Guildford
Philharmonic
Orchastra:
Guildford Corporation Concerts 1971-72
Saturday 9 October at 7.45 p.m.
Civic Hall, Guildford
Guildford
Philharmonic
Orchestra
Leader:
Hugh Bean
Proteus Choir
Valerie Tryon
David Watson
Vernon Handley
Conductor
This
concert
is
promoted
by
Guildford
Corporation with financial assistance
the Arts Council of Great Britain.
from
Valerie Tryon
PROGRAMME
Valerie Tryon began playing the piano at
a very early age, and before she was
11 (when she gave her first broadcast
in Children’s Hour) she had already
given several public performances. When
she was 15 she won an Associated
Board Scholarship and studied for five
years with Eric Grant at the Royal
Academy of Music. In 1955 she won a
Boise Scholarship and continued her
studies in Paris with Jacques Février.
A year later she won a prize in the Liszt
competition in Budapest, and since then
Marche from Suite ‘The Love of Three
Oranges’
Prokofiev 1891-1953
‘The Love of Three Oranges’ dates from
1919 and received its first performance in
1921
in America. Prokofiev had left
Russia in 1918 and was not to return until
1933, so “The Love of Three Oranges’
was one of his first successes abroad.
From the opera, he made an orchestral
suite, the well known Marche being the
third movement.
has devoted much time to the study of
Variations on a Nursery Theme, Op. 25
Dohnanyi 1877-1960
Liszt’s music.
She has given numerous recitals
throughout the British Isles and abroad,
appears frequently on B.B.C. Television
and is a regular broadcaster. In 1964
Valerie Tryon collaborated with Vernon
Handley and the Guildford Philharmonic
Orchestra in a performance of
Rachmaninov’s Third Piano Concerto.
Dohnanyi had a distinguished musical
career in his native Hungary. He is known
elsewhere chiefly for his Suite in F sharp
minor and the Variations to be heard
today. The Nursery Song that he selected
for his theme had already been used as
a subject for classical variations. For
instance, Mozart wrote a set on it in 1778
and it is known in Europe as ‘Ah, vous
dirai-je, maman’ and has affinities with
Proteus Choir
The
Proteus Choir,
which
numbers
about
65 young people between the ages of 15
and 25, was formed in 1963 as an
additional choir in Guildford Corporation’s
music scheme where young people could
gain experience in choral work. In its
ranks are trained musicians and singers, as
well as young people still at school or in
the professions. It gives a number of
unaccompanied concerts each year, both
secular and religious, as well as singing
large choral works with the Guildford
Philharmonic Orchestra, including first
performances of works in this country.
The Choir has appeared on television,
recorded background music for the
Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, and visited
Germany to make a record of English
music for Cologne Radio. Two commercial
recordings of English folk-songs and
part-songs have been made by the Proteus
Choir, and another recording is planned.
The training of the Choir falls on a team,
and the Musical Director wishes to
record his thanks to Miss Prudence Edden,
Miss Patricia Finch, Miss Mary Rivers
and Mr. Kenneth Lank for the help they
have given with sectional rehearsals.
‘Baa Baa Black Sheep’ and one of the
‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star’ tunes. The
initial joke of the Variations, that of
stating the theme plainly after a colossal
orchestral introduction, often puts the
listening audience’s mind on the wrong
level to appreciate the whole work. This
joke is a piece of musical buffoonery, but
the rest of the work is superb satirical
comedy. Affectionate fun is poked at the
great musical figures of Dohnanyi’s youth
—Brahms, Debussy, the Viennese Waltz,
and at one point a searingly funny parody
of Cesar Franck. All combine to show
the more inflated side of romanticism.
With all this wizardry going on, it is
perhaps difficult to appreciate how fine a
cumulative set of Variations this is—
starting with simple variations, proceeding
through references to Brahms B flat
major Piano Concerto, a Viennese Waltz,
a Gabriel Pierne type march and
extended references to the texture of the
Cesar Franck Symphonic Variations. When
all this playfulness is exhausted and
becoming exhausting, the peroration is
ushered in by a brilliant orchestral fugato
on a subject derived from the theme. The
work concludes with a headlong coda
and a six octave glissando for the piano.
Chichester Psalms
Leonard Bernstein (Born 1918)
I
Psalm 108. v. 2, Psalm 100
II
Psalm 23, Psalm 2 vv. 1-4
David Watson — Soloist
III
I
Ps. 108, vs. 2:
Urah, hanevel,
A-irah shahar!
v’chinor!
