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Singapore Symphony Orchestra11 Empress Place, Victoria Concert
Hall, Singapore 179558
Company registration no: 197801125MPhone +65 6338 1230 (main)
Fax +65 6336 6382
E-mail [email protected] Website www.sso.org.sg
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Supported by various corporate sponsors and individual donors,
the Singapore Symphony Orchestra is a not-for-profi t company
limited by guarantee and registered under the Charities Order.
1979-2009
sponsored by
Ode to Joy
Thu, 26 Nov 09Esplanade Concert HallPerforming Home of the
SSO
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For song title, key in 924 and SMS to 72346. Each SMS costs 30
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Symphony924 SDTnSSO Wave.indd 1 12/31/08 11:41:46 AM All Rights
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01
Dear friends
This year marks another milestone for the Singapore Symphony
Orchestra (SSO) as it celebrates its 30th Anniversary, and Symphony
92.4FM, a MediaCorp station, is proud to be part of this event. We
have specially selected this evening’s concert featuring
Beethoven’s monumental 9th Symphony, aptly titled Ode To Joy, to
celebrate our close partnership with the SSO over the past three
decades, as the Offi cial Radio Station.
Symphony 92.4FM reaches 227,000* listeners with the best of the
classics each week. We keep listeners informed of the latest in the
arts and music scene, promote young talents, and work with cultural
organisations to bring the appreciation of the arts and classical
music to an even wider audience.
The collaboration between the SSO and Symphony 92.4FM, has
served the needs of Singapore audience for quality music. We are
proud to continue with this strong partnership to bring classical
music to you, and to further enhance the cultural enrichment of the
nation.
We look forward to you tuning in to more exciting concert
highlights and exclusive interviews with guest artistes of the SSO
on Singapore’s premier classical music station, Symphony
92.4FM.
We wish the SSO many more glorious years.
Ms Jean C Tan
Assistant Programme DirectorSymphony 92.4FMMediaCorp Pte Ltd
*Source: Nielsen Media Research Diary Survey 2008 Wave 2 (Weekly
Cumulative Listenership)
Message From Symphony 92.4fm
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Concert Duration: 1 hr 50 minAll Timings Indicated Are
Approximate.
Thu, 26 Nov 09
Beethoven Festival:Ode to Joy
Singapore Symphony OrchestraLan Shui conductor
Juliane Banse sopranoCarolin Masur mezzo-soprano
Thomas Cooley tenorWilhelm Schwinghammer bass
Singapore Symphony ChorusSingapore Bible College Chorale
Hallelujah ChorusSingapore Symphony Children’s Choir
Lim Yau chorus master
Ludwig van BeethovenAh! Perfi do, Op. 65 13’00
Intermission 20’00
Ludwig van BeethovenSymphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 ‘Choral’
65’00
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“Today it unquestionably ranks among the world’s best… A
world-class orchestra that can switch between such radically
divergent styles with virtuosic ease.”
American Record GuideMarch/April 2007
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SingaporeSymphony Orchestra
A full-time professional orchestra with 96 members, the SSO now
makes its performing home at the Esplanade Concert Hall, and also
performs regularly at the Victoria Concert Hall and at other
venues. Established in 1979, the SSO performs over 50 symphonic
programmes a year. Its versatile repertoire spans the all-time
favourites and orchestral masterpieces to exciting cutting-edge
premieres, with Asian and Singaporean musicians and composers
featuring prominently in the concert season. The SSO has toured
America, China, Czech Republic, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong,
Hungary, Italy, Japan, France, Spain, Turkey and the United
Kingdom.
Since Maestro Lan Shui assumed the position of Music Director in
1997, the SSO has been distinguished by a high level of excellence
and a rising international profi le. Choo Hoey, who was Music
Director from 1979 to 1996, is credited for developing the SSO with
his diverse programming.
Among the SSO’s recordings under BIS are a number of CDs which
have earned international acclaim, including a Seascapes album and
the fi rst-ever cycle of Tcherepnin’s six piano concertos and four
symphonies. The SSO has also recorded the music of Chen Yi, Zhou
Long, Bright Sheng and Richard Yardumian, collaborating with such
great artists as Gil Shaham, Evelyn Glennie, Cho-Liang Lin, Noriko
Ogawa, Sharon Bezaly, Claude Delangle, Christian Lindberg and
Martin Fröst.
A premier Asian orchestra gaining recognition around the world,
the Singapore Symphony Orchestra (SSO) aims to enrich the local
cultural scene, serving as a bridge between the musical traditions
of Asia and the West, and providing artistic inspiration,
entertainment and education.
05
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Lan Shuiconductor
Lan Shui joined the Singapore Symphony Orchestra as Music
Director in 1997. He has brought the SSO to greater heights during
his tenure, through several international tours and recordings for
the BIS label. Lan Shui is also passionate about performing music
by Asian and Singaporean composers.
Lan Shui is also Chief Conductor of the Copenhagen Philharmonic.
2008 highlights include return appearances with the Deutsche Radio
Philharmonie, Bamberg Symphony, Hong Kong Philharmonic, Aspen
Festival and performances with the Aalborg Symphony where he is the
Principal Guest Conductor. He has conducted many orchestras
including the Baltimore Symphony, Frankfurt Radio Symphony,
Stuttgart Radio Symphony, Calgary Philharmonic, Detroit Symphony,
Houston Symphony, Malmö Symphony, Deutsche Symphony (Berlin),
Danish Radio Symphony, National Orchestra of Loire (France), Bern
Symphony, Munich Chamber Orchestra and Tampere Philharmonic. He has
also performed at festivals including Tanglewood, Aspen, Bravo!
Vail Valley, Round Top, Eastern Music, National Orchestra Institute
and Casals Festivals.
Born in Hangzhou, China, Lan Shui studied composition at the
Shanghai Conservatory and graduated from the Beijing Central
Conservatory, where he studied conducting with Xu Xin and Huang Fei
Li. He made his professional conducting debut with Beijing’s
Central Philharmonic Orchestra in 1986 and was later appointed
Conductor of the Beijing Symphony. From 1986 he continued his
graduate studies at Boston University and attended the Tanglewood
Music Festival, where he worked closely with Leonard Bernstein. In
1990 he conducted the Los Angeles Philharmonic’s Summer Festival,
where he came to the attention of David Zinman who in 1992 invited
him to the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra as Conducting Affi liate
for two seasons. From 1994 to 1997, he was Associate Conductor to
Neeme Järvi at the Detroit Symphony. In the same period he assisted
Kurt Masur at the New York Philharmonic, and worked with Boulez and
the Cleveland Orchestra in Paris under the Young Conductors’
Project.
Since 1998, Lan Shui has recorded over 16 CDs for the BIS label,
including music by Arnold and Hindemith with the Malmö Symphony.
His album with the Danish Radio Symphony, Movement, was nominated
for the 2008 Grammy Awards.
He is the recipient of several international awards from the
Beijing Arts Festival, New York Tcherepnin Society, 37th Besançon
Conductors Competition in France, Boston University (Distinguished
Alumni Award) and Singapore (Cultural Medallion).
