OCTOBER 2016 – JULY 2017
www.cam-phil.org.uk
Conductor’s Introduction
Welcome to the 2016–17 season of the Cambridge Philharmonic, one of the UK’s
leading music societies. With a full symphony orchestra and a large chorus, the
Cambridge Philharmonic presents a series of concerts in West Road Concert Hall,
King’s College Chapel, St John’s College Chapel and Ely Cathedral.
Our season starts in October with the unbeatable combination of Mozart and Haydn in the
unforgettable setting of St John’s College Chapel. At our first West Road concert of the year,
we are delighted to welcome back the violin virtuoso Matthew Trusler for a programme of
powerful, romantic orchestral works by Rachmaninov, Shostakovich and Mahler.
For this year’s opera, we turn to Verdi and his final Shakespearean masterwork, Falstaff.
Glyndebourne and ENO director Daisy Evans creates a bespoke production for us with a
fabulous international cast including Mark Stone (ROH), Bianca Andrew (2016 Ferrier prize
winner) and Matthew Hargreaves (La Scala, Milan).
Last season the Cambridge Phil family concerts reached a whole new audience when the
orchestra made their London debut at a packed Royal Festival Hall as part of the Roald Dahl
100 celebrations. Returning to West Road for our next concert, we ask the question that
many people wonder, ‘so what does a conductor do, anyway?’
As the venue for the Cambridge Philharmonic’s debut performance 130 years ago, King’s
College Chapel holds a special place for us. We look forward to performing Brahms’s
German Requiem there in March, alongside Janác̆ek’s thrilling Sinfonietta, for which we are
joined by outstanding young brass players from the Guildhall School.
The Cambridge Philharmonic is proud to champion music by composers of today and in
May we give the Cambridge premiers of two exceptional works: John Adams’s exquisitely
beautiful musical response to 9/11, On The Transmigration of Souls and Thomas Adès’s
dramatic America: A Prophecy. Adès, one of Cambridge’s most phenomenally successful
musical alumni, is a composer with whom I have worked very closely for many years, and I
am delighted we will be performing his music this year.
The season ends with epic music by Parry, Elgar and Strauss befitting the splendour of Ely
Cathedral and its ringing acoustic. We look forward to seeing you at a concert – and thank
you for supporting the Cambridge Philharmonic.
Timothy Redmond
Principal Conductor
www.cam-phil.org.uk
Season Summary
“The world
renowned
Cambridge
Philharmonic…
one of
Cambridge’s
great city
institutions.”
Local Secrets
Saturday 8 October 2016
Haydn
Insanae et Vanae Curae
Mozart
Laudate Dominum
Mozart
Ave Verum Corpus
Haydn
Mass in B-flat ‘Little Organ Mass’
St John’s College Chapel, Cambridge
Saturday 22 October 2016
Mahler
Totenfeier
Shostakovich Violin Concerto No. 1
Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances
West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge
Saturday 10 December 2016
Verdi
Falstaff
West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge
Saturday 21 January 2017
Family concert So what does a conductor do, anyway?
West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge
Saturday 11 March 2017
Janác̆ek
Sinfonietta
Brahms
A German Requiem
King’s College Chapel, Cambridge
Saturday 20 May 2017
Adès
America: A Prophecy
Adams
On The Transmigration of Souls
Ives
Symphony No. 2
West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge
Saturday 8 July 2017
Parry
Elgar
Strauss
Ely Cathedral
I Was Glad
The Spirit of England
An Alpine Symphony
Saturday 8 October 2016 at 8.00pm
Mozart
&
Haydn
Haydn
Mozart
Mozart
Haydn
Insanae et Vanae Curae
Laudate Dominum
Ave Verum Corpus
Mass in B-flat ‘Little Organ Mass’
Conductor Timothy Redmond
Soprano
Eleanor Broomfield
Organ
Harry Sever
Violin
Steve Bingham
Cambridge Philharmonic Chorus
Symphonic
Dances
Saturday 22 October 2016 at 7.30pm
Eleanor Broomfield
“Powerful, radiant singing
from the Phil chorus”
Cambridge News
“I have often been
flattered by my friends
with having some
genius, but he was
much my superior.”
Haydn on Mozart
The Cambridge Philharmonic Chorus starts the season with an evening of classical favourites in the
beautiful setting of St John’s College Chapel. The exciting motet Insanae et Vanae Curae (Insane and
stupid worries flood our mind) was a resounding success in 1775 when it was originally part of
Haydn’s first oratorio Il ritorno di Tobia. Just a couple of years later, Haydn himself played the organ
for the first performance of his Mass in B-flat, affectionately known as the Little Organ Mass. Mozart’s
Ave Verum Corpus was written for Anton Stoll – a friend of both Mozart’s and Haydn’s – and is one of
the extraordinary number of works composed in Mozart’s last year.
