BBC Music April 2016

142 Pages·2016·43.48 MB·English

by  various

PLUS! 47-PAGE SUMMER MUSIC FESTIVALS GUIDE
F
iull r
Your essential companion to the season’s biggest and best music events nside asedeio p l1i3s6tings
A centenary celebration
Menuhin
PLUS! Brand
new Menuhin
documentary
See details, p139
PRODIGY GENIUS LEGEND
We tell the remarkable story
of the iconic violinist
Maria Hackett
The Victorian choral champion
Jaap van Zweden
The conductor on his favourite music
Richard Morrison
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE
All hail Mirga Gra✏inyte˙-Tyla!
Harry Christophers
We meet The Sixteen’s conductor
Elgar’s Falstaff
What are the finest recordings?
Allegri’s Miserere
Listen carefully!
Berg’s Violin Concerto
A history of audience behaviour
Strauss’s Don Quixote
Every month, hear great artists
Alberto Ginastera
perform complete works,
including new and archive BBC and many more
recordings. If your CD is missing, The colourful voice of Argentina
please see your newsagent.
THURSDAY 10 MARCH, 7.30PM
Oslo Philharmonic Orchestra
Henning Kraggerud | Vasily Petrenko
VIOLIN CONDUCTOR
Grieg
LYRIC SUITE � EXCERPTS
Tchaikovsky
VIOLIN CONCERTO
Shostakovich
SYMPHONY NO. 5
Zurich
International
THURSDAY 21 APRIL, 7.30PM
Bruckner Orchester Linz
Orchestra
Melvyn Tan | Dennis Russell Davies
PIANO CONDUCTOR
Series ����-��
Gluck-Wagner
OVERTURE TO IPHIGÉNIE EN AULIDE
Mozart
PIANO CONCERTO NO. 23 IN A�MAJOR
Bruckner
SYMPHONY NO. 6
FRIDAY 22 APRIL, 7.30PM
Bruckner Orchester Linz
Ingolf Wunder | Dennis Russell Davies
PIANO CONDUCTOR
Beethoven
OVERTURE TO KING STEPHEN
Beethoven
PIANO CONCERTO NO. 4
Philip Glass
SYMPHONY NO. 9
THURSDAY 12 MAY, 7.30PM
Moscow State Symphony Orchestra
John Lill | Pavel Kogan
PIANO CONDUCTOR
Stephen Johnson
BEHEMOTH DANCES
Prokofiev
PIANO CONCERTO NO. 3
Rachmaninov
SYMPHONY NO. 2
FRIDAY 27 MAY, 7.30PM
Brussels Philharmonic
Barry Douglas | Hervé Niquet
PIANO CONDUCTOR
Fauré
MASQUES ET BERGAMASQUES
Schumann
PIANO CONCERTO
Franck
SYMPHONY IN D MINOR
BOX OFFICE: 020 7730 4500 | BOOK ONLINE: www.cadoganhall.com
Series discounts of up to 20% available | Cadogan Hall, Sloane Terrace, London SW1X 9DQ
APRIL 2016 THE MONTH IN MUSIC
THE MONTH IN MUSIC
The recordings, concerts, broadcasts and websites exciting us in April
ON STAGE Highly sprung ON DISC Harpsichord history ONLINE Totally Bach-ing
The Ulster Orchestra is celebrating the The great harpsichordist Trevor Pinnock Since September 2013 the Netherlands Bach
changing of the seasons with an imaginatively turns 70 later this year, but he’s already Society has been building an online library
programmed concert at the Belfast busy celebrating the occasion with a new of all of Bach’s works. Played on period
Waterfront on 22 April. Rautavaara’s Cantus recital disc. Journey takes a look at 200 instruments and performed in buildings of
Arcticus reminds us briefly of the chilly months years of harpsichord music, with an eclectic Bachian significance, the filmed performances
just gone before we’re serenaded with programme inspired by the travels of the are accompanied by reflections from
K Mahler’s loved-up Blumine and thrilled to the great Spanish organist Antonio de Cabezón musicians. They’ve just reached the 100-work
C
ISTO joys of Schumann’s Spring Symphony. See p133 in the 16th century. See p122 mark, so only 980 to go… http://allofbach.com
ON AIR The Bard at 400
For Shakespeare’s 400th anniversary, Radio 3
is setting up its weekend camp in Stratford-
upon-Avon. In Live in Concert, Jeffrey Skidmore
conducts his Ex Cathedra choir in Holy Trinity
Church (pictured), Shakespeare’s burial place,
in a concert featuring a specially commissioned
ode by composer Sally Beamish and poet
laureate Carol Ann Duffy. See p136
YOUR 2016
FESTIVALS GUIDE
Our celebration of the best
festivals in the UK and
Europe begins on p44
page 32:
The Sixteen’s Harry
Christophers talks
to James Naughtie
page 22:
Yehudi Menuhin and
his father, Moshe, in
New York in 1933
CONTENTS
EVERY MONTH 94 Composer of the Month FEATURES
