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Huddersfield
Philharmonic
ConcertSeason
2O13/14
Huddersfield TownHall
&Huddersfield Parish Church
MUSIC FROM AROUND THE WORLD
9 November 2013
in Huddersfield Town Hall
Rossini:
Elgar:
Tchaikovsky:
Soloist:
Overture to "The Barber of Seville"
Concerto for Violoncello in E minor
Symphony No 6 in B minor
Laura van der Heijden
We are delighted to present this concert of favourite works as the opening event of our 2013-14
season, in which the Huddersfield Philharmonic Orchestra are joined by the 2012 BBC Young
Musician Laura van der Heijden. A winner at the age of 15, Laura's concerts this year include the
concertos of Walton, Dvorák, Haydn and Saint-Saëns, but her only performance of the Elgar concerto
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in the north of England is this one. Written in four movements, each of which is divided into
sections of contrasting moods, it is one of Elgar's last major works and reflects his feelings about the
impact of World War 1, "a man wearied with the world..... finding solace in the beauty of music" as
Michael Kennedy has described it.
Our other two works are both associated with legends. Rossini is reputed to have composed The
Barber of Seville within a fortnight and its first performance is recorded as having been disastrous.
"All the whistlers of Italy seemed to have given themselves a rendezvous for this performance."
wrote the critic Castil-Blaze. Tchaikovsky's final symphony is inextricably linked to the mystery
which has surrounded his death and led to so much speculation. What Tchaikovsky himself thought
of the symphony is recorded in his correspondence with his publisher in 1893. "I give you my word
of honour that never in my life have I been so contented, so proud, so happy in the knowledge that I
have written a good piece." The symphony, unusually, ends with a slow movement which is some of
the most anguished music Tchaikovsky ever wrote and yet has found its place as a popular work in
the orchestral repertoire.
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MUSIC FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Concerts in both venues begin at 7.30 pm
8 February 2014
in Huddersfield Town Hall
Brahms:
Grieg:
Shostakovich:
Soloist:
Academic Festival Overture
Piano Concerto in A minor
Symphony No 10 in E minor
Penelope Thwaites
Our concert opens with one of the most jovial of works by Brahms, and one of the best-known.
Given his early musical experiences, Brahms might be described as a pub pianist who made good,
comparable to such recent performers as Les Dawson or Elton John. Thankfully for the classical
audience, his intensive study of the music of Bach as a child ensured his music stayed within the
conventions of orchestral composition!
Grieg's Piano Concerto is not typical of his music, the majority of which is on a much smaller scale,
but it remains probably the most popular of his works. Composed in 1868, famously played at sight
by Franz Liszt, one of its notable interpreters was Australian pianist and composer Percy Grainger,
also a good friend of Grieg. It is particularly fitting that our soloist should be a scholar of Grainger's
work and an advocate for and performer of his music. Awarded the Grainger Medallion of the
International Grainger Society in 1991, Penelope was also the Artistic Director of the 1998 London
Grainger Event and we are excited that she joins us in this performance.
Shostakovich's Symphony No 10 was composed in 1953 and uses the motif DSCH (the initials of his
name) as its thematic basis. First performed soon after the death of Stalin, it was described by Galina
Vishnevskaya (soprano, wife of Mitislav Rostropovich and friend of the composer) as "a composer's
testament of misery, forever damning a tyrant." One of the least programmatic of his symphonies, the
fourth movement presents first an andante compared to those of Mahler, followed by a frantic danse
macabre. The whole symphony is epic in its scale and marks a new chapter in the life of the
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symphonic form.
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MUSIC FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Concerts in both venues begin at 7.30 pm
26 April 2014
in Huddersfield Town Hall
Rossini:
Overture - William Tell
Handel:
Worthy is the Lamb (from The Messiah)
Verdi:
Chorus of the Hebrew Slaves (from Nabucco)
Strauss:
Four Last Songs
Holst:
Orchestral Suite - The Planets
Soloist:
Cressida Sharp
Featuring the Choir of Hipperholme Grammar School, with their
Chorus master Robert Webb
Many guests join us on the stage of the Town Hall for this concert, in a programme of well-loved
works. The Choir of Hipperholme Grammar School sing two well-known choral excerpts of their
own choice in the first half, which follow an overture which will evoke memories of television
viewing for many people. The Overture to William Tell, Rossini's last opera composed in 1829, starts
with a quintet of 'cellos, before winding up to the music used as the theme tune to both The Lone
Ranger and William Tell television programmes.
In contrast, the Four Last Songs of Richard Strauss, also the composer's last work, are settings of
three poems by Hesse and one by Eichendorff published as a set by his publishers only after his
death. Like Grieg, Strauss was married to a singer and learned much about vocal writing from her.
These songs portray a mood of peace and honesty in the evening of life, and the orchestra will be
performing them with Cressida Sharp, first heard on the Town Hall stage in the Prelude and
Liebestod from Tristan and Isolde in February 2013.
Holst's great tone poem, The Planets, remains the best-known of the composer's orchestral works
and one of the most popular amongst concert audiences. The seven movements evoke the character
of the planets: Mars,Venus, Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. Perhaps Mars and Jupiter
are the best-known movements. Specific staging directions are given for Neptune, the choir
remaining off-stage, behind a door which Holst directs to be closed during the very last bar, leaving
the voices fading into nothing - beyond the final frontier.
