SEASON 2007 MEET THE MUSIC IMAGES FOR ORCHESTRA Wednesday 27 June 6.30pm Thursday 28 June 6.30pm Sydney Opera House Concert Hall Yannick Nézet-Séguin conductor JOSEPH HAYDN (1732 1809) Symphony No.104 in D, London Adagio Allegro Andante Menuetto (Allegretto) Finale (Spiritoso) RICHARD MEALE (born 1932) Very High Kings (1968) INTERVAL CLAUDE DEBUSSY (1862 1918) Images Gigues (Jigs) Ibéria (Spain) Par les rues et par les chemins (Along the streets and pathways) Les parfums de la nuit (Perfumes of the night) Le matin d un jour de fête (The morning of a festival day) Rondes de Printemps (Spring Rounds) This concert will be recorded for broadcast across Australia on ABC Classic FM 92.9. The Haydn and Debussy works on this program will be webcast by Telstra Bigpond from Friday 29 June at 11am. Visit: sydneysymphony.bigpondmusic.com Pre-concert talk by Margaret Moore and Richard Meale at 5.45pm in the Northern Foyer. Estimated timings: 29 minutes, 14 minutes, 20-minute interval, 36 minutes The performance will conclude at approximately 8.15pm. Cover images: see page 7 for captions. THIS CONCERT WILL BE INTRODUCED BY ANDREW FORD 2 Sydney Symphony
THE CONDUCTOR Yannick Nézet-Séguin Last year Yannick Nézet-Séguin was announced as the next Music Director of the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, succeeding Valery Gergiev for the 2008/09 season. He is also the Artistic Director of the Orchestre Métropolitain in Montreal and has garnered three Prix Opus prizes (Discovery of the Year in 1999 and the People s Prize in both 1999 and 2000) awarded by the Quebec Music Council. He is the recipient of the 2000 Virginia Parker Prize, given by the Canada Council for the Arts. Born in Montreal in 1975, Yannick Nézet-Séguin began piano lessons at the age of five and later entered the Quebec Conservatory of Music in Montreal where he studied piano with Anisia Campos and composition, chamber music, and conducting. While at the conservatory, he also studied choral conducting at Westminster Choir College in Princeton and continued his training with a number of leading conductors, among them Carlo Maria Giulini (1997 98). Since his appointment in 2000 as Artistic Director and Principal Conductor of the Orchestre Métropolitain du Grand Montréal, he has worked with all the main orchestras across Canada and is a regular guest at the Toronto Symphony, Vancouver Symphony and NAC Ottawa orchestras. Following his European debut with Orchestre National du Capitole de Toulouse, he has received an unbroken string of re-invitations from every orchestra with whom he has worked, including the Dresden Staatskapelle, the Orchestre National de France, the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Stockholm Philharmonic, SWR Radio Orchestra Baden Baden and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra. Next season will see his debut with the National Symphony Orchestra Washington, the Philadelphia Orchestra, Tonhalle Orchestra Zurich and Deutsche Symphonieorchester Berlin. He records for ATMA Classique; and his acclaimed recordings with the Orchestre Métropolitain include Nino Rota s La Strada and Mahler s Fourth Symphony, as well as Saint-Saëns Third Symphony and most recently Bruckner s Seventh. Yannick Nézet-Séguin first appeared with the Sydney Symphony in 2005, when he replaced Lorin Maazel at short notice, conducting Bruckner s Eighth Symphony and a Mozart piano concerto (K491) with Stephen Kovacevich. 3 Sydney Symphony
ABOUT THE MUSIC London Symphony JOSEPH HAYDN Austrian composer (1732 1809) The London Symphony is a Classical symphony in four movements. The first movement begins majestically with a slow introduction based on a fanfare-like motto, and then plunges into the main part of the movement, an exhilarating Allegro. The slow second movement is almost Romantic in character; the Menuetto gives a gypsy flavour to what was normally an elegant social dance. The finale maintains the folk-like feel at first but grows into a broad symphonic movement nearly as weighty as the first. The London Symphony calls for pairs of flutes, oboes, clarinets, bassoons, horns and trumpets; timpani and strings. At the time of his death Haydn was the most illustrious composer in Europe: more famous than Mozart or even Beethoven. Despite spending much of his working life buried