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Whitacre Lux Aurumque

Lauridsen Mid-Winter Songs

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6

Image (c) Andrew Dunn

Cambridge Philharmonic Society 2012 – 2013 Season Programme

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Cambridge

Philharmonic

Society

Steve Bingham

Conductor

Jeff Moore

Leader

Sunday 28 October 2012 West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge

Sunday 9 December 2012 West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge

Verdi La Traviata,

Soloists Linda Richardson, Ben Johnson, Dean

Robinson, Elizabeth Powell, Philip Sheffield, Nicolas

Garrett, Leandros Taliotis and Joseph Padfield

Saturday 19 January 2013 West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge

Children’s Concert

Sunday 10 March 2013 West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge

Joint Concert with the Fairhaven Singers

Poulenc Gloria

Britten Spring Symphony,

Soloists: Emily Rowley Jones, Bridget Hardy and

Julian Forbes

Saturday 20 April 2013 King’s College Chapel, Cambridge

Elgar The Kingdom, with soloists Yvonne Howard,

Heather Shipp, Nicky Spence and Dean Robinson

Saturday 25 May 2013 West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge

Mozart Piano Concerto in D Minor K.466, soloist

Martin Roscoe

Mahler Symphony No. 4, soloist Prudence Sanders

Saturday 13 July 2013 Ely Cathedral

Dove A Song of Joys

Britten Ballad of Heroes

Tippett A Child of Our Time

Soloists: Gwenth-Ann Jeffers, Yvonne Howard,

Daniel Norman and Nicolas Garrett

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Cambridge Philharmonic Society is grateful for the continued support of

its Corporate Patrons and Friends. This season we are delighted to

receive the support of:

Honorary Patron The Right Worshipful Mayor of Cambridge

Corporate Patrons

Principal

Patron

Patron

Domino Printing Sciences plc

We put our mark on a world of products

Principal

Benefactors

Benefactors

Friends

Richard and Anne King Terry Scotcher

Ed and Gill Coe Elizabeth Hall

Paul Faulkes Davis and Kiloran Howard Rob and Janet Hook

Sebastian and Penny Carter Bill and Barbara Parker

Gordon and Kate Oswald John Short and Debbie Lowther

Andy Swarbrick David and Jackie Ball

The Pye Foundation

Cambridge Philharmonic Society is a member of Chesterton Community College Association. Registered Charity 243290

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Programme

Tchaikovsky Romeo and Juliet

Eric Whitacre Lux Aurumque

Morten Lauridsen Mid-Winter

Songs

~~ 20 minute interval ~~

Tchaikovsky Symphony No. 6

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Ladies and Gentlemen,

Welcome to the first concert of the 2012/13 Cambridge Philharmonic

season. In Tim's absence I'm delighted to have been given the opportunity

to take the reins for this exciting programme of Russian and American

music, which carries us on a voyage from love to despair, and from birth to

death.

From America we have two very different choral works: Eric Whitacre's "Lux

Arumque" is a beautifully fashioned miniature, sung 'a capella', while

Morten Lauridsen's very distinctive work sets poems by Robert Graves for

choir and orchestra, in a manner reminiscent, perhaps, of Copland or

Barber. Framing these are two of Tchaikovsky's greatest works, which

display his mastery of orchestration, and cover between them a whole

panoply of emotions from sheer joie de vivre to utter despair.

"Without exaggeration I have put my whole soul into this"

(Tchaikovsky writing about the 6th Symphony)

Steve Bingham

Conductor

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Fantasy Overture Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Romeo and Juliet (1840-1893)

The suggestion to work on a piece based on the story of Romeo and Juliet was made

to Tchaikovsky by Mily Balakirev and became the subject of a long correspondence

between the two composers as the work went through three versions before

arriving at the final subtitled Fantasy-Overture in 1880, more than ten years after the

initial sketches. It was first performed in May 1886 and is dedicated to Balakirev.

Romantic composers are more concerned with expression than structure, but the

final version of this piece is in extended sonata form - with an introduction, statement

and restatement of the two subjects followed by the coda.

