Resident Orchestra of Fairfield, Croydon

Saturday 9 October 20107.30pm

Fairfield Halls, Croydon

Gérard Korsten conductorMaximilian Hornung cello

ravelLe Tombeau de Couperin

ScHuMannConcerto for Cello in A minor, Op. 129

MOzartSerenade in D No. 9, K320 Posthorn

www.lmp.org

Members of the audience are reminded that it is prohibited to smoke in the auditorium or take sound recordings or photographs in any part of the performance. Any noises such as whispering, coughing, rustling of sweet papers and the beeping of digital watches are very distracting to the performers and fellow audience members. Please make sure mobile phones or pagers are switched off during the performance. In accordance with the London Borough of Croydon, members of the audience will not be permitted to stand or sit in any of the gangways. If standing is permitted in the gangways or the sides and the rear of the seating, it will be limited to the numbers exhibited in those positions.LMP and Fairfield Croydon are registered charities.

The LMP is funded by the London Borough of Croydon

Please join us after the concert for a mingling in the central foyer. This a great opportunity to chat with tonight's soloist, conductor and members of the orchestra.

Founded by Harry Blech in 1949 as the UK’s first chamber orchestra, the London Mozart Players (LMP) is regarded as one of the UK’s finest ensembles. Under the leadership of Music Director Gérard Korsten the orchestra is internationally renowned for its outstanding live performances and CD recordings and particularly known for its definitive performances of the core Classical repertoire. The LMP also plays an active part in contemporary music, giving many world premières and commissioning new works, especially of British composers. In recent years, the LMP has premièred new works by composers including Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, Tarik O’Regan, Sally Beamish, Cecilia McDowall, Lynne Plowman, Fraser Trainer and Roxanna Panufnik.

Since 1989, the LMP’s home has been Fairfield Halls, Croydon, thanks to generous funding from the London Borough of Croydon. This residency includes a series of subscription concerts at the halland numerous education and community activities throughout the borough.

Touring is a major part of the orchestra’s schedule, with regular appearances at festivals and concert series throughout the UK and abroad. It is Orchestra in Association of The Anvil, Basingstoke and Turner Sims Concert Hall, Southampton and has strong relationships with other major UK venues. Overseas, the LMP has recently visited Spain, Belgium and France. A tour through Germany is planned for December 2010.

The 2010/11 season marks the start of conductor Gérard Korsten’s three-year term as the LMP’s fifth Music Director, continuing the strong Classical tradition developed by Andrew Parrott, Matthias Bamert and Jane Glover. The season sees the orchestra continuing to work with established artists including Howard Shelley, Joseph Swensen and Chloë Hanslip, whilst building new relationships with bright new stars including Catrin Finch and Francesco Piemontesi. The LMP’s new association

with Korsten also sees the introduction of some of the best European soloists to our Fairfield season.

The LMP has developed an extensive and highly regarded education, community and audience development programme, and is particularly committed to developing new audiences in outer London boroughs as well as rural areas across the nation. It had a residency for over nine years in the East Lindsey District region of Lincolnshire, generating a huge following for live classical music in the area; a similar association with South Holland District Council allows the orchestra to reach into the heart of the Fenland communities. Working with educational institutions also brings inspiring and valued relationships, providing a professional grounding for young musicians, and the LMP is associated with Royal Holloway University of London, Wellington College, Portsmouth Grammar School and the Whitgift Foundation Schools in Croydon. Other ventures include visiting care homes, presentations in SureStart centres and concert demonstrations in primary and secondary schools.

The LMP receives project funding from Arts Council England, Orchestras Live and the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames. In addition, the LMP receives grants from trusts, foundations and many individuals, particularly the Friends of the LMP in Croydon.