Terry Blain marks the centenary of Ginastera
3 A Month in Music 22 Yehudi Menuhin
with a look at the Argentinian’s life and work
What we’re all looking forward to this April As we celebrate his 100th anniversary, the violin
98 Building a Library
legend is remembered by Humphrey Burton
6 Letters
Jeremy Pound heads to the inn with Elgar’s
32 James Naughtie meets…
Villa-Lobos memories; the woes of ENO Falstaff… and chooses the best recordings
Harry Christophers, conductor of The Sixteen
10 The Full Score 132 Live Events
36 Maria Hackett
The latest classical music news and more, Our pick of 20 concerts and operas in April
including Radio 3’s 70th-anniversary plans Andrew Green on the intrepid Victorian who
136 Radio & TV
made it her mission to improve Britain’s choirs
21 Richard Morrison
Full BBC Radio 3 listings, plus TV highlights
40 A history of listening
Why we should welcome Mirga Grazˇinyte-Tyla,
140 Crossword and Quiz
the CBSO’s youthful new music director Ivan Hewett takes a look at audience manners
Plus details of what’s coming up in May
92 Musical Destinations 44 Festivals special
142 Music that Changed Me
Oliver Condy heads to the mountains of The festival season is here! We present our
Wyoming for the Grand Teton Music Festival Conductor Jaap van Zweden 45-page guide to the best events this summer
4
BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE
S
S u
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THIS MONTH’S APRIL REVIEWS antp8 cri
a f b
CONTRIBUTORS The important new recordings, stior e!
DVDs and books reviewed c o
Humphrey Burton o u
Welcome ff r
Yehudi Menuhin’s biographer e
r
‘I made my first
film with Yehudi
Menuhin – about
Bartók – in 1959,
and writing his So many of today’s finest
biography (having
violinists owe their careers
already recorded
to Yehudi Menuhin. Nigel
20 programmes for Classic FM) was
one of the most rewarding periods Kennedy is one, and I
of my entire working life.’ Page 22 remember chatting to him
about his time at the Menuhin
Ivan Hewett
School (there’s a sweet picture
Critic, writer and broadcaster
102 Recording of the seven-year-old Kennedy
‘For three years
I’ve been trawling of the Month on p29). Eating bananas were,
through diaries, Menuhin suggested, one of the secrets to a successful
letters and tweets, Handel
performance. Or should I say, one banana. Two bananas
looking for
Water Music would, Menuhin cautioned, make one a little too jittery.
written accounts
of the experience I’d love to have seen him on stage having eaten three.
of listening to music. It’s been Our feature writer Humphrey Burton’s illuminating
104 Orchestral
fascinating to discover the ways
biography of Menuhin reveals a man who deeply cared
music can take on meaning.’ Page 40 108 Concerto 110 Opera
about his pupils, ensuring they were spiritually and
Paul Riley 115 Choral & Song intellectually coached as much as they were musically.
BBC Music’s listings editor 118 Chamber The violinist actively employed a kindred spirit, Tony
‘It doesn’t matter Brackenbury, as his headmaster, who ‘greeted each
122 Instrumental
whether it’s gazebo- pupil separately at his front door,’ one teacher wrote. ‘At
covered opera; Elgar 126 Also out this month…
in an engine shed;
or musical white- 128 Jazz Menuhin ensured his pupils were
water rafting (yes
really!). When it 130 Books spiritually and intellectually coached
comes to summer music festivals, 131 Audio
surrender and enjoy – just don’t
forget the sunblock!’ Page 44 Morning Meetings he selected readings with spiritual and
philosophical ideas, to be followed by a few minutes of
silence for reflection.’ Pupils were encouraged to garden
VISIT CLASSICAL-MUSIC.COM FOR THE
on individual plots of land and there were no uniforms
LATEST FROM THE MUSIC WORLD or prefects. And there are plenty of ‘physical jerks’, too.
That’s not to say that music classes weren’t rigorous. Pupils
were expected to put in hours of practice a day, and in the
school’s early years, Nadia Boulanger would spend several
days at a time teaching the rigorous French solfège system.