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Juliane Bansesoprano
Juliane Banse made her operatic debut at the age of twenty as
Pamina in Harry Kupfer’s staging of Die Zauberfl öte at the
Komische Oper Berlin. One of her achievements has been the
recording of Beethoven’s Fidelio with the Berlin Philharmonic under
Sir Simon Rattle. Her most recent dazzling performance at the
Bayerische Staatsoper was in 2008 as Ilia (Idomeneo) under
conductor Kent Nagano on the occasion of the reopening of the
Cuvilliés Theater. She has expanded her operatic repertoire
recently with several large parts including the Countess in Figaro,
Eva in the Meistersinger, as well as Fiordiligi in Così fan tutte
and the title role in Schumann’s Genoveva.
Born in the south of Germany, Juliane Banse spent her childhood
in Zürich, Switzerland, began playing the violin at the age of fi
ve, and later trained as a ballerina at the Opernhaus Zürich. She
began singing at the age of 15, taking singing lessons initially
with Paul Steiner, and later with Ruth Rohner at the Opernhaus
Zürich. After completing her school education she continued her
studies with Brigitte Fassbaender and also Daphne Evangelatos in
Munich.
The many famous conductors Banse has worked with include Claudio
Abbado, Pierre Boulez, André Previn, Lorin Maazel, Riccardo
Chailly, Leonard Slatkin, Bernard Haitink, Franz Welser-Möst,
Nikolaus Harnoncourt, Helmuth Rilling and Carlo Maria Giulini. Her
most recent international engagements include concerts with Berg’s
Sieben frühe Lieder at the Bolshoi Theatre Moscow, a fi rst
performance of Mahler’s Eighth Symphony (2nd soprano) with the
Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, Mahler’s Fourth Symphony in Boston and a
DVD production of Hunter’s Bride – based on Der Freischütz with the
London Symphony Orchestra under Daniel Harding in London and
Dresden as well as her performances as Ilia in Mozart’s Idomeneo at
the Bavarian State Opera Munich. Juliane Banse’s numerous CD
recordings include her Mozart and Debussy recording (ECM) with
András Schiff and also her multi-award-winning recording of
selected vocal works by Charles Koechlin with the SWR
Radio-Sinfonieorchester Stuttgart (Stuttgart Radio Symphony
Orchestra) under Heinz Holliger (hänssler). A recording of Frank
Martin’s Maria Triptychon was also released recently by ECM.
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CarolinMasurmezzo-soprano
Born in Berlin and brought up in Leipzig, Carolin Masur studied
at the Hanns-Eisler Conservatory Berlin. She has participated in
masterclasses with Brigitte Fassbaender, Hans Hotter, Sergej
Leiferkus and Julia Varady.
From 1995 to 1997, Masur was a Company Member at the
Landestheater Coburg where her roles included Cherubino and Hansel,
among others. From 2000 to 2002 she appeared at the Komische Oper /
Berlin, Theater Magdeburg, Kammeroper Rheinsberg, Handel Festival
in Hallé, Dresden Music Festival and made her debut as the Composer
in Ariadne at the National Opera Szeged/Hungary.
From 2002 to 2005, Masur was a Company member of the Staatsoper
Hannover where she performed roles such as Hansel, Ramiro, Orlofsky
and Octavian. After this she performed at the Stuttgart State
Opera, at Toulouse Opera and sang concerts in the major European
capitals and Japan.
Besides her operatic career she has acquired an impressive
reputation on the concert platform. She has appeared with the
Orchestre National de France and Philharmonie de Radio France,
London and Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, Gewandhaus Leipzig,
Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra, Czech Philharmonic and others.
Among the conductors she has worked with are Christoph Eschenbach,
Kurt Masur, Marek Janowski, Sir Roger Norrington, Christian
Thielemann, Herbert Blomstedt and Serge Baudo.
Carolin Masur has been broadcasted on several radio stations in
Europe like MDR, Deutschlandradio (Germany) and Radio France. Her
CD recordings include “Songs by Fanny Hensel and F.
Mendelssohn-Bartholdy” for Klavierrecords/USA, “Raven” by M.
Theodorakis for Genuin/Germany, and “Deutsche Sinfonie” by Eisler
for Naïve/France.
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Thomas Cooleytenor
The American tenor Thomas Cooley is quickly establishing a
reputation on both sides of the Atlantic – and beyond – as a singer
of great versatility, expressiveness, and virtuosity. He is equally
at home on the concert stage and in the opera house, and his
repertoire spans more than four centuries, encompassing the early
masters such as Handel, Bach, Mozart, and Monteverdi, as well as
works by Romantic and 20th century and contemporary composers
including Berlioz, Elgar, Britten, Penderecki, and Philip Glass.
Cooley is a self-described storyteller whose interpretations are
deeply informed by the texts he is singing. Critics universally
praise the emotional depth and nuance of his performances, whether
the mood is dramatic, comic, or deeply spiritual. The 2009/2010
season began for Thomas Cooley with appearances with the Müncher
Motettenchor in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Mendelssohn’s Erste
Walpurgisnacht, and in Basel, performing Britten’s War Requiem. He
returned to the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra for Berlioz’s L’Enfance
du Christ; performed a recital of works by Monteverdi and Schütz in
Berkeley; and made a triumphant appearance as Acis in his fi rst
Acis and Galatea by Handel at Chicago’s Music of the Baroque
series. His recent engagements include debuts with the Cleveland
Orchestra (Welser-Most), St. Louis Symphony and Kansas City
Symphony (both with McGegan), and the Carmel Bach Festival (Weil);
return appearances with the Atlanta Symphony and Minnesota
Orchestra; tours of Spain and Germany with the Windsbacher
Knabenchor; the title role in Bernstein’s Candide with the
Charleston Symphony; concerts with the International Bach-Akademie
Stuttgart, and Beethoven Symphony No. 9 in Japan with Eiji Oue.
Thomas Cooley spent a formative ten years in Munich where he was a
member of the ensemble at the Staatstheater am Gärtnerplatz. He was
born in Minneapolis and now makes his home in Connecticut.
Recordings include Mathan in Handel’s Athalia with Peter Neumann
and the Kölner Kammerchor (MDG) and the premiere recording of
Vivaldi’s Dixit Dominus (Deutsche Grammophon) as well as Mozart’s
Requiem with the Windsbacher Knabenchor (Sony).
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Wilhelm Schwinghammerbass
Born in Bavaria in 1977, Wilhelm Schwinghammer was musically
trained as a member of the world famous boy’s choir and specialized
high school of the Regensburger Domspatzen. He studied with Harald
Stamm at the University of Arts in Berlin and attended
masterclasses with Kurt Moll and Marjana Lipovsek. While still a
student, he joined the Frieder Bernius Chamber Choir in Stuttgart
(1999-2004), was a fi nalist at the German Bundeswettbewerb (2004),
gained crucial experience at Philippe Herreweghe’s Collegium Vocale
in Gent and was part of the Sette Voci Ensemble.
