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VERDI’S REQUIEMDavid Robertson conducts

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CONDUCT A SYMPHONYAT YOUR PLACE

Verdi’s RequiemDavid Robertson CONDUCTOR

Erin Wall SOPRANO

Olesya Petrova MEZZO-SOPRANO

John Daszak TENOR

Ain Anger BASS

Sydney Philharmonia ChoirsBrett Weymark, Music Director

TSO ChorusJune Tyzack, Chorus Master

Giuseppe Verdi (1813–1901)Messa da requiem (Requiem Mass)Requiem [Introit and Kyrie]Dies irae [Sequence]OffertorySanctusAgnus DeiLux aeternaLibera me

2013 SEASON MASTER SERIES

Wednesday 10 July | 8pmFriday 12 July | 8pmSaturday 13 July | 8pm

Sydney Opera House Concert Hall

Saturday night’s performance will be broadcast live across Australia on ABC Classic FM.

Saturday’s performance will also be webcast via BigPond and will be available for later viewing on demand. Visit: bigpondmusic.com/sydneysymphony

Pre-concert talk by Martin Buzacott at 7.15pm in the Northern Foyer. Visit bit.ly/SSOspeakerbios for speaker biographies.

The Requiem will be performed without interval and the concert will conclude at approximately 9.30pm.

We regret that soprano Amber Wagner had to withdraw from these performances for health reasons, and we are grateful to Erin Wall for agreeing to join the cast at short notice. Join us in the Northern Foyer after the performance

for a post-concert conversation with David Robertson and Rory Jeffes.

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Poster for the second performance of Verdi’s Requiem, in the Teatro alla Scala Milan on Monday 25 May 1874. (The premiere had taken place three days earlier in Milan’s San Marco church.) ‘Composed for the anniversary of the death of Alessandro Manzoni.’ The soloists were Teresa Stolz,

Maria Waldmann, Giuseppe Capponi and Ormond Maini, and Verdi himself conducted a specially assembled orchestra of 110 musicians and choir of 120 voices.

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INTRODUCTION

Verdi’s Requiem: Private and Public

Perhaps the most instantly recognisable moment from Verdi’s Requiem is the Dies irae (Day of Wrath) with its thrilling, primal eff ect. Verdi knew what he was doing, says David Robertson. This is music that will grab you, wherever you are and whatever you’re doing, and even more so in the concert hall, where we come to listen. And yet…

One of the most powerful moments in the Requiem occurs in the quietude of its beginning: ‘Grant them eternal rest’ and then, a minute-and-a-half later, a shift from minor to major for ‘And let everlasting light shine upon them’. In emotional terms, ‘this is as loud and tsunami-like as the Dies irae’.

The combination of the tender and the theatrical mirrors the most remarkable aspect of Verdi’s Requiem: its private and public nature. This is religious music on the surface, but not intended for liturgical use. (Its second performance was in an opera house.) The motivation was the death of a public fi gure, Alessandro Manzoni. Perhaps, suggests Robertson, composing with Manzoni in mind was Verdi’s way of ‘defl ecting into the public sphere the very private nature of what grief is about’.

There is an aspect of grieving for someone, he explains, that must be done privately, but there is a side of grieving that has to be done in public. And this is Verdi’s achievement: in the one piece there are the spectacular parts – suited to a large hall, a huge chorus and orchestra and many people listening at the same time – balanced by intimate moments in which these same forces speak to us as individuals. ‘It’s as though everybody else in the hall has suddenly disappeared.’

Above all, Verdi’s Requiem has a universality to it that makes it meaningful in very personal ways. ‘You can be extremely religious,’ says Robertson, ‘and an avid church-goer and the piece has an incredible beauty in that context. Or you can be someone who is full of doubt and uncertain regarding questions of a supreme being and the music still speaks on an extraordinary and powerful level.’

Turn to page 35 to read Bravo! – musician profi les, articles and news from the orchestra. There are nine issues through the year, also available at sydneysymphony.com/bravo

The texts and English translations for the Requiem begin on page 11.

8 SYDNEY SYMPHONY

Giuseppe VerdiMessa da requiem (Requiem Mass)Requiem [Introit and Kyrie]Dies irae [Sequence]OffertorySanctusAgnus DeiLux aeternaLibera me

Erin Wall SOPRANO

Olesya Petrova MEZZO-SOPRANO

John Daszak TENOR

Ain Anger BASS

Sydney Philharmonia ChoirsTasmanian Symphony Orchestra Chorus

The Requiem is the solemn mass for the dead, sung in Roman Catholic churches in commemoration of the faithful departed, at funeral services, and on the anniversaries of the deaths of particular persons. It takes its name from the opening words of the Introit, ‘Grant them eternal rest, O Lord.’ The predominant tone of the texts added in the Requiem to the Ordinary of the mass is solemn and meditative, prayerful and visionary, as befi ts the subject of death and eternal life. But in the Sequence, the stanzas

Keynotes

VERDI

Born Le Roncole, Italy, 1813Died Milan, 1901

Verdi was Italy’s leading opera composer in the second half of the 19th century. When he composed his Requiem in 1874 he was already world-famous for operas such as Rigoletto, Il trovatore and Aida. Verdi as man and musician became a symbol of Italy’s struggle for national independence, and the Chorus of Hebrew Slaves (‘Va, pensiero’) from his opera Nabucco became a virtual national anthem. Following the Europe-wide success of his Requiem, Verdi seemed to have retired from composing. But he surprised the world, after many years, with two Shakespeare operas: Otello, then Falstaff, premiered when he was 80.

REQUIEM

Verdi’s Requiem sets to music the Latin words of the Mass for the Dead; the title is the first word of the prayer ‘Rest eternal grant them. O Lord’. Verdi intended the work for the concert hall, rather than the church, and his music for this Mass is often dramatic, like opera. The vision of the day of judgment (Dies irae) is memorably vivid, but many other parts of this Requiem are prayerful, and the range of emotions befits the contemplation of death. Through this music, Verdi identifies with the experience of all mankind. Soloists, chorus, orchestra and audience are swept up in a musical masterpiece.

Verdi in 1886, a portrait by Giovanni Boldini

SYDNEY SYMPHONY 9

of the mediæval poem Dies irae (Day of Wrath), there is a picturesque and dramatic vision, the literary counterpart of the ‘Doom’ paintings which were hung in the churches to remind the congregation of the Day of Judgement. This part of the mass off ers a composer wonderful opportunities for dramatic musical setting. Musical treatments of the Requiem have ranged from those which stress the sombre and contemplative, to the dramatic and representational. (Victoria and Fauré provide examples of the former, with Fauré omitting the Dies irae altogether; Berlioz of the latter.) Verdi’s Requiem encompasses both aspects, but the dramatic predominates, and the Dies irae is the core of his work.

Verdi and the Church

But why did Verdi write a Requiem at all? By 1874 he was a world-famous opera composer, fresh from writing Aida, with masterpieces such as Rigoletto, Il trovatore and La traviata behind him. He had written nothing for the church since his earliest youth. Furthermore, Verdi’s attitude to the Church and indeed to the Christian religion made him an unlikely composer of church music. He was strongly anti-clerical, an attitude he shared with many fellow Italian nationalists during the struggles of the risorgimento against Austrian occupation and domination of Italy. The church by and large supported the status quo. In Verdi’s personal case these feelings of hostility to the priesthood and its social and political role were reinforced by memories of the hard grind of his boyhood employment as a church organist and by the local clergy’s disapproval of his de facto relationship with Giuseppina Strepponi (whom he eventually married, in 1859). Verdi’s belief, such as it was, seems to have been far from orthodox, to the exasperation of Giuseppina, who wrote at the time of the Requiem:

The brigand permits himself to be, I won’t say an atheist, but certainly very little of a believer, and that with an obstinacy and calm that make one want to beat him.

The patent sincerity and deep feeling of the Requiem suggest that Verdi was one of those artists who can empathise fully with the religious emotions and aspirations of his fellow men, without sharing their belief in the Church’s teachings. He was not alone in this among great composers who have set the Requiem text. Mozart was an anti-clerical Catholic Freemason, Berlioz an unbeliever, Brahms a pessimist deprived of Christian hope, Fauré another non-believer closer to Stoic ideals of resignation than to Christian conviction. All these men were inspired to music of deep feeling and beauty by contemplation of Christian

Unfettered vision

Composing and producing for opera is one long process of compromise. The limitations of the orchestra, or the singers, or the stage, or the technology, the librettist, the censor or the management all played a part in Verdi’s time. In the Requiem, none of these limitations obtained. It was performed in Milan’s San Marco church, all costs covered by the city. Verdi conducted himself, with his own choice of soloists and a thoroughly well-drilled chorus, and there were no tawdry sets, costumes or lighting to limit the scope of his vision.

AE

No spoilers

The fact that the requiem text was a familiar one was clearly not lost on Verdi. As opposed to the suspense of the theatre, in a formal genre like a requiem the audience knew what would ritually ‘happen next’. All his efforts could be devoted to emotional impact in the moment rather than being restrained by a need to pace a drama. Indeed, development as such is almost entirely absent from Verdi’s Requiem. It moves in blocks of timelessness, cataclysm and rapture, each circulating around the other.

AE

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texts about death. None of them, perhaps, achieved such universality of expression in setting the Requiem as did Verdi.

Verdi and Manzoni

The main reason why Verdi’s spirit was so deeply moved in composing the Requiem is to be sought in his reaction to the death of Alessandro Manzoni on 22 May 1873. Manzoni, the author of the vast historical novel I promessi sposi (The Betrothed), was Italy’s greatest writer of the risorgimento. On Manzoni’s death, Verdi wrote: ‘Now all is over, and with him ends the purest, holiest title to our fame.’ Verdi vowed at Manzoni’s graveside to commemorate his hero in a great musical work, and wrote to the mayor of Milan off ering to compose a Requiem Mass for the anniversary of Manzoni’s death. He was as good as his word, and the Requiem was fi rst performed in the Church of San Marco in Milan on 22 May 1874.

In composing it, Verdi reworked the Libera me which was his contribution to the project, mooted in 1869, for a Requiem Mass by leading Italian composers to commemorate the death of Rossini. Verdi considered Manzoni and Rossini the two glories of Italy. The Rossini project was completed but never performed, but, in memory of Manzoni, ‘the only great Italian left after Rossini’, Verdi gloriously fulfi lled what he had begun.

