We are delighted to celebrate Charlotte Edwards’ 40th year as leader of the Wimbledon Symphony Orchestra (WSO). Fellow first violinist Conor Molony recently spoke to Charlotte to discuss her time with the orchestra, and asked her to share some of her experiences.
Charlotte you are in your 40th year of leading WSO! Firstly CONGRATULATIONS! As an orchestra we are so encouraged by your musicianship and team spirit … thinking back over these years I would love you to share some of your memories….
Thank you so much Conor for asking me to reminisce on my 40 years as leader of the Wimbledon Symphony Orchestra. It brings it home to me just what a privilege and exciting experience it has been.
Let me start with a brief account of WSO's historical background. To quote the eminent broadcaster and clarinettist of the orchestra, the late Paul Vaughan,
"In 1961 the composer-conductor, Kenneth V Jones, founded a new orchestra in Wimbledon, the Wimbledon Symphony Orchestra. Jones moved away from the area and was succeeded by the conductor of international standing, John Alldis, founder of the famous John Alldis Choir and conductor successively of the London Philharmonic Choir and the London Symphony Chorus. The orchestra built a solid reputation for adventurous programming and fine performance and was able to attract prominent soloists, the likes of John Lill, Joanna McGregor, Hamish Milne, Alan Hacker, Felicity Palmer, Michael Collins, Richard Watkins, Rodney Friend, James Galway, Jack Brymer and Paul Lewis."
Your first concert with the WSO was with the late great John Alldis (RIP) , what do you remember from this time?
It was in 1980 that I was invited to the exciting (sometimes terrifying!) and highly privileged position of leader. Some of my most vivid memories are of the Gershwin Piano Concerto with Joanna McGregor and exciting early days with Paul Lewis before his astronomical rise to fame. Since those days, we have continued to engage a glittering list of wonderful soloists thanks to our wonderful Chairlady, Marion Friend, who has always had a 'hotline' to young performers who are destined to become world-class soloists.
To be at the helm of a large symphony orchestra is not for the faint-hearted, and it was often with some fear and trepidation that I faced the highly adventurous programmes which the orchestra had a reputation for tackling. In addition, many of our orchestral members were - and still are - very musically-talented people, capable of playing concertos to the highest standard with the orchestra and with illustrious careers outside music. I used to bring my 3 young children along to the concerts and placed them in my vision for moral support - my youngest always asleep after 10 minutes!
Where does the role of leader of an orchestra come from? Is it baroque/ classical etc.
You ask me, Conor, about the role of the leader. For most composers, the symphony orchestra is the 'show-piece' for their talents. The vehicle by which they can express all their emotions. Every member of an orchestra has a role to play in generating this great tapestry. In an attempt to answer your question, I think the key feature, sitting where one does as leader, right next to the conductor and at the very point where the sound from the entire orchestra comes together and is then to be 'sent out' to the audience, one is in a very powerful position to influence the net result.
One is ideally placed, being so close, to interpret what the conductor wishes to achieve.
By way of body-language, quick glances etc, one can correct slight discrepancies in ensemble, balance of dynamics etc. Different sections of the orchestra in less favourable positions on stage can find this hard to assess and often would depend on both the conductor and the leader (the latter especially for the strings) to judge.
Something not quite so obvious is that, as leader, one can adjust one's own playing to make the overall effect as close as possible to what the conductor and (hopefully) the composer had in mind....rather like seasoning one's favourite recipe!
What is the difference when the leader becomes the conductor, for example Stephanie Gonley directing/ conducting from the leader’s chair with English Chamber Orchestra?
Obviously, with no conductor and when one is directing from the leader's chair (as would have generally been the case in the baroque period and earlier), points 2) and 3) above are the tools by which you hope to create a meaningful and cohesive performance.
Does this differ when the orchestra accompanies a soloist or a group such as with our concert with Sonoro and Wimbledon Community Chorus last year?
The leader's role does feel different when accompanying. One has a three-way allegiance...to soloist, conductor and composer. Hopefully one isn't fighting a battle there!!
Why does the leader take the stage on their own at the beginning of the concert?
My only answer to this is that it is probably for theatrical reasons and perhaps to remind the orchestra that they need to keep their eye on the leader as well as the conductor throughout the performance!!
From around the great orchestras of the World, which leaders have inspired you or influenced you in being a leader with WSO?
In response to the question regarding which leaders of great symphony orchestras have inspired me, I think my answer would be "not one in particular". There are so many ways by which to exert influence over people and this is hard to detect from the outside. Great leaders inspire confidence, co-operation and concentration which in turn opens players' minds to the wonderful musical possibilities which generate great performances. Such influence often happens in rehearsal and is rarely the result of flamboyant gestures on stage!
Charlotte, to end this 1st part of our discussion may I ask about tuning. How does an orchestra decide that they are in tune? Do colleagues correct each other? Are there different ‘A’s’ and why do the brass sometimes choose a ‘B-flat’ to tune?
To slightly digress for a moment I would like to talk about the question of orchestral pitch. It has always been, and continues to be, controversial. Throughout the centuries pitch has varied considerably. Today, most British orchestras have settled for A=440 hertz but in Handel's day A was 422 whereas Mozart favoured 421.6. In 1858 the French standardised their A at 435 and 20 years later, Verdi at 432. By 1938 the international standard was set at 440 but now the New York Philharmonic tunes to 442 as do the Chicago and Boston Symphony Orchestras. In Berlin, orchestras tune to 448 and in Moscow, even higher (450).
The higher the pitch, the more brilliant and vibrant the orchestral sound but there are many disadvantages. It puts a considerable strain on the voice and wind instruments. All the 'bel canto' writing in Verdi's time was designed for the pitch being 432 and the human voice simply doesn't work comfortably in these works when the pitch is pushed upwards. Likewise, wind instruments too cannot cope with the constant 'lipping up'. The instruments themselves need to be designed specifically for the purpose.
To return to your question. In general, the principal oboe will give the A, checking the exact pitch on a portable electronic device. For audability reasons different sections of the orchestra might tune as a group, each individual member taking responsibility for their own instrument. Instruments whose natural harmonic series is based on B flat (e.g. trumpets and clarinets in B flat etc might occasionally choose to tune to a B flat but in general, A is the standard).
Thank you Charlotte.
The 2nd section of this interview will be published in July 2020.