In 2003, Schwinghammer was engaged for the International Opera
Studio with several productions at the Hamburg Opera, including
performances of Parsifal in the famous Robert Wilson production and
John Neumeier’s Jubiläumsballett. In 2005, he made his debut at the
Salzburg Festival as Dr. Grenvil singing with Anna Netrebko and
Rolando Villazón in La Traviata staged by Willy Decker.
Since the beginning of the 2006/2007 season, Wilhelm
Schwinghammer joined the Hamburg Opera with a number of new roles,
including Masetto (Don Giovanni), Colline (La Bohème), Lodovico
(Otello) as well as Theseus in Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
For the opening of the jubilee season of Theater der Stadt Kiel, he
sung the role of Rocco next to Adrienne Dugger and Scott
MacAllister, followed by a new production of John Neumeier’s ballet
“Bach’s Christmas Oratorio” conducted by Alessandro de Marchi. For
the 2008/2009 season his roles include Colline (La Bohème), Speaker
(The Magic Flute), Eremit (Freischütz), Don Basilio (Barbiere) and
Sparafucile (Rigoletto) at Hamburgische Staatsoper. Also, he made
his role debut as Kaspar (Freischütz) and has sung at Schubertiade
Schwarzenberg.
In the 2009/10 seasons, the following roles are scheduled for
Schwinghammer at Hamburg State Opera: Il Re (Aida), Leporello,
Sarastro, Eremit and Kaspar. He has sung and will sing under
conductors including Carlo Rizzi, Nicola Luisotti, Peter Schneider,
Neville Marriner, Stefan Soltesz, Simone Young, Marc Albrecht, Marc
Minkowski and Helmuth Rilling.
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Singapore Symphony Choruslim yau music director | shane thio
rehearsal pianist
The Singapore Symphony Chorus (SSC) was initiated in 1980 under
the direction of Choo Hoey, then Music Director of the SSO. The
Chorus gave its fi rst performance on 13 and 14 June 1980,
performing Brahms’ A German Requiem. In 1981, Lim Yau was appointed
Chorus Master and under his guidance, the SSC has established
itself as one of the fi nest choirs in the region and one of the
few symphony choruses in Southeast Asia. Bart Folse was Chorus
Master from 1998 to 2000. In 2001, Lim Yau returned as the Music
Director of the Chorus. The SSC performs with the Singapore
Symphony Orchestra (SSO), presenting an average of three programmes
a year. Under Lim Yau’s leadership, the SSC continues to strive for
excellence in performance.
The Chorus has worked with renowned choral specialists such as
Peter Erdei, Eric Ericsson and Laszlo Heltay. Vocal soloists who
have appeared with the Chorus over the years include Sir Willard
White, David Wilson Johnson, Michael George, Neil Mackie and Susan
Chilchott.
The wide repertoire of the SSC includes Janácek’s Glagolitic
Mass, Hindemith’s Requiem, Holst’s The Planets, Lambert’s Rio
Grande, Leong Yoong Pin’s Choral Symphony, Mahler’s Second and
Eighth Symphonies, Orff’s Carmina Burana, Rachmaninov’s The Bells,
Stravinsky’s Symphony of Psalms, Tippett’s A Child of Our Time as
well as the famous masses and oratorios of J S Bach, Beethoven,
Haydn, Mozart, Berlioz, Gounod, Dvoř ák, Elgar and Fauré.
The Chorus is looking for like-minded singers of all
backgrounds. If you wish to join the SSC, please contact us on our
website at www.symphonychorus.sg.
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The Singapore Bible College Chorale comprises students of the
School of Church Music of Singapore Bible College (SBC). It was
formed in early 1982 by its music director, Lee Chong Min, to
provide choral experiences for the students and to promote quality
sacred choral masterpieces in Singapore through its annual
concerts. Under Lee’s able leadership, the Chorale now presents an
average of four performances annually.
The SBC Chorale collaborates regularly with other choirs and
orchestras in Singapore and Malaysia. Since 1995, regular concerts
with the Hallelujah Oratorio Society and the Hallelujah Chorus have
showcased choral works by Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, Handel, Haydn,
Mendelssohn and Mozart. It also presents Asian and Singapore
premieres of sacred choral works by several Asian composers in
international church music conferences. Since 2001, SBC Chorale has
also performed with the Singapore Symphony Chorus, The Philharmonic
Chamber Choir, and the Singapore Symphony Orchestra in the
Singapore Arts Festival, the inauguration of Esplanade Concert
Hall, and in several annual concerts.
The repertoire of the SBC Chorale includes Bach’s St Matthew
Passion and Mass in B minor, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9, Choral
Fantasy and Missa Solemnis, Berlioz’s Messe Solennelle, Brahms’
German Requiem, Handel’s Messiah, Haydn’s The Creation and Handel’s
Dixit Dominus, Janáč ek’s Glagolitic Mass, MacMillan’s The Seven
Last Words from the Cross, Mahler’s Symphonies Nos. 2 and 8,
Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Hymn of Praise, and St Paul, Mozart’s Mass in
C minor and Requiem, Verdi’s Requiem, and Vivaldi’s Gloria.
Singapore Bible College Choralelee chong min music director
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Hallelujah Chorus is one of three choral groups under the
Hallelujah Oratorio Society (HOS). It focuses on performing
oratorio and classical sacred music under the baton of conductor
Maestro Rev Lee Chong Min, music director and conductor of HOS, and
music lecturer of School of Church Music at the Singapore Bible
College.
In recent years, Hallelujah Chorus has been in singing
partnership with the Singapore Bible College Chorale and The
Philharmonic Orchestra, performing choral-orchestra masterworks,
along with various soloists from the Asian region, including
Mendelssohn’s Elijah, Hymn of Praise, St. Paul, Haydn’s The
Creation, Brahms’ Requiem, Mozart’s C Minor Mass, Handel’s Messiah
and Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis.
Repertoire performed with the Singapore Symphony Orchestra and
Singapore Symphony Chorus since 2003 include Berlioz’s Messe
Solennelle, Mahler’s Eighth Symphony (in the 2004 Singapore Arts
Festival) and Third Symphony, Glagolitic Mass by Leos Janáč ek,
Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony, Choral Fantasy and Missa Solemnis,
Haydn’s The Creation, Mendelssohn’s Elijah, MacMillan’s Seven Last
Words from the Cross and Handel’s Messiah.
Hallelujah Choruslee chong min music director
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Singapore SymphonyChildren’s Choirlim yau music director
The Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir was formed in June 2006,
marking another milestone in the history of the Singapore Symphony
Orchestra. As Singapore’s national orchestra, the SSO takes pride
in nurturing young talents and helping them achieve their musical
potential.
Under the direction of Music Director of Singapore Symphony
Chorus maestro Lim Yau, 113 children were selected from the initial
auditions. Weekly training programmes began in July 2006 under
voice specialists Quek Soo Hiang and Wong Lai Foon. After one year
of training, choir members are set to perform choral masterworks
with the SSO that require young voices.
The Singapore Symphony Children’s Choir made its debut
performance in 2007 at the SSO’s Christmas Concerts. Following
that, the choir sang in SSO’s one-night performance of Mahler’s
landmark Third Symphony on 26 January 2008 and the 2008 SSO
Christmas Concert. This year, the choir sang in SSO’s performance
of Berlioz’s La Damnation de Faust on 2 May 2009 at the Esplanade
Concert Hall.