The Music of the Requiem

The language of the theatre was Verdi’s musical idiom. In the Requiem, he uses its resources to the full, not to express the dramatic opposition of confl icting characters as in an opera, but adapted, to convey the unity of spirit in prayer. The melodic richness, the dramatic surprises and contrasts are there, but it is also remarkable how much Verdi had assimilated the lessons of the church music of the past. His choral writing, in particular, has a variety and ease beyond what his operatic choruses would lead one to expect, and the melody, which reminds us of Verdi’s operas, also at times shows signs of an inspired blending with church plainsong.

Much of the controversy surrounding Verdi’s Requiem, especially in Northern European countries (and their cultural off shoots), is about whether Verdi’s style is appropriate for a religious work: is it too theatrical, too operatic? The gibe ‘Verdi’s greatest opera’ encapsulates this reaction, more common from fastidious music critics than from the general public, who from the start have fl ocked to hear the work whenever it is given. Since this Requiem was non-liturgical in intent, the controversy seems pointless,

Alessandro Manzoni (1841) – a portrait by Francesco Hayez

Experiencing the universal

Verdi’s genius in this piece is to make each soloist, and indeed the choir, not characters out of an opera, but representatives of humanity. And he instinctively drew upon the profoundest and most unshakeable human emotions for them to experience: awe, panic, adoration, despair, hope. It is all latent in the requiem text, but only Verdi draws an audience into a coherent individual experience of the universal. Only Verdi can lead us to understand the human circumstance in the face of divine judgement.

AE

SYDNEY SYMPHONY 11

and Verdi’s wife Giuseppina has said the last word:

They talk a lot about the more or less religious spirit of Mozart, Cherubini and others. I say that a man like Verdi must write like Verdi, that is, according to his own way of feeling and interpreting his text. The religious spirit and way it is given expression must bear the stamp of its period and its author’s personality. I would deny the authorship of a Mass by Verdi that was modelled upon the manner of A, B or C.

No.1 Requiem [Introit and Kyrie]

Requiem aeternam dona eis Domine:et lux perpetua luceat eis.Te decet hymnus, Deus, in Sion,et tibi reddetur votum in Jerusalem:exaudi orationem meam,ad te omnis caro veniet.

Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison,Kyrie eleison.

The Requiem begins with muted cellos playing alone: a descending phrase answered by the voices ‘as if somebody were leaning over a crypt from which could be heard whispered voices asking for rest’. The melodic material is carried by the strings, while the chorus declaims in a monotone. Te decet hymnus is a forthright unaccompanied chant for chorus. The moment when each of the solo voices in turn takes up the Kyrie must surely be one of the greatest moments in all Verdi.

No.2 Dies irae [Sequence]

Dies irae, dies illaSolvet saeclum in favilla,Teste David cum Sibylla.Quantus tremor est futurus,Quando Judex est venturus,Cuncta stricte discussurus!

Startling, powerful and appropriately naive, Verdi’s musical portrayal of these words could hardly be more vivid. The chromatic downward rushes of the strings repeatedly express the collapse and dissolution of the world.

Grant them eternal rest, O Lord,and let everlasting light shine upon them.To thee, O God, praise is meet in Zion,and prayer shall go up to thee in Jerusalem.Give ear to my supplication,unto thee shall all fl esh come.

Lord, have mercy upon us.Christ, have mercy upon us.Lord, have mercy upon us.

The day of wrath, that day shall dissolve the world in ashes,as witnesseth David and the Sibyl.What trembling shall there bewhen the Judge shall comewho shall thresh out all thoroughly!

12 SYDNEY SYMPHONY

Then mankind trembles, sotto voce, in broken rhythms. This section returns more than once later in the Sequence as a reminder of the Day of Judgement and to knit the long movement together.

Tuba mirum spargens sonumPer sepulcra regionum,Coget omnes ante thronum.

Verdi’s use of trumpets, near and far, sounding the Last Trumpet is primarily a musical rather than a pictorial eff ect – the distant answering trumpets heighten the tension and vary the sound of this excitingly cumulative passage.

Mors stupebit et naturaCum resurget creatura,Judicanti responsura.

Note the telling use, in this bass solo, of bass drum with cords slackened, and pizzicato (plucked) double bass.

Liber scriptus proferetur,In quo totum continetur,Unde mundus judicetur.(Dies irae.)Judex ergo cum sedebit,Quidquid latet apparebit,Nil inultum remanebit.

After this section for mezzo-soprano solo, the orchestra fl ares up and the chorus bursts out with the latter portion of the opening Dies irae. This segues into a trio (Quid sum…) with solo bassoon providing a fl owing bass.

Dies irae, dies illa…Quid sum miser tunc dicturus,Quem patronum rogaturus,Cum vix justus sit securus?

The trumpet, scattering a wondrous soundthrough the tombs of all lands,shall drive all unto the Throne.

A written book shall be brought forthin which shall be contained allfor which the world shall be judged.(The day of wrath.)And therefore when the Judge shall sit,whatsoever is hidden shall be manifest:and nothing shall remain unavenged.

Death and nature shall be astoundedwhen creation shall rise againto answer the Judge.

The day of wrath, that day…What shall I say in my misery?Whom shall I ask to be my advocate,when scarcely the righteous may be without fear?

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Rex tremendae majestatis,Qui salvandos salvas gratis,Salva me, fons pietatis.

After the thundering address to the Deity, each of the soloists in turn sings the fervent phrase Salva me fons pietatis, and this is built to an emotional climax.

Recordare, Jesu pie,Quod sum causa tuae viaeNe me perdas illa die.Quaerens me, sedisti lassus,Redemisti crucem passus:Tantus labor non sit cassus.Juste Judex ultionis,Donum fac remissionisAnte diem rationis.

In this duet for soprano and mezzo-soprano, the rhythmic fi gure in the woodwind echoes the Salva me of the preceding movement.

Ingemisco tamquam reus:Culpa rubet vultus meus:Supplicanti parce Deus.

An almost recitative-like passage for tenor solo, leading to a lyrical movement:

Qui Mariam absolvisti,Et latronem exaudisti,Mihi quoque spem dedisti.Preces meae non sunt dignae,Sed tu bonus fac benigne,Ne perenni cremer igne.Inter oves locum praestaEt ab haedis me sequestra,Statuens in parte dextra.

The solo oboe in this tenor solo suggests a pastoral atmosphere.

King of awful majesty,who freely saves the redeemed:save me, O Fount of Pity.

Remember, merciful Jesus,that I am the reason for thy journey,do not destroy me on that day.Seeking me didst thou sit weary,thou didst redeem me, suffering the Cross:let not such labour have been in vain.O just Judge of Vengeance,give the gift of redemptionbefore the day of reckoning.

I groan as one guilty;my face blushes at my sin.Spare the supplicant, O God.

Thou who didst absolve Maryand hear the prayer of the thief,hast given me hope too.My prayers are not worthy,but thou, who art good, show mercy,lest I burn in everlasting fi re.Give me a place among the sheep,and separate me from the goats,setting me on the right hand.

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Confutatis maledictis,Flammis acribus addictis,Voca me cum benedictis.Oro supplex et acclinis,Cor contritum quasi cinis,Gere curam mei fi nis.Dies irae, dies illa…

The stress in this bass solo is fi rmly on the prayer and self-abasement of the third and fourth lines. The voice seems to be closing in E minor but Verdi resolves the chord in G minor (the key of the Dies irae as a whole) and the opening outburst is resumed, dying away into B fl at minor, a ‘dark’ key.

Lacrimosa dies illa,Qua resurget ex favilla,Judicandus homo reus.Huic ergo parce Deus.Pie Jesu Domine,Dona eis requiem. Amen.

The Lacrimosa is set to a wonderful slowly swinging melody. The Amen comes with a subtle and unexpected surprise: a chord of G major is imposed on the gloomy B fl at minor tonality ‘like sunlight suddenly gleaming through a tearful sky’.

No.3 Offertory

Domine Jesu Christe, Rex gloriae,libera animas omnium fi delium defunctorum de poenis inferni,et de profundo lacu:libera eas de ore Leonis, ne absorbeat eas Tartarus,ne cadant in obscurum:sed signifer sanctus Michaelrepraesentet eas in lucem sanctam.Quam olim Abrahae promisistiet semini ejus.

Hostias et preces tibi, Domine,laudis offerimus:tu suscipe pro animabus illis,

When the damned are confoundedand consigned to sharp fl ames,call me with the blessed.I pray, kneeling in supplication,heart as contrite as ashes,take thou my ending into thy care.The day of wrath, that day…

That day is one of weepingon which shall rise again from the ashesthe guilty man, to be judged.Therefore spare this one, O God.Merciful Lord Jesus:Grant them rest. Amen.

O Lord Jesus Christ, King of glory,deliver the souls of all the departed faithful from the torments of Hell,and from the deep pit; deliver them from the mouth of the lion; that Hell may not swallow them up, and that they may not fall into darkness.But may the holy standard-bearer Michaelbring them into the holy light;which thou didst promise of old to Abrahamand his seed.

We offer unto thee, O Lord,sacrifi ces and prayers of praise;do thou receive them on behalf of those souls

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quarum hodie memoriam facimus:fac eas, Domine, de morte transire ad vitam.

Two points to note especially in this movement for the quartet of soloists: the great moment of the appearance of the Archangel Michael, bearer of light, in a long-held soprano note, and Verdi’s unconventional treatment of Quam olim Abrahae, which is usually set as a fugue.

No.4 Sanctus

Sanctus, sanctus, sanctus,Dominus Deus Sabaoth!Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria tua.Hosanna in excelsis. Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.Hosanna in excelsis.

After some trumpet calls the chorus, divided into two choirs, sings the whole Sanctus, Pleni, Benedictus and Hosanna in one unbroken double fugue. This is perhaps the most unexpected part of Verdi’s Requiem and his opera audiences must have been surprised to fi nd him writing a fugue, albeit a joyous, dance-like one.

