Tuesdays at 7.30pmThe VenueQuarry Hill, Leeds

Leeds InternationalChamber Season 2014/15

Notes from Norway

What a thrill to be asked to curate a concert series! It's a great challenge and an interesting journey to take part in.

Finding repertoire and stories fascinates me, as well as exploring the connections between both. It's been a joy to invite some of my colleagues to join me on these musical adventures in Leeds.

When I was asked to find a theme containing Nordic elements,I immediately thought of the many interesting links that can be found between both well- and lesser-known Nordic works and music from other corners of the world. In 1888, for example, Tchaikovsky's own diary notes describe a meeting between Grieg, Brahms and himself – now, I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall at that timein history!

Some of the music you'll hear is very well-known, but it's often paired with

repertoire that's more obscure – for example, the baroque Concerto for Trumpet and Strings by the Norwegian composer Daniel Berlin, or the trio Encounter in Space, written in early 2014 by the Swedish composer Britta Byström.

My colleagues and I are very excited to share this season of

music-making, and we hope you find yourself moved,

excited, surprised, engaged, relaxed – or even all of the above – by a musical experience that forgets everyday normality and finds the magical.

Tine Thing Helseth

Artistic Director

18 November 2014

Tine Thing Helsethtrumpet

Andreas Ottensamerclarinet

Julien Quentinpiano

Trad (arr Jarle Storlókken)Norwegian Folk TuneTchaikovsky Three pieces fromThe Seasons for Solo PianoBrahms Sonata for Clarinetand Piano No 1Grieg Eight songs from The Mountain Maid for Trumpet and PianoBritta Byström Trio: Encounterin Space

In 1888 Grieg, Brahms and Tchaikovsky met on New Year’s Day in Leipzig at the home of violinist Adolph Brodsky. Before the meeting Tchaikovsky had been rather disparaging about Brahms, calling him a ‘scoundrel’ and worse.He had though, always been fond of Grieg and his music. Following the meeting Tchaikovsky’s opinion evidently mellowed somewhat and in a letter to his publisher the Russian conceded that ‘Brahms is not at all as proud as I had imagined.’Here we celebrate that meeting with music from Tchaikovsky, Brahms and Grieg, including the Norwegian’s only song cycle, The Mountain Maid, a beautiful pastoral evocation of a young maid tending her flock of goats on the slopes of a mountain filled with blueberry meadows and burbling brooks.

2 December 2014

Henning Kraggerudviolin

Kathryn Stottpiano

Grieg Violin Sonata No 2:Second MovementBrahms Violin Sonata No 2Grieg Violin Sonata No 3:Second MovementFranck Violin Sonata

In this recital we’re pleased to welcome back last season’s Artistic Director, Kathryn Stott, to accompany Henning Kraggerud as we look from Norway out into Europe and the holidays of Brahms and Joachim.In the summer of 1886 the two friends spent time at Lake Thun practising and composing together. One of the pieces they rehearsed was Grieg’s Second Violin Sonata, written in 1867 soon after his marriage to Nina Hagerup and describing the long and difficult year the composer had spent persuading Nina’s father to agree to the proposal. The piece starts slowly and full of sorrow developing to the joy he felt on finally being accepted.Whilst at Lake Thun Brahms was also preoccupied with love, he was composing his Second Violin Sonata whilst waiting for the arrival of a singer towards whom he had amorous intentions. When she did arrive, alas, it was with a Norwegian lover in tow! Brahms’ second movement starts with a lovely pastoral feel, but he then vents his fury at the Norwegian lover by taking the main theme of Grieg’s second movement and transforming it into a diabolical representation of his jealousy.

28 October 2014

Tine Thing Helsethtrumpet

Julien Quentinpiano

Geirr Tveitt Velkomne med æra (Welcome with Honour)Edvard Hagerup BullPerpetuum MobileJohan Kvandal Salmetone(Hymn Tune)Arne Nordheim Den første sommerfugl (The First Butterfly)Georges Enescu LégendeKarl Pilss Sonata for Trumpetand PianoBartók Romanian Folk DancesPuccini SongsPiazzolla Two pieces fromHistory of the TangoKreisler Miniature Viennese MarchToy Soldiers March

Tine Thing Helseth opens the series with a programme exploring the different sound worlds of some of the most important Norwegian composers of the 20th Century.Geirr Tviett is best known for his collections of folk songs. Velkomne med æra (Welcome with Honour) appears in A Hundred Hardanger Tunes and was sung at Tveitt’s family farm to welcome neighbours.Arne Nordheim developed the most contemporary, experimental soundworld of this selection of Norwegian composers, having studied Musique Concrète in Paris. Critics and audiences alike often took time to appreciate his compositions, however Den første sommerfugl (The First Butterfly) is a beautifully ethereal and mystical piece.