Matthew Trusler
Mahler
Totenfeier
Shostakovich Violin Concerto No. 1
Rachmaninov Symphonic Dances
Conductor
Timothy Redmond
Violin
Matthew Trusler
Cambridge Philharmonic Orchestra
Matthew Trusler returns to the Cambridge Phil with the
searing first violin concerto of Shostakovich. Written in 1947-48,
but not published until after Stalin’s death, the work is a fourmovement virtuoso marathon for the soloist. Even the work’s
dedicatee, David Oistrakh, found it a challenge: he had to beg
Shostakovich to give the introduction of the finale to the
orchestra so that “at least I can wipe the sweat off my brow”
after the third movement cadenza!
After the success of his first symphony, Mahler immediately
started work on its successor; Totenfeier is a powerful and
dramatic tone poem that eventually became the first movement
of his second symphony. Rachmaninov had stopped composing
entirely by the late 1930s, but in the summer of 1940, felt
himself compelled to write one last work. The Symphonic
Dances are haunting, exhilarating and moving in equal measure.
Unabashedly romantic and nostalgic they resonate with the
bells and chants so beloved of the great Russian composer.
Tickets (unreserved): £15
(Students and under-18s £10 on the door)
Box Office: 01223 357851 (Cambridge Live)
Online: www.cam-phil.org.uk
Tickets (reserved): £12, £16, £20, £25
(Students and under-18s £10 on the door)
Box Office: 01223 357851 (Cambridge Live)
Online: www.cam-phil.org.uk
St John’s College Chapel, Cambridge
West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge
“Matthew Trusler has been
attracting the kind of
praise normally reserved
for the young Oistrakh.”
The Independent
“What I try to do when
writing down my music is
to make it say simply that
which is in my heart.”
Rachmaninov
Saturday 10 December 2016 at 7.30pm
Verdi
Falstaff
Conductor
Timothy Redmond
Falstaff
Ford
Alice
Fenton
Nannetta
Meg Page
Mistress Quickly
Caius
Bardolfo
Pistole
Keel Watson
Mark Stone
Michelle Walton
Elgan Llyr Thomas
Margo Arsane
Bianca Andrew
Yvonne Howard
Philip Sheffield
Peter Van Hulle
Matthew Hargreaves
Saturday 21 January 2017 at 2.00pm and 4.00pm
“Keel Watson was born to
play Falstaff.”
London Evening Standard
“The performance was
stunning from start to
finish … the production
had a power which held the
audience spellbound.”
Cambridge Evening News on
The Adventures of Pinocchio
(2015)
Family Concert
So what
s
oe
d a
Conductor
do,anyway?
Conductor
Timothy Redmond
Cambridge Philharmonic Orchestra
Cambridge Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus
To mark the end of this year’s Shakespeare 400 celebrations,
the Cambridge Philharmonic proudly presents a semi-staged
concert performance of one of the greatest comic operas ever
written. “Tutto nel mondo è burla!” says Sir John Falstaff: ‘all
the world’s a joke!’
Award-winning young director Daisy Evans and an all-star
cast, led by Keel Watson in the title role, will bring Verdi’s
final opera to the West Road stage. Following criticallyacclaimed, sold-out productions of The Adventures of
Pinocchio, Carmen and Peter Grimes, this performance of
Falstaff promises to be a highlight of the season.
Have you ever been to a concert and wondered what exactly it is
that a conductor does? Well, this is your chance to find out!
We’ll go on a whistle-stop tour of conducting through history
(did you know that there were conductors in Ancient Greece?),
we'll find out how a conductor can change the sound of an
orchestra without even saying a word, and we'll hear amazing
music by Mendelssohn and Mahler, Bernstein and Berlioz
and lots more besides.
Join the Cambridge Phil and Tim Redmond for this
year's Family Concert and, who knows, you might even
get to conduct the orchestra yourself!
Tickets (reserved): £15, £20, £25, £30
(Students and under-18s £10 on the door)
Box Office: 01223 357851 (Cambridge Live)
Online: www.cam-phil.org.uk
Tickets (reserved): £12
Box Office: 01223 357851 (Cambridge Live)
Online: www.cam-phil.org.uk
West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge
West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge
“I'd like to thank you
wholeheartedly for yet
another FANTASTIC +
WONDERFUL family
concert this afternoon!
Just wish it could go on
for longer!”
