BBC Music (January 2020)

LIGETI’S VIOLIN CONCERTO THE ENGLISH ORGAN


We name the best recordings of this other-worldly masterpiece From medieval origins to town hall splendour





















The world’s best-selling classical music magazine Full January
listings inside
See p104
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW!


Nicola







Benedetti








The brilliant violinist on


her exciting plans to give all


children the power of music




















Handel’s Samson

Our Recording of the Month

Richard Morrison

Kanye West’s new opera

Tom Service

All hail Rossini!




Also in this issue

Mirga Graˇzinyt˙e-Tyla


Morton Feldman

The story of Les Six


Lawrence Power

Yan Pascal Tortelier

and much more…

The LSO’s 2019/20 season

continues in the new year


BEETHOVEN 250 ARTIST PORTRAIT

conducted by Sir Simon Rattle with soloist Antoine Tamestit

January & February 2020 April to June 2020


RUSSIAN ROOTS PLUS DON’T MISS

conducted by Gianandrea Noseda Sir Antonio Pappano, Karina Canellakis,

30 January & 9 February 2020 Susanna Mälkki & Sir Mark Elder conduct

Vaughan Williams, Ravel, Debussy & more
BARTÓK & DUKAS

conducted by François-Xavier Roth
& Sir Simon Rattle

March & April 2020 lso.co.uk

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Post: The editor, BBC Music Magazine,
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See p10 for our fantastic offer nightmares are made of.
I do hope you enjoy this issue. Violinist Nicola
Benedetti (p28) is just the champion we need to bring

the power of music to our children, and her Benedetti
Foundation has exciting years ahead.






Oliver Condy Editor





THIS MONTH’S CONTRIBUTORS

Richard Morrison Daniel Moult Steph Power
Chief critic, The Times Organist Writer and composer

‘Plenty of top musicians talk ‘Tracing the story of the English ‘Relatively few works premiered
vaguely about the importance organ is like putting a mirror in the last 30 years have attained
of music education, but Nicola to our national history. I was instant classic status. Ligeti’s
Benedetti backs up her words with thrilled by the sheer diversity wild, sublimely challenging Violin
impressive deeds. It was inspiring to talk to her of sound, feel and sight of instruments from Concerto is one such, with a growing catalogue
about her new Benedetti Foundation.’ Page 28 across the centuries.’ Page 44 of fine and inspiring recordings.’ Page 64


BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 3

Visit Classical-Music.com for the

very latest from the music world January Radio 3 28 Nicola Benedetti
and television
highlights
Contents See p104








JANUARY 2020




FEATURES


28 Cover story: Nicola Benedetti
Richard Morrison meets the brilliant international
violinist as she prepares to launch her music
education charity, the Benedetti Foundation

36 The BBC Music Magazine Interview
Violist Lawrence Power talks to Kate Molleson about the
responsibility of musicians to commission new work
40 Les Six

Roger Nichols celebrates the centenary of a group of
French composers determined to sweep in the new
44 The English organ

Daniel Moult tells the story of how social change and
musical tastes transformed Britain’s pipe organ
48 15 conductor types

From dictators and jokers to screamers and dancers,
conductors are a varied bunch, writes Jeremy Pound


EVERY MONTH

8 Letters

12 The Full Score
Who’s Mozart?; Kanye West’s opera; Mariss Jansons

27 Richard Morrison
What drives pop stars to write an ‘opera’?
52 Musical Destinations

Freya Parr heads to the Megève Festival Savoy Truffle
54 Composer of the Month Cover CD editor Alice Pearson
Dvo!ák bred pigeons in Bohemia
Claire Jackson looks at the work of Morton Feldman
Listings editor Paul Riley
64 Building a Library Bruckner lost his glasses in Schubert’s coffin
Subscriptions £64.87 (UK); £65 (Europe); Art editor Dav Ludford
The finest recordings of Ligeti’s Violin Concerto £74 (Rest of World) ABC Reg No. 3122 Designer Liam McAuley
102 Live events EDITORIAL Picture editor Sarah Kennett
Plus each member of the editorial team
Thanks to Daniel Jaffé;
104 Radio & TV listings COVER: JOHN MILLAR THIS PAGE: JOHN MILLAR, RICHARD CANNON, GETTY, ANDREW MCCOY digs up an obscure classical music fact Samuel Robinson; Patrick Morris
MARKETING
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112 Crossword and Quiz Bernstein had a passion for sumo wrestling Subscriptions director
Deputy editor Jeremy Pound Jacky Perales-Morris
Percy Grainger invented a sports bra Direct marketing executive
114 Music that Changed Me
Managing editor Rebecca Franks Craig Ramsay
Conductor Yan Pascal Tortelier Beethoven wrote an elegy for a dead poodle ADVERTISING
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Nielsen was an avid knitter Louise Dunn +44 (0)117 300 8813




4 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

January reviews




Your guide to the best new recordings, DVDs and books




































40 Les Six




36

Lawrence Power

Samson delighter:
John Butt at
the harpsichord




68 Recording of the Month


Handel’s Samson

Dunedin Consort/John Butt

‘This recording leaves us in no doubt
why it was that Samson sealed
Handel’s reputation for oratorio’



70 Orchestral 74 Concerto 78 Opera

Sales and partnership manager Production coordinator Emily Mounter 82 Choral & Song 86 Chamber 90 Instrumental
Rebecca O’Connell +44 (0)117 300 8814 Ad coordinator Beth Phillips
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BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 5

L!ter"






Have your say…










Write to: The editor, BBC Music Magazine, Eagle House, Colston Avenue, Bristol, BS1 4ST
Email: [email protected]





LETTER Unflappable Alfred was buried on the site of the

of the
MONTH In response to your Bah! car park behind the Lloyd’s
bank in Kingston. There is a
Humbug feature on concert-
hall gripes (Christmas, UK), plaque on the wall that marks
many years ago I went to a the spot, or close to it. Before
recital at the Royal Festival becoming a car park the area
Hall. I sat in the choir stalls was an open green space. There
looking straight across the is also a plaque within the bank
stage at the soloist, who was commemorating the visit of
Alfred Brendel. Halfway the chairman of HMV when
through a Schubert sonata, a he originally unveiled the
mobile phone rang down in the memorial to Nipper. Nipper
body of the hall. Brendel had belonged to the artist Francis
of course heard it all before. He Barraud, who painted the
Absent friends:
Handel (left) and made eye contact with me, original logo, and was called
Mendelssohn shook his head, rolled his Nipper because he bit people.
eyes, and carried on without Stan Abrahams, Ditchling
any perceptible change in his
By George, where’s Felix? exemplary performance. What Open all ears

Further to your 50 Greatest Composers article (December, a true professional… I must take issue with Peter
UK), it is interesting, and a little sad, that neither Patrick Hoyte, Frankland’s miserable letter
Mendelssohn nor Handel are ranked highly by today’s Wootton Courtenay (Christmas, UK) about your
composers – with the added piquancy that in the same issue 50 Greatest Composers feature.
you compare best recordings of the former’s wonderful A new Messiah His is a very narrow view of
‘Scottish’ Symphony. In Handel’s case, perhaps his Jewish/ A recent worthy addition to music’s history, of which there
Christian oratorios seem like a dead end to our living Paul Riley’s list of Handel is something like 9,000 years’
composers, both in form Messiah revisions (Christmas, worth that is known about.
WORTH £120 and cultural expression. UK) is Sir Andrew Davis’s From the ancient Egyptians,

Felix, I think, still 2010 version (available in a Pygmies and ancient Greeks,
lives under ‘the curse 2016 Chandos recording). The music was modal, oftentimes
of Wagner’, whereby new instrumentation is fairly complex in rhythm and sound.
a belittled reputation conservative but brilliantly Only by 1600 AD, in Europe,
discourages exploration effective. I find the addition did music start to transform
of his remarkable of a solo clarinet to the aria into what we recognise as being
achievement across ‘I Know that My Redeemer tonal in sound and design,
almost all musical Liveth’, for example, to be and with JS Bach realising its
WIN TOP-QUALITY
WIRELESS EARBUDS! forms; even his teenage utterly transformative. supreme height of complexity
operas probably contain John Radford, Toronto, Canada and comprehension. It shows
Every month we will award a
brilliant pair of Cambridge enjoyable music. It would us that tonal music lasted
Audio Melomania 1 true be interesting to hear Music with bite only 400 years at most, with
wireless headphones to the further thoughts on these I read with great interest your Wagner leading us forward
writer of the best letter received. two notable omissions, article on the EMI archives into new soundworlds via his
The editor reserves the right to
and others. (Christmas, UK). Your readers colour-chord. As a composer,
shorten letters for publication.
Alan Ross, Chingford may be interested to know that I’m proud to belong to that
GETTY Nipper the EMI (HMV) dog European tradition and to the




8 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

Viennese publisher responsible Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci was
for bringing us Mahler, screened from 9.20-10.30pm,
Schoenberg, Webern, Bartók, with Eugene Goossens
Stockhausen, Birtwistle, conducting the Covent Garden
Ligeti, Feldman and Boulez. English Opera Company. The
Since the 1970s, spectralism time slot would suggest that
has opened our ears to the this performance was uncut
higher frequencies of pitched (or not significantly cut.) It’s
sound and has enabled a link a shame you didn’t spot the
to the sound world of electro- BBC’s primacy in this matter!
acoustic ‘music’. I imagine Damian Rogan, London
that the great music of the The editor replies: We want
future will continue this line of to investigate this one further.
research and investigation, by Though you are right that
using the new tools available the Radio Times includes
through ever new possibilities Pagliacci in its listings for
provided by the fast developing that day, reference books and
technologies. Old style websites – including the Grove
instruments might still be Dictionary of Music – are
involved – but maybe not. strangely silent on the matter.
Vic Hoyland, Any information from readers
Emeritus Professor, The would be much appreciated.
University of Birmingham
First-class Planets
Morton who? In December (Letters), you
With regards to your 50 asked for suggestions of who
Greatest Composers of All Time should be honoured in the
(see also Letter of the Month), Royal Mail’s issue of new
those ‘in’ and those ‘out’ of British stamps. I propose
the list suggest a temporal Holst for his ever popular
bias. Knussen, Birtwistle, The Planets, and also The
Morton Feldman and Varèse Lark Ascending by Vaughan
in; Handel, Mendelssohn Williams, which in its current
and Berlioz out. The old sore working for solo violin and
surely applies: Feldman will be orchestra received its first
remembered when Handel is performance almost a 100
forgotten… but not until! years ago, in 1921.
Pelham Gore, Lancaster Richard Kierton, via email
The editor replies: Hopefully,
this month’s Composer of the Local patch
Month feature (see p54) may In your Christmas issue, you
help to give you a rosier view show a photo of the choir of
of Feldman! St Mary’s Merton in what you
say is its magnificent church.
Opera firsts In fact, it is not the Merton
Your Christmas issue church but Bristol Cathedral.
Timepiece feature says that Francis Clark, Ilford
Humperdinck’s Hansel and The editor replies: You are
Gretel made TV history right. As Bristol Cathedral
in December 1943 as the is just a couple of hundred
first opera to be shown in of yards from BBC Music
its entirety on television. Magazine’s offices, we really
However, a search of BBC should have known better.
Genome’s archive of the To make up for it, we’ll be
Radio Times reveals that on making a team visit to Choral
Wednesday 5 October 1938, Evensong some time soon.

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The full score









Our pick of the month’s news, views and interviews









Survey reveals lack of classical music knowledge in UK



However, majority of Brits also say they would like the opportunity to learn more





challenge, it would seem, is
to provide the means.
‘To me, this survey is
primarily positive news,’
Thomas Ste"ens, CEO of
Primephonic, tells BBC
Music Magazine. ‘If people
were simply no longer
interested in classical
music – if preferences had
changed over time – then we’d just have
to accept that as a fact of life. However, in
this instance, the problem is a fixable one.
It simply needs the education system, the
music industry and, of course, streaming
services to take responsibility.’
Interestingly, Ste"ens says that surveys
Unfamiliar Austrian: in the US and Holland produced similar
most people know little about results. ‘In the Netherlands, though, we
Mozart; (above) Thomas
Steffens of Primephonic also asked people “Do you know where to
find information about what to listen to?”,’
he adds. ‘Older people tended to say “Yes, I
do”, while younger ones said “No, I don’t”.
How much do most people in the UK aged between 16 and 34 believed that Young people like classical music as much
know about classical music? Not a great JS Bach is still alive, or that 65 per cent as older people, but it is consumed by older
deal, would appear to be the answer. In of the same age group didn’t know that people because, through CD collections
a recent survey, just over 30 per cent of Mozart was Austrian. Though those in and so on, they have better access to the
those questioned knew that Elgar was the older age groups tended to show a greater information they need to navigate this
composer of ‘Land of Hope and Glory’, and knowledge of classical music, 61 per cent quite intimidating subject. We now need
only ten per cent could say who composed to accept that there is a “streaming-only”
‘Jerusalem’. Asked about today’s leading Only ten per cent of those generation and learn to adapt to speak
musical figures, 30 per cent said they knew surveyed could say who their language.’
that Simon Rattle was a conductor and 20 In the light of the Primephonic
per cent were aware that Nicola Benedetti composed ‘Jerusalem’ findings, BBC Music Magazine carried
was a violinist – in contrast, 94 per cent out its own brief survey on the streets of
knew who the pop singer Adele was. of all respondents said that their education central Bristol. Asked to identify pictures
For the survey, which was commissioned hadn’t covered the subject su!ciently. of composers, 30 per cent recognised
by the classical music streaming service However, it’s not all doom and gloom. Mozart and 27.5 per cent correctly spotted
Primephonic, 2,000 people aged 16 and An encouraging 88 per cent of those Beethoven. Of those who did recognise
over were asked a range of questions asked said they enjoyed classical music Mozart, however, only 33 per cent knew
GETTY that produced a number of eye-catching when they heard it, and 68 per cent said he was Austrian. In contrast, 90 per cent
results – not least that 18 per cent of people
they wanted to learn more about it. The
knew that Beethoven was German.

12 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

The full score





RisingStars


Three to look out for…


Mikhail Timoshenko
Bass-baritone
Born: Kameykino, Russia
Career highlight:
Winning the Wigmore
Hall/Independent Opera
International Song
Competition and being
able to enjoy Wigmore
Hall’s wonderful acoustic.
Musical hero: When I was 16 and before I’d
thought about becoming a musician, I heard
Dmitri Hvorostovsky singing Russian songs.
He was my inspiration to be a singer.
Dream concert: A recital at Wigmore Hall,
combining words and music in a way that
brings out the humour in the music. For
example, everyone thinks that Der Zwerg
Prepared pianos: is just a horrible story about a murderous
the Pianodrome dwarf, but in fact it’s Schubert’s most
in Edinburgh
wonderful love song!

