a5 12pp 2018-19.qxp layout 1 26/06/2018 13:34 page 2 ... · arnold sinfonietta no. 1 shostakovich...

2018/19 Concert Season

Bedfordshire Orchestral Society & Bedford Choral Society

A5 12pp 2018-19.qxp_Layout 1 26/06/2018 13:34 Page 2

Welcome A warm welcome to the 2018/19 concertseason of the Bedfordshire Orchestral Societyand Bedford Choral Society. We’re presenting awide and exciting range of orchestral and choralworks.In October, to commemorate the end of theGreat War, the Choral Society will join theDanesborough Chorus and the Milton KeynesCity Orchestra to perform Karl Jenkins’ ‘TheArmed Man’. In November, the SymphonyOrchestra welcomes Rachel Nicholls to singRichard Strauss’s ‘Four Last Songs’. Rachel wasborn in Bedford and was supported by theCounty Music Service throughout her earlyyears, especially through performing in the YouthOpera. She is now an artist of internationalrenown.

There is a pleasing variety in the concertos weare presenting throughout the year. MengyangPan, who delighted our audience withRachmaninov’s Rhapsody on the Theme ofPaganini last season, returns with the ever-popular Grieg Piano Concerto. Julian Metzgerreturns this season to perform Shostakovich’sfirst Cello Concerto. And three young andhighly gifted Bedfordshire players will betweenthem offer two wonderful concertos; EmilyGroom and Alex Collins will perform Bach’sDouble Violin Concerto, while Cristian GrajnerDe Sa, until recently a pupil at Bedford School,will be playing Glazunov’s Violin Concerto. As forsymphonies - we’re excited to be playing suchgreats as Shostakovich’s 5th, Beethoven’s 1st,Dvořák’s 8th and Mozart’s ‘Jupiter’.The Choral Society’s programme features greatworks of the choral repertoire, including Haydn’s‘Creation’ and Dvořák’s ‘Stabat Mater’. The choirwill be joined by talented vocal soloists bothfrom Bedford and further afield to bring theseworks to life.We look forward to seeing you at our concerts!

www.bedfordsymphony.com

Rachel Nicholls


Introduction Baroness Barbara Young, President of Bedfordshire Orchestral Society

I am delighted to welcome the 2018/19 concert series. The Orchestras andthe Choral Society continue to provide excellent programmes of musicplayed and sung by the County’s talented musicians. They give realinspiration not only to those who come to listen but also musicians of allages and stages who aspire to performing in public. The people ofBedfordshire are very blessed to have these gems in the heart of theircommunity. Join us and revel in the music.

Sir Samuel Whitbread, President of Bedford Choral Society

Once again, it is a great honour for me to be invited to serve as Presidentof Bedford Choral Society. The 150th Anniversary season was launchedwith a highly successful Concert with works by two local composers - TimGrant-Jones and Paul Edwards. This was balanced by two more familiarworks, by Vaughan Williams and Mendelssohn. I hope the concerts thisseason will continue to attract wide support as in previous years. Ph

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www.bedfordchoralsociety.org.uk


Bedford Choral Society

Formed in 1867 BedfordChoral society is the 7tholdest Choral Society in thecountry. We celebrated our150th Anniversary with aconcert on 30 April 2017,

exactly 150 years to the day since the first everconcert by the Choral Society. We perform avaried repertoire three or four times a year,usually in Bedford’s Corn Exchange. We alsoprovide the choir for Bedford’s Proms in thePark in early August. We currently haveapproximately 140 members. Our MusicalDirector is Ian Smith, our Guest ConductorMichael Rose and our Assistant Chorus MasterTim Grant-Jones.We rehearse on Monday evenings at St.Gregory’s School, Biddenham Turn, Bedford. Wealways welcome new singers. If you would liketo sing with us or support us by becoming a‘Friend of the Society’, please [email protected] forfurther information.

We were very grateful to our sponsors of the150th Anniversary Year, particularly The HarpurTrust and Goldings of Bedford. We are alsograteful to the Wixamtree Trust for theirgenerous support this year.


Goldings IRONMONGERS

of Bedford



The Bedford SinfoniaThe widely acclaimed performing standard ofthis orchestra is the result of the talent andenthusiasm of its members and the skilleddirection of its founder, Michael Rose.Membership is by invitation. It specialises inprogramming chamber orchestra works, windensemble and string orchestra items and ahealthy selection of 20th century pieces.

Bedfordshire SymphonyOrchestraThe BSO, also conducted by Michael Rose, is alarger group of 80-90 local players of all ages,including talented young musicians. Itsprogramme is diverse and includes majorsymphonies and concertos. It rehearses inBedford every Wednesday evening during termtime. Those interested in playing should contactthe orchestra manager [email protected].

Friends of the BedfordshireOrchestral SocietyOver many years the Society has been able tothrive by generous donations and bequestsfrom audience members and members of theSociety. New contributions are always neededand most gratefully appreciated.The Society benefits from tireless unpaid workfrom some 20 members of both Orchestras toorganise the endless arrangements forrehearsals, performances, membership,accounting, websites, social media, andsecretarial, for which we are all very grateful,and without which the running of the Societywould be unaffordable.If you are interested in making a contributionno matter how small, or have ideas or contactsfor potential sponsors, or wish to place anadvert in future programmes, then pleasecontact our Treasurer, Mark Jeffery [email protected]

Major Supporters of the Bedfordshire Orchestral SocietyThe Society would like to thank:The Harpur Trust, for a a three-year grant to help the Society to build larger audiences andtherefore revenues, and encourage students in their playing, music studies, listening and enjoyment.The Gale Family Trust for its generous support.The Wixamtree Trust for its generous grant.The Bedford Borough Council for its support in the form of discretionary grants from bothCouncillor David Fletcher, and Councillor Luigi Reale.


Adults £12 Concessions £10 Children/Students £5

The Armed ManSun 14 October 2018 - 7.30pmMilton Keynes Theatre

Soloist Eve McGrath (soprano)

Muezzin Naeem Mahmood

Milton Keynes City Orchestra

Conductor Ian Smith

Dvořák Serenade for Strings Op.22Jenkins The Armed ManThis concert, given jointly with theDanesborough Chorus, celebrates the end ofthe Great War with a performance of KarlJenkins’ probably most popular work. Subtitled‘A Mass for Peace’ ‘The Armed Man’ waswritten in 1999 and first performed in April2000. It is essentially an anti-war piece basedon the Catholic Mass. It combines the fifteenthcentury folk song ‘L’homme armé’ with settingsof the Mass and other texts. ‘The Armed Man’describes the horrors of the growing descentinto war and intersperses this with reflectivemoments. It begins with the ominous sound ofmarching feet and ends with therepresentation of soldiers marching awayfollowed by a celebration of the end of warand a most beautiful hymn-like unaccompaniedchorale. To complement this powerful workthe concert will open with the gloriousSerenade by Dvořák. Written in just 12 daysthis piece combines cantabile melodies, a slowwaltz, humorous high spirits, lyrical beauty andexuberance.

The instruments came intwo by two Sat 6 October 2018 - 7.30pmSt. Paul’s Church, Bedford

Soloist Julian Metzger (cello)

Conductor Michael Rose

Arnold Sinfonietta No. 1Shostakovich Cello Concerto No. 1Mozart Wind Serenade in C MinorStrauss Metamorphosen

The first ‘two bytwo’ are oboesand horns used byMalcolm Arnold inhis Sinfonietta, ourcolourful andattractive concertopener. Next thecello - only one of

these - what fantastic use Shostakovich makesof this lovely instrument in his first CelloConcerto, and how fortunate we are to haveJulian Metzger perform it! Mozart continuesthe ‘two by two’ theme, adding pairs ofclarinets and bassoons to the oboes and hornsused earlier. His C minor Wind Serenade is anintense gem; try to pick out the canonicalsections where the theme is played upsidedown, and the superb set of variations in thefinale. The strings have waited patiently but arerewarded by being given 23 solo lines inRichard Strauss’ meltingly beautiful‘Metamorphosen’. ‘Metamorphosen’ waswritten in 1945, with the telling words ‘Inmemoriam’ at the end of the score.