The Children’s Choir gave its inaugural concert at the Victoria
Concert Hall on 20 April 2008.
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Lee Pey Miin, CarrollLee Yew PingLee, EvelynLee-Teh Siew
Kin,
DorothyLeung Yong Ting, NicoleLikin, ClarisLim Jia Hui,
ClaireLim Qingli, KristiLim Shuen HanLim Siying, ClaribelLim
XinyiLim Yan, Carissa MarieLim Yi Jin, EileenLim, JaniceLim,
TiffanyLim, WendyLing Su YuenLoh Su San, EllenLooi Duan Ying,
DeniseLow Swee Ling, SharonNg Boon ChengNg Oon Thiam Ng Ting Si,
TeresaNg, CherylNyonosaputro,
SendawatiOw, Evelyn Pitkanen, Sointu Lempi
TuuliaPitkanen, Tuija HannelePitkanen, Vilja Kaisa
LyydiaRajakumari, TwinkleSani, EnoniSchuler, SabineSeshadri,
Malavika Seshadri, MeghnaSiew Guo FenSit Wai Yee, MelodySitaram,
Spatikha Smith, Lauren LanSoo Miew HiongSoo Yin Ying, EleanorSu,
EnaSunardi-Gotze, NanyTan Qiao Chu, ClaireTanaka, ArisaTeo Li
HoonThia, DebbieToh Yih Shyan, JoelUmar Sirhan Bin
HishamudinViernes Krishan Carmel
VillamarzoWeeks, Nimmi Whalen Bridge, HelenaWong Ee Hwee
SOPRANOAng Ee Tin, JoyAw, KarenBailey, FeliciaBeattie,
RuthBuckley, PamelaChen Xiao EChen Yitie, EstherCheng Huan AnChoo
Xin Le, AladdyChow Cheng ShonChua Rui TingFrom, Julie
OliviaFurukawa, KiyomiGanakirthana, Kalpenya
DeviHaines, RebeccaHandoko, ClariceHill, DorotheaHon, MandyHow
Jia YuHu Ling YiIwakura, HisaeJocelynJoseph, Debbie GeneKhong Gek
Ping, Serene Khor Chin Shiang,
ChloeKummar, KanchenKurniawati, HerlinaKwok, RebeccaLau Moy
ChinLau, NobliaLaw, MaggieLee Bee KiongLee Li Xuan, NicoleLee Yi
LengLiew Xin Hui, SujataLim Sheok Hong, GraceLim, Alexandrea KayLin
MiinLing Shan ShanLio Xiao Han, JocelyneLourdesamay, Natalia
DhanyaNeo Wen Ning, YasmineNg Kong Tiok Ng Qian Ning, IreneNg,
Samantha Ojha, ShubhraOjha, Soumya Ong Lay KeePrasetya, Margie
StevanieRheaume, Robin AnnSanthana, ArasiSanthana, Sarah Sew Wen
Xin
Sim Hui Theng, Cassandra Allicia
Smith, Nicole Ying Soegijanto, Eirene Tan Chay EngTan Hui
YinTang Hui Xuan, TessaTang MichelleTay Jie Min, VanessaTay Jie Yu,
NicoletteTay Xi Ching, MelodyTeng, PatriciaTham Sze RongThong Geok
LeeTong MiinWang Yu-AnnWeston, FlorenceWirjawan, FarikaWong Wye
LengWu WanjinYang En Jie, AngelYe Lu WeiZaheer, Tasha
ALTOAng Feng QianAng Hooi Yeong,
PaulineChai En Yu, EmilyChan Hwee PingChan Mei Yoke Cheng Hwee
Leng,
CarolCheong Kuang Wen,
GabrielleChia Menq WoeiChiew Hao GenChing, Gabriel JoelChiu Lu
YahChoo Kin MengChua, Liang WeiDizon, Catherine
Beatrice AycochoFernandez, Maria
Martha Cecilia G.Fong Jia WeiFum Rui Fen, MarissaGan Cze,
CaszellaHan, Rui Zhou NicholasHandoko, Nathalie
Tricia Ho, JenniferHu ZhenqiHuraisha Bte Mohd
RafeeKerger, TheresiaKurniawan, Erlie Lam Yuen Wah, Ronnie
Yang ShuqiYe Chen Yi, BeniYeap Yong Ern, Joel Yen, ChristineYeow
Eng HawYong Siew Kian,
Caroline
TENORChan Seng Chye, KerrynChen, Mark C.Choong Tsung Liang,
AlvinEdwards, Barry PeterHo, Benjamin How, JamesIvan
SubuhwantoLam, H.M. VincentLee Yu PengLoy Peng, MelvinMargono,
AdiNg Keng Chui, PerryOng, SimonPhua HeePitkanen, Markku Shuter,
BorysSmith, AlanThadani, RahulToh Kai Kim JosephWu Chun Ming,
JimmyYong Zoh Fah, Paul
BASSAng Jian ZhongAu Yeong Hau TzengBui Quang Khoi, KleinCaduff,
Claudio Chojnowski, AlexandreEnoch DanielFoo, ColinKang, Husen
LalsiamkimaLau Yew Ong, JamesLim Ka Njan, Peterus Ngoh Jun Jie,
Jasper Schade, MichaelSy, DavidTan Kai Suan, JosephTan, Tzy Shiun
Eric Teo Siak Hian, LeoWee, RaymondWong Sei Wee, JoshuaWong Theam
YewWu Tong, RaymondZau Naw
Combined Choir List
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Upcoming Eventsmusic director
Lan Shui
Tue, 1 Dec 09
Beethoven Festival: Pastoral Pleasures
Lan Shui conductorEmily Beynon fl ute
BRETT DEAN Pastoral Symphony NIELSEN Flute Concerto BEETHOVEN
Symphony No. 6 in F major, Op. 68 ‘Pastoral’
Beethoven’s love of nature found true expression in his Sixth
Symphony – popularly known today as the Pastoral – which is a
delightful musical depiction of a day in the countryside. The
concert opens with a very different Pastoral Symphony, composed in
2000 by Australian composer Brett Dean (b.1961), using a wide range
of modern compositional techniques. It “is about glorious birdsong,
the threat that it faces, and the soulless noise that we’re left
with when they’re all gone”.
Lunch Treats on Symphony 92.4FM (Mon-Fri, 11am to 2pm)
On Symphony 92.4FM’s Lunch Treats, we serve a wide selection of
music to go with your favourite lunch menu – from Broadway hits to
Movie themes, masterworks to light classics. Tune in also for
What’s On in the music,
arts and theatre scene at 12.20pm. For more information, visit
www.symphony.sg.
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All concerts begin at 7.30pm in Esplanade Concert Hall unless
otherwise indicated.