Psalm 131, Psalm 133, v. 1
Awake, psaltery and harp!
I will rouse the dawn!
Ps. 100, entire:
Make a joyful noise unto the
Lord all ye lands.
Iv’du et Adonai b’simha.
Bo-u I’fanav bir-nanah,
D’u ki Adonai Hu Elohim.
Hu asanu, v’lo anahnu,
Serve the Lord with gladness.
Come before His presence with singing.
Know ye that the Lord, He is God.
It is He that hath made us, and
not we ourselves.
We are His people and the sheep
of His pasture.
Enter into His gates with
thanksgiving,
And into His courts with praise.
Be thankful unto Him, and bless
His name.
For the Lord is good, His mercy
is everlasting,
And His truth endureth to all
generations,
Hariu I’Adonai kol haarets.
Amo vVv’tson mar’ito.
Bo-u sh’arav
b’todah,
Hatseirotav bit’hilah,
Hodu lo, bar’chu sh’mo.
Ki tov Adonai, I'olam has’do,
V’ad dor vador emunato.
1I
Ps. 23, entire:
Adonai ro-i, lo ehsar.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall
Bin’ot deshe yarbitseini,
He maketh me to lie down in
Al mei m’nuhot y’nahaleini,
He leadeth me beside the still
not
want.
green
pastures,
waters,
Lo ira ra,
Ki Atah imadi.
Shiv’t’cha umishan’techa
Hemah y’nahamuni.
He restoreth my soul,
He leadeth me in the paths of
righteousness,
For His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk
Through the valley of the shadow
of death,
I will fear no evil,
For Thou art with me.
Thy rod and Thy staff
They comfort me.
Ta’aroch I'fanai shulchan
Neged tsor’rai
Dishanta vashemen roshi
Cosi r’vayah.
Ach tov vahesed
Yird’funi kol y’mei hayali,
V’shav’ti b’veit Adonai
L’orech yamim.
Thou preparest a table before me
In the presence of mine enemies,
Thou anointest my head with oil,
My cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy
Shall follow me all the days of my life,
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.
Naf'shi y’shovev,
Yan’heini b’ma’aglei tsedek,
L’ma’an sh’mo.
Gam ki eilech
B’gei tsalmavet,
Ps. 2, vs. 1-4:
Lamah rag’shu goyim
Ul'umim yeh’gu rik?
Yit’yats’vu malchei erets,
V’roznim nos’du yahad
Al Adonai v’al m’shiho.
N’natkah et mos’roteimo,
V’nashlichah mimenu avoteimo.
Yoshev bashamayim
Yis’hak, Adonai
Yil’ag lamo!
Why do the nations rage,
And the people imagine a vain thing?
The kings of the earth set themselves
And the rulers take counsel together
Against the Lord and against His
anointed.
Saying, let us break their bands asunder,
And cast away their cords from us.
He that sitteth in the heavens
Shall laugh, and the Lord
Shall have them in derision!
At
-
Ps. 131, entire:
Adonai, Adonai,
Lo gavah libi,
V’lo ramu einai,
V’lo hilachti
Big'dolot uv’niflaot
Mimeni,
Im lo shiviti
V’domam’ti,
Naf’shi k’gamul alei imo,
Kagamul alai naf’shi.
Yahel Yis'rael el Adonai
Me’atah v'ad olam.
Lord, Lord,
My heart is not haughty,
Nor mine eyes lofty,
Neither do I exercise myself
In great matters or in things
Too wonderful for me.
Surely I have calmed
And quieted myself,
As a child that is weaned of his mother,
My soul is even as a weaned child.
Let Israel hope in the Lord
From henceforth and forever.
Ps. 133, vs. 1:
Hineh mah tov,
Umah nayim,
Shevet ahim
Gam yahad.
Behold how good,
And how pleasant it is,
For brethren to dwell
Together in unity.