The piece starts with a chordal woodwind introduction, said to represent Friar

Lawrence – the intermediary between the two ‘star-cross’d lovers’ - and the hymn-

like quality with its modal minor theme eventually builds to a single minor chord with

the bass note being passed from woodwind to strings, becoming more and more

agitated until it explodes into the first subject – the theme that represents the

warring Montague and Capulet families, complete with the clash of swords on the

cymbals and repetitive with its syncopated and dotted rhythms.

Finally the woodwind slows and calms down the frenetic fighting music until we reach

the famous, expansive Love theme (or second subject) on the cor anglais and viola

with muted string accompaniment and plucked lower strings with a rising harp

arpeggio at the end leading to a repeat of the theme on woodwind with a descending

figure in the brass.

The warring families take over the action with more stabbing rhythms on the cymbals

before rustling and mumbling woodwind lead unresolved and anguished to the Love

theme again.

This is swiftly taken over by the battle music chasing round the orchestra as the will

of the warring families lead to the tragic conclusion of the story. The Coda brings

back a hymn-like theme on the woodwind with ascending arpeggios on the harp

leading to hints of the Love theme – quiet and high – until it is transformed almost to

a hymn itself, resolving to a single note.

The Love theme has been used many times in films, cartoons and television adverts,

as the two lovers race towards each other, arms outstretched.

Alison Vinnicombe

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Lux Aurumque Eric Whitacre

(born 1970)

Lux Aurumque is an choral work by the American

composer Eric Whitacre, whose distinctive music;

characterised by its rich textures and harmonies,

has made him one of the most popular and

performed composers of his generation. The

album Light and Gold from which this piece is

taken, has this year won a Grammy award for

‘Best Choral Performance’.

Whitacre is currently ‘composer in residence’ at

Sydney Sussex College, Cambridge, giving

masterclasses as part of the University’s MMus

conducting course. He has worked with choirs

around the world, including the Master Chorale of

Tampa Bay, Florida, who commissioned tonight’s piece. The work was inspired by

the poet Edward Esch’s Light and Gold and was translated into the Latin by the

celebrated American poet Charles Anthony Silvestri. The imagery of golden light

pouring onto a new born child, is beautifully completed by the ethereal harmonies,

which Whitacre tells us should ‘shimmer and glow’.

The piece is stylistically typical of Whitacre, whose works feature up to 18 individual

parts, blending to create his signature pan-diatonic clusters. Lux Aurumque is at the

same time unusual among Whitacre’s work for its suitability in religious services,

having been performed by Kings College Choir in its 2008 service of 9 Lessons and

Carols. This is set to change however as the composer’s tenure at Sidney Sussex

exposes him further to Cambridge’s unrivalled reputation for excellent performances

of church music, the first of this fruit being the composition of Whitacre’s beautiful

Alleluia.

Lux Aurumque was the piece of choice for Whitacre’s project The Virtual Choir, an

‘experiment in social media’ that took the form of an amalgamation of over 100

remotely-conducted individual recordings posted online by amateur singers from

across the world. The piece received an overwhelming response with successive

‘virtual choirs’ attracting 3746 vocal recordings from 73 countries around the world

Faye Rolfe

Text:

Lux,

calida gravisque pura velut aurum

et canunt angeli molliter

modo natum.

Light,

warm and heavy as pure gold

and the angels sing softly

to the new-born baby.

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Mid-Winter Songs Morten Lauridsen

(born 1943)

I. Lament for Pasiphaë

II. Like Snow

III. She Tells Her Love While Half Asleep

IV. Mid-Winter Waking

V. Intercession in Late October

Morten Lauridsen is an American composer

whose immensely popular works have been

recorded on more than 200 CDs, five receiving

Grammy Award nominations. Though now

spending much of his time reading voraciously in a

cabin on a remote island off Washington, Lauridsen has been a professor of

composition at the University of Southern California Thornton School of Music for

more than 40 years.

