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STAVANGER SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA
Fabio Biondi, Conductor and Violin Soloist
North American
Debut Tour -
March 16 – 22,
2011
Orchestra of 55 |
Music
In MP3 Format
Haydn Sym. 104,
Menuet & Trio
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Norway’s innovative orchestra, with its
Artistic Director for Classical & Baroque music at the helm, makes its first
North American tour offering Haydn (“London” symphony), Mozart, CPE Bach and
Vivaldi. The orchestra is at the forefront in renewing the goals, vision and
profile for orchestras in the 21st century - with co-artistic directors,
satellite concerts of smaller ensembles promoted alongside the symphonic series,
and a new concert hall to be ready in 2012. Next season the orchestra adds nine
new full time positions – definitely on the upswing!
Fabio Biondi, Artistic Director for
Classical and Baroque Programming, has a busy, multi-faceted career as a violin
soloist, leader of his own Europa Galante chamber orchestra, and as a conductor
on symphony stages in the opera pit. Mr. Biondi appears at major halls around
the world including La Scala in Milan, Lincoln Center and Carnegie Hall, Disney
Hall in Los Angeles and Tokyo’s Suntory Hall.
Biography
Stavanger Symphony Orchestra (SSO) has gained an
international reputation for its quality and interesting profile in addition to
its creative programming. The combination of a commitment to early and
contemporary music, together with unusual cross-over projects and an extensive
programme of CD-recordings of Norwegian 20th century music, has contributed to
the orchestra’s development and reputation. A spectacular series of orchestra
photos for PR and marketing supports this development.
The orchestra has been in the
forefront in renewing the goals, vision and profile for symphonic
orchestras in the 21st century. The SSO is adopting a satellite
model for its operations, i.e. promoting concerts with smaller
ensembles alongside series of symphonic concerts.
The orchestra played an important role
as Stavanger held its position as European Capital of Culture in
2008. In three years it will move into a brand new concert hall in
Stavanger, specially designed for acoustic, symphonic music. The SSO
appointed the American conductor Steven Sloane as Chief Conductor to
lead the orchestra through these events and to further develop the
orchestra’s artistic standard and international reputation.
Simultaneously, the Italian violinist and conductor Fabio Biondi
will be responsible for the orchestras specializing in early music
interpretation.
By, in 1990, sharing the repertoire
between two different artistic leaders, the SSO was at the forefront
of establishing what was then a new model for artistic leadership.
Conductors such as Frans Brüggen and Alexander Dmitriev in the 90s,
followed by Philippe Herreweghe and Susanna Mälkki, raised the
standard to an international level. With the appointment of Steven
Sloane as Chief Conductor from the 2007/08 season onwards, together
with that of Fabio Biondi from the 2006/2007 season, the artistic
leadership of the orchestra will be further developed. Their broad
international experience and reputation will strengthen the
orchestra’s position in European musical life.
The orchestra tours regularly within
Norway. Internationally the orchestra has performed in Scandinavia,
The Baltic states, Spain, The Netherlands, Belgium, UK, Germany,
Ireland, Czech Republic, Slovakia and Poland. It has participated at
the Edinburgh Festival, Schleswig-Holstein Festival and the Prague
Autumn Festival. In November 2005 the orchestra made its first tour
to Japan.
Apart from the regular subscription
concerts in the Stavanger Concert Hall, the SSO has developed
extensive educational programmes to give schools’ concerts at
various levels. New audiences have been exposed to classical music
by choosing pop and rock groups as partners for certain projects.
SSO has also since 1994 been a regular participant at the Stavanger
MaiJazz Festival and performed with such artists as Herbie Hancock,
Joe Zawinul and Maria Joao. The orchestras’ activities include 80-90
concerts per year. In addition, groups from the orchestra are
involved in a series of chamber music concerts.
The orchestra has released over 30
recordings the last 20 years, receiving excellent reviews in
international music magazines. Complete series of the orchestral
music of Norwegian 20th century composers Harald Sæverud, Geirr
Tveitt and Fartein Valen have been released on the highly profiled
Swedish company, BIS Records.
The Norwegian Oil Company Statoil
(Now: StatoilHydro) ASA has been the SSO’s main sponsor since 1990.
Stavanger Symphony Orchestra is under the Royal Patronage of HRH
Crown Prince Haakon.
Program
Bach Suite no 4
Vivaldi Concerto for the Dresden orchestra
--intermission--
Haydn Violin Concerto no 2 for Violin and Strings in G major
Mozart Symphony no 36, “Linz”
Reviews
From Musikk
med vidd og vits (Music with wit and witticism)
By Arnfinn Bø-Rygg,
Stavanger Aftenblad February 2nd, 2009
Concert in Stavanger Concert Hall
(…) It is a rare
occurrence when we see Fabio Biondi without a violin
in hand, but this happened during the opening
number, Haydn’s last symphony (nr. 104). It was an
exceptionally fine performance. Biondi senses the
elements of surprise, brilliance, wit, humour, and
yes – witticism - in Haydn’s music. These are
qualities that are embedded in the music itself,
objectives of the structural design. Contact with
the listener is inevitable, composed into the music.
I would have preferred a sharper and more vivid
timbre in the opening chords of the first movement.
These chords should shine like rays of light, in
contrast to the mystical atmosphere that
characterizes the rest of the adagio section.
However, the andante was performed with exquisite
sensitivity, the minuet played with gusto, and the
finale was right on target.
(…)
Translation:
E. Maine |
From Forrykende
presist (Tremendously precise) by Magnus Andersson
Morgenbladet, March 3rd, 2007
Concert in Oslo Concert Hall
(...) The orchestra
played with fervour and intensity that was the
result of more than just goodwill or a desire to
express something. They played with a precision
which lifted the music up to a level that is usually
only attained by the Oslo Philharmonic in Norway.
The use of vibrato was tasteful; many of the
exceedingly soft sections would have lost their
transparency with a ‘standard’ vibrato. This magic,
gentle sound, free of vibrato, was the precondition
that enabled Biondi to avoid conjuring up a more
bombastic sound in order to build a climax.
The orchestra was
exquisitely balanced. The lead instruments were
always audible, while at the same time the
accompanying voices were never insignificant but
present in the music with another own integrity.
(...) The sum of
all this is not only a good performance – the
orchestra has, together with its leader, a unique
narrative, a secret, and a distinctive
characteristic to share with us listeners.
(...) Biondi also
appeared as soloist, and from the standpoint that
musical gesture is important his music should be
given note. One could criticize him for exaggerating
(gesture) and letting it affect the musical pulse
and drive, bit I rather regard his playing as a
tremendously creative frolic with form.
(…) The Stavanger
Symphony Orchestra delivered one of the most
memorable concerts that I have ever heard with a
Norwegian Orchestra.
M.A.
Translation: E.
Maine |
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