Schubert's Trout – Season 2122 – Programme Note

SCHUBERT'S TROUT 20 Feb 2022

SCO.ORG.UK

PROGRAMME

Season 2021/22

SCHUBERT'S TROUT This performance will be recorded by Radio 3’s ‘Winter in Edinburgh’ series, due for broadcast between 3-6 May 2022.

Sunday 20 February, 3pm The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh Rossini Duo in D major for Cello and Double Bass Beethoven Trio in B-flat major for Clarinet, Cello & Piano, Op 11 Interval of 20 minutes

Schubert Piano Quintet in A major, D667, 'The Trout' Maxim Emelyanychev Piano SCO Chamber Ensemble (For full list see page 9) Maxim Emelyanychev

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YOUR SCO Violin Stephanie Gonley Viola Fiona Winning Cello Philip Higham Double Bass Nikita Naumov Clarinet Maximiliano Martín

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W H AT YO U ARE ABOUT TO HEAR Rossini (1792-1868) Duo in D major for Cello and Double Bass (1824) Allegro Andante molto Allegro zingarese

Beethoven (1770-1827) Trio in B-flat major for Clarinet, Cello and Piano, Op 11 (1798) Allegro con brio Adagio Tema: Pria ch'io l'impegno. Allegretto

Schubert (1797-1828) Piano Quintet in A major, D667, 'The Trout' (1819) Allegro vivace Andante Scherzo: Presto Tema con variazione: Andantino Finale. Allegro giusto

––––– There are certain chamber works that set out to plumb deep emotions and grapple with weighty philosophical issues of life, death and the meaning of it all. Just think of Beethoven’s late quartets, or even Shostakovich’s heartbreaking Eighth Quartet. And then there are works that achieve something similar by stealth.

In its purest sense, of course, chamber music is a meeting of players to share music for pleasure and satisfaction, even a bit of fun and entertainment. And if the music they play can embed genuine beauty and meaning inside an attractive, even frivolous exterior, well, so much the better. And the three pieces in this afternoon’s programme fall firmly into that second category.

Rossini’s Duet for cello and double bass is one of the chamber repertoire’s most unusual pieces. Duets for stringed instruments of any kind are pretty rare, and when they do exist, they’re usually intended for educational purposes, as a collaboration between teacher and pupil, or perhaps for domestic performance.

Rossini, however, is having none of that: his Duet is a fully fledged concert work, designed to engage, entertain and enthrall.

And it does all three magnificently.

It comes from early in Rossini’s career, when he was still a breathtakingly successful opera composer, before renouncing that position aged just 37. He was already a star when he arrived in London in 1823, and it was there that he met the double bass virtuoso Domenico Dragonetti (also a composer of note, who once famously duetted with Beethoven) and also the banker, MP and former Lord Mayor Sir David Salomons.

A gifted amateur cellist, Salomons asked

Rossini, however, is having none of that: his Duet is a fully fledged concert work, designed to engage, entertain and enthrall. And it does all three magnificently.

Gioachino Rossini

Rossini to write him a duet to play with Dragonetti, and Rossini duly obliged, with a work that shows off the virtuosic potential of both instruments. Following the jaunty opening movement, the second movement

According to Beethoven’s pupil Czerny, a request came from a clarinettist (probably Franz Josef Bähr, who performed regularly with the composer) for a set of variations on the tune. Beethoven, perhaps wanting to

is an elegant aria whose songful melody begins on the cello and is later passed to the bass, while the finale is a virtuosic romp full of dramatic flair, in which cello and bass take turns with its Italianate theme.

explore somewhat lighter repertoire than the weighty, symphonic-scale piano trios of his Op 1, duly obliged, providing not just variations but instead a full-scale trio for clarinet, cello and piano – with the option to replace the clarinet by a violin to keep potential amateur performers happy. But, the story goes, Beethoven didn’t know where the tune had come from, and was furious when he found out its origins.

Beethoven’s Trio in B flat, Op 11, for the unusual combination of clarinet, cello and piano, has gained the equally unusual nickname ‘Gassenhauer’, meaning popular song or street song. That’s a reference to the theme of the work’s third movement, the bass trio ‘Pria ch’io l’impegno’ (or ‘Before beginning this awesome task, I need a snack’) from Josef Weigl’s comic opera L’amor marinaro (‘Love Among the Sailors’). It’s virtually forgotten today, but it took Vienna by storm in the 1790s and was indeed undoubtedly sung and whistled in city’s byways.

Nonetheless, what he achieves in the Op 11 Trio’s finale is really rather miraculous.

