London Symphony Orchestra

Sir John Eliot Gardiner directs Czech Roots

October 20, 2019 at Barbican Hall, London London Symphony Orchestra Direction - Sir John Eliot Gardiner Soprano - Pavla Vykopalová Alto - Lucie Hilscherová Tenor - Aleš Briscein Bass - Jan Martiník Chorus Director – Simon HALSEY London Symphony Chorus   PROGRAM Leoš Janàček – Ballad of Blaník 8’ Antonín Dvořák – The Golden Spinning Wheel 27’ Leoš Janàček – Glagolitic Mass 40’

François-Xavier Roth Conducts Edgar Moreau and the London Symphony Orchestra

“Homage to the young Debussy” 21 January 2018 at the Barbican Hall, London François-Xavier ROTH / conductor Edgar MOREAU / cello Program Richard Wagner Tannhäuser Overture Edouard LALO Concerto for cello Claude DEBUSSY First Suite (First English) Jules MASSENET Le Cid - Suite

Opening concert for the 2018-2019 season - Sir Simon Rattle conducts Philip Cobb and Gavor Tarkovi

Sir Simon Rattle conducts the London Symphony Orchestra 16 September 2018 at the Barbican Hall – London Sir Simon RATTLE (UK) /  conductor Philip COBB (UK) / trumpet Gabor TARKOVI / trumpet Elisabeth WATTS / soprano Alice COOTE / mezzo Allan Clayton / tenor London Symphony Orchestra Chorus Childrens Chorus Program Harrison BIRTWISTLE - Fanfare 3’ Gustav HOLST - Egdon Heath 15’ Mark-Anthony TURNAGE - Dispelling the Fears (For two trumpets) 20’ Benjamin BRITTEN - Spring Symphony Op 44 45’

Sir Antonio Pappano conducts Janine Jansen

Recored 5 February 2017 at the Barbican Hall – London Sir Antonio Pappano / conductor Janine Jansen / violin Program JEAN SIBELIUS / The Oceanides
LEONARD BERNSTEIN  / Serenade CARL NIELSEN / Symphony No.4

Sir Simon Rattle conducts Christian Tetzlaff and the London Symphony Orchestra

September 14 2017 at the Barbican Hall, London Sir Simon Rattle’s first concert as Music Director of the LSO Sir Simon RATTLE / conductor Christian TETZLAFF/ violin Program: Helene GRIME Fanfare (commissioned by the LSO) ADES Asyla BIRTWISTLE Concerto for violin KNUSSEN Symphony No3 ELGAR Enigma Variations No3 Famed for the profound sincerity of his playing, his technical assurance and his convincing interpretations, Christian Tetzlaff is internationally recognized as one of the most important violinists on today’s musical stage. For this opening concert of the 2017-2018 season, entirely devoted to 20th century British composers, he will perform Birtwistle’s concerto for violin. After making his debut in the United States with the Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Christoph von Dohnanyi, he played with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Lorin Maazel and Leonard Slatkin in 1997. Christian Tetzlaff was accompanied by the National Orchestra of France for the first time in 2000 in Arnold Schoenberg’s Concerto conducted by Jeffrey Tate and is a regular guest with the Vienna and Stockholm philharmonics and the Boston and Chicago orchestras as well as the London Symphony Orchestra.

Sir Simon Rattle conducts Bruckner and Messiaen with Pierre-Laurent Aimard

Sir Simon RATTLE / conductor Pierre-Laurent AIMARD / piano Program: MESSIAEN  / Colors of the Celestial City
BRUCKNER  / Symphony n°8 Sir Simon Rattle, announced as Musical Director of the LSO on March 4 2015, to start from September 2017, is devoted to maintaining the tradition of excellence of the English orchestra and to widening its repertoire. The English conductor provides proof of his open approach with this apocalyptic program. First, the Colors of the Celestial City by Messiaen, taking the Apocalypse as its reference and alternating, via a vast palette of colors, between plain song, Greek and Indian rhythms and bird song. Then Bruckner’s most colossal symphony, sometimes called “the Apocalyptic”, a monumental work that contrasts with its dramatic writing, its epic character and the mediation of its gigantic adagio. Brought together in this way, Messiaen and Bruckner reveal a common grandeur and spirituality.

Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducts Mendelssohn

Sir John Eliot GARDINER / conductor Monteverdi Choir Ceri-Lyn Cissone / Titania Frankie Wakefield / Oberon Alexander Knox / Puck Jessica Cale / 1st fairy Sarah Denbee / 2nd fairy Charlotte Ashley / 3rd fairy Rebecca Hardwick / 4th fairy Program: MENDELSSOHN  / Symphony N° 1 (London version)
MENDELSSOHN  / A Midsummer Night's Dream Sir John Eliot Gardiner conducts the LSO and the Monteverdi Choir in this concert to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the death of Shakespeare as part of an exploration of the finest music that was inspired by his writing. Composer Felix Mendelssohn takes the spotlight with performances of two of his works. Symphony No 1, composed in 1824, when he was just 15 years old. Then, two years later, Mendelssohn, who loved Shakespeare, composed his second concert work inspired by “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”. The overture was immediately hailed as a masterpiece and the complete work was commissioned by the King of Prussia in 1843. This is Gardiner’s third recording of Mendelssohn with the LSO and all have received excellent reviews.

Sir Simon Rattle conducts Delage, Ravel and Dutilleux with Leonidas Kavakos

On the occasion of the hundredth anniversary of the birth of Henri Dutilleux, the London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Simon Rattle, performs a French program featuring three eminent French composers, characterized by their unique sense of balance and clarity. A rarely heard piece, Delage’s Four Hindu Poems is an ensemble of pieces centered around the soprano Julia Bullock and a reduced ensemble. Along with this, the orchestra plays masterpieces by Ravel and Dutilleux, notably the Tree of Dreams, an intense concerto for violin performed by Leonidas Kavakos and the Suite no2, Daphnis and Chloe by Ravel, an extract from the ballet of the same name created in 1912 that the composer himself described as a choreographic symphony. Leonidas Kavakos, soloist and conductor is one of the most renowned violinists of his generation and a regular guest artist with the London Symphony Orchestra. Sir Simon RATTLE / conductor Leonidas KAVAKOS / violin Julia BULLOCK / soprano Program: RAVEL / Le tombeau de Couperin
DUTILLEUX / Tree of dreams
DELAGE / Four Hindu Poems
DUTILLEUX / Métaboles
RAVEL / Daphnis and Chloe – Suite No 2

Michael Tilson Thomas conducts Matthews, Gershwin and Shostakovich with Yuja Wang

Michael Tilson Thomas, principal guest conductor at the LSO, celebrates his 70th birthday with a British and Russian program, while retaining an accent of America, his native land. He is joined by the sensational young pianist, Yuja Wang, who performs Gershwin’s very popular concerto. And Michael Tilson Thomas will conduct the American première of Colin Matthews’ work, “Hidden Variables”, a commission from the LSO dating from the time Matthews was associate composer at the orchestra. Michael TILSON THOMAS / conductor Yuja WANG / piano COLIN MATTHEWS Hidden Variables GERSHWIN Concerto in F SHOSTAKOVICH Symphony N° 5

Sir Simon Rattle conducts Webern, Berg, Ligeti and Stravinsky with Barbara Hannigan

Sir Simon RATTLE / conductor Barbara HANNIGAN / soprano Program: Anton Webern / Six pieces for orchestra op. 6 Alban Berg / Three fragments from "Wozzeck" op. 7 György Ligeti / Mysteries of the Macabre Igor Stravinsky / The Rite of Spring Canadian Barbara Hannigan brings her phenomenal coloratura soprano voice to the three bravura arias from Ligeti’s Le Grand Macabre and the three extracts starring Marie, the doomed heroine of Berg’s Wozzeck. The “sparkling diamonds” of Webern’s Six Orchestral Pieces and Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, dating back nearly a century, but still as fresh, open and close this tremendous program conducted by Simon Rattle.