Lara Deutsch Flautist
The keys to a rounded performance Born: Ottawa, Canada

Career highlight:
‘Reuse, repair, recycle’ they say. And nowhere to the screws and bolts needed to hold it all Releasing my debut
was this mantra better put into action than together. Created by Tim Vincent-Smith album with my flute
at Edinburgh’s Leith Theatre recently, where and Matt Wright, the Pianodrome was ‘in and harp duo. I learnt
a ‘Pianodrome’ made out of upcycled pianos resonancy’ at the theatre for a month during a great deal from the
was opened to the public. Every single part of November and December, and hosted a process of getting grants,
the 100-seat, playable amphitheatre (above) number of concerts as well as impromptu planning the repertoire,
was created out of old uprights, right down performances by members of the public.
recording, editing and marketing.
Musical hero: Joan Milliken was the first
pianist I worked with when I was young.
She inspired me to pursue a career in music
THE MONTH IN NUMBERS through her generous support and the

unbridled joy she exudes in music-making.
Dream concert: A classical music concert
100,000,000 with the same audience energy and visual
theatrics of a rock or pop concert. I’m always
looking for ways to break down the ‘wall’

…streams on Spotify. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma between stage and audience.
is the first classical artist to reach the
milestone with a single track: the first Emanuil Ivanov Pianist
movement of Bach’s Cello Suite No. 1. Born: Pazardzhik,
Bulgaria
Career highlight:
3 agreed to stay artistic director of playing, especially in my home country.
Winning the 62nd
…more years. Joshua Bell has
Busoni Competition in
Bolzano. The best part
the Academy of St Martin in the
CHRIS SCOTT, ERIC RICHMOND, BRENT CALIS, LUCA GUADAGNINI ...Beethoven concertos in one day. … years to stage an opera by a Musical hero: I’ve always been inspired
was realising how many
Fields until at least 2023.
people had enjoyed my
5
150
by Debussy and Chopin, and by the piano
playing of Claudio Arrau, Artur Rubinstein,
Emil Gilels and Sviatoslav Richter. I also
continue to marvel at the power and
Pianist Howard Shelley (pictured
profundity of Mahler’s symphonies.
above) has revealed that he will be
woman. With the premiere of Olga
Dream concert: Watching Bach improvising
marking his 70th birthday in March
Neuwirth’s Orlando, Vienna State
a six-part fugue, Chopin enchanting
with a quintet of performances at St
Opera has broken its run of only
the listener with a nocturne or Mahler
John’s Smith Square, London.
programming male composers.
conducting his Second Symphony.
BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 13

A fresh perspective:
the CBSO maestro wins
the Royal Philharmonic
Society’s Conductor Award





RPS Music Awards 2019








Following her victory at this year’s Royal Philharmonic Society


Awards, conductor Mirga Gra!inyt"-Tyla talks to Freya Parr





Conductor Mirga Gražinytė-Tyla CBSO violinist Kate Suthers. ‘Her musical The orchestra’s two-year-long centenary

‘When I first came to Birmingham, the vision and energy set her apart. She never celebrations, which began last autumn, are
orchestra and I both had a huge appetite loses sight of what she’s looking for’. the perfect way for Gra!inyt"-Tyla to reach
to explore one another and all the This clarity of vision is not just limited out more to Birmingham’s communities.
possibilities within the great orchestral to the concert hall, Gra!inyt"-Tyla She is, she explains, currently in the
repertoire’, says Mirga Gra!inyt"-Tyla. explains. ‘We are, first and foremost, the process of working out what can be done
‘It was like creating a fine wine – we orchestra for the city of Birmingham. Our for the orchestra and the city – over the
had all the different grapes but had main challenge is how we can focus on our next 100 years. ‘I want to move as much as
no idea what it would create’. city and its people and what we can do for we can towards the musical culture you
Since taking the reins as music director them.’ In awarding her the top prize, the see in German-speaking countries, where
of the City of Birmingham Symphony RPS jury paid tribute to Gra!inyt"-Tyla’s music-making at home is nurtured and
Orchestra (CBSO) in late 2016 at the age of commitment to ‘captivating the city’s music plays a vital role in the community.’
just 29, the Lithuanian conductor has been imagination beyond the concert hall’. The With 40 new centenary works
shortlisted for the Royal Philharmonic CBSO’s new Youth Ambassadors scheme commissioned, Gra!inyt"-Tyla is the ideal
Society Conductor Award three times, is proof of this, offering young people the conductor to be at the helm as the orchestra
this year resulting in victory. ‘She’s not like opportunity to plan, programme and marks this significant milestone. She
any conductor I’ve ever worked with’, says host full-length concerts. has long been an advocate for new music



14 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

Royal Philharmonic Society Awards











and is renowned for her adventurous
programming. In fact, her debut recording The rest of the best
on Deutsche Grammophon wasn’t of
works by Beethoven or Brahms, but two The Royal Philharmonic Society Awards recipients in full
symphonies by the lesser-known Soviet
composer Weinberg. It won Gra!inyt"-Tyla Impact
and the CBSO a Grammy nomination, BSO Change Makers and Resound
as well as Recording of the Month in Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s
BBC Music Magazine. For her, it proved ‘vitally empowering’ scheme gives platforms
that there’s a case for Weinberg. ‘It’s a bit to disabled musicians and showcases a
like Mahler or even Bach,’ she insists. ‘remarkable organisation-wide commitment’.
‘Both were forgotten at some time before
Instrumentalist Alina Ibragimova
important rediscoveries of their work’. Violinist Alina Ibragimova is ‘a world
These ‘rediscoveries’ are something champion and devoted teacher’. The
Gra!inyt"-Tyla aspires to include in her jury celebrated her ability to explore
regular programmes with the CBSO. ‘It’s new depths of musicality in her
important to take risks’, she adds. ‘The partnerships with the Chiaroscuro
audiences are always with us in these Quartet and pianist Cédric Tiberghien.
lesser-known works – there’s always a Large-Scale Composition
sense of joy and excitement. At the end Rebecca Saunders Yes
of the day, that’s what music is all about’. This expansive 80-minute spatial
installation composition ‘atomises the
instrumental forces, creating a hypnotic
‘We are, first Landmark performance: soprano Nina Stemme and jewel-like intimacy’. Saunders was
commended by the jury for her persistent
and foremost, the Gamechanger originality in the soundworlds she
Chineke!
creates: ‘consistently conjuring music
orchestra for the Britain’s first majority-BME orchestra – that nobody else is dreaming of’.
marking its fourth anniversary this year
city of Birmingham’ – wins the RPS’s first ever Gamechanger Opera and Music Theatre
Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk –
Award, which celebrates an ensemble
breaking new ground in classical music. Birmingham Opera Company
This epic and diverse staging of
But it’s not just new and undiscovered
RPS Gold Medal Shostakovich’s masterpiece featured
music that Gra!inyt"-Tyla brings to life. Sofia Gubaidulina over 150 Birmingham-based performers
Kate Suthers describes her ability to This year’s top prize went to composer across the CBSO and Birmingham Opera
create a sense of newness in works the Sofia Gubaidulina in tribute to her long Company, and took place in an iconic,
orchestra has played dozens of times: ‘she and illustrious career as one of the leading disused Edgbaston nightclub.
has the ability to see really classic scores representatives of new music in Russia.
like Beethoven’s Fifth – as if nobody’s Singer Nina Stemme
Chamber-Scale Composition The great Swedish soprano shone as
performed them before – and bring Tansy Davies Cave Brünnhilde in the Royal Opera’s staging of
something contemporary to them.’ A work of ‘haunting, dramatic beauty’, Tansy Wagner’s Ring cycle, giving ‘one of the all-
Of course, there’s a good deal Davies’s chamber opera was praised for time great performances of opera’s
more Gra!inyt"-Tyla plans to do in its ability to create an ingenious electronic most formidable role’.
Birmingham, with her extended contract soundscape from its minimal elements.
Storytelling Michael Tippett: The
running until 2021. When asked what Concert Series and Events Biography (Oliver Soden)
her plans for the next couple of years with
The Cumnock Tryst This was one of the most talked-about
the orchestra are, her answer isn’t which
James MacMillan’s Scottish festival took the biographies released in the last year, with
symphony she’d like to perform or which top prize, thanks to its utter inclusivity, with fascinating insights and lavish detail about
young composer she’d like to commission. equal focus placed on the local participating a 20th-century musical figure who ought
It’s an environmental wish. ‘I’d love people as on the visiting artists: ‘A brilliant to be celebrated more.
Birmingham to be greener than it is now – model from which we can all learn.’
Young Artists
we need to work out what we can do as the Ensemble Aurora Orchestra Castalian String Quartet
city’s symphony orchestra,’ she says. The limitless creativity of the Aurora The European ensemble are ‘truly
Her musicians embrace these constant Orchestra won the ensemble this prize, fused together as one’. They show an
challenges. ‘All you need to expect of for its commitment to ‘formidable immense dedication to whatever music
Mirga is the unexpected’, says Suthers. contemporary repertoire, theatrical they perform, across a broad repertoire
GETTY ‘You’ll always be happily surprised’. exploration and engaging young minds’. from Haydn to Thomas Adès.




BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 15

The full score





SoundBites TIMEPIECE This month in history




Cup winner:
the victorious
Clara Schumann


























A Clara victory
Following our December issue 50 Greatest
Composers poll, voted for by today’s
leading composers and topped by JS Bach,
we opened up the debate by running a
‘Composers World Cup’, voted for by our
followers on Twitter. In this instance, it was
won by Clara Schumann who, interestingly,
had not gained one vote among the 870 cast
by the composers in the magazine itself.
Chordal Finn Golden sounds:

Anna-Maria Helsing has been appointed the opulent interior of
the Musikverein in a
as the principal guest conductor of the BBC
painting from the 1890s
Concert Orchestra. Helsing became the
first ever female chief conductor of a major
Finnish orchestra when she took over at the
Oulu Symphony in 2010, and now joins a JANUARY 1870
veritable flurry of Finns who have taken
up posts at British ensembles in recent
years, including Sakari Oramo at the BBC Vienna’s Musikverein
Symphony Orchestra and John Storgårds at
the BBC Philharmonic.

Ten plus four stages its first concert
The BBC’s Ten Pieces scheme, which was
set up to introduce classical music to school n 6 January, 1870 the and Egmont Overture were performed;
children, has launched a set of four films
aimed specifically at those with disabilities Musikverein opened its doors to the occasion also marked the centenary
and special educational needs. The films, Oconcertgoers for the first time. of Beethoven’s birth. Mozart’s music
which aim to highlight how disability The city’s largest ever concert hall, the did feature, however – an aria from Die
is no barrier to making music, feature glittering Grosser Saal (or Goldener Saal) Entführung aus dem Serail, sung by one
performances of music from Doctor Who had space for 2,000 and an acoustic Herr Walter – along with Bach, Haydn
and Hans Zimmer’s Earth and are hosted by that venues around the world have tried and Schubert. This being Vienna, there
much-loved TV presenter Ade Adepitan.
to emulate ever since. The Emperor was also an opening ball, at which
Happy Hallé Franz Joseph I himself marked its Johann Strauss II introduced his new

Big celebrations in Manchester, where the completion by laying the capstone, and waltz Freuet Euch des Lebens (Enjoy Life).
Hallé has been enjoying the opening of the handsome neo-classical building Johann Herbeck conducted the
its grandly refurbished St Peter’s Oglesby instantly became a Viennese landmark. inaugural concert. A name barely
Centre. A £6.6m three-storey extension to One critic at the opening felt the remembered today, he had for
the former church, based in the Ancoats area hall’s architecture embodied Mozart’s several years been conductor for the
of the city, has added a large new rehearsal
space, an interactive classroom for outreach great Jupiter Symphony, but it was Gesellscha! der Musikfreunde in Wien
work and a bar and café to the orchestra’s Beethoven who was at the heart of the (Society of Friends of Music in Vienna)
impressive facilities. GETTY first programme. His Fi!h Symphony – also known, somewhat confusingly,



16 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

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Steel span:
the Brooklyn
Bridge in 1870





















City great: the Musikverein c1870; (right) its director Brahms, 1872


as the Musikverein. Founded in 1812, Musikvereinssal, renamed the Brahms-
originally for amateurs, the society Saal in 1937 a!er the composer, who Also in January 1870
became Vienna’s most influential became director of the Gesellscha!
musical organisation, associated with in 1872. That November Brahms 2nd: Building work begins on the Brooklyn
Bridge over the East River, connecting
major composers including Beethoven, directed a concert that introduced the
the New York boroughs of Brooklyn and
Schubert and Mendelssohn. As well as Musikverein’s new organ, followed
Manhattan. The brainchild of John Augustus
putting on concerts, the Musikverein five days later by the venue’s first Roebling, its design incorporates roadways,
founded a conservatory and set up organ recital, including improvisations railtracks and elevated promenades.
historical archives. In 1851 the society’s by Bruckner. Completed 14 years later, it is the world’s first
orchestral branch turned professional Over the ensuing decades, with the ever steel-wire suspension bridge.
and in 1858 the Singverein was founded Vienna Philharmonic resident at the 22nd: The Field newspaper announces that
for exceptional amateur choral singers. new hall, the Musikverein witnessed on 19 February ‘A match between the leading
representatives of the Scotch and English
As the Gesellscha! grew in stature, countless premieres, including sections will be played at The Oval under
demands for a bigger concert hall grew. the auspices of the [Football] Association’.
Those demands were met from One critic felt that the hall’s The first ever international football match,
1858 when, following an Imperial architecture embodied the game doesn’t in fact take place until 5
decree in 1857, Vienna’s old city walls March, when it finishes in a 1-1 draw.
were demolished. The elegant new Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony 25th: The annual Concordia Ball at Vienna’s
Ringstrasse was built and land was Sofienbad-Saal sees premieres of works
freed up for a concert hall, funded by a Brahms’s Second (1877) and Third by three brothers from the Strauss family:
Johann’s Von der Börse polka, Josef’s
mix of private philanthropy and state (1883) symphonies, and Bruckner’s
Nilfluten waltz and Eduard’s Stempelfrei
support. The Danish architect Theophil Third (1877), although only 25 listeners polka. The Der Wanderer newspaper reports
Hansen won the design competition, were le! in the auditorium by the time the next day that all three works ‘were
his Classical vision for the Musikverein Bruckner’s epic work had ended. In honoured with great applause and will
drawing on his time working in Greece. 1912, Mahler’s Ninth, which incidentally definitely be presented often and gladly in
The Grosser Saal boasts 58 caryatids quotes Strauss’s Freuet Euch des Lebens, the rich repertoire of Strauss dance music’.
(female statues), modelled on those was given a posthumous premiere. 26th: The Italian composer, pianist and
violinist Cesare Pugni dies in St Petersburg,
of the Erectheion on the Acropolis Fast forward to 31 December 1939, and
aged 67. Though he did compose a number
in Athens, and the ceiling frescoes waltzes and polkas by Johann Strauss II
of operas and symphonies, he is best known
depict Apollo and the Muses. There took centre stage in a New Year’s Concert for his ballets including include Ondine
is a lot of gold: seemingly every statue conducted by Clemens Krauss, the first (1843), La Esmaralda (1844) and Konyok
and decoration is gilded – but it also of what is today a much-loved annual gorbunyok (1864).
sounds good. It’s been suggested event, watched on TV by millions. But 26th: Lord Clarendon, the British Foreign
that sound bouncing o" the many by then war had broken out, and this Secretary, receives a letter from his French
irregular surfaces, combined with the was no mere display of lightness and counterpart, Count Daru, recommending he
hall’s classic shoebox shape, create the jollity – it was, in fact, a fundraiser negotiates a mutual disarmament between
France and Prussia. Daru’s request stems
Musikverein’s glorious, warm acoustic. for the Nazis’ Winter War Relief. The from his country’s concern at Prussia’s desire
Not long a!er the main hall opened, Musikverein and Vienna Philharmonic for German unification – something that
so too did the 600-seat Kleiner had entered a dark period. would impact on its own borders.



BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 17



The full score




MEET THE COMPOSER


Christopher Gunning






Choral ambition:
‘I would like to
write more music
for the church’















Music to help you work Verdi hard

Do you want to be more productive working to music carried out a task
at work? Then headphones may be on average three minutes faster
the answer. In a survey carried out than those not doing so. At BBC
by Scala Radio, two in five people Music Mag, the wheels of industry
who said they listen to music at are powered by compulsory
their desks reckoned it made them listening to Verdi’s Anvil Chorus.
operate more e!ciently. Practical Cage’s As Slow As Possible has
tests then proved them right: those proved less e"ective, though.

With four BAFTAs, Christopher Gunning has enjoyed a high-profile
career as a screen composer. But this pupil of Edmund Rubbra and
DÉJÀ VU Richard Rodney Bennett has also cra!ed a large catalogue of concert
works. Three of his 12 symphonies, recorded by the BBC National
Orchestra of Wales, have recently been released by Signum Classics.
History just keeps on repeating itself…


All of my symphonies are never going to hear it. I would like
The world premiere of Kanye West’s
highly emotional. I’m inspired to write some more music for the
opera Nebuchadnezzar at the Hollywood
by human emotions, but also by church, too. I’ve never written a
Bowl in late November understandably
man’s relationship with nature. Magnificat or a Nunc dimittis.
generated quite some interest. What,
There’s an awful lot of tragedy My father was a talented
people asked, would the rapper and in nature. I would say that my composer. Nevertheless, he didn’t
songwriter make of his first venture
symphonies are all dramatic in have the success people thought
into the artform? OK, so admittedly the
some way, too; whether I’ve got he should have had. He played
critics’ reaction was decidedly mixed, that from composing film music, the piano for Dame Nellie Melba
but West can at least now add his name
I don’t know. and bass-baritone Peter Dawson
to the list of notable popstars who have
I had a weird relationship with when he lived in Australia, and
trod the operatic path…
my Second Symphony. Although served in the Australian army
When Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters wrote and recorded his French the scores were printed in 2003, I in France before coming to this
Revolution-inspired opera Ça Ira in 1988, the work had a held it back and put it in a drawer. country. He became friendly with
high-profile fan – French president François Mitterand, no less. Every time I dared get it out, it conductor Adrian Boult, who
Opera houses proved less enthusiastic, however, and it wasn’t went back again. I wasn’t sure supplied him with manuscript
until 2005 that, with a rewritten libretto, it enjoyed its first whether it was the form or the paper when it was hard to obtain,
performance on stage. That same year saw Elvis Costello also actual material that was no good; and he submitted scores all over
take the operatic plunge, when his The Secret Arias, based on I very nearly threw it away and it the place.
Hans Christian Andersen’s infatuation with soprano Jenny Lind, was 2018 when I got it out again. I was quite happy to move on
was staged at Copenhagen’s Royal Danish Theatre. By then, In fact, the material was actually from composing for Poirot.
Stewart Copeland, drummer of The Police, had already notched good and there wasn’t that much When Poirot was on the TV, I
GETTY, ALAMY ILLUSTRATION: JONTY CLARKE A third Stewart opera, The Tell-Tale Heart, followed in 2011. For could improve. It was a rather back to front, all sorts of things.
up two operas: Holy Blood and Crescent Moon, performed by
would use his music in some
wrong with the form either, but
Cleveland Opera in 1989, and 1993’s The Cask of Amontillado.
sort of variation – upside down,
there were other things that I
the premiere of his Prima Donna in Manchester in 2009, singer-
I did it in every conceivable way.
enjoyable experience.
songwriter Rufus Wainwright added a little pressure on himself
I would love to write more
I’m not going to pretend that it
by dressing up as Verdi. Brave. No such antics, however, from
didn’t follow me around for years
choral music. To compose a
Blur’s Damon Albarn, whose Dr Dee was premiered in 2011, as
a#erwards – I’d be digging the
large-scale choral work requires
was Piccard in Space by Goldfrapp’s Will Gregory.
a huge amount of dedication and
garden, and there it would be,
in my head!
always the possibility that you’re
BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 19

The full score





StudioSecrets
Turning the tables:
Kopatchinskaja and
Jorge Sanchez-Chiong





















RSNO premiere:
conductor
Eduardo Portal


We reveal who’s recording

what and where...

Conductor Eduardo Portal and the RSNO
feature on the premiere recording of Spanish
composer Gustavo Díaz-Jerez’s seven-
movement piece Maghek. Each section is a
symphonic poem inspired by the landscape
and natural beauty of the Canary Islands
and includes solo turns by clarinettist Cristo
Barrios and pianist Riccardo Descalzo.
Signum Classics will release the album at the
end of February.
Talking of beautiful landscapes, Scotland’s
Crear is surely one of the most dazzling
recording locations in the world, with its
amazing studio vistas of the Isle of Jura.
Pianist Mhairi Hall was there recently to REWIND
record her new album of solo works inspired
by Scottish songs and folktunes. Airs, which
also features original works by Hall, is set for Great artists talk about their past recordings
release at the end of January.
Also coming in the early part of 2020 is a
special release by the Bamberg Symphony This month: PATRICIA KOPATCHINSKAJA Violinist
Orchestra, which recorded Smetana’s Má
vlast, a signature piece of its conductor
Jakub Hr!"a, in Bamberg. The release is MY FINEST MOMENT
special because it was recorded ‘direct to or to the competence, patience and
disc’, meaning it’s a one-time snapshot of Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto enthusiasm of the ensemble; nor to the
the performance made with no editing. The Patricia Kopatchinskaja (violin); imagination and ability of the conductor
results will be released on vinyl by Accentus. MusicAeterna/Teodor Currentzis to get the desired results. Teodor never
VOCES 8 step before the mircrophones Sony Classical 88875190402 (2016) constrained me but instead supported,
at London’s VOCES8 Centre in January to I’m not ‘proud’ of elaborated and enhanced my fantasies,
record tracks as part of its 15th-anniversary anything but I am and together we crossed new frontiers.
project, A!er the Silence. A run of four digital-
very thankful to We accumulated new energies. From
only EPs will appear in the coming months,
on the themes of Earth, Air, Fire and Water, do what I adore Teodor I also learned how important
followed by a full double-disc album later in and what my it is to supervise the editing oneself.
the year. heart beats for. Three editing days in Paris was like a
First Hand Records continues to record The Tchaikovsky new creation out of what we dreamed
talented artists and lesser-known repertoire. Violin Concerto with MusicAeterna back in Perm. We agreed not to choose
In the studio recently was violinist Vaughan and Teodor Currentzis was a unique the most polished and perfect takes,
Jones, who recorded his third album for
the label. History of Salon – Morceaux recording experience. While most but the most expressive and o!en crazy
caractéristiques, 1823-1910 features a number recordings must obey brutally tight ones. If the results surprised and even
of premiere recordings, performed by Jones time constraints, here there were no shocked some people, well that’s what
and pianist Marcus Price. limits to rehearsals or recording time, art is about.



20 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

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accompaniment. The sound engineer BuriedTreasure
had the presence of mind to press
the recording button. Alpha Classics Oboist Xenia Loe!er
wanted this take on the CD, although introduces three
we had doubts because it was not quite recordings from her
accurate and – being an improvisation own record collection
– patching was impossible. Being in
any case against Oscar Strasnoy Orchestral Works
unnatural Radio France Philharmonic Orchestra
perfection, we only Aeon AECD1331
patched the first few I first came to know
seconds to have the Oscar Strasnoy’s
harpsichord from music through his
the beginning. Ittingen Concerto,
which takes
I’D LIKE ANOTHER GO AT inspiration from JS
Bach’s Brandenburg
Patricia Kopatchinskaja would like to Concertos. My curiosity was sparked by
keep the title of the recording to herself. the highly respectful, yet playful manner
Most of my recordings are just a time in which he treats Bach’s music, while
document and I might play these pieces staying true to his own musical language.
partly or totally di!erently now. My This recording follows precisely this idea,
forming a bridge between the earlier
perception changes constantly.
masterpieces and Strasnoy’s very
I was lucky to start recording at personal contemporary tonal language.
the age of 30; before that, I couldn’t
understand why I should do it. Gypsy Baroque
One orchestral recording contains Il Suonar Parlante Orchestra
some unintentional sloppiness, and Alpha Classics ALPHA392
improving it would have been easy if This embarks on a
journey in the
we could only have stayed for another
opposite direction,
15 minutes in the studio – but we were
namely, to the origins
prohibited by strict union rules. I am of works whose tunes
still annoyed by this. With time one in some cases are
MY FONDEST MEMORY learns that each and every musician in still well known today.
Take Two an orchestra counts, while disinterest The gambist Vittorio Ghielmi researched
Patricia Kopatchinskaja (violin), Jorge can ruin the atmosphere. Only relatively the few surviving sources containing
music of 18th-century gypsy bands, and
Sanchez-Chiong, Reto Bieri et al late have I learned how important it is wonderfully brings this music to light with
Alpha Classics ALPHA211 (2015) to supervise the editing oneself from his ensemble in an unusual and delightful
This is very close to my heart. Together scratch. Sound engineers o"en go for new tonal garb.
with dear friends we play duos from comfortable normality – they choose Myslive!ek Violin Concertos
nine centuries for violin, voice and a the middle-of the-road versions and Leila Schayegh (violin); Collegium
variety of instruments. My then nine- avoid the riskier ones. But sometimes 1704 Accent ACC24336
year-old daughter contributed the text you really want this flat or slightly sharp
As a wind player, I
of a composition by Heinz Holliger intonation, or an accent that’s disturbing
have long been
as well as drawings and sentences or comes slightly early. You ‘broke’ the familiar with the
to the booklet. My husband helped sound and it’s important to leave it like music of Josef
find duo-pieces. The booklet is a sort this: ‘No! It’s not a mistake – it has to Myslivecˇek, who
of simple introduction for children break hearts!’ I want my listeners not composed the
to music history written in a way only to hear my sound but to imagine it. earliest works for
Harmoniemusik wind ensembles. His
that can be understood by children, Once when I heard the first takes of
numerous other works are nowadays
but also with adults in mind. The the recording, I couldn’t recognise my
hardly known and really
repertoire spans from medieval and violin as it had such a so" golden sound, underappreciated, which is astonishing
Renaissance to contemporary and like caramel. When I complained, the considering that this friend of Mozart
DANIEL MARIA DEUTER, MARCO BORGGREVE – which took place in a small church settings were for the previous recording greatly enriches our perception of the
engineer said that the microphone
improvisation. Before the recording
enjoyed great renown during his lifetime.
The discovery of these violin concertos
in the Bernese Oberland mountains
by a famous violinist. We reinstated the
virtuoso violin repertoire from the
original, unprocessed recording which I
– I tried out the acoustics by playing
Classical era. These works are highly
preferred. I love noises.
Bach’s Chaconne, whereupon Anthony
varied and entertaining.
Romaniuk sat down at the harpsichord
Kopatchinskaja’s album Time and
Loeffler’s album of CPE Bach concertos is
and improvised an incredible
Eterinity is out now on Alpha Classics
out on Harmonia Mundi on 4 January.
BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 21

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THE LISTENING SERVICE


The art of Rossini















Rossini’s ebullient comic
operas and catchy tunes
have distracted us from his
music’s considerable artistry
and heartfelt humanity,
laments Tom Service


ILLUSTRATION: MARIA CORTE MAIDAGAN


t’s the ultimate way to serve steak: to
make Tournedos Rossini, find the
I finest slices of brioche, place your
filets mignons on top, and consecrate the
meat with meltingly warm foie gras and
sliced truffle. Voilà! Your one-way ticket
to a food coma, as well as gastronomic
and quite possibly literal heaven.
But this steak reveals Gioachino
Rossini’s reputational problem. It shores
up his image as a composer of worldly
appetites rather than superhuman
compositional achievement. Yes, he
gave his name to epicurean indulgence,
but most importantly he wrote 39
operas in half as many years; he was
the most famous composer of the
early 19th century; he was envied by But Rossini’s spectacular innovations That’s why Rossini’s Petite messe
Beethoven and Wagner; and he was turned the opera house into a place of solennelle, one of the ‘Sins of my old
adored by audiences wherever his music sheer musical thrills, of vocal fireworks age’, is so moving. (The ‘Sins’ are music
conquered the opera house, whether in and orchestral finesse to which every he composed between his operatic
Naples, Paris, Vienna or London. subsequent composer of operas in Italy retirement and his death in 1868, also
And yet: he is also one of the most was indebted, from Bellini to Donizetti, including dozens of piano pieces whose
taken-for-granted musicians in history, Verdi to Puccini. surreal poetics pre-figure Erik Satie.) His
mostly now remembered as a composer mass is addressed to us, to our fears and
of some of the greatest, it turned out, It’s as if Rossini is a kind our desires here on earth; it’s composed,
made-for-TV tunes, like the overture to of embarrassment of as Rossini writes with hilarious modesty
William Tell or ‘Largo al Factotum’, and at the end of the manuscript, with ‘Not
a handful of sparkling comedies like easily won popularity much technique, a little bit of heart,
Cinderella and The Barber of Seville. that’s all.’ He then says to God: ‘Blessings
Proof of how far Rossini’s reputation And so was Wagner. He visited to you and grant me Paradise.’
has fallen is what didn’t happen to him Rossini in 1860, after his retirement But it’s not only the Creator, it’s all of
in 2018, the 150th anniversary of his from the public compositional stage in us who need to be grateful to Gioachino.
death, with all those complete cycles 1829 with William Tell. Wagner wrote So next time you’re tucking into a steak,
of his operas that weren’t performed patronisingly: imagine what Rossini consider the equally delicious joys of
here: it’s as if Rossini is a kind of could have achieved, if he had only ‘felt Rossini’s imaginative music
embarrassment of easily won popularity within himself the religion of his art.’
instead of the seriousness we want But Rossini did something much better.
Tom Service explores how
from 19th-century composers like Instead of otiose religiosity, he honoured music works in The Listening
Schumann, Berlioz, Chopin or Brahms. the humanity of his music. Service on Sundays at 5pm



22 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

FAREWELL TO…


Mariss Jansons Born 1943 Conductor
An absolute master
of, above all, Mahler,
Tchaikovsky and Richard
Strauss, Mariss Jansons
(pictured left in 2015) was
one of the most revered
and beloved conductors
of his era. Born in Riga,
his talent was spotted
by Herbert von Karajan
who invited Jansons to
study with him, an offer
initially thwarted by the
Soviet authorities. Jansons
eventually made it to
Salzburg to study with
Karajan, who then offered
him an assistant post at
the Berlin Philharmonic.
History repeated itself, though, and the invitation never reached
Jansons, who cut his teeth with the Leningrad Philharmonic. It was
with the Oslo Philharmonic that he made his first big impact, serving
as music director from 1979-2000, then with the Pittsburgh Symphony
(1997-2004) and Royal Concertgebouw in Amsterdam (2004-15). His
tenure with the Bavarian Radio Symphony, which began in 2003, was
equally successful, delivering a host of riches in concert and on disc.