No.5 Agnus Dei

Agnus Dei,qui tollis peccata mundi,dona eis requiem;Agnus Dei,qui tollis peccata mundi,dona eis requiem.Agnus Dei,qui tollis peccata mundi,dona eis requiem sempiternam.

The setting of the Agnus Dei is as original as that of the Sanctus. Soprano and mezzo-soprano sing unaccompanied, and an octave apart, the opening petition, which is repeated, still unharmonised, by choir and orchestra. The two soloists begin the second petition in the minor, to a harmonised

Holy, holy, holy,Lord God of Hosts.Heaven and earth are full of thy glory.Hosanna in the highest.Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.

Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world:grant them rest.Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world:grant them rest.Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world:grant them eternal rest.

whom we commemorate this day.Make them, O Lord,to cross over from death to life.

16 SYDNEY SYMPHONY

accompaniment, the chorus repeating it – but in the major. The soloists’ singing of the third petition (in which the same pattern is followed) is beautifully accompanied by three fl utes.

No.6 Lux aeterna

Lux aeterna luceat eis, Domine,cum Sanctis tuis in aeternum,quia pius es. Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine:et lux perpetua luceat eis. Cum Sanctis tuis in aeternum,quia pius es.

Verdi’s range of invention and emotion is revealed in the variety of moods he is able to give to the prayer for eternal rest. Lux aeterna takes its tone from the words quia pius es – the mercy and loving kindness of God, and the vision of the bliss of the saints in heaven are conveyed in the easeful warmth of the trio and its delicate, often ethereal scoring. There are subtle reminders, too, of the sternness of the prayer for the dead.

No.7 Libera me

Libera me, Domine, de morte aeterna, in die illa tremenda:quando coeli movendi sunt et terra.Dum veneris judicare saeculum per ignem.Tremens factus sum ego et timeo,dum discussio venerit atque ventura ira.Quando coeli movendi sunt et terra.Dies irae, dies illa,calamitatis et miseriae, dies magna et amara valde.Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.

The Libera me is supposed to be the section Verdi had already composed for Rossini, but, as we shall see, there could be doubts. This section brings back the dramatic note

Let everlasting light shine on them,O Lord, with thy saints for ever:for thou art merciful. Grant them eternal rest, O Lord, and let everlasting light shine upon them with thy saints for ever; for thou art merciful.

Deliver me, O Lord, from eternal deathin that awful day when heaven and earth shall be moved:when thou shalt come to judge the world by fi re.I am seized with trembling and I fear the timewhen the trial shall approach, and the wrath to come; when heaven and earth shall be moved.A day of wrath, that day of calamity and woe, a great day and bitter indeed.Rest eternal grant them, O Lord,and may light perpetual shine upon them.

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into the Requiem: declamatory phrases for the soprano and the irruption of Dies irae, with metrically diff erent words and an even more impressive diminuendo than before. Then comes the most moving stroke of the work: the descending opening phrases of the Introit, previously for orchestra alone, are given to the voices. The soprano soloist carries the melody, which is beautifully though subtly extended.

It seems diffi cult to believe that Verdi conceived this marvellous recapitulation, which seems to depend for its eff ect on having heard the whole work, before composing the rest. It seems more plausible to believe that he intended to use the Libera me he had composed for the Requiem to commemorate Rossini, but when he came to it, found it unsatisfactory and revised it to this great eff ect. The quick fugue which follows has been regretted by some critics, who wish the Requiem had ended with the soaring ending of the prayer. But the conclusion is very telling – the soprano re-entering in large phrases (an augmentation of the fugue theme) then the muttered, fearful prayer for deliverance, and the C major chord from the orchestra seeming to affi rm that the prayer is granted.

DAVID GARRETT © 1997/2004

ADDITIONAL MATERIAL FROM A NOTE BY ANTONY ERNST © 2008

In addition to the vocal soloists and chorus, Verdi’s Requiem calls for an orchestra of three flutes (one doubling piccolo), two oboes, two clarinets and four bassoons; four horns, eight trumpets (four of them offstage), three trombones and tuba; timpani and percussion; and strings.

The Sydney Symphony was the first Symphony Australia network orchestra to perform Verdi’s Requiem, in 1936 under the direction of Malcolm Sargent. The soloists were Thea Philips, Dorothy Helmrich, Lionello Cecil and Raymond Beattie, with the ABC Chorus and Radio Choir. Our most recent performances were in 2004 with soloists Carla Maria Izzo, Daniela Barcellona, Massimo Giordano and Bruce Martin; Sydney Philharmonia Choirs and the Rome Opera Chorus, conducted by Gianluigi Gelmetti as the first program in his tenure as Chief Conductor.

Manzoni – a great name gone from the world

When Rossini died Verdi had written to his friend Clara Maffei: ‘A great name has gone from the world!… When the other one who is still alive is taken from us, what will remain!’ The ‘other one’ was Alessandro Manzoni, who spent all his long life devoted to realising a single, unified Italian state true to the ideals which had made the Italian peninsula such a crucial part of European culture. His magnum opus, the novel I promessi sposi (The Betrothed), defined the standard of the modern Italian language, and his unimpeachable moral integrity made him a leading voice in the efforts to unite and reform Italy. His death in 1873, like Rossini’s, gave Verdi an occasion to reflect upon a life which he had admired.

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18 SYDNEY SYMPHONY

MORE MUSIC

VERDI’S REQUIEM ON DISCFew conductors in modern times have been more closely identifi ed with Verdi’s Requiem than his countryman Arturo Toscanini. In his most famous live recording of the work, with his NBC Symphony Orchestra in New York in 1951, Toscanini can still be heard shouting encouragement to his brass section during the tumultuous ‘Tuba mirum’. (Mono sound)REGIS CD RRC1372

The Requiem’s fi nale, ‘Libera me’ (with Turkish soprano Leyla Gencer as soloist) was the musical centrepiece of Toscanini’s memorial service in Milan’s Duomo in 1957, an event that evidently struck another great conductor, Lorin Maazel, as worthy of commemoration in its own right. Maazel’s 2007 DVD performance of Verdi’s Requiem, with his recently formed Symphonica Toscanini, was recorded to mark the 50th anniversary of Toscanini’s death. Of all great vocal and orchestral pageants, this Requiem cries out for a video treatment like this one. Recorded in Venice’s monumental Basilica San Marco, it features soloists Norma Fantini (soprano), Anna Smirnova (mezzo-soprano), Francesco Meli (tenor), Rafal Siwek (bass) fronting the Coro Del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.EUROARTS 2072434 (BLU-RAY)

Or for a CD recording with a more modern sound (and an Australian connection), look for the recording from Decca’s ‘The Originals’ collection with Joan Sutherland, Marilyn Horne, Luciano Pavarotti and Martti Talvela as soloists and Georg Solti conducting the Vienna Philharmonic and State Opera Chorus (1967).DECCA 475 7735

READING THE REQUIEM AND THE BICENENTENARYFor music readers, who like to hum or sing along while playing recordings, out-of-copyright vocal and full-orchestral scores of both the original 1874 Milan version of the Requiem, and Verdi’s revised version for his London Royal Albert Hall performance in 1875, can be freely downloaded at the Petrucci Music Library (imslp.org).

And for further commentary? At 115 tightly fact-packed pages, David Rosen’s excellent Verdi: Requiem (Cambridge University Press, 1995), in the Cambridge Music Handbook series, is the best and most detailed generally accessible study of this great work. You can sample it online at Google books before purchasing.

Meanwhile, this year’s two bi-centenarians are the joint subject of Australian-born cultural historian Peter Conrad’s fascinating, if somewhat controversial book, Verdi and/or Wagner: Two Men, Two Worlds, Two Centuries (Thames and Hudson, 2011). Conrad compares these ‘two contradictory, complementary’ cultural heroes, both of whom achieved huge national and international renown in their lifetimes.

Yet not only did they never meet, but the personal and artistic diff erences between them opened a profound rift in the fabric of 19th-century music that only deepened in the 20th century and into the 21st.

Broadcast DiaryJuly–August

abc.net.au/classic

Monday 15 July, 9pmjolly good fellows (2012)Roger Benedict conductorOliver She piano2012 Fellows, Fellowship alumniRossini, Haydn, Schubert

Tuesday 16 July, 1.05pmspellboundCharles Dutoit conductorArabella Steinbacher violinStravinsky, Mendelssohn

Saturday 10 August, 8pmlisa gasteen returnsSimone Young conductorLisa Gasteen sopranoWagner, Bruckner

Friday 23 August, 8pmadams conducts adamsJohn Adams conductorLeila Josefowicz violinTimothy McAllister sopranoBeethoven, Adams, Respighi

Monday 26 August, 1.05pmjoyce yang in recitalJoyce Yang pianoBartók, Schumann, Rachmaninoff , Chopin

Fine Music 102.5sydney symphony 2013Tuesday 13 August, 6pmMusicians, staff and guest artists discuss what’s in store in our forthcoming concerts.

Webcasts

Selected Sydney Symphony concerts are webcast live on BigPond and Telstra T-box and made available for later viewing On Demand. Our next webcast is: Saturday 13 July at 8pm: verdi’s requiemVisit: bigpondmusic.com/sydneysymphony To watch a live webcast on your mobile device, use our free mobile app (iOS and Android), now optimised for the iPad.

SYDNEY SYMPHONY 19

Sydney Symphony LiveThe Sydney Symphony Live label was founded in 2006 and we’ve since released more than a dozen recordings featuring the orchestra in live concert performances with our titled conductors and leading guest artists, including the Mahler Odyssey cycle, begun in 2010. To purchase, visit sydneysymphony.com/shop

Glazunov & ShostakovichAlexander Lazarev conducts a thrilling performance of Shostakovich 9 and Glazunov’s Seasons. SSO 2

Strauss & SchubertGianluigi Gelmetti conducts Schubert’s Unfi nished and R Strauss’s Four Last Songs with Ricarda Merbeth.SSO 200803

Sir Charles MackerrasA 2CD set featuring Sir Charles’s fi nal performances with the orchestra, in October 2007. SSO 200705

Brett DeanBrett Dean performs his own viola concerto, conducted by Simone Young, in this all-Dean release. SSO 200702

RavelGelmetti conducts music by one of his favourite composers: Maurice Ravel. Includes Bolero. SSO 200801

Rare Rachmaninoff Rachmaninoff chamber music with Dene Olding, the Goldner Quartet, soprano Joan Rodgers and Vladimir Ashkenazy at the piano. SSO 200901

Prokofi ev’s Romeo and JulietVladimir Ashkenazy conducts the complete Romeo and Juliet ballet music of Prokofi ev – a fi ery and impassioned performance.SSO 201205

Tchaikovsky Violin ConcertoIn May this recording with James Ehnes and Ashkenazy was awarded a Juno (the Canadian Grammy). Lyrical miniatures fi ll out the disc. SSO 201206

Sydney Symphony Online

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Visit sydneysymphony.com for concert information, podcasts, and to read the program book in the week of the concert.