‘This is no soft-option school,’ wrote composer and Delius
GETTY amanuensis Eric Fenby. The proof of the pudding came
N, with the huge successes the Menuhin School enjoyed in
O
N
N the biennial BBC Young Musician competition, founded,
A
C
D incidentally, by Humphrey Burton. Will we see the likes of
AR
CH Yehudi Menuhin – virtuoso, conductor, teacher, mentor,
RI
GE: n Download a free track every week from one of the best spiritualist, dietician, humanitarian – ever again? Perhaps
A
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BE highlights, a preview of our monthly cover CD and much more!
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A The licence to publish this magazine was acquired from BBC Worldwide by Immediate Media Company
COVER: othna 1t cNomovpelmiebs ewr i2th0 1B1B. WC ee dreitmoraiianl acnodm cmomittmede rtcoi aml agkuiindge lain mesa agnazdi ncoe nonf ethctes hwigithhe BstB eCdi tporroiaglr aqmuamliteys,. one Oliver Condy Editor
5
BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE
LETTERS
Write to: The editor, BBC Music Magazine, Tower House, Fairfax Street,
Bristol, BS1 3BN or email: [email protected]
LETTER OF THE MONTH NOTABLE THOUGHTS the 1760s, to Irish fiddlers and
I read with great interest Simon to the harper Turlough Carolan.
Heighes’s Brief History of Notes When I hear George Enescu
best of brazil: feature (February). I would like playing a Bach partita, I am
composer Heitor to draw attention to a record I reminded of this traditional style
Villa-Lobos in 1952 bought in 1977 called Sounds as practised in the 20th century
from Silence that was released by fiddlers such as Pádraig
in the US by Bit Enki records. O’Keefe of Sliabh Luachra. But
Having deciphered cuneiform it’s a style that cannot be written
texts dated to c1800 BC, they down, because the rules of
demonstrated that it described a ‘precision’ forbid it.
method of tuning a lyre, which Richard Pine, Corfu, Greece
is illustrated on Side One of the
record together with the text of an TEACHING MALCOLM
accompanying 24-page booklet. Your mention of Julian Bream
Using a replica of an ancient (February) reminds me of an
Sumerian lyre, there is presented amusing incident in the early
on the second side of the record a 1960s. As a tyro clarinettist and
Hurrian Cult Song from ancient friend of Julian, I used to play
Ugarit. Thus musical notation with him at parties, and when
can be pushed back by at least he was approached by the BBC
another millennium. to be the subject of a Monitor
Karl Bettelheim, London programme he asked me if I
would play in a small jazz group
FIDDLE TWIDDLES with him. The idea was to show
Simon Heighes’s very informative him at a party in his flat, playing
A RIO PLEASURE article on notation demonstrates a solo in a tune from a Django
an important aspect of the Reinhardt LP. Also in the group
Thank you for making my day when I received your February issue subject: namely, that in the were a double bass and rhythm
with the cover CD of Villa-Lobos’s Guitar Concerto. My interest in transition from the 18th century, guitar; all I had to do was play the
Villa-Lobos started when, at some time around 1962, I bought an with its accommodation of tune. After filming had finished
LP of his Bachianas brasileiras No. 5 for eight cellos and soprano, a ornamentation, to the ‘precision’ and the party continued, I was
combination I had never encountered before. In 1975, I visited the of the 19th, the possibility was stopped by a man who wanted
Museu Villa-Lobos in Rio de Janeiro. My wife and I were welcomed lost of recording the Baroque to know a little more about jazz
by Mindinha, Villa-Lobos’s widow, style of traditional music, which improvisation. I was generous,
who had started the museum after continues today to insist on an if inaccurate, in my enthusiastic
his death in 1959 and was running aleatoric or provisional element tutoring, but just as I was getting
it. We spent the remainder of the day of decoration in which no into my stride, Julian came over
there, drank coffee with her, listened two performances are, or can and told me he wanted me to
to music and left as long-time friends be, identical. The difficulties meet somebody. I remonstrated
carrying books, records and papers encountered in the 20th century but he insisted. When we had
Every month the editor will she wanted us to have. Although by Bartók and Kodály as crossed the room, I explained that
award a SolarDAB 2 Roberts Mindinha died in 1985, the museum collectors was first made clear to I was giving a short lecture which
radio (retail value £80 – see
is still very active, with a Villa-Lobos Edward Bunting when, in 1797, he had interrupted. ‘Don’t worry
www.robertsradio.co.uk) to the
writer of the best letter received. magazine on the website kept up to he attempted to notate the music about Mac,’ said Julian. ‘He won’t
The editor reserves the right to date all the time. of the Irish harpers – the Baroque mind.’ ‘Who’s Mac?’ I asked.
shorten letters for publication.