And it established a trend for later sets of variations that make quite a bit more of their innocuous theme than it really deserves – a format that would reach its climax in Beethoven’s monumental Diabelli Variations. His Op 11 variations

What he achieves in the Op 11 Trio’s finale is really rather miraculous.

And it established a trend for later sets of variations that make quite a bit more of their innocuous theme than it really deserves – a format that would reach its climax in Beethoven’s monumental Diabelli Variations.

Ludwig van Beethoven

are preceded by a delicate opening movement full of catchy tunes and surprising key changes, then a slow movement full of uncomplicated lyricism, its material exchanged between clarinet and cello.

Schubert’s 'Trout' Quintet is, of course, one of the best-loved and best-known works in the entire chamber repertoire. And its origins lie in another request for variations on a popular song – this time, one of the composer’s own.

In the summer of 1819, the 22-year-old Schubert embarked on a walking holiday in upper Austria with his friend Johann Michael Vogl, a renowned baritone at the Vienna Court Opera. One of their stops was in Steyr, southeast of Linz and Vogl’s birthplace, and it was there that Vogl introduced Schubert to Sylvester Paumgartner, assistant manager of the area’s iron mines, wealthy music patron and keen amateur cellist (yes, another one).

Paumgartner asked Schubert to write a new

chamber work that he and his Steyr buddies could play, with two specific requests. First, it should be for the somewhat unusual combination of violin, viola, cello, double bass and piano (the same instrumentation as Hummel’s Piano Quintet, which they’d thoroughly enjoyed and which handily matched the musicians they had available).

And second, it should somehow include the melody of ‘Die Forelle’ (‘The Trout’), a Schubert song that Paumgartner particularly enjoyed.

Schubert did more than simply include his song tune, however. And he did more, in fact, than even write a whole movement’s worth of variations on it – the fourth of the Quintet’s five movements – since the song’s distinctive, bubbling, rising arpeggio accompaniment crops up in all of the work’s movements apart from its third.

Paumgartner was overjoyed with the work, and he and his friends are known to have played it in Steyr at the end of 1819, and

Franz Peter Schubert

One of the reasons for the 'Trout''s enduring popularity is undoubtedly its sunny, untroubled disposition. Not only was Schubert in his element during his hiking trip, but this was also a period in his life before the darkness of illness and mortality began to cast its shadow.

doubtless in subsequent performances too.

But it remained unknown to the wider world until after Schubert’s death, when publisher Joseph Czerny advertised it thus: ‘The quintet having already been performed in

Its opening movement is the spiritual twin to its ‘Trout’-themed fourth, beginning with a distinctive upward flourish and with several ‘Trout’-like melodies swimming through it. The serene

several circles at the publisher’s instigation, and declared to be a masterpiece by the connoisseurs present, we deem it our duty to draw the musical public’s attention to this latest work by the unforgettable composer.’

second movement begins with one of the piano’s distinctive octave melodies against string accompaniment, and the fizzing, spiky scherzo that follows is offset by a quieter, more thoughtful trio section.

One of the reasons for the 'Trout''s enduring popularity is undoubtedly its sunny, untroubled disposition. Not only was Schubert in his element during his hiking trip, but this was also a period in his life before the darkness of illness and mortality began to cast its shadow. Adding to the work’s remarkable buoyancy, too, is the Quintet’s scoring, which is invariably transparent, never thick, with the piano often playing an unadorned melody in simple octaves – a technique later picked up by Shostakovich in

Schubert pulls off a clever trick with his fourth-movement ‘Trout’ variations, too, which not only showcase all five of the Quintet’s instruments, but also work backwards towards what’s essentially a restatement of the song in its original form as its sixth ‘variation’. Following a chimelike call to attention, the Quintet ends in rather modest fashion with a charming but gracious finale.

his own chamber music.

© David Kettle

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Piano MAXIM E M E LYA N YC H E V

––––– At the Scottish Chamber Orchestra Maxim Emelyanychev follows in the footsteps of just five previous Principal Conductors in the Orchestra’s 46-year history; Roderick Brydon (1974-1983), Jukka-Pekka Saraste (1987-1991), Ivor Bolton (1994-1996), Joseph Swensen (1996-2005) and Robin Ticciati (2009-2018).