in the provincial estate of Eszterháza, he became known for his symphonies and string quartets Classical forms that he helped develop and was widely commissioned. His commitments to the Esterházy princes meant that he didn t travel much until late in life, and he made his first visit to London in 1791, when he was 60. Over the next few years he made three visits in all. These were extremely successful there are half a dozen symphonies that he wrote for London and at the premiere of tonight s symphony he made 4000 gulden in one evening (his accumulated savings after a lifetime with the Esterházys was 2000 gulden, itself no mean sum). The Queen wanted him to stay, and tempted him with an offer of an apartment in Windsor Castle, but he returned home, with music such as the two great oratorios in the English tradition, The Creation and The Seasons, still ahead of him. The London Symphony was premiered on 4 May 1795 in the King s Theatre, Haymarket. It was Haydn s final symphony for London and, as it turned out, the last symphony he composed. Afterwards Haydn wrote in his diary: The whole Navigating the London Symphony About the composer Grand but very noisy 4 Sydney Symphony
company was thoroughly pleased and so was I. I made four thousand gulden on this evening. Such a thing is only possible in England. A handbill surviving from the concert has a comment in the margin: grand but very noisy. That was the overwhelming effect of more than 60 performers playing in a hall probably half the size of the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. PHOTO: JAMES MURDOCH Very High Kings (1968) RICHARD MEALE Australian composer (born 1932) Very High Kings is in one movement. It begins formally and confidently, then proceeds in a series of visions each growing towards fulfilment before giving way to the next before ending on a note of expansive sureness of purpose. Very High Kings calls for four flutes, three oboes, cor anglais, three clarinets, bass clarinet, three bassoons and contrabassoon; four horns, six trumpets, three trombones and two tubas; timpani and percussion (glockenspiel, xylophone, marimba, vibraphone, suspended cymbals, tamtam, gongs, bass and tenor drums, bells); celesta, two amplified pianos, organ and strings. Richard Meale attended the Sydney Conservatorium where he studied piano, clarinet, harp, history and theory but in composition he was self-taught. One of his early successes was the Sonata for Flute and Piano (1960), which focused local attention on then unfamiliar avant-garde methods. After studies in Los Angeles, he returned to Australia and his work as a pianist, music administrator (in the Music Department of the ABC), lecturer, broadcaster, conductor and composer played a key role in the promotion of avant-garde music. In 1965 his Homage to Garcia Lorca was premiered in Europe, and through the 1960s and 70s his music achieved international recognition. In the 1980s he introduced a more lyric element to his style, exemplified in his operas Voss (1986) and Mer de Glace (1991). In Meet the Music the Sydney Symphony has give the premiere of Three Miro Pieces (2002), and performances of Very High Kings, Homage to Garcia Lorca, Viridian, and Interludes from Mer de Glace. Navigating Very High Kings About the composer 5 Sydney Symphony
This year Richard Meale celebrates his 75th birthday along with the Sydney Symphony and the ABC. Very High Kings is the first part of a cycle called The Mystical Voyage of Christopher Columbus ( mystical in the sense of hidden meaning, awe-inspiring and mysterious; voyage in the singular, despite Columbus five individual voyages, because Meale was evoking the actual experience of artistic, creative endeavour as well as the adventure of living ). The title comes from Columbus letter to his sponsors: Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain: Very High Kings: From a very young age I began to follow the sea and have continued to do so to this day. This art of navigation incites those who pursue it to enquire into the secrets of this world. that it was feasible to sail from here to the Indies, and placed n me a burning desire to carry out this plan All who knew of my enterprises rejected Only Your Highnesses had faith and confidence in me. Richard Meale writes: I have employed an enormously powerful