From London to St Petersburg

Thursday 19 November 2020 St George’s Hanover Square

Programme

2

Firebird Friends & Benefactors

Become a Firebird Friend at londonfirebird.com

Firebird CircleNick & Debbie Bartonrory grahamHoward de Walden estatesLimitedHyde Park Place estateCharityThe morris-VenablesCharitable Foundationrobert Venables QC & garymorrisThe Williams CharitableTrust

Benefactors of the ChairEndowment Schememichael & Helen Brown(Principal First Violin)anatoly Savin (PrincipalSecond Violin)Philip & Suzy rowley(Principal Cello)Jarrod Henderson & Sue Sinclair (Cello)Stephen & Susan Yarnold(Cello)David & eillis Baty (Principal Double Bass)Trevor & elizabeth gore(Principal Oboe)Ken Watters & robinWilkinson (Principal Clarinet)rory graham (Principal Horn)

Professor Thomas Hale & Dr Sam Webster (PrincipalTrumpet)

Golden Firebird FriendsThe rt Hon Sir richard &Lady aikensrobert & Jane Bellemily Bohillmichael manning ClarkJeanie HirschChristopher HumphryPeadar o’mórdhaJohn Naullsguy PalmerBrian readedwin & Harold robsonThomas Sharpe QC & mrs Phillis SharpeStephen & Kate Wilson

Silver Firebird Friendsmartin amherst-LockJim & olivia CookTonia Leon Corbett-WeaverNess CowdreyChris & Howard Fieldingmaria gouveiaallasonne Lewismartin melvilleDoreen mundenJames SaundersNicholas Sokolow

John & rowena TubbyDavid & Susie Turnermartin & alison Walsheandrew Willey

Flying SparksHumphrey avonDr David Daniels

Performance PartnersBärenreiter (UK) LimitedFazioli PianofortiFisherBroylesgladwell & PattersonKnightsbridgeJaques Samuel PianosLondonKings Place LondonLondon Chamber musicSocietymiddlesex UniversitySJe arts oxfordmike SouchSt george’s Hanover Square

Trusts & FoundationsThe Barton TrustHyde Park Place estateCharityThe morris-VenablesCharitable FoundationThe Williams CharitableTrust

3

Dear Friends, In october we organisedour first orchestral concert since theUK’s first lockdown in march - with a

socially distanced audience and lots of safetymeasures.

That programme had to be changed fourtimes since it was first scheduled around a yearago!

While making our final plans we alsoreschedule the concert we had to cancel inSeptember to tonight's date in November. Sincethen, we find ourselves in Lockdown Two!

That means we can play but not perform to alive audience - so tonight we are doing just that.The concert will be filmed so that our supporterscan enjoy watching it at home.

For the present time we are focusing on string,keyboard and percussion performances, avoidingwind, brass and singing.

We hope to balance this by increasing theinvolvement of wind, brass and singing in futureprogrammes.

I hope you enjoy tonight’s inspiring andcontrasting repertoire - showcasing some of thewonders of string playing.

our Young Composer’s Competition is opento current students or recent graduates of anyUK conservatoire or university under the age of

31 years. Candidates are invited to submit acomposition of up to 10 minutes in duration tocompete for a cash prize of £500 and a liveperformance of their work.

Tonight’s performance would not have beenpossible without the unstinting support of ourFriends & Benefactors Society.

I would like to thank each and every one ofour donors who have provided support to thecharity.

If you are not yet a member, do pleaseconsider joining us as your support would beextremely valuable to the orchestra - particularlyin these challenging times. Just join online byvisiting out website at www.LondonFirebird.com. Details of the rest of the concerts of theseason are viewable there too. It is also nowpossible to send a one-off donation via the sitetoo.

We very much hope to see you again soon!meanwhile on behalf of everyone involved withthe orchestra, may I offer you our very bestwishes for Christmas and a happy, healthy andprosperous year in 20201!