Stephen Cleobury Born 1948 Organist, conductor
As the music director of the Choir of King’s
College, Cambridge, for some 37 years, Stephen
Cleobury’s impact on the choral music world
was immense. The TV and radio broadcast of the
choir’s annual Nine Lessons and Carols service
meant millions the world over witnessed his
gifts both as a conductor and as a commissioner
of new music. Cleobury brought his choir into
the modern age, not just in terms of what they
sang but how they sang it, and through tours,
recordings and the ‘Concerts at Kings’ series, he ensured they had a
sizable audience year-round. Away from Cambridge, he directed the
BBC Singers from 1995-2007 and, before that, became Westminster
Cathedral’s first Anglican master of music in 1979. He also enjoyed a
fine reputation as an organist.

Jonathan Miller Born 1934 Opera director
Actor, author, doctor, intellectual, humourist… though the list of
Miller’s talents was seemingly endless, it is as an opera director
that he will be chiefly remembered by the music world. Educated at
Cambridge University, he began directing opera in the 1970s, with
productions for Kent Opera, English National Opera (ENO) and
Glyndebourne. He returned to the opera stage on and off in the decades
that followed – he directed Così fan tutte in the US as recently as 2012
– and was particularly fondly remembered at ENO, which recently
named its new specially designed safety curtain after him.

Also remembered…

The former controller of BBC Radio 3, Robert Ponsonby (born 1926)
also served as director of the BBC Proms from 1974-86. His tenure saw
the programming of more music by contemporary British composers,
including Oliver Knussen, Jonathan Harvey and Robin Holloway.
KEVIN LEIGHTON, GETTY The organist, conductor and composer Colin Mawby (born 1936) was

master of music at Westminster Cathedral in the 1960s before taking
on the role of choral director for RTÉ in Dublin. A talented composer,
he wrote 50 masses, five song cycles and two children’s operas.

The full score








Meaningful voice:
singer Mercedes Sosa
inspires Elsa Dreisig













Stunning Strauss:
Norwegian soprano
Lise Davidsen



Orchestra. Another great piece
is called Fachwerk, which is for
bayan – a type of accordion – and
orchestra. It’s been recorded by
Geir Draugsvoll, a brilliant player.
Her music is so well written, and
I’m fascinated by its constant
connection to her spirituality. I
hope to be conducting a lot of her
music in the near future.
And also…
I’ve been travelling a lot recently,
and the book I have with me is by
a Portuguese author called José
Music to my ears Tolentino de Mendonca. He’s a
great poet and also a priest – he’s
just been made a cardinal. I don’t
know if his work is translated into
What the classical world has been listening to this month English so much, but he’s written
a few librettos for contemporary
pieces and he’s a fantastic artist.
Joana Carneiro Conductor has been recorded many times, CRITIC’S CHOICE Any poetry by him is very moving.
I’ve been listening to but I’m particularly fond of the Joana Carneiro conducts the
Alexandra Wilson
a very beautiful combination of mezzo-soprano BBC Symphony Orchestra at
As a Puccini scholar,
recording of Anne Sofie von Otter and bass- I hear an awful lot of Saffron Hall on 19 January
Richard Strauss’s baritone Thomas Quasthoff, with Toscas and La bohèmes.
Four Last Songs. It’s Claudio Abbado conducting. So I relished listening Kynan Walker Violinist
a new disc from Quasthoff is fantastic, of course, to Opera Rara’s release A friend recently
of his first opera, Le
Decca featuring the Norwegian Willis. Puccini is in lent me their copy of
soprano Lise Davidsen with the There is something supernatural vein here Bruch’s Octet,
Philharmonia, who premiered the but his trademark played by the Nash
work in the 1950s, and Esa-Pekka so pure about the way passionate style is Ensemble, and I’ve
Salonen conducting. Davidsen’s mezzo Anne Sofie von already discernible and been particularly
conveyed exuberantly
voice has this depth – as soon as by the LPO under enjoying the slow movement. For
you hear her, there’s something Otter sings ‘Urlicht’ Mark Elder, with me, this recording epitomises
very profound that connects with Ermonela Jaho as a chamber music – I love how the
you as a listener. She has deeply but there’s something so pure suitably vulnerable performers all play their own raw
jilted fiancée. I was
studied the text and that really about the way Von Otter sings, also enchanted by interpretations of the music but,
shows from the first note. There’s for example, ‘Urlicht’. It’s just a delicately etched through communicating with each
something very moving about it. wonderful music-making. Die Zauberflöte at other, then intertwine them. I was
There’s one recording that I Currently I’m listening to a lot Covent Garden, the blown away by the performance
always listen to constantly, and of Sofia Gubaidulina. I really sympathetic cast led and have been inspired to apply it
by Benjamin Hulett
it comes with me everywhere love her Violin Concerto, in the to my own playing.
as Tamino and Elsa
I go. It’s Mahler’s Des Knaben recording by Oleh Krysa and the Dreisig as Pamina. At the BBC Proms in the
Wunderhorn, which is a piece that Royal Stockholm Philharmonic summer, I went to see a concert



24 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

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by the BBC National Orchestra CRITIC’S CHOICE on display there and read how make music together. I have been
of Wales that included the Vivace their life experiences affected to one jazz gig, in Berlin, but it’s
from Krzysztof Penderecki’s the way they interpreted various not easy to get out. Right now
Sinfonietta for Strings. The work things and put it onto the page. In it’s more about recordings, but at
came originally from Penderecki’s a way, it mirrored my interest in some point I will give myself the
String Trio which he then turned music in that you can make the chance to go to one of those big
into a big string orchestral same sort of connections between jazz festivals and forget that I am
arrangement. I could really composers’ lives and their art. an opera singer!
feel how the idea of collective Kynan Walker is the leader of In general, I enjoy rediscovering
music-making in a Classical Erik Levi the National Youth Orchestra of old opera recordings. I’m trying
set-up was fused by Penderecki I’ve been absolutely Great Britain on its January tour of to learn from them, because I have
with something altogether more bowled over by the Warwick, London and Nottingham the feeling that I am still missing
Pavel Haas Quartet’s
contemporary. It had a really dark something; I want to understand
new recording of
and ominous atmosphere and was Shostakovich’s Elsa Dreisig Soprano more about the voice. I try to listen
very impactful. Second, Seventh and I recently to really good quality recordings,
I am a very big fan of Eighth Quartets. What discovered the but when I’m travelling it’s more
Beethoven. What I really love really grips me about Argentine singer practical to listen on YouTube. I
about the Berlin Philharmonic these performances is Mercedes Sosa. She have an amazing sound system at
the ensemble’s ability
and Herbert von Karajan’s to get under the skin sang Spanish home, so when I’m there I try to
recording of his Pastoral of the music and popular songs; buy as much on CD as possible;
Symphony is that you can really their compellingly they’re really full of history and in otherwise I listen on the streaming
sense all the different naturistic imaginative concept of her voice you feel where she comes service Qobuz.
texture, instrumental
images that the composer was balance and nuance. from. I really like it when a voice And also…
trying to convey. That said, I later Indeed, such is tells us something. Billie Holliday I am learning to be as inspired by
learnt that Beethoven said that the the overwhelming and Maria Callas are my favourite art as I am by music, so I’ve been
Sixth was more an expression of intensity of the singers, because even if you can’t to a lot of exhibitions in London.
listening experience
a feeling than a painting, and that compare the way they sing – they The Lucien Freud self-portraits
in this release that
really comes across here as well. I found it necessary don’t have the same style at all – show at the Royal Academy of
It’s very inspiring. to experience each the purpose of singing, the need, is Art was amazing and I also
And also… quartet separately, so vital in both of them. enjoyed Olafur Eliasson at the
I recently went to the rather than as I enjoy jazz, although it came Tate Modern; he is an artist
a continuous
Birmingham Museum and late to me. Miles Davis, Bill who works with light, sculpture
programme.
Art Gallery which was very Evans and John Coltrane are and architecture.
interesting. It was fascinating to three of my favourite musicians Elsa Dreisig’s new album, Morgen,
find out about the various artists and I’m inspired by the way they is out on Erato in January






Our Choices The BBC Music Magazine team’s current favourites



Oliver Condy Editor In works such as the Highlands Michael Beek Reviews editor
Huge fun was had at the recent Cello Concerto – played here I took myself to the Royal Albert Hall recently to
annual classical music record by Jakob Koranyi – Tarrodi’s see the Philharmonia Orchestra and conductor
industry quiz, in aid of the Nordoff soundworld surrounds the listener Dirk Brossé take on John Williams’s massive
Robbins music therapy charity. like a vast, mysterious landscape. score for The Empire Strikes Back. No easy feat,
Pitched against each another Amid shimmering strings, there’s especially the epic ‘Battle of Hoth’ cue and the
were teams from across the an eerie sense of stillness as we thrilling chase through a perilous asteroid field.
music world including, naturally, head into the unknown. It’s one of the composer’s very best works, and it
BBC Music Magazine. Questions Rebecca Franks certainly gave the musicians a thorough workout.
GETTY, RAY BURMISTON, LOUISA SUNDELL, RODRIGO SOUZA it pains me to write this, we were music. Just when you thought the A4 Brass rural Scotland, where I was able to dictate the
ranged from missing words to
Managing editor
Freya Parr Editorial assistant
female composers, anagrams to
Late Autumn saw me running a bookshop in
One of my favourite parts of
historic premieres. And much as
this year’s Royal Philharmonic
shop’s soundtrack. Going for a Scottish theme,
Society Awards was the live
beaten into second place by…
we spent a sublime afternoon digging into the
Gramophone magazine.
Quartet nimbly negotiating the Saltarello
recording archives of Peter Maxwell Davies,
Jeremy Pound Deputy editor
whose music matched the Wigtown landscape
from Mendelssohn’s Fourth Symphony was
I’ve lately been enjoying exploring the orchestral
unexpected enough, along came the Hermes
to a tee. I was also introduced to the music
of Scottish composer Eddie McGuire, whose
Experiment’s blast of Meredith Monk. I also
music of Swedish composer Andrea Tarrodi
(above) on a disc by the Vasteras Sinfonietta. In
Improvisations on Calderon was performed at a
enjoyed the spacious and witty Haydn played by
the Castalian String Quartet.
recital we held in the bookshop. Fiery and fun.
this instance, ‘exploring’ seems a very apt term.
BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 25

THE SOUND OF CLASSICAL



JANUARY Releases








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On her debut album for Chandos, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra
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Opinion






Richard Morrison










We should be grateful that rapper



Kanye West has written an opera










odest chap, Kanye West. Unsurprisingly the spectacle of the That sort of blinkered criticism makes
Over the course of his most phenomenally successful rapper me quite angry. The lines dividing
M eventful 42-year life the of our age (with 21 Grammy Awards and opera, music theatre and musicals have
rapper, producer, fashion designer 140 million record sales to his name) never been, and should never be, fixed.
and husband to Kim Kardashian has crossing over into the ‘highbrow’ world Are Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd,
compared himself to Leonardo da of opera has triggered a fierce reaction, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita, Claude-
Vinci, Thomas Edison, Walt Disney, particularly in America. Quite a Michel Schonberg’s Les Misérables or
Michelangelo, Picasso, Shakespeare and few cynics have dismissed it as just Lin-Manuel Miranda’s superb hip-hop-
Socrates. Now he declares that his recent another publicity stunt, akin to all infused Hamilton – all sung-through
embrace of evangelical religion is at least those astutely timed ‘controversies’ that pieces with proper plots and ‘big’
as helpful to Jesus Christ as to himself. have kept West’s name in the headlines passions – musicals or operas? Who
‘Jesus has won the victory because the for two decades. knows? Who cares? Why get hung up on
greatest artist that God ever created is Other commentators have pointed out pigeon-holes?
now working for him,’ he told a church that West is hardly breaking new ground In the original Latin the word opera
congregation last month. simply means ‘works’. When adopted
Oddly, however, the list of geniuses in the 17th century as a useful term
whom West considers his forerunners History is sprinkled to describe a new artform combining
doesn’t include Giuseppe Verdi. Why is music, poetry, drama and dance, there
that a surprise? Because Verdi wrote a with pop-music were no restrictive stipulations laid
rather good opera called Nabucco, while down as to what sort of people could
West has just premiered, in a blaze of composers testing write it, perform it or listen to it. I very
pomp and publicity in the Hollywood their cra! in opera much hope we can get back to that
Bowl, his own opera about the same open-ended approach, and dump all the
Babylonian king. overtones of elitism, intellectualism and
And by all accounts West’s in writing an opera. That’s true, of snobbery that the word has acquired.
Nebuchadnezzar matched Verdi’s course. From Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha, If a rapper wants to describe his latest
Nabucco – at least for grandeur. As the written 109 years ago, to much more creation as an opera, those of us who
composer himself declaimed passages recent divertissements such as Rufus call ourselves opera-lovers should feel
from the Old Testament’s Book of Wainwright’s Prima Donna and Damon elated, not threatened. We should say:
Daniel, a vast gospel choir hurled out Albarn’s Monkey (both of which I rather ‘Thanks, Kanye, for expanding notions
disembodied Latin phrases on a smoke- enjoyed at their premieres), 20th- and of what opera means, double-thanks
filled stage. Meanwhile, in the centre, 21st-century music history is sprinkled for pointing your tens of million of fans
another rapper, Sheck Wes, depicted with pop-music composers testing their in our direction, and triple-thanks if
the mad king in a stream of ‘screams craft in the longer artform of opera. just one per cent of them are curious
and moans’ interpreted by The New But other critics have been much enough to try out other things that are
York Times’s reviewer as ‘a vision of more categorically dismissive. They called opera – because that will probably
masculinity rendered unintelligible have deemed West’s Nebuchadnezzar double the number of people buying
by its own toxicity’. How much of this (in the words of The New York Times) as opera tickets next year.’
was West identifying himself with the ‘not really an opera’ – perhaps because it Indeed, those whose jobs are to
tormented Biblical monarch – after a doesn’t have a conventionally developed promote opera should be delighted.
torrid few years that have included a drama, or because it’s under an hour After all, the ‘greatest artist that God
battle with drug addiction and a spell in long. Or simply because it’s written by ever created’ is working for them now.
hospital to deal with mental illness – is Kanye West, not the classical composers Richard Morrison is chief music critic
anyone’s guess. John Adams or Thomas Adès. and a columnist of The Times



BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 27

28 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

Nicola Benedetti






Building bridges:
‘I have a deep love
for, and belief in,
the power of music’




Nicola Benedetti has never


been afraid of a challenge.