Fri, 4 Dec 09
Beethoven Festival: In Good Company
Lan Shui conductorMari Kodama piano
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 8 in F major, Op. 93 BEETHOVEN Piano
Concerto No. 4 in G major, Op. 58BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 7 in A
major, Op. 92
Pianist Mari Kodama – heralded for her profound musicality and
articulate virtuosity – joins forces with the SSO in Beethoven’s
poetic Fourth Concerto. Two sunny symphonies fl ank the programme:
the Seventh – a celebratory work brimming with beauty and energy –
and the Eighth, possibly “the sunniest, most unadulteratedly
cheerful music fi lled with high spirits, rowdy jokes and sly
pranks”.
Post-concert Symphony Post-concert Symphony Chat with Lan Shui
Chat with Lan Shui
Sponsored by
sold out
Fri, 11 Dec 09, 10.30am & 12.15pm Sat, 12 Dec 09, 10.30am,
12.15pm & 2.15pmVictoria Concert Hall
Babies’ Proms
Peter Moore conductor
The children’s favourite Uncle Peter is back again for the
eighth year running, to lead the little ones on an amazing fun-fi
lled musical adventure!
There will be pre-concert activities at 9.45am, 11.30am and
1.30pm.
Concert suitable for children 6 years and below.Tickets required
for children 2 years and above.Each concert lasts one hour.
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FIRST VIOLINLEADERAlexander Souptel*
CO-LEADERLynnette Seah
ASSISTANT LEADERKong Zhao Hui*
FIXED CHAIRChan Yoong Han
Chen Da WeiDuan Yu LingFoo Say MingGu Wen LiJin LiCindy LeeLim
Shue ChurnSeow Jin ChongSui Jing JingKaren TanWilliam TanWei
ZheWakako Yokoyama^^
SECOND VIOLINPRINCIPALZhang Zhen Shan
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPALMichael Loh
FIXED CHAIRHai-Won Kwok
Cao Can^Nikolai Koval*Priscilla NeoAndrea Oey*^Margit Saur Shao
Tao TaoWu Man Yun* Xu Jue Yi*Ye Lin*Yeo Teow MengYin Shu Zhan*Zhang
Si Jing*
VIOLAPRINCIPALZhang Manchin
MUSIC DIRECTOR • Lan Shui RESIDENT CONDUCTOR/MUSIC DIRECTOR of
SINGAPORE SYMPHONY CHORUS • Lim YauCONDUCTOR EMERITUS • Choo Hoey
PRINCIPAL GUEST CONDUCTOR • Okko KamuYOUNG ASSOCIATE CONDUCTOR •
Darrell Ang
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPALGuan Qi
FIXED CHAIRLuo Biao
Fan Ran^Jiri HegerJiang Han Song*Marietta KuLiu Hao YuShui
BingTan Wee HsinTong Yi PingYang Shi Li
CELLOASSOCIATE PRINCIPALYu Jing*
FIXED CHAIRGuo Hao*
Chan Wei Shing*Ding Xiao FengLi ChengSong Woon TengElizabeth
Tan*Wang YanZhao Yu Er
DOUBLE BASSPRINCIPALGuennadi Mouzyka
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPALYang Zheng Yi
FIXED CHAIRKaren Yeo
Olga AlexandrovaMa Li MingJacek MiruckiWang Xu
FLUTEPRINCIPALJin Ta
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPALEvgueni Brokmiller
Roberto AlvarezLee Kee Hoi
PICCOLOASSISTANT PRINCIPALRoberto Alvarez
OBOEPRINCIPALRachel Walker
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPALPan Yun
Carolyn SondereggerElaine Yeo
COR ANGLAISASSOCIATE PRINCIPALElaine Yeo
CLARINETPRINCIPALMa Yue
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPALLi Xin
Liu YokoTang Xiao Ping
BASS CLARINETASSISTANT PRINCIPALTang Xiao Ping
BASSOONPRINCIPALZhang Jin Min
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPALLiu Chang
Christoph WichertZhao Ying Xue
CONTRA BASSOONASSISTANT PRINCIPALZhao Ying Xue
HORNPRINCIPALHan Chang Chou
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPALGao JianJamie HerschMarc-Antoine
Robillard
Wang Min
TRUMPETPRINCIPALLaurence Gargan
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPALDavid Smith
Ikebe JunYap Thien Soo
TROMBONEPRINCIPALAllen Meek
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPALFredi Sonderegger
Damian Patti
BASS TROMBONEASSISTANT PRINCIPALShannon Pittaway
TUBAPRINCIPALHidehiro Fujita
TIMPANIPRINCIPALJonathan Fox
Grzegorz Markiewicz
PERCUSSIONPRINCIPALJonathan Fox
ASSOCIATE PRINCIPALMark Suter
Mark De SouzaLim Meng KehGrzegorz MarkiewiczSun Yi^Akari
Tsuruta^Zhu Zheng Yi^
HARPPRINCIPALGulnara Mashurova
SSO Musicians
20
Musicians (listed alphabetically by family name) rotate their
seats on a per programme basis
* With deep appreciation to Mr & Mrs Rin Kei Mei for their
generous loan of string instruments from the Rin Collection^
Musician(s) on temporary contract^^ Musician on exchange programme
with Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra
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Musicians’ Chair
Corporate Seats
Allow your corporation to play an active role in the life of the
Orchestra by supporting the Musicians’ Chair Programme and
Corporate Seat Scheme.
For more details, please contact the Development &
Sponsorship Team at 6837 0998 or [email protected].
To continue to be one of the most outstanding orchestras in the
region, the Singapore Symphony Orchestra needs to recruit and
maintain its pool of talented musicians. We would like to thank the
following corporation for
supporting our Musicians’ Chair Programme:
$20,000 and aboveJapanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry,
Singapore
Petrochemical Corporation of Singapore (Pte) Ltd
$10,000 and aboveBD
Hong Leong FoundationLippo Group Prima Limited
SINGAPORE PETROLEUM COMPANY LIMITED
Musician’s Seat
21
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Donations Received From Oct 2008 To Sep 2009 ($1,000 And
Above)
$200,000 and aboveTote BoardConrad Centennial SingaporeKeppel
Corporation Ltd
$100,000 and aboveBSI Bank Ltd, SingaporeFJ Benjamin Holdings
LtdHydrochem (S) Pte LtdLee Foundation, SingaporeMiele Private
Limited
$50,000 and aboveSingapore Airlines LtdThe Swatch Group S.E.A.
