‘Symphony of Sorrowful Songs’ at English National Opera
The final work in ENO’s 2022/23 season, a staging of Henryk Górecki’s Symphony of Sorrowful Songs, made for a poignant, beautiful and moving close to a season beset with anxiety about the future of ENO in is current home, the London Coliseum, after Arts Council England (ACE) slashed its funding and demanded that the opera find a new home outside London. This is all part of the government’s so-called “levelling up” policy, but for many of us who care about such things, it – and other acts of desecration by ACE – feels like an attack on culture and also on excellence.
These points were more than touched upon in an emotional pre-performance speech by Stuart Murphy, outgoing CEO of ENO, who warned Nicholas Serota, Michael Gove and others that “history is watching you”. Murphy’s speech garnered enthusiastic support, with a few shouts of “Tories out!” from the balcony.
What followed was a performance which demonstrated exactly why we should value ENO and what it does – and what makes it distinctive from London’s other great opera house.
Of course Symphony of Sorrowful Songs is not an opera. It’s an orchestral work in three movements by Henryk Gorecki (1933-2010), a composer hitherto almost unkown outside his native Poland until this work hit the classical charts in the early 1990s in a recording featuring soprano Dawn Upshaw with the London Sinfonietta. The album remained in the charts for weeeks and weeks, and is one of the biggest selling contemporary classical pieces of all time.
The music is minimalist in style, approachable but also highly affecting, with an insistent pulse throughout which could suggest a human heartbeat. The only voice is that of a soprano, in the ENO production Nicole Chevalier, who in three meditative movements offers a triptych of motherhood – the first a lament of the Virgin Mary, the second a message written on the wall of a Gestapo prison cell, and the third a mother searching for her lost son. The production was presented in Polish with Englisha and Polish subtitles.
The work lends itself to a theatrical presentation and is rich in religious imagery, in particular the Pietà and figures at the base of the cross from the Crucifixion, both of which were referenced in the opening movement. A simple set with two apertures of light overhead created the sense of a cavernous stone tomb. At the back, a figure lay on a suspended slab while a woman dragged a cloth from a grave. Gathering it up in her arms, the cloth became at once a cradled child and a shroud. Throughout the performance, extraordinary lighting and video effects projected tears or waves, and the fuzzy images from an ante-natal ultrasound scan, which served to enhance and reinforce the message of the music and the words.
In the second scene, in a Gestapo prison cell, we see that the stone walls are in fact a series of closely-meshed ropes through which mysterious, masked figures emerge and depart. In the final scene, the tangled ropes suggests the mess and fog of war as the mother searches for her lost son. The resonances with the war in Ukraine were very obvious here and this made for a very moving episode in a work freighted with a visceral sense of poignancy and loss.
Nicole Chevalier’s translucent yet rich soprano brought power and tenderness to Gorecki’s long-spun lines, while conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya and the ENO orchestra gave an unsentimental but not less committed and absorbing reading of the score which appreciate the narrative arc of the individual movements and the work as a whole. The overall effect was compelling, deeply moving and yet ultimately uplifting: the closing moments of the final movement, the mother spreads her wings and ascends towards heaven, in an image redolent of the art of William Blake.
An ambitious, imaginative and haunting production from ENO, which demonstrates exactly why we must treasure and support this organisation.
Four full days of piano concerts and events in the beautiful and historic town of Ludlow in Shropshire
Celebrity impressionist, comedian and actor turned pianist Alistair McGowan has launched the Ludlow Piano Festival, which takes place between 24 and 28 May. This new music festival features a fabulous line-up of pianists: Lucy Parham, Charles Owen, Anne Lovett, Viv McLean, Paul Roberts, Anthony Hewitt, Benjamin Frith, Christina McMaster, Joanna McGregor and James Lisney, playing a mixture of pieces by Chopin, Gershwin, Grieg, Rachmaninov, Debussy, Mompou, Liszt, Scriabin, Satie, and Ravel (as well as original works), all with an emphasis on beauty and romance, as befits the lovely setting for this festival. In addition, comedian, musician and conductor, Rainer Hersch will be performing his hilarious and heart-warming tribute to his idol, Victor Borge. And on Saturday 26 May, remarkable blind pianist Rachel Starrit will give a late-night candlelit concert, performing new works by three young composers and her own improvisations.
As well as the concerts there will be opportunities for invited students and keen amateur pianists to participate in masterclasses with Paul Roberts and James Lisney, plus insights into dealing with live performance in a special event hosted by Radio 3’s Katie Derham.
I caught up with Alistair McGowan to ask him more about this Festival and the chosen setting for it
What was your motivation for organising the Ludlow Piano Festival?
