Friday 13 Sep 2024 7:30pm
Federation Concert Hall, nipaluna / Hobart
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Streaming live & playback via TSO On Demand
Conducted by Eivind Aadland,
featuring soprano Camilla Tilling.
The Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra acknowledges the traditional owners and continuing custodians of lutruwita / Tasmania. We pay respect to the Aboriginal community today, and to its Elders past and present. We recognise a history of truth, which acknowledges the impacts of colonisation upon Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and stand for a future that profoundly respects their stories, culture, language and history.
About the concert
Works
Anna Clyne Restless Oceans (4 min)
Mahler Rückert Lieder (18 min)
5 songs:
- Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder! (Do Not Look at My Songs!)
- Ich atmet' einen linden Duft (I Breathed a Gentle Fragrance)
- Um Mitternacht (At Midnight)
- Liebst du um Schönheit (If You Love for Beauty)
- Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen (I Am Lost to the World)
Mahler Rheinlegendchen from Des Knaben Wunderhorn
(4 min)
Mahler Lob des Hohen Verstandes from Des Knaben Wunderhorn (3 min)
20 minute interval
Beethoven Symphony No 5 in C minor, Op 67 (31 min)
4 movements:
- Allegro con brio
- Andante con moto
- Scherzo: Allegro
- Allegro
💡 FIRST-TIMER TIP
A 'movement' is a longer piece of music broken up into bite-size pieces. It makes it easier to perform and provides contrast within the work. Find out more here.
Portrait of Ludwig van Beethoven.
Uncover the stories behind the works.
Women and Water
Restless Oceans
Composed by Anna Clyne
4 minutes
Start the evening with a dip in restless oceans. Anna Clyne's Restless Oceans is a powerful and dynamic orchestral work that captures the intense and unpredictable energy of the ocean. Premiered in 2019, the piece is characterised by its driving rhythms, vibrant textures, and a sense of constant motion. The music ebbs and flows, much like the tides, with moments of calm interrupted by surges of intense activity.
Clyne composed Restless Oceansas a reflection on the strength and resilience of women, inspired by Audre Lorde’s poem A Woman Speaks. In the words of the composer, ‘My intention was to write a defiant piece that embraces the power of women.’
The piece is structured in a way that it feels almost like a continuous wave, with the orchestra building up in layers, creating a sense of forward momentum and inevitability. Percussion plays a significant role, adding to the piece's raw energy and intensity.
Love me Tender
Rückert Lieder
- Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder! (Do Not Look at My Songs!)
- Ich atmet' einen linden Duft (I Breathed a Gentle Fragrance)
- Um Mitternacht (At Midnight)
- Liebst du um Schönheit (If You Love for Beauty)
- Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen (I Am Lost to the World)
Composed by Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
18 minutes
Gustav Mahler's Rückert-Lieder is a song cycle composed between 1901 and 1902, set to the poetry of Friedrich Rückert, a German Romantic poet. The cycle consists of five songs, each with its unique mood and emotional depth, reflecting Mahler's introspective and often melancholic style. It's a work that resonates with themes of love, loss, solitude, and the search for inner peace, making it one of Mahler's most intimate and cherished compositions.
These songs are sung tonight by soprano Camilla Tilling in German. We’ve included the English translations in this program for you (scroll down to read now or collect a print out as you enter the concert hall.)
"Blicke mir nicht in die Lieder!" (Do Not Look at My Songs!): In this song, the singer asks the listener not to scrutinise their creative process. The music is playful and somewhat secretive, with fluttering strings and a light, dancing rhythm, capturing the idea of something hidden and private.
"Ich atmet' einen linden Duft" (I Breathed a Gentle Fragrance): This song is light and delicate, evoking the scent of a linden tree. The music is simple and serene, with an almost ethereal quality, reflecting a moment of quiet beauty and contentment.
Listen out for: The oboe's melodic lines often mirror the vocal melody, adding a layer of sweetness and warmth.