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MAHLER ODYSSEY

During the 2010 and 2011 concert seasons, the Sydney Symphony and Vladimir Ashkenazy set out to perform all the Mahler symphonies, together with some of the song cycles. These concerts were recorded for CD and the set is now complete, together with a special disc of historical SSO Mahler performances. Available individually or as a handsome boxed set.

Mahler 1 & Songs of a Wayfarer SSO 201001

Mahler 2 SSO 201203

Mahler 3 SSO 201101

Mahler 4 SSO 201102

Mahler 5 SSO 201003

Mahler 6 SSO 201103

Mahler 7 SSO 201104

Mahler 8 (Symphony of a Thousand) SSO 201002

Mahler 9 SSO 201201

Mahler 10 (Barshai completion) SSO 201202

Song of the Earth SSO 201004

From the archives:

Rückert-Lieder, Kindertotenlieder, Das Lied von der Erde SSO 201204

LOOK OUT FOR…

Forthcoming releases featuring music by Brett Dean and Garrick Ohlsson playing Tchaikovsky.

BRITTEN War Requiem

Vladimir Ashkenazy conductor Dina Kuznetsova soprano Andrew Staples tenor Dietrich Henschel baritone Sydney Philharmonia Choirs Sydney Children’s Choir

FRI 8 & SAT 9 NOV 8PM Tickets from $35*

WAR REQUIEM ASHKENAZY CONDUCTS BRITTEN

*Selected performances, booking fees of $7.00 - $8.50 may apply.

Music’s most famous pacifist, Benjamin Britten, composed his War Requiem for performance in the rebuilt Coventry Cathedral. This ambitious and daring music caused an immediate sensation. It combines the traditional words of the Latin Requiem mass with anti-war poems by Wilfred Owen and draws on huge forces – two choirs, two orchestras and three soloists.

Tickets also available at sydneyoperahouse.com 9250 7777 Mon-Sat 9am-8.30pm | Sun 10am-6pm

sydneysymphony.com or call 8215 4600 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm

Britten’s War Requiem – a call for peace with a multinational cast led by Vladimir Ashkenazy.

SYDNEY SYMPHONY 21

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

David Robertson CONDUCTOR

American conductor David Robertson is a compelling and passionate communicator whose stimulating ideas and music-making have captivated audiences and musicians alike, and he has established strong relationships with major orchestras throughout Europe and North America. He begins his tenure as Chief Conductor of the Sydney Symphony in 2014.

He is currently Music Director of the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra (since 2004) and Principal Guest Conductor of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Other titled posts have included Music Director of the Orchestre National de Lyon and resident conductor of the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra. A recognised expert in 20th- and 21st-century music, he has also been Music Director of the Ensemble Intercontemporain in Paris – where composer and conductor Pierre Boulez was an early supporter – and his discography includes works by such composers as Adams, Bartók, Boulez, Carter, Ginastera, Milhaud and Reich. He is also a champion of young musicians, devoting time to working with students and young artists.

In the 2012–2013 season he appeared with the New York Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic, San Francisco Symphony and at the Metropolitan Opera, and in Europe with the Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, Vienna Radio Symphony Orchestra, Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra, Israel Philharmonic and Ensemble Intercontemporain. Last year he also toured Europe with the SLSO and violinist Christian Tetzlaff .

His awards and accolades include Musical America Conductor of the Year (2000), Columbia University’s 2006 Ditson Conductor’s Award, and, with the SLSO, the 2005–06 ASCAP Morton Gould Award for Innovative Programming. In 2010 he was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and in 2011 a Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.

He was born in Santa Monica, California, and educated at the Royal Academy of Music in London, where he studied French horn and composition before turning to conducting. He is married to pianist Orli Shaham.

David Robertson made his Australian debut with the Sydney Symphony in 2003 and since then has appeared regularly with the orchestra, most recently in 2012 when he conducted two programs of music ranging from Adès and Mackey to Mozart and Tchaikovsky.

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Erin Wall SOPRANO

Recognised internationally for her portrayals of roles in the lyric repertoire, Canadian soprano Erin Wall’s recent seasons have included a remarkable string of debuts, as Donna Anna in Don Giovanni with the Metropolitan Opera, Vienna State Opera and Bavarian State Opera; as Helena in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream for La Scala and Los Angeles Opera; and as Pamina in Mozart’s Magic Flute with Chicago’s Lyric Opera. For Santa Fe Opera she took the title roles in Strauss’s Daphne and Arabella, and portrayed all four heroines in Off enbach’s Tales of Hoff mann. 2012–13 season highlights included return performances as Donna Anna for Bavarian State Opera, and on the concert platform in Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (under Bernard Haitink) and Poulenc’s Stabat Mater for San Francisco Symphony (Charles Dutoit).

In 2011 she sang in the 50th anniversary performance and CD recording of Britten’s War Requiem at the site of its premiere, Coventry Cathedral, with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra under Andris Nelsons. She had also recorded Mahler’s Eighth Symphony (San Francisco Symphony and Michael Tilson Thomas), and appears on DVDs of Così fan tutte (Aix-en-Provence, Daniel Harding), Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony (Montreal Symphony Orchestra, Kent Nagano) and Mahler’s Eighth (Berlin Staatskapelle, Pierre Boulez).

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Olesya Petrova MEZZO-SOPRANO

Olesya Petrova was born in St Petersburg and graduated from the State Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory there in 2008 in the class of Irina Bogacheva. She was a prize winner at the XI International Tchaikovsky Competition (Moscow, 2007) and the International Competition of Galina Vishnevskaya (Moscow, 2006), and in 2011 was a fi nalist in Cardiff Singer of the World.

She has been a soloist with the St Petersburg Conservatory Opera since 2007, building a repertoire that includes leading roles in Mussorgsky’s Khovanshchina, Borodin’s Prince Igor, Rimsky-Korsakov’s Snow Maiden, and Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin and Queen of Spades. She also appeared in the title role of Carmen, and in Rigoletto and A Masked Ball. Recently she appeared as Konschakowna in Prince Igor at Zurich Opera, and understudied Maddalena in Rigoletto at the Metropolitan Opera, as well as singing Ulrica in A Masked Ball at Deutsche Oper am Rhein, Düsseldorf. Appearing with many Russian orchestras and chamber ensembles, her concert repertoire has included music by Bach, Pergolesi, Mozart, Beethoven, Verdi, Berlioz, Wagner, Mahler and Prokofi ev with conductors such as Valery Gergiev, Leo Kremer and Vladimir Fedoseev. Olesya Petrova has toured widely in Europe, and to the USA, South America, Korea, China and Japan. This is her Australian debut.

SYDNEY SYMPHONY 23

John Daszak TENOR

A graduate of London’s Guildhall School of Music and Drama, Manchester’s Royal Northern College of Music and Italy’s Accademia d’Arte Lirica, John Daszak made his debut at English National Opera as Steva in Janácek’s Jenufa, followed by appearances at Welsh National Opera, again as Steva and in the title role of Britten’s Peter Grimes.

He has appeared as Adolar (Weber’s Euryanthe) at Glyndebourne, and for the ENO as Achilles (Tippett’s King Priam), Dimitri (Mussorgsky’s Boris Godunov) and Pierre (Prokofi ev’s War and Peace). This season he sings his fi rst Siegfried in Wagner’s Götterdämmerung in São Paulo, Brazil, as well as appearing in Mussorgsky’s Khovanshchina for Oper Frankfurt and Weill’s Mahagonny at Berlin’s Komische Oper. He has also appeared for the Vienna State Opera as Aron in Schoenberg’s Moses und Aron, and at the Opéra de Paris as Boris in Janácek’s Katya Kabanova.

His discography includes Respighi’s La campana sommersa and Spoletta in Verdi’s Tosca on CD, and on DVD Pfi tzner’s Palestrina (Bavarian State Opera, Simone Young) and Wagner’s Rheingold (Zubin Mehta). Under David Robertson, he was Vere in Britten’s Billy Budd at the Metropolitan Opera, and next week he will sing Erik in the Sydney Symphony’s concert performances of Wagner’s Flying Dutchman.

Ain Anger BASS

Having fi rst studied physics and mathematics, Estonian Ain Anger commenced his vocal training at Tallinn’s Academy of Music in 1996. After launching his professional singing career in Estonia, he worked with Leipzig Opera, and then joined the Vienna State Opera in 2004, making his debut there as Monterone in Verdi’s Rigoletto. He has sung more than 40 roles with the Vienna company, most recently as Pogner in Wagner’s Meistersinger (under Simone Young), Fiesco in Verdi’s Simon Boccanegra and Orest in Strauss’s Elektra. He also appeared in the 2012–13 season at Berlin’s Deutsche Oper, La Scala Milan, and Barcelona’s Liceu, and returned home to sing Mephistopheles in Gounod’s Faust for the Estonian National Opera.

In 2009 he made his Bayreuth Festival debut as Fafner in Rheingold and Siegfried, and has recently sung in new productions of Wagner’s Walküre at Bavarian State Opera (under Kent Nagano) and Frankfurt Opera (Sebastian Weigle). In concert, he has appeared with orchestras in New York, Cleveland, Stockholm and Tokyo under conductors including Lorin Maazel, Seiji Ozawa, Zubin Mehta, Riccardo Muti and Esa-Pekka Salonen. With the San Francisco Symphony he has recently sung in both Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis (under Michael Tilson Thomas) and in Verdi’s Requiem (James Conlon).

