in 1732. Ezio tells a complicated story about the Roman general, Atius.

The libretto was written by Pietro Metastasio.

Handel’s opera was not a great success with its first public and has remained one of the composer’s more neglected operas.

Henry Purcell (1659 – 1695) ‘Not all my torments can your pity move’, Z. 400 Henry Purcell’s ‘Not All My Torments’ was written around the middle of 1693 and is a part of the Gresham Manuscript, the autograph songbook written by Purcell between 1692 and 1695. It is a moving love song where the narrator cannot help but love someone, even though that love is answered with disdain. Its librettist is unknown.

J. S. Bach (1685 – 1750) ‘Num komm, der Heiden Heiland’, BWV 659 ‘Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland’ is one of J. S. Bach’s best-known sacred compositions. It is a setting of a chorale translated and adapted by Martin Luther. Bach has composed three settings of this chorale. In this setting, the chorale tune is made into an expressive and ornamented melody and a walking bass, which can symbolize Jesus’ commitment to the people by walking among us.

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TEXT AND TRANSLATIONS J. S. Bach (1685 – 1750) ‘Ich will dir mein herze schenken, from St Matthew Passion, BWV 244 Ich will dir mein Herze schenken, Senke dich, mein Heil, hinein!

Ich will mich in dir versenken; Ist dir Gleich die Welt zu klein, Ei, so sollst du mir allein Mehr als Welt und Himmel sein.

I will give you my heart; sink within, my Saviour!

I will sink into you; although the world is too small for you, ah, you alone shall be for me more than heaven and earth.

George Frideric Handel (1685 – 1759) ‘Se un bell’ardire’, from Ezio, HWV 29 Se un bell’ardire può innamorarti, perché arrossire, perché sdegnarti di quello strale che ti piagò?

Chi si fe’ chiaro per tante imprese già grande al paro di te si rese, già della sorte si vendicò.

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If manly valor Thy love be claiming, Why thy cheeks pallor With blushes flaming?

Why scorn the arrow That at thee flew?

Why should Fate offer Such keen annoyance?

To bring back joyance Say to thy lover: "Great pangs I suffer: What shall I do?"

Henry Purcell (1659 – 1695) ‘Not all my torments can your pity move’, Z. 400 Not all my torments can your pity move, Your scorn increases with my love.

Yet to the grave I will my sorrow bear; I love, tho' I despair.

TONIGHT’S PERFORMERS The Royal Holloway Bach Society Roseanna Diwakar Recorder Evelina Venslovaite Soprano William Bishop Organ Brookyln Storey Organ, Bass Coco Soards Piano

The Royal Holloway String Society Violin 1

Christopher Bacon Lingling Bao-Smith Terry Chen Clarise Chong Tristan Hail Conrad Ho Paul Kam Angel Katsenza Lilly Kurata Hannah Lam Phedra Low Johanna Pickert Millie Shurmer Lily Thompson Nicole Yuen Viola

Phoebe Canell Laura Field Maisie Pearce Elizaveta Rnic Frederik Simmen Cello

Naoki Aso Katie Aspden Oliver Grimes Evelyn Pong Niamh Sherwood Bass

Owen Morgan Owen Ward Piano

Lilly Kurata Harp

Victoria Lee Principal Conductor Joshua Wen Assistant Conductor Oliver Grimes

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OUR PROGRAMME NOTES The notes created for this event programme have been written by a team of students at the Department of Music, as part of the Concert Management & Artist Personnel Programme.

This is a professional development initiative run by the Concert Office where students are able to experience first-hand what goes on behind-the-scenes, who organises the publicity for an event, to even how to coordinate and manage a rehearsal schedule. All members of the programme are mentored by the College's Performance Administrator, James Mark, and receive training from industry specialists.

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Programme notes for tonight’s concert were written by Millie Shurmer (Vaughan Williams, Grieg, Pärt, Richter) and Celine Olsen (Corelli, Anderson, Handel, Bach, Purcell).