"Um Mitternacht" (At Midnight): One of the darker and more introspective songs in the cycle, Um Mitternacht deals with themes of loneliness and existential reflection. The music is dramatic, with a sense of quiet despair that builds to a powerful, almost defiant climax before settling into resignation. Listen out for: The horn adds to the solemnity of this song with its rich, resonant sound.
"Liebst du um Schönheit" (If You Love for Beauty): This is a tender and lyrical song, where the singer reflects on the nature of love. The music is warm and expressive, emphasising the sincerity of the text, which suggests that love should be valued for its true, inner qualities rather than superficial beauty.
"Ich bin der Welt abhanden gekommen" (I Am Lost to the World): Perhaps the most famous and emotionally profound song of the cycle, this piece is a meditation on solitude and detachment from the world. The music is hauntingly beautiful, with a slow, contemplative melody that conveys a deep sense of peace and resignation. The singer expresses a desire to retreat from the world and find solace in their own inner peace, which Mahler himself identified with strongly. Listen out for: the harp and the clarinet throughout this piece.
Mahler’s Magic Horn
Rheinlegendchen from Des Knaben Wunderhorn
Lob des Hohen Verstandes from Des Knaben Wunderhorn
Composed by Gustav Mahler (1860-1911)
7 minutes
The next two pieces come from Mahler’s song cycle Des Knaben Wunderhorn (The Boy's Magic Horn), which is a collection of German folk poems that Mahler set to music. Composed between 1892 and 1898, these songs are notable for their vivid storytelling, folk-like melodies, and imaginative orchestration.
Mahler's Rheinlegendchen (Little Rhine Legend) is up first. Rheinlegendchen is a charming and whimsical piece that tells the story of a young girl who loses a golden ring in the Rhine River. She imagines that the ring will eventually be found by a fish, which will then be caught and served to the king. As the king's servant is cutting the fish, the ring will be discovered and returned to her, leading to a happy conclusion.
It has a lilting, dance-like quality, with a catchy tune that is easy to remember, making it feel very much like a traditional folk song.
The text of Lob des hohen Verstandes tells a humorous story about a singing contest between a nightingale and a cuckoo, with a donkey serving as the judge. The contest is meant to determine which bird sings more beautifully. The nightingale sings with elegance and grace, while the cuckoo repeats its simple call. When the donkey is asked to judge, it declares the cuckoo the winner because its song is simpler and easier to understand. Listen out for the characterisation of the animal through the orchestra; the clarinet or the flute often represents the nightingale, while the cuckoo's call is often played by the clarinet or oboe with its distinct two-note motif and low brass becomes the donkey.
da da da daaaah...!
Symphony No 5 in C minor, Op 67
- Allegro con brio
- Andante con moto
- Scherzo: Allegro
- Allegro
Composed by Ludwig van Beethoven (1770-1827)
31 minutes
💡 FIRST-TIMER TIP
The names of movements in symphonies often follow traditional conventions that give insight into the character, tempo, and sometimes the form of each section.
These terms not only instruct performers on the tempo and mood of each movement but also guide listeners through the emotional and narrative arc of the symphony. For example, ‘Allegro’ refers to tempo and ‘molto’ translates to very, so: very fast!
Beethoven’s Fifth is more than a piece of music – it’s a cultural phenomenon. And while its dramatic opening is the most recognisable hook in all orchestral music, the symphony has plenty to offer beyond its first four notes. It’s an electrifying orchestral experience that will immerse you, culminating in the most radiant of victories. The opening motif (short-short-short-long) serves as the foundation for the entire work and is woven into the musical fabric in various ways throughout all four movements. Ludwig Beethoven’s ability to take such a simple, rhythmic idea and develop it into a complex and dynamic symphony is part of what makes this work so remarkable.