(S) Pte LtdErnst & Young LLPSingapore Petroleum Company
LimitedSingapore Press Holdings LtdTan Chin Tuan FoundationFar East
Organization Centre Pte LtdCapitaLand LimitedChristopher & Rosy
HoSincere Watch Ltd
$20,000 and aboveNSL LtdEstate of Tan Sri Khoo Teck
PuatMonconcept Investments Pte LtdOversea-Chinese Banking
Corporation LtdPeter Lim Eng HockSingapore Institute of
ManagementInterlocal Exim Pte LtdJCCI Singapore Foundation LtdLee
Hsien LoongLippo GroupMr & Mrs Goh Yew LinMr & Mrs Wong
Nang JangPetrochemical Corporation of Singapore
Pte LtdRotary Engineering LimitedYong Pung How
$10,000 and aboveBNP ParibasDorothy ChanLeon Lui Yuen
LeungRubina Watch Co Pte LtdBecton Dickinson And CompanyChong Yoon
ChouDBS Bank LtdDilhan PillayHong Leong FoundationJopie Ong Hie
KoanLGT Bank In Liechtenstein (Singapore) LtdPhilips Electronics
Singapore Pte LtdPrem ManjooranPrima LimitedTan Puay HiangUnited
Overseas Bank LtdYong Ying-I
$5,000 and aboveClarinda Tjia-DharmadiJoseph GrimbergCapital
InternationalDavid ScottAnonymousAllen & Gledhill LLPAsia
Pacifi c Breweries FoundationJean-Pierre BernardCarolina Chan Swee
LiangRicardo CastroCatherine Ong Associates Pte LtdCheng Kim Loke
FoundationFrank BenjaminHsieh Fu HuaHsieh Tsun YanJay Gee
Enterprises (Pte) LtdKuok (Singapore) LimitedLee Boon YangNew
Funnels (S) Pte LtdOng & Ong Pte LtdOrchard 290 LtdParkway
Group Healthcare Pte LtdPSA International Pte LtdSat Pal
KhattarSeah Quee ChooSiemens Pte LtdWearne Brothers Services Pte
LtdWing Tai Holdings Ltd
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$1,000 and aboveCham Tao SoonChan Chia LinDonna MeyerGeoffrey
Wong Ee KayJoshua TayKwan Im Thong Hood Cho TempleLee Kuan
YewAbdulaziz AladwaniBank Julius Baer & Co LtdCharles P
CousinsDavid Philbrick ConnerEdward JenneEugene Paul Lai Chin
LookGerard SaliotGralf SiegholdHo Soo FooKingfi sher Automotive Pte
LtdLawrence BasapaMarie Elaine TeoRobert Khan & Co Pte
LtdRonald P StrideShih Chih LungSun Tony HoTong Moi EngUnited
Caoutchouc Trading Co Pte LtdOdile BenjaminRobert SinclairDCA
Architects Pte LtdDoris Sohmen PaoJiang ZilinPauline Ang Hooi
YeongRichard LoganMark Edward HansenHo Jin YongAlice Cheng
BeukersAndreas RuschkowskiArthur Lim Siew MingBaez Martell De
Joosse KyraBelinda Koh Yuh LingBernard Cheong Wei KokBernard Jean
SabrierBrian GambrillCalvin Chan Heang KngCatherine Tan Suat
WahCheng WeiChristopher ChewChristopher Ho Siow SoongCreative
Eateries Pte LtdCynthia CheeElisabeth HebdigeEsther Jane De
RozarioFrank CintamaniFried Rice Paradise Entertainment Pte LtdGeir
Eik
Giulio DorrucciGoh Chiu GakGul B ChotraniHarvey Morton
SchwartzHo ChingJackson YapJanek SchergenJanet Tang Woon JooJean
Marie FoulleyJewels Defred Pte LtdJohanna Frederika MakkinkKang Tze
YongKaren FawcettKhor Cheng KianKris Taenar WiluanLau Leok YeeLee
Suan YewLee Teng FeiLink Boutique Pte LtdLoh Pong TuanMak Lye
MunManju VangalMarco Antonio Luisito V Sardillo IIIMark
SeielstadMatthew G JohnsonMatthew LathamMavis Lim Geck ChinMichael
Wong PakshongMori TakashiNg Seng ChuanRaj RajkumarRichard
BrownRobert C LichkoRoberto CartelliRobin Ian RawlingsRonald Zung
Bei FanRyan Tham Ming LoongSimon Claude IsraelSky Pilates Pte
LtdAnonymousTan Tatt SiTeng Foong MengThean Lip PingTimothy
BarnesTommy KohVeronica Toh Chan HinVictor MillsWillem Mark
NabarroWilli HessWilliam H Hernstadt
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Ludwig van Beethoven
Ah! Perfido, Op. 65 13’00
Of the 57 concert arias Mozart composed, no less than 33 were
for sopranos, a voice for which he had a particular liking. Many of
these were written for specifi c singers including his
sister-in-law, Aloysia Lange (for whom he wrote eight), Louise
Villeneuve (a singer with the Burgtheater in Vienna for whom he
wrote three), and Josepha Dušek, for whom Mozart wrote two. He had
fi rst met Ms Dušek in 1777 when she had visited her mother in
Salzburg, and clearly relished her looks and personality every bit
as much as he relished her voice.
Beethoven, too, was captivated by Josepha Dušek’s voice, not
least her astonishingly wide range, when he fi rst heard her
perform during a visit to Prague in 1796 and immediately wrote what
he later described as a “Scena and Aria” for her. It was, however,
another decade before it received its fi rst performance, by which
time Beethoven had settled in Vienna and was well on his way to
becoming the great symphonist by which he is most remembered to
posterity. Indeed the concert in Vienna at which the Scena and Aria
Ah! Perfi do was fi rst performed was primarily intended to present
for the fi rst time two of Beethoven’s greatest symphonies – the
Fifth and the Sixth – and as a result Ah! Perfi do got somewhat
overshadowed. The soloist, selected at the very last minute, was
one Josephine Killitschgy, who was young and inexperienced. A
contemporary report of the concert observed that “when Beethoven
led her on the stage she had such an attack of nerves that she
trembled all over and butchered the aria”.
Ah! Perfi do is based on some verses by the Viennese court poet
Pietro Metastasio (1698-1782) which tell of a young woman abandoned
by her lover and switching between a desire for vengeance and
desolation at her loss. The music begins with a highly dramatic
Scena accompanied by scurrying violins indicating the woman’s rage.
She calls on the gods to punish her faithless lover but then
abruptly changes her mood and, with the aid of a graceful clarinet,
invokes pity by calling on those same gods to take her life and
spare her lover. The Aria – the text here not by Metastasio but by
an anonymous writer – opens in a distinctly Mozartean mood of
serenity and calm as the woman expands on her promise to die for
her lover. This draws to its magical conclusion, but all is not
over and the rage suddenly consumes her again as she recalls the
distress her lover’s betrayal has caused her. In the end she
switches
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back, equally abruptly, to a tone of gentle resignation with,
perhaps, a hint of triumph at her moral superiority over a
faithless man.
Beethoven never married but many men in this evening’s audience
will be impressed at the perceptive way in which he depicts a
woman’s unpredictable emotional excesses; women in today’s audience
may not be so impressed, but will surely admire the brilliance of
Beethoven’s creation from a purely musical standpoint.
ScenaAh! perfi do, spergiurio, Ah, faithless,
false-hearted,Barbaro traditor, tu parti? Cruel traitor, are you
leaving me?E son questi gl’ultimo tuoi congedi? Are these your fi
nal farewells?Ove s’intese tirannia più crudel? Was there ever more
cruel tyranny?Va’, scellerato! Va’, pur fuggi da me, Go, villain!
Go, fl y from me, but youL’ira de’ Numi non fuggirai. Won’t escape
the wrath of the Gods.
