Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra

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The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra is an English orchestra. The orchestra was originally based in Bournemouth, but in 1979 moved its offices to the adjacent town of Poole.[1] The orchestra played in the ‘old’ Winter Gardens from its inception until that building was demolished in 1935 (the last piece to be performed being Haydn’s Farewell Symphony). After a time at the Pavilion Theatre, the orchestra moved back to the ‘new’ Winter Gardens with an inaugural concert on 18 October 1947 and continued to give many concerts there until the mid 1980s when the Poole Arts Centre became its main venue. The ‘new’ Winter Gardens were demolished in May 2006. In Poole, the orchestra gives its main season at the Lighthouse Centre for Performing Arts (formerly Poole Arts Centre), where the concert hall has 1,596 seats. Currently Portsmouth Guildhall and the Great Hall of Exeter University are the other main venues, with shorter series given in Bournemouth (Pavilion Theatre) and Basingstoke.

Contents

[edit] Origins to 1934: the Godfrey era

The Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra was founded in 1893 by Dan Godfrey as a group of 30 wind players and a drummer, though several of the the instrumentalists - as is the current practice with military musicians - were proficient in both wind and string instruments.[2] This flexible approach meant that the musicians could form a military band for open air concerts (playing on Bournemouth Pier) or a more formal classical ensemble for indoor programs. The group gave its first concert on Whit Monday 1893 at the Winter Gardens, with its first classical concert in October that year.

The original Winter Gardens, built in 1877, must count as one of the most eccentric venues ever used by a symphony orchestra. It was a glasshouse and botanical garden with an acoustically less than ideal auditorium. Whilst it was to become a much-loved hothouse for contemporary music, players must have dreaded inclement days when the music was often drowned out by rain beating down on the glass panels above.[3]

The band quickly expanded to become a full orchestra, gaining a reputation for championing British music. Edward Elgar and Gustav Holst (among others) conducted the orchestra in their own works. UK premieres of major works by Richard Strauss, Camille Saint-Saëns and Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky were given. On 14 December 1903 the Orchestra gave its 500th symphony concert, conducted by Godfrey; a souvenir booklet listed all the works played by the orchestra since its inception, noting any first performances.[4] The Bournemouth Municipal Choir, founded by Godfrey in 1911, sang regularly with the orchestra.

Jean Sibelius conducted a concert of his works in 1921, and from 1922 (to 1940) an Easter Festival was an important feature in the Bournemouth calendar; in 1927 the Festival was devoted to music of British women composers. In 1934 Dan Godfrey retired as principal conductor, having conducted over 2,000 symphony concerts.[5]

The first recording by the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra was made in 1914 and occasional records were issued during Godfrey’s tenure: Godfrey's recordings were nothing if not eclectic - classical items such as Ferdinand Hérold's overture to Zampa, Daniel Auber's overtures The Bronze Horse and The Crown Diamonds, or Samuel Coleridge-Taylor's Petite Suite de Concert were interspersed with releases of novelty items with titles such as 'Slippery Sticks' and 'Whispering Pines' written by members of the orchestra and featuring them as soloists.

Sir Dan Godfrey remains the longest serving principal conductor of the orchestra, and his stewardship ensured that, unlike many of the seaside orchestras that flourished from the end of the 19th century up until the outbreak of World War II, the Bournemouth Municipal Orchestra was able to establish an ongoing tradition of music making. From the inception of the band, Godfrey introduced a varied musical diet, relying on popular programmes which interspersed variety acts and light music with extracts from more serious pieces. Alongside these he instituted a series of symphony concerts which introduced an astonishing breadth of repertoire, much of which had not been heard in the UK before - certainly not outside London. He cultivated connections with most of the prominent British composers of the day including Edward Elgar, Hamilton Harty, Alexander Mackenzie, Hubert Parry, Charles Villiers Stanford, Ethel Smyth, Gustav Holst and the Australian Percy Grainger.[6] Godfrey's knighthood came in 1922, largely as a result of a vigorous campaign on his behalf from the indefatigable Ethel Smyth: he was, appropriately, cited for his 'valuable services to British music'.[7]

From the very beginning, Godfrey had a difficult relationship with Bournemouth Borough Council who clearly - and perhaps naturally - saw the orchestra as a commercial concern which needed to pay its way. As part of Bournemouth's visitor attractions, any request for expansion of the orchestra or changes to their contracts were the subject of exhaustive debates in the Council chamber.[8] Thanks to Dan Godfrey's careful programming and astute administration, the near impossible balance between maintaining high artistic standards and making a profit was generally achieved.