AM Vermorken, Kraainem, Belgium style of fiddle found its way, ‘Malcolm Arnold…’
GETTY through Francesco Geminiani in Dick Laurie, Putney
6
BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE
MIGHTY YEPES the local paper, ending with the the operas it produces and the
Your two February issue articles prediction that Milo⌃ would be location, London Coliseum, in
on the classical guitar were of the next ‘name’ in the world of which they are performed. ‘ENO’
NEED TO GET IN TOUCH?
particular interest to me as, here classical guitar. Looks like I got supposedly stands for English 
Subscriptions and back issues
in Almeria, we have a splendid pretty close. National Opera, but the only 0844 844 0252 (outside UK, see p141)
new museum devoted to Antonio Dave Goulder, Sutherland thing English about ENO is General enquiries
[phone]
de Torres, a native of the city that it performs predominantly

and, as you mention, the father LEAVE ENO ALONE foreign operas in English. These Subscriptions and back issues
[email protected]
of the modern classical guitar. I am a 14-year-old boy and a big same operas are also produced General enquiries
[email protected]
Currently in the museum is fan of English National Opera, on a regular basis at the Royal

a special exhibition devoted and quite frankly, I think you are Opera House. It is a disgrace that Subscriptions and back issues
BBC Music Magazine, PO Box 279,
to another maestro of the being unfair to it. You described the so-called English National Sittingbourne, Kent ME9 8DF
instrument, Narciso Yepes (1927- this year as ENO’s ‘year of woe’ Opera has never performed two General enquiries
BBC Music Magazine,
97), a native of nearby Lorca – and while this is true in the magnificent English operas, Immediate Media Company Ltd,
whose artistry was renowned management side of things, it Delius’s A Village Romeo and 9th Floor, Tower House,
Fairfax Street, Bristol, BS1 3BN
internationally. It is a pity his is certainly not the case in the Juliet or Walton’s Troilus and
name was not included in your music side. ENO has put on many Cressida. And even though ENO’s Subs rates £64.87 (UK) £65 (Eire, Europe)
£74 (Rest of World) ABC Reg No. 3122
‘Kings of the Strings’ box, as his excellent productions, not least operas are sung in English, EDITORIAL
discography alone undoubtedly Shostakovich’s Lady Macbeth of surtitles are still used because Editor Oliver Condy
Deputy editor Jeremy Pound
warrants such inclusion. the Mtsensk District and Gilbert much of the libretto is inaudible Production editor Neil McKim
Colin Whyman, Almeria, Spain and Sullivan’s The Pirates of in the cavernous auditorium Reviews editor Rebecca Franks
Cover CD editor Alice Pearson
Penzance, and has also appointed of the Coliseum itself. A better Editorial assistant Elinor Cooper
EARLY SIGHTING a really excellent new principal solution would be to revert to a Listings editor Paul Riley
Consultant editor Helen Wallace
I have to tell you how much conductor, Mark Wigglesworth. cheaper-to-run and flexible opera Art editor Dav Ludford
Designer Liam McAuley
I appreciated your feature on The fact that it is the only opera house with seating capacity of Picture editor Sarah Kennett
Milo⌃ Karadaglic´ (February), company in London solely around 1,000 seats. This could MARKETING
and that Rob Ainsley’s tight style working in English makes it then be used to stage lesser or Subscriptions director
Jacky Perales-Morris
of writing was as immediate as definitely the most accessible – unperformed English operas and Direct marketing assistant
Ethan Parry
Milo⌃’s Asturias. In 2010, a poster and cutting its funding makes successful productions could be
ADVERTISING
appeared in a village shop window very little sense, as it puts on transferred to the Royal Opera Group advertisement manager
in Sutherland, northern Scotland, both crowd pleasers and house as appropriate. Laura Jones [phone]
Advertisement manager
advertising an unknown guitarist incredible new productions. David Green, Fakenham Louise Edwards [phone]
with an unpronounceable name Thomas Nettle, Wells THE EDITOR REPLIES Sales and partnership manager
Rebecca O’Connell [phone]
at the Carnegie Hall, Clashmore Trying to maintain a full-time Senior account manager
(yes, we have one here too). An ENGLISH ONLY opera company based on a BRreabnecdc saa Yleirsr eelxl e+c4u4t i(v0e)1 17 314 8364
ex-guitarist myself, I just had to It seems to me that the main repertoire of English rarities is an Carl Kill [phone]
Brand sales executive
attend and was so exhilarated by problem with English National interesting concept, though I fear Edward Ramstedt [phone]
the performance I felt compelled Opera is that it has totally lost it might prove a little ambitious Classified sales executive
Dan Baker [phone]
to write an uninvited review for its sense of direction in terms of in practice… Inserts Laurence Robertson
[phone]
PERFECT PETERS SYNDICATION & LICENSING
Tim Hudson [phone]
I have two Peter and the Wolf CDs Richard Bentley [phone]
that I would like to recommend PRODUCTION
Production director Sarah Powell
to your reader Matthew Wilcox Production coordinator
Emily Mounter
and his son Benjamin (Music
Ad coordinator Charlotte Downes
To My Ears, February). Both Ad designer Alice Davenport
Reprographics Tony Hunt, Chris Sutch
were originally released on EMI.