Audience member
“I would teach children
music, physics and
philosophy; but most
importantly music”
Plato
Saturday 11 March 2017 at 8.00pm
Saturday 20 May 2017 at 7.30pm
Brahms
Adams, Adès & Ives
Requiem
John Adams’s work of two years later was commissioned by the
same orchestra but under very different circumstances. Using
recorded testimony from people personally affected by the events
of 9/11 Adams weaves their voices into his profoundly moving and
beautiful choral work On The Transmigration of Souls.
Cambridge Philharmonic
Orchestra and Chorus
The concert opens with Janác̆ek’s blazingly brilliant Sinfonietta. A
dozen trumpets sound a thrilling and awe-inspiring fanfare that
will mark, coincidentally, 130 years of concerts by the Cambridge
Philharmonic in King’s College Chapel.
Timothy Redmond
Bianca Andrew
Commissioned in 1999 by the New York Philharmonic to write a
work for the new millennium, Thomas Adès found inspiration in
the music and events of 500 years earlier, notably the 16th century
Mayan people and their fate at the hands of the Spanish
conquistadores.
Timothy Redmond
Linda Richardson
Nicholas Garrett
The musical seeds for Brahms’s German Requiem were sown over
nearly 15 years. The first notes were written as far back as 1854
when the composer was just 21 years old, but it was the death of
Robert Schumann in 1856 and of his mother in 1865 that led
Brahms to write the work that would become his first international
calling card. Rather than setting the Latin Mass, the composer
chose texts from the Lutheran bible – hence the ‘German’ of the
title – though Brahms said that A Human Requiem would perhaps
be a more appropriate title.
Conductor
Mezzo soprano
Cambridge Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus
Janác̆ek Sinfonietta
Brahms A German Requiem
Conductor
Soprano
Baritone
Adès
America: A Prophecy
Adams On The Transmigration of Souls
Ives
Symphony No. 2
“It is not hard to compose,
but what is fabulously
hard is to leave the
superfluous notes under
the table.”
Johannes Brahms
“He has outgrown his
status as the
wunderkind of a vibrant
British scene and
become one of the most
imposing figures in
contemporary music.”
The New Yorker on
Thomas Adès
“His music has all the
freshness of a naïve
American wandering in
the grand palaces of
Europe.” ”
Leonard Bernstein on
Charles Ives
Both Adès and Adams have acknowledged the influence of that
great American master, Charles Ives, whose Second Symphony of
1901 was belatedly premiered and championed by Leonard
Bernstein in the 1950s. Masterfully combining everything from
Beethoven’s Fifth to America the Beautiful into a joyous and
triumphant whole, Ives takes the listener on an extraordinary
journey through a broad musical landscape.
“The Cambridge
Philharmonic chorus
were on splendid form.”
Bianca Andrew
Cambridgeshire Pride
Tickets (reserved): £30, £25, £20, £15 (Students and under-18s £10 on the door)
Box Office: 01223 769340 Online: shop.kings.cam.ac.uk
In person: The Visitors Centre, 13 King’s Parade, Cambridge CB2 1SP
Tickets (reserved): £12, £16, £20, £25
(Students and under-18s £10 on the door)
Box Office: 01223 357851 (Cambridge Live)
Online: www.cam-phil.org.uk
King’s College Chapel, Cambridge
West Road Concert Hall, Cambridge
Saturday 8 July 2017 at 7.30pm
Alpine
An
Symphony
Parry
Elgar
Strauss
Conductor
Soprano
I Was Glad
The Spirit of England
An Alpine Symphony
Timothy Redmond
Stephanie Corley
Cambridge Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus
2017 marks the centenary of Elgar’s The Spirit of England. Deeply
affected by the suffering of the First World War, Elgar set verses
from a collection by the war poet Laurence Binyon in a style far from
the pomp and circumstance of his celebrated marches. At around
the time Elgar was beginning work on what would be his final
“The first English
choral work, Strauss was putting the finishing touches to what
progressive’ ”
turned out to be his last orchestral tone poem. The Alpine
Strauss on Elgar
Symphony describes, from sunrise to sunset, the breathtaking
scenery in which Strauss and Mahler used to walk together. Scored
“The choir and orchestra
for a vast orchestra – including 20 horns, 8 timpani and a set of
gave their very best in a
cowbells – it is work perfectly suited to the imposing grandeur of
Ely Cathedral.
performance of
Tickets (reserved): £15, £20, £25 / (unreserved): £10
(Students and under-18s £10 on the door)
Box Office: 01353 660349 (Ely Cathedral)
Online: tickets.elycathedral.org
Ely Cathedral
outstanding fervour,
intensity and technical
command.”
Cambridge News
Cambridge Philharmonic Supporters Scheme
The Cambridge Philharmonic is a charitable
organisation and has to be fully
selfsupporting. Our main sources of revenue
are ticket sales, membership fees and the
generosity of Cambridge Philharmonic
Supporters, which include businesses, trusts
and individuals who share our vision, and
whose support we gratefully acknowledge.