[edit] 1934–1947: Austin, Birch and wartime austerity

After Godfrey’s retirement, the task of sustaining the orchestra fell to Richard Austin, son of the composer and baritone Frederic Austin. Igor Stravinsky conducted his works during a 1936 Easter Festival concert, and broadcasts took place from the Pavilion. At the outbreak of war, the orchestra was cut from 61 to 35, and then in 1940 to only 24 players. Austin resigned and Montague Birch helped keep the orchestra going during the war, giving many ‘popular’ concerts.

It is interesting to note that whilst the BMO struggled on in its depleted state, the war years saw concerts in St Peter's Hall given by the Wessex Philharmonic, a freelance orchestra assembled and conducted by Reginald Goodall.

[edit] 1947–1954: Schwartz and Groves

After the end of the war, the orchestra found a new home at the ‘new’ Winter Gardens and in 1947 Rudolf Schwarz was appointed Musical Director of a re-formed orchestra of 60. He conducted the orchestra in its first concert in London since 1911, at the Royal Albert Hall in 1948, and in two concerts at the Royal Festival Hall during the Festival of Britain in 1951. Schwartz has often been damned with faint praise, but his calm manner and quiet authority - he was never a flashy showman or self-publicist - allowed a period of artistic consolidation, even if this was not matched by financial stability.

Charles Groves took over as Musical Director in 1951, but a rising annual deficit and termination of players' contracts caused a crisis, averted only by support of the Winter Gardens Society. In 1952 a plan to merge the BMO with the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra was avoided by an arrangement with the Arts Council for the orchestra to accompany Welsh National Opera for several weeks. The continuation of the orchestra was only secured by the formation of the Western Orchestral Society; in 1954 the orchestra changed its name to the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra. At the inaugural concert the podium was shared by Groves and Sir Thomas Beecham.[9] Groves made only one commercial recording with the orchestra for Classics Club, with a local engineer from Ronaldsons of Southbourne of Beethoven's 4th Symphony, Brahms's Academic Festival Overture and Bizet's L'Arlésienne Suite.

[edit] 1954–1969: a new beginning–the Silvestri years

From 1954 the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra developed its present role of giving concerts at more venues in the south west of England.

In 1962 Constantin Silvestri became Principal Conductor and raised the standard and profile of the orchestra, with an appearance at the Edinburgh Festival in 1963, a first European tour in 1965, notable recordings and regular radio broadcasts. Silvestri's dynamic style and meticulous orchestral training marked the orchestra's first international recognition, including an exchange with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra that saw a memorable performance in the Winter Gardens by the combined string sections of both orchestras playing Edward Elgar's Introduction and Allegro. His tenure was cut short by his premature death from cancer in 1969. Nevertheless, his recorded legacy includes a spectacular account of Rimsky-Korsakov's Scheherazade, and a recording of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture with the additional forces of the Grenadier Guards Band of which Dan Godfrey (for whom this was a favourite 'Party Piece') would have been proud. The posthumous release of concert recordings on BBC Classics, including Tchaikovsky's Manfred Symphony and Respighi's The Pines of Rome amply demonstrate how exciting Silvestri's music-making must have been.

[edit] 1969–82: Hurst, Berglund's Scandinavian orchestra

In addition to its roster of principal conductors, other conductors affiliated with the orchestra have included George Hurst, who served as de facto principal conductor from 1969 to 1972, between the tenures of Silvestri and Paavo Berglund, without having been formally appointed to the post. A highly respected teacher, and a true musician's musician, Hurst was never accorded the credit he deserved for handling such a difficult transitional period in the orchestra's history.

After winning the Rupert Foundation Conducting Competition, Simon Rattle was "conductor in residence" from 1974 to 1976 in one of his earliest orchestra affiliations.

Berglund's tenure as principal conductor from 1972 to 1979 included a ground-breaking series of recordings: the complete symphonies of Jean Sibelius for EMI, together with the first commercial recording of Kullervo with the Helsinki University Chorus (Male Voice Choir). Nordic repertoire became a staple of the orchestra, whilst other notable achievements included recordings of Shostakovich symphonies (the 5th, 7th 'Leningrad' and 11th 'The Year 1905') and the William Walton Violin Concerto (with Ida Haendel) and Cello Concerto (with Paul Tortelier). Berglund cultivated a robust string sound, with a particular strength in the lower registers of the orchestra.