Kindest regards,Marc Corbett-WeaverArtistic Director & Chief Executive

Welcome

4

The Fantasia on a Theme by ThomasTallis is work for string orchestracomposed and first performed at a

festival in gloucester Cathedral in 1910. Its British composer ralph Vaughan Williamswas then aged 37 and had yet to achieve fame.gloucester Cathedral’s organist described thepiece as a “queer, mad work by an odd fellowfrom Chelsea”. The work is based on a melody by theelizabethan english composer Thomas Tallis,which Williams had discovered when he wasworking on a commission to compile the 1906edition of the english Hymnal. Tallis wrote it in1567 as a hymn melody for the archbishop ofCanterbury. The words to which it were set, fromPsalm 2:1-2, were:

“Why fumeth in fight the Gentile’s spite, in fury raging stout? Why taketh in hand the people fond, vain things to bring about? The Kings arise, the Lords devise, in counsels met thereto, against the Lord with false accord, against His Christ they go.”

Williams was agnostic himself but his inspirationwas often at its highest when composing onreligious themes or in writing church music. Thehistorical connection with the renaissance andelizabethan age was also significant.

The Fantasia was written in an age of musicalantiquarianism, in which long-forgotten gems ofearly english music were being exhumed. Thisfed into a type of nostalgia combined with apatriotic optimism: a sense of drawing on the pastin order to pave the way for a better future. a reviewer for The Times wrote of the piecefollowing its premiere: “One is living in two centuries at once … It cannot beassigned to a time or school but it is full of the visionswhich have haunted the seers of all times.” In structure the Fantasia is based on theelizabethan form of a ‘fantasy’, a compositionbased on the style of improvisation, focusing ona central musical idea, with very flexible structure. The Tallis theme is played intact just threetimes throughout the work, appearing first afterthe dream-like opening chords. The rest consistsof elaborate variations the melody’s constituentmotives or fragments.

Fantasia on a Theme byThomas Tallis

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)Programme notes by Michael Manning Clark

5

i Adagio - Allegro

ii Adagio

iii Vivace

iv Allegro - Allegro

arcangelo Corelli published a set ofTwelve Concerti grossi, opus 6,in 1714. This is the fourth

concerto in that set. They were written for his own concerts,with Corelli playing in the concertino. aconcerto grosso is a Baroque form thatinvolves a dialogue between a small groupof soloists and the rest of the orchestra. a joyful energy pervades the concerto. amajestic opening sets a festive tone. Theensuing a fiery allegro has a richcontrapuntal texture. The adagio slow movement, with itsgently drooping melody, offers a lyricalcontrast to the pomp of the piece’s opening.Corelli expands the concluding fast sectioninto two movements, both of which are marked by transparent textures and a prevailing feeling of lightness. an elegant melody unfolds over a propulsivebass line in the vivace, and the final allegro isinfused with the spirit of dance.

Concerto grosso in D major,op. 6, No. 4 (Corelli)

Arcangelo Corelli (1653 - 1713)

Portrait by Hugh Howard (1697)

6

St Paul’s Suite, op 29, No 2Gustav Holst (1874-1934)

i Jig: Vivace

ii Ostinato: Presto

iii Intermezzo: Andantes con moto

iv Finale (The Dargason): Allegro

gustav Holst was employed by St Paul’sgirls’ School in Hammersmith, from1905 to 1934, as its head music

master. In 1912, a new music wing of the schoolwas opened, and Holst spent time in its roomscomposing. The St Paul’s Suite was the firstwork that he wrote there, hence its name. arranged for a string orchestra, Holst alsowrote extra parts for when a full orchestra wasplaying at the school.

Like many contemporaryenglish composers, Holsttook inspiration fromtraditional British folk songs,and this influence isprominent in this Suite.

The first movement is inthe form of a jig whichfeatures a lively musicalconversation between twomelodies. The secondmovement continues withthe fast pace, with the secondviolins playing the openingtheme. This theme is passedaround the orchestra until asolo viola interrupts.

In the third movement, aquartet of soloists come to the forefront. Itstarts with a solo violin and viola, playing aduet, on top of pizzicato chords from theorchestra. Holst initially lulls the listener into afalse sense of security, as the beginning of themovement is in the style of a typical slowmovement of a suite. But there is increasingenergy and dynamics as the movementdevelops. The final movement features a melody inthe style of a dargasan – a traditional englishcountry dance. The theme is passed around thewhole orchestra. Later, Holst introduces anarrangement of greensleeves, which the lowerstrings lead. The two melodies are blendedtogether for the ending of the Suite.