orchestra including two pianos, a grand organ and six trumpets placed at the opposite end of the hall in the upper gallery. Much of the symbolism is clear. The amplified pianos toll like deep bells to express unswerving conviction. The organ creates the feeling of greatness of vision, of dignity and gratitude; while the six trumpets augur triumph and give the final touch to the feeling of confidence, grandeur and excitement. Visions of Columbus CLAUDE DEBUSSY French composer (1862 1918) Images Images is a triptych. The three parts were composed over eight years (1905 1912) and were originally performed and published separately. Each image evokes a different European country. The first Debussy s portrait of England was originally called Gigues tristes (sad jigs) and is based on a folk song The Keel Row. The central part of the work is called Ibéria (Spain) and is in three sub-sections: Along the streets and pathways is spirited; The perfumes of the night is very long and sensual and leads directly into The morning of a festival day, a sunrise with distant bells. Navigating Images 6 Sydney Symphony
Rondes de Printemps (Spring Rounds) uses a dance-like French folk song (We ll to the woods no more). Images calls for piccolo and three flutes (two doubling piccolo), two oboes, cor anglais and oboe d amore, three clarinets and bass clarinet, three bassoons and contrabassoon; four horns, four trumpets, three trombones and tuba; timpani and percussion (xylophone, side drum, cymbals, castanets, tambourine, chimes, and a tambourin provençal, a long, slender drum related to the tabor); two harps, celesta and strings. One of the foremost concerns of French composers in the late 19th century was the establishment of a palpably French musical style, an alternative to the dominant Austro- Germanic traditions. Debussy s role in this movement gave rise to what many consider the birth of modern music and the epitome of French compositional style. In particular, parallels have always been drawn between Debussy s often delicately sensuous wash of sounds and the play of light and water in the paintings of the Impressionists. (Although strictly speaking he was more influenced by the Symbolists.) Debussy s mature output of purely orchestral music as opposed to ballet scores and works with solo instrument consists of only four works. All but the first of these (the ground-breaking Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun) take the form of triptychs: the Nocturnes, La Mer ( three symphonic sketches ) and Images. Images was Debussy s last orchestral work. More than a set of musical postcards, it uses the orchestra in a way that outdoes any of Debussy s earlier music sophistication and brilliance of effect. Debussy visited England several times it seems he was left with an impression of English morbidity. He was, of course, a patriotic Frenchman and Rondes de Printemps could be said to express the well-adjusted French national character. Ibéria captures a flamboyant mood. Manuel de Falla, the most eminent Spanish composer of the time, said that Ibéria was the best example of a French work on a Hispanic subject. A compliment indeed, given that Debussy only ever visited Spain for one afternoon! About the composer The itinerary Sydney Symphony 2007 Adapted in part from notes by Anthony Cane (Haydn), Richard Meale, and Angharad Davis and Elliott Gyger (Debussy). GOVERNMENT SUPPORT What s on the cover COVER PHOTOGRAPHS (clockwise from top left): Catherine Hewgill, Principal Cello; former Concertmaster Donald Hazelwood receives an immunisation shot before the SSO s first overseas tour in 1965; Eugene Goossens, Chief Conductor from 1946 to 1956; an open air concert with conductor John Lanchbery in the Domain, 1983 Festival of Sydney; Sir Bernard Heinze in rehearsal; painting from the Education Program s 2005 art competition; SSO brass players, 1963; Associate Principal Oboe Shefali Pryor with a student from Broken Hill School of the Air. The Sydney Symphony is assisted by the Australian Government through the Australia Council and by the NSW Ministry for the Arts. 7 Sydney Symphony
