Mendelssohn's Scottish Symphony
Anna Clyne (b.1980)
<<rewind<<
It’s tempting to assume that every work of art is in some way autobiographical, and Anna Clyne’s biography is certainly lively. Born in London, she studied music in Edinburgh, working (among other things) as a waiter, a cleaner and a florist before settling in the USA and building a reputation as one of the most original and communicative of living composers. She’s a multidisciplinary artist, as fascinated by the visual as by sound. But Clyne herself has spoken about the many different ways in which she finds inspiration and channels her creative energy. Of her orchestral work <<rewind<< (2005) she writes:
<<rewind<< is inspired by the image of analogue video tape rapidly scrolling backwards with fleeting moments of skipping, freezing and warping. The original version, for orchestra and tape, was composed in 2005 for choreographer, and Artistic Director of Hysterica Dance Company, Kitty McNamee. A distinct characteristic of McNamee’s work is its striking and innovative use of physical gestures and movements that recur throughout the course of a piece to build and bind its narrative structure. This use of repetitive gestures is utilized in the musical language and structure of <<rewind<<.
Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953)
Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63
Allegro moderato – Andante assai – Allegro, ben marcato
Prokofiev’s Second Violin Concerto begins with a simple tune for solo violin “which”, writes one distinguished critic, “has a distinctly Russian quality”. But what did Prokofiev himself say? “The main subject of the first movement was written in Paris, the first theme of the second movement in Voronezh, the orchestration was completed in Baku, and the premiere took place in December 1935 in Madrid”. He might have added that the soloist on that occasion, Robert Soëtens, was French!
And what could be simpler and clearer than that opening violin melody? Originally, Prokofiev didn’t even want this piece to be a concerto – he planned to call it a “Concert Sonata for violin and orchestra”, before deciding that would be an affectation. But his original idea remained. The first movement, indeed, becomes at times almost a love duet (it’s easy to recall that Prokofiev was writing his great ballet Romeo and Juliet at exactly the same time). But Prokofiev never lets anything become too much of love-in; the second movement is a long, pure song over a steady accompaniment – rather like Bach’s Air on the G String, but with a sardonic edge. And the droll, dance-like finale could almost be a spare number from the ballet itself – with the violin pirouetting ever more brilliantly towards the stars.
Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847)
Symphony No. 3 in A minor, Op. 56 (Scottish)
Andante con moto; Allegro un poco agitato – Vivace non troppo – Adagio – Allegro vivacissimo
Mendelssohn’s Scottish symphony was premiered in Leipzig on 3 March 1842. But he was always clear about the moment it had been conceived. Back in July 1829 he’d written to his family about his visit to the ruined Holyrood Chapel in Edinburgh:
In the deep twilight we went today to the palace were Queen Mary lived and loved […]I think I have found there the beginning of my “Scottish” Symphony.
Like many 19th century Europeans, Mendelssohn adored the novels of Walter Scott with their tales of warlike clans amidst rugged landscapes. The Scottish symphony is a piece of musical Walter Scott fan-fiction, by one of the supreme masters of orchestral colour. The sombre opening evokes that twilit vision at Holyrood; the first Allegro is a musical depiction of dark and passionate struggles amidst a wild landscape.
The second is altogether lighter: and although Mendelssohn doesn’t directly quote any Scottish melodies, its bubbling clarinet theme sounds uncannily like Charlie Is My Darling. The Adagio breathes pure romance, with only a few warlike skirls in the distance to prepare the way for the wild adventures of the finale. The battle plays itself out; the orchestra takes a breath and like a deep-voiced chorus, a stirring hymn tune rises from the bottom of the orchestra as the symphony sweeps towards a resounding finish.
Nil Venditti
Italian-Turkish conductor Nil Venditti is fast establishing relationships with important orchestras and ensembles around the world including the Royal Northern Sinfonia, of which she is the Principal Guest Conductor starting 2024/25 season.
The 2024/25 season sees her making debuts with the Finnish Radio Symphony Orchestra, BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, Arctic Philharmonic and Borusan Istanbul Philharmonic orchestras, as well as orchestras in Aalborg, Tenerife, Baleares, Wuppertal and Bochum. She performs twice with the Royal Northern Sinfonia and returns to the Stuttgart Chamber Orchestra for touring concerts at the Wiener Musikverein and in Bregenz, as well as BBC National Orchestra of Wales, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Helsingborg Symphony, Hamburger Symphoniker and Real Filharmonia de Galicia.
