Musical Director's notes and sound files for the Autumn Term
Aside from personally getting to know the players and character of SMO this term, my primary goal this term is to get to know the musical character and capabilities of the ensemble, and in turn, them me. Incidentally, each work is designed to fulfil different elements of building an initial relationship between SMO and myself.
Beethoven’s Symphony no.7 in A Major is a work that needs no introduction. Premiered by the composer in Vienna in 1813, the work was an instant hit, with audiences demanding repetitions of the now extremely famous second movement. To modern audiences, the work is perhaps most famous for the allegretto providing soundtrack to the numerous movies, including The King’s Speech.
The symphony is ideal for a conductor getting to know a new ensemble. It is a work that is, due to its fame, musically accessible and stylistically familiar to most, but one that also demands both the conductor and players demonstrate a musical and technical understanding of orchestral and chamber playing while navigating some of the most famous passages of music ever written.
SMO has previously played the work during a one-day workshops in 2022, so bringing it back for further study over a full term will provide lots of insight into where the orchestra’s strengths and areas of improvement are.
The music of Debussy has played a major role in my development as a musician and is very close to my heart. Therefore, I have chosen Debussy’s Children’s Corner (arr. Caplet) as a representative piece of myself for the orchestra to get to know. Written originally for piano in 1909, the work was scored for orchestra by Debussy's close friend André Caplet in 1913 which received approval from the composer himself. The title of the piece should not be misunderstood: this is mature Debussy. It is a piece about childhood memories, not a piece written to be played by children!
The piece should be something fresh for SMO to sink their musical teeth into. It contains the definitive hallmarks of mature Debussy: his characteristic use of open textures, modal harmonies, and sweeping chords across the orchestral timbre.
For our third piece, I have chosen the orchestral suite from Fauré’s Masques et Bergamasques because it is a work familiar to members of SMO (they played it during their 21/22 season). It is not my wish to ‘rock the boat’ too much in my first term, so choosing a work that some members have studied already should be a point of comfort for players.
That said, the same work will often sound different when done by two different conductors, even with the same ensemble of players. My hope is that revisiting this lovely little suite will allow us to investigate the work in greater detail and introduce (hopefully) a different approach to the work.
Suggested recordings for the programme
BEETHOVEN
Carlos Kleiber with the Wiener Philharmoniker. Somewhat a definitive recording and interpretation. Carlos took a lot from his father, Erich Kleiber, but his interpretation of the Beethoven symphonies, especially the seventh, has left a defining mark on the tempo, phrasing, and style you’ll have come to hear from orchestras around the world in the late 20th century.
Otto Klemperer with the Philharmonia. Much slower and grander than we’re used to today. The great maestro put strong emphasis on every single part of the texture can being clear.
DEBUSSY
A work that isn’t recorded, or played, very often, it is unsurprising that there aren’t many version available to listen to. However, this recording Lief Segerstam with the Staatsphilharmonic Rhein-Pflatz shows remarkable deftness and care in handling the orchestral adaption of Debussy’s piano classic. I love the clarity of texture, the clear reverence for the piano score, and story-telling quality of this interpretation:
Alternative recording: Geoffrey Simon with The Philharmonia. This is tad faster than SMO will take it, but more ‘orchestral’ in its approach to the music (as opposed to trying to emulate the qualities of the piano score).
FAURÉ
Lodovic Morlot with the Seattle Symphony Orchestra is a recording I love. The overall tone of the work is light and fun - grounding the work in its historical lineage within the commedia dell’arte style - while also emphasising the most lyric pastorale passages we associate with Fauré’s writing.
Betrand de Billy with Orchestre de Chambre Lousanne. It’s just so French.