Just as well, given that the


top violinist’s latest project is



her most ambitious to date.


She tells Richard Morrison


her bold plans to put music


at the heart of UK society



PHOTOGRAPHY: JOHN MILLAR







Missionpossible


















er colourfully patterned headband

is the most vivid sight on a grey
winter’s morning in west London.
But Nicola Benedetti’s mood when
H we meet is nothing like as sparky

as her accessories. ‘I’ve had zero sleep and I’m super
stressed,’ she says as we find a table in a busy café.
And just to underline her words she orders herself

not one but two double espressos.
I have known Scotland’s star violinist for
years, and am well aware of the iron resolve and
intellectual intensity lying beneath her surface

glamour. You underestimate her seriousness and
idealism at your peril. But this mood is something
else. She is a young woman who has set herself a

challenge that’s akin to climbing Everest. Now she
has reached base camp and can see the daunting
hulk of the mountain that lies above.




BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 29

Action stations:
Benedetti and pupils
at the Big Noise 2019
in Stirling, Scotland






















































HER SELF-IMPOSED CHALLENGE her burgeoning international career as were sporadic, that they dipped in and
is the Benedetti Foundation. It is an a soloist. She became patron, president, out – inevitably because that’s how a solo
extraordinary educational initiative, ‘big sister’, ambassador or whatever to instrumentalist’s life is. It’s a mix of many
launched about a year ago, which will (deep breath) the National Children’s things, not a neat and tidy routine.’
spring fully into life with six weekend Orchestra, Sistema Scotland, the National So she has started this new foundation.
sessions across the country in 2020. ‘This Youth Orchestras of Scotland, the Music Its aims are nothing if not ambitious, as
is the result of 17 years of considering how in Secondary Schools Trust, the Royal you can tell from its mission statement. As
to make an impact on as many people as well as creating ‘explosive, life changing
possible with something that I have a deep experiences around mass musical
love for, and a deep belief in,’ she says. ‘This is the result events for teachers and young people’,
‘Namely, the power of music.’ with the ‘ultimate destination’ being an
Seventeen years of thinking about it? of 17 years of ‘empowered society that is more creative,
She’s only 32 now. Did she really start enlightened and fulfilled’, Benedetti has
pondering how to reach out to thousands considering how also set herself an arguably even more
of young musicians and their teachers challenging aim: ‘to unite the world of
when she was 15, still at the Yehudi to make an impact’ music education’. Phew. No wonder she
Menuhin School and a year off winning needs those double espressos.
the BBC Young Musician of the Year? She ‘Actually we are already pulling
nods seriously. ‘Yes, I’ve been thinking Conservatoire of Scotland, the European together the musical world, on every
about it for ever, looking for better and String Teachers Association, and… well, single operational level, from people in
better ways of making as big a contribution you name it, she supported it. Always, the performing business to the whole
to music education as possible.’ however, she had a nagging feeling that world of schools and teachers, to the
In the past decade Benedetti has marked although she was working with about kids themselves,’ she says. ‘The six
herself out as a kind of missionary for 2,000 youngsters and 500 teachers each three-days workshops we have set up
GETTY, SHUTTERSTOCK accepting figurehead or mentor positions the driving force. ‘I didn’t feel unhappy County Antrim, Manchester and Saffron
classical music’s place in young lives by
for 2020 [in Glasgow, London, Dundee,
year, she was always the ‘guest star’, never
with the work I was doing. But yes, there
Walden] are physical manifestations of
with a wide variety of music-education
organisations – all the while keeping up
what the entire music world represents.’
was frustration that my contributions
30
30 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

Nicola Benedetti











Has she encountered no resistance but can they pass it on and share their
from established music-education excitement? That’s a skill in itself.’
organisations? No sense of toes trodden on, How to find such people? Benedetti
or noses put out of joint? ‘Treading on toes wisely started by hiring some key
isn’t really a problem, because if you are lieutenants who themselves have bags of
a music educator invested in improving experience. The foundation’s executive
the whole picture on a national scale you director is Michael Garvey, whose years
will understand that we are trying to work in orchestral management culminated in
with you, not in competition,’ Benedetti him running the BBC National Orchestra
says. ‘All we are doing is intended to and Chorus of Wales. And as her
complement, highlight and support the educational director Benedetti has brought
work that everyone in those other charities in Laura Gardiner, herself a phenomenal
is doing, day in and day out. In fact, if we’ve violin teacher. ‘She created the Oasby
had a problem so far, it’s been of too much Music Group [in Lincolnshire] with five Royal view: HRH watches the NYO in 2016
love, too many offers of collaboration.’ violin students, and it went to 90 within
Each weekend event will involve five years,’ Benedetti says. ‘She has been The power of youth
sessions for children in three different searching for the kind of people out there UK music education foundations
string orchestras of varying levels, two who will inspire kids as she does. And
With recent research by the British
‘professional development’ sessions I’ve been searching as well, during all the
Phonographic Industry (BPI) showing
aimed at string teachers and primary workshops that I’ve done over the years, a significant decline in music
school classroom teachers respectively, working alongside different people. I can education provision in state schools
and a general musicianship session that tell within five minutes whether someone – down 21 per cent over the last five
any youngster can attend. It’s a packed can command a room or not. years – children can struggle for the
programme. So although Benedetti will be ‘We also ask everyone who we interact chance to make music. Yet many UK
the main attraction, she has had to embark with: “who do you know that’s great at foundations are working to support
on an urgent recruitment drive to find teaching music?” If you are determined young musicians, with the Benedetti
tutors to lead the sessions who come up to to ask, ask, ask, until you find the right Foundation joining a thriving line-up.
her demanding standards. people, you will eventually uncover more The award-winning Chineke!
Orchestra (see p15) has a younger
‘We want people who not only have a and more great teachers – perhaps people
sibling, Chineke! Junior Orchestra,
deep and considered knowledge of music, who are currently working unappreciated funded by the Chineke! Foundation,
and who bring weight and gravitas to in isolation.’
which was set up four years ago to
what they are teaching, but also have that The way Benedetti tells it – as those champion Black and Minority Ethnic
indefinable quality that enables them to espressos start to take effect and her brain (BME) classical musicians. The group
be great communicators,’ Benedetti says. accelerates towards top gear – this mass is open to 11 to 18 year-olds, of
‘That’s a rare combination. There are lots recruiting operation sounds a bit like the Grade 8 standard and above.
of people out there who have spent their start of a revolution. And she envisages The National Youth Orchestra (NYO)
lives dedicated to the study of something, her workshops as being similarly life- of Great Britain runs NYO Inspire,
which provides teenagers of Grade 6
to 8-plus standard with workshops run
by NYO musicians and tutors. It’s free,
with all places funded by NYO. We’ll
be reporting on the scheme in the
February 2020 issue.
The Voices Foundation provides
programmes to encourage singing
to flourish at school, from nursery to
secondary pupils. Suzi Digby set up
the foundation in 1993, inspired by
Kodály’s teaching methods, creating
a network of choral experts who can
lead workshops in schools.
Music for Youth turns 50 this year.
The charity aims to nurture ‘not only
the next generation of musical talent,
but the next generation full stop’, and
it runs an ambitious line-up of events.
Its season culminates with the Music
Time out: the Scottish violinist in 2002 New directions: Benedetti gets involved with UNICEF in 2005 for Youth Proms each November.



BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 31

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Nicola Benedetti






Highly honoured:
The Queen awards
Benedetti the Queen’s
Medal for Music in 2017














































changing, too. ‘They should be symbolic into kids without properly inspiring them There’s some good news, she thinks,
experiences of high-octane excitement,’ to get excited about the subject. And it’s all in that Ofsted (the government’s school
she exclaims. ‘Symbolic because they will because of the absurd amount of testing inspectors) have said that schools won’t get
show what this kind of thing can feel like going on in schools, the prioritisation of top grading in future unless they show that
when done at its best: getting hundreds exams over actually knowing something they are nurturing the creative potential of
of kids together; working at string in depth.’ their students. ‘I wish we could overcome
technique as well as the basics of general What Benedetti wants to see is very this obsession in the education world for
musicianship. It should be exhilarating much the sort of thing that Nicholas things constantly to be graded and tested,’
for everyone.’ Serota, the Arts Council of England she says. ‘But at least Ofsted’s change of
Benedetti is already buoyed up by the emphasis will force schools to give music
feedback she received after the ‘mock- more priority if they want a good grading.’
weekend’ the foundation organised to test ‘I wish we could Controversially, though, Benedetti
her ideas out – especially from primary- doesn’t believe that every child in the
school teachers who were not music overcome this country necessarily benefits by having
specialists. ‘We had letters saying things access to a musical instrument and
like “I taught a successful music lesson to obsession for things instrumental tuition. ‘I question how
all my pupils for the first time in my life”.’ realistic it is to try and impose, en masse,
That’s encouraging. Nevertheless, the to be graded’ the discipline and perseverance of
harsh reality is that those newly-inspired learning an instrument,’ she says. ‘Not
teachers will have to return to their everyone has the dexterity to play the
classrooms and abide by the requirements chairman, argued for in his recent violin, for instance. But basic harmonies
of a national curriculum that has – Durham Commission report on education: and rhythms and how to sing well – they
whether by accident or design – all but a fundamental rethink of Britain’s are things that can realistically be taught to
marginalised music. As you might expect, educational system, with the concept every child in the country.’ That’s echoing
Benedetti has strong views about that, too. of ‘creative thinking’ incorporated into the ideas of the Hungarian composer
‘The whole art of teaching is, or should teaching in all subjects at all levels, from and educator Zoltán Kodály in the 1930s,
be, to draw out of others their own early years to sixth form. ‘Music could I observe. ‘I am a big fan of Kodály,’
creativity,’ she says. ‘It’s the opposite of take the lead in breaking the mould and Benedetti acknowledges.
teaching parrot-fashion subjects that are empowering teachers in a totally different Is she talking to any politicians, north
not your own passion. Yet wherever I go way,’ Benedetti says. ‘The idea would be or south of the border, about her ideas?
I hear everybody complaining about the to unlock an individual teacher’s unique ‘Well, politicians are a little stretched and
GETTY amount of information we have to stuff strengths and qualities.’ stressed right now,’ she laughs. ‘They




BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 33

Nicola Benedetti





Smiles all round:
Benedetti at the
2018 Festival of
Strings Day in Dundee




















Russian focus:
Kirill Karabits
conducts Glazunov




From the recording studio
The best of Benedetti’s recent discs
have a lot on their plate. But in the future, the same time. In a couple of days I’m
Wynton Marsalis definitely. I will talk and talk about music going into the studio to record the Elgar
Violin Concerto; Fiddle Dance Suite
education to anyone who will listen.’ with Vladimir Jurowski and the London
Decca 485 0013 (2019)
The jazz trumpeter What about the small matter of Philharmonic [for Decca]. After that I
and composer’s finding funding for the foundation? ‘Yes,’ will start a recording project focusing on
expansive and eclectic says Benedetti. ‘We need it. Lots of it. solo violin repertoire, taking the listener
concerto was written Please! We are getting nothing from the through the history of the instrument.’
for Benedetti. She government. Of course we are doing all Her concert schedule for 2020 doesn’t
premieres it on disc the obvious things, like starting a friends’ look thin, either. In just May and June,
here with the Philadelphia Orchestra scheme, but we need a mass of donations, for instance, she will cross the Atlantic
and Cristian Ma˘celaru. large or small. We have been insanely over- four times to play four different concertos
Arlene Sierra ambitious in our first year, and it will cost (including the one written for her by the
Butterflies, Remember a Mountain a huge amount to pay for all we want to do. jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis) in cities
Bridge BRIDGE9506 (2018) Especially as we are hiring only the very ranging from Berlin to San Francisco.
Benedetti joins cellist Leonard best people.’ Luckily, as her stupendous recent
Elschenbroich and pianist Alexei
Is she paying for any of it herself? ‘I’m performances of the Elgar Concerto have
Grynyuk for the American composer’s
second piano trio, described by The not in a position to put in much money,’ shown, her technique is in excellent shape
Times as ‘a small wonder’. she says. ‘But if the amount of time I and her stamina seems limitless. Nor
am devoting to the foundation and the does she show any signs of the mental or
Shostakovich & Glazunov
Violin Concertos workshops is worth anything, I have emotional burnout that sometimes afflicts
Decca 478 8758 (2016) already donated a small fortune.’ former child prodigies in their thirties.
This powerful disc journeys from late I realise at this point in our conversation Nevertheless, Benedetti admits she will
Romantic Russia to the 1940s Soviet that we have been talking for nearly need to be careful about over-stretching
Union, with Kirill Karabits conducting an hour and not yet got round to what herself in future. ‘I will have to be very
the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. Benedetti is famous for: playing the strategic about what I do, where I do it,

Homecoming: A Scottish Fantasy violin, virtuosically, passionately and and when,’ she says. ‘The fact is that I have
Decca 478 6690 (2014) intelligently. Have the ever-expanding had to invest an unbelievable amount
Benedetti paints a picture of Scotland’s ambitions of the foundation taken over of myself, my time and my energy in the
musical landscape. She’s joined her life to such an extent that the classical foundation. I don’t think anyone had any
by folk singer Julie Fowlis for traditional music world is in danger of losing one of its idea of how all-consuming it would be. I
song, and the BBC most inspiring soloists? certainly didn’t until I started doing it.’
Scottish Symphony
Benedetti laughs. ‘Well, in the past Still, she seems determined to keep both
Orchestra for Bruch’s
Scottish Fantasy. month I have performed – let’s see if I can the day job and the night job spinning in
remember them all – the Tchaikovsky, merry tandem – even if it means drinking
The Silver Violin
Shostakovich, Bruch, Elgar and Sibelius buckets of espresso each morning. ‘Yes,
Decca 478 3529 (2012)
Korngold’s lush Violin Concerto is at the concertos. I don’t think I’m disappearing this is what my next few years will look
heart of a programme of film classics, from the concert hall. By anyone’s like,’ she laughs. ‘The foundation will be
from Shostakovich’s The Gadfly to the standards that is a crazy number of one more component in what is already
GETTY theme for Schindler’s List. different concertos to have on the go at a colourful and complex life.’