PUBLISHING
The older one includes Alan Publisher Andrew Davies
Rawsthorne’s Practical Cats Chairman Stephen Alexander
Deputy chairman Peter Phippen
and Britten’s The Young Person’s CEO Tom Bureau
Guide to the Orchestra, conducted Managing director Andy Marshall
BBC WORLDWIDE MAGAZINES UNIT
by Raymond Leppard and Director of UK publishing Nicholas Brett
Rawsthorne himself. The other is Head of UK publishing Chris Kerwin
UK Publishing coordinator Eva Abramik
conducted by Zubin Mehta and EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD
narrated by the violinist Itzhak Peter Alward, Sir Brian McMaster,
Bob Shennan, Alan Davey
Perlman, who is great as a paternal
arresting display:
Jewish grandpa. Both of these This magazine is published by
Patricia Racette in ENO’s Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited
discs are widely available.
Lady Macbeth last year under licence from BBC Worldwide
Richard Cameron, California, US
7
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TheFullScore
OUR PICK OF THE MONTH’S NEWS, VIEWS AND INTERVIEWS
Mirga Gra✏inyte˙-Tyla heads for Brum
City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra names 29-year-old Lithuanian as its new conductor
Boston Symphony and soon-to-be music
central star: director of the Leipzig Gewandhaus
the CBSO’s exciting orchestra. All three were, like Grazˇinyte˙-
new recruit Tyla, fairly unfamiliar names when they
began at Symphony Hall.
Plus, of course, there is the fact that
Grazˇinyte˙-Tyla will hold the rare accolade
of being a female conductor of a top
orchestra in the United Kingdom – only
Marin Alsop, principal conductor of the
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra from
2002-08, and JoAnn Falletta, principal
conductor of the Ulster Orchestra from
2011-14, have previously done likewise.
See Richard Morrison, p21
Brummie batons
They kept us waiting, but now the received. ‘Grazˇinyte˙-Tyla really did
City of Birmingham Symphony communicate something wonderfully
Orchestra (CBSO) has announced alive and detailed to the players,’ wrote
that Mirga Grazˇinyte˙-Tyla is to be its new The Guardian about the latter occasion,
music director. In taking up the role, the ‘a performance with fresh, clear textures
29-year-old Lithuanian will become only and an unswerving sense of shape.’
CBSO chief conductors
the third female chief conductor of a Grazˇinyte˙-Tyla’s appointment has been
major British orchestra. keenly anticipated, not just because of Appleby Matthews (1920-24)
Grazˇinyte˙-Tyla comes to Birmingham the stature of the post itself or that the Adrian Boult (1924-30)
Leslie Heward (1930-43)
from the Los Angeles Philharmonic, role has been vacant for over six months,
George Weldon (1944-51)
where she has held the role of assistant but also because the CBSO has enjoyed
Rudolf Schwarz (1951-57, pictured above
conductor to Gustavo Dudamel, who an exceptional record of success in this
with Andrzej Panufnik in 1957)
describes her as ‘an amazing artist’. Since area: of its last three music directors,
Andrzej Panufnik (1957-59)
last year, she has also been music director Simon Rattle, who held the post from
Adrian Boult (1959-60)
of the Salzburg Landestheater in Austria. 1980-98, moved from Birmingham to
Hugo Rignold (1960-69)
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VER appearance that was similarly well (2008-15) is both chief conductor of the
10 BBC MUSIC MAGAZINE For more news and artist interviews visit www.classical-music.com