VOY

FAMILY CONCERT

AGER Sunday 8 July 2.30–3.30pm, Barbican Hall

Today’s programme
The wonders of the cosmos have always been a
source of fascination for humankind. 35,000 years
ago, even early African and European stargazers
tracked the phases of the moon as it turned about
a planet that they had no idea they were on. Their
curiosity for the celestial marks the beginning of a
millennia-long journey from the first agricultural
societies to the ancient Greeks, through Copernicus,
Galileo, Sputnik, Apollo and finally to Voyager, one
of the most ambitious space projects ever undertaken.
In 1977 the United States launched two Voyager
probes into the heavens. Their mission over the next
30 years was to examine and measure the planets
of our solar system and then venture out beyond it,
into the unknown, carrying forth a message that will
travel through space for the next 10,000 years.
Welcome to this afternoon’s LSO Discovery Family
Concert at the Barbican. We are delighted that you
are able to join us as we present Voyager, the story
of a distant traveller, Kepler, who having discovered
a Voyager probe, beams herself down to the Barbican
Hall to learn about humankind. What will she learn
about us, and with your help, will she get home to
her distant galaxy?
We’ll hear music from 200 years ago alongside much
more recent pieces, some of which you’ll know and
some you likely won’t. From Beethoven’s best-
known symphonic opening to Holst’s famous piece
‘Jupiter’ and the music which accompanied Elliott as
he soared over the forest in E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial,
it promises to be a fantastic programme. We hope
you enjoy the show.
‘This is a present from a small,
distant world, a token of our sounds,
our science, our images, our music,
our thoughts and our feelings ...
This record represents our hope and
our determination, and our good will
in a vast and awesome universe.’
US President Jimmy Carter’s
message on Voyager 1
Richard Strauss
Prelude from ‘Also sprach Zarathustra’
This music from 2001: A Space Odyssey’s iconic
opening was originally taken from a piece by Richard
Strauss from 1896. Hair-raisingly dramatic, the initial
fanfare was titled ‘Sunrise’ by the composer.
John Adams
Short Ride in a Fast Machine
According to the composer, this piece from 1986 was
inspired by the feeling of agreeing to ride in a terrific
sports car and then wishing you hadn’t!
Ludwig van Beethoven
‘Allegro con brio’ from Symphony No 5
This is one of the best-known pieces of classical music.
You’ll probably recognise its dramatic ‘dun-dun-dun-
dah’ opening phrase, thought by some to represent
fate knocking on the door, although Kepler has her
own ideas!
Gustav Holst
Jupiter from ‘The Planets’
Racing strings are followed by bold trumpets and horns
in Holst’s fantastic vision of the solar system’s fifth
planet. Make sure to watch the kettle drum player in
the beginning – they have a lot of notes to play!
Olivier Messiaen
Opening from ‘Les offrandes oubliées’
Mysterious and alien, the dark strings and woodwind
from the opening of Messiaen’s 1930 piece transports
the listener on a journey to another world.
Dmitri Shostakovich
Allegro from ‘Symphony No 10’
Loud and boisterous, this short movement from one
of Shostakovich’s symphonies is quite the gallop!
It features chugging low strings and lots of notes for
the trumpet.
Charles Ives
The Unanswered Question
Against the backdrop of shimmering strings, a solo
trumpet repeatedly asks ‘The Perennial Question
of Existence’. A woodwind quartet tries in vain
to answer, growing continually more urgent and
confused.
Gustav Holst arr Gareth Davies
Voyager
to the tune of ‘I Vow to Thee, My Country’
(audience participation piece)
This hymn uses the same tune as Gustav Holst’s
‘Jupiter’, which we heard earlier on, and has been set
to new words by Gareth Davies. We hope you’re in
good voice as you’ll need to help get kepler home!
John Williams
Flying theme from ‘E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial’
Conjuring images of flying bikes and extra-terrestrial
spaceships, John Williams’ magical score to the
1982 film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial remains a favourite
for audiences. It’s one of our favourites to play too.
 Elim Chan conductor
Born in Hong Kong, Elim Chan won the Donatella
Flick Conducting Competition in December 2014,
and as a result served as the LSO’s Assistant
Conductor for the 2015/16 season. She was then
appointed to the Dudamel Fellowship programme
with the Los Angeles Philharmonic and in 2017/18
she served as Principal Conductor of the Orchestra
of NorrlandsOperan. She begins her role as Principal
Guest Conductor of the Royal Scottish National
Orchestra in September this year. From September
2019, she will be Chief Conductor of Antwerp
Symphony Orchestra.

Elim Chan’s appearance with the LSO is generously

supported by Reignwood.

Victor Craven creator & director

Victor Craven is a animator and director with a
passion for classical music, theatre and film. He has
many years experience of producing work for the
creative arts and specialises in working with world-
class orchestras and ensembles, stage directing and
producing animations for live concert performance.

NEXT TIME Gareth Davies writer

Saturday 27 October 2018 2.30–3.30pm
Barbican Hall
LSO FAMILY CONCERT
lso.co.uk/families
Under 18s can attend any LSO concert for just £5
Browse all our events at lso.co.uk
Gareth Davies joined the London Symphony
Orchestra as Flute in 2000. Alongside his busy
playing schedule, he has also written for BBC Music
Magazine, Gramophone and Primephonic. His first
book The Show Must Go On was a 2013 book of
the year in the Financial Times and Classical Music
Magazine. This is his second collaboration with
Victor Craven for an LSO Family Concert following
2016’s ‘Game Over’.