CORK ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY

CORK ORCHESTRAL SOCIETY 72 nd Season Programme Spring / summer 2010 1

Natalie Clein Carducci Quartet Philippe Cassard Xue Fei Yang 2

Your City Your Music Your Provider quality Accessible to everyone... The Cork Orchestral Society is proud to host this exciting Spring programme as we enter the centenary year of the distinguished educationalist, composer and musicologist, and our society's founder, Professor Aloys Fleischmann. Professor Fleischmann was a tireless and inspired agitator for improved provision of great music in Cork, and one of his many achievements was the establishment in Cork of the Radio Éireann String Quartet after a long campaign - it is, therefore, most appropriate that the RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet should open the season. Quite what the Prof would have made of the cheeky Austrian sirens Netnakisum is perhaps best left for over a drink at the concert interval - he would surely have admired not only their musicianship and natural flair, but also their ability to win a new and enthusiastic audience for the string quartet. With one of our most varied seasons to date there is far too much good music to cover in this welcome note - please enjoy leafing through this brochure and note in your diaries each concert that takes your fancy. 3

Thursday 4 February RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet 8.00 p.m. Aula Maxima, UCC Mozart!! String Quartet No. 16 in E b, KV 428 Shostakovich! String Quartet No. 7 in f # Beethoven! String Quartet in F, Op. 59 No. 1 The internationally celebrated RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet has garnered a well-deserved wave of public support and praise in the face of funding cutbacks and open our season in a programme which will show them at their very finest. The concert opens with the third of Mozart s Haydn quartets which finds the composer at his most sophisticated, combining rich chromaticism with a sunny outlook. Shostakovich s shortest quartet was written in memory of his first wife, Nina, who died in 1954, its dramatic thirteen minutes burgeoning with the very deepest emotions. The Vanbrugh Quartet is renowned for its performances of Beethoven this is the first of his groundbreaking Razumovsky Quartets." Vanbrugh Quartet 4

Saturday 13 February Netnakisum 8.00 p.m. Netnakisum Valentine s eve is the perfect night for this first visit to Cork by the extraordinary and entertaining Austrian string quartet Netnakisum. Fine musicians who combine their native folk music with Johann Strauss melodies, the rhythms of Hungarian gypsy music, Balkan jazz and Latin American flavours, they also yodel in close harmony (while accompanying themselves!) and include a healthy dose of humour in their performances. Having sold out on previous Irish tours this concert will be a real talking point! 5

Saturday 20 February Camerata Kilkenny with Wilbert Hazelzet (baroque flute) 1.10 p.m. [NOTE TIME] J.S. Bach s Musical Offering Founded by the Irish international harpsichordist and organist Malcolm Proud and the Swiss violinist Maya Homburger, Camerata Kilkenny is a period instrument group specialising in the performance of Baroque music. Many of its programmes combine 17th and 18th century music with the works of contemporary composers. It consists of artists from Ireland with guest artists from further afield who are renowned internationally for their performances and recordings. Camerata Kilkenny Presented in association with the East Cork Early Music Festival 6

Thursday 4 March Philippe Cassard (piano) 8.00 p.m. Philippe Cassard Brahms! 3 Intermezzi, Op. 117 Schumann! Fantaisie in C, Op. 17 Brahms # 6 Klavierstücke, Op. 118 Schoenberg# 3 Klavierstücke, Op. 11 Brahms! Rhapsody in g, Op. 79 No. 2!! Rhapsody in E b, Op. 119 No. 4 Cassard returns to Ireland and the Curtis Auditorium to launch his new CD where he recorded it in summer of 2009. Ahead of his appearance at this year s West Cork Chamber Music Festival savour this rich programme and what Ian Fox described in the Sunday Tribune as Cassard s immaculate touch, magical sonorities and sheer poetic vision. " 7

Saturday 6 March Fleischmann Choir Geoffrey Spratt (conductor) James Taylor (organ) 1.10 p.m. [NOTE TIME] Dvo!ák s Mass in D Dvo!ák composed his Mass in D in 1887 for an architect friend, Josef Hlávka, the founder and first president of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Arts. " Hlávka had built himself a private chapel at Lutany Castle and needed a suitable work for performance at the consecration. "It was originally written for choir and organ and it has a charming, intimate character which comes over best in its original form. The Fleischmann Choir has established an impeccable reputation as one of the finest mixed-voice choirs in the country. " It specialises in performing large-scale repertory and is delighted to be able to work with the acclaimed Organist of St Fin Barre s Cathedral, Cork, James Taylor. " These performers can also be heard performing this work in St Finbarre s Church, Bantry, Co. Cork on Sunday 21 March 2010, and in the City Hall, Cork, on Wednesday 28 April 2010. 8