In the 2023/24 season, Venditti made debuts with the Konzerthaus Orchestra Berlin, BBC Symphony Orchestra, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Lahti Symphony Orchestra, Nagoya Philharmonic and Hiroshima Symphony orchestras and Royal Swedish Opera for a new production of Don Giovanni, among others. She returned to BBC National Orchestra of Wales including her BBC Proms debut, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Royal Northern Sinfonia, as well as Stuttgart Opera for a production of Rigoletto. She also made her debut at the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival.
Maria Włoszczowska
Polish violinist Maria Włoszczowska is recognised for her versatile musicianship, performing as a soloist, director and chamber musician, in addition to her roles as Artistic Partner of the Royal Northern Sinfonia and Director and Leader of the Chamber Orchestra of Europe.
Recent career highlights include Maria’s solo debut at the BBC Proms with the Royal Northern Sinfonia and conductor Dinis Sousa, directing the Chamber Orchestra of Europe at Mozartwoche Salzburg and in Kronberg, directing the Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife, performing Beethoven’s Violin Concerto with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra and Mozart’s Violin Concerto No.5 with Orquestra XXI, and concertos by Vivaldi, Bach and Telemann with Neues Bachisches Collegium Musicum under the baton of Reinhard Goebel at Leipzig’s Gewandhaus. In the 2024/25 season, Maria will perform as soloist and director with, among others, the Orchestre de Chambre de Paris, the Estonian National Symphony Orchestra and Amsterdam Sinfonietta, as well as returning to the Chamber Orchestra of Europe for several projects as their newly appointed Director and Leader.
Maria appears frequently at Wigmore Hall and at international festivals such as Musikdorf Ernen, Lockenhaus Festival, Lammermuir Festival and IMS Prussia Cove as well as in residency at Yellow Barn, Vermont. Distinguished artists such as Jeremy Denk, Alasdair Beatson and Dinis Sousa regularly join Maria in recital and recent highlights include her New York recital debut presenting all six Bach Sonatas for violin and keyboard and performing Ives’ complete cycle of Violin Sonatas at Wigmore Hall and Lammermuir Festival alongside Jeremy Denk.
The 2022-23 season saw the launch of the Valo Quartet, which Maria leads; they made their debut appearance at Festival Resonances, Brussels and have since performed at Trasimeno Music Festival, Italy, and in series such as Seriös Helsinki, Finland. Upcoming highlights will include debut performances at the Lammermuir Festival, Scotland, Musiq3 Festival, Belgium, Kaustinen Chamber Music Festival, Finland and in prestigious venues such as The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Gateshead.
A recipient of the Royal Philharmonic Society’s Emily Anderson Prize, Maria based herself in the UK after completing her studies at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Hungarian violinist and conductor András Keller. In 2018 she won both First Prize and Audience Prize at the XXI Leipzig International Johann Sebastian Bach Competition.
Maria plays on a violin by Francesco Stradivari.
Royal Northern Sinfonia
Internationally renowned, calling Gateshead home.
37 musicians at the top of their game. Electrifying music, old and new. All the talent, determination, and creativity of the North East on a worldwide stage. From their home at The Glasshouse International Centre for Music, Royal Northern Sinfonia share the joy and wonder of orchestral music with thousands of people across the North of England – and beyond – every year.
From symphonies to string quartets, film soundtracks to choral masses, and original performances with awesome artists from Sheku Kanneh-Mason to Self Esteem, the orchestra’s members have got one of the most varied jobs there is. They’re always looking for fresh new sounds from up-and-coming composers, inviting local communities to share a stage, and doing everything they can to inspire and prepare the musicians of tomorrow to one day take their place.
They’re also working hard to smash the barriers that can stop brilliant people getting into classical music. They’ve teamed up with national partners to support women conductors to develop their careers, to help global majority musicians get vital experience in the orchestra world, and to celebrate disabled and non-disabled musicians breaking new ground together in inclusive ensemble RNS Moves. And they bring new musical opportunities to the region, headlining the first-ever BBC Proms weekend outside London.
Because they whole-heartedly believe orchestral music is for anyone – big cities and rural villages, tiny babies and life-long listeners, die-hard fans and curious minds – they travel far and wide to make sure there’s top-notch classical music on offer for anyone ready to say “I’ll give that a go”. You’ll find them in churches, castles, and community venues across the North, as well as leading the charge in Carlisle, Kendal, Middlesbrough, and Sunderland.
With 65 years of success to build on, they’ve signed a dynamic artistic leadership – Music Director Dinis Sousa, Artistic Partner Maria Włoszczowska, Principal Guest Conductor Nil Venditti and Associate Conductor Ellie Slorach – to lead the way into a bold, bright future.
Wherever the orchestra play and whoever they share a stage with, every performance is a chance to see, hear and feel the music.