For Mid-Winter Songs, a five-movement choral symphony, Lauridsen chose works by

the British poet and novelist Robert Graves, selecting a mixture of verse inspired by

both the poet’s obsession with his colourful mistress and muse Laura Riding, as well

as poetry that reflected the peace attained with his second wife, Beryl. The poems,

as the title for this choral cycle hints, all take Winter as their setting, whilst using

characters from antiquity to paint the true underlying themes of love, sex and death.

In the theatrical opening Lament for Pasiphaë, daughter of Helios, who committed

adultery with a bull, the poet pleads for us to understand her other-worldliness,

explaining that ‘faithless she was not’. The imagery of woman as a life force,

inextricably coupled with nature, is continued in Like Snow, a madrigal-like scherzo, as

well as in the succeeding slow movement, She tells her love while half asleep, which

Lauridsen describes as being filled with ‘tenderness and warmth’. A second choral

scherzo follows: Mid-Winter Waking, which being filled with jazzy syncopations,

conjures up the poet’s joy at the reawakening of his inspiration, akin to the first

thaws of Spring. The finale, Intercession in Late October, is a both a quiet prayer for

Midas, asking that Cronos (time) deign to "Spare him a little longer", as well as for the

delay of bitter Winter’s return.

Faye Rolfe

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Text

I. Lament for Pasiphaë

Dying sun, shine warm a little longer!

My eye, dazzled with tears, shall dazzle yours,

Conjuring you to shine and not to move.

You, sun, and I all afternoon have labored

Beneath a dewless and oppressive cloud-

A fleece now gilded with our common grief

That this must be a night without a moon.

Dying sun, shine warm a little longer!

Faithless she was not: she was very woman,

Smiling with dire impartiality,

Sovereign, with heart unmatched, adored of

men, Until Spring’s cuckoo with bedraggled plumes

Tempted her pity and her truth betrayed.

Then she who shone for all resigned her

being,

And this must be a night without a moon.

Dying sun, shine warm a little longer!

II. Like Snow

She, then, like snow in a dark night,

Fell secretly. And the world waked

With dazzling of the drowsy eye,

So that some muttered ‘Too much light,’

And drew the curtains close.

Like snow, warmer than fingers feared,

And to soil friendly;

Holding the histories of the night

In yet unmelted tracks.

III. She Tells Her Love While Half

Asleep

She tells her love while half asleep,

In the dark hours,

With half-words whispered low:

As Earth stirs in her winter sleep

And puts out grass and flowers

Despite the snow,

Despite the falling snow.

IV. Mid-Winter Waking

Stirring suddenly from long hibernation

I knew myself once more a poet

Guarded by timeless principalities

Against the worm of death, this hillside

haunting;

And presently dared open both my eyes.

O gracious, lofty, shone against from under,

Back-of-the-mind-far clouds like towers;

And you, sudden warm airs that blow

Before the expected season of new blossom,

While sheep still gnaw at roots and lambless

go-

Be witness that on waking, this mid-winter,

I found her hand in mine laid closely

Who shall watch out the Spring with me.

We stared in silence all around us

But found no winter anywhere to see.

V. Intercession in Late October

How hard the year dies: no frost yet.

On drifts of yellow sand Midas reclines,

Fearless of moaning reed or sullen wave,

Firm and fragrant still the brambleberries.

On ivy-bloom butterflies wag.

Spare him a little longer, Crone,

For his clean hands and love-submissive

heart.

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Symphony No. 6 in B Minor Op. 74 Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky

Pathetique (1840–1893)

Adagio – Allegro non troppo

Allegro con grazia

Allegro molto vivace

Finale: Adagio lamentoso – Andante

Tchaikovsky was born in 1840 in Viatka, and began his career as a civil servant. He

abandoned this, however, when he was 23, and dedicated himself entirely to music,

initially enduring poverty as a consequence. He studied under Anton Rubinstein and was

influenced by Rimsky-Korsakov. Whilst his music is flavoured by a temperament which

was truly Russian, both sensitive and emotional, he was not strongly nationalistic. He was

admired both by Russian audiences and in Britain and the United States where he was

the first widely known Russian composer. He composed prolifically: symphonies,

concertos, suites, ballets and operas as well as smaller works, songs and symphonic

poems. Tchaikovsky died tragically and suddenly, aged only 53, due to drinking unboiled

water during a cholera epidemic, despite the warnings of friends.