We have two fabulous concert venues in the town each with a top-quality concert grand pianos. Having performed my own show (in which I cheekily play 15 short piano pieces by Debussy, Satie, Glass, Gershwin, Cyril Scott et al and intersperse them with light-hearted biographical information and a smattering of crowbarred impressions) to great acclaim at both venues, I thought it would be wonderful to get all the proper classical pianists I know and admire to play these excellent pianos too and within a few days of each other so that the town rings with the sound of the piano.
Why Ludlow?
Apart from the great pianos and venues, Ludlow is a beautiful town which I’m now very pleased to call home. Set amid the rolling, ‘blue-remembered’ Shropshire Hills, I thought it would be a perfect base for a festival of this sort where people could come from all over the country (indeed, all over the world) and sample the great food on offer, the history of the town with its stunning architecture, and enjoy the freshness of the English/almost Welsh countryside in between the many top-quality events.
What excites you about the performers and programmes at the Festival?
Every one of the soloists has thrilled me with their playing since I came (late in life!) to appreciate the piano repertoire. They are artists whose recordings have inspired me, soothed me, moved me and amazed me. I have seen nearly all of them live too and am just in awe of what they do. I’m delighted that they have agreed to largely play shorter pieces. I hope that will keep our audience on their toes and introduce them to a lot of new pieces and new composers (some modern, some young, and some local composers too!) rather than just the regular names.
What do you hope audiences will take from the Festival?
I hope they will, like me, be moved and inspired and want to hear more, learn more and play more. Also, knowing that we’d attract some very-skilled piano enthusiasts, I was keen to secure some street pianos and to have the three pub pianos in the town tuned and accessible so that visitors (and the resting soloists!) can play music so that anyone can hear it as they eat, drink and go about their daily business.
This promises to be a glorious celebration of the piano, in a beautiful location – a must-go Festival for all pianophiles and music lovers.
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To our benefit, there are usually several paths one can choose to arrive at the same end result. Doing so in the traditional way or manner, and the unconventional way. Whichever decision you make is incumbent on the most comfortable way for you in accomplishing something.
To me, I am always seeking the easiest and most convenient way to do something, however I would not perceive myself as lazy. I am just conservative and selective with how I spend my energy. The only thing I exercise to the brink of exhaustion on a daily basis is my brain and thought processes. I can usually just take a nap to recuperate when necessary.
When I had decided I wanted to learn the piano, I knew seeking out a professional teacher to personally instruct me was out of the question, financially and time-wise. My mentors and research consisted of pianists who posted helpful videos on YouTube for beginners and affordable piano books and exercises I could purchase from Amazon.
Due to my circumstances, these choices suited my situation best and I made the best with what I had at my disposal. If aspiring pianists have the funds to hire a personal instructor, I would highly encourage you to do so.
Many tactics I did not learn until much later would have been made aware to me had I had someone to overlook my practice sessions and provide instant feedback I could apply on my own time. Though I think I have gotten on fine enough considering the circumstances.
Like everything in this universe, there are pros and cons when we make these choices. When we choose one thing over the other, we are knowingly sacrificing what could have been had we chosen differently. Sometimes the fear of ¨what could have been¨ can cripple us so much that we just do not make a choice at all.
Some have the opportunity to experience both but I cannot say if that is the default when it comes to decision-making. Although, I can say that hard work can certainly aid with filling in the gaps where personal instruction could have been well-utilized.
Pros
Learning anything outside our immediate area of expertise is a struggle, to say the least. Fortunately the individuals who would consider themselves to be of a more independent nature could definitely benefit from the self-taught avenue.
Adhering to Your Own Schedule
Going solo means you do not have to refer to someone else for when a task should be completed. Finding ways to manoeuvre around each other´s, sometimes very busy, schedules can be time-consuming and hard to negotiate.
Also, life is still going on around us. Many of us have outside responsibilities that come first before giving precious time to what most would consider a hobby. Things like family, relationships, work, household duties, etc. are more than enough to keep the average citizen occupied for the majority of their week.
Of course we definitely need sleep as well, especially me. We are not machines that only need to be recharged when we are feeling fatigued at the end of a long, busy day. Being self-taught can eliminate some of these issues.
Typically, teachers expect you to have practiced a certain amount during the week and present that to them when you see them next. Sometimes, the pressure of performing and getting in the required time for a full practice session can be tiresome and anxiety-inducing.
While I immensely enjoyed taking a piano close as a Junior in high school, I hated the weekly tests the teacher would grade us on for the song he selected. I always performed so much worse during the exam than when I was practicing and it frustrated me to no end.
Also, my school did not have enough pianos for each student to have their own so our allotted time slot was much shorter time to accommodate our larger than average classrooms. Now that I practice in the comfort of my own home, I can take as much time as I need to make sure I fully understand a concept.