24 SYDNEY SYMPHONY

Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra ChorusJune Tyzack CHORUS MASTER

The TSO Chorus is an auditioned group of 80 voices. June Tyzack has been Chorus Master since 2001 and she is supported by Assistant Chorus Master Andrew Bainbridge and Répétiteur Karen Smithies.

The TSO Chorus was founded in 1992 to present concert performances of opera, and in its fi rst fi ve years performed La traviata, La bohème, Madama Butterfl y, Carmen and La Cenerentola. Since then its repertoire has broadened to include the requiems of Mozart, Fauré, Brahms and Sculthorpe; masses by Haydn, Puccini and Schubert; and symphonies by Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Vaughan Williams. Many of the TSO Chorus performances are broadcast on ABC Classic FM.

In addition to performing with the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra and touring regional Tasmania, the TSO Chorus is frequently invited to augment interstate symphonic choirs. In 2006 the Chorus performed at the Sydney Opera House, and since then at the Adelaide Festival and in the Perth Concert Hall. In 2012, members of the TSO Chorus made their international debut, augmenting the West Australian Symphony Orchestra Chorus in performances of Brahms’s A German Requiem in Hong Kong with Jaap van Zweden and the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra. Performances in 2013 include an Opera Gala concert and Mozart’s Coronation Mass with the TSO, Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms and Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé in Hobart with the Australian International Symphony Orchestra Institute, as well as a Tasmanian regional tour.

The TSO Chorus’s most recent appearance with the Sydney Symphony was in 2008, in performances of Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy.

SYDNEY SYMPHONY 25

June Tyzack Chorus MasterAndrew Bainbridge Assistant Chorus MasterKaren Smithies RépétiteurAlexis Aitken Artistic and Chorus Coordinator

To learn more about the TSO Chorus visit www.tsochorus.com.au

SOPRANOS

Alice Bowman- ShawKaren Cockrill Carmelita Coen Ruth CroserFelicity Giff ord Debra Jensen Sheila Knowlton Bernadette LargeStephanie McDonald Christine Ovens Julianne Panckridge Carolyn Poortenaar

Sharon Sherman Yasmin Shoobridge Joy TattamSally WardSusannah Williams

ALTOS

Claire Blichfeldt Sally Brown Beth Coombe Elizabeth Eden Jennifer Fürst Ann Godber Sue Harradence Christine Harris

Clare Hawkins Kirsten Jones Marie Keane Mary McArthur Caroline Miller Dianne O’Toole Jennifer Phillips Eryl Raymond Jennifer Thain Sally Vance Beth Warren Susan Williams

TENORS

Andrew BainbridgePeter Ball

Bill Field Michael Kregor Bill MacDonald Tony Marshall David Pitt James Powell- Davies Emerson Shuey Peter Tattam Andrew Tulloch

BASSES

John Ballard David BrewerNick Caddick Phillip Cook Peter Cretan

Greg Foot Garry Harradence Peter Hepburn Sam Hindell Duncan HowStefan Karpiniec Phillip Kimber Tony Parker Steve Raymond Dick Shoobridge Merv Simmons Anthony Sprent Grant Taylor

PIANO CONCERTO NO.2TCHAIKOVSKYRecorded live, leading pianist Garrick Ohlsson performs the original version of Tchaikovsky’s second piano concerto. Vladimir Ashkenazy conducts.

Available at sydneysymphony.com/shop

Purchase it now for just $25*

*Handling & postage $7

NEW LIVE CD JUST RELEASED!

26 SYDNEY SYMPHONY

Sydney Philharmonia Choirs

Formed in 1920, Sydney Philharmonia Choirs is Australia’s largest choral organisation. The three principal choirs – the Chamber Singers, Symphony Chorus and the young adult choir VOX – perform a diverse repertoire each year, ranging from early a cappella works to challenging contemporary music. Sydney Philharmonia Choirs presents an annual concert series of choral masterpieces, and has premiered several commissioned works, most recently Andrew Ford’s Waiting for the Barbarians and Rautavaara’s Missa a Cappella. In 2002, Sydney Philharmonia was the fi rst Australian choir to sing at the BBC Proms (Mahler’s Eighth Symphony under Simon Rattle), returning again in 2010. Other highlights have included Britten’s War Requiem at the 2007 Perth Festival and Semele Walk at the 2013 Sydney Festival. Appearances with the Sydney Symphony have included Mahler’s Eighth for the Olympic Arts Festival (2000), Stravinsky’s Oedipus Rex and Symphony of Psalms, ‘Midsummer Shakespeare’ and 2001: A Space Odyssey (Sydney Festival), the choral symphonies in Vladimir Ashkenazy’s Mahler Odyssey (2010–11), Sibelius’s Kullervo, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, and concert performances of Tchaikovsky’s Queen of Spades, conducted by Ashkenazy.

Brett Weymark MUSIC DIRECTOR

Brett Weymark studied singing at the University of Sydney and conducting at the Sydney Conservatorium. In 2003 he was appointed Musical Director of Sydney Philharmonia Choirs. He has conducted the choirs in premieres of works by composers such as Elena Kats-Chernin and Peter Sculthorpe, and has also prepared the choirs for concerts with conductors such as Charles Mackerras, Charles Dutoit and Simon Rattle. In 2012 he conducted Symphony in the Domain for the Sydney Festival, a new production of Mozart’s Don Giovanni for OzOpera and the Australian premiere of Goetz’s Taming of the Shrew for the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. This year he has conducted the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, performed Handel’s Theodora in Canberra and will return to WAAPA to conduct a concert of French and English music.

SYDNEY SYMPHONY 27

To find out about Sydney Philharmonia concerts or joining one of the choirs, visit www.sydneyphilharmonia.com.au

Brett Weymark Music Director Atul Joshi General Manager Anthony Pasquill Assistant Chorus MasterRehearsal pianists Josephine Allan, Michael Curtain

SOPRANOS

Shelley Andrews Ruth Beecher Amy Bentley Georgina Bitcon Anne Blake Jodie Boehme Nikki Bogard Megan Boundey Lisa Clews Anne Cooke Pam Cunningham Rouna Daley Catherine De Luca Alya Drobot Rachel Evans Natalie Fisher Judith Gorry Belinda Griffi ths Caroline Gude Maria Hemphill Rebecca Howard Laura Keller Rychelle Kiely Karolina Kulczynska Yvette Leonard Carolyn Lowry Nadine McDonald Bernadette Mitchell Jayne Oishi Lindsey Paget- Cooke Sarah Parker

Dympna Paterson Marina Rados Georgia Rivers Allison Rowlands Elna Schonfeldt Meg Shaw Simone Toldi Jessica Veliscek Carolan Brandi Veretto Karen Walmsley Sara Watts Jacqui Wilkins

ALTOS

Leonie Armitage Amanda Baird Mallika Bender Katie Blake Jan Borrie Gae Bristow Heather Burnett Kate Clowes Ruth Collerson Pip Davies Alison Dutton Ruth Edenborough Helen Esmond Jessica Farrell Jan Fawke Phoebe Ferguson Nadia Fried Penny GayJennifer Gillman

Edith Gray Sue Harris Fiona Hart Kathryn Harwood Vesna Hatezic Margaret Hofman Helen Hughson Melinda Jeff erson Natalie Lane Rachel Maiden Hannah Mason Janice McKeand Maggie McKelvey Tijana Miljovska Penelope Morris Clodagh Reid Susannah Russell Johanna Segall Jan Shaw Megan Solomon Natasja Stul Erica Svampa Sheli Wallach Noriko Yamanaka

TENORS

Patrick Blake Paul Boswell Simon Cadwallader Daniel ComarmondRobert Elliott Denys Gillespie Adela Greenbaum

Andrew Guy Steven Hankey Jude Holdsworth Ben Hurley Keyan Karroobee David Larkin Selwyn Lemos Vincent Lo Thomas MacDonald Frank Maio Juan Martin Marangoni Jareth Norman Daniel Sloman Martin Stebbings Robert Thomson Michael Wallach Alex Walter Richard Wheeldon Mark Wong Chamberlain Zhang

BASSES

Bryan Banston Simon Boileau Andrew Broten Peter Callaghan Edwin Carter Julian Coghlan Daryl Colquhoun Philip Crenigan Robert Cunningham

Ian Davies Graham Dick Timothy Dunstone David Faulkner Tom Forrester- Paton Franco Freda Matthew Gyton Eric Hansen Simon Harris Derek Hodgkins David Jacobs Timothy Jenkins Martin Kuskis Johann Loibl Mark McGoldrick Ian Pettener Peter Poole Andrew Raftery Tim Storer Antony Strong Nicholas Tong Jannie Van Deventer Robert Williams Arthur Winckler David Wood Ken Zhang

28 SYDNEY SYMPHONY

MUSICIANS

Vladimir AshkenazyPrincipal Conductor and Artistic Advisor supported by Emirates

Dene OldingConcertmaster

Jessica CottisAssistant Conductor supported by Premier Partner Credit Suisse

Andrew HaveronConcertmaster

To see photographs of the full roster of permanent musicians and find out more about the orchestra, visit our website: www.sydneysymphony.com/SSO_musiciansIf you don’t have access to the internet, ask one of our customer service representatives for a copy of our Musicians flyer.

The men of the Sydney Symphony are proudly outfitted by Van Heusen.