The 6th was the last symphony completed by Tchaikovsky, and was first performed in St

Petersburg in 1893, conducted by the composer, only nine days before his death. The

symphony was received with much acclaim by the audience. Subsequently it was played

at a memorial concert in the composer’s honour, including some amendments which

Tchaikovsky had made after the first performance. He wrote of it: “I believe it comes

into being as the best of my works. I must finish it as soon as possible for I have to wind

up a lot of affairs, and I must soon go to London.”

The First movement, adagio – allegro non troppo - is long and structurally lucid and at the

same time complex. The first theme of the symphony is introduced with solemnity and

builds from brooding depths, before it blossoms into the second lyrical motif introduced

by a clarinet soloist. The haunting melody is evocative and dramatic, which accounts for

its popularity as a well-known theme played in several films, including an early version of

Anna Karenina.

The second movement – allegro con grazia – appears to be a moment of relaxation. A

waltz-like and joyful rhythm predominates, carrying the listener along, very different from

the haunting movement which has just finished.

The third movement – allegro molto vivace – is a march of triumph … or, it has been

suggested, of hysterical desperation? Tchaikovsky whips up a frenzy of wild passions

whilst keeping a tight rein on the structure. The first crescendo introduces the full

statement of the main theme.

The final movement, finale – adagio lamentoso – carries the listener towards a slow,

despondent culmination, from the preceding heights of theatrical emotion. The soulful

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theme offers no release from deep, almost despairing pathos. It was an unusual step on

the part of Tchaikovsky to use the slow movement as his finale, he is said to have been

the first composer to do so. Speculation as to why he chose to use this format still

abounds, in view of his imminent death. Whatever the reason, the 6th Symphony sinks

towards an almost unbearably mournful conclusion.

Binnie Macellari

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STEVE BINGHAM

Conductor

Steve Bingham studied violin at the Royal

Academy of Music in London, where he won

prizes for orchestral leading and string quartet

playing. In 1985 he formed the Bingham String

Quartet, an ensemble which has become one of

the foremost in the UK, with an enviable

reputation for both classical and contemporary

repertoire. Steve has appeared as guest leader

with many orchestras including the BBC Scottish

Symphony Orchestra, the Scottish Chamber

Orchestra, English National Ballet and English

Sinfonia. He has given solo recitals in the UK, America, Europe and the Middle East and

his concerto performances include works by Bach, Vivaldi, Bruch, Prokofiev,

Mendelssohn and Sibelius, given in venues as prestigious as St. Johns’ Smith Square and

the Royal Albert Hall.

In recent years Steve has developed his interest in improvisation, electronics and World

music, collaborating with several notable musicians and appearing on a wide selection of

CDs. Steve also plays live with No-Man, the progressive art-rock duo of Tim Bowness

and Steven Wilson. Steve’s debut solo CD Duplicity was released in 2005, and his second,

Ascension, was released in 2008. He has also released a CD of poetry and music with

Jeremy Harmer Touchable Dreams, and is currently working on two new CD projects.

Alongside his playing Steve has developed his love of conducting, working with several

amateur orchestras on a wide variety of repertoire. He is currently Artistic Director of

Ely Sinfonia, and will be working regularly with the City of Peterborough Symphony

Orchestra from later this year.

Steve’s interests include ornithology, photography and Celtic knotwork.

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JEFF MOORE

Leader

Jeff enjoys a varied career playing the violin, piano and

accordion as well as composing. Since leaving

Goldsmiths’ College, he has played with the BBC

Symphony Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, Hallé

Orchestra, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, City of

Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, Ulster Orchestra,

London Mozart Players and the Orchestra of the Royal

Opera House, Covent Garden, and has worked as Music

Director for many shows with the Royal Shakespeare

Company, Birmingham Rep and the National Theatre.