2020/21 Season engagements included conducting the opera of the Geneva Grand Theatre in Mozart’s Clemenza di Tito and the Toulouse Théâtre du Capitole in Mozart’s Nozze di Figaro. Debuts with the Orchestre de Paris, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Münchner Philharmoniker, the London Philharmonic, the Luxembourg Philharmonic, the Swedish Radio Symphony Orchestra, the Accademia Nazionale of Santa Cecilia Orchestra, the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, the Hessischer Rundfunk Frankfurt Orchestra, the Deutsche Symphony Orchestra, and returning to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra.

He regularly collaborates with renowned artists such as Max Emanuel Cencic, Patrizia Ciofi, Joyce DiDonato, Franco Fagioli, Richard Goode, Sophie Karthäuser, Stephen Hough, Katia et Marielle Labèque, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, Julia Lezhneva, Alexei Lubimov, Riccardo Minasi, Xavier Sabata and Dmitry Sinkovsky.

Maxim is also a highly respected chamber musician. His most recent recording, of Brahms Violin Sonatas with long-time collaborator and friend Aylen Pritchin, was released on Aparté in December 2021 and has attracted outstanding reviews internationally.

With the Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Maxim has recorded the Schubert Symphony No 9 – the symphony with which he made his debut with the orchestra – which was released on Linn Records in November 2019.

For full biography please visit sco.org.uk

Violin STEPHANIE GONLEY ––––– Stephanie has a wide-ranging career as concerto soloist, soloist/director of chamber orchestras, recitalist and chamber musician. She has appeared as soloist with many of UK’s foremost orchestras, including the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Philharmonia and BBC Symphony Orchestra.

Stephanie is leader of the English Chamber Orchestra and the Scottish Chamber Orchestra and has performed as director/soloist with both.

For full biography please visit sco.org.uk

Viola FIONA WINNING

––––– Scottish violist Fiona Winning was until 2014 Principal Viola of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and before that the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. During her years in London she was a regular guest principal of the Philharmonia and London Philharmonic Orchestras, including four seasons at Glyndebourne Opera. She is also a regular guest principal viola of the Aurora Orchestra, London Sinfonietta and Scottish Chamber Orchestra.

For seven years she was a member of the Scottish Ensemble with whom she performed at Wigmore Hall, BBC Proms, and at the Edinburgh International, Aldeburgh and City of London Festivals, and broadcast regularly on Radio 3.

For full biography please visit sco.org.uk

Cello PHILIP HIGHAM ––––– Philip has been described as ‘possessing that rare combination of refined technique with subtle and expressive musicianship… all the qualities of a world-class artist’ (The Strad), and has been praised for his ‘expansive but tender playing’ (Gramophone). His debut recording of the Britten Solo Suites (Delphian, 2013) was named instrumental disc of the month in both Gramophone and BBC Music magazines. His recording of the complete Bach Suites (Delphian, 2016) also received critical acclaim. Philip was appointed Principal Cello of the Scottish Chamber Orchestra in 2016. He plays a fine Milanese cello by Carlo Giuseppe Testore, made in 1697, and is grateful for continued support from Harriet's Trust.

Philip's Chair is kindly supported by The Thomas Family For full biography please visit sco.org.uk

Double Bass N I K I TA NAUMOV

––––– Nikita has played as guest principal with many of the world’s finest orchestras, including the London Symphony Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Netherlands Philharmonic Orchestra, Amsterdam Sinfonietta and the Stavanger Symphony Orchestra.

As a chamber musician, Nikita has featured at the BBC chamber series at Wigmore Hall as a member of the internationally recognised chamber group, the London Conchord Ensemble, as well as regularly performing with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe and appearing in festivals in Norway, Germany and Estonia.

For full biography please visit sco.org.uk

Clarinet MAXIMILIANO MARTÍN ––––– Spanish Clarinettist and international soloist Maximiliano Martín is one of the most exciting and charismatic musicians of his generation. He combines his position of Principal Clarinet of the SCO with solo, chamber music engagements and masterclasses all around the world.

Maximiliano has made his debut as a soloist and chamber musician in many of the world's most prestigious venues including the BBC Proms at Cadogan Hall, Wigmore Hall, Library of Congress in Washington, Mozart Hall in Seoul, Laeiszhalle Hamburg, Durban City Hall in South Africa, and Teatro Monumental in Madrid. Highlights of the past years have included concertos with the SCO, European Union Chamber Orchestra, and Orquesta Filarmónica de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, amongst others.

He performs regularly with ensembles and artists such as London Conchord Ensemble, Doric and Casals String Quartets, François Leleux, Pekka Kuusisto and Llŷr Williams.

Maximiliano's Chair is kindly supported by Stuart and Alison Paul For full biography please visit sco.org.uk

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