VCH Open House 2023: Symphonic Stories

Sunday, 28 May 2023, 11am Victoria

Symphonic Stories

This concert programme features three pieces each composed with a programmatic story. These narratives have inspired composers in different eras. The three colourful pieces that you will hear both enhance the storytelling experience and stand well in their own right as symphonic masterpieces.

28 May 2023, 11am

Victoria Concert Hall

SNYS Presentation Concert

Singapore National Youth Sinfonia

Seow Yibin conductor

Henry Purcell (arr. Gustav Holst)

The Gordian Knot Untied, Suite No. 1

I. Overture

II. Air

III. Rondeau Minuet

IV. Air

V. Jig

Richard Wagner

Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

Sergei Prokofiev

Lieutenant Kijé, Op. 60

I. The Birth of Kijé

II. Romance

III. Kijé’s Wedding

IV. Troïka

V. The Burial of Kijé

FIRST VIOLIN

Lim Jing Rui CONCERTMASTER

Giselle Ang

Allison Chng

Celestia Choo

Fu Yu

Asher Ng

Ng Kailyn

Ng Zu Ni

Zanna Phua

Gwyneth Song

Jesper Tai

LeeAnn Tan

Deborah Teo

Xia Ruoting

Liam Young

SECOND VIOLIN

Amanda Ang

Matthew Chiu

Kylie Fong

Josephine In

Zoe Lam

Kingston Lin

Annie Liu

Alyssa Low

Lum Kai Ying

Ng Rui-Yi

Shannon Ong

Quek Chong En

Aubrey Tan

Jonathan Tan

VIOLA

Chang Zi Yi

Keira Chen

Jayden Kwan

Annabel Ng

Tan E-Ton

Kobe Wei

Xu Hongmao

Zhang Yunhao

CELLO

Daryl Heng

Li Peilin

Aaron Lim

Lloyd Loh

Sean Park

Alexa Tan

Shavaun Toh

Charlotte Tseng

Christoph Yang

Yang Jing Tong

Natalie Yong

DOUBLE BASS

Hoo Rei Hon

Lim Rui Yi

Zhang Junhao

FLUTE

Kirby Ching

Yoki Leung

Grace Zhang

PICCOLO

Kirby Ching

OBOE

Lucas Chan

Linus Ng

CLARINET

Carrie Chai

Amelie Peh

Carson Rafiuly

TENOR SAXOPHONE

Samuel Phua*

BASSOON

Emerald Tan*

Wang Xintong

HORN

Ethan Chng

Keak Jing Yi

Caden Rafiuly

Aloysius Sin

TRUMPET

Sara Han

Khayri Rayyan

Joshua Tan

Joshua Woodhead

Zong Shengbo

CORNET

Domi Chen

Kieran Yeo

TROMBONE

Calista Lee

Isabelle Lee

Davina Long

Wang Bo

BASS TROMBONE

Benjamin Lim

TUBA

Shawn Yap*

TIMPANI

Putra Syahril

PERCUSSION

Gladys Chew

Ethan Leow

Putra Syahril

HARP

Chloe Liow

PIANO

Kayden Yap

* Guest Musician

The Gordian Knot Untied, Suite No. 1

Henry Purcell (1659-1695)

An English composer and organist from the Baroque period

Fun Facts!

• At the age of 11, Purcell wrote an ode for King Charles II’s birthday.

• The opera Dido and Aeneas is one of Purcell’s most popular works.

The music written for the stage play The Gordian Knot Untied was based on a Greek legend. The Overture sets the overall mood while the rest of the movements serve as instrumental interludes to the play. Purcell wrote at least eight movements for The Gordian Knot Untied with Suite No. 1 containing the first five.

What is the play about? The Gordian Knot was said to be impossible to untie and it was prophesied that any man who could unravel its elaborate knots is destined to become ruler of all of Asia.

Alexander the Great heard of this and attempted to untie the knot. As expected, the knot was far too complicated and he drew his sword slicing through the knot in a single stroke, thus providing a solution to the problem.

Prelude to Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

Richard Wagner (1813 - 1883)

An influential German composer from the late Romantic period

Fun Facts!

• Wagner composed large scale operas, with his opera The Ring of the Nibelung being 15 hours long!

• In his operas, Wagner aimed to infuse music with all other elements (poetry, visuals, drama), creating the basis for modern day films.

This prelude sets the mood for Wagner’s opera

Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.

As the opera is set in the 16th century, the prelude infuses elements of early Western music with the contemporary elements of Wagner’s time. The piece sounds very grand with heavy use of brasses symbolising royalty.

Themes from the opera are presented in the prelude, each representing tradition, formality, longing, desire and even comedy!

What is the opera about? Eva, daughter of a master singer, is set to be the prize for a master singer’s contest. Two suitors (Beckmesser and Walther) emerge, and the less experienced Walther manages to win and take Eva as his wife.

Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)

A Russian composer, conductor and pianist who lived through both world wars.

Fun Facts!

• During World War I, Prokofiev managed to avoid military service and continued composing.

• His most well-known works include the ballet Romeo and Juliet and the orchestral piece Peter and the Wolf.

Prokofiev was tasked to compose music to the 1934 film “Lieutenant Kijé”, one of the first non-silent films.

In the film, the sleeping Tsar is awoken by a scream and he demands the culprit to be found and punished. The officials thus create a fake Lieutenant Kijé to be punished. Kijé is eventually pardoned, and promoted to general after marrying the princess. When the Tsar demands to see Kijé, the officials tell him that Kijé has died, and a funeral is held for him.

The suite is a musical depiction of the story of Kijé, from how Kijé was created in The Birth of Kijé (1st movement); to his marriage in the tender Romance (2nd movement) and Kijé’s Wedding (3rd movement); a sleigh ride follows, prominently featuring the sleighbells, in the Troïka (4th movement); and ends with his death where a funeral procession is evoked with a bugle call in The Burial of Kijé (5th movement).

SNYO in C oncert: Symphony of Dance

Sat, 10 Jun 2023, 3pm & 7.30pm

Esplanade Concert Hall

Tickets are available at $30 & $20 from SSO.ORG.SG