Se v’è giustizia in ciel, If there is justice in Heaven,Se v’è
pieta, congiureranno a gara, If there is pity, they will all
competeTutti a punirti! to punish you!Ombra seguace! presente, Like
a shadow haunting you wherever you goovunque vai, vedrò le mie
vendette; I shall wreak my vengeance;io già le godo immaginando; I
am already enjoying the thought of it;i fulmini ti veggo già
balenar d’intorno. already I see the lightning fl ashing around
you.
Ah no! ah no! fermate, vindici Dei! Ah no! Ah no! Stop, vengeful
Gods!risparmiate quel cor, ferite il mio! Spare that heart, strike
mine instead!s’ei non è più qual era, son io qual fui; If he is no
longer what he was, I am what I was;per lui vivea, voglio morir per
lui! I lived for him, I wish to die for him!
Aria Per pietà, non dirmi addio, For pity’s sake, do not bid me
farewell,di te priva che farò? for what would I do without you?Tu
lo sai, bell’ idol mio! You know, my beloved,io d’afanno morirò.
that I will die of grief.
Ah crudel! tu vuoi ch’io mora! Ah, cruel man! Do you want me to
die?tu non hai pietà di me? Have you no pity for me?perchè rendi a
chi t’adora Why do you repay so harshlycosì barbara mercè? the one
who adores youDite voi, se in tanto affanno Say, all of you, if in
this distressnon son degna di pietà? Do I not deserve pity?
Marc Rochester
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Suggested Recordings
Camilla Tilling/Gabrieli Players/Paul McCreesh Archiv 477
5744
Janice Watson/Corydon Orchestra/Matthew Best Hyperion
CDH55263
Gwyneth Jones/Vienna Opera Orchestra/Argeo Quadri Decca 475
641-2
Kirsten Flagstad/Philharmonia Orchestra/Clemens Krauss Archipel
ARPCD0423
All Rights Reserved, National Library Board, Singapore
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Although elements of Beethoven’s Ninth Symphony date back to
1793 – when Beethoven fi rst thought about setting Schiller’s “Ode
to Joy” and when he fi rst used the great theme which dominates the
fi nal movement , which originated in an unpublished song called
Gegenliebe (“Love’s Return”) – it was a commission from the
Philharmonic Society of London for a new symphony which eventually
spurred him on to compose it. In November 1822 they offered him £50
(by today’s standards that’s something in the region of S$18,000)
for the manuscript of a new symphony with the proviso that it
remained unpublished for 18 months. Beethoven not only accepted
this commission, but also promised to visit London in 1824 where,
we assume, he fully intended to direct the symphony’s premiere.
There was quite a backlog of commissions, so it was only in
mid-1823 that Beethoven settled down to work in earnest on what was
to become his Ninth Symphony. Most of the fi rst movement had
already been sketched by that time, in July he completed the
second, and the third was fi nished in September.
But during work on the third movement Beethoven had several
interruptions. One was the visit of an 11-year-old boy who had
moved to Vienna in 1821 and was having piano lessons from
Beethoven’s own pupil Carl Czerny. That boy was Franz Liszt. In
later life Liszt maintained that Beethoven had attended one of his
piano recitals and gone up to the young boy afterwards and kissed
him on the cheeks as a token of his admiration; but in view of
Beethoven’s deafness and pressure of work, this seems highly
unlikely. The composer Weber also visited Beethoven during that
time and claimed afterwards that Beethoven (who had expressed a
dislike of Weber’s music) had embraced him and called him “a devil
of a good fellow”. A more serious interruption came in the guise of
an eye infection which plagued him throughout the summer months and
forced him to give up work entirely for three weeks in May. His
eyesight did not fully recover until the following year.
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 9 in D minor, Op. 125 ‘Choral’ 65’00
Allegro, ma non troppo, un poco maestosoMolto vivaceAdagio molto
e cantabile – Andante moderatoFinale
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These delays put back the completion of the work until February
1824, and somewhere along the line the idea of presenting it to
London had fallen by the wayside (although Beethoven duly received
his £50, as well as a further £100 after the Symphony had been
performed successfully in London on 21 March 1825), and Beethoven,
who had grown tired of the Viennese musicians and audiences,
suggested it should be premiered in Berlin. A petition from no less
than 30 of his Viennese admirers persuaded him otherwise and, for
what was to be his fi rst concert in the city for a decade,
Beethoven spent the next two months gathering together the
musicians he specifi cally wanted for the work’s premiere: 24
violins, 10 violas, 12 cellos and double basses, two piccolos, four
fl utes, four oboes, four clarinets, four bassoons, two
contrabassoons (because of the shaky standards of wind playing at
the time Beethoven insisted on two players for each wind part),
four horns, two trumpets, three trombones, timpani, triangle,
cymbals, bass drum, four soloists and a large chorus. He dedicated
the published score to King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia.
The fi rst movement opens with a strangely eerie evocation of
dawn before the stormy main theme bursts on to the scene. There are
more pastoral episodes, but the overriding mood is of violence and
tension. The second movement is a virtuoso showpiece for orchestra
driven on by propulsive rhythms and sudden changes of dynamic.
There is a central trio section which introduces a somewhat rustic
character with its charming dance highlighting the woodwind (and
especially an almost obsessively energetic bassoon), strings and
horns in turn. The mood is dramatically changed for the third
movement. Opening with the woodwind instruments building up a chord
by playing two notes each, the richly, lyrical, almost hymn-like
violin theme unfolds with leisured ease, to be followed by a more
yearning theme, both of which are then subjected to a series of
variations.
A violent dissonance abruptly introduces the fourth movement.
The cellos and basses give out a stirring recitative as if trying
to call things to order. There then follows a succession of themes
taken from the three previous movements, each summarily discarded
by the cellos and basses who seem intent on fi nding a suitable way
to avoid a repetition of the opening clash. It eventually comes
from the germ of an idea, tentatively tried out by the oboes,
clarinets and bassoons, which the cellos and basses turn into a
fully-fl edged theme which is taken up with increasing enthusiasm
by the full orchestra. The reappearance of the dissonance prompts
the bass to attempt to calm matters with the fi rst lines of
Schiller’s “Ode to Joy”:
O Freunde, nicht diese Töne! O friends, not these sounds!Sondern
laßt uns angenehmere Let us sing more cheerful songs,anstimmen und
freudenvollere! more full of joy!
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He continues, the chorus joining in with this great song of
joy:
Freude, schöner Götterfunken, Joy, the fl ame of the
Gods,Tochter aus Elysium, Daughter of Elysium,Wir betreten
feuertrunken, With fi ery rapture we approachHimmlische, dein
Heiligtum! Thy Holy sanctuary.Deine Zauber binden wieder, Thy magic
power reunites Was die Mode streng geteilt; All that custom has
divided,Alle Menschen werden Brüder, All men become brothersWo dein
sanfter Flügel weilt. Wherever you spread your wings.
The solo quartet (again followed by the chorus) give out the
second verse.
Wem der große Wurf gelungen, To the friend of a friend,Eines
Freundes Freund zu sein, And the man who has wonWer ein holdes Weib
errungen, A true and loving wife,Mische seinen Jubel ein! Let him
join our chorus of jubilation!Ja, wer auch nur eine Seele Yes,
whoever has but one soulSein nennt auf dem Erdenrund! As his own in
all the world!Und wer’s nie gekonnt, der stehle But the man who
knows nothingWeinend sich aus dies em Bund. Will steal away in
tears.