Thursday 18 March Carducci Quartet 8.00 p.m. Haydn!! Quartet in E b, Op. 33 No. 2 ("Joke") Moeran! Quartet in E b Boydell!! Adagio & Scherzo Mendelssohn! Quartet in f, Op. 80 Winners of the Concert Artists Guild Competition in New York, the Kuhmo International Chamber Music Competition and major prizes at the Bordeaux, London and Osaka competitions, the Anglo-Irish Carducci quartet has established an enthusiastic international following. The Carducci Quartet is recognised as one of today s most exciting young string quartets. Based in the UK, the quartet holds residencies at Trinity College of Music in London, Cardiff University and at the Cork School of Music in Ireland. The 2009-2010 season will see the quartet perform over 90 concerts worldwide, including performances at London s Wigmore Hall and Washington s Library of Congress. Carducci Quartet 9

Saturday 20 March Cork School of Music Symphony Orchestra Geoffrey Spratt & Conor Palliser (conductors) Ed Creedon (viola) 1.10 p.m. [NOTE TIME] Ed Creedon Bruch!! Romance for Viola and Orchestra Dvo!ák# # Symphony No. 8 in G, Op. 88 One of Bruch s very last works was a compact musical gem, the Romance for Viola and Orchestra. "Composed in 1912, this almost-unknown treasure remains true to Bruch s belief that the composer s primary goal should be to create beauty for the audience to experience for itself. " The soloist, Ed Creedon, won the Cork School of Music s Senior Concerto Competition in 2008, and is now the orchestra s Principal Violist. Dvo!ák s Symphony No. 8 in G major is performed often, but is sometimes (and some would say unfairly!) overshadowed by his Ninth Symphony ("From the New World"). The Eighth is very cheery and draws its inspiration from the Bohemian folk music that Dvo!ák loved so much. The Cork School of Music Symphony Orchestra enjoys an extraordinary reputation for an amateur orchestra. This concert will sell out very quickly you have been warned! 10

Cork School of Music Thursday 25 March Junior Recital Competition Final @ CSM!! - Free Admission 5.00 p.m. [NOTE TIME] The Junior and Senior Recital Competitions are annual events providing a platform for students to perform. Their programmes show an ability to interpret a range of styles." The junior competition is open to students under 17 years of age and candidates are required to perform a programme of 15 to 20 minutes. Competitors are required to perform for 25-35 minutes in the senior competition. Each year between 3 and 6 competitors are chosen by an external adjudicator to reach a final held in the Curtis Auditorium where he/she then chooses a winner and extra prizes in several categories. Both the first round and final are open to the public and the exceptional standard of performances is a testament to the hard work put in each year by students, parents and teachers. Despite the natural competitive feelings that exist in such events, there is always a friendly and encouraging atmosphere throughout these competitions! Friday 7 May Senior Recital Competition Final @ CSM!! - Free Admission 7.30 p.m. 11

Thursday 13 April Fleischmann Centenary Concert RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet with Hugh Tinney (piano) 8.00 p.m. Aula Maxima, UCC Fleischmann!! Piano Suite!!! Piano Quintet David Wallace!! Quartet No. 1 # # # Quartet No. 2, ( In my words )! commissioned by Cork Orchestral Society! for the Fleischmann Centenary Concert A certain highlight of this very special year for music in the city, Cork Orchestral Society celebrates the centenary of Aloys Fleischmann on the composer s birthday. Hosting the country s most renowned pianist, Hugh Tinney, who will perform with the RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet, is a fitting way for the society to remember its founder. It is appropriate too that a new quartet, commissioned for the occasion from one of Cork s most promising young graduates, should complete the programme for what will be a very happy occasion." Aloys Fleischmann 12 www.corkcitylibraries.ie/fleischmann100/

Wednesday 14 April Irish Chamber Orchestra with Leon Fleischer (director, piano) & Katherine Jacobson Fleischer (piano) 8.00 p.m. City Hall, Cork Mozart!! Symphony No. 1 in E b, KV 16 Mozart!! Concerto for Two Pianos, KV 242 Mozart!! Adagio & Fugue, KV 546 Mozart ## Symphony No. 41 in C, KV 551 ( Jupiter ) Irish Chamber Orchestra returns to Cork for their only concert here this season with legendary US pianist, Leon Fleischer. Fleischer has the most famous right hand in classical music famous because for 30 years it didn t work. Hailed as the pianistic find of the century in his teens, he enjoyed worldwide acclaim in the 1950 s and 60 s, before a rare disease cost him the use of his right hand. Confounding medical experts, he made a triumphantly two-handed return to the stage, where he is once again celebrated as one of the musical giants of his time. " " a symbol of the indomitable human spirit an inspiration - New York Times" ICO Booking Office: 1890 923 543 13 Leon Fleischer