34 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

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‘‘

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artist, surely you



could get a piece




commissioned within




one conversation
’’









THE BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE INTERVIEW


Lawrence Power






– the crux of Power’s musical ethos. Yes,
The viola player who once
turned down the Berlin he is a leading viola soloist, a passionate
Philharmonic has gone on to advocate for viola chamber music, an
forge his own distinctive path. ardent renewer of viola repertoire. He plays
Kate Molleson meets an artist one of the world’s most beautiful violas
with an unquenchable curiosity (Antonio Brensi, 1590) and makes arguably
the richest-bodied viola sound in the
PHOTOGRAPHY: RICHARD CANNON
business. So it is notable that he’s willing
(not to mention able) to leave his viola in the
onsider some of Lawrence Power’s box and pick up a fiddle. But what’s more
recent concert programmes. remarkable is how intently he pursues
C This, for example: a marathon his lines of musical connection. Whether
Brahms recital encompassing not only immersing himself in a single composer’s
the two viola sonatas, but also relevant oeuvre or tracing themes across centuries,
song transcriptions and (and!) all three there is an intellectual restlessness that
violin sonatas – played on violin. Or takes Power beyond his viola heartland,
this: an exploration into the notion of beyond the physical boundaries of the
tombeau, interlinking tributes from Ravel instrument. And if that means wielding a
to Couperin to Lorca poetry to Poulenc’s violin or a baton, so be it.
Violin Sonata via Thomas Adès. Power Power credits his lateral creative appetite
played the viola and violin, and recited to multiple factors. Innate inquisitiveness,
the poetry. Or this: ensemble music for sure, and simply being a viola player:
preoccupied with memory and sleep, there isn’t the breadth of existing repertoire
from Dowland to Stravinsky to Tippett’s to sustain night after night of concerto
Corelli Fantasia to Britten’s Nocturne. Power engagements, so he has to test the limits.
conducted, no instrument in hand. That’s one reason he founded the West
Aren’t these examples a bit, well, non- Wycombe Chamber Music Festival, which
viola-centric? Which is precisely the point celebrates its tenth anniversary this year



36 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

Lawrence Power




























































































































BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 37

Lawrence Power






Performance art:
Lawrence Power
takes centre stage
at London’s Barbican














































and is essentially a gathering of Power’s The ambition here is not small. ‘Think of particular route into the profession. He
friends, who happen to include the likes someone like Rostropovich,’ says Power. grew up in Buckinghamshire and was
of violinist Vilde Frang, cellist Adrian ‘If he hadn’t existed, the cello repertoire handed a viola at the age of seven. This
Brendel and pianist Pavel Kolesnikov. would be miniscule. But he got everyone was no family heirloom, but a chance
Critics aren’t exactly banned, but they to write for him: Prokofiev, Britten, encounter thanks to the peripatetic music
aren’t actively invited, either. West Shostakovich, Lutos!awski, Hindemith. lessons that were still offered by England’s
Wycombe is where Power and pals have a He created a repertoire for his instrument state education system in the mid-1980s.
chance to play around with repertoire and which cellists now enjoy on a daily basis. ‘They ran out of violins on the day I went
instrument swapping. ‘It’s important to You could say it’s a responsibility. If you’re for the assessment, so I got a viola,’ he
have a space where we can all be out of our smiles. ‘Which meant nothing to me. The
comfort zones,’ he explains. next day I turned up for my violin lesson
There is also the Viola Commissioning ‘They ran out of and was told, “nope, that’s a viola. You get
Circle (VCC), which Power set up to the green book, not the red one”.’
fast-track the creation of new music for violins the day I went Thirty-five years later, cuts to state
the instrument. ‘I love working with instrumental provision mean children
composers,’ he says, ‘but I get so frustrated for the assessment, from Power’s background are unlikely to

with how slow the process usually is – so I got a viola’ experience any such a chance encounter.
putting together funds, commissioning His face darkens at the thought. ‘If you’re
partners, all of that.’ He gives the example not from a musical family – and I wasn’t
of James MacMillan’s new concerto, which out there playing, what a waste not to get – how else can you be found? Pianist Paul
took eight years to come to fruition from people to write for you.’ Lewis was the same. I am absolutely sure
first conversation to premiere. True enough – though that sense of duty that there are many wonderful musicians
The VCC is a way of circumnavigating to new music does not seem to apply to out there who aren’t being found. On a
that wait, with a community of most soloists. Power nods. ‘I could sit here daily basis I find that a really depressing
philanthropic viola enthusiasts already and criticise all of them. I could put it out thought, and probably something I should
invested and funds at the ready. Its first there: that if you’re a massively successful be doing a hell of a lot more about. It’s
commission was from Thomas Adès – his artist, surely within one conversation probably something all musicians should
Three Berceuses premiered at Wigmore you could get a piece commissioned and be doing a lot more about.’
Hall only a year after the idea was dreamed toured. Yet how often does that happen? Power’s own trajectory took him from
up. New VCC concertos are in Yeah, I do get frustrated.’ that surprise green book into London,
the pipeline from Anders Hillborg, The other major factor to which Power where he attended Saturday junior classes
Magnus Lindberg and Huw Watkins. credits his wide musical horizons is his at Guildhall (‘wonderfully intense!’). A



38 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

Hindemith Viola Concerto with Leonard
Slatkin and the BBC Symphony Orchestra,
charted the complete York Bowen
works for viola and piano. He forged a
relationship with Hyperion that’s still
going strong. ‘The biggest gift of the NGA
scheme for me was to get to listen back to
myself so much,’ Power recalls. ‘Recording
is an immediate overview of where you’re
at, which is a bit depressing maybe, but
that’s what I love about it. For young artists
it can be quite scary. You hear yourself Birth of a star:
and it doesn’t sound how it’s supposed to. Lisa Batiashvili, one
of the very first NGAs
Nobody teaches you how to deal with that.’
Native speaker:
‘The viola is my Power loves the viola. He doesn’t
mother tongue’ hold back in saying so: ‘I adore it; it’s my 20 years of Radio 3 talent
mother tongue; I play it every day; I love
the instruments themselves.’ Let’s return, A New Generation celebration
stint at the Juilliard in New York followed then, to that matter of why he strays from
From 27 January to 1 February,
– and then, at 21, he was scooped up by the the viola, which he does with increasing BBC Radio 3 is marking the 20th
Nash Ensemble. It proved to be the most regularity. He squirms when I ask about anniversary of the BBC New
important education of all. ‘As a young the conducting. ‘Well, OK… I did it last Generation Artists scheme. Each
player, nothing is better than being around week, but I would be uncomfortable if day Essential Classics features an
older people who are generous. Who treat someone thought, “there’s another string NGA alumnus, including mezzo
you like you’re on the same level, which player trying to conduct”. I mean, it’s Alice Coote, soprano Fatma Said
of course you’re not. But to just be told: such a cliché!’ So why do it? ‘Because it’s and pianist Mariam Batsashvili.
Lunchtime Concert on Monday 27
we’re off to do this concert, and it has to necessary. It’s pragmatic in order to do
January is broadcast from Wigmore
be up to standard.’ Now he works with his repertoire I want to do – like Britten’s
Hall and showcases violinist Jennifer
own group of young players, Collegium, to Nocturne – and help an ensemble stay
Pike; from the Tuesday to the Friday,
replicate that spirit of apprenticeship. together. Because that’s what conducting concerts by NGA Artists will come
By his twenties, Power was in a position is, right? Don’t tell conductors I said that, from the Birmingham Conservatoire.
to turn down the world’s most prestigious but it’s really a very basic profession. Radio 3’s Afternoon Concerts
orchestra. He was headhunted as principal The whole maestro thing. Thankfully are featuring performances
viola of the Berlin Philharmonic, and he we’re coming out of that and most of the by violinist Lisa Batiashvili, pianist
said no. Was it arrogance? He laughs when conductors I like working with are really Paul Lewis, the Amatis Piano
I ask how a 23 year-old had enough self- collaborative. They’re basically there to Trio, the Calidore Quartet and the
knowledge to refuse such an offer. ‘Maybe facilitate a great performance.’ Belcea Quartet. And Radio 3’s in
Concert schedule includes French
I was privileged in that I was already doing And what about the violin? Because,
horn player Alec Frank-Gemmill
stuff through which I could really express whisper it, Power is rather good at that,
performing Haydn and Mozart, plus
myself. I was already playing chamber too. He says he’s not interested in playing
pianist Benjamin Grosvenor in a
music in big venues with people I adored. the Sibelius Concerto (‘I’d be rubbish; a programme of Schumann, Janácˇek,
Playing new pieces by Birtwistle, Turnage, thousand people would be better than me’) Prokofiev and Liszt. Finally, pianist
talking to them about their music. Then but in using the violin as a ‘creative tool’. Igor Levit joins forces with the
suddenly I was parachuted into a position He wants to ‘combine programmes, like Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra
where I was listening to a maestro whose the Brahms sonata thing. Or directing a (conductor to be announced,
vision was supposedly paramount. Maybe group: I’ve got more voice from the violin. following the recent death of Mariss
that does sound arrogant, but I knew it That’s it. I’ve never thought the violin is Jansons) in a performance of
Prokofiev’s Second Piano Concerto.
wasn’t what I wanted. If you’re restless – that different from the viola. Every viola
On 1 February, to round off this
which is a good and bad thing – being in an is a different size and has a unique voice.’ special NGA week, presenters Kate
orchestra can be pretty difficult.’ So, a violin is just a dinky viola? Power
Molleson and Fiona Talkington
The decision paid off. A year later, grins. ‘Maybe.’ Does he have a violist introduce a day dedicated to a
Power was selected as one of the earliest accent when he plays the violin? ‘Probably. celebration of the scheme, with four
Radio 3 New Generation Artists (NGA), It’s like languages. You have a mother concerts showcasing members past
which he credits with kick-starting his tongue, so you speak other languages with and present, all coming live from
GETTY recording career. During his time on the an accent. Surely it’s what you say that Wigmore Hall. For full details, see
Radio Times or BBC Sounds.
matters most.’
scheme he made recital discs, recorded the

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 39

Les Six






Entente cordiale:
a 1931 photo of (left to
right) Poulenc, Tailleferre,
Durey, Cocteau, Milhaud
Honegger and a portrait
for the absent Auric






The joy of six














Post-war France saw the old order booted aside in


an attempt to restore morale to a bruised nation.


Roger Nichols reveals how, 100 years ago, a group

of young composers ushered in a bright new dawn









o make sense of the collection of Darius Milhaud, Arthur Honegger, Germaine
young composers who in January Tailleferre, Louis Durey – and himself, with
1920 were given the label Le Groupe Georges Auric and Francis Poulenc joining later.
T des Six, we have to go a little back in Then, in November, Satie resigned from the
time. In the late 19th century, French composers group (no one knows for sure why), and his place
were facing the Wagner problem. Letters of was taken by the upwardly mobile Jean Cocteau.
the time from composers such as Chabrier, Although not a trained musician, Cocteau was
Chausson and Debussy groan under complaints attracted by the idea of musical collaborations.
of how the German’s musical vocabulary, what Given the cold shoulder by Stravinsky, he
Debussy called ‘the ghost of old Klingsor’,
dominated their efforts, try as they might. But Audacity, economy,
ignoring him, while not easy, could be done, as
two younger composers, Maurice Ravel and Erik down-to-earthness and
Satie, showed with considerable success.
The compositional path Ravel marked out for lightheartedness were
himself led to masterpiece after masterpiece.
But the pre-war group of Jeunes Ravélites the new watchwords
never amounted to much, largely because, as
Alexander Goehr has said, Ravel was ‘a bit too saw this young group bereft of intellectual
clever to be of much influence, because you’ve leadership, and between March and August
got to be too good at it to actually do it.’ Satie, 1919 used his column in the journal Paris-Midi
though, was a different matter. It’s accepted to create a public for it. Also grist to the mill was
these days that Satie was not a great musical Cocteau’s 74-page pamphlet Le Coq et l’Arlequin,
technician, but his contribution to 20th-century published in spring 1918 and taking its cue from
music lies elsewhere, in cleansing the sonorous Satie’s 1917 Parade which had brought fresh air
palate of his time from the rich morsels left into the ballet scene. A sample of quips from Le
over from the 19th-century banquet. He also Coq gives a good idea of where the Nouveaux
had a soft spot for the young, and towards the Jeunes were now heading: ‘knowing how far to
go too far’, ‘a composer always has too many
end of the First World War became a mentor
GETTY, ALAMY to a group of budding composers whom, in notes on his keyboard’, ‘build me music I can
live in like a house’, ‘all music to be listened to
March 1918, he christened the Nouveaux Jeunes:


40 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

New notes: Picasso’s 1917 set design for Satie’s ballet
Parade which inspired Cocteau’s Le Coq et l’Arlequin (left)


head-in-hands is suspect’. Audacity, economy,
down-to-earthness and lightheartedness were
the new watchwords.
The first use of the name Les Six came in the
collaborative composition of the Album des 6 for
piano in the second half of 1919. There followed
an article ‘Young French Composers’ by Roussel
in an English magazine that October, before the
crucial one in the mainstream music journal
Comoedia by Henri Collet, ‘Les Cinq Russes, Les
Six Français et Erik Satie’ on 16 January 1920. A
follow-up article by Collet a week later used the
short title Les Six.
At this point, two misconceptions need to be
laid to rest. Firstly, that the group was in some
sense ordained by fate. Madeleine Milhaud,
the composer’s cousin and later wife, felt that
Roland-Manuel could easily have turned it
into Les Sept, as he subscribed in some degree
to the same Coctelian aesthetic. But then he
started taking lessons from Ravel so, for this
purpose, became persona non grata. The second
misconception is that among the group’s
members all was sweetness and light. Poulenc
later explained that ‘we never had an aesthetic
in common and our works were always different
from each other. With us, likes and dislikes
were always at odds. So, Honegger never liked
the music of Satie, and [Florent] Schmitt, whom
he admired, was a bête noire for Milhaud and
me.’ Likewise Honegger’s oratorio King David,
which in 1921 made a huge hit with the public,
is written off by Milhaud as ‘full of clichés and
fugal exercises from the classroom, thematic
developments, chorales and reach-me-down
formulae’. At the same time, he adds, Poulenc
and Auric are taxed with thinking only of
immediate success, to the point that the splash
made by King David is making them both ill.
Before looking at the music of Les Six in a
little more detail, it may be useful to consider
the social milieu they were working in. The
France of the early 1920s saw a questioning, in
a number of uncomfortable ways, of the old



BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 41

Les Six




































Casualties of war: (left) the graves
of French soldiers killed in the Battle
of the Marne in September 1914;
(above) poet and writer Guillaume
Apollinaire was wounded by shrapnel
in 1916 and died two years later;
(below) composer Erik Satie


‘‘ The future assumptions of what it was to be French. Some of and a ‘primitive’ text (‘Kati moko, mosi bolou/

this questioning arose directly from the war. The
Ratakou sira, polama!) made up and published
now belonged
by two pranksters. Looking for a teacher at the
heavy casualties (1.4 million killed) led in some
to the young, quarters to a refusal to subscribe to the ancient age of 18, he brought his score to a 54-year-old
notion of ‘la gloire’. Ideas about tradition and a
Conservatoire professor, Paul Vidal, who slung
with all its stable hierarchy struggled against memories of him out on his ear. Satie was sympathetic: ‘Never
mix “schools”: it leads to an explosion – quite
a war that had seen too many instances of gross
insouciance disobedience toward an officer class no longer understandably, in fact’. Poulenc followed
commanding automatic respect. The world of this with a Sonata for two clarinets in which
and bravado art could not expect to remain untouched by this they gurgle delightfully, and a Sonata for piano
’’ cataclysm. The poet Guillaume Apollinaire, who duet which starts with the primo player’s left


died in 1918 from Spanish flu and war wounds to
hand below the left hand of the secondo player,
his head, put it succinctly: ‘À la fin tu es las de ce
monde ancien’ – ‘when it comes to it, you’ve had enforcing a certain intimacy. A new spirit indeed.
Honegger meanwhile, in his 1918 orchestral
enough of that ancient world’. work Le Chant de Nigamon, used three authentic
While ‘that ancient world’ could be identified American Indian tunes. The work rivals
as that of the Greeks and Romans, it could as Rapsodie nègre in deliberate brutality but far
easily refer to pre-1914, with its head-in-hands surpasses it in contrapuntal interest. We find
obeisance before ‘high art’ and its catalogue of similar complexity in most of his Le Dit des
composers who were expected to wait their turn Jeux du Monde, but also any number of lyrical
and perhaps become rich and famous in their tunes. The second movement, for percussion
fifties or sixties, if they were lucky. No longer alone, takes its cue from Milhaud’s use of choir
– the future now belonged to the young, with plus unpitched percussion in his opera Les
all its insouciance and bravado. Indeed, Les Six Choéphores of 1915-16 – both passages speak
were lucky to be waiting in the wings of this life- of the charm of exotic cultures that was to
enhancing change of heart. France’s morale was mark Milhaud’s music over the next few years.
low: what it needed was to be cheered up. Between February 1917 and early ’19 he was in
As explained above, the six didn’t wait Rio de Janeiro as secretary to the playwright and
for Collet’s 1920 articles to respond to what diplomat Paul Claudel and was much struck by
Apollinaire defined as ‘l’esprit nouveau’. One of the music, and the jungle, he found round him.
the first was Poulenc, with his Rapsodie nègre, These influences fed into the ballets L’Homme et
premiered in December 1917. Today, of course, son désir and Le Boeuf sur le Toit of 1918 and 1919
this would be accused of ‘cultural appropriation’, and the Saudades do Brazil for piano of 1920.
even though Poulenc had not the faintest idea of Le Boeuf is built round a simple, catchy tune
what black music sounded like. Instead, he filled Milhaud picked up in Rio and he enjoys himself
the piece with ‘forbidden’ consecutive fifths presenting it in every one of the 12 major keys.

The Saudades proclaim the Cocteau message of
simplicity, their hummable melodies enlivened
by South American rhythms and spiced with
wrong notes – but not too many to cause alarm.
The final exotic influence on Milhaud was jazz.
His first taste of it came from black musicians
in London, but in 1922 he and a friend heard it
in its native Harlem: ‘the snobs and aesthetes
had not yet discovered Harlem: we were the only
whites there. The music I heard there, absolutely
different from what I knew, was a real revelation
for me.’ Under this impact he wrote what many
Grand ensemble: Cocteau at
consider his masterpiece, the ballet La Création the piano with (left to right)
du monde, premiered in 1923. If the magical, Milhaud, Auric, Honegger,
bittersweet world of the opening saxophone solo Tailleferre, Poulenc and Durey
can’t exactly be classed as cheering-up music, the
toe-tapping, blue-note fugue and its subsequent
development certainly can; the ending, with the Best of The Six works show Honegger at his most
inventive and energetic.
saxophone whispering a C-sharp against a D The French group’s finest music
major chord on strings, is pure genius. Auric Les Fâcheux and La Pastorale Milhaud La Création
The three composers mentioned above were Saarbrücken and Kaiserslautern du monde and Le
Boeuf sur le toit
the core of Les Six. Auric had his time in the German Radio Philharmonic/Poppen Tomoko Makuuchi
sun through the three ballets commissioned (Hänssler HAEN93265) (soprano), Jian Zhao
from him in the 1920s by Diaghilev. Thereafter, Auric’s ballets, written in the 1920s (mezzo), Mathias
following the critical mauling of his 1932 Piano for Diaghilev’s Ballets Russes, lend Vidal (tenor), Bernard Deletré
Sonata, he concentrated on film music, making new twists to ancient formulas. (bass), Orchestre National de Lille-
a fortune out of his contribution to the 1952 Durey Mélodies Région Nord/Casadesus
film Moulin Rouge, starring Zsa-Zsa Gabor. François Le Roux (Naxos 8.557287)
Tailleferre’s adherence to the ideals of the (baritone), Graham Milhaud turns jazz and South
Johnson (piano) American popular tunes into music
group was short-lived and, apart from a brief
experiment with serialism, her music adhered (Hyperion CDA67257) worthy of any concert hall.
Durey’s songs
very much to the graceful, charming tradition Poulenc Les Biches and Stabat Mater
include settings of Apollinaire’s Marlis Petersen (soprano),
the group claimed to supplant. Modestly, she Le Bestiaire, also set at the same
placed herself ‘among the little masters of the time by Poulenc. Stuttgart Southwest Radio
Vocal Ensemble, Stuttgart Radio
17th and 18th centuries’. But even she couldn’t Honegger Symphonies Nos 1-5, Symphony Orchestra/Denève
deny the popularity of her 1923 ballet Marchand Pacific 231 and Rugby (Hänssler HAEN93297)
d’oiseaux which, as Auric pointed out, attracted Bavarian Radio Symphony/Dutoit Poulenc at 24 mastering grace and
‘not just the élite and the snobs, but the great (Apex 2564626872) frivolity, and at 52 penning a lament
Paris public. That’s real success.’ Durey’s Covering over 30 years, these for a departed friend.
allegiance was even briefer, since he parted Tailleferre Ballade
company with his colleagues as early as 1921 over Florian Uhlig (piano),
their joint venture Les Mariés de la Tour Eiffel and Saarbrücken and
the rude comments they were currently making Kaiserslautern
about Ravel, his friend and mentor. German Radio
This ballet, premiered by the Ballets suédois in Phil/González
(SWR Music SWR19027CD)
June 1921, is the collaborative summit of Durey’s
This work’s virtuoso solo piano
five colleagues and their nose-thumbing at the
part helps position it in a more
musical Establishment (audience cries of ‘Give us
traditional French category.
our money back!’). Fairground tunes, sparkling
orchestration, crazy plot by Cocteau (a lion jumps Auric, Honegger, Milhaud, Poulenc,
Tailleferre Les Mariés de la Tour
out of a camera and eats a general), pastiche Eiffel and L’Éventail de Jeanne
(the funeral march is based on the waltz from Philharmonia/Geoffrey Simon
Gounod’s Faust), it has it all. ‘Of the many artistic (Chandos CHAN 10290X)
conspiracies I’ve been involved in,’ said Cocteau
GETTY, ALAMY years later, ‘this is the only one that hasn’t aged. Complete cycle: dancer Serge Lifar in After Les Mariés, L’Éventail is a
slightly less crazy work by three of
Why? Because we made no concessions.’
Les Six and five other composers.
Auric’s ballet La Pastorale in London, 1926

BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 43

The English organ






















Windsofchange











Over the centuries, social upheavals and changing

musical fashions have both ravaged and transformed


the English organ. Daniel Moult tells its story








hat does the term ‘English organ’ of stops were all that was required to accompany
conjure up in your mind? Rich or play alongside the choir. It could simply be
sounds in a generous acoustic, that they were not perceived as impressive
W underpinning a cathedral choir? enough to be saved from zealous Reformers.
The pomp and ceremony of a royal occasion In 1977, a man renovating his farmhouse in
or the Last Night of the Proms? Or maybe just Wetheringsett, Suffolk, was intrigued by a piece
background muzak to a church service or of timber that had served as a door in centuries
civic event: sometimes saccharine, sometimes gone by. Why did it have rows of grooves and
bombastic? The English organ has fulfilled all holes? Eventually it was identified as an organ Important principals:
of these functions and more, but it has its own soundboard (on which stood the pipes) dating the Royal Festival Hall’s
Harrison & Harrison;
musical significance, too. At its best, it is the from around 1525, which enabled organ builders (below) the 17th-century
medium of some of the finest national music Goetze and Gwynn to recreate a Tudor organ Adlington Hall organ
ever written, and its story is also a fascinating if in 2001. They were able to do this because the
quirky mirror of our musical and social history. soundboard of an organ tells you how many
Although the earliest known reference to an pipes and stops the organ had, and therefore
English organ dates from the tenth century, allows for a complete reconstruction.
when St Dunstan gave an organ to Malmesbury The resulting ‘Wetheringsett’ organ reveals
Abbey, nothing exists of an instrument in some fascinating aspects about organ playing of
unaltered form until the 1680s or so. But with the time. The very high pitch has implications
a bit of digging around, we can work out what as to how we perform solo pieces of Byrd et al
some of these earlier organs sounded like. And so on more recent instruments, suggesting that
our musical story begins in the 1520s. any piece using the whole tessitura of the organ
Our knowledge of the sort of organs played would have sounded nearly a fifth higher than
by Byrd and Tallis and the so-called ‘English notated. With that in mind, there’s no doubt that
virginalists’ was, until recently, limited to the Tudor organists would as a matter of course
odd surviving stop-list and much conjecture. have had to transpose accompaniments to
Why do no organs survive from this era? Sadly, match the choir’s pitch. And what did these
wanton destruction and changing tastes are to instruments sound like? It turns out that
blame. The 16th-century English Reformation English organs had a sound similar to southern
under Henry VIII saw the destruction or European ones, with a thin, overtone-heavy
terminal decline of many English organs. Unlike tone akin to a stringed instrument – nothing like
some of the impressive and relatively large the grand tone of those found in Germany and
organs found in mainland Europe’s churches the Netherlands.
and cathedrals at this time, English Tudor organs More destruction followed of those organs
GETTY were modest in size and expectation. A handful that had survived the Reformation, due to the




44 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

‘‘ The 16th- next significant upheaval: the English Civil War.


As Cromwellian puritanical zeal swept through
century English
the country, organs were once again under
Reformation saw pressure (although the hypocrisy of Cromwell
installing an organ in the Great Hall at Hampton
the destruction Court, for his own enjoyment and edification, is
telling). Distressing and reckless though these
or terminal times were, they did herald a new style of music
– and a new style of organ to match.
decline of many Organ builders such as Robert Dallam, who


English organs had been working in exile in northern France,
’’ institutions. The new organs built by Dallam
returned to construct organs for English

and his contemporaries were fitted with extra
gallic sounds: colourful trumpets, cremonas,
vox humanas, cornets, and mixture stops to
extend the harmonic series upwards. An extra
manual (creating the new ‘double organ’) began
to be more commonplace, and grew to be part of
the soundworld of Blow, Purcell and Locke:



BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 45

Tall storeys:
Coventry’s organ


Great sounds
Six vital English organs

The Wetheringsett Organ
(Goetze & Gwynn, 2001)
Golden tones:
This fascinating
the 1855 Henry
reconstruction (see main Willis in Liverpool’s
feature) tours around the St George’s Hall
UK and is a window onto
the Tudor soundworld.
Adlington Hall, Cheshire
(Anon, c1680) Englishness influenced by the French fashions musician Henry John Gauntlett, along with
Played by Handel, this of court life. Inevitably perhaps, with different the organ builder William Hill, spearheaded
instrument is as close musical expectations, pitch standards and the a revolution to provide new organs with the
as we can get to a post- like, earlier 16th-century organs were neglected ‘German’ compass (ie a full pedal division and
Restoration experience for and replaced with something more fashionable. an abandonment of the old English extended low
the music of Purcell and
his generation. The 18th century saw a move to a more refined notes on the manuals). Despite the arrival of such
and understated tone, along with an extra instruments, English organists were still reticent
Christ Church, Spitalfields, dynamic flexibility in small ‘swell’ divisions, to use the pedals. It was only in the latter decades
London (Bridge, 1735)
This impressive, elegant but essentially the English organ did not notably of the century (thanks to the likes of WT Best
organ, restored in 2015 by change in its conception and basic elements and Sir John Stainer) that pedalling was widely
William Drake, epitomises until the 1840s. Hints of what were to come can regarded as an essential part of organ technique.
the 18th century. Ideal for be found in the fine 1829 Bishop organ of St The stage was set for the emergence of an
Handel and Stanley. James’s, Bermondsey, London (then the largest organ builder who moulded the English style into
Truro Cathedral (Willis, 1887) church organ in England): there are some aids to something bolder, louder and more distinctive:
From a seemingly different changing the stops while playing, a broadening the great craftsman and engineer Henry Willis.
musical universe, the of the tonal palette and a slight loudening of After his impressive debut at the Great Exhibition
confidence and engineering the sound. And its pedals – viewed with either of 1851, resulting in an important contract
prowess of the 19th disinterest or suspicion by many of the English at St George’s Hall, Liverpool, Willis built
century is abundantly clear organ fraternity of the time – were duplicated by significant organs in major English cathedrals,
in this excellent organ. an extra manual at the side, allowing for a second concert rooms and town halls. The Victorian
The Caird Hall, Dundee player to perform the pedal line. organist entertained large audiences with
(Harrison & Harrison, 1923) But why? The discovery of JS Bach’s organ orchestral transcriptions, extracts of Bach and
Instruments reached their works was quickly changing English organ the occasional original piece of Mendelssohn,
apogee in the 19th-century culture as his music required a full pedal Smart or Parry, while towns and cities saw the
orchestral style of organ,
such as the fine example division. As early as 1809, composer Samuel commissioning of a large, new organ as a matter
in this imposing city hall. Wesley had collaborated with Charles Frederick of civic pride. The English organ was reaching
Horn in editing and publishing Bach’s six the public in ways not seen since Handel’s organ
Coventry Cathedral
(Harrison & Harrison, 1962) organ trio sonatas (the first time all six had concertos mesmerised London theatre goers and
Coventry Cathedral’s been published anywhere, albeit for piano Vauxhall promenaders a century earlier.
acclaimed organ is the duet/three hands). This new appetite for Bach It was perhaps inevitable that this orchestral
musical godfather of post- was ignited further by Mendelssohn’s long bent was to drive the English organ to its next
war British organ design. visits to Britain, starting in 1829. The lawyer- stage, of ever-closer imitation of orchestral