FIRST VIOLINS

Dene Olding Concertmaster

Sun Yi Associate Concertmaster

Kirsten Williams Associate Concertmaster

Fiona Ziegler Assistant Concertmaster

Julie BattyJennifer BoothMarianne BroadfootBrielle ClapsonSophie ColeAmber DavisGeorges LentzNicola LewisAlexandra MitchellAlexander NortonLéone ZieglerClaire Herrick°Jennifer Hoy

SECOND VIOLINS

Kirsty Hilton Marina Marsden Emma Jezek A/ Associate Principal

Emily Long A/ Assistant Principal

Susan Dobbie Principal Emeritus

Emma HayesShuti HuangStan W KornelBenjamin LiNicole MastersPhilippa PaigeBiyana RozenblitMaja VerunicaRebecca Gill†Maria Durek

VIOLAS

Roger Benedict Tobias Breider Anne-Louise Comerford Justin Williams Assistant Principal

Robyn BrookfieldSandro CostantinoStuart JohnsonJustine MarsdenFelicity TsaiLeonid VolovelskyRosemary Curtin*Nicole Greentree†

Jane HazelwoodAmanda Verner

CELLOS

Catherine Hewgill Leah Lynn Assistant Principal

Kristy ConrauTimothy NankervisAdrian WallisDavid WickhamElizabeth NevilleChristopher PidcockJames sang-oh Yoo†

Eszter Mikes-Liu* Fenella Gill

DOUBLE BASSES

Kees Boersma Alex Henery Steven LarsonNeil Brawley Principal Emeritus

David CampbellDavid MurrayGordon Hill*Stuart Thompson*Richard LynnBenjamin Ward

FLUTES

Emma Sholl Carolyn HarrisRosamund PlummerPrincipal Piccolo

Janet Webb

OBOES

Shefali PryorAssociate Principal

David PappDiana Doherty Alexandre OgueyPrincipal Cor Anglais

CLARINETS

Francesco Celata Christopher TingayLawrence Dobell Craig Wernicke Principal Bass Clarinet

BASSOONS

Matthew Wilkie Jack Schiller°†

A/ Associate Principal

Fiona McNamaraLong Nguyen*Noriko Shimada Principal Contrabassoon

HORNS

Robert Johnson Geoffrey O’Reilly Principal 3rd

Marnie SebireRachel SilverBen Jacks Euan Harvey

TRUMPETS

David Elton Paul Goodchild Anthony HeinrichsBrendon Tasker*Daniel Henderson*Owen Morris*Rainer Saville*Paul Terracini*

TROMBONES

Scott KinmontAssociate Principal

Nick ByrneChristopher Harris Principal Bass Trombone

Ronald Prussing

TUBA

Steve Rossé

TIMPANI

Richard Miller

PERCUSSION

Rebecca Lagos Colin PiperMark Robinson

HARP

Louise Johnson

Bold = PrincipalItalics = Associate Principal° = Contract Musician* = Guest Musician† = Sydney Symphony FellowGrey = Permanent member of the Sydney Symphony not appearing in this concert

SYDNEY SYMPHONY 29

SYDNEY SYMPHONYVladimir Ashkenazy, Principal Conductor and Artistic AdvisorPATRON Her Excellency Professor Marie Bashir AC CVO

Founded in 1932 by the Australian Broadcasting Commission, the Sydney Symphony has evolved into one of the world’s fi nest orchestras as Sydney has become one of the world’s great cities.

Resident at the iconic Sydney Opera House, where it gives more than 100 performances each year, the Sydney Symphony also performs in venues throughout Sydney and regional New South Wales. International tours to Europe, Asia and the USA have earned the orchestra worldwide recognition for artistic excellence, most recently in the 2012 tour to China.

The Sydney Symphony’s fi rst Chief Conductor was Sir Eugene Goossens, appointed in 1947; he was followed by Nicolai Malko, Dean Dixon, Moshe Atzmon, Willem van Otterloo, Louis Frémaux, Sir Charles Mackerras, Zdenek Mácal, Stuart Challender, Edo de Waart and Gianluigi Gelmetti. David Robertson will take up the post of Chief Conductor in 2014. The orchestra’s history also boasts collaborations with legendary fi gures such as George Szell, Sir Thomas Beecham, Otto Klemperer and Igor Stravinsky.

The Sydney Symphony’s award-winning education program is central to its commitment to the future of live symphonic music, developing audiences and engaging the participation of young people. The orchestra promotes the work of Australian composers through performances, recordings and its commissioning program. Recent premieres have included major works by Ross Edwards, Liza Lim, Lee Bracegirdle, Gordon Kerry and Georges Lentz, and the orchestra’s recording of works by Brett Dean was released on both the BIS and Sydney Symphony Live labels.

Other releases on the Sydney Symphony Live label, established in 2006, include performances with Alexander Lazarev, Gianluigi Gelmetti, Sir Charles Mackerras and Vladimir Ashkenazy. In 2010–11 the orchestra made concert recordings of the complete Mahler symphonies with Ashkenazy, and has also released recordings of Rachmaninoff and Elgar orchestral works on the Exton/Triton labels, as well as numerous recordings on the ABC Classics label.

This is the fi fth year of Ashkenazy’s tenure as Principal Conductor and Artistic Advisor.

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BEHIND THE SCENES

MANAGING DIRECTOR

Rory JeffesEXECUTIVE TEAM ASSISTANT

Lisa Davies-Galli

ARTISTIC OPERATIONS

DIRECTOR OF ARTISTIC PLANNING

Peter Czornyj

Artistic AdministrationARTISTIC ADMINISTRATION MANAGER

Eleasha MahARTIST LIAISON MANAGER

Ilmar LeetbergRECORDING ENTERPRISE MANAGER

Philip Powers

Education ProgramsHEAD OF EDUCATION

Kim WaldockEMERGING ARTISTS PROGRAM MANAGER

Mark LawrensonEDUCATION COORDINATOR

Rachel McLarinCUSTOMER SERVICE OFFICER

Derek Reed

LibraryAnna CernikVictoria GrantMary-Ann Mead

ORCHESTRA MANAGEMENT

DIRECTOR OF ORCHESTRA MANAGEMENT

Aernout KerbertORCHESTRA MANAGER

Chris Lewis ORCHESTRA COORDINATOR

Georgia StamatopoulosOPERATIONS MANAGER

Kerry-Anne CookPRODUCTION MANAGER

Laura DanielPRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Tim DaymanPRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Ian Spence

SALES AND MARKETING

DIRECTOR OF SALES & MARKETING

Mark J ElliottSENIOR SALES & MARKETING MANAGER

Penny EvansMARKETING MANAGER, SUBSCRIPTION SALES

Simon Crossley-MeatesMARKETING MANAGER, CLASSICAL SALES

Matthew RiveMARKETING MANAGER, WEB & DIGITAL MEDIA

Eve Le GallMARKETING MANAGER, DATABASE & CRM

Matthew HodgeDATA ANALYST

Varsha KarnikGRAPHIC DESIGNER

Lucy McCulloughCREATIVE ARTWORKER

Nathanael van der Reyden

Sydney Symphony Staff

MARKETING COORDINATOR

Jonathon Symonds ONLINE MARKETING COORDINATOR

Jenny Sargant

Box OfficeMANAGER OF BOX OFFICE SALES & OPERATIONS

Lynn McLaughlinBOX OFFICE SYSTEMS SUPERVISOR

Jacqueline TooleyBOX OFFICE BUSINESS ADMINISTRATOR

John RobertsonCUSTOMER SERVICE REPRESENTATIVES

Steve Clarke – Senior CSRMichael DowlingAmy Walsh

COMMUNICATIONS

HEAD OF COMMUNICATIONS & SPONSOR RELATIONS

Yvonne ZammitPUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGER

Katherine StevensonCOMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR

Janine Harris DIGITAL CONTENT PRODUCER

Kai RaisbeckFELLOWSHIP SOCIAL MEDIA OFFICER

Caitlin Benetatos

PublicationsPUBLICATIONS EDITOR & MUSIC PRESENTATION MANAGER

Yvonne Frindle

DEVELOPMENT

DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT

Caroline SharpenHEAD OF CORPORATE RELATIONS

Jeremy GoffHEAD OF MAJOR GIFTS

Luke Andrew GayDEVELOPMENT MANAGER

Amelia Morgan-HunnDEVELOPMENT COORDINATOR

Sarah Morrisby

BUSINESS SERVICES

DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

John HornFINANCE MANAGER

Ruth TolentinoACCOUNTANT

Minerva PrescottACCOUNTS ASSISTANT

Emma FerrerPAYROLL OFFICER

Laura Soutter

HUMAN RESOURCES

HEAD OF HUMAN RESOURCES

Michel Maree Hryce

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John C Conde AO ChairmanTerrey Arcus AM

Ewen Crouch AM

Ross GrantJennifer HoyRory JeffesAndrew Kaldor AM

Irene LeeDavid LivingstoneGoetz Richter

Sydney Symphony Board

Sydney Symphony Council

Geoff Ainsworth AM

Andrew Andersons AO

Michael Baume AO

Christine BishopIta Buttrose AO OBE

Peter CudlippJohn Curtis AM

Greg Daniel AM

John Della BoscaAlan FangErin FlahertyDr Stephen FreibergDonald Hazelwood AO OBE

Dr Michael Joel AM

Simon JohnsonYvonne Kenny AM

Gary LinnaneAmanda LoveHelen Lynch AM

David MaloneyDavid Malouf AO

Julie Manfredi-HughesDeborah MarrThe Hon. Justice Jane Mathews AO

Danny MayWendy McCarthy AO

Jane MorschelGreg ParamorDr Timothy Pascoe AM

Prof. Ron Penny AO

Jerome RowleyPaul SalteriSandra SalteriJuliana SchaefferLeo Schofield AM

Fred Stein OAM

Gabrielle TrainorIvan UngarJohn van OgtropPeter Weiss AO HonDLittMary WhelanRosemary White

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SYDNEY SYMPHONY 31

SYDNEY SYMPHONY PATRONS

Maestro’s CirclePeter William Weiss AO – Founding President & Doris WeissJohn C Conde AO – ChairmanGeoff Ainsworth AM & Vicki Ainsworth Tom Breen & Rachael KohnIn memory of Hetty & Egon GordonAndrew Kaldor AM & Renata Kaldor AO

Roslyn Packer AO

Penelope Seidler AM

Mr Fred Street AM & Mrs Dorothy StreetWestfield GroupBrian & Rosemary WhiteRay Wilson OAM in memory of the late James Agapitos OAM

Sydney Symphony Corporate AllianceTony Grierson, Braithwaite Steiner PrettyInsurance Australia Grou pJohn Morschel, Chairman, ANZ

01 Roger Benedict Principal Viola Kim Williams AM & Catherine Dovey Chair

02 Lawrence Dobell Principal Clarinet Anne Arcus & Terrey Arcus AM Chair

03 Diana Doherty Principal Oboe Andrew Kaldor AM & Renata Kaldor AO Chair

04 Richard Gill OAM

Artistic Director Education Sandra & Paul Salteri Chair

05 Catherine Hewgill Principal Cello The Hon. Justice AJ & Mrs Fran Meagher Chair

06 Robert Johnson Principal Horn James & Leonie Furber Chair

07 Elizabeth Neville Cello Ruth & Bob Magid Chair

08 Colin Piper Percussion Justice Jane Mathews AO Chair

09 Emma Sholl Associate Principal Flute Robert & Janet Constable Chair

For information about the Directors’ Chairs program, please call (02) 8215 4619.