6 January 2015

Aasgaard TrioKathy Gowers violinJonathan Aasgaard celloMartin Roscoe piano

Grieg Andante con motofor Piano TrioDavid Monrad Johansen Suite for Cello and PianoHenning Kraggerud DuoHenning Kraggerud Variations Suite Tchaikovsky Piano Trio

Not only is Henning Kraggerud one of the world’s finest violinists, he is an accomplished composer too. Tonight we hear his Duo and Variations Suite.

Grieg’s chamber music output was relatively small and his Piano Trio, begun in 1878 remains unfinished.The one completed movement is a glorious exploration of one six-note theme, varied in rhythm, harmony, texture and instrumentation.Tchaikovsky’s Trio was written in Rome in late 1881 and is subtitled In memory of a great artist, the great artist being Nicholas Rubinstein who had died in March 1881. The trio follows the pattern of an elegy, beginning sorrowfully, before drifting into nostalgia before descending into grief once more. Tchaikovsky’s Trio was the first of what was to become a tradition of elegiac trios in Russian music including those by Rachmaninov, Arensky and Shostakovich.

10 February 2015

Tine Thing Helsethtrumpet

Opera North Ensemble

Grieg Cow Call, Peasant Dance,Last SpringPercy Grainger Two piecesfrom Danish Folk Song SuiteElgar SerenadeJohan Daniel Berlin Concerto for Trumpet and StringsRolf Wallin ElegyJohan Kvandal Sonata for StringsClarke Suite in D

David Greed leads the Opera North Ensemble in an exploration of composers whose music is the epitome of their nations.Grieg is arguably the most well known Norwegian composer and the one who springs most readily to mind to accompany images of meadows and fjords. Cow Call is based on an original tune used to call cattle in the mountains. Grainger was born in Australia before travelling to Europe to study. He was a collector of folk music and played a significant part in the revival of British folk music. He was also a great champion of Nordic music and culture. The Danish Folk Song Suite is the result of field trips in the 1920s to study and collect folk songs from Denmark.Wallin is one of the leading Norwegian composers of today, in a similar way to Kvandal when he was alive. His Elegy was originally composed for trumpet and organ for Wallin’s sister’s funeral. The arrangement with strings was made especially for Tine.

24 March 2015

Håvard Gimsepiano

Grieg From Peasant Dances(Slåtter) Op 72

Wedding March of the GoblinsHåvar Gibøens Dream

Grieg From Song Transcriptions A Mother’s Grief Op 52, No 1The Poet’s Heart Op 52, No 3

Grieg From Lyric PiecesLonely Wanderer Op 43, No 2Home-sickness Op 57, No 6March of the Trolls Op 54, No 3

Debussy Images Oublièes (1894)Geirr Tveitt Arvesylv (Family Silver) from 50 Folk Tunes from HardangerChristian Sinding Frühlingsrauschen (Rustle of Spring) Op 32, No 3Harald Sæverud Ballad of RevoltOp 22, No 5 Lasse Thoresen Hear Here(World Premiere, written 2013)

Janácek In the MistsSibelius Impromptu Op 5, No 5Sibelius The Birch & The Sprucefrom Piano Pieces Op 75Sibelius Arabesque fromPiano Pieces Op 76

For the final concert of our series we are joined by Håvard Gimse, one of Norway’s finest pianists. Håvard explores the Norwegian piano repertoire from well known Grieg through Tveitt, Sinding and Sæverud to a World Premiere of Lasse Thoresen’s Hear Here.

Location Access

There is a lift at the front of the building to The Venue and disabled toilets in the foyer area. Patrons with disabilities and their essential carers may obtain two tickets for the price of one – via the LICS Essential Carer Scheme – details from the Box Office 0113 224 3801. Support dogs are welcome. Please let us know when booking of any special access requirements you may have.

The Venue is equipped with an infra-red system for the hard of hearing.

There is a designated disabled car park beside Leeds College of Music which has spaces for at least ten cars.

To order a copy of this brochure in an alternative format, please contact 0113 247 8336 oremail music@leeds.gov.uk.

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The VenueQuarry Hill, Leeds, LS2 7PD

Ticket Prices & Booking Information

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0113 224 3801The booking line is openfrom 10am – 6pmMonday to Saturday.Please note that a fee of £2.50 willapply per transaction except for subsciption bookings.

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Booking dates

14 July: For existing chamber subscribersPlease note: this is a separate subscription from the Endellion String Quartet series.

Requests for seat changes by existing subscribers will be processed on a first-come-first-served basis from 21 – 25 July and can be returned to the Box Office any time from 14 July.28 July: For new subscribers16 August: General booking

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Leeds International Concert SeasonLeeds Town Hall, The Headrow, Leeds, LS1 3ADGeneral Enquiries: 0113 247 8336Email: music@leeds.gov.uk

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