Recording has played a major part in the orchestra’s life for many years. Its acclaimed Contemporaries of Mozart series with Matthias Bamert for Chandos numbers over 20 CDs to date, with the latest release of Boccherini proving a success with the critics. A recording with Canadian pianist Alain Lefèvre of works by Mendelssohn, Shostakovich and Mathieu for Analekta was awarded a Canadian Juno Award in 2010.

www.lmp.org

lOndOn MOzart playerS

first violinsMarieke Blankestijn Susanna Candlin Nicoline KraamwinkelAnn Criscuolo Catherine Van de GeestBeatrix Lovejoy Julia BarkerFreddie August

second violinsJenny Godson David Angel Jeremy MetcalfeJayne SpencerStephen RouseAnna Harpham

violasJessica BeestonMichael PosnerMatthew Quenby Emily Marsden

cellosSebastian Comberti Julia DesbruslaisSarah ButcherBen Rogerson

bassesTim AmherstAndy Marshall

flutesJuliette BausorRobert Manasse

oboesGareth Hulse Katie Clemmow

clarinetsAngela Malsbury Margaret Archibald

bassoonsSarah BurnettRobert Porter

hornsChristopher NewportTony Catterick

trumpetsPaul Archibald Peter Wright

percussionBen Hoffnung

harpSkaila Kanga

playerS

www.lmp.org

patronHRH The Earl of Wessex KG, KCVO

music directorGérard Korsten

associate conductorHilary Davan Wetton

council of management

acting chairmanRowan Freeland

chair of the audit committeeRosamund Sykes

Daniel BentonSimon FunnellGillian PerkinsSarah Ross GoobeyDavid WechslerMalcolm Wicks MP

administration

managing directorSimon Funnell

deputy managing directorJo Towler

general managerDavid Wilson

development managerElinor Browne

marketing managerFemke de Vos Burchart

concerts & project managerDeborah Guest

orchestral librarianAnna BinneyMartin Sargeson (maternity cover)

internCaroline Molloy

London Mozart PlayersSuite 26Suffolk HouseCollege RoadCroydonCR0 1PE

T: 020 8686 1996F: 020 8686 2187E: info@lmp.orgW: www.lmp.org

Registered in EnglandNo. 18720034

Registered CharityNo. 290833

ManaGeMent

OrcHeStra

www.lmp.org

Born in South Africa, Gérard Korsten began his career as a violinist after studying with Ivan Galamian at the Curtis Institute and with Sándor Végh in Salzburg. Following his studies in the US and Europe he became Concertmaster and Assistant Music Director of the Camerata Salzburg and later Concertmaster of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe from 1987 to 1996 when he left the COE to concentrate on conducting. In September 2010 he started his three-year term as Music Director of the London Mozart Players.

He held positions of Principal Conductor of the State Theatre in Pretoria and the Uppsala Chamber Orchestra before he was appointed Music Director of the Orchestra del Teatro Lirico di Cagliari from 1999 to 2005. In Cagliari he conducted the first Italian performances of Richard Strauss’s Die ägyptische Helena, Weber’s Euryanthe, Delius’s A Village Romeo and Juliet and Schubert’s Alfonso und Estrella, as well as productions of the core operatic repertoire including Die Zauberflöte, Don Giovanni, Lucia di Lammermoor, Carmen, Die Fledermaus, Tosca, Aïda, The Barber of Seville and Don Pasquale.

Since then Gérard Korsten has appeared in most notable opera houses and concert halls around Europe, including Teatro La Scala Milan (Le nozze di Figaro), Maggio Musicale Florence (Cosí fan tutte), Teatro Reggio di Parma (La Sonnambula), Teatro Lirico Verdi Trieste (Don Pasquale and La Fille du Regiment), Opéra de Lyon (Ariadne auf Naxos, Henze’s L’Upupa und der Triumph der Sohnesliebe, Siegfried and La Traviata), Royal Swedish Opera (Don Giovanni), Netherlands Opera (Cosí fan tutte),

English National Opera (Aida) and Glyndebourne Festival Opera (Albert Herring).

His past symphonic engagements have included concerts with the Budapest Festival Orchestra, Salzburg Mozarteum, Orchestra Sinfonica Nazionale della Rai Turin, Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie, Swedish Radio Symphony, Yomiuri Nippon and Melbourne Symphony orchestras. Among his recordings are the CD of Tchaikovsky’s Serenade and Souvenir de Florence with the Chamber Orchestra of Europe on Deutsche Grammophon, Die ägyptische Helena, Euryanthe and Alfonso und Estrella with the Orchestra del Teatro Lirico di Cagliari on CD and DVD with Dynamic, as well as a DVD recording of Don Pasquale released on TDK.