Thursday 22 April Natalie Clein (cello) & Xue Fei Yang (guitar) 8.00 p.m. Natalie Clein Xue Fei Yang (photo: Neil Muir) Bach!! Cello Suite No. 1 in G, BWV 1007 Villa-Lobos! Bachianas brasileiras No. 5 Piazzolla! Milonga en Re (arr. Clein & Yang)!! Libertango!! Bordel 1900 from History of Tango # # Café 1930 from History of Tango Bach"# # Sonata!No. 1 in g for solo violin, # # BWV 1001 (arr. Xue Fei Yang)" Goss!! The Autumn Song! (commissioned by Xue Fei Yang and Natalie Clein) Casals!! Song of the Birds (arr. Clein & Yang) Falla # # 7 canciones populares españolas!! (for cello and guitar) With a string of major awards, Xue Fei Yang is fast developing a reputation as one of the brightest guitar talents, dazzling audiences with her sparkling virtuosity and musical imagination. In this concert she is joined by the equally sensational cellist Natalie Clein for an evening of music with a Latin twist, from the clacking castanets of Spain to the tango-imbued music of Argentina s Astor Piazzolla with a sideorder of well-known Bach. 14

Wednesday 28 April Liedertafel (Dachau), Fleischmann Choir, & Cork School of Music Symphony Orchestra Geoffrey Spratt (conductor) Hugh Murray (leader) 8.00 p.m. City Hall, Cork Dvo!ák " " Mass in D Fleischmann!! Song of the Provinces City Hall What more appropriate way is there for the Centenary of the birth of Aloys Fleischmann to be celebrated during the Opening Gala Concert of the Cork International Choral Festival than with a performance of one of his finest works which will not only involves over 300 performers, but also every member of the audience! The soloist in a performance of Gilbert Vinter s hauntingly beautiful Hunter s Moon will be Conor Palliser (French Horn), recently selected to be a member of the prestigious European Youth Orchestra. The programme will open with the Fleischmann Choir performing Dvo!ák s gorgeous Mass in D - see page 8 for details. 15

Friday 7 May **See Page 11** Preview RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet Beethoven Quartet Cycle Beethoven Cycle I & II Thursday 7th & Friday 8th October Beethoven Cycle III & IV Thursday 21st & Friday 22nd October Beethoven Cycle V & VI Thursday 4th & Friday 5th November Vanbrugh Quartet 16

The Venues Curtis Auditorium The magnificent Curtis Auditorium lies at the heart of the state-of-the-art CIT Cork School of Music on Union Quay. The Auditorium is fully equipped with a moveable ceiling and adjustable walls to cater for different acoustical needs. Enhance your evening by arriving early and enjoying the fine cuisine offered by the School s offquay bistro. City Hall The City Hall is situated on the waterfront overlooking the South channel of the River Lee and is a fine venue for large-scale concerts, comfortably seating a large audience. 17

Membership & Admission Sept 2009 - Aug 2010 Ordinary Membership $25 Concessionary Membership $15 Admission Prices for the 72 nd Season Cork Orchestral Society Curtis Auditorium 8.00 p.m. recitals / concerts Raked seats: $25 ($15 & $10) Flat-floor seats: $20 ($12 & $8) Lunchtime recitals / concerts Raked seats: $12 (No concessions) Flat-floor seats: $10 ($8 & $5) City Hall Balcony: $25 (No concessions) Downstairs: $20 & $15 ($15 & $10) Family (Downstairs): ($30 & $25) Irish Chamber Orchestra Curtis Auditorium Raked seats: $25 ($20) Flat-floor seats: $15 ($10) City Hall Balcony: $25 ($20) Downstairs: $15 ($10) ICO Booking Office: 1890 923 543 RTÉ Aula Maxima $16 ($14 & $10) 18

The Irish Chamber Orchestra Vanbrugh Quartet Netnakisum Leon Fleischer 19 Hugh Tinney

RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet Thursday 4 February 2010 Aula Maxima, UCC Netnakisum Saturday 13 February! Camerata Kilkenny with Wilbert Hazelzet (baroque flute) J. S. Bach's Musical Offering Saturday 20 February - NB: 1.10 p.m. Philippe Cassard (piano) Thursday 4 March Fleischmann Choir & James Taylor (organ) Saturday 6 March - NB: 1.10 p.m. Carducci Quartet Thursday 18 March Cork School of Music Symphony Orchestra Saturday 20 March - NB: 1.10 p.m. Junior Recital Competition Final @ CSM Thursday 25 March - NB: 5.00 p.m. RTÉ Vanbrugh Quartet with Hugh Tinney (piano) Aloys Fleischmann (b. 13 April 1910) Centenary Concert Tuesday 13 April 2010 Irish Chamber Orchestra with Leon Fleischer Wednesday 14 April City Hall Natalie Clein (cello) & Xue Fei Yang (guitar) Thursday 22 April Liedertafel (Dachau), Fleischmann Choir & Cork School of Music Symphony Orchestra Wednesday 28 April! City Hall Senior Recital Competition Final @CSM Friday 7 May - NB: 7.30 p.m. 20