First Movement: Allegro con brio
The first movement is explosive and intense, dominated by the famous four-note motif. It is in sonata form, where Beethoven develops the motif with powerful energy, leading to a gripping sense of urgency. The movement's driving rhythms and forceful dynamics immediately grab the listener's attention, creating a feeling of fate knocking at the door—a theme often associated with this symphony.
Second Movement: Andante con moto
This movement provides a contrast to the stormy first, offering a more lyrical and stately theme and variations in A-flat major. Here, Beethoven explores a sense of calmness and reflection. The music alternates between delicate, song-like passages and more grandiose, march-like sections, with the use of rich harmonies adding depth and texture.
Third Movement: Scherzo: Allegro
The third movement returns to the darker key of C minor, with a mysterious and almost eerie quality. The lower strings play a prominent, rumbling theme that evolves into a more playful, dance-like trio section in C major. The return of the scherzo theme is quieter and more fragmented, creating a sense of anticipation as it leads directly into the final movement without a pause, an innovative transition that Beethoven used to heighten the emotional impact.
Fourth Movement: Allegro
The symphony culminates in a triumphant finale in C major. This movement, with its blazing brass fanfares and celebratory themes, represents a journey from darkness to light, often interpreted as a metaphor for overcoming adversity. The music is bold, heroic, and grand, with Beethoven introducing new material while subtly recalling earlier motifs, tying the symphony together in a cohesive and powerful conclusion.
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Musicians
Eivind Aadland
Conductor
Eivind Aadland is one of Norway’s most respected conductors. Since 2020 he has been Chief Conductor and Artistic Director of the Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra. He was Chief Conductor and Artistic Leader of the Trondheim Symphony Orchestra for seven seasons from 2004, during which time he conducted the complete Beethoven and Mahler symphony cycles. His extensive work with Scandinavian orchestras includes regular guest engagements with the Oslo and Bergen Philharmonics, the Stavanger Symphony, the Gothenburg Symphony and the Swedish Chamber Orchestra. In addition, he has conducted acclaimed productions of Don Giovanni, Le nozze di Figaro, Die Zauberflöte and Die Fledermaus for Den Norske Opera, Oslo.
He has also worked extensively in the Far East and Australia. He is a frequent visitor to the WDR Symphony Orchestra Cologne, the National Orchestra of Belgium and Iceland Symphony Orchestra. He has also worked with Orchestre national du Capitole de Toulouse, Gürzenich-Orchester Cologne, Strasbourg Philharmonic, Lausanne and Scottish Chamber Orchestras and the symphony orchestras of Melbourne, Finnish Radio, Bamberg, Staatskapelle Weimar, SWR Stuttgart and Tokyo Metropolitan Symphony Orchestra. In addition to his career as a conductor, Eivind Aadland is a devoted collector of, and authority on, contemporary art. His private collection encompasses works in the diverse media of painting, photography, video and installation.
Camilla Tilling
Soprano
We’re thrilled to have Camilla Tilling make her TSO debut. Undoubtedly one of Sweden’s most remarkable voices, Camilla Tilling’s beguiling tone and unfailing musicality have secured her position as a firm favourite with conductors, audiences and critics alike across a career that has now spanned more than two decades. She has been a steady presence on the world’s leading opera, concert and recital stages while simultaneously building an impressive discography that includes orchestral works by Haydn with Bernard Haitink, Handel and Purcell with Emmanuelle Haïm, Grieg with Paavo Järvi, Brahms with Marek Janowski and Cherubini with Riccardo Muti in addition to recital collections of Gluck, Mozart, Strauss, Schumann, Grieg and many other composers.