Directors’ Chairs

01 02 03 04 05

06 07 08 09

Sydney Symphony VanguardVanguard CollectiveJustin Di Lollo – ChairKees BoersmaMarina GoDavid McKeanAmelia Morgan-HunnJonathan PeaseSeamus R Quick

Benoît CocheteuxGeorge CondousMichael CookPaul CousinsJustin Di LolloRose GalloAlistair GibsonSam GiddingsMarina GoSebastian GoldspinkRose HercegPaolo HookePeter HowardJennifer HoyScott JacksonDamian Kassagbi

MembersCentric WealthMatti AlakargasJames ArmstrongStephen AttfieldDamien BaileyAndrew BaxterMar BeltranKees Boersma Andrew BraggPeter BraithwaiteAndrea BrownIan BurtonJennifer BurtonHahn ChauAlistair ClarkMatthew Clark

Jingmin QianSeamus R QuickLeah RanieMichael ReedeChris RobertsonEmma RodigariJacqueline RowlandsBernard RyanKatherine ShawRandal TameAdam WandJon WilkieJonathan WatkinsonDarren WoolleyMisha Zelinsky

Aernout KerbertAntony Lighten Gary LinnanePaul MacdonaldDavid McKeanHayden McLeanAmelia Morgan-HunnPhoebe Morgan-HunnTom O’DonnellTaine MoufarrigeHugh MunroFiona OslerJulia OwensArchie PaffasJonathan Pease

32 SYDNEY SYMPHONY

PLAYING YOUR PART

The Sydney Symphony gratefully acknowledges the music lovers who donate to the orchestra each year. Each gift plays an important part in ensuring our continued artistic excellence and helping to sustain important education and regional touring programs. Donations of $50 and above are acknowledged on our website at www.sydneysymphony.com/patrons

Platinum Patrons $20,000+Brian AbelRobert Albert AO & Elizabeth AlbertGeoff AinsworthTerrey Arcus AM & Anne ArcusTom Breen & Rachael KohnSandra & Neil BurnsMr John C Conde AO

Robert & Janet ConstableMichael Crouch AO & Shanny CrouchJames & Leonie FurberDr Bruno & Mrs Rhonda Giuff reIn memory of Hetty & Egon GordonMr Andrew Kaldor AM & Mrs Renata Kaldor AO

D & I KallinikosJames N Kirby FoundationThe late Joan MacKenzieVicki OlssonMrs Roslyn Packer AO

Paul & Sandra SalteriMrs Penelope Seidler AM

G & C Solomon in memory of Joan MacKenzieMrs W SteningMr Fred Street AM & Mrs Dorothy StreetPeter William Weiss AO & Doris WeissWestfi eld GroupMr Brian & Mrs Rosemary WhiteKim Williams AM & Catherine DoveyRay Wilson OAM in memory of James Agapitos OAM

Gold Patrons$10,000–$19,999Stephen J BellAlan & Christine BishopIan & Jennifer BurtonHoward ConnorsCopyright Agency Cutlural Fund Edward FedermanNora GoodridgeMr Ross GrantThe Estate of the late Ida GuggerHelen Lynch AM & Helen BauerRuth & Bob MagidJustice Jane Mathews AO

The Hon. Justice AJ Meagher & Mrs Fran MeagherMrs T Merewether OAM

Mr B G O’ConorHenry & Ruth WeinbergCaroline WilkinsonJune & Alan Woods Family Bequest

Silver Patrons $5000–$9,999Doug & Alison BattersbyMr Robert BrakspearMr David & Mrs Halina BrettMr Robert & Mrs L Alison Carr Bob & Julie ClampettIan Dickson & Reg HollowayDr C GoldschmidtThe Greatorex Foundation Mr Rory Jeff esJudges of the Supreme Court of NSW Mr Ervin KatzThe Estate of the late Patricia LanceTimothy & Eva PascoeWilliam McIlrath Charitable FoundationRodney Rosenblum AM & Sylvia RosenblumManfred & Linda SalamonMrs Joyce Sproat & Mrs Janet CookeMichael & Mary Whelan TrustAnonymous (1)

Bronze Patrons $2,500–$4,999Ewen Crouch AM & Catherine CrouchThe Hon. Ashley Dawson-DamerFirehold Pty LtdStephen Freiberg & Donald CampbellVic & Katie FrenchMrs Jennifer HershonMichael & Anna JoelGary LinnaneMatthew McInnesJ A McKernanR & S Maple-BrownRenee MarkovicMora MaxwellJames & Elsie MooreDrs Keith & Eileen OngIn memory of Sandra Paul PottingerDr John Roarty OAM in memory of Mrs June RoartyIn memory of H St P ScarlettJulianna Schaeff erDavid & Isabel SmithersMarliese & Georges TeitlerMr & Mrs T & D YimAnonymous (2)

Bronze Patrons $1,000–$2,499Mrs Antoinette AlbertAndrew Andersons AO

Mr Henri W Aram oamDr Francis J AugustusRichard and Christine Banks David BarnesNicole BergerAllan & Julie BlighDr & Mrs Hannes Boshoff Jan BowenLenore P BuckleM BulmerIn memory of RW BurleyIta Buttrose AO OBE

Joan Connery OAM & Maxwell Connery OAM

Constable Estate Vineyards Debby Cramer & Bill CaukillMr John Cunningham SCM & Mrs Margaret CunninghamGreta DavisLisa & Miro DavisMatthew DelaseyMr & Mrs Grant DixonColin Draper & Mary Jane BrodribbMrs Margaret EppsMr Ian Fenwicke & Prof. Neville WillsMr James Graham AM & Mrs Helen GrahamWarren GreenAnthony Gregg & Deanne WhittlestonAkiko GregoryTony GriersonEdward & Deborah Griffi nRichard Griffi n AM

In memory of Dora & Oscar GrynbergJanette HamiltonMichelle HiltonThe Hon. David Hunt AO QC & Mrs Margaret HuntDr & Mrs Michael HunterIn memory of Bernard M H KhawMr Justin LamMr Peter Lazar AM

Irene LeeAssociate Professor Winston LiauwDr David LuisCarolyn & Peter Lowry OAM

Deirdre & Kevin McCannIan & Pam McGawMacquarie Group Foundation

SYDNEY SYMPHONY 33

To find out more about becominga Sydney Symphony Patron, pleasecontact the Philanthropy Officeon (02) 8215 4625 or emailphilanthropy@sydneysymphony.com

Ms Jackie O’BrienJF & A van OgtropMr & Mrs OrtisMr Andrew C PattersonPiatti Holdings Pty LtdAndy & Deirdre Plummer Robin PotterErnest & Judith RapeeKenneth R ReedPatricia H Reid Endowment Pty LtdCaroline SharpenDr Agnes E SinclairCatherine StephenJohn & Alix SullivanThe Hon. Brian Sully QC

Mildred TeitlerJohn E TuckeyMrs M TurkingtonIn memory of Joan & Rupert VallentineDr Alla WaldmanMr Robert & Mrs Rosemary WalshAnn & Brooks Wilson AM

Dr Richard WingMr R R WoodwardIn memory of Lorna WrightDr John YuAnonymous (9)

Bronze Patrons $500–$999Mrs Lenore AdamsonMr & Mrs Garry S AshBarlow Cleaning Pty LtdBeauty Point Retirement ResortMrs Margaret BellMinnie BiggsMrs Jan BiberDr Anthony BookallilR D & L M BroadfootArnaldo BuchAnn & Miles BurgessPat & Jenny BurnettThe Hon. Justice JC & Mrs CampbellDr Rebecca ChinMrs Sarah ChissickMrs Catherine J ClarkR A & M J ClarkeMr & Mrs Coates

Coff s Airport Security Car ParkMr B & Mrs M ColesMrs Joan Connery OAM

Jen CornishMr David CrossPhil Diment AM & Bill Zafi ropoulosElizabeth DonatiThe Dowe FamilyJohn FavaloroMalcolm Ellis & Erin O’NeillIn memory of Peter EverettMr Tom FrancisMr John GadenVivienne GoldschmidtClive & Jenny GoodwinRoger HenningHarry & Meg HerbertSue HewittDorothy Hoddinott AO

Mr Joerg HofmannMrs Kimberley HoldenMr Gregory HoskingNiki KallenbergerMrs Margaret KeoghDr Henry KilhamChris J KitchingAnna-Lisa KlettenbergSonia LalMr Luigi LampratiDr & Mrs Leo LeaderMargaret LedermanErna & Gerry Levy AM

Sydney & Airdrie LloydMrs A LohanMrs Panee LowDr David LuisPhilip & Catherine McClellandMelvyn MadiganAlan & Joy MartinMrs Toshiko MericMs Irene Miller & Ms Kim HardingP J MillerDavid MillsKenneth N MitchellMs Margaret Moore OAM & Dr Paul Hutchins AM

Chris Morgan-HunnMrs Milja Morris

A NhanMr Graham NorthDr Mike O’Connor AM

Mr R A OppenOrigin FoundationDr A J PalmerDr Kevin PedemontDr Natalie E PelhamMichael QuaileyRenaissance ToursAnna RoLesley & Andrew RosenbergMrs Pamela SayersGarry Scarf & Morgie BlaxillPeter & Virginia ShawMrs Diane Shteinman AM

Ms Stephanie SmeeMs Tatiana SokolovaDoug & Judy SotherenMrs Judith SouthamMrs Karen Spiegal-KeighleyMargaret SuthersNorman & Lydia TaylorDr Heng Tey & Mrs Cilla TeyMrs Alma Toohey & Mr Edward SpicerKevin TroyGillian Turner & Rob BishopProf Gordon E WallMrs Margaret WallisRonald WalledgeMs Elizabeth WilkinsonAudrey & Michael WilsonA Willmers & R PalDr Peter Wong & Mrs Emmy K WongGeoff Wood & Melissa WaitesGlen & Everly WyssMrs Robin YabsleyAnonymous (22)

List correct as of 1 May 2013

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It’s all about getting some runs on the board.

universally acknowledged to be no easy task. And David admits the pressure doesn’t end there. ‘It’s all about getting some runs on the board. To really earn the respect and confidence of your peers, you have to play at a level where people are absolutely sure about you, across all the repertoire.’