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MUSIC FROM AROUND THE WORLD
Concerts in both venues begin at 7.30 pm
7 December 2013
in Huddersfield Parish Church
MacCunn:
Land of the Mountain and the Flood
Howard Blake:
The Snowman
Leroy Anderson: Sleigh Ride
Weber:
Bassoon Concerto in F major
Dvorák:
Symphony No 8 in G major
Soloist:
David Robinson
Conducted by Kenneth Heeks
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Principal Clarinet Kenneth Heeks takes up the conductor's baton for this concert, which begins with
his choice of MacCunn's portrait of Scotland, written in 1887 when the composer was only 19 years
old. It remains his best-known work.
Weber's Bassoon Concerto was written in Munich, after the composer had been banished from
Stuttgart for suspected embezzlement in 1810. By 1821, in contrast, Weber was the most popular
composer in Germany. Our soloist tonight is David Robinson, principal bassoon with the Phil.
Dvorák composed his Symphony No 8 in 1889 and, although very different from No 9 (From the
New World), it is a sunny symphony, providing a contrast to our two wintery works in this concert.
Anderson's Sleigh Ride was composed in the midst of a July heat wave in 1948, whilst The Snowman
has become a regular feature of Christmas television viewing.
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Concerts in both venues begin at 7.30 pm
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Tchaikovsky composed his concerto in 1877 for Leopold Auer, who refused to perform it when he
saw the difficulties in the solo part. To our delight, Rachel Spencer (who was born in Leeds and
brought up in Holmfirth) had no hesitation in accepting our invitation to perform the work.
Works by Beethoven start and end this concert. The Overture to Coriolanus was composed in 1806,
preceding the Symphony No 8 by 7 years. Beethoven himself conducted the first performance in
Vienna in 1814 and the work shows his sense of humour. The first movement pokes fun at a recent
invention, the metronome, and the scherzo truly lives up to its name. The final movement has a coda
that begins earlier than expected and then introduces new ideas rather than closing down old ones.
ORCHES
Overture - Coriolanus
Violin Concerto in D major
Symphony No 8 in F major
Rachel Spencer
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Beethoven:
Tchaikovsky:
Beethoven:
Soloist:
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21 June 2014
in Huddersfield Parish Church
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Booking details
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Subscribers please note that subscriptions are now inclusive of
tickets for 2 concerts in Huddersfield Parish Church.
As in previous years, subscription tickets are not available in Huddersfield Town Hall Gallery. Please
use the seating plan included to indicate your preferred seats, complete the booking form as detailed
and return it , with your remittance and s.a.e. to the Ticket and Subscriber Secretary no later than
14 September 2013.Your tickets will be despatched to you as soon as possible after that date. Late
applications will have reduced choice of seats.
Subscription for three concerts in Huddersfield Town Hall and two concerts in Huddersfield Parish
Church (all seats unreserved in Parish Church)
Balcony
£50 (saving £15)
Balcony Window
£44 (saving £15)
Area
£40 (saving £16)
Single concert tickets will be on sale from 23 September 2013 from Kirklees box offices
(including Huddersfield Visitor Information Centre, Huddersfield Library, Princess Alexandra Walk,
Huddersfield HD1 2SU. Tel: 01484 223200. E-mail: huddersfield.information@kirklees.gov.uk.
Also Dewsbury Town Hall, Wakefield Old Road, Dewsbury WF12 8DG. Tel: 01924 324516)
Alternatively visit our own website at www.huddersfield-phil.org.uk for on-line booking facilities.
Balcony
£15
Balcony Window
£13
Area
£12
Gallery
£5
Huddersfield Parish Church
£10 (unreserved seats throughout)
Concessions
Concessions are available in advance and on the door for all concerts. For Huddersfield Town Hall,
concessions apply to Area and Gallery seats only.
Senior Citizens and Kirklees Priority Pass holders - Area £11, Gallery £4
Children of 18 years and under, and students over that age (upon production of a Student Card)
admitted to the Gallery at a cost of £1.
For Huddersfield Parish Church concerts, concessionary rates apply throughout - £7.50 - for Senior
Citizens, Kirklees Priority Pass holders and students as above. Children accompanying an adult
admitted free.
Subscription and Ticket Secretary
Mr C Leyland, 23 Lane Ings, Marsden, Huddersfield HD7 6JP
Tel: 01484 844883 & 07811 341484
If you are unable to attend a concert and cannot place your tickets elsewhere, please contact the
above, giving your seat numbers as applicable, as soon as possible before the concert.
Seating Plan
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5758494, and a registered charity
number 1114413.
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Seats required:
Balcony
Season tickets @ £50 each..........................................................
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Season tickets @ £40....................................................................
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in Huddersfield Parish Church
Please make cheques payable to Huddersfield Philharmonic
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Please help the Society to reduce costs by enclosing a
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Directors
and Officers
2013-2014
President
Graham Smelt
Honorary Life Vice-President
Stuart Sandys
General Secretary
Debbie Adams
Treasurer and Company
Secretary
Alastair Cridland
Orchestra Leader
Mary Barber
Membership Officer
Bart Naughton
Player Representative
Mike Briggs
Non-executive Director
Peter Lewis
Ticket and Subscriber Secretary
Chris Leyland
Publicity Manager
Ruth M Holmes
Digital Media Manager
Fionnuala Donnelly
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Please tick if a new subscriber
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For Subscription Membership
To: the Subscription and Ticket Secretary
Mr C Leyland,
23 Lane Ings, Marsden Huddersfield HD7 6JP
Tel: 01484 844883 or 07811 341484
E-mail: candsley@btinternet.com
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Booking Form
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