Jeff particularly enjoys working with and composing for

young musicians. His two pieces for young and

professional string players The Gypsy’s Violin and The Sea and the Sky have had numerous

performances, and his River Journey for orchestra with primary school children was

recently premiered in the Barbican by the London Symphony Orchestra.

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PHILHARMONIC ORCHESTRA

First Violin

Jeff Moore (leader)

Kate Clow (co leader)

Paul Anderson

Naomi Hilton

Carole Lo

Adele Fryers

Sean Rock

John Richards

Debbie Saunders

Viktoria Stelzhammer

Pat Welch

Second Violin

Emma Lawrence

Jenny Barna

Joanna Baxter

Graham Bush

Roz Chalmers

Leila Coupe

Rebecca Forster

Edna Murphy

Katrin Ottersbach

Meriel Rhodes

Viola

Gavin Alexander

Anne-Cecile Dingwall

Ruth Donnelly

Jeremy Harmer

Robert Heap

Jo Holland

Samara Humbert-Hughes

Emma McCaughan

Robyn Sorensen

Cello

Vivian Williams

Sarah Bendall

Angela Bennett

Helen Davies

Anna Edwards

Melissa Fu

Clare Gilmour

Helen Hills

Jessica Hiscock

Thomas Jones

Mercedesz Milner

Lucy Mitchell

Double Bass

Sarah Sharrock

Stephen Beaumont

Elspeth Coult

Susan Sparrow

Flute

Cynthia Lalli

Alison Townend

Sally Landymore

Oboe

Rachael Dunlop

Camilla Haggett

Jenny Sewell

Clarinet

Sarah Hughes

Graham Dolby

Bassoon

Neil Greenham

Jenny Warburton

Horn

Carole Lewis

George Thackray

Paul Ryder

Laurie Friday

Trumpet

Andy Powlson

Hollie Woodley

Trombone

Nick Byers

Phil Cambridge

Bass Trombone

Chris Brown

Tuba

Alan Sugars

Timps

Dave Ellis

Percussion

Derek Scurll

Oliver Butterworth

Harp

Lizzy Scorah

Piano

Andrew Black

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PHILHARMONIC CHOIR

First Soprano

Abi Brown

Jane Cook

Olivia Downs

Christina Klasse

* Jan Moore

Caren Otto

Mary Richards

Josephine Roberts

Faye Rolfe

Anne Sales

Pat Sartori

Paddy Smith

Second Soprano

Cathy Ashbee

Sylvie Baird

Eleanor Bell

Susannah Cameron

Jennifer Day

Christine Halstead

Diana Lindsay

Ursula Lyons

Valerie Mahy

Sara Morrison

Liz Popescu

Caroline Potter

Vicky Pottruff

Amanda Price

Rachel Proud

Ann Read

Sheila Rushton

Pip Smith

First Alto

Helen Bache

Margaret Cook

Caroline Courtney

Elaine Culshaw

Sarah Johnson

Penny Jones

Jan Littlewood

Alice Parr

Lucy Scutt

Sarah Upjohn

Alison Vinnicombe

Helen Wheatley

Second Alto

Kate Baker

Jane Bower

Elizabeth Crowe

Tabitha Driver

Jane Fenton

Jane Fleming

Stephanie Gray

Anne Matthewman

Sue Purseglove

Gill Rogers

Oda Stoevesandt

Chris Strachan

Claudia West

Nell Whiteway

Tenor

Aiden Baker

David Collier

Robert Culshaw

Geoff Forster

David Griffiths

Ian McMillan

Chris Price

David Reed

Stephen Roberts

Martin Scutt

Graham Wickens

John Williams

Bass

Richard Birkett

Neil Caplan

Chris Coffin

Paul Crosfield

Dan Ellis

Chris Fisher

Lewis Jones

Owen Marshall

Richard Monk

Harrison Sherwood

Mike Warren

David White

* Soprano solo in Lux Aurumque