David and his wife Rachel Silver, the newest member of our Horn section, have shared a workplace for several years now, first in the West Australian Symphony Orchestra and now in Sydney. Is that tricky? ‘You’ve got to remember to switch off after work, try not to obsess about it.’

But there’s a big plus side to a shared work-and-play life together. ‘There’s a good understanding between us that we can’t take too many days off [before losing condition]. We’ve been known to pull over in the middle of a road trip to practise for half an hour. The cows in Margaret River have been occasional beneficiaries…’

David Elton is also a Patron Ambassador for the orchestra.

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There seems to be something of a trend amongst our Sydney Symphony brass players of collecting instruments. Principal Trumpet David Elton has… ahem… quite a few.

‘I try not to count them because it’s best not to know. I think I have in excess of 13, dispersed around the place – at the Opera House, in various cupboards, some of them I’ve lent to friends.’ There is some natural double up, of course, as any orchestral trumpeter is also required to play cornet, piccolo trumpet, or German rotary valve trumpet, depending on the demands of

the repertoire. ‘I did struggle to find one of my cornets recently,’ confesses David. ‘It turned up in Perth, but it took me a week to work out where it actually was.’

Sydney born and bred, David is stoked to have returned home after many years working in other orchestras. ‘This is a very strong and powerful orchestra, but still has such great beauty. Playing music with the people around you who inspire you – it’s pretty fun. It’s not a bad job,’ he says with a typically playful glint in his eye.

Auditioning for an orchestral job and then passing the subsequent trial period is

HOMECOMINGRecently appointed Principal Trumpet David Elton talks about earning the respect of his peers and unusual practice locations.

ORCHESTRA NEWS | JULY 2013

How does a conductor convey his or her intentions to the orchestra in a concert? And how is it different to what they do in rehearsal?

Whether in rehearsal or concert, conducting is all about communication. Every aspect of a conductor’s physicality will encourage the orchestra to play in a particular way. Imagine how you might express something to someone in a foreign language for which you didn’t have the vocabulary: you’d use gestures and facial expressions. In essence, this is what a conductor does.

The connection between conductors and players is often subtle. More often than not it works on a subconscious understanding. On a basic level, the ‘baton hand’, apart from establishing tempo, joins the other hand in shaping the sound. The nature of a downbeat, whether delicate or impassioned, imparts to the orchestra the quality of sound needed. Using the baton with a sweeping motion, for example, can encourage more lyrical playing.

Second to the arms are the conductor’s face and, most powerfully, the eyes. George Szell’s penetrating glare had such compelling potency that his orchestra would be alert to even the smallest of gestures of musical intent. Valery Gergiev is similarly noted for his unflinching eye contact, especially for those players at the back of the orchestra: ‘Looking at a player means I am interested in him. If I’m interested in him, that means he is interested in me. Correct? Everything I do, I try to do relying on expression and visual contact.’

In rehearsal, the gestures are often smaller and a little less energetic. Most conductors leave a bit in reserve, allowing the possibility of something truly cosmic to take place in performance.

Jessica Cottis, Assistant Conductor

Ask a Musician

In June our musicians dusted off legwarmers and sweatbands for a special gathering of the Sydney Symphony Vanguard. This dynamic group of Sydneysiders is changing the way modern generations support the orchestra. For our 80s ‘Flashdance’ event, they were entertained by double bass quartet: David Murray, Kees Boersma, David Campbell and Alex Henery – all suitably attired.

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Education HighlightJail Time

The sweet sounds of the Sydney Symphony Fellowship ensemble recently captivated an unusual audience – a group of 30 maximum-security inmates from the South Coast Correctional Centre. Clarinet Fellow Som Howie wrote about the experience for the Fellowship blog…

In May I went to prison. And it was one of the best things I’ve ever done. My ‘crime’? Being a 2013 Sydney Symphony Fellow. Our recent Bundanon residency included a workshop-performance at the local jail. I knew nothing of prisons other than what I’d seen on TV shows like Oz, so I was a bit nervous. But standing in front of the inmates, we were greeted by warm applause and welcoming smiles. I was amazed at the inmates’ attentiveness and enthusiastic participation during the workshop. They were totally engaged in what they were watching.

I have never felt more fulfilled and humbled. The inmates were so incredibly grateful for our visit and I know each one of them took something away from it. If you asked me to go back, I would easily say “yes”. It’s amazing how powerful the effect of a little bit of happiness can be in the cold, grim environment of a prison.

To read Som’s complete post, visit blog.ssofellowship.com

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DAVID AT HOMEArtistic Profile

What would be your advice for music lovers who are keen to nurture a love of music in their children?Children are very much aural creatures, so listening to music is something they all enjoy. Find ways to participate in making music with them. Music is an activity, not a ‘passivity’. When a child begins playing music at an early stage, there is a marked increase in the number of connections the brain makes in the corpus callosum, leading to better inter-hemispheric communication. The instrument doesn’t matter so much, nor does the proficiency level, but the activity itself proves stimulating to our whole being. This is a life-long gift we give them, whether or not they become musicians!

What are your earliest recollections of music?One of my earliest memories is of my mother singing. Her repertoire consisted of popular songs of the 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s, as well as Broadway show tunes, country music folksongs, and hymns. With my dad playing Dixieland jazz and big band numbers on clarinet and sax, bluegrass and folksongs on guitar, harmonica and banjo – it seemed there was all kinds of music, all the time. I remember when I was about seven, we got a big reel-to-reel tape machine but we only had one tape at first: Ravel’s Rapsodie espagnole and Bolero. One day I put it on when no one else was around and became aware of the act of listening; I could hear how each repetition of the Bolero melody sounded different. I was hooked.

David Robertson shares the role of music in his life away from the podium.

How do you balance the demands of travelling with your role as a husband and father? And will your new post here in Sydney make that easier or more difficult?It is a huge juggling act! As a parent you quickly realise that your children are changing all the time and need different things at different stages, making the long- range planning that music requires very challenging. But I don’t think it’s easy for any parent. When I’m away from home, we speak on the phone or skype on the computer everyday if possible. My wife [Orli Shaham] is a busy performer as well, so we sometimes feel as though we’re in a relay race, handing off the kids before starting the next lap! It’s important to remember that you can always wait to do a piece of music or a concert at a later date, but your child will only be five once. Luckily, my family loves Sydney as much as I do so they are looking forward to joining me during the New York school vacations.

What have your children taught you about music and conducting?Not to forget that it is enormous fun! There is a reason we say that we ‘play’ music.

For many people, music is a source of relaxation, or perhaps even ‘background’ to their lives. What part does music play in your life when you’re not working?It’s almost always going on in my head. I agree that music has a strong influence on mood. The thing I can’t do is have music going on and not listen to it! For me personally, there is no such thing as ‘background music’. It may be soft, but it immediately jumps into my foreground. Sometimes I really wish I could turn off the music in restaurants. The change happened when I was around 16; it became clear that I couldn’t read while listening to music. A lot of people seem to be able to do this but I can’t. I am so not the target audience for the iPod!

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSE TRUSTMr Kim Williams AM [Chair]Ms Catherine Brenner, The Hon Helen Coonan, Mr Wesley Enoch,Ms Renata Kaldor AO, Mr Robert Leece AM RFD, Mr Peter Mason AM,Dr Thomas Parry AM, Mr Leo Schofi eld AM, Mr John Symond AM

EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENTChief Executive Offi cer Louise Herron AM

Executive Producer SOH Presents Jonathan BielskiDirector, Theatre and Events David ClaringboldDirector, Marketing, Communications and Director, Customer Services Victoria DoidgeBuilding Development and Maintenance Greg McTaggartDirector, Venue Partners and Safety Julia PucciChief Financial Offi cer Claire Spencer

SYDNEY OPERA HOUSEBennelong Point GPO Box 4274, Sydney NSW 2001Administration (02) 9250 7111 Box Offi ce (02) 9250 7777Facsimile (02) 9250 7666 Website www.sydneyoperahouse.com

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HAZEL HAWKE TRIBUTEWe were honoured to perform at the State Memorial Service for Hazel Hawke AO in June. Mrs Hawke was a Council Member of the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Founder of the Hazel Hawke Alzheimer’s Research and Care Fund 2003, Patron of the Kendall National Violin Competition, and Chair of the NSW Heritage Council 1996, as well as a tireless campaigner in social policy areas.

DOUBLE HELPING

For this year’s Helpmann Awards, our concert performance of Tchaikovsky’s opera The Queen of Spades has been nominated in the category of Best Symphony Orchestra Concert. And we’re delighted that Stuart Skelton’s portrayal of Herman has also earned him a nod in the category

of Best Individual Classical Performance. Winners will be announced on Monday 29 July at the Sydney Opera House. www.helpmannawards.com.au

TCHAIKOVSKY TREATIn December last year we presented a set of all-Tchaikovsky concerts with pianist Garrick Ohlsson performing the original version of the Piano Concerto No.2. This performance was captured in recording and forms the centerpiece of a new release on the Sydney Symphony Live

label. The CD also includes three piano miniatures by Tchaikovsky: Romance Op.5, Chant sans paroles Op.2 No.3 and Humoresque Op.10 No.2. Available through our website: sydneysymphony.com/shop

LAST SEEN RUNNING…A small group of SSO musicians and staff competed in the recent Sydney Men’s Health Urbanathlon in June. Ben Jacks (Team Captain) was joined by David Elton, Euan Harvey, Abbey Edlin, Chris Pidcock and Rachel McLarin. They had to negotiate their way around ten obstacles – ranging from monkey bars to leaping (clean) skip bins – over a 12 km course through Pyrmont, Darling Harbour and Barangaroo. David Elton crossed the line first for the team but, of course, sport was the real winner on the day.

CODA

BRAVO EDITOR Genevieve Lang sydneysymphony.com/bravo