The Bournemouth Municipal Choir was re-named the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus in 1979, when it entered into a closer relationship with the orchestra.

The Israeli conductor Uri Segal succeeded Berglund from 1980-82. His only significant contribution to the orchestra's history was a recording of Benjamin Britten's gamelan-influenced ballet score The Prince of the Pagodas.

[edit] 1982–2008: Russians and Americans

Initial hopes that Rudolf Barshai (1982-88) might prove to be akin to Silvestri were shortlived. He certainly had the required track record, having been a close associate of Dmitri Shostakovich, as well as having produced string orchestra (chamber symphony) arrangements of some of Shostakovich's string quartets. Barshai could achieve glittering results, as a Proms performance of Shostakovich's 10th Symphony conclusively proved. His account of the 8th Symphony for EMI (following hard on the heels of another enthusiastically-received Proms outing) marked another high point for the orchestra, and it should not be forgotten that his recording of Tchaikovsky's Piano Concerto No. 2 won a Gramophone Award in 1988.

The orchestra then turned from Russia to America: Andrew Litton was the orchestra's principal conductor from 1988 to 1994. A comment to the New York Times on the eve of their first American tour shows that his perception of Bournemouth at the end of his tenure harks back to the Godfrey days: "Bournemouth is an unlikely place for a symphony orchestra. It's a seaside resort with nonstop hotels, and the beach is everything. All the other orchestras in the country are in major cities" [10] However, despite these reservations, Litton has retained a close connection with the orchestra, having been made a Conductor Laureate in 1994. His recordings with the BSO include William Walton's symphonies and concertos for Decca, and the complete Tchaikovsky symphonies (including the Manfred Symphony) for Virgin Classics. In February 1997 Litton's recording of Walton's Belshazzar's Feast with the BSO, Bournemouth Symphony Chorus and soloist Bryn Terfel won a Grammy Award. A 2008 concert celebrated both Litton's 50th birthday and the 25th year of his association with the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

In more recent years, Kees Bakels served as the orchestra's chief guest conductor (1990-2000) and Richard Hickox as principal guest conductor (1992-1995).

Yakov Kreizberg (1995-2000) significantly made no commercial recordings with the orchestra, but took them to America for a second tour, including a debut at Carnegie Hall. Other engagements included the Concertgebouw Amsterdam, and a three day residency at the Musikverein Vienna in 1999: Heady heights indeed for Godfrey's seaside band.

Marin Alsop was appointed principal conductor from September 2002, and held the post until 2008.[11] Her time with the orchestra saw the programming of American repertoire, often introduced to the audience from the podium by Alsop in the style of her mentor, Leonard Bernstein. Her animated conducting style (another legacy of Bernstein no doubt) ensured an enthusiastic following, and sell-out concerts. She also conducted all of the Mahler symphonies, with the exception of the Symphony No.8 Symphony of a Thousand. A string of recordings for Naxos met with almost unanimous critical acclaim. Her lasting impression was not the novelty of being the first female principal conductor but the conviction of her performances, and the rare achievement of drawing packed houses to listen to the challenging and not universally popular music of Béla Bartók in her final season.

[edit] Into the future

In November 2007, the orchestra announced the appointment of the Ukrainian conductor Kirill Karabits as their 13th Principal Conductor.[12] Karabits has the title of orchestra's Principal Conductor-Designate for the 2008-2009 season, and is scheduled to become Principal Conductor with the 2009-2010 season.[13]

[edit] Offshoots

In 1968, the Bournemouth Sinfonietta was founded, with a complementary remit to tour the smaller towns of the south and west, as well as concentrating on classial repertoire. Despite considerable artistic acclaim as a small orchestra, financial difficulties, and an unwillingness on the part of the Arts Council to provide additional funding, led to its sudden closure in November 1999. Harking back to the early days of the orchestra, sections of the BSO occasionally tour to smaller venues in the south and west.

Kokoro is a contemporary music ensemble of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, consisting of players from the orchestra and freelance musicians (formed 1994).

[edit] Concert Programme

The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra currently gives around 150 concerts a year. In September 1995 the orchestra, conducted by Richard Hickox, was the first to give a complete concert cycle of the symphonies of Ralph Vaughan Williams.[14]

The orchestra under Paavo Berglund made the world premiere recording of Sibelius's Kullervo in 1970. Other acclaimed recordings include Deryck Cooke's completion of Gustav Mahler's Symphony No. 10, conducted by Simon Rattle; Elgar's In The South with Constantin Silvestri, Tchaikovsky's 2nd Piano Concerto with Rudolf Barshai and Peter Donohoe as soloist (featuring Nigel Kennedy and Steven Isserlis in the slow movement); and more recently Anthony Payne's completion of Elgar's 3rd Symphony with Paul Daniel, and Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms with Marin Alsop.