Working at Your Own Pace
Slow-learners and fast-learners are the bane of the other´s existence. We all have that one subject or skill we excel in and get mildly irritated when others are not. At least that was the case for me in the past. I was even more irritated when I did not understand something and everyone else did, leaving me behind while I struggled.
Some concepts take longer to comprehend than others so rushing them can exacerbate their feelings of inadequacy, leading them to eventually quitting.
On the contrary, moving too slowly can lead to boredom. It is hard for a professional and newbie to come to terms with their individual skill levels and find a way to move forward that satisfies both of their needs.
Working alone means you can work as fast or slow as you need. You can speed up when something comes easier to you or take additional time for more difficult roadblocks without feeling like you are infringing on someone else´s time while still moving forward.
Cons
On the other side, there are some hiccups one should take into consideration before taking the plunge. While there is a considerable amount of freedom that comes with being self-taught, there are also some factors one should think about. Determine whether or not these possible setbacks are something you are willing to take on during your progression.
Lack of Support
One thing that makes starting a new hobby so exciting is meeting new people who have the same passion as you. This can be said about starting a new sport, joining a club at school, or attending weekly community gatherings for a specific project.
What all of these activities have in common is a group of individuals that are physically present. You have others you can converse with as the two of you are working while establishing a relationship.
In the beginning stages, learning an instrument can be kind of isolating if you are teaching yourself. Having a teacher present can remind you that they are there to help and support you when you eventually hit a wall. We can sometimes lose motivation when we have no one holding us accountable.
Lack of Foundation
If you are anything like me, you tend to want to skip the ¨boring¨ stuff and tackle the more exciting lessons. The problem with this is you hit a plateau much quicker due to a lack of knowledge in basic strategies you should have focused on to begin with.
We all have songs in our heads we really want to learn so we convince ourselves, prematurely, that we can learn it at our current level only to receive a slap in the face when you realize you cannot even play both hands at the same time without being out of time.
It takes a responsible person to stave off instant gratification and spend time on the more mundane, but important, aspects that are the very foundation of what they can accomplish in the future.
Little to No Feedback
Unless you asked someone to watch over you who is well-versed in piano and the proper form, you do not have much immediate feedback so you would have to refer to second-hand resources for clarity.
Playing in front of someone can be extremely nerve-wrecking but it is worth it to learn in the early stages which behaviours need to be corrected so they do not turn into bad habits that are nearly impossible to break further down the line.
Don´t shoot yourself in the foot by relying on your intuition in unfamiliar territory. There are lots of resources and videos out there that will inform you on better ways to play arpeggios or the perfect posture to maintain when practicing.
In Conclusion
We are all different. Some thrive in solitude while others, in the company of others. I do not regret that I chose to be self-taught however I definitely believe I could have benefited greatly from having a stable authority present to help me when I struggled.
Ideally, I think the best situation would be to experience both. Have a teacher as a novice player then gradually become more independent as you improve. That is just my opinion, though.
Whatever decision you choose is ultimately up to you unless you have parents who insist on paying for your lessons. I hope whatever path you choose leads you to victory.
Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music and who or what have been the most important influences on your musical life and career?
When I was 7 years old, my parents told me that I was enrolled in a guitar group at my school. Back then I didn’t even know what a guitar was, or that you could have a career as a guitarist ! At around 10 years of age, I took part in some guitar events in China where I saw some professional foreign guitarists play concerts and I was told I had the ability to do the same as them.
This is what first put the idea of pursuing a career in music into my head, without really knowing what it entailed. My youthful enthusiasm took me to the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, against the wishes of my family, where I became the very first guitar student in the whole country. During my ten years there I constantly felt that my instrument was under appreciated and underestimated. This enhanced my own determination to have a musical career and show everyone what the guitar can do. I was also so inspired by the great musical environment at the conservatory, and this too strengthened my resolve to become a musician.
What have been the greatest challenges of your career so far?
There have been many challenges on my musical journey. When I started playing in China, no one in China had taken this path before, so there were no local role models. The country had no classical guitar tradition. Looking back, I had to battle against the odds to make my own path. Over the years this took me to the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing, and later abroad to study at the Royal Academy of Music in London. It’s not easy for an Eastern person to come to the West and make a career with no familiarity with the environment here. Especially so when that career is playing a niche Western instrument. Therefore, I am extremely grateful for all the support I have received to come this far.
Which performances/recordings are you most proud of
My recordings are like my children. I like them all, but I am particularly proud of two, Bach Concertos and Sketches of China. These both contain new repertoire for guitar, so I put a great deal of effort and time to make these happen. Not only the recording, but sourcing the repertoire, and making the guitar arrangements.