46 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

The English organ




























Tudor clues: the 16th-century Wetheringsett soundboard



inspired organ. Jeans tutored and mentored
a significant number of the next generation,
though, which encouraged the gradual move
post-WWII towards instruments built for an
earlier repertoire. It was not until 1954 with the
then controversial Royal Festival Hall organ
and its smaller cousin in Brompton Oratory, and
later still in 1965 with an imported mechanical-
Side support:the manual set-up
at St James’s, Bermondsey; action Danish (Frobenius) organ at The Queen’s
(below) organist Daniel Moult College, Oxford, that the culture started to
change significantly. The ‘authentic’ realisation
of JS Bach and earlier repertoire, already firmly
established in mainland Europe, became the
colours, an expanding dynamic range and cornerstone of this new English world.
flexibility, and a refining of tonal blend for a Today we’re still living with some of the fruits
greater range of registrational options. The man of this movement, both in terms of organs and
who first developed such ideas with a zeal and musical thought, but the pendulum has swung
an engineering confidence was Robert Hope- again. Current new English organs are often
Jones. Hope-Jones emigrated to the US in 1903 eclectic in nature – they are often in places where
to seek his fortune where, despite the tragedy choral accompaniment of the likes of Stanford
of his suicide in 1914, his ideas formed the basis and Howells is a big part of the diet – although
of Wurlitzer’s cinema organs. This same ethos fine copies have been made of earlier (usually
informed early 20th-century English organ English) styles from the Tudor to the Victorian.
culture, where organs by Harrison & Harrison, So what of the future? Both the strength and
Hill, Norman & Beard, John Compton and others weakness of the English organ has been its strong
often took refinement and blend to a new level – link with liturgical choral accompaniment,
and occasionally at the expense of character. despite the popularity of the town hall solo
This is the soundworld associated with Howells, tradition and a secular presence over the
Whitlock, Harris and others (even though many The English centuries. In places where that choral tradition
prominent organists of that generation presided ‘‘ has collapsed, too many English institutions
over organs of a more Victorian pedigree). organ was have installed a substitute fake organ, or none at
Meanwhile, while English organists and all. Perhaps it is no coincidence that Russia, Japan
their audiences basked in smooth sounds and reaching the and South Korea attract large audiences for organ
orchestral effects, the winds of change were public in concerts, as they do not associate the instrument
blowing in Germany. The early music revival with churches, liturgies and choirs. The English
was taking root in the 1920s: the so-called ways not seen organ will doubtless continue to live alongside
‘Praetorius’ organ built by Walcker in 1921 at our choirs, but we also need to learn to appreciate
the University of Freiburg signalled a new way since Handel’s the solo repertoire and associated instruments
ahead, despite its electro-pneumatic key actions. organ concertos for their own sakes, and to encourage the musical
England, however, seemed uninterested or enjoyment of this fine corpus of music. If we can
unaware of these tonal trends. The 1937 Eule mesmerised succeed in this, the English organ should be set to
organ commissioned by Lady Susi Jeans for her flourish for a very long time.
private Surrey residence (with the mechanical London Fugue State Films’s three-part documentary
action made by Hill, Norman & Beard) was to ‘The English Organ’, presented by Daniel Moult,
remain an isolated instance of a new, classically ’’ is out now. See fuguestatefilms.co.uk for details



BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 47

FIFTEEN OF NOTE



15 categories of conductor








Studying great maestros past and present, Jeremy Pound gives a

spotters’ guide to character types regularly seen on the podium



ILLUSTRATION: DAVID LYTTLETON




hat is the point of Firebrands Pierre Monteux was always adored, as was
a conductor?’ is a 2 Hell hath no fury like a maestro ‘glorious’ John Barbirolli, whose 27 years at
question that is often miffed. Victor de Sabata and Georg the Hallé are fondly remembered not just
‘W asked. And a daft Solti (‘The Screaming Skull’) regularly for his performances on the stage but also
question it is too. While it’s true that most exploded with rage as, infamously, did for his genial company – cigarette in one
half-decent orchestras and choirs can get Arturo Toscanini. Audio footage exists hand, Scotch in the other – off it.
comfortably from one end of a piece to of the Italian losing his rag with his
the other without someone waving their players in rehearsal, but he could be just Singers
arms in front of them, the huge range of as irascible in concert. ‘Toscanini got 5 Barbirolli didn’t just conduct. He often
interpretations that have emerged over furious,’ remembered Palestine Symphony liked to sing along as well – listen carefully
the years tells us exactly what a conductor Orchestra violinist Felix Galimir about to some of his recordings and you’ll hear
is there for. And think just how dull the one occasion in 1936; ‘while he conducted, his own dulcet tones added to the rich
musical world would be if conductors he cursed, he threw dagger-glances at the orchestral texture. He was not alone. With
didn’t exist. From the showy to the shy, poor trumpeter, who was dying with fear; contributions varying from occasional
the fierce to the friendly, the manic to the he continued to curse all the time while we grunts to full-blown melodies, other
mundane, all help to bring their own bit played the rest of the symphony. Then he conductor-crooners include Toscanini,
of colour to the concert hall. Here, in our rushed out, kicking over the music stands… Colin Davis and Benjamin Britten.
brief guide, we present 15 varieties of this and didn’t come back on stage again. The
fascinating beast… interval lasted an hour and a half.’ Dancers
6 Some conductors sing, others like to
Tyrants Wits and wags dance, using every inch of the podium and

1 In the early decades of the 20th 3 Thomas Beecham had a rapier wit, every part of their body to express their
century – often referred to as the ‘golden which he sometimes directed at his own feel for the rhythm. Leonard Bernstein
age’ of conducting – so revered were the players. Anyone was a potential target, knew how to move his feet, ditto the hip-
top maestros that they could act pretty though. ‘A musicologist is a man who can swivelling Venezuelan Gustavo Dudamel.
much how they pleased. And many did read music but can’t hear it,’ he declared, And CBSO audiences will by now be
just that. Demanding and stubborn, they while ‘Brass bands are all very well in their familiar with the terpsichorean tendencies
were often dictatorial with their players, place – outdoors and several miles away.’ of Mirga Grazynite-Tyla. In fact, when
instilling reigns of terror and hiring and Nadia Boulanger’s sense of humour was conducting Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto
firing at will. The Hungarians George Szell gentler. Quizzed about the unusualness early in 2019, the Lithuanian even took off
and Fritz Reiner and Dutchman Willem of being a female conductor, she replied: her shoes to aid her on-stage shuffling.
Mengelberg were notorious in this respect, ‘I have been a woman for a little over 50
while so ferocious was Artur Rodzinski, a years, and have got over my astonishment.’ Non-movers
Pole, that it was widely rumoured that he 7 In contrast to the dancers are
conducted with a loaded revolver in his Godfathers conductors who move scarcely a muscle –
pocket. Those rumours may well, in fact, 4 Not all conductors are acid-tongued, Richard Strauss, for instance, was almost
have been true. Some said it was just his fire-breathing monsters. Some even get on a study in stillness in his later years. Fritz
GETTY good luck charm; others weren’t so sure. well with their players. The warm-hearted Reiner also kept things to a minimum,




48 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

Fifteen categories of conductor




























































































































BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE 49

Fifteen categories of conductor











as one player made a joke about to his cost baton in front of one. While some confine
– on tour with the Pittsburgh Symphony themselves to musical matters, others
Orchestra in 1938, double bassist Gerald – not least Bernstein’s own protégée
Greenberg decided it would be amusing to Marin Alsop – have proved powerful
buy a telescope and, mid-rehearsal, pull it commentators on far wider issues.
out and focus on the maestro. Big mistake.
Greenberg was sacked soon after. Control freaks
13 Carlos Kleiber was an infrequent
Baton wielders performer. Or, as Karajan put it: ‘Carlos

8 One way to avoid having to move tells me, “I conduct only when I’m hungry”.
much yet still give a clear beat is to use a And it’s true. He has a deep-freeze. He fills
very long baton. Arthur Nikisch knew this, it up and cooks for himself, and when it
as did his pupil Adrian Boult, wielder of a gets down to a certain level, then he thinks
21-inch weapon. ‘I watched Nikisch very “Now I might do a concert”.’ When Kleiber
carefully,’ recalled Boult on TV in 1971, did conduct, however, nothing was left to
‘and I realised that he was inherently a very chance. With an intimate knowledge of the
lazy man, as I am. But I saw that he was score, he would require hours of rehearsal,
doing far more with his fingers than most polishing every semi-quaver. And his
conductors, with the result that the stick musicians utterly adored him for it.
was a much more expressive thing. It was
said at the time that if you shut Nikisch up Youngsters
in a glass box and asked him to conduct 14 With top positions at orchestras
anything, you’d be able to tell at the end of Herbert von Karajan and opera houses today regularly filled by
ten bars what he was conducting.’ those still in their 20s, the familiar quip
was music’s most about bus drivers looking younger than

Handy types they used to could apply to conductors too.
9 And some use no baton at all. Leopold photogenic maestro, Youthful maestros are not an entirely new
Stokowski and Pierre Boulez never felt the and didn’t he know it phenomenon, though. Many years before
need to wave a stick, while Otto Klemperer he turned scary (see No. 1), George Szell
started with one before going baton-free was impressing the great and good as a
for 30 years, only picking it up again at the maverick approach to the score was teenager of formidable talents, conducting
age of 82. Countless choral conductors also matched by hair of much the same the Berlin Phil at 17 and taking part in the
like to let their hands do the work, shaping mindset, and Simon Rattle’s fuzzy barnet first ever recording of Strauss’s Don Juan
the sound with all manner of weird and brought him instant recognisability from a year later. Mind you, Szell was ancient
wonderful – and, frankly, sometimes the outset. Spare a thought, meanwhile, for compared to Lorin Maazel, who conducted
unfollowable – gestures. Brussels Philharmonic maestro Stéphane Schubert’s ‘Unfinished’ Symphony for the
Denève, who must spend a fortune on first time at just eight years old.
Style icons hair gel trying to get his unruly ginger

10 Malcolm ‘Flash Harry’ Sargent locks under control before stepping out on Veterans
loved looking smart in tie and tails. As stage… only for them inevitably to escape 15 Many are the maestros who have
did Herbert von Karajan – the German and be roaming free within but a few bars. carried on well into their 80s and 90s,
was music’s most photogenic maestro, bringing years of insight and experience
and didn’t he just know it. Whether on the Communicators to the podium. A special mention must
podium, in the studio or at the controls 12 Once upon a time, conductors were be made here, however, for Stanis!aw
of his plane, Karajan was always happy largely regarded as lofty and imperious, Skrowaczewski. In 2010, Skrowaczewski
to pose for a snap or several , so just to be kept out of reach of the hoi polloi. was due to travel from his home in
imagine his delight when he was officially Leonard Bernstein was having none of Poland for a concert with the Hallé in
named Vienna’s Best Dressed Man in the that. Through his educational broadcasts Manchester, but the recent eruption of
1970s. All the more strange, then, that he from the 1950s, he introduced the art the Eyjafjallajökull volcano in Iceland
requested to be buried not in his concert- of the maestro, and classical music in had grounded all flights. Most conductors
hall best, but in his tracksuit. general, to millions of TV viewers in the would have seen this as a reasonable
US. André Previn then carried on the good excuse to cancel. Not Stan. Instead, he
Hair bears work on this side of the Pond, and today hired cars to drive him the 800 miles
11 If you can’t look sleek and stylish, the conducting world is choc-a-bloc with (plus Channel crossing) to his destination,
wild and woolly is often the next best those who are as comfortable speaking arriving just in time for a quick rehearsal
option. Willem Mengelberg’s occasionally to an audience as they are wielding the before show time. He was 86 at the time.



50 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE

A NEW CYCLE





APRIL - MAY 2020





SIR ANDREW DAVIS CONDUCTOR

SIR DAVID POUNTNEY DIRECTOR





“Full of entertaining touches

and striking imagery.”

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triumph on all fronts.”

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MUSICAL DESTINATIONS


Megève France






Under the towering presence of Mont Blanc, Freya Parr visits a quiet


town’s eclectic new festival celebrating music, art, food and cinema































ucked away in the shadow of Mont
Blanc in the French Alps – right
T on the border of Switzerland and
Italy – is the charming town of Megève.
In winter, it’s a haven of snow sports,
with some of the best ski slopes in Europe
and the largest indoor sports centre the
Alps has to offer. In the summer months,
however, the hustle and bustle die down.
What’s left is a lush green mountain range
with views up to Mont Blanc, a thriving
hiking community and, as of 2018, a music
festival with a bit of a difference.
The peculiarly named Megève Festival
Savoy Truffle is so called because of its
region – Savoy – and takes its inspiration
from the 1968 song of that title by The
Beatles, a band renowned for their
commitment to a blend of musical styles.
Festival director and former Verbier
executive Guido Houben explains why
The Beatles encompassed everything
he was trying to achieve with his new
festival: ‘They made innovative music of
the highest quality incorporating elements
of various genres – classical music, jazz,

Here comes the sun: rhythm and blues – which is exactly what
Mont Blanc looms over this festival aims to do.’
Megève; (above) The Unlike the raft of other music festivals
Beatles, who inspired
the festival’s name in the area – including Megève’s major jazz
festival, which takes place every spring



52 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE