Season 2020|2021 65th Concert Season - Filharmonie Brno
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65th Concert Season Season 2020|2021
.
A word from
the Filharmonie Brno Managing Director
Dear music lovers invite you to a social gathering over a glass Paľa. Leoš Svárovský is preparing for C. M. you! I am very happy that we enter the new
of wine, from 6pm before the concerts at von Weber’s celebrated Bassoon Concerto season with the support of our exceptional
You are holding in your hands our brand Besední dům (Filharmonie at Home series), with the virtuoso Guilhaume Santana and volunteers for the second time now, who
new catalogue for the 2020/2021 sea- where you can learn plenty of interesting Roussel’s Le festin de l’araignée – with this help us with concerts and education –
son: this time, it is not just the content that is facts about the programme and meet the concert, the former chief conductor of our thank you, everyone!
new – the format is, too. We’ve aimed to evening’s artists in person. orchestra will celebrate an important anni- I am writing these words at a time when
make the navigation easier, and to high- The new season is the work of the Filhar- versary in his life. Gerrit Prießnitz will focus we are all paralysed by the coronavirus
light the unique characteristics of our sub- monie Brno chief conductor and artistic on the emotional topic of Hamlet in the pandemic and are not yet sure what the ul-
scription concerts – each of them offers a director Dennis Russell Davies and the pro- works of Tchaikovsky and Walton. We’ve timate consequences will be for our lives,
singular experience, worthy of individual grammer Vítězslav Mikeš, but the pre- also prepared a fresh look at one old piece including our cultural lives. Despite this, we
presentation. I trust you’ll enjoy reading ferences of the orchestra itself have been – the Viennese musicologist Dagmar continue to work and are preparing eve-
about our enticing new season and choose taken into account as well. Our Chief Con- Glüxam will guide you through Vivaldi’s rything in the form you are used to. Beyond
those offerings that’ll best satisfy you. ductor writes about his concerts beautifully Spring and Summer from The Four Seasons, our new season, we are preparing four fes-
With the 2020/2021 season, we return in his own piece, and we can be certain performed on this occasion according to tivals: the Exposition of New Music in No-
to the original form of subscription series, that every one of them will be an event – as the principles of the period doctrine of the vember, the Easter Festival of Sacred Mu-
which you got used to until three years ago, we are now used to. But I’d also like to affections, or Affektenlehre – that is, a sys- sic, the talent festival Mozart’s Children
before our orchestra’s temporary refuge at point you to the concerts by other outstan- tem for translating passions into music. If and the summer Špilberk festival.
the Stadion Hall. Thus there will be two se- ding conductors. Our permanent guest con- you thought that there was nothing new for
ries of major symphony concerts, Filharmo- ductor Robert Kružík has prepared an ex- you in this music, you might be in for a sur- We are looking forward to interesting and
nie at the Theatre I and II, and one series of ceptional, “dramatic” programme from prise. prestigious guest appearances and tours,
Filharmonie at Home. You can also look for- works by Kabeláč and Shostakovich; Dvo- This brings me to our rich offer of educa- but, above all, to seeing you, our dear audi-
ward to: a series of Special Concerts; the řák’s popular Requiem; a combination of tion of all kinds and for everyone. If you’d ence. Nothing can replace a live concert
perennial favourite, Family Series; a cham- Rejcha, Saint-Saëns, Jan Novák and Mil- like to find out more, simply ask for our spe- – perhaps that is the precious takeaway
ber series by members of our Academy, haud, in a French spirit; and for the New cial education catalogue More Music! That message from these present quiet days.
Young Blood; the Jazz & World Music se- Year, a jazzy programme of Gershwin, caters to parents and carers with toddlers,
ries; and the Concerts of Kantiléna. Shostakovich, Glazunov and Harle, with maternity and primary schools, parents Marie Kučerová
In order to have all concerts start at the the young saxophonist Jess Gillam. Alexan- with children, children without parents and
same hour and with the aim of offering you der Liebreich has opted for a rare offering parents without children alike. Our outstan-
a more convenient time for returning home, of Mansurian (whose Requiem made a ter- ding tutors and empathetic musicians will
all concerts in the new season will start at rific impression in Brno), Schnittke and make music accessible – nobody needs to
7pm (unless otherwise indicated for special Mendelssohn, and invited a violinist who be afraid of it – and in a form that you will
and festival concerts). I would also like to can be described as a maximalist, Milan find congenial. We can even bring music to
2 3A word from the A word from the
Mayor of Brno Filharmonie Brno Chief Conductor
Dear listeners Music lovers throughout Europe have been wonderful French violinist Renaud Capuçon
for years learning about the vibrant cultural and the inspired German tenor Christoph
In the increasingly globalised world of the The Filharmonie Brno ranks among the in- scene in Brno through radio broadcasts fea- Prégardien.
21st century, music is emerging as a uni- stitutions without which I could not imagi- turing the Filharmonie Brno. This season, On a personal note I am looking for-
versal means of communication among ne our city and its cultural life. I am glad audiences in Seoul, Graz, Salzburg, ward as pianist to two chamber music eve-
people, because it works even without you cannot imagine your lives without mu- Bayreuth, Cologne, London, Cardiff, Bir- nings together with the Filharmonie Brno‘s
words. It can easily transcend the boun- sic either. mingham, and Edinburgh, among several fine wind soloists, as well as a special eve-
daries of space and time, and span age, others, will experience in person the vibrant ning with my wife and piano-duo partner
and cultural and social differences. One Markéta Vaňková music making that is the hallmark of our Maki Namekawa in a special program
of the few demands music places on its musicians. with works by Mozart and Shostakovich.
fans is openness and perspicacity. Only We continue our special Beethoven ce-
then can it exert its beneficial influence in lebration by presenting at our first subscrip- This promises to be a great season and
full. tion concert in Besední dům this great com- I look very much forward to welcoming our
I trust that the Filharmonie Brno has poser‘s three ouvertures to his opera very special Brno audience to our concerts.
prepared for its open and perspicacious Leonore as a framework to special works
audiences a season that will appeal to by Dvořák and Arvo Pärt. Our season Dennis Russell Davies
them, enrich them, link them with compo- Opener, this year in the magnificent
sers and performers and invite them into Cathedral of St. Peter & St. Paul , will also
their world. The season presents works by feature Pärt in celebration of his 85th birth-
past titans, such as Ludwig van Beethoven day, together with Bruckner‘s mighty 5th
and Dmitri Shostakovich, as well as more Symphony.
recent 20th-century figures, such as Arvo I am delighted to be able to conduct this
Pärt and Miloslav Kabeláč. It will also fea- season in Brno Czech premiers of sympho-
ture lesser-known composers, such as nies by two very close friends who happen
Erich Wolfgang Korngold, an Academy to be among the very most successful and
Award winner for film music and a native prominent living composers, Thomas Lar-
of Brno. The season searches for links cher from Austria, and the American Philip
among the various poles of the musical Glass. Orchestras world wide are perfor-
planet, such as those bringing together ming works by these unusual musicians
classical music and jazz. who also happen to be great mutual col-
leagues and friends. I am also excited to
continue in Brno my collaborations with the
4 5Dennis Russell Davies
Artistic Director
and Chief Conductor
Dennis Russell Davies’ activities as Since 2018 Dennis Russell Davies is works by Mozart, Beethoven, Shostakovich,
opera and orchestral conductor, and as Artistic Director and Chief Conductor of Philip Glass, and Stravinsky (original
pianist and chamber musician, are the Filharmonie Brno. In Autumn 2020 he four-hand versions of “Le Sacre de
characterized by an extensive repertory assumes the position Chief Conductor of Printemps”, “Firebird”, and “Petrouchka”).
stretching from pre-Baroque to the latest the MDR-Sinfonieorchester Leipzig. Born in Toledo, Ohio in 1944, Davies
music of our time. Widely considered to As guest conductor in the USA, he has studied piano and conducting at the
be one of the most innovative and appeared with the orchestras of Chicago, Juilliard School in New York. From
adventurous conductors/programmers Philadelphia, San Francisco, Boston, New 1997–2012 he was professor for
in the classical music world, Davies has York and Cleveland. In Europe he has orchestral conducting at the University
successfully challenged and inspired worked regularly with the Gewandhaus- Mozarteum Salzburg; beginning
audiences on both sides of the Atlantic as orchester Leipzig and the Concertgebouw in September 2020 he will be guest
well as in Japan. He is noted for exciting, orkest Amsterdam and has conducted the professor at the Janáček Academy
well structured concerts and for his close Berlin Philharmonic, Orchestra Filharmoni- of Music and Performing Arts in Brno.
working relationships with such varied ca della Scala, the St. Petersburg Philhar- Dennis Russell Davies is a Fellow of the
composers as Luciano Berio, William monic, Orchestra del Maggio Musicale American Academy of Arts and Sciences,
Bolcom, John Cage, Philip Glass, Heinz Firenze, as well as the Hamburg and and has been awarded the German
Winbeck, Aaron Copland, Lou Harrison, Munich Philharmonic Orchestras. Bundesverdienstkreuz, the Austrian
Laurie Anderson, Arvo Pärt, Hans Werner Recent opera engagements include Ehrenkreuz für Wissenschaft und Kunst,
Henze, Kurt Schwertsik, Thomas Larcher, a new production of Peter Eötvös‘ “Tri as well as the title “Commandeur des
Balduin Sulzer, and Manfred Trojahn. Sestry” in Frankfurt and multiple perfor- Arts et Lettres” bestowed by the
After first appointments as Music mances of “Salome” and “Wozzeck” at French Government.
Director of the Saint Paul Chamber the Vienna State Opera. He has con-
Orchestra and Chief Conductor of the ducted new productions at the Bayreuth Serving as Artistic Advisor to
American Composers Orchestra, which he and Salzburg Festivals, the Metropolitan Dennis Russell Davies is
led for 25 years, Davies moved to Europe Opera New York, the Hamburg and Dr Heribert Schröder,
as General Music Director of the Staats- Bavarian State Operas, the Opera the Artistic Director of the Bruckner
oper Stuttgart, then Opera Bonn and the National de Paris, the Lyric Opera of Orchester Linz for many years and
Beethovenhalle Orchestra. He subsequent- Chicago, and Teatro Real Madrid - a total since March 2019 the General Secretary
ly led the Vienna Radio Symphony of more than 140 new productions by of the Oberösterreichische Theater
Orchestra, the Stuttgart Chamber Orches- many of the theater world‘s most impor- und Orchester GmbH.
tra, and the Symphony Orchestra Basel. tant stage directors.
→ For more: www.rbartists.at
In 2013, during his long and successful Dennis Russell Davies‘ rich discogra-
and www.dennisrusselldavies.com
tenure in Linz as Chief Conductor of the phy includes complete recordings of the
Linz Opera and Bruckner Orchester, symphonies of Bruckner and Philip Glass
Davies inaugurated the new Linzer (Bruckner Orchester Linz), Haydn
Musiktheater conducting the World (Stuttgarter Kammerorchester) and Arthur
Premiere of Philip Glass’/Peter Handke’s Honegger (Sinfonieorchester Basel). With
“Spuren der Verirrten” and Strauss’ his wife and duo partner Maki Namekawa
“Der Rosenkavalier.” he has recorded extensively, including photo © Andreas H. Bitesnich
6 7Robert Kružík
Permanent Guest Conductor
Robert Kružík (born 1990) is a member sa. He has performed with leading soloists,
of the youngest generation of Czech con- such as the violinists Esther Yoo and Václav
ductors. He has been a permanent con- Hudeček, the cellists Tomáš Jamník and Ra-
ductor at the Brno National Theatre’s Janá- phael Wallfisch, and the singers Roman
ček Opera House for five years, and for Janál, Jiří Sulženko and the legendary
three seasons conducted the Moravia-Sile- Soňa Červená. As a conductor he has
sia National Theatre in Ostrava. He has appeared at major venues, theatres and fes-
been the permanent guest conductor at the tivals, including Young Prague and the Saint
Filharmonie Brno since the 2018/2019 Wenceslaus Music Festival in Ostrava.
season, and beginning with the 2021/2022 A native of Brno, Robert Kružík started
season will become the chief conductor of out as a cellist. He graduated in cello (Mi-
the Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic in Zlín. roslav Zicha’s class) and conducting (Stani-
At the Brno National Theatre he has slav Kummer) from the Brno Conservatory.
conducted Rossini’s Le comte Ory, Tchai- He continued his studies at Prague’s Aca-
kovsky’s The Queen of Spades and Smeta- demy of Performing Arts, where his tea-
na’s Libuše, which was performed to mark chers included Leoš Svárovský, Charles
the centenary of the founding of the Cze- Olivieri-Munroe and Lubomír Mátl (con-
choslovak Republic. In the 2019/2020 ducting) and Miroslav Petráš (cello). He
season he has conducted new stagings of spent the 2012/2013 academic year on
Richard Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier and a stipend at the Zürcher Hochschule der
the ballet The Lady of the Camellias. His Künste in Switzerland, where he worked
repertoire is broad and includes operas by on both conducting and the cello. Robert
Mozart, Smetana, Dvořák, Martinů, Janá- Kružík has achieved success at many cello
ček, Donizetti, Rossini, Tchaikovsky, Bizet, competitions, such as Prague Spring, the
Verdi, Puccini and Prokofiev. Bohuslav Martinů Foundation Competition
Beyond the opera stage he works with and the International Leoš Janáček Compe-
many orchestras such as Filharmonie Brno, tition in Brno. He has widened his know-
Prague Philharmonia, Bohuslav Martinů ledge and experience by taking master-
Philharmonic Zlín, Slovak Philharmonic, Ko- classes from Jiří Bárta, Michaela Fukačová
šice State Philharmonic, Janáček Philhar- and Raphael Wallfisch (cello) as well as
monic Ostrava, Prague Chamber Orches- from Norbert Baxa, Johannes Schlaefli
tra, Moravian Philharmonic Olomouc, and David Zinman (conducting).
South Bohemian Chamber Philharmonic,
Czech Virtuosi and Ensemble Opera Diver-
photo © Marek Olbrzymek
8 9Filharmonie Brno
The roots of the Filharmonie Brno go back vek, Sir Charles Mackerras, Jakub Hrůša
to the 1870s, when the young Leoš Janá- and Tomáš Netopil. Maestro Dennis Rus-
ček endeavoured to establish a Czech sell Davies has been appointed the orches-
symphony orchestra in Brno. The works of tra’s new chief conductor and artistic
the famous 20th century composer constitute director beginning with the 2018/2019
the core of the orchestra’s repertory, and to season.
this day the Filharmonie Brno considers Since 2000 the Filharmonie Brno has
itself to be the authentic performer of his been organising the open-air summer festi-
oeuvre. val at the Špilberk castle in Brno, and in
The present orchestra was created in 2012 has become the organiser of the re-
1956 by merging the Brno-based Radio nowned traditional festivals Moravian Au-
and Regional orchestras, and since then tumn, Easter Festival of Sacred Music and
has been among the leading Czech or- Exposition of New Music. The orchestra
chestras in terms of both size and importan- sponsors the internationally lauded chil-
ce. On its tours abroad, it has performed dren’s choir Kantiléna, has been involved
about a thousand concerts throughout Eu- since 2010 in the young musicians’ festival
rope, the United States of America, Latin Mozart’s Children, and in 2014 founded
America, and both the Middle and Far the Filharmonie Brno Orchestra Academy.
East. The Filharmonie Brno is a regular Today Filharmonie Brno is not only
guest at festivals in the Czech Republic and a strong player in the field of symphonic
abroad, frequently joining forces for these music at home and abroad, but also the
appearances with the excedent Czech primary organiser of the musical season in
Philharmonic Choir Brno. the second largest Czech city, an active
The orchestra regularly records for the instigator of festivals and a creative leader
Czech Radio, Czech Television and a num- in orchestral programming.
ber of music labels (Supraphon, Sony Mu- Its home is the beautiful Besední dům,
sic, IMG Records, BMG, Channel 4), and the Brno counterpart to Vienna’s Musikve-
is also receiving a growing number of rein, built in 1873 according to a design by
commissions from global clientele through Theophil Hansen, though the orchestra is
the agency Czech Orchestra Recordings. now looking forward to its new modern
Throughout its history, the orchestra has concert hall, which is being designed by a
had a number of Czech and international team consisting of Tomasz Konior, Petr
conductors, including Břetislav Bakala, Hrůša and the acoustician Yasuhisa Toyota.
František Jílek, Petr Altrichter, Jiří Bělohlá-
10 11Orchestra Members Flutes Trombones
Martina Venc Matušínská Jiří Vydra
Petr Pomkla Jaroslav Zouhar
Kristina Vaculová Jakub Pavluš
First violins Violas Karolína Korcová Pavel Šuráň
František Kantor Pavel Debef
Pavel Wallinger, concertmaster Petr Pšenica
Marie Petříková, concertmaster Julián Veverica Oboes Tuba
Leoš Zavadilík Karel Plocek
Marcela Tománková Petr Jirák
Marie Pšenicová Emil Machain
Barbora Trnčíková
Dana Suková Tomáš Kulík Percussion
Anikó Kovarikné Hegedűs
Irena Hůrková Jan Kuchař
Catherine Zatloukalová Lukáš Krejčí
Vladimír Lžičař Zbyněk Volf
Zdeněk Nádeníček Radek Tomášek
Jiří Kopecký Martin Heller
Mária Fiľová Otakar Salajka Petr Hladík
Clarinets Tomoe Sonoda
Olga Drápelová David Šlechta
Jaromír Graffe Klára Hegnerová Emil Drápela Maximilian Jopp
Jan Vašta Aneta Habšudová Lukáš Daňhel
Stanislav Pavlíček Harps
Barbora Gajdošová Pavlína Malíková
Pavel Oračko Jiří Sedláček Ivana Švestková
Renata Staňková Cellos Petr Kavalír Dominika Svozilová
Hiroaki Goto Pavel Šabacký, concertmaster Bassoons
Tatsuya Shiro Michal Greco
Terezie Vargová Eva Koválová Jozef Makarovič
Kristýna Jungová Pavla Vydrová Dušan Drápela
Michal Hreňo Petr Hlavatý
Second violins Radan Vach Jana Košnářová
Bohumír Strnad Rudolf Mrazík Jiří Jakubec
Radoslav Havlát Iveta Vacková
French horns
Dorothea Kellerová Pavlína Jelínková
Josef Ondrůj Katarína Madariová Karel Hofmann
Lenka Zichová Lukáš Svoboda Martin Novák
Antonín Formáček Milan Mrazík
Jakub Výborný Double basses Igor Michalík
Jana Horáková Marek Švestka Petr Chomoucký
Filip Kostelecký Martin Šranko Miloš Kovařík
Ludmila Netolická Martin Sedlák David Ryšánek
Jan Rybka Vojtech Velíšek
Trumpets
Alena Pavlušová Miloslav Raisigl
Alžbeta Stračinová Alfons Jelínek Jan Broda
Zdeněk Svozil Jaromír Gardoň Ondřej Jurčeka
Barbora Opršálová Josef Pavlíček
Jan Hajný Vojtěch Novotný
Anežka Moravčíková Petr Hojač
12 13Schedule 2020|2021
15 Jan Janáček Theatre THE RING WITHOUT WORDS / Davies 36
23 Jan Besední dům THE MOZART EFFECT / Habart 38
28 Jan Besední dům PAĽA PLAYS SCHNITTKE / Liebreich 40
29 Jan Besední dům PAĽA PLAYS SCHNITTKE / Liebreich 40
Filharmonie at the Theatre I Family Series
Filharmonie at the Theatre II Young Blood or Music from Nearby February 2021
Filharmonie at Home Jazz & World Music 11 Feb Besední dům THE REAL VIVALDI 42
Special Concerts Concerts of Kantiléna 13 Feb Besední dům FAMILY SERIES: OPENING THE THIRD / Kružík 69
16 Feb Besední dům YONATHAN AVISHAI TRIO: JOYS & SOLITUDES 73
17 Feb Besední dům YOUNG BLOOD or MUSIC FROM UP CLOSE II 71
18 Feb Besední dům BETWEEN CLASSICAL MUSIC AND JAZZ / Kružík 44
August 2020 19 Feb Besední dům BETWEEN CLASSICAL MUSIC AND JAZZ / Kružík 44
11–21 Aug Špilberk ŠPILBERK INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FESTIVAL 2020 page 16
March 2021
September 2020 4 Mar Besední dům FILHARMONIE’S WIND SOLOISTS AND DAVIES I 46
11 Sep Cathedral LAUNCHING THE SEASON AT THE CATHEDRAL / Davies 18 6 Mar Besední dům FAMILY SERIES: OPENING THE FOURTH / Iwasaki 69
17 Sep Besední dům LUDWIG 250 & ARVO 85 / Davies 20 10 Mar Besední dům YOUNG BLOOD or MUSIC FROM UP CLOSE III 71
18 Sep Besední dům LUDWIG 250 & ARVO 85 / Davies 20 12 Mar Janáček Theatre BRAHMS & GLASS: #2 / Davies 48
October 2020 13 Mar Janáček Theatre BRAHMS & GLASS: #2 / Davies 48
8 Oct Besední dům ANGELS OF SORROW / Davies 22 18 Mar Besední dům THE SPIDER’S FEAST / Svárovský 50
9 Oct Besední dům ANGELS OF SORROW / Davies 22 19 Mar Besední dům THE SPIDER’S FEAST / Svárovský 50
19 Oct Besední dům OMER KLEIN TRIO: RADIO MEDITERAN 73 23 Mar Besední dům EDMAR CASTANEDA & GRÉGOIRE MARET: HARP VS. HARP 73
24 Oct Besední dům FAMILY SERIES: OPENING THE FIRST / Iwasaki 69 28 Mar–11 Apr EASTER FESTIVAL OF SACRED MUSIC 2021 52
November 2020 April 2021
8 Nov Besední dům KANTILÉNA’S AUTUMN CONCERT / Jančík, Novosádová 75 14 Apr Besední dům DANIEL CASARES TRIO: GUITARRÍSIMO 73
10–15 Nov EXPOSITION OF NEW MUSIC 2020 24 18 Apr Besední dům KANTILÉNA’S SPRING CONCERT / Jančík, Novosádová 75
19 Nov Janáček Theatre DVOŘÁK’S REQUIEM / Kružík 26 22 Apr Janáček Theatre DVOŘÁK, JANÁČEK, RACHMANINOFF / Davies 54
20 Nov Janáček Theatre DVOŘÁK’S REQUIEM / Kružík 26 23 Apr Janáček Theatre DVOŘÁK, JANÁČEK, RACHMANINOFF / Davies 54
25 Nov Besední dům MAREK NOVOTNÝ & EPOQUE QUARTET: FRESCO 73 24 Apr Besední dům FAMILY SERIES: OPENING THE LAST 69
26 Nov Janáček Theatre CAPUÇON PLAYS KORNGOLD / Davies 28 27 Apr Besední dům FILHARMONIE’S WIND SOLOISTS AND DAVIES II 56
27 Nov Janáček Theatre CAPUÇON PLAYS KORNGOLD / Davies 28 30 Apr Janáček Theatre THE TIME OF LOVE / Davies 58
December 2020 May 2021
2 Dec Besední dům YOUNG BLOOD or MUSIC FROM UP CLOSE I 71 1 May Janáček Theatre THE TIME OF LOVE / Davies 58
5 Dec Besední dům FAMILY SERIES: OPENING THE SECOND / Kružík 69 12 May Besední dům YOUNG BLOOD or MUSIC FROM UP CLOSE IV 71
10 Dec Janáček Theatre HAMLET / Prießnitz 30 13 May Janáček Theatre KABELÁČ & SHOSTAKOVICH: #5 / Kružík 60
11 Dec Janáček Theatre HAMLET / Prießnitz 30 14 May Janáček Theatre KABELÁČ & SHOSTAKOVICH: #5 / Kružík 60
18 Dec Besední dům ADVENT CONCERT / Spurný 32 20 May Besední dům PULCINELLA / Davies 62
20 Dec Besední dům KANTILÉNA’S CHRISTMAS MATINEE / Jančík, Novosádová 75 21 May Besední dům PULCINELLA / Davies 62
25 Dec Cathedral KANTILÉNA’S CHRISTMAS CONCERT / Jančík, Novosádová 75 22 May Besední dům SHOSTAKOVICH: AUDACIOUS AND HUMOROUS 64
January 2021 June 2021
1 Jan Janáček Theatre NEW YEAR’S CONCERT / Kružík 34 15–20 Jun MOZART’S CHILDREN 2021 66
7 Jan Besední dům AIRELLE BESSON & LIONEL SUAREZ 73
14 Jan Janáček Theatre THE RING WITHOUT WORDS / Davies 36
14 151 Tue 11 Aug 2020, 8:00pm 4 Sun 16 Aug 2020, 8:00pm
ŠPILBERK CARMINA BURANA
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN
ONDRÁŠ –
STEP BY STEP
INTERNATIONAL Wellington’s Victory, Op. 91
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY
The story of kRok za kRokem is a symbo-
lic picture of a person’s life, accompanied
1812 Overture, Op. 49
MUSIC FESTIVAL 2020
by Jiří Slavík’s music with folk inflections.
CARL ORFF Despite the unusual mix of inspiration from
Carmina Burana various music and dance styles, the project
soloists TBC is firmly anchored in traditional folklore,
as is the custom with Ondráš.
21 year, Tue 11 to Fri 21 August 2020
st Czech Philharmonic Choir Brno
choir director Petr Fiala Ondráš Military Art Ensemble
Filharmonie Brno
The Špilberk Castle Courtyard conductor Leoš Svárovský 5 Tue 18 Aug 2020, 8:00pm
THE PLANETS
2 Wed 12 Aug 2020, 8:30pm
JOHN WILLIAMS, JAMES HORNER,
CINEMA CONCERT I: HOWARD SHORE: film music
BEETHOVEN’S HAIR GUSTAV HOLST
Beethoven’s Hair The Planets, arranged for brass orchestra
A Canadian-Czech documentary, 2004, Lenka Polášková Choir
directed by Larry Weinstein Moravia Brass Band
The thrilling story of how a lock conductor Chuhei Iwasaki
of Beethoven’s hair uncovered the cause
of his illness and death, and unlocked 6 Wed 19 Aug 2020, 8:00pm
the secret of his oeuvre.
The film won a 2005 Gemini Award PICTURES AT AN EXHIBITION
and other prizes. MODEST MUSORGSKIJ / arr. Ravel
Pictures at an Exhibition
3 Fri 14 Aug 2020, 8:30pm BOHUSLAV MARTINŮ
Frescoes of Piero della Francesca, H 352
CINEMA CONCERT II:
PAUL HINDEMITH
LE CONCERT DE PARIS 2019 Mathis der Maler, symphony
Le Concert de Paris 2019
Filharmonie Brno
BERLIOZ, BIZET, OFFENBACH, conductor Dennis Russell Davies
RAVEL, DVOŘÁK, RACHMANINOFF, visualisation Cori O’Lan (Ars Electronica)
BEETHOVEN
soloists Khatia Buniatishvili, 7 Fri 21 Aug 2020, 8:00pm
Roberto Alagna, René Pape,
Gautier Capuçon, Gaëlle Arquez, PRAŽSKÝ VÝBĚR
Jakub Orliński, Aleksandra Kurzak, SYMPHONY
Xuefei Yang The legendary Czech rock band Pražský
Tickets go on sale at least a month before the beginning of the festival. Radio France Chorus výběr and its hits in a symphonic arrangement
Follow the Filharmonie Brno website: www.filharmonie-brno.cz Orchestre National de France
Pražský výběr, Jan Hasenöhrl trumpet,
conductor Alain Altinoglu
Czech National Symphony Orchestra
conductor Steven Mercurio
16 17LAUNCHING THE SEASON Characteristically, Dennis Russell Davies enters
his third season as Filharmonie Brno’s chief
conductor and artistic director with the music
away. The Cantus was premiered by
the Estonian National Symphony
Orchestra under Eri Klas’s baton on
AT THE CATHEDRAL by Arvo Pärt (born 1936) and Anton Bruckner
(1824–1896). With the former, he is linked by
7 April 1977 in Tallinn.
Bruckner the maverick
a friendship of
many years and Of essential importance for Anton
Fri 11 Sep 2020 a number of
performances,
Bruckner’s (1824–1896) career as
a composer was his encounter with
Cathedral of Saint Peter including the oeuvre of Richard Wagner – first,
Tannhäuser in 1863 and then, in par-
premieres; with
and Saint Paul, Petrov, 7:00pm the latter, by ticular, Tristan und Isolde, at a perfor-
having the mance of which the two met in per-
composer as a son. In his efforts to translate Wagner’s
ARVO PÄRT focal point whilst compositional style, which had grown
Cantus in memoriam heading the out of musical drama, into purely
Benjamin Britten Bruckner symphonic music, Bruckner was a
Orchester Linz. maverick in the context of the Neo-
ANTON BRUCKNER -Romantic programmatic music of his
Symphony No. 5 in B-flat major Arvo Pärt is 85 time; he had to wait until the 1880s
We will hear the to be recognised, when the perfor-
Filharmonie Brno canon entitled Can- mance of his Seventh Symphony was
conductor Dennis Russell Davies tus in memoriam a triumph.
Benjamin Britten, Bruckner completed his Fifth Sym-
written for string phony in 1878, at a time when he
orchestra and bells moved from Linz to Vienna for good;
in 1977, on the day he taught at the city’s conservatory
of Arvo Pärt’s 85th and university. Yet he never heard the
birthday. He is a orchestral version of his work. In
celebrated Estoni- 1887, his devotee, Franz Schalk,
an composer, and planned a performance of his own
ranks among the arrangement for two pianos; Bruck-
most influential mu- ner, however, disagreed with his edits,
sic-makers of to- and allegedly threatened Schalk that
day. The Cantus is he would call the police (the concert
one of the first did ultimately take place, but not to
compositions in much acclaim). The orchestral versi-
which Pärt signal- on was ultimately performed on 9
led his final depar- April 1894 in Graz, under the baton
ture from the musi- of the self-same Schalk (and again
cal avant-garde to his new style based on simpli- with some insensitive edits), but with-
city, diatonicism, stasis and inspiration from out the composer’s presence – he
mediaeval music. Pärt called his new idiom tin- was not in a position to travel from
tinnabuli (from the Latin word tintinnabulum, mea- Vienna, due to illness.
Special Concert 1 ning a little bell) and described it as an “escape
(tickets priced in CZK in two bands) to voluntary poverty” – his melodies progress in
neighbouring tones, and the triadic voices of the
Launching the Season at the Cathedral 490 340
tintinabulli evoke an impression of sound dying
18 19LUDWIG 250 & ARVO 85 Beethoven 250
Another of Filharmonie Brno’s original contribu-
tions to this year’s celebrations for Ludwig van
Marsyas
The Satyr or Silenus from Phrygia,
the unfortunate challenger of the god
Beethoven’s 250th birthday: a complete perfor- Apollo to a flute-playing contest, who
Thu 17 and Fri 18 Sep 2020 mance of three overtures, all called Leonore, which
Beethoven (1770–1827) successively wrote for his
literally “lost his skin” as he was
flayed alive. The tears of his compa-
Besední dům, 7:00pm only opera, Fidelio (originally called Leonore-Fide-
lio), only to reject them all, as he was not happy
nions became the source of a river in
Phrygia, which was given the name
with them (he ultimately wrote a fourth, which con- Marsyas.
tinues to be played before Fidelio to this day). The
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN first overture sets out the context of the story, the The composer inspired by
Leonore Overture No. 1, Op. 138 second creates a symphonic picture of the drama- a sculpture
ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK tic knot and the third – most extensive, best known “Death and suffering are the themes
Symphonic Variations, Op. 78 and most often performed in concert, and, since that concern every person born into
Gustav Mahler’s time, traditionally included in the this world. The way in which the
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN opera itself, before the finale – captures the overall individual comes to terms with these
Leonore Overture No. 2, Op. 72a dramatic gradation of the opera. issues (or fails to do so) determines
ARVO PÄRT his attitude towards life – whether
consciously or unconsciously. With its
Lamentate (Homage to
great size, Anish Kapoor’s sculpture
Anish Kapoor and his sculpture
shatters not only concepts of space,
“Marsyas”) for piano and orchestra
but also – in my view – concepts of
LUDWIG van BEETHOVEN time. The boundary between time
Leonore Overture No. 3, Op. 72b and timelessness no longer seems so
important. I have written a lament –
Maki Namekawa piano not for the dead, but for the living… A
Filharmonie Brno lament for us, who don’t have it easy
dealing with the pain and hope-
conductor Dennis Russell Davies
Lamentate lessness of this world.” – Arvo Pärt
© ČTK/PA (Tate Modern Anish Kapoor)
The Estonian composer Arvo Pärt (born 1935)
wrote Lamentate in 2002, inspired by the monu-
mental sculpture Marsyas by the British artist of
Indian origin, Anish Kapoor, exhibited at the Tate
Modern gallery in London. The solo piano ap-
pears here in the role of the individual, who
attracts our attention by his mightiness (in analogy
with Kapoor’s sculpture). The music itself is strong-
ly influenced by the structural properties (inclu-
ding the number of syllables, accents and Maki Namekawa
punctuation of Old Church Slavonic sacred text The life and artistic partner of the chief
– troparion – from the ancient monastic rite of conductor Dennis Russell Davies focuses
on contemporary music by the world’s
singing twelve psalms. Lamentate was premiered leading composers, though she is equally
on 7 February 2003 at Tate Modern in front of “at home” in the Classical repertoire.
the sculpture by the pianist Hélène Grimaud and She has premiered works by Philip Glass,
Filharmonie at Home 1 the London Sinfonietta conducted by Alexander Heinz Winbeck and others, and recorded
(tickets priced in CZK in three bands) Briger. a number of CDs (including Glass’s
complete piano etudes and his Mishima).
Ludwig 250 & Arvo 85 400 350 300
20 21ANGELS OF SORROW Remembering Giya Kancheli
On 2 October last year, the Georgian composer
of world renown, Giya Kancheli (1935–2019)
with Dennis Russell Davies by the
bonds of art and friendship for many
years. He is an incredibly prolific
died. The Filharmonie Brno responded immedi- composer, has collaborated with the
Thu 8 and Fri 9 Oct 2020, Besední dům, 7:00pm ately by adding a special concert featuring his
work, Amao omi (Senseless War), to the pro-
important choreographer Johann
Kresnik on four ballets, composed
gramme of its Moravian Autumn festival, then on- concertos for noted soloists (inclu-
Under the auspices of Her Excellence Mariam Rakviashvili, going. Dennis Russell Davies, Kancheli’s friend of ding the trumpeter Håkan Harden-
the ambassador of Georgia to the Czech Republic many years and an important advocate of his mu- berger, the violinist Christian Alten-
sic, wrote at the time: “We have all lost a great berg and the percussionist Colin
man, artist, and friend. We take solace from the Currie) and, in 2009 together with
JOSEPH HAYDN knowledge that his great work will live on in the the choreographer Jochen Ulrich,
Symphony No. 49 in F minor “La passione”, Hob. I:49 hearts of us musicians who loved him and will con- created a feature-length ballet Kafka
GIYA KANCHELI tinue to perform his wonderful music.” Let us add Amerika, after Kafka’s unfinished no-
that the Filharmonie Brno had earlier, in 2015, vel. A year earlier, he took inspirati-
Angels of Sorrow
performed Kancheli’s Valse Boston for piano and on from the same source for his “so-
for violin, cello, children’s choir and chamber orchestra
string orchestra – incidentally, a work dedicated natina for orchestra” Mr K. Discovers
KURT SCHWERTSIK to the orchestra’s current chief conductor – at the America, commissioned and premie-
Schrumpf-Symphonie (Shrunken Symphony), Op. 80, first Czech performance Besední dům. red by Mozarteumorchester Salz-
Herr K. entdeckt Amerika (Mr K. Discovers America), burg as part of a project stimulating
suite Op. 101b, first Czech performance Angels of Sorrow
Almost a year after the com-
poser’s death, the chief con-
Kantiléna children’s choir ductor, the Kantiléna chil-
dren’s choir and the Filhar-
choir director Michal Jančík monie Brno will perform the
Filharmonie Brno work Angels of Sorrow (2013).
conductor Dennis Russell Davies Kancheli was inspired by im-
ages of war’s destruction, in
which soldiers broke the
wings off the statues of an-
gels: “Contrary to my desire, D. R. Davies and K. Schwertsik © Reinhard Winkler
events taking place in the
world subconsciously influence the creative pro- the emergence of new repertoire for
cess. I cannot remain indifferent to the endless ma- youth orchestras, supported by pro-
nifestations of ruthlessness and violence, which is fessional ensembles. The “shrunken-
perhaps why sadness and sorrow prevail in my ness” of the Schrumpf-Symphonie
music. Within my abilities, I tried to use the inno- (1999) had pragmatic reasons (it
cent voices of children and the simplest melodic was the budget that shrank), but this
structures to express my attitude to the strength of gave rise to a playfully serious contri-
the human spirit – the unbending strength of spirit bution to the discussion about the di-
that elevates it above an immoral regime.” rection of the symphony as a genre
and a form today.
Kurt Schwertsik is 85
Filharmonie at Home 2 Kurt Schwertsik (born 1935), who celebrates his
(tickets priced in CZK in three bands) 85th birthday this year, is a noted Austrian compo-
ser and yet another figure who has been linked
Angels of Sorrow 400 350 300
22 23Founded in 1987, the Exposition of New 20th century, when artists – seeking
EXPOSITION OF
Music is a six-day festival of contemporary a perspective for their works – ex-
experimental works, which sees the plored the paradigms present in the
“exposition” of its title not solely as artistic concepts and forms of the
NEW MUSIC 2020
a presentation, but also as interaction, past, and adopted various “neo-”
participation and lively communication styles. Towards the close of the
with people and the public space. 20th century, artists started to work
with “the past” (in many senses of
“New in old – old in new” Since 2012, when the Filharmonie Brno became the word) as with “a material”,
the festival’s organiser, our programming has fol- which they often transformed in
33rd year, Tue 10 to Sun 15 Nov 2020 lowed various threads, based on the spatial
arrangements of the city of Brno, and respon-
ways that had little in common with
the past artistic ideals and para-
ding to a need to reflect the rich gamut of trends digms. This tendency continues to
present in con- be felt today. Certainly, the develop-
temporary musi- ment of new media has been a ma-
cal productions. jor factor in this: they make “the
Thus, the Exposi- past” (captured in various analogue
tion has focused and digital forms) easily accessible
on sound installa- and processable.
tions, noise music
and musical inter- In 2020, we want to investigate this
ventions into the dialogue that we are witnessing in
public space, as the art of today. We would like to
well as traditional stimulate the emergence of new pro-
concert performan- jects, as well as present existing
ces. Since 2020, ones, which take historical material
the festival has a as their point of departure, recycling
new programmer, it, reinterpreting it or pitting it against
who proposes an new material. We also want to pro-
entirely new – his vide options to performers and en-
own – perspecti- sembles that focus on historically
ve on contempo- informed practice (another distinct
rary music. phenomenon in the music-making of
recent decades) as well as those
The concept of who play contemporary music on
the 2020 pro- period instruments.
gramme is a dia-
logue between We would also like to present pro-
“new and old” jects that go beyond music itself or
and “old and link music with other media new or
new”, both in the old, be that in the form of installa-
creation of music tions, screenings, exhibitions, in situ
and other arts, performances or other.
and in creative performance. Over recent deca-
The up-to-date programme of the festival will be published on des, there has been in Western culture an evi- Daniel Matej,
the Filharmonie Brno website: www.filharmonie-brno.cz. dent tendency to “look back at the past”, but not Exposition of New Music
Tickets go on sale at least a month before the beginning of the festival. in the same ways as in the first half of the programmer
24 25DVOŘÁK’S REQUIEM A work of “first importance”
Antonín Dvořák (1841–1904) wrote his Requiem
on a commission from the Birmingham Festival,
The contemporary responses
“The Requiem exceeded even our
most audacious expectations. We
who asked him to compose a work of “first can only use superlatives to describe
Thu 19 and Fri 20 Nov 2020 importance”, i.e. not specifically a requiem.
It was premiered in the city on 9 October 1891
a product of this calibre. […] Only he
whom music has permitted to glimpse
Janáček Theatre, 7:00pm conducted by the composer; soon, audiences in
Manchester and Liverpool were able to acquaint
the innermost meanders of the human
heart, he who, instinctively or uncon-
themselves with the work too. The first Czech sciously, is guided by his inspiration
performance, again under Dvořák’s baton, took to create something beautiful and
place on 12 March 1892 in Olomouc, and in precious – only he can speak the lan-
Prague the Requiem was first heard on 25 April guage of music with such conviction.”
at the National Theatre, with Adolf Čech conducting. – Dalibor magazine after the first
performance in Prague
Coursing throughout the work as a leitmotif is
a theme revealed at the very beginning by strings “…there are places that make you want
in unison; it is characterised by a syncopated circ- to cry out in pain and joy…” – the con-
ling of the upper and lower minor second around ductor and major advocate of Dvo-
the fundamental tone; a theme freely floating in řák’s music, Hans Richter
the harmonic space. In the course of the composi-
tion, this theme appears in various forms: someti- “Dvořák’s music is an earthly child
mes as first heard; at other times in a secondary with red cheeks, it enjoys life and mo-
ANTONÍN DVOŘÁK voice as a hint or a supplement of the melodic ves us; it has its moments of melan-
Requiem, Op. 89 phrase, or as an accompanying figure; but al- choly, but it does not have days of
ways acting as a memento marking all that is hap- repentance and retribution. Dvořák’s
Jana Šrejma Kačírková soprano pening in the music with its presence. The leitmotif sacred works speak of his art; his se-
Václava Krejčí Housková alto in Dvořák’s Requiem has become a symbol, per- cular music, of his character. Like all
meating subsequent Czech musical tradition – major modern composers, Dvořák in
Richard Samek tenor
Suk’s Asrael, Janáček’s First String Quartet, Bohu- composing his requiem was thinking
Peter Mikuláš bass slav Martinů’s Symphonic Fantasias, and music by more of a concert hall than a church.
Czech Philharmonic Choir Brno Miloslav Kabeláč and Jan Novák. That is not a reproach, but a contem-
choir director Petr Fiala porary tendency. In church, we are
practising Christians and we like the
Filharmonie Brno music. At the concert hall, we are mu-
conductor Robert Kružík sicians and reconcile ourselves with
piety.” – Eduard Hanslick after the
first performance in Vienna in 1901
Filharmonie at the Theatre II 1
(tickets priced in CZK in three bands)
Dvořák’s Requiem 550 510 470 Robert Kružík
26 27CAPUÇON PLAYS A prestigious commission
The Austrian composer Thomas Larcher (born 1963)
ranks among the best renowned in the world today.
KORNGOLD His Third Symphony, completed this spring, is a joint
commission from the Royal Concertgebouw Amster-
dam (Netherlands), City of Birmingham Symphony
Thomas Larcher © Eduardus Lee
Orchestra (United Kingdom), Filharmonie Brno
Thu 26 and Fri 27 Nov 2020 (Czech Republic), Swedish Radio (Sweden), Sym-
phonieorchester Vorarlberg (Austria) and Orquesta
over the following years. Korngold
wrote his Violin Concerto in D major
Janáček Theatre, 7:00pm Sinfónica de Castilla y León (Spain). during World War II and, typically for
The title, A Line Above the Sky refers to a dry- him, used material from his film music in
-tooling climbing route, marked out in a cave close the piece. He dedicated the work to
to Marmolada in the Dolomites by Tom Ballard in Alma Mahler, a friend of his of many
2015. It was graded as D15, which was the years. The premiere, on 15 February in
highest level of difficulty at the time. Tom Ballard, 1947 in St Louis, was entrusted to Jas-
one of the best alpinists of his generation, died in cha Heifetz.
February 2019 attempting to climb Nanga Parbat.
“For all you can sense about a person you don’t Renaud Capuçon
know, he was an ingenious, empathic and modest One of the most celebrated violinists of our
man,” says Larcher. “To name a route A Line Above time, Renaud Capuçon will be a crown
the Sky speaks of a dream to live a life in the light, jewel of our Philharmonic season. As a
embracing the mountains. I have been close to the soloist, he is invited to appear on prestigious
concert stages alongside the world’s most
BEDŘICH SMETANA mountains for many years and through them have important ensembles (including Berliner
Šárka been inspired, enlightened and consoled. I also and Wiener Philharmoniker, Boston
symphonic poem from My Country feel close to Ballard and his passion, but I have al- Symphony Orchestra, New York Philharmo-
ways failed to find an answer for how one can put nic, London Symphony Orchestra and
ERICH WOLFGANG KORNGOLD oneself deliberately at such extreme risk. Thinking Orchestre de Paris) and works with the
very best conductors (Barenboim, Bychkov,
Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35 about this leads to the question of what life is, and
Dudamel, Eschenbach, Gergiev, Haitink,
how much it is worth to a person (and what one’s Harding, Paavo Järvi, Nelsons, Nézet-
THOMAS LARCHER
life might be worth to others).This symphony be- -Seguin, van Zweden and others).
Symphony No. 3 “A Line Above the Sky”
came a testimony to the intensity of life in the first The names of his artistic partners for
first Czech performance chamber music performances are also
movement, and a ‘Trauermusik’ in the second.”
telling – Argerich, Barenboim, Bashmet,
Renaud Capuçon violin Bronfman, Buniatishvili, Grimaud, Yo-Yo Ma,
The world premiere of Larcher’s Symphony Pires and Trifonov – and he likewise makes
Filharmonie Brno No. 3 was planned for May 2020 as part of the music with his brother Gautier the cellist.
conductor Dennis Russell Davies Mahler Festival at the Concertgebouw, Amster- Renaud Capuçon has recorded an
dam. The concert was delayed because of the co- extensive discography for the Erato/
ronavirus pandemic. Warner Classics label. He plays a
Guarneri del Gesù “Panette” violin (1737),
which belonged to Isaac Stern. He was
Korngold to Alma Mahler decorated by the French government,
If you walk down Brno’s Koliště street you can see on becoming “Chevalier dans l’Ordre
building no. 1 a plaque reminding passers-by that National du Mérite” in 2011 and
Renaud Capuçon © Mat Hennek
Erich Wolfgang Korngold (1897–1957) was born “Chevalier de la Légion d’honneur”
there. The composer, who would later become fa- in 2017. He is the artistic director of the
Filharmonie at the Theatre I 1 Easter Festival in Aix-en-Provence
mous in Hollywood for his film music, moved with his
and the Sommets Musicaux de Gstaad.
(tickets priced in CZK in three bands) family to Vienna at an early age. Despite this, he did → For more: www.renaudcapucon.com
not lose contact with Brno for some time, as shown
Capuçon Plays Korngold 550 510 470
by the Brno performances of several of his works
28 29HAMLET To be, or not to be:
that is the question… /
that is the question…
Thu 10 and Fri 11 Dec 2020 …or two different musical approaches to
Shakespeare’s tragedy about the Danish prince,
Janáček Theatre, 7:00pm from the positions of composers of the 19th and
20th centuries – the essential Romantic,
Tchaikovsky, and the essential post-Romantic,
Brian Caspe
Walton. The music of both is impressive enough
PYOTR ILYICH TCHAIKOVSKY The American actor Brian Caspe, settled
to stand up to concert performance. in Prague, has appeared in the films
Hamlet, incidental music, Op. 67a
Hellboy, The Illusionist, Running Scared,
WILLIAM WALTON / Tchaikovsky’s Hamlet Wanted, Mission: Impossible – Ghost
arr. Christopher Palmer After Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840–1893) crea- Protocol, Gangster Ka, Anthropoid,
ted his famous overture-fantasia Hamlet, Op. 67, Milada and Emperor, the series Private
Hamlet: A Shakespeare Scenario Traps and Missing and the English
in 1888, he was asked by his friend, the French versions of Czech plays featuring the
Brian Caspe narrator actor Lucien Guitry, to compose incidental music fictional Czech polymath, Jára Cimrman:
Filharmonie Brno for his benefit performance at the Mikhaylovsky The Stand In, The Conquest of the North
Theatre in St Petersburg. Tchaikovsky demurred, Pole and Pub in the Glade. With
conductor Gerrit Prießnitz but ultimately promised to write the music, making Filharmonie Brno, Brian Caspe has
appeared in recent seasons as narrator in
good on his promise in January 1891. He compo-
Bohuslav Martinů’s The Epic of Gilgamesh,
sed new, original material, but also used (and Aaron Copland’s Lincoln Portrait and
adapted) the earlier overture-fantasia of the same Leonard Bernstein’s Symphony No. 3
name, the second movement of his Third Sympho- “Kaddish”.
ny, the incidental music for The Snow Maiden, and
the Elegy for Strings.
William Walton’s (and Laurence Olivier’s)
Hamlet
Laurence Olivier, considered an authority on Sha-
kespearian roles in the theatre and film worlds,
brought to the film Hamlet (1948) his distinctive
acting and directing skills; alongside Henry V
(1944) and Richard III (1955), the film constitutes Gerrit Prießnitz
a trilogy of Shakespearian film adaptations on A native of Bonn and graduate of Dennis
Russell Davies’s orchestral conducting
which Olivier collaborated with the British compo-
class at the Universität Mozarteum
ser William Walton (1902–1983). Hamlet was Salzburg, Gerrit Prießnitz is the
the first non-American movie to win an Academy permanent guest conductor at Vienna’s
Award for Best Picture (Olivier also won the Best Volksoper; he also collaborates with other
Actor Oscar). Walton’s forceful music was arran- major European opera houses
ged by Christopher Palmer for concert performan- (Vienna and Hamburg state operas and
the Landestheater Linz) and symphony
ce. The narrator’s part, including two Hamlet mo- orchestras including the Bamberger
nologues, will be heard in English with Czech Symphoniker and the Munich Radio
surtitles. Orchestra.
Filharmonie at the Theatre II 2
(tickets priced in CZK in three bands)
Hamlet 550 510 470
30 31ADVENT CONCERT The Childhood of Jesus
Johann Christoph Friedrich Bach (1732–1795),
known as the “Bückeburg Bach”, was the ninth
Vojtěch Spurný…
Currently the chief conductor of the opera
at the Silesian Theatre in Opava and the
permanent guest conductor at the South
son of Johann Sebastian and the third of the four
Bohemian Philharmonic, Vojtěch Spurný
Fri 18 Dec 2020, Besední dům, 7:00pm who dedicated themselves to music. Following his
father’s death (in 1750), aged 18 he entered the
has worked as opera conductor with the
Baroque theatre at Drottningholm Palace,
service of Wilhelm, Count of Schaumburg-Lippe Göteborg Opera, Oslo Opera House,
JOHANN CHRISTOPH FRIEDRICH BACH in Bückeburg, whose court was among the smaller Staatstheater Hannover and Prague’s
ones, but was musically important. Johann Chris- National Theatre. In 1999–2004 he was
Die Kindheit Jesu (The Childhood of Jesus) W. XIV/2, B. D5, oratorio
the permanent conductor at the Prague
toph served there faithfully until his death on 26 State Opera, where he served as artistic
JAKUB JAN RYBA
January 1795. He wrote his oratorio Die Kindheit director in the 2002–2003 season.
Missa pastoralis bohemica (Czech Christmas Mass “Hej, mistře!”)
Jesu in 1773 after a libretto by the German theo- In 2015–2018, he worked as the chief
logian, philosopher and pre-Romantic aestheti-
cian, Johann Gottfried Herder, who joined the
court in 1771 and wrote the lyrics for several of
Bach’s choral and dramatic works, including the
cantatas Michaels Sieg (Michael’s Victory),
Himmelfahrts-Musik (Ascension Music) and orato-
rios Die Auferweckung Lazarus (The Raising of
Lazarus) and Der Fremdling auf Golgotha (The
Stranger on Golgotha).
Czech Christmas Mass
Jakub Jan Ryba (1765–1815) is certainly the most
important figure among the Czech cantors compo-
sing music in the late 18th century. He was born in
Vojtěch Spurný @ Ilona Sochorová
Přeštice in western Bohemia. After a childhood
spent in the company of spiritually inspired musici-
ans, he went to study at the Piarist grammar school
in Prague. From 1788, he linked his life permanently
with the office of the cantor in Rožmitál pod Třemší-
nem. Due to enormous mental strain, existential diffi-
culties and depression, in the end he decided to
Pavla Radostová soprano, Daniela Čermáková alto leave this world voluntarily. He wrote about 1,500 conductor at Bohuslav Martinů Philharmo-
works, of which the most famous is entitled (origina- nic Zlín. He conducted Filharmonie Brno
Tomáš Lajtkep tenor, Jaromír Nosek bass most recently for a concert of works by
lly in Latin) A Festive Mass Dedicated to the Cele-
Choir TBC bration of the Birth of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Set to Schreier, Linek and J. S. Bach at Besední
dům in December 2018. He is also an
Filharmonie Brno Music in the Czech Language, or the Czech Christ-
editor and performer on historic keyboard
mas Mass in short. Paradoxically, Ryba never ascri- instruments.
conductor Vojtěch Spurný harpsichord
bed much importance to this composition; he does
not mention it anywhere in his writings, so we do not
know the circumstances of its inception. He compo-
sed it in 1796 on his own text after the Gospel of
Luke. Our performance uses the critical edition by
Special Concert 2 Vojtěch Spurný, based on the earliest preserved
(tickets priced in CZK in three bands) copy that was stored in an autograph envelope,
and represents an effort to approximate as closely
Advent Concert 490 440 390
as possible the authentic version of the work.
32 33NEW YEAR’S CONCERT This New Year’s celebration with Jess
Gillam, a rising star of the saxophone,
and Robert Kružík, the permanent guest
conductor at the Filharmonie Brno, is all
Fri 1 Jan 2021 about toying with classical and popular
music by British, American and Russian
Janáček Theatre, 8:00pm composers. At the New Year’s concert, the
Filharmonie Brno celebrates its birthday – its
sixty-fifth. And we’ll toast the New Year too!
GEORGE GERSHWIN
An American in Paris John Harle © Nobby Clark
An American in Paris A legendary musical perambulation by George
JOHN HARLE Gershwin through Paris, where the composer
Briggflatts (1898–1937) spent a holiday in 1928. The com- The Suite for Variety Orchestra (until
for soprano saxophone and orchestra position growing out of American jazz, laced with recently incorrectly described as
French colour, has become one of the most Jazz Suite No. 2) by Glazunov’s pu-
ALEXANDER GLAZUNOV famous of its kind. pil, Dmitri Shostakovich (1906–
Concerto for Alto Saxophone 1975), was composed sometime in
and String Orchestra Briggflatts the mid-1950s. Outstanding among
in E-flat major, Op. 109 This is the title of Basil Bunting’s 1966 autobio- the eight impressive numbers is the
DMITRI SHOSTAKOVICH graphic poem, and refers to the Brigflatts Mee- charming Waltz No. 2, made famous
Suite for Variety Orchestra ting House in Cumbria, where the religious soci- globally by Stanley Kubrick’s last
ety of Quakers held meetings in which Bunting film, Eyes Wide Shut.
Jess Gillam saxophones participated. The poem inspired the British saxo-
phonist, composer and producer John Harle Jess Gillam
Filharmonie Brno The young British saxophonist is a major
(born 1956) – a collaborator of Paul McCart-
conductor Robert Kružík ney, Elvis Costello and Marc Almond, among discovery of recent years. In 2018,
she appeared at the prestigious Last
others – to compose a saxophone concerto of Night of the BBC Proms festival.
the same name. Harle wrote the concerto for his She was the first-ever saxophonist to be
pupil, Jess Gillam (hailing from Cumbria), who signed up by the renowned Decca
premiered Briggflatts on 16 May 2019 with the Classics label, for which she recorded her
BBC Concert Orchestra conducted by Bramwell debut album, Rise, with a varied
repertoire ranging from Marcell
Tovey at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, London. The
and Shostakovich to David Bowie
concerto bears all the hallmarks of Harle’s expe- and Kate Bush. She is frequently invited to
rience of composing film and popular music, perform on radio and television, received
and of the folk music of Cumbria. a Classic BRIT Award, and was a finalist
of BBC Young Musician of the Year.
Glazunov and Shostakovich
Written in 1934, Alexander Glazunov’s (1865–
1936) Concerto for Alto Saxophone is one of the
compositions we owe to Sigurd M. Raschèr, a Ger-
man-American saxophonist who commissioned
many works, including from Czech composers
Viktor Ullmann, Alois Hába, Karel Reiner and Ka-
Special Concert 3 rel Husa. Glazunov’s last work, this one-move-
(tickets priced in CZK in three bands) ment piece – in the spirit of his entire oeuvre – is
rooted in Romanticism.
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