The solo quartet (including a devastatingly high part for the
soprano) leads the seemingly intoxicated revelries of the fourth
verse.
Freude trinken alle Wesen All creatures drink of joyAn den
Brüsten der Natur; At nature’s breast.Alle Guten, alle Bösen All
the good, all the badFolgen ihrer Rosenspur. Alike will taste of
her gift;Küsse gab sie uns und Reben, She gave us kisses and
wine,Einen Freund, geprüft im Tod; A loyal friend to the
end.Wollust ward dem Wurm gegeben, Even the snake can feel
pleasure,Und der Cherub steht vor Gott! And the cherub stands
before God!
The intoxication seems now to have spread to the orchestra who
embark on a delightful little march incorporating the mock-Turkish
percussion effects much enjoyed in late 18th century Vienna. The
tenor soloist (and later the chorus) join in:
Froh, wie seine Sonnen fl iegen Gladly, like the heavenly
bodiesDurch des Himmels prächt‘gen Plan, Which He set on their
coursesLaufet, Brüder, eure Bahn, Brothers, you should run your
race,Freudig, wie ein Held zum Siegen. As a hero going to
conquest.
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Suggested Recordings
Swiss Chamber Choir/Zurich Tonhalle Orchestra/David ZinmanArte
Nova 74321 65410-2
London Philharmonic Chorus/London Philharmonic Orchestra/Klaus
Tennstedt BBC Legends BBCL4131-2
Leipzig Radio Choir/Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra/Kurt
MasurPhilips 432 995-2
Philharmonia Chorus and Orchestra/Otto Klemperer Testament
SBT1177
From this the orchestra emerges with a vigorous fugue-like
passage representing all mankind, after which the chorus sings
again the song of joy:
Freude, schöner Götterfunken, Joy, the fl ame of the
Gods,Tochter aus Elysium, Daughter of Elysium,Wir betreten
feuertrunken, With fi ery rapture we approachHimmlische, dein
Heiligtum! Thy Holy sanctuary.Deine Zauber binden wieder, Thy magic
power reunitesWas die Mode streng geteilt; All that custom has
divided,Alle Menschen werden Brüder, All men become brothersWo dein
sanfter Flügel weilt. Wherever you spread your wings.
It all comes to a sudden halt, as the chorus tenors, as if
overawed by the sheer size of the human race, introduce the last
verse of Schiller’s work. With the last four lines there is a
moment of refl ection before, using a fugue (which, since Bach, has
been the musical form used to indicate the countless generations of
humanity) the chorus brings the work to its ecstatic
conclusion.
Seid umschlungen Millionen. You millions, I embrace you.Diesen
Kuß der ganzen Welt! This kiss is for all the world!Brüder! Überm
Sternenzelt Brothers, above the starry canopyMuß ein lieber Vater
wohnen. There must dwell a loving Father.Ihr stürzt nieder,
Millionen? Do you fall in worship, you millions?Ahnest du den
Schöpfer, Welt? Do you know your Creator, O World?Such’ ihn über’m
Sternenzelt! Seek Him in the heavens,Über Sternen muß er wohnen.
Above the stars must He dwell.
Finally, the solo quartet repeats the song of joy and the chorus
brings the work to its ecstatic conclusion.
Marc Rochester
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Board of Directors & Management
36
PatronDr Goh Keng Swee
Honorary ChairmanMr Tan Boon Teik
Board of DirectorsChairmanProf Cham Tao Soon
Deputy ChairmanMr Goh Yew Lin
DirectorsMrs Odile BenjaminMr Hans-Dieter Bott Mrs Dorothy
ChanMr Heinrich GrafeMr Liew Choon BoonMs Lim MeiProf Lim Seh
ChunMrs Gretchen LiuProf Bernard TanMs Tan Choo LengMr Wong Nang
JangMs Yong Ying-I
Nominating and Executive CommitteeChairmanProf Cham Tao Soon
Mr Goh Yew LinMr Wong Nang JangMs Yong Ying-I
Endowment Fund CommitteeChairmanMr Goh Geok Khim
Mr Anthony TeoMr Wong Nang JangMs Yong Ying-I
Artistic CommitteeChairmanMr Goh Yew Lin
Dr Chang Tou LiangMs Marina Tan Harper Mr Lan ShuiMr Bernard
LanskeyMs Lim MeiProf Lim Seh ChunProf Bernard Tan
Finance and Human ResourceCommitteeChairmanMs Yong Ying-I
Mr Goh Yew LinMrs Elizabeth MartinMrs Winnifred Ooi Ai Choo
Community Outreach CommitteeChairmanProf Lim Seh Chun
Mr Richard AdamsMr Chan Tze LawDr Chang Tou LiangDr Eugene
Dairianathan Mrs Jessie Ho-TanMr Lee Suan HiangMs Rebecca NgProf
Bernard TanProf Aline Wong
Marketing CommitteeChairmanMrs Gretchen Liu
Mr Hans-Dieter BottMr Heinrich GrafeMr Kenneth Tan
SSO Ladies’ LeagueChairladyMrs Odile Benjamin
Mrs Celeste BasapaMrs Viviana BernardMrs Gabriele BottMrs Rosy
HoProf Annie KohMrs Alice Lee-SeahDr Julie LoMrs Kwan LuiMrs
Clarinda MartinMrs Donna MeyerMrs Cindy TayMs Manju Vangal
ManagementGeneral ManagerMr Chng Kai Jin
Orchestra ManagerMs Sharon Son
Acting Orchestra Manager Mr Adrian Chiang
Orchestra Executive Mr Khor Chin Yang
Programme ManagerMs Kua Li Leng
Programme ExecutiveMs Teo Chew Yen
Choral Executive Ms Toh Ying Ling
Senior LibrarianMr Lim Yeow Siang
Assistant LibrarianMr Chia Jit Min
Community Outreach ExecutivesMs Cheryl LimMs Charlyn Too
Marketing Communications ManagerMr Foo Chen Loong
Assistant Manager, Marketing CommunicationsMs Cindy Lim
Marketing Communications ExecutivesMs Koh Mui LengMr Sean
Tan
Senior Development & Sponsorship ManagerMr Freddie Low
Assistant Manager, Development & SponsorshipMr Anthony
Chng
Development & Sponsorship ExecutiveMs Jean Ong
Finance & Accounts ManagerMr Rick Ong
Finance & Accounts ExecutiveMr Alan Ong
Human Resources & Administration ManagerMs Wee Puay
Cheng
Concert Hall & Facilities ManagerMr Collin Tan
Offi cers
Concert Hall OperationsMr Ansari bin Hamid Marican Mr Ramayah
Elango Mr Abiden bin Mohd Said Mr Abdul Wahab bin SakirMr Mhd
Zailani bin Mhd SaidMr Radin Sulaiman bin Ali
Hall BookingMdm Nyan Chiou Fong
TicketingMs Rose Chew
Manager, ABRSM Offi ceMs Hay Su-San
Assistant Examinations ManagerMs Patricia Yee
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