Tilling stands out as one of the world’s most sought-after concert performers, collaborating regularly with today’s foremost conductors including recent appearances under Gustavo Dudamel with both Het Concertgebouw Orkest and Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra in Mahler’s Symphony No.4, under Esa-Pekka Salonen with London Philharmonia Orchestra in Schoenberg’s Gurrelieder, with Gianandrea Noseda and Washington National Symphony Orchestra in Beethoven’s Symphony No.9, with Omer Meir Welber and Orchestre national de France in Dutilleux’s Correspondances and under François-Xavier Roth with London Symphony Orchestra in Berg’s Sieben frühe Lieder. Tilling has toured extensively in Peter Sellar’s stagings of Bach’s St Matthew Passion and St John Passion with Berliner Philharmoniker and Sir Simon Rattle and she enjoyed an enduring collaboration with the late Sir Bernard Haitink under whose baton she sang her first Beethoven, Missa Solemnis at Teatro alla Scala and she was the Strauss soprano of choice for his historic final concerts with Radio Filharmonish Orkest at Amsterdam’s Concertgebouw in 2019.
Orchestra List
Eivind Aadland Conductor
Camilla Tilling soprano
Tasmanian Symphony Orchestra
Violin
Emma McGrath Concertmaster
Ji Won Kim Associate Concertmaster
Lucy Carrig-Jones Principal Second
Jennifer Owen Principal First
Miranda Carson
Yue-Hong Cha
Tobias Chisnall
Frances Davies
Michael Johnston
Elinor Lea
Susanna Low
Christopher Nicholas
Rohana O’Malley
Hayato Simpson
Grace Thorpe
💡 FIRST-TIMER TIP
Did you know our Concertmaster plays a violin hand-crafted by one of the finest and most important luthiers (a string-instrument maker) of the nineteenth century, Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume (1798–1875).
He crafted 3000+ instruments in his time and we’re very proud to have a violin made in 1845 on loan from two of our generous Tasmanian patrons.
Viola
Caleb Wright Principal
Douglas Coghill
Sandra Ionescu
Anna Larsen Roach
William Newbery
Cello
Eve Silver Guest Principal
Ivan James
Nicholas McManus
Martin Penicka
Double Bass
Stuart Thomson Principal
Aurora Henrich
Matthew McGrath
Flute
Katie Zagorski Principal
Maria Hincapie Duque
Lloyd Hudson Principal Piccolo
Oboe
Rachel Curkpatrick Guest Principal
Miriam Cooney
Dinah Woods Principal Cor Anglais
Clarinet
Andrew Seymour Principal
Eloise Fisher Principal Bass Clarinet
Bassoon
Tahnee van Herk Principal
Tasman Compton
Melissa Woodroffe Principal Contrabassoon
French Horn
Greg Stephens Principal First
Jules Evans Guest Principal Third
Roger Jackson
Julian Leslie
Trumpet
Darcy O’Malley Guest Principal
Mark Bain
Trombone
David Robins Principal
Jackson Bankovic
Bass Trombone
Mitchell Nissen Principal
Timpani
Matthew Goddard Principal
Percussion
Gary Wain Principal
Harp
Meriel Owens Guest Principal
Piano/Celeste
Michael Power Guest Principal
*Correct at time of publishing
Federation Concert Hall
Our Southern Home
Federation Concert Hall has been our home since 2001. It's distinctive curve, golden Tasmanian timber, contemporary design and deep red seats set the tone for the ultimate concert experience.
In 2020, major acoustical enhancements were made to the hall, amplifying the venue's, and the TSO's, reputation as world-class.
Photo credit: Fin Matson
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What are acoustics and how do they affect my concert experience?
Acoustics are the science of sound, or the way a venue can deliver the thunderous feeling of strings and brass, or the ring of the triangle over all the other instruments.
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Coming up
Rejoice in Voice
Conducted by Simon Halsey, featuring the TSO Chorus, soprano Samantha Clarke, mezzo-soprano Sian Sharp, tenor Andrew Goodwin and baritone Samuel Dundas.
Mozart Eine kleine Nachtmusik
Mozart Exsultate jubilate
Haydn Mass in B-flat, HobXXII:14, ‘Harmoniemesse’
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