Highlights of recent and forthcoming engagements include concerts with the Academy of St Martin in the Fields at the Beijing Festival, Bamberg Symphony, Leipzig Gewandhaus, SWR Sinfonieorchester Baden Baden & Freiburg and the Hong Kong Philharmonic.

Gérard Korsten is currently Principal Conductor of the Symphonieorchester Vorarlberg Bregenz.

Gérard KOrStenConductor

© M

arco Borggreve

www.lmp.org

Born in 1986 in Augsburg, Germany, Maximilian Hornung began taking cello lessons when he was eight years old. In 1995 he became a pupil of Eldar Issakadze, later continuing his studies with Thomas Grossenbacher in Zurich and David Geringas in Berlin. Since winning First Prize in the German Music Competition in 2005, he has appeared in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Rheingau, Heidelberg, Kissingen, Ludwigsburg, Ravinia, Verbier, Gstaad, Davos and Delft music festivals as well as performing at the Konzerthaus and Philharmonie Berlin, Vienna Konzerthaus, KKL Lucerne, Tonhalle in Zurich, Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, Gewandhaus in Leipzig, Herkulessaal in Munich and London’s Wigmore Hall.

He is a passionate chamber musician and performs with artists including Christian Tetzlaff, Lisa Batiashvili, François Leleux, Mischa Maisky, Lynn Harrell, Milana Chernyavska and Paul Rivinius. He is a member of the Tecchler Trio, with whom he has won several prizes at many competitions.

As a soloist he performs regularly with orchestras including the Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra, Bavarian and Berlin Radio symphony orchestras, Tchaikovsky Symphony Orchestra of Moscow, Orchestre Philharmonique de Monte Carlo, Staatsphilharmonie Rheinland-Pfalz as well as the Southwest German, Wuerttemberg and Munich chamber orchestras.

His debut CD including works for cello and piano had been published by the label Genuin and has won the French Classique-Info Ring prize. Another CD with romantic cello sonatas has been released, as well as the release of the world première

recording of Yehudi Wyner’s Cello Concerto together with the Odense Symphony Orchestra on Bridge Records.

Maximilian Hornung is Principal Cellist of the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, under the musical direction of Mariss Jansons, and he receives intensive support of the Anne-Sophie Mutter Foundation. In March 2010 he was signed to Sony Classical as an Exclusive Artist and will release his first album in Autumn 2010.

MaxiMilian HOrnunGCello

© Felix Broede

I PreludeII ForlaneIII MenuetIV Rigaudon

Although being performed today as a four-part orchestral suite, the original version of Le Tombeau de Couperin was not conceived in this way. Instead, when Ravel first wrote it between 1914 and 1917, he created a six-part piano suite with each movement dedicated to a different friend of his, who had fallen in World War I. Ravel himself did not undertake armed combat having been rejected from the Air Force on grounds of health, but instead drove a lorry as part of the Motor Transport Corps. He was still deeply affected by the war, his feelings deepened by the loss of his mother in 1917, whom he had come to rely on. Although these pieces do not appear directly mournful, it can perhaps be argued that the choice of instruments, particularly the prominence of the double reed, creates a slightly melancholic tone among the more lively textures. Perhaps the pieces are meant to be remembrances of the lives of his friends rather than laments for their deaths.

The suite itself is seen as a homage to 18th century French music, hence the title 'The Tomb of Couperin'. Ravel’s embracing of the 18th century was part of a wider trend in France at the time to look back towards the Golden Age of Louis XIV, a time when the country was united and powerful. Rather than being pure imitation, however, the work has a definite neoclassical twist to it with each movement combining elements of the baroque era with more 20th century features. Throughout the work, contemporary style harmonies such as major 7ths feature while there is also an impressionistic texture created at times, through the use of the shimmering harp glissandos and harmonics. These fit into the more traditional baroque setting that Ravel creates, among other ways, through the use of clear and structured forms and by the imitation of sounds from the time. For example, the Menuet

contains an imitation of the sound of a musette, a small bagpipe with a soft sound played by bellows. This instrument was extremely popular in 18th century France. The second movement, Forlane, also features the rhythm and articulation of a historical dance of the same name, used by Couperin in one of his Concerts Royaux. The dance is very structured but with a syncopated feel to it that adds interest. In this movement, it is the rhythm not the melody that is important.