The Cambridge Philharmonic Supporters
Scheme (CPSS) is open to all and is intended
to give music lovers an opportunity to
become more closely involved with the
Cambridge Philharmonic and its objectives.
We cater for various levels of support and in
return offer a range of benefits. These include
an advance copy of our season brochure
allowing preferential booking,
acknowledgement on the Cambridge
Philharmonic website and in newsletters,
invitations to open rehearsals and the
opportunity to sponsor a concert.
The funding we receive through the
Supporters Scheme is vitally important. It
allows us to be more ambitious with our
programmes, to engage leading musicians to
work alongside our largely non-professional
membership, and to continue to attract the
enviable roster of world class soloists who
perform with the Cambridge Philharmonic
every season.
For information on becoming a Cambridge
Philharmonic Supporter or for information
about concert sponsorship write to:
[email protected]
For their continuing support we would
especially like to thank:
Principal Patron
Bill Parker
Patrons
total eye care
The Pye Foundation
Helen Hills
Anne Matthewman
Principal Benefactors
John Short and Debbie Lowther
Paddy Smith
Benefactors
Edward and Gillian Coe
Rob and Janet Hook
Donors & Friends
Cambridge Philharmonic Society, Registered Charity No. 243290
Design & artwork: John Williams. Cambridge Philharmonic photos:
© Pete Jones and Bill Hiskett. Page 4: background based on an image
courtesy of St John’s College, Cambridge; Eleanor Broomfield photo
courtesy of Eleanor Broomfield. Page 5: Matthew Trusler photo © Sheila
Rock. Page 6: background based on an illustration by Eduard von
Grützner. Page 7, image based on an illustration by Gutav Doré; page 8:
background © unsplash/bergadder/pixabay.com. Page 9: background
© prawny/pixabay.com. Page 10: background © domelaci/pixabay.com.
Emmanuel College
Trinity College
St John's College
Churchill College
Pembroke College
Josephine Baker Trust
Gerard and Margaret Chadwick
How to book
Tickets for all concerts (except Ely Cathedral & King's College) are available:
Online: via www. cambridgelivetrust.co.uk/tickets
or visit www.cam-phil.org.uk
By telephone: Cambridge Live 01223 357851
Mon - Sat 10.00am to 6.00pm
In person: at the Cambridge Live Box Office 2, Wheeler Street, Cambridge CB2 3QB
From 12 noon - 6.00pm.
King’s College concert (Saturday 11th March 2017)
Telephone: 01223 769340 Online: shop.kings.cam.ac.uk
In person: The Visitors Centre, 13 King’s Parade, Cambridge CB2 1SP
Ely Cathedral concert (Saturday 8th July 2017)
Box Office: (Ely Cathedral) 01353 660340 Online: tickets.elycathedral.org
Tickets will also be available on the door for all concerts.
West Road Concert Hall tickets & prices
Price 1
West Balcony
East Balcony
1
3
6
9
12
15
18
21
7
5
8
S
1
1
10
13
16
1
11
14
17
1
1
1
1
1
19
22
24
26
Stage
2
4
20
23
25
1
1
1
1
1
27
28
1
1
1
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
3
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
4
1
E
21
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
5
T
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
6
S
D
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 S
D
E
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
E
F
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
F
G
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
G
H
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
H
I
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
I
J
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
J
K
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
K
L
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
L
M
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
M
N
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
N
O
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
O
P
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
P
Q
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
Q
R
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
R
S
7
8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
S
Further information
To join the Cambridge Philharmonic as a
performer please email:
[email protected] or
[email protected]
For all other enquiries, please email:
[email protected]
www.cam-phil.org.uk
E
20 hairs
E
eelc
19 Wh
23
22
21
23
20
2
9
2
1
21
23
20
22
19
21
23
20
22
19
21
23
20
2
2
19
21
23
20
22
19
21
23
20
2
9
2
1
21
23
20
22
19
21
23
20
22
19
21
23
20
2
9
2
1
21
23
20
22
19
21
23
20
2
9
2
1
21
23
20
2
2
19
21
23
20
22
19
21
7
20
6
S
5
T
3
6
2
4
7
24
24
24
24
24
24
9
12
15
10
13
16
24
24
24
18
24
21
24
24
24
24
24
8
26
Balcony: Lowest price
19
22
5
8
11
14
Price 3
Third price seats
17
Price 4
20
23
25
27
Price 2
Second price seats
28
Highest price seats
Family Concert:
all tickets £12
Please note: some seats
in the balcony have a
partially restricted view
Wheelchair + companion