Leonard Bernstein was commissioned to
my Shepherd” with “Why do the nations
rage?” is surprisingly successful in allowing
the sugary setting of the twenty-third
psalm to calm the jazzy bounce used to
set the words dealing with the kings of
write the Chichester Psalms by the Dean
of Chichester, the Very Reverend Walter
Hussey, for the Cathedral’s
1965 Festival.
The work is in three movements, the
choral part being in Hebrew. The second
movement requires an alto solo, the
composer preferring a boy’s voice to be
used. Practically all the influence in
Leonard Bernstein’s musical career, Jazz,
European colouristic music, Hebrew music,
the earth setting themselves against the
Lord. The beautifully flowing ten in a
bar last movement is the most pleasant
of the three and leads to the final
statement of the opening proclamation
which Bernstein directs shall be sung lento
can be found in the Chichester Psalms.
possibile, and which is the most moving
The “Joyful noise unto the Lord” of the
moment of the whole work. It is small
first movement, although hammered out
wonder that this vital piece should have
in a violent seven in a bar is preceded by
gained popularity so quickly. The orchestra
an asymmetrically shaped proclamation
used contains no woodwind, just three
trumpets, three trombones, timpani, two
harps and strings and a vast array of
percussion.
which will appear at the end of the work,
symmetrical at last, to give the three
movements a feeling of form. The second
movement which juxtaposes “The Lord is
Interval
During the interval refreshments 5p will be
served in the Surrey Room by members of the
Concertgoers’ Society.
The Blue Danube
Strauss 1825-1899
The Blue Danube is the most popular of
weeks more than a million copies of the
Strauss’s 400 waltzes. It was given its first
waltz had been sold all over the world.
performance in Vienna in 1867, but
enjoyed only a moderate success. Later in
Originally the waltz had a chorus part,
the year, when Strauss conducted it at the
World Exhibition in Paris in the summer
of the same year, it gained immediate
popularity. The composer then conducted
it in England at the invitation of the
Prince of Wales, and after only a few
but the words used were political in nature
and, therefore, entirely inappropriate.
Several other chorus versions have been
written, but it is as an orchestral piece
that the music has remained popular. It
is one of the very few Strauss waltzes
that he published in full score.
Danzon Cubano
Aaron Copland (Born 1900)
The Danzon Cubano was composed in
1942 to celebrate the 20th anniversary
of the League of Composers and had its
first performance that year in its
original form for two pianos, played by
Leonard Bernstein and the composer.
The orchestral version had its first
performance in 1946. The Danzon is a
popular dance form in Latin America. It
is not fast like the rhumba, conga or
samba. Rather it is the equivalent of the
waltz in our own dance language. It is
usually constructed in two parts. Copland
relates how the dancers move with precise
and elegant movements, and in the middle
of the dance pause, perhaps gently to mop
their brow before going on to the more
vigorous second part. The composer insists
that this particular Danzon is not supposed
to be authentic, but only “an American
tourist’s impression.” The huge orchestra,
employed not only for weight, has to
negotiate some very difficult rhythms.
Sunday 31 October at 3.00 p.m.
THE CROSSLEY CLITHEROE
CONCERT
Over the Hills and Far Away
Delius
Symphonic Poem ‘Thamar’
Balakirev
Piano Concerto No. 2 in B flat major
Brahms
Jefirey Siegel — Pianoforte
Overture Cockaigne
Elgar 1857-1934
Cockaigne was composed in 1901. The
first performance with the composer
conducting was given in the same year.
An immediate success, the work has
retained its popularity. And no small
wonder: a tuneful and evocative piece, it
shows Elgar at his most brilliant with the
orchestra, and seems to carry more
profundity than one would associate with
an overture. Subtitled “In London Town,”
it manages to convey the sights and
sounds of London as the Edwardians
knew it: bustling streets, the quiet parks
(perhaps at night), the brass bands; all
summed up in Elgar’s pride in the city
and its people. So perfectly do the different
sections contrast with one another that the
work is rarely played today as an overture
to a programme, but rather as a short tone
poem in its own right. Its closing mood of
triumph is appropriate for the end of a
programme of varied pieces such as this
evening’s.
s
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]
Guildford Concertgoers Society
Members Evening
LEONARD PEARCEY
Guitar
Saturday, 16th October, 7.30 p.m.
Methodist Hall, Guildford
GUILDFORD
AND
DISTRICT
VOLUNTARY
SERVICE
OVERSEAS COMMITTEE
ANNOUNCE WITH
A
PLEASURE
CONCERT
BY
THE
PROTEUS
CHOIR
CONDUCTED BY VERNON HANDLEY
AT
THE METHODIST HALL, WHARF ROAD, GUILDFORD
ON
FRIDAY, 19th NOVEMBER 1971, at 7.45 p.m.
IN AID OF V.S.O.
Tickets 50p including refreshments, now available from the:Honorary Secretary,
Voluntary Service Overseas Committee,
Millmead House,
Millmead,
Guildford.
(Guildford 73225)