7

Serenade for Strings in Cmajor, op 48

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)

i Pezzo in forma di sonatina: Andante non troppo Allegro moderato

ii Valse: Moderato — Tempo di valse

iii Élégie: Larghetto elegiaco

iv Finale (Tema russo): Andante — Allegro con spirito

Tchaikovsky had rediscovered mozart’smagic Flute in the summer of 1880.He said that the Serenade, written

shortly after, was inspired by mozart’s gracefulstyle, in particular in the elegant firstmovement, though the music is very originaland not mere mozart imitation.

The second movement, a waltz, is a popularpiece in its own right and contains one of the

composer’s best-loved melodies.

The deeply felt third movement elegybegins with the same ascending scale thatlaunched the waltz tune.

The finale draws on two folk songs, onefeaturing in the introduction, and the other asthe main theme in the allegro.

Programme

From London to St PetersburgThursday 19 November 2020St george’s Hanover Square

Ralph Vaughan Williams (1872-1958)Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis

Arcangelo Corelli (1653 - 1713)Concerto grosso in D major, op. 6, No. 4 (Corelli)

i adagio - allegroii adagioiii Vivace

iv allegro - allegro

Gustav Holst (1874-1934)St Paul’s Suite, op 29, No 2

Jig: Vivaceii ostinato: Presto

iii Intermezzo: andantes con motoiv Finale (The Dargason): allegro

Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)Serenade for Strings in C major, op 48

i Pezzo in forma di sonatina: andante non troppo — allegro moderatoii Valse: moderato — Tempo di valse

iii Élégie: Larghetto elegiacoiv Finale (Tema russo): andante — allegro con spirito

Michael Thrift conductor

10

11

michael ThriftConductor

In 2020 australian-British conductormichael Thrift continues his long-standingrelationship with the London Firebird

orchestra, having conducted them during thepast several seasons. In addition to tonight’sconcert, michael will lead two concerts later inthe season, as well as workshops with theUniversity of middlesex, and work with thewinner of Firebird’s Young Composer award.

In addition to his symphony work, michaelis a fervent conductor of opera. In 2014 hejoined the team at Fulham opera for Verdi’sFalstaff, returning to lead Puccini’s Il Tabarro in2015. Since then, he has conducted the revivalof Falstaff, as well as new productions of Verdi’sSimon Boc- canegra and Don Carlo, andDonizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor. This yearmichael will lead a new Production of Strauss’seldom-performed Die Ägyptische Helena withFulham. For ormond opera, he has conductedPuccini’s madama Butterfly and Bizet’sCarmen.

In 2017, michael conducted several works atthe Blue Danube opera ConductingCompetition at the rousse State Theatre,Bulgaria, leading the company’s forces inmozart’s abduction from the Seraglio andSaint-Saens Samson et Delilah. elsewhere,michael has lead productions of Wagner’sParsifal, as well as per- formances of Britten’sPeter grimes, Billy Budd, and Beethoven’sFidelio. He will close 2020 with Wagner’sTristan und Isolde.

educated in Sydney, michael undertookstudies in composition at Sydney University,alongside conducting. Notable achievements

include winning the Young Composer of theYear award in 2001 (aSme) and performancesby the adelaide Symphony and the SydneyUniversity Symphony or- chestra. a passionateadvocate for new music, he is an active part ofthe London new music scene. In 2013, hehelped to inaugurate the Composer’s academyat the Cheltenham Festival and has worked withthe Dr. K Sextet in both Cheltenham andLondon. He returns to work with compositionstudents from the University of middlesex aftersuccessful collaborations with them and LFo in2018 and 2019

an unabashed love of sci-fi literatureprovides escapism. michael regularly lives avicarious, alternative existence through theaustralia cricket team, though his duties tomusic inevitably snap him back into reality.

12

anna BlackmurLeader

anna Blackmur studiedas a royal College ofmusic scholar under

maciej rakowski, completingher Bmus with first classhonours (2010) and her mastersin Performance with Distinction(2012). 

In 2015, anna wasappointed Section PrincipalSecond Violin with theorchestra of the royal operaHouse, having previouslyappeared as assistantConcertmaster with theorchestra. 

