Composer Jonathan Woolgar on Symphonic Message: "Wach auf!"

Ahead of LSO Futures on 28 May, we interviewed LSO Panufnik composer Jonathan Woolgar to discuss his brand new work Symphonic Message: “Wach Auf”, a sonic wake-up call that begins with a blazing explosion of sound.

The LSO’s players are like a collection of elite athletes, so working with them in any capacity is always a rewarding experience. – Jonathan Woolgar

Top three composers? Wagner, Mahler, Strauss.

Favourite season? Anything but winter.

Non-musical hobbies? Books, Films, Disneyland.

What luxury possession would you take to a desert island? Sun cream.

What do you use as your wake-up call? My partner.

What inspired you to become a composer and when did you start composing music?

I’ve been composing music for as long as I can remember and I started because I wanted to recreate music which had a profound effect on me. In the early days this was mostly musical theatre.

When starting a new piece what are the first steps you take?

Every piece I write somehow incorporates lots of other music. Usually, the initial impulse will be wanting to include or explore one or two bits of existing music and this sets the ball rolling. Those bits of existing music may or may not be detectable in the final piece (whether they are or not is beside the point) but in my mind they’re essential to the piece’s DNA.

Where do you find inspiration?

I write music about music inspired by music and its emotional and expressive power. I never write pieces based on words, pictures, stories, concepts or anything else.

What can you tell us about your new piece?

The piece starts with a sudden blaze of glory, apropos of nothing, before fracturing and then trying to work its way back. The ‘Wach auf!’ (German for ‘Wake up!’) of the title reflects the opening gesture and the piece’s intended role as a concert opener.

What can we expect to hear in this piece?

A colourful parade of music ranging from the deeply expressive to the excessively crass. There are recitatives, marches, love songs and laments along the way, and moments for both individual players and orchestral sections to shine (most notably solo cello and the clarinet section respectively). The orchestration is deeply rooted in the orchestral tradition – I want the orchestra to sound like an orchestra – and familiar musical elements rub against each other in odd ways.

Tell us about your experience on the Panufnik Composers Scheme?

I feel very fortunate to have been connected to the LSO via the Panufnik Scheme for several years now. The players are like a collection of elite athletes, so working with them in any capacity is always a rewarding experience.