Sydney Symphony Founded in 1932, the Sydney Symphony has evolved into one of the world s finest orchestras as Sydney has become one of the world s great cities. Resident at the Sydney Opera House, the Orchestra also performs throughout Sydney and regional New South Wales, and has toured internationally. Critical to the Orchestra s success has been the leadership given by its former Chief Conductors, including Sir Eugene Goossens, Willem van Otterloo, Louis Frémaux, Sir Charles Mackerras, Stuart Challender and Edo de Waart, as well as collaborations with legendary figures such as George Szell, Sir Thomas Beecham, Otto Klemperer and Igor Stravinsky. Maestro Gianluigi Gelmetti is now in his fourth year as Chief Conductor and Artistic Director, a position he holds in tandem with that of Music Director at the prestigious Rome Opera. This year the Orchestra celebrates its 75th anniversary. PATRON Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CBO GOVERNOR OF NEW SOUTH WALES Gianluigi Gelmetti CHIEF CONDUCTOR AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR SPONSORED BY EMIRATES David Maloney CHAIRMAN Libby Christie MANAGING DIRECTOR FIRST VIOLINS Michael Dauth Concertmaster Kirsten Williams Assoc. Concertmaster Sun Yi Assoc. Concertmaster Fiona Ziegler Asst Concertmaster Julie Batty Sophie Cole Shuti Huang Amber Davis Jennifer Hoy Jennifer Johnson Georges Lentz Nicola Lewis Alexandra Mitchell Léone Ziegler Emily Qin# Thomas Dethlefs SECOND VIOLINS Marina Marsden Susan Dobbie Emma West Asst Principal Pieter Bersée Maria Durek Emma Hayes Benjamin Li Nicole Masters Philippa Paige Biyana Rozenblit Alexandra D Elia# Emily Long# Alexander Norton# Victoria Jacono VIOLAS Roger Benedict Anne Louise Comerford Sandro Costantino Jane Hazelwood Graham Hennings Justine Marsden Leonid Volovelsky Felicity Wyithe Jennifer Curl# Rosemary Curtin# Jacqueline Cronin# Joanna Tobin CELLOS Catherine Hewgill Nathan Waks Kristy Conrau Timothy Nankervis Elizabeth Neville Adrian Wallis David Wickham Rowena Crouch# Martin Penicka Janine Ryan* DOUBLE BASSES Kees Boersma Alex Henery Neil Brawley Principal Emeritus David Campbell Steven Larson Richard Lynn David Murray Jennifer Druery# HARP Louise Johnson Miriam Lawson* FLUTES Janet Webb Emma Sholl Lamorna Nightingale* Rosamund Plummer OBOES Diana Doherty Shefali Pryor Elizabeth Chee# COR ANGLAIS Alexandre Oguey CLARINETS Lawrence Dobell Francesco Celata Christopher Tingay BASS CLARINET Craig Wernicke BASSOONS Roger Brooke Fiona McNamara Simone Walters* CONTRABASSOON Robert Llewellyn* HORNS Ben Jacks Geoff O Reilly Principal 3rd Lee Bracegirdle Marnie Sebire Lisa Wynne-Allen# TRUMPETS Daniel Mendelow Paul Goodchild John Foster Anthony Heinrichs Alexandra Bieri* Matthew Dempsey* TROMBONES Ronald Prussing Joshua Davis# BASS TROMBONE Christopher Harris TUBA Steve Rossé Robert Hamza* TIMPANI Richard Miller PERCUSSION Rebecca Lagos Colin Piper Brian Nixon Asst Principal# Ian Cleworth* Tim Constable* Philip South* PIANO Josephine Allan# Benjamin van Tienen* ORGAN David Drury* CELESTE Kate Golla* Bold = Principal Italic = Associate Principal # = Contract Musician = Sydney Symphony Fellow * = Guest Musician SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE TRUST Mr Kim Williams AM (Chair) Mr John Ballard, Mr Wesley Enoch, Ms Renata Kaldor AO, Ms Jacqueline Kott, Mr Robert Leece AM RFD, Ms Sue Nattrass AO, Mr Leo Schofield AM, Ms Barbara Ward, Mr Evan Williams AM EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT CHIEF EXECUTIVE Norman Gillespie DIRECTOR, FACILITIES Paul Akhurst DIRECTOR, FINANCE & SYSTEMS David Antaw DIRECTOR, MARKETING & DEVELOPMENT Naomi Grabel DIRECTOR, PERFORMING ARTS Rachel Healy DIRECTOR, PEOPLE & CULTURE Joe Horacek DIRECTOR, INFORMATION SYSTEMS Claire Swaffield DIRECTOR, TOURISM & VISITOR OPERATIONS Maria Sykes SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE Bennelong Point GPO Box 4274 Sydney NSW 2001 Administration (02) 9250 7111 Box Office (02) 9250 7777 Facsimile (02) 9250 7666 Website sydneyoperahouse.com This is a publication. / SHOWBILL PUBLISHER Playbill Proprietary Limited / Showbill Proprietary Limited ACN 003 311 064 ABN 27 003 311 064 1017 Pacific Highway, Pymble 2073. Telephone: (02) 9449 6433 Fax: (02) 9449 6053 E-mail: admin@playbill.com.au Website: www.playbill.com.au Executive Chairman and Advertisement Director Brian Nebenzahl OAM, RFD Managing Director Michael Nebenzahl Editorial Director Jocelyn Nebenzahl Director Production Chris Breeze 14863 1/270607 25MM S47/48 8 Sydney Symphony