Tchaikovsky's Violin Concerto
What you'll hear
Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky (1840-1893)
Violin Concerto in D, Op.35
Allegro moderato – Canzonetta: Andante – Finale: Allegro vivacissimo
Tchaikovsky married on 18 July 1877 and realised instantly that he’d made a terrible mistake. In early October he suffered a devastating nervous breakdown, and his brother Modest escorted him away from Russia (and the growing scandal) to begin a long recuperation in the West. In March 1878 Tchaikovsky moved into a lakeside villa at Clarens, near Geneva, and five days later was joined by Iosif Kotek, a violinist friend from Moscow. By 17 March he’d begun work on a violin concerto, and by 28 March the first draft was complete.
After the bleak months that had come before it, the Violin Concerto sounds like a release – a sudden, grateful outpouring of sunshine, warmth and affection. The concerto opens with a graceful orchestral introduction and then opens out to let the solo instrument sing. But that’s not the whole story. “Mountains are very fine, but it’s difficult for a Russian to stand them for long”, wrote Tchaikovsky, to a friend. “I’m dying for a steppe, for a boundless distant prospect”. And in his Canzonetta, he distils his homesickness into a pure, expressive, and very Russian longing. The release, when it comes, is doubly joyous – a finale that’s both a flamboyant virtuoso showpiece, and an exuberant celebration of Russian folkdance. He was ready to come home.
Kristine Tjøgersen (b.1982)
Bioluminescence, for orchestra and LED lights
Bioluminescence is the ability – almost magical in appearance – of living creatures to generate light within their own bodies. The most familiar example to Europeans is that of the firefly or glow-worm (Lampyris noctiluca), a beetle which produces flashing light signals to attract mates. But as humanity, with its powerful electric lights, conquers more and more of the natural environment, fireflies have been struggling to find each other, to the point where their continuing survival as a species is now at real risk.
For the Norwegian composer and clarinettist Kristine Tjøgersen, the wonder of the firefly is an irresistible subject for music; a natural trigger for the mixture of “curiosity, imagination, humour and precision” that she cites as the essence of her creative practice. The world, she says, is “complex, alive, and ever changing” and Bioluminescence (2017) is performed in darkness, with individual LED lights within the orchestra representing the distinctive patterns of the fireflies. No two subspecies of firefly flash the same pattern or rhythm, and Tjøgersen took examples from research by the American biologist James E Lloyd. But the result is something wholly original – a magical, oddly touching piece of orchestral poetry in which light and the natural instincts of these tiny, wonderful creatures help to create a music that goes far beyond sound alone.
Dmitri Shostakovich (1906-1975)
Symphony No.9 in E flat major Op.70
Allegro – Moderato – Presto – Largo – Allegretto-Allegro
On 8 May 1945, the Soviet Union and its allies accepted the unconditional surrender of Nazi Germany. Soviet artists knew what was expected of them, and it so happened that Dmitri Shostakovich’s next symphony would be his Ninth: a significant moment for any composer. An uplifting and monumental masterpiece seemed in order.
But the Ninth Symphony that a Leningrad audience heard for the first time on 20 November 1945 was no towering hymn of victory. In fact, it was Shostakovich’s shortest symphony (he told a friend that it was “pseudo-comic”). The playful first theme blows a raspberry before the end of its fourth bar: a trombone blusters pompously in then gets stuck on repeat. It’s more like a circus than a victory parade, though there are some worryingly dark clouds along the way.
In the Moderato, the clarinet leads a melancholy song that evolves into a ghostly waltz. The musical-box scherzo (Presto), opens in real (if hectic) joy, but there’s an ominous hush and massive, sombre brass chords rear up like cenotaphs (Largo). The bassoon tries to speak out in the silence, then gradually starts whistling another one of those silly march tunes (Allegretto). Carnival parade, or something less innocent? Stalin’s régime drew its own conclusions, and banned the symphony outright in February 1948.
All programme notes by Richard Bratby.
Alena Baeva
Described as “a magnetic presence” and “a constantly fascinating sound technician” (New York Classical Review), violinist Alena Baeva is considered one of the most exciting, versatile, and captivating soloists active on the world stage today, working with leading conductors including Gustavo Gimeno, Paavo Järvi, Marek Janowski, Vladimir Jurowski, Tomáš Netopil and Riccardo Minasi.
Possessing a passionate musical curiosity, Baeva holds an already vast and rapidly expanding active repertoire, including over fifty violin concerti. She is a champion of lesser-known works alongside the more mainstream violin literature, with recent performances promoting such composers as Bacewicz, Karaev, Karłowicz, and Silvestrov.
Baeva’s career as an international soloist of the highest renown has grown at an extraordinary pace over recent seasons, performing with orchestras including New York Philharmonic Orchestra, Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, NHK Symphony Orchestra, Tonhalle-Orchester Zürich, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Die Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen, Gürzenich-Orchester Köln and Göteborgs Symfoniker. She enjoys a long-standing and rewarding relationship with the Orchestra of the XVIII Century, performing and recording a variety of repertoire on period instruments.
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.