Stalls: £20, £17, £15;Circle: £20, £17, £15, £10; Upper Circle: £17, £15, £10For persons under 18, tickets are availableat £5 off all the above prices. See backpage for further ticket information


Masterpieces Galore Sat 24 November 2018 - 7.30pmBedford Corn Exchange

Soloist Rachel Nicholls (soprano)


Wagner Overture ‘The Mastersingers’Strauss Four Last SongsShostakovich Symphony No. 5The plot of Wagner’s only comic opera centresaround the search for a knight to perform theprize song and thus win the daughter of thehonoured Mastersinger. The prelude is full ofthe opera’s melodies associated with the maincharacters. Rachel Nicholls, the internationallyrenowned and Bedfordshire favourite, will thenperform Richard Strauss’ ‘Four Last Songs’.Written in his last year, the music is almostunbearably beautiful, with sumptuousharmonies and sensuous melodic lines, anddemonstrates supreme mastery of the art ofcomposition. Having earned Stalin’s displeasure,Shostakovich made amends with what hecalled ‘The creative reply of a Soviet artist tojustified criticism.’ His 5th Symphonyimmediately became one of his most popular,full of fire and passion. Is the work'sconclusion genuinely celebratory or savagelyironic? Your decision.

Balcony/Tier £15, Flat £12 Concessions £13/£10Children/Students £5


Haydn’s CreationSat 17 November 2018 - 7.30pmBedford Corn Exchange

SoloistsBethany Seymour (soprano)Joel Williams (tenor)Ben Bevan (bass)

Conductor Ian Smith

Haydn The CreationPossibly the best loved of Haydn’s choralworks ‘The Creation’ is a setting of the storyfrom Genesis. From the opening‘Representation of Chaos’, the blazing forth oflight, the use of word painting to represent‘pain’ and various animals, the events of thestory are all depicted in marvellous musicalimagination. Haydn’s great theatrical sensepermeates the whole of this work. If you arenot familiar with this masterpiece of musicalcreation then this is a concert not to bemissed. With three outstanding soloists tocomplete the line-up you are guaranteed awonderful evening.

Balcony/Tier £16 Flat £13Concessions £15/£12Children/Students £6


Four composers and fournew directions awaitingthem. Prokofiev enjoyeda growing reputation forwitty writing, but therewere complaints that the‘correct’ classical form

was missing. His ‘Classical Symphony’ silencedhis critics; the result is a brilliant andimmediately attractive work written in perfectclassical style. Until Schumann married hisbeloved Clara, he composed almost exclusivelyfor solo piano. Clara’s growing fame as aconcert pianist encouraged him to face theorchestral challenge. His Piano Concertodelighted Clara, who premiered the work, andwill also delight us in the hands of our soloist,Robert Thompson. At 18 Richard Strausscompleted his first Wind Serenade. Von Bulöw,renowned musician, invited him to conduct itspremière, and, thus encouraged, his abilitieswere en route to fulfilment. And finally -Beethoven. After waiting ten years to producethis 1st Symphony, it became the first of aseries destined to have an incomparableinfluence on the music of the western world.

Spreading Their WingsSat 26 January 2019 - 7.30pmBedford Corn Exchange

Soloist Robert Thompson (piano)


Prokofiev Classical SymphonySchumann Piano Concerto in A MinorStrauss Wind Serenade in E FlatBeethoven Symphony No. 1 in C




From Russia and theCzech Republic Sat 23 February 2019 - 7.30pmBedford Corn Exchange

Soloist Cristian Grajner De Sa (violin)