The final movement, Rigaudon, is also named after a popular 18th century French dance. The movement is split into two halves with the bright Riguadon taking up the first half before a simpler C minor section takes over. The Riguadon returns at the end to finish the work.

© Roz Surtees

www.lmp.org

Maurice ravel (1875–1937)

Le Tombeau de Couperin

Ravel

www.lmp.org

I Nicht zu schnell II Langsam III Sehr lebhaft

Born in Zwickau in 1810, the son of a bookseller, publisher and writer, Robert Schumann showed an early interest in literature, and was to make a name for himself in later years as a writer and editor of the Neue Zeitschrift fur Musik, a journal launched in 1834.

After a period at university, to satisfy the ambitions of his widowed mother, while still showing the wide interests of a dilettante, Schumann turned more fully to music under the tuition of Friedrich Wieck, a famous teacher whose energies had been largely directed towards the training of his daughter Clara, a pianist of prodigious early talent. The romance that led in 1840 to their marriage, in spite of the bitter opposition of Wieck, was followed by a period in which Clara’s career as a pianist had, in some way, to be reconciled with her husband’s ambitions and the demands of a growing family. A weakness in the fingers had caused Schumann to give up the idea of becoming a virtuoso pianist, but he drew attention as a writer on musical matters and, increasingly, as a composer.

As a genre, the cello concerto had languished since Haydn and Boccherini in the late 18th century. Though important composers continued to write important cello sonatas, very few concertos were written until the middle of the 19th century, and none of note have survived in the repertoire. The reason for the genre’s eclipse has much to do with the growth in size and dynamic power of the orchestra, to a point where it was considered that the cello, with its modest tone and predominantly middle-to-low tessitura, would be unable to project itself effectively against the powerful, colourful massed voices of the Romantic orchestra.

Schumann wrote his Cello Concerto in 1850, describing it in his own list of compositions as a Konzertstuck, possibly because of its comparatively modest scale and the way the three movements are run together into a fantasia-like continuum. He rehearsed the work in 1851-52, which gave him ample opportunity for revision, balancing the orchestra’s contribution against the solo part, all of which was incorporated in the score published in 1854. By that time Schumann’s reason had given way and he was confined in the sanatorium at Endenich, where he died two years later. Meanwhile, his Cello Concerto remained unperformed. It received its public première in Leipzig in June 1860, and did not secure its place in the repertoire until the early 20th century. Schumann famously detested applause between movements, so the concerto has no gaps between the movements.

Schumann’s orchestration is notably discreet, especially in his sparing use of trumpets and percussion. Three introductory wind chords are all the preparation necessary for the soloist’s superb first-subject melody, which continues in prominence until the first orchestral tutti, answered by a further solo. The rhapsodic material is developed, the solo theme re-appearing in F sharp minor before the recapitulation in the original key, with the secondary theme now in A major. There is an expressive slow movement where the melody is embellished with plangent double-stopped thirds, and brief reminiscences of the principal themes of both movements before the launching of the finale, with arpeggios that form part of the cello theme, the basis of the movement, which leads to an accompanied cadenza and an emphatic conclusion.

© Elizabeth Boulton

rObert ScHuMann(1810–1856)

concerto for cello in a minor, Op. 129

interval

www.lmp.org

I Adagio maestoso – Allegro con spiritoII Menuetto allegretto – Trio – AllegrettoIII Concertante – Andante graziosoIV Rondo – Allegro ma non troppoV AndantinoVI Menuetto – Trio I – Menuetto – Trio II – MenuettoVII Finale – Presto

By the mid 1770s, Mozart had begun to withdraw from the court at Salzburg, exasperated with the unpopular Archbishop Hieronymus Colloredo, competition with Italian musicians, who were better paid than local ones, and a frustrating inability to fulfil the promise he showed by gaining a position more gratifying. Although he continued to compose church music – albeit with little enthusiasm – he began to establish himself as the chief composer of instrumental and secular vocal music, in contradiction to the Salzburg fashions of the archdiocese and musical taste. Eventually, in quest of a better position, Mozart left Salzburg in 1777, spending time at Mannheim and moving thereafter to Paris. In addition to his rich musical experiences on that journey, Mozart experienced two events that had a particularly strong emotional effect on him. In Mannheim he fell in love with the soprano Aloysia Weber, who rejected his advances (Mozart married her sister Constanze four years later); in Paris he experienced his first personal tragedy in the unexpected death of his mother. By the beginning of 1779 he was back again in Salzburg, reinstated in the service of the Archbishop, but still resisting the confines of his position.