There are also many concerts that I am proud of, but my most recent is actually a highlight. It was called ‘Once Upon a Time in Brazil’ and I played for two consecutive nights at the NCPA in Beijing. The concert presents a wide selection of Brazilian music from classical to popular style. The program highlighted the central role that guitar has in all this music . I pushed my own boundaries as a classically trained player. I felt a revelation performing new musical styles in collaboration with different combinations of chamber musicians. For example, we had one set with guitar, percussion, and double bass, rather like a jazz trio which worked really well. The enthusiastic response from the audience on both nights gave me great encouragement and was a welcome reward for the project.
Which particular works/composers do you think you perform best?
I feel particularly at home with lyrical, romantic works. I consider lyricism as one of my hallmarks. I am always singing in my head as I play. Several string players have told me that I phrase as if I have a bow in my hand. That’s a complement I really like and can associate with.
What do you do off stage that provides inspiration on stage?
Travel! I like travelling to see how people live in different places around the world, and to learn about their culture. That’s a great source of inspiration when interpreting music from these cultures. It’s not only an inspiration on stage, but it opens my mind and helps me understand myself and my own cultural background in a broader and deeper way and understand other people more.
How do you make your repertoire choices from season to season?
It’s based on a combination of factors, my own personal tastes and desires, the concert schedule and promoter’s requests, and my recording plans. In general, I try to balance a program to have something for everyone. I also try to feature something familiar and something new, whilst at the same time broadening my own repertoire.
Do you have a favourite concert venue to perform in and why?
I think my overall favourite is Wigmore Hall in London. It has a perfect acoustic for guitar.
What do you feel needs to be done to grow classical music’s audiences?
I think a few factors need to be addressed. I don’t know if classical music is losing audiences as such, but nowadays people have more choices about how to use their time, so we must compete for their attention. We need to make the music relevant to them. I also feel there are still elements of elitism in classical music, that make many feel excluded from the circle. Musical education plays a huge role in this. For example, in China a vast number of children are learning instruments, and their parents will take them to hear concerts.
What is your most memorable concert experience?
I have many! Two come to mind. My first is meeting the composer Rodrigo who came to my Spanish debut concert in Madrid when I was 14! More recently it was amazing to play on Bastille Day sitting under the Eiffel Tower with the French National Orchestra, performing to a huge live audience on the Champ de Mars, and an even bigger audience via the broadcast on French national television.
As a musician, what is your definition of success?
I think I would consider myself as a success if I could be recognised and remembered for my professional legacy.
What advice would you give to young/aspiring musicians?
There are easier ways to make a living. It’s often a tough, competitive, and unforgiving profession, even for those who truly have talent. It’s very easy to be distracted or disillusioned, so I think it’s useful to keep reminding yourself why you are following this path, and never lose the love and enjoyment of the music.
What’s the one thing in the music industry we’re not talking about which you think we should be?
Finding the right business model that allows promoters to balance artistic innovation versus commercial risk. In economically hard times, there is great pressure on promoters to take commercially safe options in choices of artists, repertoire, and programs. However, in the long run this is a danger to the health of innovation in the arts. Exciting things happen at the edge of the comfort zone. I hope the industry will regain sufficient financial independence to strike a good balance.
What’s next?
Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, the first single from my upcoming digital album X-Culture (released 19th May 2023), was released on Friday 7th April from It was rather poignant to learn today that the composer of the piece, Ryuichi Sakamoto died earlier this month. I knew he was unwell at the time I was recording his piece; I was actually thinking of his feelings at that time. Reading about his suffering gave me a sense of nostalgia as I recorded the piece.
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Good health, great loving relationship, and being able to do what I enjoy doing.
What is your most treasured possession?
My guitars.
Xuefei Yang performs in the Image China concert at London’s Cadogan Hall on Thursday 13th April. The programme features celebrated and ground-breaking works by acclaimed Chinese composers Chen Qigang, Tan Dun, Wang Xilin, Zhou Tian, and Fu Renchang alongside Western composers Edward Elgar and John Brunning.
Xuefei Yang is acclaimed as one of the world’s finest classical guitarists. Hailed as a musical pioneer – her fascinating journey began after the Cultural Revolution, a period where Western musical instruments & music were banned. Xuefei was the first-ever guitarist in China to enter a music school, & became the first internationally recognised Chinese guitarist on the world stage. Her first public appearance was at the age of ten and received such acclaim that the Spanish Ambassador in China presented her with a concert guitar. Her debut in Madrid at the age of 14 was attended by the composer Joaquín Rodrigo and, when John Williams heard her play, he gave two of his own instruments to Beijing’s Central Conservatoire especially for her and other advanced students.
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