Tchaikovsky The Nutcracker SuiteGlazunov Violin ConcertoDvořák Symphony No. 8 in GThe concert opens with music with whichmany of us are overfamiliar. We hear it as‘wallpaper’ in shops, in cafés, on answeringmachines. What a pleasure to sit in a concerthall and really hear this delightful suite! Wepicture our heroine Clara listening toTchaikovsky’s descriptive dances as she enjoysthe dancing. Our eagerly awaited violinconcerto is by Glazunov, the virtuoso soloistChristian Grajner De Sa. A deeply romanticand brilliant work, it is also striking for thebeauty of the orchestral writing. Dvořák, amaster craftsman of symphonic writing, will notdisappoint in his 8th Symphony. He wishedthe 8th ‘to be different from my othersymphonies, with individual ideas worked outin a new manner’. Did he succeed? He hascertainly given us a glorious work which somefeel is his best.



Stabat MaterSat 30 March 2019 - 7.30pmBedford Corn Exchange

Soloists Elizabeth Bottone (soprano)Louise Crane (mezzo soprano)Justin Lavender (tenor)Edward Grint (bass)

Conductor Ian Smith

Dvořák Stabat MaterDvořák’s mighty ‘Stabat Mater’ was the piecethat launched his career as a composer. It is asetting of the 13th century Catholic hymn toMary which portrays her suffering during thecrucifixion. Dvořák’s setting is immenselybeautiful and passionate in its intensity. It is assophisticated as any of Bach’s masterworks inits architecture and structure. Dvořák’s greatestgift as a musician is his ability to write beautiful,lyrical, unforgettable melodies, and there are somany in the ‘Stabat Mater’. The soloists,orchestra and choir combine powerfully in thefirst and last movements of the piece. In theremainder the textures are varied withdifferent combinations of the performersavailable. Again, we welcome four excellentsoloists, two of them being local to Bedford.Last performed by the Choral Society in 1982it is time to reacquaint yourself with thismasterpiece!

Small but PerfectlyFormedSat 11 May 2019 - 7.30pmSt. Peter’s Church, Bedford

Soloists Emily Groom (violin)Alex Collins (violin)


Schubert Overture in the Italian Style in CBach Double Violin ConcertoWagner Siegfried IdyllMozart Symphony No. 41 (‘Jupiter’)Schubert wrote two ‘Overtures in the ItalianStyle’ in 1817 when Rossini was enjoying greatpopularity in Vienna. Both reflect the currentfashion - sparkling and lightweight pieces ofdelicacy and polish. A century earlier, J S Bachalso became fascinated by Italian music andvied with a friend to arrange Italian violinconcertos for organ or harpsichord. OfBach’s own concertos, the Bach scholar AlbertSchweitzer, (1875-1965), comments, ‘one cannever have enough of their beauty.’ We lookforward eagerly to hearing Emily Groom andAlex Collins perform the most famous ofthese, for two violins. Schweitzer was also aWagner enthusiast, and would have heardWagner’s Christmas gift to his wife Cosima -the ‘Siegfried Idyll’ - again, ‘small but perfectlyformed’. Mozart’s genius takes over the end ofthe concert, and we end with the excitementand sheer structural skill of his ‘Jupiter’Symphony, No.41.

Adults £12 Concessions £10 Children/Students £5



An International Concert Sat 18 May 2019 - 7.30pmBedford Corn Exchange

Soloist Mengyang Pan (piano)


Wagner Prelude and LiebestodGrieg Piano Concerto in A MinorSibelius Symphony No. 5 in E FlatWagner’s music for the opera ‘Tristan andIsolde’, premiered in 1865, probably sits at the‘high noon’ of musical romanticism.Composers coming afterwards might reactagainst it; others might carry the torch for it;none could ignore it. The prelude unfolds witha depiction of longing and desire andtormented passion. When we have restoredour equanimity, our favourite pianist MengyangPan will join us to perform Grieg’s PianoConcerto. Last of all we offer the 5thSymphony of Sibelius. Probably the favouriteof Sibelius’ seven symphonies, it hasexcitement, it scurries, it blossoms into lusciousmelody, it races towards the end and when itdoes arrive there, it ends with some rhythmicsurprises!



Bizet and PucciniSat 15 June 2019 - 7.30pmBedford Corn Exchange

Soloists Elizabeth Bottone (soprano)Ben Thapa (tenor)Andrew Slater (bass)

Conductor Ian Smith

Bizet Te DeumBizet Symphony in CPuccini Messa di GloriaThis programme, despite having in it a Masssetting, is a glorious joyful celebration for asummer’s evening of music written early in thecomposers’ careers. The ‘Te Deum’ is a hymn ofpraise usually sung at the end of a morningservice. Bizet’s ‘Te Deum’ is a riotous setting ofthese words. It was written when he was only20. It complements very well the exuberantSymphony in C which he wrote 3 years earlierand which was immediately hailed as a youthfulmasterpiece! Similarly, Puccini’s work waswritten when he was a mere 22 years old as agraduation exercise! It is not a full setting ofthe mass and is written in Puccini’s operaticstyle. This will be a great way to spend asummer Saturday evening!



Sinfonia ‘Out and About’7 & 14 July 2019 - 3.00pm

As in previous years, Sinfonia members will beescaping from the metropolis this summer totake their music out into rural Bedfordshire.These ‘Out and About’ concerts, directed by JanKaznowski, give the players the opportunity toembrace a different repertoire, typically focussingon the rich variety of early music from theBaroque and Renaissance periods.The 'Out and About' concerts in 2019 willfeature the four Orchestral Suites by J S Bach,and a choral work by Vivaldi. The Sinfonia will bejoined by the East Bedfordshire Chamber Choir,conducted by David Beer.Full details of the concert timings and venuesand programmes will follow on the BOS website,on our Facebook page and in other publicity.We hope to see you there!



www.bedfordsymphony.comwww.bedfordchoralsociety.org.uk

Booking Information

Tickets are available from:

The Central Box Office, Harpur Suite,Harpur Square, Bedford, MK40 1LE

Prices £5 - £16 (concessions available)All major credit / debit cards accepted.24 hour reservations and booking atwww.bedfordcornexchange.co.uk

The societies gratefully acknowledge thesupport of the organisation below:

Bedfordshire Orchestral Society is aregistered charity: No. 262813

Bedford Choral Society is aregistered charity: No. 291518

The Bedfordshire Orchestral Society and the BedfordChoral Society wish to express their grateful thanksto all those Charitable Trusts, Commercial Sponsors,Friends and Advertisers for their financial support.

Supporters In KindSteve Monico Limited, Chartered Accountants, whoadvise and audit the Bedfordshire Orchestral Society'saccounts and Charity Commission filings.Jet the Dog, who design programmes and posters forthe Bedfordshire Orchestral Society.White Hart Press, who produce programmes, postersand leaflets for the Bedfordshire Orchestral Society.Kall Kwik for publicity for Bedford Choral Society.Mark Bowler, who supplied photography for theBedfordshire Orchestral Society.Kevin Lines, who supplied photography for the BedfordChoral Society.

Bedfordshire Orchestral Society

Tickets for 'The Armed Man' at Milton Keynes Theatre

Stalls: £20, £17, £15;Circle: £20, £17, £15, £10; Upper Circle: £17, £15, £10For persons under 18, tickets are available at £5 off allthe above prices. Tickets may be ordered by phone or by post.Ordering tickets from Danesborough Chorus:For phone orders, call 01908 583460.For orders by post please write, giving your name,address and telephone number, to: DanesboroughChorus Ticket Secretary, 58 Church Road, AspleyHeath, Woburn Sands MK17 8TA.State number, location (stalls, circle or upper circle)and price(s) of tickets required and enclose astamped self-addressed envelope together with yourcheque made payable to ‘Danesborough Chorus’. If you would like your name to be added to theDanesborough Chorus email list, please also includeyour email address.Tickets are also available in person from MiltonKeynes Theatre Box Office, or by phone (0844 8717652) and online (additional fees payable including£1.25 restoration levy per ticket).


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