Kees Bakels embarked on a recording of the Vaughan Williams symphonies for Naxos, but bowed out before the cycle was completed. The full set was achieved with Paul Daniel recording the 4th Symphony, and Symphony No.1 'A Sea Symphony' (with the combined forces of the orchestra and the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus).

The final installment of the orchestra's complete series of the symphonies of Sir Charles Villiers Stanford (also for Naxos) was released in 2008: a performance of the Symphony No. 1 in B flat major, coupled with the Clarinet Concerto in A minor with Robert Plane as soloist.

The orchestra performs regularly in the BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall and has played in other great halls of the world, such as Carnegie Hall in New York, the Musikverein Vienna, and the Rudolfinum in Prague. For many years until his death in 2003, Ron Goodwin gave an annual series of Christmas concerts with the orchestra around the south and west of England.

[edit] First performances

Premieres given by the orchestra include the following:

[edit] Media

The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra are no strangers to recordings, radio broadcasts, TV, and Films. The Bournemouth Municipal orchestra, as has been noted, made their first (acoustic) recordings in 1914.

Radio broadcasts were made from the original Winter Gardens on 2LO in the 1920s, and subsequently the BMO gave regular concerts on the BBC. Dan Godfrey even got into trouble for making what was considered a commercial plug for tourism to Bournemouth during a broadcast![15]

The Pathé archive contains short films of the orchestra conducted by Dan Godfrey and Richard Austin made at the Pavilion Theatre in 1930.

In 1963 the nave of Winchester Cathedral was cleared for the first time in several hundred years to enable a live broadcast of the orchestra conducted by Constantin Silvestri performing Wagner's Good Friday Music from Parsifal.[16]

In the 1970s the orchestra appeared in Southern Television's Music in Camera series, conducted by Owain Arwel Hughes.

The orchestra were featured in a (shortlived) series of programmes on the local commercial radio station 2CR, and members of the orchestra and Bournemouth Symphony Chorus recorded a jingle for the Yellow Buses, Bournemouth's local bus company.

[edit] Little known facts

  • The BSO accompanied the Bolshoi Ballet on their first British tour in 1956.
  • The orchestra's former home, the 'new' Winter Gardens, was originally intended to be an indoor bowling alley [17]

[edit] Principal Conductors

[edit] References

  1. ^ Street S, Carpenter R. 1893-1993 – The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, A Centenary Celebration. Wimborne, The Dovecote Press Ltd, 1993
  2. ^ Geoffrey Miller The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra [Dorset Publishing Company 1970]
  3. ^ Miller [Ibid]
  4. ^ The document also included a preface by Godfrey about the origins of the orchestra, a record of the players in 1903, and a photos of the orchestra. Arts and Humanities Research Council, http://www.concertprogrammes.org.uk/search, accessed 30.8.08
  5. ^ Croscombe B. A Chronology. In BSO 90 1893-1983 - A special souvenir edition of WOS News. 1983, Spring/Summer, p16-17.
  6. ^ Stephen Lloyd: Sir Dan Godfrey Champion of British Composers (Thames 1995)
  7. ^ S Street. R Carpenter [ibid]
  8. ^ Miller (ibid)
  9. ^ Lloyd S. Liner notes to ‘Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra 1893-1993’. EMI CD CDM 7 64719 2, 1993.
  10. ^ The New York Times Classical Music 'Closing the book on Bournemouth' 24 April 1994
  11. ^ "'I don’t need to be liked, I’d rather be respected'". The Times. 2007-02-09. http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/article1354073.ece. Retrieved on 2007-09-08. 
  12. ^ James Inverne (2007-11-23). "Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra names new chief conductor". Gramophone. http://www.gramophone.co.uk/newsMainTemplate.asp?storyID=2917&newssectionID=1. Retrieved on 2007-11-24. 
  13. ^ Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra (2007-11-29). Karabits appointed new Principal Conductor. Press release. http://www.bsolive.com/news/newsdetail.htm?articleid=151794. Retrieved on 2007-11-30. 
  14. ^ Lebrecht N. Too English for his own good. London, Daily Telegraph, 11 September 1995.
  15. ^ Lloyd [Ibid]
  16. ^ Miller [Ibid]
  17. ^ Miller [ibid]

[edit] External links

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