During the course of his career Mozart found many demands for music of a lighter, more flexible, kind of entertainment for high-class social gatherings. The so-called Posthorn Serenade, K320, was completed on 3rd August 1779 in Salzburg and was

the last of many serenades that Mozart composed in Salzburg. It has, with its seven movements, elements of both a symphony and a concerto, showing Mozart’s disregard for terminology and rigid musical forms. It is thought to have been written to mark the end of the academic year at the University. The posthorn was a particularly appropriate instrument to mark the departure of the students from the University, its sound forever associated with departure.

The music begins with a grand opening gesture that then moves into a lively Allegro. The slow introduction returns to usher in the recapitulation. The second movement is a grand but stately minuet with a gently flowing trio. The third movement is a Concertante and, paired with the fourth movement, the Rondeau, was presented as a sinfonia concertante on several occasions by Mozart. Both movements display music of endearing charm, with enchanting interplay between strings and the four pairs of wind instruments. As with any concertante work, Mozart includes cadenzas for the winds.

The fifth movement paints a considerably graver picture. It is the most extended of the seven movements; its sober melancholy is broken up by contented interjections from the winds, while the middle section is filled with dynamic contrasts and quiet contemplation overwhelmed by anguished outbursts. This darkness is cast aside by the cheerful, optimistic minuet, interrupted by two trios which present, unusually, the flautino (here played on the piccolo) and the eponymous posthorn, respectively. The work closes with a rich finale, the music at turns stirring, lovely and majestic, and through which Mozart said farewell himself to Salzburg as a favoured local composer.

© Elizabeth Boulton

wOlfGanG aMadeuS MOzart(1756–1791)

Serenade in d no. 9, K320 Posthorn

Have you enjoyed tonight's concert? we'd appreciate your comments on comments@lmp.org or call 020 8686 1996.

www.lmp.org

fOrtHcOMinG lMp cOncertS fairfield HallS, crOydOn020 8688 9291

Saturday 13 november 7.30pm

STRAVINSKY Pulcinella SuiteMOZART Piano Concerto No. 25, K503BRAHMS Serenade No. 1

Conductor Gérard KorstenPiano Francesco Piemontesi

Saturday 11 december 7.30pm

MARSH Symphony No. 7 La ChasseMOZART Concerto for Flute and Harp, K299PURCELL Suite from Dido and AeneasBEETHOVEN Romance No. 2WEBER Symphony No. 1

Conductor David SternFlute Juliette BausorHarp Catrin FinchViolin David Juritz

wednesday 19 January 7.30pm

KODÁLY Dances of GalantaRODRIGO Concierto de AranjuezMENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 3 Scottish

Conductor Jaime MartínGuitar Jadran Duncumb

Saturday 19 february 7.30pm

BARTÓK Romanian DancesDVOŘÁK Violin ConcertoPIAZZOLLA Melody in A minor & TangoMOZART Symphony No. 36, K425 Linz

Conductor Joseph WolfeViolin Chloë Hanslip

www.lmp.org

wOuld yOu liKe tO MaKe a laStinG dOnatiOn tO tHe lMp?

Many people don’t realise that orchestras are charities, but just like other charitable organisations, we rely heavily on donations to keep the music alive, especially as we are no longer publicly funded by Arts Council England. There are various ways in which you can support our work; perhaps becoming a Friend of the LMP, sponsoring an orchestra chair or considering remembering us in your will. This is a particularly effective way of supporting the orchestra as a charitable gift through a will is not subject to inheritance tax.

Support a chairThe LMP is made up of 40 chairs and each one is occupied by one of our fantastic musicians. It goes without saying that the success of the LMP is down to the quality and passion of our players. For as little as £20 a month, you can sponsor an LMP chair and enjoy a special connection with the orchestra.