She has also appeared asguest principal with the BBCSymphony orchestra, BBCNational orchestra of Wales,orchestra of Welsh Nationalopera and principal or co-principal with the academy ofSt martin in the Fields (withwhom she has touredextensively, directed by JoshuaBell, Sir Neville marriner andmurray Perahia), and Scottish Chamberorchestra.

anna is in constant demand as a recordingartist, playing on multiple film and televisionsessions.

She is also in high demand as acoach/mentor and chamber musician, playing

with, amongst others, the Covent gardenSoloists and aronowitz ensemble.  

as an artist in residence, she has attendednumerous international festivals including theBBC Proms, the Saronic and aims Festivals. 

13

Concert Programme 2021

From the New WorldSunday 21 February 2021

Join the London Firebird orchestra with pianist marc Corbett-Weaver and conductor george Jackson for this concert in oxford featuring Dvořák's Symphony No. 9 in e minor, From the New World.

B Minor With LoveThursday 10 June 2021

This concert will feature Dvorak Cello Concerto in B minor,the world premiere of new work from the winner of the Firebird Young plus Tchaikovsky's Symphony no. 6 in Bminor.

Northern LightsThursday 23 September 2021

music by glinka, Tchaikovsky and Sibelius are on the programme for this concert conducted by george Jacksonand featuring talented violinist Yury revich.

14

London Firebird orchestra

Conductormichael Thrift

Leaderanna Blackmur

Violin IBen Paulden (Sponsored by Michael & Helen Brown)Victoria marsholivia Zianimelissa HunterBella Fleming

Violin IISoh-Yon Kim (Sponsored by Anatoly Savin)Claire edwardsadriana CristeaIona allenSherry Shen

ViolaTetsummi Nagataanastasia SofinaVanessa Hristovamorven grahamCaterina Silva

CelloCharlotte Kaslin(Sponsored by Philip & Suzy Rowley)ruth Hallows (Sponsored by Stephen & Susan Yarnold)Samuel NgLavinnia rae

Bassowen Nicolaou(Sponsored by David & Eillis Baty)Daniel Tancredi

The London Firebird Orchestra would like to acknowledge the very generous support of ChairBenefactors not listed above, who have sponsored woodwind and brass chairs not included in

tonight’s performance. Their support is invaluable to the orchestra. A complete list of Friends & Benefactors can be found on page 2 of this programme.

15

London Firebird orchestra is an orchestra ofyoung musicians comprising talented orchestralplayers who are making the journey from studyinto the profession. Through Firebird’s annualseason of concerts, players perform corerepertoire at central London concert venues,while collaborating with renowned soloists,composers and conductors of the youngergeneration. By providing this experience,Firebird offers a helpful platform at the crucialearly stages of professional life. The orchestra has collaborated with manyrenowned soloists, including mathieu vanBellen, Thomas gould, aleksei Kiseliov, Jamesmeldrum, Jennifer Pike, Yury revich, LeonardSchreiber and raphael Wallfisch. each Season,Firebird showcases a small number of prize-winning conductors of the younger generationwho conduct the concerts.

The orchestra also organises an annualcomposition competition for young composers,with a cash prize and live performance for thecomposer of the winning work. outreach is an important part of Firebird’smission. Since 2013, the orchestra has held aresidency at middlesex University, involvinglarge-scale concerts, conducting andcomposition workshops, ensemble and danceperformances. The 2018/19 season saw thelaunch of a new outreach project for theorchestra “Firebird for Schools” – a tailor-madechildren’s concert for London schoolchildren. London Firebird orchestra operates as aregistered charity, governed by a Board ofTrustees. The orchestra is supported by DameJudi Dench as Patron, the Firebird Friends &Benefactors Society and a series of generoussponsors.

at the heart of our orchestra is the Firebird Friends & Benefactors Society.Launched at the orchestra’s inception in 2012 and now with around100 members, the Friends & Benefactors Society is a growing association ofsupporters forming the core of our audience.

members commit an annual donation to the charity, providing a vital bedrockof funding for the orchestra. Without this vital income stream, the orchestra’sconcerts would not be possible. Why not join to today to become part of ourfamily and help us continue to grow?

Sign up today at www.londonfirebird.com or speak to one of our team.

SUPPorT US,BeCome a FrIeND