Get to know your player as you see them perform and perhaps chat with them after concerts. Take a look at what goes on behind the scenes with exclusive access to rehearsals. See your name in our programmes alongside your chosen chair. Enjoy an annual reception for chair supporters and players.

By supporting an LMP chair – be it our Principal Flute or a member of the viola section – you will know that your donation is directly helping the orchestra, enabling us to perform fantastic concerts and carry out inspirational work in schools and in the community. You can even sponsor a chair in the office, perhaps our General Manager or Librarian. Whichever chair you choose, your donation will support a crucial part of the team and will give you a unique insight into the life of the LMP.

don’t let the music stop...Bequests in 2009 enabled the LMP to host a schools’ concert in Fairfield as well as increase work in the community around the

Croydon area and were vital to the orchestra’s activities during the year. You could request your money supports our education work,

a concert, or even sponsors a position in the orchestra, such as Principal Oboe. Even the smallest amount can make a difference.

If you would like more information about supporting the LMP, please contact Elinor Browne, Development Manager at the LMP Office, 020 8686 1996 or email elinor@lmp.org. Thank you.

patronHRH The Earl of Wessex KCVO

principal fundersLondon Borough of Croydon lmp corporate friendsCantateElite HotelsPetwood Hotel, Woodhall SpaSimmons & Simmons

public fundersArts Council England and the National LotteryOrchestras LiveRoyal Borough of Kingston Upon ThamesSouth Holland District Council

trusts & foundationsJohn Coates Charitable TrustCity Bridge TrustThe Concertina Charitable TrustThe Croydon Relief in Need Charities

lmp benefactorsAnonymousDaniel & Alison BentonSylvia HoDudley & Margaret MeadThe Ross Goobey Charitable TrustMr K G SmithJeffrey & Rosamund West

lmp life friendsMichael & Barbara Hill

platinum supportersAnonymousJulian & Annette ArmstrongMr & Mrs C ClementiDavina FreelandDerek & Deirdre LeaDerek & Bunty MillardMichael J RoseMichael Woodhouse CVO

golden supportersAnonymous x 9David BeeverGeoff & Mary HearnBrian & Doreen HitchingMargaret Jones MVOMr & Mrs A J LambellJeanne & Gordon LeesMiss Gillian NobleHazel & Geoffrey OttonMrs B D RamsochitChristine RobsonMr & Mrs J TillotsonSir John Wickerson

silver supportersAnonymous x 14Mr M P BlackIan GibbChantal KeastNick & Jane MallettMr & Mrs M RiversMrs Marion Sunley

bronze supportersAnonymous x 15 Morag BeierMr I A HamlynMr B E and Mrs P B Woolnough

lmp chair supportersPrincipal Flute is supported by: Brian and Doreen Hitching

Cello No. 3 is supported by:Elinor Browne

Cello No. 4 is supported by: Anonymous

SuppOrtinG tHe lMpThe LMP would like to thank its supporters

www.lmp.org

www.lmp.org

Joining the LMP Friends is an ideal way to support the LMP and become part of a very friendly group of people who share your love of music.

We depend on the loyalty of our supporters to help us continue to present concerts and LMP Interactive, our programme of community and education work.

In return, we offer wide-ranging benefits and opportunities to meet the musicians.

your benefits:

• Substantial ticket discounts for Croydon concerts and advance booking

• Access to private Friends’ bar before the concert and in the interval with discounted drinks in Fairfield

• Access to LMP rehearsals

• Friends events including coffee meetings with talks on music, outings to non-London LMP concerts and an exclusive annual concert and lunch at

Woldingham School

• Quarterly newsletter keeping you involved with all the LMP’s activities

• Discounts on LMP CDs and free programmes for Croydon concerts

• Knowing you're supporting your local orchestra continue to make music.

www.lmp.org

wOuld yOu liKe tO SuppOrt yOur lOcal OrcHeStra?

wHy nOt JOin uS aS a friend?

Membership costs £40 per year, or £60 for couples.

For more information or to join, please visit the LMP desk in the foyer, call the LMP office on 020 8686 1996, email friends@lmp.org or visit www.lmp.org